I really thought we would be in a position, in 2012, where mobile operating systems would be able to offer a full Web experience but we’re not. My recent experiences with Google Plus drove me to dig out an UMPC.

Google Plus is becoming a business-critical application for many. Blogger, marketeers, brands and bands are all jostling for position. Millions are enjoying new online relationships and a huge amount of interactivity through photos, live video and circles but what happens when you’re mobile? The Android and IOS based solutions are really poor which is surprising considering Google should be creating products for its own operating systems.

Things you can’t do on Google Plus mobile (correct me if I’m wrong)

*important* Use Google Plus pages for business
See shared circles in posts
See the list and totals of people following you
See animated gifs!
View active hangout in circles or global Google Plus
Have the support of a full-Web browser for viewing links
Image editing facilities
Previewing links and choosing the image in posts.

There are other missing features too but the main problem is that you have no access to Google Plus pages. It’s likely (and advisable) that your business is using pages so when your sitting on the train, plane or waiting for your appointment and you spot something that needs to go out to your customers and.followers, what do you do?

You’ve got no option today other than to use a PC; A laptop, netbook or UMPC. (The latest $200 Asus X101 is probably your best bet right now.)

At a push you can use a full browser on Android but trust me, the experience is not good. Slow, unreliable and missing features like image upload. The same upload issue will also be the case on the ipad.

No doubt Google will roll this feature out soon but how long must we wait? Forward-thinking companies are loading-up their business pages as quickly as they can in the hope that it gives then SEO advantages and attracts followers. How long can you wait?

My solution right now is a relatively old UMPC (see above image.) It runs Chrome well with its 1.6Ghz processor, weighs less than a 10″ Android tablet and offers a full desktop experience. The battery life is relatively poor (3hrs max) and the screen could be bigger but it’s doing the job. With SD, CF, USB and.more, it’s still proving to me that there are.opportunities for handheld Windows devices out there. I look forward to Windows 8.

Screen brightness is at the top of the issues list. While the resolution is high and sharp, the brightness can be a problem. A glossy screen adds to the problem when you’re out and about. Secondly, the lack of 3G highlights that tethering over Bluetooth is never as easy as it should be. I had to re-configure the BT dial-up-netoworking connection twice before it worked and then I found out that you can’t connect internal applications on the N82 to the internet via 3G when the BT modem is in action. This isn’t a huge problem but it means that latitude updates stop working while I’m tethered.

The 5.6″ screen has advantages and disadvantages. The advantage is fairly obvious as the Fujitsu U/B50N is tiny, lightweight and has relatively good battery life because the backlight doesnt have to be as powerful as on a 7″ device. The disadvantage is that you lose screen area. As I write this i’ve got Firefox pumped up to about 150% magnification. The typing experience is relatively trouble-free but i’m sure I would be more comfortable typing on a 7″ screen. For me, in this scenario where i’ve just biked down from the house to the park, the trade-off is worth it. 1KG of kit is nothing and it fits in an extremely small bag.

As for the keyboard it’s again, another trade-off. The engineering quality is good which means the keys give a good feedback but aren’t too hard to press but you have to concentrate if you want to type smoothly and without errors. It’s way faster than a thumboard though so while it looks much slower and more difficult than a laptop, its faster than many other mobile keyboard designs.

I was wondering if I would like to have GPS on this UMPC but I dont think it would bring much. The Windows platform isn’t geared-up for location based services or navigation so its better to have that functionality on the mobile phone that’s always with you.

Overall, the trade-offs are worth it. I’ve been out an about for a few hours now and still have 3hrs left on the extended battery that im using. I’m even charging my N82 as I write this. Flexibility is the key for creative mobile blogging and this little Fuji works well.

Now if you’ll excuse me, my ‘home made’ hamburger just turned up and it’s looking delicious!

Here’s an idea…

How about I rent a big mobile home / RV, load it up with devices from resellers in Europe and come to you instead? I recon I could join up with a few mobile internet, barcamp, web conferences, mobile monday events too and make sure as many people as possible get the chance to see the devices. Hamburg, Berlin, Paris, Amsterdam, London seem like good, central cities to aim for but first I need to get a big list of events together, work out the best time to do this and find a sponsor. I can probably link up with a few other mobile device bloggers in Europe too.

If anyone has any thoughts on this, both from the customer, blogger or sponsor side of things, please let me know.

I’m off to upcoming.com!