Part
1 - Is That an MP3 Player, PMP, GPS Unit, and Full PC Running XP In Your
Pocket?
Since my last post a few weeks ago about my new OQO, I've received numerous emails asking when my *official* review will come. Unfortunately, I've been absolutely hammered with a workload beyond belief, combined with recently moving, combined with Christmas shopping and holiday parties, and trying to fully convert from my IBM Thinkpad over to my new OQO. Also, in writing my review, I realize that this isn't your typical "here's the spec's and how it works" article. The OQO is as revolutionary to me as my Treo 600 was and trying to convey that along with the spec's and such has proved challenging. In the end, I realize that I can't put it all into a single review. If I did, the PA page wouldn't have room for any of the other great posts we see daily. And thus, I've decided to break up my review a bit, then add to it over the next few days.
Before ever even considering the OQO, I did a lot of research. For one, I built a tower PC from spare parts that met all the specs of the original Model 01 (1Ghz CPU, 256Mb RAM, 20Gb HD, USB1.1), then installed Windows XP Pro on it and used it for a week or two. Suffice it to say that it performed only adequately and that my 4 year old is using it now. I read lots and lots of reviews, and in the end I came away disappointed. Almost every review I read was negative, and boiled down to a list of pros & cons in which the cons usually outlisted the pros. Many complained the price was too high for what you get. At one point, I demo'd a unit and came away with similar feelings. That, though, was before the Model 01+ was released. Having used one for more than a month now, I think it only fair that OQO get a positive review...
About one and a half years ago, I bought a gadget that finally changed my life. You see, I'm the "addict" in Palm Addict; not the "Palm"... at least not til a bit more than a year or so ago, but I digress. I've had many different toys. I had the original, 256Mb Sony Walkman MP3 player (the one that resembled a fat, blue ballpoint pen with a headphone jack). I've also had an Apple G4 laptop (the original titanium one) as well as a Visor Edge... and these are just the highlights. At last check, I had a box in the garage with 5 PDAs, 9 MP3 players, 14 (yes, 14) cellphones, and 3 bluetooth headsets. Unfortunately, they've always sort of been toys... they get played with and loved for a month or three, then end up in a drawer and eventually on Ebay. I think the problem is that none of them is perfect, nor all-emcompassing. And with new gadgets coming out daily, I grow bored with the toys... not bored enough to not buy new ones... but bored enough to shelve the old while I buy the new.
And then my life changed. I bought a Treo 600. Combined with an unlimited data plan, GoodLink, ChatterEmail, my contacts, and a host of other softwares, I had the all-in-one, near perfect device. It sync'd my email and contacts. It played my MP3s. It let me take my documents to go (pun unintentional). I quickly found myself loving my Treo. And in loving it I used it and in using it I became dependent on it and in depending on it I treated it as my Precious. I've been accused of treating my Treo better than my own children and I stand before you, guilty as charged. But then it got better! I upgraded to the Treo 650 and the few complaints I had about the 600 evaporated as I welcomed a removable battery, non-volatile memory, and bluetooth headsets. Ironically, I had had many different forms of RAZR lust, yet they all went away the more I used my Treo. I eventually spent a week using only my Treo (quite a challenge for an IT guy). Later, I travelled with my Treo only and not even my laptop. A year and a half later, my Treo hasn't been shelved. Rather, it lives with me... in my pocket, on my desk, on my nightstand, even at the toilet.
I had a phone, email, internet, and everything else an addict needs... all in the palm of my hands. But I was illcontent. I needed something more. I began to look at my new IBM Thinkpad T41 with disgust. Look at this thing... sure it has all the bells and whistles, but its huge. I could fit 10 or more of my Treo's in the space my Thinkpad occupied. Plus, there was the 6lbs on my shoulder, not including the spare battery, charger, etc. For all the glory I gave it at purchase time, I now despised it. After all, my Treo was less than 1/10 its size, yet it could do 90% of what the Thinkpad did. It was time for something more. It was time to research and shop.
And thus I embarked on a secret mission (secret because I'm always on my wife about her shopping issues and I dare not admit that I was shopping for more toys only three months after buying a new laptop). And shop I did. I looked at MP3 players, GPS units, and more. I looked at PMPs (Personal Media Players for you non-addicts). I looked at sub-notebooks and desktop replacement systems. I looked at iPOD's (I already had three), PSP's, and DS's. I began swimming in more gadget info than I could handle... gadgets and toys and accessories, oh my! And each time I thought I'd found something I wanted, the next one was smaller and did more and had more memory. It was truly a downward spiral. But then I saw the light. No, I didn't find Jesus (that had happened many years before). The light I found was the OQO. And not just any OQO... but the OQO Model 01+. I found a new life changing tool/toy/gadget... something to rival my Treo, yet compliment it at the same time...
