This Week in Mobility #73

“The more I want to get something done, the less I call it work.”
~Richard Bach 

Tip
1. Send SMS via Email
BlackBerry
2. Other BlackBerry Tour Issues
3. RIM’s BlackBerry Fund to Expand Mobile-App Investments
iPhone
4. AT&T: No Delays in iPhone MMS Launch
5. 7 Myths About iPhone & Exchange Security Policies
6. Apple To Look at iPhone Battery
7. Genentech: 5,000 iPhones with Internal App Store
Windows Mobile
8. 30 Windows Mobile 6.5 Models by Year-End
4G News
9. How Much Broadband do We Need?
10. Will WiMAX Arrive Early Enough to Take Hold?
11. WiMAX vs. LTE: A False Idea?
12. Dallas-Fort Worth Becoming a 4G Hub
13. Verizon Will Take LTE Nationwide All at Once
Other News
14. AT&T Launches Femtocell Solution in Charlotte, NC
15. FemtoCell Charges You to Fix Their Shoddy Networks
16. U.S. Leading Soaring Wireless Data Volume
17. 2010 Ford’s Cool New Mobile Tech
18. Sony Ericsson Motion Activated Headphones 

“Lessons learned the hard way are branded in the synapses.”
~Me 

Tip 

1. Send SMS via Email 

Are your friends and associates SMS or text users, but you can’t send to them due to corporate blocks, or you just don’t want to incur the cost?  Add their SMS email to your contacts. You can send SMS messages to them via your regular email with the format of:
·        Verizon – 4157775555@vtext.com
·         AT&T – 4157775555@txt.att.net      
·         Sprint – 4157775555@messaging.sprintpcs.com
For a full list of international carriers, go to…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carriers_providing_SMS_transit
Also http://www.notepage.net/smtp.htm is often more current.

BlackBerry 

I don’t want to steal the thunder from this excellent commentary, but it’s a great description of how people feel when they are affected by these issues.  Fortunately, my Tour works great, so I still think it is the best BlackBerry I have ever owned (my Bold is pretty great too).  GigaOm 

2. Other BlackBerry Tour Issues 

 

3. RIM’s BlackBerry Fund to Expand Mobile-App Investments 

The Research in Motion-backed BlackBerry Partners Fund will expand its portfolio to back developers who write applications beyond games and ringtones, said officials at the $140 million venture fund. Bloomberg 

iPhone 

4. AT&T: No Delays in iPhone MMS Launch 

AT&T Tech: “Our network is overloaded. SF and NYC users can barely use it.” Exec: “Let’s open MMS on the iPhone!” Tech: “Brilliant.” AT&T issued new software that enables MMS message delivery for iPhones.  The download will not entail a “whole software update, just a small installation of additional settings onto your iPhone.” Network World/Macworld / SFGate 

5. 7 Myths About iPhone & Exchange Security Policies

 

Maturity is important when considering complex security solutions.  For example, here is one reason why I recommend waiting till mid-2010 to seriously consider the iPhone as an option for users in a highly-secure large enterprise.  InfoWorld

 

6. Apple To Look at iPhone Battery

 

Following user complaints, Apple will reportedly investigate whether its most recently upgraded iPhone software — 3.1 — is drinking up too much juice, according to an Internet report. InformationWeek

 

12. Genentech: 5,000 iPhones with Internal App Store

 

Although they still have a few BlackBerry devices at Genentech, most all of the other devices have been transitioned to the iPhone (approximately 5,000).  The neat part is the applications they have rolled out via their internal app store:

 

Custom apps:

Employee Lookup Tool

Purchasing Approval Tool

Conference Room Booking Tool

Personalized News Feed Subscription Service

 

LOB Applications:

Salesforce.com

Epocrates

 

iPhone CTO

 

Windows Mobile

 

7. 30 Windows Mobile 6.5 Models by Year-End

 

Microsoft said it expected handset makers to issue a flood of phones this year once the software giant released its Windows Mobile Version 6.5 update Oct. 6. The company predicted that 15 smartphone makers would ship 30 devices by year-end. Acer said it would introduce three smartphones powered by the new Windows software next month. MocoNews / Network World

 

4G News

 

8. How Much Broadband do We Need?

 

Do we set our sights on 100Mbps, or pull out all the stops and race to 1Gbps? We’re talking residential broadband here; a huge leap when you consider that our current speeds range between 3Mbps and 5Mbps, and our national backbone capacity is about 40Gbps and is being upgraded to 100Gbps.  GigaOM

 

9. Will WiMAX Arrive Early Enough to Take Hold?

 

WiMax is deploying later than expected… By the end of 2010, users in more than 80 U.S. cities may be able to ditch their cable modems, T1 setups, and DSL lines in favor of WiMax (Worldwide Interoperability for Microwave Access) broadband wireless technology.  The 4G WiMax competitor, LTE, is expected to take 80% of the global market around 2020. InfoWorld

 

10. WiMAX vs. LTE: A False Idea?

 

It’s about learning the lessons from 3G when it comes to wireless data. The average iPhone user uses 30 times the data of a regular user, but he or she is not paying four times more. They have to fix that.  While it seems like LTE will dominate, there is a case for WiMAX for some operators, they’ll coexist.  VON

 

11. Dallas-Fort Worth Becoming a 4G Hubs

 

Sprint Nextel Corp., AT&T Inc., MetroPCS Communications Inc., Ericsson AB and Nokia Siemens Networks are converging on the Dallas area to launch fourth-generation, or 4G, networks.  Dallas News

 

12. Verizon will Take LTE Nationwide All at Once

 

Verizon Wireless will “overlay” its existing CDMA EV-DO network to next-generation LTE technology “as close to all-at-once as possible,” instead of taking the usual market-by-market approach. InformationWeek

 

Other News

 

13. AT&T Launches Femtocell Solution in Charlotte, NC

 

AT&T quietly launched the A&T 3G MicroCell, the first femtocell from the carrier. The unit acts like a mini cellular tower in the home or small business, which allows for better indoor coverage.  AT&T is reportedly charging $150 for the equipment. CNET / Wireless Week / AT&T

 

14. FemtoCell Charges You to Fix Their Shoddy Networks

 

Their networks are overloaded or provide poor coverage, and they want to charge you $150+ to fix it?  Who would fall for that kind of scam? Millions of us might, and sadly, we probably should. PCMag

 

15. U.S. Leading Soaring Wireless Data Volume

 

Revenue from mobile-data services worldwide was 10% greater in the first half of this year than in the last half of 2008, with U.S. companies leading the pack, according to a report by analyst Chetan Sharma. GigaOm

 

16. 2010 Ford’s Cool New Mobile Tech

 

The muscle carmaker’s latest fleet of sedans, crossovers, SUVs and trucks sports some impressive tech. Take a look. eWeek

 

17. Sony Ericsson Motion Activated Headphones

 

Sony Ericsson announced the Motion Activated Headphones MH907 that allow you to listen to music just by plugging in its two earphones. To pause your music, you remove one ear-bud.  You can answer and end calls in a similar way – so there’s no need to push any buttons.  Unwired

This Week in Mobility #72

“Action may not always bring happiness, but there is no happiness without action.”
~Benjamin Disraeli

BlackBerry Tips
1. Trackball Issue on Tour
2. Send SMS via Email
BlackBerry News
3. Storm2 in Stores on 10.14.09
4. Rumored BlackBerry Essex (Tour2 w/ WiFi), Striker (Bold 2 or 9100) and Curve 8530 (CDMA Curve 2)
5. SocialScope for Tweeting on BlackBerry
iPhone
6. iPhone Tops List of Devices Workers Want IT to Support
7. iPhone Betrays Business
8. Apple to Google: No One Shall Sit Higher Than the King
4G News
9. AT&T Will Proceed Directly to LTE, Won’t Pass HSPA+
10. Ericsson: HSPA Key to LTE Transitions
11. Clearwire’s 20-sq-mi WiMAX Silicon Valley Sandbox
12. MetroPCS to launch LTE-based network next year
Other News
13. List Cell Phone Radiation Levels
14. IEEE 802.11n Ratified
15. Mobile Social Network Adds First Real-Time Location-Based Messaging System
16. Good Technology Adds Support for Android, iPhone, and Pre

“Without labor nothing prospers.”
~Sophocles

BlackBerry Tips

 1. Trackball Issue on Tour

Personally, I have been unaffected (I love my Tour), but many users report they need to roll the trackball repeatedly for it to move the cursor on the screen only minimally.  A work-around is to increase the trackball sensitivity from 70 to 90, but that might only help a little.  Verizon expects a software fix (MR1) to be available in 5-6 weeks. PCWorld / Information Week  

2. Send SMS via Email 

Are your friends and associates SMS or text users, but you can’t send to them due to corporate blocks, or you just don’t want to incur the cost?  You can send SMS messages to them via your regular email with the format of:

Verizon – 4157775555@vtext.com
AT&T – 4157775555@txt.att.net       
 Sprint – 4157775555@messaging.sprintpcs.com

For a full list of international carriers, go to…
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_carriers_providing_SMS_transit
Add their SMS email to your contacts. 

