| |
  |
| Is Windows Too Complicated For Mobile Devices? |
|
 |
|
posted by Editor
on Monday October 09, @06:00PM
|
|
|
|
|
In this review of the Motorola Q mobile phone, Simson Garfinkel claims that the device is made more complicated by using Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system. Microsoft's design philosophy, which is that the user should have lots of options and be made constantly aware of what is happening on the computer, does not work well in a compact, mobile environment. Garfinkel likes the phone itself, but he believes that its hardware is underexploited by the Windows Mobile software. Users need to install Microsoft's ActiveSync software, which is a complicated process, and basic entertainment functions like playing mp3 files are hampered by the clumsy integration of Microsoft's Media Player software.
|
|
|
|
|
| More Japanese Now Access Internet From Phones Than PCs |
|
|
|
posted by Editor
on Monday July 31, @06:34PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
This article in InfoWorld reports that the number of users in Japan accessing the Internet from mobile phones exceeded those accessing it from PCs in 2005. 69.2 million people used the Internet from mobile devices, compared to 66 million conventional PC users, according to a government report. 48.6 million use both a mobile device and a conventional PC, giving Japan a total Internet population of 85.3 million users.
|
|
|
|
|
| How Microsoft Can Beat The iPod |
|
|
|
posted by Editor
on Monday July 17, @06:02PM
|
|
|
|
|
This article in MIT Technology Review lists seven directions that Microsoft should pursue with its rumored competitor to the Apple iPod. The article makes the following suggestions:
Maintain simplicity, i.e. don't use Windows as the device's internal operating system;
Deliver an improved online media store interface with better navigation than iTunes;
Allow users to trade music and videos wirelessly with others who are within Wi-Fi range;
Relax sharing restrictions enforced by its Digital Rights Management (DRM) system;
Focus on the requirements of Podcasters and Vodcasters;
Integrate support for time-shifting broadcast radio and TV programming; and
Provide a more reliable battery.
|
|
|
|
|
| Camera Phones for Continuous, Real-Time Image Capture |
|
|
|
posted by Editor
on Monday May 29, @06:39PM
|
|
|
|
|
James Fung writes "Glogger (http://glogger.eyetap.org) is an open project which allows wearable, continuous image capture from a camera -enabled cell phone, arranged so that it can be continuously worn in a way that it is oriented to face toward subject matter that the wearer sees. The system is capable of continuous capture and upload of images without any conscious user thought or effort. This creates is a lifelong "Cyborglog" which records images of our entire lifetime, taken from the wearer's perspective. We also support panorama images directly from the phone. The project explores the notion of a real-time online Glogger user-community whereby users can see what others are recording in real-time on their phones. This visual communication is further extended by allowing text messages. Glogger can be run on commonly used camera phones and is currently accepting any interested new users."
|
|
|
|
|
| Next Generation Of Wearable Displays |
|
|
|
posted by Editor
on Monday May 08, @05:38PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
Pan writes "Israeli company Mirage Innovations says they've found the answer to affordable, lighter wearable displays. This process utilizes a technology called "NanoPrism", where a thin transparent plate is used to relay information from small LCDs. More info available at EE Times and the companies website." Using "diffractive planar optics", the system is implemented with a single plastic plate, resulting in a lightweight device weighing less than 40 grams. Users perceive a color image as one would see it on a 42" screen view from a distance of seven feet.
|
|
|
|
|
| Wearable Camera Gives Instant Replays Of User's Life |
|
|
|
posted by Editor
on Wednesday April 19, @06:57PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
The Camwear system from Deja View, Inc. lets users retro-actively capture the last 30 seconds of their visual experiences. A nickel-sized video camera clipped onto glasses or shirt collars continously captures 30 seconds of video into a pager-sized "hip-pack" recording unit. When users hit the record button, a snapshot of the previous 30 seconds seen by the camera are stored in flash memory. The recorder can hold up to 4 hours of recorded video, which can then be transferred to a PC or Mac through a USB cable or flash memory reader. This brochure (PDF) highlights some possible applications.
|
|
|
|
|
| Mobile Phones To Offer VGA-Resolution Display |
|
|
|
posted by Editor
on Monday February 13, @01:26PM
|
|
|
|
|
|
Sharp and Vodafone have announced that they are jointly developing a mobile phone with a display that has four times the maximum resolution of current phone devices. At 480 x 640 pixels, this display will match the Video Graphics Array (VGA) capabilities originally offered by PCs. The companies will demonstrate a prototype at 3GSM World Congress 2006 this week in Barcelona.
|
|
|
|
|
| Gnutella P2P Client For Cell Phones |
|
|
|
posted by Editor
on Thursday January 19, @12:41AM
|
|
|
|
|
|
Symella is a Gnutella client for Symbian smartphones. Because mobile phones have limited bandwidth and small memory cards, the current implementation can be used only for downloading, not sharing. Development has stalled for the time being, but there are some screenshots.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
