• windows mobile

    HP iPAQ Handhelds Still Available

    November 20, 2009 /


    I didn’t realize this, but HP is still selling handheld PDAs. Why? If you are one of the classic PDA fanatics (hey, we’re all fanatical around here anyway) HP has you covered with two devices to choose from.

    First up is the HP iPAQ 110 Classic. This $300 PDA sports Windows Mobile 6.0 “Classic” and comes packed with a 624MHz processor, 64MB of RAM, 256MB of Flash, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi, a touch screen, and a SDIO card slot.

    Want a little more horse power?

    HP is also still selling he iPAQ 210 Enterprise Handheld for a mer $400. The 21o comes with 126MB of RAM, 256MB of Flash, 1 CFHC and 1 SDHC card slots, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi with WPA2 security.

    Go ahead, get your PDA geek on over at the HP online store.

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  • windows,  windows mobile

    Windows 7 and Windows Mobile Device Center

    October 26, 2009 /

    You have read the hype about Microsoft’s newest desktop operating system, Windows 7. You are getting ready to purchase or install the upgrade on your PC. But what about support for your Windows Mobile smartphone or PDA?

    Microsoft has you covered. As with Windows Vista, Windows 7 users will need to download and install Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 (WMDC). WMDC is a free download from the Microsoft website.

    On the WMDC download page, Microsoft has some notes that you will want to be aware of before you get started.

    • You can use Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1 only with phones running Windows Mobile 2003 or later.
    • ActiveSync and Windows Mobile Device Center won’t work with Windows Embedded CE 4.2 or 5.0, Pocket PC 2002, or Smartphone 2002 devices.
    • To sync content to any of these devices, you must use a USB or serial cable and your computer’s Internet connection and File Explorer.
    • You must use Microsoft Outlook 2002, Outlook 2003, or Office Outlook 2007 to sync your e-mail, contacts, tasks, and notes from your computer.
    • You must use a USB cable to connect your phone to your computer the first time you use Windows Mobile Device Center to sync.

    I’ve also seen some people mention on Microsoft Windows forums that if you have a partnership between your Windows Mobile phone and your Windows XP or Vista system that you should break the partnership before upgrading to Windows 7. Once the installation or upgrade has been completed, then install WMDC 6.1 and then pair up your phone to your PC.

    To learn more about the Windows Mobile Device Center, visit the Microsoft website.

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  • android,  blackberry,  blackberry os,  google,  microsoft,  web os,  windows,  windows mobile

    Retail Editions of Windows 7 Go On Sale Today

    October 22, 2009 /

    While the final version of Windows 7 has been available to select Microsoft customers and TechNet subscribers for some time now, October 22, 2009 will be remembered as the day that Windows Vista was finally replaced.

    Starting today, Microsoft has started selling four of the six editions of Windows 7 online and at retail locations. (Windows 7 Starter edition and Windows 7 Enterprise edition are required to be purchased under special conditions that we wouldn’t normally have access to. Think netbooks and large corporate account holders.)

    So what does that mean for smartphone users? Probably not much. Microsoft has worked hard to ensure that any software package that works on Windows Vista will also work on Windows 7. I’ve been using Windows 7 Ultimate and Enterprise editions for the last few months now and I haven’t run into any serious show stoppers.

    Palm Pre, Pixi – Palm webOS devices

    Palm Pre customers (and Palm Pixi customers shortly) won’t have any sync problems out of the box because Palm webOS, unlike Palm OS, does not sync directly with a desktop computer. People using webOS phones and third-party sync solutions like Chapura PocketMirror for webOS and Chapura Echo will want to check for any updates that may be made available. At the time of this posting, I did not see any updates mentioned on Chapura’s website.

    Treo 755p, Centro, Palm OS Handhelds – Palm OS 5 Devices

    Customers using Palm’s older generation smartphones and PDA handhelds, including the Palm Treo 755p, Centro, and Palm TX handheld PDA, things can get a little bit sketchy. Most of the issues with Palm Desktop versions 4.x and 6.x will likely continue. You will still need to be a member of the Windows Administrators group to install the software and all manors of HotSync voodoo will likely be needed to perform successful HotSync operations. In my limited Palm Desktop 6.22 testing on my Windows 7 Ultimate machine, which was upgraded from Windows Vista Ultimate, I have been able to HotSync my Treo 755p. However, I will caution you that 3-5 HotSync operations is hardly conclusive.

    Windows 7 also won’t correct the USB driver issue. Neither Palm nor ACCESS (the company that owns the Palm OS 5 and Windows Palm Desktop source code) has released a 64-bit USB driver. In short, that means if you have a 64-bit edition of Windows XP/Vista/7, you can’t sync your Palm OS 5 device with USB cable. You will need to turn to a Wi-Fi or Bluetooth solution to sync. I don’t expect either company to release a 64-bit compatible Palm OS 5 driver at this late stage in the Palm OS life cycle since Palm OS 5 is no longer being used in new devices from Palm.

