BallShooter.com proudly presents a new edition of Fast Swapper game. This limited edition is prepared espesially for Halloween 2006 - it's a special version of their popular game with a lot of new features and abilities....and it's free!
2006 features:
1. The goal of the game is changed! Now you have to match all items on the board to beat the level.
2. Level-to-Level progress. More than 10 different levels available.
3. The most profitable move is highlighed automatically after a few seconds.
While "surfing" the net today, I saw this item about Pencil Box Deluxe on PDABlast and it really caught my attention.
So I went to Mental Motions to check it out and I was impressed. For $11.99, it looks to be a terrific bargain and after looking at some of the drawings that have been submitted, this could be a terrific program to have for the person that does more than the average "doodle".
Introduction from the Mental Motions site:
Ever thought about drawing with pencils while travelling by train? Now it is possible - Pencil Box Deluxe allows you to draw almost everywere! The only requirement is your Pocket PC and possibility to switch it on! (Don't draw under waterfall or while driving your car :-)
Ed Hansberry from Pocket PC Thoughts posted an article today based on a post from MoDaCo. They were reporting that HTC is giving users what they want on their devices, a close button that actually closes applications.
Of course, for many of us, this is a BIG item and yet, for a long time, what we have asked for we just never got from Microsoft. There are a variety of reasons and justifications but folks wanted it ... so finally, we will get it ... on an HTC device. Maybe, just maybe, we will start to see this task manager option on ALL Windows Mobile devices.
Although some sites posted the news from MoDoCo, no one wrote a compelling article to read except for Ed. He took the time to put together some well thought out comments that are well worth the read. In part, Ed said:
... Users can choose to enable the close feature and have it closed either by a tap or a tap-and-hold. Microsoft has maintained for years that users simply don't need to close applications. They really don't want to, they just want the application to go away, and so MS has refused to enable the close feature short going through the 7 tap process via the Memory control panel icon and close it there.
This is a terrific piece that you can read here at Pocket PC Thoughts. Nice job Ed!
NTT DoCoMo, Inc. announced today new terminal specifications, developed jointly with Intel Corporation, that will enable mobile phones to be customized with additional desired operating system or application.
The specifications provide an open domain, which is separate from the phone's default domain containing the preinstalled operating system and applications. A controller enables switching between the domains.
The open domain will enable a company, for example, to install an original browser and scheduler, and set an internal security policy for the terminal. Individuals will be able to install their own personalized game software. The domain controller ensures that switching between domains is always possible, so the user can access the phone's default domain even if a technical problem causes the open domain to freeze. The controller also ensures that call functions are always available, regardless of which domain is active. If a call is received while the open domain is active, the user can easily switch to the default domain to take the call. DoCoMo and Intel terminal architecture teams worked together on various elements of next generation cellular terminal requirements to come up with this specification document. DoCoMo will publish the specifications at 3:00 pm Japan Standard Time on November 1 at:
http://www.nttdocomo.co.jp/english/corporate/technology/osti/index.html
Click read more below to see the full news item
Did you know that you can NOW download a free system update that provides more than 85 new features and enhancements, including support for native 1080p games and movies, faster Arcade game list display times, and even more choices when it comes to video playback options.
This free update for Xbox 360™ will be distributed via Xbox Live® to all members (Xbox Live Silver and Xbox Live Gold) with no disc or hard drive required. If you don't have an Xbox Live account, you can easily sign up free by connecting your console to a broadband Internet connection. Once online, downloading the update is fast and simple, and provides instant access to many new features. Expanded HD Display and Video Playback Options Xbox Live Arcade Enhancements XNA Support These features are just some of the enhancements gamers and developers can expect as part of the fall update.
Click read more below to see the full news item
Very often as I am looking for news items to post about how you can Experience Mobility, I run into a variety of really cool things that have nothing to do with Mobility but are too cool not to share. I saw these guys a short time ago on Letterman and when I saw it today on Google, I just had to pass it on. Take the time to relax and enjoy this video...who knows, maybe you're video will appear on the net.
George Strompolos from the Google Video Team said recently:
A good viral video sets off a chain reaction that continues until nearly everyone has seen it, including your mom (or even Agent 2 ½).
The mad scientists known as EepyBird know a thing or two about chain reactions. They first rocketed into viral video fame by turning the explosive act of mixing Diet Coke and Mentos into an art form. Today they're back with a chain reaction like none other: 500 liters of Diet Coke and 1500+ Mentos, all triggered by the pull of one string.
Don't miss The Domino Effect -- a Google Video exclusive. In addition to being very fun, it demonstrates another interesting application of our Sponsored Video program -- this time with user-generated content. This helps producers like EepyBird earn revenue by pairing them up with our advertising partners.
We're excited to help compensate these independent producers for their creativity, and we can't wait to see who the next stars will be. If you have very compelling videos and are interested in this program,please get in touch.
Check out this very cool video here!
As you Experience Mobility, sometimes you run into the unexpected...
Jennifer Williams caught this unlikely character as she was walking the cliffs of Montana de Oro near Los Osos, California.
New Versions of Core Components Provide Interoperable Mobile Email, Device Management, Security and Enterprise Application Enablement.
Sybase iAnywhere today announced new versions of two of the core components in its Information Anywhere Suite, a portfolio of products that provide the essential building blocks for enterprise mobility solutions. Information Anywhere Suite is designed to help organizations address the converging requirements for mobile email, device management, security and enterprise application enablement.
The delivery of Afaria 5.5 and OneBridge 5.5 completes the updates of all products in the Information Anywhere Suite. These updates enable interoperability across technologies to optimize wireless communications, simplify IT requirements and improve mobile user experience. Information Anywhere Suite is a key extension of Sybase's Unwired Enterprise strategy.
"Customers today are looking at mobility in a strategic manner and seeking out comprehensive solutions beyond single-purposed applications," said Stephen Drake, Program Director for IDC's Mobile Enterprise services. "Savvy mobile software providers that deliver an integrated set of mobile enablement application capabilities, messaging and mobile device management and security within a suite offering are delivering on customers' strategic mobility goals."
Recent Information Anywhere Suite product updates of Afaria, OneBridge, M- Business Anywhere, SQL Anywhere and Unwired Accelerator include improved interoperability across components and further leverage a common technology infrastructure requiring fewer resources from the communications network to increase battery life and improve the overall performance and user experience on a mobile device.
Information Anywhere Suite Capabilities Include:
— Heterogeneous Mobile Email Delivery — OneBridge provides a powerful out-of-the-box solution for push delivery of data such as email, calendar, contacts and tasks to mobile workers in real time.
— Mobile Device Management — Afaria allows companies to centrally manage and support devices, applications, data and communications regardless of the available bandwidth. It creates a bridge of system control, user support and information flow between the frontlines and the enterprise.
— Mobile Device Security — Using Afaria, companies can protect data, mobile devices, applications and remote users against unauthorized access and other security vulnerabilities with methods like wiping data, disabling access to lost or stolen devices and encrypting data transmissions.
— Mobile Enterprise Application Enablement — Developers and IT professionals can leverage OneBridge, M-Business Anywhere, SQL Anywhere and Unwired Accelerator to build mobile solutions that extend existing enterprise information sources (including databases, application interfaces and services, messaging servers and intranets) and applications (including SAP, Business Objects and Remedy) directly to mobile devices.
"The last few years have brought major advances in wireless technology and converged mobile devices, but organizations still face challenges in two key areas: securing and managing mobile data, applications and devices; and extending enterprise applications to their mobile environment," said Terry Stepien, president, iAnywhere. "Recognizing that these challenges are interrelated and need to be addressed holistically, Information Anywhere Suite empowers organizations to take a strategic approach to their enterprise mobility deployments."
Click read more below to see the full news item
Spb Software House, Developer of the Year 2006 (Handango), announces the 3rd Annual Spb Pocket PC Survey. Every year it helps to gather and process the information about the current Pocket PC community's status and compare it to the previous survey results.
The first two surveys, conducted in 2004 and 2005, provided priceless information about the whole Pocket PC community and had a great response. This year the survey should show even more quantitative and qualitative changes in the community concerning rapid Pocket PC market growth, which will define the subsequent condition of the branch. According to the figures of the year 2005 the Pocket PC market increased by 75.1% and continues to grow.
All survey participants will get a collection of five excellent ringtones. The first Survey, conducted in September 2004, provided extensive and priceless information to the whole Pocket PC community and had a great response. The Second Annual Spb Pocket PC Survey helped to compare the two-year results and to draw a conclusion about the Pocket PC market evolution. The Second Annual Pocket PC Survey conducted in 2005 uncovered the most important changes in the whole Pocket PC community: You can find full comparative results of the Surveys 2004 and 2005 using the following link: The most interesting question is - what changes are expected this year? Spb Pocket PC Survey is a part of Spb's good will strategy to contribute to the Pocket PC community. This strategy also involves activities such as organizing the Pocket PC Developer Network website and developing the Spb Benchmark application. Spb Software House is confident that the results of the survey will be both interesting and relevant to the Pocket PC community The survey will take place from October 31st to November 14th. This year the survey is available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Simplified Chinese and Traditional Chinese languages. You can complete the survey now using the following link: PDACorps: About Spb Software House Spb Software House is a software development company, specializing mainly in Windows Mobile software for Pocket PCs. Founded in 1999, the company offers advanced software solutions for use in a wide range of applications.
Click read more below to see the full news item
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/about/pressreleases/docs/spbsurvey2005.html
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/support/survey.php
No, it's not Family Fortunes (dire UK game show), it's the results of the SPB Pocket PC Survey. SPB conducted the survey amongst 10,000 Pocket PC users and came out with all sorts of interesting statistics about our usage, buying habits, family members attitudes to our Pocket PC's, etc. It's a pretty extensive list of results, but if you've ever wanted to know the average shoe size of a PPC user, SPB are probably the best people to ask!»
http://www.pdacorps.com/forum/forum_posts.asp?TID=3752 
If you do then you might like this one!. Sling Media has released SlingPlayer Mac for OS X via Public Beta
Chris Leckness over at Mobilitysite posted VERY EARLY this morning that 
Sling Media announced the immediate availability of the SlingPlayer for Mac OS X. Great post Chris!
This is a software download for Slingbox customers who want to use their Apple Macintosh computer. If you are a U.S. or Canadian customer, you can take full advantage of this public beta, now, free of charge, from the following two URLs:
http://us.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html
http://ca.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html
Source: MobilitySite
Caroline McCarthy reported today that Apple has made the official announcement that the NEW iPod Shuffle will be available on Friday. In part, Caroline said:
Apple Computer announced on Tuesday that the second generation of its iPod Shuffle will be available globally on Friday, Nov. 3. The 1-gigabyte screenless iPod, which retails for $79, has been the subject of much fan speculation because of Apple CEO Steve Jobs' claim that it's the world's smallest digital-audio player--it's half a cubic inch in volume.
Source: CNET News.com
....all this for an additional fee of $4.49 a month....NOT!
I certainly can appreciate providers offering services to make their service up to date and better than the next guy but here has to point when a service offering is part of the package.
A little bit here, a little bit there all coupled with the initial service and data plan ... it adds up...BIG TIME!
The service takes your computer-based contact lists from your e-mail systems (like Outlook) and sends it to your device. Gee, now I can pay $4.49 a month for something that ActiveSync does..duh.
And you STILL have to choose which names to copy over....dumb! Ok, so there are some phones that you can't use Outlook (or another program) on. If you have that many contacts, you most likely have a significant number of calendar entries...I think I'd reconsider what device I'm using.
Original Release here: Verizon to offer automatic phone contact updates
Canadianwebhosting.com Now Offering Customers Email Protection from Barracuda Network’s Spam Firewall
Canadianwebhosting.com has completed implementation of Barracuda Network’s Spam Firewall to scan all inbound and outbound emails. Installation started in late September and has taken just over one month to complete. All customers on the shared hosting plans will be automatically added to the email spam firewall free of charge.
Canadian Web Hosting is now processing more than 1,00,000 emails each day, blocking up to 95% of the messages as spam per day. The Barracuda Spam Firewall provides comprehensive protection against the most current email-borne threats, including:
• Anti-spam
• Anti-virus
• Anti-spoofing
• Anti-phishing
• Anti-spyware (Attachments)
• Denial of Service
For more information about Canadian Web Hosting visit: http://www.canadianwebhosting.com
SoftMaker Office 2006 for Pocket PCs is ready for release. They are just kicking the tires a bit more to make sure everything works smoothly....and it will work smoothly!
In the meantime, you can already place your orders for the Pocket PC versions of SoftMaker Office, TextMaker, and PlanMaker 2006. They are doing everything to let you easily move from the beta version to the released software.
Watch the big announcement soon, and consider placing your order
quickly: Orders will be processed in the order they come in.
Read more:
http://www.softmaker.com/english/ofp_en.htm
Order:
http://www.softmaker.com/english/orderp_en.htm
(Special thanks to Neil. His comment reminded me to post this)
Chris Leckness over at Mobilitysite posted this story on a slick new device from E-TEN, the X500. You want to check this one out because it is sporting some very nice features. In part, Chris said:
glofiish X500 Delivers GPS and Wi-Fi® All-in-One
E-TEN Information Systems has released details of the company's Upcoming plans for the Pocket PC Phone market. Highlights of the announcement include an all new case design that is considerably thinner than current products; upgraded communications with support for faster protocols and standards; and the ability to combine both GPS and Wi-Fi® capabilities in a single device.
Checkout his entire story here at: MobilitySite
Doug Smith from Mobilitysite posted a neat story on the the Nokia 330 Auto Navigation hitting Europe. In part, Doug said the following:
Nokia today has announced a very cool, dedicated personal navigation device, the 330 Auto Navigation. With a 3.5 inch screen and a preinstalled 2GB memory card, the 330 will handle all our friends across the pond map data with visual delight.. Nokia plans to release the 330 in Europe by the end of the year at 360 EUR, plus tax.
Check out the story and the full news release here at: MobilitySite
The CNET and CNET Asia staff talk about some Sleek and sexy smart phones with big brains today. Showcasing five devices that combine the characteristics of a cell phone and a PDA in one unit. However, the C/NET folks are wondering WHY Smart phones have not taken off.
Well, if you look at these five smart phones, all having great features, such as Wi-Fi, you just might change your mind.
It a nice piece...check it out here: Sleek and sexy smart phones with big brains
The Leading Travel Application to Be Embedded in the HP iPAQ rx5000 Series
MobiMate Ltd. announced that WorldMate Standard Edition 2006 will be pre-installed in the HP iPAQ rx5000 Travel Companion.
WorldMate 2006 Standard Edition provides a host of travel related services such as weather forecasts, daily currency exchange rates, measurement converters, world clocks, and more.
The program will be pre-installed on the HP iPAQ rx5000 series and ready to go right out of the box. Customers will have the option to upgrade to WorldMate Professional Edition 2006, which provides several enhancements including flight schedules for over 800 airlines, real-time flight status, and enhanced weather services.
For more information about WorldMate, please visit http://www.mobimate.com.
WOW...has James been busy "talking" this weekend! Not only do we get to listen to MobileTechRoundup 75 but as an added bonus, we get to listen to OnTheRun with Tablet PCs #31 with Marc Orchant and James Kendrick.Source: jkOnTheRun
James Kendrick, Matt Miller and Kevin C. Tofel are at it again with another terrific MobileTech Roundup Podcast.
There are very important topics this week like "Where in the world is Matt and why does Hawaii have interstate highways?"
Of course there are other topics in a more serious note like the winner of the “Name Matt’s Samsung Q1 UMPC” contest! and you will hear how Matt feels about T-Mobile’s new UMA offering.
It's another terrific offering from these guys...CLICK HERE to download the file and listen directly.
I'm not sure if it is Rose Kim from Aving that takes these pictures but if it is you Rose, they were terrific. You definitely want to click the Aving USA link below to check out this new device from Bluebird.
Bluebird soft is releasing 'BM300' a 13.8mm-thick T-DMB PDA in November in Korea market through its online shopping mall.
It features 2.8-inch QVGA LCD, Intel PXA 270 520MHz CPU, Windows Mobile 5.0 premium OS, 802.11 b/g WLAN, and Bluetooth connectivity; so, users can use MS office program with a keyboard or a mouse. It runs on Window media player 10 mobile for PMP.
It has 512MB internal memory and it also supports 4G flash memory that allows users to record movies for around 26 hours.
Other features include MP3P, photo viewer, e-book, game, dual speakers as the first in PDA markets, 2.5Ï€ stereo plug, IR communication, and 24-pin port.
Source: AVING USA
T-Mobile is giving away a Dash a day, for 61 days ... That will make 61 people very happy! The Dash is a slick device and I would expect that this give-away will draw some serious attention.
