The PhoneBoy Blog

Able Planet TRUE FIDELITY® Active Noise Canceling Headphones

PhoneBoy — Tue, 16 Mar 2010 05:15:33 +0000

The folks from Able Planet sent me a pair of their new entry-level Active Noise Canceling Headphones to review. Considering my bad experience with noise canceling headphones in the past, I was probably an ideal test subject for these sorts of things.

The way that noise canceling headphones generally work is that they analyze the ambient audio in the room and send a sound that is the exact opposite of the ambient noise. The end result: you don’t hear the ambient noise. However, sound waves are still hitting your ears.

While I do a reasonable amount of air travel–probably the most ideal place to use these headphones, given the relatively constant, loud drone of the jet engines–I went for a place almost as loud and with variable noise–the local Starbucks where I often spend my afternoons working. While it certainly does not cut out all the noise, it does lower it noticeably. The lowered background noise made it possible to listen to my music and podcasts at a lower volume. However, I find the white noise added by the headphones to be distracting in quieter parts of my music/podcasts.

The $129 list-price headphones (though you can get it for ~$70 if you shop around) come with a handy dandy carrying case and a number of plug adapters, allowing you to plug these headphones into an airplane, your MP3 player, or a component stereo system. I think they’re pretty nice, do what they say on the tin, and are competitively priced.

No Noise is Good Noise (gadgetwise.blogs.nytimes.com)
Do You Understand What Noise Cancelling Headphones Are (wealthyways4you.com)
Best Headphones: The 13 COOLEST High-Tech Earphones (PHOTOS) (huffingtonpost.com)
Gadling gear review – Able Planet Clear Harmony noise canceling headphones (gadling.com)

This work originally came from The PhoneBoy Blog and is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-Noncommercial-No Derivative Works 3.0 United States License.
Fingerprint: e37ac627f3d973694c212ff9430d215a

Check Point Abra: Your Office In Your Pocket

PhoneBoy — Sat, 13 Mar 2010 02:44:10 +0000

One of the products I was most excited about finding out shortly after I joined Check Point was Abra. I’d be more excited if we were shipping the product–that is expected to happen at the end of March–but at least it’s announced so I can talk about it a bit more freely

The product is pretty simple: you can walk up to any computer, plug your USB stick in, and access a secure virtual environment complete with connectivity to your corporate Intranet, access to applications installed on the host computer, hardware encryption, and simple, centralized management. Abra gives you all this and more!

The technologies that are being employed here are not entirely new. What is unique is how it is all tied together. SSL VPN products (including Check Point’s own Connectra) have had the concept of a “Secure Workspace” for quite some time. When you connect to the SSL VPN gateway, you are allowed to run local applications and connect to remote resources. However, the apps operate in a kind of sandbox that restricts how you can get data into and out of the sandbox and what happens to the sandbox after the connection terminates (usually, it disappears).

Now, instead of writing the sandbox data on the local drive, move that onto a USB thumb drive that contains both hardware and software encryption. Add autorun capabilities so that when you insert the thumb drive, you are immediately prompted for authentication, taken into the secure workspace, and automatically connected to the corporate network. Meanwhile, the secure workspace and VPN settings are centrally managed using your existing Check Point Security Gateways.

I’m really excited about the future of this product! You can find out more on the Check Point Abra product pages.

Virgin Mobile USA Prepaid Broadband: Finally, Something Reasonable

PhoneBoy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:22:40 +0000

One of my personal complaints with the prepaid industry in the US is the fact that while voice minutes have gotten reasonably cheap, data is still somewhat of a crapshoot. It’s expensive, if it’s available at all. Especially on mobile handsets. I’m looking at you, AT&T and T-Mobile.

Meanwhile, the folks from Virgin Mobile USA (which is supposed to be owned by Sprint any day now) have come up with a mobile broadband plan that is at least on-par with a typical contract data-only plan. For $60 a month, you can get up to 5GB of data that you can use for 30 days. There are lower-priced plans also ($40 for 1gb, $20 for 300MB, and $10 for 100MB). You have to buy their Broadband To Go stick for $100, though, but that’s a small price to pay for contract-free nationwide 3G data service.

I hope that when Sprint finally closes the acquisition of Virgin Mobile USA that they keep this plan. It’s seriously good. It’d be even better at a lower price.

Virgin Mobile USA To Kill Their Postpaid Service On May 25th (mobilecrunch.com)
Virgin Mobile relaxes limits on prepaid broadband offering (gadling.com)
Virgin Mobile Will Euthanize Helio In May [Carriers] (gizmodo.com)
A Better Deal on Prepaid Wireless Broadband (technologizer.com)
Virgin Mobile increases value for prepaid broadband data buckets – $60 for 5GB (mobilecrunch.com)

Das Keyboard Model S: Adds Media Keys, Still Clicky

PhoneBoy — Wed, 10 Mar 2010 07:09:48 +0000

I previously reviewed the original Das Keyboard, which I found to be quite phenomenal in every respect except the price. Last month, I got their newer Model S keyboard to try. It comes in three models: the Professional, Ultimate, and Professional “Silent” (which really means “less noisy”).

