PalmAddicts

Spb Mobile Shell 2.0 - The Must Have User Interface for Windows Mobile

[From Spb Software House] St. Petersburg, Russia - March 04th, 2008 - Spb Software House, the world's leading Windows Mobile software vendor, upgrades its outstanding Spb Mobile Shell software to version 2.0. Spb Mobile Shell is an application that completely overhauls the innate Windows Mobile user interface, making it more direct, logical, and slick.

The software first hit the market in 2007 and quickly gained recognition among end-users and mobile device manufacturers. By the end of 2007, Spb Mobile Shell became the best-selling Pocket PC application in the world, was named the best interface/menu improver by Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine, the Best Evolution Application by Handango, and the Best Program for PDA's by the Shareware Industry Awards. Spb Mobile Shell turns the Windows Mobile device into a better phone: gives access to crucial information at a glance, enables one-hand navigation, minimizes the number of taps to launching programs, changing settings, making calls. The new Spb Mobile Shell offers a great choice of haptic animation, it is more futuristic and practical in design, yet it is lower in memory consumption.

"The application is deeply integrated and fits well with the operating system," - comments Yaroslav Goncharov, the Product Manager of Spb Mobile Shell. "The software has become the accepted Windows Mobile interface for many: people buy devices with Spb Mobile Shell preinstalled and use it, believing the software to be an inherent part of the Microsoft platform."

*** Top Spb Mobile Shell 2.0 Features ***
* NEW All functionality in one tabbed window
* NEW Full screen dialogs for Weather and Time
* NEW Animated transitions
* NEW Navigation with gestures
* NEW Quick panel selection with taskbar gestures
* Now Screen: the most important information in one screen
* Spb Menu: phone style menu
* Weather forecasts
* Photo speed dial
* World time
* Launcher
* Color based themes
* Spb Contacts: smart contact search

*** Pricing and Availability *** Spb Mobile Shell is compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0 for Pocket PC or higher. A free, 15-day trial can be downloaded, or Mobile Shell can be purchased for 29.95 USD from www.spbsoftwarehouse.com. Users of any 1.x versions of Spb Mobile Shell are welcome to upgrade to Spb Mobile Shell 2.0 for just 14.95 USD. According to Spb Software House upgrades policy, all Spb Mobile Shell users who have purchased the product within the last 90 days, are invited to exchange the previous version of software for the newly released one, for free.

ASUS launched two new distinguish mobile phones

Just read this news from Engadget about the new mobile phone from ASUS that designated for business users: M536, it's the bigger brother from old M530w which supposed to arrived first. They both are easily distinguished by the QWERTY keyboard, the buttons seem large enough so they'll probably easier to use with. Here are the quick rundown as Engadget mentioned: HSDPA, 320x320 display, WiFi, GPS, 256MB flash & WinMob 6.1

What's more interesting for me is ASUS customize the WinMob 6.1 with their own unique UI in "Lamborghini" (aka. ZX1), that looks like HTC Touch Flo UI. Check this out on the video at Engadget here.

(blogged with my Treo 750v)

Treonauts lists what it classes as the 10 best Treo and Centro games

Treonauts lists what it classes as the 10 best Treo and Centro games, "While there is no doubt that the primary function of my smartphone is for communication and productivity the fact is nonetheless that the Treo and Centro are also terrific game platforms for those idle moments when you just want to take a short break and enjoy a bit of fun while on the go." Treonauts for the full read.

CityZen

I guess that for some CityZen could well be useful, it's also free. "CITYZEN is a combination of a world map and a database of country, city, lake and ocean names. You can zoom in and out, move around the map and measure distances using the pen. " CityZen is free and available from freewarepalm.

Clarivue are doing Silicone Skin's for the Palm Centro

[From Leslie] Clarivue are doing Silicone Skin's for the Palm Centro. Features include, a frosted white colour, shield and protect your device from dents and scratches, material is soft and durable and custom designed to fit your device. The skin's retail for $9.99. More deets on the Clarivue website.

VPN Client With Firewall for Pocket PC Palm Treo 750v

[From Hans] The Palm Treo 750v, running under the Windows Mobile 5/6 operating system, can be integrated and centrally administered via a virtual private network (VPN) using existing infrastructure with the Secure CE Client from NCP Engineering GmbH, a provider of communications software. With a VPN, a secure connection is achieved over public lines, e.g. for accessibility by field service personnel to company headquarters via the internet.

