Jkkmobile just reported on Fujitsu's P1630 hitting the FCC. Initial specs look very familiar with only an upgrade in processor being the most obvious change. Here's a breakdown of the refreshed device:

8.9 inch 1280 x 768 touch screen
Intel Core2 Duo SU9400 1.4Ghz
Intel GMA X4500
Up to 2GB RAM
Wifi, Bt and LAN
Fingerprint reader
PCMCIA, SD, VGA out and 2 x USB
232mm x 167mm x 37mm, 1000g

As you can see, the P1630 still maintains a PCMCIA slot rather than an ExpressCard slot, which absolutely baffles me. Weight is still a scant 2.2lbs and the screen looks to be the same as the P1620. I was hoping for an active digitizer for the next P-Series, but it doesn't look that way. I was hoping for more RAM capacity, but that's not the case. Seeing as how this model is a VERY mild refresh, I really hope Fujitsu actually lowers the price of these ultra-portable tablets below the $1800 starting price point. What do you think? Has Fujitsu dropped the ball on this? What would you have wanted to see for their 8.9" tablet?

Via jkkmobile

Earlier this month, I reported on Aiptek/Mint releasing a 3M LED-based pico-projector. Back in April, Sierra caught wind of the SunView pico-projector being available in Hong Kong. These devices are extremely small, extremely portable, and promises decent performance at a relatively manageable pricepoint. The Aiptek was rumored to cost around $650 and availability starts in September. For those of us looking for a portable and ultra-compact projector, a trip to Asia or Australia was the only way to get your hands on one. However, there seems to be a new kid on the block. Texas Instruments has demonstrated a prototype DLP-based pico projector at IFA this year. In the accompanying shot from Engadget, the image quality from the pico projector is quite amazing. For all other pico projectors up to this point, we've only seen what their specifications are, but never have we seen what kind of image quality it is capable of producing. If this prototype is slated for production, I know I'm holding off on making a pico purchase. Am I naive in hoping that since TI is an American company, American availability is inevitable?

There's also a video to boot (but it's in Spanish)!

Via Engadget

Interesting concept here. Engadget is pointing to a couple of devices from Toshiba that are being shown off at IFA. The SD Multi-Tool and The SD Photo editor are both handhelds with touchscreens. The SD Multi-Tool has a 3.5 inch touchscreen, wireless connectivity and will let you browse the web, do email, run some video, and do some photo editing. Intriguing looking MID-like devices without being what we conventionally think of as a MID, (if we can say anything about a MID is conventional thinking this early in the game.)

Via jkkmobile

We haven’t heard much about the TechCrunch Tablet in awhile, but it looks like things might be moving along. Michael Arrington posts a picture of Prototype A of the device and an update.

We booted the machine in the case for the first time today, accessed the Wifi network and were able to navigate a web page via the touch screen.

Probably a long ways off, but I’d still like to see this come to be.

I’ve had the T5010 now for the last week and I’ve been using it in conjunction with my T2010 for note-taking purposes. OneNote 2007 came pre-installed, so I’ve been able to stay current on my notes and to share the notes between the T5010 and T2010. After a week, I’ve had ample time to get a good feel for this new tablet, especially in comparison with the T2010. A full InkShow review will be coming, but in the meantime, here are some thoughts and pictures after a weeks’ worth of use:

I’ve been thinking about this post for quite some time. I purchased my iPhone 3G almost a month ago and wanted to really work with it before committing any of my thoughts and impressions to the pages of GBM. The context here compares my usage and discoveries about the iPhone 3G to the Sprint Mogul, which is a Windows Mobile Device (6.1) that I have been using for over a year.

Background

I’ve been using a Windows Mobile Smartphone for about 3 years since purchasing the PPC 6700, the predecessor of the Sprint Mogul (PPC 6800), both made by HTC. I have enjoyed both devices and they have both served me very well on a number of fronts. I had no real issues with the PPC 6700 and have no real issues with the PPC 6800 as devices. Windows Mobile occasionally drove me a little nuts, but that’s par for the course. With both the Mogul and the iPhone, firmware updates were (and are) important. The Mogul had mediocre BlueTooth sound quality until after a firmware update and the GPS wasn’t activated when I purchased it either. Battery life also improved dramatically after a firmware update on the Mogul. Apple has rolled out two updates so far and I’ll give them this much, at least they are doing so with relative speed. Folks waited for updates (and promised features) on the Mogul for over 8 months. That’s one difference between Apple’s closed shop and Microsoft’s partner arrangements.

So, why buy an iPhone 3G and switch? Two reasons.

