Archive for the ‘Productivity’ Category

Maximizing Battery Life for the HTC Hero

Friday, July 9th, 2010

The smarter the phone, the shorter the battery life.  It’s a sometimes frustrating axiom of modern technology – and it’s especially true for nerds power-users like me, who tend to push their gadgets to the limits.

But the HTC Hero has a some things going for it in this regard that may help.  First of all, it charges via a mini USB cord, rather than a unique device-specific adapter.  Charging can be done either through an electrical outlet with the adapter and cable that come with the phone – or by plugging the phone into a USB port on your computer.  I just keep my phone plugged into my computer while I’m at the office.  This is especially handy if I go out after work – my phone is fully charged and ready for action.

If you’re a gadget-head like I am, you’ve probably got some extra USB/mini-USB cables lying around.  If not, you can pick one up for a couple of bucks at your local electronics shop or online.

Of course, the other way to manage battery life is to only turn on the services you need.  If you’re not using Wifi, turn it off; if you only use Bluetooth in your car, turn it off when you get to work; turn off GPS when you’re not using maps.  And this is all made very easy to do with the Android Power Control widget.  Add the Power Control widget from the widget gallery (Press Home button -> Menu button -> Tap Add to Home -> Tap Widget) to one of your home screens and you’ll have quick access to control power functions that can suck up juice even when you’re not actively using them.

From left to right:

Wifi – Off/On
Bluetooth – Off/On
GPS – Off/On
Sync – Off/On
Screen Brightness – Cycles through Low, Medium and High with each tap.  I have my screen set to Auto Brightness control, so I generally don’t make other changes.  Keep in mind that using the Brightness control in the Power Control widget will deactivate Auto Brightness; to re-enable, you’ll need to go to Settings/Sound & Display/Brightness.

So, in spite of moderate-to-heavy use throughout the day and evening, these tips mean my Hero is always ready to go.

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Planning a trip? Consider Kayak.

Sunday, May 23rd, 2010

Travel season is slowly creeping up. For those like me that are already looking to go home for the holidays, consider using Kayak. I’ve had great luck in finding low priced airfare right on my BlackBerry Curve 8530. The app is free and available in the BlackBerry App World.

I’ve actually spent some time comparing the prices that Kayak offered with their online competitors. I found that Kayak was very competitive, often cheaper but never more expensive. The app is well made, easy to use and has additional features such as a list of Airline companies and their fees. Beyond that, the Kayak app is also available for the HTC Hero :)

I recommend Kayak for all the reasons I’ve listed – let me know what your Kayak experience is like.

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What I’ve been up to..

Monday, May 17th, 2010

On my mobile handset (and I’ve been using an Android handset in addition to my BlackBerry lately), I tend to look for apps that are either media portals (those that deliver news and or blog content seamlessly) or tools (such as a flashlight app). As I walk between the BlackBerry and Android worlds I’ve been looking to see which specific apps, media delivery and types of tools, that work well in both worlds.

Here’s what I’m up to:

Media
There are a ton of media sites and apps. I believe that very soon you will be able to find an app for your favorite news source on any platform. For the moment here are my picks (all are free unless specifically noted):

Android
• Huffington Post – Original content from one of the most popular blogs out there.
• Engadget – My personal favorite gadget news site.
• AP Mobile – For all AP wire stories.

Black Berry
• New York Times – All the news that’s fit to Print
• Slate – My favorite online magazine. Lots of great writing, debate, and even a bit of fluff.
• AP Mobile – For all AP wire stories.

Tools
For the most part I think the simpler the app the better. Here are my top faves:

Flashlight tools – Completely awesome when it is all you have. When your parking meter change falls out of your pocket at night, a flashlight app can save you from the risk of parking tickets. There are a number of apps out there. Some use a handset’s flash LED (on my BlackBerry tour, for example) and some use the handset’s LCD screen (as on my Android handset).

BlackBerry
• BestFlash ($2.99)

Android
• Color Flashlight

Guitar Tuner – This little app replaces my standalone guitar tuner and tuning fork. Yea! There a number of them for Android. There are a few for Blackberry but they tend to be pricey.

Android
• G Strings Guitar Tuner

BlackBerry
• Guitar Studio ($9.99), also includes chord library and some other useful utilities.

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Finding a Parking Spot with Your Mobile Phone

Monday, March 29th, 2010

As urban residents know, finding a parking spot can be a time consuming and incredibly frustrating experience. Sadly, it is also quite destructive for the environment. Transportation Alternatives, a great non-profit in NYC which promotes bicycling, walking and public transit, estimates that 45% of NYC traffic is generated by cars circling the block in search of parking.

