AlphaSmart Neo- return of the Tandy 102

Some people just want a portable word processor to carry around with them so they can write whenever they have time. AlphaSmart has just released the Neo which does just that. The Neo is a simple word processor with a monochrome 6 line screen that is attached to a full sized keyboard. It's light and runs on 3 AA batteries. It has a word processor (AlphaWord Plus) installed in ROM which includes a spell checker and thesaurus. It's a definite retro device that some might find useful. At $249 I think I'd just get a Radio Shack TRS-80 Tandy 102 from eBay for less than $50. The specs of the two devices are amazingly similar, which is why I call the Neo a retro device. I had a TRS 102 back in the 80's.

Speech recognition on the Sony U-70

I've just started experimenting with speech input on the Sony U-70. I ordered a Plantronics DSP100 from Amazon for $45. The DSP100 is a noise canceling USB microphone and headset that is optimized for speech recognition. Installing the DSP100 was as simple as loading the software and plugging in the headset. I am using the speech recognition built into the Tablet OS (SP2) and with just a little training I am getting around 90% accuracy. I expect that to go up to around 95% when I finish all the enrollment exercises and use it a while. The engine appears to be the IBM ViaVoice engine that's been repackaged and rolled into the Tablet OS but I am not completely certain about that. It looks the same and the setup screens look like the ViaVoice ones.

This is an exciting alternative to the keyboard and pen and I'm going to beat on it for a while to see how viable it is. Initial impression is very good indeed.

Logitech Laser Mouse

If your standard optical mouse is just not accurate enough, then maybe you need a laser mouse. The Logitech Mx1000 laser mouse is the first mouse using laser technology that I'm aware of and reportedly is better for gaming due to the increased accuracy. It's wireless (RF) and has a Lithium-ion battery for long battery life. The Mx1000 is available already so they must have gotten that critical phone call from iBIZ warning them what happens when you don't get laser certification before you start shipping product.

iUbi Personal Video Player with WiFi

Found this on PVP For You:

Korean iUbi offers a Portable Video Player with wireless access (optional) and touch screen.
The iUbi PMP2020 features a 20GB hard-drive and a 3.5 inch TFT color screen. The iUbi also sports a touchscreen for PDA-like operation. It measures 128x26.7x29mm. Video playback works for 3 hours and audio blayback for 5hours with a fully charged battery.
More details on DAPreview and on iUbi (korean).

With wireless capability and a touch screen this player looks very nice indeed.

Hip-e teen computer

Recognizing the influence teens have over the purchases that parents make on their behalf, an enterprising company has introduced the Hip-e computer. Sporting customizable color skins, the computer has a decent feature set. A 17" LCD screen is coupled with a dock that includes a wireless keyboard and mouse, and the dock has slots to plug in the MP3 player and cell phone the company also offers. There's an 8 in 1 card reader built into the dock and a DVD/CD combo drive included. It's a little expensive at $1699 but it's a one stop purchase for parents who want to give a "cool" computer to their child.

Hip-e also has a notebook computer and matching electronic gizmos on their web site.

Linux to go

LaCie released a 40 GB mobile hard drive that plugs into any computer's USB port. What makes this newsworthy is the $219 device comes with Mandrakelinux 10.0 preinstalled on it. Simply plug this drive into any computer and you have an instant Linux system ready to go. The aptly named Globetrotter has OpenOffice, Evolution, and KDE Kontact preinstalled making for a complete Linux system in a tiny box. No word yet on exactly how small the Globetrotter is but I suspect it's very small. At this low price it's almost worth getting one just to check it out when it begins shipping at the end of August. Thanks to CNET for this heads-up.

USB calculator and keypad

From the "why didn't anyone think of this before" category, Canon has announced a USB number keypad for laptop users that's also a full calculator. The HS-120TKH also sports a 2 port USB 2.0 hub adding even more functionality for the user. Neat idea and this looks like it would be quite useful if you use either the numpad or a calculator a lot. Expensive at $85.

Archos- first music and video player with color screen

Archos has announced the Gmini400 music and video player that sports a 2.2 inch color LCD screen, a 20 GB hard drive, CF Type I slot, a TV out port, and a USB 2.0 interface.

The Gmini400 will play videos: MPEG-4 SP with MP3 or ADPCM stereo sound, near DVD quality up to 640 x 400 @ 30 f/s, AVI file format. Reads XviD and DivX"* 4.0 & 5.0. Play Music Video in MPEG-4.

Audio: Stereo MP3 decoding @ 30-320 kb/s CBR & VBR, WMA (Including copy protected files with Microsoft PD DRM), WAV (PCM & ADPCM). Records stereo sound in WAV (PCM & ADPCM) format.

