Palm Pre hardware failures?

Some people seem to be having some hardware problems with the new Palm Pre. Take a look:

Is a Smartphone an MID?

MID = Mobile Internet Device. Some ultra-mobile PCs are inappropriately called an MID (even though a tiny PC is a mobile device that can get you on the Internet). As smartphone browsers become more powerful, smartphones are essentially turning into MIDs. Many smartphones now have built-in Wi-Fi. The days of the Nokia MID (such as the N810 and N850) may be numbered.

• If smartphones can do everything an MID can do, then why purchase an MID?

Here's something else to consider. Smartphones that have a built-in GPS are starting to replace standalong GPS devices.

• If a smartphone can do everything a standalone GPS navigation can do, then why purchase a standalone GPS navigation device?

The smartphone is starting to become many different devices. Will we see a convergence of all the different smartphone features out there? Will future smartphones all have very similar capabilities and specs?

Medical smartphone use in other countries

How are smartphones used by medical professionals in other countries? The U.S. is reacting to a major push by President Obama to incorporate electronic health records (EHRs) and to leverage computerized physician order entry (CPOE) systems. As a result, we've seen a surge of medical applications for smartphones, especially the Apple iPhone. Several EHR vendors are providing iPhone apps for their EHR platform. I expect we will see many more as health information technology (health IT, HIT, HITECH) becomes the cornerstone to healthcare reform in this country.

So what about other countries? What about places where technology has deeply penetrated the entire market? I think about Asia. In metropolitan areas like Hong Kong, Shanghai, Tokyo, and Seoul, we see mobile phones used everywhere - even underground. Are doctors in Asian countries using smartphones for many medical applications? Or, are they mainly using them like ordinary consumers?

So what about other non-Asian nations? Are physicians leveraging the wealth of smartphone clinical support tools as they treat patients at the point of care? President Obama is using health IT to push healthcare reform efforts. If other countries also need to reform their healthcare system, should they follow the same model and leverage health IT resources?

HTC TouchFLO and HTC Sense

HTC is a leading mobile phone manufacturer based in Taiwan. They create many phones running Windows Mobile and they have a unique interface called TouchFLO (which almost eliminates the need for a stylus since you can navigate using your finger instead). It appears that TouchFLO might soon get replaced with HTC Sense, another user interface which is going to appear on the HTC Hero (running Google Android).

Best smartphone operating systems for physicians

Many people often ask, "what's the best smartphone for physicians?" I wish it was a simple answer, but it's rather complicated. The smartphone industry is changing so rapidly and we see new and exciting phones coming this summer. Let's briefly review a few of the major operating systems (OS):

• Original Palm OS. This is a dead OS. Although Palm was very popular in the early-to-mid 2000's, it's now a dead operating system and it's been replaced with WebOS.
• Palm WebOS. This is a brand new OS. Hence, there is a serious lack of medical software. If the Palm Pre really takes off and we see many developers jumping in to create medical software, then we should see a plethora of software available by the end of 2010.
• Symbian. You'll find this on Nokia, but you won't find much in terms of medical software. Enough said.
  
• Google Android. This is still a new OS for the medical community. It suffers the same problem as WebOS - there's a lack of robust medical software. I love the capabilities found in Android, but we're not seeing much traction and uptake in the medical community. If Android becomes available on more carriers, then we may see more medical professionals demanding software on their Android devices.
  
• BlackBerry. The BlackBerry Storm has been a very popular device. More doctors are using their smartphones for e-mail, SMS, and other functions. Because the Storm uses a touch-screen, it's very easy to navigate. We're starting to see more medical software for BlackBerry, but it's still somewhat limited.
• Windows Mobile. This OS has gone from Windows CE to Pocket PC to Windows Mobile and now newer devices may be called Windows Phone (if that phrase catches on). Microsoft can't seem to make up its mind. For a while there, it looked like Windows Mobile was gaining significant traction (mainly because Palm OS was dying and none of the others were popular yet), but now it looks like Windows Mobile is quickly falling behind the others. Unless Microsoft makes some significant changes, it may suffer a similar fate as the original Palm OS. Plenty of medical software available.
• Apple iPhone. This is a relatively new OS, but it's gained tremendous popularity among medical professionals. As a result, we've seen a surge of medical software emerge over the past year. Will the Apple iPhone dominate the medical community? I think much of this depends on what the others do to compete against Apple.

So, what will it be? Will you choose a smartphone based on the form factor or the operating system?

Medical Smartphones: popular posts last week

Here are the most popular posts from last week:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Top Free Medical iPhone Application

3. Smartphones for Residency

4. Apple iPhone, BlackBerry Storm, or Palm Pre?

5. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

6. Medical apps for the iPhone - how far have we come?

7. Epocrates on the BlackBerry

8. Did you get an Apple iPhone 3GS?

9. iPhone and iPod touch OS 3.0 Upgrade

10. Doylestown hospital and the Apple iPhone

Soaring Palm Pre Sales

According to Brighthand, there have been over 150,000 sales of the Sprint Palm Pre running WebOS. The Palm Pre went on sale earlier this month and it's been a big hit. Will Sprint sell over 4 million Palm Pre smartphones over the next 12 months? Perhaps this is really dependent on the supply. After all, it seems like the demand is high, but the supply is where things are lacking.

LifeWatch and Verizon Wireless

LifeWatch and Verizon Wireless have joined hands to help cardiac patients. LifeWatch will provide remote monitoring service for cardiac patients through LifeStar ACT (Ambulatory Cardiac Telemetry) and Verizon will offer the wireless services.

