jkOnTheRun video- Sena cases for iPhone 3G

The good folks at Sena Cases sent us a couple of leather cases for the iPhone 3G to show you folks a couple of options for carrying your phone around.  In this video I show you the two cases in two colors so you can see some of the cases they have available.  The Ultra Slim Pouch is a simple and thin case that totally protects the iPhone without adding excess bulk and weight.  The LeatherSkin is a different style of case with a removable belt clip that lets you operate the iPhone without removing it from the case.  Both cases are nice and elegant and get the job done quite well.  Thanks to Sena for sending the evaluation cases to share with you.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session- Skype video on the MSI Wind

We always get asked how good a given netbook handles Skype video calls so Kevin and I jumped online and shot this very short example of Skype on the MSI Wind  I must say that from my end the video quality is the best I have seen on any netbook by far.  Kevin had my video in Skype playing in a full window on his end and the MSI Wind handled that with ease.  Take a look and see what you think.  I was in the local coffee shop when we chatted and no doubt you can hear that in the background as it was very loud even for me.

jkOnTheRun first look - MSI Wind with 6-cell battery

FedEx did me a favor and delivered my MSI Wind a day early, so here's a twenty minute walk though and overview of the device. This is the unit with the 6-cell battery, which I estimate will get me a good five-plus hours of real-world run time. I originally purchased a new white MSI Wind from Dynamism at $599, but while waiting for the order to be fulfilled, I noticed they had a black open-box unit for $20 less. I jumped on it and Dynamism threw in two useful goodies which I cover in the video.

This is just my first impressions after using the netbook for all of an hour; I'll be spending much more time with the MSI Wind over the next week or two of course. Drop your questions in the comments and I'll do what I can to answer them! So far, I'm pretty impressed in terms of performance, build quality, keyboard and functions. $579 worth of impressed? I might be, but I'll know for sure in a few days.

jkOnTheRun video- Richard Solo Backup Battery for iPhone/ iPod Touch

I have been using the Richard Solo Backup Battery for the iPhone/ iPod Touch for weeks now and it is one of my most useful accessories.  The Backup Battery will supply a 70% charge to my iPhone 3G in a short period.  In this video I show the battery and the charger to show how small they are.  I show the Backup Battery in use with the iPhone and explain why it is a good solution for me.  Enjoy the show.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session- Acer Aspire One first look

I knew when Kevin posted that Circuit City was carrying the new Acer Aspire One netbook in their brick and mortar stores that it wouldn't be long before he'd run out and grab one.  That's exactly what he did and today he brought one of these nice blue mini-notebooks home so we sat down and had a video chat about it.  Kevin unboxed it and showed us everything you could want to know about the Aspire One and showed us all how fast you can take one of these Linux-based netbooks out of the box and get productive.  Have a look at the Acer and see if you think it's worth the $379 Kevin paid for it.  I think it is.  I also like the Lazy Susan fixture on the bottom of the Aspire One, I think that should come in handy.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session- Verizon LG Decoy and LG Dare

It's time for another Geek Session where Kevin and I sit down and talk tech for a while.  Today's session is our first effort using a new video conferencing solution, ooVoo.  We heard about ooVoo from our friend Joanna Stern at Laptop Magazine and it is definitely a cool platform for doing these Geek Sessions.  Thanks to ooVoo for working with us to get this going.  In this video we get to have a first look at two phones that came to Mobile Tech Manor today, the LG Decoy and LG Dare from Verizon.  The Decoy is the first phone that has an integrated Bluetooth headset that pops into the phone for storage and charging.  It is the thinnest and lightest headset I have ever seen and you'll have to see it for yourself to believe it.  The LG Dare on the other hand is a touchscreen phone without a keyboard or keypad of any kind, like that fruit phone, and it is evident that LG has put a lot of attention into the user interface.  Have a look at both phones and enjoy the show.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session: we're part of the GigaOM team, now what?

The last 24 hours have been a whirlwind experience and not just for us. I think we've had more reader comments generated today than any other day prior, so we know you've been busy too. Of course, we're talking about joining the GigaOM team and we wanted to address the news and questions in our typical Geek Session video chats. Long story short: we won't change much other than devoting more time into bringing you the best mobile tech news, views and reviews that we've always tried to. But don't just take my word for it; watch the video!

jkOnTheRun video- iPhone Accessory Day

The iPhone 3G has been at Mobile Tech Manor for all of a few days and today the FedEx man brought a few accessories to keep it company.  In this video you'll see the Bang & Olufsen Earset 3 headset for the iPhone.  The B&O is a headset with great audio quality for listening to music on the iPhone combined with a nice microphone to allow taking and receiving phone calls when necessary.  In the video you'll also see the newly arrived iPhone dock from Apple.  I think it's a shame that Apple doesn't include the dock with the iPhone 3G so I had to spring for one right away as I have to have a dock.  I also show off the new charger the iPhone 3G ships with, the smallest I've ever seen with any phone.  Last up I show off the Marware CEO leather case for the iPhone 3G, a holster case with a belt clip to carry the phone around without worrying about scratching that nice screen.  Enjoy the show.

