Here we are again with a new e-reader, which seems to be just in between the Microsoft Courier concept and the Barnes and Noble Nook.

The device reminds one of a netbook when closed, but it reveals its inner goodies once opened: a 9.7” e-Ink screen on the left and a 10.1” 1024 X 600 pixel color touchscreen on the right. Both screens allow us to interact with the device through a stylus on the e-ink side and with your fingers on the LCD side. From the producer site we learn it is a media capable Android device with 3 GB internal storage:

Netbook Functionality

The enTourage eDGe™ color touchscreen is a whole netbook, ready to play movies or MP3s, organize your books, notes, and pictures, or let you instant message your friends. The screen is 1024 x 600 pixels, or 10.1 inches measured diagonally. You can view images from the e-book you’re reading on the color display. You can open a virtual keyboard and type instant messages or emails. The netbook includes an audio recorder to capture lectures for later playback or sharing. It also has a video camera to record still images or movies as MP4s or 3GP files. You can plug in headphones or a microphone or use the built in speaker and recorder.

The netbook functionality comes with web browsing, audio/video record and playback, an email function and contacts list, a calculator, an alarm clock, and a library function to manage your books and files. The enTourage eDGe™ uses the Google^® Android^® operating system, so you can add other applications you need.

Communications

The enTourage eDGe™ has built in WiFi^®, plus optional 3G capability using an EVDO or HSDPA mobile modem. You can quickly download e-books, send an email, browse the web, or combine your notetaking, emailing, and browsing, all from one device. The eDGe also includes BlueTooth^® capability to add an external keyboard.

Thousands of Books in under 3 Pounds

The enTourage eDGe™ weighs in at 2.5 pounds, and is 8 1/4 by 10 3/4 by 1 inch, closed. You can easily carry thousands of books with the built-in 3 GB of usable memory. You can use an SD card or a USB flash drive to add to the storage, or move files to and from your MP3 player, your phone, your PC, even your camera.

Go Study (or Play) All Day

The enTourage eDGe™ was designed to let you go all day without recharging the battery. The lithium ion polymer battery can last up to 6 hours of use without recharging. One of the big advantages of the enTourage eDGe™ is that the battery can be replaced if it’s ever necessary. And that lets you keep a spare on hand, if you want to have a backup for busy days.

While you read and make notes on the e-ink screen, you will be able to input text on the LCD and do Internet searches on the Android side. A tour of the device is available on the enTourage site.

Press the “Try it!” button link to start a fast demo

For sure this device is packing more than a dual screen alone, however the eDGe price at 490 $ and the February 2010 release seem to put the device at risk in a market now crowded by big names such as the Amazon Kindle and the new Barnes and Noble Nook, which is missing in the comparison chart made by enTourage to enlighten the eDGe advantages.

Comparison chart with other major competitors

Producer site: enTourage

The highly anticipated BlackBerry Storm2, RIM’s second attempt in the keyboardless devices world, will be offered starting from tomorrow in Verizon Wireless’ local and online stores.

Here follows the official announcement:

BASKING RIDGE, NEW JERSEY and WATERLOO, ONTARIO

Verizon Wireless and Research In Motion (RIM) (NASDAQ:RIMM)(TSX:RIM) today announced that the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone will be available in Verizon Wireless Communications stores, online at www.verizonwireless.com, and through business sales channels beginning Oct. 28. The BlackBerry Storm2 with BlackBerry OS 5.0 evolves the BlackBerry touchscreen platform with hundreds of hardware and software enhancements – including new SurePress "clickable" display technology and built-in Wi-Fi – delivering the exceptional multimedia experience and communications capabilities customers have come to expect from their BlackBerry smartphones.

Key Features:

• Smooth design and premium finish with sloped edges, chrome accents, glass lens and stainless steel backplate
• Large (3.25"), dazzling high-resolution 480 x 360 display at 184 ppi
• Capacitive touchscreen with integrated functions (Send, End, Menu, Escape) and new SurePress technology that makes clicking the display practically effortless
• 3G and global connectivity support for making phone calls in more than 220 countries and accessing data in more than 185 countries (with more than 80 destinations in 3G)
• Network Connectivity: EV-DO Revision A; UMTS/HSPA (2100 MHz); and quad-band EDGE/GPRS/GSM networks
• Supports Wi-Fi (802.11 b/g)
• 256 MB of Flash memory
• 2 GB of onboard media storage and a microSD/SDHD memory card slot
• with a 16 GB card included

