I'll take my desktop to go, please

With speed being the defining characteristic of modernity, everything we value these days needs to require little effort, and be easily transferable and portable. And, of course, über-personalized.

Credit: RingCube

Which is why MojoPac is cool and kind of like Starbucks. Sure, it's a software platform, but it's really a way for you to get your own personal PC desktop wherever you want. You know, just like how I can walk down almost any street in America, find an establishment with green block-type letters and get a chai latte with 2-percent milk. It's magic, really.

Basically, when MojoPac is installed on any USB 2.0 device (including your iPod) it becomes like your laptop. Any Windows machine you plug it into will have all your applications, files, buddy lists, browser bookmarks, etc. Plus, the host computer doesn't retain any of your activity, so it's like you were never there at all.

My beverage cravings aside, this is nifty. It actually debuted at last year's DemoFall and got pretty high marks from ZDNet's Dan Farber. My main reservation--which really isn't much--is the pricing scheme, which I'll quote from the RingCube Technologies Web site: "Consumers can try the product with no obligation for 30 days. ... There is a special introductory one-time fee of just $29.99, with up to three additional licenses available for just $14.99 each. After the special introductory period the price changes to a one-time fee of $49.99, with up to three additional licenses available for just $24.99 each."

Why does it sound like one of those paper inserts I get with my credit card bill?