Medical Smartphones: Top Posts for May

Here are the top posts for May (based on traffic results):

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Next iPhone

3. Patient Data on Your Smartphone

4. Smartphone Use Increasing Among Physicians

5. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

Blocking Calls on Verizon Wireless

Even though my mobile phone number is on the "do not call" list, I still get an occasional strange call on my Verizon Wireless smartphone. When I go to answer the call, it hangs up. It must be some type of automated prank (or crank) call.

To fix this problem, I've been using the online "My Verizon" portal to block these annoying calls. So far, I've blocked these numbers:

• 201-244-7067
• 559-457-0453

Verizon will only let you block up to 5 numbers and I hope I don't max out anytime soon.

m.twitter.com

Tip of the day: If you don't want to install a Twitter application on your smartphone, simply direct your mobile web browser to: m.twitter.com

It's clean and simply. It works on every smartphone that has a mobile web browser. What more could you want?

Verizon to Offer Palm Pre and BlackBerry Storm 2

If you thought the Palm Pre was only going to be available on Sprint, think again. According to the buzz circulating on the Internet, Verizon Wireless will also offer the Palm Pre (it may take up to 6 months for this to happen). So, if you're not in a rush, you may have something to look forward to in 6 months (hey, at least it isn't 9 months like a baby).

We also know that the updated BlackBerry Storm 2 will be coming to Verizon soon. What about the Apple iPhone?

Twitter on My Smartphone: Twikini

I've been traveling and it's been great to use Twikini on my Windows Mobile smartphone to keep up with Twitter. If you use Twitter, then I urge you to take a look at this : My Personal Growth on Twitter: 6,000 New Followers in 30 days! (No, this is not a viral marketing campaign. This is a personal account of how my blog traffic has increased my Twitter count)

Skyfire is No Longer Beta

Skyfire for Windows Mobile is no longer in beta mode. You can get version 1.0 of this powerful browser by pointing your mobile browser to: get.skyfire.com

Skyfire is currently my "default" browser on my Windows Mobile smartphone. It is capable of displaying Flash content (including video) and has some great zooming capabilities. I had no problems viewing this video using my smartphone: MIT: The Future of Science Journalism

How Often Do You Get a New Smartphone?

If you’re a medical student and you’re thinking about getting a smartphone, ask yourself this question: do you love gadgets?

If the answer is "yes," then I’m willing to bet that you’ll probably end up getting a new phone when you start residency. Why? Because smartphone technology changes so quickly and you’ll want to have the latest and greatest when you make that transition into the next part of your career training.

When I was a medical student, smartphones simply didn’t exist. I used my trusty Apple Newton and many students didn’t even have a cell phone (that’s what they were called back then). Then, once I entered residency, I got a serious PDA (personal digital assistant). Once again, smartphones simply didn’t exist. Today, people get new smartphones every 1-2 years. How about you? How often do you get a new smartphone?

HTC Touch Diamond2 or Touch Pro2?

HTC makes some great phones for Verizon Wireless. My HTC Titan (branded as an XV6800) is getting old but I'm still using it every day and it works fine. Now, you can get either the Touch Diamond or the Touch Pro. The Touch Diamond 2 and Touch Pro2 are coming soon. Which one should you get if you're in the market for a new smartphone? Maybe you're a medical student and you're getting ready for your clinical clerkships. Maybe you're a recent graduate and you're getting ready for internship.

If you want something small and light (like an Apple iPhone) and you don't need a hardware keyboard, then the Touch Diamond is a great Windows Mobile phone. This phone has been around for a while but it only recently showed up on Verizon. Who knows when the updated Touch Diamond2 will appear. Let's hope it shows up soon after the BlackBerry Storm 2 appears.

If you prefer a slider that has physical keyboard buttons, then wait for the Touch Pro2. If you can't wait, then the Touch Pro is not a bad phone, but I think the Touch Pro2 will be significantly better.

