MobileViews Blog

Blog

  • FixMyMovie.com: Enhance Your CameraPhone Video Recordings

    FixMyMovie.com

    FixMyMovie.com uses the MotionDSP (which is funded by Q-Tel) video enhancement technology to enhance digital video. I uploaded a few seconds of video recorded by my T-Mobile Dash (Windows Mobile 6 smartphone) to see what it could do with the normally fuzzy video produced by this cameraphone. You can find my video test at: Test 1 walking. If you click on the compare button (middle of the five buttons below the video), it changes the display to full display mode and shows a side-by-side video comparison. You can also use the extracted still photo mode (like screen cap above) to compare the original and enhanced image.

    I think it did a pretty good job of enhancing my cameraphone video. Couple of things to note though. First, it took quite a while to enhance the few seconds of video I uploaded. This is not surprising considering the amount of work that goes into video enhancemnet processing. However, if you upload a longer video, be sure to allow for sometime before you are able to see the results. The system will email you a notification when it is finished. Second, the service is free in its current beta release phase. However, there is no promise that this service will remain free.

    My guess is that Google/YouTube, BiipTV, MSN Soapbox, or some other video site will buy or license this technology. It would probably help a lot of fuzzy videos like mine 🙂

  • Instructions for Submitting Podcasts for the Zune

    From what I’ve been reading the Zune has been picking up its pace as a podcasting device. So, if you are a podcaster and want it to be available on the Zune, head over to this Zune.net web page that provides the information need to know about submitting Podcast content for the Zune.

    Provide Content for Zune

  • atlarge.com: Airport WiFi Access Point Locator

    atlarge.com provides information about wireless LAN access in airports around the world based on user contributed information. It also provides ratings for power outlets, comfort, and other features. So, if you’re traveling by air, you might find useful information from this site. And, if you are so inclined contribute some information.

  • Disney Testing Nindendo DS as Park Tour Guides

    ds fanboy and other Nintendo DS and Disney focused blogs are reporting about Disney testing the idea of providing guides to their theme parks on the Nintendo DS.

    Taking a Closer Look at the Disney DS Guide

    Before you pooh-pooh (pun intended) the idea, consider this. I recall hearing or reading somewhere that the Nintendo DS Lite sold something like 4 million units this past December alone. It is probably safe to say that the DS was the largest selling handheld WiFi-enabled device in 2007 far surpassing the iPhone and Windows Mobile devices (probably combined). Having spent several weeks inside of several Disney theme parks with my child at various stages life, I would welcome an electronic guide if it provided more information than the crumpled maps I pulled out of my pocket and if it were faster than running through the fine print on those paper guides.

    What I would really prefer, though, is a downloadable electronic guide for a smartphone with a GPS if the guide took advantage of the GPS’ capabilities. This would be especially helpful for first time visitors to a theme park.

  • New Microsoft Windows Mobile Marketing Corp. VP (Breath of Fresh Air?)

    CNET reports that Microsoft just brought in a new Corporate VP for Windows Mobile Marketing named Todd Peters (good first name :-).

    Microsoft aims to add ‘easy’ button to Windows Mobile

    The article quotes him as saying: From my perspective, it’s not the marketing of Windows Mobile that needs work. It’s the software. After having played around with the latest Windows Mobile 6 software on a demo AT&T Tilt, I still find the software unnecessarily complicated.

    I have never met the man, but I like him already 🙂

  • iPhone AT&T Corporate Accounts Now Available. Windows Mobile Team: Need ActiveSync/WMDC Tools

    Just read over on Engadget that…

    AT&T rolls out iPhone plans for business customers

    Hey, I commented just yesterday that Microsoft needs to fix Windows Mobile’s Internet Explorer browser to let it render iPhone-specific sites because business customers and service providers are now looking at the iPhone as a business device. Now, they have an official mechanism to bring it into the enterprise.

    So, here’s another request. Come this November, it will be 12 years since Windows CE/Windows Mobile made its debut at Comdex 1996. Since it doesn’t look like ActiveSync or WMDC will be fixed anytime soon, how about some ActiveSync/WMDC diagnostic tools so we mere mortals can debug these bug ridden and undependable beasts?

    IMHO, competition is a good thing. Firefox brought back Internet Explorer team from the dead (it had been disbanded after IE6) and encouraged Microsoft to produce the much better IE7 (with tabs and more secure). Here’s hoping that the success of the iPhone pushes the WiMo team to make my favorite mobile OS much much better.