Wireless Muse: Reiter's Wireless Internet Weblog

PodCampDC: NPR, NBC News discuss Qik, Twitter, video for radio stations

http://www.wirelessmuse.com/photos/nokia_n82/

I attended PodCampDC (see above) this Saturday and the most interesting session for me was by Andy Carvin of National Public Radio (NPR) and Jim Long of NBC News.  Carvin and Long discussed the value of Qik and Twitter for news gathering.  Also, I had a brief but interesting conversation with Carvin after the presentation.

Carvin is the senior product manager for NPR’s “Community.”  He’s a champion of blogging, social networks and camera phones.  He’s a blogger, has a Twitter account, uses Utterz (that I need to explore) and he and Long have a Qik account.

I don’t know Long’s exact title, but he’s a cameraman for NBC News who travels around the world.  He blogs and uses Qik (including interviewing singer/activist “Sir” Bob Geldorf).

Presentation on Qik

Carvin asked PodCampDC attendees in the room if they would use Qik to capture the presentation, and two people helped out by using his Nokia 95 to record a video.  About half of the presentation is on Qik (see below) and if you’re interested in these subjects, it’s well worth viewing. 

The Qik video was transmitted via WiFi AT&T Mobility's HSDPA network, and both the video and audio quality aren’t bad.  However, the signal crashed during the presentation, which is the reason it isn't available in its entirety on Qik (see Carvin's clarifications in the comments section).  (Near the beginning of the video you can hear Carvin say he was using Qik — “it is Qik and we’ll be talking about it later” — in answer to a question from me, whom you can’t see.)

Long notes that many people using Twitter learned about the recent earthquakes in the Midwest.  Carvin was instrumental in getting NPR to use Twitter (by first posting just news headlines).  He discusses how the NPR radio show “The Bryant Park Project,” now uses Twitter as a major source to obtain ideas for its New York City-based program.

Video for NPR

After the presentation, I asked Carvin whether he thought video would be a significant part of NPR, and he said yes.  This is a fascinating concept:  An audio medium posting videos.  NPR already posts videos on its Web site, and more are on the way.

(In my mobile TV weblog I wrote about a newspaper using Qik for videos of pro-Tibet protesters during the Olympic torch bearers running in San Francisco.  A print publication posting videos.  This is game-changing as radio and print publications become more multimedia oriented, especially being able to post newsworthy events as they happen, thanks in large part to camera phones.  As I’ve been writing for some time, live streaming cellular video is revolutionary.)

Carvin told me he is ordering more demonstrating Nokia N95 camera phones to NPR and hopes, but doesn't know, whether the network will order any (see his remarks in the comments section). 

The N95 has become something of a standard for many bloggers and video bloggers because of its excellent (for a camera phone) video recording capability at 30 frames per second.  I agree that the N95 is great for camera phone videos (and a great phone in general), but the new N82 (that isn’t available in the United States) might be a bit better. 

I’ve posted several N82 videos and more are on the way (courtesy of Nokia’s blogger program allowing me to test the handset).  I've also posted photos taken with the N82 and, as with the videos, more are on the way when I get a chance to upload them.

Battle between citizens and governments in information dissemination in "Us vs. Them"

One of my most interesting weekly “Thinkernet” wireless communications columns for CMP’s “Internet Evolution” Web site is, I believe, the most recent one:  “Us vs. Them on ‘The Internets’” (see below).

The column examines the continuing — and growing — battle between citizens (us) and governments (them) in the dissemination of information via the wireless and wired Internet.  I discuss how SMS, microblogging, live streaming cellular videos, online videos and e-mail are circumventing governments’ attempts to prevent information while, at the same time, governments seek ways to block information.

My column includes examples of protests in Myanmar (Burma), Tibet and along the route of the Olympic torch bearers around the world.  New examples crop of fairly frequently, and a few are noted in the comments section below the column.