BlackBerry News 

3. Storm2 in Stores on 10.14.09 

People already using the Storm2 say it is great BBv5 device with a fast processor and a highly responsive touch screen.  It is expected to be open to the marketplace on 10.14.09. 

4. Rumored BlackBerry Essex (Tour2 w/ WiFi), Striker (Bold 2 or 9100) and Curve 8530 (CDMA Curve 2) 

For more information, see Cool Guy Report 

5. SocialScope for Tweeting on BlackBerry  

BlackBerry is a perfect communications device, except for two things: It’s been lacking a high-quality Twitter client and a native Internet telephony app from one of the big boys such as Truphone or Skype. Well, soon BlackBerry owners will no longer bemoan the social media void. GigaOm 

iPhone 

6. iPhone Tops List of Devices Workers Want IT to Support  

IT decision-makers say the number of employees wanting to bring their own mobile devices into the workplace has increased in the last six to 12 months, according to a new survey. Mobile Enterprise Mag 

7. iPhone Betrays Business 

Fixing a major but unacknowledged bug in the operating system, last week’s iPhone OS 3.1 update has rendered most iPhones and all iPod Touches incompatible with Exchange 2007 servers that require on-device data be encrypted, a standard safeguard used by businesses.  In other words, Apple has fundamentally betrayed its iPhone users and the businesses that have either explicitly or implicitly supported the device. Infoworld 

8. Apple to Google: No One Shall Sit Higher Than the King 

Google today made public the redacted parts of its letter addressed to the Federal Communications Commission written after Apple had rejected the Google Voice application from the iPhone. The redacted portion of the filing shows that Apple did reject Google Voice and Google Latitude, a location-aware application, mostly because they were better than, or performed the same functions as, the iPhone maker’s pre-loaded software. In its filing, Apple told the FCC that it hadn’t rejected the Voice app, it was only studying it.  But this little contradiction shows how in the world of Apple, no one shall sit higher than the king. From the letter: See GigaOm 

4G News 

9. AT&T Will Proceed Directly to LTE, Won’t Pass HSPA+ 

AT&T will proceed to installing LTE-based 4G technology once the carrier completes its current round of HSPA-based 3G improvements, Senior Vice President Kris Rinne said at an industry event Tuesday. The comments seemed to rule out a major role for so-called evolved HSPA — or HSPA+ — in the carrier’s upgrades. AT&T plans a broad LTE launch in 2011. Telephony Online / Unstrung / GigaOm 

10. Ericsson: HSPA Key to LTE Transitions 

Just after Kris Rinne finished touting AT&T’s ability to use HSPA to smooth the carrier’s transition to LTE, Ericsson’s Ulf Edwaldsson made the same argument yesterday at 4G World: HSPA is the smoothest way to get to LTE. Wireless Week 

11. Clearwire’s 20-sq-mi WiMAX Silicon Valley Sandbox 

Clearwire has opened a 20-square-mile test bed in Silicon Valley to begin developing wireless applications from Google and other locally based developers, the WiMAX carrier said. Also, Clearwire CEO Bill Morrow said Tuesday that the company was prepared to shift 4G wireless network technologies — to LTE — if the switch was in the best interests of the company, although he noted that “WiMAX is here today, and LTE is not.” Multichannel News / CNET / Wall Street Journal 

12. MetroPCS to launch LTE-based network next year 

Prepaid-wireless operator MetroPCS says it will roll out its fourth-generation network next year, providing higher-speed connectivity for its mobile-data users. Financial Times 

Other News 

13. List Cell Phone Radiation Levels 

In the most exhaustive study of its kind, a government watchdog group released a list that ranks cell phones in terms of radiation emitted. See where your device ranks. Find out how to lower your exposure to cellphone radiation. And get the latest on the cancer-cellphone debate that just won’t go away. Mobile Enterprise Mag 

14. IEEE 802.11n Ratified 

It’s been a long time coming. The “n” amendment to the successful IEEE 802.11 WLAN standard is expected to open the doors to an increase in enterprise wireless network deployments. The amendment enables scalable WLANs that co-exist with legacy deployments. Mobile Enterprise Mag 

15. Mobile Social Network Adds First Real-Time Location-Based Messaging System 

Some big names in “location-based” mobile social networks are: Loopt, Brightkite, and Foursquare.  Another name of interest is Centrl because it within major social networks (Facebook, MySpace, iGoogle, etc) from any device for free.   Centrl can broadcast your location to your friends, help users find coupons, , businesses, general points of interest, or events near you by pulling information from Yelp, Citysearch, Wikipedia and other sites (Centrl calls these sites “layers”).  Users can also contribute and share content. TechCrunch 

16. Good Technology Adds Support for Android, iPhone, and Pre 

The company will support Android, iPhone and Pre (in addition to existing Windows Mobile & Symbian) to help companies whose employees use personal devices to access enterprise networks. Information Week

This Week in Mobility #71

“Study without desire spoils the memory, and it retains nothing that it takes in.”
~Leonardo Da Vinci

Tip
1. Tip: Setup a Boss E-mail Alert on Your BB
iPhone
2. Apple Intros iPhone OS 3.1 and iTunes 9
Window Mobile
3. Sprint’s Palm Pixi
Other News
4. Mobile Banking Usage Accelerating
5. Google Insights for Search Beta
6. Orange, T-Mobile Combine to Form Largest U.K. Carrier
7. AT&T to Boost 3G Network in Six Cities
8. Mexico Ends Ban on Cell Phone Use in Aircraft
9. Intel: Future of Web Lies in Mobile Devices
10. Cellular Triangulation Application Provides Better-Than-GPS Accuracy

“Without labor nothing prospers.”
~Sophocles

 

Tip

1. Tip: Setup a Boss E-mail Alert on Your BB

Step 1) Add your boss to your BB contact list (if they aren’t already there):

From your BB > Messages, find an e-mail from your boss, elect their name in the header, click the menu button, select Add Contact

Step 2) Create a filter with level 1 alerting:

From your BB > Messages, click the menu button, select “options”, select “email filters” > select “new” from the menu > create a filter name > select the “from” field, click the menu button, “Select Name” to pick your boss from your contacts > select “sent directly to me” (and CC or BCC if you like) > change “Action” to “Forward > select “Forward with Level 1 Notification” > select “Save” from the menu

Shortcut for Step 1&2) From your BB > Messages > select an email from your boss (or whoever) > press the menu key > select “filter by sender”, name the filter and change the action to “Forward with Level 1 Notification” > select “Save” from the menu

Step 3) Edit your BB notification profile:

I like to use “vibrate” most of the time, so from the BB main menu, select “Profiles” > “Advanced” > select “Vibrate”, select “edit” from the menu button > select “Level 1” > change “out of holster” and “in holster” to “vibrate + tone” > increase the volume of your favorite ring tone > select “Save” from the menu

iPhone

2. Apple Intros iPhone OS 3.1 and iTunes 9 

With 75,000 apps in their App Store which provided about 1.8 billion downloads, Apple announced the new iPhone OS 3.1 (3 months after 3.0 came out). It will be a free download for all iPhones and iPods with OS 3.0 installed.  Apple has also announced iTunes 9. Apple

Reviews:

iPod  Nano

iPhone OS 3.1

iPod touch (3rd Generation)

iTunes 9

 

