I’m starting to worry about putting my iPod Touch and Android handset too close to each other – How long until the devices start fighting?

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Product Category: Utility Software

Manufacturer: Morose Media

Where to Buy: Company Website

Price: $29.99

System Requirements: Windows Mobile 5 AKU 3.3 or newer or Windows Mobile 6, Both a WiFi and a cellular data connection, an installed and working version of Internet Sharing, 15 MB of free device memory

Pros:

• Easy to use;
• Exceptional setup wizard;
• Multiple connection options.

Cons:

• A bit pricey;
• Would love it to actively try to restore dropped data connection.

Summary: Tethering your handheld to your computer has come a long way from the days of strange connection strings, special cables, and slower than turtle speeds. WMWifiRouter provides a 1-click method for getting connected, but is it worth the price? Read on to find out!

What it Does

Simply put, it turns your Windows Mobile device into a broadband wireless router, the same kind you could buy for quite a lot of $$$. It does this by routing your cellular data connection (e.g. 3G or EDGE or even GPRS) through the device and out to the WiFi interface. Just like Internet Connection Sharing on a Windows machine, WMWifiRouter includes all the necessary components to assign addresses (DHCP) and route them (NAT) through the device. Windows Mobile does not have a simplistic networking design by a long shot. It features a fairly robust TCP/IP stack and thus supports things like non-traditional routing setups. The problem has always been exploiting that in a way that is easy for the end-user (you or I) to use. WMWifiRouter packages all of the bits and pieces up, and lets you quickly configure your network and start it easily. Assuming that your carrier or data plan allows tethering, you then have a running WiFi router to your cellular data connection.

Figure 1: The connected screen, showing status of the router.

Connection Setup

I discovered WMWifiRouter while on a train. Literally while wondering if such a polished product existed, I ran a quick search and downloaded the CAB file from their website. Upon running it, I was presented with an extremely nice setup wizard that walked me through the entire process of setting up the connection. I could choose the SSID or wireless router name, set a WEP encryption key to keep others out (or at least make it harder for them to get in), and configure other options. Each option had a nice description of what it did, which I thought was nice for individuals who aren’t quite sure what each item may mean to their networking setup. After Setup, I clicked on the Cellular to WiFi icon on the homescreen, and got the screen shown in Figure 1. After about 30 seconds of it updating the status (telling me what it was doing), it was ready to go. I fired up my iPod Touch and found my new network, plugged in my WEP key, and was off and running
This was originally posted at Pocket PC Thoughts, check out the the source for discussion.

“Pandora provides a personalized, Internet-based radio service. Today, Pandora announced that it is extending its PC-based software to select Windows Mobile devices. The mobile version will have the same features as the online version, such as creating new stations, bookmarking songs, and rating songs with thumbs up or thumbs down. Pandora will initially support the Motorola Q9c and HTC XV6900 on Verizon’s network, and the Motorola Q9c and HTC Touch on Sprint’s network.”

Pandora provides a nice alternative when shuffle on your iPod/Zune/MP3 Player of choice is just being too repetitive. I’ve even found more than one new song that I like through it, and it’s nice to see that eventually we’ll all be able to play it on our WinMo devices, with initial support for a select few VZW & Sprint customers.

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Product Category: Clothing
Manufacturer: SCOTTEVEST
Where to Buy: SeV Store
Price: $340 USD ($250 for Quantum Jacket; $140 for Fleece 5.0)
System Requirements: Body ranging from XS to XXXL Sizes
Specifications: 52 pockets, cable management through channels / pocket passthroughs, removable hood (Quantum Jacket), removable sleeves (Fleece 5.0), various specially designed features such as key holders, bottle holders, and pockets accessible from the interior or exterior.

Pros:

• Be an unabashed geek without having to look like a nerd;
• Attention to detail and usability;
• Eliminates the need for a separate bag (some days).

Cons:

• Price (for some), Sizes (for others);
• Does not connect (as in previous SCOTTEVEST systems);
• Lack of color options.

