Skyfire Mobile web browser

"Ever waited a really long time for something that you need, just to find that when it does arrive, you've grown too used to using something else?" - Broken Wisdom, 2008.

I'm forced to use a Windows Mobile phone for work, and one of my pet problems with the platform is the lack of a decent, full featured web browser.  It could be said that one of the reasons for the iPhone's success is the internet functionality of the almost full feature web browser (Safari).  That being said, I don't have said iPhone and apart from Opera (not free) there is little in the way of a full featured internet browser for Windows mobile.

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Kill Switch for All

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There has been a bit of news surrounding the finding of a "bad Apps database" for the iPhone, giving Apple a "Kill switch" option for any dodgy apps released into the iPhone.  Flack was fired at the Apple, but apart from keeping the company and the product in the news headlines, there doesn't seem to have been much effect.

Those who hoped the Google Phone (G1) was going to be a saviour from the new "restrictive" ways of Apple were sadly mistaken, after the discovery of Google's own "Kill switch".  Why are we so surprised that Google would have such a feature in their phone?  They have three good reasons - platform reliability, customer support, and finally, "Apple got away with it".

I was listening to the latest 1Up Yours Podcast (Gaming) to the discussion about the techniques gaming companies use to part us from our cash.  The point was made that with each generation, gamers become more de-sensitised to what, in previous generations, would never have been accepted.  Frog in boiling water scenario, anyone?  And guess what, gaming has many parallels with the tech industry, especially with the PDA battle going on at the moment.

Apple give us a great user experience, far better than the Windows mobile, or any other traditional offerings.  For us to have that great experience, though, Apple needed to lock down and restrict the hardware and software.  This annoyed a vocal few, but everyone else is too busy being cool to care.  Of course, Google know this (remember that Google know everything) and it would be silly of them to take a complete backward step over the ground that Apple has made with the iPhone.

Keeping the above in mind, the penetration of the kill switch may, in a few years, switch from the mobile phone, where it does have its place, to other, more open, platforms.  Anyones guess who will offer it first, but imagine Apple offering developers a platform where all pirated software could be remotely deleted?  I'm sure there would be a major customer shift to Windows if they implemented it, but guess where all the new tricked-out software would be found?  Adobe and others would shift to the platform that gives them the best security and quality for their customers who pony up for their software.

You're right, it probably won't happen.  In fact, I'm sure there will be hack for the Kill Switch on the G1 pretty soon, mainly because of its openness.

But is that a good thing?  Will you be trusting your data to a possibly unsafe platform? Or would you prefer a closed secure platform?  I don't really think Apple would do it, they have more to lose.  But if Microsoft offered it as part of a new cloud-based platform, I could see a shift in the playing field.....

Jason Remnant

..if it is Broken, why fix it?

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Pointui 2

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Some time ago I wrote on the features of a GUI project for the Windows Mobile platform called Home, made by the guys at Pointui.com.  At the time they had dropped the 1.5 version and I was having a lot of fun with it.

In internet time that was like, years ago, and apart from a 1.5a release there hasn't been much movement on Home or the website.  I was beginning to think the project was dead, and without much else out there, I started looking longingly at the iPhone.

But then I received an email from the Poitui team (I donated) apologising for the wait and talking about Home 2.0.  Apparently they have been building a theme for another company for the last couple of months, and were getting paid.  I totally understand, guys.

With a new site design and the promise of a new version of Home, I urge all Windows Mobile users to keep an eye on Pointui.

Jason Remnant
..if it's broken, why fix it?

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Gadget Mania

I like technology, and I love gadgets.  I have a fondness for the device that offers me problem solving, with a dash of technology, and of course an element of geekiness (views expressed here are that of the writer, and are not that of his long suffering wife and very non-geeky children).  You can imagine my squeaks of delight at all the developments in mobile phones and computing.

I spend a bit of time watching tech news on sites like Engadget and Gizmodo, allowing me to get my fix of nerd bling.  There are so many cool gadgets out there, and I'm sure that many of them will never be seen (which is a shame, ha ha!), or perhaps they just don't make it to our conservative Australian shores.

The problem with keeping up to date with the latest gadgets and technology is that you are never happy with what is currently available, because you know that the next big thing is right around the corner,  just waiting to get clearance off the boat.

Along with the good, there are also a lot that don't quite make it to Australia and into Big W or Harvey Norman.  Here are a couple I found this week that really define the word "Gadget".

The Vertical Bed
First, the Vertical Bed.  The Vertical Bed sums up the whole problem solving part.  It is a gadget the solves the problem of having a nap while you are waiting in line for concert tickets or iPhone.

Watch Safe
Now here is a nifty gadget to keep your watches safe.  The Bentley Watch Safe is one of those security gadgets that will always appeal to the "I wish I had money to spend on watches" in all us guys, but will only be bought by the "Do you also have a safe for my Ferrari's?" kind of guy.

Sorry 3 year old Pulsar, you'll have to go in the drawer again.

HTC Touch HD
Here is an example of keeping up-to-date when I'm drooling over the pre-release of a mobile phone that probably won't be available in Oz for some time.  The HTC Touch HD looks like it will be the Windows Mobile phone we will all want in the coming years, as long as the build quality is a little better than the JasJam, and the rest of their lines.  But I can dream, and doesn't it look good next to the iPhone?

But wait there is more...

There is also the Toaster computer and the USB drive bottle opener, but I'm sure y'all already have one of each.   There are crazier gadgets out there, the tech world seems to revolve around throwing weird things at people and seeing who throws money back.

I can only hope one day to earn just one of their R & D budgets.....

Jason Remnant
....if it ain't broken, why fix it?

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Two laptops, one Broadband connection

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Last week I was working away, and found myself and co-worker Tim in an interesting position.  I had a free Internet connection on the wall, but we had two laptops.  I guess we could have taken turns, but that isn't me.  If there is a way to do something with computers I'll find it, even if the time taken is greater than the time needed just to check some e-mail and updates on Facebook.

Now I have done plenty of Internet Connection Sharing (ICS) with Windows boxes before, but setting up the wireless without some sort of router is one of those things that I know can be done, but I've never needed to, until now.

ICS
Here is a nice How-To on ICS for XP. All you need to do for this exercise is put ICS on the connection that has access to the net, be that Dial-up, LAN, or Broadband.

Once this is done, the laptop is turned into a DHCP server and any other computers connected to it will (if they are set to DHCP) use the laptop as a Internet gateway.  Now all we need to do is connect to the first laptop wirelessly.

Ad-Hoc Connection
Once the ICS is setup, we just need to turn the first laptop into a wireless base station, which the second laptop will connect to.  To do this, we make an Ad-Hoc connection on the first laptop, which is nicely explained here.

Once the second laptop connects to the first, it should be given the right settings to share the Internet and you're done.  It works quite well and we were able to entertain ourselves for the evening, and of course get some work done.

If you have any suggestions or questions, or even a better way to do this, let me know.

Jason Remnant

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