SPG - Editorials

Lacks in WP7.5 (Mango)

Sat, 22 Oct 2011 19:00:00 +0000

Due to Mango now being out and about I've switched to using that platform as my main usage system, but last week at work I had to use the Sensation and Galaxy SII for various functions.

That made me realise that there are some features I'd love to be changed in forthcoming versions of WP7. For me these are so far:

The Me hub should remember your last read position when viewing the merged feed, so you don't miss any interesting data.
The Calendar tile should be able to show more than one appointment. If we have to just have one appointment there then it should also show all days events above it. Or flip to show all day events.
There should be the option there to be able to add your own background image as a wallpaper behind the live tiles
Definitely a need for native eBook handling within the OS and in Zune
MSFT should produce a power tool for windows 7 to allow SkyDrive to be accessed from the desktop via drag and drop
Voice control needs expanding, okay not to the level of Siri on iOS but should match VLingo on Android
Have an option to show the weather on the lock-screen, oh and include a decent dedicated weather app, or allow developers access to the lock-screen.
Larger buttons for handling alarm and appointment notificaitons

So what should be changed in your opinion on WP7?

Rants and Raves on Navigation

Sat, 12 Mar 2011 15:24:33 +0000

Navigation, something that we all have to do from time to time, either for business or pleasure. As we're about to head into spring as I write this then that means that the first brief forays into Wales start for myself and the family.

Now we know most of the routes we need to travel pretty well, but there is of course always the odd bit of traffic congestion to travel around as well as family decided detours to unknown locations.

So I always ensure that I have a sat-nav solution with me on even the smallest trips. Usually the sat nav is smartphone based, and in the past was TomTom on the HD2.

These days my machine of choice is usually the HTC Desire running Gingerbread, and here is where the difficulties start.

I find the Desire (and in fact all Android phones) slightly unstable with respect to SD cards. Randomly at varying intervals I've found that an SD card is trashed completely, either partially where it can be resurrected on the PC via formatting or in rare cases where the card is ruined beyond all hope of recovery.

On top of this as I've found to my cost a few times the GPS system in Android (or possibly Gingerbread only) will decide abruptly that it has lost the GPS fix, and even loses the ability to show the GPS symbol in the top tray of the screen. This is usually fixed by using Fasterfix to rest the A-GPS server back to one based in the UK, using GPS status to regain a lock, and sometime a reboot is needed too - not something you have to do though when out travelling with the family!

The of course that brings me to sat nav software on the Desire. CPL 8 will serve but suffers still from weird and wonderful journey routing around Wales and if the Desire loses GPS fix is completely hopeless. I did look to purchase Navigon but as per last week the UK variant had not been updated with the Gingerbread fix and a long email conversation with their tech support over the issue was enough to stop me going ahead with the purchase!

So that renders the Desire useless for navigation / stability. Oh and yes the HD2 is running Android Gingerbread too, but that also suffers the same SD card problems as well as terrible screen sensitivity.

Windows Phone 7 with the HD7, can't even be considered due to the poor navigation system

So alas that means that from next week it looks like the SIM card will be going back in the iPhone 4, as at least that is stable, and gives me the choice of navigating using TomTom, iGO or Navigon. I'll miss the instant weather view, custom launcher and widgets on the Desire, but if one needs reliability and navigation then needs must!

Hmm I think as the first trip away is a brief break I'll take the Desire with my primary SIM, the iPhone 4 with secondary SIM and leave the iPad behind

Sigh.

Migrating from android to wp7

Wed, 09 Feb 2011 16:14:03 +0000

Today i was lucky enough to get my grubby mitts on a HTC HD7 windows phone.

I've been using android for the last several months and before that iOS and windows mobile 6.5.

My current device is a HTC Desire HD which is pretty much a HD7 with android as it's OS (operating system) so i've been looking forward to getting the chance to give them a run out side by side and list some of the pitfalls you may need to watch out for when migrating OSes.

Both have a 4 inch screen and a 1ghz processor so makes comparing the OSes about as fair as possible from a form factor and hardware perspective.

The first concern i had was that my contacts have changed quite a bit since i moved to android and were now only synced with google as opposed to my home pc using outlook as was the case with iOS and wm6.5.

Basically i became a bit more organised and added pictures etc to my existing contacts and added quite a few new contacts too.

The first big score for me when setting up the HD7 was that it syncs google contacts, pictures and all out of the box and all you have to do is enter your gmail account and password.

Setting up other email accounts is similarly a doddle and you can sync the contacts from you windows live account, facebook, exchange etc.

Something that makes setting up these multiple accounts without too much hassle is the on screen keyboard. I've not made a typo on it yet and i've been texting, surfing, facebooking and tweeting for a good two hours on and off.

So my first impressions are good and as a new consumer OS it ticks the ease of use boxes so far.

Over the next couple of days i'll dig a little deeper and see how it competes head to head with the Desire HD for the things i use the most.

If there's anything you'd like to know specifically feel free to ask and i'll test whatever i can. I'm happy to compare any app alternatives you may want to know about if you're thinking of switching to WP7.

Comparison pics and thoughts to follow.......

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iPhone 4 v HTC Desire v HTC HD7

Sun, 14 Nov 2010 18:34:25 +0000

One evening in the week I was talking to a colleague and he was asking which machine I preferred using between the iPhone 4, the Desire and the HD7. At the moment I'm of course using the HD7, but even using that I tend to lose some of my usual functionality.

I therefore decided to put together a basic spreadsheet concerning my uses and clock up which device gets the best score. The scoring is generally a '0' for a missing feature, a '1' for a feature that it has, but for soem areas where there is a greater difference than a plain yes or no then a score has been allocated.

Now I'll be the first to admit that I've not used the Desire in a while so I'm open to correction in some areas on that machine.

Okay so here we go. I stress these are MY requirements only.