Palm

 

3. Sprint’s Palm Pixi

 

Palm today announced the Pixi, the latest addition to the webOS line-up, which will be available exclusively on Sprint in time for the holidays.  Sorry, no WiFi. Wall Street Journal /PCMag Review

 

Other News

 

4. Mobile Banking Usage Accelerating

 

Mobile banking is fast becoming a mainstream activity among consumers, according to a new report from Javelin Strategy & Research that estimates that half of all cell phone users can now access banking services. The firm cites improved technology and proliferation of smartphones as two of the major factors driving the trend. TMCNet.com

 

5. Google Insights for Search Beta

 

Google offers another free amazing tool that provides the metrics around a given search term.  Want to see where the most searches for Bank of America or Wells Fargo occurred?  Want to see search trends over time?  Check out http://www.google.com/insights/search/#

 

6. Orange, T-Mobile Combine to Form Largest U.K. Carrier

 

The U.K. wireless industry will have a new top company, which will control 37% of the country’s mobile market, under the planned merger between T-Mobile U.K. and Orange, their parent companies announced today. Under the deal, which the companies said would result in savings of about $5.7 billion, the carriers would operate their brands separately for 18 months with Orange U.K.’s Tom Alexander serving as CEO and T-Mobile’s Richard Moat as chief operating officer. New York Times

 

7. AT&T to Boost 3G Network in Six Cities

 

AT&T Inc. on Wednesday laid out specific plans for its wireless network upgrade, including promises of faster coverage for six major cities before 2010:  Charlotte, Chicago, Dallas, Houston, Los Angeles, and Miami.  The telecommunications company has borne the brunt of criticism over its network connection, highlighted by the heavy use by Apple Inc. iPhone customers. Information Week

 

8. Mexico Ends Ban on Cell Phone Use in Aircraft

 

Aeromexico will allow passengers to use cell phones when flying over Mexico, the country’s largest airline company announced after the government ended an eight-year ban on their use. InformationWeek

 

9. Intel: Future of Web Lies in Mobile Devices

 

The global proliferation of smartphones along with the low cost of portable devices such as netbooks will make pocket-size mobile units one of the chief online conduits in a few years, an Intel mobile executive predicted Thursday. “Our vision is that there will be a billion personal mobile computers in the world over the next few years,” said Intel’s Pankaj Kedia. InternetNews.com

 

10. Cellular Triangulation Application Provides Better-Than-GPS Accuracy

 

What if virtually every cellular handset on the planet enjoyed accurate location awareness? GloPos is poised to offer a self-learning software algorithm that enables any basic GSM or CDMA cellular phone to provide extremely precise locational data without using GPS or Wi-Fi. The patent-pending technology offers positioning to within 1-40 meters, including indoor and underground locations. GigaOm

This Week in Mobility #70

“You write a hit the same way you write a flop.”
~Alan Jay Lerner

 

Tips
1. Tip: Turn Names into Numbers on your BlackBerry
2. Tip: BB E-mail Shortcuts
BlackBerry
3. Verizon Drops Storm to $50
4. New RIM U.K. Service Routes Wireline Calls to Handsets
iPhone
5. Customers Angered as iPhones Overload AT&T
6. AT&T to enable MMS for iPhone 3G and 3GS on Sept. 25
Window Mobile
7. WinMo 6.5 Phones Coming Oct. 6
8. Free AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot Access on new WM Phones
Future News
9. Gartner: Mobile Ads Up 74% in 2009
10. One Third of Online Banking to Use Mobile in 2010
11. Smartphones to Top GPS by 2014
12. OLED-Based Mobile Screens Hot in 2015 

“When a thing is funny, search it carefully for a hidden truth.”
~George Bernard Shaw

 Tips

1. Tip: Turn Names into Numbers on your BlackBerry

Do you need a way to make calls easily from your BB to companies that have letters or words in their phone number, such as the BlackBerry European Sales number 008 000 BB SALES?  You can simply dial 008 000, hold down the Alt key and type the word BB SALES, and then hit dial. Holding down the Alt key is important to make this work. When you do so, your BlackBerry will dial the correct telephone number.

 

2. Tip: BB E-mail Shortcuts

 

If you are in your BB message screen, try these shortcuts:

·        ‘T’ takes you to the top, ‘B’ takes you to the bottom

·        ‘N’ takes you to the next date, ‘P’ takes you to the previous date

·        ‘Space’ moves down a page

·        ‘J’ takes you to the first email in a thread, then to subsequent emails

·        ‘ALT + O’ takes you to Sent Items

·        ‘ALT + U’ marks items read\unread

·        ‘U’ Takes you to the oldest unread message, then to subsequent unread messages

·        ‘C’ takes you to the compose screen

·        ‘F’ to forward a message

·        ‘R’ to reply to a message

·        ‘L’ to reply to all

·        ‘Q’ allows you to see an email address (only works within a message)

 

BlackBerry

What do you get when you eat your BlackBerry?  Bluetooth!

 

3. Verizon Drops Storm to $50

 

Verizon Wireless has quietly reduced the BlackBerry Storm to $49.99. The company’s Web site currently offers a $100 online discount off the original 2-year contract price of $149.99. Electronista /eWeek

 

4. New RIM U.K. Service Routes Wireline Calls to Handsets

 

Research in Motion and a British partner will offer a service to U.K. companies that will enable them to receive fixed-line calls on their BlackBerry phones. The RIM and Cable & Wireless alliance comes after U.K. carrier O2 launched a similar service that delivers voice, e-mail, text messages and other services via a fixed-IP network.Mobile Magazine

 

iPhone

 

5. Customers Angered as iPhones Overload AT&T

 

Slim and sleek as it is, the iPhone is really the Hummer of cellphones.  It’s a data guzzler. Owners use them like minicomputers, which they are, and use them a lot. Not only do iPhone owners download applications, stream music and videos and browse the Web at higher rates than the average smartphone user, but the average iPhone owner can also use 10 times the network capacity used by the average smartphone user.New York Times

 

6. AT&T to enable MMS for iPhone 3G and 3GS on Sept. 25

 

AT&T confirmed Thursday that multimedia messaging capabilities will come to the iPhone a few days late, on Sept. 25. Apple Insider /Computer World

 

Window Mobile

 

7. WinMo 6.5 Phones Coming Oct. 6

 

Microsoft says a new generation of Windows Mobile phones, operating on Windows Mobile 6.5, will be available on Oct. 6. The new phones will be the first to feature the new operating system (OS). WirelessWeek /Engadget

 

8. Free AT&T Wi-Fi Hotspot Access on new WM Phones

 

AT&T also disclosed that it would provide free Wi-Fi service to users of Windows Mobile-powered phones at more than 20,000 U.S. hot spots this fall. PCMag

 

Future News

 

9. Gartner: Mobile Ads Up 74% in 2009

 

Revenue from mobile advertising will jump 74% this year, but the sector is really expected to take off by 2011, according to a new Gartner report that cites spending this year at $913.5 million. “The growth in mobile-advertising revenue is primarily driven by mobile Web banner ads, but it also has a strong growth component from mobile search, downloadable applications and SMS advertising,” the Gartner report said.MediaPost

 

10. One Third of Online Banking to Use Mobile in 2010

 

Studies show that by the year 2010 one-third of online banking customers will use mobile banking.  Research and Markets

 

11. Smartphones to Top GPS by 2014

 

Stand-alone personal navigation devices could disappear by 2014 as smartphones take their place, according to a study from research firm iSuppli that predicts that within two years virtually all smartphones will contain PND applications. PNDs still outnumber GPS-enabled smartphones by almost 2-to-1, but iSuppli says the technical issues that held back the mobile devices have been or will be resolved.TWICE /CNET

 

12. OLED-Based Mobile Screens Hot in 2015

 

An emerging technology for mobile-phone screens known as OLED — organic light-emitting diodes — will explode over the next few years, according to a report from research firm iSuppli, which noted that OLEDs were skinnier, lighter and more rugged than LCDs. The report predicts OLED shipments will jump eightfold by 2015 to 178 million — but still hold only a small fraction of the handset market.Wall Street Journal

