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AT&T Media Kit for iPhone 3GS

September 3, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Until I got an iPhone I didn’t realize how big of a deal the whole MMS thing was going to be but now that I have one I know it’s going to be.  Apparently the big day for the release of the MMS (multimedia messaging service) is going to fall on September 25th.  I can only imagine the amount of bandwidth consumed that day…

We know many of our iPhone customers are eager for an update on our rollout schedule for Multimedia Messaging Service (MMS). We’ve been working for the past several months to prepare our systems and network to ensure the best possible experience with MMS when it launches – and that launch date is: September 25 for iPhone 3G and 3GS customers. MMS will be enabled through a software update on that day.

We know that iPhone users will embrace MMS. The unique capabilities and high usage of the iPhone’s multimedia capabilities required us to work on our network MMS architecture to carry the expected record volumes of MMS traffic and ensure an excellent experience from Day One. We appreciate your patience as we work toward that end.

We’re riding the leading edge of smartphone growth that’s resulted in an explosion of traffic over the AT&T network. Wireless use on our network has grown an average of 350 percent year-over-year for the past two years, and is projected to continue at a rapid pace in 2009 and beyond. The volume of smartphone data traffic the AT&T network is handling is unmatched in the wireless industry. We want you to know that we’re working relentlessly to innovate and invest in our network to anticipate this growth in usage and to stay ahead of the anticipated growth in data demand, new devices and applications for years to come.

We thank you for your business and look forward to keeping you updated on our initiatives.

AT&T Media Kit | iPhone 3GS

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ESPN’s Fantasy Draft Kit for the iPhone

August 29, 2009 By Leave a Comment

Image1 Last night close to 20 of my buddies all came over and we had a live draft using one of those boards you can order online.  Granted the process was a little more drawn out and less efficient than simply doing the draft online but we had a really good time doing it and I guess that’s all that matters. 

Of course w/ everyone needing to research out their roster it seemed like we had 2 laptops setup for every one person in attendance.  It looked like a genuine nerdfest.  To make things even nerdier, we had constructed a podium from cardboard that our commissioner JT had decorated up just for this occassion.  By the time the Dominoes pizza delivery guy got here the tension in the room could be cut w/ a knife…

We went on our way of setting up our teams and researching out available talent.  I was extremely pleased to get my normal QB Peyton Manning early in round one, I usually build my team around him if possible.  Instead of using my laptop to track the players, I downloaded the iPhone app from ESPN’s fantasy draft kit and used that instead.  I was amazed at how easy it was to navigate between players and find just the right ones to make up my lineup.  Here are some screenshots of the players I selected for my roster.  I know it’s late in the game for drafts but if you still haven’t had yours yet, be sure to checkout this app for the iPhone.

 photo 3photo photo 2

So far this has to be my favorite iPhone application of the week…

Filed Under: Sports, Wireless Tagged With: ,

My First Month w/ the iPhone

August 25, 2009 By Leave a Comment

apple-iphone-3g Okay, I have had my iPhone for a month now, I know I am a late adopter, but I was so hesitant to get an iPhone for a couple of reasons I have mentioned here before but left with little option I decided to give it a try.  As I have mentioned in the past, I have always been pretty hung up on the Palm products (not the ones using Windows, but using the PalmOS) and always have had great luck w/ my Treo.  AT&T informed me that it was going to likely be January or February before the Pre came out, which is the Treo’s predecessor and the biggest challenger to the iPhone in my opinion.  It’s already available for Sprint but they have the deal locked in w/ Palm kind of like AT&T has with Apple.

Once I brought the phone home and realized that it would indeed synchronize my Outlook calendar and contacts I was very relieved.  I had heard a lot of rumors that it wouldn’t talk to Outlook and that was a deal killer for me if that was true.  Once I loaded iTunes and synchronized it asked me to point out Outlook for my calendar and contacts so I knew from that point on that things were going to be okay.

I went into the App store and quickly grabbed up some Apps that I knew I was going to be needing, for instance Basecamp. I will launch a post soon with a list of iPhone apps that I am using and how I like them, that will likely become a weekly feature here if I keep discovering new apps that can bring value or productivity.  I am not much of a gamer so don’t expect a lot of cool game recommendations.

After having been with this iPhone for a month now I am ashamed that I didn’t make this jump sooner.  Don’t get me wrong, the Palm Treo served my needs well for several years now (I have had 3 different models) but the versatility that the iPhone has for my business is incredible.  Not only can I stay linked up to all of the important social locations on the web (Facebook, Twitter, FriendFeed, LinkedIn, etc.) but I can also connect to my Basecamp and utilize some handy PHP reference tools and cheatsheets as well.

I have to thank all of you that recommended the iPhone, it has definitely been a blessing just getting acquainted with it.  More to follow on this topic I am sure… 

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Otterbox iPhone Case

August 25, 2009 By 1 Comment

41nUMPXn9bL When I got my iPhone I looked at every case option they had in the store because one of the things I knew going into this thing was that I am pretty OCD, especially when it comes to finger prints on touch screen devices.  Well, after checking out the cases I decided on the Otterbox Defender case.

