Offline Google Docs coming next week and that's important for mobile device users

There must be a break in the clouds because Google Docs is about to get a little sunshine in the form of offline functionality. Rafe Needleman breaks news that Google Gears support starts rolling out to Google Docs accounts next week. You won't be able to create a new doc offline initially, but you will be able to edit existing docs.

Why is this important to mobile users? Well, I use Google Docs for all of my freelance writing for example. With my mobile devices, I can work anywhere these days, provided I have connectivity. My EV-DO modem offers that, but it comes at a price, and I don't just mean the $60 monthly charge. It uses valuable battery power. Let's imagine that I'm editing a document. [Actually, that isn't hard to imagine with my writing of late.... three to five go-arounds seems to be norm for me.] I can pull down my doc for offline use while using my EV-DO or a WiFi connection. Once I have the doc, I can shut my radios down to cut down on power use while I edit for the next hour or two. Sure, it's not going to give me hours more run-time, but it's smart power management and it will let me be productive longer.

While folks at the Google are messing with Google Gears: any chance for Safari or Opera support? There's more to the web than IE and Firefox. Ok, thx!

Celio REDFLY launching with Enterprise Mobile partnership

Our most recent podcast should dispel any doubts regarding the target market for Celio's REDFLY mobile companion but if you still aren't convinced, today's press release should take care of that. Celio just announced a partnership with Enterprise Mobile to launch the REDFLY device. Enterprise Mobile will provide sales, marketing, deployment and customer support for enterprise customers using the REDFLY.

After using the unit for nearly two weeks, I can certainly see the benefits in an enterprise situation: low total-cost-of-ownership, flexibility to be used with multiple phone models and the safety of having zero data on the device itself. Does that mean it's not for consumers? I'd say it's definitely geared for business folks although it will likely have a limited consumer audience as well. If you're the type of person that enjoys the Windows Mobile experience and can be productive in that environment, you likely already have a high-powered WinMo unit and would benefit from the large VGA screen, simplicity and keyboard that the REDFLY brings. James and Matt are strongly considering the $499 purchase, but I'm going to pass. Not because the REDFLY is a bad device; on the contrary, I'm very satisfied with it for its intended use. However, as I've mentioned almost a year ago, my smartphone use has declined due to my UMPC usage, so the device has limited appeal for my work-style.

Verizon Wireless spring phones on parade: XV 6900, enV2, MOTO Q 9c, BlackBerry Curve 8330

CTIA is here and that means plenty of phone announcements are likely this week. Verizon Wireless kicks things off with five new models for the spring. Actually, it looks like four since I'm pretty sure I've seen the Samsung Alias ads on my TV for a few weeks now. Here are the new kids on the cellular block for VZW:

• LG Slim enV(2): internal 2.4-inch screen and QWERTY keyboard, larger keys than the enV on the outside, V CAST capable, stereo Bluetooth support, 2.0-megapixel camera, microSD support for up to 8 GB. Available in April for $129 after $50 rebate and two-year commitment.
• XV 6900: a CDMA version of the HTC Touch that runs Windows Mobile 6 Professional, offers 256 MB ROM / 128 MB of RAM, supports up to 8 GB of microSD memory. Watch for it in April at $349.99 after $50 rebate and two-year deal. You can save another $100 if you sign up for a qualifying voice and data plan when purchasing. There's no mention of 3G, but I expect that the XV 6900 is EV-DO Rev. 0 like the Sprint version.
• MOTO Q 9c: Arriving in May, this is another EV-DO, Windows Mobile 6 device although there's no touchscreen. Fans of larger QWERTY keyboards might be interested in the Q 9c with 2.4-inch display. Verizon also offers their VZ Navigator service with this next-gen Q. Price is $100 less than the XV 6900 with the same terms.
• BlackBerry 8330 Curve: May also brings the 8330 with EV-DO, GPS for VZ Navigator, 320 x 240 display, 2-megapixel camera, and 3.5-inch headphone jack (woot!). $269.99 gets you the 8330 after rebates and commitment.

Nothing too earth-shattering here, mostly just VZW catching up to Sprint offerings, although Sprint doesn't yet offer the 8830 either. That should be happening next month.

(via Phone Scoop)

How to send web clippings to OneNote from Firefox

Firefox users rejoice! The "Send to OneNote" feature that's native to Internet Explorer can be replicated in Firefox with the "Clip to OneNote" extension. The extension was originally written for Firefox 1.5 and OneNote 2003, but with some help from other sources, Amit shows how to enable it for Firefox 2.x / 3 and OneNote 2007. You'll need the original extension installed and then you'll create two new configuration keys in Firefox. Once done, you're good to go. Amit has the simple instructions over at Digital Inspiration that provide all the details.

Once installed and configured, you'll have a right-click option in Firefox. Simply highlight any parts of a web page (text, pics and links) and then choose the Clip to OneNote selection in the right-click context menu of Firefox. Anything you've highlighted will be sent over to OneNote for later use.

New BlackBerry theme rocks!

Normally I don't get into the whole theme/skinning thing with my phones but when I saw this post this morning I knew I had to check it out.  The theme is inspired by images of the BlackBerry 9000 that recently surfaced and it looked so good that I quickly plopped down my $7 for it.  That's how good it looked, I was even willing to pay for it.  I downloaded it OTA to my 8830 and installed it post-haste and let me tell you it is drop-dead gorgeous.  It looks modern and sleek and also presents more information on the screen than my old theme yet everything is legible and pleasing to the eye.  So if you have a BlackBerry model that the theme supports you should at least check it out.  Well done guys!

