PalmPDF now in beta

One major weakness in using my Treo 650 right now is the lack of ability to view PDF files that are emailed to me when I am on the road. DataViz is working on a solution that is supposed to be out before the end of the year. In the meantime, an enterprising developer has been working on a solution and PalmPDF is now in beta stage. This is a free program and actually works pretty well. I tested a few PDF files so far and only one would not open due to some unique font issues. I need to try emailing a file to myself to see how that part works, but it is great to see someone tackle this problem. Give it a try and provide feedback to Jonas on the application.

Low posts this week, off on a business trip

I am just now returning from a trip out to Norfolk, VA where I had to conduct a stability test on an oceanographic research vessel and was too busy to post any entries. The test went great, the food on the ship was awesome, and the beds were even comfortable. I did get a chance to read a bit more of the No More Christian Nice Guy book I am reading to review for Mind & Media.

I was also experiencing some weird T-Mobile data slowdowns that prevented me from really even getting my email.

Back to Treo 650 again, somebody stop me

OK, I won't blame you if you never read my blog site again after reading what I just did. David Weiniger, who seems to know me quite well, emailed and asked if I was keeping the QTEK 9100 device. If I didn't want to keep it then he would refund my money and use it to send out to other reviewers. Dang, this put the little Palm guy on my shoulder saying "send it back, you don't have the money for it and don't need it". Then, my buddy who was going to buy my Treo 650 package called to tell me he had to put lots of cash into his car and couldn't afford to buy it. Well, this just put the nail in the coffin and I just FedExed back the QTEK 9100 to David. I did like the device quite a bit and it is a great Phone Edition device, but the Treo 650 is just so functional and meets my needs like I stated previously. Granted, there are more bells and whistles with the HTC Wizard, but these are not personally needed by me. I also discovered PDANet and am using the trial version right now. This allows me to use the Treo 650 as a cabled or Bluetooth modem for my Tablet PC.

Call me PDA schitzo, but I think I'll be happy sticking with the Treo 650:)

Pocket e-Sword has issues in landscape mode

I tried using Pocket e-Sword today to take sermon notes in church and after the display shut off and I turned it back on the application completely locked up and would not exit, even with Spb Pocket Plus or Windows Mobile. I had to do a soft reset to run the program again and had the same issues. As a result, I ended up taking notes in the Notes program since that was the fastest and worked flawlessly in landscape mode.

I look forward to when all applications are working well on Windows Mobile 5.0, but as an early adopter it looks like I'll have to put up with software issues for a while.

Production QTEK 9100 in my hands, new minor issues

My production model QTEK 9100 arrived today and while it does have a better keyboard design and backlight, there are a couple of new issues that I don't like compared to the preproduction model as I detailed in this Howard Forums post. You see the display is now like the K-JAM and not the richer darker version seen on the preproduction model. Also, they changed the Comm Manager to one that makes a lot less common sense. Instead of leaving the phone on/off button they put a volume on/off button. Well you can turn the volume on/off by just holding the Comm Manager hardware button so there is no reason to have duplicate methods for doing this. The Comm Manager now requires that you physically tap the display on your device to turn the phone on or off using the small icon on the top status bar. I am going to see if I can get the Comm Manager from the preproduction model working on the production model since that would address one new issue.

If the keyboard backlight was better on this preproduction model and I could get a ROM update then I would seriously consider keeping it instead since I REALLY like the better, less washed out colors of the display. The QTEK 9100 would be perfect with the old Comm Manager and more colorful display.

QTEK 9100 almost here and Bible on WM 5.0

I just received a FedEx tracking number for my production QTEK 9100 and it will be at my office by 10:30 am at the latest tomorrow morning. I already have a Boxwave anti-glare screen protector in hand and have ordered a 1GB miniSD card as well. I can't wait to see if the keyboard backlight, sliding mechanism, and other minor issues have been fixed on the production unit and have faith that they have.

