Author: James Kendrick

Research firm Gartner has published the latest quarterly smartphone numbers, and it’s easy to see why the honchos at Google are all smiles at the I/O conference this week. Android grew an impressive 8 percent of smartphone market share this year, moving it into fourth place overall. This puts Android only trailing Nokia, RIM and Apple in smartphone sales. Windows Mobile drops to fifth place behind Android.

Nokia remains the 800-pound gorilla in the smartphone cage with 44 percent of the market, although this share is a 4 percent drop. RIM showed a modest 1 percent YOY drop while Apple gained almost 5 percent. Windows Mobile and Linux both dropped almost as much as Nokia.

Microsoft faces a big challenge with the launch of Windows Phone 7 looming near. It will be worth watching to see if its market share goes back up once the new platform launches. WebOS is not garnering enough sales to appear as in individual line item on Gartner’s chart; HP has some work ahead with the integration of Palm.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub. req’d): To Win In the Mobile Market, Focus On Consumers

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The company that kicked off the netbook craze is reported to be working on a netbook that uses a phone plugged into the device for connectivity. ASUS is looking at the modular phone system by Modu to provide connectivity on an as-needed basis by popping the phone into a slot designed for that purpose. This method would allow owners to have mobile connectivity with a single data plan on the phone.

I first broached this concept a year ago, and I think it is a valid opportunity for companies wishing to push the envelope. My method carries the ASUS concept further by using a high-end Android phone for the modular connectivity. The notebook would be a smartbook more than a netbook, with the processor and storage all provided by the Android phone. This would make the smartbook side of the duo cheap to produce, as the phone would have all of the computing power onboard. The owner would have a full Android smartbook when needed, yet be able to pull the phone out and go when it is not. This means the phone is state of the art, and the smartbook is adequately powered as a result.

I hope ASUS brings such a netbook to market; it would be a welcome innovation. I don’t believe that the target buyer would settle for a phone that was not a full-blown smartphone, however, so hopefully this would be addressed. Simple connectivity is not going to be enough to make this product successful. It will need to be a no-compromise duo to have a chance for success.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub. req’d): To Win In the Mobile Market, Focus On Consumers

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Owners of smartphones get excited when word arrives the phone’s software has a big, fat update coming. It’s always a good thing to get the latest and greatest software for the smartphone, keeping it up to date. There’s nothing that can damper that good feeling; except having to repurchase software that the update wipes out. That’s the warning from T-Mobile to owners applying the ROM update just released. Those who have purchased the full version of games after playing the demo version preinstalled on the HD2 will “need to re-purchase them at standard cost following the software update.”

The update forces a master reset of the phone and no mechanism was put in place to determine if customers had purchased the full game(s). That’s a drastic solution — just repurchase the games. Those with Blockbuster movie rentals will find them gone after the update too, and it’s recommended you watch all movies prior to applying the update. You’ll have to download those big files again if you don’t.

(via Engadget Mobile)

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub. req’d): To Win In the Mobile Market, Focus On Consumers

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Nothing defines mobile tech more than automobiles, and GM bringing Android to the Chevy Volt shows how technologies can be joined in a meaningful way. The Volt will appear this year and is going to use Android to provide interaction with the owner that at times is downright spooky.

Want your electric car to remind you if you forget to plug it in to charge? The Volt and Android will do that. Or how about searching for a destination on your Android phone and having the destination sent to your car so it can take you there using Google Maps Navigation the next time you’re in the car? That’s the kind of meaningful interaction that Chevy and Android are bringing to Volt owners later this year.

Earth2Tech got a hands-on demonstration of the Android app on a Droid and shot a video of it in action that is really impressive. Up to now my inner geek has been jonesing for relatively cheap gadgets. Now I’m seriously wanting a Chevy Volt.

