Apple iPhone OS 3.0.1 update released, fixes SMS vulnerability

Apple has released the iPhone OS 3.0.1 update. This update fixes SMS vulnerability. That's it. Nothing too exciting.

I plan to get the Samsung Omnia on VZW

I've decided that my Verizon XV6800 (HTC Titan) is dying. The replacement sent by Verizon didn't work out and I think I'm simply going to have to bite the bullet and get a new phone. Since I'm stuck on Verizon, I think I'll go with the Samsung Omnia. It's currently listed at $199, so I'll wait until the price drops some more. It should drop relatively soon since the Omnia 2 may be coming out in late 2009 or early 2010 (according to my speculation). I admit that I'm really tempted to wait for the Omnia 2, but I don't want to spend more than $100 for a new phone. I get $100 of credit from Verizon, so if I can wait until the price is around $150, then I may bite the bullet. The BlackBerry Storm is already $99, so I could get that phone for free.

Ultimately, I want a smartphone that can:

1. Tether and connect my laptop to the Internet (both Windows Mobile and BlackBerry will do that)
   
2. Free GPS (prefer to use TomTom software. Don't want to pay for VZ Navigator. No TomTom for BlackBerry)
   
3. Run plenty of medical apps (this is also where the BlackBerry Storm falls short)
4. Browse the web (The Storm has a better built-in browser. However, you can run Skyfire or Opera Mini on Windows Mobile)
   

If I get the Samsung Omnia now, will I regret it when the Omnia 2 comes out? Probably. But I'm willing to live with that. I'm an early-adopting technologist, but I don't always need to have the latest and greatest when it comes to smartphones. I'd rather live more on the practical side and save $ (especially during these economic times). I've gone through enough smartphones and PDAs to know that these have a very finite life span and what you buy now simply won't last very long. So why pay much for something that will only last a few years at most?

Smartphones and the Medical Community – The Connection

This is a guest post by Kat Sanders.

It seems to be an epidemic of sorts, this fixation that the world at large seems to be developing for the iPhone. Although there have been equally good smartphones before it and there will definitely be some that are even better in the future, the iPhone has found a secure place in the history of smart gadgets. It is revolutionary not just in utility, style and design, but also in how clever the marketing and positioning of sales and value- added services are.

The iPhone is now increasing in value for doctors, simply because of the sheer volume of applications that are being written for this device. Medical personnel literally have the world at their fingertips, with information and medical details being provided if they only know where and how to look. Doctors are able to read patient scans using their phones; they can tap into the Electronic Medical Record systems and access patient records; and they can use the apps to look up or reference any tablet or medication.

The BlackBerry, the earlier favorite of most doctors (those who graduated from their PDAs and Palms), is now being relegated to the backseat by the iPhone. With a few universities mandating the ownership of either an iTouch or an iPhone and offering students a discounted price for the same, it’s only going to be a matter of time before this nifty device becomes a staple for every med student and doctor.

But there are some medics who still prefer their BlackBerries because of the fact that these phones are based on the Windows software. According to an article in the Washington Post, at the Johns Hopkins Health System, the doctors prefer the BlackBerry because most of the software that hospital uses is based on Windows.

Even so, the iPhone is slowly garnering a larger market share among medical personnel than most other smartphones taken together because of its superior graphics and video qualities and its larger memory. More and more doctors are pulling out their smartphones instead of tapping away at the laptops; after all, it’s much more convenient, certainly more handy, and extremely useful when you have applications specific to the medical field on your phone.

This article is written by Kat Sanders, who regularly writes on the topic of EKG tech. Kat welcomes your comments and questions at her email address: katsanders25@gmail.com

My replacement smartphone has arrived

My replacement XV6800 (HTC Titan) has arrived from Verizon Wireless. I don't enjoy the process of switching phones because it's such a hassle to do a backup/restore, and if that doesn't work, then I have to reinstall all my apps and synchronize all my data. Well, instead of blogging today, I'll be working on migrating everything to my replacement device.

You may be wondering why I got a replacement. Read: Is it time to switch to a new smartphone?

Is it time to switch to a new smartphone?

I've been using a Windows Mobile smartphone for several years and now I'm thinking that it may be time to switch to a BlackBerry Storm. Right now, I use the Verizon Wireless XV6800 made by HTC. It's an old phone and it's starting to have some hardware problems. I've asked Verizon to send me another replacement (which makes this phone #4) and I'm thinking about switching to a different phone.

I know that the BlackBerry Storm 2 is coming out this fall, but I don't need Wi-Fi and I can get the current Storm for free (with the "new every two" plan I get a $100 credit). So, what should I do? Should I switch from Windows Mobile to BlackBerry? If I weren't stuck on Verizon Wireless, then I'd go for the iPhone 3G S.

What would I miss if I switch from Windows Mobile to BlackBerry? The app that I'd miss the most is the TomTom GPS Navigator. I use my smartphone as a GPS when I'm driving. Although I could do that with the BlackBerry Storm, my options are fairly limited.

The alternative is to stay with Windows Mobile. I don't want another slider and I don't want to spend any money on a new device if I can get one for free. The Samsung Omnia is nice, but there's a newer model coming out soon. The HTC Touch is also nice, but there's the Touch 2 coming out soon. Maybe it's time to return to the Palm Treo form factor and go with the Samsung Saga. I'm torn. Perhaps it's time to switch to BlackBerry.

