Yesterday, 21st Tuesday, was the second day of my mobile-only adventure. It was an interesting day, as I was posed with the challenge of transferring my music and video files from the now retired Nokia E7 to the Samsung Galaxy S II – without the use of a PC.

You see, I love my music and carry my albums with me on my smartphone. If I couldn’t copy those files, this experiment was messed up immediately.

Thankfully, both devices are USB-on-the-go enabled and I quickly found a solution. The tools I needed:

- a USB-on-the-go cable
- a USB microSD Card reader
- a microSD card

I slipped the microSD card into the card reader, which I in turn plugged into the USB-on-the-go cable. Plugging that into the E7, I quickly copied all my files from the E7′s mass memory to the card.

Once done, the microSD card found a home in the Galaxy S II. Done.

Besides this, my standard routine on the web went well without any special occurences or situations arising. My core devices were the TouchPad and the Samsung Galaxy S II.

Yesterday was Day One of my mobile-only experiment. It generally went well with minimum hitches.

The HP TouchPad, a tablet running WebOS, was my primary computing tool. I did lots of web browsing on it, as well as all publishing of articles to Mobility blog.

Editing articles in the blog’s WordPress interface was generally okay. I had a minor issue with the WebOS browser while putting text in blockquotes though. Instead of putting just the highlighted text in the blockquotes, it would include all text in the text box. As such, I have been having to do blockquotes manually.

Besides publishing here on the blog, I did most of my tweeting on the Samsung Galaxy S II, and a little bit on the Nokia E7. All my instant messaging was done on those two as well, as the TouchPad is a very limited computing tool due to the extreme lack of 3rd party apps to extend functionality. Android and iOS tablets are far better value for this reason.

Day One has come and gone. Keep a date with me tomorrow for my memoirs of Day Two.

Many months ago, I subscribed to the standard Etisalat BlackBerry service in order to both review it and a BlackBerry device that was available that time.

At the end of my review period, I had issues unsubscribing from the package. Eventually, I got informed at a customer care centre that the code for standard BlackBerry de-activation was *399*2#

That code worked and I was able to get off the plan.

Enter BlackBerry Complete

Some months later, I subscribed to the new BlackBerry Complete plan, and when done, I assumed that the same code would work for de-activation.

I executed the code and went on my way. Little did I know that a rude shock awaited me. The following month, I loaded some amount in order to subscribe to an EasyBlaze internet bundle plan. But as soon as I had loaded N1,500 on the line, that amount was pulled out. A few minutes later, I received an SMS to the effect that my Refusals BlackBerry Complete plan had been renewed. What the…!

BlackBerry Complete As A Tariff Plan

Etisalat’s BB Complete is actually a separate voice tariff plan, similar to EasyLife and EasyCliq. For example, when on the BB Complete plan, your voice calls are charged at the rate of 20k per second, a huge discount over what you get on EasyCliq (50k per sec).

To get off Etisalat BlackBerry Complete, simply execute the appropriate code to return to EasyStarter or EasyCliq. Simple.

When you subscribe to BB Complete, you actually opt out of either EasyStarter or EasyCliq, depending on which of them you were on. For example, to de-activate BB Complete, dial *244*1*# to return to EasyCliq. That opts you out of BB Complete.

To return to EasyStarter, execute the code for that package too. Simple.

Now you know how Etisalat’s BlackBerry Complete plan works and how to de-activate it.

I made up my mind sometime ago to try out what I call a mobile-only experiment: use only smartphones and tablets for ALL MY COMPUTING NEEDS – both personal and official.

Well, that day has come. As of this morning, I have kicked off that experiment. I have no idea how long it will last. Think of it as one of those crazy adventures.

I will report here with my successes, frustrations and any brick walls that I may run into.

In the meantime, did I tell you about that dream I had last night? No? Right; I will dedicate another post to that dream. Trust me, I don’t talk about my dreams unless they are exciting. Or plain silly. Or both.

