Topic: The Mobile device dilemma

[ShyGuy]

I'm thinking of getting a new mobile device this year, but there are so many choices out there nowadays, I don't think I can get by with just one.

So many choices:
Netbook
e-Reader (Nook or Kindle or other)
iPad
Android Tablet
Smarter smart phone
iPod or other MP3 player
3DS
Sony NGP

I decided to narrow it down. I drive to work and don't take a lot of public transit or wait around much so I only need something when I travel on vacation or on service calls.

Here is what I want to do

Browse the web
Play Hulu videos (video out would be a plus)
Listen to MP3s
Basic phone and texting
Word processing
Gaming, but just enough to occupy my time when I'm bored.

What devices should I choose? I'm thinking new netbook and keep my basic smart phone.

[that Baby guy]

Hulu has decided to make its platform one that is incompatible with several devices.  Standard hulu is supposed to only be available through a PC, Mac, or, I imagine, a Linux computer.  As far as hulu plus compatibility, I believe they're rolling out support for various things, but I haven't kept on top of that.

When it comes to listening to MP3s, it's pretty clear you're looking for a cell phone, tablet, or netbook, rather than an e-reader, since I don't believe (but have no real idea) that eReaders can play music.

That takes you down to this list:
Netbook
iPad
Android Tablet
Smarter Smart Phone
NGP (Depending on if it supports the Android platform or not)

The net book isn't a phone, but it would perform word-processing abilities best.  An attachable keyboard would make the iPad suffice as a decent word processor.  The best gaming device is up to a matter of opinion.  The NGP could be the best choice if it can play Android software, as you'd have access to all the games in the Android store.  An Android device could be portable and play various system emulators.  The iPad is the current App-gaming king, due to sheer number of titles.

Technically, a netbook with a 3G or 4G media card or USB dongle would be your best bet.  It could make phone calls through something like gmail or skype, it would definitely play MP3s and hulu, it would have the best keyboard for writing, and it would only lack in regards to gaming, but even then flash games, emulators, and low-end PC games could be used.

Next, if you really want to do word processing, but don't want netbook, comes the iPad, followed by an Android tablet.  I like the versatility of the open Android market, but there's no denying that the app store for iOS devices has tons more available, though I'm sure you could connect a bluetooth keyboard to an Android tablet.

How much are you interested in spending?  If you set a total budget, you might be able to find a pretty nice combination of things on the cheap when it comes time to put down your money.  For instance, Motorola's current top tier Android phone was on sale for a penny from Amazon with the full contract with Verizon just a few months after its release.  Other Android devices could always see the same markdown, allowing you to spend your money elsewhere, on a 3DS or something else.

[MegaByte]

Just FYI, Nook Color is based on Android, meaning it can run apps. You have to hack it to get the normal Android stuff, though.

[ShyGuy]

Sub $500 hopefully. My MP3 playback is two fold, I like having a music selection on my vacation device, but I also want something portable to use when I go walking for exercise. I currently use a cheap sylvania 2gb, but something with an onscreen display that could skip to the middle in a long mp3 like a podcast would be ideal.

[ShyGuy]

I'm curious, what other device combinations are people using?

[that Baby guy]

I use a Droid X and a DSLite right now.  That, and I use my laptop quite a bit, just because I like having a keyboard.  I listen to the radio and music through my phone.  I carry my DS on extended trips and things like that, but play Solitaire or a something else on my phone in shorter bursts. The biggest issue?  In its use, the battery can drain pretty quickly.  I picked up an extended life battery for $35 from Verizon's online store, taking advantage of a retailmenot coupon, and it's worked great for longevity and use.

[ShyGuy]

see, that's why I don't think I want to make my phone the primary mp3 player, battery life.

