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Using Zumocast to stream content to the web and iPad

Ian Dixon — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 20:01:00 GMT

I am always on the lookout for ways to get my content on to my mobile devices and I have found a new service that looks like it could be a winner. Zumocast is a services then enables you to stream video, music and pictures to any PC via the web and there are apps for the iPhone and iPad.

The service is made up of a application you install on your host PC (requiring Java) and a web interface the PCs, there is an iPhone and iPad app to access the content from an iOS device. From the PC application you can select the folders you want to share, as well as streaming videos, music and pictures you can also download the content.

Once you have created an account and have shared out your folders you can log in to Zumocast.com and stream the content to your PC. I shared my DVD rip folder and could stream the vob files to my netbook via the browser, I also got it to stream WMV files but unfortunately not WTV files (Media Center TV files) which is a shame as if it did it would be a complete solution for me. I have been able to use MCEbuddy to convert WTV files to mp4 and that worked fine

The other piece of the puzzle is the iPad app, this enables you to stream or download the content directly to the iPad. As with the web app I could stream VOB files, WMV files, mp4 files but not WTV files. Streaming video files seems to work well over my LAN and using a mifi so this looks like being a good solution for when I am on the road. The app seems to adjust the frame rate depending on the available bandwidth and using the mifi I didn’t suffer any buffering problems, I did find that it placed a load on the host PC while it was transcoding the files but it didn’t cause any issues.

At the moment the service is in beta so you have to signup at Zumocast.com and if you want the iPhone/iPad app you have to registered the UID of your device and then they email you a link to download the app. I found it took a couple of days to get my iPad app, the app is not in the app store so they send you a link to download the app. I guess once the service is out of beta the app will be in the app store but I am not sure if there will be a charge for apps or the service, at the moment it’s all free

Overall it seems to work well for a free service and if they added WTV file support it would be the perfect solution for me.

Selecting the folders to share

PC usage while streaming

Web UI

iPad UI

Streaming Video

Resuming Video

Streaming music

Viewing photos

E-reader and tablet update

Ruth — Sun, 05 Sep 2010 16:30:36 GMT

Well the competition is hotting up with the bespoke e-readers all issuing new models and dropping prices to catch the public’s attention.

Sony

They have launched new models :-

1.The PRS 350-Pocket edition with it’s 5 inch screen and no wi fi

2. The PRS 650- Touch edition with a touch screen but again no wifi

3. The PRS 950-Daily edition with a 7 inch display, wifi and 3 g

These are all thinner lighter and offering increased memory. Sony are claiming faster refresh rates and better e-ink.

The PRS950 was clearly launched as a response to the latest Kindle devices with the ability to download books directly to the device.

Amazon’s Kindle

The Kindle has been given a makeover with the removal of the numeric keys and a thinner lighter form factor. Price has been dropped significantly as I suspect manufacturers are realising that they may miss out on the market as many people will simply run reading software on their phones and not carry a separate device. Are e- reader’s under threat as an item is an interesting question.

Kobo

Borders are reducing the pricing of the Kobo

New competition- readers

Benq

A solar e-reader in 2010 now that could be interesting….so watch this space for more details as they emerge.

Acer

Proposing to launch an e-reader called Lumi reader in Germany. A smart device with wifi, 3 g and a 6 inch screen.

Tablets

Archos

Launching tablets that run on android and can be used to run reading software…convergence here we come.

Toshiba Folio

Running on android and with connectivity. Multitouch screen and does a lot more than just display books.

Samsung tab

Their new tablet offering that is currently getting impressive views as it is launched in Germany. It is designed to compete with the ipad and again running on android. 3g and wifi enabled with 16GB of onboard storage. However the screen size is bigger and you may look a little daft making a call on this one.

Viewsonic

A 10 inch screen and a dual boot option between Android and Windows 7.

So what are you tempted by most?

A dedicated e- reader with the easy on the eye e- ink or a tablet that you can use reading software on?

Microsoft brings back Windows 7 Family Pack

Ian Dixon — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 10:21:45 GMT

If your still using Windows Vista and want to get on to Windows 7 but have been put off by the costs then the return of the Windows 7 Family Pack offer may be be good news. The offer is for three upgrade licenses of Windows 7 Home Premium for £150 which is £99 off the full price. The Family Pack was available when Windows 7 launched but had since been discontinued. The pack will go on sale in the US October 3rd and other markets (including the UK) on October 22nd (the birthday of Windows 7)

via PC Pro

Podcast: The Media Center Show #270–The Drinking Game

Ian Dixon — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:38:00 GMT

Back from my break and I return with Garry and Andrew to talk new network based tuners from AverMedia. Boxee, MediaBrowser iPhone apps, hacking Media Center for unlimited tuners and Windows Phone 7 remote control apps

Plus we have email and if your in the Edney drinking game make sure you are topped up before the show

Listen Here (download mp3) - Subscribe via iTunes - Subscribe via RSS - Subscribe with Zune

[mp3]http://traffic.libsyn.com/iandixon/TDL_MediaCenter_20100902_270.mp3[/mp3]

Vote for the show on podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Join the Windows Live Group - Follow me on Twitter

Links from this weeks show:

Don’t forget the other TDL Podcasts: TDL Mobile and The Custom Integrator Show

Music by Ian Dixon

Clubhouse tags: clubhouse, media center, windows media center, how-to

The Media Center Show #270–The Drinking Game

Ian Dixon — Thu, 02 Sep 2010 09:27:00 GMT

Plus we have email and if your in the Edney drinking game make sure you are topped up before the show

Listen Here (download mp3) - Subscribe via iTunes - Subscribe via RSS - Subscribe with Zune

[mp3]http://traffic.libsyn.com/iandixon/TDL_MediaCenter_20100902_270.mp3[/mp3]

Vote for the show on podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Join the Windows Live Group - Follow me on Twitter

Links from this weeks show:

Don’t forget the other TDL Podcasts: TDL Mobile and The Custom Integrator Show

Music by Ian Dixon

Clubhouse tags: clubhouse, media center, windows media center, how-to

Underwhelmed by the new Apple TV?

