During the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Windows Mobile 6.5 was announced, however not much information was revealed about the second service: Windows Marketplace for Mobile. Just befor the start of CTIA 2009 Microsoft has a lot of new things to announce:
1. More details on Windows Marketplace for Mobile,
2. Individual customization of the Windows Phone,
3. New ways to connect with friends and family (social networking).
This article looks at al the three key topics in more detail, complemented with some early thoughts.
1. Windows Marketplace for Mobile
The screenshots above provide a good idea how the Windows Marketplace for Mobile will look like. The press release provides a list a of top application developers who commited to the Windows Marketplace for Mobile program. Personally it is good to see such an extensive list, and there are really great developers on this list, which means quality on-board !!
"Companies representing the top-selling categories of mobile applications today signed on to be among the first to offer applications through Windows Marketplace for Mobile. They include AccuWeather.com., The Associated Press, CNBC, Developer One Mobile Software, EA Mobile, Facebook, Gameloft, Glu Mobile, Handmark, Ilium Software Inc., Jeyo Inc., Kinoma, LiteScape, Magmic Games, Melodis Corp., MySpace, Namco Networks, Netflix, Pandora, PhatWare Corp., Resco s.r.o., ShoZu Inc., Sling Media Inc., SBSH Mobile Software, Spb Software, Web Information Solutions Inc. and Zagat Survey." [ref01]
However the Windows Marketplace for Mobile seems to be announced -at leat according to the press release- for the next generation of Windows Phone, which simply means Windows Mobile 6.5 devices. Personally I think this is the wrong decision, because the Windows Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 userbase is large, while Windows Mobile 6.5 will be on relative few devices by the end of the year. Windows Marketplace for Mobile should be a downloadable application, that is backwards compatible with Windows Mobile 6.
"Resulting applications will provide new and unique gaming, social networking, media, utility and personal productivity experiences for the next generation of Windows phones." [ref01]
Finally an interesting option is that Mobile Operators can partner with Microsoft on the Windows Marketplace for Mobile. The operator can get access to a specific (branded) set of software titels from the whole population of titels on the Marketplace. Although I live in the Netherlands I won a Samsung BlackJack II, which is fully loaded with AT&T custom software. I hope that throught partnering the amount of this specific software is limited so that end-users can add their own prefered software titles.
2. Customized Themes for Windows Mobile 6.5
On the current Windows Mobile devices it is sometimes tricky to personalize the device in terms graphics. Apple iPhone, Google Android, Symbian S60 and Windows Mobile all serve a specific set of customers. The buying process of a mobile device is becoming more and more comperable with buying a car: "an emotional purchase". Microsoft takes the personal representation, customization and individualization of a Windows Phone to the next level !
"Through new partnerships with the Design Museum London and Council of Fashion Designers of America, Microsoft will offer a variety of free* designer themes to help people express their personal style on Windows phones. Microsoft today announced Mizrahi as the first in a series of designers to create exclusive themes, including color palettes and wallpaper." [ref01]
The Mizrahi designs are shown in the screenshots above.
"In addition, the new Theme Generator will provide people with yet another way to personalize their Windows phone. The Theme Generator, available at http://www.windowsmobile.com later this year, will enable Windows phone users to select pictures from their PC to set as background images, as well as choose colors to personalize their navigation bar, scroll bar and highlighted text. Once finished, their personal theme will be sent to their phone." [ref01]
This theme generator is a very cool tool to easily personalize your device, and could be combined with the MyPhone Service I wrote about earlier this year, or other services. However currently it seems like the Theme Generator will only support Windows Mobile Professional devices, and not Windows Mobile Standard devices. It's a fair decision since the whole process of customizing a skinning is totally different, which means two different products and two different development cycles.
3. Social networking and more
I think the booming of social networking doesn't need any further explenation. Screenshots of the new Facebook application are shown above. Microsoft did also three announcements in the social networking area:
"Windows Mobile users will be able to engage and experience some of the most popular global social networks right from their Windows phone, including Facebook, MySpace and Windows Live.
- Microsoft has created a new Facebook application, available for Windows phones for free* in April, that makes it easy for people to capture video on their phone and upload it to Facebook.
- A new MySpace application, available for free* this summer, gives Windows phone customers real-time access to their global MySpace network. LG Electronics Inc. will preload the MySpace application on its Windows phones.
- Microsoft also announced that Windows Live for Mobile will be available for free download this week for customers in 25 languages. Windows Live for Mobile is the company’s mobile suite of Internet services designed specifically to take advantage of the Windows Mobile platform. It includes mobile versions of Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger, Windows Live Contacts, Windows Live Spaces, Microsoft Live Search and enhanced photo upload capabilities." [ref01]
The Facebook application will be compatible with Windows Mobile 6.1 and higher. Within the Live services there is some additional good news on the Hotmail-front.
