• att,  blackberry,  dataviz,  rim

    BlackBerry Bold Goes on Sale at AT&T

    November 4, 2008 /

    As promised, the new RIM BlackBery Bold has gone on sale today at AT&T. Of the new corporate-minded device, AT&T writes:

    “Get the fastest BlackBerry on the fastest 3G network. The global BlackBerry® Bold™ smartphone is designed to give business professionals both cutting edge functionality and performance under one bold intuitive design. It comes fully-loaded with integrated GPS for AT&T Navigator and Wi-Fi for access at thousands of AT&T hotspots nationwide, including Starbucks. The BlackBerry Bold smartphone has a brilliant color LCD screen for exceptional definition and clarity. Pictures are vibrant and sharp while videos play smoothly and web pages, documents, presentations, and messages come to life with exceptional quality and contrast. Get more speed and more power with the BlackBerry Bold.”

    The BlackBerry Bold’s features include:

    • Half-VGA (480 x 320 at 217 ppi) color display
    • A newly designed full QWERTY keyboard for exceptionally fast and easy typing
    • Built-in GPS and Wi-Fi radios
    • 624 MHz mobile processor
    • More storage — 1 GB on board and up to 16 GB via its microSD/SDHC expansion slot
    • Advanced media player for music, videos and photos
    • 2 megapixel camera with built-in flash, zoom and video recording
    • optimized Web-browsing experience with desktop-style depiction
    • DataViz Documents To Go for editing Word, Excel and PowerPoint files

    The complete list of the Bold’s features and technical specifications can be found on the AT&T website.

    Pricing

    The new BlackBerry Bold retails for $549.99 without a contract commitment from AT&T. When you sign up for a 2-year service agreement, the price drops down to $399.99. Additionally, AT&T is offering a $100 mail-in rebate which brings the cost of the device down to $299.99. To take advantage of the mail-in rebate, customers will have to sign up for a $35/month data or messaging plan. That shouldn’t be a deal breaker for most customers as a BlackBerry without the data service isn’t very useful.

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  • apple

    Management Changes at Palm, Apple

    November 4, 2008 /

    Palm and Apple have both recently announced changes to their senior management line-up.

    Changes at Palm

    Last week PalmInfoCenter was reporting that Palm’s SVP of Global Markets, John Hartnett was leaving Palm. This week, Palm’s website shows that Jeff Devine has filled the vacancy as Palm’s new SVP of Global Operations. (Note the subtle title change.)

    According to the Palm website:

    “Jeff Devine is responsible for creating and sustaining a competitive advantage for Palm by developing a global supply-chain model that delivers best-in-class performance in areas such as product introduction, quality, total cost, and delivery.

    Jeff joined Palm from Nokia, where he served as vice president of Global Customer Logistics, responsible for a diverse global team located in more than 45 countries. He spent 13 years at Nokia in a wide range of roles, including four years heading operations and logistics for the Americas, and a prior role leading Nokia’s Sales and Marketing for AT&T Wireless. Earlier in his career, Jeff helped start up a new Boeing Electronics facility focused on high-performance teams, and was a production manager at Texas Instruments. “

    Changes at Apple

    Reuters is reporting this morning that Apple’s SVP of the iPod division, Tony Fadell, is ‘leaving the company citing personal reasons but may remain as a consultant.”

    According to the Apple website:

    “Fadell joined Apple as the first member of its iPod hardware engineering team in 2001 and was promoted to vice president of iPod engineering in 2004. He became senior vice president of the iPod Division in April 2006.

    Prior to joining Apple, Fadell was a cofounder, CTO, and director of engineering of the Mobile Computing Group at Philips Electronics where he was responsible for all aspects of business and product development for a variety of products. Tony later became VP of business development for Philips U.S. Strategy & Ventures focused on building the company’s digital media strategy & investment portfolio. Prior to joining Philips, Fadell was a hardware and software architect at General Magic.”

    At this time, no announcement has been made as to who might replace Mr. Fadell at Apple.

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  • att,  centro,  sprint,  verizon,  windows mobile

    Briefly Noted: Palm Smartphone Changes

    November 4, 2008 /

    Kris Keilhack over at PalmInfoCenter.com is reporting two Palm product chances.

    Treo 750 Nearing End of Life?

    The first is that it appears that Palm and AT&T are moving to end-of-life (EOL) the Palm Treo 750. Of the Treo 750, Mr. Keilhack writes:

    “Aside from the evergreen Treo 700wx on Verizon, the 750 remains Palm’s oldest current smartphone. Replacing the 750 with the new Treo Pro would appear to be a logical move but to date nothing more than rumors have indicated that Palm’s flagship device will be appearing in subsidized form on any domestic GSM carrier.

