Asustek’s Android Eee PC Remains in Deep Freeze
The CEO of netbook pioneer Asustek Computer said Tuesday that he still sees no clear market for mini-laptops known as smartbooks, the reason the company isn't moving forward in that product segment.
The company raised hopes it would soon launch an Eee PC smartbook based on chips made by Qualcomm and running Google's Android mobile operating system when such a device was displayed at the Computex Taipei electronics show in June. But the company quickly put the project on the back burner, refusing to discuss it days later at a press event that featured Asustek's chairman alongside executives from microprocessor maker Intel and OS giant Microsoft.
It appears the Android device remains in deep freeze.
"Currently, I still don't see a clear market for smartbooks," said Jerry Shen, CEO of Asustek Computer, during an investors' conference in Taipei.
The company's backing isn't essential for smartbooks, but it would lend weight to the credibility of such devices, which use mobile phone chips and components to offer far greater battery life than existing netbooks, and potentially ubiquitous wireless connectivity. Smartbooks appear almost identical to the netbooks Asustek pioneered, mini-laptops with 8-inch to 10-inch screens.
Asustek executives have said the reason the Android smartbook was shifted to low priority was because the company's engineering resources were limited and would be used elsewhere. But Asustek could use some of the smartbooks made by contract manufacturer Pegatron, the company's subsidiary.
Several smartbooks from Pegatron were on display at Computex. The estimated retail price of the devices was about US$199, compared to between US$300 and US$400 for a comparable netbook.
Asustek has used Intel microprocessors in all of its netbooks so far, and mainly Microsoft Windows XP as the OS, though it has sold netbooks with Linux OSs. The advantage of netbooks is that since they use Intel x86 architecture microprocessors, they can take software used on regular PCs, while smartbooks can only use software designed for or ported to RISC (reduced instruction set computer) processors, made by Arm Holdings. Arm processors are mainly found in mobile phones.
Nokia’s Booklet 3G Netbook Takes On Apple and Google
Nokia announced it is moving beyond its mobile roots and boldly entering the PC market with its netbook offering dubbed the Booklet 3G.
The rumors surrounding Nokia's entry into the netbook market have been circulating for several months now, and today the company made a splash by finally revealing its first computing product, an attractive yet small app-friendly device which blurs the lines between Ultra Mobile PC's and netbooks.
The Windows powered aluminum device boasts a competitive 12 hours of battery life and also packs in WiFi connectivity, an HDMI port and integrated 3G and GPS, all in a neat well crafted 10" package. The only thing that the company has chosen to keep quiet about spec wise was what version of Windows the device would use.
Nokia could tackle the increasingly popular netbook market by taking advantage of its history as a communications company. Whereas many manufacturers simply take the basic PC experience and make it portable, Nokia could attempt to integrate cell phone and laptop usage habits into one integrated device, thereby enhancing the user experience while on the move.
The integration of Nokia's Ovi services within the Booklet is just one interesting step that the firm has taken in order to differentiate itself from other netbook providers, while also boosting Ovi's profile. The benefits gained from having Ovi built into this new device are plentiful, from cloud storage, synched contacts, mail, media and more. Another smart move by Finnish firm is the Booklet's integrated 3G capabilities, which will allow users to be connected pretty much anywhere, anytime, without a WiFi network.
These various additions on a whole could create a harmonious united link between your cell and netbook, that no other device has been able to offer before.
Check out the below video for further details on what the netbook can offer:
Nokia's Executive Vice President for Devices, Kai Oistamo, had this to say regarding Nokia's move into computing: "A growing number of people want the computing power of a PC with the full benefits of mobility, we are in the business of connecting people and the Nokia Booklet 3G is a natural evolution for us."
What's interesting is that Nokia choose to announce the new Booklet now, only days before Apple is expected to hold a media event where it may reveal its much discussed rumored tablet. By adding in 3G connectivity it can be assumed that Nokia is racing to seriously compete in the mobile computing market which is about to get all the more interesting, as Apple and Google turn up the heat.
