John at myITforum.com : Mobile Wireless

More Android Fragmentation

jgormly — Sun, 05 Aug 2012 13:18:43 GMT

The hits just keep on coming. Google doesn’t wait for anyone. Before OEM’s can address an update to the Android platform, Google releases yet another update. We’re waiting on most carriers to release ICS/4.0 to their phones, and Google releases JB/4.1. The higher you go, the less apps available in the marketplace. We’ve been testing the two new devices already running JB/4.1, and we’re seeing a lot of the “this app is not available for your device” or “this app is not compatible for your device”. As a developer, I’m not certain how much longer I would continue with multiple versions, multiple screen sizes and resolution, multiple form factors. How do you effectively design for that much fragmentation and API levels?

Google just released their latest stats telling us 16% of Android phones are already running 4.0/ICS.

Almost a year ago I blogged on Android fragmentation, with 1.4% of the devices at that time running Honeycomb. What a different a year makes, with 2.3% of the devices now running Honeycomb. While ICS has certainly proven more successful than 3.0, 70% of Android is still on a version of Android on 2.x and prior. I also stated having 9 different releases in this short of a time span is quite ridiculous, what did a year bring? Three more OS changes (yes, if you look at the chart from a year ago, Google removed Honeycomb 3.0, and now only includes 3.1 and 3.2). And we’re already hearing about Key Lime Pie.

Top Smartphone Platforms

jgormly — Wed, 31 Aug 2011 10:55:47 GMT

Some of you may have already seen the latest quarterly stats for Smartphone platforms in the U.S. Android is still growing at the expense of RIM and Microsoft. With RIM finally releasing new phones after almost two years, and Microsoft releasing Mango, will the tide turn?

What was also a little surprising was this note in the report:

For the three month average period ending in July, 234 million Americans ages 13 and older used mobile devices.

What? 13 and older?

Source

My Top 5 Mobile Devices, Revised

jgormly — Tue, 30 Aug 2011 14:20:50 GMT

A couple of months have passed since I blogged about my top 5 mobile devices. Since then, I’ve seen the Blackberry OS7 devices, several devices running Windows Phone 7 Mango, and Android 2.3 devices. Has my list changed? Why of course, otherwise why call this revised? So, what’s on my top 5, and what’s actually my primary device right now? Read on…

HTC HD7S

This device is currently at the top of my list and is also my primary device. It’s running 7720 Mango and with the upgrade, it did push this device to the top of the list. The integration of Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn in the device, as well as to-do over the air sync back to my calendar make this my favorite phone and well as my primary. Apps have also improved, with everything I have loaded on other platforms and actually use (# of apps available mean literally nothing if you install and never use). Add to that my previous comments on Windows Phone 7 (tight integration with Outlook/Exchange, One Note), and the pro’s on this device drastically outweigh the con’s.

Samsung Focus

This is still a strong second for me. The only real reason the HTC HD7S is first on my list is the screen size. The older I get, the more I realize how much the larger display helps. Otherwise, the devices are similar (also running 7720 Mango).

Apple iPhone 4

This is still one of my favorite phones. It’s running the new iOS 5, and the improvements Apple has made to the platform are great, including the new notification system. All of my previous comments regarding the iPhone are still valid however. The primary reason this is not higher in my list quite frankly is the integration with Outlook, particularly the Calendar application, is still a horrible experience.

Samsung Infuse

In a word, this phone is FAST. Combine the processor with HSDPA/HSUPA network and the combination makes this a great Android experience. Add to that the 8-MP camera, and the plethora of applications in the marketplace (add to that all of the security issues these pose), the great notification system,

I will add however that the significant number of application updates is getting quite tiresome. You would expect a large number of updates when something is new, but there isn’t a day that goes by that I don’t receive 5-10 application update notifications, and heaven forbid I don’t update for a week or so. I thought Apple updated frequently, but Android blows all others out of the water. The sad part is, I update the apps and barely notice any of the “updates”. If the updates aren’t significant, why not wait to notify users?

Why isn’t the device higher on the list? Again, Outlook/Exchange integration primarily. Add to that there is a lot of basic functionality that is either lacking or that I just don’t care for (who decided black background and white text was the way to go on these???), plus the poor sync capabilities to the laptop (getting data on and off the phone), and this doesn’t go any higher on my list.

