HTC Touch Pro2 on Verizon is still sold out!

I can't believe that the HTC Touch Pro2 on Verizon Wireless is still sold out! Did they have too few? Or, did these sell like hot cakes?

I'm glad that I have my Touch Pro2 and I hope that we see more of these appear online. I've been using my Touch Pro2 for a few weeks and I really like this phone. It's definitely the best smartphone I've used from Verizon. 

Palm Pre coming to Verizon (improved version)

It's only a matter of time before we see the Palm Pre on Verizon Wireless. I wonder how many other Palm smartphones will be on the market by then. Palm Pixi? Palm Eos? A GSM smartphone running webOS in North America? Palm's webOS is a really nice operating system, but we need to see more medical apps for it. When will Epocrates release software for webOS?

If you live in the northeast, you're probably not going to switch from Verizon to Sprint because of coverage problems. Verizon has some of the best coverage in the east coast. However, if you live in the west coast, you're probably going to be very happy with the Sprint coverage out there.

According to some recent rumors, the Verizon version of the Palm Pre may have more memory, a better screen, and maybe even a microSD card slot. 

AT&T and Garmin present the nuviphone

The Garmin nuvi is a very popular GPS car navigation system. Now, we see that AT&T will have the Garmin nuviphone. You'll get a GPS navigation system running the Garmin system and you'll get a phone. What a great combination!

I already have a TomTomPhone on my smartphone with my combination of TomTom navigation software on a Windows Mobile smartphone. You can also load Garming GPS navigation software on a Windows Mobile smartphone (among other types of smartphones)

The nuvifone G60 will be available in AT&T stores or at www.wireless.att.com on October 4 for $299 with a two year service agreement after $100 mail-in-rebate. Nuvifone Premium Connected Services which includes traffic updates, white pages, weather, movie, local events and fuel price content are available for $5.99/month after a 30-day trial.

So what's so exciting about the nuviphone? It's not exciting for medical professionals who want to run medical software. I doubt that the Garmin operating system will run many medical apps.

HTC Desire: Android smartphone on Verizon

Will the new HTC Desire emerge as the second smartphone on Verizon Wireless running Google's Android operating system? (the first anticipated smartphone is the Motorola Sholes or Tao)

If you've had a chance to play around with the Android OS, you'll find that it's clean and simple. In some ways, it reminds me of Palm's webOS. The main problem with Android right now is the paucity of medical applications for this OS. Hopefully that will change over the next few months as more companies develop medical apps for Android (and also for webOS).

Palm webOS 1.2 update now available

Palm has released another update for its operating system: webOS on the Palm Pre. With version 1.2, you'll get:

• App purchases through the catalog of apps
  
• e-mail search
• copy/paste within the web browswer
• MP3 purchases on Amazon via the phone network
  
• New gesture to open the application or connection menu
• Bluetooth fixes
• Calendar enhancements
• Contacts enhancements (including LinkedIn)
  
• and many other fixes and improvements

It's great to see how Palm is able to quickly provide updates to its webOS. I wonder what types of enhancements we will see when webOS reaches version 2.0. Early adopters will get to reminisce about the archaic days of version 1. To see the entire list of fixes found with 1.2.0, click here.

Worry Free Guarantee (or hidden Restocking Fee) on Verizon?

I've taken advantage of the Verizon Wireless "Worry Free Guarantee." They advertise a "30-day Satisfaction Guarantee," but they don't advertise the restocking fee that's associated with returning a phone. That fee only applies under certain conditions (which is written in small print, and it may vary). The only thing you'll find on their corporate website is:

Return policies may vary... (not exactly sure what that means Verizon)

So, think twice before you decide to purchase a phone, test it, return it, switch to another, etc. If you've been a loyal customer, you may find a way to get that fee waived.

Easily switching phones on Verizon with *228 option 3

I was driving to work the other day and I realized that I left my smartphone (an HTC Touch Pro2) at home. I used to live 3 minutes away, but now that I've recently moved, I now live about 8 minutes away. Well, no worries. I had an old phone in my car (that I now use as a standalone GPS unit) so I pulled out my old XV6900 (AKA, HTC Vogue or Touch) and hit *228 option 3. Within a minute, I was up and running on my old smartphone. I saved myself a trip back home and I was still able to make all my calls using my old smartphone.

