Swinging by the Novetel Wireless booth this afternoon, I got a great hands-on with the MiFi. The device is far smaller and more lightweight than you’d think; to give you an idea, I took some pics that compare it to my first-gen iPhone. Think of it comparable in size to five credit cards stacked upon each other. It’s so small, I think they goofed on the name: Instead of MiFi, I’d go with the MiNiFi. The device includes both a 3G and a WiFi radio. You simply turn it on, it connects to a 3G network and then broadcasts that signal over WiFi for up to five devices. Aside from the initial configuration, the most difficult interaction you’ll have with the MiFi is pressing the power button. There’s nothing else to do but use it.

The 1150mAh battery lasts for around four hours and you can swap it out for a spare. There’s also a mini-USB port that can be used to recharge the battery if you want to connect it to a computer. That same port is used for configuration: Connect the device and hit a web portal to set up your WiFi network.

But the MiFi isn’t a “dumb,” single-purpose device; it has some smarts, too. Novatel says that the device can actually run applications on the embedded Linux platform inside. That brings a vast number of possible ways to extend the MiFi beyond a simple 3G hotspot. One example: A security application could be installed so that all computers sharing the signal would be protected. Here’s another: With the right software, the device can pull your email and store it, perfect for when you’re about to hop a plane. When you get to your destination, fire up your computer and connect to the device’s hotspot, the cached mail is instantly on the computer. No need to plug in a card, dial for a connection, wait for mail, etc. Carriers and developers alike could create apps and services that seamlessly run inside the connected device.

The MiFi still doesn’t have a firm release date or price, but we should see it this quarter with a goal price of around $200. Bear in mind that the device could be subsidized, since it’s going to need a 3G plan from a carrier. Those 5GB caps might be an issue with the MiFi, since more devices can use the data plan at the same time. My hope would be for a special plan price that lifts the 5GB cap when using this device, but that’s probably wishful thinking on my part.

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I almost passed by the MSI Wind X-Slim netbooks, but the form-factor was just too darn alluring. With a starting price of $700, you’re getting a VW-like netbook on the inside, but it’s wrapped up in a nice Ferrari-ish exterior. My first thought was to balk at the price because the same basic guts can be had in other netbooks for far less money. Just a few minutes of hands on with the X-Slim has me reconsidering.

It’s not so much that the device is thin, although that is a nice feature. It’s more about what you’re gaining due to the bigger footprint: a far more usable display paired with a full-sized keyboard. That keyboard has a great feel to it as well; you really can’t compare it to the keyboard on a smaller netbook and there’s no compromise with it. There isn’t much compromise in the number of ports either: you still get three USB, an Ethernet and an SD/MMC card reader. I walked away most impressed, but still keeping in mind that under the hood is a relatively low-powered netbook. Or is a notebook? Looking the way it does at this price, I’m not sure it matters. ;)

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While Palm isn’t an official exhibitor at the CTIA Wireless show, their partner carrier is. Last night at the MobileFocus event, I swung by the Sprint booth with Matt Miller and found that they had two Palm Pre handsets. Matt Crowley from Palm gave us a 7-minute look at third-party applications based on Palm’s webOS.

We got a look at Fandango, which is an excellent example of a well-integrated title that leverages the Pre’s native functions. Using Fandango, you search for a movie and the app shows events in your area based on the phone’s GPS. Even better: When you buy tickets for show through the app, the event is automatically entered in the Pre’s calendar. Slick.

Matt and I also saw the NASCAR app and I already want it. I subscribe to NASCAR’s TrackPass, which uses real-time, in-car telemetry to show me where every driver is, right on my computer. That same functionality is in the handset application. I have yet to see that on any other mobile platform, although Sprint may offer it as a paid service. The carrier is the title sponsor of NASCAR.

There’s plenty more to see: Google Maps, the program launcher, Amazon’s MP3 service for direct music purchases (w00t!) and more, so have a look. You’ll note that this video is actually Matt’s; he was kind enough to let me publish it, since I didn’t realize that my video camera had run out of storage memory partially through the vid. Thanks to Matt for covering me on this one. And for not laughing at me due to my SD card issues…well, at least he didn’t laugh while I was around. ;)

After the video was shot, we got a chance to get our fingers on the keyboard. If I was hard pressed to pick a potential Achille’s Heel to this device at the moment, I’d likely go with the keyboard. The keys are small; Centro-small, if you will. That may not be an issue for folks, but I wanted to give it a mention. The keys do have a nice, rubber feel, but they’re as small as they can be while still maintaining a level of usefulness. That’s not likely to stop me from purchasing a Pre, however. The software integration with web services has me giddy.

