Top Six Reasons to Go Tablet PC

  Scott Bellefeuille posted his reasons for a Tablet PC on TabletPCReview.com.  Being a NEW tablet user, I am amazed at the power and versatility of my new device (Motion LS800) and have to agree with these reasons but I am finding that there are more.  Check out what Scott had to say for each one here and see if you agree and BTW, #5 is definitely the best.

1. Truly 'mobile' mobile

2. Work with humans, not machines

3. Notes, notes, NOTES

4. Humanize & personalize your work

5. Pimp your PowerPoint

6. Clean up your chicken scratch

Source: Top Six Reasons to Go Tablet PC

MobileTechRoundup 69...and counting

 

MobileTechRoundup 69 has just been released and it is another terrific cast!  With hosts James Kendrick (Houston), Matt Miller (Seattle) and Kevin C. Tofel (Philadelphia) you will hear some very interesting topics this week.

In this show, discussion includes:
Freeware of the show: InScribe from Ilium Software. A great new input method for UMPC and other Tablet PCs! There is a known conflict between InScribe and ActiveWords, but rest assured, it’s being worked on! There’s a 60-second video review if you want a preview of InScribe.

(I have been using inscribe for a little over a week now...it is very cool!)

Too much to high-light here so head over to MoTR and listen...you will like it.

 Download MobileTechRoundup 69 here.

Twin Cigarette Lighter Adapter with USB Port

Have you ever had the need to charge multiple devices at the same time while you're driving? Have you ever been stuck because the car you are in has only ONE DC outlet.  Well, that problem will fast go away with the Twin Cigarette Lighter Adapter with USB Port from Mobile Fun.

It simply plugs into your existing cigarette lighter socket and splits it into two standard sockets and one USB charging socket(that's right, a USB CHARGING SOCKET), giving you the freedom to plug in two car chargers and a USB charger.

It comes with a 1.7 metre extension cable to position the adapter in the most convenient position and supports 12 & 24 volt power supplies.

Source: Twin Cigarette Lighter Adapter with USB Port

Sprint is GEARING UP!

Unstrung.com is reporting that Sprint Nextel Corp.  is "gearing up" to launch its first dualmode CDMA/iDEN cellphones. Enterprise users that have relied upon the reliability and range of the walkie-talkie-like push-to-talk feature will find this to be a welcome addition to the Sprint network.

It is rumored that a device will be available very soon. For those of you that are not familiar with iDEN, iDEN is a TDMA trunked radio system which is used for mobile telephony. Using Motorola's VSELP (Vector Sum Excited Linear Prediction) system for voice compression, it allows 6 voice conversations into one 25Khz channel....pretty cool stuff.

A Different Kind of Newspaper

A6.Times is a user friendly electronic newspaper for your Windows Mobile device that supports all known Web content syndication formats and versions (RSS, Atom, RDF).

A6.Times sets itself apart from other similar software with a spectacular user interface that organizes information into sections, just like a traditional newspaper does.

Synchronize it anytime and then bring it with you wherever you go. And, unlike ordinary newspapers, it fits in your pocket.

Learn MORE here about A6.Times

Do you have a "Q"?

Did you know that you can now get a Direct Push Technology Upgrade for your "Q" from Motorola?

Yup, you can now enhance Outlook Mobile with Direct Push Technology with this FREE upgrade from Motorola. So, you might ask why you should update your Q?

The new, free Motorola Q software expands the Q’s push e-mail capabilities by adding Microsoft MSFP (Message and Security Feature Pack); will let your Q as a modem for a PC if you use Windows XP; and brings the Q into HAC (hearing aid compliant) standards. If these features are of interest to you, update your software. If you are happy with your current Q set-up, you may elect not to update at this time.

During the software update, all user content, including user settings, personal data, and third-party media, will be deleted. Third-party media includes but is not limited to music, pictures, ringtones, and screensavers. You will need to reload all your content after the update has been completed.

Data stored in Removable miniSD cards will be left untouched during Motorola Software Update.

Link to Motorola "Q" upgrade

Win an iPod or Zune from Mobilitysite!

