The New York Times tech blog

You'd think the New York Times would stink at blogging. You'd be wrong. The paper's tech writers are at CES and sending these short and informative posts about what they're seeing.

What interests me most is the OQO 1-pound PC, which also merited a full story. Mentioned in the blog: The small PC, made by a San Francisco company (yes, it could be the next Apple, the article implies strongly), makes an audible "scream" if you drop it. That noise is the sound of the OQO preparing to protect its hard drive.

My obsession has been portable, powerful (and preferably instantly booting) computers that communicate with anything, anywhere. Here's the pitch on the OQO from the NYT (check out the picture on the NYT site-- they're grungy enough to be real San Franciscans):

Developed in a San Francisco warehouse office by a small team of portable-computer designers who have previously worked for Apple and I.B.M., the device is a complete Windows Vista computer that fits comfortably in the palm of a hand.

With a slide-out keyboard as well as the ability to connect to both Wi-Fi networks and high-speed cellular service, its selling price will start at $1,499. Those who wish to use it as a phone can add a Bluetooth headset and use an Internet phone service like Skype.

“Our main goal is to reinvent the PC in a pocketable form,� said Jory Bell, a computer designer who is one of the Oqo’s founders.

The stopper for me is the $1,499 price tag, but it all depends on how good the device is.

Photo: Jim Wilson/The New York Times