Mobile Computing SIG of Northern California

Let's wake up now...

2009-03-08T17:31:00.000-07:00

Gotta rev up for this fall... 6.5 is coming!

Still looking to generate some serious buzz to meet either in SF or in the South Bay.

I need your input.

Yes, the meeting is still on for 11/14!

2007-11-13T12:38:00.000-08:00

Apologies to all!

I've been having trouble with the mailing list/address book stored on Evite, so if you happen to be viewing here for an update, please follow the previous post as to the meeting details for tomorrow! Please post a reply here to confirm your attendance!

Update: I will also be demoing one of my recommended "must-have" applications, Agenda One from Developer One and will be raffling off a copy of the soon to be released version 2 (a $29.95 value)!

Thanks again goes to John Psuik of Developer One for furnishing the door prize!

Finally... Meeting: November 14, Palo Alto!!!

2007-10-02T10:39:00.000-07:00

Yes, this is not an illusion! We will finally have a meeting this year - with a lot to talk about... most recently of note:

- My faves from judging this year's Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine Best Software Awards.
- News and views from this year's Smartphone Summit.
- Devices we love & hate. (Both Windows Mobile and others)
- Software giveaways!

This will be a combined meeting with members of Bay Area Small Business iTechnology Specialists Users Group

Time: 6:00 pm – 8:30 pm (Pizza & Salad at 5:45)
Location: 1796 Bay Road Bldg 2, Palo Alto, CA 94303
Admission: $10 (gets you a raffle ticket for the available prizes and goes towards administrative costs)

Stay tuned, more details to come!

Please make sure your info that you've previously registered with is current!

Evite to be posted and sent out to you within the next 2 weeks!

New members please add yourself in when the Evite is posted!

BTW: The location will have ample free parking, and the meeting room will have wired internet access!

NAE Group presents: Mobilize Your Business: Using Microsoft Mobile Solutions to Keep Your Business on the Move

2007-05-15T13:32:00.000-07:00

In lieu of this month's meeting, I will actually be a guest presenter at the following event hosted by our fellow member and group contributor Steven Lai:

05/16/2007
12:00 PM - 02:00 PM

Does your team need to stay in the know while on the go? Discover how Microsoft® supported mobile solutions can help your people get to work without being at work. Through business scenarios, case studies, and product demos, you’ll learn how Microsoft technologies can help your business to:

• Enable productivity away from the office
• Provide on-the-go access to corporate data
• Respond more quickly to customers, partners, and colleagues

You’ll also hear about complementary solutions and services available from your Microsoft Partner.

Take the first step towards boosting employee efficiency away from the office. Plan to join us at this valuable event.

Click here to register!

Location:
Microsoft Corporation
One Market Street
The Landmark, Suite 200
San Francisco, CA 94105

Featured products and topics:
Windows Mobile, Microsoft Dynamics CRM Mobile, Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile, Microsoft Office Enterprise 2007, Microsoft Office Groove, Microsoft Vista - Enabled Mobile PCs, Microsoft Exchange Server 2007

Recommended audience: Technology Executives, Business Executives

Meeting postponed

2007-04-17T12:46:00.000-07:00

Hi all,

Hopes for me to be able to host a meeting this month have been dashed. I am working on setting up a May meeting now. I do have a varied selection of topics for discussion, and I'm always open for suggestions so let me know before I set an agenda!

Mobile Community tonight on ComputerOutlook.com

2007-04-09T12:44:00.000-07:00

Hey there - just a reminder to those who may have forgotten that tonight I'll be live on the radio @ Computer Outlook.com for the monthly series dedicated to the Mobile Community.

The Las Vegas radio station is KLAV 1230 AM. The Internet broadcast is located at www.computeroutlook.com and the listening image link is located throughout the web site on the upper left hand corner of the pages. The live show is Internet broadcasted through Windows Media Player. Please take advantage of e-mailing us “LIVE” during the show as well as participating in our “LIVE CHAT ROOM” at: http://www.computeroutlook.com/chat.php. The shows are also archived for all to download and listen to at: http://www.computeroutlook.com/dailyshows.php.

John Iasiuolo is the main guy in charge with co-host Rob Winchell. I along with fellow MS MVP Chris DeHerrera (of www.PocketPCFAQ.com) are the special co-hosts for the series and we hope to help you make sense of the latest goings on in th Windows Mobile community and other related technologies every 2nd Monday of the month!

