OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

You KNOW there is something beyond the next NIT that is on your mind. What is it?

For me? I am waiting for the next gen Kindle or Kindle like device. I think this year near the holiday season we will see some interesting new e-ink devices with much improved ergonomics in terms of reading. Might even see a side lighted display for reading at night in bed (one of the biggest drawbacks to e-ink devices...not backlight = no use in the dark). Plus we might see some seriously improved web browsing ability included. A well known "secret" is you can browse the web on the Kindle, it's a 'secret' beta function that everyone knows.

I like the Cybook from Bookeen and the guys over on the Baen Forums banded together to become a US reseller for them...so far pretty nice results.

I liked the iLiad devices too...but they are French and there is that whole Jerry Lewis thing...so....ummm, no...hehehehe...really it is a slick device that also is open and runs on a Linux core...just pretty spendy for a 16-shades of grey device. Of all dedicated e-ink readers it's the most tricked out.

Still, the feature set of the Kindle is hard to beat in terms of reading. Mostly I mean online EVDO access to Wikipedia and, well, of course the Kindle store...then again the latter might be a short coming. hehehehe.

Most of my reading content comes from Baen, Fictionwise, Project Gutenberg (if I can find clean copied of books), FeedBooks or over on MobiReader.com (forum dedicated to ebook devices of all sort). All of those sources offer an amazing array of free ebook content. Real novels too, lots of classics some of which are out of print permanently. I also get content from Mobipocket too...now Tor seems to have a new plan of attack in this arena. Tor has dropped some subtle (ok not so subtle) hints of a new super wiz-bang Web 2.0 site due this spring or early this summer. So something is stirring the industry up a bit. To be honest between the Sony readers and the Kindle it might have tipped the scales enough that we'll see a big change in ebook versions of everything. At least of modern day content.

I would love to carry around my whole reference shelf with my on a SDHC card. Even on the NIT's and their smaller display's I would probably use it extensively as a reader for technical references. I also have an antiques business and would love to have those books on the device.

Over all for me, the Kindle seems to be the closest to what I would want from a dedicated book reading device. I am amazed what a difference the ability to look up people, places & things on the Wikipedia helps reading on my Clie...but the process is a bit distracting and could be better...still it works. But the Kindle move in the direction where having such access seems like it simply belongs there and feels transparent to the reader. The Whispernet service is far cooler then I had imagined. I only had a few days to play with one as she bought it for her hubby for his BD last month and asked if I could setup everything. Now if there ever was a case of "...HECK YEAH, I'll fix your computer..." that was it!

Still has issues like it's small compared to many books I would want, such as tech references & manuals. I don't like the buttons and it needs something like the kickstand on our NIT's.

Something ya gotta check out is on the Kindle page over on at Amazon. They have somewhere down the page with a "drop test video"...holy schnikes!! They dropped it on it's corner 30" and it never missed a beat. Right then and there I was hooked...not ready to plunk down my $400 on a gen one device but I was sorely tempted...but the N800 won me over.

I am also waiting because I am hoping the next gen will read more formats, drm & non-drm. And I want to see if they are willing to improve how it works in your hands.

Yeah, it's $$$$ and there is a risk of Amazon just dropping the program. But so could Sony or any of the others.

Anyway, that is my next thing this year...finally buy an e-ink device. So, I think most of this year is gonna be spent learning Linux, Maemo and remembering what the heck the syntax in C/C++ is...or maybe I'll just play with Python and use Java too...in December my last support agreement with my last client on a MS platform expired and I let them know I was not going to be working in that area any longer. So I am technically no longer bound to MS & their tools (which actually are not awful). I am gonna spend the whole year detoxing the MS poisons from my being and see what shakes out...

OK, my year is set...what's your tech plans? Come on you know there is some device you cannot wait to git-yer-hands on!! :)

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Speaking of Gutenberg, I downloaded a version of Gutenbrowse from the Maemo programs yesterday. It works, which is more than I can say for other versions of Gutenbrowse I've downloaded for Linux proper.

I'm refreshing my C knowledge too, but I'm tempted to chuck it all and study D.

When the newer, bigger EEE PC comes out, if it's not too expensive I might make it my next techno-gadget.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

A Pandora.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Pandora's looking cool, but I don't game enough to afford it.
Kindle is nifty, maybe the next-gen will get me, but it'd better beat the N900 in DPI and total pixel count, or I'm out. (OK, maybe if it had BT so I could use it as a modem I'd get both :D)

Cloudbook developer's version, or one of the other badgings of that hardware, is probably it.

Unless someone comes out with a head-less laptop-server sometime before I buy it... Think of it, modern laptop computing power, without the diagonal size accompanying a laptop. Keep it in your backpack and VNC with the N900, or use it (with full-size keyboard and touchpad) on your lap with the N900 sitting on top, in front of the keyboard. But noone will make such a thing, I'm sure.

