PPCTECH is offerring a 25% discount on all accessory orders processed tomorrow April 15th. If you have a PDA, cell phone or iPod, you can go to www.ppctech.com to place your order. Use the code TAXDISC09 during check out in the special instructions/comments field to recieve your discount.

Google Releases Update to Android Software

Developes can now get an early look at the latest version of the Android SDK version 1.5. This is not the final release candidate and will certainly be slightly different from the final release of V1.5. What this early look allows developers is the ability to prepare for the actual final release.

What’s New

- The user interface has been updated

- Improved performance

- Video recording and playback

- Bluetooth A2DP and AVCRP profile support

- Much More . . .

Go HERE for more details on the latest improvements.

You can go HERE to download the early look V1.5 SDK.

In the late 1990′s, Palm Inc., released the Palm Pilot which started the PDA recolution. Basically the Personal Digital Assistant was born which allowed you to do more than just track phone numbers and play simple games. Hundreds of productivity applications turned into thousands of applications that ranged from being FREE to costing over $20.00 USD. Certainly, the Palm Pilot was not the first handheld device o the market but was the first to truly introduce the masses to a handheld productivity device.

Microsoft also around this time released through their hardware vendors like HP a number of devices which ran a compact version of Windows in a handheld device. These devices were more like a mini laptop. A clamshell design with a screen on one side and a chiclet keyboard on the other. These devices ran Windows CE which looked like Windows but was a far cry from being compatible to the full blown Windows desktop. Microsoft eventually released units that looked more like the Palm with more hardware and  an operating system with more potential.

It’s has been over a decade now since these humble beginnings and the PDA category seems to be quickly disappearing. It is not that the need for handheld productivity devices are nolonger popular, it’s actually the opposite but the actual user base is leaning towards minimizing what they carry. This means instead of having a cell phone and separate PDA or laptop, many users are relying on devices like the various Smartphones from Palm, Blackberry, Windows Mobile, Googlephone, Symbian, iPhone. Being connected to the office, cliwnts ans family on the go is very important in this age of online explosion. Social networking sites are also making Smartphones more important.

In the coming months, a range of new devices will certainly appear in the marketplace that will make the decision when purchasing a new Smartphone that much more deficult. I will update you as the latest developments present themselves.

Windows Mobile Devices Grow Up

Windows Mobile devices like all Smartphones on the marketplace suffer from a really small screen. When you are playing simple video games or checking the odd text email, it is OK but for most productivity activities, a real screen like on a laptop is best suited. There has been the ability to enhance a Windows Mobile device with a cool accessory called the REDFLY from Celio Corp. The device consists of a larger screen and keyboard that accepts the signal from a Windows Mobile devices wirelessly and allow you a full screen view of your work and the website.

When the REDFLY was released in  early last year, the retail price was $499.00 USD. The price was certainly beyond the reach of the average since the unit is not a true laptop. There is no internal processor, no internal memory, hard drive and no CD/DVD player. At $499.00, the price is close to a low end laptop. In many cases, the price of the REDFLY is more expensive than the actual Windows Mobile device that can be connected to this unit.

Here are some of the advantages that the REDFLY has going for itself.

- 800 X 480 screen size instead of the (240 X 320 /240 X 240 / 320 X 320 / 480 X 480 / 480 X 640) smaller screen sizes

- Internal battery on the REDFLY last about 5 hours on the C7 model and 8 hours on the C8N model.

- You can connect wireleslly to the REDFLY using the built in Blueooth of the REDFLY and your Windows Mobile device.

- You can also connect via the USB port on the REDFLY which will also recharge your Windows Mobile device at the same time.

Now at the $499.00 price tag, what the REDFLY offers is still very pricey. Now that the cost has come done, the REDFLY is more reasonable for the average user.

The C7 model has a 7 inch screen size and has a retail pricing of $199.00 after a $30 rebate.