It's become so much easier to switch phones on Verizon thanks to *228 option 3. It's not as easy as pulling out a SIM card and moving it to another phone, but the *228 option 3 is very convenient. I no longer need to call customer service or switch ESNs through the internet.

If you use like switching phones for different occasions, remember *228 option 3. It's a free call (no airtime charges) and it's very easy to switch phones using this method. So, you can carry a small and light phone when you go out for a run, and then easily switch back to your business smartphone when you go to the office. It's great!

GSM Palm Pre arriving in Europe

Although the GSM version of the Palm Pre may not be hitting the USA anytime soon, a version will be hitting the European Union (EU) next month. Wait, October is only a week away! I'm sure some of these will start appearing in the USA (via eBay and other channels), so get ready!

Google Sync for iPhone and Windows Mobile

If you're a Gmail user and you happen to have an Apple iPhone or a Windows Phone (running Windows Mobile), then you may like to know that the updated Google Sync app now allows you to receive push e-mail on your device. No more need to go and "pull" e-mails from the server. Visit: http://m.google.com/sync

Zune HD phone?

Have you seen pictures of the new Microsoft Zune HD? Looks really nice! It only makes sense that Microsoft will release a Zune HD phone (or maybe they'll simply call it a Zune Phone or a Zune Phone HD). In any case, the question in my mind is this: what operating system will the Zune Phone run? Would it run Windows Mobile? Or the current Zune OS?

The iPod is leading the industry when it comes to MP3 players. However, as more people are using these devices for video, other players may gain popularity. One of the biggest complaints when it comes to adding video on the iPod is that you have to convert video to .m4v, .mp4, and .mov file formats if you want to have it play on the iPod. In contrast, Archos players can play: Windows Media Video, AVI, MPEG4, and Flash Videos.

Well, enough about video. Personally, I'd really like to see a Zune phone (or Zune HD phone) run Windows Mobile instead of any other operating system. We have enough smartphone operating systems out there, so we don't need to add another to the mix.

Samsung Rogue (SCH-U960) on Verizon

The Samsung Rogue (SCH-U960) may look like a really nice smartphone on Verizon Wireless, but you won't find any medical software for it. Why? Because it doesn't run a standard smartphone operating system. It has its own Samsung operating system that uses its own TouchWiz interface. This phone does NOT run Windows Mobile, Palm OS, webOS, Android, iPhone, or any other standard operating system. Perhaps you can find a custom ROM that includes such an OS (I'm not aware of any).

The Rogue is a great phone, but not for medical students or other healthcare professionals who are looking for a smartphone that will run medical software like Epocrates, Skyscape, etc. If you don't need to use your phone to run any medical apps, then the Rogue is a good feature-friendly phone that has a nice camera, web browser, touch-screen, etc. However, if you're on Verizon and you want a good smartphone, I would strongly suggest the HTC Touch Pro2 (not the Touch Pro, but the Touch Pro2) running Windows Mobile. That's what I'm using right now and I've been very happy with it so far.

Screen protectors on smartphones

At one time, Verizon used to ship their smartphones with screen protectors. Now, you're on your own and if you're planning on purchasing a screen protector, you can spend anywhere from $2-3 on eBay up to $20 in retail stores. (Guess where I get my screen protectors)

I wish that all smartphones came with a factory-installed screen protector. Sometimes, it's so difficult to install that protector while avoiding small bubbles under the plastic. Over the years, I've seen some novel application methods that have virtually eliminated the chance of getting bubbles.

Do you use a screen protector on your smartphone? I admit that at one time, I had screen protectors on virtually everything that had a touch screen. This includes my PDA, UMPC, tablet, etc. Now, I only use a protector on my smartphone. All my other devices are running "naked" and I've been careful enough that I haven't gotten any scratches (yet). 

Using my smartphone for home improvement

My latest smartphone (HTC Touch Pro2) has a built-in accelerometer. Today, I was making some adjustments to my kitchen table and I wanted to see if the table was level. Instead of going to the garage to reach for my level, I pulled out my phone and set it on the table. Immediately, I knew that I had to raise one of the legs. Aren't these smartphones great?