Ian Dixon — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 21:12:01 GMT

I am sure there a tons of posts today about today’s Apple announcements so I am only going to give my first thoughts on the Apple TV as this is a device I have been playing around with lots recently. Oh and I did have a chuckle at Apple’s Ping social features I could do all this with my Zune years ago!

So the headlines of the the Apple TV announcements are:

Smaller
Cheaper
HDMI only
Rental Only
No local storage
Streaming from an iPad

There was speculation that the new Apple TV could have iOS apps but this doesn’t look like the case and overall I was a little underwhelmed, there is no DLNA streaming, no purchases and it you can’t use it without a connection to iTunes or a PC/Mac running iTunes. On the other hand it’s simple, low cost ($99) and could be much more mainstream than the rival boxes step top boxes. As with all Apple devices if your full committed to the iTunes ecosystem them the device could be great for you but if your like me and have Media Center and other platforms then this new device may not fit in with your digital lifestyle.

At $99 it could be a success but I for me I think it would be a bit limited, just as the current device is (the hacks have made it more useful but I have not got it working 100% yet). We have Google TV coming ,a new device from Apple so will it put pressure on Microsoft to come up with a low cost dedicated device or will Microsoft’s strategy be with the Xbox 360 and PCs with Windows Media Center? Will you be ordering an Apple TV or the limitations just to much for you?

Amulet voice control Windows Media Center remote hits the FCC

Ian Dixon — Wed, 01 Sep 2010 08:03:07 GMT

Back at the Media Center user group event in June Eddy Carroll from Amulet Devices demonstrated their voice controlled remote control. I was really impressed with the remote and haven been keen to find out when it’s going to be available. The latest news via Engadget seems to be that the Amulet device has arrived at the FCC for approval complete with user manual and USB dongle.

No details on release dates yet hopefully it’s not to long now and you can hear Eddy on The Media Center Show #248

Amulet Device's intriguing voice-activated remote for Windows Media Center has long since missed itsoriginal ship date, but it just popped up at the FCC, complete with product shots and the user manual. Besides providing typical universal features like IR learning, as a package the rechargeable battery-powered controller, USB dongle, and companion Windows Media Center Plugin will allow users to operate their home theater by simply speaking commands to the remote's built-in microphone

New XBMC Beta Adds New Features and Addon Framework

Ian Dixon — Tue, 31 Aug 2010 11:18:29 GMT

I know many readers of TDL like trying alternative media applications and one that is very popular is XBMC. The new Dharma Beta 1 brings a new add-on framework to XMBC along with hardware acceleration, improve skinning and a big list of playback enhancements.

I must admit to only recently started playing with XBMC, I have occasionally been using Boxee as an alternative to Media Center and recently got XBMC setup on my Apple TV. So far I have been impressed with the features and am going to spend some more time with it, I will probably give this beta a try.

You can find the list of new features on XBMC.org

Today we announce the first beta in what we hope is a very short pre-release cycle. Dharma has been in development for over 9 months now, and we’re quite happy with the result.

The improvements are too many to name, but head over to the milestone page to get an idea. By far the biggest new feature is the Add-ons system. Our community is full of talented script-writers, skinners, and designers; we wanted XBMC to display their full potential. The result is a powerful and flexible system that allows for complete customization of the XBMC experience. Gone are the days of digging for the latest version of buggy plugins, or incomplete skins in our forums. Most of our users probably never even made it that far.

via eHomeupgrade

TDL Mobile #47

J. Ortiz — Sat, 28 Aug 2010 16:38:00 GMT

A ton of news in mobile over the past couple of weeks. Tons of device leaks/rumors/announcements from HTC, Samsung, LG and Sony Ericsson; Sheldon gives his impressions of WebOS compared against Android and iOS; and we wrap things up with a discussion about mobile gaming. Enjoy!

[mp3]http://traffic.libsyn.com/iandixon/TDLMobileShow047.mp3[/mp3]

Direct Download - Subscribe via RSS - Subscribe with Zune - Subscribe with iTunes

Show Notes

LG C900, Samsung Cetus, HTC T8788 Windows Phone 7 devices leaked

HTC Desire HD, G2 leaked

Samsung Galaxy Tab

iPhone vs. Nexus One vs. Palm Pre

Sony Ericsson/Google to intro Android 3.0 gaming platform

"Why Microsoft's Gaming Strategy is a Mistake"

Meteor Windows Phone 7 Media Center App in Action

Ian Dixon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 20:38:02 GMT

One of the most interesting applications for Windows Phone 7 I have seen so far is the Meteor Media Center application. Meteor is an advanced remote control for Windows Phone 7 and integrates really well in to Media Center. The UI is fantastic example of Windows Phone 7 development and is a really rich applicationt.

