Despite the Archos 5 and the iPad being very different in terms of size, software and even elements of the hardware, there’s still a connecting factor. These two devices are both devices that focus on home use but are very tempting to use as part of an-ultra mobile productivity solution. It’s great to see people testing out devices in this way and Hector, the author of the guest post below has gone much further than most will with their iPad. Thanks Hector for taking the time to explain how you use both devices and where each device fits into your routine.

The iPad and Archos 5 IT

I was one of the ones that pre-ordered my iPad to pick up at my local Apple store on April 3. I had originally thought that I might just change my mind and not get it. As time got closer I decided to go ahead and get my iPad. I also had put another iPad on pre-order for my wife, (she didn’t know it until we were at the store and one of the Apple employee’s was coming up the line and asking for name and then he said, oh you have 2 iPad’s on pre-order. That’s when she found out, priceless.)

I will start off, by saying that neither of these two devices are laptop replacements, but you really can do what you need to do on the road without bringing along your laptop. At least for me it is possible with all third party software to make this happen. Since I am doing this comparison between both I will be writing this on my iPad using Notes App and Think Outside Bluetooth keyboard.

The screen on the iPad is great to work for longer periods and I have used it all day. With the A5 having a smaller screen does a good job for using on short sessions. Battery life is great on both devices but the iPad really has the best so far. I haven’t had to worry about running out of battery on the iPad, and even though I can get a whole day of use on the A5 as well the iPad still gives me more. I set up my iPad and all my devices to sync with Google calendar, contacts, etc… so when I enter appointments on my iPad calendar they sync right over to my BlackBerry Storm wireless and don’t have to worry about having to sync to my Macbook, or my Netbook that I also use. I recently purchased the Verizon MiFi and going to cancel my tethering option from my BlackBerry.

The iPad is screen is visible outside in the day and really doesn’t affect the way I do my work when I am outdoors. If the sun is bright and I can still keep the brightness at about 75% and I can still view the screen. On the Archos 5, I have to set the brightness all the way to 100% and it’s not as viewable as the iPad. Not that you can see the screen on the A5, it’s just that once you get use to the iPad screen it is a little harder to get back to the A5 screen. Here you can see the screen of the iPad outdoors and you can view the screen without any problems. You can see reflection on the screen, but when you are viewing the screen you don’t really see it as much as in the picture.

Most people are trying to compare the iPad to a Netbook, Notebook, or a computer, and it is not. You have to remember that it can’t be compared to a PC, even though you can do most of your work with applications that are available from the App Store. Yes you do have to purchase these to make more use of the iPad, but to me it is worth the portability of the iPad when I just want to be able to do some work without bringing my Laptop. With the Archos 5 it is possible to do work, but only if I will be doing very limited work on it.

Lately I have been taking the iPad more with me than my Archos 5, because I am able to Log back into my computer at home and also to the office using LogMeIn and Desktop connect and work really good. These are great apps for the iPad and run any application from the remote computers. On the A5, I haven’t found an RDP app to use to connect to my office so again the iPad will see more use. I still haven’t installed any Word app for the iPad, but GoodReader for the iPad is a excellent app that lets me actually drop files straight into the iPad or download any files that I have in my DropBox or Google account to my iPad, and upload any file back to either accounts. This works great because when I want to travel light I can grab my Archos 5 and hit the road and still be able to access the same files as I would on my computer or iPad. With both the iPad and A5 I can compose or answer email on the road but it is more comfortable to do this on the iPad, again because of the capacitive screen. For those long emails, or documents the BT keyboard comes into use for either device. The screen on the A5 is not as easy to use as the iPad. You have to use a stylus on the A5 for better experience. Now that I have been using the iPad the screen on the A5 is not as easy as I thought it was to click on things and get around. I find myself clicking a few times to open up apps on the A5. I do have the market place on the A5, but the iPad has more apps from the App Store. This gives you more options and usually be able to find something that will work for you and make more use out of the iPad. Since the A5 doesnt have the official Android ‘Google apps’ , you don’t get full access to the Marketplace but I have been able to get what I need on my A5 installed to make use of it on the road and be productive. It is great to have the A5 in your back pocket and get a email from the office and get the info for a certain job without having to carry anything bigger. Yes my BlackBerry Storm can do the same but some of the files I get are PDF and contain several pages so it is easier to read on the A5, when I don’t need anything bigger than the A5t. Also if I just need a file I can get it by using DropBox and download the document or whatever file I need to my A5. Another plus for the A5, is that I use it as a GPS when I carry it with me; iPad has AGPS [I believe Hector means Wifi-based location services Ed.] which works great too, but it’s not as accurate as the A5. I have NDrive and CoPilot Live on my A5.