Palm to focus only on webOS

Palm has announced that they will focus on a single operating system for all their smartphones: Palm webOS

• Gone are the days of grayscale screens (did you have one of those?)
  
• Gone are the days of the classic Palm OS. 
• Gone are the days when Palm would make a Treo that ran Windows Mobile
• Gone are the days of standalone PDAs since all the focus is now on smartphones
  

The Treo was a great smartphone. My wife and I both had the Treo 700wx running Windows Mobile. The latest version called the Treo Pro is a really nice device, but it didn't get around very much (and it won't last long at this point). I doubt that we'll see the name "Treo" associated with any new Palm devices. Remember who made the first Treo? Handspring (180, 90, etc). Did you have one of those?

Smartphones are here to stay. Standalone PDAs are disappearing (unless you count the iPod touch as a standalone PDA). Now, let's see who ends up winning the battle of the smartphone operating systems.

TouchPro2 won't turn on? Use the right power button.

I've read about this problem. The HTC Touch Pro2 freezes up, and then it won't turn on. I can hit the "reset" button with the stylus and nothing happens. I can remove the battery and put it back in and nothing happens.

Well, after playing around with the phone a bit, I realized this about the Verizon version of the Touch Pro2 (I'm not sure if this also applies to other versions, but I'm inclined to think that it probably applies to the Sprint version since they are both CDMA):

• The power button is actually the red button on the lower right corner of the device. Holding this button will turn the phone on and off.
  
• Most people may think that the power button is at the top of the device. Pushing that button won't do anything if your device freezes up.
  
• What I don't get is why the device doesn't start if I press the "reset" button with the stylus. In all my other smartphones and PDAs, that button would trigger a reboot. Not so with the Touch Pro2. That reset button only works if the phone is on. (sounds a bit strange, doesn't it?)
  
• By holding the red power button, you can power off the phone. Once you do that, the reset button won't do anything. The button at the top of the device also won't do anything.

So, after a bit of confusion, I discovered that the Touch Pro2 has two different "power" buttons so you have to know which one actually turns the phone on.

Epocrates phasing out support for older devices

Who still uses these types of old devices? I suppose if you're a hungry medical student and you can get a cheap PDA on eBay for $20, then maybe you're in this category.

Epocrates has announced that they will be phasing out support for older Palm OS and Windows Mobile/Pocket PC devices. Specifically, older devices, including those with Palm OS less than 5 and Pocket PC 2002 OS, will lose support.

If you have a Pocket PC, go into Settings, and then click on "About" to see what version you're running. Some older devices (like some of the HP iPaq models) run Pocket PC 2002.

Speaking of Windows Mobile, the Epocrates interface isn't very "touch-friendly" in its current build. You really need a stylus to effectively navigate around. Let's hope that the developers at Epocrates updates and refreshes the Windows Mobile software so that it becomes more touch-friendly for those of us who are stuck with the Microsoft operating system. Why don't we all just switch to the Apple iPhone? If I weren't married to Verizon, would I still be running Windows Mobile? Maybe... (but probably not)

Touch Pro2 will get Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade

Many of you already know that the HTC Touch Pro2 (HTC Rhodium) will get an official ROM upgrade to Windows 6.5. This device currently runs Windows Mobile 6.1 and when you do that ROM upgrade, you'll have to reinstall all your applications and re-sync all your contacts/calendar/etc. The upgrade to 6.5 will be offered through Sprint, Verizon, and other carriers.

Since the Touch Pro2 currently includes the TouchFLO 3D interface, I don't think you'll see any major changes after you upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5. I'm more curious about Windows Mobile 7. When is that going to come out?

HTC Touch Pro2 (Verizon): initial impressions from day 1

I got my HTC Touch Pro2 (HTC Rhodium - CDMA version) from Verizon Wireless today. Here are some of my initial thoughts after using it for a few hours:

• What? No LED flash for the camera? (I need a flashlight!)
  
• This thing is HUGE! (of course, the screen is 3.6" and I'm used to the old Windows Mobile smartphones that had 2.8" screens). Actually, the phone isn't that big. It's just taller than most.
  
• I love the big screen. The 480x800 resolution can be good and bad. This may cause some problems with some software.
  