This Week in BlackBerry #69

“For all those whose cares have been our concern, the work goes on, the cause endures, the hope still lives, and the dream shall never die.”
~Edward Moore “Ted” Kennedy

Tips
1. BB Shortcut to Search Unopened Messages
2. Custom BB Auto-signature
BlackBerry
3. Concur on BlackBerry, iPhone, & WinMob
4. RIM Buys Browser Developers
5. BlackBerry to Add Flash & Silverlight in 2010
iPhone
6. First iPhone Augmented Reality App
Mobile Payment Solutions
7. USAA’s iPhone Service Captures Users
8. U.K. Studies Mobile-Based National Rail Ticket System
9. Nokia Introduces Money Services
10. NTT DoCoMo has 10 Million Phones with Contactless Mobile Wallet
Other News
11. Brain Cancer and Cell Phone Debate Resurfaces
12. Good Technology, Northrop Gruman Providing Mobile Security for Army
13. Chargers Lead Accessories Market
14. AT&T Widens Global Wi-Fi to 125,000

 “We find no real satisfaction or happiness in life without obstacles to conquer and goals to achieve.”
~Maxwell Maltz

Tips

1. BB Shortcut to Search Unopened Messages

You can create shortcuts to many different search types, but for unread… Open BB messages > click menu button > select search > show = unopened > escape (u-turn arrow button), save > enter “title” and “shortcut key” > escape, save 

2. Custom BB Auto-signature

If you have long signature, copy/paste it from an old e-mail on your BB.  You can edit your auto-signature from your BlackBerry messages, click your menu button, select options, and then email settings. 

BlackBerry
What do you get when you eat your BlackBerry?  Bluetooth!

5. Concur on BlackBerry, iPhone, & WinMob

Concur’s Mobile T&E solution for business travelers, already available on BlackBerry and Windows Mobile, comes to the iPhone. Learn more here. Mobile Enterprise

6. RIM Buys Browser Developers

In what appears to be an effort to improve the BlackBerry Web browsing experience, Research In Motion (RIM) has purchased Torch Mobile, makers of the Iris browser for Windows Mobile. Wireless Week \CIO \Torch Mobile 

7. BlackBerry to Add Flash & Silverlight in 2010

 

Research in Motion is set to bring full Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight support to the company’s BlackBerry phones. The BoyGenius Report blog claims RIM will introduce the new functionality sometime next summer, together with more powerful handsets.InfoWorld

 

iPhone

 

8. First iPhone Augmented Reality App

 

French app development shop PresseLite appears to have the first Augmented Reality (AR) supporting iPhone app live in the iTunes store, though we don’t know how they did it. It’s called Metro Paris Subway, and while the app isn’t new it released a new version last week that added an AR overlay that displays information about Paris businesses when you look at the city through your iPhone’s camera. New York Times

 

Mobile Payment Solutions

 

9. USAA’s iPhone Service Captures Users

 

Customers used a remote capture service developed for Apple Inc.’s iPhone to deposit $1.5 million into their accounts in the first three days after USAA Federal Savings Bank introduced it.  People can use the phone’s camera to photograph their checks’ front and back, then send the images to the bank for deposit.  “Nearly 50% of our 1 million mobile users are active-duty military, who may be deployed anywhere,” Mobile Banker 

 

10. U.K. Studies Mobile-Based National Rail Ticket System

 

British rail commuters would be able to use their mobile phones to access a nationwide “smart ticketing” system for U.K. trains under a government proposal the Transport ministry offered last week.PC World

 

11. Nokia Introduces Money Services

 

Nokia’s $70 million investment in Obopay earlier this year appears to be paying off. Or, at least, that would be the idea behind Nokia’s introduction today of Nokia Money, a system for sending money to other people by using a mobile phone as well as paying merchants for goods and services.Wireless Week /Financial Times

 

12. NTT DoCoMo has 10 Million Phones with Contactless Mobile Wallet

 

Japan’s largest mobile carrier, NTT DoCoMo, has announced that its DCMX mobile payment service reached 10 million subscribers.  DCMX is a service brand for DOCOMO-issued credit cards, which allows subscribers to make purchases using their mobile phones as credit cards via iD™, DOCOMO’s branded mobile payment platform for handsets equipped with contactless IC cards (Osaifu-Keitai™). For security, DOCOMO’s Osaifu-Keitai phones can be locked remotely over the wireless network if misplaced or stolen.NTT DoCoMo

 

Other News

 

13. Brain Cancer and Cell Phone Debate Resurfaces

 

A group of international scientists released a report that again raises concerns about the possibility of a connection between cell phone use and brain tumors, noting that a recent Swedish study saw a 400% increase in risk for teenage cell phone users.Computer World 

 

14. Good Technology, Northrop Gruman Providing Mobile Security for Army

 

The firms are deploying the Good Mobile Messaging Secure Multipurpose Internet Main Extensions (Good S/MIME) on a broad range of Microsoft Windows Mobile devices so users of the Army Knowledge Online portal will be able to access and send sensitive information.Mobile Enterprise

 

15. Chargers Lead Accessories Market

 

The typical U.S. mobile phone owner spends about $60 on accessories over the life of the handset.  Chargers – car chargers, standard chargers and additional charges – led the field in terms of numbers purchased. Carrying or protective cases were the next most popular, followed by batteries and memory cards. Other accessory types include hands-free kits, headsets and cosmetic enhancements.Wireless Week

 

16. AT&T Widens Global Wi-Fi to 125,000

 

AT&T said it has deployed 25,000 additional Wi-Fi hot spots in Europe and China, bringing its worldwide total to 125,000 in locations such as airports, hotels, bookstores and coffee shops.InformationWeek

This Week in BlackBerry #68

“Let me win, but if I cannot win, let me be brave in the attempt.”

~Special Olympics motto

 

Tips

1. AT&T Bold: Simultaneous Voice & Data with 3G

2. BBv4.6+: Hold Backspace/Escape Key to Boot in Safe Mode

Commentary

3. Microsoft’s Mobile Strategy: Irrelevance

BlackBerry

4. RIM Is Fortune’s Fastest-Growing Company

5. BlackBerry App Market Expands Beyond RIM Phones

iPhone

6. TomTom Released $99 iPhone SatNav App

Windows Mobile

7. Microsoft Plans “Dual-Platform” Mobile Play

8. Toshiba TG01 Review

Other News

9. Projection: 1 Billion Wi-Fi Chipsets Shipped in 2011

10. How Smartphones Are Making Wi-Fi HotAgain

11. 41% Growth in Wi-Fi Cell Phones

12. Southwest to Roll-Out Wi-Fi Fleetwide in Q1 2010

13. FCC Launches Formal Probe of Wireless Industry

14. EU Earmarks $25M to Jump-Start LTE Advanced

 

“We have so much time and so little to do. Strike that, reverse it.”

~Roald Dahl, from “Charlie and the Chocolate Factory”

 

Tips

 

 

1. AT&T Bold: Simultaneous Voice & Data with 3G

 

Did you know that you when your Bold is in a 3G coverage area that you can take phone calls even when while you are receiving e-mails or using your you BB as a tethered cellular modem?

 

2. BBv4.6+: Hold Backspace/Escape Key to Boot in Safe Mode

 

If you hold the escape key, when your BB boots up it will disable all the 3rd party programs that start up by default.