When I ask people that I meet if they're into technology, I always ask about their favorite web sites.  If I find a tech geek, I'll always ask if they frequent jkOnTheRun, Gizmodo, or Engadget, the site that led me to GottaBeMobile.  The strange thing is, most folks that I encounter have never heard of Engadget.  I remember asking a guy who worked at CompUSA if he'd heard of Engadget.  He replied, "Is that a new computer?"  That got me wondering just how mainstream are the tech blogs that I visit everyday?

Part of my early morning ritual is checking my round of sites to see what's new in the global and tech worlds.  In fact, I usually keep my browser open with the blogs I enjoy in different tabs.  I enjoy refreshing my blogs to see how the content changes.  The beauty of the blogs I visit is that there is usually one new post.  Even if it's a post that I'm not interested in, I enjoy seeing that there is new content.  A simple Google search reveals the impact that blogs are having on journalism, news content, the tech world, and the way people communicate.

Here are a few observations about blogs:

• They haven't contributed to a delay of instant gratification, a core value of the US society.
• I like the fact that most posts are to the point.  I don't want to read a book to figure out the main idea.  Give me the details first.
• Most sites recycle the same story, and I usually read the one that has the sharpest images or bullet points.
• I hate that many public schools block all blogs as a catch-all.  Many blogs are newsworthy and educational.
• They are a great place to see different perspectives on the same topic.  Each blog contributor has a unique style and commentary.

So, what web site or person led you to GottaBeMobile.com, and what sites are a part of your daily ritual?

So, I'm sitting up with Maggie in her hospital room at 3:30 a.m., watching The Princess Bride (her favorite movie). No better time than this to finish off an article I've been working on the past several weeks.

As I've been watching various nurses, doctors, and other staff help my daughter, I've been paying particular attention to how they take notes. Do they use a paper notebook, PDA, Tablet, laptop, etc? Are they struggling with their solution? Why does their current solution work for them so well. What I found really surprised me.

Here at St. Louis Children's Hospital, the tool of choice in the Pediatrics ICU and on the Neurology floor, is the paper towel. Almost every nurse and therapist who has worked with Maggie in the ICU took their notes using a paper towel, and for good reason: Every room has a ready supply, they are easy to write on, they are easily accessible, they fold up nicely in a pocket, they are cheap, they are tri-fold, and they can easily adapt to almost any writing surface or small space. It is amazing how quick and efficient it was for them to grab a paper towel, jot their note, and move on.  When the nurses were prepping Maggie for a procedure, part of their "standard process" was to grab three paper towels to takes notes on while the doctor did his work or check off a "To Do" list. It wasn't unusual at all to see several of these notes taped to the window in a nurse's station for "important" things to remember about a patient. I can't imagine a tablet pc being a better solution for them, especially in the tight confines of an ICU room and how quickly they are adapting to changing scenarios.

Their efficient process has even begun to rub off on me; so much so, that at times, I've found myself reaching for a paper towel to jot a quick note down from the doctor, and then shove it in to my pocket for later reading. I don't know that I'd call myself a paper-towel convert, but I certainly appreciate how the nurses have found a solution that works for them and helps them care for children in the most productive way possible.

h

I was getting frustrated last weekend with the amount of programs I had on my computer. One of the issues I had was the multiple IM clients I had running.   The past week I have been looking for an IM client that would allow me to use multiple services. I tried out Pidgin and Digsby - and I think I have settled on Digsby.  I can have my MSN, G Talk, and Yahoo running all in one client - and even have multiple for each one.  Digsby also includes the ability to give Gmail notifications, Facebook messages and Twitter updates.  I really like having everything all in one place, all in one client.  There are a few things to get used to, like file transfer, but in all the positives more than take care of the negatives!

What is your favorite IM Client?

Engadget found an early review of the new IdeaPad from Lenovo over on a Chinese site.  Still looks like this thing is staying away from the states, but they are popping up different places in China.  Check out the English translation of the review.  I don't know about everyone else, but if all those little doors don't have strong latches, I would be breaking them off left and right!

Samsung used this year's IFA in Berlin, Germany as a launchpad for its new MacBook Air and Thinkpad X301 competitor with its very own X360. The X360 sports a 13.3" screen and weighs in at a scant (and MBA beating) 2.8lbs while sporting 3 USB ports, an ExpressCard slot, a multi-format card reader, a fingerprint reader, and an ethernet port. For processing power, Samsung uses the ULV series processor to maximize battery life and claims run times of up to 10 hours. Thickness ranges from 0.66 inches to 1.2 inches. The only choices for storage in the X360 is either a 64GB SSD or a 128GB SSD, costing  around $2200 or $2900 respectively. Unfortunately, the Samsung won't be available in North America, but will be available worldwide starting in October.

