Verizon releases Android 2.1 update for Droid

My earlier post about the Android 2.0 update for the HTC Droid Eris was incorrect. Verizon Wireless actually released a finite number of Android 2.1 updates for the Motorola Droid. Why not release the update to the masses? Why update in these batches? I'm really not sure, but you can read about it here (Verizon Support PDF)

Enjoy improved performance with these Android™ enhancements. Verizon Wireless is pleased to announce new software updates for your Droid by Motorola smartphone. The Droid by Motorola software version AP: ESE81/BP: C_01.3E.03P update includes numerous enhancements and improvements.

5 BlackBerry Apps for Medical Professionals

This is a guest post by  Ashley Jones.  If you're interested in submitting a guest post, please contact me.

No matter how popular the iPhone may be, there are some people who just cannot live without their BlackBerries. It was a pioneer in pushing email to your phone back in the days when most people did not even own a computer, and it’s one device that even most technophobes are comfortable with. The Blackberry does not seek to compete with the other smartphones around; it takes pride in knowing it was one of the first on the scene, and that its loyal supporters will never switch to the competition. So it’s only fitting that developers come up with apps for the Blackberry; there may not be as many as the number of apps written for the iPhone, but there are enough for serious professionals. So if you’re a doctor or work in any part of the medical field and own a Blackberry, let me tell you about five apps you may want to consider. We all know about the big players like Epocrates, Skyscape, PEPID, Lexi-Comp, and others.

Here are 5 additional medical apps that you'll find on the BlackBerry App World:

• ECG Guide: Whether you’re a cardiologist or not, this is one application that will come in handy when you have to interpret ECG charts. This app includes more than a hundred ECG examples and also helps you improve your reading and analysis skills with a quiz. Best of all, it costs less than $10.
• GI Calc: This free app helps doctors manage patients with gastrointestinal problems and liver disease. It helps you calculate risks and determine the need for intervention based on standard scoring and classification methods.
• ICD9 Coder: This app costs under $10 and comes in handy for primary care providers who need to look up ICD9 codes that they use often. It is a simplified collection of ICD9 codes from the American Academy of Family Physicians’ list. The list replaces ICD9 descriptors with problem-oriented descriptors of conditions that are relevant to family practice.
• Cardio Calc: Another app that’s for the entire medical community rather than for just cardiologists. The Cardio Calculator not only helps determine cardiovascular risk and guide lipid treatment, but also provides information and utility value for medical practitioners in other fields of medicine like hematology, gastroenterology, nephrology and obstetrics. This app is free of cost.
• Davis’s Drug Guide Mobile and Web: A great app for under $50 which you can use to access the complete version of Davis’s drug guide from the web. It’s updated regularly and you can find the information you need thanks to a powerful inbuilt search engine. The guide includes generic and trade names for various drugs, therapeutic classes, and even natural and herbal products.

This guest post is contributed by Ashley M. Jones, who writes on the topic of pharmacy technician certification. She welcomes your comments at her email id: ashleym.jones643@gmail.com.

Epocrates will be a top free medical app on the Android Marketplace

It's no surprise, but there aren't too many true medical apps for Android right now that are free. You can purchase medical references, but the Android Marketplace is not full of feature-rich medical apps that can be used by physicians and other health care professionals. QuantiaMD is a great free medical app, but it's not near the top because it's being pushed down by consumer health apps. Plus, you need to be a registered health care professional to access QuantiaMD, so you won't get any consumers "testing" this medical app.

Now that Epocrates has their app on the Android Marketplace (still in beta), it won't be long before this becomes a top free medical app. Health care professionals all need access to a drug database. Plus, the pill finder is a great feature that any health care professional can use to help patients identify their medications.

I still remember the old days of the Palm Pilot when Epocrates dominated those devices. Every physician and medical student who had a Palm Pilot used Epocrates. Pharmacists and pharmacy students used Epocrates. Those were the days of grayscale screens. The original Palm Pilot didn't even have a backlight.

Now, we live in an era where smartphones are gaming devices and video players. They hold gigabytes of storage space and essentially function as mini computers with fully-functional mobile web browsers. Smartphones are now becoming a GPS navigation system for the car. They're becoming our pocket cameras. We can't imagine leaving home without our smartphones.

iTunes 9.1 brings iPad support

I just upgraded to iTunes 9.1. This upgrade now provides support for the Apple iPad. Now, if you purchase an iPad, you can "organize and sync books" you've downloaded from iBooks on iPad or added to your iTunes library.

So, whether you're running a PC or a Mac, you can get iTunes 9.1 on the Apple website or your computer may simply automatically update the software. 

HTC Droid Eris will get update for Android 2.0

According to some rumors, Verizon Wireless will be releasing an update for the HTC Droid Eris. Android 2.0 is coming! That means you'll get to run Epocrates on your Droid Eris! I hope this also means that you'll get GPS navigation with turn-by-turn spoken directions on Google Maps.

How to Write a Smartphone App Review

This is a guest post by Greg Friese, MS, NREMT-P. If you're interested in submitting a guest post, please contact me.

How to Write an App Review 

Amazon book and product reviews have changed the way I shop. Instead of reading the publishers description I immediately scroll to reviews from other shoppers. I read the five and one star comments to learn the best and the worst about a product. Since smartphone apps require time to select, download, install, and learn a well written review helps me decide if an app is worth my time and effort which is often secondary to the negligible price of the app.