 

Commentary

 

3. Microsoft’s Mobile Strategy: Irrelevance

 

Microsoft is apparently going to counter the Android and iPhone offensives on the mobile market with a new strategy: confusion. The company will allegedly continue to sell its increasingly less relevant Windows Mobile 6.5 for a lower price when it launches version 7 in the fourth quarter of 2010. The fourth quarter of 2010? I mean, does Redmond expect Google and Apple to go on a yearlong vacation? No wonder Microsoft becoming irrelevant on the mobile platform. Android and iPhone are going to kill Windows Mobile. GigaOm

 

BlackBerry

 

4. RIM Is Fortune’s Fastest-Growing Company

 

Fortune Magazine names BlackBerry maker Research In Motion No. 1 on its August 2009 list of 100 Fastest-Growing Companies.  In an accompanying profile of Research In Motion, the Aug. 31, 2009 edition of the magazine highlights the relationship between RIM’s Co-CEOs, Mike Lazaridis and Jim Balsillie and details the company’s history. Over the past decade, RIM has sold some 65 million phones to a total of 28.5 million subscribers, giving it a 56% share of the $12 billion U.S. smartphone market.  According to Fortune, the two executives see their biggest growth opportunity outside the U.S. RIM has already formed partnerships with 475 carriers in 160 countries in recent years. CNN

 

5. BlackBerry App Market Expands Beyond RIM Phones

 

Research in Motion introduced a Web-based entry to its BlackBerry App World, a move that makes the market accessible from PCs and laptops. Meanwhile, RIM, which also added some new features to the online app market, has reached another milestone: Fortune named the Canadian company to the No. 1 spot on its 100-fastest-growing businesses in the world. Crave /Network World /InformationWeek

 

iPhone

 

6. TomTom Released $99 iPhone SatNav App

 

Stand-alone GPS units could be the victim of TomTom’s new iPhone app that reportedly offers most features found on satnav devices, including a new technology that the developer says provides the fastest route to a given destination. Facebook also released an upgrade to its App Store software that allows videos shot on the iPhone 3GS to be uploaded to the social-network site. InformationWeek /Network World

 

Windows Mobile

 

7. Microsoft Plans “Dual-Platform” Mobile Play

 

The Microsoft “dual-platform” strategy is aimed at using Mobile 6.5 against Android-based phones and Mobile 7 versus the iPhone. DigiTimes /CNET

 

8. Toshiba TG01 Review

 

A powerful little phone with a big screen: 1GHz Snapdragon Chipset, 4.1” touch screen, a thin 9.9mm with Windows Mobile 6.1. PhoneArena.com

 

Other News

 

9. Projection: 1 Billion Wi-Fi Chipsets Shipped in 2011

 

A report from ABI Research projects that Wi-Fi chipset vendors will ship 1 billion units by 2011. Wireless Week

 

10. How Smartphones Are Making Wi-Fi Hot Again

 

Forget laptops and cellular broadband. Wi-Fi usage is shooting up, thanks to smartphone-toting consumers who are using it to surf the web and connect with friends while on the go. GigaOm

 

11. 41% Growth in Wi-Fi Cell Phones

 

The first Wireless Census from network provider Meraki showed a 41% growth in Wi-Fi-enabled cell phones in North America as of June compared with a year ago as the iPhone represented 32% of the handsets in the study, more than double the June 2008 figure. Meraki also found strong increases for Research in Motion’s BlackBerry devices and Nokia smartphones. CNET

 

12. Southwest to Roll-Out Wi-Fi Fleetwide in Q1 2010

 

Currently only AirTran Airways has its entire fleet — 136 aircrafts — equipped with wireless Internet, but Southwest Airlines said that it will begin a fleetwide rollout of its in-flight Wi-Fi service in the first quarter of 2010, putting it on track to be the first major airline to offer broadband access in all of its planes. GigaOm /Computer World

 

13. FCC Launches Formal Probe of Wireless Industry

 

The FCC has formally announced plans to launch a wide-ranging probe into the U.S. wireless industry.  The commission plans to investigate multiple issues in the wireless industry, including consumer protection and competitive business practices. Wireless Week

 

14. EU Earmarks $25M to Jump-Start LTE Advanced

 

The European Union will spend $25 million to fund research into a 4G standard set to eventually replace the first iteration of Long-Term Evolution technology. The EU’s executive branch predicted that LTE Advanced projects will begin at the onset of 2010 after the EC negotiates details on how to award the research grants. Computerworld

 

This Week in Blackberry #67

This Week in Mobility

“Everything you can imagine is real."

~Pablo Picasso

 

Tips

1. How Can I Quickly Delete 800 Messages from my BB?

2. Blackberry Error “SIM not allowed”

3. Check Your Used Cell Phone Minutes for AT&T, Verizon, & Sprint

Commentary

4. Terminator Vision & Air Tagging via Augmented Reality

5. Mobile Phone Users: Leave Your Keys & Wallet at Home

BlackBerry

6. BlackBerry Developer’s Blog Launched by RIM

7. BlackBerry Storm 2 (9520) for Vodafone Pictures

8. Review: BlackBerry Curve 8520 with Trackpad

9. BlackBerry Onyx 9700 with Trackpad Coming to T-Mobile & AT&T

10. RIM: BlackBerry Bluetooth Watch?  New Bluetooth Headset?

iPhone

11. Deposit Checks via iPhone Camera

Android

12. HTC Reaches 1M Android Phone Sales

Palm

13. July Pre sales Drop to Half of June’s

Other News

14. Sprint WiMAX in 17 Cities by Year-End

15. Q2: Cell Phone Sales Down 6%, but Smartphones Up 27%

16. Are US Cell Phone Plans the Most Expensive?

17. State of the US Wireless Data: Q2 2009

 

“I went to a Textaholics Anonymous meeting. There was a sign on the door saying "brb, c u l8r”

~Annonomous

 

Tips

 

1. How Can I Quickly Delete 800 Messages from my BB?

 

On most newer BB devices, you can scroll to the top, hit
the menu button, and select “delete prior”, but be careful it doesn’t sync the
delete unexpectedly to Outlook (BB > messages > options > email reconciliation >
delete on = handheld).

 

2. Blackberry Error “SIM not allowed”

 

If you see this error, you can try popping your battery and reinserting the SIM card.  If that doesn’t work, call your wireless carrier to either unlock your SIM or send you a new SIM card. BlackBerry Forums

 

3. Check Your Used Cell Phone Minutes for AT&T, Verizon, & Sprint

 

AT&T (Cingular):  *MIN# (*646#)

Verizon: #MIN (#646)

Sprint Nextel: *4

 

Commentary

 

4. Terminator Vision & Air Tagging via Augmented Reality

 

Augmented reality (AR) is an overlay of virtual images on the real world around us.  What if you could have stylish low profile glasses that gave you terminator-like vision, with options for location information, navigation, face/object-recognition, digital zoom, infrared, night vision and x-ray.  Wouldn’t that be a great addition to your motorcycle helmet, dive mask, or snow goggles?  Say your new toy was internet connected and you could “air tag” the stuff around you or access other people’s “air tags” in reference to the stuff you see?  Consumer technology is slowly getting there my friend!  Today, increasing numbers of cell phones use AR to take a photo with a GPS location tag, then add voice or written notes, like high-tech bread crumbs for you or someone else to find later.  Want to buy your kids an interesting augmented reality game?  Check out the PS3 with Playstation Eye. BBC

 

5. Mobile Phone Users: Leave Your Keys & Wallet at Home

 

These days, it seems that most Americans carry three things in their pockets or purses at all times: keys, a wallet and a phone.  A survey says 15 percent of phone users in Japan use their phones to make payments.  But, in the not-too-distant future, you may be able to leave the wallet and the keys behind.  The mobile phone is staging a coup.  Some analysts say that within five years, mobile phones in the United States will be able to make electronic payments, open doors, access subways, clip coupons and possibly act as another form of identification. CNN

 

BlackBerry

 

6. BlackBerry Developer’s Blog Launched by RIM

 

Research In Motion has launched the BlackBerry Developer’s Blog.  The new blog will concentrate its posts on: Technical Discussion and Insights (including technical info on how to develop apps, development practices and code snippets), Developer Engagement (for communicating events to regional developers) and Market Insight (discussing opportunities and trends in mobile development). BlackBerry Developer’s Blog / BlackBerry Cool

 

7. BlackBerry Storm 2 (9520) for Vodafone Pictures

 

Vodafone’s Storm 2 9520, aka Odin, has recently appeared in some live pictures.  It has 3G, and doesn’t look too different from the original, but comes with Wi-Fi and runs OS 5.0.0.138. IntoMobile / Unwired

 

8. Review: BlackBerry Curve 8520 with Trackpad

 

The BlackBerry Curve 8520 is the company’s latest smartphone for T-Mobile, and the first BlackBerry to sport a trackpad. The trackpad will succeed the trackball on all future designs, because it’s great. The rest of the Curve 8520 turned out pretty well, too. PCMag

 

9. BlackBerry Onyx 9700 with Trackpad Coming to T-Mobile & AT&T

 

