Motorola Droid Bionic

The first thing you notice is the speed–BOOM! It’s fast!  Sporting a Dual-core 1GHz Processor, 1 GB of DDR2 Ram, all on Verizon’s 4G LTE Network.  The 4.3 inch qHD screen is brilliant and still small enough to treat it as a phone, yet the added real-estate is a wow factor. All this without sacrificing the ruggedness as well as keeping it amazing light (5.6 oz.).

What makes this a nice stepping stone from my current Droid X, which I have had to two years and love, is the added features of the dock and remote access to a PC with wireless keyboard.  You can also get the Motorola laptop to expand the real-estate even more, but I am not convinced it is worth it.  Still, with the built-in features is has, there is no need to bring a laptop for road trips.

The 8MG pix camera and front facing lens for video (1080P) is excellent with Skype and what was lacking from my Droid X.   Full support of Flash 10 & HTML-5

This is truly a worthy upgrade.

PROS:

• Speed
• Size
• Form Factor
• Front/Back camera
• Screen Quality
• Did I say speed?
• Remote access connectivity
• Verizon Network

 CONS:

• Cost is a little steep ($250)

Google Translate App

After exiting the “C” train up at 81^st, I spotted a couple of tourists, map in hand, and that very confused, scared look on their face that if they crossed the turnstile they would never be seen again…  So like any true NY’er, I robbed them….. only kidding.  I approached them and asked them if they needed help. Only they did not speak a word of English and me not a word of Dutch.  I couldn’t help them and warned them never to cross the turnstile or they would never be seen again.  They titled their heads in confusion… I smiled and left them there.

So as soon as I got to the surface and within 3G territory, I awakened my Android and launched AppBrain (Android Application Manager) and searched for a translation app–Bingo! So I downloaded the Google Translate App.  I tested it by selecting English to Dutch and instead of typing in the text, I used the Android built in voice recognition feature and spoke, “Can I help you” and watched as the translation popped up immediately “Kanik je hrlpen”.  Then, I pressed the speaker playback icon and out spat, in near perfect Dutch, “Kanik je hrlpen”

So I ran back down the stairs, typed in the phrase, pressed the playback button and out spat in near perfect Dutch, “Don’t cross the turnstile or you will never be seen again!”  Unfortunately, they were already gone before I got there.

Even so, I am now armed and able to help other tourists whenever I see the map out…..

 

Example of App:

FireFox 4 for Droid X

I am loving FireFox 4 on my Android.  It is light-years ahead of the native browser and with FireFox Sync–wow!  The speed of this browser on my Droid X is better than I expected and significantly faster than the native browser.  I highly recommend you move to this for surfing.  I had a yahoo POP account on my Droid X but I am ditching that now and using yahoo directly through FireFox.  It is just like my desktop.

NOTE:  One drawback worth mentioning – FireFox 4 for Android does not support flash at this time .  To gain a little more insight on the reasoning, etc., click here

Before downloading this, make sure your smartphone can handle it.   Note that Firefox 4 for Android requires a ARMv7 CPU and 512 MB RAM.  The Droid X can do this.

Once installed there are two things that stumped me.  SWYPE the screen both left & right to see the left & right navigation bars (that threw me for a minute) for home, options saved pages, forward, back, etc.

There are a couple of add-ons you should select (under options and look for the puzzle-piece icon in the upper right corner), such as: Home Links, Reading Lists.

For a great demo of the capabilities, click here and take the time to watch the video

 

Motorola Atrix 4G – The Legos of Smartphone Tech

Once in awhile something comes along that is game changing.  I think Motorola is onto something with their CES Best of show 2011 Atrix 4G Smart phone.    Snap your Android Atrix smart phone into a Hi-Def Screen and voila!  The phone provides the CPU, Memory, Disk, and 4G Internet on the go access to a sleek, thin laptop shell–brilliant. 

What’s very cool is that Motorola also sells the accessories (Atrix Dock) so you can hook up your Atrix phone to your TV or monitor.  This is game changing for business professionals on the go. 

I’m thinking one step ahead and trying to figure out if I can attach the dock to my Yamaha HTR-6240  as my Internet connection on a 55 inch LED…. Hmmmm….. Now that would be impressive… I will need to contact Yamaha on this ot see if they can fit this into their firmware release schedule….

