Mereja

Author: Kevin C. Tofel

  • Reach Out, Touch Faith and Donate on the Mobile Web

    Governments and non-profit organizations could be the next sectors to build touch-enabled applications for the mobile web, according to a Taptu report released today. Unlike specific mobile handset platforms like those of Apple, Google and others, the Internet is agnostic, making it useful for low-budget organizations to engage the masses. Though the web’s agnosticism is somewhat ironic in this case, as religious groups are so far the most dominant users of touch applications — accounting for 72.5 percent of all government and non-profits with mobile, touch-friendly sites in Taptu’s data pool.

    And what better platform is there for sharing religious messages or raising charitable contributions than the mobile web? A touch-optimized site for mobiles paired with payment services like Twitpay can result in big bucks with a few taps on modern handsets. Such ease-of-use is what helped raise tens of millions of dollars for Haitian relief efforts this past January through simple text messaging — another money-making mechanism usable with virtually any phone.

    So why use the touch-enabled web in lieu of focused applications? Given limited budgets, non-profits can focus development efforts on a single platform — the mobile web — which reaches the widest potential audience. Creating a platform-specific smartphone application requires more time and money than these groups may have. Even without a custom iPhone or Android program, well-designed mobile sites still work well on those iPhones and Android handsets, not to mention most touchscreen phones. In fact, this sector might be the perfect example of one benefiting more from the web than from custom applications —  a rare feat in today’s app economy. Using the mobile web as the lowest common denominator could be the answer to a non-profit’s prayers.

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    Photo courtesy of Flickr user flickr user Mindful_One

  • Forget iWorks — I’m Editing Google Docs on the iPad

    With all the talk about Apple’s iPad, I’m noticing two trends. First, the device is polarizing opinions — people either lust for it or say they don’t see the point of it. Very few seem to be “on the fence” about the iPad. But there’s a common thread among all — folks are wondering how (or if) an iPad fits into their daily workflow, and that gets me to my second trend. People are looking to the iPad for more than content consumption — which it is excellent for — they’re trying to be productive with it. I’m doing just that, now that I found an app that not only links my iPad with my Google Docs account, but lets me edit documents and spreadsheets in the cloud.

    Office2 Pro is the app and it cost me $7.99, which I think is more than reasonable for the functionality it provides. The software allows me to use the iPad as if I was running Google Docs locally on my computer. With it, I can view any of my documents, spreadsheets, presentations or even Adobe PDF files I have stored in the cloud. But Google Docs viewers are a dime-a-dozen — the difference here is that I can edit files on the iPad and the changes are saved online to my Google Docs account.

    It’s not perfect (yet), but it works

    Now there are some limitations and quite a few kinks to be worked out. For starters, you can view all kinds of file types, but for now, you can only edit documents or spreadsheets. Presentations are view-only. I also encountered a fair number of bugs when using the software. Adding an image to a document worked, for example, but when I zoomed the page to get a better view of the format, the entire doc zoomed off the screen. I was able to save the changes, even in this state, but it was a scary few moments. That’s not the only bug, but rather than run though them all, I’ll say this: the developer is aware of several issues and has already submitted a version with fixes to Apple for approval. I’ve captured the list of fixes in the image gallery below.

    iPad: meet the cloud

    It was tricky to connect Office2 Pro with Google Docs, and the support information could use an update. Once I figured it out however, the steps were actually quite simple. And I didn’t just connect the iPad with my personal Gmail account — the software supports Google Apps accounts too, so I’ve used it for both work and personal documents. Yes, you can link Office2 Pro to multiple web accounts simultaneously. Although I don’t have a MobileMe account, the developer says you can also connect Office2 Pro to an iDisk on MobileMe. And it also supports Box.net or any WebDAV server, so you’re not limited to Google Docs. In the file explorer, you can create folders and move documents just as if you were accessing your Docs account in a browser. Plus you can email docs right from the app. From a connectivity standpoint, most users should be covered.

    Usability

    Data entry is relatively straightforward. The iPad’s native on-screen keyboard is available by tapping a button — tap your screen where you want to insert or change data and start typing. All of the special function buttons are at the top of your document, just where you’d expect them. And the app works in portrait or landscape, although the file explorer stays put in landscape — I’d like to see the document in full screen but haven’t found a way to do that yet in landscape. In a spreadsheet, data entry can be a little cumbersome as you first tap a cell and then enter data in a field above the spreadsheet — not ideal, but it works.

    Most functionality that people use for documents and spreadsheets is available in Office2 Pro. From a word processing standpoint, you have text and paragraph formatting, table creation, images and even real-time spelling correction to name a few features. Spreadsheet support includes multiple worksheets (although there’s a bug with this), sorting, formatting, cell merging, pane freezing, and 112 functions.

    I’d estimate that most of what people need in a Google Docs editor is in the app, or is coming soon. Office2 Pro is surprisingly full-featured if you approach it with a Google Docs mentality — it’s good enough for most users, but won’t replace every function found in the Microsoft Office suite. Aside from charts and other advanced features offered by Google Docs, the basics are all here.

    Note: to view any images in full size, simply right-click on one and open in a new browser tab.

    Buy now or wait?

    So if you can connect your iPad with a Google Docs account and edit information, why isn’t anyone talking about this application? I think there’s a few reasons — lack of awareness for starters, not to mention the buggy nature I’ve experienced. Unless you’re a patient person, I’d strongly consider waiting for the updated version with fixes before plunking down the $7.99. Yes, the app works, but it’s not quite where it needs to be. I’ve had to create workarounds for some issues and not everyone is willing to do that. A good example: there’s no Close button when you’re done with edits. I end up opening a new document in this case, which forces the app to prompt for a document save. And that’s just one of several user interface examples that need some tweaking.

