I just dont know what to make of Chumby: the always ON, Internet appliance critter. Just plug it in and you can see a constant stream of your desired data: news, stocks, sports, e-mail, eBay auctions, you name it, and Chumby will show it to you. In spite of all of these good info streams, there are, unfortunately, three things about Chumby that Im not particularly fond of: portability, power choice, and looks.

Portability: I dont like to have to find Chumby to read my daily news feeds. I want to move around the office/house and take Chumby with me. Even better, I want to take Chumby with me to the local coffee shop.

Power Choice: The power cord tether severely restricts the placement of Chumby. I dont want to drape an electric cord, for example, over to my dining table for using Chumby during breakfast. And forget trying to locate an available power outlet at the coffee shop.

Looks: Theres something about that blobby, mushy amorphous Chumby shape that troubles me. It reminds me of a techie bean bag paperweight.

So let's do something about it. Click below for step-by-step instructions for freeing your Chumby from its AC-power leash and its less-than-civilized enclosure: the Coffee Shoppe Chumby.