无需携带笔记本电脑的移动计算

苏公雨

创意不错。
　
一种叫做MojoPac的应用程序可以将你PC上的文件、程序以及设置存储到iPod或其他类似的玩意上。
MojoPac来自一家叫RingCube Technologies Inc的公司，只占用30MBytes，可以装在大多数的U盘上(现在的U盘都大到可以不在乎那30M的空间了？)。这家公司估计其软件消耗对PC计算能力的消耗低于0.5%。

有没有市场？

       

• 主要应用是方便那些经常商务出差在外的人，如果他们不愿意自己携带依然显得笨重的笔记本电脑，他们可以把经常使用的文件、程序装载到iPod中，就可以用酒店、网吧里的电脑做自己的事情了。       
  
• 还有一种应用，如果家里有多个人共用一个电脑，每个人可以把属于自己的东西存储在自己的iPod上面 - 文件、程序、游戏等等， 就可以plug & play了。
  

存在的问题：

       

• 还有一些bug       
  
• 目前只支持Windows XP
  

还有一篇文章详细讲述了如何使用这个东东的：Mojopac Guide
Review: Mobile Computing Without Laptop

By DAN SCHERAGA, AP Business Writer
  (AP) -- When you have programs and files on onecomputer and need them on another, you can do a lot of copying and praythey work on the second PC. Or you could connect the machines viaremote desktop software. You could even spring for a laptop.
Now there's another option: An applicationcalled MojoPac captures your PC's files, programs and settings, andstores them on an iPod or similar gadget.
Plug the device into another Windows XPcomputer, and your desktop appears, with all your programs and filesexactly as you left them - and ready for action.

It works, most of the time.

MojoPac, which is made by RingCube Technologies Inc., takes up just30 megabytes - a relatively small footprint. It will fit on most flashmemory thumb drives, though RingCube recommends using gadgets with ahard drive for better performance.

Naturally, any files or programs you load onto MojoPac will take upadditional room. Microsoft Office, for instance, gobbles up about 750megabytes. That's still small enough to fit on an iPod, though it is upto the individual user to decide whether it's worth using up that muchspace. And Office will require a separate activation from MicrosoftCorp., even if it is already activated on your desktop.

RingCube estimates the software consumes less than half a percentof total computing capacity of the host PC. I noticed no degradation ofmy computer's performance when I plugged in MojoPac.

That is, when it worked.

RingCube has a long list of popular games and applications that itsays are compatible with MojoPac. "Second Life" and "Tomb Raider" bothran on my MojoPac without a hitch.

However, ordering off RingCube's menu can be problematic. When Itried to install a small shareware game on MojoPac, my computer froze.It also crashed when I tried to install the game to my desktop whileMojoPac ran in the background.

When I turned off MojoPac, the game installed to my desktop in seconds.

As much as the idea of MojoPac enticed me, I discovered thatshuttling between my work computer and my PC at home, I didn't havemuch use for it. Everything I need is loaded onto both computers.

MojoPac makes the most sense for business travelers who wouldrather use the hotel computer than carry a laptop around. To this end,RingCube recently introduced an enterprise version of MojoPac, with anautomatic encryption feature that safeguards data in case the portablestorage device is lost or stolen.

RingCube pointed out another niche market for MojoPac: Families whoshare a single computer. Load MojoPac onto each kid's iPod so each onehas their own desktop, and keep them from making a mess of yours. Whenthe child unplugs MojoPac, their mess goes with them.

Until recently, MojoPac had been available as a download fromMojoPac.com for $49.95 after a free trial. But this week, RingCubedebuted a free version of MojoPac (without encryption). For now, thereare no strings attached, but in the future RingCube may use anonymousaggregate data collected from MojoPac to target promotions to itsusers.

MojoPac currently works only with Windows XP, but according to thecompany, a version for Windows Vista is coming soon. (Sorry, Mac users,you're out of luck.)

MojoPac will certainly appeal to a niche audience. But for myselfand other users who already have as much computing space as they need,it may just be a neat solution in search of a problem.