Games: Mophun game engine – Playback on TV.

The Gmini400 retails for $399.95 and is available at retailers now.

Mpx and BlackBerry

In case you missed it Research in Motion announced a couple of weeks ago that BlackBerry connectivity will be enabled in the upcoming Motorola Mpx and MPx220 mobile devices.

Through RIM's BlackBerry Connect™ licensing program, the Motorola MPx and MPx220 will be able to connect to BlackBerry services including BlackBerry Enterprise Server™ and BlackBerry Web Client™.

This is exciting stuff and professionals who use the BlackBerry services through their work will have total connectivity options with these phones.

Ear Jam

No, not a disgusting topic but a way to make those iPod earbuds you have sound a lot better. Griffin EarJams are covers that snap onto your iPod earbuds that convert them into in-ear headphones. The resultant bass is deeper and with three different ear pieces to choose from you're sure to get a more comfortable fit. Kind of expensive at $20 but cheaper than Sony Fontopias if you already have the earbuds and hey, they're white. iPod people are crazy about white. Think of them as pacifiers for your ears.

Fuel cell scooter

Honda just announced a scooter that runs on fuel cell technology called the Honda FC Stack. The scooter power plant is based on a 125cc engine with the fuel cell stack in the middle of the vehicle. No word on when they might hit the market.

I/O Magic 2.2 GB hard drive

If you need a tiny 2.2 GB hard drive that has a USB 2.0 connector and needs no batteries or power cord then the I/O Magic GigaBank 2.2 may be what you need. The standard USB connector folds down into the unit for transport leaving you with a device that's only 2” x 0.5” x 2.5”. The little drive draws all the power it needs from your Windows-based computer's USB port. The capacity of the drive is just enough to carry your digital documents and some MP3s along with you. I don't have confirmation yet but this drive would probably work with Pocket PCs using a USB host port.

iM3- good speakers gone great

I love my Altec Lansing inMotion portable speakers. Pop in the iPod, crank it up, and portable music heaven. So how do you make them better? Introducing the iM3. Fits any iPod (and minis) through the use of adapters, speaker grilles, easier opening and closing, remote control, and that great sound. Pricy at $180 but if you need them you really need them.

Pentax Optio X- tiny package, big on features

The Pentax Optio X is a five megapixel camera with a swivel lens design that looks like a real winner. Sporting a 36 - 107 mm lens (equivalent) on a unique rotating base, the Optio has a two piece design that lets you swivel both the LCD and the lens independently for maximum flexibility. At only 18 mm thick, the Optio is one of the smallest cameras to offer so much versatility. With 14 MB of memory onboard the Optio, you will definitely need extra memory in the form of SD/MMC cards. You can shoot in JPEG format for stills and MOV video, and the Optio also functions as a webcam for your PC or laptop (requires Windows Messenger and Windows XP SP1 or later). 4X digital zoom lets you get up close and personal to your subject for those long shots. The Optio comes with a cradle for charging and connecting to your PC, and has basic video editing capabilities built into the camera. All in all this looks like a very nice camera. No word on pricing was given by Pentax in their announcement. You can find complete specs and info on dpreview.

Samsung integrates touchscreen into the LCD

Samsung announced today they have developed a LCD screen with the touch screen digitizer incorporated into the one piece design. Most screens today are two piece designs with a touch screen panel overlaid onto the LCD screen. This design breakthrough should allow Samsung to make screens that are much thinner than currently available. They expect to use the new screens to produce lighter cell phones initially.

Thanks to Kevin of PocketPCTools for this info.

First virtual keyboard appears?

I'm not going to rip iBIZ for their debacle handling the Virtual Keyboard as I've done that enough recently. You remember their laser keyboard that isn't? The keyboard that went from now shipping to waiting for US laser regulation approval to we're suing our supplier because we don't even have a prototype? Now you remember.

It looks like they delayed long enough for a competitor to release a similar product that also projects a virtual keyboard onto a flat surface via laser. Called simply the Virtual Keyboard (VKB) the keyboard is compatible with the XDA I & II, a couple of Palms, two iPAQ models, and "Laptops/ Desktops via a serial connection", whatever that means. The VKB is only available in mainland Britain at the present time and will set you back GBP 99.95.

jkOTR wonders- who is using mobile technology?