    Originally launched in September 2006 with Windows Mobile 5.2, the Treo 750 is now well over two years old. So despite the presence of the WM6 update released last fall, it is beginning to look a bit long in the tooth relative to not only competing handsets but even its newer Windows Mobile-powered Treo sister devices, the Treo 800w and Treo Pro.”

    Verizon Centro ROM Upgrade

    Palm and Verizon have made a free ROM maintenace upgrade available to customers using Verizon-branded Centro smartphones. Writing for PalmInfoCenter, Mr. Keilhack writes:

    “Palm is being rather vague on the specific improvements in this update, claiming only: “This software update is a minor tune-up that may improve device usability in certain situations.”

    Palm customers who are using Verizon branded Centros can learn more about and download the latest ROM update here. Sprint customers received a similar update back in July.

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  • apple

    Did Apple Almost Buy Palm?

    November 4, 2008 /

    I just saw this over at GadgetsOnTheGo.net with a link over to MediaBistro:

    “According to Jean-Louis Gasse it almost happened in 1997.

    In the Summer of 1997, Steve Jobs called Eric Benhamou, 3Com’s CEO (the company owned Palm). Give me the Palm and come and join my Board of Directors. Only Apple can make Palm a true consumer brand. Nothing happened. Apple’s foray into the product segment had to wait ten more years.

    Now that would have been interesting. Palm devices from the 90s with an Apple twist. Of course with Jon Rubenstein now running the show at Palm, we might find out just what things might have looked like if Apple did acquire Palm.”

    Wow, I don’t know what to make of that. I don’t know if I’d say that Palm became a consumer brand, but it did become a household term. Palm, or the “Palm Pilot” became the “Scotch tape” and “Kleenex” of PDAs and later smartphones. At any rate, this is all water under the bridge.

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  • celio,  redfly,  windows mobile

    Celio Extends Redfly Promotion

    November 3, 2008 /

    Celio, makers of the Redfly, have extended their special 50% discount promotion until Monday, November 17, 2008.

    “We’re extending our $199 promotional pricing for REDFLY until Monday, November 17th, 2008.

    The promotion has been so successful at introducing REDFLY to new markets, users and applications that we decided to keep it up for a few more weeks.

    In addition to the many casual and power Windows Mobile users out there who are buying REDFLY for themselves, the reception has been tremendous into vertical markets like healthcare, government, sales force, and service force applications.

    REDFLY is just the beginning of a series of planned products based around the enablement of the smartphone as both a mobile computer or netbook and access point to remote virtual systems and cloud computing.”

    More information about the Redfly can be found here, and if you are ready to buy one for $199 (50% off), you can do so here.

    What I find interesting about the Redfly is that unlike the ill-fated Palm Foleo or the Asus Eee PC netbook, the Redfly is not a stand-alone computer. It is, simply put, a dumb terminal for your Windows Mobile smartphone. All of your data is on your phone and there is not need to sync your phone to another device.

    After November 17, the Redfly will return to it’s regular price, $399.

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  • apple

    Worldwide Newton Confernece?!

    November 3, 2008 /

    I was reading the December 2008 MacWorld Magazine and I was shocked to discover that a group of devoted owners of the long since canceled Apple Newton Message Pad will be holding a user’s conference in 2009.

    “Worldwide Newton Conference 2009! Since the Newton is still going strong, as is the NTLK list, and since there are some interesting developments still underway for the Newton platform, a WWNC for 2009 is in order. It will be a 3 day event, and will be held from Friday, 31 July, 2009 – Sunday, 2 August, 2009 in downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Sunday following the event, from 9 am – afternoon, is reserved for open discussion in relation to the topics previously discussed. The location is close to an Apple Store. The event is sponsored by European Fritz, purveyors of Poutine.

    What will be covered during the event? After some discussion with NTLK list members, and since time continues to press on, this event will revolve around a “moving forward” theme: how to keep the Newton active and relevant as time continues to press forward.”

    OK, I like the Newton as much as the next guy, heck, I even own a Message Pad 2000, but a worldwide user’s conference? If you’re a Newton user who is willing to part with the coin to travel up to Vancouver, BC, Canada this coming July, check out the link below for more details.

    WWNC 2009 Home    …

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  • microsoft,  windows mobile

    UPDATE: Microsoft Fixes Live Mesh Mobile Client

    November 2, 2008 /

    From the Live Mesh blog…

    “Thank you for using the Live Mesh for Mobile client! For users who saw a failure to add their mobile phone to their mesh, we have deployed an updated build of Live Mesh for Mobile. You will need to download the Mobile Installer from http://m.mesh.com/install/wm6/LiveMesh.cab again. Once you have the new installer on your phone, run it and the installed client will be upgraded to the new version. The new Mobile Live Mesh Client is version number 0.9.3424.6 (check this through Menu -> About). Now you can start Live Mesh, sign in, and you should be good to go.”

