jkOnTheRun

The Wind is blowing to the US

Another entrant in the increasingly crowded cheap sub-notebook category is the MSI Wind and Joanna Stern of Laptop Magazine has interviewed the folks behind the Wind to get the real scoop.  The Wind will come in both an 8.9-inch and 10-inch screen models although the 10-inch model is the only one that will blow into the US in June.  There will be Linux and Windows XP versions of both and the Linux version will start at $399, the benchmark entry price for the genre.  Check out Joanna's interview to get the whole story behind the Wind.

Opera Mini 4.1 arrives: faster, URL auto-complete and offline pages

Opera Mini ought to consider a name change to Opera Maxi. The browser that works on a gazillion phones just keeps getting better and is constantly adding new features. The updated 4.1 version is available now by pointing your phone at http://www.operamini.com and offers up these features and then some:

• Faster browsing. Since the optimized web-pages come from Opera's servers, they've made some upgrades on the back-end for faster page loading.
• Text search. Just like on the big boy browsers, you can search for text on a web page with Opera Mini 4.1.
• URL suggestion. Using your browsing history and bookmarks, 4.1 will save time on URL text entry. Good, because my thumbs need a break every now and again.
• File upload and download support. You'll need a phone that supports JSR-75; it's an optional package for the J2ME platform. If you've got it, you can take advantage of file uploads and downloads natively in Opera Mini 4.1. That's good for mobile blogging and attachments in web-based e-mail.
• Offline viewing. Again, JSR-75 the magic element here: with it, you can save web pages for offline viewing on your phone.

I just grabbed the new browser on my T-Mobile AT&T Dash and the browser is indeed much faster. No luck for me on the offline features unfortunately; still, a pretty positive experience so far and worth the download for your phone.

First Intel MID is available for ordering- over $1,000!

What's the one single factor that must be met by MID producers to make sure that their internet device has even a tiny chance of succeeding in the market?  Price, and dirt cheap.  With full laptops now available with Linux for less than $500 the only way that MIDs have a chance to compete is to be at least as cheap as those other fairly small alternatives.  UMPC Portal is reporting that TegaTech, Hugo Ortega's retail outlet in Australia, has offered the first Intel MID for pre-ordering and the GigaByte M528 will set you back, sit down please, AUD1199!  What components does this baby sport?  It doesn't freaking matter at a price far north of $1,000.  They will NOT sell stripped down devices for double the price of an EEE PC.  Not at all.  Sheesh.  Kudos to Hugo for being the first to offer an Intel MID and I hope you do well.

Verizon EVDO update

I have an answer to my question about the Verizon EVDO service here in Houston.  This morning I arrived at my office in Big Oil Co. at 6:30 am and at 6:50 I called Verizon technical support.  Despite the early morning hour in just a few minutes I was speaking with a competent tech support specialist who listened to my problem and then spent the next 10 minutes having me go through some steps to make sure I was using the latest modem firmware and Verizon software.  Once we verified that she reset everything on her end and then we tried the modem again and got the same error I have been getting for the past few days.  Based on that testing she is going to overnight a replacement v740 modem to me that hopefully I'll have tomorrow so I can get back online while on the go.  Kudos to Verizon for a very competent and pleasant support experience.

Google Reader gets an iPhone update

It's just a beta for now, but if you use Google Reader on an iPhone or iPod Touch, you might want to hit up http://www.google.com/reader/i. Actually, the Official Google Reader blog says this is for the iPhone and other advanced mobile browsers, so S60 and Windows Mobile folks might want to have a look-see as well.

I use Google Reader on my iPhone daily and so far, I'm not thrilled with the beta. I find some actions taking more taps, so my hope is that there's some additional tweaking before a full release. To be honest, I'm pretty happy with how the current version works, so I say: "why mess with a good thing"? Have a look for yourself and see what you think.

Is EVDO down in Houston?

The last few days I have been having the most trouble with my Verizon EVDO connectivity and it's driving me batty.  I try to connect to the Verizon network and am immediately greeted by this error:

I get this error twice every time and hit the Connect button each time and on the third time (always the third) I get duly logged onto the network.  It shows an EVDO Rev. A connection in the status bar but as soon as I try to go somewhere it drops to NationAccess which is only 1xRtt speed:

It chugs along at this blazing speed until the connection will go Dormant, usually meaning I have to disconnect and reconnect.  It's happening to me all over Houston and using the v740 modem in three different devices.  It's so bad that right now I am tethered to the AT&T network through the HTC Advantage using the Windows Mobile Internet Sharing over Bluetooth:

Is anybody else in Houston having trouble with Verizon lately or is it time to get my modem looked at?

8 mobile tech tools and tips for a tough economy

Having my father get laid off from his state government job a few weeks back has kept me busy. He's not what I'd call tech-savvy, although he's learning along the way. So I've spent quite a bit of time with him over the last two weeks: setting him up with one of our extra notebook computers, getting fast Internet service, and sorting out plans for the future. It hit me that right now there's quite a number of folks in the same boat as the economy has been in a slump for the past eight months or so. Long time readers and fellow geeks can probably bypass the rest of this post, but I've gathered some mobile tech tools and tips for the more mainstream consumers in our audience. All of these are the direct result of helping my Dad get organized and empowered...

