Introducing AvantGo Travel Guide

AvantGo Travel Guide is now out of beta.

Get convenient access to travel itineraries from Expedia Corporate, Northwest Airlines, Travelocity Business, United Airlines and Virtually There

In addition, city guides for 200 worldwide locations, maps and directions, weather forecasts and a currency conversion tool.

See the AvantGo Travel Guide page for details.

Astraware Sudoku updated to version 1.30

Astraware Sudoku has been updated to version 1.30

This new update includes an improved version of Astraware Sudoku for devices running Palm OS 4.0, and a brand new menu system for Palm OS and Windows Mobile(R) platforms.

"Our customers love our Sudoku - great puzzles, the best interface, terrific features, a fantastic hints system..... but everyone agreed, the menu system behind it was pretty lousy. So, we listened, and fixed it!" said Howard Tomlinson, CEO of Astraware. "With version 1.30, Astraware Sudoku has a brand new easy-to-navigate system for finding and changing options, all with 5-way navigation in mind too!"

Howard continues, "We also had some feedback from customers who haven't updated their device in a while, and still use a Palm OS 4.0 device. We can't promise to support these forever, but those users will be happy to know we've made a version of Astraware Sudoku optimised to run on these handhelds with less memory and slower processors .... available now from our website."

Astraware Sudoku has proved hugely popular so far with many people downloading and comparing their best times on the Puzzle of the Day feature. Customers reply how much they enjoy that the game allows them to play the game the way they want to, and their excellent feedback has allowed Astraware to add to and improve the features of the game, for this and future updates.

Astraware Sudoku is available for Palm OS(R) and Windows Mobile(R) for Pocket PC and Smartphone, priced $19.95.

Get your copy at http://www.astraware.com.

TextMaker for Windows 2006 Service Pack Released

For those of you that use TextMaker 2006 for Windows, a new service pack has been released that corrects program errors and features improved filters for Microsoft Word, RTF, OpenDocument, and OpenOffice.org.

Of course, this is a free download and you can get it here from SoftMaker.

The following is the complete list of changes/fixes in this Service Pack:

Improved picture caching for documents with many large pictures

Improved filters for Microsoft Word, RTF, OpenDocument and OpenOffice.org

Background spellchecking speedier now

The LEFT function now returns correct results again

When copying text frames, all character and paragraph formatting is retained

Picture transparency in GIF and PNG files now always retained

You can now prevent automatic hyphenation of a word by inserting a soft hyphen in front of it

Formatting of bullets improved (not all character formatting is copied anymore from the attached paragraphs)

Additional changes and improvements

And as a side note
TextMaker 2006 for Pocket PCs is just days away from the release of the public beta version!
Stay tuned for the announcement!

Sybase iAnywhere Unveils AvantGo Windows Mobile Smartphone Beta

The popular AvantGo mobile Internet service expands its reach with new Windows Mobile Smartphone support; Beta version available immediately.

iAnywhere, a subsidiary of Sybase, Inc., today announced the AvantGo Windows Mobile Smartphone beta. Windows Mobile Smartphone users can now take advantage of the free AvantGo mobile Internet service with access to over a thousand websites optimized for reading on their phone, including news, weather, sports, and more from the world's leading media brands.

"We're excited to offer AvantGo to the rapidly growing Windows Mobile Smartphone user base," said Neil Versen, senior director of AvantGo at iAnywhere. "The new Smartphone devices in the market are impressive and a great fit for the unique AvantGo mobile content experience."

To sign up for AvantGo, visit http://www.avantgo.com/. Beta support is available for Windows Mobile Smartphone 2003, 2003 SE and Windows Mobile 5.

The newest version of Topo USA® is now available at Earthmate.com!

Topo USA 6.0 offers America’s most up-to-date topographic maps with over 294,000 added roads and trails as well as the newest USGS terrain and land cover data! With Topo USA’s 3-D functionality, you can view a 360-degree perspective of your map and even adjust the pitch from horizontal to vertical. Another unique feature is the 3-D “fly-over” mode which allows you to soar in 3-D while observing life-like views of your favorite terrain. Want to view satellite or aerial imagery in 3-D? Your purchase of Topo USA 6.0 entitles you to $100 worth of DeLorme Aerial Data Packets (ADPs), absolutely free!

This innovative software is GPS ready: easily exchange waypoints and track logs between Topo USA 6.0 and the most popular GPS models. Any GPS tracks you collect can also be converted to routable roads or trails automatically. Geocaching in your future? Topo 6.0 now supports .GPX and .LOC waypoint formats as well!

The GPS power user may want to consider Topo USA 6.0 with the Blue Logger® GPS and Street Atlas USA® 2006 Handheld. This versatile package offers topographic map data, aerial photography, and satellite imagery for both the desktop and handheld user! Check out the Topo USA 6.0 with the Blue Logger® GPS and Street Atlas USA® 2006 Handheld bundle here.

Other new features include an easy-to-use toolbar, MapShare functionality, enhanced printing options, as well as all the data and software updates mentioned above. To purchase your very own copy of Topo USA 6.0 today, please visit Earthmate at www.earthmate.com.

HP Makes Online Tech Support Easy

HP announced enhancements to its online support that provide quick and easy access for millions of consumers who turn to the Internet for technical help.
The first is HP Update, a tool that automatically updates software to avoid issues with out-of-date drivers or firmware. Each month, 8 million customers use the current version of HP Update. The next version, expected to be available later this year, will refresh technical support content such as user guides and troubleshooting tips. HP Update also checks for updates specific to a customer's product including software, drivers, applications, firmware/BIOS, tools and utilities.

The second enhancement is the HP Technology Center, a centralized website dedicated to the top issues PC customers face. The Technology Center is broken into four key problem areas, as identified by call center agents, support websites and customer surveys: Wireless Networking, PC Security, Battery Health and PC Tune Up. Customers can read through troubleshooting tips, play demos or attend free online classes available to anyone with Internet access.

The HP Automatic Product Detection Tool, the third enhancement, identifies a customer's specific product model to get relevant support information. With one click, the tool identifies the exact product model and provides a direct link to support pages, drivers, content, agent access through chat or email, and other support tools for those products.

In addition to receiving website and online diagnostic support, HP customers can email or chat online with support agents at no charge after their product's warranty period has ended. An increasingly popular option, online chat interactions with HP support agents have grown 140 percent year over year.

"HP strives to provide the most comprehensive consumer support package in the industry," said Bob Weis, vice president, Customer Operations - Americas, HP. "From our online support resources to our comprehensive one-year warranty, HP tries to deliver what works best for consumers seeking help."

Both the HP Technology Center and the HP Automatic Product Detection Tool are now available and can be accessed free of charge in North America. The HP Technology Center is available at http://www.hp.com/go/techcenter. The Automatic Product Detection Tool is available by clicking on the Support and Drivers Downloads link on http://www.hp.com.

These online resources are part of HP Total Care, the service and support program that backs HP's consumer products. HP Total Care delivers 24x7 service, advice, learning and support -- in and out of warranty. HP Total Care was recognized by J.D. Power and Associates for consistently providing "An Outstanding Customer Service Experience."