In addition, the winners will get 3 months of free data and voice service so that will sweeten the desire to win! Consider marking this site as a favorite so you can go each day and and sign up for the drawing.......winners will be selected each day between now and December 25, 2006.
Very special thanks to Smartphonethoughts for this tip!
Enter and win here: T-Mobile Dash
If you are, Daimaou from Akihabaranews.com found an outstanding solution for you that looks very cool.
Sonnettech offers in Japan a 2100mha battery pack for iPod that goes directly on the back of your iPod. It offers 16h of autonomy for video and 80h for music. The battery pack measures only 51x111x26mm.
If you click on the link below, you will go to the Sonnettech site. Scroll to the bottom and view a very descriptive picture of the battery pack.
Windows Defender is a free program that helps you stay productive by protecting your computer against pop-ups, slow performance and security threats caused by spyware and other potentially unwanted software.
Windows Defender no longer supports Windows 2000 as mainstream support ended in June 2005.
This is the most current release of Windows Defender. If Windows Defender informed you that an update is available, you are running an older version. We encourage you to upgrade to this version. You can check your version of Windows Defender by clicking the down arrow next to the help icon and choosing ‘About Windows Defender’.
This release includes enhanced features that reflect ongoing input from customers, as well as Microsoft’s growing understanding of the malicious software landscape.
To download the x64 version of Windows Defender, click here.
Specific features of Windows Defender include:
Click read more below to see the full news item
Microsoft DirectX is a group of technologies designed to make Windows-based computers an ideal platform for running and displaying applications rich in multimedia elements such as full-color graphics, video, 3D animation, and rich audio.
DirectX includes security and performance updates, along with many new features across all technologies, which can be accessed by applications using the DirectX APIs.
DirectX End-User Runtime Web Installer
The Microsoft DirectX® End-User Runtime provides updates to 9.0c and previous versions of DirectX — the core Windows® technology that drives high-speed multimedia and games on the PC.
Get it here: DirectX End-User Runtime
Yuri Kageyama, an AP Business writer, posted a story on a new mobile phone in Japan that takes security to a different level.
It can recognize its owner, automatically locks when the person gets too far away from it and can be found via satellite navigation if it goes missing.
Why would you want this extra security?
The extra security is handy because, like other recent Japanese phones, the P903i can be used as a credit card or a prepaid cash card.
Check out Yuri's article here.
Patrick Hoffman had an interesting article posted on eWeek entitled "An Alternative to Typing Text Messages". He talked about California-based Synaptics introducing its MobileTouch FlexPad for Pantech Wireless' PG-2800 mobile phone.
So what's cool about it? You can text-message others by drawing out characters with your fingers on the numeric pad with the end result of simplified character entry and navigation.
The phone is only available in Russia at the moment but it is a very cool concept and one that I would expect to be integrated in phones worldwide. Check out the FLASH DEMO and then imagine this technology integrated in YOUR device.
From Synaptics:
Synaptics' MobileTouch™ solution replaces mechanical buttons and switches with a custom-designed capacitive sensor that translates gestures for scrolling, selection and cursor control for on-screen navigation. The sensor thickness, size, and shape are customizable and can be located anywhere on the phone, thereby adding compelling navigation capabilities while eliminating the need for mechanical buttons and rockers.
The MobileTouch interface differentiates mobile devices through rich customization options and provides OEMs with intuitive features and functionality, resulting in a compelling interface that drives the use of mobile applications and services.
Some of the key features and benefits include:
Advanced Features: MobileTouch solutions can enhance the end user's experience with intelligent sensing features--speed-sensitive scrolling (finger speed controls scrolling speed), finger gestures for performing designated actions, and more.
Durable and Rugged: MobileTouch sensors are virtually immune to moisture, dirt, and surface scratches. There are no moving parts to wear out with repeated use.
Thin and Lightweight: MobileTouch solutions are substantially thinner than comparable mechanical devices--making them ideal for small, handheld devices.
Design Flexibility: MobileTouch solutions can be located virtually anywhere on the phone, and can be combined with mechanical or capacitive buttons, or LEDs to illuminate the buttons or scrolling.
Check out the FLASH DEMO here
Click read more below to see the full news item
A perfect Bluetooth keyboard solution – AGAIN!
Several years ago after I had acquired my first iPAQ, I decided that even though it was terrific for those routine tasks, large amounts of text entry was tedious. It was then that I found my first Stowaway keyboard with a built-in connector for my iPAQ. It worked very well for extended text entry. Eventually I upgraded my iPAQ to the 3900 series, and I was pleasantly surprised that Think Outside had made an adapter for the keyboard enabling me to continue to use this terrific piece of technology.
Time went on and new devices came my way so I eventually retired my keyboard and started to use alternative methods of software based text entry. I was happy but never quite as satisfied as I was with my keyboard. Then Think Outside introduced their Stowaway Infrared Wireless Keyboard which was an almost perfect solution. It had an integrated cradle and you could adjust the IR wand to get the best connectivity. It was good ... no ... at that time it was great, but the best was yet to come. As great as it was (and still is), it had one issue that always plagued me and that was only four rows of keys. This meant that in order to deal with numbers and special symbols, you needed to use a combination of strokes with special function keys. Don’t get me wrong, you do get used to it and the size and portability make that sacrifice well worth it. There is NO question that the Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard was and is a perfect solution. But that missing fifth row has always been a rub for many of us and I am sure that folks let Think Outside know that they wanted a keyboard that had that 5th row. Well, they listened, evaluated, designed and placed into production another superior Stowaway Keyboard that is a perfect addition to your road warrior bag to complement your SmartPhone, PDA, Ultra-Mobile PC, Tablet, or notebook. In fact, almost any Bluetooth supported device can utilize this incredible new product and of course what is very cool is that it opens up to a 5 row full-size keyboard that has 19 mm spacing and 3mm key travel … most likely it is exactly like the one you use on your laptop. For me, the introduction of the iGo Stowaway Sierra Bluetooth Keyboard could not have come at a more appropriate time. Recently I acquired my first tablet, a Motion LS800. It is truly a device that has changed how I Experience Mobility. And yes, I know that a tablet is meant to be used without a keyboard. And yes, I know that there are those that might say that it is blasphemy to even want to use a keyboard…after all, that is why you have the TIP (Text Input Panel) but frankly, the longer the article I write, the worse my handwriting becomes … sometimes it is even illegible to me! So how can I expect the TIP to translate what I can’t read? A keyboard is a needed accessory for me if I want fast and efficient text entry. Without any hesitation, I ordered my keyboard and when it arrived, I was impressed! Of course, like all Think Outside products, the packaging was terrific. I was very impressed with the listing of information that was neatly placed around the box. The right side had a complete list of compatible devices; the left gave the specs, dimensions and system requirements. It was encased in a see through plastic that was reasonably easy to open, although I did have to use a knife to cut through the plastic. Inside there was a quick start guide, a CD, a cleaning cloth, a zippered case for the keyboard, the Sierra Keyboard and a battery! Yes, batteries were included (well, only one)! Once the right slide is engaged, not only does it lock that side but it also turns on the keyboard (assuming the battery has been inserted). There are two spring loaded locking mechanisms that keep the either slide firmly in tack to prevent unwanted opening (and in the case of the right side, shutting down the keyboard). The battery compartment located to the left of center is easily accessible for insertion of a single AA battery. I performed a variety of typing tests and was quite pleased with the results. There is no discernable delay in text appearing after a key is pressed. If I let the keyboard sit for a while, it will go to sleep but a simple press on any key will bring it back to life within a few seconds. As an aside, I really like that feature because it extends the battery life. After two weeks of daily use of up to 10 hours a day, I am still on the first battery but then I expected that. Battery life on Think Outside products has always been extraordinary. For several days I used the keyboard with terrific results. I have been impressed with the feel of the keys while I type (although it is a slightly different feel than my PC keyboard). If my tablet was off, upon turning it on the keyboard would immediately connect with a simple press of a key and a two or three second delay … I liked that! So it works and it works well. There are some special characters that are on some of the keys specifically for use with Windows Mobile devices such as a key for “OK”, the “X”, Programs, Settings, and Today. Curiosity was now getting the best of me so it was time to pair the keyboard with some of my devices. Next I tried the HP rx4540. Again, it was a fast recognition from the Think Outside website, a quick download and within a few minutes, I was entering text but I really felt that the 4540 was “outclassed” with this keyboard. The diminutive size of the 4540 compared to the full size Sierra keyboard was too overwhelming. So I immediately took my older (and much more size appropriate) Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard, connected it and was entering text in seconds. Interestingly enough, as much as I thought the keyboard overwhelmed the iPAQ 4540, I did not feel that way with my Palm 700W. I actually could see myself using it with the Palm on an as needed basis. For me, the name of the game is to be able to Experience Mobility at its fullest potential and having the NEW Stowaway Sierra keyboard will allow me to do that with my Motion LS800 Tablet. When using my tablet, I have a cradle for it to rest in so it is easily viewable but you might ask how would you “prop” up a small device. The answer is simple, use a small stand. Oh, where are you going to get one you ask? The engineers at Think Outside thought about that too. They designed a nifty collapsible stand that is integrated into the back of the keyboard. When you need it, just turn over the keyboard and remove the stand. It springs open with a back support for your device to lean against and has a rubber rest for the bottom of your device to sit on preventing it from slipping. When you’re done, it folds easily and snaps back into the rear of the keyboard. I am glad it is removable so you can adjust the position that you place your device to suit your needs. If you are looking for a means to comfortably enter text into your Bluetooth enabled device, I give this device my highest recommendation. I expect that this device (like so many other Think Outside products) will provide years of perfect service. However there is just one little problem. Now there are two perfect solutions for text entry with your Bluetooth devices; the Stowaway Ultra-Slim Bluetooth Keyboard and the Stowaway Sierra Bluetooth Keyboard. The problem you will have is deciding which one to use. Superior construction Easy installation Convenient automatic driver download Huge range of compatible devices Automatic Power Saving mode Polished exterior difficult to maintain (but it can act like a mirror) COST: $ 129.99 RATING: 5 out of 5 Visit iGo to find out more information about the iGo Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard at http://www.iGo.com
With the advent of Bluetooth and its widespread adoption, Think Outside introduced the perfect solution for your smart phone, PDA, Tablet, or notebook with a very hot new product - the Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard! It was sleek and had an incredible design that still impresses me after all the time I have used it. Its unique design allowed me to take it everywhere and when I needed it, it opened to an almost full sized keyboard to easily enter text. 
When I first got my tablet, I immediately paired my Stowaway Universal Bluetooth Keyboard. It works fine, no, it works flawlessly but ….that missing fifth row was now even more evident. When I use the keyboard, the tablet is always in a cradle and the cradle has several USB inputs. I had decided that I was going to buy a new wireless keyboard that uses a USB adapter but the problem was finding one that would allow for easy portability in my bag. After spending some time researching the different wireless keyboards out there, I had pretty much decided which one I was going to get but then I was “saved by the bell” because Mobility Electronics, announced the launch of the NEW Stowaway Sierra keyboard. They advertised it as the “next generation portable Bluetooth keyboard designed specifically for Smartphone users” but I believed that it was the next generation portable Bluetooth keyboard designed specifically for Jack Cook and his new tablet! 
As you hold the folded keyboard for the first time you do notice that its weight (10.7 oz) is significantly more than the smaller Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard (5.6 oz). However, the added weight is not significant enough to be a concern especially considering the fact that this is a true full size keyboard. The sides are metal with a shiny chrome finish ... now you know why they included a cleaning cloth … fingerprints! 
The keyboard opens by pressing a release button located on the side. As you press the release button, it opens revealing four sections. Laying the keyboard flat, there are two locking slides that when you gently push on them will lock the outer sections with the inner sections. The center seam is still “loose” however it has no effect on operation either on your lap or on a table top. 
Well, the keyboard is open, the battery is inserted and the sides are locked so I was now ready to see if it worked. I decided to try my Motion tablet first so I set the keyboard in pairing mode by pressing the discoverable button located at the top of the keyboard. Pressing it for a second, the pairing light began to flash so I added the device to my tablet. With in seconds, a new device was discovered, it recognized what it was and found the appropriate drivers on my tablet. In a very short period of time it was done and I was typing … I was impressed! 
I decided to try it with my iPAQ 4700 first. Rather than use the included CD, I went to the Think Outside website and it automatically detected my device and chose the appropriate driver. It downloaded, opened, installed and then reset my device. When the connection process began, it found that my 4700 had two Bluetooth components so I had to choose which one I wanted. After picking one, it easily set up my keyboard and I was typing within a few seconds. 
Lastly, I tried my Palm 700W which ended up being the fastest install of all. Again, Think Outside recognized the device, download the appropriate driver and the install was flawless. Of course I was able to enter text but more importantly, I was able to use ALL the special keys including those for phone functions. Not that I would ever use them, it was just neat to see them work. 
The construction is what you would expect from a Think Outside product - Superior! Quality materials, perfect alignment of parts, smooth operation of working components, well written manuals and excellent software. There is not much more about it that I can say other than the fact that it is very cool. It even looks terrific folded up and sitting next to my tablet. They designed one edge to be flat so when the device is closed, you can have it sitting next your device just waiting to be used. 
I would be remiss if I did not mention that Think Outside has been acquired by Mobility Electronics, Inc., a leading provider of innovative portable power and computing solutions. Mobility Electronics’ products are available at www.iGo.com as well as through leading resellers, retailers and OEM partners. What is nice about this acquisition is that both companies have a shared vision for developing innovative connectivity products. The end result is that we will continue to get innovative, high quality components that will increase our productivity and maximize our device enjoyment so we can truly Experience Mobility at a high level. 
PROS 
CONS
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I missed this one last week but I thought it was important enough to mention. Logitech acquired Slim Devices, makers of the acclaimed Squeezebox and the recently announced Transporter for $20 million in cash plus a possible performancebased payment if they reach future revenue targets.
"With the acquisition of Slim Devices, Logitech is building on our foundation of innovation in digital music and homeentertainment control to address an emerging market," said Guerrino De Luca, Logitech president and chief executive officer. "Our focus is on people who want to listen to and control their digital music, anywhere in the home. Slim Devices brings expertise in both networkbased music delivery and highquality audio, and a committed community of developers. Slim Devices complements Logitech's existing technology and humaninterface strengths, helping to ensure that we can deliver to music lovers the promise of the digital home."
It's almost time for Halloween and Astraware is excited to announce the Astraware Spooktacular - a special sales event offering a cauldron-full of great games at scarily low prices!
Starting on Friday 27th October and running until midnight on 31st October 2006, six weird and wonderful games will be available with up to 50% off their regular price. For Club Astraware members, there's a special Halloween treat as one of them will be available free! Just visit Club Astraware at: http://www.astraware.com/club/login.php. Club Astraware is easy to join and costs nothing, so why not grab a free game this Halloween?
Visit the Astraware website at http://www.astraware.com from Friday 27th October to check out the range of Spooktacular discounts!
Special Thanks to Connie for the Halloween graphic.
In a Hollywood first, Nokia announced the launch of the blockbuster movie M:i:III on memory cards to coincide with the film’s DVD release. The action-packed feature film will be offered as part of the Nokia N93 sales package with no additional cost to consumers and will be available in Finland, France, Germany, Hungary, Ireland, Italy, Portugal, Spain, Turkey, and the UK.
The Nokia N93 – with its high definition 2.4” QVGA color screen and a perfect form factor for watching videos – is the ultimate mobile entertainment device. The full length film, which is supplied on a 512MB miniSD card, runs at 25 frames per second, and you can rewind, fast forward, stop and continue watching the movie anytime. Furthermore, to make the movie experience even more complete, you can enjoy it in stereo audio thanks to the stereo headset included in the standard Nokia N93 sales package. Once you have watched the movie, you can store it on your PC and enjoy the 512MB of storage for shooting pictures and video*.
The deal between Nokia and Paramount Pictures, a division of Viacom, brings fans the $400 million worldwide box office hit. To date, it has been seen by more than 74 million people across the globe.
“With this package, we want to highlight that the Nokia N93 is not only a fantastic movie-making device, but that it is also a portable video player, allowing users to enjoy movies wherever, whenever,” said Tuula Rytilä-Uotila, director, Multimedia, Nokia. “You can even watch movies on an airplane with the device in offline mode. Indeed, we look forward to seeing consumers across Europe enjoying M:i:III on their Nokia N93 devices this holiday season.”
“Combining the exciting innovations of Nokia N93 with a film as cutting edge as M:i:III makes for a truly winning formula for consumers,” said Thomas Lesinski, President, Paramount Pictures Digital Entertainment.
Not only is the Nokia N93 a portable media player, it is also a high performance mobile camcorder allowing users to record their own adventures in DVD-like quality. To encourage people to shoot and share their moving moments, Nokia created the Nokia Nseries Studio (www.nokia.com/nseries/studio), an interactive online community for mobile movies which was launched by award-winning actor and director Gary Oldman. A selection of mobile movies shot with the Nokia N93 by an international cast of creative visionaries is already available to view on the site, including a short film by Gary Oldman himself.