"In combination with the VPN client from NCP, the Palm Treo 750v is open for any desired applications. In this way, Palm Treo 750v users can not only open emails and process them, but also access the server, or databases on the local network. And all that with the highest level of security," explained Wolfgang Weiss, marketing manager at Palm Germany GmbH.

The NCP Secure CE Entry Client and the NCP Secure Enterprise CE Client enable the construction of a VPN tunnel between the Palm Treo 750v and the VPN gateway in the company. The secure CE client connects mobile devices with VPN gateways from many manufacturers, using universal IPSec-based VPN software. The NCP Client supports powerful encryption and authentication mechanisms; additionally, they are provided with a personal firewall. The personal firewall works dynamically and enables the specification of defined filter rules, depending on the respective network environment, as well as secure release of network access to public WLANs (hotspots) via the browser. Additionally, the Secure Enterprise CE Client inclines toward central management functions for the administration of mobile terminals. It aligns the configuration of the pocket PC with the security directives on the policy server in the company network.

In the case of email push services, a special connection mode ensures automatic re-establishment of the VPN tunnel to the central VPN gateway. In order to make handling of the VPN Client as simple as possible for the user, both clients employ design assistants for PC configuration and an intuitive graphical user interface at the mobile terminal.

You want to see the NCP solutions live? Go to the RSA Conference in San Francisco, Booth 1332, 7 - 11 April, to the Information Security Europe in London, Booth H201, 22 - 24 April or to CeBIT Australia, Sydney, 20 - 22 May.

Availability and sources
A 30-day trial version of the Client offering unrestricted use is available on the internet at: http://www.ncp.de/index.php?id=187&L=1. The software is available via the NCP e-store and from NCP sales partners.

Inner Sales for Palm OS devices has been updated

[From Eric Mann] Eric informs me that Inner Sales for Palm OS devices has been updated. "Designed for the modern Salesmen, Inner Sales helps you increase marketshare and invoicing by using the most complete mobile sales tools avaiable. Inner Sales is the only Sales Force Automation software which you can use both in your Palm Handheld and in your PC desktop. Monitoring the entire sales process from customer management, up to orders analysis, Inner Sales is considered the best choice for you. Enhance your skills, increase quality and positivation. Customer information, orders history, last order, products and services information. Compact system, easy to use and install. PalmOS 3.5+ with 160x160 Compatible. PalmOS 5.0 with 320x320 High Resolution Support. The only one with both PC and Palm Handheld software.

Avaiable in three different versions:
Lite, with basic operation features and reports.
Gold, with Inner Sales Lite basic functions and Product Category, Stock, Price Tables, Debts, Customer and Product Notes, Route and Printing Capability.
Diamond, with Inner Sales Gold functions plus Table Listings, Orders Management, Product Categories Management, Customer Management, Product Management, Customer Business Intelligence and Product Business Intelligence.

PhoneSwitch Deluxe

[From Eric Mann] PhoneSwitch Deluxe is another application that has just been updated which Eric gives us the heads up about. "PhoneSwitch Deluxe is a simple utility that redirects your PalmOS based smartphone when it is hung up. Redirect to either a preset application or have it switch to the last program you were using. Quit landing in the phone program when you dialed from a different launcher. Stop reloading the web site you were reading just because a call came in. Let PhoneSwitch handle everything. PhoneSwitch Deluxe also offers advanced options such as: an exclude list that allows you to exclude a program from being switched to after a call, an option to only launch the specified app if the call is incoming, and the option of resetting the set app to a preset one after a set amount of time." Download and more information from borawave.com.

BellTime

[From Eric Mann] Eric let me know about Bell Time and it works well on a Centro. " Customizable layout with 20 slots to fill with An analog clock with flash alarm (4 slots), A digital clock (2 slots), A number of daily alarms, Weekly alarms, Single alarms, Timers, Stopwatches, Per city time zone bars, An info bar showing the next event, A bar for setting system time and date, An analog egg timer (4 slots), Every alarm can trigger a circle pop up with variable snooze, the standard OS pop up, play sound only, or launch one of the applications on the device. Supports MP3 players: Aeroplayer, PocketTunes, CorePlayer™, TCPMP. Midi sound with repeat and crescendo. For everything on the screen set your own colors. Offline drift correction for the system clock. With an hardware button, toggle between BellTime and any other application. Take a glance at the clock, with auto-off after 3 seconds. Supports devices with PalmOS™ 5.0 or higher and display resolutions 160x160, 320x320 and 320x480."
BellTime is available form steilberg.eu

My Centro and Mothers Day

Well it was Mother's Day here in the UK yesterday and what better way to get in touch with dear old mum then using the Centro. I managed to get a hold of her on her mobile, after trying numerous times, having failed because, as always she had it on silent. Luckily when i have a missed call from someone my Palm Centro leaves an alert so that i can call them back straight away. If only my mum had got the idea to look at her missed calls, then she may have seen the 15 i left her!!

