Mobile Ministry Magazine

I was in a conversation with a bro over IM and said this in response to a piece of our conversation talking about mobile devices and trying out new operating systems/devices:

...there are positives and negatives to all platforms, and none are perfect...but you can and should get to a place where the strengths of the platform becomes your strengths to show Christ with it.

Do you agree or disagree with this statement? And for those who are looking for a new gadget, is this something that factors into your decision process?

Labels: education, function, Hardware, minister, software

I'm seeing the global economy do its dip like everyone else. However, I feel optimistic because there are areas that have not been taken advantage of that should be. And of course, many of them have to do with mobile tech. Ironically, some of these areas are places where the Body can and should become leaders in.

Communication is one of those fields that just tends to morph. It doesn't really dim or go away (outside of catastrophic events). So how can we take mobile tech, and apply it here?

Churches can push towards using renewable energy resources (wind, solar, etc.) to fuel their buildings. Besides cutting energy costs, this will allow some larger churches to become 'green' information centers where communities and businesses can gather without incurring a larger resource hit.

Churches can use the idea of satellite campuses to not just be 'church on the Internet' but create points of information, ministry, and interest that work alongside tourism industries. Religion being the hot topic, the Body becoming a hub for 'what's happening in this community' can provide IT direction, ad revenue, and community engagement on various levels.

Educational plants. Yes, with all the intellectual capital in many churches, we should be creating more schools where we are teaching our communities how to live efficiently, and effectively, given the technology in our hands. Whether that is teaching a community how to do mobile banking, or just facilitating lesson planning and dissemination with the school district, there are some solid opportunities here that can be done.

So what thoughts about what we can do as the Body do you have? And if you've put any of these things into practice, what are some of the positives and negatives that have been seen?

Labels: church, economy, education, mobile, mobility

I promised to review some Bible software a short while ago. This is one I stumbled on while talking to Twitter pal Chris Szulwach, and I am happy I stumbled.

Youversion is an offering from Lifechurch.tv that is aimed at making the Bible more accessible to all. The best part is that they truly have a heart for leveraging technology to make it happen.

This application is user friendly, allowing users to add devotions and notes to specific verses that can be used by fellow users.

The whole project makes available a robust online Bible in numerous translations. Well, the developers didn't stop there; they created a BlackBerry port, so that your biblical needs are available on the go.

The BlackBerry application has more than 30 different translations in numerous languages. You can search the entire Bible with keywords. Upon starting the program on your Berry, you are welcomed to a clean mobile interface with an option to check other user contributions, or to use the built-in one-year reading plan, or simply just "read."

I found that application responsive. The default font was perfect, and can be made smaller or larger to fit the users tastes.

If I had to gripe (and I am honestly struggling here), it would be about the inability of a user to make notes/contributions on the BlackBerry.

All in all, this is a beautifully-made free application for BlackBerry and (gasp!) iPhone users. A true blessing. Have fun "inviting" friends and family to use this application Facebook-style via email, or join the growing community at youversion.com.

The generalized mobile site is located at m.youversion.com.

Labels: Bible, BlackBerry, Church Tech Today, iPhone

Its Thanksgiving, and many in the US are celebrating togetherness and other things to be thankful for that the current economy cannot measure to depress.

But have we considered being on the other side of the giving coin. Sure, many people start around this time of the year to donate more to charities, volunteer for the season and what have you. But what about that mobile tech that you might have in a closet or drawer. That device or software that is usable, just not being used. In this season, would it be too far to say that we should, as technologists, look to emphasize the giving aspect of things and give to others.

So for you all, please do fill up on the generosity of others. Already, I've heard of many who have lost relationships and jobs who are finding it hard to navigate this season. Give them something that might give them a reason to thank God for hope this season. And in doing so, you might also give them a piece of Christ that they most need to see.

Labels: giving, holiday

I've been playing with the Nokia N96 for the past few weeks, even going as far to having it replaced with a model with a later software update, and its been pretty cool. So much so in fact that if the battery were more efficient, and it had 3G (I am using the Euro spec one), I would give up my N95 for it.