Blackberry Bold 9900/9930

Yes, last but not least, the Blackberry is still on the list. Why? The Bold 9900/9930 is the best device RIM has ever produced. The display is incredible, battery life is still what you expect from RIM, fully integrated inbox with all notifications in one place, very tight, full, secure integration with Exchange, and overall functionality. Apps are probably my biggest disappointment, but you can read all my other comments here.

Conclusion

There you have it. My top 5. Yes, I know. What an idiot right? Putting Windows Phone at the top of the list? Are you kidding me? It has what, like 5% of the market? No way it will ever beat Apple or Google. Different strokes for different folks I guess. Everyone has the primary reasons they choose the phones they carry. For me, I need Exchange/Outlook to work on my phone, and work well. Windows Phone isn’t popular. Will it ever be? Who knows. Once Mango is out, and new phones are available, time will tell. I’m really hoping the Microsoft chooses to continue to develop and invest in the platform. I think they are definitely headed in the right direction. Give them a year and we’ll see what happens.

New Blackberry Devices Not Enough for RIM

jgormly — Thu, 25 Aug 2011 12:58:19 GMT

I thought I would post a quick update on the testing I’ve done on the new Blackberry’s being released over the next month or so (9810, 9900/9930, 9300/9330, 9850/9860). I’m really disappointed. If RIM, in my opinion, does not change something, and fast, they are at risk of losing even more market share. Here’s why:

Blackberry OS 7 should have been named Blackberry 6.5. There aren’t significant enough changes to the OS, the UI, the functionality or the apps to make an OS change. View it similar to Microsoft going from Windows Mobile 6.1 to 6.5. It’s NOT OS 7, even though they named it that. I call it somewhat enhanced from a few years ago, certainly not a major upgrade.
Lack of apps. Most Blackberry users I know (me included) are asking for more apps. Blackberry OS 7 took a bad turn and most apps that I use just won’t install. So, not only was I limited before with what the phone can do, I’m more limited now. The App Store won’t let the apps install on OS 7 so I’m left with a device that has even less it can do. Let’s hope they fix that quickly.
The apps that do work are poor compared to their iPhone or Android counterparts. Poor design, poor functionality, poor UI (and most much slower).
Devices are still sluggish, which leads me to believe it’s an OS issue. The devices have more RAM and storage and faster processor, but the devices still lag when pressing icons. Some of the delays are very noticeable.
Top-notch security? I keep hearing this over and over again but quite frankly, I don’t get it. Yes, it provides secure corporate email and policies can be enforced. No question on that at all. It’s probably the most secure corporate email platform. But, and this is a big one, we’ve all heard about the consumerization of IT. There’s a blend today between corp and personal. And here’s the rub. OS 7 makes it VERY easy to get all of your data back after a remote or local wipe. After a hard reset, as soon as the device sees the carrier network, all your personal stuff comes back. If you’ve set up personal email accounts on your device in addition to corp email, that all comes back after the wipe without doing anything else. Personal email accounts, sounds, settings, wallpaper, etc. Why doesn’t the device stay dead? A wipe should be a wipe and I should be required to provide some additional authentication before service books get pushed back to my phone. Users actually have to take the additional step of killing personal data online or it will all come back. They call this top-notch security? No, it isn’t and RIM needs to fix it. Thankfully I’ve never lost a Blackberry to have to worry.
The display is incredible, and the camera is good (both pictures and video) but again, not good enough. I was certainly hoping for more “wow” and in my opinion, it’s not there.

Yes, for you diehard Blackberry fans out there, these are definitely the best Blackberry devices made by RIM, but it’s not good enough to be the best PDA, and certainly not enough to oust Apple or Google. If they don’t come out with new, modern phones quickly, they are in trouble. From what I see, existing Blackberry users are upgrading, but I’m not seeing Android or iPhone users giving up those devices moving to a Blackberry.

Traveling with the Playbook is a little challenging

jgormly — Sun, 08 May 2011 21:00:33 GMT

I have been traveling the last couple of weeks with my Playbook since I was able to figure out why my Blackberry would not allow the tether. FYI, there are limits to the number of active connections to Bluetooth. If you exceed those limits with more than 16 services attached to the Blackberry handheld, the Playbook will not connect. Who really knows what I broke to make this work.