• My TomTom navigator software doesn't work (must be the display setting)
• I don't really need a world phone...
• This thing is fast, even with TouchFLO 3D
• Love the chiclet keyboard (think of Chiclets gum)
• Thin and wimpy stylus, but who needs it?
• Very finger-touch friendly (thanks to TouchFLO 3D)
• I wish it had a 4-way directional pad (or D-pad)
  
• Great sound and speaker phone quality
• Love the tilting screen when I have it on my desk.
  
• Thank you for staying with a mini-USB connector. I can use all my old USB cables and chargers!
  
• Opera is very stable (no crashes, although I mainly use Skyfire)
• Can't wait to load a custom ROM
  

When I set the HTC Touch Pro2 next to an Apple iPhone, the screen sizes look very similar. The height and width are also very similar. However, the iPhone is much thinner. My old HTC XV6800 (HTC Titan) seems small compared to the Touch Pro2 (it's actually shorter, but thicker). For the last few days, I've been using the XV6900 (HTC Touch/Vogue) and that phone is tiny.

So, my overall impressions are a bit mixed. I think this is one of the best smartphones that Verizon has ever carried. If I could change a few things on this device, I would add some type of compatibility mode to change the screen resolution so that older software will run on it. I'd also bring back the LED flash (I used that all the time as a flashlight). The hardware keyboard adds bulk to this device, so that's unavoidable unless you get a different phone that lacks the keyboard. 

Ordered the HTC Touch Pro2 (Verizon Wireless)

I've decided that it's time to bite the bullet and get the HTC Touch Pro2 (also known as Rhodium). The CDMA version on Verizon Wireless and Sprint is a bit different from the GSM version and you don't want to go around loading a custom ROM on the wrong type of device. Otherwise, get ready to have a nice brick (paperweight) that sits on your desk.

You can expect a series of posts related to the Touch Pro2 as I share my personal experience with this phone.

To me, the most compelling features on it are:

• Larger screen (3.6" vs. the traditional 2.8" screen found on most older Windows Mobile smartphones)
• The larger amount of RAM (not storage space, but RAM used to run software and the operating system)
• The tilting screen/keyboard. This is a great feature when you set the device on your desk.

The processor speed is the same as the original HTC Touch Pro. The upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5 isn't a big deal since you can run Windows Mobile 6.5 on the Touch Pro as well. The battery isn't too bad at 1500 mAh, but that's not much of an improvement over 1340 mAh. The fact that it's a world phone isn't that important since I probably wouldn't use my phone overseas anyways (who can afford those roaming fees?).

The single most compelling feature was the large screen. I'm the type of person who likes to keep my old gadgets as long as they're still usable. In the case of the Touch Pro2, when it comes time to retire this device, it will make a really nice standalone GPS device. My old XV6800 is now a GPS for one of our cars. The phone radio isn't on and it doesn't receive any service, but it makes a decent TomTom navigator.

When will the Apple iPhone include a hardware keyboard?

The HTC Touch Pro2 may look like an Apple iPhone from a distance, but the minute you slide out the keyboard, you know that it's not an iPhone. HTC also has an updated version of its Touch Diamond that will look like an iPhone - slim, sleek, and no hardware keyboard.

For business users who do quite a bit of typing, it really makes sense to have a hardware keyboard. Buttons are so much easier to push than anything on a small screen. That's probably why some BlackBerry users could never imagine using the Storm (or an iPhone).

We see that Palm designed the Pre with the business user in mind. When will Apple design an iPhone that has a built-in keyboard? Will that be the next version that comes out next year? Perhaps an iPhone Pro? I think it's only a matter of time before we see something like an iPhone Pro. The big question in my mind is this: If the iPhone has a built-in keyboard (slider-version), then will the keyboard be tall and narrow (vertical), or short and wide (horizontal)?

Giant display found on the HTC Leo

The HTC Leo has a huge display! It's 800x480 and it reminds me of some of the older HP iPaq PDAs that had really large screens (of course, those devices were also quite big).

The HTC Leo has a 4.3" screen which is a huge jump from the old 2.8" screen. The HTC Touch Pro2 has a 3.6" screen (which is also the same screen size found on the Apple iPhone). As we near 5 inches, phones will start to resemble the old OQO model 02 (which had a 5" screen).

