The Mobile Gadgeteer

November 18th, 2009

Sony Reader Daily Edition now available for pre-order

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 11:11 am

Categories: Sony, ebooks

Tags: Sony Corp., Sony Reader, E-books, 3G, Wireless And Mobility, Personal Technology, Cellular Phones, Consumer Electronics, Matthew Miller

Back in August Sony announced the Reader Daily Edition with WiFi and 3G wireless support, along with a touch interface. Today, Sony announced that the Sony Reader Daily Edition can be pre-ordered over on the Sony Style store for $399.99 with shipping scheduled for December through January.

Highlights of the Sony Reader Daily Edition include WiFi and 3G access (via AT&T), 7-inch touch screen display with dictionary and annotation support, 16 level grayscale display, aluminum body with integrated cover, and expansion card slots along with internal memory for more than a thousand books. The press release also states that newspaper and magazine content providers will be announced within a month. With this device, Sony now has a family of three ebook readers spanning across a broad price range and usage pattern.

Thanks to Mobile Tech Review for the heads-up on the news. Anyone planning to order this ebook reader? 2010 is shaping up to be the year of the ebook.

November 11th, 2009

3D gaming comes to the Zune HD, video of all 6 new games

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 6:30 am

Categories: MP3 players, Microsoft, Mobile software, Portable gaming, Zune

Tags: 3D, Microsoft Zune, Ferrari, Games, Personal Technology, Matthew Miller

This past weekend I mentioned the Zune HD firmware 4.3 update that added predictive text and a better browsing experience. As part of that update, Microsoft announced that support for 3D games and apps was added as well and it didn’t take long for them to deliver as we now have six new games in the Zune Marketplace. You will find Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition, Audiosurf Tilt, and Vans Sk8: Pool Service for 3D gaming and Checkers, Lucky Lanes Bowling, and Piano for more standard gaming. All the games are FREE, with a short ad at start up. I don’t mind the ads if the games are good and as you will soon see in the video I am shooting and will be posting below the games are pretty dang good and game play is fluid. The 3D transitions and scenery in PGR are excellent and I see no pixelating going on.

Here is a description of each of the games from Microsoft:

• Audiosurf Tilt: Audiosurf creates a rollercoaster ride from any song. Choose any song from your music collection and watch Audiosurf turn it into a unique roller coaster track for you to ride. The song you choose determines the shape, the speed, and the mood of each track. Tilt your Zune like a steering wheel to collect colored blocks and avoid speedbumps. Unlock more than 30 designs, each with its own special theme and color palette.
• Checkers: Enjoy the classic game of Checkers in a beautiful outdoor park setting. Play against the computer or against a friend.
• Lucky Lanes Bowling: Bowl in different game modes: exhibition, blackjack, golf. Play in five different bowling alleys with unique themes, all with the swipe of a finger. Choose from twenty different bowlers and twenty two different ball styles. You can play against the computer or play with up to four friends.
• Piano: Play your own tune, or play along with your favorite music on this electronic piano.
• Project Gotham Racing: Ferrari Edition: Tear through the streets of London, Tokyo, and New York in the Ferrari of your choice using multi touch controls and the built in accelerometer.
• Vans Sk8: Pool Service: From the Admiral to the old abandoned rec center pool, Bucky Lasek and Omar Hassan know a good bowl to skate. Hit the pools and put these Vans skaters to the test with all the tricks in their bag and achieve hero status once you unlock their pro model skateboards.

They also mentioned that Twitter and Facebook are still planned for a release soon.

November 7th, 2009

Zune HD firmware 4.3 adds predictive text and desktop mode

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 8:02 pm

Categories: Gadgets, MP3 players, Microsoft, Mobile software, Zune

Tags: Desktop, Mobile, Microsoft Zune, Web Browser, Firmware, Web Browsers, Keyboards, Internet, Hardware, Peripherals

I was messing around with adding devices to my GDGT list today and discovered this discussion about new Zune HD firmware. I then fired up my MSI Wind with Zune desktop software, connected my Zune HD and walked through the 4.1 (191) upgrade. A couple of the key upgrades include a much faster web browser, desktop or mobile controls in the browser and predictive text support with the keyboard.

Here are all the updates I could find people mentioning since Microsoft hasn’t posted a comprehensive list of what was upgraded:

• Faster web browser
• Option in browser for desktop or mobile sites
• Predictive text in the keyboard
• Auto capitalization
• Larger landscape keyboard
• Toggle between seek or presets for radio
• Support for future 3D games
• Other minor updates and improvements, not specifically identified

You can check out the below video for some improvements to the browser and landscape keyboard.

