NorthTexas Gadgets and Sports

Dallas Sports Team Owner Folly

2010-05-03T11:22:00.000-07:00

Many from North Texas know of Tom Hicks and the Hicks Sports Group. BRUCE SCHOENFELD, has written and excellent article about Mr. Hicks and the ups and downs of his career and his ownership of the Dallas Stars, Texas Rangers, and Liverpool FC in the U.K. The story appears in the Sports Business Journal and paints an interesting picture of the individual who has won a Stanley Cup in 1999 and competed in the MLB playoffs as a Division Winner in 1996 and 1999.
ESPN Dallas writer Richard Durrett writes, "Hicks Sports Group was forced to sell majority stake in the club after defaulting on a $525 million loan early last year. Major League Baseball eventually had to step in and infuse some money into the club."

Schoenfeld writes, "The Rangers are now in limbo as MLB and a potential new ownership group fronted by Chuck Greenberg attempt to convince creditors to allow Hicks to close a sale with a purchaser who may not be the highest bidder. The Stars are also likely to be sold soon, which would please the NHL. “The feeling in the league office is that the problem isn’t the market, it’s Hicks,” said a league insider, who has served as an executive with several teams, of the declining revenue in Dallas. “He needs to be gone.”"

Hicks ownership style and method of purchasing and funding his sports teams has proven to be a joke and the down turn in the economy starting in 2008 has surely contributed to the struggles of the teams. But the struggles are not related to the fans but instead of how the deals were structured using debt. Hicks comments on this in the Sports Business Journal, "By using debt to acquire all three franchises in the manner of a leveraged buyout, Hicks’ exit strategy was always going to be to sell them. Professional sports teams aren’t likely to generate enough profit to even service such debt, let alone pay it down. “This was never going to be a dynastic asset,” Hicks told SportsBusiness Journal last month."

As a huge Rangers fan I hope that the Rangers are sold soon so that the Rangers can be more flexible to make roster changes as needed without as much concern for the ledger. Come on MLB take control of the team and close this deal. Please!

The Game Changer?

2010-03-24T08:22:00.000-07:00

To quote Gizmodo writer Brian Barrett, "So what do we have with the HTC Evo 4G? The best hardware. The best Android OS with the best custom UI. The best camera. The fastest download speeds. Bigger, better, faster, more."

That's what he says about the Sprint HTC EVO 4G. What is that you ask?

Is this the device that will help Sprint turn it around? There is finally an iPhone competitor and according to many tech bloggers that have had a hands on experience they say it is the "iPhone killer" that Verizon and Sprint have been in need of. That's just the device. Did I mention this new device is the first 4G phone to be released by Sprint as well? Oh and it works as a hot spot for up-to 8 other devices. What? It's basically a mobile wireless router out of the box. You have to be kidding me. It also has a front facing camera for video chat, a rear 8MegaPixel with dual flash, captures 720p video and has an HDMI out. Who needs a digital camera and video recorder when you have this thing?

Here are the specs:

4.3 inch screen
Android 2.1
HTC Sense UI
1 GHz Snapdragon processor
1,500 mAh Battery
Wi-Fi
3G/4G
Mobile Hotspot
Dual cameras
-8.0 megapixel primary on back of device with dual led flash
-1.3 megapixel front-facing camera (video blog/status/video calling)
GPS
Stereo Bluetooth
microSD Card support up to 32GB
3.5mm headset jack
Micro USB connector
Proximity and motion sensors
Digital compass
HDMI output which supports 720p
Business email support
Visual Voicemail

As a sales rep I can see myself carrying one of these bad boys and having it connected to my iPad and walking through proposals with my clients any where in DFW. Do I even need a laptop PC? I am totally stoked.

Here's what my friends at The Boy Genius Report have to say about this device.
"We got some one-on-one time with the HTC EVO 4G today, and let us succinctly sum up our experience for you: wow. We’ll start with the screen… it’s gorgeous. 4.3 inches, enormous, easy to type on, responsive… it’s everything you want out of a touch screen."

Engadget Mobile quote, "...the phone will be dubbed the HTC EVO 4G, will be released this Summer and it's easily the best specced phone we've ever witnessed." They have also created a graph comparing the EVO to the Droid and Nexus One. Check it out.

Sprint HTC Hero Review

2009-09-30T08:15:00.000-07:00

I've been reading / watching the reviews of the new HTC Hero for Sprint and I really like the one from mobilitytoday.com by Dave Ciccone. Dave is always fair is not a fanboy for Verizon, Sprint or AT&T. He reviews the devices and provides a high value opinion about each. Take a look at Dave's thoughts on the HTC Hero from Sprint.

Sprint Has Something New Tomorrow

2009-09-09T20:25:00.000-07:00

UPDATED

Check out the new plan Sprint has. Very interesting!

Any Mobile, Anytime

For only $69.99 per month, Anytime offers up unlimited minutes to any US-based mobile in addition to unlimited data, SMS, MMS, Sprint TV, GPS navigation and more. The catch? You only get 45o minutes of good old fashioned land line calling.

So I'm reading through all of my usual blogs tonight and see this cool little image.

The comments on the different blogs are very interesting. It appears that some Sprint people have commented on the BGR post. Sprint is very pumped about this and continue to claim it will revolutionize the wireless industry.

From the text I'm guessing it's a new plans with great new features. I bet it has something to do with 4G and some type of plan that will allow users to have unlimited data on either 3G or 4G where available. I also think there will be new hardware to show off. New pricing for the existing everything plans would not surprise me either. Oh and they are sending me my HTC Hero tomorrow also. Just kidding. :)

I guess we'll see in the morning when the new hits the interweb.

STAY TUNED

The Next Palm WebOS Device

2009-09-09T19:46:00.000-07:00

Palm released information today about their second WebOS device the Pixie. This looks like a Pre without the slider. The QWERTY keyboard is on the front of the device thus reducing the screen size. This device is being compared by some to the Palm Centro. It is a more mainstream device vs a business device. I read a few comments on some of the other blogs and many people are saying they would consider this device over a Blackberry so maybe this device will be a cross over device and be used by both business and non-business users. I really like the look of the device and look forward to seeing one live. Hey Palm send me a tester. :)

Here are the tech specs:
Operating system: Palm webOS™ platform
Network: Sprint Dual-band CDMA2000 3G: EvDO Rev A
Display: 2.63-inch touch screen with a vibrant 18-bit color 320x400 screen resolution Sub-HVGA display
Email: Microsoft® Exchange email with Microsoft Direct Push Technology POP3/IMAP (Yahoo! Mail, Gmail™, AOL, Hotmail®, etc)
Messaging: Integrated IM, SMS, and MMS
GPS: Built-in GPS
Digital camera: 2 megapixel camera with LED flash
Sensors: Ambient light, accelerometer, and proximity
Media formats supported:
Audio Formats: MP3, AAC, AAC+, AMR, QCELP, WAV
Video Formats: MPEG-4, H.263, H.264
Wireless connectivity: Bluetooth® wireless technology 2.1 + EDR with A2DP stereo Bluetooth support
Memory: 8GB (~7GB user available)4
Connector: MicroUSB connector with USB 2.0 Hi-Speed
Headphone jack: 3.5mm stereo
Palm Synergy™: Includes aggregation for Facebook®, Google™, Microsoft® Office Outlook®, Yahoo! Mail, Google Talk™, AIM Instant Messenger, and Yahoo! Messenger.5
Universal search: Searches user's applications, contacts, dialing information, and web.
Activity cards: Third party7 and ROM applications accessible as movable, multi-view cards.
Palm Services: Includes over-the-air backup, restore, remote erase, and software updates.
Palm Touchstone™ Charging Dock Compatible
Dimensions:
Width: 55.0mm (2.17 inches)
Height: 111.0mm (4.37 inches)
Thickness: 10.85mm (0.43 inches)
Weight: 99.5 grams (3.51 ounces)

Sprint's Latest and Greatest

2009-09-03T11:36:00.000-07:00

UPDATE

engadget has a nice little review of this new device.

Here's another review, this one has more details and for the first time ever Gizmodo gives a Sprint device high praise.

Sprint and HTC today officially announce the Hero! This will be my next phone. I was really intrigued by the Palm Pre but decided to wait for the Hero. Here are more details about this new smart phone.

Access to Outlook email with Microsoft Direct Push Technology
Ability to easily view Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and PDF documents
Google Search, Google Maps, Google Calendar, Google Talk
WiFi
Sprint Navigation
Multi-touch screen
5 MP camera/camcorder
Expandable Memory
3.2 inch HVGA TFT screen
Visual Voicemail

These are a couple of other unique featurea that I can't wait to try out.

"HTC Hero users can easily create and switch between Scenes to reflect different moments or roles in their lives, such as work, social, travel and play. For example, a work Scene can be easily set up to include stock updates, work email and calendar, a play Scene could have music, weather, and a Twitter feed or a travel Scene could offer instant access to the local time, weather and maps.

HTC Hero is the first U.S. device to feature HTC Sense, an intuitive experience that was built with a guiding philosophy to put people at the center and allows the device to be completely customized to the wants and needs of the user. The device’s seven-panel wide home screen can be populated with customizable widgets that bring information to the surface."

Excerpt from the Sprint/HTC press release.

Check out the Competitive and Value Matrix

Here are a couple more pictures.

Amazon Kindle for Education

2009-06-01T09:26:00.000-07:00

This time of year I hear a lot about collecting and counting text books from my wife whose responsibilities at her elementary school require her to do this every year. I really think the days of text books are numbered, but only if a manufacturer creates a device that will meet the needs of schools. Amazon has a great product with the Kindle and it would make sense to me that Amazon should build an education device.
The new Amazon Kindle Ed. (as I'll call it) will need to be a ruggedized device capable of sustaining drops of up to 4 feet, because students will drop the device. It will also need to have a GPS capability so that if the device is lost it can be found. There will also have to be away for schools to limit what is loaded to the device. Bluetooth would be a nice touch also so that students can connect to other educational devices like SMART boards. It should also have a standard hard cover to help protect the device. Not only will this new device need to created school districts will need to have an incentive to migrate to an eReader.

Schools around the nation are facing the problem about how they need to proceed with ebooks, and in the end either states or the federal government will need to fund the purchase of these devices, but before schools can begin the purchase process the unique and special device will need to be created, tested, and presented to the states and fed so that the solution is accepted at a national level. The use of the device may even need to be mandated, so that all schools around the country adopted this type of device. But let me be clear, schools districts will not purchase these devices unless they cost less than existing text books. What about the publishers?

Publishers will also have to adapt their business models to excel at the electronic publishing business. The days of printed materials are numbered, so these businesses will need to work hard to develop a way to stay relevant in the future. Maybe the publishers should get together and create a Kindle Ed type device and then they can maintain their revenue streams. Text book publishers can not afford to wait around or they will feel the same impact that newspapers are experiencing. More and more readers will be online/electronic so I say be part of the solution and benefit, don't be left behind.

Technology utilization in public schools is very interesting and challenging issue. In my opinion more companies should be developing new tools to be used in the class room. Of course R&D costs money but it would be money well spent because school districts will be moving to electronic text books the question is when not if. The technology issue also will need to be addressed in the state and federal legislatures so that funds are identified to help fund this move away from traditional paper text books to new electronic books.

So who will be the players in this business? I'd love to read some of your comments.

Web 2.0 ?

2009-03-10T08:16:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the term web 2.0 and wondered what that is? It is a generic term that many software companies utilize as a "buzz word/phrase." Here's what Wiki says:

The term "Web 2.0" refers to a perceived second generation of web development and design, that aims to facilitate communication, secure information sharing, interoperability, and collaboration on the World Wide Web. Web 2.0 concepts have led to the development and evolution of web-based communities, hosted services, and applications; such as social-networking sites, video-sharing sites, wikis, blogs, and folksonomies.

The term first became notable after the O'Reilly Media Web 2.0 conference in 2004.^[1]^[2] Although the term suggests a new version of the World Wide Web, it does not refer to an update to any technical specifications, but rather to changes in the ways software developers and end-users utilize the Web. According to Tim O'Reilly:

“ Web 2.0 is the business revolution in the computer industry caused by the move to the Internet as a platform, and an attempt to understand the rules for success on that new platform.^[3] ”

O'Reilly has said that the "2.0" refers to the historical context of web businesses "coming back" after the 2001 collapse of the dot-com bubble, in addition to the distinguishing characteristics of the projects that survived the bust or thrived thereafter.^[4]

I have been using facebook for sometime now and have even registered on twitter, and have heard of other Web 2.0 sites/software. A couple of new ones that I'm most intrigued by are evernote and smilebox. These two sites/services take traditional paper and pen activities and move them to the interweb. These may seem like small steps, and in fact they really are but it just goes to show that more and more we are becoming an electronic medium society/world. This new e world is eliminating the use of paper and pen and replacing it with the web. As mobile devices become more web centric and have better browser capabilities that do not require specially formatted websites I think the future is wide open. The Apple iPhone/Touch app store has really changed / opened up the Web 2.0 premise. I'm not an Apple hater, but really hope that other device manufacturers/carriers will start integrating better browser functionality on the devices. Apple really has set the standard that the others are trying to develop still. So what everyday task or activity do you think is a good fit for Web 2.0 development? Let me hear what you think about getting rid of pen and paper.

Palm Pre is Here

2009-01-08T19:26:00.000-08:00

One of these years I'm going to get to CES. You know the Consumer Electronics Show in Vegas. My favorite PDA/Smartphone company Palm made a major announcement today. There is finally a new Palm OS and a new device. The OS is called Web and works more like a full size PC than a smartphone OS. The device is called the Pre. The device and OS look to be the equivalent of an iPhone Pro with slide out QWERTY and touch screen. The exclusive carrier for the new device is Sprint. Go figure. The device is supposed to be out in the first half of 2009 so expect to see it in June. Please click the Palm link above and go see this thing for yourself. Take a second and read the specs below.

Here are some quick specs.
Cordless charger!
Multi-tasking OS
Touch Screen
8 GB of on board storage
Merge all your contacts from Outlook, Facebook, and other mail services
Merge your calendars and events
Wi-Fi
GPS

3.1-inch touch screen with a vibrant 24-bit color 320x480 resolution HVGA display

3 megapixel camera with LED flash and extended depth of field

Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition Now Available

2008-10-17T09:45:00.000-07:00

Nokia was one of the first manufacturers to enter the NetBook market with their N800 and the latest edition is the N810 WiMAX Edition equipped to work with the new XOHM WiMAX network in the U.S. This little device connects to the internet via XOHM, or WiFi and utilizes the Internet Tablet OS: maemo Linux based OS2008 which provides seemless software updates and:

Web Browsing
Browser powered by Mozilla with state-of-the-art web standard support including AJAX
Page navigation with scrolling, panning or using hardware buttons, zooming in and out of web sites.
Full desktop Adobe® Flash® 9 plugin, including video and audio streaming
Media
In-built media player for viewing and listening to downloaded, transferred or streamed media content and easy-on-device management of media library
Direct access to shared media over Universal Plug and Play (UPnP)
Supported video formats: 3GP, AVI, WMV, H.263, H.264, MPEG-1, MPEG-4, RV (RealVideo)
Supported audio formats: MP3, WMA, AAC, AMR, AWB, M4A, MP2, RA (RealAudio), WAV
Supported playlist formats: M3U, PLS, ASX, WAX, WVX, WPL
Communications
Internet messaging and calling with video
Effortless and automated presence and contacts application for centralizing communication tasks
SIP support and interoperability with industry standard services
Map
Integrated GPS with pre-installed US and Canadian maps.
Wayfinder turn-by-turn car navigation available on purchase.
Car holder included in the sales pack
E-mail
Browser access to familiar webmail services
E-mail application with easy setup for personal e-mail usage with IMAP, STMP, and POP3 support
Images
Full-screen image viewing and slideshow functionality
Supported Image formats: BMP, GIF, ICO, JPE, JPEG, PNG, TIF/TIFF, SVG, Tiny, WBMP
RSS Reader
Reader for subscribing, managing and keeping up-to date with web feeds
Support for RSS 1.0/2.0 and Atom 1.0
Utilities
File manager
PDF reader

If you need more details about the hardware specs, here you go:

Display
- High-resolution 4.13” WVGA touch screen display (800 x 480 pixels) with up to 65,536 colors

Processor
- TI HS OMAP 2420, 400Mhz

Memory Functions
- DDR RAM 128MB
- Flash 256MB

Storage
- 2GB internal memory
- Support for compatible miniSD and microSD memory cards (with extender). Supports cards up to 8GB. (SD cards over 2GB must be SDHC compatible.)

Operating Times*
- Battery: Nokia Battery BP-4L
- Music playback: up to 10 hours
- Standby time off-line: up to 14 days

WiMAX operation times*
- Standby. always online: up to 2 days
- Internet browsing time: up to 3 hours

Wi-Fi operation times*
Standby, always online: up to 5 days
Internet browsing time: up to 4 hours

*Operating times may vary depending on the radio access technology used, network configuration and usage. The availability of the product and its features depend on your area and service providers, so please contact them and your Nokia dealer for further information.