    I’m looking forward to the updated version as I see great promise in Office2 Pro. I made the transition to Google Docs well over two years ago and this software is breathing an air of productivity into my iPad that I didn’t expect. I anticipate that Apple will update its iWorks apps to address compatibility and file management issues but I’m not so sure Apple will fully embrace Google Docs in iWorks. If it does, great, but if not, Office2 Pro is worth the look.

    (Special shout out to Joshua, a reader that tipped me on this app!)

    Related GigaOM Pro Content (sub req’d)

  • People Want Mobile Broadband, But Not Personal Hotspots

    Global sales of mobile broadband devices rose 55 percent in 2009 over the year previous year, according to a recent Infonetics Research report, even despite the effects of the economic downturn. Even more surprising, however, was that sales of personal hotspots such as Novatel’s MiFi fell 28 percent.

    As 3G technologies transition to faster speeds and fourth-generation wireless networks are launched, it makes sense that overall sales of mobile broadband devices would — but convenient personal hotspot sales should be on the rise, too. In fact I would hava expected them to have been increasing at a faster rate than other 3G solutions like embedded modules inside laptops or USB dongles. These pocket-sized personal hotspots connect to the web just like their USB counterparts, but easily share that pipe with several other devices over a Wi-Fi connection — usually for the same monthly fee. With the ubiquity of Wi-Fi radios in computers, phones and even consumer electronics (think handheld games and digital cameras), a personal hotspot makes far more financial sense. And that shared connection adds value to existing devices that can leverage it.

    User confusion about personal hotspots may be one reason for decreasing sales. Whenever I take the MiFi out at coffee shops or around other people, I’m invariably asked what it is and what it does. Although these small routers debuted just prior to the January 2009 Consumer Electronics Show, people simply don’t know about them – a point driven home by Novatel in an earnings call.

    Is this lack of knowledge encouraged by carriers? With the same monthly fee as a single-use 3G solution, I have to wonder how actively carriers promoting the MiFi devices. Why sell one mobile broadband enabler that shares the connection when you can sell multiple solutions and multiply revenues?

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    Image courtesy of Novatel Wireless

  • Rhapsody Now Connecting on Android

    When it comes to mobile music subscription options, there’s already quite a few — Pandora, Slacker, and Thumbplay all come to mind. And now, Rhapsody joins the club on Google Android handsets with a new beta client available in the Android Marketplace. The software is a free download, but does require a monthly fee for service. Rhapsody recently restructured its plan offerings and prices, so $9.99 a month gets you service to both computers and handsets. There’s also a free 7-day trial for new subscribers.

    For Android devices, the service offers unlimited access to over 9.5 million song tracks, but only while connected to the web. Unlike services that support offline music caching, this iteration of Rhapsody doesn’t. That’s not unlike streaming Pandora music, but Slacker does support offline playback for Android. However, a “download subscription music to your mobile device” feature is coming soon, says Rhapsody’s site. I can’t comment on the service, even though I’ve downloaded the app to my Nexus One — for some reason, I can’t create a new account because the email address I’m using is already registered with Real. And yet, when I try to have to the password reset sent to that email, it’s not an address on record. And so the beta goes…

    I’m pretty partial to Pandora, but I’m sure each service has its fans. What’s your favorite and why?

    Image courtesy of Cnet

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  • Netflix Reviewed: The iPad’s First “Killer App?”

    I’ve used the free Netflix iPad software daily since Saturday’s iPad launch, and I can honestly say I’ve watched more content in the past three days than I did in the prior three weeks. My Netflix account ($8.99/month) gives me access to the more than 12,000 titles in its Instant Streaming library — and essentially turns my iPad into my own private movie house.

    Set-up is simple and straightforward in the Netflix for iPad software. You simply install the app, open it and sign in with a Netflix account. In under a minute, I was able to log in and view the content library. With one tap of the play button, I was enjoying a movie 10 seconds later. Bear in mind — Netflix only allows six devices for playback authorization. If the iPad is a seventh device for you, you can de-authorize another device on the Netflix web site.

    Playback is silky smooth over Wi-Fi as long as you have a fast Internet connection to your wireless router. My 20 Mbps FiOS pipe is probably overkill, so I also tested Netflix over 3G. No, I don’t have a 3G model of the iPad — those aren’t due out until later this month — but I do have a MiFi device with Verizon Wireless. It connects to Verizon’s EVDO mobile broadband network and shares the connection with my iPad over Wi-Fi, so it’s not a bad simulation. Video quality was still good, but not quite the same caliber. Just as it does with other devices, Netflix adapts the video quality to match your bandwidth throughput. The experience reminds me of the variable bitrate demonstrations I viewed after reading Liz’s GigaOM Pro report (sub req’d) on adaptive bitrate technology. A lower video bitrate shows occasional artifacts or other quality degradation, but I found it to be minimal.

    Occasionally while on 3G the Netflix video simply stopped — but that’s likely more of a connectivity issue than anything else, so iPad 3G owners, take note. Each time this happened, I simply hit the Play button again. I had planned to warn iPad 3G owners about their bandwidth consumption since video streaming can gobble up bits and bytes quite quickly. However, subscribers to AT&T’s $29.99 3G service for iPad aren’t capped at 5 GB as I originally thought. GearLog confirmed with the carrier that the plan is unlimited, so no worries unless you opt for the $14.99/250 MB plan. I wouldn’t recommend the lesser plan if you expect to watch Netflix — enjoying one video leads to another, which leads to another, and so on until your 250 MB tank is empty.

