Affinity Law Office Technology Blog

Staying Connected and In Sync with a Windows Mobile Smart Phone

As a recent convert from a comparatively ancient Palm OS-based Treo 650 to a Windows Mobile 6-based Samsung i760 phone from Verizon Wireless, I have been exploring software and services that work with my new device.  As a solo appellate practitioner, my practice management needs may differ from larger firms or those with trial court practices, so these suggestions may not apply to your practice.  I have begun using several free applications and services to keep my practice (and life) organized.

I dumped MS Outlook on my primary desktop PC for Mozilla Thunderbird and its Lightning calendar add-on.  I also use Gmail as my primary email program and the free on-line Google Calendar to check my schedule and add/revise appointment when I am away from my home/office.  The free Provider for Google Calendar automatically syncs my Lightning calendar with my Google Calendar.  Changes make in either calendar appear in the other within minutes.  Then I use Zindus (also free) to sync my Thunderbird contacts with my Gmail contacts. 

The final piece of the puzzle is not free, but essential.  I use GooSync to synchronize my Google Calendar and Gmail contacts with my phone.  I now have three ways to access my information (phone, desktop PC, and web from any PC or device).  So far, so good.    

New respect for iPod Touch

I've lived most of my adult life in the Windows world.  My kids, who just graduated from high school last night, were issued Mac notebooks at school for 3 of their 4 high school years.  So I had some exposure to OS X, but never really warmed to it. 

We took my daughter to her freshman orientation last week at a large state university.  Their on-campus computer store had a variety of notebooks including Windows offerings from Dell and Sony as well as the MacBook and MacBook Pro.  My daughter opted for a MacBook, causing me some consternation knowing that I would be of minimal help to her if she needed assistance (which of course will happen the night before a major paper or project is due).  As a promotion, Apple is offering a free iPod Touch (8 GB) when you buy a Mac computer for college.  Yes, you have to pay the $299 up front, but it is sent back to you (they promise in about a month) via a rebate. 

My daughter had an iPod Nano for a short time a couple of years ago.  But she made the mistake of taking it to school and leaving it exposed in her open backpack.  It was stolen.   Since then she's enjoyed her Sansa e260 very much.  So it was in comparison to the Nano and Sansa that I was prepared to evaluate the Touch. 

With that frame of reference going in, I must admit that I was blown away by the Touch, and especially with the way it integrates with the the iCal and Mail on the MacBook.  The calendar and email sync automatically (along with iTunes music) when she connects the Touch to her MacBook via a USB cable.  The Touch has Wi-Fi as well, so my daughter can send and receive email using her Gmail account any time she can find a Wi-Fi hotspot.  Once the Gmail program was setup on the MacBook (a totally automatic process once you enter an email address and password), it is also configured on the Touch during the initial sync.  Very slick!

The Touch works very well as an Internet tablet using its own version of Safari (Apple's Web browser).  There is also a button to go directly to YouTube videos, which play very well on the Touch's screen. So the Touch is a digital audio player, but it is also a PDA with calender and email sync (I have not tried the contact sync), and an Internet tablet.  It is basically an iPhone without the phone.  For free, it is hard to beat.  But I suspect it may be well worth its regular $299 price based on the days we've had it in our household.  And notice I didn't once mention its touch screen.  It is a gee-whiz interface, but functionality is where it really shines.    

I was also relieved to discover that LogMeIn and Skype work just fine on the MacBook.  So if my daughter calls for help from college, she can get ahold of me using Skype and I can remote in using LogMeIn and (at least try) to assist her with any computer issues she may be having.  So far so good with this initial exploration into alien (Mac) territory. 

Must have applications for Windows Mobile Phones

As a very recent convert from the Palm-OS based Treo smartphone, I have been learning how to use my Samsung SCH-i760 from Verizon Wireless.  It runs on the Windows Mobile 6 Professional (touch screen) operating system.  Windows Mobile 6 is much improved over earlier versions, but it remains a more complex and (to a newcomer) less intuitive operating system than Palm.

I discovered a few applications that are essential for my enjoyable and productive use of a Windows Mobile 6 device.  First, make sure you download and install Live Search for Windows Mobile.  From your phone's browser go to  http://wls.live.com/ to get the download.  Once installed, Live Search works much like Tryda (formerly Directory Assistant) for the Palm OS.  It connects to the Internet to find business, phone numbers, maps, and driving directions.  On my phone, it works with the voice command feature to allow me to speak "pizza" and almost instantly get a list of all pizza restaurants in my area, with phone numbers, driving directions, and maps just a screen tap away.  Live Search is free, but invaluable.

Next is The Core Pocket Media Player (TCPMP).  It is discontinued, but still available for download here.  Don't delay getting your copy, as its availability could end at any time.  This free application will play many more file formats (audio and video) that the Windows Media Player application that comes with Windows Mobile 6. 