Being a loyal customer to Verizon Wireless since 2001

It's hard to believe that I've been with Verizon Wireless since 2001. It's amazing how quickly time flies. Sometimes I wonder if I should switch to a different carrier. Since I'm on a family plan, that could be a big hassle for everyone. However, now that you can just keep your old phone number, it really shouldn't matter.

I've had my ups and downs with Verizon. I manage most things online through "My Verizon," so my calls to customer service tend to be minimal. However, I recently had quite an ordeal (and I'll have to write about that another time).

How about you? Are you a local customer to your wireless carrier? I wonder if they give you any perks when you reach 10 years (I doubt it).

Consumer trends with smartphones

Have you noticed that more people seem to be using smartphones these days? The days of the feature phone may be shortening. Some smartphones are very easy to use and so more consumers are gravitating towards them, even if they don't need Internet access on a mobile device. Soon, the term "smartphone" will evolve to mean different things.

For instance, some phones out there have a QWERTY keyboard and they run a very basic operating system. Users can check their e-mail, send SMS (Short Message Service) - also known as "texting," and may even browse the web on a rudimentary web browser. You're not going to see Skyfire on these devices. These phones don't run Windows Mobile, webOS, Android, BlackBerry, iPhone, or any other sophisticated OS. Instead, they are clean and simple. They attract millions of users who want a simple phone but who are also willing to check their e-mail on them.

Soon, these users will eventually migrate to a smartphone that runs a standard OS. Before we know it, everyone will have a smartphone instead of the traditional feature phone that we used to have. The big factor that's hindering most consumers right now is this: the price of a data plan. Once that comes down, then everyone will have a data plan. Remember when high-speed Internet was really expensive? Now, you can hardly find someone who uses dial-up. 

Reduced prices on the Apple iPods

Since Apple just came out with a new line of iPods, you can get some pretty good deals on the older generation (they weren't old last week, but now they're old) iPods. I've gone through several iPods myself and I don't feel the urge to upgrade any of my current iPods, so I won't be making any purchases. However, if you want to get a relatively inexpensive gift for someone, now may be the time to make that purchase while they're available.

Members of my household (yes, we have kids) currently own the following iPod models:

• iPod (Click Wheel) - also referred to as the fourth generation iPod. This was our first iPod and was purchased in 2004.
  
• iPod mini (2nd generation) - released in 2005
  
• iPod nano (1st generation) - released in 2005
  
• iPod nano (4th generation) - released in 2008
  
• iPod touch (2nd generation) - released in 2008
  

I used to have an iPod nano (3rd generation), but we gave that away. Don't know which model you own? Take a look at this link to "Identify iPod models"

The Epocratic Oath (by Epocrates)

Here's the Epocratic Oath (by Epocrates, obviously):

• We are committed to accuracy and integrity in our content.
• We strive to build the most user-friendly mobile software for clinicians.
• We guarantee to help you save time and improve care with our products.

Creative. Very creative. I like it.

Windows Mobile 6.5 Build 23045

For those of you (like me) who may be testing Windows Mobile 6.5, consider trying Build 23045 when you get a chance. The updated operating system is becoming more finger touch friendly. This means larger icons and bigger menus for larger screens. Most of the newer Windows phones are coming with larger screens, so they can accommodate these touch-friendly features. Plus, the screen is flush with the edges of the device, so it makes it very easy to tap on the edges of the screen. Older smartphones have screens that are recessed behind plastic edges (like a photo frame), so it's a bit challenging to tap on the edges and corners with your finger.

It many ways, it feels like Microsoft is dragging their heels to release Windows Mobile 6.5. I wonder if that's because the bulk of their team is working on Windows Mobile 7.

Palm Pixi (a candybar running webOS)

Palm announced the second smartphone running webOS: the Palm Pixi

This candybar smartphone will be available on Sprint's CDMA network. Beyond that, nothing looks very exciting here. It looks like a nice thin candybar smartphone for people who don't like sliders. Do you plan to purchase a Pixi?

No word on pricing yet. Since you can get the Palm Pre for $150, I'm going to guess that the Pixi will be $99.

