Tuesday 19 August 2008

Archos 5 – Archos 7 – Archos 5g

Archos have updated their website with the new models! Archos now calls the players for Internet Media Tablets :-)

But a bit more below. More to come

Archos 5archos 5 picture

60 GB to 250GB hard drive with 5” screen (800 x480), for Internet, Media and TV and of course WiFi with Opera Browser with Flash Video 9. And YES – it can charge via USB port! Finally!

More specs here


Archos 7archos 7 picture

160 or 320 GB hard drive with 7” screen (800x480), for Internet, Media and TV. Wifi and free Opera browser with Flash Video 9. Does not seem to charge via USB :-(

More specs here

Archos 5garchos 5g picture

30GB hard drive, 5” screen (800x480)  – WiFi and 3.5G HDSPA network interface. Free Opera browser with Flash Video 9. Specs not completely published – but I hope it can charge via USB.

More specs here

Thursday 14 August 2008

BlackBerry – why it is getting a large following

I just got my new Nokia E71. Shiny nice phone and looks a lot like a RIM BlackBerry. In previous Nokia business phones you could download “BlackBerry Connect” and use the Symbian phone with BlackBerry Servers. But now it seems – the latest Nokia E66 and E71 will not get the BlackBerry Connect software. I do understand RIM if they don’t want Nokia to take part of their handset market, and it is a sensible business decision.

But why are so many attracted to BlackBerry? Well when you have a BlackBerry Data Plan, you can get “unlimited roaming data” packages. So if I’m traveling a lot – then I don’t pay exorbitant roaming charges. In the UAE you can get GPRS unlimited roaming data with Blackberry for about DHS 280 pr. month ($75). And for a business owner that is a very vise decision if your employees travel a lot.

So now where RIM is shutting Nokia out of the BlackBerry network – it must be time for Microsoft, Nokia or others with PushMail clients to start building roaming relationships with mobile providers so you can get same prices using Exchange or Nokia Mobile Mail – as you can with RIM BlackBerry.

If that does not happen, even more people will join the RIM BlackBerry Service –and now as their only “new phone” option will be a RIM handset. RIM sales will quite probably rise. And I would expect with BlackBerry Bold – the first 3G handset – that you will get unlimited worldwide 3G bundles very soon even in the UAE.

So my E71 will never get BlackBerry Connect - and that will mean a lot less potential clients for the close to perfect phone, who dont want an ugly chunky RIM handset.

Come on – Nokia, SonyEricsson, Microsoft and the rest of you. Look at RIMs network model – and make one of your own before we have too many ugly RIM handsets in the wild

Wednesday 13 August 2008

S60 VPN IPSec Client from NCP

As you can see we have another VPN client. But still an IPSec client. I would really like a PPTP client. How they will compete with Nokias own VPN client I dont know – but I guess I have to review them both. I just wish Nokia would release their Cisco Pix documentation

—from the press release—

NCP engineering GmbH, a leading provider of endpoint security and VPN solutions, today announced the release of its Secure Entry Client for Symbian OS-based mobile devices.

The new IPSec VPN client can be used on mobile devices such as the Nokia Eseries, which run Symbian OS from V.9.0 on S60 3rd Edition.

[Lots of pr text cut out here]

NCP also offers a Secure Enterprise Client for Symbian, which was released in April 2008 and provides centrally-administered, endpoint policy enforcement.

A 30-day trial version offering unrestricted use of the entry product is available for download at: http://www.ncp-e.com/en/downloads/software.html. The software can be purchased via NCP’s e-store and from the company’s sales partners.