Here's a rundown of the specs of the N96:

• 320x240 pixel color screen
• 16 GB of built-in internal memory
• microSDHC card slot supporting up to 16GB microSDHC cards
• 5 megapixel digial camera with LED Flash
• VGA video camera for video calling in supported markets
• Quad-band GSM, regional support for UMTS/HSDPA (the model I have supports European 3G, though there is a North American 3G supported version)
• Accelerometer
• Built-in GPS
• Wi-Fi via 802.11b
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR and Stereo Bluetooth
• DVB-H digital TV tuner
• MicroUSB cable connection to PC

Now, before your eyes glaze over and say that this is way too much for a phone, let me emphasize that the N96 (and other Nokia N-series devices) are more than just simple phones. These mobiles are designed to facilitate the kind of interactive computing that you cannot get from just voice, nor from just sitting on a table in the corner of a room. Its a "get out and see the world" kind of device. This one just happens to make video a significant part of the experience.

The long and short of things with the N96 though center around the fact that it is indeed feature packed, but there are some limitations. For example, it has already seen some major software updates to address issues such as device speed and battery life. Its not (yet) as fast as my N95 in terms of most tasks. Nokia has a tradition of tweaking and tuning things over the course of the life of a mobile device, and so hopefully the N96 will see some of this attention.

The one area though that cannot really be helped is battery life. The battery is a small one (950mAh) compared to the on in my N95, and before the end of the day (with my usage patterns) its pretty much done. Most people should not have a problem though, and get a full day out of the N96 unless they are having a media heavy day (camera, video, Wi-Fi are big drains on the battery).

All is not bad with the N96 though. I found it easily able to replace my N800 Internet Tablet because of the 16GB of internal memory space. With the memory card slot, if I were to add an 8GB card, I would have as much space as my N800 right now. Also, there is more polish on the Symbian S60 software than on the Maemo that the N800 uses. That made it easier to live with the device, and pretty much do whatever I wanted to do.

Other positives included compatibility with most of the software that I usually use. I'm looking forward towards playing more with Nokia viNe as that seems specifically tuned to the N96 as well. Doing TV-Out was also more pleasurable than the N95 with crisper video and less lagging when using the web.

The N96 is not for everyone though. At a retail price of $800, its not exactly the most ministry friendly tool to just go out and get. And at the same time, its value in a ministry context, as with most smartphones, is just hard to measure. You can duplicate just about anything that you do with a phone, mp3 player, laptop, video camera, Internet terminal, cable box, etc. And then you can share it. The only limits are your imagination and the battery.

As stated earlier, I really enjoyed the N96. In some respects, its better than I expected. The down points are really down though. Nothing that cannot be overcome, but definitely takes some of the shine off of this top of the line device.

Makes me wonder what's next, and if there's another type of application of mobile tech like this that I've not yet explored.

Thanks to Nokia Blogger Relations for sending this device.

Labels: N800, N96, Nokia, review, smartphone

I so need to get a submission up for the next Carnival. Ah well.

Until then, here's the current Carnival of the Mobilists, #151 hosted at Golden Swamp. I really digg her site and the angle that she looks at mobile tech.

Labels: Carnival of the Mobilists

Well, that was quite fast. Not long after the very popular $199 promotion, Celio has gone ahead and announced two new models, the Redfly C7 and C8N, which will be available this December. Besides boasting a bit of a refresh on the software side these two models debut considerably lower than the original Redfly came out at price wise.

The Redfly C7 has a 7-inch screen and 5-hour battery. It will retail for $229. The Redfly C8N has a media port, 8-inch screen, and the 8hr battery rating from the original Redfly.

The C7 will be available November 24 and the C8N on December 1. Preorders can be placed via the retailers listed at www.getredfly.com.

In addition, there are new beta drivers for the HTC Diamond and Touch Pro/AT&T Fuze.

This is a really good solution for many of you who might be looking to trim down this holiday season and see their smartphone as a solid and easy item to create more areas of efficiency. The new media port adds additional device compatibility, making the value for this "terminal" a bit more plausible. Check it out, MMM has.