MobileTechRoundup 127: hands-on with the REDFLY and the Shift

CLICK HERE to download the file and listen directly.
MoTR 127 is 38 minutes long and is a 34.8 MB file in MP3 format.

INTRO: Based on “Time v2.1″ by Meta Sektion, additional mixing by James Kendrick.
HOSTS: James Kendrick (Houston), Matthew Miller (Seattle) and Kevin C. Tofel (fighting the Flu in Philadelphia)

TOPICS:

Two topics and two topics only. After in-house, hands-on use, we discuss the pros & cons of:

1. The Celio REDFLY mobile companion
2. The HTC Shift

Sorry for the audio quality due to mic and GSM phone issues. ;)

• If you like the show, please consider voting for us at Podcast Alley. It only takes a minute and it helps us get the word out about the show!
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HP intros 500 GB Media Vault with remote access capability for $299

HP has a new, middle-of-the-road option if you don't want to go with a full-blown Windows Home Server solution. The new mv2150 Media Vault starts at $299 and provides 500 GB of storage space to backup Windows devices on your network. The vault houses the 7200 RPM 500 GB drive and offers an open bay to add more storage later. Connectivity is provides with 2 USB ports and a Gigabit Ethernet jack; with that, you can hang the mv2150 off a wired or wireless router.

Remote access is provided via TZO Dynamic DNS, which was around $25 a year at last check. The mv2150 is Linux-based and comes with 128 MB of RAM; interesting that it competes with the higher-priced Windows-powered home server solutions from HP.

HP announces Elite Auto Focus Webcam

HP today has released the Elite Auto Focus Webcam, a USB cam that sports a 3 MP lens.  The Elite Webcam can achieve up to 12 MP with software interpolation and will either clip to monitors or sit on a table with the included stand.  The HP Elite Webcam is very small and will offer up HD quality video conferences which is pretty cool.  It also has a stereo microphone integrated into the cam to provide good audio quality and face tracking ability to go along with the auto focus. The Elite web cam has the following specs:

•3-Megapixel CMOS sensor with autofocus
•USB 2.0 high-speed certified
•Live video: 640 x 480 (VGA) up to 30fps, 800 x 600 up to 20fps,
1280 x 960 up to 8-9fps, 1600 x 1200 up to 5-6fps
•Still picture: up to 12 Megapixels (4096x3072 pixels) by software
interpolation
•UVC (Universal Video Class)
•Face-tracking
•Effective focal range: 4 inches to infinity
•Frame rate: Up to 30 frames per second
•Tilt and Pan: Tilt (55°, up to 20° down and 35° up) / Pan (320°, up to
160° left, up to 160° right)
•Integrated stereo microphone
•5X Digital Zoom
•3 buttons on the top: HP Instant Video, HP instant Image Capture and
HP Instant Chat button
•Privacy cover
•Front LED (on/off)
•Cable length: 3.28 feet (1 meter)
•Software: ArcSoft VideoImpression, ArcSoft Magic-i, ArcSoft WebCam
Companion and HP Photosmart Essential

Best product video demo ever- SugarSync

Kevin recently told us about SugarSync, a unique and full-featured way to keep files synchronized across multiple devices.  I had some free time last night so I decided to check it out and found it to be pretty cool and I am going to give it a try.  While traipsing around the product web site I ran across this video which is the best product demo I have ever seen.  They show the program actually syncing files and photos in real time by putting two devices in the screen recording at the same time.  They show SugarSync doing its magic on Windows PCs, Macs and cell phones in the same window which is totally cool and very effective at showing off the power of instant synchronization.  Very good job SugarSync folks!

Jott for BlackBerry is live

Jott is one of those deceptively useful services for mobile phone users that can make your phone far more useful than it is without it.  What makes Jott so great is that you can create text reliably without using that darn phone keypad.  You call a number that Jott gives you when you create an account and you call it up when you want to email someone by voice.  You set up the contacts you want in your list and speak the name of the desired email recipient.  Then you speak the text of the email and Jott accurately transcribes it into a text email and sends it the designated target.  It is fast and very reliable and can be used in innovative ways.

Many Jott users send "notes" to themselves this way which gives them a written transcription of their voice note.  The clever folks at Lifehacker have even outlined a method to use such voice notes with Evernote to provide searchable notes strictly using Jott.  Like I said it's deceptively useful, you don't realize how much until you try it.  That's why it's exciting that Jott for Blackberry goes live today so we Crackberry addicts can use Jott like everyone else.  What makes this Blackberry version of Jott cool is it integrates totally into the great Blackberry email functionality and you can send voice emails straight from there.  Jott for BB is free as it's in beta but will be a paid service after that so don't wait.