Multiple Exchange accounts - Winners iPhone 4 and the HD7, as HTC disabled multiple account handling. This is a real killer lack on the Desire for me and the main reason I can not use it as my main machine.
Powerful Email handling - iPhone 4 gets a 1 here, the Desire a 1.5, and the HD7 a 2. I find the iP4 fails to format some emails, the Desire is better, but both lack control and filtering compared to WP7 on the HD7.
Video playback - the iPhone 4 gets the score here as it has better positional navigation, higher res sreen, and screen fitting via screen tap.
Toodledo task sync - iPhone 4 only here via through at least three third party apps. Nothing on the other platforms.
UK Weather forecast via Met Office - There is an iPhone 4 app (free) and a commercial WP7 app (with an interface which could be improved), and a completely dire app for the Desire.
RSS Reader - which supports Google Reader functionality (faves, shares & sync) - I never found a viable one I lied on the Android platform so that lose here.
Bejewelled 2 - Only coded for the iPhone, and coded with Live enablement on WP7, on Android only the original version available? Winner WP7!
Instant Messenger (Trillian or MS Live) - The HD7 loses here as no viable application available yet. And no I don't count the awful app that is there now.
Reliable alarm clock - The Desire has to score here as the iPhone 4 loses on the DST bug, and some of the time on the HD7 I find the alarm fails to sound. Of course these are also weighted with the loundness of alarm sound and choice of samples available.
Count Down Timer - Yes I love to count down to holidays and Christmas and so far the only app I've found which supports my needs is on the iPhone 4.
Contacts birthdays in calendar - a massive plus here for the iPhone calendar giving that visibility.
Spoken Turn GPS navigation - The iP4 wins here with a fair number of packages, the Desire has mainly CPL8 Live (cough) and the HD7 nothing.
SugarSync / Dropbox - The HD7 loses here as no such functionality.
eWallet Support - iP4 has a full app, Android a viewer, and the HD7 no support at all.
EverNote / OneNote support - for holidaying I need a viable notes application whereby I can use the cloud to Sync notes taken on the PC. I can use Evernote on the iP4 and Android, and OneNote on the HD7.
Flixster Movies - Available on all platforms.
TV Guide for the UK - Only one that I've liked was on the iP4.
Sky+ recording scheduler - again the HD7 loses out here with no app available.
IMDb - Available on all platforms.
TapaTalk forum reading - The HD7 loses out again, an app is there but limited in forum type support.
Kindle eBook reader - once the WP7 application which has been promised comes out some parity will be achieved.
Free format eBook reader - whereby one can read your own content (via conversion, side loading, etc). The iP4 ha the edge here as you can add your own books in ePub format and you gain position sync across Apple platforms, plus a nicely styles native reader. Android has a few readers but none as polished as iBook. WP7 has no viable book reader for the HD7.
Foursquare - Clients are available on all platforms but the WP7 application is slow and refuses to load numerous times, just giving a stuck initial screen a lot of the time.
Gowalla - again no WP7 application available.
Facebook - Best client is on the iPhone 4, then the Android app and lastly the WP7 variant. The iPhone 4 app gets new functionality ahead of the other apps (e.g. Places). And yes I know the WP7 platform has Facebook integrated into the people hub, but where is the notification support? Nowhere to be seen unless you go into the Facebook app and then page load / scrolling is painful! App update needed!
iHound - for automated foursquare check ins - again no WP7 application available.
Social App Support - The Desire has the Peoplestream (Facebook / Twitter), the HD7 has the People Hub (Facebook and Live), the iP4 nothing natively.
Twitter - for better or worse all machines have a Twitter app available, some good, some bad.
LinkedIn Support - - again no WP7 application (official) available.
Notification System - I hate the iP4's native non multitasking system, Android works perfectly (IMHO), WM7 has basic toast pop-ups and Live Tiles. Hmmm. Live tiles need a server side resource to work so will never show things like unread RSS feed data from third party apps, etc. So Apples number notifications may be less pretty but may in the end be easier to code and therefore more often used.
Modern OS / GUI - Apples incarnation is starting to look a little dated compared to Android and WP7. Mind you saying that using the Apple 'container' approach I can get all my apps onto two pages.
Google Lattude - Googles own system so the only reasl Rich full support is on Android.
Reliable Wi-Fi - on the iP4 I have a lot of problems with Wi-Fi dropping and refusing to reconnect.
Photo Geolocation viewer - I love the iP4's ability to show where photos were taken on a map. I know the Desire has Footprint app but no map that links into photos taken. WP7 does geotag the photos (if turned on) but no mapping available to show where taken.
Custom Ring tones - Android scores here in being able to use sound samples. The iP4 can use your own samples with a bit of messing around and the assistance of iTunes, alas though none for WP7.
Custom notification sounds - Only for Android as standard.
Copy / Paste - Not yet here for WP7, but coming we're told!
Quick Camera operation - The HD7 / WP7 has to score here with fast camera operation even through a locked screen, quick photo review and near instant sharing.
Different volume systems - media / phone - WP7 really annoys me here as the volume for notifications etc I consider too low, so volume needs to be at the maximum 30, but for media playback 25-26 is comfortable so I'm constantly changing the volume.
Decent web browser - I never use Flash so that lack of that bothers me not. The only niggle for me here is that IE on WP7 sometimes displays some text elements in too larger a font.
Online gaming - Okay I'm NOT a game player - but the one game I do play is Bejewelled 2 - The WP7 OS scores here with the online connectivity. Other bonus extras are there to of course in WP7 with the other live enabled games but as I'm not a gamer......
Speed dials - Okay the iP4 has it's faves list in the phone app, the Desire has similar as well as contact applets on the screen, but the WP7 platform needs a third party app.
Voice control - there on all machines but richest on the Android platform. Accuracy is best though on WP7 (the only system that can recognise my voice accurately) but the feature-set is limited.
PC Client - iTunes has to score here for ability to add / remove apps as well as control the phone. Zune has great promise but has a number of lacks, i.e. removing software etc.
Side loading of docs - Only one winner here, the Desire with Android and SD card mounting support.
Native Office file support - Not surprisingly WP7 wins here based on the core OS itself.
Deletion of movies or songs on device - The iP4 fails completely here.
Handsfree BT in car - All devices work, but the HD7 has to fail here slightly for me, as on my Peugeot 307CC it refuses to feed signal strength data to the cars display.
Signal wise it's difficult to compare - at work I have a strong 3G signal, at home a weak 2G signal. At home all phones manage to get a viable 2G signal at home. The HD7 seems to lose a 3G signal slightly more often at work. The iP4 of course suffers from the grip of death!
Control of BT / WiFi / Flight Mode - Both WP7 and iOS4 require you to pop into settings to control the options, on the Desire nice easy to access widgets give control from the home screen.
Cloud Enablement / Integration - This is a difficult one as WP7 links into the MS Live system with respect to gaming, email, photo sharing as well as Facebook for contacts, photos, etc as well as photos stored on the PC. Android links into the various Google systems very much in a similar manner. Apple nada. As I can see WP7 being enhanced with more linkages to SkyDrive and other services like Flickr. So WP7 has to score here. The only lack IMHO is background updating of items like Facebook and photos - the hub has to be open for an update.
Next appointment / email / sms visibility - Major fail here on the iPhone on both the lockscreen and iOS. Android scores somewhat using widgets. WP7 scores on lock screen visibility and the Calendar hub.

At the moment I'm still running with WP7 and the HD7 as I'm catchup up on a lot of movie shows instead of eBook reading, bug as soon as those movies run out I'll be back to the iPhone 4 for most of usage.

I love the email handling on WP7 (that has to be my killer plus on that platform) and I can live with most of the other niggles, but the problems I'm having with alarms (sometimes not sounding, too quiet, and no ability to use my own samples), lack of a viable own content eBook system and buggy foursquare application, are really going to push me back to the iPhone 4. It could of course be the Desire but with no multiple Exchange support there is no way I can use it.

I'm hoping that an enterprising developer will produce a viable eBook application (and yes I know about Freda but it is currently hardly viable), that the OS is improved to handle Facebook (and other) notifications, the Facebook and foursquare applications are improved by the respective developers and finally that the promised improvements that MS say are coming do come swiftly along with more cloud integration (Twitter, Flickr, doc support on SkyDrive) and maybe Messenger Live.

Finally my 'scores' are shown below which ends up giving the iPhone 47.25, the Desire 42 and the HD7 38. Good aspects are colour coded in green and real annoyances in red.

However think on, if the developers mentioned above fix their apps, an eBook app is developed and MS bring in the promised enhancements then the HD7 can quite quickly alter its score up to around the 44 mark, and if more developers start producing apps similar to those for the iPhone then it can even beat the high scoring iPhone 4!

So between MS and the developers out there the HD7 and WP7 can be a real success.

Is android the new WM6.x?

Fri, 24 Sep 2010 19:29:51 +0000

Remember when you treated yourself to the latest and greatest Windows mobile device and got hooked, first with finding new and useful programs that made you more productive, finding little tweaks to get more speed and then discovering the complexities of hard spl, cid unlocking, rom flashing etc which opened up a whole new world of possibilities.

Now do you remember why you went through the nervous process of reading thread upon thread of info and getting all your software downloaded ready to commence with the process.

Now remember why you did this. Could have been to get the latest firmware, debrand or just for the fun of the endless customizations that the chefs provided.

Leap forward to now with what seems like, to me, the end of WM6.x's life cycle in terms of firmware upgrades and new applications and take a peak at the android development forums.

Anything look familiar?

Thread upon thread of ways to root and flash most devices, custom themes, custom roms, test roms and stock roms ready to replace your devices rom with the latest and greatest from either chefs or manufacturers.

To most users and non-enthusiasts the complex upgrade route we choose to use may seem a step too far or too time consuming but for me it's this love of getting the best you can out of what you've got that keeps me interested the world of smartphones.

Most, and quite rightly, would get frustrated with the lack of official upgrades and support from manufacturers and service providers and sell their current device to fund the latest bit of kit. This is where i believe apple have filled the gap and created a space to provide what many want.

This is a good thing and i'm more than happy with being given the choice of which direction i want to go.

To me, apart from the obvious productivity a smartphone can bring, when I invest a lot of money in one their needs to be a fun element attached to the purchase and that's where the above comes in.
It's a hobby and in the same way a golfer will buy a new club to add to their bag, a boy racer will buy a new body kit or a cyclist upgrades bits of their bike it's not the having that makes it fun it's the using and making the most of.

I think that this is where android is picking up where WM6.x is leaving off.

This is not to say you can't do this with other platforms. I've never had a blackberry or one of the newer symbian, webos, maemo or brew devices. I currently have an iPhone and have taken great pleasure in jailbreaking and finding the unnaproved plethora of apps available as a result but it's just not the same.

There's something inherently addictive about flashing a rom or following the progress of the developers as they collaborate to find the exploits and create the tools to open up a device to it's full potential and give it a longevity it may never have had.

My HTC wizard, the T-mobile vario variant, went from WM5 to WM6.x and is what started me off on my journey of rom flashing and debranding and opened my eyes to the world of forums and the great things that can be achieved when like minded folk get their heads together.

As i said before i currently have an iPhone 3gs and as a smartphone it pretty much ticks all the boxes for what i need to do with it.

Thing is it's time to treat myself to something new to play with and looking at what will be on offer at upgrade time i think Windows phone 7 is too much of an unknown regarding the upgrade process, WM6.x is on it's way and the rest don't really fit the bill it's looking like android for me.

I'd be really interested on your thoughts on this as i think a lot of us come from a similar stand point of being enthusiasts as well as users that need to get the job done with the tool in hand.

I'm hoping android will be the next platform to do both for me

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Changing technology; Changing needs?

Tue, 06 Jul 2010 13:19:20 +0000

Ever since my first experiences with 'pocket computing' from my MicroWriter AgendA in 1989, through various Psion and Compaq models to the PocketPC and Windows Mobile Phone Edition devices, it has been a general rule that each successive device is more powerful, or has a higher specification than its predecessor.