Thankfully, you mobile phone can help preserve your sanity while saving you gas money and preventing pollution. If you live in New York or Boston, check out Primospot. They have a mobile-friendly website (as well as iPhone and Android apps) that help you find parking spots, garages, and even bicycle racks. Just type in your address, intersection, or zip code. For parkings spots, it provides a map that shows where you can (and cannot) park, shows how much time is left based on the regulations, and identifies spots that are about to become legal. For garages, you can compare hourly, daily and monthly prices on the map.

To access PrimoSpot on your Credo Mobile BlackBerry or other Internet enabled mobile device, open the browser of your phone or device and type http://primospot.com/m in its address field. The homepage will open.

search

The results for the on-street parking will display the best options first, meaning which sides of which blocks you can park for the longest amount of time. The red asterisk* indicates metered parking. If you would like to see more results, scroll down to the bottom and click next.

>results1

After clicking on a side of one of the blocks, you will see a map and the detailed regulations for that side of the street.
details

Good luck finding those spots, but wouldn’t it be easier if you were biking? (Also, please pull over before using this app. Driving while playing with your mobile phone is as risky as drunk driving. Tx.)

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Posted in Green, Productivity, Travel and Maps | 4 Comments »

Opera Mini 5 Beta 2

Monday, March 15th, 2010

Opera has released a new version of their popular mobile phone browser and it might now be the best mobile browser on the market. The new browser has the look and feel of the original desktop Opera browser and perhaps its best feature is how customizable it allows users to set up their home screen with nine different saved websites. Searching is also easy to do with the quick search bar tool in the upper right hand corner of the browser. The new browser has made it fast to swtich between tabs and refresh pages. Here are some highlights on the best new features with the new Opera mobile application:

•Tabbed browsing-Open and skip between several sites at the sames time.

•Speed dial-Creates a several screen interface to quickly open favorite sites.

•Password manager-Allows users to log on email accounts, social network and other sites with just one click.

Opera Mini 5 Beta Overview

Opera Mini 5 Beta Download Link

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FlashLight OneTouch

Wednesday, March 10th, 2010

This app uses the video function on your Blackberry device to activate the video camera light so you can use it as a flash light. I usually have a flashlight on my keychain. I also have a six-year old who likes to press the flashlight button and leave it on so the batteries are always dead. I usually find a need for a flashlight on an almost daily basis. This does a pretty good job and allows me to forgo the flashlight on my keychain. I have spent more than $2.99 (the cost of the app) on flashlight batteries in the last three months so I this will “pay for itself” pretty quickly. And the light is surprisingly bright! I wouldn’t want this to be my only source of light on an Everest expedition, but for finding that dropped quarter on a dark sidewalk it works great.

base_media

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Zagat To Go on BlackBerry

Wednesday, January 13th, 2010

Restaurant week is occurring in many cities so I thought this was the ideal time to try out Zagat to Go 7.0 for Blackberry. Zagat to Go provides up-to-date Zagat Survey ratings and reviews for over 40,000 restaurants, nightspots, hotels and golf courses in hundreds of cities worldwide.

ztg_blackberry_home

Features of the mobile version include:

Ratings: Just like the Zagat Survey books, Zagat to Go rates each restaurant on Food, Décor, Service and Cost using a 30 point scale.

Search: In the app you can search for a restaurant by name or browse by cuisine, neighborhood, or one of the numerous features like child friendly and power scene. I often also take advantage of a variety of lists of top rated restaurants by category. When traveling, it’s especially valuable to use the GPS search to find a nearby location.

Usability: The app is easy to use and navigate. It allows you to quickly make a reservation using the click-to-call button or map it using a full color downloadable map and directions. You can even add a reservation to your calendar or establishment to your address book.

Coverage: People typically either love or hate this application and it primarily boils down to the coverage in your area. I recommend the 14-day trial to ensure you’re satisfied with the results before you invest in this app. Zagat covers restaurants in the following regions: New York City, San Francisco, Los Angeles, London, Washington DC/ Baltimore, Philadelphia, Boston, Chicago, Miami /Ft Lauderdale, Seattle, Atlanta, Houston, Dallas Ft. Worth, Sacramento, Las Vegas, New Orleans, San Diego, Hawaii, New Jersey, Connecticut, Texas, Westchester NY/Hudson Valley, Long Island, Montreal, Toronto, Paris, Tokyo, Hong Kong, Shanghai and the top restaurants and hotels in other major cities and regions.

Download 14-day trial: Go to http://mobile.zagat.com/blackberry.htm. You can download the 14-day trial by entering your phone number to receive installation instructions via text message or use the BlackBerry Desktop Manager (Note: Only supports Windows based operating systems) to download directly from this page.

