iPhone OS 3.0, webOS 1.0.3 and New Apps

I'm a fan of both Apple and Palm. That is why I'm using a MacBook to write this blog and record my 1SRC Pre|Switcher podcasts. My phone of choice is the Palm Pre smart(er)phone.

This weekend looks like it is going to be a busy one. Just in the last few days, I've gotten my hands on new software for both my Apple iPod touch and my Palm Pre.

On Wednesday, Apple released the iPhone OS 3.0 update for existing iPhone and iPod touch devices. I also received copies of DataViz Documents To Go and SplashData File Magic. I'll have reviews of iPhone OS 3.0 and both both applications soon.

Palm Pre customers will also want to download and install the webOS 1.0.3 update to their phones using the Updates application. If you also use MotionApps Classic on your Pre to run all of your old Palm OS applications, you should read the Classic FAQ before performing the upgrade.

SplashTravel Comes to iPhone/iPod touch

SplashData has recently released its popular SplashTravel suite to the App Store, but with all of the travel utilities combined under one icon. Until now, the suite has been available for Palm's Treo and Centro smartphones.

SplashTravel for iPhone and iPod touch offers:

• Trip Organizer for Air, Hotel & Car reservations
• Flight Tracker with gate, plane, and status info
• Unit & Currency Converter
• Tip Calculator
• World Clock
• Time Calculator
• Packing List
• Expense Report tool
• lists of country codes, clothing size charts, etc.
  

Beyond the existing travel applications included in the suite, SplashData also added the powerful Trip Organizer and Home screen features to bring it all together in a cohesive user interface. I really like the idea of the trip organizer because when I travel for work, I always seem to forget something: black socks, a brown belt, toothpaste. I may have to book a trip to Florida just so I can test SplashTravel out!

For more details, visit the SplashData website or jump right over to the Apple App Store.

Palm Responds to iTunes Third-Party Support Note

Yesterday, John Paczkowski of the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital blog, reported that Palm has issued their own statement about the Pre's ability to use the webOS Media Sync feature to sync with Apple's iTunes jukebox software.

“Palm’s media sync works with the current version of iTunes,” Palm spokesperson Lynn Fox told me. “If Apple chooses to disable media sync in a future version of iTunes, it will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience. However, people will have options. They can stay with the iTunes version that works to sync their music on their Pre, they can transfer the music via USB, and there are other third-party applications we could consider.”

I really hope this doesn't turn into a battle of wills. Once the technology is put out there, the hacker community is going to find ways around whatever road block that Apple tries to throw up to defend the walled garden that is iTunes.

In my opinion, it is clear that Apple will end up fighting a cold war with Palm or the hacker developer community similar to the one that pits Apple against the hacks that have been jailbreaking iPhones since 2007.

The long and short of it, if Apple's iTunes users and iTunes Store customers want to sync media to the Pre smartphone, someone is going to cook up a way to do it. So why not just let Palm's customers sync up with iTunes.

Besides, Apple doesn't think that the Palm Pre is a real threat to iPhones sales. Or do they?

[Via AllThingsD.com...]

Pre's iTunes Sync Feature Can Break at Anytime

I think we all saw this coming. I'm surprised, actually, it has taken Apple this long to bring it up.

AppleInsider.com is reporting that Apple has posted a new Knowlege Base article (6/16/09) stating that the iPod and iPhone maker doesn't test for third-party media player compatibility with it's software and that the new Palm Pre smartphone may no longer be able to sync with iTunes as Apple upgrades the software over time. In article HT3642, Apple states:

"Apple designs the hardware and software to provide seamless integration of the iPhone and iPod with iTunes, the iTunes Store, and tens of thousands of apps on the App Store. Apple is aware that some third-parties claim that their digital media players are able to sync with Apple software. However, Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players."

AppleInsider also writes:

"Whether or not this is likely to happen with the Pre is difficult to tell. The feature works by identifying the smartphone in its hardware ID as an iPod and would require that Apple detect the difference between the Pre and a genuine iPod. Many of Palm's current engineers -- as well as its new CEO Jon Rubinstein -- are former Apple employees who have worked on the iPhone or iPod and are familiar with iTunes' current methods of recognizing plugged-in devices."

