Archive for the ‘Mobile’ Category

Forceful Prediction: Apple Sunlight-Friendly Displays Would Scare The Daylights Out Of Competition

Published on Tue, Oct 19, 2010, 2:20 pm in Apple, e-books, gGadget.org, Green Gadgets, Industry, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Mac, Mobile, tablet and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

My first story for TechCrunch is up:

Forceful Prediction: Apple Sunlight-Friendly Displays Would Scare The Daylights Out Of Competition

With nary a peep on the possibility of Apple baking a seeable-in-sunlight transflective display into the rumored 11.6” MacBook Air that’s expected to come floating up from the Pulpit of Jobs at Apple’s “Back to the Mac” next week, I’d like to make a pretty safe prediction (read: offer unasked-for advice): An Apple-anything with such a display would make mobile-warriors’ and tree-huggers’ hearts flutter, and competitors’ hearts shudder…

Read the full story: TechCrunch | Forceful Prediction: Apple Sunlight-Friendly Displays Would Scare The Daylights Out Of Competition

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Netflix for iPhone and iPod touch streams the big screen to the small screen

Published on Thu, Aug 26, 2010, 9:16 am in Apple, DVDisDEAD, iPad, iPhone, iPod, Mobile, movies, netflix and Uncategorized. 0 Comments

Last night my friend (and Flip Video For Dummies co-author) Drew and I crashed out in front around my iPad to watch John Cassavettes’ brilliant film “Husbands” (1970). Both of us were fading to black before reaching The End so we opted to pause and finish watching another night.

Drew this morning was saying how it would be cool if the Netflix app was available for the iPhone too so he could finish watching on the train, and low and behold, that feature (plus iPhone touch streaming) was added to the app today.

Key features of the Netflix app include:

  • Watch as often as you want
  • Resume watching where you left off on your TV, computer, iPad or wherever you last watched
  • Browse movies and manage your Instant Queue right from your iPhone or iPod touch (or iPad)

Download the Netflix app from the iTunes App Store here: Netflix.

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Facebook for Palm smartphones arrives

Published on Fri, Sep 12, 2008, 9:45 am in Mobile and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Though I’m an iPhone 3G owner, I’m still a fan of Palm’s Access-based Palm smartphones like the Centro – so much so it would be my smartphone of choice if I wasn’t using the iPhone.

As such, I’d be really pleased about Palm’s release of Facebook for Palm smartphones. When it comes to getting *anything* done on a smartphone, nothing beats mobile-tweaked apps over their general web counterparts.

To download Facebook for the Palm Centro, Treo 755p and Treo™ 680 click here. 

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iPhone apps hit $30-million; Jobs confirms Apples power to hit “kill switch”

Published on Mon, Aug 11, 2008, 9:40 am in Apple, iPhone, iPod, Mobile and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , , .

The Wall Street Journal today reports sales of iPhone and iPod touch apps via Apple’s iTunes Music Store hit $30-million last month, and wiley Chairman and CEO Steve Jobs publically acknowledge his company does in fact have to power to hit a “kill switch” to zap on users’ devices applications the company deems dangerous. I wrote about antivirus and antispyware protection for portable devices for Salon two weeks ago, on how protection for smartphones has been around for some time and recently Intego announced a half-assed means of protecting iPhones and iPod touches (not quite), but the kill switch definitely rates as the biggest Big Brother means of active eradication ever. Here on the home screen one minute, gone the next?

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iPhone 2.01 visual voicemail headset problem still can’t hear you now; Jawbone 2 retry sounds no better in spite of “experimental” buds

Published on Fri, Aug 8, 2008, 7:19 am in Apple, Audio, iPhone, Mobile and Salon. 3 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Two things to do with wireless audio. First, a number of iPhone users reported 2.0 devices paired with Bluetooth headsets worked fine on calls but they were unable to listen to visual voicemail messages via the headset, forcing them to dial in to their voicemail and listen to it the old fashioned way. My iPhone 3G had this problem with one headset, while it worked fine with a second headset – the Aliph Jawbone 2, which I reviewed for Salon’s Machinist column (giving it low marks for its underperforming noise-cancellation feature). Users are reporting the visual voicemail problem isn’t fixed with the iPhone 2.01 update; I’m unable to test because I don’t have a second headset handy.

As for the Jawbone 2, Aliph sent a second Jawbone 2 to try in case the first was defective, and also tossed in two “experimental” gel earbuds to try to see if they did a better job of keeping their Jawbone more firmly planted against mine. With the standard earbuds the NoiseAssassin was as ineffective as before while talking and walking my dog along lightly busy street traffic under low sea-breeze conditions. The test bud has an extended flange of sorts that makes plugging the headset into the ear awkward because of the loop, and though the extra-push it provided pressed the Jawbone 2 more firmly against my face, the sound quality was barely better, and the lightly yet still more forceful feel grew uncomfortable after 20 minutes of yapping. My only explanation: Maybe I need to work my jaw eating more junk food so my cheeks fill out to make the Jawbone 2′s job easier.

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eReader 1.1 update for iPhone widens your virtual bookshelf

Published on Tue, Aug 5, 2008, 9:33 am in Apple, Books, iPhone, iPod, Mobile, Uncategorized and Wireless. 2 Comments Tags: , , , , , .