Software Updates on BlackBerry Storm2:

• Features BlackBerry OS 5.0, which includes typing accuracy and selection improvements, as well as usability and visual enhancements such as inertial scrolling, spin boxes that make it easier to set dates and times, gradient shading on buttons, and more use of animation
• BlackBerry Browser is improved with faster JavaScript and CSS processing as well as support for Gears and BlackBerry Widgets
• Customers running BlackBerry Enterprise Server 5.0 will gain the ability to set follow-up flags, manage e-mail folders, access remote files (Windows Shares), forward appointments, view calendar attachments, and more

Additional Features and Specifications:

• 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus, Image Stabilization (IS), flash and video recording capabilities
• Premium and easy-to-access phone features, background noise suppression technology, loud distortion-free speakerphone and face detection (proximity sensor) that prevents accidental clicks and blanks the screen while the customer is on the phone
• Media player for videos, pictures and music, plus support for BlackBerry Desktop Manager for both PCs and Macs, and BlackBerry(R) Media Sync, for easily syncing Windows Media Player music with the smartphone
• 3.5 mm stereo headset jack and dedicated volume controls
• Bluetooth (v2.1) capable with support for Secure Simple Pairing, hands-free headsets, stereo headsets, car kits and other Bluetooth peripherals
• Built-in GPS for maps and other location-based applications, as well as photo geotagging; and Verizon Wireless’ VZ Navigator(SM) service is pre-loaded
• V CAST Music with Rhapsody
• Access to BlackBerry App World(TM), featuring a broad and growing catalog of third-party mobile applications developed specifically for BlackBerry smartphones, with categories including games, entertainment, IM and social networking, news, weather, productivity and more
• Support for Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Broadband Connect tethering service
• Removable, rechargeable 1400 mAhr battery that provides up to 5.5 hours of talk time or up to 11.2 days of standby time

Pricing and Availability:

The BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone is available beginning Oct. 28 for $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and Web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan. Customers will receive the mail-in rebate in the form of a debit card; upon receipt, customers may use the card as cash anywhere debit cards are accepted. Data plans for the BlackBerry Storm2 smartphone begin at $29.99 when added to any Nationwide voice plan.

New Operating System for Existing BlackBerry Storm Customers:

Existing BlackBerry Storm customers will be able to update their handsets to the new BlackBerry OS 5.0 software via Web software load (www.blackberry.com/update), BlackBerry Desktop Manager, or from Verizon Wireless’ download site (www.verizonwireless.com/storm). The software is available today.

At $179.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an Email and Web feature or an Email and Web for BlackBerry plan, you will get a whole new Storm2, with Wi-Fi, more memory and improved SurePress technology, i.e. the "love-it-or-hate-it" affair on the previous Storm.

As a matter of facts the first reviewers of the device seem to be satisfied with the Storm2:

With a new device like the BlackBerry Storm2, it’s going to take some time to work through every feature and improvement to see how they play out with extended use. That is exactly what we’ll do, but as you just read my initial impressions are very positive.

The Storm2 fixes many of the BlackBerry Storm’s outstanding issues and makes a ton of incremental improvements, all of which add up to something that feels noticeably better. In a way that never quite applied to the original Storm, the Storm2 could legitimately be called the flagship BlackBerry.

So, if you are planning to get a new BlackBerry on Verizon I suggest you to give it a look.

Via: Verizon Wireless

Just Another iPhone Blog posted an article about the application store reviews, and I was a little surprised that some of the commentors didn’t see the problem. How reviews are handled is very important to both developers and consumers, and this isn’t just an Apple issue. With new application stores popping up everywhere these are issues that can impact every store out there.

The Review Problem
It was pointed out that reviews in the iTunes App Store are sometimes inaccurate, occasionally inappropriate, and completely incontestable. This means that someone could post a review like:

This application doesn’t make coffee!

…when in fact the application does make coffee and has made coffee since the application was first released. Or even worse – it’s software – of course it doesn’t make coffee – what sort of review is that? This sort of review is useless, misleading, and undermines the validity of the entire review system.

People Don’t Take Reviews Seriously Anyhow
This is one of the arguments I heard, but people take these reviews very seriously (at the moment anyhow). For a customer who’s never used the application before, they have no reason not to believe a review. Yes, if the customer buys the application they’ll find out this review was wrong, but they might never get to that point.

