Mobile Computing: Cool Gifts for Mobile Mavens

The Apple IPod MP3 player and my favorite accessories.

James A. Martin

Feature: This Season's Coolest Portable Gadget

What's the coolest portable gadget you can give your favorite propeller head this holiday season?

I hate being so unoriginal, but I suggest the IPod. By now, declaring Apple's MP3 player cool is like announcing, with trumpets blaring, that "The Anna Nicole Smith Show" is tasteless. Both pronouncements belong in the Tell Me Something New department.

But bear with me. I've got a few things to say about the IPod you might not have heard yet. Also, for your holiday shopping consideration, I've included suggestions later in this newsletter for cool notebooks and accessories, handhelds, and wireless phones. Next week, I'll offer gift ideas under $200 for mobile computer users and business travelers.

Why the IPod's So Cool

Now available for Windows users, the IPod comes in three configurations: 5GB ($299), 10GB ($399), and 20GB ($499), each of which connects to a PC via a FireWire port. The IPod isn't the only hard-drive-based MP3 player offering large storage capacities; competitors are available from RCA, Toshiba, and other companies. But with its white Lucite front, reflective chrome back, large LCD, scroll wheel, and sleek buttons, the IPod is definitely the slickest looking and best-designed model I've seen.

The IPod's hard drive allows you to tote all your favorite tunes, be they opera, hip hop, bluegrass, pop, head-banging heavy metal, or all of the above, wherever you go. This means that, when stuck in traffic, the IPod owner with a sudden yen to hear The Rolling Stones' "Start Me Up" need only push a few buttons. With an IPod, life becomes a movie with the world's most awesome soundtrack.

The IPod has a practical side, too. I use mine to back up big folders on my PC that won't fit on a CD or Zip disc. Other things I love about the IPod are its impressive sound quality and its 21 preset equalizer settings that enhance the sounds of rock, Latin, piano, hip hop, jazz, and other music styles.

It's Not Perfect

What's the catch? The IPod has no significant flaws, but I have encountered some disappointments and frustrations worth mentioning. The LCD on the first IPod I purchased, a 10GB Windows model, obtained a fairly large smudge that I couldn't remove. The clip on my IPod's carrying case broke after only one week of use. And at least twice my IPod has frozen after I had been listening to it during prolonged, vigorous exercise. (Apple says the IPod provides 20 minutes of skip protection.) Each time I solved the problem by resetting the IPod.

Since I was still within Amazon.com's 30-day money-back return period, I shipped my IPod back. Then I promptly purchased an identical model from Best Buy.

Unlike Amazon.com, Best Buy offers an extended warranty on the IPod; my four-year warranty cost about $45. If the IPod stops working properly during that period, I can return it to Best Buy for repair or replacement at no additional charge. I rarely buy extended warranties, but given the problems with my first IPod and its small, portable size, this time it seemed prudent. And so far, my second IPod has worked without fail since I purchased in mid-October.

So despite some drawbacks, the IPod is indeed the very definition of cool. As with any electronic device, just make sure you buy one from a retailer that accepts returns--or better yet, offers extended warranties.

If you're planning to buy an IPod as a holiday gift or for yourself, here are some other tips to keep in mind.

The 20GB IPod is probably overkill. After storing the majority of tracks from my 200-some CD collection, I'd only used about 2GB of my IPod's 10GB hard drive. (My music files were converted using MP3 128-kilobits-per-second encoding, the setting most often recommended for optimal CD-like sound that doesn't result in huge files.) Conversely, the 5GB IPod feels too limited. Also, the 5GB IPod lacks the wired remote control that's standard on the 10GB and 20GB models. (It costs $39 when purchased separately) The remote is a must, particularly for folks who like listening to music while exercising. For my money, the 10GB IPod is the one to have.

Use the belt-clip carrying case cautiously. On one occasion, the case popped off my belt loop, dropping the IPod onto the parking lot pavement. The IPod and case survived with no ill effects, but a few days later the belt clip broke off, as I mentioned earlier. Keep the IPod in your pocket instead or, when you're exercising, in a neoprene waist belt that buckles for a snug fit. One such belt is the Tune Belt for MP3 or MiniDisc players, and wireless phones; it's about $18.

Consider getting speakers. Sony sells sleek portable speakers that work with the IPod and similar devices. The speakers cost $50 and can be ordered at Apple's store.

For $20, you can buy a pair of folding, amplified speakers from Radio Shack. Though they're not as small or sleek as the Sony speakers, Radio Shack's Folding PC Speakers (model 40-1430) produce good, rich sound with minimum distortion.

A cassette adapter can get the IPod rolling. If your honey's car stereo has a cassette player, by all means buy an adapter for playing IPod tunes in the car. The adapter is a cassette tape with a wire that plugs into the IPod's headphone jack. But be forewarned: Cassette adapters sometimes add a noticeable hiss; the louder the volume, the more prominent the hiss. The $20 Sony CPA-9C Car Cassette Adapter is available from Apple.

Wireless FM transmitters are another option. These devices transmit music without wires from the IPod to an unused FM frequency on a car stereo. I've not tested one, but I've been told that the sound quality can be equivalent to a static-prone FM radio station at times. The IRock 300W Wireless Music Adaptor is $30 and is available from Apple.

