Author: Kevin C. Tofel

What happens when you combine an “old school” netbook with cutting edge mobile broadband? You get a subsidized netbook deal with WiMAX, of course! Liliputing caught an eyeful of just such a deal on the Clear website. And if you live in a WiMAX coverage area, it’s actually more compelling than a subsidized netbook with today’s 3G technologies. That’s due to the lower pricing of WiMAX as compared to EVDO or HSPA. Clear offers a two year deal with this netbook at $45 a month, but the first six months are discounted down to $30 each. That brings your total data charges to $990 over 24 months, which is a far cry from the $1,440 cost of traditional data plans. But about that netbook…

Turns out that your subsidized hardware is long in the tooth. For $199 after rebate and subsidies, you end up with a Samsung NC-10. Now that device is by no means a bad one — it offers six hours of battery life, a 160 GB hard drive, 1 GB of RAM and 1.6 GHz Intel Atom N270. The thing is, the new Atom netbooks are already appearing as the N270 is nearing it’s end of life. Pity that Clear couldn’t work a deal for something slightly newer.

Still, the NC-10 is quite capable and with this deal, you can save yourself nearly $500 in data fees over time — provided you have 4G coverage, of course. What would make this deal even more compelling would the inclusion of a dual radio for both 3G and 4G. Sprint is already offering adapters and mobile hotspots with this technology — it would make the netbook usable in far more areas.

Related GigaOM Pro Content: The Future of Netbooks

When we met with Lenovo at the Consumer Electronics Show earlier this month, we took a video look at the latest gear. That smartbook still has me intrigued, but we’ll have to see how the market reacts when the SkyLight arrives. Afterwards we caught a bit of other new technology, but I didn’t hit the record button on my camcorder. Luckily, my man Sal over at Geek.com did.

Lenovo’s RapidDrive is a unique twist to the traditional storage model. Like a hybrid system, RapidDrive uses both a traditional, magnetic hard drive and a faster SSD drive that has no moving parts. But having two drives can be confusing for some consumers, so Lenovo created a smarter system. RapidDrive technology treats the two different drives as one contiguous unit, so people don’t have to worry about which of the two drives their data is on. Even better: the RapidDrive system automatically optimizes data dynamically, so you gain the benefit of the faster SSD drive with oft-used data and apps. And Lenovo claims that Windows boot times are decreased by up to 66% with RapidDrive.

In our demo, there was a noticeable speed difference in the RapidDrive system when compared to the exact same hardware without an SSD and RapidDrive. You can see this demo in a set of scripted tasks between two systems. Lenovo hasn’t announced a price for this option on systems yet, but it will be available on the upcoming Y560 and Y460 notebooks that hit later this quarter.

The last quarter of 2009 was breathtaking in terms of pace for the mobile market. Most of what happened, I either read about or covered in my writing. But somehow, I missed some key bits that I just picked up in the latest GigaOm Pro Quarterly Wrap-Up on Mobile (subscription required). In the 28 page PDF for example, I learned that Canadian and U.S. consumers account for 1.3 cellular connections per user on average. Here I thought I was in the minority with multiple handsets — then again, I’m still ahead of the curve with three phones, one USB stick for 3G and an Amazon Kindle.

I also didn’t realize how much of a data disparity the iPhone caused during the last three months of 2009. Cellular carriers with an iPhone  on the network see 52 percent of their data traffic coming from smartphones. Those without an iPhone in the stable only see 4 percent of their data on smartphones. While I knew that iPhone users were data-driven consumers, I had no idea that the device drove data demand by more than ten-fold.

And what about 4G networks like WiMAX from Clearwire? I recall that the company secured more funding to build out its national WiMAX network, but I overlooked a key SEC company filing. Clearwire essentially has to make WiMAX work because it’s barred from switching over to LTE deployment until November, 2011. By that time, Verizon Wireless will have dozens of LTE markets on-line, so WiMAX looks like an all or nothing deal right now.

Between these tidbits, the rising momentum of Android, cell plan battles and more people jumping onto social networks while mobile, the quarter left me out of breath. With new phone platforms and more powerful processors, it already looks like 2010 is picking up where 2009 left off!

Do we really need another name for devices that are smaller than a notebook and bigger than a smartphone? I’m finally seeing the name MID, or Mobile Internet Device, lose traction but now it looks like it could be replaced with “NetTabs.” Ugh. No matter what you call them — slates, tablets or MIDs — they’re poised to sell big in 2010: to the tune of tens of millions, says a Deloitte report quoted in the Telegraph.

”NetTabs are expected to meet specific consumer needs compared to smartphones on the one hand – which are still a bit small for watching videos or even Web browsing – and notebooks, netbooks, and ultra-thin PCs, on the other – which are too big, heavy, or expensive.”

Obviously, the basis for at least some of these thoughts is around an Apple tablet device, expected to appear later this month. But smartphones and other handhelds are maturing to drive this market as well.

