Mobility Digest http://mobilitydigest.com Cell Phones, Netbooks, Laptops, and Accessories reviewed and discussed. Thu, 02 Sep 2010 21:18:45 +0000 en hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.0.1 MobilityDigesthttp://feedburner.google.com My Old Man and Gmail Calling: A Short Story http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/tbqzF4TTdvk/ http://mobilitydigest.com/my-old-man-and-gmail-calling-a-short-story/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:26:18 +0000 Doug Simmons http://mobilitydigest.com/my-old-man-and-gmail-calling-a-short-story/ now that is a badass shop job, ain't that right “Hey Dad,” it started, and my Dad’s in his seventies I should add, “you know, seems like each week Google’s rolling out something new and great, last week being no different. You may now call anyone in the US or Canada as much as you want from your computer for free.” “Really. So what does this mean for that Skype company?” “It’s bad news for Skype, Dad. Bad news.” “What about international, can you call other countries?” (My dad’s heavy on the international calling thing so I knew I had him sold at this point.) “Affirmative.” “How much money we talking?” “Well let’s fire up your computer and check out those rates which you’ll find rather enticing – they beat the hell out of AT&T and Skype too.”

We go to his machine, I pull up the rates. “How about the UK? “Two cents a minute.” “Singapore?” “Two cents, Dad.” “Japan?” “Two cents.” “Greece?” “Dad, are you not getting the picture? Two cents for Greece. Here watch this, let me pull up your Gmail and click this thing over here.” I type in Doug (I’m Doug) into the phone dialing thing, brings up my number, rings my phone, I go in the other room and show off that he can hear me, though at this point he didn’t have a mic so it was kind of a one-sided situation yet in spite of that it got quite a nibble. Hooked him good and in only a few minutes.

“So you get the idea, this thing works and the price is right. The free domestic thing is going to stay free at least until the end of the year, getting-acquainted prices for now, but I bet that will go on past your death when they become confident that international revenue will comfortably offset their overhead on the free beer for the domestic service.” “Past my death, not bad. So this will show up on my AT&T statement?” “No, this has nothing to do with AT&T. It goes over the Internet and you already pay for that.” “All right, so how do I talk with this thing?” “Well you need a mic. Want a Mic? Radio Shack’s two blocks away and I can grab one for twenty bucks.” “Yeah get me a mic, let’s take this sucker for a spin, though I’m taking your mother to the museum in twenty minutes.” “This is going to be easy enough to squeeze into fifteen minutes; be right back.”

I get Dad a mic, tweak the volume levels a little, check the modulation, good to go: “Okay Dad why don’t you sit back down and call Mother in the bedroom on her new Google phone, though the landline is also an option. Again, you click that thing over there on the left and dial either with the mouse or keyboard.” Dad calls Mom, a can-you-hear-me kind of dialog, each of them both impressed and excited and Mom’s jealous already. Dad asks, “So what do I have to do to make an international call?” “Google’s comping you ten cents but since you appear to like this already give me your plastic and I’ll buy you a ten buck credit from Google which will give you 500 minutes for your countries of interest.” “[Amex number omitted, sorry hackers].” “Okay Dad, you’re all set. I’ll go into your contacts later and add in phone numbers to the family members you got on your contacts so you don’t have to bang in everyone’s number each time which will sync up with your phone.”

“I’m impressed, Kid. I’m lucky to have you as my son.” No Dad, we’re all lucky to have Google, I thought.

“By the way Dad, that Roth IRA cash I had freed up, called the broker and pumped it all into Google, eleven shares – up seven bucks each already.” (News received well by my father who is generally conservative when it comes to investing, shunning non-diversification and tech stocks, having been primed by this Google demo.) “I’d be up more if you could short the Blackberry company but you can’t do that in a retirement account. By the way Dad, I write for some Internet website, and I want to do a thing about how easily I managed to get you of all people onto this new Google thing which, as you were the subject, it would help highlight how, well…” “Yes, I know this computer stuff is ahead of my time, go ahead and use me to emphasize how simple it is.”

“Oh, Mom, I apologize for letting this visit just become about Dad. It ain’t right that I come over here and just help him. That ain’t right, Mom. You’re the priority next time.” “That’s okay Dougie. Can I do that Google calling on my computer too?” “You sure can Mom, Google does everything including supporting Linux.”