In the past I have never had a phone case that I was crazy about, probably because they were either too bulky or didn’t feel right clipped to my belt.  There was also a case that I found for my Palm Treo once that literally cut me one day while I was climbing into my car so comfort and functionality are both huge factors for me. 

The Otterbox was a little bit more than the other case I was looking at but it was like a sealed enclosure and the belt clip looked to be a little more durable.  I have had this case for a week or so now and I love it.  If you are looking for a case for your iPhone I can’t recommend the Otterbox case enough…

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Week One with the iPhone

August 7, 2009 By 1 Comment

apple-iphone-3g The other day I reluctantly went into the local AT&T store to find a replacement for my Palm Treo that I had been hoping would hold out for me until January when AT&T was supposed to get in the new Palm Pre but it just wasn’t meant to be.  I went in w/ the intention of checking out the BlackBerry Bold but the more I looked at the iPhone the more I realized that the touchscreen keyboard wasn’t too bad (that was my holdout from day one w/ the iPhone).

Another holdout that I had w/ the iPhone was that I had heard that it wouldn’t synchronize with Outlook.  For me that is a huge deal because the past 15+ years of my life are archived in Outlook as well as my notes, tasks, and client data going back as long as I have been in business.  Leaving that kind of business intelligence behind was not an option.  I asked around and a few people told me that it was possible to sync up w/ Outlook but person after person at the AT&T store told me that the iPhone would not synchronize with Outlook, but I knew that I trusted my friends who had said that it would do it so I went ahead and brought a 3gs home w/ me to test it out.

Sure enough, on the first attempt it synchronized right up with my Outlook Contacts and Calendar.  Someone should tell AT&T to send out a memo to all of their sales people and let them know this because apparently it’s not common knowledge to them.  Long story short, I was able to sync up my contacts and my calendar but not able to hook up w/ my tasks.  And a few months ago the tasks thing would have been a deal killer for me but my partners and I recently moved over to Basecamp to do our project management so I was able to just load an app to handle my tasking and I was all setup.  Even better than I had hoped for…

Filed Under: Wireless Tagged With: , , , ,

G-SNAP Beta Launched!

May 12, 2009 By 1 Comment

gsnapSome of you might remember I blogged about G-Snap a while back, and at the time I was very impressed with their product and even more impressed with their level of service.  Well, these guys have outdone themselves this time.  I spoke to my good friend Ramsey Ksar from G-Snap today and we discussed their new beta release of their software.  It’s simply amazing, I am not for sure if there is anything on the market now that even comes close to what this application can do.

The guys from G-Snap actually spent time inside the chatrooms with our users from time to time and asked questions about what they wanted to see in the next release and then took these suggestions and turned them into their latest beta release.  I actually witnessed this on several occasions, that kind of interaction between a software company and it’s users is definitely the best way to guage your products perception.

Here are some of the features included in their beta release, and from what I have gathered everything appears to be very stable:

Live Event Coverage with G-SNAP!

With G-SNAP!, it’s easy to create on demand communities for your live event to give you the ability to communicate the “play-by-play”, event updates, lecture points, etc! Snapcasting also give you the power to empower a community to gather and discuss! All this happens in real-time without having to refresh your browser! Additional Snapcasting features include:

  • Live event thread with viewer comments on Web and Mobile
  • An archive of all your Snapcasts
  • Manage the game clock and scoreboard for sporting events
  • G-SNAP! Snapshot to communicate critical event updates
  • Invite additional Snapcasters to assist
  • Upload photos, video, or Powerpoint via your desktop and mobile
  • Private Snapcasts for your private events!
  • Multimedia experience with the G-SNAP! Media Gallery (view uploaded photos, videos, slides and other media files from your desktop or mobile)
  • Snapcast Standby mode: this is great for multi day Snapcasts.
  • Real-time search across all Snapcasts!
  • Real time stats to keep you informed as to how you’re doing
  • Avatars and more!
  • Customized event URLs – just ask and we can set it up for you. For example, http://gsnap.com/myliveevent

Mobile Snapcasting!

Covering a soccer game? Maybe a conference? Didn’t bring our laptop? With G-SNAP! Mobile, it’s easy to Snapcast an event from your mobile phone! You can provide the play-by-play all while uploading images or videos. With G-SNAP! Mobile it’s also possible to attend view any Snapcast!

Multimedia Snapcasts

Add photos, video (even YouTube!), or even Powerpoint files from your desktop or mobile phone into your Snapcast. You can also add a live video stream from our recommended video friends at Ustream or Mogulus by grabbing the “embed code” for your video and adding it to your Snapcast!

Robust Moderation Features

As the Snapcaster, you control your content. Set viewer comments to require your approval prior to publishing or ban a specific user who’s a nuisance. Or, give specific viewers “trusted” status to auto-approve their comments.

  • Allow viewers to comment freely or require each entry to be approval by you!
  • Trust a user while comments are set to “require Snapcaster approval” and all their entries are auto-approved. Or ban a trouble maker and they’ll be given the boot!
  • Inappropriate word filter: this is default on but if you chose, it can be turned off. It’s your Snapcast but be mindful of your audience!