Microsoft Live services arriving on a BlackBerry near you

Research in Motion continues to make a push from the enterprise to consumer markets. In what's likely not a coincidence, the same day that RIM announces their new BlackBerry Bold, they also have a Microsoft deal to shout about. RIM and Microsoft have partnered to bring Windows Live services to the BlackBerry line: Windows Live Messenger and better integration of Windows Live Hotmail hit the handhelds by summer. Hotmail users will leverage the BlackBerry network's "push" technology for real-time mail and they'll also have the option of a separate or integrated Inbox for Hotmail. I prefer having one single Inbox to manage, but that's just me; it's nice to see that BlackBerry owners using Hotmail will get an option.

Reminder- turn off power management on core system components

I use so many mobile PCs that I am always paying close attention to how fast devices resume from Sleep or Hibernation.  A common scenario for me finds me in a remote location, pulling a device out of my bag and hitting the power button to resume from Sleep mode.  I use a Bluetooth mouse and 3G modem (ExpressCard) a lot in such locations and one of the factors that impacts how quickly I can get to work is how long it takes a given system to recognize the mouse and modem upon resumption from Sleep.  Yesterday it hit me that the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 I have been using for a couple of weeks was taking too long to recognize the Bluetooth mouse meaning I was having to wait for that before I could get to work. 

I remembered a post I wrote a while back about making sure that touch digitizers don't get shut off by the Windows power management by turning that feature off in the Device Manager and I made a visit there on the U110.  Sure enough, the Bluetooth radio had power management enabled by default meaning that Windows was turning it off when it went into a low power mode on battery and this was affecting how quickly it found the mouse to get me working again.  It had to turn on the Bluetooth radio, find the mouse and then connect to it every time I resumed from Sleep mode.  A simple ticking off of the power management option for the radio remedied that situation and now my mouse is there right away when I resume and try to get to work.  I visited the same setting for the EVDO modem and sure enough power management was enabled for that too.  I also turned it off there and now when I resume from Sleep mode I am working in just a second or two.  It makes a big difference when you sleep and resume a lot during the day so don't forget to check the Device Manager for all the internal components on your mobile PC that seem to take a while to get back going again when you wake your device up.

CorePlayer Mobile adds support for Flash files

If you carry digital media files on your Windows Mobile or Palm handheld, there's a pretty good chance that you either have or have looked at CorePlayer Mobile at some point. You'll want to take another look, or a first look, because the long-time media player just added support for Adobe Flash. That doesn't mean you can view Flash-based vids in your mobile browser, but you can view .FLV files in the newest CorePlayer version, which is 1.2.4. It's $24.95 for a WinMo or Palm OS license, but most folks I know feel that it's well worth the purchase price. You can view the entire changelog right here; I see that all supported Symbian devices get a YouTube Browser with this version as well.

(via Palm Infocenter)

GoMobo: text your food order and avoid the lines

Regular readers know that my second home is WaWa... and here I'll bet you thought it was Starbucks. Nope, I hit up my local WaWa convenience store several times a week. So much so, that we're inviting one of the cashiers to our wedding this fall. Seriously! My love for the WaWa might be increasing since I've read that they're partnering with GoMobo.

With a GoMobo account, you can text message your order to a participating restaurant, where it will be waiting for you when you arrive. The service doesn't add any charges to your order, you simply pay the same price as if you ordered at the location. Unfortunately for me, the relatively new service is only being used by six local WaWa locations at the moment. I may have to do a road trip and text a coffee order to see how well this works. GottahavaWaWa!

Orb arrives for jailbroken iPhone, iPod Touch: streams TV content and more

Way back when I got my iPhone, I played a bit with Orb to stream music from a Windows PC to my handset. It worked pretty well for audio streaming and was easy to access although limited to the Safari web browser. There's now a semi-official Orb application for the iPhone and iPod Touch, but of course you'll need to have your device "jailbroken" to use it. The Register found the above YouTube video showing how to install the application, but the more exciting stuff happens a few minutes in: there's a live demo of remotely accessing the television guide on a PC running Orb and choosing to watch an NBA game on TNT. The television content stream looks great, especially when the device is rotated into landscape mode.

I suspect we'll see an official Orb client, not to mention one from Sling Media, once the Apple iPhone SDK comes out of beta. For now, you jailbreakers can make do with this.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session: More of the U110 and a surprise application

We haven't had a dual-chat about the Lenovo IdeaPad U110, so today I got a better look at it. James also has an advance look at some software that I'm sure folks will want when it gets released. If you surf the web on a handheld device, you'll want to check this out.

Haicom's Bluetooth GPS: perfect for a small notebook or UMPC

Since I can't use the GPS in my USB 727, I might look into Haicom's itty-bitty GPS module. The HI-408BT looks small, light and runs continiously for 10-hours on a single charge. The 75x30x17mm module weighs just 48 grams and has an integrated Bluetooth radio, so it will connect with the computers and UMPCs I carry around. Haicom indicates that the GPS module has only a 38-second time to first fix from a cold start; I'm sure there are GPS modules that acquire a signal faster, but for something of this small size, I think I'm sold. Now it's just a matter of finding one to purchase since Haicom is based in Taiwan. In Japan, the MSRP is 9,975 Yen, which works out to around $95 US. There's no mention of any software included, so you might be on your own with that.

