Posts Tagged ‘3g’

Of course we all now know that you can get a projector that will fit in your pocket. But do you have one that looks like a Star Trek Phaser? Do you have one that will turn your iPhone or iPod into a fully functional projection device?

The MiLi Pro from Phonesuit can do just that. It flips open to expose the cradle. You would then insert your device and push out what you need to show.  It is compatible with iPhone 2G, 3G and 3GS, as well as iPod Touch and iPod Classic. It can create a 10 Lumen, 480p OCLS 3 light display 5-70 inches with 40″ optimization. The MiLi Pro takes appx 3 hours to full charge and the lamp has a 20,000 lifespan.

Scott talks with Ed about the MiLi Pro – their first product out of the battery charging field. The device also has a VGA input and AV out so you can use any other device. For $399 you will get a great portable projector, charger cables and remote.

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Tegra is a processor built by Nvidia . A single chip for processor and video means smaller devices. While it’s not at blazing fast speeds, it is something that gets you on the web, checks email and load up your pictures.

However, Nvidia is known for their graphics processors. Therefore, don’t be surprised to see high quality pictures. You can also pull streams and watch video in 1080p.

Todd Cochrane talks with guys at Nvidia on a tablet built by Innovative Converge Devices (ICD). This is called the ICD Ultra. Check these specs out – If you are looking at Apple tablets, this might be something better to get:

• 7″ Touchscreen with Android 2.0 Eclair
• NVIDIA TegraT20 1 GHZ
• 512 DDR / 512 NAND / 4GB Internal SD (non removable) / Micro SD Expansion
• 1.3 MP Web Cam
• Bluetooth 2.1 / Wireless 802.11 b-g  / 2g-3g Data / Cellular
• USB 2.0
• 3.5mm Audio Jack
• Accelerometer
• Ambient light sensor
• Dual digital microphones
• FM Radio

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Well, after weeks of anticipation, the Apple iPad has become reality. The 1.5 lb, 9.7 inch device with a 1 GB Apple A4 processor in 16, 32 and 64 GB models. It’s an e-reader, it’s a photo book, it’s a video display and a lot more. All for a price that blows away Kindle.

The base device (running the iPhone software) has no camera, but does have GSM archetecture and possible 3G connectivity. No OLED screen, but from the initial response is it’s fast and looks great. Of course it has no Arsenic or Mercury and is BFR and PVC free.

The price list is interesting – 16 GB for $499. 32 GB for $599 and 64 GB for $699. Add 3G for $129. So you can get the base model, or the 64 GB with 3G for $829. Of course it does have WiFi connectivity.

The big “Fail” (for some) is the continued partnership with AT&T. However, you do not need to buy a mobile plan, and if you do – there is no contract. $14.99 for 250 MB and $29.99 for unlimited plans. You also can use the AT&T hotspots for free. You just activate on the iPad.

The other new feature is the iWork – Keynote, Numbers and Pages. All for $9.99 each.

Overall: Pretty impressive demonstration. It will definitely be a device that will hurt Kindle sales and might replace some notebooks, but won’t take over any marketshare.  It’s too bad they cannot choose a carrier for their 3G connection. Would have been nice if it had 4G options and USB 3.0 specifications. It’s Audio is also in Mono.

**This device might just make the TomTom app worth the $99 price tag.

AT&T has dropped its lawsuit against Verizon’s ad campaign which compares AT&T’s 3G network unfavorably with Verizon’s. This was in response to a judge’s ruling that said, according to Bloomberg (linked above), when stripped of the legalese, that AT&T didn’t have a prayer of winning:

AT&T filed a notice of dismissal today in federal court in Atlanta, less than a month after U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten denied AT&T’s request to stop the ad campaign and said AT&T was unlikely to prevail in the case. Verizon Wireless dropped a related lawsuit over the matter.

In last month’s ruling, Batten said that while the ads, which use maps to compare the companies’ so-called third- generation networks, might be “sneaky” or “clever,” they are “literally true.” A hearing for AT&T to again ask the court to prohibit the ads had been scheduled for Dec. 16.

In return, Verizon dropped its suit asking a Federal Court to declare its ad campaign to be “truthful and accurate.”