WebMessenger Launches Enterprise Instant Messaging for Windows Mobile 5.0 PDAs

Secures Communications across Multiple Devices and Networks

WebMessenger, provider of mobile instant-messaging products for enterprises and consumers, announced the launch of Mobile Instant Messenger for Windows 5.0, available as a standalone wireless application for consumers and business professionals as well as for enterprises via the WebMessenger Mobile Platform.

WebMessenger's Mobile Instant Messenger for Windows Mobile 5.0 is a wireless IM application designed to work on all Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC devices and phones such as the Cingular 8125, Treo 700W, T-Mobile MDA and HP iPAQ. The application allows business professionals to securely correspond via IM or chat over all major public networks, including AOL, Google Talk, ICQ, Jabber, MSN and Yahoo.

Mobile Instant Messenger for Windows 5.0 provides multi-network access in a single client, enabling users to simultaneously chat with buddies on different networks. The application runs simultaneously with the phone and email applications. In addition, users are able to send and receive extended presence awareness information (online, busy, away and not available) as well as recognize the device of origin (desktop or mobile).

Mobile Instant Messenger for Windows Mobile 5.0 key features include:

-- 3DES Encryption--ability to encrypt communication for added security and regulatory/enterprise compliance

-- IM Networks Wizard--launches automatically and helps set up proxy accounts for all supported networks

-- Enhanced IM Networks Screen--completely re-designed IM networks screen gives users a one screen overview of their interoperability accounts and an easy-to-use interface to manage their accounts and contacts

-- 5 Way Navigation Bar Utilization--users can navigate through buddy lists, read messages, collapse/expand groups and much more simply by using the 5 way navigation control found on Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, eliminating the need for a stylus

-- Buddy List Logo Icons--uses IM network logos for buddy icons, making it much quicker and easier to determine status and initiate chats with buddies from various IM networks

WebMessenger's enterprise version of Mobile Instant Messenger for Windows 5.0 includes all of the above features and offers added interoperability with IBM Lotus Sametime, Jabber XCP, Microsoft Exchange IM, Microsoft LCS and Reuters Messaging.

Product Availability and Pricing

WebMessenger's Mobile Instant Messenger for Windows Mobile 5.0 works with all Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs and PC phones. A free, fully functional 15-day trial version of the application is available for immediate download on the company's Web site at http://www.webmessenger.com/wm5.htm.

Upon expiration, users can purchase a one-year client license key, which includes all service and version upgrades of the client for $21.95. This specially priced yearly license fee is available for a limited time. List price for WebMessenger's Mobile Instant Messenger for Windows 5.0 is $29.95.

NYCDAUG

Today I received an email from a friend in the NYC area who is a member of NYCDAUG, the New York City Digital Assistant Users' Group. He had forwarded a link for the minutes of their last meeting that I found very interesting, enough so that I thought I'd share it with you.

NYCDAUG, the New York City Digital Assistant Users' Group, is one of the premier PDA centric user groups. Founded in 1994 under the auspices of NYCNUG, an Apple Newton user group, our mission is to embrace ALL new PDA devices whether based on the Palm OS, Windows Mobile/PocketPC, Linux, Psion, Java, Symbian or something new and completely different. NYCDAUG is a not-for-profit volunteer run organization serving the community at large, with an international presence via our online services and product reviews.

The minutes of the last meeting are worth the read folks. They were nicely done with enough of a description (and pictures) that even though you were not there you go away feeling as if you were. Don't forget to look at the past minutes....there are some pretty good discussions that you should find interesting.


You can visit the New York City Digital Assistant Users' Group here.

You can read the most recent minutes here that has a discussion on the K-Jam and the Palm Treo 700W plus some extras.

Euclid Discoveries Shatters Bandwidth Barrier Using Object-based Video Compression

Euclid Discoveries, a video compression firm, announced that its technology has achieved compression ratios of 15,168 to 1 for certain videos. The technology, called EuclidVision™ greatly exceeds the current standard for digital video with a 460 percent improvement over MPEG-4, which implies more than a 600 percent improvement over DVD video format MPEG-2 for certain videos.

Applications
EuclidVision testing has focused on what the firm calls “streaming commentator” applications. This is video that shows the head and shoulders of the subject, which makes the current generation of the technology optimized for video conferencing applications, or simple newscasts.

For streaming commentator video, Euclid can reduce a 23 MB video file to a 1,519 byte file – effectively enabling sub-4Kbps, low-bandwidth streams for wired and wireless applications. The streaming commentator application provides a rigorous proving ground for EuclidVision.

How It Works
EuclidVision’s technology is object-based. In simple terms, EuclidVision recognizes objects in the video, like a face, and applies new compression techniques to those objects differing from the background. Current video compression using Discrete Cosine Transform does not look at objects, it just applies a constant rate of compression to the entire frame or picture.

You can read the full release here at Mobilitysite.

You can visit Euclid Discoveries here.

Eurotech Unveils Wrist Wearable PC With GPS

Eurotech unveiled the soon to be released WWPC, a revolutionary wrist-wearable device suitable for an extremely wide range of applications that solidifies the concept of ubiquitous computing.

The WWPC has integrated all the power and capabilities of a full size PC inside an extremely versatile device, small enough to be worn like a watch. With it information can be shared and services can be accessed anywhere. It can be quickly configured to access any remote host system through a wired or wireless interface and features fully integrated GPS, Bluetooth, Fast Infrared and WLAN, supporting the Linux and WinCE operating systems.



The WWPC integrates unique and innovative features such as a tilt and dead reckoning system that can be used to detect if the operator has been motionless for a specified amount of time and under these circumstances a location beacon can be transmitted. The WWPC also integrates a newly patented Eurotech system that detects the position of the user’s arm and puts the WWPC into stand-by mode when the arm is hanging down beside the body.

The low-power configuration of the system and Li-ion power cell technology maximizes system uptime, this is guaranteed for more than 8 hours.

The high wearability of the design allows for flexible ergonomic positioning and easy fastening to the arm (even over work clothes), assuring ideal weight distribution and maximum comfort. Several user interfaces are readily available. Integrated features include: GPS, Mini SD memory slot, advance power management, audio mini speakers, video with a bright outdoor-readable 65K color TFT touch screen display, a direct-access keypad, USB host, USB device, headphone jack, Bluetooth, Wi-Fi 802.11g and IRDA.

The target application areas include: Emergency rescue, Security, Defense, Healthcare, Maintenance, Logistics to name but a few. All these applications greatly benefit from the powerful low-power CPU core architecture and wireless communication and localization systems.

Visit http://www.eurotech.com/wearable for further information.

Code of practice for ISPs requires providers to counter spam

The Australian Communications and Media Authority has registered a code of practice for internet service providers and email service providers on countering spam. The code was developed in support of the Spam Act 2003 by the Internet Industry Association in conjunction with the internet associations from Western Australia and South Australia.

