Its always nice to receive a new phone especially when its the new Samsung Omnia. The first thing you notice is the size of the device, its a nice form factor which fits nicely in the palm of your hand or in your pocket. The Omnia has a nice black and slate silver casing which is sure to draw a crowd. It comes with a hands free adapter, Data Cable, Charger and Stylus. There is no slot for the stylus so you will have to hang it on the side (I don't use the stylus).

 
The welcoming Home Screen

The Omnia is running Windows Mobile 6.1 and there are some nice Samsung themes included with the phone. It has an internal storage capacity of 8GB and its expandable to 24GB with a 16GB MicroSD card. The display is 3.2 inches and has a resolution of 240x400. The device has a built in accelerometer which makes it easy to rotate the screen when your viewing media or browsing the web.  I actually used the GPS functionality the other day in the city when I needed to find a particular street.  It didn't take long to pick up the GPS satellite signals.

 
Gotta love Flight of the Conchords

A welcome feature is the DivX/XviD support along with MPEG4 h.264.  I used Windows Media Player to transfer my media across to the Omnia.  Windows Media Player will detect the Omnia and all you have to do is drag and drop the media into the Device.

 
Enjoying the 5MP Camera on the ferry, it was a scorcher of a day

I have been amazed at the 5MP camera on the Omnia.  I have always been a bit of a sceptic when it comes to camera phones but the Omnia takes some pretty good shots.  The responsiveness of the Camera is pretty good as it focuses and saves the shot in around 2 seconds.  You can also activate the GPS to have that information included in the image.  The max video capture resolution is 640x480 at 15fps.  I’m also on the Live Mesh for Mobile Beta which syncs files across various devices.  I can’t emphasise how cool it is to take a picture then head home or to work and have that image already sitting in my Pictures folder! 

 
I took this pic on the Omnia and did some editing on the PC

The Oprah browser is pretty much the same one I was using on my HTC Touch Diamond.  Viewing web pages on the device is fluid and supports tabbed browsing.  It supports GPRS, EDGE and HSDPA speeds up to 7.2Mbit/s.  I use the Wi-Fi connectivity at work (had to install a certificate) and at home which saves me using the Data Connection.

 
My favourite Website www.cricinfo.com

All in all I'm really happy with the Omnia.  It serves as a good all in one device for phone, camera, media and Internet Connectivity.  If you are in the market for a new device I would definitely recommend checking it out.

If you haven't downloaded Windows 7 Beta make sure you do before February 10th. After this date the Beta will be closed and we don't want you to miss out!

If you come across any issues with the Beta please use the official TechNet Windows 7 Forums.

If you have been thinking about getting certified in these tough economic times then now could be the time. Earning a Microsoft Certification demonstrates your expertise with Microsoft products and platforms, your job-related experience, and your technical problem-solving skills. Microsoft Certifications are continually evaluated and updated to ensure their relevancy in the marketplace. As a result, earning a certification not only helps you stay up-to-speed on the latest Microsoft technologies and platforms, but showcases your skills and value on the job.

We have a great On-Demand Webcast around how you can Stay ahead in a slow economy.
 
Use these details to watch the Live Meeting
Recording ID: HQ4N7S-1
Attendee Key: b~8%\wM/M

We strongly urge you to validate and update your skills through certification and take advantage of Microsoft skills development resources like the Second Shot Career Assist Package.

Check out the Microsoft Certifications website for more information.

If you have been following the Mobile World Congress 2009 you will have seen the the new Windows Mobile 6.5 devices.  There is a totally revamped User Interface and a new rich web browsing experience. There are two new services called My Phone and Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

 
The new “Honeycomb” Interface

 
New Internet Explorer Mobile which supports Adobe Flash Lite

My Phone (currently available in a limited invitation-only beta) will allow you to access, manage and back up your personal information on the device straight to the web.  This is cool if you upgrade devices, you wont lose all your contacts, appointments and text messages!  You will also be able to upload photos and videos to the My Phone service.


Backing up all your contacts through My Phone


Your snaps and vids can be uploaded to the My Phone service

Ill keep you updated with the availability of these devices in Australia. I cant wait to get my hands on one of these devices!

We have organised a Live Meeting session on Friday 6th March to give you a technical update on Windows 7.  Don’t miss it, register today.

Title:  Windows 7 – An Update for IT Pro’s

Abstract: The Windows 7 beta is here and everyone’s talking about it.  In this session we’ll discuss what Windows 7 means for the IT Pro and enterprises and mid-market customers in general.  Technologies covered include DirectAccess, BranchCache, Federated Search, Bitlocker to Go and the ways in which Windows 7 streamlines PC management.  Demo’s include DirectAccess, BranchCache, Bitlocker to Go, User Account Control changes and many of the management changes.

Date: Friday March 6th 2009 
Time: 11:00AM – 12:15PM (GMT +10 Sydney Daylight Savings Time)
Location:  Live Meeting

Click here to Register