A smartphone app review is a good topic for your own blog or to submit as a guest post to blogs in your niche. Reviews tell readers about the apps you find useful. This is the format I use and recommend for organizing an app review:

Top medical and health apps on the Android Marketplace

The Android Marketplace is the App Store for Android powered smartphones. If you're running Android 2.0, then here are the "top" medical apps under the "health" section of the Android Marketplace as of March 2010:

Top Free Health Apps:

1. Calorie Counter by FatSecret
2. Diet & Food Tracker
3. BodyFitness
4. CardioTrainer
5. Favorite Recipies
6. White Noise Lite
7. Lightning Bug - Sleep Clock
8. Best Self-Help Quotes
9. Epocrates
10. Medical Spanish - AUDIO (Lite)

Top Paid Health Apps:

1. Racing for CardioTrainer
2. ICE: In Case of Emergency
3. HappyCow VeginOut Guide
4. White Noise
5. Weight Loss for CardioTrainer
6. Calorie Tracker by LIVESTRONG
7. Men's Health Workouts
8. GymBook
9. Fast Food Calorie Counter Pro
10. Baby ESP

I wonder if we'll eventually see a "Medical" category in the Android Marketplace. As you can see from this list, many of these apps really aren't professional medical apps. They're really geared for the consumer. What's also interesting is that I don't see medical apps like Skyscape, Unbound Medicine, Lexi-Comp.

Pinch-to-zoom coming to the Droid

If you recently upgraded Google Maps on your Droid, you may have noticed that you now have pinch-to-zoom on Google Maps. The Android 2.1 OS upgrade will bring pinch to zoom to the web browser and several other areas of the phone.

Come on Verizon! We're waiting for 2.1! The update should have been released a few weeks ago, but Verizon has been delaying. I wonder if Apple will go after Motorola if they implement pinch-to-zoom on the Droid.

Epocrates on the Droid vs. the iPhone

Over the weekend, I had some time to pull out the Motorola Droid and play around with Epocrates (beta). I also had an Apple iPhone loaded with Epocrates Essentials and I put that next to the Droid as a I did a side-by-side comparison.

Overall, Epocrates on the Droid runs on an interface that is very similar to that on the iPhone. You won't see the horizontal black navigation bar on the bottom of the screen. Instead, you see a simple little "e" icon on the lower right corner of the screen that takes you back to the "home" section.

I also really like how I can add a drug to the "Favorites" list on the Droid. I don't believe I currently have this feature on the iPhone/iPod touch, but I'm sure it's coming soon. Assuming that's true, I'd say that Epocrates runs equally well on the Droid and on the iPhone. Right now, you can have access to more tools/resources on the iPhone (through Epocrates Essentials), but I'm sure those features will quickly come for the Droid as well.

The software engineers at Epocrates have created a very nice product for the Android OS. It's too bad that Epocrates only runs on Android 1.6 and above. The HTC Droid Eris runs Android 1.5, so you'll have to wait for an upgrade before you can run Epocrates.  Thanks to Epocrates for sending me a test Droid so that I could take Epocrates for a test drive.

Android 2.1 OS Update Delayed for the Motorola Droid

The Android 2.1 update has been delayed for the Droid. The Motorola Droid is currently the only Android smartphone on Verizon that's running Android 2.0. This makes it the only smartphone to have Google Maps with spoken turn-by-turn GPS navigation. I've been testing this feature and it's a great GPS! I'm sure the folks at TomTom and Garmin aren't happy with Google.

Epocrates won't run on the HTC Droid Eris or Motorola Devour (yet)

If you're thinking about getting an Android smartphone and you're dying to use Epocrates, make sure to note that you must be running Android 1.6 or above. The HTC Droid Eris runs Android 1.5, so it won't run Epocrates (yet). The Motorola Devour runs Android 1.6, but Epocrates has a support statement that says: "Please note that the current beta version of Epocrates for Android is not compatible with the Motorola Devour."

I want to thank Epocrates for sending me a test Droid. It's been great testing the beta version of Epocrates on this smartphone running Android 2.0. My colleagues who are using the HTC Droid Eris are envious and are waiting for Verizon to release an operating system upgrade (what are you waiting for Verizon??).

If you can't find Epocrates in the Android Marketplace, you probably need to wait to get an OS upgrade. Be patient, or get the Droid.

Mobile MerckMedicus for iPhone

Did you know that Mobile MerckMedicus™ is available on the Apple® iTunes® App Store?

Mobile MerckMedicus, which gives you 24/7 access to clinical resources, helpful tools, and medical content wherever you go, is now available for download at the Apple iTunes Store. Registered users can simply download the application to their iPhone® or iPod touch® and log in with their username and password for MerckMedicus.

Testing Epocrates on Android - day #2

The other day, I received a test Motorola Droid smartphone that included the latest beta version of Epocrates. I immediately started playing around with it and was impressed by the navigation simplicity. It's very easy to use, it's intuitive, and it leverages the capacitive touch screen nicely. Compared to older versions of Epocrates that ran on the Palm OS or on Windows Mobile, I really like the updated versions of Epocrates that you'll now find on the Apple iPhone or iPod touch and the Android OS. You'll also see a very similar interface on webOS, so if you have a Palm Pre or Pixi, then you're in for a treat.

Epocrates on Android is touch-friendly. Even if you have big fingers, you won't have any problems navigating the app, entering information into the search box, or scrolling around. I really like the small "e" on the lower right corner of the screen that quickly gets you to the home page. That's a feature that I'd like to see on the iPhone version of Epocrates.