Other characteristics
- Smooth slide with integrated QWERTY keyboard
- Built-in GPS receiver
- High quality stereo speakers and sensitive microphone
- High-resolution widescreen touch display
- Integrated desk stand
- Integrated VGA web camera
- HW key to lock touch screen and keys
- Ambient light sensor

Connectivity
- WiMAX 802.16e / 2.5GHz
- WLAN standard: IEEE 802.11b/g
- Bluetooth specification v.2.0 . +EDR (profiles supported: HID, FTP, DUN, GAP, SPP, ,SAP and OPP)
- USB high speed for compatible PC connectivity
- 3.5 mm stereo headphone plug (Nokia AV Connector)

According to one forum member over at internettablettalk.com this nifty little device is working on XOHM in Chicago.

I really want one of these! I wonder if it will work in Dallas now? There was a rumor that XOHM has been turned on in Dallas....

Official BlackBerry Storm Press Release

2008-10-08T12:36:00.000-07:00

Late last night Vodafone in Europe released details about the new BlackBerry Storm touch device made by RIM. Some early reviews say, it's a BlackBerry that does just about everything the iPhone 3G does. This really cool pro/sumer device will be available in the U.S. by Verizon and in Canada by Telus and possibly others. No pricing or release dates are available yet. Here's an excerpt from the BlackBerry site.

Easy Touch Screen Navigation
With the BlackBerry Storm smartphone, select and type using touch technology—the screen is the keyboard. Typing is easy—highlight the letter on the touch screen and press the screen to make it appear in your message or document. And navigation is a breeze. Like a mouse, your fingertip moves the cursor across the screen.

Flexible Communications
You don’t stay in touch with all the people in your life in the exact same way. Stay on top of what’s happening and be available to the people who need you with high-quality voice and text-based communications options, including:You don’t stay in touch with all the people in your life in the exact same way. Stay on top of what’s happening and be available to the people who need you with high-quality voice and text-based communications options, including:You don’t stay in touch with all the people in your life in the exact same way. Stay on top of what’s happening and be available to the people who need you with high-quality voice and text-based communications options, including:You don’t stay in touch with all the people in your life in the exact same way. Stay on top of what’s happening and be available to the people who need you with high-quality voice and text-based communications options, including:
Wireless email for your personal/web-based and business accounts
Advanced phone features such as voice activated dialing, conference calling, speakerphone and voicemail attachment playback
Instant messaging and text messaging (SMS and MMS)
Access to social networking sites like Facebook® and MySpace®
Camera and Video Recording
At 3.2 megapixels, you can take sharp, print-quality pictures using the BlackBerry Storm smartphone. You can also rely on the auto focus and auto flash to help you capture the moment.

And when an event can’t be captured in a single instant, use sound and action to tell part of the story with the video camera.

GPS and BlackBerry Maps
The BlackBerry Storm smartphone features built-in Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities. Designed to work with BlackBerry® Maps and other location-based software, use it to help determine where you are and how to get to where you need to be.

Enjoy large, clear maps on the HVGA touch screen.

Multimedia
Whether you want to watch a video clip or tune out the rest of the world by listening to your favorite songs, your BlackBerry Storm smartphone delivers visual and sound quality that keeps up with your needs.
1 GB of built-in memory—add up to 16 GB more using microSD cards
Sync your desktop iTunes® music files using BlackBerry® Media Sync
Use Roxio® Media Manager to help create your own personal juke box

FORD'S NEW TECH

2008-10-06T12:54:00.000-07:00

Today Ford announced a new technology that they will provide on the 2010 Focus coupe and will quickly be offered on many other Ford, Lincoln and Mercury models. The new innovation is called MyKey™.

MyKey™ allows owners to program a key that can limit the vehicle's top speed and audio volume. MyKey also encourages safety-belt usage, provides earlier low-fuel warnings and can be programmed to sound chimes at 45, 55 and 65 miles per hour. The MyKey system allows the parent to program any key through the vehicle message center, which updates the SecuriLock™ passive anti-theft system. When the MyKey is inserted into the ignition, the system reads the transponder chip in the key and immediately identifies the MyKey code, which enables certain default driving modes.

Ford to date has integrated better technology into their current line of vehicles than any other domestic vehicle manufacturer. When you consider the SYNC® system and the integration utilizing bluetooth Ford is way ahead of the competition. Take a few minutes and read the press release from FORD.

LG-KC910, RENOIR

2008-10-02T14:45:00.000-07:00

Not to be out done by Samsung, LG has announced the arrival of their new 8 megapixel touch camera phone. The multimedia feature set of this little dude are very extensive and impressive. This phone will be available in Europe this month and there does not appear to be a plan or carrier identified for the U.S. Here's the detailed specs.
Network
EDGE, GSM 850/900/1800/1900

Connectivity
HSDPA connectivity at 7.2Mbps
Bluetooth 2.0, Wi-Fi
USB / PC sync V2.0

Standard battery
1000m Ah, LI-Ion
Standby time
320hr (2G), 350 (3G)
Talk time
220min (2G), 220min (3G)

Memory
70Mb (Micro SD up to 8Gb)

Size
Dimension 107.8 x 55.9 x 13.95 mm
Weight 110 g

Display Type
External Display, TFT Touch Screen
Size 240 x 400 pixel, 3.0” WQVGA

Features
Camera
8 Megapixel Camera
Schneider-Kreuznach optics, Lens cover
Xenon flash
Digital zoom (16x)
Auto & Manual focus
Touch Shot, Remote Shutter
Creative Shot Modes: Art Shot, Beauty Shot, Continuous Shot, Panorama Shot
Smile Shot, Face Tracking, Blink Detection
Red eye removal
Backlight Compensation
Image stabilization
Geo tagging

Video
Slow-Motion Video Recording at 120fps / Fast-Motion Video Recording at 5fps
DivX/ Xvid video playback
Video Codec (MPEG4/WMV/H.263/H.264)
Noise-free Microphone
TV-out support

Music
MP3 (Dolby Mobile)
FM Radio
Music Player (MP3/AAC/AAC+/AAC++/WMA)

Messaging
SMS/EMS/MMS/Video MMS
E-mail
Predictive Text Input

Advanced features
A-GPS (Navigation, Jogging Buddy)
Virtual Motion Sensor Games
Online Widget
Document Viewer

Samsung Pixon M8800

2008-09-30T21:29:00.000-07:00

One of my favorite mobile phone companies have a new line of phones coming out that in my opinion change the game. What is the game changer? A real camera that is part of the phone. In fact this new Sammy is more a camera than a phone, yet it packs all the great phone features you could possibly want, well unless you do a lot of email with attachments for work.

Isn't she pretty?

Do you see that little 8.0 on the backside there? That's the megapixel count on this baby! Check out all the details below.

One of my favorite features is GPS support with Geotagging for photos.

Thank you BoyGenius.

Specs:

8 megapixel camera with autofocus
16x digital zoom and Fast Shutter
Dual Power LED flash
ASR (Advanced Shake Reduction)
WDR (Wide Dynamic Range)
Face Detection, Smile Shot, Face Link (face tagging) and Photo memo
Auto Panorama Shot
Geotagging support (integrated GPS)
Photo Browser (Accelerometer Sensor, Tilt and flip, Sorting by Face/Time/Color/Folder)
30 fps D1 (720 x 480) video capture
120 fps (QGVA) slow motion video capture
MPEG4, WMV, DivX, XviD playback support
TV-out

From the specs on the initial device this will be an Europe only device unless there's a CDMA and/or U.S. HSDPA radio variant yet to be announced. I'd consider one.

Quad Band GSM (850/900/1800/1900) / GPRS / EDGE
WCDMA 2100 / HSDPA 7.2 Mbps connectivity
3.2″ 240 × 400 262K color WQVGA TFT display
FM Radio with RDS
Music Player (MP3, AAC, e-AAC+, e-AAC+, WMA)
SRS (Surround Sound System) Virtual 5.1CH
DNSe (Digital Natural Sound engine)
Bluetooth 2.0 and USB 2.0

Read the original from mobileburn.

The Latest on XOHM

2008-09-24T10:50:00.000-07:00

I was in the process of looking for an update on the XOHM WiMAX effort and found this new post on engadget.

Baltimore WiMAX Experience

Thank you for your interest in the Baltimore WiMAX Experience Program sponsored by Intel and XOHM. The XOHM WiMAX network combines broadband and mobility. You get the same broadband internet experience you get at home anywhere in the XOHM coverage area… even on the go. Think of it as the mobile version of the basic DSL or cable internet service.

Should you be selected to participate, you would be among the first to experience XOHM WiMAX service in the Baltimore area and you would be provided with a new Intel Centrino 2 processor technology notebook computer that would be yours to keep in exchange for providing feedback on you experience.
To see if you qualify for this exciting opportunity, please answer the following questions to the best of our knowledge. Please be assured that the information you provide be used only for this program, will be kept confidential, will not be provided to any third parties not involved in this experience program and will not be used for the marketing purposes.

Thanks Darren Murphy at engadget!

Google Phone Is Real!

2008-09-24T10:26:00.000-07:00

In the past I wrote a lot about the existence of a Google phone/device and finally after a year of speculation the first Google phone has emerged. The T-Mobile G1.T he G1 utilizes the new Google sponsored and developed Android operating system. Do you even know what operating system is on your phone? Chances are that if you don't have a smart phone you don't know and don't care. So who is this phone for? I'm not really sure who the target audience is, and so what does T-Mobile say, let's see.
Here are the specifications of the device:

Real Web browsing capabilities

Quick and easy access to the Internet one click away
View more pages and rich Web content on your phone

Touch screen

Instant access to key information with the touch of a finger
Just tap the screen and go

3MP camera

Capture key moments in high-quality fashion wherever you are
Never worry about blurry photos with auto focus built right in

Customizable home screen

Just drag and drop any of your favorite applications, photos, or folders onto your home screen for quick access to what you use all the time

QWERTY keyboard

The built-in familiar layout lets you type messages easily without scrolling for the letter you want
Hinged screen slides open to reveal keypad and closes to prevent accidental dialing

One-touch access to Google applications

Maps (including satellite, traffic, and street views)
Gmail
YouTube
Calendar
Google Talk

IM/text/e-mail

All the ways you need to connect while you're on the go

Music player

With the 1GB memory card, you'll never be without your favorite tunes

One-click Google Search

Quick and easy access to the Internet in one click

Video playback

Watch your favorite videos, even YouTube, anywhere

3G network and Wi-Fi access

High-speed 3G network connection for surfing the Web or downloading information quickly and effortlessly
Seamlessly transition to open Wi-Fi networks to surf the Web or download information quickly

Android Market

One-touch access to Android Market
Customize and personalize your device to fit your life with a variety of software applications like games, social networking, and on-the-go shopping
Download the applications wirelessly with just a couple short clicks

Nolan Ryan on Wash and Daniels

2008-09-24T10:02:00.001-07:00

The Ft.Worth Star Telegram has an interesting article this morning about the future of Rangers manager Ron Washington and GM John Daniels. In an interview with Nolan Ryan yesterday the team president said, "I have no intentions of making a change at this point in time," Ryan said. "He’s under contract for next year. I think that speaks for itself." When asked about Washington Ryan went on to say, "I think the players like him," Ryan said. "I think he’s gotten them to respond to them. I think that’s important. I really believe his intent is trying to get them to improve and address our shortcomings." When asked about Daniels and the philosophy of the Rangers system Ryan had the following comments.

"It’s easy to see where we ended up and where we finished and say, 'We need to go out and make all these changes,’ " Ryan said. "We all agreed that we’re going to develop within our system. When you say 'develop,’ that’s not a quick fix."
"We still believe that that is the route that we’re going to take for this organization. I think we have shown that we are committed to that. I don’t think that when you did’t see our record change from one year to the next you just dump the program that you’ve committed to."

I'm glad that Ryan believes in the plan and I hope he continues to make sure that the young pitchers that come to the majors can experience what they experienced in the minors. The move to replace the Rangers pitching coaches really encourages me that Ryan is dedicated to the success of this organization and if he can handle a charging Robin Ventura I have faith that he will make this franchise better and win a playoff season in the next three years.

Go Rangers!

Rangers End Season

2008-09-24T07:58:00.000-07:00

I'll be honest I have not been keeping up with the Rangers since the Cowboys season started and the Rangers decided to repeat April with horrible pitching and even worse defense. Since I have a three year old that loves the Rangers and Tuesdays are kids free day and Tuesday was the last night home game we decided to go.

I was happy to hear that Nippert was pitching, but was disappointed that Laird was catching and Metcalf was playing third. I really wanted to see Teagarden and Davis. Nippert started out good but then served up some juicy pitches that just seem to hover over the plate, and he paid the price giving up two homers. The first homer hit by Jack Cust landed in the upper deck of the home run porch, and there was no doubt that it was gone when it left the bat. I hope that Cust thanked Nippert for that batting practice pitch on a 3-2 count.

The Rangers second was really fun and surprising. Hank Blalock led off the inning with an opposite field shot off the scoreboard in left. Yes you read that correctly Blalock hit a shot to left. Left... I don't want to over due it but if you have watched Blalock over the years you know he doesn't hit the ball to left. I said wow! It made me instantly think that Hank really wants to be with the Rangers next year. I just don't know if he can do enough this late in the season to keep him. He has looked good at first and hasn't made any crazy errors. If he continues to hit the ball to all fields and play hard the last few games you may have to really think about his value to this club.

Another player that I like is Travis Metcalf and I'm glad he's getting some playing time even if that means that Davis sits. Travis hit three deep balls that all stopped at the wall they just happen to end up in the outfielders gloves, but he hit each of those balls hard and if the outfield had been aligned a little bit different he would have had 3 doubles. Keep it up Travis.

Additionally I noticed last night before the game and also during they kept showing the walk off hits the Rangers had over this season, and there has been a lot I haven't researched it but I'd bet the Rangers had more ninth inning comeback wins this year than ever. The player that was in on almost everyone of those comebacks was Ramon Vazquez. I know many people I talk to don't like Vazquez, but I really like the way he plays the game and you can't argue that he hits in the clutch. I know the Rangers are stacked at the corners now, but I really think Vazquez will continue to make an impact in the MLB and I'd like to see him with the Rangers.

There were two plays that bothered me last night and they were running errors. Bradley and Arias both ran into outs and I can't stand that! Bradley tried to stretch a shot off the wall into a double, but the ball got to the wall so fast and bounced so far back to the outfielder that it was obvious he was out two strides into his turn of first. I was yelling stop, stop, he didn't listen to me and the ball was waiting for him when he got to second. Arias tried to go first to third on a shot to the gap that was fielded cleanly between center and left and again the ball was waiting for him at third. Stupid!

The last thing that I noticed in the middle of ninth was a video that played on the video board for Frank Francisco coming in to close the game. The video lasted until the first batter came up, and I thought how long has Francisco been the closer? Wow, he already has a video? I will tell you this he was awesome! Strike after strike after strike, he through 7 strikes and two balls and got two fly outs and a strikeout. Not bad at all. I prefer him over C.J. Wilson.

Quick Hit: Byrd and Bradley looked really good at the plate last night and Hamilton was just looking to get hits, his swing was so short and compact there was not doubt he was just hitting for a base hit. I hope Josh is just out of gas and doesn't have any injuries.

The Rangers need to win today and win at least one against the Angels over the weekend, if they could sweep the Angels I'd be on cloud nine.

I was going to include my thoughts on Daniels and Washington coming back next year, but I'll write another post for that.

Go Rangers!

AT&T v. Sprint

2008-07-15T12:30:00.000-07:00

Sprint and AT&T have released their flagship phones over the past month and I've been doing a lot of research about which new device and plan makes the most sense. I'm currently not under contract so I don't have to worry about an early termination fee, and that's a major consideration. What are the flagship devices?

The two devices are the Instinct manufactured by Samsung that utilizes the Sprint 3G Network, and the iPhone 3G manufactured by Apple that utilizes the AT&T 3G network. Can you compare these devices on an Orange to Orange basis? The answer is yes, but. The Instinct does not have the same quality on the web browser and utilizes miroSecureDigital memory vs built in memory like the iPhone has. The Instict will cost you $129.99 with a two-year contract, and the iPhone will cost you $199 for 8GB (black) and $299 for 16GB (black or white) with a two-year contract required.

What about the plans? Below are the plans copied directly from the respective company websites. AT&T has two components to their plan; 1) Voice + Data(email/Web), 2) Texting add-on

Sprint Everything Plan

It looks like if you text or talk a lot each month then the Sprint plan is what you need, so you just have to decide if you can live with the not as good web browser and having to buy a 4GB microSD card.

I'm still not convinced that I want the Instinct, but based on the data I'm certainly leaning that direction. I guess I need to go see and use each device before I can really make a decision. If anyone has either or has used both of these devices please leave a comment and let us know which device you prefer.

