• astraware,  iphone,  itunes

    Astraware Releases Phaze Lite

    July 6, 2009 /

    Astraware, the Handmark games unit, today released Phaze “Lite”. Phaze, a unique game available only on the iPhone and iPod touch, is an exciting new futuristic racing game that offers players an exhilarating race experience as they select their ship and race around rollercoaster-like tracks with stomach-flipping twists and turns, and velocity-increasing boost pads, while collecting powerups and avoiding their competitors’ weapons!

    The Lite version, available now, includes one race craft, one location and two difficulty levels so players get a chance to try out Phaze for FREE! If they enjoy the game, the full version additionally includes Championship mode, a total of four difficulty levels, 15 more locations (with 64 tracks across all difficulties), and a total of 10 race craft (some are unlockable).

    You can download Phaze from the Apple iTunes App Store.

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  • pugcast

    PUGcast the Blog Updates Their News Feed

    July 6, 2009 /

    Clemens Schuchert, the host of “PUGcast Sync Your Ears” and editor of the blog by the same name, has written me to let the Smartphone Fanatics out there that he has upgraded the PUGcast news feed service. The new feed, called News Roll, aggregates news for our favorite smartphones, including the iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm, and Symbian.

    You can check out the News Roll over at the PUGcast website.

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  • apple,  iphone,  splashdata

    SplashData File Magic 2.0 Review

    July 6, 2009 /

    Have you ever felt constrained by the types of data you can sync to your iPhone or iPod touch? Apple’s iPhone 3.0 software can read Microsoft Office files and Adobe Acrobat documents that have been sent as email attachments, but there is no easy way to get commonly used documents on to your device. Wouldn’t it be cool if all it took to sync documents with your iPhone was to simply drag and drop the files into a window? If that seems like something you want, then you need SplashData’s File Magic!

    File Magic is a two-piece solution. File Magic, the desktop application, is a drag-and-drop file transfer tool. The desktop application looks for the File Magic application on your iPhone and then establishes a Wi-Fi link between the two. With File Magic it easy to quickly load documents on your iPhone so you don’t have to waste anymore time emailing documents to yourself. In addition to Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat files that I have already mentioned, File Magic also supports: plain text files (.txt), web pages (.htm, .html), non-DRM music files (.mp3, .aac, .wav), images (.jpg, .gif, .png, .tif) and MPEG-4 videos (.m4v).

    File Magic is easy to learn. After playing with the software for a few minutes I felt that I had a handle on all of the features. To help you get up and running quickly, SplashData has included a Quick Start Guide that is accessible right from the mobile application. If you want to see what File Magic is capable of before you purchase the software, or if you are the inquisitive type and want some additional information, SplashData also has a user’s guide available on their website. For most people, the on device guide will be all they will need to read.

    There are two ways to get documents into your iPhone. The first is to synchronize File Magic running on your iPhone with your computer. The computer and the iPhone or iPod touch must both be on the same Wi-Fi network for this to work. You can also send or receive files directly into or out of your device when the person you want to share your document with is on the same Wi-Fi network and has a copy of File Magic installed. Since SplashData has their own application for managing the files you load on your device, you can send a document from the SplashData data store to anyone else by attaching the document to an email message and sending it to any valid email address.

    File Magic makes the document transfer process so easy, that you have to wonder why Apple didn’t include this feature in their software from the get go.

    There are two things that I did find annoying about the installation and use of File Magic. The ah-hoc networking between the iPhone and desktop application uses a networking service called Bonjour. If you are using a Mac, Bonjour is all ready installed on your computer. PC users, on the other hand, will have to install it. The thing that I didn’t like was that the File Magic installer couldn’t figure out if Bonjour was already installed on my Windows Vista PC. (SplashData does tell you how to manually check to see if Bonjour is already installed.) The other thing that I found annoying was in the photo browser; you can’t use the iPhone OS gestures to flick to the next or previous photos. To move forward and backward in the deck of photos that have been loaded into File Magic you must use the left and right arrow navigation buttons at the top right of the screen. Both of these issues can be addressed as software updates and shouldn’t cause any serious problems in the long run.

    All-in-all, I thought that File Magic is the must have application for those people who like to take their important documents with them. The software is easy to use and the document transfer between the desktop computer and an iPhone or iPod touch worked without any issues during my testing.