I like the CoPilot features and I can check traffic and weather at the location that I will be arriving. The scrolling is great on the iPad when you want to scroll pages or when in a browser. Reading books is much better on the iPad than the A5, but if I was standing in a line the A5 would be much better to use then the iPad. Zino magazine app is another great one on the iPad to view your magazines. No more worrying about bringing all your subscriptions with you when your out in the road, because with the Zino app you have all in your iPad along with your books if you have the iBooks, Kindle, and B & N app installed. The music player is much better on the iPad and having the iTunes on it is a plus compare to the A5. By using iTunes you don’t necessary have to buy the music from iTunes, just to sync it to your iPad, which is what I do. I will be pairing up the iPad with the Bluetooth to my car to be able to play music, music videos to play right over to the car stereo. I already do this with my iPod Touch and works great. Besides been able to do all my work stuff on the iPad and most on the A5, I get more done with the iPad because of the other apps that are available on it.

Another great app is NetFlix. You can watch movies if you have a NetFlix subscription and can add new movies to your Que or watch what you have and if you pause the movie, you can resume from where you left off next time you play the movie. The iPad pretty much doesn’t get hot at all. The only spot I can feel some heat; I should say warmness is at the top corner where the power off switch is on the front part of the glass. The Archos 5 actually feels warmer in the back, but again nothing like you would feel on a computer.

The browser is much better on the iPad then the A5 in my opinion not that the A5 browser is bad just much faster and fluid on the iPad. I do have the Dolphin Browser on the A5 which works fairly good on it and lets you browse with taps very easily. Here is the Dolphin Browser in action. Even though you can’t play or view flash websites on either devices, I haven’t run into problems where I would need it for anything using both of the devices.

Even if I put the A5 on standby, the iPad seems to be faster [to start-up? Ed.]  than the A5. This isn’t much but when you’re on the run, this makes a difference. Since I have the Incase case, I just push the power button off and close the flap and grab the iPad and out I go from the office with the ability to be able to either control computer or be productive on the road and get my work done.

Both devices are geared towards a portable media device and the iPad does a better job at this. You can sync your favorite movies, TV shows, or video PodCast along with your favorite music. You can always download ABC app to watch some shows on the road as well. The Archos 5 does have more options to watch video formats which is much better but, the way you can open up iTunes and look for your favorite Podcast makes it so easy on the iPad. I know you can download Air Video from App Store to play other video formats on the iPad but from what I see is it won’t work for video files in the iPad. The sound is much better on the iPad vs Archos 5, even if the room is pretty noisy you can still pretty much hear the iPad. On the Archos 5 sounds loud but kind of sounds a little distorted.

Using PadNotes for filling out PDF files that I might need to fill out on the road and this is a great app. On the A5 I am only able to review the PDF file and not fill it out as with the iPad.

Let me start like every other blogger that can’t be bothered to deal with Apple fanatics in comments. I like the iPad and it has a place in the world. It’s making people think about different usage scenarios in ways that Origami/UMPCs never had the chance too. With over 500,000 devices out there, some great discussion and experimentation is taking place.

This article is aimed squarely at people that want to be connected and productive while mobile. Through years of testing mobile computing (and consumer internet) devices we’ve picked up plenty of knowledge on the subject and in this article, I list the significant items that are important when considering the iPad. The list doesn’t just apply to the iPad of course and it’s not exhaustive but seeing as many are looking to use the iPad as a productive device (and I’m honestly very happy that people are trying) it makes sense to put this information out there.

Your comments are, as always, encouraged and anything relevant will be folded back into the list for the benefit of everyone.

So lets start by me explaining how I’m writing this article. I’m using the tiny but powerful Fujitsu U820 (variant) which is running Windows XP. Connected to the device are a wireless mouse and keyboard, a 160GB USB drive, my Nokia phone (it’s charging via USB) my HiFi and  a 1440×900 21 inch monitor. I’ve been using this ‘grab and go’ solution as my desktop for over a month.

The iPad can do some of that, for sure, but let’s take a deeper look into the limitations because what you see there is just the start of it. Not all issues will apply to you and some issues may become obsolete after iPad OS upgrades but as it stands today, here they are.

Multitasking. With Livewriter, 5 Firefox tabs, Gtalk and Last.FM running I’m obviously taking advantage of Multitasking. I could Close everything but livewriter but I’ve been side-by-siding a similar article I’ve written to make sure I’ve covered everything. That simple operation just wouldn’t be possible on the iPad. Single-tasking DOES preserve user experience but most users also know how to preserve it themselves.