My Droid currently has the following "Tools" in the beta version of Epocrates:

• Drug Reference
• Tables
• InteractionCheck
• Pill ID
• MedMath

If you want to place one of these Tools into your "Favorites," simply tap on the tool to open it. Then, click on the menu button and select "Add to Favorites." Now, you'll see that tool listed under "Favorites" on the main screen. The interface is simple and very easy for anyone to use. Way to go Epocrates!

Initial impressions of Epocrates on the Droid (Android)

I've been testing Epocrates Rx (beta) on the Motorola Droid (running the Google Android OS) and my initial impressions are very positive. The Droid is a powerful smartphone running a super-fast 1 GHz Snapdragon processor, so the device is much faster than most smartphones, including the HTC Touch Pro2 or the iPhone 3GS. When you're browsing the web, content-heavy pages load very quickly. Google Maps with the spoken "turn-by-turn" navigation is also a great feature found on the Motorola Droid.

You can expect to see several future blog posts here on MedicalSmartphones.com as I test Epocrates on the Droid. As I test the software on Android, I'll blog about what I discover.

Today, I noticed that when I tap certain buttons, I'm not always getting the visual feedback that tells me that I touched an on-screen button. Normally, you'd see buttons change colors or change appearances when you touch it. This is a minor bug. Given that the software is still beta, this is not a big deal and I'm sure they'll fix those minor bugs when they release the final version.

Faster Google Voice on Android

From the Google Voice Blog:

Using Google Voice for Android just got a whole lot faster. Until now, notifications of new messages appeared within 15 minutes of when they were sent. Today we are releasing a new feature called Inbox synchronization, which will notify your Android-powered device of new text messages or voicemails within seconds of receiving new messages in your Google Voice inbox.

To activate Inbox synchronization, open the Google Voice settings on your phone and touch Refresh and notification. Once you have selected the Synchronize Inbox option, you will start receiving faster notifications. Plus, Google Voice will automatically disable SMS forwarding to your mobile phone, so you won’t receive duplicate notifications.

Finally, we have made it much faster to interact with your contacts from the Google Voice app. Now you can click on any contact photo and get the option to quickly respond to voicemail by email or IM.

The updated app is available for download from Android Market today. You will need a valid Google Voice account to use the app, and at this time, Google Voice is available in the US only.

Palm Pre Plus on AT&T and Verizon

The folks at Engadget have written up a nice blog post comparing the GSM Palm Pre on the AT&T network against the CDMA Palm Pre on the Verizon network. They should be the same phone, right?  Well, not exactly. They both run webOS, but the AT&T network isn't the same as the Verizon Wireless network. I don't mean to suggest that one is better than the other because your coverage may vary depending on where you live. Plus, these networks will be undergoing some significant changes over the next 24 months, so get ready for 4G speeds! (not sure when we'll see the first 4G smartphones, but I'm sure by the end of 2011 we'll have a good idea of what to expect).

Speaking of 4G and upgraded networks, if you're satisfied with your current smartphone and you think you can use it for the next 12 months or so, I'd suggest that you wait for a 4G smartphone. If you don't wait, you'll wish you had waited. I know some people who are waiting for the iPhone 4G.

I'm testing Epocrates (beta) on the Motorola Droid

I want to thank Epocrates for sending me a Motorola Droid smartphone running Google Android. Over the next week, I'll be testing the latest beta version of Epocrates on the Droid and will be reporting my findings. My wife (a family physician) is currently considering an Android smartphone, so let's see what she thinks about the Droid. Since we're both on Verizon Wireless, our options are a bit limited. However, we all know that several new smartphones will be appearing on the Verizon network.


A few months ago, I extensively tested QuantiaMD on the HTC Droid Eris.

To test Epocrates on your Android smartphone, visit:
http://www.epocrates.com/products/android/

Sprint Announces the HTC EVO 4G

Today at CTIA, Sprint announced the first 4G smartphone. The HTC EVO 4G looks like a real winner. It's running Google's Android OS. This is the first WiMAX-enabled phone on Sprint. It also has the HTC Sense UI and it sports a large 4.3" screen. How about two cameras, with the better one being an 8 MP camera capable of 720p video? You won't experience sluggish performance on this device since it has a 1 GHz Snapdragon processor. The HDMI connection is a nice feature, but I think I'm most impressed by the built-in mobile Wi-Fi hotspot feature (which is also found on other smartphones that have Wi-Fi capabilities).

To learn more about this new Android smartphone, click here: http://now.sprint.com/evo

Save 10% on Lexi-Comp medial smartphone apps

Save 10% on all Lexi-Comp electronic products. Enter coupon code: NN310 (valid through 4/15/2010) at checkout. Visit: http://www.lexi.com/

Lexi-Comp offers bundled software packages as well as individual databases for a wide variety of PDAs and smartphones. So, whether you're still using an old PDA or you're running the newest smartphone with Google Android, you'll find something at Lexi-Comp.

TouchDx Releases TermorTracer

TouchDx Releases TermorTracer, a iPhone Tremor Assessment for Patients with Parkinson's Disease, Multiple Sclerosis and Other Movement Disorders

TremorTracer the first iPhone App to quantify, assess and record tremor. Increased accuracy, ease & effectiveness.

San Diego, CA, March 23. 2010 - Touch Diagnostics (TouchDx) the leading developer of mHealth solutions for the iPhone, announced the introduction of TremorTracer. TremorTracer provides physicians a unique and revolutionary tremor assessment with which to identify, record, and monitor longitudinal change in writing skills for patients with fine motor function deficits, due to tremor.

TapChart

This is a guest post by Greg Bartlett. If you're interested in submitting a guest post, please contact me.

A little-known app may just be making its way to an EMS near you.