It’s Someone’s Opinion So It’s Okay
This is another argument that was voiced. Opinions are one thing. Falsehoods and misinformation are another. Using the coffee example, let’s look at a real review:

It makes coffee but I had a really hard time finding the functionality.

Excellent review! It doesn’t lie but makes clear a deficiency in the product. Most likely, the “doesn’t make coffee” review I used as an example was actually THIS review but written by someone who didn’t get help (see my note later about letting developers respond).

Developers Are Afraid of Bad Reviews
This is something else a commentor mentioned. When developers complain about reviews, they aren’t complaining about people who don’t like their application. Even reviews like:

This app sucks! 1 Star!!

…seldom get complaints from developers. It’s the false or wildly inaccurate reviews that developers care about.

This System Works Everywhere Else
Although this is true, that doesn’t mean it works for software. For music, books, and other types of media a loose system is great. For more complex products like cars, computers, or software, a simplistic system just doesn’t cut it. The products are just too complex with too many features. You need a more robust review system that better handles the complexity of these products.

Why Should You Care?
Bad review systems do the following:

1. Mislead consumers about how popular or unpopular a product is.
2. Give consumers false information about a product.
3. Make consumers eventually reject the entire review process as pointless.

When this happens consumers skip products that might be excellent solutions for their needs, they make decisions based on false information, and eventually they lose a valuable tool (a review system) for choosing which application is right for them.

The Solution
Unless they want something akin to the comments section on YouTube, here is what the retailers have to do it.

1. Review the Reviews
Block poorly written or inaccurate reviews. Is this censorship? In an anarchistic society possibly, but if reviews are to fulfill an actual purpose you’ve got to have a system for vetting them.

2. Let Developers Respond
Let us help these people! When retailers do this, we’ve had many cases where a person who initially posted a bad review pulled it and posted a positive review after we helped them!

3. Let Reviewers Change Their Reviews
Assuming you let developers respond, give the reviewer a chance to alter their review. That way they can come back and say “You know, I was wrong.”

4. Solicit Both Positive AND Negative Reviews
If the retailer only asks for reviews when the user uninstalls, you get a “Rate It If You Hate It” system. It only encourages everyone who hates the app to review it. This skews the reviews making it hard to tell which apps really are good.

Wrapping It Up…
This stuff affects consumers as much as it does developers. If implemented badly, a review system is an exercise in futility. If implemented well, a review system can be one of the most important buying tools available to a consumer. So email your favorite retailer today, and tell them to clean up their review system!

I am a big fan of virtualization.  Desktop virtualization should close the gap and allow legacy applications and devices to work.  However, I was a bit surprised when I ran into some issues with scanners.  In the line of technical support, it is my duty to empower the user by showing and teaching them how to use software and hardware.   If a user comes to me saying that they have Windows XP, I’ll use Windows XP.  If they have Vista, I’ll use Vista.  We all know how things can be difficult enough with so many various versions floating around.  On my work computer, I use Windows 7 Professional and because I have access to Virtual XP mode, that’s what I use when explaining things to XP users.

We went to test an HP ScanJet G4050 (which works great in  Windows 7) on the Virtual  XP and after installation of all the drivers and attaching the USB directly to the virtual machine, the unit would not scan.  This to me was a major disappointment.  After dragging the unit to an actual Windows XP workstation and installing the software and drivers from the disc, it worked fine.  What this showed me was that virtual environments do have differences between physical boxes and thus cannot be used exclusively for troubleshooting / demonstration methods. 

The same result occurred when I used my NeatReceipts scanner which did not have 64-bit drivers (unless I upgrade to NeatWorks 4).  Because of the lack of 64-bit drivers, I though I would use the 32-bit Virtual XP mode.  During scanning it just stalls after scanning about 20% of the document.  So much for that idea. 

So far, 2 out of 2 scanners that I have tried with Virtual XP mode have failed.  Is this the trend or am I missing something?  Do you have a scanner success or failure story with Virtual XP Mode?  Let us know!

Just off the press Today: SendMe Mobile and Sony Music announced that they will be providing Sony Music ringtones, videos and images, including never before available content.

