The Windows Phone Guy

iGate is a very nice software that incorporates in only one screen several functions like time, date, missed calls, text messages and more.

It also allows a quick and efficient way to unlock your device by using a numeric pad on the bottom of the screen.

You can try this software over at PocketGear, or buy for 9,95€

The new version of Opera 9.51b1 for Windows Mobile 5/6 Pocket PC is now avaliable.

Donwload it here.

I have made a short video using SOTI Pocket Controller about the great today plugin that comes with the LG KS20.

Although it doesn’t have the bells and whistles of other comercial plugins avaliable I can tell you its quite pratical and helps the one hand use of the device.

I am also demoing in the video a very very cool application that comes with this device and is called PSNote.

PSNote allows you to take notes of course, but it has a built in character recognizer that I can tell you that works just great.

You can also insert movie clips, images, and audio in your notes, and make colourfull drawings.

To me this is one of the most complete and interesting notes application.

I have been lucky enough to recieve a brand new LG KS20, which I am right now exploring.

A few features I am liking allot are:

• Wifi
• Weight – only 92.5 grams!!
• Fast – 400Mhz processor
• Very nice screen – though not as bright as my Samsung i780
• FM Radio
• Stylish

On the down side:

• Only proprietary audio output and AC plug
• Windows Mobile 6 instead of 6.1

I am leaving you a picture and hope to have more tomorrow along with a video about the interface and extra apps.

Acording to the author of this freeware, LCMinutes is designed to monitor phone usage: how many free minutes, free long distance minutes, free SMS allowance, and free data allowance have been used? what is the current charge? Or for prepaid plan, what's the current balance and its expire date?

So as you see this can be quite usefull to avoid huge bills..

Download PocketPC or Smartphone version.

Yet another Windows Mobile 6 device seems that will recieve the update for Wimo 6.1 this turn is the spectacular I-mate 9502.

This seems however to be a Beta, so if you wish to give it a try head over to the i-mate forums.

Source: pocketnow.com

On this month’s Total Access newsletter you can get access to recieve a free issue of Smartphone Magazine.

I have just requested mine and I sure hope they send me the printed version :)

Get yours here

Subscribe Total Access here

I just read over at WMExperts that Samsung has just released the Windows Mobile 6.1 update for the Samsung i760.

Thats great news especialy for Verizon clients who have one, and will also see some major bug correction:

Here is the link for the update: one for Vista PC’s and other for XP users;

I am still sitting and waiting for the i780 and the Moto Q9 update for Windows Mobile 6.1, so when they come out I will be sure to announce them here.

The Treo 800w is now on sale from Sprint in the United States, and David Ciccone from Mobility Today has made a quite interesting review of the device where he points out its pros and cons.

As a recent Treo 750w user I really liked the experience that the device gave me, but it lacked the GPS and the Wifi. The Treo 800w comes to fill this gap.

To see the whole review check out Mobility Today’s website.

Chris Craft a fellow MVP as put himself to a challenge: developing 30 diferent application for Windows Mobile in 30 days.

He wanted to do this in order to show novice programmers how easy it is to make a small app for Windows Mobile using the .NET Compact Framework.

Because whenever I can I also do some programming, I found this challenge very interesting and I also believe many of you will, so hean on to Chris Craft’s Weblog and learn more about all the 30 app he made with the source code.

Much has been written and said about the iPhone, many criticism has been cast at Microsoft for allegedly not being able to provide such a satisfying, simple and consumer driven user experience as the iPhone.

In my view people are overlooking the main issues: while Windows Mobile started as business product and is now growing stronger in the consumer market, the iPhone was from the beginning projected for the consumer and general audience.

Because of this Windows Mobile has still some user interface issues it needs to address, that came from the early versions of Windows CE. Although the Smartphone version is now (version 6.1) more user friendly a more consumer focused, the mainstream version has received little or no attention in this area.

Back in February at Barcelona I had the opportunity to question Robert Bach at the press-conference in the Plaza Hotel about Microsoft’s strategy regarding both versions of Wimo. I asked, from what I had seen and the new Sliding Panels, if the Standard version would be the consumer flagship and the Professional the business oriented version. The answer was not what I expected but is in fact logical: both versions serve both purposes.

However I still defend that there should be a specific version for each audience. I also defend that some OEM’s are in part damaging the platform image and ultimately Microsoft’s.

I have had hundreds of different devices from all forms and factors, from the widest variety of makers you can imagine. I have seen great working devices where OEM’s make Windows Mobile fit like a glove and unfortunately I have seen the reverse: promising devices that when launched are buggy, unusable, and provide a poor user experience, recent example amongst others the new Toshiba G910.

In most cases what saves their face are some hacking communities (like xda-developers and others) that for free take the device to the next level fixing bugs, improving and designing applications based on the incomplete and poor work of others.

The iPhone has risen the bar for the consumer devices, and consumers are now more and more demanding.

I strongly believe that if Microsoft needs to take the task into their own hands, especially if they wish to reach the more and more demanding and critical consumer audience, since figures show that in the business area they are at the moment the first runner up.

Perhaps a Microsoft branding device would do the trick, or a closer tracking and support to OEM’s, and a more demanding certification of Windows Mobile Devices.

The road that lies ahead has many paths, and each very valid, however strategies must evolve to fulfill costumers expectations.

Either way Microsoft is not dormant and recent company acquisitions and figure changes inside MSFT point out to a bright future for all things mobile.