Summary:
The first SCOTTEVEST product I ever purchased was the 4.0 Tactical system, the closest thing to a predecessor to the Scott Jordan Signature Series. I was blown away and since then have reviewed many other SeV products. The direction foreshadowed by last year’s “Evolution” jacket has now come to pass with the release of the Fleece 5.0 and Quantum Jackets (together they make up the series). But with any new thing, old favorite features can be lost or changed – and new features added can somewhat make you forget about the old. How does this system stack up to its past, and pave the way to the future? Read on!

What’s New
The Signature Series has many new features as well as SCOTTEVEST classic options. The most apparent new feature is the change in fabrics in the jacket. The Tactical 4.0 jacket was, well, tactical – it felt like something I’d wear if I was a secret service agent or SWAT officer. The material was a bit coarse, with a nylon base.

Figure 1: SCOTTEVEST branding in the velcro section used to tighten the sleeves around the wrist. Notice the material has a grain, yet feels smooth.

The new material used in the Quantum jacket is very similar to shell of the Evolution jacket. While the material has a grain to it, it feels very soft to the touch, likely due to the Teflon fabric protector used. In the rain, the jacket does not soak up water but rather promotes beading and flowing of the water off – keeping the occupant drier than the alternative.

The Fleece 5.0 also gets a subtle change in fabric. On the inside the fabric mesh is more accented, allowing you to easily see where pockets lie and where your gear is going. On the outside, the material feels a bit more plush and soft compared to the 4.0 fleece. At least it did to me, my wife insists that it’s closer to the 4.0. In any event, we both agree it’s nice and cozy.

Figure 2: Exterior of the 5.0 fleece.

Another new feature to the 5.0 fleece and Quantum jacket is the introduction of Clear Touch fabric. Clear Touch is designed to replace those awful hard clear pieces that clothing manufacturers sometimes place on their products to let you “see” what’s inside a pocket. The plastic is always rigid, and feels like, well, hard plastic! Clear Touch pockets on both the Quantum and Fleece are clear, but feel like fabric. Or at least best approximation of fabric that plastic can get to.

Figure 3: A Clear Touch pocket in the Fleece 5.0. Both jackets feature two Clear Touch pockets. Notice the red piping also present on the interior.

Clear Touch is a winner when it comes to controlling a touch sensitive device while it is safely stowed. Lastly, a very pronounced difference in both jackets is the red piping around the interior pockets, similar to what was done on the Evolution jacket. It sounds really strange, but I was always able to ‘lose’ pockets in my Tactical jacket. Trying to remember where they opened or where they hung so I could see if I had something in them. With the red piping, it’s easier to find the pockets, and the overall pocket design has been streamlined substantially.

What’s Gone
SCOTTEVEST has been careful not to call this the direct update to the 4.0 line because some of the 4.0 series nuances are missing in the 5.0 Signature series. For example, on the jacket, a front right breast pocket with ID card window has been removed. The new version in the 5.0 line is a internal lower-left pouch specifically to hold your ID and provide quick access. Yet you can’t be wearing your ID here and have others see it, a potential problem for those of us who must wear visible ID.

Here are some other quick differences I’ve observed:

• The hood on the jacket, while still removable, does not roll up and tuck away like previous versions.
• The sleeves on the jacket are not removable. Scott Jordan told me this in a phone call earlier this year when I told him about the zippers breaking on my Tactical 4.0. Apparently this was a feature only of use to a few, and since it had issues, it was removed.
• The jacket used to have two small pockets below the right and left “hand” pockets that weren’t very deep and sometimes hard to open. I used to keep my gloves in those pockets but alas they are now gone. They do allow the other pockets that you normally throw your hands into to be deeper.
• There is only one key-chain holder on the jacket, in the front right pocket (unlike the tactical 4.0 that had a key chain holder in both the front right and front left – two different styles). This holder is the better of the two styles, with a retractable rubber chain.
• At least one of the deep pockets on the jacket has been removed (on my Tactical I have a deep pocket on the inside of both sides, the pocket on the right side has been removed on the Quantum). Given the fact that I once used both deep pockets to carry (on one side) a large bag of potato chips, package of cookies, and on the other side two 2 liters of soda, I guess I’ll have to cut back during grocery trips!
• The fleece shows only minor changes over the 4.0 version, such as the red piping and clearview pockets.

Overall while things have changed, the core features remain the same. I’m not sure which jacket I’ll end up using this winter more – the 5.0 or the 4.0 – so check in with me in the spring to see if the above changes proved to be dealbreakers.

