Hide Window Plus - Another FREEBIE worth looking at!

jkOnTheRun in their Giveaway of the Day has led us to a terrific freebie called Hide Window Plus.

This program hides windows or groups of windows in a moment’s notice. This is one feature Kevin likes on his Mac.  A ‘command-H’ hides a window and doesn’t clutter the Dock. Now, you can have the same feature on a Windows device: no extra clutter in your Taskbar or System Tray!

After reading through the product page, I’d say this application is more suited for keyboard users but it’s a safe bet that you can assign the hide and restore functions to a hardware button on most Tablets or UMPCs. That’s where I’d think this would be really handy: if you’ve only got a 7-inch screen to work with, you don’t need to load up the Taskbar or tray with bunches of running apps; simply hide ‘em! You’ll have to download and activate Hide Window Plus today, otherwise, the full price is $19.95.

Check it all out here at jkOnTheRun

One password to rule them all

I’m sure there was a bit in one of Douglas Adams’ books (or radio series, or towels) where he started talking about the problems of passwords and accounts. The problem, as he described it, when something like this.

1. Everything and everyone needs a password, and proof of identity. A specific one is needed for everything, else how do you know if someone is faking an identity?
2. People find it difficult to remember them.. as there are so many
3. A single identity method is then created to manage all the simple ones..
4. Ford (or was it Zarniwoop or Zaphod) then uses the single identity to get into (or out of) something or other.. as it was far easier than stealing all the individual passwords required

Regardless of my failure to remember exactly what was going on, I was reminded about it when I say the new RoboformtoGo on a USB  thingy…reviewed by GearLive.  They found it to be a secure way of remembering all your passwords and details on any computer that you use.

Source GearLive

Benq…

“Like our mobile phones, Ronaldo stands for the highest level of precision, maximum performance, superior quality and an exclusive lifestyle. In addition, he is the perfect complement to our recently announced sponsorship of the Real Madrid soccer team. We look forward to having him on board as another strong player in the BenQ Mobile team”, said BenQ Mobile CEO Clemens Joos.

But he’s going to have to join the queue along with former employees, pension funds and pretty much everyone else.

Seeing how Real Madrid has done in recent seasons, perhaps they should be suing Ronaldo.

Source Engadget

Helio Ocean - Nice!

PhoneScoop got to play with Helio’s new flagship phone, the Ocean, for about an hour before they took it back. That was just enough time to get a feel for it and give us a nice video preview.

This CDMA phone sports a unique dual-slide design with full numeric and text keyboards…very cool!

Key features

Stereo Bluetooth

large internal memory plus a memory card slot

2 megapixel camera

Helio software includes a full web browser, new intergrated messaging application, location-enabled Google Maps and photo uploader, and music player supporting side-loaded music with DRM.

 

Phone Scoop Via TechEBlog

Don’t Steal a Dell Notebook!

Sticky-fingered PC pilferers take note: Dell is the first notebook supplier to offer a complimentary one year subscription to theft protection service on select notebook computers.

Notebook computers are venturing farther from home and office, and are facing a greater risk for theft. Whether it’s a sleek and light ultraportable that’s easy to carry everywhere or a power-house gaming notebook that makes the rounds at LAN parties, mobile users want to use their notebooks on the go.

Now Dell customers in the U.S. can have more peace of mind, because all XPS notebook models come with access to one year of theft protection service at no charge.

Customers purchasing the ultra-portable XPS M1210, the ultra-powerful XPS M1710 or the ultra-unique XPS M2010 can sign up for one year of free service of Computrace LoJack for Laptops theft protection. Customers will need to register with LoJack for Laptops upon receipt of the system to activate the service.

Notebooks are stolen daily from coffee shops, college campuses, hotel rooms and automobiles. According to the FBI, 97 percent of stolen notebooks are not recovered.  When activated, Computrace LoJack for Laptops recovers three out of every four stolen laptops.

For more information on Dell XPS mobile platforms, visit www.dell.com/XPS. For more information on Computrace LoJack for Laptops, visit www.lojackforlaptops.com

PSP and T-Mobile Hotspot … cool!

Well there is a firmware offer for PSP users that you just may want to consider doing!  With it you will have the ability to access T-Mobile’s wi-fi service for NADA … NOTHING … FREE! 

From the PlayStation.com Forums:

Sony could have gotten this information out sooner or hopefully they’ll be extending this.
Create a T-Mobile HotSpot Network Profile

1. Bring your PSP® system to a location that provides a T-Mobile HotSpot.
   (Refer to the T-Mobile HotSpot U.S. Location Map.)
2. Select  (Network Settings) under  (Settings).
3. Select [Infrastructure Mode].
4. Select [New Connection].
5. Select [Use Wireless Hotspot].
6. Select the T-Mobile HotSpot icon.
7. If you have an existing T-Mobile HotSpot account, select [Enter User Credentials].
   Enter your user ID and password, and then press the right button.
   or
   If you do not have an account, select [Use Promotional Access] to sign up for a complimentary six-month T-Mobile HotSpot account . (To qualify for this promotional access, you must authenticate your PSP® system to the T-Mobile HotSpot network prior to March 28, 2008.) **bleep** - Wasn’t this update released on the 28th, and this update information posted on the 29th????????
8. Check the contents of the settings list.
9. Save the settings.