"The company also will launch a new beta version of Windows Live Hotmail available through a mobile Web browser. The release includes a new and improved user interface, navigation enhancements for touch-screen devices, the ability to see full HTML pages within e-mail messages and a new search feature that enables people to find important e-mail messages more easily." [ref01]
Some personal thoughts
At first I simply CAN'T understand the business reasoning why the Windows Marketplace for Mobile isn't Windows Mobile 6.0 (and higher) compatible. I had the chance to use the Google Android G1 with the linked Android Marketplace. There I became aware how easy and convenient it is to search for, download and install top applications from one central place without accessing each developers website. This ease of use is also applicable to the CURRENT userbase, since not everyone is an early-adopter or geek buying the latest device.
It is a cool trend to see large companies hooking up with designers from the fashion sector, like HP did for the Vivienne Tam edition of the HP Mini 1000 netbook. The theme generator can become a very cool feature, since sometimes it is not easy to create a theme for your Windows Mobile device. Furthermore it is a unique service, which no other mobile platform offers (to my knowledge).
Finally social networking is becoming more and more important. And in line with the strategy of using software or services on your pc, in the cloud and on you mobile device, it's good to see Microsoft developing on this front. Special interest has the Facebook application, as well as the Windows Live Messenger. I like the idea that these programs are offered via download, and can be installed on any device (if compatible of course). This concept should also be applied to IE6 for Mobile, which currently only is available pre-loaded in the Palm Treo Pro ROM. To get your applications out to the large public, your business model needs to outperform competition ...
I'm looking forward to the keynote of Mobile Entertainment & Devices President Robbie Bach @ CTIA 2009. Hopefully we can see some very nice live demo's of the applications and services addressed in this article.
Reference list
- MICROSOFT PRESSPASS: Microsoft gains support for next generation Windows Phones
- THEUNWIRED: ROADMAP: Microsoft gains support for next generation Windows Phones
- ENGADGET MOBILE: Microsoft announces Windows Marketplace partners, tweaked policies, designer WinMo 6.5 themes
Wednesday, April 1, 2009
CTIA 2009: Microsoft announces partners in Windows Marketplace for Mobile, Individualization of Windows Phones and Microsoft’s Social Networking Appli
CTIA 2009: HTC SNAP an excellent messenger-style Windows Standard Phone
HTC recently announced two touch-based devices: HTC Touch Diamond2 and HTC Touch Pro2 at MWC 2009 earlier this year. "Has HTC forgotten the Windows Mobile Standard users ?" The answer is certainly NO, since today the HTC SNAP is announced as a successor of the extremely popular HTC Excalibur. This article will provide an overview of the HTC SNAP specifications and a focus the clever and innovative features.
Specifications
To introduce the HTC SNAP let's have a look at the picture above, and the specification list below.
- Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7225, 528 MHz
- OS: Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard
- Memory: 256MB ROM, 192 MB RAM
- Memory Expansion: SDHC capable MicroSD slot
- Dimensions: 116,5 mm. x 61,5 mm. x 11,9 mm. (L x W x T)
- Weight: 119,9 grams (including battery)
- Display: 2,4" QVGA (320x240)
- Battery: 1500mAh Li-Ion
- Network: HSDPA - WCDMA 900/1200 MHz, GSM - GPRS - EDGE 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz
- Connectivity: Bluetooth 2.0 with EDR, Wi-Fi 802.11 b/g, GPS / AGPS
- Camera: 2.0 megapixel, with video capture
- User interface: full exposed QWERTY keyboard (with offset keys), and Jog ball
- Operating times: Talk time up to 8.5 hours GSM / up to 5 hours WCDMA, Standby time up to 15.8 days GSM / up to 20 days WCDMA
At first I have to admint that both the picture as well as the specification list above get me really excited about the HTC SNAP. First thing I noticed is the extremely fast but energy friendly Qualcomm MSM processor running at 528 MHz. A while ago a video leaked on YouTube, which shows the fast speed and responsiveness of the device. Second one of the problems I always experience is, that you can't have enough battery power. The HTC SNAP gets standard a 1500 mAh under the battery-cover, which results in a great standby- and talktime. Finally HTC has implemented some great hardware on the HTC SNAP in terms of daily use or user interface perspective. The HTC has a large front-facing full QWERTY keyboard, with dedicated hotkeys for messaging, e-mail and Inner Circle (which I will talk about in a minute).
"The full QWERTY keyboard is ergonomically designed with extra-large domed keys and responsive tactile feedback to make typing emails and text messages fast, accurate and comfortable." [ref01]
The full QWERTY keyboard has off-set keys, which is also the case on the keyboard of the HTC Touch Pro 2. Thumbs up for HTC on this one, since it makes life easier for heavy e-mail and messaging people. Another remarkable piece of hardware is the Jog Ball, which replaces the directional pad (on the HTC Excalibur) and makes fast navigation a piece of cake. I must say that this trackball is very well implemented on the Blackberry devices, so I expect the same experience on the HTC SNAP.
Inner Circle Feature what is it?
