Becoming Ultra-Mobile: Accessorizing for Lifestyle Computing

Introduction: This was going to be a two-part series on incorporating the UMPC into your life. The first part was going to be "Making your UMPC into your office" which was already covered today by my fellow UMPC blogger Hugo at Ubertablet in his post entitled "UMPC as a Desktop Replacement." He says all I wanted to say about "desktopping" your UMPC in that post, so I am going to focus on incorporating the Ultra-Mobile PC into your mobile life.

The In-Between Problem: UMPCs are an "in-between" size: Richer functionality than a PDA but larger. Weaker than a full laptop or "convertible" tablet yet much smaller. This presents a series of hurdles that can relatively easily be jumped in incorporating the UMPC into your life.

Step 1: Decide on your purpose.
The first step to becoming ultra-mobile is deciding what you want to do with your UMPC. This is a step that should have been done before the UMPC was purchased so the right model was chosen. Are you a Road Warrior? Are you a gamer? Are you a business professional? Are you a MySpace and YouTube addict? Think about your UMPC's purpose and that will make the whole experience easier.

photo by ubertablet.com

Step 2: Choosing an Ultra Mobile PC
This step should be custom tailored to the purpose decided upon above. Budget-conscious students, real estate professionals, and heavy web users will probaby go for a TabletKiosk eo v7110 like mine. Gamers and others who need beefier Pentium M under the hood will likely opt to lay a few extra bills down for a TabletKiosk eo 7210. Movie/video watchers and perhaps "on the showroom floor" sales reps may choose a Samsung Q1. I could go on, but the product portal at CarryPad by Steve has the best layout of UMPC and UMPC-like products. The most important thing is that the device properly suits your PRIMARY PURPOSE for purchasing it.


Step 3: Accessorize for mobility!
Very few people will get the most out of their UMPC right out of the box. There are a few "must-have" and several "should have" accessories.
The "must-have" list:

• Keyboard
• Mouse
• External optical drive or a shared CD-ROM on a networked machine for software installation.
  

The first two are both for convenience and for the occasional "reinstall touch drivers" or "recalibrate the display" scenario. There are many options for the above, and I've had some success with the ones I've pictured above. The picture has the following devices, clockwise from the top:

1. Brando Super Slim USB Keyboard
2. Norwood Micro Mini bluetooth optical mouse
3. Targus retractable USB micro mouse
4. Zip-Linq retractable universal power cable
5. ThinkOutside Stowaway bluetooth keyboard
6. Logitech USB keyboard for the Playstation 2.
   

Choosing between these is a simple matter of comfort. The ThinkOutside goes everywhere because it's so small. The Brando keyboard is a good back-up because it's smaller than the Logitech keyboard and doesn't require batteries. The Logitech keyboard wins for heavy text input volume because the key spacing and throw is more comfortable. The Zip-Linq cable is explained in the next section:

Now on to the "Should Have" accessories:

---Additional Power Adapter: I picked up a universal power adapter for about $50 from Fry's Electronics. It is a MicroInnovations 70 watt universal AC power adapter with a handful of "itips" - a re-branding of the popular "iGo" power accessories. I won't go into the world's obsession with a certian iBranding of iAccessories for their iElectronics. After doing some research on the power requirements, polarity, voltage, and amperage of the TabletKiosk eo v7110, I determined that the compatible tip was number "3" in the box. I double checked it with a multimeter before I plugged it in. It worked great. I now keep my MicroInnovations power adapter on my desk and carry my factory AC adapter with me. That way I simply unplug my eo from my power adapter on my desk and my USB hub and slide it into my geek bag. The Zip-Linq cable (pictured above) makes it even easier to be mobile. (A note on choosing adapters: watts=volts * amps. My eo requires 19 volts at 3.42 amps, therefore any power supply must provide at least 64.98 watts)

---Stylus Pens: TabletKiosk eo v7110 owners will notice that the tablet itself does not include a stand, but the included stylus can be used as a stand. I won't tell you how many times I've had a "coffee shop crowed" over my propped-up eo watching the latest hilarity on YouTube (yes, I juggle too.) Anyway, a very comfortable full-pen sized third party stylus both frees up the existing stylus to use as a stand and is MUCH more comfortable.

---Extended Batteries: Many tablets will have extended batteries available. These come with much longer battery life but add to the size and heft of the ultra-mobile. Most of my UMPC use is in two-hour away-from-charger bursts or less so I have little need for an extended battery, but those who take long flights or are on the road all day should consider them. UberTablet has an excellent review of the eo v7110 battery and Ultramobilepc-tips has a great first look at the Mugen Power extended battery for the same device. When considering power, also consider how long you're truly going to be away from a wall socket. I thought I needed an extended battery but do not. Some people may need to pack 2-3 long-life batteries for their purpose.

Finally, consider "maybe have" accessories. A few examples:

• A USB game pad.
• A bluetooth equipped cell phone with a data plan
• Cleaning cloth for the screen
• Headphones or folding speakers
• A bluetooth GPS module like this one I have.
• A vehicle power adapter or vehicle AC inverter. (see my note on wattage above)
  

Step 4: The Geek Bag
Since PDAs and laptops have been on the market for quite some time, there are plenty of solutions for safely carrying and storing those devices. UMPC users either must wait for a specific solution or take an approximate solution and work with it. Personally, I found a Playstation 2 carrying case and made my own foam slip case to improve protection and fit. Things to keep in mind:

• Will the UMPC properly fit?
  
• Is it properly protected?
  
• Will all my accessories fit?
• Do I feel comfortable carrying it?
• Will this go everywhere I need it to go?

Conclusion: Evolve!
Ultra-Mobile PCs are part of a movement into lifestyle computing. Computers, especially integrated with the Internet, have become essential tools to many lives. Don't settle with what you have out of the box - Adapt it, change it, and make it your own. On the UMPC side, keep changing around your accessories, software, and user interface until it suits you best. It's your ultra mobile experience: let it evolve.