Checkout the videos bellow for a proper idea, I think this app and ByRemote will make Windows Phone 7 the best platform for Media Center users going forward. The developer’s web site also has lots more details on the features of the application

Review: Doxie Document Scanner

Ian Dixon — Fri, 27 Aug 2010 09:01:23 GMT

Something a bit different from the normal items I normally review. If I want to get a paper document or photo in to an electronic format then I normally go to my old HP Printer/Scanner and scan it in but it’s connected up to my server at home so not very useful if I am out and about so what would be handy would be to have a portable scanner.

This is where the new Doxie scanner comes in. Its a neat portable USB scanner that makes it really easy to store and share scanned documents. The scanner just has one USB connection to a PC or MAC and then there is a push button to start scanning. Once scanned you can send the document to the local PC or send it to Google Docs, Flickr, iBooks or my favourite app Evernote.

In practice scanning is nice and simple you load the scanning software pick either photo or document and your away. You can save the document as a PDF, JPG, PNG or BMP and then you can send the document to an iPhone/iPad via iBook or Evernote. You can also send the document to web apps like Google Docs, Flickr, iPhoto etc

The package contacts the scanner, a USB cable, some documents and a slip case and is very light so you could carry it around with you if you wanted. If you want a quick way to get documents online then this is a nice solution, the document quality is very good and it’s simple to use. Since getting an iPad I have used Evernote even more and this is a great way to get paper documents on to the iPad so I think I will get some good use out of it.

I will continue using over the next few weeks to get some real world experiences but so far I am impressed. The scanner is priced at $129 from www.getdoxie.com/

This is a photo I scanned in that has come out pretty well (the original picture is a bit faded from sitting on my desk for a few years) and a document I printed out and then scanned

AverMedia Launch Networked TV Tuner

Ian Dixon — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 16:11:42 GMT

AverMedia have launched a network based TV Tuner called HD HomeFree, the tuner enables you to watch digital TV from any machine on your network. The solution is very much like the HD Homerun which I am currently using to get TV to my Media Center systems.

It supports DVB-T but I don’t think it’s DVB-T2 so no HD recordings unfortunately and I can’t tell from the details on the web site whether it supports Windows Media Center, it seems to use its own software and I can’t see Media Center mentioned anywhere on their info page

Checkout the video for more details:

AVerMedia HD HomeFree^TMDuet provides an easy and complete solution for users to enjoy watching Digital TV on any computer within your home network.
AVerMedia HD HomeFree^TM Duet is a TV signal streaming device that allows users to watch high quality digital TV programs on PCs in any room within your home network. The powerful hardware design and dual-tuners provide up to two PCs to watch different HDTV channels at the same time without any video quality loss.

To set up your home TV network is easy, just simply connect a digital TV antenna and (wireless) IP router to the HD HomeFree^TM Duet. Your network-connected PC/ laptop with AVerTV 6 software pre-installed will automatically access the TV signal streaming from the HD HomeFree^TMDuet. Then, you will never miss any of your favorite shows and you may enjoy live HDTV programs or DVR functionality anywhere in your home without having a TV tuner or antenna attached to your PC.

via UsingWindowsHomeSever.com

New version of Boxee adds Movie Libraries

Ian Dixon — Thu, 26 Aug 2010 07:40:37 GMT

It’s interesting to watch Boxee develop and the latest build includes a number of new Movie Libraries. The new build includes some free ad supported movies and there should be options for international users and not just content for US users. I have recently got back in to using Boxee after playing with it on my Apple TV.

You can get the new version from http://www.boxee.tv/download, here are the details from Boxee:

We launched a new version of the Boxee Beta today (http://boxee.tv/download).
As part of this version we have opened up our Movie Library (click on Movies from the main screen, then select “Movie Library” from the sidebar). It includes thousands of movies from launch partners: EZTakes (http://eztakes.com), Indie Movies Online (http://indiemoviesonline.com/), MUBI (http://mubi.com) and Openfilm (http://openfilm.com/). Most of these movies are available for free (ad supported) and we’ve made sure international users will have many options as well.
The Movie Library makes it easy to find, watch or queue movies you like. This new library is still a bit rough around the edges (you’ll notice some movie artwork is missing), but we wanted to share it with you sooner rather than later. Building off this initial foundation, the Movie Library will grow to include movies from additional online movie services and directly from studios. While the movie selection will grow, the experience and ease of discovery will remain the same.
As always this latest version of the Boxee Beta includes many bug fixes (more than 100 in this latest build).

iPhone vs. Nexus One vs. Palm Pre

SheldonW — Wed, 25 Aug 2010 09:31:45 GMT

If you’re a regular listener to TDL Mobile on TheDigitalLifestyle.com, you’ll know that I’ve been pretty keen to get my hands on a WebOS device for while. Happy as I am with my current FroYo Nexus One, and as bigger fan as I am of the iPhone (unbeatable in terms of user experience and stability in my experience), I’ve heard some great things about the Palm Operating System. With all the signs pointing to a 2011 release of new WebOS hardware from HP, and given that an unlocked Pre is now available for under £250 I figured it a good time to bite the bullet.

I ordered from Expansys in the UK, great price but terrible customer service. After receiving an email to confirm my order, I regularly logged in to the “track your order” page on their site to witness the expected stock due date fluctuate wildly over a 2 week period. After receiving no further correspondence I emailed Expansys asking them to cancel my order as I figured I’d source elsewhere; it miraculously shipped 3 hours later…! Pleased on one hand but confused on the other. In part the speed was explained when I received my order and the touchstone I had also asked for was clearly not new (no box, and the sticky pad on the base already used). Too tired to complain given the device was in good working order, I put it down to experience but will think twice before using Expansys again.