PocketBible is not yet working correctly on Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, but I found Pocket e-Sword works very well and I am using that right now. The problem with PocketBible is that you only get the first couple verses of each chapter when you navigate from chapter to chapter. Also, if you go to a specific verse then all the verses above it show up, but nothing after the targeted verse shows up. Very strange behavior that I hope they fix soon. I also use e-Sword on my Tablet PC and find it to be quite a wonderful Bible reader, and it is FREE.

Cingular testing HSDPA here in Seattle

I've been quite happy with the 100-120 kbps EDGE speeds I have been seeing on T-Mobile and just recently resigned for another year with them to add my two oldest daughters to the family plan. I just read an Engadget article stating the Cingular has HSDPA running here in select markets for testing, including the Seattle area. This data network will give you speeds approaching what others have been enjoying with EVDO. While this is quite exciting for us data hounds and makes me almost want to kick myself for not making the switch to Cingular, there are currently no mobile devices supporting HSDPA and there is no word on what Cingular will charge for this faster data service. I am sure T-Mobile will eventually catch up in the 3G/3.5G world and am quite content to use some amazing devices with EDGE. Once HSDPA and other high speed networks really start rolling out I will have to give some thought to dropping my DSL service that I pay $50 a month for now.

Where in the world is the QTEK 9100?

There is quite a saga going on with delays in shipping out the QTEK 9100 devices, but it now looks like at least one batch is here in the US waiting to clear Customs. I paid for overnight delivery so I may get it before the end of the week. In the meantime, I still have the pre-production test QTEK 9100 as I wait for the supplier to get back to me with shipping info. I have been pleased with its performance and am satisfied with my decision to sell the Treo 650. I do still have the 650 sitting in a box with all the accessories and thought about breaking it out again, but I am now determined to stop being wishy-washy and stick with my decision to go with the HTC Wizard. These will be great if they come to US carriers, but I am happy I paid a bit more money to get one for sure since we don't know if they really ever will make it to T-Mobile or Cingular.

BTW, Cingular and HP just announced the availability of the HP Mobile Messenger 6515 device. While the device does have integrated GPS, the use of WM 2003 SE on a device with a thumb keyboard is not a very good move since keyboard integration is weak prior to WM 5.0. Also, I read in reviews that the device is a dog and has a short battery life. HP has not been very successful with its Phone Edition devices and US carriers should just focus on bringing high quality HTC devices to the US market. Consumers who are not device addicts like me probably won't have a great experience with the 6515 and this may turn them off on Windows Mobile devices.

Book Review: How to Write ebook by Herbert and Jill Meyer

In my normal day job as a naval architect I regularly spend a lot of time writing proposals, specifications, reports, and letters. I do not fall into the stereotype that some people have of engineers who can not write and actually believe I have decent writing skills. I am often asked to write or help write letters to companies, recommendation letters, application letters, etc. for friends and family since my writing seems to get results. I am also a daily news writer and product reviewer for Geek.com and receive lots of positive feedback from readers. I was blessed to have some excellent teachers in high school who challenged me to write and then in college I had some more great instruction on how to put my ideas and thoughts together in written form. However, while others may think I am quite good, I personally feel I can improve and jumped at the chance to put together a review of an ebook titled, "How to Write". As readers of my blog and Geek.com know I am an avid ebook reader and was happy to see Stacy Harp from Mind & Media get a chance to review an electronic format of a book.

How to Write was written by Herbert and Jill Meyer and is published by Storm King Press. This is a book that has been around since 1986 and was updated in 1993 to reflect a change in the hardware related to writing. The amazing thing is that now this book is available in electronic format for only $1.99. I was sent a free copy to review in Adobe PDF format, but it is also available in Microsoft Reader and Mobipocket Reader format. I am going to buy the Mobipocket format since I use this reader on my Tablet PC, Palm, Series 60, and Windows Mobile devices.

How to Write is just over 100 pages in Adobe format and is both an instruction book and handbook that everyone who writes should immediately purchase. When I say everyone who writes, I mean anyone who writes letters, memos, reports, reviews, novels, short stories, manuals, etc. which I imagine covers just about all of us. I plan on having my daughters read this book now as they are really starting to develop their writing style and feel this will help them focus and improve immediately.