BTW, I got the Bang & Olufsen headset from the Apple online store and it showed up in just two days.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session: iPhone apps and a new phone

James called me in the middle of my Super MonkeyBall marathon this afternoon. Sheesh! You'd think he would read the site and keep up with my schedule! It's all good though because he just took delivery of a new loaner phone that arrived a scant 30 minutes prior. Was it good enough to interrupt my "playtime"? Watch and be the judge!

jkOnTheRun Geek session- iPhone 3G week

Kevin and I had to shoot a geek session since it's iPhone 3G week.  This video finds the pair talking about everything from the iPhone 3G to Andre Agassi.  You'll have to watch to understand the Agassi part.  You'll also find a warning for those interested in the newly released GigaByte M912V convertible notebook computer.  Don't miss Kevin's new camera that he shows off, it's the first 12 MP shooter you likely have seen and it's smaller than I thought it would be.  Enjoy the show and if you have a particular topic that you'd like to see Kevin and I chat about leave a message or shoot us an email.  We love to talk tech.  :)

Visit to the new Mobile Tech Manor

The move took place less than a week ago and I am pretty much settled in my new office.  The new Mobile Tech Manor is almost fully done as far as setting up and unpacking goes and since I have been getting questioned as to when I was going to show it off I decided to shoot a 5 minute video of the new digs.  It's not the best video I've ever done but hopefully it will give you a little look at where I do all of this jkOnTheRun stuff.  Have a look and enjoy the show.

UPDATE:  I called the 2710p a Fujitsu but of course it's an HP device.  :)

jkOnTheRun video- Musings from Mobile Tech Manor

Kevin was hard at work getting the latest episode of MobileTechRoundup out the door and since it's Friday the 13th I decided to shoot a video.  This video is nothing special, just me and some musings from Mobile Tech Manor.  I show you what gadgets I'm currently playing with using in my work and give a little show of the Kensington Slimblade Presenter mouse I'm using.  Oh, I almost forgot.  We've got 3 super prizes to give away to viewers of this video compliments of Microsoft.  You'll have to watch the video to see how to enter but the prizes are licenses of Visual Studio Team Suite with MSDN Premium.  There are 3 of those that will go to lucky winners so watch the video and see how to enter.  If I'm not mistaken, and I haven't checked, I think each of those prizes are worth over $2,000.  I think.  Enjoy the show, I can tell you they're a lot more fun to do when Kevin's there.

What will you see in the video?  Just this:

• Lenovo IdeaPad U110
• HP 2133 Mini-Note
• Fujitsu P1620 Tablet PC
• HP 2710p Tablet PC
• Lenovo x61t Tablet PC
• HTC Advantage 7501
• Blackberry 8830
• Kensington Slimblade Presenter Mouse

Wow, now I know why I'm tired!

jkOnTheRun- iPhone 3G geek session

The world was all abuzz with the Apple announcement of the iPhone 3G and other cool stuff.  Kevin and James couldn't wait to talk about the new iPhone and what we think it means to the consumer market.  We have a good look at the newly announced MobileMe service that is replacing .MAC and generally have a good time.  Enjoy the show!

jkOnTheRun video- Lenovo IdeaPad U110 webcam recording

Rob Bushway of GottaBeMobile recently published a video demonstrating the use of the Lenovo IdeaPad U110 for recording video.  Rob aptly demonstrated that his video recorded with the included Lenovo EasyCapture webcam utility had intermittent audio/ video sync problems, an experience that mirrors my own.  I always use ArcSoft Webcam Companion to record video on laptop webcams which has always worked well for me and this video is an example I recorded on my Lenovo IdeaPad's webcam using the ArcSoft utility.  Have a look and see what you think.  The ArcSoft utility produces a MPG video file that I took into Windows Movie Maker to produce a WMV file which I find works better with YouTube.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session: More of the U110 and a surprise application

We haven't had a dual-chat about the Lenovo IdeaPad U110, so today I got a better look at it. James also has an advance look at some software that I'm sure folks will want when it gets released. If you surf the web on a handheld device, you'll want to check this out.

jkOnTheRun video- first look at Lenovo IdeaPad U110

I've been using the sweet Lenovo IdeaPad U110 super portable notebook for a couple of days now and I humbly offer up my very first impressions of this little notebook.  Everybody who I've shown the U110 to has voiced the same 3 reactions in this order:

That red case is nice!
Wow, it's so thin and light!
Can I have it?

There is no question that the U110 is the thinnest and lightest full notebook I have used and I am still impressed with that every time I pick it up to take it with me.  Even with the extended (7-cell) battery attached it is one of the nicest forms in a notebook for less than $2,000.  The Sony TZ comes close but the last time I priced one of those babies it was over $3,000 so this is a nice deal for $1,799.  Take a look at this video of the U110 and see if you agree it's pretty darn sexy.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session: Skype video on the HP Mini with Windows XP

James and I are getting tons of questions on how well (or how bad) Skype video calls are on the HP Mini. This geek chat shows that while the quality isn't as good as higher powered machines, it is quite usable, and without any tweaks. I'm using a MacBook Pro on my end to record the video while James is using the HP Mini with Skype 3.8 for Windows. It's the 1.6 GHz VIA C7-M, 2 GB of RAM and running Windows XP.

jkOnTheRun video- Windows XP on the HP Mini-Note

I couldn't wait for HP to release it, I had to install Windows XP on the Mini-Note to see how it runs compared to Vista.  I performed a clean install of Windows XP using good instructions found on the web and it went clean and easy.  In this video I show how snappy the system runs doing normal tasks like opening Microsoft Office programs, surfing the web and running the Windows Explorer.  I am pleased with the performance of the Mini-Note running XP but you can judge for yourself after watching the video.  Enjoy!