Like the original Das Keyboard, the keyboard feels–and sounds–like an original IBM AT keyboard. When you pressed the button, you could both hear–and feel–that the button was pressed. That’s because those keyboards–unlike most keyboards today–were made with mechanical switches. The Das Keyboard is made with similar switches. These mechanical switches add to the overall heft of the keyboard as well as the cost, which is $129–a bit more than your standard keyboard.

The Model S includes media keys (i.e. volume and stop/start/rewind/forward buttons), most of which work just fine on the Mac. Unfortunately, it does so at the expense of the left Windows key, making it somewhat more difficult to use on my Mac since that maps to the Command key on the Mac. Yes, there is a Windows key on the bottom right, but it’s not quite the same.

This particular keyboard also requires two USB plugs: one for the two-port USB hub and one specifically for the keyboard itself. This is likely necessary because it’s possible to use this USB keyboard as a PS/2 keyboard with the included adapter. Why might you want to do that? Because with PS/2 mode, there is N-key rollover support (USB mode only has 6-key rollover support).

If I worked in a conventional office, I would be using this keyboard daily. It’s very good, even without a Windows key on the left-hand side. Unfortunately, my office is located next to my daughter’s bedroom, making this keyboard all but impractical in the late evening or early morning. I could purchase the earplugs from Das Keyboard (yes, they sell earplugs!), but that’s not practical in my situation

Das Keyboards Ultimate S (ubergizmo.com)
Office warfare: our months with the Das Keyboard (arstechnica.com)

The RTX Dualphone 3088

PhoneBoy — Sun, 28 Feb 2010 06:52:34 +0000

One of the things In Store Solutions sent it to me for review right around Christmas 2009 was the RTX Dualphone 3088. I’ve actually been (trying to) use it for the past couple of months and I’m now finally ready to write my thoughts down about it.

When I say “try to” use it, it’s not that the phone is hard to use. In fact, relatively speaking, it’s easy to use once it is set up.

The base unit plugs into your regular telephone jack and your router. This gives you the ability to use your regular phone line as well as Skype from the same handset. You can configure which one PSTN phone calls will use by default (and override on a per-call basis, if you’d like). You can browse your Skype buddy list, do buddy list management, and make direct calls to Skype users also. You can even change your Skype status, check inbound/outbound call history, your Skype voicemail, and see your SkypeOut balance!

At home, I have this set up both with my landline and my personal Skype account. Calls to my landline and calls to my Skype account are set up with different rings (yes, you can do that). I have used it both for Skype and for PSTN calls and the sound quality is excellent. The connection between the base and the handset is DECT, making it both secure and WiFi friendly.

Here’s the problem with this handset–I just don’t use them all that much. Nothing against the handset at all, but I either use my mobile phone to make calls or I use Skype with a headset. Yes, the phone has a headset jack and supports speakerphone, so I could use it, but it’s not something I have to work to make use of.

One thing the handset is missing that would make adopting it problematic is the fact it lacks a mute button. It is one feature I make heavy use of on Skype and my mobile phones and not having it makes using this phone difficult.

If you’re looking for a way to make calls on Skype without using a computer and tie into your normal landline, this is a great device. It does exactly what it says on the tin. The pricing, though, presents a challenge: $170 for the base unit and handset, another $100 each extra handset. At half the price, it would almost be a no-brainer.

Comments

2 March 2010, RTX Dualphone 3088: The Bloggers’ Have Their Say | Voice on the Web writes: [...] for the static-y background sound quality issue raised by Jason, PhoneBoy says: At home, I have this set up both with my landline and my personal Skype account. Calls to my [...]

Of Stone Tables and Communities

PhoneBoy — Sat, 27 Feb 2010 23:47:13 +0000

Here’s a fun tweet I picked up recently:

phoneboy.com has been here for more than 10 years, you might say? Well not the way this person remembers it.

And, of course, he’s right. A lifetime ago in Internet time, phoneboy.com was a different place. The most popular thing on it was an FAQ on FireWall-1, a product made by my current employer, Check Point Software. At the time, I did not work for Check Point, they didn’t have a knowledge base (at least that customers could access), and the product was MUCH simpler then. One person might actually be able to keep track of everything related to it

Since then, the product suite has grown substantially. Before, it was just firewall. Then VPN. Then Floodgate. Then a whole bunch of other add-ons (which have been renamed “Blades”), not to mention appliances, Provider-1, VSX, and now VE (Virtual Edition). Keeping it all straight, along with all the things that can go wrong, is a bit of a challenge.

So what does this have to do with Stone Tablets and Communities? A lot.

Stone Tablets

Back when I ran an FAQ on FireWall-1 on my personal website, I was (at first) using static web pages. Yes, I edited them in VI or using Netscape’s web page editor, depending on my mood. They were static documents that changed only if I decided to change them, either because of personal experience or because someone gave me updated information about the issue.

This is what I like to call the Stone Tablets approach (or Ivory Tower documents, if you prefer). Some wise person comes up with “the answer.” It’s written down, 10 commandments style and is considered gospel. It doesn’t change unless new information comes out (and the “wise man” decides to update it).