Asus Eee PC 701: First impressions - Everything's fine except keyboard, touchpad

This afternoon I received my Asus Eee PC 701 (see below; BlackBerry Curve 8320 photo).  Although there are so many reviews and discussions about this subnotebook, I’m adding my initial impressions after using it for about an hour.

I read so many reviews about the Eee PC before I ordered and received it that there aren’t any surprises.  Although I have only spent an hour with it, I’ve used so many computers (desktops, laptops, subnotebooks) that an hour is fine for me to have a good idea about what I like and dislike.

I got the $400 “4G” version.  No, that has nothing to do with cellular.  It means it has 512 MB of RAM, a 4 GB Solid State Disk (SSD) and a built in video camera.

What I like

1.  Nicely constructed.  Feels solid and sturdy and looks good — not at all cheap.

2.  The seven-inch screen is fine.  Bright enough.  Sure, the relatively low resolution of 800 x 480 means I have to sometimes scroll to see entire Web pages, but that doesn’t bother me.

3.  It connected very quickly to my WiFi router and the signal remained strong and fast.

4.  I’m a keyboard fanatic and the keys feel good.  The tactile feedback is fine.  However, more about the keyboard in the next section.

5.  The Linux-based OS and bundled applications software are fine.  With OpenOffice, Firefox, Gmail, etc., I have no problems using the Eee PC for most, if not all, of what I typically do with a computer.  Also, I’m a fan of using “the cloud” for many applications, as I’ve written.

6.  The speakers, albeit tiny, are better than the crappy speaker on my much more expensive and larger IBM/Lenovo X41 Tablet PC.  I was listening to music from Pandora while several Firefox windows were displayed, and the music sounded just fine. (I really like Pandora.)

7.  The charger is, as others have written, closer in size to a cellular phone charger than the typical large, heavy power brick of laptop computers.  Also, the prongs fold into the charger so they don’t stick out when traveling.

8.  When I plugged my Microsoft wireless optical mouse transceiver into a USB port (see the photo), the Eee PC immediately recognized it.  I use the Microsoft mouse for another computer, so I might get a Logitech wireless mouse that seems to have received good reviews.

What I don’t like

There are many more things about a Eee PC that I like than I don’t like.  However, one or two of the “don’t likes” might cause me to return the computer.  As with the “likes,” I had read about the dislikes in the reviews and user comments, but there’s no substitute for spending time using the computer.

1.  The touchpad is small, but that’s not a problem for me.  However, I really dislike the responsiveness — or lack thereof — of the single, silver mouse button bar directly below the touchpad, as you may see in the photo.  The mouse bar is narrow, of course, but the main problem is it’s really stiff and difficult to press.

However, this isn’t too much of a problem because I can use a travel mouse.  Carrying a mouse is a bit of a pain because it’s an extra device to carry, but it isn’t a big deal.  I can live with it, and the Microsoft mouse I plugged in works well.

2.  The keyboard’s space bar isn’t as responsive as I’d like.  I seem to have to hit it harder and perhaps more in the center that I’d prefer.  I have been running words together when I type because the space bar isn’t recognizing my touch.

Perhaps I could get used to that.  All the other keys seem to be sufficiently responsive.

3.  The keyboard is cramped and I make many more mistakes than when using a full sized keyboard.  Of course I knew it was a small keyboard, but I needed to test it.  I need to spend more time using it to see whether it’s acceptable.

The right shift key is small — the same size as the other letter keys — and it’s more difficult to hit than the larger left shift key.  I knew about this, too, and I think I can get used to it.

I don’t have huge hands, but I found my fingers were getting a bit cramped when typing.  However, I found that that when I sat at desk using a chair that was the proper height, it was much much.

3.  Wireless modems require hacking the Linux OS or installing Windows XP (Asus includes drivers for XP).  As a wireless data consultant I test a variety of tethered handsets and standalone cellular modems.  Again, I knew all about this and I certainly can install a copy of Windows XP that I already own.