Toodles!

The Samsung Galaxy Tab 8.9 costs around N90,000. The Galaxy 10.1 costs a little bit more at just below N100,000.

The smaller Galaxy Note, however, costs around N125,000 at last count.

I am wondering why the heftier price tag on the Note. Does it cost that much because it is newer in the market, or is there some other reason? Anyone?

The debate over which is preferable between on-screen keyboards and hardware keyboards on mobile have gone on for years. Usually, adherents of either camp pitching their tents without consideration of a number of factors that influence the choices involved.

If you don’t have the time to read a full article, here’s the summary: the two most important factors are the size of the user’s fingers, and the size of the touchscreen display.

If you have the time for the detailed analysis, here goes.

Exhibit One: Tablets

I am not sure that there has been anyone who has used a tablet and complained that the onscreen keyboard is inadequate. The reason is simple: the tablet’s display is large enough to deliver a pleasant typing experience. As such, there is very little valid reason to desire a hardware keyboard.

Exhibit Two: Budget Smartphones

At the other end of the divide are those budget touchscreen smartphones with 2.8 inch displays. Maybe even those with up to 3 inches in size.

Have you tried typing on some of those? I have used and reviewed the Gaga phone. Simply, put: it is not impossible to type on it, but with my big fingers, it is painful and fraught with errors.

EveryOne Has A Tipping Point

The truth is that everyone has a tipping point at which finding touchscreen typing uncomfortable or unusable becomes a non-issue.

Very likely, the smaller your fingers, the lower your tipping point. For example, many users find the 3.5 inch displays of the iPhone and others like the Nokia N8 a comfortable spot. Those are usable for me, but that’s not my tipping point.

Exhibits Three: HTC HD 7; Samsung Galaxy S II

What do the HD 7 and Galaxy S II have in common? A 4.3-inch display. I find that with my large fingers, I am able to comfortably type on the on-screen displays of both of these devices?

Is 4.3 inches my tipping point? I doubt it. But I am almost fairly certain that the 5.3 inches display of the Galaxy Note will be. or maybe not. One thing is for sure, I don’t find myself longing for a hardware QWERTY keyboard on a tablet. That tells me in what direction to look.

Conclusions

In my opinion, it isn’t a case of hardware keyboards being obsolete. Below a certain display size, a hardware keyboard is a more efficient text input tool. Above that, things begin to change. The tipping point – that point where you no longer find a hardware keyboard an absolute necessity – is different for everyone, but I believe that it is there.

The question is: What is your tipping point?

The Blackberry P’9981 phone that came out of the partnership between Porsche design and Blackberry has been making the rounds in previous weeks with varied opinions from practically everybody that hears about the phone.

FEATURES

First off the phone runs on the Blackberry 7 OS and features a 1.2GHz Qualcomm MSM8655 CPU with 768MB of RAM. It also has a 2.8-inch touchscreen with a screen resolution of 640 x 480 powered by a 1,230 mAh battery.

Other features that the P’9981 sports are GPS, Near Field Communication(NFC) and a 5MP camera that has a LED flash and shoots 720p videos.

Even though this phone is made and is marketed as a premium product, it’s chasis and to some extent shape is based off the Blackberry Bold 9900. It features a custom user interface skin that matches the styling and also comes with a price tag of $2,300.

PRICING

That last paragraph must have gotten your attention because this phone costs $2,300 which when converted to Naira is a whooping 365,700 Naira minus shipping and retailer charges.

It is that expensive because of premium materials used in the manufacture, the craft involved and hey it has Porsche in the name which among the wealthy screams splendor and swag.

I further investigated by going to the Porsche Nigeria website to check out the price of Porsche cars and the cheapest car was the Cayman which cost 11.5 million Naira and the most expensive being a Panamera Turbo S which goes for 49.5 million Naira.