So, why is it challenging to travel with this? As I’ve posted before, there is no native mail client on the Playbook. I know I hear it’s coming, but it desperately needs it. Without a native email client, it is physically impossible to do email unless you use webmail, and if you use your Blackberry to get email, using other functionality on the Playbook is impossible. Let me explain.

In order to use the Playbook for email, you have to bridge the Playbook to the Blackberry. While traveling, this is a challenge. First, let me start with traveling by plane. In order to do email and stay connected on a plane, I’ve been using GoGo. So, I turn on WiFi on my Blackberry, connect to my GoGo account, and WiFi starts working. I then bridge the Playbook to my Blackberry. Now, on the Playbook I’m now doing email. I try to launch other apps. Let’s say I try to use Twitter, use App World, check the weather, look up directions with Bing maps, etc. Guess what happens? I get prompted that I need to connect to a WiFi network. So, I launch the browser and try to log in to GoGo, and it wants to disconnect my Blackberry from GoGo in order to connect the Playbook. I can understand one login, otherwise the whole plane can connect with one account in flight. So, what a mess to use the Playbook. I have to use all the apps on the smaller screen Blackberry to do anything.

Next, move to a hotel. Yeah, I have to connect the Playbook to hotel WiFi, or a mobile hotspot (like a MiFi), in order to get the Playbook to do anything other than email. Unless I bridge the Blackberry, I can’t do email. Right now, this is just very cumbersome to use while traveling. No one works this way. OK, maybe some diehard Blackberry fans work this way, but I don’t. The other tablets (iPad, Tab, Xoom) don’t work this way. I have native email support and can completely forget my PDA and Computer.

Time to mothball the Playbook until the updates are there. This just isn’t a usable device for me right now, and the apps are still a limiting factor. I personally think they released it before it was really ready, my again, that’s just my personal opinion.

I know I JUST published my top 5 devices, but I’ll be updating that shortly. I started that blog post a week and a half ago, and after a solid two weeks of using the Blackberry as my primary device (with no other devices to back me up since I traveled without them), and using my Playbook, I’m finding many more issues with the Blackberry, and it’s now slipping in the polls. I’ll update the post later for exactly what I mean, but needless to say, the pro’s (namely the unified inbox) is not enough to keep it at the top of the list with the additional con’s I’ve discovered. That’s always the way it is isn’t it? As soon as you say something or publish something, it’s outdated. No spoilers on how far down my Torch slid after two weeks.

My Top 5 Mobile Devices, Part 1

jgormly — Sun, 08 May 2011 16:44:33 GMT

I get this question all the time. What device do you recommend? What should I get? Should I wait a little longer or get a phone now? I’ll answer the last question first, then list my top 5 phones. Please bear in mind…I’m approaching this from an ENTERPRISE standpoint, not a personal standpoint. I’ll blog later how my list will differ if I didn’t need enterprise functionality.

So, for the last question. Bottom line, it’s NEVER a good time to get a new phone with carrier contracts. Most ask for a 2yr contract with 2yr device refresh. Whenever you get a phone, you’re locked for 2 years. With the rate at which new phones are being announced and delivered, as soon as you commit, next month something will be released that you want. I’ll fill in some gaps below with my top 5 phones and whether I’d wait a little longer or go now.

RIM Blackberry Torch

Yikes! A Blackberry? Gasp!! Really? Blackberry is dead, going nowhere, is the next Palm…I’ve heard them all. Really I have. But, from an Enterprise perspective, the good outweighs the bad. If you are in the market for a Blackberry, this summer will be a good time to take the plunge. Don’t go now, wait until end of summer.

Pros: In a word, unified inbox. Everything I load, from multiple email accounts,Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, Blackberry Messenger, SMS Text, it all ends up in one place, in one unified inbox. If someone sends me something, no matter what they use, it ends up in my inbox to read and respond. I don’t have 5 or 6 apps to check, and multiple notifications to dismiss to get me moving on. The closest anyone else has to this is Android. It’s close, but not quite there yet. More on Android later. Apps are not an issue for me either. Everything I want to do, including Enterprise Instant Messaging, is available and just works. The only integration I’m looking for is Microsoft One Note. All of this tips the scale for Blackberry.

