Thankfully we don’t have to deal with that anymore, right?

Wrong.

A smartphone’s browser interface more or less acts the same way our desktop PCs did in the late ’90s.

While it’s true that 3G connectivity – when it works – is faster than dialup was, you’re still stuck waiting for things to load. And when it does load, the browsers that smartphones have are watered down to the point where many "regular" web sites are simply unusable on a mobile device.

Developers are making continual improvements to make smartphones more usable, but the overall browsing experience hearkens back to a day when internet browsing was a chore at best.

Using the iPhone as an example, it only has a 480×320 screen resolution. That’s lower than VGA spec which is 640×480. Anybody who uses an iPhone or like mobile device knows full well that the browser has "creative" ways of getting around a resolution so low. And you have to use those creative ways (such as zoom and pan in/out) else you can’t browse with it regularly at all.

For you older ladies and gentlemen that think the kids today don’t know what it was like to browse the internet Web 1.0 style, they do because current browser technology and network speed on a smartphone is pretty darn close to the mark of what a browsing experience was like in the late 1990s.

How long will it take smartphones to graduate to a desktop PC’s level of web browsing?

Indeterminate. But there are three things that will kick-start mobile browsing forward exponentially.

The first is the network itself. 3G is just too darned slow. Better than EDGE, yes, but still slow. The next-gen network for whatever it will be called should fix that ill in short order.

The second is the hardware, namely the processor. Newer chips will be introduced within the next five years that run faster without adding any additional heat. (It’s always the heat that’s the big deal by the way.)

The third is the software, but that’s being attended to right now. All the major players have good solid OSes for their respective platforms. Better mobile browsers like Opera Mobile (which does do tabs very well by the way) means a better mobile browsing experience.

A problem all software developers for smartphones face is having to work around – meaning not with – the aforementioned points above. It seriously curtails development when your biggest roadblocks are the processing speed of a smartphone and the network in which it connects to. Shades of how software development used to be for PCs? Oh, yes. Even the programmers have to deal with Web 1.0 era style crapola.

I want to make clear that I’m not saying smartphones are unsuable. They obviously have their place in the modern tech world, and tons of people use them on a daily basis. However you have to admit, browsing on one is very reminiscent of the usability problems we had years ago.

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

On Mobile, It’s Web 1.0 All Over Again

"Advanced Device" in plain English: Smartphone. If using a non-Smartphone, you don’t have to worry about this.

The exact verbiage from Verizon is this:

Beginning 11/15/09, customers purchasing an Advanced Device with a 1 or 2 year service agreement will be subject to an ETF of up to $350 if they disconnect service prior to the minimum term. The $350 ETF will decrease $10 for each month of service completed.

If you’re asking, "So what was the previous ETF?" The answer is $175 – which was already a snow job to begin with.

What’s the justification for the ETF increase? Answers vary. Some say it’s Verizon attempting to keep people from buying a high-end smartphone, immediately cancelling service then hocking the phone on eBay for a quick buck. Others believe it’s Verizon’s way of keeping you locked in, because with an ETF so high it costs too much to cancel.

Whatever the reason, the ETF increase just plain sucks.

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

Verizon To Raise Wireless Cancellation Fees

This directly pits Google up against major GPS manufacturers like Garmin and TomTom. Here is what it’ll be able to do:

• Live traffic data
• Search by voice or text (in plain English)
• Satellite or Street View
• Turn-by-turn navigation

Here’s why I think this is an industry changer. GPS turn-by-turn has traditionally been something you have to pay for. Garmin and TomTom both sell their devices as well as the maps. Sure enough, it costs a bunch of money to make GPS maps. Now, Google is coming in and doing it for free.

Proof that this affects the GPS market lies in the stock market. Both Garmin and TomTom saw significant drops in stock price on the news.

That drop represents a BUNCH of money in market value – gone because Google came in and said they’d do it for free.

Both Garmin and TomTom have something to worry about here – big time. Google Maps Nav isn’t a crappy product. Google Maps is extremely robust. The satellite and street view is something no regular GPS can pull off.