A few years ago, a Fire-Rescue Department paramedic in San Diego developed a simple smartphone application called TapChart that replaced the bubble-field data forms completed by first responders after an incident. Little more than a basic data entry program in the beginning, the app was picked up by the San Diego Medical Services Enterprise (SDMSE) and implemented on a wide scale within the California city. Other technologies such as GPS tracking had aided vehicle management, but the post-response information flow was still in the dark ages.

HTC's Supersonic coming to Sprint

According to a few circulating rumors, the HTC's Supersonic is coming to Sprint. What is the Supersonic? It's a WiMAX smartphone with a 4.3-inch screen and it's running Google's Android OS with HTC's Sense UI. Will this be the first 4G smartphone?

Dell Aero running Android coming to AT&T

The Dell Aero may be the second Android smartphone to reach AT&T.  It looks like Dell rebranded the Mini 3 and called it the Aero for AT&T.

2010 should be a very interesting year as we see more Android smartphones emerge on the market. We're also going to see a few new BlackBerry models and Windows Phone 7 Series should come out by the end of the year. Meanwhile, the Apple iPhone 3GS will probably remain unchanged.

Clinical IMAGES iPhone app by GE Healthcare

Sample clinical images courtesy of GE Healthcare imaging systems are now available for you to view at any time, thanks to the new Clinical IMAGES iPhone app developed by GE Healthcare. A radiologist can choose a product, and browse sample images and videos by anatomy or by applications specific to the selected system.

For more information, visit http://newsroom.gehealthcare.com

Using an external battery pack when traveling

In the past, I used to carry spare smartphone batteries. I would carry an extended battery or a standard spare in my bag. However, I stopped that trend last year and now I carry a small external battery pack that allows me to recharge my smartphone when I'm traveling.

Given that I replace my smartphone roughly every 2 years (through the Verizon "New Every Two" plan), I found that it really didn't make sense for me to go out and buy many accessories for my smartphone. Therefore, I no longer buy spare batteries. I also don't buy cases. I simply use a screen protector and that's it.

By using an external battery pack, I know that I can also use that same power source to recharge my iPod, my Bluetooth headset, and a few other small electronics. Plus, when I replace my smartphone, I can still use the same battery pack. I recommend getting something small and something that simply has a standard USB port. This little 5V outlet can recharge many devices as long as you carry a USB cable.

Guide to Windows Phone 7 Series

As always, the bloggers at Engadget have created a comprehensive guide about the Windows Phone 7 Series. If you're intrigued by this new smartphone operating system, then make sure to take a look at the guide and view some of the videos that walk through key features that will be found on this new system. Can you wait until December for this new OS?

Here's the key line from their summary:

The visual and underlying differences in the operating system are almost too numerous to mention, including a completely (and we do mean completely) upended user interface, an emphasis on finger-based touchscreen input, deep social networking integration, fully branded and expansive Zune and Xbox components, and extremely strict hardware requirements for partners.

Wouldn't it be great if someday we had a universal smartphone OS where you could run any app? I doubt we'll get there, but it was a nice little thought for a few moments.

Future smartphones: pick and install your OS

I can't wait until we can simply pick and install our operating system of choice after we purchase a smartphone. After all, we have that flexibility with PCs. You can install Windows XP, Vista, Windows 7, Ubutnu, or even Mac OS X (if you're creative). Why can't we do that with our smartphones?

Actually, we can to some extent. I know that many people have been installing Android ROMs on HTC smartphones like the Touch and the Touch Pro2. I don't think I've heard anyone installing the iPhone OS on any other device.

I've played around with custom ROMs in the past, but this can be a time-consuming hobby. Each time you install a new ROM, you have to reinstall all your apps. New ROms are constantly being generated as users within the community identify bugs and fixes. At some point, maybe I'll install Android on my HTC Touch Pro2 (which is currently running Windows Mobile 6.5). Then again, it would probably be much easier to simply go out and get a Motorola Droid.

Five Innovative Telemedicine Solutions

This is a guest post by Greg Bartlett. If you're interested in submitting a guest post, please contact me.

Regardless of advances in communications and GPS tracking technology, we’re still a long way off from seeing widespread practical implementation of telemedicine. Yet for some patients in certain areas of the globe, remote monitoring is the only viable solution. For those with unique problems, doctors and tech experts are crafting some very unique solutions.

Doctors and health professionals serving the Navajo Nation have launched an unprecedented telemedicine solution that involves smartphones, GPS tracking, and even weather balloons. For those on the reservation, much of which is undeveloped wilderness, access to advanced medical services is limited. Here’s how the solution works: patients are given devices which monitor glucose levels, blood pressure, and other indicators. The monitors the periodically ping receivers in industrial-grade weather balloons that float high above the reservation. Each day, the data-heavy receiver packages are parachuted down to health professionals, who employ GPS tracking devices to recover them. For a huge patient area with no cell towers or satellite receivers, sometimes a mix of old and new tech does the job.

VMware (virtualization software)

This is being republished from my other blog: MobileHealthComputing.com

Have you heard of the term "virtualization software" used in the context of health IT? I'm sure you've heard of cloud computing. Some experts have said that virtualization unlocks cloud computing. Many people still have misconceptions about cloud computing and may even confuse this phrase with virtualization. Grid computing (a form of distributed computing and parallel computing, whereby a 'super and virtual computer' is composed of a cluster of networked, loosely coupled computers acting in concert to perform very large tasks) deals with virtual machines.