By analysis, Porsche’s do not come on the cheap side so i wasn’t really surprised when someone told me that it goes for 400 thousand Naira in Nigeria at the moment. Several people however are so stunned by the price that someone even asked me one day if it had unlimited “pinging”.

CONCLUSION

Many people fail to grab the concept of such a product like the P’9981 and that it is not a mainstream product but a product that is exclusively made for those that can afford it. Business men and stinkinly rich millionaires fit the profile of people who aquire such devices like this most times as a show of wealth and splendor.

What do you think about the Porsche Design P’9981 by Blackberry and if you had the capacity to buy it would you?

Sources: Porsche Nigerian Website, Porsche Design Page

Nokia began pushing out the Belle update to Symbian^3 smartphones last week. We have received reports of successful updates to devices such as the N8, E6, and E7.

Have you updated your Nokia smartphone yet? What was the update experience like? What do you think of Nokia Belle? What do you like and dislike about it? You tell us!

I have followed with keen interest the ongoing debate about the data guzzling capabilities, or otherwise, of the android OS platform. Expectedly, most of the arguments made in favour of the IOS or Android platforms have been mainly subjective. An objective analysis of this subject, admittedly, is quite difficult.

CNET summarizes this adequately; “It is a question that’s on the minds of plenty of tech-obsessed folks. But it’s one that’s very hard to answer–especially if you’re trying to be objective rather than grasping for evidence that conveniently supports the mobile operating system you happen to be rooting for.” However, a quick research on the Internet brought up some very interesting facts.

Before we proceed, I would make one fact very clear; No matter what platform you choose, smartphone users are consuming more and more data, and there is no sign of that trend stopping. Smartphones will continue to use a lot of data, it’s a fact of life.

However, the general consensus so far is that the Blackberry is probably (one of) the most data friendly platform out there. Beginning with the first devices RIM produced, data compression was part of the design. Called DataSmart Technology, it works a lot like zipping large files on your computer. When you use data on a BlackBerry smartphone, it’s almost as if the data is zipped up before it’s sent or received so it is smaller.

On the flip side, whether the quality of their devices compare favourably with devices in the same class that are based on Android and iOS platforms or their relatively high price tag is a subject of discourse for another day.

That said, so how do Android and iOS compare in terms of data consumption?

Analyzing the underlying differences between Apple’s iOS and Android would give us a better understanding of how their apps’ data consumption model work. The Onavo website captured this adequately:

Each OS was designed and implemented in light of a unique product philosophy, affecting both the user and the developer experience.

iOS: Apple iOS adopted the user-driven data consumption model, which means that at any given time, mobile data is only used (with very few exceptions) by the app you, the user, are actually looking at.

Android: With Android, a more app-driven data consumption model has evolved, meaning that mobile data is (primarily) used whenever apps choose to use it.

There are several reasons why those models are different, here are three:

OS design
The Android OS design makes it far easier for an app to run in the background, giving the opportunity for such an app to use available system resources at any given time, specifically – mobile data. With Apple’s iOS, apps have a much more limited lifecycle and running scope, enabling them to consume data primarily when the user is actually using them. For example: on Android, an app you installed but never use can be eating up your data plan.

“Adult supervision”
In Android, there are no guarantees that an app available on the Market behaves itself, data-wise or at all. This is because there is no review process for Android apps pre-market upload. iOS apps go through a (somewhat) thorough review prior to being uploaded to the App Store, a process which weeds out some irresponsible behavior on their part, including data usage related issues.

Centralized Notification Service
iOS features APNS – Apple Push Notification Service. This allows developers to implement notifications for their apps using a centralized, relatively data-light infrastructure that aggregates multiple apps’ messages, thereby consuming less data. Android does not have an equivalent service (at least not yet), pushing developers to implement such a service for themselves. This often results in repeated network operations which can get data-heavy.