The Centro has not left my side all weekend, even coming out with me on Saturday night into town. I'm really getting attached to the message display, and it always comes in handy to see what you have sent to the person before you continue with a conversation a few hours later.

Having had a tipple on Saturday night, Sunday morning was quite funny as I re-read the texts that i had sent the night before.

Even though the Centro has been perfect for me in my professional working world it has also come up tops for my personal lifestyle as well. the device looks smart and not like most mobile devices used for professional life, which can sometimes look very serious and complicated to use. This phone has a sense of fun about it, and whilst looking a little bit serious in black, the shimmer in the paint can catch the light to let others know that this phone has a fun side to it.

Being the first weekend that i have spent with the Centro i will let you know how the week begins and whether Centro really has covered all the areas it needs to.

Prima introduces the PERFECT form fit case solution for Palm Centro!

[From Leejay] Prima have introduced the PERFECT form fit case solution for Palm Centro! "Prima introduces the PERFECT form fit case solution for Palm Centro! Crafted on Premium Aniliine Leather, this open face design allows easy access to all control surfaces, while protecting your device from daily use. It's low profile enhances the shape and contours of the Centro, and with this great design, the spring loaded, swivel belt clip (and post) can be removed to leave a completely flat back." Available in black and retails for $22.95 and available from the Prima website.

RMRBank

The last couple of days we have been talking about financial programs for Palm OS and one of the programs that I personally use is a program that I have carried on whatever mobile device that I have used from my Psion days and that's RMRBank. To me RMRBank just does the job and thats all that I ask for, it's robust and reliable, simply just does the job. "RMRBank is a comprehensive finance package for the Palm OS series of platforms. As well as the usual functions of Transaction storing and statement reconciling, Archiving, Standing Orders/Direct Debits and Categories, it also has full multi-currency support, optional password protection, auto-counters and default transactions." RMRBank for the full deets.

Winners and this week's giveaway ends tonight so you need to hurry

Devro won the 4GB SD Memory Card from last week so congrats. Remember that our PA Giveaway for this week ends tonight at midnight US PT. So if you wish to be entered then now is the time. As always guidelines are in the top sticky post.

PowerHero 1.18 is currently in beta

[From Eric Mann] PowerHero 1.18 is currently in beta at the moment and is a great program on my Centro. "Need more power? Save the day with Power Hero! With automatic power-saving features, customised scheduling, auto-bluetooth and the power-use console Power Hero gets the best from your battery!" Available at the bottom of the page.

Mini Inventory

[From Eric Mann] Not sure what is new with Mini Inventory but it has reached version 6.0. " A powerful easy and portable way to enter inventory and insurance data. Great for keeping personal property insurance records as well as inventory in a business. Records name, date, time, quantity, value per item and total, model#, serial #, note, warranty period, seller/vendor, insured or note, location, and an optional color diagram and color icon for each item. Long horizontal scrolling list screen to show more fields. You’re no longer limited by the width of the Palm screen. Filter the list by location with an easy to use popup box. Now with the ability to barcode/scan in data, beam records, and quick access to/from the Palm calculator for calculated additions/deductions. Includes a free import/export data utility to transfer your entries to/from your PC and print a report from your computer."

$5 off purchases of $35 or more at Handango

[From Eric Mann] Handango currently have a special offer and thanks to Eric for the heads up on this one, you can save $5 off all purchases of $35 and over at Handango. You must use the promo code SPEND&SAVE to avail your discount and the offer is good until the 31st March. Handango after the jump.