This Just In: Tiger Woods Is Good

2008-06-18T11:49:00.000-07:00

Tiger Woods demonstrated that he is the best golfer in the world by winning the marathon U.S. Open Golf Tournament this past weekend. Tiger played five days, 18 holes each day and still had not won the U.S. Open. Roco Mediate challenged Tiger and often times it really was Tiger playing Tiger and golf history. Roco made the shots when he needed to and took advantage of Tiger's mistakes. Roco undoubtedly played the best golf of his life on Sunday and Monday and just refused to be beaten by the world's best. Tiger on Saturday with two Eagles and the chip in birdie in the last five holes set the stage for Sunday domination, but it never happened and then again on Monday playing the 18 hole playoff Tiger never took over. Tiger grinded through the back nine and just refused to give up as did Roco. Tiger wore Roco down and won the 19th playoff hole when Roco missed his putt.

Today we learned that Tiger was not just in pain due to recent knee surgery, but he evidently had been hurt more severly than anyone knew. Stress fractures in the tibia and a torn ACL are very painful, it's no wonder why he practically doubled over in pain after some of his shots. With the details of Tigers injuries being released we also learn that he is out for the rest of the season and will target his return in 2009. I have included a story from the Associate Press.

Tiger Woods will have knee surgery, miss rest of season
01:23 PM CDT on Wednesday, June 18, 2008
Associated Press

Tiger Woods is done for the year, but not without one last major that capped off a painful 10 months.

Woods said Wednesday he will have season-ending knee surgery, revealing he has had a torn ligament in his left knee since last July.

And he suffered a double stress fracture of his left tibia while preparing to return to the PGA Tour last month, which forced him to miss the Memorial and was the source of his pain at Torrey Pines when he won the U.S. Open.

"Now, it is clear that the right thing to do is to listen to my doctors, follow through with this surgery and focus my attention on rehabilitating my knee," Woods said in a statement on his Web site.

He had arthroscopic surgery April 15 to clean out cartilage in his left knee, bypassing ACL surgery with hopes it could get him through the 2008 season. But going 91 holes for his 14th career major made it impossible to play any longer.

Woods was last seen in public late Monday afternoon walking with a pronounced limp across Torrey Pines toward the parking lot, the U.S. Open trophy in his arms.

Upcoming surgery makes his 14th major title even more staggering -- despite the stress fractures, he managed to win a U.S. Open that required five days of flinching, grimacing and a long list of spectacular shots that have defined his career.

"Although I will miss the rest of the 2008 season, I'm thrilled with the fact that last week was such a special tournament," Woods said.

He played only seven times worldwide this year and won five of them. He will miss a major championship for the first time in his career and will not be available for the Ryder Cup in September.

It will be the third surgery in five years on his left knee, although Woods said doctors have assured him the outlook is positive. When asked Monday if he further damaged his knee by playing in the U.S. Open, Woods said, "Maybe."

Doctors have told him, however, that the stress fractures will heal with time.

He did not say when he would have surgery.

Woods is ultra private with his health and personal life, never more so than at the U.S. Open. He never mentioned the torn ACL or the stress fracture, and wouldn't say how he was treating it, only that it was more sore as the week went on.

Perhaps the biggest surprise was when the injury first happened.

Woods said he tore the ACL while jogging at home after the British Open last July. He chose not to have surgery and went on a run that included seven consecutive victories, including the Dubai Desert Classic in Europe and his Target World Challenge, an unofficial event.

He did not play overseas late last year for the first time since 2003, hopeful that rest could allow him to play more this year. But the pain intensified through the Masters, where he finished second, and Woods said the cartilage damage developed from the ACL injury.

What he didn't anticipate were the stress fractures, discovered as he tried to get ready to play in the Memorial.

"The stress fractures that were discovered just prior to the tournament unfortunately prevented me from participating and had a huge impact on the timing for my return," Woods said. "I was determined though, to do everything and anything in my power to play in the U.S. Open at Torrey Pines, which is a course that is close to where I grew up and holds many special memories for me."

The New 3G iPhone - It's Here!

2008-06-09T15:00:00.000-07:00

The day I have been waiting for is here. July 11 will be the day that the new iPhone is available and I'm all over this one. My time with Sprint has been good, but the day has come to jump ship. There is no device that Sprint has or has coming that can compare to the new iPhone. It's a phone, iPod, Internet Browser, highspeed connectivity available worldwide, GPS, new Application Store, and last but not least Microsoft Exchange integration for the Enterprise users. It will be available in either 8GB or 16GB models with either black or white available in the 16GB version. Check out all the tech specs. This device truely has everything that any mobile business user might need, and you can listen and watch your favorite music/movies/tv shows. Did I mention that TomTom has a GPS solution ready to buy for the new device? It does and Sling Media is working on a SlingPlayer client for the new device with a working prototype already shown to the media. So now the debate will be do I need a physical keyboard I can I use a virtual touch keyboard. For me it's not a hard choice. I can't wait to see what apps will be available at the app store. I guess I need to start researching plans. Bye, Bye Sprint and Palm Treo. Visit the Apple website for all the details and lots of pics.

BASEBALL MUSINGS

2008-06-04T09:54:00.000-07:00

Have you heard the talk that the Rangers are trying to trade both Millwood and Padilla? I find this interesting because the Rangers could be in the race for the playoffs if this offense keeps up the production, and if they are in contention and trade the two veteran pitchers that they have then what? I would support trading Padilla, just because you never know what you will get from year to year / start to start, but I'm on the fence about Millwood. He's been a real asset in the clubhouse in my not there opinion and he was willing to sign a free agent deal with the Rangers.

And what about Milton Bradley do you trade him also? I would consider signing Bradley to a 3 year deal and make him the DH and a back up in Right.

With the production of Clayton Kershaw, John Danks, and Edison Volquez I'd really like to see some of the AAA and even AA pitchers in the majors.

Speaking of the minors, nine players from the Single A "Lumber Jacks" made the all star team in that league.

Josh Hamilton is not human. I think they need to test him and make sure he's not a Terminator.

Oh and one more thought. Chipper Jones hitting .409 I thought he was done after last year.

IRAQ

2008-06-04T09:38:00.000-07:00

I have not ventured into political discussion on my blog thus far, but I do want to share the comments of one my very best friends who is serving our country in Iraq. The below are comments from a Naval Officer who is on the ground in Iraq and who works everyday to keep our Soldiers, Marines, Air Men and Sailors safe as they work to build a peaceful and democratic Iraq.

I'm happy to report that May had the lowest casualties over here since March of 2004. So we are really feeling the effects of a counter-insurgency strategy that IS working.

I think the media do a terrible job of sharing the story about this war with our citizens back home. So if you don't mind I'll get on my soapbox for a moment since I brought up the status of the counter-insurgency strategy. I worry that we will lose face here if folks don't understand a little more about this place and what we are accomplishing here.

First off, I think Iraq has fascinating potential and wonderful people. I have a tendency to be little cynical since I have been sent on deployment three times in the last four years, but when I bury my resentment about leaving my family I can truly see a lot of potential in this place. When I am out in town I see hundreds of piece-of-crap (normally I would use profanity there, but I'm sensitive to the fact that not everyone uses a sailors vocabulary piece-of-shit...so I am not going to say it) cars driving around. Then I think, "You know what. These guys have some fantastic mechanics that keep these cars running." When I look at the complexity and sophistication of the IED trigger devices that they try to detonate against us I am impressed by their electrical engineering skill. Then when I talk with the people there is a yearning for education. You don't see this sort of "yankee ingenuity" in so many other parts of the world and by this point I have been to so many armpits of the world I consider myself a fair judge.

The bottom line for me has nothing to with the reasons we came here in the first place....that is a political issue. The real fact is that WE ARE HERE, and WE SAID WE WOULDN'T ABANDON THESE PEOPLE. The Iraqi Security forces have made incredible gains in the last year. In fact the current operations in Basra, Mosul and Sadr City reflect a capacity to plan and Iraqi leadership initiative that has been critically missing prior to 2008. In another generation we will all be taking our kids here to see the fascinating origins of human society.

For example, Mosul is the modern name for Ninevah, where Jonah refused to go in the bible story. Ur, Abraham's home is here and the ziggurat there may pre-date the egyptian pyramids. The land between the Tigris and Euphrates rivers is truly beautiful. The hot desert is only out west and I exaggerated the temperature a little bit in the beginning of this note.

Anyway, I am now the Officer in Charge of a Mobile Training Team that travels all over the country training folks on Counter-IED best practices. When I got here I focused on counter Radio Controlled IED's because the Navy's contribution right now is defeating these devices. However, I now teach a full spectrum course on defeating IED's, protecting yourself from the detonation if IED defeat efforts fail, and finally I teach tactics, techniques and procedures for identifying, capturing and killing the mother-hubbards that make these bombs. (Again I would have used profanity there, but if a person reading this does not like "shit" then I'm pretty sure they'd really be offended if I called an insurgent a mother-fucker. So I'm not going to do that.)

You know what....I take that back. I am willing to call some of these insurgents mother-fuckers and feel no shame. The insurgency here deserves every bit of our scorn and hatred. The things I have seen perpetrated by them against the citizens of this country exceed the perverse and demented limits of your collective imagination. I won't even write about it because no one needs to have those sorts of images in their head, but you would no sooner leave your baby in the pit with a rottweiler than abandon these people to Al Queda if you knew how vile and disgusting those men are.

Say a prayer and remember our Armed Forces daily and remember in November when you vote that your vote will decide the fate of the new Iraq.

Rangers News

2008-05-19T07:57:00.000-07:00

After another good weekend of baseball at the Rangers Ballpark in Arlington the Rangers find themselves with yet another series win and a record of 22-23 just one game from .500 and 3.5 games out of first and they can continue to battle in every game.

The news I was most excited to hear on Monday morning is that Hank Blalock has volunteered to play fistbase. What are you kidding me. This guy came up as a third baseman and has played there exclusively in his MLB career. I really think this says something about the make up of this team. Hank is willing to make a move to help the team. When has a player done that? Of course it was Michael Young moving to shortstop after the trade of Alex Rodrigez to the Yankees. This will put some pressure on Ramon Vazquez to keep his hitting going and could expose him as not an everyday player, but I really think he has learned a chance and the Rangers need another option at firstbase. Chris Shelton and Frank Catalonato are not going to cut it, they aren't bad defensively but they just aren't big offensive guys. Hank has been a big offensive guy either, but he hasn't played a full season since.....? That's right never. So the question is who has to be moved so that Hank can rejoin the team and play first? Well he's gone back to Arizona to play in extended spring training and is still rehabbing his hamstring.

One concern is Josh Hamilton did not start on Sunday, but he did come in to play in the eighth as a pinch hitter and took the field in Right in the ninth. The Rangers have to have Hamilton out there to continue this run, he's really been carrying this club offensively. The Twins and Indians will be challenging series so the Rangers really need to show that they are for real and continue to win series on the road.

Go Rangers!

MIT Android Class Project

2008-05-13T07:58:00.000-07:00

Some MIT students had a chance to develop some new software utilizing the Android platform that Google is promoting/sponsoring. AP writer BRIAN BERGSTEIN documented the work of the MIT class. It seems that most of the software tools developed by the students utilize the GPS capabilities of the Android platform. I'm also interested in basic calendar, task, and even video calling capabilities utilizing the VoIP capabilities. Read the story from the AP and let me know what you think.

Rangers

2008-05-13T06:57:00.000-07:00

I'm really not sure what to think about the Rangers game last night. Padilla gave up 5 runs in the first and the Rangers had to work from behind and they came back. The Mariners didn't go down without a fight, however, they scored in the eighth and ninth innings to tie it up at 12. C.J. Wilson did not look good working in a non-save situation. High fastballs are never a good idea.

Here's my hot sports opinion of the day. DON'T BRING HANK BLALOCK OFF OF THE DL. Again this year Ramon Vazquez is doing a great job filling in for Blalock. Although many will say that Vazquez doesn't have the power to be a starting 3rd baseman I disagree. He hits for average, .323. He only has 5 RBI, but I still think he's a better option than Hank, especially with a power hitting center fielder on the roster who continues to drive in runs.

Hamilton has 8 home runs, .306 average, 43 RBI, and 22 Runs in 39 games. That's over 1 per game. Thanks to Hamilton the pitching doesn't have to be perfect.

The bullpen has been looking better of late, but last night was not a good one for the pen. Benoit did not look good and Wilson wasn't good either. Despite the pitching the Rangers have been battling back into the A.L. West.

Buck Showalter on Baseball Tonight commented on the improvement the Rangers are making and even had some really positive comments on Hamilton. Buck is good on Baseball tonight and should probably stick to that gig since he obviously doesn't do well as a manager.

Speaking of manager, I'm still not sure I like the way Wash keeps moving players around in the outfield. They need to stick with a configuration and keep it. What I mean is stop moving Murphy and Boggs around from Left to Right. Keep them at one position and let them play. They are doing a great job and need to every opportunity to excel, moving them from side to side can lead to errors because they get used to seeing the ball of the bat from a certain angle. One of the weak spots before the season has turned into a real strength, credit to the GM for bringing up Boggs and getting him out there.

The Rangers are 4.5 games out of first and are only 3 games under .500, I really can't believe it after the awful end of April they had. Hamilton is really putting this team on his back and carrying this thing.

Want to save some Money on a LCD TV?

2008-04-30T13:30:00.000-07:00

According to HDGuru the time to buy an LCD HD TV is coming very soon. Evidentally SONY wants to be number one and is cutting prices to get there. Here's an exerpt from the entry on HDGuru.

Sony’s latest 40” 1080p (1920×1080) HDTV the KDL-S4100 will have a (suggested minimum price) of just $1199 making a full $500 less than its lowest priced predecessor.
How about a 46” 1080p set? The new KDL-46S4100 will be priced at $1599 (representing a $400 drop). This is Sony’s “advertised price”. The big box retailers Circuit City and Best Buy have been dropping below this minimum advertised price (MAP) 10% or more, only a week or two after other 2008 HDTVs have debuted, so don’t be surprised to see these Sony prices cut quickly by the big box retailers.

10 worst HDTV ripoffs for 2008

2008-04-28T18:18:00.000-07:00

Buyer beware! If you are considering the purchase of a new HD TV you need to be aware of the below items and if you want me to go look at the new TVs with you just call or email. Thanks to Gizmodo for reposting this list from HDGuru.

Fake HD and Cable Satellite Channels: Did you know that a number of HD channels broadcast a lot of "fake HD?" Anyone who has ever watched some of TNT's HD broadcasts can attest to that.
Dynamic Contrast Ratio Measurement Specification: The contrast ratio number is basically meaningless.
Line Conditioners: They do nothing to improve the HDTV image.
Deep Color: No deep color sources makes this a worthless feature.
x.v.Color: Until Laser TVs and xv Color HD discs appear on the scene, this feature is not truly useful.
1080p HDTVs below 42" (diagonal): If you own a HDTV under 42", chances are you won't recognize the quality difference over 720p—unless you are standing really close to the TV.
Flat LCD HDTVs 26" and Smaller: The image quality of LCD HDTVs in the 26" inch range or lower is generally poor.
120Hz HDMI Cables: As mentioned before, expensive HDMI cables are a huge ripoff. Case in point, decent HDMI cable for less than $2. I bought a few myself and they work fine.
Off Brand Model HDTVs: No-name brands may cost you more down the line.
HDMI: Horrible connector design can prove problematic. Always pretest your connections.

If you want all the detail make sure you visit HDGuru to get them.

Cowboys Draft

2008-04-28T11:50:00.001-07:00

The NFL draft was this past weekend and I watched for a while. Biggest surprise wasn't who the Cowboys picked, but instead who they traded and for what. The Cowboys traded a very productive Tight End that was a second round draft pick and a linebacker for a fourth round pick. That move makes no sense whatsoever. I guess Mr. Jones feels like he owes Parcels something. I do like the pick up of the Texas A&M tightend, but even if your pretty sure you'll get him do you risk not having a good second TE?

I won't be surprised if we don't see a trade for Chad Johnson (WR Cincinnati) or Roy Williams (WR Detroit) sometime after June 1.

Leave Roger Clemens Alone!

2008-04-28T11:43:00.000-07:00

Another story about Roger Clemens is out today and this is about a supposed "relationship" between the pitcher and a country music singer. I don't get why the New York Daily News needs to publish a story like this. Leave this retired guy alone. I guess once you play in New York you are never free from the scrutiny.

Rangers Update

2008-04-28T11:19:00.001-07:00

After my last post about the Rangers I figured I should add another since play has improved a little. The highlight of the last week was the shut-out/complete game pitched by Vicente Padilla yesterday. Yes that's right for the first time in over three seasons a Rangers starter pitched a complete 9 innings. He did this while giving up only 7 hits, no Runs, 2 strikeouts, and 2 walks. He threw 121 pitches with 79 strikes. I can't say enough about this wow just about covers it.

