Rick Cooper, The PDA Pro

Celicase Designer Lisa Rodrigues Joins us May 7th on Attracting Ideal Clients Radio Show

How do you carry your PDA or smartphone? Men often carry them on a holster or in a pocket. Women drop them into a purse and often struggle to find them when they ring.

Celicase Designer Lisa Rodrigues created a solution for that problem. She created the Celicase, a carryall designed to hold a PDA or smartphone and keep it accessible.

Lisa will join us on our Internet Radio Show Attracting Ideal Clients on May 7th at 3pm Pacific Time. Tune in every Wednesday at 3pm Pacific Time.

Palm Treo 500V Ready for Europe

What's Palm up to these days? According to Engadget on 9-12-07, Palm is releasing a new model for Europeans.

"Palm's European wing announced today that the Treo 500v was really real, and headed onto the monolithic Vodafone network in October. As expected, the new model will be coming in two colors, a bright white and gray finish (called Glacier White), as well as a muted charcoal tone (known as, surprise, Charcoal Grey), and will be running Windows Mobile 6."

The device has a new look and feel although it lacks a touchscreen.

For more information, visit Palm's UK website.

Photo courtesy of Engadget.

Future Trends in PDAs

What can you expect over the next year in PDAs? Great question! Well, for one, expect the trend toward smartphones to continue. People are beginning to appreciate the value of connecting to the internet from their mobile device and viewing websites or checking email. The YouTube generation now expects to be able to view video clips from their mobile device.

The iPhone is a perfect example of the media based mobile device. And expect to be able to use the iPhone with other carriers, according to Engadget. But, what about someone who justs wants to look at their calendar, select a contact or check their task list? The options will grow slimmer for the non-connected PDA. The market just isn't there. Smartphones represent a much higher value to telecom companies. Not only can they sell you a phone plan, they can also charge you on bandwidth for audio and video downloads. Plus, they can also potentially make money on ads through mobile marketing.

Even The PDA Guy, Anthony Caruana, has questioned whether Palm has a future on Hydrapinion. Of course , Palm has already been bought and sold a few times. So, that's probably what will happen again. I still like the Treo as an all around PDA/smartphone. But, it doesn't appeal to younger consumers who are addicted to text messaging and IM and live their lives on MySpace. Smartphones based on the Helio platform appeal to them and will grow in appeal. It's social networking on steriods.

There will always be a market for standalone, handheld devices. Not everyone wants to be connected. And some people just can't afford it. But, whatever device you select, I encourage you to think first about productivity. Yes, being able to view a funny clip from YouTube can help you while away the hours. But, remember that your time is valuable. Limit your consumption of media. Set meaningful goals that will challenge you. Leverage technology to do more in less time. Yes, relax and enjoy yourself. But, strike a balance in your life. Take control of your destiny.

Whether you pick a PDA or smartphone, take time to evaluate the options to determine what you need. Determine what will make YOU more productive. If time is not an issue, wait till January. That's when the big Consumer Electronics Show is held. Most new models for the year are released or announced then. For more information on selecting a PDA or smartphone, visit http://www.thepdapro.com/FindaPDA.asp.

Entrepreneurs Capitalize on the Mobile Marketplace

Have you noticed that just about everyone these days is walking around with their face planted in a mobile device? This is especially true for younger generations. From wireless PDAs to smartphones, from turbo-charged cell phones to mini-tablets, people are addicted to their mobile devices. What does this mean for marketers? It means profits!

Entrepreneurs across the nation are beginning to ask themselves how they can capitalize on the growing trend toward mobility. And one expert has emerged to guide the way.

According to Mobile Marketing Guru, Kim Dushinski, from MobileMarketingProfits.com:

"The reality is that the rest of the world has been ahead of the U.S. in almost all aspects of cell phone use. Odd, isn’t it? We’re so used to being in front of the new trends. This time we’re not. But that is about to change."

Are you an entrepreneur who's interested in capitalizing on the mobile marketing trend? Then, take Kim's Mobile Ready Assessment.

