When I think about my iPhone and compare it to what I gave up on my Nokia phones, I realize that, in many ways, I had tried to make my Nokia phones behave in ways that they were not really designed for.

You might find it ironic that Nokia Nseries phones don’t do multimedia well, even though it is something they are designed to do. It is adequate, but small things like the speed of syncing with your computer or keeping track of play counts or ratings make for a less than stellar experience.

Mac integration is another sticking point for me. While Nokia gets kudos for Nokia Multimedia Transfer, which helps a Nokia device tie into the Mac ecosystem of iTunes and iPhoto, not to mention iSync plugins to sync calendar and contacts, there’s no PC Suite type app and no way to update the firmware from a Mac. Not to mention that Macs are not always supported when various Ovi services are launched.

And yet, with my iPhone, there are things it can’t do–multitasking perhaps biggest on the list. I knew going into the iPhone that this was going to be a limitation. I came to terms with that long before I gave up my credit card number and ordered the device, though.

The inability to load apps that Apple hasn’t approved is another issue. People get around this by jailbreaking the device. I am not going to pass judgment on those who decide to go that route. I’ve done it myself, not to install apps, but to unlock the device so I can use it with other (non-AT&T) SIM cards. It can be restored to Steve Jobs approved state easily enough.

While I like the flexibility that a Nokia device offers, I have decided that, for me, a mobile device that is reliable is also important. I have had too many instances where my Nokia’s aren’t reliable–even when sticking to built-in apps! The iPhone gives the right balance of both functionality and stability.

I was listening to MacBreak Weekly some weeks ago. The panel was discussing, among other things, the merits of Android versus iPhone. Andy Ihnatko made an excellent point that stuck with me throughout the day, though it was best summarized by Merlin Mann (also on the show that day): Once you accept how a device is put together, your mind operates completely differently.

Trying to treat an iPhone like a Nokia–or vice versa–is a waste of energy. While even today I am occasionally stimied by the lack of multitasking of the iPhone, I can now generally work with the limitations. The same can be said for the limitations of a Nokia device: I am familiar enough with the platform that I can generally work within the limitations. The mindsets needed to operate both are different, but one is not inherently “better” than the other.

For the functions that I use regularly, the iPhone wins, hands down. For those situations where an iPhone doesn’t make sense, I can always take my SIM card out and put it in a Nokia device.

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Several months ago, I reviewed a wireless keyboard from Adesso that, quite frankly, didn’t float my boat. This new one I received not too long ago for review, the WKB-4000UB, is a much nicer, more compact keyboard that I like far better.

The keyboard is comparable to a typical laptop keyboard. It’s about as thin as a laptop. Pictures below compare the WKB-4000UB with my old IBM Thinkpad T23.

One thing I like about this keyboard is the dongle: it’s relatively small and even clips onto the bottom of the keyboard when it is not in use. The keyboard communicates with the dongle over 2.4 Ghz, which is rather crowded spectrum given that it is also used by WiFi and Bluetooth. However, it seems to not cause any interference, which is a good thing.

The trackpad also contains a scroll area along the right where you can scroll up or down the current window similar to how the scroll wheel on a mouse. You can also tap the trackpad and it will act like a left mouse click.

Retail price is $109.99, but you can find it cheaper. A Google search turned up the WKB-4000UB at J&R for $74.88.

A common complaint that I hear (and have) with the iPhone is the battery life. Namely, it could be a lot better when compared to other Smartphones. Charging your iPhone twice a day is not entirely uncommon.

Here’s the reality. People who have iPhones actually use them. A lot more than they might use a different Smartphone. More use equates to more battery use.

On my staycation (on vacation from work, but staying at home), I have easily used my iPhone more often than my laptop. Why? Because it’s always with me and can handle the majority of my computing needs.

Over the years, I’ve used a number of social networking services. Not just services like Twitter and Facebook, but things called bulletin board systems that you accessed via dialup modems. It wasn’t as cool, as mainstream, or even as technically sophisticated back then, but the basic functions were all there.

As I joined more and more of these services, trying to keep up with all these services is quite a challenge.  For a while, I was using services like ping.fm and others to update all the social networking services at the same time. This was nice for me, but the only part of that equation that solves is the “status update.” It does not solve the interaction problem.

As I realized trying to keep up with it all was untenable, I slowly began the process of pairing down. I now use only four of them on any regular basis: Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, and cpug.org forums. I still use others as well, albeit on a less frequent basis.

As I went through my followers on these various networks and started looking at who I was interacting with on these services, I noticed that different types of people congregated to the different services. I tend to interact with a wider range of people on Twitter, people I work with or know well on Facebook, not too many people on LinkedIn (as relatively few people are using the social networking features), and Check Point-related folks (mostly customers) on the cpug.org forums.

When I look at the services in question, their design and implementation dictate certain usage patterns. Twitter is fairly simplistic, but wide open to everyone. It enables anything from casual to deeper communication. Facebook is more private, but provides a more rich environment to share information, find people, and so on. LinkedIn is very much for maintaining and keeping track of business contacts. cpug.org forums are all about Check Point and their products and services.