Ok, to celebrate the new design of Mobility Site, we are going to give you something to listen to.

We are giving away an new 30g iPod and a Microsoft Zune.

(note: Images not to scale)

We will have two winners, one will receive a Microsoft Zune (when available) and one will receive a 30g iPod.

How do you win?

The Prizes
1 Microsoft Zune and 1 Apple iPod

How to Win
This is a 2 in 1 contest. 2 winners, one from each contest included in this one contest.

The 1st one is so simple that my son could do it! Simply go here and vote. I will randomly select one winner from all that have voted.

The 2nd one is a photo contest. Simply take a photo of your current MP3/Media player setup. The staff and I will select 5 we like and the users will vote. Photos must be uploaded to the contest section of our gallery.

Who wins what? We will employ a sophisticated method to let the 2 winners decide who gets what. We will have a best 3/5 virtual rock, paper, scissors competion and the winner chooses.

The Rules

• Must be a registered member of Mobility Site
• Must be over 13 years old
• I reserve the right to alter the rules to ensure a fair competition

Head over to Mobilitysite and enter the contest to win an iPod or Zune

Click read more below to see the rules for the Mobilitysite contest

CamerAware 1.0 is now available!

What is CamerAware?
CamerAware is an application for your Windows Mobile Smartphone / Pocket PC that works in tandem with an internal, wired or Bluetooth GPS to monitor your position as you drive, and alert you when you come in range of a 'Safety Camera'.
By checking your position every second against a database of known cameras, CamerAware can help you be a safer driver, and of course help protect you against fines and penalty points for inadvertently speeding past a Camera.

A CamerAware licence, sold at a one-off fee of £19.99 (£9.99 for MoDaCo Plus members), includes lifetime application updates, as well as a FREE licence to the MoDaCo Camera database - a database that is officially licenced from one of the best known suppliers of Safety Camera locations, together with CamerAware customisations. The database provides excellent UK coverage and partial European coverage, with nearly 10,000 cameras! USA support is also planned for future updates.

Check it out here at MoDaCo

Skweezer Selected by Bloglines to Improve Mobile Experience

Skweezer is used on the mobile version of Bloglines to improve access to off-site content.

Greenlight Wireless Corporation announced that its Skweezer technology, which optimizes Web content for mobile devices, has been integrated into the mobile version of Bloglines (www.bloglines.com), the world’s number one online RSS aggregator.

Bloglines Mobile (mobile.bloglines.com) users now view "skweezed" versions of the Web pages they access through their favorite RSS feeds. This allows Bloglines to both accelerate download speeds and present content that is easier to view and navigate on the small displays found on cell phones and PDAs. With the Skweezer technology, Bloglines also provides mobile access to more content than ever before by using Skweezer's paging feature, which allows Web pages to load that would otherwise be too memory-intensive for most devices.

"The Skweezer technology provides a significantly improved experience for Bloglines Mobile users by speeding download time and optimizing content for small mobile displays," said Robyn DeuPree, Sr. Product Manager for Bloglines, a division of Ask.com. "Our Bloglines Mobile users love the current product, and the Skweezer technology makes the experience even better."

"Bloglines is the industry-leading RSS reader with a proven history of innovation," says Joey Lynch, VP of Business Development at Greenlight Wireless. "Once again Bloglines has taken a leadership position in the mobile RSS space and we're very pleased to be contributing to this effort."

Skweezer's proprietary compression algorithms, developed and refined over the past five years, significantly reduce Web content typically to 15% or less of its original file size. This allows Web pages to load much more quickly and has the added benefit of greatly reducing network capacity. Skweezer technology is completely platform independent and can be used with Pocket PC, Palm, Symbian, MS Smartphone, Blackberry, PSP2, and XHTML-based cell phone devices.