Crash Pro is currently reduced

The excellent Crash Pro is currently reduced at the moment until the 16th March. "Even PalmOS applications sometimes crash. Most annoyingly the on-screen reset button often does not work, requiring you to take your device out of its case and perform a manual soft reset. For some devices you may even find yourself in a frantic search for a paperclip to be able to actually do the reset. Recover ... But here Crash Pro comes to your aid. Instead of the ugly default fatal exception dialog, Crash Pro will display a customizable image and perform an automatic soft reset after a couple of seconds. This automation will result in less stress when your PalmOS PDA crashes. And if your PDA crashed in the middle of the night the automatic reset prevents its batteries to drain, as it will not stay on all night, until you eventually press the Reset button in the morning. Customize ... The image that is displayed can be exchanged. A number of image files are available as a free download and can be used by simply installing them to your device. If you like, you can even set Crash Pro to display a random image from the collection. And finally you can use the Crash Imager application (part of the download) to create your own images. Together with the image you can also change the time until the automatic reset. Default is 10 seconds. Log it ... To help you track down buggy applications or to assist you in beta-testing software, Crash Pro allows you to keep a log of all soft resets and crashes, including the name of the application, the exact error message and the date and time. This log can be amended by personal notes and there is of course the possibility to export any logged entry (or the whole log) to the Memo application so you can send the information to the application's developer(s). " Reduced from $9.99 down to $7.99.

A two day trip without a Treo

Azizi took his iPhone on a two day trip and decided to leave his Treo 680 at home, so how did he get on? "I just returned from a two-day, 800km business trip. I made a concious choice of leaving my Treo 680 behind, and just bringing my iPhone. I have to say that while I am pleasantly surprised on how well the iPhone performed, I did miss my Treo 680 for a few reasons." Read in full.

PalmDiscovery

PalmDiscovery are doing their usual great job at keeping us up to date with the usual ebook offers that are available at Fictionwise and free audible books that are available. Make the jump to PalmDiscovery.

MobilitySite on Is Windows Mobile Broken, or is it Alive and Well?

[From Hans] Hans points me in the direction of this editorial entitled Is Windows Mobile Broken, or is it Alive and Well? "I’m no Microsoft apologist. I’ve used both Apple and Microsoft products, and I just appreciate good quality software. I look at products with a critical eye, but I’m fair. I have had the honor to write software that is used in several companies to this day, and I understand the challenges inherent in producing quality products. So with an open mind, I present 9 reasons why I feel that Windows Mobile is Alive and Well. So don’t buy that iPhone/Symbian/Palm just yet. Before we begin, let’s take a look at the task before Microsoft. They must produce an OS that will work with Smartphones, Pocket PCs and Pocket PC phones. They must provide engines that allow access to the internet, email, bluetooth, instant messaging, 3rd party software, and allow the flexibility to customize these units, all the while providing stability and speed. Whew! Wait a sec, aren’t there vga and qvga devices they must account for as well? In fact, there are a multitude of things for the Microsoft OS developers to consider. Perhaps this task is not so easy, hmmm?" It's a detailed editorial and well worth a read.

Murray from PalmMac fame contemplates either choosing the Treo 680 or the Centro

Murray from PalmMac fame contemplates either choosing the Treo 680 or the Centro. "What a tough choice to make. I'm lucky in that I have both and have been asked by several people whether the upgrade/downgrade/sidegrade is worth making. Let me say this, since I got the Centro about a week ago I have not used my 680 and nor would I anticipate doing so again as the former does everything the latter does and is very sufficient for my mobile needs. Is it better than the 680 or 650? Well, in my view it is certainly a step up from the 650 but it is so similar to the 680 in terms of spec that it becomes a tougher call as to whether you should shell out the readies. Bottom line, I think, is that you would only do so if you are desperate for the smaller form factor and better camera....which a lot of people probably are." PalmMac has the full read.

We let you know a week or so ago about the Windows Mobile Trojan virus that is kicking around

[From Hans] We let you know a week or so ago about the Windows Mobile Trojan virus that is kicking around, " The InfoJack Trojan infects your Windows Mobile device when an unsuspecting user downloads and installs an infected application, or uses an infected memory card" Caution and be careful guys. IntoMobile has the full deets on this.

1src Podcast is available for your listening pleasure

1src Podcast 170 is available for your listening pleasure. "This week on the 1SRC podcast, we cover new software udpates for Palm OS and Windows Mobile; Motricity's plans to reduce their work force; and the latest 1SRC Editorial, Software. Check out the 1SRC podcast now!" 1src for the deets.

Microsoft speculates on ad-supported Sync

[From Eric Mann] Interesting story coming out of Microsoft. "Apparently, Microsoft has plans for Sync that extend beyond the standard voice-activation scheme they've got going right now. The company wants to deliver a wider range of network connectivity for in-car use, and they're debating the possibility of moving away from subscription-based services to an ad-funded scenario. What exactly does that mean? We'll let Martin Thall, general manager of Microsoft's Automotive Business Unit explain: "We know where you are and we know where you're headed," he says, seemingly unaware of the Orwellian implications. "We could target that advertising directly to your car." You getting that? Targeted ads. In your car. " Engadget for the full read.

