Mobility Site » Steve Mueller

Verizon Wireless vs. AT&T, Part 5

Steve Mueller — Mon, 16 Nov 2009 10:57:14 +0000

Keisha posted last week about AppleInsider’s defense of AT&T against Verizon’s “there’s a map for that” ad campaign. It turns out that Engadget Mobile has posted a rebuttal of AppleInsider’s article, too, with the catchy title, Hey, AT&T — drop lawsuits, not calls.

It points out the numerous inaccuracies and misleading claims in AppleInsider’s “analysis”. I won’t repost all of them here (copying them all would likely violate Fair Use), but I will list one of my favorites:

Verizon’s gaming the system by comparing only their 3G networks: the truth hurts, AT&T. Verizon’s commercials would have you believe that by comparing only 3G coverage, Verizon wins by a country mile. And guess what? They do. To AT&T’s credit, the 3GPP’s WCDMA technology path is considerably more advanced and extensible than EV-DO Rev. A is, but beyond UMTS’s simultaneous voice / data capability, the end user’s experience is pretty similar in day-to-day use. We go where the faster real-world speeds (and the reliable calls) are.

It’s worth reading the entire article (it’s not that long) to get a real-world perspective on the debate.

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Amazon Apologizes For Kindle 1984 Deletion

Steve Mueller — Wed, 23 Sep 2009 09:04:24 +0000

I posted in July about Kindle books going up in smoke. I just found out at Engadget that Amazon has apologized for deleting copies of 1984 from Kindles (even though they were illegal) and offered to give customers a free copy of 1984 (with their annotations intact) or a $30 gift certificate.

I think this is a great move by Amazon, even though they really didn’t need to do it. However, it still goes to show that the Kindle has a “kill switch” like various smart phone app stores.

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Verizon Getting HTC Touch Pro2 on 9/11?

Steve Mueller — Sun, 06 Sep 2009 12:05:54 +0000

Chris wrote a super-sized post about the Sprint Touch Pro 2 last Friday. Well, according to Engadget Mobile, it looks like Verizon Wireless is getting the HTC Touch Pro2 on September 11 (yes, this coming Friday), 3.5 mm headset jack and all. Even better, it will only cost $200 (after a $100 mail-in rebate) — $150 less than Sprint’s version. (Of course, Sprint’s service is probably less expensive, so Sprint users will make up the difference quickly.)

It’s good to see Verizon lowering the hardware prices for Windows Mobile phones. I just checked out their site and every Windows Mobile phone was $200 or less (after any discounts and rebates). Too bad I have 14 months or so before I’m eligible for my New Every 2 discount. Maybe that means I’ll get a WM 7 phone, though. (Silver linings, right?)

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Kindle Books Could Go Up In Smoke

Steve Mueller — Sun, 19 Jul 2009 06:49:16 +0000

Technorati Tags: Kindle,Amazon,eBooks,Steve Mueller

Some people who bought Kindle versions of George Orwell’s Animal Farm and 1984 recently got E-mail saying that there was a "problem" with the books and that the books would be deleted from their Kindles the next time they synced. Various blogs, including Technologizer, claimed that the publisher had changed its mind about offering electronic books and Amazon removed them from everybody’s electronic shelves.

The "problem" was actually that Amazon had been selling unauthorized copies of those books from a company that sells public domain eBooks. Unfortunately, those books are still under copyright in the U.S., and Amazon removed the books upon being notified of the problem. Amazon also refunded the customers their money.

Apparently this isn’t the first time that Amazon has done this, either. According to BetaNews, Amazon had also sold unauthorized copies of Ayn Rand’s books, the Twilight series and, briefly, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince.

While this highlights a serious problem with Amazon’s copyright clearance process, it also illustrates that you aren’t really "buying" books for your Kindle, you’re actually renting them. You have to wonder what other events could prompt Amazon to remove books from users’ libraries.

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Using The iPhone For Work Is A Chore

Steve Mueller — Sun, 12 Jul 2009 08:03:45 +0000

Joshua Topolsky, Engadget’s Editor-In-Chief, tried to use his iPhone to get work done while waiting at a doctor’s office and was, to say the least, unimpressed. In fact, using the iPhone for work actually turned out to be a chore.