Cons: User interface is very outdated, even on OS 6. I’ve seen the web stuff on what OS 7 looks like and well, underwhelmed. If they don’t do something quickly with the interface, they aren’t going to sell more phones. The other cons? I occasionally experience reboots. The device will just periodically reboot. I don’t know why, but when I pull the device out of the holster, I can see that it has completely restarted. The touch screen on the Torch is still a bit “touchy” in that I end up in screens I didn’t mean to be in but due to the sensitivity of the screen and touch pad, the device has a mind of it’s own. I also experience occasional glitches with GPS/Location Services. Sometimes I see an “unable to determine current location” error. Lastly, they really need to address not being able to access more than one Exchange account. Every other OS out there today can now access multiple Exchange email accounts. RIM needs to address this quickly with the proliferation of shared mailboxes. This may seem like a lot but again, the pros outweigh the cons at this point.

Samsung Focus

Yes, I know there are a lot of Windows Phone haters. This device is a very, very close second. I switch back and forth between my Torch and my Focus a lot. There are a few things I still need. Other than some Windows Phones appearing on other carriers, take the plunge anytime. Over the air updates will keep you current.

Pros: Very tight integration with Exchange/Outlook, including Calendar, which is a must for me. I can see conflicts at a glance, accept, reject and propose new, email meeting invitee’s all at once if more information is needed or I’m running late, and can dial from the location field for conference calls. Very tight integration with Microsoft Office, including Microsoft One Note. I’ll talk more about calendar integration here in a bit. Social media integration (Facebook/Twitter) is also nice. And with the latest Windows Phone update, I have cut/copy/paste and a much faster phone getting in and out of applications. Lastly, why I prefer this device over other Windows Phone is purely the display. Samsung has this nailed!

Cons: No Notes or Tasks integration; removed capabilities to do Enterprise IM; some apps I use on a regular basis just don’t exist yet on the Windows Phone platform; apps I use on other platforms that are free are not free in the Windows Marketplace. I think they are figuring this out as it’s getting fewer and fewer. I don’t really like the tiles either. It’s a cool concept, particularly the live tiles, but they really need to take a hard look at navigation overall. Once you get past the front screen, depending on the number of apps you have loaded, you scroll forever. Apps are also missing multi-tasking and push notifications. I don’t want to have to launch anything to get information. I should have the option to multi-task and have information pushed to me. Lastly, they need to work on the app integration piece. I’ve blogged about that before. If I have to wipe my phone and start over, all my apps need to come back once I log in or connect to Zune. And please, I don’t mean restoring from backup. If the backup is corrupt and has issues (which is why most will reset), the last thing you want is a restore that is also corrupt. The app load needs to be separate.

HTC Surround

I won’t repeat everything above but yes, I have two Windows Phone 7’s on my list. HTC really makes some great phones, and the stereo sound out of this phone has to be heard to understand what they did. It is the exact same OS (with different manufacture apps) as any other Windows Phone. This is the best part of the new platform. The manufacturer’s were allowed to do stuff to the OS once Microsoft released it. That’s changed now and no matter which phone you pick up, menus, operation, navigation, etc., are all the same. It’s the native apps that change.

Pros: Other than what’s noted above on the Samsung Focus, purely the sound of the device.

Cons: Same as listed above, except for the display. Not sure what happened here but moving from the Focus to the Surround, the display is the weak link. Not only is it just not as clear, but it just isn’t the same bright display. Seems dull. I’ve tried to find settings to improve the display but can’t seem to find it.

Apple iPhone 4

Yes, the iPhone 4 made my list at number four. Surprised? Apple has come a long way here. The display, user interface, and hundreds of thousands of apps just make this a great device. As most know, you may want to hold off here if you want an iPhone. With Apple’s WWDC coming up here the first of June, there are bound to be announcements that you’ll want to know about.

Pros: I’ve already mentioned it above. The user interface is top notch, the display is clearer than any other I’ve seen, and no matter what I want to run, the app is guaranteed to be there and not only THAT app, but many apps that do the same thing to choose from. It’s all about user choice. The phone is a breeze to use and figure out. Apps work generally the same regardless of what you load (navigation and operation). The addition of Microsoft One Note is a welcome addition. Apple has also nailed backup, restore, and app installation. Hard resetting the phone and starting from scratch is a total breeze. Lastly, many of the popular apps are getting push notification which is also a plus.

