jkOnTheRun

Is EVDO down in Houston?

The last few days I have been having the most trouble with my Verizon EVDO connectivity and it's driving me batty.  I try to connect to the Verizon network and am immediately greeted by this error:

I get this error twice every time and hit the Connect button each time and on the third time (always the third) I get duly logged onto the network.  It shows an EVDO Rev. A connection in the status bar but as soon as I try to go somewhere it drops to NationAccess which is only 1xRtt speed:

It chugs along at this blazing speed until the connection will go Dormant, usually meaning I have to disconnect and reconnect.  It's happening to me all over Houston and using the v740 modem in three different devices.  It's so bad that right now I am tethered to the AT&T network through the HTC Advantage using the Windows Mobile Internet Sharing over Bluetooth:

Is anybody else in Houston having trouble with Verizon lately or is it time to get my modem looked at?

HTC hopes that the Diamond is a geek's best friend

HTC had a big shindig in London today and officially announced the Diamond, already being hailed (as many before it) as an "iPhone killer".  The HTC Diamond is a stylish black smooth phone that is very thin and sports HTC's new interface TouchFLO 3D.  The phone will be rolled out in Europe in June and in the US in the last half of this year.  Interestingly one of the photos of the Diamond on the HTC web site shows an icon for YouTube which is surprising as the Diamond runs on Windows Mobile which doesn't play YouTube videos yet.  Hmmm.  No question the Diamond is a very nice phone and I can't wait to see one in person. Full specs right here.  Note the 2.8-inch VGA screen.

Hacking the HTC Advantage for Windows Mobile 6.1

The HTC Advantage has been one of my favorite mobile gadgets for months and ZDNet blogger Matt Miller has often told me the same.  When the new model, the x7510 was announced this year a couple of improvements cranked up the lust factor for that new model.  First and foremost was the inclusion of the new Windows Mobile 6.1 which adds a ton of usability improvements to the aging OS.  Second was the ability for the screen to auto-rotate between portrait and landscape like that famous fruit phone.  And thirdly was the inclusion of the as yet unreleased Opera Mobile 9.5 which looks superb.

Matt is not one to wait for a device to actually be released before getting his hands dirty so this weekend he's spent hacking upgrading his Advantage to the same ROM level as the newer one through the very nice project at XDA Developers, the Athena Project.  Matt has posted about that experience and even shot a video of his "new" Advantage to get everyone's appetite for this new version properly whetted.  Matt's enthusiasm for this new version running WM 6.1 was so great that I must admit I bit off the project for my own Advantage.  Let me tell you, Opera Mobile 9.5 absolutely rocks and comes the closest yet to providing the Safari/ iPhone browsing experience.  'Nuff said.

Photo courtesy of The Mobile Gadgeteer

UPDATE: The Mobile Gadgeteer has removed their post that is linked to in this piece.

Celio REDFLY available for pre-order

If our video review of the Celio REDFLY mobile companion got your wallet all itchy, you can pull the trigger on a pre-order now. The cost is still the same $499 that we were told and the pre-orders are geared towards the target audience, which are enterprise users. Celio will contact you after you submit your pre-order, so they can verify the intended sale and go over the list of supported Windows Mobile phones. Again, this is more of an enterprise device, but that didn't stop Matt Miller from a pre-order. I'm sure we'll be hearing more about this purchase decision from Matt in our next podcast.

UMPC Portal previews the Sony Xperia X1

Steve Paine is always getting his hands on something or other and he just scored 24 hours with the hot upcoming Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 phone.  Chippy Kornel has duly reported on the experience of using this Windows Mobile-based phone from Sony and included lots of photos.  I must say I am quite surprised just how small the X1 is in his photos.  He's got video too so check out this very cool phone.

New HTC Advantage previewed

You know how I love the HTC Advantage and the mini-laptop functions it provides me.  You may recall how we live blogged the entire CES straight from the Advantage, thus providing instant show floor coverage.  When HTC announced the refreshed Advantage, the x7510, I couldn't wait to get my hands on one and try out the new model.  The new keyboard looks really usable and the 16 GB of flash memory would let me carry all my files with me everywhere.  Unfortunately the 7510 still hasn't been released and I've been looking all over for any information about it I could find.

Asian site Mobile01 has played with the new Advantage and has published a thorough review with lots of bits of video of it in action.  You will need the Google translated page but it's worth checking out.  The review pointed out one previously unknown fact which has me really excited.  It seems the new Advantage will rotate the screen automatically when the device is tilted from portrait to landscape and back.  This is something I would find very useful as I switch orientations all the time.  Check it out and see why I'm excited by the new model.

(via Pocket PC Thoughts)

How to 'run' Windows Mobile 6.1 on your PC

I haven't touched a Microsoft emulator since 2006 when I was playing with the UMPC simulation, so I'm about due for more fun and games. Up on the docket is the Windows Mobile 6.1 operating system, which is now available for your emulating enjoyment. Windows for Devices outlines the approach; it might sound complicated, but usually these official emulations are pretty simple to get going. You'll need a PC running Windows XP or Vista, Virtual PC 2007, and of course, the WinMo 6.1 emulator. Virtual PC 2007 and the device emulator are free for the taking, so anyone with a PC and the requisite operating system can give this a go.