BTW, the Zune theme I am running can be downloaded here since I know many will ask.

jkOnTheRun video- using OS X on the HP Mini-Note via LogMeIn

Since I mentioned that I have been running OS X on the HP Mini-Note through LogMeIn I have gotten a lot of questions about the performance I get doing so.  I use LogMeIn to remotely access my MacBook Pro on the HP Mini-Note and it is quite productive.  In this video my intention is to show how responsive the LogMeIn connection renders OS X on the Mini and thus demonstrate how I am able to get real work done with this method.  The 17" MacBook Pro runs at a screen resolution of 1680x1050 and I demonstrate how the lower resolution of the Mini (1280x768) handles that using great utility built right into LogMeIn.  You'll also see how I can even access the external 2nd monitor on the Mac through the Mini.  Have a look at how cool OS X looks running on the HP Mini-Note in full-screen mode, it's just like being there.  :)  This is done using the free version of LogMeIn which makes it even better.

PS: Before you start jumping on me I know there are other remote access solutions out there.  I use LogMeIn because the free version is good enough for what I need and because I can run a Mac from anything else.

jkOnTheRun video- HP tx2051 Entertainment Notebook

When I first saw the HP tx2000 earlier this year I was impressed with the improvements made over the original tx1000 model.  HP has incorporated a dual digitizer that provides an excellent touch experience along with a great inking experience with the pen.  The tx2051 covered in this 20 minute video is a powerhouse that is easily the fastest Tablet PC I have used.  Take a look and see why I feel this is a good value for those who want a good notebook with occasional inking.  In the video I show how good the touch experience is on the tx2000.  It is easily as good as the touch I have seen in videos of the Dell XT with the capacitive digitizer.  Enjoy the show.

jkOnTheRun video- first look at the HP Mini-Note UMPC

The good folks at HP let me play with the brand new HP Mini UMPC.  It's been known as the HP UMPC, the 2133 and who knows what else but it's officially the HP Mini.  This video is longer than most we do because we wanted to give you the best look possible at this innovative mini-notebook.  The Mini will only set you back $499 for the entry level configuration but this video shows off the top-of-the-line model.  This one is only $749 so it's still a very good deal.  You'll see the HP Mini from every angle, see how well constructed it is and get a good look at how well the Via C7-M 1.6 GHz processor performs.  Take a look at the video and see what we think of the new HP Mini.

jkOnTheRun video- Tour of Mobile Tech Manor

OK, I'll be the first to admit that this short video is a dry run using the new photographic lighting to get familiar with the best way to set it all up before I make some important video reviews shortly.  That aside I am always getting asked what Mobile Tech Manor is like and what might be in it at any given moment.  For those who are not familiar Mobile Tech Manor is where I do what I do every day and where I play with all the cool gadgets that I get to play work with.  This video is a little tour of the Manor and you'll see everything I am using currently.  I also show a few items that are sitting in the review queue so you get a preview before I show them off.  Join me for the tour of Mobile Tech Manor and enjoy the show.

Video how to: upgrade the RAM on the Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium

OK, this one isn't exactly for the faint of heart. I didn't know it until I was on camera, but the RAM slot for the Q1 Ultra Premium isn't in the same spot as earlier models. It's actually underneath a motherboard, so you have to not only crack open the case (which was a challenge), but also remove some cables and a board. Hidden underneath is the RAM slot and at that point, swapping out the RAM is a piece of cake. The whole process took me at least 30 minutes and you want to be VERY careful.

After the video, I noticed something funny with my touchscreen so I opened the device again to make sure all the cables were seated properly. Once I verified that and closed the device up, the hard drive was no longer recognized. Third time was a charm although I seem to have lost Windows XP; the device now appears to be functioning properly during a re-install of Windows XP Tablet Edition. Long story short: this can be done, but it's not as simple as I would have liked. Be careful!

Oh and while I was in there, I saw a free PCIe slot for a 3G modem card; there's no need to remove the WiFi/Bluetooth module from the other PCIe slot. :)

jkOnTheRun video review- Celio Redfly Mobile Companion

The Celio Redfly Mobile Companion is a deceptively useful device that takes a Windows Mobile smartphone and turns it into a mini-laptop.  With a press of a button the Redfly connects up to the smartphone and extends the display to 800x480 and throws in a full QWERTY keyboard to boot.  In this video James Kendrick gives an overview of the Redfly hardware and shows how the mobile professional can pull the Redfly out of his/her gadget bag and be reading email in less than 3 seconds.  Take a look at the video and see why James is so excited about how useful this device can be for enterprise workers.

UPDATE: the oompah loompahs at YouTube have produced a slight audio sync problem and my audio gets out of sync with the video toward the end of the video.  Sorry about that, my video is perfectly in sync.  :)

 

HD video playback on a Q1U-P, Q1P UMPC

Just to give you an idea in the performance difference between the new Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium and the older Q1P, I've got a comparison of H.264 playback. A 720p HD movie trailer in Quicktime, the upcoming Indiana Jones movie to be specific. At a 5.8 Mbps bitrate, this pushes beyond the limits of what should be expected from a UMPC, but I think it's important to see how these devices handle it. One thing this video got me thinking: I hope I look as good as Harrison Ford at his age!

