19.448 portable computing

               Humanist Discussion Group, Vol. 19, No. 448.
       Centre for Computing in the Humanities, King's College London
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   [1] From: "Prof. R. Sussex" <sussex_at_uq.edu.au> (36)
         Subject: Re: 19.444 portable computing

   [2] From: Willard McCarty <willard.mccarty_at_kcl.ac.uk> (32)
         Subject: *truly* portable computing

--[1]------------------------------------------------------------------
         Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2005 11:24:30 +0000
         From: "Prof. R. Sussex" <sussex_at_uq.edu.au>
         Subject: Re: 19.444 portable computing

There are other angles on portability. Korea (and Japan) have
high-speed phone networks. One of my doctoral students is working on
how you use a phone-PDA device for language learning. You can do
interactive exercises via PDA-based webpages or in communication with
a central server; you can do audio and some video, at the speeds that
these networks handle. You have opportunities for language learning
while standing in a bus queue, while travelling, while walking to a
lecture. There are fascinating questions about the effect of this
time-slice learning on overall learning, and what kinds of things are
leant, and how securely. The computing power of PDA-phone + server is
quite considerable; the size of the screen isn't, but the
interactivity is growing. And you carry it with you, even when
looking at sunsets (alas).

Roly Sussex

-- 
Roland Sussex
Professor of Applied Language Studies
School of Languages and Comparative Cultural Studies
The University of Queensland
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--[2]------------------------------------------------------------------
         Date: Sun, 27 Nov 2005 11:46:36 +0000
         From: Willard McCarty <willard.mccarty_at_kcl.ac.uk>
         Subject: *truly* portable computing
The devices named by Hope Greenberg (Dialogue's Flybook; the OQO) are
very tempting but too expensive and not quite what would fit into my
patterns of use. For notetaking purposes, the 640X480 PDA is about as
large as one would want to get. At that size a keyboard is of dubious
benefit on the move (on the train or tube) and, I find, the modified
handwritten script perfectly adequate. A detachable full-sized
keyboard is good for times when one has a desk to sit at. A Bluetooth
or other wireless mouse becomes important when one is entering text
with the PDA while sitting at a desk.
It's not hard to imagine a visor (like the device now available in
development labs for wearable computing) providing for display in
environments where one does not have to stay aware of what's
happening in the immediate vicinity, say while sitting in an airplane
seat. A 3D holographic projector would simply attract too much
interest and draw objections from those who are already annoyed by
the mobile phone. Imagine a room-full of holographic projections.
So, with some additions, the following characteristics:
it fits in the hand;
has a very high-resolution colour display able to do well with 6-point type;
has at least VGA-quality output;
allows for wireless (IR, WiFi, Bluetooth) connections;
interfaces with a keyboard & mouse;
interfaces well with Windows XP;
has capacious flash memory.
Anything I am overlooking? Any recommendations?
Thanks.
Yours,
WM
Dr Willard McCarty | Reader in Humanities Computing | Centre for
Computing in the Humanities | King's College London | Kay House, 7
Arundel Street | London WC2R 3DX | U.K. | +44 (0)20 7848-2784 fax:
-2980 || willard.mccarty_at_kcl.ac.uk www.kcl.ac.uk/humanities/cch/wlm/