    Like other media, Netflix video content is viewable in either portrait or landscape on the iPad; simply rotate the device to change the view. Like most other video, you’ll see black bars above and below the content because the iPad display isn’t a 16:9 widescreen ratio. Just as with iTunes content, you can zoom the picture with one tap. Zooming removes the bars as content fills the display, but the left and right edges of the picture are cut off.

    There aren’t many playback controls to get in the way of the viewing experience. A simple panel allows for a 30-second instant rewind, playing or pausing, skipping to the end of a movie and adjusting the volume. For fast video scrubbing or movement, simply drag a finger along the progress bar atop the screen. Easy and effective. One minor complaint: Tapping the right-most button brings up the Netflix library while video continues to play. I see no easy way to return to the video without re-selecting it in the library.

    The simplicity and overall quality of the Netflix application combined with the iPad’s connectivity and display make for an outstanding team. Some are mulling the use cases for Apple’s latest creation, but as far as I’m concerned, it’s excellent for content consumption. Netflix streaming with the device only emphasizes that point. The experience is at least as good as that of streaming video on a notebook computer, perhaps more so because there are no distractions on the device. Holding the iPad while watching video can be a drag, though. That’s not reflective of the software, but you may want a dock or stand-up case for your device.

    For those with a Netflix subscription, I’d say this just might be the “killer app” for you and your iPad. And if you don’t use Netflix now, the iPad app could change your mind.

  • Could a Better Carrier Have Saved Palm?

    Palm has fired the creators of its ineffective Pre advertisements, but tossing Modernista overboard isn’t going to right this sinking ship. Palm’s hoped-for comeback is floundering, not merely because of the bad advertising campaign, but because of bad timing, an ill-chosen launch partner and a lack of developer support. Above all, Palm’s experience proves that even in the world of dumb pipes, the carrier can still make or break the brand.

    At CES 2009, when Palm announced its plans to rise from ashes much like the proverbial phoenix, everyone applauded. Palm was a beloved brand and many believed that a new operating system, revamped hardware and marketing blitz would help the company stage a comeback. But Palm’s webOS-powered devices aren’t selling well in carriers’ stores. Instead of pushing them as high-value handsets, carriers are holding the equivalent of fire sales to rid themselves of excess inventory. Advertising Age blames Palm’s marketing missteps.

    But the choice of a strong launch partner may have had more of a role.  Motorola, which is also attempting a comeback, provides a counterpoint to Palm’s failures so far with the success of its Droid and Backflip handsets. Mark Sue, an analyst with RBC, credits some of Motorola’s success to the support of its carrier partners today in a research note.  But for Palm, a 6-month exclusive launch with Sprint as the carrier struggled with subscriber churn didn’t help. And that exclusive window meant that the other CDMA carrier in the U.S. — Verizon Wireless — had time to pump $100 million into a marketing blitz to promote the Motorola Droid, not Palm phones.

    So now Palm is trying to stay in the game by engaging customers at the point-of-sale with brand ambassadors in Verizon and Sprint retail locations. Enabling sales staff to understand the benefits webOS brings to a device is a step towards recovery but the road will be long. The problem is that many consumers enter a phone shop already knowing which device they want based on marketing they’ve already seen.

    As a former Palm Pre owner — I waited in line on launch day for the innovative device and shared first impressions — I agree that advertising efforts didn’t help matters. But choosing a different partner or limiting exclusivity to a single carrier for less than a half-year — nearly a full product lifecycle on some mobile tech calendars — could easily have vaulted Palm into a formidable challenger.

  • 6 Features to Expect in iPhone OS 4.0

    Less than a week after the introduction of the iPad, Apple plans to share details on “the future of iPhone OS” at a press event this Thursday, where the company is widely expected to lift the wraps off version 4.0 of Apple’s mobile operating system, which will add new functionality to current iPod touch, iPhone and iPad devices. The event will also shed light on what you can expect from Apple’s next-generation iPhone handset. Although Apple has sold a large number of devices running the iPhone OS — an estimated 40 million iPhones, more than 20 million iPod touches and now 300,000 iPads — there’s always room for improvement in the operating system. Here’s a short list of what to expect (including what I’d like to see!) from iPhone OS 4.0.

    Multitasking — The ability to run more than one third-party application at a given time has long been a user request from the masses. The iPhone OS of today is capable of multitasking because the feature is currently supported on some native Apple applications – listening to music in the iPod app while web surfing or checking mail is a good example. So while the OS supports multiple apps running concurrently, it imposes limits to help ensure a positive experience with core functionality. But as some consumers look to the iPad as a potential laptop replacement, multitasking with non-Apple software titles is desirable (not everyone, of course, but for certain people). My own blogging activities would be far easier on the iPad if I could multitask to get web links and edit pictures while creating posts, for example. And I wouldn’t be surprised if only the iPad gains a multitasking function — or one that’s considered less constrained than on an iPhone.

    Higher resolution — Let’s face it: The iPhone’s HVGA display was nice back in 2007, but it’s a little dated now. Many new handsets at the same price point offer generous 800×480 (or better) displays over the iPhone’s 480×320 screen. Look for iPhone 4.0 to support higher resolutions for the next-generation devices expected in a few months. This could help iPad owners as well. iPhone apps do work on the iPad today, but the pixel doubling of lower-resolution software makes apps look blocky and blurry.