Please join us on the Computer Outlook Show www.computeroutlook.com for “The Mobile Community" show - which I'd like to consider it as a virtual usergroup meeting for all of you who aren't able to attend a local one of your own.

Next meeting...

2007-04-03T15:06:00.000-07:00

Hang on tight members! I'm finally able to carve out some time and I need to send out the meeting room reservations for approval. As soon as I can confirm the room availability, Evites will go out. I plan to have a meeting this month, and in the months of June, August, and October.

I never received any feedback as to the preferred day on a previous post, so if you Like to keep it on Wednesdays, keep alternating between Wednesdays and Thursdays, please post a comment and let me know - thanks!

VISTA WEEK! Wanna meet up with me?

2007-01-28T20:50:00.000-08:00

Vista is launching this week, 12:01am Tuesday to be exact and there are a ton of events happening throughout the area! Football stars, media events will abound!

Ones I'm going to be involved with are the following:

1/29: 5pm-10pm
1/30: 3pm-9pm

CompUSA
1250 El Camino Real #M3
(San Francisco Airport)
San Bruno, CA 94066

- I'm scheduled to do some Vista demos here

1/30: 9:00am—2:00pm

Microsoft Ready for a New Day Launch Tour 2007
Moscone Convention Center
747 Howard Street
San Francisco, CA

- see me in the Ask The Experts area!

Future meetings: I need your input!!

2007-01-19T12:36:00.000-08:00

So I'm trying to plan out our meetings for the year and want to get some feedback from you as to the following:

- Would you like to propose a new meeting day?
- What would you like to see covered this year around?

Please soundback with a comment here - thanks!

Apple Inc. announces iPhone at MacWorld in SF

2007-01-09T11:49:00.000-08:00

ilounge.com has coverage of todays MacWorld keynote in SF where Steve Jobs introduces the iPhone to be available through Cingular by this coming June:

Check out the details ilounge.com has picked up:

Touchscreen interface
No physical buttons
Runs Mac OS X -- Apps, syncing, networking, multi-tasking, video, etc.
Everything synced -- iTunes music and videos, Mac data, email, notes, etc.
Hi-res screen -- 160ppi
Thinner than any smartphone -- including Motorola Q and Samsung BlackJack
2 megapixel camera built-in
Dock connector port
Wifi or EDGE service -- switches automatically.
widescreen video
3-D effects
Full-screen album art
4GB or 8GB of storage
"visual voicemail."
Quadband GSM+EDGE
Bluetooth 2
One-touch conference calling
SMS texting -- text messages with multiple sessions for multiple people at once
Keyboard does error prevention and correction.
Safari web browser
Rich HTML email works with IMAP and POP
Google Maps. Weather, calculator, stock widgets
Yahoo to provide free Push IMAP email service for iPhone users
Safari has multiple browser windows, bookmarks. Satellite and street map images on screen with Google Maps.
Google search built-in too.
Accessories for iPhone include stereo earbuds like iPod's with microphone. Bluetooth headset with automatic pairing.
Battery life: 5 hours of talk time, video or browsing. 16 hours of audio playback.

Price: 4GB model for $499, 8GB model for $599, each with 2-year contract.

Three letters for ya... O M G! Oh and all the thoughts running through my head on this one!

In the meantime, you might want to pay the folks at ilounge.com a visit.

Next meeting...

2007-01-08T11:50:00.000-08:00

- will most likely be in February as I'm just returning back from vacation and have a lot on my plate at the moment.

In the meantime, please respond with a comment if you were lucky enough to receive a new Windows Mobile device over the holidays!

Our T-Mobile supporter!

2006-12-22T16:39:00.000-08:00

Hi all!

Well, as promised here is the info for our supporter at T-Mobile:

Paul Shalhout
Retail Store Manager
T-Mobile
50 Powell Street
SF, CA 94102
415-391-4623

Mention my name and that you're a member of the usergroup and he'll hook you up with a discount!
(You will have to set up an appointment with him and visit the store to take advantage of what he would be able to do for you.)

Thank you Paul!

November meeting: Thursday, 11/16, 6:30pm @ Microsoft SF - Swap Meet!