For the first time ever for me, the past two weeks has seen that trend reversed. I have ceased using my HTC HD2 and moved to the HTC HD Mini. I will not pretend it has been an easy decision- there is something that feels not quite right about 'downgrading' and my family cannot fully understand it! However, the realities of my pattern of use suggest that the HD Mini fulfills my current needs better than the HD2.

Why has this revelation occurred? Four weeks ago, I bought an Apple iPad, in the expectation that it would suit my pattern of home use; in this, it has far exceeded my expectations to the extent that it has become my primary source of information, reference and general entertainment, and in the process usurped those functions previously provided by my HD2.

This article is not about the strengths and weaknesses of the iPad itself, more of a commentary on how evolving technology can take one by surprise and unexpectedly reverse trends of usage. Had the 'slate' device been provided by Microsoft, HP or any other manufacturer, the principle would have remained. There is no doubt though that the ease of use, and massive catalogue of applications has made the iPad what it is for me.

Perhaps I should explain how my mobile device usage has evolved over the last few years, and why I have taken the decision to downgrade my primary mobile phone. Like most people, I started using a mobile phone for just that purpose- indeed when I first bought a 'mobile telephone' in 1989, that was all it was capable of. The development and rollout of additional services such as SMS, GPRS, UMTS and GPS alongside the development of hardware to provide bigger screens, more memory and improving user input methods has seen me trying to keep abreast of those developments in my own usage. My membership of Tekguru, 4WinMobile and now Smartphonegurus has been a significant driver in my progress and our relationship with O2 in times past meant I was often able to test pre-release devices to make use of the ever-increasing functionality.

Larger storage media and the advent of affordable mobile data saw me modify my mobile computing habits and move from notebook/tablet PCs to Windows Mobile based devices for much of my mobile 'reference' needs. These fall into some distinct categories:

Use of professional reference works: As a part time clinical medicine educator, I like to have quick and easy access to some often used reference books and charts, or the ability to quickly go online to check something
Home reference and entertainment: As a family we have become more and more reliant on use of a mobile device to look things up. This can range from looking at a TV guide, to checking Wikipedia for some biographical details of someone on TV, to using IMDB for the cast list or plot of an upcoming film.
PIM Functions: As with most people, I use my mobile device for email, contacts, calendar and tasks. Calendar functions are particularly important when I am away from my practice and the development of real-time sync with my office system has become a frequent use.
Ebook reading at home or while travelling.
Satellite Navigation in the car.

Over the last two years, all these functions have been performed admirably by a series of mobile phone devices: the HTC Athena (series 1 and 2), Toshiba TG01 and latterly the HTC HD2. These have all had screens large enough to be readable while remaining portable enough for mobile usage. I admit that the Athenas were too large to use for mobile phone calls so I adopted an HTC Diamond for that particular function.

Three months ago I may have expected to gradually move on to the next generation of Windows Mobile/Phone or Android device to continue fulfilling these functions, but circumstances change. I have to admit a degree of scepticism when I first saw the Apple Keynote presentation of the iPad- lots of hype, lots of hyperbole but little substance. It looked, and was presented as an overgrown iPhone, a device I had never personally aspired to. Subsequent independent comment and some emerging examples of its usage started to get me thinking more deeply about what it might offer me. The greatest draws were the 'instant on' nature of a mobile OS combined with the large screen and multi-touch capabilities. These seemed perfectly suited to the first three of my 'typical' uses. Adding the ability to store and view all my catalogue of digital photos was a further answer to some of the family's 'we take lots of photos but never get to see them because they are on the PC' comments.

So, I bought an iPad. From being an Apple 'sceptic' I am probably in danger of becoming an iPad 'bore' because every day I find new uses or new applications which seem perfectly suited to it. The medical educational programs designed for it are superb; the ebook reading, and general reference works perform very well and the ability to communicate with my Exchange server adds all the PIM functions I need. It isn't all sweetness and light. There are a number of 'features' of the Apple way of doing things that drive me to distraction, but that is not the subject of this editorial.

This brings me to the reason why I have decided to downgrade my HD2! There is no doubt that the HD2 is an exceptionally capable, reliable and sleek device. There is also no getting away from the fact that it is large and has some hardware attributes which can make it a less than wieldy device. With my HD2 getting so much less use as a reference device, and reverting more to a phone, PIM, SatNav with occasional reference use, I decided to buy a smaller phone to see how it suited me prior to selling the HD2. For me, the HD Mini seemed to offer the functions I need. The size is significantly more 'pocketable', the screen usable (after sorting out some of the 'out of the box' issues) and the overall speed just as quick as the HD2 due to the lesser hardware demands. There are advantages as well- the HD2 definitely has a propensity for unwanted power-ons in a pocket due to the sensitive front mounted power switch. The device lock for some reason doesn't always prevent unbidden dialling. The HD Mini has a more traditional top mounted power switch and I've yet to experience any issues with unbidden outgoing calls. Likewise, the form factor makes it easier to pick up in a hurry (by that I mean when half awake with the alarm going off at 6 in the morning!)

In short, I have now experienced first hand how the move towards convergence in mobile phone devices has, with the advent of a new technology, made a sharp reversal. I wonder what other developments may shortly have a similar effect?

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What is the ideal mobile device ?

Mon, 03 May 2010 17:48:49 +0000

Recently, i asked “What is the ideal mobile device ?”

This wasn’t intended to be a straw poll of the current crop, but instead an open question about what would be the ideal mobile portal to this information age that has evolved since the last years of the 20th century.

When i say Mobile, i mean a device that you would happily carry round with you at all times – if it is so heavy or bulky that you sometimes consider leaving it behind, then really it has failed its basic mission.

It should be a device that would be as familiar and indispensible to you as your wallet and would be a gateway to the vast amount of talk and information that we all now crave. Perhaps it might have “DONT PANIC” inscribed on it in large, friendly letters ?

For the sake of practicality i will only consider current or near future technology, so no talk of Neural Interfaces or holographic 3-D spectacle monitors !! I would propose confining this discussion to devices with physical screens that are viewed naturally.

It seems that display technology is getting slimmer, cheaper and more power-efficient almost by the day so that absolute screen size is no longer restrained by the limitations of battery technology. Mobile processing and graphics power to drive larger screens is also now available.

I will try to set the ball rolling by asking you to picture a current device like the HTC HD2 – its thin, light and has a big screen and fast processor.

How about having two of them joined at the hip and having different displays on each hinged screen? Maybe a full-screen virtual keyboard on one side when the situation demands it. Other times a single virtual screen split across both displays.

Or how about 3 screens ? Recently, telecoms chip-set manufacturer Qualcomm filed a patent application for a device featuring 3 screens hinged together which was described thus in the patent application:

“A multi-fold mobile device with a configurable interface is disclosed. When fully extended, the device may provide a panorama view, similar to widescreen televisions".

"When fully folded, the device may provide a small form factor with an abbreviated view similar to cellular telephones. In addition, the user interface (UI) displayed on the device may change based on the folding configuration of the device".

"Thus, based on a current folding configuration of the device, the UI may be a panorama UI, a desktop UI, an application UI, a web browser UI, an alarm clock UI, a media player UI, or some other UI".

So the question is: What would constitute perfection in your pocket ?

Which mobile phones have been your favourite to date and why?

Thu, 29 Apr 2010 15:17:40 +0000

We are overdue another editorial and this one’s for all you mobile phone owners for whatever device you own, or have owned in the past, which will be in keeping with our new site’s encompassment of all mobile phone operating systems.

Looking back over the years we’ve seen mobile phones develop from bulky slab like devices which were only capable of making a phone call if you were lucky enough to find a signal, into the sleek and sophisticated micro PCs we see today that are as capable in their own way as any home PC or laptop.

I have owned more mobiles than I care to remember, and probably followed a similar route to most other long term users. I was an early adopter of this mobile technology, and I used one of the first mass produced Motorola phones on an Orange contract, the phone itself was only able to make calls and send texts, and all on a tiny screen and at extortionate cost too!

The pace of technology since those pioneering days around twenty or so years ago has been astounding, mobile phones have now come of age and are a very important tool in the modern society we live in, business wise and socially, and I know I would find it hard to live without one, as no doubt most of you would too.

My phones over a long period of time since the early days have included various incarnations of Motorola, Nokia, Sony Ericsson, Sharp, Samsung and other similar brands, plus of course many Windows Mobile and of late Android devices.

Picking out a few favourite mobiles from the many I have owned is no easy chore as each was at the top of its game at the time they were used, but after some thought I have come up with three that changed my views and thinking patterns.

The Nokia 8310 in my humble opinion broke the mould at the time of release as other devices were still quite bulky and quite ugly, it was so small and cute and was love at first sight for me, and I had to have one in red. I still own two of the little beauties and even now they make an excellent ‘pub’ phone if you only need to make calls and send texts.