Personalization

Have a website or blog? Create a Snapcast on G-SNAP! and then embed the viewer on to your page! Keep your viewers on your site – we don’t mind!. Additional features include:

  • Personalized theme allowing you to put a custom background image, header image or pick a background color
  • Custom avatars and more!
  • Private Snapcasts are a breeze to setup if you’re hosting a private event!

I was also speaking to Ramsey today about incorporating G-Snap into two other possible projects we have going on, the ability to tie a web chat with a mobile device certainly has an appeal, especially when covering live events such as outdoor festivals and sporting events.

Just a few of the things that i see that I know our users are very excited about is the ability to have avatars on their accounts that show up beside their comments, this appears to do wonders for following the flow of the conversation, plus it allows users to more or less customize their own profile which is something we all know that they appreciate.

I am also very impressed with the layout and interface for the snapcasts, very nice.  Here is a link to an upcoming snapcast for those of you interested in checking out their software first hand.  I recommend setting up an account and taking part in the chat so you can get the full effect as to how impressive this software is.  (Link: http://gsnap.com/588)

G-SNAP!

Filed Under: Social Media / Web 2.0, Web Development, Wireless Tagged With:

OutSync – Home

January 23, 2009 By 2 Comments

I had someone ask me today how I managed to synchronize my Facebook Friends w/ my Microsoft Outlook Contacts and I referred them back to an earlier blog post I had made about the product OutSync.  If you are trying to manage contact information for your friends in both Facebook and Outlook, you should give this application a try.

OutSync is a free Windows application that syncs photos of your Facebook friends with matching contacts in Microsoft Outlook. It allows you to select which contacts are updated. So you can update all contacts at once or just a few at a time.

The main benefit of OutSync is for Windows Mobile users. Updated contacts are automatically synced with Windows Mobile devices by Exchange server or ActiveSync. Thus new and fun photos appear during calls and other places where contacts are used.

OutSync is compatible with Windows XP, Vista and Server 2003. It requires Outlook 2003 or 2007.

Visit the OutSync page on Facebook for discussions, reviews and more.

OutSync – Home

Filed Under: Email Solutions, Social Media / Web 2.0, Wireless Tagged With: ,

The BarackBerry

January 22, 2009 By 3 Comments

How cool is that President Obama might actually get to keep his Blackberry after all? 

It appears that the Secret Service and IT staffers at the White House might approve of his using the exclusive Sectera Edge cell phone by General Dynamics. If you have never heard of this phone you can get a little bit of info on it here.

(CNN) — Self-confessed BlackBerry addict Barack Obama may not have to kick the thumbing habit after all, despite the concerns of a notoriously technophobic White House.

The new U.S. president was often seen hunched over the mobile e-mail device during his election campaign and even featured at No. 2 on one celebrity Web site’s list of obsessive BlackBerry users.

But, like previous Oval Office incumbents, Obama had been expected to take a vow of technological celibacy following his inaugural oath on Tuesday, despite telling CNBC in an interview that security officials would have to "pry it out of my hands." He protests that a mobile device would help him stay in touch with the real world. Should President Obama be allowed to keep his BlackBerry? Tell us what you think

E-mail has long been treated with suspicion by the Secret Service because of fears it could be hacked into by foreign espionage agencies, or that sensitive information could reach the public domain via a single mis-stroke of the "send" key.

President George W. Bush was forced to give up using e-mail when he took charge, while President Bill Clinton sent just two e-mails during his administration — one to test that the system worked and the second to veteran astronaut John Glenn before his trip into space in 1998.

There are also concerns that mobile devices such as BlackBerries, which contain built in GPS technology, could be hacked into, revealing the president’s location within a few feet.

But according to reports Thursday, Obama could now be in line to receive a spy-proof alternative to his favorite toy.

Writing on his blog for the Atlantic magazine, Marc Ambinder reports that the National Security Agency has approved a $3,350 smartphone — inevitably dubbed the "BarackBerry" — for Obama’s use.

The exclusive Sectera Edge, made by General Dynamics, is reportedly capable of encrypting top secret voice conversations and handling classified documents.

But Obama may have pushed his Secret Service handlers’ technological patience far enough. Ambinder also reports that instant messaging in the White House will still be a definite no-no :(

Obama ‘to get spy-proof smartphone’ – CNN.com

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Palm Announces the Pre

January 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

This is probably the prettiest thing I have seen in a long time, besides my wife of course!  This is the new release from Palm that is due out sometime in 2009 from Palm.  They will have a GSM later but upon it’s release it will only be available for Sprint users.  I honestly can’t wait to get my hands on this thing!  Other big news from Palm at CES this year had to do w/ their new operating system.  Click on this link to learn more!

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Biodegradable Notebooks

January 8, 2009 By Leave a Comment

One of the biggest surprises for me at this years CES (Consumer Electronics Show) in Las Vegas was the unveiling of a new notebook computer from Asus that is partially made from environmentally friendly components.  One of these ingredients is, you guessed it, Bamboo!  Didn’t see that one coming did you?

ASUS Bamboo Ecobook Notebook – bLavish

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