Greenlight Wireless site: www.greenlightwireless.net

Skweezer site: www.skweezer.net

Click read more below to see the full news item

M-BUZZ and PlayNow

M-BUZZ is Sony Ericsson's new music promotional space for breaking new, unsigned and developing artists through Sony Ericsson mobile phones. M-BUZZ showcases selected previously unreleased tracks, videos, interviews, tour dates, artwork, ringtones and artist information using the PlayNow over-the-air (OTA) download service on Sony Ericsson mobile phones and the M-BUZZ website in over 20 markets globally.

M-BUZZ is a partnership between Sony Ericsson and Sony ATV, Sony's music publishing company, and it is all about offering new and unique music content in an edgy and frequently refreshed format. End-users will be able to find music and information about these new and emerging artists, and play an active role in creating tomorrow's big names. From October 2, 2006, M-BUZZ can be accessed by the end-user through PlayNow on the Sony Ericsson W850 and W950 Walkman phones, and through the M-BUZZ website.

Check out the M-BUZZ website here and see the FULL press release here

Mobile broadcasting expected to rapidly become the model of choice

Mobile broadcasting—as opposed to streaming "unicast" services—is expected to rapidly become the model of choice for distribution of live television and movies to mobile devices in the United States, and by the end of 2007 approximately four million subscribers will receive entertainment and information on their wireless handsets via mobile broadcast technologies such as DVB-H and MediaFLO.

Senior analyst Ken Hyers reports that recent conversations with major carriers confirmed what ABI Research expected: "The presence of as few as five users simultaneously receiving unicast content from a single cellular base station carrier band can seriously degrade data access for those subscribers. This is further confirmation that broadcast is the only way to get mass market uptake of these services. Already, the market is bearing out that broadcast is the essential method for offering these services."

A recent ABI Research study, "Broadcast and Unicast Mobile TV Services" forecasts that in 2011, mobile TV services will have some 514 million subscribers worldwide. Of that total, the research indicates, 460 million will be subscribers to broadcast services. Broadcast services will have 1.5 million subscribers by the end of 2006. In the US market, most subscribers will be enabled by the wireless carriers' broadcast network partners, including MediaFLO (a subsidiary of Qualcomm), Aloha's Hiwire network, and Crown Castle's Modeo service.

Though ABI Research believes that most of these services will debut at $10/monthly subscription in the US through operators such as Verizon Wireless and Sprint Nextel, advertising will become an increasingly important source of revenue for mobile broadcast video, and will serve to subsidize high-quality programming.
"Broadcast and Unicast Mobile TV Services" explains the market dynamics behind mobile video, including the key industry players, enabling technologies, and business models. Its detailed market segmentation is backed by perceptive analysis, updated with the latest trends, news and vendor partnership announcements.

It forms part of four ABI Research Services—Digital Media Distribution and Management, Mobile Content, Mobile Devices, and Mobile Operators include research reports and briefs, online databases, forecasts, ABI Insights, the ABI Vendor Matrix and analyst inquiry support.
Founded in 1990 and headquartered in New York, ABI Research maintains global operations supporting annual research programs, intelligence services and market reports in broadband and multimedia, RFID and M2M, wireless connectivity, mobile wireless, transportation, and emerging technologies.

For information visit www.abiresearch.com

Click read more below to see the full news item

RhinoSkin’s Cases Have New iPods Covered

Protects new devices while maintaining sleek, compact form

RhinoSkin announces new protective cases for the latest iPod Nano and Video players that add style and functionality along with security.

Designed to serve as accessories as well as protective cases, the Rhinoskin leather cases and aluminum cases maintain the iPod’s sleek, compact form while allowing access to iPods’ click wheels and ports.

Leather FlipCase for iPod Nano (00621-00625) - $29.95

Choose from five leather Nano case colors – pink, buff, red, tan or black - to coordinate or contrast with each iPod color. Each case is composed of premium sheepskin leather and durable integrated shields to protect your iPod as it is jostled, transferred and carried throughout your day. The case’s form-fitting design hugs the Nano’s compact design, holding the Nano firmly in place while allowing full access to the click-wheel and ports. These cases include a matching sheepskin lanyard and RhinoSkin's removable post and belt clip system.

