This afternoon the Southeast Michigan Pocket PC Users Group received a presentation from T-Mobile about their Pocket PC Phone Edition and their voice and data plans. Here are some snippets of information that I picked up during the presentation. T-Mobile originally tried to work with Compaq in developing their phone edition device, but decided not to go with Compaq and instead went with HTC, who actually builds the iPAQ for Compaq. You can temporarily switch data plans, so if determine that for a given month you need the 20 MB plan you can sign up for that plan for the month, and then switch back to a lower price plan for another month. You can just subscribe to a data plan with the Pocket PC phone, and still make voice calls but you will be charged a per minute rate.
T-Mobile will start selling three Handango software packages in their stores starting this Christmas season. They are Handango Vault, which is eWallet repackaged by Handango, Handango Picture Perfect, and Handango Arcade Games.
I could get no committment on a flat-rate plan. One can buy an additional 500 SMS messages for $2.99 per month by calling customer care. SMS message over the 300 that you get with the GPRS plan cost 5 cents each.
T-Mobile currently does not have plans in the near term to expand their nationwide network. Their current objective is to improve the coverge within existing areas. Up to 50 new sites will be turned on in Michigan by the end of this year.
posted by Frank McPherson 5:01 PM |
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Pocket PC Thoughts :: View topic - Microsoft Theme Generator Version 2.0 Sneak Peek A new version of the theme generator is set to be released this coming Monday.
posted by Frank McPherson 3:55 PM |
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PCWorld.com - Windows PCs Find a Place in the Car Remember AutoPC? It's not really dead.
posted by Frank McPherson 2:27 PM |
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Orange to launch Microsoft phone on Tuesday - source Stinger is buzzing out the door!
posted by Frank McPherson 2:26 PM |
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Bryce and Steve both picked up the innovation discussion with some more good thoughts. To add on to some of Steve's comments. It is amazing that with so many Pocket PC owners asking for an integrated cover, there are no current Pocket PCs with such covers. For that matter, most of the Palm OS handhelds don't have built-in covers either. The Clies come with software covers that can be attached to the device.
I think the reason why you don't see any integrated cameras in handhelds is that it is hard to compete with all the digital cameras already on the market. Casio was the first to come out with a CompactFlash camera, and it didn't really sell well, mainly because it had no flash and poor resolution. You basically got rough pictures. I own an Intermec 6651 handheld PC that has a camera on the hinge, and I have never really found a use for the camera. The Intermec is the best handheld PC that I have ever used. For that matter, Sony and others have sold sub-notebooks with cameras and I don't think they sell as well either. People who really want a digital camera are going to buy a digital camera. The only reason to have an integrated camera, or a CompactFlash camera is to lighten the load. I carry my Canon Elph in my RoadWarrior Mega-Media bag, and that's good enough for me. How well is the Clie with camera selling? I don't know the numbers for that.
As for Google searching, you can do full text searching on Pocket PCs today, tap Start, Find. In fact, ironically, you can search on words in a document, but you can't search on the document's name. But, as I have written here before, Find is one of the little-used features on my Pocket PC. I think the reason is that there is a small amount of information on my Pocket PC, and it is compartalmentalized well enough that I kow where to directly find things.
In terms of the "perfect" handheld for me, the T-Mobile comes pretty darn close. For me the only big limitations are the 32 MB of RAM and the lack of expansion capabilities because it doesn't have a CompactFlash slot. I know carry my Pocket PC around with me every where I go, because it is also my phone, so it now has a larger role in my daily life.
posted by Frank McPherson 1:40 PM |
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According to Scoble Dell is selling the NEC Pocket PC for $357, and they just announced that the RealNetworks player will be bundled with their device.
posted by Frank McPherson 5:23 PM |
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RatcliffeBlog: Business, Technology & Investing I don't disagree with Mitch's take that Pocket PCs won't become the sole computing device for business workers. However, as handhelds become more powerful businesses can start taking a hard look at providing handhelds rather than notebook computers to mobile workers. Many companies provide their employees notebook computers because that is the thing to do and they think the employees will be more productive. Some of those employees do nothing more than send & receive email, edit documents and spreadsheets, or give presentations. A handheld may be good enough to do all those things, and companies might save money by providing their employees with low-cost desktops and handhelds instead of one notebook.
