Helpdesk

Wow.  I went looking for GUI automation such that I could automatically dump our deadlines to PDF and email them offsite.  I found:

• Automation Anywhere for $700 to $7,000
• Ranorex for $300 to $1500
• a bunch of test suites
• Auto It for FREE

I went and looked Auto It up and I couldn’t believe the power.  The scripting was easy to understand and I loved that I could emulate keyboard shortcuts.  It took me about two hours from install to finishing automating Starting Abacus (our docketing program), logging in, running a report, selecting cutePDF as a printer, saving the PDF with the date in the filename, exiting Abacus and using blat to email the PDF to two people.

Check Auto It out.  Its awesome.

–Ben

References:  Auto It, Automation Anywhere, Ranorex

Apparently a Gizmodo reader found a prototype next generation iPhone lost in a bar.  What gives the story credence is that it was remotely wiped and they say that Apple is looking for it.  It appears to be recognized correctly as an iPhone, but since the new firmware is not public, the phone cannot be re-enabled.

Here’s a small estimated feature breakdown:

• iPhone OS 4.0
• 2 Volume buttons
• Camera Button
• Forward Facing Camera
• Enhanced Backwards camera with flash
• micro-sim

See a preview video below:

Hit up the links if you want the full scoop.

–Ben

Sources:  Gizmodo

Just saw an article that said there was a leaked ROM of android 2.1 for Droid.  Now, most people probably shouldn’t download it because of the risks, but it does appear to be a final version.

Here’s a video:

–Ben

Source:  Softsailor

On a side note, PCWorld claimed Android was doomed.  Galen Gruman has a hypothesis that basically states that manufacturers can choose what features to implement and whether to allow an upgrade to the next OS.

Wow.  Personally, I think manufacturer choice was a good thing.  I also think that while consumers may want to run the latest OS, that we recognize that many of our devices are underpowered for some tasks.  Plus, it should count as an advantage, not a detriment that there is even possible an upgrade path.

When we look at the actual world, Linux is fractured – but its still very successful and often tailored to the desired device.  Ruby on Rails (the language and framework) has strange compatibility problems between versions, but its still on fire in the the development community.  Both are open source.  Android is open source.

In sum, I think Galen is reading tea leaves in an alarmist fashion (ie I don’t think the facts he sees add up to the death of Android – but the contrary).  Microsoft has been predicting the death of Linux for years.  Despite their best efforts, it hasn’t happened.  I think Android is here to stay as well.

–Ben

Source:  PCWorld

PCWorld has a report that shows that Verizon’s uptick in phones isn’t all its cracked up to be.  In fact, the report states that Verizon has had problems keeping up with the demand (see the reliability numbers).  Verizon apparently has also been hampered by an uninterrupted signal – only 76% of the time was it uninterrupted.

Personally, I’ve seen in on my train ride into work.  I keep dropping into 1x instead of 3G.  So, let’s hope Verizon gets back on top.  We bought into the network because it was the best, right?

Verizon’s come back is that their map is bigger.  Bigger isn’t necessarily better if it drops speed.  1 in 4, it appears.

–Ben

Source:  PCWorld

Billshrink put up an interesting infographic on Valentines Day and they’re inviting people to share it.  Here’s the surprising low-down on who gets what for Valentine’s Day.  One of the most surprising stats is just how many parents buy cards for kids.  I thought it was a “lovers” holiday.

–Ben

UPDATE 5/19/2010: The Droid BOGO sale is back on.  See Droid Does for more details.  Check in the top right corner.  You’ll have to add the phone into your shopping cart to verify the Droid BOGO deal is still going.  See the current Droid BOGO post for info.

UPDATE 5/18/2010: The BOGO sale is long over, but there are some deals to be had.  It looks like the Droid is available for $19.99 from wirefly.com.  (I am not an affiliate – it should be a clean link).

Verizon apparently is running a special on Droid and Droid Eris.  Buy one phone, get a second of the same kind for free.  Of course by free, I mean that you eventually get one phone for “free”, but end up paying the $30 times 2 surcharge for data and then a voice plan plus another $10 for another line that shares the minutes (or $60 times two for unlimited voice).  But hey, there’s really no free lunch.  Just an awesome phone.

In any case, if you were looking for his and her Droids, now might be the time.

–Ben

Source:  Verizon, Phandroid, Phones Review

Verizon Wireless and Skype just announced that Verizon is going to carry skype calls over its network starting in March.   It may require a data plan, but those international calls may have gotten a lot cheaper.

Seriously?  This seems such an about-face from the wireless carrier that was known to lock everything down and make you pay for any small incremental benefit (I’m looking at you, ringtones from the V-shop).  I’m skeptically optimistic at this point.  And I hope it continues.

Here’s the initial phones with Skype support:

• DROID by Motorola
• DROID ERIS by HTC
• Motorola DEVOUR
• BlackBerry Storm 9530
• Storm2 9550
• Curve 8330
• Curve 8530
• 8830 World Edition
• Tour 9630

–Ben

Sources:  Skype, Verizon Wireless, PCWorld

Motorola has put up a page giving expected roll-out dates for their android phones to upgrade to Android version 2.1.  Here’s the summary

• Droid – soon
• Milestone (Europe) – Q1 2010
• Milestone (Latin America) – No Date
• Milestone (Asia-Pacific) – No Date
• Cliq (USA) – Q2 2010
• Dext (Europe) – No Date
• Dext (Latin America) – Q3 2010
• Dext (Asia-Pacific) – Q3 2010

They also claim to be working closely with Google and carriers to bring “the most optimized” experience on each of the phones.  Let’s hope that “the most optimized” doesn’t mean “missing features” in marketing spin.

–Ben

Sources:  Motorola Support, Phandroid, InfoSync

Apparently Motorola released the Droid 2.1 details too early according to their forum.  Bummer.  I was hoping the update would coming this week.  I guess a few days more won’t hurt.

Maybe something good will come of this.  Motorola has been getting some flak for releasing a “gimped Andriod 2.1″ compared with the Nexus One.

–Ben

Sources:  Motorola Forum, PCMagazine