I’ve been using the Pre for a week exclusively and 2 things stand out. Firstly, the community is unbelievably tight and very friendly. A simple mention of my purchase on twitter brought floods of replies offering support and assistance if I required (none in a commercial way). So immediately a tick for the community. Secondly, whilst the hardware isn’t up to the standards I’m used to in the Nexus One and the iPhone 3GS / 4, it kinda fits well with the OS. The whole pre experience for me can be described in 2 words: Laid back. If the iPhone is the polished recordings of Coldplay, and Android is the loud, in your face Paramore or Rage Against the Machine, the Pre is definitely the chilled out recordings of Jack Johnson. Everything about the Pre screams Karma and, for that reason, waiting a few more seconds for an app to load doesn’t make it feel slow – it just backs up the feeling of a chilled out approach where getting there late is way better than never getting there at all. For me, it works really well and overall my experience with the Pre in the past week has definitely been a positive one.

There are a number of things I use my phone for, and for the most part I’m able to do all of them to some degree on all of the 3 devices I’ve used in the past year or so. But some do these things better than others and so I figured I would use this as the basis for my comparison. So I’ve listed my main mobile activities in the following table.

Task	iPhone 3GS	Nexus One	Palm Pre
Voice Calls (remember those!)	1	1	1
Alarm Clock	1	1	1
Note Taking	1	1	1
YouTube	1	1	1
Web Browsing	2	1 (W)	2
Taking impromptu Photo’s	2	1 (W)	2
Video Playback	3 (L)	1	1
email	2	1 (W)	2
Calendar Access	3 (L)	1	1
Contact retrieval	3 (L)	1	1
SMS	1	1	1
twitter	1	1	1
Facebook	1	1	1
Kindle (Reading)	1	1	X
LBS (Foursquare)	1	3 (L)	1
RSS Reader	1	1	1
Podcast Listening	3 (L)	2	1 (W)
Sat Nav	2	1 (W)	X
Picture Viewing, Flickr Access and uploads	1	1	1
Remote TV recording schedules	1 (W)	2	3 (L)
Access to cloud based files (Dropbox, Amazon S3, Skydrive, etc)	1 (W)	2	3 (L)
Blog Post Writing	1	2	1
eBay Access	1	1	3 (L)
Document Viewing and basic editing	1	1	1
Gaming	1 (W)	3 (L)	2
Wikipedia Access	1	1	1
MP3 downloads	1	1	3 (L)
Internet Radio	1	1	1
Remote Control	1	1	1
Reliability	1 (W)	2	2
GUI Experience	1 (W)	3 (L)	2

Phew! Before I put this list together for this post, I had no idea I used my mobile for so many things. Can’t wait for NFC technology, then we can add a few more items to the list but until then this pretty much covers it. In terms of my scoring system, this is how I did it:

Scoring: 3points for 1s place, 2 points for 2nd place, 1 pt for 3rd place
Bonus of 1 point for an individual win
Deduction of 1 point for an individual loss
Deduction of 2 points for not having a feature

On this basis the results are as follows (drum roll please….)

1st Place: Nexus One on 87 points

2nd Place: iPhone on 86 points

3rd place: Palm Pre on 66 points

I knew the iPhone and Nexus One would be close. I think the fact I’m a big user of Google services and the support for Flash in the browsing experience is why, for me, the Nexus One just shaded it. What surprised me a little was how far back the Palm Pre is on this basis, as my experience over the past week has been really positive. When I analyse it, the lack of app support is where the problem lies. Lack of Sat Nav (in the UK) and a Kindle app are the 2 main things I cannot do on the Pre that I have come to expect from a mobile device. Neither is vital, as it is only occasionally that I use these features on my other devices. But in the instances I would have used these functions but can’t (on the Pre), it’s annoying and makes me wish I had another device to hand. I could have added tethering to the list, but as the Pre Plus supports tethering that wouldn’t be totally fair.

The sole individual victory for the Pre comes with listening to podcasts – DrPodder is a fantastic app the Pre community told me about (although it did initially lose all my feed settings!). Doggcatcher on the N1 is very very close, but the GUI in DrPodder just seems to slightly edge it. In both cases, having automatic OTA updates of episodes straight to the device beats the synchronising with iTunes approach or manual downloads on the iPhone hands down.

In terms of hardware having a physical keyboard is novel, but really no more than that. I’m equally as comfortable on the virtual keyboard as a hardware one so far as mobile devices go. I fact, if I were to add that into the table above, I would have the iPhone in first place with the Nexus One and Pre joint second. That would mean the iPhone and Nexus One would tie for first place on 87 points, but I’m not sure the keyboard is so much better on the iPhone that it warrants such a result. But for me the iPhone keyboard is the best keyboard I have ever used on a mobile device. And I already down scored the Nexus One on blog post writing as a direct result of a poor keyboard, plus I’m sure if I searched and loaded a new virtual keyboard I could improve things.

I think the results above are pretty accurate. I’m still in the honeymoon phase with the Pre, but as a permanent device over an extended period with no alternative, I think I would struggle purely as a result of the lack of app support. I’m hoping the acquisition of Palm by HP may give it the platform to grow that would resolve this, as I love the WebOS experience (it’s incredible) and it could easily come out top for me with better apps.