The BlackBerry Onyx 9700 will be launched by T-Mobile USA, and the evidence is a live picture with the smartphone bearing the carrier’s logo.  Like the Curve 8520 (already available from T-Mobile), the BlackBerry 9700 is one of RIM’s smartphones that have an optical trackpad instead of a trackball. Other features should include 3G (T-Mobile’s first 3G BlackBerry), a 480 x 360 pixels display, Wi-Fi, GPS, and (of course) a QWERTY keyboard.  T-Mobile has not announced a release date for the BlackBerry 9700.  AT&T plans to launch the BlackBerry 9700 Onyx too, but, as in T-Mo’s case, a release date is not known. Unwired /BoyGenius

 

10. RIM: BlackBerry Bluetooth Watch?  New Bluetooth Headset?

 

According BlackBerryOS, RIM “confirmed” they’re working on a Bluetooth watch, and a new Bluetooth headset codenamed Alpha 1.  A RIM Bluetooth watch would be connected to a BlackBerry smartphone and receive email alerts, BlackBerry Messenger messages, SMS, and even Tweets and Facebook notifications. The watch would allow you to transfer music and videos from you BB smartphone. The RIM Bluetooth headset could feature the BlackBerry logo and noise reduction technology. It might be the HS500, approved today by the Bluetooth SIG. IntoMobile /Unwired /BlackBerryOS

 

iPhone

 

11. Deposit Checks via iPhone Camera

 

USAA, a private bank and insurer, is updating its Apple iPhone app so account holders can simply photograph both sides of a check and then deposit it straight to an account. eWeek / CNET / PC World / Business Journal / Boygenius

 

Android

 

12. HTC Reaches 1M Android Phone Sales

 

HTC has sold more than 1 million of its Android-powered Magic smartphones, a device that T-Mobile began marketing in the U.S. earlier this month as myTouch 3G. Historically, HTC has focused largely on Windows Mobile phones. InformationWeek

 

Palm

 

13. July Pre sales Drop to Half of June’s

 

Palm shipped 100,000 units of its Pre smartphone in July, half of the June total and short of expectations.  Poor little Palm. InternetNews.com

 

Other News

 

14. Sprint WiMAX in 17 Cities by Year-End

 

Sprint Nextel on Tuesday added markets in six states to its WiMAX service launch list this year, bringing the total to 17, including previously announced rollouts in eight cities, the company said. Sprint will add the 4G service this year in Texas, Washington, Hawaii, Idaho, North Carolina and Oregon, with plans to bring Boston, Houston, New York, San Francisco and Washington online in 2010. The Associated Press

 

15. Q2: Cell Phone Sales Down 6%, but Smartphones Up 27%

 

Cell phone sales declined 6% globally in the second quarter from a year earlier, but smartphones proved the exception, growing 27% to 41 million units, according to research firm Gartner. Overall handset shipments totaled 286 million in the second quarter. Wall Street Journal / Reuters / eWEEK / Wireless Week

 

16. Are US Cell Phone Plans the Most Expensive?

 

CTIA disputes OECD report that the highest prices for mobile phone calls were found in Canada, Spain and the United States, while

Finland, the Netherlands and Sweden have the lowest prices for mobile phone calls among OECD countries. OECD / CTIA

 

17. State of the US Wireless Data: Q2 2009

 

Chetan Sharma has put together the state of the wireless industry for the second quarter of 2009. Here are some of the highlights that show that the demand for wireless data continues to grow despite the current economic downturn.

·        The US Wireless data service revenues grew 7 percent during the quarter to $10.6 billion. That’s a 30 percent gain over data service revenues in Q2 2008.

·        Much of the gains were shared by the #1 and #2 US carriers – Verizon and AT&T. Verizon and AT&T saw their revenues increase 8 percent during the quarter followed by T-Mobile who saw its data revenues go up 6 percent.

·        US, now is the largest mobile data market ahead of Japan and China. Verizon’s data revenues are close to $4 billion, just shy of NTT DoCoMo. According to Sharma top four US carriers in the top 10 global operators by mobile data service revenues.

·        The 3G penetration in the US was around 40 percent during the quarter.

·        “We estimate that by end of 2009, the US mobile data traffic is likely to exceed 400 petabytes, up 193% from 2008,” he says. “To truly tackle the problem head-on, operators will need to adopt a multi-pronged strategy to manage their traffic more effectively.”

US Wireless Market Q2 2009 Update Aug 2009 Chetan Sharma Consulting

This Week in BlackBerry #66

“Memory feeds imagination."

~Amy Tan

 

Tips

1. Save Visio to JPG for BB Viewing

2. MS Project Viewing on the BB, Not Easy

Commentary

3. Friends Don’t Let Friends Text and Drive… Unless They’re Good at It

BlackBerry

4. Despite iPhone’s Success, BlackBerry Curve Was on Top in Q2

5. RIM Files for Hybrid Capacitive/Resistive Blackberry Touchscreen Patent

iPhone

6. FCC Probes Apple on Google Voice Rejection

7. Google CEO Quits Apple Board, Cites Conflict of Interest

Android

8. Motorola’s "Sholes" Android Headed to Verizon

Window Mobile

9. Multi-Touch for High-End WM7

Other News

10. AT&T: Global HSPA Lead with 21% Share

11. Led By India, WiMAX Growing Fast

12. Iowa 911 Call Center Becomes First to Accept Texts

13. Super-Capacitors to Quick-Charge Phones in 5yrs

 

Tips

 

1. Save Visio to JPG for BB Viewing

 

Do you have a cool Visio diagram that you want to send to your BlackBerry using associates?  Save that Visio to a JPG, and then attach it to your e-mail for BB viewing.

 

2. MS Project Viewing on the BB, Not Easy

 

It depends how large and complex your MS Project file is, but for easy BB reading: a screenshot for small projects, or save as XLS for medium projects, then for large projects, export to HTM and post on a website.

 

Commentary

 

3. Friends Don’t Let Friends Text and Drive… Unless They’re Good at It

 

Hi, my name is Scott, and I’m a Textaholic.  I’ve been off SMS for about 3 hours now.  I was bragging to my buddy about how I like the BlackBerry Tour hard QWERTY (vs. the iPhone capacitive touch) because I can mostly touch-type under the dashboard while I drive.  Yes, that is breaking California law, but I’m a good text-driver because I only glance at my BlackBerry in as much time as I would glance at my passenger side-view mirror (just to make sure I don’t have any spelling errors).  Also, its good practice for speed reading – a visual snap-shot of text, then digest with eyes back on the road.  So, instead of laws to criminalize my people, perhaps they should just have a DMV test to certify our skills?  Textaholics anonymous?  That’s for squares: I don’t have a problem.

 

BlackBerry

 

4. Despite iPhone’s Success, BlackBerry Curve Was on Top in Q2

 

RIM’s Blackberry Curve is the best-selling smartphone model in the U.S. for the second quarter of this year. Apple’s iPhone 3G S took second place, with the iPhone 3G placing fourth. With its hard QWERTY keyboard and big screen, the Curve has stood the test of time and beat out higher-end competitors such as Apple’s iPhone, Palm’s Pre and T-Mobile’s G1. The iPhone being limited to the AT&T network likely plays a role in these rankings. But the Curve wasn’t the only RIM BlackBerry smartphone model to place in the top five, as the list below shows. Here are IDC’s top-selling smartphones in the U.S.:

 

Top-selling Smartphones in the U.S.