Patient Data on Your Smartphone

Many physicians carry smartphones. Whether it's an Apple iPhone, a BlackBerry, a Palm, or a Windows Mobile phone, it's a smartphone. Now, we also have physicians using Google Android, Symbian, and other smartphone operating systems.

If you use e-mail to communicate about confidential patient information, I hope you're locking your phone. If you ever lose your phone and someone happens to retrieve that sensitive data, then you may want to run away and hide. Many healthcare professionals have patient data on their smartphones or PDAs. Some may even forget that it's there. Medical students are often jotting notes and recording procedures on their PDAs and smartphones. How often do you remember to go back and delete all that information after you're finished with your clinical rotation?

Tethering to Blog

I'm in the mountains right now, hiking and pseudo-camping with my family. My only access to the Internet is through my smartphone so I'm tethering to blog! Hope everyone is having a wonderful holiday weekend!

Top Posts Last Week: Medical Smartphones

Here are the top posts from last week:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Free Epocrates Rx PRO through BlackBerry

3. Have You Entered to Win a Free Palm Pre?

4. More Medical Software for the BlackBerry Storm

5. Tethering on Verizon Wireless

Resetting the iPod Touch

I was playing with my Apple iPod Touch today and I had to do a reset (or reboot). Not a hard reset that wipes out all the info, but just a simple reboot. Do you know how to reset an iPod touch? There's no small button to press with a paperclip. There's no battery to remove to reboot.

You have to hold the center Home button and the power button at the top (also called the Sleep/Wake button) for ten seconds.

Thoughts on the BlackBerry Storm 2

I love the Apple iPhone. Unfortunately, I'm on Verizon Wireless and I don't plan to switch to AT&T. I have an iPod Touch and I can get access to many of the novel applications that run on the iPhone.

I admit that I've been intrigued and captivated by the BlackBerry Storm. However, I'm not a huge fan of the SurePress screen. Now, the new BlackBerry Storm 2 won't have the SurePress screen. It will have a traditional capacitive touch screen similar to the iPhone. Plus, I belive it will have Wi-Fi and I think that Skype may be releasing software for the BlackBerry (who knows what types of limitations Verizon Wireless will impose if Skype does become available).

I currently use a Windows Mobile phone made by HTC and it works fine. Most of the mobile web browsers are slow and none are nearly as powerful as the ones found on the Apple iPhone or BlackBerry Storm. I plan to wait and pass on the BlackBerry Storm 2. What am I waiting for? A version of the Verizon Wireless iPhone (I'm hoping the rumors are true).

Google Maps Gets Updated

Google has updated Google Maps for Windows Mobile. Get it by typing this into your mobile browser: m.google.com/maps

The latest version is 3.0.1.6

Google Maaps also now includes Google Latitude so that you can see your friends on a map (if they opt in). GPS technology really improved public health if you think about all the accidents that occurred because people were trying to fiddle with maps while driving.

Do You Use a GFR Calculator?

If you're currently using a GFR calculator on your PDA or smartphone, you should know that the CKD-EPI (Chronic Kidney Disease Epidemiology Collaboration) has proposed a new equation to calculate GFR. If you're a medical student or resident and you get asked to calculate a GFR, your PDA or smartphone may not be adequte. Read about the new formula here: How Do You Calculate GFR?

I'm sure we'll soon see a new PDA/smartphone application that includes the CKD-EPI equation for GFR.

Verizon Wireless Netbook? Yes

Speaking of Verizon Wireless, they now offer a netbook. More details to come soon, but in the meanwhile, take a look at this: Expect to See a Verizon Netbook

Tethering on Verizon Wireless

If you use Verizon Wireless, you need VZAccess Manager to tether your smartphone to your laptop/notebook/ultra-mobile PC. Where do you go to download VZAccess Manager? You can find it here: http://www.vzam.net

Verizon used to call tethering "BroadbandAccess Connect." That phrase confused me. Now, it looks like they're using the phrase "Mobile Broadband Connect." That sounds better, but why don't they just call it what it is? Tethering. Plain and simple.

