Unwired, but Not Unplugged

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Unwired, but Not Unplugged

1/19/2005

By Terry Calhoun

I am so looking forward to my second NLII conference in New Orleans starting at the end of this weekend. As I have written before, I think it's vital for professionals to get out to conferences and interact with others. Although I often find myself, days before such a trip, trying to find reasons not go to; I also always come back recharged, with my head full of new ideas - and glad that I went.

Speaking of recharged, the NLII event I went to two years ago impressed me as the first conference I had been to where the plenary session rooms were made up with several rows of tables to accommodate notebook users. I was very impressed. I also, now, do not remember what the accommodation was for electrical power in that room. I know that outlets in the common areas were few and far between. But at the NLII Fall Focus in Boston last September, there were sufficient power supplies at each table to accommodate anyone.

That previous NLII conference in New Orleans was when I started carrying an extension cord in my notebook's backpack carrier. In fact, it may have been the only time I left the conference hotel on that trip (I hope that this time I find time to get out for dinner at least once), to find a place to buy an extension cord so that I could stay powered-up between sessions. (There were several places with outlets just a little bit too far from any seating and the extension cord let me reach both at the same time.)

I also now carry, when I travel, a second laptop battery that is fully charged when I leave home. And I have added a power strip to the collection of stuff I lug around, because I think it's kind of nice - when I do find those rare plugs in Detroit Metro, Denver, or L.A. - if I can temporarily do my part to provide more outlets for others to get their charging done. I'm not at all sure that places like Detroit Metro are really friendly about sharing power. The managers know we're sort of stuck there, and that we're not going to choose not to fly through a particular airport just because it hides its power outlets from us.

Even the airlines seem a little that way. I was naively excited when I got my first complete, customizable set of plugs for my notebook that included one that could be used on airplanes. I figured that each seat had power, I had just never noticed. Well, I still have yet to find a power outlet on an airplane. I guess that some planes have them, but I have never flown on one of those. I wonder if the new jumbo Airbus has outlets, other than in private suites? I wouldn't be surprised that, if they do, the power is metered and overcharged-for.

Many have stated, and I completely agree, that it's too bad that the development of power storage technology has lagged behind the development of our information tools technology. It's nice to see some minor advances - like the fact that I can now charge up my Treo directly from my laptop through the USB hub; thanks to a new cable my future son-in-law gave me last month. (Among other things, that means I only need a single outlet in the airport and don't have to feel like a power-source hog.)