At the end of the day, these services are very different. Trying to compare them in any sort of subjective way is difficult at best. Trying to use them in exactly the same way is also a complete waste of time. Realize that, if you are truly going to use these services effectively, you have to treat them differently.

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As usual, a lot of crap gets backed up into my email. Here’s a few of the more interesting bits. I have a few more that I’ll post later.

Callpod Fueltank Uno: As my portable iPhone charger I bought off eBay bit the dust the other day, this particular gadget comes along at a good time. Unfortunately, the website doesn’t say how big the battery is, but it claims to be “more than 4 times the capacity of a standard mobile phone.” It comes with an iPhone/iPod and a mini-USB charging tip. If you don’t have a phone that charges with one of those, a coupon is in the box that lets you get a free charging tip. Extras are $10 each.

Prepaid Phones a Stocking Stuffer?: One of the emails I had from a PR firm suggested that in today’s economy, a prepaid mobile phone might be just the perfect gift to stuff in someone’s stocking. They are certainly inexpensive and can be had for under $30 and do not require either a long-term commitment or a contract. I wouldn’t necessarily pick phones from TracFone, as was suggested by the PR firm, but maybe you can get a prepaid phone one from one of the major carriers, which can also be had for about the same price.

Walgreens Launches an iPhone App: Aside from the usual “store finder” type functions, the new Walgreens app on the iPhone lets you order prescription refills and upload photos for printing at a Walgreens store. It would be nice if I went to Walgreens, which I almost never do.

Social Networking Wars: From the folks who bring you SuperNews, a hilarious animated take on current events, comes Social Networking Wars. You are a nobody working in an office trying to fend off the distractions of social networking. Armed with a stapler, you must fight them off while not hitting your co-workers–or your boss. It’s a silly game, but like social networking, it’s a nice time killer.

More on the Yamaha USB Speakerphone Gadget I reviewed: Jim Courtney sent me a followup letter about the Yamaha USB Speakerphone that I reviewed a few weeks ago. One of the things he points out is that a lot of people are put off by the price, as I mentioned as a concern in the review. If you can make that jump, however, the “on site” experience of using the gadget is quite good and can prove to be valuable. To that end, In Store Solutions wants to encourage user trial and will extend its return policy such that anyone purchasing during this promotion can return it, shipping prepaid but “no questions asked”, for a full credit until January 31, 2010. This gives purchasers a chance to make their own “on site” decision about its value in the end. Nice promo, guys!

Sony Selling AT&T Service at Sony Style stores: Not that I’m a huge fan of Sony Ericsson phones, but if you buy a Sony Ericsson C905a or W518a–presumably at full retail price–and agree to a new two year contract, you get three free accessories. It’s only in stores, not online. And, if you ask me, it’s not that great of a deal. Sony gets points for trying, but I doubt the promotion will be very successful.

In a few months, I am planning to give a presentation to the West Sound Technology Association on choosing a Smartphone. The audience is not entirely technical, and I’ve only got an hour, so I want to avoid overly geeky details. I’m just trying to give an overview of the market as it exists in the US. This includes things like platforms (e.g. Android, iPhone), operators (e.g. Verizon Wireless, AT&T), buying from an operator versus buying unlocked, and hopefully some general advice.

One might wonder why I am working on this presentation now when I don’t have to give it for a few months. Simple. I’m on vacation and this gives me something to do.

By the time I end up giving this presentation, I know some of the details will have changed or a handset I mention today won’t be available. That’s okay. Details like that are easy to update. What I’m needing help on is more along the lines of “am I on the right track” and “what details am I missing or getting wrong.”Details that a “normal mobile user” can appreciate and understand.

Feedback of all sorts is welcome and appreciated.

Choosing a Smartphone v1 (PDF link)

I recently installed Ubuntu 9.10 x64 on one of my workstations here at home. It has a fairly simple task, but the machine needs to be available over VNC.

Previously, I had used an older, headless box with Xubuntu to do the job and used a VNC server to set up a session I could connect to which ran the needed task. This time I tried to use the built-in Remote Desktop feature.

Unfortunately, I discovered a problem with this approach. The VNC client would connect ok and appear to take input from the remote client, but the screen would never update or refresh on the client correctly.

This appears to be a bug with the nvidia restricted drivers (which I am using) and the fancy graphic transitions. It apparently doesn’t “damage” the underlying X server, causing the VNC to never issue a screen refresh to the client. While this article describes it for 9.04, it applies for 9.10 as well. I simply turned off the visual effects as described in the article and my remote desktop started working correctly again! Yay!

The reason I wrote this article and posted it is because it took a while before I was able to find a solution for it. Google ultimatey found the answer after enough iterations of searching, but not everyone has that kind of patience. Hopefully, someone out there will find this article useful.

Right now, I’m on vacation. Not because I necessarily want to be, but because I will lose the vacation time if I don’t.