Another point that the osOpinion article makes is that companies may make enterprise applications specifically for the handheld platform, and again save money by either not having to buy more expensive notebooks or increasing productivity. For example, common enterprise applications are time tracking and expense reporting, both of which can be just easily done on a handheld device as on a notebook.
posted by Frank McPherson 4:53 PM |
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Pocket PC Thoughts :: View topic - Shoutcast Client for Pocket PC
posted by Frank McPherson 8:49 PM |
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Here is a bit more about libraries providing hotspots. I would expect that since library cards are freely available to patrons that some for of authentication using the cards would make sense.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:51 PM |
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News: Yahoo sends IM to AT&T Wireless Note to Yahoo: can you provide this for T-Mobile as well? What we need is a real IM to SMS gateway that allows an IM client to send to any phone number.
T-Mobile provides a connection with AOL, but I haven't found an easy way to make it work. It would be useful if I could tell people that I chat with on AOL to simply ad my phone number to their buddy list. The current setup is more complicated than that, and I haven't been able to get it to work. I do have the AOL client for Pocket PCs on my T-Mobile phone, and that works good enough, though I'm not in the habit of having it always on.
The easiest that I have been able to use is ICQ. With that service you can just plug in a phone number and send a message.
The problem is that SMS is different than instant messaging because with instant messaging you know whether or not a person is online. With SMS you simply send the text message, and if they are on they get it, if not it will queue. In that way it is similar to email, except it's a bit faster an more immediate for the person receiving the message.
posted by Frank McPherson 11:05 AM |
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pt has had George Mosquera do his magic to the T-Mobile extended battery. This must be a case where pictures don't do it justice, because I'm honestly having a hard time seeing the difference in the pics.
posted by Frank McPherson 10:37 AM |
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News: Toshiba wraps new Pocket PCs This new offerring from Toshiba seems to be a bit "me too." Granted, the 64 MB of RAM is definitely an uplift from the earlier E310, but in comparison with the Viewsonic Pocket PC, it doesn't appear to have as much to offer and is still $100 higher in price.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:16 PM |
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It would seem to me that public libraries are another logical location for WiFI hotspots. Anywhere that people gather, there should a hotspot be.
posted by Frank McPherson 11:09 AM |
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Yahoo! News - Microsoft Debuts Cable-Free Computing for Holidays The Microsoft Bluetooth keyboard and mouse are set to start selling today. The device only works with Windows XP and the Bluetooth receiver works with multiple peripherals, including Pocket PCs.
posted by Frank McPherson 9:27 AM |
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Microsoft says that a new Pocket PC service pack is coming. It will be released by the device manufacturers.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:28 PM |
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The following is a test of Wyncs Web Sync software: Click here to sync to Palm or Outlook
posted by Frank McPherson 4:32 PM |
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Glenn Fleishman reports that Borders plans to have T-Mobile's WiFI service turned on for all their stores by next summer. I am curious to learn about when they will cover Detroit, given that their corporate HQ is in nearby Ann Arbor.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:51 PM |
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PCWorld.com - Toshiba Bets on Bluetooth to Boost PDA Storage Toshiba is selling a portable hard drive with a Bluetooth radio. If the speed is fast enough, and the price is low enough, this could be an appealing option.
posted by Frank McPherson 11:01 AM |
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If you already own a Pocket PC that has an PC Card sleeve, and you have a T-Mobile account, you can now get the Sierra Wireless Aircard 750 to turn your Pocket PC into a wireless voice and phone. This will work basically the same way as the Audiovox Thera.
posted by Frank McPherson 10:53 AM |
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