(via Akihabara News)

Mobile broadband in the US

I get a lot of questions about the various mobile broadband options in the US as a lot of folks are considering opening up their mobile options.  Mobile broadband provides a solid platform these days for getting work done from just about anywhere but the many different providers and options are confusing.  Web Worker Daily has done a great overview of the various broadband options currently available in the US and explain in simple language the various plans and technologies and how they can work for you.  Check out the article and I can bet you will learn something you didn't already know.

It's official: billions have bailed Sprint, Clearwire from a WiMAX wipeout

Nothing gives more hope to a floundering business like billions of dollars injected into it. That's what just saved the largest WiMAX movement in the U.S. as the on-again, off-again Sprint-Clearwire business partnership is on-again. They can thank folks like Comcast, Google, Intel and others who invested $3.2 billion in the new company, which will be called Clearwire. (Goodbye XOHM, we hardly knew you...)

I'm not yet sure what this means for the companies that invested, but I'll be digging around for sure based on who those companies are. What it means for mobile tech folks is that nearly-national coverage of a WiMAX network actually has a chance now. It may become a question of how quickly a rollout happens because these types of infrastructure investments typically take years and LTE, the 4G direction for most carriers, is only a few years away.

Google Reader adds Notes, needs to add more customizations

For over a year now, my RSS reader of choice has been Google Reader. It supports offline functionality, keeps my feeds in one central location and is drop-dead simple to use on my computers and my iPhone. New features are slowly being added and the latest is a nice Notes feature that appears under the "Your Stuff" menu in the top left pane. With it, you can create a Note or drag web content in for a quick note. That's all well and good... except for small screens.

As Google adds new features, I don't see them adding ways to customize your view in case you don't want to take advantage of these functions. While the "Your Stuff" menu option expands and contracts, it's not something I even want to see, yet I can't remove it. "Friends Shared Items" is another one: yes, it's useful and a feature I don't mind seeing on my full-sized notebooks, but there's another line of wasted space on my 7-inch displays. What happens is that as each new menu feature is added, it causes fewer and fewer RSS feeds to show on my UMPC, and isn't that the core functionality of an RSS reader? To show RSS feeds?

I don't begrudge the new features at all. However, what I'd like to see is a way to further customize my view so I can see more of what I need to see when I'm on the run. If I've missed some customization view settings, I'm counting on you folks to point them out.

Document creation on the iPod Touch: Glide OS Mobile

Here's a slick way to create documents on that iPod Touch, provided you have some WiFi connectivity: use Glide OS Mobile. Michael Connick does just that and uses the web-based application to create his WordPress blog posts as well as his tweets in Twitter. Michael couples this solution with the iCopy bookmarklet for copy and paste functionality on his Touch. He has several other core applications and functions listed this morning; well worth the look if you're an iPod Touch or an iPhone owner.

It's been a minor pet peeve of mine that my iPhone doesn't fully work with Google Docs, since that's my main word processor these days. I can view my docs, but I can't edit them, nor can I create new ones. I may look into the Glide OS Mobile solution because that would actually let me create a new Google Doc. I figure I can create the doc and then paste it into an e-mail or provide the URL of the document. Google Docs does support new document creation through e-mail via the old Writely functionality, so that might work. It would depend on the document creation: if it's no easier to use Glide OS Mobile, I can just use the native mail application for the same purpose. My gut says that the Glide OS Mobile approach might work a tad better since it's web-based and Mobile Safari supports landscape mode making for a bigger keyboard.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session: Skype video on the HP Mini with Windows XP

James and I are getting tons of questions on how well (or how bad) Skype video calls are on the HP Mini. This geek chat shows that while the quality isn't as good as higher powered machines, it is quite usable, and without any tweaks. I'm using a MacBook Pro on my end to record the video while James is using the HP Mini with Skype 3.8 for Windows. It's the 1.6 GHz VIA C7-M, 2 GB of RAM and running Windows XP.

Celio announces WM 6.1 and support for 12 new phones for Redfly

We've been all over the Celio Redfly for its seamless integration with WM smartphones and that integration got a little better as the company has a major announcement today.  Celio will be adding support for Windows Mobile 6.1 and the following 12 smartphones in Q2 of this year:

Manufacturer         Model            Carrier       WM Version
HP                       iPAQ 910                        6.0   Professional
HTC                     Touch            Sprint         6.0   Professional
HTC                     Dash              T-Mobile    6.0   Standard
HTC                     Wing              T-Mobile     6.0   Professional
Motorola               MOTO Q        AT&T         6.0   Standard
Motorola               MOTO Q 9h    AT&T        6.0   Standard
Motorola               MOTO Q        Sprint         5.0   Smart Phone
Motorola               MOTO Q 9c    Sprint         6.0   Standard
Motorola               MOTO Q 9m   Verizon      6.0   Standard
Palm                    Treo 750         AT&T         5.0   Pocket PC
Samsung              Black Jack     AT&T         5.0   Smart Phone
Samsung              Black Jack II  AT&T          6.0   Standard

The Redfly is a very cool smartphone companion and if you missed our video review you don't know why we're excite.