I just might put XP back on the Asus Eee PC since the Professional edition of 6.1 supports devices with resolutions up to 800 x 480.

Freeware URL shortening for Windows Mobile: ceSnipURL

Need to send a lengthy URL from a Windows Mobile device? With web addresses getting so long and cumbersome to work with, that simple act can be quite a challenge. From the sender's side, you have to ensure you've highlighted the whole enchilada before copying it and then hope the recipient doesn't mind receiving a ginormous URL. Plus, you'll run into character limitations if you're sending via SMS.

ceSnipURL looks like a simple, one-screen solution for your handheld. The freeware application takes a URL, shortens it and then copies it to your device clipboard for easy pasting into e-mail, SMS, Twitter or any other similar app. Simple, but effective.

(via http://snipurl.com/25b39 [mobilitysite_com] )

How to make phone numbers active links in Windows Mobile Professional

It's a shame that a workaround is needed, but this is a handy tip if you have a Windows Mobile Professional device and can't click on phone numbers in appointments to make a call. You'll have to beg and plead your meeting organizers to send the phone number in the body of the event, not in the event details. As shown, they'll need to put a "Tel:" prefix in front of the phone number as well. Heck, just ask them to call you...

The issue doesn't exist in the Smartphone or Windows Mobile Standard edition and apparently remains a feature an issue in the upcoming version of WinMo 6.1 as well. And people wonder why James and I use Skype for the daily jkOTR conference call... that reminds me, have to get today's agenda ready!

WMWifiRouter: still lets your 3G phone be a hotspot, but it will cost you

Back in December we shared news of a free application that lets you use share the wireless broadband connection of your Windows Mobile handset with other WiFi devices. Essentially, your phone becomes a mobile WiFi hotspot with WMWifiRouter.

The application was featured as a Freeware of the Moment and now you'll see why that category is defined by the "moment". WMWifiRouter is no longer free: a license will set you back $29.98, although if you have a need to share that connection, I think the price is reasonable for the functionality. Early adopters can hit use a promo code upon checkout, which will knock the price down to $22.48 so if you need this function now is a good time to buy. To run the app, you'll need Windows Mobile 5 (AKU 3.3) or 6 and the Internet Connection Sharing application that comes with Windows Mobile. Check carefully if you have that application because some folks that watched our videos on how to use your phone as a modem over Bluetooth with a Mac or a PC mentioned that they didn't have it. Although it's part of Windows Mobile, it's optional and some carriers have removed it.

(via IntoMobile)

Keep your Windows Mobile apps up to date: AppToDate

You'll never guess what this free Windows Mobile application is called. Let me give you a major hint: it keeps your apps up to date. Give up? It's AppToDate and is currently a free beta from Paul over at MoDaCo. It's a great idea; in fact, there are serveral titles that do the same on the desktop. The premise is simple: the application keeps track of software that you have installed. When there's a new version available, it automatically downloads and installs the update so your software is always fresh and new.

The free title is currently in beta and there's just a few applications that it currently monitors, but Paul is making a call out to all Windows Mobile software developers so he can get them included too. Even if it's too early for you to use on your Windows Mobile device, this might be worth bookmarking to check on development and support in the future.

Verizon Wireless XV6900 availability starts on April 16th

Mark your calendars, to-do lists, Remember the Milk extensions, Post-It notes or whatever you use for reminders: the HTC Touch, er... XV6900 hits Verizon Wireless. That's the date that Engadget Mobile has for on-line availibility of the XV6900. You'll have to wait until April 30th to "touch" one in a Verizon Wireless store.

No difference in expected price from what we heard out of CTIA: $349.99 after $50 mail-in-rebate. We also heard tell of an extra $100 off if you purchased a qualifying voice and data plan combo, so keep a watchful eye in case that deal is good too. Here's an interesting factoid: the original VZW press release announcing the XV6900 doesn't mention EV-DO or VCast. Error, omission, or... uh oh? I'm sure it's in there based on the commentary around web-surfing, e-mail and such, plus the EV-DO indicator shown in the official picture, but why not mention it? I was only looking because I wanted to see if was the faster EV-DO Rev A. My gut says Rev 0.

Windows Mobile plugin is simply del.icio.us

We covered this last summer, but with the rise of social bookmarking, tweeting and everything else that used to be private, it's probably worth another mention. Plus our good friends over at Hackszine just caught wind of it. It's a tasty plugin for Internet Explorer on your Windows Mobile device: a free extension for quick and easy posting of links to del.icio.us. You can send URLs, descriptions, tags and notes right to the social bookmarking service from your handheld, courtesy of Dale Lane. He apparently had a heck of a time with the project last year, so you programmer types (and the morbidly curious) can find the pitfalls and challenges in his write-up.