"LifeStar ACT (Ambulatory Cardiac Telemetry) is an automatically activated system that requires no patient intervention to either capture or transmit an arrhythmia when it occurs. Upon arrhythmia detection, the system automatically utilizes the integrated Cellular Phone Monitor to transmit the ECG waveform to LifeWatch, where the ECG is analyzed. The patient’s physician is notified of the arrhythmia based on pre-determined notification criteria prescribed by the patient’s physician. LifeStar ACT provides critical ECG information by capturing the onset and termination/escape of an arrhythmia to assist in correctly identifying and treating the patient. Patients are monitored for up to 30 days and all the data is available at the request of the physician during the service period and for 7 days following the end of service."

Speaking of strategic partnerships, Sprint Nextel and GE Healthcare won a multi-million dollar contract in April to provide converged wireless networks, services, software and infrastructure for six Texas hospitals.

Medical apps for the iPhone - how far have we come?

I was looking at the "Apple WWDC (Worldwide Developers Conference) 2008 medical apps" video and I started thinking, "how far have we come since 2008?" When the Apple iPhone launched, there were very few medical applications out there. Epocrates launched their app and then many others quickly followed. Now, the iTunes store is full of free and paid medical apps. If we've made this much progress since 2008, how much more progress will we make over the next year?

Protecting your smartphone or PDA

What type of case or cover do you use for your smartphone or PDA? I used to always use a case for my PDA, but over the last few years I've gone away from using a case. Why? Because I usually end up replacing my device after 2 years or so. It just doesn't seem to make much sense to invest in a bulky cover. I use a screen protector and that's about it. I hardly ever drop my phone, so it's not an issue to have "bump protection." If you have clumsy hands and you're prone to dropping your phone, then I would suggest that you invest in a nice protective case.

Here's a tip: if you're looking to buy a screen protector, purchase one on eBay. In fact, if you're looking for any type of cellular or mobile phone accessory, I suggest using eBay for the best prices.

Laridian software 20% discount

If you're interested in reading the Bible on your PDA/smartphone, then you may like to know that Laridian is offering a 20% sale through the end of June. If you're a busy medical student or resident, you may find yourself reading the Bible while you're in the hospital (post-call). Why not have the Bible on your smartphone? Laridian offers Bibles, references, and other resources for the following platforms:

• iPhone/iPod
• Windows Mobile
• Palm
• BlackBerry
• and other smartphone and computing platforms

Use the Priority Code JUNSALE when you order at Laridian before June 30th to get your 20% discount. Visit Laridian at: http://www.laridian.com/

Skyscape medical software

If you're looking for medical software for your smartphone, you may wish to view some of the titles on Skyscape. They provide software for:

• Physicians
• Nursing
• Students
• EMS/Paramedic
• Allied Health/Other HCP's
• Pharma/Information Technology/Consumers
• Pharmacist/PharmD
• Veterinary

You'll find software for the BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile, and Palm. So, what is your favorite medical application?

Dunkin' Run is great for interns and medical students

Let's face it. When you're the low man on the totem pole, you'll be making some Dunkin Donut runs in the middle of the night. Dunkin' Run is a nice iPhone app that may come in very handy if you're a medical student or intern (senior residents don't bring coffee, do they?). If you're an intern, welcome to the real world of medicine. You've now been promoted to be the lowest man on the totem pole (medical students aren't even on the pole yet).

The Dunkin' Run is the easiest way to grab that delicious pick-me-up for you and your friends. Here's how it works:

• INVITE: Start a run at DunkinRun.com from your computer, mobile device, or our iPhone application . You are now "the runner", and pick which friends you'd like to invite by providing their email or mobile phone number (no spaces or dashes e.g. 1234567890).
• ORDER: Select what you want from the menu, and we'll contact your friends and tell them to do the same.
• RUN: Go get the goods. We'll compile all orders for you, and you can print it out or have it sent to your mobile device (if you print it, just hand the print out to the Dunkin' crew member at the shop and they'll take it from there).
• ENJOY! Bring the goodies back, and enjoy the deliciousness, along with the hero worship from your friends.

It's that Easy. Simply Invite, Order, Run, and Enjoy! Now, you'll never have an excuse to say that you didn't have time to order coffee...

HTC Hero will run Google's Android

The HTC Hero is another phone that will be running Google's Android. However, it will run a new user interface called HTC Sense. Here's a quote from Brighthand: "HTC Sense is a distinct experience created to make HTC phones more simple for people to use, leaving them saying, it just makes sense," said Peter Chou, CEO, HTC Corporation. The HTC Hero will be the first Android phone with Adobe Flash support. My prediction is that most phones will eventually support Flash. The big question is: when will that "someday" arrive?

Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia

If you're looking for additional medical software for your smartphone, take a look at Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia® Deluxe Mobile Edition. You can save 25% by using a coupon code: TPR (until July 31, 2009). This software runs on Palm (don't know about WebOS for Palm Pre), Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry (not sure exactly which models).

Here are a few of the highlights:

•Expanded drug information from the Deluxe Edition of the print Pocket Pharmacopoeia
•A fully integrated tool for multiple drug interaction checking
•A fully integrated "Herbal & Alternative Therapy" section
•Continuous ongoing drug information auto-updates via the internet
•Extensive pediatric drug dosing
•Unique Canadian trade names and drugs
•Software written by USBMIS, Inc.

Want to learn more? Visit http://www.tarascon.com
Don't forget that you can save 25% by using a coupon code: TPR (until July 31, 2009).

