…the new Windows Phone Live companion site that gives people a central place to see pictures they’ve published, view their Windows Live calendar and contacts, exchange OneNote files and access other information shared between the phone and the Web. (Aaron Woodman, Windows Phone Blog)

The service will interface with Windows Live SkyDrive, the MS cloud storage service that offers users 25 GB of data storage online for syncing via Windows Live Sync. This means that all your pictures, documents, notes, contacts and email will be synced to the cloud service for you, making backup much easier. It will also offer an easy way to get content from your phone to your computer, via SkyDrive.

The other touted feature of the service is Find My Phone. It will find the  phone for you on a map, let you call the phone, lock it and even erase it remotely. If you lose your phone, you can log onto the site and find it. The location will be displayed on a map so you can determine where you lost it and possibly track if it is moving meaning someone found it. If you are afraid that it has been compromised you could  call it to see who answers and potentially arrange to pick it up. Jus because the finder is honest enough to return it doesn’t mean he or she won’t pilfer through your data. So you can lock the phone remotely. And if, in a worst case scenario, you lose it or believe it was stolen with little hope return, you could remotely wipe the phone of all data so at least you won’t lose sensitive information to a thief or dishonest  finder.

These are features previously available in other smart phone services like MobileMe for the iPhone. Also RIM announced a beta test of a similar service recently for their Blackberry phones. The difference between the Windows  Phone Live service and Apple’s MobileMe is price. MS will not be charging for their sync and security services while Apple charges $99 per year. RIM’s service will also be free.

None of this matters until Windows Phone 7 devices are released. According to the Windows Phone Blog, they should be coming soon. Woodman said, “Windows Phone 7 will be available regionally this holiday season and beyond. I’m happy to say that Windows Phone 7 will be well represented in countries around the world this holiday.”

With promotional materials for Windows Phone 7 reportedly showing up in AT&T stores this could be sooner rather than later.

Related posts:

1. Windows Live Sync Beta: Too Little Too Late
2. How to Track Your Lost or Stolen Cell Phone Free
3. Windows Live Essentials Updated and in Beta

But, in order to take a step forward, sometimes you need to take a step back.  Where did the idea for a Microsoft phne come from?  Well, probably from the time that Microsoft decided to jump into the mobile phone marketspace with the Microsoft Windows Mobile, aka Pocket PC.  So lets once again set the wayback machine and go through a very brief history of Windows Mobile:

• Pocket PC 2000- launched April 2000.  This was based on the Windows CE 3.0 platform.  It looked and worked like Windows 98. Pocket PC 2000 was intended mainly for Pocket PC devices, however several Palm-Size PC devices had the ability to be updated as well. In addition, several Pocket PC 2000 phones were released, however Microsoft’s “Smartphone” hardware platform was not yet created. The only resolution supported by this release was 240 x 320 (QVGA). Removable storage card formats that were supported were CompactFlash and MultiMediaCard. At this time Pocket PC devices had not been standardized with a specific CPU architecture. As a result, Pocket PC 2000 was released on multiple CPU architectures; SH-3, MIPS, and ARM.
• Pocket PC 2002- launched October 2001.  This was the first time the operating system was used on a brand new type of device called a smartphone.  The UI was changed to reflect the new Windows XP operating system.
• Windows Mobile 2003- launched June 2003. This was when the name was changed from Pocket PC to Windows Mobile.  It came in four editions: Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Premium Edition”, “Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Professional Edition”, “Windows Mobile 2003 for Smartphone” and “Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC Phone Edition”. The last was designed especially for Pocket PCs which include phone functionalities. The Professional Edition was used in Pocket PC budget models.
• Windows Mobile 2003 SE- launched March 2004.  This was WinMo 2003 second edition, reiminiscent of Windows 98 SE.  Included some improvements including allowing users to backup and restore an entire device through ActiveSync.
• Windows Mobile 5- launched May 2005.  This is the first version to allow users to attach to an Exchange server to allow for push notifications.
• Windows Mobile 6- launched February 2007.  This version is linked into Windows Live.  WIndows Mobile 6.1 was issued for bug fixes, etc.
• Windows Mobile 6.5- launched May 2009.  This is what is currently in use on all Windows Mobile phones today in some form or fashion with point release versions 6.51, 6.53 and 6.55 available from the OEMs/vendors and their branding upon the operating system
• Windows Phone 7- due out this year.  They changed the name to Windows Phone since there is a complete change as to what the new operating system is going to look and behave like.  There is going to be a tighter integration with Windows Live , the Zune and the Xbox platforms. There is also going to be a focus on social networking. Any Windows Mobile 6.5x phone will not be able to upgrade to Windows Phone 7.  Users who want the new OS will have to buy a completely new phone.