Ed over at Brighthand has already done a review of the C8N and comes away pretty impressed with it.

Labels: ceilo redfly, Hardware, mobility, smartphone

Just wanted to make sure that all of you were aware of the BibleTech 2009 Conference. Happening in Seattle, WA (USA) on March 27-28, 2009, this conference will bring together publishers, programmers, webmasters, educators, bloggers, and tons of others folks to meet and discuss how to use technology to improve Bible study. It should be a good time, and I hope that you can make it.

As for me, well... I submitted my abstract (Mobile Technology and Connecting Communities) and it was accepted. So expect me there, and ready to engage with the whole lot of you.

Here's the (edited) abstract to what I'll be speaking on:

The next technological paradigm to challenge and change how people relate to one another has been exposed by mobile devices and services. From location-based services such as Google Maps, to social networks such as Facebook and LinkedIn, the ability to connect with one another has moved from large screen and time-dependent media to the more personal and time and location independent arena of mobile devices. Forwarding this change has been smartphones, iPods, and Wi-Fi. Modern culture has demonstrated various ways to connect with this mobile technology, though the Body has been slow to assume the position of a change-agent for using this technology to connect communities. When we understand this ability for mobile technology to enable us to be change agents, we can better adjust our focus of ministry towards more than just those stationary moments. This presentation will therefore cover the impending impacts of mobile devices and services on local and global communities, and how we can be led by Christ towards connecting to all.

So, even if this is something that you ordinarly think might not be so exciting, come out anyways. There will be a lot of pushing and challenging the Body to be better examples of Christ-centered living with this conference. And who knows, maybe I'll do a good enough job that you'll want me to come and speak with members in your community about the same topic ;)

Labels: BibleTech, conferences, Logos

Most people get on me because I am so focused on mobile. And they do have a point, I do and push things that in a lot of cases just don't seem feasible to most folks. But then again, it is. Check out a snippet from this story and think about it:

...The story goes something like this: Vic was out for dinner with family and friends. The adults were on one side of the table, the kids on the other. The adults were debating some issue, and Vic said, in response to a question from one of his friends, "I don't know."

His four-year old daughter Samantha, whom everyone knows as "Tiger," piped up from the other side of the table: "Daddy, where's your phone?"

"What do you mean, where's my phone?" She explained that she'd overheard the question. Why wasn't he just looking up the answer on his phone...

There's a lot that people are doing on a PC that would be a lot better served on a mobile, and by interacting with one another. As the Body of techies, how are we teaching and enabling this simple observation from a child, to change how we approach tech and ministry?

Labels: education, innovation, mobile, mobility, teaching

Last year, we talked a good deal about the One Laptop Per Child project and the Give 1 Get 1 Program. In my opinion, this was something that should have seen the Body jump on quickly as a means to not only address issues of technology enablement, but also create roads for shared learning, education, and ministry where the Body just hasn't done so much (loudly).

Well, the Give 1 Get 1 Program is back again and this time Amazon has joined in to help with aspects of marketing and distribution.

There's no need to say it again, but I really will - despite what current economic conditions might be saying to wallets - technology, specifically mobile technology applications, is one huge area where the Body can make a signifiant inroad towards being Christ to the nations. The thing is, the Give 1 Get 1 Program while being about enabling developing countries, is even more about the idea of leaving the ability for the next generation of technologists to see the value of leaving a legacy. Digital might not have that same effect as paper, but being involved in the lives of others does. In order to create and preserve the standard of Godliness that Jesus and others set out before us, this is an opportunity that should not be overlooked.

Labels: giving, Hardware, mission, OLPC, urban

In the earlier years of MMM, we had this series called "If Paul Had A Blog." What was really interesting about this series was looking at the effect of the technology that we use now on the missionary journeys that Paul experienced.

Since its been a while, I wanted to take another look at this. And given the attention that smartphones and mobility have taken with a more mainstream audience, we can get a glimpse of just how indepth technology is today, and some of the challenges that could be had.