Perhaps I shouldn’t even place this in the “don’t like” section because installing XP should eliminate the need to hack Linux to recognize the modems; all manufacturers include drivers for XP.

Return for updated model, new manufacturer?

Some time between April and this summer, Asus is slated to offer the Eee PC 900 that features an 8.9–inch screen at a resolution of 1024 x 600, either Linux or Windows XP installed, more RAM and a larger SSD.  Again, I’ve read and seen a lot about this.   The jkkmobile video notes the touchpad and mouse bar are slightly larger, and the mouse bar might be more responsive.

Those certainly are significant upgrades.  However, the keyboard is basically the same size.  So if I can’t get used to my Eee PC’s keyboard, the 900 isn’t going to make a difference.

By this summer, supposedly, HP will be introducing its Eee PC “killer” — the 2133 (see left).  If the rumors are correct, the 2133 will feature a keyboard that is 95 percent of “normal” for a laptop.  The HP subnotebook will weigh a few more ounces (2.5 pounds) than the two-pound Eee PC or the two-pound-plus (I haven’t seen the exact weight) of the Eee PC 900.  Also, the 2133 is expected to be more powerful.

Looking at competitors

I don’t need a more powerful subnotebook than the Eee PC.  But a larger keyboard would be a huge advantage — perhaps the deciding factor — assuming the 2133 isn’t heavier than 2.5 pounds.  For me, once a notebook computer gets close to three pounds, it’s no longer a take-without-thinking-about product.

I really want to like the 4G.  I might take it to the CTIA’s Wireless 2008 conference in Las Vegas next month, which is a major reason I purchased it now rather than waiting for the 900.

But if I can’t type fast enough on the keyboard without making too many mistakes, I’m going to return it to Costco — that has a 90–day return policy (that’s reason I bought it there!).  I’ll wait to see what HP and any other competitors have to offer.

"Internet 'Addiction' Is Good for You" generates most comments on "Internet Evolution"

Wow — my most recent “Thinkernet” column on CMP’s “Internet Evolution” site (see below) has generated more comments than any other column published on that site.  There were 54 comments (including my replies), compared to the second highest number of comments, 39.

Perhaps it has something to do with the headline I wrote and the subject:  “Internet ‘Addiction’ Is Good for You.”  It seems that lots of people don’t think the ability to access the Internet 24 hours a day is a good thing.

They are wrong.  Read my column to find out why!

Expensive keyboard-based MIDs likely to fail

I really hate to be negative about the new crop of MIDs (Mobile Internet Devices) that are designed to fit in your pocket (a big pocket) or a small purse or carrying case because I’d love them to succeed. 

I’d love to find a carry-around-all-the-time device for browsing the Web and entering text for long blog posts and documents, but I don’t think the current crop of MIDs are likely to succeed.  And the devices now being displayed at CeBIT in Hanover, Germany aren’t changing my mind, even though they certainly have value.

I discussed MIDs in one of my weekly CMP “Internet Evolution” columns.  I said MIDs probably will be squeezed out of the market on one end by smartphones that are incorporating many more features and on the other end by new extremely lightweight and inexpensive subnotebook computers.

The Gigabyte M528 unveiled

The Gigabyte M528, by the Taiwanese company Gigabyte is, unfortunately, a prime example of a device that’s poised to fail.  The UMPC Portal and jkkmobile conducted an interview with a Gigabyte representative who demonstrated the device at CeBIT (see below).

On the surface, it seems as if it would be a huge success because for such a small, portable device it’s packed with features.  The slider form factor offers a physical keyboard and a touch screen.  It incorporates HSDPA, WiFi and Bluetooth for connectivity and GPS.

The M528 uses the Ubuntu operating system and the new Intel Centrino Atom microprocessor that’s designed to maximize battery life and provide snappy performance for these types of devices.  The M528 operates at 800 MHz with 512 MB of RAM and a 4 GB SSD (Solid State Drive) for storage.

