Mobile Ministry Magazine

This might be a bit late for some of you who've already left service today, but for those trying to get that MMM read in on your Google Android device before heading to service/fellowship, here's some good news for you: YouVersion now has a an Android application available.

This application is very similar to the iPhone version and you will find the same features throughout such as 40 different available translations, the One-Year Reading plan, viewing comments and contributions from others, and more.

Download YouVersion for Android devices from by typing http://youversion.com/download right from your mobile device (its free).

Just a note, you need to make sure that you have the 1.5 (Cupcake) version of the OS in order to use this application.

Labels: Android, Bible, Google, software, YouTube

Over the past few years, I've really come a long way with my usage of mobile devices. I remember back in December 2005 when I bought my first handheld device, which was the Palm Z22. That was my first exposure to the PalmOS and PDAs. I was immediately impressed and hooked. I loved the fact that I could keep track of my calendar, to do list, important numbers, take notes, and even carry around a small biblical library with me.

I used that device until I upgraded to the T-Mobile Dash, a Windows Mobile device, in February 2007. It was at that time that I moved to Texas and decided it was time to invest in a smartphone with more storage and capability. I had wanted to get a Palm Treo to remain with the PalmOS, but T-Mobile didn't carry them, and the carriers that did wanted a hefty security deposit. With that in mind I opted to go the WinMobile route with the Dash and take my chances. Again, I was very pleased with its capabilities and especially enjoyed having the full keyboard on which to type. I made good use of it, purchasing software as needed, getting to the point where I had all the functionality that I had in my Z22, and then some. I was able to connect via Wi-Fi, removing the need for a data plan, and rocked that device until a week ago today.

It was last Friday, just one week ago, that I decided to go to Wal-Mart and purchase the T-Mobile G1 aka the Google Phone. I had been pondering the purchase since its initial release back in September/October of last year, but hadn't fully made up my mind on the matter. Then my pastor got one, along with a few co-workers, so I decided to do my research and read just about everything I could to see if this was the device for me. I read all of the positive reviews, and most of them didn't sway me one way or the other. I was particularly interested in the negative reviews and their feedback, to which I was unable to find anything that would hinder me from enjoying & using the phone.

In deciding to make the purchase, there were a few things about the phone that really piqued my interest. First, I really liked the touch screen. When I moved to the T-Mobile Dash, that was one of the things that I really missed about the Z22; I missed having the touch screen, with or without the stylus. So, having that capability again, would really prove to be beneficial because I knew just how useful it was to me. I also liked the fact that it still had a full keyboard (that hides away), which was a major asset with my Dash. Combining the touch screen with a full QWERTY keyboard gave me the best of both worlds. The next thing was the open source factor. I really enjoyed the fact that the G1 was an "open" device and one that could be actively developed on (not that I'd be doing any development). Having that option leaves the door wide open for a world of possibilities and future enhancements. Plus, I didn't want to be tied down to Windows, as much as I appreciated their mobile OS. The final thing that really caught my attention was the syncing with Google. You see, I use a hosted Google Apps account for Trailblazin Ministries, which includes my mail, contacts, & calendar, so having those seamlessly sync with my phone was an added benefit. I never really liked syncing my Dash to my PC (only did when I absolutely needed to), so never having to sync the G1 with my computer, while still keeping my data synced, is the best thing possible for me. It'll stay synced without me even having to think about it.

So, in anticipation of buying the device, I went into my Gmail and completely organized my contacts, merging emails, adding phone numbers from my phonebook, and so on so that it would be 100% ready to sync with my phone when I got it. I had read about horror stories with people spending days trying to reorganize their contacts after buying their G1, so I wanted to be prepared for a super easy experience, plus it was something I needed to do anyway. Even in doing that, I still wasn't absolutely sure that I wanted to spend the money to buy a new phone, considering I thought I'd have to pay full price ($400). After finding out that I qualified for a discount & could get it for $179.99 (being a customer in good standing for 2 years @ T-Mobile), I still wasn't convinced that I needed a new phone.

