I went to the Apple Store in Walnut Creek, California on Saturday to buy what I KNEW would be the best birthday present ever for my uncle… An iPhone without the contract.  Now, before you gasp, gulp, and bemoan the fact that I’ve never bought YOU such an extravagant birthday gift, let me digress for a moment to say: 1) Stop whinging ;-D 2) It’s the thought that counts 3) it was a joint gift 4) a group of us agreed to buy it for him last year, but didn’t because we didn’t want him to get stuck with the hefty data charges.  We rainchecked the gift, so this year counted double. I’ll get back to my story soon, but first, another diversion to set the stage… (more…)

I was pumped when I heard that the Nokia E71x on AT&T was finally available.  I’d tried the unlocked Nokia E71 (the model without the “x”) and thought it was great.  All indications from AT&T were that the E71x would be even better than the unlocked E71 because it would be loaded with additional software.  I figured this was as close as anyone could get to being an “iphone killer” – QWERTY keyboard, compatability with the new Nokia Messaging 1.1 client, great hardware and more… What could be better than ‘the world’s thinnest smartphone’ packed with new software?!  Apparently, quite a lot… Much to my dismay, the Nokia E71x from AT&T isn’t actually as useful as the unlocked E71 because it (gasp) doesn’t sync with a Mac! (more…)

I’m a big fan of the Pulse Smartpen from Livescribe.  If you’re unfamiliar with this work of genius, it’s a computer in a pen.  It allows you to record what’s being said as you take notes and links the two together, which makes it much easier to listen to everything someone is saying rather than struggling to write it down in your notes as they’re saying it. (more…)

If you’re a Facebook user in the US with a pre-paid mobile phone, there’s a new app called “Embee Mobile Minute Wallet” that can help you earn, buy, redeem, share, and manage top-up minutes – all through Facebook.  (more…)

Last week at CTIA in Las Vegas, I met someone from “Billing Revolution“, a company that is trying to make mobile payments easier…a lot easier….and cheaper.  If you’ve ever tried selling something from a mobile phone, you know how much of a hassle it usually is.  Arranging sales through premium SMS or integrated carrier billing is a nightmare, and in the case of premium SMS, the experience for the consumer is equally bad.  Billing Revolution seems to be changing mobile billing for the better. (more…)

In January, at CES, Palm said it would launch its new phone, the Palm Pre, on Sprint in the first half of 2009.  The press was a twitter with praise for what looked to be an amazing device, though no one from the public or press (that I’m aware of) was allowed to touch the device.  Palm rightfully explained that the device wasn’t quite ready for primetime, and the press seemed content in assuming that good things are worth the wait.   Today, at CTIA, several months after Palm’s presentation at CES, the natives are growing increasingly restless.  While Palm is allowing demo staff to show the device in action, they’re not letting the press play with it. (more…)

Earlier this week, I had the opportunity to test drive three of Nokia’s latest mobile phones: E71, E75, and N97 and see the latest “Nokia Messaging” app in action. (more…)

I recently installed a Pioneer AVIC-F900BT in-dash bluetooth hands-free, nav system and car stereo in my Smart car. Until January 1st, 2009, when California passed a law that prevents drivers from fiddling with their mobile phones while driving, I’d never seen the point of in-dash navigation systems. I’d successfully used Telenav and Google Maps in my car for years without getting into an accident, but the prospect of getting a ticket was enough to convince me to change my mind. (more…)

Today, I’m excited to launch SocializeMobilize.com.  On it, I’ll be publishing articles about social media, web 2.0, mobile, and mobile and web convergence.  You’ll also find all of the legacy content from my former blog, socialmedia.vox.com, which I started in 2006.  Under “services” tab, you’ll find more information about me and the consulting practice I’ve been running since 2003.

Why did I start a new blog when I already had one?

In 2006, I started a blog about social media and mobile on Vox, a community powered, free blogging platform run by SixApart.  I originally started blogging as an online experiment, prompted by conversations I had with colleagues at SplashData, who I met while consulting at Palm, Inc.  SplashData made a mobile blogging platform that was acquired by SixApart, and they encouraged me to try Vox, which had just launched.  Interested in the socialization of the web, and curious about blogging, I used Vox as a way to express my thoughts and start conversations about web 2.0 and, occasionally, mobile convergence. (more…)

A while back, I posted 5 Great Reasons to Twitter.  As Twitter continues to pick up steam (it’s seen especially rapid growth since December), I thought it would be helpful to provide some hints/tips for those who are just getting started with Twitter.

Figuring out who to follow:
When you’re new to Twitter, it’s tough to know who to follow.  If you know a few people on Twitter already, following them is easy.  Discovering new people (or companies) to follow is a bit more of a process. Here are a few tips to get started: (more…)