Further details regarding the device, such as pricing and availability, will be revealed at the 'Nokia World' press event next week.
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The Macalope Weekly: Lies, Damned Lies, and Statistics
Are netbooks beating up MacBooks and stealing their lunch money? Don't believe everything you read. The Macalope also has two different looks at two new Apple ads as Apple makes some loose claims and a blogger makes some loose interpretations.
Survey does not say!
Late last week the Mac Web was all aflutter as a survey showed that Apple was losing back-to-school sales to netbooks.
Oh! No!
Oh! Yes! According to Retrevo, "the majority of student laptop shoppers will not consider buying a Mac." Clearly Apple is done and someone should stick a comically oversized fork into the side of One Infinite Loop to indicate as much."
Well, before you start calling giant-novelty-fork rental outlets to get some quotes, the Macalope has a few questions about this survey. Like, who said what now again? Okay, the horny one hasn't visited all of the Internet yet (getting close, though!), but he had never heard of Retrevo before. Now all of a sudden they're telling him his laptop is out of fashion with the kids.
Second, note that the survey was not of the general public (or even of the '80s New Wave band General Public), but of visitors to Retrevo's site. What does Retrevo do? They're a shopping comparison site that shows the prices of products at various Web outlets. So one would expect that visitors to their site are, by nature, low-cost shoppers. As Apple doesn't compete in the low end of the market, you might also expect them to be pre-disposed to buy something other than a MacBook.
Somewhat dissatisfied with the results, the Macalope decided to conduct his own survey and the results were startlingly different! According to the results--which are highly scientific, just take the Macalope's word for it like everyone did Retrevo's--a full 97 percent of back-to-school laptop shoppers are buying a MacBook! Now, some might say that there's a selection bias in only surveying visitors to a site with a clear disposition in one direction.
But those people apparently would not be Retrevo employees.
Look, the Macalope isn't saying that Apple's not actually losing sales to netbooks. He really doesn't know. What he is saying is that this survey provides little to no predictive value of what Apple's share of the back-to-school market is, relative to netbooks.
But it sure did drive a lot of links to Retrevo's site. Mission accomplished!
Ad nauseam
Apple's got some new ads out this week, at least one of which is likely to rub some people the wrong way.
By the Macalope's recollection, the ads to date had mostly stated that PCs were plagued by viruses and malware while Macs were not. Which, of course, is true. This ad, however, states that Macs are "more secure".
Hmm. Are they?
Okay, you could argue that "more secure" means the same thing--that they're not subject to viruses and malware.
You could also argue that "more secure" is a relativistic term based solely on individual perception and is perfectly logical within a Jungian paradigm as humans are flawed beings and such differences are ultimately unknowable.
Or you could argue "more secure" means "Macs are protected by a magical fairy pony princess so shut up, shut up, SHUT UP!"
But the Macalope would argue that "more secure" means "better implements security technologies and methodologies." And, sadly, Apple's somewhat behind the game in that department. While Macs do both "taste great" and are "less filling," they have not so much been "more secure" as "less attacked." Snow Leopard makes some steps in the right direction--stack overflow protection for 64-bit apps and some kind of anti-malware protection--but the Macalope's sources tell him that it still doesn't fully implement ASLR (library randomization). If true, that's pretty disappointing since developers will now likely have to recompile twice: once for 64-bit and then later to take advantage of ASLR. Meanwhile, both Vista and Windows 7 have already fully implemented ASLR.
Low market share continues to protect the Mac but, no matter how nice the neighborhood, you can only leave your houses unlocked for so long before something bad happens.
Ad hominem
Over at ZDNet, our old friend Adrian Kingsley-Hughes saw the same ads and asked Is Apple worried by Windows 7?
The Macalope loves this kind of title. It takes a company of 35,000 employees and reduces it to one simpering Dr. Smith or C-3PO running around squealing "We're doomed! Doooooomed!"
But it is interesting after so many months of trashing Vista than [sic] Apple is now focusing on the PC platform rather than Windows.
