jkOnTheRun » pocket pc

Ilium turns 11, mobile software discounted and a contest a day this week

Kevin C. Tofel — Mon, 02 Jun 2008 14:39:47 +0000

If you have a Windows Mobile or Palm OS device, chances are you already know the name “Ilium Software“. The folks there have been making great software for mobile devices there for 11 years today! With handhelds hitting the mainstream long after the first computers, that’s like 77 in mobile-years. OK, and dog-years too… just go with it…To celebrate their eleventh birthday, Ilium is holding a contest each day this week. Aside from great software prizes, there are $121 Amazon Gift Cards up from grabs. Note that 11 squared is 121… slick, and I can’t wait until their 20th birthday if they keep that trend going. Even if you don’t win a contest this week, you can still score a great software deal on eWallet, ListPro, NewsBreak and more because: at this link, all Ilium software products are 55% off this week. You can’t lose! Best wishes from us to you, Ilium!

PhatWare releases a skinnier PhatPad: v4.1

Kevin C. Tofel — Thu, 15 Feb 2007 19:29:50 +0000

PhatWare gives PhatPad an upgrade; version 4.1 was just released for Pocket PCs and Tablets / UMPCs today. The new version doesn’t get phatter; it’s actually a slimmer footprint by 10% over the prior version. If you’re not familiar with the product, here’s quick overview from the latest press release:

"PhatPad allows users to draw pictures, jot notes or put a mixture of pictures and typed text on a virtual scratch pad. The program uses new digital ink technology, which provides a very smooth ink flow, so it feels like writing on an actual piece of paper. While working with the note editor, PhatPad offers standard editing commands in addition to a customizable pen palette and variable pen width."

If you don’t need a full-feature set of OneNote, PhatPad might do the job for you at a significant savings: right now you can grab the application for $34.95. Among the many new features is support for Windows Vista as well.

ActiveSync 4.5 for XP released

Kevin C. Tofel — Wed, 14 Feb 2007 20:00:20 +0000

If you decided to avoid Vista and Windows Mobile Device Center, you may want to check the ActiveSync download page since version 4.5 is now available. This version supports devices running good ol’ Pocket PC / Smartphone 2002 through Windows Mobile 5. MoDaCo shares some of the features and benefits right here, so take a look before you take the plunge!

SPB Mobile Shell: 5 out of 5 from Aximsite

Kevin C. Tofel — Wed, 07 Feb 2007 16:30:37 +0000

Yesterday, SPB released SPB Mobile Shell for Windows Mobile 5 and according to this review from Aximsite, they’ve hit a home run! Mobile Shell enhances the WinMo interface with a nice screen called the "Now" screen which includes: the time & date, basic weather, battery charge, number of e-mails or voicemails and more. Also included is an efficient menu system, photo-based speed dialing and more for effective one-handed usage.

Probably the best overview to understand the product is the Aximsite review along with the demo video they put together. If you’re looking for more efficiency on your Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PC Phone Edition device, you’ll definitely want to see this!

Get Windows Mobile Device Center working with OneCare

Kevin C. Tofel — Tue, 06 Feb 2007 15:43:28 +0000

Way back in October I had issues getting Windows Mobile Device Center to play nicely with OneCare; looks like the same general configuration changes apply, which is plain silly. Both apps are Microsoft apps and really should get along. I gave the basic instructions back then, but Arne Hess put together a complete walk-through of the process including step-by-step screen shots. If you plan to sync up a Windows Mobile device on Vista while running Windows Live OneCare, here’s what you need to do.

Google Maps for Windows Mobile available

Kevin C. Tofel — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 20:35:29 +0000

Wow, when it rains it pours with reader tips. Just got a note from Kayhan indicating that Google rolled out Google Maps for Windows Mobile! The official information is right here on the Official Google Blog and you can pull down the CAB file for your Win Mo device here.

You’ll need Windows Mobile 2003 or higher, which knocks out my Windows CE 2.11 Compaq Aero 2130 unfortunately. According to the Google, contact integration and GPS compatibility are in there in addition to all of the previous features you know and love, so hop on over and give it a go! Hey, the even updated the list of supported devices with the uber-generic terms of "device, Pocket PC and Smartphone". Hey, looks like there’s a little traffic in the San Francisco Bay area; think I’ll stay on the East Coast.

Skype signs deal to tweak Windows Mobile client

James Kendrick — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 15:14:41 +0000

Skype has signed a deal with HelloSoft to use its VoIP technology to enhance the Windows Mobile version of the Skype program. HelloSoft uses advanced data compression that results in a low-footprint client perfect for Windows Mobile devices. Once the new technology is incorporated into the Skype program users should be able to enjoy better quality calls. Skype for Windows Mobile requires WiFi or true 3G connectivity like EV-DO or HSDPA to provide bandwidth sufficient for good voice calls.

(via BetaNews)

Final release of Windows Mobile Device Center for Vista available

James Kendrick — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:02:46 +0000

It’s been in beta for a long time but if you use a Windows Mobile device and you’ve jumped on the Vista train then you need to get the final release version of Microsoft’s Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC). Microsoft has two versions available, a 32 bit and a 64 bit version, for those of you who care about the latter, and you know who you are. Is it just me but does anyone else think of weapons of mass destruction every time you see WMDC?

