Smartphones and Cell Phones

eReader for Google Android now available

I am an ebook fan and like to have the same software across multiple platforms, which is why my preferred reader has been Mobipocket for a couple of years. eReader has been expanding on devices and just launched their Google Android software so now I am going to go all in with eReader. I have been using Shortcovers on my G1, but it requires a data connection to download pages as you read. eReader lets you read content stored right on your device so you can read while on an airplane, traveling in a tunnel, etc. This launch comes on the heels of the Motorola DROID launch and I think that device would be an amazing ebook reader with the beautiful large display.

November 17, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Hardware

Microsoft may have blown opportunities, but all hope is not lost

Two articles were posted today talking about Windows Mobile, one with no analysis and the other making some valid points about Microsoft's past mobile actions. The smartphone market is still quite small and there are many opportunities available for Microsoft and others to compete and succeed in the space.

November 17, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Mobile Carriers

Widespread BlackBerry data outage reported, is it time to move on?

I posted my first impressions of the BlackBerry Bold 9700 earlier today and then planned to spend a lot of time using the device over the next few days. I am at the Microsoft Mobius event in Seattle that is a gathering of some of the greatest mobile minds and was trying to show the Bold 9700 to some folks, but I couldn't get a connection. I then later read on Boy Genius Report that BIS was down across the globe today. As of this moment it still is not working for me and has been down for hours.

November 16, 2009 by Matthew Miller in BlackBerry

Windows Marketplace for Mobile available for 6.1/6.0 devices

It was just last week that we learned Microsoft opened up the Windows Marketplace for Mobile to PC access and in that release they said a version for WM 6.0 and 6.1 devices would be coming soon. I have to say I didn't expect the announcement this soon, but am very pleased it is now official. This release now has the potential to put the Marketplace on 30 million devices worldwide.

November 16, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Mobility

First impressions of the T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700

It was a year ago this month that the RIM BlackBerry Bold was launched and I purchased one from AT&T while on a business trip (see my first impressions). The Bold had the BEST QWERTY keyboard available at that time, but that came at the price of width so the phone was a bit chunky. We now see RIM making some design improvements with the BlackBerry Bold 9700 that is launching first with T-Mobile and AT&T here in the US. I have spent a couple of days with the T-Mobile BlackBerry Bold 9700 and think it may be the best front facing QWERTY BlackBerry device on the market.

November 15, 2009 by Matthew Miller in BlackBerry

Who needs an Office app? Google Docs, Calendar & more all work on Nokia N900

I have had a Nokia N900 for about a month now (see my in-depth coverage) and have concluded that it is a great compact mobile computer, but needs some more work to be a really good cell phone. If mobile data is your focus, then the N900 is a device to consider and one question I have received quite a bit is whether or not Google Docs and other Google services were supported on the N900. The web browser on the N900 is the BEST of any mobile device when it comes to giving you a full desktop experience and as you can see in my video below Google Documents, Calendar, Google Wave, and more all work just fine on the Nokia N900.

November 14, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Microsoft

Shop at the Windows Marketplace for Mobile from your desktop browser

Every mobile operating system now has their own on device application store, thanks to the initiative of Apple with the iPhone and the App Store. You can buy apps through all of them on your phone, but not all of them support buying apps from your desktop PC. According to WM Experts Microsoft just kicked off phase II of the Windows Marketplace for Mobile by providing the capability to browse and purchase apps from your web browser. Simple visit http://marketplace.windowsphone.com from your browser to check out the store.

November 11, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Enterprise Software

Nokia N900 Maemo device now shipping to retailers

I have been using a pre-production Nokia N900 for about a month and created the Definitive Nokia N900 Guide as I answer questions and put the device to the test. We finally received word from Nokia that the Nokia N900 is now shipping to retailers in Europe, Middle-East, Russia and North America. The best deal we currently see here in the US is from Amazon where the pre-order price is currently $559.99. This is a full unsubsidized price so no contracts are needed and you can use it with either T-Mobile or AT&T.