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The deal is with Virgin Mobile USA, which at only around 5 million subscribers at the end of last year isn’t who I had in mind when I first heard about this possbility. Regardless, it is a win for Opera; it just remains to be seen how much of one. Initially, Opera Mini will be a download on select handsets through the VirginXL storefront, and eventually the excellent brower will come pre-installed on some devices. Eight handsets are the intial target starting April 14, including the the Samsung Slash, the Arc, Shuttle and Super Slice. Looks like Om is right: Opera isn’t down or out just yet when it comes to mobile browsing.

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The only shows mentioned so far include NBC’s “The Office,” CBS’s “CSI,” MTV’s “The Hills,” a part of MTV Networks, and The CW’s “90210,” so come May, we’ll have to see what your $7.99 a month gets you. I don’t have a BlackBerry, but if I did, I’d probably opt for a streaming solution like a SlingBox or Orb over this one. Still, there’s something to be said for the convenience of content downloads on demand, so PrimeTime2Go just might have legs.

The jury is still out for sure, but there is an interesting trend developing here. Carriers have traditionally wanted to curb these types of third-party offerings any way they can so they can offer their own services for revenue gains. Granted, the PrimeTime2Go service doesn’t use the carrier’s pipes, so there isn’t a whole lot they can do here. Now that the BlackBerry App World store has arrived, the floodgates might be opening up to more external services like this. I think they can fight this only for so long before realizing that consumers want freedom of choice in their services. The traditional walled gardens are slowly crumbling.

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Mobile Viewer takes the REDFLY concept and extends it to any netbook or notebook that you already own. Celio recognizes that you don’t need to buy a REDFLY device if you already have a netbook or equivalent and thus have developed the Mobile Viewer. The programs allows you to connect any Windows XP/ Vista notebook to a supported Windows Mobile smartphone and use the bigger screen, keyboard and trackpad to run the phone. This makes it possible to work on documents, longer emails and similar tasks that you might forgo given the phone alone.

According to the folks at Celio, the Mobile Viewer program will handle any display resolution up to 1024 x 768, making a full working environment for document handling. The connection between the phone and the notebook is handled using Activesync (WinXP) or the Mobile Device Center (Vista) and USB connection is supported. To see how useful this type of utility can be check out our video of the REDFLY from last year:
http://www.youtube.com/v/RPpa0yipgwY&color1=0xb1b1b1&color2=0xcfcfcf&feature=player_embedded&fs=1

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I had actually heard about GlowCaps in the past, but last night I got to spend 15 minutes with David Rose, the CEO of Vitality Inc. David told me everything I wanted to know about these network-connected medicine containers and the  GlowCaps Connect service.

The smarts of the GlowCaps are the twist-on caps, hence the name “GlowCaps.” They fit on a basic, cylindrical pillbox, but there’s nothing basic about them. Each GlowCap is filled with a 900MHz wireless chip from Texas Instruments, for example. When you get medication with a GlowCap, the device is programmed at the pharmacy with the time and frequency for your medication. The cap waits for the specified time, then begins to flash little LEDs to remind you to take your meds. But maybe the cap isn’t somewhere in plain sight, so if it senses that you missed your scheduled dosage, it moves from a visual to an audible cue after one hour. The GlowCap will play a rising crescendo in hopes of capturing your attention for the next hour.

That’s great, but what if after two hours you still haven’t taken your pills? Here’s where it gets interesting: The GlowCap will call you on the phone. OK, perhaps not literally, since it has no speech technology, but you get the idea. The device initiates contact by using the wireless technology to notify a centralized monitoring system where you configure the alert methods. Phone calls are an obvious one, but David showed how social networking can help in this area as well — you can configure the GlowCap Connect to tell your Facebook friends that you’ve missed taking your pills, for example. Just think: You can have close friends and family help keep you on track with your medicine with this method. But it doesn’t stop there. Let’s pull your doctor into the picture.