With the vast majority of PC users running Windows, the Macalope asks: is there a difference? And remember, pretty much each ad starts like this:
Mac: Hello, I'm a Mac.
PC: And I'm a PC.
The Macalope took a look and the ads haven't mentioned Vista since last year. Anyway which version of Windows would you mention right now? The most recent release that was a flop (Vista), the eight-year-old operating system that most people are still using (XP), or the supposedly decent release that hasn't come out yet (Windows 7)?
Maybe the Windows 7 brand is too strong to go up against and that Apple realizes this and is changing tactics.
Or maybe it's just the brand that most people don't even know about yet. Apple didn't start really attacking Vista until it was at least available on the shelves. The Macalope himself gave Windows 7 some credit above, but it still forces a lot of users to make some uncomfortable choices. If you need any help writing those ads, Apple, just give the pointy one a call. (They don't need any help.)
Adrian closes by sagely noting:
Expect to see more ads!
You think?
Asus, Apple Provide Most Reliable PCs, Survey Says
Asus and Apple were the most reliable PC vendors in the U.S. during the second quarter this year, according to a survey released by Rescuecom on Tuesday.
Rescuecom, a third-party computer repair firm, fielded the fewest support calls to repair Asus and Apple PCs on average, said David Milman, Rescuecom's CEO. The companies offered PCs with high-quality components and excellent support, reducing the need for consumers to service PCs through third-party support companies.
The ratings were based on 11,560 support calls fielded by Rescuecom during the second quarter and adjusted to take into account the market share of each PC maker. Lenovo, Toshiba and Hewlett-Packard held the third, fourth and fifth spot respectively in the PC reliability survey.
The study was released on the same day the University of Michigan and other organizations issued the American Consumer Satisfaction Index, which measures user satisfaction with products including cars and PCs. Apple topped the survey with a score of 85, followed by Dell at 75, and a three-way tie between Hewlett-Packard, HP's Compaq brand, and Acer/Gateway, which scored 74.
Consumers want PCs that require minimal repairs and good support, so the calls provide a good snapshot of PC reliability, Milman said. Companies that provide high-quality components tend to rate higher, while bad components and bad support may force PC owners to call third-party repair companies.
"We review ... a combination of how reliable the components are and how good the support is from the manufacturer," Milman said. Multiple PC components, including motherboards, memory and video cards were factored into the survey. The quality of software bundled by PC makers, including security and office suites, was also part of the survey.
"If a manufacturer provides quality software that is less trialware, especially in the area of [security]... it is certainly something that makes their computer less necessary to be supported," Milman said. Many PC makers are also bundling one-touch data restore options in PCs, which reduces the need for customer support.
Asus is relatively new to the study and is reaping the benefit of the recent craze for products like netbooks in the U.S., Milman said. Many users are buying Eee PC netbooks, but the company's PC reliability ratings might change as components start to break down, Milman said.
"Their quality has held up from the last study, but it will be interesting in two years once the machines age a little bit," he said. Increased support calls for Asus products may help better evaluate the company's support, Milman said.
Among the top five PC makers in the U.S., Apple has offered a steady stream of PCs with quality components and support services, Milman said.
"With the introduction of their Apple Genius [Bar] in retail stores, they are offering support that many other manufacturers aren't offering," Milman said. Apple's margins on the Mac desktop and laptop PCs are much larger compared to competitors, so Apple can afford to offer free support, Milman said. Many Rescuecom technicians are certified by Apple to repair Mac computers, Milman said.
Rescuecom received more support calls for Dell and HP PCs, which were the top two PC vendors in the U.S. during the second quarter, according to IDC. Dell rated seventh in Rescuecom's study, with 22.1 percent of the repair calls. Though HP and Dell held close market shares in PC shipments, Rescuecom received 18 percent more support calls on Dell PCs than HP.
Rescuecom established a baseline to rate reliability by balancing the number of support calls with the market share of PC vendors, Milman said. The study was not commissioned by PC makers, and the company has no support ties with PC makers.
Windows 7 Editions Come with Limits
Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer recently confirmed that the company will limit Windows 7 Starter, the edition expected to end up on netbooks, to systems that sport small screens and low-powered processors.