Rovair offers 3G by the day, no long-term commitment

On paper, Rovair's pitch sounds pretty good. The company procures 3G modems with contracts and then doles them out to individuals that want connectivity for a short term but don't want the typical two-year plan commitment. Rovair offers 3G for as little as $5.95 per day, which is a reasonable price when compared to a WiFi day pass, for example.

Unfortunately, that $6 daily price is for a 30-day period: if you do the math, that means $180 for a month of 3G without any additional commitments. I priced a four-day rental to see what it would be and Rovair would charge me $14.95 per day, for a total of $59.80. Adding in another $29.90 for shipping brings the total to nearly $90. While I like the idea, I can't see it working well unless Rovair offered pickup kiosks for the devices; the shipping costs alone really hit the wallet. Still, it's another option for those needing full-time connectivity for a trip.

(via Web Worker Daily)

Targus Bluetooth Laser mouse: lightweight, dual-resolution and rechargeable batteries

Surely you can carry another two ounces of gear, right? That's all the Targus Bluetooth Laser mouse would add to your burden. TabletPCReview's Jerry Jackson gave this wireless rodent a full review and it appears to have come away a winner. You can switch the laser mouse from 800- to 1600-dpi in just a few seconds for improved accuracy and Targus includes two AAA rechargeable batteries. Jerry used the mouse for a full three weeks during his review and the mouse hasn't died yet. When he needs to, he can just use the included USB cable to recharge from a notebook.

Targus kept the design simple: just two buttons and middle scroll-wheel, which can be used as a third button. The only major annoyance seems to be the power saving functionality. After just a few minutes of inactivity, there was a noticeable lag before the mouse woke up from its nap. Still, at an MSRP of of $70 and online pricing in the $40 to $50 range, this looks like a decent peripheral for mobile devices with integrated Bluetooth.

UMPC Portal previews the Sony Xperia X1

Steve Paine is always getting his hands on something or other and he just scored 24 hours with the hot upcoming Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 phone.  Chippy Kornel has duly reported on the experience of using this Windows Mobile-based phone from Sony and included lots of photos.  I must say I am quite surprised just how small the X1 is in his photos.  He's got video too so check out this very cool phone.

Coffee break- Mac-ing in the Starbucks on the HP

No question that a Mac made by HP that fits in my tiny gear bag is just too cool for words.  I only have a 17" MacBook Pro and while I occasionally bring it to the local SBUX it's not something I carry around too much.  It is so bloomin' cool to be able to bring the 8.9" HP Mini-Note and still work with the Mac OS at the SBUX.  Severiously.

Thoughts on the HP Mini-Note under WinXP

I've been running XP on the HP Mini-Note for a few days now and it's time to share some of my thoughts on the system.  Fast.  Everything is instantly responsive under XP and it still surprises me how quickly some things run.  My old faithful resource hogs, Outlook 2007 and OneNote 2007, open quickly and perform faster on the Mini-Note running XP than they do on my Dual Core 2 equipped Tablet PCs, both of them.  Hit an icon and boom something happens.  Surfing the web is quick and easy and the high-res screen makes it very pleasant.  Some other users have taken steps to make things appear bigger on the 8.9" screen for easier viewing but I haven't had to do that.  That's probably because I am already used to the 1280x768 running on the 8.9" screen on the Fujitsu P1620.  It's great having everything fit on the screen at once.

Windows Mobile app controls home automation systems

There's no doubt in my mind that our planned retirement home in the Poconos will be wired up the wahoo for home automation. Since it's 100 miles away from our current home, I'll want to monitor and see everything that goes on up there. [Personal note to our kids: whatever you were planning to do up there when I'm not around... don't.] Home Automation, Inc. is one of my favorite sites to lust after remote controls, interfaces and switches and today they announced a handy bit of Windows Mobile software.

With their new Snap-Link Mobile application on a Windows Mobile 5.0 or better phone, you can monitor and control all of the items in your home automation setup: lights, security, audio, thermostats, webcams and more. [That's right kids: WEBCAMS. Hence the above personal note]. You'll need an Ethernet-enabled controller, like the Omni or Luna that HAI offers, and there are no subscription fees for the software.

Coffee Break- first Mini-Note in the wild

So I'm sitting in Starbucks working on the HP Mini-Note and look what I saw walk in the door:

It's already started with the Mini in the wild.  :)  BTW, his is the $749 model same as the one I'm using on the left.

Funny thing is when I was snapping this picture of the two Minis and my friend and I were talking all about it another guy watching came up and asked us if the Via processor was stout enough to handle the Mini.  After a minute he introduced himself as an employee of Via, who I didn't even know had an office in town, and he was excited about the Via being chosen by HP.  Isaiah will be available in limited quantities in June he said.

SlingPlayer Mobile clients get upgraded

The latest and greatest SlingPlayer Mobile clients get a refresh today. Current license owners get the upgrades free-of-charge, while folks new to placeshifting content on a handheld will have to ante up the $30 license fee. Of course, you could try the 30-day free trial before dropping your coin as well.