Google Sync for your smartphone

I've been using Google Sync for my smartphone and I've had some positive results so far. If you visit the Google Sync website (http://www.google.com/mobile/sync/), you'll see apps and instructions for: BlackBerry, iPhone, Windows Mobile and Nokia. Android has Google Sync built into its operating system.

So, what's so great about Google Sync? I share my Google calendar with several people in my family and they can easily make changes to my calendar. These changes appear on my smartphone, so this helps me stay organized with my family.  Google Sync can also be used in the corporate setting.

Want to learn more? Watch this short little video about Google Sync:

Mobile phone options in Australia

When's the last time you were visiting Australia? A new mobile phone site has just launched in Australia, allowing users to compare more than 1,000 different handsets and plans. The site, MobileBuddy.com.au, compares the best live deals on Australian mobile handsets, phone plans, prepaid and cap-plan options. So, if you're looking for a comparison website, you may want to take a look. I always use comparison sites and I also rely on customer reviews to guide my purchasing decisions. The other night, I purchased an iPod accessory that had received stronger reviews compared to a similar accessory.

My Australian colleagues tell me that the Australian mobile industry can be quite overwhelming. Just like many other places in the world, Australians have to choose among a wide range of plans and handsets. Which phone is best? What does MobileBuddy.com.au say? How do you compare the networks in your country against those in different countries? In Europe, we see GSM providers that carry devices that you'll never find in North America. What about in Australia?  We know they have Vodafone, Dodo, 3Mobile, and JUST Mobile. You won't find Verizon or Sprint.

Will you find the Apple iPhone or any HTC Android smartphones? Will you also get the same type of BlackBerry devices that you'll find anywhere else?  MobileBuddy.com.au also features a large library of articles exploring new phone technology, emerging features, and things to look out for before signing long-term phone contracts. People are always looking for the best deals and the latest handset features.

Use Orkov for PubMed searches on your iPhone or iPod touch

Search PubMed from your iPhone with Orkov's powerful and advanced search capability. All the options of PubMed's web pages are wrapped into a powerful iPhone app that is easy to use and navigate. Search journals and review abstracts. Bookmark, download and save PDFs of Full Text articles whenever available and email the abstracts, search results, full text and downloaded PDF articles with notes.

FEATURES include the following:

• Search PubMed (Basic and Advanced Searches)
• Retrieve full text articles and PDFs from PubMed, PubMed Central and other sources when available.
• Link to other full text article sources
• Retain Search History
• Save searches, abstracts and full text articles
• Keep notes with your full text articles, PDF downloads and abstracts
• Link to LoanSome Doc to borrow journals
• Navigate lengthy full text articles quickly with our exclusive "Jump" button. Our ‘Jump’ button dynamically populates main sections of an XML based full text article
• Zoom in on Figures
• Find related articles (to multiple levels)
• Find related articles by authors (to multiple levels)
• Built-in browser (No need to leave or close Orkov) for viewing documents available through other services
• Immediate, Complete and FREE 30 day instant access to all the features of Orkov

HTC HD2 about to launch on T-Mobile on March 24

I had the opportunity to play around with the new HTC HD2 smartphone while I was at HIMSS10. This is a really nice Windows Mobile smartphone! (of course, you have to be a Windows Mobile user to appreciate this device)

So what's so great about the HD2? It's very thin, sleek, it has 1 GHz processor, and it has a 4.3-inch WVGA capacitive screen with multi-touch support. This is the first Windows Phone to use a capacitive multi-touch screen. (supporting gestures like pinch-to-zoom)

The major drawback is that it's running Windows Mobile 6.5 instead of Windows Phone 7 Series. I suppose that could be both good and bad. If you'd like to run your old Windows Mobile applications, then you don't want to upgrade to Windows Phone 7 Series. I actually still have several old apps that I'd rather not re-purchase.

My ReachMD commentary about smartphones

I'm on ReachMD talking about smartphones this week. As more physicians choose to use smartphones, they need to make choices about operating systems and functionality. You can listen to my commentary here and be sure to vote in the poll:
http://www.reachmd.com/xmsegment.aspx?sid=5337

According to a recent Manhattan Research report, 80% of physicians will be using smartphones by the year 2013. Are you currently using a smartphone, or are you using an older device like a Palm Pilot?

If you’ve never used a smartphone, get ready to have the power of the Internet right in your hand. You can check your e-mail anywhere you go, access automatically updated databases, and stay current with the latest medical news. By leveraging this type of digital information, you can use this powerful device right at the point of care. Plus, if you’re currently using an electronic health record, you may even have access to that EHR right from your phone.

Now if we stop to look at a few specific smartphones, we’ll see that the Apple iPhone is very popular among physicians. However, this device lack a physical keyboard and some users have complained about the difficulty of using the on-screen keyboard. So, if you’re looking for a device that has a physical keyboard, consider the Motorola Droid running Google’s Android operating system or the Palm Pre running the new Palm webOS. Microsoft is also coming out with a brand new system called Windows Phone 7 Series. BlackBerry is rumored to be releasing a device that finally includes both a touch screen plus a physical keyboard, so you can have the best of both worlds.

Be sure to vote in this week’s poll about smartphones: what feature is most important when you’re selecting a smartphone?

http://www.reachmd.com/xmsegment.aspx?sid=5337

How safe is your smartphone data?

What would happen if you lost your smartphone? Is your data safe? Do you have any patient info on it?

Thousands of smartphones probably get lost each day (I don't have the statistic, but I'm sure it's high). I don't know how many of them get returned to their owners. but that number is probably low.