Cons: Yes, I’ve experienced the antenna issue. The case I bought (Otterbox) has reduced this problem. Outlook integration is also poor, particularly as it relates to the Calendar. You still can’t dial out from a meeting request when all other OS’s do this. Meeting invites just don’t cut it. They show up in email as an attachment, can’t see conflicts, have to open the attachment to do anything with it, and yet an additional step to actually look at your calendar for conflicts. Way too many steps. Lots of small buggy things with email and contacts too, including some missing fields to sync with Outlook. The lack of Notes and Tasks integration with Outlook is also problematic for me because I take lots of notes and manage via Tasks. Yes, I know Notes syncs but if you need a cable to do anything, your not mobile. Lastly, Apple needs a complete overhaul of their notification system. I hate the fact that once I unlock the phone, all the notifications disappear and can’t see them anymore. If Apple fixes the Outlook integration, this could easily be my number one phone. The pro’s are just too many.

Palm Pre

Wow, are you serious? The Palm Pre? Well, I’m not a fan at all of the Pre form factor but absolutely love the webOS. I can’t wait for HP to release other devices this year, including their tablet. Let’s see what HP/Palm releases this summer!

Pros: The webOS is slick. They have done so many cool things with the OS. The card navigation, the Palm Synergy, the ability to just swipe to do things with the phone (closing apps, deleting emails, moving from app to app) make this phone fun to use. I have full email, calendar, contacts, and task over the air synchronization. The integration is nice, with most features I need in Outlook, particularly with the calendar, working on the webOS. App switching and multi-tasking are also very compelling.

Cons: I just don’t like the form factor. Sliding the phone open and closed is nice, but the lack of an on screen keyboard (unless you hack it) make the phone a little troublesome. I don’t like having to open the device just to type one or two words. Apps are also an issue. While most apps may be there, some just don’t work well and produce errors when running, like not being able to contact the GPS/Location services when launching FourSquare. There are others, and overall most of what I want to do is available, but I think HP/Palm needs to now start focusing on the quality of the apps rather than the quantity.

So, why no Android devices on my list? Do I not like Android? Again, this is an Enterprise list. There are many things missing on Android that just makes me want to leave the Android home when I leave. Security is poorly integrated. Some don’t enforce basic security like simple PIN and inactivity timer, most don’t encrypt, and most don’t completely remove your date when a remote wipe is issued. Then there’s the overall wild west attitude to the Marketplace that makes Android very scary. It’s only a matter of time before we discover all of our personal and corporate data are sitting on servers overseas and that data is being used to destroy people and companies. Removing the apps after the fact and only when enough users complain is not the way to run an app store. They need serious quality control and minimum standards in code before allowing the apps in the store. I really don’t care about all the stuff being said about the sheer number of apps in the store. Let’s look at quality apps. There aren’t many, and certainly no “game changing” apps like Apple and Microsoft have already.

And yes, I realize Touchdown is there but it is NOT enterprise ready. Yes, it sandboxes the device, yes it enforces standard server security, yes it fully syncs Outlook data and the interface is nice, but it stops there. There are no enterprise controls that ensure all the settings, including remote wipe settings, stay where they need to be. One check box not where it is supposed to be and not locked down will leave data on the device on remote wipe. Not preventing native app sync when Touchdown is loaded is also a pain. Data can still be exposed because users sync both native apps and Touchdown. It still requires an enormous amount of work on the backend to administer. Some of this doesn’t matter to corporations. I’m not real sure why they think they can compromise security here. They think they can install Touchdown and they’re done. Good for them. The phones are getting too much storage, too much processor, and too fast of a network to increase the risk of data loss and Google and Android just don’t get it. Fortunately some of the device manufacturer’s DO get it and these issues are being addressed. Touchdown is also making some changes that may fix some of this. We’ll see. Once security is addressed, the list will change.

For now, the fragmentation in the Android market overall (everything from 1.x to 3.x and lot’s of flavors in between), the lack of quality controls in the Marketplace, and poor security around Android in general keep Android off my list.

Blackberry Bridge Software

jgormly — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:26:43 GMT

I’m a little, um…disappointed. How long have we all known the Playbook was coming, the “Bridge” concept, yet one carrier was not ready?

I really don’t get it. Rumors are that since the iPad/iPhone overwhelmed the network, they are trying to figure out what they need to do to throttle or charge for the data consumption. I hope that’s not true.