"Australia is again leading the world in the global fight against spam, which will require joint action by industry, regulators and end-users," said Chris Chapman, ACMA Chairman. "This is the first legislative code of practice for internet and email service providers in the world, and I highly commend the Australian internet industry on its work against the problem of spam."

The new code, Internet Industry Spam Code Of Practice - A Code For Internet And Email Service Providers requires internet service providers and email service providers to provide spam filtering options to their subscribers. It also requires internet service providers and email service providers to give end-users information about how to deal with spam and to have in place a process for handling complaints from subscribers.

The code sets out how internet service providers and email service providers will address the sources of spam within their own networks, including actual spammers, misconfigured customer email servers and the virus-infected computers used to spread spam (known as ‘zombies’).

The code includes a range of suggested technical best practices for hardening the network against spam and related threats such as zombies. These are consistent with the technical best practices being promoted by global internet service provider and email service provider associations.

Industry codes represent one element of Australia’s multilayered strategy against spam, which includes legislation, technical counter-measures, education and awareness initiatives and international cooperation.

The Australian internet industry is already actively combating spam. For example, three-quarters of all internet service providers in Australia already voluntarily offer a spam filtering product to their customers as either a free or charged service (Australian Bureau of Statistics figures).

The code applies to all of the 689 active internet service providers in Australia, as well as those global email service providers such as Hotmail and Yahoo providing services in Australia. The code obligations will come into force on 16 July 2006.

A copy of the code is available at www.spam.acma.gov.au.

And speaking of Sling....

I had to laugh because I just posted (below) a story on "Why Sling? Orb is FREE!" and after I posted it I ran into this article "Sling Media's Show Hits the Road" by By Olga Kharif.

Olga starts out by saying "SlingPlayer does a good job of bringing TV shows to mobile phones and PDA -- once you get past the software hassles, that is ". Too bad Olga spent all that time....Orb takes minutes, does a great job and is FREE. Hmmm...I'll have to send Olga a note.

She also said: "I test-drove the SlingPlayer Mobile with an HP iPaq hx2000 Pocket PC with wireless fidelity, or Wi-Fi, capability. To use the software, you'll need a Windows-based mobile phone or PDA, a newish PC (one with Windows XP or Windows 2000 and a CD-Rom drive) as well as broadband access. You'll also need the Slingbox device that acts as the intermediary between your TV and the mobile gadget."

Save your money folks...you can get a nice TV tuner card for your PC and enjoy TV anywhere you go with Orb.

You can read Olga's article here

Why Sling? Orb is FREE!

There has been a lot of talk lately about Sling Media's Slingbox and their NEW mobile software that enables TV viewing via cell phone. Starting Mar. 23, Slingbox owners can get a free version of SlingPlayer Mobile by registering online before Apr. 26. After that, the software will be on sale for $29.99 (including a free 30-day trial).

It sounds good at first glance but I watch TV on my iPAQs and K-Jam all the time and I do it for FREE. I use Orb and it is just terrific especially when I am at my home in Maine. I don't get many channels up here and we don't have cable...maybe some day they will offer it up here but for right now, they don't. It is not a big deal to us because we just watch cable shows using Orb....and it is terrific!

I installed Orb a long time ago and it has got to be one of the coolist programs I have loaded in years....and one that I use several times a week using my iPAQ, K-Jam and while I am in Maine, my laptop.

What does it do? Well, simply put, as long as my computer is on at home and I have internet access away from my home, I can watch live TV on my iPAQ or laptop when I'm on the road! That's right...LIVE TV! Very cool and it works!


Sometime back, I had this urge for Chinese food so off I went to my favorite restaurant. I turned on my iPAQ and I was instantly watching TV on my iPAQ through Orb!

But what is even better is that I can share my photos with friends and family while I am away. If I want to watch a movie I have on my home PC I can and I don't have to upload anything! How cool is that?

I found this application very cool and very easy to set up. In a matter of minutes I was up and running watching TV, browsing my photo's, listening to music and even watching a movie. If you haven't tried it, you should...I think you'll like it!



What do you need?
To enjoy Orb TV Live, your TV cable needs to be connected to the TV tuner on the back of your Windows XP computer. I have a Media Center PC so it was all set to go. Now I can watch favorite shows, stream live or recorded TV, schedule TV recordings while away and access and monitor webcams wherever I am.

With Orb Photo, I can store and view photos on my PC from anywhere! What is also cool is that I can send photos from my camera phone to my home PC. I guess I won't have to worry about running out of storage space on my device while on a trip.

With Orb Audio, I can stream my MP3 collection listening to quality sound with no long downloads --- now that is cool!

With Orb Video, I can watch my recorded TV shows on my iPAQ. Can you imagine enjoying your movies and home videos while away from home? Just stream your videos, there is no need to wait for a download!

Check it out! It is an amazing product and best of all --- IT'S FREE!!

You can find Orb here.

Share one monitor, keyboard, and mouse between two computers

Use One Full-Sized Monitor and Keyboard to Access Both Your Laptop and Computer with Belkin's Flip.

Flip Helps Relieve Laptop Users from Small Displays and Cramped Keyboards While Saving Valuable Desktop Space

Belkin's new Flip lets you share one monitor, keyboard, and mouse between two computers, allowing business professionals to now bring home their work laptop and easily plug it into their home setup. By simply pressing a small, stylish remote, you can easily switch from one computer to the next. The remote stays on your desk while the base and cables remain hidden for a cleaner desktop. Flip will ship in North America in early April.




Flip, PS/2 with Audio (F1DG102P) - $59.99
Flip, USB with Audio (F1DG102U) - $59.99
Flip, PS/2 (F1DF102P) - $49.99



According to a Forrester Research Report in February 2005, approximately 73% of laptop owners owned at least two computers. With two computers, people are seeking methods to keep their desktops free of extra peripherals and cables. They also want a more comfortable way to use their work laptop when they bring it home. Flip solves both problems by giving access to both computers without the added peripheral bulk and by enabling connection of your laptop to your home computer devices easily.

By allowing you to connect your old and new home computers, you can easily access files and programs using the same monitor, keyboard, and mouse. Flip also offers the added feature of letting you share one set of speakers between computers(a). Flip fully supports any combination of PC and Mac(R) desktop and notebook computers for use in any home or work environment. Visit http://www.belkin.com/flip for more information.

Flip Benefits

-- Connects instantly to notebook computers

-- Supports high video resolutions up to 2048x1536

-- Features a 2-color LED that indicates which computer Flip is accessing

-- Comes with a Belkin 3-Year Warranty

(a) Available for models F1DG102P and F1DG102U

About Belkin

Belkin offers a diverse product mix that provides people with seamless electronics integration in their homes, cars, and on the go. Founded in California in 1983, Belkin is a privately held company and the recognized leader in connectivity solutions, in addition to accessories for iPod(R) devices, computers, and more. We provide extensive solutions for networking, home theater -- with our PureAV(R) line of cables, power, and digital wireless accessories -- and many more categories.

You can view and purchase them at http://www.belkin.com, as well as through a network of major distributors, resellers, and superstores.