We will have to wait and see what happens. Apple and Palm have been dancing around each other like boxers in the ring. Will this become a slugfest similar to the games that Apple players with the hackers who jailbreak iPhones; with each side upping the ante? No one really knows for sure, but it has become clear that with Palm having people who have worked on the iPod and iPhone on staff, Palm should be well equiped to counter any unintentional or otherwise, breaks between the Pre and iTunes.

[Via AppleInsider.com...]

Documents To Go for iPhone/iPod touch Released

I received word from my contact at DataViz that Documents To Go for the iPhone and iPod touch has gone live at the Apple App Store! Documents To Go has been my must have application for many years on my old Palm OS devices and now the award winning office suite is coming to the iPhone and iPod touch.

There are two editions of Documents To Go for iPhone and iPod touch: Documents To Go and Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments. Both editions provide the following features:

• Create, edit, and view Microsoft Word documents (including Word 2007 and 2008)
• View and synchronize Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, Apple iWork '08 files
• View web pages and most common graphics files
• Mac and PC desktop 2-way Wi-Fi synchronization application

Customers who chose to purchase Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments will have access to the following features:

• Exchange attachments are downloaded and processed by Documents To Go
• Exchange attachments can be viewed or modified
• Reply or forward to an existing email with the supported attachment types
• Create new email messages and attache files for immediate transmission

Also included in this edition of Documents To Go is the InTact Technology that ensures that your document's original formatting remains the same regardless of where it is worked on. Another cool feature is DataViz's built-in support for cut, copy and paste without the need for iPhone OS 3.0 installed.

I have also been told that Documents To Go is iPhone OS 3.0 compatible so if you buy Documents To Go before you upgrade to iPhone OS 3.0, you can do so worry free.

Documents To Go and Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments are both available now from the App Store and are being sold at a special two week introductory rate of $4.99 and $9.99.

Both versions of Documents To Go require an iPhone or iPod touch with OS 2.2 or later.

I'll have more details about both versions of Documents To Go after the official DataViz press release is issued and I've had a chance to take Documents To Go out for a test drive.

For more details, visit the DataViz website.

Missing Sync for Palm Pre Beta

Mark/Space has announced that there is a new public beta build for The Missing Sync for Palm Pre available.

The Palm Pre is now available. For those who are proud owners of this wonderful smart phone, we want to let you know that The Missing Sync for Palm Pre will make your Pre and Mac close companions. We even have a version for the PC on the way.

For a short while, The Missing Sync for Palm Pre is available as a fully functional Beta version, free to download for a limited time. Give it a try and find out how easy it is to take your stuff with you - from your Mac, onto your Pre.

Sync Address Book and iCal or Entourage - from your Mac to your Pre, and vice-versa - over Wi-Fi. Sync happens even when Pre is sitting on a Touchstone charger. Plus, transfer music, bookmarks, ringtones, videos and photos fast over the Pre's USB cable. And, bring documents and files with you - like Word, Excel and PDFs - to view on your Pre too.

To learn more about The Missing Sync for Palm Pre, or to download the free demo, head over to the Mark/Space website.

Snapshot of iPhone 3G S

Smartphone Fanatics reader Rick C has sent in his first impressions of the new Apple iPhone 3G S after having watched the Apple Worldwide Developer's Conference keynote address that took place in California this past Monday.

One advantage of doing late shift support is that you get to listen to play by play of Apple WWDC and watch the live blogging. I am only focusing on the last 20 minutes of the presentation as this is Smartphone Fanatics after all.

The new iPhone is evolutionary not revolutionary. It has a faster processor, which I assume is why it’s the 3G "S". It also includes a 3 mega pixel auto focus camera, video capture, a voice control interface, and a compass. All this and allegedly longer better battery life. And the multitasking! Oh wait, still no multitasking. The iPhone 3G S will be available June 19th.

I have to say there are some impressive hardware features. The pricing is pretty sweet too, $199 for 16GB and $299 for 32GB. The existing 3G is going for $99.00. Not so sweet is that these are contract prices with AT&T. The same AT&T that is not supporting the MMS or tethering features out of the box that were also announced today. I am skeptical of the battery life promises, the 3g talk time is 5 hours and I suspect the numbers are based on all the other features being disabled. The 3G S is the same size as the rest of the iPhone line and while all the phone candy is cool, what is the power price? Having a lot of great features is wonderful till you are stranded in the middle of nowhere with a drained iPhone and no way to swap the battery.