    Support for a second camera — Surely, the camera in the next iPhone will be bumped higher than the current 3-megapixel sensor. But I wouldn’t be surprised to see a second, front-facing camera for video chatting in iPhone OS 4.0 — it’s a feature we’ve been calling for since late last year. Perhaps it would be similar to iChat’s video offering on a Mac. We could even see third-party apps take advantage of such a change, although Apple may not allow access to such hardware for non-native apps.

    A unified inbox — While I like to keep my work and personal lives separate most of the time, the one place I want them together is in my email. iPhone 4.0 should be bringing us a unified inbox so we don’t have to tap, tap, tap our way from one mailbox to another. Perhaps, like the once-missing copy-and-paste feature, Apple is still developing an elegant solution to the problem.

    Enhanced voice-to-text features — Google added this highly useful function to Android 2.1 and it ought to be a staple in any modern smartphone. Apple added Voice Control in version 3 of the iPhone OS, but it’s limited by comparison — all you can use it for is to call a contact or control your iPod. Google’s implementation integrates throughout the operating system, making it easy to search the web, create a text message or even compose an email simply by speaking. Such a function could give Apple more insight to what iPhone OS users are searching for on the web — and would support a rumored Apple move into the search market.

    Music in the clouds — iPhone 4.0 could be the first time we see the benefit of Apple’s LaLa purchase, which took place in December of last year. As I said in a GigaOM Pro report (subscription required) just days before the deal, if Apple doesn’t offer iTunes streaming over the web, others like Amazon could easily jump in the game. Consumers don’t mind carrying their music around, but storing content in the cloud offers nearly limitless capacity to hold media. And if Apple decides this isn’t a feature for the iPhone OS, I’ll just keep doing what I do today — store and stream my music with a cloud storage service like SugarSync or another provider.

    Related iPad Content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d)

  • Sensorly Crowdsources Worldwide Cellular Coverage Maps

    Ever needed to know how strong you cell signal is or will be while on the go? Sensory, a French company that gathers and shares network coverage data, recently added more than 600,000  Verizon Wireless data points to its free service. This data is in addition to 5 million informational bits previously captured around the world on various GSM networks — and inclusion of Sprint’s network is coming soon as well.

    Crowdsourcing cellular data isn’t exactly new — I recently examined a similar service offered by Root Wireless. There are a few key differences between the approaches of Root Wireless and Sensorly, however. While Root Wireless offers similar software for handsets, you can’t yet view data within the app — coverage maps are only available through a web site. After spending time with the Sensorly application on my Google Nexus One, I find that viewing network coverage in the same app that collects data is far more desirable than switching to a clunky mobile browser. Sensorly leverages the mapping service on my phone, making it easier to navigate, pan and zoom.

    And Sensory beats Root Wireless in coverage areas since the latter is limited to U.S. networks at the moment — Sensorly’s data, meanwhile, currently covers networks in nine different countries. One other nice touch is Sensorly’s reporting on Wi-Fi networks in addition to cellular voice and data.

    Sensorly is only supported on Android phones, but an iPhone application and possibly one for Microsoft Windows Mobile devices are forthcoming. Additional maps for other countries and networks will be added as the crowd continues to feed coverage data to the service.

    Images courtesy of Sensorly

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  • Windows 7 Upgrade Prices Drop, But Only For New Computers

    In the past, I harshly criticized touchscreen netbooks that come with Microsoft Windows 7 Starter Edition. Why? There’s simply no point in paying for a touchscreen display if the device operating system doesn’t support touch input. If you’ve been touched by this situation, you do have an option — upgrade to a higher version of Windows 7 so you can tap on your screen. Of course, you have to decide if the upgrade price is worth it. To bump the Starter Edition to Home Premium is normally $79.99, for example.

    Microsoft just kicked off a special pricing deal to make the upgrade more attractive, but they’re falling short in one key aspect. First, the deal: for a limited time, Microsoft is reducing the upgrade pricing using the Windows Anytime Upgrade feature. A move from Starter Edition to Home Premium is $49.99, which is a $30 savings. Windows 7 Home Premium can be kicked up to Windows 7 Profressional for $79.99, which is only a meager $10 savings over the standard pricing. So for $50, you can add touch support, not to mention the Aero desktop features and Windows Media Center functionality to a netbook currently running Windows 7 Starter.

    While this sounds great, there’s a bit of a catch — as I read it, the deal is optionally offered by computer retailers on new netbook or notebook purchases. Unless I’m missing something, there’s no way to get the reduced pricing on a currently owned device, and that’s simply tragic. Yes, if you purchased a computer prior to this, you knew what operating system you were getting with it. But offering lower upgrade prices to new purchases and not existing customers makes the deal appear to be a ploy to sell more computers — not to show any appreciation to existing customers.

    Is this a good deal for new purchases? Yes, I believe it is, although you have to make the decision based on your budget and computing needs. Could it be a better deal? Yes, it could, by Microsoft extending it to current users of Windows 7. A good “meet me halfway point” would be to offer the reduced upgrade pricing to any consumers that registered a new Windows 7 machine since the beginning of the year.

  • How To Sync Multiple Calendars to the iPad With Google Sync

    Yes, we’ve covered Apple’s iPad quite a bit this week. While there are other happenings in the mobile tech world, this was a big one — besides, I haven’t blogged much about it just yet. Oh, I will — I’ve been spending time with the device in bits and pieces over this holiday weekend — but I wanted to let the dust settle in terms of coverage. However, there’s one tidbit I wanted to share now, simply because it solves a problem for Google Calendar users that want to sync events with their iPad using Google Sync.

