There is no perfect mobile device because size does matter

The quest for the perfect mobile device is a long-running and eternal one that many have undertaken and none have succeeded in finding.  I know because I am one of the worst, always looking at new gadget X to see if it will be the one.  The good discussion about the "two laptop minimum" has my thoughts going in overdrive and since I am in the enviable position of having many great gadgets at my beck and call I have been able to regularly test what constitutes the perfect device for me.  There ain't one.

I have two distinctly different careers running at the same time, something that sets my needs apart from most folks so my thoughts may not be pertinent to you.  But they are my thoughts and I have never been too shy to share them with others so here I go again.  Take them with a grain of salt, after throwing some over your left shoulder for luck, of course.

My "real" career involves taking reams of notes each day, attending meetings (often several a day) in different locations.  I can often be found in my car heading from one meeting to the next where I will be taking a lot of notes once again.  The Tablet PC is essential for this note-taking as it revolutionizes this work for me and insures I am as productive as I can be.  I would not even consider changing the way I work so you will always find a Tablet PC in my hands doing this work.  I will be the first to admit that the size of the device is critical for this work as mobility is the key ingredient along with the note-taking ability.  I have used slates with screens from 5 inches to 14 inches in this work so I have a fair bit of experience determining what works better for me.  I have deduced over time that the 8.9 inch screen of the Fujitsu P1620, my current note-taking squeeze, is the perfect compromise in screen size versus mobility and I couldn't be happier.  Screens smaller than this make my notes a bit cramped and less comfortable to ink and while larger screens provide a nice inking surface they are harder to carry around with me.  Larger tablets also create a bit more disturbance in some meetings due to their size when I pull them out.  So the medium-sized screen works best for me for these reasons.

My other career and the one you are no doubt more familiar with is the writing career.  I contribute not just here on jkOnTheRun but pretty much anywhere they will pay me to write articles about tech.  Yes I am loose that way. This writing work can vary from short posts about mobile tech to long feature articles in magazines and the like.  There are two distinct phases in this work, research and the writing itself.  Research is online, connecting to the Internets and getting as much background as I can about the topic at hand, seeing what others have to say or researching a given product to find out as much as I can about it.  I collect and collate this information using tools I have cobbled together so I can put my hands on it when needed and let it become the basis for my words of wisdom on the subject du jour.  The second phase is the creative one where I couple that research with my own experience and put the words down on the "paper" and massage them until they are perfect. 

These two distinct phases of the process have very different requirements as far as my tools go as the first phase can be done on pretty much anything with an internet connection and the second needs a good comfortable keyboard coupled with a decently sized screen.  It is important to the creative process that the tools don't interfere with my thoughts so in a way the tools are less important than in my other career.  I need to do this writing work without having to think about the tools at all and just get down to creating the prose.  This means that the writing platform must meet the stated requirements well without being too much of a compromise in either of the two main areas.  Over time I have come to realize that the writing platform must be a large enough device to meet those criteria.  Sure I can conduct research and writing sessions with smaller devices no problem but to do them the best way the gadget needs to be large enough to get out of my way, if that makes sense.  I just want to get the work done and don't care how I do it.

I am not your normal user by any means, I realize that and it's important that you do too.  Few of you have the two distinct careers like I do and even fewer likely write for a living.  Your needs will vary greatly from mine in doing the work at hand which is why we always say that there is no such thing as the perfect device for everyone.  You have to look at your needs and determine how best to meet them and then decide which device out there will fit those needs.  My two careers are so different and that has led me to the realization that there is not one device that will ever meet the needs of both of them.  One of them requires mobility coupled with a good enough screen size and the other a larger screen and keyboard.  That may be an over-simplification but that's what I have determined over time. 

