Mobile Ministry Magazine

Some good news out there for those of you who use RIM BlackBerry devices and have looked somewhat longingly at the Celio Redfly. In the past weeks, the versatile Celio Redfly smartphone companion devices have added BlackBerry devices to its list of compatible smartphones. So this means that for those of you who do your work on a BlackBerry, and don't want the hassle of finding wireless keyboard drivers or carrying a netbook, that you have a solid solution.

A few reviews have already been published about the Redfly+BlackBerry package, here's a snippet from the review from Brighthand:

...BlackBerrys don't have an on-screen cursor in exactly the way a PC does, so Celio had to adapt. The Redfly's trackpad-- and mouse if you plug one in -- acts like a 5-way D-pad. This can move the selection point up, down, left and right, but not diagonally. Hitting the left mouse button is the same as pressing in on the track-ball on the BlackBerry. The Redfly has a set of Up, Right, Left, Down buttons, and I often find these easier than the mouse or trackpad...

We've talked about the Redfly+Smartphone combination here a few times. This is really a good solution for those of you who'd have little to no problem working from your smartphone for long spells, but could use the larger screen and closer-to-full-sized keyboard. Add to that you get 8hrs of use out of the combination, and you really do end up with a very robust mobile solution.

There are a number of churches/orgainzations which may have looked at BlackBerries and Windows Mobile devices as enterprise-like solutions for communication and productivity. This Redfly+smartphone works really well. And, instead of configuring laptops, then having to track those (more expenses), you get something a lot less expensive in the Redfly, and something that requires a lot less maintenance for you (the IT department) and the user.

For more info, to download drivers for your device, or to see the different Redfly models available, check out the Celio website.

If you are using the Redfly, we'd love to hear how you are getting along with it and some of the positives and challenges. Leave your note in the comments below.

Labels: BlackBerry, ceilo redfly, mobility, Windows Moible

A really neat experiement has just concluded over at GearDiary. One of their writers has done a week long experiment where she's repalced using a MacBook for a week with her Samsung Epix Windows Mobile smartphone and the Celio Redfly Mobile Computing Companion. Here's a snippet from part 2 of her report:

...I found myself pushing off doing things so I could use the Redfly. Not just big things like emails, but little ones like adding tomorrow's task list, or just balancing my checkbook in Splash Money. The experience on the Redfly is just that smooth, especially over USB. And it is nice to have the bigger screen. Since I wasn't going to take care of anything on my MacBook, I found that I was better at doing things on the go with the Redfly since I did not have the excuse of "I'll send that email/update that appointment/check that website later when I am at my laptop..."

You can read Parts One, Two, and Three at Gear Diary

Labels: ceilo redfly, Samsung, smartphone, Windows Moible

Yesterday, I received a call from a friend in the area asking me about phones. This isn't unusual as I get these questions pretty often since this its something of a hobby for me to write and research about mobile devices. After speaking with him, we decided to get together that night and just spend a bit of time speaking on those mobile questions he had in detail.

One of the things that I did was that I took a mobile that I had been keeping around as a "giveaway" mobile to him. It seemed that part of his issue was that he was having a problem with a phone, and his wife as well. The phone I had, while a solid mobile, was not something that I used very often and literally purchased it because it was inexpensive and would bless someone down the line. So I gave it to him as a recommended replacement for his wife's phone which had been acting up.

After that, we talked a bit more about me and mobile and I asked him a question about his own use. Interestingly enough, he was in a position where his PC was no longer available, and so he did everything over a mobile phone and quite enjoyed the simplicity in doing so. Because he had a Windows Mobile phone (the T-Mobile Wing), I wanted to know about how he felt about being mobile and how well that would work for him. Hearing those observations from someone other than myself was refreshing, but then eye-opening. There *are* more people in this position, and so I wonder what a mobile capable mobile could do.

I then asked if I could show him something. We had talked about memory cards, and so I wanted to show him a few online so that he could see and make a purchase. Well, we didn't get to the memory cards, because I was more in wonderment about the fact that he was smartphone centric, and getting things done. Pretty cool to me (of course); but then I wondered what could be done with a touch more.

I showed him the Celio Redfly and asked if that is something that could work for him when he needs to get more significant tasks done (instead of doing them on a work computer - mobile ethics ya know). Amazingly enough, after explaining the concept, he was very much on board. Just the idea of having the familiar laptop form factor, but not that incentive to manage more technology was very appealing.

As we talked, it was hit upon that a good deal of folks could do with that solution but they didn't know about it. I figure that at some point, this could change. But in the meantime, what about that mobile world that we don't see.

By the way, I was showing him the Celio Redfly using my phone connected to his TV via my N95's TV-Out cable and 3G internet connection.

So we then moved to showing MMM. Yea, I had to do a plug, but since he's a brother that I try to get with on occasion, I wanted to share with him some of what "passionates" me (I know, made up the word last night too). As I spoke to him about the vision and mission of MMM, you could see a whole new world opening up to him. In only a few minutes, he went from seeing the world through his mobile phone, to using that window as a change agent to share the Gospel in ways that people he encounters rarely see.

And all night I've been thinking about this - despite the fact that I probably pushed a bit hard when I came to sharing my passions. What happens when we are confronted with the fact that the world that we once knew has changed to the point that we literally can go out to the ends of the world and share with them a world (Christ) they have not yet seen. What are the implications of technology at that intersection?

