MobileViews Blog

Category: Mobile Devices

  • Apple MobileMe: What About the Rest of Us?


    My first opinion of Apple’s MobileMe was: OK, so they renamed .Mac, it has more storage, it costs the same (US$99/year), and… wait… It is what I wishes Microsoft Live would give Windows Mobile users like me.

    I used to sync my WiMo smartphone daily with my PC. But, that has become such a chore and a statistical probability rather than a sure thing that I don’t do that anymore. I still sync a couple of times a week to make sure I have a backup of my current calendar and contacts. But, it is a chore. I hope the Windows Mobile and Windows Live team can get together and provide similar functionality for WiMo smartphone users soon.

    The one big iPhone issue for me is still the lack of a physical keyboard or a Bluetooth keyboard option. I still can’t type worth a darn on my iPod touch. So, I still can’t use it effectively use a email or data entry device.

  • Mobile.FlightStats.com


    Air travel used to a relatively pleasant experience decades ago. It has become a darn right onerous task in recent years. I’m expecting airlines to install pay toilets on flights any day now 🙁 Airlines are merging, shutting down, reducing flights, and all kinds of other activities that make catching a flight a statistical probability rather than a given these days.

    If you have a web-enabled smartphone and a data plan, this site might come in handy when you are traveling by air. Check it out…

    Mobile.FlightStats.com

  • 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.

  • 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.