Tethering on the road

I'm often on the road, traveling to different places for meetings. When I'm not driving, I'm often working on my laptop. I stay connected by tethering with my smartphone. It's great to have EV-DO speeds when I'm stuck in traffic because I can download large attachments and stay productive when I'm out of the office. Someday, I may eventually switch to using the built-in WWAN (Wireless Wide Area Network) that's in my laptop, but for now I will save some money by tethering when I need to get online.

Doylestown hospital and the Apple iPhone

There's a really nice little clip on the Apple iPhone Enterprise site about how physicians in the Doylestown hospital are using the Apple iPhone for clinical applications. There are multiple screenshots of the iPhone that include hospital data, Epocrates, health alerts, references, and more.

Here's a snippet: "Doylestown Hospital relies on a mobile workforce of 360 independent physicians to provide a highly responsive healing environment for thousands of patients. Those physicians stay connected 24/7 to colleagues and hospital staff with their first responder: Apple iPhone 3G. With iPhone, doctors get access to patients’ vital stats, medical reference applications, and breaking health alerts to provide collaborative and efficient patient care..."

Snapshot of Doylestown Hospital

• Founded (1923), owned and operated by the Village Improvement Association, Doylestown, PA
• 2000 employees, 360 physicians in 42 specialties
• 500 acute and long-term care beds in three locations
• 14,000 patient admissions and 45,000 ER treatments annually
• 2009 Cardiac Specialty Excellence Award Recipient

Want to view the video? Click here to go to the Apple site.

Verizon XV6175 (HTC Snap)

I really don't get it. The HTC Snap is being branded as the Verizon XV6175 on Verizon Wireless. HTC phones were getting rebranded as Verizon phones (remember the XV6800 and the XV 6900)? Then, Verizon came out with the HTC Touch Pro and the HTC Touch Diamond. They didn't rebrand those phones. So what's going on? Why the rebranding again with the HTC Snap? This phone will work on the CDMA network but also have quad-band GSM capabilities for world travelers.

Palm drops the price on the Treo Pro

It looks like the new Apple iPhone 3G S is putting the heat on other smartphones. Palm is lowering the price on the Treo Pro (running Windows Mobile) by $150. Did you know that HTC makes the Palm Treo Pro? I also heard that the T-Mobile G1 running Google Android is being reduced by $50 (probably because new models are right around the corner).

I'm glad that Apple didn't introduce the iPhone 3G S at a super high price, only to drop it after a few months (and penalize the early adopters and loyal customers). Apple would never do such a thing, would they?

As the smartphone pricing battle wages on, I hope that we'll see better phones at lower prices.

Top 5 Poker Apps for the iPhone

Poker became ridiculously popular a few years ago and for a couple of years everyone and his brother were grinding away at online poker rooms hoping to eventually make a few million in the World Series of Poker. Now the poker boom has subsided, but there are still plenty of people who play. Naturally the game is also well represented on the iPhone. There are lots of poker apps in the App Store today, ranging from mediocre to quite good. In this article we'll take a closer look at some of the latter.

Live Poker (Zynga)
If by a poker app you mean being able to play online poker just like at PokerStars or Full Tilt Poker, the closest thing available is Live Poker by the developer and gaming network Zynga. Zynga has also produced the popular Facebook Texas Holdem app that millions of Facebook users waste their time on daily. You won't be able to play for real money, but other than that the game looks and behaves almost exactly like an online poker room. The best part is that you can connect via your Facebook account and play with people in your friends list.

Texas Hold'em (Apple)
Apple has also developed a poker app. It's called "Texas Hold'em," which is the popular poker variant featured in the game. "Texas Hold'em" is definitely one of the most eye-pleasing poker games for the iPhone (and iPod Touch) - with an option to switch between the classic top-down table view and a more realistic first-person perspective where you can see their movements and potential "tells"

MegaPoker Online
MegaPoker is also a Texas Holdem game with online functionality. It doesn't have as many users as Zynga, but the chances of finding a game right away are still pretty good.

MotionX Poker
MotionX is neither Texas Holdem nor Five Card Draw; it's more like "inspired by poker" than real poker. Regardless it's a really fun game: you shake the iPhone to roll the dice, which represent a deck of cards. Then you tuck away the best "cards" and roll again to get a good poker hand. It doesn't sound like much, but the great gameplay and graphics makes it worthwhile.

iPhone Poker Timer
This is an app with more hands-on functionality; for those of you who host your own poker games, this Poker Timer keeps track of the tournament for you. It lets you know what level you are at and alerts you when it's time to raise the blinds.

The unstoppable iPhone according to BusinessWeek

There's a short little article in BusinessWeek by Stephen H. Wildstrom titled, "The Unstoppable iPhone." Under the title, it reads: "Apple's new model, plus updated software for all its phones, will send rivals scrambling." I enjoyed reading the article and agree with many of the comments written by Wildstrom.

First, the new Apple iPhone 3G S (S = speed) may only appear to have a modest update, but the speed improvement is significant and it really improves the overall usability of this great device. Plus, Apple and AT&T have priced the iPhone to be very competitive. It's really hard to beat $99 for an 8GB iPhone (although you'll be getting the older model).

Palm Pre is a great phone, but will Sprint and Palm drop the price to stay competitive? Windows Mobile "already looks lame" according to Wildstrom. I've been a Windows Mobile user for many years and I have to agree that the OS just hasn't been keeping up with all the other major players. Will Nokia lose its domination in Europe and Asia? What's going to happen to standalone GPS navigation devices now that all these newer smartphones have built-in GPS? I don't own a standalone GPS device. I simply use my smartphone.

