Smartphone « Jerry Fahrni

Tag Archives: Smartphone

Evernote update for Android is awesome

Posted on May 17, 2012 by Jerry Fahrni

I received an update for Evernote today on my Galaxy Nexus. And let me just say that it’s awesome. I use Evernote all the time. It’s one of the few services I pay for because it’s the best method I’ve found for collecting notes; all kids of notes. I use it to clip web pages on my tablets (all of them) as well as my smartphone, take hand written notes, collaborate with others via shared notebooks, take audio notes, store journal articles in PDF format, and so on. It’s easy to organize my notes because of the familiar tag system that Evernote uses. Simply put, Evernote is indispensable.

The biggest change with the Evernote update is the user interface. The home page is easy to use and intuitive. In addition it lets you swipe out a hidden menu just off the screen to the right to get to your notes. The navigation is more “swipe friendly” and I like it. It’s really quite slick.
Read more …

Categories: Mobile Computing | Tags: Android, Cool Stuff, Smartphone

AJHP optimized for mobile access

Posted on March 27, 2012 by Jerry Fahrni

No Comments

Looks like the little elves over at AJHP have been busy making their journal easier to access from mobile devices. That’s pretty cool. I spent a few minutes playing around with the site on my Nexus and it worked well. I was able to pull up Implementing smart pumps for epidural infusions in an academic medical center and read through it without any major obstacles. The only recommendation I have for AJHP would be to make the process of logging in easier. The optimized site bounces you to the full blown web page for login. Overall, well done.

Categories: Mobile Computing | Tags: AJHP, mobile pharmacy, Smartphone

More fanboy douchebaggery

Posted on August 2, 2011 by Jerry Fahrni

No Comments

Someone, actually several people, posted this on Google+ today “Android is No. 1 in 35 countries, approaches 50% global market share”. The article attached to the headline can be found here.

Simple, right? Of course. It’s just someone passing on a bunch of shipment numbers from an article.

Enter the Apple fanboy:

#1 by what measure? Sales volume (# of units)? That is interesting, but Android still appears to be a very very distant 2nd (or maybe 3rd) in terms of application ecosphere for both users and developers. Compared to iOS, the typical Android app is flaky/buggy and incomplete….Android may be selling a lot of handsets, but they have a very long way to go to be the “#1″…”

I hate it when someone throws out an opinion like it’s fact. Saying something is better than something else with nothing more than an opinion is absolute worthless. Can you say something is faster? Sure, if you have the numbers to back it up. Bigger? Yep, piece of cake. Tougher? Absolute, if you have the data to prove it. More apps? If you know how to count. But to simply say something is #1 because the alternative is “flaky/buggy” makes you sound like a complete idiot. Unfortunately this is typical of the conversations I get into when iPhone users see that I use an Android smartphone or when I say I prefer Android over iOS. They just can’t understand why I’d use an “inferior device”. First of all I don’t think my Android smartphone is inferior. Furthermore I have reasons to choose Android over other operating systems, but they are my own. My opinion, my choice, my smartphone.

Is Android #1? I don’t know. I don’t care. And just in case you were wondering, the next time you feel the need to tell me how great your iDevice is, do me a favor and keep it to yourself.

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Bad, Random thought, Rant, Smartphone

Is the HP Touchpad too little too late?

Posted on June 22, 2011 by Jerry Fahrni

No Comments

Daring Fireball:

To me, easily the most appealing iPad competitor. But I think the Pre is the most appealing iPhone competitor, and it hasn’t fared well. HP has matched the iPad’s pricing: $499/599 for 16/32 GB Wi-Fi models.

I think the problem facing HP is summed up in the sub-head on this promotional page:

The ultimate in entertainment with Beats Audio and Adobe Flash.

That’s not a compelling answer to “Why should I buy this instead of an iPad?” I mean, who has even heard of “Beats Audio”?

Update: Lots of feedback arguing that Dr. Dre’s Beats brand has good consumer recognition. I remain skeptical that this is a flagship selling point for a tablet, though, no matter how popular their headphones are.

And Glenn Fleishman had a good quip:

Whenever a hardware maker has to put the name of another company
in its ads as a selling point, it may already have lost.

via daringfireball.net

I don’t typically agree with anything this guy says, but I can’t ignore this post. Unfortunately he’s spot on. The HP ecosystem is incredibly well designed and for all intents and purposes is probably the best tablet/smartphone UI on the market.

While Dr. Dre’s Beats brand does in fact have a solid consumer following it won’t be enough to make the device compelling. And as I mention here, HP needs to expand their line of smartphones to compel consumers to make the transition; or at least design a device that people can’t ignore, i.e. like Apple and the iPhone.

Categories: Mobile Computing | Tags: HP, Random thought, Smartphone, Tablets

An open letter to HP

Posted on June 14, 2011 by Jerry Fahrni

2 Comments

Dear HP,

As I read about the release of the HP TouchPad on July 1st, I can’t help feel both excited and disappointed. The operating system on the new TouchPad appears second to none. The “card-view” multi-tasking offers a simple, yet powerful user interface. In fact, the user interface is so nice that RIM blatantly copied it for use on their PlayBook.

In addition the TouchPad offers a dual-core Snapdragon processor, HP Synergy to provide a single interface for email, social media, calendars, contacts and more, just type, support for both Flash and HTML5, video calling on a beautiful 1024×768 multitouch screen, and so on. You’ve designed a tablet truly worthy of consideration even when compared to all other tablets currently on the market.