Part 2 - The Evolutionary, Revolutionary OQO Review
You see, I had heard about the OQO way back... back when it was still vaporware like the Vulcan Flipstart is now. I followed the OQO's development, saw the management change, etc. And then I started to see more than vapor. I saw ex-employees of Apple and IBM go to OQO, including the co-designer of the original titanium Apple G4 laptop... the first laptop to bring the word "svelte" to technology. And I continued to follow the OQO. And eventually, I demo'd one and I was sorely disappointed. I spent a week with the original OQO Model 01 and walked away thinking "small hard drive, sub-par RAM, too hot, and poor wifi signal". And then I made the mistake of searching google for other reviews of the OQO and I learned that everyone said the same thing I was thinking... its a great idea, and decent for a first generation device, but in general its lacking... wait for their second generation device.
But then, this year I heard more about the OQO. I heard about a new Model 01+. It was still their first generation device, but with fixes and enhancements that made it worthwhile. In reading about it, I learned a lot... it still got warm, but not as hot as the original 01... it had a new wireless driver and had better wifi range... the hard drive was 30GB now... and the RAM went from a paltry 256Mb to a usable 512Mb... and the USB went from 1.1 to 2.0. And so I took the plunge and handed over my $2000 before tax and shipping and bought my new toy...
You see, I truly hate multiple systems, and syncing and everything that goes with that. Seriously, who wants to have a work system, a home system, a PDA, and a phone... each of which have some things, but none of which have everything that the other has? Thus, many years ago I had settled on a laptop as my primary computing device. At least now my home system was also my work system. And when I got my Treo, I was able to merge my cellphone and PDA. So now, I had only two devices and sync'ing them was more of a precaution in case of failure and not an outright requirement. I certainly didn't want to add to the complexity with a separate MP3 player, GPS unit, PMP, etc. I decided I wanted to carry only two devices and that the two must complement each other. Those two devices are my Treo 650 and my OQO. Following is how I use them individually and together...
The OQO comes with a charging unit, docking cable, and desktop stand. I immediately bought two more charging units and docking cables. I later bought another desktop stand and have also made a custom stand to hold my OQO in my truck (we have a small fab-lab at the office and some very talented guys that can make something from nothing). At work, I have one docking cable connected to a 19'' widescreen LCD screen (Acer AL1913W) and external USB DVD burner (LaCie Porsche drive), wireless keyboard & mouse, and a power supply. In my truck I have another docking cable also with external power and a GPS unit plugged into the USB port. Here the external video runs to the input of a 7'' LCD in my dash and I have a Stowaway bluetooth keyboard (just in case). At home is my third docking cable connected to a 17'' LCD display and wireless keyboard & mouse. Thus, I can work all day in Outlook, Firefox, etc, then put the OQO into standby and take it to the truck where I fire it up to play my MP3 collection in the background and be my GPS tool in the foreground. When I get home, it goes into standby again long enough to relocate to the home docking cable where I can then work from home, etc. About the only thing I'm missing is 24x7 internet. I have both wired and wireless networks at work and wireless at home. But in the truck, there's nothing. Unfortunately, the OQO lacks a PCMCIA slot. Thus, until someone comes out with a USB EDGE card or USB to PCMCIA adaptor, I'm out of luck for cellular broadband (thankfully, devices such as this are due on the market soon). Thus, I have a single device that is my laptop, my MP3 player, my GPS, and my PMP. I had planned to put a small computer into my truck, but with the OQO, I don't need to now. Rather, I can either add a DVD drive to the USB port on the docking cable, or get a new head unit for the truck that can take DVDs and has video-in. Unfortunately, I've been too busy to really get this all working and fully think it through. But everything I want to do can be done from a laptop or regular PC, and thus can be done with my OQO.