The big companies have figured out a way to reach their target market through devices. Why not small businesses? The future is bright. You can't even imagine what's coming down the line. Imagine the day when you can walk into a retail store and instantly be notified of sales on products you want, based on your past buying patterns. Talk about big brother. Well, it's going to make your life more simple. And we could all use a little more simplicity. Why not make some money as well?

Is the iPhone an iWaste?

  Apple has scored a huge success with the iPhone. It is technically brilliant and easy to use. It is also the newest fashion accessory for anyone in the "in crowd". But, it leaves me wondering whether we are spawning a nation of media obsessed junkies.

As The PDA Pro, I have a passion for helping people improve their productivity. PDA stands for Productivity, Discipline and Action. I see too many people just getting by in life because they don't plan, set goals or take enough action to achieve their dreams. I think people spend too much time watching TV, listening to music and playing games. The iPhone makes it simple to waste a whole lot of time.

Of course, the iPhone can also be leveraged effectively as a productivity tool. But, get real! You know people are going to listen to their tunes, browse online news and download YouTube clips.

I'm not anti-iPhone. I think Apple stands as a shining example for creating user friendly and technically superior products. And they are savvy marketers when it comes to creating fashionable products that attract consumers and the media.

I'll leave it up to you to judge for yourself. I will say that I'm satisfied with the direction Apple has taken mobile web browsing. That's been one of my complaints from other devices. The iPhone make browsing easy and fun. I have heard that the speed is not all that great, but we can hope that will improve.

Long live the iPhone!

Photo Courtesy of Engadget

New BlackBerry 8703e Features Full QWERTY Keyboard

The new BlackBerry 8703e returns to a full size QWERTY keyboard after recently models have featured a more compressed keyboard. With models like the Blackberry Pearl, a single key shared two letters. For instance, Q and W were on the same key. The Pearl uses a technology called SureType which predicts what word you're going to type. It's not for everyone.

So now the BlackBerry 8703e offers a slimmer model than the wider classic style Blackberry, but not as slim as the Pearl. The Pearl introduced a trackball on the phone. I had the opportunity to try it recently and I was impressed. But, it looks like Research in Motion (RIM) is going back to a trackwheel format.

At any rate, this may be a good option for people who prefer the classic features of the Blackberry. The BlackBerry 8703e is being promoted by Verizon.

Treo 680 Smartphone Available in New Colors

The Treo 680 Smartphone is now available in four new colors:  Artic, Copper, Graphite and Crimson. Palm is making an effort to compete with other devices that are more fashionable.  So, if appearance is as important as function for you, this may be the ticket. At this time, the Graphite model is available through Cingular. The other models are only available Unlocked, meaning you need to contact a cellular carrier directly to set up service. This may end up costing you more money, but will give you more flexibility to switch to another carrier later.

The Secrets to Selecting a PDA

The price of PDAs and smartphones is going down. That's a good thing. But price is not the only factor in selecting a PDA. There are many considerations including how you will actually use the mobile device on a day to day basis. But, how do you select from the wide array of models available?

I'm hosting an upcoming call on this topic. It's a great opportunity to learn more and ask any burning questions you have. Please read more details on the Secrets to Selecting a PDA on ThePDApro.com website.

In fact, if you have any quick questions you would like me to address on the call, post a comment here or submit your question on my website.

Top Smartphone Picks from CNET

Bonnie Cha, Senior Associate Editor of CNET, recently shared their top smartphone picks. The RIM BlackBerry 7130c and Sony Ericsson P990i ranked the highest. The BlackBerry 7130c features two letters per key rather than a QWERTY style keyboard. It relies on SureType which predicts what words you want to type. It's not as easy to use and takes a little getting used to. I actually recommended the BlackBerry 7100i to a client which uses SureType. I recommended it for other reasons, but it did take her a little while to get used to it.

The only Palm Treo on the list is the Palm Treo 700P from Sprint, which comes in at #7 with a rating of 7.3. The Palm Treo 680 by comparison was rated at 7.0, but fell short of appearing in their top ten list.