·        BlackBerry Curve

·        iPhone 3G S

·        BlackBerry Pearl

·        iPhone 3G

·        BlackBerry Bold

·        BlackBerry Storm

·        HTC T-Mobile G1

·        Palm Pre

·        HTC Touch Pro

·        HTC Touch Diamond

 

IDC compiles the list by counting vendor sales to mobile carriers, consumer electronic stores, online retail stores and independent distributors, and excludes counting the sell-through to consumers.GigaOm

 

5. RIM Files for Hybrid Capacitive/Resistive Blackberry Touchscreen Patent

 

Ladies with long nails might not like it, but I’m a fan of the capacitive touchscreen (vs. the SurePress) because it is more responsive, so I was pleased to see RIM is looking into it. Unwired

 

iPhone

 

6. FCC Probes Apple on Google Voice Rejection

 

The FCC has launched an inquiry into Apple’s recent rejection of Google’s telephony application for the iPhone, Google Voice.Wall Street Journal

 

7. Google CEO Quits Apple Board, Cites Conflict of Interest

 

Apple said today that Eric Schmidt, Google’s CEO, is resigning from Apple’s board of directors.eWeek

 

Android

 

8. Motorola’s "Sholes" Android Headed to Verizon

 

Verizon will launch Motorola’s "Sholes" beefy Android smartphone.  Android’s next update, dubbed "Donut," will release as Version 1.5 without including the use of multi-touch gestures to work the phone’s interface.San Francisco Chronicle

 

Windows Mobile

 

9. Multi-Touch for High-End WM7

 

Here is a video walkthrough of the Windows Mobile 7 final build, posted byInquirer. Unwired

 

Other News

 

10. AT&T: Global HSPA Lead with 21% Share

 

AT&T’s 28.6 million connections based on the HSPA standard lead the world with a 21% market share, according to a new industry study that pegs the number of HSPA subscribers at 150 million. AT&T bests such operators as NTT DoCoMo (5.1 million), Softbank (4.3 million) and Vodafone (2.1 million). Closest to AT&T are the South Korean carriers KT and SK Telecom with 9.5 million and 12.4 million connections, respectively.Telephony Online

 

11. Led By India, WiMAX Growing Fast

 

WiMAX is only now getting some traction in the U.S., thanks to rollouts by Clearwire, but overseas the wireless broadband technology is actually growing at a rapid clip.GigaOm

 

12. Iowa 911 Call Center Becomes First to Accept Texts

 

An emergency call center in the basement of the county jail in Waterloo, Iowa, became the first in the country to accept text messages sent to "911," starting Wednesday.Wireless Week

 

13. Super-Capacitors to Quick-Charge Phones in 5yrs

 

In five years we will be able to recharge our smartphones in a jiffy because they will be equipped with super-capacitors, predicts research company Strategy Analytics.TechRadar.com

 

This Week in BlackBerry #65

“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas."

~Linus Pauling

 

Tip

1. Tip: BB Phone Shortcuts

Commentary

2. Augmented Reality with Face Recognition

BlackBerry

3. T-Mobile to Release Curve 8520

4. BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac due in September

5. Wal-Mart to Sell BlackBerry Curve 8520 for $50

iPhone

6. Apple: What Recession

7. iPhone Blocks Google Latitude & Voice

Palm

8. Palm Pre from Verizon 2010

9. Palm webOS 1.1 More Business Ready

10. Guy Gets Palm Pre Tattoo for Free Palm Pre

Other News

11. Video Chat Phones are Here

12. Congress Studies Texting Ban for Drivers

13. More Americans Online via Mobile Devices

14. Pocket Projectors for Your Handheld

15. GPS Phones Increasing 34% in 2009

16. Free for All WiFi at Barnes & Noble

Tip

1. Tip: BB Phone Shortcuts

The following shortcuts should work on most new devices:

– Check your voice mail: hold 1.

– Add an extension to a phone number: press Alt and X, then type the extension number.

– Enter a letter in a phone number field: press Alt and the letter.


Commentary

2. Augmented Reality with Face Recognition

In its most basic form, augmented reality is seen in American football as the yellow 10 yard line, or in hockey, as the brightly high-lighted puck.  This week I was excited to see more innovative ideas.  What is you could use your phone’s camera to see a FaceBook or LinkedIn icon floating over your friend’s shoulder?   Perhaps a virtual business card that follows you around?  Maybe a virtual presentation that people can access while you give a speech?  Wouldn’t it be neat if you could have changeable virtual information pods and define who can and can’t see them?  Interested?  Check out this video from TAT –http://www.youtube.com/user/TATMobileUI


BlackBerry

3. T-Mobile to Release Curve 8520

T-Mobile announced the new BlackBerry Curve 8520 smartphone with optical trackpad navigation (instead of the traditional trackball). It also features a full QWERTY keyboard (obviously), Wi-Fi, GSM/EDGE connectivity, a 2MP camera with availability expected on Aug. 5. Wireless Week /IntoMobile /Unwired

4. BlackBerry Desktop Software for Mac due in September

Research in Motion announced that BlackBerry Desktop Software (aka BlackBerry Desktop Manager) will be available for Mac OS starting September this year.  The initial release will include features like: iTunes playlists, contacts, calendars, tasks and notes syncing; device updates; backup/restore devices; add/remove applications; multiple devices managing.  BlackBerry Desktop Manager will be compatible with Mac OS 10.5.5 and above. Unwired

5. Wal-Mart to Sell BlackBerry Curve 8520 for $50

Wal-Mart will sell Research in Motion’s BlackBerry Curve 8520 for $48.88 when it debuts on T-Mobile on Aug. 5.  T-Mobile outlets will price the handset at $130. RIM is targeting the phone at social-networking fans and focuses more strongly on Wi-Fi and digital media, according to published accounts. New York Times /Information Week


iPhone

6. Apple: What Recession?

Apple announced it had sold 5.2 million iPhones in its fiscal third quarter, representing 626 percent unit growth over the year-ago quarter, when it sold 717,000 handsets. Wireless Week

7. iPhone Blocks Google Latitude & Voice

Apple has prevented Google from adding its Latitude location and Google Voice calling applications to its App Store. Wall Street Journal /New York Times


Palm

8. Palm Pre from Verizon 2010

There is still no official word about when or if Verizon Wireless will ever get Apple’s iPhone, but the wireless operator has confirmed it will be getting the Palm Pre early next year. CNET /Wall Street Journal

9. Palm webOS 1.1 More Business Ready

Palm has released Palm webOS 1.1, which brings several additions to our support for Exchange ActiveSync (EAS), including remote wipe, PIN/password requirements, inactivity timeout, improved certificate handling, and more. eWeek /Palm

10. Guy Gets Palm Pre Tattoo for Free Palm Pre

This is just too silly not to mention. Slippery Brick


Other News

11. Video Chat Phones are Here

It could be just us super geeks who want this, but LG is releasing a 7.2Mbps HSDPA watch phone with video chat.  It is called the GD910 watch phone and will soon be seen in Europe on Orange, followed by Asia, the Middle East, Australia, and Latin America.  I guess there are not enough nerds in the US yet. Engadget

12. Congress Studies Texting Ban for Drivers

Senators introduced a measure Wednesday that would cut off federal highway funds to states that fail to enact measures within two years that would ban drivers from using text messaging and e-mail features.
New York Times

13. More Americans Online via Mobile Devices

More Americans are accessing the Internet through mobile devices.  Nineteen percent access the Internet with a mobile device on an average day, a 73% increase since December 2007. Overall, Pew found that 56% of American adults have jumped on the Internet via a portable device, with African Americans being the demographic that ranked among the heaviest users. InternetNews.com

14. Pocket Projectors for Your Handheld

Want to show that video from your iPhone or Flip to a group of friends or family or co-workers?  Pull that projector from your pocket and plug it in for a cinema on the wall in your family room, conference room, or local restaurant.  Pico projectors are here. Gearlog

15. GPS Phones Increasing 34% in 2009

Strong consumer demand and improved technology will spark a 34% growth in the unit sales of GPS-enabled smartphones this year. GPS devices are "a high-growth segment" that has thrived even economic turmoil as consumers are increasingly willing to buy cars equipped with satellite navigational devices. Wall Street Journal

16. Free for All WiFi at Barnes & Noble

Barnes & Noble has converted its paid Wi-Fi hot spot service into a free wireless zone under a new nationwide partnership with AT&T that will also allow the retailer’s customers to download more than 700,000 of its eBooks. Network World


Let’s Connect

If you have any additions, questions, comments, concerns, corrections, criticisms, cut-downs, condemnations, censures, denigrations, deletions, disapprovals, edits, ideas, hypotheses, juxtapositions, knowledge, lectures, machinations, or if you would just like to be removed from this dreadful weekly newsletter, then, by all means, let me know.  Thanks for reading.