For more information about the Nokia N93 and M:i:III, please visit: www.nokia.com/mi3
*Please note that the movie cannot be played on the PC nor can it be copied to another memory card.
Source: Nokia
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HP and Cingular Keep Business Customers Connected with New HP iPAQ Handheld
HP and Cingular Wireless today announced that beginning Oct. 31 Cingular will be the first carrier in the United States to offer a new HP iPAQ handheld device with five wireless communications technologies.
With the HP iPAQ hw6920 series Mobile Messenger, customers can use Cingular’s nationwide GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless data network, Wi-Fi, GPS, infrared and Bluetooth™ wireless technologies(1,2,3) to connect business customers to their information, whether it’s corporate email or more robust industry-specific applications.
The built-in GPS (global positioning system) receiver enables customers to receive directions on their hw6920 series to points-of-interest around town and to impromptu destination choices. The hw6920 series will debut with Cingular’s first generally available, location-based solution – TeleNav GPS Navigator™ from TeleNav, Inc.
With TeleNav GPS Navigator, HP iPAQ users can get turn-by-turn voice and onscreen directions directly on the device for use when driving or walking. TeleNav GPS Navigator, which also provides information on more than 10 million points of interest and additional search tools, is available as a subscription service from Cingular. HP iPAQ customers also can choose from several other GPS navigation options – including Microsoft Pocket Streets or HP Navigation Maps and Software.
“HP is making it simple for customers to stay connected and work effectively when on the move,” said Alain Debost, director, Handheld Business Unit – North America, HP. “By combining the iPAQ hw6920 series wireless email, voice and fast data access with Cingular’s expansive network, we are allowing customers to tap into the information and rich content they want, when they want it.”
Cingular’s EDGE network is the largest national wireless data network in the United States, with availability in more than 13,000 cities and towns and along about 40,000 miles of interstate highways.
“The HP iPAQ hw6920 series is a powerful communications tool that will give our business customers multiple ways to stay connected to important information,” said Cathy Quaciari, director, B2B devices, Cingular Wireless. “Whether it’s through a wide area, local area or Bluetooth connection, customers will be able to access their email and other corporate data while having location-based capabilities with the device’s built-in GPS receiver. It’s yet another jewel in the long and fruitful collaborative alliance between HP and Cingular.”
The Microsoft Windows® Mobile 5.0 operating system gives HP iPAQ hw6920 series users access to mobile versions of many of the familiar Microsoft features found on their desktops, such Windows Media Player, Internet Explorer and Outlook.
Additionally, the HP iPAQ hw6920 series includes the Messaging and Security Feature Pack for Windows Mobile 5.0, which offers up-to-date email, calendar, tasks and contacts as well as advanced security features, including remote device wipe, remotely enforced IT policy and S/MIME support.
The HP Mobility Solutions Evaluation Center provides customers with access to a premier portfolio of business applications – many available via downloadable, 30-day evaluations at no charge. Cingular’s certification process for business application providers was incorporated into the Mobility Solutions Center. Expertise areas include mail and messaging, field service, government, healthcare, retail, sales and transportation.
Customers also can use the HP iPAQ hw6920 series’ built-in 1.3-megapixel HP Photosmart camera for capturing photos and videos to share wirelessly,(2) or they can relax to their favorite music using Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. Cingular will sell two versions of the HP iPAQ hw6900 series Mobile Messenger: the hw6925 has a built-in camera and the hw6920 comes without a camera.
Availability and pricing(4)
The iPAQ hw6920 series is available from Cingular Wireless’ B2B sales organization for as low as $359.99 for business customers with a two-year contract and qualifying voice and data plans. The iPAQ hw6920 series also is available through hp.com and select HP channel partners.
More information is available at www.hp.com/go/Mobility2006 or www.cingular.com/ipaq.
About Cingular Wireless
Cingular Wireless is the largest wireless carrier in the United States, serving 58.7 million customers. Cingular, a joint venture between AT&T Inc. (NYSE: T) and BellSouthCorporation (NYSE: BLS), has the largest digital voice and data network in the nation – the ALLOVER™ network – and the largest mobile-to-mobile community of any national wireless carrier. Cingular is a leader in third generation wireless technology. Its 3G network is the first widely available service in the world to use HSDPA (High Speed Downlink Packet Access) technology. Cingular is the only U.S. wireless carrier to offer Rollover®, the wireless plan that lets customers keep their unused monthly minutes. Details of the company are available at www.cingular.com.
About HP
HP is a technology solutions provider to consumers, businesses and institutions globally. The company’s offerings span IT infrastructure, global services, business and home computing, and imaging and printing. For the four fiscal quarters ended July 31, 2006, HP revenue totaled $90.0 billion. More information about HP (NYSE, Nasdaq: HPQ) is available at http://www.hp.com.
(1) In order to perform GPS navigation, a software application and maps must used. These can be downloaded or purchased separately at www.hp.com/go/gpsnavigation.
(2) A standard GSM/GPRS/EDGE infrastructure, other Bluetooth-enabled devices, separately purchased equipment, and a service contract with a wireless airtime provider may be required for applicable wireless communication. GSM/GPRS/EDGE Wireless Internet access requires separately purchased Internet service contract. Check with service provider for availability and coverage in your area. Not all web content available. GPRS/EDGE may not be available in all networks. GPRS/EDGE data transmission speeds may vary based upon network capabilities and other conditions. Establishment and continuation of a GPRS/EDGE connection depends on network availability, provider support and signal strength.
(3) Enhanced Data for Global Evolution (EDGE) is a global standard for wireless wide-area data communication being rapidly deployed by GSM carriers worldwide. Actual download speeds depend on coverage, network availability, traffic, device, applications, tasks, file size and other factors. Coverage is subject to transmission limitations and terrain, system, capacity and other limitations. Not all features and service options are available in all areas. EDGE capabilities available when EDGE networks are deployed. When an EDGE network is not available, it defaults to GPRS.
(4) Estimated U.S. street prices. Actual prices may vary.
I saw it FIRST at Mobilitysite then my email came....nice job Chris!
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Adobe Flash Lite for BREW Brings Enhanced Value to Mobile Developers and Verizon Wireless Customers
Verizon Wireless and QUALCOMM Incorporated announced the availability of Adobe(R) Flash(R) Lite(TM) technology via the Verizon Wireless network.
Flash Lite for BREW(R) facilitates Flash content to run on Verizon Wireless' Get It Now(R)-enabled phones and enables over-the-air distribution, giving Verizon Wireless customers the ability to purchase applications and automatically "Flash enable" their phones.
The alliance will provide developers in North America a new way to create and commercialize rich mobile applications and content that deliver exceptional mobile experiences to millions of Verizon Wireless customers.
Flash Lite for BREW is currently available on four Get It Now-enabled Verizon Wireless handsets, including The V (LG VX9800), Motorola Razr V3c and Motorola V3m and Samsung SCH-a950. The companies expect Flash Lite to be available on additional handsets in the coming weeks. Verizon Wireless customers can purchase engaging Flash Lite for BREW content and applications directly on their phones in Verizon Wireless' Get It Now virtual store.
Ray Taylor, director of product development for Verizon Wireless, said, "Verizon Wireless' commitment to improving the mobile experiences of our customers while providing value to our developer and handset partners is an ongoing priority. By combining Flash Lite with the BREW solution which enables our Get It Now service, developers have a new way to easily design and market rich, interactive content to our customers - which includes everything from screensavers and games to comics and animation."
The Verizon Wireless and Adobe relationship leverages the Flash ecosystem by offering maximum flexibility to the mobile developer community to create content including Flash applications, screensavers and casual games for the BREW solution. Flash Lite for BREW utilizes the key features and benefits of the Flash authoring tool and the BREW platform, providing developers with a clear path to market for content distribution.
"As the first carrier to pass the quarterly data revenue benchmark of $1 billion, Verizon Wireless is already the North American leader," said Gary Kovacs, vice president of product management and marketing, Mobile and Device Solutions at Adobe. "Its inclusion of Flash Lite is yet another powerful example of how Verizon Wireless is pioneering the industry by continually enhancing the mobile content experience for developers and consumers alike."
"Both BREW and Adobe Flash are successful, industry-proven solutions and combining their capabilities into Flash Lite for BREW will be a boon to Flash developers who can take advantage of the BREW business model to monetize their mobile content," said Mitch Oliver, vice president of solutions and marketing for QUALCOMM Internet Services. "Verizon Wireless has long been at the forefront of offering the latest technologies that benefit its subscribers, and its decision to offer Flash Lite for BREW is a great addition."
Adobe also announced today that a preview release of the Flash Lite 2.1 Update to Flash(R) Professional 8 is available for free download on Adobe Labs http://labs.adobe.com/wiki/index.php/Flash_Lite_2.1_Authoring, enabling developers to create, preview and test Flash Lite content and applications directly in the Flash Professional 8 environment.
Mobile developers interested in creating applications and content for Verizon Wireless phones can visit http://www.vzwdevelopers.com or http://www.adobe.com/devnet/devices/verizon.html for more information.
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Pageflakes, a leading player in the rapidly-growing personalized startpage space, today released a completely overhauled version of its popular web site www.pageflakes.com.
In addition to numerous new features and enhancements, Pageflakes also got a completely new look and feel. The new site has been designed by Jeremy Baines, owner of the London-based award-wining design company "this side up," who recently joined Pageflakes as Head of UI. One of the most visible changes besides the fresh new look is a "Welcome Wizard" which greets new users and makes getting started with Pageflakes easier than ever. The user simply selects from a sample of popular modules ("flakes") such as Address Book, Search, Weather, Email and News and chooses his favourite colour scheme. Pageflakes then creates a customized page based on the user's selection.
The long list of further improvements and new features includes:
Dozens of pre-created page templates for typical use cases such as work, family, sports, finance, entertainment, education and much more. Now it takes just a mouse click to add a whole page with the best modules for a certain topic area.
A Feed Directory and a Podcast Directory with hundreds of news feeds and podcasts from all over the world and for almost every category(digy).
A new Pageflakes community environment at www.pageflakes.com/community which allows users to search, submit, rate and discuss flakes and do much more.
Setting up a shared page with other users is now easier than ever.
A Public Pages Gallery of all the pages which Pageflakes users have published.
Visit Pageflakes here at www.pageflakes.com
Do you want some cool graphics and sounds for Halloween that are FREE?
mixxer (http://www.mixxer.com) is giving away spooky, scary and haunting graphics and sounds for mobile phones just in time for the creepiest of nights! Now, anyone can make their phone scream with horror or cackle like a witch when their favorite goblins are calling.
Available online for more than 500 handsets at mixxer.com beginning October 24 at http://www.mixxer.com/halloween
Are you starting to look for gift ideas for the holiday season? If that special someone has a "little geek" in her then these bags might be a perfect gift. Vaja has released new Messenger leather bags that are stylish yet functional.
Slip ideas inside, no matter how big they are, and let them ride in exquisite full grain leather, carefully selected for its quality, beauty and durability amongst the best Argentinian hides.
The Vaja Messenger Bag is handcrafted to subtleness using time-honored Old World traditions of the most skilled leather artisans. Thoughtfully designed to truly and uniquely fit your own needs, each bag offers optional features such as text or graphic personalization, on-board detachable gadget pocket, handy key metal hook, external Rivet tab, and lightweight padded notebook jacket.
Available in three models - 15", 15" wide and slim - and a vast number of combinations, only at http://www.vajacases.com
Opera Software today announced that Opera Mini, the free Web browser for mobile phones, is available for the popular BlackBerry and Palm handsets. Opera Mini offers BlackBerry and Palm Treo users a faster delivery of Web pages and overall better user experience.
According to Gartner reports*, 42.1 million PDA and smartphones units shipped globally in the first half of 2006. Millions of Blackberry and Palm Treo business users have the opportunity to potentially increase productivity and decrease data traffic cost by downloading and using Opera Mini on their handsets. Opera Mini offers faster and better page rendering while saving on memory and data usage, which reflects as a healthier handset and smaller bill for those with limited data plans. Opera Mini achieves this via a server-based component that compresses Web pages, ultimately reducing the size of data transferred and associated costs.
"Opera Mini is a no-frills, instant gateway to the World Wide Web on today's basic line of mobile phones," says Rolf Assev, Chief Commercial Officer, Opera Software. "But we see folks in the industry who are thrilled to use it on higher-end devices. People who are accustomed to mobile browsing in addition to e-mailing or texting, enjoy the speed and reliability Opera Mini offers on today's professional handsets. The fact is, it's a choice available to everyone, novice or pro."
Opera Mini launched in February this year and has since exceeded 1 billion pages viewed. There are currently more than 7 million users worldwide and industry leading operators, such as Europe's T-Mobile, are already recognizing Opera Mini as a valuable service enabler by installing the browser on select handsets. Usage statistics reported by Opera in August revealed that Google search is the most popular .com site visited using Opera Mini, followed by Gmail.com, Friendster.com, MySpace.com, Yahoo Messenger and hi5.com.
"We see that users are browsing with Opera Mini™ in the same as they are accustomed to on their desktop. They use Mini to find information or network, even bid on eBay while on-the-go," says Rolf Assev, Chief Commercial Officer, Opera Software.
With this announcement, Opera is kicking off a Your Web, Your Choice campaign. Applicants can visit http://www.opera.com/contest/operamini/ to elect their choice of currently available BlackBerry or Treo models and voice why they need Opera Mini to improve their on-the-go lifestyle. The best entry will be chosen by Opera to win their Opera Mini-powered BlackBerry or Treo of choice. The closing date for this campaign is November 30th.
The browser is available for free. To download, visit http://mini.opera.com from your handset.
* Gartner press release, October 9, 2006, "Gartner Says Worldwide Combined PDA and Smartphone Shipments Market Grew 57 Percent in the First Half of 2006": http://www.gartner.com/it/page.jsp?id=496997
Availability
Opera Mini is available free of charge via download at mini.opera.com. An Internet Data Plan is required to access the Internet. Verizon Wireless customers are currently not supported. Java 2 Micro Edition (J2ME) support is required for the Treo. J2ME installation is available at http://java.sun.com/products/sjwtoolkit/download.html.
Source: Mini proves smart: Opera Mini Web browser for your BlackBerry or Treo
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Kevin C. Tofel found a really neat new item today with Sascha Segan using Verizon's G'zOne phone underwater...YES...UNDERWATER...glug glug!
This $299 CDMA offering is a ruggedized model made by Casio that's advertised to stay intact in 3-feet of water for up to a half hour. Sascha pushes the limits by dropping the phone in to 6-feet of pool water only to realize he now has to fetch his new toy. ;)
NICE FIND KEVIN!!
(only kidding about the air pack ... but it's not out of the realm of reality)
Source: jkOnTheRun
Rose Kim from Aving posted a piece on Samsung indicating that they were demonstrating the 'Slim&J' S-DMB mobile phone. I was very impressed with the pictures ... nice looking devices
Samsung Electronics presented 'SCH-B500' an S-DMB slim sliding mobile phone dubbed 'Slim&J' during KES 2006. It supports CDMA2000 1x EV-DO (800MHz) and VOD/MOD service. It features 2.12-inch TFT-LCD, a 2M camera, microSD memory card slot, mp3 playback, Bluetooth connectivity, TV-out, "playing with my pet", black GUI, and a file viewer.
Source: AVING USA - Global News Network
Elizabeth Montalbano from IDG News Service reported that the Final Version of Mozilla Firefox 2 will be Available Today
Not to be outdone by Microsoft's recent release of Internet Explorer 7, Mozilla will release the second major version of its rival Firefox browser on October 24.
According to Mozilla Vice President of Products Christopher Beard, Firefox 2.0, which should be available on Tuesday if all goes according to schedule, includes key new usability features missing in the new IE 7.
Read Elizabeth's article here: Final Version of Mozilla Firefox 2 Available Today - Yahoo! News
Jason over at Mobilitysite has given us a 1st look at some hip looking Bluetooth Headphones that double as Sunglasses, the Oakley O ROKRs. These are made with the help of Motorola Technology.
It's a video 1st look so a review will be following ...
T-Mobile has introduced ... and the rest will follow
Yesterday T-Mobile began offering a new service that offers you the ability to use your phone over their cell network and Wi-Fi hotspots. The service is being tested in Seattle and if it gains popularity I expect we will see it expand radidly.
Think about it ... if you are near a T-Mobile hotspot, you don't use minutes. Cool!
You can check out what this new service will be like here at T-Mobile's special website, T-Mobile Hotspot @ Home
Well it looks as if the folks at msmobiles liked the application that Scott Robbin developed that strips the AVI file from any Google Video and then it allows you download it to your device.