Aluminum HardCase for iPod Nano (00614) - $29.95

The Rhinoskin custom-fit aluminum case is designed to mirror the new iPod Nano’s smooth, clean finish while allowing accessibility to the click wheel and all functional ports without having to remove the iPod from its case. The hardcase also includes a white stretch lanyard for easy carrying along with a removable post and belt clip.

Leather FlipCase for iPod 30GB (00626-00627) - $34.95
Leather FlipCase for iPod 80GB (00631-00632) - $34.95

RhinoSkin leather cases complement the new 30 GB and 80 GB iPod Video models without adding bulk and are available in black or pink. The built-in shields beneath the leather exterior protect the delicate screens from scratches and the snug fit eliminates friction and turbulent damage. The case doubles as both an iPod and personal carrying case with convenient slots located inside the case’s front cover that can hold ID or credit cards. A matching sheepskin lanyard and removable post and belt clip system are also included.

Aluminum HardCase for iPod 30 GB (00615) - $34.95
Aluminum HardCase for iPod 80 GB (00616) - $34.95

Keep your new iPod Video in place and safe from bumps, scratches and falls with the sleek Rhinoskin aluminum hardcase. The high-performance polycarbonate and aluminum shell has been proven to provide durable protection while withstanding scratches, shattering and heat. The click wheel is accessible for easy maneuvering while the video screen is protected without compromising picture quality. These cases also include a white stretch lanyard and removable post and belt clip.

All RhinoSkin cases include a StuffBak loss prevention label – a $10 value – at no extra cost

About RhinoSkin

RhinoSkin (TM), a wholly-owned subsidiary of Saunders based in Readfield, Maine, has earned the reputation in the marketplace as being a producer of premium cases for mobile computing. These cases protect some of the biggest brands in the mobile technology industry.

Website: http://www.rhinoskin.com

Click read more below to see these very cool cases fron Rhinoskin

NewsGator Releases RSS Aggregator for Windows Mobile Devices

NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile Extends the Power of RSS to Mobile Enterprise Workers and Consumers

NewsGator Technologies, Inc., the leading RSS platform company, announced the public release of NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile, a product that allows users to read content and manage their RSS subscriptions seamlessly from any Windows-mobile capable device. Articles and subscriptions are synchronized between NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile and NewsGator's other applications, including NewsGator Online, Inbox, NetNewsWire and FeedDemon.

As RSS continues to reach mainstream adoption among both consumers and enterprises, mobile workers need easy access to their customized news and information. NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile synchronizes with NewsGator's entire product suite -- users can specify which RSS subscriptions to access from their mobile device, ensuring a streamlined and tailored RSS experience.

"Part of our strategy since the beginning has been to have information at our users' fingertips, and mobile is a key part of this," said Greg Reinacker, founder and CTO of NewsGator. "At the same time, we realize that mobile devices are usually a companion device, rather than a stand-alone information source. With this first release of NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile, we're delivering on this vision -- selected information at your fingertips, shared with your other applications, and integrated with the rest of your work."

NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile will also integrate with NewsGator Enterprise Server in the same way it integrates with NewsGator Online. With synchronization between user desktops, Microsoft Outlook® portals, enterprise applications, and now mobile, a truly go-anywhere enterprise solution will be available.

Key features and benefits of NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile include:

• Complete Synchronization - RSS subscriptions and content are fully synchronized across NewsGator's entire suite of products, so articles marked as "read" on their mobile device will show up as "read" on their other NewsGator aggregators
• Formatted for mobile devices - Content, including feeds and links, is automatically formatted for mobile browsers to ensure an ideal viewing experience
• Select feeds for devices - From NewsGator Online, users can select which feeds they want to access from their mobile evice,streamliningtheir experience
• Offline viewing - NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile downloads and caches articles, offering the ability to read posts while not connected to the Internet
• Familiar and easy-to-use interface - The NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile reading experience is simple, easy to use, and specifically designed for mobile users

NewsGator Go! for Windows Mobile is available for any device running the Windows Mobile 2003 or Windows Mobile 5.0 or later operating systems, including the Palm Treo 700w, Motorola Q, Cingular 2125 and HP iPaqs. It is currently available for $29.95 and can be purchased at www.newsgator.com.