So what does this all mean? Well, if you’re an Android user, it means that there might be a lot more going on on your smartphone than you think: substantial amounts of mobile data are consumed in the background – by apps you didn’t even know were running.

Other secondary factors that may contribute to the data consumption rate of Android, which gives the iOS its advantage:

• Apple requires apps that are bigger than 20 MB to be downloaded over Wi-Fi rather than on a 3G connection.
• It also does its software updates over a wired connection via iTunes, while Android users get their updates wirelessly. Those updates are more limited in their impact since they’re not frequent, but it does show that Android can natively route more traffic via cellular networks than iOS.
• Android also has a higher percentage of free apps compared to iOS, and it’s likely the free apps monetize more through ads, which have to communicate frequently with ad servers.
• Another consideration is Android’s better multitasking and differing user interface that allows so much to stay active even though in the background.

Conclusion
It would be nice if Apple allowed its users to see an overview of data consumption on a per-app or activity basis and set data thresholds. While iOS lets you check cellular usage in Settings > General > Usage > Cellular Usage, this is a far cry from understanding your data usage and having the controls to better manage it like it is being done on Android.

Also, there have been a lot of mixed feelings about iOS 5 with the high data usage of some of its apps, in particular that of Siri, iCloud, iMessage and Location Services.

Lastly, to a large extent, data consumption rate on any platform is still a lot dependent on individual users and the choice of apps they play with, and not just a blanket summation of the superiority of data management on any OS platform.

I literally get torn apart by fanboys each time I write an article about Android’s data-guzzling capabilities. I have been called names, my credentials questioned and even spat on (okay, I added that last one).

I run Africa’s top mobile blog and would be stupid if i didn’t talk about it. why? Our conditions here make it a big issue for the majority.

Here’s an excerpt from a report on what Google’s top man had to say when asked about plans to expand in Africa. I have emphasised the key part in bold. It is informative:

Among the highlights of my Davos week was a media round table with the top management of global giant Google – executive chairman Eric Schmidt plus lieutenants Nikesh Arora, Marissa Mayer and David Drummond. The theme of the hour and a half chat was how rapidly the internet is becoming mobile. In June 2011, for instance for the first time more people accessed Google Maps through their cellphones and iPads than via desktop computers. Half of those accessing Facebook are doing so through mobiles – with the trend suggesting it will reach 80% in five years.

I managed to pop a question around Google’s plans to expand its activities in Africa. Judged by other major corporation hunger for a bigger piece of the African pie, I waited pen at the ready for fresh info about how the “Don’t Be Evil” crowd wants to grab its slice. Instead, Schmidt’s smile turned to a scowl. Google’s not doing anything like as much as it wants to on the continent, he admitted, because it’s just not possible. Africans, he says, are forced to cough up “20 to 30 times what we (i.e. Americans) pay for data.”

See that? Google acknowledges that data costs are a hindrance to their push in mobile in Africa.

A mobile OS that guzzles data (and power) and that requires management to keep both factors within tolerant levels is a real issue in these parts. I recently used an automobile analogy in responding to this issue. Let’s explore that further.

Of Mobiles. And AutoMobiles

The African market (add Asia and South America to that) will remain this unique for a long while. It is the reason why Toyota cars (being as a rule more fuel economical – and cheaper – than most other brands) will outsell BMWs and Mercedes Benz models. With Korean brands stepping up their games too, its the same reason(s) that Hyundai and Kia models sell like hot cake.

That Your Silly Neighbour

Have you seen those silly guys in the neighbourhood who make a little money and go buy a Mercedes Benz right away? Have you observed how after a short while, they cannot keep up with maintaining the car? They spend on fuel like mad, alongside other expenses. Soon, the car is sitting in front of their residence, a monument to their lack of wisdom.

Meanwhile, the truth is that a less expensive and less fuel guzzling model would have served their purposes better.