Oh and Josh Hamilton now leads the AL in RBI. It’s nice to have such an athletic and talented Center Fielder in a Rangers uniform and Kinsler seems to be doing well hitting in the number one slot also. This one won’t surprise any Ranger fans Hank Blalock is hurt. “Texas was without 3B Hank Blalock for the second straight game due to a strained left hamstring Sunday against the Twins. Blalock reported that some of the soreness has subsided. He'll have an MRI exam on Monday to determine the extent of the injury. Blalock has been talking the last few days about a stint on the DL, but Monday's MRI should decide that. Here we go again with Blalock. As soon as he gets going at the plate, another injury pops up. It's like a never-ending cycle with him. With Blalock talking DL stint, he looks like an extremely risky start for Fantasy Week 5 (April 28-May 4). When healthty, he is a viable corner infield option in mixed leagues.” Courtesy of cbssports.com.

On the television broadcast there was much discussion about how Nolan Ryan's philosophy of starters pitching complete games should be the expectation of the organization from single A all the way the MLB pitching staff was very interesting. Pitching 6 innings is not the expectation for starters. If you thought that Nolan was just going to be a figurehead I guess this new philosophy change should address that.

And after a meeting between Ryan, Daniels, and Washington the team actually looks a lot better...... It makes one wonder if Wash doesn't have an impact on the team, either that or Daniels and/or Ryan spoke with the team about the status of Wash. We as fans may never know what happened, but something did. If they keep this up for another week or two I may consider going to another game this year.

Go Rangers beat up the Royals this week!

Rangers

2008-04-23T13:54:00.000-07:00

Week four of the 2008 baseball season is upon us and where are our Rangers? That's right last place in the AL and only one game up on Washington for the worst record in the MLB. What's more amazing is that except for maybe 4 games the starting pitching has been really good. So what has led to such a poor start to yet another season? It's got to be something in the clubhouse. I'm a Ticket P1, 1310 AM, and heard a great rant from The Old Gray Wolf on Monday and I'm as upset about what the Rangers are doing as he is.

So far this season we have witnessed one bone-head play after another on defense, and on the bases. I think we lead the MLB in errors after today. A team that is pressing at the plate can't afford these mental mistakes, so where does the blame reside? I was all for giving Washington a break, but that was then. His whole philosophy was playing sound fundamental baseball, and they have demonstrated a total lack of playing fundamental baseball. Not only that but some of the stupid game management decisions are killing me. The peak of which was Laird DHing on Saturday. What are you kidding me? And I thought Broussard was a spare at the beginning of the season, but then I warmed to him a little, but after the last week, he's a huge SPARE and sucks especially on defense. Then there's Hank Blalock who refuses to hit the ball down the third baseline when the overshift is put on by the opposing team. He could get a hit and possibly a double if he would just drag bunt the ball right down the line. Even if he's hitting clean up, he should be working on that OBP.

And that leads me to the fact that John Daniels has to go also. Two starting pitchers that are doing well that the Rangers screwed up on are Danks and Armando Galaragga. They didn't even get anything for Galaragga since he was waived at the end of spring training. And don't even get me started on the Chris Young trade. And then you pay Ben Broussard $3mil this year when Boston has Casey at $800k. Makes me ill.

I think that Nolan Ryan has his work cut out for him, he needs to clean house from the front office on down. But who do you hire especially this early into the season? I think the manager and bench coach have to go now and maybe even more of the coaching staff. Two guys I'd love to see on the bench in some capacity are Will Clark and Rusty Greer. I know that Rusty has been managing a college summer league organization, but I really think we need someone with his mind set in the clubhouse. Maybe Rusty isn't ready to be the manager, but he would be a good bench coach. It'll be interesting to see what Ryan does with this mess. Better luck next time Wash....

Dallas Sports Big Night

2008-04-11T08:49:00.000-07:00

Last night Thursday April 10 was a big night for Dallas sports teams. The Stars played their first playoff game of 2008, the Mavericks played another must win game to ensure a playoff birth and the Rangers attempted to get above .500 for the first time in, second year manager, Ron Washington's tenure. And the Masters kicked off.

The Stars played a tough game and shutdown and shutout the Ducks to win game one of their play off series 4-0. All the scoring occurred on power plays which are a true strength of this team. The game was very physical and the Stars never backed down.

The Mavericks won in the final seconds with a three pointer by Dirk. The fact that he was wide open for the three amazed me. It just goes to show that very little defense is played in the NBA.

The Rangers played a double header to make up for the game that was canceled the previous day due to weather. Kevin Millwood started game one and looked great. His ERA is 1.29. Wow, that's definately what the Rangers need. Not only was the pitching good, but when the batters got on base they were moving. Ian Kinsler and Michael Young both stole bases which lead to a run in the first inning and 2 runs in the 7th. The top of the order really produced and that's what this team needs.

The Masters also started play and of course all eyes were on Tiger. It was great to watch and ESPN did a great job with their coverage in HD. The Masters in HD is awesome! The white sand bunkers are incredible and cut of the grass is evident, it's truely amazing how good HD is when it is done correctly. I was excited to hear David Feherty calling the play at 15 I really enjoy his comments, and he's a really funny guy. Tiger played an even par 18 and had no birdies, one eagle, and two bogeys. The leader after day one was Justin Rose at 4 under par. I expect the leaders to be around 6 or 7 under par after round 2. Don't count Tiger out and watch out for the current champion Zach Johnson. Even if you don't like to watch golf on TV you really need to find an HD TV and watch just a few minutes of the coverage on ESPN/CBS.

Have a great weekend and go sports!

Batting Average and Slugging?

2008-04-07T07:33:00.000-07:00

Here's something for baseball nerds out there. Baseball is a game of stats and for decades Batting Average has been a key measure of a hitter, but what does batting average really show? What is a good, or bad batting average? The standard is .300 if a player hits .300 or better he's a good hitter, but what was the average batting average in 2007?

My favorite radio show host Bob Sturm broke down not only batting average, but also slugging and on-base percentage. Take a look at his blog from Friday, April 4 titled Ask Sports Sturm – Web Episode #1.

Especially note how Bob gives the reader details about historic numbers, in other words how do todays batting average numbers compare to those in the 1930s or the mid 1990s?

Musings About Billy Packer

2008-04-07T07:21:00.000-07:00

I'm a huge sports fan, but certain play-by-play or color commentators really annoy me and they point out either the obvious or are just inaccurate in their calling of the game. Some commentators are worse than others and one of the individuals that I can't stand to listen to is Billy Packer, I'm not the only one that can't handle Mr. Packer my brother-in-law's cryptonite is one Billy Packer. Here are some musings on Mr. Packer's Final Four effort, thanks to Mr. Wheeler.

Two to three seconds after the ref blows the whistle for a blatant foul, he says "nice steal." Nantz replies "no steal," but rather than admit he blew it, he goes into Packer mode and tries to cover it up with another comment.
Referring to a Derrick Rose pass on a fast break, "That was a perfect pass on the break. I didn't even realize he saw the trailing man filling the lane." The only problem is the "trailing" man was in front of Rose the entire way down the court. Rose would have had to be blind not to see him.
Speaking of a previous final four game between UCLA and Memphis, he commented about the matchup between Bill Walton and Keith Lee, when Walton went 21 for 22 from the field. The game was in 1973, but Lee took Memphis to the final four in 1985 (later vacated due to NCAA rules violations).
With several minutes remaining in the first half of the KU/NC game, he said "it's over." As we all know, NC came back to cut the lead to four. Late in the game, when questioned about his proclamation, he claimed (somewhat arrogantly) he never doubted the game was over. Really? He needs to go back and listen to the comments he made when NC was making their run.

Rangers Game 2

2008-04-01T21:46:00.000-07:00

Tonight the Rangers have had another good starting pitcher outing. The knucklehead, wasn't bad in his 2008 debut. Padilla pitched 6 innings, threw 109 pitches, gave up 8 hits, 1 earned run, and 3 walks whiles striking out 4.

Michael Young with another error and Kinsler with 2 errors. Defense will cost you games and this team can't afford to squander good starts especially by the top of the rotation. Giving up a lead in the bottom of the 8th is bad, but when you face J.J. Putz in the ninth it's awful. What a horrible way to start 2008. They can't blame pitching for the teams problems in the 8th.

Josh Hamilton got a good pitch to hit from Putz and deposited into souvenir city. Wow, can you believe this guy? I just hope that he sprinkles in some singles and doubles along the way. Putz has had to throw a lot of pitches tonight, so he won't be available tomorrow. It was up to Wilson to close it out for the Rangers with just a 1 run lead and he was able to do it.

So the Rangers proved tonight that they can win despite playing bad defense, but that won't happen every night. I just don't want to see the Rangers winning by and counting on the home run ball to win games. Like I've written before, all you need is three hits in an inning and you have a couple of runs. I'd much rather see that than a home run.

Let's go Rangers.

Opening Day + 1

2008-04-01T20:20:00.000-07:00

The Rangers opened the season in Seattle and unfortunately it looks like they are picking up right where they left off. I'm probably being a little harsh since Millwood pitched well, but the offense was no where to be found and the relief pitching was PUTRID. They were facing a guy who last year owned them, but come on.

Michael Young had an terrible error and he just can't afford to do that.

The first baseman Ben Broussard was ofer on the day, but didn't have an error and the DH Bradley didn't do anything. The Rangers have got to do something about firstbase, Broussard just isn't what the Rangers need. It's unfortunate that Botts can't play first on a day in day out basis, but he can't be much worse than Broussard.

This team has got to hit guys like Erik Bedard. If they want to win they have to hit. A string of hits is all they need, three in one inning on any given night will be key for this season. They have to do better, than what they showed yesterday.

If there was a highlight it was Millwood who gave up no Earned Runs and pitched 6 innings with 4 strikeouts and 3 walks on 91 pitches. He still got the loss thanks to 2 unearned runs, but if the Rangers get that type of an outing from every starter this year will be much better than last year.

Nokia N810 Internet Tablet - WiMAX Edition

2008-04-01T11:25:00.000-07:00

It's official Nokia has issued a press release documenting the U.S. launch of the new Internet Tablet (MID) the N810 with WiMAX.

Nokia N810 Internet Tablet WiMAX Edition unleashes an open Internet experience, demonstrating the mobile future of web services

Espoo, Finland - Ushering in the next generation of wireless broadband devices, Nokia (NYSE: NOK) today unveiled its newest Nseries device, the Nokia N810 Internet Tablet - WiMAX Edition, Nokia's first device engineered to take advantage of new wide-area high-speed mobile WiMAX networks. This pocket-sized device lets consumers enjoy an open Internet experience, allowing for access to the full Internet without barriers, while on the go. The Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is the latest iteration of Nokia's popular line of Internet Tablet products. For the first time, the power and convenience of the Internet Tablet platform is combined with next generation wide-area wireless broadband capability, allowing users to easily and quickly access all of their favorite Internet services beyond local area hot spots. The Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is expected to be available in the United States during the summer of 2008 in areas where WiMAX connectivity is available.

WiMAX is a standards-based wireless broadband technology that delivers an open Internet experience similar to that of fixed broadband technologies with typical data download speeds of up to 2-4 Mbps per user with peak download speeds of up to 10 Mbps. Unlike current single point local area technologies like Wi-Fi which have a range of a few hundred feet, WiMAX networks consist of a number of interconnected base stations, each with a radius of up to 2-3 miles, that allow for handoffs from one base station to another as users move about a region or metro area. Additionally, WiMAX networks integrate technology designed to maximize the quality of service for each subscriber.

"By delivering the kind of open Internet experience that consumers previously only expected on a desktop PC, the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is a compelling example of how next generation broadband wireless technology will not only change the way people think about the Internet, it will change the very nature of the Internet itself," said Ari Virtanen, Vice President of Convergence Products for Nokia. "Much in the way that the evolution of the fixed Internet from dial-up to broadband enabled a host of new Internet services and changed people's expectations of what an Internet experience should be, the transition to a broadband Internet experience set free from the constraints of a fixed network will spark the next wave of new mobile Internet services, and will forever change the perception of what the Internet can be."

Along with a full featured web browser, powered by Mozilla, that takes full advantage of the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition's large 4.13 inch touch screen and slide-out QWERTY keyboard, a variety of popular web-based services are also supported. Many of these applications can be found on Nokia's dedicated OS 2008 User Site. To keep connected while on-the-go, a number of Voice over Internet Protocol (VoIP) and Instant Messaging (IM) clients are available, including Skype(TM), Google Talk(TM), and Gizmo5, which can also take advantage of the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition's built-in web cam for video calls. A client for the popular Rhapsody online music service is also available, transforming the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition into a portable jukebox with millions of songs available to enjoy at a few taps of the screen. Beyond these well-known services, an active developer community has also emerged around the Linux-based Internet Tablet platform, creating additional applications - from games to productivity tools.

A number of additional features further enhance the utility of the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition. With built-in GPS, the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition can easily transform itself into a fully featured personal navigation device, complete with real-time on-screen maps. An integrated media player and 2 GB of internal memory, expandable to a full 10 GB of memory with the addition of an optional microSD memory card, allows the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition to store and play back a large library of music and video content. When not in range of a WiMAX network, the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition can also access the Internet over Wi-Fi or via conventional cellular data networks by pairing to a compatible mobile phone via Bluetooth technology.

Also being introduced with the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition is the newest Internet Tablet operating system. This new upgraded OS2008 introduces useful new features to the platform, including an enhanced e-mail client, support for Chinese character rendering in the browser and RSS feeds and Seamless Software Update functionality to eliminate manual software updates, making periodic updates of the operating system quick and easy. While standard on the Nokia N810 WiMAX Edition, current owners of Nokia N810 and N800 Internet Tablets with earlier operating systems will be able to upgrade their device to the revised operating system for free during the second quarter of 2008.

Nokia cleverly embedded the images of the new device in Flash, so I can not include any images, but here's the link to the Nokia N810 gallery.

CTIA Big Announcement Number One

2008-04-01T10:50:00.000-07:00

Samsung and Sprint have collaborated to develop what they feel is a true iPhone competitor. This device in many regards is superior to the iPhone because it has GPS and highspeed 3G. Check out the teaser website. Some other great features include:

3.1-inch touchscreen phone
Localized haptic feedback
Three hard navigation keys
Visual Voicemail
2.0 megapixel camera with 2x digital zoom and video camcorder
Advanced Stereo Bluetooth® Wireless Technology with audio caller ID
Access to corporate and consumer (POP3) email including AOL, Gmail and Yahoo!
Threaded text messaging provides a view of the full conversation
Full HTML web browser.

New Wireless Phones

2008-03-27T11:42:00.000-07:00

I have not published any new news about new wireless phones because there really haven't been any new devices launched. However, Blackberry has launched a couple new variations of existing devices. T-Mobile and AT&T have launched the new BlackBerry Pearl 8120 sporting a 2 MP camera, 3.5mm headphone jack, external microSD slot, and Wi-Fi support. T-Mobile has released the BlackBerry 8820 that features: Wi-Fi enabled handset sports GPS, a full QWERTY keyboard, microSD slot, and a whole lot more.

Samsung has launched a device in Korea that is very interesting and I hope it makes it to the States soon.
The Anycall Haptic (model numbers SCH-W420 and SPH-W4200) phone has a 3.2-inch widescreen display, a 2-megapixel digital camera, full Internet browser, Bluetooth 2.0 and terrestrial digital TV reception.
Why is the device named Haptic? The device provides haptic feedback, information transmitted via the sense of touch, when using certain functions on the device. It means, for example, that when the volume of the radio is changed, the phone simulates both the sound and feel of the "clicks" on an old-style volume knob on a real radio, said Samsung.
I like any device that will compete with the iPhone and I'm a fan of Samsung devices, so please bring to over the Pacific.

Here's a rumor courtesy of Ken Dulaney, an analyst with the well-respected Gartner firm.
Apple may have ordered a second round of 10 million iPhones based on the 3G network. Do you know what 3G is?
3G is the closest thing to broadband data connectivity that is currently available to wireless users. High-Speed Downlink Packet Access (HSDPA) is a 3G (third generation) mobile telephony communications protocol in the High-Speed Packet Access (HSPA) family, which allows networks based on Universal Mobile Telecommunications System (UMTS) or (GSM) to have higher data transfer speeds and capacity. AT&T and T-Mobile both utilize this network technology.
One of the big complaints about the existin iPhone is the lack of a high speed data connectivity. The data connectivity currently available in the iPhone is EDGE which is a 2.5G and is considerably slower than HSDPA. Many observers speculate that one of the reasons why the iPhone did not do well in Europe was because of the lack of a 3G data capability. I will not even consider an iPhone until it includes 3G connectivity.

So there are some new Blackberry models out Samsung launched a new iPhone competitor in Korea and supposedly Apple has started manufacturing of 10 million new iPhones. That's it? Rumor has it that more new device launches will be revealed at the upcoming CTIA Wireless trade show next week. I can't wait.