Going to a small, lesser powered device definitely takes some adjustment. Almost all of the reviews I've read about the OQO say its slow or sluggish. Granted, 99% of those reviews were of the original Model 01. However, I think there's something to be said for actually using the device and not simply reviewing it. You see, most reviewers are going to be biased and try to compare the OQO to its next nearest competitor. Unfortunately, it has none. The Vulcan Flipstart is still vaporware and the Sony U50 doesn't run XP Pro, nor have a built-in keyboard. Thus, the natural tendency is to compare the device to a laptop. However, in size alone, laptops have many more options and thus better benchmarks. Honestly, I think the new Flybook is probably the best device to compare the OQO. Unfortunately, I don't have one to compare. The other problem I see with most of the other OQO reviews is the time spent with the device. I get the impression that the reviewers only had the device for a few days or a week. I highly doubt that any reviewer moved all their email, documents, etc over and used their OQO as their sole device. I've done so for just over a month now. Yes, it requires a learning curve and a new way of doing things, but once you get used to it, it is truly an evolutionary and revolutionary device...
Part 3 - The Finale
OQO has an excellent video showing the device and its various uses. You can view it here... [Quicktime Required]. They also have a nice collection of pictures available here...
PACKAGING:
Let's start with the packaging... the OQO comes in a nice, big box. Opening it reminds me a lot of opening the small jewelry box that my wife's engagement ring came in. A lot of care went into the marketing and it shows in the packaging. Sure, its pure fluff... its the padded styrofoam that counts, but still... it looks nice. The manual reminds me of a highend auto manual. Anyone that's bought a typical pickup truck and got the basic manual, then upgraded to a 5 series BMW and saw a nicely packaged owner's manual will know what I mean. Again, its all fluff, but it brings an elegance with it. Perhaps svelte would be a better word.
SPECS: Next, let's look at the specs. The OQO Model 01+ has the following:
1Ghz Transmeta CPU
512Mb RAM
30Gb hard disk
802.11b
USB2
Firewire
Bluetooth
Now here's where it gets interesting and you start to realize what you're paying for. If you go to the IBM or HP websites right now and price out a $2000 laptop computer, you're likely to get the following:
~3Ghz CPU
~1Gb RAM
~120Gb hard disk
DVD burner super drive
Card Reader
802.11a/b/g and possibly pre-N
USB2
Firewire
Bluetooth
15 ~ 17'' Widescreen LCD
Port Replicator or Docking Station
In contrast, if you shop at Wal-Mart for a cheap, Lindows laptop, you're very likely to get the specs of the OQO but for a price of around $600. Then end result is that you're paying for the form factor. That $1400 price difference is what you pay to take the specs of a low end laptop and fit it into your pants pocket.
CONS:
As I've already said, I've read A LOT of reviews of the OQO. Many were not good. Some were balanced, but with the cons largely outweiging the pros. Having used one for more than a month, I think the pros far outweigh the cons. Then again, I guess how the device is used is a factor as well. That said, the device is not without its limitations. The first is the screen smudges very easily. Alcohol doesn't clean it without leaving residue. Windex is almost a requirement, but you have to be careful you don't scratch the screen or get too much Windex on it. Regular screen wipes or eyeglass wipes aren't sufficient. Second, this device *should* have come with two power supplies. Granted, the one they give you is great in that it includes an auto/airline adaptor. However, the device includes a docking cable that 9 times out of 10 will always stay on the user's desk while the OQO will be used a lot more. I haven't had a laptop that didn't include a port replicator in the last 5 years. The laptops always came with a charging unit and the port replicators came with their own. Thus, you have one charger that stays on your desk, attached to your port replicator all the time and the other travels with your laptop. Since the OQO includes a docking cable, it should also include two power supplies... one to be left plugged in and one to travel. Granted, the docking cable is meant to be portable itself, so I sort of see the logic. However, at $2000 they can afford to throw in another $100 power supply. Third, the OQO needs a backlit keybaord, otherwise its only usable in the light. I understand power concerns, but at least having the ability to turn on a keyboard backlit would be nice. For now, I'm forced to use a USB light.