Note that this is pretty much how all knowledge bases operate, including Check Point’s SecureKnowledge and the Knowledge Base that I edited for Nokia’s Security Appliance Business.

Communities

Before the stone tablets were written, there was a community. At least in the Check Point world, this was mostly centered around the fw-1-mailinglist, which surprisingly, still exists today (albeit a shadow of its former glory). I got frustrated with the signal to noise ratio on the mailing list, so I created my own moderated list in July of 2000, which I eventually shut down last year. There is also CPUG.org, whom I donated the previous phoneboy.com FireWall-1-related content to during the summer of 2005.

The idea here–and the idea behind many of the attempted FAQ site redesigns I did before–was that communities were, collectively speaking, smarter than the stone tablet guys. Anything that would enable the community to “speak up” would, therefore, be a good thing. If I made my documents editable (or at least they would allow public comments), maybe others would contribute to their goodness?

The part I miscalculated, and the part I now understand after having been through a similar experience helping to build the Voxilla forums is that getting a community built around your site is a lot of work. For every 100 people that visit, 90 will participate mostly in read-only, 9 will participate occasionally, and 1 will participate often.

Those numbers are with forums. With Wikis and the like, it’s more like for every 10,000 people that visit, 9 will occasionally edit things and 1 will be a hardcore editor. In short, my attempt at being a sort of Wikipedia for all things Check Point was an abject failure and I let CPUG see if they could do better with forums.

Why Stone Tablets Are Hard, But Popular

I like stone tablets. A lot. Not because I’m religious–far from it, in fact–but because there is an indescribable feeling one experiences when they see their problem written down on a stone tablet along with a succinct solution. Customers often demand that their obscure problem be written down on a stone tablet–or a knowledge base or some other official document of the day–and made available for everyone to see.

The problem is that things change. That which made the content of the stone tablet true may have changed (e.g. a software upgrade). The guy who wrote the stone tablet may have been wrong in the first place. To make matters worse, the guru who knew about the topic may have disappeared or no longer wants to write things on stone tablets. There’s also people for which the older “truths” are still true (i.e. they’re still running the older software).

Mutable truth is the hardest thing to write on stone tablets. It takes ruthless dedication, an infinite amount of time and patience to extract the truth from those who know it, and of course, the ability to write it down in a coherent fashion. Few people have all of these qualities.

Will I Ever Do An FAQ Page on Check Point Products Again?

While I will never say never, my current circumstances make it highly unlikely I would undertake such a task again. At least independently.

At the time I started the FAQ page, I was doing technical support related to the Check Point product line, which at the time was FireWall-1 and SecuRemote. The main reason I started the FAQ in the first place was so I could keep track of the problems I solved so I didn’t have to solve them again. Granted, I started it with some content from my employer (a Check Point reseller), who had an FAQ page on FireWall-1. I took that content (with permission), updated it and put it on my own site. It ended up being a smart thing since that company got bought by another company who ultimately had nothing to do with Check Point.

In 2010, I work for Check Point. I am also a bit more removed from the realms of technical support. Check Point also has this thing called SecureKnowledge, which did not exist back when I started the FAQ page. SecureKnowledge contains many “stone tablets,” including the collection I wrote/curated during my 10 years at Nokia. While it is nowhere near my current job responsibilities anymore, I have written a couple of SK articles since I joined Check Point. I do consult with the SecureKnowledge team periodically on various higher-level things as well.

Inbox Liquidation, Part 54

PhoneBoy — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:21:39 +0000

My inbox is bursting at the seams, it seems.

Skype and Verizon Wireless?: One of the surprises to come out of the recent Mobile World Congress show is that Verizon Wireless and Skype have signed an agreement that allows a specially designed Skype client to be available on several devices (Blackberries and Android phones). Om Malik uncovers some sources who say that this deal is exclusive for 2-3 years. What kills this for me is that all calls (either Skype-to-Skype or Skype to international number) are routed through the Verizon Wireless voice network, meaning no WiFi. Not to mention the fact that the Verizon Wireless 3G network doesn’t support voice and data. Meh.

Skype and the iPhone: Related to the above, Skype is planning on issuing a version of their iPhone app that will actually allow calling over the AT&T 3G network. Previously, Apple’s SDK forbid this practice, but this has recently been changed. The stated reason for the delay is that Skype wants to ensure the iPhone experience is tuned for an optimal experience. Skype isn’t tuning the software, if you ask me. I think they’re waiting for the next version of the iPhone OS to release, but that’s just my theory.

Restaurant Paging over SMS: The Recess Paging System is something that’s recently been brought to my attention. Instead of those annoyingly large restaurant pagers that they give you, just send an SMS to the patron when your table is ready. Clever idea, though any heavy user of SMS will tell you that it’s not always reliable. And, of course, there’s always the “it’s a great tool to spam market to your customers.”

