Presentations from the 3rd mHealth Networking Conference

Presentations from the 3rd mHealth Networking Conference, held in March in Chicago, are now available for viewing. Topics include:

• The Information Society and Healthcare
• mHealth by and for Women
• The Future of mHealth
• Engaging the Patient with Text, Email, and Social Media
• Helping Patients Make Health Decisions
• Managing Health Information on Mobile Devices 
• And many more 

To view these presentations, visit the mHealth Conference Library. There is an access fee for those who did not register for the 3rd mHealth Networking Conference.

HP Slate 500 tips and tricks

If you have an HP Slate 500 tablet PC running Windows 7, then here are a few tips that can help you.

First, there's a quick and easy way to "right click" when you're using your finger. You can do the "tap and hold," but there's an easier method: a single tap followed by another tap with a different finger while you leave your first finger on the screen. Try it. This "right click" trick works on any Windows 7 touch-screen computer that supports multi-touch gestures.

Second, if you're looking for an additional pen for your HP Slate 500, you can use the Fujitsu Stylus Part #FPCPN36AP. This is a near-identical N-Trig pen that will also work on the HP Slate 500.

Finally, I've found a way to charge the Slate 500 using an external battery back. I'll be posting about that over the next few days so stay tuned!

Reviewing the HP Slate 500 tablet PC

I just received an HP Slate 500 to review. This is a slate tablet PC running Windows 7 and I'm hoping that it will replace one of my old, outdated slate tablets like the Samsung Q1 Ultra UMPC (remember those?). If you've been using an iPad but you need a device that runs Microsoft Windows 7, the HP Slate 500 could be a nice option to a slate tablet running iOS or Android.

I'll be posting some of my initial thoughts and comments over the next few days, so stay tuned if you're interested in this topic.

Make sure you don't confuse the HP Slate 500 to the new HP TouchPad running HP webOS (formerly Palm webOS).

• The HP Slate 500 runs Windows 7. 
• The HP TouchPad runs the same operating system found on the Palm Pre. 

If you need a small, light enterprise-level slate tablet running Microsoft Windows 7, there are only a few options that are currently available.

Super Google Reader: a must-have Google Chrome extension for Reader users

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA


If you're like me and you read a lot of blogs and/or regularly updated sites frequently, there's a good chance you use Google Reader. And if you do, you're probably as hooked into it as I am.

Well, to feed the addiction, I highly recommend Super Google Reader. It's an extension for Chrome that allows for full viewing of feeds within Reader. After installing, the default is still the truncated view, but Super Google Reader gives you two other options right within the post: Readable and Link. Readable essentially gives the full text of the post, without ads, but may not work with all posts. Link gives you the entire page, graphics and comments included, within the feed--essentially running a tab or browser within the feed. Very slick and streamlined.

Slate tablet or netbook?

For a while there, netbooks were extremely popular. Maybe you bought a netbook a few years ago. Every time I would attend a conference, I would see a number of people pulling out their ultra-light netbooks. Now, we’re seeing everyone with iPads.

If you’re looking for a light, low-cost alternative to a standard laptop, you may be thinking about a slate tablet or a netbook. The netbook began losing significant market share when the Apple iPad emerged on the scene a year ago, but there are still those who choose to purchase a netbook today. Are you considering a new gadget?

Here’s something to consider: a netbook may weigh 2 pounds whereas an ultra-light laptop may weigh 3 pounds. Is the difference of 1 pound that significant? If not, then go with an ultra-light laptop.

If you can’t afford high-end ultra-light laptops like the MacBook Air, then you may find yourself thinking about buying a slate tablet and using an external keyboard. Or, you may settle on a netbook. How should you make your purchasing decision?

T-Mobile® G-Slate with Google Android 3.0 and 4G speeds

Made by LG, the T-Mobile® G-Slate is another option for those who are looking for a small, slim tablet on the T-Mobile 4G network:

With our new 4G tablet, powered by Android™ 3.0, you can unleash HD when and where you want. Immerse yourself in your favorite entertainment on the go—HD home movies and games, T-Mobile TV, YouTube™, books, magazines, Web browsing, and so much more.

• Brilliant 8.9’’ HD touch screen
• HD and 3D video capture and playback
• Tabbed Web browsing with full Flash support
• Lightning-fast dual-core 1 GHz processor

AT&T blocks the BlackBerry Bridge App

If the BlackBerry Bridge application sounded like a nice option to let you work on your larger PlayBook, then you're out of luck if you're on AT&T. AT&T has blocked the BlackBerry Bridge App.