When your doctor writes you a prescription, it’s a one-way communication. He or she orders up some meds for you and you hit the pharmacy. At no point after that does your doctor generally know if you’re taking the medicine as prescribed. GlowCaps can help with that, provided you have a Google Health account. The devices can send data in to Google Health and you then have the option of sharing that with your doctor. Making it even easier for your doctor (and yourself), the GlowCaps can even call in their own refill to your pharmacy. It’s a complete loop of information between you, your pharmacy and your doctor, all thanks to the intelligent usage of a smart little chip in a pillbox top.

http://vimeo.com/moogaloop.swf?clip_id=2067376&server=vimeo.com&show_title=1&show_byline=1&show_portrait=0&color=&fullscreen=1

I asked David what requirements were needed to make GlowCaps work. My thought was that the target audience might not even have Internet service in the home or a computer, for that matter. He told me that there are a number of gateways with which the wireless GlowCaps will work. You could use a computer and home Internet connection, but there are options for folks that only have a standard phone line as well. All in all, I came away impressed. And since I’m getting older and will inevitably be taking more medications later in life, I liked what I saw.

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These two devices are expected to start at $700 and $1,000, respectively, and both feature the small dimensions of 8.8″x 12.9″x 0.7″ with a 13.4-inch screen at 1366×768 resolution. Each is 2.8 pounds with the standard 4-cell battery, although you can use an optional 8-cell battery as well. The main reason for the $300 price differential between the X320 and the X340 is that one is built around traditional netbook components while the other is closer to a standard notebook build. Here’s a rundown of a few examples; the first spec is for the $700 X320 while the second is for the $1,000 X340:

• Processor = 1.6GHz Intel Atom / Intel ULV SU3500 (speed not specified)
• Graphics: Intel GMA500 / Intel GMA4500MHD
• Memory: DDR2-667 up to 2GB / DDR2-800 up to 4GB

Both devices will run on Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium and each offers ample storage and connectivity. Oddly enough, the less expensive device offers optional integrated 3G or WiMAX. I would have expected that on either both machines or on the more expensive one. MSI says we should see all three of these computers on sale in the U.S. come May.

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From a form-factor perspective, my fave Windows Mobile phone was my Dash when I used it on T-Mobile’s network. It only got better when it saw the upgrade to WinMo 6.0. I later unlocked the device because it worked just as well on AT&T and I didn’t need a second GSM voice line. Since the Dash didn’t have 3G connectivity, there was really no loss in the functionality it provided. But I always wished it had more functionality to begin with. I figured that would happen when HTC got around to building a successor to the Dash. After long last, they have with the HTC Snap, officially announced today.

The Snap looks far more refined on the outside, for starters: The buttons have a rounded, bubbly look to them. You can’t miss the new jog-ball for navigation, either. But under the hood is where it really gets interesting. Here are some of the specification comparisons between my ol’ Dash and the new HTC Snap:

HTC gave most specifications a solid bump, making the new device a supercharged Dash. I was initially disappointed in seeing the same display, but at 2.4-inches, QVGA ought to be more than enough. Had the display size been increased, I might feel otherwise. Basically, HTC took the Dash form factor, size and weight but crammed in more memory, a faster CPU, additional radios and over 50 percent more battery capacity.

That’s not all, which should come as no surprise to anyone who follows HTC devices. The company has a history of tweaking functionality for a better end-user experience; their TouchFlo customizations come to mind, for example. The Snap offers just such function called “Inner Circle” and it’s supposed to bring focus to one of the biggest productivity Jekyll & Hyde tools: email.

According to an HTC-commission study by Harris Interactive, 44 percent of U.S. adults are overwhelmed by the email they receive; 55 percent of those surveyed tend to focus on email from five or fewer contacts. That’s where the “Inner Circle” feature on the Snap enters: Hit the Inner Circle button and email from five contacts you’ve identify will float to the top of your Inbox and presumably to your attention as well.

The Snap starts rolling out in worldwide markets sometime during the second quarter supporting 900/1800/1900MHz bands with 900/2100MHz for 3G. Here in the U.S. we’ll see an unlocked model called the HTC S522; that device will offer the same tri-band voice but use 850/1900MHz for 3G data, i.e.; you’ll get 3G support on AT&T’s network. Since Microsoft is stating that devices capable of Windows Mobile 6.1 can run version 6.5, I think there’s hope of such an upgrade for the Snap. Since the upgrade will be ODM-/carrier-dependent and we’ll see an unlocked Snap, odds are favorable, especially with these hardware specs on the Snap.

I’ll be sure to swing by the HTC booth here at CTIA and get a better touchy-feely impression. On paper, it’s exactly what I’d expect a good Dash successor to be.

