smart phones

[gusl]

I've heard that most cafés in NYC don't provide wireless connections. So when I move there, I will probably want to buy a smart phone with a data plan, and hook it up to my laptop. Is this easy to do?

I'll need to choose which smart phone I want. I would prefer something either with Google's OS (Android? Chrome?) or Linux.

And speaking of using my laptop around places, the main disadvantage is not having an external monitor... but there is hope, if I can get a microprojector, like the one seen in Pranav Mistry's shiny TED Talk. When will this become available a consumer product?

Comments

[ikeepaleopard]

Google's os (both of them) is Linux.

[aphilotuspgh.livejournal.com]

I have an android-running Nexus 1 phone, and with the latest release of Android ("FroYo"?) they rolled out tethering. I just tell the phone "be a tether" and it suddenly shows up as a wireless hub (like any old linksys wireless router might) on my laptop.

There are settings to make it password protected, private, etc, so that the whole cafe doesn't take over your data connection.

Drains battery as fast as you might expect (7 hours instead of 24 or something like that).

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wirehead_/]

+1. i no longer have home internet and just tether my phone when i need it. Froyo is awesome.

p.s. there are definitely lots of places to get wifi in NYC, particularly if you're a Columbia affiliate (there's free wifi on campus and in all the campus buildings).

[lordspaz.livejournal.com]

Awesome icon btw.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

do you know any places close to but outside of the Columbia campus?

It's also nice to be able to enjoy café culture, where I can see the regulars, mingle with other members of the "creative class".

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wirehead_/]

there are a variety of coffee shops and other places with wifi. your success working there is going to depend on timing -- most places in the Columbia area aren't 24 hours, and during the busiest times of day they generally have "no laptop" rules. i'm not a good person to ask though, since working in coffee shops is really not my thing. mellowcupcake, pvck and xwjl have all expressed frustration with finding good places to work in that area. but since you'll have a Columbia ID you'll have access to lots of good places, like the CS lounge, Lerner Hall and the various libraries, and there are several coffee shop type places in different campus buildings.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

what is your phone plan? do you like it?

I'm trying to get a phone for today or tomorrow.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wirehead_/]

i'm on T-Mobile and like them. paying ~$70/month for 200 minutes, free evenings/weekends, and unlimited text/MMS/data.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

75% of people I've spoken to have slammed T-mobile for having bad signal inside Columbia buildings. I think I want unlimited data, and 200+ minutes.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wirehead_/]

the signal isn't great inside buildings, it's true. if you want good signal, you can go with Verizon -- but they are expensive and complete jerks. they screwed me over enough times while i was their customer that i tell everyone to avoid doing business with them if at all possible.

you can check out T-Mobile's available plans online: http://www.t-mobile.com/shop/plans/Cell-Phone-Plans.aspx?catgroup=Individual&WT.z_unav=mst_shop_plans_individual

looking at those, i suspect i actually have 500 minutes. i don't actually use daytime minutes ever, so it doesn't matter at all to me.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

any thoughts about AT&T?

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wirehead_/]

can't speak to AT&T -- i've never used 'em, and i've heard both good and bad from the iPhone users i know. i do seem to remember hearing you can't tether on AT&T -- they restrict bandwidth or something?

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

<< [Verizon] screwed me over enough times while i was their customer that i tell everyone to avoid doing business with them if at all possible. >>

specifically? do you imagine that this makes them any different from other companies? It seems to me that these companies are mostly the same, and your experience will be a matter of luck.

[http://users.livejournal.com/_wirehead_/]

yeah... T-Mobile is at least nice to me. they are sometimes incompetent, and sometimes can't solve my problems, but at least they have never given me the impression that they just don't give a crap. big companies in some sense are all the same, but it's possible for some to have better corporate cultures than others.

[qatar.livejournal.com]

Tethering is very easy with an Android. I just installed an app called PDANet; for Macs that lets you tether by either Bluetooth or USB, but I see it only supports Bluetooth for Linux.

Some mobile providers prohibit tethering, though it's hard for me to imagine that they really enforce that. My provider, TMobile, doesn't care, though I've heard they throttle your 3G if you use more than 5-10 gigs a month.

I understand, though, that cafes that don't provide wifi do so because they don't actually want people using their laptops there, so I'm not sure if they'd give you grief or not.

[stepleton.livejournal.com]

The Palm Pre is supposed to have really easy tethering. Options on the iPhone include paying AT&T $30/month more or jailbreaking your device.

The microprojector is already available as a consumer product. David Pogue writes about them in the New York Times about twice a year.

[stepleton.livejournal.com]

In an unrelated note: are you in Vancouver August 8-10?

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

yes, and so is my couch.

[stepleton.livejournal.com]

Awesome! Do you need anything from Portland or Seattle?

[denorae.livejournal.com]

You know that most Starbucks locations now have free wifi, right?

http://www.starbucks.com/coffeehouse/wireless-internet

I don't know how often you usually hang out at Starbucks, but considering the density of them in NYC, there's bound to be one with a signal nearby...

[peamasii.livejournal.com]

Maybe you should see into getting a separate mobile wireless plan, with an USB dongle directly in your laptop. It's much better than tethering a phone. Some providers here (KPN) offer it for 17/month.

[gustavolacerda.livejournal.com]

why is it better?

[peamasii.livejournal.com]

Because most providers limit tethering to low data transfers and port usage is limited, plus you're using a modem driver so it's less than optimal. the dongle is just like a network connection and works flawlessly.

[chrisamaphone]

it's not actually that hard to find wifi; it's harder to find power outlets ime. and, y'know, waitstaff who will let you use a laptop in the first place.