"A recent study conducted by Harris Interactive® and commissioned by HTC* found that 44% of US adults are often overwhelmed by the amount of email they receive, and over half (55%) of US adults prioritize five or fewer people with whom they communicate via email. In response to these issues, HTC’s innovative Inner Circle feature allows HTC Snap users to press a dedicated Inner Circle key to bring emails from a preselected group of people to the top of their inbox, enabling important messages to be acted upon immediately." [ref01]
I think this innovative feature is very helpful for business users in particular. While you would normally do a quick scan and put some follow-up flags in Microsoft Pocket Outlook on the device, the Inner Circle feature seems to make life a lot easier and do the prioritizing for you. Honestly I can't wait to see a demo of this very usefull feature. 
"The HTC SNAP is expected to be available in select channels during the second quarter of 2009, rolling out in markets around the world throughout the second half of the year. Additionally, an unlocked version supporting HSDPA at 850/1900MHz for the US market will be made available under the name HTC S522 during the summer. " [ref01]
The timing of the availability makes me hopful there might also become a Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade to this device, like it is the case with the HTC Touch Diamond 2 and HTC Touch Pro 2 (announced on MWC 2009).
First thoughts and wrap up
HTC keeps on surprising the public, with every announcement of a new device HTC presents new very clever and innovative features. As I truly love the stability of the Windows Mobile Standard platform, and have put the label on the HTC Excalibur of "one of the BEST smartphones ever made", I simply can't wait to get my hands on the HTC SNAP. It really gives me the excitement I had when I first got my hands on the HTC Excalibur. However I don't think I will be the only happy person with such a device since:
The HTC Snap is powerful enough for experienced business users looking for an affordable, straightforward choice for remotely synchronizing email, calendar and contacts with their Microsoft Exchange server. However, the flexible Microsoft Windows Mobile® 6.1 Standard platform allows the HTC Snap to also be simple enough for first-time smartphone users wanting to keep their family life organized. [ref01]
Finally there is no official word or detail about the pricing of the HTC SNAP, but I would expect it to be in the range of the HTC S740 (+/- E450,-). Anyway I will be saving money, since the HTC SNAP will definitly become my device of choice. Thank you HTC for not just keeping the focus only on the touch-based devices, and the HTC SNAP is a marvelous Windows Mobile Standard device !!
What are your idea's -as a reader- about this device ?
UPDATE:
The local Dutch PR Press Release provides me with the following info:
- Availability in Q2 2009, which it already is since today April has started !
- The pricepoint is extremely intersting, E329,- including VAT / TAX. In my opinion this pricepoint makes it even more a killer device to hit the market really hard !
Reference list
1. PRESS RELEASE: HTC Snap™ makes staying in touch with more people less complicated
2. SPECIFICATION SHEET: HTC SNAP
Monday, March 16, 2009
HP’s Enviro Series of Notebook Batteries, by Boston Power
2 weeks ago Jack Cook (ExperienceMobility.com), Steven Hughes(BostonPocketPC.com) and I went to visit Boston-Power. We had an amazing time there. They showed how the company was made and what their vision is for the future. We first met Christina Lampe-Onnerud 
and Boston-Power at CntrStg during the CES 2009 in Las Vegas. The news today is that they have their green, longer lasting batteries technology now available to consumers with HP notebooks.
New HP batteries based on Sonata technology are available as accessories for 18 existing notebook models representing approximately 70 percent of HP’s consumer notebook PC portfolio.
In addition to first-of-its-kind environmental certifications, Sonata Li-ion battery cells deliver sustainable performance for three years – three times longer than most other notebook computer batteries. In fact, HP is providing a three-year warranty on the batteries – the first and only notebook computer provider in the industry to offer such a warranty.
Now available at http://www.hpshopping.com/, the new HP battery based on Sonata is available as an accessory priced at $149.99. Later this month, the HP battery will be available as a point-of-sale option for consumers buying new HP notebooks at www.hpshopping.com. The battery’s “drop-in” form factor enables it to be used with existing computers – including models in the HP Pavilion, HP HDX, Compaq Presario and HP G series. A complete list of compatible individual models is available HERE. More information can also be found on Boston-Power’s site at http://www.boston-power.com/enviro .
“From the beginning, our goal has been to help notebook computer users benefit from optimal mobility with dependable, high-performance, environmentally sustainable batteries,” said Boston-Power Founder and CEO Dr. Christina Lampe-Onnerud. “HP’s endorsement of Sonata is a great step forward in popularizing this battery technology.”
“HP delivers customers innovative products that respect our planet,” said Jonathan Kaye, director of consumer notebooks marketing at HP. “The Enviro Series program gives PC users longer lasting batteries that improve their computing experience while reducing the number of batteries that need to be recycled. That’s a win for everyone.”
Boston-Power is the first and only provider whose rechargeable Li-ion battery cells have earned the prestigious Nordic Ecolabel certification. The company has additionally earned a similar world’s-first certification for its battery cells from the Chinese Environmental Protection Agency. Sonata’s patent-pending, whole-system design makes it capable of benefiting a wide range of end-applications – from consumer electronics to transportation. As a result, total cost of ownership benefits inherent in notebook computer batteries prove increasingly impressive in cases where even greater power is required."