For more research on connected cars check out GigaOM Pro (subscription required):

Why Microsoft’s Electric Vehicle Deal With Ford Matters

Report: IT Opportunities in Electric Vehicle Management

Smart Algorithms: The Future of the Energy Industry

If a BlackBerry tablet fell in a forest, would anybody hear it? We’ve been hearing rumors that RIM is hard at work on a BlackBerry companion tablet, fueled by reports that the company has ordered 8.9-inch displays for such a device. The question that keeps popping up every time I think of such an effort is — why? Sure, tablets are the hot ticket in mobile tech currently, but just pushing one to market isn’t going to guarantee a success.

A BlackBerry tablet would be intended to compete with the iPad and upcoming Android tablets obviously. These tablets certainly bear watching given the sales volume Apple has already achieved with the iPad, and the expectation that Android tablets will be cheap enough to make good sales numbers. But RIM lacks one thing required to make a competitive product — a viable OS.

The BlackBerry OS is dated and the next big version has only recently been put on display. It certainly looks like the UI has been updated and is more modern than the older version, but it’s still not clear how good the touch operation will be. A good touch interface is absolutely required for a tablet device, and it’s not a given that BlackBerry OS 6 will provide it.

It’s not even clear if BlackBerry enthusiasts want a device with a touch interface. They stayed away from the BlackBerry Storm in droves, the company’s only phone without a physical keyboard. The BlackBerry has long been famous for its keyboards, and a tablet certainly wouldn’t have one of those. While BlackBerry 6 may do a better job incorporating touch controls than previous versions, it is designed to run the BlackBerry phone line, and that is almost exclusively non-touch.

The tablet rumors indicate that RIM is building a tablet without phone capability; it’s expected to use Wi-Fi for connectivity. That’s like the original iPad, but Apple planned the 3G version from the get-go to also allow the iPad to be a stand-alone mobile device for those who desired it. The RIM tablet is said to be a “BlackBerry companion”, and will mate with a BlackBerry smartphone to share user data. That sounds like the ill-fated Palm Foleo, and to believe there is a market for such a device now doesn’t make a lot of sense.

It’s not clear why RIM would produce such a tablet, and even less clear who might buy one. Let’s hope these BlackBerry tablet rumors are just that.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub. req’d): How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market

When I first looked at stands for the iPad I was taken by the metal Skadoosh stand by Jadu. What I liked most about this stand was the ability to tilt the iPad in the stand to almost any angle, making for the most desirable viewing angle. The folks at Jadu were paying attention and while the Skadoosh is not shipping yet (it’s getting close) they sent an early prototype for me to give a look.

The stand is solid metal with the exception of the plastic rocker where the iPad is inserted. This rocker can accept the iPad in either portrait or landscape orientation, with a place for the docking cable in portrait. The base is very solid and doesn’t seem like the iPad would be in danger of falling over, but there is an extendable fixture to leave nothing to chance.

Tilting the iPad in the Skadoosh is as simple as pushing the release button on the front of the stand and pushing/pulling the slate. The stand gives a definite click when it is locked at the desired angle and holds firm.

The iPad will only fit in the Skadoosh outside of a case, but Jadu notified me they are making a modification to the plastic rocker so that it will accept the iPad while inside certain cases. This would be perfect, as my iPad is almost never outside the Apple case. The stand should be shipping soon I am told, and pricing is $57.99.

Tablet PCs are the notebooks with everything. They can be great thin notebook PCs and also slate tablets when the screen is rotated around. They can do anything any other notebook can do and more. That’s why they often cost so darn much as the new Fujitsu T730 Tablet PC proves once again. This Tablet is as small as can be and still have a 12-inch screen. It looks like a solid entry for Fujitsu, a long-time maker of nice convertible notebooks. It’s too bad the starting price is $1,869, and that doesn’t get you the touch screen option.

The T730 has an optical drive option which is rare on such a thin convertible. Fujitsu has kept the case as small as possible for a notebook with a 12-inch display and full keyboard. The starting configuration includes an outdoor viewable screen and a DVD burner, so that high price is not for nothing. Fujitsu claims a dual digitizer with multitouch option is available but doesn’t seem to make that an selectable option on its web site.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub. req’d): How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market

The dime novel was popular before my time, back before a TV was in every home and folks looked for cheap entertainment. These novels were sold as a serial, with a chapter released every so often for a nickel or a dime. They were quite popular as the story was doled out in small enough pieces to hook the reader to get them coming back for each episode. Dime Novel Publishing is hoping to revive the concept in digital form.