Fin

Doug Simmons

4 comment(s) for this post:

  1. David K:
    2010-Sep-02 Are you going to be there when the 'free' calling goes away and the teaser rates go up at the end of the year? ;)
  2. Doug Simmons:
    2010-Sep-02 I'm quite happy to put another fifty on the line with you that it will remain free beyond the end of the year. Of course, I don't expect you to take me up on that because you're such a ... are we allowed to say the P word? No need I suppose, people can easily infer.
  3. who dis?!:
    2010-Sep-02 Zero dollars? Does that price include your cab fares to go over once a week to reposition the mic away from the speakers to cut down on feedback whenever he shuffles it around? Better crazy glue that sucker. Feedback's a bitch, ain't it Simmons, both on your dad's new setup and on your political articles. Explain to him yet that when people try to call him back (unless you got him GV -- I'm assuming you didn't otherwise you would have written fifty articles about it) on the number that shows up as his caller ID they get a Google advertisement and not him? Nope, you left that part out. Think he'll be able to figure out how to add more credit without you? Doubt it, but I further doubt it that he'll even use it enough to need to get more credit because, face it Simmons, this thing just ain't 'dad' friendly. Hussies.
  4. who dis?!:
    2010-Sep-02 Nice 'shop though. I'll give you that. Candy asses.

Care to comment?


]]> http://mobilitydigest.com/my-old-man-and-gmail-calling-a-short-story/feed/ 4 http://mobilitydigest.com/my-old-man-and-gmail-calling-a-short-story/ Google to get in the ring with Apple over digital downloads http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/qMPtd3gJPZ0/ http://mobilitydigest.com/google-to-get-in-the-ring-with-apple-over-digital-downloads/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 20:26:11 +0000 Eric Greenwood http://mobilitydigest.com/?p=16096 Google’s long-rumored entry into the digital music game is likely happening just in time for Christmas. Andy Rubin, Google VP and primary director for Android development, has been in talks with some of the major labels in hopes of securing some kind of licensing that would put Google in direct competition with Apple’s dominance of digital download sales. The search giant’s plan includes a download store à la iTunes (but let’s hope way less of a resource hog) and a “digital song locker,” which would enable users to stream songs on their mobile devices wherever they may be. Google is way behind Apple in the music department, but being late to the party has never been cause for concern for Google, whose Android mobile platform is activating 200,000 devices each day, despite Apple’s passive-aggressive claims to the contrary. Label execs (too scared to reveal their names) are excited to have something to challenge Apple’s monopolistic decision-making when it comes to pricing and digital formats. The competition from Android’s rising ubiquity is bound to take a bite out of Apple’s (see what I did there?) unchallenged dominance since iTunes and iPods changed the game back in 2001. I for one cannot wait to dump iTunes by the wayside.

2 comment(s) for this post:

  1. Doug Simmons:
    2010-Sep-02 F Apple's claims. "Activations" mean things involving cellular activity, not sales of ipod touches and whatever else has iOS. And let's say that figure did not include anything other than phones and ipads, let's just see where that figure is upon the next big release of these numbers as the iphone 4 fad dims, which it will, the buying spree, whereas it won't with Android. I just love how Google's getting in everyone's ring. Watch Google TV trample Apple TV even faster than fanboys like me think it will. And as for your post's subject, this has been brewing with Google for years and once they unload their master plan, expect it not to fall flat. Defeating itunes? Nah. But putting them on their toes, yes. As for iTunes itself, man I wish Steve had remained stubborn enough not to port it over to PCs. Frickin' hate iTunes. There's software out there that will let you dump mp3s onto ipods and it will go in and manipulate whatever database is necessary but the developers behind that stuff seem to struggle to keep up with each new ipod release. I hate itunes, I hate Safari and Quicktime updates you get as a result of installing ... ahh I don't want to hijack this into a rant, I'll stop. Returning to my original point, F Apple.
  2. who dis?!:
    2010-Sep-02 Man Simmons... won't you ever stfu. Okay I'll feed the troll. Google not defeating iTunes -- "nah" you say? Nah? If by nah you mean no way in hell, you wouldn't be understating it. And it sure ain't gonna put Apple on its toes, believe that. I don't know either whether or not ipod touches are included in that figure, but in terms of this pissing match, why shouldn't they? They're essentially, as long as they're within wifi range, the same in terms of functionality with both the iPad and iPhone. Not like Google's getting a pile of money upon each activation either. And what does it say about a platform that is badass enough that when slapped on a device without a GSM transceiver, iOS still makes that device a top seller? How many Android devices are there that are only wifi and high-end? Regardless, why can't we just lower our weapons, you and I, and kick back and watch the show together of the implosion of RIM? Enemy of my enemy kind of thing, right? Jive turkeys.