Voxbone Provides SMS Support for iNum (+883) Numbers: One thing that makes virtual numbers more real is the ability to text message the number. I was real happy when Google added this feature to Google Voice (formerly GrandCentral) numbers. Voxbone is now providing this service to their “global” iNum numbers (which have an ITU-assigned country code of +883). I wish more carriers supported these global numbers–for calling and SMS–but the list keeps growing.

Fonolo Comes to iPhone: I got heads up several days ago that Fonolo was launching an iPhone app in the App Store. The application lets you search through the phone tree of many different companies toll free numbers. You can find exactly the right point in the phone tree and have Fonolo call you when it has navigated to that point. In short, you spend less time navigating the phone maze and more time dealing with the company you’re trying to deal with. It’s a free app and a free service.

Calliflower Adds Skype Support: I wish I had an opportunity to use Calliflower more than I do. While you could always use Skype to enter a Calliflower conference, albeit via a PSTN number, now you can dial the Skype user CalliflowerSkype and get into any Calliflower-hosted conference. It certainly makes it cheaper and easier to join a Calliflower-hosted conference. In theory, this should give you better voice quality as well, but when I tried dialing the CalliflowerSkype user from my Mac’s Skype client, I saw it was using G.729–the same codec as if I were using Skype to dial into the PSTN number.

Comments

21 February 2010, SquawkBox Conference Call: Skype Over Verizon – What Are The Consequences | Voice on the Web writes: [...] Inbox Liquidation, Part 54 (phoneboy.com) [...]

My Review of The Swig Backpack from Timbuk2

PhoneBoy — Sat, 20 Feb 2010 09:20:51 +0000

Originally submitted at Timbuk2

A pack that fits girls (!) and guys AND protects your laptop.

Swig Backpack

Solid Pack for Business Trips

By PhoneBoy from Gig Harbor, WA on 2/20/2010

Pros: Roomy, Lightweight, Comfortable

Cons: Not Enough Pockets

Best Uses: Travel

Describe Yourself: Practical, Career

Primary use: Business

I have used this pack on both business and personal trips. It comfortably fits my 17 inch MacBook Pro and 4-5 days worth of clothing, yet fits the airline definition of a carryon and is easy to carry.

If you need lots of pockets for your various electronics, however, this may not be a bag for you as it is woefully short in that department. It works for me, however, as it forces me to economize and take only what I need.

(legalese)

The Freetalk Wireless Headset

PhoneBoy — Sat, 30 Jan 2010 03:07:16 +0000

The folks at In Store Solutions sent me this headset to review a while ago–the Freetalk Wireless Headset. I had tried a couple of times to write a review of this headset, but ran into technical issues. Now that I’m off the road for a bit, I’ll give it a try.

Like its wired cousin, the Freetalk Everyman Headset, which I reviewed a while back, the focus is on audio quality. It rocks, even without wires! Skype-to-Skype audio quality is just like being there! It’s light and comfortable to boot.

Unlike it’s cheaper cousin, the Freetalk Wireless headset actually has buttons on it: a power/mute button, volume control, and a link button to link the headset with the dongle. Yes, all these buttons work properly on the Mac as well as the PC.

The dongle for this headset is a little bulky, but it provides a USB jack to allow you to charge the Everyman Wireless headset directly. It also allows you to use the headset in a “wired” way when the headset needs charging, which is a problem I’ve run into with this headset. I often find the headset without battery. Maybe because I use it too much

The power button doubles as a mute button, if you press it briefly. The green power light blinks blue when the headset is muted. It would have been nice if the headset provided some audio confirmation that the headset was muted so it could be reliably used, but I generally just mute inside the Skype app instead so I know I am muted.

While this headset is clearly geared at Skype (or other desktop VoIP usage), you can also use the headset to listen to music. Just like with Skype, the music sounds great!

Unlike the Freetalk Everyman Headset, which is priced absurdly inexpensively, the Everyman Wireless is more pricey but still respectable at $79.99 from the Skype store (prices vary outside the US). It comes with the dongle, a mini-USB cable, the headset, and the carrying case, as shown in the picture above. People looking for great audio quality without wires should seriously consider picking one of these headsets up.

Comments

19 February 2010, raju writes: what the price of it at India

Will the iPad Change Anything?

PhoneBoy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 16:30:09 +0000

Just before I was giving my presentation at Sales Kick Off yesterday, Apple began unveiling their new iPad. A few people in the audience were looking at the emerging details on their iPhones. I took a quick scan of my Twitter stream later on. It was a topic of discussion throughout the day. I eventually read a small amount of the coverage.

The general complaints I saw on Twitter were related to the lack of a camera or the fact that it had data service only through AT&T. What I see is the biggest failing of the device, quite honestly, is the same downside as for the iPhone: the fact that the device is tied to iTunes.

The iTunes app itself is a bloated, monolithic application that does far too many things. Aside from that, it means you cannot manage content on the device from more than one Mac or PC. I suspect this “limitation” has something to do with how Apple implements DRM, but even Apple has to realize that people own (or use) more than one computer these days and should figure out a way to handle this more gracefully–at least with non-DRMed content.