IT'S 2008

2008-03-25T08:42:00.000-07:00

Last year I wrote about the new computer/mobile device genre created by Intel the Mobile Internet Device that provides laptop like features in a small form factor with either Windows Mobile, Linux, or Symbian. The first big name to release such a device is Nokia which launched the N810 in late 2007 and rumor has it that new versions of this device will be released at the CTIA Wireless 2008 show April 1 - 3 in Las Vegas. Other manufactures like Samsung, ASUS, Lenovo, HTC, and Aigo have either created prototype devices or have announced that they will be utilizing the Intel chipsets. I expect that we will also see a Sony Vaio MID that may support PSP games. Don't forget that a number of UMPC (Ultra Mobile PC) devices are already on the market by Sony, Samsung and OQO to name a few. The UMPC utilizes Microsoft XP or Vista in most cases. Engadget broke down the difference between MID and UMPC.
Dan Monahan, Intel's Global Internet Segment Manager of Ultra Mobility. This is how it breaks down.

UMPC

Business-class device for enterprise users
Runs a "heavy" OS like Vista
Optimized for office-use applications like Excel, Word, etc.

MID

Consumer-class lifestyle device
Runs a 'lightweight" OS with quick startup like Linux
Optimized for things like media playback and web surfing
In 2009 (or so) Moorestown-based devices will be classed as MIDs only

Another manufacturer that hasn't been documented for these devices is Palm. The failed Palm Foleo was pretty similar to a MID, but it didn't have a built-in wireless chipset, but if you add that then the Foleo would be a great device that could compete in the MID and UMPC genres and could even compete with the Mac Book Air. Hopefully CTIA will provide more details and more cool devices for us to anticipate and then we have to wait for the launch of the Xohm network to really utilize the full capabilities of these new devices.

MLB Season OPEN

2008-03-25T08:06:00.000-07:00

Regardless of how you feel about the baseball season starting in Japan the fact remains that the season is underway. As a life long Texas Rangers fan this spring really does not hold any hope for the upcoming season. I do believe that the team as constructed as some serious holes in the line-up and that the pitching is still developing, but there is a core of players that I truly enjoy watching. Michael Young is one of my favorite players in all of the MLB. Michael works everyday and many people complain about his lack of range at Short, but I disagree compared to what the Rangers have had at Short in the 80s and 90s Young is the second best Short Stop to ever play in Arlington. He's only second to ARod. Some of the other players I cheer for are Kinsler, J. Hamilton, Hank, and Laird. I know many people disagree with me on Blalock and Laird, but I like them. I really think this team is just a few players away from being a legitimate contender. DH is the gap I'm concerned about as the season starts, but if Bradley can be healthy maybe that concern is being addressed. My second concern is the outfield, Marlon Byrd needs to prove that last year was no fluke and then left field platoon of players will need to each play well. I hate having a platoon of players for the outfield and wish there was a defined line up out there. First base is another question, with Saltalamachia being pushed into the catcher position that leaves first wide open. Too bad Adrian Gonzales is in San Diego now. Don't even get me started on that trade....

Pitching is always an issue, Padilla, Gabbard, and McCarthy have a lot to prove in 2008 and if they pitch like last year the Rangers are in for a long season. Padilla has had good years and we need a decent year with more that 15 wins from him. Gabbard and McCarthy need to have at least 10 wins and I expect Jennings and Millwood to have more than 15 wins also. My prediction is that Luis Mendoza will excel and show that he is a 3 or 4 in a 6 man rotation. He will be better than both Gabbard and McCarthy.

I expect the Rangers to have at least 80 wins this season, and could even be sniffing the Division lead late in the season if they can split or win the majority of their series with the Angels and Mariners. I believe the heart is there if they can just perform on the field and if the pitching can stay healthy and play up to their ability.

GO RANGERS!!!!!

Abilene Christian in the News

2008-02-26T11:27:00.000-08:00

Engadget picked up on the plan published by ACU to utilize Apple devices to increase communication for it's students. You can read the details on ACU's website, but what it says is:

"We are not merely providing cutting-edge technology tools to our incoming students," said Roberts. "We are also providing the web applications that ensure these tools will become critical to the students' learning experience. Because 93 percent of ACU students bring their own computers with them to college, we are choosing to take them to the next level by providing converged mobile devices."

My only criticism of this plan is that I think it is too confined to just Apple devices and think it should be more open. Hopefully with Android this type of exclusiveness will come to an end. I thought it was cool that one of my favorite blogs had a story about my alma mata. Go Cats!

New Sprint Stuff

2008-02-24T19:27:00.000-08:00

Since I am a Sprint "homer" or "fan boy" take your pick as to which nickname you'd like to use, I found this information on phonearena.com pretty interesting. First is that there is supposed to be a launch of the next generation "push-to-talk" functionality on the Sprint network utilizing the QChat product that is a VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol) Push-to-Talk technology developed by Qualcomm in mid April. You might remember back in Oct. 2006 Sprint had a press release announcing that QChat would be deployed and would be interoperable to the Nextel iDEN network; and in 2005 Qualcomm demonstrated QChat at the CTIA (Cellular Telecommunications & Internet Association) trade show as it worked with Nextel iDEN network.

Finally after three years the product is set to be launched, or at least four phones featuring QChat capabilities are rumored to be released on April 16.

The first phone is long rumored and even photographed LG device called the LX400 (pictured below). The next two phones are Sanyo models the PRO 700 and PRO 200. Thanks to phonescoop.com for the FCC links for these two devices. The 700 looks to be a "rugged" phone. A fourth phone rumored to be hitting the market place is the Samsung Z400 (picture below) also a "rugged" phone, thanks engadgetmobile.com.

So that's four new devices all utilizing the new QChat functionality and Sprint just in the last few weeks has really been touting the "push-to-x" product family, remember the press release on Feb. 19. It makes me think these new devices will launch with Nextel branding and not just Sprint branding. It only took Sprint 18 months to launch this new capability even though it was demonstrated back in 2005? Why so long you might ask. Well first Sprint had to have EVDO RevA network infrastructure built out to all the towers in the major markets. Then it was tested in each market by employees and select customers. Sprint could not afford to roll out a flop. Sprint has lost so many Nextel customers due to network issues they couldn't afford another network failure. Here we are on the brink of a new era in mobile communication and which company is at the front? Not only that but with Xohm services launching by the end of 2008 I really think Sprint will be turning around and will show growth by Q1 2009.

I almost forgot to mention the other device rumored to be launching on April 16 is the new BlackBerry Curve 8330. AT&T and TMobile offer this device for the GSM crowd, but unlike the GSM version this one will have EVDO which is true 3G. Check out the link here to bbgeeks.com for some pictures of the device. I think I might need to try one of these.... Then again I don't want to pay for the additional blackberry data plan. I'll just stick to my Palm 755.

More on Unlimited Calling Plans

2008-02-19T14:49:00.000-08:00

I just finished reading a good AP article about the wireless companies offering unlimited plans and it mentions that T Mobile USA is going to be offering an unlimited plan for $99 and will include text messaging and picture messaging, details to be released on Thursday, Feb. 21. The article also mentions the $119 plan that Sprint has been testing since last May in Twin Cities, Philadelphia, San Francisco and Tampa, Fla. Helio a smaller nationwide carrier, MVNO (Mobile Virtual Network Operator) that utilizes the Sprint network, is also offering a $99 unlimited plan that includes voice, data, texting, web, and picture messaging. Helio also has some really cool handsets. Look for Sprint to announce more markets that will have the chance to subscribe to the new Unlimited Plan. Stay tuned for more news as it comes out.

Not To Be Out Done by Number Two

2008-02-19T11:21:00.000-08:00

AT&T has issued a press release announcing new unlimited voice plans targeted to wireless users who want the predictability of flat rate pricing for unlimited minutes. Do not be fooled though, this is for voice services only and does not include data services like texting (sms), picture/video mail, or internet services. "Standard wireless phones can choose a data plan such as $5 for 200 text, picture, video and instant messages or $35 for unlimited messaging and MEdia Net access." What is a standard wireless phone you ask, well it's not an iPhones, smartphones, or PDA phones. Read the official release at at&t dot com.

First of the Big Three to Introduce Unlimited Plan

2008-02-19T08:25:00.000-08:00

Verizon Wireless has gone and done it. The CDMA carrier officially launched today their new unlimited plans, but make sure you read all the details before you sign up because all the plans are not truely unlimited.

Palm Centro

2008-02-19T00:02:00.000-08:00

UPDATE 2/22/08
Coming soon the Obsidian Black Centro the AT&T website.

The Sprint exclusivity on the Palm Centro just ended and look what I found an AT&T Centro.

Will you love or hate the green numbers? I like it.

Overview

The Palm Centro is a compact QWERTY smartphone offering a full range of features. Transfer data or go hands-free with USB, Bluetooth® and infrared connectivity. Keep up with work and friends via email, Instant Messenger and Push-To-Talk. Enjoy the sounds of AT&T Music and XM Radio. Snap pictures and record video with the 1.3 MP camera, and store it all comfortably with up to 4 GB microSD expansion memory.

Included Features

1.3 MP Camera with video capture
Picture and video messaging
EDGE class 10 for rapid data transfers
Bluetooth v1.2 and Infrared connectivity
Supports MicroSD(TM) expansion memory - up to 4 GB
Full QWERTY keyboard and 2.2" touchscreen display
AIM®, Yahoo!®, and Windows Live® Messengers
Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync email support
Support for Good Mobile Messaging
XM Radio, AT&T Music and MusicID
Support for Xpress Mail
Push-To-Talk

Technical Specs

Weight: 4.23 ounces
Dimensions: 4.2 x 2.1 x 0.73
Talk Time: Up to 3 hours
Standby Time: Up to 10 days
Full QWERTY keyboard
Palm OS 5.4.9
Intel 312 MHz CPU
64MB Non-volatile Flash / 64MB RAM
MicroSD expansion slot - up to 4 GB
2.2", 320x320 touchscreen display with 64k colors
Quad-Band World Phone - 850/900/1800/1900 MHz
Warranty: One year warranty on phone and accessories
All talk, data & standby times depend on network configuration

Visit AT&T dot com for all the details.

Nuviphone

2008-01-31T08:33:00.000-08:00

I know I haven't had a new post on here in quite awhile, but there really hasn't been much to write about, except the on going issues at Sprint Nextel which I have decided to wait to write about until after the Feb 28 Q4 2007 results press release/conference. The only other thing going on was the bad showing the Cowboys made against the Giants in the playoffs and then the trip of the Packers that allowed a streaking Giants team to make it to the Big Game.

My day was brightened when I saw the Garmin press release announcing the new Nuviphone. I am a big fan of the Garmin Nuvi devices and the net rumors have been flying about an up coming Garmin phone, but nothing official.

Now we know and it looks really cool. What we don't know is what carriers will have it and what the price(s) will be. I really hope this is not a carrier specific device, but instead is available for both GSM and CDMA. It won't be available until Q3 2008, but I'll be on the waiting list if it comes to CDMA! Check out the details in the press release.

Here are some of the specs that I'm really excited about:

integrate premium 3.5G mobile phone capability
internet browser,
data connectivity,
personal messaging,
personal navigation functions
3.5-inch touchscreen display reveals three primary icons --

"Call"

"Search"

"View Map"

Turn-by-turn, voice-prompted directions guide the user to their destination
If they miss a turn along the route, nuvifone automatically recalculates a route and gets them back on track, speaking the names of the streets along the way
Includes Google local search capability, which harnesses the vast point of interest information available from the world wide web
"Where am I?" feature lets users touch the screen at any time to display the exact latitude and longitude coordinates, the nearest address and intersection, and the closest hospitals, police stations and gas stations.
Includes access to Garmin Online(TM), an online service offering constantly-updating information such as real-time traffic, fuel prices, stock prices, sport scores, news reports, local events and weather forecasts.

Here's a link to the product gallery on Garmin.com

nuviphone HOME screen

nuviphone GPS screen

nuviphone Web Browser

Mac World News

2008-01-15T13:20:00.000-08:00

Mr. Jobs gave his keynote address at Mac World today and made a few big announcements, but the iPhone 3G was not one of them, I'm sad about that. The headliner of this announcement is the new Mac Book Air (pictured above and below). Other announcements include: new Mac Pro, Time Capsule, Xserve, iPhone/Touch firmware update, and iTunes movie rentals.

So what are the details on the "Air"? Here's what you can see on the product site.

1.6GHz or 1.8GHz Intel Core 2 Duo processor.
2GB of RAM
80GB hard drive or optional 64GB solid-state drive
Oversize trackpad with multi-touch technology
13.3 inch backlit LED display
iSight camera
Height:0.16-0.76 inch (0.4-1.94 cm)
Width:12.8 inches (32.5 cm)
Depth:8.94 inches (22.7 cm)
Weight:3.0 pounds (1.36 kg)
Bluetooth 2.1 + EDR
AirPort Extreme Wi-Fi wireless networking (based on IEEE 802.11n draft specification); IEEE 802.11a/b/g compatible
Mac OS X v10.5 Leopard
iLife ’08 (includes iTunes, iPhoto, iMovie, iDVD, iWeb, GarageBand)

Digital Televisions: Which One Is For Me

2008-01-02T22:06:00.001-08:00

Ok so this transition from analog to digital is finally being advertised and talked about on TV, but what does it mean? My local TV station is boasting about being HD? What the heck is HD and how is it different from digital? What kind of TV do I need to buy to watch this new digital signal?

All of these are questions that I have heard or anticipate hearing over the next year. Let's start with explaining what analog and digital are. Analog technology has been in use for the past 50 years to transmit conventional TV signals to consumers. Most current television transmissions are received through analog television sets. Analog signals vary continuously, creating fluctuations in color and brightness. Digital TV is the umbrella term encompassing High-definition Television and several other applications, including Standard Definition Televison, datacasting, multicasting and interactivity. I recommend that the reader check out the governments website about the transition from analog to digital programming dtv.gov. So what is SDTV and HDTV?

Digital television Quality Levels
There are many quality levels of digital television programming. The most common are:

Standard Definition TV (SDTV) - SDTV is the basic level of quality display and resolution for both analog and digital. Transmission of SDTV may be in either the traditional (4:3) or widescreen (16:9) format.
Enhanced Definition TV (EDTV) - EDTV is a step up from Analog Television. EDTV comes in 480p widescreen (16:9) or traditional (4:3) format and provides better picture quality than SDTV, but not as high as HDTV.
High Definition TV (HDTV) - HDTV in widescreen format (16:9) provides the highest resolution and picture quality of all digital broadcast formats. Combined with digitally enhanced sound technology, HDTV sets new standards for sound and picture quality in television. (Note: HDTV and digital TV are not the same thing -- HDTV is one format of digital TV.)

If you do not plan to buy a new television by February 17, 2009 then you will need to buy a digital converter to watch any over the air programing on an analog television. The government is offering a $40 credit towards a digital converter box via the dtv2009.gov website.

If I want an HDTV which one should I buy? This is the real question and it really comes down to the following items.

Consider your peripherals (sound system, DVD player, VCR, XBox, Playstation, etc...)

Will you be using RCA connectors, composite, or HDMI?

Viewing habits

Are you watching network programing or do you want more of a theater like feel for watching movies?

Lighting in the room where the TV will be

Is there a lot of direct sunlight or ambient light?

Viewing distance (wall mounted or not)

Is your couch or recliner 2 feet or 1o feet away from TV?
Will you need to buy a mounting kit?
Will you need to buy new furniture for the TV to sit on?

Size of screen (26 inch or 72 inch)

How big is the room where the TV will be?
Do you have a 15 ft wall to fill?

Narrow your choices down to a half dozen by visiting your local BestBuy, CircuitCity, or Fry's and watch all the HDTVs and determine which picture looks the best to you.
Read some owner and profession reviews:

CNET
ConsumerReport
AVSforum
UltimateAVmag
Google - HDTV owner reviews (remember blogs are just peoples opinions)

Narrow your choices to the top 5 and select the best price. Don't just check prices at the retailers listed above because some of the best deals may be found at places like: Wal-Mart, Sams Club, or Costco (granted you need a membership at the last two retailers), and don't forget the web, search pricegrabber to see if an online retailer has a better price.

If I would have wanted a smaller TV say a 32 up to 47 inches I would have chosen an LCD TV and would have most likely purchased a Westinghouse or Vizio model because of price. Compare the specifications on each of sets in detail paying special attention to Resolution, Contrast ratio, and NTSC and ATSC compatibility and of course all of the above items.