Purchase Zagat to Go:

  1. Go to Handmark’s site. www.handmark.com
  2. On the site – select your handset model and type “Zagat to Go” into the search box.
  3. In order to download the application you’ll need to set up an account. Handmark charges downloads to a credit card, debit card, or paypal account that you provide. Handmark is a partner that CREDO recommends to our customers for Smartphone content. In addition to the BlackBerry, Handmark offers content and applications for many other phones including almost all smartphones and some standard phones including the Motorola Razor.
  4. You have the option of selecting an annual membership to Zagat to Go for $19.99 or a monthly subscription for $3.99/month. Once you’ve made a selection, you’ll receive a text message with a link to download the application. You’ll need to have a phone with a data service plan in order to access the mobile web link and download the application.
  5. After you have successfully downloaded you’ll find the application’s Icon on your phone’s main menu/icon list.

BTW wondering when restaurant week is in your area? Check out: http://www.eatdrinkdeals.com/2010/01/restaurant-week-across-usa-2/

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My journey from quasi-luddite to BlackBerry fan

Tuesday, January 5th, 2010

It’s been about six months since I got my BlackBerry Curve (I upgraded from a Sanyo Katana) — and so with the coming of the new year I decided to look back and consider whether or not it’s really made my life any better. In short, I’ve got to say, the answer is a resounding “yes.”

The biggest advantage I’ve found is that with my email in my pocket, I no longer need to stay in front of a computer to stay in touch with what’s going on at work. If I need to be away from my desk for an hour or so to run some errands, I’m still easily reachable by email — and lots of times, my colleagues don’t even know I’m gone.

(I’ve also fired off a few not-so-coherent, late-night messages using my personal email account…but I’m always sure to check the recipient list repeatedly to make sure only my closest friends will be getting my harangues. No sense fulfilling any urban dictionary stereotypes or anything.)

Another great advantage is the better web browsing experience that a smartphone offers. As I detailed in a previous post, my BlackBerry plus the Weather Underground’s animated weather radar images helped turn what could have been a disastrous day at the zoo into a decently fun excursion.

Oddly enough, my parents are huge fans of my new smartphone as well. The reason? Every few days they get a short video emailed to them featuring their one and only granddaughter, who’s growing up fast these days. Point, click, save the file, send as email…and California grandparents can hear firsthand all the big new words their granddaughter is learning in Ohio.

The only drawback I can see is, of course, the price tag — smartphones on CREDO Mobile (as with just about every other network I’m aware of) require a data plan along with your voice plan. CREDO’s unlimited BlackBerry data plan is only $29.99 per month, though — which, looking back, seems a pretty small price to pay for some of the ways I’m now better connected to the world around me.

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The Least Exciting, Most Practical App on My BlackBerry

Friday, December 18th, 2009

Mobile Banking. It’s not particularly exciting — at least not to a layman like me, who has no idea the amount of security technology that must be involved in banking (only that there is probably a lot) but banking via my BlackBerry is incredibly useful. Not to say that listening to music or playing Brickbreaker isn’t a good use of my time — but Mobile Banking is probably the most practical thing I use my phone for. Well, aside from actually talking on the phone.

I’ve been using the free Wells Fargo mobile banking shortcut on my CREDO BlackBerry for the last few months now, and I’m sure that most other major banks have similar apps available. For Wells Fargo customers it’s pretty easy to get started, just sign on to your account at wf.com with your phone’s browser. Once you’re logged in, you can opt to transfer money between your accounts (or to another customer), find ATMs, check your balance, and pay bills. I’d have to say that locating an ATM is the feature I’ve used most often. Again, this app isn’t as much fun as playing games or perusing the REI.com WAP site, but it’s definitely practical. And it can’t hurt for my phone to be practical once in a while.

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Ebay BlackBerry Application

Wednesday, December 16th, 2009

Ebay has released a new free mobile BlackBerry application currently in beta that allows users to bid on auctions, track auctions, and monitor saved searches and favorite sellers. The application fares pretty well as far as searching for items and saving items to your Ebay Watch list or to your calendar. I don’t quite feel as comfortable bidding or buying items on Ebay via the application, though, because the item pictures aren’t very detailed and reading through the terms and conditions in auction descriptions is hard on a mobile screen.

You can find a link to download the application via this link:

Ebay Application @ BlackBerry AppWorld

The downside is the application is only geared towards buyers on Ebay and completely omits sellers from utilizing the application. The reviews on BlackBerry AppWorld are very critical of this missing feature in the application. This is a big omission, as much of the appeal of an Ebay application is for Ebay sellers to monitor live auctions. I hope Ebay can improve the application in the future by including more sellers’ tools and allowing users to set preferences in terms of which items are highlighted on the main search page.
ebay_blackberry_beta

To use the eBay for BlackBerry smartphones, you will need the following: 175KB of available application memory, BlackBerry Internet Service browsing capabilities, and BlackBerry® Device Software Version 4.5 or later.

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