You can read the article for the full experience, but his biggest complaints more or less in order were:

Lack of multitasking ruining his concentration
Lack of a physical keyboard making typing difficult
AT&T’s poor coverage in New York City
Apple’s notification pop-ups proving distracting

My favorite quote from the story? "The experience on an Android device, S60, the Pre, a BlackBerry, or even Windows Mobile just makes more sense."

So how does Windows Mobile stack up against Josh’s points?

Windows Mobile has had multitasking since before it was Windows Mobile.
While not every device has a physical keyboard (like my Omnia), many do — and in multiple different formats, like slide-out and QWERTYbar.
Windows Mobile devices are available on every major carrier in the U.S. and many minor carriers, allowing you to choose the carrier with the best coverage in your area.
Windows Mobile Professional allows customizing how notifications are displayed.

I wonder how many iPhone blogs will be reporting this story, much less agreeing with its conclusions.

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Is Android A Failure?

Steve Mueller — Tue, 28 Apr 2009 10:12:36 +0000

Frank posted about 1 million T-Mobile G1s being sold, but Sascha Segan at PC Magazine is beginning to worry whether Android is already a failure. He bases his claims on a couple of points.

First, there are only two Android phones available — the T-Mobile G1 and the HTC Magic (which is similar to the G1 without a keyboard). That’s not a great variety for a platform touted as being so flexible. Sure, various hardware OEMs (like Motorola) have said they’d be dev eloping Android phones, but nobody has any to show yet.

Second, the software development environment isn’t very good. He claims people said the initial Software Development Kit (SDK) wasn’t great, and that the new SDK doesn’t really have any game-changing features.

Also, if you look at sales, T-Mobile has sold 1 million Android phones, but the iPhone sold almost 3.7 million units in its first six months. That’s a huge difference.

Granted, the iPhone may be a special case, but Android hasn’t seemed to have gotten a lot of play at Mobile World Congress or CTIA. Maybe I’m too focused on Windows Mobile, but have I missed much?

Personally, I think that it’s too early to write Android off. Google has deep pockets and great talent, so I’m sure they can make a great product. However, there’s also a lot of competition out there from a newly revitalized Windows Mobile, the Palm Pre, BlackBerry and, of course, the iPhone. What do you think?

Technorati Tags: Android,Steve Mueller

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Is Touch Evil?

Steve Mueller — Sun, 15 Feb 2009 10:28:39 +0000

About a month ago, Zack Whittaker at ZD Net blogs wrote an interesting piece called Touch: the most evil technology in modern computing. He claims that touch technology is evil for two main (and related) reasons — screens smudged with fingerprints can get glitchy and spread germs.

While both may be true, he undermines his argument by pointing out that one of the most germ-laden pieces of equipment in many homes is the computer keyboard. Also, a study of office hygiene found that the telephone had the most germs, followed by the keyboard. So it seems to me that phones with keyboards and keypads are already likely to be infested.

He also claims that touch computing has taken off too quickly and that multi-touch isn’t a mature technology. While the latter is probably true, touchscreen phones have been around for years, although many (like Palm and Pocket PC phones) used a stylus. I assume he’s referring to the Apple model of touch using capacitive screens, which is newer, but so what? Just because something is new doesn’t mean it’s bad. That philosophy leads to stagnation.

So what do you think? Does Zack get two thumbs up or is he a bit touched himself?

Technorati Tags: touchscreens,touch,germs,hygiene

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Best Selling Windows Mobile Devices

Steve Mueller — Mon, 09 Feb 2009 12:39:41 +0000

When it was announced that Windows Mobile sold 20 million devices last year, it was also mentioned that 11 devices had sales of one million or more. Curious about what those devices were, Mike Temporale of Mobile Jaw asked Greg Sullivan what those top sellers were. Here’s the list (grouped by manufacturer):

Samsung Omnia (SGH-i900/908/SCH-i910/M490)
Samsung Blackjack II (SGH-i617)
Samsung Blackjack (SGH-i607/600)
Motorola Q
Audiovox SMT 5600 (HTC)
HTC Touch Diamond (Diamond/Diamond-C)
HTC Dash (Excalibur)
HTC xv6800 (Titan)
HTC TyTN II (Tilt/Kaiser)
HTC Touch (Elf/Vogue)
HTC P800W (Artemis)

Mike noticed that 5 of the 11 devices didn’t have touch screens and that 7 of 11 had QWERTY keyboards. That led him to wonder if the preoccupation over developing an iPhone competitor was the best use of resources.