Here's what I did. I have a large room that has four large windows and an empty wall, so I knew Plasma and projector/screen technologies were out do to lighting and size/price. I wanted at least 50 inches. I also wanted a great sound system to compliment my picture and since I did not have a surround sound system I needed one of those. I wanted to utilize HDMI connectors whenever possible to get the best sound and picture available so I needed a AV Receiver with at least two HDMI inputs (one for DVD and one for Satellite box) and a TV with at least one HDMI input. I decided that I did not want to mount my tv on the wall so that narrowed my choices to DLP or LCOS technology. DLP is very good but it does cost a little more and I wanted to keep the cost down. I decided on the JVC D-ILA or Direct-drive Image Light Amplifier technology instead of DLP. The price is what convinced me. I got the JVC HD-61G887 with 720p resolution instead of 1080i, and it's 61 inches with 2 HDMI ports and optical sound output! Most programming today is still on 720p resolution and DVD upscaling is only to 720p on most DVD players, so I really didn't need to pay for the 1080i or 1080p resolution. I am very pleased with my purchase and enjoy watching HD programming from DishNetwork and via my upscaling DVD player. Always wait until the next years models are out and then buy something that is being discontinued that will meet your needs/wants. The newest models are always more expensive!

2008 10 Best

2007-12-18T13:21:00.001-08:00

Car and Driver has just released their 2008 Ten Best List and I must admit I was shocked by a couple of the vehicles they chose, and I have a new favorite luxury sedan. It's not a Beemer! Check out some pictures of the all new 2008 Cadillac CTS below. It's not your Grandma's Caddy!
Some old "standbys" are also included like the BMW 3-Series, Honda Accord, Chevrolet Corvette, and Porsche Boxster/Cayman.

Another new vehicle on the list is the 2008 Chevrolet Malibu. I have not seen one of these up close and personal yet, but they do look very appealing. I hope people will begin to consider the Malibu over the Accord/Camry.

CTS

----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

MALIBU

Sprint Names New CEO

2007-12-18T12:55:00.000-08:00

Those of you familiar with Sprint Nextel will recognize the name of the new CEO. He comes from former Sprint local phone carrier Embarq. Yes it's Dan Hesse. Here's an excerpt from the Sprint press release.

Hesse had been chairman and CEO since Embarq's inception in 2006. Prior to the formation of Embarq, he served as CEO of Sprint's Local Telecommunications Division for one year before the spin-off that created Embarq. Hesse previously has spent 23 years at AT&T, including serving between 1997 and 2000 as the president and CEO of AT&T Wireless Services, which was then the United States' largest wireless operator.

Mr. Hesse you better get busy because there is a lot of work to do. I wonder if you can make the iDEN network work better or speed up the iDEN to CDMA transition by which I mean the implementation of Qchat? As a shareholder I'm looking forward to seeing what the new vision will be and what it will and will not include. Just don't cancel or scale back that Xohm implementation and launch! Good luck!

Palm Treo 755p Coming to Verizon Soon

2007-12-13T14:56:00.000-08:00

engadgetmobile has received details about the forgotten Palm Treo 755p for Verizon. Nothing new or really different from the Sprint version. Check out all the pictures and diagrams on the engadget site.

BlackJack II

2007-12-13T14:38:00.000-08:00

Latest and greatest Samsung smartphone from AT&T has just hit the street. Check out the great article about this new super phone by Dave Ciccone on mobilityTODAY. This device features Tri-band UMTS/HSDPA and Quad-band EDGE/GPRS with 2.4 inch 65K TFT display screen, Integrated GPS, Microsoft Windows Mobile 6 standard, 2.0 megapixel camera and video recorder, and Stereo Bluetooth 2.0. Check out the AT&T product page.

Front of BlackJack II sporting the bigger screen. You'll also see the AT&T Blackberry Curve 8310 for size comparison.

Mitchell Report

2007-12-13T12:40:00.000-08:00

I must say that I really wasn't looking forward to reading the REPORT TO THE COMMISSIONER OF BASEBALL OF AN INDEPENDENT INVESTIGATION INTO THE ILLEGAL USE OF STEROIDS AND OTHER PERFORMANCE ENHANCING SUBSTANCES BY PLAYERS IN MAJOR LEAGUE BASEBALL that Senator Mitchell has worked on, but after hearing the press conference I couldn't help but open up the report and start reading and searching for specific players. Please take into context that this report is merely documenting verified incidents that tell the history of the use of illegal performance enhancing drugs. The goal of the report is not to prosecute individuals identified but rather to make the argument that more needs to be done and that the program that the MLB currently has is still not enough. As Senator Mitchell stated this report should be utilized to help focus the goals of the future, and should not focus on what has already happened. In other words don't dwell on the past and instead focus on the future! That said some of the accounts documented in the report are really fascinating especially the section about Roger Clemens. Check out section VIII, subsection B, page 167.

XOHM Roll Out

2007-12-12T11:23:00.000-08:00

On December 5 PhoneScoop reported that the first XOHM launch was eminent, but I wanted to wait for something a little more official to be published before I covered this. Todays the day! TelephonyOnline has a story from Monday 12/10 with comments from the great XOHM press relations rep John Polivka. Here are some of the details from Mr. Polivka:

The soft launches will cover the downtown cores of Chicago, Baltimore and Washington but will rapidly expand outward, following existing cellular data traffic patterns throughout their respective cities. Though Sprint has set no date for the broader customer trials, Polivka said, Sprint intends to keep the trial short, using it as an opportunity to optimize the network for a full commercial launch in the second quarter.

Please click on the link to the very well written article from Kevin Fitchard on TelephonyOnline. I have submitted my email address to be a beta tester for the service in Dallas, so if I get the opportunity I'll keep everyone posted about this new mobile highspeed internet service. I'd really like an OQO model 2 with a XOHM card to test it out around town, but I won't push my luck.

Gadgets and TV Part II

2007-12-04T07:25:00.000-08:00

What do NASCAR, NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL have in common besides the fact that they are major sport conglomerates? I would like to see the NASCAR NEXTEL FanView™ migrate to the other major sports. Wouldn't it be great to have a video/stat view at your NFL venue of choice. Do you even know what the FanView is?
It's a revolutionary, handheld device designed to enhance your entire race experience — from practice and qualifying to full race-day coverage — and offers these features:

Live race broadcasts
In-car views from up to seven drivers
Live driver, race and track stats
Comprehensive audio coverage of drivers, teams, race officials and radio broadcasts
New! Watch SPEED's Trackside Live and ESPN's NASCAR Now live on your device!

I imagine uniquely designed shapes for the different sports, so maybe the NFL version would be the shape of a football and MLB would be the shape of a baseball. Time magazine even labeled the FanView as one of the Best Inventions of 2006. There must be some kind of exclusivity clause with NASCAR for FanView, because I'm sure the other sports would love to have another item that people at the games can pay to use. Parking $20; hotdog $5; beer $8; hat $30; FanView rental $50. Why not? Some supporting venues offer free WiFi so why not just provide a device that is wireless and connects to the internet, and includes event content and advertising? Yet another WiMAX possibility that could also utilize EVDO Rev0.

Another utilization of WiMAX was announced by NEC in Japan recently, from Gizmodo; "Just in Japan for now, the NEC Lui is a system designed around a central server that will stream media to any device around the house using WiMAX and Windows Vista."
So instead of utilizing wifi it utilizes WiMAX. It will interesting to see how use of the WiMAX technology is charged to the consumer? Will there be a subscription service like Tivo? Tivo provides content and WiMAX is just a connection to the internet. I can see where Tivo might want to add WiMAX to their devices and then just charge a little more for utilizing that type of connection. Maybe the satellite providers would like to add it to their boxes as well?

So if the Xohm service from Sprint Nextel still happens the gadget crowd will have even more options to choose from.

Gadgets and TV

2007-11-26T21:06:00.000-08:00

Ok so the holiday shopping season is in full swing, and everyone is rushing out to purchase their goodies. Top sellers seem to be the Wii and iPods. Is the iPod/iPhone/Touch the most impactful gadget of the 2000's? The cell phone has really transformed our lives, remember back when we just dialed 4 digits on a rotary dial phone to talk to our friends? Remember when we first saw a car with a phone? My first car with a phone experience was a 1986 Mercedes roadster, I remember my friends and I were amazed and could only imagine that a doctor would need such a thing. Then in 1994 I remember seeing people carrying these large phones that reminded me of the field phone used by the military at the end of WWII and Korea and Vietnam. I remember a class mate of mine in high school said his mom worked for southwestern bell mobile systems a new pager and cell phone division of southwestern bell and I thought mobile systems, what's that? Then I remember the first RIM pager/calendar thing and the first US Robotics Palm III. The year was 1995 I was working for a long distance company called US Sprint that was changing it's name to just Sprint and they were launching a wireless digital phone service, not a cellular service but a digital service called Personal Communication Service (PCS) that worked on technology called CDMA developed by some company called Qaulcom. About that same time GTE rolls out a PCS service and so does PrimeCo. Looking back on PrimeCo and Sprint they were at the forefront of the technology. So fast forward to 2001 and the launch of Apple computers new music device the iPod. Wikipedia states,"As of September 2007, the iPod had sold over 110 million units worldwide (stated in "The Beat Goes On" conference) making it the best-selling series in history." So it was just a matter of time before the PCS device and the digital music player merged. So what's next? Where do we go from here? I still believe that the future is upon us, and the days of being tied to wired high speed internet connection are numbered, but aren't their some things that require one to sit a desk? The real question is what can't one do? Do I really need a seperate GPS device, Blackberry, iPod, and laptop? Why can't I have all of this in one Pearl sized package? Is this where the iPhone is heading? If it isn't maybe it should. Why do I need a laptop? To check email and access custom applications for my company? I can already check email on my iPhone. One thing I'm pretty sure of is that most people, including me, don't want to watch TV or a movie on a two inch screen. I prefer the big home theater with full surround sound, why limit my movie/tv watching experience, but there is something to be said for being able to watch my movies or DVR from somewhere else if I'm traveling. Why should I have to wait until I get home at the end of the week? Will a wireless carrier offer me cable or satellite programming on my phone? What about on iPhone or Touch? I really think Sling Media is on to something, but I'm still dependent on a home internet connection. If Sling can manage to add a built in high speed wireless data connection to their devices, then I don't have to have a home network. Which leads me to another new device/service that Amazon has just released the Kindle. I'm still not sure about this little thing, but I must say I'm really intrigued. If I could get rid of my book library that takes up so much space, and I can access my books almost anywhere in the U.S. why wouldn't I want that? The Kindle has built in wireless high speed internet access for downloading new material from books to magazines. I can get my New York Times or Wall Street Journal everyday on this little thing. So which wireless carrier is going to blink and step out there and say to Sling use us? Did you know that some counties and police departments are not issuing carbon copies of traffic tickets any longer? I learned first hand that Dallas county is utilizing a handheld device to issue citations and I get a printed copy that's a lot like my receipt I get at National Rental Car when I return my car. My ticket is electronically transmitted to the court and no paper can get lost or shuffled. I suppose my data could get scrambled, but the chances of that happening are slim. So what's next. Apple has some great ideas, and I expect them to challenge the portable GPS market soon with an iPhone GPS service along with 3G or 4G high speed internet connectivity. Who says that Apple will only work with AT&T? What other industries will be revolutionized or infused by this growing state of mobility that people are experiencing. There's another interesting device that I have not mentioned to this point, and I'd like to pick up here next time. What do NASCAR, NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL have in common besides the fact that they are major sport conglomerates?

Android Story of the Day

2007-11-12T13:17:00.000-08:00

Digitimes is reporting that HTC will produce 2-3 Android devices with Wi-MAX and TD-WCDMA.

Good on it's word the Open Handset Alliance and Google have released the first SDK for the new OS. Check out all the greatness on the Google/Android site.

Sprint and Clearwire Say Psych and Stuff

2007-11-08T21:12:00.000-08:00

Yeah that's right Sprint and Clearwire have supposedly decided that working together on Wi-MAX won't be such a good idea after all. The WSJ is reporting that sources close to the matter have said since Sprint doesn't have a CEO it would be premature to define a formal agreement. So does this mean that the planned Xohm product is soon to go the way of ION? You do remember that little revolutionary product that Sprint tried to roll out back in 1999/2000. It will be interesting to see how this turns out. Clearwire's stock tanked in late afternoon and after market trading. AP - WSJ: Sprint and Clearwire Splitting Up

and STUFF
On a separate note Sprint released their customer service agenda for 2008 today. Promises of a rewards program for longtime subscribers will be nice, I wonder how that will be implemented?

Open Handset Alliance - NOT gPhone

2007-11-05T08:07:00.000-08:00

"Android™ will deliver a complete set of software for mobile devices: an operating system, middleware and key mobile applications. On November 12, we will release an early look at the Android Software Development Kit (SDK) to allow developers to build rich mobile applications." OpenHandsetAlliance/Android

Open
Android was built from the ground-up to enable developers to create compelling mobile applications that take full advantage of all a handset has to offer. It is built to be truly open. For example, an application could call upon any of the phone's core functionality such as making calls, sending text messages, or using the camera, allowing developers to create richer and more cohesive experiences for users. Android is built on the open Linux Kernel. Furthermore, it utilizes a custom virtual machine that has been designed to optimize memory and hardware resources in a mobile environment. Android will be open source; it can be liberally extended to incorporate new cutting edge technologies as they emerge. The platform will continue to evolve as the developer community works together to build innovative mobile applications.

So there's no gPhone, and the wireless community is working together? Here's the list of companies working on this effort.

Open Handset Alliance Founding Members
Aplix (www.aplixcorp.com), Ascender Corporation (www.ascendercorp.com), Audience (www.audience.com), Broadcom (www.broadcom.com), China Mobile (www.chinamobile.com), eBay (www.ebay.com), Esmertec (www.esmertec.com), Google (www.google.com), HTC (www.htc.com), Intel (www.intel.com), KDDI (www.kddi.com), Living Image (www.livingimage.jp), LG (www.lge.com), Marvell (www.marvell.com), Motorola (www.motorola.com), NMS Communications (www.nmscommunications.com), Noser (www.noser.com), NTT DoCoMo, Inc. (www.nttdocomo.com), Nuance (www.nuance.com), Nvidia (www.nvidia.com), PacketVideo (www.packetvideo.com), Qualcomm (www.qualcomm.com), Samsung (www.samsung.com), SiRF (www.sirf.com), SkyPop (www.skypop.com), SONiVOX (www.sonivoxrocks.com), Sprint Nextel (www.sprint.com), Synaptics (www.synaptics.com), TAT - The Astonishing Tribe (www.tat.se), Telecom Italia (www.telecomitalia.com), Telefónica (www.telefonica.es), Texas Instruments (www.ti.com), T-Mobile (www.t-mobile.com), Wind River (www.windriver.com). More on members

Google will not brand a device or market a device instead they will provide a bundle of applications referred to as a "software stack". So when can I get it? Q4 2008.... The press release says second half of 2008 so that usually means Sept/Oct. so I always lean towards later instead of sooner on these type of announcements. The question I have is who/what organization is leading this effort? There has to be a team leading this effort from software, hardware, and manufacturing. With all the carriers lined up now we need to see what will be the first device that utilizes this new infrastructure. There are little details about the OS in the announcement, or was there anything? The OS is Android and the leader is Google. So now we wait and see what the details are released on 11/12 in the SDK (software development kit) and then we see what comes out next year. It will be interesting to see what the baseline processor and graphics specifications will be. Will there be a screen size standard? Will it matter if the application is GSM or CDMA or WiMAX? I guess we'll see.

More information is provided in a Forbes article, Google's Dream Phone.

Coincidence?

2007-10-29T21:08:00.000-07:00

Is it just a coincidence that Sprint willingly as part of a lawsuit settlement offers to unlock it’s network and then a couple of weeks later Google announces it’s big mobile strategy? Add this one to “I told you so.” There are too many things happening here to be ignored. The Wall Street Journal claims that Google and TMobile USA “…it has the most traction with Deutsche Telekom AG's T-Mobile USA.” But is this really the case? Which carrier has publicly announced a partnership with Google? I don’t think it was T. I believe it is Sprint per the press release from July 26, 2007 that announced “Sprint and Google to Collaborate on WiMAX Mobile Internet Services”

Here’s a great blog post by David Ingram.

InformationWeek writer Richard Martin has a good article that pulls a lot of the speculation together also. “Google Unplugged: gPhone Or Not, Google's Going Mobile”

This is the start of an evolution in the U.S. wireless industry. The unlocking of phones to be used across networks is the just the start. Google Mobile platform and devices will be on the next wave. Will we see devices launched with GSM, CDMA, HSDPA, and Wi-MAX? Why not. Verizon Wireless and Sprint both have world phones/pdas/blackberrys that will work on GSM, why not allow access to T-Mobile USA and AT&T Mobility in the U.S. via these devices? What about the MID (Mobile Internet Device) a user could avoid the use of a traditional wireless voice network all together and use VoIP over a mobile broadband connection and pay once and get everything said user could need. Instead of having a broadband aircard and a separate wired broadband at home a user would have one broadband service that is with them wherever they roam. This will also push voice response software systems to be employed in vehicles or mobile devices so the user can respond to email while spending those two and half or three hours in their vehicle either on the way to or home from the office. This should also usher in video calls so do people really even need to go in to the office? Can’t they work from home office, den, vehicle, or kitchen table? For those that work too much as it is this may be even worse, since there will be no down time or time when broadband service is not available. Instead of “crackberry’s” we’ll have crackMIDs. This could reverse the way a user utilizes a “docking station.” Instead of docking a mobile device to a wired connection it could be the mobile device providing the connectivity. Could these things really come about due to an open source device or device category? The writer believes it will. Let’s just see what Google announces in the next 90 days and then see what the world of gadgets and broadband looks like in a year. The future is bright!