Thursday, March 12, 2009
My experiences with the Pantech Matrix Pro
I have been using the Pantech Matrix Pro from AT&T pretty heavenly in the last few weeks and I am starting to like the phone more and more.
I was a little disappointed about the thickness of the phone but now I have to say that it actually feels right in my hands. The rounded edges makes it feel great and easy to handle the phone.
What I like most about the Smartphone is the reliable input of the keyboard and d-pad compared to a touch screen device. Entering text is great using the on the slide out keyboard or keypad. I spend less time correcting typo's as with a touch screen keyboard. That's a big plus for me.
The 3g connection is pretty constant in my area which indicates to a good internal radio. With maintaining this good 3g connection, it will use less battery power trying to keep finding and connecting to a 3g network over the Edge network. Many people will turn off their 3g connection and fall back on the Edge network to preserve battery life. I didn't have to do this at all.
While in Seattle last week for the summit I went for two days using the phone constantly without recharging the battery. And I mean using it like; exchange server, tinytwitter, 3 imap account synchronizing every 30 minutes, bluetooth on and connected to my TomTom 940 for the carkit functionality. I even used it for internet sharing on my laptop while the Microsoft campus guest wifi went down.
Just one little thing. I have to carry around the Pantech specific cables that only interfaces with the Pantech. I wish they would switch to more of a standard like the Mini USB many devices/external harddrives have.
I will post more experiences soon.
The Pantech Matrix Pro from AT&T is available at a cost of $179,99 with a 2 year contract and a Mail in Rebate.
Friday, February 27, 2009
The Pantech Matrix Duo first impressions
We had Mobility Minded were lucky enough to get a Pantech Matrix Pro from AT&T for review.
In the near future we will be holding a contest here at Mobility Minded and are able to give one of these away.
I just got this Windows Mobile 6.1 standard phone(non-Touch Screen) in the house yesterday and I was able to use it for quite some hours. The rounded edges is a nice feature which makes the device look attractive but also gives a good feel in the hand.
Some other early reviews online have remarks on the thickness of the device. Yes it's is slightly thicker, but don't forget that it has two different keyboards that pop out. One a numeric keypad and one full QWERTY-Keyboard. Both are spring loaded and gives it a great experience.
The phone is a 3G phone. The 3G data connection give you a high speed data and voice. The setup was easy, just insert your SIM-card and all the settings were correct. I was able to pull in all my emails (imap,pop3 and exchange) with no problems. There are many great media software's installed on the device to instantly use with your data plan. (XM radio, MobiTV, etc)
Please follow the following link for the specifications
To get the online experience of the Pantech Matrix pro from AT&T you can go here for a tutorial.
I will be using this phone extensively in next coming weeks. Periodically I will post some updates on my experiences with this already great feeling device.
O yes, the non-touch screen, I am not missing a touch screen at all yet, actually I get a better reliable experience using the hardware buttons and keyboard buttons to operate the Pantech Matrix Pro by AT&T.
Also kudos's to AT&T for the start-up and shut down splash animation screens. I like it.
Thursday, February 26, 2009
Brookstone XpressCheck 21 inch Ballistic Computer Carry on
On our current travels we love to go light weight. Most of us in the Mobility Minded world like to travel with only carry on luggage. Everyone has their favorite laptop bag and carry-on. The maximum size these days is 22" to bring on the airplane and we all want to use that maximum allotted space. Brookstone's XpressCheck 21" Ballistic Computer Carry-on might for fill your need of an one piece luggage that will have a removable laptop bag in it.
Actually you have the option of just using the separate laptop bag and have extra space left over in the bag for other clothing or shoes. I will be traveling with this case soon and will give you all more impressions. So far it looks like this is going to be a great Carry-On. The price is a little steep at $199.95, but will see if it is worth it.
See below for the specifications and some pictures of the Brookstone's XpressCheck 21" Ballistic Computer Carry on.
Padded computer section secures your laptop
The padded, interior computer section securely holds a 15.4” laptop.
Perfect for short business trips
Our computer traveler with removable suiter holds enough clothing for short business trips and long weekends, plus all your business essentials.
Plenty of pockets
Inside, you’ll find a zip-down business organizer, fan file and snap-out toiletry kit.
Flight legal
Meets most airline carry-on requirements.
XpressCheck®—a better way to clear airport security
Discover the smart traveler’s alternative to plastic security ba
skets and fumbling with loose items. Every bag in our collection is outfitted with a quick-access, zippered pocket specifically designed to keep your keys, phone and wallet safe in one place—and get you through airport security faster.
Dimensions:
14” x 10” x 21”
Thursday, February 19, 2009
GottaBeMobile.com and Notebooks.com Ink a Deal
Most of you know Notbooks.com and GottabeMobile.com as great content holding websites for the mobile community. Just today they announced that Notebooks.com has aquirred GottaBeMobile.com. What will this mean for you as readers of these great sites. A lot! More and better content from the same staff. Nothing physically will change for you readers. Just their backbone will be stronger.