CSR Brings Bluetooth Connectivity to O2's Latest Device, the Xda Atom

CSR announced that O2's latest product, the Xda Atom, features CSR's BlueCore3 silicon and Bluetooth version 1.2 software stack. In designing the Xda Atom, O2 used CSR BlueCore3 technology to bring robust, power-efficient Bluetooth wireless connectivity to complement the handset's wide range of multimedia and mobile office features. The new tri-band PDA-phone with GPRS/EDGE functionality went on sale in Asia Pacific in December.

Billed as the smallest multimedia PDA-phone available, the Xda Atom offers the best and latest in mobile entertainment, connectivity and productivity. It features O2 MediaPlus, the first media centre designed for a PDA-phone that gives customers easy-to-use, single screen access to music, video and photo functions and libraries. The Xda Atom is also the first PDA-phone to feature an FM radio tuner and an upgraded 2.0 Mega Pixel camera with an LED strobe flash that supports video capture.

In order to provide users with the most flexible wireless experience possible, the Xda Atom offers both Wireless LAN and Bluetooth wireless connectivity so customers can hop online at any hotspot or enjoy music wirelessly via Bluetooth headsets. To offer users this rich multimedia experience with seamless connectivity, O2 chose to go with a Bluetooth solution that offers advanced coexistence with IEEE802.11, allowing for both wireless technologies to operate in close proximity without signal interference.

The use of CSR's BlueCore3 technology and Bluetooth version 1.2 software stack brings critical Bluetooth wireless connectivity to the Xda Atom allowing users to talk handsfree using a mono headset or transfer music, photo files and video clips between the handset and other Bluetooth-enabled devices. BlueCore3 also supports advanced co-existence techniques such as adaptive frequency hopping (AFH), to ensure there is no interference with the other RF components of the handset.

More information can be found at http://www.csr.com and the partner web site http://www.btdesigner.com

More information about Bluetooth technology can be found on the SIG web site at http://www.bluetooth.com

You can read the full press release at Mobilitysite

What is holographic storage?

Imagine being able to hold 100 movies in the palm of your hand. Pretty amazing!

Holographic storage is a revolutionary departure from all existing recording methods because it takes advantage of volumetric efficiencies rather than only recording on the surface of the material. InPhase will deliver the industry’s first holographic drive and media later this year. The first generation drive has a capacity of 300 gigabytes on a single disk with a 20 megabyte per second transfer rate. The first product will be followed by a family ranging from 800GB to 1.6 terabyte (TB) capacity.

Holography breaks through the density limits of conventional storage by going beyond recording only on the surface, to recording through the full depth of the medium. Unlike other technologies that record one data bit at a time, holography allows a million bits of data to be written and read in parallel with a single flash of light. This enables transfer rates significantly higher than current optical storage devices.

Combining high storage densities, fast transfer rates, with durable, reliable, low cost media, make holography poised to become a compelling choice for next-generation storage and content distribution needs.

In addition, the flexibility of the technology allows for the development of a wide variety of holographic storage products that range from handheld devices for consumers to storage products for the enterprise. Imagine 2GB of data on a postage stamp, 20 GB on a credit card, or 200 GB on a disk.

You can view a short video to see 3-D optical storage in action, and learn about the benefits.

You can visit the InPhase web site here

To upgrade or not to upgrade ... that is the question (part 1)

Recently HP released the hx4700 Windows Mobile 5.0 and the question that I had was do I want to upgrade or not? My 4700 has been running flawlessly so I have been "hedging" as to whether or not I was going to take the "plunge". For me, the question was how much do I want to use Windows Mobile 5?

I like Windows Mobile 5, I find it easy to use and definitely an improvement over previous mobile operating systems. I have had the opportunity to use it on the iPAQ 1950 (which is a terrific device BTW) and I was lucky to try it out for a very brief period on the new 6900 series....it was absolutely terrific. There are some issues that I have noticed but the overall performance was very stable so I decided to "take the plunge" and order the upgrade CD from HP. I expect it will arrive in a day or two so I will get back to tell you about the ease of the upgrade process and how well it performs on the 4700.


What are the key features of MS Windows Mobile Version 5.0 Pocket PC?

ActiveSync 4.1, the most current synchronization software for faster management and transfer of information on your PC server

Improved Productivity

Faster access to email and information

New Office Mobile Suite

Word Mobile for great document format support

Excel Mobile for better support when viewing and creating charts

PowerPoint Mobile for viewing and giving presentation on the go

Secure Device Management

Integrated Multimedia (Windows Media Player 10)

More support for media via services and the desktop

More options to use media to personalize devices

Persistent Store

Pocket MSN, which permits one click access to MSN Hotmail and MSN Messenger
Games

You can order the upgrade either as a CD or a direct download from HP at the Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 5.0 upgrade - North America site.

Windows Live™ Favorites beta

There are some ideas that are cool and then there are others that I think are "way cool". I like the concept of finding MY Web Favorites, wherever I go and that is just what you get with Windows Live™ Favorites beta!

Think about it for a second. This is a service that lets you get to your Internet Explorer and MSN Explorer Favorites from anywhere you’re online.

What you can do with it

• Easily import your current Favorites to Windows Live Favorites and use them right away

• Add new sites to your Windows Live Favorites with a single click

• Collect and save new links even when you’re away from your home computer

I think this is "way cool" and I am betting you will like it too! You can try the Windows Live Favorites here!

Windows Live™ Search beta for mobile devices

What it is

Windows Live™ Search beta for mobile devices lets you use your Web-enabled mobile device to search the Web for almost anything you’re looking for, just like on a PC. Search results are formatted to fit on your phone’s itty-bitty screen, so you can actually read them easily (a crazy idea, we know). With Local Search, you can find stuff in a specific location (Chinese restaurants in New York, for instance), and see maps with driving directions and phone numbers you can call with a single click. By the way, you need to have your own Web-enabled wireless device to use this service (you knew that, but our lawyers made us add it anyway).

What you can do with it

• Search the Web just like you would on a PC • Save search results to your device • Use Local Search to find the nearest gas station, the nearest restaurant, the nearest whatever • See 10 results displayed neatly within your device’s screen • See business names displayed with phone numbers, address, and approximate distance • View an easy-to-read map to your destination, and detailed driving directions • Click on any of the results to be connected instantly to their phone

Frequently Asked Questions

How do I get it?

Please sign up, and we'll send you an e-mail invitation explaining how you can start using the Windows Live Search beta for mobile devices.

What is a beta anyway?

Beta is geekspeak for “not finished yet.” A beta product is something we are still working on and invite users to test out. We’re asking you to check out the Windows Live Search beta for mobile devices and let us know what you really think—good and bad. That way, we can make the final product the best it can be.

What kind of phone do I need to get the Windows Live beta on my phone?

Is your phone web-enabled, and does it have a color screen? (Alert: geekspeak ahead) Then it probably uses a browser that supports xHTML (WAP 2.x), or HTML, and you will be able to use Windows Live Search beta for mobile devices. We don’t currently support iMode web browsers (end geekspeak alert).

Does it cost anything?

We won’t charge you anything, but your mobile wireless provider may charge you to access the Web on your mobile device.