So, here is where Windows Mobile has wound up.  Its gotten a bad rap over the years, being overshadowed by the Apple iPhone, Android and the Blackberry. But, like the engine that could, Windows Phone is still here and still making headway in the mobile phone operating system world.  Will this new phone and well as new OS breathe life back into Windows Mobile?

Related posts:

1. Read Ebooks on Windows Mobile Phone with Freda
2. Windows Phone Live Will Sync Content and Help With Lost or Stolen Phone
3. Windows 7 sells 7 Copies Every 7 Seconds, 150 Million Sold to Date

I knew it was coming, but it’s too fast!

Of course you can’t deny the power of Mobile phones in this ever growing mobile market. Apple’s iPhone has given new paradigm to world mobile market and has started new mobile war among the phone manufacturers and cellular providers.

Now, every company is shipping or developing a touch enabled smart phone; Apple, Nokia, LG, Samsung and Google to name a few. By making web browsing just a click away these touch enabled mobile devices have created a world where Gartner’s predictions can be believed and aren’t far away.

From Gartner’s report:

“The total number of PCs in use will reach 1.78 billion units in 2013. By 2013, the combined installed base of smart phones and browser-equipped enhanced phones will exceed 1.82 billion units and will be greater than the installed base for PCs thereafter.”

“Mobile Web users are typically prepared to make fewer clicks on a website than users accessing sites from a PC. Although a growing number of websites and Web-based applications offer support for small-form-factor mobile devices, many still do not. Websites not optimized for the smaller-screen formats will become a market barrier for their owners — much content and many sites will need to be reformatted/rebuilt.”

Please visit the  Gartner website to read more about this predication.

Related posts:

1. GoMobi Helps Small Businesses Create Mobile Websites
2. YouTube Leanback and Mobile Offer HTML5, Higher Quality and Improved Navigation
3. A brief history of Windows Mobile

By ditching the traditional rollerball for a smooth trackpad and throwing in a 2G radio RIM was able to create a very functional phone at an attractive price point; $50 at Walmart with a 2 year agreement.

Optical pad: It works really well. I was leery about it at first due to some erratic behavior but after learning how much pressure to put on it navigation was smooth. I found that the trackpad worked best when I applied a mild amount of pressure to it as opposed to bearing down full force when navigating. The only real issue I had with the trackpad is that if your fingertip gets wet or sweaty the trackpad will show a little resistance; unless you will be using this in a very humid climate or have a gland problem you should be fine. I found that swapping hands or wiping my finger on my pants cleared the issue up.

Keyboard: The keys could have a bit more space but they have a good tactile response and audible confirmation. Speaking of audible confirmation; it’s possible that if you use this in the bedroom at night your spouse will smother you with a pillow. Overall I found the typing experience easy to pick up on, in fact I wrote 90% of this review in EverNote right on the Blackberry.

Body: RIM made good use of the small form factor of the Curve providing a compact phone that feels like it’s been crafted to rest on your pointer and middle fingers while your thumbs dance across the tic-tac size keys. The smooth back gives way to a rubberized border that wraps the phone providing an easy surface to grip. The top of the phone offers easy access to media keys including a handy mute/standby key. Sides of the phone feature a camera button, volume buttons and a voice dialing button. The small size lets it easily blend into a shirt pocket or slip into slacks without the common Smartphone bulge.