The device uses a beta version of Ubuntu Mobile.  It also includes a three megapixel camera with auto-focus on the back and a low resolution camera for video calls on the front.  In addition, it incorporates an SD card slot and two USB ports.

What’s the problem?

It seems like a great do-everything device.  However, there at least two major problems.

1.  The slide-out keyboard looks awful.  I have not tried it, but I have used several MID keyboards that are of a similar size.  They are all too small for touch typing, too shallow for much keyboard feel and too large to work as a “thumb” keyboard, the way the Research in Motion BlackBerry devices function, for example.

In other words, all these MIDs with slide-out keyboards are adding weight, bulk and expense without offering a good keyboard experience.  They might as well just use a virtual keyboard on the touch display where the keys would actually be larger than on the physical keyboard.  (Some MIDs do offer just the on-screen virtual keyboards.)

2.  The prices for many of these MIDs are ridiculous.  The tentative price for the M528 is 700 euros ($1,064).  Certainly the M528 crams a great deal of functionality into a small device, and you have to pay for miniaturization.

But more than a thousand dollars?  That’s insane.  It’s a non-starter.

Reducing the cost?

Too be fair, the Gigabyte spokeswoman who was interviewed in the video said it was just the initial price, that could be changed based on market conditions.  Also, there are two other price considerations:

1.  700 euros includes the European VAT, so perhaps it would cost only, say, 550 euros or 600 euros without the tax

2.  The M528 functions as a cellular phone, so if cellular operators sell it, the price could be subsidized.  However, like the HTC Advantage, using the M528 as a phone is rather awkward, although a Bluetooth headset certainly would facilitate calling.

Two great tech bloggers, James Kendrick of jkOntheRun and Matt Miller of The Mobile Gadgeteer, love the Advantage.  But they afford these type of devices -- and many more -- as well as being uber gadget lovers.  They are not mainstream or even modest tech users.

Keyboard's advantages

The folks at UMPC Portal/jkkmobile really like the M528.  In their podcast, they say it's their favorite device at CeBIT, although they admit it's just the first day of the show!

They like the rubberized-like keyboard that has raised keys to facilitate typing.  They say the keyboard is much better than Nokia's N810 Internet Tablet (see below), that I discussed in a previous weblog article where I used it during the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona.

The M528 looks similar to the N810, with a slide-out keyboard and touch screen, although it's more powerful in many ways.  The UMPC/jkkmobile guys say the M528 will "kill" the N810 because of the former's superior capabilities.

Much better alternatives

I’m sorry, but these type of devices aren’t going to fly, except for a small percentage of geeks and early adopters with disposable income.  Success is not dependent upon cramming in as many features as possible! 

The majority of people who want wireless connectivity combined with Internet and multimedia functionality will use a feature-rich cellular phone -- that is easier to use as a phone than the M528 -- and smaller, and every month brings more phone models.

Or, people who are willing to carry a larger device could use one of the new subnotebook computers, such as the current Asus Eee PC 701 with its 7–inch screen or the Asus 900 with an 8.9–inch screen that’s slated for availability in a few months (see below).  The Asus 700 line costs from $300 to $550.

Interestingly, jkkmobile says his favorite UMPC device is the Asus 900.

Asus 900 competitors

The Asus 900 will be joined by several competitors, such as the $400 Everex Cloudbook, that’s now available at Wal-Mart, and the HP 2133 (see below) that looks as if if could be a terrific machine.  The 2133 will weigh about 2.5 pounds and cost about $600, although there likely will be a few models at different price points.

I think there’s an Asus Eee PC or an HP 2133 in my future!  Either one would be great for carrying around when I’m wandering around hundreds of exhibit booths at computer and wireless conferences or just going to lunch where I might want to type a blog post or do some consulting work.

