Top Stories:

• Vista build 5365 in da house
• Sony licenses video streaming software for Windows Mobile
• MacBook Pro graphics cards are throttled back
• Apple MacBook Pro supersizes to 17-inches, fries not included
• Most popular articles on jkOnTheRun
• Windows Live OneCare beta users get 60% discount
• Freeware of the moment: Visual Directory Explorer
• Get your Orb on with new version 1.01.0671
• Palm giveth and Palm taketh away
• PQI U510: charge up to 16GB on credit card flash drive
• PSP firmware update now available in US
• Paceblade Easybook P7 UMPC hits Europe in three weeks
• Microsoft relaxing DRM on audio files
• Samsung expects to sell 400,000 Origamis the first year
• Intel’s Mobility Group Chief almost understands the Origami
• Freeware of the Moment- YamiPod
• Steve Ballmer- new cellphones to give iPods a go
• SlingPlayer mobile released from beta
• ActiveSync 4.2 beta preview available
• Dell deal: 35% off Inspirons over $999
• Sona BlackBerry Media Player
• HP recalls notebook batteries
• PDAs without phones continue free fall
• BitLocker Encryption in Vista: good for mobile PCs, bad for dual-booting
• Read the NY Times paper, without paper
• Windows Live OneCare- buyer beware

Podcasts:

• OnTheRun with Tablet PCs #20
• MobileTechRoundup podcast #41: it’s one better than 40

I have been using Windows Live OneCare on three different computers for about six months and couldn’t be happier with the service.  OneCare provides protection for up to three computers in the form of anti-virus, anti-spyware, firewall protection, and PC maintenance (disk defragger, file cleanup, Office /Windows updates, backup/ restore).  OneCare has performed flawlessly on all three PCs I am running it on so when Kevin mentioned the special low price for upgrading from the free beta to the real service I jumped on it.  The special price of $19.95 to protect three computers for a year was too good to pass up so a couple of days ago I plunked my money down on the OneCare web site.

Today I got an email from OneCare that confirmed my purchase and also included some information about maintaining the OneCare account.  Buried in a paragraph in the email is something that buyers of OneCare need to be aware of:

This is an annual subscription that will be automatically charged to your credit card every year unless you cancel your account or select an alternative plan.

Not even Symantec auto-renews unless you manually cancel their anti-virus service and Microsoft really should rethink this policy.  The service is great and has worked well for me but I envision next year at this time wondering why $49.95 (standard OneCare subscription rate) has just been pulled out of my credit card.  Caveat emptor.

-jk

Palm has once again released the AKU2 ROM update for the Treo 700w phone.  They have fixed the glitches in the install process and have stated that if you have already updated with the first download you do not need to do it again.

-jk

A gaggle of geeks who are also all Mobile Devices MVPs have banded together and started a mobile tech podcast, the Mobility Guys podcast.  Don Sorcinelli, Steven Hughes, Chris Leckness, and Jack Cook have just started the podcast and the first one is available for download now so what are you waiting for?

-jk

This is another nail in the coffin for standalone electronic literature readers, in my opinion. Microsoft Vista will include functionality to replicate the New York Times look and feel in a digital version on any notebook or desktop. Dubbed "Times Reader", the electronic version of the daily paper was demonstrated at the annual American Society of Newspaper Editions meeting. The New York Times is debating on a charge for the electronic version of the paper; my guess is that a limited content edition will be available for free while full New York Times subscribers will likely receive the entire digital edition at no additional charge. Again, just my guess at this point, but it’s clear that Vista will support downloading and formatting of newspapers. The Times Reader function includes some great features such as annotating and clipping docs, slide shows of the images and a seven-day archive.

No exact details on if this reader software in Vista will also support magazines, which is likely of great interest to the folks over at Zinio. I’ve used Zinio for years to subscribe to and read digital versions of my favorite magazines and the experience has been outstanding. Hmm…yesterday it was BitLocker and today it’s electronic print media in Vista; are you getting compelled to plan an upgrade to Vista?

-kct

Maybe you just hate Windows, or perhaps you want to create the smallest Apache server on the planet.  Whatever your reasons, LinuxPlanet has installed SUSE Linux on an OQO 01+ and lived to tell about it.  The author tells you all about how to do the install and how to deal with the quirks due to the special install.

-jk

As an independent consultant one of the most important pieces of software I own is my time billing software.  A good time billing program is essential to account for all time worked on a project, especially if you have multiple clients and projects.  I have been using TimeTTracker MX from R & F Consulting for several years and what makes the program so useful is that it comes with both desktop and Windows Mobile components so you can track time from a Pocket PC as well as a laptop or Tablet PC.  Unfortunately when I picked up the Palm Treo 700w early this year I lost the TimeTTracker functionality because the program did not support Windows Mobile 5.  Notice I indicated past tense.  About a week ago I heard from the TimeTTracker folks who informed me that they had a beta version that supports Windows Mobile 5, including square screens like the Treo.  I immediately picked it up and it has worked flawlessly for the past week and I am thrilled to be able to make time entries on the Treo and sync them back to the desktop.  This new version is a complete rewrite as they switched from an Access database structure to SQL.  Not everyone needs a time billing program but for those who do I can’t recommend TimeTTracker MX2 highly enough.  For a detailed review of TimeTTracker, check out my article in Pocket PC & Smartphones Magazine where I compared the major time billing programs for the Windows Mobile platform.

-jk

Although I really like the UMPC concept and it’s very early in it the form-factor life-cycle (OK, it’s REALLY early), it’s a little disappointing to see a lack of innovation. Looks like there’s a "new" UMPC model available called the It’s Label in France. Only thing is: this "new" model pretty much looks like the "old" models in the form of the TabletKiosk eo V7110, the Paceblade Easybook P7, and the Peanut Butter & Jelly PBJ SmartCaddie. Perhaps I’m being too hard on the OEMs since none of these models actually exist in the wild just yet, but c’mon gang, let’s be a little more original!

-kct

I just missed a Vista beta chat on BitLocker, but it reminded me to share a few thoughts on this encryption scheme simply because I don’t think most people have followed what it is and what it’s for. A good portion of the public is wondering "Why upgrade to Vista?" and I think BitLocker is a compelling reason; certainly not by itself, but let’s do a quick "BitLocker 101" so you can judge for yourself.

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