Looking for a portable, wireless Internet accessible computer (not a laptop)

I'm looking for a wireless phone/Internet accessible computer that is
small in size and has the following functionality:

1. Need high-speed Internet access. The faster the better.
2. Need to be able to attach a keyboard at least. Mouse and monitor
would be good. Should have a build in tiny keyboard.
3. Linux friendly would be good.

Essentially I'm looking for a small client that I can use instead of a
laptop.

--Ram

http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8728350077.html

On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 01:54:54 +0000 (UTC), Ram Samudrala
<ram@public.compbio.washington.edu> wrote:

>I'm looking for a wireless phone/Internet accessible computer that is
>small in size and has the following functionality:
>
>1. Need high-speed Internet access. The faster the better.
>2. Need to be able to attach a keyboard at least. Mouse and monitor
> would be good. Should have a build in tiny keyboard.
>3. Linux friendly would be good.
>
>Essentially I'm looking for a small client that I can use instead of a
>laptop.

It would be nice to know what OS and applications you plan to run on
this machine. Such minor details largely determine the horsepower
required.

I've built a few machines based on mini-ITX motherboards. Low power
consumption was the major requirement.
See:
http://www.mini-itx.com
for some examples (right hand "Projects" side menu). Some are really
bizarre. For example, the "Attache Server" seems to fit your
description:
http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/attacheserver/
Here's one built into a Windoze XP software box:
http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/windowsxpbox/
That should give you a clue as to the size.

There are Linux drivers for at least the Via EPIA series of mini-ITX
boards.

I don't understand the requirement for a "wireless phone". Do you
mean running VoIP over 802.11b/g wireless? No problem.

Anyway, see if any of the projects above jog your imagination.


--
Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
AE6KS 831-336-2558

Thanks--that's an interesting page. The Attacheserver is a good one in
terms of computing but I also need a phone line with it, and am also
looking for an one-stop solution for the phone and the wireless
Internet services.

The other post pointing me to
http://www.linuxdevices.com/articles/AT8728350077.html
was what I was looking for, but the reason I posted was because all
these choices leave me confused. I was hoping to get some feedback as
to good ones to check out before I physically went into stores and
tested them.

An interesting choice I've come across is the EVDO technology with a
laptop. But this makes the phone capability somewhat
cumbersome. Essentially the functionality I'm looking for is a snappy
mobile phone (where I can actually log in to my machines here and check
e-mail using elm, edit using emacs, etc. without too much hassle) with
EVDO-like technology for wireless Internet. This "mobile phone"
essentially acts as a phone, or as a dumb terminal and peripherals
such as a mouse can be connected to make its use easier.

--Ram

Jeff Liebermann <jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us> wrote:

> On Thu, 18 Aug 2005 01:54:54 +0000 (UTC), Ram Samudrala
> <ram@public.compbio.washington.edu> wrote:

>>I'm looking for a wireless phone/Internet accessible computer that is
>>small in size and has the following functionality:
>>
>>1. Need high-speed Internet access. The faster the better.
>>2. Need to be able to attach a keyboard at least. Mouse and monitor
>> would be good. Should have a build in tiny keyboard.
>>3. Linux friendly would be good.
>>
>>Essentially I'm looking for a small client that I can use instead of a
>>laptop.

> It would be nice to know what OS and applications you plan to run on
> this machine. Such minor details largely determine the horsepower
> required.

> I've built a few machines based on mini-ITX motherboards. Low power
> consumption was the major requirement.
> See:
> http://www.mini-itx.com
> for some examples (right hand "Projects" side menu). Some are really
> bizarre. For example, the "Attache Server" seems to fit your
> description:
> http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/attacheserver/
> Here's one built into a Windoze XP software box:
> http://www.mini-itx.com/projects/windowsxpbox/
> That should give you a clue as to the size.

> There are Linux drivers for at least the Via EPIA series of mini-ITX
> boards.

> I don't understand the requirement for a "wireless phone". Do you
> mean running VoIP over 802.11b/g wireless? No problem.

> Anyway, see if any of the projects above jog your imagination.


> --
> Jeff Liebermann jeffl@comix.santa-cruz.ca.us
> 150 Felker St #D http://www.LearnByDestroying.com
> Santa Cruz CA 95060 http://802.11junk.com
> AE6KS 831-336-2558

I've researched this issue thoroughly. The reason I want to do this
now is that for the first time, there's a technology called EVDO that
allows for broadband access speed over cellphone frequencies
(http://dts.vzw.com/faqs/VZAccess/faq..._link=1#item3).
This is what I've learnt: Most current Blackberries (in fact, all, as
far as I know) do not have broadband speeds that arises as a result of
the phone (i.e., not wi-fi). Verizon is the only company that has the
most roll-out--in other words, I can get this speed in most major
cities in the country and then some. And Verizon has two phones that
can do this, including a Samsung (which is a Blackberry-like device).

So there are two solutions, and I've decided to go with both:

1. A Samsung SCH-i730 phone/portable computer which is about $600.00
with a two-year contract. This would be combined with a voice/data
plan costing $85/month.

2. A PC card for my laptop which provides the same functionality
without voice capability (Verizon Wireless PC 5220) which should be
about $100 with a two-year contract and a data only plan that costs
$80/month.

This is the technology I've been waiting for. I hope it works as
promised.

--Ram