HTC Tattoo running Google Android

Where do you think HTC comes up with these phone names? The HTC Tattoo is a relatively low-priced smartphone that's going to run the Google Android operating system. Compared to some of the newer smartphones out there, the Tattoo has a smaller screen (lower resolution too). Should be interesting to see how smartphone operating systems spread out over the next 12 months. Will Google's Android someday become one of the dominant smartphone operating systems used among healthcare professionals and students?

Palm Pre to drop to $150

According to a series of circulating rumors on the Internet (who knows if these rumors are actually true), the Palm Pre will drop to $150 on the Sprint network. It seems like the $99 Apple iPhone is putting the pressure on other smartphones. Plus, when you consider the state of our current economy, it's no wonder that smartphone prices are dropping. Let's wait and see what happens on Sept 9.

I'm eager to see all smartphone prices drop to sub-$200 prices. This way, people (like me) won't feel so guilty when we're upgrading our phones to have the latest and greatest gadget. I'm trying to be good by minimizing how much I spend each time I upgrade. My most recent upgrade was free, so I have no guilt about that.

How do you organize your social networks?

When it comes to social media and social networking websites, I mainly use Twitter, Facebook, and LinkedIn. These days, people have accounts with Facebook, LinkedIn, Flickr, Friendster, Twitter, AIM, MSN Messenger & Yahoo! Messenger. How do they keep up with all these accounts when they're out and about? I use a few social media clients on my smartphone, but I don't have everything under one roof. Here's something to consider: OrSiSo stands for Organize, Simplify, Socialize and is a ground breaking new software tool which helps you connect to multiple social networks from one place. OrSiSo connects you to your friends on some of the most popular social networks including Facebook, Twitter, LinkedIn, Bebo, Friendster and Flickr; as well as offers chat integration across multiple IM platforms including Facebook Chat, GTalk, MSN, Yahoo! and AOL.

OrSiSo has several unique features, including:

· Single status update for all networks, choose the same status or a different one for each network.
· Photo album browsing and viewing
· Pop-up notifications to let you know when new information is added
· The ability to merge friends who have profiles on multiple networks into one contact
· Grouping of friends into different levels of closeness so you can filter the information that is most important to you.

At OrSiSo’s core lies SocialCraft™, an adaptive algorithm that prioritizes information based on relevance and closeness to you in real time; helping you to keep up-to-date with your most relevant friends and contacts across all their social networks and giving you more time to socialize both online and offline. You can download OrSiSo from their website, follow them on Twitter and become a fan on their Facebook page.

Backup your smartphone data

I keep all sorts of important data on my smartphone. I know many people who do the same, but they are not in the habit of backing up their smartphone data. I'm not just talking about syncing your contacts and calendar. I mean other vital documents that may be stored on your internal memory (or even your storage card). Do you back those up? I get in the habit of making a regular copy of all my files and documents on both the internal storage and external storage of my smartphone. I don't want to get into a situation where I need to rely on a data recovery service. Such recovery can be very difficult (especially if you lose your smartphone). If someone takes your smartphone, he/she is likely to erase everything (including the memory card). Once that Flash memory is erased, don't plan on seeing your data again. Most smartphones don't have spinning hard drives in them. I doubt we'll ever see spinning hard drives in future smartphones because Flash memory is becoming so inexpensive and energy-efficient. Did you know that it's relatively easy to recover data from hard drives that get erased? (assuming that someone doesn't use software to overwrite all the sectors)

Speaking of hard drive data recovery, this is a frequent topic that comes up with we're dealing with laptops and servers. One of my colleagues recently had to use a Mac data recovery service for his MacBook Pro. Data is stored differently on a Mac vs. a PC. By that, I mean that the hard drive is formatted differently and you're often dealing with different file formats and extensions. Do you use an electronic health record (EHR) in your office? If you're using an EHR solution in your office and you use a local server for all your data, I hope you won't need any server data recovery services anytime soon. A few months ago, I was involved in restoring a server that lost all its data. Thankfully, this practice had a local backup that was easy to access. In cases where you're having frequent server problems, you may be better by relying on a high-speed Internet connection and using an ASP model so that your data is remote and backed up automatically. If you keep all your data on a local server, make sure you're using several redundant systems to back that up locally and remotely.