Keyboard. If you want to be truly mobile and productive, you need to be looking at a thumb keyboard either in two-handed mode or single handed mode. There’s no substitution and if someone tells you ‘I can reach 55 WPM’ just consider some of the stress levels involved in using a keyboard with no tactile feedback. Also think about multi-key shortcuts, preserving screen space and programmable keys. The iPad can give you all the characters you want but it will be slow, heavy and a stressful.

Tablet Form factor. During the ultra mobile PC years many of us shouted loud about the need for keyboards in slider and clamshell designs. Tablets work in some scenarios but they never really satisfied anyone. Even if you marry the right software with the right touch hardware, you’re still left with a form factor that has limitations. Nothing can really fix that and the popularity of netbooks should be testament to that. Input of any kind on a tablet PC can be stressful and unproductive in many scenarios.

Processing power. Apple have done an awesome job with the ARM Cortex-based CPU but it’s still slow in comparison to CPU’s on PC’s. Looking at some of the thin and light CULV devices (the Acer Aspire Timeline 1820PTZ often comes up in discussions) you’re paying a similar price for many many times the processing power. Even looking at basic things like web page processing, you’ll see a big difference that could save many minutes a day.

Memory. If you get into any sort of professional work from creating documents, coding and editing photo’s, memory is a must. You need memory and you need lots of it if you want to get productive.

Adobe Flash. Regardless of whether you like it or not, it’s there. Not only for advertising and video but for many other uses from graphs to product comparisons. The same is true of Java, AIR, Silverlight and others come into the mix too.

Weight. 680gm is nothing for a computer but when you’re mobile, it can turn out to be too much. One-handed use is a particular problem with a tablet when you don’t have a surface to rest it on. Try holding the edge in landscape mode and pressing a few keys. The leverage on the wrist is huge. For document reading, this isn’t the best solution.

No 3G. Tethering and 3G routers are a great solution but take it from someone that has used all the solutions; there’s nothing like built in 3G. Ease-of use. Antenna strength. Battery life. Reduced points of failure. Accounting. If you want to go mobile, get the best built-in antenna possible and a quality 3G chipset. I still haven’t found anything that beats the reception on my Gigabyte Touchnote and when I’m sitting in a conference watching people trying to hook-up to the Internet, I’m happy I invested in it.

Capacitive touchscreen Capacitive touchscreens are good for some things (Glass solution. Light finger touch) but bad for others. The accuracy of a capacitive touchscreen becomes a major issue for annotations (marking up docs, signing) handwriting recognition and any type of graphical operation. Accurately cropping a photo can be a problem on a capacitive touchscreen.

We’ve watched the crossover of hardware happen in the last 12 months, agreements to share core operating system elements between phone and PC manufacturers and today, with an agreement between Nokia and Microsoft, we’re seeing the user-level software seal the deal.

NEW YORK — Aug. 12, 2009 — The worldwide leader in software and the world’s largest smartphone manufacturer have entered into an alliance that is set to deliver a groundbreaking, enterprise-grade solution for mobile productivity. Today, Microsoft Business Division President Stephen Elop and Nokia’s Executive Vice President for Devices Kai Öistämö announced the agreement, outlining a shared vision for the future of mobile productivity. This is the first time that either company has embarked on an alliance of this scope and nature.

Under the terms of the agreement, the two companies will begin collaborating immediately on the design, development and marketing of productivity solutions for the mobile professional, bringing Microsoft Office Mobile and Microsoft business communications, collaboration and device management software to Nokia’s Symbian devices. These solutions will be available for a broad range of Nokia smartphones starting with the company’s business-optimized range, Nokia Eseries. The two companies will also market these solutions to businesses, carriers and individuals.

…

This announcement builds on the existing work Nokia is doing by optimizing access to e-mail and other personal information with Exchange ActiveSync. Next year, Nokia intends to start shipping Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile on its smartphones, followed by other Office applications and related software and services in the future. These will include:

• The ability to view, edit, create and share Office documents on more devices in more places with mobile-optimized versions of Microsoft Word, Microsoft PowerPoint, Microsoft Excel and Microsoft OneNote

• Enterprise instant messaging and presence, and optimized conferencing and collaboration experience with Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile

• Mobile access to intranet and extranet portals built on Microsoft SharePoint Server

• Enterprise device management with Microsoft System Center

“Having these two major players cooperating at this level will help us continue to meet our customers’ needs and reinforces our future business mobility strategy, inch said Diane Sanchez, head of Telefonica USA.

[Source]

There are many many journalists out there that are better positioned and experienced than I so, for commentary, I point you to the huge related linklist at Techmeme.

The only question I want to ask here is, are you excited about this? I personally don’t use Microsoft productivity products as all my work processes use cloud-based services so I’ll be really honest and say that I find this all rather boring! E-series Symbian-based devices and Microsoft Sync couldn’t be further down my wishlist!