The past few weeks I have made a concerted effort that the device I take with me on a given trip is determined by what I will be doing at that particular time.  For my real work I have been taking the Fujitsu P1620 as it is a wonderfully portable note-taking platform.  It performs very well in that role and it makes that particular job much easier.  I couldn't be happier with it in that role.  For writing sessions I have experimented with taking different devices based on where I am going and how long I believe a given session will last.  If I am heading to a local coffee shop for an extended hardcore writing session I have been taking the MacBook Pro with it's magnificent 17-inch screen and wonderful keyboard.  It's not very mobile but easy enough to take with me for these jaunts and absolutely great once I set it up and get busy with my writing.  For other sessions that are likely to be shorter duration or when I think I may be writing in multiple locations I grab the HP 22710p and throw it into the bag.  The HP has a larger screen than the Fujitsu and more importantly a very comfortable keyboard and I can write with it much better than on the Fujitsu with it's slightly smaller keyboard.  It's a great compromise between the Fujitsu and the Mac and a good tool to have at my disposal.  It's also great for the research phase of my writing projects which I often like to do in slate mode sitting in a comfy chair.

It is great to be me when it comes to device choice, I realize that.  I can grab the right tool for the job and just get my work done.  Having this choice has allowed me to vary my toolkit enough to make personal observations that most don't get to make.  Size does matter if mobility is not the primary criteria for your work.  The two laptop minimum train of thought is a valid one as far as I'm concerned, not that I would ever travel with two laptops but I agree that screen and keyboard size do matter for productivity for most people.  It can make a big difference in my work and maybe in yours too.  If mobility is important though then smaller is definitely better and if your work often has you crossing the "mobility/ productivity" boundary then the best tactic may be to compromise with your tools.  The Fujitsu P1620 is such a gadget for example and it's so good at crossing that boundary that it could easily be used for all that I do.  It would be a compromise in the writing career though, so I don't make that choice when I don't have to. 

Almost every day I hear from someone who asks me if I had to choose only one device, A or B, which one would it be?  Now you understand why I don't respond with a definitive answer because there is not one.  I won't even make that decision for my own work, let alone yours.  You have to consider everything you do and what is the most important criteria for that work and base your decision on that.  It's a hard choice but you just have to make it because size does matter in gadgets.  A lot.

Comments

[Chris K]

I get what you mean, and I take a LOT of notes on a daily basis, but I still can't imagine how you do it. Tablet systems just tend to suck so hard for me that I can't actually use one worth a damn, OneNote or not. Not enough RAM, too much latency, too many issues with the normally simple action of flipping a page, etc.

Nothing gives me the response time of paper for input, but at the same time, nothing approaches the response time of a system with gobs of RAM, a fast hard disk, and OneNote for searching my existing notes, and my analog system ends up with different sized notebooks (much like the two-laptop minimum,) separated and chosen based on a given project, with a pocket of spare paper tabs in the back for noting key sections/ideas that I go back to frequently.

At the end of the day, I have analog OneNote, with the limitations and advantages of paper, and I've been unable to tear away from that, no matter how much I try. UMPC-ish devices can't keep up with me, and big tablets can't come with me, so needless to say, I'm a little wary about jumping onto something like the P1620, for fear that it may be too much of a compromise.

[jc]

Thank you for that James. It sheds light on some of your posts and they make sense given your needs.

I purchased the p1620 based on your posts and my evaluation of my needs and I am happy with the choice. I think for my needs a 10" screen would be nirvana with a active digitizer that supported touch. I have gotten used to the keyboard and can now type almost as fast as on a larger one. The inking is okay, not great and I have had some weird things happen while taking notes in meetings. I use mindmanager as my notetaking tool and there have been several times when the pen just wouldn't write all of a sudden. I've had to quickly open onenote and take notes in there. Not sure how to solve that one. I have the port replicater at home and hook up to a large monitor but when traveling just take the 1620. That is so much better than the brick I used to carry. Thank you for your posts, I enjoy them and they help.

[Toby]

Thanks James for the thought provoking article.

I am trying to decide these issues myself, as must I imagine many people. As you note, on their own particular circumstances.

