Gearhack Trying To Install Chrome OS Diet On Netbook and XO

The publisher of popular sites, Cynosure, Gearhack, and Camerahacker, is trying to do us a favor and spead some of the Chrome OS love.  I've know Mr. Chieh Cheng for a long time. Going back to when he helped me passed high school physics.

So, dude's pretty smart.  So, he's been in a mission to try to get COS (Chrome OS) Diet working on his MSI Wind and his XO.  I spoke to him about it at length and he's quite knowledgeable with the in-and-outs of these things. Dude's pretty relentless when it comes to these things.

Hence, the word "hack" in his domain name.  Anyway, he's posted some progress he made and roadblocks he hope to overcome.  Let him know what you think and what you might be able to offer him.

Yeah, Android and COS will merge as Google founders have confessed so we might as well start talking about COS too here and over at On Android.

T-Mobile USA To Get iPhone Before Verizon?

Well, some analyst was reported by Thestreet.com that Apple is likely to go with T-Mobile in 2010.  Okay, if you know me, I don't have much use for self-serving analysts but, once in a while, one will come across with an interesting analysis.  And this one, I happen to think is workable for all parties involved.  And trust me.  For me to link to thestreet.com, well, this'll be the last time that happens.  Back to the meat of the matter.

Back in July, I began speculation about possibility of T-Mobile getting the iPhone some time in 2010.  Here's the low-down on why I had thought this was a possible, if somewhat improbable, scenario.  3G and GSM.

In the United States, if you want access to a GSM network, you've got one of two major choices.  ATT and T-Mobile.  As you know, T-Mobile is the smaller of the two.  It's in the 4th place as far as the major networks are concerned, behind Sprint.  As Apple as repeatedly said that there will be no CDMA version of the iPhone.  Conventional wisdom is that Apple will wait until LTE, the next generation wireless network, has sufficient coverage before the iPhone becomes available to Verizon's customers (both ATT and Verizon Wireless will migrate to LTE as their next generation wireless broadband network).

So why T-Mobile?  GSM.  Here and now, by going with T-Mobile, Apple will have access to another 40 million customers in the immediate future.  Plus the 80 million from ATT, that's 120 million native GSM users.  And for folks who for one reason or another want the iPhone but are unwilling to go with ATT, T-Mobile offers a viable alternative.

Just ask the tens of thousands (if not hundreds of thousands) of T-Mobile customers who are currently using unlocked iPhones on T-Mobile's EDGE network.  These folks would rather use their iPhones on T-Mobile's older slower network than put up with ATT's shortcomings.

Not only is this about access to millions of more potential customers like myself but it also means additional pressure will be put on Verizon should there be any future negotiations between it and Apple.  For Apple, it holds all the cards and when it comes time to use them, Steve Jobs knows how to play his hand.

But you ask "what about this hybrid iPhone that everyone's talking about using Qualcomm's chips? The one that allows Apple to sell a version of the iPhone that works on GSM and CDMA networks while also upgradable to LTE access?"  It can happen but insiders don't think the chip will be ready until 2011.  Plus, Qualcomm's public statements seem indicate that it was still knocking at Apple's store and formal talk has yet to commence.

There are still a lot of questions about any deal between Apple and T-Mobile in the US.  One is the weak 3G network.  It was a bit more than a year ago when T-Mobile basically launched part of its 3G network with the release of Android-based G1.  As a G1 user, I can attest to the reliability of the 3G network in CA.  There are dead spots but what network doesn't?

Then there is also the question about Verizon's 80-plus million users.  I'm certain Cupertino would like access to them.  And eventually, that'll happen.  However, today, there is an ongoing public battle between Verizon and ATT over network coverage.  We won't go into that here but last week Apple joined the battle with its own commercial.  The basics of it was that Verizon's CDMA network won't allow users to make a call while surf the Web at the same time.  Ouch.

ATT's 3G network lets folks access the Internet and talk about the same time.  And T-Mobile's 3G network lets users do just that as well.

What about T-Mobile's trip down Google's Android lane?  Well, there was the G1 more than a year ago.  The myTouch earlier this year and, the latest, the Motorola Cliq.  Well, as much as I love my G1, the iPhone is a far superior device than any Android device on the market at this time.  And having Android devices has not turned around T-Mobile's fortune in the US.