As I mentioned in my Zune HD browser post the mobile only support drove me nuts so I am very pleased to see the option to toggle between desktop or mobile sites. While I can now view my full ZDNet blog (not the mobile version) and go to the full YouTube site, there is still no support for Flash so you cannot watch YouTube videos on the Zune HD. I would also like to see browser history support. The browser is definitely better though and I will probably use it more for casual couch surfing than I did before.

The update may not have essential new features, but it is a worthy point upgrade and I haven’t heard any reports of issues with the update.

November 3rd, 2009

Review: tapSTICK gives you back control of your iPod shuffle

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 6:49 am

Categories: Gadgets, MP3 players, Review

Tags: Headphone, Apple iPod, Shuffle, Headset, Apple iPod Shuffle, tapSTICK, Scosche, Morgan, Digital Music, Digital Media

Apple recently launched a new iPod shuffle, but made a major design change that limits you from using your own personal headphones. They moved the basic controls from the device to the headset so you have to use the Apple headphones or buy some made specifically for the iPod shuffle with integrated controls. Scosche has a solution for new iPod shuffle owners so you can use your own high end headphones without having to buy another expensive set with the controls. The tapSTICK is a slim, sleek case that slides over the iPod shuffle to give you back controls on the unit so you can use ANY headset you desire with the shuffle.

Since I don’t have my own new iPod shuffle, I had a buddy with one take it for a spin for a couple of weeks to test out. Morgan is an avid runner and has a set of sweat proof headphones, actually the same as the JayBird ones I tested out in August. Overall, he was quite pleased with the tapSTICK and prefers to use it over the standard Apple headphone that do not stay in your ears well while running.

The tapSTICK retail package includes the tapSTICK and a 3 foot 3.5mm audio cable so you can connect to a car stereo or other compatible speaker system with 3.5mm port. There are three large rubberized buttons on the tapSTICK to control volume, play/pause, skip tracks and activate VoiceOver. You still have to double-tap to advance the songs so it would have been great to have seen one more button used for advancing songs since double tapping can be a bit of a pain while running and is one of the most common functions you perform.

The tapSTICK fit over the headset jack and connects through the headset jack so that the controls can be activated. This actually offers a bit more protection for the shuffle from sweat and I have heard of iPods failing due to sweat in the headset jack before so this is a real benefit. The polycarbonate tapSTICK also offers some protection of the shuffle when it comes to wear and tear. One aspect of the way the tapSTICK fits over the shuffle is that there is no way to control the power button on the shuffle so you will need to turn it on before placing it in the tapSTICK case.

The tapSTICK is a $29.99 accessory available in either white or black. If you have a set of headphones you like to use for working out and want a new iPod shuffle then this is definitely an option to consider.

November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: E-book readers

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:21 pm

Categories: Gadgets, Holiday Gift Guide, Kindle, Sony, ebooks

Tags: Sony Corp., Amazon.com Inc., E-book Reader, Amazon Kindle, Sony Reader, Wireless, eInk, Ebook Reader, Kindle DX, Professional Document

In the second half of 2009 we saw some major updates to the market leading ebook readers, followed by announcements of new products coming at the end of 2009 and into 2010. We now see wireless and touchscreen functionality being added to these electronic readers, as well as access to more content. With some of these readers you can now check out electronic copies of books from your local library and have access to thousands of books for free. Adobe Digital Editions PDF and ePub are becoming content standards that are rolling out across most of these readers so you won’t be limited by access to content and can look for a reader that you find functional and priced right.

I personally ordered the new Barnes & Noble Nook that is scheduled to ship at the end of November. The interesting aspects of this device include the dual displays (one small color one for library browsing and a larger 6 inch eInk display for reading), ability to loan books to others for 14 days, connectivity via both AT&T 3G and WiFi, and ability to sync bookmarks, annotations, and last reading location across multiple supported platforms. Sony also has their wireless Daily Edition PRS-900 coming out before the end of 2009. In 2010, we will see more of these readers, including the Plastic Logic QUE also powered by the B&N eBookstore.

Ebook readers are a convenient way to carry several titles with you in a small package and are perfect for the business traveler. Prices of new ebooks are now less expensive than hardback titles and in many cases can be downloaded and accessed within seconds of discovering them. Most all new releases are available in electronic format and 2010 should be an exciting year for ebook fans.