    The problem is — using a Microsoft Exchange setup for Google accounts currently works for one single calendar on the iPad. I can’t have that, so I scoured the web for a workaround, found one in a MacRumors forum, and used it successfully. Here’s the method to use until Google addresses the issue for Apple’s iPad — you’ll need to use the Safari browser, although this might work with user agent string spoofing on other browsers too:

    • Open Safari and then view its Preferences pane.
    • In Preferences, go to the Advanced tab and check “Show Develop menu in menu bar.” If you already have this checked, you can skip this step. Close the Preferences.
    • In the Safari menu bar, you should now see a Develop menu option. Select it, choose the User Agent option and pick “Mobile Safari 3.1.3 — iPhone” This tells web sites that you’re using the iPhone’s browser. You need to do this to open up the mobile site for the Google Sync service.
    • In Safari, browse to http://m.google.com/sync and sign in if needed. Normally you’d do this on your mobile device, but Google isn’t yet recognizing the iPad properly. If you try to configure Google Sync from the iPad, it will say “Sorry, Google Sync is not supported on this device.”
    • Now go to the Develop menu in Safari and choose to Disable JavaScript as shown by the check mark below.
    • Still in Safari, choose to manage your iPad. In my list, it’s the most recent device, but if you use Google Sync across multiple devices, it could appear anywhere in the list.
    • In the next window, you’ll see that Google says you can sync up to one calendar to your device. Ignore that message because the workaround now allows multiple calendar selections. For instance, I chose three primary calendars and three shared calendars, offering both work and family events in one single view.
      Once you’ve made your selections, click the Save button. That should do it, so don’t forget to undo the User Agent change and re-enable JavaScript in Safari. On the iPad, here’s what the result looks like less than a minute after I ran through these steps:

    I’m sure Google will address the one calendar limitation with Google Sync, but until they do, you can easily work around the issue in just a few minutes. Hopefully that helps — and now I’m off for some more iPad playtime so I can share all my thoughts soon.

    Related iPad Content from GigaOM Pro (sub req’d)

  • Google Is Missing an Android Opportunity on Non-smartphones

    Android is growing like crazy on smartphones — and stagnating everywhere else. That’s because Google is keeping its app store off all Android devices that aren’t smartphones. Such an approach is understandable only in the sense that it gives the company more control over the Android experience, but it will ultimately serve to send consumers in search of devices that offer them more freedom.

    Take the ARCHOS Internet Tablet that debuted in September of last year. The 5-inch slate device offers a mobile web experience powered by the Android platform, yet doesn’t offer access to the Android Market — preventing its owners from making use of even the most basic Google apps, like Gmail.

    So how does Google deem a device worthy of the Android Market? Wired reports that the Market won’t appear on a device if it’s missing key hardware elements that could hamper the full experience, such as a camera, persistent data connectivity or integrated GPS radio. I can understand such an approach — to a point. After all, it’s a downer to install a video-capture-and-upload app to a device that has no camera. In this case, the end user is no better off than if he or she didn’t have access to the Market in the first place.

    I reached out to Google myself, expecting to be pointed to a simple list of what it takes to gain market access — Android is an open approach, right?  Not so much. Here was the response I got from a company spokesperson:

    “We ask our partners to build compatible devices, and we provide handset manufacturers with a Compatibility Test Suite. This tests devices on a range of factors to ensure they are compatible with the Android platform. Only devices that pass this test will be allowed access to Android Market, which ensures only compatible devices can download apps from our market.”

    And what, exactly, makes a device “compatible”? According to the same spokesperson:

    “The Compatibility Test Suite tests the device on a number of different factors and covers a majority of the APIs to see if anything inadvertently got broken. Sometimes merely porting Android to a different processor platform reveals issues with the port. This test suite makes sure all the APIs are present and behave as expected.”

    Hardly an illuminating answer, and precisely the sort of approach that needs to change if Google wants to move beyond smartphones.

    One way to mitigate this issue is for Google to open up access to the Market but manage software installation at the application level. Google already has the tool set to do this — when you install an Android application, the Market provides a list of device functions the software will have access to (see image). If the Android Market already knows what hardware a given program requires, why not let that mechanism work at the application level? For example, if an application requires the presence of a camera, simply don’t allow for installation of it on a non-camera device. I’m sure there are technical issues I’m not addressing here, but from a strategic directive, this ought to be possible.

    If Google did this, then consumers wouldn’t have to worry if their device meets an esoteric list of hardware requirements — they could enjoy the software for which their device is equipped. Developers could gain a wider audience and earn more revenue in this scenario because of more potential customers. Hardware makers could offer devices with more appeal and functionality through software titles. And Google would come out ahead by offering a better experience with fewer restrictions on a potentially larger range of devices.

    Access to the Android Market doesn’t have to be an either-or scenario. And given the open nature of Android, I don’t think it should be.

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

  • Exclusive — iPad App Press Release Generator

    In the five years I’ve been blogging, never has my Inbox overflowed more than the past 24 hours. Everyone and their brother wants to share news of their hot new application for Apple’s iPad, which arrives tomorrow. Here’s the thing — we get it, folks. There are already a few thousand iPad apps in the iTunes App Store. And they’re all better than iPhone counterparts thanks to the larger display and new user interface controls. Heck, some folks have already spent nearly $100 on iPad apps — and they don’t even have the iPad yet. (Yes, Leo Laporte, I’m looking at you!)

    Far be it from me to not share in all this joy with our readers. You too should feel the experience and engage in the iPad software rush. To that end, here’s an iPad App Press Release Generator for you to play with while you wait for “the precious” to arrive tomorrow. Just insert your own words based on the type I’ve provided in brackets. Have it at and feel free to share your own personalized iPad press release in the comments while I go do some software shopping.