    File Magic will work with any iPhone or iPod touch that has iPhone OS 2.1 or later installed. The desktop application works with Mac OS X 10.4.11 and later, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. You can purchase File Magic for iPhone and iPod touch for $4.99 from the Apple iTunes App Store. For more information, or to download the free desktop application, please visit the SplashData website.

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  • iphone,  mobile apps 360

    Mobile Apps 360: FlightControl

    July 5, 2009 /

    Mobile Apps 360 takes a look at great mobile software for your iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile smartphones that will help keep your favorite mobile gear fresh with new software.

    FlightControl is an original, super addictive game from FireMint, that puts you in the critical role of an air traffic controller. It is up to you to safely land airplanes, jets, jumbo jets, and helicopters. You can learn how to play this action/strategy game in minutes and will have you coming back for more.

    You control the aircraft on the screen by tapping them, and then dragging it to the run way. Sure, it sounds easy, until you start playing. The game starts off slow, but before long, you will find yourself trying to manage a sky full of plans and helicopters. You will need to keep an eye on both planes that are coming in for a landing and new aircraft arriving into your air space, one mid-air collision will end your game!

    FlightControl features three different locations for you to play: a land locked air field, an airport in Hawaii with island and water runways, and a military aircraft carrier.

    Game play is super addictive. I lost an hour immediately following the installation of this game on my iPod touch. The graphics, background music, and sound effects are well done. If your iPhone 3G, 3GS or second generation iPod touch has iPhone OS 3.0 or later installed, you can go head-to-head with your friend and you can also post your high scores to the FilghtControl leader board which has a cool Google Maps and Twitter integration so you can see who else is playing near you. Original iPhone and iPod touch owners can still play, however, they won’t be able to use the multi-player feature.

    FlightControl is normally $2.99, but is on sale for a limited time for $0.99. For more details, checkout the FlightControl website, or head over to the iTunes App Store if you’re ready to buy.

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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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  • pre,  sprint,  web os

    Palm Releases Security Update for webOS

    June 29, 2009 /

    Earlier today, Palm released Palm webOS Update 1.0.4 which addresses security issues in the new mobile operating system.

    Palm webOS 1.0.4 does not add any new applications or features to the Pre, but does raise the Sprint configuration to version 1.6. The nature of the security issues that are being addressed with the 1.0.4 update have not been specified.

    You can download the Palm webOS 1.0.4 update over the air to your Pre by using the Updates application. For more information, visit the Pre software update page.

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  • att,  centro,  treo

    What’s Up with Palm on AT&T?

    June 29, 2009 /

    I was just looking at the AT&T website, and I noticed that there are no Centro or Treo 750 smartphones available for sale. I’ll admit that both devices, the Palm OS 5 Centro and the Windows Mobile Treo 750 aren’t new devices by any definition, but you would expect that AT&T would still have some units in stock.

    I have read some Internet rumors that said that the Palm webOS powered Eos smartphone would be arriving on the AT&T network sometime around the end of the year, but nothing specific. I have also not read anythign that would indicate that Palm is halted the sale of the AT&T smartphones.

    Windows Mobile customers can still get the Palm Treo Pro as an unlocked device and use their existing AT&T 3G SIM cards with the device if they wish.

    I’ll have to keep an eye on this one.

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  • Uncategorized

    Palm Reports Q4 and FY 2009 Results

    June 26, 2009 /

    Palm, Inc. today reported that total revenues in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, ended May 29, 2009, were $86.8 million. Gross profit was $20.1 million and gross margin was 23.1 percent. These results include the effects of subscription accounting treatment required by GAAP. In accordance with this methodology,revenues and cost of revenues for the Palm Pre smartphone are deferred and recognized over the product’s estimated economic life.

    On a non-GAAP basis, Adjusted Revenues in the fourth quarter totaled $113.2 million, Adjusted
    Gross Profit was $30.4 million and Adjusted Gross Margin was 26.8 percent.

    “The launch of Palm webOS and Palm Pre was a major milestone in Palm’s transformation; we have now officially reentered the race,” said Jon Rubinstein, Palm’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We have more to accomplish, but the groundwork is laid for a very promising future here at Palm. Our senior management team is capable, motivated and focused on execution; there is a large group of developers waiting to build great applications for Palm webOS; and we have a new product pipeline that we think will set a standard for the industry.”