This serial approach is perfect for the e-book form, as new episodes can be purchased and read immediately upon release. There’s no searching around to see if the store has it yet, a notification tells you it’s available and you go get it. That’s if you can afford it. Each episode in the Dime Novel portfolio is $0.99, which sounds pretty cheap until you realize each novel consists of 23 episodes. The first one is free to get you hooked but you pony up the cash for the other 22 episodes. Yes, each complete novel will cost you $21.78. Not quite a dime novel, is it?

There are three serials currently available, and they look to be aimed at young readers. A new episode for each is released every 10 days and sold through Smashwords.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub. req’d): Irrational Exuberance Over E-Books?

While the big news this week was undoubtedly the HP purchase of Palm, two other news items may impact the mobile technology scene down the road. They may be related to the HP/ Palm merger, too. Microsoft has been teasing us with concept videos of the innovative Courier product, a dual-screen touch “journal” that is connected to the web and based on a new OS optimized for the device. Word came this week that Microsoft has canceled the Courier project, which is strange as it was never acknowledged by Redmond as really exisiting. Then today HP has reportedly canceled the Slate product, a Windows 7 tablet that was shown by Steve Ballmer at the CES this year.

The cancelation of the Courier “concept” project, confirmed by Microsoft, is a shame. This device showed the potential of being the most innovative thing to come out of Redmond in years. While the usage scenario depicted in leaked videos was narrow, I do believe with a little attention the Courier could have evolved into a game-changing mobile device. It’s too bad that will never happen, although I’m sure Microsoft will make use of the technology the project exposed in other products. One can hope, anyway.

The news that HP is canceling the HP Slate is surprising, and it may not be accurate. The Slate is a real product, demonstrated by both Microsoft and HP on several occasions, and HP has stated the product would be released. It’s not a concept or a pilot program, the Slate is a real product that was scheduled for release. There is some speculation that HP’s purchase of Palm has led to this product cancelation, as HP has implied they will be putting the webOS on a range of products including tablets. This may very well be, but I hope HP does it right if so.

I’ve made it clear that to produce a good tablet, companies must pay attention to details other than the form factor. It is essential that a touch tablet be based on an OS that is built for such usage from the ground up, and webOS certainly meets that requirement. I do believe HP can make a killer tablet based on webOS, but not with a simple conversion of the HP Slate from Windows 7 to webOS. The Slate is a clunky, thick and heavy tablet, which will not work with consumers. I hope HP produces a thin, light tablet that is optimized for webOS through and through. That would be a killer product.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

• How Microsoft Can Win Back the Tablet Market
• How AT&T Will Deal with iPad Data Traffic
• Hot Topic: Apple’s iPad

This week has been spent fighting the flu while business in Mobile Tech Manor was conducted as usual. I had the unfortunate opportunity to find out what happens when a cloud service fails, and got to experience good tech support as a result. A new phone hit the Manor and I’m trying a new technology that I’m liking so far. Come on in and I’ll share my week with you.

I have been fighting the flu (and losing) for several days this week. It came on quickly and settled in for the count. It had me waffling between feeling fine and horrible for a full three days. It’s still refusing to go away but I am beginning to feel like a human again as I write this.

Only one gadget

Given my health it’s a good thing only one new gadget appeared at the Manor, and at the end of the week at that. The folks at Verizon sent over a Droid Incredible by HTC on its release day. The Incredible is what you get when you take the Google Nexus One, update the hardware a little and add the HTC Sense interface bits. A very nice update, in other words.

