Almost one year ago, we deployed a custom application for a critical department. Here on the eve of the next iPhone, I am reflecting where we are with the app.
This application required almost 4 GB of local data for offline use in an indexed database. That requirement forced us to use Windows Mobile 6.5 and SQL Compact. Since the app started development prior to Microsoft announcing Windows Phone 7, we thought we would have devices available for a couple of years. One year from the deployment, we are down to one device that costs $600 each, and won't even run the app without errors at this point.
In the meantime, the consumer-grade devices of one year ago are failing and needing replacement. And a small but vocal group are clamoring for an iPhone. I can't say I blame them. We can give them an app that has the offline data, and hopefully get it working on a business device from Motorola. But it runs on a phone they can't do much else with, and frankly have a hard time navigating because Windows Mobile was written more for IT staff than general users. Or we could give them an iPhone and open their day to exponentially more uses, such as mapping and voice dictation. All this at one-third the price.
For now we are trying to get the Motorola to work, and to give them the offline data they often need. We'll see what the iPhone announcement brings tomorrow, and if the requests from our users change any as well.
Monday, October 3, 2011
Wednesday, August 17, 2011
How RIM could gain short term market share
Today as I was using my work Blackberry to keep up with email away from the office, I was thinking how nice it is sometimes to just have a good keyboard with shortcuts and multi-day battery life. For what it does, it does it well. Then I started thinking, how might the Blackberry be more valuable in the current device market?
What seems to make a good fit would be if RIM would include wireless hotspot functionality in Blackberries, and subsidize it with the carriers so customers would have a cheaper hotspot by going with Blackberry.
As I think about people I work with or know away from the office, they still text and email a lot. But they also use their favorite tablet over wifi. You just can't beat the big screen and apps on a tablet. But for all day mobile use, all-day battery and quick messaging are very nice.
So what if RIM could differentiate themselves by positioning with a cost advantage with a wireless hotspot? Great all day mobile messaging use, but a cheaper mobile tablet experience for the larger screen use when they want it.
The battery life is one thing that holds back the mobile hotspot use. Blackberries would have that covered.
It was just a thought.
What seems to make a good fit would be if RIM would include wireless hotspot functionality in Blackberries, and subsidize it with the carriers so customers would have a cheaper hotspot by going with Blackberry.
As I think about people I work with or know away from the office, they still text and email a lot. But they also use their favorite tablet over wifi. You just can't beat the big screen and apps on a tablet. But for all day mobile use, all-day battery and quick messaging are very nice.
So what if RIM could differentiate themselves by positioning with a cost advantage with a wireless hotspot? Great all day mobile messaging use, but a cheaper mobile tablet experience for the larger screen use when they want it.
The battery life is one thing that holds back the mobile hotspot use. Blackberries would have that covered.
It was just a thought.
Saturday, February 19, 2011
Captivate Case Combo
Is anyone looking for a combination of a rugged case for the Captivate that allows you to carry it in your pocket, but also keep the case on while in a belt case? I am a big fan of the Otterbox cases for their build quality and their top notch protection. On my Captivate, I use the Otterbox Commuter Series case. It is great protection, but has a smooth enough interior for carrying it in my pocket. At other times though, it is easier to carry the phone in a belt case.
Finding a belt case that fits the Captivate with the Otterbox Commuter has been a challenge. I've not been able to find one locally. So I measured the dimensions and got on Amazon. While the dimensions are hard to find listed, I approximated the Droid X and Evo 4G. I narrowed it down to a Reiko model.
Yesterday I received the case, and it fits perfectly! Here is the case:
Just thought I'd share that in case anyone is looking for a similar combination.
Finding a belt case that fits the Captivate with the Otterbox Commuter has been a challenge. I've not been able to find one locally. So I measured the dimensions and got on Amazon. While the dimensions are hard to find listed, I approximated the Droid X and Evo 4G. I narrowed it down to a Reiko model.
Yesterday I received the case, and it fits perfectly! Here is the case:
Just thought I'd share that in case anyone is looking for a similar combination.