Dale offers up the full VB source code and the CAB file for installation on his site. You'll need a touchscreen Windows Mobile 5 or 6 device along with .NET Compact Framework 2. I have to wonder if Dale downloaded the iPhone SDK and if this would have been any easier... for some reason, my gut says "yes".

Video overview of Windows Mobile 6.1 home screen

Video: Demo: Windows Mobile 6.1 Home Screen

Yesterday offered up a sneak-peek at the next version of Internet Explorer Mobile and today brings a look a the Windows Mobile 6.1 Home Screen. Actually, if you caught our video demo of the MSN Direct service for WinMo, this will look familiar. The same tiled approach applies to the new Home screen: there are panels for each category and you can scroll left and right for data in each category. It's probably easier to understand with the above video from the Windows Experience blog, but I like what I see so far: quick and easy access to the information you need the most.

Video preview of next IE mobile version: more like the desktop

Microsoft is showing off a preliminary look of the next Internet Explorer Mobile version at CTIA and Brighthand has the above video evidence. No doubt about the embedded Flash video support as shown near the end with a YouTube video playing natively in the browser. I couldn't tell from the video how the variable zoom feature was being controlled, but it looks fantastic in this early peek. I like the "smart" zooming offered by the iPhone, which automatically zooms to the width of the content you tap, so perhaps we'll see a similar function. All in all, it's looking good; nice to see Microsoft bring the desktop browser engine into handhelds.

HTC Touch Dual launched in US

HTC has launched the Touch Dual running Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional in the US today.  The Touch Dual will be released this quarter and will be one of the first phones in the US to ship with WM6.1  The Touch Dual has a slide-out keyboard and TouchFLO, HTC's finger-scrolling UI.

Windows Mobile 6.1 reviews start to appear- looks nice

As Kevin mentioned today Microsoft officially announced Windows Mobile 6.1 and we're already starting to see reviews appear all over the web.  My favorite one so far along with a great video overview of the new UI is from Laptop Magazine.  They have rated WM6.1 with 4 stars out of 5 and generally seem to really like all of the improvements in the OS.  The video shows how nice the sliding panels work on the Today Screen and I can't wait to get my hands on this new OS upgrade, if it's offered for my devices.

DISCLAIMER:  I have recently been commissioned by Laptop Magazine to do some article work for an upcoming issue this summer.  This has nothing to do with any linking I do to their web site as they have to earn any links we give them here on jkOnTheRun.

Windows Mobile 6.1 official, new version of IE Mobile gets H.264, Flash

Not that this wasn't expected, but Microsoft officially outed Windows Mobile 6.1 today in conjunction with CTIA. Here's the initial listing of what devices will be getting the upgrade treatment:

• Alltel's PPC6800 and HTC Touch
• AT&T's Blackjack II, MOTO Q 9h Global, Pantech Duo and Tilt
• Sprint's "new Palm Treo" (which I assume to be the 800w), Mogul, Mogul, Touch, MOTO Q 9c and ACE
• T-Mobile's MDA Ameo 16 GB and MDA Compact IV
• Verizon Wireless: None mentioned. Can you hear me now?

More importantly in the press release is news on the next version of Internet Explorer Mobile, due out by year end:

"The new version of Internet Explorer Mobile adds the ability to easily view full-screen Web pages and multimedia on the Web with a smartphone. By taking advantage of Internet Explorer 6 technologies and supporting established and upcoming industry standards such as H.264, Adobe Flash and Microsoft Silverlight, the updated Internet Explorer Mobile gives people a rich mobile Internet experience."

Silverlight was expected, but H.264 and Adobe Flash? Interesting... I'm surprised to see support for both Silverlight and Flash, but I think it's a good move from a consumer point of view.

Celio REDFLY launching with Enterprise Mobile partnership

Our most recent podcast should dispel any doubts regarding the target market for Celio's REDFLY mobile companion but if you still aren't convinced, today's press release should take care of that. Celio just announced a partnership with Enterprise Mobile to launch the REDFLY device. Enterprise Mobile will provide sales, marketing, deployment and customer support for enterprise customers using the REDFLY.

After using the unit for nearly two weeks, I can certainly see the benefits in an enterprise situation: low total-cost-of-ownership, flexibility to be used with multiple phone models and the safety of having zero data on the device itself. Does that mean it's not for consumers? I'd say it's definitely geared for business folks although it will likely have a limited consumer audience as well. If you're the type of person that enjoys the Windows Mobile experience and can be productive in that environment, you likely already have a high-powered WinMo unit and would benefit from the large VGA screen, simplicity and keyboard that the REDFLY brings. James and Matt are strongly considering the $499 purchase, but I'm going to pass. Not because the REDFLY is a bad device; on the contrary, I'm very satisfied with it for its intended use. However, as I've mentioned almost a year ago, my smartphone use has declined due to my UMPC usage, so the device has limited appeal for my work-style.