Edit: Looks like Karel beat me to mentioning Pandora, but I still can't justify a dedicated gaming device.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Buy a Linutop and rig up a battery for it. The version 1 draws about 5 watts at 9 volts from its wall-wart. Of course, there's the slight disadvantage of no internal storage, but I've now seen 8GB USB sticks go for about 40 Euro, and those are not known for drawing huge amounts of gogo-juice. You'll also need a WiFi stick, as the Linutop comes with Ethernet only. Build it all into a tupperware box and you've got a "breadbox computer"...

Re the Pandora: It is indeed mainly sold (or will be) as a gaming device, but it's essentially a small clamshell Linux computer and as such, the announced price of 286 euro (incl. VAT) ain't half bad. And I can re-use the SD cards from my Itablet...

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Possibly an Eee PC for my wife and a Blu-Ray player when they drop down in price a bit.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I'm still waiting for things that don't exist (in consumer goods):
high-color Eink
long lasting olcd screens
a rollable display using either of the above
micro projectors (picop)
decent looking highly functional wearable display
devices with >= 64Gig solid state hard drives
fast cheap and ubiquitous internet access

Really I'm looking for small form factor devices with big capabilities. I've had laptops and table PCs and they just aren't convenient. I've also had an assortment of hand held computers but they lack too many capabilities. Now though there is a growing convergence between large highly capable mobile computers and small highly portable computers (umpc and so).

My biggest complaints about the new generations of computers are displays (no matter how much resolution you pack in it doesn't make a 2" square screen any easier to read), capacity (Its great to have a > 1Ghz. proc on the go but what good is it with 128M of ram and 8Gig of flash?), and battery life (you are mobile, but only for a few hours until your full sized backlit lcd and 12000 rpm harddrive drain all your power!).

It seems like technology is coming together to solve these problems, but it hasn't coalesced into a purchasable product yet. Even once these technologies mature there remains one prohibiting factor that will keep them from forming a compelling device - the price. Unfortunately my dream device probably wont be affordable (justifiable) for several years at least. I think user input methods are a continuing and unresolved problem with these devices too, but I haven't found a workable solution yet.

In the mean time I think the N800 and its relatives are the best fit between price-point, capability, and portability.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Yes I'm looking at the Pandora too.

Another cool gadget that I might get when it comes out is the Zeemote, a small handheld bluetooth anaolog joystick that will work with cellphones and possibly *ahem* Nokia tablets.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I'm waiting for the Pandora, as well. Some of the Pandora team gave a presentation at a TI sponsored expo in Texas, so there should be some pics/video from the event, soon.

Karel Jansens is absolutely right. While it is certainly going to be marketed as a gaming device, it's capable of far more.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I want to see the 5th Gen Nokia tablets. I finally got a cell phone (Samsung U740) and have been hacking around on that. Pissed off at the limitations my provider puts on it but mobile data (even when it sucks) is grand.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I'm waiting for the next step in display tech. Two things: Eink on flexible displays. Color EInk on a thin flexible display will enable a new set of devices with a whole new set of applications. Imagine something like the N810 with a screen that rolls up and a high color resolution.

Very Cool! I look forward to that.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

pandora, that elonex one (i wonder what i can shoehorn into it ;)), hard to tell really...

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Easy!
Either an OpenMoko based phone (like the Neo FreeRunner) or an Android based phone.
Something that runs Linux (like our favorite devices) and is not locked into a carrier, but will undoubtedly be able to do bluetooth tethering so I can get the full internet tablet experience. :D

The combination of the capabilities of these two devices will surely humble any iPhone user. ;)

^ Joke... a guy in a restaurant at lunch today heard me talking with some coworkers about my N800 and showed that he had an N810 - told me he'd rather have an iPhone... because the N810 was too heavy! This guy was about 6'2"+ and 300+lbs! I just looked at him like he was a bit "off".

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

sounds like someone needed a "justification" to burn money he dont have...

oh, and forgot about openmoko and/or android.

hell, watching android run quake 1 was just mindblowing :D

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

The Zeemote looks like a Wii Nunchuk controller, which you could probably get to work on a Nokia tablet. There's already a program to plot the accelerometer readings from the Wii remote.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Its nice to have something in your pocket that you don't notice. Something that can browse and hold all your media. The N810 is definitely capable of de-panting you if you don't have a belt on. LOL.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Imagine a wristband - like Beowulf wears! - except made stylishly out of stainless steel. About 4.13" wide. With a roll-back cover that curls around the battery-link-band to reveal a Nokia WiMAX Tablet! Enough power for Active Use All Day and All Night, on a single charge, Always On/Always Connected. You can talk to it, communicate through it, touch-navigate it, get news and updates, geo-tagged info of note always live and available - your family, friends, and co-workers - "netted-in" via a pleasant user-configurable "Social Profile" interface...nice, huh?

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

or get it embedded under you skin:
http://www.core77.com/competitions/G...projects/4673/

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I find the Linutop rather expensive, but it's cool.

Personally I'm also waiting for the next gen of the Nokia IT.... I still think a GSM included (3G connectivity) would make it so good in europe seen wifi is cool but not really everywhere.