First thing to note, Paul would have had a mobile phone. Probably not the N95 that I get to carry around, but something along the lines of the Nokia 6210 Navigator. This device has a few things that would have been beneficial - at least until a shipwreck or three - GPS with a built-in compass for Nokia Maps, ability to access the web, and a camera that had the ability to not just send text of what he was experiencing and whom he was thankful for, but images as well.

Now, he would have had to do all of this on a prepay system because there would be no way that a person could move that much across various countries and have a contract, it would just be a hassle in dealing with the billing.

He'd have the ability to use something like Nokia nviNe in order to allow others to keep up with his journeys. The really interesting part about this would be that we could see where he would be shipwrecked, and then when he gets a new mobile and starts up the service again, we can see that break in action and begin to keep him in prayer or launch a search.

Now, it would also be of his benefit to create sermons that could be uploaded and shared to places like YouTube, Flickr, Ovi, Facebook, or MySpace. He'd also have the benefit of being able to keep tabs with the latest policy changes happening from Rome with SMS alerts (if he was willing to sign up for an SMS service from Rome that is).

I would be interesting to see also how Paul would teach the use of this tech. He speaks on his ability to speak many languages to the Corinithians, but always emphasized the need to make sure that the Body was best served with whatever was brought to the table.

The more I think about it, the mobile tech tools of today present an easier means for us who are missions minded to be like Paul. Sure, we might not travel the world, nor need everyone to know what we are doing. But we can create lines that intersect with the lives of others, and then allow the technology to better accent or even encourage the lives of those who might not get a chance to see us in person.

I wonder if the Body is looking to go back towards doing this in various applications? It would be pretty interesting don't you think?

Labels: blog, camera, maps, mission, mobility, multimedia, Nokia, Nokia Maps, SMS, tech

When I got started with the Bible side of PDA life, it was really hard to find or create a digital version of modern translations. Due to publishing rights, this was frankly an impossible task unless you had the tools and knew the rights-laws for your region.

Since then, mobile Bible reading has been seen in a more favorable light and its been folks like Crossway (ESV) that have done a lot of this pushing into mobile media.

In a recent announcement, "Crossway has partnered with the leading digital software providers, including Accordance, Biblesoft, Laridian, Olive Tree, and WORDsearch, to make the ESV Study Bible available with all of its notes, articles, and features."

What does that mean? Well, no matter if the ESV is your cup of tea or not, there's no excuse, no matter what mobile device that you have, towards having a solid Biblical reference on your person.

The ESV Study Bible contains more than just the Biblical text, it also has the translator notes and references that makes for a better understanding as to why certain words/phrases were used. Basically, this makes it so that you don't have to understand Greek to know why something was used, but can use some textual analysis of your own to decide whether the translation is speaking correctly.

The ESV Study Bible will be available from electronic distributors such as Laridian, Olive Tree, and more. I'm not sure if Palm Bible+ will get it, but that would be pretty cool. There's also an offer going on where if you purchase the print edition of the ESV Study Bible that you'd get the online edition free. This is a nice way to bundle and shows some forward thinking for those who still need to touch the leaves when feeding the Spirit :)

Labels: Bible, Bible+, ESV, Laridian, mobile, Olivetree, software

Back in the early times with MMM, we had this feature where you (the reader) was able to submit articles, and then we'd post them. Its been a long time since we've had any submissions, but this is something that I'd like to open back up. Part of the reason is that there are aspects of mobile tech and ministry that we haven't or don't cover enough in depth that you might like to; the other part is that it enables this site to be less-driven by a single voice heard here.

Thanks to the MMM partners who do write in here from time to time. Its a huge help when you come in with posts and have things to say that might be similar to things I've thought, but have a distinctly different perspective. Keep it up (please :D ).

Now, if you want to submit something, then just send it to us. I should mention, not everything sent will be published, and everything that is sent will see a round of editing. Thanks for reading and visiting, and lets open the doors here to those things you'd like to see.

