The Nokia Tube

Nokia Tube

I have been reading quite a lot of Nokia Tube (5800XM) and Ipod Touch/Iphone comparisons lately, and have come to the conclusion that, given a choice, I would pick the Tube.

Yes, Apple has sold millions of Iphones. Over twenty million I think since the device came out in 2007. The Tube has actually sold quite well too. About one million devices each month since it came out late last year.

Why did I choose the Tube? Simple. It is a stand alone device. You can purchase one, drop your SIM card, and be off taking advantage of all its features in no time. You can’t do that with the Apple device. First, you need a computer. And then you need ITunes.

Mobile Browser Wars

Actually, there’s no war. I think we should stop using “war” to describe things that actually has no connection whatsoever to the tragic reality that is WAR.

Skyfire just got out of beta and, if you haven’t visited get.skyfire.com you should. If the beta was great, this new one is better. No other mobile browser can deliver the multimedia experience on a phone like Skyfire.

For a really cool way to “wow” people with Skyfire, use your phone’s TV-out on a wide-screen television or LCD projector and show them what streaming video on a phone is all about.

For those who want to experience “iphonish” (is that even a word?) mobile browsing, check out Ozone. It was recently reviewed on allaboutsymbian.com. Try GMail or Google Reader using Ozone and you’ll agree with me.

With over 60 million downloads and, according to online sources, the biggest browser in China, UCWeb remains a very good alternative to my all-time favorite, Opera Mini. Try version 6 and you will be amazed by the wealth of options available to you.

I’ve been using Opera for years. And years. For reading and research (which, you already know, I do a lot of), it remains my number one choice. I have dedicated keys on all my phones assigned to Opera Mini.

Try them all out. Having choices is an excellent thing.

Tools for the New School Year

It’s almost June and a lot of people– fellow teachers and students– have asked me for recommendations regarding the best tools for the coming school year.

Netbooks. I always tell folks to get a netbook if they already have a desktop. They are excellent 2nd computers.

Smartphones. Unless you already have a Nokia Wireless Keyboard, Nokia’s E-Series QWERTY Smartphones are very good alternatives to netbooks. I still believe that the E61i is an excellent choice as well as the E63. Mobilepakistan.wordpress.com has an excellent article on how the E61i “outperforms” a laptop. If you can afford an E71, you can afford a low-end netbook.

Among the N-Series, the N-95 remains, for me, the top of the line. It might not have the Xenon flash of the N-82, but the N-95 started the “desktop to laptop to pocket computing” trend that the forthcoming N-97 is riding on. As an over-all device, even the newer N-85 and N-96 fall short of the N-95. If you shop around, you can get an N-95 brand new or used at very nice prices.

E-Reading

I remember the first e-book I ever read. It was Tarzan on my Palm V. Fast forward to the present, I think most of my reading these days is via the electronic page. People who say that they’ll never get the hang of reading books on their handheld devices probably haven’t given it a serious try.

I don’t know how to explain this but when I re-read the classics on my Pocket PCs, I really enjoyed the experience. Reading them, the old fashioned way, the first time in high school–books: thick, heavy, and with tiny fonts– was torture.

Many of my students would rather read articles and essays online or on their phones (which I sent them via bluetooth) than go to the library and read the printed versions.

Nokia E61i and Motorola Q9h

I’m presently testing two QWERTY smartphones, Nokia’s E61i and Motorola’s Q9h. The “E” has a Smart SIM while the “Q” has a Globe.   As a web and email tablet, the Nokia is the clear winner. I can check my three email accounts in under 5 minutes using the native client. Using Opera Mini, surfing is fast and enjoyable. The 2.8″ screen helps a lot. The Moto has a smaller, 2.4″ screen. For sheer typing speed, the Q is tops. I use it a lot when taking quick notes and business minutes. Laridian’s Bible Software on the Q is better than Olivetree’s on the E.

For playing videos and listening to music, the E wins. Moreover, the E has a podcasting application that I really like. PC synchronization is where the Q beats the E hands down. DocumentsToGo on the Q is light years ahead of the E’s barebones QuickOffice suite.

After two months of use, I cannot declare a clear winner.