My Today Screen: new Windows Mobile site launches

Looking for a fresh, new place to find everything related to Windows Mobile? You're in luck because My Today Screen launches on April 1st... no foolin'! Actually, the site appears to have soft-launched earlier in the week, so there's already some WinMo content for your perusal.

My Today Screen is the brainchild of Doug Goldring and Tariq Bamadhaj, who have collectively contributed to great sites like Gear Diary, Just Another Mobile Monday, Eten Blog dot Com and Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine. Having read their content at various outlets over the years, I can tell you this: these guys and their fellow contributors are more than qualified to talk about Windows Mobile. Hop on over to their new site for a preview now and then stay tuned because they're offering a full week of giveaways starting next week! Good luck gang; we wish you all the best!

Palm Treo 800w appears on Sprint roadmap for July release

Well, I have to formally apologize to jkOTR reader, Hector Gomez. He's been sending me snippets and clues of the upcoming Palm Treo 800w that's been rumored for a bit now. I've held off until seeing something more concrete and I think today is the day that HG is vindicated. ;)

The Palm Treo 800w just showed its Windows Mobile face on a Sprint roadmap over at PalmInfocenter. Looks like Windows Mobile 6, EV-DO Rev. A, GPS, WiFi, 320 x 320 screen and of course, QWERTY keyboard. In other words: everything you'd want in a Windows Mobile Treo including models with and without a camera. Well, other than the 6.1 version of WinMo.

Never miss a message on your Windows Mobile device again: Watchflag

Looking for more control over your message alerts on a Windows Mobile device? Watchflag might be worth the two-week free trial for your WinMo 5 or 6 handheld. The app lets you create custom notification rules based on e-mail and text messages, even mail in subfolders. You can set Watchflag to light the display, vibrate and repeat either until you acknowledge, so you can be sure you won't miss a note from your significant other. Or your boss. Or both if you're dating your boss... we don't judge here.

If you like the software enough to buy it, there's a special going on right now. You'll save 50% off the $30 price and pay just $15. It's probably good that they're having a sale; I'm not sure an app like this is really worth $30, but then again, I'm my own boss and my significant other works at home too.

(via Jason Langridge)

jkOnTheRun video review- Celio Redfly Mobile Companion

The Celio Redfly Mobile Companion is a deceptively useful device that takes a Windows Mobile smartphone and turns it into a mini-laptop.  With a press of a button the Redfly connects up to the smartphone and extends the display to 800x480 and throws in a full QWERTY keyboard to boot.  In this video James Kendrick gives an overview of the Redfly hardware and shows how the mobile professional can pull the Redfly out of his/her gadget bag and be reading email in less than 3 seconds.  Take a look at the video and see why James is so excited about how useful this device can be for enterprise workers.

UPDATE: the oompah loompahs at YouTube have produced a slight audio sync problem and my audio gets out of sync with the video toward the end of the video.  Sorry about that, my video is perfectly in sync.  :)

 

jkOnTheRun review- first impressions of the Sprint EVDO HTC Shift

When the HTC Shift UMPC was first announced so long ago several innovations really got the tech world buzzing.  First was the form factor as the Shift was so thin and light in its closed state.  The device was barely bigger than the 7-inch screen and less than an inch thick which makes it one of the smallest UMPCs with that size screen.  Then there was the unique sliding function that exposed a nice QWERTY keyboard when you slid the screen up.  The screen could then be tilted up and forward turning the Shift into a small laptop form factor and the tech world ate that up.  Then, and maybe the coolest innovation of all, HTC added SnapVUE, a subset of Windows Mobile that allowed the Shift to get push email even when the device is turned off so the mobile professional can stay in touch with the office no matter where they might be.

All of these innovations got everyone understandably excited and that excitement only began dimming as the Shift began encountering one delay after another.  Finally a few weeks ago HTC was able to release the GSM version of the Shift outside the US and excitement built up again.  I was contacted by HTC over a week ago and informed that the US version of the Shift would be released on March 24th and asked if I would like a review unit to play with under NDA.  Of course I said yes and you can imagine my surprise when it showed up at Mobile Tech Manor sporting not GSM 3G but EVDO under the Sprint network.  This was never hinted at by HTC and since I loves me some EVDO I was very eager to try it out.  I usually do a "first impressions' article on new devices that is typically written shortly after receiving a device but due to the embargo I have been using the Shift for over a week so this one is based a lot on actual experience using the device.  Read on to find out if the Shift excitement is justified.

And the secret device is- HTC Shift, US version with Sprint EV-DO

I know I teased you with word I was testing a device that I couldn't talk about but since Amazon blew the embargo HTC has lifted me from mine.  The past week I have been evaluating the US version of the HTC Shift UMPC with SnapVUE.  This is news because the US version is a Sprint-branded device with EV-DO and not GSM like the European versions you've seen reviewed lately.  I am not prepared to do a complete review because I didn't think the embargo was going to be lifted until next week but I can share some photos of the Shift taken very quickly.  They are after the jump.