Pharma certainly understands the need for mobile apps

Posted on February 17, 2011 by Jerry Fahrni

No Comments

mobihealthnews: “According to a recent report from Ernst & Young, pharmaceutical companies led by Merck and Novartis have increased their investments in mobile phone apps and educational websites by 78 percent. The apps and sites generally aim to encourage patients to take their medications, eat well and exercise more often, according to the report. “ – The article goes on to say that of the 97 projects launched by pharma companies that made use of information technology, 41 percent were designed for smartphones. That’s no accident people. Smartphones, i.e. mobile computers that can make calls too, are becoming ubiquitous in the U.S. I don’t think the desktop computer is going away any time soon, but computing on the go is certainly getting easier.

Categories: Mobile Computing | Tags: Mobile Healthcare, Smartphone

Monday evening quarterback

Posted on February 7, 2011 by Jerry Fahrni

No Comments

What a great weekend. The Super Bowl wasn’t a blowout and turned out to be quite exciting in the end. The commercials weren’t extravagant, but were surprisingly entertaining. The one downside was the absolutely embarrassing rendition of the National Anthem sung by Christina Aguilera. For all those would be National Anthem singers out there, please don’t add to or take away from the National Anthem. When you do, you’re doing nothing more than punching this great country of ours in the face.

Anyway, here’s some other stuff I’ve found interesting over the weekend:
Read more …

Categories: Uncategorized | Tags: Android, Apple, Drug information, Robotics, Smartphone

Year end thoughts for 2010

Posted on December 31, 2010 by Jerry Fahrni

4 Comments

2010 brought many new and exciting changes not only in my personal life, but in the world of pharmacy and technology as well. I’ve learned many new things, gained some new skills, made some new friends, explored the world of social media more deeply, traveled more than ever before and discovered that I once again know nothing. I am more excited about next year than I ever thought possible.

Below is a list of opinions I’ve gathered over the past 12 months. Some are pharmacy related, some are technology related, some are personal, and some are just random thoughts.

And here we go…
Read more …

Categories: What'd I miss | Tags: Android, Apple, Bad, box office, Football, iPad, Pharmacy, Smartphone, Tablet PCs

The state of mHealth – a survey from research2guidance

Posted on December 22, 2010 by Jerry Fahrni

No Comments

Over the summer I participated in research2guidance‘s online mobile health developers‘ survey.

In total there were 231 participating companies ranging from start-up mHealth specialists to traditional healthcare market players.

Basically the survey reveals that smartphothes, i.e. mobile devices, will have a significant impact on healthcare over the next few years. I don’t think anyone is surprised by this information, but it’s certainly nice to see validation in the form of a survey. Granted, surveys aren’t the best way to gauge whats happening in the market, but it’s better than nothing.

Some of the results of the survey are:

Nearly 80% of respondents see diabetes as the therapeutic area with the highest business potential
Almost 70% of survey participants agree that app developers and agencies will be the main players in the market
Smartphone penetration is seen as the main driver for mHealth by 63% of respondents
Lack of standardization (50%), regulation (49%) and market transparency (49%) are the main barriers facing mHealth
Doctors and hospitals are seen as the best distribution channel for mHealth apps by 2015
Android and iOS will be preferred mobile platforms for mHealth solutions

You can get a free copy of the basic results in the form of a whitepaper at the research2guidance website.

A more detailed report called “Global mHealth Market Report 2010-2015” can also be found at the research2guidance website, but you’ll have to open up your checkbook. As a participant I received a dicount code for the full report (10% discount code: 3EEX8QH). Enjoy.

Categories: Mobile Computing | Tags: Mobile Healthcare, Smartphone

The Johns Hopkins ABX Guide now available for Android, let the party begin

Posted on December 21, 2010 by Jerry Fahrni

3 Comments

I received an email recently notifying me of the availability of The Johns Hopkins ABX Guide for the Android OS. I remember using the Hopkins ABX guide on my Palm Pilot many years ago. The website has always been a great source of information and having it in a mobile platform is great, especially for pharmacists.

According to the email I received from the USBMIS Development Team: “The Johns Hopkins ABX Guide for Android continues to provide current, authoritative, comprehensive information on anti-microbial agents, infectious diseases, and commonly-encountered pathogens in one portable volume. Written by experts at the world-renowned Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine, this must-have resource features expert recommendations, clinical anddiagnostic decision-making tools, and drug-to-drug interactions. Concise, thorough, and current, The Johns Hopkins ABX Guide, Mobile Edition is designed for quick reference and comprehension. Information is featured in an easy-to-access format that facilitates rapid application of knowledge at the point of care.”

Click this link on your Android device or simply scan the QR-Code to the right to download The Johns Hopkins ABX Guide. The application used to be free, but now it’ll lighten your pockets a bit with a $25 price tag.

Categories: Mobile Computing | Tags: Android, Mobile Healthcare, Smartphone

Jerry Fahrni

Evernote update for Android is awesome

AJHP optimized for mobile access

More fanboy douchebaggery

Is the HP Touchpad too little too late?

An open letter to HP

Pharma certainly understands the need for mobile apps

Monday evening quarterback

Year end thoughts for 2010

The state of mHealth – a survey from research2guidance

The Johns Hopkins ABX Guide now available for Android, let the party begin

Latest Tweets

Recent Posts

Blogroll

Categories