When you work in a normal office setting, disconnecting from work is relatively easy. You don’t go into work. If you have a work mobile phone, you don’t answer it. Pretty straightforward.

Not so for me. I don’t go into a normal office. I work at home. I don’t have a non-work mobile phone (and haven’t for years). Friends I work with call me. My “work” and “personal” life doesn’t always have a clear delineation. I read both corporate and personal email on my mobile phone. Heck, I even tweet personal and corporate from my mobile phone!

So how do you disconnect from work while still being personally reachable? It’s relatively easy to not use my work laptop to check work email. However, the mobile phone requires a little bit of surgery to temporarily remove “work” from it.

The voice part is pretty simple. When the phone does ring, unless it’s a number I recognize, I let voicemail take care of it. I don’t get a lot of voice calls anyway (I can go days without receiving one), so I’m ok with this filtering method.

Email is slightly trickier. The challenge is that completely disconnecting from the Exchange server means that, when you reconnect, your phone contacts may be out of sync. You’ll end up with a lot of duplicates, creating a whole bunch of extra work.

Fortunately, the iPhone and Nokia’s Mail for Exchange both have ways to selectively remain connected to the Exchange server without requiring you to get email. On the iPhone, go to Setti ngs > Mail, Contacts, Calendar > Your Profile. You’ll get a screen like this:

Obviously, I took the screenshot after I disabled Mail and Calendar–the two largest potential sources of work-related annoyances. However, I’m still syncing contacts so that my contacts are backed up and not out of sync

Nokia offers a similar option in Mail for Exchange, but it requires editing several screens. In the Mail for Exchange app, select Options > Edit Profile. Go to Calendar, Tasks and Email and set the “Synchronize” option to No for each. When you back out, the device will re-sync. Email will be deleted from the device, however your Calendar and Tasks will not and, unless you manually delete them, they will continue to nag you.

One thing I discovered on the current firmware version of the Nokia E71 is that Nokia stupidly removed the “Delete All” option from the Calendar app. This means I have to manually delete all my Calendar appointments. The “Delete Before Date” option that now exists does not seem to work at all for recurring appointments, meaning I have to delete everything by hand. Way to take a step back on usability, there, Nokia!

The last thing I had to do was remove the corporate Twitter account from my various mobile Twitter apps. It’s easy enough to add back in later and I’d rather not accidentally send out a tweet on the corporate Twitter account

And now I can safely say my mobile phones are disconnected from work. I can reconnect it if needed, but I have no desire to right now. I’m on vacation, after all

The folks at In Store Solutions have sent me a rather interesting piece of gear for review: the Yamaha PSG-01S, which is a USB speakerphone that is compatible with Skype. When plugged into the computer with the USB cable, the operating system treats it similar to a USB headset and is recognized instantly as an audio and microphone device.

I don’t normally go with speakerphones, mostly because I don’t want to disturb people around me and I don’t want to sound bad to the other person. The Yamaha PSG-01S solves at least one of these problems. If you’re about 12 inches from the microphone or so, you sound as if you’re on a wired headset to the other person! If you’re a little farther away, you still sound like you’re on a speakerphone, but the echo is greatly reduced.

This device is peculiar in that it has an accelerometer in it. If you turn the device on its side, it beeps and the microphone portion of the device mutes. You can then just listen to the folks on Skype (or your favorite music, if you prefer). If you set the device vertical, the top of the device lights up, beeps, and the microphone is active.

As you can see, the device is brick-shaped and roughly the size of a Grande at Starbucks. It’s very lightweight, but solidly built.

There are also buttons on the side of the device. Theoretically they will go “on hook” and “off hook” for Skype, but I did not test this on a Windows machine, where there are drivers you can install that do this. On the Mac, they are inactive. However, the volume button and Rec/Mic button work on the Mac (the latter functions as a mute button).

The audio quality of the device was fantastic. Both sides of the conversation were outstanding audio quality. Considering how much I generally detest the audio on speakerphones, that’s saying something. In music playback mode, the device also sounds superb.

While I’ve said a lot of good things about this device, I personally wouldn’t buy it for two reasons. My own personal usage patterns don’t lend themselves to speakerphones, so it’s not a kind of device I would seek out in the first place. The second, and perhaps more important aspect, is the price. At $219 in the US Skype store, it’s well outside of my price range. However, if you need an excellent quality speakerphone and money is less of an object, I’d say get it.

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For those of you who only read my blog via RSS (or via Facebook) and don’t read my Twitter feed, I’ve decided to restart my personal blog on a domain I’ve had for a while–phoneboy.info. Feel free to follow along, if you’d like.

I was originally running my personal blog on Vox, but I decided that I might actually want to use the data elsewhere. Vox does not make it easy to export the data I already put in Vox, so I’m giving up the ghost, copying over the stuff I might want to save, and shutting it down.

The personal blog is more for stuff that doesn’t generally fit with the techie stuff I write here. Not entirely sure what I’ll put there, yet, but it’s there and it’s on a server I have some control over. And I can get the data out if and when I want to.