Mike Gets A New Phone
After much discussion, soul searching and online research i have finally decided on and purchased a new cell phone. I stuck with T-Mobile and went with the T-Mobile MDA. So why did I go with this phone? Well I was looking at the Sidekick III, until I heard that you can’t use it as a bluetooth modem for my iBook. So much for that. Then I started looking in to Blackberrys, but they were too “business-y”, I wanted a camera and stuff like that. Plus, only one Blackberry had EDGE (T-Mobile’s faster internet service) and I wasn’t sure I wanted a phone that big. I was already leaning towards the MDA, but I had my doubts because its a Windows Mobile device. I looked at other phone companies, but none had better plans than T-Mobile. After all that the push came when I ran across this post on flickr by Phil Torrone (one of the make magazine guys, and at one of my top 5 geeks I look up to) If you are too lazy to click Phil states that he just got this phone and for the most part, he seems to like it…mainly because of its hackability. Hell, you can upclock the damn thing. Sold.
I’ve had said phone for 2 full days now and I’m liking it. That being said, you know I can find something to bitch about.
Problems: I keep getting worried about the screen. I hear people have broken theirs and it scratches. I got some of those sticky-flim screen guards, so I can use my fingers on the touch screen without worry, and I’m using a Dell Axim case for when its in my pocket or bag…I’m still a bit worried though. Also, I’m a Mac guy. This is a Windows Mobile phone. For the most part, the Missing Sync gets the job done (after $40) and allowed me to get my calendars and address book over to the phone. For installing programs however, I’m having a harder time. Some of the CAB file apps are installing, but the ones that are EXE, I have to find a Windows machine because I couldn’t even get Virtual PC to USB sync with my phone (anyone know what I could be doing wrong?). Other than that, its been great
Good Things: Loving the “internet anywhere” life, either on the phone, or with my laptop. Came in very handy today while waiting for my car to be serviced. The hardware itself is very nice, both screen and slide out keyboard. The software’s ok, but this is in the plus category because you can change the software. It has wifi. I’ll probably use it twice in my life, but its cool that it has it. Did I mention that you can upclock it?
So I was going to take a bunch of photos, but frankly a quick search of flickr proved that I would be wasting my time. The one above is one of Phil Torrone’s pictures. My looks just like that. Only my hand is way sexier.
Very Helpfull Links:
upclocked on Flickr – Photo Sharing! (Phil’s list of hacks)
Justin Blanton | Mac OS X, Windows Mobile, Bluetooth modem
vB Easy Archive – T-Mobile MDA/SDA Forum
View Forum – Wizard
So thats all for my quick and dirty and sexy review. Anyone else have this phone? Anyone have this phone and is a Mac user? Anyone want to send me naked pictures of their girlfriend?
The Sidekick III: Should I Get One?
Well, its been about a year and I’ve got the itch for a new cellphone. Up until now I’m been a strick minimalist when it comes to my phones. “I don’t need a stupid camera!” “I don’t need to get on the internet with my cell phone!” ” I don’t need to have Paris Hilton’s newest single for my ringtone!” Well that last one’s still true, but I’ve found myself wishing I had a phone that could do more. With the execption of playing music, (Nothing will beat the greatness of my iPod) I want my phone to well…do it all. That being said, I don’t think I’m in the market for a Blackberry. I’m not a business man and I would like something a little looser around the collar. Thats not to say anything is wrong with you Crackberry freaks out there, but I just really don’t need another day-planner / calender I won’t use. I want something that makes it easier to get all my information rather than just store it. Mainly I want a good phone with solid features along with the data plan extras like being able to use my cellphone to get on the internet with my iBook. I don’t need a music player or a way to store videos, but if those come along for the ride thats fine and I don’t mind not using them. With all that in mind, I’m looking hard at the eventual release of the new Sidekick III.
Here is my basic list of hopes and dreams for the new Sidekick III or any other new phone:
- A good speakerphone.
- A good camera.
- Be able to fit it in my pocket and not look like have an odd-shaped hard-on or a thigh tumor.
- Scarlett Johansson‘s phone number in the address book.
- Bluetooth (which is confirmed)…but Bluetooth that works fully with OS X. I want to get full Address Book functionality, and ideally I would like it to work with Salling Clicker.
- I want to be able to use the bluetooth connection to use my Sidekick III as a “modem” to get my iBook on the EDGE internet connection so I can connect from anywhere.
- A price under $300.
So do you think the Sidekick III will meet all or any of those requirements? The ones I’m marking as required are # 5 and # 6. With out that functionality I would find it hard to spend the $20-$30 extra a month for the unlimited data plan. At this writing, the Sidekick III is rumored to be released on June 26th. So I guess we will all see exactly whats in store for that little device sometime in the coming weeks.
Any of you have the same dream phone in your head as me? Do any of you own a Sidekick II? If so, how do you like it? If not the Sidekick III, are there any phones out there now that fit my criteria? Do you think this baby with 3 arms could kick your ass? If you can answer any of these questions, lets hear what you’ve got in the comments!
Sidekick III information: HipTop3
When You Call Tom Green, Make Sure You Tell Him Hell Yeah Bitch!.com Says Hi
Tom Green, everyone’s favorite utter-sucking, canceled MTV show host, has decided to post is personal cell phone number ( 1 (310) 717-1919 ) on his blog. From the post:
Okay, so I didn’t mention this. But I documented the moment that I lost my mind. On video. It was the moment I decided to post my blog. It’s neat, because you see how long it takes for the phone to start ringing. About two minutes or so after the post. It hasn’t stopped since. I’m not complaining. It has been awesome talking to all of you people around the world over the past 24 hours. If you watch this video to the end, you will see the first call I recieved. And me making some goofy faces, as I tend to sometimes do. You guys are awesome. Cheers Gang!
Very cool. I found this little nugget of internet greatness via Perez, and upon going to Green’s site, I have found that I love it. His blog is everything a blog should be: a little bit of life story, a little be of his thoughts, and a little bit of random weirdness. I love it. And the best part is he seems to actually keep it up rather well.
Nice work one the blog Tom Green, and your beard kicks ass!
Link: Perez’s article
Link: Tom’s Blog
Missouri Discovers and Uses Technology
The great state of Missouri is finalizing an initiative to use cell phone tracking software to monitor highway traffic.
Sample scenario? I’m so glad you asked:
Driving to work, you notice the traffic beginning to slow. And because you have your cell phone on, the government senses the delay, too. A congestion alert is issued, automatically updating electronic road signs and Web sites and dispatching text messages to mobile phones and auto dashboards.
As you might have guessed the anonymous tracking of people via their cell phones is rubbing the “Big Brother Haters” the wrong way.
“Even though its anonymous, it’s still ominous,” said Daniel Solove, a privacy law professor at George Washington University and author of “The Digital Person.” “It troubles me, because it does show this movement toward using a technology to track people.”
As someone that fights St. Louis Missouri traffic daily, anything that allows for faster updating of traffic data the better. I’m not worried about the government tracking where I’m going because its not exactly a secret where me and my hundreds of thousands of traffic driving friends are going: Home. If Big Brother is spending this much money to find out I’m going home at 5:00 pm tonight then they really could have just saved some money and asked me, or even just looked up my address.
I think its cool. Anyone out there have a problem with this use of technology?