In search of the smartphone laptop
In the past two years, mobile phone and laptop companies have unveiled breathtaking innovations -- from 24-hour battery laptops to dual-screen laptops to "augmented reality" mobile phone applications.
Stories by Mike Elgan
Here comes the digital nomad dream vehicle
The economy is in full-blown meltdown. Home values are dropping. Businesses are closing. Layoffs are coming. Maybe it's time to escape from civilization and wait out the crash?
Gadgets that will make your mobile phone jealous
There's no question that mobile phones are the Mother of All Convergence Devices. In the past 10 years, bland, single-purpose mobile phones have assimilated digital cameras, media players, PDAs, GPS devices, camcorders and much more.
I want my mobile social address book
Business cards are as obsolete as fax machines. And like fax machines, business cards have us still using paper to move electronic data from one digital system to another.
Mobile social networking goes mainstream
Two weeks ago, I shared my belief in this space that mobile social networking will become the most important business technology since e-mail.
Elgan: Got a subnotebook? Get Ubiquity
Cheap and tiny subnotebook computers have become, well, ubiquitous. Dell is the latest company to ship one, joining a list that includes ASUS, Acer, Everex, Fujitsu, Hewlett-Packard, Lenovo, LG, MSI and many others.
Elgan: When LinkedIn knows where you are
Within two years, I believe mobile social networking will become the most valuable business application since e-mail.
Better batteries? Gadgets get everything but!
Ten years ago, everyone expected massive improvements in battery technology for laptops, mobile phones and other mobile gadgets.
While Windows sleeps
Dell, Intel and their partners announced this week new technologies that represent major leaps forward for mobility. The companies seem to have discovered the secret to making such bold leaps: Cut Microsoft out of the deal.
Man vs. not-so-wild
Survivalist TV shows like Man vs. Wild and Survivorman pit man against nature in harsh environments around the world. The hosts of these programs demonstrate how to survive in the wilderness with nothing but a knife and a lot of know-how about finding food, shelter and a way out.
Is your mobile phone trying to kill you?
Don't look now, but your mobile phone is out to get you. This deadly device can cause accidents, give you cancer or even kill you, according to a rising chorus of alarmist reports.
Elgan: Why expensive mobile phones are worth it
The price of the new iPhone 3G dropped by $200 in the US. Although the phone bills necessary to take advantage of the phone's faster data speeds rose beyond handset savings, many hailed the lower price as an important development. Finally, the price is within the range of what people are willing to pay.
You can be Batman, too
Batman: The Dark Knight, the most highly anticipated of the series yet, hit cinemas on Thursday.
Independence Day (from the grid, that is)
I was wrapping up my weekly column this evening, when suddenly the power went out. I had bought a nice uninterruptible power supply (UPC) for my desktop PC recently, but hadn't gotten around to plugging it in, so my system just went dark and the fan was silenced in an instant.
Control your BlackBerry with voice commands
The BlackBerry from Research In Motion is the most popular line of mobile phones in part because they tend to be easier to type on than most other phones. We e-mail addicts love them.