I encourage clients not to get too caught up in what's rated highest. It's more important to understand how you are going to use the device in your day to day activities and then find one that meets your needs. You wouldn't buy a Ferrari to haul scrap metal to the junk yard, know what I mean?

You can find further information on PDA and smartphone models on The PDA Pro website.

The Perfect PDA

How do you find the perfect PDA? You can start by visiting The PDA Pro website where you can Find a PDA. Seeking Alpha, a financial website, offers an article on Tips on Picking the Perfect PDA. It includes some great suggestions from PC World.

Ultimately, finding the perfect PDA is a personal decision, based on your unique needs. If you feel overwhelmed with the decision, you can attend my Secrets to Selecting a PDA teleclass, hosted by Rick Cooper.

Palm Treo 750v Debuts in Europe

The Palm Treo 750v is now available in Europe, offered through Vodafone. It's similar in many ways to the Palm 700w and 700wx, available in North America. All run on the Windows Mobile Platform, have a 1.3 megapixel camera and similar memory and features. There don't appear to be too many differences between the North American and European models.  Note that the 700w is available through Verizon and the 700wx through Sprint.

For more details, read the datasheet on each model: Palm Treo 700w, 700wx and 750v.

Thanks to my good friend, Andy Gray at Conselleo, for passing along the information.

New Messaging Options in Germany

Engadget points out the launch of the CT-17 in Germany by IXI Mobile. They state,

"the CT-17 has broad support for a range of services, including web access and voice features (via an external headset). "

This competitor to the Blackberry and Sidekick shows promise. It reminds me of a much simpler Motorola text message device I had a few years ago. Different strokes for different folks. Not everyone wants a Treo-like PDA phone.

The device even includes an RSS reader and reflects some of the trends to come.

Retrospective on the Palm Pilot 1000

The PDA Guy points out that Palm Infocenter has a retrospective on the Palm Pilot 1000.  Maybe I'm the only one reminiscing. Ha! Ha!

Wi-Fi MS Smartphone for the UK

MSmobiles.com points out that O2 is set to introduce a smartphone running on Windows Mobile that includes Wi-Fi access. Very nice. In the past, Wi-Fi on a PDA/smartphone was only available through external distributors rather than carriers.

That's a nice trend. Hopefully, we'll see it more, especially in the states. This will make it much faster to download audio and video content.

More on Palm's 10 Year Anniversary

Palm Addicts has interviews with Palm's co-Founder Jeff Hawkins and with Rob Haitani. We've come a long way in 10 years.

I love this image of the Palm PDA, with elements from different incarnations of the PDA/smartphone.

Happy 10th Birthday Palm!

It's been ten years since the first successful Palm PDA, The Palm Pilot 1000 was released. According to an article by Tom Krazit on CNET News.com, Rob Haitani quoted co-founder of Palm Jeff Hawkins as saying:

"Jeff said, 'It has to fit in your pocket, it has to be fast, and it has to be $299,'" Haitani recalled."

And the rest they say is history. Thanks to Dave Gussow and the St. Petersberg Times Tech Times blog for that reminder.

Treonauts Unveils New "Lowrider" Treo

Treonauts features pictures of a reported new Treo model they are calling the Hollywood or Lowrider model. There is some question as to the validity of these claims. Andrew states:

"Overall, while many would like to claim that these images are a sophisticated hoax I find it unlikely that someone would have gone through the rather time consuming and costly process of making an entirely new casing simply for amusement…

Either way, whether this is just a fully working antenna-less Treo 650 or an as yet unreleased new Treo I would very much like to get my hands on one!"

I wonder if the lack of that bulky antenna will make the sound quality and reception any worse. Dave's PDA Place added a few  comments on the topic on March 22, 2006.

Bored with Your PDA?

So, you've been using your PDA for a awhile and it just doesn't seem to cut it anymore. What to do, what to do. Steve Sande, in a March 18, 2006 post to his blog, GizmoRanch, laments about his PDA. He wishes he could put  a Mac in his pocket and carry it with him. He's tired of using his existing HP iPaq and Palm Treo 650.  Both have shortcomings and he wants the full functionality of a laptop.