(via Pocket PC Thoughts)

HTC Athena reviewed

James Kendrick — Thu, 01 Feb 2007 14:00:00 +0000

We just can’t stop talking about the HTC Athena, probably because it defies categorization. It’s a phone, PDA, mini PC, web appliance, etc. All of the news about T-Mobile picking it up even added to the fire of interest. What we haven’t seen yet is a real review, but that has changed now. Moblog has written a decent review that is chock full of photos and the more I see of the Athena the more it appeals to me. Uh oh, gadget envy is such an ugly thing.

JGUI Vista Smartphone Interface

James Kendrick — Tue, 30 Jan 2007 08:10:00 +0000

JGUI has been producing software for Windows Mobile devices for some time now and they sent me a notice about a new interface for Windows Mobile smartphones and Phone Edition devices that is so cool I jumped right on it. With all the mania surrounding the launch of Windows Vista, this program is not only timely but one of the best interfaces I’ve seen yet for Smartphones. I immediately loaded it up on my Samsung i320 Windows Mobile Smartphone and was hooked right away.

The Vista Smartphone Interface (VSI) is a beautiful interface that transforms the smartphone into a very cool tool. The Today screen becomes an interactive, animated screen that displays the date, the time with an analog clock, signal strength and battery level. Heck, it’s too hard to describe, you just need to see it for yourself:

VSI is free for the home screen only but to get the full joy of the program you need to purchase the full version. You can find it on Handango for $19.99 (cheaper for club members) and on the JGUI web site.

Jason Dunn reviews Microsoft Voice Command 1.6

James Kendrick — Thu, 25 Jan 2007 13:30:00 +0000

It’s no secret that I think that voice input and speech recognition in mobile devices will some day revolutionize the way we get things done. While speech recognition is not quite there yet it is very close and in certain limited functions can be ra eal productivity booster. Microsoft Voice Command is such a utility that makes interaction with Windows Mobile phones easier to do. Microsoft recently released a new version, 1.6, that has improved functionality and ease of use features. Jason Dunn of The Two Inch View (clever name) has published a review of this new version and he seems to like it. Check it out to see if it might be something you WM device owners should have a look at.

DST fix for Windows Mobile

Kevin C. Tofel — Wed, 24 Jan 2007 17:09:55 +0000

Here in the U.S., as well as in a few other countries I believe, we’re extending Daylight Savings Time this year by roughly four weeks over the current standard. Microsoft has some documentation on the impact to your Windows Mobile handheld and one kind soul created a CAB file to address the issue. If you’d rather not run the CAB he created, you can create your own using the info on the Microsoft page.

Ideally, your Windows Mobile handheld OEM or your phone carrier (if you have a Smartphone or Phone Edition device) should be providing a fix based off of the Microsoft code. It might make sense to wait and see if that happens, but if not, you’ve got this as a backup plan. I suspect that phone devices will a clock reset via the airwaves, but there could still be impacts to the Time Zone settings and appointments in your calendar.

Spb Club web site launched

James Kendrick — Sat, 20 Jan 2007 18:00:18 +0000

Whether you use the great software from Spb Software House or not if you have a Windows Mobile device you should head over and join the newly launched Spb Club web site. Run by the Spb folks, you’ll find all sorts of discussions about Spb software, Windows Mobile devices, along with some great free downloads. I snagged a handful of very nice ringtones for my Smartphone so check them out.

Access offers NetFront v3.4 browser preview

Kevin C. Tofel — Fri, 19 Jan 2007 16:40:55 +0000

Access might sound familiar; they’re the folks that bought the Palm OS. However, they also developed a solid web browsing client for Windows Mobile devices some years back. The NetFront browser didn’t get updated often, but many folks sung its praises. Looks like the venerable app is poised for a comeback as the::unwired caught a company press release: Access is offering a new version of NetFront as a technical preview and you can try it for free right here.

You’ll need a Windows Mobile 5 device and you’ll have to hurry: the preview expires at the end of this month! I noticed that the browser supports the HTML, XHTML and WAP2.0 standards. Better yet: NetFront also works with "CSS (Cascading Style Sheet), ECMAScript (JavaScript), DOM (Document Object Model), or DHTML (Dynamic HTML)" which should make for very functional browsing.

Hilarious Windows Mobile commercials

James Kendrick — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 14:39:52 +0000

I was traipsing around the Windows Mobile web site this morning and stumbled across some hilarious ads that Microsoft has posted as part of their "Work Anywhere" campaign. The ads feature a guy using his Windows Mobile device while wearing a suit covered with bacon (think release the hounds), duct taped to a lamp post, in an elevator full of snakes, encased in orange gelatin, and in a dark beaver den. The ads themselves are very funny but the 3 outtakes they’ve also posted are priceless. Check them out if you need some humor this first morning post-holidays.

Get more organized with your Pocket PC

James Kendrick — Tue, 02 Jan 2007 13:57:20 +0000

The start of a new year often finds many thinking along the lines of getting more organized using mobile technology to get the year started in proper fashion. It’s not an easy thing to do and requires giving a lot of thought to the tools at hand and finding a way to get the most out of them. Microsoft MVP Jaap van Ekris of Modern Nomads has done a lot of that thinking and written a good article that addresses how to get the most out of Windows Mobile Pocket PCs. The article concentrates on how to use the PIM applications for maximum effectiveness for getting everything under control. The premise behind the article is that the more organized you get in your professional life the more time you have to devote to your personal life, something I agree with totally. It’s a nice article and worth a read even if you are a long-time user of a Windows Mobile Pocket PC or were lucky enough to score one from Santa this year.