Personally, I say why not develop great touch screen devices — and keep developing other form factors, too. That flexibility is one of the strengths of Windows Mobile. What do you guys think?

Technorati Tags: Best sellers,Windows Mobile,Samsung,Motorola,Audiovox,HTC

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Just Say No!

Steve Mueller — Sat, 24 Jan 2009 21:19:10 +0000

Steve Laser might have been more accurate than intended in his I Want a New Drug article. If you find yourself getting bored with your current PDA or phone (or any tech accessory), consider this — you might be a junkie. No, you probably aren’t hanging out on street corners looking for somebody selling hot phones in their trench coats or turning tricks for a new piece of software, but you may have a problem nonetheless.

This may sound like heresy, but remember that a PDA or phone is just a tool. It should make your life easier. Do you get bored with your hammer and feel that you need to buy a new one? Do you sigh with ennui every time you use your electric drill? Do you get frustrated with the toaster because its interface hasn’t changed? I hope not.

Don’t get me wrong — I’m a techie. I’ve had Windows CE PDAs since Windows CE 1.0, I have four LCD TVs in my house (if you count my daughter’s) plus a few tube TVs, I have three working Replay TV PVRs (plus two that died) and so on. However, I very rarely buy gadgets to add spice to my life — they either fill a need I have to get something done or they’re replacing a product that’s going bad. For example, I upgraded my original Motorola Q to a Q9m not because I had to have the latest device, but because the Q9m had HTML E-mail (thanks to Windows Mobile 6), allowing me to link to my Google News alerts that I use to keep abreast of the tech world (and because it was almost a free upgrade).

So, if you find yourself getting withdrawal symptoms because your phone isn’t sexy enough, consider checking into rehab. If you want excitement in your life, take up skydiving, bungie jumping or street luge.

Technorati Tags: tech,addicition,rehab

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

No related posts

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

A Phone Fit For A President

Steve Mueller — Mon, 19 Jan 2009 04:02:59 +0000

It’s been widely reported that President Elect Obama is a BlackBerry fan and wants to keep his despite security concerns. However, C|Net reported on a secure Windows Mobile phone that’s fit for a President — the General Dynamics Sectera Edge.

The Sectera Edge is rated for Top Secret voice communications and Secret E-mail and Web sites. It has a second LCD display to show whether you’re using Classified mode or not and separate memory for classified (64 MB Flash, 64 MB RAM) and unclassified data (128 MB Flash, 64 MB RAM). It also has a MicroSD slot, but I couldn’t tell if that’s for classified data or not.

It measures 1.3″ thick x 3.2″ wide x 4.9″ tall, weighs 12 ounces and has a 2.8″ QVGA main display. One reason it may be so thick is that it has a CAC card reader integrated (the ID cards used by the Department of Defense), classified and unclassified USB ports and a classified serial port.

All this can be yours for just $3,350. You can also get a car charger for $100 and other accessories. I wonder if General Dynamics will send me one for a review.

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Windows Mobile New Year’s Resolutions

Steve Mueller — Tue, 06 Jan 2009 11:37:01 +0000

Just before I spoke with Chris about joining Mobility Site, I had written an editorial about what Windows Mobile could do to get some respect, called Windows Mobile New Year’s Resolutions. It’s fairly long, so I don’t want to repost it here, but I discuss the following areas to improve:

User Interface
Web Browser
E-mail & Messaging
PIM Applications
Phone Applications
Media Player
Other Applications
Synchronization
Hardware

Check it out and let me know what you think. Would fixing all of those issues be enough to win back former Windows Mobile users? Are there other things you’d like to see improved?

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!

Fresh Meat

Steve Mueller — Mon, 05 Jan 2009 12:39:54 +0000

I’ve just joined the Mobility Site team as a news editor. I’ll probably be focusing on Windows Mobile devices here. I’ve been around Windows Mobile since it was Windows CE back in the late 90s, and have posted here and elsewhere as Pony99CA. If you want to read more about me than you really should know, you can check out my History page at my personal site.

We now return to our regularly scheduled posts.

---
Related Articles at Mobility Site:

If you like what you are reading, please consider clicking one of the social networking icons to share the link love. Try a RT by clicking the Twitter icon above. Thanks for reading Mobilitysite!