Radio: Unfortunately one of the reasons that you can get the 8520 for a song is because it doesn’t have a highspeed 3G radio in it like most other phones on the market. This downside is partially negated by the fact that T-Mobile’s 3G rollout still lags behind its competitors. Still, the included WiFi and the ability of the BlackBerry OS to seamlessly switch between connections will make up for the lack of 3G in many locations. As a data junkie, I’m a bit ashamed to admit that there were only a handful of times I found myself without WiFi and missing a 3G connection.

One major upside to the inclusion of WiFi on the Curve 8520 is that when you connect to a hotspot you are able to make calls over UMA. This still uses your minutes but it gives you a signal in many places that T-Mobile (and sometimes other carriers) can’t reach.

In my experience call quality over UMA varied between acceptable (a tinny connection) to excellent (landline quality). Unfortunately I wasn’t able to determine what caused the fluctuations in quality.

Camera: The 2MP camera on the Blackberry Curve left me pleasantly surprised. In daylight conditions it took decent snapshots like the one above and when I took it to the local hot air balloon festival it performed well enough for keeping my Twitter followers up to date and even took decent enough video of the balloons glowing at dusk.

Screen: While some reviews took issue with the screen on the 8520, I found it to be a pleasure to use even in bright outdoor conditions where many screens falter. One issue I did find was that despite my tweaking the backlight settings, when I used the “Automatically Dim Backlight” option to conserve battery life I found the backlight had a mind of its own; dimming and brightening during a period of extended use without any apparent reason.

Battery: During my week long review of the 8520 I made it my daily driver; subjecting it to near constant Twittering, emailing and podcast listening. Even on days of heavy use where I found myself stuck in a 3.5 hour meeting or as a passenger on a 4 hour roundtrip road trip I was able to get 2 days of life out of one charge. If you make a lot of voice calls, rather than focusing on data like I did, you may get less battery life but you should be able to get through most days.

Pros:

• $50 at Walmart
• Calls over WiFi
• Trackpad is a worthy successor to the rollerball

Cons:

• No 3G radio
• Screen backlight can have a mind of its own

Conclusion: The new Blackberry Curve 8520 is a worthy low priced entrant to the Smartphone world. Compared to similarly priced Windows Mobile phones the 8520 performs more admirably and also offers a more user friendly environment.

Related posts:

1. A Sneak Peak at BlackBerry 6 – The Next BlackBerry Operating System
2. RIM Tablet and New Blackberry to Compete with iPhone/iPad
3. Blackberry Desktop Software for Mac Available Today

On top of its standard duties as a cell phone the W518a offers access to Facebook that most phones can’t touch, especially $50 clamshell phones. Users of the W518a can enable a Facebook App which sits on the phones home screen and shows a constantly refreshing stream of Facebook status updates.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

The app cycles through updates on its own in standby mode or you can control the flow by pressing Facebook button and using the d-pad or flicking your wrist thanks to the phone’s accelerometer. If you want to move one status update over you can flick your wrist and if you want to scroll through several you can just hold the phone at a tilt. One reason I’m so fond of the tilt to scroll feature is that the d-pad on the w815a is very flat and takes a while to get used to. For the first few days I found myself opening the dialer or hitting end rather than switching between status updates. While this got better with time if you have trouble distinguishing the edges of other keys you may want to get a hands on with the phone first or rely on the wrist flick method of navigating.

Since the phone is so heavily focused on Facebook, I feel obligated to comment on the Facebook App. While it does a great job of keeping you up to date with what your friends are doing; when it comes to commenting on their status it isn’t very intuitive. While you’d expect that when you’re viewing a status update that you could click on it and reply that’s not the case. Clicking the center button takes you to an optimized version of your News Feed, from which you can again find the status then click on it to be taken to the user’s page where you can comment or write on their wall. This works, but I had expected a more polished way to reply to others. Thankfully the ability to update your status is straightforward and very easy to do. Perhaps we’ll see this same ease come to the commenting portion of the app in the near future as Facebook tries to compete with the conversations taking place on Twitter.

Camera: The image quality is OK in well lit situations but like most camera phones has a tough time in very low light environments. The phone does feature a “Photo Fix” option which greatly improves most shots, even those taken in low light, though you’ll want your regular camera for anything bigger than a 4×6 taken indoors.