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I was perusing the web when I ran across this site – iPhone unlocking Ltd. The site features a program called “iPhone Unlocking”. For $24.95 you can unlock your iPhone 3G and 3GS phones.The program claims you will be able to:

• Vnc Client iPhone to interact with remote computers
• No loss of features or functionality
• Beat iPhone the music studio in your pocket
• Enable Video Recording
• Lifetime Updates and Support
• Enable GPS
• 100’s of Free Applications
• Enable Rss Feed
• Enable MMS messaging
• Enable instant messengers
• Use Installer.app

The site offers a money back guarantee and full customer support. iPhone unlocking software has not been pursued by Apple lawyers, but most unlocking software has been free to download. Now that a company is asking for money to unlock your phone, this might change the scope.

The company claims to have unlocked over 1 million iPhones worldwide.  The company also claims free upgrades for life. I am wondering if they will replace your iPhone if their software bricks it?

I have been hearing this a lot – people start complaining because their 3G is shotty. Now in some cases, it’s true. I’ve been out in the middle of nowhere, and the signal is almost down to nothing. With the iPhone, I see E instead of G. Nonetheless, is this something that is AT&T’s fault, or yours?

I am going to show you 3 pictures:

This was taken from my iPhone using the ookla Speedtest iPhone application. The first test shows 52 kbps down and 128 up. The second shows 230 down and 443 up. Finally, the third is at 1.8 down and 228 up. These tests were done in the same location at a relavantly close time to each other.

Now you might say the signal was spotty, therefore you will get this difference. But I ran these tests a few times and got the same results. And I can tell you – it wasn’t because of AT&T.

Part 1: the Initial Test

This test was done simply by turning on the phone and running the speed test. Each time I ran it, I was getting very similar numbers. Yet as you can see, the bars at the top show full power.

Part 2: Getting better after reboot

I am an educated owner; I knew what to expect when I got the phone. I have read the news and support articles, as well as talked to other iPhone owners. One person, who does a lot of travelling, suggested I reboot the phone up to 3 times a day.

While I thought that was excessive, he made a very good observation: When you move from tower to tower, the iPhone will follow, but it still tries to look for the other tower. If an Application is having difficulties, then it might be adding to the pain to getting the best possible 3G signal. Therefore, rebooting the device will help.

This would be true with any device. My last smartphone had the same issues. It would be sluggish until I reset it. Then it turned around and worked like a champ.

However, in this case, 230 kbps was not much of an “improvement”.

Part 3: Make it faster!

I want you to look closer to pictures 2 and 3 and tell me what you see here:

If you said: “Hey! The Blue curvy lines are replaced with 3G”, then you would be focusing on the difference.  That symbol is the WiFi capability. Picture 1 and 2 were running on the nearby Wifi, while 3 was running on 3G.

The Wireless system at the location I was at was running slow – Even the notebook showed those same numbers. Indeed, I found the Wifi signal, which was at a local coffee shop, and checked their router. When they rebooted it, the speeds got a lot better.

But I didn’t connect to Wifi:

This is where the tricky part comes in. The router for this coffee shop was sitting in back. It was set at a standard IP address range, and had all it’s default properties (including admin password, which we won’t even get into THAT). The SSD was named “Linksys”, which is the default SSD for all Linksys routers.

All I have to do is connect up to one Wireless with “Linksys”, then every time it sees the SSD, it will connect. That can be really handy simply because Wifi speeds can be better than 3G (which is about 14 MB download and 5 MB upload on a good day). 802.11g (or Wifi) can download at 54 MB.

If I am a good distance away from the router, but just enough to be in reach to connect, we can definitely see issues. The phone will try to connect to the Wifi, then when it fails, it goes through 3G.

We forget about the Wifi simply because the iPhone asks you the question once. Just exactly like a Notebook would. The phone is always going to connect through Wifi if it’s there. Therefore, if I am on a shotty Wifi signal, the results are slow and annoying. I then start blaming 3G for absolutely nothing.

Not a new issue:

This has come across my desk in more than just an iPhone issue. Employees with laptops would connect to the network through a LAN cable and then come to me because the internet connection was shotty. I would advise them to turn off their Wifi simply because they compete to deliver a website.

