Learning Pulse

Mobile Learning - a PDA laptop

The backlight on my laptop died (that's another story), but I found it too big anyways to open on my lap on a crowded bus. It also took forever to shut down or hibernate and bag it before missing my stop. I do however, have a Palm Pilot or personal digital assistant (PDA). I'm not very prolific at pecking away one letter at a time with the stylus, so I bought a wireless keyboard, but I found it next to impossible to hold in place on my lap on a bus.

Rather than pay more money for another peripheral, I improvised my own laptop. I'm trying out my setup for writing my thoughts and emails on my Palm Pilot while on the bus — when I can get a seat. I bought the self-adhesive velcro at a dollar store and put it on my Palm Pilot, keyboard and the top of my clipboard. Now I can maintain the wireless connection and type without having to worry about anything falling off my lap. I can also get off at my stop without having to put anything away.
The PDA and keyboard stay in place even with the clipboard upside down. The soft velcro seems best on the PDA and keyboard so they won't grab at everything, and the rough velcro seems best for the clipboard. I tested out the adhesion of the velcro to the clipboard and PDA over a mattress first).

posted by Brian @ 4:44 PM