Win XP EEE PC at Best Buy in April- Laptop Mag's got one now

Word has come out that the Asus EEE PC with Windows XP instead of Linux will start appearing at Best Buy in early April.  The Asus EEE PC 4G  will set you back $399 and is the same as the Xandros-based model 4G just with Windows installed.  Laptop Magazine has gotten their hands on one early and have published a hands-on review including video of this WinXP mini-notebook.  They seem to like it better, at least found that some things that don't have drivers on the Xandros version work fine under Windows.  Here are the complete specs for the 4G:

• Colors: Pearl White, Black
• LCD Size / Type: 7″ Wide
• LCD Resolution: 800 x 480 (~WVGA)
• LCD Type: TFT
• Graphic: Intel UMA
• Chipset: Intel Mobile Chipset
• Processor: Intel Mobile CPU
• Memory: 512MB DDR2
• S.S.D Storage (Solid State Disk): 4GB
• OS: Windows XP Home Preloaded
• Software: MS Works, Windows Live
• Audio: High-Definition Audio CODEC
• Microphone: 1 Internal Microphone
• Speakers: 2 Internal Stereo Speakers
• Audio Jack-Out (3.5mm)
• Audio Jack-In (3.5mm)
• Wireless Included: 802.11 b/g
• LAN / Connector: 10/100 Mbps / RJ-45
• 3 USB 2.0 ports
• Memory Card Reader: MMC/SD(SDHC)
• VGA Port 1 (D-sub 15 pin)
• Integrated Camera
• Battery: four-cell 4400mAh
• Battery Life: 2.8 hours
• AC Adapter Output: 9.5V, 22W
• AC Adapter Input: 100-240V AC, 50/60Hz universal
• Unit Weight: 2.0 lbs (with battery)
• Unit Dimensions: 8.86 x 6.30 x 0.79 ~ 1.26 inches

For sale to a good home: Samsung Q1P with 2 GB of RAM

Now that I have the Q1 Ultra Premium, it's time for me to say goodbye to Samantha, the Samsung Q1P. She's up for sale and before I go the eBay route, I'm offering her to any jkOTR reader that can give her a good home. The UMPC is 14-months old, but doesn't look a day over 3-months. I've looked all over the device to find any physical flaws and can find only one minor issue. The right side of the screen has some wear and tear from all of my scrolling. It really doesn't affect anything you're viewing and hey, I've broken in the scroll bar area for you. ;) Seriously, if this is a concern to you, I'll take some close up pics if you request them.

The unit is factory restored to Windows XP Tablet Edition. I don't have the AVStation partition working because I left the 2 GB of RAM in the unit for you. I'll include all three factory CDs if you want to futz with AVS. I no longer have the original box or packaging so I'll wrap her up real nice-like in protective bubble-wrap. Here's the package up for grabs:

• Samsung Q1P UMPC with 1.0 GHz Pentium M and 2 GB of RAM. 60 GB hard drive, 802.11b/g, Bluetooth, CF slot, 2 USB ports, VGA out, Ethernet jack, dual-array microphone, and stereo speakers
• 1 standard 3-cell battery
• 1 extended 6-cell battery
• AC adapter
• Samsung soft case
• USB Data cable for connecting to another PC
• Extra 2 GB USB drive and a PC Card MoGo mouse... just to say thanks for taking care of Samantha. ;)

Please contact me directly at kctofel@jkontherun.com with questions and/or to make me an offer. I'd rather not go back and forth on a price, so please just make your one best offer. If you are interested in Samantha and my Asus Eee PC 4G, make an offer for the package. The Eee PC is in stellar shape and would come in the factory packaging with all manuals and CDs. I'll factory restore Xandros Linux on that unit. In either case, I'll pay for UPS ground shipping, U.S. only. I simply don't want to deal with customs on a foreign shipment. Payment to be via PayPal.

When trojans invade the PC kingdom

Today has not gone the way I envisioned it, not by a long shot.  It started innocently enough with me grabbing the Fujitsu P1620 out of the dock to get some work done in slate mode while watching the morning news.  It went downhill quickly from there.  The first thing I was confronted with was a dialog box from OneCare that told me it had detected a trojan on my system.  A trojan is one of those malware programs that invades your system by looking like something else and then sets about doing untold harm to your Windows box.  Fortunately for me I had OneCare duly protecting my system and it spotted the trojan right away.  I have no idea how it got into my system as I am very careful about things like that but if it's clever enough I guess it can get in anyway.  I am happy with the way OneCare protects my systems and much more so now that it's stopped this trojan in its tracks.

OneCare asked me if I wanted to clean the trojan off my system and I of course said yes.  I neglected to write down exactly what trojan it had detected but no matter.  OneCare proceeded to clean the offender off my system, a process that took about 10 minutes.  It must have invaded quite a bit of territory in my PC kingdom.  When the cleansing was comnplete OneCare restarted the Fuji and that's when the fun times started.

Coffee break- kids need more sugar in their diet

I am sitting here in my local Starbucks, ducking while typing as there are four (4) kids running around the front of the store throwing things at each other (and me in the process).  They are totally wired and bouncing off the walls, tables, chairs and anything else that gets in their way.  It's like watching a YouTube video on super fast speed.  It will soon settle down though as Mom is in the line getting their drinks.  Here she comes now with four of those creme drinks made out of sugar.  That's just what they need.  :)  OUCH!  Not fast enough on the duck.

Charge, power laptops in your car with Belkin's Travel Power Adapter

On the run in your car with mobile devices all the live-long day? Belkin's Travel Power Adapter might be the best friend your glovebox every had based on this overview at TabletPCReview. For around $100, you get the adapter that fits in your vehicle's cigarette lighter and 11 interchangeable tips. Simply plug in your notebook or other device while you're driving and you'll be charging up your laptop on the go. Hey, if you're driving, there's pretty much 100% chance you're not using the laptop at the same time, right? [If your specific answer to that question is 'no', please don't tell me....]