    RIM BlackBerry Smartphones

    I recently installed BlackBerry Device Manager 5.0 on my Windows 7 machine and was able to sync it with my BlackBerry Curve 8330. After installing Device Manager, I learned that there was an OS update for my Berry and I was able to apply the update without issue. The BlackBerry USB mass storage mode also worked without a hitch.

    Windows Mobile 5, 6, 6.5

    There really isn’t much to report here. Microsoft’s latest desktop software is expected to sync with their mobile operating systems. While I haven’t tried to sync my Treo 750 (Windows Mobile Professional 6.0) with my Windows 7 machine yet, it did sync (mostly) error free with Windows Vista.

    What about everything else?

    While I don’t have an Apple iPhone or Google Android phone, I am not anticipating any serious problems. The iPhones and the iPod touch sync with Apple’s iTunes software, which is still listed as being compatible with Windows XP and Windows Vista should work fine under Windows 7. If an issue does come up, I’d expect Apple to have a fix out shortly since there are so many people walking around with both devices at this point.

    You can learn more about the various Windows 7 editions on the Microsoft website.

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  • verizon,  windows mobile

    HTC Touch Pro2 Available on Verizon

    September 11, 2009 /

    Earlier today, Verizon Wireless issued a press release stating that together with HTC, the Touch Pro2 Windows Mobile powered smartphone will go on sale starting tomorrow.

    When we add Verizon to the mix, Apple, Palm, T-Mobile, and Big Red all announced or will begin selling new hardware this week!

    Verizon Wireless and HTC Corporation introduce the HTC Touch Pro2™, a global-capable smartphone designed for the busiest professionals and world travelers. The HTC Touch Pro2 features an extra-large 3.6-inch touch screen that tilts to an optimal viewing angle, an ergonomic slide-out QWERTY keyboard, and an advanced speakerphone with asymmetric speakers and advanced noise suppression to deliver customers a robust productivity experience. Created with the intuitive TouchFLO 3D user interface, data on the HTC Touch Pro2 can be easily accessed with just the touch of a finger.

    The Touch Pro2 will include the following key features:

    • High-speed connectivity over Verizon Wireless’ Mobile Broadband network (1x/EV-DO Revision A 800/1900 MHz)
    • Global connectivity to allow customers to access e-mail and data and use the phone for voice calling in more than 220 destinations (GSM/GPRS/EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz WCDMA/HSPA 2100 MHz)
    • Wi-Fi capabilities (802.11 b/g)
    • 3.6 inch WVGA resolution (480 x 800) tilting touch screen
    • Advanced speakerphone with noise-cancelling technology
    • 3.2 megapixel auto-focus camera with video capture
    • Touch-sensitive zoom bar
    • Seamless connectivity with Microsoft® Exchange, Outlook and Office applications with Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
    • Bluetooth® 2.1 with EDR and A2DP stereo
    • Processor: Qualcomm MSM 7600A, 528 MHz
    • Memory: 512 MB ROM, 288 MB RAM
    • Dimensions: 4.57” x 2.33” x .68” (length x width x height)
    • Weight: 6.3 ounces (with standard battery)
    • Extended 1500 mAh battery for longer operation times
    • Up to 5.3 hours of talk time (CDMA) or up to 13.5 days of standby time (CDMA)

    Pricing and Availability

    Beginning Friday the HTC Touch Pro2 will be available for $199.99 after a $100 mail-in rebate with a new two-year customer agreement on a voice plan with an e-mail feature or e-mail plan. Customers will receive the rebate in the form of a debit card. Customers can order the HTC Touch Pro2 online at www.verizonwireless.com, in business sales channels and in Verizon Wireless Communications Stores.

    The full press release for the HTC Touch Pro2 can be read on the Verizon Wireless website.

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  • mozilla,  windows mobile

    Fennec Alpha 3 for Windows Mobile Released

    September 8, 2009 /

    While reading the Mozilla blog, I learned that the Fennec Alpha 3 build has been released for Windows Mobile devices.

    “We’re very happy to announce the availability of Fennec Alpha 3 for Windows Mobile. There are lots of great features and fixes included in this release. You can find the release notes here and a cab installer here. Personally, I’m turning off my iPhone to switch to a Windows Mobile device with Fennec.”

    Since the last release of Fennec for Windows Mobile, the Mozilla team has been working on improving the start up time for the mobile browser, they have improved panning, and they “now support a wider range of screen resolutions through the use of CSS media queries.”

    Just keep in mind that this is still an alpha version of the software and it will have some rough edges.

    If you are not familiar with the Fennec project, you can learn more about it on the Mozilla website. If you are not familiar with fennec foxes (Fennec is the little brother of Firefox after all!), you can learn more about them from Wikipedia.