My Giveaway ends in 24 hours

If you wished to be entered into this weeks giveaway then it ends tomorrow at midnight US PT so you really do need to put your skates on my friends. The giveaway to win either the ASUS eePC PC701 or a Nokia N810. Both are in good working condition and the ASUS even comes with a leather case. All you need to do is send me a user thought on how your using your mobile device or a thought that is mobile technology related. No pleas informing why you should be the winner or what will you do with the prizes if you win. All the details are in this post which is a sticky at the top of the page.

Looking for a Buggy Whip

[From Timothy Doran] This week I managed to lose my stylus to my Palm TX. I used to be able to go into any office supply store and see all sorts of add-ons and replacements parts for Palm PDAs. I could find no store in Chicago that carried any PDA accessories. In fact when I asked one salesman if his store carried any styli, he looked at me as if I had expected his store to be selling buggy whips. He told me everybody uses their cell phones these days. Finally, I found a four function pen with stylus and reluctantly purchased it. It is almost impossible for me to hold on to a pen for more than a few days, so I was certain I would lose this one. Sure enough, 2 days later, I lost it.

Since I am so dependent on having an organizer with me at all times, I decided that I would have to make do with my flip phone's organizer software until I could order a replacement stylus. Since my Nokia phone has Bluetooth, I figured I could sync it with my computer if I could find a Bluetooth dongle for my laptop. I went to Staples and, lo and behold, discovered they still carry Palm accessories. So now I am back to using my "antique" Palm TX.

Out of curiosity, I did an online search for "buggy whip" then for "Palm stylus". It turns out there are still more hits for Palm styli than for buggy whips, but just barely. Number of hits for "Palm stylus", 103,000: for "buggy whip", 92,800.

Treo 650 is still good

[From .Rui de Castro] I have my Treo six fifty for about 2 years and half. In this time here in Europe there was only 4 Palm models: 680, 750, 500 and now the Centro. But my Treo still has three features that none of these have.

First I have a bigger battery of the 4 models, so this means that its lasts more and I am a power user. I have mail, MSN and phone on all day. I hear podcast every moment I can, usually while driving. I web browse frequently also.

Second feature is a Sim card slot on the outside of the phone, this means that I can change carriers without having to switch off my Treo and take out the battery to change Sim cards.

Third feature is having a reset button. In my case, I have a hole on the back cover so I can reset without once more taking out the battery.

All theses feature aren't in the new models. Oh by the way, I forgot I have one more feature, which is a long handle on top so I can take it out of my pocket easily or clean out my ears with it... its the antenna of course, or may be its not that useful.

Should I Stay or Should I Go???

[From Richard in Missouri (Maryville, MO) ] This isn't so much about about a mobile device (i.e. how I use my Treo), as a meditation about the infrastructure that supports the use of my Treo: my cell phone provider.

Yes, I will admit it. I am in some ways a statistical outlier: a Sprint/Nextel customer who has not had a bad experience with customer support or who has not had a major billing issue in the six years since I've been with them (no wait, there was that one time during my first year that they mistakenly charged me an ETF fee when I hadn't canceled service with them). But that instance was fixed promptly, with a good experience with the CSR, and I haven't had a billing problem since.

So now it's six years later. I've been happy with the quality of Sprint/Nextel service, unlike a lot of people out there, and to be honest, I've had a reasonably-priced plan that gives me cheap unlimited data (the classic Vision service, not the EVDO-based Power Vision plan, because currently, the nearest area EVDO service is deployed is the Kansas City metro area. Given Sprint/Nextel's current financial woes, it may be years before EVDO reaches this corner of the state, if at all.) Service quality has never been an issue, either. I've never had bad cases of dropped calls. I've had good service when traveling. And unlike my wife's service, it stayed up through two major ice storms this past winter.

Which brings me to the source of my unease. If you keep track of the cell phone industry, you're probably aware of how bad Sprint is doing as a company. In fact, just yesterday, it was revealed in the KC paper that Sprint took a huge one-off charge against their merger with Nextel, besides their losses due to customer defections, and that their stock was downgraded by financial analysts from two firms to junk status. In the long term, Sprint may recover. Or it may not. Or it could be bought out or taken over. So there's a question to ponder: will the service I have now still be available down the road?