Personally, I know some of the answers to these questions and observations, but I will share them at Bible Tech and afterwards. But if you know me, then you know that I'm about something a lot more than just playing with the latest gadget or web service. There's a state of reality that we are going to (my friend called it the Matrix) to which the Christian Body will have to adjust and become change agents there as well. I feel that we can do that, only when we know the foundations of our faith, and then acknowledge that with the tools of this age we can craft what hasn't been seen before.

At least that's part of how I think. The rest, well, you'll just have to live with me and see ;)

This was previously posted on my personal website; so the timing is a bit off, but the concept is what I intend to share.

Labels: ceilo redfly, community, mobility, N95

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

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

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

I am a big fan of the Ceilo Redfly because it allows the smartphone to be the computer, but then be extended with a larger keyboard and screen when needed. Add to that the battery of the Ceilo Redfly being able to last 8hrs and charge the smartphone and you have pretty much teh best accessory one could have towards making a smartphone their main computer.

The issue with it was cost. But that's not the case any ore. For a limited time the Ceilo Redfly is reduced to $199. That's pretty much a steal - if you own a Windows Mobile smartphone. I don't know how else to say it, but this is a really good deal.

And even if you could not afford one now, there's also a monthly contest where the prize is a Ceilo Redfly and a smartphone. Pretty much a win-win situation there.

So don't waste time. Who knows how long the $199 deal will last, and get also into the contest. But in light of computing solutions that are cheap and effective, you can't do much better especially if you are a on a budget and a smartphone meets your needs.

Image curtosy of Ceilo website

Labels: ceilo redfly, mobile accessories, smartphone

A question that has been sitting in my head for sometime has been concerning the Ceilo Redfly. Reviewed by Matt Miller (Palmsolo) over at ZDNet some time ago, the Ceilo Redfly is a bit of an alternative look at what mobile computing can look like: instead of the laptop being the center and the smartphone walking alongside it, the Redfly plays as the the accessory to the smartphone, and basically is just a screen, keyboard, and battery so that the smartphone becomes much more of a productive device.

Now, this is what many people have problems with understanding and it begs to be said here again. If you are doing anything with a computer more than normal browsing, photo cropping, and personal information management tasks, then the Redfly and a smartphone might not be the ideal solution for you. However, if you are finding that you spend more time on your smartphone, and that your laptop largely stays put at home doing those light tasks, this might be a really good solution for you (if you own a Windows Mobile smartphone - other smartphones are not supported at this time).

Some weeks ago, I shot an email to a contact at Ceilo and he was able to get me a few answers concerning the Ceilo Redfly and a more vocational focus. If you will, I've always seen this device as being a near perfect setup for those in mission fields, those in urban ministry settings where you don't get a lot of space to setup shop; and those users who are using mainly web applications, and the use of a smartphone can save money and lead towards more efficient energy use.

Here are some of the questions (expanded a bit) along with answers from Brad Warnock, Ceilo's VP of Marketing (in the blockquote):

The Ceilo Redfly has a price point of $500. This is pretty expensive for many consumers, though I am guessing that enterprise IT departments are a bit more receptive. What has the response been towards this aspect of the Redfly?

Some enterprise buyers are pushing back a bit, but others have made direct comments as the the price being OK, even under priced at times considering the TCO benefits compared to a sub-compact laptop, netbook or UMPC. Also, we're sure that over time, scale and efficiency factors in the manufacturing process will bring some kind of price drop.

The Redfly would seem like a perfect device for mission workers due to the easy-to-attain nature of mobile phones in various places around the word, and the options towards data connectivity. Plus, the fact that the Redfly has no hard drive means that losing it would not compromise computing initiatives in places where information censorship is an issue. Can you speak on any churches/organizations that utilize the Redfly and any of their success stories?

Two very large U.S.-based churches are currently running REDFLY pilot programs, but we can't disclose the names at this time.

Could you describe the interest that has been had, instead of naming those churches/organizations?

There is a strong interest both internationally and in the U.S. from many vocations, particularly as you would expect from salespeople, field service managers, field technicians, construction, law enforcement and government. Just about anyone who is on the road or at a remote location much of the time shows an interested once exposed to REDFLY. The 8-hour battery works all day. 3G data connections let people quickly connect from just about anywhere.

The price point and data loss protection features really work to our advantage in the field. People find that work crews lose or damage laptops all the time (even the expensive ruggedized ones). REDFLY is inexpensive enough that if you break or lose it, people can quickly justify the replacement cost. Since no data or settings are stored on REDFLY, when one is lost, there's no security breach or IT hassles - just forget about it, connect another REDFLY and everything is back to normal.

As you can see, there is some advantage towards the Redfly as a data accessory option. With smartphones picking up the ability to be utilized as solo computers, and with the very present fact that connectivity and energy are expensive, making concessions such as changing one's paradigm of computing are becoming realities moreso than exceptions to the rule.

The Ceilo Redfly can be purcased for $500 from the Ceilo website. For bulk orders, please make sure to contact their representatives directly.

Do you have any other questions concerning the Redfly? Place them in the comments and we will compile them for a future posting if the volume warrants.

Thanks to Matt Miller, Clayton Blackham, and Brad Warnock of Ceilo for contributing to this posting.

Labels: ceilo redfly, mini-notebook, mission, mobile accessories, smartphone, upmc