Best Wi-Fi Portable Browsing Device?

foxxo writes "I'm a library worker, so I get lots of questions about our collection when I'm out in the stacks. I'd love to be able to access our online catalog and give patrons more comprehensive guidance without directing them to the reference desk. What options are available for a portable device with Wi-Fi connectivity, full-featured Web browsing, and (most importantly) no cellphone-style activation and service fees? Size is important, too; I need something I can carry in my pocket, not a micro-notebook with full keyboard. (And I am a library worker, so low cost is key!)" One device that sounds interesting in this category is the GiiNii Movit (not yet released, but shown off at CES). What can you recommend that's out there now?

Re:Nokia n810

[fm6]

Somebody who's just pulling up information might not want a keyboard. In which case the N800 makes more sense.

refurb ipod touch

[fermion]

A refub 1st gen iPod touch might be a good bet. As long as there is a wifi connection, it will be able to browse. Under $200.

On another note, I think this is where Amazon really missed the market for the Kindle. If it had wifi, and had a web browser, then the kindle would be one of the greatest pieces of hardware on the market, and perfect for this type of application. Of course if it had wifi, then Amazon would certainly lose revenue on book sales and would not be able to pay the cell phone bill that currently allows wireless delivery.

In any case, there are a number of option out there, but wifi without cell phone there is no choice, and most other options are twice the price fo the touch.

I'm hoping the Pandora's a good one...

[ckblackm]

http://openpandora.org/index.php [openpandora.org]

http://openpandora.wordpress.com/ [wordpress.com]

... since I ordered one.. :-)

Used HTC MDA

[Lawrence_Bird]

should be available cheap, put on the opera mobile browser
and you are all set to go.

TMobile G1

[Nephroth]

I absolutely love mine. The browser is excellent for a mobile device, the hardware is robust, and the physical keyboard/trackball makes browsing a breeze. The browser supports java, and will also soon support flash, you really can't ask for more.

Re:iPod Touch

[Anonymous Coward]

iPod Touch (or else, Sony Mylo)

1. $229 new from Apple, or you can get it cheaper used on eBay, Craigslist, etc.

2. The screen is large and has great resolution.

3. Contrary to what other commenters have said, the iPod Touch / iPhone browser is excellent. Very easy to use, and renders web pages very well. Even pages with a lot of Javascript work just fine. While true that it does not support Flash, I think that is fine - especially for the use you describe. Most importantly, it allows for very quick navigation to favorites/bookmarks, and allows for easy scrolling through lists, zooming, etc.

4. Someone (you) could write a dedicated iPhone/iPod Touch App that does just what you want, potentially improving over the basic web interface. This is not necessary, but is a nice option to have. Alternatively, one can use the free iUI Javascript/CSS library to make the web app that you mention work even better on the device.

5. It's here to stay.

6. It has a decent camera. You could snap a shot of the ISBN number, cover, etc. if that turns out to be useful.

Potential downside: If you need to enter a large amount of text, say for your queries, then you should test the device first and see if you feel comfortable with the on-screen keyboard. Personally, I don't like it much - if you do have to type a lot, then something with full QWERTY keyboard buttons might be better.

Alternative: Sony Mylo

1. $199 (free shipping from Sony Style)

2. Full physical QWERTY keyboard.

http://www.sonystyle.com/webapp/wcs/stores/servlet/CategoryDisplay?catalogId=10551&storeId=10151&langId=-1&categoryId=3711&N=4294965990 [sonystyle.com]

MIssing Info from Question

[mcspoo]

Think the question missed an important point: does she want to be able to search from a web-enabled OPAC or does she need to use Windows in order to access a ILS system? As an example: Sirsi uses software called "Workflows" to access the actual ILS (Integrated Library System) in order to search the catalog, place, holds, order items, etc. The only approved OS's for this software is Windows XP (and Vista... just barely). This discludes just about any Android or Linux enabled device, but her mileage may vary by what ILS her library relies upon. If that's the case, then you can find examples of this at libraries around the nation. As an example, South Lyon Library in MI has "Roaming Reference" capability through the use of Tablets. Some of the newer Netbooks are likely more than capable as well, if not quite as portable.

Get a Cheap Used Palm Tungsten C

[CAOgdin]

Put in a cheap WiFi Router in the Library (set for 802.11b only; the Palm can do 802.11g), and WEP for security (if you must; why not let others use the same database?). Cost: About $35 Now, buy a used Palm Tungsten C from eBay (about $75), and make sure the seller guarantees the WiFi will work (many don't). Now you have, for roughly $125, your own link to the network, and no further monthly expenses. I've got lots of clients where we do this; I use my Tungsten with those system almost every day.

Re:Nokia n800 ain't bad.

[despisethesun]

If you click the centre button on the dpad when the cursor is in a text field, it brings up a larger, more thumb-friendly on screen keyboard. Much nicer when typing more than a few words, such as for a slashdot reply.

