• centro

    VersaMail Update for Palm Centro

    January 17, 2008 /

    According to the Palm company blog, a new VersaMail client update has been made available for Centro customers.

    The latest update, VersaMail 4.0.7, adds enhancements to VersaMail’s support for IMAP compatibility with Google’s Gmail service. Palm has also rolled in an update for customers who use automatic data synchronization with Microsoft’s Direct Push technology when using the Exchange ActiveSync feature in VersaMail.

    VersaMail can be downloaded directly to a Centro over the air (OTA) by tapping the following URL:

    http://www.palm.com/versamail407

    This update is intended only for the Palm Centro, and will not work on other Palm OS devices, including, the Treo 755p, 700p, or 680.

    You can read the upgrade directions on the Palm website.

    Read More
  • palm desktop

    Palm Desktop by ACCESS 6.2 Goes Live

    January 16, 2008 /


    Palm has released the non-beta version of ACCESS Palm Desktop 6.2 for Windows. This is long awaited news for Windows Vista customers who, for the better part of a year, have had to jump through hoops to get the Palm OS devices to sync with the latest version of Microsoft’s Windows operating system.

    Before you download and install Palm Desktop by ACCESS, there are a few things you should keep in mind, as this is not the Palm Desktop that you are used to.

    1. Palm Desktop 6.2 now works with all Palm OS devices running Palm OS 3.5 and later.

    2. ACCESS has added an option to only install the HotSync Manager. Palm Desktop is no longer required.

    3. The Palm Quick Install tool has been replaced by the Install Tool. Windows Vista customers will now be able to HotSync Palm OS applications (.prc files) and database files (.pdb) to their devices.

    4. Microsoft Outlook 2007 is supported as a Personal Information Manager (PIM) application.

    5. Since this application was developed by ACCESS, some things are not the same. The features that are no longer available are:

    • Palm Quick Install tool has been removed (and replaced by the Install Tool)
    • The VersaMail HotSync conduit is no longer available for USB cable HotSyncing.
    • The Birthday and Anniversary fields on your device will not sync to Palm Desktop. (This didn’t work on previous versions of Palm Desktop either.)
    • Color coding in the Calendar application no longer works.
    • 64-bit editions of Microsoft Windows is not supported.

    Additionally, Palm warns on their website, that you check with software developers to make sure that their HotSync conduits are compatible with the new version of the HotSync Manager. Palm also notes that Palm Desktop 6.2 is not compatible with computers that have 2 or more CPUs in them. This is not the same thing as a single CPU with two processing engines, or “Cores” as they are often referred to.

    So, for example, if you have a PC that has an Intel Core2 Duo processor, Palm Desktop will work just fine. If you have a PC with two Intel Core2 Duo processor, Palm is warning that Palm Desktop 6.2 won’t work.

    For more information, and the download directions, visit the Palm website.

    Read More
  • computer outlook radio

    Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show – Palm Show

    January 16, 2008 /

    I’ll be co-hosting tomorrow’s (1/16/08) Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show with host John Iasiuolo. Unfortunately, the regular Palm special interest co-host Justin Nolan has a scheduling issue and asked me to fill in for him this month.

    I’m just working up my notes for tomorrow’s show and I think you’ll like what John and I will have in store for you.

    The Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show is all about what’s new and what’s next in the world of computers and is presented in plain English and without all the “geek speak”. The show airs live at 5pm PT simultaneously on AM radio and via an audio steam from the website. The show will also be available later in the week as an MP3 downloadable podcast.

    For show details, visit the Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show website.

    Read More
  • palm os,  rumors

    Palm OS II on Target for 2009

    January 15, 2008 /

    Brighthand Editor-in-Chief Ed Hardy has posted an article earlier today which states that Palm OS II is on target for a 2009 launch.

    “Last fall, Palm, Inc.’s new Chairman said his company will release smartphones running a new Linux-based version of the Palm OS in 2009. Last week, a Palm executive told Brighthand that the company is still on track to have the first model out early next year.

    Palm, according to Stephane Maes, VP Smartphone Product Marketing, expects to finish work on this operating system late in 2008, and around that same time will begin distributing the tools developers need to create applications, or check compatibility of their current ones, for this new operating system. Naturally, those who are writing the software that will be bundled with the first model will get access to the SDKs well before the general public.

    Palm plans to have the first devices running this operating system out early in 2009. Maes says that wireless carriers are already expressing strong interest in Palm OS II — though he didn’t call it that. According to rumor, the internal code-name for this platform is “Nova,” but Palm itself hasn’t revealed the official name.”

    Keep reading…

    [Via Brighthand.com]

    Read More
  • treo

    Palm Treo 755p from Verizon Review

    January 14, 2008 /


    For the past month I have been road testing the new Treo 755p from Verizon Wireless for Gadgets On the Go. The following is my review of the newest Palm Treo smartphone to debut on the Verizon Wireless network.

    Body Style

    The single biggest improvement that the Treo 755p has to offer over the model it replaces, the Treo 700p, is it’s redesigned body. The 755p now has an internalized antenna bringing it in line with many of the other competing devices on the market today. For many customers, this will be a welcomed and long awaited change.

