Matthew Miller

Contributing Writer

Bio
Disclosure

Matthew Miller started using mobile devices in 1997 and has been writing news, reviews, and opinion pieces ever since. Matthew started using mobile devices with a US Robotics Pilot 1000 and has owned hundreds of devices running Palm, Linux,… Symbian, Newton, BlackBerry, iOS, Android, webOS, Windows Mobile, and Windows Phone operating systems. His current collection includes the latest and greatest foldables, wearables, and more, along with classic devices like the Apple Newton MessagePad 2100 and Sony CLIE UX50. Matthew can be found on various social networks under the user name of "palmsolo."

Matthew is a professional naval architect by day and a mobile gadgeteer at all other times. He purchases his own devices and then sells them on Swappa to buy more. Many other devices are sent for review on a typical 30-day or long-term loan basis and then returned to the carrier or manufacturer.

Latest from Matthew Miller

Hey Apple, where are the free trials for iPhone applications?

I know a few of us here on ZDNet are hard at work on iPhone 3G and iPhone application articles and one aspect of the new Apple iPhone Application store that struck me immediately was that there are no trial versions of the commercial software. One of the major benefits for me that gets me using and eventually buying mobile software applications is the ability to try a full, or even limited, version for 14 to 30 days on my devices to see if the application truly fits my needs and is worth the cost. There are NO trial applications that I can find on the iPhone Application store.

July 10, 2008 by Matthew Miller in Apple

fring VoIP and IM client is now available for the Apple iPhone

I've written about my favorite mobile VoIP client, fring, several times in the past on this blog and was very pleased to receive the news from Gil that fring is now available on the Apple iPhone. This current version is for iPhones that have been jailbreaked to run 3rd party applications and you will also need a WiFi connection to use the application.

April 15, 2008 by Matthew Miller in Apple

MobileTechRoundup show #195; What do we think of the Apple iPad?

The Apple iPad was announced yesterday so it was a given that James, Kevin, and I would spend MobileTechRoundup show #195 focusing on a single topic. We talked about what it does and doesn't replace, who needs one and who doesn't, Apple's chip business, and more. At then end of the show we took our own poll to see who plans to buy one and I don't think there are any surprises there.

January 28, 2010 by Matthew Miller in Apple

Kindle for Mac is now available

Last fall Amazon rolled out Kindle for PC so you could enjoy your purchased Kindle content on your Windows computer. Last night Amazon released a beta of Kindle for Mac so you could enjoy Kindle content on a Mac.

March 17, 2010 by Matthew Miller in Apple

MobileTechRoundup show #182, Moto CLIQ, ZuneHD, iPod nano, HP Envy

We missed recording last week due to the Mobilize 2009 event so MobileTechRoundup show #182 is a bit longer than normal as James, Kevin, and I chatted about mobile tech products. James and Kevin had a chance to play with the upcoming T-Mobile Motorola CLIQ Google Android device that will be tough for me to resist. I talked about my new Zune HD and iPod nano and then I learned about Opera 10's Turbo Mode on a PC. Opera Mini 5 beta is out for Java-enabled phones and adds some great new features, all for FREE. James also had a chance to swing by the HP offices and play with the new Envy notebooks that have features you may envy, but at a price you may not.

September 17, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Apple

Review: tapSTICK gives you back control of your iPod shuffle

Apple recently launched a new iPod shuffle, but made a major design change that limits you from using your own personal headphones. They moved the basic controls from the device to the headset so you have to use the Apple headphones or buy some made specifically for the iPod shuffle with integrated controls. Scosche has a solution for new iPod shuffle owners so you can use your own high end headphones without having to buy another expensive set with the controls. The tapSTICK is a slim, sleek case that slides over the iPod shuffle to give you back controls on the unit so you can use ANY headset you desire with the shuffle.

November 2, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Apple

New iPod nano may be the motivation I need to train hard again

The big Apple iPod event was held today and as Andrew posted we saw a refresh of the entire iPod lineup. While the capacity upgrades may be nice for some, I personally find the most surprising and refreshing news to be the iPod nano update. These devices include an integrated video camera, speaker, mic, pedometer and FM radio tuner, none of which I was expecting to see in the nano lineup. I figured we would see a camera and mic in the iPod touch, but that hasn't happened yet. The iPod nano is a runner's dream and I intend to give you a real-life perspective of it in action soon. I also enjoy using my Flip minoHD camera, but IMHO Apple just trumped these type of devices (there is a Kodak model too) in more ways than just the video camera hardware.

September 9, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Apple

Is this newest Apple netbook rumor just more wishful thinking?

The news has been a bit slow here on The Mobile Gadgeteer so let's start off this week with another Apple netbook rumor. As jkOnTheRun is reporting, DigiTimes is reporting that Wintek claims to have a contract for a touchscreen Apple netbook. The Apple netbook rumors have been around for some time and in most cases I think it is people dreaming about such a device rather than a story with actual evidence. This one may turn out to be the same wishful thinking too.

March 9, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Apple

Microsoft finally shows why the Zune stands out against the iPod

I've written a few times about the Microsoft Zune and why I think the subscription model is a better value for all of us who have small personal music collections. When Microsoft changed their subscription policy and started giving you 10 free tunes a month as part of your $15 monthly fee it became a no-brainer to sign up for the Zune Pass and start to create or add to your personal music collection. Andrew posted on the new Zune ads that pit the Zune Pass against iTunes and clearly shows the significant price advantage of the Zune Pass.

May 12, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Apple

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Digital Media Players

For this Digital Media Player Holiday Guide we will be taking a look at the best devices that offer a complete music playing and video watching experience. There are still some devices that specialize in one or the other, but the capability has improved in most of them so that both types of media content can be enjoyed. Last year we looked at both MP3 players and portable digital video players in two Guides, but are merging them this year since most perform both functions well. Some of these devices can be used for web browsing, 3rd party application usage, and gaming, but we will focus on the music and video support while mentioning some of these more advanced capabilities.

November 1, 2009 by Matthew Miller in Apple

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