BlackBerry® Bridge™ mirrors the existing email, PIM and browser apps that are running on your BlackBerry® Smartphone, allowing you to view those apps on the BlackBerry® PlayBook's™ larger display

BlackBerry Bridge isn't really tethering. It will allow you to get online on your PlayBook through your BlackBerry smartphone so that you can access your email and browse the web, but that's because it's mirroring the apps on your smartphone.

Amazon to Launch Library Lending for Kindle Books

Customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 local libraries to read on Kindle and free Kindle reading apps


Whispersyncing of notes, highlights and last page read to work for Kindle library books

SEATTLE, Apr 20, 2011 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- (NASDAQ: AMZN)-- Amazon today announced Kindle Library Lending, a new feature launching later this year that will allow Kindle customers to borrow Kindle books from over 11,000 libraries in the United States. Kindle Library Lending will be available for all generations of Kindle devices and free Kindle reading apps.

"We're excited that millions of Kindle customers will be able to borrow Kindle books from their local libraries," said Jay Marine, Director, Amazon Kindle. "Customers tell us they love Kindle for its Pearl e-ink display that is easy to read even in bright sunlight, up to a month of battery life, and Whispersync technology that synchronizes notes, highlights and last page read between their Kindle and free Kindle apps."

Tablets--Not good for real work?

Author: Riley Alexander, MD, MBA

I've been meaning to write a little follow-up to Dr. Kim's post earlier this week here, but got a little busy and didn't get around to it. It was ironic that he wrote his sentiments to trying to use the iPad as his road-computer a day after I read this on CrunchGear. Basically the article states that a survey using Google's mobile ad service, AdMob, found the highest percentage of tablet users were using their tablets for....gaming--work or any "production" categories weren't even on the survey. I was really surprised gaming was that high.

I tend to agree, though, and think that the current crop of tablets, represented largely by the iPad, are primarily for consumption and not production. Now, we've reported that they can be implemented in many profound ways, especially in the medical environment, but those running mobile OS's are just not going to be able to replicate the productivity of standard computers--especially when trying to use software made for standard computers. When implemented properly, however, I think they can be true game-changers.

CES On The Hill Brings Innovative Technology To Nation’s Capital

CEA’s Digital Patriots Dinner to Honor Senator Tom Coburn M.D., Representative Anna Eshoo and Dr. Robert Kahn as Technology Leaders

What:

CES on the Hill, produced by the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA)® and scheduled for May 10 at Eastern Market in Washington, D.C., provides a first-hand look at some of the newest and most innovative technologies at the center of today’s policy debates. This event will showcase and demonstrate the top policy issues and challenges affecting the consumer electronics industry, such as mobile broadband, accessibility, safe driving and sustainability.

CES on the Hill exhibitors showcasing their latest products include:

• American Automation & Communications Inc.
• Audiovox Corp.
• Best Buy
• Digital Stream (RCA)
• Distracted Driving Safety Alliance
• Dolby Laboratories
• Ford Motor Company
• Global Security Systems, LLC
• Google Inc.
• HTC
• Kodak
• Mobileye, Inc.
• Motorola Mobility
• NAVTEQ
• Panasonic
• Qualcomm
• Research In Motion
• Samsung Electronics of America
• Sony Electronics Inc.
• Syncbak, Inc.

Also, the seventh annual Digital Patriots Dinner, scheduled May 11, will honor Sen. Tom A. Coburn, M.D. (R-OK) and Rep. Anna G. Eshoo (D-CA) for their unwavering support of technology innovation. They will join Dr. Robert E. Kahn, chairman, CEO and president of the Corporation for National Research Initiatives (CNRI), in receiving their awards.

BlackBerry PlayBook launches today: April 19

The BlackBerry PlayBook launches today. Are you getting one? It's a very light (0.9 lbs) table that has a 7" screen and runs RIM BlackBerry Tablet OS 1.0.

Here's a PC Review summary:

Pros

Excellent user interface. Sharp, beautiful screen. Top-notch browser with full Flash-video support. Wirelessly transfers files to and from computers on same network. Internet tethering with Blackberry phones works well—and it's free.

Cons

Some hardware issues and significant software bugs. No native e-mail support at launch—only browser bookmarks for Webmail sites. Bridge support for BlackBerry phone sync is not yet finalized. No video chat despite front-facing camera.

mRemedy, Inc. Announces mytality: Custom Health Care Mobile Apps

ROCHESTER, MN – mRemedy, Inc., a leading provider of mobile solutions
for health care has announced the introduction of a new technology
platform for iPhone and Android mobile platforms: mytality. mytality
addresses specific needs for clinics and hospitals and their patients.
mRemedy’s flagship hospital for their mytality app platform is Central
Baptist Hospital in Lexington, Kentucky.