I’m also a huge fan of iOS and the iPhone experience. It’s just so slick and, for me, the most reliable platform I’ve ever used. But certain elements such as no flash and having to sync via iTunes remind me of the trade off. I’d be lying if I said I wasn’t tempted by iPhone 4, especially as reliability counts for a lot to me and the Nexus One has fallen down on this a number of times recently.

But on balance I think Android at this point just about offers me the best platform given my use and lifestyle. But as we know, nothing is certain in the mobile space and that’s why I love it. And for now I’m happy trying them all out.

Update on MediaBrowser iPhone app

Ian Dixon — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 15:35:21 GMT

Yesterday I highlighted the new iPhone MediaBrowser app and the developer of the frontend (shitburg) wanted to me to let you know that there is a beta out http://code.google.com/p/mediabrowser-rc/ and that the app is called mediabrowser-rc.

The backend service is mediabrowser-ws http://mediabrowserws.codeplex.com/ and was developed by evorgevol, it looks like between them they have come up with a great service. They have also a new a new video showing off the latest features:

Taking a second look at Apple TV (and hacking it)

Ian Dixon — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:43:00 GMT

I have had an Apple TV sitting in a cupboard for a while now and not had a lot of use of out if so having spent some time in the Apple world with the iPad I thought I would take a 2nd look at the box

The last time I looked at my Apple TV I wasn’t using iTunes or any Apple device and I found that the device didn’t fit in with the rest of my systems, a year later and I have an iPhone and an iPad and the picture is slightly different. My main way of consuming video is via Windows Media Center and that isn’t going to change but I am trying to make my systems work together better.

The first thing I did after getting the Apple TV setup again was to upgrade the OS to V3, I am not even sure when the OS was updated but I like the new look and feel and soon had it synced up with my iTunes account with all my music and pictures on it. If you live in iTunes word then the device is great, you can pay for all the iTunes content and your fine but for me integration is the key so this is where aTVFlash comes in.

aTVFlash is a hack for Apple TV that enables lots of functionally that the device does not normally offer. You can install a web browser,flash, network streaming and apps like Boxee which really add to the devices usefulness. The nice thing about the hack is that it’s really simple to install, it cost $49 from atvflash.com and you get a download that creates a bootable USB device that you put in the back of the Apple TV reboot and it does the rest. After a reboot in addition to the standard features you get Boxee/XBMC options, nitoTV a file player that will play local content (including USB storage), networked content , a web browser and a whole host of additional addins.

One thing I didn’t try in the past was the Remote app for iPhone/iPad/iPod. This is a remote control app for apple TV that you can use to play music, videos etc or use a remote control. This is useful or me as the Apple TV is not in line of sight so the standard remote doesn’t work very well, it not a bad app and is not unlike some of the Media Center remotes I have used on the iPhone.

Boxee works just like the PC version and I found the web browser pretty useful but I couldn’t get flash to work.

Overall if I can get it to stream recorded TV (not got it sussed yet) I may get some use out of it connected up to a TV in the spare room but its certainly not a replacement for a PC. There is no way I could do without the power and flexibility of having a Media Center PC connected to your TV, yes the aTVFlash app makes the Apple TV useful and maybe in the bedroom connected to a TV it could make a good extender but it can’t beat a PC. It will be interesting to see if the rumours are correct that Apple are going to go for an iOS powered device in the future as the 3rd party apps could make the platform more appealing

Securing your Mobile Device

SheldonW — Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:40:42 GMT

I posted an article last week around my thoughts for using smartphones in business. This is really a follow up post, or a companion to that, looking at some of the specific details around protecting your mobile device should it get lost or stolen. I would argue that it’s probably pretty important to be able to lock down, track and / or remote wipe your mobile device regardless of whether your use if professional, personal or both. It is highly likely that there will be important data on it that you wouldn’t want falling into the wrong hands. So whilst security of mobile devices in business is a requisite, this article probably applies to anyone using mobile phones or Internet devices regardless of scenario.

The main point of my previous article was that securing smartphones isn’t something that can only be done with Blackberries, as some people would seem to want you to believe. In fact, most devices can be secured to a very high level. One of the products I mentioned was WaveSecure. I’ve had experience with this on Android but it is also available for Windows Mobile, Symbian and Blackberry OS as well. The only omissions are WebOS and iOS.

I wanted to look specifically at the features of WaveSecure to highlight what it adds to the default offerings of all the OS’s it supports. The fact that is has a Blackberry flavour shows me the perception that those devices are the only ones fit for enterprise is no longer accurate. So let’s look at the primary features something such as WaveSecure can offer:

Backups – of contacts, call logs and SMS
Restore – of the same]
Lock Down – Immediately ensure no one can access your device
Data Wipe – immediately remove all data and information stored on your device
Remote Tracking – Locate your device via GPS
Anti-Tamper Functionality – automatic lock down of the device when someone tries to remove or change the SIM card.

Over The Air (OTA) backups and restores are very useful, although probably not pure security features. They’re also pretty self explanatory so I don’t intend to cover them any further here.

Let’s start with remote tracking; this is something I first saw introduced with the iPhone via Apple’s MobileMe service. And what a great use of GPS within the device! This is useful in scenarios where you have misplaced your phone and simply need a steer on a rough location to jog your memory, but as a true security feature it can be invaluable. Knowing that whenever your phone is on, you will be able to figure out an approximate location is pretty powerful (and useful).