How to Write starts with an introduction talking about how the volume of text available to us today is an exponential increase over what our grandparents may have been exposed to and how important it is for authors to now put together material that compels the reader to continue reading their text. I admit I am a serious data hound and could browse all day on the internet reading about mobile devices, Christianity, sports, news, and more. I end up focusing on certain sites where I find the writing to be of good quality and with good content.

There is a small section on how to use the book and the authors recommend that you read through the entire book from cover to cover and then continue to use it as a handbook afterwards. That is why I am buying the Mobipocket format, so it is with me and my mobile devices at all times.

The main content of the book is divided into 3 parts; Organizing for the Job, Turning Out a First Draft, and Polishing the Product.

I have always been very self-disciplined and extremely well organized so organizing for the job was a section title I was excited to read about. This part is divided into 3 key steps; choose your category, pick your points, and collect your details. The authors go into great detail for each step and as you will read organization is vital to creating a well formed piece of written material.

The second part is also divided into three important steps; figure out your theme, make your outline, and write your draft. I found the instructions and tips quite helpful and plan on ensuring I follow the advice in my writing. The authors provide detailed examples of the methods and techniques so the reader has no doubt about how to apply them in their own writing.

The third part discusses polishing your writing with accuracy, precision, consistency, briefness, fairness, and more. This part ends by bringing in the draft of a sample from part two and then shows how the writing can be polished and refined to a final product

The final section of the book is titled Ready, Set, Go and answers some common questions you may have about writing, while also encouraging you to get out and write.

I read through the book in just about an hour and plan on using it as a handbook for my daily writing tasks. I highly recommend you purchase this book for yourself or student you may know for the very small fee of only $1.99 and think you will find it worth much more than that.

Couple issues that drove me nuts with Palm

I know these issues may not apply to many people and aren't really deal breakers, but there were a couple issues other than those I previously mentioned that bugged me about the Treo 650 and are not present in WM 5.0.

I had to recategorize my Outlook Contact categories because the Palm OS limits the number of categories (or else throws everything into unfiled) and limits the length of category names. Also, adding photos to my contacts in WM 5 and have them sync to Outlook is very cool.

Ordered the QTEK 9100, Treo 650 is on the way out

Somebody get me a doctor, I have a problem with PDA addiction:) As I stated here on my blog I was asked to keep the QTEK 9100 a bit longer until the supplier was up and running in their new office. This gave me a chance to check it out some more and as a result I was sucked into the world of the latest and greatest and just ordered my QTEK 9100 production unit from Mad Monkey Boy (aka David Weiniger). Thus my Treo 650 is now getting prepped for departure from my kit and I will probably miss it like I did last time.

I have seen many others debating between keeping a Treo 650 or going for a Wizard and it all comes down to personal preference and desired usage since they are both equally amazing devices. The multitasking, XM Satellite streaming, seamless Outlook use with ActiveSync and shear cutting edge specifications pushed me over to the Wizard and I am not going to look back again.

I am now going to get a big miniSD card and start putting together hacks and applications to load up on the device and hopefull will get it in my hands next week. I am confident the preproduction issues (loose keyboard, RF signal strength, and keyboard backlight) will be fixed and am betting quite a chunk of change on this fact. The keyboard actually did fully backlight when I looked through my camera lens, but it was not visible to the naked eye. RF strength was just as good as the Treo with the production K-JAM and the keyboard was also rock solid.

Cingular may roll out UMTS in November here in Puget Sound

AHHHHHHHH, yes that is the sound of me screaming! I just read on Engadget that Cingular will be rolling out UMTS and/or HSDPA this year in my area (Seattle/Tacoma) and I just missed canceling my new T-Mobile family plan by 6 days. Why do the have a 20 day period instead of a 30 day period? So now I am stuck with T-Mobile for at least another year, but am seriously considering a switch to Cingular next year with their better phone selection, rollover minutes, and cutting edge data network. T-Mobile can probably only keep me now if they improve their data network, but they just rolled out EDGE so I don't think we'll see changes anytime soon. EDGE is great, but UMTS/HSDPA would be even better with speeds 2-3 times what we are seeing on EDGE. In a couple years we won't really need DSL or a home phone, which I am looking forward to.

