Garminfone coming to T-Mobile

Our family uses a Garmin GPS for one of our cars. I've also used TomTom and Magellan GPS devices in the past. I still use my Dash GPS that I received for being a beta tester.

Even though I have standalone GPS devices, I also run a TomTom app on my Windows Mobile smartphone. It's always handy to have a GPS in your pocket if you're traveling. I use Google Maps to view traffic data and I've played around with a Garmin GPS app and I also tried iGuidance. Since you can get GPS navigation apps for other types of smartphones like the Apple iPhone and the BlackBerry Storm, the days of the standalone GPS devices are numbered.

The Garmin Garminfone is coming to T-Mobile and it's going to be the first Android™-powered smartphone and Garmin GPS navigation device in one.

* Voice-guided and on-screen directions with automatic rerouting
* Real-time traffic, weather, ETA, and gas prices
* Thousands of downloadable apps from Android Market
* Access to personal and work e-mail, IM, and text messaging

Given that the Android 2.0 and 2.1 operating system already includes turn-by-turn GPS navigation, why would you want to get a Garminfone?  It's for people who want to have the Garmin interface. I don't have a strong preference for any particular interface, so I'll use whatever I can if I need a GPS.

http://garminfone.t-mobile.com/

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.

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.

An old smartphone makes a great standalone GPS

Many people don't understand how a GPS (Global Positioning System) works. Some think that some type of paid subscription service is always required if you wish to use a GPS. They don't understand that most standalone GPS devices are free to use once you buy the product.

I recently went on a road trip where I took an old smartphone that has a built-in GPS chip and used that as a standalone GPS navigator. I loaded TomTom software with U.S. maps and used this old Windows Mobile smartphone like a regular GPS in my car. The phone radio was off, so it was not connected to any network. It was great because this allowed me to use my current smartphone to make/receive calls, to look up traffic data on Google Maps, or check my e-mail (but not while driving of course).

So, if you have an old smartphone laying around, you may want to know if it has an internal GPS chip. Some smartphones (especially those on Verizon Wireless) may have a chip that's been disabled, but you may be able to enable it by doing a bit of searching online. To name a few examples: the Verizon XV6800, Verizon XV6900, and the Verizon Touch Diamond all have internal GPS chips that have been disabled (but can be enabled if you know what you're doing).

Creative Zii Egg: Handheld StemCell Computer

What is the Creative Zii Egg? It looks like an Apple iPhone, but it's not a phone. It's advertised as the "World's 1st Handheld StemCell Computer." It will include the Opera mobile web browser, but it's more than a mobile internet device (MID). It has cameras on both sides (HD and VGA). It's the first device running Plaszma OS and it's branded as "Google Android ready."

I'm not entirely sure what StemCell computing means, but it sure sounds interesting:

• Super-charged Android using StemCell Computing Technology

Here's a small blurb about StemCell computing from Zii.com:

Introducing the ZMS-05 media-rich processor, this nano-sized chip that marks a brand new era in technology: StemCell Computing. A complete solution, the ZMS-05 chip offers incredible flexibility, excellent energy efficiency and maximal scalability. Discover the incredible benefits of nano-sized supercomputing and how it can transform your everyday life.

The Zii Egg will have Wi-Fi and an internal GPS, so at the end of the day, maybe this provides us with a glimpse of the next iPod touch. As more of these handheld evolve into GPS navigation systems, I often wonder what will happen to the standalone car navigation systems made by TomTom, Garmin, Magellan, and others.

I plan to get the Samsung Omnia on VZW

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

Ultimately, I want a smartphone that can:

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

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

Is it time to switch to a new smartphone?

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

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

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

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