Mobile

Have you tried the Google Chrome browser beta? Its only available to Windows XP and Vista users. The browser download weighs in at under 475K and is light-weight and lightning quick. Too bad I just don't trust what it might be sending back to the motherland in the background. Looks like it's time to break out the old packet-sniffer!

On a completely un-fun note, I recently applied the Windows Mobile 6.1 update to my AT&T tilt. It's practically the same thing as Windows Mobile 6.0, but with some tweaks to the WiFi interface and Internet Explorer Mobile now zooms. Oooh. Aaah. I can hardly contain my enthusiasm.

I've got a few more software packages I've been playing with to make my new Tilt look more like an iPhone. These are some nice plugins/themes that make the AT&T (HTC) Tilt look and function much better. Stay tuned for that and my comments on using the Tilt to replace my iPod. I received my 8GB MicroSD card in the mail the other day, but I'm still waiting on the audio adapter for mini jack output. By the way, MicroSD cards are REALLY TINY. Amazing.

On a more functional note, I noticed Internet Passthrough wasn't working via ActiveSync. The default not for modern Windows Mobile and ActiveSync versions is to disable the wireless connectivity when connected to ActiveSync on a host PC. However, it wasn't working without the help of this tip about bypassing LSP (Layered Service Provider) and this AT&T Tilt forum post

For Valentine's day my valentine got me an AT&T Tilt (HTC 8925). Nice. I'm still working out the details, but I plan to use it to replace my iPod. Since it has awesome connectivity to the Internet, it would be great for updating podcasts. Also included is a decent 3 megapixel camera, although I'll probably limit it to 2 megapixels. There's no flash or zoom, so I won't be replacing the still camera. I'm still searching for Micro SDHC cards, but in the meantime, I've picked out the following as must-have apps.

PocketPuTTY:
SSH, Telnet, Serial connectivity! A must have for any command line UNIX/LINUX junky and it's free. Also features tunneling, color terminal and private key authentication!

AOL Instant Messenger:
My phone comes with one, but it only works via the Edge/3G Network. I don't know why, but I insist on using Wi-Fi when available. You should too if you don't have a flat rate data plan. You can still sneak a download of the old 2.0 mobile version at AOL UK for free. Otherwise, it's a paid program now.

Google Maps Mobile:
Why? I don't know yet. I have the TomTom One 3rd Edition. Maybe I'll get lost walking from my car somewhere. The non-GPS based location finder is kinda neat, but obviously not as accurate. It uses your current cell tower proximity and wi-fi network? location to judge your almost-whereabouts.

Dope Wars:
This has been a longtime favorite, even with my short-lived Dell Axim. It was even a favorite on my old Packard Bell 286-SX. Nothing special, but still oddly fun.

PocketMusic:
WinAmp for your PDA. Get it. Windows Media Player has always sucked on mobile devices, and still does with Windows Media 6. I don't know why Microsoft doesn't do something about that. Get the paid version (PocketMusic Bundle) if only to support the developer, but also because it will give you power options to dim the screen while your music is playing.

Egress:
The absolute ONLY decent RSS reader/podcatching client for Windows Mobile. Unfortunately, that also means you have to pay, but get lifetime upgrades. I can't believe Microsoft doesn't have this built in, but then again the Zune can't either. Every other podcast client requires sync from a host PC, but again, I think syncing such content via a data network (wi-fi or cell) is the future. You can also try Pocket Podcasts for Windows Mobile. That one's free, but it will only save content to \My Documents, which unfortunately means your small internal memory storage only. Ouch.

TCPMP:
TCPMP is THE media player for practically every format. This is a must have for video podcasts or other downloaded video content. I haven't played with it much, but you can add plugins for things like AAC audio, subtitles, and Flash Video. It's really hard to find, but Google is your friend.

Resco Explorer:
I haven't installed it yet, but I read it's the best for accessing network drives. It even features an FTP client, ZIP support, registry editor, and encryption. Most of that is already included on the Tilt, but for whatever reason, Windows Mobile doesn't support accessing UNC paths with authentication nicely.

Just before the holiday I obtained a TomTom One 3rd Edition. It's my first of the recent portable GPS systems. So, while I can't really compare against current devices, I have owned several of the PC/Laptop and PDA based solutions.

First off, I had the "white screen of death issue", described here: http://www.tomtomforums.com/showthread.php?t=5291. Tech-support was prompt and efficient in handling my issue. Luckily I called it in just before the Christmas holiday and I had a return unit delivered just before New Year's.

With that out of the way, let me say, this is a great unit for a great price. First off, the screen is great. It's bright enough to be seen, even in bright daylight. The speaker is loud enough to be heard, even in louder cars like a Jeep. The battery lasts for several hours, although the lack of power switchover sensing was pointed out to me. What does this mean? Well, some GPS units, when plugged into the car's power outlets, will know when the car has been turned off so that the GPS unit will automatically shut off and not run out of battery power. I don't really care, nor did I even notice until it was pointed out to me. This IS a portable unit after all. By the way, it's TINY! Portability is really paramount here. The design is great, so it stands without mounting almost anywhere in my cars. Oh, and they do a great job with maximizing the screen real estate. I haven't taken it on long trips, but the navigation is great where I've taken it so far. I did notice that the auto-zoom feature is great when you don't care about getting a really zoomed out view. I like the big picture zoom when taking long drives. However, this unit auto-zooms back to about a 1/4 mile level after a few seconds. Lastly, the GPS unit is FAST. It calculates (and re-calculates) routes quickly, finds the satellite signals quickly, and is one of the few that receives good satellite signal for me indoors as well as in the car when not placed directly under the windshield.

TomTom is known for being user friendly, and it is. Everything was easy to read, easy to find and very intuitive. Practically no help or manual is necessary. Maps and POIs for North America and Guam are built in (for when I drive to Guam) and the TomTom comes with software for Mac and PC (but you'll never really need it). There are no fancy extras like MP3 or video playback, but lets leave that for the devices that should be doing that. I give the TomTom One 3rd Edition a 4 out of 5!