Windows Mobile goes to v1.6 while the nearly new Symbian S60 client bumps up to v1.1. Some new handsets are supported with these updates (the Nokia N95 8GB, Samsung i760 and Treo 500v come to mind) and there's improvement in streaming video quality for some phones along with support for additional set-top boxes. Hit up the Sling Media downloads page to get your upgrade or free trial.

jkOnTheRun video- Windows XP on the HP Mini-Note

I couldn't wait for HP to release it, I had to install Windows XP on the Mini-Note to see how it runs compared to Vista.  I performed a clean install of Windows XP using good instructions found on the web and it went clean and easy.  In this video I show how snappy the system runs doing normal tasks like opening Microsoft Office programs, surfing the web and running the Windows Explorer.  I am pleased with the performance of the Mini-Note running XP but you can judge for yourself after watching the video.  Enjoy!

BTW, the Zune theme I am running can be downloaded here since I know many will ask.

Upgrading RAM on the HP Mini-Note- video tutorial

A lot of folks have asked me how easy it is to upgrade the RAM in the HP Mini-Note and fellow Mini-Notester Joanna Stern of Laptop Magazine has produced a video showing it done.  Joanna upgraded the 1 GB stick that came in her Mini to a 2 GB stick and shows the entire process.  It is pretty straightforward although watching her pop the keyboard out to gain access to the DIMM slot made me nervous.  Have a look and see what's involved.

Portable notebook stand for those on the run moments

I am a firm believer in using laptop stands in my office to provide the proper angle so my typing experience is more ergonomic.  Typical stands are too big and bulky to carry when out and about but reader Lee Robbins just solved that problem for me.  The Pocket Notebook Stand closes to the size of a mouse and only weighs 3.8 ounces but when opened props that notebook up to just the angle you prefer.  This provides not only ergonomic comfort but good airflow to keep the notebook cool as a breeze. $17.

Mac to Mac Internet Sharing: an issue and the fix

We've shown you how to share a Windows Mobile Internet connection with a Mac and it's a very painless process. Apparently sharing that web connection between one Mac and another isn't as straightforward. Dan Moren over at MacWorld wanted to do just that between two Macs using a cable and the Internet Sharing setting, but ran into a snag that wasn't readily transparent.

Based on his experience, it turns out that while the second Mac could get an IP address, it wouldn't connect to anything beyond. Some digging on the web turned up this interesting and useful tidbit: the second port he set up gets the same subnet as the first. Dan figured out that he could assign a manual IP address to his Mac and do the same with the other Mac to get them on the same network to share the connection. I'd be surprised if this particular issue doesn't get addressed in a future update to Mac OS X. From an end-user standpoint, it should generally be as simple as checking the Internet Sharing checkbox in the Sharing settings.

SugarSync reviewed: sweet service for file synching

I've been reviewing SugarSync for the past several weeks and had an opportunity to publish a brief review at PC World. As a result, I won't cover it here, but instead will direct you to my thoughts online in case you're looking for a solution to sync files between multiple devices. There's definitely some plusses with SugarSync, especially for folks that use both PCs and Macs, but there's one feature I'd like to see included in the future. Based on my conversations with the good folks at SugarSync, that feature is high on the priority list. What is it? You'll have to read the review to find out.

My standard disclosure applies here: I get paid from PC World on a flat-fee, per article basis. There's no financial incentive gained for me to send you over to the article; I'm simply sharing the information for those that might be interested in the review.

Super gigantic giveaway coming soon!

I can't tell you the details yet but we are very happy that we will be participating in one of the largest giveaways I have ever seen.  Details will be forthcoming shortly but let me tell you, the prize we will be giving away is staggering.  Really.

T-Mobile to launch first Android phone this year

The long awaited announcement by T-Mobile came today.  No, not the one that details the 3G launch, the one that they will indeed release an Android phone in Q4 of this year.  T-Mobile is the first major US carrier who is a member of the Open Handset Alliance to put an actual launch time frame for a handset running Google's phone OS.  Here's hoping they are better at this launch than the still vaporware 3G network.

(via CNET)

Turn your phone into a dual SIM device with DuoSIM

Are you a double-SIM card owner that's frustrated by swapping SIM cards in-and-out of the same phone repeatedly? How does $28 and less than three-minutes of effort sound to address that issue? That's all it takes as evidenced by the above Red Ferret Journal video. In it, you'll see the DuoSIM that goes inside your GSM phone. It's basically a flexible, thin-film cable that connects two SIM cards; bear in mind you'll need a wee bit o' space between your phone and the battery cover for this to work. Just place one end of the DuoSIM in your SIM slot, pop your cards in and you're good to go. Once your phone is powered on, you can switch between the two, assuming the phone OS supports it.

First impressions of Boingo Wireless Network

The good folks at Boingo have supplied me with a demo of their WiFi hotspot service so I can tell you what I think of it.  I only got the demo set up last night and used it this morning for the first time so this is a very limited impression of what I found.  I'll keep you informed how the test progresses as I get more exposure to the Boingo Network.

I am in my usual Starbucks this morning where I have always used the T-Mobile hotspot service I pay for.  Before I got here I had installed the Goboingo software which sniffs for a WiFi network that can be used with Boingo and lets you log on if so.  Since this Starbucks is still a T-Mobile hotspot I was surprised when I opened up the browser and Goboingo popped up and told me that a Boingo network was available. This means that the AT&T service is already in place here alongside the T-Mobile service for now anyway.  I logged into the Goboingo login box and was immediately connected to the "tmobile" network according to the Windows network information.  It's working just as usual, I'm just Boingoing (is that a word?) instead of tmobiling.  If Boingo continues to work this well I will definitely cancel my T-Mobile hotspot account.