Cool things to do with the Wizard

I am sitting here making this entry while I listen to XM Satellite radio both on the QTEK 9100. The stereo speakers sound great! UPDATE: I am listening to XM Satellite Radio with my Bluetooth headset (Cardo Scala 500) right now at work. It is not in stereo, but I need a free ear for listening for the phone and other things anyway and just want sound out of one ear. This is so cool :) Oh yeah, I am using the EDGE connection and know I could do the same thing via WiFi with the Axim, but not everywhere while I am out and about. I have not seen any buffering after the initial loading with the EDGE network so far.

I also like the ability to use the excellent Smartphone GPS applications on the device. There are a few annoyances (primarily with dialing in portrait mode), but I am confident that Xda Developers will figure out ways to customize the device.

One Wizard gone and the other is still here, oh no!

I should have just stopped looking around and thinking about the Wizard and kept right on using my Treo 650 happily day-by-day. But, posters to this blog and others got me thinking about the device again. I did send back the production i-mate K-JAM that David loaned me, actually I believe someone bought it from him. However, the company that sent me the pre-production QTEK 9100 is moving so they told me to hang on to it for a bit until they get an updated address, etc. So now I opened it back up and am going to give it a try again for a few days. It is very convenient having WiFi, Bluetooth voice dialing, and the other multitasking features of Windows Mobile in one device. I'll let you all know how it continues to go :)

The Treo 650 stays and the Wizard hits the road

After almost 3 weeks of trying to decide between the HTC Wizard and the Treo 650 I have decided to stick with the Treo 650. As some of my readers may know I had a Treo 650 back in Feb/March and then recently came back to it because it is such an incredible device and for me it is a better fit at this time and won't cost me anything. Going for the K-JAM would cost me a couple hundred over what I could get for the Treo 650 and as a reviewer, I am lucky enough to have a X51v in my hand to use indefinitely too.

One of the big limitations of the Palm web browser is the 2MB download limit. Well, I just connected the X51v to the Treo via Bluetooth DUN and downloaded a 17MB podcast so that solves that issue. I can surf on a beautiful 640x480 VGA display if I want to do some serious surfing or I can take the Treo on the road with me by itself. The native PDF support coming from DataViz is also a HUGE factor in my decision and I can't wait to try it out. I really use my Dell Axim for GPS since it has a large nice display and also don't use GPS that much so I can't make it a priority. However, it is very cool that the HTC Wizard can run my Smartphone GPS applications so well. I can't dial via Bluetooth on the Treo, but the Favorites and dialing is so easy on the Treo that I prefer to use it over voice dialing anyways. Also, the Treo works just as well with my headsets and Parrot Easydrive car kit.

I just saw that there was another firmware going around for the Treo and I really have my device working very well and it hasn't reset on me in almost a month. I also have Opera loaded on it now and that baby screams, but doesn't yet support downloads that I could figure out.

So, the bottom line is that the Treo is staying and the Axim X51v will fill in any gaps where the Wizard may beat the Treo. I also prefer sticking with my SD and CF cards and don't want to start collecting miniSD cards at this time. I am also thinking that if T-Mobile does indeed come out with the Wizard next year I may make a switch at a substantially reduced price since I haven't switched my official T-Mobile phone for 3 years now.

Treo 650 or HTC Wizard: What do you think?