Labels: commentary, content

The 149th Carnival of the Mobilists is now up at Ubiquitous Thoughts. Though a smaller ream of articles than usual, there is some quality thought and content. Check it out and "think mobile" for a bit :)

Labels: Carnival of the Mobilists

Hey all, I've not fallen off the face of the earth. I've just not had as much time to create content lately. I am getting back into the swing of things and will hopefully start up some articles in the next days.

In the meantime, definitely take advantage of reading articles from the archives. Also, Brian's latest article (Theology Technology) is a really nice piece that highlights some of the challenges of introducing a new way of doing things to people who might not share the same perspectives.

So, stay tuned. MMM is still here and kicking, and hopefully, we'll pull off something to make you think or consider all the more what your response to God will be when your faith intersects with technology. Blessings.

Labels: commentary

For almost all of my adult life, portable computing technology has been a part of my spiritual life.  No matter how small a role, it's always been a benefit to me somehow.  In everything from jotting notes, recording Bible studies, writing down scripture references to look up later, taking down ideas for topics to study on, and even just devotions and Bible reading.  It's always been something that I've used more and more over the years to help myself grow spiritually.

I started out the way everyone normally does, taking notes with a pen and pad every Sunday, but found that my notes would always get lost, or become difficult to organize.  (And even lost a ton of them along with my main Bible when my car was "unexpectedly towed" *blush*).  Ultimately, I'd get too frustrated with either looking for the darned things or trying to figure out which hand drawn outline went with what note and what order they went in according to the topical series being taught on.  PDA's saved my note taking life!

So years later, I've evolved from taking notes on a monochrome Palm Vx to a miniature laptop like Redfly paired to my AT&T Tilt.  The thing I have started to notice lately, however, is how much notice I've been getting.  As my function and mobile computing ability has developed, the devices I use have gotten a little bigger, and so it goes. 

While reading a discussion on another message board about my review of the Redfly, one of the participants in the discussion mentioned that he didn't think that laptops or PDAs had a place in God's house on the Sabbath.  This got me thinking.

Obviously I don't see anything as a problem with using technology in church, but I can see an argument for those that do.  There are definitely pros and cons to using devices like the Redfly.  Easy access and storage, the ability to backup notes to more than one device, and sharing with family and friends, are great benefits, but there are also drawbacks.  I experienced one such drawback not too long ago.

As the sermon was starting up, so was I, then discovered that a recent change I made to the OS had broken the software I normally use to take notes.  So for the first 5 to 10 minutes of the sermon I was troubleshooting to correct the issue.  I learned my lesson since then and haven't had any problems since.  I've also noticed that another guy I fellowship with started bringing in his 17-inch laptop to take notes as well, which is much more noticeable than my 9 inch Redfly.

With all the resources available to us online, technology is a natural progression to how things can be done in the church.  Think about it, we've gone from displaying lyrics to music on overhead projectors to laptops and projectors,  announcements are now done with accompanying Powerpoint presentations, entire church services are broadcast on TV and the internet and even the Bible is available freely in just about every translation known to man with a few clicks of the mouse.

This started me to thinking about how churches are currently using technology.  Recently John MacArthur released his entire sermon library on-line, the ESV study Bible comes with a key that unlocks an online version that comes complete with with commentary, my church offers the sermon outline and the mp3 of the weeks sermon free of charge weekly. 

The change is undeniable and even expected, the Church is already using technology to make the gospel more widely available. With more powerful portable devices becoming more and more available and the prices becoming more accessible, isn't it about time for Congregation 2.0?

Labels: Church Tech Today, information technology

Ok, so it doesn't exactly fit into the pocket so easily, but Logos Bible Software for Mac is now released, and for those with the smaller Apple models, this is indeed a mobile Bible solution worth looking at.

These are the base packages for the Logos Mac product:

• Bible Study Library for Mac
• Leader's Library for Mac
• Scholar's Library for Mac
• Scholar's Library: Silver for Mac
• Scholar's Library: Gold for Mac

According to the blog posting, "current Logos users who want to crossgrade and move their existing Logos Bible Software digital library over to our new Mac software can purchase the Logos Bible Software for Mac engine for only $59.95."