Two other things you want to look out for, first the stability of the 3.0 software. I say that because two of the demos failed on stage at WWDC during the keynote. I would assume that Apple would have trotted out the most bulletproof apps for the keynote, so I wonder a bit. Second is the cost per user. Not a word was spoken about any pricing discounts with AT&T. When, and if, AT&T decides to support MMS and tethering for the iPhone how much is it going to cost the user over the life of a contract? That $199.00 iPhone can get pretty expensive over the life of a 2 year contract compared to Sprint.

At this point I would wait and see first how the Palm Pre does in the real world according to Alan, and second how the iPhone fares in real world testing as well.

David Pogue Reviews the Palm Pre

David Pouge of the New York Times, has review of the Palm Pre smartphone. Mr. Pogue writes:

"You’ve seen that movie, right? The one where a pair of lovable, sad-sack losers team up to defeat the smug, athletic golden boy? If not, you’re about to. It’s called ‘‘Palm Pre vs. iPhone.’’ The star of this summer blockbuster is Palm. Over the years, this once-great company lost its talent for everything but making business blunders. Pundits were predicting Palm’s passing—but then the new Palm Pre appeared.

The Pre’s all-new operating system, called Web OS, is gorgeous, fluid and exciting. It shares some iPhone ideas — pinch or spread two fingers on the screen to zoom in or out, for example, or flick a list item sideways to delete it — but has its own personality and ideas."

I'm a fan of both Palm and Apple, and I'd rather not see them beating each other to a pulp. The smartphone space is massive and there is plenty of room right now for both the Apple iPhone and the Palm Pre to be successful. For me, I really like the idea of having a nice physical keyboard. I'm not sold on the slider, but hey, that's probably why Palm is already getting ready to roll out the next Palm webOS smarpthone, the Eos.

Read the full review on the New York Times website...

[Via GadgetsOnTheGo.net...]

HanDBase Mac OS X Conduit Available

DDH Software has done it's Mac users a solid by releasing a desktop sync conduit for their HanDBase software for iPhone/iPod touch users yesterday. The iPhone has been grabbing headlines since before it was officially announced. I'm glad to see more devleopers supporting the platform that has made all of this possible: Mac OS X.

DDH Software has announced availability of its Mac OS X conduit for syncing HanDBase databases stored on iPhone and iPod touch devices. HanDBase, a popular relational database for many types of mobile devices, was released last fall in the Apple iTunes App Store, and many users asked for a way to automatically synchronize their databases with their Macs. The new HanDBase Plus add-on package now affords them with this capability.

"We have had the Windows version of the conduit package available since the launch of HanDBase for iPhone in October," says Dave Haupert, President of DDH Software. "It's been a very popular add-on, but it was always our intention to also release a Mac version of the conduit as soon as we could. As a Mac user myself, I'm thrilled to be able to offer this product as we also announce our intentions to further enhance our Mac Desktop version of HanDBase throughout the coming year."

Along with the HanDBase Plus add-on for Macs, DDH Software is also announcing availability of a new version of its Mac Desktop application, the first of several major updates due this year, designed to incrementally add more editing features and functionality to the desktop companion product. In addition, the HanDBase for iPhone product has been updated with a new View and Edit Record screen layout, and improvements to its user interface.

HanDBase for iPhone is available in the Apple iTunes App Store for US $9.99. The new HanDBase Plus for iPhone add-on package is now available at DDHSoftware.com with an introductory price of US $14.99.

SplashPhoto, SplashNotes Released for iPhone, iPod touch

SplashData, Inc, a leading provider of productivity software for smartphones, today announced its SplashPhoto and SplashNotes applications are available on the Apple App Store. SplashPhoto is a mobile photo album manager and SplashNotes is a note-taking and outlining application. Both work on iPod touch and iPhone and both offer wireless synchronization with Windows and Mac OS X desktop applications that are available separately.

"The innovative features of iPhone and iPod touch, like the Multi-Touch user interface and amazing display, have allowed us to create really practical apps that will be helpful to a wide range of users," said Morgan Slain, SplashData’s CEO. “We think SplashPhoto and SplashNotes are going to enable great communication and collaboration and we look forward to continuing to create mobile apps that make a difference."

