OQO Examined
D4C5CE writes "The vapor solidifies... After years of waiting and an appearance at CES early this year, some people have finally had the opportunity to try an OQO 'Model 01 ultra personal computer (uPC)' at CeBIT America, and published this report. The device is available to a few lucky pilot customers, but for the rest of us they still won't be shipping before this fall, and they have yet to beat the Zaurus line (hopefully also with wireless connectivity in its clamshell versions soon - Are you listening, Sharp?) to justify a $1500+ price tag."
Perhaps I am some sort of a radical dresser but I have what are known as "cargo" pockets that have more than enough space for an OQO. The OQO is not 2-3 inches thick. It is 0.9 inches thick as stated on the specifications page. 4.9" x 3.4" x .9". Thats thinner than my cell phone. Wow, wait, whats this? People have been carrying objects roughly fitting those dimensions for hundreds of years in their pockets with no problem.
"Quis custodiet ipsos custodes?"
...oh wait, that's nothing new on /.
You people keep trying to think that this OQO device is marketed as a oversided PDA with a keyboard. You people seem to think it's too big to fit into pockets. You couldn't be further from the truth on both counts. Why don't you try to see this device in action before passing such ignorant judgment on it?
http://news.com.com/1606-2-5222650.html
This is supposed to be a single ultraportable solution that's supposed to replace a business-oriented desktop, laptop, and PDA. It had a docking station that allows it to hook up a full-sized keyboard, montior, and mouse so you can use it more comfortably and efficiently as a desk environment. It's supposed to replace a laptop because it's ultraportable yet still runs the same WinXP apps that a business person might need (full versions of M$ Office, Visio, etc....not just some watered down PocketPC incarnations of any program). It's supposed to replace the PDA because there is absolutely NO need to sync between a PDA and a laptop/desktop since it will replace all 3 devices.
Granted, this comes with a slow-ass Trasmeta proc, and the movie URL that I showed above, the guy admits it only gets about 3 to 4 hours of battery life even with the Transmeta proc not consuming so much power but with its power-hungry WiFi hardware. You're probably not going to bother to edit audio on this device since it doesn't have any optical drives built-in for you to rip and encode music off CD Audio. Since it's using a Transmeta proc, you can be damned sure you're not going to be doing any video editing with this. You won't be playing EverQuest either, so forget it. This is NOT what the device was marketed for. Keep in mind that this device doesn't even support wired Ethernet on the base device but only through it's docking cable.
For the business executive on the go, this makes the perfect all-in-one solution. Set up a docking station at home and at the office so you can use the device with comfort and efficiency at the places where you get the majority of your work done, and then use the device detached from its docking cable when you're on the move. You will always have your data with you without having to sync your data between PDA and laptop/desktop.
Get it? Probably not, but I've done my part in attempting to educate the ignorant masses.
si vis pacem, para bellum..."if you wish peace, prepare for war"