Bluetooth Watch That Might Really Work

2007-10-22T22:44:00.000-07:00

Citizen released 5 new bluetooth watches today that look really usefull. They sport LCD displays capable of viewing SMS messages, emails, and a past call list. Four of the watches are basically the same with the color being the only thing that's different. The really cool one is made of titanium. If these are released in the states I might be tempted. From japwatches.

Palm Centro Review

2007-10-22T08:24:00.000-07:00

I must declare my fandom for Palm right off. I love Palm and have since my first 3x device back in 1996 or was it 1997? After owning and using several PDA devices including a few HP products with WindowsMobile I really like the new Palm Centro. The Centro is small and has some great attributes. I currently have a Treo 755p which replaced my Treo 700p and the new Centro delivers all the goodness of the 755 and adds some. The new keyboard has a great tactile feel the buttons are soft. The screen is super sharp and bright and in my opinion is the best screen I've seen on a Palm device. I did not find any functionality gap between the 755 and Centro. The bad news is that Sprint Nextel will soon be releasing the Blackberry 8130 "Pearl 2" and that device will compete with the Centro. I do think Sprint is on the right path with the Centro and with the launch of the LG Rumor slider and the Pearl 2 Sprint will be providing consumers with options to the VZW EnV and the TMobile Sidekick. I give the Centro 4 1/2 stars out of 5.

Wi-MAX Update

2007-10-22T08:03:00.000-07:00

The first part of this post will be about Sprint and Xohm. Secondly I'll write about the news about the classification of Wi-MAX.

The Wallstreet analysts are a buzz about what will happen to Sprint Nextel and the new Xohm service with the hiring of a new CEO. The best article I've read about this was from SmartMoney. The author of this article spent a great deal of time considering what the future holds for Xohm and the conclusion is that Xohm will continue and thrive due to the "ecosystem" that has been developed by the collaboration with such companies as Intel, Motorola, Samsung, and Nokia. Read the full article: SmartMoney

UN Telecoms Agency Approves WiMax As Mobile Wireless Standard Friday October 19 the U.N. telecommunications agency met and approved WiMAX as a new 3G standard. AP writer Frank Jordans writes:

GENEVA (AP) -- The broadband technology WiMax has been added to a global standard for mobile devices, boosting its chances of becoming the preferred system for the next generation of high-speed wireless Internet access.
The decision Friday by the U.N. telecommunications agency means that airwaves designated for other technologies in the standard known as IMT-2000 can now be used for networks based on WiMax. That's likely to spur development of the wireless technology, attract new investors and eventually drive down hardware costs, analysts said.

Additionally WirelessWeek has a great write up about the meetings and provide more details about the specifics and significance of this decision. What does this mean to Sprint Nextel - Xohm which has been touted as 4G? It's now part of the 3G standard! WirelessWeek

Google Phone Update

2007-10-22T07:57:00.000-07:00

There have been several articles over the past three weeks about the supposed gPhone. There hasn't been anything new written, but the buzz is still around. The overall feel is that Google is preparing a Linux based OS and a "platform" that will enable all of the Google apps to run including VoIP, YouTube, GoogleMaps, GoogleDocs, etc.... I still think this maybe less of a phone and more of a hybrid phone/MID(Mobile Internet Device). We just have to wait and see what Google has up it's sleeve. When will we see something? My bet is the next three months.

Sprint CEO Resigns/Fired

2007-10-11T10:27:00.000-07:00

Sprint announced Monday (Oct.8) that they will miss previously provided guidance of $11.0 to $11.5 billion of adjusted OIBDA and $41 to $42 billion of consolidated operating revenue and expects to report a net loss of approximately 337,000 post-paid subscribers in the third quarter. Oh and CEO Gary Forsee is stepping down as the company's chairman, president and chief executive officer (CEO), effective immediately. Check out the press release.

A lot has been written about this move by analysts and the common theme is that Sprint needs to re-evaluate the Xohm/4G/WiMAX effort. Many analysts feel that spending $5billion on a new network with an "unproven" technology is not a wise decision for a struggling wireless company. I for one feel that scaling back or shutting down the Xohm effort is a bad choice. Xohm has the potential to separate Sprint from it's competition and establish it as the technology leader in the mobile wireless broadband segment, which doesn't exist today. To stall or slow down Xohm is very short-sighted. The wireless phone market has all but reached it's saturation point, so a growth company would be wise to move to the next great thing. Intel has designed new chip sets for the Mobile Internet Device, Google is working on a new Mobile OS or OS standard for Linux mobile devices. Imagine if Palm, Google, HTC, and Intel all worked together to create this new line of devices that provide MP3, PMP, GPS, Phone, and enterprise application support. It's basically a cross between an UMPC and a PMP in size with maybe a 3 in wide touch screen with a slide out qwerty. The possibilities are endless for something in this space. If I can leave my laptop and smartphone at home and utilize an MID with bluetooth and voice service? Why wouldn't I do that?

I just hope that whomever the Sprint board finds to fill the CEO position does not chop things up, but takes a long hard look at all the assets within the portfolio and then makes decisions based on the future not just based on the past or present time. Only AT&T and Verizon have an equal set of assets.

Verizon Wireless Holiday Phones

2007-10-03T10:29:00.000-07:00

My friends over at engadget Mobile spent sometime with Verizon Wireless's new phones. The device that is getting all the pub on the net is the new LG Voyager which is touted as an iPhone killer. I like the design, but let's wait and see how the production model functions. I like the Voyager, but actually think the LG Venus is more revolutionary with a dual touch screen and slider key pad. Take a look at the photo galleries on engadget Mobile.

LG Voyager from VerizonWireless

LG Venus from VerizonWireless

New GPS Service from Garmin

2007-10-03T10:17:00.000-07:00

Wouldn't it be nice to have GPS maps and turn by turn directions on your mobile phone without paying a monthly service fee? Well now you have a new option. If your device has a built in GPS receiver then you are in luck. If your device is a Palm Treo then you can get a GPS receiver from Garmin and utilize this new software. Here's an excerpt from the press release.

OLATHE, Kan., Oct. 3 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- Garmin International Inc., a unit of Garmin Ltd. (Nasdaq: GRMN), today announced Garmin Mobile XT, a unique, all-in-one software solution that turns select smartphones with internal GPS into high-end Garmin navigators. This mobile phone software application seamlessly pairs the phone's built-in GPS with Garmin's software so that customers have the benefits of navigation anywhere in North America or Europe. Unlike other mobile phone applications, Garmin Mobile XT offers convenient preloaded maps and includes access to dynamic content like premium real-time traffic alerts and fuel prices, but does not require any monthly fees or subscriptions of any kind.

Garmin press release

New Samsung SmartPhone

2007-09-27T21:12:00.000-07:00

More pictures and details about the upcoming Samsung SGH-i780 were posted today on unwiredview.com. This looks like a really cool device. I'd love to see a sliding qwerty key pad though. Funny I should mention that because another site captured a few details about another Samsung device, Samsung SGH-i640, that looks related to the the i780 and it looks like it's a slider. The i640 is said to be launching on Vodafone around Christmas. Both devices are GSM with UMTS/HSDPA. No word on release dates for the U.S.
unwiredview - i780

theunwired - i640

Palm Centro on Sprint

2007-09-27T20:43:00.001-07:00

Sprint and Palm released details about the upcoming new device the two have been working on. The Centro shares the same form factor as the European Treo 500v, but is a Palm OS device instead of Windows. Sprint also has launched a website dedicated to the device that let's us know that the device will be $99 after rebates and contract discount and will be released on Oct 14. "It's also the world's smallest Palm device." The url is quite clever also, moreyous.com.

Sprint Press Release

Palm Site

BusinessWire

Engadget

Gizmodo

WiMAX World USA - Chicago, IL

2007-09-26T08:49:00.000-07:00

WiMAX World USA is about to kick off in Chicago and last night Sprint and Motorola demonstrated how the Xohm service will work when it is deployed. I would love to go to this event, but it wasn't a possibility this year, maybe next year. What I missed most was the demo that was given last night on the Chicago River. Sprint set up four towers along the river to demonstrate that mobile WiMAX will work even when switching from tower to tower. Motorola has a press release for the event, and a fellow bloger was able to attend and documented his experience very well. Check out the story by By Eric Bangeman from ars technica. Here's the link to the Moto Release.

Here's the Sprint press release via Yahoo.

Cowboys For Real

2007-09-24T07:35:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Cowboys faced their biggest challenge of the year last night and came looking like the future NFC champs. Notice I didn't say World Champions. A couple of AFC teams will be a huge challenge. We'll get to see what the Cowboys have against the Patriots on October 14. Romo is for real and the Cowboys offense is really looking good. The Bears offense last night was awful, but their defense was pretty good. The first half of the game was really close, but the second half was all Cowboys. It's great for the NFL to have the Cowboys back as a contender and great for all Cowboy fans.

Intel Shows Off New Chip Set and Possible Implementations

2007-09-21T08:18:00.000-07:00

Intel's new Menlow platform was highlighted recently Anand Chandrasekher, Intel's senior vice president and general manager of the Ultra Mobility Group shared the highlights of the Menlow platform and showed off some possible implementations. The detail that I really like is that the Menlow platform is 802.11n wireless technology, 3G and WiMAX for extended broadband coverage.

"In the first half of 2008, Intel will take a major step to deliver what these users are looking for with our first platform designed from the ground up for MIDs and UMPCs – codenamed Menlow, which will deliver 10x lower power compared to the first UMPCs in the market," said Chandrasekher.

I've also learned a new acronym from this story this new platform is targeting the Mobile Internet Device (MID) and Ultra-Mobile PC (UMPC) device categories. The difference between a MID and UMPC is the operating system. Intel sees the MIDs to be Linux based systems and UMPCs as Microsoft systems. I really think that the Gphone will be more of an MID than a smartphone.

DailyTech has covered the Intel platforms really well check out the links below.
Intel Details Next Generation "Menlow" MID, UMPC Platform
Intel Announces Ultra Mobile PC 2007 Platform
Intel Announces "Moorestown" UMPC Platform

Another Gphone Story

2007-09-19T08:17:00.000-07:00

I just read another story about the upcoming Google Phone, which I love to refer to as the Gphone or gPhone. Digitimes writes that they have confirmation that the new device will be branded as a Google Phone. I'm still not sure about the branding, but it would be good marketing to see people using their Google Phones around town. I'd be very surprised if this device is released without 3G, as I have written I really think this will be a 4G device. Check out the story at DIGITIMES.

P.S. The gPhone image is fake!

Xohm is Coming

2007-09-16T20:57:00.000-07:00

Sprint has released a new marketing video about Xohm at the Xohm homepage. Hit the link below and then select "About Xohm" on the page.

Xohm is Coming

Samsung F700 Launch Update

2007-09-16T20:28:00.001-07:00

Vodafone will be the carrier launching the Samsung F700 smartphone in Europe. Still no word about where it will end up in the U.S.A. I'm still holding out hope that it will come with Xohm service from Sprint, but I bet Sammy would like to launch it before 2Q 2008.

Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a leading mobile phone and telecommunication equipment provider announced the SGH-F700, an elegant phone for the European market with Vodafone, the world’s largest mobile community. The phone was first introduced at 3GSM World Congress in February earlier this year and is expected to be available in Europe beginning early November. It delivers 3.6 Mbps data speeds under Vodafone’s 3G broadband (HSDPA) network allowing users to experience fast access to the Internet and faster music downloads. With its intuitive touch screen technology, it allows users to navigate freely when using applications and menus.

The Samsung F700 aspires to be the easiest to use multimedia handset on the market with tender touch keypad and a surplus of multimedia functionalities. Samsung has applied its legendary expertise in human interface engineering and design to the Samsung F700, which boasts a full touch screen, touchpad interaction and QWERTY key pad.

Using the new F700, business and creative professionals are able to view content on a 3.2" stunning color display. The device features first class entertainment with a top-of-the-line auto focus 3 mega-pixel camera and 3.6 Mbps HSDPA capabilities, making it easier to watch videos, listen to songs, take high-quality photos, browse the Internet, or catch up on email while on the move. With a full QWERTY key pad that slides underneath the display, it will give users enhanced access to mobile e-mail and text messaging services.

The F700 features new user interface which has been award iF Communication Design Award 2007. As users acknowledge the growing importance that user experience takes on the full touch LCD device as the LCD dominates physically on the device, Samsung has employed analogue cross concept everywhere (across all applications) and has named the UI(User Interface) “Croix” which stands for cross in French. It has an enthusiastic reflection on the usability in terms of input methods, basic navigation, content access methods and task completion scenarios. Pleasure, agility and performance were values when creating the UI.

“We are proud to introduce this new type of innovative multimedia handset. Not only have we considered the latest technology, but also the usability to enhance the user’s multimedia experience,” said Geesung Choi, President of Samsung’s Telecommunications Network Business. “This multimedia driven handset is designed for consumers who wish to stand out from the crowd, showcasing unrivaled performance, advanced functionality and world-class design.”

Samsung F700 Specifications
Standard HSDPA 3.6 Mbps, EDGE 900/1800/1900 MHz + 2.1GHz
Camera: 3 Mega pixel with Auto-Focus
Display: 265,536 TFT (3.2”, 240x432)
Memory: microSD™
Size: 112 x 56 x 16.mm
Features Full Touch Screen
MPEG4/H.263/H.264/ MP3/AAC(+)/eAAC+
QWERTY Keypad
MMS / E-mail / JAVA / WAP 2.0
Bluetooth 2.0 / USB
Flash UI / Document Viewer
Full HTML Browsing
Offline Mode, BGM

* Product specifications are subject to change without notice.

More Gphone Musing

2007-09-16T19:25:00.000-07:00

SmartMoney had a story about the gPhone and made some really good points. I like to read what the wallstreet analysts have to write about technology and I found the story to be well written. As I have previously written I think that Google is looking for an ecosystem to support an open source type of OS like maybe a Linux based system that has the Google infrastructure to support Google applications like Talk, Maps, Earth, Spreadsheet, Documents, Calendar, Contacts, Photos, Videos, and all the other on-line Google apps. Additionally I think the devices will be GPS enabled so the user will get realtime Maps and Earth location information. The discussions about Google funding a Gphone by selling advertising on the device would be ground breaking and I really don't see how that would work, others talk about a device like the iPhone or iPod, but I can't see that either. Here are a couple of connect the dot type things that I've found coinsidense maybe. I won't be surprised to see HTC and Palm devices that are developed with and for Google. Digitimes has a story about HTC "HTC is still paying close attention to the latest developments in Linux technology." This quote may or may not mean anything or it could be an invitation or a table setting of something bigger to be announced in the next six to twelve months. Another theory or idea that is being spread around is the idea of Google and now Apple bidding on 700 MHz spectrum set to be auctioned by the FCC in 2008. I really don't see either of these companies getting into providing a network, and if they did I would think they would partner with a known entity to provide operational support and they'd have to partner with chip manufactures to create a chipset and then partner with device manufactures to embed the chips. I really think we will see a multilevel collaboration between Google, HTC/Palm, and Sprint (Xohm) utilizing Intel chips. Google and Sprint publicly have announced a partnership, Palm has been working on their Linux based OS for about four years now, and Intel is providing Wi-Max chips to help power the Sprint Xohm ecosystem of consumer electronics. I don't think that these devices will be limited to Smartphone types either I think we will see a new class of UMPC that may look like a Palm Foleo, Nokia's N800, Samsung SPH-P9200, or OQO Model 02 and have Xohm and EVDOrevA support, with video phone, gps, bluetooth, wifi, SD and micoSD expansion. As I read more articles and blog posts I'll add new posts on this topic, because I really think 2008 will be a "watershed" year for mobile data devices that come in small packages, but really pack a punch. As a former Platinum frequent flier I know I would have loved to ditch my heavy laptop and my bulky smartphone for an OQO model 02 with broadband and the smallest mobile phone I could find and if I could sync my calendar and contacts of my little phone with my OQO wirelessly even better.

Pantech Duo

2007-09-14T09:19:00.000-07:00

Another new handset has been documented on TBGR. This looks like another really cool device. I've never used AT&T (Cingular) service in DFW, but I hear it's great. I think we are going to see phones that have less than a 2 megapixel camera are going to be low end devices soon. I expect some 5 megapixel phones to hit the U.S. markets in Q4.

New Samsung Smartphone on Verizon Wireless

2007-09-14T08:55:00.000-07:00

The Boy Genius Report has an update about the Samsung i760 which is a Windows Mobile 6 device. I really don't care for the design of the device. I do like the sliding Qwerty keyboard, but I prefer a bottom slide vs the side slide, because I like the one handed operation of a bottom slide.

