jkOnTheRun

Another jkOnTheRun USB hub for your stuff

Remember this?:

Now there's this:

Which still looks like this:

Don't ya think?

OtterBox intros protective cases for Samsung Q1U UMPCs

OtterBox has long been a name synonymous with outstanding device protection and today they're bringing that protection to the latest UMPCs from Samsung. The new case fits either a Samsung Q1 Ultra or Ultra Premium model and offers access to practically every port and interface while offering protection from the elements.

For $79.95, you'll get your choice of yellow or black. Regardless of color, each case offers three layers of protection: a clear membrane, a Polycarbonate shell, and a thin silicone skin. I wouldn't drop my UMPC underwater in this (although have I done that with a PDA in an OtterBox), but short of that, this case looks to offer outstanding protection while adding 11.5 ounces of weight.

Opera Mini 4.1 arrives: faster, URL auto-complete and offline pages

Opera Mini ought to consider a name change to Opera Maxi. The browser that works on a gazillion phones just keeps getting better and is constantly adding new features. The updated 4.1 version is available now by pointing your phone at http://www.operamini.com and offers up these features and then some:

• Faster browsing. Since the optimized web-pages come from Opera's servers, they've made some upgrades on the back-end for faster page loading.
• Text search. Just like on the big boy browsers, you can search for text on a web page with Opera Mini 4.1.
• URL suggestion. Using your browsing history and bookmarks, 4.1 will save time on URL text entry. Good, because my thumbs need a break every now and again.
• File upload and download support. You'll need a phone that supports JSR-75; it's an optional package for the J2ME platform. If you've got it, you can take advantage of file uploads and downloads natively in Opera Mini 4.1. That's good for mobile blogging and attachments in web-based e-mail.
• Offline viewing. Again, JSR-75 the magic element here: with it, you can save web pages for offline viewing on your phone.

I just grabbed the new browser on my T-Mobile AT&T Dash and the browser is indeed much faster. No luck for me on the offline features unfortunately; still, a pretty positive experience so far and worth the download for your phone.

Want XP on the HP Mini? Who are you and how many units do you want?

The HP Mini product page indicates you can order your notebook with Microsoft Windows Vista and included geniune XP disk for a downgrade, but there's some interesting fine print. According to HP, in order to qualify for the downgrade, you have to be a business, government agency or educational entity that will be ordering 25 or more units with the same image. Here's the official language:

"Windows Vista Business disk also included for future upgrade if desired. To qualify for this downgrade an end user must be a business (including governmental or educational institutions) and is expected to order annually at least 25 customer systems with the same custom image."

If I read this right, this qualification applies to HP doing the downgrade for you because it's a footnote to this OS specification:

"Genuine Windows Vista Business downgrade to Genuine Windows XP Professional installed"

I could be reading this wrong, but if not, it doesn't look like you need to be buying 25 units in order to get an XP disk. I suspect that HP doesn't want to get into the imaging business for consumers, but for high volume business partners, they likely would. Laptoping reads it differently and thinks you need to be a qualifying entity or business for XP. I personally think it's confusing either way and HP should consider clarifying the options. I don't see why an individual couldn't or shouldn't have the option to have an XP disk with their HP Mini.

Another Dragon contest kickoff

Today marks the kickoff of another HP HDX Dragon contest as part of the 31 Days of the Dragon giveaway by HP and BuzzCorps.  Today's site is Geeks to Go and it looks like they actually kicked off their contest over a week ago (bad, bad geeks) so you'd better hurry up and get over there to have your chance to win a HDX for your very own.

Instant Navigator for OneNote: a quick note finder

Here's a nice little OneNote add-on called Instant Navigator that gives you another way to find your notes. Once you install it, you can start typing any part of a note title and the results are instantly updated as you type. I rely heavily on the excellent and native OneNote search feature, but more search options are always welcome. From what I can see, the free add-on is supported on Vista with OneNote 2007.

(via OneNote Extensibility)

Philly muni-WiFi close to shutting down

Philadelphia looks to soon join the ranks of Houston and San Francisco as muni-WiFi provider Earthlink is close to shutting down the network.  It seems that municipal WiFi networks are too expensive to set up and run profitably what was to be the largest such network at the time Earthlink took it on they have stopped accepting new customers.  The network is only 80% complete and they have stopped construction on the remaining portion of the network and it definitely looks like they will shut it down at some point.  Perhaps Earthlink is smelling the pungent odor of WiMAX rollout across the country?

(via CNET)

Times Reader coming to a Mac near you

One selfish thing I love to do on my Tablet PCs and notebook computers is read me some New York Times using the very nice Times Reader application.  It provides a very newspaper-like reading experience without the black fingertips and I do it every day.  I have often lamented that I could not enjoy the same Times experience on my Mac but that has now changed with the introduction of a beta Times Reader for the Mac.  You still need a subscription to the newspaper or the Reader content and you'll have to install Microsoft's Silverlight on your Mac to use it but if it's anywhere near as good as the Windows version I can't wait to give it a try.