Interestingly, the goboingo software doesn't appear to be running anywhere and I couldn't get it to notify me at first. It seems it is attached to Internet Explorer and once I opened an IE window it immediately popped up the dialog box I mentioned.  As a die-hard Firefox user I don't like having to do that as it means I may miss getting notified at times.

UPDATE: I heard from the Boingo folks who clarified that the GoBoingo software is not attached to any web browser.  The minor delay I experienced getting notified that a Boingo network was available in the Starbucks was due to the unusual situation in Starbucks.  GoBoingo had to probe the T-Mobile network and then make sure that this network was available over AT&T due to Starbucks agreement and once it did that it could present the network as a Boingo network.

Tellme it's not true: Microsoft's voice search on Blackberry before Windows Mobile

Windows Mobile does have and support voice-enabled functions, but this is an interesting twist. Due to better support for Java, Microsoft's Tellme subsidiary is offering its voice search for Blackberry devices before it goes live on Windows Mobile handsets. Tellme keeps track of where you are through your phone's GPS radio so your search results are local to where you are. Technically, they're local to where your phone is, but I'm assuming your phone wasn't lifted when you weren't looking.

Device owners can tap a button and speak their search query; in return, Tellme will offer local results using the Microsoft Live Search engine. It's a freebie for several Blackberry Pearl and Curve models, with more to likely follow. Want to test the Tellme service without software? Just call 1-800-555-TELL to give it a whirl and see how the results are.

(via CNN)

Starbucks and AT&T- so long T-Mobile hotspots

The new Starbucks near me still has no hotspot, it's a new store so they are waiting for AT&T to install the equipment due to the coffee chain's desertion from the T-Mobile camp.  Other Starbucks stores in my area are all still running T-Mobile hotspots but managers have been told that soon the switchover to AT&T will take place. I have been dutifully paying T-Mobile for unlimited hotspot service for years but now that I have to consciously think about which store I am going to visit so I know whether I'll find T-Mobile or AT&T has gotten me to thinking which is always dangerous.  I have the T-Mobile hotspot service but the only places I've ever used them is in Starbucks shops.  Once they complete the switchover to AT&T I will no longer need the T-Mobile service and I'll cancel it.  Will anyone in the US need the T-Mobile service once the Starbucks switchover is complete?

I don't want to get AT&T hotspot service necessarily either.  I am seriously thinking of getting Boingo which has roaming agreements with hundreds of providers including AT&T.  Rather than pay AT&T for access to only their hotspots I'd rather pay roughly the same monthly fee to get access to all the AT&T hotspots plus all the others that Boingo can access.  If you have T-Mobile hotspot service now what are you going to do when Starbucks turns off that switch?

Great mobile tech breakfast

While Kevin's been toiling away here at jkOnTheRun I just finished a great breakfast with a new friend, Steve Rubel. We had a stimulating conversation about technology that was a real hoot. Steve's a great guy and I look forward to seeing him down the road. Have a safe trip back to NYC, Steve.

Microsoft unveils Live Mesh Technical Preview

Microsoft unveiled the newest Live service last night and I just a look at the introductory video of Mesh. The service is a combination of functionality: file synchronization on multiple devices, file sharing and collaboration, "news" updates on who has done what with shared docs, and remote computer access. I see it as a cross between several other current Microsoft offerings, namely SharePoint, FolderShare, Remote Desktop and Windows Messenger, just to name a few.

One aspect I like already is that there's support coming for mobile devices and the Mac. I think there's an opportunity for Microsoft to keep a hold of folks that use both PCs and Macs, although I would have expected mobile device support right out of the gate. Still, it's early yet, so let's see how this shakes out. Users will get 5 GB of storage capacity to begin with, which for most consumers is probably enough. Folks like me that are heavy web-workers might be disappointed with 5GB but mainstream consumers should be OK with this. I also like the Live Desktop aspect which is like a mini-environment viewed in a browser. Your Live Desktop shows all of the files and folders in your Mesh; it's a clean, OS-like look on the web.

I'm curious if Mesh will replace or complement some of the other Microsoft Live services in the end. I don't see why we need duplicate ways to keep devices in sync, for example. Could be a "wait and see how Mesh pans out" situation before decisions are made there. One thing's for sure: the trend for mobile access and multiple devices continues to grow.

Canon PIXMA mobile printer gets an upgrade: faster, higher DPI

Just over a year ago we took note of the Canon PIXMA iP90v, a printer for those on the run. Canon refreshed the PIXMA this month with the iP100. What do you get other than a higher model number? Speed for one thing: the older iP90v took around 90 seconds to kick out a 4-inch by 6-inch borderless color photo. That same postcard portrait now appears in 50 seconds. Full color pages get hammered out up to 14 ppm, while black and white docs raise the speed limit to 20 ppm.

The resolution got a bump in both directions too: 4800 x 1200 dpi was the norm on last year's model, while this year brings 9600 x 2400 dpi. You can still get the optional Bluetooth module or battery for mobility, and the price of this 4.4-pound printer stays at an MSRP of $249.99. I did notice that the battery for iP100v doesn't offer the same amount of printing as the one for the iP90v: expect 290 printed pages per charge, which compares to 450 pages for last year's model.