Review of the HTC Touch Pro2 (by PC Magazine)

PC Magazine has reviewed the HTC Touch Pro2 for Sprint. They rate it 4 (out of 5) stars as a "very good" phone. It even got the PC Magazine "Editor's Choice" recognition. Now I'm really tempted. Here's a summary of their review (with my commentary included):

Bottom Line:

The HTC Touch Pro2 is the Cadillac Escalade of smartphones: huge, with almost every feature you can think of. Even better, Sprint's version fixes many of the T-Mobile version's flaws. (I wonder how Verizon's version will compare to Sprint's version)

Pros:

• Roomy keyboard (nice).
• Great screen (much larger than standard Windows Mobile smartphones).
• World phone (don't need that, but that's nice).
• Very good media player.
• Lots of included software.
• Gorgeous new address book, calendar, dialer, and home screen applications.

Cons:

• Windows Mobile 6.1 is still pretty old (upgrading to 6.5 coming soon).
  
• GPS had trouble locking in (hmm, not entirely sure about this one).
  
• Push e-mail kills the battery (well, I don't use push e-mail, but what if I do a lot of browsing? I'm concerned that might drain the battery).

Since this phone will receive the Windows Mobile 6.5 upgrade, I suppose that first "con" really isn't an issue. Plus, you can find some custom ROMs out there that already run Windows Mobile 6.5, so you don't even have to wait until Microsoft officially releases it out there. To read the entire review on PC Magazine, click here.

Is the HTC Touch Pro2 coming to Verizon this month?

There are so many circulating rumors about the possibility that the HTC Touch Pro2 may be coming to Verizon Wireless this month. Along with those rumors, people are saying that this new Windows Mobile smartphone will be priced at $199. That would seem like a reasonable price if you look at some of the other popular smartphones such as the Apple iPhone, the Palm Pre, and the HTC Hero. Will the HTC Touch Pro2 be the most popular Windows Phone this fall/winter? I think that will depend on when Samsung launches their line of smartphones.

I plan to stick with my current HTC Touch Pro. I just got this phone a few weeks ago! I could theoretically return it since I'm still within the 30 day return period, so maybe I'll change my mind if the price is right. However, I'd rather stick with a free phone for now and then upgrade in a couple of years when Windows Mobile 7 comes out (maybe by then it will be 7.1 or 7.5).

Spy smartphone

I'm a James Bond fan. I don't own all the 007 movies, but I own several. In the latest James Bond movie Quantum of Solace, we see James Bond (played by Daniel Craig) using his Sony Ericsson C902 Cyber-shot camera phone to take pictures of thugs in a large, dark auditorium. I want to know how he did that with no flash. Of course, the pictures were quite blurry in the movie, so that made it seem realistic (considering modern smartphone capabilities). However, I wouldn't be surprised if we see much more powerful cameras in future smartphones. Spies like James Bond will have very sophisticated gadgets in the near future.

Could you use your smartphone camera to spy on someone? Perhaps you know of someone who is an amateur computer spy. What if someone used a phone camera to take a photo of your driver's license when you're in line at the grocery store? Could he/she use this information to gain access to your personal information? What if someone took a picture of your credit card? When we're in public, we see so many people using a mobile phone. Should we be paranoid that they might be spying on us?

We live in a world where we're probably surrounded by computer hackers and spies. If you turn on the news, you'll hear of many stories of data breaches and identity theft. You may have an automated computer spy on your computer (either in the form of a virus or spyware). We must be vigilant and we must frequently change our computer passwords. Never share your password with anyone. Speaking of passwords, my Facebook account was hacked a few months ago. I checked all my computers to see if I could find some type of computer spy. Nothing ever came up.

Smartphones on the beach

You can guess where I'm spending my Labor Day weekend. At the beach, I see so many young people using smartphones. I'm taking about high school students. They're carrying iPhones, BlackBerries, and even smartphones running Windows Mobile. It must be tough to keep up with the "cool crowd" unless you carry a smartphone in high school.