Personally I am nearly settled on a one device setup. This has to be big enough for everything yet portable all the time (I have an X61T). Yet it isn't really a one device solution, as I need a smart phone too!

[Mickey Segal]

James - how difficult is it to coordinate information on different computers? I found such coordination to be a bother, and this is the reason I use a docked Motion LS800 as my main computer instead of a desktop computer that is several times as fast.

For my situation it is easy to specify the ideal solution - a slate slightly smaller than the LS800 which is also a phone, and has low weight, long battery life, and low price.

What would be the ideal for your situation? A slate with a snap-off keyboard? A hard-drive that moves back and forth between a small convertible and a larger convertible? Storing all your information on the Web so there is nothing to move between different computers?

[Dave P]

I can agree with the theory but I've reached my own compromises. I don't have a need for significant key input outside of my office so I opt for one laptop and one desktop. The desktop has a better keyboard, screen, and mouse than any standard laptop I have found.

For my laptop, size matters even more to me than it does to you so after looking seriously at the P1510 and LS800, I went with my pocketable OQO.

I'm typing this now on my desktop but when I get up to go to lunch my OQO (currently hanging from my belt) will go with me.

[James Kendrick]

Mickey, sharing information between devices is always the trick but I've been relying on a simple yet effective method- a 16 GB SD card. I just take what I need with me on the SD card which I can use in all my devices. Sometimes brute force is good.

[KG]

The NEC MobilePro 900 has the perfect all-purpose form factor for me. The 92% full pitch keyboard is the best feature. However, the aging hw and sw specs results in a lot of extra work to continue using it with my desktop machines.

I prefer usb keys to activesync, but the usb support sucks for flash drives. Work collaboration on large docs means I can't use the MP for the bulk of my writing now.

I like my TC1100, but the top-heavy screen makes it impractical for lap use and its weight discourages tablet use. I'd considered the LS800 and even a Macbook air (hate its keyboard) but always find myself returning to my Nec when I can. It's a perfect implmentation of the 80/20 rule for me.

I was set to buy an EEEpc 4g last weekend until I tried that tiny keyboard. I hope the keyboard on the 9" is better.

So, I'm waiting on pins and needles hoping the HP 2133 will be the MP 900 upgrade I've wished for. I've actually delayed a laptop purchase until April 7, but if the 2133 doesn't materialize that week or isn't what it appears, I'll compromise by getting an cheap midsize laptop. I'll revist my mobile computing usage when the 9" EEEpc finally arrive.

[TateJ]

Great Article James. I always find it interesting to see what size computer different people think is easiest to carry around. I agree that lighter is always better, but I carried around an 7 pound laptop for years and never gave it a second thought.

BTW, I'm one of those 2 laptop guys now. Tablet or UMPC on the plane or in the airport and then a 15 inch dell for the hotel or training session (I'm the trainer). Actually, I tend to use both the tablet and the laptop during training. The laptop is for powerpoint and software demos, the tablet is for note taking and connectivity back to the office during the training session. People are always amazed when they ask a question during training that I don't know the answer to. I promise to get back to them and then the answer shows up on their Blackberry during a break instead of later that night or the next day. Mobile tech make me look good.

Like you said, what works best is different for everyone.

BTW, I try and read your blog everyday. Thank you to you and Kevin for all the hardwork.

[Al]

There is no perfect mobile device to me because too many geeks and tech people are influencing the new devices and the computer companies seem to lack the insight to what mainstream users want and only listen to that narrow viewpoint.

It is like having engineers whom really know the internal technology of say an automobile but they do not have the social awareness to have the right input to tell a car company how to create the automobile form factor.

We already have laptops, tablets and PDA's. What is missing is a brdige device that provides the functionality of a laptop but made for the millions of sales, marketing, and mobile managers whom just need a basic computer. What I would recommend is a modern version of a clamshell HPC, like the old Psion 5mx or HP Jornada 720. I polled about 50 marketing reps in varios trades in my industry and 49 out 50 when shown and tried out my HP Jornada 728 said they would love to see a device about that size that had full windows, a brighter screen, and wireless; they said they could see that replacing their laptop.