To be honest, through no fault of Sprint, I'm tempted to jump ship before that happens. My wife is a T-Mobile customer. She swears by their reputation, and she would love to see me "join the light side of the Force", as she sees it, if only because we could consolidate our plans onto one plan and one bill, saving us some money. Of course, that would mean switching technologies (i.e. from CDMA with the eventual promise of EVDO to GSM/HSDPA), and I've always believed that in a side-to-side comparision, call quality on Sprint/CDMA has been better than the GSM equivalent.

Could I switch? I've thought about it. I'm currently off contract as well, so I wouldn't have to worry about ETF fees. However, I do have a couple of reservations:

1)T-Mobile currently does not carry any Treos or "officially" supports them in the States, so I'd likely have to resurrect my wife's former Treo, an unlocked GSM 650 which is currently in need of repair, or wait until T-Mobile in the States follows T-Mobile Europe and deploys the GSM Centro. Or it is possible that an unlocked variant of the GSM Centro will become available here in the States. Someday.
2)I've had my cell number for years; I know that number portability is supposed to be painless, but I've heard enough horror stories to know that it's not foolproof; for some of my friends, my existing cell number is the only way they have to reach me, and if I had to switch numbers, I'd likely lose contact with some of them.

So there you have it. I'm currently with a provider that I haven't had problems with, but I may be forced by circumstances to jump ship and deal with a couple of uncertainties. Should I stay and stick it out? Or should I go? I honestly don't have a good answer yet.

My Palm TX is with me everywhere I go

[From Michelle Moore Laurel, MD USA] I purchased my Palm TX in 2006 to replace a Palm M515. The M515 was great, but I didn't even know half of the story. I used the M515 for my tasks, calendard, phone book, and occassionally a note. When I got the Palm TX, I was blown away. I could surf the Internet without my PC. I could use Microsoft Word and Excel. I could listen to music. Well, currently those are some of the things that I do. When I go to bed at night, the TX is in the bed because I read myself to sleep by surfing through my RSS subscriptions using Google Reader. I then check out the headlines on the mobile New York Times, WSJ.com, and WTOPnews.com websites. If I want a giggle I go to the Reuters website to read the Oddly Enough stories. By the time I do all of that, I have fallen asleep. In the morning Big clock wakes me up at 5. The TX goes to the bath with me so that I can put in reminders for the day that I have thought of overnight. When I get to school, I use it during the day to make sure I do my to do's and get to my appointments. I will also take notes using DayNotez, DocsToGo or Memos. When I am feeling super organized, I put everything into Bonzai and try to look at my life through the project view. I almost forgot, on the way to work and on the way home, I plug my TX into the audio in port of my car radio to listed to the podcasts that I have downloaded. When I get back home, I sync up with my pc to backup what I have done for the day. The TX stays in my hand except for when I am involved with water. It is quite an addiction. When I first got the TX I discovered the PalmAddicts website. I have been reading it almost daily every since then. Thank you for a place where I can come to share my addiction and know that other people are PalmAddicts too!

Making their competitors say Eee?

[From James (Riverside, California)] As someone who's in the market for a light laptop with solid workplace capabilities, it's been interesting to see the reaction of the major laptop manufacturers to the success of Asus' Eee ultraportable. With Dell announcing that it's going to start making cheaper laptops for the Asian market, HP announcing its own take on the ultraportable, and a Sony executive's concern that the Eee will force everyone to build cheap, low profit margin laptops, it's clear that the Eee is a game-changer in the consumer electronics market. My take is that the inexpensive, ultraportable laptop is the next growth area. More and more people are going to realize that laptops like the Eee can be a great complement to their workplace computer. Having more competitors in the market (including the big names) can only make things better for all of us techie fiends.

If only getting over the flu was as easy as emailing from my Centro.

[From Justin G. (San Jose, CA)] Hey Sammy! I am a full time college student and I have a very bad case of the flu. After I came home from the doctor's office yesterday, I took out my Centro and wrote some emails using VersaMail to each of my professors telling him/her I am under the weather. It was a lot easier typing out the emails on my Centro than going up stairs and having to wait for my laptop to boot up.