The only saving grace for these companies, for now, is that Google Maps Navigation will only be on the Android platform. Suddenly, Android has a new shine to it. It is only a matter of time before we see it move onto other platforms, including the Iphone.

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

Google Maps Navigation – The GPS Remade

Here is how the process works:

1. Someone calls and gets your voice mail.
2. They hear your greeting followed by a voice which says something like “please speak clearly so your message can be converted to text”.
3. A message is left.
4. The message is converted to text and then emailed/texted to you.

This service works with just about any service provider and there is no software required. You can also give the service a try for free (for one week) to see if you like it.

While this might not be for everyone, I am sure some of you may find it useful.

Note: This is not a paid endorsement. A couple of people I work with use it and love it, so I though I would share.

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

Have Your Voice Mail Converted To Text And Emailed To You

The statement may be bold but I think we all knew in the back of our minds this was coming. Generally speaking, the only reason anybody has a landline phone today is either because a) it’s required in order to use DSL internet service, b) cell phone reception is not available for whatever reason or c) the internet connection is too slow to handle broadband VoIP properly.

If I asked how many of you out there use your wireless phone as your primary phone, chances are the majority of you would say, "I do!"

If I asked how many of you do have a landline, but it’s through your cable company and not the local Telco, chances are also good the majority of you would say, "I do!" (And in fact I’m one of them.)

Why do so many choose wireless and/or cable over Telco?

The first answer is cost.

For basic communications, a prepaid cell phone is cheaper than a POTS landline.

For business-grade phone service, VoIP offerings from your local cable company or broadband make it super-easy to setup. It also costs less and in many instances can have same-day setup.

The second answer is features.

On a basic POTS line you get absolutely nothing in the way of features – not even Caller ID. With the absolute cheapest prepaid cell phone you can buy you can at least see the incoming number of who is calling you. You also get 3-way calling, voicemail and texting besides that.

You will spend $25 a month (not including tax) in most places for a featureless POTS line. If you were to go with Vonage, that same $25 a month gets you unlimited calling anywhere. And I mean anywhere; it includes international calling to over 60 countries with no additional cost to you.

The third answer is value.

Who in their right mind would go with a POTS landline when you can get so much more stuff with wireless or VoIP that’s actually useful for the same price?

At this point the only thing keeping POTS around is the fact that broadband and wireless isn’t available everywhere in the US. In fact there is a study going on right now being paid for by the US government in an attempt to find out what our broadband reach is – because to be honest nobody knows the true answer to that at present.

Do you agree with the Verizon Communications CEO? Is it time to put old-style landline out to pasture?

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

Verizon Is More Wireless Than You Thought

In the beginning…

(Note before continuing: I’m concentrating on late 1990s-to-present tech. Obviously what’s listed below doesn’t cover things like the GRiD Compass.)

We had these absolutely huge unwieldy docking stations, like this:

The laptop went into that huge slot you see above. A monitor would be placed on top of the station. You would attach your keyboard and mouse into ports in the back.

Rarely did home users use this because it was ridiculously expensive and furthermore didn’t work half the time. The infamous Windows "docked" and "undocked" modes would wreak havoc with the OS; the hot-swap introduced later on was lukewarm at best. Oh, you didn’t know? Most of these were cold-swap. You couldn’t just yank the laptop out whenever you wanted. You had to shut down before doing it.

Worst of all, it was bigger and slower than a standard desktop PC.

After that…

The computer industry wised up and realized those beasty docking stations had to go. What came after that was the docking bay.

It wasn’t all too much different than the station, but this was a step in the right direction. Even so, it was still just a weird bit of technology. Some allowed the laptop LCD screen to be used while others had a detachable "bench" that sat on top in predefined indentations or holes. This was used when the laptop lid was closed, docked, the bench placed over the laptop, and a monitor sitting on top of that.

The problem here is that it didn’t serve any advantage over simply plugging in your laptop while on the desk. Network connectivity could easily be had with a 3Com PCMCIA card with RJ-45 dongle, so there was literally no point to this putty or charcoal-colored monstrosity.

If you ever asked an LAN Administrator, "Um.. why is this thing necessary?", the answer would always be, "Because the VP of Sales wanted one", because he or she knew there was absolutely no real reason to have it. Gotta spend that budget somehow, right?