Via Electronista

You knew it was coming and here it is. Beginning on October 1, Comcast will change its Acceptable Use Policy to include a monthly threshold (or cap) of 250GB a month for broadband.

Comcast had recently been smacked down by the FCC for throttling some users for excessive usage and had revamped their policies on that front after the reprimand so that excessive (in Comcast’s eyes) users would be basically shut off for a 20 minute window of time.

The latest news about the 250GB cap will affect any prolific broadband user. Silicon Alley Insider has a good post that lays out some typical usage patterns for media consumption, and let’s face it, this is all about media consumption on the Internet in the future. Unless Comcast plays fast and loose with the metering, you’d have to really be pounding the net to bump up against 250GB in typical usage, although I can imagine scenarios where this will occur.

I happen to agree with Om Malik that if Comcast is going to ‘meter’ a user’s access, then Comcast (or any provider) should provide the user with some from of metering their own usage.

Back before Rob’s most recent difficulties with his daughter Maggie’s health issues (see Rob Bushway.com for updates), Rob was interviewed by Christian Computing Magazine. Kevin Purcell’s interview with Rob covers a host of topics including Tablet PCs, Mobile Technology, OneNote, GottaBeMobile.com, and Rob’s own program, TabletBible. If you have followed any of Rob’s writings here or elsewhere, you know how strong his faith is and you might know a little bit about how he has managed to use, and help others use mobile technology in their faith-based activities. As is always the case with Rob, his comments in the interview hit the mark.

Well worth a read. Here is a link to the pdf version of the article.

Why can’t Microsoft’s advertistements have as much of a sense of humor as some of their internal, and now Facebook, videos do? I’ll never figure that one out. Maybe Jerry Seinfeld will help, but I doubt it.

But anyway, On Facebook, Microsoft is rolling out a couple of clever videos on the new Internet Explore 8 Beta 2, one of which has quite a sense of humor. It features Roland Wacker, a snooty techno-critic, “unboxing” the new beta.

And also check out the video on the new functionality of Web Slices in Internet Explorer 8.

The folks at MobileDemand got some good news yesterday when they placed #148 in the 2008 Inc. 500 fastest growing private companies list. MobileDemand makes ruggedized Tablet PCs that the GBM Team loves to toss around casinos and other unlikely places. Congratulations to the MobileDemand team.

I was looking for a SIP client for the iPhone and while I did not find that I did come across something that looks quite interesting.

TruPhone is a service that allows you to make cheap, or possibly even free, phone calls from you mobile phone to landlines, mobiles or other TruPhone clients by using VoIP over a Wi-Fi connection.

So when TruPhone contacted me the other day and asked if I had looked at their client I decided it was high time I did!

They currently have a client for selected Nokia phones and for the iPhone (via the iTunes App store).  They have a video promoting the iPhone client here.

Calls to landlines in countries in "the TruZone" (of which there are 40) are charged at a flat rate of US$0.06/min.  Mobiles in those countries are chared at US$0.30/min.  Calls to TruPhone clients are free - but it is important to note that the iPhone client cannot recieve TruPhone calls yet so to call someone for free they need to be running TruPhone on a Nokia.

There is also an OuterZone with about another 30 countries in it to which landline and mobile calls cost US$0.10/min and US$0.50/min respectively.

I've installed the client on my iPhone so I'll try it out and report back here soon.

As Truc had posted earlier, the information about the new Fujitsu Siemens Amilo was hard to find, but now that has changed.  Lilputing (Via JKKMobile) has some specs listed on their site about Fujitsu's upcoming netbook release.  Unfortunately, it appears that this little guy won't be coming here to the states anytime soon...  Europe only release...  Check out the specs below:

For more pictures, hit up JKKMobile

Liliputing has some more information and links about the new, yet unreleased, Dell Inspiron 910.  This time, it comes right from Dell - on their own support pages.  Take a look at some of the information about the keyboard, LEDs and external drive.

I can't wait to try this one out later this evening.  Sugarsync has been a great tool for me to keep my new Dell laptop and the LS800 in sync with each other.  Now - I can get the files on my iPhone.  While everything won't be viewable because of iPhone limitations, it's nice to know that I can pull up the occasional Word document if I need to in a pinch!

AppleInsider is reporting that they have their hands on a new Apple company filing illustrating a number of Tablet touch screen techniques. The document dates from April 15, 2008 and it looks like it shows an onscreen virtual keyboard as well.

Given that Apple is poised to make some announcments soon, I wouldn’t hold your breath on an Apple Tablet, but consider this just run-up-to-announcment-grain-of-salt kind of stuff.