I like the fact that Wildstrom specifically mentioned "serious real-time intensive-care patient monitoring" applications for the iPhone. You can't get more serious than that. Medical professionals have been embracing the iPhone like a second brain.

Want to compare the Apple iPhone 3G S against the Apple iPhone 3G? Click here.

Lexi-Comp for the Apple iPhone

If you're looking for more medical software for your Apple iPhone, take a look at Lexi-Comp and be prepared to pull out your credit card. The Lexi-COMPLETE is $299.99. You can also purchase individual titles such as The 5-Minute Clinical Consult for $74.99. They're also working on other applications such as Lexi-CALC.

The Lexi-CLINICAL SUITE is a reasonable option for people who're on a tight budget. I would recommend this to medical students and residents who can't afford to pay $300 for the COMPLETE suite. For $179.99, you get:

• Lexi-Drugs
• Lexi-Interact
• Lexi-Lab & Diagnostic Procedures
• Harrison's Practice

Want more information? You can find these (and other medical applications) in the iTunes store or by visiting: http://www.lexi.com

Medical Smartphones: Top posts for last week

Here are the most popular blog posts from last week:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Apple iPhone, BlackBerry Storm, or Palm Pre?

3. Top Free Medical iPhone Application

4. Smartphone Wars

5. Evernote on the Palm Pre

6. Epocrates on the BlackBerry

7. Apple iPhone and iPod Touch OS 3.0 Upgrade

8. Smartphones for Residency

9. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

10. iPhone and iPod touch OS 3.0 Upgrade

TweetDeck for iPhone

TweetDeck is an excellent Twitter client. It's still in beta, but recent updates have made this my Twitter client of choice. Now, TweetDeck is available for the Apple iPhone. Do you Twitter? Make sure to follow me @DrJosephKim.

Palm WebOS updated to 1.03

If you're a lucky Palm Pre owner, have you upgraded your WebOS to version 1.03 yet? Sounds like this upgrade fixes some basic functionality in the calendar, clock, contacts, e-mail, and more. Hopefully you won't experience this:

1. If an update fails to install properly
   • In the rare event that an update fails, your phone restarts and attempts to reinstall the update up to three times. If your phone still fails to install the update, a message with information on what to do next is displayed on the screen for 15 minutes. After 15 minutes, your phone turns off.

There's nothing about these updates turning your phone into a brick. The phrase "brick" is often used to denote a dead phone that won't even power on because of a serious system failure that makes the phone essentially inoperable. People often use the phrase "brick" incorrectly when their phone powers on but gets stuck on a strange boot screen. Technically, your phone isn't a brick unless it doesn't power on at all. After all, you can't turn on a brick, can you?

Did you get an Apple iPhone 3GS?

The iPhone 3GS is now available. Did you pick one up? Are you one of the lucky few to be experiencing the supersonic speed of the new iPhone 3GS?

Tethering for my OQO model 02

I was out yesterday and I took my OQO model 02 with me. It was great to use my Verizon Wireless smartphone to tether my OQO to my smartphone so that I could get online and get a bit of work done. It's great to have the flexibility to tether via USB or Bluetooth. Last week, I taught a few people how to tether using a BlackBerry Curve and a Samsung smartphone running Windows Mobile. Do you tether? Image source: slashgear

Sirius XM Radio for iPhone and iPod Touch

I have satellite radio in my car, but I often wonder about the viability of Sirius XM. Will they survive or will they get acquired? Should I renew my subscription? Will satellite radio be dead in a few years (or sooner)? I really enjoy some of the stations that are on Sirius XM and if you do too, then you may be pleased to hear that you can now get Sirius XM on your Apple iPhone or iPod touch. The app is free, but you need a subscription to the premium service if you want to listen to music.

Smartphone Wars

I'm a big fan of Star Wars, so I love titles that sound similar. CNN has a story titled, "New iPhone 3GS heats up smartphone wars."Are we really going to see a war? I doubt it. The article starts with this line: "When Apple starts selling what it bills as the fastest, most powerful iPhone yet on Friday, the company's latest entry will only heat up the already sizzling smartphone landscape."

I agree that many new and exciting smartphones are coming out this summer. How will they compete against the Apple iPhone? Will we ever really see a device that comes out as an "iPhone Killer?"

Here's another snippet from the CNN story: "When it comes to mobile Web surfing, the iPhone seems to be the king. A recent report by AdMob found Apple's device generated 65 percent of mobile HTML browsing..."

So perhaps the area that will determine who "wins" this war is simple: mobile browsing. If websites no longer need to format their sites for small screens and if smartphones can efficiently be used to navigate standard web pages, then those phones will emerge as "winners."

iPhone and iPod touch OS 3.0 Upgrade

The iPhone and iPod touch upgrade is now available from the Apple store. Did you upgrade your Apple iPhone or iPod touch to the new 3.0 operating system software? Some people have reported having some problems, but it was smooth sailing for me. Some of the highlights of this new upgrade include:

• Cut, Copy & Paste
• Landscape Keyboard
• MMS
• Voice Memos
• Safari Improvements
• Internet Tethering
• Spotlight Search
• and more...

T-Mobile myTouch 3G (HTC Magic)

Why do HTC phones get rebranded? The new T-Mobile myTouch 3G is really made by HTC. Rebranding phones made by HTC decreases HTC visibility and recognition in this country. As a result, consumers are not recognizing the company "HTC." My Verizon Wireless XV6800 is branded as a Verizon phone. It's really an HTC Titan, but most people don't know that. The Spring Mogul is branded as a Sprint phone. That's also an HTC Titan.

