Multiple Mobiles

Using three mobile computing devices seems counter intuitive; after all, less is more, right?  Maybe not.

Over the past few months, I have been traveling around Connecticut and New York State, working off-hours from home, and sitting through a lot of long important (and boring) meetings.  With the projects I was working on now winding down, I have a chance to look back on how the work was done and what tools were used to accomplish that work.

I found myself primarily using three tools: a full-sized 14-inch notebook, a 9-inch notebook, and my Treo 755p.  The tool I took with me and the role it played changed week to week, but the end result was the same: to remain productive while out of my office. 

Light-n-Sweet

Regardless of where I was or what I was doing I always had my Treo 755p with me.  I found it to an indispensable tool.  The Treo, because it was lightweight and easy of use, became my project management lifeline.  Stored in my Treo for easy access were phone numbers and email address, my schedule, corporate email, tasks for the coming days, and important project files.  The features that I really like about the Treo are: instant on, access to information with the press of a button, the easy of Palm OS, and the convergence of voice, Internet access, and business data.  The single most important aspect of the Treo over the tools that I mentioned earlier was that it went everywhere with me.  In the car, to presentations, in meetings, or out into the field, the Treo was always there with me providing me with all the information I needed when I needed it.  If you invest the time to load your information into the Treo, it becomes a very powerful business tool.

Call in the Reinforcements

For as flexible of a solution that the Treo is, there are just some things that it just isn’t equipped to deal with.  I don’t expect that many people would want to try and work with a large Word or Excel documents on a 2.5-inch square screen.  A 13-inch or larger notebook screen is better suited for kind of work because it provides you with the ability to see more of the document at once.  A notebook also allows you to participate in video conferencing and collaborative meetings using services such as Skype or Microsoft Live Meeting if you have the optional peripheral hardware.  Lastly, notebooks provide a better experience when working with hosted applications on a Citrix solution or from an outsourced application service provider (ASP).  When using the hardware that meets your requirements, a good notebook really allows you to setup shop just about anywhere and get your work, be it for business, school, or personal use, done wherever  you find yourself.

Stuck in the Middle

Bridging the gap between smartphone and a full featured notebook is what I like to call the “sub-notebook.”  These are a few different names for this class of device: ultra-light, ultra mobile PC (UMPC), and compact notebook.  Sub-notebooks really started to take off in the fall of 2007, most notably with the Asus Eee PC.

For those who don’t know, a sub-notebook is a smaller footprint laptop computer, typically with a display between 7 to 10-inches.  They tend not to have CD or DVD optical drives; they have lower speed, less power hungry CPUs; and not much in the way of memory and storage space.  For all the trade offs in features, what you end up with is an inexpensive, light-weight PC with long battery life.

Sub-notebooks are small enough and light enough to be carried with you throughout the day.  At the same time, these mini laptops are of sufficient size to handle many tasks that are simply not practical to perform on a small screen.  Sub-notebooks are perfect for the highly mobile individual who needs to be able to work with Microsoft Office documents, web surfing and email, blogging, and other general computing needs.  Sub-notebooks also have some other benefits over regular notebooks and small form factor smartphones.  Frequent travelers will appreciate the compact size that will make traveling on trains and airplanes.  Fatigued shoulders and lower backs will thank you for trading in the five to seven pound laptop.  And people will no longer have to squint at tiny type on tiny screens to read email, ebooks, and websites.

What Works the Best?

What solution is best for you will really depend on what it is you are trying to accomplish.  In my particular case, I can see myself trading in my expensive company issued notebook computer for a sub-notebook similar to the Asus Eee PC and an mid-range desktop computer.  Most of my work would be done in the office on the desktop.  When I need to give presentations, take meeting minutes, or travel around the office or the state, I would use the sub-notebook.  The sub-notebook option seems to be a good balance between features and light-weight.  For quick and easy access to personal and business information, the Treo is the way to go.  The instant on and quick access to data with a single button press can’t be beat.  How much is a three piece solution worth?  Is $2,000 a reasonable spending limit for a mid-range desktop solution, a reasonably priced sub-notebook and an easy to use smartphone?  I think so, especially if it allows me to tailor my computing solution to rapidly changing business needs.

What do you think?  Are three solutions better than one?  What does your mobile computing solution look like?  Let us know in the 1SRC discussion forums by clicking the Discuss this article link below.