Finally, the Internet Explorer web browser that comes with Windows Mobile 6 is showing its age.  It is slow and doesn't handle Flash, limiting its usefulness on some web pages.  For that capability, download a 30 day free trial from the Opera Mobile web browser along with the Macromedia Flash Player.  If you decided it works for you, pay $24 to register your copy.            

Tiny Bluetooth USB adapter for your notebook PC

If you want to use your cell phone as a wireless modem for your notebook PC, but your notebook doesn't have a built-in Bluetooth radio, here is the next best thing.  Circuit City has the Kensington USB Micro Bluetooth Adapter on sale for $19.99 after a $10 mail-in rebate.  It is so small you could leave it in your notebook's USB port all the time.

Asus Eee mini-notebook user report

The following was posted on the State Bar of Michigan Family Law Section listserv.  It may be of interest to readers of this blog:

"A few weeks ago there was a listserv thread about computer operating systems which included mention of the Asus Eee mini-notebook computer that sells for $299 to $399 depending on configuration.  At that time, the only operating system available pre-installed on the Eee was a distribution ("distro" in geek-speak) of Linux call Xandros.  Liz Sadowski reported that the Eee was discussed at the ABA TechShow in Chicago, with one expert saying the Xandros Linux version was just fine and another advocating installation of Windows XP. 

Anyone interested in the Eee now has the option to order it with Windows XP (Home, unfortunately, not Pro) pre-installed.  Best Buy is selling an XP Home version of the Eee on its web site and soon in stores for the same $399 price the 4GB Xandros version sells for. 

A few weeks ago I received my Xandros-based 4GB Eee.  The first thing I did was install the KDE Advanced Desktop that comes with Xandros Linux (instructions at various places on the Web).  In Advanced Desktop mode, Xandros looks and operates just like XP, but much faster.  If you are comfortable with XP, you will have no problem with the transition to Xandros.  The built-in Thunderbird email program works much faster than Outlook does on my main desktop computer or on my nearly new ThinkPad full-size notebook PC.  The writer and presentation modules of OpenOffice on the Eee open, edit, and create Word and PowerPoint files that move seamlessly back and forth between the Eee and my main desktop computer.  I used the Eee for a PowerPoint presentation at a recent school meeting.  And the Firefox web browser seems at least the equal of Internet Explorer. 

But my favorite application has been the Skype voice over internet protocol (VoIP) application.  I left my ThinkPad at home and took only the Eee on a recent trip from Florida to Lansing for oral argument in the Court of Appeals.  I used Skype to call home and elsewhere using the Wi-Fi connection at my hotel.  The Eee has a built-in web cam that allows you to add video to the call if you are calling a Skype account on another computer.  But you can call any telephone (cell or land-line) in the U.S. and Canada for a flat fee of $3 per month by upgrading to Skype Pro.  I did that and have been very happy with it.  Because a single Skype account can be installed on multiple computers, I installed the Windows version on my ThinkPad and desktop as well.  When I am working from any of my computers, I can make or receive calls (using a Gigaware USB headset that was $10 after rebate at Radio Shack) by double-clicking on a contact in my Skype phone list (Skype will import your Outlook contacts automatically, making them available for click-based dialing).   I was so impressed that I obtained a dedicated incoming telephone number for my Skype account (yes, that means my computers have their own telephone number) for only $24 annually as a Skype Pro add-on. 

Getting back to the Eee, Skype works fine using the built-in mic and speakers, but for privacy and to avoid disturbing others, the same USB headset that works in Windows on my ThinkPad and desktop PC works perfectly on the Eee (which has three USB ports, a video out for PowerPoint presentations, and a SD card reader).

The Eee is very small for a notebook PC.  Typing on its keyboard takes some getting used to.  But after only a short while, I was able to touch-type at a decent enough speed to create and edit Word-compatible documents and deal with email.  Unless you intend to type massive briefs while away from your primary computer, the Eee is a near-perfect travel companion.   The Xandros OS has a built-in function that lets me connect to and remotely control my desktop PC from anywhere I can find an Internet connection.  So if I need to run software that is Windows-only, I can do it remotely and see the info on the Eee's screen.  This requires enabling Windows Remote Desktop on your main PC or installing the free VNC (virtual network computing) software widely available for download at various places on the Web.  And when at home, the Eee connects easily to my wireless Windows network and can transfer files back and forth with my desktop PC or ThinkPad quickly.   

I also added a Targus mini-mouse because I hate touchpads.  It is also very small, but greatly eases getting around the Xandros desktop on the Eee.  It came with a drawstring pouch.  The pouch and mouse fit easily in my pocket.