Later this summer, we'll see the T-Mobile myTouch 3G (which is an HTC Magic) running Google Android. The G1 won't be the only Android phone!

Smartphones for Residency

In a few weeks, medical school graduates will be starting residency (technically, it's internship, but we all simply call it residency now). Many of them will be purchasing smartphones and upgrading from standard PDAs. Do they know which smartphone to get? I'm a strong believer of touch-screen devices.

Here are my suggestions based on the type of operating system (OS) you prefer:

• Apple iPhone OS: You only have once choice here. Apple iPhone. If you're tight on cash, you'll be able to find a used iPhone 3G. Good luck getting a new iPhone 3G[S] by July 1.
• RIM BlackBerry: Storm (or Storm 2 if you can wait until after July 1. This is coming later this summer).
  
• Google Android: T-mobile G1 (there are other phones coming later this summer)
• Palm WebOS: Palm Pre
• Palm Original OS: Used Treo (why buy a device that's running a dying operating system?). Avoid the Palm Centro.
  
• Microsoft Windows Mobile OS: this is where things get really complicated. There are several new phones coming out later this summer, so if you can wait, then you'll end up with a much nicer phone. If you prefer something like an iPhone, then go with something like the Samsung Omnia of HTC Touch Diamond . If you prefer a slider, then go with the HTC Touch Pro (or Touch Pro 2 or Samsung Omnia Pro).

Sounds complicated, doesn't it? How do you decide on the operating system? How do you decide on a mobile phone carrier? (In many cases, that's decided based on the phone you choose). I'll write more about these topics later this week, so stay tuned.

Refurbished Apple iPhone 3G for $79

Refurbished Apple iPhone 3G for $79! That's quite hard to beat! This deal is perfect for medical students (or underpaid residents) who need a new smartphone. Take a look at the AT&T site and see all the different refurbished phones they have listed. Or, click here. Image source: Appletell

Samsung Omnia Pro or B7610 Louvre

If you're a Windows Mobile user on the Verizon Wireless network and you happen to like sliders, then you're probably going to love the new Samsung Omnia Pro (aka, B7610 Louvre). This phone runs Windows Mobile 6.1 and will be upgradable to Windows Mobile 6.5. You'll also get a slide-out full QWERTY thumbboard, a 3.5-inch AMOLED touchscreen with WVGA resolution (800 by 480 pixels), a 5-megapixel camera, Wi-Fi connectivity, and 1GB of internal memory. I think this is going to beat out the HTC Touch Pro, but I don't know how it compares to the newer HTC Touch Pro2.

AMOLED = active-matrix organic light-emitting diode
We don't see many phones using OLED screens, but maybe this trend will change with the next generation of smartphones.

Are You Tethering on the Palm Pre?

If you're a luck Palm Pre owner, are you also one to hack and modify your phone? Some people have reported that you can tether using your Palm Pre (even though Sprint does not allow tethering on this device). Interested in learning more? You'll have to do a bit of digging, but I don't think it will be difficult to find the instructions. Implementing them is a different story...

Patient Tracking Software for Smartphones and PDAs

Does it make sense to run patient tracking software on smartphones or PDAs? If you are running an EHR (Electronic Health Record) in your hospital and you're able to access the same data on your smartphone, then that's the ideal situation. Otherwise, I wonder if it makes sense to use a smartphone to re-record all that data. If you work in a hospital that doesn't employ digital records, then be patient (forgive the pun) because that will change very shortly. Hospitals that don't have EHRs and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) will have them within a few years.

If I were starting my clinical clerkships or residency next month, I don't think I'd try to use a smartphone to track my patients. I don't know that it's worth the extra effort considering that you're probably surrounded by computers everywhere. If anything, I'd advocate for the use of an ultra-mobile PC so that you can gain access to all the digital records and computerized physician order entry (CPOE) when you're on-the-go.

Evernote on the Palm Pre

Evernote is now available for the Palm Pre. If you're one of the lucky owners of this smartphone, then you may want to use this note-capturing software.

"Evernote allows you to easily capture information in any environment using whatever device or platform you find most convenient, and makes this information accessible and searchable at any time, from anywhere."

Don't own a Pre? Evernote is also available for the Apple iPhone, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile. Do you use Twitter? Follow Evernote @myen. Did I mention that Evernote is free? They also have a Premium option if you need additional features.

Epocrates on the BlackBerry

Epocrates started out as a drug database software for handheld computers called PDAs (personal digital assistants). At the time, the dominant PDA was called the Palm Pilot and Epocrates was a free resource. Medical students, residents, and attendings who had Palm Pilots installed and used Epocrates. Epocrates was ubiquitous.

Now, the original Palm OS is dying (some may argue that it's already dead), and many healthcare professionals have switched to the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry. Some are using Windows Mobile and some even still use PDAs and standard mobile phones.

I predict that over the next few years, smartphones will dominate the healthcare industry. The Palm Pre may gain traction quickly, but Android will gain popularity too. So where does that leave BlackBerry? If BlackBerry continues producing devices that leverage the touch screen interface, then Epocrates will be very usable on these devices. Image source: Wired.com

Medical Smartphones: Top 3 Posts Last Week

Here are the top 3 posts for last week:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

3. Apple iPhone, BlackBerry Storm, or Palm Pre?

The same posts continue to remain very popular each week. People are looking for instructions on how to use their smartphones to tether and get online with their laptops. I've been tethering with my smartphones for several years now and it's so great to have immediate access to the Web - anywhere I go.