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]]> http://mobilitydigest.com/google-to-get-in-the-ring-with-apple-over-digital-downloads/feed/ 2 http://mobilitydigest.com/google-to-get-in-the-ring-with-apple-over-digital-downloads/ So some new iPods came out yesterday.. http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/yd9D9qHSbKQ/ http://mobilitydigest.com/so-some-new-ipods-came-out-yesterday/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 18:03:05 +0000 Jeremy Bartz http://mobilitydigest.com/so-some-new-ipods-came-out-yesterday/ iPods Unless you were living in a cave yesterday you have more than surely noticed that every single line of iPods (minus the classics) were given an update.  This tells me one thing and that all iPods minus the touch are in serious sales declines.  Lets go over what the new ones have in store for us.

iPod Shuffle.  This reeks of we royally screwed up the last model but lets still make the damn thing smaller.  Sometimes being small is just bad news.  Recently my dog ate the chewing gum version and I wasn’t about to follow her around for it either.  Not too much of a loss as it was my wife’s and now she is more than content with Pandora on her phone.  So that leads to the question who or what is the market for this thing now?  With this one not being the only clip-able one now I do not see who will actually buy one of these now.  Even worse is how the shuffle interacts with iTunes, worse experience ever.

Nano

iPod Nano.  This reeks of how the hell do we make this one smaller??  I am going to be in the minority on this but I thought the 3rd gen (Fat Boy) is the best one of the bunch up until this one.  My current iPod is the aforementioned 3rd gen as I am a heavy runner and got it mainly for the Nike + integration way back in the day.  However, with this new model they have taken off their physical controls and went multi-touch on the display.   Plus they had to get rid of features (which I think is a first for any apple product) to make this thing smaller such as video playback and removal of the camera.  I have a feeling this will be the last Nano model that comes out since you can’t make the thing any smaller.  This will be a typical either you hate this or love it.  I will reserve judgment til I get my hands on one.  But being a runner I could see this one be a huge hit with the athletic crowd with it being clip-able and still having Nike + with the radio.

iPod Touch.  This reeks of actually nothing.  The iPod that accidently became a gaming machine is now soon to be equipped with more functionality in multiplayer gaming and even more kick ass games in the future.  In the technology sector has there been any other gadget that totally hit with the public in such a way that it wasn’t originally thought to be used for?  If there claims are true and that they outsell the DS and PSP combined then I am impressed.  This new version is lighter has Facetime and will be on par with the iPad in iOS land in the near future.  Unlike the rest of the iPod’s this one does have a future and it is bright.

So..  some new and improved iPods but the main story is that the writing is on the wall that the iPods we have loved true and dear are now on their last legs and the future will be in touch.  Iconic Click Wheel, you have served your purpose for the last decade.  May you click into the sunset.

Care to comment?


]]> http://mobilitydigest.com/so-some-new-ipods-came-out-yesterday/feed/ 0 http://mobilitydigest.com/so-some-new-ipods-came-out-yesterday/ Peep Is Back? [Nope] http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/F8xbC1vrR7A/ http://android.mobilitydigest.com/peep-is-back/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 04:28:40 +0000 David K http://android.mobilitydigest.com/peep-is-back/ imageHere it is from Twitter itself:

Log-in issues for users of some mobile clients

Users using certain Twitter clients are unable to Log in.

These clients include

- HTC Peep

- Moto BLUR

- Nokia Twitter apps

- Samsung devices (except for phones running Android OS)

- Huawei phones

We are working to resolve this issue.

Update at 7:30PM: This issue has been resolved.

So it wasn’t OAuth? Any testers? Share your findings please

UPdate: Ok so it seems like a no go…so are they just kicknig us while we’re down?