Google speeds mobile search, offers Windows Mobile plug-in

I love serendipity. How else could I explain the planets aligning in this way: we get our hands on a Windows Mobile companion device at exactly the same point in the space-time continuum where Google offers a Today screen plug-in for Windows Mobile. As if that wasn't enough, the Google has tweaked their mobile search mechanism to return results even faster. I've got the plug-in installed on the ATT Tilt, so with the REDFLY this is the first time I've seen a Google search field measuring around seven-inches in Windows Mobile.

By the way, this is the same search plug-in that Symbian S60 and Blackberry device owners already had, so don't write in complaining that your device is a red-headed stepchild. This is just Windows Mobile catching up, 'k? Hit up http://mobile.google.com on your WinMo handheld for the download.

KCT - REDFLY setup experience

While I was benchmarking the latest UMPC, James got his first impressions up on the REDFLY mobile companion. I spent some time this morning with my pre-production loaner unit and wanted to comment on the setup process. Often, poor instructions or a challenging setup can just kill a device's out-of-the-box experience. Not the case with the REDFLY and it emphasizes a thought James has already shared: the simplicity of the device is essentially a feature.

I called upon my career days as a hands-on Quality Assurance tester and followed the included instructions to the letter and they worked to perfection. Essentially, I just downloaded the REDFLY software on the loaner AT&T Tilt right over the air and then USB-tethered the smartphone to the plugged in REDFLY. That was it; the REDFLY pulled the drivers it needed right from the phone and in 15 seconds from the time I connected the phone, I saw the above screen. Very impressive.

JK- First impressions of the Celio Redfly

Well, I've been playing with working with the Celio Redfly smartphone companion for just a few hours but I'm already getting beaten up to give my first impressions of the unique device so here goes.  This will not be a full review and will only touch upon the things I have tried with the Redfly and what I think about those.  There will be additional coverage coming from both Kevin and I so take this as a very quick and dirty overview of the Redfly.

First up, what is the Redfly?  It is a small (almost the exact size of the EEE PC) laptop form device that does only one thing- it connects to a Windows Mobile smartphone or Pocket PC and extends the display and the keyboard of the phone.  That's all it does and it does it very well.  There is no processor onboard, no memory, no computer of any kind.  It uses the phone as the processor and simply gives you better input/ output capability for the Windows Mobile phone.  There is a short list of currently certified WM phones that will work with the Redfly but Celio is working on adding to that list.  The folks at Celio supplied an AT&T Tilt to use with the Redfly evaluation but I will not discuss the phone at all at this point.  Read on for my impressions of the Redfly.

jkOnTheRun Team coverage of the Celio Redfly begins

Looky who's got a Celio Redfly too:

Team jkOnTheRun coverage of the Celio Redfly begins today.  Stay tuned for a first impressions post from me and lots more information from both Kevin and I, video too.

The Redfly has landed

Microsoft to license Flash Lite and Acrobat Reader LE

Microsoft is expected to announce today a license deal with Adobe to allow them to put Flash Lite and Acrobat Reader LE on Windows Mobile devices.  The deal will allow Microsoft to give Windows Mobile devices the ability to handle PDF files out of the box and to bring the Mobile Internet Explorer browsing experience more in line with the competitive browsers like Opera.  No word on when to expect OEMs to get Flash Lite and Reader for inclusion in device ROMs.  Will this allow Windows Mobile devices to play YouTube videos?

(via CNET)

Seven great Windows Mobile freeware titles: CIO

With so many free third-party applications available for the Windows Mobile platform, it's hard to pick just seven but that's exactly what CIO did. Several of the chosen apps are no-brainers that we've covered before: Skype, MSN Direct (which we gave a video over of), and Opera Mini. There's one or two that I either haven't used or haven't seen before: mDigger for RSS and podcasts comes to mind.

I definitely would have added a free ebook reading application and possibly Google Maps for Mobile. Give the list a look and share your favorite "must-have" Windows Mobile freeware in the comments.

(via Smartphone Thoughts)

HTC Advantage refresh available for pre-order; at what price?

The updated HTC Advantage, the x7510, must have an imminent release soon. The new unit was expected to hit geek wallets everywhere this month and pre-orders have started on both sides of the pond. The problem with pre-ordering is that nobody can seem to agree on the price. It's not like it should be price fixed, but based on the variances, you can get a new Advantage and an Eee PC for what some folks are charging.

Pocketables reports that GearTrade is looking at $800 for the x7510 while two other resellers are asking for $1300. With a new UMPC on the way, I'm going to pass on the new Advantage even though it's already appealing in it's current form. If I was serious about purchasing one, I'd probably hold off and see what happens to prices when the device actually becomes available. The $800 price might be a tad low, but it's probably more accurate than $1300. Has anyone taken the plunge on a pre-order?

Rugged Trimble Windows Mobile handheld gets an EV-DO modem

Trimble's rugged Nomad handheld is joining the wireless broadband party with the addition of a $349 EV-DO modem accessory. This complements the Nomad's built-in WiFi, GPS and Bluetooth connections and allows you to send your GPS coordinates from the field. The USB modem is made by Franklin Wireless, similar to what they offer for PCs (looks almost like the CDU-680 to me), and is then covered with a protective cap. The modem comes with compatible drivers but you'll have to add a wireless Sprint plan for service.