Saturday, February 5, 2011
No Longer on the Dell Streak
About a month ago, I gave up on the Dell Streak as my everyday phone. The Android 1.6 operating system grew a bit antiquated for my needs, and that made the extra heft of the device too much. I do believe that if the Android 2.2 update had been out in November 2010 or even December, I would still be using the device. I ended up finding a Samsung Captivate on craigslist and selling my Streak.
The Streak is a great device, and as a tablet I think it is fine. However, as an every day phone it just wasn't worth the extra size when the OS was so old. I still cannot figure out what is taking AT&T so long to release the update for locked Streaks.
On the other hand, I have been nothing but very pleased with the Samsung Galaxy S (Captivate). I don't see how I could ever use anything other than the Swype keyboard again. I have shown the entry with Swype to friends and coworkers with iPhones, and they are impressed. I may write more here later about Android keyboards.
The OS is fluid, quick, and the display is beautiful. The OLED screen really is excellent. And for my purposes, and good camera is important, and the Captivate excels at this as well. The camera on the Streak was simply awful. The images were always blurred and looked nothing like it should have come from a 5.0 megapixel image. The video recording was almost unusable. The Captivate's is detailed and fluid.
So for now I am very happy with my Captivate. I just hope AT&T releases that update for others soon.
The Streak is a great device, and as a tablet I think it is fine. However, as an every day phone it just wasn't worth the extra size when the OS was so old. I still cannot figure out what is taking AT&T so long to release the update for locked Streaks.
On the other hand, I have been nothing but very pleased with the Samsung Galaxy S (Captivate). I don't see how I could ever use anything other than the Swype keyboard again. I have shown the entry with Swype to friends and coworkers with iPhones, and they are impressed. I may write more here later about Android keyboards.
The OS is fluid, quick, and the display is beautiful. The OLED screen really is excellent. And for my purposes, and good camera is important, and the Captivate excels at this as well. The camera on the Streak was simply awful. The images were always blurred and looked nothing like it should have come from a 5.0 megapixel image. The video recording was almost unusable. The Captivate's is detailed and fluid.
So for now I am very happy with my Captivate. I just hope AT&T releases that update for others soon.
Monday, December 6, 2010
Mobile Database Application
At my organization, we just finished deployment of custom application to about 200 devices. The application runs on Windows Mobile 6.5 Professional and uses SQL Compact to hold the required offline database. The database holds about five million records in encrypted and indexed databases on a microSD card. The total size of the database is about 2.5 GB. The data was needed offline due to the very remote areas and lack of connectivity at the locations our employees would need access to the data.
The application was quite a learning experience for us and the developer. Getting that much data stored locally on a device was no small feat, and allowing it to be updated over a cellular data network also took some work. On top of that, over a quarter of a million records would be updated in two days, and had to come down to the device.
I know you may be asking, "Why Windows Mobile 6.5"? We wanted to write for only one OS to minimize costs, and with users spread throughout the state, needed an OS on all of the major cell carriers. We also wanted to be able to tether the device to the employee's agency computer, to help save some additional data connection costs. As the developer told us, at the moment, Windows Mobile 6.5 is the only OS capable of handling that much data.
So far the application is working well. We have struggled with database corruption on a few devices, but that is repairable on the device. We also went with Class 4 microSD cards on most of the phones, and those seem to have less issues than the Class 2 cards.
Now Microsoft has cut off SQL Compact on the new Phone 7, so we are examining all possibilities for extending our investment in this application. These have included stocking up on devices, moving to the new Motorola ES400, and researching if any other smartphone operating systems may be able to meet our needs.
I'll continue to post our experiences here. Please post in the comments if you have any questions.
The application was quite a learning experience for us and the developer. Getting that much data stored locally on a device was no small feat, and allowing it to be updated over a cellular data network also took some work. On top of that, over a quarter of a million records would be updated in two days, and had to come down to the device.
I know you may be asking, "Why Windows Mobile 6.5"? We wanted to write for only one OS to minimize costs, and with users spread throughout the state, needed an OS on all of the major cell carriers. We also wanted to be able to tether the device to the employee's agency computer, to help save some additional data connection costs. As the developer told us, at the moment, Windows Mobile 6.5 is the only OS capable of handling that much data.
So far the application is working well. We have struggled with database corruption on a few devices, but that is repairable on the device. We also went with Class 4 microSD cards on most of the phones, and those seem to have less issues than the Class 2 cards.