There's also a promo where if you spend $250 at logos.com or over the phone in a single order during November, they'll send you the Mac engine for free as soon as it’s ready.

Sounds like a pretty good deal to me. For more information and to see a demo, check out the new Logos Bible Software for Mac at the Logos website.

Labels: Apple, Bible, Logos, software

So the big question is... "Brian, are you happy that you shelled out the cash for this device?" My answer is of course... yes! I can see you scratching your head already so I'll go ahead and preemptively address your questions and confusion (because I'm a prophet and can read thoughts. Duh). I purchased this device for $200, which is way less than the current asking price of about $400. I think for what I paid, I'm getting a good amount of usability for my money. I work with spreadsheets all day long, in an emergency I have a perfect way to email edits to word and excel documents while out and about. While the browsing is less than satisfactory, at least it's there, and if you sign up for LogMeIn (which is free) you can take advantage of a full computing experience, including browsing, whenever you need one with some obvious rendering speed drawbacks, but they're not significant with the right settings.

The real benefit to me is the larger screen and keyboard with portability. This IS available with netbooks, but I don't want a 3rd computer to have to sync my data with. I want to take my notes, bring them home and have OneNote import them without me thinking about it. I want to be able to have all the files on all my computers synchronized without any extra steps. A third computer would likely draw me to abandon using one of them eventually because of this. Also, a netbook is $400 vs. the $200 I paid. Extra features like USB and VGA-Out ports are very nice, but not likely to see much use from me save for the occasional emergency file transfer or mouse usage. For me, the idea was to get something that would allow me to type faster and more accurately, rendering apps and data on a larger screen making them easier to use, while not creating an additional place to store data. For those of us who are tech savvy, one thing we will always be if we keep multiple devices, is tech redundant (i.e. Always having more than one device that can play mp3s, videos, store files, type documents, browse the web, or clean your shoes…. Ok... I'm wishing with the last one).

What I needed, was a cheap way to do my emails, blogging, note taking, and reading. While leaving some things to aspire to, the Redfly fit the bill… quite literally.

Labels: ceilo redfly, Hardware, review, smartphone, software, wireless application

Check out Part One of the MMM Celio Redfly Review to get up to speed.

There isn't any software on the Redfly itself to speak of, so what I want to address here, is how the software on the smartphone takes advantage of the hardware. Things like resolution, video playback, keyboard response times, sound emulation, and the like are all issues that books can be written on. Some things work perfectly, and others, way less than stellar.

First I'll talk about video playback. At the present time, there isn't any. In my limited experience with this, it seems that once the Smartphone is attached to the Redfly, all video processing is done via the onboard processor, which no developer has written anything for. This unfortunately isn't limited to just videos. Most of the games I play (Warfare Inc. for example) will not render on the device, or even boot up for that matter. All video players that I've tried will boot and render sound, which by the way only renders via your smartphone's speakers as the Redfly doesn't have any built in, but the players don't render any video. To its credit, most of the other applications take full advantage of the increased resolution. All of the Microsoft Pocket Office applications, Palringo IM, EReader, Pocket e-Sword, Olive Tree Bible Reader, the picture applications, and the file explorer for example, all worked without problems.

Internet browsing does leave something to be desired, unfortunately. While Pocket Internet Explorer does take advantage of the full screen, it doesn't improve the page rendering very well at all, and because of the video processing issue already mentioned, currently, alternative browsers like Opera and Skyfire also do not work. This is very unfortunate as most of what users will be doing will involve internet browsing.

The current version of the Opera browser (8.65) does, however, work very well. Web pages were snappy and rendered nicely as if this were a full fledged desktop browser. I love the Opera browser and hope issues with the 9.5beta version are resolved quickly as this is the version being included with a lot of the newer HTC devices like the HTC Diamond and Diamond Touch Pro.

I also tried the device with remote desktop services like LogMeIn, and it performed above and beyond what I thought my cell phone was capable of. I was even able to set the color and screen resolutions up so that it was optimal and fit pretty snugly on the screen with great readability. Now there's a great use for that 3G connection! The web page rendering speed really doesn't have much to do with the Redfly itself because it's all done on the phone, so tests on how fast web pages load won't be much different than if you were using the phone on it's own.