(This South Korea-only Samsung Anycall SPH-P9200, with WiMAX, HSDA and WiFi looks great, too, although I'd need to test that fold-out full QWERTY keyboard (see below).  No word on price.

These extremely lightweight subnotebook computers, such as the Asus and HP along with even smaller cellular phones, such as the Apple iPhone, will be the “MIDs” of the future -- not devices like the M528 or N810.

Nokia debuts Maps 2.0 with pedestrian features, "compass"

At the Mobile World Congress in Barcelona Nokia introduced its new mapping software, Nokia Maps 2.0, that includes features for location when walking rather than just for in-vehicle navigation (see left).  This is a very useful feature that also highlights Nokia's "big picture" thinking about societal trends.  Location is based on A-GPS (Assisted GPS) and the location of known WiFi hotspots. 

This is similar to the Apple iPhone announcement at Macworld in January where Google Maps incorporates location based on triangulating cellular towers plus WiFi hotspots through a service from Skyhook Wireless.

Nokia has also added a "compass" feature in select new handsets that is, well, a compass, that tells you what direction you're facing.  As someone who has no sense of direction, this is a godsend. 

Which way do I go?

The example Nokia has used -- that's extremely relevant for me -- is the problem of exiting a subway or train station and not knowing the direction you're facing.  You can look at a map, but which way do you turn, especially if signs with the cross streets aren't in front of you?  That's we're compass comes in.

I can't wait to test this feature.  A beta version of Maps 2.0 is available for download (see below) and the commercial version is slated to be launched in the second quarter of this year.

Societal trends

One reason Nokia has begun to emphasize location technology for walking is the trend to, well, walk more as well as the increasingly use of public transportation.  More people are concerned about their carbon footprint and taking subways and buses.

London traffic is so congested that for several years the city has levied a fee for entering the city with a car, truck, etc. (see above).

I will be writing much more about location services -- especially the integration of new Internet database services -- in the months ahead.

Update (2/14/08):  Andy Abramson, the head of the public relations/marketing firm Comunicano, that's coordinating the "bloggers trip" to Barcelona from Nokia, asked if I had looked at the notebook and pen Nokia has been handing out (see below).

The notebook says on the back, "I used to be a car tire."  The pen says, "I used to be a games console."  It's part of Nokia's campaign to be greener, hence the recycling.  I like the rubbery "tire" cover.  It's easier to carry than the heavier non-flexible covers of other notebooks.

However, the plastic pen is just, well, plastic.  It won't replace my Montblanc pens!

This ties in with what I previously wrote about the societal trend to be greener, that helped influence Nokia's decision to include the pedestrian navigation and "compass" features.

Mobile advertising requires creativity, innovation for mass market, leading-edge phones

Mobile advertising is a red hot topic in the wireless industry.  The Internet advertising behemoths — Google, Microsoft, Yahoo — are targeting wireless as the next very big thing for them. 

Also, a huge number of new companies are champing at the bit to get a piece of the supposedly enormous mobile advertising market — that has been forecast but hasn’t emerged….yet.

I agree that mobile advertising could be a significant business, especially when it’s integrated it with location technology, such as GPS, being incorporated — finally — into cellular phones. 

But I also believe it will require creativity to deal with the problems of mass market handsets (such as small, low resolution screens) as well as innovation to push the envelope for advertising over leading-edge handsets that have superior screens and browsers.

Mobile advertising column

I wrote about this in my weekly “Thinkernet” mobile communications column on CMP Publications’ “Internet Evolution” site (see below).

The cellular operators have been moving slowly to implement advertising for phones because they are extremely concerned about alienating their customers — and rightfully so.  However, I think we’ll see an order of magnitude increase in the number of mobile advertising efforts this year.

