Posted by Editor in android, applications, devices
This article by John Lombardo A developer’s perspective on Google’s Android is a good introduction to Googles open Android platform for future mobile devices. Android sounds like an interesting platform:
“Unlike many embedded operating environments, Android applications are all equal — that is, the applications that come with the phone are no different than those that any developer writes. In fact, using the IntentFilter API, any application can handle any event that the user or system can generate. This sounds a bit scary at first, but Android has a well thought-out security model based on Unix file system permissions that assure applications have only those abilities that cell phone owner gave them at install time.”
While you can’t get an Android phone yet, there is still lots to play with Google’s SDK kit and the phone emulator which runs on your pc.
Whether you can make a business out of building Android apps or as a consumer whether you’ll get a chance to use them, depends on how good and how well distributed the devices are once they finally reach the market. With the clout of Google behind the platform, Android could be good.
Posted by Editor in data
Imagine a world where next to the shelf corners store, beside the batteries and the memory cards, are 2GB, 4GB, 8GB wireless SIM cards. You can buy prepaid “minutes” already at the cornerstore. However, with voice becoming one of the less and less interesting things you can do with wireless, why not buy prepaid data as well?
Consumer electronics makers already trying to find ways to make their devices more connected (think digital cameras that automatically syncs your photos to the internet and/or your home computer wherever you are). Or imagine your car’s onboard navigation console and media player is running low on bandwidth, just pop in another pre-paid SIM card and you ready to go.
What do you think? does this model of distribution for data make sense? Does it sound farfetched?*
*I should mention that prepaid data-only SIM cards (even unlimited data) can be found commonly in many shops in Europe and Asia, markets where unlocked devices are more prevalent.
Posted by Editor in devices
When it comes to touch screen mobiles, the name that often pops to mind is probably a certain Apple device. But, and as may have heard mentioned, the iPhone is not available in Canada. However, it the world of sleek touchscreens, the iPhone is not the only game in town. Among others, HTC has been quietly innovating ever more interesting touch phones based on the Windows Mobile platform.
All the big Canadian operators are carrying the HTC now, and offering some interesting deals as well. See: HTC Touch now “free” from Bell and Telus for example. So is this thing any good? Nothing but a poor cousin to the iPhone – or – great device that can stand on it’s own? we asked two wirelessnorth contributors to give us each their side of the story. The Conclusion? seems to be that it depends what you use it for…
More after the jump, continue reading
Posted by Editor in Carriers, data, dongles, mobile broadband
In today’s news, UK operators T-Mobile and 3 UK have announced that they are going to share their 3G networks. The reason? to combine coverage areas and density as they roll out mobile broadband across the isles. Far ahead of Canada, the mobile broadband market is cooking in the UK.
“The arrival of HSDPA over the last 18 months, together with flat rate data plans has broken the cycle. HSDPA at last provides a user experience close to users’ expectations of broadband, and flat rate pricing gives users more confidence in their bill.”
It gets better, from the tech blog the inquirer:
Consequently, USB 3G modems for 3G are selling like hotcakes. 3 totally ran out of its 3G modem only recently. Plus data traffic over 3G is rising very rapidly. At last.
3’s product page for mobile broadband, shows 1GB plans starting at 10pounts ($20CAD) a month. Complete with a cute USB dongle. Yes they even call it a dongle. You can dress up your dongle as sexy as you like.
Meanwhile, back in the colonies, Rogers and Fido have just recently rolled out HSDPA service in select
geographies. You may recall that Fogers have thought to use this would-be game changing technology to offer innovations as compelling as: video calls to any other Rogers/Fido subscriber on up to 3 compatible handsets, AND streaming “vision” content of any number video files specially pre-selected by the Rogers marketing department. What joy.
When will real, ubiquitous and open mobile broadband come to Canada? When will Canada ever be a world leader in wireless access? Only time, and maybe the stiff boot of a spectrum auction or two to the industry, will tell.
link: Why cellular network sharing makes sense – the inquirer
Posted by Editor in devices, rim
Does Canada’s wireless darling have an iPhone killer up it’s sleeve? An analyst at GMP securties has some interesting and optimistic speculation on the form factor for the next blackberry including:
We believe that RIM holds significant respect for the tactile response that the physical keyboard provides. We believe that the screen will possibly include a tactile response mechanism akin to the Nintendo Wii controller. We also believe that the device will have differing hard key positions as well as programmable keys.
Before you go scratching your head, wondering where you missed tactile qwerty keyboard on your Wii, there’s really 2 (or 3 possibilities here). One is motion and gesture sensitivity – like on the Wii and the tilt-screen feature of the iPhone and becoming more in common with digital cameras and other devices. The next possibility is touch/gesture sensitivity for basic interaction and a retractable keyboard (also mentioned in the patent) for text input. Lastly there is the possibility of something like the tactile on-screen keyboard that nokia is working on.
also interesting:
“The device will feature a half VGA (roughly equivalent to an iPhone) that will be written on a new generation operating system. The rewrite of the OS will feature multithreading capability, a key feature to using several applications at the same time.”