SplashPhoto offers iPhone and iPod touch users a fast, easy-to-use photo organizer with two-way sync to a free PC or Mac OS X desktop version. This unique desktop application enables users to organize image collections into personalized categories and, upon synchronization, the images are arranged accordingly on the iPhone or iPod touch. There is no limit to the number of categories that users can create. SplashPhoto will also upload to, and download from, Flickr and Picasa collections, and photos taken with the iPhone are automatically geo-tagged so they can be mapped on Flickr and Picasa.

SplashNotes is a powerful notetaking and outlining application that syncs directly with companion Mac or Windows software which enables users to enter their outlines on a desktop computer and then synchronize the notes with the iPhone or iPod touch to take with them wherever they go. SplashNotes gives users the ability to create outlines of any size and complexity, attach notes and photos for quick recall, and display lists with checkboxes to turn outlines into task lists.

SplashPhoto and SplashNotes are available for $4.99 each from Apple’s App Store on iPhone and iPod touch or at www.itunes.com/appstore.

The desktop version of SplashNotes is available at SplashData.com for $9.95. The free SplashPhoto Desktop software is also available at splashdata.com.


I have been using SplashNotes on my iPod touch and syncing it with my MacBook for about two weeks now and I've really come to enjoy using the software on my iPod, Mac OS X, and Windows notebooks. People who are looking for a good task management tool are going to get a lot of value out of SplashNotes.

Look for my review of SplashNotes over the next few days.

Math Flash Cards 2.0 for iPhone Released

One Moxie Ventures LLC announces the next release of Math Flash Cards, its successful educational title for iPhone and iPod touch devices. This new release adds useful features that enable parents and educators to tailor the math quizzes for their specific learner.

Math Flash Cards features:

• Addition, Subtraction, Multiplication, and Division
• Tracks time and results for every quiz
• Two answer methods: multiple choice or keyboard input
• Configurable combination of top and bottom card values allows comprehensive study or tune-up of problem areas
• Learning mode re-queues missed cards and allow several chances
• Easy-to-use format looks and works just like paper flash cards
  

Math Flash Cards is available today from the Apple App Store for only $1.99. Information on the application or the company can be found at www.onemoxie.com.

Apple Demos iPhone OS 3.0

At a special media event today, Apple took the wraps off of the next major release of iPhone OS 3.0 for iPhone and iPod touch.

When the production iPhone OS 3.0 release arrives later this summer, customers can expect some new, and often requested, features including:

• Search your iPhone
• Cut, copy, and paste
• Send photos, contacts, audio files, and location via MMS
• Read and compose email and text messages in landscape
  

All together, Apple is claiming that there will be 100 new features baked into iPhone OS 3.0. I should note that MMS will only be available on iPhone 3G devices. Sorry iPhone G1 owners. The arrival of copy, cut, and paste should soften the blow. I have long said that cut, copy, and paste is a required feature if Apple really wants to promote the iPhone as a business device. It should also make DataViz's upcoming Documents To Go for iPhone OS much more useful.

If you are a paying iPhone OS developer (Standard Program $99, Enterprise Program $299), you can download the latest beta SDK today. If you are like me, and are amazed by what developers can do, we'll have to wait until later this year when Apple releases the final version of the iPhone OS software.

In the mean time, you can check out a recording of today's iPhone OS 3.0 media event as a QuickTime stream on the Apple website.

Run Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard on the Dell Mini 9

I had no idea this kind of modding was going on with the Dell Inspiron 910, aka the Mini 9! Looks like several teams of hackers have figured out how to boot the Intel processor edition of Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard on the Mini 9, which I have sitting on my desk right now.

Dan, of UneasySilence.com writes:

"I’m a huge fan of ultra portables! They are small, light and just powerful enough to do what you need to get done. Sure I run Windows (in VMware), but for me the Mac OS better fits my lifestyle, but if you are looking for an ultra portable you are going to have to look beyond Cupertino.

So, when I got the Dell mini 9 all I wanted to do was put Leopard on it. With a little bit of tinkering and some help from a good blogging buddy Kevin Tofel I was able to painlessly install 10.5.4 on the little guy."

For directions on how to bake Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard into your Dell Mini 9, check out UneasySilence.com now.

[Thanks to Mark and Geri for the tip.]