Clearly, the Nomad is geared towards non-consumer use, but you have to admit the specs are appealing: Windows Mobile 6, an 806 MHz processor, outdoor viewable VGA touchscreen and up to a Gigabyte of storage. Tack on 3G with the new accessory and you've got a portable powerhouse!

QVGA vs. VGA: a pixel is worth a thousand words

Has it really been five years since I purchased my first VGA Windows Mobile device? Yup indeedy, it was early in 2003 that I plunked down gobs of cash for a Toshiba e805 handheld. There were plenty of other choices available, but the Tosh had a gorgeous 4-inch touchscreen that was full VGA. 640 x 480 glorious pixels. Ah... first loves...

I'm a bit surprised now that VGA screens haven't dominated handheld displays. On smaller screens, they're definitely overkill, but once you get above 3 or 3.5-inches, I think there's some real benefit. If you've never seen a good comparison of Windows Mobile in QVGA and VGA, you'll want to check this one. It's choc-full of great side-by-side pics that show how much more usable information that a VGA screen can display. Makes me miss my e805 even more. Sniff...

(via Jason Langridge)

SPB Mobile Shell 2.0: most impressive!

I caught this combination video & written review of SPB Mobile Shell 2.0 over at Windows Mobile Louisville and was extremely impressed by this software. It's another shell interface that sits atop WinMo and looks to be one of the most usable I've seen yet. Much of the shell is easily controlled by swipe gestures and large, touch-friendly icons so you may not need your stylus after you install Mobile Shell.

It's clear how much thought went into the UI as you have access to the most used features right on the main screen. From there, you can view the time, weather, battery charge, wireless signal, profile controls and the number of e-mails and messages waiting in your Inbox. The menu transitions look fluid and you can configure the animations to your liking as well. There's a custom program launcher screen and a photo-based speed dial feature to round out the functions. One new feature is the Taskbar gesture: you can drag your finger down from the Windows Mobile taskbar and choose any of the SPB Mobile Shell screens for instant access. The app costs $29.95 and works with Windows Mobile 5 & 6 touchscreen devices. Check the video and see if the software impressed you as much as it did me.

Go offline with Google Gears for Windows Mobile

Cloud-watchers: rejoice! Google just announced a Windows Mobile version of Google Gears, the glue that holds your online data when you go offline. I use Google Gears currently for Google Reader: when I'm connected to the web, I pull down thousands of stories and with Gears, I can read them offline in my web browser. The same concept applies to the Windows Mobile version of Gears, although it's limited to two applications currently: Zoho and Buxfor. Still, it's a start and you're watching a trend develop right before your eyes. Since connectivity isn't yet everywhere, Gears bridges the gap to provide a way to access and use a web-based application offline and then sync up that data when you go back online.

The mobile version of Google Gears is only supported by Windows Mobile 5 and 6 in Internet Explorer Mobile for now. Google is promising support for other platforms and I hope they look at other browsers as well, i.e.: Opera Mobile, for example.

VistaHide Battery Gauge for Windows Mobile

Free battery meter applications for Windows Mobile are a dime-a-dozen, but we haven't covered any in while, so some of our newer readers might benefit from VistaHide Battery Gauge. A quick glance at the top of your handheld display will show you how much juice you've got left in the tank. The indicator shows from red to green in a left to right fashion: a full battery shows a complete line up to green while a dwinding power supply will show a partial line with the color trending from yellow to red. The nice part: you don't waste too many precious pixels on your display.

(via Pocket Now)

SyncMate syncs Windows Mobile and Mac OS X, just not for me

There's a new sheriff sync tool in town: SyncMate from Eltima. The app is freeware for now, but my gut tells me that it won't be free forever, especially based on the "Expert" labels next to some of the items shown. Still, I'm all for cross-platform mojo, so I gave it a download, closed my eyes and plugged my Windows Mobile 6 Dash smartphone into my Mac and... BOOM! No, just kidding.

Actually, a BOOM! might have been better because the application never recognized that my Dash was connected to the Mac. What should happen is a small installation on the Dash and then I should be able to sync, but no dice for me. I suspect the issue is specific to either my particular device and I really wanted to try an alternative to The Missing Sync. Bummer. Well, I won't condemn a free app that's still in development, especially since some folks have it working. Instead, I'll leave it up to folks without a Dash to give it a try. It looks like you can sync over WiFi too, which is a nice feature, but you do need to connect via USB the first time for the program download on your device.

Coffee break- another HTC Advantage in use

I have to admit that as much as I love using my HTC Advantage I rarely see them out in the real world very often.  Today is one such day as a gentleman pulled one out and started checking his email and surfing the web in Starbucks.  He says he absolutely loves it and it has revolutionized the way he works as he rarely carries a notebook PC with him anymore to run his business, he does it all on the Advantage.  He also had of all things a tc1100 in his bag.  What a guy!

