Nov 16, 2006 | blog
Everywhere I’ve turned the last week or so, some new widget deal has been announced. While there are some really cool widgets and obviously some really great uses for them, does everyone want to load down their sites with these things? How much performance is sucked out of a site when building in all these widgets?
I think they’re cool, but am starting to wonder if they really bring any true value – for that matter, what value does the plug-ins I’ve added here bring?
Via: Techcrunch – Hot New Video, Calendar and Map Widgets
Oct 12, 2006 | blog
Time for another phone rebuild. I’ve got so much junk on it that it’s got a sync problem. Definitely on the device, not an ActiveSync issue.
I’ll be moving from the Qtek 2.17 ROM to the latest T-Mobile USA ROM. There are many new features in this ROM, even though it has its own flaws.
Again, I’ll be streamlining my software stack on the MDA – trying to thin out the items that I don’t use that often. It also includes changing where I install some app’s, and what sequence they are installed.
Since there are things about Windows Mobile that bother me, here is a short “wish list” of things I wish were built into the OS today.
- HTML capable email client, for POP3 and Exchange push mail
- A close button that actually closes the application instead of minimizing it
- A more robust and easier-to-access task manager
- Ability to change the “From” address when responding to an email. I’d like to use my GMail account to reply to an email that I received from my Exchange push-mail account.
- Phone Ring Profiles – the ability to change from a “Normal” to a “Meeting” to an “Outdoor” profile quickly
Oct 11, 2006 | blog
Well, I’ve waited quite awhile to see a day like today. You couldn’t get away from it! Certainly, Cingular & Verizon have had days like this, but T-Mobile has always been treated like an also-ran when it comes to phones and service in the media.
But today was different – literally, everyone had coverage of the newly announced T-Mobile Dash Smartphone. And well they should – the Dash is everything the Moto Q was supposed to be. Affordable, usable, fast, compelling features, etc.
HTC, the company that makes the actual hardware, has a long history of building quality handsets running Windows Mobile Smartphone. The Dash is the latest variant of their capabilities.
So check out some of the following links for more information – pretty much everybody covered the news of the launch of the T-Mobile Dash today. One more thing to note – T-Mobile USA is the first division of T-Mobile International to get this phone. Usually one of the European arms in the UK or Germany gets the new phones first! Kind of interesting on that alone.
Aug 31, 2006 | blog
According to MobileCrunch, Nokia is finally making it easier for their customers to upgrade the firmware in their phones.
It really makes me laugh, Windows Mobile devices (including phones) have had this capability from day one. Whenever the device OEM developed an enhanced or updated firmware, the customer was able to download and install within hours.
On rare occasions such as an OS upgrade from PPC 2002 to 2003, some OEMs charged a nominal $30 or so for the upgrade, but the option to do this was always there.
In the end its a good thing for Nokia customers, and I can only imagine that they will incorporate this in all future phones/devices in addition to as many shipping products that they can. Good move Nokia.
Link to MobileCrunch » Nokia Unveils Phone Firmware Updater
Aug 21, 2006 | blog
Engadget has the good stuff today!
Check this out, the HTC Excalibur is being approved for distribution in the US. This QWERTY equipped Smartphone with landscape QVGA screen is built by HTC, the same company responsible for the HTC Wizard and other fantastic Pocket PC & Smartphone designs.
Rumored to be a Moto Q killer, the HTC Excalibur is a Microsoft Smartphone based device with the standard compliment of Bluetooth, WiFi, and GSM/GPRS/EDGE support. Look for this on the Cingular or T-Mobile networks, though there is no indication at this time as to which carrier will pick it up first. I hope both will snap this bad boy up ASAP!
Link to HTC Excalibur gets FCC nod – Engadget Mobile