Plus, it seems that Google has found a new frenemy:  Verizon.  With Morotorla, Verizon launched the Droid, the newest Android device.  And it appears that Google will continue to work with Verizon to counter the gains that Apple has made in the marketplace.

So, where does that leave T-Mobile?  It doesn't have the Pre like Sprint does and everyone has Blackberries to offer customers.  T-Mobile's place as the Android-first did not matter much.  For all the devices T-Mobile or anyone else offers their customers, they're not iPhones.

So, do T-Mobile really want the iPhone?  Does it want the headache of network congestions?  Have its iPhone users hog up the wireless bandwidth?  You betcha.  And I'm sure if there is going to be any deal, T-Mobile USA's German parent company is also in on it.  There are likely pledges by T-Mobile to spend hundreds of millions of dollars to build and upgrade its existing network.

When Verizon's LTE network is up and running, I'm sure Apple will be happen to bring the iPhone over and gain additional market of an additional 80 million users.  But for now, it's more likely that T-Mobile customers will see the iPhone in 2010 than Verizon's customers.

I've never had a Verizon phone so I can't say first-hand how good its network is and whether it truly offers better coverage than ATT.  I think they're about the same.  Had Apple and Verizon worked out a deal to offer the iPhone on Verizon's CDMA network, I'm sure all the blogs and tech articles will be about how Verizon Wireless' network was being weighed down by the millions of iPhone users while ATT subscribers enjoy an open sky of wireless broadband.

Apple is patient.  It does what it wants when it feels the time is right.  Until Verizon's 4th generation wireless network is up and running efficiently, don't expect the iPhone to be running on Verizon.  And by adding T-Mobile in 2010, it puts added pressure on the rest of the wireless network (just about every mobile platform are on existing networks) and it'll be Apple's to gain.  And in the short run, Apple will have access to T-Mobile's 4th place network of tens of millions of subscribers.

Should Apple Release New iPhones and Updates Faster?

With newcomers seemingly arriving by the week to challenge iPhone for the innovation crown, I am questioning if Apple can afford to update the iPhone merely once a year.

iPhone, since its introduction in 2007, has become an annual event dispite Apple and its carrier partners not saying anything about it.  For its part, Apple has never divulge information for new products prior to launch.  The original iPhone went on sale in the last weekend of June and since then, the iPhone 3G and the follow-up 3GS went on sale around June and July.  So, it's safe to give the iPhone an annual product cycle.

I think Apple fans go to a good scare a year ago when RIM came out with Storm.  Then in the months leading up to the Pre going on sale, many wondered if the iPhone 3G can compete against WebOS’ Synergy, something that the iPhone lacks.

Furthermore, the growing rift, or contrast, between Apple and Google, whether it is manufactured by the media and blogs or not, does highlight the difference in philosophies between these two innovative companies.  While Apple makes no apologies for its walled garden approach, Google’s Android is generally open to developers and handset makers, within limits.

One of the starkest contrast is that the iPhone’s interface is uniform in iPhone 3.0 while Android allows handset makers to graft their own flavor of UI such as HTC’s Sense and Motorola Cliq’s MOTOBLUR.  Oh, and let’s not forget Verizon Wireless' flagship mobile device, Droid.

And while near-term adoption for the iPhone remains positive, the sheer number of new Android devices coming to the market in the next few quarters, and the likely barrage of Window Mobile 7 devices will make the mobile market very crowded.

Thus, should Apple accelerate any product cycle for the iPhone and the Touch?  Apple does have a couple of advantages that has made it difficult for competitors to overcome.  The first is the 100K-strong app store.  It is hard to dismiss the success of the app store with already 2 billion downloads.  That’s something competitors would have a lot of difficulties overcoming.  Still, Android won’t need to match the iPhone app for app.  Even at a quarter or half the size of the iPhone app store, the Android Marketplace would be a success (AM should be closer to 20K apps by now).

While the app store is an advantage competitors can overcome in time, the second advantage the iPhone has will be more difficult to for Apple’s competitors to address.  The iPhone “just works”.  I’ve heard it many times said about the iPhone but never about any other devices.