So much so that it appears that a couple of hours of work produced a similar application with a little difference ... this one allows the downloading of larger files and returns all results.
I tried it this morning with a few files and it works well. Thanks for sharing!
From msmobiles:
Stan Beer got me to think on this article especially when he ended it with this comment: The sort of money users are going to pay Microsoft for Vista should be enough to include a firewall, anti-virus, anti-spyware, anti-phishing and any other necessary security product as standard. If an operating system is not safe to use out of the box without expensive add-ons, then it's not an operating system; it's inoperable.
It is a very interesting article, I hope you get to read it .
Source: iTWire - Vista security bundling is Microsoft obligation
Adding to the Treo family, Palm Canada, along with Microsoft Canada Co., today announced the availability of the Palm Treo 700wx smartphone running Windows Mobile 5.0. The Treo 700wx is now available on the Bell high-speed mobile network (1xEv-DO).
The Treo 700wx combines all the functionality and ease of use for which Treo smartphones are known, with the power and security of Windows Mobile favored by many businesses. Today's announcement marks the availability of the first Windows Mobile-based Treo smartphone on the Bell high-speed mobile network, giving its customer base more choices and complementing the Treo 650 smartphone running on the Palm OS "Palm's goal is to give our customers more choice to satisfy the growing demands of the mobile work force," said Michael Moskowitz, vice president, Americas International, Palm, Inc. "The Palm user experience combined with ready access to Microsoft's world-class email solutions gives mobile professionals a competitive edge and helps to extend Palm's reach into the enterprise market." "Palm Treo smartphones continue to offer our clients innovation, ease of use and functionality in a stylish form factor," said Christopher Shannon, general manager, wireless products and services, Bell Canada. "For clients who prefer to have Microsoft's Windows® operating system applied across their corporate computing assets, the new Treo 700wx gives users a convenient way to access their business-critical applications, email messaging and collaboration tools for their mobile office and business on-the-go needs." "The Palm Treo 700wx powered by Windows Mobile enables Canadian businesses to support an increasingly mobile work force by delivering the tools, technologies and platform that help them communicate, collaborate and work effectively on the go," said Phil Sorgen, president, Microsoft Canada. "Microsoft and valued partners like Palm allow businesses to leverage existing infrastructure and scale deployments to fit their needs today and tomorrow." Unique to the Treo smartphone on Windows Mobile 5.0 is a suite of software enhancements developed by Palm that underscores its brand promise of fast access, ease of use and simplicity. Examples include the following: Key Productivity Features Benefits of Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition Additional Treo 700wx Features and Benefits Availability About Microsoft Canada About Palm, Inc. Palm products are sold through select Internet, retail, reseller and wireless operator channels throughout the world, and at Palm Retail Stores and Palm online stores (http://www.palm.com/store). Source: Palm Canada via Pocket PC Thoughts via Mobilitysite
The Treo 700wx provides the same great world-class Treo experience and ease of use that customers expect, as well as the following key features:
Palm's Windows Mobile-based Treo smartphones provide customers with a compelling combination of powerful software, an award-winning form factor, and the ease of use long associated with the Palm experience. Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Phone Edition provides many user advantages when compared with other smartphones:
The Palm Treo 700wx smartphone from Bell Canada is available at Bell World stores and online at www.bell.ca/wireless or www.businessonthego.ca and http://canadastore.palm.com.
Established in 1985, Microsoft Canada Co. is the Canadian subsidiary of Microsoft Corporation (Nasdaq "MSFT") the worldwide leader in software, services and solutions that help people and businesses realize their full potential. Microsoft Canada provides nationwide sales, marketing, consulting and local support services in both French and English. Headquartered in Mississauga, Microsoft Canada has 10 regional offices across the country dedicated to empowering people through great software - any time, any place and on any device. For more information on Microsoft Canada, please visit www.microsoft.ca
©2006 Microsoft Corporation. Microsoft, Windows Mobile, Excel, PowerPoint, Outlook and Windows are either registered trademarks or trademarks of Microsoft Corporation in the United States and/or other countries.
Palm, Inc., a leader in mobile computing, strives to put the power of computing in people's hands so they can access and share their most important information. The company's products for consumers, mobile professionals and businesses include Palm® Treo™ smartphones, Palm handheld computers, Palm LifeDrive™ mobile managers, as well as software, services and accessories.
More information about Palm, Inc. is available at http://www.palm.com
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platform.
It was pure luck that I ran into this today via a variety of sites (Lifehacker & PVRWire) but I am glad I did. Scott Robbin has developed a web-based application that strips the AVI file from any Google Video and then it allows you download it to your device.
Enter http://srobbin.com/mobilevideo using your device's browser, search for a video then click on the link when it appears. I chose iPod as my search query. It found a slew of videos so I chose the first one, MS Ipod Parody and downloaded it. It was a reasonably fast download and then it automatically started TCMP and I was watching the video...very cool folks.
From Scott Robbin's site:
How many times have you been sitting on the train, with nothing to do, and you thought to yourself, "Boy, I’d really like to be watching a video about pickles," only to realize that you have none on your person? If you’re like me, then the answer is plenty.
Well, worry no more. You can now search and watch Google Video right from your mobile communicator. That is, if you meet the following requirements:
- Your phone has an XHTML-compliant browser
- You have enough storage on your phone to hold large files
- Your phone’s connection is fast
- You have an application on your phone capable of playing AVI files
While the first two are a must, there’s some wiggle room on requirements #3 and #4: having a fast connection and the ability to play AVI files.
Source: srobbin.com
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HP Plots Virtual Prison Break from the Tower of London
HP researchers are working with the U.K.’s Historic Royal Palaces, the independent charity that cares for and conserves five unique palaces, to pilot a new location-aware adventure game in which visitors to the Tower of London help virtual prisoners to escape.
The game, developed by the Mediascapes research team at HP Labs and staff at the Tower of London, uses HP iPAQ handheld devices and location sensors including GPS. Digital files containing voices, images, music and clues are placed in specific locations using the HP Labs Mediascape authoring toolkit.
As players move into a location in the Tower and its grounds, the appropriate digital file is triggered on their iPAQ devices. This allows players to meet historical prisoners in the Tower, such as Guy Fawkes and Anne Boleyn, one of Henry VIII’s wives. Even the Tower’s Yeomen Warders, nicknamed Beefeaters, become part of the game as players try to help historical figures escape. For HP, the interest in exploring this area of mobility is to understand the opportunities for new products and services that will emerge around the delivery of location and other context-based experiences. “This is part of a wider project we are running to investigate how locative services might evolve based on user experience,” said Josephine Reid, who is leading the HP Labs team. “We think of this as a new medium, like a digital fourth dimension laid over a physical space. Understanding its value will enable us to go beyond the delivery of ‘anything, anytime, anywhere,’ to the delivery of the ‘right thing at the right time to the right place.’” The pilot will be tested by members of Historic Royal Palaces and HP between Oct. 23 and 28. Some of the historical characters will try to persuade the players to help them escape using the same methods as the character actually used: finding ropes, bribing guards, smuggling letters and, of course, avoiding the patrolling Beefeaters. Succeed in avoiding the guards and the prisoner escapes; fail and the player will be locked up in the Tower – virtually at least. “We’re interested in exploring how new technologies can help visitors become active participants in some of the Tower’s most exciting stories,” said Aileen Peirce, exhibition project manager at the Tower. “We hope that members will enjoy playing this innovative game on the actual sites where history happened.” Historic Royal Palaces (www.hrp.org.uk) is an independent charity that looks after the Tower of London, Hampton Court Palace, the Banqueting House, Kensington Palace and Kew Palace. These palaces are owned by the Queen on behalf of the nation and managed by Historic Royal Palaces for the Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport. It receives no state funding and depends on the support of visitors, members, donors, volunteers and sponsors. The Tower of London project is the latest in a series of experimental Mediascapes created by HP Labs Bristol in recent years. Others include: The HP Labs Mediascape authoring toolkit is available as a free download for non-commercial use at www.hpl.hp.com/mediascapes.
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I like slick games and Bookworm is one of them. This is a game based on the online and PC classic from PopCap.
You feed the Worm's endless appetite by joining letters on the library wall! Use up burning letters before they reach the bottom and set the library on fire! Special bonus tiles boost your score if used to make a word.
Bookworm is a superb word game for beginners and experts alike and allows you to test or increase your word power in a fun and enjoyable way!
Bookworm is available for Palm OS® and Pocket PC.
AND....Bookworm Deluxe is available for Windows.
You can find out more about Bookworm here at Astraware
There are just some things that need to be shared even if they have virtually little relationship with Mobile Devices.
I suppose it might be a stretch to say that Hyundai is releated to you Experiencing Mobility but after all, having a car definitely increases your ability to be mobile...check out this very cool video. It was incredibly well done!
Special Thanks to ikubovy for finding this!
iCube announced its release of 'iRec', an iPod video recorder.
'iRec' connected with various AV devices through cables like video camcorder, DVD player, VTR. PC can convert video files and transmit them for direct record while enjoying movies simultaneously.
This model supports the lastest 5G iPod including original versions. Users can handle simply by pressing buttons thanks to its plug and play type.
It is expected to be available from the end of October, 2006.
Source: AVING USA
As I was surfing the net today, I paid a visit to PDALive and saw this post ... I almost had a heart attack! If this is true, it has got to be the biggest mistake they have made.
From PDALive:
CorePlayer v1.0 disregards offline users
The recently released CorePlayer v1.0 appears to have put offline users out of its mind.
This new reincarnation of The Core Pocket Media Player (TCPMP) will not only cost you $25 for a full version, but also force you to stay in touch with the developer’s website for ever and a day. On the one hand, the latter should help deliver the latest software news and components (i.e. codecs) as well as form an open-source media sharing community. But on the other hand, it will limit the player’s basic functionality once you haven’t been online for too long.
The point is one can’t use CorePlayer, say, just to view some video clips while on the go. Instead, one has to be part of the community now.
Additional details are available at http://coreplayer.corecodec.org/.
Source: PDA Live.com
And the BIG question is in MobileTechRoundup Podcast #74: what time does James wake up?
To find out the answer to this and other important news items just
CLICK HERE to download the file and listen directly.
James Kendrick, Matt Miller and Kevin C. Tofel have again a myriad of topics under discussion.
A concern has been expressed about these great guys losing any potential of Starbucks sponsorship...but that is OK to me because Green Mountain coffee is SO MUCH BETTER guys!! So did the Starbucks comment peak your curiosity? Well, listen to the podcast and you will hear the skinny!
Source: jkOnTheRun: MobileTechRoundup Podcast 74: what time does James wake up?
If you are considering adding a UMPC to your collection of gadgets especially if you want just a bit more computing power for your mobile online activities this Ultra-Mobile Personal Computer (UMPC) just might be worth considering. With the built-in Bluetooth, it is capable of using any Bluetooth-ready, EDGE- or EV-DO-networked cell phone to make an Internet connection.
At $799, the 512MB RAM/40GB HDD ago7 UMPC looks inviting...unfortunately the color(White) is not quite my choice but yet the price is worth the look.
Click on READ MORE! below to see the specs
Check it out at www.agopc.com
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Click read more below to see the Technical Specifications
Tsahi Levent-Levi has a nice article this month on Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine about Smooth Integration of Mobile Video Telephony to Windows. Tsahi did a really nice job on this one...its well worth the read. In part, Tsahi said:
Mobile video telephony
Today, the UMTS (WCDMA), and its Chinese equivalent, TD-SCDMA, enable a circuit-switched data connection of 64 kilobits per second. This connection is used for real-time video telephony over mobile networks, and is a popular service on UMTS networks in Japan, Korea, Taiwan, Europe, and many other countries and regions around the world. As operators are looking for additional services to leverage their networks and increase their income per subscriber, the addition of real-time video has become a real opportunity for growth. 3G handset manufacturers must include video telephony in their products. To do this they use the 3G-324M standard.
Regatta Rowing To Real-Time Mobile Video
W. David Gardner from TechWeb Technology News posted a story on an event that I have enjoyed for years. A trip to Boston with a few snacks packed and spend the day at the edge of the Charles River watching the Charles (River) Regatta. Of course it is difficult watching rowers navigate the lengthy three-mile race course and it is also difficult to get real-time results of the 55 races. So what is new this year?
This year's regatta, to be held Saturday and Sunday, will cater to the 250,000 expected spectators with technology in the form of real-time video, as well as results delivered via cell phone and Wi-Fi hotspots. A video camera will be stationed atop a boathouse to provide a birds-eye view of the 8,000-plus rowers as they race through "Dead Man's Curve," considered one of the toughest pieces of rowing anywhere.
I will be there again this year (weather permitting) and I will have my devices with me to give me a better shot at Experiencing Mobility!
Are you using multiple Outlook profiles on your computer? Are you annoyed at the fact that you have to choose the profile that your device must synchronize with every time you connect the device to the computer? If you answered "Yes" to these two questions, then click the link below to learn how you can force your Windows Mobile (WM) 5.0 device to open the profile you would prefer it always synchronize with.
Digital Cube introduced 'mini' 2.4-inch T-DMB PMP. It can play video files including MPEG 4 and WMV while 'Widget' helps users to create their own screen. Other features include a cradle equipped with an external speaker, TV-out, audio-out, photo album and text viewer.
Source: AVING USA
There is an excellent HTC P3300 (Artemis) review at On The Go that you might like reading. Read the full review by clicking the link below.
First Impressions: HTC P3300 (Artemis)
The Good: The HTC P3300 has strong curb-appeal, integrated GPS functionality, and sports an innovative and effective jog-wheel navigation tool. The thin sleek design feels fantastic in your palm & your pocket. The bright screen is easy to read, even outdoors, and the excellent quad-band reception and phone integration means that you never have to sacrifice form for functionality.
The Bad: Although the HTC P3300 packs lots of punch, it comes standard with only a 200Mhz OLAP Processor, Bluetooth 1.2 - not 2.0, and no UMTS (3G) support.
The Bottom Line: Because the HTC P3300 has the built-in GPS, this new release really scores well. If you are looking for an thin, elegant Windows Mobile Pocket PC that really has it all -- this is the device for you.
Source: HTC P3300 (Artemis) Review
Video game console leader Sony Corp. said on Thursday the online service in its upcoming PlayStation 3 would let players compete and chat online and download games, music and movies.
Gamers have been waiting for months for Sony to release details of its online system.
Sony's PlayStation 2 has roughly 60 percent market share. But underdog Microsoft Corp. has had a breakout hit with its Xbox Live online service on the next-generation Xbox 360. The Xbox 360 is the rival to Sony's PS3, which is set to debut in North America on November 17.
The PlayStation Network, as the service will be called, uses a navigation system already available on Sony's handheld game player, the PlayStation Portable (PSP), Sony Computer Entertainment America said on Thursday.
Source: Reuters.ca
In September, Kevin over at jkOnTheRun was hoping Sony had a trade-in or upgrade program for UX-180P owners! The UX-280P was appearing on Sony's site at a price of $1999.99. Kevin indicated that the form factor is the same: 4.5-inch 1024 x 600 touchscreen that slides up to reveal a keyboard, EDGE, WiFi and Bluetooth support.
Click on the link below to find out what else Kevin had to say.
And NOW James had this tidbit which was very cool.
Sony UX280p sighting reported at the Menlo Park Mall in Jersey (Edison to be exact). Evidently there was a sighting by Raphael Salgado indicating that he saw 20 of them in stock.
Source: Sony UX280p sighting reported
If you have not done so yet, you should consider the upgrade. Yahoo! is making the recommendation that you do so ... Why? Because it is new and SAFER and of course, it is optimized for Yahoo!
Additional Features:
• Added security keeps you safer online
• Streamlined design gets you around faster
• One-click access to Yahoo! Mail and Yahoo! services
• Handy tabs for quick access to 2 home pages you create
• Easy upgrading
Get your free upgrade now — Optimized for Yahoo!
Internet Explorer 7 is a major step forward in ease of use and security. Explore the tabs to learn more.
Upgrade with Confidence — check out Internet Explorer 7 and install it today.
If you would rather download from Microsoft, then you can do it here.
Chris over at Mobilitysite has a first look video of the NEW HP iPAQ rx4540. It is surprisingly powerful for such a small device. My guess is that this new addition to the iPAQ line will draw a lot of attention.
Sporting Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 Software for Pocket PC, it also includes a suite of connectivity options, such as integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, enabling consumers to stay connected on the go. And MEMORY...wait until you see how much memory there is!