Apple iPhone and iPod Touch OS 3.0 Upgrade

On June 17, the Apple iPhone OS (operating system) 3.0 upgrade will be released by Apple. I've heard that the OS has leaked out on various torrent sites, but I haven't looked. This upgrade will also be available for iPod touch users, but it won't be free. It's $9.95 for iPod touch users. It's free for iPhone users.

Many of the features in 3.0 have been available to users who have hacked (jailbreak) their iPhones. Tethering may be one of the most practical feature for users who travel with their laptops. For iPod touch users, the improvements to Safari may be worth the $9.95 if you do a lot of mobile browsing. Those improvements are described as, "Enjoy faster performance, autofill user names and passwords, and more."

Top Free Medical iPhone Application

It's not a surprise, but Epocrates continues to remain the top free medical iPhone/iPod Touch application in the iTunes store. Do you know what the top paid app is? Right now, it's something called Police Scanner. I guess it's not really a medical application, but it's listed in that category.

The 2nd top paid app is something called Diagnosaurus DDx. It's a tool to help guide the process of creating a differential diagnosis. I've used this tool on my Windows Mobile device (free version) and I'd say that it's a fairly useful tool for medical students and residents. It's probably worth 99 cents in the Apple Store.

Using PdaNet to Tether

Yes, I've used PdaNet to tether my smartphone with my laptop to get online. I don't use PdaNet anymore because my HTC smartphone running Windows Mobile 6.1 has a better way to get connected - either via USB or Bluetooth. However, I would recommend PdaNet for people who are looking for an economic way to get connected. They currently have a beta version for Android (so get it while it's still free!). If you use a BlackBerry, then you may want to check out PdaNet for BlackBerry. If you're willing to Jailbreak your Apple iPhone, then you can also use PdaNet on your iPhone. PdaNet is made by June Fabrics Technology Inc.

Used iPhones on eBay

I'm willing to bet that we'll see a surge of used Apple iPhones on eBay over the next few months as owners upgrade to the new iPhone 3G [S]. The iPhone 3G has a built-in GPS, so I believe it could be used as a GPS navigator even if you weren't using it as a phone (someone please correct me if I'm mistaken). Plus, since it has Wi-Fi, it could be used as a traditional PDA instead of a smartphone. The major downside of purchasing a used iPhone is the uncertainty about the remaining battery life.

Recycle Old Phones

Go Green and recycle your old mobile phones. Do you know where you can go to recycle your old phone? I suggest that you take a look at Recycling for Charities (RFC).

"Donate your old cell phone, PDA, digital camera, or iPod to be recycled and benefit the charity of your choice! RFC is a 501 (c)(3) non-profit organization helping other charities with wireless recycling efforts."

Want more information? http://www.recyclingforcharities.com

Mobile EHRs for the Apple iPhone

I was having an online discussion today and the question came up: which Electronic Health Records (EHRs) have an application for the Apple iPhone? I know of two major EHR companies that are developing iPhone apps:

1. Nextgen EHR Mobile
   
2. eClinicalWorks and eClinicalMobile

I'm sure there are others out there, but I thought I'd start the discussion with these two. These two are currently in development (unless I'm mistaken) and should be available sometime this year.

Hottest New Phones

According to infoSync, the hottest new phones are currently:

• Palm Pre
• Nokia N97
• LG Arena
• Samsung S8300 UltraTouch
• RIM BlackBerry Curve 8900
• Pharos Traveler 137
• Sony Ericsson C901
• Sony Ericsson W508

Want to read more about each of these? Go here for the infoSync story

PockeTwit Updated to v75b

If you're like me, you're addicted to Twitter. OK, maybe not addicted, but you use Twitter regularly. PockeTwit is a Twitter client that runs on Windows Mobile and it's just been updated to v75b. That's what I run on my old Verizon Wireless HTC smartphone.

Speaking of Twitter, have you seen my latest Twitter Tips for Healthcare Executives? Follow @DrJosephKim on Twitter.

New iPhone 3G S: Are You Impressed?

Apple has the talent to develop some really innovative devices, but I'm somewhat disappointed by this new iPhone 3G S (the S stands for Speed). They're including some features that aren't new for many who hack (or "Jailbreak") their phone: tethering and video. It sounds like AT&T will allow tethering on this new iPhone, but how much will they charge for that? I'm still waiting for the CDMA version that will run on Verizon Wireless.

Opera Mobile 9.7 for Windows Mobile

Opera has updated its smartphone browser for Windows Mobile devices. Beta version 9.7 is now available for Opera Mobile (not to be confused with Opera Mini).

I've been testing Opera Mobile for several months and I frequently get "out of memory" alerts that shut down the browser. It seems like it would be a great browser for smartphones that have enough memory and horsepower to handle it smoothly. Unfortunately, my outdated HTC phone just can't handle it so I'm left running either Skyfire or Pocket Internet Explorer.

Are Sliders the Way of the Future?

Don't you just love these simple terms? In my mind, smartphones come in 3 different designs:

• Smartphones that slide open a keyboard are known by some as "sliders." (not to be confused with the television show). They may slide open in a horizontal or vertical position. Some even open both ways. In some cases, the screen may rotate away to expose the keyboard (like the T-Mobile Sidekick).
  
• Phones that flip open are called "clamshells." (do they really look like clams?) Like sliders, they may open horizontally or vertically and some even open both ways.
  
• The standard phone that lacks any sliding or flipping parts is often called a "candybar." Plain and boring. No moving parts except for keyboard buttons. Care for Snickers anyone? The iPhone reminds me of a flat Hershey's chocolate bar.
  