While I don’t agree with the name, I do see a point in the first part of the NetTab definition — these devices are “expected to meet specific consumer needs.” I take that to mean media playback, web browsing and other popular content consumption activities. Why make that distinction? Because when I look from the first Origami devices to the latest HP / Microsoft slate shown off at CES, I’m convinced that this market won’t fully succeed with a desktop operating system and paradigm.

Yes, the touch features of Windows 7 are ideally slated for a slate, but all of the extra baggage and functionality of Windows simply isn’t needed for a device targeted at content consumption. If and when this market takes off — as I expect it will this year — it will be interesting to see which devices have sold and which really haven’t. My money is on devices that meet specific consumer needs without much extra native functionality. After all — thriving app stores can fill functionality gaps quite nicely.

To say I’m happy with my Nexus One so far would be an understatement. It’s not perfect, but there’s quite a bit to like — enough that I haven’t powered up my iPhone 3GS in nearly 10 days. But one of the biggest frustrations is the sporadic 3G issue that many folks are experiencing. Here at my home office, I’m on the fringe of T-Mobile’s 3G coverage area. Yet, when I test the exact same SIM card here in the old G1 handset, I get full 3G speeds. With the Nexus One, I’m stuck on lowly EDGE service, even though I have the same four bars and signal strength. Clearly, there’s a software issue that’s causing the Nexus One to not “see” the 3G network.

I just did some quick poking around on the handset and made one very small manual adjustment. Guess what — I now have full 3G speeds at this location on my Nexus One!

I have no idea if this will work for other Nexus One owners that are in a 3G coverage area and stuck on EDGE, but here’s all I did.

In “Settings,” I went to “Wireless & networks.” Look for the “Mobile Networks” option at the bottom of this listing. The next screen has a “Network Operators” section — tap it. Your Nexus One will search for compatible GSM networks in the area. Once it’s complete, you’ll see the choices, which will consist of T-Mobile and/or AT&T. You’ll also see a choice to Select Automatically — tap it and your phone should say “Registered on network.” That’s it. That’s all I did and I immediately saw the phone jump from EDGE to T-Mobile’s fast 3G network.

Again, I don’t know if this will work for everyone, but it can’t be a fluke. I’ve had the phone for nearly a week-and-a-half and it hasn’t seen the 3G network once while here at home. Now it does all the time, even after a reboot, so it looks like my particular issue is resolved! Perhaps there’s something in this Android build that doesn’t correctly register the phone on T-Mobile’s network by default? I still anticipate a software fix for everyone, but for now my Nexus One is speeding along quite nicely on mobile broadband.

Related GigaOM Pro Research: Google’s Mobile Strategy: Understanding the Nexus One

There’s a war going on if you haven’t noticed. The U.S. carriers are starting to lob salvos of new cellular plans and it’s not just here in the tech trenches. I was out for dinner last night and a couple at the table next to me was chatting about the recent price drops from both AT&T and Verizon. Last week is when the latest push came — Verizon cut prices and AT&T quickly followed suit. And over the few months prior, even Sprint and T-Mobile made sneak attacks. Sprint added any mobile to any mobile last September while T-Mo introduced new contract and contract-free plans in October.

In these parts, we often choose the carrier first and then pick our phones — you can thank the long term contracts and Early Termination Fees for that approach. There are many ways to do that phone plan research, but I like the simplistic approach found at BillShrink. Om pointed out their latest endeavor, which is called the Ultimate Cell Phone Plan Comparison. This easy-to-read chart highlights differences — and similarities — between the most common plans for all four major carriers. There’s a breakdown by voice minutes allowed, plus all of the extra fees for texting, data and smartphone data additions.

Personally, I’m getting a little tired of carriers discerning “data” and “smartphone data” plans. At the end of the day, data on a 3G pipe is data no matter what device it’s used with. I’d love to see the FCC put an end to this semantic silliness. It’s like a television content provider charging $20 more if you’re going to watch on a larger TV over a smaller one.

Over the weekend, I caught wind of a new Android application from Verizon. The free app is in the Android Market and allows remote access to a FiOS TV box, local listings and more. Since I’ve been known to leave home without scheduling the DVR, I had to grab the free download. Activation was pretty straightforward on my FiOS box. I simply had to enter the phone number of my handset, although I vaguely recall some wording about using a Verizon phone. I registered my Google Nexus One on T-Mobile’s network with no issues, however. One slight caveat — I couldn’t register with my Google Voice number. I had to use the number provided by T-Mobile for my phone.

Seconds after the activation steps, I had full remote access to my FiOS box. Although I don’t watch much Video on Demand, I was able to browse through the offerings and bookmark content of interest. The DVR functions include the creation of new recordings, list the currently recorded programs, view the upcoming recording schedule and see how much disk space is used or free on the DVR. TV listings are also available, with full details of the programs, plus a one-touch button for recording. Although Verizon has offered a web-based solution with similar functionality for nearly a year, the Android app is far more elegant and snappy.