Agile Medicine for Google Android

If you're one of those few healthcare professionals who uses a smartphone running Google Android, do you have any experience using medical software from Agile Medicine? They currently have:

• AgileBloodGas (Android)
• AgileMedCalc (Android)
• AgileMedSearch (Android)
• AgileSciTools (Android)
• SimpleAdMonitor (Android)

I really like the Android interface, but the paucity of medical software makes this operating system difficult to adopt within the healthcare field.

Top posts on Medical Smartphones.com

Here are the top 5 posts on Medical Smartphones.com for the last week:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. 7 Useful, Free iPhone Apps for Medical Professionals

3. Best smartphone operating systems for physicians

4. NeoOffice Mobile for Apple iPhone

5. Does Epocrates run on a BlackBerry?

Medical software for Google Android

What type of medical software can you get for smartphones running Google Android? Your options are quite limited at this point. However, Unbound Medicine has several titles that are currently available for Android. We should also see mobilePDR for Android released in early 2010. It's only a matter of time before we start seeing many other providers offering medical software for Google Android. My prediction is that we'll see Epocrates, Skyscape, and PEPID come up with software for Android. You can always get access to certain references via mobile websites. Epocrates and UpToDate both have mobile-friendly websites that can be used by almost any smartphone.

Palm webOS 1.1 now available for the Palm Pre

Palm webOS 1.1 is now available for the Palm Pre. It fixed the sync problem with iTunes, but I wonder if the problem will recur the next time Apple updates iTunes. Corporate users are probably glad to have Exchange ActiveSync working. The update to 1.1 also includes some minor enhancements to the calendar, camera, clock, contacts, e-mail, messaging, and the phone system.

Have you rated Epocrates on iTunes?

Do you use Epocrates on your Apple iPhone or iPod Touch? There are currently over 1500 ratings and over 500 reviews for Epocrates. Have you contributed? I hope you'll spend a few minutes to rate and review Epocrates on iTunes. You can even indicate whether you found a particular review to be helpful. I always try to read reviews before I buy anything significant. I find that peer review can be very helpful.

As a growing number of healthcare professionals switch to the Apple iPhone, the availability of medical applications will continue to expand and we'll see some innovative apps that will leverage the new speed found on the iPhone 3G S. Pretty soon these smartphones won't be phones anymore. They'll literally be tiny computers.

Physicians Interactive acquires Skyscape

Physicians Interactive has now acquired Skyscape. Are they now the "World’s Leading Mobile Medical Information Provider?" Here are some snippets from the press release:

“With the addition of Skyscape, Physicians Interactive is poised to offer compelling services to engage physicians, both online as well as at the point of care, allowing life sciences companies to gain efficient access to this hard-to-reach audience,” said Donato Tramuto, vice chairman and CEO of Physicians Interactive Holdings LLC. “As a result of this deal, our third in 10 months, PI is now in a position to offer the broadest portfolio of services to physicians on the platform of their choice using a proven, scalable and innovative technology foundation.”

“Skyscape’s adoption rate by health care professionals has almost tripled this year, further validating the appeal of Skyscape’s offerings as well as the convenience of the mobile platform,” said Sandeep Shah, founder, president and CEO of Skyscape Inc. “With Physicians Interactive’s online tools and services, physicians will be able to aggregate and access a significant portion of all their information needs (clinical and other professional content) through a single platform using the technology of their choice.”

HTC Hero reviewed on Engadget

The HTC Hero running Google Android as its operating system (OS) has been reviewed by Engadget. What's the verdict? They think that the HTC Hero represents the best Android phone (for now), but the hardware is disappointing. HTC has made some incredible refinements to the Android OS, but the hardware isn't able to support everything in an optimal way.

Well, that's a bit disappointing. I wasn't planning on switching to Android because of the paucity of medical software that's currently available. However, it would be nice to expand the smartphone space with additional options. I'm a big HTC fan. I've owned several phones made by HTC and I think they do a great job designing their devices.

To read the review on Engadget, click here.

New iPods and old iPod accessories

I'm getting quite annoyed that older Apple iPod accessories are no longer working on newer iPod models. For instance, I have a Firewire charger that works on several of the older iPods. However, it won't work on the new iPod touch or the newest iPod nano. I also have a Belkin auto kit that works really well on my older iPods, but doesn't charge any of my new iPods. I have some power tips that work on my iGo, Kensington, and Targus universal power adapters. They also don't work on the newer iPods.

I'm so disappointed that I can't use my old charging tips and peripherals with my newer iPods. Why did you make this change Apple? The iPod dock connector looks the same, but it doesn't work the same way. That's very annoying. Will Apple issue a software update that fixes this issue? Can it be fixed via software/firmware, or is this a hardware issue?

BlackBerry Storm 9550 on video

Are you a CrackBerry? Watch the BlackBerry Storm 9550 (also known as the BlackBerry Storm 2) on video.

Smartphone Operating Systems

I've been thinking about current smartphone operating systems (OS). Do you know which ones run on handsets made by different manufacturers? Which ones are tied to handsets offered by the OS developer?