We'll have the full-quality, VGA video available for direct download on our Mobile Media Edition page in the next day or two. Until then, enjoy!

jkOnTheRun Geek Session- Samsung Q1 Ultra Premium unboxing

Kevin's Q1 Ultra Premium finally arrived and we had a short chat while he unboxed the newest Samsung UMPC.  The Q1 is pretty sweet but you'll have to watch to see if it is indeed a "Premium".  Kevin showed us all about the new Q1 and compared it to his older Q1P so you can see how it compares in size and function.  We had a surprise drop-in guest who is an experienced YouTube star in his own right so don't miss him.  Have a look at our chat and get a feel for how happy new gadgets makes us, although you'll have to admit Kevin is the happier of the two.  After all, it's his new toy tool.  Enjoy the chat!

jkOnTheRun video- Entertainment on the Fujitsu P1620

I can hardly express strongly enough how happy I am with my recent purchase of the Fujitsu P1620 and part of the reason is the great leisure activities I do with it.  In this video I show you some of those activities that endures the P1620 to my heart and why I am so happy with it.  You will see how I browse the web, read the New York Times, listen to music and podcasts and read magazines on this great mobile device.  You'll also get a feel for how I do all of this using just my fingertip for control.  Enjoy the show!

jkOnTheRun video- the smallest gadget bag

You know me, smaller is definitely more mobile which is why I love the Fujitsu p1620.  In this short 3 minute video I show you just how small my gadget bag has become thanks to the small size of the P1620.  After watching the video you will know doubt be impressed how I can carry everything I need on jaunts of 5 hours or less in a very tiny package.  Enjoy the show!

jkOnTheRun Video Geek Session- Fujitsu P1620, part 1

After many delays, the Fujitsu P1620 finally arrived at James' house. This morning we got to chatting about the differences in this refresh of the P1610. We went on and on so much about it, that we cut this one off at seven-and-a-half minutes. Hey, we realize you have other things to do than sit around and watch us geek out for a half-hour!

Part one offers up a general overview of the hardware as well as how quickly James got back into a smaller-screened touch-enabled Tablet PC. We hit upon some of the options that Fujitsu offers, cover the battery life expectations and discuss the touch sensitivity of the screen. Make sure you catch my interpretation of Palm rejection too. ;)

Smart Scroll X adds 'kinetic' scrolling to Mac OS X

Like that kinetic scrolling on the iPhone so much that you want it on your Mac? You'll definitely want to check out Smart Scroll X, a third-party application I read about on MacUser. The app is $19, but there's a free trial, which I took full advantage of to show you a short video demonstration. Smart Scroll X is easy to configure for a mouse, trackpad or keyboard and I like how you can reverse both the X- and Y-axis control. Even better is the Grab-and-scroll, a function similar to the Flicks navigation we Vista Tablet PC users have enjoyed.

I could see this coming in handy for folks that are tired of scrolling again and again in the page of an app since this works not just with Safari, but in native Cocoa apps on the Mac. It was a huge help to me earlier today in TextEdit for example. You can really get around fast with this software. Oh, and sorry in advance if I get you sea-sick with all the scrolling in this vid!

Palm Centro arrives at AT&T, here's a video overview

I think 2007 will be the year where mobile technology vendors proved that inexpensive doesn't necessarily mean cheap and unusable. It happened with the Asus Eee PC and then again with Palm's Centro for Sprint. The trend continues in 2008 now that a Palm Centro has arrived on AT&T's GSM network. This $99 Palm OS smartphone has definitely impressed me over the past few days of hands-on use, but I'm just getting started. Remember, in my years of using mobile tech, I've never purchased a Palm device so this loaner is intriguing. Folks that use feature phones don't have to spend much more to get a full-featured smartphone and I think that's why we're seeing so many Palm Centro units fly off the shelves. The full press release with details follows and in this short video, I give you a very quick look at the device and its capabilities. I'll have more thoughts over the next week or two before I return the unit.

jkOnTheRun video: walkthrough of MSN Direct on Windows Mobile

So what exactly does that MSN Direct download bring to your Windows Mobile device? In this under-seven-minute video I give you a quick walkthrough using my Dash; a Windows Mobile 6 device. There's a few opportunities for improvement in the application, but if you want basic News, Weather and Stocks on your Today screen (and you have enough room for them), this could be useful. There are plenty of third party applications that can provide the same info, if not more, but not all of them are free. Then again, I'm not sure I'd call this implementation "free" exactly; no it doesn't cost you anything, but there's a fair share of ads. They're not obtrusive, but they're there as you'll see in the video.

Geek Session- mobile browsing

Kevin and I have a nice chat about new mobile browsing options coming along and what makes them special.  We talk about the new Opera Mobile 9.5 and what makes it so exciting.  Kevin got a package from the UPS guy that he shows us and the two of us give a business case for Apple making a version of the iPhone's Safari browser for the Windows Mobile platform.  Enjoy our chat.

Geek Session- jonesing for new stuff

Kevin and I are each jonesing for new geek stuff, and not the same thing.  What we would like may surprise you and you'll have to watch the chat to find out what we wish we had in our hands.  Neither one of us can have what we want for different reasons so you might say we are lamenting what we can't have.  Have a look and see if you might want what we wish we had.

jkOnTheRun Geek Session- Live from CES 2008!