The speculation is for an announcement of RIM’s next gen devices at 3GSM february. Maybe WirelessNorth will have to take a break from the winter blahs to stop by sunny Barcelona this winter? You know, just in case?
seen originally at Wellington Financial, link: GMP Research previews touchscreen Blackberry
Posted by Editor in Carriers, Rogers, services, spinvox
Rogers wireless has added a new voice to text option powered by U.K. company SpinVox. The service uses automated voice recognition to convert your incoming voicemails to text and sends a copy to your device by sms or email (e.g. blackberry). I image accuracy could be a challenge, depending on the audio quality of the incoming call. However, even if it just gets the gist of the message and call back number right, it would be useful enough to know if a message is important when you might otherwise not have the time or opportunity to dial in and listen the slow way.
Of course the holy grail for a service like this would be to make all of your voicemail history archivable and searchable. Carriers, device and mobileOS makers, are you listening?
Rogers is pricing the service at $15 a month. This is a little steep for casual use, but I am sure there is some segment out there (sales/mobile professionals, mortgage brokers… come to mind) who will be more than happy to fork over. For the time being, Rogers is offering a free 30-day trial if you want to try it out yourself.
Posted by Editor in devices, microsoft
The dirty secret about windows smartphones has long been this: the Windows Mobile operating system kinda sucks. The shortcomings of the software date back to it’s origins as a pocket pc operating system. This explains why what should be core features of a smart phone seem to be implemented like so many afterthoughts.
So good news today in a long post on gizmodo revealing a) What is wrong with Windows Mobile b)Microsoft understands that windows mobile is broken and plans to fix it. Hint: better dialing interfaces, better SMS, better (read: real) web browser.
Note that vendors and power users have long been dealing with WM’s shortcoming through 3rd party software and other hacks (the advantage of a reasonably “open” platform) but it’s nice to see these fixes are finally coming to the core operating system.
link: What’s Wrong With Windows Mobile and How WM7 and WM8 Are Going to Fix It
Posted by Editor in Carriers, bell, datarates
It was bound to happen. A cell phone user in Alberta, cleverly thought he’d use his $10 “unlimited” data plan for well, unlimited data usage. He tethered his phone to his computer and happily used the heck out of that connection only to be surprised by an $85,000 phone bill. I guess he should have read the fine print. “Offer not applicable if attaching your phone to a computer, Subject to “acceptable” use restrictions in Terms of Service, including but not limited to consuming “excessive” network capacity or causing our network to be adversely affected.”
Now the story of Piotr Staniaszek’s 85,000 dollar phone bill is gathering serious mainstream media attention. the most popular story of the day at the globeandmail.com.
cbc news: Cellphone user shocked by charges of $85K
Globe and Mail: Cellphone user rings up $85,000 bill
Bell’s spinners are valiantly attempting to unwind this PR gem. According to the news, they’ve offered to cut Piotr’s bill to ‘only’ $5,000 or so. But I have a feeling that with the fresh media attention, they may sweeten that offer further.
What does this mean for wirelessnorth subscribers? Careful how you use your data.
The best/only deal we are aware of for truly unlimited data in Canada are Telus’s connect plans: [details ]. (Though please send us a link if you are aware of other good deals)
Related link of the Day: “We’ve replaced John’s phone bill with…“
Posted by Editor in Carriers, Rogers, free stuff
Rogers has announced a “customer appreciation” contest just in time for the holidays. The promotion means that all Rogers customers have what’s technically described as a “chance” to win an lcd/plasma tv and other home theater stuff. Also on offer is more of a near certainty of at least minor Rogers coupons on wireless accessories, music downloads or free video/dvd rentals.
If you are a Rogers wireless or otherwise customer you can check out the offer here.
It’s nice Rogers appreciates their customers. We’ve investigated, but as of press time, WirelessNorth is not currently aware of any specific consumer groups organizing a Rogers appreciation day.
In other news, WirelessNorth has a free 7day Rogers Video rental to give away to any interested reader.
Posted by Editor in Uncategorized
Have been off the wireless grid for 2 days as the battery has wound down on my primary mobile. I’ve been moving and the charger is in a box somewhere. And I stubbornly insist on finding it before say buying a replacement. Why is it phone makers feel that they have to distinguish themselves with multiple, incompatible power connectors? This situation is just abusive to consumers and wallsockets everywhere. In fact the same could be said for a lot of consumer electronic devices. I probably have more wall warts than New Zealand has sheep [well, in a box somewhere].
Now, a number Motorolas and Blackberries (and others) use a mini USB connector which is a standardized power AND data connector. And a step in the right direction.
[photo credit, Jan Chipchase blog Power Up: Street Charging Services in Uganda ]