Click read more below to see the full news item

Sony targets teens with Mylo

Mylo...My Life On Line.  A simple device that has the best parts of why you use a computer.  It is a device that puts your whole world under your thumbs. 

Dirk Lammers, an AP Writer, had some thoughts on  Sony's attempt to grab "the hearts, minds and money of teens and twentysomethings" with their new Mylo.  This new device which is a Web browser, messaging program, wireless phone and digital music player has features found in just about any device out there but the BIG difference is Wi-Fi.

Being able to use any wireless Internet connection will allow "kids" to chat where ever they find a "hot spot".  In the final analysis, you might pay a little more up front but the savings in data charges might well make this the device of choice for those that want to stay connected.

Check out Dirks thoughts here

Nokia to put Microsoft search on cellphones

Nokia, unquestionably the largest mobile phone provider, has agreed with Microsoft to add Live Search capabilities into Nokia's Mobile Search.  Now this is going to allow users to access Live Search from their Nokia N-series multimedia phones and other compatible Nokia phones using Series 60 software.

I like this and hope that it leads to bigger announcements from Nokia and Microsoft.  The recent new "N" series phones are spectacular and if they had the Microsoft OS for those that want it, it would be huge...HUGE!  Only time will tell what comes down the line....we can only hope!

MoGo Mouse - New York Times calls it a SLEEK new business helper!

I loved the MoGo mouse and was thrilled to be part of the initial group of folks that got to actually see, hold, use and review this marvelous piece of technology.  As I was looking through the New York Times, I noticed a neat article by Michel Marriott.  Michel called three new business helpers: the Fujitsu LifeBook, the MoGo portable mouse, and the Motorola Moto Q Smartphone SLEEK. 

In part, Michel said:

...who needs to worry about a new mouse not performing smoothly during a presentation? Newton Peripherals, of Natick, Mass., has an elegant and ingenious answer: the MoGo Mouse.

Check out Michel's article here.

 

If you have not seen my video preview or my written review, Review: I GO! --- You GO! --- Lets MoGo! then check them out.  You will see why Michel liked it so much and why I feel it is going to be HUGE in the market.  Big things are coming.....

 

 

IEEE-SA to Move 802.20 Broadband Wireless Standard Forward

The IEEE Standards Association Standards Board (SASB) announced its plan to enable the IEEE 802.20 Working Group to move forward with its work to develop a mobile broadband wireless access standard and provide the best opportunity for its completion and approval. The plan calls for the working group's reorganization including the appointment of new officers as well as new balloting and balloting resolution committees. It also clarifies and tightens requirements for disclosure of affiliations. The decision is the outcome of an investigation by the SASB into appeals and other concerns that had led to the temporary suspension of the working group's activities.

The June suspension stemmed from an ongoing investigation into concerns that the working group had become highly contentious, appeared to lack transparency and showed evidence of possible "dominance" and other potential irregularities. After considering input from IEEE 802.20 working group participants and a cross section of other interested parties, the SASB concluded that certain steps were required to safeguard the standards development process and ensure that consensus on an IEEE 802.20 standard can be reached and that the standard can receive IEEE approval.

Among the actions approved by the SASB on 15 September are the following:
— All of the IEEE 802.20 officers will be replaced in an effort to provide clearly neutral leadership and to eliminate perceptions of possible bias. The working group will remain suspended until at least a chair is approved by the SASB, which the SASB anticipates will take place on or before 12 November.
— Members of the IEEE 802 Executive Committee (EC) will work with the new officers to identify and address any efforts to dominate the IEEE 802.20 working group and to submit a plan to ensure dominance does not occur.
— All ballot and ballot resolution groups will be dissolved and reconstituted. The IEEE EC chair will determine when any balloting may begin. The plan preserves the right of the working group to move forward with the existing work product or consider alternative technology.
— IEEE 802.20 working group participants will be required to disclose their true affiliations at each meeting. They must identify any person or organization that, directly or indirectly, has requested, paid for or otherwise sponsored his/her participation.