JibJab and Verizon Wireless Team Up With Renowned Comedy Film Director John Landis in the Great Sketch Experiment
John Landis, Director of Animal House, Blues Brothers, Trading Places and More, Directs Six Online Comedy Videos Available at Verizon Wireless and for Free on JibJab.com
JibJab and Verizon Wireless announced they have teamed up with renowned comedy film director John Landis to produce six laugh-out-loud short films featuring the best up-and-coming sketch comedians in the country for the Great Sketch Experiment contest. The six funny videos competing in the Great Sketch Experiment are available as of today for free at JibJab.com or on Verizon Wireless' V CAST service in the V CAST Showcase channel.
The winner of the Great Sketch Experiment, sponsored by JibJab Media Inc., will receive a $10,000 development deal with JibJab and have their performance featured on Verizon Wireless' V CAST service. Viewers can vote for their favorite video online at http://www.jibjab.com through November 16.
"The Internet has given new talent a way to reach directly to the public," said John Landis, Hollywood film director. "It is an exciting and ever-evolving new medium and I am happy to have been given the chance by JibJab to meet and work with fresh young talent."
The six finalists in the Great Sketch Experiment come from across the country and include:
-- Karla - Marion Austin Oberle and Megan Kellie (Los Angeles)
-- Elephant Larry - Alexander Zalben, Stefan Lawrence, Chris Principe, Jeff Solomon and Geoff Haggerty (New York)
-- Riegel & Blatt - Sam Riegel and Rob Blatt (New York)
-- Mark & Ari - Mark Sarian and Ari Voukydis (New York)
-- Famous Last Nerds - Erik Weiner and Jordan Allen Dutton (San Francisco)
-- Train of Thought - John Boyle, Ryan Miller and Kaci Aitchison (Seattle)
Verizon Wireless customers with V CAST-enabled phones can now view and access all V CAST has to offer - including music videos, recaps of hit television shows, movie trailers, plus news, sports and entertainment programming - with either a monthly or daily subscription.
For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to http://www.verizonwireless.com.
Bruins home schedule begins tonight
That's it for news today folks because the puck drops tonight at 7:00 at the TD Banknorth Garden as the Boston Bruins take on the Flames. So I am off for the trek to Boston to enjoy my favorite sport.
I've been a season ticket holder for 25 + years ... so there are priorities! The Bruins have had a poor start (1-3-1 after their season starting five game road trip) but I expect that they will be on top of their game for the home opener ... at least I hope so!
UPDATE: The Bruins defeated the Calgary Flames 3-2 in their home opener tonight. It was a terrific game that was energized after the Bruins scored their first goal.
Fast and furious for three solid periods...both teams did a great job but the Bruins seemed to be on top most of the night. As much as you like to win and love the hard hitting there was a scary moment in the second period when Calgary's Stephane Yelle had a very hard hit into the boards. As he was carted off the ice on a stretcher, it appeared that he had snapped his ankle. What a way to end the day!
It's great to have hockey back.....
The city of Riverside and AT&T Inc. announced a precedent-setting agreement for an AT&T citywide Wi-Fi wireless broadband Internet access network which will, ultimately, cover the city's 80-plus square miles.
The agreement represents the largest planned AT&T deployment of citywide Wi-Fi service to date and will be the nation's largest Wi-Fi network that is designed for both public and municipal use.
The planned Wi-Fi network will add publicly accessible wireless broadband capabilities to the extensive, advanced AT&T communications network in Riverside. The new Wi-Fi network will enable residents, visitors, city employees and businesses to tap into the unsurpassed AT&T network from virtually all developed areas within the city. Users will be able to choose from a variety of connectivity options, including a free advertising-supported access choice or a higher-speed access service offered by AT&T.
"The Wi-Fi system will increase broadband Internet choices within the city and provide new dimensions of mobility for broadband users in Riverside," said Mayor Ronald O. Loveridge. "Once implemented, this system will put Riverside at the leading edge of technology-rich cities. This exciting project invests in our city's future and enhances our quality of life for all residents."
I love Spb! Their programs are spectacular and always seem to make your life with your device just a bit easier. Jon Westfall over at Pocket PC Thoughts caught this terrific review by Clinton Fitch. In part, Clinton had the following to say:
Spb Software House has jumped into the RSS/Atom feed application furry with their latest application, Spb Insight. This new and exciting application offers users the ability to subscribe to these feeds, have full offline reading including pictures, create templates for sites, and has an extensive online catalog of feeds available to you so you do not have to know the feeds direct URL. While Spb Insight has room to grow, it is a well rounded application and provides quick and easy information to users from an almost limitless amount of information available on the Internet today.
....and the price is significantly less than the Sony, but then again, isn't everything less than a Sony?
Engadget said the following:
Brule of Japan just announced what they're calling the lightest 4.3-inch Windows PC on the market -- yeah, they're lookin' at you Sony Vaio UX. The Raon Vega weighs in at just 350-grams / 160×80×27.5-mm compared to the UX's 544-grams / 150×95×38-mm.
Thanks to Chris at Mobilitysite for alerting me to this one!
Would you buy your cell phone to match your jeans?
Levi Straus is betting you will and plans to launch a wide range of "Levi" branded mobile phones and accessories sometime in 2007. The company has indicated that they are going back to the roots of the Levi's brand. Of course you can expect that your "Levi" phone will have denim and rivets.
Stan Beer posted a story today on the final release of IE7. In part, Stan said:
The newly released IE7 includes many of the catchup features that have long been available on competing Windows browsers Firefox and Opera, including a search box in the toolbar and tabbed browsing.
"We listened carefully to our customers and are delivering a safer browser that makes the tasks they do every day much easier," said Dean Hachamovitch, general manager of the Internet Explorer team at Microsoft.
From the Microsoft IE7 page, the first thing you read is that " Simple is good. A redesigned, streamlined interface gives you more of what you need and less of what you don't. The new look maximizes the area of the screen that displays the webpage".
It looks good folks....try it, I think you will like it!
Ah, the classics! I remember when this game first arrived on the scene...we couldn't stop playing. It was always a challenge and now the challenge is there for you and best of all, it's FREE!
Attack wave after wave of cunning aliens as they drop toward you on the screen. Tailor your game experience with easy, medium, or difficult levels of play, three different display modes, and customizable waves of aliens. Register now and get ready for the invasion.
Source: Windows Mobile - Windows Mobile Entertainment Applications
There are cases but then there are classic cases. VaJa is the undisputed leader in providing customers with quality cases that protect as well as maintain that professional image you look for.
Today, Vaja is proud to announce the release of the Classic HTC Horizontal Pouch
Magnetic Snap Closure
Cutout for device removal
Optional memory card slots (SD/ MMC, miniSD and microSD)
Padded
Several colors available
Optional clip
Size: 11,4 x 6,6 x 3,6 cms./ 4,49 x 2,60 x 1,42 inches
Fits: P3600 - P3300 - TYTN - HERMES - PROPHET - MAGICIAN - TORNADO
Available at http://www.vajacases.com
Ilium is having a celebration on their site due to the announcement of the Best Software Awards, and they are very happy over the results. So much so that they are offering a 30% discount on all of their products for the next week...pretty cool!
The Ilium winners were:
eWallet (Professional Edition) for Pocket PCs won the title of Best Secure Information Manager.
ListPro (Professional Edition) won Best List Manager, also for Pocket PCs.
NewsBreak, won Best News Reader for Pocket PCs, as well as Best Feed Reader for Smartphones.
You can read a little more information on either their news site or their blog:
http://www.iliumsoft.com/news/?p=38
http://blog.iliumsoft.com/?p=68
We want to congratulate Ilium for their awards...they are well deserved!
Nick Antonovics posted an article today about Microsoft and France Telecom launching am IM system on mobile phones in France. He indicated that the service would be implemented in other European countries later in 2007.
Steve Ballmer indicated that this software is different from MSN messaging which is already available on some phones...this sounds interesting.
Source: Reuters.com
.... to bring personal TV home viewing to consumers
For those that have a Sling player and a Symbian phone, this is good news.
Sling Media, Inc. and Symbian announced that the two companies are partnering to bring consumers a powerful mobile TV experience to Symbian smartphones.
Sling Media will deliver a version of its popular SlingPlayer Mobile software application, currently available only in the U.S. and Canada, for Symbian OS in select European and Asian countries during Q4 and will extend availability to the U.S. shortly thereafter. Unlike other offerings available on the market today, SlingPlayer Mobile delivers customers’ complete home TV experience on mobile handsets using standard network connections, including 3G cellular and WiFi.
The new SlingPlayer Mobile for Symbian OS software package will enable users to transform their supported Symbian smartphones on S60 and UIQ into personal, on-the-go digital TVs providing anytime, anywhere access to their living room television experience. Any program that can be watched at home will be viewable through a Slingbox on supported Symbian smartphones using 3G or WiFi, including support for terrestrial TV, Freeview, cable, and satellite TV. In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile lets users control their home personal video recorder (PVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, and rewind live TV or even queue new recordings while away from home.
Source: Symbian via Brighthand
Apple Reports A Small Number of Video iPods Shipped With Windows Virus
From the Apple website:
We recently discovered that a small number - less than 1% - of the Video iPods available for purchase after September 12, 2006, left our contract manufacturer carrying the Windows RavMonE.exe virus.
This known virus affects only Windows computers, and up to date anti-virus software which is included with most Windows computers should detect and remove it. So far we have seen less than 25 reports concerning this problem. The iPod nano, iPod shuffle and Mac OS X are not affected, and all Video iPods now shipping are virus free.
As you might imagine, we are upset at Windows for not being more hardy against such viruses, and even more upset with ourselves for not catching it.
Hey, they should be upset with themselves!
Source: Apple
This super lightweight projector from Toshiba (TDP-FF1AU) is made for the mobile warrior that has to make presentations on the road.
Packed with features, this device is perfect for the mobile presenter demanding great shows. Weighing just one pound, it has 400 Lux of brightness with a native SVGA 800 x 600 resolution and contrast ratio of 1500:1.
What makes this really slick? It is battery-operated, so you can use it anywhere, anytime, without warm up or cooling delays....very cool! The projector's ability to operate on low power consumption enables approximately two hours of battery life.
Check it out here at Toshiba
SoftMaker has just released new service packs for TextMaker 2006 and PlanMaker 2006 for Windows.
They have two important improvements in common:
1. Typing in documents with many or with large pictures is now much faster, thanks to a bug fix concerning the caching of pictures.
2. Pictures can now be rotated freely - in 1-degree increments!
Additionally, these service packs offer improvements in the filters for Microsoft Word, OpenDocument, RTF, and Excel, and other enhancements. Therefore, we recommend installing these service packs.
The winners and finalists of the 2006 Sixth Annual Best Software Awards conducted by Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine have been announced at www.pocketpcmag.com/awards.
Ninety members of the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Board of Experts judged 675 Windows Mobile products in 114 Pocket PC and Smartphone categories to determine finalists and winners.
Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine publisher, Hal Goldstein, said that “The annual Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards helps users select software that best suits their Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone needs by honoring companies that produce outstanding software. The awards process is a huge 6-month undertaking involving the experts of the Windows Mobile community and over 3000 Pocket PC and Smartphone products.“ Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine’s New Products Editor, Diane Dumas, and the Board of Expert judges spent two months selecting 675 award nominees, about 20% of the software in the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Encyclopedia of Software and Accessories. The Board of Experts who helped select the nominations and then voted for winners are from all over the world. They run prominent Web Sites, serve as Microsoft MVPs, and write for Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine and other organizations. These experts all are volunteers and none are employed by Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine. Special 21 page report with live URLs A 4 MB PDF special downloadable report ($5.95) available at www.pocketpcmag.com/awards contains screen shots and descriptions of all Best Software Award Pocket PC and Smartphone winners, as well as a listing and URLs of the finalists. As a bonus, judges reveal their favorite software and why, and make recommendations about the best GPS software. The report is given free to new Smartphone & Pocket PC subscribers. All this information and more can be found in the Smartphone & Pocket PC 2007 Buyers Guide, mailed to subscribers and appearing on newsstands starting mid-October. About Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Bi-monthly Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine is a print publication also available in MS Reader and Zinio Digital format, written for users of Windows Mobile PDA’s and Smartphone devices. Each issue includes hardware and software reviews, user profiles, practical tips, plus an “Enterprise Solutions” supplement. Its companion Web site, www.PocketPCmag.com, is updated each day with news, hot downloads, Web sites, reviews, and tips; and also contains archives, a directory of the best Windows Mobile Web sites, and an Encyclopedia of over 4000 third-party software and accessories products. Subscriptions include the annual Buyers Guide and coming December, The Ultimate Smartphone and Pocket PC How-to Guide.
Click read more below to see the full news item
Forgive the lateness in getting this up but my server was down. I suppose I could just start fresh with new items but this is one is too important. Spb has an incredible collection of software for your mobile devices and it is well worth me putting this release up just to reinforce how good I believe their software is.
Spb Software House, the leading Pocket PC software developer, releases Spb Insight - a new Pocket PC News Reader which provides full-text articles with pictures for handy and fast offline reading.
Throughout the day we all have those many periods of time that are too short to be useful but too long to be wasted. Examples could be standing in line or waiting at the airport. A Pocket PC can be used to fill these intervals of time with reading books, or playing small games, etc. How about the news? Typical news web pages aren't designed for small Pocket PC screens and can take minutes to download. RSS readers help in this situation, but usually provide only summaries and links to original articles, which bring us back to online browsing.
Spb Insight was designed to overcome these shortcomings. Besides being a powerful Pocket PC RSS reader, Spb Insight provides full article texts instead of typical RSS article summaries. Original article web pages are specifically optimized for Pocket PC screens using unique Spb Insight channel technology. At this moment there are over 1000 popular news channels that are optimized for small screens and the number is growing rapidly, thanks to the open support community. All optimized channels are created by individuals and are not part of the program. These channels, as well as most popular RSS channels, are freely available through the Spb Insight Online Catalog. Available right on your device, with subcategories and sorted by popularity, the Online Catalog makes it easy to choose new interesting channels whenever you want. Spb Software House provides no preinstalled channels in this version. Along with optimized channels, Spb Insight supports all versions of RSS and Atom news feeds, as well as importing feeds from local and online OPML files. Spb Insight provides channel and article thumbnails, as well as intuitive one hand navigation to make the user interface as easy to use as possible. Spb Insight can work without a desktop computer, too - just use your wireless internet connection to add and update channels. To save traffic and time, you have control over what particular channels to update, in what order and whether to download pictures and full-text web pages or not. To save even more time, downloaded articles can be read right away, even while other articles and channels are being updated. A short summary of Spb Insight features: * Full-text website news using "optimized" channels Spb Insight is currently available in English, German, French, Italian, Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, Danish, Czech, Polish, Dutch and Simplified Chinese languages. A free 15-day trial can be downloaded, or Spb Insight can be purchased for 19.95 USD, from www.spbsoftwarehouse.com. ** Further Information and Downloads ** Further information regarding Spb Insight can be found at the Spb website: Spb Insight screenshots: A free 15-day trial can be downloaded from: Spb Insight Online Catalog, as well as more details about rules and optimized channels are available at the official program web site:
* Full RSS/Atom support (RSS 0.9x, 1.0, 2.0; Atom 0.3, 1.0)
* Offline reading with pictures
* Easy to use interface
* Simultaneous updating and reading
* One hand navigation
* Article thumbnails
* No desktop component needed 
** Pricing and Availability **
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/insight/
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/insight/screenshots.html
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/insight/download.html
http://www.spbinsight.com
Click read more below to see the full news item
An exclusive post from the AppleInsider talks about Apple seeking rights to iPhone trademark. So are you surprised? I think not...it is where most every "big player" is moving.
In part Katie Marsal and Kasper Jade said:
Apple Computer has filed for a trademark on the term iPhone, suggesting the company plans to use the moniker, recently popularized amongst the analyst and blogging communities, as the official name for its highly-anticipated iPod cell phone.
Check out what they had to say here: AppleInsider | Exclusive: Apple seeks rights to iPhone trademark
Well, the day started out pretty good then BAM...my providers network went down.
This is starting to be a pain but looking on the positive side, I tested 3 new items today. Two I will write reviews on, one I will not....it doesn't pass muster so it will be returned.
If you’re a mobile professional using a Palm PDA or Pocket PC with an SDIO slot for an application requiring extensive data entry, the Secure Digital Scan Card (SDSC) 3M offers a convenient solution for entering bar code data into mobile computers quickly, easily and accurately.
World’s Lightest and Smallest Laser Bar Code Scanner Meets Customer Demand for High-Volume and High Performance Scanning
Socket Communications, Inc. announced the Secure Digital Scan Card 3M (SDSC 3M). Designed for Pocket PCs or other mobile devices running Windows Mobile or Palm software, the SDSC provides the ideal solution for users with 1D bar code scanning applications that require a portable, powerful, easy-to-use and accurate method to collect bar coded data.