This Week in BlackBerry #64

“The best way to have a good idea is to have lots of ideas."
~Linus Pauling

Info & Tips
1. AT&T Bold 9000 Tethering Speeds Rival Cable/DSL
2. AT&T: Block Unwanted SMS or MMS
Commentary
3. TWiM on Vacation Next Week
4. Three Questions for This Week
5. Mobile Broadband Will Trigger Global Innovation
BlackBerry
6. T-Mobile BlackBerry 8520 Gemini from TBA on July 20
7. BlackBerry 9630 Tour Sells 300K Day 1
8. BlackBerry Curve 8330 Inferno Launched by Sprint
9. RIM Launches MyBlackBerry: The official BlackBerry Community
10. RIM Pays Visto $267M for Push E-Mail Patent
11. BlackBerry Onyx 9020 with Optical Trackpad
12. Microsoft App Market Opened to Developers
iPhone
13. Apple App Store’s First Year: 1.5B Downloads
Google
14. Google Voice is Awesome
Other News
15. AirSage Tracks Verizon Wireless Users to Avert Traffic Jams
16. Futuristic Concept Cell Phones

“Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.”
~Thomas H. Huxley

Info & Tips

1. AT&T Bold 9000 Tethering Speeds Rival Cable/DSL

A friend tested tethering speeds during his Chicago commute, and the results are good.  Ranging between 300 and 900Kb/sec with an average of about 600Kb/sec, it is a huge improvement over the Curve.  However, he reports that the AT&T Aircard was even better at about 1.1Mb/sec.

2. AT&T: Block Unwanted SMS or MMS

Reply to unsolicited SMS or MMS with STOP in the body of the response to prevent future messages from that short code.  To block phone calls and SMS from specific 10-digit numbers, sign up for AT&T Smart Limits for Wireless™ athttp://att.com/smartlimitsforwireless.  For more information about controlling spam, go to http://www.att.com/wireless and search on “spam”.

Commentary

3. TWiB on Vacation Next Week

Next week, I’ll be “camping” with my family just a couple of miles outside the edge of wireless coverage.  I’m sure my coverage withdrawal will convince me to drive into town and check messages, but no TWiB next week.  Thanks for reading 🙂

4. Three Questions for This Week

1.         Will free Google Voice overtake desire other costly single number reach solutions?
2.         How long can iPhone remain king before it goes the way of the RAZR?
3.         When will I get control over my Inbox after being out of wireless coverage for a week?

5. Mobile Broadband Will Trigger Global Innovation

Faster mobile broadband speeds will be the platform supporting the next generation of technology companies.  Ubiquitous, faster wired networks are what made Google a true advertising and search powerhouse. After all, when it took forever for a page to load on a 56K modem, you didn’t go to a search page to look for movie listings. Plus, fewer broadband subscribers meant a smaller audience to monetize through search advertising.  Social networking has been another beneficiary of faster speeds and greater adoption. With 1 Mbps connections (or better yet, 5 Mbps) checking in on Facebook or even Twitter is a quick and easy process. Faster speeds have resulted in more video online as well, leading to the creation of companies such as YouTube, Hulu and even Skype. We’re going to see a similar trend emerge in the mobile world, with companies that use the faster network plus mobility as the platform on which to build their businesses. And since mobile broadband has the potential to reach more people, there’s potential for innovation to come from all over the world. GigaOm

BlackBerry

6. T-Mobile BlackBerry 8520 Gemini from TBA on July 20

Research in Motion and partner T-Mobile USA will officially introduce the consumer-oriented BlackBerry Gemini — also known as the Curve 8520 — at a launch party next Monday. The device will employ a touch-sensitive trackpad instead of BlackBerry’s usual trackball, feature Wi-Fi and have rubberized grips along the sides and on the buttons.Electronista

7. BlackBerry 9630 Tour Sells 300K Day 1

iPhone 3GS is estimated to have sold a million in the first three days.  Verizon’s BlackBerry Tour is estimated to have sole around 300,000 phones in the first 24 hours. The Tour is a solid product, and the first new BlackBerry launched on Verizon’s (VZ) network since the Storm.  The Tour can be used globally.  The BlackBerry Curve has been a very popular seller for RIM, and Tour sales are estimated to be three times those of the Curve.

8. BlackBerry Curve 8330 Inferno Launched by Sprint

Sprint has also released a new color version of the BlackBerry Curve 8330: Inferno (which is actually some sort of orange).  The Inferno BlackBerry Curve 8330 costs $49.99 with a 2-yr contract agreement and after a $100 mail-in rebate.Unwired

9. RIM Launches MyBlackBerry: The official BlackBerry Community

If you’ve been looking for a BlackBerry community, you’ve probably found one, since there are quite a few on the Web.  However, none of those are official BlackBerry communities.  Launched by Research in Motion, MyBlackBerry is “the official BlackBerry community”.  You can ask questions, give answers, search for tips and tricks, and so on.  I doubt this site will go viral anytime soon since you can’t get in without an invite. MyBlackBerry /Unwired

10. RIM Pays Visto $267M for Push E-Mail Patent

Research in Motion will pay Visto $267 million under a settlement of Visto’s patent suit against the BlackBerry maker over push e-mail technology, the companies said Thursday. Under the deal, RIM will earn a permanent license on the patents and relief of all future litigation on the matter.Wall Street Journal /Computerworld

11. BlackBerry Onyx 9020 with Optical Trackpad

A picture of an unannounced RIM smartphone was leaked:  the BlackBerry 9020 Onyx.  Unlike the Magnum, the Onyx doesn’t have a touchscreen display.  It features the optical trackpad, as first seen on the entry-level BlackBerry Gemini.  Appeared over at BlackBerry Underground, the new leaked picture shows the Onyx 9020 with the Gemini in the background.  Rumor is BlackBerry Onyx will be released by both AT&T and T-Mobile sometime later this year.  The smartphone should feature 3G, GPS, Wi-Fi and a 480 x 360 pixels display. Boy Genius

Microsoft

12. Microsoft App Market Opened to Developers

Third-party developers will be able to start writing applications July 27 for Microsoft’s Windows Marketplace as the company tries to find a competitive edge in the white-hot space. The move comes as Microsoft is prepping to launch Windows Mobile 6.5 later in the year, and the company also announced Tuesday that older handsets would have access to the online applications.eWEEK /Network World

iPhone

13. Apple App Store’s First Year: 1.5B Downloads

On its first birthday, Apple’s online store of applications for the iPhone and iPod now offers more than 65,000 programs, and users have taken advantage of 1.5 billion downloads. Frederic Lardinois at ReadWriteWeb outlines the factors he sees contributing to the App Store’s success.ReadWriteWeb

Google

14. Google Voice is Awesome

Sorry, non-US folks can’t get this yet, but US people can sign up for the waiting list.  If you get invited, Google Voice unites all of your communications devices behind a single number. You can access it from your desktop, or from BlackBerry and Android handsets.  It allows users to call or text (for free) directly from their workstations or cell phones.  Your recipient sees your custom Google Voice number.  I got this service last week, it is awesome.  You get to pick your own phone number from any area code you like.  My new Google Voice phone number is 415-xxx-SCOT.  Depending on how much I like you, it goes directly or vmail, or rings one or all of my phones.  If you leave a vmail, I can listen to you real-time.  The best part is that it is free, unless I want to use Google Voice to make international calls for a little as 2 cents a minute. New York Times /USA TODAY /Google Voice

Other News

15. AirSage Tracks Verizon Wireless Users to Avert Traffic Jams

In a deal with AirSage, Verizon Wireless customers will provide information on road traffic using a technology that measures how fast cell-phone-equipped cars are moving — providing the handsets are powered on. AirSage said that it was in talks with state officials to provide its data for traffic-information services.The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

16. Futuristic Concept Cell Phones

Cell phone designers provide peeks into what handsets may look like in a few years.  While not actual prototypes of futuristic devices, they demonstrate ideas.PC World


Let’s Connect

If you have any additions, questions, comments, concerns, corrections, criticisms, cut-downs, condemnations, censures, denigrations, deletions, disapprovals, edits, ideas, hypotheses, juxtapositions, knowledge, lectures, machinations, or if you would just like to be removed from this dreadful weekly newsletter, then, by all means, let me know.  Thanks for reading.

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