The C8N model has an 8 inch screen size with a video input port and has a retail pricing of $299.00

At these prices, the REDFLY is truly a great addition if you require a very light and functional add-that allows you to be productive on to go with your Windows Mobile Smartphone.

You can go to REDFLY for more information.

It not often I see a Windows Mobile device with loads of features built right in. The latest offering from Nautiz is certainly one that has everything I would expect in a fully featured Windows Mobile device.

Nautiz - X5 Windows Mobile V6.1 - Image: Nautiz

Specifications:

I am impressed with the these features right away:

1: Very fast processor – 806 Mhz

2: Large memory standard – 256 MB RAM and 512 MB Flash ROM

3: Both Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless connectivity

4: Full VGA screen

4: 4400 mAh battery for a full work day of power

 The Nautiz X5 is one device that certainly will meet most industrial and commercial uses straight out of the box. The casing is dust and water resistant plus can handle drops from as high as 1.9 meters therefore accidental drops while standing should be no problem. Go to http://www.nautiz.com/nautiz-x5-facts.asp for more details.

Yesterday Jack @ Experience Mobility blogged about the latest Microsoft announcements. One announcement was about the new mobile device category called Windows Phone. Not sure if this is just an added category or if this will replace all existing categories. We went from a Pocket PC Phone edition device which had a full touch screen to a Smartphone which has no touch screen. Now with the Windows Phone, it seems like we are back to the full touch screen again. When will this flip flopping end? It must be a nightmare for current Windows Mobile device developers to support all the categories. Seems very costly now to support the older Windows Mobile Classic, Windows Mobile Professional and the newer Windows Phones. All have different versions of the Windows CE operating system and uses different screen sizes. Until the actual Windows CE v6.5 versions of Windows Phone come out, it will be hard to tell if these will be a really hot device or a total flop for Microsoft. From my former days as a Microsft Mobile MVP, I was under the impression that the touch screens would disappear and the Smartphones with no touch screen would be the wave of the future for Microsoft. Looks like Apple wins the battle again and sets the standard with the multi-touch touch screens. 

 Palm Pre

The Palm Pre could be my next purchase down the road. I currently have a Palm Treo 700 wx which runs the Windows Mobile operating system. I like the hardware but not too crazy about the software though. After all these years working with Windows CE devices starting from CE version 2.0, I am losing interest very quickly in Windows whatever by Microsoft. Microsoft can rename it to Windows Phone but in the end it is still Windows CE V7.0 and it has many of the inherent problems of the old Windows CE with just cosmetic surgery. At least Palm now has learned its lession like how Apple decided to scrap its old desktop operating system and replace it with a brand new one called OS X. The Palm Pre seems like a completely new beast underneath and is a welcome change. I am looking forward to seeing the Palm Pre. Hopefully the operating system will be as robust as the hardware.

We keep hearing about PDA this and PDA that. What are these devices and how do we know when a topic is related to a PDA device that you own? This is not as difficult as you might think. PDA stands for “Personal Digital Assistant”. As the name implies, any electronic device that assists you can fall into this category:

- Electronic dictionary.

- Voice/memo recorder.

- Netbook or laptop.

- GPS Device.

- Ebook readers.

- Handheld device with a touch screen.

- Smartphone

PDA Tuesdays will try to keep you informed on the above sub categories plus others while trying to minimize confusion. How we will help to minimize the confusion is to use more specific terms when dealing with a sub category:

- We will specify the operating system supported like: Windows Mobile, Symbian, Palm, Android, Linux, Java

-  We will specify the compatibility when a connection to a PC or another accessory is mentioned.

The term PDA is very broad and generic but is certainly becoming more specific to a handheld device that runs an operating system and is expandable with more memory. Down the road, terms like Smartphone or other newer terms may over shadow PDA. For now, PDA Tuesdays will cover anything we feel is of interest in the handheld electronic device category to keep PDA Tuesdays interesting each week..

