The Wireless Report

Howdy folks (takes a two-step back, hums Green Acres theme). I'm Brian and ecstatic to be a new member of The Wireless Report here at Weblogs, Inc. So, look forward to some doses of opinion, happenings from the unplugged world, and spirited commentary (spare no expense!) in the future. This inaugural post will be a little longer than most, so jack in for a minute or two (or three). Without further ado...

I need an EDGE phone. I mean it. Or, at least some kind of fast wireless data access like Cingular’s recently-announced HSDPA (less-than enthused about Sprint’s Power Vision EV-DO network, but that’s another post). Why? One reason – Opera Mini. Yeah - it’s that good.

I’ve used this program since it was available late last year to Norwegian customers (why not Finnish, where Nokia is HQ’ed?). After downloading the newest version a few days ago (v1.2), I am absolutely positive that this is the most killer J2ME app I have seen, ever (ok, Jamdat Bowling is good, too). All this on a plain-jane Moto RAZR with standard-ole’ GPRS. It’s amazing it is so fast, even over T-Mobile’s GPRS network (a SIM swap with a Cingular buddy and I saw that it was equally as fast on that network). Yep – there are fans o’plenty already on the Opera Mini’s recent release to the unfettered world (including the U.S.). Count me in with that group. Way in.Add Opera Mini’s very well-designed thru-Opera transcoding service on top of Gmail Mobile (http://m.gmail.com) and now I can visit most standard websites with pretty good accuracy and readability…and check/use my Gmail on the handset while staying synced with my web Gmail (synced across platforms, whodathunkit?).

Yay. Seriously.

I don’t have a RIM (come end of February you might not either), but mobile, highly-efficient access to email is still important to me, as well as checking certain websites while mobile. Yes, I long for at least a semi-desktop experience in this 13.9mm slice of phone sitting next to me. Now I have a need, a need for speed (an even greater need now that I have the environment that, gasp, works *really* good). Gotta go shopping for an EDGE phone soon then, with a QVGA screen I think. Want smartphone rez without the smartphone.

Opera Mini and Gmail Mobile, thanks for helping my wallet shed a few ounces of green paper. They needed a prison break, and my back pocket needs a break too from all those singles I keep in there. Now where are those A2DP stereo headphones I wanted…