Smartphones, Cellular Networks Disappoint Customers

Last week, during the Palm/Sprint Pre event, an industry customer return rate of 20% was cited for PDA smartphones. Over the weekend, The New York Times ran an article about spotty 3G wireless network coverage. A smartphone is only as good as the network it is on. If you don't have cellular coverage you might as well have left your phone back in your office. The same is true for the feature that manufacturers pack into their phones. The fact of the matter is that most customers don't read the thick user manuals that come with their phones. The result is that customers never realize the full potential of their smartphones.

For example, Mr. Richtel writes for The New York Times:

"Oh, the things modern mobile phones can do. They are music-playing, video-taking, direction-providing multimedia powerhouses. But many people have trouble getting them to perform their most basic functions, like making phone calls."

"The resulting technological glitches have given many owners of fancy new phones the urge to throw them out the window and onto the highway."

The rest of Mr. Richel's article goes on to talk about customer's dissatisfaction with their cellular carrier's 3G wireless networks.

I think that articles like the one that appeared in The New York Times and statistics like the one Sprint quoted last week show that carriers and manufacturers have a real problem to deal with.

There is no one silver bullet that will fix this issue for any of the parties involved. Apple, Palm, and Sprint have taken some positive steps. Apple, leading the charge for easy to use devices, has been leveraging their retail Apple Store locations to help educate customers with one-to-one training sessions. You can make an appointment with one of Apple's Geniuses who will teach you how to use Apple's products. Can't make it down to an Apple store? No problem. Apple has a number of short tutorials on their website that explain how to use the iPhone. If people are unwilling to read the user guide, they are likely willing to watch a short video. I haven't read any statistics on how well Apple's videos have been received. Sprint's Ready Now program aims to offer a similar service when you stop in their stores to buy a new phone.

In store training is good, however, I think Palm is working to make the Pre, powered by their new webOS operating system is also making positive strides to making smartphones easier to use.

The webOS, according to Palm, will have an "instinctive user interface" and "intuitive and unobtrusive notifications" is suppose to make using the Pre easier to use. The first Palm smartphone that will use the webOS, the Palm Pre, will go on sale later this year. Palm used to have a motto of "Delight the customer." Any smartphone maker and wireless network operator that can pull that off will stand to gain significant market share.

Customer frustration with their phones and the carriers they sign a 2-year service contact with is a real problem for the industry. Customers are looking for technology that is simple to use. The good news is that companies like Apple, Palm, and Sprint are moving in the right direction. Hopefully by the time our 2-year contacts are up, things will have improved.

You can read the full New York Times article on their website.

MacBook Pro 17-inch...NOT!

I just returned home from my latest trip to the Apple Store in the Westfarms mall. The purpose of the tip, aside from a detour to the Rain Forest Cafe, was to purchase the totally new, totally sexy, super slim, all powerful, Apple MacBook Pro 17".

I had (virtual) fists full of cash. I had the green light from my CFO (read: wife). And I had a full tank of gas in the car. Too bad the Apple Store didn't have any in stock.

Ugh!

Mobile Apps 360: iPickupLines for iPhone/iPod touch

Mobile Apps 360 takes a look at mobile software for your Palm OS, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and the iPhone/iPod touch that will help keep your favorite mobile device fresh with new software.

As we bring this Valentine's Day weekend to a close, I found an application in Apple's App Store for the iPhone/iPod touch that might be fun to try the next time you and your friends are hanging out at your favorite bar, night club, or watering hole.

Internet Inferno's iPickupLines is a free entertainment app that tries to help those of us that might be socially challenged when it comes to the dating scene. Once you get past the drawn lady in red, the app is incredibly simple. You tap the Next button to bring up the next random pick up line. iPickupLines belts out one hit wonders such as; "I'm not drunk, I'm just intoxicated by you." and "Do you have any raisins? No? How about a date?" Clearly for entertainment value only.

Still if you find youself at happy hour with your friends this Thursday night, it might be good for a few laughs. At least your friends might laugh at you when you get shot down by the girl across the bar.

Download iPickupLines from the Apple App Store...

Apple iPhone Coming to Wal-Mart

Gadgets On The Go is reporting that Wal-Mart will begin selling the Apple iPhone G3 this coming Sunday, December 28. The retailer will carry both the 8 and 16GB editions of the phone at $197 and $297 with a new 2-year service agreement.

