• 1src,  astraware

    Astraware Westward Review

    March 16, 2008 /


    I have posted a review of the latest Astraware and Sandlot Games colaborative project, Westward over at 1SRC.com.

    Astraware Westward is an adoption of the game of the same name from Sandlot Games. Westward is a family oriented strategy game for mobile devices. The object of Westward to is shepherd a small band of settlers with a few covered wagons into a bustling town full of colorful citizens while bringing the swindling “Mad Russian” to justice.

    Go West Young Man

    Learning to play Westward is easy. The first time you start up the game, Tutorial Teacher helps you along as you find your way through the first few game levels. There is also a built-in help system that describes the various game control elements if you are in need of a review when the Tutorial Teacher isn’t around. Learning the rules and game control elements only takes a few minutes. In the mobile edition of Westward, Astraware gives your preference to control the action with either the device’s directional pad (d-pad) or the stylus. While playing Westward, I found that the d-pad was acceptable for most tasks, but when I wanted to select a group of things, like the Sheriff Jenkins and his deputies, the stylus was easier to use.

    Continue reading…

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  • astraware

    Astraware Casino Updated

    March 12, 2008 /

    Astraware has added Texas Hold ‘Em no Limit Poker to their popular casino game for Palm OS and Windows Mobile. This is the second time that Astraware has answered the call from their customers to add new casino games to the mix.

    Update to Astraware Casino adds Texas Hold ‘Em No Limit Poker

    KEELE, Staffordshire, UK – March 12th 2008 – Astraware(R) is excited to announce a new update to Astraware Casino.

    In response to customer requests, Astraware Casino version 1.20, now includes Texas Hold ‘Em No Limit Poker, which allows players to bet the pot or even go all-in when they have that winning hand! Unlike a real casino, if you do bet the lot and lose, Astraware Casino will allow you to visit the Bank and carry on playing. There’s even a fun ‘Souvenir’ trophy for a big loss!

    Alongside Texas Hold ‘Em No Limit Poker, Astraware Casino also includes Slots, Blackjack, Video Derby, Craps, Roulette, Texas Hold ‘Em Limit Poker, Baccarat, Video Poker, Video Keno, and Three Card Poker. The game gives players $1000 in their virtual wallet to begin playing with, and includes a fun trophy system with the ‘Souvenir Suitcase’, which marks achievements in each of the games.

    Astraware Casino 1.20 is a completely FREE upgrade to registered users. The game is available for Palm OS(R) smartphones and PDAs running OS5 and above, and for Windows Mobile(R) Classic, Professional and Standard devices running Windows Mobile(R) 2003 and later.

    For more details on Astraware Casino…

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  • seidio,  treo

    Seidio 755p OEM Sized Extended Life Battery

    March 11, 2008 /

    I have really come to rely on my Treo to make it through the day. I use my Treo 755p from the time I get up in the morning until the time I go to bed at night. I use my Treo for everything. From email to scheduling my day, from contacts to web browsing, for news and information, and even an occasional game from Astraware.

    The only draw back about my Treo 755p that I don’t like (having come from a Treo 700p) is that I just can’t get a full day’s use out of the 755p. To help feed my mobile computing appetite, I’ve just purchased the OEM-sized extended life battery from Seidio. The Seidio battery provides 2200mAh of battery power to the Treo, which is an additional 600mAh over the stock 1600mAh battery.

    The thing that I like about this particular battery over others is that it is an extended life battery with the same footprint as the stock Palm battery. I really dislike extended life batteries that are double the stock battery size and require you to use a new back plate and that add heft to the device. It is also a nice touch that Seidio also includes a replacement battery cover for the off chance that the replacement battery turns out to be a really tight fit for the stock Treo back plate.

    The 22oomAh OEM sized extended life battery for use with the Palm Treo 755p sells for $60 at the Seidio Online store.

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  • 1src,  editorial

    Adios, Motricity

    March 7, 2008 /


    I’ve posted this week’s 1SRC editorial; “Adios, Motricity.”

    “After making a mess of one of the best mobile software portals, Motricity retreats to the west coast and dumps consumers for content and service providers.

    Motrcity has decided to leave their direct to consumer businesses behind as they move to the west coast and engage in business with content providers, mobile operators, and businesses willing to contract with the company to deliver mobile “portals, storefronts, managed web and search,…[and] messaging gateway services”. (Read the press release)

    In addition to ruining 2008 for the 250 employees who are getting laid off, Motricity decided that it would be a great idea to ruin the best online Palm software store, PalmGear.com, by rolling it up into the “revamped” PocketGear.com as a going away present. To add insult to injury, Motricity is looking to sell the PocketGear.com unit. I’m left wondering if it was even worth rolling the two sites together at all.