Palm Treo 500v Windows Mobile

2007-09-12T07:22:00.001-07:00

After much speculation Palm has announced the Palm Treo 500v smartphone which runs Windows Mobile 6 to be launched on Vodafone Europe in October. Check out the official Palm website for the UK.
Here are some specs:
Platform: Windows Mobile® 6 Standard
Display: 320x240-pixel Transflective colour screen; supports 16-bit colour (up to 65K colours)
Radio:GSM/GPRS/UMTS radio
GSM bands: 900/1800/1900
UMTS bands: 2100
Bluetooth® Wireless Technology: Version: 2.0 + EDR
Profiles: Headset, handsfree, EDR, serial and OBEX. Mono and stereo headsets are supported
Memory: 256MB memory (150MB available user storage)
Camera: 2.0 megapixels with 2.5x digital zoom and video capture support
Battery: Removable 1200mAh, lithium-ion
Talk time: 10 days standby, and up to 4.5 hours of talk time
Expansion: MicroSD card
Connector: mini USB
Dimensions: 16.5mm (D) x 61.5mm (W) x 110mm (H) 120 grams
System Requirements: Windows® XP, or Vista™
Software on device: ActiveSync®, Alarm Clock, Bluetooth®, Bubble Breaker, Calculator, Camera, eBay1, File Explorer, Google Maps1, Internet Connect Sharing, Internet Explorer® Mobile, Messaging, Microsoft® Notes, Microsoft Office (including Excel®, Outlook®, PowerPoint®, and Word), Phone, Picture and Video, Solitaire, Task Manager, Vodafone Mobile Windows® Live™, Windows Media® Player Mobile

Palm / Sprint

2007-09-11T13:15:00.000-07:00

Engadget has posted some nice looking Sprint sales documentation for four upcoming devices. The LG Rumor slider, Palm Centro, Blackberry 8130, and HTC Touch. I'm not a huge fan of Windows Mobile but I am curious about the HTC Touch I'd be willing to try one of those out. I wish I could get a new device with all the discounts.

Latest on Palm

2007-09-11T12:59:00.000-07:00

Two news items for my favorite device company Palm. First, the new Palm device to be released in Europe is supposedly a Treo 500 with Windows Mobile. I'm not sure if I buy into this rumor, I think we should wait and see what Palm officially announces tomorrow. See the story via TheBoyGeniusReport and mobilityToday.

Update!!!!
New photos have been posted on Gizmodo of the new Palm device that looks like a Centro, but is supposedly called the Treo 500. There is also a white variant of the device, but it does not have the Vodafone badging, so let's wait and see about that one.

One of My Favorite Gadgets

2007-09-10T07:55:00.000-07:00

oqo has issued a press release announcing updates to the really cool oqo model 02. If I were a big time blogger I'd get a demo version of this device and write a review, but since I'm not I'll just have to drool....

SAN FRANCISCO – September 10, 2007 – OQO Inc., creator of the model 02, the world’s smallest PC running Windows Vista® and the first ultra mobile PC (UMPC) with embedded 3G mobile broadband, today announced new model 02 products with high performance features that deliver increased Anytime/Anywhere Productivity™ and extend OQO’s lead in the category. To accelerate consumer and enterprise adoption of the model 02, OQO is aggressively pricing its upgraded UMPCs starting at $1,299.
Better Storage: Bigger HDDs, New Flash Memory SSD
The improvements to the model 02 product line start with a choice of high-capacity storage options. In an industry first, OQO now offers an ultra-mobile PC with a 120GB hard disk ideal for video, audio, and data-intensive applications. At the same time, HDD capacities have increased across the board: to 40GB in the entry-level model, and to 80GB in the standard high-end configuration. For users requiring an even more advanced storage solution, OQO now offers the model 02 with a flash-based 32GB solid state drive. The SSD provides up to 50% faster boot and application launch times, as well as increased battery life and the ultimate in rugged physical data protection.
Faster CPU Speeds and Improved Wireless Connectivity
The new model 02 delivers faster CPU speeds of up to 1.6GHz, another industry first in a UMPC. WWAN configurations of the model 02 are now available with higher-speed wireless connectivity provided by EV-DO Rev. A with mobile broadband service from Verizon Wireless or Sprint. EV-DO Rev. A offers data rates of up to 1.4Mbps, improved upstream speed, and lower latency. Users will find Rev. A particularly useful for online video, interactive web content, and bandwidth-intensive enterprise applications.
Reduced Prices
Due to increased volumes and new technologies, OQO is delivering the new model 02 with a lower price point or improved functionality at every level of the product line. The entry-level price for an OQO model 02 has been reduced by $200 (to just $1299) while increasing disk drive capacity by 33%. Additional pricing is available at OQO’s online store at www.oqo.com/store.
“With today’s announcement, OQO further extends its lead in the fast-growing UMPC category,” according to Bob Rosin, senior vice president of marketing & alliances. “OQO created the UMPC and our new products offer performance, wireless and storage options that further advance our vision of anytime/anywhere access to information, applications, corporate networks and the full PC internet.”
The updated OQO model 02 can be ordered today at www.oqo.com/store, by calling OQO sales at 877.676.6688, and through a range of distribution partners with a base price starting at $1,299. Retail locations where the model 02 can be purchased are listed at www.oqo.com/about/retail_locations.html. The OQO enterprise sales team can be reached at www.oqo.com/about/oqo_corporate_sales.html.
About OQO
Based in San Francisco, California, OQO, Inc. has redefined mobile computing with its groundbreaking products, including the new ultra-small, powerful, ergonomic, and connected model 02 released in 2007. The OQO model 02 is a full-featured computer running standard Windows® XP or Vista with embedded EV-DO wireless broadband capability and award-winning design, in a pocketable, dockable form factor that gives the mobile individual or workforce true Anytime/Anywhere Productivity.

Another Writer Muses About Wi-MAX

2007-09-07T12:49:00.000-07:00

I've found another writer interested in Sprint's Xohm Wi-MAX 4G network, Ross Rubin. Mr. Rubin contributes Switched On, a column about technology, multimedia, and digital entertainment on Engadget.com. He has written a two part story about the Xohm service and the consumer electronic devices that Sprint would like to see utilize the mobile broadband service. Mr. Rubin also references an article from telephonyonline.com that’s worth a read. I’m looking forward to a mobile XBOX that has Xohm service so I can play Tiger Woods 2008 or Halo 3 on XBOX Live while on my lunch break.

Check out the links below:
Switched On: The WiMAX window (Part 1)
Switched On: The WiMAX Window (Part 2)
Rethinking WiMAX

New From Apple

2007-09-06T09:00:00.000-07:00

Apple held their fall product launch yesterday and two big things came to light. First the new iPod Nano will have video capabilities. Secondly the iPod Touch was introduced. What's a Touch? It's basically an iPhone without the phone. It has WiFi for internet connectivity and will supposedly support any and all iPhone applications. If I were to buy an iPod this would be it. Check out the Apple product site.

Palm Foleo Ditched

2007-09-04T17:57:00.000-07:00

I'm not going to bother writing a lot about this and let the email that I received speak for it's self. I received this email because I registered on the Palm website to receive email updates about the Foleo. All I can say is wow!

As many of you are aware, we are in the process of building our next generation software platform. We are very excited about how this is coming together. It has a modern, flexible UI, instant performance, and an incredibly simple and elegant development environment. We are working hard on this platform and on the first smartphones that will take advantage of it.

In the course of the past several months, it has become clear that the right path for Palm is to offer a single, consistent user experience around this new platform design and a single focus for our platform development efforts. To that end, and after careful deliberation, I have decided to cancel the Foleo mobile companion product in its current configuration and focus all our energies on delivering our next generation platform and the first smartphones that will bring this platform to market. We will, of course, continue to deliver products in partnership with Microsoft on the Windows Mobile platform, but from our internal platform development perspective, we will focus on only one.

Because we were nearly at the point of shipping Foleo, this was a very tough decision. Yet I am convinced this is the right thing to do. Foleo is based on a second platform and a separate development environment, and we need to focus our efforts on one platform. Our own evaluation and early market feedback were telling us that we still have a number of improvements to make Foleo a world-class product, and we can not afford to make those improvements on a platform that is not central to our core focus. That would not be right for our customers or for our developer community.

Jeff Hawkins and I still believe that the market category defined by Foleo has enormous potential. When we do Foleo II it will be based on our new platform, and we think it will deliver on the promise of this new category. We’re not going to speculate now on timing for a next Foleo, we just know we need to get our core platform and smartphones done first.

I would like to thank our customers for their interest in Foleo. I know there will be disappointed folks who were looking forward to carrying a Foleo for all their mobile computing needs. I am certainly one of them. I would also like to thank the developers who have supported our Foleo efforts. They have been loyal to Palm and have worked hard to deliver some compelling solutions on the Foleo platform. I know that they will understand that the right thing to do for the long run is to focus on one platform that will live for years, rather than invest energy in a one-off solution. We will make every effort to make sure we bring our developers forward to our next generation platform.

This decision will require us to take a limited charge of less than $10 million dollars to our earnings. This is a lot of money, but it is a small price relative to the costs that would be required to support two platforms going forward. This decision is in the best interest of our customers, our team, our products and our shareholders. I hope this renewed focus at Palm will allow us to deliver more compelling solutions to our core smartphone market, and it will allow us to position ourselves for the long run around one Palm experience.

Ed Colligan
President & CEO
Palm, Inc.

New Samsung F700

2007-09-04T10:58:00.000-07:00

Gizmodo has a post about the Samsung F700 picked up from Tech Digest. New pictures of the device are available from PMP Today as well as the new name of the device, Newly christened Samsung Croix, it has a four-directional touch input, which explains why it’s called “Croix.” Tech Digest did a story about this phone back on February 8, 2007. I really hope this device is headed to the states via Sprint.

gPhone Update

2007-09-04T08:31:00.000-07:00

As more and more news services write articles about the possibility of a Google Phone it seems the details just get repeated over and over. There is little new in the stories I have links to below, but worthy of a quick scan. In the "Five Facts..." article there is reference to two different posts by Simeon Simeonov from the Open Gardens blog that are really interesting reads, so I added unique links to these two posts below. Kudos to engadget for the post with quotes and links to the articles below.

“The Ideal Mobile Software Stack” by Simeon Simeonov, February 19, 2007.

“The Real Google Phone” By Simeon Simeonov, March 7, 2007

Boston Globe "Introducing the Google Phone" by Scott Kirsner

"Five Facts About Google Phone" written by Om Malik

Sprint Sees Growth Beyond Cell Phones

2007-09-02T16:23:00.000-07:00

There's another good article by Peter Svensson an AP Technology Writer about the Sprint 4G/Wi-MAX/Xohm effort. The stock market analysts are almost all taking a wait and see attitude towards this new technology and network roll out of Sprint's. I'm also a "believe when I see" type of person, but I can't pretended that the idea of the network isn't exciting. Read the article on Yahoo.

gPhone

2007-08-29T13:33:00.000-07:00

I was hoping that more info would come out about the supposed gPhone that CrunchGear wrote about earlier this week CG Exclusive: HTC Insider Confirms Existence of the Google Phone
but I have not seen any new information about this so here are my thoughts....
As previously reported the new gPhone is really a device made to Google specs utilizing a Google OS. What has not been discussed is what carriers will allow this new device on their networks? What carriers have any type of public partnership or affiliation to Google? I seem to recall a little announcement by Sprint that Google is partnering on the Xohm effort. At the time of the Google/Sprint press release I really didn't understand where they were going with this partnership, but now it's more clear. It's my opinion that this new device sporting the Google OS will be utilizing the Xohm network. What I'm not clear on is the supposed use of VoIP from the device, and if Sprint is going to allow Xohm devices to utilize VoIP instead of utilizing the Sprint wireless (CDMA) voice network. If the Xohm devices are allowed to utilize VoIP then I think we are seeing an evolution of the wireless industry and Xohm really could be as revolutionary as Sprint is saying it will be. Q4 2007 and 2008 should be a lot of fun to see how Xohm and the gPhone are accepted and utilized.

UPDATED!
Check out this article from InfoWeek
Sprint press release announcing the Google Collaboration
Here's an exerpt from the Sprint press release:
"Sprint network bandwidth, location detection and presence capabilities will be matched with Google's popular communications suite - Google Apps™ - that combines the Gmail™, Google Calendar™ and Google Talk™ services. Customers will be able to experience a new form of interactive communications, high speed Internet browsing, local and location-centric services, and multimedia services including music, video, TV and on-demand products."

Another 4G UMPC

2007-08-28T08:00:00.001-07:00

Raon Digital has announced a new WiBro device for Korea and it makes me wonder if devices like this will be successful in the U.S. when Sprint has completed their XOHM roll out? UMPC devices really facinate me, because I'm not sure the right design has been demonstrated yet and the other question I have is who do you market it to? Is it the business traveler, the student? It will be interesting to see if these ever gain any market share from laptops. More details from aving.net below.
"SEOUL, Korea (AVING) -- Raon Digital announced the release of its new UMPC ‘EVERUN’ equipped with built-in WiBro module in Korea market, which supports 802.11b/g WLAN, Bluetooth 2.0 connectivity and HSDPA/Wibro. In particular, the new EVERUN enables users to enjoy 3G mobile communication service via a SIM card. Weighing only 460g, the EVERUN adopted 4.8-inch WVGA(800x480) LCD featuring auto-rotation and auto-brightness control function. It offers up to seven hours (12 hours with a large battery) of battery life thanks to its power saving AMD Geode processor and high capacity lithium-ion battery. It is available in October of this year."

Samsung 4G Forum 2007 in Korea

2007-08-28T07:29:00.000-07:00

aving.net is covering the Samsung 4G Forum 2007 in Korea and captured the below information and images of an updated UMPC that I previously posted about. You can also see these images on Giz.

"SEOUL, Korea (AVING) -- Samsung Electronics unveiled its compact UMPC 'Deluxe MITs(model: SPH-P9200)' at the Samsung 4G Forum 2007 in Korea market. As a successor model of SPH-P9000, it can connect to wireless internet and VoIP phone via Mobile WiMax. Running on Windows XP, the SPH-P9200 adopts 5-inch touch screen, folding QWERTY keyboard and 30GB HDD."

Cowboys

2007-08-27T09:57:00.000-07:00

The Dallas Cowboys are a very interesting team. The 2007-2008 season should be fun viewing every week. I expect a play off appearance, but not so sure about the Super Bowl. Watch for more Cowboys talk on the blog as the season gets going.

Sports

2007-08-27T09:43:00.001-07:00

I have not commented on North Texas sports lately so I thought I would take this opportunity.
Baseball - Rangers: The Rangers's season was over at the all-star break, we have been able to see the results of the trades made at the deadline this year and the verdict..... In my opinion the outfield and future DH positions are of concern to me. I also wonder about catcher. What do the Rangers want to do with Saltalamacchia? He's listed as a catcher on the Rangers's website. Don't we want him playing First Base? I guess the Rangers are not happy with Laird, or want to carry two good catchers with one playing everyday at either first base or catcher. Not sure what the Rangers will do at first base either with this situation? Won't even get into the pitching situation. I think there are more questions than answers about the Rangers for 2008.

More WiMAX

2007-08-27T09:00:00.000-07:00

Business Week has a great article about the history of how Intel has been seeking the next broadband technology and their bet on WiMAX.

Samsung and Sprint have another big WiMAX announcement today. Samsung will be building out the new network in New York city. Check out the articles that have already hit the net.
Reuters via Yahoo
CrunchGear
PhoneScoop
The Washington Post has also picked up the Reuters article by Marie-France Han.

Update!
Sprint has a press release announcing the NYC deal with Samsung for the Xohm build out. The Sprint WiMAX press releases are always so well written!

Latest Images of Upcoming Palm Centro

2007-08-27T07:36:00.000-07:00

A new image of the upcoming Palm Centro that was displayed at the Sprint meeting a few weeks ago has hit the net web. Supposedly this device will have EVDO, and if the image is authentic then it will have an IM client like the 755p. The price is supposed to be around $99. Reference previous posts for a brief description of the device. Here's a link to the Engadget post.

Sprint's Technology Summit

2007-08-17T06:05:00.000-07:00

Yesterday Sprint put on a technology summit outlining their plans for all things Sprint in 2007 and beyond. Sprint released the branding of the new 4G service, as outlined in a previous post and provided some upcoming devices for those present to see and touch. Sorry no pictures were allowed. Gearlog has a great write up by Sascha Segan you need to read. I'm surprised they didn't have any Wi-MAX devices on display, but I am interested in the Palm device. Below is a picture of the GSM version of the HTC Touch now available. PCMag has a good review of it.

Samsung's Yepp YP-P2 touchscreen DAP with Bluetooth

2007-08-16T05:12:00.000-07:00

Here's another new device from Samsung. I wouldn't be surprised to see something like this with XOHM service in 2008. It'll be even cooler if it has CDMA for voice and XOHM for data. It never hurts to dream. Check out the review at dapreview which includes a video.