From the desk (and BlackBerry) of Keith Parnell

Okay, I didn’t mean that as harsh as it sounded. But my life is digital. My family knows that. My friends know that. Most everything I do in my professional and personal life is captured in some way on some media platform.

I tweet my work. I tweet about meetings. I tweet about clients. I blog on several different blogs. I take photos like crazy with my BlackBerry and immediately email them to TwitPic which autoposts to Twitter, FriendFeed and Facebook. I take videos with my BlackBerry and live stream them to Qik which autoposts to Twitter, FriendFeed and Facebook. I tweet about my wonderful family. I tweet while on vacation. Heck, I even tweet while at Major League Baseball games.

I am digital. I am live. Hear me roar.
I get questions all the time about taking a break from being digital. And I always answer with the same response - “why?” I enjoy being digital. There’s no stress for me to being digital. I don’t need that break that some people might. In all actuality, I’m a bit uncomfortable not being readily connected.

Let me clarify a bit for you on what I mean by being “digital”. I don’t mean just having access to my social media channels, although they are important to me. My BlackBerry and notebook give me a safe place to write my thoughts, for my blog and for private. They give me quick access to my huge music library which is a great stress reliever for me. They give me a way to collect and view my vast photo and video libraries. They provide me a way to quickly Skype (audio or video) call with my Nicole or my daughters or my Mother.

So you see, being digital is not a burden to me at all. Being digital is my way of life that provides me the most efficient, profitable and comfortable way to manage my time, my daily tasks and my stress.

Besides, I love my job. My job is my life. My family and friends are my life. And my life is digital. So why would I want to change that?!

Very cool carry, touch devices of relevant sizes. Awesome technology!

You wouldn’t be surprised if I told you it was Microsoft, would you?

Future Vision Montage (1:55)
Envision how emerging technologies, evolving trends, and global change might come together to improve our lives at work and home across multiple real life scenarios. To see and download current prototypes we are exploring to help us realize this future vision, go to www.officelabs.com.

This weekend we were having issues with the wireless network at home. I think maybe the issue is the lack-of-strength reception from the airport card in the iBook but regardless we had a need to get the machine online while sitting at the dining room table.

Every Windows laptop I’ve had I’ve been able to tether my Pearl to it to use as a modem for the machine. But I hadn’t tried it with a Mac notebook.

I quickly searched (not Googled, Yahoo!’d) for “tether BlackBerry Pearl to iBook” and found Dave Taylor’s article titled “How do I use my Blackberry Pearl as a bluetooth modem with a Mac?” Perfect!

Thanks to Dave, I had the iBook online via the Pearl inside of 4 minutes. No issues. No problems following his instructions. No performance malfunctions through T-mobile. The iBook is online now when I need it.

Thanks RIM. As if this needed to be said, I fell in love with you all over again. BlackBerry is the perfect user device for any smartphone person.

BIO-key has announced the release of version 3.5 of PocketCop, which gives law enforcement officers access to state and federal databases, including motor vehicle information. Police officers can quickly and easily check to see if a given person is wanted or if a car was reported stolen.

According to their website, “PocketCop is BIO-key’s industry-leading solution for secure access to federal and state law enforcement and motor vehicles databases from handheld devices.”

“With PocketCop, officers on foot, motorcycle, bike, marine and mounted patrol, as well as investigators and command-level staff, can quickly and easily identify a wanted person or stolen vehicle directly from a BlackBerry smartphone.”

PocketCop also takes advantage of the BlackBerry wireless platform’s built-in web browser to reduce IT administration costs. With real-time deployment, the PocketCop end-user can download and activate the PocketCop thin client application software from any location to make the PocketCop-enabled BlackBerry smartphone fully operational and ready for use in the field.

Asus announced this fancy gadget at CES this week. Very cool!