I had planned on making a decision on whether to keep or sell the Treo 650 and buy or return the HTC Wizard by Saturday, but I am still having trouble figuring it out. This has been a very tough process since both devices are quite nice. Both pieces of hardware are very well designed and here is what I am debating about now as far as what each device has over the other:

Treo 650 positives

• Keyboard backlight is incredible


• Screen resolution is awesome


• Super speedy response in application switching


• Favorites and dialing ROCK


• Use of Secure Digital (I have several cards)


• Best reception I ever saw on a mobile phone


• I have a TON of accessories for it (cases, cables, cradle, battery, screen protector)

Treo 650 negatives

• 2MB download limit


• No WiFi


• No multi-tasking ability


• Confusing file structure

HTC Wizard positives

• Larger display


• 802.11g and Bluetooth 2 (coming via ROM update)


• Using Voice Command via Bluetooth headset


• Better file handling experience with Windows Mobile


• Nice web browsing experience in full screen IE


• Latest and greatest device


• Use of Mini USB for sync and charging


• Well spaced and designed keyboard


• Can use Smartphone GPS applications one handed

HTC Wizard negatives

• Processor response is slower than 650


• RF search sometimes hangs


• Dialing is not easy in portrait mode


• Use of miniSD


• Limited ROM capacity

Other factors I am thinking about as part of my decision include the fact that I have a camera with SD card slot and it is nice to view them on a mobile device, I have a Dell Axim X51v WM 5.0 device with VGA display and two expansion slots, I could wait until 2006 when T-Mobile has a version of the Wizard and maybe even wait for the WM Treo, I have a Tungsten T3 to use as my Palm unit, I personally prefer the Windows Mobile OS, and with the Wizard I can easily get wireless access via cable on my Tablet.

Microsoft Voice Command works with Bluetooth headset on HTC Wizard

In my quest to figure out if the HTC Wizard can knock the Treo 650 out of my hands, I discovered that you can get Microsoft Voice Command working via a Bluetooth headset and quickly loaded up Voice Command 1.5 and make a quick registry hack. I tested it out and it works quite well at dialing, launching applications, etc. I am planning on trying the same thing out with Fonix Voice Central 3.0 because it adds the ability to have your emails read to you as well as all the features found in Voice Command. The included Voice Speed Dial is good, but requires you to setup voice tags for every command. The other Cyberon software in the TORQ P100 was more powerful and I would have liked to see that in the Wizard.

I also made the registry change to get ClearType in both landscape and portrait modes and that is working well on the K-JAM.

CD Review: Paul Aldrich's MOCK 'n' ROLL

I am a big comedy fan, but the problem is that a lot of comedy uses language that I as a Christian prefer not to expose myself to. I recently picked up a Brad Stine CD and we also have a Chonda Pierce CD that we have had for quite some time. As a Mind & Media book reviewer, we were offered the opportunity to review a new music/comedy CD from Paul Aldrich called MOCK 'n' ROLL. I signed up to participate and was sent a CD to review free of charge with an obligation to evaluate the CD.

As a mobile device geek, the first thing I did when the CD arrived was to rip it into MP3 format to play on my Sony PSP, Treo 650 and iPod Shuffle. The CD contains songs and other dialog with titles such as Stairway to 7 Eleven, I Can’t Get No Liposuction,TV Themes In My Head, Gilligan’s P.C. Island, New Age California, Denomination Dating Blues and more. Paul does a Weird Al Yankovic parody of many songs that immediately took me back to my childhood and I was outwardly laughing for almost the entire CD.

I liked the quick TV Themes spoof where he related life events to guitar music with TV themes that I found very familiar, i.e. The Twilight Zone for a girl he met and Dueling Banjos for the girl's cousins. His teen years are reflected in the New Age California spoof of the Eagles Hotel California. I like Tom Petty and thought the Oops...I thought I Could Sing parody was quite funny. The love song for dyslexics was a clever in that he went from the end of the story about YHTAK through to the beginning when they first met.

While the entire CD was enjoyable, my personal favorite was the Denomination Dating Blues because the descriptions of the denominations he described were just too true. The Baptist girl had great big Baptist hair, the Catholic girl became a nun, the Pentecostal girl said no tongues tonight, and the Jehovah's Witness girl just kept on knocking.

The second to the last song on the CD is called Alter Me and is a wonderful praise song that really gets you thinking about how we desire the Lord to alter us and help us become the Christians we should be.

