December 2007 - Posts
Dying to buy that new gadget but just not sure if it's in your budget this month?
Intuit will roll out a mobile-optimized version of their personal finance wizard Quicken, specifically tailored for the screen of the iPhone and iPod touch. Now you can make that impulse buy that much faster. The service is slated to sell for as little as $3 per month. Peanuts compared to what you'll save in-between the office and your home computer!
CradlePoint has released their PHS300 - a portable WiFi hotspot for those times when you just can't seem to get a connection. For $179.99 you can be sure that you're always connected. Hook up your new self-powered device to your USB wireless modem or compatible (3G) mobile phone and you're ready to surf on a WEP/WPA and firewall-secured network.
See it
here.
JetBlue Airways recently tested free in-flight Wi-Fi and plans to launch the service (starting with one Airbus A320) on Dec. 11th. Congratulations on the test - but perhaps it would have been better to wait until it works properly and isn't limited to only email and instant messages, only through two models of BlackBerrys and laptops, and laptop users arent' limited to only Yahoo email and IM.
During the test flight, the service failed to start for about 20 minutes, and users should be prepared for several minutes of disconnection when the aircraft flies over areas where transimission is relayed from one ground tower to the next. Apparently one reporter had problems writing and sending email - emails never reached his intended recipients, even though the device confirmed sent messages. Another reporter had difficulty receiving and replying to e-mails in her Yahoo
account. The system does not use satellites, so service is limited to mostly over land and can only be used once the aircraft reaches 10,000 feet.
Other than that, Mrs. Lincoln, how was the play?
Word has it that Blockbuster CEO James Keyes is in talks with several handset manufacturers to bring movie rentals to mobile devices.
"We're talking with virtually all of the major manufacturers about the
opportunity to provide greater mobility and convenience," said Keyes.
The questions: What kind of quality will the movies be, how much will it cost, what kind of storage on a mobile will be needed - and who is going to watch movies on the third screen? Perhaps on the iPhone, but my Blackberry screen is pretty tiny and I don't see myself holding it in front of my face for two hours at a time.