As much fun as a small device is on the road once it is setup, you need to get it to that point. With or without keyboard may not matter once you are on the go, but you need to get your device to that point.

Using the example of the OQO + Windows Live Mesh we will use the slightly hidden but very useful Live Mesh Remote Desktop to achieve our goal. (This procedure of course can be used for other devices running Windows as well using any remote desktop application which works for you.)

Why use a remote Desktop?

Syncing files is just one part of the equation and even if your MID has a nice keyboard, it is no comparison to your big keyboard, mouse and monitor when you want to setup all your tools and applications. And before that, you want to familiarize yourself with all the bells and whistles the little device might have. This is much easier achieved when you are not distracted by a different input device.

You can make a regular routine out of how to use the device in combination with your main computer. Usually when I travel, I have a special folder containing all the files I need and also save all files I need back on a special folder on my mobile device. This way I am crystal clear what needs to be synced or not. Using it with Live Mesh has the additional benefit that you should be able to sync files against the cloud and just switch on your MID before you go onto tour.

Step 1: Take care of your battery

One of the more expensive and fragile parts of your MID is the battery. Call me superstitious, but I like like to remove the battery so I do not have to worry about any kind of strain on the battery. Plus you do not need to worry about running out of battery if you leave the device on for some hours during syncing / installing.

Unplug the battery, connect to power and boot the OQO (Additional settings should be done once you are connected with the big computer).

Step 2: Install Windows Live Mesh on all machines

In order to use the device syncing and remote desktop capability of Live Mesh you need a Windows Live ID and the software. Head over to mesh.com and take a look at the feature list or more detailed information. While the main purpose is to have a ‘place in the cloud’ for your data or access your home computer through the web, we will use it ‘just’ for setting up our tools.

• get a Windows Live ID if you don’t have one yet
• download the Live Mesh Software
• install it on both machines, your main computer and the MID device
• start the software on each and add your device to the mesh

A more detailed instruction with pictures can be found here.

You can now try and sync folders and more, but we will work with the Remote Desktop. If you already have folders in your mesh, it will add these to the desktop without syncing them but with a remote desktop it is easy to clean up.

Step 3: Connecting the devices

As soon as both devices are online and are connected through a Wifi (make sure it is not a connection through your Sim card unless you have a flat rate) you will be able to see the ‘Connect to this device’ in your main computer. In the picture below you can see that I have several computers in my cloud Noir is my big computer, Cutie my laptop (currently offline) and Live Desktop is your desktop in the cloud. By default you get 5 GB of storage on that Live Desktop, more than enough for most.

After clicking "Connect to device" it may take some time until your MID shows a popup window asking you to accept the remote access. Once you have agreed, you now have access to your little device through your big computer!

This is how the screen looks like (click on it for a larger image):

Step 4: Switch on the power

Now that your devices are connected and you are on normal power, you should change the power plan (right click on the power symbol, Power options).

I switched to "high performance" but remember to switch back.

Step 5: Setup and Install

You can now work with the device to run

• anything requiring installation / download because it is much easier to configure this through the remote desktop on the device
• anything needing login / passwords you can fill your browser / apps with all the relevant ones, like for example twitter / Flickr / Friendfeed
• setup complicated bookmarks like for twitter search or others which would be hard to type on the keyboard
• setup tools like Google Gears for Gmail and sync them while connected to real power and possible strong Wifi

Step 6: Disconnecting

Disconnecting the systems is very easy, you just click CTRL-ALT-Delete or press the according menu point on the Live Mesh Screen. If you are done for the day with installing and setting everything up, remember to switch the battery settings back and shut down the little device from the big desktop. Voila.

Problems I ran into

• Size of the desktop: As Live Mesh insists to have a special side bar, I was not able to have a screen in full resolution without scrolling or a slightly ugly font. Also the bar "You are now connected to OQO" was located at a least useful place on the screen, if I would run Firefox in full screen mode it would be exactly on the tab bar.
• you need to remember to switch back the power plan once you are back on normal battery. In my opinion it should automatically switch to high performance when it detects the power cord connection.
• the keyboard layout still is in English while I am typing on a German keyboard. This is relevant more for the special characters like :.?@ etc which are on a different keyboard than I am used to, but rather than switching over to a German setting, if I had something I was not able to type right away, I used copy and paste which works seamlessly between the desktops
• Usually, everything is synced through the cloud. But according to the Live Mesh team you can setup some fold
  ers to only be directly connected without the cloud which would be helpful for files which are large or should not go into the cloud. Problem I found was that this does not work, at least not on my side. But in theory it should.

Overall it is an easy and simple way to connect the two devices out of the box with one another and setup everything I need and want to use.