My first coloured screen device was a Sony Ericsson T68 and this gave me a real buzz looking at a screen that had the grand total of 256 colours, and playing crappy games with the joystick! I must say it wasn’t the most reliable of devices but I didn’t really care at the time, and anyway it wouldn’t be long before I would change it for the next best mobile phone anyway!

Last on my list is the Sharp TM 100 which I bought on a T-Mobile contract, it wasn’t a very common device back in 2004 but I really liked the form factor and feel, in reality this was my first smartphone and ahead of its time I thought too, and had the makings of things to come. It had a slide out portrait keyboard; there was a decent camera and a lush 320x240 screen with 262,000 colours.

So these are my pick of my bunch, and an evolution really I suppose of how I came to be involved with smartphones.

Please let us know what your all-time favourite mobile phone/s are, be they old or new, and why you think so, we would be very interested in your thoughts.

A year in review - why I came back to Windows Mobile

Sat, 19 Dec 2009 07:27:03 +0000

[IMG=left]http://i337.photobucket.com/albums/n376/bydandie/DSC_0120-1.jpg[/IMG]"Hi Honey I'm home!" Well it's good to be back into the WM fold after straying away over the past year, first to the Nokia E71 with Symbian and then the iPhone 3Gs before coming back to WM with a bang via the HD2. My mobile device experiences over the past year have been an eye-opener for me in terms of what is out regarding choice and functionality, in a way that simply wouldn't have been experienced had I stayed in the WM fold. I thought it might be interesting to share my experiences, the reasons for moving to different platforms and thoughts about the future of the Smartphone industry

So, where do I start? I think that I'll start with the device that really piqued my interest prior to temporarily moving away from WM, the XDA Ignito (Diamond Platform). This is a device that was perfect in size, with a great VGA screen, GPS and battery life of a couple of days. It really made me think that I didn�t need an iPhone at all, and was very usable with the current o2 ROMs. The one problem was that Opera ran like a dog on it and PIE was OK but not the feature-rich experience I expected, although it still remains my GPS (for now). I still think that there is a niche for this size of device with a VGA screen, which currently isn�t being sated in the drive to be like the iPhone.

Next came the E71, which was a Symbian device with a wide range of software installed as standard and a bullet-proof case. The keyboard, form factor, battery life and build quality are hard to match. The issue for me was that it lacked the ability to view emails and interact with the email addresses and phone numbers within them (unless you count Nokia for Exchange which didn�t support folders). Another minus for me was that you couldn�t just call from within an email like you can within WM.

So I moved onto the iPhone, mainly for the music and internet browsing experience. This meant that I could leave my netbook at home and enjoy the same functionality. The iPhone has been kept for personal use, but whilst it is very good it isn�t in the business class of devices due to a lack of being able to present appointments easily and having too much storage. The one thing I will say about the iPhone though is that I know I can give it to anyone and they will get on with it. It�s the little things that make the difference for me like dialling the voicemail and having the keypad presented, and the integration with the iPod application. One major gripe with the iPhone is the lack of universal multi-tasking; it can do it, but only when Apple want you to be able to.

For business purposes I moved back to the Touch Plus (Touch Dual Platform) as I could get more functionality. Things like being able to use real phone keys and dial/text/email from typing in the contact names (something the E71 doesn�t do as well) were really useful! I also missed calling a contact from within an email just by pressing the off-hook key which only appears to be in the �limited� Windows Mobile platform! Browsing the web was a chore though and the device was starting to show its age, and it�s only 19 months old!

So, I came back to today where I have an HD2 for my business needs. And I have to say that Windows Mobile as a operating system has evolved, and the HD2 as the platform makes it a powerful tool for business, browsing the internet and viewing documents with ease. The HD2 is fast, responsive and has all the goodness that I like about Windows Mobile. Is it perfect? No, but most of that is in the integration of the different functions and the fact that HTC are resting on their laurels with Sense. If I do a Google search on the iPhone, it searches google.co.uk, but the HD2 searches google.com! It can certainly be customised to be as useful as the iPhone, but that�s beyond most people�s abilities. The HD2�s certainly not as bad as the recent PC Pro review states. Most of the issues are with size and that�s the same for their A-List device the iPhone! The iPhone simply isn�t as powerful as the HD2 (it can�t do Draft-N wireless for a start!), but it is more fun.

Whilst we�re on the topic of the HD2 experience though, the Microsoft marketplace is an amusing place to look. People complained about the price of the TomTom navigation app, whilst almost all of the SPB apps are over �20! If Apple have got one thing right, it�s the pricing of their apps. The iPhone is only partly more useful due to the O/S, most of the usefulness comes from the apps and you rarely pay more than �5 for a powerful app.

I�m looking forward to 2010 as I have two upgrades to happen. One of which will be used on an Android device as that excites me as we move towards v2.x of the Android O/S. I�d like the other to be a Windows 7 device, but please let there be some real competition in the form factor and provide an equivalent of the Diamond with a slide-out keypad. I�ve been a really good boy this year!
posted via mobile portal

Form Factor- musings on past, present and possible future.

Tue, 03 Nov 2009 16:34:34 +0000

[img=left]http://www.4winmobile.com/reviewer/neilm/size_1.jpg[/img]Over the years since the advent of the Personal Digital Assistant, there have been a number of popular form factors, and this trend may be set for a shake-up over the next couple of years.

My personal involvement began in 1989 with the Microwriter AgendA, a handheld device with two lines of display and a unique method of entering text by the use of one handed finger buttons. It worked well but the limitations of its lack of connectivity, the 16Kb of RAM and the small screen saw it give way to a succession of Psion devices, all following the clamshell format. The Psion 5 remains the best physical keyboard I've ever used, but once again, lack of development and the advent of the Pocket PC saw me move on.

My first PocketPC was a Compaq Ipaq 3630, which was, in 2000 the first in the line of the sort of device we still see today, though various Palm Pilot models hit the market before the Ipaq range. These early PPC devices had limited memory by today's standards, but the form factor of the 3.6" 240*320 touchscreen remained the most popular for around five years.
The early PPC devices were hampered by a lack of connectivity, which meant they were mainly 'briefcase' devices. Size was not really an issue in comparison to the ease of reading the screens for the purposes of reference or document management. This started to change however, when in 2002, O2 released the first truly 'connected' device, the XDA (short for eXtended Digital Assistant!); While keeping to the same form factor as earlier devices, this came with the new Phone Edition of Pcoket PC 2003, and integrated the functions of PDA and mobile phone. GSM data connectivity became available for 'on the move' email and web browsing, at a price. This was still a 'tablet' type device with a 3.6" QVGA screen with the added size of the external GSM antenna but it became a niche device with an ever increasing fan base. I shall probably refer to subsequent devices by a number of trade names, but most were actually made by HTC under various development and model names for the various mobile operators.

The XDA 1 developed into the XDA II, then the XDA IIi and XDA IIs, each adding usability within a similar form factor. Very shortly after the XDA 1 appeared, Orange released the first in its line of SPV devices. The original Orange SPV was as much a milestone as the XDA 1, being the first to use the new Smartphone operating system. This eschewed the 3.6" touchscreen in favour of a much smaller non-touchscreen format, with an enhanced physical keyboard below the screen. The SPV begat a whole range of successors and development has remained in parallel to the PocketPC/Windows Mobile range.
Hence we see the start of the Form Factor debate- a larger touch screen devce with no keyboard or a much more compact non-touchscreen device with a keyboard. There have been crossover devices of course, and the merits of a hardware keyboard soon became apparent. The first of these was the XDA IIs with its slide down keyboard, then we saw the XDA Exec with its complex twisting keyboard and VGA screen but the comparitive form factors remained about the same- pocketable Smartphones or less pocketable PocketPCs.

The form factor question took it's next step in late 2005 with the release of the HTC Magician and it's keyboard equipped brother called the XDA MiniS in O2 guise. These saw the start of the reduction in screen size, and therefore overall bulk. Both sported a 2.8" QVGA screen and using Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition were capable of working in portrait or landscape orientations. Both were resounding successes and resulted in a general reduction in the screen, and overall size of Pocket PC Phones. The 2.8" QVGA screen became the norm until July 2008 when the HTC Touch Diamond was released.

The form factor of various devices has evolved parallel to the abilities of the operating system and also to the ongoing rapid development of the chipsets and memory powering them. Over the last three years, devices have tended to become smaller and lighter, rivalling the more traditional 'dumb' phones whilst continuing to add features like GPS, 3G, WiFi and enhanced storage. For the last two years the attitude has tended to be 'smaller is better' and this has definite benefits for those using the devices for telephony. There is of course a trade off. Reference, ebook reading and web browsing become ever more difficult as screen sizes decrease and resolutions increase. A VGA 2.8" screen looks great but the text can sometimes be unreadable for those of maturing years like me!

