The AnderNaut

Now you may be thinking Chicago, tech, mobile tech; what is going on here. Well for those that you haven’t figured it out I like mobile technology and gadgets. So a trip to Chicago will allow me to see what potentional Cingular’s (excuse me The New AT&T) mobile broadband of my 8525 (HTC - Hermies) really is. They are saying that Mobile Broadband, for at&t wireless, is coming this year here in little ol’ Iowa. Verizon and Sprint over the last couple of months have their’s up and running. Anyway, needless to say I am really looking forward to checking out highspeed data connection with my phone. I use it everyday, be it checking mail, listening to music, catching up on my news, surfing the web. I use it constantly. I knew I was going to like the 8525, but did not think it would cause me to rethink what I would need the way of computing technology.  Well enough of my babbling, I must get back to the daily grind.

 If any one out there is reading and would be able to help. I would like to try out the HTC Shift - specs, and the i-mate Ultimate 7150. Thanks in advance.

OK, OK, so the stores didn’t get completely made over. I know that the stores I did see they were remodeled. But as far as I saw they all said Cingular. The web site has been rebranded with at&t and the web address has even been changed. so that’s that.

It looks like AT&T has kicked it’s switch from Cingular to AT&T up to hyper-speed. They have either rebranded or displayed devices and firmware with the AT&T logo. I was watching the Discover Channel and Lost, on ABC, yesterday and both had a new DHL commercial where the employee was using an 8525. Which in and of itself would not be unusual, but I noticed the Cingular and logo had been replaced with AT&T. It also has been reported (The Boy Genius Report) that by the end of this week, May 23rd, 2007, that all the Cingular stores will be converted to the AT&T name by the end of the week. So with the news of the iPhone getting the AT&T stamp and the 8525’s new ROM upgrade, which I happened to get a Text Message about yesterday AT&T transformation should be coming to a end, and the Cingular brand will be nothing more name in the volatile wireless world.

Is that a record? Probably not, but it is for me. It was a great a little device and diffidently worked great for what I needed it for. I will miss the JAMin very much as my first Windows Mobile phone device. It filled that niche for a device to transition from multiple devices, phone and PDA, to a converge device.

I still carried around my iPAQ hx4705, for it’s screen mostly, for surfing, e-mail and playing media files. I might just actually stop caring the iPAQ everywhere with my new device, a Cingular 8525. So far,and it’s only been a couple days, I am looking forward to the 8525.

It would appear that albeit limited, consumers have now gained an ever so slight toehold under fair use again. It is nothing ground shattering as being able to make legal copies of audio and/or video works you already own for personal use. But a win never the less. These new exemption will begin November 27th, 2006 running though November 26th 2009.

These exemptions will go into effect upon publication in the Federal Register on November 27, 2006 and will remain in effect through October 27, 2009.

Item 5 is of the most interest to those of us dealing with phones, and mainly GSM phones (Cingular and T-mobile) at that.

5. Computer programs in the form of firmware that enable wireless telephone handsets to connect to a wireless telephone communication network, when circumvention is accomplished for the sole purpose of lawfully connecting to a wireless telephone communication network.

 This allows for circumvention of a phones software, or firmware, to use that device on another network. Meaning that phones for one carrier cannot be “locked” for use only on that specific carriers network. This does not say however that another carrier has to allow that phone to activated on there network. (i.e Transferring a phone between Sprint and Verizon.) It also does not affect the cost of having said device “unlocked”.

However small, it is a step in the direction of Consumer Rights that as of late we have seen being out weighted by that of the entertainment and media industries over the last several years. As always I encourage you to contact your State and Federal Representatives when ever an issue of Consumer Rights arises and let your voice be known. It can be these little victories that can trigger or build to a larger victory allowing for a balance in use by the consumer and copywrite holder.

Source:
Ruling on Anticircumvention - US Copyright Office
U.S. Copyright Office issues new rights - Yahoo News

Resource:
Copyright Office rules… can legally unlock cellphones - Engadget Mobile
Freedom Rings: Cellphones Must Be Unlocked - Gizmodo
Cell phone unlocking legal (for three years) - arstechnica

Over at GPS Passion they have a sneak peak at the upcoming Crossbow Phone edition. They have some great screenshots revealing some very interesting new features to Windows Mobile (WM) Smartphone. WM Smartphone is getting Mobile Office and Voice Command look to be the biggest items, they also have a Live Search Today plug-in.