You can tether using other methods, but I'm not going to get into that right now. Verizon charges an extra "tethering fee" that doesn't always show up when you go to order a smartphone. I hope that they change that in the future.

If you're a healthcare professional, do you travel for work? If you do, tethering is an invaluable way to stay connected while you're on the road (or in the airport, hotel, park, or anywhere else). Many places now have Wi-Fi, so you may not need to use your smartphone as a wireless modem. However, if you spend time in areas that lack Wi-Fi, then tethering may become your best friend.

Exciting Summer for Smartphones

It looks like it's going to be an exciting summer for smartphone users. Why? To start, the BlackBerry Storm 2 is probably coming out this summer (maybe next month?). The Palm Pre is coming out June 6. The next Apple iPhone may also come out this summer (rumors say July 17). The HTC Touch Pro 2 should be out soon too. So, will it be an exciting summer?

Well, I'm probably not replacing my smartphone this summer, so I guess it's only going to be exciting for those who are shopping for new phones. Maybe you're a medical student getting ready to start residency and you need a smartphone. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

How Low Will Data Plans Go?

There are rumors floating around that AT&T may offer less expensive data plans for the Apple iPhone. Currently, you have to pay $30/month for the data plan. Would you select a $20/month that had some limits? (I guess it would really depend on what those limits were, right?)

How low will smartphone data plans go in today's economic climate? As many people struggle to pay their bills, will mobile phone carriers start lowering prices to help customers? Or, will this threaten their survival? Maybe a lower data plan is simply another ploy to get people to sign up, and then when customers go over on their usage, the carriers send a huge bill!

Netbook on Verizon Wireless?

Yes, it's true: Expect to See a Verizon Netbook

More Medical Software for the BlackBerry Storm

Have a BlackBerry Storm? Looking for medical software? Take a look at this post: Medical Software for the BlackBerry Storm

Where is Windows Mobile Heading?

I've been a Windows Mobile user for many years. In fact, I used devices that were once called Windows CE, then Pocket PC. I admit that I'm concerned about the future of Windows Mobile. We've seen the Apple iPhone really take off. The BlackBerry is stable within the corporate world. Android is gaining momentum and Palm has the WebOS in the new Pre. So what about Windows Mobile? We're all hearing rumors and still waiting to see some new and exciting developments from the people at Microsoft.Where is Windows Mobile ultimately heading? As it now evolves into "Windows Phone," will Microsoft ensure that manufacturers are releasing hardware that meet all the specs and requirements to run future versions of Windows Mobile? What's the area that needs the most improvement? Mobile web browsers. We've seen some great browsers come out, but the hardware on many phones don't provide the type of browing experience that you'll get on the Apple iPhone.

Free Epocrates Rx PRO through BlackBerry

Planning on purchasing a BlackBerry smartphone? Purchase and activate a new BlackBerry® smartphone and register online within 14 days of purchase to receive a free one year subscription for Epocrates Rx PRO (a $60 value). The standard version of Epocrates is free, but Rx PRO has additional features.

Take a look at the offer by clicking here.

Offer valid from 12:01 a.m. Eastern Standard Time on February 2nd 2009 to 11:59 p.m. Eastern Standard Time on May 31st 2009

Top 3 Posts Last Week

Here are the top 3 posts for last week:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. Did You Get Picked to Review a Palm Pre?

3. Next iPhone

I Love Twikini!

I love using TweetDeck to Twitter on my laptop. I've also been experimenting with several Twitter clients for Windows Mobile, but I haven't found one that works like TweetDeck.

Today, I tried Twikini and it works really well! It's almost like a TweetDeck experience on your Windows Mobile device. I think it may be the best Twitter client for Windows Mobile (but I haven't tested all of them, so I can't be entirely confident of that).