There is a large percentage of laptop users whom are more concerned about being mobile than a large screen but the computer needs a touch type keyboard and be jacket pocket size. A device given that parameters could be up to 7.3" long, 4" maybe maxing at 4.25" wide and ideally 1" or less in height.

The millions of business users would rather have a pocket size computer but we want it to have a touch type keyboard input, have full Windows so we can run industry specific softwares in addtion the standard MS suite of programs, and we want it to fold up and store in a jacket pocket so we can carry it everywhere without the need for a briefcase or computer bag. The Psion and HP clamshells provided a nice wide 7" screen that was narrow to enable it to be stored in a jacket pocket.

I see that being the key reason for the weak UMPC and likely weak MIDS sales. Whom wants a full windows UMPC when the input is not how all of us have been used to and prefer to input via a touch type keyboard? We do not want a pen input or thumb input.

Why would we buy a second device that is not small enough to be carried in a large jacket pocket that has such poor input? Business users want to carry the least to function so if it is not jacket pocket size you might as well get a laptop. Only techies and geeks think it is cool to carry a UMPC around or carry around with a "man purse".

UMPC's in 2007 sold a meger 350K units worldwide between all companies according to the December Forbes article. That proves the form factor is not mainstream. I am shocked not once UMPC nor MID has used that clamshell form factor. Especially if you look at the past numbers. In 1990 the jacket pocket clamshells sold over 2.3 million units worldwide. How many did all the companies of UMPC sold in 2007? 350k

[James Kendrick]

Remember that IBM laptop that had the butterfly keyboard? It was nice and small but the keyboard opened up to a full-sized keyboard. It was brilliant design but they didn't sell any so they didn't sell it very long. I'll bet price had a lot to do with that which is why the EEE PC is so important. Until these are cheap enough mainstream consumers will not buy them

[Teddy44]

Price is not that big of a deal. The IBM computer was not small enough to be carried in any pocket. Mainstream users want to just carry one computer to do all they want to do. Until a UMPC is small enough to be carried in a coat pocket as others mentioned with a touch type keyboard input running full windows OS then and only then will they ever sell to the mainstream market.

Right now only people whom love computers willing to own many devices probably for their personal passion for computers are purchasing them. Those few people always try to blame the price. It is not the price at all, it is the size and weak input.

[Al]

James, remember the Psion 5mx? It had an expanding keyboard yet was only 3.6 " x 6.9" x .90". That device along with others such as the HP Jornada sold well over 2.3 million each year. Those devices provided easy touch type input in a jacket pocket and did not have full windows. Those devices in the 1990's sold for about $1000.00 US.

How many UMPC's sold in 2007? only 350k

James, price has nothing to do with it. Nobody in the mainstream is going to want to use full windows with their thumbs or try to learn to write a new way with a pen input. Mainstream users do not find it cool to carry a "man purse" to carry a bulky non jacket size UMPC and if they must carry any computer larger than a jacket pocket most would buy a laptop. The price has nothing to do with it, the flaw thus far is no true touch type keyboard and no jacket size UMPC's. Get real.

[James Kendrick]

Al, oh I'm real already. I also remember the Psion, very cool device. But no one but geeks bought them, mainstream consumers didn't even know what they were. Price is ALWAYS a big factor with mainstream consumers no matter what the features. That is why the EEE PC has sold so many units. Price, not features. A pocketable device with a full-sized keyboard would be cool but physically very difficult. And mainstream consumers by and large could care less about putting a PC in their pocket. Everyone's needs are different but everybody likes cheap prices.

[Al]

James,

Really? so many EEE PC? So in 2007 all the companies whom make a UMPC only sold 350,000 units worldwide; a lot of units sold? Compared to the Psion which sold more than that per year with just one device.