    Get you client installer OTA:
    http://m.mesh.com/install/wm6/LiveMesh.cab

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  • 1src,  editorial

    Editorial: What I Want in My Next Smartphone

    November 2, 2008 /


    This week’s 1SRC.com editorial, What I Want in My Next Smartphone, has been posted.

    Palm should be in the process of finalizing their next generation mobile hardware and software. Here is what I will be looking for in my next smartphone.

    Hardware

    While I like the current Treo form factor, it has become a tired design that needs to be refreshed. My next smartphone needs to have a nice clean design that provides easy access to hardware buttons while slimming down the body of the phone. For many shoppers, looks trump function and Palm’s devices need to look good and work well. The new Palm Treo Pro is an example of what new hardware from Palm needs to look like. To help with the miniaturization of the Treo, Palm has already embraced changes already implemented by other smartphone vendors. Palm has adopted microSDHC cards as the new storage card format. Palm has also begun to replace the large Multi-Connector found on the Centro with a miniUSB port that has been implemented on the Treo Pro and BlackBerry Curve. Making the display flush with the rest of the face of the phone is another tool for slimming down the device.

    What I would like to see in future smartphones is more internal memory, standardization on 802.llg Wi-Fi, a digital camera with a flash, and the implementation of Sprint’s Wi-Max. Palm also needs to work on correcting motherboard-manufacturing defects that plague the headphone jack and microphone.

    Software

    Cool looking hardware is important. Software that works the first time, every time is essential. The software that will power Palm’s next generation hardware, Palm OS II/Nova, will either make or break the company. The direction that Palm is taking their Palm OS products is going to be for consumers and small business owners who don’t want the complexity of Windows Mobile. Palm will be required to step up their game to complete in this market space.

    In their new OS, Palm needs to overhaul the software that customers will listen to music and watch video. These features have been around on Palm devices for a long time, however, it has been far too difficult for customers to get content into their phones. I would like to see Palm work with the developer community to enhance the multimedia software offering. Palm should be exploring partnerships with Amazon, Sling, TiVo, and Netflix to simplify the process or loading or steaming entertainment content to smartphones.

    Palm’s Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, and Memos applications, collectively know as personal information management (PIM) applications, are well regarded by customers. Synchronizing that data to a Palm OS smartphone needs to be redesigned. A trip into any of the popular discussion forums, 1SRc.com, Brighthand.com, TreoCentroal.com, and event Palm’s own Community Help Forums, will reveal no end of trouble with the HotSync Manager.

    The lack of a wired 64-bit Windows USB sync driver has plagued Windows Vista users for well over a year now. Setting up a Bluetooth serial connection is too complicated for novice users. The Palm Desktop software lacks some of the fields available on the device (Anniversary, Middle Name, Name Suffix), and OLERR data sync errors are too common and difficult to troubleshoot. Wireless data synchronization is one way to reduce the amount of difficulty customer’s experience. The cloud based solution that I have talked about previously in the editorial “Up In the Air” would by pass driver issues on Macintosh and Windows PCs, eliminate the configuration issues with Bluetooth serial ports, leverage the wireless capabilities of the smartphone, and provide data access from any Internet connected computer.

    I would also like to see Palm enhance their third-party software delivery system. In “Palm Needs an App Store”, I talked about how Palm has not maximized their partnerships with Bluefish Wireless and PocketGear. The current process of finding, downloading, and installing software is not well understood by many customers. The model that Apple has put forward is the new standard of how the Zen of Palm should be applied to installing software. And did I mention new application delivery should be done over the air? Wires are so last century.

    Lastly, any new mobile operating system needs to continue to promote the easy of use and flexibility that has become part of the Palm corporate DNA. People love the Palm OS because of its ease of use. Palm OS II/Nova should build on that user experience with a new customizable, modern look and feel. The user interface (UI) should also be modular. By using a modular UI, Palm could reuse the core operating system in other new products, such as a mobile Internet device (MID), and only have to spend time and money developing a new UI. Apple is doing something similar with Mac OS X on their system software on their Macs and the iPhone and iPod touch.

    Conclusion

    Palm has been a player in the mobile computing space for a long time. A number of bad business decisions in the late 1990’s have caused the company to lose their leadership position. The changes at Palm that have been made over the last 18 months as part of their People, Design, and Platform have been encouraging. The Centro has been a huge success with consumers and first-time smartphone owners.

    Palm needs to continue to press their advances with a new operating system, devices (smartphones and mobile Internet devices), and new, innovating software that continues the tradition of the Zen of Palm.

    [Via 1SRC.com…]

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