Speed, however, is a factor in typing. Even using the Bluetooth connection, there is no noticeable lag behind keystrokes and letters on the screen, unless you're typing a text message. I have used the Redfly every Sunday to take notes in both the new members' classes and sermon notes for the last 3 weeks. I've used applications like MS OneNote Mobile, Pocket E-Sword, and Pocket Word with much success and satisfaction.

One thing I dread using it for is typing text messages. Emails type fine however, but text messages are another story. At first I thought it may be a problem with the threading (I use Windows Mobile 6.1), so I deactivated threading and tested again to no avail. It's quite an annoying issue. I type at about 60-70 wpm (I'm sooo sloooow), and the rate the words appear on screen is utterly ridiculous. Imagine typing a message, let's say around 100 characters long, completing your thought, and ready to send… but you have to wait to see if you made any typing errors for up to a full 10-13 seconds after you finished typing (I actually counted… and it was only 82 characters.). As I said, this can be quite annoying.

As I mentioned, the reading tools I use (Pocket E-Sword, Olive Tree Bible Reader, and EReader) all work wonderfully. For consuming electronic reading material, the Redfly really does a great job with its larger screen. And with a rated 8 hour battery life, that's a lot of reading for me! I have yet to have this thing die on me when I really need it. I don't use it for long periods of time most of the time (except if I'm in a bind and really need to get some web browsing done), so I always have plenty of juice to get done what I need. On average I'd say I end up charging this device maybe two or three times a week. And mostly to top it off if I know I'm going to be using it the next day. I love to be able to listen to a sermon while tabbing between programs like pocket word and E-Sword while reading and keeping notes.

This device has taken typing to a whole new level. I didn't use Pocket word much until I got the Redfly. OneNote was another useless application to me until the Redfly showed me how useful the app could be, especially when paired with OneNote syncing. I'll save my doting over OneNote for another time and just say that I love that program, both on the Tilt and the PC. Yet, even with all of these great uses, if you're ever side by side with someone on an Asus (as I was on a recent trip to a conference with a friend who uses an Asus 1000H), you'll find that your experience in comparison with theirs… is less. While I am happy that the Redfly does in fact make using a smartphone better, it does not make it better or equivalent to the experience of using a full fledged computing platform.

While not an exhaustive list of issues I have with the Redfly, it's definitely a list of my big concerns. Given that they're promoting this device (at least on their site) to IT groups as a replacement for work laptops, I would definitely throw a fit if I was handed one of these by my local IT guy and told that this was the device I had to work from. For spreadsheets and word documents, it's excellent, but not for much beyond that.

There's still more to come! Come back tomorrow to get Brian's final thoughts on the device and get info on how he uses it in his day to day life.

Labels: ceilo redfly, Hardware, performance, review, software

This is pretty cool.

Labels: Bible With You, GMPSoft, YouTube

For the past few weeks, I've had the opportunity to live "life on life" with the Celio Redfly. For the uninitiated, the Redfly is much like the defunct Palm Foleo. It is a mobile companion that simply seeks to enhance the users Smartphone experience by adding a few luxuries. In the case of the Redfly, those would be a nice 8 inch screen that doesn't just zoom in or blow the devices screen up to an ugly pixilated blur, it actually changes the resolution! So those spreadsheets or word documents become easier to edit and create on the run, but it does have its limits, but more on that later. It also adds a larger keyboard, a VGA-Out port for monitors or projectors, and 2 USB ports which are very useful!

The hardware itself doesn't do any of the processing work. In fact, as far as I can tell, the only thing it runs on its own is the video processing. So apart from using this with a Windows Mobile device (which at the time of writing this was the only device supported), this thing is utterly useless unless you like to stare at the nicely portrayed "Redfly" logo.

Which is not a bad thing! Say you're at your local Starbucks and someone decides to swipe it... the thief actually makes off with an expensive paperweight, because all of the data and processing power comes from the Smartphone. So to make it perfectly clear, the device itself does absolutely nothing, but when used in conjunction with a Windows Mobile Smartphone, it makes that Smartphone look pretty nice.