What can I search for?

You can search for anything that’s listed in US Yellow Pages and White Pages. But in addition to the info you would see in a regular phone book, you can also see maps and driving directions, and can call any number you see with a single click.

You can also search the Web at large, to find news, blogs, and whatever else you’re looking for. We even fixed it so you can see a lot of Web pages even if they aren’t customized for viewing on a mobile phone.

Sign up for Windows Live™ Mobile Beta here!

SCOTTEVEST is on the move....again!

SCOTTEVEST is moving to a new location and like all moves one makes, they are trying to make it easier by having a clearance sale. There are some pretty spectacular items on sale so this is the opportunity for you to take advantage of some great deals.

Of course all of SCOTTEVEST products are spectacular but one of my absolute favorites is my Fintex 3.0 jacket. The overall quality of this jacket is exceptional and the design is second to none. If you need or want a jacket that will hold all of your portable devices, want to stay warm and still look cool, then this is the one for you. Coupled with the SCOTTEVEST fleece that has an additional 12 hidden pockets and compartments, you will have it all!

Throughout the garment there is a Personal Area Network or PAN . A clever design that allows you to easily weave wires through logically placed holes so you can operate and listen to the devices you carry. In virtually every pocket, there is slit placed to allow you to wire your jacket. Scott just didn't cut holes; he placed each slit in a well thought out manner to allow you ease of connection. Each of these slits has been sewn around the edges to prevent fraying and to give them strength.

This is one item you don't want to miss out on so check it out as well as all the other great items on sale. BTW, all orders placed during the sale that are over $50 will have FREE shipping. The sale runs through Sunday, April 2nd.

You can visit SCOTTEVEST here and if you want to see the Fintex Jacket as well as all the clearance items, click here.

Put a Library in Your Pocket

As many of you know, I love reading ebooks on my iPAQ. It is great to be able to carry as many books as I want, have a couple that I am rading at the same time and be able to pick and choose which one I want to continue on with. You could never do that before the advent of ebooks unless you wanted to carry a backpack with several books.

Kevin Ebi is a freelance technology writer and he wrote a rally nice article on how you can have access to thousands of books and journals and all from your local library. Well worth the read if you enjoy books as much as I do....he gives some great tips!

In part, Kevin had the following to say:

It used to be that borrowing a book from the library was a time-consuming effort. First, you had to find a time the library was open, a challenging task in this era of cost cutting. Then you had to navigate the Dewey Decimal system only to discover that the title you absolutely needed was checked out and overdue.
Now, your library card and your Windows Mobile powered device can grant you all-hours access to thousands of books and journals – everything from the latest novels to in-depth guides covering everything from science and business to health and travel.


A growing number of libraries are now loaning electronic files, which have a number of advantages over their physical counterparts. There are never any late fees: your electronic books simply expire and are automatically returned when they’re due. Even the most voluminous materials don’t weigh any more than your device. Searching the full text of an eBook is just as easy as searching for words in a word processed document.

You can read Kevin's article on how to Put a Library in Your Pocket here.

Name That Tune

You hear a song, you love it, you want it but you don't know the name of the song or the artist...........NOT A PROBLEM!



Pick up your cell...dial a number...hold your phone to the music and SHAZAM, the phone will hang up after 30 seconds and you get a text message telling you the artist name & song title! Cool, huh?

After Shazam identifies the track using a process based on unique "fingerprints" and immediately sends the you an SMS with the name of the artist and song title, you can then choose to buy associated products (ringtones, full track music, wallpapers etc), find out more about the track or artist on the WAP portal, or simply store the text message for future reference.

Shazam's music recognition service is already live in 19 territories including:
US, Japan, Germany, Australia, Switzerland, Austria, Greece, Italy, Singapore, Portugal, Taiwan, Turkey, Canada, Switzerland, Thailand, and South Africa.

You can visit SHAZAM here to find out more information.

So why did I mention this cool music service? I saw a news release today from SDC where Secure Digital Container AG (SDC) and its sister company Digital World Services (DWS) announced the commercial launch for an innovative mobile music service with TELUS, a leading Canadian telecommunications company. The companies are providing the digital rights management (DRM) solution and content delivery platform for this new service.

Part of the release mentioned SDC's proprietary Tune Tracker software, which is linked to the world leading music recognition service SHAZAM where clients can quickly identify their favorite songs by holding their wireless phone close to a stereo speaker. The SDC music player instantly recognizes the song and offers a direct link to purchase the music track. This innovative combination of music recognition and mobile download is providing a new search mechanism for shopping purposes and an excellent user experience.

Pretty cool stuff!

Mobile Media Without Limits

What is Orb? Simply stated it is a program that gives you secure access to your digital media from your home computer through a simple Web interface. Log on to Orb and you can stream your live TV, look through all your photos, listen to the hundreds of music files you have stored and watch all of your favorite videos that you have collected and all of this can be "streamed" to any Web-enabled device. Pretty cool, huh?

Well, Darius Way thinks it is cool too! Darius, an editor of Pocket PC Thoughts and a member of the Boards of Experts panel for Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine, wrote a nice article that has been posted on the Microsoft Windows Mobile site about Orb.

In part, Darius had the following to say:

Do you miss your favorite songs when you leave home? Now you don't have to. Thanks to a free online service and your Windows Mobile powered device, they’re available whenever you have a connection to the Internet.
Orb gives you unlimited access to the media stored on your personal computer. It streams digital media on your PC—whether it’s a favorite song or a favorite television show—to your smartphone or Pocket PC.

I’m already addicted to Orb. Even though memory cards continue to drop in price, I still can’t get one big enough to hold my collection. Even if you have a two-gigabyte memory card packed with music, there's a good chance you have many more gigabytes worth of digital media sitting on your personal computer. That's where Orb comes into play. If you're sitting in an airport lounge halfway across the world and you're itching to listen to one of your favorite tracks at home, you can. As Orb puts it, it's "home entertainment without the home."

It is an excellent article and one that I highly recommended for you to read. You can find Darius' article on Mobile Media Without Limits here on the Microsoft Windows Mobile site.

30 year standard to change

The International Disk Drive, Equipment, and Materials Association, today announced the results of an industry committee assembled to identify a new and longer sector standard for future magnetic hard disk drives (HDDs). This Committee recommended replacing the 30 year-standard of 512 bytes with sectors having ability to store 4096 bytes.

Dr. Ed Grochowski, executive director of IDEMA US, reported that adopting a 4K-byte sector length facilitates further increases in data density for hard drives which will increase storage capacity for users while continuing to reduce cost per gigabyte.

"Increasing areal density of newer magnetic hard disk drives requires a more robust error correction code (ECC), and this can be more efficiently applied to 4096 byte sector lengths," explained Dr. Martin Hassner from Hitachi GST and IDEMA Committee member. "Today, hard drives are a major storage product for essentially all computer and consumer applications, and increased capacities are required to meet customer needs for more storage."

WOW...it has take a long time for this to change...I hope it happens!