USAGE:
In terms of usage, my OQO can handle everything my laptop did. My laptop was a Centrino based system with a scaling CPU that maxed at 1.8Ghz. The OQO also has a frequency scaling CPU, but maxes at 1Ghz. Nonetheless, with 512Mb of RAM, I'm able to run all my normal apps. At any given time during the day, I have Outlook 2003, Thunderbird, and Firefox open. I also use Word, Excel, and Visio frequently, as well as Nero, Cygwin, VNC, and MS Terminal Services. Adjusting to the OQO took a willingness to change and that's about it. For example, on my Thinkpad I used to fire up Firefox and have it load up about 12 websites, each in their own tabs. On my Thinkpad, this wasn't an issue. On the OQO, the CPU would bog down a bit. I quickly learned to open a site at a time and to avoid certain sites unless I was ready for a bit of lag. As an example, if I fired up tabs to Slashdot, PA, and Google News, it would slow down a bit. Add Engadget and it slowed down a lot. After using the device for a few weeks, I learned that Engadget always slows down the OQO. Slashdot does a bit... while the pages are loading, but not much. A little research revealed that certain sites are heavy on java and javascript and make references to other sites (for images, analytics, etc) that for whatever reason don't seem to play too well with the Transmeta CPU. However, as said, its not a show-stopper, it simply requires a new way of doing things. Instead of firing up 12 tabs at once, I fire up one at a time. Sites like Google Maps that are heavy on Ajax are slow as well, but not unusable. I can only guess that its something to do with the CPU, but since these same apps run just fine on my Sun (Sparc) and Apple (PPC) servers, I'm not sure the CPU is the issue. Perhaps the biggest blessing is the bluetooth as it allows me to use BT DUN from my Treo 650. I mentioned in a previous post that I'm lacking internet access while in my truck. With a bluetooth connection to my Treo, that issue is solved (subsequently, I have also ordered a USB GPRS adaptor from Buslink that I hope to use to allow for internet access since I cannot receive emails on my Treo while doing BT DUN. And while on the subject of bluetooth, my Treo also sync's via BT to my OQO without issue. If you're interested in the BT DUN solution, see this link. One thing I'm constantly being asked is if the device is actually usable... or if the native screen size (5'' at 800x480 resolution) is sufficient. To that I say a resounding, yes! While I have the ability to have it cabled and use external monitors, that is purely for convenience and for other external devices, such as DVD burners. In reality, I spend almost an equal amount of time using the native screen as I do an external one. Lastly, my OQO works great with NetStumbler. I recently took a trip from San Diego to Long Beach with NetStumbler running the whole way. I found 600+ access points, more than 100 of which were open for my use. Not bad...
SUPPORT:
OQO's support team is great. I've had reason to contact them for a few different things, including just some general questions. Even before I owned one, I emailed them about recommended bluetooth keyboards and got an immediate reply. They are quick to respond and knowledgable of the product and WinXP. I even went so far as to email them a suggestion for the BT DUN to a Treo solution and they added it to their knowledge base that same day.
WHAT'S LEFT:
There's two things on my "hotlist" for my OQO. The first is to install Linux on it. OQO doesn't officially support this, but they do have some tips on their website. From what I've seen, others have Debian and Ubuntu running. I've seen reports that Suse 9.3 installed successfully. My intent is to image my current system with Altiris' TrueImage, then reload XP and dual-boot to Suse 10. I also saw a nice hack/mod posted on Slashdot the other day for taking apart a PSOne LCD screen and modifying it to be an external, VGA 5'' display for a PC. I'm thinking this will be an excellent hacking companion for my OQO. :)
ENHANCEMENTS:
I'm sure this category will grow in time, however in a little less than six weeks of use, I've learned a few tweaks for my OQO. For one, turning on the single-click option in XP is all but essential, especially when using the tablet and stylus. It saves a lot of time and double-click frustrations. After some reading on the web, I've learned too that disabling the OQO Manager Service and tray icon can speed things up a bit. Running Windows Task Manager is a no-no... it really hammers the CPU.All in all, in my opinion the OQO rocks! I love it. I now have an OQO in one pocket and my Treo 650 in the other. I have the utmost in portability and have internet access, my documents, and programs, etc with me all the time. I couldn't be happier... well, at least not til they come out with a better version of each. :) And that said, there are rumors of a 2nd generation device due out from OQO sometime this year. If it happens, I'll definitely be getting one and I'll donate my current OQO to a worthy Palm Addict reader... so keep watching PA on a daily basis! :)
Andrew Davis, PalmAddicts Associate Writer and Webmaster of MobileOptimized.com - email
Follow-Up: I just finished reading a link to a review of the new Nokia 770. One of the complaints of the device is viewing web pages... apparently it can painfully slow for some sites. I had thought this was an issue with the OQO and/or the Transmeta processor, but the Nokia has a different CPU. What they do both have in common is Firefox; the Nokia 770 includes it and I use it instead of IE. Perhaps FF is to blame? Or perhaps its just the sites themselves with all their images, ads, etc.
