PalmAddicts

My review of the FM Transmitter for the iPod / iPhone from USB Fever

I have recently ordered an FM Transmitter for my ipod nano from the great guys at USB Fever and I received it really quick which I was very happy with. It was well well packaged and the FM Transmitter was alot smaller than I thought which was great meaning it was easy to store when I was not using it or if I was out and about and i didnt want to leave it in my car it could easily put it into my handbag without taking up any room.

After unpackaging the FM Transmitter I went into my car and switched on the radio I changed the radio to manual tuning and searched for a frequency that wasnt already a radio station. Suprised how quickly I found one I then attached the FM Transmitter to my ipod which was very easily clipped on securely. I then programmed the frequency into the transmitter and pressed my ipod and found a song I wanted to listen to pressed play and it automatically played through my radio which I thought was amazing.

I was very impressed at how easy it was to set up and how the sound quality is perfect and there is no intererence on the frequency. The FM Transmitter is great for long journeys as your songs just play through continously saving you taking alot of CD's on your journey you can listen to all your songs through this great little device.

Another great thing about the FM Transmitter is that it is powered from your ipod so no need to change batteries which I think is a great plus for the device. I think anyone who travels alot should have one of these devices in there car highly recommended.

The FM Transmitter for your iPod / iPhone is reduced at the moment US$24.99 down to US$15.99 and available from the great guys at USBFever.

Ladybird Mouse from USBFever

Thomas at USB Fever sent me this week a wonderful mouse for my PC. The mouse is in fact a ladybird mouse which I think is adorable the colour of the mouse is a very vibrant yellow with black spots on it and the part of the mouse where you click left and right have raised circle which are the ladybirds eyes and in the middle of the eyes is the roller part of the mouse, the great thing about the clicking parts being raised is your fingers sit perfectly on them and very comfortably. The mouse fits very comfortable in my hand and feels smooth and glides across my worktop which is great. I have to admit this is the best looking mouse I have ever used and I have had so many compliments off others asking me where they can get one for themselves. It's excellent value and retails for just $10.99 from USBFever.

Mobile Entrée Brings Microsoft SharePoint to the SmartPhone

[From Mobile Entrée] Today, H3 Solutions announced the availability of Mobile Entrée, the first integrated SharePoint framework for mobile applications. Designed to work across all major SmartPhone platforms (currently Windows Mobile, BlackBerry, and iPhone), Mobile Entrée significantly enhances the value of SharePoint and solves the complexities of mobile application development. A software framework which easily embeds as a native SharePoint plug-in, Mobile Entrée employs web-based access and eliminates the need for any device software or custom middleware.

"It was very apparent to us that the widespread deployment of SharePoint and the enormous growth in people using SmartPhones represented a significant industry convergence", said Mike Herres, President and CEO of H3 Solutions. "When we researched the market, we were unable to find any technology that enabled the development community to efficiently build applications for mobile SharePoint users", continued Herres. "With our experience developing SharePoint solutions and our expertise in information architecture, we saw an opportunity to fill this void. From the outset, it was our goal to make this software platform as easy to deploy, manage, and use as possible. Furthermore, we focused on ensuring that it allowed for cost-effective, flexible, yet robust application development. The Microsoft ISV community in particular is one of our primary target audiences for this product, and we are committed to helping them improve their profitability by adding substantial value to their current SharePoint offerings."

The Mobile Entrée product is generally available as of June 4, 2009. More information can be found at http://www.mobileentree.com.

USB Hard Cases for the iPhone

For those of you with iPhone 3G devices please note that the excellent USBFever have some excellent hard cases for the iPhone, including the Hard Crystal Case for iPhone 3.
Features:
- Unique ergonomic design
- Printed with featured graphics
- Fully Protected from bumps and scratches
- Light weight
- Perfectly fit
- Anti-dust
- Easy access to all ports, buttons and sockets

Package Contents:
- Hard Crystal Case for iPhone 3G x 1

Packaging:
- Blister

Notes:
- This is NOT for iPhone 2G, it is for iPhone 3G only.
USB Fever after the jump.

My review of the iPhone version of Glyph

Glyph available from Astraware is a game that I have played before I originally played it on my Tungsten C but with me purchasing an iphone and using this as my main device. I thought I would download glyph for the iphone and see if it is as enjoyable to play on the iphone as it was on my Tungsten C and to see if there is any new parts to the game.

Glyph is a puzzle game which has five different worlds that you have to complete each world has 50 exciting levels for you to complete so just think that is 250 levels what a challenging game that you could never get bored of with it having so many levels that get more and more challenging along the way.

When you enter the game level for the first time you will be faced with a tutorial which will fully explain how to play the game if you are new to it, and the great thing about this game is the fact that when something new is added to a level a small tutorial comes up to explain what you have to do which I find great help which means less time trying to fathom out what to do and more time getting high scores.