The Vocal Minority

Those who want to deny Android’s data guzzling can keep sticking their heads in the sand like Ostriches. It is not a real issue for me as an individual. I can afford a 6GB data plan monthly – over $50 (that’s a month’s wage for lots of folks) – though I’d rather not, so I can use some of that amount for something else. It is not an issue for some of you other folks who regularly comment on this blog.

The vocal Android fanboys here are in reality a tiny minority of the market that we live in. They earn much more, are more comfortable, have internet access on their PCs at work and at home. They can afford to turn off data on their devices and nurse them as they wish.

On $2 Per Day. And Hustling!

Not so the vast majority of the African market, who are busy struggling to survive. They have little or no access to power, and nursing a mobile phone is the last thing on their minds. Life is a hustle. They want to just use the darn phone and get on with hustling. Babysitting a phone ain’t on their agenda.

It is a real issue for hundreds of millions of Africans. They earn $2 or N320 or less per day! Think about that. It is why I write about it. It is why I offer tips to manage it. It is also why I must offer alternatives.

Cloud Storage. iPhone, Windows Phone Too

It is the same reason that Cloud storage won’t be taken up in a huff and puff in Africa. It is the reason why I can say that it looks like Nokia is about to lose the smartphone market in Africa if they are shutting Symbian down at this point. It is the reason why iPhones and Windows Phone devices will remain niche here for a while.

It is why whoever sells (or can sell) a smartphone platform that delivers affordable data services on budget devices will take the market. Whoever that is, I don’t care. But that is the truth.

Africa Stuck With FeaturePhones?

If no mobile OS meets that need, we might as well expect the smartphone market in Africa and similar areas to shrink, as people will shy away from smartphones. The small smartphone market will likely then be dominated by Android. But the vast majority of mobile users will stay with feature phones while the rest of the world moves on.

Some people think that I am hating on Android. That’s silly. I provide information to a primary target audience – Africa, most of whom are affected by this issue.

However, as stated already, Blackberry deals with this issue – and if the guys at RIM are any smart, they need to go ballistic now. Not tomorrow. You pick up a BlackBerry, set it up once and just get up and go. That too, for about $9 (N1,500) per month. Nigeria just seems set for a Blackberry outbreak. Africa too.

Of course, whether RIM rises up to the task or not is a different matter.

Am I Biased?

The heck, I am!

I am biased towards the mass market.

For that reason, I was biased towards GSM when the CDMA-GSM debate came up. I was biased towards mobile internet services because I believed that would deliver internet to the mass market, and it is doing just that. I was right.

I was biased towards Symbian OS, because it met the needs of the mass market – good resource management in particular. With Nokia shooting Symbian dead, I am biased towards BlackBerry for the same reasons that I recommended Symbian for years.

Give me any OS that meets the same specifications, and I am biased towards it. This is Nigeria. This is Africa.

I am very, very biased. It is not an OS/brand thing, but it is bias all the same.

Of course, Google might pull a rabbit out of their hat and modify Android’s code such that it becomes more resource efficient out of the box. Who knows?

Back To The Future

Hopefully, we will get rock bottom data tariffs and it won’t be so much of an issue later. Hopefully, standards of living across Africa will improve significantly to reduce the importance of this. Hopefully too, public power supply will become stable and reliable, so we don’t have to carry a charger for our Android smartphones.

Until then, I owe the public that info. I owe them sound advice on choices and options that meet the peculiar circumstances that they live in.

If you cannot live with that, errrr….try a cup of Ice Cream Sandwich Toodles!

Check out the full Google story here

I was recently checking my timeline on Twitter a few days ago when I stumbled upon a discussion by Mr Mobility about Etisalat and Airtel offering unlimited data plans for their Blackberry devices.

You see I am a very heavy data consumer and i burn through data plans that is initialy meant for a month in weeks, even days atimes.

Then I continued to follow the discussion and I found out that there may be a possibility that tethering to devices like laptops do not attract any extra charges and i started getting interested.