“We are delighted to bring customers this ground-breaking mobile technology,” said Gary Severson, senior vice president, Entertainment, Wal-Mart, in the press release. “Our electronics associates have been preparing for many weeks for the arrival of iPhone 3G. We are excited to now help new customers learn more about the features and services that make the iPhone unique.”

[Via GadgetsOnTheGo.net...]

2009 Will Be Apple's Last Appearance At MacWorld Expo

It looks like 2009 will be Apple's last appearance at the MacWorld Expo trade show.

For those not familiar with the MacWorld shows, they are not run by Apple. The shows are actually put on by the publisher of the MacWorld magazine.

Steve Jobs has always been a my way or the highway kind of guy, so I can see why the company has chosen to leave the show after the January 2009 event. Trade shows and magazines have become marginalized in the last few years. If you have been to a trade show or a user conference in the past, you understand the great educational and networking opportunities that can be had from such events.

As you might expect, the Mac magazine has a few articles posted on their website on the topic. I'll save you the time, the three articles are:

• Apple at Expo: What When Wrong?
  
• Apple announces its last year at Macworld Expo, no Jobs keynote
• MacWorld Expo Responds to Apple's Exit
  

You can read the full Apple press release on the Apple website.

Rumor: 4GB iPhone Headed to Wal-Mart

I just saw this over on Barron's Tech Trader Daily website.

"Remember last week’s rumor that Wal-Mart (WMT) is about to start selling Apple (AAPL) iPhones?

Apparently, it’s true. Both Bloomberg and the San Jose Mercury News quote employees at various Wal-Mart stores saying they expect to start selling the phone before the end of the month, likely between Christmas and New Year’s Day - maybe sooner.

According to the Merc, Kim Nguyen, manager of the cell phone department at the Milpitas Wal-Mart, said she was told by an AT&T representative that her store would be getting a 4 GB model. She also said the store was supposed to get some iPhones two days before Christmas."

Via Tech Trader Daily...

Orlando Update

A week ago Friday, I returned home after spending a week down in Orlando, Florida to attend the Open Text Content World user conference. As you will recall from my post about getting ready for the trip, I wanted to travel as light as possible.

Dell Inspiron 910 (aka: mini 9)

To my surprise, the Dell mini 9 worked really well. I was able to get about 5-6 hours of battery life out of the unit. That number still isn't enough to get me through a full 10-12 hour day; however, it was as good as my heavier Dell Latitide D630 with a 9-cell battery. To get the best possible battery life, you need to be smart about what you are doing.

During the day, I would use the built-in Wi-Fi radio. To conserve battery power, I would turn the radio on and off as needed. The same is true for the screen brightness. While I was using the notebook in a workshop or presentation that had the lights dimmed, I would turn down the brightness on the screen. When I was meeting with someone or using the notebook in the lounge area, I would turn the screen brightness up to a level that was comfortable to read in a room with full lighting.

The weight was fantastic. The mini 9 weighs less than 2.5lbs and you will appreciate not having a throbbing shoulder after traversing two airports. The quilted slip case that I purchased for it is considered "TSA safe" meaning that you can keep the notebook in the slip case while it is run through the x-ray machine.

Being a corporate asset, my team and I converted the base install of Windows XP Home SP3 to Windows XP Professional SP2. I was able to run all of my required corporate applications without any trouble. Applications did seem to run a little bit slower than my full powered Latitude D630, however, I was willing to accept the trade off.

The only thing that I really wasn't crazy about on the mini 9 was the size of the keyboard. I was able to touch type on the keyboard. The main Qwerty keys on the mini 9 where big enough for my fingers. What I didn't like was the keys that surrond the main keys. For example, the shift, tab, and alt keys were about half as big as you would expect them to be. I was forever hitting the wrong keys. I also didn't like having some keys being what I call "tipple stacked." For example, the equals key shifts to the plus key which is normal. However on the Dell mini 9, the equals key also blue Fn shifts to get the back slash key. Being in IT, typing in Windows directory and network paths can be a real pain in the neck. Over time, this will be something that you will get used to.

Palm Treo 755p

My Treo 755p performed as I expected it to: beautifully. I purchased an extended life battery for my Treo and it was able to keep running all day. I have my Treo programmed to check my various email accounts at 30 minute intervals. The Treo did a great job of tackeling email, weather updates, and some light web surfing through out the day. I did use the World Clock application as my alarm clock. If you chose to use your Treo as your alarm clock, just make sure that you set the ringer switch from silent back to ring mode. During the day, I keep my Treo in silent mode and at night I switch it back to ring mode so I can hear the alarm when it is time to start the day.

