The 81-day experiment

Some hands-on time with the Samsung BlackJack at the Cingular store

I did make it to the Cingular store today, and as I started to type on the Samsung BlacJack, I remembered Bill’s comment regarding the BlackJack keyboard. I found myself making more typing errors than usual, and when using the 5-way navigation key, I was accidentally hitting the center key too often (it seems to be too pronounced compared to the side and up/down keys).

I also noticed that the device has a trackwheel (or thumbwheel as the Motorola Q calls it) and Escape button on the side. This reminded me of the Motorola Q which I used earlier in the experiment (picture on the left) . It seems that the BlackJack has a lot of similarities to the Q --the size of the device, the shape of the keys, and the trackwheel/thumbwheel, and Escape button. However, my experience with the Motorola Q keyboard, and especially the Motorola Q 5-way navigation key were far more positive.

So what is up with the Samsung BlackJack?

When I researched the BlackJack earlier, I was quite impressed by the fact that it is the first device that brings high-speed and international support together into a slim device that has a QWERTY keyboard. It seemed to an ideal business-and-social device for business travelers who do a lot of typing and need international support. On paper the device looked great. The in-person hands-on experience was not as satisfying. However, usability is a subjective matter. So if you’re considering the BlackJack, get some hands-on time with it and find out for yourself.

Tomorrow, I will continue with some observations and news about the Cingular 8525, the Treo 680, and the Treo 750.

The 81-day-experiment findings are being published and my device selection coming up on Dec 5, 2006

This week, and as I recover form the Thanksgiving meals (and that cold that got worse over the weekend but getting better today), I am making a visit to the Cingular store nearby to put my hands on the latest devices including the BlackJack and 8525 and get the latest stories on the upcoming devices. Meanwhile, here are a few updates about the findings of the 81-day-experiment.

First, I am releasing a series of articles relating to the findings at the Web Worker Daily blog (http://webworkerdaily.com/) the first two articles have been posted, and there will be several more to be posted in the next few weeks. Here are the titles and the links of the articles that have been published:

The 81-day-experiment in review:

http://webworkerdaily.com/2006/11/20/how-to-pick-a-smart-phone/

The BlackBerry Pearl, Cingular 3125, Cingular BlackJack, and T-Mobile Dash Compared:

http://webworkerdaily.com/2006/11/27/dash-3125-pearl-blackjack/

Second, I will be announcing my next device (the device that I will be using as my own) next Tuesday Dec 5 at a lunch & learn webinar. You can still send your entries for the drawing (your guesses at which device I will be selecting) to [email protected] and you are welcome to attend the complimentary webinar by registering at:

http://www.people-onthego.com/lunchandlearn-ontheair.html

Third, and the most interesting and exciting part of the 81-day-experiment, is the fact that I continue to have informative conversations with smartphone users about their experiences with their smartphones. You can see some of these conversations on you blog in the form of case studies and questions and answers. The goal is to include more of this valuable information as more devices are released and more issues and insights are reported..

Fourth, we will soon be publishing the findings in a book which is intended at helping users select the device that best fits their needs. So stay tuned for more information about the book in the upcoming weeks.

Meanwhile, happy “smartphoning”!

“Which smartphone would be best for me” asked Stephanie

Stephanie: “Based on your experiment, can you provide an overall analysis of the rating for each device? I’m considering purchasing a smartphone within the next couple of months and would like your thoughts on the best model out there. Note: I do have Cingular phone service, so I’d need a smartphone that is compatible with Cingular service. Also, I very much want to use the Windows mobile operating system, so that I can sync my calendar, contacts, and appointments with my computer at work. I don’t need any fluff (MP3, camera, other special applications) – I just need the nuts and bolts. Thank you!”