I am an avid Android user and I really like the whole concept and implementation of the operating system as a whole and the thought of me using a Blackberry would repulse me on a normal day.

See, I do not hate the Blackberry OS. In fact I have really admired how they have gotten this far considering that they evolved from making pagers back in the day. Another feat that makes me respect Blackberry is the social network integration and how they are able to provide enterprise like security on a mobile phone.

All the feats aside, I at one stage in my life had declared that I wouldn’t want to be caught dead with a Blackberry because it just wasn’t made for me.

But I think that I’m going to have to swallow the Blackberry pill because that is looking like the best alternative to having unlimited data and blazing fast network combined in a cheap package that is both economical and value for the money (If the service works).

Lastly anyone knows how much a Blackberry 8520 costs?

People hack into their phone for varied reasons. For me, my earliest attempt at such “hackscapade” was when I ported “Cooked” ROMS on to my HTC Universal about 7 years ago. Over time, I have lost count on the number of devices that I have tried to extend their limits. My list includes:

• Ported Debian Linux to Palm Treo 650
• Cooked WM6 and Android ROMS on HTC TyTn II
• Cooked ROMS onto a couple of other HTC phones that I cannot recollect their models
• Jailbreaked iPod Touch, iPad, and lately
• Rooted my dear Toshiba Thrive

Anyone who owns a device based on the Android OS may already know that the Google operating system provides a tremendous amount of freedom right out of the box. Notwithstanding this, people still have the urge to hack their devices to extend its limits.

Why?
The question now is, Why do people hack their mobiles? What is the cause of this insatiable urge and addiction to push your mobile computers to their limits? What are the benefits of gaining root access to your device?

People say there are always two classes of technology users; those who take and use technology the way it is brought to them, no questions or complaints, and those who want to indulge deep into the very essence of what’s being offered, and want to empower themselves with everything to take the maximum out of that technology. This rule of thumb holds true for mobile phones as well. The poweruser crowd has always been different from the average user.

Rooting Your Android Mobile

Rooting your Android device gives you unparalleled access to every aspect of the device. It allows you to download tons of root-only applications, push your hardware to new heights, and on some devices even flash different, customized versions of Android.

Android OS is based on Linux. Someone described Linux as a big, bad, scary computer operating system known only by people with neck beards. While this is no longer true, people like “maddog” probably still fit this picture perfectly. Android apps need permission to access certain parts of Linux, and not all apps have this special “root” access. The parts having restricted access include the camera flash and the ability to take screen shots. There are a bunch of other apps that need root access for other reasons, too, but the basic premise is the same.

How Does Jailbreaking Your iOS Devices Compare?

The concept itself is identical to what obtains with rooting on Android.  Jailbreaking an iPad, iPhone or iPod Touch opens up things like using applications that are not manufacturer-approved or changing the look and feel of the device UI. Android already allows this to a very large extent by default. The changes behind the scenes are the same way. A lot of what you can do with a jail broken Apple device, you can already do with your Android device, but to really unlock everything you’ll need to root it. You’re allowing things that usually wouldn’t have root permission to have them.

Why Root?
Searching the web, I came across some other reasons why people root their Android devices and I have taken time to compile them here:

• Overclocking a device’s CPU is fairly simple and rather safe thanks to many third-party apps, yet the Android OS does not allow it natively.
• Removal of manufacturer installed bloatware
• Performance improvement via kernel tweaks
• Ability to take screenshots (Now native in Android 4.0 ICS)
• Use of root only apps
• Lastly, you root your device because you can!

Word Of Caution

By not allowing access to the superuser account, the manufacturer and your carrier have basically protected you from doing things that can change the system and make it unusable.  All it takes is one wrong keystroke to turn your shiny new Android device into a plastic and metal brick with no connection.  Most times this is recoverable, but not always.

Rooting your mobile can open up a world of liberty and fun, but note that you root at your own risk.