It’s been the best smartphone I’ve yet had the chance to work with. While I’ve not had an iPhone (and probably won’t) I can tell you that in my experience, Android surpasses S60, Windows Mobile, and Palm.

I’m going to work up a great post about the device, covering the highs and lows of Android and the G1 hardware it runs on. It’s a winner for me, but I won’t deny that there are issues that need to be addressed by Google, and opportunities for independent developers.

MYSPACE MOBILE ANNOUNCES ANDROID APPLICATION

MySpace, the world’s premier social network and leading mobile social network, today announced a free, new MySpace Mobile experience customized for Android and available via the Android Market. More than two million daily unique users visit MySpace’s mobile website, and according to ABI Research 70 percent of people who use social networks on mobile have visited MySpace.

"MySpace users will love the new Android integration with cool features like instant photo uploading and access to the latest shows from their favorite bands," said John Faith, vice president and general manager of Mobile for MySpace. "We want to ensure that all users have access to their global MySpace network while they’re on-the-go, and we believe Android is a natural fit for an optimized MySpace Mobile experience."

The MySpace Android application lends itself to a personal, unique MySpace experience and allows for a deep integration with the device including:

* Instant photo uploading from an Android device to a MySpace profile
* Check out tour schedules on band profiles
* View and comment on photos, profiles, and bulletins
* Search and add new friends
* Send and read messages
* Update and view mood and status

The MySpace Android application is integrated exclusively with Shazam, the world’s leading mobile music discovery provider. The integration allows MySpace users to identify music by holding the phone towards an unknown song and connect to the artist’s MySpace page. From there you can see band information, check out photos of the band or artists and even check Upcoming Shows schedules.

"We are excited about this collaboration," said Andrew Fisher, CEO of Shazam. "It allows users to discover music at the point of inspiration and benefit from MySpace’s’ unique and rich content."

MySpace has a deep commitment to provide our mobile users with the social tools to discover, share, connect, and communicate on-the-go. MySpace’s mobile lineup includes the MySpace mobile website, http://m.myspace.com, and several integrated applications for specific devices. MySpace has developed applications for Android, Sidekick, iPhone, and is currently developing an application for Blackberry.

###

About MySpace

MySpace, a unit of Fox Interactive Media Inc., is the premier lifestyle portal for connecting with friends, discovering popular culture, and making a positive impact on the world. MySpace has created a connected global community by integrating web profiles, blogs, instant messaging, e-mail, music streaming, music videos, photo galleries, classified listings, events, groups, college communities, and member forums. MySpace’s international network includes more than 30 localized community sites in the United States, Brazil, Canada, Latin America, Mexico, Austria, Denmark, Finland, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Norway, Portugal, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Australia, India, Japan, and New Zealand. Fox Interactive Media is a division of News Corp. (NYSE:NWS - News, NWS.A - News; ASX:NWS - News, NWSLV - News).

Via: Fierce Mobile Content - MySpace Mobile launches on Android

I’ve been waiting for some time for the right phone to come along, and this may be it. For sure, it’s a whole new ballgame instead of Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Nokia S60, iPhone, or Palm.

Let’s see… Google Maps integration, GPS, Push Gmail, Google & YouTube integration, 3G on T-Mobile (so I don’t have to change carriers), the Android Market, and integration with Amazon MP3 store. Too cool.

I’ll post on the device as I get it and share what I learn about it. Happy to have an exciting 3G smartphone on T-Mobile for a change. I’ve made my darn T-Mobile MDA last nearly 3 years!

Cross-posted from rickmahn.com

Photo credit: T-Mobile

With technical support, a virtual lab, application trials, and more, it appears to offer the independent developer a great opportunity to tap the Tmo user base. T-Mobile itself suggests that it’s customers download a substantial amount of mobile applications in spite of T-Mobile having the lowest data ARPU of the major US carriers.

Obviously, T-Mobile is following other carriers in trying to leverage some of the success of the hugely popular Apple iPhone AppStore. We’ll be interested to see if this strategy works out.

Via FierceMobileContent: T-Mobile USA to launch mobile apps developer program

• Portable generators and the fuel to run them to power mobile cell sites.
• Microwave equipment for back links in case of T1 outages to their cells and HotSpot locations.
• Several Cells-On-Wheels to roll in and augment coverage as needed.
• Monitor and work to maintain coverage and capacity on evacuation routes.

Overall a great example of corporate responsibility to their customers and communities they serve. You can read more about their efforts in preparing in their Friday press release.

So far my experience is mixed, but positive overall. Some things are super-easy, some more difficult. The niftiest thing for me with this device is something I’ve always downplayed about my previous smartphones: aesthetics. It’s been literally years since I had a phone that could be considered “sexy”, so that’s one of the fun things.