Blackberry Playbook

jgormly — Mon, 25 Apr 2011 18:07:21 GMT

I received a Blackberry Playbook last week, and well, I’m not sure whether to blame RIM, AT&T or both. As many have already figured out, the Blackberry Bridge application will not install on AT&T Blackberry’s. Before you email me, yes, I’m fully aware that there is a standalone install that allows you to circumvent the block but nonetheless, Blackberry Bridge is blocked in AppWorld.

Strangely, it’s also the only carrier listed in the unsupported section. Really?

OK, back to the Playbook. From a size perspective, it’s slightly larger than the Samsung Galaxy Tab (that’s the Tab on the bottom, and the Playbook on the top). I like the form factor. The Xoom/iPad size (for those of us who carry around a laptop) is really too big for me. The larger screen size is nice, but the smaller form factor slides in my travel bag better and is easier to carry around and use.

From an app perspective, a little underwhelming. A lot of the apps that I have grown to love (including all my social media apps) just don’t exist for the Playbook. I’m sure with time the apps will improve, but for now, very limiting. Without it being connected to my Blackberry, it’s nothing more than a dumb terminal/kiosk with an internet connection. You’ve probably seen the articles. Without a Blackberry, there is no email, calendar, contacts, or any other “stuff” on the device. You must be “bridged” to the device to see the apps. While I can understand their reasoning for implementing this, why didn’t they take a lesson from Android and make separate email clients? One for corporate sync, the other for all your personal email? Or, just make the Exchange link unavailable unless connected? Why restrict it completely? And oh, by the way, internet mail or web mail is not a mail CLIENT. Please don’t say it has an email client when it doesn’t. It can do email, yes, but who really wants to use it for web mail?

I’ve only been able to successfully connect to the Playbook once. When I walked away from it and came back, it has a “Bridge Locked” error, and wouldn’t allow me to do anything at all on the device. I had to turn it off and back on, and once connected, all I got was “Bridge…Connecting”. Nothing…no connection…so, until they get that fixed, I can’t comment on 5 minutes of use while connected to my Blackberry.

So, in an attempt to get it to work, I deleted Bluetooth pairs, rebooted, hard reset, pulled batteries, deleted Bluetooth pairs again, paired Bluetooth first then tried to bridge, etc. All I get was a screen that said “An error (connection denied) occurred…”. When I tried to manually configure, I made it all the way to the end of the pairing exercise only to have the Playbook tell me Bridge was not installed. All in all, about an hour trying to get these two devices to talk to each other, only to see error screens. This was even after being prompted to upgrade to a latter release on the Playbook. So, after about a week, I’ve only had it working for about 5 minutes. The rest of the time I’ve been browsing the internet and looking for apps to install. Sigh…I’ve been led to believe it’s a Blackberry OS issue. Others that are testing this thing have not upgraded their Blackberry’s to the latest OS. Again…SIGH…

I’m not sure I get it. I’ll have to agree with others that have blogged about this device. It’s unfinished. I would not say it’s unusable, unless you’re looking for a 7 inch screen on WiFi that will allow you to browse the internet. Since I’m not in the market for something like that, I’m out. It needs serious work.

For now, I’ll stick with my iPad. There just aren’t enough good apps yet in the Market Place for the Xoom. With time, I’m sure it will get there too.

Windows Phone 7 Needs Better Application Controls

jgormly — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 13:28:28 GMT

I have been using both the Samsung Focus and HTC Surround as my primary phones off and on now for several months, trading between the two since there are some things I like with both. I really like what Microsoft did with Windows Phone 7 and think they finally listened and get a great deal right with this phone. However, I ran in to my first “disaster” over the last couple of days and realized one of my complaints is now a problem. So, here it is.

I’m not sure what they were thinking when they integrated the applications in to WP7. Here’s what I mean. If you attach a WP7 phone to your computer and use Zune to purchase and install apps, no harm no foul. It works wonderfully and should you need to hard reset your phone for any reason, or you need to wipe the phone and start from scratch (we have to do this when testing), getting the apps back is a snap. Attach the phone, log in to your Zune account, all the apps come back.

