Mobile computing
Mobile computing.
Mobile computing
Mobile computing.
I use a smal number of computers to do some mobile computing. Mostly I don't connect to the Internet, because it is not realiy accessible. In places where I can get Internet I use my Wifi antennas to connect.
Lap top / Computers.
My lap top is my world really. It is where I write this web site, where I write my Blog and science fiction. I can watch videos and DVDs on it. I even have a TV tuner card to watch TV on it although the picture is a bit average. I can also play computer games on the lap top. If I can find a Wifi point I can also surf the web. Wifi points however are far and few between, although there is a free one in town less than two kilometer away. It is primarily intended for WAP, Web Access Protocol, used by mobile phones. Needless to say access to the Web is slow. I really should drive over there one day and give it a shot.
The Laptop is an Acer Extensa 2350. It has a 1.4 Ghz processor, a 40 GB hard drive and 256 MB of ram. Not hugely powerful. I don't mind that though. The first computer I ever owned was a 486-66 so this one feels like it is flying. It does everything I want bar two things. There is one computer game I own that that will not play on it due to poor screen resolution. It also does not have a DVD burner, although it does have a DVD player. What I do like about it is that it runs very nicely from a power adapter I have in the hippy bus.
I brought the lap top about two to three years ago so I could study some work related stuff at home. I had decided then that I wanted a lap top because it is far more portable than a desk top computer and uses a lot less power. I was planning on buying a campervan back then, and more or less brought this one because it was on sale, and the particular one I brought was further discounted because some one had brought it back to the store after deciding they did not want it. So for about $780 I had what was then a fairly high end lap top. It saves space because I can stick it in a lap top bag and store it away when not in use.
In addition to the main laptop I have a backup. Another Acer, an AcerNote Light. It is only a Pentium 166 with 32 MB of ram and a 2 GB hard drive. It won't even run Windows XP. The best I could get running on it was Windows 98. It does however run my back up copies of Word for Windows, Dream Weaver and has backup copies of my writing and pictures on it. It even is set up for Web surfing. The computer however is intended for emergency use for if the main computer breaks down or is some other way incapacitated. Strangely I have found that I use it now and then because it has a floppy disk drive. The only computer I own which has one.
The third computer I own is a small palmtop computer. It is a Hewlett Packard Journada 820 running Windows CE. I don't use it much. I am wondering if perhaps I should sell it. I have a similar machine as my fourth computer. This is a Psion Series 7 computer. Both of these computers use a Strong Arm 133 MHz processor. The Psion is running EPOC software, not Windows compatible. However the computer can be plugged in to the laptops and files can be easily swapped between the two. I have found that the Psion is a lot more useful than the Journada, simply because the Psion has a lot more software programmed for it and it has great infrared connectivity.
My fifth computer is a little Psion Revo. This computer is used only when traveling or back packing. It could be used for writing documents, as it has a keyboard and touch screen. I plan to mostly use it for viewing documents though.
Printer.
My printer is probably the smallest one you can buy. It is a HP BJC50. It is a battery powered printer. It can print A4 pages, which can either be manually loaded in to the printer, or be fed in using an optional paper feeder. This printer is tiny. It weighs less than two kilograms. The thing I like best about it tough is that it has an Infra Red Data Access port (IRDA). This means I can stick it beside my laptop or the Psions and point tirelessly. In a small space this is a great benefit as it means that I don't have to worry about cables. This printer is ideal for use inside of a camper van. It is small, compact, can be charged from the inverter or the 12 volt power supply units.
The printer and Psion. The printer is fitted into the optional paper feeder.
Printer shown without the optional paper feeder.
Wifi antennas.
In order to stay connected with the Internet via wireless network access points I have two Wifi antennas. The first is a 18 DB flat panel directional antenna. It is big, at 25 centimeters across. I have mounted it upon the same pole that the television antenna is located on. The pole can be raised to a good five meters above the ground. I can pick up the local access point at McDonalds from 200 meters away. It is connected to the computer via a 4 meter coaxial cable and a USB cable. The little USB Wifi connector to the computer was a cheapie, and sadly a poorly constructed piece of work, not because it does not do its job, but due to poor build quality. The USB connector is very poorly attached to the circuit board, and the plastic casing is equally weak. I had to resolder on the USB pick ups forks twice. When I order a new one I shall be sure to unscrew it and fill it with some sort of epoxy first to ensure it can not possibly fall apart.
The second antenna is actually a Trend Net Wifi detector. This little pocket unit is not much bigger than a USB memory stick. It can be used either hand held to detect Wifi networks, or plugged in to a laptop or palm top as a USB adapter. It cost me about $140 and was well worth it. I can wander around downtown for hours on end zooming in on Wifi spots. Or I can plug it in to my laptop and use it to connect to those Wifi points.
The Trend Net Wifi Detector.
I am thinking of buying an extra Wifi antenna, a roof mounted omni directional. In hind sight it would probably have been a better choice of antenna than the flat panel.
The big 25 centimeter 18 dB Wifi antenna and the television antenna. The TV antenna is not very good.
The tiny Trendnet Wifi detector and antenna.