HP iPAQ 210 PDA reviewed at Brighthand

There aren't too many pure PDAs left in the market since everyone is jamming cellphone capabilities in handhelds these days. Actually, that's a poor choice of words... "jamming cellphone capabilities" is technically illegal, but you all know what I meant. HP continues to soldier on in the remaining market for PDAs, which is likely served today by the enterprise; at least until the OPDAPC, or One PDA Per Child project gains traction.

So what's HP up to in the PDA space? Plenty based on Brighthand's review of the iPAQ 210. The device reminds me of my ol' Dell Axim X51v with the large VGA screen in many ways, but there's a few odds and ends that are improved. Instead of just a single card slot like many older PDAs had, the 210 can handle both Compact Flash and SDHC for example. If you're in the market for a Windows Mobile 6 PDA without the phone and you've got around $400 to drop, I think the iPAQ 210 has to be on your short-list of potential devices.

Zumobi updated and improved for mobile browsing

Quick show of hands: who all gave Zumobi, the tiled mobile browser interface, a look-see when it was first announced? What did you think? I never found the time for the install, but I'm in the process of downloading the latest .CAB file now for Windows Mobile. Why the sudden interest? According to the::unwired Zumobi just got updated with a few improvements, so it's probably time for me to take a look. Arne says the update includes:

• A smaller installation file
• Increased performance over the prior version
• A way to exit Zumobi from in the program and much more

I'm curious how well this works on my Dash because browsing on a non-touchscreen device can be cumbersome. From what I've seen the tile approach that Zumobi takes has potential for Windows Mobile Smartphone / Standard Edition devices. OK, you can put your hands down now... don't want you folks getting a cramp in your arm. ;)

Skyfire browser to support VGA resolution soon

I recently tried to run the beta mobile browser from Skyfire but quickly discovered it would not run on VGA devices like my HTC Advantage.  I recently heard from the folks at Skyfire who have promised that the server-based browser will soon support VGA resolution:

Hopefully, we can squeeze that into our next release which should be out in a few weeks.

Not a firm commitment but good to hear that they have VGA on their roadmap, something that wasn't clear on their support web site.  Skyfire looks to be an awesome mobile browser and I can't wait to try it.  Has anyone out there given it a go and what do you think about Skyfire?

Opera Mobile 9.5 video

The time for availability for Opera Mobile 9.5 is getting closer and every time another video appears that shows how nice it is for browsing on small screen devices the more I want to get it on my Advantage.  Matt Miller got to see it running first-hand recently in Barcelona and he's posted a nice video of Opera that shows why we want it so badly.

The unwired looks at the Sony Ericsson XPERIA and the HTC Advantage

Arne Hess of the unwired is a nice guy I have met several times in the past and he's making good use of his time at the MWC in Barcelona.  He has posted a nice video of the interface of the new Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 which looks really nice.  The interface is very iPod-like and the phone looks very cool indeed.

Arne also has posted a video of the new HTC Advantage (T-Mobile Ameo) that is going to ship with the soon-to-be-available Opera Mobile 9.5.  Arne's video shows Opera 9.5 which looks very cool on the five-inch Advantage screen.  I really want to get my hands on this new version of Opera.  Take a look at Arne's video and you'll see what I mean.

New HTC Advantage reviewed on the Mobile Gadgeteer

Podcast buddy Matt Miller, aka the Mobile Gadgeteer, is at the Mobile World Conference in Barcelona, Spain and he got his hands on that new refreshed HTC Advantage that was just announced this week.  Matt has published a nice review including video of that new haptic-enabled keyboard.  Check it out and see why I am excited by this new Advantage.

Alpha version of Pointui supports VGA on Windows Mobile 5, 6

Some of the recent and new Windows Mobile in the news haven't fared so well with VGA devices. While I'm certain there's a ton more QVGA handhelds out there, it's a shame to neglect the folks that have four times the resolution in their hands. Pointui is one of those recent third-party solutions we hit up last month; it adds a customizable and intuitive user interface to Windows Mobile, but it hasn't taken advantage of higher res screens... until now.

The Pointui team has a new alpha version available that offers VGA support for Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices. The keyword here is "alpha", meaning younger than "beta", so if you try it, you can expect some issues. Some that the dev team already know of include a font issue for extended characters and cropped icons in the Windows Mobile Settings window. You can see by the screen cap that some folks are providing good feedback for the software as well.

It's also worth a mention for older device owners: there's an alpha version specifically for your Windows Mobile 2003 device too. Thanks for the tip, Matt!

HTC has ODM order for Sony Ericsson's XPERIA X1

Got a couple of reader e-mails buzzing about that new Sony Ericsson XPERIA X1 handset announced yesterday at the Mobile World Congress. Specifically, folks were curious about this design coming from left field with the "skin" that runs on top of Windows Mobile. After all, this is a slick-looking device from a company that has no prior Windows Mobile experience. As a commenter or two pointed out, the device is Sony Ericsson branded, but is manufactured by a company you might be very familiar with: HTC.