The game board is made up of many different coloured gems which you have to join three or more of them together to remove them from the grid and get points but whilst removing them you are also destroying the rocks below the gems that hide the fragment of the glyph when you have fully revealed the fragments from behind the gems you are moving up to the next level. After you have completed four levels you will be faced with a puzzle and the puzzle consists of the four fragments that you revealed in the previous four levels you completed and you will see each one light up to the rhythm of the music the aim of the game is to memorise which ordered they lit up in and when it tells you to begin repeat the pattern that you was shown. This is great for extra bonus points. As you move up levels you receive artifacts with different powers I will explain just a few of them to you as I don’t want to spoil the game for you.

There is an artifact which is called colour spread this enables you to click an area and the whole area will change to the colour you tapped on so choose wisely you will see on the right handside of the screen which artifact that you have, also underneath this you will see either small, medium or max the best one to wait for is max power this enables the colour spread to change all the board to one colour so that you can remove every single one of the gems from the board and also removing a layer of rock with it so these artifacts come in great use.

Another Artifact is a stone sorter this when clicked on sorts the colours out into the groups so again you can remove big amounts of gems and also remove all the gems from the board that’s if you wait for max power. You will also notice gems on the left hand side of the screen and one or two may have a cross through them if this is the case you can still remove the gems from the board but they will not remove the rock from underneath it so try and concentrate on the colours that will remove rock from the game board.

Further up the levels you will see green stones placed within the board and these cannot be joined together like the other gems to remove them they have to be destroyed and the only way of removing these obstacles from the board is to use a destructive artifact which will either remove a row of the stones or again if you wait for max power it will remove the rocks plus the gems from the board giving you a new board of gems. There are many more artifacts that you can receive like the colour dissolve but I will let you figure these out for yourself as I don’t want to explain too much of the game to you.

When you reach level eleven this is when the game gets a little harder as you now begin to play against the time so make sure you remove as many gems as quick as possible in order to keep the clock healthy and move to the next round.

On the main menu there is another game option which I hadn’t played before which is the new action game which I thought I would have a little try of. This part of the game is a lot like Tetris as you have to remove the gems from the screen whilst extra gems are being added either from the top or the bottom of the board and the aim of the game is to not let the gems reach the top of the screen as it will be game over and you will have to start the game again this is a great game which just makes Glyph one of my most favourite games to play.

The colour and graphics really appeal, you can tell a lot of thought went into the design of the game and making it challenging. Different features and bonuses ensure you can never get bored of it.The iPhone version with the touchscreen make it much easier to remove gems quickly as you just navigate you finger across the screen not missing any removable gems from the screen. In conclusion, it's games like this that remind you why Astraware / Handmark at the top of the league when it comes to producing addictive and fun games. Glyph is a game for all the family to enjoy and certainly one that that I will continue to play for many hours, days, weeks and month's to come.
http://www.astraware.com/iphone/glyph/?link=110/2/4

How to Use Google Calendar Full Screen as Palm Desktop for Palm Pre

[From Clemens] As we are aware, Palm will not provide any desktop synchronisation component with the upcoming Palm Pre. Any synchronisation will be done with either the cloud or entperprise infratructure. Cloud synchronisation can be done with a variety of web calendars. For the most of us, it will be the Google Calendar, which require a Google account. Enterprise synchronisation mostly refers to an already existing Microsoft Exchange Server within a company.

As indicated, most of us will privately make use of the Google Calendar, while it is optically not that attractive than the Palm Desktop or Agendus Desktop as well as Pimlical - Pimlicos new standalone cross platform Java calendar application. A big problem is that it does not make use of the desktop's full screen, but runs in a cropped window within the browser.

In order to make the calendar quite full screen, there are two siimple steps neccesary.
(A) Remove address list, links and favorites by pressing F11 in Firefox
(B) Remove unwanted information from Google Calendar by the greasemonkey script

Thus, Google's Calender is full screen and come quite close to the Palm Desktop application, one has a greater overview of a full week and can do better planning. Be prepared: Make GCal the preferred calendar application.

My review of WordPop for the iPhone

I recently downloaded Wordpop for my iPhone as I have played this game on my Palm device and thoroughly enjoyed the iPhone experience. After I downloaded from the App Store I immediately liked the user interface and thought I would share with you my thoughts and opinions on the game and give you an insight on how to play as well.

Firstly you have to pick which setting you want to play the game at easy, medium or hard for first time players I suggest you choose the easy mode until you get used to how the game works. Also for first time players there is a how you can play button this is very useful and gives you full instructions how to play the game.