During Microsoft's annual financial analyst day, Ballmer got more specific than other executives in describing the limitations computer makers must abide by if they're to install Starter on their machines. Starter is the least feature-rich edition of the operating system available worldwide, and will not be sold direct to consumers or businesses. It will be available only to OEMs, or "original equipment manufacturers," such as Acer, ASUS, Dell, Hewlett-Packard and Toshiba.
"Our license tells you what a netbook is," said Ballmer at the Microsoft-hosted day with Wall Street analysts. "Our license says it's got to have a super-small screen, which means it probably has a super-small keyboard, and it has to have a certain processor and blah, blah, blah, blah, blah."
Although other Microsoft executives earlier this year said that the company would place restrictions on the kinds of processors and screen resolutions supported by Starter, Ballmer is the highest computer official yet to spell out Starter's limitations, if only in the broadest terms.
Last May, the Malaysian Web site TechARP.com, which regularly leaks information provided to computer makers by Microsoft, reported that the company would restrict Starter to specific netbook configurations. According to TechARP, Microsoft will only sell Starter to OEMs for use on netbooks that have a 10.2-in. or smaller screen, no more than 1GB of memory, a hard disk drive of 250GB or less (or a solid-state drive no larger than 64GB) and a single-core processor no faster than 2GHz.
Ballmer was frank with analysts about Microsoft's rationale for setting Starter's limitations. "We want people to be able to get the advantages of lightweight performance and be able to spend more money with us, with Intel, with HP, with Dell and with many, many others," he said.
"With today's netbooks, we sell you XP at a price," Ballmer continued. "When we launch Windows 7, an OEM can put XP on the machine at one price, Windows 7 Starter Edition at a higher price, Windows 7 Home Edition at a higher price, and Windows 7 Professional at a higher price."
Microsoft has not disclosed pricing for Starter, since the edition will be sold only in volume to OEMs, and will not be available to end users at retail. However, Ballmer made it plain that Microsoft hopes to coax users into purchasing PCs with higher-priced versions of Windows 7. "It's not just what are our prices -- that's partly in here -- but it's also a function of how well do we do getting, in any segment, people to buy the more expensive offering," he told analysts.
"They're trying to force people into higher-end SKUs," said Allan Krans, an analyst with Technology Business Research. "Selling XP at a low price to OEMs hurt them financially, and they're trying to figure out a way to stem that."
Last month, Microsoft said revenues for the Windows client division were down 29% year over year for the company's fiscal fourth quarter, which ended June 30. Microsoft blamed the fall-off on the increased sales of netbooks and a global slow-down of PC purchases.
Ballmer acknowledged that Microsoft made a mistake pricing licenses of Windows XP Home that it's been selling only to netbook makers since April 2008. "[Windows revenues are] down primarily because we did a program this year to cut prices in emerging markets with a theory that the lower price would lead to higher attach and higher total revenue," Ballmer said.
"The theory was wrong. It's not that it was untested, but it turns out the theory was wrong, and you will see us address the theory in the Windows 7 time frame. We're going to readjust those prices north, so to say, and I think with our Windows 7 SKU lineup, we also have a great chance to do some up-sell ... to Windows 7 Starter, Windows 7 Home...."
"They're trying to rectify the mistake," noted Krans. "But that will be very difficult for them to do. Netbook prices are low already, and adding another $20 or $30 for Windows 7 Starter will make it too tight for [OEMs[ to operate."
Microsoft doesn't divulge Windows prices to OEMs, but earlier this year the Wall Street Journal cited sources that claimed the company receives less than $15 per netbook for Windows XP, considerably less than the estimated $50 to $60 it gets for a Vista license.
Krans said higher prices for Windows 7 -- $30 to $40 more than XP Home -- would be a tough sell to netbook makers. "OEMs don't have a lot of wiggle room on price, since price points seem to be the most important feature for netbooks," said Krans.