Android malware alert

http://www.newsfactor.com ex/mobile/?sid=76702&do=story

AppBrain for your Android

A friend’s son turned me on to this Android application AppBrain.  In overview, it allows you to install Android applications from a web site, without ever touching your Android phone.  It’s easy, clean and problem free.  It is a very nice way to keep track of all your Android Phone’s installed applications

AppBrain uses your gmail account for registration and requires you to create a session name to be used in AppBrain.  It seems part social network, part App store.  I suppose you can see what your friends are installing… slick marketing… “If they have it… I want it”

GETTING STARTED:

1.  Go to www.AppBrain.com
2. Click on the [Join AppBrain Today] link

 

AppBrain uses Google Accounts for Sign In.  However, Google is not affiliated with the contents of AppBrain… see disclaimer

 Once you register, AppBrain sends out an email with the install URL to get started.

Open the email (On your Android Phone) and click on the link.  You can install either from Android Market or your Browser.  I chose Android Market and waited for the download to complete

Once the app is installed, launch it and select [Manage And Sync].  This will  register all your phone’s apps on-line–more clever marketing… now they know what I have and what I might like in the future, as well as allow me to share my list with my friends…devious.  I am not against this.  The more intelligence on the net that knows what I might be interested in the better for me… but the 1984 aspect will eventually catch up to me.

 

NOTE: Do not forget to set this list as Private (lower right corner of screen) if you do not want others seeing your list.

 

PROS:

• Web interface offers links to forums, facebook, pandoara radio
• Shows what apps are hot,  all-time popular, top rated, recommended
• Allows you to share your list with your friends
• Allows easy reading/adding of app reviews
• Allows you to uninstall apps from the web
• Shows overall stats of your phone: make, model, mem size, total apps, total cost of paid apps, etc.
• You can push wallpaper to your phone
• Shows total memory size of app installed
• Shows if app was free or purchased
• Shows breakdown of app types: i.e. tools, social, multimedia, shopping, etc.
• If you loose it or it is stolen, you still have some remote control and can drop a good locating app on it… the prey becomes the predator

 CONS:

• I cannot find a way to see what apps need to be upgraded on the web interface
• Web page does not show current version of app installed on your phone
• I am sure you are loosing a bit more privacy about yourself to the Panopticon.
• Adds another layer of hack-attack if someone gets into your account

Google Docs Mobile

NOTE:  This document was created in Google Docs

To get started, go to http://mobile.google.com/docs

• Watch the video (which is more promising than the actual)
• if your device can receive a text message, type that in and follow the links
• Make sure you have a pre-registered gmail account
• Read on

This is an example of using the new Google Docs for mobile devices applet.  First, this is not an application developed for Android or the Apple devices that you downloaded and install like other android or Apple Store applications.  It is simply web applet formatted for mobile devices.  This means you need to save the link on your device or make a shortcut to that URL and place it on your device desktop.  It also requires you to have a gmail account.

PROS:

• The content seems to appear exact between the mobile docs view and what you see on the full web view, meaning, what you are reading here appears identical in the mobile view.
• The concept has some good business use examples..
• I was pleased with the speed, performance and stability.
• Changes are refreshed near-time without having to manually refresh.
  • You can manually refresh to speed things along.
• Allows for collaboration on multiple device platforms by multiple people.
• Quick way to share documents on the fly.
• You can Read/Edit: Documents, Spreadsheets, Presentations.

CONS:

• Since this is not a true application there are no navigation buttons to get to a main menu. You need to use the back key on your device then select [ALL Docs] which is an obstacle to trip over.  I would not attempt starting NaNoWriMo on Docs mobile… although that would be a true challenge.
• It is recommended for simple editing only–I would not write a novel on it or attempt Na.
• The mobile view does not have all the bells and whistles of the full PC/Laptop web view.
  • There are features missing from the mobile view.
    • i.e. [File] [Edit] [View] [Format] [Tools] [Table] [Help].
    • There are no tool bar short cuts (i.e. bold, indent, bullets, etc.)
      • However, if they are created in the full version you can continue the format, such as bullets, etc.
  • You cannot delete files from the mobile view.
  • Limited to creating a document or speadsheet on the mobile view.
    • Cannot create Presentations, Forms or Drawings on the mobile view.
      • You can read a Presentation, Form or drawing in the mobile view (at least not on an Android X).
  • You cannot rename a document in the mobile view

BEST RACTICES:

• You need to be in the document edit view to see the dynamic changes made by others.
• Create the document first in the full web version.
• Make sure your Google Docs Settings are correct (my default time was GMT).
  • You can only set them on the full web version.

MOBILE DOCS VIEW (Main Page)

FULL WEB VIEW: (Main Page)

Motorola Droid X

HOW TO – If you already have one:

The Motorola Droid X through Verizon was distributed with Google’s Android 2.1 platform.