With this in mind, Apple has clearly created a device that is not a replacement for your primary computer. It’s a big iPod Touch. That’s great for consuming certain kinds of content, but given the limitations of iPhone OS, it won’t be replacing my laptop in my bag anytime soon.

Perhaps the next iPhone OS will remove some of them. Maybe it will add Bluetooth keyboard support, multitasking, and the ability to manage content from more than one computer. Maybe it will do a better job managing battery life or remove the stupid limitations about downloading larger than 10mb files over 3G.

Will the iPad change the world? We don’t have the whole story yet. The rest of it will come when they announce the next iPhone OS, presumably before the iPad actually ships. Then we’ll know the true capabilities of the iPad and just how game changing things will be.

Meanwhile, Apple has ramped up the hype machine by announcing the iPad prior to shipping. The fanboys will continue to drool over the hardware. The rumors will continue to spread until the iPad ships.

Me? I’m happy with my iPhone. It’s already changed my world. Will the iPad change my world? Maybe, but I’m happy to wait and let the true story unfold.

iPad lifts off to much iHype (seattletimes.nwsource.com)
iPad Specs Price and Features (mwd.com)
Can Apple Live Up To The Hype? (timelliott.us)
Are Apple’s iPad Shortcomings Real or Perceived? (chris.pirillo.com)
Apple iPad: Everything You Need to Know (everyjoe.com)
A close look at Apple iPad (taragana.com)
5 Reasons to Wait for iPad 2.0 (readwriteweb.com)

Comments

28 January 2010, Lonnie writes: "I’m happy to wait and let the true story unfold. " Sage advice.
28 January 2010, Marc Abrams writes: I don't entirely agree with iTunes = 1 PC or 1 Mac. In my house, we setup Home Sharing and it works amazingly well. My son has a Windows 7 netbook and my wife has a Windows Vista laptop, and I have a MacBook Pro and we easily share music and movies between them. I could see the iPad docking with my MacBook Pro and pulling my son's Thelonious Monk songs from his netbook. I've been thinking about the role the iPad plays with a corporate user. I make a LOT of presentations and use the current version of Keynote. I want to try the iPad version before making a decision, but if it works the way it looks like in the videos, and saves me time in making and editing all these presentations, that will be my killer app for the iPad. marc.
1 February 2010, kenvernon writes: For the millions of iPhone and iTouch users, the iPad UX will allow a seamless user transition to a middle road device that allows them to consume content quickly and easily. Where Apple takes the iPad from here is the really interesting question. With a major OS upgrade, the iPad could easily become a laptop replacement for many and a valuable tool for content consumption for others. As you, I am happy to wait and see.
4 February 2010, Philippine Outsourcing writes: My first impressions of the device are largely positive. Apple has once again built a product that looks good and feels great in the hand, and the familiar user interface, borrowed from the iPhone and iPod touch, is perfectly suited to the bigger screen. The iPad whizzes along, opening applications, re-sizing web pages, and zooming in and out of maps almost instantaneously. It's a great, fun gaming platform, and it's lovely to view full-size web pages while browsing the internet. Developers, no doubt, are already rubbing their hands with glee about the apps and services they could tailor specifically for this device. - Jaime
15 February 2010, Mike Rogers writes: I think the iPad changes things quite a bit. It continues the shift from multi-purpose PCs/Macs which are advanced content creation tools. The very first PDA, the palm was so successful because it was focused on 4 tasks, Address Book, Calendar, To-Dos and Notes. The iPad represents the next step in that. Simple, purpose built machines.
18 February 2010, Faith | Postcard Printing writes: Same way here, IPhone had a huge change in my life. Almost everything is a click away from me and it is a big thing for any online marketer like me. I'm not that interested with the new Apple product, the IPad thing but I am waiting for its review to see what difference would it make to IPhones. We'll see. LOL.

Keeping the iPhone Charged

PhoneBoy — Thu, 28 Jan 2010 15:30:21 +0000

While I was in San Diego for the past few days, perhaps the biggest challenge–aside from never having more than 10 minutes to myself at a stretch–was keeping my iPhone’s battery charged. The Sales Kick Off meeting we had for Check Point had us anywhere but near an easily accessible AC port. I attempted to plan for this, and I normally have an external iPhone battery for this purpose.

Unfortunately, on my recent trip to Israel, the connector on my latest battery acquisition from eBay broke. That’s what happens when you get the cheap ones made in China. Either way, I did not have time to acquire something better before I left for this trip to San Diego.

I searched through my gadget stash and found an old Solio charger. While I wasn’t counting on it’s ability to get juice from the sun, it was able to receive a charge from USB. When fully charged, it was able to provide some extra juice to my iPhone. It certainly didn’t give the battery more than an extra 25-30% or so, but it was enough. It also fit in my pocket (albeit not comfortably) along with the iPhone.

I also took some other measures to conserve battery power as well: I dropped WiFi and Bluetooth. While there was plenty of WiFi around, I could not always use it nor did I necessarily want to. I only enabled it when I know I wanted to use it. That alone cut my battery drain to a fairly managable level.

