Thinkgeek: An item i need in my laptop bag

We often are overloaded with gadgets and gizmos. I have drawers full of whatsits and thingamabobbers.  Everything imaginable works off USB now. But I always am out of one thing.....A plug.

One plug is generally not enough anymore. I usually need two.  One to charge the phone and one to run whatever other laptop devices (work or personal) i am carrying.  I could carry a small power strip but lets face it...does our carry-on bags or laptop bags really need to be more bulky or more heavy?

Enter this device at ThinkGeek

Small, and it removes the need for me to need more then one device. Moreover I can leech power out from under someone else's plug. 

Phones and Pads: Opinions

When the iPhone hit the market there was a turmoil and then again when the iPad hit the ground. Immediately everyone copied the iPhone and then everyone copied the iPad. 

One major question was asked. Which one do I need? I certainly don't need both.  And so the struggle began by consumers.  Two wireless plans?  Or do I try to tether.  Oh crap the mobile companies are going to gouge me on tethering.  If I get a cheap phone and a Pad device I can eliminate the need for an expensive data plan but then I don't have data while really mobile.....etc etc

So companies in an effort, not to help you fix this problem but get you to spend more and developing combo Phone/Pad devices.  ASUS has the PadPhone (thanks for great articles by Engadget) and CMIT's TransPhone are in my opinion just falling in behind Motorola Atrix's Laptop Dock. 

Essentially they want you to buy both devices.  See the companies only make money off the device. The service provider is the one sucking the marrow from your bones.   So Apple figured out how to strike better deals getting a percentage of your service and these other guys are just going to make you want more device.

Either way you are paying a fortune.  And as these devices evolve so too will the mobile providers suck more money out of you.  A friend of mine out in California gave me the idea to get a mobile router (MiFi) device and just put your data into that.  

I suggest it for a couple reasons.  It still allows me to get data on any wifi enabled device i choose to buy in the future.  I pay essentially one data plan and I can connect multiple devices (with my hardware i can connect 5 devices your mileage may vary).  It has simplified my data usage and has allowed me to downgrade any phone data plan i already had.  I also purchased a wifi only pad device and i just use the Wireless Router for accessing the internet.   Sure its not as fast as a phone with 3g/4g internet. I will give you that.

Having used a smartphone now for some time. (Original Sidekick to Current iPhone) I have to say that my phone primarily is used to look up numbers and directions. Beyond that if i need to view a website in a pinch a small screen works.  But still to this day if I am going to write a letter of any length, blog entry, or take notes...i need something larger then a phone.  Sure it can do it but its a backup function in my opinion. 

I have an iPad as well.  Now this has completely convinced me I don't need a laptop of any kind. And if my job didn't require certain software and hardware I could basically do 90% of my work on a company iPad.

I have to tell you....carry a iPad and then carry your laptop to and from meetings.   I'll take my iPad any-day.  Anyone who complains about typing on an iPad never gave it more then one try in my opinion.  I touch type and it works just fine.

My key issue now is.....there needs to be better integration between phone and pads.  I need seamless connection between my two devices.  That is the next seller for me.