    Palm has also worked to improve the way the Treo feels when you are holding it in your hand. To achieve these improvements, Palm used soft touch paint and changed the contours along the sides. Rather than a convex edge, the sides of the Treo 755p are concave. As a result, the Treo 755p is much easier to hold as you are rushing about your busy day. The Treo 755p is also slimmer and lighter than the 700p, though it is hard to notice the change even with the two devices sitting side-by-side.

    Software Enhancements

    The Treo 755p is noticeably more stable than the Treo 700p. During the entire month I was using the 755p, the device did not reset once on me. Google Maps is now bundled on the device and has been integrated with the Contacts application. To use the feature, look up an address in a Contacts records, and tap the Map button. You can now quickly obtain directions to locations that are in your contacts database. (If you plan on using this feature, or others that require a connection to the Internet, you will want to purchase a Verizon Wireless data plan in addition to the voice plan.)

    For the most part, the software on the Treo 755p felt snappy and responsive. I was able to quickly jump between the preinstalled and third-party applications that I installed on the device. While over-all performance has been improved over the Treo 700p, the Blazer web browser still had a little bit of a lag starting up and closing down.

    During my trial period, there where four applications that I either upgraded or installed to enhance my personal productivity. These items are subjective and will vary from user to user. I started off by installing Treoware’s LEDOff utility to over ride the constant blinking of the Verizon Treo’s LED since I prefer the LED to only blink when I need to be alerted to an event. I also installed Tyler Faux’s LudusP utility; which I used to remap the Menu button to the green send button. For me, it is a more natural movement to press the green send button to open a menu when my thumb is on the 5-way navigator than reaching down to the Menu button located in the lower right of the keyboard. Since I use my Treo for writing and note taking, I upgraded the bundled version of DataViz Documents To Go from version 9 Professional to version 10 Premium for Microsoft Office 2007 compatibility. And lastly, since I like to listen to music while I write, I upgraded Normsoft Pocket Tunes from version 3 to version 4.

    Read the full review on GadgetsOnTheGo.net…

    [Via GadgetsOnTheGo.net]

    Read More
  • centro

    The Pink Centro Arrives on Sprint

    January 13, 2008 /

    The pink Palm Centro when public today on the Palm website. As expected, the pink Centro from Sprint has the same product specifications as the previously released black and red Centro smartphones released last year.

    I’m glad to see Palm releasing a pink smartphone. Over the last year, I have seen more women toting around smartphones and this phone should help keep sales of the Palm Centro at a brisk pace.

    You can order the new pink Palm Centro directly from the Palm online store, the Sprint online store, or from a local Palm or Sprint store.

    Read More
  • dataviz,  mac os x

    Passwords Plus Gets Leopard Compatibility

    January 13, 2008 /

    One of the Palm OS software packages that I use every day is Passwords Plus from DataViz. Earlier this month, DataViz released a Mac OS X 10.5 Leopard update for Passwords Plus 1.006 customers.

    The latest update to Passwords Plus is compatible with both Palm Desktop 4.2.1 and Mark/Space The Missing Sync (you’ll need version 6.0.2).

    The Passwords Plus patch download link and full installation directions can be found on the DataViz website.

    I’m happy to see that DataViz is still actively supporting their software on both the Palm OS and Macintosh platforms. It shows that DataViz is still committed to their customers who are part of the Palm and Apple user communities. By making this upgrade available, DataViz has helped make my transition back to the Macintosh (from Windows XP) a little bit easier.

    Read More
  • Uncategorized

    Palm OS JVM…Going, Going, Gone!

    January 9, 2008 /

    It has been a while since I last looked at the Palm blog, and it seems that I did just in time.

    This weekend, 1/11/08, will be the last time Palm OS customers will be able to download the IBM WebSphere Micro Environment Java Virtual Machine, or Java JVM.

    Power users of the Palm OS platform are already starting to boil over as this engine is the only way to run the Opera Mini web browsers on a Palm OS device.

    Palm has not stated the reason for why the download is being pulled from the website, however the company does state that they will continue to support the software via the Palm website. The post does specifically state that Palm will not be able to offer updates or downloads after 1/11/08.

    Make sure you download your installer today, because it won’t be able for much longer! To help Palm OS users out, this link will take you directly to the software download page, by passing the download form. Please note that the latest version of the Palm OS JVM no longer supports the Tungsten T2, Tungsten W, Zire 71, and earlier Palm OS devices.

    IBM Palm OS WebSphere Micro Environment JVM download page…

    Read More
  • rumors,  treo

    Is this Drucker?

    January 7, 2008 /

    Did Microsoft’s Bill Gates “out” Palm’s rumored Treo “Drucker”?

    Over the weekend, Gadgets On the Go covered a leaked product roadmap from Vodafone that showed two slides of upcoming Windows Mobile-based Palm Treo smartphones. The high-end device, code named “Drucker” did not have an image. Did Bill Gates, accidentally give us a sneak-peek at the new device rumored to be due out by mid-year?

    “Drucker”, if the leaked information is to be believed, will include a built-in Wi-Fi radio (a first for Palm), Windows Mobile 6.1, a 320×320 display, Bluetooth 2.0, and a 2.0MP camera.

    Photo Credit: Engadget.com

    Read More