One of my first phones was a Motorola StarTac (which was a clamshell). So, I used to have a Palm Treo 700wx that ran Windows Mobile. This was a rather thick candybar but I really enjoyed using this phone. I currently have an HTC slider that opens to reveal a keyboard. Sliders typically open either vertically or horizontally. Some even open in both directions. Newer clamshells also are being designed to open in both vertical and horizontal directions. Have you seen the Samsung Alias 2? That's a clamshell that opens in both directions.

So my original question was: are sliders the way of the future for healthcare professionals who need to use their phones for both professional and personal applications? Sliders offer a hardware keyboard plus a large screen. The major downside is that sliders are thick. However, the Palm Pre is a new slider that has a sleeker body and may set the standard that other manufacturers will try to emulate.

Did You Get a Palm Pre Yesterday?

So, were you one of the luck few who got a Palm Pre yesterday? Did you camp out, or were you just one of the lucky few?

Cheaper iPhone Tomorrow?

Apple is about to unveil the next iPhone at the 2009 Apple Worldwide Developers Conference (WWDC). If rumors are true, then this one should be less expensive and offer more capabilities. Video will be its key strength (some think it will be called the Video iPhone) and it will have a front-facing camera. There may be an option to purchase one that lacks built-in memory (so you'd have to add a memory card). That means you'd have to be able to open it up somehow. Does that also mean we might see a user-swappable battery? I doubt it.

So, what will this new iPhone be called? Video iPhone? iPhone 2009? iPhone?

Medical Smartphones: Top 3 Posts Last Week

Here are the top 3 posts for last week:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

3. Upgrade Your Treo 700wx to Windows Mobile 6.1

Are people still using the Treo 700wx? I had one for a few years, but I not use a phone made by HTC. My best is that Sprint customers who are using the outdated Palm OS are getting in line to purchase a Palm Pre.

BlackBerry Pearl Flip 8230

This is the first BlackBerry flip phone: the Pearl Flip 8230. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? If you want a smartphone but you prefer the flip design, then this might be the phone for you. It's currently available on Verizon Wireless and I'm guessing that it will be available on other networks (unless it's like the Storm).

Palm Pre: Evolutionary or Revolutionary?

There's an article in BusinessWeek about the Palm Pre. Titled, "A Smartphone Not Quite Smart Enough," author Stephen H. Wildstrom writes that the Palm Pre "seems evolutionary rather than revolutionary." His main point is that had the Palm Pre launched a year ago, it would have made a great impact in the smartphone market. However, now that we already have phones like the Apple iPhone, the BlackBerry Storm, and the G1 running Google Android, the Pre seems to be a "me too" product even though it boasts a new operating system called webOS. However, this new operating system may also be what hinders the success of the Palm Pre for people who want (or need) more applications.

So, what's to happen now that the Pre goes on sale today?

Did You Get a Palm Pre Today?

Today is June 6. Did you stand in line to get a Palm Pre today? If you didn't pick one up today, then I doubt you'll be getting one anytime soon. Best Buy didn't have too many to sell, so what about the Sprint Stores? If you got one in your hand, then count yourself lucky! You should blog about your initial impressions. Write about WebOS and the innovative docking cradle called the Palm Touchstone. Share your thoughts so that other can decide whether the Pre is the right phone for them.

MotionApps Classic for the Palm Pre

If you're one of the few people who end up getting a Palm Pre, make sure to check out MotionApps Classic. This software allows you to run a lot of older Palm OS applications. It's actually an emulator and it will bring you back to those early days when the antique Palm OS used to meet your medical needs. So, if you want to run some of your favorite medical software (like those calculators, converters, readers, and other applications), then you'll need this software that costs $29.99.

Remember that WebOS is entirely different from the Palm OS that you might be used to using. Get ready for a new experience if you haven't played with WebOS yet! Image soucre: PC Mag.

Palm Touchstone

The Palm Touchstone actually looks like a really innovative accessory. It's for the new Palm Pre smartphone. I think other companies can learn from this little piece of hardware that uses wireless charging via induction. Also, it holds the phone at a nice viewing angle via a magnetic contact (I hope that's not going to damage anything electronic). This is probably going to win some type of award for "engineering creativity." Who would have thought that a docking station for a mobile device could be so simple, yet so functional?

MPR: Monthly Prescribing Reference

Looking for some free medical software for your PDA or smartphone? Take a look at MPR: Monthly Prescribing Reference. You probably get these in the mail all the time. Now, you can get the digital version (eMPR) for free. They currently have software for Palm OS, Windows Mobile, and BlackBerry. They don't have software for the Apple iPhone yet, but it sounds like they're working on it. The software developer is USBMIS.

Here's a short blurb from their website: "Download the MPR Mobile & Desktop Edition for free access to over 4,000 up-to-date, concise drug monographs on your computer or mobile device."

Apple iPhone, BlackBerry Storm, or Palm Pre?

Right now, the most popular touch-screen smartphones are probably the Apple iPhone, the BlackBerry Storm (soon to be replaced by the Storm 2), and the upcoming Palm Pre. There's a newer version of the iPhone that we'll probably be seeing pretty soon, but I don't think you'll see a whole lot new in terms of form or function. Google Android just hasn't gained much traction among healthcare professionals mainly because of the paucity of medical software. I guess to be fair, I should also throw in a Windows Mobile device. However, I'm just not very excited about any of the existing models. Maybe if the next version of Windows Mobile (which should be version 7) ends up being an earth-shattering operating system, then I'll start getting excited again for Microsoft. By then, we'll probably be up to Windows Mobile 8 or 9 (maybe even 10).