(via Everything USB)

The sub-$1,000 portable device challenge

Fellow MobileTechRoundup podcast co-host, Matt Miller, poses a great question. He's trying to figure out what mobile device meets his needs but costs less than a grand. Just a year or two ago, this might have been much easier to answer because there were far fewer choices available. Matt has taken advantage of the growing wave of handsets and ultra-portables by outlining many of the one's he bought, reviewed or used of late. Each has its pros and cons of course, and since everyone's needs are different the devices that work best for him might not be best for you.

Still, if you're looking for a good overview of the choices under $1,000, his article is a nice starting point. In it, he offers commentary on the Apple iPhone, Nokia's N800/N810, the WiBrain B1, the HTC Advantage, the Asus Eee PC 700, the new Asus Eee PC 900, the HP Mini-Note, and Celio's REDFLY. Part of me wishes that Matt would up the price point a wee bit because I think the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium would work well for him; unfortunately, that device is about 25% out of price range.

We've covered quite of few of these devices as well, so if any intrigue you after reading Matt's article, you can find them here:

• WiBrain B1-H review
  
• HTC Advantage: a day in the life
  
• Asus Eee PC 700: reviewed by a 10-year old
  
• HP Mini-Note video and review
  
• Celio REDFLY first look

Mobile tech makes my father's weekend

Every time my father comes over, he makes a comment about the outdoor fire-pit that we have on our deck. He yearns for this fire-pit like it's the best thing since Mac OS X on a touchscreen UMPC. Seriously. I was at his home over the weekend with nary a fire-pit in sight and still he makes a comment about wanting to get one. What's a good son to do? Offer to hit Target's website and order the darn thing, of course. Only one problem: Dad's computer isn't hooked up so he canceled his lowly dial-up service. Don't worry: we're working on the PC and getting him FiOS on my next visit. One problem at a time for those stuck in the "Analog Age" ...

All I had with me was my iPhone because I had planned this to be an "unplugged" weekend: no computers or web work as Barb and I had a free weekend without the kids and we need get cracking on the details for our wedding. So I pulled out my iPhone and told my Dad that we'll get the fire-pit ordered. He couldn't believe that I could navigate to Target, create a new account, enter credit card info, and order the fire-pit from a phone as quickly as I did. (Wait until he sees he can track the package progress via the UPS link I just sent him!) Now most of you won't be surprised by what I did, but I always find it enlightening when those new to mobile tech have an "a-ha!" or "OMG!" moment in situations like this. Got a recent experience where your mobile tech wowed someone for the first time? Share it in the comments so my Dad doesn't feel like he's the only one left living under a rock.

Coffee break- writing at the BUX

Today is a writing day so in keeping with my madness I am sitting in the new Starbucks I've blogged about and writing my abs off.  Yes, writing is a cardio exercise the way I do it.  :)  I decided to bring the HP 2710p with me to see if the larger screen and keyboard makes this task much easier.  Boy does it, it's very productive to have the larger 12" screen and the full keyboard for writing my heart out and it definitely plays into my current internal debate about the two laptop philosophy or not.  Since the 2710p performs the job better than the Mini-Note and doesn't weigh much more if any then perhaps I should be bringing it for writing work and not the Mini.  Decisions, decisions.

I have mentioned before that this Starbucks is a brand new one near me and that it had no WiFi, paid or otherwise.  I spoke with the manager about that today and since this is a brand new store T-Mobile will not put the equipment in for a hotspot which makes sense as Starbucks is switching to AT&T this year.  The manager wasn't sure why AT&T has not installed their hotspot equipment yet but they were here yesterday with some sort of measuring device scanning all of the store area for interference potential.  It sounds like the new Starbucks are getting AT&T from the get-go and thus hastening the death of Starbucks' T-Mobile hotspots.

Is the Intel Atom going to beef up mobile performance?

There's a lot of buzz about the June release of the Intel Atom processor.  The Atom is Intel's new mobile platform designed to be used in Mobile Internet Devices (MIDs) and eventually in Ultra-Portable PCs (UMPCs).  I say eventually because according to the blurbs I've seen from Intel the second phase of the Atom, formerly code-named Silverthorne, is the one they claim will run in UMPCs that need more performance  The lower end Atom based on the Diamondville chipset is not recommended for running Vista and Intel has hedged on what it will do running XP.  A lot of excitement is being generated by word that Asus is planning an Atom-based model of the EEE PC later this year and I'm also hearing a lot of similar excitement over the thought that HP will move from the Via processor to the Atom this year too.  While HP has never indicated they would make that switch if they find it in their best interest to do so I'm sure they will.

So what does the Atom buy us in these notebooks over current solutions?  No question the power consumption is much lower with the Atom, that is one of its designed strengths so that's important.  Mobile devices need all the battery life they can get and Atom will sure help out in that area.  A lot of the commentary I am hearing about the inclusion of Atom into these mini-notebooks is about the expected performance boost over current processors and I'm not sure that's what we will get.  I would love to hear from authorities who know about these things but the Atom as I understand it in its initial release is designed for Linux-based MIDs, not Windows-based devices.  I haven't seen any reason to think that the initial Atoms will be able to handle notebook types of devices so I'm not sure that the enthusiasm is a bit misplaced.  Even Intel's own information doesn't mention Vista as a viable OS for the Atom.  I hope I'm wrong about this and the extra battery life of Atom will be great but I don't think we'll see better performance running Vista and maybe not even XP.