Things however were starting to change! Something called the iPhone came along in late 2007; a device unashamedly aimed at media usage and simple navigation. This sported a mid resolution 3.5" screen and proved to be a major success. The iPhone bandwagon has charged along with enhancements to the underpinnings but little change in the form factor. What it does, it does exceptionally well and has resulted in a massive endorsement of its presentation. It is a little smaller than the early XDA's but it no longer had the 'nerd factor' of holding a slightly oversized device up to the ear to make phone calls.

So, this now begs the question- where to from here? The success of the iPhone appears to have Microsoft running to compete, possibly at the expense of those who want a smaller device. 2009 has seen the release of a number of devices compatible with or supplied with WM6.5. A large number of these sport 3.8" screens or larger. There are some notable exceptions in the Xperia 2 and the HTC Touch 2 but the provisional specifications for Windows Mobile 7 would suggest that these are a dying breed.

The Windows Mobile 7 minimum specifications, if the leaks are to be believed, are for a WVGA screen of 3.5" or greater. As screen size is the major determinant of actual device size, where does that leave those who want something like the HTC Magician or Touch? Where are the potential specifications for any Smartphone (ie non-touchscreen) variant?
Will Microsoft continue to support a parallel line of devices running a form of WM6, allowing the continuing production of devices which don't conform to the WM7 specification?

I am personally happy with a larger screen device but I may not always be of that mind. Will I be able to buy a compact, highly specified smaller phone like the HTC Diamond if I so choose? Time will tell, but unless we start asking questions now, we may find ourselves forced to use iPhone clones, or perhaps move to a different platform. Do we really want that?

Carrier customizations

Tue, 08 Sep 2009 14:23:40 +0000

For a long time now i have wondered why mobile phone carriers feel the urge to lock down their devices and put their own customized (for want of a better negative word) roms on them.

I can understand from a branding point of view that T-mobile are the pink company, Vodafone are the red company, o2 are the blue company, Three are the green company and Orange are... well you get my drift.

The problem i have is that on their devices they seem to concentrate on filling them up with branded roms containing a great deal of normally unnecessary software.

Has anyone ever pressed the t-zones button?

The time and money spent on rom customization would be far better spent on making sure devices are released with up to date roms and the subsequent support of updates.

Additionally, and this really irritates me, why do they feel the urge to lock them down so that you cannot replace their roms with ones of your choice such as a stock manufacturers rom or even, dare i say it, a cooked rom which removes the bloatware you don't want and includes the freeware you do.

I know that the argument is that by allowing customers to tinker with the firmware there is a possibility they may receive a larger number of returns/repair requests but surely it would be less than they currently recieve from customers returning bricks they have flashed without correctly unlocking first.

In fact i'm sure that in the contract they could even write in a clause staing that firmware flashing voids the warranty.

Whilst i'm having a mild rant i will also never understand the policy to sell devices sim-locked.

If i have signed up to a contract with a carrier i am unlikely to go over my allowance as they throw minutes and texts at you nowadays. Why should it bother them if i choose to use my phone with a different sim card in it from time to time? They're still getting paid and most nowadays will not allow you to reduce your contract until near the end if at all.

I'd quite like to be able to take my device on holiday and buy a localised sim card with some credit and data rather than pay over the odds for the priviledge when i get home, worse yet have to pay when people call me.

This is where vodafone have been smart and i have several friends and colleagues who remain customers of theirs simply because their WM devices come sim-unlocked.

Just to clarify i'm talking about devices on contract and not subsidised pay as you go deals (still if you're policy is to sell phones cheaper in the hope people won't unlock them for use with a cheaper carrier more fool you).

I guess what i am saying is if i sign up to a contract for 18-24 months and agree to pay a set sum of money per month for the duration to cover the cost of the handset and price plan is there really any need to worry too much about what i do with it once i get it home?

Rom development/customization costs money money that would would be far better passed on to the consumer as a reduced cost in contract or in a better quality of support for updates. The fact you'd get a stock rom as the manufacturer intended would just be an added bonus ;)

Also just because a device is unlocked and supported by the carrier it won't mean people won't renew their contracts at the end because their device is up to date. I would go so far as to say that if in receipt of competent support the customer would be looking forward to renewing for another couple of years with a new device/toy to tinker with.

I wonder if any of themn are listening?

http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225218&d=1252335398 http://forum.xda-developers.com/attachment.php?attachmentid=225217&d=1252335398

(cooked touch hd rom from pdaviet. MUCH NICER)

The best OS is out there, but....

Mon, 10 Aug 2009 17:45:08 +0000

As a long standing fan of Windows Mobile (WinCE through to WM6.5) and now having experience of both of OS3.xx on the iPhone and Android 1.5 on the Hero a thought struck me.

Does what can be classed as a 'perfect' or at least enjoyable functional OS exist?

The answer is yes, but for me at least it only exists if one could mix and match OS's.

For this to be clear certain aspects of the devices need to be looked at in comparison with each other and see which is best.

Multi-tasking: Engendered on the WM and Android platform, but not particularly well. Both OS's natively want to manage open apps themselves, closing when memory / resources are tight. At least in WM HTC (and others) give the option of closing applications. Is OS3 there is no real multi-tasking as far as users are concerned. So winner: WM

Notifications: Apples notifications stink they can not be snoozed or easily monitored or controlled globally. WM's notifications can be viewed via the ageing bubble system, but as standard using the system tray the stylus comes into play especially if you hit the 'more' notification. On Android you get similar notification icons in the status bar, but joy of joys you can drag that try down and view each notification as text and interact with each one individually. Winner: Android

Finger Friendly OS: We'll not even consider WM here as WM6.1 and below is not finger friendly, WM6.5 may be better. Android is pretty close to being good with lots of drop down lists that allow you to control most aspects of the device. OS3 does very much the same but with a better 'house' style. Winner: OS3

Corporate Email: All three OS's support Exchange mail sync - so all win ;)

Personal Email: POP3 / IMAP and Google support, all three OS's score, but on Hotmail the Android platform lacks. Winner WM & OS3

Store / Market: At the moment ruled by Apple, but the Android market is developing nicely. Microsoft are tailing behind as we all know. Winner OS3

Main home screen: Very difficult one this as the OS3 home screen is primarily a series of launch screens with notification counters. MS is in transition between the flexible 'Today' screen, so a 'standard' XML based sliding system, launching via the start menu option. Android as on the Hero has the powerful multi-page, pretty but laggy HTC front end. Android as standard has one launch screen but you can add widgets and shortcuts. Winner: Difficult but I'd say Android

Lock screens and unlocking: OS3 has the famous slide to unlock. WM has the ancient keypad / keyboard unlock or a slide notification system in WM6.5. Android has a configurable patter to unlock gesture system which is great to use. Winner: Android

Alarms: In WM you are limited to 5 alarms and as standard you need your stylus. In OS3 or android I've not found the limits yet. Both Android and WM are finger friendly and flexible. Winner Android & OS3

Corporate Control: Controlling devices in the Corporate environment, WM scores here, with OS3 slowly catching on. Android, nothing as of yet. Winner: WM

Lots of other examples too; web browsers, input methods, types of screen, resolutions, SD card mounting, tethering, Bluetooth, removable batteries, etc

So ...................

You get my drift? The perfect machine is out there, but not in one single OS. You'd have to mix and match to get there.

This makes one think, will an OS ever be developed where every aspect is ideal, no, not possible as everyone's needs are different and so are corporate aims and ideologies.

But if you had YOUR choice... What bit of each OS would you choose to be in your device, and why.... ?

How long could you survive without the internet?

Sun, 14 Jun 2009 20:02:07 +0000

Since the conception of the World Wide Web back in the late 1980s the internet has become part of our lives whether we like it or not. Over the years the internet has really taken off bringing visual, audio or text communication to the masses across the continents in an instant. It seems nowadays businesses big or small have to be a part of this revolution to survive and sell their products, and we as consumers gladly part with a monthly fee to our service provider to be part of this revolution, be it by your home PC or via a data plan with a phone company.

I didn�t realise quite how much I did rely upon the internet until I recently had the misfortune of losing my home PC�s internet connection for three days over a weekend due to a problem with my service provider. Now a few years ago I could have lived with this, and would not have been unduly worried about it, but to be honest I found it a huge struggle and didn�t realise how much my internet connection to the outside world had become an integral part of my life.

As soon as I realised I wasn�t going to get connected again anytime soon I relied heavily on a Windows Mobile powered device to keep in touch as best as I could, not by Wi-Fi of course but via a data connection as I am lucky enough to have an unlimited data plan, and it was quite successful to a point. I couldn�t function at full capacity as I would liked to have done due to the constraints of the Windows Mobile platform and Opera browser, but it got me out of a hole until I regained my internet connection.

So my question is could you or have you, managed to survive without the internet as a home or business user for any period of time, and not had withdrawal symptoms as I did, like a thirty a day cigarette smoker that has just quit?! :)

Why I despise the iPhone.