So far so good right? Here’s where the problem comes in. What they don’t tell you is that once you install an app FROM THE PHONE, you’re done. You must always use the phone to get the app back. You can’t transfer to Zune, you can’t install from Zune, you can’t download from Zune. Nothing, your done. I must have missed this in the instructions. So, happy as can be, once I got the phone I went crazy in the Marketplace downloading apps. There are a great deal of good, free apps. So, while sitting watching TV, sitting in a restaurant, sitting waiting to get my kids from school, I was searching the Marketplace and installing apps.

Well, disaster struck. The phone was wiped of all data and now I’m trying to get the apps back. I attached to Zune and there are about 10 apps that transferred back to the phone with no issue. There are LOTS of apps though that didn’t come back. Here’s the thing though. If you find them in the Marketplace again in the Zune client and click download, guess what happens? Here’s a screen capture:

What do you notice? Yes, that’s right. It’s “already purchased”, and there is no option to download again. Seriously? Once I download from the phone, I have to go back to the phone and download each app all over again? Why can’t I download and archive for restore within Zune? Do you have any idea how long it takes to search for apps (Marketplace Search is horrible and hopefully gets fixed) and download each app over again? I’ll bet I downloaded at least 25-30 apps directly to the phone, and now there is no way to get the app again except from the phone. I don’t have time to sit here and do this all over again. Yes, I can go to purchase history and see all the apps I’ve downloaded but there is no indication where it was downloaded, and no indication if it’s available in Zune so I have to go back and forth from the list of apps to the phone to see what’s there and what isn’t. Why would they do this? This almost makes me want to table WP7 rather than wasting my time re-downloading my apps all over again. What happens if I need to wipe the phone again? Start all over once again ? Where is the backup that allows me to do a simple restore and get everything back, including tiles and settings? Where is the option to “transfer” from the phone to Zune so Zune has the complete record?

I’ll be honest with you. I don’t need cut, copy and paste, I don’t need multitasking, I don’t need some of the other functionality being discussed. Yes, those are nice to have. But being able to get my phone back is critical for me. You shouldn’t have to struggle through a phone reset.

I’ll say in this area alone, Apple (with their iOS products) and Blackberry win this hands down. No contest, not even close. All the apps and settings come back once attached to a computer and once restored. I can wipe hundreds of time and within minutes my phone is back right where I left it. It shouldn’t be this hard.

LightSquared threatens GPS?

jgormly — Sat, 16 Apr 2011 00:13:49 GMT

Again, another CTIA keynoter makes the news. The LightSquared CEO shared the opening keynote of CTIA discussing their LTE buildout and expansion plans for the upcoming year. I really didn’t know what LightSquared did until the keynote. Then I read an article today:

Senators Pat Roberts (R-Kan.) and Ben Nelson (D-Neb.) want the FCC to stop LightSquared from deploying its LTE network until it proves its service doesn't interfere with GPS services.

In an open letter released yesterday, the lawmakers asked their fellow senators to call on the FCC to ensure that GPS service is not compromised in any way by LightSquared's planned hybrid-satellite LTE network.

LightSquared plans to deploy its services on spectrum directly adjacent to GPS bands. The company has developed filters to stop its signal from bleeding into GPS service, but major GPS stakeholders, including the Defense Department, fear that widespread GPS "dead zones" are inevitable if LightSquared's network goes live.

He shared with everyone the LTE for everyone concept because they were the first to utilize satellites to help the network cover current dead zones. That is now what is being questioned.

The problem, they say, is that sensitive satellite receivers -- designed to pick up relatively weak signals coming from space -- could be overwhelmed when LightSquared starts sending high-power signals from as many as 40,000 transmitters on the ground using the airwaves next door.

"The potential impact of GPS interference is so vast, it's hard to get your head around," said Jim Kirkland, vice president and general counsel of Trimble Navigation Ltd., which makes GPS systems. "Think 40,000 GPS dead spots covering millions of square miles in cities and towns throughout the U.S."

He made an announcement that Cricket Wireless and Best Buy had already signed on. Knowing the government and how long they can take, I wonder what this will do to the LTE network for LightSquared. The GPS industry as a whole is huge. It won’t be as easy as they say it will be.

Motorola Atrix 4G and Laptop Dock

jgormly — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 23:03:35 GMT

A couple of new toys arrived in the mail yesterday. A new Motorola Atrix 4G and a Laptop Dock.

I tried the Atrix back when it was first released, but it has some shortcomings that made me shelve it until the update is available. But, with the arrival of the Laptop Dock, I had to give it another go.