2006-11-16T16:01:00.000-08:00

If you didn't receive an Evite, invite yourself by clicking here.

Meet and greet + Open forum!

Hi Everyone! Sorry for the short notice! I've had a lot of things going on (T-Mobile Dash, Zune, device case modding, new blog, etc.) and for got to send this out last week - but we will have a meeting this month! This month is a Thursday meeting!

Everyone is welcome to "set a tone" for this time before the break.

Like I alluded to in our September meeting, I'd like to have a swap meet - so everyone, if you can bring something you are willing to trade or giveaway, please do so! I will be certain to have a GPS program (which may be WM 2003 compatible), and some PCMCIA modem/LAN cards + some Palm III's to have out there...possibly a raffle!

And of course after the break we'll always have our popular open forum! Also, I'd like to seek out additional committee members to help out with the meetings - if you are interested, let's talk!

Special thanks to:
- Glenn Gerlach, Enterprise Mobility Solution Specialist of Microsoft Corporation's Mobile Device Marketing Group, for hosting our event

PRIZES:
- to be determined

NOTES TO CONSIDER:
#1: New security staff enforces all attendees arrive by 6:45PM as that is when the elevators go into restricted use - this means the only way up after 6:45PM is along with the pizza delivery!

#2 ADMISSION: $5 for those who RSVP; $7 if you don't
*Exact change is appreciated.

September meeting: Thursday, 9/21, 6:30pm @ Microsoft SF - Meet & Greet + Open Forum + Breaking News!!!

2006-09-17T22:26:00.000-07:00

If you didn't receive an Evite, invite yourself by clicking here.

Meet and greet + Open forum!
We've let a lot of time go by, and I've met a lot of people during this last stint of being away so I will keep the night open for new members who'll want to get their feet wet. Everyone is welcome to "set a tone" for this time before the break.

And of course after the break we'll always have our popular open forum! Also, I'd like to seek out additional committee members to help out with the meetings - if you are interested, let's talk!

Special thanks to:
- Glenn Gerlach, Enterprise Mobility Solution Specialist of Microsoft Corporation's Mobile Device Marketing Group, for hosting our event

PRIZES:
- MEDC backpacks and goodies!

Meeting this month: Thursday, Sept. 21, 6:30pm

2006-09-11T15:51:00.001-07:00

Yes, your eyes are not deceiving you, we will have a meeting this month!

My apologies for my absence, I've just got a lot on my plate in the recent weeks...

More details to come, and Evites will go out this week!

This month's door prize provided my our host at Microsoft, Glenn Gerlach, Enterprise Mobility Solution Specialist, Mobile Device Marketing Group.

Trouble connecting your Bluetooth GPS to your WM5 device?

2006-08-08T01:03:00.000-07:00

I've been reviewing GPS solutions, trying out some updated ones and reinstalling after a hard reset or ROM upgrade and thought that if any of you might be trying out a GPS solution on your shiny new WM5 device, you might want to pay a visit to the Windows Mobile Team Blog for some pairing tips:

http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2006/06/07/620387.aspx

Sidekick 3 - is it in your pocket?

2006-08-07T17:08:00.000-07:00

Just curious to see if any of our members have considered the newest Sidekick to be their next device, or already have it? If so, I like to hear your thoughts on it as I'm in the midst of doing a side-by-side comparison between it and T-Mobile's MDA. Post comments here or in our forums!

Alright - deadlines out of the way...for the moment!

2006-08-07T17:04:00.000-07:00

Well, yes, I am trying to lay out plans for a possible meeting this month; however, there is a looming project on tap that might take me away from that date of August 16th. The room is nevertheless reserved for us, but until I can make sure that day for me is clear, I cannot send out the Evites just yet - remember, no Evite, no meeting!

Cingular 8125 users...jealous of the MDA ROM update?

2006-08-02T14:14:00.000-07:00

I just want to get some feedback here to see if we have local members who currently have, and are using Cingular's 8125 that would be interested in running T-Mobile's MDA ROM upgrade? Should this be something we should handle at this month's meeting? Post comments here!

T-Mobile MDA users...update your ROM to v2.26.10.2 now!

