Yes, it has been quite a while since I have posted…

But, my slack time is over! There is so much going on…

I’ve been using a couple of plugins for Sametime — Sametime 2 Skype and Sametime 2 Jajah, both from Pentos . I can strongly recommend both. Go to Skype. Go to Jajah.

The Sametime 2 Skype plugin enables you to use Skype directly from within Sametime (7.5 or higher). So that is pretty straghtforward. It’s easy to set up and displays your Skype contacts in Sametime too.

The Sametime 2 Jajah plugin has some very interesting features. Here is how this works: from within Sametime, I can click on a contact to dial their mobile number. The Jajah plugin kicks off a call to my mobile number and then calls my contact’s mobile phone.  Both calls are handled via Internet VOIP and it cost me the grand sum of 18.7 cents US per minute. And no carrier charges of course as it is an incoming call to my mobile! You should check your carrier’s fine print though!

I’ve decided to do a regular Thursday post and include a few cool links

I was thinking about the Apple Newton (anyone remember that!) and the progression of iMac, iPod, iPhone. What could be NeXT from Apple I was thinking, maybe — an embedded chip for us humans? maybe like an “iChip” which allows us to control things by moving our head about? sort of a Wii for We… (but they couldn’t call it iChip I don’t think, iChip is a trademark of ConnectOne, check it out it is interesting technology in its own right)

Now the cool links:

Firmware Versions for Nokia Mobiles — here is how you find out if there is an upgrade for your device

MVNO Directory — Here is what this is all about: “A mobile network operator without a physical land based infrastructure, such as base stations, within the country where the network (MVNO) operates”

Cisco Unity Tools — I’ve been doing some Cisco work recently and this site is a great source

Podcasting Software — A huge amount of software to choose from

Splashpower  — Wireless charging for your mobile

TED — ideas and innovation

I am a runner. I am also mobile. I don’t have a personal GPS unit (yet!) but I do like to know how far I am running, especially when I’m training for a half-marathon or marathon. One of the best sites I have come across is this one: www.mapmyrun.com. These guys are on to something good — their site is useful and useable. AND free!!

This site is great — you can map your own run (and find out far you are running, elevations, etc) by just drawing it on the map. And yes, it is Google Maps so you can export it as well as view the topology. Don’t forget, you can also get Google Maps on your Nokia! Although you can’t create maps on your mobile device (screen real estate is essential for this!) you can view the maps on your mobile. Best way to do this is to export the maps to *.kml and import them to you mobile.

I travel a great deal, so it is very handy to be able to check out where local runners go, especially when travelling to a new town.

I’ve always been a fan of patterns — for business, technology, integration, application, etc.

The reason I like patterns is simple: I don’t want to have to do the same work over and over. It’s much easier to use something repeatable, and modify it as needed! I’ve been scouting around for some user and business/integration patterns for enteprise mobility (my definition: “mobile enablement and empowerment for the workplace”)

I’ve been looking around and I haven’t come across any specific patterns that have been designed specifically for enterprise mobility. Sure, there are some great mobile application patterns, I even found a nice couple of patterns for Mobile User Interface ( check out this link).

So, here’s what I’m doing: developing some enterprise mobility patterns. Once I’ve got something to share, I’ll post it here.

Want to find out more about patterns? Check this site out : IBM developerWorks: Patterns 

 Mobile software stacks. Not like pancakes, not as tasty, but necessary! I often look at what holds us all back from real end-to-end mobility, and it dawned on me when I was in India a couple of weeks ago. There’s nothing simple and complete about mobile software — it can be fiddly to install, tricky to configure, and unfortunately too many of us give up before we finish! Look, I don’t have all that much patience for poor user interfaces or rocket science installs. Yes, I’ve seen my fair share of wizard junkies who don’t know what’s going on under the bonnet. Yes, I’ve struggled through some pretty tough installations as well. I’m a firm believer that the user experience is what makes software useful though. It can be better, and should be, especially if we’re going to realise the potential of the mobile revolution.

I’ve just installed another beta app — Mobile Web Server from the Nokia Beta Labs team. Look, this is cool. Mobile phone as personal URL — complete with mobile web server. Go to www.mymobilesite.net to get started. I think the potential of this is enormous.

I had a bit of a rant about Wibree a while ago. As a standalone wireless access method, I didn’t think it had much to offer. However, Nokia has managed to persuade the Bluetooth Special Interest Group to merge Wibree into its Personal Area Network offering (see this article).

I like the idea of low power anything though. Bluetooth has always been too power hungry (running my E60 down in a couple of hours). If Wibree is incorporated as a Bluetooth extension (and firmware upgrade available) why would I use any other version (that is, high power) Bluetooth?

Unless, of course, no upgrade path was offered, and only new devices supported that “new and improved” Bluetooth.

I’m using a Lenovo Thinkpad T60p notebook. This machine has built-in Wireless WAN — that is, all I should need to do is put in a SIM card (with 3G service enabled, straight out of my mobile phone) and it should go.

 Well, it should, and in theory it does, but only with Vodafone. Absolutely no choice of service provider. No, I can’t use Optus, or 3, or even Telstra (in Australia) though it looks like I can install WWAN services for Verizon and Cingular (both of which I have no hope of using in Australia!)  I would like to be able to choose the appropriate provider, indeed, from a business perspective it is vital. Consider this, if my business were on a contract for mobile services, I’d probably have good commercial (and probably legal) reasons to stay with an existing contract. But if you have the Thinkpad, you’re locked in. Great if you’re already a Vodafone customer. Not so good if you’re with someone else.

I can see the value in a bundle approach — Vodafone and Lenovo have a good partnership I’m sure — and it certainly makes sense to use an embedded WWAN in a notebook. I like the idea, and in Australia I know that HP also have a WWAN-enabled notebook (using Vodafone also). No need to carry around a separate PCMCIA card or silly EVDO dongle. Give me WWAN as I want to use it though, not as the vendor decides for me.

OK, it’s been a couple of weeks since my last post. I’ve been thinking a lot about  – I do like Sametime (version 7.51) for instant messaging (IM) at work — it’s got a lot of cool features, and because it is based on Eclipse, you can extend it with client-side plugins — including one for Google Maps (see this from a couple of the IBM developerWorks guys). The business case for IM in the workplace is pretty solid and I personally don’t have any time for organisations that go to lots of trouble to block instant messaging use at work — it’s a good business tool guy (hey, just like the Internet and computers!) and can be a real benefit to productivity too. Of course it needs to be managed, like anything at work, but collaboration inside and outside is THE name of the game.

On the desktop, I’ve used MSN Messenger and Yahoo, but the adware and tie-ins to things like dating services have started to get a bit annoying of late. I don’t like AOL, but then again I never really liked their proprietary worldview. Jabber is great if you can get it working.

Mobile Instant Messaging though, that’s a different thing. Don’t get me wrong — mobile IM is great — it’s just that most of the stuff that goes on mobile devices (in my case Nokia E60 and Nokia N73, I also have a couple of IPAQs) is just not as functional as the desktop versions. Functionality, usability, ease of installation and ease of management/administration. Those are the critical factors to me.

I use a Nokia E60 (and N73) and for some time have been looking at using Google Maps on this platform. If you go to the Google Maps website, you’ll see Microsoft Windows Mobile, Palm and Blackberry for download. No mention of Symbian or Nokia! BUT — if you point your E60 mobile browser (as I did) to www.google.com/gmm you’ll get a link for Symbian! Check out the photos!

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