    First, jot down a list of words that fit these categories — and no peeking below the list or you’ll spoil the fun:

    • [proper name, not necessarily yours –really!]
    • [Company name]
    • [adjective]
    • [noun]
    • [color]
    • [day of the week]
    • [place]
    • [professional sport]
    • [your favorite food]
    • [place you hate to go]
    • [relative]
    • [old computer brand from 1980’s]
    • [animal]
    • [foreign country]
    • [verb]
    • [public place]
    • [different company name]
    • [number greater than one]
    • [social network]
    • [adjective]
    • [body part — keep it clean!]
    • [random dollar amount ending in .99]
    • [number]
    • [noisy or smelly action]
    • [favorite cartoon character]
    • [phone model from the 1990’s]
    • [adjective]
    • [verb]

    Now simply insert your word choices into the magical and revolutionary iPad App Press Release Generator!

    Dear [proper name, not necessarily yours –really!],

    [Company name] is proud to announce that our application “[adjective] [noun]” is fully optimized for the Apple iPad, comes in [color] and will appear in the App Store on [day of the week]. Improved over it’s iPhone counterpart, this new app isn’t just for use at [place], but can work in [professional sport] venues too. Seriously, it’s better than [your favorite food] or hanging at [place you hate to go] with your [relative]!

    Unique to the iPad version is a special API for remote use with a [old computer brand from 1980’s] — this app can actually make the remote device behave like a hungry [animal]. We’ve even included a native interface for talking to people in [foreign country] so you can virtually [verb] with people there — right from your iPad! This new app will open up your kids to all the wonders of a [public place].

    But the best new feature is one that not even [different company name] can offer: with [number greater than one] taps, the software will actually tell your favorite [social network] friends how [adjective] you are about your iPad — in real-time!
    Your reader’s [body part — keep it clean!] will tingle upon news of this app, priced at [random dollar amount ending in .99] and there’s even an exciting [number]-day free trial, after which time, the iPad will [noisy or smelly action] for a full hour.

    If you’d like to speak to our CEO, Mr. [favorite cartoon character] would love to chat with you on his [phone model from 1990’s]. I’d be [adjective] to put you in touch with him directly, so just [verb] the word!

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  • MobileTechRoundup 203 — The Mobile Paradigm Shifts

    CLICK HERE to download the file and listen directly.
    MoTR 203 is 37:15 minutes long and is a 34 MB file in MP3 format.

    HOSTS: James Kendrick (Houston), Matthew Miller (Seattle) and Kevin C. Tofel (Philadelphia)

    TOPICS:

    • On iPad eve, how much are folks spending on apps?
    • A tectonic shift from keyboard/mouse is finally making its way to mobile.
    • Does JooJoo have a chance without apps?
    • Verizon giving away Mobile Hotspot service with new webOS devices.
    • Sprint wants you to try their network — at no cost if you don’t like it.
    • Boingo’s Wi-Fi credits for iPad — bank ‘em or use ‘em as needed.

    CONTACT US: Email us or leave us a voicemail on our SkypeLine!
    SUBSCRIBE: Use this RSS feed with your favorite podcatcher or click this link to add us to iTunes

  • Verizon Offers Free 3G Tethering With webOS Phones

    This might be hard to believe with today being April Fools Day and all, but Verizon appears to be giving away 3G tethering with the purchase of a webOS phone. Prices on the Palm Pre Plus and Pixi Plus have fluctuated throughout the day, but one constant is the Mobile Hotspot service — instead of $40 monthly, it’s nada. I don’t see any official press release from Verizon, but I did just run thorough the purchase process and here’s the feature showing at no monthly cost:

    The official Palm blog also confirms it. The software for sharing your webOS mobile broadband connection was always free, but the service wasn’t, so this is an unprecedented and great deal. Without any additional fee, you can use the phone’s 3G data on five devices: say a netbook, notebook or one of those iPads that all the kids are talking about today. Remember though — there’s a 5 GB cap on data with the 3G Mobile Hotspot. The smartphone data plan is unlimited, but tethered usage isn’t. Of course, you’re getting that 5 GB for free now, so don’t start complaining about bandwidth caps, ‘k?

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  • UPDATED: Tegra2 Problems Delaying Other Tablets?

    Updated: Are you looking for a tablet that doesn’t have a fruit logo on it? Chances are such a device is likely to run on the Nvidia Tegra2 platform, which dazzled in it’s Consumer Electronics Show debut. I was in attendance for the Tegra2 introduction and I walked away impressed. And later, we got hands-on video time with some Tegra2 powered prototypes like the incredible Adam Notion Ink. Many of those preliminary devices were expected by mid-year — over 50 designs were touted in January — but today brings troublesome news on that timeline. Sources tell SlashGear that the Tegra2 has “some serious issues” that will push products well into the third quarter of 2010.

    We have a request in to the folks at Nvidia for conformation or comment and will update upon reply. If true, the timing couldn’t be worse for Nvidia’s hardware partners. Apple is set to re-define the consumer slate market with the availability of its iPad in just two days. The first reviews are in and it sure doesn’t sound like the iPad will flop the way some would think. So that puts other tablets potentially behind the eight-ball already.

    Those not interested in the iPad are pining for the Notion Ink, ICD Vega, and others that all run on the Tegra2 processor. While Nvidia doesn’t control the timeline of its hardware partners directly, it does so indirectly — if the chip isn’t ready for optimal experience in a device, a hardware maker is likely going to delay their product.