It wasn't until my wife expressed interest in having a phone with a keyboard (for texting purposes) that we decided together to go ahead and make the purchase (with her inheriting my Dash). So, after getting the necessary funds, I went to Wal-Mart and made the purchase. So, now I'm the proud owner of a new T-Mobile G1 (black).

In the next part of this entry, I'll talk more about the device itself and my experience with it. Until then, God bless!

Labels: Android, G1, Google, smartphone, T-Mobile

I've been asked a good bit about this phone, but nothing that I can say at this point will compare to what Matt Miller (aka Palmsolo) has put together over at his Smartphones and Cell Phones ZDNet Blog. Simply stated, this review is huge, and should answer near any question you have about the G1, except for when you can get it - its seems to be quite the fast seller.

As seen in one of the 5 videos contained in this review, this is a feature-packed device. But don't take my word for it, check out the T-Mobile G1 review and see for yourself.

Labels: Android, G1, Google, Matt Miller, Palmsolo, review

Digital.Leadnet had a post earlier this week that asked if your church/org website is mobile-friendly (meaning, does it have a website viewable by mobile devices). I look at that post for a few hours, chewed for a bit. And said that mobile sites shouldn't be the period. We should go further.

Forget finding your church's mobile website. Can I find it on Google Maps or a Garmin/Navteq GPS as a point-of-interest? What about an ad in the yellow pages/on a bilboard that shows the intersection with a big arrow? Why just limit to a web browser when mobile devices are on our person all the time?

Does your church have self-produced worship songs? Are you on MySpace, last.fm, and other sites where people can stumble into you?

What about applications like Sports Tracker? We talked about how you can upload a workout there. Ever consider uploading tracks and workouts of how people can get to your fellowhsip?

Consider the context: people want to engage God and are willing to listen to you. You've got to go beyond mobile to meet them.

Labels: church, community, Google, Google Maps, GPS, mobility, Sports Tracker

This is a format that I'll try to stick to in respect to talking about devices. Basically where I'll talk about some device that I might be reviewing, along with some newly released ones. There'll be some links to more in depth articles for those, but the key with this kind of segment is to let you know what is out there, and do our best not to lead anyone into covetiousness. Let us know if this is something that works, or where it can be tweaked.

More Nokia E71 Thoughts

That being said, we can get into some chatting. A device that I've talked about before and is in my possession is the Nokia E71. I still find that this device is one of the most solid QWERTY smartphones to date. Between the battery life (aided by the fact that I don't have the North American 3G version) and the simple optimizations to the browser and Active Standby, its a really hard device to beat in terms of ability.

The only real downside, if you can call it that on a business-oriented device, is that the multimedia abilities are not top-notch. The issues range from difficulty in doing some simple tasks, to just the complexity of the menu structure. Sure, you can learn it and be fine, but you have to learn it to be fine. The camera is regarded by many as an aspect that needs improvement, but I've had success with it in all except night conditions.

From a software side its chock full of everything. QuickOffice, barcode scanner, world class browser, and can integrate easily with Microsoft Exchange. For those in larger churches looking for the best solution not sold by a carrier (but usable on any GSM carrier such as AT&T and TMobile), the E71 is tough to beat.

The TMobile G1

Google and TMobile have released the G1, a smartphone that uses Google's Android operating system. This is a touchscreen device similar to the iPhone and Palm Treo models, but also features a sliding keyboard. The appeal of this device is that it plugs into most of Google's services (Mail, Maps, etc.) pretty easily.

Developers will like that its pretty easy to build applications, and there's an Application Market, similar to Apple's AppStore, which will enable developers to sell their wares. So far, I've not heard any Bible-related software for Android, but as soon as we do, we'll note it.

Both Matt Miller and Brighthand have done some solid previews of the G1.

Verizon Adds A Month-to-Month Option

I am a strong advocate of choosing your own mobile phone, its like choosing a car: Exxon or Shell should not choose the phone for you because you use their gas. So it was a great thing to see that in addition to supporting phones from Sprint and Alltel networks on their network, Verizon Wireless has also added a month-to-month plan option. For those of you looking to try out the service or have needs that are not in line with needing a full contract, this will save you a ton. And even if you are not with Verizon Wireless, you might want to do a cost breakdown of pre-pay versus post-pay. Its eye opening.