Instead of an audio podcast, we had time to record a brief video Geek Session here at CES 2008. Just a short summary of the show experience, what the buzz was (and wasn't) all about and a mobile prediction. Since we've been sharing information on how we covered the show and what equipment we used: this video was recorded directly by the HP 2710p Tablet PC with its integrated camera.

Special thanks to the CES folks for providing us a small podcast booth to use for this Geek Session!

jkOnTheRun video- how we have live blogged the CES 2008

One of the newest things we've tried in covering the CES 2008 in Las Vegas this year has been live blogging by posting photos of the most interesting gadgets we've encountered directly from the exhibitor's booth.  This has worked extremely well and has blown away everyone who has seen us do this on the show floor.  We literally post to the site within 10 seconds of snapping a photo in the booth and so many people have been asking how we've done this that I've recorded an 8 minute video showing exactly how this has been done.  Enjoy the video!

jkOnTheRun Video Geek Session- HP iPAQ 310 Travel Companion

The planets must be aligned in perfect harmony: yesterday HP launched their iPAQ Navigate service, James and I are heading to CES and an iPAQ 310 Travel Companion just arrived for each of us in time for our trip to Vegas! These units appeared late yesterday and we've had little time to play with them, but today we took a break from our CES preparations to have a 12-minute video chat about the units. Our first impressions are favorable and we'll tell you why in this video. Of course, the proof is in the pudding, so we'll be totin' these along all next week for our vacation convention coverage. These 800 x 480 touchscreen devices should come in handy and not just for navigation. Check the conversation we have to see what I mean.

jkOnTheRun Video Geek Session- HTC Advantage

Yup, we've covered the HTC Advantage before, but while chatting today, James asked my opinion on the device. I just got a few minutes of playtime with it last week during our trip to New Mexico, so my first thoughts are shared. There's a brief overview of the device for those who haven't seen it followed by a some good banter on if this would be the one device we would take somewhere if we could only choose one device *gasp* to take.

We took your great feedback into account in this video chat... well, other than the comment about two ugly guys; there's only so much we can do there! ;) We used headsets this morning but there's an apparent echo that we have to work out yet, plus I think we need to invest in some production-quality lighting. Hey... on a blogger's salary, we have to make due, but we'll keep working towards improvements if people like the video chat format!

jkOnTheRun Video Geek Session- WiBrain UMPC

This video is the first of what we hope to be many video chats that Kevin and I will be posting about whatever geeky topic comes to mind.  That's the reason for the Video Geek Session tag as that is exactly what these sessions will be.  This inaugural chat is timely as today Kevin got a box from the FedEx man with a new WiBrain UMPC inside.  We take a look at the WiBrain and talk about the features of this innovative device and we think you'll enjoy it.   A big shout out to Dynamism for supplying the evaluation WiBrain for Kevin to test.

Let us know what you think about this session and whether you'd like to see this as a regular feature on jkOnTheRun.  Please ignore the minor audio annoyances at the beginning of the video, we'll figure out the best way to record these sessions as we go along.

jkOnTheRun looks at the Amazon Kindle

The Amazon Kindle is not particularly new as there have been dedicated ebook readers for years.  What Amazon brings to the table is a huge marketing system that can possibly set the ebook market on fire.  My Kindle arrived today and I shot a 20+ minute video showing the reader and how it works.  You'll see the device and all its features and get a feel for how the Kindle feels when you use it.  I discuss something that I feel is a design flaw and show you why.  You'll even see how the web browser works, which is much better than I expected.  Have a look at the Kindle and see how it strikes you.

UPDATE:  The Double Cross book I mentioned is part of the great Alex Cross series of books and not the Alex Delaware as I stated.  I love the Delaware series too and must have had them on my mind.

jkOnTheRun video- advance look at Verizon Voyager

The Verizon Voyager is the hotly anticipated phone that will be available next week and thanks to the folks at Verizon I've got one in my hot little hands.  I had to share the love in this advance look video that shows the device and all its features for your enjoyment.  The Voyager has a big touch screen on the front that has tactile feedback when buttons are pressed that makes using the touch capability much nicer.  Open the clamshell and there's a second screen the same size inside along with a great QWERTY keyboard for texting and email.  In the video I tried to give a good feel for how the web browser works on the Voyager as it is a full HTML browser that works quite well with the touch screen and the keyboard.  Take a look at the video and see if you agree with me that Verizon has a nice offering coming out soon.

Voyager specs:

• Frequency: 1.9 GHz CDMA PCS, 800 MHz CDMA
• Data Transmission: High–Speed EVDO
• Dimensions: 4.64" (H) x 2.12" (W) x 0.71" (D)
• Weight: 4.69 oz.
• Internal LCD: 262K Color TFT, 400 x 240 Pixels, 2.81"
• External LCD: 262K Color TFT, 400 x 240 Pixels, 2.81"
• Usage Time: Up to 240 Minutes OR
• Standby Time: Up to 480 Hours
• Hearing Aid Compatibility=M3
• SAR: Head –0.765, Body –0.893

jkOnTheRun video- hands on with iPod Touch

I scored an iPod Touch this week and have been having a blast with it.  This video overview shows why I like the iPod Touch so much, from the music player to the web browsing experience.  You'll see the music player, video player, YouTube player, photo player and of course, that best mobile browser in the world, Safari.  Take a look and feel the music in you.