The other thing: I forgot my iPhone’s AC adapter. This meant I need to plug into a Mac/PC to charge. It also meant that I was not able to easily charge my iPhone the night before I left San Diego. I had a very early morning flight and made the mistake of not leaving my MacBook turned on but not logged in. This meant my iPhone barely got a charge overnight.

The Solio came to my rescue again. I had wisely charged it the day before, so I was able to use it to provide a boost on the flight back to Seattle. The Solio did require some significant fiddling to get it to charge the iPhone without receiving the dreaded “charging with this accessory is not supported” message on my iPhone.

Meanwhile, I’m in the market for a mobile charging solution for my iPhone. Preferably something that will fit comfortably in my pocket with my iPhone 3GS, is durable, easily rechargable, but not insanely expensive. I realize that’s a bit much to ask, but any suggestions from the peanut gallery on this?

Comments

28 January 2010, bostonphoneguy writes: Duracell Instant USB charger or Mophie Juicepak Air are two solutions that I own.
28 January 2010, asd writes: PowerMonkey or PowerMonkey Explorer - https://powertraveller.com/
28 January 2010, Lonnie writes: MiLi Power Pack; and don't forget your AC adapter next time.
31 January 2010, Hamish MacEwan writes: This might fill the bill: http://www.powerstick.com/new/home.php Hamish

Following the Conversation

PhoneBoy — Mon, 25 Jan 2010 18:25:07 +0000

I feel bad, in a way, that I haven’t been posting to my blog. Then again, I think I know why. The conversation is, for the most part, elsewhere.

Does it mean my blog is a failure? Am I not getting the hits I want or the comments I want? Not really.

One of the things I’ve learned is not to try and treat all communication the same way. Not all conversations are the same. Not all mechanisms for conversing are the same.

The trick is knowing where, when, and how to have the right conversation. Sometimes, that’s my blog. Sometimes it’s Twitter, Facebook, a phone call, or in person. Sometimes you have to use all these forms together.

Right now, one of my major conversations is with Check Point Software’s customers. This conversation is mostly on CPUG, but I am also seeking out and having customer conversations on Twitter, Facebook, and other places. Yes, this is my job and my personal blog is not necessarily the right place to have that conversation

Meanwhile, this is the right place for this ephemeral thought. Or is it? Let me know what you think in the comments!

Comments

27 January 2010, Tweets that mention Following the Conversation -- Topsy.com writes: [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by Jonathan Jensen, phoneboyblog. phoneboyblog said: New blog post: Following the Conversation http://phoneboy.com/3317/following-the-conversation-2 [...]
27 January 2010, ernst albus writes: Well, as you may see, I'm from "good old Germany"... Let me put it this way...First your conclusion isn't bad, but the reason why is people in most cases don't have even the idea of communicating on a "higher?" educated level. To me it looks like more than 90% of the people are just sloppy in using their brain...some call it simply DUMB!!! Just look around and you will know what I mean. So, take care, there are some people in the world feeling a bit like you... E.
5 February 2010, Shawn Smith writes: I went through your post and would like to comment on the communication part.We all have such problems and you aren't the only one, earlier I also had such thoughts but I made up my mind to loose it off and I succeeded. So, be cheerful...

Inbox Liquidation, Part 53

PhoneBoy — Thu, 21 Jan 2010 23:55:53 +0000

Time to clean out the inbox once again…

Truphone Bonanza: I have a fair number of items related to Truphone in my inbox. A while ago, they launched an Android calling app for WiFi, making it possible to use their service to make cheap phone calls from Android phones. More recently, they launched their Truphone Anywhere service, which gives you a SIM card that gives you “local” rates in US and the UK and cheaper roaming abroad. It could, theoretically, be your ONLY GSM calling service–calls inside the US are $0.10 a minute inbound and outbound–but data is not exactly cheap at $0.75/MB. It’s a nice prepaid service I will be keeping an eye on. I’m always looking for a way to be reachable when I travel abroad, but don’t want to pay an arm and a leg to do it Oh yeah, and now you can make and receive calls from +883 (iNum) calls thanks to a partnership with Voxbone!

Skype for Symbian Beta: I’ve actually been using this a fair amount of my Nokia E71, especially when I was in Israel several days ago. It was the only way I was able to make calls back home without it costing an arm and a leg. The application is very laggy in terms of startup and shutdown, but the calls were crystal clear! Hopefully, they improve the speed of this app, as it’s my only real complaint. Well that and it does not pass touchtones at all.

CTIA Is Against Network Neutrality for Wireless: From the “no duh” department, my friends at the CTIA–the industry association for the wireless industry in the US–are against net neutrality principles (PDF link) as proposed by the FCC via their Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on the subject. Seems like a rehash of their usual points (i.e. wireless is different, a competitive market, and the operators are doing nothing wrong). *sigh*

Trapster goes 4.0 on iPhone: The new version of this free speed-trap reporting program for the iPhone and a number of other phones gives you more “trap” types (including roadkill, yum!), shows you were Trapster users have driven recently (to give you confidence in the reported traps), a Caravan mode where you can message and share photos with other Trapster users, and the ability to share Trapster with your iPhone contacts. Wonder what these guys will do next?