Visit IDEMA here

Foxit Reader --- an Adobe Alternative

Foxit Reader is a free reader for PDF (Portable Document Format) documents. You can view and print PDF documents with it.



Its size is less than 1MB, so it downloads quickly and there is no installation, so you can start to run it as soon as you've downloaded it. Foxit Reader starts up immediately, so you don't need to wait for an annoying "Welcome" screen to disappear.

It is extremely easy to use, just double click it to start and then click open button to open your PDF document. If you want to print, click on "Print" button. If you want to change the page layout for printing, select "Print Setup" from "File" menu.

Foxit Reader runs on Windows 95/98/NT/2000/XP/2003. It is provided by Foxit Software Company free for non-commercial use. This product is provided AS IS without any explicit or implicit warranty.

Learn more and download your copy of Foxit Reader here.

One-to-One Computing Solutions for Schools

"Computing in a Box" Solution Bundle Can Help School Districts Improve Attendance, Increase Test Scores


HP announced a simplified approach for school districts planning to deploy one-to-one teaching and learning programs using computer technology. With the launch of the HP 1:1 Computing in a Box pilot solution program, HP has bundled the required hardware (either a notebook or tablet PC), software and services that a school needs to effectively deploy the technology backbone of a one-to-one teaching and learning program.

One-to-one computing is an educational initiative to improve the way schools deliver instruction through technology, with the goal of increasing academic achievement and active learning.

With the minimum deployment of 100 units, the notebook version of the HP 1:1 Computing in a Box pilot solution program starts at $357 per unit as annual payment on four-year lease.(1) With the minimum deployment of 100 units, the tablet PC version starts at $529 per unit as annual payment on four-year lease.

HP
Francine Fiano, 203-913-1503
francine.fiano@hp.com

With 35 years in education, I am always pleased to see this type of initiative from vendors. Kudos to HP!!

It's all about making your life easier (and safer?)

There is no question about it ... the world we live in is changing everyday and that change is fast. There was a time when we would go to the bank to transfer funds ... now you're going to be able to do it using your mobile phone with your PayPal account.

This PayPal Mobile service will be implemented in the US, Canada and the UK very soon with other countries slowly being added after initial implementation.

It appears as if you will be able to send money two ways: Text to 729725 (PAYPAL) or by calling 1-800-4PAYPAL and following the instructions.

Now sending money to family (or friends) is one thing but there is another service called Text to Buy. When you are out and about and you see Text to Buy – on a poster, in a magazine, at an event – you can just order the item securely by text message.

What do you think of this service? Would you use it?

If you want to know more, you can see how PayPal goes Mobile here on the PayPal web site.

Video Eyewear to Make U.S. Debut

The MicroOptical Corporation, the leader in eyewear video viewers for the portable electronics industry, announced that its myvu personal media viewer will make its U.S. debut for the mobile industry April 5-7, 2006 at CTIA Wireless 2006. Attendees can have a personal demonstration of how the product enhances mobile entertainment in booth 4957, which is located in the North Hall of the Las Vegas Convention Center.

When plugged into a mobile device, the myvu viewer presents a large TV-like experience that mobile devices' small displays cannot match. MicroOptical will demonstrate how the small, ultra-light eyewear viewer enhances current and future mobile applications such as high quality mobile TV and interactive gaming.


"Mobile devices will remain in their current form factor for years to come. The size of their displays continues to be a major roadblock for a satisfactory user experience," said Tony Ho, Director of Business Development of MicroOptical. "The myvu viewer is designed to address this issue by providing hands free, head-up access to a large, bright quality image that's daylight viewable. The myvu viewer, which offers privacy by design, truly enables users to watch anything, anytime, anywhere, and any way they want it."

See it here and catch the buzz on the myvu personal media player

Sling Media Releases SlingPlayer Mobile

Do you own a Sling Box?

Sling Media, Inc., a digital lifestyle products company, today announced the release of SlingPlayer Mobile as part of a public beta program for Slingbox owners. SlingPlayer Mobile is a new software package that gives Slingbox owners the ability to watch and control their home TV from any network-enabled mobile phone or handheld computer (PDA) powered by Windows Mobile. The SlingPlayer Mobile software available today is compatible with devices that run Windows Mobile Pocket PC 5.0 and 2003 Second Edition. Sling Media will also deliver a version for non-touchscreen devices based on Windows Mobile Smartphone within the next month.

A trial version of SlingPlayer Mobile is available today as a free download from Sling Media's web site, www.slingmedia.com, as part of the public beta program. Beginning April 26th, SlingPlayer Mobile will be available for $29.99 and includes a free 30-day trial. Slingbox owners who purchase and register their Slingbox prior to April 26th will receive a free license for SlingPlayer Mobile. There are no monthly or recurring charges for the use of the software.

SlingPlayer Mobile gives consumers their entire home TV experience, including local channels, local sports teams, video on demand, pay per view, etc. Any program that you can watch on your sofa back home, you can now watch via your Windows Mobile-based device. In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile users can also control their home digital video recorder (DVR) to watch recorded shows, pause, rewind, and fast forward live TV, or even queue new recordings while on the road.

Visit Sling Media here and learn more about the Slingbox and SlingPlayer Mobile.

Carbon Project Releases Map Data for Cyclone-Impacted Region

The Carbon Project, the world leader in Open-Geospatial .NET technology, has released a gallery of free Geospatial Session Files (GSFs) with location content for Queensland, Australia, a region just impacted by Cyclone Larry, a Category 5 storm packing 180 mph winds.

“To many people in North America and other parts of the world, Queensland is quite an unfamiliar place, perhaps best known as a "jump-off" point for the Great Barrier Reef. To help folks become more familiar with this region that is now struggling to recover from Cyclone Larry, The Carbon Project is pleased to provide a gallery of Geospatial Session Files (GSFs) for Queensland, Australia,” said Jeff Harrison, President and CEO of The Carbon Project. “We hope that they'll help people get more familiar with the geography of Queensland and that they might help our friends in Australia in some small way.”

The location-based content for these session files was provided by the Spatial Interoperability Demonstration Project (SIDP), GlobeXplorer, CubeWerx and other sources. The content was pulled together in the last few hours using online OpenGIS® map servers accessing data from a variety of Australian and U.S. sources.

The GSFs are available online from The Carbon Project and accessible through the free Gaia geospatial web browser available at www.TheCarbonPortal.net. Gaia was developed with CarbonTools, an API for bringing location-based content into Microsoft .NET.

Phraze-It On-Screen Soft Keyboard for Finger-Typing on the Pocket PC

I saw this today and thought it was a neat application for the the Pocket PC. I think what impressed me the most was the one-handed thumbing on the Phraze-It® on-screen Keyboard allowing for quick and easy text entry while "on the go".


The Phraze-It Full-Function Soft Keyboard offers large, adult-sized on-screen buttons for comfortable finger- typing of lengthier text, or thumbing, and a roomy text display area for reviewing and editing text in your favorite applications.