Fri, 24 Apr 2009 09:59:02 +0000

Ok, this started as a quick reply to another post and ended up being a bit controversial to say the least so I've given it its own thread. I know I'm going to get hammered for this one from many sides, but I can be silent no more. I'd be interested in your responses......

I'm not anti iPhone, ok actually I am anti iPhone but it's because I just don't think it's as good a device as everyone seems to think it is. Apple have cut many corners to make it child proof. Too many in my opinion. I really wasn't that impressed with the hardware (not bad just nothing special) and I think the software is too limiting to do what I want to do. I'm just really hacked off with people telling me that it's so great when it CAN'T do what my Zest or my Touch Pro does for me. Period. I will not sacrifice the functionality I hold so dear because it has a pretty interface. I've got nothing against Apple, but as far as I'm concerned my WM device is a tool, and an iPhone is a toy. It's like the whole EAS functionality. I wish Apple had just left it right alone, or even that MS had just said no. It is not an Enterprise quality email device from neither a functionality or security perspective. It's like because it's really "cool" everyone has forgotten about functionality and security now.

Glad I got that off my chest. Actually there's more and this goes deeper.........one of the things that I find strange and another reason I despise the idea of the iPhone is that here at 4WM, I always felt we were all kindred spirits. The iPhone says we aren't. Back in the day we all had our XDA2's that needed a soft reset every 30 minutes but we knew, through all it's foibles we had the best tech. It did it all. We said no way Nokia, and up yours Sony Ericcson because it was all about the functionality. We hacked, reflashed, spent nights scouring the interweb for cabs and reg files, but we loved it, it was like taming a wild beast but once your device hit that sweet spot there was nothing to touch it. So what's changed? WM is still the only platform that does it all, and it's prettier and easier to use now than it ever was before. So why do you guys even tolerate the lack of bluetooth stereo or GPS navigation software or a hardware keyboard. What happened to you all? I feel like I'm a dying breed, soon to be extinct. It's getting lonely in here, will the last one out turn the lights off.......?

Backup and running

Wed, 18 Mar 2009 14:39:29 +0000

Anyone who has owned a smartphone for any length of time will have been faced with the scenario. Maybe you have installed something that didn�t agree with the phone. Maybe you�ve had a crash and it won�t restart properly. Maybe it�s just been grinding to a halt over a long period of time and you�ve finally decided to bite the bullet. It doesn�t really matter why you�re doing it, everyone experiences a slight feeling of dread when they hard-reset their device � particularly if it�s for the first time.

And it�s made all the more nerve-wrecking when it happens (as it always will) at the worst possible moment. You have a flight to catch and the flight details and booking reference numbers are all on the phone. You have an important appointment and, not only are the address and phone number in the contacts but you were relying on the Sat-Nav to get you there in the first place.

Are your backups up to date? Will it restore? Will the backup just restore whatever the problem was that made you reset in the first? Will you loose all that precious data?

Of course, there are some to whom a hard reset is almost a daily occurrence � they are the Custom ROM addicts. These hard-nosed individuals can hard reset a device with their eyes closed and have the whole thing back up and purring like a Rolls Royce inside half an hour. For the rest of us, it�s all a bit more of an �event�.

So how can these guys (and gals) be so casual about it all? Well, of course, some of it comes down to experience. If you do this sort of thing on a regular basis you just get used to it and you know what to do. But mainly, it�s down to preparation. So what can you do to make sure that, when the worst happens, you are absolutely prepared to get back up and running again as soon as possible?

Well, firstly, the obvious one. Backup, backup and backup again. There is just no quicker way of recovering from an emergency hard reset than opening File Explorer, going to the folder on your storage card where you keep your (self extracting) backup file and running it. You can be up again in less than ten minutes and all you will have lost is anything that you updated since the last backup. It doesn�t really matter which of the backup programs you use. I�ve tried Resco, SPB and Sprite and they all seem to do what they say on the tin. Some people prefer one over another because of its ability to restore across different ROM versions but, for most of us, when it comes to digging ourselves out of a hole, they all do the job pretty well. There are a few things to remember. Make sure you backup to your storage card. Make sure you tick the option to create a self-executing backup file. This means you don�t need to install your backup software in order to restore your data. I tend to schedule a backup and have it automatically reset afterwards at about 4pm. Some do it over night. It doesn�t matter. Whatever fits in with you. Just make sure you backup at least weekly � preferably daily.

So, you�re back up and running then, yeah? Hopefully. But what if the thing that caused the Hard Reset has just been restored? You�re back where you started but this time there is no backup-paddle with which to extricate oneself from a certain effluence filled creek.

For me, this is where having an Exchange Account comes into its own. I don�t have any data on my device; or, at least, not in main memory. A Hard Reset only resets the main memory so, the less kept in there the easier it is to recover from a Hard Reset. I install all my applications to Main Memory and those applications keep their settings with them (web browsers keep search history, favourites etc) but that is it. Everything else is either on the Exchange server or the Storage card.

So, for me, the process probably starts off with setting up a data connection. Most of today�s devices have a connection wizard that will setup connection details for the main service providers. As it happens, I live on the Isle of Man which isn�t covered by most of the wizards, so I keep a little file on my storage card with my settings in and I have to set it all up myself. It still takes less than five minutes.

Once I have a data connection to the Internet the next task is setting up my Exchange Account in order to get my contacts, calendar, emails and tasks back onto the device. For this, my Exchange host (mail2web) has kindly provided me with a little .cab file that I keep on my storage card. All I have to do is run the .cab file, enter my Exchange password when prompted, and it all sets itself up. Then the device starts synching everything over. This can take a while depending on the volume of data and the speed of the connection. For me, it�s about 10-15 minutes when out and about. 5 minutes if I�m near a Wi-Fi connection I can use.

After that comes the slightly laborious bit. I have a folder on my Storage card in which I keep cab files of nearly all my programs. There are a couple that don�t supply .cab files so I have to wait until I get home to the PC but (thankfully) these aren�t overly important and I�m sure I could get .cabs for them if they were vital. So, I start from the top of the folder list and start installing away. This can take a little while and is deadly boring. To be honest, it can usually be left until later. In an emergency, 80% of the time what you REALLY need is either in an email or a contact. You might need Word to open a document, but that�s in the ROM. If there is an application you absolutely HAVE to have you could just install that one and be done with it. Let�s say another 5 minutes.

Again, we are talking emergencies here so license keys shouldn�t be a problem. I�ve yet to come across an application worth having that doesn�t offer at least a weeks trial before you need to enter the license keys � Sat-Nav software possibly being the exception in that functionality is often very limited until you activate. In any case, they are all in the emails if I do need them. Though a personal bug-bear are applications that don�t allow you to paste registration codes into the relevant box. Grrrrrrr.

And I�m back up and running. I�ll probably have to get my web favourites back over next time I synch to the PC. There will be a few program settings to tweak to get them how I want. My Profile Manager (PhoneWeaver) can import my settings from the Storage Card so that looks after itself. I�ll need to set up my home city for my weather. I have to tell Media Player where all my music is. But these are all tasks that can be completed later on, when things have calmed down and I have a single malt whiskey beside me.
For now, I�m back up and running in about 20 minutes, and that�s the main thing.

And, in case you are wondering, I have had to do this under pressure. I�d taken the wife away for a romantic weekend at a country hotel in Wales. We�d flown into Liverpool airport and we were sat in the Hire car, still in the car park, when I started the Sat-Nav and everything went belly up�You now know the rest :)

PHONEtography

Tue, 17 Feb 2009 20:25:27 +0000

I thought it would be great to see some sample photos captured with our Windows Mobile devices and discuss what we do differently to capture those perfect memories.

Whilst I'll be out and about taking photos like a tourist in my own home town, I thought this article would be interesting for those who use the camera on their Windows Mobile device.

Looking forward to other reads sharing their favourite photos captured on their WM devices.

From the Windows Mobile website:

"...Capture memories wherever and whenever you want, and share them with the people who matter most to you. Windows Mobile helps you take better pictures with its wide range of photo capture features, including face and smile detection, panorama mode, and touch focus. Combine these features with the high-quality lenses and built-in flash that come with many Windows Mobile smartphones, and you get great photos. Once you have great pictures, it�s easy to set your photos as contact card icons or as your Home screen background. You can share your photos over e-mail, through Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS), by uploading to the Internet, or by syncing with your personal computer...."

For those (like me) who complain about the standard of the camera on Windows Mobile devices, you may want to visit the Windows Live page of Mark Thiessen

Mark has captured some stunning photographs with the Samsung Omnia and the Sony Ericsson Xperia X1.

See Mark's collection here

Editorial 4Winmobile Viigo CAB now available

Tue, 06 Jan 2009 18:44:49 +0000

As you may (or not) be aware we on 4Winmobile.com have partnered with Viigo to allow RSS data from this site (as well as other sources) to be readily available on 4Winmobile via the Viigo application.

One complaint we have had is that the Viigo application was not available as a CAB file for over the air (OTA) installation. We've been talking to Viigo and I'm happy to say a CAB file is now available here in our downloads area.