Samsung introduced a few new point-and-shoot cameras yesterday and while some were more of the same, one stands out from the crowd. The HZ35W pairs a 12 megapixel sensor with Schneider KREUZNACH lenses and both optical and digital image stabilization for crisp, clear pics. The 24mm lens extends for an optical zoom of 15 times and the backside is graced with a 3″ AMOLED display. But the integrated GPS adds appeal for you geo-taggers out there:

“With the HZ35W, users can geo-tag digital images, recording the longitude and latitude of where in the world the photo was taken.  The camera will display the name of the city, state, and country on its AMOLED screen.  Thanks to its visual map-view feature, users can even check the photos’ location on a map without having to upload the images to the Internet.”

If that’s not enough, there’s the nearly standard 720p high definition video recording at 30 fps as well. And an HDMI interface can pump your pics to the big screen. Samsung hasn’t disclosed a price just yet, so we’ll have to see if the cost is off the map or somewhere near the crossroads of affordable and powerful.

With all of the Apple tablet rumors floating, it’s only fair to let Windows Mobile 7 have it’s time in the gossip column. WMExperts shines the spotlight on a slew of speculation and it’s the first I’ve heard the name “Seven” bandied around. The short, classy nomenclature just rings of a James Bond introduction, no?

Some of the good include super high-end device specifications from LG and HTC — and by “super high-end” I mean at least as good as the über-powerful HTC HD2 that has folks drooling. Many of the specifications simply make sense to me, mainly because tight software integration and customization combined with fast hardware are what make the HD2 appealing. The banter about a 1280 x 720 resolution on a 3.8″ display doesn’t sound quite right, however. I’m not saying it’s impossible, but I can’t see that being an efficient resolution on a display of that size. A 5″ display would be better suited for WXGA, but even that’s a stretch.

On the software side of the house, Seven appears to be coming in at least two versions: a Business Edition and a Media Edition. It doesn’t take a rocket scientist to figure out the basic target audience for each, although I’m hoping that some phones offer the best of both worlds. With handhelds becoming the device we always have with us, limiting productivity or entertainment features by different editions isn’t appealing to me. One device should suffice for many purposes. And perhaps that’s what will happen — this is rumor and speculation, after all.

The Business Edition is allegedly more of a bare-bones offering to allow for carrier and handset maker customization. But there’s talk of some remote document editing and management features as well. Media Edition sounds more up my alley with potential offerings like Zune and Xbox 360 integration of some type, as well as Silverlight, Mediaroom and ties to both Facebook and Twitter. The social aspects certainly sound legit, since many other current platforms are already offering that. And many Zune addicts have been clamoring for better WinMo integration for years.

I expect we’ll begin to see a clearer picture for Seven at next month’s Mobile World Congress. As exciting as much of this functionality sounds, I’m equally as interested to see how revamped the user interface is, and at what level that revamp goes to. Previous releases showed that the old-style, stylus-driven input was still lurking just below the surface. While there’s a time and place for a stylus, nearly all other mobile platforms are succeeding without the pen.

Time and again, we get asked which cellular network is the best. The answer is: it depends completely on you and on varying factors outside of your control. Location, other network users in your area, and activities on the network at a given time all impact the experience. In the past, I’ve seen customized Google Maps where users can report local coverage conditions. But after speaking to the Root Wireless team at last week’s CES, I think there’s a better way to research and report cellular coverage data.

The company’s beta product is a small background application that runs on BlackBerry, Android and Windows Mobile devices for now. While so many of us focus on throughput, it’s only part of the equation — equally as important is the signal strength, dropped calls, and failed data connections. Combined with throughput, these factors help equate the experience.

With so many possible data points, how then is the information useful to consumers? That’s where the crowdsourcing concept enters in. Root Wireless aggregates data from the reporting handset clients to create detailed, low-level coverage maps. All data is self-reported, so there’s no input or other steps required from the participants, although users can “record” coverage in areas to help report dead zones. Root Wireless currently reports this data with all four major U.S. carriers in 16 different metro area maps, found here. The Root Coverage maps are interactive, so it’s easy to compare coverage by carrier or by signal, data or voice in a given location:

As part of the Consumer Electronics Show, Root Wireless used their own product near the Las Vegas Convention Center for six hours a day throughout the show. With just limited data, the company was able to create a useful graph of each carrier’s data performance. In fact, it verified something we repeatedly said throughout the show as our iPhones became useless bricks. Here’s the summary report from Root Wireless:

• Over the four days tested, AT&T’s rank fell from first to last.
• The first two days, Sprint’s data service provided faster service than recorded in greater Las Vegas in December.  Then its download speeds slowed each of the following two days.  Nonetheless, its service was among the fastest recorded Wednesday – Friday.
• T-Mobile’s service never recorded the fastest download speeds, but it provided consistent performance day-to-day.
• With the exception of Wednesday, Verizon Wireless outperformed its results recorded in December, and Verizon provided the fastest downloads on Thursday and Friday, presumably the show’s most congested days.

