Mobility at home with a UMPC

True story. I'm "mobile" but at home today. How can that be? I've run into some technical problems today, which are affecting my full time role as well as any personal endeavors; my DSL modem is fried. This happened at a particularly bad time as I'm leaving for vacation in two short days and I'm actually working from home for my employer today. Normally when I work from home, I use my work laptop with a VPN connection over my DSL line. No DSL means no VPN connection and since the work laptop is basically locked down, there's only so much I can do from a configuration standpoint.

Well, I am working from home nonetheless and I'm doing this on the UMPC. I can't use my monster desktop, my other Tablet PC, nor my work laptop, so the challenging situation left me very little choice. I hate to tell the naysayers this, but it's working well.

Since I have no DSL connection and probably won't for 24-48 hours, I've connected my XV6700 to the Samsung Q1 for my connectivity. My company uses Outlook Web Access, so I'm all set for e-mail; the most used application in my role. Since I'm using my cellular phone for my connectivity, I still have my home phone for voice communications, but I've already attended a conference call via SkypeOut, which is free in the U.S. and Canada.

I'm alternating between using the Tablet PC TIP, or Text Input Panel, and my Bluetooth wireless keyboard on the UMPC; picking and choosing the right tool for the task at hand. I wasn't able to connect to an internal Sharepoint site, so I did have to ask a co-worker to forward me a doc from Sharepoint. I've got the Word doc now and I'll be meeting with a team of folks to review the document later this afternoon. The Word doc displays just fine on the UMPC, so I'll have it right in front of me while I'm on the call.

Granted, not every job situation is ideal for a UMPC and would I want to do this everyday? Of course not, but the fact that I can be "mobile" at home with this setup makes the device well worth it. Just thought I'd share since the Q1 is essentially my office for the day.

-kct

Comments

[Mesapilot]

Kevin,

Thanks for the post. I am seriously looking at buying a Q1 and it is great to see it used effectively, contrary to most reviews. So many people complain about a lack of EVDO, GPS, a keyboard, optical drive, etc. Like yourself, I have a XV6700 with unlimited data that I can tether. I can purchase a bluetooth GPS device and connect it, and I can purchase the same keyboard you have. As for the optical drive, I can work around this with an ISO recorder and virtual drive. I believe that anyone that is tech savy with some disposable income can get this device to function they way they want it to. Keep up the great posts! I am scouring the internet for info on the Q1 and you have been the best source.

[ItsShowtime]

Thanks Kevin,

Again another great post from real world usage as opposed to others just giving us their "opinions" about something that they have not lived with and/or used.

FYI - Here is another good and honest assesment of the Q1: http://blogs.zdnet.com/mobile-gadgeteer/index.php?p=23

Another thing I LOVE about this article is again the HONEST assesment between UMPC and Pocket PC's and the battery life. He speaks to the battery life regarding mobile devices in general and not JUST attacking the battery life in one device category, i.e., UMPC. Everything has weaknesses but like Mesapilot stated above, anyone that with the technical savvy and disposable income can make it work. And you are showing us that plus with true desire to make it work, will make it work. Thank you for writing about the platform in a honest fashion and for using it in what I believe is the true intent. As a companion device! Your input truly help us who are looking into making a UMPC purchase!

[Oliver]

Kevin, I must be missing something (maybe I need to go back to reading your post more carefully), but what exactly is it that makes the UMPC inherently suitable for this that your work laptop couldn't do? I have faced the same problem (DSL down), and I just used my 1xRTT phone as a modem for my laptop (and the only reason I did that was because I was too lazy to run a phone line from my laptop's modem to the wall's phone port and configure the laptop for dialup networking to my employer's PPP number).

[Kevin C. Tofel]

Oliver, I wouldn't say that you missed anything other than the example of functionality I'm getting out of the UMPC today. Unfortunately, even though I have local admin rights to my work laptop, there is still very little configuration I can do to it. The only working Internet connection I have is via my phone; I already have the UMPC set up to use that connection. It would have been a chore to set that up on another laptop or my desktop. I therefore chose to use my UMPC as my primary computing device for the day. Bear in mind that at my home office I use 3 different PCs on one desk. Today, I was able to do everything I needed to do with the Q1, which I believe say much about the device.

[medah4rick]

speaking of the q1. they have it on display at fry's. i played around with it and decided to pass on it. i like the eo's mouse pointer. haven't got to use it firsthand but from your video review it looks like a must for these umpcs. i was having lots of trouble getting the dial keys to work for me. im getting the eo or the sony. i don't know why the q1 is getting all the press.

[Oliver]

Your story must have jinxed me. I come home and my DSL line isn't working. Since I am in a bit of need to get stuff done, I gave up trying to diagnose it after a power cycling of all networking equipment didn't help, and switched to the 1xRTT solution I just described a few hours ago. Grrr! Thank god tonight's conference call is a local number, so I don't need to use Skype.