Amazon Kindle 2

Amazon Kindle 2 Book Reader - Image: Amazon

The Amazon Kindle 2 book reader was announced yesterday and many sites including www.technobrains.com have blogged about this new device. It is my personal opinion that the Kindle 2 is a real stepping stone for avid book readers. Many blogs online are negative about the Kindle 2. Here are some comments I have read:

- Too expensive @ $359.00.

- Screen is only black and white.

- Limited file format support.

- Books can only be purchased from Amazon.

- Too big to carry around.

Too expensive: The price of the Kindle 2 is $359.00 including shipping to anywhere in the United States. I feel this is very reasonable since I am putting this product into the right perspective. The Kindle 2 is a specialized book reader. Not a general purpose PDA or multimedia reader. Hard covered books range in price from about $30 – $60 each with some being more expensive. Amazon has available over 230,000 books at a price of $10.oo or less for the Kindle 2. If you read only 1 book a month, the cost of the Kindle 2 after 12 months will seem very little.

Screen is only black and white: Traditional books use black text on a white background therefore color on an electronic book reading device does not require color. The screen is very clear and allows for good reading outdoors. Most PDA screens are hard to read outdoors in bright sunlight.

Display: 6″ diagonal E-Ink® electronic paper display, 600 x 800 pixel resolution at 167 ppi (pixels per inch), 16-level gray scale.

Limited file format support: The Kindle 2 is not a general purpose ebook reader therefore multi file support is not a huge benefit. Books are downloaded wirelessly from Amazon thus all the reader needs to know is the title of the book to download. Newspapers, magazines and information from www.wikipedia.org are also supported. What the format of the actual files are underneath are not critical for the elderly and non techie Kindle 2 users.

Content Formats Supported: Kindle (AZW), TXT, Audible (formats 4, Audible Enhanced (AAX)), MP3, unprotected MOBI, PRC natively; PDF, HTML, DOC, JPEG, GIF, PNG, BMP through conversion. The file format is not as limited as many people think.

Books can only be purchased from Amazon: Amazon is a huge online book seller that has been around for years therefore can be trusted to provide reasonable price points, a great selection of book titles and proper online security. No need to search numerous other online sites for titles. Very easy to search, select and download a book quickly. Apple does this also with music files on the iPods and programs for the iPhone and iTouch devices. You go to the Apple store for all your media files used on Apple mobile products.

Too big to carry around: Hard covered books are carried by thousands of people everyday on the bus, train, subway and read at coffee shops and bars. The Kindle 2 is lighter, smaller and thinner over hard covered books but is held like a hard covered book and turning pages are intuitive like a regular book. We live in a backpack generation therefore the Kindle 2 fits nicely into a backpack.

Size (in inches): 8″ x 5.3″ x 0.36″.

Weight: 10.2 ounces.

Battery Life: Read on a single charge for up to 4 days with wireless on. Turn wireless off and read for up to two weeks. Battery life will vary based on wireless usage, such as shopping the Kindle Store and downloading content. In low coverage areas or in 1xRTT only coverage, wireless usage will consume battery power more quickly.

Connectivity: EVDO modem with fallback to 1xRTT; utilizes Amazon Whispernet to provide U.S wireless coverage via Sprint’s 3G high-speed data network (check wireless coverage). See Wireless Terms and Conditions.

USB Port: USB 2.0 (micro-B connector) for connection to the Kindle power adapter or optionally to connect to a PC or Macintosh computer.

Audio: 3.5mm stereo audio jack, rear-mounted stereo speakers.

Included Accessories: Power adapter, USB 2.0 cable, rechargeable battery. Book cover sold separately.

Documentation: Quick Start Guide (included in box) [PDF]; Kindle 2 User’s Guide (pre-installed on device) [PDF].

Warranty and Service: 1 year limited warranty and service included. Optional 2 year Extended Warranty sold separately.

A Sweet New product From Toshiba.

Toshiba has announced the upcoming release of its newest PDA product TG01. This is a sweet  unit that should add some spark to the Windows Mobile category.

