What must I have to do true Mobile Computing? - Part 3
Posted by Daryl Rinaldi on Thu, Mar 25, 2010 @ 07:59 PM
While your laptop and PDA are the core of your mobile computing technology, don't give short shrift to your accessories. These can make the difference between a pleasant, successful trip and a nightmare of hellish existence! OK well perhaps "nightmare of hellish existence" is a bit strong. But you get the point.
Your Accessories Kit:
- A flash drive of at least 2GB
- An Ethernet cable
- An aircard - This allows your computer to get online using the cell phone network. No more searching for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Anywhere you can get a cell phone signal (digital) you can get online. You will pay an additional $60 or so a month for the aircard service. But for anyone who spends significant time on the road the time and cost savings for not having to hunt around for and pay for Wi-Fi hotspots is well worth it.
- An international adapter if you travel overseas
- Travel mouse (personal choice)
- Spare battery (personal choice - adds weight)
- Printed laminated sheet with all important phone numbers. "But why would I need this?" you ask. "All my numbers are in my trusty PDA." But then of course your battery runs out or you drop it in that mud puddle, or leave it on the plane, etc. etc.... Good old paper doesn't need batteries. Include numbers for:
- Airlines
- Hotel chains
- Top customers
- Travel Agent
- Car services
- Tech Support
- Home numbers for key people (especially if you will be in a different time zone)
Optional depending on nature of your work
- Projector - if you make customer presentations you take out the variable of using their equipment
- Scanner
- Printer - most hotels have a business center and there are Kinko's everywhere so this is less and less needed by road warriors.
- Digital recorder to dictate and send for transcription. You may recall that Bill Blazejowski (Michael Keaton) used an analog voice recorder to record all his great ideas (he was an "idea man") in the movie Night Shift with Henry Winkler. Perhaps that will inspire you to do likewise? No? Never mind.
Stay tuned for the last in our series of mobile computing technology tips...