10. Perform a connection test.
       If you select [Test Connection], the system will connect to the selected access point.
11. Confirm the connection test results.
       If the connection is successful, information about the network is displayed.

The UBiQUiO 503G - "POWERFUL"!

This device caught my attention when I first heard about it and again has started the juices flowing after seeing it on Pocket PC Thoughts.  Darius Wey was also impressed with the 503G saying that it "packs some mostly impressive innards". 

I really like the thought of having a 520MHz processor and 256MB ROM is a very pleasing thought!  This device is a quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE and has tri-band UMTS/HSDPA.  The integrated 802.11b/g Wi-Fi as well as Bluetooth 1.2 make this device well worth looking at and of course, Windows Mobile 6 Professional makes it very exciting!

Darius indicated that Expansys is reporting a release date of June 20.

"An impressive feature-set including Windows Mobile® 6 software, a 520MHz Intel processor, Stereo Bluetooth, WiFi and blazing fast HSDPA wireless data, make the UBiQUiO 503G a mobile powerhouse. Enjoy blazing fast wireless connectivity. The 503G features the latest in 3G wireless technology, HSDPA, which supports speeds up to 3.6 Mbps. That, combined with the quick 520MHz processor, make for a rewarding mobile experience. Staying up to date on your email, appointments, and tasks while on the move has never been more convenient. A generous 256MB or ROM means you can store a larger number of mobile applications directly onto the device and if you want to store a large number of files, then you can simply plug in a microSD card, up to 2GB in capacity. If you are looking for multimedia features, the UBiQUiO 503G offers two cameras. The main camera is a 2MP CMOS camera with Micro Focus, perfect for capturing pictures and short videos and emailing them directly to your friends or collegues. The 2nd camera is a 0.3MP camera for video conferencing. Windows Media Player Mobile and the included stereo headphones let you enjoy your music & video files anywhere you go."

Source: Pocket PC Thoughts

Apple’s iPhone will be released on June 11

The release is coming … according to Declan McCullagh from CNET News.com

Dedan said that Cingular is confirming that the release date will be June 11 so those of you that want the iPhone start saving the bucks!  Evidently a phone call to Cingular led the folks at C/NET to a sales rep that gave them the June 11th date but there was no additional information to be had.  Have you ever wondered why everything always has to be such a secret?

June 11 through June 15 is the Apple Worldwide Developers Conference so I would expect that if this is the release time it will be the buzz of the conference!

To ALL developers, coders etc.

Posted by Chris on behalf of Werner ‘Menneisyys’ Ruotsalainen

As you may know, I am involved in several projects that provide your software a lot of good free publicity:

1. I regularly make thorough, all-product, roundup reviews of most Windows Mobile software categories.
2. Hal Goldstein, publisher, Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine, has appointed me Best Software Awards 2007 Nominations Manager, http://www.pocketpcmag.com/awards (site may not yet updated for 2007 but current information almost all applies for 2007)

For the awards to succeed and in order to be YOUR software not to be missed from my roundups, you REALLY submit or update your product listing at the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Encyclopedia of Software and Accessories ( Encyclopedia of 4353 Products for Windows Powered for Pocket PCs, Handheld PCs, and Smartphones ) (click the link - the listing is free!).

IMPORTANT MESSAGE TO THOSE ALREADY LISTED In ENCYCLOPEDIA: Make sure all your listings are up to date. A new field has been added - Last Major Update. The field will be used in the awards process and published on-line and in print. See the end of this E-mail for details.

[Read more]

Take Deepfish for a Swim

Editors Note:
If you want this download, be aware that the preview has already reached its limit however you will get this message from Microsoft:

"Thanks you for your interest in Deepfish; At this time the tech preview has reached the limit of initially available installations. We will send you a notification if we make additional spots available at a later date."

Chris’ Note:
Jason Langridge has posted a video of this and here is a YouTube video version of On10.net’s info on this new browser. I was able to get a preview of this back at CES from one of the Microsoft guys, but haven’t had the time to try it out. (I am not real big on the zooming in, etc…)

Microsoft is excited to announce public availability of the Deepfish technology preview from Microsoft Live Labs.  Deepfish is a new type of mobile information browsing experience, aimed at preserving the rich layout and full form of documents on mobile devices while providing novel ways of effectively navigating that content on small screens.  Deepfish’s unique interface enables you to zoom in and out of page, quickly getting to the areas you are interested in without screen length after screen length of scrolling.  And because the layout is preserved, navigation menus, lists of search results or news headlines, and other elements that might have been bent so thoroughly to fit the usual single column layout that they were no longer legible can now be browsed simply and easily.  A consequence of Deepfish’s multi-resolution approach to browsing pages is that it loads a thumbnail of pages initially and then only what is needed for more detail when requested or in the background as you browse the initial the view, resulting in substantially quicker load times for most pages.