The CD is not loaded with Christian songs or discussion and you may not even realize that it is from a Christian until you get to the Alter Me song. This may be a great way to start dialog with friends and others who are not yet saved as a way to show them that Christians can have and be funny and don't have to give up comedy when they accept the Lord as their Savior. If you enjoy good clean comedy and want some great laughs then I highly recommend this excellent CD from Paul Aldrich.

Running Opera on the HTC Wizard

In my review and on my blog I talked a bit about running Smartphone apps on the HTC Wizard and I just figured out how to get Opera running now with the Java Midlet Manager. The nice thing about Opera is it allows me to jump page by page with a right/left directional pad or right/left arrow in landscape and up/down goes from link to link. So far it seems quite stable, but doesn't give you a full screen experience. Still the potential is very cool.

Lemonade is one of my favorite Smartphone apps and it sort of runs on the Wizard. The display is small and the keyboard doesn't work so it really isn't playable. Several PDAmill Smartphone games (Aqua Blocks, Cannons, Jewel Master, etc.) are playable with only the directional pad and softkeys, but the display is Smartphone sized.

Full review of HTC Wizard now live on Geek.com

Well it took me over a week, but you can now read what I think is my BEST review I ever wrote on the HTC Wizard. We'll see what others think about it now and I hope you all enjoy it as much as I did putting it together.

I am now fairly certain I will be making the move from the Treo to the Wizard since I have found that reception is just slightly less on the Wizard than it is on the Treo. The thing is the Wizard tends to spend more time searching for weak networks so it may actually have the same reception strength. I need to test things out for a couple more days before making a final decision because I have SO much gear for the Treo 650 and it really is a tough device to let go of.

Production i-mate K-JAM is here, full review almost done

The production i-mate K-JAM arrived a couple hours ago and I plugged it in to fully charge it up. At first glance the black background keyboard, black around the edges and brushed aluminum front around the display is nice. However, the dark gray on the QTEK 9100 is also quite attractive. Now that version of the Wizard that Engadget said is coming to T-Mobile is quite ugly in my opinion.

My full Geek.com review is now 99% done and I just have to verify a few things on the production model, run a few more battery tests, and get my photos together so hopefully it will go live tomorrow.

The keyboard backlight actually does light up the numbers and punctuation on the K-JAM, but could definitely be brighter and there still is no known way to change the 5 second off switch. A few more applications are loaded on the K-JAM (Skype, Backgammon, eTrust antivirus), but I plan on removing them as soon as I can get my miniSD card out of the QTEK running battery tests.

I need to verify the RF strength in this model, which will have a significant impact on whether or not I go with the Wizard over the Treo. It sure is fun to have this kind of dilemna, don't you think?

500th post here on my blog

I've had this little blog going since April 2003 and according to the Blogger Dashboard this is my 500th post. I post much more frequently now then I have in the past and enjoy posting my thoughts and helping people out with mobile devices.

I plan on putting together a WiKi soon so that I can post a lot of the advice I give to readers since I OFTEN get the same questions over and over :) I should also be posting more book reviews through Mind and Media soon and maybe some mobile device related reviews too.

Smartphone GPS applications work on HTC Wizard

I am still testing out the HTC Wizard (QTEK 9100 model) and was testing out Mapopolis and Pocket Map Navigator with my Pharos Bluetooth GPS. Mapopolis worked fine, but Pocket Map Navigator was unable to connect to my GPS for some reason (didn't have the right port listed anywhere I could find).

On a whim I launced the Windows Mobile Smartphone version of Mapopolis and guess what, it WORKS!!! This version is even better on the HTC Wizard because now you can use it with a single hand and get all the same functionality that you see on the Smartphone. This means zooming in and out and scrolling right and left with the directional pad. All menus and options are accessible using the two soft keys or with a stylus tap on the display. Voice navigation works as well and I actually prefer this version over the Pocket PC version for easier navigation.

