Whatever you're doing and wherever you are, have a happy festive season!!
The team at Handheld PCs
Wednesday, 23 December 2009
Thursday, 3 December 2009
hand-e-pix on Crackberry.com
For those Blackberry users out there, you've no doubt come accross crackberry.com already. Referencing the addictive nature of the device platform, they bring the inside scoop on all things Blackberry related, whether it is new devices or applications for them.
Following the recent Blackberry Alliance Summit last week, they've featured a video of our very own Pierre Lams, talking about hand-e-pix. In their words its very interesting stuff!!!
Jump on over to crackberry to see the video - and don't forget to let us know what you think!
Following the recent Blackberry Alliance Summit last week, they've featured a video of our very own Pierre Lams, talking about hand-e-pix. In their words its very interesting stuff!!!
Jump on over to crackberry to see the video - and don't forget to let us know what you think!
Friday, 20 November 2009
Quiet please - testing in progress
One of the things that all software companies confess to being passionate about is testing - and Handheld PCs are no different. We're busy testing some of the performance improvements scheduled for the next release and the initial phase is very promising.
We've also got some exciting ideas about how to make enterprise administrators lives a little easier for behind the firewall implementations, which will be weaved into next years releases.
We've also got some exciting ideas about how to make enterprise administrators lives a little easier for behind the firewall implementations, which will be weaved into next years releases.
Monday, 16 November 2009
Behind the scenes
We've been pretty busy recently, deciding what you're going to see from the product next. I thought it would be an opportunity to share with you some of our ambitions for hand-e-pix so that you know what's coming.
First things first: this is not a roadmap, and concepts discussed here are just that and are not guaranteed to even make a final release!
As a development team we are aiming to have a quarterly release. Every 3 months you'll see a new hand-e-pix release of some description or another. Not every release will affect every customer, for example we've done a fair amount of work recently on improving the hand-e-pix media manager; but future releases may well focus on mobile device clients.
Our next minor release is due before Christmas, and will include some major changes to the way that the media manager handles images. Our aim is to improve the page load time for search results and the main data grid, particularly for those people viewing the datagrid with 20 rows-per-page. In the current version we don't do any image manipulation, with the product focussing instead on the integrity of the originally captured content.
This philosophy doesn't change in the next release, but we're looking at creating thumbnails of the original hi-resolution jpeg photos automatically. Don't worry, you will still be able to view the original / native photograph as you can currently!
What we're all seeing is the file sizes being generated by the next generation of devices (think 5MP cameras) only going in one direction. We have to take this trend into account and hopefully address some of the performance implications before they are a problem for customers.
There are questions that form recurring themes: can we use voice or video files? Can hand-e-pix capture multiple photos per record? Can we restrict access to camera functions on the device? These (amongst others) are the questions that keep us scratching our heads, and hopefully you'll see answers for in the future. There are of course several other things that we know we can do better, but they will be addressed next year... watch this space!
First things first: this is not a roadmap, and concepts discussed here are just that and are not guaranteed to even make a final release!
As a development team we are aiming to have a quarterly release. Every 3 months you'll see a new hand-e-pix release of some description or another. Not every release will affect every customer, for example we've done a fair amount of work recently on improving the hand-e-pix media manager; but future releases may well focus on mobile device clients.
Our next minor release is due before Christmas, and will include some major changes to the way that the media manager handles images. Our aim is to improve the page load time for search results and the main data grid, particularly for those people viewing the datagrid with 20 rows-per-page. In the current version we don't do any image manipulation, with the product focussing instead on the integrity of the originally captured content.
This philosophy doesn't change in the next release, but we're looking at creating thumbnails of the original hi-resolution jpeg photos automatically. Don't worry, you will still be able to view the original / native photograph as you can currently!
What we're all seeing is the file sizes being generated by the next generation of devices (think 5MP cameras) only going in one direction. We have to take this trend into account and hopefully address some of the performance implications before they are a problem for customers.
There are questions that form recurring themes: can we use voice or video files? Can hand-e-pix capture multiple photos per record? Can we restrict access to camera functions on the device? These (amongst others) are the questions that keep us scratching our heads, and hopefully you'll see answers for in the future. There are of course several other things that we know we can do better, but they will be addressed next year... watch this space!
Monday, 19 October 2009
...but still no Windows Marketplace
With Blackberry (RIM) launching their App World and iPhone (Apple) with the well documented success story that is App Store, you would think that Microsoft would be pushing hard to get an online window (no pun intended) into mobile application goodness sooner rather than later... Still 'coming soon'
Sure there are mobile interfaces to each of them, but I want to be able to see screen shots and read reviews on my desktop browser before making the decision to reach for the credit card.
As a mobile application development company like Handheld PCs, the reach to potential end users has never been greater, but it introduces a new model and potentially a 'pandoras box' of new markets. Do you opt for a consumer friendly try-before-you-buy model? If so would your application support it? Do you price your download lower to appeal to the greater numbers or higher to ensure you reach your 'target' market?
As nice as these problems are to have, the explosion of choice for customers will be overwhelming. The next challenge will be differentiating against the thousands of other applications that user have to choose from. Giving yourself a few lines of text to articulate your product, it's USP and it's value is no mean feat!
For some 'bedroom developers', this is make or break territory - opening up the floodgates, or being crowded out of your only route to market. For most enterprises it is more of a marketing tool; another touch point for existing customers and prospects. You're unlikely to make a strategic decision about a corporate mobile solution based on a download, but you might recognise the logo or the concept when you see presentation; get the flyer; read the email; see the email; read the blog...?