Yes everyone likes a cheap price but more important to mainstream users is function for the money and thus far UMPC's do not provide that. Mainstream users do not want a thumb input device nor a pen only input and certainly not a device bigger than a jacket pocket otherwise they would buy a laptop. Show me the numbers James? Can you show me millions of UMPC sales? nope becuase there are none, even after over a year and half.

[Al]

James,
You are talking about the Asus EEE PC that is just a cheap computer more of a conventional laptop shape, that is not really a UMPC at all. The only computers remotely in the UMPC category that has been getting any numbers of sales and interest are devices like that are ultra cheap laptop shapes. Yes for children and people in poverty they would buy that over a laptop but for the rest of the world they would buy a laptop over any of the true UMPC's and not due to price at all.

I am talking about the all the other UMPC's, the many slates from 4-7", the thumb input devices, OQO, and others. Those have had very weak sales and it is not the price it is their input and size.

[Kevin C. Tofel]

Al / Teddy44 (since you have the same IP address which lowers my opinion of your thoughts from the get-go), as I read it, this post is about size and mobile devices. Price is an issue as is input method. Comparing the HP Jornada (which I had) or the Psion 5mx PDA to a today's UMPCs and sub-notebooks makes no sense since they're designed for different markets using different operating systems. Could an OEM get full Windows in a clamshell the size of either of those devices. Probably, but what do you think it would cost? More or less than today's UMPCs? I'd say more and I think current market prices would back me up. Based on your argument, that wouldn't matter though... price is irrelevant.

If your argument were to be valid, the number of UMPCs sold wouldn't vary on price, yet we see them sell out under MSRP on Woot consistently. Quote all the sales numbers you want but to say price isn't an issue is just short-sighted. It's part of several issues and reasons why the UMPC market isn't bigger than it is.

You missed one key issue and that's marketing. I was just at Starbucks with my Samsung UMPC over the weekend and no less than 4 people stopped me and asked about the "cool new computer" I was using. People simply don't see handheld computing devices enough to realize they've been around for years. Nor do they see them next to traditional notebooks in retail stores.

Regardless, let's stick to the topic at hand in the post, 'k?

[Al]

Could an OEM make a UMPC the size of a Psion or HP Jornada? Yes, OQO already proved the point as their OQO UMPC is actually about 33% smaller in volume than the Psion which is smaller than the HP Jornada.

The OQO currently sells for $1299 US directly from OQO. I do not see how making it a little larger and providing a touch type keyboard is going to change the price much? That price is also what OQO needs to sell their small volume to make money. Given that a touch type keyboard is what mainstream users are used and would prefer, it would likely sell a lot more units. That increased volume would enable the production cost to go down and likely less than many UMPC's today.

The facts are that in all of 2007 only 350,000 UMPC's worldwide sold (12/2007 Forbes article). The only times any UMPC's sold out was when OEM's had to discount them probably at a loss to get rid of them.

Marketing? Cool factor? That does not sell computers. How many UMPC's were sold? not many James. Tech people think they are great, but mainstream users won't buy them. The simple reason is exactly the topic, "size does matter".

The problem is for most people we buy a computer for function not as a cool toy. Functionally speaking what is missing is a jacket size clamshell UMPC. UMPC's run full Windows OS right? How James does the world use full Windows OS and software? they use a touch type keyboard. Thus why in the world would mainstream users want an input different? they dont. The size does matter as the only devices that provides that type of input they want that runs full Windows OS/software is a laptop.

That is the real problem. UMPC's could be huge if they provided a touch type keyboard input running full Windows OS but in a size small enough to carry in a jacket pocket. That provides a clear advantage for mainstream users whom would love to have the functionality of a computer but do not want to lug a laptop everywhere. I am addressing the topic but you seem to ignore the facts. I am all for UMPC's but until the OEM's create a touch type keyboard jacket pocket UMPC, they will never sell very many units per year.