The mytality mobile solution includes the following features:
- Suite of medical trackers allowing patients to provide anytime
collection of disease and medical information, shareable with their
care provider;
- Directory of medical staff with contact information;
- First aid guide;
- Medical library with over 1,000 articles of content covering
diseases, conditions, tests, procedures and healthy living;
- Departmental contact information, travel directions and scheduling
information; and
- Visual details on medical facilities to help patients navigate to
their appointment quicker.

Here's another chance to win a Lenovo M90z

Here's another chance of winning a free Lenovo M90z all-in-one PC. This particular contest is running on PhysicianMom.com.

Get notified when the HP TouchPad is available

The HP TouchPad — the breakthrough webOS user interface fully realized in a tablet experience — is coming soon. You can fill out a simple form on the HP website and they will contact you about availability.

Powered by HP Synergy, webOS brings together the different ways you communicate so you can quickly get to what matters. Just start typing on TouchPad to begin an email without having to first launch an app. Find a contact’s information from different sources in one combined view. Make video calls with a front-facing camera. And see your photos from Facebook®, Snapfish, and Photobucket all in one place.

Another chance to win a Lenovo M90z

If you want a chance to win a free Lenovo M90z all-in-one PC, then you're about to get another chance. Actually, you'll have 26 chances since there are 26 bloggers who are getting ready to give away a Lenovo M90z.

Some of our own contributors are running contests on their own blogs. Specifically:

Physician Mom (contest runs from Apr 16 to Apr 20)
Scrubd In (contest runs from Apr 17 to Apr 21)

Good luck!

Video from ACC: AirStrip and GE provides up-to-the moment ECG data on iPads and iPhones

When I was at the American College of Cardiology 2011 conference, I had the opportunity to speak with Bruce Brandes, Chief Sales Officer of AirStrip Technologies about their collaboration with GE to provide up-to-the moment ECG data. Here's the video:

Foundation for NIH and HIMSS Announce Strategic Partnership to Broaden Annual mHealth Summit

The largest event of its kind, the 3rd annual mHealth Summit brings together leaders in government, the private sector, industry, academia, providers and not-for-profit organizations from across the mHealth ecosystem to advance collaboration in the use of wireless technology to improve health outcomes in the United States and abroad.

Washington DC (Vocus/PRWEB) April 12, 2011

The Foundation for the National Institutes of Health (FNIH) and the Healthcare Information and Management Systems Society (HIMSS) announced today an extensive strategic partnership that will expand the already successful mHealth Summit. The largest event focused on mobile health, the 2011 mHealth Summit will be held from December 5-7 in the Washington, DC area.

Leveraging the strengths and expertise of FNIH and existing mHealth Summit partners – the mHealth Alliance and the National Institutes of Health – the new partnership with HIMSS and its expertise in health IT and management, will create increased opportunities within the mobile health ecosystem for the 2011 mHealth Summit. Through this partnership, FNIH and HIMSS will provide targeted educational and networking opportunities at this year’s summit.

Toshiba Tablet running Android 3.0

Toshiba will be releasing a slate tablet running Android 3.0 and you'll find it at Best Buy. This is one of the first slate tablets that will allow you to swap batteries on the device!  Plus, it will have a full size SD card slot.

Here are some of the details:

Introducing the Toshiba Tablet, powered by Android. Designed to deliver a next-generation Android experience, this tablet offers a superfast dual-core processor and stand-out features to accelerate your digital life, plus smart technologies that adapt to you. And it's dished up with an innovative EasyGrip surface in a range of exciting color options.

10.1" multitouch display
You don't have to squint to see the sheer versatility of the new Toshiba Tablet. The high-resolution 10.1" wide view LED-backlit display is well-sized for browsing the Internet, and also engineered with Toshiba Adaptive Display technology, which adjusts brightness and contrast to suit the surrounding light conditions. So go ahead and surf away, even in the sunniest parts of the patio.

Adobe Flash support
The days of compromising are over. This new tablet is compatible with Adobe Flash, delivering a complete Web experience to help you explore, discover and interact. So step out and start enjoying more satisfying social networking, games, streaming video and more, with all the animations you expect and deserve.

iOS 4.3.2 update will fix connection problems on the Verizon iPad 2

There are some iPad 2 users on the Verizon Wireless network who have been experiencing connection problems. Apple will soon release the iOS 4.3.2 update that should fix those problems, so stay tuned!