Comments

22 January 2010, Tweets that mention Inbox Liquidation, Part 53 -- Topsy.com writes: [...] This post was mentioned on Twitter by phoneboyblog, scipblogbot. scipblogbot said: Inbox Liquidation, Part 53 http://bit.ly/7yvb3K [...]

What A Long, Strange Trip 2009 Has Been

PhoneBoy — Thu, 31 Dec 2009 09:42:50 +0000

The beginning of 2009 had a rocky start for me. My employment situation was up in the air thanks to my long-time employer Nokia selling off the Security Appliance Business I worked in to Check Point Software. While I had an idea that I would probably have a job with Check Point, I couldn’t really breathe a sign of relief until I had a job offer in-hand, which did not come until April.

Even before Nokia announced the Security Appliance Business was getting sold at the end of September 2008, I had maneuvered my career into a comfortable, but rather limiting position. My job was not at risk, but I also did not see a way out of it either.

In a sense, this forced employer change was exactly the kind of fresh start I needed. Even though the entire process was downright scary–change often is–I am happy with how things are going now.

Even though it took me a couple of months to get plugged into Check Point, which is typical anytime you change employers, my true mission was known to me almost immediately. There wasn’t a whole lot of discussion about it, either. I just started doing what comes naturally.

I began the process of reconnecting with a community I helped to build many years ago, but more or less walked away from to pursue other interests. I spoke at Check Point events. I established Check Point’s official presence on Twitter, Facebook, and CPUG. I engaged our customers, looking for trouble, finding it, and did my best to find solutions.

What surprised me was that so many people remember the work I did all those years ago, both inside Check Point and in the larger Check Point community. The appreciation and generosity everyone showed was quite humbling. It made the transition back into the Check Point world that much easier.

Then again, I never really left it. Even though I spent a lot of years at Nokia supporting “everything but,” there was always the occasional need for obscure bits of Check Point knowledge that only I had. I also supported various aspects of the IPSO operating system and was the go-to guy when it came to analyzing security vulnerabilities. And yes, I had my hands in the knowledge base almost the whole time I was at Nokia

Mobile Change Happens, Too

One thing that ended with my employment at Nokia was easier access to “free” mobile phones. Between our normal replacement cycles and my contacts, I was able to get a few handsets a year to play with for varying lengths of time. This means, going forward, I have to buy my own stuff. However, for the first time in a decade, I am able to own something other than a Nokia device without feeling like a traitor

So what did I do? I bought an iPhone 3GS, of course. It was a bit of a leap of faith, as I wasn’t sure how I’d like it after playing with it in the Apple Store, but now I love it! It completely changes how and when I use my mobile phone. Not that my Nokia devices didn’t have all this same functionality ages ago, but the laser-like focus Apple puts on user experience, the speed of the iPhone 3GS hardware, and the plethora of applications really showed me what a mobile device could be!

And yes, I agree that the Nokia 5800 Xpress Music–a device I received as a “parting gift” from Nokia–touched more lives than Apple’s device did. It’s no iPhone, but it’s a hell of a lot cheaper and easy to get without a contract. However, the iPhone was the mobile device that rocked my world in 2009.

Increasing Social Currency In 2010

One thing I learned in 2009 was that relationships really matter. It is a form of currency–social currency, if you will–that everyone has, regardless of their station in life.

Meanwhile, my friend Ken Camp has a great piece on transforming the world by looking in the mirror. I encourage you all to read it and really let it sink in. My way of transforming the world will be by increasing the social currency in the world–one relationship at a time.

Increasing your social currency is easy. You improve your relationships with others through your words and deeds. Conversely, as you neglect your relationship with words and deeds, your social currency decreases.

The beautiful thing about social currency is that everyone can have it in limitless amounts. When you give your social currency away, you often get it back–with interest.

Comments

7 January 2010, Mobile phones writes: I agree with you now a days mobile revolution is at its peak! number of competitors are ready to compete each other. In such conditions Nokia has made its unique place in mobile market.

Airports: Neither Secure Nor Convenient

PhoneBoy — Sun, 27 Dec 2009 09:42:46 +0000

When discussing computer security with people, something I often bring up is this very simple equation:

What this means is that “secure” things tend not be convenient to use. For example, a powered down computer in a metal box secured by locks, and put in a safe protected by armed guards 24×7 might be relatively safe from theft, but it’s not very usable, is it?

Conversely, convenient things aren’t secure. For example, not having a lock on your house might make it easier for you to come and go as you please, but it sure makes it easy for would-be thieves to get into your house and take whatever they’d like.