Right now, I don’t sense any urgency from Cupertino for any need to make any changes to the annual iPhone upgrade schedule.  But I do sense that iPhone's effects on the mobile market and the confusion and desperation it sowed on competitors has waned somewhat.  At the very least, traditional handset makers have gotten used to the fact that the iPhone is here to stay (maybe except for Microsoft's Steve Balmer).

It doesn’t mean that Apple shouldn’t muddle things up a bit again or put more distance between itself and the rest of the market.

Running With the G1

There are two apps that standout that runners will appreciate who uses the G1.  MyTracks and CardioTrainer.  No more need for dedicated GPS units that work only for the most sophisticated runners.

One of the things on my Garmin is that I can set a various of trackers as well as keep information about my weight and calories burnt.  So far, I have not found an app that can double as a Garmin Trainer replacement completely.  However, for casual runners, there is no need.

MyTracks uses the GPS on the G1 for creating tracks.  That's its main function and it does it well.  Using the Google Maps, the user is able to create markers for the track.  And there is no limit to how many trackers and markers you can place.

What I also like is the ability to upload or share the tracks.  I'm not too sure about the sharing but that depends on your privacy tolerance.  And there are a whole host of settings.

• accuracy
• option to made maps available on Google Maps
• elevation of the track - not as useful as I like it to be.
• statistics - max speed, average speed, distance, time - however, this information is only available after the track is completed

CardioTrainer is a different app.  It is all about statistics (more or less).  There is a tutorial at the beginning when you start up the app.  I recommending going through it but you can go back to it at any time.

When you start up CardioTrainer, you can choose between workout, history, settings, and help.  The first thing I did was go through the options in settings.  

• units you want to display
• voice output - in minutes or distance ran
• music to play during run
• maps display
• GPS update frequency
• calories calculator
• type of workout

Once you start the tracking, you see only the map and GPS strength.  That is pretty much like MyTracks except you cannot add markers for the track.  In fact, it isn't about recording tracks so much as it just allows the user to use the G1 as a digital workout buddy.  Don't get me wrong, I have been swearing by CardioTrainer for a couple of weeks now.  

What I also like CT is the option to set the type of training involved.  Running, biking, walking are the most common I would think.  There are also options for skiiing, driving, horseback riding, kayaking, and skating.  

There is one thing that I do have an issue regarding both apps.  You aren't provided with live data during the run.  That is something Garmin does very well.  In fact, there is an app for the iPhone that I use that provides speed, time, average pace, distance, and calories burnt.  

If MyTracks or CT can provide those pertinent runs, more hardcore trainers will find both of these apps useful.  But like I said at the top, these two apps are mostly for casual runners like myself. Nevertheless, those are information that even I would like to have available to me.  

Also, I would like the ability to lock the screen.  I think most people who run with the G1 carry it in their hands.  At times, I inadvertently pressed a button or touch something on the screen.  It would be nice to be able to concentrating on running and having to worry about having the run being interrupted. 

So, if you want more out of your G1 and you're a workout nut, give both myTrack and CardioTrainer a try.  

What I like to see in the future is some sort of voice command functions be made available to third party apps.

Artwork Done On An iPhone

Maybe you've heard of the New Yorker Cover that was done entirely in the iPhone using an app called "Brushes".  That's right.  The iPhone.

The New Yorker cover was done by Jorge Colombo while he was standing in Time Square.

Now, this was done on the iPhone but I'm sure if the app were to exist on some other platform, that should also be possible.  It goes to show the depth of what talented mobile users can do with the right tools for creativity.

Not only did he use "Brushes", he also used the companion app, "Brushes Viewer", to make a video capturing each step of how he drew the picture.

Here is a short video of how he did it.



Source:  New Yorker, MacWorld

The app here available in the iTunes app store for $4.99.

Hands On With Pre - Good But So Is The Competition

Fair and balance is what I'm trying to go for here.  Not Fox News style.  Just laying out the facts regarding the time I spent with the Pre at Best Buy.