I also really like the Pandora wich is IMHO a lot of bang for the bucks.
Especially compared with the Eee I hope it will be good.. 2 SD slot's yihaa!.
I just wished more RAM would be possible for the pandora, 128 MB is really not to much. 256 MB would be so nice .

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I'm just waiting for the iPhone SDK to see what kind of future Apple is going to let that device have. If it really opens up what can be done with it, I think that might be really nice to have.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

One I hope to get is a certain upcoming E series phone that I'll identify when it's released. :p

Oh, and the 5g Nokia tablet of course. I've seen the specs. Me want! :D

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I thought we still had to pass step 4 to get to step 5?
Untiil now ive been aware of onle 3 gens. So what happened to the 4th?

Texrat's comments suggest that the next wimax tablet which i suppose is the 4 th gen and i dont think its specs are nott far away from n810.

say what tex?

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Eh, maybe it is the 4th. Either way-- me want!

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Step 1: 770
Step 2: N800
Step 3: N810
Step 4: N8?? WiMAX
Step 5: ???

It's gotta be OMAP3. . . . :drool:

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

You'll probably in for a nasty surprise. Apparently only Apple pre-approved apps can be installed -- and only via iTunes (<gag!>).

OTOH, as just about every iPhone (<spit!>) has been jail-broken by now, one wonders how much control Apple really retains on the thing...

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

until apple says either way, the degree of app lockdown will be just rumors...

still, that jailbreak thing seems to be ok to those "fashionable" people that want their iphone, even if its unavailable in their contry.

me, ill grab a device thats not locked thank you very much. even if its not fashionable to carry around by a long shot...

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I just want an N810 with a A8/Cortex chip... proper video support for 800x480+... imagine how much sweeter it will be with smooth scrolling, video and 3d support :)

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I sat with my finger poised over the "Buy N810" button for a long time but I could just never do it. (I think the lack of a capacitive touch screen and the video bandwidth "issue" were the reasons, although maybe they're not valid ones). So I got a N82 (S60 phone) instead. Now I have a camera and data via Wifi with me everywhere and it has calmed the Buy Gadgetz monster for a while. I'll get the next tablet when it comes out as a graduation present to myself. :)

Texrat: E71 or E66? Both look nice but I bet you want the 71.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

What? Those are real phones???

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Flexible...eink...color....touch screen...droolslobberslobber...

The Readius is very, very close...nad it's out now or very soon:

http://www.readius.com

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Geneven,

Thanks for the heads up on gutenbrowse.

I like my n800 with all the cool stuff I've added for free.
Hopefully they will come out with a phone version.

Dan

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I want a Xperia X1

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

Do you find Gutenbrowse runs acceptably with OS2008? Or are you on an earlier OS?

Also, what's going on when I get a page that looks like this, like I got on the maemo gutenbrowse page?

http://i248.photobucket.com/albums/g...e_scramble.jpg

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I'm waiting for a simple thing that must be out there. It must. How can it not?

A good gateway router with very very good wireless range and very very good QoS capabilities that doesn't require a lot of techie knowledge to set up.

Damned if I can find one from reviews.

In the meantime, I guess I'll have to get a Linksys WRT54GL, download some VOiP-specific firmware, futz around with it (being brave but not knowledgeable) and see if it plays nice with my current m'eh modem - a Siemans 567 (though a Thompson Smarttouch is on it's way to me).

I know. It's not in the interest of a lot of ISPs to have customers with outside VOiP companies (especially if they're also selling the service)... .

Oh, btw, the Siemans? My N800 is less than 12 feet away from the modem with no walls bewteen the two and I can't get a strong signal - not even enough to get web pages loaded under 30 seconds. It's pathetic. Even *after* I went through the hassle of changing channels. Blaaaaa'.

Does that count as a tech toy?

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I really want an Asus EEE 900 with the Atom processor in it, then I will upgrade it to 2GB PC2-6400 ram and an Intel 5350 wifi/wimax card. Also I want an Nokia tablet that uses Centrino Atom. I am really tired of how often my N800 freezes and stutters.

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I'm liking the UMPC platform and trying to justify why I need an Asus Eeepc with touchscreen (is there one out there??). I love my N800 and want to 'push' it to its limit, still finding out all the things it can do....

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I've recently been looking at the Chumby. Some of it's uses overlap the internet tablets, but I like the idea of a widget based device that I can use late at night to check weather, news, etc right before I go to bed. Plus, you gotta admit, it looks kinda cute. :D

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I wouldn't mind an eee with a good keyboard!

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

How about the new Celio REDFLY appliance as a paired partnet to the N8x0?

They are marketing it for Windows Mobile smartphones, but it might be ideal for the IT!!

Could we convince them to port the interface applets to Linux ?

I especially like its "instant on" feature (all solid state).

Re: OK, so what is your next gotta have tech toy?
 

I'd like any mobile device with a better browser; I need a browser that can filter out Intel astroturfing.