OS on phones made by different manufacturers:

• Windows Mobile
• Google Android
• Symbian S60 (who in the medical profession uses this?)

OS on phones offered by the OS developer:

• iPhone (Apple)
  
• BlackBerry (RIM)
  
• webOS (Palm)
  

Now, here's a bit of interesting trivia:

• Android and webOS are based on Linux
• iPhone is based on NetBSD
• BlackBerry and Android are based on Java

So will a single OS predominate within the healthcare field? When you look at the exclusivity arrangements that each mobile carrier currently has, it's difficult to predict the future. However, let's assume for a moment that most mobile carriers will have a wider selection of phones running all the major smartphone operating systems. Then, we're on an even playing field. Which OS will win? Will it depend on mobile carrier exclusivity rights?

BlackBerry Storm price drops as the Storm 2 approaches

You may have noticed that Verizon Wireless has been dropping the price on the BlackBerry Storm. Does this mean that the Storm 2 is imminent? I think so. I wonder what type of marketing campaign they will use to promote the Storm 2. Will consumers know how to tell the difference between the Storm and the Storm 2?

• Wi-Fi
  
• SurePress Screen (clickable screen)
• Buttons
  

What other features are going to be different? Consumers will get really confused if Verizon continues selling the old Storm along with the new Storm 2 (which I'm sure they'll do until they deplete their stock). Will we see a GSM version of the Storm 2 appearing on other mobile carriers?

TweetCaster (by Handmark) for BlackBerry

Does it seem like everyone is using Twitter? Are you looking for a Twitter client for your BlackBerry? Perhaps you should try TweetCaster by Handmark. Send a tweet and get it for free!

Here are some of the features:

* Toggle between accounts
* URL shortening
* Picture sharing
* One-step @reply and RT
* GPS locator to find Twitter friends near you
* Real-time trending topics list

If you use Twitter, I hope you'll find this application useful. You can get TweetCaster here. Make sure to follow @DrJosephKim

Zynx Health and eClinicalWorks join forces: Zynx AmbulatoryCare

Please refer to the post on MedicineandTechnology.com: Zynx Health and eClinicalWorks join forces: Zynx AmbulatoryCare

NeoOffice Mobile for Apple iPhone

NeoOffice is a free Mac OS X suite of applications that you can use if you choose not to purchase the Microsoft Office suite. NeoOffice Mobile is currently being tested on mobile devices such as the Apple iPhone. NeoOffice Mobile is being designed with these 3 principles in mind:

• Mobile phone support
• Tight integration with NeoOffice
• Security and high availability

Looks fairly promising right now. Let's see what other Office solutions start appearing in the near future for the Apple iPhone.

Apple iPhone vs. Palm Pre - speed

Which device is faster? The new Apple iPhone 3G S or the Palm Pre? How do you run an objective speed test? Let the guys at CNET do it for you in this little video. Can't see the video? Make sure to view it on MedicalSmartphones.com

CME on a smartphone

There are several ways of getting Continuing Medical Education or CME credit using your smartphone. Allow me to list several ways (this is NOT meant to be a comprehensive list):

• Mobile CME via Epocrates
  
• Skyscape CME STAT
  
• UpToDate via mobile web browser (paid subscription required)
  
• MedPageToday via mobile web browser
• ReachMD for Apple iPhone
  

There are many other sources that are providing CME for mobile devices, so stay tuned. As mobile web browsers become more powerful and allow Flash movies and other multimedia formats, we should be seeing more forms of handheld CME delivered via mobile web browsers. This way, clinicians will get to use almost any type of smartphone to participate in these CME activities. You won't be limited to a specific operating system if you're simply using a mobile web browser.

Pocket Guide to Diagnostic Tests for iPhone

Here's an interesting utility from Unbound Medicine

Did you fill out the mobilePDR survey?

So at midnight (Eastern time) on July 17, I went to http://choice.mobilepdr.com/ to fill out the mobilePDR survey. It still wasn't up. Maybe they should have said:

Sometime around July 17th, 2009 you can utilize this page to tell us your preference for receiving mobilePDR®. (emphasis mine)

Well, that's OK. I'll check again later. It'll probably list a different date up there. How hard can it be to set up a survey? I'll revise this post later on July 17 if the survey goes up today.

HTC Hero - the "best" Android phone yet

It appears that the HTC Hero is being called the "best" Android phone yet. Considering that we've seen so few phones running Android, I'm not entirely sure what this means. However, I do know that HTC makes some fantastic phones that always seem to get rebranded (some examples of that type of rebranding include: Palm Treo, T-Mobile Dash, and Verizon Wireless XV6800).

When I hear the word "Hero," I now automatically think of a martial arts movie titled, "Hero." That movie stars Jet Li, Tony Leung, Maggie Cheung, Donnie Yen, and Zhang Ziyi.

MobilePDR Survey

Looks like the online mobilePDR survey won't be available until July 17. It was supposed to be live on July 15, but now the site says July 17. I wonder if it will change again tomorrow.

To fill out the survey, visit: http://choice.mobilepdr.com/
(No use clicking on that link today)

I'm eager to see more medical references for BlackBerry and Android. Will Symbian gain enough traction to become a popular operating system for healthcare professionals? At this point, I doubt it.