In my post for Salon’s Machinist column I wrote that eReader for the iPhone (and iPod touch) is a dream-come-true for me.

I’m pleased to see that FictionWise is sticking to its words to offer frequent updates and improvements to the program.

The first update offers the following enhancements:

eReader for iPhone and iPod touch version 1.1 includes the following new features:

  • The ability to download eReader PDB files from web sites other than eReader.com and Fictionwise.com, as well as personal content in eReader PDB format. For details see the Personal Content FAQ.
  • New options to: lock screen orientation, tap instead of swipe to turn pages, choose white text on black background, turn off page animation, and turn off full justification of text.
  • Ability to sort the on-device bookshelf by author, title, or download date.
  • Better error messages and several bug fixes.
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Linux-based cellphones promise better personal security

Published on Mon, Aug 4, 2008, 10:35 am in iPhone, Mobile, Security and Wireless. 1 Comment Tags: , , , , .

A few days ago I wrote a post for Salon about programs to protect smartphones from viruses and malware, this story about Linux-based cellphones in today’s New York Times takes the conversation in a new and interesting direction. To wit:

Regarding security, the new phones will be able to identify their owners. If, by chance, a stranger uses the phone and requests downloads at odds with the owner’s profile, Mr. Gillis said the phone’s security feature will kick in and shut it down. Profile information would also make it easier for a consumer to find points of similar interest when they are traveling in, say, Barcelona or Kyoto.

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Ten iPhone 3G impressions: Good, bad and ugly features, faults and bugs

Published on Mon, Aug 4, 2008, 10:02 am in Apple, iPhone, Mobile, MP3, Uncategorized and Wireless. 0 Comments Tags: , , , , , .

Ten off-the-cuff comments about the iPhone 3G after three weeks of day to day use, in order of brain-dump relevance:

1. Applications: The single most important improvement over the original, opening up the already amazing device to all manner of multiple-personality possibilities. My personal favorite is eReader, and others include PayPal and eBay and NY Times, while Facebook and iScopes represent two dedicated apps that are still better served by accessing mobile editions with Safari. Facebook app’s mobile pic upload is cool, yet status updates don’t appear, and iScopes requires a tap of the back button to select next horoscope category, whereas the Safari mobile edition has a Next button. But make no mistake – the iPhone 3G’s killer app is apps.

2. Speed bumps: The jump to 3G is a good thing. Browsing websites and auto-checking mail are now matter-of-fact processes, though the hit on battery life is evident with heavy usage.

3. Speed slowdowns: Overall the 3G feels slower than the original when switching applications or doing things like accessing contacts and checking SMS text messages. I’m guessing the ability to run multiple apps while running with Push turned on are causing the slowdown, though turning off Push didn’t seem to make much difference, so I’m interested to hear what others think.

4. GPS: Sweet and surprisingly accurate in my experience. No turn-by-turn navigation yet, but I expect it’s coming sooner than later. Ditto for a 3G version of Nike+, which I use on the nano, and am so looking forward to using with the 3G.

5. Cut and Paste: It’s still missing, and it’s still my number 1 wish-list item. While the new notepad app MagicPad demonstrates cut and paste is doable, I can’t understand why Apple is taking so long to bring such a basic feature found on every other smartphone in the world.

6. Notes: Still no sync with desktop app like Stickies or Outlook, which sucks.

7. Bluetooth: Problem accessing voicemail with certain headsets; one of mine worked as a headset but not when listening to voicemail, the other worked fine. Obviously a bug that will likely be addressed in update.

8. Sound: Louder and clearer speaker and speakerphone than the original, which is a very good thing, though strange bugs like no user interface sounds at times, which come back only after I connect and disconnect Bluetooth headset.

9. Contacts: Finally, the ability to do what every other cellphone has been able to do since creation: search contacts.

10. USB connector: Sucks that the new 3G doesn’t stand in my original iPhone dock, though the new shape and all-around fit, finish and feel in the hand are definitely more appealing than the first iPhone.

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On Fox Business News: New iPhone, Big Deal?

Published on Sun, Jul 13, 2008, 10:57 am in Apple, Books, iPhone, Mobile, THE DEAL and Uncategorized. 0 Comments Tags: .

On Fox Business News: New iPhone, Big Deal? (July 11, 2008)

Joe Hutsko, Courtney Friel and Aline Yu talk about the new iPhone.

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Contact search finally added to iPhone in iPhone 2.0 update

Published on Tue, Jun 10, 2008, 10:33 am in Apple, iPhone, Mobile and Uncategorized. 13 Comments Tags: , , , , .

Nearly a year after its release, the iPhone is finally getting a feature every mobile phone already has – the ability to search contacts. The no-brainer missing feature was the number one item in my iPhone wish list story for MSNBC (iWish: iPhone updates we’d like to see - Our top 25 suggestions for making the super-slick device even better.)

From the iPhone webpage, in Apple’s own words:

If you have a lot of contacts, use the search feature to quickly find specific names.

No-duh.

At this rate, does that mean we won’t see the second wish list item (a feature found on every other smartphone): Copy and paste?

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