I see this all the time. People expect too much from their PDAs and smartphones. Let's face it, they have limited applications. They have small screens, limited computing power and application software and for the moment limited bandwidth. Now, the technology will continue to improve. But, a PDA will never duplicate the experience of a laptop or desktop computer. So, don't expect it to.

The power of a PDA is in its mobility and convenience. I strongly believe you should use the right tool for the right job. And, when the right tool is your laptop, use it instead. Master the fundamentals that really shine on your PDA, and you will be far more effective.

Treonauts Mention Offer on Palm 700W

The Treonauts bloguide mentions an offer from Verizon for the Palm 700W, available through March 31, 2006.

Motorola Launches MING Smartphone in Hong Kong

According to AkihabaraNews.com, Motorola has launched a new PDA smartphone. The MING Smartphone, formerly called the A1200, runs on Linux and is compatible with the Office suite.  A press release from Motorola confirms that units are shipping to Hong Kong. No word yet on its availability elsewhere.

Palm Lowers Price on LifeDrive

Brighthand indicates that Palm has lowered its price on the LifeDrive. Palm is now offering it for $400, $100 off its original $500 price. What a bargain! It has a huge storage capacity. It's worth looking into if you want a PDA to store audio and video files.

Blackberry Users Safe for the Moment

Blackberry users are safe for the moment, after Judge James Spencer adjourned the hearing without issuing an injunction against RIM earlier this week. Engadget offers further details about the case.

Bottom line, I still don't see the possibility that the courts will allow the Blackberry email system to shutdown for any length of time. There are simply too many people who depend on it, not to mention the U.S. government. Imagine the screams from the White House and Congress if their Blackberrys suddenly didn't work.

But, to be on the safe side, you should consider having a Plan B, just in case.

Blackberry Coming to a Treo 650 Near You

In yet another sign that the Palm Treo 650 is an outstanding smartphone, a press release from Research in Motion Ltd. confirmed that it is working with Palm, Inc. to bring BlackBerry® Connect™ to the Palm® Treo™ 650 smartphone. This follows a recent announcement that Windows Mobile will soon be available on the Palm Treo 700W.

Both devices should be expected in the first half of 2006. It certainly broadens the options for consumers, but makes the decision of which model to select even more challenging.

Blackberry Sales Holding Steady Despite Lawsuit

According to Gizmodo, there is still a risk that Blackberry service may be affected in the U.S.  over a patent infringement. Patent holding company NTP won an injunction in 2002 to shut down service and halt sales of Blackberry devices in the U.S. ; but the penalty was scaled back and has not completely gone through.

Don't chuck your Blackberry yet though. I would expect a settlement to prevent that from happening, but we'll see. In fact, according to Reuters, a $450 settlement fell apart this summer. But, where there's a will, there's a way.

Treo 700w features Windows Mobile

In a move sure to excite smartphone buyers and generate debate in the technology community, it appears that Palm will be releasing a version of its popular Treo Smartphone that runs the Windows Mobile operating system.

Engadget provides a few details regarding the new device:

"A few confirmed specs: Windows Mobile 5.0, one megapixel camera, EV-DO, Bluetooth, 64MB of memory, still trying to conclusively determine the resolution of the display, but it looks to our eyes like it’s 240 x 240 pixels, not 320 x 320. But we’re not 100% on that, ok?"

No word yet when the device will be available. There is no mention of the device on PalmOne's website. WindowsforDevices.com provides a few additional details. They mention that Business Week apparently confirmed the existence of the device.

With the Motorola Q coming out in early 2006, smartphone buyers will have a lot of great choices.

Orange SPV M5000 Coming Soon in the UK

PDA fans in the UK will soon have access to the new Orange SPV M5000, a 3GB PDA running on the Windows Mobile 5.0 platform. According to Engadget, this device also has Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Unfortunately, it's unlikely we'll see this one in the U.S.

Moto's New Smartphone: The Q

On July 25th, Motorola unveiled its new smartphone, now named the Q. It was previously described as a RAZRBerry or a Franklin. See my earlier post for some background on this device.