I think an automated crowdsourcing approach such as this is far more valuable that the various ambitious attempts to manually test the networks. There’s simply no way one person or one organization can test enough data points. But when you open the doors for millions of devices to test them for you, you really begin to gain some meaningful and useful data.

Just prior to the Consumer Electronics Show, I was asked to participate in a collaborative mobile trends effort. The results are out and I’m honored to be in such good company — over four dozen people participated and I’m not at all shy to say that most of them are far smarter than me. Each of us was asked to identify and briefly describe what mobile trends we envision for the next 10 years. Having read through the listing, there are some expected overlaps, but there’s also many unique aspects as well.

The slide show is freely available to view or download, so if you’re interested in hearing about mobile in the next 10 years, I highly recommend a peek. Thanks for asking me to take part, Rudy!

Related GigaOm Pro Research: “10 Mobile Predictions for 2010“

While I’ve done my own share of mobile device battery testing, Steve Paine has easily done more. From smartphones to MIDs and UMPCs to netbooks, Steve has tested down to the milliwatt over the past few years. Today he observed that on the CPU side of the house, the power difference between ARM and x86 is drastically reduced over what it was. If you’ve been following the progress of Intel’s Atom platform, that’s no surprise. And it doesn’t take an engineering degree to know that larger backlit displays can consume more power that most other device components. So what’s the “sweet spot” for a device display to effectively cancel out the power efficiency of ARM over x86?  Here’s what Steve says:

“When you get to screen sizes of 4” and above, something happens that levels the playing field for Intel somewhat. Their CPU platforms (*1) don’t idle down very well but in a typical ‘internet-connected’ scenario on one of these ‘smart’ devices, that becomes almost insignificant as the screen backlight adds such a huge load to the platform that when combined with Wifi, 3G, BT, GPS and audio, the CPU is just 10% of the total load. Swapping Intel out for ARM would save you just 5-10% battery life in an ‘active’ scenario.”

Steve’s point is rather timely, considering all of the ARM-powered devices we peeped at the Consumer Electronics Show. Many of them offered displays well over 4″, with some in the netbook-like 10″ range. It makes you wonder if pairing a low-power Atom chip with Moblin or other form of Linux might make for a better experience than an ARM device running Android or a custom Linux distro. Put another way: if you could get potentially more processing power but not pay a power premium, would you?

Of course, display technologies are bound to mature. In fact, our video demo of the Pixel Qi display on a Notion Ink prototype tells me that this whole situation of power hungry displays is due for a refresh in the near future. But until then, Steve may have a pretty good point. Thoughts?

As much I like to organize and take care of my gear, I’m not overly obsessive about it. Maybe I would be if I had this Laptop Case and Organizer sold by Frontgate. For $129 you get a neoprene gadget bag that accommodates a laptop up to 15″ in size. If that doesn’t grab you, maybe the web of elastic straps to hold phones, cords, chargers and what-have-you will. Even external drives and some thin point-and-shoot cameras ought to be wrapped in loving care by webby bands. There’s also a padded shoulder strap for carrying if you’d rather not use the cut-out handle.

I’d have to see this in person before buying, but it looks to offer some basic protection while also organizing gear. The Red Ferret Journal says that the case is also TSA-friendly for travel — that makes sense as you can unzip the entire bag and open it flat.

I suspect someone in Redmond knows the planned date for Windows Mobile 7, but if they do, they’re still not telling. At least they’re not telling me. However, the Microsoft ecosystem only works because of the company’s partners, and you can bet that they have a little more knowledge in this area. They need the lead time to put all the bits together, so at some point prior to the public, folks like HTC surely have the information. And sometimes, that information slips out.

That’s what appears to have happened on an XDA-Developers thread according to Redmond Pie. A poster was asking about the possibility of Windows Mobile 7 on the HTC HD2 and here’s the response, presumably from an HTC representative:

“Thank you for your enquiry about HD2
What we do it ROM Upgrades from our website, however 6.5 windows mobile has only been out 2 months and windows mobile 7 hasn’t even been developed. This wont be out until next November at the earliest. But when it is available it will be a free download. “

Similar information was tweeted from an HTC account, but later recanted so it’s difficult to separate truth from fiction on this one. But odds are pretty good that it’s legit if you look at a few previously known tidbits. We already knew that Windows Mobile 7 isn’t expected until at least the second half of 2010. And by some counts, it has already been delayed beyond that, although I’m not yet putting stock in those reports. So a November 2010 data is certainly within the known window of time.

And then there’s the hardware of the HD2. Like my Google Nexus One, it runs on Qualcomm’s 1 GHz Snapdragon which makes my Android device fly. It wouldn’t surprise me if this platform one of a few CPUs that fit a standard reference design for Windows Mobile 7. This CPU  has the power to make Windows Mobile 6.5 users happy due to the snappy performance (see our video demo here), so I can’t see why Windows Mobile 7 wouldn’t pair nicely with it.