Something else to note about this equation. Assuming security and convenience are expressed in terms of real numbers greater than or equal to zero, As convenience decreases towards zero, security increases towards infinity. If security is zero, conveniences doesn’t matter (because both inconvenient and convenient things can be insecure). However, if convenience hits zero, then security is undefined. You can’t divide by zero. You also can’t make something absolutely secure

Another thing that comes up in security–computer or otherwise–cost. What is it we are trying to secure? What does it cost to reduce that risk? What is the likelihood that a “loss” will occur and how much will that lost cost? It seems silly, for instance, to spend $100 to secure a $10 item, unless that $10 item has $1,000 (or more) worth of data on it

Anyway, this article is not about computer security. It’s really about airport security, or rather insecurity. This topic entered my consciousness again when I found out about the idiot who tried to explode something on an international flight landing in Detroit on Christmas Day. My immediate response was “oh crap, they’re going to make it more painful to travel again.”

And yes, they are. While the TSA hasn’t said anything officially yet, there are a number of reports from many sources, including the New York Times, that suggests measures similar to the following will be taking place on all flights inbound to the US:

Passengers will have to remain in their seats one hour before landing with no access to anything they may have brought on board or have access to on the airplane (e.g. inflight magazine, pillows, blankets, etc).
Passengers will not be told when they will land or be given any clue where they are.
Passengers will be subject to extra screening at the boarding gate.
Only one carryon item will be permitted to be brought onboard per passenger.

I question how many of these security measures will actually be effective at either deterring or preventing a real security event, which for the purposes of this discussion are a loss of life by one or more passengers caused by the actions of one or more passengers on the plane (e.g. because of a terrorist-type event).

Let’s look at what the folks from the TSA have done since September 11, 2001 in order to “improve security” at our nation’s airports (notwithstanding the “new rules” being implemented since Friday):

Liquid Restrictions: Considering the 3.2oz/100ml or less bottles of liquids in a quart-size plastic bag are subjected to a simple Xray scan and not anything more, one could easily slip in a relatively dangerous liquid past security. Several passengers could, in concert, do this together.
Shoes Off: We can thank Richard Reid, the infamous Shoe Bomber for this stupid rule. Again, all they are doing is Xraying the shoes. I’m sure the bad guys can find ways to hide explosives in shoes without getting caught by the Xray.
Laptops Out: Don’t understand the rationale behind this one at all. I suppose it’s to get a better look at everything. I would be more concerned about smaller devices.
Need Photo ID: How easy is it to fake an ID or a passport?
The No Fly List: How easy is it to fake an ID or a passport and use a name that isn’t on the list? Seems like all it does is inconveniences people with names similar to suspected terrorists.
Barking The Rules: I’ve heard a number of personal accounts of TSA agents yelling at everyone in line about what the rules are going through the security line. I’ve also experienced this myself. They don’t exactly do this in a friendly, courteous way.
More Secure Cockpit Doors: This is, perhaps, one of the few “good” things that came from the last round of major changes to airport security. This probably did not cost that much in the grand scheme of things and has a measurable impact on the safety of the people of the pilots. It’s debatable how much this does for the passengers safety, of course.

This is all, as Bruce Schneier calls it, Security Theater. Stuff that’s designed to make us “feel” more secure without actually making us more secure. These measures made traveling inconvenient. The new ones they are implementing are going to make it that much worse. I can think of many ways around all these “restrictions” without a lot of thought. I’m sure a real bad guy could come up with even more, especially given lots of time and motivation!

Having been through Israeli airport security twice in the past 6 months, I can tell you that “better” security (or at least better security theater) is both time-consuming and costly, both in terms of machines and people-power. Persons and belongings are throughly screened before getting anywhere near an airplane, and you don’t have to take off your shoes in the process. The TSA screening that comes after my Tel Aviv flight but before my connecting flight home is almost insulting in comparison.

So now what? How do we make our flights more secure, yet not so inconvenient that people don’t want to fly?While we can argue about different screening procedures ad-infinitum, the best defense is an aware, active traveling public. As long as passengers remain watchful of suspicious activity and act accordingly, situations that do break out on planes can easily be neutralized before they become serious threats. It certainly happened with this most recent threat.

Comments

27 December 2009, howdy writes: Regarding your penultimate statement, the one draw back to this is people are so distrusting of anything 'different' that kneejerk reactions are going to be high especially when you consider nations are being groomed to fear the unknown. We've already seen it since 9/11 where people have reported passengers for praying or reading certain books.
27 December 2009, tom writes: we have been taking off our shoes in the security line since the Richard Reid incident. in this latest incident the perpetrator attempt to set off a bomb sown into his underwear. the security lines will get interesting. all logic says that we will all be required to remove our underwear and pass it through the x-ray for screening. right?
27 December 2009, tndaisy1960 writes: I'll stick to Greyhound, thanks...until they start screwing with that, too.
28 December 2009, anim8ed writes: You mentioned many of the reasons I left the TSA after 2 years. I was on the initial roll-out of TSA back in 2002. I later found out that a screener I worked with for 2 years was using a false ID and was a convicted felon. What happened to background screening and how did this slip through that process?
28 December 2009, PhoneBoy writes: @tom I expect we'll be flying naked soon, sort of like the way they time travel in The Terminator. @anim8ed I assume that a background check is not 100% perfect, which can be said for most so-called security measures. My experience is that the good guys get caught up in these measures far more often than the bad ones. @howdy I'll take the wisdom of the crowds over the current system. :)

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