I still meet many physicians who are not locking their smartphones. Plus, they're leaving sensitive data on files that are stored on the memory card, so even if the phone is locked, the data on that card can be accessed by anyone who finds the device.

I've never lost my phone, but I've come close several times. I'm sure that all of us have probably come close (call it a near miss). Make sure your smartphone is locked and that you're not carrying any sensitive patient info on it. 

Windows Phone 7 Series news and updates (Microsoft MIX10)

Well, there's good news and bad news from Microsoft MIX10. For most of you who are currently using devices that are running Windows Mobile 6.5, you probably won't see any official ROM upgrades for Windows Phone 7 Series. The good news is that you can buy a Windows Phone 7 Series made by several different manufacturers such as Samsung, LG, HTC, and others.  Plus, you'll have the option to purchase a slim touch-screen candybar-style smartphone or a thicker slider that includes a QWERTY keyboard.  As a Windows Phone 7 Series user, you'll have a wide selection of devices.

Also, it sounds like the only way for consumers to get apps on the new Windows Phone 7 Series will be through the "Marketplace" (which is the Microsoft equivalent of an App Store).  There will be enterprise options for corporate users. To view additional images of Windows Phone 7 Series, visit Engadget.

Readers Are Devouring Apple Book Apps

On BusinessWeek, there's a story titled, "Readers Are Devouring Apple Book Apps." Demand for digital book applications on Apple devices gives developers and publishers fresh ways to make money—a mixed blessing for Amazon. Do you agree?

How many books have you read on your iPhone or iPod touch? If you already have a smartphone that is capable of being an e-book reader (or e-reader), then why would you go out and invest several hundred dollars for a dedicated e-book reader like the Kindle, Nook, or QUE? Does it really make sense?

With the new Apple iPad on the horizon, the digital book industry may get revolutionized as devices like the iPad offer much more capabilities that extend beyond traditional e-book readers. Having a multimedia interface and Internet access on your iPad could change the way consumers and even health care professionals access both work-related and personal books.

More leaked info about the BlackBerry slider

CrackBerry has some additional photos of the upcoming BlackBerry slider smartphone that will probably feature a touch screen (like the Storm or Storm 2) plus a hardware QWERTY keyboard that slides out. This model will be the 9700a and it looks like it's going to be a winner for users who don't like the on-screen keyboard.

3G Broadband Card vs. Tethering

If you use a smartphone, do you also carry a separate 3G broadband card for your mobile computer? Why not tether using your smartphone?

My Lenovo ThinkPad has a built-in 3G radio, but I would need to use AT&T if I wanted to use the internal wireless card. I could also get a 3G mobile broadband USB card for any of the major wireless providers in my area. Does it make sense to get a separate card if I can also tether?

The only reason it doesn't make sense is money. If you're trying to save money, then tether.

Otherwise, here are several reasons why you should consider a dedicated 3G wireless card for your mobile computer:

1. Save battery life on your smartphone. (smartphones can have trouble charging if you're connecting via a USB cable to tether)
2. Talk and surf. If you're tethering, you can't talk and surf simultaneously. So, if you need Internet access while you're talking on the phone, you'll need a separate connection.
3. Reliable connection. Tethering is reliable, but not as reliable as a dedicated broadband card. 
4. Heat. Tethering will probably heat up your smartphone. That can also lead to a shorter battery life span.
5. Sharing. Do you ever need to share that 3G broadband wireless card? It's much more difficult to share your smartphone.
6. Bulk. Why have anything connected to your mobile device if your computer has an internal built-in radio? 

I realize that dedicated 3G wireless plans are expensive. We're talking about roughly $60/month just for the data access. When 4G networks roll out, that price could even go up. Or, you may need to choose among different data plans for your dedicated broadband access card. 

Windows Phone 7 Series

I've been following some of the stories out there concerning Windows Phone 7 Series because I've been a long-time Windows Mobile user. I've also used Android and I have an iPod touch, but now I admit that I'm intrigued by Windows Phone 7 Series. Here are some interesting facts about smartphones that will run Windows Phone 7 Series:

• 480 x 800 (WVGA) pixels at launch, with a future update that will introduce a 320 x 480 (HVGA) native resolution.
• 1GHz Snapdragon processor
• Several different design configurations (candybar, slider, etc.)

So, I think the really big question is: what type of effort will Microsoft make to beat the competition? Do they even have a chance given how the iPhone, Android, and BlackBerry have gobbled up the majority of the market? Let's wait and see.

Budget cell phone plans

How do you find the best cell phone plan? Maybe you're a medical student or a resident on a really tight budget. Do you go with prepay phones? Where can you find the best deals? Should you shop online for the lowest prices? Maybe you rely on your friends and family to help you with the bill. Some people simply eliminate the landline phone and carry a mobile phone. If you're looking for an online resource where you can compare different cell phone plans, you may want to try Billshrink.

Sometimes, you may see an online deal that simply looks too good to be true. It can be difficult to determine which plans are really the best cell phone plans. After all, you're not always comparing apples to apples. Some mobile carriers offer different features and benefits. Do you use a lot of minutes, or would you be the type to roll over your unused minutes? Maybe you need an unlimited talk plan. If you're like me, then maybe you're on a family plan. Plus, if the majority of your friends and family are on the same carrier, then you may have unlimited talk time with them since many carriers now offer free calling within the same carrier network.

Novothink Solar Surge iPhone / iPod touch charging case

If you're working in the hospital, you may not get very much sunlight. However, if you'd like to explore a new way to charge your iPhone or iPod touch when you're outdoors, then consider the Novothink Solar Surge iPhone / iPod touch charging case.

