• centro,  palm os

    Unlocked Palm Centro Now $199

    Palm, in an emailed newsletter, has announced that customers of Palm’s online store and pick up an unlocked Centro for a cool $199. Palm sells the unlocked Centro in three colors: Ruby Red, Glacier White, and my favorite, Cobalt Blue.

    The Centro is a full-featured smartphone that brings the well respected ease of use of the Palm OS to a respectable price point without having to sign a 2-year contract or extension with AT&T or T-Mobile.

    To start shopping for your new Centro, visit the Palm online store.

  • iphone,  palm,  splashdata,  sprint,  t-mobile

    Briefly Noted: iPhone Apps, Smartphone OCD

    This is just a quick note to talk about what is on my mind right now.

    iPhone and iPod touch Software
    I just downloaded three interesting applications form the Apple iTunes App Store: SplashNotes Outliner (link), WootWatch (link), and Cellfire Mobile Coupons (link). I’ll let you know which ones stay on my iPod touch and which ones get the bit bucket after I’ve had some time to play with them.

    More Smartphones
    Many of my readers know I suffer from smartphone OCD. It has been about five months since I purchased my BlackBerry Curve. I’m starting to get that itch to smartphone again. This time I’m looking at the Palm Treo Pro (Sprint edition) or the T-Mobile G1. I like the looks of the Treo Pro body design, 320×320 display, and built in Wi-Fi. But…I haven’t had a chance to play with the G1 yet. And let’s not forget that DataViz Documents To Go is now available for Android phones, whcih includes the G1.

  • iphone,  mobile apps 360

    Mobile Apps 360: iFighterLite

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

    iFighterLite is a free horizontal scrolling aerial combat game developed by EpicForce. You assume the role of a World War II ace fighter pilot on a mission to destroy a secret weapon being developed by the Nazis.

    You can control your fighter in one of two ways: by tilting your iPhone or iPod touch or by dragging your finger across the screen. I’ve tried both input controls, and I liked the tilt method better. Game play is straigh forward. If a tank, artilary cannon, or other airplane is shooting at you, shoot back! As you destroy your enemies, they will drop power ups including silver and gold stars, gold medals, weapons power ups, and extra health points. When things get a little to hot to handle, you can tap the Bomb button to call in some extra support to help clear away the all of the ground forces that are on the screen.

    I was attracted to the game because it reminded me of another horizontal fighter game from the early 1980’s, Capcom’s 1942. You will find that while it is easy to learn to play, the game is challenging enough to keep you coming back for more. I have been playing iFighterLite for the last few days yet, and I still have not been able to clear the first level yet, but I am getting better at piloting my fighter around other aircraft and dodging bullets.

    Despite not being able to clear the first level, I keep coming back to the game because it is fun to play and game’s graphics are very good. The sound effects for the menus and in game are also good and add the fun of the game.

    iFighterLite is fun for both fans of scrolling arcade games and the casual gamer looking for some fun while on the go. iFighterLite 1.0 is a free download from the Apple iTunes App Store. EpicFoce is expecting version 1.1 to be released soon (it has already been submitted for approval).

    If you like iFighterLite, you may want to also try EpicForce’s other games ChocChocPop and ChocChopPop Lite, in which you help Emily match up tastey treats. ChocChocPop sells for $1.99 in the App Store, while ChocChocPop Lite version is a free download.

    For more information, check out the EpicForce website.

  • blackberry,  markspace,  windows mobile

    Mark/Space Introduces Missing Sync Business Edition

    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.

  • pre,  rumors,  web os

    Rumor: Pre Gets a Launch Date

    PhoneNews.com claims that they have the inside track on the real release date for the new Palm Pre smartphone.

    “According to internal memos circulating within Sprint Retail Stores, Sprint has implemented a vacation freeze during the month of May for all front-end employees and has begun the process of employee training with the Palm Pre in preparation for one of two launch windows.

    The first window involves Sprint receiving retail units of the Pre around late April to early May in preparation for a preliminary May 17th launch.

    The second window involves Sprint receiving the same units in the aforementioned timeframe, but depending on the unit level received for stocking and sales, the launch would then be postponed to June 29th if the initial shipments are deemed too low to begin initial sales in May.”