I’d never heard of Mplayit before this morning, but they’re on my radar now. The company offers a mobile application recommendation service on Facebook and helps you find good software for Android, BlackBerry and iPhone handsets. I suspect there’s some “crowd-sourcing” of information going on, which I generally find useful. More interesting than the service itself might be the trends you can find from the data within it.

Mplayit today issued a press release stating that “[t]he iPhone’s massive lead in the total number of apps may no longer be translating into a similar advantage in the marketplace.” Put another way, it’s what I’ve been saying for some time — it’s not about the total quantity of titles in an any app store, it’s about having access to the tools that meet your needs the best. The chart below shows Mplayit data from over 42,000 individuals — it’s a breakdown of category titles for each platform.

In some cases, like Pandora and Evernote, the same apps are popular across all three platforms. I’d even go out on a limb and suggest that cross-platform support for mobile apps is a strategic advantage. It helps not only people owning multiple devices, but it removes barriers to switch platforms as well. This attribute is actually one that I look for in a mobile app — if there’s a good app that can be used on several of my devices, I’ll usually pick it over a great app that can only be used on one device.

How much does cross-platform support enter into your mobile application usage?

Related GigaOm Pro research: “Feature Phones: The Next Market for Mobile Apps?“

I’m still getting acquainted with the unsubsidized Google Nexus One I bought last week, but I’ve spent enough time with it to share my likes and dislikes. Since there’s only a 14-day return period and plenty of return fees — especially if you went the subsidized path — I figure some prospective purchasers might benefit from these thoughts. In no particular order, here’s what I’m really enjoying about this phone, and what I’m disappointed in. Bear in mind that not everything in my list is specific to the Nexus One and I expect other current Android handsets to gain some of these features through software upgrades in the future. But these features are a part of the current Nexus One experience, so I’m including them in my list.

1. The device starts up fairly quickly. In about 33 seconds or so from a cold start, you’re up and running. The near-two minute boot time of my Pre has turned me off.

2. The same holds true for turning off the device. It completely powers down — not into sleep mode, but actually off — in under six seconds.

3. I like how the phone doesn’t have to be on for charging. My iPhone 3GS and Palm Pre are “on” when charging. That annoys me at night as the phones — mainly the Pre — are glowing while I’m trying to sleep. Or they might ring or pop up a notification during the night. A silly little thing, yes, but I still like how it’s handled on the Nexus One. There is a very small LED indicator to tell you the device is charging or fully charged.

4. Blinking notifications are great. With my iPhone, I was constantly waking it and unlocking it to see if I had any emails. No need for that now. I just glance at the scroll ball to see if it’s blinking. I have it set up for various notifications — email, direct messages and replies on Twitter, etc….

5. Although it’s taking me time to get used to, multitasking is awesome. I’m pre-conditioned by 2.5 years of iPhone use to hit the Home button before moving to another program, but I’m slowly learning to hold the button and choose an already running app. Oddly, I used to flick cards to close apps on the Pre all the time for the very same reason. Anyway, when I remember that previously used apps are still running, I can move around quite quickly.

6. Gmail is heavenly, especially with multiple accounts. (Seriously — have you ever described an email client as heavenly? It has to be that good for me to call something as mundane as email ”heavenly!”) For a Gmail user, there’s little doubt in my mind that Android should be near the top when choosing a mobile platform. The native client is far more robust and easier to use than on any other device I’ve touched in the past few years. And Android 2.1 adds support for multiple Gmail accounts within the one mail application. I have both my personal and my work mail going side-by-side in the one app. It’s not a unified Inbox, mind you, but it’s a quick menu tap to switch accounts. Plus there’s starring, labels, a button for Older mail and so much more. New email also arrives on my phone faster than on the web too  Sorry to gush over this one, but again: if you use and like Gmail on the web, odds are pretty good that you’ll like it on this device. Ditto for the Google Calendar app.

7. Voice to text might not be as heavenly as the Gmail experience, but it’s pretty darn close. The feature is usable with nearly every text field on the device. I can speak emails or text messages — even tweets — and the phone will process the speech into text. And it’s pretty darn accurate too. Even in very noisy environments, I’ve had fantastic results thanks to the secondary microphone used to cancel out background noise.

8. I love the level of integration Google adds with some third party apps. For example, when you take a picture, you can share it via Picasa, Gmail, text message, Facebook or over Bluetooth. But you can also Tweet the picture right from the camera app. And the phone is smart enough to realize which Twitter app you have installed. When I first got the device, I installed TwiDroid and it magically appeared in my sharing list for pics. I thought that was pretty cool, but I later removed TwiDroid to install Seesmic. Lo and behold, Seesmic now appears automatically in my sharing options. That’s intelligent — not rocket science — but intelligent.

9. Speaking of image sharing reminds me of the camera. The 720 x 480 videos aren’t bad at all, nor are the still images from the 5 megapixel camera sensor. I didn’t think I’d use the digital zoom because they’re typically not all that great, but I’ve gained usable results in the rare instances I’ve used it. The camera is quite good, the interface is intuitive and the new Gallery app is well polished.