Many functions are quite easy and really well implemented. Of course, my new one is a music-oriented phone, so that’s one feature that’s well done. Sure it can’t store 80GB of tunes, but the 4GB miniSD holds more albums synced off Rhapsody than I can listen to in a week – more music than I had normally listed to in the past. The FM radio is also a nice feature that’s well implemented.

Things that aren’t as easy as a smartphone: email & web. Obvious really, but I’m surprised at how much I really can do on it. Aside from the T-9 text recognition, email really is darn hard to do – especially on devices where the carrier (T-Mobile in this case) has screwed around with the capabilities. I can’t even add my Google-hosted domain’s email account because of what they’ve done. The way this particular device handles email (and I’m sure most feature phones are similar) is to have them all sent as SMS messages that can be charged for.

This sucks because I’m paying for their “all you can eat” Internet package, an additional $30 a month – why can’t I configure simple POP email? Stupid when you consider that the standard Nokia 5310 software stack provides easy configuration for POP. Guess which firmware I’ve loaded – it’s not T-Mobile’s any longer.

Still, I can get email on the phone – even could with the T-Mobile firmware, I just used the browser. Yes, the browser is limited at best, but there’s this great Java based browser called Opera – yeah I thought you knew about that. ‘Nuff said.

So, I’m sitting here with a phone that cost me $50, I can install software to do specific things, I get email (pulled, not pushed – but that’s OK by me), IM, tunes, ‘net browsing, text & picture messaging, 2MP camera, video recording, miniSD slot, EDGE (ok, wish it were 3G), QVGA screen on a 3.5” device (great picture), more than twice the battery life than my old HTC Wizard, and extremely pocketable. I can’t find anything wrong.

I’ll readily admit that it lacks a certain coolness of many of the higher-end devices like WinMo, Blackberry, S60 and so on. The iPhone is in a class by itself on the cool meter so I won’t even go there.

I’m content though, until there really is a viable, useable, cool, fun 3G touch-based smartphone on T-Mobile. I know I’ll have to keep waiting, but at least I didn’t drop $700 on the HTC Touch Diamond, just to have a cool phone. Now I can spend the remaining $650 on something like an Acer Aspire One netbook, and a Flip Mineo. Maybe I should think of dropping my T-Mobile Internet package and picking up a Verizon EVDO data package… I’ll have to think about that.

Photo credit: nobihaya

August 18th, 2008 - SBSH Mobile Software announced today a new exciting Papyrus for Windows Mobile Standard major update to version 2! SBSH Papyrus 2 for Smartphone is an innovative time management application packed with top quality tools designed to help you bring the most out of your Smartphone!

Papyrus 2 brings a handful of new exciting features: Search View for PIM items searching; Advanced filters management; Automatic attendees notifications, Auto-adopting design to match your device look&feel, Popup selection effect for optimized display, complete PNG graphics support and much more! Papyrus 2 brings a new powerful back-end engine that ensure the fastest experience for the pro user!

SBSH Papyrus 2 Highlights

All new Search View - Introducing extremely effective search functionality for your PIM items! Use the new Search View from any chosen view to easily browse through your different items!

Innovative & powerful new tools - Automatically email change notifications and appointment invitations to appointment attendees; New Pop-out Effect on all different views for better data display for today’s events, Active timeline display, New professionally designed built-in category icon store with PNG format support and much more!

Redesigned interface - Featuring the next generation of user-interface with automatic adoption to your Windows Mobile look and feel and easy to navigate dialogs! Additionally, Papyrus 2 includes especially designed features to take advantage of any screen orientation Smartphone!

Papyrus 2 for SP offers a myriad of new features and improvements! More information about the new features implemented with this new release can be found on our forums at the following URL: http://forums.sbsh.net/index.php?showtopic=22697

Upgrade Details

Users who registered Papyrus 1.x before May 1st 2008 are entitled to upgrade to the new version for only $7.95. User can complete the upgrade to the new version at the following URL: http://www.sbsh.net/product_upgrade.php?id=45

* Full upgrade details will also be emailed to all our registered users within the next 48 hours.

Users who registered Papyrus 1.x after May 1st 2008, including, are entitled to upgrade for free. Users entitled for a free upgrade will receive an email including free upgrade information within the next 72 hours.
Because this is a major version release we recommend to uninstall the latest version before installing the new one.