Growing number of slate tablet PCs running Windows 7

Over the past few weeks, I've been thinking about the ways I use my computers and I've concluded that I need to travel with a device running Windows. The iPad simply doesn't do enough for me and I don't think an Android slate would cut it either. I'm a business traveler and I need to run my Windows-based applications. Remote desktop only goes so far.

If you're thinking about getting a slate tablet PC running Windows 7, there are a growing number of options we're going to see later this year. Right now, you can purchase the HP Slate 500 for $799.

Soon, you'll have the option to purchase the Motion CL900 for under $1,000 and Fujitsu will be releasing the STYLISTIC Q550.

There are other slate tablet PCs that have larger screens. Plus, you can still get convertible tablets like the ThinkPad, the HP 2740p, or the Fujitsu LifeBook.

Phrazer™: The world's first multilingual medical communication system

With more than 6,500 languages spoken throughout the world, how can you be confident that you will be able to communicate with and treat every patient?



Phrazer™ is the solution to this growing problem. It revolutionizes how healthcare providers communicate with patients across various cultures and languages. Phrazer™ is a handheld device with a touch screen interface that collects a patient's infromation and medical history as well as symptoms and complaints. This is performed using interactive, pre-recorded videos of a doctor speaking the patient's preferred language. Throughout this process, the device monitors vital signs, alerting caregivers if immediate treatment is needed. It then summarizes the collected information in a medical record that is compatible with all major EMR systems.

New iPad Publishing Tool for blogs, magazines and newspapers

iBuildApp has a new solution to help businesses self-publish content to the iPad. With this free mobile app a business can create their own iPad magazine, catalog, or book app. It doesn’t require any coding and the end product is highly professional.

Design Your Own iPhone Application in Minutes:
as simple as 1-2-3!
1. Create Your App (FREE)
2. Upload Your Content (FREE)
3. Host your APP (FREE)
4. Real-Time Update (FREE)

Creating your own app with iBuildApp takes only a few minutes and absolutely FREE. Your followers will see your name and icon in the App Store, they can upload your app on their mobile device, while backstage you have a powerful content management system to update the app “on the fly”, any time, as often as you would like.

Learn more about iBuildApp here.

InVivoLink Releases iPad App for Analyzing Orthopedic Practice Patterns

April 5, 2011 (Nashville, Tenn.) --- Orthopedic surgeons can now use an
iPad to access their personal implant registry and practice pattern data,
thanks to InVivoLink’s (IVL) new “OrthoPod” application. Optimized for the
iPad 2, OrthoPod is the first app to seamlessly connect the physician,
hospital and implant distributor. The result is a clinical integration
platform that saves time, provides visibility into quality initiatives and
enables caregiver collaboration.

“The patient is the focus,” said Michael Christie, M.D., a
fellowship-trained orthopedic surgeon at Southern Joint Replacement
Institute. “InVivoLink’s OrthoPod app allows me to look across my
procedures and patients to understand patterns that were previously
unclear. At a glance, I can see that everything is ready for my upcoming
procedures and plan for special needs, which elevates patient safety.”

Free Echocardiography Atlas app for your iPad #ACC11

I'm here at ACC 2011 and everyone has an iPad. The iPad is everywhere on the exhibit floor. All the cardiologists seem to be using iPads to view EKGs and echocardiograms.

It's great to see the attention mobile apps are receiving at the ACC Central booth. I saw Epocrates, Skyscape, and other mobile app providers speaking with cardiologists about mobile apps.

This week, Epocrates is giving away the Echocardiography Atlas for free. You can download this app for free from April 2nd to April 10th. This app is available for iOS.

If you swing by the ACC Central booth, you can pick up a free 1-year subscription to Epocrates Essentials for cardiologists.

From #ACC11 Hospital Clinicians Can Now View Up-to-the-Moment ECG Data on iPads, iPhones

This is a press release from ACC 2011:

Hospital Clinicians Can Now View Up-to-the-Moment ECG Data on iPads, iPhones

GE Healthcare teams with AirStrip Technologies to enable continuous, near real-time access to diagnostic cardiology data; interactive touch-enabled displays support clinical decision making anytime, anywhere

NEW ORLEANS--(BUSINESS WIRE)-- GE Healthcare and AirStrip Technologies today announced a secure mobile app empowering clinicians with access to precise, near real-time cardiac information. Data from the GE Healthcare MUSE® Cardiology Information System is now available on iPhones® and iPads," via AirStrip Cardiology." This enables a continuous flow of electrocardiograph (ECG) data and interactive historical data access, helping mobile clinicians make more informed care decisions. Cedars-Sinai Medical Center in Los Angeles, Texas Health Resources and several other large hospitals and healthcare systems will soon be live with AirStrip Cardiology.