A lot of “convergence” has happened…, with PocketPCs having had GPS and GSM/CDMA modules grafted on and Smartphones acquiring more power and the higher resolution screens of the PocketPCs. Today, the main differences are the touchscreen that remains a PDA exclusive and a more limited number of applications running on Smartphones, notably Office (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) and GPS related.

Reference:
Windows Mobile “Crossbow” Preview! - Smartphone Thoughts

Resource:
Windows… “Crossbow” on Smartphone - GPS Passion

It would appear no matter how careful you are search caching will store something. News of the new Windows Mobile OSes “Crossbow” due out first half 2007 and “Photon” due out first half 2008 the next full release. Photon is to include a new modular system and the new “Yamazaki” CE Kernel.

Google cache caught a leaked presentation which told us that Crossbow will be released to manufacturer in Q4 2006 ready for release in Q1/Q2 of 2007 and that the next operating system (codenamed “Photon”) will be released to manufacturers in Q4 2007 ready for release in Q1/Q2 2008 (Photon is set to include a new, flexible shell with modular containers and utilise the “Yamazaki” CE kernel).

Source: New Windows Mobile OS “Crossbow” shows its face - MSMobileNews.com
Resource: Smartphone Thoughts

Well as we patiently wait for the Zune launch happening today to see what Microsoft has up it’s sleeve enjoy the a links below.

Thoughts Media’s site Zune Thoughts has a very interesting write up about Microsoft Hardware designs and products. I must say I agree that Microsoft Hardware is quite a strong suite, having owned several gaming products and input devices. Besides the Xbox 360 and soon to be launched Zune, they have also recently released a line, if you will, of Webcams. Did any of you know that they had developed a cordless phone? Neither did I.

In preparation for today’s Zune launch they have finally updated the Coming Zune site. I must say that it is quite bizarre, but then again it’s much less disturbing than the previous segment they had up. Hopefully it’s an indication of what we will see today, a Phoenix of sorts.

I have been using Spb Diary for about a year now and have found it quite useful. Spb has done a very superb job of maximizing Today screen’s real estate, for your PIM experience. Diary uses a horizontal tabs arrangement for Calendar, Tasks, Contacts, Notes, and Messaging allowing for more information to be displayed in a single glance.  

• NEW! Photo contacts and handy dialing
• NEW! Stylus-free navigation (one hand using)
• NEW! Special Events tab (birthdays and more)
• NEW! Easy document management with Notes tab
• NEW! Skin support
• NEW! Integration with Spb Weather, Spb Finance and PhatNotes
• Tabs for Calendar, Tasks, Contacts, Notes, Messages and Special Events
• Integration with all popular PIMs
• Windows Mobile 5 support

 I have been trying the Beta for about week now and am liking the tweaks and new additions. My favorite is the Stylus free navigation, a boost to the one handed nature of my i-mate JAMin. This extends the function of the JAMin as a phone and making it easier to call from contracts, from the Today screen. I highly recommend giving Spb Diary a try, also try out the other Spb products

Source: Press Releases - Press Information - Spb Software House

Well it seems that we can be expecting that HTC Hermes device showing up at Cingular, the 8525, soon. Like, I’m there too, for sure. As I’ve talked about before this will be a great step up from my i-mate JAMin, and dependently the way to go for those out there with a Cingular 8125 and a look toward 3G. Couldn’t say it any short or clip it much more, so I quoted the whole thing. 

I’m just going on what he told me about the reports. But I did get to play with it for 30 minutes and was really impressed with the phone as an upgrade from the 8125 / Qtek. The phone was noticeably faster both in the software response and the internet speed. I did have time to install and try out slingplayer on the 3g network and was very impressed with the quality. It was pulling 250 kbs which gave a very good quality picture. The keyboard was nice. I haven’t used a 8125 so I don’t know what the difference is between the two keyboards, but I loved the keyboard more than on my Qtek. The additional buttons for “ok” and the start menu are very nice and makes it clear to me that HTC listens to their customers and makes improvements.

Source: HowardForums: Cingular 8525 / HSDPA (testing)
Reference: PocketPC Thoughts - Cingular 8525 Spotted in the Wild
Reference: the::unwired - Cingular 8525… caught in the wild