Please visit their announcement for more specifics.
Wednesday, February 18, 2009
The Pantech MATRIX goes PRO at ATT
The word on the street is out and a great looking Pantech Matrix Pro will be added to the AT&T line up of Windows Mobile 6.1 3G devices. The Pantech Matrix Pro will the same form factor as the Duo. Meaning a dual sliding keyboard. One way as simple phone keypad and the other way as a full QUERTY keyboard.
DALLAS, Feb. 18, 2009 — AT&T* and Pantech Wireless, Inc. today introduced the Pantech Matrix ProTM, available exclusively from AT&T on Feb. 24. The next generation in Pantech’s line of successful dual-sliding, double-keyboard mobile phones, the Matrix Pro includes a host of updated features including a compact new premium design with a larger and more brilliant LCD screen, a chat-style view of text messages, tri-band 3G for the best global coverage possible, an upgraded camera, more memory, a faster processor and AT&T Video ShareSM calling. Customers can learn more by visiting www.att.com/matrixpro.
Beneath the dual-sliding keyboards and refined steel-blue exterior, the Matrix Pro connects Windows Mobile 6.1 to the nation’s fastest 3G network to provide a full range of entertainment and business features. Additionally, with AT&T’s wireless network, you can listen to a conference call on a headset while sending and receiving e-mail attachments, picture messages or Web pages at the same time1. The compact and elegant design of the Matrix Pro fits snugly in your hand for optimum comfort when typing e-mails with the QWERTY keyboard or dialing phone calls with the numeric pad.
“The Matrix Pro is a fantastic-looking device and a significant evolution in this dual-sliding family of phones,” said Michael Woodward, vice president-Smart Devices for AT&T Mobility. “We’ve seen the Matrix become a hit with consumers, and the Matrix Pro will appeal to anyone who wants a powerful smartphone with a great design.”
Patrick Beattie, vice president, Sales and Marketing at Pantech Wireless, Inc., said: “By offering users an exciting alternative to smartphones with traditional QWERTY keyboard constructions, the Matrix Pro emphasizes efficiency without sacrificing style or functionality. With a large and vibrant LCD screen, two full keyboards, enhanced multimedia functionality, and the ability to edit Word, Excel and PowerPoint documents, the Matrix Pro appeals to both business users and trend-conscious consumers.”
Customers in 3G coverage can also use AT&T Video Share to send live video during a phone call to a user with a compatible phone. With aGPS support for location-based services such as AT&T Navigator, the Matrix Pro can help you find your way with turn-by-turn directions. AT&T Navigator is available for a free 30-day trial2.
A messaging and multimedia powerhouse, the Matrix Pro has smartphone-class memory and processing power to go beyond simple text messaging and voice and allows customers to run the thousands of applications available to Windows Mobile users. It supports threaded chat-style text messaging, corporate and personal e-mail and also provides access to a host of AT&T services such as MobiTV, Napster Mobile, eMusic Mobile, AT&T Mobile Banking and CV on-demand video.
The Matrix Pro operates on the fastest 3G network at home and the best global coverage
outside the U.S. — even in Japan and South Korea — because the Matrix Pro supports all three 3G frequencies used worldwide. AT&T customers can use their mobile phones to make calls in more than 200 countries, access data in more than 160 and even use 3G data in more than 65. AT&T offers 3G service in nearly 350 U.S. major metropolitan areas and many other smaller cities and towns across the U.S.Pricing and Availability
The Matrix Pro will be available Feb. 24 in a steel-blue metallic finish at AT&T company-owned stores and online atwww.wireless.att.com for $179.99 after a two-year service agreement and a $50 mail-in rebate3.
For the complete array of AT&T offerings, visit www.att.com."
Monday, February 16, 2009
MWC 2009: Microsoft MyPhone - A new backup & restore service for Windows Phones
A week ago the::unwired already published an article about Microsoft MyPhone service that went live, prior to its scheduled date. Today at the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona during the Microsoft keynote with Steven Balmer and Andrew Lees, not only the Windows Mobile 6.5 is unveiled, but also two additional services: (1) Microsoft MyPhone, (2) Windows Marketplace for Mobile.
Some of you might saw the demo during the MWC-keynote, but -with many thanks to Scot Rockfeld from Microsoft for providing the screenshots of this service- I will be able to focus more on some details, in the following walk-through. Microsofts strategy is aimed at providing the Windows-experience on (1) the personal computer, (2) on a mobile phone, (3) in the cloud, and provide an exhange of information among the different “platforms”. The Microsoft MyPhone service connects these platforms, resulting in synchronizing, editting and sharing of personal information.
Currently MyPhone is offered as a free backup-service, which includes 200MB of storage. For using this service you need to install a client on your Windows Phone, and this also emphasizes that this is not an Exchange Active Sync solution for the mass market, although this might be a direction to go for the furture. However if you use a Microsoft Exchange solution now, you can use MyPhone as a complementary service because it backups your text messages, your photo’s, your video’s, your music and your documents. The Microsoft Exchange partnership has priority over the MyPhone service for managing your contacts, calender, tasks and e-mail just to be perfectly clear. For the documents backup and restore the following file-formats are supported: ppt, xls, doc, one, wks, as well as txt, rtf, pdf, html and xml.