It's difficult to find people reading a book at the beach. Everyone is on their smartphone texting (SMS and soon MMS) away. Or, they're browsing mobile web pages, sending tweets on Twitter, or simply catching up with all their e-mail. Even corporate executives are out there trying to keep up with their workload as they respond to important e-mails. I caught a couple of people using their laptops or netbooks on the beach (they were tethering to get online).

Vacationing simply isn't the same anymore. You can't escape once you have a smartphone. If high school students are becoming dependent on these devices, then what will the world look like in a few years?

MMS is coming to the iPhone

It looks like an update will get released so that Apple iPhones will support MMS (Multimedia Messaging Service). It's about time, isn't it? Why the delay Apple and AT&T?

MMS is similar to SMS (Short Message Service), but it allows you to include images and sounds. In my mind, it's analogous to receiving text-only e-mails vs. HTML e-mails. Texting is about to reach a whole new level. Someday, people will look back and say, "remember when we could only send text-only messages?" I still remember the days of monochrome monitors and floppy disks (I won't talk about Commodore 64).

Sony Ericsson Xperia X2

The Sony Ericsson Xperia X2 looks like it's going to be a really nice smartphone running Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.5.

It's a slider with a full QWERTY keyboard. When's the last time you saw an 8.1 megapixel camera on a smartphone? HTC and Samsung are now facing some competition in the Windows Phone market as more manufacturers are creating smartphones that have similar capabilities. Will Windows Mobile 6.5 impress users? I'm currently using it, and I'm not that impressed. Hopefully, users will be more impressed by the hardware more than the operating system.

Windows Mobile 6.5 coming in October

According to quite a few circulating rumors, it sounds like smartphones running Windows Mobile 6.5 will be arriving in stores in October. Of course, you can probably find a custom-built ROM for many smartphones that are built on Windows Mobile 6.5. My HTC Touch Pro is currently running a custom ROM based on Windows Mobile 6.5. It's not the final build, so it lacks certain features, but it's an improvement over Windows Mobile 6.0 or 6.1.

I think it's great to see how Microsoft is changing their smartphone OS to be more finger touch-friendly. Soon, those days of the thin stylus pen will be gone!

iPhone: global trends and the U.S.

The Apple iPhone is currently only available through AT&T as a GSM phone in the U.S. Verizon Wireless is currently the largest wireless provider in this country, but it operates on a CDMA network. Although Verizon has a few select "world phones" that are capable of both CDMA and GSM, the majority of their devices operate on CDMA.

On CNET, there's a fascinating story titled, "Is AT&T losing its grip on the iPhone?" The same story is also republished on CNN.

I find the global trends the most interesting part of this story. Will China sell 3 million iPhones next year in China if they offer the iPhone on multiple networks? What about in other countries? If Apple is moving away from exclusivity arrangements with wireless providers, then it's only a matter of time before the iPhone becomes available on other carriers here in the U.S. The big question is: what kind of time frame are we looking at? We've heard many rumors about the iPhone coming to Verizon Wireless. If the iPhone becomes readily available, will it dominate the medical smartphone market? I think it will.

Best tethering options for smartphone users

Interested in tethering with your smartphone so that you can get online with your notebook/laptop/netbook/tablet PC? What's the best option?

More wireless carriers are starting to charge customers an extra fee if you're planning on tethering with your smartphone. These fees may not be advertised, so you may need to do a bit of digging to find them. Some carriers (like Verizon Wireless) require that you upgrade your data plan if you wish to tether. Now is that really necessary?

Of course, there are unofficial alternatives that may allow you to tether for less. I'm not writing this to endorse any of these options. They are here simply for informational purposes only. For instance, you could try PdaNet or you might be able to load a custom ROM that allows you to tether through your smartphone data plan. Some users reportedly have "hacked" their smartphone so they can tether without paying additional fees. I'm not advocating that you should hack your phone because this generally leads to a loss in warranty coverage.

The best way to tether is to follow the rules outlined by your wireless carrier. Ask the right questions so that you don't end up being surprised when you receive your bill.

Consider one other option: some wireless carriers allow you to add/remove tethering fees without any long-term obligations. So, if you know you're going to be tethering for a long weekend, add the feature before you travel. Then, when you return home, remove the feature from your plan. You may end up with prorated fees on your bill. If this is an option for you, then it may be the best option if you're on a budget and you don't need to tether frequently.