One of the primary drivers for me in searching for good mobile device technology is the hope I will find something that I can incorporate into my arsenal of mobile tools. I look for devices and software solutions that fit into my daily routine and help make my work easier. Good mobile technology must have at least one trait before it makes my toolkit- it must be something that is enabling. What I mean by that is the tool has to enable me to do something better, easier, or quicker. It can't just be cool (although there's nothing wrong with that) or have a wow factor, it must be an enabler. Tools like this are appearing all the time which is what drives me to root it out, put it through it's paces, and ultimately incorporate into my work flow.

I spend a lot of time thinking about how this technology can help others. Anyone who is involved in the mobile tech business must realize that what is good for the goose is not necessarily good for the gander when it comes to mobile gadgets. The needs of each person are unique and it's certainly short-sighted to proclaim that Device A is the be-all for everyone. I try to avoid that mindset but I admit that's sometimes difficult to do. So I've spent the past few weeks observing in the workplace. What I've been looking for specifically is the actual usage of mobile gadgets in different work settings, at different companies and locations, to get a feel for what is being used by a wide range of professionals. I have perhaps a unique perspective on this since I'm not in the IT industry, unlike many who are involved in mobile technology. People who are directly involved in the IT industry no doubt embrace technology in their work and personal life because they are familiar with it and exposed to it naturally. What I wanted to examine was how professionals in a totally unrelated field are using mobile technology and how they react to it when exposed to it in a normal business setting. What I observed surprised me.

Another OneNote PowerToy

If you're a big OneNote user like I am then you are going to love this. I recently told you about two great PowerToys that I use daily. One feature I've been really wanting is the ability to print from any document directly into a OneNote page. Something similar to the Windows Journal Note Writer that prints a document straight into a native Journal page, except for One Note which I use much more than the Journal.

I searched high and low and today I found it! OneNote Image Writer PowerToy for Microsoft Office OneNote® 2003 (long name) installs a printer driver that does exactly what I need. It's especially useful for getting PDF documents straight into OneNote for markup.

Samsung YP-53- MP3 phone home

I've seen the Samsung YP-53 show up on several websites this week and decided to take a closer look and figure out what keeps this from being just another MP3 player. Turns out the Yepp is a USB drive that comes with up to 256 MB of memory and has an FM tuner on board. This would be cool enough but it also has software that connects you to your home PC when you plug it into the USB port of ANY computer with internet access. The connection is a secure connection and would be an excellent way to access your computer from public systems. I couldn't find out if this also works behind corporate firewalls.

Add-on lenses for your phone camera

Brando is an online retailer in Hong Kong that I've always found to be a good source of hard to find items, like screen protectors in special sizes. I just ran across a really interesting product on their web site and thought I'd share it with you. If you have a cell phone with a camera you have probably pulled your hair out over some of the lousy quality pictures that come out of the phone. Blurry, too far away to capture properly, too close to capture properly, well, you get the idea.

Enter Brando with their PDA/ Cellphone Camera Lens Combo Sets. These little sticky lenses are sized to fit over the lens on your PDA or camera phone and provide filtered effects to enhance your masterpieces. The lenses are offered in two sets: set 1 has 3 lenses- tele lens, soft filter, and kaleidoscope-strip; set 2 has a distortion lens, macro lens, and a kaleidoscope- triangle lens. I haven't used any of these but the idea is a very sound one. Each lens set runs for $18 so it won't break the bank to give them a try. If anyone has tried these I'm interested in hearing what you think.

Portable audio from Turtle Beach

The folks at Turtle Beach have always had innovative audio products for the desktop and now they've released a USB audio solution for laptops. The Audio Advantage Micro runs for $30 and is a tiny USB audio card that provides simulated 3D audio effects with games and simulated 5.1 sound through headphones and powered speakers that hook up through a regular headphone jack. You can also connect a TOSLINK digital audio cable for hooking up to your home stereo equipment. The Micro is easily portable since it's about the size of your thumb and sounds like the perfect way to get simulated surround sound and increased audio perfomance out of any laptop or UPC.

we the media available online

Dan Gillmor is as knowledgable as anyone when it comes to the topic of technology in journalism. His first book, we the media, is a fascinating and clear-eyed look at how technology has changed the way journalism works. His book explores how blogging has turned Joe Everyman into a de facto journalist, and explores how mainstream journalism must change to reflect this shift. An excellent read and the book is available for reading online or downloading in PDF. Dan has also started a blog that gives readers a forum for discussing the book and the evolution in journalism it predicts.

Teleflip 'em off

Need to send a text message to someone but don’t know their phone’s email address, or even what carrier they’re using? Don’t fret- teleflip it.

Teleflip is a free service that let’s you send text messages from your PC to anyone’s cell phone, even when all you know about the recipient is their phone number. You can check it out at the Teleflip web site but it couldn't be simpler to use.