2006-07-31T16:33:00.000-07:00

If you haven't already heard, the ROM update for the MDA was officially released yesterday, so for those of you who were jealous of my i-mate K-JAM ROM being more current than the ROM the MDA was shipped with, this curent one is the most recent and advanced one. I'm running it now on my K-JAM (which of course took a bit of tweaking to get it to install, which I can go into at our next meeting), but let me tell you - it is solid! The device performs much better with an upgraded radio stack (yes, you can run G-mail now), and some nice improvements, including a very current A2DP and better voice quality! Download it HERE and let us know how you like it!

Pardon my absence...

2006-07-31T16:29:00.000-07:00

Things have really been getting busy for me at work - so much so that I haven't had much time for planning our meeting. But never fear, the next one is in the works - I can't say for sure about our meeting this month until I can clear up a couple of projects I'm working on, but I should know better by next Wednesday.

BarCampSanFrancisco

2006-06-22T12:03:00.000-07:00

What
Barcamp is an ad-hoc gathering of passionate folks who want to share, interact and spread the love around what they spend their days and nights toiling away on.

When / Where / Hosts
6/23 evening through 6/25 afternoon: BarCamp hosted by Nima Dilmaghani of Microsoft at their 1 Market St. location Yes, with actual onsite camping (or at least sleeping bagging :)
IMPORTANT: Please sign up on the Wiki if you are coming. Security needs a list of attendees 24 hrs before the event and there is a 250 person limit for the building. Thanks

To know more please see the Wikipedia article at: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Barcamp

When: The event will start with a party (location TBD) on the evening of Friday June 23 and end around 4PM on Sunday June 25.

Where: Microsoft San Francisco: http://www.microsoft.com/mscorp/info/usaoffices/northernca/sanfrancisco.mspx
The Landmark at One Market, Suite 200San Francisco, CA 94105

Accomodations: Participants are welcome to bring a sleeping bag and stay overnight on Friday night and Saturday night. Last year, out of the 200 participants, only 15-20 stayed overnight. The rest chose the comforts of their beds.

Cost: The event is free. We are however seeking sponsors for food, refreshments, T-Shirts, …
Registration is required please register at: http://barcamp.org/BarCampSanFranciscoCampers

Last night's meeting...

2006-06-22T11:42:00.000-07:00

Thanks to everyone for making last night's meeting a great networking event!

So cool to see John's customized case, and some of your favorite applications discussed. I must get started on a "Must-have Apps" themed meeting - did anyone notice Rosi's 4700 customized with a Mac feel to it by way of Wisbar Advanced, right? Check out Jenneth's blog post here from last October if you want to do the same thing:
http://www.mobilejenneth.com/archives/2005/10/make_your_pocke.html

Anyway, let's keep the good vibe going and get some of those questions from last night posted in our new forums and I'll try to get them answered by this weekend. If you have any questions on stuff from my MGN blog, by all means, post some feedback there following each particular post. All the links are listed on the right side of this page.

June meeting: 6/21/2006 @ Microsoft SF, 6:30pm

2006-06-14T10:14:00.000-07:00

How I "Pimped out my Mobile Device" Contest!

This month's focus - is on you! I want to know how you customize and use your device, as well as accessorize and what you've installed on it. I'm sure that we'll all get to learn something new and pick up some tips along the way as to other ways we haven't even thought of before...perhaps we'll even have a lively debate on why some of you may choose a software solution over another! Either way, at the end of it, we'll choose the best equipped device and the best tip of the night to win a prize (and yes, I will not qualify)!

If you didn't receive an Evite, invite yourself here:
http://www.evite.com/app/publicUrl/reynold_flores@hotmail.com/mcsjune06

And of course, our popular open forum! Also, I'd like to seek out additional committee members to help out with the meetings - if you are interested, let's talk!

Special thanks to:
- Glenn Gerlach, Enterprise Mobility Solution Specialist of Microsoft Corporation's Mobile Device Marketing Group, for hosting and contributing the prizes for our event

PRIZES:
- MEDC backpack(s) (They're very cool this year!)
- other goodies

June meeting Evites went out today!

2006-06-12T17:55:00.000-07:00

Yes, keep a lookout in your email box for your Evite to this month's meeting - if you aren't on our mailing list, stay tuned as I'll be posting the info and a link to where you can invite yourself over very shortly. In the meantime, do keep this date free:

June 21, 2006 @ 6:30PM
Microsoft San Francisco.