Zaurus?

[dr_dank]

I've got a Sharp Zaurus 6000 that has all of the features you're looking for: built-in wifi, a physical keyboard, and a sharp and bright touchscreen. The later zauruses might be even better with the clamshell design and better battery life. The only drawback is that they're not as easy to find since Sharp discontinued selling them in the US.

If you don't mind getting the WiFi from a compactflash wifi adapter instead of being build-in, the older 5500's turn up frequently for a reasonable price.

iKit

[Sam36]

The iKit is pretty cool http://www.comsciences.com/product.htm [comsciences.com]

Re:MIssing Info from Question

[jayrtfm]

but she can run vnc on the nokia to access her desktop

Re:Nokia n810

[QuestionsNotAnswers]

Buy micro-SDHC cards and use an adapter (adapters are very cheap, and often come free with micro-SDHC cards).

I now only buy micro-SDHC cards and use an adapter when necessary with older devices. (All my devices are SDHC compatible, not SD which is limited to 2GB and won't work with larger capacities).

Bonus 1: Get a small USB<->micro-SD adapter for a few dollars and you don't need a USB key anymore either.

Bonus 2: Can easily carry multiple micro-SD cards on you - normal SD cards are too bulky.

Re:Low Cost?

[Simon80]

maemo (on N800, N810) lets you pop up a full screen virtual finger keyboard that is pretty fast to type on, though the screen gets a bit dirty as a result. With the N810, there's a real keyboard, too, which is even better, I guess (I only have an N800, which was $200). I wouldn't get an iPod for browsing the web, especially if flash support is desired. For those who aren't following the tablets closely, however, it seems safe to predict that Nokia will be releasing a new version in about 3-5 months, based on the state of the next maemo release, and how long it's been since the N810 came out.

Re:I also have all three and prefer the 770

[Rob Simpson]

There's an option for "Device Stays Lit" that can be set to either "when charging" or "never"... but it still turns on the display, only to block almost all of the screen as black and show the text "charging" along with an animated icon. Apparently, this can even cause it to lose power [internettablettalk.com] while attempting to charge by USB.

Re:Nokia n810

[Rob the Bold]

The belt holster is the pocket protector of the 21st century. But don't worry retro-nerds, the GP assures us it fits in your shirt pocket.

The belt holster is also the pocket protector of the 20th century, used by millions of geeks to carry their slide rules and later their HP calculators.

Touch

[shmlco]

Use the Touch with Google's free search app, and you can SPEAK your search term into the system. Works extremely well.

Re:Nokia n810

[ozmanjusri]

What the hell do you mean, SD cards are too bulky?

Actually, I have balls and I sort of agree.

SD cards are large enough to get cracked, scratched and broken when I keep them in my pocket. Micro SD are small enough not to be subject to the same damage.

Re:iPod Touch

[Anonymous Coward]

I'm not Apple fanboi, but I own a touch. I'm sorry, but I have yet to run into a (non-flash) website that doesn't render well enough to be usable, and usually, it's quite nice. The reason is the ability to zoom in on any portion of the page quickly via auto-zoom that re-renders the text in the amount of room you have. Just double-tap on the portion of the screen you want to focus on. CSS flows, you know.

I used to sit in class all the time and read wikipedia on this thing. Trust me, the Touch is perfect for what she's asking.

Re:I also have all three and prefer the 770

[Anonymous Coward]

Only if you shut it down to charge!

(Specifically, if you tell it to shut down while it's on the charger, or put it on the charger while it's shutdown, it goes to runlevel 5. This runlevel just runs X with the display always on to indicate charging (and charges, of course). You can hack it to run xmatrix instead of displaying a giant battery icon... you could probably also hack it to turn the display off, but I found xmatrix more interesting.)

But if you have it powered up normally (runlevel 2) and connect the charger, the display will time out and blank as usual, unless you have the screen set to stay lit when charging.

Re:Nokia n810

[AliasMarlowe]

That's something I've never heard of, but according to Wikipedia people really walked around with slide rules on their belt.

And I was one of them. Having a belt holster for a straight slide rule (10-12 inch) was fairly standard among engineers then. I still have a couple of old slide rules at home: a good slide rule is something you don't easily part with.

Re:Nokia n810

[redxxx]

It's just you. Have you actually tried more than one adapter? They cost a few cents to make, so I could see quality control not being a huge issue.

Re:Nokia n810

[Anonymous Coward]

SD cards do come with cases which protect them from said abuse. Also Micro SD are also subject to damage as they are thin as hell and are easier to lose.

Re:Nokia n810

[Orange Crush]

^and that's with the plastic outer casing. MicroSD cards could be made even smaller if there was a good reason to do so. As if it wasn't difficult enough to handle them. Especially when you're as clumsy and fat-fingered as I am.