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Best Wi-Fi Portable Browsing Device?
foxxo writes "I'm a library worker, so I get lots of questions about our collection when I'm out in the stacks. I'd love to be able to access our online catalog and give patrons more comprehensive guidance without directing them to the reference desk. What options are available for a portable device with Wi-Fi connectivity, full-featured Web browsing, and (most importantly) no cellphone-style activation and service fees? Size is important, too; I need something I can carry in my pocket, not a micro-notebook with full keyboard. (And I am a library worker, so low cost is key!)" One device that sounds interesting in this category is the GiiNii Movit (not yet released, but shown off at CES). What can you recommend that's out there now?
No recurring fees, I just picked one up for $222.
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iPhone or iPod touch, assuming what you want to access is browser based.
Low price? Not so much, but if you have one anyway... Or were looking for a tax write off this might be the way to go.
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Gotta say the cheapest iPod touch is probably going to be a good bet here, particularly as it's a wifi-only device; you don't have to buy a whole cellphone at the same time.
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Surprisingly its my PSP that I usually break out in situations where I need to browse the web but can't be at the computer. Yes its a game system but the wifi\browser are fairly decent if you can live without WPA2. I'm not too sure what else is out there, but a PSP can be purchased in the $150 to $200 range.
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For sitting in a wifi coffee shop, I'd say my Eee 900 is a great compromise. Then again, having watched my friend playing with his iPhone I'd have to say that, for ultraportable / ultraconvenient / always with you access, the iPhone (or iPod touch) are probably the best you can get.
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On another note, I think this is where Amazon really missed the market for the Kindle. If it had wifi, and had a web browser, then the kindle would be one of the greatest pieces of hardware on the market, and perfect for this type of application. Of course if it had wifi, then Amazon would certainly lose revenue on book sales and would not be able to pay the cell phone bill that currently allows wireless delivery.
In any case, there are a number of option out there, but wifi without cell phone there is no choice, and most other options are twice the price fo the touch.
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should be available cheap, put on the opera mobile browser
and you are all set to go.
I absolutely love mine. The browser is excellent for a mobile device, the hardware is robust, and the physical keyboard/trackball makes browsing a breeze. The browser supports java, and will also soon support flash, you really can't ask for more.
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if there is one device that has absolutely nailed the portable web browsing category, it's the iPhone. I've used Blackberry devices, Windows Mobile smartphones, a bit of Symbian and Palm, and nothing could render most of the web as good as Portable Safari has been able to.
Additionally, they can be found for under $200.
Just found this on wikipedia:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Handhelds_with_WiFi_connectivity
I have a Nokia N810, and think the 800 pixel wide screen is its killer feature. With an 800 pixel screen you can run any web site and not be stuck in the "mobile ghetto".
...I tried using that... it was, painful, to say the least. The iPod touch does a much better job of browsing and can be found for about the price of the browser + DS.
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Think the question missed an important point: does she want to be able to search from a web-enabled OPAC or does she need to use Windows in order to access a ILS system? As an example: Sirsi uses software called "Workflows" to access the actual ILS (Integrated Library System) in order to search the catalog, place, holds, order items, etc. The only approved OS's for this software is Windows XP (and Vista... just barely). This discludes just about any Android or Linux enabled device, but her mileage may vary by what ILS her library relies upon. If that's the case, then you can find examples of this at libraries around the nation. As an example, South Lyon Library in MI has "Roaming Reference" capability through the use of Tablets. Some of the newer Netbooks are likely more than capable as well, if not quite as portable.
Put in a cheap WiFi Router in the Library (set for 802.11b only; the Palm can do 802.11g), and WEP for security (if you must; why not let others use the same database?). Cost: About $35 Now, buy a used Palm Tungsten C from eBay (about $75), and make sure the seller guarantees the WiFi will work (many don't). Now you have, for roughly $125, your own link to the network, and no further monthly expenses. I've got lots of clients where we do this; I use my Tungsten with those system almost every day.
If you click the centre button on the dpad when the cursor is in a text field, it brings up a larger, more thumb-friendly on screen keyboard. Much nicer when typing more than a few words, such as for a slashdot reply.
This poo is cold.
I've got a Sharp Zaurus 6000 that has all of the features you're looking for: built-in wifi, a physical keyboard, and a sharp and bright touchscreen. The later zauruses might be even better with the clamshell design and better battery life. The only drawback is that they're not as easy to find since Sharp discontinued selling them in the US.
If you don't mind getting the WiFi from a compactflash wifi adapter instead of being build-in, the older 5500's turn up frequently for a reasonable price.
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I'm surprised no one's suggested Kindle yet. From what I've read, it would fit a few use cases.
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Have a look at the Archos devices. You can pickup some of the older models with Wifi as refurbished.
My Archos 5 is my, surf, watch movies, store data, listen to music, and play games device. The current 5 and 7 are called "Internet Media Tablets".
With Opera as the browser and flash support its really a nice internet experience for a small device.
The keyboard on the n810 is almost perfectly flat with a hairline space between keys. Hitting multiple keys is extremely easy, and it is necessary to look at the keys while carefully clicking with my fingernails. The thumbboard on my Tungsten C is a fraction of the size, but far more useful. Even the popup stylus keyboard on the 770 is less trouble. The 770 automatically goes into suspend when the metal cover is flipped back on - unlike the slide button on the n810 that can get triggered accidentally - and it doesn't insist on wearing out the screen while charging.
Use the Touch with Google's free search app, and you can SPEAK your search term into the system. Works extremely well.
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... that bugs.
It's this habit that the anti-fanbois -- a population much more rabid and present on Slashdot than actual strawman fanbois bandied about here -- have of insulting anybody who has decided the Apple products meet their needs best.
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Tweet, tweet.
... because, unlike the Nokia, you probably know someone who owns a touch or an iPhone and you can test it before buying! Or, if the online resources are web-accessible (as opposed to only available in the library) you can just go to an Apple store (if there's one nearby) and check one out there. Not that I have anything against the Nokia, but there's no reason to buy something sight-unseen if you don't have to. If it looks like the iPod won't work for you, you can consider alternatives. The Nokia tablets have larger screens but the iPod's pan-and-zoom system works pretty well and its small size is great.
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I fear this arms race will never end.
If only they had thought of the Anti-Anti-Anti-Fanboi! The fools! When will they ever learn?!?
I fear this arms race will never end.
Which will result in quite some arms...
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"I'm a library worker, so I get lots of questions about our collection when I'm out in the stacks. I'd love to be able to access our online catalog and give patrons more comprehensive guidance without directing them to the reference desk."
Okay, but how does your supervisor feel about that idea?
A reference librarian's entire job is to help patrons find relevant information, and they had to earn a graduate degree in the field in order to get that job. A "library worker", who has been tasked with re-shelving books in the stacks, is not a capable substitute. Even if he/she has a wifi-enabled PDA.
I've worked as a page myself, I know that patrons will always approach the first member of the library staff they spot. But when somebody has a reference question, the only appropriate response is to direct them to a reference librarian for assistance
...and nobody's thinking of the children!!! :O