Once you have chosen your difficulty level for the game you enter into the main game board at the top of the screen you will see what round you are on and the total amount of points you have accumulated. Below this a rectangle box spells the word you have just created alongside with the point value, then at the side of this you will see a grey circle with a tick in the middle when you have spelt a word and the word is a proper word it will illuminate yellow.

Below you will see the quit button and an undo button which is explanatory. In the middle of the screen you will see the main grid which is full of cubes each with a letter and in the bottom right corner of each cube you will see a number this indicates how many points you will get for creating a word with this letter. Finally at the right hand side of the screen you will see three empty cubes these can be used as any letter to help you create more words when you are running out of needed letters.

The aim of the game is to spell as many words as you can out of the letters provided, when you have found a word you want, tap on the first letter or the word then tap on the next and so on till you have created the word. When you have spelt the word the tick should illuminate yellow and you should get an indication on how many points you have received. Select if the tick is yellow click on it and the word will disappear from the screen and your points will be added to your total.

Continue to create words from the grid to build your points up and if you get stuck don’t forget the spare cubes on the right hand side of the screen they become very helpful near the end of the round when you have used most of the letters. If you want to rearrange the letters just give the iPhone a slight shake and the cubes will mix up helping you to try and create more words.

To move on to the next round you have to use up every letter from the grid it may sound easy but it is realty Z which will earn you more points. So far I have managed to get to round four which I found difficult to get to the best thing about this game is your not against the clock so you are not rushing to try and create words before the game is up.

The screen is bright and the interface is great, and the letters are a good size making the game much easier to play. I really enjoyed playing this game and cant wait to get a free minute to play it again, I recommend this game to anyone who enjoys playing word games as you will have hours of fun!! It truly deserves a Palm Addict Reader Award of Excellence and is one of the best games that I have played on my Palm OS device and certainly makes a great addition to the iPhone / iPod Touch. Available for Palm OS / Windows Mobile & the iPhone / iPod Touch via http://www.smartboxdesign.com

Mobile working.

[From Nigel Walter] Well the UK (along with the rest of the world) seems to be in the grips of a recession. My job as changed a lot over the last few months which has made me look at mobile working more deeply. I need to be mobile but in contact and have found my current device, a Sony Ericsson P910i, to be somewhat lacking. What do I want to replace it? I'm not sure but I have been looking at the E71 (I used to have an E61 but gave it up when I saw Ian Beale ( a less than pleasant character in a UK soap Eastenders for the non UK readers) was a user!! I am also looking towards an Android phone having discovered the benefits of Google mail and calendar. I have until next April to make a decision and will keep a close eye on Palm Addicts as I am sure I will get good advice and info from this informative site. May all of the readers of Palm Addicts have a peaceful Christmas and a New Year

Keeping family in touch during a health scare

[From Bill Cottle - Florida] As always, I enjoy keeping up on the latest handheld news through PalmAddicts. I found your site about 6 years ago and have been reading ever since through my progression of devices. Keep up the GREAT work!! My current device is the iPhone 3G which has come in very handy. Especially over the last couple of days. My Father-in-Law suffered a heart attack this past Friday and both my wife and youngest daughter flew out to be with him the following afternoon. Thankfully, he is doing well and was able to go home on Monday. Both my wife and I have iPhones and have been emailing each other throughout the day as well as calling to get and give updates. On top of that, I have Palringo installed and have been using that to keep in touch with my oldest Daughter who is attending college in Connecticut through AIM. So, based on that, we are managing to keep the information flowing and keeping everyone from worrying too much. The ability to keep in constant contact with family members around the country to offer support and spread news has been very relieving and essential to us all. To add to this functionality, I have been using the WeatherBug app to keep track of the weather out there (they are in Wisc. and I'm in Florida) to get an idea of the weather forcast and how it may affect her flight back home. The nearest airport from her is about 2 hours away and snow will just make that drive even longer. Not to mention play havoc with the flight itself. Keeping in mind that Christmas is around the corner, I have at least been able to get my Christmas shopping done and the capabilities of the phone have allowed my remain in constant contact no matter where I am. Not to mention compare prices on the fly. LOL I'm not saying that the iPhone is the greatest device around but, it sure is working for my family. To all of my fellow PalmAddicts out there and especially to you Sammy, Have a safe and happy holiday!!!!

How did we live before smartphones?

[From Dave] Hey Sammy, hope you are having a great week. We just came came to South America for the Christmas holidays, and we are able to keep in touch with everyone thanks to my wife´s Blackberry. I know that to some people this seems pretty basic, but it amazes me that we now have the ability to go anywhere in the world and have the ability to email our friends and surf the web just like if we were in our home city. I never thought I would be on the farm checking email. I have my unlocked smartphone here too and I am going to the local mobile phone place and get a local sim card with a data plan so we can call people locally. We are living in great times.