
Motorola Takes Us a Step Closer to Personal Computing Nirvana–and it’s Not Even a Computer
It took five years, but the personal computing nirvana vision I first heard from Zoho CEO Sridhar Vembu is becoming reality. The concept that I discussed in The Cell-Phone Aware PC May Be a PC-less PC, and other posts is simple. Instead of a plethora of situational devices with redundant computing capacity, carry around just […]

The Mobile Arms Race–Your Superphone is Really Not a Phone
The HTC Incredible was the best Android superphone – for about a month, until the HTC EVO took over…only to be dethroned by the Motorola Droid X. But that’s history now, we’re in the middle of the Samsung Galaxy S invasion now: Vibrant, Captivate, Fascinate … just about all major carriers offer their own flavor. […]

When Innovation Backfires. MSI’s Dual-screen eSomething
I love innovation – just not innovation for the sake of innovation. It should be useful – and when I look at MSI’s dual-screen eReader – Netbook – Whatever, I seriously question the usability. Multipurpose devices do make sense, especially when it comes to the one-little-thing you carry in your pocket: it’s great not having […]

The Tablet Debate – Situational Device, Take # 764531276534
Gotta love the new debate on Tablets – it’s not about the CrunchPad, JooJoo or the Apple Tablet anymore. It’s about whether we need any. Joe Wilcox declared that The world doesn’t need an Apple tablet, or any other. Really? Well, there was this other guy who famously declared: I think there is a world […]

CrunchPad, Netbooks and Vacuum Cleaners
We covered the CrunchPad a fair bit here, so it’s only natural to report it’s inching closer to Launch. Or is it rather slipping? The Straits Times visited Fusion Garage, the Singapore-based company that’s developing the CrunchPad, and published details. It’s now expected to hit the market in November, just in time for Christmas shopping. […]

Gadget-blogs Fooled by Old CrunchPad Prototype
Forget the stolen elections (coup?) in Iran, thre’s more excitement on TechMeme: the unboxing of the CrunchPad prototype, posted on youtube by Loic Le Meur: I hate to say this.. but I think what we’re seeing here is Prototype C, the previous version, not the final, Launch prototype. Compare the photos and decide for […]

The CrunchPad is Real. A Sexy Little Situational Device.
Wow, what a difference 3 months make. Here’s the CrunchPad prototype in January: And the current version leaked today: Certainly a lot better-looking, albeit not as thin as the original sketch. That said, if this thing is really in the $300 range, I’d love to buy one. Now, I can hear people complain about all […]

How Many Computers Does The World Really Need? There Are Two Answers.
Legendary IBM Chairman & CEO Thomas Watson declared in 1943: I think there is a world market for maybe five computers. The fact the famous quote is likely incorrectly attributed to him is immaterial. 80 or years later the World may just prove him (or whoever said this) right. According to Microsoft research chief Rick […]

CrunchPad: a Netbook Sans Keyboard
I admit I was skeptical when Mike Arrington first announced he wanted to build a lightweight Web Tablet. Skeptical partly because I had just witnessed Ismael Ghalimi of the Office 2.0 fame feverishly work on the Redux Model 1. I had been doubtful about his effort, too, but his energy level was just radiating, he […]

The Cell-Phone Aware PC May Be a PC-less PC
2008 REDUX Another piece in the 2008 Redux series, originally posted in March 2008. The computing landscape has somewhat changed with the appearance of netbooks, but I am still waiting for the cellphone-aware PC-less PC. Mike Egan @ Computerworld makes the case for PC’s to be smarter, with improved awareness of cell-phones, which means of […]

Netbook or Notebook? It’s Not Only About Size.
Hardly a day goes by without another new Netbook announcement, at lower and lower prices. The first baby eee PC by ASUS was toy-like ( I returned it after a day), but the current crop are quite usable mobile computing devices. These new Netbooks are flying off the shelf, so much so that sometimes you […]