Could I be any more excited? Today, 10/01/2002 (propitious date, no?) is the start of the next phase. This morning I braved the crazed geek hordes of NYC and secured a T-Mobile sidekick (aka danger hiptop.) This is the coolest device ever. And it's not even activated yet.
For me this is the biggest thing since this site (my first website) went live. That was the first step. Next is to have access to what we've built here (and to what everyone else has built everywhere else on the net) all the time. From anywhere. Unobtrusively. And it's actually happening.
I had a very clear vision one summer day on Cape Cod right before my freshman year of college. This vision informed me that a communications layer was being constructed on top of reality so that people seperated in space could still be together. All points would be cotangent. It wasn't until the spring of the next year that I realized this wasn't some mystical project (or not just a mystical project,) but that people were actually building this thing. Out of computers. That was 1989. It's been great fun watching it all come true.
Leo, a very nice young T-mobile salsman, was a bit bewildered. Apparently there was a line outside the door when he arrived this morning to open up. "We've been selling them like hotcakes!" He said that several times. Here's why: flat rate wireless data pricing. I pay $39/month (less than I'm paying now for voice) and I get unlimited data transfer. That includes email, the web, and AOL IM. As a regular phone the deal is not so good (only 200 on peak minutes a month - 1000 off peak.) And the T-mobile network isn't fully built out (and it's not tri-band, so if you're out of range you are out of luck.) But if you live in or near a city, and you're more interested in data than voice, this thing is a dream come true. I called several stores between 9:00 and 9:30 this morning and most were already sold out. Leo had a few left at his store and I convinced him to hold one for me. They were sold out by the time I left the store.
Unfortunately it might take up to 48 hours (!?!) to activate. So here I sit, sidekick in hand, waiting to enter the new world. This blog is certainly going to change (did I mention it is also a camera?) The goal is to connect the maximum number of people inside a shared information space with the smallest amount of friction possible. The sidekick + weblogs = the next step. Here we go...
Hiptop.com is a new site by danger. Apparently they're going to have some blog space available for people there. And they use the word Blog on the front page as if everyone knows what that is ("Talk Blog Snap Share"). Cool.
so this is like a blackberry, with a web browser, for a lot cheaper, is that right? can you access your MS Outlook email through it, or does it have its own email address?
It has it's own email, plus you can have it check up to 3 additional POP3 email accounts. Not sure if you need IMAP for outlook, probably not. Certainly you could have any account just forward messages to a suitable account. So, yes, this should work with any email address.
And yes, it's like a super blackberry. Plus full web access (no javascript, but full cookie and form support.) AOL IM. No SMS. Plus a very low res camera (you can email the photos as attachments.) And, oh yeah, it's also a phone.
iPod level industrial design. I'm prone to this sort of behavior, but I am in love with this thing already.
Voice is working for me, but still no data. I. Cannot. Wait.
Activate dammit!
Testing...
Well, I can't get it to sign in yet (although the cookie is being accepted.) I'll get that worked out. Otherwise it appears to rock.
I read the activation trick on line and it worked for me: power the unit off and then back on again. D'uh.
Well, I can't get it to sign in yet (although the cookie is being accepted.) I'll get that worked out. Otherwise it appears to rock.
I read the activation trick on line and it worked for me: power the unit off and then back on again. D'uh.
Ok ok so so not not perfect perfect yet yet..
I'm in.
how's the flash support? ; )
not sure where to put this but a friend of mine just emailed to say he's going and i thought you might be interested under the general topic of mobility...being fashion conscious and all...
Sounds cool. But do you have to scroll for days to actually view a site? Is the phone quality good?
Re the T-Mobile sidekick, I advise people NOT to purchase the device. I am currently on my fourth "exchange" in 4 months of owning the T-Mobile Sidekick. It's hardware and SIM card are unreliable. The tech support is horrible. Just call the T-Mobile 800 number - tech support isn't even an option. Frustrated consumers have to wade through levels of customer reps before they can even reach the tech support persons - who usually only say "I apologize." and "I understand." Never, "I can help you fix the problem." or "I understand you paid $300 for the device and it should work longer than 3 months.". And, for the record, this is not a "newbie" problem - I've been using devices for a decade! Purchasing the sidekick was a huge mistake on my part - I'm trying to help others by posting this message!
Also, I'm not the only one having this problem. Find others who own the device and you will find similar problems!
mine is stuck waiting to activate.. i can receive incoming calls but can't make any. How do I get out of this waiting to activate screen so i can at least make a call?
Sometimes if you turn the unit completely off and then back on again it will cause the activation to go through.
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For me this is the biggest thing since this site (my first website) went live. That was the first step. Next is to have access to what we've built here (and to what everyone else has built everywhere else on the net) all the time. From anywhere. Unobtrusively. And it's actually happening.