In essence, it’s a small 11.5-inch docking station for the phone that allows you to use the phone but with a larger screen and keyboard. Still figuring out all the “coolness” so I’ll update this later. I’ve done everything today with it. Email, making phone calls, running apps like Twitter and Facebook, browsing the web. No doubt with the dual core of the Atrix the dock was fast. The mouse would occasionally stick on me, leaving me in screens I wasn’t intending to be on, but overall it was a great experience. I would rank it up there with the tablet + experience. I guess Palm and their Foleo were once again before their time because this is what it reminds me off (yes, I still have two Foleo’s in my basement).

Opening and closing the lid of the laptop dock actually connects/disconnects the docking station. Based on this experience, I’m seriously considering full time use. I still love my Samsung Focus, but really looking forward to Mango.

Sprint’s Hesse now says he can’t let T-Mobile/AT&T deal happen

jgormly — Fri, 15 Apr 2011 22:22:05 GMT

It wasn’t too long ago that I sat in the audience at CTIA when Hesse, de la Vega, and Mead all shared the stage with Jim Cramer. During that discussion, Hesse (unless my brain had vapor lock) clearly said Sprint wouldn’t oppose the deal, he didn’t care, and didn’t think it would stifle competition. Oh what a couple of weeks make!

“We just cannot let this happen,” Hesse said today at an event in San Francisco. “If the proposed AT&T and T-Mobile merger is allowed to go forward it can also push the wireless industry from competition to duopoly.”

This was announced a day before CTIA stated and was THE topic of conversation that week. Hesse did a great job in the sessions, and one of the few that appeared to have a sense of humor that we all appreciated.

Hesse stated the merger would put control of 80 percent of the wireless industry revenue into the hands of the two carriers, the combined T-Mobile-AT&T and Verizon Wireless. Regulators should consider what impact the merger will have on consumer prices as well as innovation. The merger could restrict access to device makers among smaller wireless companies. With the buying power of the two largest wireless companies, “they could restrict access to some of the cool devices.”

It’s not surprising that Sprint has now taken the position. What’s surprising is a couple of weeks ago I heard him say they didn’t care.

Samsung Focus

jgormly — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 14:57:22 GMT

Available on November 8th from AT&T! The Samsung Focus brings breakthrough entertainment for your life in motion. Enjoy the state-of-the-art 4” super-AMOLED display, a sleek design, and exciting entertainment – from Xbox LIVE® to Zune® music and videos.

• Slender and light, weighing in at 110 grams
• Enhanced photo features for better pictures
• Vibrant, clear 4” super-AMOLED screen

Other features include 8GB storage, 1Ghz SnapDragon CPU, microSD card slot, GPS/aGPS, WiFi 802.11n, Bluetooth 2.1, 6.5 hours talk time, 300 hours standby, FM Radio, 3.5mm audio jack and 5MP camera.

HTC 7 Surround

jgormly — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:36:33 GMT

Let the hate begin…you know who you are.

Whether it be gaming, movies or music, HTC 7 Surround is the ultimate multimedia device. With a unique slide-out speaker and integrated kickstand with integrated Dolby Mobile™ and SRS WOW HD™, the HTC 7 Surround delivers high-fidelity audio and virtual surround sound that enable people to share their favorite music and videos with their friends in style. No longer are they forced to use headphones for a great surround sound experience because the HTC 7 Surround speaker makes the listening experience natural and comfortable.

The HTC 7 Surround premiers as the first smartphone to include integrated Dolby Mobile and SRS surround sound speakers. The HTC Surround speakers slide-out and reveal a kickstand for watching video beneath its 3.8-inch touch screen. HTC Surround blurs the line between home and mobile entertainment, making games, music and video on the go more enjoyable than ever.

www.att.com/windowsphone

Zune 4.7 is here…

jgormly — Tue, 12 Oct 2010 11:12:08 GMT

In case you missed it, Zune 4.7 was announced along with Windows Phone 7. Why? Because Windows Mobile Device Center is going away and the new sync client for Windows Phone 7 will utilize Zune software. The new update provides support for Windows Phone 7. Another important addition? Zune is now supported internationally. Zune was limited to US but with the 4.7 update, folks across the pond can now use Zune.

What else is cool? The new update lets you browse the Marketplace for those Windows Phone 7 apps once you get your device.

Get your update here.