Just send an email message to:

theircellphonenumber@teleflip.com

and there will soon be a text message appearing on the target cell phone. This is also a great way to have someone send you a message when you're not in your office and need some information delivered to your cell phone. Neither party has to sign up to use the service. Try it now- send yourself an email to your phone and see how it works. The service is in beta but has worked OK for me.

Olympic coverage Wikipedia style

Want to keep up with the Olympics in Athens but tired of all the fluff you have to wade through to get real information? Check out the coverage that Wikipedia has ongoing. It's current, to the point, and very well organized, just like everything else on the Wikipedia. You'll find schedules, venues, and current standing information for every event in Athens. Worth a look.

My favorite programs for the Sony U-70

I have been running the Sony U-70 long enough now that I am very comfortable with the software arsenal I am using on a regular basis. Every program displays well on the small screen of the Sony and interaction with the pen is very nice. There are some programs that many people already use, some that you may not have heard of, and some that will only work on a pen enabled device. Have a look at the screen shots in the photo album linked below where you'll see one or more images for each program and a description of what the program does. I did not include links for the programs as they all can be easily found via Google or some other search tool. I'm very interested in hearing of other programs you might be using on your WinXP mobile device. Can never have enough stuff. :) Note that these programs will run on any WinXP computer or Tablet PC and are not restricted to just the Sony (if I don't put that I'll get a bunch of emails asking that very question).

On to the favorite program list!

Why are so many getting excited about Ultra-portable Computers?

Few devices in recent memory have generated the near fanaticism as have the devices that fit in the category of ultra-portable computers (UPCs). Devices like the OQO and Flipstart have whole websites dedicated to these specific machines and they are not even released yet. Both devices have been vaporware for more than a year and still the followers are talking about them in forums like they exist. Why does this genre of device generate such excitement for mobile tech geeks?

First let's define what has come to be described as a UPC. A UPC is a full laptop-like computer, typically running some flavor of Windows XP, that is a small enough size to be used in the hand. Slightly bigger than a PDA, since they need a larger screen to be usable, with a hard disk of at least 20 gigs, and enough memory to make Windows XP run acceptably. Some of these devices have a touch screen allowing pen input and control, and others are keyboard/ mouse only. The form factor is important as the device must be small and light enough to take anywhere, as the key to a successful UPC is how easily you can carry it with you. If you don't have it with you it can't help you. It's this "always with you" attribute that has all these potential customers chomping at the bit for one of these devices. Is that reason enough? I think so and I'll tell you why.

Two really cool cars

What's cooler than this limo (seen here at the Olympics in Athens)? Try this car that belongs to my friend Dean. Now there's three cool cars with the addition of my friend bk's '67 Firebird. Red, yeah!

Mobile device early adopters- overcoming limits

Innovative mobile devices are released all the time and there's a typical type of power user that becomes the early adopter. The drive to have the "latest and greatest" is the driving force that pushes this type of user to try and incorporate the new mobile tool into their daily work routine. This early adoption usually comes at a price as the software for these devices usually runs a bit behind the hardware technology, and the first owners of these devices have to come up with workarounds for all sorts of shortcomings.

Verizon's first Bluetooth phone appears

Verizon users have been screaming for years for a Bluetooth capable phone they could use with their mobile devices. The Motorola v710 is Verizon's first phone with BT and it has finally appeared in Verizon stores. The v710 is a full featured phone with a color screen inside and out, Bluetooth, speakerphone, and camera.

I picked up one of them yesterday as I have longed for Bluetooth to connect to my Pocket PC and my laptop. I have been using Verizon's Mobile Office with a USB cable connected to my Audiovox CDM-9500 and the thought of losing yet another cable had me waiting for this phone for a long time. All was not roses, however, as Bluetooth configuration was difficult to say the least. Read on to find out how I got my Sony U-70 to finally talk to the phone via BT.