    [Via PhoneNews.com…]

  • 1src,  podcast

    1SRC Podcast 207

    The latest 1SRC Podcast has been posted for your listening enjoyment. Starting with show 207, I will be offering the show in .AAC format for people who listen to the show in Apple iTunes or on their iPhone and iPod. This “enhanced” podcast will include chapter markers and artwork.

    This week, on the 1SRC Podcast, I cover:

    • How would you change 1SRC?
    • 1SRC Podcast enhancements
    • Palm and MotionApps announce Classic for webOS
    • Palm talks “cloud services” for webOS and the Mojo SDK
    • Windows Mobile Minute

    Download 1SRC Podcast 207 enhanced edition
    Subscribe to the enhanced 1SRC Podcast feed
    Read the transcript for 1SRC Podcast 207
    Discuss 1SRC Podcast 207

  • pre,  rumors

    Rumor: Palm Pre Launch Date

    ComputerWorld is reporting that an Everything Treo forum member has posted that Palm and Sprint could be launching the new Pre smartphone as early as April 15 or 16.

    “Reports circulated on a Palm Inc. user forum that the highly anticipated Palm Pre smartphone would be available on Tax Day, April 15, but a spokesman for the Pre’s wireless carrier would only say that the device would ship in the first half of the year.

    A posting by someone identified as “Inittowinit” on the Everything Treo forum claimed that a Sprint Nextel Corp. customer-service representative on Saturday said that the Pre would be available on April 15 or 16 and that it would cost $300 after discounts with a two-year agreement. However, the poster added that the April date seemed too early, given the absence of any Palm advertising for the new smartphone.”

    Read the full CW article

    [Via GadgetsOnTheGo.net]

  • pro,  treo,  windows mobile

    Palm Treo Pro comes to Telus in Canada

    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.

  • pre,  sprint

    Palm’s Pre Smartphone in Sprint’s New TV Ad

    Jimmie over at GadgetsOnTheGo.net posted the new Sprint ad, in which the Palm Pre makes an appearance, posted to his website.

    I kind of like this ad. I don’t know why, it just strikes me as being funny. Not the laughing-so-hard-you-fall-out-of-your-chair funny, but funny none the less. Ok, enough of this money business. Just check out the commercial and let’s hope that we will be able to get our hands on the Pre before the end of May.

  • blackberry,  rim,  sprint

    Sprint/Nextel Releases MR2 for BlackBerry 8350i

    Late on Friday afternoon, Sprint/Nextel released Maintenance Release 2 (MR2) for the Nextel BlackBerry 8350i.

    Shortly after it’s initial release, issues where discovered with the long awaited Nextel phone. Sprint and RIM are finally showing 8350i customers some love with MR2. According to a post on Sprint’s discussion forums, MR2 addresses the following issues:

    • Echo Issue
    • MMS Improvements
    • 1.) Remove original message when replying*
    • 2.) Cursor now defaults to the message body when replying

    * Quiet and Vibrate Profiles will move Nextel Direct Connect calls to handset

    Customers that have already upgraded to the 4.6.1.128 (225) software version will be able to complete this upgrade over the air. The upgrade will take approximately 60 minutes.

    That’s good news. However, a few hours after releasing MR2, Sprint discovered that a service book update after the device software update was still required.

    “The one issue we said would be fixed with MR2 that was not immediately fixed was: Remove Original Message when replying to a text message. This fix requires the download of MR2 and a service book push to your device. Sprint conducted some additional testing on the service book push this week and today sent approval to RIM.

    When this fix is available RIM will push it to all devices and it will just require you to reset your device to see the change.

    We estimate this push to be out by April 10.”

    So it sounds like Sprint/Nextel customers who have the BlackBerry 8350i should hold off applying the update until at least this coming Friday, April 10th. If you are one of the brave readers who have forged ahead with this update, let us know how you made out by leaving a comment.

    BlackBerry Device Software 4.6.1.204 (316) [aka MR2] can be downloaded directly from the Sprint BlackBerry 8350i downloads page. You can also download the latest edition of the BlackBerry Desktop software 4.7 and the older BlackBerry Device Software 4.6.1.128 update [aka MR1] from the same page.