I haven’t gotten into the details of the phone yet but one thing has consistently impressed me about the Droid Incredible — it is so fast. I would go on a limb and state the Incredible is the fastest smartphone I have used, and that covers a lot of ground. I haven’t used a Nexus One, a phone often praised for its responsiveness, but I have played with a few of them. The Incredible is definitely faster that the Nexus One in every way.

I am surprised how light and thin the Incredible is; it is as thin as the iPhone 3G I have, and lighter by far. This is due to the plastic case on the Incredible, and while it feels very well made in the hand, I wonder how rugged it might be over time. I can’t imagine dropping it in a concrete parking lot and having anything good come out of it.

I am impressed with the latest version of Android on the Incredible, and the latest HTC Sense interface. The HTC interface makes Android so much better, and gives them a definite advantage over other Android phone makers IMHO. I’m glad they signed that deal with Microsoft to protect them from any problems a la the Apple suit. I hope that suit gets resolved quickly, I’d hate for HTC to stop making Android phones. The Incredible shows how far HTC can take the platform, and I’d hate for legalities to wreck that.

My next phone?

I believe a phone coming soon from HTC may be the next phone I buy for full-time use. The HTC EVO coming shortly from Sprint is going to be hard for me to resist, given all the features it’s going to be packing. Back when I reviewed the HD2 from HTC, I stated that if I could have that great hardware with Android onboard it would be the near perfect smartphone. That’s the EVO in a nutshell, and I believe it’s going to be a dynamite phone.

The HD2 was saddled with Windows Mobile, a shame as it made that phone unstable. My podcast co-host Matt Miller agrees with that, as he stated on the latest episode we recorded yesterday (recording should be available soon). He bought the HD2 and has become totally frustrated with the instability that Windows Mobile brings to the device. We had a good conversation about that but basically the conclusion reached was Windows Mobile is inherently unstable on smartphones of today. Hopefully this will change when Windows Phone 7 hits late this year. It better.

I cannot remember when a webOS phone, Android phone or my iPhone 3G locked up and had to be rebooted. That just doesn’t happen with phones running those platforms, but the same can’t be said for Windows Mobile in my experience. Every single WinMo phone I’ve tried for years has occasionally locked up, requiring the phone to be either soft or even worse, hard reset. That’s not acceptable in my view, and why WinMo has never done well in the main consumer market.

The Sprint EVO hardware running Android is going to be outstanding, and I admit it’s been a while since a phone has gotten me excited like this one. That giant 4.3-inch screen in a great form factor will be great. Throw in support for Sprint’s 4G network and the EVO is a geek’s dream phone.

Break in the cloud

I have been happily using the SugarSync service to keep my important files backed up to the cloud. It automatically keeps my Mac and Windows system in sync as part of the process. The ability to use the iPad app and access my files on the iPad are a bonus. SugarSync quietly runs in the background on those two systems and when a file is created or modified on either system the update appears in the cloud and on the other system. It has worked flawlessly until this week, when it stopped on the Mac.

I noticed early in the week that the SugarSync icon had disappeared from my MacBook’s system tray. This concerned me as the MacBook can only stay in sync with the cloud if the background app is running. I manually fired up the SugarSync File Manager app and it wouldn’t run — it would start and then disappear. I uninstalled and reinstalled it to see if that would fix it but no dice.

I filed a help ticket online with the SugarSync support team and waited to hear back from them. This is that gray area with a company when you’re not sure what to expect. I am happy to report the tech support experience was outstanding. I received an email a few hours later asking me to send the log files created by SugarSync so the tech support guy could have a look.

I did that and it didn’t shed any light on the problem so he had me uninstall and reinstall the app again. He actually called me and provided one-on-one instructions on the uninstall, as OS X had put some configuration files in different places when the app was installed. I dutifully removed them and reinstalled it and sure enough it worked.

Apparently, the file index stored on the Mac was corrupted, and SugarSync couldn’t handle it. Totally removing all traces of the app from the Mac allowed the reinstall to reindex the files as part of the reinstall and all was soon good again. It’s important to note that my files were safe in the cloud, only the local index was hosed. The tech support for SugarSync was top-notch, and I was duly impressed with the experience.

