It Rains In Triplicate

I’m convinced that my office is a reasonable argument for wireless USB. I count 5 hubs and 19 used USB ports.

I really, really want to have my iPhone work as a decent PDA, which, implicitly, means synchronization between my iPhone and my desktop(s). Given the ubiquity of the network, though, there is no good reason why the iPhone cannot sync where ever I may be right now.

Lots of apps are pushing a sync feature, however, the majority of apps I see don’t get it right.

For example, OmniFocus gets it right. OmniFocus on the desktop synchronizes with a local server, a webdav server, or mobileme. The iPhone client will synchronize with any of the above.

While I would love to play with Things, and may even move over to it, it will *ONLY* synchronize with a local machine on the same wifi segment. That may be more secure, but it makes thing a non-starter for me, since I’ll use on my desktop, my laptop at work and home, and my work desktop. I will not sync at home, walk away, and only use the iPhone version the remainder of the day.

1Password has the same issue, you need to sync on the local wifi network. However, the rationale here isn’t security, since it already syncs with you (mobileme) keychain.

The Bruji *pedia apps have the same issue.

What’s the issue? Why do all these companies do this local sync, instead of letting me stay up to date via the cloud?

Did some digging out of curiosity. DACP protocol detailed here.

The New Doctor Who

Regardless of who the doctor is, I’ll watch the show, but they could have taken a chance, and put someone really different in the role, meaning someone who isn’t a white male british stage actor.

Oh well.

One of my major goals for the upcoming year is to write a whole lot more. I really want to hit the point where I am putting out at least two conference or position papers a year and consistently publishing thoughts internal to work or here.

One of the many issues is environment. I have my “mobile office” taken care of (macbook pro and my backpack). Once I figure out what apple is releasing on Tuesday, I’ll reconstitute my desktop. What I really want, though, is the “grab and go” machine that I can write on from a coffee shop or bookstore.

So really, what I want to add to my workflow is a machine that:

1. Is light, lighter than the macbook
2. Has a decent keyboard (puts things with a tiny or no keyboard such as the EEE, Fujitsu U810/U820, and Samsung Q1 out of the running)
3. Has wifi and bluetooth
4. Decent enough battery life
5. Cheap enough that if an infant gets a hold of it, it won’t be tragic

I’m looking at the netbook class, the Acer Aspire, the HP Mini Note, the Dell Mini 9, and others. Unfortunately, there aren’t any good places to test these things out.

Of course, adding more machines won’t do anything to solve the large procrastination problem that’s keeping me from spending time writing …