“Gartner research recently found that the mobile workforce ranks among the top three priorities for chief information officers in 2006,” said Vanessa Lindsay, product marketing manager at Socket Communications. “Today, companies are gravitating towards bar code scanning technology to automate data collection, reduce errors and maximize efficiency. With the SDSC 3M, scanning data is 50 times faster and 10,000 times more accurate than manual data entry.”
The SDSC 3M features a best-in-class SE-955 Class 1 Laser Scanner in the SDIO form factor and is the ideal solution for users with 1D bar code scanning applications that require a portable and accurate method to collect bar code data. Half the weight and size of its competitors, the SDSC 3M allows for one-handed operation and can scan up to 30 inches depending on the bar code size.
“The Secure Digital Scan Card 3M is a high-power, plug and play scanning solution that works right out of the box,” said Doug Booth, Director of Technical Operations at Mosaic Sales Solutions, the largest field sales and marketing company in North America. “The solution is easy and robust, and allows our mobile workforce to quickly and accurately collect data. With the Socket SDSC 3M, we have experienced a great reduction in reporting time, which translates to significant savings of time and resources.”
The SDSC 3M includes SocketScan™, the keyboard emulation software that directs scanned data into any Windows Mobile or Palm application as virtual keystrokes. A Software Developers Kit is available separately for developers who wish to embed control of the SDSC 3M into their applications.
Specifications
The Socket Secure Digital Scan Card 3M runs on any Palm PDA running Palm OS 4.1 or greater, or any Pocket PC running Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE or Windows Mobile 5.0.
Pricing and Availability
The Socket Secure Digital Scan Card 3M will be available October 24, 2006 through Socket worldwide distribution channels, resellers and SVI Partners with an MSRP of $399.
Source: Socket Communications: SDIO Scan Card 3M, Class 1 Laser
Click read more below to see the full news item
Fast Wireless Connections Between Pcs And Peripherals Are Coming
Tom Krazit, a Staff Writer for CNET News.com had a nice article on how Wireless USB is poised to cut the cable. It is short but very good ... worth the read.
In part, Tom said:
The computer industry is still working on the paperless office, but new short-range wireless technologies on tap for next year could at last bring about the cable-free desktop.
The PC and consumer electronics industries have been talking up Certified Wireless USB (Universal Serial Bus) links as a replacement for those tried-and-true USB cables connecting the PC to everything from iPods to keyboards. Delays, unfortunately, have plagued more than a few companies trying to make this a reality.
Source: CNET News.com
TechSmith Introduces Camtasia Studio 4 so Business and Education Professionals can Create Screencasts and Multimedia Content for the Apple iPod
Without requiring any multimedia or programming expertise, business users can create screencasts for software demonstrations, interactive training, online marketing content, and PowerPoint-based video presentations with Camtasia Studio. And educators, administrators, and technology coordinators can easily record all the activity on a computer screen, along with voice narration and real-world video, to create life-like instruction for online classes, distance learning, and professional-development courses. Camtasia Studio can record from any Windows-based computer, including Tablet PCs, Wacom Tablets, and interactive whiteboards. "Business and education professionals worldwide are using Camtasia Studio to create online multimedia content and to record live PowerPoint lectures," said Troy Stein, Camtasia Studio Product Manager at TechSmith. "Now they can easily repurpose that content for portable media players, which are abundant in many organizations and ubiquitous on nearly every campus. Screencasts on iPods are a great way to deliver content in a compelling, convenient manner for colleagues and students." Camtasia Studio users can automatically record exactly what they see on their computer screens, what they say, and how they interact with PowerPoint or any Windows-based application or website. Individuals can then edit the interactive content and share it online in all popular streaming media formats, including Flash (SWF, FLV), portable media player formats, or fixed media such as CD or DVD. Users can also import video from digital camcorders to enhance their screen recordings. Some of the new features in Camtasia Studio 4 include: -- Support for portable media player video formats, including M4V for iPod video, to reach the widest possible audience -- Ability to create multiple files simultaneously so users can produce a single screencast in a variety of formats (e.g., Flash, iPod, MP3, PowerPoint, etc.) -- Audio enhancements so users can remove background noise and volume variations with one click to easily deliver professional-sounding screencasts -- 30-second previews that allow users to see how the first 30 seconds of a screencast will look and sound based on different production options before producing the entire video -- Closed Captioning so users can synchronize voice narration with on-screen text to create videos that are accessible to a broad audience. -- New quizzing and survey viewer interface so users can embed questions and get answers via email -- Shareable production profiles that allow individuals to share their screencast settings with others, helping organizations standardize the look and feel of all screencasts and get new users up and running quickly System Requirements and Availability Camtasia Studio 4 supports Microsoft Windows 2000 and XP with DirectX 9.0. Additional digital video formats can be imported including AVI, MPEG, MPG, and WMV. Web cameras and microphones for capturing audio and video are available for purchase separately. Camtasia Studio 4 has a suggested retail price of US $299 and US $179 for academic users. The software and recommended hardware can be purchased at http://www.techsmith.com. For additional information about Camtasia Studio, visit: http://www.techsmith.com/products/studio/default.asp. About TechSmith Corporation Founded in 1987, TechSmith Corporation provides practical business software tools and services. TechSmith's solutions enable users to capture, record and enhance digital content from their computer screens so they can share information and knowledge in compelling multimedia formats, and allow others to observe, analyze and learn from their experiences. TechSmith products are used by 98 percent of the Fortune 500. Visit http://www.techsmith.com for more information. 
TechSmith Corp. announced the availability of Camtasia Studio 4, which enables business and education professionals to quickly create engaging multimedia presentations for the Apple iPod. With Camtasia Studio 4, users can create and deliver the same content in a variety of multimedia formats simultaneously so viewers can choose the best viewing option for them.
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Actuate Corporation and Webalo announced that the two companies will combine efforts to deliver integrated, analysis-ready, managed spreadsheets to mobile devices.
Spreadsheets are the most popular analysis tool for business users, and the vast majority of these business users depend on a mobile device to increase their efficiency. Until now, spreadsheets have not been viable for delivery on mobile devices, because data housed within spreadsheets has not been able to be customized and presented to the masses in a scalable fashion. Actuate 9 e.Spreadsheet and Webalo's User Proxy work together to address the user experience and inconsistencies in spreadsheet data in reports sent to mobile devices like RIM BlackBerry, Microsoft Windows Mobile, Palm Treo and Java-enabled smart phones, by combining the power of managed spreadsheets, mobile delivery and an SOA architecture.
With this new collaboration, users of Actuate 9 e.Spreadsheet will be able to receive time-critical Business Intelligence wherever they are. Getting a report from Actuate 9 e.Spreadsheet to the Mobile Dashboard is achieved by answering questions in an easy online "wizard." Once this is done, continuously updated information is automatically sent by e.Spreadsheet to Webalo's Mobile Dashboard, which then delivers it to users' devices.
For further information, visit http://www.webalo.com or http://www.actuate.com.
SBSH has announced the release of SBSH Papyrus' new update to version 1.2!
SBSH Papyrus 1.2 for Symbian features full support for the new Symbian 3rd edition devices, support for all new screen resolutions and orientations and a new set of powerful time management features that make it an even more powerful PIM solution for your mobile device!
Some Papyrus 1.2 Highlights
Support for Symbian 9.1 – The new Papyrus update offers full support for the new series 60 3rd edition devices (Symbian 9.1), such as Nokia's new E and N series phones.
Support for all screen resolutions and orientations - Papyrus 1.2 now supports all new available screen resolutions and orientations offered by the new Symbian devices. This includes full support for landscape/portrait screens, as well as support for higher resolutions and much more!
New professional graphics - Papyrus compact editor dialogs feature new professional graphics using Symbian's new SVG technology support available on 3rd edition devices.
New time management features - New ability to define a special events category, allowing to color days including appointments with this category on the monthly view. Additional exciting improvements were added to the monthly view making it more informative and configurable than ever!
Papyrus 1.2 offers many additional new features. Read more about the new version and download the trial version at the following URL:
http://www.sbsh.net/products/papyrus_symb/
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FremantleMedia and Mobliss announced the launch of a ground-breaking new mobile phone channel, Atomic Wedgie, on the Sprint network in the US. The channel will feature hours of original programming as well as content from FremantleMedia’s extensive library including hilarious animated and live action shorts, comedic series ranging from Baywatch Babes – hot footage of the sultry ladies from the international hit TV series, Baywatch – through to the best of British cult comedy and TV Bloopers.
Atomic Wedgie will be available through a monthly subscription on Sprint, one of America’s largest mobile broadband networks, and will debut in the US with eight categories of short form comedy targeted at the 18-34 year old male demographic. It is the first mobile channel to launch from the joint venture between FremantleMedia, one of the largest international creators and producers of programme brands in the world, and Mobliss, one of the most trusted names in mobile entertainment and content delivery.
The channel will feature re-purposed content from FremantleMedia’s extensive library, the best content from third party producers and original content made specifically for mobile and produced by the company’s newly created FMX division. Mobliss provides the technology necessary to power the mobile video clips and with deep roots in the wireless industry, is a critical partner for delivering the channel to top tier carriers like Sprint.
Check this out! Rose Kim found a very cool new handset from Sanyo.
Sanyo presented 'W42SA' a mobile phone that features handwriting digitizer. Equipped with a sensor on the keypad, it can digitize figures or characters that you write on the keypad with your fingers. It is different from the conventional PDAs that you write on the screen instead of the keypad on the mobile phone.
Source: AVING USA - Global News Network
A Simple Solution - An Easy Installation - A True Innovation
The other day I received a call from a friend asking if I would help him set up a new computer that he had purchased. Several years ago I set up his computer and he had been “computing” for years. Of course, after I had set him up, I went over a procedure for him to backup his important information so he would be able to retrieve his files if he ever had a disaster.
When I chatted with him on the phone, he said that his old computer died and since it was so old, he felt it was better to just buy a new one. He asked if I would come over and again help him set it up. It was then that he then asked if I could get his files back on his new computer. Naturally, I asked: “have you been doing your backups?” That was when I heard the “ahh, um, ahh, well, not really”. This was not good…. The NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter allows me to seamlessly create a connection between a USB port and a mass storage device port. The connection allows me to take any ATA, Serial ATA, or ATAPI based mass storage device and connect it through any USB port on my computer. What it does is that it virtually creates for me an external drive with any ATA or SATA drive that I might have … pretty cool accessory to have! So I went over to help out and we easily were able to set up his new system. As simple as vendors have made the set up process, there are still “pieces of the puzzle” that folks don’t get … this is good, it keeps me in business! After getting him up and running, we setup his web access, installed a few programs that he had and then we looked at the old box. “Ok”, I said, “let’s take out the old drive and see if we can get those files”. Newer Tech has designed a terrific solution for you to easily connect a 2.5" laptop drive, a 3.5" desktop drive or a 5.25" drive like an IDE/ATAPI device such as a CD-ROM, CD-RW and DVD-ROM drive. I suppose you could go out and spend $20-$50 on an external drive enclosure but that is for only one type of drive and it’s inconvenient to change drives. This solution provides the widest array of choices for fast and efficient file transfer. Over the years, I have saved a number of drives from my old computers. Yeah, the old 2 gig drives are long gone but I have a half dozen or more drives that are 30 gig or more. The NewerTech solution provides me with the opportunity to use multiple drives in a fast and efficient manner. Now I have a backup solution that protects my files, music, pictures and videos and, as an added bonus, allows me to reuse those old drives…I like that! It’s very cool, very convenient and will provide you with solid performance. Product Specifications: USB 2.0 to ATA connection (2 sided, for 2.5" and 3.5" drives), and a SATA connection. Connect any device with an ATA or SATA Interface to a Mac or PC with USB interface Transfer rate Approx. 480 MBps (USB 2.0) Complies with USB 2.0 standards Backwards compatible to USB 1.1 standards Complies with ATA/ATAPI-66 Spe. V1.0 Compatible with SATA-I and SATA-II Simple to Install Supports IDE and enhanced IDE hard drives Supports ATA/ATAPI CD-ROM/R/RW DVD-ROM and more External AC adapter provides drive power System Requirements: Mac OS 9.2 or higher, including Mac OS X Linux 2.4.X Microsoft Windows 2000/XP (No driver required) Package Contents: USB 2.0 to IDE adapter cable 2.5" to 3.5" Adapter Power adapter and cord Well made USB 2.0 (and backwards compatible) Adaptive to multiple devices Supports Windows and Mac OS CONS None, it does exactly what it is supposed to do: seamless connectivity to a myriad of different drives Rating: 4.9 out of 5 Cost: $24.95 Visit Newer Technology here to find out more information about the NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter 
When I asked what went wrong with the old computer, he indicated that Windows was not starting and that he was getting error messages. So I said I would be over and we will get him up and running and if we were lucky, we would be able to retrieve his old files. So I packed a bag with a few basic essentials and one item that is a “can’t live without” accessory … my NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter. 
It’s a simple setup…just attach a connector to the back of the drive, plug in the power and insert the USB plug into the USB port of your computer. Almost instantaneously your computer recognizes that you have inserted a new device and VOILA, you can easily transfer files from the hard drive to your computer … it’s slick, it’s easy and it’s “Plug and Play”! 
Within minutes, we had the old drive out and ready to see if we could get his files. I took my NewerTech USB 2.0 Universal Drive Adapter out, attached the cable, plugged in the power and the drive started to whir. I plugged the USB end of the cable into the new computer and in a second a message appeared that new hardware had been found and was installed. We opened My Computer, navigated to the My Documents folder and selected all the files he wanted to save as well as the hundreds of pictures his wife had saved. It was just about this time that he gave me an ice cold bottle of Sam Adams! 
PROS
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Palm Experience Delivered With Push Email, 3G/UMTS Speeds
Palm, Inc. announced the availability of the new Palm Treo 750v smartphone in Malaysia on the Celcom network, bringing for the first time to Malaysia the hallmark Palm experience on Microsoft(R) Windows Mobile 5.0 over a wireless 3G/UMTS network. The new Treo 750v will be available next month through Celcom, Vodafone's network partner in Malaysia.
"Businesses and users can now look forward to the hallmark Palm experience on the robust Windows Mobile platform favored by many businesses," said Paul Blinkhorn, vice president for Palm Asia Pacific. "The new Treo 750v smartphone brings to customers choice and further expands the market and demand for smartphones in Malaysia and in the region." The new Treo 750v will allow Palm to target business users with push email platforms such as Microsoft's Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP), which includes Direct Push Technology and enhanced security features free out of the box.(1) This business-ready solution addresses the need for a robust push-email platform that can be deployed easily by small businesses to global enterprises. The Treo 750v combines the hallmark Palm experience of a multifeatured mobile phone with email, messaging, web browsing and organization software all in a new compact design.(2) Unique to the Treo smartphone on Windows Mobile 5.0 is a suite of software enhancements developed by Palm that underscores its brand promise of fast access, ease of use and simplicity. Examples include the following: -- Today Screen enhancements, which feature the ability to "dial by name" with a few keystrokes on the keyboard, perform a web search directly from the Today Screen and perform one-touch dialing with personalized photo speed dials; -- Ability to manage a call directly from the Today Screen and stay on top of voicemail with on-screen, VCR-like icons, such as rewind, delete and fast-forward controls, for easy navigation; -- Ability to ignore a call and quickly compose a text message, such as "In a meeting" or "Can't talk"; and -- Dedicated messaging application for SMS/MMS that is organized in a "chat thread" so users can reference prior messages and use emoticons for a personal touch. "At Celcom, we are dedicated to delivering comprehensive mobile solutions that meet the communications needs of all Malaysians," said Azwan Khan Osman Khan, senior vice president of Corporate Strategy and Development, Celcom (Malaysia) Berhad. "The Treo 750v is ideal for business and high-end consumers, combining ease of use with push email and personal information. With Celcom's superior domestic coverage and Vodafone's unmatched global footprint, our customers will be in a virtual office while on the go." "Mobile users in Asia are among the most advanced users in the world. They want an enhanced mobility experience that is tailored to their lifestyle that goes beyond voice, text messaging and email. They want to be able to organize themselves by managing their calendars and contacts, work, listen to music, watch videos and do much more with a single device," said Jason Lim, regional director, Asia Pacific and Japan, Mobile and Embedded Devices Division, Microsoft Corp. "Building on the power and flexibility of Windows Mobile, Palm's innovative design and user experience and Celcom's fast 3G network, the Palm Treo 750v delivers a winning solution for sophisticated professionals seeking to enhance their digital lifestyle." Treo 750v Features and Benefits -- Powerful Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 with Palm enhancements; -- Integrated SMS/MMS with chat view and dedicated inbox; -- Mobile access to multiple business and personal email accounts; -- Compatibility with 3G/UMTS networks for fast data access; -- 1.3-megapixel digital camera that also captures video; -- Built-in Bluetooth wireless technology enhanced to support Bluetooth enabled stereo headsets; -- Touch screen, which makes surfing websites, gathering data and navigating forms and applications much easier; -- Mini-SD expansion slot; and -- 240x240 transflective (TFT) touch screen. Businesswire
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MobileTechRoundup Podcast 73 is up and the question is being asked if it is "a podcast within a podcast?"