And finally, for that disc jockey wannabe in your life, here's a gotta-have gift to accompany the IPod: a box of blank CD-Rs that look like 45-rpm records. Verbatim's Digital Vinyl CD-Rs are recordable CDs with a black, grooved surface that resemble the old 45s baby boomers used to collect. The discs are available at Buy.com; $6.38 buys you a pack of ten.

For the latest IPod prices, go to the PCWorld.com Product Finder. For a PCWorld.com review of IPod for Windows, see "The IPod Does Windows." For more information about IPod and accessories, go to Apple's Web site. And for additional IPod accessory ideas, check out these sites: Netalog's Everythingipod.com, IPodlounge, and IPoding.

Notebooks & Accessories

Comfortable Cool: Toshiba Portable With Detachable Keyboard

Among the notebooks receiving PCWorld.com's highest ratings, the Toshiba Satellite 1955-S801 scores points for its detachable wireless keyboard and mouse. Pull a few side releases and pop, out comes the Satellite's input devices. The black keyboard looks and feels good, PCWorld.com's Carla Thornton reports, and it's usable up to four feet away. The result: You can position the Satellite's huge 16-display at eye level while typing on the detached keyboard with arms at an ergonomically correct 90-degree angle. The Satellite's battery fades fairly quickly, though, and the notebook weighs 11.3 pounds, so it's best suited as a desktop replacement that can be transported--as opposed to a lightweight portable to take on frequent business trips. You can check out the latest prices at our Product Finder.

Practical Cool: Belkin Card Upgrades Notebooks to USB 2.0

Problem: Though new USB 2.0 peripherals are now debuting regularly, most current notebooks still offer USB 1.1 ports only. Solution: Slip a Belkin Hi-Speed USB 2.0 Notebook Card into your portable's PC Card slot. The Belkin card adds two USB 2.0 ports to your notebook and comes with an AC adapter. It's available for $99 at the company's Web site.

Future Cool: A Word to the MobileWise

Start-up company MobileWise has what sounds like a truly cool technology in the works. With the MobileWise WireFree Electricity Base, compatibly designed computing devices can be powered simply by resting them on the base's conductive surface. The base resembles a thick rubber placemat with nubs. The nubs, which are metal "connectivity points," deliver power to the charging contacts on notebooks, mobile phones, PDAs, or other compatible devices laid on the surface. One pad can power or recharge multiple devices at once, according to the company.

The pad, which has a single power cord, could replace the many power supplies required for various devices. Acer, the PC and handheld maker, plans to release mobile computing devices in early 2003 that will include a wire-free power supply based on MobileWise's technology. Samsung is partnering with MobileWise to use the technology in future products. The pads should cost less than $200 when they become available early next year.

Handhelds

Combo Cool: T-Mobile Sidekick

T-Mobile's new Sidekick is this holiday season's hip-hop handheld. With its gray-scale LCD and tiny but usable keyboard, it looks like a laptop for Barbie or Ken. Looks aside, the Sidekick lets you store contact and calendar info, go online, and yak on the phone. Best of all, it's only $200 (after a $50 rebate that's supposed to last until January). The $40 monthly service includes 200 anytime phone minutes, 1000 weekend minutes, 1000 short text messages, and unlimited data transfer. The cell phone's sound quality leaves a bit to be desired, though.

Camera Cool: Sony Clie PEG-NX70V

Sony's Palm OS-based Clie handhelds continue to raise the bar on PDA cool, and the new Clie PEG-NX70V is no exception--despite its decidedly un-cool name. The Clie is based on the new Palm OS 5 and, like the earlier Clie NR models, features a 320-by-480 display that covers a thumb keyboard. The NX70V's built-in camera features 2X digital zoom and captures 640-by-480 stills and--here's the cool part--MPEG-4 video clips. Not so cool is the price: $600. You can check our Product Finder for deals.

Slide-Down Cool: Palm Tungsten T

Palm's new Tungsten T ($499), based on the new Palm OS 5, gets kudos for its design. At first blush, the Tungsten T looks much more compact than previous Palms. The Graffiti area is hidden by the lower half of the handheld's case; just slide the case down when you're ready to jot Graffiti-style. The T model also sports a built-in Bluetooth adapter that lets you access the Net via a Bluetooth GSM/GPRS cell phone. And the 320-by-320 LCD is the richest color screen yet to appear on a Palm. For the latest prices, go to our Product Finder.

Wireless

Coming-Soon Cool: Slick Phones From Siemens

Germany-based Siemens has a few eye-popping mobile phones up its sleeve for the North American market. Now shipping, the Siemens SX56 900/1900 GSM phone ($550), exclusively offered by AT&T Wireless, is a combo phone/Pocket PC with pocket versions of Microsoft Office applications, a built-in MP3 player, and an extra memory slot. Coming in early 2003: the S56, a Bluetooth-enabled device with a color display, detachable camera, and support for Multimedia Messaging Service. The phone will come with business and travel guides, games, and even an animated fitness instructor.

Coming later from Siemens: phones made out of "authentic materials" such as leather, a credit card-size phone that fits in a wallet, and an oval-shaped phone with a screen in the middle for watching video on a 3G network connection.

What's the Big Idea?

Got a story idea you think would interest other mobile computer users? Is there an area of mobile computing technology you'd like to see covered in future issues? If so, drop me a note.

Sign up to have the Mobile Computing Newsletter e-mailed to you each week.