8 comment(s) for this post:

  1. C0BRA01:
    2010-Sep-02 Still screwed up on my phone. @11:30pm
  2. C0BRA01:
    2010-Sep-02 Forgot to mention it's a HTC HD2 using peep.
  3. Steve:
    2010-Sep-02 Not working here either - 8am UK time.
  4. Steve:
    2010-Sep-02 Oh, HTC TP2 and Peep.
  5. Ian:
    2010-Sep-02 HTC HT2 on O2 in the UK 12.01pm GMT still not working.

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]]> http://android.mobilitydigest.com/peep-is-back/feed/ 8 http://android.mobilitydigest.com/peep-is-back/ Finally – A Fart Piano For Windows Phone 7 http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/YDpED_vFovk/ http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/finally-a-fart-piano-for-windows-phone-7/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:50:10 +0000 David K http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/finally-a-fart-piano-for-windows-phone-7/ imageOK so it’s not the first WP7 fart application but right now it has to be the leader. It’s a fart piano. Yeah you heard me. And you can change the types of farts if you need a different pitch – maybe something with more bubbles in it.

This is from Herm’s Software who brought WM6.5 a premier fart app. I know, you think WP7 is above that, right? Maybe you don’t know why there’s a like a million fart apps for the iPhone – cause you guys keep buying them. Here’s the video with a great version of When The Saint’s Come Marching In. I didn’t now he was so good at the piano…

Care to comment?


]]> http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/finally-a-fart-piano-for-windows-phone-7/feed/ 0 http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/finally-a-fart-piano-for-windows-phone-7/ Windows Phone 7 Auto Correction and Custom Word Demos http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/B-OhX5Zq96E/ http://mobilitydigest.com/windows-phone-7-auto-correction-and-custom-word-demos/#comments Thu, 02 Sep 2010 02:01:22 +0000 David K http://mobilitydigest.com/windows-phone-7-auto-correction-and-custom-word-demos/ imageOn WindowsPhone7.com they are showing off two new videos that show how nicely their onscreen keyboard inputs words. Of course, it’s a PITA to access the site so we’ve uploaded them to YouTube as one video that’s just a minute long. The first demo shows how auto corrections work. In other words, spell things wrong or leave out an apostrophe and it inserts them. You also get to see the predictive text that you can just tap on. Looks like butter. And you get a glimpse into how to go back in the text to make changes and you can see that there’s a cursor placed above the finger so you don’t block its view. A glimpse into copy and paste? Yeah.

Next up is using custom words. In their example they use the word ‘dood’ intentionally. So if you want that in your dictionary, just retype the word to override the auto correction and next time you type it’s there in your dictionary so you can use it.  Enough talk, here it is in action:

4 comment(s) for this post:

  1. Skyau:
    2010-Sep-01 I hope I can turn all those "features" off.
  2. pastco:
    2010-Sep-02 @Skyau: Really? Auto corrected text is a drawback to you? You sound really "smart".
  3. Skyau:
    2010-Sep-02 @pastco: My personal preference. Feel free to keep using it.
  4. Auto-Correction in Windows Phone demoed:
    2010-Sep-02 [...] MobilityDigest has uncovered this video showing the Windows Phone 7 keyboard auto-correction in action. The process appears pretty smooth, and unlike the HTC keyboard the SIP also includes auto-complete, which should help further improve typing speeds. [...]

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]]> http://mobilitydigest.com/windows-phone-7-auto-correction-and-custom-word-demos/feed/ 4 http://mobilitydigest.com/windows-phone-7-auto-correction-and-custom-word-demos/ HTC Investigating Peep Problem http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/tq5_SNdGNGg/ http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/htc-investigating-peep-problem/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 23:29:02 +0000 Doug Smith http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/htc-investigating-peep-problem/ htcpeepWe just wrote about how HTC Peep, the surprisingly popular Twitter application included with HTC Sense Devices and given it’s own home screen slider tab has stopped working for a lot of people. It turns out that it because of an authentication issue (you need an app that has OAuth as it’s authentication method) caused by recent changes by Twitter. There has been a lot of chatter about it and questions if HTC is going o fix this application and the answer is…..they are investigating it.

“We know that Peep/Friend Steam are not working for some, and we apologize. Please bear with us while our developers are investigating”

Stay tuned and we will keep you updated on updates for the HTC Peep Twitter App. In the mean time, I have been using moTweets and have really liked it. There is a free version that has some ads on it and them a premium version that cost a whole $3.99. I purchased the premium version and I have been loving it all day.

htcpeep

Care to comment?