Is it time for me to embrace the two laptop minimum?

I have always prided myself on my ability to capitalize on one mobile device that will serve all of my varied mobile computing purposes.  I am in a great position to be able to put my hands on a large assortment of mobile devices and use that experience to pick the one mobile device that will fill all of my needs.  The recent discussion about the "two laptop minimum" first got me thinking about my own mobile computing needs and if it's time for me to make a change along those lines.  That premise is that mobile devices are getting more capable and cheaper and that for some mobile workers it is actually more productive to have a larger laptop for serious work and a smaller, more mobile device for field work.

The recent evaluations I have conducted of the Celio Redfly, the HP Mini-Note and the Fujitsu P1620 (I bought that one) have really gotten my thinking process going in overdrive about my long-time philosophy of one tool for all the jobs.  While that has served me well there is no question that in some areas any one given device requires compromise(s) to get the job done.  One device might be sufficient to get a given task done but if the compromise is too great it can make the execution of that task more difficult than it could be.  This has been driven home to me the past few weeks.  I have used a single mobile device, most recently the Fujitsu P1620, for a long time.  The P1620 is an outstanding Tablet PC which I need in my consulting work for taking gobs of notes and its small size makes it an extremely mobile workhorse for that task.  The ability to swivel the screen around when confronted with the execution of writing assignments and I needed to type away meant that the Fuji was a good device to be the one device I use routinely.

Then I started evaluating the HP Mini-Note that is almost as mobile as the Fuji but has a much better (and larger) keyboard for those writing assignments.  The ability to write gobs of prose on the Mini demonstrated to me first-hand how much I in fact compromise when I use the Fuji for that heavy writing.  The Fuji is a much more powerful and full-featured device than the Mini but it doesn't offer nearly as good an experience on writing assignments.  There is no doubt in my mind that I am more productive with the HP Mini on those types of tasks, just as I have no doubt that the Fuji better serves my consulting note-taking needs.  Sure the Fuji can do both types of tasks OK but I am not as good at some of them as I am with the HP.  The fact that the HP is relatively cheap compared to the "all-in-one" devices like the Fuji means that I can have both tools in my kit and use the best tool for a given job in front of me.  That is more productive and is easier on me too.

I have come very close to pushing the button to order an HP Mini-Note for this reason since the evaluation unit I have will go back to HP soon.  I haven't ordered one yet because until I send that one back there is no driving urgency to do so plus I think I'd prefer to order a Mini with XP installed which should be available next month.  The likelihood is I will order a Mini, or something similar that comes along, so that I can use the right tool for the given job.  These lower cost mobile devices are definitely causing me to change the way I think about how I approach my work.  I'm probably not the only one in that regard.

Lapworks Futura on the way, good for home or mobile

For the longest time, I've been using a coaster to prop up the back of my MacBook Pro in the home office. It's time to get a little more professional in case I have any company. After reading the review James did for the Lapworks Aluminum stand, I decided to order a Lapworks Futura for $30. This stand is similar to the one James has but it's made of ABS plastic and seems to have more cutouts for air-flow. I like how the Lapworks units can be adjusted to five different typing angles, plus they're light enough to carry around if you want a little ergo with your coffee at Starbucks. This looks like it could replace the current lapdesk I use outside of the office. That one is nice and cushioned, but doesn't do anything for device heat.

Mobile-Stream software tethers your Palm for modem use over USB

There's likely a number of solutions to use your Palm Centro or Treo as a USB modem with a PC, Mac, or Linux machine but Mobile-Stream's USB Modem app just hit my radar. The application costs $24.95 and was recently updated to include support for the 64-bit version of Vista as well as a fix for DUN on the Treo 680 and 755p. With any of these phone-specific applications I always recommend trying it: wouldn't you hate to spend the $25 only to find that your phone and computer don't work with it? Luckly, USB Modem is available as a free trial so you can tether and try your HSDPA or EV-DO connection in advance.

(via Palm Infocenter)

Jaxtr offers free text messages over the web to 38 countries

Being offline all morning unexpectedly caused me to miss some of the news... who decided the kids need a day off from school on an April Wednesday just because? Oy. Anyway, since so many of the deals and services we report on only seem to apply here in the U.S. it's nice to turn the tables for a minute and offer something up for 38 other countries as well.

No, it's not much, but it could be very handy. I'm talking about Jaxtr, whose web service sends text messages for free. Not everyone is on an unlimited text messaging plan (like myself, for instance), so you can save some of your precious stash for when you only have a phone. Jaxtr also offers phone services that I'll probably take a look at in the future; apparently calls used to be Jaxtr to Jaxtr, but it appears that requirement has changed. Is anyone using the service so they can comment on how it works?

(via Gear Diary)

Keep files on a network drive in sync with a USB stick using... Briefcase

One of our recent posts prompted the following comment from John: "...can anybody point me towards an easy way to sync files from a networked drive with a USB flash drive? The combination of files on a network and on removable media has me confused as to which software would work best for me."

We actually covered a more basic scenario back in 2006, so I thought I'd revisit it and tweak it to see if work for John. Sure enough, it works and uses functionality that's been in Windows for years. Anyone remember the Briefcase?