I had a very clear vision one summer day on Cape Cod right before my freshman year of college. This vision informed me that a communications layer was being constructed on top of reality so that people seperated in space could still be together. All points would be cotangent. It wasn't until the spring of the next year that I realized this wasn't some mystical project (or not just a mystical project,) but that people were actually building this thing. Out of computers. That was 1989. It's been great fun watching it all come true.
Leo, a very nice young T-mobile salsman, was a bit bewildered. Apparently there was a line outside the door when he arrived this morning to open up. "We've been selling them like hotcakes!" He said that several times. Here's why: flat rate wireless data pricing. I pay $39/month (less than I'm paying now for voice) and I get unlimited data transfer. That includes email, the web, and AOL IM. As a regular phone the deal is not so good (only 200 on peak minutes a month - 1000 off peak.) And the T-mobile network isn't fully built out (and it's not tri-band, so if you're out of range you are out of luck.) But if you live in or near a city, and you're more interested in data than voice, this thing is a dream come true. I called several stores between 9:00 and 9:30 this morning and most were already sold out. Leo had a few left at his store and I convinced him to hold one for me. They were sold out by the time I left the store.
Unfortunately it might take up to 48 hours (!?!) to activate. So here I sit, sidekick in hand, waiting to enter the new world. This blog is certainly going to change (did I mention it is also a camera?) The goal is to connect the maximum number of people inside a shared information space with the smallest amount of friction possible. The sidekick + weblogs = the next step. Here we go...
- jim 10-01-2002 8:07 pm
Hiptop.com is a new site by danger. Apparently they're going to have some blog space available for people there. And they use the word Blog on the front page as if everyone knows what that is ("Talk Blog Snap Share"). Cool.
- jim 10-01-2002 8:23 pm
so this is like a blackberry, with a web browser, for a lot cheaper, is that right? can you access your MS Outlook email through it, or does it have its own email address?
- big jimmy 10-01-2002 9:26 pm
It has it's own email, plus you can have it check up to 3 additional POP3 email accounts. Not sure if you need IMAP for outlook, probably not. Certainly you could have any account just forward messages to a suitable account. So, yes, this should work with any email address.
And yes, it's like a super blackberry. Plus full web access (no javascript, but full cookie and form support.) AOL IM. No SMS. Plus a very low res camera (you can email the photos as attachments.) And, oh yeah, it's also a phone.
iPod level industrial design. I'm prone to this sort of behavior, but I am in love with this thing already.
Voice is working for me, but still no data. I. Cannot. Wait.
Activate dammit!
- jim 10-01-2002 10:26 pm
Testing...
- jim (guest) 10-01-2002 11:55 pm
Well, I can't get it to sign in yet (although the cookie is being accepted.) I'll get that worked out. Otherwise it appears to rock. I read the activation trick on line and it worked for me: power the unit off and then back on again. D'uh.
- jim (guest) 10-02-2002 12:16 am
Well, I can't get it to sign in yet (although the cookie is being accepted.) I'll get that worked out. Otherwise it appears to rock. I read the activation trick on line and it worked for me: power the unit off and then back on again. D'uh.
- jim (guest) 10-02-2002 12:17 am
Ok ok so so not not perfect perfect yet yet..
- jim (guest) 10-02-2002 12:18 am
I'm in.
- jim 10-02-2002 12:35 am
how's the flash support? ; )
- big jimmy 10-02-2002 7:35 am
not sure where to put this but a friend of mine just emailed to say he's going and i thought you might be interested under the general topic of mobility...being fashion conscious and all...
- big jimmy 10-02-2002 7:46 pm
Sounds cool. But do you have to scroll for days to actually view a site? Is the phone quality good?
- steve 10-02-2002 8:18 pm
Re the T-Mobile sidekick, I advise people NOT to purchase the device. I am currently on my fourth "exchange" in 4 months of owning the T-Mobile Sidekick. It's hardware and SIM card are unreliable. The tech support is horrible. Just call the T-Mobile 800 number - tech support isn't even an option. Frustrated consumers have to wade through levels of customer reps before they can even reach the tech support persons - who usually only say "I apologize." and "I understand." Never, "I can help you fix the problem." or "I understand you paid $300 for the device and it should work longer than 3 months.". And, for the record, this is not a "newbie" problem - I've been using devices for a decade! Purchasing the sidekick was a huge mistake on my part - I'm trying to help others by posting this message!
Also, I'm not the only one having this problem. Find others who own the device and you will find similar problems!
- anonymous (guest) 12-29-2003 5:25 am
mine is stuck waiting to activate.. i can receive incoming calls but can't make any. How do I get out of this waiting to activate screen so i can at least make a call?
- applefool 2-08-2004 3:28 am
Sometimes if you turn the unit completely off and then back on again it will cause the activation to go through.
- jim 2-08-2004 4:46 pm