Handtops, UMPC - I got my OQO!

11/09/04 + tnkgrl

I just got my OQO! I'm going to unpack it and take pictures... I'll let you know as soon as the pictures are up on my host

Recent Blog: tnkgrl's journal

11/10/04 + JeffD

Sometimes the natural way of holding it puts your fingers right over the antennas. But as it stands now, I am getting approximately bluetooth range coverage. Solid Excellent when standing next to a base station, Fluctuating Good at 10 feet, Good-to-Low at 20 and beyond. The brief fluctuations down into dropped are what is killing me.

I am going to go shop for antennas.

edited: Nov 10 2004 + lungcookie

You will definitely see signal strength drop if your finger is over the antenna. They mention this in the "WiFi antenna orientation" KB article.

Try wrapping your index finger around the back instead of resting it along the edge.

Recent Blog: lungcookie's OQO Blog

11/10/04 + JeffD

Blah. This is really depressing. USB wifi keys are as big as my OQO

Anyone know if any of the "third party" folks mentioned in the FAQ are going to make an antenna.

11/10/04 + dbruzzone

JeffD

"Blah. This is really depressing. USB wifi keys are as big as my OQO"

This is not entirely true. I use a USB 802.11b "thumb" on my PowerBook (because of the Airport Extreme chipset's complete lack of support/open source friendliness) that's the size of a thumb.

I'm not sure if its the D-Link DWL-122 (I don't have it with me right now) but it looks like it is...

It would definately stick out at the bottom of the OQO, but if the OQO's wireless radio is that bad (I haven't tried it yet), you should get much better reception with a small USB adapter.

Additionally, if the OQO radio's support under, say, Linux ends up being non-functional or incomplete, a USB adapter with a well-supported chipset would give you the operating system's full range of wireless capabilities.

Recent Blog: dbruzzone's OQO journal - Day two

edited: Nov 10 2004 + tnkgrl

*jordo9998*, there's indeed a fan inside the OQO but it's very quiet...

*JeffD*, I'm experiencing similar WiFi signal limitations and similar tablet limitations! The WiFi signal is pretty weak in my office at work but definitely stronger at home. The tablet is not as accurate as I expected even after careful calibrating.

I like the docking cable and the neoprene case. There's a even padded surface on one side of the neoprene case to protect the screen and power button

Recent Blog: Bluetooth hack for the Asus 701 (Eee)

edited: Nov 10 2004 + fil

dbruzzone said: "
If someone can suggest a good/free online picture site that allows me to easily share albums, I'll post the pictures I took of the OQO next to a 12" PowerBook and a Sony PCG-U101.
Cheers..."

imageshack.us or photos.yahoo.com are great hosting locations.

Nice feedback.
Please keep giving updates on your impressions of the device such as perceived performance.

Recent Blog: Apple iPhone Switch

edited: Nov 10 2004 + fil

JeffD said: "I would like to revise my earlier statement of the WiFi being weak to being very weak. Strength seems to run in peaks and valleys. Since I have to be connected to VPN most of the time, if it dips to a disconnect, I get bumped off VPN. The WiFi will reconnect pretty quickly, so it might not be a problem for some, but I am left hanging on VPN."

I see that a lot of folks stating that the built-in OQO Wifi isn't so strong.

Buy an omni antenna and connect it to the external antenna connector at the bottom of the OQO.

I suggest a mini patch omni antenna such as this one:
link

Here's a homemade mini patch antenna:
link

You can get 20-300+ with an antenna (the record is 55.1 miles link

I use a Yagi antenna for war driving (for work purposes

) and have a patch panel velcroed to my work Thinkpad X41.

Have fun!

Recent Blog: Apple iPhone Switch

edited: Nov 10 2004 + fil

lungcookie said: "I also am disappointed with the stylus. It just doesn't work well near the edges of the screen. I wonder is the metal is interfering with the signal."

With a 5" screen and resolution of 800x480, the actve digitizer sounded like a good idea on the OQO but it appears to be poor execution making the OQO more of a thumb board use handtop.

With a 5" screen and resolution of 800x600, the passize digitizer and ability to use any pointing stick OR FINGER appears to be more functional on the Sony U50. This and no attached keyboard, makes the Sony U50 more of a mini tablet.

Recent Blog: Apple iPhone Switch

11/10/04 + fil

Do the current OQO owners find the 800x480 screen scrolling annoying?

My Sony Picturebooks were annoying with a 1024x480 screen resolution because things like Desktop-->right mouse-->Properties (screen) and the screen properties window were off the screen.

I think 800x600 is the minimum screen resolution.
Fonts at this resolution are very readable.

Recent Blog: Apple iPhone Switch

edited: Nov 10 2004 + garylm

tnkgrl said: "fan inside the OQO but it's very quiet"

My wife said it sounded like a jet engine when I was playing a DVD.

Recent Blog: Travelling With the OQO

11/10/04 + Chekote

@ fil:

The larger dialogue windows can be a nuisance. But they are very rare. There is no problem with the font sizes whatsoever. I even shrank the fonts 3 points on my OQO and its still perfectly readable (at 10pts).

@ Garylm:

It sounds like that when I play UT too. A very very tiny jet engine. Note to readers: The noise is not loud at all, it just sounds like a jet engine because of the pitch changes when the fan speeds up.

Recent Blog: Flipstart Camera

11/10/04 + JeffD

Heh. With the stylus performance, that homemade antenna has me thinking about gutting that pen and turning it into an antenna

I doubt my soldering skills are up to par though :P

Thanks for those other links though. The omni antenna is interesting, but I wonder if it would fit the hook up on the OQO. The say the OQO port is non-standard.

There is a good chance I will give the DLink adapter try.

--posted from my OQO--