Amazon Kindle

At the beginning of 2009, Amazon updated the Kindle (often referred to as the jump from Kindle 1 to Kindle 2) with a much sleeker form factor, reorganization of controls, and more integrated memory. Amazon recently added an international Kindle to the mix with support for wireless access outside the US and then made all new Amazon Kindle devices the same US/international version to avoid confusion with multiple models. They switched from wireless access provided by Sprint to wireless access provided by AT&T in the US.

The Kindle has about a third of the front taken up by a QWERTY keyboard that you can use to look up words or search for books in your library and on the Amazon store and also enter in notes. The Kindle holds up to 1,500 books and is sleek at only 0.36 inches thick. Best sellers and new releases generally start at $9.99. Unfortunately, the Kindle has limited format support and does not support checking out ebooks from your local library. Native PDF files are not supported and must first be converted to be read on the Kindle.

The Amazon Kindle revolutioned the ebook market with the wireless capability and easy access to their content, but others have now caught up and surpassed the functionality and content access of the Kindle.

Price: $259.00 MSRP

[Check out my review and the ZDNet Reviews page for the Amazon Kindle]

Go to the next page »

November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Digital Media Players

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:20 pm

Categories: Apple, Gadgets, Holiday Gift Guide, MP3 players, Microsoft, Portable gaming, Sony, Zune

Tags: Device, Apple iPod, Archos, Microsoft Zune, Apple iPod Nano, Apple Inc., Video, Archos 5 Internet Tablet, Pixel Resolution, Sony X-Series Walkman

For this Digital Media Player Holiday Guide we will be taking a look at the best devices that offer a complete music playing and video watching experience. There are still some devices that specialize in one or the other, but the capability has improved in most of them so that both types of media content can be enjoyed. Last year we looked at both MP3 players and portable digital video players in two Guides, but are merging them this year since most perform both functions well. Some of these devices can be used for web browsing, 3rd party application usage, and gaming, but we will focus on the music and video support while mentioning some of these more advanced capabilities.

You will see some of the same brand names in this Holiday Guide, but you will also see that updated models continue to improve on the media experience and for the most part you can’t go wrong with these players. You will see that the Guide is arranged in order from highest price device to lowest price device since price is a major factor when you look at one of these media players to purchase.

Archos 5 Internet Tablet

The Archos 5 Internet Tablet is powered by the Google Android operating system and is focused on the media experience with Internet browsing also being a prominent feature. Archos has been know at excelling in portable video playing capability and the Archos 5 continues that tradition. You can view HD video content and photos on the 4.8 inch 800×480 pixel resolution display. The Archos 5 Internet Tablet supports the following video formats; MPEG-4 HD (up to 720p), MPEG-48, H.264, WMV, MKV, and M-JPEG. Supported audio formats include MP3, WMA, AAC+, Ogg Vorbis, and Flac. There are some optional plug-ins available to further enhance support on the Archos 5.

In addition to the various hard drive capacities, the Archos 5 has a microSD card slot with support up to 32GB, 802.11 b/g/n WiFi, Bluetooth 2.0, FM receiver with RDS, and FM transmitter. There are a couple additional accessories to extend the functionality of the device to your TV as well.

With the Google Android operating system you will find that many third party apps seen on Google Android smartphones also work on the Archos 5 Tablet.

Price: $499.99 MSRP for 500GB unit, $399.99 for 160GB, and $379.99 for 32GB Flash drive

[Check out review pages for the 500GB and 32GB models]

Go to the next page »

November 1st, 2009

Holiday Gift Guide 2009: Personal Navigation Devices

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:19 pm

Categories: GPS, Gadgets, Holiday Gift Guide, On the road

Tags: MSN, Device, TomTom, Garmin Ltd., Maps, Traffic Alert, Garmin Lock Anti-theft Feature, TomTom Go 740 LIVE, GPS, Bluetooth

Personal Navigation Devices (PNDs) were very popular in 2008 and last Christmas we saw a number of manufacturers vying for the consumer dollars. I see quite a few people with these mounted in their cars and am not sure the market is as hot for PNDs as it once was. The iPhone brought attention to the fact that it, along with many other smartphones, can serve as more than capable GPS navigation devices. We also recently heard the news that Google is rolling out a free GPS navigation solution on the Google Android platform. That said, if you really need to get somewhere and don’t have a paper map it is more comforting to rely on a dedicated GPS navigation solution than a phone whose battery might die in the middle of your trip or a device where a cell phone carrier signal is required to get your maps.