The picture quality is perfect for Facebook though, which is really what this phone’s about. After you take a picture with the built in 3.2 MP camera you choose send just like you would on any other phone, but now you’ll see an option for Facebook right above the MMS and website options.

Phone body: The W518a is a sleek clamshell style phone with an attractive grey exterior and a smooth dark metal finish on the keys. The rest of the keypad is easy to use, as all keys except the d-pad have a raised area to let you know where they are.

Music: The phone also features external music controls for songs that can be downloaded from Napster and through the “Shop Music” link on the phone. I was very impressed by the sound quality and the volume of music that came out of this small phone. The music, which comes out of a small slit on the back of the phone, easily filled a large room even over casual conversation without distorting. The only downside I found here was that the phone does not have a headphone jack, leaving you to rely on Bluetooth headphones, which connect over A2DP, to give you a private listening experience.

Pros:

• Facebook friendly.
• Loud ringer and music capabilities.
• Small size.
• $50 cost.

Cons:

• No headphone jack.
• No raised edges on D-pad.
• Replying to facebook comments is harder than it should be.

Conclusion: By combining an instant on Facebook presence with a solid media player and a $50 price tag this is a perfect fit for Facebook Junkies on a budget. Right now you stand the chance to score a free phone as well as many other prizes by using the AT&T Share App on Facebook. If you complete missions like; uploading a summer concert photo, writing a blog post or telling AT&T what your ideal phone would be you stand the chance to win, a Sony Ericsson phone, AT&T gift cards and other prizes.

Related posts:

1. New Facebook Security Tool: Is it Enough?
2. Windows Phone Live Will Sync Content and Help With Lost or Stolen Phone
3. Facebook Adds Face Detection

The Motorola ROKR E8 will be available in North America within the next quarter.

Related posts:

1. Motorola Droid X Screen Issues
2. Motorola Developing A Cloud-Based File Sharing Tool?
3. Motorola Droid 2 and Droid X Rumored Specs

LG Electronics, co-developer of the MPH in-band mobile digital television (DTV) system, today previewed a series of products that will support local TV stations’ plans to launch DTV broadcasts for mobile devices in 2009.

At the 2008 International CES here this week, LG Electronics is demonstrating products that incorporate new circuitry for receiving the robust ATSC-compatible MPH (Mobile-Pedestrian-Handheld) signals. Developed by LG Electronics, its U.S. R&D subsidiary Zenith and Harris Corporation (NYSE:HRS), MPH is capable of providing robust over-the-air DTV signals to mobile, pedestrian and handheld devices.

The prototype MPH products showcased at CES (in private demonstrations and in the LG Electronics booth #8214, Central Hall, Las Vegas Convention Center) include mobile phones, personal DTVs, laptop PCs and in-car infotainment systems:

MOBILE PHONES. LG Electronics has incorporated MPH technology into two mobile phone platforms, a CDMA handset with a unique twist screen and a GSM touchscreen handset. Both employ a simple whip antenna for VHF/UHF DTV reception. The MPH capability in these mobile phones complements other mobile video services such as MediaFlo.

PERSONAL DTVs. Built around LG’s popular portable navigation device with a 4-inch widescreen display, LG’s MPH handheld personal DTVs are optimized for pedestrian and mobile applications, whether you’re watching a sports broadcast while at the stadium, checking the local weather report on the commuter train, or watching the local news in the car.

LAPTOP PCs. LG’s innovative MPH “dongle,” which connects through the USB port, turns any laptop PC into a portable DTV. The big bright screen is ideal for enjoying broadcast sports and movies, while the computing power of the PC enables exciting data broadcasting applications via MPH transmission. As the technology is commercialized in 2009, LG Electronics envisions built-in laptop PC applications as well.

IN-CAR DTVs. In addition to developing its own MPH products, LG Electronics has been collaborating with other manufacturers. For example, Kenwood USA Corporation has developed prototype in-car displays built around LG’s MPH chipset. The 7-inch screens are ideal for back-seat viewing of children’s programming, local news or network DTV broadcast shows.

“CES 2008 is the launchpad for the world’s first MPH product concepts, which will be used in consumer trials later this year. Based on our aggressive development timetable and commitment to work with interested industry players, we expect to see a number of MPH receivers in a range of form factors from a variety of manufacturers next year,” said LG Electronics President and Chief Technology Officer Dr. Woo Paik.

