My Life in Ink

Just got an email from Warner and Rob over at GottaBeMobile.com saying that they just published my contribution to the Life In Ink series. If you’d like to read it, please go here. Thanks for having me over :-)

I wish I was living in the US...

Since I’m both in love with Tablet PCs and with Beetles (I know I haven’t written much about them here), I wish I lived in the US so that I could watch the last episode of Pimp My Ride… (from GottaBeMobile.com). Since it’s all about Beetles and Tablet PCs..

Why am I still using a Tablet PC?

My colleage just recieved a new desktop computer. The specs aren’t that important, but goes something like AMD 64 Dual Core, lots of memory (2GB) huge and fast harddrives etc, etc. It boots in no time, makes almost no noise, his development IDEs (Flash/VS2003) boots instantly, programs compile before you can even blink your eyes and he can play Battlefield 2 with superb graphics and speed. He can use whatever keyboard he like and connect any monitor(s) he’d like.

My Tablet PC has got a decent processor (1,7ghz), has got enough RAM (1,5GB) and has a small and efficient harddrive. I’m constantly working on optimizing it’s performance, by lowering the processor voltages, removing unwanted programs and utilities (and even building my own utility to save battery and minimize heat). The screen is small, and the computer is not built for running games (haven’t even tried running Battlefield 2 on it).

We both spend our workdays mostly in the office sitting at our desks. We both try to use tools like del.icio.us and Bloglines to become less dependent on storing our data locally, and we both use our computers as an integrated part of both our private life and in our daily work.

So why do I have a small, slow and hot computer while he has got a brand new fast, cold and large one? Why do I still want to use mine even though his works so much better? It even cost only half of what mine did!

The answer is simple and easy. I won’t trade lying in my sofa and reading my feeds, taking notes in OneNote when in a meeting, taking notes on the plans of our new appartement or being able to develop software whereever I like for his computer.

Just because its not a mobile computer and I cant bring it around with me.

I’ve always been a strong beliver of mobile computing, and seing his new desktop computer and still being convinced that mobile is the way to go makes me feel good!

Using my Tablet PC in our new appartement

We recently bought a new appartement in the middle of Oslo. Since we have one week with lots of children (five in total) and one week with only two, we needed a solution that took these considerations into account.

We called an architect who helped us draw out a very nice solution that basically gave us one additional bedroom a bigger kitchen and a small room to keep all our computers and other work-related stuff.

So, where do the Tablet PC fit in here? First, we had great use of the PDF Annotator when discussing the drawings. We could sit in our sofa with the Tablet in our laps and draw, annotate and discuss the different solutions.

When the carpenter came to the appartement, I used my Tablet PC to take notes as we walked through each room. Using handwriting was a big help for us, since I could send away what we wrote down right after the meeting.

We also used the Tablet PC to post pictures of different items we’re giving away or selling (a fireplace (!), closets, bathtub). A couple of hours later I had arranged for someone to pick up these (large and heavy) items.

So thanks to my Tablet PC, buying, planning, building, redecorating and selling has been easy as a piece of cake. Hope the rest of the rebuild goes as smooth as we hope!

FIFA World Cup 2006: Brazil's coach using a Tablet PC!

Just noticed when watching the World Cup that one of Brazil’s coaches were using a Tablet PC! Didn’t reckognize the model, but you could clearly see that he was using his laptop in tablet mode with a pen.

Another proof that Tablet PCs are becoming more and more popular!