[BlackNMild2k1]

Here is  anew phone that should handle most of what you want.

http://www.geekwithlaptop.com/motorola-atrix-blurs-the-boundary-between-smartphone-and-netbook

-Motorola Atrix comes with a 1 GHz dual core Tegra 2 processor and you also get 1 GB RAM and 16 GB internal memory which is expandable to 32 GB via a microSD card.
-runs on Android and has a decent size 4 inch screen with a resolution of 540 x 960
-rear-facing 5 megapixel camera with LED Flash on board, and there’s also a front facing camera
-3G HSDPA, HSUPA, Wi-Fi WLAN, Bluetooth A2DP, Micro USB, GPRS and EDGE
-MPEG4, WMV, DivX, Xvid, H263 and H264 and you can enjoy your music in MP3, eAAC+, WAV and WMA formats.
-Biometric Fingerprint reader, games, Google Maps, Facebook, MySpace and Twitter integration, Digital Compass and heaps more.
-*However, the most exciting thing about the Atrix is the docking stations. The Laptop Dock has a beautiful sleek 1.1Kg laptop shell with an 11.6-inch screen, keyboard and Trackpad. There’s no separate processor or anything like that as that is all contained on the phone.

Pop your phone onto the laptop dock and you’ve got yourself a little netbook. Wow!

The Multimedia dock that will allow you to connect up to an HD TV which you’ve got to admit is also pretty cool.*

So you have your netbook, cellphone, MP3 player, video player and casual game player all in 1 (or 2) devices.

[that Baby guy]

But it's AT&T only, as far as I'm aware.  If you've got terrible AT&T service in your area, you'd be in trouble.

As far as MP3 player battery life goes, the real problem I have with my phone is with internet operation and gaming.  I'm not sure how often you'd be skipping ahead in podcasts, but if you do go for an extended battery, even if you skip ahead quite a bit, the battery would almost definitely last hours and hours.

[MegaByte]

The Droid Bionic is the Verizon equivalent of the Atrix.

[that Baby guy]

I could have sworn it was missing a feature.  Maybe it had less RAM?  I think that was it.

But yeah, if you don't mind that, the Bionic seems like a very nice phone from what's been said about it.

[BlackNMild2k1]

The Droid Bionic is the Verizon equivalent of the Atrix.

Are you sure?

That Verizon phone only has 512MB RAM, but it trades off with a 4.3" screen and an outward 8MP camera.
http://www.motorola.com/Consumers/US-EN/Consumer-Product-and-Services/Mobile-Phones/DROID-BIONIC-US-EN

[MegaByte]

It seems to have the same ports though, and there was some word from CES that it would work in the dock, though Motorola might prevent it from working properly as they tend to do with different phone editions.

[BlackNMild2k1]

It wouldn't fit in the netbook shell because it's about .3"s too big.


It's also missing a very handy 512MB of RAM....

[Morari]

I'm curious, what other device combinations are people using?

Nook Classic. If you want to do reading, nothing will beat it. I even like it better than paper nowadays, despite having shelves and shelves full of physical books. The only real problem with e-readers are that the digital books are vastly overpriced. Of course, it's pretty easy to get around that. You can quickly root the Nook as well, giving you full access to the Android OS underneath.

Sansa Fuse. A great little MP3 player that costs a LOT less than any junk Apple could put out. It also has expandable memory in the form of Micro SD cards. I really only use it in the car or while cutting grass. The batteries last for weeks of daily driving before I have to recharge it.

Toshiba Mini. As far as netbooks go, it's definitely the best. It's also one of the more expensive ones out there. You could probably get away with a cheaper Acer just as well. The battery lasts for about 10-12 hours on average and the screen is beautiful. I don't personally like the keyboard, but I seem to be in the minority on that. You'll definitely want to upgrade it to 2GB of RAM right away, but that's true for all netbooks. I mainly use mine for server diagnostics while I'm out and about. Basic e-mail and web browsing is good, and some of my favorite games from the past run well enough. I wouldn't depend upon any laptop as my primary computer though, and certainly not a netbook.

