Smart

Oops. Palm pulls Verizon Treo 700 updates

Doh! Palm has pulled its software updates for the Verizon WirelessTreo 700p and Treo 700w/700wx after numerous customer complaints about connectivity issues. A statement on Palm's Web site says the update was taken down "... as a result of increasing customer reports of network connectivity issues following the updates. We are currently investigating the issue and will re-post as soon as they become available. The reported error displays 'Error 3000 - Data network is not available' when attempting to connect to the data network. This error does not affect your device or personal data in any other … Read more

FCC find: CDMA-lovin' HTC Iris S640

Let's be honest here. If you're a Sprint or Verizon Wireless customer, you must feel a slight twinge of envy as companies steadily churn out cool GSM-only smart phones like the HTC Cavalier S630 and Nokia N95, while leaving the CDMA network in the cold. But there, there, don't fret; the smart phone manufacturers haven't forgotten about you. In fact, the FCC has just approved a device called the HTC Iris S640, a Windows Mobile 6 smart phone with integrated Bluetooth, Wi-Fi, and EV-DO support. It's also said that the candy bar-style handset will have … Read more

Is there a smart home in your future? part two

Yesterday was the setup for an eye-opening smart home adventure for my new custom home. Here's the conclusion:

I found lots of solutions that weren't robust enough for my application. One of the best was by Control4, a venture-funded startup in Salt Lake City, Utah. Control4's products are wireless and perfect for retrofitting an existing home since they don't require structured cable. Still, I had the luxury of wiring the house, which in my perhaps overly-conservative way of thinking is more bulletproof than wireless, so I kept on searching.

The best solution I could find for new home construction was Lifeware by Exceptional Innovation. Lifeware integrates with Windows and now Vista Media Center, creating a single interface and relatively seamless integration between subsystems. I even found a contractor capable of designing, networking and installing all the subsystems.

I was more than a bit queasy about Microsoft having any part in controlling my home. What if it crashed? Would the whole house turn blue until I rebooted it? And how exactly do you reboot a house? What if a virus or a worm or spyware got in? But Lifeware was supposed to be bulletproof, so I temporarily set my fear aside while I awaited the all important price-tag.

I was really excited to get the contractor's proposal. I involuntarily held my breath as I opened the attachment and then scrolled down to the bottom of the six-page document. After the initial shock wore off, I was finally able to breath again. I called another vendor for a sanity check. Same thing.

I wondered if these people were smoking something or maybe I'm just cheap? I didn't believe the latter, since I was building a relatively expensive home. I'll let you decide. Here's the math:… Read more

Photos: HTC Advantage X7501

HTC has finally released its HTC Advantage X7501 into the wild. The device is a bit of a curiosity, blending the workings of a smart phone into the design of a UMPC. So what exactly is this thing all about? Get a closer look here in our hands-on photo gallery and then read our full review to find out about the inner workings of the HTC Advantage.

Is there a smart home in your future?

About 25 years ago, a coworker and I brainstormed about designing home automation into new home construction. I think one of us did a paper on it for business school, or maybe we worked on it together; I can't remember. What I do remember is that I couldn't stand accounting and quit the MBA program. Maybe that explains why I only got to be a CEO for seven months.

At the time, computer and network technology was all big iron, so robust, cost-effective home automation was a long way off. Nevertheless, we had hopes and dreams, and one of mine was to someday build my dream home with lots of cool technology built-in.

Fast forward 25 years. My wife and I are near completion of a custom home. We put our hopes and dreams into this house, which my wife designed. Our architect and builder had a mastery of every aspect of the process, except for one: smart home technology. That kind of left me in charge of dealing with that aspect of the home.

Since I'm somewhat of a computer geek, I didn't have too much of a problem with that. After all, I knew what the technology was capable of, I knew the tradeoffs, and I knew what I wanted. I also knew when a contractor was blowing smoke up my butt, which came in handy.… Read more

Are we to get our very own Nokia N95 with 3G?

Well, hey now! (Does anyone else remember this episode from The Larry Sanders Show?) Symbian-Guru.com received this alleged promo flyer for a U.S. version of the Nokia N95 super smart phone. The revamped model includes the addition of HSDPA (850/1900 MHz) 3G support, a higher-capacity 1200mAh battery (compared to the old 950mAh lithium-ion cell), increased 128MB of RAM, a 1GB microSD card included in the box, and a redesigned black back cover. Some say that this flavor of the N95 could land stateside as early as next month with the backing of AT&T, but we'… Read more

HTC Advantage now in stores, worth $900?

Today, HTC America announced that its non-smart phone, non-laptop, not-really-sure-what-to-call-it HTC Advantage is now available for purchase at CompUSA and Amazon.com for $899 (gulp). The Advantage represents a new product category for the company, and it isn't designed to be a complete laptop replacement. Instead, the Windows Mobile 6 mobile computer is "the perfect device for three days on the road," according to HTC's description. Just marketing fluff? Well, check out the device's specs:

A 5-inch VGA touch screen and a magnetically connected full QWERTY keyboard Small enough to put in a large coat … Read more

CodeWallet and eWallet duke it out for your phone

The brawniest smart phones may be equipped to withstand a hearty flinging across the room, and the brainiest may be able to finesse your multimedia or autocorrect your photos, but few can do on their own what CodeWallet Pro and eWallet Professional (various versions) can to manage and secure your data in a central, locked-down location.

I'm not talking about one smart phone with separate notebook, word processing, e-mailing, and database programs that have been shrunk down from their original desktop formats to disco with your data. I'm talking about programs that have been made with mobility in mind, that regard themselves as serious guardians of very sensitive information. Whether they stand up to the task and whether you really need them are issues we'll get to. To begin, let's take a look at eWallet Professional and CodeWallet Pro (which shall henceforth simply be known as eWallet and CodeWallet).… Read more

Photos: HTC Cavalier S630 (unlocked)

As many of you know, the world of tech can be such a frustrating waiting game. Companies will tease you by announcing a hot little product, but it can be months and months before it actually comes to market. Take the HTC Cavalier S630, for example. The successor to the T-Mobile Dash already has passed FCC tests but we're still waiting for an official carrier and availability announcement. Lucky for us, we were able to get an unlocked version of the Windows Mobile 6 smart phone from Mobile Planet, so take a look at our slide show, and check … Read more