There's over eleven-feet of cord from end-to-end of the adapter, so your lappy can even ride in the back seat while getting re-juiced. Alternatively, you can go the cheaper route of buying a power inverter for your vehicle. I've seen some in the $30 to $50 range, but they tend to be much larger than this solution from Belkin. Note: Dell owners will want to pass this one by... I noticed in the review that Dell laptops wouldn't work with this.

LA to tax VoIP

In the "won't they ever learn" category the city of Los Angeles intends to levy a 9% tax on VoIP service.  The last I heard there is a federal moratorium on taxing Internet-based services so I wonder if this is even legal.  It's headed for the courts for sure I'll bet.  This measure passed when city officials snuck it onto the ballot and voters approved it with no information about it.  While public safety was cited as the need for the tax the measure does not allocate the additional taxes gathered from telephone bills for that purpose.  Politics as usual in other words.  In case you were worried about them telemarketers get a 50% break on taxes as part of the measure passed.  Only in California.

(Heartland Institute via VoIP Watch)

My Today Screen: new Windows Mobile site launches

Looking for a fresh, new place to find everything related to Windows Mobile? You're in luck because My Today Screen launches on April 1st... no foolin'! Actually, the site appears to have soft-launched earlier in the week, so there's already some WinMo content for your perusal.

My Today Screen is the brainchild of Doug Goldring and Tariq Bamadhaj, who have collectively contributed to great sites like Gear Diary, Just Another Mobile Monday, Eten Blog dot Com and Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine. Having read their content at various outlets over the years, I can tell you this: these guys and their fellow contributors are more than qualified to talk about Windows Mobile. Hop on over to their new site for a preview now and then stay tuned because they're offering a full week of giveaways starting next week! Good luck gang; we wish you all the best!

Palm Centro $39 this week at Best Buy, $79 for current AT&T customers

I know there's been some free-after-rebate deals on the AT&T Palm Centro lately, but if you missed 'em, you can hit Best Buy this coming week. I just received the weekly circular with the morning paper and they're offering the Palm smartphone for $39.99 with a two-year contract. Already have a basic feature phone on AT&T's network? You can grab a Centro for $79.99 with a new two-year agreement starting tomorrow.

The Centro might not be the most powerful smartphone or be running the most advanced operating system, but as a first step into a touchscreen device with a QWERTY keyboard, you can't beat the price.

Windows Search 4.0 preview: 33% faster, better remote PC searching

Since I compute more on web-based apps these days, I'm don't often use the integrated search features in Vista and XP's Desktop search tools. Still, I'm thinking of downloading the new Windows Search 4.0 preview version that became available yesterday. According to the Windows Vista Team Blog, the new version is 33% faster when compared to the search tool in Vista's original RTM version. Multiple device owners stand to benefit as well since the Remote Index Discovery function efficently accesses the indices on other Windows devices. And if your index ever gets hosed, the new Windows Search won't take days to build it from scratch. A rollback feature will pull in the last, known good index so your PC will only need to categorize files after the index went kablooey.

USB port placement on devices that rotate from landscape to portrait

Now that I've got Vista up and running on the Q1 Ultra Premium, it's time for a Starbucks run later today. I just installed the VZ Access software needed for my USB727 modem so connectivity is tested and good to go. One feature the Q1UP has over my older Q1 and Q1P is that one USB port is on the top of the device. This is just awesome from a form factor standpoint. On the older models, the two USB ports were on the sides of the device, making it difficult to effectively hold and use the UMPC as one of your hands had to deal with the modem sticking out.

With the top USB port, I'm not affected at all in landscape mode. I'd probably face a challenge with the device in portrait mode, but if worse comes to worse, I could put the modem in the port on the right side of the device and rotate the screen counter-clockwise. This would essentially put the USB modem back on the "top" of the device. I hope other small device manufacturers take note of this; putting the USBs on the traditional sides might not make the most sense if the unit is designed to be used in both portrait and landscape mode.

Palm Treo 800w appears on Sprint roadmap for July release

Well, I have to formally apologize to jkOTR reader, Hector Gomez. He's been sending me snippets and clues of the upcoming Palm Treo 800w that's been rumored for a bit now. I've held off until seeing something more concrete and I think today is the day that HG is vindicated. ;)

The Palm Treo 800w just showed its Windows Mobile face on a Sprint roadmap over at PalmInfocenter. Looks like Windows Mobile 6, EV-DO Rev. A, GPS, WiFi, 320 x 320 screen and of course, QWERTY keyboard. In other words: everything you'd want in a Windows Mobile Treo including models with and without a camera. Well, other than the 6.1 version of WinMo.

Do you know the secret Symbian S60 codes?

I didn't know about most of these, but Darla Mack has my back. She's listed about eight useful codes for S60 devices in case you need to fully format your handset, want to delete your Wallet information or you simply forgot the last octet of your Bluetooth radio MAC address. You know... the everyday stuff. ;) Seriously, these could come in handy so if you're an S60 device owner, you just might want to book mark this list. Bear in mind that if you use 'em, you're responsible for the outcome so don't come crying to me... or Darla for that matter.

There is no perfect mobile device because size does matter

The quest for the perfect mobile device is a long-running and eternal one that many have undertaken and none have succeeded in finding.  I know because I am one of the worst, always looking at new gadget X to see if it will be the one.  The good discussion about the "two laptop minimum" has my thoughts going in overdrive and since I am in the enviable position of having many great gadgets at my beck and call I have been able to regularly test what constitutes the perfect device for me.  There ain't one.

