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johnfowles · 02-23-2007, 11:24 AM

Err Umm just how "small" IS "small"??
Nevertheless an interesting question Rose,but rather like"How long is a piece of string" and subject to many considerations for an answer. I have recently been researching small gadgets in order to illustrate my passion for my current pet gadget the seemingly obsolete mini-notebook "handheld" HP Jornada 820 computer from 1998

click the picture to go to a page on my website
And in so doing I realised quite what a complex subject the current "convergence" of small devices has become.I well remember an April Fool's Day spoof advert in a UK National Newspaper only a few years ago depicting the then unimaginable idea of a mobile cell phone that included a video camera, and now you can purchase a single gadget that combines the disparate abilities of a mobile phone; still camera; video camcorder; an internet browser; stereo mp3 player plus increasingly sophisticated video watching modes whether live from the internet or stored on a small inexpensive memory card;add to that the imminent availability via the internet of a wealth of "on-demand" streaming television channels. thereby almost rendering a home television set superfluous; Global Positioning by Satellite devices which provide "spoken" directions (even if you miss a turn or get lost)

The $439.99 Plenio 7" Touchscreen GPS Navigation Device with 7" Wide Touch Screen TFT LCD Panel, DIVX Video Player, audio player, photo slide show, puzzle game supported, 2D and 3D maps supported plus day /night view settings, AV input port, SD Slot Available.

Not to mention the ability to emulate a small computer. it all brings the science fiction of my youth to life!! (remember when even the idea of a video telephone semed to be far fetched??)

And I haven't even mentioned portable DVD players that allow you to carry around your very own cinema

good selection at:-
http://www.alphalion.com/index.php?m...index&cPath=14
So what to buy at this time boils down to the extent of your imagination and the depth of your pocket!!!
I subscribe to a most comprehensive and useful UK magazine

http://www.webuser.co.uk
sample issue at
http://www.zinio.com/express?issue=111624361
(you might have to install the free and
brilliant Zinio reader to see it)
and yesterday I received the current fortnightly issue which pointed out the existance of

the US$400 range Nokia 800 Internet tablet PC
click picture above for a review

and there is a range made by Archos

the $550 Archos Pocket Video Recorder AV420

Therefore with all due respect to my friend BillW getting a simple ipod (or Zune even) like everybody else just might not be your best solution
Indeed talking of the ubiquitous ipod I just found on ebay:-
http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-359-jWIN-i10...QQcmdZViewItem

buy it now only US $168.97
into which an ipod fits to provide a much larger viewing image
Anybody else have any ideas/suggestions??

[ February 23, 2007, 10:49: Message edited by: johnfowles ]

02-23-2007, 11:24 AM	#4
johnfowles Senior Member Join Date: Jun 2003 Location: New Jersey U.S.A. ex UK and Canada Posts: 4,846	Err Umm just how "small" IS "small"?? Nevertheless an interesting question Rose,but rather like"How long is a piece of string" and subject to many considerations for an answer. I have recently been researching small gadgets in order to illustrate my passion for my current pet gadget the seemingly obsolete mini-notebook "handheld" HP Jornada 820 computer from 1998 click the picture to go to a page on my website And in so doing I realised quite what a complex subject the current "convergence" of small devices has become.I well remember an April Fool's Day spoof advert in a UK National Newspaper only a few years ago depicting the then unimaginable idea of a mobile cell phone that included a video camera, and now you can purchase a single gadget that combines the disparate abilities of a mobile phone; still camera; video camcorder; an internet browser; stereo mp3 player plus increasingly sophisticated video watching modes whether live from the internet or stored on a small inexpensive memory card;add to that the imminent availability via the internet of a wealth of "on-demand" streaming television channels. thereby almost rendering a home television set superfluous; Global Positioning by Satellite devices which provide "spoken" directions (even if you miss a turn or get lost) The $439.99 Plenio 7" Touchscreen GPS Navigation Device with 7" Wide Touch Screen TFT LCD Panel, DIVX Video Player, audio player, photo slide show, puzzle game supported, 2D and 3D maps supported plus day /night view settings, AV input port, SD Slot Available. Not to mention the ability to emulate a small computer. it all brings the science fiction of my youth to life!! (remember when even the idea of a video telephone semed to be far fetched??) And I haven't even mentioned portable DVD players that allow you to carry around your very own cinema good selection at:- http://www.alphalion.com/index.php?m...index&cPath=14 So what to buy at this time boils down to the extent of your imagination and the depth of your pocket!!! I subscribe to a most comprehensive and useful UK magazine http://www.webuser.co.uk sample issue at http://www.zinio.com/express?issue=111624361 (you might have to install the free and brilliant Zinio reader to see it) and yesterday I received the current fortnightly issue which pointed out the existance of the US$400 range Nokia 800 Internet tablet PC click picture above for a review and there is a range made by Archos the $550 Archos Pocket Video Recorder AV420 Therefore with all due respect to my friend BillW getting a simple ipod (or Zune even) like everybody else just might not be your best solution Indeed talking of the ubiquitous ipod I just found on ebay:- http://cgi.ebay.com/NEW-359-jWIN-i10...QQcmdZViewItem buy it now only US $168.97 into which an ipod fits to provide a much larger viewing image Anybody else have any ideas/suggestions?? [ February 23, 2007, 10:49: Message edited by: johnfowles ]