•Home
Since my last post a few weeks ago about my new OQO, I've received numerous emails asking when my *official* review will come. Unfortunately, I've been absolutely hammered with a workload beyond belief, combined with recently moving, combined with Christmas shopping and holiday parties, and trying to fully convert from my IBM Thinkpad over to my new OQO. Also, in writing my review, I realize that this isn't your typical "here's the spec's and how it works" article. The OQO is as revolutionary to me as my Treo 600 was and trying to convey that along with the spec's and such has proved challenging. In the end, I realize that I can't put it all into a single review. If I did, the PA page wouldn't have room for any of the other great posts we see daily. And thus, I've decided to break up my review a bit, then add to it over the next few days.
Before ever even considering the OQO, I did a lot of research. For one, I built a tower PC from spare parts that met all the specs of the original Model 01 (1Ghz CPU, 256Mb RAM, 20Gb HD, USB1.1), then installed Windows XP Pro on it and used it for a week or two. Suffice it to say that it performed only adequately and that my 4 year old is using it now. I read lots and lots of reviews, and in the end I came away disappointed. Almost every review I read was negative, and boiled down to a list of pros & cons in which the cons usually outlisted the pros. Many complained the price was too high for what you get. At one point, I demo'd a unit and came away with similar feelings. That, though, was before the Model 01+ was released. Having used one for more than a month now, I think it only fair that OQO get a positive review...
About one and a half years ago, I bought a gadget that finally changed my life. You see, I'm the "addict" in Palm Addict; not the "Palm"... at least not til a bit more than a year or so ago, but I digress. I've had many different toys. I had the original, 256Mb Sony Walkman MP3 player (the one that resembled a fat, blue ballpoint pen with a headphone jack). I've also had an Apple G4 laptop (the original titanium one) as well as a Visor Edge... and these are just the highlights. At last check, I had a box in the garage with 5 PDAs, 9 MP3 players, 14 (yes, 14) cellphones, and 3 bluetooth headsets. Unfortunately, they've always sort of been toys... they get played with and loved for a month or three, then end up in a drawer and eventually on Ebay. I think the problem is that none of them is perfect, nor all-emcompassing. And with new gadgets coming out daily, I grow bored with the toys... not bored enough to not buy new ones... but bored enough to shelve the old while I buy the new.
And then my life changed. I bought a Treo 600. Combined with an unlimited data plan, GoodLink, ChatterEmail, my contacts, and a host of other softwares, I had the all-in-one, near perfect device. It sync'd my email and contacts. It played my MP3s. It let me take my documents to go (pun unintentional). I quickly found myself loving my Treo. And in loving it I used it and in using it I became dependent on it and in depending on it I treated it as my Precious. I've been accused of treating my Treo better than my own children and I stand before you, guilty as charged. But then it got better! I upgraded to the Treo 650 and the few complaints I had about the 600 evaporated as I welcomed a removable battery, non-volatile memory, and bluetooth headsets. Ironically, I had had many different forms of RAZR lust, yet they all went away the more I used my Treo. I eventually spent a week using only my Treo (quite a challenge for an IT guy). Later, I travelled with my Treo only and not even my laptop. A year and a half later, my Treo hasn't been shelved. Rather, it lives with me... in my pocket, on my desk, on my nightstand, even at the toilet.
I had a phone, email, internet, and everything else an addict needs... all in the palm of my hands. But I was illcontent. I needed something more. I began to look at my new IBM Thinkpad T41 with disgust. Look at this thing... sure it has all the bells and whistles, but its huge. I could fit 10 or more of my Treo's in the space my Thinkpad occupied. Plus, there was the 6lbs on my shoulder, not including the spare battery, charger, etc. For all the glory I gave it at purchase time, I now despised it. After all, my Treo was less than 1/10 its size, yet it could do 90% of what the Thinkpad did. It was time for something more. It was time to research and shop.
And thus I embarked on a secret mission (secret because I'm always on my wife about her shopping issues and I dare not admit that I was shopping for more toys only three months after buying a new laptop). And shop I did. I looked at MP3 players, GPS units, and more. I looked at PMPs (Personal Media Players for you non-addicts). I looked at sub-notebooks and desktop replacement systems. I looked at iPOD's (I already had three), PSP's, and DS's. I began swimming in more gadget info than I could handle... gadgets and toys and accessories, oh my! And each time I thought I'd found something I wanted, the next one was smaller and did more and had more memory. It was truly a downward spiral. But then I saw the light. No, I didn't find Jesus (that had happened many years before). The light I found was the OQO. And not just any OQO... but the OQO Model 01+. I found a new life changing tool/toy/gadget... something to rival my Treo, yet compliment it at the same time...
