Techno Cop

N97 Updated to New OS 11.0.021

In a blog I wrote some three weeks ago I noted some minor annoyances with the N. 97 that I feel could be addressed by a firmware update. The long wait is over. While syncing the N97 to the desktop this morning, I was prompted with the dialog box below:

I have shown below the different dialog boxes that I had to go through for this install. It took all of 20 minutes to complete the download with no issues whatsoever.

The following are just some of my initial impressions after the update:

• The install went smoothly with practically all data and settings saved and running in the updated N97. Even the third party software's I have installed are all working fine.
• the issue with having to pull on the side lock twice in order to unlock the device has been solved.
• The touchscreen now seems to be more responsive and, unlike before, I do not need to exert extra force when scrolling down screen menus.
• Even the accelerometer (for switching the phone between portrait and landscape modes) seem to be more sponsored.

Thanks so much NOKIA.

Plantronics 925 Bluetooth Headset

It has been a while since I bought the Plantronics 925 Bluetooth headset. With its multi-point technology, which allows simultaneous use with up to two Bluetooth devices, it is simply the best Bluetooth device I have ever used.

The 925 is extremely comfortable to wear and use.The combination charging/carry case is also stylish and convenient offering extended battery life without needing to hunt down a power outlet. Audio quality in all was completely satisfying for a headset.

 But the best feature that  I love the most is its ability to be carried in the lanyard that came provided. Despite its being very light, there are just times when I don't feel like carrying it in the ear. I could simply attach it to the lanyard and carry it around the neck just like a jewelry.

However way I decide to carry the 925, it sure is a head turner as it is pretty noticeable due to its long boom and innovative design.

Although still not a deal breaker for me, I am now having difficulty connecting to to cell phones, the N97 and E75, simultaneously. I now have to turnoff the Bluetooth connection in one before I could connect a headset to my second phone. This is something I never had to worry about when using the headset with the iPhone 3G and the E75. This is a minor distraction that I can live with given the high quality audio, the long battery life, and the sleek design of the device. It will stay as a permanent fixture in my gadget bag.

Highly recommended.

The Nokia N97 vs E75 vs iPhone 3G

About a year ago, I wrote a raving review of the Nokia E71. I was so happy with that model that it in fact became one of my longest staying smartphones. I particularly fell in love with the QWERTY keyboard despite it being a bit cramped even for my average fingers. Also, the very intuitive handling of the Symbian OS for anything SMS despite it being outdated (hey, I still reside in the SMS capital of the world).

The N97 caught my attention in late 2008 and I had been waiting for it since. Basically, the following are my must have features in any smartphone:

· QWERTY. I just cannot live without it. It is for me a must have feature for SMS and the infrequent emails (I always have a laptop for that).

· Symbian OS. I’ve only had good experiences with it syncing with Outlook. I am also particularly attached to this OS mostly because of the 3^rd party softwares ACM (advance communication manager) and SMS SPAM. I find both software to have significantly reduced my distractions due to unwanted calls and SMS.

· LARGE SCREEN. Almost as wide as the iPhone 3G.

· MULTI-MEDIA. Just like the iPhone, the N97 could play video, music, and take decent pictures.

· Email. A nice to have for me, really, as I always have a laptop with me for handling emails.

In march of this year, with the delay in the release of the N97, I replaced the E71 with the Nokia E75 just out of curiosity and nostalgia. The way the QWERTY slides out reminded me of my old DOPOD 838 except that the E75 is a lot less hefty.

I found the E75 after a month of use to be very much the same in features and handling as the E71. And so the wait for the N97 continues.

In the last week of June, when the N97 was finally launched in the Philippines, I decided to get one.

Here is my quick observation:

What I liked

Symbian S60 5th edition OS. The comments are aplenty that the Nokia N97 still falls short of the noted slickness of the iPhone. IMHO, this is true as it is simply more fun and easier to move around in the different applications of the iPhone 3G. But the one thing I like with the OS of the N97 is the ability to customize just about anything in the homepage. All my most used apps are just a touch away.