    The company shipped a total of 351,000 smartphone units during the quarter, representing a 6
    percent increase from the third quarter of fiscal year 2009 and a year-over-year decline of 62
    percent. Smartphone sell-through for the quarter was 460,000 units, down 5 percent vs. the third quarter of fiscal year 2009 and down 52 percent year-over-year.

    In addition to the prepared statements that where posted on Palm’s website, there where a few other items of interest that I took away from listening to the conference call.

    • Palm is continuing to wrap up production of the Pre to meet demand
    • US penetration for smartphones is 19%, 11% globally
    • A user experience that delights the customer was mentioned twice
    • The Mojo SDK program is being expanded; everyone will have access by the end of September
    • Palm plans to continue to roll out fixes and software enhancements to webOS that will be free to Pre customers
    • The Pre did not go on sale during Palm’s Q4 period
    • Canada’s Bell Mobility is the next carrier to begin shipping the Pre

    I’m really surprised that both Palm’s CEO and CFO where talking about building hardware and software products that delight the customer. That has been a long standing requirement at Palm, and it seems that even through the transition of senior company management, new hardware platforms, and a new mobile operating system, at the core, Palm is still the company that wants to be simply, easy to use products to market. I’m glad to see that delighting the customer is still very much a part of the company’s DNA.

    Palm still has a lot of work cut out for them, but after a long and hard road that started two years ago, we finally have a Palm that is really up to the challenge of building some new powerful solutions that we haven’t seen in a long time from the company.

    You can read the full Q4 and FY 2009 results document on the Palm website.

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  • apple,  dataviz,  iphone,  motionapps,  palm,  pre,  splashdata

    iPhone OS 3.0, webOS 1.0.3 and New Apps

    June 20, 2009 /

    I’m a fan of both Apple and Palm. That is why I’m using a MacBook to write this blog and record my 1SRC Pre|Switcher podcasts. My phone of choice is the Palm Pre smart(er)phone.

    This weekend looks like it is going to be a busy one. Just in the last few days, I’ve gotten my hands on new software for both my Apple iPod touch and my Palm Pre.

    On Wednesday, Apple released the iPhone OS 3.0 update for existing iPhone and iPod touch devices. I also received copies of DataViz Documents To Go and SplashData File Magic. I’ll have reviews of iPhone OS 3.0 and both both applications soon.

    Palm Pre customers will also want to download and install the webOS 1.0.3 update to their phones using the Updates application. If you also use MotionApps Classic on your Pre to run all of your old Palm OS applications, you should read the Classic FAQ before performing the upgrade.

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  • motionapps,  palm os,  web os

    Classic 1.1 Released With Some Bumps In the Road

    June 20, 2009 /

    Along side the Palm webOS 1.0.3 update that went out Friday, MotionApps also released the 1.1.05 Classic update for webOS. Classic is a Palm OS 5 emulation package for webOS.

    Classic 1.1 has some nice enhancement baked in, such as:

    • sound support
    • pinch/zoom feature
    • improved keyboard behavior
    • improved process of Palm OS application and data loading
    • enhanced preferences and overall greatly improved stability

    The update, unfortunately, didn’t roll out as smoothly as MotionApps would have liked. A note quickly appeared on the MotionApps blog that read:

    “We have received reports from some users that they are experiencing issues with Classic after installing the webOS 1.0.3 update on their Pre which at the same time updated Classic 1.0 to Classic 1.1.

    If you are experiencing any issues when running Classic after webOS 1.0.3 update, please see an FAQ entry we have posted with a fix.”

    The fix, as reported in the FAQ, includes the deletion of the “ClassicApps” folder on the Pre’s storage volume that appears when you mount the Pre to your computers desktop.

    The article also states that early adopters of Classic should also delete the Classic ROM Updater application as it is no longer required because the feauteres have been migrated into the Classic 1.1 update.

    Classic can be downloaded to your Pre by using the App Catalog program on your Pre. If you chose to use Classic beyond it’s 7 day trial period, you can purchase Classic for $29.99 from the MotionApps website.

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