Instapaper is nice

This week I finally got around to trying something I have put off for a while. I’m finding it pretty useful so I’m glad I got in gear and gave Instapaper a shot. Instapaper is basically a way to easily capture web articles for later reading. I decided to give it a try as the iPad app is a pretty good free way to interact with Instapaper.

I am finding it more useful than I thought I would. It creates a “Read Later” bookmark button in the browser and when I see something I want to read but don’t have time I simply hit the button. That stores the article in my Instapaper account where it’s accessible through any browser and a number of mobile apps (iPad, iPhone, etc.). I use it quite a bit and it’s all free so give it a try if you haven’t.

e-Books this week

This week I finished the long Under the Dome by Stephen King. It was a good story, although not quite as original as I thought going in. I read another book with the same basic premise a while back; I forget which book it was. It was still a good read.

I also read Healer by F. Paul Wilson and I enjoyed it. It’s an interesting sci-fi novel that tells the story of someone who accidentally becomes immortal. It is part of Wilson’s LaNague Federation series and I look forward to reading the other books in the series.

Wrap-up

That’s my week as it went down in Mobile Tech Manor. I enjoyed sharing it with you and hope you enjoyed it too. I know I am more than ready for this flu to leave the Manor, it’s not been fun. Until next week — be safe.

The Droid Incredible by HTC is available today on the Verizon network in the U.S. and one just showed up at my door. I have not had time to play with it enough to talk intelligently about it so these photos will have to tide you over until I do. I can say one thing with certainty — this thing is FAST. Make that two things — this is the best phone on the Verizon network.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

Google’s Mobile Strategy: Understanding the Nexus One

The Skyfire browser brings the desktop web experience to the phone, and until today Android phone owners were unable to share in that experience. Skyfire 2.0 has been released today for the Android platform, and the full Flash experience (sorry Jobs) is part of the package. Skyfire uses server-side page rendering to bring web pages to the phone screen looking like they do on the desktop. Video streaming also works with few compromises, according to the developer.

This second major version of Skyfire introduces the SkyBar, a toolbar that improves the ability to play video, explore the web and to share web information with friends. To get Skyfire 2.0 for Android, visit the Skyfire web site.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

Google’s Mobile Strategy: Understanding the Nexus One

The tech world was taken by surprise by the news that computer giant HP had initiated a purchase of beleaguered Palm for $1.2 billion. Palm has been in trouble for a while, and had been actively shopping for a buyer to bail them out. A few companies had been mentioned in the press as interested in Palm, but no one gave HP a thought. The merger of HP and Palm is probably the best possible scenario for Palm, and it will be fun to watch the process. HP has the resources to make the most of Palm’s technology, and experience at taking over innovative companies (remember Compaq?). Here’s what I think will happen with the merger, along with my thoughts on what better happen to make this work.

HP is in a unique position to take advantage of the Palm takeover. It is in the phone business, but not really. HP was big in the PDA segment for years, but never made a successful transition into the smartphone age. There are good people in this area with HP, but they’ve never been allowed to innovate. The absorption of Palm into the HP Personal Systems Group will be an infusion of talent and know-how that HP can leverage immediately.

That is first and foremost what the new HP/Palm team must do — release a new webOS phone that blows Palm’s past phones out of the water. Take HP’s great skill at producing top-notch hardware, and pair it with webOS to make a smartphone that will take the segment by storm. I have no doubt it can be done, and it must be done quickly to create the buzz needed to make people watch HP’s phones going forward. Make a webOS phone with hardware that rivals anything in the Android segment. Prove that webOS, coupled with outstanding hardware, is the best smartphone platform available.

HP must focus on the Palm/webOS effort in its phone business after the merger is complete. Drop Windows Phone 7 and work solely with webOS; no dilution of effort in the phone business. Palm’s OS is as good as anything on the market, so take it and run with it. Continue to innovate and grow the OS with the help of the Palm team. Send a clear message to the smartphone community and market that this is your product.