Labels: E71, G1, Google, Noka, plans, smartphone, T-Mobile, Verizon

Image from Wikipedia

For many of you, its not an issue of "if" to extend your offices, by using web and mobile technology, its a matter of "how."

To answer the "how" we are going to look at a few areas: engaging people to use the tools and selecting what works best with your budget.

Engaging the Team

A major hurdle to using anything new is getting people sold on the idea that it would work best for them. Unfortunately, we are creatures of habit. Doing something different, especially when it comes to utilizing mobile devices, services, or applications can be a bear.

One thing you want to have in place before you roll out a solution is some type of easy to access help system. This should be in two layers (simple): knowledge base and people (in that order). The first questions people ask are the "how do I do this" ones, so making sure that this is populated, and constantly maintained, is of great importance. This resources should be emphasized during any training, and a part of a weekly routine of checking on the progress of implementing a solution.

What this looks like to the minister's on-the-go-office could be a wiki that is saved on the mobile device with common topics. It could be a contact entry that is constantly synced with a note detailing how to do immediate problem solving.

The people resource should be the second and final one. This is where one asks for assistance in doing a feature, or needs a refresher in what was taught originally. Everyone needs a point of contact, and assuring them that there is a person that can be contacted makes it easier for people to accept that there's a change in the workflow in the mist.

Actually getting the team to use those new tools might be less difficult if it could be implemented into the normal routine. For example, in one SharePoint installation I was a part of, instead of making the entire enterprise use it all at once, we made the departments use it only for announcements. We left it open for individuals to play with, but made them know that the only way to know about what was going on was to visit the SharePoint website. Over time, we rolled out more and more SharePoint-only features, backed up with training key users on more features so they would talk about it, getting others involved into using it on a more consistent basis. Basically speaking, giving it to them in small bits is better than force-feeding.

Budget Concerns

One of the questions that is always asked when talking about extending one's office using mobile tech is the cost. Cost doesn't just include the money, its also inclusive of the time, the administration, and any thing else that is not actively using the tech. Balancing cost versus use is hard, but here are some things to think about when evaluating cost:

• Are those providing support or those building the system a volunteer who may leave at any given time?
• Does using a mobile device require additional learning outside of just using office tools, such as user interface and system maintenance issues?
• What is the backup plan? Will implementing a backup plan cost as much as implementing the primary plan? Can using the backup be easier for users than using the primary?
• What are the cost savings/expenses of an entire ministry team being online? Are subsidies or grants available to offset the costs of running/not running a physical office?
• In extending the office, what are the costs to family, friends, and ministry endeavors? Can appropriate boundaries be kept?

Addressing Smaller Offices

Some of you reading this might see these as all well and good, but you are part of a 5-man or smaller team. Things just aren't that deep (in scope or budget). So what can you do?

Take advantage of web suites like Google Apps or Zoho Office. While providing a centralized interface for work, it will also keep things manageable in one area. Using smartphones, Internet Tablets, and UMPC devices are a good means to take light work on the go. Remember though that more devices are more things to manage. Choose the device carefully, basing the costs and engagement on what you already do and what you need to do better.

Labels: browser, community, device, email, family, Google, mission, mobile accessories, mobility, networking, SharePoint, stewardship, study, tech

Found this neat tip/idea via Chruch Communications Pro (via the MMM Jaiku channel)

Google Maps (Google's local directory) has recently started showing user reviews in it's business directory listings.

First, off if you haven't listed your business in Google Maps - go here now and do so. Even if your business is in the listing take the time to sign up for a free account and enhance your listing. You can add product photos, hours of business, forms of payment, product lines. Great stuff for local searchers.

The above is from a post at Duct Tape Marketing.

Besides making your church findable via a normal web browser, with Google's empahasis on mobile services, you can also text, browser, or voice-call via Google to find several services in your area, or in an area you are moving to/visiting.

Side note: Subscribe to the MMM Jaiku channel in your RSS reader for news from MMM, Church Communications Pro, and other tech ministry sites. If you want to be added to the MMM Jaiku channel, contact MMM with your site address.

Labels: community, Google, mobile