I have not yet been able to connect it via Bluetooth to my Treo smart phone to obtain an Internet connection where there is no Wi-Fi (like I do with my ThinkPad), but that is probably due to my unfamiliarity with Linux.  I am sure I will figure it out soon.  There is a free program available for download that sets up the connection automatically if you have a GPRS-based cell phone (AT&T, for example), but mine is a CDMA phone from Verizon (Sprint is also CDMA).  I may ask the author of the program to modify it to work with CDMA phones. 

Overall, if you are looking for a very small notebook PC that will do just about anything you need to do while away from home or office, the Eee can be highly recommended (especially considering that it costs less than some PDA's).  The Xandros version works great for me.  But if you are wary of trying a new OS (even one that looks and works like Windows XP), you can now get an Eee with XP pre-installed for the same price here.  But with XP's greater RAM demands, you will want to upgrade the RAM to 1 GB (about a $25-$30 cost) to keep the performance acceptable.  There is a door on the bottom of the Eee fastened with two small screws.  Open it, pop out the stock 512 MB module and pop in the new 1 GB module and you are all set.  There is an excellent Eee user group on the web if you have questions about the Eee."

Thinking ahead to storm-season power outages

If you live in the hurricane zone, storm-season power outages can be a problem.  What if you power is out for longer than your cell phone battery can keep you connected?  Go solar with the Solio universal solar power charger, which is available from many retailers including Target.  It will work out of the box with many cell phones, digital audio players, and digital cameras.  If needed, a wide range of optional tips and connectors can be ordered.

Here is a feature description from the Target web site:

• A portable power source for all your portable handheld devices, including game players, digital cameras, iPods, PDAs and more
• Renewable solar charger draws energy from the sunlight and stores it in an internal battery
• Plug into the sun while traveling abroad (no more outlet problems), camping, at the dorm and more
• Sun’s rays hit solar cells then attach cable, push a button and get instant energy
• Fits neatly in a pocket, purse or backpack

Great time to be in market for mini-notebook PC

The mini-notebook PC market niche has finally come to life.  First, there was the very successful introduction of the Asus Eee 4G selling for $399 with Xandros Linux as its OS.  I have one and find it to be an excellent traveling companion able to do everything I need while on the road.  The standard Xandros (Linux) OS (in Advanced Desktop mode) is very intuitive for anyone familiar with Windows. It is only in the more advanced functions such as installing software that this Linux distro requires in-depth knowledge.  But if your need is web browsing, email, document creation and editing, remote access, VoIP calls via Skype, and other basic (and not so basic functions), the Xandros-based Eee is a near-perfect mobile tool.  My favorite application has to be the Skype VoIP software and service on the Eee.  Call quality is great even with weak Wi-Fi signals.  And I signed up for a Skype Pro account, which means I can dial any standard telephone in the U.S. and Canada for a flat $3 per month for unlimited calling. 

For those unsure about Linux, Best Buy will soon begin selling (available on line now, but not yet in most stores) a Windows XP-based Eee for the same $399 retail price as the Xandros-based model.  What a deal!  But with the greater RAM demands of XP, you will want to replace the 512 MB RAM module with a 1 GB module for better performance.  That should set you back only $25 to $30 if you shop wisely.  The RAM upgrade is easy.  The RAM module compartment on the bottom of the Eee opens with the removal of two screws.  The old module pops out and the new one pops in.  Simple. 

And now HP has joined the fray with its even more capable (but slightly larger, heavier, and more expensive) 2133 Mini-Note PC.  A review in PC Magazine finds much to like about this new HP offering, which is available with Linux, XP, or two versions of Vista, priced accordingly from about $500 to $750.   

Finally, a solar bag that can power a notebook PC

Recently, we've seen bags and totes with built-in solar panels capable of charging cell phones and digital media players.  But what a hard core road warrior really needed was a notebook caae with enough solar power to charge a full-sized notebook battery.  Now there is such a thing.

The Voltaic Generator isn't cheap at $599.  But if you live in a sunny climate and often find yourself short on battery power, it could be worth it.

Another cool use of solar power is the Iqua 603 Sun, a solar powered Bluetooth headset.  Listing for $99, it has potentially infinite battery life so long as you are in sunlight.  Perhaps they will change the name to Greentooth.   

Long-range Wi-Fi

The wireless adapters built into most notebook PC's will connect to a Wi-Fi network at no more than 100 to 200 feet.  If you want to triple that distance, it is possible with an external USB wireless adapter such as the Hawking Technology Hi-Gain Wireless-300N HWUN1.  Laptop Magazine recently tested this adapter and found that although its speed was not state-of-the-art at close range, it could hold a connection up to 600 feet from a wireless router.  If you need that kind of range, its $89.99 list price is worth it. 

Good Eee PC summary

Our last post mentioned the Asus Eee PC and Everex CloudBook ultra-mobile PC's (UMPC, for short).  Today a Geeks.com Tech Tips post did a good job of summarizing the features of the Eee PC.  Find it here.