Stuff I can do (Almost) Anywhere

Thanks to a pocket computer with a touch screen, a nationwide wireless network infrastructure, and a variety of free services, I can do many things almost anywhere.

1. Make a phone call, including long-distance.
2. Put a phone call on hold to answer another caller.
3. Conference upto 5 people in one call.
4. Instantly message someone and carry on a text chat
5. Receive and send email from multiple accounts
6. Browse websites, as well as on a desktop computer (or better).
7. Listen to any of thousands of songs selected by artist, playlists and more.
8. Take good quality pictures, with panorama or zoom support
9. Record a video
10. Organize videos and photos into albums, or view them by location.
11. Type notes.
12. Set reminders and check off to-do lists.
13. Record sounds or capture voice memos.
14. Check the time locally, or any time zone or world city.
15. Set alarms for selected times and days, with distinctive sounds.
16. Snooze through your alarm.
17. Stopwatch recording as many laps as you want.
18. Set a timer from 1 minute to 24 hours and anything in between.
19. Calculator - both numeric and scientific
20. Compass including lat-long with precision within 100 feet.
21. Contacts integrated with phone, email, messaging and maps.
22. Sync multiple calendars and view them by day/week/month
23. Add new items to the calendar, directly or from within email.
24. Search notes, music, contacts, and more.
25. Maps for current location or any part of the world.
26. Turn by turn directions by multiple modes of transport.
27. Read books, with bookmarks and highlighting.
28. Read magazines and periodicals specially formatted.
29. Refer to dictionary from within books, while browsing or more.
30. Lock the device to require a pass phrase for access.
31. Locate the device when lost.
32. Remotely delete all data on device if it is lost.
33. Purchase and download new songs, albums and music videos
34. Purchase and download old and new books, or periodicals.
35. Rent or purchase newly released movies.
36. Purchase new apps with additional functionalities, such as….
    • Weather and 5-day forecast for current location or any city.
    • Watch entertaining videos and movie clips for free.
    • Watch movies with monthly subscription.
    • Find restaurants near you with ratings and reviews.
    • Find movies in nearby theaters.
    • Find and book airline tickets.
    • Tell the world what I am doing, where and with whom and vice versa.
    • Play games - tens of thousands of creative variations of every kind.
    • And more… thousands of custom apps for every imaginable activity.

In addition to cellular networks, it can also connect wirelessly to personal networks and accessories. It resembles a slab of glass, about 1/3” thick, and most of its top surface is the screen.

I got it for $200 down, and pay $70 per month. I expect to keep this device for two years at a total cost of around $2000. That’s roughly the same price as a previous generation personal computer, but with 10x more functions and 1/10th the form factor.

As we explore the future of ubiquity, this is our baseline and frame of reference.