Pocket Pollster Alpha Testing!

2006-05-24T09:29:00.001-07:00

Hi everyone!

Rober Werner from Pocket Pollster has sent me the following email:

I'm in the final stages of completing my first commercial software package, called "Pocket Pollster". I'm looking for people to test it and have posted a page to this effect here: http://pocketpollster.com/testers.html

If you are interested in trying out his Alpha for free, please visit his site and help him out.

Here's the blurb found on their front page:

Is any part of your business or organization immersed in paper forms? Are you looking for a simple, easy way to get rid of them and still collect the information you require? Would you like to save money in the process? If so, then Pocket Pollster is what you need!

"Oh sure, yet another company promising me the so-called paperless workplace," you may be thinking. We understand your skepticism, but we're different. Really, we are!

Pocket Pollster represents a new generation of software, built from the ground-up with some fundamental principles:

Be easy to use.
Be easy to implement.
Be cost effective.
Work in any organization/business/industry.
Fifty years ago it made sense to gather information using pens & paper. Fifty years ago it also made sense to create a document with a typewriter. Those were the best tools of that age. But it's 2006, not 1956, so why on earth are paper forms still everpresent in our lives?

The personal computer replaced the typewriter for one simple reason: It was a better tool. Pocket Pollster is also clearly a better tool and we would like the opportunity to show you why.

http://www.pocketpollster.com/

June meeting pre-notice!

2006-05-23T15:44:00.000-07:00

Hi everyone,

I'm just setting up a quick message to let you know that we will be holding our June meeting on the 21st from 6:30pm-9pm @ Microsoft SF.

I'm hoping it will be as lively as you can make it as I would like to see how each of you uses your mobile device or have customized or "pimped" them up!

Prizes will be given to the best customized device and the best suggestion or tip used to improve one's device and you'll be participating in the voting! (What would you think about posting a sneak preview of your device in the new forums?

As per our last meeting, watch out for the Evite...no Evite, no meeting rule in effect ;-)

Do not adjust your set! You are in the right place!

2006-05-01T16:58:00.000-07:00

That's right - if you were trying to get to the Mobile Computing SIG of Northern California, you are definitely in the right place!

For those of you visiting for the first time let me introduce myself:

Rey Flores, Microsoft MVP (Windows – Mobile Devices): http://mvp.support.microsoft.com/

Chair: www.mobilecomputingsig.com
Co-Host, The Mobile Community Series: http://www.computeroutlookrts.com/
Board of Experts: http://www.pocketpcmag.com/awards/board_of_experts_2005.asp
Contributing Editor: www.mobilegadgetnews.com

- I've been Co-Chair of our group since March 2003 and MS-MVP since April 2004.

So, if you didn't already know, the reason for our new site is that our original site was hacked twice in the last 30 days so we can only speculate that the forums were inherently unsecure, so now we have a new approach, just in time for Spring!

Anyway, this will serve as our new homepage so that we can alleviate the hosting costs Charles had been putting up for us all this time. I have also joined forces with ModernNomads.info headed up by fellow MS-MVPs Jaap van Ekris and Bart Martens where we can post helpful articles and tutorials for continued reference - please visit and register on their site too!

Fellow MS-MVP, Chris De Herrera, has graciously offered space on his personal server to host our NEW News and Discussion forum link on the right-hand side.

Our meetings will be posted here and in our forums, provided I have sent out an Evite - no Evite, no meeting so that as not to create any confusion.

There will definitely be a meeting next month, Thursday May 18th @ 6pm and it will focus on the implementation of an Exchange Server and what Windows Mobile devices can be used with it conducted by a fellow MVP and community member Steven Lai.

For your reference, here are the future meeting dates for the year:

Thursday, May 18th 6pm-9pm
Wednesday, June 21st 6pm-9pm
Thursday, July 20th 6pm-9pm
Wednesday, August 16th 6pm-9pm
Thursday, September 21st 6pm-9pm
Wednesday, October 18th 6pm-9pm
Thursday November 16th 6pm-9pm

These dates are reserved for us at the Microsoft offices in downtown SF but the meetings are tentative and subject to change - remember: no Evite, no meeting.