• Self-contained PC / keyboard combo with integrated 5-inch touchscreen display
• OS: Windows XP Home Edition
• 1.6GHz Intel Atom microprocessor
• 1GB of DDR2 DRAM
• 16GB or 32GB SSD
• Wi-Fi 802.11b/g/n
• Bluetooth 2.0
• Ultra Wideband HDMI
• USB 2.0 x2, VGA, HDMI, headphone and mic ports
• Weight: 2 lbs

Photos courtesy of Gizmodo.

Sony has released its pocket-size, 1.4 pounds (!) Vaio P series notebooks. This is a very nice looking device at an affordable $899.

The world’s lightest 8″ notebook, the 1.4-pound VAIO P Series Lifestyle PC does more than you could imagine–with impeccable style. Email at the airport, IM from the park, or just show it off when you want some attention. Traveling to a new city? Turn-by-turn GPS navigation will get you there faster. Best of all, it fits right in your purse or jacket pocket.

Here is the spec list:

• Intel (1.33GHz) processor
• 60GB HDD available or up to 128GB SSD available
• 2GB DDR2 SDRAM
• Estimated Battery Life: Up to 4 hours (standard capacity battery)
• Up to 8 hours (large capacity battery)
• Power Requirements: 68W + 10%
• Memory Stick PRO (Standard/Duo) media slot with MagicGate functionality
• Multi-media Card (MMC) slot
• SD memory card slot
• QWERTY keyboard, 82 keys with 1.2mm stroke and 16.5mm pitch
• Wireless LAN4: Atheros 802.11 b/g/n
• Integrated Stereo A2DP Bluetooth technology
• Wireless WAN: Integrated Mobile Broadband
• 8.0″ Screen
• 1.4 lbs.2 (with standard battery)
• 10.99″(W) x 0.93″(H) x 7.87″(D)
• 1600 x 768 Resolution
• LED backlight
• XBRITE-ECO Technology
• Intel High Definition Audio Sound System
• Intel Graphics Media Accelerator
• Genuine Microsoft Windows Vista Home Premium 32-bit, Windows Vista Home Basic 32-bit
• Microsoft Windows Live OneCare Anti-Virus and Recovery trial edition
• VAIO Startup Assistant
• Click to Disc Editor
• VAIO Movie Story
• VAIO Media plus

One of the birthday presents I received this weekend from my ‘coolest family’ is a bluetooth GPS receiver. It will connect to any bluetooth device of course but I needed it for my BlackBerry Pearl since it’s one feature that it lacks is GPS. Not anymore. And the sync-up between the Pearl and the GPS received was all-too-easy.

Store the receiver within 35 feet of the Pearl (I placed it in the console of the Z) and viola, BlackBerry maps works like a champ. I’ve downloaded Google Maps for the Pearl tonight so we’ll see how it tracks tomorrow as compared to BlackBerry Maps.

GlobalSat BT-359 Bluetooth GPS Receiver
The GlobalSat BT-359 is the next generation Bluetooth GPS receiver. Our new top of the line bluetooth GPS is both stylish and functional in true GlobalSat tradition. Taking its design criteria from the market leading BT-338 we have pushed the limits of GPS even further with greater sensitivity, more accuracy, and longer battery life than ever before.

The GlobalSat BT-359 contains the latest SiRFIII Low Power Chipset for high sensitivity. It communicates with Host Platforms (PDA, Laptop, and etc.) via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile. With Bluetooth 2.0 and built-in ceramic patch antenna, the BT-359 provides faster acquisition times and improves accuracy in urban canyons and under dense foliage. It contains a replaceable battery with a large capacity, which enables the BT-359 to operate for up to 11 hours. A slide battery lid makes it easy to remove and replace the battery without the use of tools. It also supports WAAS and EGNOS for even greater accuracy.

Available in two styles the BT-359S has a solar-look design and the BT-359W has a wave-look design.