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Although I don’t travel in my car all day long, I can vouch for the product working as advertised when I tested it. But at an expected $240 price tag when the new line hits in May, you’ve really got to be literal road warrior to need one of these. If you live in your car or truck and have a knack for finding dead zones, the iBooster line is worthy of consideration. My video review of the device for iPhone is below if you want to see how much of boost you get.

http://v.wordpress.com/iqLZ1IFj

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This morning James and I got a chance to test out the new Skype for iPhone client. My impressions are that Skype nailed the implementation for voice. I’m wondering if Skype’s newest in-house audio codec has much to do with the voice quality. No matter how they did it, the sound quality is very impressive. Of course, the main limitation right now is that you can only do voice calls over WiFi and not on 3G. For our call this morning, I shared the Internet connection from my Mac to my first-gen iPhone by setting up a WiFi network. It’s drop-dead simple and since I’ve already received a few emails asking how to do this, here are the simple steps on a Mac. I don’t have a PC with me so I can’t detail exactly how to do this in Windows, but it’s not any more difficult on that platform. Here are the steps:

1. In System Preferences, open the Sharing Folder.
2. Click the Internet Sharing service (not the checkbox in front of it) and configure the options on the right. Here you simply pick the connection you want to share (Ethernet, 3G, etc…) and make sure the AirPort option is checked.
3. Click the AirPort Options button to name your network and add a password.
4. Check the Intenet Sharing service.
5. If you keep the AirPort icon in your Mac Menubar, you’ll see it change to indicate that it’s now sharing your connection over the custom WiFi network.
6. On your iPhone, simply connect to the WiFi network you created on the Mac. That’s it!

This easy process shouldn’t take more than three minutes, but I’m allowing you two extra ones just in case. ;) This is also illustrates why I’m not the ideal customer for a 3G router. Using software, I can easily replicate the same functionality and create a wireless hotspot to share a 3G connection. Yes, my computer has to be on for this to work; that’s not required for a hardware-based router, but my computer is nearly always on to begin with. For me, this is a better solution and far less expensive since those routers can cost $200 or more. Plus, I don’t have to carry an additional device.

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It’s been all over the web today that Skype has been officially released for the iPhone. It would be remiss of us to neglect covering such important mobile tech news and what better way to cover it than to show it in action. In this video I call Kevin who is goofing off hard at work in Las Vegas in preparation for the CTIA show tomorrow. In the video you’ll see and hear first-hand how clear the calls are using Skype on the iPhone and also find out what Kevin is doing out on the Strip at 4:30 in the morning.

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Windows Mobile Marketplace

Microsoft has taken some hits lately given the recent announcements regarding the upcoming Windows Mobile 6.5 and the Marketplace. The word that developers who submit apps to the Marketplace would have to pay for all updates to those apps grabbed just about everyone the wrong way. Microsoft has been listening to the feedback and has backed off of that requirement and shared some new information with us about the direction of Windows Mobile.

The major news about the Marketplace and Windows Mobile can be broken down as follows:

• Developers can offer updates to their apps in the Marketplace at no charge for the life of the app.
• Customers can buy apps in the Marketplace with a credit card or have them charged to their phone bill.
• Apps can be refunded within 24 hours after purchase.
• More than 25 ISVs are active in the Marketplace, including Facebook, MySpace, AP Mobile and Spb.  The Facebook app will be available for free download in April. The partners are 3deep by LiteScape, Accuweather, AP Mobile, CNBC, Developer One, EA Mobile, Facebook, Gameloft, Glu Mobile, Handmark, Ilium Software, Jeyo Inc., Kinoma, Magmic, Melodis Corp., MySpace, Namco Networks, Pandora, PhatWare Corp., Resco, SBSH Mobile, ShoZu, Inc., Sling Media, Spb Software, Web Information Solutions, and Zagat Survey.
• Windows Live for Windows Mobile is available now in 25 countries. A beta version of a new Windows Live Hotmail is available and can be downloaded through a mobile browser at m.mail.live.com.
• Microsoft is partnering with major design studios to produce themes for Windows Mobile 6.5.
• A Windows Mobile Theme Generator will be available later this year.
• Phones that can run WM 6.1 are capable of running WM 6.5, but the option to upgrade will lie with handset OEMs and carriers. This is business as usual and nothing new.

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Opera Mobile 9.7 is going to incorporate the Opera Turbo technology that uses server-based rendering to greatly speed up the web experience. This new version sounds like a great advancement for the Windows Mobile platform and I can’t wait to see this released. Be sure and watch the video in the press release after the jump.