10. The overall speed of the device is very snappy. After hearing more about the Qualcomm Snapdragon platform at CES, I expect you’ll see many devices using it, just as the Nexus One does. And you’ll be happy with the performance when compared to the ARM processors of yesteryear. Everything on this handset seems to fly, although it starts to bog down a little when bunches of apps are running. One of the first things I did was to install a task killer, which I use a few times throughout the day. I haven’t used a faster feeling phone. The HTC HD2 uses this same CPU, so I can see why folks are buzzing about how well Windows Mobile runs on it. My expectations of Snapdragon are the reason I haven’t moved to an Android device in the past few months, and those expectations have been met  – and in some cases, exceeded — by the Nexus One.

11. Google Maps is stellar. The app is actually really good on other Android devices as well, and the navigation isn’t unique to the Nexus One. But when paired with this fast running hardware, the performance of Maps makes it feel like the entire globe is within the device, not on a server somewhere. There’s very little lag when panning, zooming or rending. In some cases, there is no lag. The GPS location fix is almost instantaneous as well. All of that combines for a great Maps experience.

12. Google Voice integration isn’t specific to the Nexus One at all, but it’s well done and completely integrated to the contacts and phone apps. It’s working so well that I’m going to look into canceling the unlimited text messaging portion of my monthly plan. From what I’ve heard, that can be done to save $10 a month. There’s simply no need for such a plan or function if you’ve embraced Google Voice.

13. Speaking of contacts, I like the integration with Facebook, which is similar to Synergy on the Palm Pre. And at any point, I simply tap and hold on a contact to get a touch menu of how I want to interact with that person: phone, text message, mail, Facebook or Google Talk, for example. And the phone is smart enough to only show me the available options. If I don’t have someone’s IM handle, it won’t show me Google Talk as an option.

14. Although voice-to-text related, I love how I can tap and hold the search touch button at any time to search by voice. It doesn’t matter what app I’m in — the function is always there.

15. The overall feel of the device has one of those “just right” attributes. It’s thin but easy to hold. It’s not slippery. And it feels well built. It’s hard to describe but if you’re worried about a shoddy, plasticky device, you needn’t worry about it with the Nexus One.

16. The onscreen keyboard is better than I expected once I made a minor adjustment — see item #3 in the “not so hot” list below. I’ve tried the options to add noise for key clicks and also for haptic feedback, but once I got used to the keyboard, I turned both off. What really makes input great is the predictive text functionality. Within two to three keypresses, I can often find the word I want to type in the predictive text area. And in many cases, the proper word is already highlighted in red, so I simply tap the space bar to choose it and I’m on my way to the next word. I find this better and faster than the iPhone, mainly because I have to type more letters on the iPhone in most cases.

What’s not so hot:

1. It’s far too easy to turn the phone on accidentally. I noticed this when leaving Las Vegas on my plane from CES. I had just turned on the Airplane Mode and then shut the phone down. I placed it in my pocket and a few seconds later, I felt the vibration made when the phone begins to power up. HTC and Google should adjust the power-on function so that you have to hold the button for a good second or two. As it is now, a brief, inadvertent tap will fire up the device.

2. Radio reception isn’t what I had hoped. I realize that there may be a widespread issue as Nexus One owners are reporting a signal bouncing from EDGE to 3G and back. I saw that behavior while at McCarran Airport in Las Vegas. I expect that issue to be fixed through a software update, but that’s not the problem. I’m not getting any 3G signal at my home. I checked the coverage maps and I should be getting one, although I am about a half-mile inside the cut-off, per the map. Here’s the thing though: with the same SIM card and exact same location, the Nokia N900 I’m evaluating pulls in 3G loud and clear. A speed test on that device netted me a 2.1 Mbps download. The Nexus One right after that? Not even 200 Kbps, thanks to the lowly EDGE signal. I’m not sure if the Nokia radio is that much better or the Nexus One is simply not as good, but at the end of the day, I really don’t care what the reason is. The result is more important and I’m not thrilled with it. I really don’t need 3G coverage in my house since I gravitate towards a faster Wi-Fi signal anyway, but this radio sensitivity — or lack thereof — has to be pointed out.

3. The touch experience in general is great, but less so with the four touch buttons at the bottom of the display. I’ve found that the touch sensors only respond when touching the top half of these buttons. It’s as if the sensors aren’t quite big enough. At first, this was a major hassle. Once I figured out what was going on, I adjusted accordingly and I’m fine now. But for the first two days, I really struggled. In fact, I’ve noticed that I do better with the touch keyboard by tapping the top half of those keys as well. Maybe it’s just me, but when I shift my touch input up about 1/8″ on either the keyboard or the four touch buttons, I can fly.

4. The screen is easily filled with smudges. There’s no oleophobic coating like Apple’s iPhone 3GS on this device. Seriously, you’ll be cleaning the screen every hour or two if you use this heavily. On the plus side, I have a perfect replica cheek-print on my device if anyone from the CSI set wants one. Maybe my print can make a cameo appearance in an upcoming episode?