    Perhaps the biggest “at risk” product is one that hasn’t officially been announced or detailed yet — last year, I heard from Nvidia that Google was working on Chrome OS devices powered by the new Tegra chip. Chrome OS products that have no true delivery date can’t technically be delayed, but this development might not bode well. It even makes me wonder: if true, will some opt not to wait and go the iPad route instead?

    Update: I’ve just heard back from an Nvidia spokesperson and was told that the rumors are not true. Everything is on track for Tegra2.

  • What the Web Is Saying About the Apple iPad

    Although the iPad’s true potential will come from the media and software applications that will inevitably be created for it, first impressions of the device itself are just as important. Consumers want to know how easy is to use the iPad’s finger-friendly interface for browsing, navigating and data entry. What scenarios might be better suited for the iPad vs. a netbook?

    These questions are often answered first by the Wall Street Journal, the New York Times and USA Today, but Apple provided early iPads to more outlets. Perhaps that fact alone says more to the widespread device appeal than any review could tell you. With more reviews available prior to the iPad launch, you have more information to decide if the iPad fits in your lifestyle, so we’re sharing key excerpts to help guide you down the path.

    BoingBoing identifies a synergy that belie the specifications alone:

    “The display is large enough to make the experience of apps and games on smaller screens stale. Typography is crisp, images gem-like, and the speed brisk thanks to Apple’s A4 chip and solid state storage. As I browse early release iPad apps, web pages, and flip through the iBook store and books, the thought hits that this is a greater leap into a new user experience than the sum of its parts suggests.”

    Addressing a key concern shared by many, PCMag.com tackles the data entry question:

    “As someone who’s all thumbs when it comes to iPhone’s tiny on-screen keyboard, I wondered if the iPad’s larger keyboard would help me master this touch screen typing thing. In a word: Yes. I’m writing this review on the iPad’s horizontal keyboard, in which the keys are large and nicely spaced. (The vertical keyboard is a little tighter, but still definitely useable.) If it weren’t comfortable, I would have abandoned the iPad for my laptop 1,000 words ago.”

    David Pogue of the New York Times says this to techies:

    “The bottom line is that you can get a laptop for much less money — with a full keyboard, DVD drive, U.S.B. jacks, camera-card slot, camera, the works. Besides: If you’ve already got a laptop and a smartphone, who’s going to carry around a third machine?”

    Pogue also reviews the iPad for the non-tech crowd:

    “The iPad is so fast and light, the multitouch screen so bright and responsive, the software so easy to navigate, that it really does qualify as a new category of gadget. Some have suggested that it might make a good goof-proof computer for technophobes, the aged and the young; they’re absolutely right.”

    The Houston Chronicle’s Bob “Dr. Mac” LeVitus concludes:

    “It turns out the iPad isn’t as much a laptop replacement as I thought (though it could easily be used as one). Instead, it’s an entirely new category of mobile device. For example, now when I want to surf the Web from the couch or back deck, the iPad is the device I choose. Starbucks? Same thing. Think of the iPad as a new arrow in your technology quiver, an arrow that will often be the best tool for a given task.”

    And finally, Andy Ihnatko of the Chicago Sun-Times tackles the iPad vs. netbook question:

    “It’s bad news for the netbook when you judge the iPad on its own terms. Or anybody else’s, come to think of it. The design of a netbook is about nonstop, relentless, and soul-shredding compromises. A netbook’s engineers have only one real goal: make a PC that’s really small, and make it cheap enough to produce that it won’t cost more than $350 or better yet, $250.”

    Steven Fry’s review at Time is unique, and underscores much of what he said in January. At the iPad launch, he saw the form begets function potential:

    “There are many issues you could have with the iPad. No multitasking, still no Flash. No camera, no GPS. They all fall away the minute you use it. I cannot emphasise enough this point: Hold your judgment until you’ve spent five minutes with it.”

    After viewing reader comments from all the reviews, I’m convinced of three things. Those that were planning to buy an iPad are still doing so, while many of those that were on the fence are now more interested in the device. I have yet to see any comments with regrets of pre-order or future purchase plans, so prepare yourself: the Age of iPad is upon us.

  • Cisco Valet Makes It Easier to Miss Linksys

    Typically, whenever someone would mention wireless routers in the home, I would immediately picture a blue box stamped with the name Linksys on it. And if that router came from Cisco, I would indeed be picturing the right one. Not anymore. Cisco today unveiled its own branded line of home network products, called Cisco Valet.

    So why the name flip? It’s partially because of the Flip — the consumer-friendly brand of pocketable video recording devices the company acquired via last year’s purchase of Pure Digital. The inexpensive Flip cameras are so easy to use they’ve turned simplicity into a device feature, and Cisco is aiming to bring that simplicity to the task of setting up and configuring a home wireless network. As Jonathan Kaplan, the senior vice president and general manager of Cisco Consumer Product, explains: “With complementary backgrounds and expertise, our Cisco and Flip teams have combined forces to change the rules for home wireless with a product line that empowers consumers to easily set up, enjoy and manage all of their wireless devices anywhere in their homes.”

    The “Valet” part of the name can be traced to a so-called Easy Setup Key — essentially a USB drive with Cisco’s Connect software. Plug it into a PC or Mac and the software configures the device’s connection in just three steps. Do the same to add new computers to the home 802.11n Wi-Fi network.

    The new Valet router line starts at $99 and is available at outlets where you’d typically find home networking gear, such as Amazon, Staples and BestBuy. And Cisco isn’t totally abandoning the ubiquitous Linksys name — similar-looking products without the Valet but with Linksys branding also make an appearance today. But they look physically similar to the new Valet line, so the Linksys I grew up with is indeed fading away. At least I can take a little solace in the fact that my home network has valet service now.

