Carrier News

Let’s face it, Windows Mobile needs a lot of help in the layout & design sector, even after 7 versions, they couldn’t get it right! I think Microsoft realized they were a little behind when handset device manufacturers like HTC created TouchFlo & TouchFlo 3D which totally re-skinned the Windows Mobile interface for a better user & touchscreen experience. With the strong demand for Microsoft to step it up a notch, another major update has been added to the Windows Mobile family— Windows Mobile 6.5.

What you can look forward to:

• Improved touchscreen experience
• Honeycomb-style “Today” or home screen layout (again, easier to the touch)
• New lock screen with added support for texts & voicemail access.
• Completely restyled IE Mobile (new touch-zoom slider, frequently used commands)

The screenshots:

The bad:

If you are like me, you’re running a current version of Windows Mobile – Microsoft is saying that no devices in the market today will receive 6.5 updates. Boo. Oh yeah— you’ll also have to wait until Q4 to “officially” play with it.

What is your background as an inventor/designer?

Since I was a kid, I always enjoyed making stuff with my hands. After my A level, I did an art foundation in Paris (Atelier de Sèvres) and then went to London to start a BA in product design at Central Saint Martins. I’m in my final year now. The foundation really gave me the taste for making things, and studying product design was, I think, the right choice.

Tell us about the “Watts Maker” cell phone charger

The Watts Maker allows you to charge your cell phone while you’re cycling. You don’t spend a penny on it, only sweat. The Watts Maker is not a final product, there is no real design on it. I would call it more a DIY piece. An idea that has to be turned into a real product. It is something I did in my spare time without sketching or anything. I just used what I had at home.

How does it work?

I opened a bicycle dynamo and plugged my phone charger on it. The result is quite simple, as you cycle, instead of lighting the bike torch, it charges your phone. Luckily, the dynamo produces enough power for the phone to charge.

What inspired you to create the “Watts Maker” cell phone charger?

I think it happened one morning when I arrived at uni and realized I forgot to charge my phone, I couldn’t use it for the whole day. And the same day, when cycling home, I had to turn my dynamo on because it was dark. I just realized that if my legs could produce enough power to light a torch, could there be enough power to charge my phone?

What will the future hold for this idea?

Well, what I like about it and the reason it is on my website is that it shows that some eco problems can be solved quite easily. It would be fantastic to find a producer interested in it, and work along together to make it “real”.

For more information about Oscar Lhermitte or the “Watts Maker” bicycle cell phone charger – read this.

I’m writing this post using Windows Mobile… on my 42” TV screen. It’s made possible by using the VGA output on the REDFLY mobile companion from Celio. What is it, you ask? The REDFLY device is like a miniature laptop without the hard drive or processor. Well, heck, it’s pretty much just an 8” screen with a keyboard, two USB ports, VGA output, and Bluetooth connectivity.

Although this device is only as powerful as your Windows Mobile phone, it will still impress mobile-heads who are content with the power of their devices. Think of the REDFLY mobile companion as something that could help make your next flight more enjoyable. Browsing the web and writing or replying to e-mails on an 8” screen makes a big difference. The bottom line is if your phone can do everything you need, a laptop is unnecessary and the REDFLY device should serve you well for only $199.

I enjoyed using REDFLY with Google maps while driving; I installed it on my HTC Mogul 6800 and it worked surprisingly well. With the device in my passenger seat, I was able to glance at it occasionally (without squinting at my phone this time) and navigate the infamous one-way streets of Washington D.C. without getting the bird! Thanks Celio.

(more…)

It’s finally here: the Google phone. As most observers know by now, the “Google” phone is actually just the first of a family of cell phones which will support Google’s new mobile operating system, Android. Since it’s the first, though, it’s certainly the most anticipated. We got our hands on a preview model over the weekend, and offer some thoughts:

Form/Design

The G1’s shape and form factor is… utilitarian. The iPhone proved that simplicity sells, and, in that sense, the G1 succeeds, with one large display, four small buttons, and a trackball on its face. It’s a very clean presentation. But it doesn’t quite grab you. It’s just a little too plain, lacking the glossy finish or unique tapered edges of other devices.

The spring-loaded slider mechanism, however, is excellent. The beautiful screen slips sideways to reveal a full QWERTY keyboard; when open, the display hangs off the body of the phone while still feeling solidly attached. It’s a nicely designed element that leaves the G1 feeling spacious while in use.

The G1 is relatively heavy, weighing in at 5.6 ounces. It’s also fairly thick, thanks to the QWERTY keyboard. Neither of these facts are a strike against it, though; the G1 isn’t intended as a super-slim phone that disappears in your pocket. I rather liked its heft, since this is such a high-functioning device. I’d rather handle a sturdy smartphone than a featherweight.

In the end, the physical look and feel of the G1 is solid, but not nearly as alluring as some of HTC’s other recent efforts, like the Touch Diamond. (more…)

Ever thought you found the most ridiculously good deal in a store, only to realize after the fact that you could’ve saved more by shopping online – or vice versa? Yeah, it’s happened to all of us.

It would be nice if you could know at that very last moment before purchasing if you were getting the best deal, right? Now you can – thanks to your cell phone and a sweet little idea called Frucall.

(more…)

It appears that, with the release of the T-Mobile HTC G1, Google is taking its first meaningful step into the wireless world. The search giant will be releasing its Android Mobile Operating System in October – it’s an OS that offers attractive flexibility to the user, but, from Google’s perspective, it represents a chance to grab some mobile advertising dollars. The G1 is the first of its kind, but there will be more Android devices; each of them will grant Google the ability to integrate itself in the mobile experience. How Android will stack up remains to be seen, but it’s been billed as a consumer app… which means it goes right after the iPhone.

Getting music from Amazon and applications from the Google Market will really help the Google loyalists, but being on the T-Mobile network and not having great interfacing to Windows Mobile may keep the business users out of it (see “New Google phone is no iPhone killer“). It will be interesting to see how it evolves.

Apple and the iPhone can rest easy for now, but Google has now entered the cell phone and wireless game and with T-Mobile and HTC the G1 may be a hit.

So, for the seven folks out there who have NOT already upgraded their AT&T Tilt to Windows Mobile 6.1 through other means, your day has come. AT&T and HTC (you guys STILL haven’t sent me my HTC Touch Pro- or should I call it the AT&T Fuze? – yet!) have teamed up to bring you the official upgrade. You can grab yours from the official download page here.

What does the update get you? Well I’m glad I asked. You’ll get the unseen unknown OS optimization updates, as well as threaded text messaging, updated applications and Video Share abilities; but then again, if you read this post then all of this would be old news to you, right?

AT&T is the second official carrier to start releasing WM6.1 updates after Sprint beat them into the pool. Sprint released the updates for the Motorola Q9c at the beginning of June, and the HTC Touch and HTC Mogul at the same time in the middle of July.

(more…)