I then decided to try the other Windows Mobile Smartphone application I have, CoPilot Live for Smartphones. The install went well and I was able to launch the application and view the maps. However, at first it looked like I wasnt going to be able to use my GPS. I went to Menu>Options and saw the GPS setting option with a 1 next to it. I tapped the GPS option and nothing happened. I then went to landscape mode and pressed Enter, but that didn't work either. I just about gave up, but then pressed the red dot and Q to activate the number 1 and HURRAY there it went. I was able to access and use the full Smartphone program right on the HTC Wizard.

BTW, voice navigation in both applications sounds very good with the stereo speakers. This functionality puts another big plus into the HTC Wizard column.

One and two handed keyboards and cool tips/hacks for Wizard

While some of my posts have discussed the one-handed operation of the Treo 650 to the HTC Wizard, I just want to say that it isn't an apple to apple comparison since the Wizard is really not designed to be used as a single-handed device and the only true comparsion would be with the Windows Mobile Treo. I am trying to personally decide if one-handed operation is more useful to me than two-handed operation.

Now as far as two handed operation goes, I still think the Treo may hold an advantage due to the superior camera, faster processor and switching speeds, superior RF signal (to be verified with production Wizard), and amazing display. I can still type faster on the Treo 650 because my fingers have less distance to move and I have no problems with the tight keyboard. I do like the Wizard keyboard for the most part, but I would like to get even more functionality out of it (i.e. cut, copy, paste). On the Treo 650 you can press the dedicated Menu hardware key and then a letter to cut, copy, paste, undo, select all and the shift key and space bar to tab. There are also several 3rd party free utilities like TreoSelecText, CutPaste5, and ShortCut5 that are quite helpful.

There are some useful tips and hacks already being posted on Howard Forums. I used the ClearType for landscape hack and also like this tip: If you hold the Wizard in your LEFT hand you can slide it open just a bit and have access with your thumb to both the "Start" key and the "OK" key. This tip here looks to solve a BIG issue with me not being able to get to the Start menu or OK/X button.

Treo 650/HTC Universal camera and display thoughts

I usually don't count on the camera inside these mobile phones to be of much use, but the one on the Treo 650 is actually quite good and with SplashBlog I find it a very enjoyable feature. I took some photos using the QTEK 9100 and the Treo and compared them on Howard Forums and as you can see there is quite a difference in quality. I will test this out again when the production K-JAM arrives, but it looks like it will be tough to beat the Treo 650 camera.

Another thing I noticed this morning while surfing and using both devices in the vanpool was that you really don't get much screen real estate advantage in the HTC Wizard over the Treo 650. Microsoft has a new soft key bar, and used to use the bottom toolbar, that is always present when using applications where only some 3rd party programs have this on Palm devices. Also, there is a top taskbar in Windows Mobile while Palm uses a hidden upper menu system for most applications. There is still a couple millimeter advantage on Windows Mobile, but the 240x320 display and fonts is not as crisp and vivid as the 320x320 model on the Treo 650. I guess after using the 320x320 Treo and 640x480 Dell X51v I have become a bit spoiled by high resolution. There is the JasJar (dumb name) HTC Universal device, but it does not have EDGE support and is priced at over $1,000 so that is not even a consideration for me personally. Now if I could have scored the $150 deal like those at PDC or the MVP Summit then I would have jumped on that device.

Treo 650 is tough to beat, but Wizard does well

Antoine's comment about my needs and desires got me thinking a bit more about my device usage so I went through and compared what applications I have loaded on my Treo 650. Here is what I have loaded on top of the Palm OS apps/utilities; Agendus Pro 10, Agendus Mail SSL 4, a couple PDAmill and Smart Box Design games, Handmark Express, SplashBlog, PocketTunes, SplashPhoto, Laridian MyBible, Daily Reader, and Memorize, Documents to Go, ProWord dictionary, RepliGo, Screenshot, PowerRun, KeyCaps600, ListPro, Resco Backup, TealMover, TideTool, and VolumeCare. Equivalents for Windows Mobile are Pocket Informant or Agenda Fusion, WebIS Mail, PDAmill and Smart Box Design games, Handmark Express, SplashBlog, Windows Media Player, Resco Photo Viewer or Spb Imageer, Laridian PocketBible, Daily Reader, and Memorize, Pocket Word, Excel, and PowerPoint, Oxford DIctionary, RepliGo, Screen Capture, File Explorer, ListPro, Backup on device, and File Explorer. I haven't found an equivalent tide program and VolumeCare is not needed at all.