November 9, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Microsoft

Google providing free airport WiFi this holiday season

To help people enjoy this holiday season Google, Boingo Wireless, Advanced Wireless Group, Airport Marketing Income and others are providing free WiFi across airports in the United States. 47 airports are currently included in the program, including Las Vegas, San Jose, Boston, Baltimore, Burbank, Houston, Indianapolis, Seattle, Miami, Ft. Lauderdale, Orlando, St. Louis and Charlotte. The program is active now and runs through 15 January 2010.

November 9, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Google

Smartphone Buyer's Guide: What are the choices on my carrier?

I recently posted the 2009 Holiday Guide for smartphones and in that guide posted about just one smartphone from each carrier. There are more selections than just one though and now that most all of the announcements for the holidays have been made I thought you might like to know what the choices from each carrier are, along with the subsidized and non-subsidized prices so you can make an informed choice. Most people find a carrier that works for them with the best coverage in their local area so they look first to their carrier for a smartphone rather than looking for the a smartphone and then switching carriers.

November 8, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Mobility

MobileTechRoundup show #189; Verizon DROID choices, Moblin 2.1 for netbooks

Today is the launch of the Motorola DROID and HTC DROID ERIS on Verizon and James has the DROID in hand. Kevin is triple booting his netbook and the new Moblin 2.1 OS looks slick enough for me to give a try on my MSI Wind soon too. We also chatted about the success of integrated smartphone platforms compared to licensed platforms.

November 5, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Mobility

Verizon's HTC DROID ERIS may be the best $100 smartphone

Readers here know how much I enjoyed using the HTC Hero and now we see HTC coming out with its 3rd version of the Hero and IMHO the third time is the charm. I had a chance to hold and play a bit with the HTC DROID ERIS (Verizon's version of the HTC Hero) and I could not put it down because the form factor is so compelling. It is wrapped in black soft touch material, it is narrow so it feels like a phone, it is thin, it is dense, and it has curves that make a supermodel envious. I have not yet used a Verizon DROID, but every review I read stated the keyboard was not that great so the HTC DROID ERIS without a keyboard and much more pocketable form factor may be the Android device of choice on Verizon. Amazingly, HTC was able to pack in their awesome Sense UI into the ERIS at this low $100 price point and you may just see me at Best Buy tomorrow, 6 November, picking this one up and adding a Verizon line to my mobile collection.

November 4, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Collaboration

Review: OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL Series for iPhone 3G/3GS

I have tried cases with my iPhone devices in the past, but kept going back to an InvisibleShield or BodyGuardz plastic skin because I didn't want anything adding bulk to my iPhone 3GS. Silicone cases are very popular today, but I have never been happy with them since I carry my phone in my pocket and they tend to cause the phone to stick in my pocket and gather lint. OtterBox recently launched a couple of new hybrid silicone cases that add a hard plastic shell to a silicone case so you can slip your iPhone in and out of your pocket while also gaining a decent level of protection with minimal addition of size. The OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL series cases are available now for the iPhone 3G and 3GS. Their Defender series adds the most protection, but add too much bulk for me to accept for daily use. Check out my image gallery of the OtterBox Commuter and Commuter TL Series cases.

November 4, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Apple

The iPhone is one of the best phones in the world, carriers with it are the problem

I really don't like to link to posts that have over the top headlines just to gain hits and try not to do that myself, but I just had to respond to this UK Crave blog post titled, The iPhone is the worst phone in the world. After reading the post and then thinking about my experiences with my iPhone 3GS on both AT&T and T-Mobile I really think the author meant the iPhone/carrier combo is the worst in the world. Every issue, other than battery life, that they mentioned was carrier related and not due just to the device. You see, with AT&T I too experienced constant dropped calls in full signal areas and massive data issues in areas saturated with iPhone users. Then, with T-Mobile I never have had a dropped call on my iPhone and data has been solid, although it is only EDGE data on T-Mobile.

November 4, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Mobility

HTC HD2 coming to major US carrier in early 2010

I know the latest smartphone market share data shows both Windows Mobile and HTC down over the last year, but there is one HTC Windows Mobile device that has me quite excited and if it comes to the US with support for T-Mobile then I will buy it. HTC today officially announced the HD2 for Europe and Taiwan with a US major carrier release (unnamed) to occur in early 2010.

November 3, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Mobility

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