Recommendations to Stepanie:

  a) If you are planning on sticking to Cingular, and your main interest is the calendar, contacts, and appointments, I would say the Cingular 3125 or BlackJack would do the job well. They use Windows Mobile and they are small phones that you can easily carry with you everywhere.

b) The Cingular 3125 doesn't have a QWERTY keyboard (it is a flip-phone). The BlackJack does have a full QWERTY keyboard. But from your description, it doesn't seem that you are going to be doing lots of typing, so this may not be an issue for you.

c) Both of these smartphones offer full multi-media capabilities that you don’t need. But these are not in the way, and you can just ignore them (one day though, when you unexpectedly need to capture the moment, and the camera may come in handy, and then one thing leads to another and you find yourself watching TV on the little screen, who knows!).

  d) If you are not in a hurry to make a selection (you said a couple of months), there is another device that you might want to consider when it becomes available. That is the BlackBerry Pearl from Cingular (no official date has been announced but rumor has it that it is coming soon). Currently it is only available from T-Mobile. It is not a Windows Mobile device, but it is fully compatible with Windows, and can sync extremely well with Outlook.

e) Finally, in terms of ranking the devices, this is what I will be doing over the next few weeks, so stay tuned and please visit the 81-day-experiment blog often to see more details (http://81dayexperiment.typepad.com/)

f) By the way, we also offer a PDF that provides a methodology for comparing devices if you are interested in more details. You can order it online at https://www.people-onthego.com/Online_Trn_OD_Handheld_TestDrive.html This will also be updated in the next few weeks to cover all the devices I used in the 81-day-experiment.

Good luck!

And the Cingular 8525 Pocket PC, yet another high-speed device from Cingular

Do you remember the T-Mobile MDA which I used for 9 days earlier in the 81-day-experiment? Well, the Cingular 8525 Pocket PC is its first cousin (picture on the left). Both come from the same manufacturer and both look similar and offer the sliding keyboard. The main difference is the addition of HSPDA/UMTS support by Cingular which means an average data transfer between 400 and 700 Kbps and uploads of around 384 Kbps.

However, the HSPDA/UMTS network is not yet widely available in the U.S. (see yesterday’s note about availability). When unavailable, the speed would drop down to the EDGE speed (2 to 3 times modem speed). Still not bad for simple browsing and e-mail, but maybe not ideal for Web TV or music applications.

By the way, the Cingular 8525 (and the T-Mobile MDA) are “Pocket PC” devices, which means in addition to the Windows Mobile features we saw with the Motorola Q, the Cingular 3125, and the T-Mobile Dash, they offer additional capabilities such as full editing of Microsoft Office documents.

The only smartphone that give users wireless 3G capabilities in the US and abroad

In this press release by Cingular, Kent Mathy, president of Cingular Wireless’ B2B organization, makes the advantage of the UMTS/HSDPA devices very clear.

So what does this mean to you? It means that if you are an international traveler, or a Cingular customer who has been envious of these Verizon and Sprint colleagues who are proud of their EV-DO devices, you now have a compelling solution within reach. The Cingular 8525 and the Sumsung BlackJack are at your disposal. T-Mobile has not yet released its high-speed devices, so for now, Cingular will enjoy this advantage.

But how about usability?

My belief is still that the single more important factor behind selecting and using a mobile device, and continuing to use it day in and day out, is the usability factor. This means the user interface, the navigation, the feel of the keyboard or keypad, how well it integrates with the desktop, as well as the form factor, among others. Speed is one factor but speed alone won’t do it. I was not impressed with the T-Mobile MDA usability, but I will see how the Cingular 8515 ranks on usability when I experiment with it, hopefully soon.

Your comments on usability?

Taking about usability, your comments on usability are most valuable for other users who are looking for new smartphones. Even though usability can be subjective, sharing your experience can help educate other users what to look for and what to pay attention to. To show you an example, below is a comment posted yesterday by Bill Pena about the keyboards and the typing experience he had with the new Samsung BlackJack by Cingular, and the BlackBerry Pearl, as he ventured into some hands-on experience with these devices.

Bill Pena on the BlackJack usability

“I tried out a Blackjack at a local Cingular store yesterday, and it is quite impressive in almost every way. It's very fast, the screen is amazing, it feels very solid yet light in the hand, and the HSDPA speed is a huge boon”.