jkOnTheRun video- TV on a MacBook Pro

The 17-inch screen of my MacBook Pro was crying out for me to be able to watch TV while working away.  I had a Windows version of the Pinnacle PCTV HD USB tuner that I decided to see if it would work with the MacBook Pro.  It obviously did as this video demonstration proves and I must say I am very impressed with the Pinnacle and watching/ recording TV on the MBP.  I had to purchase the full version of EyeTV (by Elgato) that works with the Pinnacle since I didn't have the Mac version but if you buy the Mac version you get it included.  Take a look at how well this works for TV on a Mac. Apple sells a similar product by Elgato but I've seen some reliability issues reported on the web.  I have not seen any problems with the Pinnacle.  Enjoy the video.

jkOnTheRun video- touch on Windows Mobile

The iPhone showed us the potential for touch interfaces on mobile devices and Windows Mobile developers have been paying attention.  This video gives a brief look at two of the best so far, Vito Technology's FunContacts and Spb Software's Pocket Plus 4.  FunContacts is a good way to work with your Windows Mobile contacts and Pocket Plus 4 adds touch scrolling and panning to Mobile Internet Explorer and other WM screens.  Take a look at them and see why I am excited about touch interfaces on the HTC Advantage with its VGA screen.

jkOnTheRun video- candid camera Leopard unboxing

Today's video is a real surprise, mainly to Kevin Tofel.  Kevin and I were testing capturing videos from Skype when there was a knock at his door from the FedEx guy delivering the latest version of Mac OS X, Leopard.  Kevin wasn't aware but I started capturing the video as he unboxed Leopard to give us a first look at how small the Leopard box really is.  We compared the size of Leopard to Vista Ultimate in this video so don't miss this.  The video is hilarious, especially when I informed Kevin that I was recording the whole thing.  Take a look at his first reaction to the new Apple OS, it is priceless.  To make things even funnier, we mention in the video something that we should give away to one of our readers, something that is worth quite a bit of cash.  Watch the video, figure out what we are giving away, and send an email to JK (not Kevin) by clicking on my cartoon head in the right sidebar.  In the email do two things:  1) tell me what we are giving away and 2) explain why you want it.  I will choose the winner sometime over this coming weekend so make your entry stand out as I will select the entry I think is best.  Enjoy the Leopard unboxing!

UPDATE:  The reason Kevin and I have been testing recording video from Skype is that we're kicking around the possibility of doing frequent five minute videos of our chats where we discuss mobile tech topics.  Is this something you would find entertaining?  Let us know in the comments.

jkOnTheRun video- HTC Advantage in action

Download or watch video here (M4V format, 33.6 MB 21 minutes) or (WMV format, 14.4 MB, 21 minutes)

I have been getting a lot of questions from folks about the HTC Advantage and after thinking about it I decided the best way to answer them and give viewers a taste of what using the Advantage is like was to shoot a video.  This was recorded using the remote control software that Kevin Tofel found and told us about a while back, My Mobiler.  The screen capture was done using Camtasia Studio on the Lenovo ThinkPad x61.  It was shot to give a near 1:1 look at the Advantage screen so you get a very close feel for what the screen looks like. (NOTE: the iTunes version is half-size, WMV is full size VGA).  There is a low-res small YouTube version for the bandwidth challenged.

In the video you will see what is pre-installed on the Advantage, a few programs that I have installed and a look at web browsing.  If you come away with an idea of what it feels like to use the Advantage then my mission is accomplished.  Enjoy the show!

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Download or watch video here (M4V format, 33.6 MB 21 minutes) or (WMV format, 14.4 MB, 21 minutes)

I have been getting a lot of questions from folks about the HTC Advantage and after thinking about it I decided the best way to answer them and give viewers a taste of what using the Advantage is like was to shoot a video.  This was recorded using the remote control software that Kevin Tofel found and told us about a while back, My Mobiler.  The screen capture was done using Camtasia Studio on the Lenovo ThinkPad x61.  It was shot to give a near 1:1 look at the Advantage screen so you get a very close feel for what the screen looks like. (NOTE: the iTunes version is half-size, WMV is full size VGA).  There is a low-res small YouTube version for the bandwidth challenged.

In the video you will see what is pre-installed on the Advantage, a few programs that I have installed and a look at web browsing.  If you come away with an idea of what it feels like to use the Advantage then my mission is accomplished.  Enjoy the show!

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

jkOTR Mobile Media Edition 35: HTC Advantage

Download here (MP4 format, 38 MB 23 minutes)

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  Today we're taking a first look at the uber-useful HTC Advantage x7501 Windows Mobile 6 PDA.  The Advantage can't make up its mind if it's a smartphone, PDA, Pocket PC, laptop or UMPC.  Come to think of it the Advantage just might be all of those.