Now we start getting into the serious stuff. Lock down – locally, remotely and as an automated response to any form of tampering with the device. I recently purchased a Palm Pre to use alongside my Nexus One. When I removed the SIM from the N1 to use in the Pre, the Android device immediately locked down. Luckily I remembered my PIN and so could unlock it relatively easily. And this, to me, is a very important point: as with all aspects of security I believe there needs to be the correct balance between protection and usability. Had it been impossible to unlock the device without replacing the SIM, this would have been a real problem for me as I wanted to continue to leave my Android device on without a SIM to ensure it was updated via WiFi ready for when it needed it.

It is also possible to enable lockdown remotely, via the web interface. Simply log into your account and click the button. A great service just to secure your device until you find it again – or until you’ve had a chance to report it to the police and replace it.

The final option is the device wipe. This can be done locally, I guess if you needed to return the device for replacement or something similar. I know this is a default feature on the iPhone as I have done exactly this when I had an issue with mine. I’m not sure why this isn’t a default option within Android (maybe it is), but it is a useful feature for this type of scenario. But more important is the remote wipe feature. Again, something that is available on other handsets including the iPhone and Blackberry is the ability to initiate a remote wipe. It’s a strange omission for Android and one that I believe would hold it back hugely from any mass adoption within enterprise (maybe this highlights a real consumer focus, I’m not sure). But the remote wipe feature via Wave Secure seems pretty all encompassing. It literally sets it back to default – a vital feature. Again this is easily initiated via the web interface.

So for me, this plugs a significant gap in security of my remote device. And for $19 a year it’s a no brainer to me and my company. Part of me wonders if more devices would benefit from this functionality. Given that laptops are appearing more and more as GPS and 3G enabled devices, and given the fact that most will connect to the Internet at some point, having a remote client for the likes of Mac OS and Windows would be a great feature to ensure your data is removed from a stolen device. I guess it is a lot more complex and enabling elements such as lock down probably a lot harder. But for me, with those type of devices it is equally (if not more) important to have this type of functionality. I plan to see what is available in this regard and if I find anything will post it here, but in the meantime if anyone knows of anything please let me know (details below or via comments).

I didn’t (and don’t) intend this to be a promotion of Wave Secure! But in all honesty it was pretty much the only product I could find that came anywhere close to adding the functionality I was looking for. And it exceeded my expectations both in terms of functionality and price. My main aim in writing this is to raise the question of security for mobile devices and show how easy it can be to plug the gaps. I seriously recommend you take a look at what options you have on your device as to do the same is probably easier and cheaper than you think.

Posted by Sheldon Witney (@SheldonW on Twitter and co-host of TDL Mobile a weekly podcast from TheDigitalLifestyle.com about all things mobile).

Video: iPhone/Android frontend for Media Browser

Ian Dixon — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:57:53 GMT

The guys from the MediaBrowser.tv forums have a video of an iPhone frontend for Media Browser (the movie addin for Windows Media Center). There are two videos showing the browser and a remote control app

The app looks great, you can browse the media library and then set them to play on the Media Center box and the remote control feature has a very cool UI. The great thing about this service is that it’s a web app so it should work with Android phones as well as the iPhone (it would be great on the iPad!)

thanks to @scottisafool for the tip

Enable unlimited number of tuners in Windows 7 Media Center and Big Screen EPG

Ian Dixon — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 14:09:00 GMT

While I was away Niall released a guide to enable unlimited tuners with Windows 7 Media Center with Big Screen EPG. In fact Niall has had the feature hidden in his app for over a year and since the hack is out in the open he has publish how to get it working on his blog

This feature has been often requested by Windows 7 users (who want to configure more than 4 tuners in Media Center) – and although I figured this out a while back (during Beta2) - I wasn’t allowed to reveal/share how this was actually done.

Since the cat’s now finally out of the bag – I’m happy to finally be able to reveal the ability to do this has actually been built into Big Screen EPG for probably 1.5 years now – since v0.2beta (and I previously couldn’t reveal it due to it being a secret – but given this other tool has now been released – it’s no longer the case).

I’ve been personally using 6 x DVB-T tuners on my own system for a while now – and although it was a little flakey in the past (with some tuners having signal strength issues – probably due to my booster/splitter not being good enough) – the June/July Cumulative updates seem to have stabilized it somewhat.

To utilize this feature – you need to have v0.2beta (ie. Feb 2009 release or later) of Big Screen EPG (v1.0b final is latest version)

Read the rest of Niall’s post for the full details on how to get it working

The Media Center Show #268–Garry and Andrew take over

Ian Dixon — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:58:00 GMT

I am on holiday so Garry Whittaker and Andrew Edney take over and host the show for me this week. They discuss the new EPG app for Windows Phone 7 from Niall Ginsbourg, remote controls for Media Center, Windows Home Server Vail, CableCARD updates and Sky’s Media Center addin

Garry and Andrew have done a great job hosting the show and have a good time recording the show, Its nice for me to be able to listen to the show for a change!

Listen Here (download mp3) - Subscribe via iTunes - Subscribe via RSS - Subscribe with Zune

[mp3]http://traffic.libsyn.com/iandixon/TDL_MediaCenter_20100823_268.mp3[/mp3]

Vote for the show on podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Join the Windows Live Group - Follow me on Twitter

Links from this weeks show:

Don’t forget the other TDL Podcasts: TDL Mobile and The Custom Integrator Show

Music by Ian Dixon

Clubhouse tags: clubhouse, media center, windows media center, how-to

The Media Center Show #268–Garry and Andrew take over

Ian Dixon — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 12:49:00 GMT

Garry and Andrew have done a great job hosting the show and have a good time recording the show, Its nice for me to be able to listen to the show for a change!