The screenshot above shows the option “connected devices”. It is possible to connect multiple phones to this service, extremely helpful for technology enthusiasts lik we are. On the other hand the normal consumer probably just has one Windows Phone. Furthermore you can browse on your personal computer and upload a picture to the MyPhone account, and add it to a contact, restore it to a Microsoft Phone (one or more if you have connected more phones), or Archive it to the web. The last option just puts the file on your MyPhone account, while the icon clearly shows that the file isn’t on a device but in the cloudservice.
The MyPhone service is compatible with all Windows Mobile 6.0, 6.1 devices (professional and standard) up to the today announced version 6.5. Furthermore the MyPhone service seems to work both over a cellular data connection as well as over WiFi. The MyPhone business model is currently based on advertising, in order to provide the free storage. However for the future one could also think of premium subscriptions, which offer more storage space, or even operator “branded” services. For example: “My T-Mobile Phone” or “My Vodafone Phone”. 
The bottomline is that I’m really enthusiastic about the MyPhone service, because it can keep all my important information in the cloud. And for instance in comparison with DashWire it is a total Microsoft solution which builds upon the existing Windows platforms, Microsoft Exchange and cloud-services, resulting in a solid and robuust backup and restore solution. If you are as enthusiastic as I am, please read on over here for additional information.
Reference List:
1.THE UNWIRED: Microsoft previews Microsoft My Phone Consumer Cloud Service
2.MICROSOFT: More info about the Microsoft MyPhone service
3.POCKETPCTHOUGHTS: Microsoft’s My Phone Service
4.DASHWIRE: Free mobile phone contact, photo, video and text message backup
Monday, February 9, 2009
Sync wars
With the World Mobile Congress just a couple a days away we hear many news leaking from different directions.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Microsoft announces different versions of Windows 7
Microsoft just announced the SKU line ip for the Windows 7 roll out.
They have created a SKU line-up where each SKU is a superset of the previous SKU. This means that each higher edition SKU will have every feature lower edition SKUs have. Microsoft will be focusing on two primary editions of Windows 7: Windows 7 Home Premium and Windows 7 Professional.
Micosoft will continue to offer a few targeted SKUs for customers with specialized needs: for price-sensitive customers with small notebook PCs, some OEMs will offer Windows 7 Starter. For customers in emerging markets, Microsoft will make Windows 7 Home Basic available. Businesses have two recommended choices: Windows 7 Professional and Windows 7 Enterprise. Windows 7 Professional is recommended for small businesses and Windows 7 Enterprise is recommended for mid- and large-sized businesses that have a Software Assurance Agreement with Microsoft.
SKUs for Windows 7:
The SKU lineup for Windows 7 is: Windows® 7 Starter, Windows® 7 Home Basic (in Emerging Markets only), Windows® 7 Home Premium, Windows® 7 Professional, Windows® 7 Enterprise and Windows® 7 Ultimate.
-For Consumers, we recommend Windows 7 Home Premium for most customers and Windows 7 Professional for customers who want additional features and functionality useful for small business activities.
-For Businesses, we recommend Windows 7 Professional for most customers and Windows 7 Enterprise for medium-to-large business and enterprise customers that choose to license Windows through Software Assurance.
-The features in each version of Windows 7 build upon the one before it. As customers move up from one SKU to the next, from Windows 7 Starter through Windows 7 Ultimate, they gain additional features and lose none.
Wednesday, January 28, 2009
HP iPaq Data Messenger finally available in the UK
My first PocketPC was an iPaq 3600 and I have owned almost every device in the iPaq range until the iPaq 5550. After that I switched to HTC, because HP devices started to get boring and not innovative enough. So it is good to see that HP is back (again) and the new HP Data Messenger is finally ready for pre-order in the UK. It can be yours for the equivalent of about 440 British Pounds.
This latest edition of the iPaq productline kinda has it all: It runs on a Qualcomm MS7201 processor at 528 MHz, it has 256 MB ROM and 128 MB RAM Memory for all those applications that you would like to run on the Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional Operating System. It has a 2.8" QVGA screen and if you want to take some snapshots of your loved ones it is good to know that the 3.1 MP camera will take a crystal clear and sharp picture.
For those who get lost easilly, it also has an (assisted) GPS and if you need to send some data somewhere along the way, you have WiFi, GPRS/UMTS and HSDPA up to 7.2 MBit/s at your disposal. Typing an email or text message can be done very quickly on the slide-out QWERTY keyboard. This also might be a good competitor for the Xperia X1, a device which absolutely didn't work out for me.
Hoping to see more of this device soon and as soon as it is available in other countries you'll be the first one to know !