    Download Fennec Alpha 3 for Windows Mobile now…

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  • astraware,  blackberry,  iphone,  windows mobile

    Happy Independence Day!

    July 4, 2009 /

    The 4th of July marks the birth of the United States, and Smartphone Fanatics wishes all of our readers a Happy Independence day!

    To help celebrate the day, our friends at Astraware, Handmark’s games division, has once again posted their free Handmark Fireworks application!

    Handmark Fireworks features a selection of patriotic backgrounds including the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore and the Stars and Stripes, and offers a choice of stirring tunes including the Star Spangled Banner and Stars and Stripes Forever!

    Handmark Fireworks is available for Windows Mobile and BlackBerry smartphones and for iPhone and iPod touch. (Sorry BlackBerry owners – this time round you’ll have to hum your own marches! This edition of Fireworks for BlackBerry does not include music.)

    What better way to celebrate 4th of July than with some Fireworks? Download your copy today – it’s available for a limited time only!

    Download your free copy of Fireworks by using one of the links below:

    Apple iPhone and iPod touch
    BlackBerry Smartphones (non-touchscreen, touch screen)
    Windows Mobile Professional (touchscreen)
    Windows Mobile Smartphone (non-touchscreen)

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  • sprint,  treo,  windows mobile

    Palm Treo Pro Is On the Way

    April 15, 2009 /

    I have received word that Palm has shipped out a Sprint edition Treo Pro to me to take out for a test drive. Stay tuned for a review in the near future. I’m looking forward to playing with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional that has the brand spankin’ new Pocket Internet Explorer 6.1 baked in.

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  • blackberry,  markspace,  windows mobile

    Mark/Space Introduces Missing Sync Business Edition

    April 12, 2009 /

    Mark/Space has just informed us that they have released The Missing Sync Business Edition.

    The Missing Sync Business Edition is a premium service being provided by Mark/Space that gives corporate customers some nice perks. Customers who opt to by a Business Edition license will receive:

    • A license to install the Missing Sync desktop software on two computers
    • Software upgrades and updates for the year
    • Access to the software upgrade subscription page
    • Priority email support with a 4-hour response window with priority queuing

    I like that Mark/Space has included, along with their other services, a license to install the desktop software on two computers. It is always a dilemma for corporate IT departments and business customers to justify extra software licenses for second computers whether they are a corporate issued desktop and notebook, or company computer and a home computer. With the Business Edition of The Missing Sync, customers and IT shops are able to legally install any of the Missing Sync desktop software editions on two computers.

    The Missing Sync desktop software is available for BlackBerry, Palm OS, Windows Mobile, Nokia and Symbian smartphones.

    The Missing Sync Business Edition is available now and sells for $89.95 and can be purchased from the Mark/Space online store.

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  • pro,  treo,  windows mobile

    Palm Treo Pro comes to Telus in Canada

    April 7, 2009 /

    Earlier today Palm announced that its Treo Pro smartphone is now available at TELUS in Canada. With its smartly designed high-resolution color touch screen and full web-browsing capabilities layered on Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, Treo Pro is the ideal smartphone for business users and consumers.

    Treo Pro offers TELUS clients simplicity and productivity – including TELUS mobile email, TELUS Navigator, Wi-Fi, web and 3G network capabilities – to meet the needs of businesses and consumers alike. Treo Pro’s thin design blends style and functionality with an LCD touch screen, one-touch buttons and a full QWERTY keyboard.

    Similar to the recently released Treo Pro for Sprint here in the United States, the Telus Treo Pro will also feature Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional.

    The Telus Treo Pro can be purchased for as low as $149.99 with a 3-year voice and data plan activation with a minimum $20 monthly service fee.

    For more information about Treo Pro at TELUS, visit the Palm website or www.telus.com.

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  • windows mobile

    BGR: VZW’s HTC Touch Diamond Drops This Week

    April 6, 2009 /

    BoyGeniusReport.com has a new post up today stating that they have gotten word that Verizon’s custom HTC Touch Diamond will be launching later this week. If the report is correct, the Touch Diamond will go on sale this Friday, April 10. The initial launch will be limited to B2B/Telesales/Web customers.

    BGR goes on to state that the the Diamond can be had for as little as $199.99 with a qualifying two-year service agreement. Don’t want to extend your current contact? That’s fine, but Verizon will be asking you to hand over $469.99 for this unit.

    BGR’s operatives have listed the following items as having been changed from HTC’s stock mobile:

    • CPU: Qualcomm 7500A
    • Speed: 528 MHz
    • RAM size: 128MB
    • Flash size: 256MB
    • Display resolution: 480×640
    • 3.2 megapixel camera with autofocus

    Also included is Windows Mobile 6.1 and an EVDO Rev. A cellular radio.

    For more details, check out the full BGR article including photos of the Verizon model.

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