5. Related to the screen smudge is challenge of using the usually beautiful OLED display in full sunlight. Even with the brightness up all the way, it’s difficult. AMOLED is great indoors and easier on battery life, but if you’re outside a bunch, I’d suggest caution.

6. I’m going to need a second battery. That’s becoming a common theme on many handsets as we start to use them more heavily as pocketable computers instead of occasional smartphone use. I’m also a believer in having two batteries for all of my devices, so going in to this purchase I figured to double down on power. But folks should realize that using this device often during the day will run the battery down in eight hours or less.

7. Many sites don’t render correctly in the browser in portrait mode. This is an odd and unexpected problem, but one I noticed right away. When I look at various two-column sites, the text column is squeezed in half. Yet when I rotate the device and move to landscape, the text flows across the column normally and is easy to read. It happens on our own site but many others that I’ve read as well, so I don’t think it’s anything specific to our CSS or anything. I hope this is addressed quickly with a firmware update — assuming it’s an Android issue, of course. Here’s an example:

8. The lack of multi-touch in native apps is disappointing, but expected. Since non-U.S. versions of Android devices offer multi-touch — and patent laws are different in those geographical areas — I can only assume that Google is avoiding a legal issue with Apple on this. Regardless of the reason, the end customer suffers. I really miss multi-touch in the browser because the native zooming functions are inferior to multi-touch. I may install the Dolphin browser which offers two-finger functionality.

I could probably go on and on with both lists, but after a week of ownership, I think I’ve hit the main points. Overall, I’m finding much more to like than dislike with the handset. $529 is the most I’ve ever paid for a phone, but I’m not having any second thoughts about the purchase. Aside from being very happy with the unit and having it meet most of my needs quite well, I figure that an unlocked device of this type has good resale value. I don’t anticipate replacing it with another Android unit in the near future, but if I do, I think I’ll recoup much of my investment. And I’ll have done so with what’s arguably the best current Android phone for me.

Related GigaOM Pro Research:

Google’s Mobile Strategy: Understanding the Nexus One

Samsung announced that its 32 GB microSD memory cards are now sampling to OEMs, so if your handset can handle the capacity, there’s a memory card for it. The new storage units don’t hit mass production until next month though, so you still have time to save up. Samsung hasn’t offered any pricing details but with 16 GB microSD cards holding roughly a $100 MSRP –although many are retailing for around $45 to $50 on Amazon these days — I’d anticipate paying $175 to $200 soon after the products debut. Samsung was able to squeeze 32 GB into the 1 millimeter thick card partially by moving their manufacturing to a 30nm process vs the prior 40nm one.

When the microSD format first arrived, I was leery of losing the cards due to the small size. But with capacities now at 32 GB, I don’t really see much need to physically remove the cards and that greatly reduces the risk of loss. Back when 1 GB was “hefty,” I expected to swap cards in and out of devices, but nowadays these small cards are so “large” that it’s not an issue.

I haven’t used a MiFi yet, but I will soon. I temporarily traded Dave Zatz my Palm Pre for his Sprint MiFi. The MiFi creates a wireless hotspot for up to five devices to share the mobile broadband connection. What if five wasn’t enough and you wanted to connect six devices at one time? I’d be wary of spreading the pipe too thin, but you could throw caution to the wind with the D-Link myPocket router, aka the DIR-457.

The myPocket got the OK from our friendly neighborhood FCC today and is expected to launch in the second quarter. Pricing is anticipated around $250, but I suspect that price will go down with a data plan and carrier subsidy. As far as carriers, it’s a safe bet that AT&T will see the 7.2 Mbps DIR-457 based on support for the HSPA bands in the 850, 1900, and 2100 MHz bands, although only the first two are needed here. The upper band means the same pocketable router could work overseas as well, but the FCC isn’t likely to confirm or deny that. It’s out of their jurisdiction.

Looking to add some JavaScript oomph to your Windows Mobile device? Then you’ll want to grab the latest NetFront browser version from ACCESS. The concept edition of NetFront v.4 doesn’t hit the web until tomorrow, but when it does, you’ll find it at this link, which is a placeholder for now. The full press release is after the jump, but here’s what you need to know.

This version is freely available for a limited time only and boasts some super speeds. According to the company — I don’t have a version to test — NetFront v.4 is “1.61 times faster than Opera (and) 3.38 times faster than IE for mobile as for Windows Mobile version.” The browser reportedly gets an octane boost through a new JavaScript engine offering 20 times better performance than NetFront v.3.5, which hit nearly two years ago. Aside from faster JavaScript and overall performance, the new browser includes PagePilot for desktop-like presentation on a mobile device, smooth scrolling and animated zooming. Windows Mobile device owners won’t be the only ones with NetFront fun — the company is widening their audience with versions for “major mobile operating systems and Internet-enabled devices to improve Internet access and use” at some future time.