    Looking back in hindsight, it makes perfect sense for Motricity to have consolidated their direct to consumer software online stores, PalmGear and PocketGear. Knowing that they were going to sell off the “non-profitable and non-core businesses”, rolling Palm and PocketGear into a single online store would make it more attractive to any company interested in buying the property. Unfortunately for whoever the new owner is, they will see that their work has been cut out for them. The repackaging of PocketGear.com has hurt the online retailer.

    The roll up effort to migrate PalmGear.com into PockerGear wasn’t executed well. Much of the freeware and shareware applications had disappeared for some weeks. During that transition period, I was really turned off by entire user experience. In addition to not being able to find the software that I was looking for, as a Mac OS X user, I found the new site deign difficult to use. To this day, the drop down menus for device or mobile operating system selection still don’t work with FireFox 2.x. (During the transition, to Morticity’s credit, I never lost access to the software and registration codes I purchased from the PalmGear site.) Several months after the change over, the Palm OS software library is being represented on the site. Alexander Pruss’ FontSmoother is featured on the main page of the site. Great shareware applications like Tyler Faux’s LudusP are also once again available. And the popular freeware Palm OS file manager, FileZ, from NoSleep Software is available along with some 200+ freeware titles. However, are these efforts by Motricity to try and clean up PocketGear a bit too late?”

    Keep reading on 1SRC.com…

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  • eee pc

    Brighthand: Asus Eee PC 900

    March 5, 2008 /


    Earlier this week, Brighthand’s Ed Hardy published a story on Asus’ announcement of the new Eee PC 900.

    There are a few things that I find appealing about this device. First is the 9-inch (OK, the 8.9-inch ) display. And like the ill-fated Palm Foleo, the Eee PC 900 will run that display at a 1024×600 screen resolution. The current model Eee PCs have a 7-inch display and run at a lower screen resolution.

    Another nice improvement is in the memory category. According to the Brighthand article, the Eee PC 900 will be configurable with up to 1GB of memory and up to 12GB of storage space. The article makes no mention of what type of storage the 12GB will be, however my guess is it will be flash memory, rather than a micro hard drive which have larger storage capacities.

    The bad news, according to the article, is that there was no mention as to when customers in the United States might be able to get their hands on the larger unit or how much it will cost for the privilege of owning one.

    As I mentioned recently on FoleoFanatics and 1SRC, without a new Foleo on horizon, I may have to break down and get a solution from another vendor. The Eee PC is attractive because of the low cost of the existing solutions. However, the HP Compaq 2133 has the name recognition behind it that could take the unit mainstream. From a design standpoint, I like the look of the Compaq better than the Eee PC, but I’m willing to admit that photos on the Internet are no substitute for actually playing with the device to see how it feels.

    I’ll have to keep an eye on the future developments in the sub-notebook segment an vote with my dollars later this year as to which device will get to play second fiddle to my Treo.

    [Via Brighthand.com…]

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  • astraware

    Astraware and Sandlot Games Introduce Westward

    February 23, 2008 /


    This looks like a cool game. I am going to have to get a copy.

    Astraware(R) and Sandlot Games(R), the world’s premier developer and publisher of casual and family-friendly games, invite you to experience the life of a Frontier settler in the wild, rough and tumble world of Westward(R) for Palm OS(R) and Windows Mobile(R) smartphones and PDAs.

    Based on the highly acclaimed PC game by Sandlot Games, Westward offers many hours of absorbing game play as you guide your townsfolk in making camp, collecting valuable resources, seeing-off dangerous bandits, and building their communities.

    As you progress through Westward, you’ll explore 4 different locations over more than 20 levels as your hopeful citizens set up towns and seek their fortune in the Old Wild West. With over 25 types of building you’ll customize your town and attract new citizens whilst completing a range of side tasks and chasing down the Mad Russian to bring him to justice.

    Westward has been optimized for smartphones and PDAs and can be controlled using 5-way, key controls or stylus. The game is available for Palm OS(R) devices with hi-res screens and for Windows Mobile(R) touchscreen and non-touchscreen phones and PDAs running WM2003, 2003SE, 5 & 6, priced $19.95.

    To download a trial or to purchase, visit http://www.astraware.com/westward.