Now Microsoft has cut off SQL Compact on the new Phone 7, so we are examining all possibilities for extending our investment in this application. These have included stocking up on devices, moving to the new Motorola ES400, and researching if any other smartphone operating systems may be able to meet our needs.
I'll continue to post our experiences here. Please post in the comments if you have any questions.
Monday, November 22, 2010
Dell Streak is a Hit
About three weeks ago I hit that magic "upgrade" date with AT&T Wireless on my personal line. I had been researching a number of devices and operating systems, and in the weeks prior had narrowed my choices down to the iPhone 4, Samsung Captivate, and the Dell Streak.
Each had its own pluses and minuses for me. With the iPhone, I had used the iOS since version 3.1, and had gotten to know it pretty well. I also felt I could always get the new iPod Touch 4th Generation for most of what I would get in an iPhone. I really wanted to try Android, and was intrigued by a screen larger than the iPhone's.
The Samsung Captivate looks like an excellent device. I like how thin it is, Android 2.2, and the bright high quality screen. But it does not have a front-facing camera, and I believe video chatting (at least over wifi) will become more popular as well as useful for me before my next "upgrade" date.
The Dell Streak with its 5" screen really interested me. I know it's only running Android 1.6, but the upgrade was promised in about a month. The large screen would be nice, and still pocketable. In fact, after carrying it around, I believe it's as large as you can get and still fit in your pocket. All the reviews seemed good, and I am an avid Google products fan.
So I settled on the Dell Streak, and have been VERY happy with it the last three weeks. There is so much more I can do on Android than the iPhone, like true multitasking, and widgets on the screen for my calendar, tasks, and weather. And the 5" screen is absolutely worth the extra size and weight. I love reading the NY Times and e-books in the Nook app, and web pages in general. My Exchange synchronization is still there in 1.6 with the Touchdown app.
I have also been impressed with the apps in the Market. There's really not much missing from what I used frequently in the iTunes App Store. There really is not nearly the selection of games in the Android Market currently, and I have yet to find an easy way to purchase movies, but again, I can always pick up an iPod Touch 4 for those things that I use much less frequently.
So if you or your organization is looking for a tablet/smartphone device that will still fit in your pocket or a sportcoat pocket, the Dell Streak is an excellent solution.
Each had its own pluses and minuses for me. With the iPhone, I had used the iOS since version 3.1, and had gotten to know it pretty well. I also felt I could always get the new iPod Touch 4th Generation for most of what I would get in an iPhone. I really wanted to try Android, and was intrigued by a screen larger than the iPhone's.
The Samsung Captivate looks like an excellent device. I like how thin it is, Android 2.2, and the bright high quality screen. But it does not have a front-facing camera, and I believe video chatting (at least over wifi) will become more popular as well as useful for me before my next "upgrade" date.
The Dell Streak with its 5" screen really interested me. I know it's only running Android 1.6, but the upgrade was promised in about a month. The large screen would be nice, and still pocketable. In fact, after carrying it around, I believe it's as large as you can get and still fit in your pocket. All the reviews seemed good, and I am an avid Google products fan.
So I settled on the Dell Streak, and have been VERY happy with it the last three weeks. There is so much more I can do on Android than the iPhone, like true multitasking, and widgets on the screen for my calendar, tasks, and weather. And the 5" screen is absolutely worth the extra size and weight. I love reading the NY Times and e-books in the Nook app, and web pages in general. My Exchange synchronization is still there in 1.6 with the Touchdown app.
I have also been impressed with the apps in the Market. There's really not much missing from what I used frequently in the iTunes App Store. There really is not nearly the selection of games in the Android Market currently, and I have yet to find an easy way to purchase movies, but again, I can always pick up an iPod Touch 4 for those things that I use much less frequently.
So if you or your organization is looking for a tablet/smartphone device that will still fit in your pocket or a sportcoat pocket, the Dell Streak is an excellent solution.
Windows Phone 7 Disappoints
I just have to say that I am very disappointed in the new Windows Phone 7. I recently obtained a Samsung Focus in order to test the new OS. First, let me say that I was very pleased with the Focus. Samsung made a very solid and thin device, with a responsive touchscreen and decent battery life. The hardware is great.