QWERTY. As you can imagine, messaging is where the N97 shines. While the QWERTY keypad might be a little more flush and ever so slightly smaller than other efforts, it's still very easy to hit with my average sized hands, and within minutes I was typing at around 70% speed compared to a normal keyboard, which is excellent for a mobile phone. However, others that tried the keyboard were less impressed, stating that it was harder to hit the keys and the flush nature of the keyboard made it harder to find the right button each time.

Wifi/internet. Webpages like Wikipedia appeared superbly fast on the screen, and even heavier mobile sites that use a lot of Flash animation loaded much faster than I expected.

BATTERY LIFE. The quoted 20 days of standby seems a little optimistic, given that I could get around 1.5 days out of the phone on an average charge.

ORGANIZER. The organiser on the phone is obviously tailored more towards the business user especially since it took to touchscreen well. It was a no brainer for one who is coming from the E75.

OVI which replaces the Nokia PC suite. The Ovi Suite was a lot more intuitive than previous efforts, encouraging me to sync across all my media, back up contacts and even throw it all online to make it safe forever as Nokia tries to integrate all its services. The only problem that I have is that I would still need to use the old Nokia PC Suite when syncing my other phone- E75.

Touchscreen. It may not be as nicely implemented as the iPhone 3G but for me it is close enough. I also liked the way the screen is angled when you slide open the keyboard.

Build Quality. The N97 may not be a head turner when it comes to design. It is solid but not as much when compared to the E75. It is still relatively well-built although in a plasticky way.

MULTI-MEDIA. It does a good job in handling music, videos, and even You Tube. And with the 32gb built-in storage, I was able to transfer all of my iPhone files to include my audiobooks. The sound quality of the external speakers is the best thus far that I have listened to in a smartphone. The sound quality from the included headsets are comparable if not better that the iPhone 3G.

What I disliked:

The somewhat buggy software. Not a deal breaker for me since the only problem that I am having is when engaging/disengaging the rocker lock keys. I have to pull it twice in order to unlock the phone. This is something that the OS upgrade is supposed to address. It’s just that the upgrade for my particular release model is not available for download yet (c’mon NOKIA).

The Verdict

Nokia fans will see this as a definite upgrade from what's been offered before, and those that appreciate a decent form factor in a phone will definitely do so too.

But there's just some annoying parts to the Nokia N97 that needs to be addressed by the much talked about OS upgrade.

Be that as it may, the N97 will now replace the iPhone 3G, in my gadget bag, as my primary phone with the E75 serving as the secondary (a second phone is a must for a project that I am currently working on).

I do not say that the N97 will be the iPhone killer. It is just that the most useful features that I loved in the iPhone 3G I now also have in the N97.

If you already have the E75 and use your phone mostly for business and do not need the extras like a larger screen, better sound quality, and a higher storage, then there is no need to upgrade.

If I can only carry 1 phone with me, what would it be? The iPhone 3G, the E75, or the N97?

Definitely, the N97.

Resources:

http://www.symbian-guru.com/welcome/series/n97-review

http://www.boygeniusreport.com/2009/06/12/nokia-n97-review/

http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/mobilephones/0,39051200,62049008-2,00.htm

http://www.techradar.com/reviews/phones/mobile-phones/nokia-n97-606466/review?artc_pg=1

N97 Video by jkkmobile

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Pp_MWYaPLkM

Yet Another Gadget Bag

In a recent post I wrote:

Back to the HK trip, my long-time friend and mentor, MARTIN CEPEDA, asked me to accompany him to a Montblanc shop to buy a pen. We went to the branch in Pacific Place and he went inside the store as I wandered through the other signature shops nearby. When he finally got out of the store, he was carrying a huge shopping bag with the store’s logo emblazoned on it. So I asked, “ boy, that must be a hell of a lot of pens that you brought there.” To which he replied, “Nope, this is my gift to you.”

As promised, here is what my friend got me from the MontBlanc shop;

It is an elegant messenger bag made from deer skin. It does not offer much support to a laptop that is why I always have to carry the Macbook Air in a Speck hard shell case. However, It is spacious enough to fit my daily mobile gear. Here is what I always carry with it:

L-R: MontBlanc Messenger bag, Macbook AIR, USB modem,  Minimax speaker,  Plantronics 925  bluetooth headset, notepad, VGA adapter, Nokia E71, iPhone 3G, and Bang & Olufsen A8 earset.