The best Microsoft can hope for is to make a case for more capable, but still-inexpensive laptops that run one of the "premium" editions of Windows 7, like Home Premium or Professional. "Netbooks have their place, but low-end notebooks are a more compelling value," Krans said. "For $500 or less, low-end notebooks are going to have a much more usable keyboard and a more usable screen. They're better for the OEMs and for Microsoft, because there's more pricing flexibility there than in netbooks to make some sustainable margins."
Microsoft has committed to continue selling Windows XP Home to netbook makers for at least 12 months after the launch of Windows 7, or through October 2010.
Verizon Offers Free Netbooks With BlackBerry Tour
Verizon Wireless is again offering a second BlackBerry with each one purchased, but this time the deal includes any other device -- of equal or lesser value -- that Verizon sells.
That means new subscribers, or those signing new two-year contracts, can get a free netbook with a BlackBerry Tour smartphone. The Tour costs US$199.99 after Verizon's rebate, and the least-expensive netbook Verizon sells is the HP Mini 1151 NR, also priced at $199.99. Those customers could also get any USB, PC Card or ExpressCard modem the carrier offers.
The offer also covers the Intelligent Mobile Hotspot, a $199.99 battery-powered 3G modem that includes a Wi-Fi access point that can be used with any five Wi-Fi devices. To get any of these devices free with the BlackBerry, the customer would have to sign up for a two-year contract for both devices. Monthly data plans start at $39.99 with a 250MB cap and $59.99 with a 5GB cap.
Research In Motion and Verizon both have been working hard to grab attention and sales from the still-popular Apple iPhone, which in the U.S. is offered only on Verizon rival AT&T's network. A BlackBerry buy-one-get-one offer that Verizon ran earlier this year was widely credited with helping the BlackBerry Curve beat the iPhone in unit sales in the first quarter. The BlackBerry Storm, RIM's first touch-screen product, also debuted to hot sales in that quarter.
With the latest promotion, Verizon wanted to make sure its customers were able to get the second device they needed, instead of limiting them to getting another BlackBerry. Verizon sells all other BlackBerry models for less than the Tour, ranging from the Storm at $99.99 to the BlackBerry 8703e for $29.99, each with two-year contracts.
The Tour, which debuted last month, can work on both the EV-DO (Evolution-Data Optimized) network technology used by Verizon and the GSM/HSPA (Global System for Mobile Communications/High-Speed Packet Access) system used by most carriers outside the U.S. It is available in models with or without a 3.2-megapixel camera, meeting the security requirements of some businesses and government agencies. Both models cost $199.99 at Verizon.
Dell Looks to Linux to Expand Netbook Presence
In an effort to expand its Linux offerings, Dell is researching new netbook-type devices and will soon offer netbook Linux OS upgrades, a company official said on Wednesday.
The company is researching the possibility of offering new Linux-based mobile devices called smartbooks, said Todd Finch, senior product marketing manager for Linux clients, at the OpenSourceWorld conference in San Francisco. The company will also upgrade its Ubuntu Linux OS for netbooks to the latest version in the next few weeks, he said.
Smartbooks are netbook-type devices that are powered by chips designed by Arm. The devices mostly support the Linux OS and are designed for those who rely on the Web for most of their computing. Dell couldn't say whether it would ultimately offer a smartbook.
Smartbooks have similar characteristics to netbooks, including cramped keyboards and small screens. No major PC vendor has yet announced an interest in smartbooks, though small vendors are pushing them as an alternative to netbooks, which are mostly based on Intel's Atom chips and come with Microsoft's Windows OS. Many vendors, including Qualcomm and Freescale, are providing Arm chips for smartbooks that could hit shelves by the end of this year.
Smartbooks with Arm chips have inherent advantages over x86 chips like Atom, such as lower power consumption and longer battery life, Finch said. The chips are also becoming more powerful, as indicated by the growing number of applications on smartphones, he said.
"I think it's natural and reasonable for us to begin looking at them as they begin scaling their processors up," Finch said.