So, the Pre has been with us for a few days now and you've read the reviews (if not, you should if you are consider the Pre as your mobile device).  Here are not notes I took in the time I had with the Pre:

• Multi-tasking - it's good to have but it's not a must for me since smartphones and mobile devices really are more conducive for the user to do one thing at a time.  Seriously, how many games do you need open with the IM, e-mail, and browser all open at the same time?  
• Multi-touch is very nice. Good to finally see it on another device besides the iPhone.
• WebOS is very very nice.  Feels very snappy.  Cards is very innovative.  
• The device is smaller than some (like the iPhone) but bigger than others (like the Blackberries).  On the while, it's bigger than I thought.  
• The screen isn't as impressive I thought.  I went in with very high expectations based on the reviews.  It was good and vibrant nonetheless.  I didn't not see the discolorations many Pre owners are unhappy about.
• I like flip the keyboard underneath the body in and out.  It was pretty cool but when I started using it, the body felt uncomfortable, going from an egg shape to an elongated form was a big weird.  The case was cheap.  It didn't just feel cheap as some of the reviews indicated.  Just going to be blunt about it.
• I've heard issues with the keyboard.  First, reviews felt the keyboard was too close to the top portion of the phone so their fingers were constantly bumping up against it.  I don't think it's a design flaw.  More likely, it's more about not making the phone appear longer than it already is.  Having said that, I had no issues with the placement of the keyboard.
• Two more things about the keyboard.  The keyboard is small.  Man, it's small.  I went around to the Blackberries and the Centro to test out their keyboards.  The Pre has one of the smallest at Best Buy.  I was typing slowly because I was not familiar with the layout but I do see issues for folks who need to type faster.  The second thing about the keyboard is the rubbery feel.  With the other phones, they had plastic feels to it.  Takes getting used to.

Those are the physical impressions I was able to come away with in the time I had access to the Pre.  As with the lucky few who had time with the Pre for evaluations, I don't think those reviews truly does it justice.  The Pre is a complicated device.  I don't mean it's difficult to use.  In fact, ease of use seems to be very important to Palm.  I'm saying that the whole WebOS, the multi-touch, and the slide-out hardware design has created a very unique mobile device.  

So, would I get it?  No.  I like the iPhone, I've invested apps, and I like the close integration with OS X and my Macbook.  However, this is what I recommend you do if you're considering getting a new device.

Spend a lot of time with it.  If you've got a Best Buy in the area, you're in luck.  They've got the iPhone, Palm Centro and Pre, and an assortment of Blackberries and Windows devices.  Spend some time with each device.  Ask for a live model to play with like I did.  Also, the customer service rep who was with me (watching me like a hawk) said they may get the iPhone 3G S on the 19th, the first day the new iPhones go on sale.

In conclusion, the Pre is a contender.  WebOS is particularly sweet.  Hardware is first gen so there's going to be issues like the keyboard.  If there is a problem that I have with the Pre, it's the lack of third party app support.  As it stands now, there are less than twenty apps.  

Palm did not have a problem attracting developers for the old Palm OS.  At the time, their only competitor was Windows for a while until Palm did nothing to improve its OS for years.  Today is a competely different story.

There is Apple's iTunes app store.  Android Marketplace.  Who else?  Oh, the wireless providers are getting into the app store business.  Sony, Nokia, Samsung, Microsoft.  I'm sure I've left a few out.  It just seems like everyone is creating their own app store.  

Palm's got momentum from the buzz the Pre has been able to generate and it needs to quickly capitalize on that.  Since the WWDC keynote on Monday, it's been iPhone 3G S this and that.  Very little heard about the Pre.  So Palm has to move fast.

Apple really impressed with iPhone 3.0 and the potentials of the iPhone 3G S has really blown everyone away.  Not only that, the Pre costs $299 ($199 after rebate) while the regular iPhone 3G dropped to $99 while the new 3G S costs $199 (16GB model) and $299 (32GB model).

So Palm has to move fast.  And a price drop may be necessary.

Note:  I previously used an iPhone.  I now rely on a G1 and iPod Touch for my mobile needs.  I just want to put that out there.  Fair, balance, and facts.

Another Note:  My short time with the Pre did not allow me to get into the inner workings of the WebOS so you'll need to test drive it more thoroughly than I did.  

ATT Is Forced To Play Defense With the iPhone

The numbers do not lie.  The iPhone has been the main mobile device for Ma Bell.  Want the numbers?