Part 2 - The Evolutionary, Revolutionary OQO Review
You see, I had heard about the OQO way back... back when it was still vaporware like the Vulcan Flipstart is now. I followed the OQO's development, saw the management change, etc. And then I started to see more than vapor. I saw ex-employees of Apple and IBM go to OQO, including the co-designer of the original titanium Apple G4 laptop... the first laptop to bring the word "svelte" to technology. And I continued to follow the OQO. And eventually, I demo'd one and I was sorely disappointed. I spent a week with the original OQO Model 01 and walked away thinking "small hard drive, sub-par RAM, too hot, and poor wifi signal". And then I made the mistake of searching google for other reviews of the OQO and I learned that everyone said the same thing I was thinking... its a great idea, and decent for a first generation device, but in general its lacking... wait for their second generation device.
But then, this year I heard more about the OQO. I heard about a new Model 01+. It was still their first generation device, but with fixes and enhancements that made it worthwhile. In reading about it, I learned a lot... it still got warm, but not as hot as the original 01... it had a new wireless driver and had better wifi range... the hard drive was 30GB now... and the RAM went from a paltry 256Mb to a usable 512Mb... and the USB went from 1.1 to 2.0. And so I took the plunge and handed over my $2000 before tax and shipping and bought my new toy...
You see, I truly hate multiple systems, and syncing and everything that goes with that. Seriously, who wants to have a work system, a home system, a PDA, and a phone... each of which have some things, but none of which have everything that the other has? Thus, many years ago I had settled on a laptop as my primary computing device. At least now my home system was also my work system. And when I got my Treo, I was able to merge my cellphone and PDA. So now, I had only two devices and sync'ing them was more of a precaution in case of failure and not an outright requirement. I certainly didn't want to add to the complexity with a separate MP3 player, GPS unit, PMP, etc. I decided I wanted to carry only two devices and that the two must complement each other. Those two devices are my Treo 650 and my OQO. Following is how I use them individually and together...
The OQO comes with a charging unit, docking cable, and desktop stand. I immediately bought two more charging units and docking cables. I later bought another desktop stand and have also made a custom stand to hold my OQO in my truck (we have a small fab-lab at the office and some very talented guys that can make something from nothing). At work, I have one docking cable connected to a 19'' widescreen LCD screen (Acer AL1913W) and external USB DVD burner (LaCie Porsche drive), wireless keyboard & mouse, and a power supply. In my truck I have another docking cable also with external power and a GPS unit plugged into the USB port. Here the external video runs to the input of a 7'' LCD in my dash and I have a Stowaway bluetooth keyboard (just in case). At home is my third docking cable connected to a 17'' LCD display and wireless keyboard & mouse. Thus, I can work all day in Outlook, Firefox, etc, then put the OQO into standby and take it to the truck where I fire it up to play my MP3 collection in the background and be my GPS tool in the foreground. When I get home, it goes into standby again long enough to relocate to the home docking cable where I can then work from home, etc. About the only thing I'm missing is 24x7 internet. I have both wired and wireless networks at work and wireless at home. But in the truck, there's nothing. Unfortunately, the OQO lacks a PCMCIA slot. Thus, until someone comes out with a USB EDGE card or USB to PCMCIA adaptor, I'm out of luck for cellular broadband (thankfully, devices such as this are due on the market soon). Thus, I have a single device that is my laptop, my MP3 player, my GPS, and my PMP. I had planned to put a small computer into my truck, but with the OQO, I don't need to now. Rather, I can either add a DVD drive to the USB port on the docking cable, or get a new head unit for the truck that can take DVDs and has video-in. Unfortunately, I've been too busy to really get this all working and fully think it through. But everything I want to do can be done from a laptop or regular PC, and thus can be done with my OQO.