Windows7 on the Macbook AIR

In a previous post I wrote that, “2009 will be the year where I will be less distracted by new gadgets.” Well, compared to years before, I can say that that has been quite true. We are almost at the end of the 1st quarter of the year and I have not added any new gadgets to the TECHNOCOP HQ. In the cellphone department alone, I have stayed with my very sleek E71 and iPhone 3G.

But all that has changed and I would have to blame Windows 7 and a recent business trip to Hongkong together with a close friend. After being extremely happy and productive in Windows 7, I found myself walking the streets of Causeway bay looking for a thin and light netbook. You guessed it, a thin and light netbook that will sport Windows 7 just as soon as I lay my hands on it. Heck, I even brought with me the installer and an external DVD drive. Let us cut through the chase, I bought a Macbook Air 1.86 GHZ Core 2 Duo with 128 gig SSD and 2 gig RAM. At 3 lbs, it is just as light as any netbook on the market.

The Windows 7 install (Using Bootcamp) on the AIR went without a hitch as expected. I simply followed the very well-written step by step guide in Simple Help. Here is my quick take on the experience thus far:

• My eyes are thanking me for the AIR’s very crisp 13 inch screen.
• I enjoy using the trackpad that I do not carry a mouse with me anymore.
• The processor speed is decent. It boots Windows 7 in just 40 seconds and WORD 2007 in 3 seconds. 
• The battery is good enough for my regular day of use. The meter shows 3+ hours but I will have to validate that some more.
• Even with its brick power adapter, the AIR hardly occupies space in most of my bags.
• All my software are running without any issues (Office 2007, Photoshop, TextAloud, Windows Live writer, Firefox 3 beta, Sugarsync and the Mindmanager Pro).

As I put the AIR with Windows 7 to the test in the days to come, I will report here other experiences that you may find helpful.

Back to the HK trip, my long-time friend and mentor, MARTIN CEPEDA, asked me to accompany him to a Montblanc shop to buy a pen. We went to the branch in Pacific Place and he went inside the store as I wandered through the other signature shops nearby. When he finally got out of the store, he was carrying a huge shopping bag with the store’s logo emblazoned on it. So I asked, “ boy, that must be a hell of a lot of pens that you brought there.” To which he replied, “Nope, this is my gift to you.”

In my next post, I will tell you what the gift was. (HINT: it is perfect for the Macbook AIR).

Netbooks- My Most Popular Posts for 2008

I recently reviewed my blog stats and determined the following to be the Top 5 most popular posts here in TechnoCop for 2008:

• How to Sync Outlook across multiple computers please note that this was updated here.
• Netbook OSX
• Netbook OSX Redux
• Netbook Bags
• Skype and the Nokia N95

With three of the posts being netbook related, this only proves to show that 2008 (especially the second half) was the year of the netbook. I am predicting that this is only going to get better for the Netbook in 2009. I believe that the attraction for the netbook centers on three of its key features: 1. Its lightweight and small footprint;2. Decent processing power and battery life; and 3. Its low price point.

In my organization alone, a good number of our power users are now carrying a netbook, though mostly in XP. However a considerable number are installing OSX simply because of the latter's unobtrusive behavior. All it takes for them to install OS X is to point them towards the right direction (read: who can do the install for them). This is by no means intended as a Windows bashing. I still use a tablet PC with XP Tablet PC. Even this blog was written using a PC software (virtual XP under Parallels) which I am presently trying out - Zoundry Raven blogging client. Need I remind you that I was once a Windows only fanatic until I tried OSX in early 2007 after being fed up with Vista? Even my favorite mobile technology blogger, James Kendrick of JKONTHERUN, has decided to stick to a single OS to make things more simple - Apple's OS X.