Regarding Phone 7, let me just say, I'm not using it anymore for a number of reasons:
1. No capability to synchronize my Tasks on the Exchange server (and no app that would allow me to add the functionality).
I can do this today on my iOS device. I can do it on my Android device. I can even do it on a webOS device. And I can do it on any Windows Mobile 5.x and 6.x device. Why I can't do it on a Microsoft Phone 7 device, I have no idea.
2. No Microsoft Office Communicator client.
Some in our organization live on this mobile client on their smartphones. The presence information, and live chat is a critical tool. I can use Communicator on my iOS device, my Android device, and of course any Windows Mobile 6.x device. Why I can't use it on a Microsoft Phone 7 device upon release, I cannot figure out. I even posted this in the Microsoft Support forums, and was told this would be out sometime next year.
For these two reasons alone, I don't see where this device has a fit for us. The interface is *nice*, and the tiles on the home screen can be handy at times. However, when I or our employees need to add a Task while mobile, or need to open a chat with a coworker, I can't use it.
Why Microsoft wouldn't have these available upon release, I cannot figure out.
I also have some minor things that are just frustrating: The settings are very sparse, no copy and paste, and a simple search for an app in the app store brings up ten times as many songs in the list as apps. I don't want songs, and I can't figure out a way to filter the search.
I should explain that I am looking at this from a business point of view. I am not a Xbox gamer. It appears like they have some great Xbox tie-ins, and some great games available for the phone.
But I am left shaking my head. I have been a Windows Mobile fan for years, for its capabilities and integration with our Microsoft products. I cannot figure out how they thought this operating system would position them to compete with Android or iPhone. It looks to me like it's trying to catch up, and falls short of the finish line.
Why would most people walk past an iPhone to pick up one of these devices at the same price, or even if they tried it, why would they want to keep it when an iPhone is capable of so much more? Why pay the same or more for Phone 7 when there are so many exciting Android devices available with great capabilities?
I can't find any reasons. I have since gone back to my Windows Mobile 6.5 device for my Tasks and Communicator Mobile client.
Regarding Phone 7, let me just say, I'm not using it anymore for a number of reasons:
1. No capability to synchronize my Tasks on the Exchange server (and no app that would allow me to add the functionality).
I can do this today on my iOS device. I can do it on my Android device. I can even do it on a webOS device. And I can do it on any Windows Mobile 5.x and 6.x device. Why I can't do it on a Microsoft Phone 7 device, I have no idea.
2. No Microsoft Office Communicator client.
Some in our organization live on this mobile client on their smartphones. The presence information, and live chat is a critical tool. I can use Communicator on my iOS device, my Android device, and of course any Windows Mobile 6.x device. Why I can't use it on a Microsoft Phone 7 device upon release, I cannot figure out. I even posted this in the Microsoft Support forums, and was told this would be out sometime next year.
For these two reasons alone, I don't see where this device has a fit for us. The interface is *nice*, and the tiles on the home screen can be handy at times. However, when I or our employees need to add a Task while mobile, or need to open a chat with a coworker, I can't use it.
Why Microsoft wouldn't have these available upon release, I cannot figure out.
I also have some minor things that are just frustrating: The settings are very sparse, no copy and paste, and a simple search for an app in the app store brings up ten times as many songs in the list as apps. I don't want songs, and I can't figure out a way to filter the search.
I should explain that I am looking at this from a business point of view. I am not a Xbox gamer. It appears like they have some great Xbox tie-ins, and some great games available for the phone.
But I am left shaking my head. I have been a Windows Mobile fan for years, for its capabilities and integration with our Microsoft products. I cannot figure out how they thought this operating system would position them to compete with Android or iPhone. It looks to me like it's trying to catch up, and falls short of the finish line.
Why would most people walk past an iPhone to pick up one of these devices at the same price, or even if they tried it, why would they want to keep it when an iPhone is capable of so much more? Why pay the same or more for Phone 7 when there are so many exciting Android devices available with great capabilities?
I can't find any reasons. I have since gone back to my Windows Mobile 6.5 device for my Tasks and Communicator Mobile client.
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