TouchKit is just that, a kit for working with multi-touch. It is both open source software and hardware that has to be hooked up to a separate computer and projector. Developed by NOR_/D, it is priced at $1580 and it might be a way for tinkerers to come up with some interesting ways to push the multi-touch envelope without checking into a hotel or heading to a casino. 

TouchKit Version 2.0 from stefanix on Vimeo.

Brian Jarvis, UMPC Geek, has spent some time with Intel’s Classmate PC and is reporting in. He breaks his report into four categories.

• Things he loves.
• Things he likes.
• Things he’s not crazy about.
• Things he doesn’t like.

He’s put up a photo set of the unit he’s trying out and is about to see how his kids like the device. Should be worth following.

I wondered when we’d start seeing Netbooks enabled with 3G radios and it looks like we may be on our way there. Steve “Chippy” Paine is linking to information on the LG X110 which sports HSDPA and possibly GPS. Of course those additions are lifting the price out of the $299 to $399 range to just under $600 and above. Now, look closely and this device looks like it is built on the same form factor as the MSI Wind. Europe is going to be seeing this in September and the specs and pricing are set just yet. Interesting.

if you’re going to be working in the cloud, the browser is what will lift you off the ground. Looks like we’ll be finding out more about Microsoft’s latest attempt at Internet Explorer now that Beta 2 has been released to the public. According to the IEBlog, IE8 is built around three themes:

Everyday browsing: The theory here is that Microsoft watched lots of users browse the web and designed the experience around that research focusing on navigation.

Safety: It’s a shame that we have trumpet safety and security when it comes to any release, but that’s the time we live in. Microsoft supposedly wants to put users in control of their settings. Check out posts on the Smartscreen Filter, The XSS Filter, and InPrivate as well as reliability improvements.

Platform: Interoperability and web standards are the name of the game here.

You can download the beta here.

Looks like we’ve got some testing to do.

My contract with Verizon is up, and it's time for me to upgrade to a new phone.  I currently own a Motorola Q and I've been very disappointed with it in terms of functionality and performance.  It works, but it's sluggish; it provides just enough capabilities and power to make it bearable as a smartphone.  One of the most important devices in a mobile-tech user's gadget bag is their phone.  As technology continues to become cheaper and improve, I predict that we will see the lines blur between netbooks, smartphones, PMPs, and MIDS.  Here are a few reasons why current smartphones aren't getting good grades.

• They are difficult to navigate & The home screen needs major overhaul.
  Many of the smartphones I've used rely on Windows Mobile 5/6, and their Windows-like start button to select programs is cumbersome.  Apple got it right with their easy to navigate icons.  The screen of a mobile phone is simply too small to navigate tiny menus.  While some want the windows feel, many want
  Read more ...
  
  

Craig Pringle has been making some excellent contributions to GBM since becoming a team member back in the spring, but we haven’t been able to pin down our Aussie mate for a podcast until recently. After finally pinning him down we talked about a range of topics in the Tabletscape and mobile tech including HP’s refresh of the 2710p Tablet PC into the 2370p Tablet PC, the Lenovo X200T Tablet PC, our thoughts on the new Intel SSD’s that HP says may help give them 24 hour battery life on some machines, Asus’s new scented notebooks, and the Netbook price drop from Acer and what that may or may not mean.

Join us as we span the International Date Line for another GottaBeMobile.com Podcast.

• Download GBMPodcast #58 here. (44.6MB 48.45 minutes)
• Intel’s Urban Max Concept
• Will Netbook prices continue to fall?
• Do we really need scented notebooks?
• Lenovo’s X200T Tablet PC
• Are SSD’s a greater security risk than spinners?
• Can Intel’s new SSD technology lead to 24 hour battery life? HP thinks so,
• Subscribe to our GBM Podcasts via

• iTunes

• Zune

• or your favorite podcatcher.

All GottaBeMobile.com InkShows and Podcasts are sponsored by TechSmith.

OK, let’s think of all the ways you do this. There is some emerging technology that will convert motion into the power you need to charge up your batteries. Let’s see:

• Dancing.
• Walking the dog.
• Jogging or any form of exercise.
• And then of course we could steer off into the realm of the silly…

But we won’t do that. There’s a startup in Idaho, M2E Power that it is going to bring a cell-phone charger to market next year that convert six hours of movement into one hour of talk time. Doesn’t sound like much at the moment, but as Katie Fehrenbacher on GigaOm points out there are decided upsides to this in third world countries.

I can already sense some entrepreneur out there thinking of an after market add-on that shakes your device all night long to give it a charge up.