Using Epocrates Rx Pro on the BlackBerry

Watch this short demo of Epocrates Rx Pro on the BlackBerry.

Medical software for the BlackBerry

There are a growing number of medical software solutions for the BlackBerry. Here's a list to get you started:

• Epocrates
  
• Skyscape (they offer a suite a products)
• USBMIS (Tarascon Pocket Pharmacopoeia, Sanford Guide)
  
• mobile MPR (Monthly Prescribing Reference)
  
• Unbound Medicine (like Skyscape, they offer a suite a products)
• PEPID
• Up to Date (via mobile web browser)
• QxMD
• mobilePDR (coming "back" soon)

This is a growing list (and this isn't a comprehensive list either). I simply wanted to highlight some of the more popular options that are out there. Navigation is often quite limited if you don't have a touch screen on your device, regardless of your operating system. The BlackBerry Storm 2 should be coming out soon (and may appear on more networks if rumors are true).

MotionApps Classic Palm OS Emulator

The folks over at Brighthand have reviewed the MotionApps Classic Palm OS Emulator for the Palm Pre running webOS. Their conclusion?

MotionApps Classic is a transitional aid. It will help long-time Palm OS users switch to the webOS, and help Palm, Inc. get the webOS off the ground.

Will this emulator keep the original Palm OS alive? I doubt it. We're already seeing very sophisticated medical software for other devices and the original Palm OS is simply dead. Remember that the Palm Pre doesn't include a stylus pen so you have to rely on your finger for touch input.

Another drug reference application for the BlackBerry

I've written about this in the past, but since I get so many questions regarding the BlackBerry, I thought I'd point this out again. Here's another drug reference application for the BlackBerry: Mobile MPR (Monthly Prescribing Reference)

Currently, they have this available for:

• BlackBerry OS 4.1 or higher
  
• Windows Mobile/ Pocket PC
  
• Palm OS
  

What's missing? Apple iPhone, Google Android, and webOS for the Palm Pre.

This application will only take 3-5 MB of space, so to download it and try it out, visit: http://www.empr.com/

Twitter on the Palm Pre with Spaz

Do you Twitter? If you have a Palm Pre running webOS, then you may want to try Spaz. It's a Twitter client that's currently in free beta mode. The final version will cost $3. If you prefer to use your mobile web browser, just point it to: m.twitter.com

m.twitter.com will work on any mobile web browser. If you try it on a standard browser, just click on the button that says: "View Twitter in: Standard"

I'm still waiting for TweetDeck to become available for more mobile devices. Currently, TweetDeck is only available for the PC and the Apple iPhone. Make sure to follow me (@DrJosephKim) on Twitter.

The mobilePDR is coming back

The PDR or the Physicians' Desk Reference is a huge drug reference book. Several years ago, I remember using an application called the mobilePDR. Then, things changed and Thomson released the Clinical Xpert for the PDA/Smartphone (which included drug info). Now, it appears that Thomson Reuters is bringing the mobilePDR back.

The mobilePDR will be supported on:

• Apple iPhone and iPod touch
• BlackBerry OS 4.1 or higher
• Palm OS (original)
• Windows Mobile
• Symbian S60, 3rd edition (Nokia)
• Google Android

Hmm, I don't see WebOS for the Palm Pre on that list right now. Maybe they forgot to include it. Or, perhaps they simply think that everyone who owns a Palm Pre will end up running MotionApp Classic emulator.

It's about time we start seeing some medical applications for Google Android. According to Thomson, mobilePDR will require about 100 MB of space and will be available to purchase on a memory card for $14.95. Of course, you can also download the application and install it yourself if you have already have a memory card.

BlackBerry Tour Worldphone now available

The BlackBerry Tour Worldphone is now available from Verizon Wireless and Sprint. Although both of those networks rely on CDMA technology here in the U.S., the BlackBerry Tour is capable of switching to GSM for worldwide use. I'm not sure what other countries still use CDMA technology (maybe a few in Asia), but the rest of the world is on GSM. Will UMTS become the next global standard as we evolve into 4G networks?

Medical Smartphones: Top posts for last week

Here are the most popular posts from the previous week on MedicalSmartphones.com

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. 7 Useful, Free iPhone Apps for Medical Professionals

3. Best smartphone operating systems for physicians

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

5. Medicine Meets Apple iPhone on CNBC

6. Epocrates on the BlackBerry

7. Free Skyscape Medical Software

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

9. HTC Hero will run Google's Android

10. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

Summer tip: prevent your electronics from overheating in the car

Here's a relatively simple summer tip for those of you who keep electronics (such as iPods and GPS navigators) in the car. Keep a small ice chest in your car and keep your electronics in the ice chest. They should stay cooler in there (compared to your console or glove compartment box).

Never leave your iPod or GPS units in direct sunlight when you park your car. The temperature inside your car can get extremely high during the summer. Plus, you're at risk of losing your electronic device to theft if it's out in the open. Want to keep your device even cooler? Keep that ice chest in the trunk of your car.