I have two distinctly different careers running at the same time, something that sets my needs apart from most folks so my thoughts may not be pertinent to you.  But they are my thoughts and I have never been too shy to share them with others so here I go again.  Take them with a grain of salt, after throwing some over your left shoulder for luck, of course.

Never miss a message on your Windows Mobile device again: Watchflag

Looking for more control over your message alerts on a Windows Mobile device? Watchflag might be worth the two-week free trial for your WinMo 5 or 6 handheld. The app lets you create custom notification rules based on e-mail and text messages, even mail in subfolders. You can set Watchflag to light the display, vibrate and repeat either until you acknowledge, so you can be sure you won't miss a note from your significant other. Or your boss. Or both if you're dating your boss... we don't judge here.

If you like the software enough to buy it, there's a special going on right now. You'll save 50% off the $30 price and pay just $15. It's probably good that they're having a sale; I'm not sure an app like this is really worth $30, but then again, I'm my own boss and my significant other works at home too.

(via Jason Langridge)

Evernote beta invites at GottaBeMobile

You'll want to hurry up and hit this GBM post if you want one of 100 Evernote beta invites. James and I have been very impressed by our own first looks of this beta, which brings "the cloud" and a Mac client into the picture. Run, don't walk! But no pushing and shoving, please...

Auto-hide Firefox status bar extension data

I almost passed up this handy little trick from the How-To Geek until I realized how useful it could be on a smaller screened device. Using the Stylish extension for Firefox and an Auto-Hide script, you can keep a clean appearance in your browser's status bar, but see data from other extensions when you need to. After installing Stylish and the script, you'll see the standard status bar info in your browser during normal use. Hovering your cursor over the status bar un-hides any data from other extensions that reside there. Of course, we touchscreen device owners can't just hover, so you'll need to tap the status bar for the same effect. Once your cursor leaves the area, all data from your extensions is promptly hidden.

Here's a sample of everything hidden:

And here's a shot when you hover on the status bar:

It doesn't get smaller-screened device users any more real estate, but it helps make good use of what you have and keeps things tidy.

The Vista graphics showdown- HP 2710p vs. Fuji P1620

As I sit here eating my Pad Thai in front of the display my mind keeps returning to the speed difference I notice between the HP 2710p and the Fujitsu P1620.  Both machines are snappy running Vista Business but I have noticed that the HP is snappier than the Fujitsu most of the time.  Not tremendously snappier but when you can notice it the speed is definitely a factor.  Both devices are configured almost exactly the same with Core 2 Duo 1.2 GHz processors, 2 GB of memory and slow hard drives.  The only real difference is the installed graphics accelerator, the Fujitsu runs the older Intel 945 chipset family and the HP the newer 965 family.

Watching the discussion about the Vista Windows Index ratings of many different devices in Kevin's thread it occurred to me I would be interested to see how my two devices compare in that regard.  I don't put much stock in the Windows Index ratings as a rule but in this case with two identically configured systems except for the graphics the WI would be a good indicator of how Vista thinks the older chipset stacks up against the newer one.  So while munching my noodles I had both systems run a system scan on their respective hardware and here's what came out of that, the HP on top:

The only appreciable difference as expected is the graphics subsystem but I have to admit I was surprised how much lower the rating is for the older 945 chipset.  As you can see both graphics ratings are down significantly compared to the 965 which certainly explains why the Fuji is a bit slower than the comparable HP.  The Windows Aero rating is much lower so that's probably what I am seeing as far as the performance goes.  Don't get me wrong, the Fujitsu is plenty fast and I'm happy with that but I sure wish Fujitsu had upgraded the graphics chipset along with everything else.  I'm also surprised that apparently the memory in the HP is faster than that in the Fujitsu if the second rating is to be believed.  Now that we know the Fujitsu graphics rating is lower than Kevin's new Q1 I'll never hear the end of it.

SlingPlayer Mobile for Symbian UIQ on the horizon

SlingMedia continues its mobile handset strategy like it's playing a giant game of "RISK: the handheld edition". Having already conquered the continents of Windows Mobile and Symbian S60, the generals are place-shifting their attention to the land of UIQ. The following countries are next in the line of support: Sony Ericsson's P1i, P990i, W960i, W950i and M600i plus the Motorola MOTORIZR Z8. Look for the UIQ client this summer, along with an updated player for the Nokia N95.

Nokia Siemens doubles EDGE speeds, soon to be only half-pokey

Poor ol' EDGE. It's the Rodney Dangerfield of wireless data technology thanks to the bum rap of its relatively slower download and upload speeds compared to 3G and up. A little respect might be in order as of today. Nokia Siemens just introduced the first phase of EDGE Evolution with download speeds up to 592 kbps. That's double the current EDGE standard. EGPRS 2 is the following step which offers another doubling for EDGE; that's almost 1.2 Mbps. Here's the best part: according to the press release, the speed boost will be available via a software upgrade for EDGE radios in the third quarter of this year. Probably worth noting that Om Malik thinks those first generation iPhones might get upgraded. If he's right, will there be a need for a 3G iPhone after all? All in all, good news for mobile tech, but I'm really curious what this will do to battery life since current EDGE devices use less power than faster 3G radios. Since it's a software upgrade, perhaps we'll get the speed boost without too much (or any) of a battery hit.