MPH products will enable users to view their favorite programs from local broadcasters, watch movies and sports, and access local news and weather information, even when traveling in fast-moving vehicles or using handheld video devices away from home. For broadcasters, this new technology has the potential to create lucrative new revenue streams from advertiser-supported free broadcast mobile DTV, premium pay services or both.

The MPH in-band mobile DTV system was developed by LG Electronics, Zenith and Harris as a robust, ATSC-compatible mobile solution for local broadcasters to maximize the use of their 6-MHz, 19.39 megabit-per-second digital pathway in delivering a wide range of compelling and profitable consumer services. This meant maintaining the centerpiece application, digital high-definition television (HDTV), to the tens of millions of fixed receivers in consumer homes, while simultaneously reaching viewers on the go with robust low-bit-rate digital TV signals and data services.

Related posts:

1. Meego Builds Available for Handhelds and Netbooks
2. Western Digital Unveils My Passport AV HDD
3. Intel Demos 4 Screen Laptop Prototype

There’s no word on when you’ll actually be able to buy a phone or notebook with one of these projectors integrated, but I’ll be first in line.

Here’s the press release:

3M is now providing consumer electronics manufacturers with a revolutionary advancement in the emerging field of miniature projection technology. 3M scientists developed a breakthrough ultra-compact, LED-illuminated projection engine designed for integration into virtually any personal electronic device. Roughly the size of a wireless earpiece and less than half an inch thick, the 3M mobile projection engine delivers brilliant VGA resolution images and is available today.

With the expansion of digital media now accessible by mobile devices, consumers need the convenience of larger displays. “3M mobile projection engines achieve the size, efficiency, image quality and affordability needed for consumer adoption of this promising new product category,” said Mike Kelly, executive vice president, 3M Display and Graphics Business. “This development continues 3M’s long history as a global leader in advanced projection display technology. What is really exciting is that this technology is available now.”

When deployed in a host platform, such as a mobile phone, 3M’s technology can project a 40-inch or larger image with no-speckle and a high-fill factor that ensures superior image quality. Each engine uses an advanced liquid crystal on silicon (LCOS) electronic imager in conjunction with proprietary 3M optics technology.

Related posts:

1. A brief history of Windows Mobile
2. iMo Monster 10-Inch USB Powered Touchscreen Monitor
3. CES: 3M Launches MPro150 Projector with built in MP3 player

The current iPhone uses AT&T’s EDGE network, making browsing and streaming multimedia content extremely slow. The lack of 3G is the iPhone’s biggest weakness. A 3G iPhone will need to have a higher capacity battery and/or improved power management since operating on the faster network takes a lot more power.

The next iPhone will likely have at least a 16GB capacity.

via Bloomberg

Related posts:

1. WSJ:iPhone Coming to Verizon in 2010?
2. Looks like we can see even more new features coming with iPhone 4.0
3. White iPhone 4 Coming Late July

To use “my location” users need to download Google Maps for Mobile version 2.0. To find your location on a map you just need to press 0 on your keypad. A blue dot will show you your location if your phone is GPS-enabled. If you’re relying on cell phone towers the a blue circle will indicate your approximate location.

The Google Maps “my location” service is in beta so don’t be surprised if the service is unreliable for a while. It’s disappointing that this service isn’t available with the iPhone’s Google Maps application, even though it’s GPS-less. Even an approximate location is better than having to guess where you are, especially when traveling.

This is definitely a welcome feature, but Google really needs to improve its waypoint information. The service often doesn’t list businesses when I search for exact names or for general categories.

Check out the below video for a full demo of the Google Maps “my location” service.

To download Google Map for Mobile 2.0 send a text message- BLUEDOT to 33669 – or visit www.google.com/gmm The service is free to use.

[There is a video that cannot be displayed in this feed. Visit the blog entry to see the video.]

 

Related posts:

1. Google Maps Navigation for Android 2.0 (video)
2. Google Maps Now Integrated with Gmail and Google Buzz
3. Google Voice for Your PC