Portuguese mobile carrier TMN is prepping DVB-SH network for operation in 2009.

Meanwhile successfull tests have been made on a Samsung i900 aka the Omnia.

As you can see from the video, the i900 has great playback and video processing capabilites and it also looks hot!

Francisco Viana from Pocketpt.net has made a great home screen application that provides Q9 owners a big clock.

Some features:

-Big clock ( H:M:S)
-Application launcher
-Direct access to profiles
-Date (D-M-Y)
-Full screen clock.
-Works on the background

This piece of software is free, so please enjoy it and download here.

Meet the Ted Baker Needle wich is no more than a slighlty redesigned HTC Touch.

“Ted Baker Needle is the smallest Windows Mobile PDA phone in its class. Technology wise, its 2.8" screen makes surfing the Web a joy. What's more it can run two email accounts, so it's perfect for business and pleasure. With the HTC TouchFLO^TM 3D interactive interface.“

The Ted Baker Needle is avaliable from Car Phone Warehouse in the UK

You can buy it from free with an operator deal, and the color is lilac.

PS: I do believe Windows Mobile can run up to 8 e-mail accounts, but perhaps stars and fashion designers only have two ;)

Today while trying to find a playable game for my Pocket PC I came arround with the EA Mobile website.

There you can find several Windows Mobile titles and buy them and install on your device.

One of these titles is Sims 2 wich I have installed and tested.

Only works on QVGA screens and in landscape mode, but it sure is Sims :)

Sideshow is getting more and more interesting, and so is Windows Mobile.

Now you can also control your Media Center PC, acording to Arne Hess of The Unwired you can

interact with your Media Center enabled Windows Vista PC by providing following functionalities:

• TV
  • Browse TV and schedule recordings. Browse the TV program guide, view metadata on upcoming or current shows, and pick shows to watch and record (single showing or series), without interrupting the TV viewing experience.
  • Recorded TV. Select a previously recorded program to play back, without interrupting the viewing experience on the TV.
• Music
  • Play Music. Browse the media library, control music playback on the PC by using the remote control device instead of the primary display, such as a TV.
  • Play radio presets. Browse your radio presets and playback that station through your Media Center.
• Pictures & Videos
  • Browse the picture and video libraries. Make a selection on the remote and that picture or video will be displayed on the TV.
• Now Playing
  • Provide "now playing" information. The remote control device shows information about the currently playing medium, such as the track title or the time elapsed.

This is still a Beta, but you can download it and try at Microsft Connect.

Of course you are required to have a Windows Vista machine to use this.

Most countries are now banning calls while driving. The United States saw this imposition arrive in several states in the past days.

In order to avoid this WMExperts suggests that we use a fine piece of free software that automaticaly turns on you device’s speakerphone when you recieve a new call.

If you drive and talk allot, then this is just right for you. Download it for free here.

I saw some great photos of the new Moto Q9 codename Napoleon. I am an assumed Q9 user and lover, so this seems really nice to me.

Take a look at the photo line-up BGR has made and you will for sure start thinking like me: first you will notice the devices box and then check out the fingerprint reader.Oh! dont forget to see the image of the battery door wich seems to be metalic…

Oh, oh, and best of all: Wifi!

Then there is the great looking sliding panels made specificaly for this Q9 and the Stereo speakers on the back!

Seems it should only be avaliable from Verizon at the moment.

I have been using the Opera 9.5 that comes with the X7510, and believe me when I say it rocks.

To ilustrate my words I have made this small video from my Moto Q9 where you can see some great features of Opera like the scrooll, the beatiffull zoom, the tabs and the neet option that saves you access passwords to sites.

All in full VGA glory, enjoy it!

This blog post has two objectives: welcoming J Allard as Chief Experience Officer and Chief Technology Officer, Entertainment and Devices Division, and showing you how to change your device’s icon at WMDC.

Well here’s what you need:

1. Some sort of Icon editor/creator software (I used Stardock Icon Developer);
2. WinCE Cab Manger or Visual Studio to create the CAB file;
3. One Windows Mobile 6;
4. A Windows Vista Powered PC;

The first step will be of course choosing the image you would like to appear as soon as you connect your device to your PC.

As an example I used the carismatic J Allard. Please take in account that the Icon you will be creating will have pre-defined sizes like 255x255 (WMDC Image), and 64x64/32x32/16/16 wich are the icons that will appear in Windows Explorer.

Next you will have to create a new CAB:

1. Name the CAB file “sync.ico”;
2. I used WinCE Cab Manager and added the file with the following path: “%CE%”;
3. As you might have noticed I have included a link to J Allard profile. In order to do this you have to create the followinf keys: “HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\Software\Microsoft\Activesync\OEM Links\Allard”;
4. And the add the Following strings:
   • description (name of the link)
   • Icon (image to appear)
   • priority (order in wich it will appear if there are more links)
   • url (link to the site)

Now just save the file and copy it to a Windows Mobile device. Preferably a device that will be connected for the first time to ou PC, otherwise you will have to uninstall the previous information that was synced previously.

To do so you must have your device connected and go to your Control Panel, System, and select Device Management. Find the Mobile devices tree and expand it. Next right click your device and uninstall it.

Afterwards restart both you PC and your device, and connect them again.

Notice: doing this will delete the current partnership

The final result is in this file that you can download and install in your device.

I hope you liked this tutorial, and let me know what you used for your WMDC Icon, and share some screenshots :)