Hi Jacqueline,
If it's a sub-notebook your thinking of, then I'm partial to the Acer
Aspire A150. A "key" question is whether your application requires
keyboard input or not (no pun intended!). If not, then I'd be looking at
[touch-screen] PDAs without keyboards with a suitably sized screen for
your needs that can run Ubuntu (or another suitable GNU/Linux) with the
official Adobe Flash plugin for Linux.
Most PDAs don't "bounce" well off hard museum floors so ruggedness is also
something to consider. If ruggedness is important and you have the budget
then something such as that available from http://www.nodeexplore.com (or
see http://electronics.howstuffworks.com/node-explorer.htm/printable for
an overview ).
The Ubuntu (or other GNU / Linux) PDA option would include looking at
devices such as the Nokia N810 (
http://linuxdevices.com/news/NS3669465936.html ) which has built-in
support for Flash 9 and a slide out keyboard.
As I write this, the GNU / Linux community (including Canonical - the
company behind Ubuntu - http://www.ubuntu.com/ ) is highly active in
"porting" to mobile devices (i.e., PDAs / sub-notebooks / mobile 'phones /
MIDs etc.) so this is an exciting time and I fully expect that such
efforts will be well rewarded and highly useful to the heritage
community in the very near future (few months?).
Regards,
James
On Mon, 1 Dec 2008, O'Neil, Jacqueline wrote:
> Date: Mon, 1 Dec 2008 15:31:44 -0000
> From: "O'Neil, Jacqueline" <[log in to unmask]>
> Reply-To: Museums Computer Group <[log in to unmask]>
> To: [log in to unmask]
> Subject: [MCG] mini laptops
>
> Hello all
>
>
>
> I am thinking about buying some mini laptops for use in a gallery space
> with family groups and am wondering if anyone has had any experience,
> positive or negative, of a specific mini laptop, PDA, UMPC or palm-top
> computer? There are quite a few out there and any advice about which to
> avoid or which are good would be great. The families will follow a trail
> around the gallery space, which would be a flash file. The computers
> won't need to have a big memory capacity but ideally a big enough screen
> to see properly, and speakers so that there can be audio content on the
> trail. There would also need to be at least one USB port. We already
> have Samsung UMPC trails for schools operating at one of our museums but
> I want to use different technology for the family trails if possible so
> if you could share your thoughts it would help me a lot. Thanks in
> advance!
>
>
>
> Kind regards
>
>
> Jacqueline O'Neil
> E-Learning Coordinator
>
> Museums Sheffield
> 2nd Floor, Orchard House, Leopold Street, Sheffield, S1 2GY
> Tel: 0114 278 2653
> Fax: 0114 278 2660
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