I find that OS X rarely grabs my attention when I am trying to work which is not what I experience with Windows. Don't get me wrong, Windows is a fine OS and works well and I am not saying OS X is better or that Windows is not good. I am just saying that for the way I work, OS X stays out of my way better than Windows.

I second that, Sir James.

My 2008 data tends to show the growing interest of netizens in anything netbook, first, and the OS X, second. It is just too bad that the DNA of the people at Cupertino would not allow them to produce laptop's at the netbook's popular price point and configuration.

Finally, allow me to answer the question I posed to myself in a previous blog, "what happens to my netbook with OSX now that I have a new Macbook Aluminum?"

Had I not sold the old and reliable black Macbook that in turn gave me the additional funds to afford a new unibody Aluminum, I was more than happy with the Netbook. But lugging daily the ALUM in the very same bags that I used to carry the Netbook, I find that the bulk and the weight of the Alum is not too bad after all. You add to that the tremendous speed of the 2.4 ghz 4g RAM ALUM, for me, it was like bringing with me everyday the all too powerful and dependable MacPro desktop sitting at the THQ. And so, on the 1st working day of 2009, I will make a co-worker jump up and down with joy.

From the very words of Sir James, "See Yah!"

My 2009 Digital Arsenal

Although I often refer to my collection above as my digital arsenal (since most of the items are in digital camouflage), this blog however is about the digital gadgets that I have used in 2008. You can scroll down this page to see what I am really talking about.

It’s a new year and I have reflected on all the gadgets that I have used during 2008. A lot more gadgets passed through my hands in 2008, but I have only written reviews on those that I have found to work best for me. I’d like to share some of my favorites with you. These are the gadgets that I have used and will continue to use in 2009:

• Nokia E71. One of the longest staying cellphones in the TechnoCop HQ (THQ). I just love its full qwerty keyboard in such a slim package.
• Iphone 3G in a Moleskine. It is one of the best selling phones in 2008. I only use it for voice calls and mostly for listening to music &audiobooks, and also for reading-ebooks.
• XMINI Capsule Speakers. Gotta love the powerful sound from such a tiny device.
• Canon g10 14.7MP DigiCam. This is what I use mostly for the pictures that you see here.
• netbook OS X. It is simply the favored gadget at my workplace.
• Macbook Alum 2.4 ghz 4 g RAM. The latest addition to THQ. This thing is fast and quite portable when compared to the old Macbooks.
• HP2710P Tablet PC. My primary gadget for notetaking and brainstorming in the office. The last remaining PC in THQ.
• Tumi Expandable Computer Briefcase. It fits all of my laptops.
• Waterfield bag for the Macbook and the HP2710P. When I extremely have to travel light.
• Samsonite PRO DLX Backpack. My everyday bag for the ALUM with all my daily gadgets.
• Capturx Digital pen. It has effectively become my Tablet PC replacement.
• Instant Power cellphone charger. The 'PowerCartridge' is a zinc-air battery which connects to your cellphone via a 'SmartCord' connector. The battery will charge your cellphone 3 times and is perfect for vacation, travel and emergency, or anywhere there is no power source available.
• Battery Geek power supply for the Macbook. It gives me additional 2-3 hours of computer time when on the road.
• Kensington SlimBlade Presenter Mouse. The most versatile presenter/mouse I have ever used. It hardly occupies space in any of my bags.
• Fujitsu Scansnap S510M. This scanner works like a miracle in OS X. I will blog about how fast I digitized an entire book with it.
• My DIY Computer Desk. My desk is tethered to the MacPro, scanner, and the Canon iP90v portable printer. For someone who works as hard as I do, I deserve some luxury.

The above may seem like a wish list from Amazon, but they have collectively made 2008 an extremely productive year for me. With all these gadgets working flawlessly as they have in 2008, I think 2009 will be the year where I will be less distracted by new gadgets. Needless to say, I have all that I need for much of my anticipated activities for this new year. Also, the ‘wallet’ will have a lot to be thankful for. So, Bring them on….

Mac OS X Scanner

One thing that has enhanced my productivity over the years is my being 100 percent paperless. Every time I receive anything that is paper, it is immediately scanned, filed, then gets eaten up by the shredder. A good combination of a decent scanner and a compatible software are what had made this possible.