A press release from Motorola describes the Q as the thinnest, lightest, coolest QWERTY on the planet. Ron Garriques, president mobile devices business at  Motorola, is quoted in the press release as stating,  “Wickedly cool — when’s the last time you heard those words used to describe a QWERTY device? Probably never. At least until now. With the Moto Q, we’ve combined the best voice, data and design technology in one ultra-thin, intelligent, hard-working, and incredibly must-have device. Today’s office space has the potential to be any place you want it to be with Q.”

Engadget expects a Q1 2006 launch for this smartphone. This device just may give Microsoft's Windows Mobile operating system a killer device. It will certainly be a strong competitor against the Palm Treo and some of the later Blackberry smartphones like the 7100 series. The Moto Q is certainly hip and trendy and may garner support from younger buyers.

Women and Mobile Phones

Vodaphone recently conducted a survey about women's preferences on using mobile phones. Carlo Longino of TechDirt indicates that the results are not surprising and shouldn't differ that much from men. The survey finds women are as tech savvy as men when it comes to mobile phones.

In my experience, both men and women are often overwhelmed when selecting a new mobile phone,  smartphone or PDA. You have a dizzying array of options, and it's only getting more complex. Cameras and Wi-Fi and bluetooth , oh my! Podcasts for your PDA and music for your mobile phone.

Bottom line, ask for help when you need it.

Thanks to David Pescovitz at BoingBoing for finding this.

Podcasts on your Treo

Russell from mobilepodcast.org reports that Podcatcher on a Stick allows you to download podcasts onto a Treo PDA/smartphone. Keep in mind the software is new. But, if you can't wait, then go ahead and try it out. I actually found his site from a podcast available on iTunes.

Why is podcasting relevant for business and sales? Soon, you'll have access to unlimited audio on sales topics, motivational quotes and other business information. It will revolutionize how you motivate and inform yourself!!!

Podcasts for your PDA

Stay tuned for podcasts at a PDA near you. Unfortunately, they haven't simplified the task for us yet. But, one day, you'll receive podcasts on your PDA that will provide instant access to information and opinion.

In the meantime, Apple has jumped on the bandwagon. Their iTunes version 4.9 now includes functionality to automatically download podcasts. And, of course, those podcasts can be transferred easily to an iPod for easy listening.

Still not sure what podcasting is all about? Andy Wibbels, a blogging evangelist and expert on podcasting is speaking on podcasting on July 13th at 8:30pm EST. The call is hosted by Denise Wakeman and Patsi Krakoff.

Motorola Working on a ‘RAZRBerry’

Gizmodo reports that Motorola is developing a device that’s been called a ‘RAZRBerry’ as well a Franklin. It is designed like the popular RAZR phone from Motorola, run on the Windows Mobile operating system and will be positioned to compete with the Blackberry.

The existing Motorola RAZR V3 has MPEG4 video playback, Bluetooth® wireless technology, a digital camera and more. While it’s a pretty sophisticated phone, it’s not a PDA. The so called 'RAZRBerry' or Franklin would run the Windows Mobile operating system and therefore be a PDA as well as a smartphone.

Don't run out to the store yet though. A lot of prototypes never make it to market. But, it's worth examining where the trends are going.

Pocket PC Dubai out of UAE posts additional information about this new device.

Is 6GB Enough for Your PDA?

Engadget reports that Hitachi is developing a 6GB microdrive, similar to the 4GB version found in the new PalmOne Lifedrive. Where is all this leading? Well, it's clear that's PDAs are being repositioned as multimedia devices to rival the iPod and other music and media players.

If you've never used a PDA, I would still recommend starting with a simpler PDA such as one of the PalmOne Tungsten models until you learn the basics. I cannot overstress the need to learn how to synchronize, backup and restore files to your PDA. Losing data will ruin your productivity for weeks. Don't take that risk.

Tungsten T5 Update v1.1

According to Brighthand, PalmOne has released a ROM update for the Tungsten T5. The article states that the Tungsten T5 Update v1.1 improves synchronization of large databases, as well as fixing problems in the calendar relating to birthdays.