Overall, it just depends on what you want to do. It sounds like your list of wants is pretty diverse. I'd suggest looking to get a few dedicated devices that do their job really well, instead of one device that does everything poorly. You list "basic phone and texting", which could literally be taken care of by any cell phone. Beyond that, you just have to choose. It sounds like a netbook or a good laptop might be the way to go for you. I would definately stay away from some of the items you listed however, like an iPad. Those things are pretty worthless beyond their "toy factor", especially given the price point.

[NWR_insanolord]

The iPad may be expensive (it is), but it's far from worthless. I absolutely love mine, and use it all the time. I never want to take a long car ride without one ever again.

[Morari]

You can buy a netbook for a lot cheaper though, and it does a lot more.

Apple products are little more than toys. You're locked into the hardware and software that Apple wants you to use. If your requirements fit into the narrow definitions of usage that Steve Jobs has put forward, than fine. You're still paying way too much though.

[NWR_insanolord]

You're locked into hardware, but that's the case with mobile devices pretty much across the board. As for software, yeah, Apple regulates the App Store, but there's still a huge selection that offers most anything you'd want, and it's easy enough to jailbreak if you need something beyond that. If an iPhone's a toy, I don't see how you could argue any other smartphone isn't as well.

[ShyGuy]

I've heard of this Sansa Fuze before, it sounds pretty good. Can it fast forward to the middle of an mp3?

[MegaByte]

I have a Zen Mosaic, only because it came free with a laptop I got. I actually only use it for audio recording for interviews; it does a nice job and the battery lasts forever.

[Morari]

You're locked into hardware, but that's the case with mobile devices pretty much across the board. As for software, yeah, Apple regulates the App Store, but there's still a huge selection that offers most anything you'd want, and it's easy enough to jailbreak if you need something beyond that. If an iPhone's a toy, I don't see how you could argue any other smartphone isn't as well.

We're talking about the iPad, which is a tablet. We're not talking about smart phones. Though I would argue that smart phones are toys more so than anything. Even then, there are options that come completely unlocked and don't require one to jailbreak their own telephone. Apple products have always been locked down from a hardware perspective, which is what allows them to gouge their customers' wallets so effectively. Nowadays though, they're pushing more and more for restrictive software. If it isn't sold through their App Store, you won't be able to legally acquire it in a few years time. Even their desktop computers are going that route, because Steve Jobs is a control freak. I don't know why anyone would pay luxury prices for stripped down, restrictive devices.

I've heard of this Sansa Fuze before, it sounds pretty good. Can it fast forward to the middle of an mp3?

Yes. You just hold the "next track" or "previous track" button in to fast forward or rewind. There's also some pretty good custom firmware out there for it as well, if you want to go that far with customization. Me? I find the vanilla setup to be perfectly acceptable.

[Shaymin]

My device combination:
Blackberry Bold (gen 1) for phone - I tried an iPhone for a couple of weeks and averaged 40 typos/minute

iPod Classic - Got a good deal on it

DS Lite - self-explanatory

[ShyGuy]

I thinking an Asus 12 inch eee pc with an ION chipset and a Sansa Fuze plus my existing Envy 2 phone.

I'd like to do the 10 inch netbook but I want HDMI out and a wider than 1024 pixel resolution.

I think I will hold off a 3DS for now. I waited a year for the DS.

[Stogi]

Kinda in the same boat. I'm going to grab the Atrix. It has the biggest battery of any phone on the market (9 hours talk time, 250 standby), and the most multimedia options (I can plug it straight into a receiver or HDTV). And it can browse the web with HTML5 and full flash support.

[Morari]

I thinking an Asus 12 inch eee pc with an ION chipset and a Sansa Fuze plus my existing Envy 2 phone.

I approve!

Those ION chipsets are nice. I was torn on that when initially purchasing my netbook. They were still pretty new at that point however, and mostly available only on the 12" netbook/notebook hybrids.