Tuesday, January 27, 2009
Eye-Fi - WIFI enabled SD card uploads your pictures instantly
During CntrStg at CES 2009 I got introduced to Eye-Fi. Eye-Fi did a presentation about heir WIFI enabled SD cards for digital Camera’s at CntrStg. With a quick set-up on your computer you can have the card connect to your private WIFI or have it set as well to connect to any open network. Why would you think?
Let me tell you why. Most of us do have an online photo album account. Eye-Fi is able to upload your pictures directly from your camera to many of these sites like SmugMug, Facebook, Flickr, Picasa, Shutterfly and even sites like Costco,Wal-Mart, Kodak, etc. To see a full list of their partners go here . 
Instead of only directly upload your pictures it will as well upload your pictures instantly. Once you are connected every picture you take will upload immediately to your favorite sites. With an account created on the Eye-Fi website you will have access to their Eye-Fi manager where you can see the history of the uploaded pictures. Here you can change your settings to include the website you would like to upload your pictures, but also select a folder for your computer or external hard drive where these pictures will be stored as well.
Another feature that is available is to add Geotagging. Geotagging adds location data, including latitude and longitude coordinates as well as city and state details, to photos you take with your camera and Eye-Fi card. These metadata are added to the photos existing EXIF metadata. Certain software applications and websites (Eye-Fi Manager, SmugMug, Picasa Web and flickr) can use these metadata to make searching for photos easier or to visualize your photos on a map.
If you are not connected to a WIFI net work it will start uploading the pictures you took the moment you are having a connection. Just make sure your camera stays on for that time. The Eye-Fi manager will be able to send you a notification by e-mail, text message (SMS) or Twitter that the uploading has started of your pictures to your favorite website.
We were using the Eye-Fi card during our event at CntrStg and it was amazing to have instant gratification of showing the pictures directly on our big screen to all attendees. I did not do the set-up of Eye-Fi myself that time but did it yesterday to set it up for my own private camera. Really it took me only 10 minutes and I was up and running. My wife loves it. No more hassle in connecting the camera to the computer. Just organize them online.
What do I see in the future for Eye-Fi? I hope that camera manufactures will see the need of adding a menu in their firmware where users are able to use the camera to connect to a new WIFI network. This way you don’t need a computer with the Eye-Fi USB card reader to set up a new private WIFI Network.
Another thing I would like to see to have the pictures uploaded to more than 1 account. For example I would like to upload to SmugMug and Facebook at the same time. Now you can only choose one. You can set up more in the manager application. But only one can be active.
Eye-Fi already announced an iPhone application, Video capabilities. I hope it doesn’t stop here and Eye-Fi can make more applications for other platforms which will allow build in camera’s on 
devices to instantly publish their pictures.
For me this is a real winner.
Eye-Fi is available starting at $79.99 for the Eye-Fi Home version. You are able to upgrade your service later on as well to more services listed here
Friday, January 23, 2009
Boston-Power Adds $55 Million in Growth Capital
Boston Power made their presence during CntrStg at CES with a great presentation about their future in longer lasting batteries.
Just last week they announced that they are adding $55 Million in Growth Capital.
"The Funding Will Fuel Lithium-Ion Battery Developer’s Global Expansion of Manufacturing, Sales, Marketing and R&D. The Investment Follows News That HP Will Be First to Deliver Boston-Power’s Sonata Battery in Early 2009"
Please vist the Boston Power website for the full press release.
Thursday, January 22, 2009
Microsoft cuts affect the Entertainment and Devices group
According to a good friend of mine at Pocket PC Talk is hearing from his sources that Microsoft is immediately laying off 1,400 people. A big bulk of these lay-offs are in the Entertainment and Devices group. This group is responsible for Xbox, Zune and Windows Mobile products.
So in the catch up arena against Apple (Music players and Mobile Phones) they probably will have to adjust the road map and maybe their targets. The question really is, if these economic tough times will eliminate certain projects and some customers have to lose out in the options.
The total lay-offs are going to be 5,000. I will keep my fingers crossed that Microsoft is still able to deliver us competitive materials in the future.
Pocket Chargers by Duracell
package for the BlackBerry and Motorola devices comes with both the Mini and Micro USB connectors. Once you connect your plug to the charger it will illuminate a blue light on the Pocket Charger and you can connect your device to be charged. Be care full to remove your connector from the Pocket Charger when done, because it will keep draining your Pocket Charger.Wednesday, January 21, 2009
T-Mobile G1 will hit several markets at Jan. 30th
T-Mobile Netherlands yesterday introduced the T-Mobile branded Google G1 to most of the resellers in The Netherlands. The new G1 has also a new priceplan: You'll get a white or black G1 for free when you sign the 2-year contract Relax 300, which gives you 300 minutes a month and (almost) unlimited internet access (max. 1 MBit/s) for 29,95 euro a month. Not a bad deal I think.
The G1 will be available from January 30th and will be delivered to your house a couple of days later when you order it online. You can also pick it up in your local T-Mobile store or other resellers.
From January 30th on, the G1 will also enter the German, Czech, Austrian and Polish markets. I have no info on the German markets, but the plans should not differ that much from the Dutch plans.