Epocrates on the Apple iPhone

You've probably already seen this video (if you haven't, you're probably already using Epocrates on your iPhone, so you don't need to watch this video). For those who want to see Epocrates on the Apple iPhone, take a look at this clip:

Run Epocrates on the Palm Pre

If you own a Palm Pre, you've probably already figured this out. But, in case you haven't, let me teach you a little trick. You can run Epocrates on the Palm Pre through the MotionApp Classic emulator. Epocrates isn't currently available for webOS, so this is really the only way you can run the native application. You can also access Epocrates online via a mobile web browser by going to: m.epocrates.com

Warning: there have been reports of a "blue screen of death or BSOD" when you run MotionApp's Classic on the Palm Pre. It looks like people are looking at ways to fix this problem, so stay tuned.

Epocrates MedTools

Here's a list of Epocrates MedTools that are available for both Palm OS (original OS, not webOS) and Windows Mobile. Which one do you find to be most useful?

• MedMath
• Adult ADHD Screener Tool
• BMI Tool
• Corticosteroid Converter
• Drip Rate Calculator
• Essentials for Cardiology
• Essentials for Oncology
• Gail Breast Cancer Risk Calc
• GFR Calculator
• Heparin Dosing Protocol
• INR Calc
• Opioid Analgesic Converter
• STAT Cholesterol Tool
• Tarceva Rash Management Guide Tool
• Temperature Converter
• Topical Corticosteroids

If you're using the Apple iPhone or a BlackBerry, then you're probably waiting for some of these tools for your device. If you're on webOS or Android, I don't know what to tell you. Let's hope that we start seeing more of these tools on other smartphone operating systems.

Does the iPhone 3G S have problems with heat?

There have been rumors about the new Apple iPhone 3G S having problems with overheating. Apple claims it's the summer heat, but what if the new speedy processor is really causing some heat issues? The old iPhone had a slower processor. Hence, it didnt' get so hot. The new iPhone is named the 3G S where S = Speed. Speed comes at a cost, doesn't it? The laws of thermodynamics tell us that.

So, I'm curious: how many more reports will we be hearing of iPhones overheating? There's no internal fan to cool the iPhone. Heat also damages batteries (or I should say that heat wears down batteries quickly). Since the iPhone doesn't have a user-replaceable battery, the heat issue ends up being a double whammy. It can fry your phone, plus it can fry your battery. Let's just hope we don't see any exploding iPhones this summer.

Nokia N97

Is the Nokia N97 a good option for medical students, residents, physicians, and other healthcare professionals? Unfortunately, I'll have to say no. Why? Because it runs the Symbian S60v5 operating system. You will have a very difficult time finding any medical software for Symbian. So, unless you plan to carry a separate PDA (who does that these days?), you're much better choosing another smartphone that runs a different OS.

I really like Nokia and their products. It's a shame for the medical community to see that Nokia has been slow to adopt operating systems that are more appropriate for healthcare professionals.

Perhaps if we eventually embrace Cloud Computing and run apps on the cloud, then we won't be dependent on native apps and we won't really care that much about the operating system. Until then, we (as healthcare professionals) must use smartphones that will allow us to run critical medical apps.



To get see a great range of new Nokia handsets including the Nokia n97 and Nokia n8 visit dialaphone today and find the best deal to suit you.

HTC TouchFLO in action

Here's a brief video that shows the HTC TouchFLO interface in action.

Free Skyscape Medical Software

Here are a few examples of free Skyscape medical software:

• MedStream ™ - Skyscape's dynamic medical information channels
• MedAlert: Tailored Medical Specialty Information Right To Your PDA
• Archimedes™ - Free Medical Calculator
• CheckRx™: Patient Drug Interactions Guide
• MedWatch - Drug Alerts for your Mobile Device - FREE MedStream Channel
• .911™ - FREE Emergency Management Resource
• Skyscape Food Guide
• Skyscape CME STAT ™

Most of these titles work on the original Palm OS and Windows Mobile. Skyscape is still working on developing software for the Apple iPhone and BlackBerry. They currently have several titles for these devices, but more should be coming soon.

Skyscape also has some free ACC (American College of Cardiology) Pocket Guides that are great for medical students, residents, and even cardiology fellows:

• ACC Pocket Guide - Perioperative Cardiovascular Evaluation for Noncardiac Surgery
• ACC Pocket Guide - Ventricular Arrhythmias and the Prevention of Sudden Cardiac Death
• ACC Pocket Guide - Management of Patients With Unstable Angina and Non-ST-Segment Elevation Myocardial Infarction
• ACC Pocket Guide - Implantation of Cardiac Pacemakers and Antiarrhythmia Devices
• ACC Pocket Guide - Coronary Artery Bypass Graft Surgery
• ACC Pocket Guide - Management of Patients With Valvular Heart Disease
• ACC Pocket Guide - Evaluation and Management of Chronic Heart Failure in the Adult
• ACC Pocket Guide - Management of Patients With Chronic Stable Angina
• ACC Pocket Guide - Management of Patients With ST-Elevation Myocardial Infarction
• ACC Pocket Guide - Peripheral Arterial Disease
• ACC Pocket Guide - Clinical Application of Echocardiography
• ACC Pocket Guide - Management of Patients With Atrial Fibrillation

HTC Touch Pro2 coming to T-Mobile

If you're a fan of Windows Mobile and you're on T-Mobile, you may be happy to know that the HTC Touch Pro2 is coming soon. This slider is a fantastic smartphone (if you like sliders) and has a 528 MHz processor, 288 MB of RAM, and a microSD card slot. Like other HTC smartphones, it also includes Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, a built-in GPS chip, and a camera. I use the flash on my camera as a flashlight.