ACCESS Announces NetFront™ Browser v4.0 with Super Fast JavaScript™ Engine for Embedded Browsers

•             Free Windows Mobile® Concept version available for download

Sunnyvale, Calif., January 14, 2010 – ACCESS CO., LTD., a global provider of advanced software technologies to the mobile and beyond-PC markets, today announced NetFront™ Browser v4.0, the latest version of NetFront Browser for mobile handsets and Internet-enabled devices. Featuring one of the world’s fastest JavaScript engines  developed from the ground up by ACCESS, NetFront Browser v4.0 performs JavaScript executions twenty times faster than ACCESS’ NetFront Browser v3.5 , resulting in a significantly better browsing experience overall, especially for websites that make heavy use of complex JavaScript.

The NetFront Browser v4.0 API application and porting layers are compatible with those of NetFront Browser v3.5, so device manufacturers using NetFront Browser v3.5 can easily upgrade to take advantage of super fast JavaScript engine in NetFront Browser v4.0, making it possible to leverage customized applications with minimal additional investment.

ACCESS will make a concept version of NetFront Browser v4.0 for Windows Mobile available for free download for a limited time beginning January 14, 2010 and ending on June 30, 2010. In addition to the Windows Mobile version, ACCESS also plans to provide NetFront Browser v4.0 for major mobile operating systems and Internet-enabled devices to improve Internet access and use. For more information and to download NetFront Browser v4.0, go to ACCESS’ website:http://www.access-company.com/products/mobile_solutions/netfrontmobile/browser/concept.html.

“The more users and companies come to depend on cloud computing, the more important web application performance and web JavaScript execution become,” said Tomihisa Kamada, president, CEO and co-founder of ACCESS. “NetFront delivers not only an exceptionally fast mobile browsing experience, but also a mobile cloud computing experience that is fluid and truly useful. ACCESS will continue to improve and extend our technologies to bring users around the world a faster, easier and more enjoyable Internet experience.”

NetFront Browser is the most advanced, versatile and powerful full Internet browser for mobile and beyond-PC devices. Specifically designed and optimized to deliver high performance in resource-constrained environments, it has been deployed by major operators, handset manufacturers and consumer electronics manufacturers around the world.

NetFront™ products including NetFront Browser reached 850 million and 1,960 models at the end of October 2009. According to an analysis concluded in September 2009 of devices offered by top-tier operators and device ownership data from comScore’s MobiLens research, NetFront Browser is the standard browser deployed on more handset models in the U.S. and through multi-country operators in the top five European markets (France, Germany, Great Britain, Italy and Spain) than any other mobile Internet browser.

NetFront Browser v4.0 Features

Super Fast JavaScript Engine

NetFront Browser v4.0 boasts JavaScript execution performance that is twenty times faster than the JavaScript execution performance seen in NetFront Browser v3.5. NetFront Browser v4.0 delivers a significantly better browsing experience overall, but especially for websites that make heavy use of complex JavaScript.

Great User Experience

Libraries and UI options offered through NetFront Browser facilitate the integration of the NetFront Browser engine with any kind of application that needs advanced Web rendering capabilities. NetFront Browser application highlights include a stunning graphical tool that allows end-users to manage their favorite Web pages and PagePilot™ a pan and zoom navigation tool that enables a desktop-like presentation of Web pages on mobile devices with limited screen sizes.

Swift Navi

Swift Navi significantly smoothes the scrolling of Web pages on mobile devices.

Animated Zoom

Animated Zoom quickly and smoothly magnifies selected areas of a Web page.

PagePilot™

PagePilot enables smooth pan and zoom navigation. PagePilot is activated by continuously pressing the scroll key.

About ACCESS

ACCESS CO., LTD. is a global company providing leading technology, software products and platforms for Web browsing, mobile phones, wireless handhelds, and other networked devices. ACCESS’ product portfolio, including its NetFront™ Browser, Garnet™ OS and ACCESS Linux Platform™, provides customers with solutions that enable faster time to market, flexibility and customizability. The company, headquartered in Tokyo, Japan, operates subsidiaries and affiliates within Asia, Europe and the United States. ACCESS is listed on the Tokyo Stock Exchange Mother’s Index under the number 4813. For more information about ACCESS, please visit http://www.access-company.com/

For months after I bought my Palm Pre, I had a daily routine. After my daily cup of coffee, I’d hit up the App Catalog and tap the Recent button to see what new software was out. It was a bit of a chore, so I’m glad to see that Palm now offers RSS feeds to the App Catalog data. There’s quite a few feeds that you can add to your favorite RSS readers — I use Google Reader — and each makes it far easier and efficient to keep up with webOS software developments.

A full list of feeds is readily available at the Palm Developer site. I’ve already added the one that tracks all applications, but you can watch for just beta apps or updates as well. Clicking through on your reader takes you to the application’s specific web page for more details, a photo and a way to shoot app info to your phone. It’s a solid implementation and I’m actually wishing Google would offer the same for its Android Market. Apple could use this, too, even though I found a third-party feed for the App Store. Unfortunately, it seems out of date, so I hope Cupertino follows in Palm’s footsteps on this one.