So, if you had to buy a new smartphone this summer, which one would you choose?

• Apple iPhone (AT&T)
  
• BlackBerry Storm 2 (Verizon)
• Palm Pre (Sprint)

Will you wait until the device-of-choice ends up coming to your mobile carrier? Will we see the iPhone on the Verizon Wireless network? The Palm Pre will make its rounds eventually.

Palm Pre Reviewed by Engadget

Have you seen the Palm Pre review on Engadget? They always do a great job with their reviews. You get plenty of images and screen shots. We already know that the keyboard buttons are small. WebOS is an entirely new operating system and I think I need to get it in my own hands before I made a judgement about the "cards" on the Pre. I'm also glad to see Palm using the standard microUSB port on this device. I admit that I'll miss using all my miniUSB peripherals. So, are you ready to switch to Sprint? Will you wait until the Pre is available on you mobile carrier? To read the full Engadget review, click here. Image source: Engadget

Don't Miss this Interesting Story about "Cell Phone Elbow"

If you've never heard of "cell phone elbow" (also called cubital tunnel syndrome), then you won't want to miss this story: Do You Have Cell Phone Elbow?

Are Mobile Websites Necessary?

Many groups and companies are interested in starting a mobile website. Is this really necessary now that mobile web browsers are becoming more powerful? Is it critical to have a website that is formatted for the mobile screen? Or, will users learn how to zoom in and out and navigate a large webpage on a small screen? My guess is that as smartphones become more powerful, people will use them to browse standard webpages that are not specially formatted for small screens.

If you're determined to have a mobile website, check your web hosting service. Not sure who to use for hosting? Do your research first. Get familiar with some of the common misconceptions associated with web hosting. Your hosting service provider may offer additional resources to help you format your site so that your site meets the standards set forth by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C). According to Tim Berners-Lee, W3C Director and inventor of the Web., "the Mobile Web Initiative's goal is to make browsing the Web from mobile devices a reality." Last month, they published a working draft of "Relationship Between Mobile Web and Web Accessibility."

One of the key areas of concern on the Internet deals with data security. As expected, the W3C has an entire section devoted to Internet security. Do you browse with caution? Are you using the most secure web browser? Sometimes I wonder about the security of mobile web browsers. They are not built to be as robust as the newest versions of Internet Explorer or Firefox, but I don't know if anyone has done extensive research to investigate how many security breaches occur because people are using mobile browsers like Pocket Internet Explorer, Skyfire, Opera Mobile, Iris, and others.

More People are Tethering to Connect

Instead of purchasing a dedicated wireless card, more people are using their smartphones to tether their laptop/notebook to the Internet. On Verizon Wireless, this tethering can be done on a variety of handsets ranging from smartphones to other types of mobile phones that have the "Mobile Broadband Connect" capability. EV-DO speeds are similar to a medium DSL connection. It doesn't compare with blazing speeds like Verizon FiOS, but it's actually suitable for video and music streaming.

It's exciting to see how mobile technology is evolving. At the same time, I have to wonder about the health effects of these powerful handsets that can transfer such large amounts of data. Are we putting ourselves at risk by using smartphones? A simple voice call doesn't require much power, but if you're tethering or streaming videos, then now you're consuming a lot of power

Palm Pre Keyboard is Disappointing

Early reviews of the Palm Pre are rather disappointing. The keyboard really needs improvement. Perhaps the next version of the Palm Pre will have a better keyboard (of course, by then we'll have about 20 new smartphones in the market). If you're thinking about purchasing a Palm Pre, make sure to spend plenty of time with one in the store. Play with the keyboard and make sure you're comfortable with the small buttons. Image source: Boy Genius Report

Epocrates Pain Resource Center

The Epocrates Chronic Pain Mobile Resource Center has been upgraded to the Pain Management Mobile Resource Center. Did you catch the difference?

Chronic Pain -> Pain Management (which is a much broader topic)

Expert commentary is provided by Contributing Editor Perry G. Fine, MD, a leader in the field of pain management.

Losing Faith in Windows Mobile

I've been a loyal Windows Mobile user for many years. Before that, I was a loyal Apple user (does anyone remember the days when it was called Macintosh?). I've never been a BlackBerry user, and there was a time when I played around with the outdated Palm OS.

I'm starting to lose my faith in Windows Mobile. Microsoft has a huge talent pool (I know, because many of my friends and relatives work for Microsoft). Yet they have done very little to improve Windows Mobile. In the meanwhile, Apple has come along and they swept the nation with their iPhone. Google released Android and BlackBerry made some drastic improvements with the touch-screen Storm. Where are you Microsoft? Why all the delays with Windows Mobile 7? What's up with all these versions of Windows Mobile 6? (we had 6, then 6.1, then 6.3, and now 6.5, then we'll have 6.7, then 6.9, and then 6.93, and then probably 6.98...) Is this insane or what?

I think Microsoft has some tremendous potential, but unless we see some major improvements in the Windows Phone operating system, I plan to change to an entirely different system (and maybe even a new mobile carrier).

Using an Extended Battery

Do you use an extended battery on your smartphone? I've been using one on my HTC Windows Mobile phone for the last few weeks and it's been great having the extra capacity. My wife currently uses a Samsung smartphone running Windows Mobile and she hasn't needed an extended battery because she doesn't do a whole lot of e-mail or browsing on her smartphone. I don't have to worry about the battery dying if I do some heavy browsing on Skyfire or tweet using Twobile or PockeTwit.