Going to a small, lesser powered device definitely takes some adjustment. Almost all of the reviews I've read about the OQO say its slow or sluggish. Granted, 99% of those reviews were of the original Model 01. However, I think there's something to be said for actually using the device and not simply reviewing it. You see, most reviewers are going to be biased and try to compare the OQO to its next nearest competitor. Unfortunately, it has none. The Vulcan Flipstart is still vaporware and the Sony U50 doesn't run XP Pro, nor have a built-in keyboard. Thus, the natural tendency is to compare the device to a laptop. However, in size alone, laptops have many more options and thus better benchmarks. Honestly, I think the new Flybook is probably the best device to compare the OQO. Unfortunately, I don't have one to compare. The other problem I see with most of the other OQO reviews is the time spent with the device. I get the impression that the reviewers only had the device for a few days or a week. I highly doubt that any reviewer moved all their email, documents, etc over and used their OQO as their sole device. I've done so for just over a month now. Yes, it requires a learning curve and a new way of doing things, but once you get used to it, it is truly an evolutionary and revolutionary device...
Part 3 - The Finale
OQO has an excellent video showing the device and its various uses. You can view it here... [Quicktime Required]. They also have a nice collection of pictures available here...
PACKAGING:
Let's start with the packaging... the OQO comes in a nice, big box. Opening it reminds me a lot of opening the small jewelry box that my wife's engagement ring came in. A lot of care went into the marketing and it shows in the packaging. Sure, its pure fluff... its the padded styrofoam that counts, but still... it looks nice. The manual reminds me of a highend auto manual. Anyone that's bought a typical pickup truck and got the basic manual, then upgraded to a 5 series BMW and saw a nicely packaged owner's manual will know what I mean. Again, its all fluff, but it brings an elegance with it. Perhaps svelte would be a better word.
SPECS: Next, let's look at the specs. The OQO Model 01+ has the following:
1Ghz Transmeta CPU
512Mb RAM
30Gb hard disk
802.11b
USB2
Firewire
Bluetooth
Now here's where it gets interesting and you start to realize what you're paying for. If you go to the IBM or HP websites right now and price out a $2000 laptop computer, you're likely to get the following:
~3Ghz CPU
~1Gb RAM
~120Gb hard disk
DVD burner super drive
Card Reader
802.11a/b/g and possibly pre-N
USB2
Firewire
Bluetooth
15 ~ 17'' Widescreen LCD
Port Replicator or Docking Station
In contrast, if you shop at Wal-Mart for a cheap, Lindows laptop, you're very likely to get the specs of the OQO but for a price of around $600. Then end result is that you're paying for the form factor. That $1400 price difference is what you pay to take the specs of a low end laptop and fit it into your pants pocket.
CONS:
As I've already said, I've read A LOT of reviews of the OQO. Many were not good. Some were balanced, but with the cons largely outweiging the pros. Having used one for more than a month, I think the pros far outweigh the cons. Then again, I guess how the device is used is a factor as well. That said, the device is not without its limitations. The first is the screen smudges very easily. Alcohol doesn't clean it without leaving residue. Windex is almost a requirement, but you have to be careful you don't scratch the screen or get too much Windex on it. Regular screen wipes or eyeglass wipes aren't sufficient. Second, this device *should* have come with two power supplies. Granted, the one they give you is great in that it includes an auto/airline adaptor. However, the device includes a docking cable that 9 times out of 10 will always stay on the user's desk while the OQO will be used a lot more. I haven't had a laptop that didn't include a port replicator in the last 5 years. The laptops always came with a charging unit and the port replicators came with their own. Thus, you have one charger that stays on your desk, attached to your port replicator all the time and the other travels with your laptop. Since the OQO includes a docking cable, it should also include two power supplies... one to be left plugged in and one to travel. Granted, the docking cable is meant to be portable itself, so I sort of see the logic. However, at $2000 they can afford to throw in another $100 power supply. Third, the OQO needs a backlit keybaord, otherwise its only usable in the light. I understand power concerns, but at least having the ability to turn on a keyboard backlit would be nice. For now, I'm forced to use a USB light.