NOVOTHINK empowers you to take advantage of the free, clean power of the sun by offering innovative solar technology for today’s portable electronic devices. We believe that everyone can make a positive difference for our planet, and through small steps, we can make monumental progress towards a clean, green future.

From 3G to 4G networks

In different parts of the country, you can experience a 4G network which is much faster than the current 3G network. 4G refers to the fourth generation of cellular wireless standards.

According some news the other day, Verizon will probably roll out 4G networks by the middle of 2011. Sprint currently has a 4G network in several places in the U.S.

The next Apple iPhone will probably be a 4G model. When will AT&T be set up for 4G? How about T-Mobile?

As wireless standards continue to evolve, we can anticipate faster data transmission which will lead to more capable smartphones. This means more broadband access, more streaming video, faster file uploads and downloads, and 

Google Android on the HTC Touch Pro2

Want to replace your smartphone operating system? Watch this video where developers have installed Android on the HTC Touch Pro2 (which normally runs Windows Mobile).

Top medical apps on the iPhone App Store

Right now, Medscape (from WebMD) is the #1 free medical app and iPharmacy (by SigmaPhone LLC) is the #1 paid medical app on the iPhone App Store.

You'll also notice that both Epocrates and Medscape both have over 2,000 ratings and they each have 3.5 stars (out of 5).

It's always interesting to see how these medical apps rank in the App Store. If you don't have an iPhone or iPod touch, you can view these same apps on iTunes by visiting the App Store.

Motorola CLIQ XT on T-Mobile

It's great to see that Motorola is getting back into the mobile phone market with its Android smartphones. The Motorola CLIQ XT will be coming to T-Mobile fairly soon. Are you a T-Mobile customer? If you wait an Android smartphone that also includes a hardware QWERTY keyboard, then you should get the Motorola CLIQ (unless you want to get the old G1).

If you want something thin and light (that lacks a physical keyboard), then the CLIQ XT will be a nice option.

Soon, all the Android smartphones on T-Mobile will say: "Touch Screen with On-Screen Keyboard"

Epocrates Pulse Newsletter

Here are some snippets from the March 2010 Epocrates Pulse Newsletter:

Improving Patient Safety

Epocrates is committed to helping healthcare professionals improve patient safety. You can use our drug interaction checker on your handheld device to identify harmful interactions among your patient's medications and our dosing feature to ensure the dosage is appropriate. In a recent Epocrates survey, we found that over 60% of physicians credit Epocrates software for helping them to avoid one ADE per week!

Free Schizophrenia Mobile Resource Center

The new Schizophrenia Mobile Resource Center provides editorially independent commentaries on important clinical news and research in schizophrenia. The content is selected and commented upon by a highly regarded thought leader in the areas of schizophrenia and psychiatry. The material is updated every 2 weeks and includes clinical news, conference highlights, resources, and scientific abstracts.

It's Here! Epocrates Rx for Android and Palm webOS

With our new Epocrates Rx beta application, you will have quick and easy access to reliable drug information. Epocrates Rx provides you with multiple clinical tools in one easy-to-use application. Please note that the clinical content will not be updated for the beta version of this application.

http://www.epocrates.com

Dragon Medical Mobile Apps for Smartphones

This was released last week while I was at HIMSS10.

Nuance Extends Power and Experience of Mobile, Voice-Enabled Documentation and Search to the Healthcare Industry; Unveils Dragon Medical Mobile Apps for Smartphones

Advanced Mobile Point-of-Care Solutions Deliver Real-Time Speech Recognition, Dictation and Search Capabilities

HIMSS 2010, Atlanta, GA – March 01, 2010 – Nuance Communications, Inc. (Nasdaq: NUAN), today announced it will showcase an advanced suite of Dragon Medical Mobile technologies and solutions at HIMSS. Building upon the recent success of its Dragon Dictation and Dragon Search consumer apps for the iPhone, which are powered by world-renowned Dragon NaturallySpeaking software, Nuance will extend its mobile speech technologies to the healthcare industry. By applying its award-winning speech recognition and capture capabilities to smartphones, Nuance can help physicians, nurses and other healthcare workers, such as therapists, efficiently access clinical information and document patient encounters using their mobile devices. Nuance will preview several innovative voice-powered Dragon Medical Mobile technologies and solutions at HIMSS this week; availability is expected throughout this year, beginning in the spring of 2010.

iPhone game development - the future of mobile gaming

Here are some snippets from a recent CNET article about the Apple iPhone and the gaming industry:

• The Game Developers Conference has traditionally held a summit for mobile devices.
• This year, there is a separate summit called "iPhone Games" and there are 16 panels for this summit.
• Developers say designing for the iPhone is (relatively) easy compared to other platforms.
• The iPhone is now recognized as a leading platform that's independent from the mobile market.

You've probably played around with some type of game on your iPhone or iPod touch. I admit that I've used my iPod touch to distract my kids during long car rides.  The gaming industry has even infiltrated health care and we've seen organizations use gaming techniques for educational purposes.

Given that smartphones are being used by such a wide demographic audience, it's no surprise that the gaming market is thriving in the iPhone space.

Cell Phones' Radiation Report Card

Last week, Time.com released a Cell Phones' Radiation Report Card. You can view the radiation levels associated with each of these mobile phones and smartphones:

1. BlackBerry 8820
2. Motorola i880
3. HTC Magic (T-Mobile)
4. Motorola Razr V3i
5. Apple iPhone 3G
6. Samsung SGH-a137
7. Sony Ericsson w518a Walkman
8. Samsung I8000 Omnia II
9. BlackBerry Storm 9530
10. Sanyo Katana II

The amount of radiation emitted by cell phones varies from model to model, but all fall under the FCC-mandated maximum absorption rate of 1.6 watts per kilogram of body tissue.