The preview is available for download now for Windows Mobile 5.0+ devices.  There are a limited number of slots available, and they will be distributed on a first come, first serve basis.  So, give it a try, and don’t forget to let us know what you think about Deepfish.

Sound familiar?  Deepfish has surfaced briefly before through videos of an earlier build, but now is the first time you can try Deepfish for yourself.  As a technology preview, it is important to note that Deepfish is not a complete implementation of what you would expect of a shipping mobile browser–it does not support cookies or javascript for instance–however, it does provide for a great experience on most sites.  We have more information on how to use Deepfish and other details in our overview and FAQ.

Source: Microsoft Live Labs - Take Deepfish for a Swim via Engadget Mobile

Sling Media Releases SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS

Sling Media, Inc., a digital lifestyle products company, today announced the public availability of SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS, making it possible to watch television on the Palm OS-based Treo 700p smartphone. Support for other Palm OS-based devices will be included in future software releases. The software is available as a public beta for customers in the U.S. and Canada.

The trial version of SlingPlayer Mobile for Palm OS is available today as a free download from Sling Media’s software download pages, http://us.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html and http://ca.slingmedia.com/page/downloads.html, as part of the public beta program. Once the final version is announced (expected in Q2) SlingPlayer Mobile will be available for $29.99 and $34.99 CAD respectively and includes a free 30-day trial. There are no monthly or recurring charges for the use of the software.

SlingPlayer Mobile is a software client that gives Slingbox customers the ability to watch and control their home TV from a variety of smartphones and handheld computers using either a 3G cellular or WiFi network connection. Unlike other services currently available for other mobile devices, SlingPlayer Mobile gives consumers their entire home TV experience. Anything that they can watch on their sofas back home, they can now watch via a compatible smartphone or handheld computer. In addition, SlingPlayer Mobile customers can control a home digital video recorder (DVR), such as a TiVo®, to record shows, watch shows that have been previously recorded, and even pause and rewind live TV.

The mobile TV experience for Palm OS is powered by a Slingbox, the Emmy award-winning consumer electronics product that enables consumers to watch their living room TV programming from wherever they are by turning virtually any Internet-connected laptop or desktop computer (PC and Mac) and a wide variety of Windows Mobile and now Palm OS-based handhelds and smartphones into personal TVs. The Slingbox redirects, or “placeshifts,” a single live TV stream from a cable box, satellite receiver or DVR to the viewer’s alternate “display”—located anywhere in the home or anywhere in the world, via the Internet.

CalliGrapher 8.5 - Updated!

PhatWare has updated CalliGrapher 8.5, the new version of the award-winning handwriting recognition software for Windows Mobile based devices which is now optimized to support Windows Mobile 6.0, including full-VGA and Square QVGA square screen devices.

Named the best software for handwriting recognition for Microsoft Windows Mobile based Pocket PCs by industry experts for five consecutive years, CalliGrapher analyzes pen strokes written in any application window or in the designated Write Pad area, then converts these pen strokes into text and sends the recognized text to the target application. Employing advanced fuzzy logic and neural net techniques, CalliGrapher recognizes arbitrary alphanumeric strings as well as words contained in its integrated dictionary.

The new version of CalliGrapher supports better screen resolution and improved inking capabilities introduced in the new version of the Windows Mobile operating system. Calligrapher 8.5 has also been enhanced to include new icons, updated help and documentation.

 

[Read more]

Help Proporta for a chance win a prize

Which do you prefer…?

For 10 years now, Proporta has been listening to its customers and reviewers in order to perfect their case design, and deliver the best service possible.  Two main designs of the Alu-Leather Case have dominated the product so far, the case with the Side Grip, and the design using a Pouch.

Preferences differ from person to person…some people favour style over protection, some like constant access to their keyboards, and some prefer everything to be securely covered up.

Which case type suits you?  Pop over to www.proporta.com/vote to see the two case types from Proporta, along with details of how to vote and a prize for 5 lucky Proporta helpers :o)

There has been an on-going question as to which is the preferred case design for some time, and we’d like to do what’s right by you, the well valued customer.

Samsung i600 Windows Mobile Smartphone

This one is for Michael, I still can’t answer the question of when, but I can show you a couple photos I snapped at the Samsung booth at CTIA 2007. It looks very much like the SGH-i607 otherwise known as the Cingular BlackJack, but this one is designed for European countries.

 

Review - iTrek Solar Datalogger

Jake Richards takes a look at the  iTrek Solar Datalogger Bluetooth GPS Receiver. The i.Trek Z1 Solar Bluetooth Data Logger is the Swiss Army Knife of GPS combining all the latest technology into a compact unit.

This is a really nice receiver. Very sensitive, very quick to first fix, very stable and it worked exactly as advertised. The logging function has lots of possibilities: fishermen tracking that special spot in the lake to get the “big one,” hikers tracking their path, parents tracking teenagers when they take the car, tracking your travel for expense report records.  Yes, you could track them with the software in your PDA, but then that adds to the burden of the PDA. Why not let the GPS do the logging? 

Read the entire  iTrek Solar Datalogger review.