And yes this had the same clunky operation with Windows docked/undocked modes.

It goes smaller but is still bulky..

Realizing the docking bay was still too frickin’ big, then came the port replicator.

This was the smallest of the breed. It does exactly what its name suggests; it replicates ports. You click in your laptop, open up the screen and use as you would normally with attached keyboard and mouse plugged into the side or back of the replicator.

This is yet another one of those, "What’s the point of this thing?" bits of tech.

Port replicators are still in use today; they never went away.

In the present..

This is the modern version of a laptop dock:

Example setup:

Here’s another:

The only people interested in these things are corporate users. Home users know better than to use a setup like this because you really don’t get your money’s worth unless you buy docking setups used (some of which can be had at fire sale prices.)

If you are so inclined to purchase a setup like the above, shop any OEM manufacturer’s (such as Dell) "business" section and you’ll see them. Will you want to buy? Probably not after you see the price tag.

A cost-effective home user’s way to use a laptop as a desktop

Any laptop can be used to serve as a desktop – even a netbook. And you can do so without any of that docked/undocked Windows crapola.

What you will need is the following:

1. A ventilated laptop stand.

Your laptop will most likely spend most of its time plugged in and in heavy use. As such she’ll get hot under the collar real quick. There are many stands to choose from. Shop carefully, smartly and always read the customer reviews.

It is absolutely worth it to spend a few extra bucks on a stand that will do the job properly.

It is not recommended to run your laptop as a desktop unventilated because it will decrease the life span of your laptop – particularly with the hard drive.

Tip: Don’t run your laptop without the battery just to decrease heat while the unit is in use. This may render your battery useless in less than a year. You must keep it in the laptop in order to maximize its life span.

2. A USB hub.

You may or may not need this as the stand may have some port replicator options on it. But if it doesn’t, you’ll need your ports in a convenient place and that’s where the hub comes in. You should buy a dedicated small hub for your external keyboard, mouse and other things like USB sticks, external drives and so on.

Using a dedicated hub is convenient as well because you never have to unplug the keyboard or mouse when you take the laptop off its stand, should you decide to bring the laptop elsewhere.

Tip: If you have the option, plug the hub into the port on the laptop that is furthest away from its hottest spot when running. You’ll know this by touch.

3. An understanding of how to use presentation settings in your operating system.

This varies from laptop to laptop. It is usually accessible via a function key in combination with Fn, such as Fn+F1 or Fn+F7. One of the function keys on your laptop will have a small label of a monitor. That in combination with Fn will allow you to switch between the laptop screen and the connected monitor, similar to ALT+TAB’ing between apps, except that you’re switching monitor settings.

For Windows XP users: You have the choice between using the laptop screen, connected monitor screen, or both activated at once (called "duplicate" mode) using the lowest native resolution of the two monitors (but not as a monitor extension as far as I’m aware – although I could be wrong there).

For Windows 7 (and maybe Vista) users: Use Presentation Settings via Win+P (as in "Windows flag" key + P):

With this you can use a secondary as an extension of the primary, keeping the native resolution on both screens. Very cool, very useful. I do not know if this exists in XP as I no longer run that as my primary OS. If anybody out there with XP wants to test this, feel free and post a comment.

4. An understanding of controlling what the lid does.

This is done on a software level. In Windows 7 it looks like this:

This is available in Power Options via Control Panel in Windows and has basically been the same ever since Windows 95. Some of you will probably want to run your laptop with the screen lid closed when using as a desktop connected to an external monitor. If that’s your goal, what you don’t want to happen is the laptop "hibernating", "sleeping" or shutting down when you shut the lid. What you do want is the "plugged in" or "on AC power" setting to be "Do nothing."

Remember to only change this for "plugged in" and not "on battery."

5. (Optional) An external USB optical drive.

You may not need this as your laptop may have one of these already installed. But even if it does, I suggest getting one anyway because you can place it much closer to you via your USB hub, and furthermore will keep any extra heat out of your laptop from optical drive use.

6. USB keyboard and USB mouse.

You’ll obviously need these for "true" laptop-as-desktop use. These can plug in directly into your USB hub.