(via the::unwired)

FuseCal can sync all of your calendars for free

The whole problem of managing data on multiple machines seems to be more and more a challenge, which is why I highlight these solutions so often. Although it's listed as an "alpha", the free FuseCal got a nice review over at ReadWriteWeb and what makes it standout from the crowd is the support for many calendar applications. The web service can sync between the following calendar clients: Outlook 2003, Outlook 2007, Windows Calendar, Google Calendar, Yahoo! Calendar, iCal and any other web-based calendar that you can subscribe to. Looks like the first sync will require a little time and effort on your part since you pick and choose what events you want moved around to your multiple calendars. After that, you can set up filters for specific events or just have FuseCal sync all of your events across all of your clients. FuseCal can also send you updates if events change... nice.

I'll have to give this one a try; even though I use Google Calendar as my main cal, every once in a while, I'll open up Outlook or iCal. Although FuseCal doesn't sync directly with handhelds, you should be able to get at your event data through ActiveSync or whatever synching application your particular handheld uses.

Pop-up of the day: XP virus scanner... for my Mac

I'm routinely running both Safari and Firefox on my MacBook Pro; it comes in handy when making site design changes so I can test on different browsers. Thought it amusing that this pop-up appeared a few minutes ago. You'd think that by now the malware / virus-scanner / waste-my-time campaigns would be smart enough to market to the appropriate potential user base. Why would I need an XP Virus Scanner for my Mac?!?

What's even more amusing is that when you click Cancel, it takes you to a product web page that shows a progress meter at the top. The meter is just humming along and various Windows .exe, .dll, and other file types are appearing under the meter as if it's actually finding these things on my "PC" and scanning them for viruses. Yeah... you folks keep scanning, 'k? Now that I'm done laughing, we return you to your regularly scheduled mobile tech programming.

Apple to Windows users- install Safari no matter what we say

Apple has taken a lot of grief for pushing Safari onto unsuspecting iTunes and Qucktime users on the Windows platform and Neowin points to something today that makes that whole situation pretty comical.  It seems the Safari End User License Agreement (EULA) prohibits the installation of Safari on any non-Apple hardware. 

Apple's Safari license says that users are permitted to install the browser on no more than "a single Apple-labeled computer at a time." This means that if you install Safari for Windows on a Windows PC, you're violating the license.
 
According to Jonathan Kramer, a tech-minded attorney with the Kramer Telecom Law Firm, you aren't in any legal danger if you install Safari for Windows on a Windows PC. Apple can't enforce a contract clause that doesn't make sense. "We call this an impossibility issue," Kramer told us. "You can't enforce a term that's impossible."

 

Dash Express arrives: GPS unit sends, receives real-time traffic data

We've known this was coming for some time and it's finally here. Dash Navigation shot me a press release this morning and have announced that their Dash Express is available for $399.99 through Amazon. What's unique about the Dash Express when compared to other GPS devices is its ability to communicate real-time traffic info to the Dash servers. This data is then sent back out to all other Dash Express units where the device can re-route you accordingly. Obviously the more Dash Express users there are, the more data will collected in real-time and the more useful the device will be. However, even without the in-car data, the Dash servers provide info from road sensors, commercial fleets and Inrix, a traffic data provider.

You can also send address information to your Dash Express though Outlook e-mail or a web browser. Bear in mind that the connectivity will cost you: you'll get 3 months free, but plans start at $9.95 a month after that. Amazon is showing that these units won't ship until April 29th, so unfortunately, you'll be stuck in traffic until then. Plenty more info after the jump in the full press release.

More HP UMPC info leaks- world waits

Engadget has gotten their hot little hands on what looks like a legitimate spec sheet for that hotly awaited HP 2133 UMPC and it's shaping up as expected and very nicely.  Four different models are revealed priced from $549 with SUSE Linux to $849 with the top hardware configuration.  For those living under a rock the 2133 is the new sub-notebook that HP will be releasing soon, April 7th according to engadget, that sports an 8.9-inch screen and priced to "sell like hotcakes".  All four models will be sporting a Via C-7 processor according to this new information and either 1 GB or 2 GB of memory depending on model.  The Via processor is the 1.2 GHz variety, no screamer for sure but designed to keep the cost down so HP can pitch the 2133 against other sub-notebooks like the EEE PC.  The new spec sheet shows choices of Vista Home, Vista Business along with the afore-mentioned Linux options.  Hard drives of 120 GB (5,400 & 7,200 rpm) and 160 GB (5,400 rpm) are offered along with the usual radio options of WiFi and Bluetooth.  There are two battery options, 3 and 6 cell.  I hope to get my hands on one of these babies very, very soon. 

Motion Computing having major layoffs today

A tipster that wishes to remain anonymous has informed us that a Motion rep told him that Motion Computing is laying off 40 people today.  This is reported to be their third round of layoffs in the past 12 months and if this is accurate then it looks pretty rough for the primary slate Tablet PC maker.  Austin-based Motion recently settled a patent infringement lawsuit with Typhoon Touch and it's not clear if these latest layoffs are related to that settlement.  Let's hope that Motion can hold on and pull through what is obviously a rough period for them and get back to making slates for the consumer market.  We were unable to reach anyone at Motion to ask for further information.

Vista "Windows Experience Index" for the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium

I don't put too much stock in the Windows Experience Index, but to many folks it's a general indicator that useful for comparison purposes between Vista devices. Besides, I know someone's going to ask for the numbers. ;)

The overall index is 2.3 as shown, but you have to realize that the index uses the lowest of the five numbers. I always thought it should use some type of weighted average, but then again I studied Econometrics in college so this should be expected. Here's the individual scores on the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium running Vista with 2 GB of RAM:

• Processor: 2.9
• Memory (RAM): 4.4
• Graphics: 2.3
• Gaming graphics: 2.8
• Primary hard disk: 3.7

How do these numbers compare to other UMPCs running Vista? Chime in if you've got data to share!

