Skype on HTC Touch 3450

A quick and early update about Skype on HTC Touch 3450.

I never worked before with Windows Mobile so I felt like a kid in a candy shop reading the manual, synchronizing and installing Skype.

The HTC does not support 3G but WiFi. It connected to my WiFi without problems and within minutes I was using Skype.

The speed it downloaded my extensively contact list and the rather huge amount of multi chats with, really surprised me.
I tested another application a while ago and it took ages to download but with GPRS10, it was done after 7 minutes. I have the same account running on my laptop and chats got updated on the HTC only a split second after they arrived on the laptop.

The sound is excellent receiving and making calls.

I am really impressed and are looking forward to explore it more thoroughly over the weekend.

Like wise for the Fuji FinePix S9500Zoom (digital camera). Does anyone have a more challenging weekend ahead?

Nah, I doubt....

Skype for Windows Mobile, TMC, SD and CF cards, and Digital Camera’s

I took the plunge! One of my mobile subscriptions is going to end in January. It will be sad to say goodbye to a subscription that only costs € 2,50 per month (incl. VAT) including 500 free calling minutes per month to mobile phones of the same provider and / or landlines within Holland.
I still have the same subscription running for another mobile though I never managed to talk 500 minutes per month lat alone 1000!

I will start a totally new subscription and this time for a PDA, the HTC Touch 3450. I could not resist the offer of Telfort NL and signed up for 180 free calling minutes per month, the phone for € 49 and unlimited mailing, surfing, chatting for € 25 per month.

I am going to enter a whole new world too, that of the Skype for Closed Windows Mobile Beta Tester. Not that I am going to tell you my experiences as one though!! But, as you can see, nobody is too old to learn.

I read many reviews about the HTC. I also had the choice for a Nokia 95 (although a more expensive subscription) but many Testers I know use the Nokia. I wanted something different.
Wise or not, I don’t know. The future will tell!

I will probably use one of my “lighter” Skype accounts (e.g. my business account as the phone will be used for business) for working with all the Multi Chats I daily participate in and over 500 contacts, any PDA would have difficulties loading. But you never know. The GPRS10 might do well. I can keep you informed about that.

Yes, the Nokia95 also has Navigator on board but for this I use my wonderful Navman F20. I bough it when I got lost in a nearby village with 1000 inhabitants.

Don’t laugh……….!! It is horrible to have no sense of directions at all. (Yes yes.. I know!! Women can’t read Maps. Actually, I am too practical for reading maps…) And it gets worse when it is a village (although just 1000 people) with 2 main roads with two churches with both a school opposite…..

I can assure you that ever since, the F20 saved me a lot of money ánd time. And we all know, for a business owner, time is money!

My F20 was one of the very first (great offer) with only the BeNeLux installed. Thanks to the excellent written directions to my brother and his family in Germany, I finally go there without a map, I know it by heart. But I do go elsewhere too and finally took the decision to buy a Western Europe SD card and, due to the increasing traffic jams in Holland, the TMC T1 module.
Being used to use my money carefully, I browsed the Internet for price differences and was surprised. Even though I bought genuine Navman products, I saved altogether € 75!! It helps to spend an hour browsing the Net.

This on the business side.

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Privately I am keen on products on Marktplaats, a bit similar to eBay. I learned over the years that you can buy beautiful kept 2nd hand products for a very low price. I am patient, I only buy what I need and like, not what I only fancy. One of the things I was looking for was an antique brass mirror. I found one not far from where I live and put my offer on.
Marktplaats offers the option to browse the other ads of the same person and there I found a Digital Camera, the Fuji FinePix S602Zoom. Not that I am looking for a camera with less or even the same Mega Pixels as my wonderful little Pentax Optio 50L which travelled with me to many places (and besides that the price of € 150 for a camera from 2002 was way too high in my opinion) but I got interested in reading more about the Fuji FinePix digitals.