(via TUAW)

First Intel MID is available for ordering- over $1,000!

What's the one single factor that must be met by MID producers to make sure that their internet device has even a tiny chance of succeeding in the market?  Price, and dirt cheap.  With full laptops now available with Linux for less than $500 the only way that MIDs have a chance to compete is to be at least as cheap as those other fairly small alternatives.  UMPC Portal is reporting that TegaTech, Hugo Ortega's retail outlet in Australia, has offered the first Intel MID for pre-ordering and the GigaByte M528 will set you back, sit down please, AUD1199!  What components does this baby sport?  It doesn't freaking matter at a price far north of $1,000.  They will NOT sell stripped down devices for double the price of an EEE PC.  Not at all.  Sheesh.  Kudos to Hugo for being the first to offer an Intel MID and I hope you do well.

Verizon EVDO update

I have an answer to my question about the Verizon EVDO service here in Houston.  This morning I arrived at my office in Big Oil Co. at 6:30 am and at 6:50 I called Verizon technical support.  Despite the early morning hour in just a few minutes I was speaking with a competent tech support specialist who listened to my problem and then spent the next 10 minutes having me go through some steps to make sure I was using the latest modem firmware and Verizon software.  Once we verified that she reset everything on her end and then we tried the modem again and got the same error I have been getting for the past few days.  Based on that testing she is going to overnight a replacement v740 modem to me that hopefully I'll have tomorrow so I can get back online while on the go.  Kudos to Verizon for a very competent and pleasant support experience.

Google Reader gets an iPhone update

It's just a beta for now, but if you use Google Reader on an iPhone or iPod Touch, you might want to hit up http://www.google.com/reader/i. Actually, the Official Google Reader blog says this is for the iPhone and other advanced mobile browsers, so S60 and Windows Mobile folks might want to have a look-see as well.

I use Google Reader on my iPhone daily and so far, I'm not thrilled with the beta. I find some actions taking more taps, so my hope is that there's some additional tweaking before a full release. To be honest, I'm pretty happy with how the current version works, so I say: "why mess with a good thing"? Have a look for yourself and see what you think.

Windows Connected starts a new day in the Dragon giveaway

We were so excited about giving away our HP HDX Dragon prize bundle today that we missed telling you about today's contest kickoff over at Windows Connected.  They have just kicked off their 7 day contest so you'd better get over there and get your entry in.  I would but I'm not eligible which doesn't seem fair to me.  :)

Is EVDO down in Houston?

The last few days I have been having the most trouble with my Verizon EVDO connectivity and it's driving me batty.  I try to connect to the Verizon network and am immediately greeted by this error:

I get this error twice every time and hit the Connect button each time and on the third time (always the third) I get duly logged onto the network.  It shows an EVDO Rev. A connection in the status bar but as soon as I try to go somewhere it drops to NationAccess which is only 1xRtt speed:

It chugs along at this blazing speed until the connection will go Dormant, usually meaning I have to disconnect and reconnect.  It's happening to me all over Houston and using the v740 modem in three different devices.  It's so bad that right now I am tethered to the AT&T network through the HTC Advantage using the Windows Mobile Internet Sharing over Bluetooth:

Is anybody else in Houston having trouble with Verizon lately or is it time to get my modem looked at?

8 mobile tech tools and tips for a tough economy

Having my father get laid off from his state government job a few weeks back has kept me busy. He's not what I'd call tech-savvy, although he's learning along the way. So I've spent quite a bit of time with him over the last two weeks: setting him up with one of our extra notebook computers, getting fast Internet service, and sorting out plans for the future. It hit me that right now there's quite a number of folks in the same boat as the economy has been in a slump for the past eight months or so. Long time readers and fellow geeks can probably bypass the rest of this post, but I've gathered some mobile tech tools and tips for the more mainstream consumers in our audience. All of these are the direct result of helping my Dad get organized and empowered...

Track gas mileage via Web or Twitter with FuelFrog

When we first bought our 2006 Hylander Hybrid, I was keeping an Excel spreadsheet of the gas prices, gallons we consumed and miles per gallon on the vehicle. I've long since stopped doing that, although I do have the first year's worth of data. It's sad to see how much the prices have jumped, but I don't need to show you a spreadsheet and convince of you that.

One of the reasons I stopped tracking that data was because it wasn't an efficient process, i.e.: at the time, I couldn't quickly and easily enter the data at the point of purchase. Enter FuelFrog, which is a web-based application that has the same functionality as my Excel method. You enter data right on the web and FuelFrog will save, graph and trend it for you. Even better: FuelFrog takes advantage of the Twitter API, so a quick text message of your data serves as the data entry point. If you go that route, just use the following format for your SMS: @fuelfrog miles price gallons-MPG. Too bad a GPS with WiFi couldn't capture that data from my car and automagially send up to the Internets for me. How about it, Dash folks?

(via ReadWriteWeb)