Sure there are mobile interfaces to each of them, but I want to be able to see screen shots and read reviews on my desktop browser before making the decision to reach for the credit card.
As a mobile application development company like Handheld PCs, the reach to potential end users has never been greater, but it introduces a new model and potentially a 'pandoras box' of new markets. Do you opt for a consumer friendly try-before-you-buy model? If so would your application support it? Do you price your download lower to appeal to the greater numbers or higher to ensure you reach your 'target' market?
As nice as these problems are to have, the explosion of choice for customers will be overwhelming. The next challenge will be differentiating against the thousands of other applications that user have to choose from. Giving yourself a few lines of text to articulate your product, it's USP and it's value is no mean feat!
For some 'bedroom developers', this is make or break territory - opening up the floodgates, or being crowded out of your only route to market. For most enterprises it is more of a marketing tool; another touch point for existing customers and prospects. You're unlikely to make a strategic decision about a corporate mobile solution based on a download, but you might recognise the logo or the concept when you see presentation; get the flyer; read the email; see the email; read the blog...?
Tuesday, 6 October 2009
Windows Mobile 6.5 hits the streets!
We've known about it for some time, but the Microsoft PR machine has gone into overdrive with the official launch of Windows Mobile 6.5.
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MSN today and Microsoft.com both have 'infomercials' running through the new interface features. It's worth a look, and will make the next batch of devices will look very much more Vista / Win 7 and less Windows XP.
Obviously only very new or upcoming hardware will be capable of running the new OS, which will come in the form of a firmware update from device manufacturers... watch this space!
MSN today and Microsoft.com both have 'infomercials' running through the new interface features. It's worth a look, and will make the next batch of devices will look very much more Vista / Win 7 and less Windows XP.
Obviously only very new or upcoming hardware will be capable of running the new OS, which will come in the form of a firmware update from device manufacturers... watch this space!
Monday, 5 October 2009
New Xda firmware
O2 have always been pretty good at releasing firmware updates for their Xda devices, and there is an update for the Ignito and Serra available in the usual place here.
Upgrading the firmware can be a slightly tedious process - only achievable via USB and you wipe all device settings and data. However both the Serra and Ignito were slightly disappointing for me in terms of their responsiveness so any firmware update has to be worth a look.
Upgrading the firmware can be a slightly tedious process - only achievable via USB and you wipe all device settings and data. However both the Serra and Ignito were slightly disappointing for me in terms of their responsiveness so any firmware update has to be worth a look.
Thursday, 1 October 2009
New HTC to be ranged by O2?
HTC jumped out from behind the O2 Xda brand a long while ago, so much so that Telefonica O2 are dropping the Xda moniker in favour of selling HTC branded products in future.
As the Taiwanese device giant continues to deliver competitors to the iPhone, the rumour mill is almost constantly whirring across the web about what they will do next. If the latest of these is to be believed, the device codenamed "Leo" potentially appearing on our shelves as the Touch HD2 includes a 5 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, and of course GPS. It will also be running the latest incarnation of Windows Mobile: v6.5
The 1Ghz snapdragon processor should keep it snappy and the 800 x 480 resolution touch screen should show the captured photos to their full potential.
Thanks to engadget and htcpedia
As the Taiwanese device giant continues to deliver competitors to the iPhone, the rumour mill is almost constantly whirring across the web about what they will do next. If the latest of these is to be believed, the device codenamed "Leo" potentially appearing on our shelves as the Touch HD2 includes a 5 megapixel camera with dual LED flash, and of course GPS. It will also be running the latest incarnation of Windows Mobile: v6.5
The 1Ghz snapdragon processor should keep it snappy and the 800 x 480 resolution touch screen should show the captured photos to their full potential.
Thanks to engadget and htcpedia
Friday, 25 September 2009
Awards season!
We're very proud that hand-e-pix has made it to the final of two industry awards this week!
Firstly in the category of 'Technology Excellence' for 'Mobile product of the year' at the BCS UK IT Industry awards.
We'll keep you posted with the results!
Firstly in the category of 'Technology Excellence' for 'Mobile product of the year' at the BCS UK IT Industry awards.
Secondly the Channel Network Awards for 'Mobility solution of the year'
We'll keep you posted with the results!
Tuesday, 22 September 2009
UK Construction market under fire
The UK construction market is an obvious target for hand-e-pix, offering photographic proof of works undertaken to avoid insurance liability or simply to improve internal QA processes.
They are in the press this morning (22-09-09) for all the wrong reasons though. Jump over to Construction News for the full story.
They are in the press this morning (22-09-09) for all the wrong reasons though. Jump over to Construction News for the full story.
Monday, 21 September 2009
Happy Birthday Handheld PCs
Handheld PCs was 7 years old at the weekend! It's morphed a lot in that time.... altogether now "Happy Birthday to us, Happy Birthday to us....!"
Saturday, 12 September 2009
Welcome!
Welcome to the hand-e-pix Blog, a place where news, development and thoughts from inside Handheld PCs can be shared with customers partners and hand-e-pix fans.
Over the coming months you can expect to see information about a major new release, we'll be gathering your thoughts on setting up our first user group and letting you know about the latest excited customers that make up part of our story.
As always, if you are reading this and haven't yet heard about hand-e-pix, jump on over to http://www.handepix.com/ for more info.
James
Over the coming months you can expect to see information about a major new release, we'll be gathering your thoughts on setting up our first user group and letting you know about the latest excited customers that make up part of our story.
As always, if you are reading this and haven't yet heard about hand-e-pix, jump on over to http://www.handepix.com/ for more info.
James
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