Finally a note about sizing. Anyone who has met me in person knows I’m on the large side (some would even say Scary Large). The 4.0 series XXXLT fit me just fine, however with the removal of the tall sizes in the 5.0 line, the XXXL jacket is a bit snug (like the Evolution jacket that I reviewed last October). The 5.0 fleece fits just like the 4.0 did. While I could wear the 4.0 Fleece and Tactical Jacket at the same time, I doubt I’d be able to do that with the 5.0 series. Then again they were not meant to go together like their predecessor, so I doubt many will try to do this (e.g. the 5.0 fleece does not zip into the 5.0 jacket). If you’re a “big” man wondering how you may compare to me and if the XXXL will be big enough, feel free to drop me an e-mail with any questions if you’d like to be discrete and not post them here.

What’s Missing
Scott and his team have done a wonderful job with the Signature series, something I know Scott takes great pride in. I do have a few suggestions though, some easier to implement than others:

• A padded compartment (possibly removable) for a sub-notebook or netbook. I travel with a 14 inch Lenovo Tablet (the x60s), and it fits nicely into both the deep pockets on the 4.0 and the 5.0. However a bit more protection would be nice.
• Similar to the above suggestion, a removable accessory pouch that would connect up within the jacket. This way I can keep my AC adapter, mouse, and other computer accessories with the computer and completly get rid of the bag.
• Pre-wired “Options”. While wiring up a SCOTTEVEST isn’t terribly difficult to do, it may interest some to have pre-wired options available straight from the factory. iPod owners could order the “iPod version” which would come wired with headphones, and an iPod charger connected to an external battery safely stowed (such as a Proporta or Pocket PC Techs extended battery). GPS enthusiasts could order a “GPS version”, etc… Of course these would cost extra, but may appeal to some who would love something tailored to their needs.
• SCOTTEVEST is able to embroider logos onto corporate orders, but why not offer custom embroidery to individuals? I’d be very tempted to embroider my name discretely on my SeV fleece, if for no other reason than to wear it to parties where everyone’s already forgetting each other’s names!
• I’m a lover of basic black (I own many, many black shirts, much to my wife’s dismay). However when it comes to jackets and fleeces, colors can be very nice – and the Signature series has only black as of this writing. Perhaps one or two other colors might be a nice addition.

Some of you may be wondering if the first two bullets above would really be prudent to implement. Surely you can’t carry all your gear (including a laptop) in a SCOTTEVEST, can you? Well let me share a story:

Last April I was in a hotel room in Seattle the first night of the MVP Summit when my roommate asked me a question. He’d seen my SCOTTEVEST in the closet and asked “Is that one of those technology vests?”. Being from Australia, he was aware of SCOTTEVEST but hadn’t seen one in person. I told him it was and gave him a brief tour of its pockets. In the process I realized that it was pointless for me to take my messenger bag with me to the Microsoft campus the next two days when I had a SCOTTEVEST with me. I quickly took stock of what I had to transport (Lenovo laptop, adapter, a few cords, a small camera, 2 or 3 Windows Mobile devices, proporta battery, and a few other things) and realized that I could put them all in the vest. I loaded up and over the next two days fellow MVPs were amazed as I walked into a conference room and within 2 minutes had “unloaded” my mobile workstation for the day! So yes, you can in some cases ditch a computer bag for a SCOTTEVEST.

Conclusion
As I write this, I sit in my office (a converted attached garage) wearing my 5.0 fleece. It’s keeping me nicely warm as I wait for a FedEx truck to bring me a few gadgets for my latest geek project. Tomorrow I’ll probably wear it as I walk to my office in Toledo – switching proverbial hats as I go from Geek to Doctoral Candidate in Psychology. While my work today is tinkering with VoIP codecs and tomorrow will be proofreading decision making problems, my SCOTTEVEST keeps me warm, connected, and fairly stylish. No matter how geeky you are, part or full time, you don’t have to look like Goofy with bulging pockets and bulky bags. After all, no self respecting geek could ever stand being called a Nerd!

