What mobile device have you owned (or used, or lusted after) that are you are still the most fired up about? I'm talking about the best few devices, that you would even consider repurchasing just for the nostalgia factor. I'd really like to hear what devices others have become attached to over the years.
It's not on my list, but I expect to hear a lot of iPhone and Kindle answers, as well as Psion, HP Journada, etc from some of the folks that have been hooked on mobile devices for a long time. But those aren't even on my list!
So to get things started, here are my favorites of all time, which still get me misty eyed when I think of them ever so fondly...
- TI SR-56 Programmable Calculator
This is what I consider to be the beginning of programming and mobile computing for me. I moved up soon to the TI-59 with more power and a magnetic storage strip that preserves programs on removable media, but the 56 will always have a special place in my heart.
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- Radio Shack TRS-80 Pocket Computer
This was one of three TRS-80 computers I have owned. Probably made by Sharp, and later I bought a more advanced Sharp version. Only a 1 line display. But a full keypad and BASIC built in. I wrote programs like a flash card study aid, and even wrote a cross-compiler on my TRS-80 Model 3 to allow me to write assembler (which also helped overcome the small memory limitations). I may also still have this in a box somewhere.
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- HP 15C Calculator
A scientific RPN calculator. This was maybe the best built device I've ever used! So solid and the buttons felt so good to push, and the display was beautiful to look at. I really hope it's in a box somewhere and that I didn't get rid of this in a mad fit of "clean up the house".
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- Sony Clie SJ-33
My first PDAs were a couple of Palm Pilots. But this was the first one that had a color high-resolution screen and a rechargeable battery. Once that came out, one could really see what mobile computing would be. It did mp3 audio, videos, ebooks, PIM stuff, etc. I even liked the convenience and protection of the silly Star Trek communicator flip cover.
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- Treo 700p
It's still my current personal phone. And I prefer it over my much more modern work Blackberry, which is a Bold 9000. The Treo 650 was my first smartphone (I was a reluctant convert to the merging of phone and PDA), but for some reason, when I think "early generation of smartphone", the Treo 700p is what I think of.
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- Sony Reader PRS-500
This is a favorite for so many reasons, including the association with MobileRead and folks like yvanleterrible (who hand created the beautiful custom-made wooden case I have for it), and as the beginning of the dedicated e-book reader revolution, of course. It's still my only e-ink device, so far. It's wonderful in the sunlight or a bright lamp, but over the years I've found lack of bright light to be more and more of an issue. Maybe because the screen is duller, but maybe because my eyes are more delicate these days. Or maybe because I am more demanding about screen display quality as the bar has been raised so much by newer devices. But most of my reading is now done on my iPad, which is not ideal due to the less settling LCD display, but is "good enough", great in dim light (but not in sunlight), and I almost always have it handy.
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I'm sure I've forgotten some. And there are many others that I've enjoyed, but didn't create the same emotional attachment. My iPad would have made the list, but I wanted to give it the test of time before it takes a place in my list.
Looking forward to hearing what mobile devices were special to you folks!
<Sorry about the extra dots - wasn't sure how to create a blank line between bullets. Anyone know a trick?>