After years of trouble free use, I decided to install in our new office the old Canon DR 2580C which I have been using together with Adobe Acrobat Professional 7.0.

Recently, we had our hands full with voluminous files that need to be shared among my team members. Given the mood of the season, I decided to let my staff have the two year old 2580c. After reading raving reviews about the Fujitsu Scansnap S510, I decided to buy one for the SOHO – the THQ. I was not disappointed.

There are several assumptions about scanners in general that have been disproved by the S510M:

1. Scanners take up lots of desk space. The S510M’s footprint is even smaller than my old Canon DR 2580C and is almost just half that of a 13 inch macbook. It may not be as portable as the canon because of its girth but S510M is still amazingly small.

2. Scanners are slow. At 18 page a minute, it may not be as swift as the DR 2580C. But scanning a 30 page document in under two minutes, in my vocabulary, is fast.

3. Converting documents to text is a joke. Not, so with the very good integration of the Scansnap software and the bundled OCR software - ABYY FineReader for ScanSnap™ 3.0 Mac Edition. I am experiencing close to 100% accuracy in this department.

4. They are prone to paper jams. I have scanned 500 pages of different sizes and have not yet, fingers crossed, encountered a single paper jam.

It is a small scanner which weighs only 5.9 lb. The paper feeder can hold 50 sheets and it can scan a variety of paper sizes. The ScanSnap can scan color documents at 600dpi, black and white at 1,200dpi, and Duplex at 0.6 pages per minute to 1.2 images per minute. It also come with a film sheet that allows me to scan crumpled paper and even A3 sized poster (folded, placed inside the film sheet, and scanned in duplex mode).

ScanSnap S510M can clearly scan photographs but the original may come out folded since the feed path isn’t completely straight. Besides, for pictures, we have plenty of flatbed scanners gathering dust in the office.

The S510 comes bundled with the following software:

• Adobe Acrobat 8 Professional

• ABYY FineReader for ScanSnap™ 3.0 Mac Edition

• Cardiris 3.5 (Business card scans)

My workflow in the past was to scan a document, give it a filename, and manually store it in various different folders. With the added scan to searchable PDF (via FineReader), I just let the S510M do its thing and need not worry about naming the file or which folder to put them in. Scanned searchable PDFs are given default names and saved in the default folder which I selected, all these with the push of one button in the S510M. Life just got sweeter.

The S510M will set you back around US$435. But if you exclude the cost of the bundled software it comes with, your total cost for the hardware should be just around, drum roll, FREE. This is not a typo. Go check with Amazon.

Let me leave you with just one question. Have you ‘tamed your paper tiger’ lately?

Technocop HQ, the Other Side

In my previous post, I detailed my SOHO setup. I have tried practically every setup there is and could not find a more efficient, and comfy, setup that what I have. Below is the other side of the THQ where I do most of my non-computer work. The Canon iP90v is connected via Bluetooth to the Mac Pro at the other side.

On top of my desk is the HP 2710p in tablet mode where I do most of my note-taking. The ergonomic chair is by Margolis.

The TECHNOCOP HQ

This post is to yield to the numerous requests to get a glimpse of the Technocop Headquarters (THQ). Here is one side of the THQ once more (click on the photo for a closer view):

Just a quick run-down of what is shown:

1. A DIY computer table project I described here.
2. Viewsonic 28 in monitor giving me a 1920x1200 'real estate'.
3. Fujtsu Scansnap S510M scanner sitting on top of the Mac Pro. It is just an amazing scanner.
4. The speed demon Mac Pro 3.0 Ghz Quad Core
5. Kensington SlimBlade Presenter Media Mouse
6. Belkin 4 port USB hub
7. Apple wireless Keyboard
8. Bose portable SoundDock

This setup is such a joy to use. It has made working for hours on end in front of the computer much bearable and fun too. Note that the table is pushed a bit to the side which allows me to watch TV even while working, especially when CSI is on.

In my next blog, I will show you the other half of the THQ where I do the heavy office work.

Who says that working has to be so horrible?