Forbes examines wireless Internet trends

Forbes has published an interesting article about the future of wireless Internet and I agree with the predictions.  (A “thank you” to Paul Whyte, a Fulbright Scholar, who alerted me to the article in his comment on my “Thinkernet” column examining the MacBook Air’s ramifications for wired versus wireless access; see left.)

The article notes that wireless Internet’s future will include:  Cellular phones with larger screens, touch screens, better Web browsers, more intuitive Web navigation on the phone and better integration of the browser with applications and searching.

One of my many pet peeves about today’s cellular phones — even the Apple iPhone — is the Web browser.  The iPhone’s browser is probably the best of the lot, certainly the best cellular browsing device when you consider the relatively large, high resolution screen.

Cautiously optimistic about browsers

But no cellular browser can display every Web format, and many cellular operators won’t allow browser plug-ins, such as Flash. 

I am cautiously optimistic that 2008 will be a better year for browsers, especially if Verizon Wireless’ “open” network fosters the introduction of more cellular phones with WiFi that can download any type of audio and video format without being restricted by cellular network prohibitions.

Will Sony's electronic book reader get wireless soon?

Robert Scoble, who just joined Fast Company to develop online videos, is interviewing attendees at the World Economic Forum (WEF) in Davos, Switzerland and might have gotten something of a small scoop regarding the future of the Sony electronic book reader (see below).

This morning at the WEF, Robert was interviewing two well known technology journalists, David Kirkpatrick of Fortune and John Markoff of The New York Times.  Robert has been conducting many interviews of WEF attendees and streaming the videos live on the Qik video hosting site.  Based on a question from someone viewing the interview live on Qik, Robert asked the journalists what they thought about Amazon’s ebook reader, the Kindle (see top left).

Kirkpatrick said (see top) he had spoken this morning to Howard Stringer, the chairman and CEO of Sony Corp. of America, and Stringer was “jealous” that Amazon had introduced the Kindle with free wireless.  The Kindle incorporates a 1xEV-DO modem from Sprint, as I discussed in my “Thinkernet” column examining the ramifications of the ebook reader.

Kirkpatrick also said Stringer told him wireless for the Sony ebook reader is “not too far in the future.”  Kirkpatrick didn’t elaborate.  So, will the next Sony reader incorporate cellular (or even WiFi)?

Robert has been doing a great job of interviewing people from the WEF, and I wrote about it this morning in my mobile television weblog.

Pondering the future of MIDs, UMPCs, subnotebooks and cellular

I’d love to find a carry-around-all-the-time computer with a screen that’s easy to view Web pages and documents, a QWERTY keyboard that’s good enough to type relatively quickly, WiFi, Bluetooth, the ability to connect an HSDPA and a 1xEV-DO cellular modem — and fits inside my pocket (okay, it can be a very big pocket).

I haven’t found anything that meets all those requirements, although it’s getting close.  The new “Mobile Internet Devices” (MIDs) introduced last week at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, offer features that are good enough for me.  However, the ergonomics that combine a semi-touch (at least) typeable keyboard with a small size might not be here yet.

My most recent weekly “Thinkernet” column for CMP’s “Internet Evolution” site discusses the relationship among MIDs, UMPCs (Ultra Mobile PCs), subnotebook computers and cellular phones (see below).

Update (1/20/08):  Engadget has posted an article about two UMPCs from Inventec that look very interesting.  The UMPC 7–A with the slideout keyboard (see below) looks like it could fulfill my requirements, except that I wonder how big, heavy and expensive it is.  It appears too large for my take-anywhere/anytime requirement.

The UMPC 5–D doesn’t have an attached keyboard, but it can be connected to a variety of docks (see below).  This is an interesting capability, but for some time I’ve been pondering the concept of docking cellular phones.

My pondering is whether high end cellular phones are becoming so powerful and feature-rich that they will replace laptop computers for some people.  Analysts for years have been discussing phones versus laptops, but I’m thinking about cellular phones that could be connected to docks with a monitor, regular QWERTY keyboard, etc.