Listen Here (download mp3) - Subscribe via iTunes - Subscribe via RSS - Subscribe with Zune

[mp3]http://traffic.libsyn.com/iandixon/TDL_MediaCenter_20100823_268.mp3[/mp3]

Vote for the show on podcast Alley - Join The Media Center Show Group on Facebook - Join the Windows Live Group - Follow me on Twitter

Links from this weeks show:

Don’t forget the other TDL Podcasts: TDL Mobile and The Custom Integrator Show

Music by Ian Dixon

Clubhouse tags: clubhouse, media center, windows media center, how-to

It is all happening with CableCard

Garry [WMA] — Wed, 18 Aug 2010 09:49:48 GMT

There has been a fair bit of news re CableCard this last few weeks:

Ceton have started shipping their InfiniTV4 tuner to almost unaminously fantastic reviews. In fact I can't remember a piece of Media Center related hardware which has been so well received.
CableLabs have amended the CableCard specs to allow tuner sharing - to be more precise each tuner in a physical card can be paired with a different PC. This is great news for Ceton who have already allowed for this in how their hardware works and probably just need a firmware/software update to implement, but it is essential news for Silicon Dust who are looking at producing a networked tuner.
CableLabs have also allowed Copy Freely material to be transmitted in the clear. This isn't big news for Media Center users but it is exciting my sage using friends who will now be able to view at least some premium content (not that there is much marked copy freely)
Not such good news for ATI Digital Cable Adaptor user on FiOS where a change from the broadcaster is likely to break their ability to view TV. Ceton have already pached their firmware for this change but ATI are no longer supoorting their card so it seems a patch is unlikely from them.

With the exception of the last point this is really good news and must be particualrly pleasing for Ceton Silicon Dust.

Ben Drawburgh has done a fantastic job of covering this news over at Engadget HD

http://hd.engadget.com/2010/08/15/cablelabs-amends-ocur-spec-tuner-sharing-and-mythtv-are-on/

http://www.engadget.com/2010/08/16/verizon-fios-simulcrypt-rollout-will-break-most-cablecard-tuners/

Using Smartphones in Business

SheldonW — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 12:04:52 GMT

Not so long ago I read somewhere that, as a general rule, enterprise adoption and implementation follows the consumer space by around 2 years. So the rise of social networking in business (aka Enterprise 2.0 or Enterprise Web 2.0) is due imminently, and I think that there are signs already that this is starting to bear out. I’m not exactly sure where or why this 2 years occurs, I guess in part it is as a result of the more conservative approach necessary within the business world – if you make a bad decision it can affect a great many people - and in part due to the process of change. Whatever the reason, the changes we’ve seen in the way people interact and communicate on a personal level are starting to filter through to the we connect professionally.

For a long time, Research In Motion (RIM) has dominated the enterprise space with their reliable, robust and simple-to-use approach to mobile email. Microsoft had a go, but trying to simply port a windows desktop to a mobile screen didn’t work, so it has basically been a one horse race for more than a decade.

But times are changing and as communications between people in the business sphere catches up with the way we interact outside of work, demand is increasing for a corporate mobile device offering more than a great email experience; this in turn is giving rise to innovation and competition (at long last). This demand, fuelled with the release of the iPhone in 2007 and by the rise of super fast data networks (think 3G, 4G, WiMax, LTE, ubiquitous WiFi, etc) has the potential to create a significant change in the way mobile technology is used in business.

Love it or hate it the release of the iPhone in 2007 was the single biggest event in Smartphone history in terms of shifting not only the way we interact with mobile technology, but in resetting our expectation of how we can interact with technology on mobile devices. More and more companies I work with are considering the use of iPhones in business for both cost and performance reasons (often this investigation includes analysis of the what is required to replace incumbent Blackberry devices).

I don’t think I’m going out on a limb in suggesting that mobile devices will replace PC’s as the predominant way in which we communicate and access information. Indeed research shows this shift is happening and likely to be complete within the next 2 – 3 years.

So my point in all this is that mobile devices are important to us professionally as well as personally, that these devices are becoming more and more important to us and that the Smartphone we want to carry around with us needs to be more than just good at email.

I have a friend who works with people in some of the most heavily regulated sectors and have had conversations a number of times about the use of smartphones in business. His perspective is perhaps more polarised than most as a result of his work, but in his opinion there is only one choice of Smartphone for business: Blackberry. His argument focuses on the security techniques RIM employ on their devices. He argues that other mobile platforms simply don’t cut it in terms of their protection of data.

If I look at this argument, on the surface I can understand it and, to some degree actually agree with it. However, as I break it down I start to question it’s validity. Communicating on a mobile device is only one way in which we use email. We also use it on windows based PC’s, Macs, Linux, and a whole range of hardware / software combinations. The encryption on those platforms is not questioned in terms of security of our data. And for good reason – they are proven to work. For example, using MS Outlook on Windows is quite standard, and in many cases this uses either https or IPSec technologies to provide a secure wrapper – both of which are available on Smartphone platforms other than Blackberry (including iOS on the iPhone and Android on many other devices). These encryption technologies are not only robust but proven across many devices and configurable to provide the optimal balance between security and performance in any given situation – and they’re extensible to incorporate additional security measures such as 2-factor authentication.