BASIC TG01 SPECIFICATIONS:

- Only 9.9 mm thick

- 1 GHz processor

- Micro-SD with up to 32Gigs support

800 X 480 resolution touchscreen

- HSDPA 3G radio network support

- Wi-Fi

- GPS

- Virtual trackpad

- G-Sensor which is like an accelerometer

- Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro operating system

- Toshiba 3D user interface

Toshiba TG01 - Image: Register Hardware

Apparently DIVX, Flash, and direct access to Facebook and YouTube is supported out of the box. The TG01 seems to leave the box running with loads of hardware features and software support to allow a seasoned Windows Mobile or a new user to take advantage of this device very quickly. There has not been any mention of availability or pricing yet. I am looking forward to this offering from Toshiba. If the TG01 does well, other manufacturers will be inspired to push their Windows Mobile designs to the next level.

Source: Register Hardware

HTC Touch Diamond

Many of you may not be familiar with HTC but this company has been around since 1997. Originally manufacturing PDA products for other well known brands and OEM partners. In 2006, products came out under its own HTC brand. I have owned for a number of years now the i-Mate Jasjar which is a branded version of the HTC Universal. A clam shell design running Windows Mobile 5.x. Very solid and rugged. Now HTC continues to innovate with products like the latest HTC Diamond Touch. Just the overall design and look of the products oozes quality.

BASIC DIAMOND SPECIFICATIONS:

- 528 MHz processor

- 256 MB ROM

- 192 MB RAM

- 4 GB internal memory support

- 2.8 inch TFT LCD display

- GPS

- Bluetooth

- Wi-Fi

- 3.2 megapixel camera

- FM radio

- HSDPA and WCDMA network support

- Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro

HTC Touch Diamond - Image: HTC

The HTC Touch Diamond will certainly see some competition once the Toshiba TG01 is released. HTC is one company that listens to the marketplace and incorporates what many of the previous PDA users are asking for in hardware inclusion. You can go HERE to read more on the HTC Touch Diamond.

PALM treo pro

The treo pro is another in the Treo line and seems to improve on the older version very nicely. As a user of the Palm Treo 700wx I have been very happy with the solid hardware and flawless operation. If you ever watch CSI New York, you will certainly recognize the PALM Treo in use. The latest offering of treo pro seems like another home run for PALM.

BASIC treo pro SPECIFICATIONS:

- 400 MHz processor

- 256 MB ROM (100 Mb USer available)

- 128 MB RAM

- 32 GB internal memory support

- 320 X 320 TFT LCD screen

- GPS

- Wi-Fi

- Bluetooth

- 2.0 megapixel camera

- HSDPA/UMTS/EDGE/GPRS/GSM radio network support

- Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro

Palm treo pro - Image: PALM

If you are confused as to why the latest Treo is spelled “treo pro” with small letters only when the older versions clearly have the capital first letter, I am too. Anyways, that is a minor concern and the overall specifications and the smooth outer case design looks like this model will also be positioned to do well in the current marketplace. You can go HERE to read more on the PALM treo pro.

LG Incite

The LG line of PDA products are relatively new to me. The LG Incite is the latest offering and seems like another PDA that will do well in the marketplace.

BASIC LG Incite SPECIFICATIONS:

- 528 MHz processor

- 256 MB ROM

- 128 MB RAM

- 400 X 240 TFT LCD display

- Wi-Fi

- Bluetooth

- 3.0 megapixel camera

- GSM and HSDPA radio network support

LG Incite - Image: LG

Look for the LG Incite in your area. You can go HERE to read more on the LG Incite.

Seems like all the latest PDA products listed are running Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro. As a former Microsoft Windows Mobile MVP for 4 years running, it is great to see a good lineup of Windows Mobile devices at this time. Many sport similar features with slight variations in speed and capacity. Looks like there is going to be a Windows Mobile device to satisfy many in 2009.