Okay.  Here are the numbers.  In the latest quarter, 40% of new ATT mobile warriors are picked the iPhone their mobile device.  In the quarter when the iPhone 3G was introduced, 2.4 million iPhones were activated, taking in an ARPU (average revenue per user) of $95, 60% higher than ATT's overall ARPU (Telephony Online).  And things have not slowed.  

Recently, it isn't about attracting new customers from rivals as far as ATT is concerned.  Not any more.  Now, it is about playing defense.  The thought of the iPhone working on a rival network is a scenario that has kept ATT executives up at nights.  If these executives are doing the job they're hired to do, ATT should prepare for the day when it is no longer the exclusive iPhone carrier in the United States.  

There is no way to underscore the importance of how important the iPhone is to ATT and it has to do all it can to extent its exclusivity.  And things got worse for Ma Bell at WWDC 2009 when it became apparent that ATT was silently singled out for its inability to keep up with Apple and the iPhone.  During the keynote, boos at ATT were audible for not being ready to bring MMS and tethering features to the iPhone users.  To be fair, ATT’s competitors are quite choosy about which device they allow for tethering but no MMS in this day and age?  ATT being left out of the keynote in any way shape or form was deafening.  Virtually everyone in the audience, folks following the live blogs, and journalists noticed it.

On Tuesday, it was unavoidable to read blog after blog for not being able to step up to the mobile game.

Still don't think ATT is playing defense?  Let also look the  pricing and upgrade fees speak for itself for the new iPhone 3G and iPhone 3G S.  The $99 for the iPhone 3G is more Apple’s idea than ATT.  With the opportunity for Apple to knock out a player or two in the mobile market and really hurt the remaining players a bit (Storm 2 and G2 on deck in the coming months – WM 7 after that), why not?  Components and memory chip prices continue to fall in the recession, going from $199 to $99 with yesterday’s technology is not going to hurt Apple’s margin. And until WWDC, the iPhone 3G is still the mobile device its competitors are trying to catch up to.  The fact  that ATT benefits from its competitors' losses is secondary.

On the other hand, ATT will still need to pay Apple for every iPhone 3G it sells, not to mention the new and already popular iPhone 3G S.  It wasn’t cheap last year and it’s definitely isn’t going to be cheap this year for ATT.  Meanwhile, ATT’s near-term bottom line is still being affected and this will continue to be situation as it tries to convince Apple it is the network for the iPhone.  

Of course, Apple is balking at the once golden relationship it has with ATT and is likely looking at what options it has in the United States.

So now, ATT is left with playing defense:  keeping the iPhone off the hands of its competitors.  No one outside of Apple and ATT knows what the terms of their deal is.  But one would think that Apple would have extracted guarantees from ATT to keep up with the demands of its iPhone users.  

ATT can eventually learn to live without the iPhone if the issued is forced.  But this is Apple and the iPhone.  Not just another smartphone.  

Could it be too late for ATT?  It would not be a stretch to assume that there are escape clauses that can be activated should one of the parties not deliver as promised?

First, Apple capitulated to ATT, to the chagrin of its users, by keeping apps like Skype and Slingplayer only work on the Wi-Fi.  ATT “KNEW” its network would not be able to handle the load.  (Some speculated that ATT wanted to offer its own video services via its own app.  Well, WWDC came and went and not a word about it.  No mention on its website either.)  As bad as it was, Apple delivered.  

Now, let's look at ATT.  By not offering even basic services like MMS, is it possible ATT has violated its contract with Apple?  And if that is the case, is Apple free to bring even the basic iPhone 3G quickly to, say, T-Mobile (because it’s the only other major GSM network in the United States) as a punishment?  Even at $149 or $199, there certainly would be a lot takers.  And you can bet many of them could be ATT users.

Unless there is a triple of efforts by ATT to beef up its network and in convincing fashions show Apple its committed to build the best network in the US, Apple has the upper hand when it comes to deciding whether it has to look for a new home for the iPhone platform. 

WWDC And Pre Launch - Has Anything Changed?

E3 in Los Angeles last week.  This was followed by the Pre launch last saturday (50k-100k sold, depending on who you listen to) and Apple's WWDC today where Apple unloaded a plethora of news and new technology for its mobile and Mac platform.