As a reminder Viigo offers:

Viigo 3.0 (beta) now boasts a brand new, intuitive, mobile-friendly interface, delivering a wide range of customizable content and services from some of the world�s leading content providers and publishers. You�ll enjoy breaking news, rich weather, real-time sports scores, stocks and finance, audio and podcasts, entertainment, and blogs in one simple, freely downloadable application. Just click and go�with Viigo!

Enhanced and compelling mobile experience�consume information your way in a format that�s tailored for your device
Unrivaled collection of exciting content all in one place�no need to clutter your device with multiple applications that offer different user experiences
Fully-customizable interface�choose what, how, and when information is delivered, whether you�ve got connectivity or not

Key Features

SportsGet up-to-the-minute sports scores, standings and schedules for your favorite teams.
Weather - Take the weather with you - 5-day forecasts wherever you are.
Entertainment - Follow the latest fashions, Hollywood stars and gossip, play games, download themes and ringtones.
Audio & Podcasts - Download, listen, and watch audio and podcasts while on the go.
Local Interest - Local attractions, nightlife, restaurants, and hotel ratings at your fingertips.
Flights & Travel - Stay informed with flights, itineraries, schedules, and delay notifications.
Stocks & Finance - Keep an eye on markets and your favourite stocks or portfolio.
News & RSS - 5,000 channels to choose from, all just a thumb click away.
Social Networking Updates - Stay connected with friends, family and colleagues through Facebook & Plaxo.
Share the News - Forward interesting articles to contacts in your address book.
Import Custom Feeds - Customize your channel list by importing your favorite channels.
Package Tracking - Track packages from UPS, USPS, FedEx, and DHL.
Keyword Alerts - Real-time alerts when keywords you�ve selected appear in your channels.
Web Readers - Synchronize with popular Web readers such as Google or Yahoo.
Delicious - Easily update any article to your del.ici.ous bookmarking account.

Editorial Exchange 2007 and WM6.x task sync broken

Tue, 09 Dec 2008 18:21:08 +0000

Editorial: Exchange 2007 and WM6.x task sync broken

One of the selling points of the Windows Mobile devices is that they are designed to work with the Enterprise marketplace. That is that the devices can be synced over the air (OTA) with Exchange Server 2007 to gain benefits such as push email.

All well and good, Push Email, Contacts and Calendar sync all works wonderfully.

One area that does fail unfortunately is that of task synchronization. This used to work perfectly in WM5 and Exchange 2003, but somewhere in the 'update' process of Exchange 2007 and WM6.x being developed the sync process was broken.

If you use non-repeating tasks then you'll be fine no problems occur, but if you create a repeating task, either in Outlook or on the WM device and let it sync onto the device (if created in Outlook) you will have issues when you come to complete the task on a WM device.

When a repeating task is completed on a WM machine the task on the device itself is indeed checked off properly and a new occurrence is indeed generated..... but .....

When that task syncs back to the Exchange 2007 Server and Outlook 2007 you end up with one instance of the task shown as non-repeating and completed (which is correct), but the new task instance is created on the same date as that of the completed task.

If that task is examined then it can be seen that the effectivity date in the recurrence editor has been set with the correct date, just not the Start and Due Dates.

You can see this by looking at the 'Clean Tiggy' task in the attached images.

It is important that Microsoft take action on this issue and resolve it as Task Management is a very important part of the Enterprise management system.

If you are a Microsoft Connect member you can see the bug reported here - and it would be appreciated if you have seen the issue yourself if you can validate the bug report!

My perfect device and other ramblings

Tue, 04 Nov 2008 12:46:51 +0000

Editorial: My perfect device and other ramblings

For those of you that visit the forum from time to time you will notice the speed at which most of us change our devices and the amount of debate on what a device does well and more so what parts of it are lacking be it the sluggishness of the fancy new shell, the intermittent connectivity of the internal gps, looks like metal feels like cheap plastic, awkward keyboard….. well you get the idea.

This got me to thinking what have been my favourite parts of devices I’ve owned or had a play with and why.

Now as you know absence makes the heart grow fonder so my memory might be clouded but here is what I’ve liked and disliked from the devices I’ve owned and what I would do if I was making my perfect convergence device.

I do like a hardware keyboard and out of the 4 qwerty horizontal slider devices I’ve owned I think the Kaiser is the best. From Wizard to Hermes to Kaiser they seemed to improve slightly each time. To this end I expected the Raphael to be better also. It’s not that I dislike it mind you, the extra row of buttons is a nice addition, but it’s just down to me preferring the feel of the Kaiser for typing.

I had an Advantage but the keyboard was awful for me. Too big for one handed use and too small for two handed typing to the point of causing pain.

The Touch Dual on the other hand, which is a T9 vertical slider, was very good and using it for texting was perfect, for me though for emails etc I need a qwerty so I can type quicker.

Talking of typing though the new sips on the HTC devices such as the Diamond are very good at what they do and also very intelligent and intuitive. Whereas previously I would never have been without a hardware keyboard now I only notice it missing when I need to use word or reply to emails etc.. (that’s what the netbook is for :)).

I guess what I’m saying is a design similar to the S740 would suit me, with a bigger screen, but it would have to wm professional as I’d go nuts pressing the screen with nothing happening if it was standard. Unfotunately I can’t see a way to incorporate the two keyboards into a device with a screen the size I would like.

As for screens I very much like the look of the new Blackstone with its 3.8 inch wvga screen. There is nothing wrong with the vga ones they are very nice but this just seems better.

Additionally as devices have developed so has the connectivity options. So obviously I’d want HSDPA, HSUPA, WI-FI, GPS, DVB-TV, BT, TV OUT, USB HOST and many more that escape me at the moment oh I suppose quad band would be useful too.

What I don’t understand is the poor quality of recent in built GPS on the HTC devices. The Kaisers GPS just seemed much more consistent than that of the Diamond or the Raphael. Give me a built in sirf star III please. They just work and work well.

With new devices comes bigger rom and ram allocations which are a godsend. No more installing apps to sd cards and getting conflicts leading to soft/hard resets and draining the life out of your battery. So without being greedy I’d settle for 256mb ram and 512mb rom oh and chuck in 16gb internal storage with a micro sd slot to.

Processor wise it’s a bit early to ask for a tegra so I’ll stick with what’s about from Qualcomm a 7201a will do. It works well in the Diamonds.

One thing that does bug me about the devices I’ve owned is the lack of a decent camera. It’s all well and good putting one on the front for video calling but if the quality of the two are the equivalent to a Kodak chuck away compared to other devices available, the 8mp Samsung pixon springs to mind or the LG Renoir, it really isn’t worth the effort. I mean yes they have improved but get rid of the front facer and sort out the main one and treat us to a flash, not a light a proper flash. Who uses video calling anyway?

As far as styling goes I like my roms black and my devices either black plastic like the front of a T-mobile compact IV or metallic similar to the Advantage, which had a solid feel to it. The Touch Duals matt plastic finish was nice too, it knew it was plastic and didn’t try to be anything else. Wasn’t a fan of the Kaiser, looked like metal but felt like a plastic spoon. It felt like it was ready to fall apart with the slightest of knocks and for a device of it’s quality it just felt a bit cheap.

It’s also not really necessary to include a shell for me as there are plenty around to choose from but for ease of use and slick looks it would have to be HTC’s touch flo 3d.

Going back to the wizard I did like it’s hardware buttons around the edges of the device as they were not flush with the surface so could be found and pressed without looking. I also like the scroll wheel from a couple of the other devices I’ve mentioned.

Bring back the 3.5mm audio jack too.

Finally one thing I’d like is a g-sensor as they seem to be all the rage now too.

So here is my ideal device:-

:rd:3.8 inch wvqa screen.

:rd:Horizontal slide out qwerty keyboard which tilts or locks flat with spaced and raised buttons (no additional hardware T9 as the sip on a 3.8 inch screen would be ample for texting).

:rd:Qualcomm 7201a processor

:rd:256mb ram 512mb rom

:rd:16gb internal storage with additional micro sd slot

:rd:Quad band, Hsdpa, Hsupa, Blue Tooth, Wi-Fi

:rd:Dvb-TV

:rd:Sirf Star III gps

:rd:8mp camera with flash and zoom.

:rd:Usb host

:rd:Tv out

:rd:3.5mm audio jack

:rd:G-sensor

:rd:Raised hardware buttons on the edges for on/off, comm. manager and a scroll wheel

:rd:Completely flat front face (like the Blackstone)

:rd:Touch flo 3d

So if you are listening HTC it is nearly Xmas ;)

Editorial Why are Windows Mobile Apps falling behind IPhone ones?

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:54:56 +0000

Editorial: Are we being left behind by the developers?

Windows Mobile in its various forms has been around now for over 6 years and in its latest format of WM6 and WM6.1 is an OS capable of good and capable graphics.