“However, the keyboard and navigation keys are just too cramped. I tried typing out a couple of sentences, and the error rate was so high for me that I had to write off the device; I found it too frustrating to type on this phone to seriously consider carrying it around for the next couple of years”

“For as much as QWERTY keyboards on smartphones are sought-after, I've found that the hybrid Suretype keyboard on the Pearl was easier for me to use than any of the other slim smartphones with full keyboards, like the Q, Blackjack, or Dash. I could knock out a paragraph almost as quickly as I could on a full-sized keyboard (which is *very* fast) and Suretype got it right 99% of the time. Much better experience than the Blackjack.”

The New Samsung BlackJack smartphone from Cingular

Cingular just released the Samsung BlackJack, yet one more thin (relatively small) Windows Mobile device. It does have the full QWERTY keyboard. It is stylish and has the multi-media capabilities we have seen recently in the 81-day-experiment with the T-Mobile Dash and the Cingular 3125, and earlier with the Motorola Q. So what is unique about it? you might ask.

The HSDAP network

What is most unique about it is the fact that it supports the HSDPA network (which stands for High-Speed Downlink Packet Access). The HSDPA network promises speeds of up to 1.8 Mbits/sec to individual handsets (currently the announced speed is in the 400 to 700 Kbps). With this speed, streaming live video and music from Cingular Video and Cingular Music becomes a reality.

The future of HSDPA and the devices that support is quite promising

Another aspect that makes HSDPA unique is that it is GSM compatible which is great news for international travelers who want to be able to use their smartphones outside the U.S. In addition, HSPDA supports s simultaneous voice and data transfers which can have several potential applications including the ability of talking and e-mailing at the same time.

How about prices and plans?

While the list price is $424.99, you can get it for as low as $199 with the 2 year contract. The data plan that offers can range from $29.99 to $54.99 which would then include unlimited data.

So should you jump on the Samsung BlackJack Cingular wagon?

The Samsung BlackJack from Cingular is definitely a strong player in the Windows Mobile category of devices. It adds the high-speed element to international support. The previous devices in this category seems to offer one or the other. The Verizon and Sprint high-speed devices (using EV-DO) such as the Treo 700p and 700w and Motorola Q don’t offer the international support. The T-Mobile devices such as the BlackBerry Pearl and T-Mobile Dash provide international support but only the EDGE speed for now.

So at least for some time, the Samsung BlackJack from Cingular will enjoy an interesting niche. Before jumping on the wagon though, put your hands on the device to check out if there is “chemistry”. That is the part that speed and international support can’t buy.

For additional information about the Samsung BlackJack from Cingular, you can also refer to this review at the Red Herring online.

“Does the Cingular 3125 have voice command software?” asked Mike

Questions: “I like the blog on the 3125. Do you know if they have announced voice command software for the 3125? I can’t find anything" asked Mike from Dallas, TX.

Answer: The Cingular 3125 does have voice command capability and it is similar to many of the other Windows Mobile smartphones that I reviewed. The way it works is that you attach a voice “tag”, as they call it, to any contact or application at first. This means you record in your voice the command that you would like to use to call this contact or launch this application. Then to use these voice commands, you press the side button (the left side of the screen, the lower button) which will start the voice recognition application and allow you to “voice” your voice command.

Case study: BlackBerry Pearl from T-Mobile

In this case study, Carl from Richmond, VA shares his experience with the BlackBerry Pearl from T-Mobile (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Carl has to say about his BlackBerry Pearl:

The Information about the device you are using now:

Manufacturer/Brand? RIM

Model? Blackberry Pearl

Carrier? T-Mobile

Desktop Operating System? Windows/Outlook

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction?                               4

Features?                                               5

Usability?                                               5

Compatibility with your desktop?             4

Technical support?                                 4

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

YES!

Your industry, size of your company, and role within your company?

Online Media Sales, 15 employees, Regional Sales Manager

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

I love the Pearl navigation, it's much easier to use than the Blackberry track wheel.

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Volume on handset still is not great.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device

I've used Blackberry's since it's first version. Great products. Better with time.

Case study: Treo 700p from Sprint

In this case study, Thomas from New York City shares his experience with the Treo 700p from Sprint (If you would like to contribute your case study, please e-mail it in the same format as shown below to [email protected] with Case Study in the subject line). Here is what Thomas has to say about his Treo 700p.