Have You Entered to Win a Free Palm Pre?

Over the last few years, I've won several items in these types of contests. Specifically, I've won:

1. An iPod nano
2. A Garmin GPS
3. A $30 gift card to Amazon

So, what are my chances of winning a Palm Pre? Tiny. However, it only takes a few seconds to enter, so why not? What's to lose? http://sweepstakes.sprint.com/palmpre

No SurePress on the Storm 2

If you love the SurePress feature on the current BlackBerry Storm, I have bad news for you. The next generation of the Storm (currently being called the Storm 2) won't have the clickable SurePress screen. I think I'd rather have fewer moving parts - less to break. I wonder if this also means that the Storm 2 will be thinner. Wouldn't it be nice to have something that can actually compete against the Apple iPhone's design?

BlackBerry Storm 2

You can see pictures of the BlackBerry Storm 2 on CrackBerry. We know it will have Wi-Fi. Looks like the buttons are a part of the capacitive touch screen. Could it be thinner? Image source: CrackBerry

Sling Player for iPhone and iPod Touch

Do you like to watch television on your iPhone or iPod touch? (not recommended if you're a medical student - unless you're watching a medically relevant television show for educational purposes). You may be happy to know that Sling Player is now available for the iPhone and iPod touch, but it will only work through Wi-Fi.

Sprint and the MiFi Router

So Verizon isn't the only wireless provider who is offering the Novatel Wireless MiFi 2200 portable EV-DO Rev A router. You can also configure a smartphone that has built-in Wi-Fi to act as a wireless router (but you may need to make some modifications to the ROM). I don't want to say that you'd have to "hack" your phone, but that's essentially what you'll have to do if you want to use your smartphone as a Wi-Fi router.

Win a Palm Pre!

Palm Pre Giveaway from Sprint. Are you excited? Contest ends 5/18/09

http://sweepstakes.sprint.com/palmpre

Lock Your Phone

If you carry a smartphone, do you keep it locked? I don't mean the simple "slide to unlock" feature found on the Apple iPhone. I'm talking about a security feature that includes a password so that others can't access your phone.

Many clinicians keep very confidential data on their smartphones (even patient information) and this may become a liability if you accidentally lose your device. Data security breaches are occurring all over the country and it's becoming increasingly important to ensure that we're doing everything possible to secure and protect patient data. Even if you don't have any important patient data on your phone, make sure to always lock it so that you protect yourself.

Do You Have BlackBerry Thumb?

You've probably heard of tennis elbow, but have you heard of BlackBerry thumb? Is it a true medical condition? What's the ICD 9 code? Take a look at this post: BlackBerry Thumb to PDA Nail

Next iPhone

Details of the next Apple iPhone are starting to appear everywhere. Are you excited? Do you need an excuse to upgrade? Blame your dying battery. Since the iPhone doesn't have a battery that's easy to change, you can say that your battery is dying and that it's simply easier to upgrade than to send it to Apple for a new battery. So what exactly are these specs? Faster processor, more RAM, and a better camera. What more were you expecting? Maybe we'll see this version on the Verizon Wireless network.

Now Part of the HCP Live Network

You may have noticed that this blog is now a part of the HCP Live Healthcare Professionals Network. You'll be hearing more about this over the next several weeks as things unfold. I'm very excited to be a part of this network (which includes bloggers like KevinMD). In the meanwhile, I invite you to explore my other blogs that are now a part of this network:

• Medicine and Technology
• Non-Clinical Medical Jobs, Careers, and Opportunities
• Medical Smartphones
• Mobile Health Computing

Have You Tried Twobile?

If you're running Windows Mobile on your smartphone and if you're addicted to Twitter, then you've probably tried twobile. If you haven't, then you should give it a try. It's free, efficient, and it actually works quite well. I admit: I don't "tweet" very much with my smartphone since I'm almost always sitting in front of my computer. However, if I'm traveling, then I'll mainly use my smartphone to send my tweets.