Well, you will have to listen to find out the answer. This is another terrific cast so take a moment and CLICK HERE to download the file and listen directly.
This cast is a little ove 35 minutes so it is terrific to listen to as you are fighting the traffic on your way to work!
TOPICS:
Finalists for the "Name Matt's Samsung Q1 UMPC" contest! These are the choices for YOU to pick from, and in what may be a podcast first, your most-downloaded choice determines the winner! Click on one of these finalists to go to the MoTR blog and to download a small MP3 file; not only will you be casting your vote, but you'll hear which host picked the same name! :)Vista on the Samsung Q1 UMPC is almost fully-functional as is WMDC and PDANet.
James gets playtime with the Samsung A990 clamshell and likes the 3.2 Megapixel camera.
TransSend technology is new for sending short amounts of data from a website to a Bluetooth device.
How do you pronounce "Wibree"? ;)
Novatel's new HSDPA ExpressCard is expected to top out at 7.2 Mbps. WOW!
Belkin's new ExpressCard dock with dedicated GPU looks to be a super-fast and powerful accessory.
USBModem is another option to tether a 3G phone to a device.
... a NEW protective case is coming!
I just got word that there will soon be a terrific solution for MacBook users to protect their notebooks.
RhinoSkin is about to produce a NEW MacBook protective case. These cases are slated to hit the market sometime in early November. These new cases are original, unique and sleek and will appeal to both the pragmatic and the image-conscious MacBook user.
I was fortunate to get this little tid-bit of information...so I just had to pass it on! There are no pictures available yet...but I expect I'll have some....soon. This will be a new line of high quality, very protective cases produced by RhinoSkin for laptops.
(Now I will hope that they will make them for my Motion LS800!)
A revolutionary design providing a unique means of power protection for the “gadget” Geek
Eventually, I started to make my own mini cords to plug in power supplies .... talk about bulk! Then one day I saw a news item of a rather unique power supply that had the bulky power pack problem solved! Rather than a box with fixed outlets that do not allow for ANY flexibility, the Flexity PowerSquid provides you with the opportunity to attach all of your power packs easily and provides you the flexibility to design how you will setup your power solution. Having a better solution to arrange all of my power supplies had become an essential need for neatness, flexibility and peace of mind that I was going to have my power outlet needs satisfied. The PowerSquid has been designed to provide an effective means of power delivery to your devices using high quality circuitry and the latest technology for the ultimate protection of your devices. In fact, just holding the box containing the PowerSquid, I just knew that this was a first class device that would satisfy my need for device protection as well as my desire to be able to plug in any power pack at any time and have it work right away without having to fiddle with moving around power packs to get them all to work. The PowerSquid has some unique characteristics that make it a superior device for protection as well as power. Using Ultra-MOV (Metal Oxide Varistors) Technology as the heart of a surge protector, the Flexity PowerSquid provides the most current technology on the market for protection. Flexity indicates that the PowerSquid uses enhanced heat dissipation and 27% greater capacity for loads. The PowerSquid incorporates a Purestream EMI/RFI Power Filter to protect your devices. In addition, the Purestream EMI/RFI Power Filter will enhance picture and sound quality. Not only does Flexity incorporate a Power Filter but you also have built into the device awesome circuit protection. The PowerSquid Tripwire Circuit will physically sever the electrical circuit in the event of a catastrophic event like a lightning strike. Having lost a television recently due to a lighting strike, this feature was a top priority for me to protect my equipment. Phone line protection is provided by ultra-reliable and fast-acting sidactors with integral line splitter. Sidactors (bi-directional triggered thyristors) are the most commonly used surge protectors today. Sidactors were developed to handle large amounts of surge current typically induced by a lightning strike. Coaxial cable protection is provided by a gas tube with gold plated connectors for better signal transmission. Using a gas tube to protect electrical equipment from lightning surges is now broadly used to protect a variety of devices against lightning. My belief is that the gas tube is an old technology but it is unrivaled by any other device for protection of lightning-prone circuits. The back of the body has four rubber feet to give added anti-slip coverage and there are two mounting holes if you choose to wall-mount the PowerSquid (and NO, screws were NOT included). In a nut shell: The cord length is 8 feet (which I found impressive since most are 3-6 feet). You get a power indicator, surge status indicator, ground status indicator, and an audible alarm (which I have not heard yet … thank God). What did I think was cool? Well, the look is definitely cool….it does look like a squid! I also like the lighting. The “blue” lights are cool and the lighted female sockets are great to look and see that power is there. A final comment on what is available. There are three PowerSquid models available. Priced from $12.95 to $79.95, you will have to look at the comparison chart to see which model will suit your needs. My personal choice is the Calamari SQ3K because of the raft of features it has. Check out the model comparison chart here. CES Innovations 2006 Awards Honorees Category: Mobile/Home Office PROS Compact Unique Design Lighted Sockets Strong Surge Protection CONS None, this power strip has it all Rating: 5 out of 5 Cost: $79.95 
I don’t know about you but I have too many devices! They all need power and most have those oversized power supplies that just make life difficult when you try to get them all attached. At one point in time it got so frustrating that I went out and got a new power strip that had a few “special” plugs that were meant to accommodate those bulky power supplies. That worked…for a while ... but I kept getting more devices that needed a place to be plugged into and because I didn’t have room on my existing power strip, I added a second power strip to the first one to deal with those devices. 
Take a minute and look under your desk ... do you have what I have? Under my desk is a myriad of different power cords, some with and some without power packs and of course, there are several power packs left unplugged because there is just no room. Oh, there is a free outlet but just no room to fit the power pack in ... very frustrating! It is almost as bad at my summer home where I have tried to limit what I use but still I have too many wires and most have an over-sized plug and several with large power packs. 
When I got my PowerSquid, there were several things that impressed me immediately. I have always talked about packaging and even though it has NO effect on the function of a product, it does tell you a little bit about the company you are doing business with. In my opinion, a company that takes the time to package their product in a manner that “shows off” or embellishes the characteristics of their device is telling you that they have a device they are proud of, that it works well and you will be happy. 
Opening the box you find three components: a telephone line cable (how many of those do you have?), a heavy duty coaxial cable with gold plated connectors for your cable connection and the PowerSquid neatly placed and tied together with wire “twists”. The PowerSquid is impressive at first glance sporting six “tentacles” with heavy duty female connectors, two of which are blue glowing female outlets ... a very cool feature! The “tentacles” are three different lengths allowing for easy connections and neat arrangement of your power supplies. 
The “body” of the Squid has a power button, a bright blue power light that indicates when power is applied as well as two lights that show that the device is protecting (red light) and the wires are grounded (green light) properly. 
Flexity gave a lot of thought to protection when they designed this product. They clearly gave ultimate protection to devices that are plugged into the outlets but how are they protecting phone lines and cable connection? Flexity indicates that many damaging surges enter through information lines rather than power lines so they have incorporated two types of protection for phone and coaxial connections. 
The Calamari SQ3K is a Surge Protector with 6 transformer compatible outlets that has a Joule rating of 3240. The PowerSquid comes with a Connected Equipment Insurance of $500,000. It uses the Purestream™ EMI/RFI Filter, Tripwire™ circuit, has Phone line protection, a Phone line splitter, Cable/coax protection and Ultra-MOV™ technology. There is a 15-amp Breaker for protection. 
I was very impressed with the Swivel Plug that rotates 360º and BTW, it has a flat profile. It sure makes it convenient for any situation. Of course, I mentioned the 4 rubber skid-feet and the keyhole mounting slots if you choose to mount it in a special way. The housing of the PowerSquid is a rugged ABS case and it comes with a lifetime warranty. 
Dimensions:
Width of body at widest point 3.75”
Length of body 7”
Length of longest tentacle 10"
Total length (without power cord) 17" 
Does it do the job? You bet it does! For the first time I have a power strip that will accommodate any device I want to use. Am I still using my original power strip? Yes, because I have several power cords that work perfectly in a regular power strip and it just so happens that I have nine bulky power packs so the six on the PowerSquid and the three on the power strip give me the perfect solution. Now everything is plugged in ....finally! 
Awards 
Visit Flexity here to find out more information about the PowerSquid
Click read more below to read the entire review
Cingular Wireless and Symbian Ltd. today launched an early access support program to promote and accelerate application development for Symbian OS™ smartphones version 9.x and above. Cingular Deluxe and Corporate Deluxe developers are offered complimentary Symbian Affiliate status, providing early and free access to Symbian reference materials. Cingular has also joined Symbian’s Platinum Partner Program, enabling Cingular employees access to exclusive program benefits.
A new Symbian Zone on Cingular devCentral provides Cingular Deluxe developers with early online access to the latest Symbian OS Library for Application Developers. This program is designed to give visibility of Symbian OS APIs and documentation before they are published in a smartphone SDK, helping accelerate application development for the latest Symbian phones coming to market including those with Nokia’s S60 software.
Through the Cingular devCentral portal, developers will have full and unrestricted access to the latest Symbian developer library after completion of a simple click-through license agreement. Cingular Deluxe members taking advantage of this offer will have access to the Symbian OS Reference Guide -- a definitive source of information for all Symbian OS C++ APIs which includes:
a comprehensive introduction to the latest Symbian OS release Symbian OS release notes Symbian OS C++ API Guide -- including overviews by subsystems of all key APIs
"With over 80 million devices shipped on over 250 network operators, Symbian OS is the market leading operating system for smartphones worldwide. We are collaborating with Cingular to offer deeper support to its developer community, ensuring accelerated time-to-market for applications targeting the latest Symbian OS smartphones at the earliest possible opportunity," said Jerry Panagrossi, vice president of US operations, Symbian.
"As Symbian smartphones become more and more popular, we’re ensuring that our customers have the best applications possible for these phones,” said Carolyn Billings, director of business development, for Cingular Wireless. “Cingular’s devCentral is the developer’s portal to essential tools, knowledge, resources and business opportunities designed to help with productivity and profitability. By enabling our Deluxe developer partners to have access to the Symbian OS Library for Application Developers before it’s publicly available in a smartphone SDK, we’ll help to help significantly reduce the time it takes to bring an application to market for Symbian smartphones.”
In October, Cingular will showcase Symbian as its featured partner on the devCentral portal and will offer a free Webcast on October 19th on Symbian OS software development. For more information, Cingular Deluxe developers can visit the Symbian Zone of http://developer.cingular.com/developer/technologies after membership log-in to the website.
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Robin Pomeroy has reported on Reuters that Microsoft will provide some essential data to dozens of security software firms on Monday so their products can work smoothly with the new Vista operating system.
Microsoft has promised that the data will comply with European Union requirements. The codes will allow software companies to suppress Microsoft's own security "pop-ups" if a PC user decides to buy alternative security software.
Read Robin's article here
Reuters is opening a news bureau in the simulation game Second Life this week, joining a race by corporate name brands to take part in the hottest virtual world on the Internet.
Starting on Wednesday, Reuters plans to begin publishing text, photo and video news from the outside world for Second Life members and news of Second Life for real world readers who visit a Reuters news site at: http://secondlife.reuters.com/
Check it out ... it is sort of cool. There was a pretty good Interview with Adam Pasick, Reuters’ virtual world bureau chief here that you might want to read. It gives a good insight on what you might expect from Second Life.
Now we will just have to hope that they optimize the site for mobile devices.....
Source: Yahoo! News
It looks as if Zune will be up, ready and on TARGET for the upcoming holiday season. It looks great, the price is right and they are targeting the mass market stores ... the snow ball is ready to roll down the hill!
Pocketbrain from Mobilitysite spotted this one on the Walmart website today. It is exciting to see the launch fast approaching and interesting to hear all the "skuttlebutt" on how well it will do in a saturated market.
I anticipate that it will be a slow start for Zune but I also believe that it will be like a snowball rolling down a hill and if it lives up to its expectations, it will be a massive success.
Benny Har-Even had an interesting piece about innovation on Trusted Reviews that you might like. Some very cool "stuff" that often makes you wonder "who thinks this up" such as a thin Client laptop that the screen can be folded back onto to itself or a coffee table that becomes an interactive display when you place your Tablet in a special slot on the table.
But as you look at all the concept designs, there is one thing that is absolutely clear...we are fast moving towards designs that are thin clients. We will see the radios and hard disks eliminated to allow for thinner, lighter devices with significantly longer battery lifes.
Very Cool Stuff!!
Source: PC Concept & Design Innovation Tour via GottaBeMobile
Michael's Mobile Blog reported that last week at the Gartner Symposium ITxpo, Motorola announced the upcoming release of the “Motorola Q Pro”; an upgrade to their Windows Mobile Smartphone.
This is a pretty cool announcement considering the Motorola Q has been so popular amongst users. The upgrade will contain Motorola's MOTOPRO Mobility Suite, an application aimed clearly at the enterprise. This could be VERY HOT!
Source: buywindowsmobile.com via Engadget
Are you managing your information or are you drowning in it?
This is definitely worth checking out. If you are in the enterprise or are just an individual, Windows Desktop Search will help you and your workers increase their productivity by providing the tools to quickly and easily find what you are looking for!
- Windows Desktop Search helps users quickly find and retrieve e-mail messages, documents, and many other file types located on their PC and corporate network.
- Windows Desktop Search provides a familiar, integrated, and convenient search experience for Windows users.
- Search index does not create privacy issues or device performance concerns.
- Windows Desktop Search integrates with other Microsoft Search technologies.
There is a short video that is well worth looking at. It describes the key features and benefits you will receive with Windows Desktop Search. There are four sections: Introduction, Business Case, Designed for IT, and Learn More that give a pretty good overview of the benefits of using Windows Desktop Search. Check out the short video here!
Fujitsu is planning on releasing notebooks with a solid state flash drive (SSD) in November. The Fujitsu b-series and q-series will be offered with both a 16 GB SSD and 32 GB SSD option .... the price will rise there folks but some folks are saying that it is well worth the "initial pain" of paying the big bucks!
James Kendrick indicated that:
Fujitsu is using the Samsung flash drive which is already available in S. Korea in the Samsung Q30 and the Q1 UMPC that I use every day. Sony is offering a version of the UX Micro PC using the TDK flash drive. This is great news as prices are sure to drop as more OEMs start producing models with these drives so they can be made in quantities.
I can tell you from personal experience, once you go flash you’ll never go back.
And giving credit for this find: Digital World Tokyo via Gizmodo via jkOnTheRun
So I was still perusing the many items that Daimaou posts at Akihabara News and I had to laugh at this one. I got a kick out of his post title: DoCoMo on crack! 14 new FOMA phones
But...I tend to agree with him...they always seem to be "heavy" on the new introductions. I snapped a mini pic to entice you to visit Daimaou and see the BIG picture...it is amazing! When you visit, he has a mini comment next to each device so you can see what the features are. Pretty cool stuff!
DoCoMo new phones:
- NEC N902iL
- SIMPURE N1
- SIMPURE L1
- P903iX
- F903iX
- SH903iTV
- P903iTV
- D903iTV
- SO903i
- SH903i
- P903i
- N903i
- F903i
- D903i
Source: Akihabara News
When they do it, they do it BIG! Pioneer has released 6 new headphones and they look pretty slick to me. Daimaou from Akihabara News found this item and I am glad I saw it .... I like them! I put one picture to the right to "wet" your appetite.
Take a peek at the rest of Pioneer's new headphones over at Akihabara News, I think you will find them impressive too!
Source: Akihabaranews.com
Sprint has announced that it will team up with Motorola to help fight AIDS in Africa with the upcoming availability of a Red MOTORAZR. The MOTORAZR V3m, designed exclusively to support an initiative founded by Bono and Bobby Shriver to raise money for The Global Fund.
We all know about the MOTORAZR Goodness that is packed with a 1.3 megapixel camera, 4x zoom and video capture, but this is one impressive looking device. The red is just brilliant looking and with a good cause to boot, it makes this a must have device. So check out Sprint for more details and help fight AIDS in Africa.
Click here for Sprint's release.
Source: Doug Smith article MobilitySite
Doug Smith from Mobilitysite found a terrific news item that will benefit the RED program that is fighting AIDS in Africa and it will benefit you because you get a very cool Red H500 Bluetooth Headset!
Motorola announces today not only a partnership with Sprint on the MOTORAZR V3m in Red to fight AIDS in Africa, but have just announced the release of the Red H500 Bluetooth Headset! A must have for anyone purchasing the Red MOTORAZR, (because any mobile user must color coordinate!) but you can additionally help Contribute an extra $5.00 on Motorola to The Global Fund.