Quick question answered: Is it a problem to use both the laptop and desktop keyboard and/or mouse and the same time? No. Windows will activate both of them. If you want to switch between them, that’s fine. You won’t have to enable/disable anything to do that.

Drawbacks using laptop-as-desktop

1. Limited video memory.

Your laptop most likely uses shared memory for video and does not have a dedicated graphics card. In addition, the external monitor you use probably has a higher native resolution than your laptop LCD screen does. This means your laptop will have to "work harder" to render video on a higher resolution.

In plain English: Choppy/stuttering video may occur from time to time. As long as you’re aware of this, then you’re fine. You’ll notice this most with Flash video (of course).

2. Slower

Laptops are by nature slower than desktops because they house mobile processors, slower RPM hard drives (5400 compared to 7200), and are designed to emit the least heat possible so they don’t literally burn up.

You will notice the slowness most when you have a lot of programs open. Psychologically you will be fooled into thinking, "this is a regular desktop" because you have a regular monitor, keyboard and mouse in front of you. It’s not. It’s a laptop. You know this is true, but it’s easy to forget. Remember what you’re using and what it was designed for.

3. Potentially unplugging a bunch of stuff every time you have to go mobile.

The best possible situation with a laptop-as-desktop setup is to only unplug three things when going mobile, that being your USB hub, monitor connector and power cord. You have a spare AC adapter in your laptop bag, so you don’t need to unplug that from the wall – and then off you go.

However most people don’t have a spare AC adapter as they are expensive (usually at least $50). And some of you won’t use a USB hub. This means every time you want to go mobile, you have to unplug all the USB stuff, disconnect the power cord, unplug that from the wall or power strip, wrap up the power cord cable, chuck it in the laptop bag, etc. You get the idea. It can turn into a tangled mess in short order. And you’ll have to do it all over again when you want to use the laptop as a desktop again.

Using a laptop as a desktop will require you to spend a few bucks to do it right, make no mistake.

Advantages of using a laptop as a desktop

1. Quiet.

Nobody likes a loud desktop PC. Laptops are built to be quiet. And most modern laptops (with the exception of gamer laptop rigs like Alienware) are whisper quiet. The only thing you want to hear is the click-clacking of your keyboard and clicky-clicky’s of your mouse. With a laptop, that’s what you get.

2. You are not chained to your desk.

You are using a portable medium, so whenever the mood strikes you, go mobile. Everything will go with you in a usable compact form.

3. Eliminates bulk, and a lot of it.

If you took a brand new $300 Dell mini netbook and outfitted it as outlined above, you’ve got a super-small way of computing that can more or less do everything save for high-def video editing and gaming. It is the ultra-compact setup that completely eliminates the traditional PC tower. Is it as good as a tower? Obviously not. But it does do the job surprisingly well for what it’s capable of.

By attaching a regular-sized monitor and traditional keyboard and mouse, it feels just like a regular desktop computer when using it, save for the hardware limitations as noted above.

Do you (or have you) run a laptop as a desktop?

If so, does it work for you? Did you feel it was a good decision? What recommendations (and/or warnings) would you give about computing in this fashion?

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

Can You Use A Laptop As A Desktop?

Even if these numbers are off by a few percentage points, I would consider anything around 8% to be noticeable as you are getting an ‘extra’ 5 minutes on each hour. Of course battery life estimates are highly subjective because they depend on what the user is running, but for the most part many users will (hopefully) realize this difference.

Just something to keep in mind if you are in the market for a laptop or you already have one capable of running the new OS releases.

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

New OS’s Should Boost Your Battery Life

I am a user of the Iphone 3G, and of course that means I must use AT&T. Others have talked about the various service disruptions, undependable voice mail, and generally being a bottleneck to an otherwise awesome phone. Here in the Tampa Bay area, I haven’t had many problems with the service. Sure, a few dropped calls. Times where my voice mail is delayed. Overall, however, it has been fine…

Unless you need to change something.

Recently, I decided to add flat rate text messaging to my plan. A simple $5.00/month addition to the plan. Instructions were to leave everything else in place.