How do you rank the device and the related services in the following areas (rankings are 1 to 5, where 5 is the best)

Overall satisfaction?                              5

Features?                                             5

Usability?                                             5

Compatibility with your desktop?            5

Technical support?                                Haven’t used

Reliability?                                           5

Would you recommend this device to others who have similar needs to yours?

Yes

What specific things do you like about the device and related services?

I like the EVDO connectivity, the ease of use, and the ability to hot sync easily with my Macintosh computers

What things don't you like or that can be improved and related services?

Sometimes the processor seems like it lags a little when switching programs but it's nothing I can't live with, but a faster processor would be nicer. Sometimes I have to do a soft reset because the browser seems to get hung up once in a while.  Sprint's service is excellent wherever I have been with the phone.

Which devices have you used in the past? Please list them starting with the most recent device.

Palm Treo 650

Palm Tungsten T2

Palm IIIc

Convergence of devices, observations from Eric Schmidt keynote speech

I was at the “Roads to Innovation” conference at the Stanford business school this weekend. Eric Schmidt, Chairman and CEO of Google Inc. was the keynote speaker. Of course, he got asked about YouTube acquisition and whether this acquisition is an indication of the return of the bubble. His answer was that Google has figured out how to monetize the web traffic, which makes the YouTube acquisition more based on tangible value. So no bubble!

What I was mostly interested in was his observations about the mobile world. Mr. Schmidt pointed out that there are more than 2 Billion mobile phones in the world and the numbers are growing much faster than those of personal computers are.

Even though there was no specific mention of smartphones, the lines between smartphones and regular cell phones is becoming increasingly thin. The latest generation of smartphone, that I used in the 81-day-experiment such as the BlackBerry Pearl and the Cingular 3125, can be easily mistaken for just another slick cell phone. So it is likely that the smartphones growth is, or will be, paralleling the overall mobile phones growth trend.

Another interesting observation was about the “convergence” of devices. There has always been talk about having one device that does it all—takes care of all your information/communication needs. This talk has been going on forever (in Internet times). Mr. Schmidt did not see this convergence happening. What he indicated is that it is the network and the server that will be providing the “convergence-like” behavior. The network and server (i.e. the Internet and the data centers that are virtual to the users) are enabling multiple devices and applications to sync to the same data stores and therefore providing the user with the freedom and flexibility of accessing their data anywhere/anytime. The user can then use the variety of device and best of breed solution for their mobile needs.

The Sony VAIO® VGN-UX280P and the Sony mylo(tm) personal communicator

I was downtown near the Sony store yesterday, and couldn’t help it but check out a few of the handheld devices--even though they are not the typical pda/phone combinations.

The Sony Vaio™ Micro PC

The VAIO® VGN-UX280P Micro PC is exactly that--a Micro PC. It is small, light, and fully equipped. It runs Windows XP and it has on it pretty much everything you can imagine including all the advanced networking/connectivity features that are possible. It can even make Internet voice calls using Skype—assuming the signal where you happen to be at the moment is strong enough for that.

I was wondering if having the Sony Micro PC could eliminate the need for a smartphone and a laptop, and allow one to just have a regular cell phone when on the go. However after using it for 15 or 20 minutes, I decided to move on. Maybe I am not ready for the Micro PC yet!

The Sony mylo™ personal communicator

This is another device that caught my attention. What is unique about the Sony mylo™ (My Life Online) personal communicator is that you don’t get a voice or data plan with it, it is just a Wi-Fi device. It is intended to be used in places where Wi-Fi is available. This could be your office, your home, the local hotspots, and other Wi-Fi enabled places that you visit.

With the Sony mylo™ personal communicate, you can surf the web, use Web e-mail, use Instant Messenger, listen to music, watch videos, and even make Internet phone calls. With a full QWERTY keyboard, and a slick design, it does have some appeal if your needs can be met by Wi-Fi. Not exactly the business device for the on-the-go professional, but that doesn’t seem to be its primary market.