Back in Feb, I listed a set of devices that should be high on your list if you’re thinking about mobile microblogging. It included MIDs and UMPCs. As the market for mobile social networking, mobile web search, mobile content creation, location based services and lifestreaming (my rough definition of Mobile Microblogging) gathers steam we’re seeing more and more devices coming into the segment and it’s mainly from the smartphone sector. UMPCs and MIDs aren’t getting a look-in. In fact, in my latest list, below, you won’t find a MID or UMPC.
Smartphones with bigger, higher resolution screens and high-end processors are appearing on the radar almost every week. Smartphone-based mobile software development is increasing too as more and more mobile device application stores tempt developers with easy-to-use, rich SDKs and APIs, a channel that reaches right down to millions of users devices and a good cut of any earnings.
What’s really interesting about the Mobile Microblogging phenomenon is that very little software development is happening for today’s Intel MIDs, the very devices that were targeted into this segment. Intel have stopped work on the Moblin OS for them and they’re effectively UMPCs. You could even argue that there are no Intel MIDs any more! They are being totally left behind in both software and hardware until Intel push the reset button when Moorestown MIDs with Moblin hit the market. Until then, it’s desktop operating systems for MIDs and UMPCs.
You won’t find an easy-to-use, small-screen, GPS-enabled search service on Windows. You can’t even link Google Maps to a GPS on the browser. Forget the thought of a compass helping with augmented reality, an accelerometer, an FM receiver with RDS or, if you’re into internet photography, a half-decent snapshot camera. There’s no application store either. Only on smartphones will you find the creative software and hardware that is driving the mobile microblogging market and making it exciting, fresh, competitive and, quite frankly, desirable.
Moblin-based MIDs do have a chance as do Maemo 5 based devices but you won’t find any on the market yet so it’s going to take time for the developers to warm to those platforms. Come back in 2010 to discuss that!
Apple and Android have done a lot for the new generation of mobile internet devices and usage scenarios and so it should be no surprise to see smartphones dominating this Mobile Microblogging segment to the point where UMPCs and MIDs don’t get a look-in. UMPCs and Netbooks still have big advantages for general purpose, day-to-day productive computing but if mobile creativity is your thing, there’s nothing better than the new generation of smartphones.
One could argue that smartphones have grown into the MID segment but for me it was always about usage scenarios rather than device categories. As Intel said, communication, location, entertainment and productivity. It’s a shame that Intel’s MIDs aren’t living up to their own hype yet. (see my recent Moorestown article for thoughts about 2010)
It’s not quite the MID that many of us would like to see (it’s missing a slightly larger screen and a dod of processing power) but because its voice-enabled, highly converged and slick, we’re going to keep a close eye on this one. We’re tracking details and keeping the new Pro2 product page up to date.
Update: We’ve put the Pro2 in the database and will add links, videos and specs as we get them. If you’ve found any good articles, galleries or videos yourself, send them in via this form.
HTC Just announced the HTC Touch Pro 2, a Windows Mobile slide/tilt device that many readers at UMPCPortal are going to be interested in. It’s still using the ‘old’ (or maybe I should say ‘current’) processing platform which is a little disappointing but the big battery, big 3.6″ screen and keyboard make it a good productivity option. Note the ‘zoom-bar’ specification which could help a lot in navigating websites. looking at the WCDMA talk time figures gives a good idea of how long it will last in ‘MID’ usage scenarios. About 4hrs.
The press release also mentions ‘Push Internet’. “HTC Push Internet alleviates slow downloading and rendering of Web pages on a mobile phone. Users can preselect their favorite Websites to get immediate access to them when needed.” Its sounds like some sort of background downloading service. Also note the lack of 3.5mm headphone socket. This is a very business-focused device.
No pricing info has been announced but you can estimate a price in the 600 Euro bracket. Availability in Europe is ‘Early Q2.’ putting it just ahead of the N97 timeframe in Europe. (Nokia said the N97 would be available in June in their updates at MWC today.)
Specifications:
Processor: Qualcomm® MSM7200A™, 528 MHz
Operating System: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional [Note: HTC announced a FREE upgrade to 6.5]
Memory: ROM: 512 MB RAM: 288 MB
Dimensions: 116 X 59.2 X 17.25 mm (4.57 X 2.33 X 0.68 inches)
Weight: 175 grams (6.17 ounces) with battery
Display: 3.6-inch TFT-LCD touch-sensitive screen with 480 X 800 WVGA resolution
Adjustable tilt screen
Network
HSDPA/WCDMA:Europe/Asia: 900/2100 MHz, Up to 2 Mbps up-link and 7.2 Mbps down-link speeds,
Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:Europe/Asia: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, (Band frequency, HSUPA availability, and data speed are operator dependent.)
Device Control: TouchFLO™ 3D, Zoom bar
GPS
Connectivity
Bluetooth® 2.0 with Enhanced Data Rate and A2DP for wireless stereo headsets
Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g
HTC ExtUSB™ (11-pin mini-USB 2.0, audio jack, and TV Out* in one)
Camera
Main camera: 3.2 megapixel color camera with auto focus
Second camera: VGA CMOS color camera
Battery
Rechargeable Lithium-ion battery
Capacity: 1500 mAh
Talk time: Up to 270 minutes for WCDMA, Up to 419 minutes for GSM
Standby time: Up to 454 hours for WCDMA, Up to 348 hours for GSM
Video call time: Up to 150 minutes
(The above are subject to network and phone usage.)
What’s really interesting about the Mobile Microblogging phenomenon is that very little software development is happening for today’s Intel MIDs, the very devices that were targeted into this segment. Intel have stopped work on the Moblin OS for them and they’re effectively UMPCs. You could even argue that there are no Intel MIDs any more! They are being totally left behind in both software and hardware until Intel push the reset button when Moorestown MIDs with Moblin hit the market. Until then, it’s desktop operating systems for MIDs and UMPCs.
