MobileViews Blog

Author: todd

  • Back to Basics: Cameraphone Sports Mode Setting


    Generally speaking, the cameras on most phones are much slower than even the slowest of the first generation consumer digital cameras back in the 1990s. So, I’ve never really expected to get much in the way of action shots with my cameraphone and ignored the so-called Sports Setting the camera configuration. However, while waiting for my daughter at her gym today, I decided to play with that setting to while the time away.

    You can see one of the photos I took using the Sports Setting using my T-Mobile Dash (AKA HTC Excalibur). On this particular phone, this setting reduces the resolution to 640×480 (which makes sense) and takes three (3) photos in succession after pressing the selection button. You can adjust the number of photos it takes per squeeze in the configuration menu.

    I’ve shrunken the photo from the original 640×480 to make it blog-friendly. It won’t make anyone throw away their Digital SLR. But, the result was better than I expected. I guess I should try some of the other camera phone settings too now.

  • O’Reilly Launches a New Site: Inside iPhone


    The Apple World Wide Developers Conference (WWDC) happens in San Francisco next week. And, it will not be a surprise if all tech talk for most of the week is about the iPhone. O’Reilly Media (where I blog in addition to my personal blogs) is ready for it. It just launched a new blog site called:

    Inside iPhone

    I’m definitely going to be following the bloggers there to keep up with what’s going on in the iPhone world. And, I don’t even own an iPhone!

  • Zoho Rolls Out New iPhone Web Page and Old URL Stops Working

    Just a quick note since I need to rush off. Just read that the Zoho for iPhone website was redesigned. The old URL I bookmarked doesn’t work now. So, you need to visit either mobile.zoho.com or iZoho.com. I took a quick look at the redesigned site and it looks good. Will test it out more later on my iPod touch.

  • Google Maps Mobile Adds Bus and Train Directions: But Not for Windows Mobile

    Google announced Google Maps for Mobile 2.2 which adds bus and train information. However, it is not available for Windows Mobile devices yet. If you try to download it on a Windows Mobile device, you will get version 2.1. The blog item announcing 2.2 says that it is available for the Blackberry and many Java-based phones.

    If we Windows Mobile users feel left out now, just wait until next week when the geeksphere is abuzz over all things iPhone which will also NOT work with Windows Mobile smartphones. Sigh.

  • What is the Best Windows Mobile Twitter Client?

    I’m trying to figure out what is the best Windows Mobile Twitter client for me. I wonder if touch (Professional) vs non-touch (Standard) WiMo phones have different best clients? The Twitter Fan Wiki has a bunch listed under…

    Mobile Apps

    Any opinions out there? What is the best Twitter client for a WiMo smartphone (non-touch) or Pocket PC (touch) in your opinion?

  • Feeling Retro: PC World Disassembles the Awesome TRS-80 Model 100 Ultraportable

    There was a time that mere mortals (people who couldn’t solder or code in assembly language) had two basic choices for a personal computer: The Apple II or the Radio Shack TRS-80 Model 1. Somehow, in these ancient days, there emerged an device that was a great ultraportable before the term ultraportable was even coined: The TRS-80 Model 100. It also has the distinction of being the last product that Microsoft’s Bill Gates worked on in depth. PC World disassembled this 25 year old masterpiece in design and presents the photos at…

    Inside a Classic: The TRS-80 Model 100

    I definitely want to go find mine this weekend, throw 4 AA batteries in it and see if it powers up. Will post the video on YouTube if I find it and it powers up for a demo.