Here is the link to download the update and read more about it.

No More Smartphones?

Microsoft is moving away from the term smartphone, prefering instead to use their brand name, Windows Mobile, according to Smallbiztechnology.com. This is really just a matter of branding. Technology companies continue to look for ways to establish their brands. Microsoft is the 800 pound gorilla for most software markets. However, it still wants a bigger piece of the pie for handhelds.

So, don't get too concerned. Integrated PDA smartphones have a killer combination of features that offer incredible productivity enhancement. They save you time and money.

PalmOne's LifeDrive

What do you get when you cross an iPod with a Palm PDA? A LifeDrive! Well, it's not really an iPod, but nearly. It's a media centric PDA. With a 4GB hard drive, you can store a lot of files.

Engadget offers more information on the new device.

It falls into a new category of mobile devices called the "Mobile Manager." According to an article in CNET,

PalmOne may be heading a new trend in the handheld industry with LifeDrive; Dell plans to release a hard-drive-based device in November, according to a source and enthusiast site Brighthand.

It will be interesting to see where this new trend leads us. From my perspective, much of this media will lead to a reduction in productivity, with more options to distract you. So, consider that when purchasing a PDA. If you do get one, be selective in what media to listen to or view. Look for something educational or motivational to help keep you focused, rather than distracted.

PalmSource Mobile Summit & DevCon 2005

The PalmSource Mobile Summit & DevCon 2005 is coming up May 24-26 in San Jose, California.

In fact, they have a conference blog you can find here...

http://palmsource.blogs.com/devcon/

Richard Goetter, Marketing Manager for Palm OS Solutions - Cingular Wireless is giving a presentation on Mobilizing Business Processes on Palm OS: Best Practices and Lessons Learned. That should be interesting. Businesses are still only scratching the surface of what can be done to utilize mobile technologies in the field. There are so many opportunities to improve processes, speed up response times and enable access to corporate resources.

To Keyboard or Not to Keyboard

People ask me all the time whether they should get a PDA with a keyboard. Many PDAs including the Blackberry use a small integrated keyboard for data entry. The biggest factor in making that decision is based on the length of your fingernails. People with long fingernails typically have more trouble using a small keyboard. The keys are very small and short and are difficult to press easily if your fingernails are too long. How long is perfect? The ideal range is between 1/32nd and 1/16th of an inch. That’s pretty short. I find I need to clip my thumbnails about once a week to keep them at an ideal length.

Another factor is the size of your thumbs. The wider your thumbs, the more difficult it is to press a key precisely. Your thumb will spread over multiple keys and you may press the wrong key by mistake. Of course, you have the same issues with a standard cell phone. Thank goodness for speed dial. Smartphones also have speed dial capability.

Your other option is to use handwriting recognition. You may want to try out the handwriting recognition capabilities of Palm PDAs and Pocket PC PDAs (based on Windows Mobile) before you make your decision. They each have strengths and weaknesses. In addition, you can also use the small onscreen keyboard for selecting certain characters. It can be useful at times.

You can attach an external keyboard to some PDAs for serious data entry. And, finally, save the heavy data entry for your computer and then just synchronize with your PDA.

Simpler PDAs Are Sometimes Better

Ramon Ray, from smallbiztechnology.com, shares his preference for using a simpler PDA. He says,

"I really hope that the Palm and other vendors do not stop making the simple, basic PDA. Sure, fancy PDA-Cell Phone-Email devices are nice, but for many users, all we need is a place to manage our information like tasks, to do lists, memos and etc."

And that's from someone who works with technology for a living. People crave simplicity. More is not necessarily better. It all comes down to what you need and how you prefer to work.

Staying Connected The Microsoft Way

Microsoft has a great flash video that focuses on collaborating with teams and staying connected. There are also additional resources available.

Be sure to take the personal productivity challenge, developed by renowned time management expert Dr. Larry Baker.

Of course, you can learn more about Windows Mobile Devices, including Pocket PC PDAs.