I am a fan of good music and given the popularity of media content on mobile devices, and the ability to find content from all four major U.S. music labels, including Sony, the possibilities are endless. Check out the press release below:

SAN FRANCISCO and NEW YORK (October 26, 2009) – SendMe Mobile, the
premier mobile media company, today announced a multi-faceted
partnership with Sony Music Entertainment to offer mobile phone users
access to Sony Music’s roster of acclaimed artists through
SendMeMobile.com.

As part of the agreement, SendMe will offer users a comprehensive
selection of Sony Music ringtones, videos and wallpaper images of
artists such as Kelly Clarkson, Carrie Underwood, Franz Ferdinand,
T-Pain, Wyclef Jean and more.
In addition, SendMe will deliver additional ringtones, images and
video content from Sony Music’s extensive catalog never available
before to mobile users.

“With Sony Music, we’re giving mobile phone users access to the most
in-demand mobile entertainment, including content from some of the
hottest labels such as Epic, Columbia, Jive, RCA and more,” said
Russell Klein, co-founder and CEO of SendMe. “Along with more
offerings for our subscribers, this partnership reinforces the value
of SendMe’s portfolio approach for content providers.”

Subscribers can download media directly onto their mobile devices at
SendMeMobile.com or through one of SendMe’s distribution channels,
such as Eventful, Univision and IAC /ask.com.

In addition, SendMe and Sony Music will unveil special co-branded
sweepstakes to promote Sony Music’s hottest artists. For example, the
recently introduced “Viva Las Vegas with Mario” offers fans the chance
at an exclusive weekend in Las Vegas with the Grammy-nominated artist.
Mario fans entered to win on SoLow.com, SendMe’s mobile game and
contest platform where the player with the lowest unique guess wins
unique prizes and once-in-a-lifetime experiences.
“SendMe is connecting artists and fans in exciting and innovative ways
by offering a full suite of mobile entertainment services,” commented
Michael Paull, Executive Vice President, Global Digital Business, Sony
Music Entertainment. “We are pleased to make our unparalleled roster
of music available to SendMe subscribers as more and more consumers
continue to look to their mobile phones for engaging entertainment.”

With this partnership, SendMe now offers content from all four major
U.S. music labels and claims the most robust mobile entertainment
library on the market, also featuring content from dozens of emerging
labels, top game publishers, movie studios and other leading content
providers.

About Sony Music Entertainment
Sony Music Entertainment is a global recorded music company with a
roster of current artists that includes a broad array of both local
artists and international superstars. The company boasts a vast
catalog that comprises some of the most important recordings in
history. It is home to premier record labels representing music from
every genre, including American Recordings, Arista Nashville, Arista
Records, Aware, Battery Records, Beach Street Records, Black Seal, BNA
Records, Cinematic, Columbia Nashville, Columbia Records, Epic
Records, Essential Records, Flicker Records, Fo-Yo Soul, GospoCentric,
Hitz Committee Entertainment, J Records, Jive Records, LaFace Records,
Legacy Recordings, Masterworks, Polo Grounds, RCA Records, RCA
Nashville, RCA Red Seal, RCA Victor, Reunion Records, Slightly
Dangerous, Sony Classical, Sony Music Latin, Star Time International,
Verity Records, and Volcano Entertainment. Sony Music Entertainment is
a wholly owned subsidiary of Sony Corporation of America. For more
information, visit www.sonymusic.com.

About SendMe
SendMe, Inc. turns any mobile phone into a portable playground. As the
premier mobile media company, SendMe’s family of destination sites
lets you take the fun from the Web to your mobile phone with the
broadest and best content, entertainment and community out there.
SendMe’s three properties – SendMeMobile.com, SoLow.com and mbuzzy.com
- deliver content from today’s pop culture sensations, niche
independent creations, stuff from our own community, and one-of-a-kind
mobile games that will keep you coming back for more. Included in our
premium content at SendMeMobile.com are wallpapers, one-of-a-kind
mobile games, and the hottest, latest mobile ringtones. Whether you’re
searching for a TV show ringtone or a comedy ringtone, SendMe brings
it all to you – how you want it, when you want it. So when you’re
looking for new ways to show your personal style, eager for some
mobile gaming excitement, or trying to stay connected to the people
and things you love the most, turn to SendMe. Founded in 2006 by three
veteran online and mobile entrepreneurs, SendMe is funded by Amicus
Capital, GrandBanks Capital, Spark Capital, Triangle Peak Partners,
and True Ventures. For more information, visit www.SendMeMobile.com.

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