Apple iPod touch (1st Generation)

The last bit of technology that I took with me was my 16GB iPod touch. The battery in my year old iPod held up well while I was using it in the airport for music and podcasts and on the plane for TV shows and movies. One thing that did trip me up was not doing a list minute review of the iPod before I left the house. As it turned out, I had forgot to select the new TV shows and movies that I loaded on my MacBook (which was saying home). The cost for this mistake was leaving home with only half of the TV shows and only one movie that I had planned to watch on this trip.

All in all, the technology that I took on the trip with me worked well. I'll be taking another trip down to Orlando in another two weeks. (I love the fact that confernces move south when the weather turns cold up in New England.) This time, I plan to make sure I have my iPod chuck full of content.

Off to Orlando

In about 10 hours I'll be boarding a plane bound for Orlando, Florida. I'll be attending this year's Open Text Content World user conference.

This trip will be a little bit different than my last business trip in that I won't be bringing my Dell Latitude D630 or my Apple MacBook. This time out, I'm traveling relatively light for me. Tucked away in my carry on bag will be:

• Dell Inspiron 910 (aka "Mini 9")
• Palm Treo 755p
• Apple iPod touch

As for accessories, I'll only be taking along the power adapter for the Mini 9, a 1GB USB flash drive, a wireless notebook travel mouse, and a JAVOedge Portable Battery Charger with tips for my Treo and iPod.

Compared with some of my other trips, I'm hardly carrying any gear at all! We'll see how this trip goes. I have another one coming up in about a month and I'm looking forward to reducing my tech load.

Management Changes at Palm, Apple

Palm and Apple have both recently announced changes to their senior management line-up.

Changes at Palm

Last week PalmInfoCenter was reporting that Palm's SVP of Global Markets, John Hartnett was leaving Palm. This week, Palm's website shows that Jeff Devine has filled the vacancy as Palm's new SVP of Global Operations. (Note the subtle title change.)

According to the Palm website:

"Jeff Devine is responsible for creating and sustaining a competitive advantage for Palm by developing a global supply-chain model that delivers best-in-class performance in areas such as product introduction, quality, total cost, and delivery.

Jeff joined Palm from Nokia, where he served as vice president of Global Customer Logistics, responsible for a diverse global team located in more than 45 countries. He spent 13 years at Nokia in a wide range of roles, including four years heading operations and logistics for the Americas, and a prior role leading Nokia’s Sales and Marketing for AT&T Wireless. Earlier in his career, Jeff helped start up a new Boeing Electronics facility focused on high-performance teams, and was a production manager at Texas Instruments. "

Changes at Apple

Reuters is reporting this morning that Apple's SVP of the iPod division, Tony Fadell, is 'leaving the company citing personal reasons but may remain as a consultant."

According to the Apple website:

"Fadell joined Apple as the first member of its iPod hardware engineering team in 2001 and was promoted to vice president of iPod engineering in 2004. He became senior vice president of the iPod Division in April 2006.

Prior to joining Apple, Fadell was a cofounder, CTO, and director of engineering of the Mobile Computing Group at Philips Electronics where he was responsible for all aspects of business and product development for a variety of products. Tony later became VP of business development for Philips U.S. Strategy & Ventures focused on building the company’s digital media strategy & investment portfolio. Prior to joining Philips, Fadell was a hardware and software architect at General Magic."

At this time, no announcement has been made as to who might replace Mr. Fadell at Apple.

Did Apple Almost Buy Palm?

I just saw this over at GadgetsOnTheGo.net with a link over to MediaBistro:

"According to Jean-Louis Gasse it almost happened in 1997.

In the Summer of 1997, Steve Jobs called Eric Benhamou, 3Com's CEO (the company owned Palm). Give me the Palm and come and join my Board of Directors. Only Apple can make Palm a true consumer brand. Nothing happened. Apple's foray into the product segment had to wait ten more years.

Now that would have been interesting. Palm devices from the 90s with an Apple twist. Of course with Jon Rubenstein now running the show at Palm, we might find out just what things might have looked like if Apple did acquire Palm."