This phone will come with Windows Mobile 6.1 but it will also be capable of running Windows Mobile 6.5 (and I believe that software upgrade will be offered through HTC for all users).

I'm guessing that we can expect to see this model on Sprint, Verizon, and AT&T. Isn't it great when we can get the same phone on all major wireless carriers? Will the U.S. ever move in that direction? Or, will we stay forever stuck in this strange system where each carrier has access to a few novel phones that are not available anywhere else?

iPhone and iPod Touch OS 3.0 Software Updates

FYI, if you're trying to update your Apple iPhone or iPod touch operating system to OS 3.0, make sure you're using the correct firmware update files. iTunes will automatically download the correct file for you, but in case you start getting confused, here are the files you'll need:

• iPhone 2G (1st generation) OS Firmware 3.0: iPhone1,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
• iPhone 3G (2nd generation) OS Firmware 3.0: iPhone1,2_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
• iPod Touch (1st generation) OS Firmware 3.0: iPod1,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw
• iPod Touch (2nd generation) OS Firmware 3.0: iPod2,1_3.0_7A341_Restore.ipsw

My iPod touch (2nd generation) is now running OS 3.0. Was it worth $9.95? Yes, because some of the apps now require OS 3.0 to run. If you're using iTunes, the update process is fairly automatic.

However, if you're trying to manually update the firmware, here's how you can do it:

• Connect your iPod touch to your PC
  
• Hold Shift and click the "Restore" button on iTunes (In Mac OS X system, press and hold Option key and click Update)
• Locate the correct iPod Touch ipsw file and proceed with the software update

The update process will start and your iPod may reboot a few times. Do not disconnect the iPod touch until iTunes has completed updating.

Palm OS - survival of the fittest?

Do I believe in "survival of the fittest?" Well, if you're talking about evolution and the idea that we came from a single-celled organism, then no. However, if you're talking about general concepts regarding the continued survival of the "best," then sure. We see this happening all the time.

The Palm OS (Operating System) has gone through some evolution, but not enough to keep it alive over the past few years. WebOS is an entirely different OS, so when I refer to the Palm OS, I am NOT referring to WebOS.

I have old Palm Pilots that ran the Palm OS 1.0. Remember the "Pilot 1000?" Then we saw the "Palm Pilot" and then we saw leaps in hardware technology when then Palm V came out. We started seeing backlit screens (who uses these things in the dark?) and even color screens. Devices started to use rechargeable batteries instead of AAA. However, the OS had only evolved to Palm OS 3.0 and it was still not capable of multitasking. Meanwhile, Pocket PC was starting to gain market share.

The latest devices run Palm OS 5 (which came out in 2002) and these devices have nice color screens and fast processors. But, they are also incapable of multitasking. That's probably what killed the Palm OS. The Palm OS simply wasn't fit to survive. As a result, people saw the writing on the wall and knew that Palm (the OS, not the hardware) was soon going to be dead.

Fortunately, we now have a new OS in town. WebOS is built on Linux and it has the ability to multitask, but it still has significant room for improvement.

Thomson Clinical Xpert

Do you use Thomson Clinical Xpert? I used this back in the days when it was called Micromedex. Remember those days? Currently, Clinical Xpert is only available for the original Palm OS and for Pocket PC (Windows Mobile). It's more than a simple drug database or drug reference guide. To get an idea about different types of databases, here's the list of what you can download:

Name (check ALL databases you want on your handheld PDA)	Approximate Size		Expires
	Palm	Pocket PC
Alternative Medicine Information	461 KB	461 KB	12/14/2010
Calculators	27 KB	27 KB	12/14/2010
Disease Information	4230 KB	4230 KB	12/14/2010
Drug Information	13769 KB	13769 KB	12/14/2010
Drug Interaction Tool	1400 KB	1400 KB	12/14/2010
Supplemental Info	2291 KB	2291 KB
Mobile Lab Advisor	2548 KB	2548 KB	12/14/2010
Toxicology Information	1013 KB	1013 KB	12/14/2010
Xpert Alerts™	5 KB	5 KB	12/31/2020
Auto-View Alerts	0 KB	0

It's great to have resources like this for the PDA/smartphone. Will we see a version of the Apple iPhone? What about Google Android or WebOS?

Watch the Epocrates OTC in action

Watch this video that demonstrates this new feature found in Epocrates: over-the-counter drug database feature for the BlackBerry.

GSM Palm Pre soon to be available

A GSM version of the Palm Pre has been announced by Palm. If you're not on a CDMA network like Verizon or Sprint, then you'll be glad to know that the Palm Pre may be coming your way fairly soon. In Europe, the Palm Pre will launch with O2 and Movistar (no one knows when exactly, but hopefully it will be "soon.") When will we see a GSM version in the United States?