Looking through the latest reviews on ZDNet, it looks like Garmin and TomTom are the two main players left standing in the PND market. There is some limited connectivity with some of these solutions that is provided via the FM radio frequency via the MSN Direct service, but please be aware that Microsoft has announced that MSN Direct service is ending on 1 January 2012. I am not sure what Garmin and TomTom will do with devices that support MSN Direct, but the devices we will look at here are good to go for another couple of years. Let’s take a look at the entry level and high end of the spectrum from both of these manufacturers in this GPS Holiday Guide.

Garmin Entry Level

Garmin Nuvi 205W

The Garmin Nuvi 205W has a 4.3 inch widescreen 480×272 pixel resolution display so you won’t miss out on that next turn. Maps are preloaded on the device with an optional SD card for storing more data. It is a fairly sleek and slim device (4.8″W x 2.9″H x .8″D and 6.1 ounces) so it is easy to take with you in your pocket or purse to keep it safe from thieves.

The device is a bit limiting as far as PNDs go with no spoken street names, no lane assist, no real-time data, and Garmin Locate functionality.

Price: $189.99 MSRP with online price around $140

[Read the review]
Go to the next page »

October 27th, 2009

Microsoft's MSN Direct service ending in 2012

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 10:54 pm

Categories: GPS, Gadgets, Microsoft, On the road, mobile services

Tags: MSN, Microsoft Corp., GPS, Handhelds, Consumer Electronics, Personal Technology, Hardware, Matthew Miller

I understand there are some scientists now stating that the end of the calendar, and maybe end of the world, year of 2012 is actually off by a couple hundred years so all those 2012 movies may start to look a bit silly. Then again, if you happen to have a SPOT watch powered by MSN Direct or one of a number of GPS navigation devices with MSN Direct service providing traffic, movies, and other data your connected world will end on 1 January 2012.

I personally still have three SPOT watches and liked the technology for its easily glanceable data. However, I stopped wearing a watch and use my phone for time and date info. You may be wondering why Microsoft is ending this service and in the FAQ section you can read the following:

The delivery of location-based services in the U.S. and Canada has evolved since Microsoft began offering MSN Direct in early 2004. Leveraging unused FM radio spectrum to broadcast data represented a step forward in 2004, however, many choices today including WiFi, Cellular, FM RDS and other digital networks are now readily available and are continuing to grow in popularity. Despite good initial MSN Direct adoption, these alternatives have significantly reduced demand for MSN Direct service. As such, Microsoft has made the decision to focus future U.S. and Canada investments on these existing network connections and discontinue the MSN Direct services business. Microsoft will continue to explore new ways to leverage the efficiencies of FM digital broadcast in other applications and markets going forward.

While some people are starting to use their smartphones more for GPS navigation, I would have thought there was still a pretty large market for MSN Direct services on PNDs. Apparently, this is not true. If you have paid for service that runs past this date, then you will get a prorated refund.

Thanks to TechFlash for the heads-up on the news.

October 27th, 2009

Roku adds 2 new players, including the HD-XR with 802.11n support

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 5:33 am

Categories: Apple, Gadgets, Mobile software, On the road, iPhone

Tags: NetFlix Inc., Player, IEEE 802.11n, Roku Inc., Roku HD-XR, Wireless LANs, Wi-Fi, Tv & Home Theater, TVs, Wireless And Mobility

I have been a Netflix user for some time, but a few months ago I discovered the Roku player that lets me stream “Watch Instantly” Netflix content to my TV and jumped on the $99 device. There is no additional cost to you to stream this content to your TV with your compatible Netflix account. I was then able to downgrade my Netflix account to one DVD out at a time and my family has been extremely pleased with the Roku functionality. The Roku is dead simple to hookup and operate while giving you access to Netflix streaming content and your Amazon Video on Demand content. Last week I was sent a new Roku HD-XR box that adds 802.11n (the previous Roku had 802.11b/g) and a USB port (for future use).

Here is a breakdown of the two new Roku players added to the existing Roku HD player:

• Roku SD player (new): $79.99, connects to your TV via composite video outputs with L/R RCA audio. An ethernet port is present, along with 802.11 b/g WiFi.
• Roku HD player: $99.99, product that is currently shipping today w/ HDMI, component, composite, s-video and L/R RCA and optical video outputs along with Ethernet and Wi-Fi b/g. This model supports HD streaming from partners, currently including Amazon Video On Demand.
• Roku HD-XR (new): $129.99, same video and audio outputs as Roku HD player that also includes Wi-Fi n/b/g and a USB port for future use. The Roku HD-XR is the first Netflix streaming device to incorporate 802.11n connectivity protocol.