]]> http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/htc-investigating-peep-problem/feed/ 0 http://windowsmobile.mobilitydigest.com/htc-investigating-peep-problem/ Tweet Of The Day http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/oGIQAZcle1k/ http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/tweet-of-the-day-4/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:29:09 +0000 David K http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/tweet-of-the-day-4/ This one hurts a little but the irony can’t be missed:

image

So way to fix Facebook integration…now your plates should be clean to fix copy and paste.

1 comment(s) for this post:

  1. Tobias:
    2010-Sep-02 Uh oh, wait: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sN638kh2jQ4 Nice try, Ina! I'm shure with an upcoming twitter app it gets also the possibility to twitter the link... ;)

Care to comment?


]]> http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/tweet-of-the-day-4/feed/ 1 http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/tweet-of-the-day-4/ Rumor: HTC HD3 To Be Called The HD7? http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/gcOJ5fDXhag/ http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/rumor-htc-hd3-to-be-called-the-hd7/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:25:28 +0000 Doug Smith http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/rumor-htc-hd3-to-be-called-the-hd7/ htclogoSkipping right on by 4, 5, & 6, HTC has jumped ahead to HD7 to correspond with the new operating system the successor to the HD2 will use. In a leaked document from UK carrier 02, they are showing the new HD7 landing on October 18th. Whether or not this is the “Real McCoy” or just a nice Photoshop teaser is anyone’s guess. For now we here at Mobility Digest are just in the bring it on already mindset.

So for us here in the US, we will have to wait once again for the coolest of cool HTC Devices to make their way over here. Just once we would like to see something make it’s way over here fist (TyTN II/Tilt, Fuze/Touch Pro, Tilt 2/Touch Pro 2, HTC HD2/T-Mobile HD2), but we would settle for the same time!

htchd7

[source: Engadget]

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]]> http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/rumor-htc-hd3-to-be-called-the-hd7/feed/ 0 http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/rumor-htc-hd3-to-be-called-the-hd7/ Windows Phone 7 Released To Manufacturers And Facebook Is Fixed http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/MobilityDigest/~3/NO5c-uOM-2Q/ http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/windows-phone-7-released-to-manufacturers-and-facebook-is-fixed/#comments Wed, 01 Sep 2010 20:23:53 +0000 David K http://windowsphone.mobilitydigest.com/windows-phone-7-released-to-manufacturers-and-facebook-is-fixed/ imageWow this thing is really happening. OEMs now have their hands on the RTM version of the OS.

Today is the day that the Windows Phone team has been driving towards, and we’re very excited to say that we’ve reached the biggest milestone for our internal team – the release to manufacturing (RTM) of Windows Phone 7!  While the final integration of Windows Phone 7 with our partners’ hardware, software, and networks is underway, the work of our internal engineering team is largely complete.

Windows Phone 7 is the most thoroughly tested mobile platform Microsoft has ever released.  We had nearly ten thousand devices running automated tests daily, over a half million hours of active self-hosting use, over three and a half million hours of stress test passes, and eight and a half million hours of fully automated test passes.  We’ve had thousands of independent software vendors and early adopters testing our software and giving us great feedback. We are ready.

Apparently the testing has actually led to some fixes:

For example, folks loved the Facebook integration in the People Hub, but they also wanted ways to filter their contacts so only the Facebook friends they really know will show up in their contact list  – we’ve added support for that.  We’ve also made it easy to “like” a post right from the People Hub, or quickly post a message to someone’s Facebook wall directly.

Apparently they have also made it easier to search through a long list of contacts.

I’m getting that “I’m a Windows Phone” feeling all over again. Excited?

2 comment(s) for this post:

  1. anita bath:
    2010-Sep-01 i rather get a symbian LOL
  2. Murani:
    2010-Sep-01 I'm going to try and fully express my feelings about this....Yes, Yes Yes. O Cloud O Cloud O Cloud! Oh and don't forget developers, Developers, DEVELOPERS! Dropbox client: check, Social Network contact filter: check, Xbox Live: check, Zune: check. I'll gladly purchase over the pond to have this in my hands on my birthday at the end of October.

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