7 Useful, Free iPhone Apps for Medical Professionals

This is a guest post written by: Dena White

The new iPhone is a fantastically convenient device. This great little machine is a web browser, an iPod, an email client, as well as many more gadgets that are great for helping the medical professional with his or her everyday tasks. Even better, there are quite a number of different medical applications that will make your life easier. Let us find out more about the seven iPhone applications that we found most useful for medical professionals.

Drug Pronunciations Lite

Drug Pronunciations Lite is a useful application that plays back audio that correctly pronounces more than two hundred different drug names that are currently on the market. Practically everyone in the field of medicine from physicians and pharmacists to nursing students and medical techs will benefit from this free medical app.

Relax with Andrew Johnson Lite

The life of a medical professional is fast paced and can be overwhelming at times. The ability to relax completely and alleviate stress is critical to staying healthy. Relax with Andrew Johnson Lite is the great way to slow the world down a notch or two. It teaches techniques for relaxation to aid in pain control, ME, posttraumatic stress disorder, pain control, and several other stress-related symptoms.

HRS.09 eGuide

This is an electronic, interactive version of the program for the Heart Rhythm 2009 conference. No need to flip through countless pages to find the information that you want, it is all at your fingertips with this complete eGuide, with features such as local information, adding sessions to your personal calendar, session filters, as well as brief session information.

a – Choo!

This free medical app is a fast and convenient way to stay updated on the "Swine Flu" virus, H1N1.

ACC Pocket Guidelines

This one is a support tool for clinical practice that comes from the American College of Cardiology Foundation. It is the perfect portable reference tool for the active medical professional. This great application comes with Transthoracic and Transesophageal Echocardiography Appropriateness Criteria Tool that gives you a convenient reference list of common uses, both appropriate and not, of echocardiography. It also features a decision support app that guides physicians on ordering SPECT MPI to detect and assess coronary artery disease. You have the option of choosing a specific tool or taking them all.

Skyscape Medical Resources

This one is an extremely useful collection of free resources for decision support and medical information for medical professionals such as physicians, physician assistants, nurses, nurse practitioners, nursing students, medical students and many others in the healthcare field.

ACC.09 eGuide

This is an electronic, interactive guide to the ACC.09/i2 Summit 2009. This app puts all the information you want right in the palm of your hand with great features such as session filters, detailed presentation information, the ability to add sessions to your personal calendar, shuttle and hotel information for the area in and around the convention, as well as important details and location information for all exhibitors.

Always On, On The Go

Medical professionals are no strangers to life on the go. These are just a few of the most useful apps for medical professionals. Take the time to check online from time to time to get the most current medical applications for your iPhone.

Dena White is a freelance writer and covers topics such as nurses assistant and medical careers, health care topics, and more.

Epocrates Adds OTC Drugs

Epocrates has added OTC (over-the-counter) drugs to its drug reference software. Find OTC information all in one place, including active ingredients, dosing, formulations, flavors and alternatives. The new OTC content is available with any Epocrates' mobile premium subscription (online to follow). On my device, the OTC drugs appear as red/maroon/brown links under the "Rx" tab. Herbal/complementary products appear as gray links and the prescription drugs still appear as black links. The first OTC product you'll see under the letter "A" is A+D Cream. The OTC feature will be available on: Palm, iPhone, Blackberry, Windows Mobile. Are you using Epocrates?

Apple iPod touch - a great distraction for kids

The Apple iPod touch is a great distraction for kids while you're traveling. Whether you're in the car of a restaurant, this little device (that's fairly robust due to the fact that it has no moving parts) can save your life if your little one is screaming in the car or restaurant. The built-in accelerometer is a great feature that kids love. Plus, the touch-screen interface is easy to use.

Medical Smartphones: Top posts for last week

For the last week, here are the most popular posts on MedicalSmartphones.com

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

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

3. Top Free Medical iPhone Application

4. Best smartphone operating systems for physicians

5. Smartphones for Residency

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

7. Epocrates on the BlackBerry

8. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

9. Medical smartphone use in other countries

10. Soaring Palm Pre Sales

Search engine keywords for MedicalSmartphones.com

Occasionally, I'll list the keywords that drive the most traffic to this site via search engines. This goes into the whole science of search engine optimization (SEO). My site isn't very optimized because I blog about so many different things. Curious about the list? Here it is:

1. verizon tethering
2. palm pre medical applications
3. palm pre medical
4. palm pre
5. best smartphone for physicians
6. palm pre keyboard
7. is the iphone coming to verizon
8. ipod touch upgrade
9. best phone for medical students
10. medical smartphones

Surprised by the list? What happens if you type some of these terms into Google? Over the last 30 days (mainly the month of June), search engine traffic represented over 42% of my site traffic. Compared to the 30 days prior to that (the month of May), that's a 62% increase!

BlackBerry Pearl Flip

The BlackBerry Pearl Flip is a really nice phone if you like flip phones and the BlackBerry operating system. One of my early memories of a cell phone is the Motorola StarTac. The Flip 8320 is compact, sleek, and has a decent keyboard for a flip phone.

infoSync World gives it the following review:

Pros: Top-notch messaging options. Clever, light design. Colorful screen and updated interface. Cons: Feels a bit cheap and flimsy. Mediocre performance hurt usability. Lacked impressive battery life of larger BlackBerry devices.