PROS:

• Large Screen (4.3 inches), while remaining ultra thin and light
• Fast (3G) web page screen draws with built in Flash for viewing web pages as a web page and not a snippet for a smart phone.  Pages load as fast as most laptops.
• GPS
• Consolidated email views (configure up to 10 email accounts)
• IMAP for listening to voicemail WAV files (e.g. Cypress voicemail)
• Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (act as a Wi-Fi hotspot for up to (5) devices)
• 8.0 Mpix camera with loads of effects, great for using it as a magnifying glass too.
• Large virtual keyboard with word recognition for fast typing
• Video Camera rocks
• Both mini USB and an HDMI ports (play directly from your Droid X to your HD TV
• Voice response recognition – like having your on genie
• 4 home screens to customize the appearance and sort your icons
• Loads of free applications for android
• Multi-tasking – multiple applications can run at once
• Prints to Bluetooth enabled printers
• Goggle Android 2.2 came out in the early Fall with promise of more speed and features
• Works great in my hands-free dialing navigation system in my car
• All Android phones can get the 2.2 upgrade in the fall.

CONS:

• No forward facing camera for true video skyping ease – it does support Skype, so use a mirror–I have not yet tried a USB camera… hmmmm.
• Get use to plugging it in daily for a recharge – although better than any previous android phone.  Considering all it can do – this is not an issue for me.  tuen of fbluetooth if not in use to save some juice.
• Does not come with a mini-HDMI cable (go to Amazon.com)
• High Geek factor for the first week – even for a techie, but the interface becomes very intuitive–just stick with it and explore.
• The screen has locked up on me a few times, but a re-boot seems to work – nothing out of the normal for smart phones.
• Some may think it is too large to carry around.
• Because of the large screen, it is easy to get face smudges on it when using as a phone, so carry some LCD wipes.
• Easy to have a lot of great applications running, and they will drain it – so learn to shut things down that you don’t need always running

NOTE: The Motorola Droid 2 (R2-D2) is out out in the fall with Android 2.2.  This is a remake of the original Motorola Droid with an enhanced keyboard (needed update).  There is also a hint of the Android 3.0 that is both phone and PS2 Player – no word on which wireless vendor will be the lucky one.

THINGS I HAVE TESTED OR STILL WORKING ON (not sure if these work in our environment)

• Integrated Corporate email lookup (working)
• Integrated Corporate Exchange Outlook Calendar (working)
• Citrix connections (working)
• Wireless terthreing from laptop (requires laptop to have Bluetooth enabled)
• VPN
• Setting up voice activated tasking (working)
• Remote server access for network administrators
• Corporate Personnel Lookup (working)
• Corporate MS Office Applications through Citrix (working)
• Home Theater integration (turning lights out in my home from my droid)

WHERE TO BUY:

• Any Verizon store
• Costco (best deal going – comes with 100 free print uploads – send picture on-line to Costco and have your mom pick up the hard copy pictures.. for free)
• Continental One-Pass was running a deal where they will give you 5K frequent flyer miles (only good for switching to Verizon and not a good deal if you already are)

FAVORITE APPLICATIONS

• Task Application Killer (easy to stop run-away apps)
• Keyring (scan in all your discount card bar codes , i.e. BestBuy, Duane Reade, ShopRite, A&P, etc.)
• Scanner (scan a product, then hit search and find the best price)
• Doc Scanner (scan a document to PDF format, while on the road)
• DropBox (share files between multiple devices)
• LauncherPro for Android 2.2 is a must.
• Google Sky (navigate the sky and find planets and constellations easily)
• Theft Aware (locate your droid if lost or stolen (phones home)

Android 2.2 upgrade.

• I have one report of a Droid user upgrading from 2.1 to 2.2 (beta) who ran into a couple of issues with Facebook and viewing video files not working properly after the upgrade.  It required a re-install of some applications.
• The 2.2 install ran flawlwssly on my Droid X.  However, I had to delete previously installed apps as well as put back the custom widgets and shortcuts.  That was a bit annoying, but not difficult.  I had one run-away process and had to pull the battery to stop it and re-boot.  after that it has been working perfectly.

PROS:

• 2.2 is a faster OS
• Better wireless reception (reported by someone)
• Nice gadgets (closer to what the Droid X has)

CONS:

• A few minor bugs need working out
• Although the facebook app worked, facebook news stopped working upon upgrade, but then started working
• Media player stopped working.  It was suggested that a download of “Rock Player” media player is a good solution and better player.  I started to do this and hated it, so I un-installed the default player, re-installed it and it works great.