So, why are the majority of the applications still supplying outdated , text and list based programs whereas those for the iPhone are super smooth graphical finger and touch friendly. I accept for the Smartphone the text/list option may be the way to go but for the Professional (i.e. touch screen) versions there is no excuse.

It just seems to me that they have jumped on the euphoric iPhone bandwagon and in doing so had to swallow Apple's rules and regulations regarding how and what they can sell as well as where they can sell it that they would never had accepted if Microsoft had required it.

So what do I mean. Well the best way of describing my point is with actual applications:

PocketInformant by WebIS is probably one of the most powerful Personal Management Systems available. And to see how cool and graphical it can be browse over to Welcome to WebIS.net - Pocket Informant iPhone. Admitedly , it�s not available yet but just look at the proposed screens with their easy touch tick boxes and the "jump to date" scroll. It will certainly put the latest PPC version to shame.

Ilium software are no better with their up and coming Listpro shown here ListPro :: Ilium Software. Just showing what you can do with a totally list based application. They have also already released the iPhone version of eWallet which just looks so much cleaner and easier to use.

So is anyone actually doing it right? No, although some are actually getting it, but then just taking that step too far (which I will explain later).

So who are the people who are at least trying:

SPB Software with their SPB Time / Online / Mobile Shell (and to a certain extent Pocket Plus). These are all superb applications that have an emphasis on graphics and touch friendly use. SPB have always been good on graphics though in the past these tended to be icons rather than true graphics.

Before You Know It - a language tutor from Transparent Language is a perfect example of what an application can do and should do. Lots of good graphics and transitions.

And finally Vito Technology the supreme model on which all other developers should look to show what is possible. Their iWindowsMobile suite has looked at iPhone and said "Yes I think we'll have some of that too!". Full finger & touch friendly navigation and usage alongside good looking graphics (which look similar to their sole iPhone product). next generation windows mobile software

So why do I say no-one is providing us with the sort of applications coming out for the iPhone. Well in general they, with a few exceptions, are not even trying and when they do they just take it that one step too far.

They all go "Full Screen". I don't want full screen - I want my task bar at the bottom and my start bar and button at the top. WM is a multi-tasking OS; I can run one app, switch to another and then return as I want. It's not an iPhone, which can do ONE task really fast and well, but which I have to close to do another. Provide us with a "full screen" option for when we want it, but make it our choice not the default, which then requires 1/2 a dozen taps to get out of.

Anyway that�s my pennies worth. Been annoying me for a while now and it�s good to get it out. Does any one else agree with me or am I just on my own here?

I actually use the following software;

WebIS PocketInformant / Flexmail
Ilium ListPro / Newsbreak
SPB PocketPlus
BYKI
Vito FunContact / SMS-Chat

All of which I think are great programs that I could not live without. Links to the various sites have been provided so you can look at examples rather than embedded for copyright reasons.

These comments are my own personal views.

Editorial Proof of ID to buy a UK Mobile Phone

Mon, 20 Oct 2008 13:11:48 +0000

Editorial: UK government to insist on passport to buy phone?

I saw this article today on Register Hardware and felt compelled to comment on it. In short, the UK government is shortly to put before the commons legislation that will require anyone who purchases a mobile phone within the UK to provide ID in the form of a passport or National ID Card. This will then be registered on a government held database linking that person's ID to the phone's IMEI number. The government states that this is on order to help its communications monitoring and allow it to link intercepted communications with specific individuals.

This proposed legislation has many, many potential consequences but not one of these involves tightening up security or clamping down on crime - quite the opposite, in fact, in the case of the latter.

Lets start off with, the most obvious problem with this new law. No criminal above the level of 14-year-old happy-slapper is going to be stupid enough to use a mobile phone linked to their ID in order to communicate about their ill-gotten gains or to plan crime (and in the case of the 14-year-old they�ll be posting the vids on You Tube anyway so PC Plod has all the evidence he needs without an IMEI database). This leaves the criminals and potential terrorists with a fairly easy to overcome problem. How to get hold of phones not linked to their ID.

So, the government is about to introduce new legislation that seems to have been purposefully designed to increase the black-market in stolen mobile phones and therefore make it MORE likely that you will have your phone nicked! Which brings us to problem two.

Mr Terrorist now has YOUR mobile phone, linked to YOUR ID via its IMEI number and is using it to plan terrorist activities. Meanwhile, MI5, safe in the knowledge that is �infallible� database has all the details it needs, is waiting outside your front door with a knock-knock at 2am. And why is this? Because you didn�t bother to report it when it was nicked. Which brings us to problem 3.

Everyone in the UK knows the police don�t have time to fight actual street crime like theft and burglary � the stuff that bothers us � because they are too busy filling out paper work and increasing the treasury coffers to pay for their 3-year pay-deals with their speed traps. Because everyone knows this most people don�t bother reporting it when they get home and discover their �20 Nokia 1110 is missing. However, because of this new law, unless you want the aforementioned 2am visitation you are going to HAVE to report every mobile phone theft. And remember, there will be more thefts because there is more incentive for people to steal them. So, the police are now going to be inundated with crime reports they don�t have the resources to record, never mind investigate.

And yet this is supposed to IMPROVE CRIME FIGHTING?

And this is before we consider;

� What online retailers are supposed to do - are they meant to ask you to fax in your ID, in which case we increase the size of the market for stolen passports etc?
� What we do about non-UK phones roaming on UK networks?
� How do you sell-on your mobile phone without selling on your ID?

The whole thing is a complete farce with no criminals actually being impacted but everyone else suffering. Please, please write to you MP and ensure this nonsense gets thrown out when it comes before parliament in the next session.

Editorial Notifications

Thu, 16 Oct 2008 07:53:42 +0000

Editorial: OS Notifications

One aspect of a phone, be it smart or otherwise has to be some sort of notification system, whether it be purely audible (ring or SMS) on a 'standard' phone, or more complex involving pop-ups giving you a brief slightly more detailed information snippet.

On Window Mobile 6.0 and 6.1 we have the ubiquitous pop up at the bottom of the screen which appears and then vanishes into the notification tray as an icon. Each time it pops with an additional notification then we get scroll arrows allowing one to scroll through each notification. Once a notification has been viewed it clears. Basic but it works.

On my iPhone (cough) notifications are a mixture of pleasure and pain..... Basic notifications are split in to varied types, those which give on screen messages which vanish when the machine is unlocked (Calendar), those which vanish on unlocking but give a count indicator on an icon (SMS), and events without any notification reminder (alarms). There is no way to snooze or file any notification for later reference, once it has reminded it is gone from the main screen.

One both platforms the notifications systems bug (bother) me intensely. What I've always wanted is a notification system that sits nicely on top of the OS and yes gives you the notification, but if not cleared or if it is 'put away' or filed should still be there until explicitly cancelled.

Once a notification has been filed but not cancelled it should then be stored in an advanced notification queue whereby one can view those notifications and deal with them in detail and with confidence.

If an appointment reminder is in there then allow it to be cancelled or snoozed. If an alarm is in there allow it to be snoozed or a new time chosen. If an SMS then be able to view the message contents but retain the notification as one may not have time to respond to it then.

Give us the ability to take a notification and turn it into a task so that we have freed it from the queue but still have a task to complete to finish that activity.

Is it so difficult to achieve a flexible purposeful and useful notification system? Maybe, or may be not....

I've just been reading Engadgets review of the T-Mobile G1 Googlephone and whilst not impressed at all that much generally one part does stand out - notification handling.

The section of the review reads as follows:

Android's notification system is world-class. In fact, it's the best we've ever seen on any phone or any platform. The first piece of the puzzle is a totally average-looking status bar that appears at the top of basically every screen. To the right, you get the standard information every self-respecting phone is going to provide you: time, battery charge, signal strength, data network status, WiFi, and silent mode. To the left side, though, is where things start to get interesting. Over here, any app can place an icon to indicate that something interesting has happened -- instant messages, emails, voicemails, schedule reminders, and so on -- and optionally scroll a brief message (say, a snippet of a received SMS). Already, you're looking at a system that beats Windows Mobile and the iPhone, and we haven't even gotten to the good part.

That's just the start, though. The real prize is the pull-down curtain, actuated with a downward drag of a finger from the top of the screen, where notifications go to live on a more permanent basis until you delete them. The great thing about this screen is that each notification has room to stretch out and display plenty of details: who sent you the text message, what did it say, who called you, when did they call you, and so on. And because the curtain is part and parcel of the status bar, it can be accessed from anywhere in the G1 that you can see the status bar (which is basically everywhere). It's brilliantly executed, works really well in practice, and makes Android the only platform that takes alert organization seriously.

Seriously impressive handling. We can only hope that the forthcoming WM7 as well as future updates to the iPhone take notifications seriously and elevate them to the next level.

Thoughts: Are the notification systems in use enough for you? Do you need more notification power? What notification needs do you have that are your current OS is lacking?