Happy 4th of July America!

Today is July 4 and it marks Independence Day in the United States. Our country has changed dramatically since 9-11 and I think Independence Day has a revived meaning in this country. As we combat terrorism and fight for freedom, let us continue to pray for our soldiers and their families.

Medicine Meets Apple iPhone on CNBC

Interested in seeing how the Apple iPhone is being used by healthcare professionals? Take a look at this video (with a focus on AirStrip).

Samsung Jet - not a medical smartphone

I want this phone just so that I can say that I have the "Samsung Jet." Who comes up with these names? Jet sounds like an airplane, not a phone. The Jet is going to have a very fast processor (800 MHz) and the TouchWIZ 2.0 interface (which is supposed to be an improvement over the original TouchWIZ). Perhaps I should refer to TouchWIZ as the operating system. With TouchWIZ, you get to play around with widgets on your smartphone. If you love widgets, then you may really enjoy this interface. Otherwise, you should like the phone for its cube menu interface. However, if you're looking for a smartphone that will run medical applications, this is probably not the phone for you. Even though it will have a nice interface, I don't think you'll find any medical software for it. The one-finger zoom looks like a nice feature, but I think I still prefer the two-finger approach on the Apple iPhone.

Speaking of interfaces, why do hardware manufacturers need to develop creative user interfaces for Windows Mobile? Why can't Microsoft simply incorporate touch-friendly interfaces into its operating system? That's why HTC has TouchFLO.

webOS 1.0.4 includes security fixes

Palm has released another update for the Palm Pre webOS. Version 1.0.4 includes some important security fixes. That's about it. The release notes from Palm are not very specific, so I can't be very specific either. "This release addresses several security issues with Palm webOS software."

BlackBerry Tour "world phone"

The BlackBerry Tour is a "world phone" that will be coming to Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Both of these networks currently use CDMA technology. Most of Europe, Asia, and the rest of the world use GSM. As a results, to offer a "world phone," Sprint and Verizon must use a phone that works on both the CDMA network (for the U.S.) and the GSM network for the rest of the world. The BlackBerry Tour will provide EV-DO Rev A speeds on the CDMA network. When you're roaming, you'll have access to 850/900/1800/1900 MHz GSM/GPRS/EDGE as well as 2100 MHz UMTS/HSPA networks.

So, if you're locked into Sprint or Verizon and you're a world traveler because you attend international medical meetings (like the World Federation Of Neuro-Oncology or the International Association for the Study of Pain), then pick up a world phone. You'll be glad you did if you get lost in a foreign city. I just hope we see more medical software for the BlackBerry operating system.

Venous Thromboembolism Mobile Resource Center

The Venous Thromboembolism (VTE) Mobile Resource Center is now available on Epocrates and it features the following:

• Recent conference highlights, scientific abstracts, and clinical news articles updated every two weeks
• Expert commentary by Kenneth A. Bauer, MD, providing unique insight and analysis
• Star ratings based on the clinical significance of the information
• Helpful resources for you, your patients, and their caregivers

Are you using Epocrates? How are you keeping up with all the new drugs that are coming out? There are many new agents that are being studied for the prevention and treatment of VTE: factor Xa inhibitors, factor IIa inhibitors, and more. Make sure you keep up with your pharmacology.

Medical Smartphones: Top Posts in June 2009

Here are the most popular posts for the month of June on MedicalSmartphones.com

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

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

4. Top Free Medical iPhone Application

5. Upgrade Your Treo 700wx to Windows Mobile 6.1

6. Smartphones for Residency

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

8. Epocrates on the BlackBerry

9. Smartphone Wars

10. Smartphone Use Increasing Among Physicians

Apple iPhone OS 3.1 beta is out there

It seems like yesterday when OS 3 came out. Now, we have OS 3.1 beta floating out there. If you're a developer, have you played around with the iPhone OS 3.1 beta? It's out there and Engadget reports things like a "Save a Copy" option for 3G S video editing that lets you retain the original film while saving an edited clip, as well as some reports of MMS being activated. Sounds exciting, doesn't it? I hope OS 3.1 doesn't cause new headaches for developers.

Does Epocrates run on a BlackBerry?

As of now, certain Epocrates solutions work on a BlackBerry. Others don't. Do you know which ones do and which ones don't?

• Epocrates Free - Yes
• Epocrates Pro - Yes
• Epocrates Essentials - No
• Epocrates Essentials Deluxe - I'll let you guess that one based on the previous answer
  
• Epocrates Medtools - No
• Epocrates Mobile CME - No

So, should you get a BlackBerry if you're a medical student? What if you're a resident? I would advise against it at this point. Unless you plan to do all your medical research using the web browser, I would suggest that you get a phone that has more medical software available for its operating system. Right now, that limits you mainly to Windows Mobile and the Apple iPhone. You could get the Palm Pre (which runs WebOS) and purchase additional software that will allow you to run older Palm OS applications, but why?

What does Epocrates Essentials offer? A version of the 5 Minute Clinical Consult (branded as "disease monographs" on the Epocrates website). Care to compare all the different versions of Epocrates solutions? Take a look at this comparison table.