Jon Westfall is a Microsoft MVP for Windows Mobile devices, contributor to the Thoughts Media network of sites, and full time academic, currently finishing is PhD in Experimental Psychology. He studies decision making and interhemispheric interaction while teaching undergraduates a variety of things they didn’t know! Want to know more about him? Visit JonWestfall.Com

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It’s been a week of technological upgrades for me in the Entertainment realm. Prior to Saturday, the last console system I’d owned was 8-bit Nintendo, my smartphone was my only music player that was updated (as I’d outgrown my 30 GB Zune and my 60 GB iPod’s screen was just too small anymore), and my Toshiba laptop with Windows Media Center did very little media wise, save store my music and play it back via Windows Media Player. That changed with recent purchases of an Xbox 360 and a Zune 80. Now I’m looking at the smartphone and wondering why its implementation isn’t up to par with these other two Microsoft products. And more importantly, what should be done about that!

As I write this, my Zune is synchronizing wirelessly. My Media Center PC is recording something or another, and my Xbox is cooling off after some GTA IV. The smartphone, a Pantech Duo, is faithfully waiting for email or urgent phone calls. In past years, it may have been able to sync over WiFi to pull the latest copy of my eWallet, although now I’m content to have a copy from a few months back on there. It also used to be loaded up with games, but my PSP can do that way better, so no games for the Duo. Why have I, a lover of convergence, found myself with a myriad of devices over the past year? Simple, my Windows Mobile phone simply can’t be a jack-of-all-trades, even though it was designed (and sometimes marketed) as such. The Zune OS, or the Xbox 360 OS, in contrast, seem like they could be built onto endlessly though – and in a timely and cool fashion.

I find it no coincidence that the smoothest Microsoft experiences I’ve had lately have been from technologies that didn’t exist in 2000 – and certainly hadn’t matured. The Pocket PC and Smartphone operating system of record, Windows Mobile, in turn based on Windows CE, was around back then – and in many ways, still harkens back to those days design wise. When I use a Windows Mobile device, I almost feel like I’m back in the late 90s, design and implementation wise. For example, the inbox feels very isolated from the rest of the OS. On the desktop I can drag an item from my inbox to the Calendar button in Outlook and boom – a new calendar entry pops up with the email as the notes. No such luck on the smartphone. I can also tell my Zune to sync wirelessly and after its set up, there is no fussing on the device – it simply connects to my computer wirelessly and syncs. No establishing connections in an archaic connection manager. In comparison, Windows Mobile can seem like the elderly man standing in the crowd at a Hannah Montana concert – out of place, out of its element, out of touch – in 2008. It occured to me tonight that perhaps we don’t need upgrades to Windows Mobile – we may need a completely new product. Phune or Pbox or whatever you want to call it.

Now this isn’t saying that upgrades to Windows Mobile are not going in the right direction. I’ve seen a very promising direction, one that I can’t talk about other than to say I’m happy with what I see so far. But maybe building onto an existing OS is akin to patching holes in a sinking ship. A new ship may be the best alternative. But in this case, a new ship would take way longer to build than upgrades to the existing one – but perhaps it could do it “right”.

I’m 99% sure Microsoft won’t abandon Windows Mobile and create a new phone operating system tomorrow – but if they asked you, would you tell them to?

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Product Category: Mapping / GPS Software
Manufacturer: Delorme
Where to Buy: Amazon [Affiliate]
Price: $36.95 USD
System Requirements: Windows XP / 2000 / Vista, DVD Drive

Pros:
Price; Route on desktop Or PDA; No cumbersome copy protection / activation required.

Cons:
Unpolished interface; Unintuitive; Unable to copy to storage card.

Summary:
GPS Mapping software for Pocket PC can be downright expensive! In addition, it usually includes no desktop interface with which to route and plan longer trips. Delorme Street Atlas USA 2008 provides not only a desktop interface, routing on the device, and map downloads to Palm, PPC, or iPod – it provides all of this under $40. But does it do the job right, or does the price show through in a mediocre job?

Read on for the full review! [more]

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“Plug any USB powered mobile device (phone, iPod, digital camera etc.) into the battery’s standard USB port and recharge anywhere. Even power hungry devices like the iPod 5G will recharge and play for up to three times longer when connected to the Proporta USB Mobile Device Charger (USB Rechargeable Battery) and you can recharge your mobile, Smartphone or PDA anywhere.”