Mountain View, California and Las Vegas, Nevada – March 26, 2009 –

At next week’s CTIA Wireless Show, Opera Software will be announcing the new Opera Mobile 9.7 server-accelerated browser for smartphones and mobile devices.  Opera Mobile 9.7 features Opera Turbo, Opera’s breakthrough compression technology, along with the company’s latest Presto 2.2 rendering engine (also used in Opera 10 desktop) and full support for dynamic Web technologies such as Ajax and Flash (for accessing popular sites like Facebook and YouTube).

In today’s tough business climate where customer expectations are ever-increasing, Opera Mobile 9.7 with Opera Turbo can help carriers reduce network congestion while helping mobile device manufacturers bring increased speed and a more rich Web browsing experience to their customer and users.

For carriers specifically, Opera Mobile 9.7 with Opera Turbo provides a more consistent and compelling full Internet experience by compressing data up to 80%, thus reducing unwanted traffic and congestion and allowing users to access the Web regardless of network limitations.

For mobile device manufacturers, Opera Mobile 9.7 with Opera Turbo can make for a faster, more rich browsing experience by leveraging current device capabilities and utilizing hardware resources more effectively.   Opera Turbo offloads Web page rendering to Opera servers freeing up device resources.  Even devices with limited hardware capabilities show improved page download rates and better overall performance.

“Today, carriers and mobile device manufacturers alike are looking for solutions that take advantage of existing technologies and investments while trying to maintain a high level of service for their customers,” explains Rod Hamlin, Senior Vice President for the Americas for Opera Software.  “Opera Mobile 9.7 with Opera Turbo gives our business customers to ability to bring a rich Internet browsing experience to their mobile device and to the end-user without having to allocate new resources and development costs.”

Opera Mobile 9.7 with Opera Turbo also features better standards support (100% Acid 3 test) and developer tools, hardware acceleration Open GL ES, and support for Google Gears.

To learn more, check out the Opera Mobile 9.7 with Opera Turbo demo video:
http://www.opera.com/discover/video/mobileturbo/

————————————————————————————————————-

In addition to Opera Mobile 9.7 with Opera Turbo, Opera will be showcasing Opera Turbo on other connected devices as well as the latest version of the award-winning Opera Mini 4.2 on today’s hottest mobile devices –  Sprint Instinct, Blackberry Bold, Blackberry Storm, and T-Mobile G1.

————————————————————————————————————-

Finally, stay tuned for Opera’s latest partner announcements, and make sure to check out Opera executives at the following panels and presentations:

BRIC Conference – “The Important Role of the Mobile Internet for Developing Countries”
-       Opera Presenter:  Jon von Tetzchner, Founder & CEO
-       When:  Tuesday, March 31st @ 3:10pm
-       Where:  Las Vegas Convention Center, North Hall, Room N255

CTIA Wireless – “Applications & Operating Systems for Devices”
-       Opera Presenter:   Jon von Tetzchner, Found & CEO
-       When:  Thursday, April 2nd @ 3:30pm
-       Where:  Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Room 223

CTIA Wireless – “Mobile Internet – Access to Internet is Not a Desk Job Anymore”
-       Opera Presenter:  Rod Hamlin, Senior Vice President, Americas
-       When:  Thursday, April 2nd @ 4:00pm
-       Where:  Las Vegas Convention Center, South Hall, Room 228

CTIA Wireless will be held from April 1st – 3rd in Las Vegas, NV.

About Opera Software ASA

Opera Software ASA has redefined Web browsing for PCs, mobile phones and other networked devices. Opera’s cross-platform Web browser technology is renowned for its performance, standards compliance and small size, while giving users a faster, safer and more dynamic online experience. Opera Software is headquartered in Oslo, Norway, with offices around the world. The company is listed on the Oslo Stock Exchange under the ticker symbol OPERA. Learn more about Opera at http://www.opera.com.

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As usual, I’ll be traveling fairly light: a DLSR, the Kodak Zi6 for high-def video capture, my USB-727 EV-DO dongle and just one computer. Of course, the computer is what I’m debating the most in my head right now. Will it be a netbook or will it be the MacBook? The Mac’s horsepower is better suited for image and video editing, so I’m leaning in that direction at the moment. I’m getting around fairly well with the Nokia E63, so I may leave the iPhone at home as well. All in all, it should be a fun trip since I’ve never attended it in the past. And hey, look at that! There’s a shiny new “CTIA 2009″ category in the sidebar!

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