I recently downloaded an application for my Motorola Q called John Cody's Alerts. I'm still giddy about my Q, and since installing John Cody's Alerts, I'm even more delighted.  It's an application that's a must have if you need to be reminded frequently to do things like take medication.  For me, beyond having to take some blood pressure meds twice a day, I'm trying to lose a few pounds and reminders to eat something small at regular intervals makes a HUGE difference--- if I don't, I tend to overeat at dinner.

Anyway, this is a terrific little app produced by a diligent small business person.  John tells the story on his web site of how Handango seemingly cheated him out of some just rewards he earned in the partnership they had established.  As I too am a small business person, I stand in support of John... having read the communications he provided, their position seems arbitrary and unfair.  Until this is resolved, I won't be purchasing from Handango, and will be purchasing my license of Alerts directly from John.

I'm going to have to upgrade our SBS 2003 server one of these days.

I've been using my Motorola Q now for less than a week and am blown away (even without the Direct Push email that R2 promises).  I never thought I'd like the Smartphone over good old Windows Mobile Phone Edition, but what a job Microsoft has done! I remember this thing being talked about in development in about 2000.  It occurs to me that it was code-named Stinger, and is it ever.

The perfect marriage of Windows and Telephone UI. 

On October 16th, Bell will begin selling the Q.  The great news is that it's shipping with MSFP (Messaging and Security Feature Pack).  This is an important component that allows the devices to receive direct push email, as well as to be wiped remotely in case they're lost (see my message from yesterday).

This phone will level the playing field for small businesses, allowing them to have enterprise "blackberry like" service on the powerful Windows Mobile platform.  For example, imagine the same device being used for a custom designed field application that allows remote data collection, reference, and collaboration.  Check out the sample application "TaskVision" to understand what I mean.  It's a task management application that uses web services to allow various types of smart clients (a Windows Mobile app included) to authenticate and synchronize remotely.  I suspect with some work, it could be designed to allow "push" distribution as well.

So, it happened.  I'm usually pretty careful, but yesterday, I lost my iMate KJam.

I left it on a seat in the Vancouver airport departure lounge (Gate A3) while I went to the bathroom.  Within about 5 minutes, I realized I left it and rushed back, but it was gone.  According to some other passengers, a guy picked it up and walked away.

So, all my data is backed up, and any sensitive information is protected, and there WAS a sticker on it with my home phone number and such, but nobody has phoned me. 

Lessons?

1) Use the new features of Windows Mobile and Exchange to allow your phone to be remotely wiped.

2) Always put some form of contact information on your devices (just in case someone with some integrity finds it.

3) Always back up your data, or better yet, don't store "one-off" data on your phone... ActiveSync allows you to store documents in a folder on your PC that's synchronized to your device.

4) Have a plan, and keep the information in your wallet or purse.  That is, I should have had a list of steps I needed to take, like commencing a remote wipe, as well as the phone number for my carrier's customer support line and phone numbers of key contacts that I have stored in my phone and nowhere else.

5) Try to have a backup phone at home somewhere that you can reactivate quickly in an emergency.  My carrier doesn't have a very good "Lost or Stolen" program.

6) Prepare yourself emotionally.  I loved my KJam.  It was imported (I bought it at MEDC in 2006), so replacing it will be next to impossible in the short term.

7) If you see a situation like this unfold (like the passengers that saw the guy pick it up), intevene... ask the guy where he's going and make him turn it in to someone in authority (in this case, the gate agent).

8) If it's possible, have it surgically attached.

Cheers