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  • apple,  eee pc,  hp

    More Thoughts on the Mobile Companion

    February 23, 2008 /

    I just posted the latest 1SRC Editorial in which I continue the discussion of my quest for a replacement for the Palm Foleo. While we wait for the Foleo II to be developed, I’ve been thinking about the growing number of alternative devices that are on the market or near to release.

    Here is the punch line for those who like to skip to the back of the book first.

    “I think it is clear that if Palm had shipped the Foleo back in September I would have happily plugging away with it. I hope that Palm will go back and redesign the Foleo once Palm OS II/Nova ships early in 2009. That said, I still believe in the idea that the Foleo represents even if I can’t buy one.

    Other vendors have capitalized on the splash that Palm made in May during the All Things D announcement. I’ve read and hear good things about the Asus Eee PC. The Everex CloudBook looks like it will be a full-featured machine. The Apple MacBook Air is full featured and has the sex appeal to sell the device on looks alone, but it is far too pricey for the average user to consider getting one as a second machine. Mac gear heads and professionals will no doubt be buying them. And that leaves the rumored HP Compaq 2133. If the photos that Engadget posted are in fact authentic, the 2133 will be a good-looking machine. We are a little light on the product specs at this point, but if the hardware is going to run Vista, it has to be more powerful than the other Linux/Windows options. (You aren’t running the Arrow interface on hardware done on the cheap.) Would the Compaq 2133 be a value at the Foleo’s retail price of $600? I’d like to see a new Foleo and the Compaq 2133 both shipping in the $400 price range. Now let’s see if Palm and HP can deliver.”

    So there it is. If I end up getting one of these Foleo alternatives (No, I’m not letting go of the Foleo, damn it!), it will likely be the HP Compaq 2133. Depending on the final pricing, I might be able to get a few for the office and legitimize my use of something other than my company issued Dell Latitude D630.

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  • att,  centro

    Palm Introduces the AT&T Centro

    February 19, 2008 /


    Palm has officially taken the wraps off of the rumored white AT&T Palm Centro consumer-oriented smartphone.

    With the exception of the new GSM cellular radio and AT&T specific software, such as Push To Talk, the new GSM AT&T Centro is expected to be very similar in product specifications as the previously release Centro smartphones from rival wireless carrier Sprint and the recently announced unlocked GSM Centro that will begin selling across Europe shortly.

    “Centro offers customers more choices to stay in touch with friends, family and co-workers by using voice, text messaging, instant messaging, e-mail or the Web. Featuring a color touch-screen and full QWERTY keyboard, Centro is the first Palm OS® product to launch with AT&T services, such as XM Radio Mobile, Push to Talk and MusicID.”

    “The demand for crossover devices is skyrocketing, and the Centro hits a sweet spot for many customers looking for a QWERTY device with a solid suite of messaging and multimedia features,” said Michael Woodward, vice president, Business Mobility Products for AT&T’s wireless unit. “At a great price that can be coupled with a variety of AT&T’s messaging and data options, we are thrilled to offer Centro to our 70.1 million customers.”

    “Centro offers a simple way for customers to stay connected to the people who are important to them while better managing their increasingly hectic lifestyles, all at the price of a traditional mobile phone,” said Brodie Keast, senior vice president of Marketing for Palm, Inc.”

    The AT&T Centro will sell for $99 with a new two-year service agreement. It is expected to sell for $399 without a service agreement. According to today’s press release, there will be an obsidian black edition of the AT&T Centro which is expected to begin shipping in about four weeks. The glacial white Centro goes on sale today at AT&T retail outlets and online at www.att.com and the Palm online store. AT&T’s unlimited data plan has been priced at $30 a month in addition to their standard voice and messaging plans.

    Read the full Palm press release…

    Update:

    The Palm Centro website has been updated to include the AT&T Centro product specifications along side the Sprint Centro specifications.

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  • eee pc,  foleo

    Should I get the Asus Eee PC?

    February 17, 2008 /

    In the discussion thread for a recent 1SRC Editorial, My Mobile Companion, a few readers asked why I still pine for a Palm Foleo and not just get an Asus Eee PC?

    The long and short of it is that I’m just not convinced about the software. Yes, I know that I can run Windows XP or Vista on it, but I’ll have to purchase a new license, and that will drive up the costs.

    I like the idea of this form factor. But I’m just not sure about the software. My main use for a Treo and a keyboard, or the Foleo, was the ability to use DataViz Documents To Go for notes and document creation and editing. If I had Windows and Office (another license I’ll need to buy, further driving up the cost of a Eee PC) I could do all of the same tasks as a Treo and keyboard or the Foleo.

    I guess it all really comes down to personal choice.

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