WalkingHotSpot turns your WinMo, S60 phone into a WiFi hotspot

WallkingHotSpot sounds similar to JoikuSpot in that it turns your 3G phone into a WiFi hotspot. But there's two main differences. One, JoikuSpot only works on S60 devices while WalkingHotSpot will support both S60 and Windows Mobile. Two: JoikuSpot has been available for some time; WalkingHotSpot from TapRoot Systems was just announced, so you can't try it just yet.

HSDPA phones, like those on AT&T's network will be able to use the software to create a hotspot while simultaneously receiving voice calls. CDMA phones on Verizon, Sprint and Alltel on the other hand, can't but that's a limitation of the network technology used, not of any software. Either way, apps like this are useful when working or traveling with friends that don't have 3G. As for me: I take the American Express approach with my EV-DO modem. I don't leave home without it. PhoneScoop indicates that while a consumer beta will soon be available, TapRoot plans to sell the software directly to carriers. If that happens, the "wow" factor goes way down on my mobile tech meter since I can all but guarantee a monthly charge for this type of service.

Stream 90 free audio channels to iPhone, iPod Touch with FlyTunes

I tucked away this little Geek.com review of FlyTunes for a spare moment and I'm glad I didn't lose track of it. FlyTunes is a currently free web service for your iPhone or iPod Touch; it offers audio streaming of 90 different channels. I spent some quality time with the service this morning and came away very impressed. The user interface is simple and lets you hop around different music genres quickly and easily. Bear in mind that the streaming won't happen in Safari, but in QuickTime which will open automatically. The 90 channels are listed on the FlyTunes site and there's an indicator of which offerings play nice with EDGE thanks to lower bit-rate streams. There's definitely something for everyone in the genres as they range from Rock, Pop, and Country to Weather, Sports, Talk and more.

Definitely a handy web service if you just don't feel like listening to what's stored on your device. Interested but don't want to sign up for yet another service just to try it? No prob: hit up the FlyTunes simulator in your web browser. Or you can nav to that link on your iPhone or Touch to give it a sample. I noticed during the registration process, they ask if you live in the United States, so I can't vouch for this service outside of the U.S.

For sale: 256 GB SSD, sacrificing at $6,000, must sell

Well I don't think many folks will be ordering up a $5,950 SSD drive when SuperTalent offers the FSD56GC25H next month. Actually, you probably couldn't even if you wanted to as the 256 GB of storage will be sold directly to OEMs. The big claim to fame here is was in the press release I received last night: it's the thinnest 256 GB Solid State Disk in the world, measuring in at 12.5 mm in height. Truth-be-told, that is pretty thin considering the drives in most UMPCs are around 8 or 9 mm.

This is a 2.5-inch form factor so it's geared towards notebooks. Transfer speeds are pretty solid at 65 MBps read and 50 MBps write for sequential data. The 0.1 ms access time is pretty spiffy too, but really: how many notebook makers are going to offer this as a $6,000 option plus some markup? If you're remotely interested you can catch all of the detailed specs in this product PDF. I'll save my money and pass for now.

UMPC battery #2 finally arrived... and so has Vista

Since I finger-pointed at the US Postal Service earlier in the week, the proper thing to do is mention that they made everything right. Sort of. My second 6-cell battery for the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium was allegedly delivered on Monday morning per the tracking info, but no battery ever appeared at my house. I called the local Post Office yesterday to debate the issue since they said the item was delivered; they promised they would ask the carrier where she delivered the package to.

Lo and behold, what did I see next to my garage very late in the day yesterday: the package with the battery. The Post Office left a voicemail indicating that the item was delivered to my home on Monday, but I gather that it was actually delivered to another home in the development and those kind folks brought it over. Either way, I don't care how it got here. I'm just glad it is. Battery "B" as it will be known as from this day forward (to have and to charge, until bluescreen do we part) is now charging in the UMPC. Which is now running Vista. Too bad Samsung doesn't support Vista on the Ultra Premium yet. I feel like I'm stuck in a time warp: cobbling together drivers and apps just like I did for Vista on the Q1 a year and a half ago.

Meet the notebooks of 2015

Computerworld has an interesting feature on notebooks of the near-future. 2015 specifically, which is just 21 scant years before Zefram Cochrane will be born so no: you won't see any notebooks capable of warp drive yet. The article shows some concept designs, some of which we've seen before, but others we haven't. Features like 2 TB of internal storage and the first OLED displays abound in the article. While it's unlikely that we'll see these exact products on store shelves, many of the concepts of today do become components or features tomorrow. I particularly like the concept solar notebook shown. We can't yet easily power a standard laptop with solar power, but the idea of including a solar panel that folds out when needed is appealing. Sadly, nobody thought to make a concept UMPC. I guess they go the way of Star Trek: The Original Series by 2015. ;)

(via MobileRead)

Dynamism offering Everun with 32 GB SSD for $1099

Raon Digital's latest edition of the Everun has the SSD or Solid State Disk drive treatment and our friends at Dynamism just shot me a note about it. They're offering to import the Everun with 32 GB of SSD for $1,099. From what I can see, the unit doesn't have a single 32 GB drive, but instead has two: an 8 GB and a 24 GB; not sure if they appear as one drive or two on the unit. What's even more interesting is that the flash used for the drives looks to be different if I'm reading the product page correctly.