Here are the specs of this sweet HTC Advantage (which don't even mention the 8 GB MicroDrive inside this thing):

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Processor	624  MHz CPU with ATi™ Graphic Chip W2284
Operating System	Microsoft®  Windows Mobile® 6 Professional
Memory	ROM: 256 MB             RAM: 128 MB SDRAM
Dimension	133.5 mm (L) x 98 mm (W) x 16 mm (T)             Thickness with keyboard: 20 mm
Weight	359g (with battery)
Display	5” transmissive TFT-LCD with backlight LEDs,  touch-sensitive screen
Network	HSDPA/UMTS (2100 MHz for  Europe, 850/1900 MHz for USA) Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:  850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz             (The device will operate on frequencies  available from the cellular network)
Device Control	5-way  Navigation Control              HTC  VueFLO™ motion sensor assisted browsing experience
Keyboard	Dual usage QWERTY keyboard for text input and  display protection
Connectivity	Bluetooth® 2.0              Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g              HTC ExtUSB™(11-pin  mini-USB and audio jack in one)             HTC proprietary 16-pin combined port (USB 1.1 host/VGA and TV Out)
Camera	3 mega-pixel camera with autofocus and flash light
Audio	Built-in/Dual, Hands-free (microphone and speaker)             Headphone:  AMR/AAC/WAV/WMA/MP3 codec
Battery	Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 2200 mAh Standby time: Up to 300 hours (for GSM/UMTS) Talk time (Screen off):              Up to 5.5 hours for  GSM             Up  to 4.5 hours for UMTS
Expansion Slot	miniSD™ (Hot swap  and SDHC compatible)
AC Adapter	Voltage range/frequency: 100 - 240V AC, 50/60  Hz             DC  output: 5V and 1A

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Download here (MP4 format, 38 MB 23 minutes)

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  Today we're taking a first look at the uber-useful HTC Advantage x7501 Windows Mobile 6 PDA.  The Advantage can't make up its mind if it's a smartphone, PDA, Pocket PC, laptop or UMPC.  Come to think of it the Advantage just might be all of those.

Here are the specs of this sweet HTC Advantage (which don't even mention the 8 GB MicroDrive inside this thing):

                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                                           

Processor	624  MHz CPU with ATi™ Graphic Chip W2284
Operating System	Microsoft®  Windows Mobile® 6 Professional
Memory	ROM: 256 MB             RAM: 128 MB SDRAM
Dimension	133.5 mm (L) x 98 mm (W) x 16 mm (T)             Thickness with keyboard: 20 mm
Weight	359g (with battery)
Display	5” transmissive TFT-LCD with backlight LEDs,  touch-sensitive screen
Network	HSDPA/UMTS (2100 MHz for  Europe, 850/1900 MHz for USA) Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:  850, 900, 1800, 1900 MHz             (The device will operate on frequencies  available from the cellular network)
Device Control	5-way  Navigation Control              HTC  VueFLO™ motion sensor assisted browsing experience
Keyboard	Dual usage QWERTY keyboard for text input and  display protection
Connectivity	Bluetooth® 2.0              Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g              HTC ExtUSB™(11-pin  mini-USB and audio jack in one)             HTC proprietary 16-pin combined port (USB 1.1 host/VGA and TV Out)
Camera	3 mega-pixel camera with autofocus and flash light
Audio	Built-in/Dual, Hands-free (microphone and speaker)             Headphone:  AMR/AAC/WAV/WMA/MP3 codec
Battery	Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery Capacity: 2200 mAh Standby time: Up to 300 hours (for GSM/UMTS) Talk time (Screen off):              Up to 5.5 hours for  GSM             Up  to 4.5 hours for UMTS
Expansion Slot	miniSD™ (Hot swap  and SDHC compatible)
AC Adapter	Voltage range/frequency: 100 - 240V AC, 50/60  Hz             DC  output: 5V and 1A

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Smartphone roundup- a video

A visit to Mobile Tech Manor will find a number of cool gadgets at any given time and this video shows you four smartphones I am currently playing with.  It's a brief tour of the T-Mobile Dash, HTC Mogul, Nokia N95 and the RIM BlackBerry 8830 World Edition phone.  These are all cool phones in their own right and collectively there are four operating systems represented: Windows Mobile 6 (Standard and Pro), Symbian S60 3rd edition and RIM BlackBerry OS.  If you stick around for the whole video the Nokia N800 Internet Tablet makes a brief appearance too.

jkOTR Mobile Media Edition 34: First look at Sprint HTC Mogul

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version (21 minutes)

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  In this show #34 we are happy to bring you a first look at the just released Sprint HTC Mogul Windows Mobile 6 smartphone.  The Mogul is the successor to the popular PPC-6700 and we give you a comparison of the two devices along with a good look at the new, svelte Mogul.

Here are the specs of this sweet HTC Mogul:

• Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 4.33" x 2.32" X 0.73"
• 5.8 ounces
• Intel PXA-263
• 64 MB RAM; 256 MB ROM
• CDMA (1900 & 800 MHz)
• EVDO Rev. 0 (Upgradable to Rev. A)
• WiFi 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth
• 1500 mAH standard battery (4 hour talk time); 2100 mAH optional battery
• Sprint Power Vision network

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version (21 minutes)

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  In this show #34 we are happy to bring you a first look at the just released Sprint HTC Mogul Windows Mobile 6 smartphone.  The Mogul is the successor to the popular PPC-6700 and we give you a comparison of the two devices along with a good look at the new, svelte Mogul.

Here are the specs of this sweet HTC Mogul:

• Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 4.33" x 2.32" X 0.73"
• 5.8 ounces
• Intel PXA-263
• 64 MB RAM; 256 MB ROM
• CDMA (1900 & 800 MHz)
• EVDO Rev. 0 (Upgradable to Rev. A)
• WiFi 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth
• 1500 mAH standard battery (4 hour talk time); 2100 mAH optional battery
• Sprint Power Vision network

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version (21 minutes)

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  In this show #34 we are happy to bring you a first look at the just released Sprint HTC Mogul Windows Mobile 6 smartphone.  The Mogul is the successor to the popular PPC-6700 and we give you a comparison of the two devices along with a good look at the new, svelte Mogul.