Motorola is also going to offer free shipping on the H500 when you order from the MOTOSTORE! So Check out the MOTOSTORE ASAP to get your cool looking red devices and help fight AIDS in Africa!
Source: MobilitySite
To keep up with consumer's technology demands, Bluetooth SIG officials have created TransSend, a client/server application. TransSend allows users to wirelessly transfer Internet content such as maps, addresses, phone numbers, and text messages from a BLUETOOTH enabled PC to another mobile BLUETOOTH device such as a phone or PDA.
In the video below, Bluetooth SIG executive Mark Sage demonstrates the new use of TransSend which allows an Internet user to send information from any web page to a personal device using Bluetooth technology. Common types of information sent are addresses, contact information, calendar information, directions, etc.
Pretty cool stuff...check out the video below!
After talks with the European Commission (EC), Microsoft announced that it will launch its new Windows Vista operating system at the same time as it launches in the rest of the world. Microsoft made changes to Vista after talks with the EC in three major areas: search, security and the new file format XPS.
Brad Smith, Microsoft senior vice president and general counsel had the following to say this morning:
We recognize that the European Commission does not give ‘green lights’ for new products, and we have not asked for one. We appreciate the constructive dialogue we have had with the Commission and the guidance the Commission has provided.
Based on guidance from the European Commission we have made changes to Windows Vista to ensure that we’re in compliance with our competition law obligations, and we are moving forward to make Windows Vista available on a worldwide basis.
We are excited to bring the security enhancements and innovative new features of Windows Vista to our customers and partners around the world, and we are committed to adhering to local law in every region of the world where we do business.
We welcome the constructive discussions we have had with regulatory authorities around the world, and we are committed to continuing this type of dialogue in the future.
Carphone Warehouse to buy AOL UK
psionandy, a Senior Member on Mobilitysite sent me an interesting news item that he saw about Carphone Warehouse buying AOL, UK.
Andy said:
Carphone Warehouse is probably the biggest mobile phone seller in the UK.. and they've recently moved into reselling landlines, and offering their customers free broadband connections (as long as people use their phone service)
It will be interesting to see how they can deal with the AOL business model
Carphone Warehouse has won the auction to buy the UK's third-largest internet provider, AOL UK.
BBC business editor Robert Peston said Carphone Warehouse, owner of the TalkTalk broadband and phone offering, was paying £370m for the operation.
AOL UK has 2.1 million customers across the country - 600,000 on dial-up and 1.5 million with broadband connections.
Source: Carphone Warehouse buying AOL UK
Sascha Segan from PC Magazine thinks that the best features of T-Mobile's SDA and MDA come together in a "delightful little handheld". He likes the design, thinks the audio is terrific and of course, it has Wi-Fi.
In part, Sascha said:
Watch out, Motorola Q. The T-Mobile Dash is an even cuter morsel of Windows Mobile tastiness, ready to take on BlackBerrys and Treos for the crown of the hottest, smartest handheld around.
The Dash is essentially the more evolved descendent of the T-Mobile MDA and SDA. Like the SDA, it has excellent phone performance, combines EDGE with Wi-Fi for networking, and runs the Windows Mobile Smartphone 5 operating system. And just like the MDA, it has a keyboard.
People want Wi-Fi and this new entry will prove that! When I had the opportunity to look at one a few days back, I liked its looks, the feel was great...I was impressed.
T-Mobile USA, Inc. has partnered with fashion designer Diane von Furstenberg and streetwear giant Lifted Research Group (L-R-G) to create the latest limited edition T-Mobile Sidekick devices.
As the T-Mobile Sidekick continues to redefine the way people communicate, the latest limited edition devices will change the way people view communications — literally. The redefining makeovers were orchestrated by two of today’s hottest and most authentic names — Diane von Furstenberg and Lifted Research Group. Packed with the same great technology features as the T-Mobile Sidekick 3, the new limited edition T-Mobile Sidekicks will be available in limited quantities at select T-Mobile retail stores and online beginning Oct. 30. Diane von Furstenberg made fashion history with her signature jersey wrap dresses. Today, the Diane von Furstenberg brand is internationally recognizable. Exuding a free-spirited independence and straightforward style, the Diane von Furstenberg Sidekick from T-Mobile is dressed in sleek black and features Diane’s signature hot-pink lips. Lifted Research Groups’ slogan is simple, “underground inventive, overground effective.” “Underground inventive” meaning: how something starts out, the beginning, the roots. “Overground effective” meaning: what happens when those roots are cultivated and become strong. L-R-G is the first company to bridge the gap between the skateboarding and urban communities. With an eye toward self-expression, the Lifted Research Group Sidekick from T-Mobile is hidden within the traditional baby tree camouflage and customized with L-R-G’s iconic imagery. “T-Mobile continues to lead the way in creating cutting-edge products infused with style and innovation,” said Greg Andrews, director, youth marketing, T-Mobile USA. “The Diane von Furstenberg and Lifted Research Group limited edition T-Mobile Sidekicks help communication fanatics differentiate themselves by choosing their way to stay connected and by expressing their individual style while doing so.” The T-Mobile Sidekick 3 provides a variety of communications options, including phone capabilities, built-in support for three major instant messaging clients(a), personal e-mail, and Web browsing(b) to communicate on your own terms with those who matter most. The limited edition T-Mobile Sidekicks pack a powerful, feature-rich punch, equipped with the same extensive feature-set as the T-Mobile Sidekick 3. In addition to using the device’s voice-calling capabilities, users can stay connected at all times with instantaneous access to e-mail, instant messenger (AIM, Yahoo! Messenger and MSN Messenger)(a), and text messaging(a) on the full QWERTY keyboard. Web-browsing capabilities, enhanced with EDGE technology, ensure faster downloading speeds for accessing favorite social networking Web sites and photo-sharing communities(b). Additional features that have made this device a hit with tastemakers and trendsetters alike include a 1.3 megapixel camera, an MP3 player, Bluetooth technology, a trackball for easier navigation, and its slimmest size ever. The Diane von Furstenberg Sidekick from T-Mobile and the Lifted Research Group Sidekick from T-Mobile will be available at select T-Mobile retail locations and online at www.t-mobile.com, while quantities last. For more information on the T-Mobile Sidekick, please visit www.sidekick.com. (a) Separate additional charges may apply (b) Not all sites optimized for mobile browsers For more information, please visit the company’s Web site at www.t-mobile.com.
Click read more below to see the full news item
Socket advertises that the “P” in P300 stands for “performance” but after using it for just one day; I believe that the “P” is for “POWERFUL”.
Wi-Fi, a feature that folks continue to ask for but for some reason, manufacturers are just not giving it to us. What can you do if there is a device you want and it does not have Wi-Fi?
Socket Communications has again developed an outstanding solution that will solve this problem. Using the Socket Go Wi-Fi! P300 will increase your mobile productivity as well as improve your overall satisfaction of your device.
I remember when I got my iPAQ 6515 I was a bit disappointed that it did not have Wi-Fi and I remember that I “sort of” talked myself into the fact that not having Wi-Fi was not a really big issue or at least I didn’t think it was. I truly believed that having the ability to connect to the “net” via my provider was going to be enough but truth be told, it was not. Bluetooth provided me with the ability to do almost everything I wanted to do but there were times that a Wi-Fi connection would have given the “complete” experience especially when I was stuck without cell service at my summer home and I needed to connect and couldn’t.
Because it was a big issue back then, I started a search on what possible solutions I could use that would satisfy my need for Wi-Fi connectivity. I wanted a Wi-Fi card that was small, efficient, and powerful and yet did not have a price tag that was out of control. I was fortunate back then because I found a solution that was darn close to perfect and that solution was at Socket Communications, Inc! At that time, Socket had their Go Wi-Fi! E300 which complied with the 802.11b standard and provided data rates up to 11 Mbps. It was (and still is) a cool add on for any device.
I used it for a long time and it truly provided me the ability to Experience Mobility at the level I wanted ... I was happy. As time went on, my iPAQ was retired and along came my JasJar then my KJAM; both had Wi-Fi and just about every other bell and whistle you would want so the Wi-Fi card was placed in the drawer (retired but not forgotten).
But last January I saw the new Palm 700W and have had “device envy” ever since. I wanted that device because its form factor was as close to perfect for what I needed in a device. There were two issues that kept me from getting it however; memory and no Wi-Fi. After many discussions with folks that were currently using the device and how they dealt with the memory issue, I felt that was an area that I could deal with very effectively (and as time has gone by, my thoughts were correct). The second issue of no Wi-Fi was not as big an issue because I had a Wi-Fi card. But a new device deserved the latest and greatest so I went over to Socket’s website and saw that they had a new Wi-Fi card - Socket’s Go Wi-Fi! P300.
The NEW Go Wi-Fi!™ P300 - 802.11g SDIO Wi-Fi card was being advertised as the world’s smallest 802.11g Wi-Fi card and it worked on Windows Mobile 2003, 2003SE or 5.0 devices. I liked that, it was going to be a very versatile card providing me with Wi-Fi connectivity with all of my devices that do not have Wi-Fi. The specs looked very good especially that it was 5x faster than any other SDIO WLAN cards in the market and that it was backwards compatible with existing 802.11 b Wi-Fi networks. This was definitely worth the try because if it provided me with the abilities I wanted so I ordered the card.
When my card arrived, it was in one of those hard to open, hermetically sealed plastic packages that you need to use a highway jack hammer to open or take your chances with a razor knife to slice the package open ... I chose the razor knife. Inside the package were the Wi-Fi card, an installation CD with user documentation and a bright orange paper indicating that the Windows Mobile 5 software had to be downloaded from the support site. There was also a strong reminder that ActiveSync 4.0 or greater was required.
My plan was to load the software on two devices, one with 2003 and one with Windows Mobile 5. I keep an iPAQ 1940 next to my chair in the TV room that I like to use to surf or play games as I watch TV and I wanted it on my Palm 700W so I could utilize the full potential of what was available to me. I had my iPAQ connected, inserted the CD, the software ran and installed the driver and Wi-Fi companion on my iPAQ. After the installation, I inserted Socket’s Go Wi-Fi! P300 and BAM, it was connected. A flawless install, an immediate connection and I was off and surfing my favorite mobile sites. I was impressed ... really impressed!
No matter where I went in my home I was able to connect. Clearly, this was a powerful card because it always found a signal. Later that night, I went out to dinner at a local Chinese restaurant. I turned on the iPAQ and found a signal from a coffee shop next door that offered Wi-Fi access. I was again easily able to connect, surf and watch TV using Orb. Socket advertises that the “P” in P300 stands for “performance” but after using it for just one day; I believe that the “P” is for “POWERFUL”.
When I got home, I decided to install it on my Palm Treo 700W. I went to Socket’s site, downloaded the latest driver and installed it on my Treo. I then installed Wi-Fi companion, inserted the card and BAM, again I was connected easily and I quickly began surfing the web.
Memory is an issue on the 700W so I try to load all my programs on an SD card. As a result, you won’t see any screen shots on the 700W but rather a few pictures I took with my camera. It’s too bad that the card does not have built in memory…that would clearly raise it to a different level of usability.
In any event, the install again was flawless and I was easily able to connect. I was impressed when I first inserted the card with a warning message indicating that Palm recommended turning off the phone when using the Wi-Fi card. I’m not sure if that warning came from Socket or the Palm software but I was still happy to see it.
Along with the drivers you need for the Go Wi-Fi! P300, it also comes with their best-selling Wi-Fi Companion. This incredible program allows you to manage your WLAN connections using powerful graphical utilities. Socket allows you to use this program on Windows Mobile devices with built-in WLAN ( i.e. Dell, HP, iMate and ASUS).
Wi-Fi Companion is a simple to use, very intuitive utility that gives you accurate graphical descriptions of your connections. The easy-to-use interface allows for management of your connectivity providing you with the ability to browse your favorite sites, check email, see what WLANs are in range, install security certificates, view IP addresses or modify profiles. A host of options that make it very easy for you to get the most from your connection and do it easily!
Features of Wi-Fi Companion include:
· Wi-Fi Finder where you can find Wi-Fi hotspots in range.
· Get Connected so you can connect to wireless networks securely with a single tap.
· Power Save allowing you to manage power save settings to maximize battery life of Windows Mobile devices.
· Security option that works well with all WLAN security protocols supported by Windows Mobile (WPA, WPA-PSK, 802.1x, 40/128-bit WEP, Open).
· Persistence Connectivity allowing you to connect to Wi-Fi networks quickly and stay connected to the right network.
· Ping Utility to check network connectivity and survey your network range.
· Trace Route Utility that allows you to check each hop in your connection to the Internet to see where delays occur.
Wi-Fi Companion is a terrific piece of software that absolutely complements your Go Wi-Fi! P300 Wi-Fi card giving you the ability to achieve the fullest potential of your connections. Its easy to use interface is designed for the novice to understand all of the features available and yet for the advanced user, you get some pretty powerful options to achieve total control over your Wi-Fi connections.
I have been incredibly pleased with Socket’s Go Wi-Fi! P300. It was simple to install, easy to use and POWERFUL with the connection it provides. If you are looking for a Wi-Fi solution for your device, then Socket has a terrific solution for you.
PROS
Small form factor
FAST
Backward compatible to 802.11 b Wi-Fi networks
Compatible with a variety of Pocket PCs
Supports multiple operating systems
Great Security Options (Supports OPEN,WEP-40/64,WEP-128, WPA-PSK, AES, WPA-2. 802.1x authentication with EAP-TLS or PEAP)
Very bright LED shows connection status
Automatic Power Saving mode
CONS
No case for storage of the card when not in use
No built in memory card
COST: $99.00
RATING: 5 out of 5
Visit Socket to find out more information HERE
Very shortly, David Matson will be publishing a complete review of Socket's Wi-Fi Companion. David, an expert on this intuitive and powerful graphical utility, will present to you not only a description of what the program has to offer but how to best use it to increase your ability to Experience Mobility using Wi-Fi.
Click read more below to read the entire Socket GO Wi-Fi! Review
Palm definitely has come up with a slick looking device.
It is strange not seeing the antenna...but from all that we hear, it is a powerful device.
And Brittany, I added this second video just for you so when you decide to go out to one of those cool little boutiques, you can text message Mom to see if she likes what you're buying.
Well, that is enough for the NEW Palm Treo 680. Slick, powerful and promising a great user experience....Good Luck with it Ed!
Here is a very brief video of the NEW Palm Treo 680 (in Crimson, Arctic, Copper, Graphite) just to give you a flavor for what they look like and a little about what you can do with them.
Palm, Inc. announced that it will deliver the popular interactive mapping experience of Google Maps to millions of Palm Treo smartphone users. Google Maps for mobile optimized for Palm OS based Treo smartphones is a free downloadable Palm OS application that offers directions, local search, moveable/scalable maps, location satellite imagery and traffic updates while on the go.
"Google Maps for mobile is one of our most popular mobile applications," said Deep Nishar, director of product management for Google, Inc. "We're dedicated to providing user-friendly services that make life on the go easier. It's been a pleasure working with Palm to bring our critically acclaimed local search and mapping application to millions of Treo users."
Google Maps for mobile on Treo smartphones offers numerous benefits for life on the run:
- Comprehensive information on traffic conditions in more than 30 U.S. major metropolitan areas, and partial information in many others;
- Detailed driving directions with traffic estimates to avoid congestions;
- One-touch recall of favorite locations and routes;
- Integrated search results for business locations, restaurant reviews, hotel amenities and hours of operation;
- Interactive maps to explore further, reaching beyond current locations; and
- Satellite and aerial views.
"We're committed to expanding relationships with mobile content providers to bring our customers the latest in mobile technology," said David Diangson, director, business development and licensing for Palm, Inc. "Google's local search expertise along with added conveniences such as traffic updates and directions make mobile lifestyles even easier. With its full keyboard, 5-way navigation, and touch screen, our Treo line is designed to take advantage of numerous applications, ranging from work to play, that complement a user's everyday life."
Google Maps for mobile has been optimized for the following Palm OS based Treo smartphones:
- New Treo 680 smartphone
- Treo 700p smartphone
- Treo 650 smartphone
- Treo 600 smartphone
Availability
Google Maps for mobile is available today free of charge. To download Google Maps for mobile to a Treo smartphone, users simply visit www.google.com/gmm from the Treo web browser.(1)
Click read more below to see the full news item
Palm President and CEO Ed Colligan introduces new Palm Treo 680 smartphone in red, orange, white and silver at DigitalLife press conference in New York City.
The Palm Treo 680 smartphone, a GSM/GPRS/EDGE quad-band world phone, is easy to use, slim and compact, yet packed full of features beyond its stellar phone capability, such as email, web browsing, messaging, multimedia, calendar, contacts and more.
(Photos: Business Wire)
Chris from Mobilitysite has the skinny on the NEW Palm Treo! Thanks Chris for getting this up as fast as you did...GREAT JOB!!