Putting an Arm chip -- mainly found in smartphones -- inside a lightweight PC could provide an early entry point for Dell into the smartphone space, said Jay Chou, research analyst at IDC. Dell has hinted at entering the smartphone area many times, but no product has materialized yet.
While netbooks are the craze, smartbooks are hard to ignore, Chou said. Interest in the device will grow over time because it enables lightweight and low-priced computing devices, which could interest PC makers. Pricing is also a major criteria for buyers, and Linux netbooks are cheaper than their Windows counterparts.
But smartbooks could struggle as Windows remains the dominant OS for netbook-type devices, with a strong software ecosystem around it, Chou said. Smartbooks may have a hard time gaining traction, and much of their future success will depend on the software ecosystem.
The target market for smartbooks will be no different from Linux-based netbooks as they both have the same usage scenario, Dell's Finch said. Like smartbooks, Linux-based netbooks are targeted at those looking for quick access to Web-based applications. "The more [Web-based] applications there are, the better it is for Linux," Finch said.
The growing interest in Linux is partly driven by Dell's success with Linux on its netbooks. Close to a third of all netbooks Dell ships during certain quarters are preloaded with Linux, he said.
Dell is currently the fifth-largest netbook vendor worldwide, according to IDC's Chou. Linux-based netbooks made up about 5 percent of overall worldwide shipments during the last quarter.
However, a bulk of Dell's netbooks today ship with Windows XP, which remains the OS of choice for consumers, Finch said. The popularity of Windows won't change overnight, he said.
"There are still a large percentage of people that prefer Windows, even on a netbook," Finch said. Many are familiar with the look and feel of Windows, and are unwilling to trade in for the longer battery life offered by Linux. He couldn't comment about the possible adoption rates of Windows 7, which is due for release on Oct. 22.
Dell currently offers Ubuntu Linux version 8.04 with the Mini 10v netbook, which is being upgraded to the latest 9.04 version -- code-named Jaunty Jackalope -- in the next few weeks. Dell will be pre-loading the Web-centric Ubuntu Netbook Remix, which is designed for small screen sizes, on future netbooks. Its Web-centric design provides quick access to online applications, and the OS builds in support for a larger number of drivers.
The company is also researching Google's Chrome for use in netbooks. The OS is a thin version of a Linux-based operating system that also will provide quick access to the Web and online applications.
China Will Not Enforce Green Dam Porn Filter Plan
China said Thursday it will not force PC makers to bundle an Internet filtering program with computers sold in the country, backing down from a plan that stirred global controversy.
China will "definitely not" require the program, called Green Dam, to be packaged with all consumer PCs, said Li Yizhong, China's Minister of Industry and Information Technology, according to a transcript of his statements on a government Web portal.
China originally ordered all foreign and domestic PC vendors to pre-install Green Dam on new machines or to include the software on a CD-ROM. That mandate, issued in May, was indefinitely postponed just hours before it was slated to take effect last month. At the time, the Chinese government said it delayed the plan only to give PC makers more time to comply, but it did not set a new date for enforcement.
Thursday's statements were the first clear sign that China would not enforce the plan, which drew strong protest from Western PC makers and industry organizations. China has insisted that the Web filter was meant to protect children from pornography, but the program was also found to block Web sites that mentioned sensitive political topics such as Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned in China as a cult.
Concerns about the program ranged from free speech and user privacy to PC security and intellectual property violations. A California-based software maker last month said it was preparing legal action over Green Dam for its use of programming code stolen from the company.
Li said use of the filter was meant to be optional and that the plan was misunderstood because it was not explained clearly. The software can be disabled or uninstalled.
PC makers including Lenovo, Acer and Asustek Computer have gone ahead with plans to distribute the program.
China's government will go ahead with installation of Green Dam on computers in public schools, Internet cafes and other public places, Li said. It is also working to address flaws in the program and would not rule out introducing a better filter, he said.
China Will Not Enforce Green Dam Porn Filter Plan
China said Thursday it will not force PC makers to bundle an Internet filtering program with computers sold in the country, backing down from a plan that stirred global controversy.