Throw a lot of resources into the Palm developer community. This is crucial to the success of the platform, and HP has the muscle and money to make it a vital part of the equation. Get developers to embrace the platform, no matter what it takes. Bring back those developers who have dropped webOS due to Palm’s problems. Make this a priority within HP and the phone group. Throw a boatload of money at developers if you must, it is crucial to the future of the platform.

Drop the Palm brand. This is not something I say lightly, I am nostalgic about Palm and the brand. But I believe it is vital that HP send a clear message to the industry that it is behind the webOS platform 100%. A clear way to do that is to bring it into the HP branding scheme, and quickly. Go all in with Palm by bringing it totally into the HP family. On every front it is important to send a clear message — Palm is HP now, and we are going to run with it.

Produce a webOS tablet that rivals the iPad. I firmly believe the webOS platform is a good one for such a product, and HP’s expertise in making mobile computers can be leveraged to full advantage in such a device. This will create a new product line that has amazing potential for HP, and all of the pieces are already in place with the merger to make this happen. HP can still go with the HP Slate, although that is just a netbook without a keyboard. What will be better is a thinner, lighter tablet with a mobile OS. That will truly compete with the iPad.

An HP tablet with webOS opens up the possibility for an ecosystem that can take on the Apple/iTunes/App Store. HP has the clout and expertise to use the webOS phone and slate lines to add apps, music and video to the mix in such a way that eventually HP can take on Cupertino.

The merger of Palm and HP will not be without cost cutting, and that means losing good people. It is inevitable given the high price paid for Palm. HP must do this intelligently, and without hampering the Palm team too severely. Make the combined team work well together after the merger. The priority should be fast release of new products that make a difference.

The news of the licensing deal between HTC and Microsoft is surprising, primarily as it covers HTC’s work in the Android platform. Microsoft has provided licensing of its technology in the past, but this was the first time specifically covering the hot Android platform. Redmond wants to make it clear it is serious about protecting its intellectual property, and it is duly concerned about infringements of that IP inherent in the Android platform. We received this statement from Horacio Guiterrez, corporate vice president and deputy general counsel of Intellectual Property and Licensing at Microsoft:

Microsoft has a decades-long record of investment in software platforms. As a result, we have built a significant patent portfolio in this field, and we have a responsibility to our customers, partners, and shareholders to ensure that competitors do not free ride on our innovations.  We have also consistently taken a proactive approach to licensing to resolve IP infringement by other companies, and have been talking with several device manufacturers to address our concerns relative to the Android mobile platform.

Guiterrez recently shared his views on the Apple patent infringement suit against HTC. He feels licensing technology to third parties is vital to the growth of the smartphone segment, just as was done in the past when the main purpose of phones were “to make and receive calls.” Most interesting is his view on how the “software stack” in smartphones has replaced that important “radio stack” as the critical area in which technology licensing will play a big role.

Now, however, as a new category of ‘smart’ devices has emerged, the value proposition has moved to the software stack.  As is clear from advertising by all of the major brands – Apple’s iPhone, RIM’s Blackberry, Palm’s Prē, Motorola’s Droid, and Windows Phones – people buy smartphones because they are fully functional computers that fit in the palm of your hand.  The radio stack is still valuable, as it allows the phone to connect to the Internet.  But what is most valuable is not the connection per se, but the new things that users can do with it – find nearby restaurants and movie theaters, send and receive email, and watch video, just to name a few.  The primary driver for adoption and sales in this market is the software on and available for the device.

This situation bears watching, and it is not clear how Android will fare over time. Android phone makers may need to all make deals with Microsoft and possibly Apple to cover all bets. Microsoft is not sharing details about which other companies it is in discussions with over Android infringements.

The Sprint EVO is looking like the Android phone to beat, at least it will be when it launches. The carrier has always stated availability in “summer 2010″ and as that is rapidly approaching it is no surprise to see Sprint hosting a launch event on May 12. The event is by invitation only, and unfortunately since I’m not in New York City I won’t be able to attend. I do believe the EVO, the first phone with 4G in the U.S., may be my next phone so it’s good to see it getting closer to launch.