The lady tells me it has been added, thank you and have a nice day.

One little problem, though. She never added it. When I got my next bill, I was being charged on a per-text basis still. So, I call the company about it and my account showed no record AT ALL of my prior call to add this $5.00 text messaging plan.

What the hell was that lady looking at when she told me it was done?

Oh, but it gets better.

So, the second lady apologizes for the inconvenience and proceeds to add the text messaging plan. She tells me it has been added, she reduces my bill to take off the prior charges for text messaging. Thank you and have a nice day.

One little problem. My Iphone no longer had ANY text messaging capability. At the same time, NO INTERNET. No 3G or Edge coverage at all.

So, I call for the THIRD time. Get this…

No record of me adding text messaging. I told her to add it – AGAIN – and to tell me why I have no Internet. She said my plan had no data plan. I proceeded to tell her it DOES have a data plan and I’ve been paying for it since day one. Then, she said “Oh wait, yes it does.”. Which is it? She said there might be something wrong with my Iphone, so she “adds” the text message plan then forwards me to support.

The guy in support looks and tells me I have no data plan and no text messaging. WHAT THE HELL? He says he has no idea what the other people were doing (I believe him). He said the Iphone doesn’t even come without a data plan and has no idea how one of those ladies managed to remove it from my plan.

This tech support guy fixed my problems.

It took 4 attempts and the loss of my Internet service to get a simple $5.00 text messaging plan added to my account. Hell, when I get my next bill, I wouldn’t be surprised now to find they never added it. Time will tell.

AT&T, do a damn IQ test before you hire people. Your first-level customer service is run by people who apparently are surprised when they manage to tie their own shoes in the morning.

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

AT&T And a Comedy of Stupidity

I just wanted to take a gauge of the PCMech readership. So, I wet my finger, stick it into the wind, and just ask. Do you want a netbook? And why?

Here is why I personally see the netbook being attractive:

• Tiny. They are ultra portable.
• Long battery life. The netbook I just bought is advertised to have a 10 hour battery life, although users are saying it is more like 7 hours. Either way, that’s incredible.
• Just Enough. Face it, most PC users spend most of their time online. Our needs are few: basic office tasks, email, and surfing the web. As much as I love my $2,000 Macbook Pro, it is overkill for those few basic tasks.

So, why did I buy a tiny netbook running Windows XP when I am a happy Mac user? Well, for the above reasons. I will continue using my Macbook Pro. However, there are times when all I need is the basics and battery life is important.

The other day, I was at a Panera Bread in Tampa to meet up with some people and talk business for a few hours. When I opened my Macbook Pro screen, I found I had less than 10% of my battery remaining. I was then forced to relocate inside the restaurant in order to found an outlet. 10% batter will run my Macbook Pro for no more than 20 minutes – tops. At the same time, all I would need the computer for was to jot down a few notes into my web-based whiteboard.

In October, I will be flying out to Vegas for BlogWorld, non-stop on Southwest Airlines. The flight from Tampa to Vegas is a 5-hour flight. Now, last time I made that trip, my Macbook Pro made it about 80% of the way on battery. Mind you, that was with wifi disabled, bluetooth disabled, and the screen brightness turned down to the point where I could barely see it. This netbook could make it all the way to Vegas and half-way back again with no recharge.

I prefer OS X to Windows XP by far, but for the tasks I am going to use this machine for, the OS really doesn’t matter that much.

So, that’s me. What about you?

Do you already own a netbook? If so, why did you buy it?

And if you don’t own one, would it be something you might buy at some point?

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

Do You Want a Netbook?

In order for this to be enforced, signs must be posted. In addition, to be fined (which is $200 per infraction), the cell phone must be to your ear and your vehicle must be in motion. This means hands-free devices are acceptable and/or if you’re stopped, that’s okay also.

There are few instances I can cite where a bill is written correctly the first time; this is one of them. It’s fair, and the fact Texas is giving its cities and towns the choice of whether to enforce it is even better.

Big kudos to the Lone Star State for this one. Job well done.

Post from: PCMech. Helping Normal People Get Their Geek On And Live The Digital Lifestyle.

Texas Bans Cell Phones In School Zones