Wow, I don't know what to make of that. I don't know if I'd say that Palm became a consumer brand, but it did become a household term. Palm, or the "Palm Pilot" became the "Scotch tape" and "Kleenex" of PDAs and later smartphones. At any rate, this is all water under the bridge.

Worldwide Newton Confernece?!

I was reading the December 2008 MacWorld Magazine and I was shocked to discover that a group of devoted owners of the long since canceled Apple Newton Message Pad will be holding a user's conference in 2009.

"Worldwide Newton Conference 2009! Since the Newton is still going strong, as is the NTLK list, and since there are some interesting developments still underway for the Newton platform, a WWNC for 2009 is in order. It will be a 3 day event, and will be held from Friday, 31 July, 2009 - Sunday, 2 August, 2009 in downtown Vancouver, BC, Canada. The Sunday following the event, from 9 am - afternoon, is reserved for open discussion in relation to the topics previously discussed. The location is close to an Apple Store. The event is sponsored by European Fritz, purveyors of Poutine.


What will be covered during the event? After some discussion with NTLK list members, and since time continues to press on, this event will revolve around a “moving forward” theme: how to keep the Newton active and relevant as time continues to press forward."

OK, I like the Newton as much as the next guy, heck, I even own a Message Pad 2000, but a worldwide user's conference? If you're a Newton user who is willing to part with the coin to travel up to Vancouver, BC, Canada this coming July, check out the link below for more details.

WWNC 2009 Home...

New Name, Expanding Smartphone Coverage

Today is both an ending and a beginning. After long and careful deliberation, it is time to say goodbye to "Foleo Fanatics." In the year since Palm canceled the Foleo Mobile Companion it has become increasingly evident that the Foleo, in it's original configuration and name, will never be released.

The Foleo unit that I was able to use, even for a short while, showed amazing potential and I'm still looking for something to replace it.

However, the time has come to look beyond the Foleo and, starting today, Foleo Fanatics has become Smartphone Fanatics.

Smartphone Fanatics will continue where Foleo Fanatics has left off, providing you with the same great coverage of the Palm user community. We also plan on expanding our coverage beyond Palm's products. Moving forward, look for increasing coverage of Windows Mobile devices from great vendors like High Tech Computng (HTC). We will also be covering the exciting new BlackBerry smartphones coming out of Research In Motion (RIM). And, lastly, we also plan to cover everybody's favorite entertainment device, the Apple iPhone.

Welcome to Smartphone Fanatics!

Alan Grassia
Editor, SmartphoneFanatics.com

More Thoughts on the Mobile Companion

I just posted the latest 1SRC Editorial in which I continue the discussion of my quest for a replacement for the Palm Foleo. While we wait for the Foleo II to be developed, I've been thinking about the growing number of alternative devices that are on the market or near to release.

Here is the punch line for those who like to skip to the back of the book first.

"I think it is clear that if Palm had shipped the Foleo back in September I would have happily plugging away with it. I hope that Palm will go back and redesign the Foleo once Palm OS II/Nova ships early in 2009. That said, I still believe in the idea that the Foleo represents even if I can’t buy one.

Other vendors have capitalized on the splash that Palm made in May during the All Things D announcement. I’ve read and hear good things about the Asus Eee PC. The Everex CloudBook looks like it will be a full-featured machine. The Apple MacBook Air is full featured and has the sex appeal to sell the device on looks alone, but it is far too pricey for the average user to consider getting one as a second machine. Mac gear heads and professionals will no doubt be buying them. And that leaves the rumored HP Compaq 2133. If the photos that Engadget posted are in fact authentic, the 2133 will be a good-looking machine. We are a little light on the product specs at this point, but if the hardware is going to run Vista, it has to be more powerful than the other Linux/Windows options. (You aren’t running the Arrow interface on hardware done on the cheap.) Would the Compaq 2133 be a value at the Foleo’s retail price of $600? I’d like to see a new Foleo and the Compaq 2133 both shipping in the $400 price range. Now let’s see if Palm and HP can deliver."

So there it is. If I end up getting one of these Foleo alternatives (No, I'm not letting go of the Foleo, damn it!), it will likely be the HP Compaq 2133. Depending on the final pricing, I might be able to get a few for the office and legitimize my use of something other than my company issued Dell Latitude D630.