Presence and IntComm WG

[Jeremy George <>]

  I like the way your mind works.  I basically use my laptop as my
primary machine wherever I am, and it is cumbersome.  So, I think I
probably will look carefully at some sort of PDA-size device for
travelling.  An iPAQ is certain possible.  Ben's Treo is interesting.
The holy grail may be a cigarette pack size device running a
UA/linux with something like a 12 hour battery life and weighing just
a few ounces.  Oh, and costing around $300.

  In the context of PIC, though, we really have just a small piece of
change in our collective pocket.   If our goal is to drum up participation
in the demo, I think we might do better to buy more of less expensive
equipment for use as bait.  This has a couple of advantages.  The first,
of course, is that we get more participants in the demo and presumably
they get a notion of what PIC/ALS is about.  Another value is that
we are sending folks with working systems back to their campuses.
Perhaps not a terrible way to spread the larger computer-mediated
communications message.

  I'm inclined gently toward the suggestion that we buy however many
usb or bluetooth hand/head sets we can and either give them away to the
first <> folks to sign up or raffle them off.

- Jeremy


On Thu, 12 Feb 2004, Steve Blair wrote:

> Date: Thu, 12 Feb 2004 18:52:13 -0500
> From: Steve Blair 
> <>
> Reply-To: 
> 
> To: 
> 
> Subject: [wg-pic] Microsoft money (hee hee)
> 
> 
> Jeremy & Ben:
> 
>    I was thinking about the money Microsoft provided. I don't have a
> specific piece of equipment to purchase, however, I'm wondering if some
> of the money should be used to encourage other types of clients.
> 
>    I've found that an iPAQ with Xten-PRO is a good alternative to a laptop.
> I like it because my laptop battery doesn't last very long, the laptop is
> cumbersome and this often discourages me from being online for long
> periods of time. 
> 
>   So I'm wondering if it makes sense to purchase a few clients & 
> peripherals
> that users might not bring with them to let them experience the demo,
> the demo while carrying around less gear, or the demo with functionality
> that they might not have on their own equipment (such as video capability).
> I assume this equipment would become part of the demo traveling toolkit.
> 
>    Some thoughts include Palm Tungsten C and iPAQ handhelds
> with a SIP client, lightweight ear-bud headset/mic, Flycam
> video cameras with Microsoft Portrait clients (especially if
> Microsoft gets involved), and so on.
> 
>    Does this sound like an idea that would promote the demo?
> 
> -Steve
> 

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