Posted by Ben Smith on Sun, Dec 14, 2008 @ 09:01 AM
I've been looking at all of the cool analytic data found in my HubSpot and realized that there are a lot of people out there looking for a good bag for their Acer Aspire One. Look no more because here is a solutions that works great: the REI X Small E-Wrap Computer Sleeve. 
The sleeve is a perfect fit for the AAO and it's massive power brick. (OK, so it's not really a massive power brick, but it is bigger than you'd expect.) At around $20 from rei.com it won't break the bank either!
The sleeve has two velcro openings that make for really easy access and it's padded enough to keep me from worrying as I throw my bag around. Since I carry a lot of stuff, I do need a bigger bag to contain the whole office, but this is a great sleeve to keep the precious Aspire One from getting scratched, smashed, or otherwise defaced by the other goodies in the bag. It's also nice to be able to grab the AAO and throw it in my smaller bag for running around town on the weekends when I need the netbook, but not the whole office.
Posted by Ben Smith on Fri, Sep 26, 2008 @ 02:41 PM
Previously I described the mobile office tech gadgets that I've been carrying around in the gadget bag for the last few years. I've recently refreshed the bag as I've been transitioning from one platform to another over the past couple of months. Here's what's in the gadget bag now:
- Acer Aspire One
- Replaced Linpus Lite with Ubunty 8.04 (Hardy Heron)
- 1.6 GHz Intel Atom processor
- 8 GB SDD (enhanced with +4GB SD)
- T-Mobile Blackberry Pearl 8120
- 180 GB of external 2.5" USB drives
- Pharos BT GPS Receiver
Notice how much shorter the list is. I've gone from 7 to 4 in an effort to make room for newer mobile gadgets as they come out. Let's run down why each item is included in the bag now:
The Acer Aspire One is a fantastic little netbook that I picked up for $349. This is less than half the price of the Q1 and I was able to repurpose the RAM that I took out of the Q1 during an upgrade to enhance this little machine. It's zippy, easy to use, and Ubuntu runs fantastic on it. Battery life with the standard 3 cell battery is limited to about 2.25 hours and I am actively searching for the 6-cell extended battery so I can stop looking for open power outlets.
The T-Mobile Blackberry made it in since I wanted a cell phone that could work with WiFi and save on some cell minutes. The 8120 coupled with HotSpot calling makes for more calls, better service, and smaller bills. Additionally, a little Googling and hacking allows me to use the T-Mobile EDGE connection with the Aspire One with a USB tether. Not wireless like before, but for a Linux/T-Mo solution it works like a champ.
I still carry the same 180 GB of external drives (for now.) I'll be consolidating to a single 100 GB drive in the near future.
The Pharos BT GPS Receiver is the same receiver I've had, but I bought a used BT andapter for it on Amazon for cheap. MS Streets and Trips has been replace by Google Maps on the Blackberry (free, always updated, small, geeky.)
The current gadget bag doesn't have a 12-volt option, but since I'm traveling to Boston every week for a while and won't have a car, I figure this doesn't matter. The Aspire One gets charged with the small power brick that it came with and both the Blackberry and GPS get charged via USB from the Aspire One.
Posted by Ben Smith on Mon, Sep 15, 2008 @ 07:44 AM
For the past couple of years my mobile office has consisted the following components:
- Samsung Q1
- Sierra Wireless Stowaway BT Keyboard
- Sierra Wireless BT Mouse
- iGo power adapter with Samsung and LG tips
- AT&T LG CU500
- 180 GB of external 2.5" USB drives
- Pharos USB GPS Receiver for MS Streets and Trips
All of these gadgets have served me well and make a pretty powerful impression on everyone at the airport when I pull them out. I'll provide individual reviews of each component in the future, but here's why these made it into the gadget bag:
The Samsung Q1, while not the first slate UMPC on the market, came out early enough in the UMPC game to catch my eye. It's sleek looking, a good performer, and makes for a great mobile Windows XP machine. The upgrades really kick it into overdrive! With both a 3-cell and 6-cell battery in the bag, I've got around 6.5 hours of mobile office time without needing an outlet.
The Sierra Wireless BT Keyboard and Mouse followed the Q1 as I learned that you can't always do everything you need on a slate UMPC. Writing and revising larger documents is a tedious chore by hand (especially when you've been typing for years instead of handwriting.)
The LG CU500 was purchased to be my personal mobile phone and BT 3G connection. While it makes for a great bluetooth modem, it actually lacks in the call quality department.
The iGo power adapter became necessary when I needed to consolidate power bricks and also have a 12-volt option for charging. I couldn't find a Samsung Q1 car kit anywhere and the iGo has at least surpassed my expectations.
180 GB of external drives goes without saying. I actually put these together with some cheap IDE to USB enclosures and some used HDDs from eBay on the cheap. In all, 180 GB cost about $60, and since they're 2.5 inch drives, they fit nicely into small pockets in the gadget bag.
The Pharos USB GPS Receiver made it into the kit when MS Streets and Trips 2007 came out. I had tried an older version of the software and thought it was pretty cool and bought 2007 (for retail...ugh) as soon as it came out.