USAGE:
In terms of usage, my OQO can handle everything my laptop did. My laptop was a Centrino based system with a scaling CPU that maxed at 1.8Ghz. The OQO also has a frequency scaling CPU, but maxes at 1Ghz. Nonetheless, with 512Mb of RAM, I'm able to run all my normal apps. At any given time during the day, I have Outlook 2003, Thunderbird, and Firefox open. I also use Word, Excel, and Visio frequently, as well as Nero, Cygwin, VNC, and MS Terminal Services. Adjusting to the OQO took a willingness to change and that's about it. For example, on my Thinkpad I used to fire up Firefox and have it load up about 12 websites, each in their own tabs. On my Thinkpad, this wasn't an issue. On the OQO, the CPU would bog down a bit. I quickly learned to open a site at a time and to avoid certain sites unless I was ready for a bit of lag. As an example, if I fired up tabs to Slashdot, PA, and Google News, it would slow down a bit. Add Engadget and it slowed down a lot. After using the device for a few weeks, I learned that Engadget always slows down the OQO. Slashdot does a bit... while the pages are loading, but not much. A little research revealed that certain sites are heavy on java and javascript and make references to other sites (for images, analytics, etc) that for whatever reason don't seem to play too well with the Transmeta CPU. However, as said, its not a show-stopper, it simply requires a new way of doing things. Instead of firing up 12 tabs at once, I fire up one at a time. Sites like Google Maps that are heavy on Ajax are slow as well, but not unusable. I can only guess that its something to do with the CPU, but since these same apps run just fine on my Sun (Sparc) and Apple (PPC) servers, I'm not sure the CPU is the issue. Perhaps the biggest blessing is the bluetooth as it allows me to use BT DUN from my Treo 650. I mentioned in a previous post that I'm lacking internet access while in my truck. With a bluetooth connection to my Treo, that issue is solved (subsequently, I have also ordered a USB GPRS adaptor from Buslink that I hope to use to allow for internet access since I cannot receive emails on my Treo while doing BT DUN. And while on the subject of bluetooth, my Treo also sync's via BT to my OQO without issue. If you're interested in the BT DUN solution, see this link. One thing I'm constantly being asked is if the device is actually usable... or if the native screen size (5'' at 800x480 resolution) is sufficient. To that I say a resounding, yes! While I have the ability to have it cabled and use external monitors, that is purely for convenience and for other external devices, such as DVD burners. In reality, I spend almost an equal amount of time using the native screen as I do an external one. Lastly, my OQO works great with NetStumbler. I recently took a trip from San Diego to Long Beach with NetStumbler running the whole way. I found 600+ access points, more than 100 of which were open for my use. Not bad...
SUPPORT:
OQO's support team is great. I've had reason to contact them for a few different things, including just some general questions. Even before I owned one, I emailed them about recommended bluetooth keyboards and got an immediate reply. They are quick to respond and knowledgable of the product and WinXP. I even went so far as to email them a suggestion for the BT DUN to a Treo solution and they added it to their knowledge base that same day.
WHAT'S LEFT:
There's two things on my "hotlist" for my OQO. The first is to install Linux on it. OQO doesn't officially support this, but they do have some tips on their website. From what I've seen, others have Debian and Ubuntu running. I've seen reports that Suse 9.3 installed successfully. My intent is to image my current system with Altiris' TrueImage, then reload XP and dual-boot to Suse 10. I also saw a nice hack/mod posted on Slashdot the other day for taking apart a PSOne LCD screen and modifying it to be an external, VGA 5'' display for a PC. I'm thinking this will be an excellent hacking companion for my OQO. :)
ENHANCEMENTS:
I'm sure this category will grow in time, however in a little less than six weeks of use, I've learned a few tweaks for my OQO. For one, turning on the single-click option in XP is all but essential, especially when using the tablet and stylus. It saves a lot of time and double-click frustrations. After some reading on the web, I've learned too that disabling the OQO Manager Service and tray icon can speed things up a bit. Running Windows Task Manager is a no-no... it really hammers the CPU.All in all, in my opinion the OQO rocks! I love it. I now have an OQO in one pocket and my Treo 650 in the other. I have the utmost in portability and have internet access, my documents, and programs, etc with me all the time. I couldn't be happier... well, at least not til they come out with a better version of each. :) And that said, there are rumors of a 2nd generation device due out from OQO sometime this year. If it happens, I'll definitely be getting one and I'll donate my current OQO to a worthy Palm Addict reader... so keep watching PA on a daily basis! :)
Andrew Davis, PalmAddicts Associate Writer and Webmaster of MobileOptimized.com - email
Follow-Up: I just finished reading a link to a review of the new Nokia 770. One of the complaints of the device is viewing web pages... apparently it can painfully slow for some sites. I had thought this was an issue with the OQO and/or the Transmeta processor, but the Nokia has a different CPU. What they do both have in common is Firefox; the Nokia 770 includes it and I use it instead of IE. Perhaps FF is to blame? Or perhaps its just the sites themselves with all their images, ads, etc.
•Home