UMPC-The Ultimate Stall Surfing Device

I’ve been posting recently about my adventures in installing Vista on the Asus R2H, (as have others) and also about my adventures in using the R2H as a traveling mobile device. Although I’m disappointed that Asus hasn’t stepped up to the plate with Vista drivers for a machine stamped Vista Capable yet, I have to say, that I am still quite smitten with the Asus R2H and am increasingly more enamored of using an Ultra-Mobile PC on the road. Perhaps that’s where my disappointment comes from: recognizing the potential that’s so close, but not there yet.

But that disappointment aside, the UMPC excels in another area that I guess can be defined as mobile in some ways, depending on your point of view. That is as a stall surfing device. Yes, you read that right. This post may border on a TMI kind of thing, but for all you closet stall surfers out there (you know who you are), I think the UMPC might just be the ticket.

We are beginning to see a raft of new gadget products aimed at the bathroom entertainment set, and I think it is time for the Ultra-Mobile PC to take its place in that market. I mean really, why do you need all of the gear in the picture to the right when you can have a UMPC? It is the perfect stall surfing device for small restrooms.

If your work load is like mine, finding a few moments of solitude to scan feeds, or read the news can sometimes be a blessing, if not a brief vacation from the craziness of work. And it certainly is a bit more discreet to tote a smaller device down the hall into a water closet than it is a Tablet PC or a laptop.

Those Tablet PC Podcaster Guys, James Kendrick and Marc Orchant, said recently on one of their podcasts that UMPCs are enabling devices. Well, in this category they are certainly correct. (And I suspect they know from experience.)

Of course the temptation for workaholics is to continue the work flow when you have those few moments behind closed doors. But I find it easy to resist those temptations and instead use the time for a bit of R&R. Using the navigation buttons on the R2H to surf the web is easy enough, and if you bring your earbuds along, you can use the Origami Experience to provide a suitable entertainment experience as well.

In fact, I think one could reasonably assign a new name to the acronym, UMPC. How about Ultra-Mobile Pottie Computer? So, stall surfers come out of your closet! Your secret has been flushed out into the open anyway.