Verizon MiFi 3G Router

What, a 3G router? EV-DO speed transmitted via Wi-Fi to your notebook, ultra-mobile PC, or netbook. Consider it wireless tethering (well, you can tether using Bluetooth, so I suppose that's wireless tethering too). However, the MiFi 3G router isn't a phone. It's specifically designed to be a router. So, if you're on Verizon Wireless, you may want to consider this as a "backup" for your current Internet connection. Or, maybe you can throw a party at the beach and host Wi-Fi through your MiFi 3G router.

Iris Update v1.1.7

Have you tried Iris on your Windows Mobile smartphone? It's a great mobile web browser and the update makes it even better. The best part of Iris is that it's free (at least for now). I find that mobile browsing is great, but it also drains my battery quickly. Medical students who want to browse during their clinical rotations will probably need to carry an extra battery (or two).

Those using an Apple iPhone may need one of those external battery packs. Do you think the next iPhone will have a removable battery? No. Look at all the iPods that Apple has released. None of them have a user-removable battery. This is probably one of the major drawbacks of using the iPhone as a mobile internet device (MID).

Twitter Tools for Smartphones

Do you Twitter with your smartphone? What application do you run? You've probably already heard of these popular Twitter tools like:
TwitterBerry for BlackBerry, Tweetie for iPhone, and Twidroid for Android. Are you running any of these applications? Can your battery handle all your tweets?

Palm Pre Didn't Pick Me

It appears that Palm Pre did not pick me to review their upcoming Palm Pre smartphone. They were supposed to notify the reviewers on May 8th and I never received any type of notification. Oh well, I must live on with my current phone (an XV6800) and hope for the best. Hopefully someone in the medical field was chosen to be a Palm Pre reviewer since this is going to be a really popular phone among medical students and physicians.

Did You Get Picked to Review a Palm Pre?

Palm is supposed to notify "real reviewers" today (May 8). Did you get selected to review a Palm Pre? I wonder how many people they picked. I hope they're write about it on their blog. I submitted my application and I'm eagerly waiting. I wonder how many applications they received.

PreThinking has over 2,000 followers on Twitter. Are you following?

G1 Android Users: Update Alert

If you're a G1 user, you probably know that the Android 1.5 update is coming up next week. If you're not aware of this, then you need to subscribe to my RSS feeds. Photo source: Slash Gear

Epocrates Leading the Pack

Do you use Epocrates? According to the Manhattan Research 2009 Taking the Pulse v9.0 report, smartphone/PDA adoption among U.S. physicians has reached 64%. This same survey also found that Epocrates® remains the most used drug reference among U.S. physicians. Way to go Epocrates!

Top Search Terms: April 2009

Top search keywords that brought people to this site (data from Google Analytics):

1. medical smartphones
2. palm pre
3. medical smartphone
4. medical smartphones joe kim
5. best smartphone for physicians
6. best smartphone for doctors
7. smartphones for doctors
8. android medical applications
9. best phone for medical students
10. best smartphone for epocrates

Top Selling Smartphones in 2009 (1st Quarter)

According to some market research conducted by NPD, the top selling smartphones for the first quarter of 2009 are:

1. RIM BlackBerry Curve (all 83XX models)
2. Apple iPhone 3G (all models)
3. RIM BlackBerry Storm
4. RIM BlackBerry Pearl (all models, except flip)
5. T-Mobile G1 (running Android)
   

Surprised to see that the iPhone is #2? Since Verizon Wireless is now offering some BlackBerry models for free, I'm not surprised by these results. I think I am surprised that the G1 running Android is so popular.

New Android Phones

T-Mobile has some new Android phones coming up later this year. Can't wait to see them running this open source operating system. What about other carriers? Come on Verizon, Sprint, and AT&T! Let's start seeing some Android phones!