Phone Signal

[From .Rui de Castro] A few months ago my parents bought a new provider for there home phone. They are using Vodafone with their new package that uses a GSM radio but you can't use the phone more than a number of meters from the house (I don't remember the distance). When all was installed the first month didn't go well, the phone in the middle of the house would put the call down. Also people complained that when calling up my parents, they would go to the answering machine and not even ring the phone. All this looked like low coverage from Vodafone at my parents home. They never used Vodafone in the past. They have cellphones from another carrier. So I put the Vodafone sim card in my Treo 650 (which means I don't have to take out a battery) and booted a app I had found a while back called SignalMeter (I can't find it on the net anymore but you can get it here: http://www.mytwt.net/) and called up Vodafone with another phone and while I was talking with the operator I was seeing in different parts of the house the values of the signal and telling the operator. Later Vodafone reforced the signal in my parents zone. Once more, palm helped out.

My Palm turned me into a photoblogger

[From Tom Maszerowski] I never intended to be a photoblogger. It just happened. My Palm V, faithful companion of almost seven years (it survived a motorcycle crash that I barely survived!), ended up with a broken screen. A Graffiti-based Palm is pretty much unusable with a cracked screen so it was time to put the V out to pasture. It's replacement: a Zire 72 with color and a digital camera.

For the first time in my life I had a camera with me all the time.

It changed everything. I had been heavily into photography as a teenager. My mom worked at a photofinishing place and I got free black & white and cheap color processing. I was in the photo club in high school and spent practically every afternoon in the darkroom. I even went to college to learn photographic science (I eventually ended up in computers, but that's a different story). But over time, I took fewer and fewer photos. My Nikons got put away and ignored. I took photos of the kids now and then with a point and shoot (first film, then digital). And at first the Zire camera was unused.

Eventually, though, the idea that 'I have a camera in my pocket, I can photograph this' caught me. I live and work in Rochester, NY, a former industrial town coping with the effects of having its largest employers downsizing or leaving entirely. I saw that there's a lot of history here that's being ignored, that no one knew or cared about. But I did. And I felt it was my calling to bring these unseen places to light. So armed with my Zire and a Flickr account, I started documenting the overlooked places in Rochester before they were gone. I've spent many a lunch break at the downtown library searching old maps and newspaper records to get the background information I need. That way, instead of just posting the pictures, I'm able to tell people something about the building or other structure they're looking at. I post many of my finds to the Rochester Flickr group and now and then I get a comment along the lines of "I've always wondered what that was." When that happens, it makes it all worthwhile.

I've been photoblogging since 2005, thanks to Palm. Sadly, that's been long enough to see some of the places I've photographed disappear. But others have endured and some have even been renovated. Perhaps I had something to do with that.

Technical:

There are two things you need to be a Palm photoblogger, obviously, a Palm with a camera and a place to post your pictures. Keep in mind, these are mobile devices that are not specifically designed to be cameras. The Zire camera, while adequate, was hardly a stellar performer. Almost every shot needed some manipulation in GIMP before posting so I learned a lot about digital photography as a result. My Treo 700p, which took over from the Zire, has a better camera but still needs the occasional bit of help. Of course, I'm looking for as much detail and realism, rather than spontaneity so if you're more 'in the moment' than I am, there's no reason why you can't post photos as-is. Remember too, that the cameras use averaging for exposure control, so you need to be aware of the effect of bright lights in the field of view. The old rule of having the sun to your back definitely applies here.

I obviously like Flickr for posting, but there are obviously many other places that host photos. Since Flickr is itself community-based, you don’t need a separate photoblog unless you really want one. As I mentioned above, I post into the Rochester group. If you're looking to target a particular audience, Flickr groups are a nice way of doing that. Such targeting might not be as easy to do with a separate photoblog. You can also post to Flickr by email, so you're not tied to a computer if you have a Treo or WiFi-connected Palm. Whatever you use, don't let it get in the way. If you spend more time on the posting than on the taking, you should try something else.

Now go out there and show the world what you're thinking!

Stagnation of Windows Mobile Hardware

[From Craig Yoho Summerville, SC] Lately I find myself to have a sort of smartphone schizophrenia. On the one hand, I long for a small, highly-portable smartphone that is a really good phone. On the other hand, I long for all of the additional capabilities of the "Professional" OS and its greater software availability. I switch back and forth between a Cingular 3125 (HTC StrTrk) and an AT&T 8525 (Hermes) because I can't make up my mind. What I really find myself wondering is why do "Professional" devices have to be so stinking big? Many will say its the touch screen, but with recent technological advances, touch screens require very little additional thickness.