Here are the specs of this sweet HTC Mogul:

• Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 4.33" x 2.32" X 0.73"
• 5.8 ounces
• Intel PXA-263
• 64 MB RAM; 256 MB ROM
• CDMA (1900 & 800 MHz)
• EVDO Rev. 0 (Upgradable to Rev. A)
• WiFi 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth
• 1500 mAH standard battery (4 hour talk time); 2100 mAH optional battery
• Sprint Power Vision network

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version (21 minutes)

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  In this show #34 we are happy to bring you a first look at the just released Sprint HTC Mogul Windows Mobile 6 smartphone.  The Mogul is the successor to the popular PPC-6700 and we give you a comparison of the two devices along with a good look at the new, svelte Mogul.

Here are the specs of this sweet HTC Mogul:

• Slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• 4.33" x 2.32" X 0.73"
• 5.8 ounces
• Intel PXA-263
• 64 MB RAM; 256 MB ROM
• CDMA (1900 & 800 MHz)
• EVDO Rev. 0 (Upgradable to Rev. A)
• WiFi 802.11 b/g
• Bluetooth
• 1500 mAH standard battery (4 hour talk time); 2100 mAH optional battery
• Sprint Power Vision network

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

jkOTR Mobile Media Edition 33: Speech recognition on a MacBook Pro

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version of the video.

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  Show #33 takes a look at running Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9, the best speech recognition program on the planet, on a MacBook Pro. No, there is no Mac version of DNS but I installed the Windows Vista version on the MBP under Parallels Desktop.

In this short video I show you basic system command and control, and of course dictation and correction.  Please pardon the slightly squished up video, I found out too late that although iMovie HD is supposed to handle 16:9 widescreen video it still squished it up square.

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version of the video.

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  Show #33 takes a look at running Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9, the best speech recognition program on the planet, on a MacBook Pro. No, there is no Mac version of DNS but I installed the Windows Vista version on the MBP under Parallels Desktop.

In this short video I show you basic system command and control, and of course dictation and correction.  Please pardon the slightly squished up video, I found out too late that although iMovie HD is supposed to handle 16:9 widescreen video it still squished it up square.

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version of the video.

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  Show #33 takes a look at running Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9, the best speech recognition program on the planet, on a MacBook Pro. No, there is no Mac version of DNS but I installed the Windows Vista version on the MBP under Parallels Desktop.

In this short video I show you basic system command and control, and of course dictation and correction.  Please pardon the slightly squished up video, I found out too late that although iMovie HD is supposed to handle 16:9 widescreen video it still squished it up square.

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

Click here to get the MP4 or WMV version of the video.

Time for another jkOTR Mobile Media Edition!  Show #33 takes a look at running Dragon NaturallySpeaking 9, the best speech recognition program on the planet, on a MacBook Pro. No, there is no Mac version of DNS but I installed the Windows Vista version on the MBP under Parallels Desktop.

In this short video I show you basic system command and control, and of course dictation and correction.  Please pardon the slightly squished up video, I found out too late that although iMovie HD is supposed to handle 16:9 widescreen video it still squished it up square.

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

WMV format video available of the Mobile Media Edition 31

You asked for it and you got it, there is now a WMV format video of the jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition 31- Waterfield Gadget Bags video.  Enjoy.

jkOTR Mobile Media Edition 31: Waterfield Gadget Bags

iTunes compatible version (MP4 format, 272.7 MB 24 minutes)

The jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition is back with a look at the great line of WaterField gadget bags from sfbags.com.  In this video you'll see the small SleeveCase for the Fujitsu P1610, the large SleeveCase for the 17" MacBook Pro, and the cool looking Cozmo laptop bag that is svelte yet can carry all of the above with ease.  You'll also see some add-ons like the suspension strap, the piggyback bag and the Cable Guy bag.

Watch carefully and you won't miss the teaser for an upcoming video review of a cool device!

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

iTunes compatible version (MP4 format, 272.7 MB 24 minutes)

The jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition is back with a look at the great line of WaterField gadget bags from sfbags.com.  In this video you'll see the small SleeveCase for the Fujitsu P1610, the large SleeveCase for the 17" MacBook Pro, and the cool looking Cozmo laptop bag that is svelte yet can carry all of the above with ease.  You'll also see some add-ons like the suspension strap, the piggyback bag and the Cable Guy bag.

Watch carefully and you won't miss the teaser for an upcoming video review of a cool device!

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

iTunes compatible version (MP4 format, 272.7 MB 24 minutes)

The jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition is back with a look at the great line of WaterField gadget bags from sfbags.com.  In this video you'll see the small SleeveCase for the Fujitsu P1610, the large SleeveCase for the 17" MacBook Pro, and the cool looking Cozmo laptop bag that is svelte yet can carry all of the above with ease.  You'll also see some add-ons like the suspension strap, the piggyback bag and the Cable Guy bag.

Watch carefully and you won't miss the teaser for an upcoming video review of a cool device!

Subscribe to jkOnTheRun Mobile Media Edition here (RSS)

jkOnTheRun reviews- FlyBook V331 & Fujitsu P1610 (YouTube Edition)

SInce posting our YouTube video reviews is so easy I decided to post a couple of our most popular video reviews again in case anyone missed them.  This is Kevin’s review of the FlyBook V33i: