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Don't Dismiss the BlackBerry Storm, or Rick Ankiel
Tweet Share on Facebook November 21, 2008 Comment (7)Much has been written about the BlackBerry Storm. But only Om Malik at the Gigaom blog invoked my St. Louis Cardinals in referring to the Storm's prospects. And so I rise in protest, to his characterization of centerfielder Rick Ankiel and to his dismissal of the Storm.
Ankiel was a phenom pitcher who, as Malik writes, "flamed out." Ankiel later...
...got hurt and came back as an outfielder and a hitter. He scored a lot of runs last season, but he isn’t a center fielder like Mickey Mantle. He is just another player.
Then:
Storm will be that — just another touch-screen smartphone.
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Storm Is a Fun BlackBerry, but No iPhone Killer
Tweet Share on Facebook November 20, 2008 Comment (8)Clicking on the BlackBerry Storm doesn't do much for me. The new touch-screen phone injects more fun and ease-of-use into the BlackBerry world, and might stem defections to the Apple iPhone and other competitors.
But its keyboard is no breakthrough, meaning avid messengers will want to stick to BlackBerrys with hardware keys. And someone after the best touch-screen software should stick with the iPhone.
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Windows to Get Free Malware Protection from Microsoft
Tweet Share on Facebook November 19, 2008 Comment (20)Microsoft is going to protect Windows, for free. It's remarkable that's even news, but it is with the announcement that Windows users can get free anti-malware software starting next year.
Even then, Microsoft is falling short by not building the software into upcoming Windows 7. The company says it instead will be a stand-alone download.
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Netflix to Begin Streaming HD Videos
Tweet Share on Facebook November 18, 2008 CommentTomorrow is the launch date for the first HD movies to stream from Netflix's service. About 300 hi-def titles will be available through Microsoft's Xbox 360 gaming console, at least to Microsoft Live Gold subscribers.
Early reviews welcome the new application, which comes as part of a broader update for Xbox. Dan Ackerman at Crave says the movie streaming could be a "killer app," though he warns it can be tough to master with the console's gamepad:
It takes some time to get used to how the buttons and triggers operate--we were constantly accidentally backing out to the main menu by hitting the "B" button.
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Slydial Adds Smartphone Apps
Tweet Share on Facebook November 17, 2008 CommentOne of my favorite new services is now easier to use. Slydial has released free software for many smartphones that makes it easier to sneak a voice mail onto someone's cellphone. The applications save having to first dial Slydial's service, and are for BlackBerrys, Windows Mobile and the iPhone.
Slydial has apparently worked out the kinks that bedeviled its start back in the summer. The service is free, if you don't mind hearing a short ad with your call.
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Audio: The Simplicity of Peek E-mail
Tweet Share on Facebook November 17, 2008 CommentThere is much to be said for the simplicity of a dedicated device. The Peek, which we included in our holiday tech-buying guide, can be thinner and sleeker than today's multipurpose wonders because it only tries to do one thing. The Peek is all about wireless E-mail. That also makes it easier to use, with minimal menus and dedicated buttons. It's such a relief to get a period or "@" symbol with one button rather than the multiple taps it takes on most smartphones.
I described those and other reasons to consider the Peek on WTOP this weekend. You can listen here, or subscribe to the weekly podcast through
iTunes and 
RSS. -
Blu-ray Enthusiasts Alone Can't Save the Format
Tweet Share on Facebook November 14, 2008 Comment (9)HDTV owners like Blu-ray best when it comes to putting something up on the big, expensive screen. That was the most notable message from a survey of HDTV owners released today by the Digital Entertainment Group.
Owners also think their hi-def sets are the bee's knees, and are willing to pay more for HD content, according to the numbers. But the main point was that Blu-ray will own the future, and the Los Angeles press conference today amounted to a cheering session for the format. The same association recently launched a $25 million promotional campaign for Blu-ray, in the face of growing reports from analysts that the format risks becoming a mere niche player.
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BlackBerry Storm On Sale Next Week
Tweet Share on Facebook November 13, 2008 Comment (1)Steady advertising by Verizon Wireless is helping make the Storm the most anticipated new BlackBerry, which goes on sale next week (for $200 with a new 2-year plan). But for me, the ads are actually dulling the buzz. Seeing somebody holding and using the keyboard has reminded me of the limitations of a touch-screen keyboard, despite the nifty new tech that BlackBerry is building in.
That the keyboard will audibly and physically respond to finger touches seemed promising. But the ads remind me that the touch screen remains a flat piece of real estate. I see no way to get the feel of where a key is without looking. And that will slow down typists, even if an audible and physical click confirms when they've hit a key.
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Flip Now Shoots High-Definition Video
Tweet Share on Facebook November 12, 2008 Comment (6)The Flip video camera has gone high def. The latest of the small, simple and popular Flip videocams captures sharp-looking footage that does justice to an expensive HDTV.
But I hesitate to heartily recommend the new Flip Mino HD. More on that later, because I should give credit to the manufacturer, Pure Digital. The company delivers what it promises in the HD model. It remains small and easy to use while now delivering better-looking video. The camcorder doubled the internal memory so that it could still capture a full hour at the new, 720p resolution.
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Audio: Hybrid Bike is a Kick to Ride
Tweet Share on Facebook November 11, 2008 Comment (2)I'm not often wowed by new technology. But I was by the bicycle version of a hybrid, which melds electric power with muscle power. And I wasn't alone. Gleeful noises came from anyone who had a chance to ride a hybrid model from Giant, which we had borrowed for our holiday tech-buying guide.
Smooth, sophisticated and mindless to use, the motor uses electronic smarts to blend beautifully with pedaling. Riders still get some exercise, but feel a definite kick from the motor, especially at its highest setting. And it simply makes the bike a kick to ride. It isn't for everyone at $2,000, but the Giant Twist Freedom DX should prove tempting to biking commuters.
For more on the bicycle, you can listen here to an interview I had this weekend on WTOP. Or you can subscribe to the weekly podcast through
iTunes and RSS.
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