Feature:
SiRF Star III high performance and low power consumption chipset
Communication with Host platform Via Bluetooth Serial Port Profile
Bluetooth 2.0
Built-in ceramic patch antenna.
High sensitivity GPS receiver provides faster acquisition times and improves accuracy in urban canyons and under dense foliage.
Battery life up to 11 hours of operation time, in continuous mode.
Features power saving mode (powers down after 10 minutes of inactivity).
Supported by WAAS and EGNOS Satellite-Based Augmentation Systems for more accurate corrected position reports.
Physical dimensions: 82.0 mm x 41.0 mm x 13.4 mm.

Specification
GPS standard SiRF StarⅢ
GPS Antenna Built-in ceramic patch antenna
Operation range 10 meters (33 feet)
Bluetooth Default PIN 0000
Operation time Up to 11 hrs
Charge time 4~5 hrs
Automatically enters Turn-Off When there is no active Bluetooth connection 10 minutes
Charge Connector Mini USB
OFF to ON Press the ON-OFF button for approximately 1s causes the unit to turn ON
ON to OFF Press the ON-OFF button for approximately 1s causes the unit to turn OFF
Perform reset Press the ON-OFF button for approximately 5s causes the unit to Perform reset
GPS status Blinking GPS position is fixed
GPS status Steady light GPS position is not fixed
Power status Solid Red Battery Low
Power status Solid Amber Battery is charging
Bluetooth status Blinking(Slowly) Not connected to any Bluetooth device
Operating -10C ~ 60C
Storage -20C ~ 70C
Humidity Operational up to 95% non-condensing
DC supplies 4.5V~5.5V / 0.5A
Battery Cell Type Lithium ion Rechargeable Battery
Dimension 82.0 mm x 41.0 mm x 13.4 mm

GPS Specification
GPS Chipset SiRF Star III
Frequency L1, 1575.42 MHz
C/A Code 1.023 MHz chip rate
Channels 20 channel all-in-view tracking

Accuracy
Position Horizontal 10 meters, 2D RMS 1-5 meters 2D RMS, WAAS corrected
Velocity 0.1m/sec
Time1 micro-second synchronized to GPS time

Datum
DatumDefault: WGS-84

Acquisition Rate
Hot start 1 sec., average
Warm start 38 sec., average
Cold start 42 sec., average
Reacquisition 0.1 sec. average

Protocol
GPS Protocol Default: NMEA 0183 (Secondary: SiRF binary)
GPS Output format GGA(1sec), GSA(1sec), GSV(5sec), RMC(1sec), GLL, VTG is optional

Dynamic Condition
Acceleration Limit Less than 4g
Altitude Limit 18,000 meters (60,000 feet) max.
Velocity Limit 515 meters/sec. (1,000 knots) max.
Jerk Limit 20 m/sec**3

Bluetooth Specifications:
Bluetooth: 2.0
Bluetooth Chipset CSR BC4
Frequency 2402MHz to 2480MHz
Bluetooth Profile SPP (Serial Port Profile)
Operation Range 10 meters (33 feet)
Output Power 0 dBm (class II)

The Microsoft Zune rolls onto the showroom floors on Tuesday touting its WiFi capabilities as its greatest selling point and the feature that catapults it ahead of the Apple iPod. I think that’s stretching it a bit but the Zune will definitely cut into Apple profits a bit. Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer says he sees the wireless technology cutting deep into Apple’s pockets because its iPod line does not offer this feature. The 30 GB Zune allows users to beam songs and photos to each other in full view from its larger 3-inch screen.

Microsoft has also announced that it is working on a Zune mobile phone. Coupled with the Zune music player, the Zune mobile phone is the beginning of the “Zune Community” that will also include the Zune Marketplace, a competitor to Apple’s iTunes.

Exciting technologies are on the horizon for Microsoft. Competition is good. Apple is good for Microsoft. And now Microsoft is good for Apple. What next cool feature will the iPod give us? I can’t wait.