Read more by clicking here.

Epocrates Rx for Android and webOS

Have you tried Epocrates Rx on your Google Android or Palm webOS smartphone?  The software is currently beta and you won't get any updates, but it's stable and it runs well. You can view photos of pills, check for drug-drug interactions, and use important tables and calculators. 

I know that many physicians rely on Epocrates on a daily basis. Are you one of those users? I still remember when Epocrates launched its company in 1998 and when PDAs were starting to enter the medical industry. Those were simple days of grayscale Palm Pilots and AAA batteries. Now, we have a wide selection of powerful devices like the Motorola Droid and the Palm Pre.

Apple vs. HTC: Patent Wars

You've probably heard, but Apple is suing HTC. In case you didn't know, the Google Nexus One is made by HTC. I wonder if Apple will go after Palm and Motorola (since the Palm Pre and Motorola Droid include some similar features).

Here's a snippet from Apple's website:

CUPERTINO, California—March 2, 2010—Apple® today filed a lawsuit against HTC for infringing on 20 Apple patents related to the iPhone’s user interface, underlying architecture and hardware. The lawsuit was filed concurrently with the U.S. International Trade Commission (ITC) and in U.S. District Court in Delaware.

“We can sit by and watch competitors steal our patented inventions, or we can do something about it. We’ve decided to do something about it,” said Steve Jobs, Apple’s CEO. “We think competition is healthy, but competitors should create their own original technology, not steal ours.”

How's this going to end? Click here to read an Engadget post that describes the patents.

Doctors are still using PDAs instead of smartphones

I know it's hard to believe, but so many doctors are falling behind on the use of mobile technology. They're still using PDAs that are over 5 years old and they aren't using modern smartphones. I recently attended an educational meeting where over 300 physicians had gathered. Although many were using modern smartphones, quite a few still had PDAs running the original Palm OS or Pocket PC. I'm surprised the batteries on these devices still provide enough battery life on these devices that are over 5 years old.

My wife (a family physician in private practice) and I have both gone through a few different smartphones. Our old PDAs are in our personal museum collection. What type of PDA or smartphone does your doctor use?

80% of all US physicians will be using smartphones by 2012

How many doctors are currently using smartphones? Here are some snippets from a recent story on Medical Marketing and Media:

• About 80% of all US physicians will be using smart phones by 2012, and not just for drug reference or clinical information... according to Manhattan Research survey.
• An explosion of new healthcare professional-facing apps - over 1,500 in Apple's app store alone - will expand mobile device usage to include patient care and administrative functions, according to Manhattan Research survey.
• A recent SDI survey found that iPhones were used most among docs using smart phones to access medical information.
• "Handheld devices are becoming more and more useful to physicians, partly because of the boom in physician-oriented apps and portable content," said Monique Levy, senior director of research at Manhattan Research.
• Creating smart phone apps for physicians makes a lot of sense, considering that docs have been using PDAs, with applications, for a long time, said  Jeannette Kocsis, SVP, digital marketing, at Harte-Hanks Direct. The mobile-optimized web is also important, said Kocsis, particularly because updates are managed by the website host, as opposed to a physician having to update an application.

Want more information about smartphone medical apps? Looking for a comprehensive market research report? You may wish to purchase the MobiHealthNews research report titled, "THE WORLD OF HEALTH AND MEDICAL APPS" here.

Top keywords: "droid medical apps" and "medical apps for droid"

Over the past few weeks, the top keywords that have caused people to visit MedicalSmartphones.com include:

1.  droid medical apps
2.  medical apps for droid
3.  medical droid apps 

Notice a theme? All these Android users are searching for useful medical apps for their Droid smartphone. I'm sure some are using the HTC Droid Eris or a different Android device like the Nexus One, G1, Hero, or Devour.

Right now, if you type any of these keywords (phrases) into Google, you'll see that this MedicalSmartphones.com comes up as #1. Search engines are dynamic and this keyword listing/ranking could change in a few weeks. Recently, the top keyword used to be "Android vs iPhone" but I guess that debate has been answered by most people.

AT&T gets its first Android smartphone: Motorola Backflip

If you're an AT&T customer and you've been waiting for an Android smartphone, your wait is now over. The Motorola Backflip running Google Android is now available on AT&T. This device leverages a unique flip QWERTY keyboard (it's not a slider, it's a clamshell-type of design) and BACKTRACK navigation. You'll have to swing by your local AT&T store to try it. The Motorola Backflip also features MOTOBLUR, so it's great for social media enthusiasts. 

Now, if you're a physician (or any other health care professional) on the AT&T network, should you go with the Apple iPhone or this new Motorola Backflip running Android? 

Motorola Droid vs. Devour on Verizon (Android)

The newest Android smartphone on Verizon is the Motorola Devour. It is not the Droid Devour. It is simply the Devour. This device resembles the Droid, but it's silver, it has a smaller screen, and it's less powerful. It's also less expensive, but I would highly recommend the Droid over the Devour.

The Devour should be considered an "entry-level" Android smartphone for people who are on a tight budget. I realize that medical students are residents are often on tight budgets, so if you don't think you'll be a "power user," then the Devour will do just fine. The Devour also features MOTOBLUR which is a nice feature if you're a social media junkie.

My local Best Buy seems to have better prices for new Verizon customers, so if you're shopping for a new smartphone, you may want to compare prices.