Pricing and Availability

Papyrus 2 costs $24.95

Papyrus can be purchased using the SBSH Online Store using the following URL:
http://hce.handango.com/HCE/checkout/Cart.jsp?storeId=1223&productId=151223

Our German users can register Papyrus using Pocketland localized store at the following URL: http://pocketland.de/product.php?prod_id=23703

Downloads and Support

SBSH Papyrus 2 trial version can be downloaded at the following URL:
http://www.sbsh.net/download.php?id=45

For any additional questions/suggestions we invite you to post at our forums:
Click here to enter SBSH forums

Or you can contact our support team with any inquery at the following URL:
http://www.sbsh.net/support.php

About SBSH Mobile Software

SBSH Mobile Software is a rapidly growing software firm specializing in the mobile market, developing software solutions for Windows Mobile Professional/Classic (Pocket PC), Windows Mobile Standard (Smartphones) and Symbian devices.
SBSH Mobile Software offers a variety of best-selling applications for the fast growing mobile market enhancing end-users experience and providing added-value for mobile devices.

SBSH Mobile Software LTD is a privately held company based in Tel Aviv, Israel. SBSH Mobile Software was founded in February 2002.

http://www.sbsh.net

While few mobile solutions achieve the Zen-like state that the iPhone exhibits, most do deliver a consistent experience: Palm, Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, Nokia S60, UIQ - these tried & true mobile solutions deliver.

My worries are that the GooglePhone will be a mere shadow of what was being sold by Google’s pundits (myself included).  I really hope to be wrong about this, but it seems like there is a bigger chance that, compared to iPhone 3G and the examples of WinMo7, Google’s entry into the mobile space will be generation behind in it’s first incarnation.

While I hope that isn’t the case, I have real fears it will be.

While waiting it out for THE NEXT BIG THING in tmo WinMo goodness, I broke down and picked up a little Nokia 5310 MusicXpress for $50. While I’m fairly pleased with the call quality, the size & form factor of the phone, though I can’t install any frickin’ apps. I shouldn’t be surprised after all. It’s T-Mobile.

Never mind that I have the full Internet plan. It’s not like I’m trying to rip off free IM on the $5 ‘net plan. I pay for Internet & Hotspot access. And I use it. My previous phone, an MDA that still works, allowed me to install that IM app to access Google Talk. It allowed me to install a different browser like Opera, it allowed me to install Weather software, RSS readers, digital "wallets", mapping & gps, handwriting recognition, voice recognition, music players, movie players, and so much more that I can’t describe it all.

I don’t expect to do much on this phone other than talk and play music. But it would be nice to at least get email delivered to it - whether I can respond or not doesn’t matter. Because if I get an email from a client - I’ll simply call them back as it’s usually important. What tweaks me is that the inbuilt email app, I’ll use that term loosely, simply does not allow me to add any POP or IMAP account. If it’s not GMail, Yahoo, HotMail, or whatever other webmail service, you’re out of luck. Perversely, my email account is hosted by Google for Domains, but the setup "wizard" only accepts GMail accounts. Stupid. Even paying the $0.15 (US) per email wouldn’t bother me so much if I could at least have it work.

So while I’m waiting (again) for a decent (?) phone & 3G service, I have to forgo email.  What happened to the days when T-Mobile was out front? When they rolled out GPRS nationwide before anyone else? When they actually had interesting phones, instead of 18mos. old models?

Kinda loosing the faith here. I only stick around because I have so many family and friends on T-Mo: parents, in-laws, sister & BIL, family & about 10 friends. I’m seriously wondering if I should return the darn phone (I have 3 days left in the 2 week trial) and go to AT&T. I could at least look at the Tilt or wait for the iPhone or… or… or…

Ok, I think that’s enough <rant> for this post. Anyone else have something good to say about tmo at the moment? I need a little propping up here.

And I was right, many plug-ins were not updated when I installed FF3 rc3, and I had to do without a lot of functionality. The only thing that allowed me to ride it out from the release candidate to shipping code was the fact that Foxmarks was updated to work with FF3 - it’s my absolutely most needed plug-in.

But in the three weeks I’ve been running the latest versions of Firefox 3, I’ve seen updates to plug-ins on an almost daily basis! out of 21 plug-ins, I’ve only 4 that aren’t yet updated: Blog This in Windows Live Writer, coComment!, ColorZilla, and Thinger.

Yes this was cross-posted with my personal blog, but I’m interested in feedback from both blogs. - Rick

UPDATE: I just found the latest ColorZilla beta here that works with Firefox 3!  In addition, I removed the coComment! plug-in as I see that the folks at coComment themselves will be getting their plug-in updated shortly. I’ve kind of given up waiting for any update to the Blog This in Windows Live Writer plug-in. That leaves Thinger, which I really do hope gets updated, because I really need a second (third?) bookmark toolbar.