RodeWorks

I’ve been doing a fair amount of traveling lately, both with summer travel and attending a bunch of conferences/seminars. And frankly I’m getting pretty frustrated with my portable devices. Laptops are heavy, cumbersome, and run out of power too quickly — even the iBook that I borrowed from work. If you try to rely on it through an eight-hour day, plus train travel, the power only lasts at best for half of your time. So then you’re searching for an electrical outlet with all the other “mobile” people! And they really aren’t of much use without wi-fi, which despite its growth I still find hard to find in most of the places I find myself. Tablet PCs sound attractive, but they fall into the same power-hungry problem. I’ve never gotten comfortable with the small screens/small keyboards that palm-type devices offer (although I may pull out my old Palm Zire again and give it another try). And a recording device might help, but I’m just not comfortable talking to myself, especially in public. Even my iPod doesn’t seem up to the all day - no power - challenge! So for serious writing I still find the good old fashioned notebook and pen the most reliable.

And if this device ever becomes available that old fashioned mobile technology may get a welcome bridge to the digital world.

USB pen drive, digital pen, USB memory pen

I guess it was showcased at some trade shows over the winter, and the reviews I saw seem to indicate that it works. But the web site doesn’t offer any indication of when the product will become available. I sent their sales department an email, but have yet to receive a reply. I sure hope its not a ‘vapor” product — I’m ready to give it a try.