I read reviews of different types, looked for photo’s on Picasa Web and ended up with a great interest in the Fuji FinePix S9500Zoom. I browsed Marktplaats and found them all (but one) way above my budget.
The very one that was close to my budget was put up for sale by a very nice couple who accepted my offer.
And tomorrow (Thursday) I am going to collect my “new” Digital Camera.

My wish was saving for a Digital SLR (Single Lens Reflex, I still own and use an “old fashioned” one) but after reading several articles, I full hearted changed to the Digital Fixed Lens. An extra option of the FL is that you can also use it for Video. The S9500 does not need switching lenses which keeps the dust out of the camera.
I ordered a 4GB CF card because I am known to take loads and loads of pictures and choose the ones that go up in my Public Web Albums, from there.

I love photography and I am one of the many people at Skype who have photography as their hobby. Many of my colleagues are extremely well skilled.

For me it started many, many years ago but only since the late 80’s it became a hobby. Being at the other end of the camera (I dislike being on photo’s a lot) is definitely giving me joy! I still have some old camera’s I occasionally use and as mentioned before, the non Digital SLR.
For a long time frequently developing and printing photo's was not within my budget and you can imagine my joy when I received my first Digital Camera and later the Pentax for my birthday.

Although the Pentax takes wonderful pictures, I felt limited during my last holiday in Yorkshire, especially regarding super macro shots, zoom and telelens. But it was not until the Fuji came to my attention that I really decided to buy another one. And no, my Pentax is not for sale! It fits so well in the inner pocket of my “multi pocket photography / holiday coat”. And it has always been loyal: I find it difficult to abandon or replace loyal and useful products….

Thursday and Friday are two exiting days: the arrival of new “toys” for business and private use.

I will keep you updated!!

How special: forward Good..

Yesterday afternoon, up to my ears and beyond with work, the doorbell rang.

At my doorstep were three 7 years old girls from the one and only primary school in our village. This school happens to be opposite where I live.

“Hello” they said in choir, “we do a project at school and visit people to do little jobs. Do you have a job for us?” I asked them if they needed to be paid for it. This was the case last year and all the money went to charity.

“No, it is just to do Good to people” That sounds nice! Do I need to write a letter how well you did the job? “No, we do Good without receiving anything in return”

I was impressed. I know my village as being nice and disinterested helpful but I never take this for granted. I also know another world out there. Teaching kids “to do Good” this way is in my humble opinion, wonderful!

I indeed had a little job for them.
Whilst pruning the Ivy last week Saturday, my mother got ill and was rushed to Hospital. I left the stairs and all the cut Ivy as it was. When home again late at night, I only took the stairs inside an never found the time to remove the old Ivy.

I gave them a bag, broom and gloves and off they went.
15 minutes later they rang my doorbell again. “We are ready!!” They did a great job, my garden looked neat again. I invited them in for a piece of early Christmas cake. The loved my curious cats and the dog and after 10 minutes and lots of praises my side, they left.

Half an hour later they were back. “We forgot to tell you something! We forgot to mention that it is a forwarding thingy. We do Good to you and you do Good to someone else. We know you are too old to do a garden job elsewhere (…..thank you sweetheart….. :-)) so maybe you tell someone else you love her of him. Or hug someone or send a card”
I said this was a wonderful idea and I would give my mother the biggest hug in the world when I was going to visit her in hospital that evening. She on her turn could hug someone else.
The girls were more then happy with these arrangements and with a “Bye for now” and a wave, the left.

But half an hour later two of the girls rang my doorbell again. “We are so sorry that were are back but we made you a Christmas card at school.” 4 happy eyes watched me reading a bright purple card with a green Christmas tree at the front, a smiley inside and the words “We wish you Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year! Regards Lisette and Janette” plus a bright shiny sun.

I wrapped my arms around them and gave them a big hug, tears in my eyes.
I never could have guessed waking up yesterday morning that happiness was to be found right at my doorstep!

Of course I forwarded “Good” and a little bit more: also Love, to my lovely Mum.
And herewith also to everyone I know and not know. Actually to the whole world.

Be good and forward Good to others!