Motorola was really onto something with the stillborn MPx. A small form factor with both a standard 12-key and full QWERTY keyboard, depending on which way the screen was hinged. Unfortunatly, Motorola was (and is) mired in the mediocrity that is born of large corporate bureaucracies, and companies like HTC don't seem to want to risk a sales dud by designing a truly new approach to Windows Mobile hardware.

If Microsoft would just finally get around to unifying the OS code base so that I had the full functionality of the OS regardless of whether I choose a touch screen or non-touch screen, I think we'd be onto something. Unfortunately, we seem to be stuck with our two camps for a long, long time to come: The bulky, but capable "Professional" devices and the slim, but limited "Standard" devices. I guess I'll be swapping SIMs every few months right along with my schizophrenic swings for a while to come.

Payment method - why not?

[From Miro @ NJ] How many times have I walked out of my car with my phone/PDA in my pocket but not with my wallet? Or the embarrassment as I walked to the store's register remembering that I left the credit card in the car. I've always wondered how come they haven't integrated some kind of payment method in the PDAs. I don't think it is going to be that much harder. Look at the new system, wich is in about every store now, that you don't have to swipe your card, but just show it to the smart little device. Is it really that much harder?

Waiting for a new Palm phone or the NOKIA 810

[From Ing. Sergio Luppo. Argentina] I have been using my Zire 72 for more than 3 years, and I was really proud of all what I could do with it, but some months ago I start using A NOKIA 6131 and most of the important things I used to do with my Palm (agenda, contacts, notes, email, and Internet) passed to the Nokia. And my old Palm was left away. Off course my documents, math applications and some specific software is not running in my phone. So I start thinking in buying a better Smartphone (mobile windows??) with a bigger display or run for the new HP pda. I definitely decided for a new PDA, and maybe the Nokia tablet is a good choice and a simple phone just for talking. And that is why I look for Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, bigger display, QWERTY keyboard, office etc and that is to much for a phone

Did anyone at Palm play the Atari 2600?

[From David Smith Orlando, FL USA] I remember when I first played the Atari 2600. I went over a friend’s house and he pulled out a Pac-Man cartridge and fired it up. The graphics were awful, the sound was terrible, and it didn't look anything like the arcade version. It was the GREATEST thing I had ever seen! You could play PAC-MAN on your TV! Then came the NES and the Sega Master System. Then everyone realized how much the 2600 sucked. Yes, the 5200 and 7800 came and were better, but they still didn’t compare to the SNES and the Sega Genesis that followed.

Palm reminds me of Atari. The first palm I saw was just the coolest thing. Now, why bother with a Palm. They haven't kept up. It's 2008 and I STILL can't get a Palm with 802.11g wi-fi. At least Atari had its software division to fall back on. Palm doesn't even have that going for it anymore. And how come every new Palm device seems to be less capable than its predecessor? Isn't the Tungsten C still the fastest Palm PDA, even faster than the TX which is supposed to be several generations newer? What sense does that make? I have a limited income and I have to choose my "toys" carefully. Palm products just don't offer enough anymore. I like Palm. I like the Atari 2600. But, I wouldn't buy either.

Palm Stylus with Pen 3-Pack

Palm Stylus with Pen 3-Pack on offer $12.95 (Retail Price: $14.99). "Keep replacement Treo 650, 700w, 700psmartphone pen styli on hand so that you're always ready to jot a note or tap the touchscreen!"

Astraware Solitaire for Palm OS

Astraware Solitaire for Palm OS from Pocketgear. "Astraware Solitaire features 12 of the most well-known and best-loved single player card games, chosen based on direct feedback and suggestions from Astraware customers. The games are Klondike, Pyramid, Spider, Clock, Yukon, Canfield, Four Seasons, Sultan's Harem, Idiot's Delight, Golf, Calculation, and Freecell, and to make the playing experience both familiar and fun, each game has custom gameplay options so everyone can enjoy the games using their favorite variation on the standard rules. Astraware Solitaire also features the option to download extra packs of card backs, and in future, other goodies! To download extras for your version of Astraware Solitaire, visit the Astraware Solitaire Extras page! The game's controls have been specially designed to be simple and comfortable with both stylus or 5-way play, and along with just the right balance of effects really make it easy to play and feel like you would when playing with a real pack of cards."

Top SuDoKu (sudoku game)

Top SuDoKu (sudoku game) from Pocketgear. "SuDoKu is an addictive logical puzzle game that has millions of fans around the world, Now you can join the hype and play real sudoku anywhere you go!"