After spending the last couple of weeks getting a blog up and running under Movable Type, I’ve had a lot of time to think about making it even more convenient to post to Tribblescape. MT does a great job of making this really simple on a desktop machine; I can spew forth content at rates I only dreamt of when I was hand-coding individual .html files. However, I want to be able to post useless information to my blog everywhere I go.
Enter my other obsession (besides blogging): Palm OS handhelds. I’m currently using a Sony CLIÉ NX70V, which has a couple of good options for hooking up to the Internet:- Sony Wireless LAN Card. The NX has a Compact Flash slot on the back, into which I can slot this 802.11b wireless card. At the expense of some extra battery drain while it’s operating, I could surf the Web and post to Tribblescape from the comfort of my local coffee shop. Or from the bathroom at work, if I’m so inclined. With more and more public WiFi access points coming online (even McDonald’s is jumping on the bandwagon), this little piece of hardware could become very useful.
- Sony CLIÉ Bluetooth Memory Stick. This is my favorite option. I’ve already got a Sony Ericsson T68i phone, which has both Bluetooth and GPRS capabilities. The Bluetooth card extends my blogging ability to any place my phone works, which currently covers most of the urban northwestern United States (for no more than I’m already spending to support my “mLife”), all of urban North America (for somewhat more expensive roaming charges), and even urban areas all over the planet (for hideously expensive international rates and the trouble of calling AT&T in advance to activate the service overseas). I could rack up an amazing phone bill in very little time, indeed.
Looks like I’ll have to hit the forums at CliePlanet and ClieSource to do a little research. I’d like to know that forms work in a handheld browser before dropping $120 to $160 on a new wireless gadget. Or I’ll just throw caution and fiscal responsibility to the wind and buy both.