It's been a busy week and this isn't over by any means.  iPhone 3.0 and the new iPhone 3G S will be available on June 17th and 19th respectively.  Following that, we have T-Mobile's second Android device, G2, and Verizon's Storm 2 on deck.


But even after that, it is prudent to ask if anything has changed in the mobile landscape.  Since only Pre and the iPhone 3G S are available or will be soon, this is where we'll focus for now.  At Onxo, we like put the spotlight on issues that a increasingly mobile computing society.  Since the Apple joined the mobile device and smartphone market, there has been an increase in smartphone sales.  Just ask RIM and it's record Blackberry sales.  In fact, a few competitors thanked Apple's iPhone for bring to attention of millions of mobile users the benefits of smartphones and mobile devices.


That was two years ago.  Last year, the iPhone 3G's launch put an exclamation on that focus.  That was followed by the Blackberry Storm and the G1, the first ever Android device.


And this year, Palm wowed the tech crowd with the Pre and it was immediately billed as the closest competitor to the iPhone.  In some ways, that's true.  Multi-touch.  App store with SDK kits.  3G Internet access with push mail, Google maps.  Merely catching up to the iPhone some might say.  Others might even say that these are features Blackberries and G1s have had for months or years.


Now let's look at the iPhone 3.0 that will grace 40 million iPhone and iPod Touch users next week.  Cut, Copy, and Paste.  Push notification instead of applications running in the background.  Video and camera functionalities.  Pretty good but it is arguable that the iPhone has finally caught up with things that the mobile market has had for years.  MMS, anyone?  ATT will make that available later this summer, not even when the iPhone G S ships.  Oh, and the iPhone still will not allow apps to run in the background.


As pleasing as Apple and Palm has made millions of mobile users, both companies merely bulked up on features.  Granted though, Palm has done some pretty cool stuff with its WebOS.  Apple, on the other hand, has done well with the App store, ease of use, provided unique user experience only Apple can offer.  And the iPhone design is simply unmatched.  At the end of the day, features-wise, there is nothing new to the market.


Is the mobile future bleak then?  Certainly not?  I'm only stating that in the short-term, there seems to be technological consolidation as device and smartphone makers focus on shoring up its base and improve on their technology.  After that, what then?


There is no telling since even by today's standard as the mobile market is still in its infancy.  Hundreds of millions, if not billions of users are using traditional wireless phones with no Internet access.  And only through innovation and competition will the device developers be able to move the mobile market in any meaningful direction.


For instance, should battery technology improve and nullify the constant need to charge the iPhone or a smartphone, new and more powerful features will be available to the mobile users.


For now, it's fine to get excited about the iPhone 3G S.  Heck, I'm very excited.  Just keep in mind adding the ability to copy and paste to a modern device when the mobile market has had it for years does not make it innovative or new.

Computex: Android Devices Galore!

We all know that G1 is just the beginning and things are starting to look up for the Google-backed OS.  We're looking at netbooks, tablets, and, of course, smartphones.


Here are a couple of videos coming out of Taiwan.  Honestly, I've been waiting to see what Apple will be offering as far as a tablet based on the iPhone platform.  However, if Apple decides to take its time, the mobile itch I feel might just be satisfied with an Android-based tablet.

The first video is a netbook and some PMP.  This probably has Windows a bit worried if Google decides to make Android a more robust OS and challenge it in the lower end markets.

The second video is a tablet.  Now, not a lot going on there but the possibilities are just endless.  However, I wished they had demoed more of the input on the touch-screen and just how thick this tablet is.  And as always, the battery life on that baby.  

The third video is quite technical so you're welcome to watch it as I did as it shows how hardware companies are approaching Android development and where things are likely to go.

Monday is going to be Apple's day but the 4th quarter of 2009 might be all Android!  All I'm asking for from the hardware companies are stability, better UI, and battery life and I'll be sold.  Many Android devices to ship end of the year and even more in 2010.  Hey, don't take my word for it.  It's in the videos.

Note:  I think some Android mobile warriors are familiar with Windows-based UMPC and netbooks.  Android is built from the ground up for a mobile platform.  It'll be interesting to see the distinct directions that the two platforms are likely to go as they clash in the coming quarters.