====== Wireless and mobile devices ======

Internet connectivity is central to the nomadic experience for many people, and mobile devices are how they use the net.  


===== smartphones =====

Because of their pocketability, low power consumption, and omnipresence phones are often the main mobile device.


Pro:  portability, battery life, availability of apps, connected by wifi or wireless data, charge from USB.

Con:  small screen, no keyboard, no pointing device, limited internal storage, limited RAM.  Some (iPhone?) are picky about chargers. Easy to drop and break. 

==== use as netbooks ====
Smartphones (and tablets -- next section) can be pressed into service as netbook work-a-likes by the addition of:
  * a [[http://amzn.to/2FSKAHL|phone stand]] to hold the device at a useful handsfree viewingangle (usually horizontally)
  * a [[http://amzn.to/2G48mDP|portable bluetooth keyboard]].  Some have a phone stand built in.
  * a [[http://amzn.to/2G6pKba|bluetooth mouse]] or other pointing device, sometimes built into the keyboard mentioned above.  

Note:  the keyboards mentioned above are normal keyboards, although usually sized smaller.  There are also [[http://amzn.to/2FW3opC|mini wireless keyboards]] used for "lean-back" experiences with devices but they are not for touch typing. If you hunt-and-peck anyhow one of these phone-sized keyboards with integrated touchpad might work fine for you.  They come in bluetooth and 2.4G wireless.



===== tablets =====

Although the metaphor breaks down, tablets can be thought of as large phones without built-in voice/data services.  The majority are wifi-only.

Pro: bigger screen, more space for larger battery, easier to read ebooks on, 

Con:  heavier, usually not pocketable. 
===== laptops =====

These are effectively computers that can be used away from the home/office or off grid.

//Laptop// and //notebook// are often used interchangeably and the difference between them may be lost.  Historically, a laptop was a PC replacement and a notebook was a light (6lbs or less) device for geared for mobile work and entertainment.   //Chromebooks// are Google products that have minimal "hard drive" and are intended mainly as always-connected //cloud// devices.  //Netbooks// are very small notebooks that can often be carried in a cargo pocket. 

Pro:  physical keyboards and touchpads, relatively powerful, built-in networking.

Con:  usually limited battery life, size, weight, expense.



===== other wifi devices =====

==== kindle ====


=== iPod ===