So as you can see, the Treo 650 really does meet my needs as far as everyday applications go and there really is no compelling reason to switch to the HTC Wizard. I do like the seamless way Windows Mobile handles files placed anywhere on the device and I do like the reliability and integration of Outlook. Native PDF viewing is coming to Palm devices this fall/winter so I won't knock it now for that lack of support. I do still find the Treo 650 to be zippier than the Wizard, although the Wizard is not bad at all. Windows Mobile 5.0 does significantly improve the one-handed experience, but they are missing a couple of important functions like the OK/close button and Start menu. I had to remap a couple of hardware buttons for these functions, but with the buttons located all over the place on the device you have to do some finger gymnastics to really use it one handed. The Treo 650 on the other hand has all the buttons right down above the keyboard and is a one-handed wonder.

The OK/close and Start menu buttons are found on the keyboard in landscape mode, but you are really only in landscape mode when entering text and this isn't the normal operating mode.

The keyboard is pretty well designed on the Wizard with good key spacing and good tactile feedback. The backlight is pretty weak compared to the amazing Treo 650 backlight. I do not like the placement of the numbers along the top row and prefer the keypad placement that the Treo 650 uses. The Treo keyboard is made even more useful with the free KeyCaps600 utility that allows you to customize how to make capital letters and punctuation/numbers easily with a single longer key press or quick double tap. I understand the K-JAM keyboard backlights the punctuation and numbers while the QTEK 9100 does not.

I have to honestly say I probably am trying too hard to convince myself that I should move to the Wizard. It is one of the best Phone Edition devices I have ever used and Windows Mobile 5 is a nice improvement, but the Treo 650 hardware is just very tough to beat. WiFi is nice, but not essential when you have EDGE running well on the road and use a Tablet PC for real surfing at home.

We'll see if my mind is changed when the production i-mate K-JAM arrives soon and I finalize my review.

Bluetooth voice dialing works on HTC Wizard

I finally got around to doing some more testing on this QTEK 9100 that I have and tried the Voice Speed Dial application with my Bluetooth headsets. It worked like a champ with my Cardo Scala 500 and Palm Treo headset, but wouldn't initiate with the GN Netcom 6210 for some reason that I'll have to try to figure out.

I am able to dial and launch applications by simply pressing the multi-function button on the headset and then speaking the voice tag I set up. It works very well and is another big positive for the HTC Wizard. Man, this choice between the Wizard and Treo 650 is going to be tough.

HTC Wizard and Treo 650 update

Well, I have been playing with the QTEK 9100 pre-production model for a couple days now and posting quite a few photos and thoughts on Howard Forums. I have a couple of serious issue with the device, the RF reception is HORRIBLE and the keyboard slider mechanism is way too loose. I was putting together my review, but really don't want to knock the device too much without testing a production unit. I understand that the RF and keyboard may not be problems on the i-mate K-JAM and this device may even have a much better keyboard backlight.

Thankfully, David is going to send me a production K-JAM this week so I can verify my concerns. If it turns out the issues are fixed then it may be a very tough decision whether or not to keep the Treo 650. The Treo is one INCREDIBLE device and the one handed operation and crisp display really can't be beat. The Wizard is definitely not a device you can enter text with one handed, but the keyboard is better spaced than the Treo. I was able to operate the device one handed quite well after I mapped a hardware button to OK and one to Today. It still is not as fluid as the Treo and seems a bit forced, but Windows Mobile 5.0 has come a long way to making the experience better.

I like the true multitasking, better file management, WiFi ability with Skype, game selection, and other power features in Windows Mobile better than Palm devices. That said, the Treo 650 is very zippy and has a wonderful collection of software that really do meet my needs.