China will "definitely not" require the program, called Green Dam, to be packaged with all consumer PCs, said Li Yizhong, China's Minister of Industry and Information Technology, according to a transcript of his statements on a government Web portal.
China originally ordered all foreign and domestic PC vendors to pre-install Green Dam on new machines or to include the software on a CD-ROM. That mandate, issued in May, was indefinitely postponed just hours before it was slated to take effect last month. At the time, the Chinese government said it delayed the plan only to give PC makers more time to comply, but it did not set a new date for enforcement.
Thursday's statements were the first clear sign that China would not enforce the plan, which drew strong protest from Western PC makers and industry organizations. China has insisted that the Web filter was meant to protect children from pornography, but the program was also found to block Web sites that mentioned sensitive political topics such as Falun Gong, a spiritual movement banned in China as a cult.
Concerns about the program ranged from free speech and user privacy to PC security and intellectual property violations. A California-based software maker last month said it was preparing legal action over Green Dam for its use of programming code stolen from the company.
Li said use of the filter was meant to be optional and that the plan was misunderstood because it was not explained clearly. The software can be disabled or uninstalled.
PC makers including Lenovo, Acer and Asustek Computer have gone ahead with plans to distribute the program.
China's government will go ahead with installation of Green Dam on computers in public schools, Internet cafes and other public places, Li said. It is also working to address flaws in the program and would not rule out introducing a better filter, he said.
Starting out in College, the Mac Way
For the past few months, I've been working as an intern in Macworld's San Francisco office, testing products, camping out for the iPhone 3GS, and engaging in a little cubicle warfare. Now I'm heading off to Whitman College for the first year of my undergraduate education. In addition to the usual accoutrements, like sheets (twin extra long, of course), a trash can, books, pens, paper, and the rest, I'm also packing some of my most important supplies: gadgets. After spending my summer surrounded by the latest hardware and software, whittling down my list of essential Mac gear hasn't been easy. Here's what's on my back-to-school list:
My 13-inch white MacBook is the center of my digital life. For taking notes in class, I've loaded it with Circus Ponies' Notebook ( Macworld rated 4.5 out of 5 mice ). In addition to all of its organization features, this handy program can record audio and then match it to the words I type, so I can go back and hear the lecture as I look at my notes.
I'm also taking a Wacom Bamboo Fun tablet ( Macworld rated 5 out of 5 mice ) for writing. In certain areas, like math, art, and science, typing is often inconvenient. The tablet provides a more natural interface. And both OS X and Notebook integrate well with tablets--Notebook even offers searchable handwriting recognition.
My iPhone will also play an important role at college. To keep track of my projects and to-dos, I use OmniFocus ( Macworld rated 3.5 out of 5 mice ), a planning and organizing app from The Omni Group. The program's iPhone app syncs with its desktop counterpart over a local area network using Bonjour, as well as through MobileMe, so I'll have my tasks everywhere I go. The program is structured around David Allen's Getting Things Done philosophy, to which I am a devotee, but experience with GTD isn't a prerequisite to effectively using Omnifocus.
Avatron Software's Air Sharing Pro is another critical app for me. It turns my iPhone into a WLAN storage device on which I can stash useful files for class, including .zip files, Microsoft Office or iWork documents, PDFs, and a variety of audio and video formats. More importantly, it lets me view and e-mail all of the files I put on it.
Hard work is important, but so are study breaks. For times when I need to decompress and have fun, I've outfitted my Mac and iPhone with fun apps that don't break the bank. On the Mac side, I've been keeping myself busy with casual fare, such as PopCap's Peggle ( Macworld rated 4.5 out of 5 mice ), Peggle Nights, and Plants Vs. Zombies (Macworld rated 4.5 out of 5 mice). When I need an energy boost, I turn to The Iconfactory's frantically paced Frenzic ( Macworld rated 3.5 out of 5 mice), which never fails to wake me up and get me going again. On my iPhone, my current fun favorites are Star Hogs, F.A.S.T., and Flight Control ( Macworld rated 5 out of 5 mice), all of which are ridiculously fun, and ridiculously addictive.