Microsoft has announced a broad licensing agreement with HTC for its mobile phone patents. The agreement gives HTC access to “broad coverage” under Microsoft’s patent portfolio. HTC will pay Microsoft royalties for Android phones it sells. This agreement comes in the shadow of Apple suing HTC for patent infringement, a move widely believed to be aimed at Google and Android. Analysts are already stating that this deal between HTC and Microsoft is aimed at defusing the Apple suit, but a statement by the Microsoft legal team implies it is merely HTC avoiding a similar infringement claim by Microsoft.

No details have been provided by Microsoft nor HTC mentioning which technologies are covered under this agreement. A look at Microsoft’s IP licensing program sheds some light over likely technologies covered:

• Exchange ActiveSync: HTC was the first Android phone maker including full support for interacting with Exchange Servers. This is almost certainly included in this licensing deal.
• ClearType: Technology yielding crisper display of text on LCD screens.

There are no doubt many other patented technologies that are included under the HTC/Microsoft agreement, given the “broad coverage” claimed by both companies.

The statement by Microsoft that Android was infringing on its patents, and the subsequent deal with HTC may spell big trouble for Google and the platform. Other Android phone makers now must make a determination if handsets produced likely infringe on either Microsoft or Apple technology. This may turn the semi-open platform into one as full of potential holes as swiss cheese.

It may not be the perfect mobile device, but the Gorillapod Magnetic from Joby may be the perfect accessory for budding photographers. Joby has produced the Gorillapod flexible tripods for some time, and the magnetic feet on the new model can be used in a variety of ways to hold cameras just about anywhere.

The special tripod legs can be bent at nearly unlimited angles, allowing for getting the camera at just the right angle. The magnetic feet mean the Gorillapod Magnetic can even be placed sideways on metal objects, allowing the camera to be propped up even without a table or other flat surface. $24.95.

The Eye-Fi is one of those simple yet incredibly useful gadgets. Pair an SD storage card, which is compatible with many cameras, with the ability to send images (and videos) over integrated Wi-Fi and you have the Eye-Fi. The Eye-Fi fits in compatible cameras and works as a typical SD card, but eliminates the need to pop the card out of the camera and plug it into the destination computer. You can shoot recorded images from the Eye-Fi to the destination without touching it.

The folks behind the Eye-Fi have let us know they’ve expanded the hotspot partnerships to include Devicescape. This means Eye-Fi owners can transfer images over thousands more hotspots globally. By the end of May, Eye-Fi owners will have more functionality, such as these features (per Eye-Fi):

• Eye-Fi users with a personal hotspot subscription to a Wi-Fi hotspot provider, such as Boingo, BT Openzone, T-Mobile, SFR, Orange and Vodafone, can add their existing credentials to their Eye-Fi account to upload in these supported locations, and potentially expand their hotspot upload coverage to millions of hotspots.
• Eye-Fi users at schools and universities across the world can now add their campus Wi-Fi network credentials to their Eye-Fi account.
• Eye-Fi users will be able to automatically upload through hundreds of thousands more open hotspots because the Eye-Fi card now navigates through splash screens.

Mac owners should note that a new model of the Eye-Fi is coming just for you. The Eye-Fi Geo X2 will be sold exclusively through Apple, and will work with the Macs like no other Eye-Fi. Images recorded on the Eye-Fi Geo X2 can upload photos directly into MobileMe and iPhoto. Direct uploading is supporting on over 20 other online sites, too.

The new Eye-Fi also supports geo-tagging photos, which is integrated with iPhoto ’09 to allow locating photos by places. The card also features auto-cleaning, freeing up storage space when photos are uploaded. It features Class 6 performance for fast uploads. The Eye-Fi Geo X2 will be available in a 4 GB capacity for $69.99 from Apple in May.