Lockergnome Mobile Lifestyle

I'm really pleased to announce that as of today I am contributing to Lockergnome's Mobile Lifestyle section. Lockergnome has been a premiere source of information for years and it's a real treat to work with Chris Pirillo and the rest of the gnomies. I will be contributing tidbits of information and tips on a regular basis so be sure and check often. There's an RSS feed for you aggregators out there. Of course the subject matter is Mobile Lifestyle stuff so I should feel right at home. I see a theme here....

iMmini- let your iPod mini sing

I love my Altec Lansing inMotion speakers for the iPod so it was great to hear that folks with an iPod mini won't be left out in the cold, er, quiet. Altec Lansing has introduced the iMmini that provides the same function as it's bigger cousin. Available through the Apple store, the iMmini not only provides a nice looking pair of portable speakers but functions as a complete docking solution for your mini. The amplified speakers can provide 24 hours of iPod music on 4 AA batteries. Here's listening to you, kid. MSRP $129.95

Fat Fingers- find misspelled eBay items

eBay generates over a billion page views a DAY. Of the tens of millions of items for sale on eBay at any given time, how many misspelled item names prevent the auction from showing up in a search? The correct answer is thousands. A very enterprising individual has a web site called appropriately Fat Fingers that let's you search for items that are misspelled. Enter in your item name, hit the GENERATE button, and Fat Fingers generates a link that you click based on dozens of permutations of your search term. Click the link and instantly eBay gives you all active auctions for those items that are misspelled by the seller. You should be able to pick up some real bargains with no one else bidding against you. Innovative and jkOTR salutes you. Thanks to The Red Ferret Journal for this jewel.

Samsung's 2.6" VGA screen

Samsung announced in a press release today from Korea their new 2.6" TFT LCD VGA screen using a-Si (amorphous silicon) technology. The little screen sports 300 dpi resolution making it almost seven times more resolute than a 42 inch high definition LCD screen. This screen is a natural for phones and PDAs and Samsung expects to enter full production of the littlest VGA screen in December of this year.

A typical day with the Sony U-70

A while back I outlined a typical work day for me and demonstrated how the Toshiba e-805 allowed me to be more productive given my mobile lifestyle. The VGA screen resolution on the Toshiba allowed me to leave my big laptop at home and use the e-805 exclusively during the day. This combination of the e-805 with a wireless keyboard goes a good 90% towards leaving the laptop at home all the time. As many of you are aware I recently got my hands on a Sony U-70 ultra-portable computer (UPC) that I've converted to a true Tablet PC. I've been using the U-70 for a month now and felt it was time for me to share with you how the U is being used in my typical work day and let you see if you think it stacks up.

Run your house with an old Pocket PC

Got an old Pocket PC lying around and don't want to throw it out? An enterprising Casio E-125 owner has put together a system that lets him run his whole house using the old Casio and standard X-10 modules you can pick up almost anywhere. Using software he developed himself put together entirely in embedded Visual Basic, the enterprising Casio owner has been completely running his home for three years and the setup is still running strong. From the ability to control all the lighting in his home and garden, to voice announcements when major events occur, this system is the slickest I've seen yet using X-10 modules. Have a look at his project web site where he details the entire project, and discusses pitfalls he encountered along the way. Very nice project and worth a look.

Toshiba's new 1.8" 60 GB hard drive

Toshiba announced two new 1.8" hard disk drives this week with production expected in the third quarter of this year. The drives come in a 30 GB model which slims down the drive to only 5mm, and a 60 GB model, which is the highest capacity drive in the 1.8" form factor. Rumor has it that Apple has already ordered a ton of these drives for the next generation iPod. The big capacity of these drives means we will likely see some interesting devices next year with unheard of disk space. This is the same drive size currently in the Sony U-50/70 so it's possible there could soon be a 30 or 60 GB HDD upgrade, although the 60 GB drive might be too thick to fit in the already crowded Sony U.

Sony U-50 Beer Garden Review

Finally, a real world review of the Sony U-50 and how it stacks up for use in a beer garden. The folks at the great tech site I4U have addressed the question many have been asking themselves about this little device- how useful is the Sony while drinking beer? It's a good review so don't miss it.

The Man Bag

Always on the lookout for gadget bags that defy the "man purse" description? Then check out the gadget bags from The Man Bag website. With three models to choose from you will be sure to find the one that fits your manly gadget lifestyle. No more man purse for you. Designed by men for men. Their motto says it all- If it's not a Man Bag it's a purse.

Therapeutic affects of man's best friend

This is Oreo. He's a cute mutt that came to us years ago when the dog of one of my wife's coworkers had a litter and they needed homes for the lot. We took in Oreo (over my objections) and he's been with us ever since. You always hear about the positive affects pets have for their owners and I thought I'd add proof to that. I recently told the account of my experience with open heart surgery and Oreo played a big role in my recovery at home.

When I first returned home from the hospital I was in pretty bad shape. I was very weak and felt like I'd been hit by a Mack truck, and I spent a lot of time over the next few weeks sitting in a leather club chair in our living room. This chair was the softest and most comfortable chair for me to sit in for extended periods of time. Besides the pain that any movement brought with it I was extremely cold all the time and couldn't get warm no matter how I dressed nor how many blankets I piled on.