Top Posts in April 2009

Top posts for April 2009:

1. What's the Best Smartphone for Physicians?

2. More EHRs Compatible with Smartphones

3. iPhone Application for OB/GYN

4. Smartphone Use Increasing Among Physicians

5. Get a Free Palm Pre as a Reviewer

Palm Pre Pick Me

Just a few more days left before Palm picks those Palm Pre reviewers (they announce them on May 8). I hope they'll pick me! I admit that I love gadgets and I probably have too many. I've sold some on eBay, I've given others away, and then I have my personal museum of gadgets (I'll have to post some pictures one of these days). Without a doubt, the gadget that holds my personal "hall of fame" award is the Apple Newton Messagepad. Considering that they called it the "messagepad" back in the nineties, my gut tells me that this new Apple tablet will be called the iPad or the MacPad. I doubt they'll call it the iTablet or MacTablet.

BlackBerry Curve 8900

Are you excited about the BlackBerry Curve 8900? It's going to be the thinnest and lightest QWERTY BlackBerry Smartphone.

The folks at Brighthand are saying that it will have Wi-Fi instead of 3G. Did I read that correctly? Doesn't sound right to me. You can get your e-mail anywhere, but you probably can't use it to tether. Image source: Brighthand

Palm Pre: June 7 at Best Buy

Folks at Brighthand have a story about the Palm Pre's availability at Best Buy on June 7. Could this be true?

They also report that the Pre will be priced like this: $200 with a new two-year contract, or $300 for current customers who are upgrading.

I don't usually shop at Best Buy because I tend to do all my shopping online. However, I may need to visit my local Best Buy on June 7 if these rumors end up being substantiated. Image Source: Brighthand.

Apple iPhone According to J.D. Power and Associates

According to J.D. Power and Associates, the Apple iPhone ranks highest among smartphone using consumers. Results of their survey show that the iPhone is among the best in:

• Overall satisfaction
• Physical design
• Ease of operation
• Features
  
• Operating system

However, the iPhone ranks poorly on battery aspects. Not a surprise since the device is so slim and you can't replace the battery easily.

Defining PPC

If you're a blogger generating income from your ads, then PPC will mean "pay per click."

However, if you've been a Windows Mobile PDA user for many years, then PPC will mean Pocket PC. Microsoft has a funny way of renaming their operating systems. They can't seem to make up their mind about nomenclature. Windows CE evolved to Pocket PC which then turned into Windows Mobile and now we'll have Windows Phone (what about those PDAs that aren't smartphones?).

My Wife Hates Her Smartphone

I hope I get to test-drive the Palm Pre because my wife hates her smartphone. She used to have a Palm Treo and now she has something else. I don't wish to get into details, but having a Palm Pre will be me a great excuse, err, I mean reason to give her my current phone so that I can use the Pre. Image source: iStockPhoto

Mobile Website for the AAN

The AAN (American Academy of Neurology) has a mobile website for healthcare professionals who use smartphones. It's at: m.AAN.com

Type that into your mobile web browser and you'll see a menu that looks like this image on the right. It doesn't matter what type of device you have. You could have an iPhone, a Palm Pre, a Palm Treo, a Windows Mobile device, a Blackberry Storm, a different BlackBerry, an Android G1, or another type of smartphone that has a mobile web browser. Image source: AAN

Epocrates and Swine Flu

Epocrates has released a clinical update on Swine Flu (H1N1). Make sure to update your mobile software to stay up-to-date on the lastest information about this possible pandemic.

Follow Friday on Twitter

It's Follow Friday on Twitter. Make recommendations and see who others recommend. Hope to see you on Twitter. I'm using my smartphone to access Twitter. Are you?

I Hope I Get to Test a Palm Pre

I filled out the application on the Palm Blog. I hope I get to test drive a Palm Pre for 6 months. What's so great about WebOS? How will it compare to Android, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and iPhone? I hope I get to find out first-hand.