The 8 GB is listed as SLC while the 24 GB is shown as MLC. I take those to mean "single level cell" and "multi-level cell" respectively. If I recall correctly, MLC flash stores twice as much data in the same amount of space since it fits 2 bits in every cell as opposed to one.

The Everun is powered by a 600 MHz AMD LX900 paired with 512 MB of RAM to power Windows XP Home. It's not going to be the fastest machine by far, but if a small 1.1 pound UMPC with a keyboard is in your sights, you might want to pull the trigger.

What drivers are installed on your Vista machine?

The Windows environment is beholden to those hardware drivers that lets your components talk to the OS.  It's a constant battle to keep these drivers updated as they come from all the different makers of the hardware hidden within your system.  The first step to determining if you're running the latest driver from the manufacturer is to know what version of the driver is currently installed in your PC.  You can determine this on an individual component easily enough in the Device Manager but wouldn't it be good to get a list of all the drivers in your Vista box at once?  There is a utility built into Vista that does just that called DRIVERYQUERY and with the proper tags it can generate a list of all the drivers currently installed on your Vista PC in just about any format you want.  OCMODSHOP has the scoop on this utility along with a list of all the tags and what they do so head over and get intimate with all of your drivers.

Do your Apple products "just work"?

We use a fair bit of Apple products and with the exception of a few Genius Bar trips have been pretty happy with how well they work.  That's not always the case as Xavier of notebooks.com will tell you as he's run into a whole bunch of Apple hardware that doesn't "just work".  Xavier has experienced failures with two iMacs, a  MacBook Pro battery and three iPhones.  Now I don't know about you but that's a fair dinkum of bad luck with Apple products.  Xavier is trying to determine if he's just snakebit or if others are finding problems with new Apple hardware.  How about it, are you happy with your stuff from Cupertino?

Video how to: upgrade the RAM on the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium

OK, this one isn't exactly for the faint of heart. I didn't know it until I was on camera, but the RAM slot for the Q1 Ultra Premium isn't in the same spot as earlier models. It's actually underneath a motherboard, so you have to not only crack open the case (which was a challenge), but also remove some cables and a board. Hidden underneath is the RAM slot and at that point, swapping out the RAM is a piece of cake. The whole process took me at least 30 minutes and you want to be VERY careful.

After the video, I noticed something funny with my touchscreen so I opened the device again to make sure all the cables were seated properly. Once I verified that and closed the device up, the hard drive was no longer recognized. Third time was a charm although I seem to have lost Windows XP; the device now appears to be functioning properly during a re-install of Windows XP Tablet Edition. Long story short: this can be done, but it's not as simple as I would have liked. Be careful!

Oh and while I was in there, I saw a free PCIe slot for a 3G modem card; there's no need to remove the WiFi/Bluetooth module from the other PCIe slot. :)

TabletKiosk joins Dell and Motion in accused patent infringement club

Typhoon Touch is making a business out of suing Tablet makers for alleged patent infringements and today have sued TabletKiosk, Electrovaya and Xplore Technologies for touch screen patent infringements.  Typhoon Touch had previously sued Dell and Motion Computing for the same violations and so far only Motion has settled the suit. 

Typhoon specifically cites Xplore's iX104C series of tablet PCs, Electrovaya's Scribbler SC4000 tablet, and four of TabletKiosk's ruggedized tablets. Typhoon, a Seattle-based firm that creates and acquires patents, has only licensed its patents on portable touch-screen computers to Nova Mobility. The two companies have asked the U.S. District Court in the Eastern District of Texas for unspecified damages and an injunction on the sales of the computers Typhoon says are in violation of its patents.

Of course none of the companies named can comment on the active lawsuits.  I was surprised to hear that Motion had been accused of violating these touch screen patents as I didn't think they even made touch screen tablets as their multi-touch version of the L1700 was canceled before it ever shipped.

(via CNET)

Samwise going under the knife today for 2 GB memory upgrade

Although the US Postal Service seems to have delivered my 6-cell battery to someone else, it was nice to see FedEx arrive early this morning with a 2 GB memory module. The standard 1 GB SODIMM is coming out of Samwise so he can get the 2 GB upgrade treatment later today. The procedure will be slightly different from the Q1 and Q1P upgrades due to the different form factor, so cross your fingers in the virtual waiting room. Once the surgery is over, he'll have some time to recover with Windows XP Tablet Edition for a short while. As soon as he's strong enough, we'll tackle the next phase of his metamorphosis by cleanly installing Windows Vista. No need to send cards or letters; I'm sure all will go well as I know the surgeon personally and have every confidence in his abilities. ;)

Why a .Mac service for PCs could be in the cards

The web continues to quake with aftershocks of "Safari-gate": the Apple Software Update that installs Safari 3.1 for Windows by default. I tend to side with the folks that claim this practice isn't the most forthcoming, but there are numerous examples of other companies doing the same thing for years. In the end, it's up to each individual user to actually examine which check-boxes are activated and therefore, which applications are installed.

Having said that, I started thinking about Safari 3.1 on PCs. Maybe I've been spending too much time writing about file synchronization applications lately, but it got me wondering if Apple is working on a ".Mac lite" service for Windows PCs. We're getting to the point where assuming there are PCs and Mac co-existing in the same household isn't that far-fetched.