What is Phraze-It®

Phraze-It® mobile productivity software features:

Large buttons for adult-sized finger typing or thumbing on the screen of your PDA
Easy typing of lengthier text
Roomy text display area for reviewing and easy editing of text
Accurate and efficient one-handed or two-handed typing or thumbing
Also great for two-finger typists
Comfortable text entry on the go for popular applications
Easy to use, full function, typing multilingual keyboard
Very intuitive touch screen keyboards with a choice of 8 layouts
Computer keyboard functionality
Breakthrough in mobile handheld productivity

Learn more about Phrase-It here

You can read the press release here on Mobilitysite

Yahoo launches instant-message phone in U.S.

It was only a matter of time....

Excerpt from Reuters:

Yahoo on Tuesday said it is launching a service in the United States that lets people make phone calls through the company's instant messaging software.

Available in several other countries since December, the service allows people to make calls from their computers for 2 cents a minute or less to the top 30 national phone markets, including the United States.

The "Phone Out" service also allows calls from computers to regular phones at varying rates to a total of 180 countries.

Using instant messaging for phone calls is one of the latest ways that technology companies are finding cheaper ways to allow people to talk all over the world without relying on traditional phone networks.

Phone In allows customers to receive calls on their computers from regular and mobile phones for $2.99 a month, or $29.90 a year.

Yahoo's service is one among a growing list of competitors, including Time Warner's America Online as well as Microsoft.

America's Heartland Become Early Adopters of New Smart Wi-Fi

Ruckus Wireless, an innovator in next-generation smart Wi-Fi technology, today announced that Pioneer Telephone Cooperative (Pioneer), the third largest U.S. telephone cooperative and a leading provider of commercial IPTV services, is beginning a customer trial of its new in-home "smart Wi-Fi" system to enable subscribers to stream picture-perfect digital TV content to any corner of the home using standard 802.11g Wi-Fi technology. The Ruckus trial gives Pioneer a significant lead over other U.S. IPTV providers in offering subscribers a way to reliably move new digital content around the home over standard Wi-Fi.

The Ruckus smart Wi-Fi system is based on patent-pending technology that selects the best path through the air at any given time for a specific type of multimedia content, and directs Wi-Fi signals over that path to a given receiver instead of broadcasting it in all directions. If, however, that path experiences interference, the Ruckus system automatically steers the traffic over another path in real-time and ensures up to 20 Mbps of consistent bandwidth to every location in the home so there is no interruption in Wi-Fi transmissions.


The Pickup Truck Test

During its lab and trial phases, Pioneer rigorously tested the Ruckus Wi-Fi system to ensure it could handle virtually any and all types of interference. "We turned on microwave ovens, tread mill machines, dishwashers, variable speed fans and even grinders to see how the system would handle interference," said Ulsaker. "To our surprise, it worked flawlessly, since so many other Wi-Fi products we tested just couldn't deliver a consistent link in the face of interference."

According to Ulsaker, the ultimate test was placing a Ruckus access unit upside down in a file cabinet in a completely metal building. "We put the Ruckus receiver in a pickup truck and began streaming IPTV signals from the access unit to the Ruckus receiver. Then we drove the pickup truck off to see how far we could get before the stream stopped. To our amazement, we got nearly a block away before the video stopped."

Pioneer is planning a phased rollout of the Ruckus Wi-Fi system as part of its popular broadband services throughout this year.

TunePower Rechargeable Battery Pack for iPod

You're using your iPod video to Experience Mobility and all of a sudden your battery dies in the middle of a great movie. What do you do?

Here is a solution that will solve that problem!

Belkin’s new TunePower for iPod video keeps your videos and tunes playing even when the internal battery is drained. Giving you up to six hours of additional video playtime*, this rechargeable battery pack lets you finish your movie and catch up on the shows you missed last week. The TunePower for iPod video will ship in North America in late March 2006.

TunePower for iPod video – $79.99

The iPod video allows for approximately two hours of video viewing, which may not be enough to last until you reach your iPod dock. TunePower will give you this extra time so you can watch your videos, making it ideal for long flights, hikes, or for anytime you do not have access to an AC outlet. Two sleeves are included to fit the 30GB and 60GB iPod video devices. It features a protective case design to prevent dirt, dust, or impact from damaging the connector.

An AC adapter is included for simultaneous charging and playing. The TunePower also features a small and compact design with a low-level power indicator so you can monitor when batteries are low.

*Performance may vary based on Apple® iPod firmware version in use.

Visit www.belkin.com for details.

Upgrade your HP iPAQ hx2000 and hx4700 series Pocket PC with WM 5

It is here...well almost. HP has listed on their site that you can get a Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade for your iPAQ for those of you that live in North America. This upgrade offer provides you the ability to upgrade your HP iPAQ hx2000 and hx4700 series Pocket PC with Microsoft Windows Mobile Version 5.0, without purchasing new hardware.

They indicate that the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade is currently available on CD for the HP iPAQ hx2000 and HP iPAQ hx4700 series Pocket PC. The downloads are currently available just for the HP iPAQ hx2000. The downloads for the HP iPAQ hx4700 will be available soon.

Although they are saying the CD version is being sold for the 4700 series, I was unable to see it on the site but I assume it will be there very soon. You can find the upgrade information here on the HP site.

Special thanks to Janak Parekh over at Pocket PC Thoughts for finding this one!

Avvenu Powers New Maxthon Access Service

The Free Service Lets Users Securely Access Their Documents and Photos From Anywhere They Have Access to the Maxthon Browser

Avvenu announced that Maxthon has chosen Avvenu technology to power its new Maxthon Access remote access and sharing service. Developed in collaboration with Avvenu, Maxthon Access works with the award-winning Maxthon Internet Browser to provide remote access and sharing capabilities to Maxthon's users. Since its release, the Maxthon browser has been downloaded over 50 million times, and is rapidly becoming one of the world's leading internet browsers.

The free service lets business users and consumers securely access their office and home computers from wherever they have access to the Maxthon Browser. In addition to accessing their own content, Maxthon Access users can quickly and securely share access to their content with colleagues, friends and family. Users enjoy the security of knowing they have safe, password-protected access to their files and folders when using Maxthon Access. All data transfers are encrypted and transmitted using 128-bit SSL, the web standard for secure transactions.

"We're thrilled Maxthon chose us to power their new remote access and sharing service," said Keith Barraclough, Avvenu founder and CEO. "Adding remote access and sharing capabilities directly to the browser is brilliant. Now the millions of faithful Maxthon Browser users have their files, folders and photos available at their fingertips -- wherever they are."

"We selected the Avvenu remote access and sharing technology for the foundation of Maxthon Access because it's an elegant solution for allowing fast, secure access and sharing of documents and media files," said Netanel Jacobsson, senior vice president & partner at Maxthon. "Avvenu allows us to easily extend the powerful and efficient Maxthon Browser experience to provide users with access to their own content from anywhere in the world."

The Maxthon Access service is free and available now at http://www.maxthon.com.