It is no secret that applications that install themselves or stubs of themselves in the Task Tray create love/hate affairs with most users. If you use an application or service frequently, the convenience of having it there outweighs the overhead and resources it consumes. Most users are skilled at the various methods of removing applications from their startup when they don’t want them there and in those instances there are no issues, beyond losing what functionality the apps or services provided.

I don’t know about you, but I’ve got several applications I do need to run on occasion, but not frequently, that need or use a Task Tray presence. I prefer to not have them in the Task Tray always. Instead I create shortcuts for these apps and place them in a ShortCuts folder and only activate them when I need them, so they aren’t sitting around hogging up resources. A few examples of this are:

• Audible’s Download Manager
• Amazon.com’s MP3 Downloader(I use Amazon’s service to order DRM free and cheaper music than iTunes)
• My Webcam’s Menu Interface (the camera works better when it is running)
• The Eye-Fi Manager (for uploading pictures via WiFi to my computer)
• PDANet (for tethering my Windows Mobile phone) 
• Callburner (we use this for recording podcasts on Skype.)

With the Amazon and Audible apps it isn’t that easy. Each time I activate the app by clicking on the shortcut it installs properly, but the service I’m using doesn’t recognize that it is running and I have to go through the process of installing it again from the web. That’s a real PITA. If I remove CallBurner the same thing occurs, the application has to reinstall itself and re-hook into Skype before you can use it. That process has sometimes caused a system crash.

Two things here, vendors.

• Don’t assume I want your application always hanging around.
• Figure out some way to allow users to turn your service/apps on and off with some ease.

Sure, I could avoid the hassle by just leaving things alone, but I like to at least think I have some control over my environment.

I’m an avid reader. I’ll read anything I can get my hands or my ears around. In fact, reading is one of my preferred methods of relaxation. It is also something I have to do every day for my job. I’ve enjoyed reading eBooks on mobile devices and I’ve also enjoyed audio books as well. I haven’t taken the plunge into a dedicated e-Book reader like Amazon’s Kindle because I’ve been content to use a Tablet PC or other mobile device for that kind of reading.

Lately I’ve been doing more audio book than e-Book reading simply because I can gain a few extras moments of reading time when I’m in the car and I find that I’m enjoying it immensely.

So, I’m curious about GBM readers’ digital reading preferences. What do you prefer audiobooks or eBooks. Sound off in the comments.

Of course the answer to the question in the headline of this post is yes. I don’t know if you’ve been following the recent testing going on regarding Apple’s woes with the new, some would say regrettably named, iPhone 3G, but there is a wave of influencers out there pointing their fingers more at the networks than at the hardware after these tests. Logic would seem to dictate that the test findings (which in essence boil down to “it depends”) would reveal vagaries and differences. And this isn’t just true with the iPhone either. It affects other handsets and wireless cards and multiple networks.

That old saw, “Your mileage may vary” is more than true here, even in the best of circumstances. We’ve all seen coverage dwindle away to nothing at conventions, sporting events, and any large confluence of users trying to access the network. But it brings up some interesting issues when it comes to truth in advertising, and perhaps even billing and accounting.

If a user goes over his/her precious cap they are charged more for doing so. Caps and tiered plans are bing floated around by broadband providers under the guise of protecting their networks, which simply translates into upping their profit margins. But unless a user really pushes hard, there is no reduction in the billing rate when service degrades and a device becomes unusable.

This is an interesting prototype for those using Firefox. Ubiquity is a Firefox extension that basically adds a command interface to any web page that allows you to enter natural language like instructions to mash-up various web services. If you’re familiar with ActiveWords or Quicksilver, you’ve got a jump on understanding what they are after here. The example everyone is touting in talking about this, is that you can insert a map in an email without leaving the email that you are working on, but you can imagine many other uses for this as well. You call up Ubiquity with a key combination. Keep in mind this is an early protoype but it is available for download.

Ubiquity for Firefox from Aza Raskin on Vimeo.

James Kendrick points to an interesting column by tech analyist Rob Enderle wherein Rob wonders if Netbooks could be the Notebooks of the future. Rob looks at the strengths and weaknesses of what we are currently seeing released (or are about to see released) and, no surprise, finds Netbooks lacking when it comes to performance and the current flavors of OS choices. Rob suggests that Netbooks need an OS specifically designed for their class, but I don’t see that happening given that one of the key components of the Netbook game focuses on price. I do agree that Netbooks are indeed the “birth of something interesting” on the mobile front. I think we’ll know more about what that “something interesting” is in a year or so. We’re in the middle of the storm with the waters rising here. Once things settle a bit, we’ll have a better chance of knowing what the landscape will look like in the future.