Given the specs of the device and the possibilities of the Android Operating System, will you give the G1 a chance, or better stick to your good-old Windows Mobile device or the iPhone ?
Thursday, January 8, 2009
The Value of CntrStg
Wednesday, January 7, 2009
HP Elitebook 2530P - up close and personal pt1
Now if you have known me a bit longer, you would know that once a device comes within reach of my personal IwannahavethatNOW-zone, there's only two things that can help a device cross that boundary. A solid field test and a fair bit of surgery.
Given the fact that this particular Elitebook needed to remain at the CntrStg for the duration of the event, surgery was the only option available to me. Thank god therefore that US customs overlooked this itsy bitsy teeny weenie screwdriver that I forgot to take out of my laptop accessory bag. This little oversight now enabled me to have a good look at this little beasts innards
(I am truly sorry HP, and I do solemnly swear that once I am done with her I will put her back together again. You will not notice that she was ever taken apart. Will this now ruin my chances of taking one out on the road for a field test?)
In the end I was glad I did open the Elitebook, because it had a few pleasant surprises in store for me.
First surprise wasn't so much a surprise as well as a confirmation of what I'd secretly hoped. The Elitebook 2530p in fact is already fully prepped for 3G. The mini PCI expresscard slot to accommodate the WWAN modem is there, the antenna cables are there and the sim card slot is there, nicely tucked away under the battery where it belongs.
The second surprise was the hard-drive. This discovery actually almost made me want to nick the drive because it was a newly introduced Toshiba 1.8" Sata drive from the MKxx29GSG series. The MK1629GSG is a 160Gb SATA II 5400rpm drive with a host transfer rate up to 3.0Gbps and an 8Mb cache buffer. Quite a nice performer and a disk I seriously would like to have in my own Lenovo X300 machine. While very nicely specked, 64Gb for me is on the small side even if it's SSD.
At first I was a bit puzzled by the presence of only one single memory slot, containing exactly 1Gb of memory but a quick glance within Windows XP showed that the machine in fact had 3Gb of memory onboard so a 4Gb configuration and a 64-bit OS definitely is a possibility.
In short a second, more up close look at the machine definitely brought the Elitebook 2530p even closer to my IwannahavethatNOW-zone. That compact and yet that performing? My name written all over it ...
More to come (if HP does not takeway my screwdriver that is)
Tweeting between blogs
Just as a little side comment: My life in the intervals between my Mobility Minded postings and my everlasting quest to resolve my needs for ultimate mobility can also be followed on Twitter. Just go to www.twitter.com/wditters and click on follow.
HP's new gifts to the Road Warriors
Those who I work with or who have been following my publications online know that for years now I have been trying to find ways to optimize working mobile.
"Teleworking" as we call it in the Netherlands has increasingly been gaining intrest over the last few years. The ever increasing traffic jams in the Netherlands have only been fuelling the discussions around "Teleworking" both at governmental level and at corporate level.
Although over the last years we have made quamtum leaps in terms of mobilizing our working environment, my quest in that matter is far from over. We're only at the dawn of the Mobile area and the recent boost in popularity of the UMPC and the devices now known as Netbooks (unless Psion gets their way) clearly demonstrates that.
That is why you can understand that I was thrilled to take the new HP Mini Note 2140 and the new HP Elitebook 2530p for a short spin.
My first impressions: HP, could I take both devices home for a more thorough test, pretty please?!?!?!?!
The HP Mini Note 2140 ... do you notice the battery that doubles as stand? Err, it does not fold in with the screen ... ?? Other that that it looks and feels fantastic!
... and guess what, HP ditched the VIA 1.7 CPU in favor of the Intel Atom 1.6Ghz that recently has become the De Facto standard. Way to go HP! This machine feels snappy!
Performance in a small package. A tad bigger than the Mini Note, the Elite Book adds a great build quality to the mix as well as a keyboard light comparable to the excellent Thinklight that I have grown so fond of in the Thinkpads.
For me personally, the Elitebook 2530p at fist glance has the upper hand. Looks and feels more serious and still is small and light enough for real nomadic computing!
(And YESSS there is the 3G Mobile Broadband option with this one)
Let me introduce myself!
Hi everyone,
Since I am new to Mobility Minded, I thought it good to have you go through a little introduction from my side :-)
My name is Willem Ditters, I am 43 years old and Dutchman from birth. Living and working in the IT industry, my Linkedin profile shows my background and professional history.
Up until today I have always been particularly interested by (Corporate) Mobility. It is therefore that over the last few years I have been active, first as moderator and later as editor and reviewer for Pocketinfo.nl. Since these publications always were in Dutch, my exposure within the Mobility Community was therefore a tad limited to the Netherlands.
That is why when this opportunity came along to do the odd blog post or two on Mobility Minded, the only thing I could do was to start blogging :)
I am currently with Johan van Mierlo at the CntrStg prepping for both the CntrStg kickoff and the CES kickoff so over the next few days you will see quite a few postings covering exciting new stuff from CES and CntrStg.
See y'all later!