"The measures the Standards Board announced today are carefully designed to address the IEEE Standard Association's commitment to principles of fairness, openness and due process in standards development," said Steve Mills, IEEE-SA Standards Board Chair.

"The vast majority of participants in IEEE-SA standards activities have always acted in the good-faith and cooperative spirit that has resulted in high quality and broad adoption of IEEE standards, including the 802(R) family of standards," Mills said. "The IEEE-SA Standards Board expects that the combination of greater transparency and reorganization of leadership and balloting groups will foster that spirit in 802.20 and will result in a high-quality 802.20 standard developed through a fair and open process."

Additional details are available at: http://standards.ieee.org/announcements/IEEESASB802.20Report.pdf

Click read more below to see the full news item

PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs enters public beta test phase

German software vendor SoftMaker released the first beta version of its popular PlanMaker 2006 spreadsheet application for the Pocket PC market. With this release, PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs sets new standards for that platform's spreadsheet capabilties, offering the only desktop-class spreadsheet on any PDA platform.

PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs is completely compatible with Microsoft Excel spreadsheets, allowing users to easily transfer their Excel files to their Pocket PC with no conversion issues. Once on a Pocket PC device, PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PC gives the full feature set of Excel on the mobile device in a fast, robust environment.
Naturally, PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PC spreadsheets can be read and used by Microsoft Excel, too.

PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs includes a huge function set of more than 320 calculation functions. It offers 70 chart types and all Excel AutoShapes, all viewable and editable on the Pocket PC. PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs also offers advanced capabilities like array formulas and input validation, as well as many other features that will make PlanMaker 2006 the de-facto standard for spreadsheet applications on the Pocket PC.

New features in PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs includes the ability to create forms with input fields, checkboxes, drop-down lists, and more. Input validation is easily accomplished. The ability to separate headers and footers in three areas is new, too, as is expanded international currency support. User interface, menus, and dialogs of PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PC come in nine languages. Full support for Unicode is part of PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PC. There is no other spreadsheet on the market with the power and range of features offered on this Pocket PC application!

PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs is based on technology from the popular SoftMaker Office 2006 multi-platform office application suite. PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs is available directly from SoftMaker and from resellers.

SoftMaker Software GmbH is the developer of the multi-platform SoftMaker Office application suite and premium typeface collections.
For more information on SoftMaker Office 2006 for Windows or any of the SoftMaker products, contact Martin Kotulla or Dr. Martin Sommer at press@softmaker.com or +49-911-936 386 0.

The public beta version of PlanMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs is available free of charge from www.softmaker.com/english/pmp06_en.htm

Homepage: www.softmaker.com
PlanMaker 2006: www.softmaker.com/english/pm_en.htm

Click read more below to see the full news item

ATP has NEW additions to their lineup

ATP Announced an 8GB ProMax CompactFlash and 8GB ProMax SDHC Flash Cards, Professional Grade 8GB Flash Storage Media Provides Greater Flexibility for DSLR Camera Users

With our growing needs for higher capacity, high performance flash cards, ATP today announced the availability of its 8GB ProMax CompactFlash (CF) card and 8GB ProMax SDHC card. The new products further complete ATP Promax flash card lineup, designed and produced for the performance and reliability needs of professional photographers and high end DSLR cameras. The increased storage capacity is especially beneficial for photographers shooting pictures using the higher density RAW format. 

For more details please visit ATP website at http://www.atpinc.com.

Toshiba Gigabeat S MES30VW Review

 There is a nice review of the Gigabeat over at Digital Trends that you might like reading.  What did they think? 

Toshiba got it right. Gigabeat S has a stellar display, idiotproof interface and broad compatibility with the Windows PlaysForSure universe. Until Apple’s very recent price drop on iPod, Gigabeat had great value going for it, too, at $299. That could well change in the wake of Apple’s move to $249 for the 30-GB iPod and $349 for the 60-GB version.           

Gigabeat is a winner.

Link to Toshiba Gigabeat S MES30VW Review