Alright, here’s a seriously awesome accessory that I’m sure everyone here will want. I bought one of these when they came out and love it – on weekend trips I NEVER charge from a wall outlet! Now my device can charge sitting in my bag without worrying about leaving the device, charger, or cable behind! Couple that with the piece of mind that it will be there to give you power diety-forbid that your device is dead in the middle of a desert in july with no water, car, camel, or guide, and you’ve got a pretty nice package. We’ve got a few of these to give away, so here’s how you can get one:

1. Post how you’d use one of these things, and/or how they would have helped you out of a jam in the past!
2. Post before Sept 21, 12:00 PM TST (Thoughts Standard Time, AKA MDT).
3. I’ll pick randomly from those who meet both criteria (which means just posting “I want one” will NOT qualify you. I want comments and stories people – it makes my life more interesting!).

Good luck!

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Product Category: Technology Enabled Clothing
Manufacturer: SCOTTEVEST
Where to Buy: SeV Online Store (Polo or Pullover)
Price: $44.99 USD (Polo), $59.99 USD (Pullover)

Pros:
Light & moisture-drawing fabric; Vertical device pocket; Exercise in style.

Cons:
May not be business casual (Polo); Usages limited beyond athletics; Side pocket missing (Polo).

Summary:
Exercising with technology is a risky proposition. From stories of iPods shaken to death by jogging valley girls to LCD destruction from excess moisture to the horror felt by anyone who has watched their device tumble from a breast pocket, the number of potential dangers for devices seems endless. However, SCOTTEVEST (SeV) has decided that exercising shouldn’t be the time of the day when you may sacrifice the health of your device to boost your own. With their two newest performance pieces, the Performance Polo and the Performance Pullover 1/4 Zip, SeV intends to help you exercise worry free. But do they stand up to the test?

Read on for the full review! [more]

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Man, it was a busy few days there, so I’m finally updating my journal to recount what happened this week!
Monday was pretty nondescript, just worked on Andy’s paper. Mom & Dad came up and went to Ryans on Sunday, they liked it, and they got to see our xmas decorations! Anyway, tuesday was a fairly blah day. Taught my second-to-last class, turned in my paper to Andy, and just relaxed. Wednesday I was all psyched because my iPod was supposed to show up. Got home Wednesday though, and WTF? no iPod. Just a stupid infonotice saying they needed ID. I called up the UPS line and through their automated system finally got the stupid thing scheduled to be delivered Friday. Enjoyed my HomestarRunner order Wednesday night (At least that showed up) however my Evo died and now has to be shipped to HP. Ugh.
Thursday was really Blah. Didn’t want to do anything, went to school, sat through the most disorganized presentation I’d ever seen by this girl in our Developmental class. She got Smokey bear & Yogi bear confused. Man. Anyway, thursday it started snowing like a bitch, so the drive home was a p
ain. 20 – 50 MPH all the way, mostly around 30 – 40. Finally got home at 11 and worked on getting my iTunes library ready for my iPod! Oddly though, after doing a few misc. things, iTunes died on me. Wouldn’t start. Completly dead. No help online. Went to bed.
Then Friday came. I woke up, went outside and dug myself out of a bunch snow that was in my driveway (About 1 – 2 inches all around, 6 inches at the apron Had to dig some of the apron then snowblow the rest. Then I called up UPS…
They didn’t update the tracking stuff on my iPod so I was suspicious. Sure enough, after a few calls, I found they kept my iPod for pickup in Fremont!!! Damn. I had to go to the bank, and then Port clinton post office (Or so I thought) then Fremont. Drove all around, finally got my stuff, went home, and packed. Couldn’t get iTunes to work still, packed it up, came to Cleveland. Went to dinner at Double Dragon with mom & dad & karey, then out with T & H to T’s house to play Uno. Finally on Friday night I figured out that I had to uninstall iTunes, install stand-alone Quicktime, then iTunes. Ugh.
Yesterday we went out, I ordered some new lenses and after having lunch in cleveland, we came down to PA. I graded some tests, and went to bed listening to my iPod! Now it’s sunday, Karey’s baking cookies, and I’m going to grade tests today. FUN!