The Hardware

The hardware itself, I have to say is very attractive. From the decorative raised curves on the top, the prominently displayed "Redfly" logo, the sharp looking reflective burgundy coloring and matching track pad, to the lovely screen, this thing doesn't look like a simple cell phone add on. In fact, anytime I've been seen in public with this thing I get quite a few comments/questions/curious looks. The most common responses I get are "that's cute" and "it's a WHAT-'fly?". Let me tell you... trying to explain what it is and what it does to the "less than tech savvy" is a task. For most, the curiosity tapers and thins when I tell them that it isn't actually a laptop. That says a lot about who is buying this thing.

For the average consumer, a netbook or a laptop could probably be best. Even when shopping for a case in a computer store, I was stopped when comparing the carrying options to the device. "What is that?" the store rep asked (two of them). I tried explaining what it was and they pressed me for more information. "Is it a Windows machine? No... That must be Linux..." the other rep added. I pulled out my AT&T Tilt and said, "nope... it's neither. It's my cell phone". At that, they both quickly lost interest. So cosmetically at least, this thing has been a big success with others, myself included!

The two features I was the most curious about before ordering, were the VGA and the USB ports. My mind raced with USB possibilities. The first thing I did once I got it back to my office was plug my 60GB USB drive up to see if it would work. It was a no-go. However, every USB Flash drive I tried has worked flawlessly. The day I bought my case I also picked up a 4GB flash drive. It worked perfectly! The next day I took the flash drive back to exchange for a 4GB micro SD to replace the 2GB micro SD I currently used. I got home, swapped the cards, put the 2GB card into a USB flashcard reader and plugged it in. The Tilt picked up both cards perfectly. I even transferred some of the data from the 2 GB card over to the 4GB card with Resco Explorer. It took a little while but it did the job!

I also tried out a wireless keyboard and mouse I have laying around the house, and they both worked flawlessly. I also attached my computer monitor which worked expectedly. So all in all, the hardware itself does exactly what it’s supposed to.

Stay tuned for the next section of this review when we talk about the Softare and Performance of using the Redfly as a day-to-day tool.

Labels: ceilo redfly, Hardware, review

Let every person be subject to the governing authorities. For there is no authority except from God, and those that exist have been instituted by God. (Romans 13:1)

Labels: devotion

I started to post this as an IM to a friend, but its something that probably should be discussed in the open and rock from there:

I feel like I am becoming that IT person that's blasting the ignorant (unknowledgable) decsions of folks, instead of helping them see and be empowered to do more

In many cases, I feel as if what I know, the small and basic stuff, should already be living knowledge for others. For example, hitting Reply All for all email replies when only one person required a reply is something that bugs me to no end. However, when I (not the Holy Spirit in me) sees that, I just want to rouse up all kinds of indignation against the issue.

Its like I take this understanding of those things tech so far that its no longer that I am giving people a glimpse of Jesus as He would be using this for His glory, but I am giving them me in the hopes that their ignorance would end and they would figure out how to use this for His glory.

I know, this is one of those really personal-type rants that many can agree with but most of us never want to talk about. I agree. I could have kept this on IM, and let my bro keep slap me silly in the Word. But in the IT side, ego is a major thing. And its something we don't acknowledge much - or probably understand much at all.

We have this basteon of knowledge and skills, and it feels like we are not even cracking the shell of what can be, yet it seems there are others who wallow in ignorance. They aren't though. Its just us. We cannot see our own inadequecies clearly enough (Matthew 7:1-4) to give them Jesus instead of our critiques.

Today, this has been something of a hard battle. I've had a lot hit me over the weekend, and "God's rule being right, and His actions trustworthy" just makes this battle with ego all that much harder.

I hope that you can take something of value from this. Its rough to carry something that others know is valuable, and not give them anything but Jesus. But that's what we are to do. Because anything more would be in effect giving a false gospel. And the consequences of that no one wants to bear.

Labels: devotion