About Maxthon

Maxthon Internet Browser is a powerful tabbed browser with a highly customizable interface. It is based on the Internet Explorer browser engine, which means that what works in the IE browser will work the same in Maxthon browser, but with many additional efficient features, such as Tabbed Browsing, Mouse Gestures, Super Drag&Drop, Privacy Protection, AD Hunter, RSS Reader, IE Extensions Support and External Utility Bar. During 2005, Maxthon received the Red Herring Asia 100 award and named one of the best 100 products by PC World magazine. Since its inception in 2003, Maxthon has reached 50 million download. Publicly endorsed by Microsoft (co-exhibited with Microsoft as CES this year) and leading Wall Street Internet analysts, Maxthon is rapidly gaining popularity all over the world. For more information visit http://www.maxthon.com.

Maxthon, based in Hong Kong, is a privately held company with venture funding provided by WI Harper Group and Morten Lund (early Skype seed investor).

About Avvenu

Avvenu's unique remote access and sharing technology gives users unobstructed access to their most important content from a web-enabled mobile device or computer anytime, anywhere. Avvenu users can access important documents when traveling, share pictures while still on vacation or distribute large files to colleagues -- in seconds. The Avvenu service is based on the company's patent-pending technology in media routing and managed peer-to-peer content access and distribution.

While Avvenu offers its service directly to consumers, the company also works with major corporations to enable them to deliver this capability to their customers. Recently, Motorola announced Motorola Share, a free service based on Avvenu technology that provides mobile users with on-the-go image access and sharing capabilities from a wide range of Motorola mobile devices -- including the popular RAZR, ROKR, and V557 models. Avvenu also announced that the service is optimized for Palm devices, including the Palm(R) Treo(TM) 650 smartphone, the LifeDrive(TM) mobile manager, and the new Palm TX handheld with affordable Wi-Fi connectivity. The service gives Palm customers fast access to their files, folders and photos directly from their Palm devices. Additionally, Avvenu provides integrated support for Adobe's Photoshop(R) Album Starter Edition 3.0 and Photoshop Elements 4.0. DIGY

Avvenu, based in Palo Alto, California, is a privately held company with venture funding provided by Charles River Ventures, Worldview Technology Partners, and Motorola Ventures. For more information visit http://www.avvenu.com.

Pimp the Laptop

Laptop Design USA Launches "Pimp the Laptop" Contest/Sweepstakes

Winners Will Receive Free One-of-a-Kind Laptops

Everyone is invited to create a winning design for "Pimp the Laptop" Contest/Sweepstakes, an online competition sponsored by Laptop Design USA at http://www.laptopdesignusa.com.

The winner of the design entry will receive a one-of-a-kind "screaming machine" laptop built by Rave Computer. Sharp Systems is also awarding an Actius MC24 Sharp laptop to the voters' Sweepstakes winner. Both laptops will be customized with the winning design.

Design entries for the "Pimp the Laptop" Contest/Sweepstakes are being accepted now through June 15, 2006, followed by 30 days of online voting.

Laptop Design USA has created a unique way to customize the lids of laptops and notebook computers.

"We can take any combination of colors and designs and apply them to the lid of a laptop," said Peder Blohm, president and CEO. "This contest gives everyone an opportunity to think out of the box about personalization and design, and win some terrific prizes."

A research report produced by Intel and reported on CNET in November 2005, indicated that 60% of laptop users would like to customize their laptops with options such as color, patterns and fabric.

"We expect that laptops are going to become more than just working tools, they're going to become fashion statements," added Blohm.

To enter or learn more about "Pimp the Laptop" Contest/Sweepstakes, visit Laptop Design USA's website http://www.laptopdesignusa.com and click on the "Pimp the Laptop" link.

About Laptop Design USA, LLC

Laptop Design USA, LLC is the first company in the United States to provide branding of laptop computers as a marketing tool to build name recognition and for anti-theft protection. Laptop Design works in partnership with computer manufacturers, major integrators and distributors to brand laptops, notebooks and other hardware components for their customers. The company also directly services a variety of companies, universities, government agencies and others that want increased visibility and security. DIGY

For more information, visit http://www.laptopdesignusa.com.

The Enigma Puzzle

This web-based puzzle will test your powers of deduction, reasoning, logic, creativity, research, ability to see connections between apparently unrelated things, and your ability to think outside the box in general. In order to get the most out of this brain-teaser, you will need to have a computer. (Which you obviously do.)

Unlike many similar puzzles of this type, the tools you need to solve these puzzles are part of your operating system already:
A web browser (duh)
Image viewer
Calculator
Notepad or another word processor
Rudimentary "paint" program
Media player
It may help to have a printer... or maybe not
Lastly, this was designed on a Windows-based PC with Internet Explorer... no promises about whether or not a Mac, Firefox, Mozilla or Opera will work on all puzzles. DIGY

This is pretty cool and a neat way to test your powers of logic...give it a try and let us know in the Experience Mobility Comments how you made out?

You can find the Enigma Puzzle here.

BTW...there are forums you can go to to get some more hints!!

The way it was

WOW...boy have things changed. Take a look at this!

Control Your Home From A Pocket PC

Cortexa Technology announced the immediate availability of Cortexa Pocket Touch Software, the company’s latest software release that allows convenient access and control of the Cortexa Home Automation System through a Pocket PC. Cortexa Pocket Touch enables the homeowner to have yet another fully functional, cost-effective access point that is easy-to-use on one of the world’s most popular hand-held devices.

“Now, with Cortexa Pocket Touch, accessing and controlling your home is as easy as the touch of a button on your Pocket PC,” says Billy Martin, CEO, Cortexa Technology. “Cortexa continues to deliver useful and pragmatic functionality to our customers.”

Homeowners now have an additional access point to their home automation system utilizing tools they already own. Many other manufacturers would insist on installing an in-wall touch screen that could cost thousands of dollars.

Cortexa Pocket Touch can be easily downloaded onto any Pocket PC and requires only 10MB of storage. Homeowners will enjoy the highly intuitive user interface from the Cortexa Home Automation system and can access their favorite buttons for frequently used features within their home. In addition, homeowners have full use of the video streaming and archive viewing from cameras; audio distribution and iTunes functionality; remote control of all AV devices; control of their lighting, HVAC and security systems; access to weather data and their programmed lifestyle events.

“Cortexa is leading the crusade to deliver home automation to every home in America,” continues Martin. “We are waving the banner of ease and affordability in home automation, and the homeowner is the true winner here.”

As part of Cortexa’s ongoing crusade to automate every home in America, CEO Billy Martin and company founder Joe Doran will premiere the Cortexa Pocket Touch software at the upcoming Electronic House Expo in Orlando, Florida from March 28 through April 1, 2006. Cortexa also will be presenting other products and software in Booth 1228 along with SmartLabs, the world's leading authority on electronic home improvement and automation.

About Cortexa Technology, Inc.
Based in Austin, Texas, Cortexa Technology Inc. is a privately held company that develops and markets home automation systems to bring increased functionality and efficiency to all homes with an emphasis on mid-market homes. The Cortexa product is engineered from the ground up and includes both the software and solid state hardware. The company’s founders are passionate about providing home automation for all and, during development of the product, focused on affordability, dependability and usability. DIGY

To find out more about Cortexa Technology, visit www.cortexatechnology.com.