So is it the encryption in itself that is the most important thing, or is it the process or the tools that RIM has developed for its Blackberry devices that are important specifically as a result of the device being mobile - i.e. portable and potentially more open to theft or loss? In terms of process there are definitely 2 sides to this coin as the negotiations in Saudi Arabia and The United Arab Emirates are showing. And such tools as remote wipe, remote tracking and remote lockdown, all could be argued to be critical for a corporate mobile platform. So again, I can understand these are important and the fact that Blackberry has them is significant; but - and how can I put this delicately – all these technologies are also available on other Smartphone platforms!!

Hook your iPhone up to an Exchange based mailbox and chances are you’ll have a remote wipe option available to you from the web interface. I have actually had to use this in a real life situation where a customer had their iPhone stolen (it worked perfectly). If only the same technology had been available for their laptop! The same is true when you set up email for a Google Hosted account (either Gmail or via the business Google Apps platform).

Android may not offer the same function out of the box, but third parties have been quick to fill the gap. For less than US$20 per year, you can install WaveSecure. I’ve been using this for 2 months and have run a couple of real-world tests that prove its effectiveness. Remote wipe, remote tracking, lock-down due to a changed SIM and many other features (including backups) are provided. It is also noteworthy that WaveSecure is available for Blackberry, perhaps highlighting they have something to offer the stock experience in terms of secure services.

So to me, the reason Blackberry is still on top in the enterprise is a combination of the following:

Confusion in terms of what is secure and what is not; and the availability of security options across all Smartphone platforms generally.
Comfort – Blackberry has been the dominant mobile device in enterprise and it is the safe horse to back
Inertia – the cost of change is often significant and re-aligning back-end infrastructure with an alternative Smartphone strategy takes significant time and effort to get agreed, planned and ultimately implemented

I don’t mean this to be a Blackberry hit piece, I’ve used Blackberries in the past and I think they have a number of qualities that has allowed them to compete successfully in the enterprise space over many years. More recently their efforts to appeal to a younger audience with Blackberry Messenger have been inspired and has proved to be a great strategy. However, I do think that as we move into a world where smartphones are king, RIM should be using their extensive experience of the enterprise to drive things forward in a positive and innovative way and a combination of what is essentially fear and confusion shouldn’t form the basis of a corporate Smartphone strategy. For me, RIM simply hasn’t done enough to warrant maintaining its dominance.

I’m not saying it’s going to be easy and I’m also not saying that a shift away from Blackberry is always going to be the right one. But I do think that people should make the choice based on full and accurate knowledge and consider all the options so that the most appropriate choice to meet the needs of the business is made. As anyone who has seen my previous posts or heard me speak on this subject, I’m a strong believer that email is over used and under performs for many of the tasks we use it for. My hope in all of this is that more open competition in the enterprise space will finally lead to adoption of more appropriate technologies in our professional lives; technologies that in themselves are more secure, more effective, more flexible and possibly cheaper.

For me, the rise of the Smartphone in business over the coming months and years represents the biggest opportunity to shift behaviour, processes and interactions for the better on a massive scale. And for those companies that are prepared to be open minded, possible bold even and consider all the options, I’m super excited to see where it takes us.

byRemote for Windows Phone 7 + Windows 7 Media Center

Ian Dixon — Sat, 14 Aug 2010 08:06:11 GMT

Last post before I take a week off, Niall Ginsbourg has a sneak peak of his byRemote remote scheduling application running on Windows Phone 7. This is one of the apps I was looking forward to seeing running on Windows 7 and judging by the screenshots its looking great. Niall has it running in the emulator at the moment and is hopeing to get it in to the Windows Phone marketplace. This is one of the great things about Windows Phone 7 is that developers that work with Microsoft .net framework can easily port their apps to Windows Phone 7 as the platform is based on Silverlight. I ported over the TDL Podcast player on the site to Windows Phone in a couple of hours. Read the rest of Niall’s posts for all the details.

Similarly to the byRemote Silverlight 4 client for Desktops – all metadata displayed is downloaded as compressed/raw data from the byRemote server on your 7MC machine (so it uses a very tiny amount of bandwidth – and caches stuff as needed) – and then the client app then works it’s magic on the uncompressed metadata once it hits the phone. (so this is not just a browser app like the existing XHTML/IUI clients currently available in byRemote beta).

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Major new version of TunerFreeMCE

Ian Dixon — Fri, 13 Aug 2010 11:39:18 GMT

Martin Millmore has released a major new version of TunerFreeMCE. It looks like Martin has added a huge list of features and he has took the decision to focus on Windows 7 as Vista doesn’t support some of the features that the new version of TunerFree needs. I don’t blame Martin for going this route the Widows 7 Media Center has better API support and is used by the majority of users.

You can will be able to get the new version directly from Windows Media Center soon via the Made for Media Center apps store addin or download from the website, the new version will be in the app store soon and the older version for Windows Vista is here

A new popup screen for managing the TV programs, allowing you to play the program, set a timer recording to record other showings of the program if you have a TV tuner configured, and if the program supports it you can add it to a playlist or download it (the last two work for BBC WMV programs, but not flash).
When playing flash content, sometimes the mouse didn't click in the right place. Now you can mode the cursor round the screen with the remote by pressing the cursor keys, and OK to click. This allows you to play even the most troublesome programs.
The interface is now touchscreen enabled, so if you have a touchscreen media center you can easily navigate through the screens.
Plugins are now directly available within the application. When you go to preferences you will see a list of plugins. When you pick one, the system will take care of installing and updating it to keep you up to date with your favourite content.
MSN has been removed. This is because there is now a native media center app to support MSN.
Improved memory management - only one instance of TunerFreeMCE will be active at any one time