Mobile technology has advanced at a breakneck pace the past few years. We’ve seen the rise of the notebook, the launch of the netbook and the mass adoption of the smartphone. There have been many handheld devices that put a full computer in the palm of the hand. Smartphones are powerful computers in their own right. All of these advances have fueled the search for the perfect mobile device. The appearance of the iPad led many to proclaim the perfect mobile device had finally arrived. Guess what? There is no perfect mobile device, and there never will be.

That’s a pretty harsh statement, but I believe an accurate one. Mobile technology is by nature a very personal thing. When something is personal by design, it becomes different things to different people. That’s the very nature of something personal. What is revolutionary to one person may be simply evolutionary, or even a step backwards, to another. What works for some won’t necessarily work for others.

I have covered handheld devices for a long time, and this coverage often produces strong reactions to those exposed to it. It is common to see knee-jerk reactions to articles about a given gadget along the lines of “why would you use that for task X?”. These reactions are typical given the personal nature of the technology. A particular gadget may be the best solution for some, but fall short for others. There are so many factors in determining how useful a gadget might be for an individual, and it’s the total package that makes or breaks the utility a single device can bring to each of us.

The appearance of the iPad has evoked emotional reactions from many along these lines. Almost every article you see written about using the iPad for a particular task is met with strong reactions from readers. Those reactions are often along the line of “why not use gadget Y for that task, as it’s better than the iPad.” This is a good response, as the iPad is not the best tool for many tasks compared to other types of devices.

I have seen the same reaction to almost every mobile gadget I’ve written about, and the fact is there are many factors to consider. If the goal is simply to use the best device for every single task that might be undertaken, then we should all use the most powerful notebook computer we can find. That would certainly be the best tool for any job. But these are often expensive, and not very easy to carry around.

There are many factors in play with mobile devices that determine the utility each provides to the individual. Portability is a big factor; while a 19-inch powerful notebook would be the best tool for any given task, it’s certainly not easy to carry around in a mobile scenario. Price is a big consideration too — that’s why netbooks have been well received. We don’t all have thousands to drop on a single tool, and often affordability is a determinant of adoption.

For others battery life plays a significant role in whether a particular gadget is a good fit or not. The individual’s work needs are the drivers that tell if a given device (or device form factor) is a proper fit. That giant notebook would certainly fail in this area.

What, then, is the best tool for a given job? The tool that is with you when you need to do the task. That’s the simple truth when it comes to mobile technology. It doesn’t matter if that big, powerful laptop will tackle any job at hand if it’s too big to carry everywhere. The same applies to many mobile gadgets. If they are too difficult to bring along, they can’t provide much benefit.

By the same token, it’s not a good plan to force compromise in our work by solely adopting a mobile device that is too restricted. The argument that gadget X is a better fit for a given task is often a good one. If a certain type of device better serves the tasks most commonly undertaken, then that’s the type to use. But that doesn’t mean that other types of devices aren’t useful for others. Mobile technology requires we keep an open mind, as everyone’s needs are different. It’s that personal thing again.

It is important to understand when a certain type of device, iPad or other, can do a certain task in a pinch. While other gadgets will be better at performing the task, if the “compromised” device is at hand, then that’s the better tool. When I write about using gadgets, the goal is to point out what can and cannot be done with them. It’s not to state that everyone should adopt this particular gadget — it’s to point out how the device can be used if needed. I think that is useful information.

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Sprint has been quick to push the use of its Overdrive modem with the iPad. The combination allows the Wi-Fi model of the iPad to be used on the Sprint 4G (WiMAX) network where available. To promote this usage case, Sprint has been giving a case away that is tailored to fit the iPad and the Overdrive modem. I received a case to review today, and it’s a decent solution for carrying both gadgets around town.

The case is solidly constructed and fits the iPad and Overdrive exactly. The fit is so tight that the iPad will only fit in the case by itself — even the thin Apple Case is too bulky to use with the Sprint case. The Sprint 4G Case is as thin and light as can be, and it’s free from Sprint when you buy an Overdrive at participating Best Buy stores.