Digitimes confirms the ODM order for HTC and it actually makes sense in a way. When I think of a company that's really starting to add customized interface solutions to a Windows Mobile base, I think of HTC and their TouchFLO, such as on the HTC Touch and Touch Dual. There you go: you ask and we answer! :)

jkOnTheRun video: walkthrough of MSN Direct on Windows Mobile

So what exactly does that MSN Direct download bring to your Windows Mobile device? In this under-seven-minute video I give you a quick walkthrough using my Dash; a Windows Mobile 6 device. There's a few opportunities for improvement in the application, but if you want basic News, Weather and Stocks on your Today screen (and you have enough room for them), this could be useful. There are plenty of third party applications that can provide the same info, if not more, but not all of them are free. Then again, I'm not sure I'd call this implementation "free" exactly; no it doesn't cost you anything, but there's a fair share of ads. They're not obtrusive, but they're there as you'll see in the video.

Boingo Wireless now supports Windows Mobile 6, UIQ devices

While we're on a wireless kick today, how about an update on Boingo? Over at the Mobile World Congress, the company announced support for two additional device platforms: Windows Mobile 6 and Sony Ericsson UIQ. The deal is $7.95 a month for unlimited WiFi access worldwide through hotspots on the Boingo Network. This mobile device plan is significantly less expensive than the computer plan which is nearly three times the price. This could actually get folks to tether a phone to their notebook for fast and cheap WiFi. ;)

Boingo offers over 100,000 locations in their global hotspot directory, ranging from airports to hotels, bookstores, coffee shops and more.

(via The Mobile Gadgeteer)

WebKit on Windows Mobile arrives from Torch Mobile

We mentioned WebKit for Windows Mobile about four months ago; Wake3 was bringing the underlying Safari and S60 browser to Microsoft devices, but the beta is still in the "coming soon" stage. If you don't want to wait, you can hit up Torch Mobile who has an actual download available now for Windows Mobile 6. Looks like my Dash is going to get some healthy exercise today, first with MSN Direct and now a WebKit browser! I just wish now that it a touchscreen.

One of the interesting features I see in the Iris browser from Torch Mobile, is support for practically any input method supported on the device platform, ranging from touch to handwriting recognition and everything in between. There's also auto-rotation, a software mouse cursor and more. I do see support for JavaScript, but not for Flash at this point. Time to go play on the Dash...

(via GigaOm)

MSN Direct now on Windows Mobile: too little, too late?

Hi, my name is Kevin and I own a SPOT Watch. Boy, do I feel better saying that aloud. It's not that I've been a closet SPOT Watch owner, it's just that we haven't seen much impact from this Microsoft informational service. MSN Direct typically uses an FM radio to receive personalized data such as stocks, weather, traffic and news bits, but it sounds like that's about to change. Arne Hess expects Microsoft to announce MSN Direct support for Windows Mobile, but not likely over FM radio like the current solutions. Instead, the service would leverage any integrated wireless radio to grab the data for display on your device. Two thoughts follow as a several year SPOT Watch owner, but I'd like to hear yours as well.

• I've wondered over the past few years why we haven't seen MSN Direct integrated with Windows Mobile devices yet. Adding an FM radio shouldn't be a major challenge and would provide additional benefit from an audio perspective.
• At this point, are there already enough similar (or better) solutions in this vein? I'm thinking Java widgets, RSS readers, weather plug-ins for the today screen and such.

Am I being too hard on the service? Perhaps we'll see an enhancement to the MSN Direct service that makes it more of a value add...

Update: I'm either way behind or this page just went live. Hop over to the MSN Direct page for phones and you can download MSN Direct for your phone, check the supported devices and find additional information. Looks like this is a standard (and free) Windows Mobile application that you can install now. I'm going to install this on my T-Mobile Dash to see what benefit there is.

Update #2: Looks like I stumbled on this before it got official because the Microsoft Press Release is out. My first impressions with a few minutes of play time? Nice implementation, but I actually had more customized information available to me on my SPOT Watch back in 2004. Still, if you want basic News, Weather and Stocks on your Today screen, this will work nicely.

Say hello to the new HTC Advantage

You know how much I love my HTC Advantage and how well it does the things it does for me.  If someone asked me how to improve it I would have to think awfully hard to come up with areas to improve.  It turns out that I don't have to come up with anything because HTC has announced the new Advantage which will be available in Europe in March and the improvements they have made look awesome.  First off the bat HTC has improved the keyboard to make it more functional.  It is still using the unique magnetic attachment which means the new keyboard can be detached just like the current one but the keys are bigger to make typing easier.  The most innovative change of the keyboard is the use of haptic technology which means you will be able to feel when keys are pressed, at least that's typically what haptic technology is used for- to provide tactile feedback.

The new Advantage also includes 16 GB of flash memory to update the 8 GB microdrive that is found in the current model which makes this one of the highest memory PDAs on the market.