802.11n gives you greater range and better signal strength than 802.11b/g, but there shouldn’t be much of a difference in speeds since content partners have limits on the streams. Fortunately, my main 37 inch LCD TV is in the next room only about three feet from my WiFi router so I have never had an issue with signal strength.

All the Roku players have the same black box dimensions, with different ports on the back that set them apart.

I understand Roku is working with more content providers and we should see some interesting additions in the coming weeks.

iPhone app: While the Roku is not necessarily a mobile device, it is very compact and something you may want to travel with to enjoy your Netflix content in hotel rooms on a larger display rather than your small laptop screen. I also found a 99 cent iPhone application  (seems there are really apps for just about everything today) called DVPRemote (iTunes link) that gives you a full Roku remote control right on your iPhone/iPod touch so you can use it to control your Roku device.

After installation of the app, you simply make sure WiFi is enabled and then tap the button to discover your Roku player. You can then name your Roku player and give it a location (such as the home theater room). After saving this setup you can then control your Roku player and leave the included remote control in the drawer.

If you want to use a Roku player on a TV that is far away from your WiFi router then you might want to consider upgrading to the HD-XR. We don’t yet now what the USB port is for, but maybe it will be used to let you access content stored on a hard drive. Remember that you will also need to have an 802.11n router in place and last weekend I tried a Belkin one that didn’t work out. I may pick up an Airport Extreme router or some other model soon to try out.

My family thoroughly enjoys the Roku HD player and if you are a Netflix subscriber I highly recommend you pick one up to enjoy. There are actually hundreds of movies and TV shows that are available and my Instant Queue is much larger than my physical DVD Queue so content is not lacking.

October 26th, 2009

Planning to install Windows 7 on your netbook, here's a couple tips

Posted by Matthew Miller @ 9:10 am

Categories: Microsoft, Netbook, On the road, Ultra portable PC

Tags: Microsoft Windows XP, Netbook, Microsoft Windows 7, Netbooks, Nettops & MIDs, Microsoft Windows, Hardware, Operating Systems, Software, Matthew Miller

The computers in my office run Windows XP and there are no current plans to upgrade to Windows 7 anytime soon since XP provides a stable platform for us to run our engineering programs. I have a MacBook Pro I use as my primary writing and photo/video management computer and have been thinking about upgrading to the latest version of Parallels to run Windows 7 since the dual boot solution supporting Windows 7 is not yet available from Apple. I also have a MSI Wind netbook that I use primarily for my Zune and Nokia syncing needs. I previously tried a very early beta of Windows 7 on the netbook and understand the final release version of 7 runs quite nicely on these Intel Atom powered computers. I plan to install Windows 7 on this netbook soon, but there are a few steps to take before doing so that are made a bit more difficult for these computers without an optical drive.

Since Windows 7 offers no real upgrade path from XP and you have to wipe out everything, the first thing I need to do is backup all the Zune music I purchased using my monthly 10 free song credits. I plan to use my external Maxtor 750 GB drive to transfer the music from the Wind to this drive and then back again after installing Windows 7. I do not use the Wind for photo editing or storage so there is really not much else I care about wiping out on the device. I also want to caution you that many services have a limited number of PCs you can use to manage devices and wiping out XP and installing Windows 7 will in most cases count as two separate computers. I have seen this with the Sony Reader desktop software, iTunes, and Zune Marketplace so make sure you go through and deauthorize your existing computer with all of these services before you wipe it clean.

I then plan to use a USB flash drive to install Windows 7 following Kevin’s guidance on how to install Windows 7 on a netbook with no optical drive. I recommend you check out Sascha Segan’s recent article on Five Key Tips for Installing Windows 7 on Netbooks, since he also mentions installing from a USB stick and troubles he had with this method and with using an external DVD drive.

If you buy a new netbook, you are most likely to find it loaded with Windows 7 Starter Edition and as pointed out on the Windows Team Blog there are a few limitations with this version compared to Home, Professional, and Ultimate. These include no support for Aero Glass, limited personalization of the desktop, no multi-monitor support, no DVD playback support out of the box, no XP mode, and no remote media streaming. For netbook users these may not be limitations at all and honestly I could probably live with them all as well. I do have a copy of Ultimate though so plan to try that out on the MSI Wind.

Have any readers installed Windows 7 on their netbook and if so, are you finding it is worth the upgrade from XP on these small notebooks?

UPDATE: I backed up all my files and then installed Windows 7 Ultimate on my MSI Wind via my USB DVD drive and it was a flawless and simple installation experience. I now have my Zune software up and running and am finishing up the Office 2007 install. So far it looks great on my MSI Wind U100 with 2GB of RAM.