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  • First MeeGo Builds Available for Netbooks, Handhelds

    With so much focus on a new mobile computing device due out this weekend, you’d think everyone else in this space is standing around, right? Not so, says Nokia. The first MeeGo code drop just landed and I’m downloading it now for my netbook. There are three builds in the repository, each supporting different hardware platforms:  Intel Atom netbooks, the ARM-powered Nokia N900 and Intel Atom handhelds on the Moorestown architecture. Once I get my download running from a USB drive, I’ll have a better idea of where MeeGo is headed, although the build is likely to have imperfections. In fact, I’m not sure how much functionality to expect as this is more likely a technical preview of what’s to come.

    In case you’re wondering what MeeGo is and how it came to be: it’s a new open-source platform announced last month. And it’s actually a joint effort between two previous platforms: Intel’s Moblin project and Nokia’s Maemo system. Perhaps the biggest benefit to both companies is that MeeGo will support the Qt application development system, which is a cross-platform application environment and UI framework. Developers can take advantage of Qt with a “write once” approach for applications to run on desktops and mobiles.

    I see the entire approach similar to that of Apple, which uses the same iPhone OS on three mobile devices: the iPhone, iPod Touch and now the iPad. Nokia and Intel are looking for a mobile platform that appeals to consumers and developers but can run on various hardware. It’s far to early to see how they’re doing, but I’ll be watching their progress for sure. My first look at Moblin on a netbook — see the video here — was impressive for an early build. Maemo offers some positive experiences as well, especially when it comes to browsing and voice communication, so I can’t wait to see the combination of the two.

    Image courtesy of Meego

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  • DoubleTwist for Mac Integrates With Android Market — Sweet!

    DoubleTwist is quickly becoming the iTunes solution for the masses and I’m glad I adopted it back in October of last year to manage my mobile media. With it, I’m buying music on a regular basis from Amazon’s MP3 store and can synchronizing media to nearly any device. Today, I took an early look at the latest beta version of DoubleTwist for Mac — v 1.0b16 — and the new features show it moving far beyond a simple and effective music synchronization application. It’s more useful as a media player and as a way to find software in the Android Market. Yes, DoubleTwist for Mac has integrated with the software store for Android devices.

    You can’t actually install or download Market apps in DoubleTwist, but you can scour the store for software by searching for it. The activity is enjoyable on a larger display and I foresee myself using DoubleTwist to find apps whenever I’m armed with my MacBook. When I’m not, I’ll revert to the native Android Market on my Nexus One. DoubleTwist pulls much of the information found in the Market: screenshots, reviews, number of downloads and more. Each app shows a QR code, so it’s a snap to scan it with an Android device’s camera and install the software. The same information is available in a web interface too: just hit up http://apps.doubletwist.com from a browser if you don’t want to install DoubleTwist. That’s just a killer win for Android users. Jon Lech Johansen — aka: DVD Jon and a co-founder of DoubleTwist — tells me that the Windows version of DoubleTwist will see the same Market integration with the next major release.

    Podcast search and playback is another new addition to the Mac client; The Windows version gained podcast support earlier this month. For now, DoubleTwist won’t synchronize podcast media to your mobile device, but clearly, that’s the next logical step. Until then, you can search for podcasts and play them back on demand directly through the media player feature of DoubleTwist. The player is revamped in this version as well. Instead of a small corner section of the app for media controls, a new full-width audio player appears at the bottom of the software. One tap hides it while another returns it to view. And video podcasts play within the full size of the application or can be viewed in full screen.

    The DoubleTwist product is definitely making inroads towards a mass market. What started out as a media transcode and sync platform continues to mature with new features that rival iTunes. And T-Mobile’s pre-installation of DoubleTwist on new MyTouch3G handsets shows that carriers are interested. I’m not waiting for the carriers though — I’m using DoubleTwist on a regular basis and will probably use it daily thanks to the new Market integration.

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  • Elan Sues to Ban Apple Multitouch Products in U.S. — Even the iPad

    Elan Microelectronics filed suit against Apple with the U.S. International Trade Commission today, alleging that certain Apple products violate a multitouch patent previously awarded to the Taiwanese company. Elan in April of last year filed a related suit with the U.S. District Court in Northern California over the same patent — No. 7,274,353 — which it calls “a fundamental patent to the detection of multi-fingers that allows for any subsequent multi-finger applications to be implemented.”

    By going to the ITC in addition to filing a patent infringement suit, Elan seeks to block Apple from importing its products into the U.S. that use multitouch, including the iPhone, iPod touch, MacBook, Magic Mouse and the iPad, which is due for release on April 3. Since Apple products are designed in Cupertino but assembled outside of the U.S., Elan is courting the appropriate trade commission that has authority to stop such products from reaching America’s shores. Notably, any ITC findings will be binding regardless of the patent lawsuit outcome, thanks to a loophole in U.S. patent law. Ironically, Apple is using this same strategy to try and block HTC from importing phones that Cupertino alleges violate its patents.

    Elan is no stranger when it comes to protecting its intellectual property — in 2008, the California district courts deemed that some Synaptics touchpads violated this very same patent. The result of that suit was a licensing agreement between Elan and Synaptics. Although possible, I doubt that Elan v Apple will result in a similar deal. I wonder how many of those iPad pre-order customers like myself are hoping the slow delivery boat from China speeds up, just in case of some unlikely quick legal action?

    Image courtesy of Apple

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