Think of it like having 2 waiters ready to take your order at a restaurant. You order soup, and both of them run to go get it. At any time, they could crash into each other and spill your soup on the ground.

What to do to make it go Vroom Vroom

In the settings, under “Wi-Fi”, you can either turn the option off, or “Forget the Network”. That will switch you to 3G, where you can get things done. Don’t forget to reset the iPhone afterwards.

How ofter will you use the option? Well, really only in places where Wifi is not great. Most of the time, Wifi will be more of a friend than a foe. I would also guess that the archetecture is set so the phone will push through Wifi first, then 3G. If you think about that, it can also make 3G slower, simply because the device is trying to use the failing Wifi first. It would be like walking down the path to the left, seeing the tree in the way, turning around and taking the path on the right. EVERY TIME.

Wired Map

A couple weeks ago, Wired ran a 3G test in where they pitted AT&T with Sprint and Verizon. The test control was Bloggers around the country, who reported results. The article didn’t state if there were control factors. This would be a series of tests run in a specific way. For instance, if I was to run a test, this is what would happen:

1. Note any “Questionable” programs and if problematic (ie: if it slows down or freezes up the device), uninstall.
2. Turn off Wifi
3. Reboot the device (this will make sure all programs are closed properly)
4. Give the device a minute to find a signal
5. Open the Approved Test prgram (which would be an approved Application that any device could get). In this case, we will just say “SpeedTest”.
6. Run the test
7. Take a screen shot.

Wired stated in the article that it was not a “Scientific” Test. Nonetheless, I know if I was participating, I would want to be as accurate as possible. After all, if I falsified my data then had AT&T show that was wrong, it would be a mark on me and Wired. Instead of belittling AT&T, I would be doing the opposite.

Summary

Results vary in many instances. The farther away from a tower, the lower power the signal. The more people connecting to a tower, the slower the connection speed.It’s really a matter of physics.

Don’t take my word for it. Run the 7 steps above and send me your screen shots. Use SpeedTest for the Application. If you prefer another App, then take a snapshot of the screen with Speedtest, then re-run the 7 steps – this time using your Application.

The Guardian reports that a number of users of the new iPhone 3G are reporting that it seems to get unusually hot. The story is here. These are so far anecdotal reports; no testing lab has weighed in on the story yet, so far as I can find out.

If I had an iPhone, I would view these reports skeptically, while staying alert for updates.

Apple has posted an article here on the iPhone’s internal temperature-sensing mechanism. (I love the way the iPhone in the illustration refers to itself in the third person, much as Louis XIV of France might have done).

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Sony works hard on their Notebooks. Small but functional. The Vaio Notebook with 3G, as well as the Sony software that PS3 owners know well.

Eric shows the P Series

Andy McCaskey talks with Eric about this small notebook. Andy and Eric talk about the instant on technology, the battery life and the programs on the system. Also you can connect an adapter to plug in a monitor, mouse and keyboard.

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As a kid I had this really cool TV. it was a Bentley with a 5″ Black and White screen and ran on AC power or 9 “D” batteries. It went all the way up to Channel 83, so if I hooked it up to the cable today, I would get the Big 10 network, MTV, and Disney. Yeah, Black and White, but sometimes you have to go old school.

Joost is no Bentley, but they might have finally pulled into a niche here. Last week they made an iPhone app for the Joost service. It’s not the best thing in the world, but it’s better than nothing.

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Maybe someday I’ll get to sit and talk with Steve Jobs. Until then I’ll have to make up the interview in my head. Because there has been talk of the new iPhone coming out on June 9th. Also there has been talk of Apple getting the gamers with a new handheld system. So I just had to ask Steve….

Listen to the Show here

Green Gas

3G iPhone Announcement on June 9

Ubuntu 8.04 Released

Feature: Getting XP after the cut-off date:

Change. Some love to do it, others would like to stay where they are. Sometimes change is needed – newer, faster, more powerful to take over old and un-updatable. Still, within time change happens like it always does in life. Its really a question of whether you want to change with it, or stick with the same.

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