Live Mesh now in open beta

Finally Live Mesh is here in free open Beta. With Live Mesh, you can sync your computer, laptop and mobile device to what Microsoft calls "the cloud". In other words, data that you want to sync via Live Mesh is stored in one of Microsoft huge datacenters and can be accessed anywhere provided you have an internet connection.
 
Unfortunately, the beta program for mobile devices is still restricted to the U.S. and U.K. 
 
To signup and download Live Mesh, go to www.mesh.com.

Tips: Change the default location where camera saves pictures

Out of the box, a device is configured to save pictures to the \My Documents\ My Pictures folder on the phones memory. The issue with that is it fills up memory very quickly. The camera settings does let you change that to the Storage card. In this case the pictures are saved to \SD card\My Documents\My Pictures folder. You can further customize that. Say you want to save your pictures to a location of your choice; for example: SD Card\Photos. Follow the steps below. This change requires you modify the registry, so be extremely careful.
 
Open the registry editor on your device and go to:
 
Hkey_Current_User\Software\Microsoft\Pictures\Camera\User\
 
Change the value for DefaultDir to Sd Card\Photos. Make sure you verify the name of your storage card in File Explorer.
 
This is it. From now on,every picture you'll take using the device camera will be saved to that location.
 
A free registry editor can be downloaded from Http://www.phm.lu/Products/PocketPC/Regedit/
 
Note: You do this at your own risk.

Free: GudenSoft Email Scheduler

Spotted this on PocketNow. GudenSoft Email Scheduler is a nice utility that lets you configure the polling interval of each of the email accounts you have configured on your device on one screen. The software is free for download and requires .Net Framework 3.5. Unfortunately, GudenSoft Email Scheduler does not support Windows Mobile Standard. Only WM5 touchscreen devices and later are supported.
 
Download from http://www.gudensoft.com/emailscheduler/
            

Bluehoo, first Windows Azure based app for Windows Mobile

Windows Azure has just been announced by Microsoft and yet an application has already been released based on the new platform. "Bluehoo is a mobile app that helps you make new social connections with the people around you - for business or for please.

Bluehoo uses Bluetooth to discover "hoos" around you right here, right now, shows you those people’s profiles and helps you start conversations."

Bluehoo is still in beta version. therefore free to try. Download a copy from http://m.bluehoo.com/

Now, you're probably wondering what is Windows Azure. Check out Azure's website:

http://www.microsoft.com/azure/default.mspx

KB:You unexpectedly lose the ability to send eimail messages on a Windows Mobile 6.1-based device.

Microsoft has posted a temporary fix regarding the issue in the title above. Note that Exchange-based email accounts are affected, only POP3 or IMAP. Read the KB article from http://support.microsoft.com/kb/958639/en-us

Microsoft, I believe this is an opportunity to test Windows Update on our devices. Get a .cab file ready for a permanent fix and send it over the air.

A cab file that fixes this problem is available on Tracy and Matt's Blog:

Http://tracyandmatt.co.uk/blogs/index.php/2008/10/15/windows-mobile-smtp-fix

Press release: SPB Software creates interface panel for Xperia X1.

Spb Software, the world's leading maker of Windows Mobile applications, develops a user interface panel for Xperia X1. As part of the strategic partnership between Sony Ericsson and Spb Software, Spb has put forth a top-notch, Spb Mobile Shell-based solution that compliments the X1 in both style and speed. Taking advantage of the smartphone's unique panel technology, impressive hardware and dynamic wide VGA touchscreen, this custom version of Spb Mobile Shell is optimized for the new Xperia, and comes with all X1 devices as a free download.

"We are very happy to be working with Spb, one of the most respected Microsoft Windows Mobile software developers in the market," said Mats Ekstrand, VP and Head of Convergence Unit at Sony Ericsson. "The addition of Spb to our panel ecosystem gives Xperia X1 users the opportunity to customize their handsets with an already established interface for the Windows Mobile environment, alongside enjoying the eight other active desktops through the unique Xperia Panel user interface." 
 
Spb Mobile Shell is an application that improves the innate Windows Mobile user interface, making it more direct, logical, and slick. The first version of software came out in February 2007 and quickly gained recognition among end-users and media. Spb Mobile Shell fulfills the highest requirements of in-ROM software, paying a great deal of respect to criteria such as ROM, RAM, performance, battery life, and stability. Customized and improved menus of Windows Mobile devices are achieved without any damage to built-in system features or other third-party software.

"The Xperia panels are an innovative approach to personalization," - comments Yaroslav Goncharov, the Product Manager of Spb Mobile Shell - "With 3D acceleration, the panels are visually appealing for consumers, and at the same time present new opportunities for the developer community." 

Getting started with Windows Mobile development.

Luis E. Cabrera, from the Windows Mobile team, posted a short article on how to get started with developing applications for Windows Mobile. Besides the usual requirements such the device emulator, Visual Studio and the WM SDK, there are links to very useful resources.
 
Check out the article on the Windows Mobile Team blog:
 
http://blogs.msdn.com/windowsmobile/archive/2008/10/21/getting-started-with-windows-mobile-development.aspx

Opera Mobile 9.5 adds Opera Widgets to deliver a one-click mobile Internet experience

Opera has released a second version of Opera 9.5 Beta introducing Opera Widget "enabling one-click Web content access". This new version, acoording to the press release loads pages faster
 
"Opera has built its second Opera Mobile 9.5 beta based on user-generated feedback following its first public release earlier this year," said Jon von Tetzchner, CEO, Opera Software. "In addition to Opera Widgets, this new test version promises to be a smoother ride than the previous version, as we have improved page loading times and increased our focus on end-user productivity."
 
Read the press release: http://www.opera.com/pressreleases/en/2008/10/20/
 
Some widgets are pre-installed and other can be downloaded at widgets.opera.com.
 
Opera 9.5 Beta can be downloaded from http://www.opera.com/products/mobile/

Pre-Order the HTC Touch HD on Expansys

It is possible to pre-order the HTC Touch HD on Expansys for the price of $799.99. The device will be available on the 18th of November though. I was expecting the HD to cost more than that.

http://www.expansys-usa.com/p.aspx?i=173482

Windows Mobile® 6 Upgrade Deadline

Spotted this on HTC's website. If you haven't upgraded yet, you have until October 31st to do so or simply download the upgrade and do it later. HTC will remove the file on that day.

October 31st is the last day to take advantage of the free upgrade to Windows Mobile® 6. The upgrade link will be removed from HTC’s website at 12:00 pm (noon) GMT on October 31st.

Removal of this free upgrade may affect users of the following devices: HTC S621, HTC S620, HTC P4350, HTC P3300, HTC Advantage.

If you haven’t upgraded yet and your device has a Windows Mobile® version lower than 6, please take advantage of this offer before it expires. To check the version on your device go to Start > Settings > System tab > About.

http://www.htc.com/europe/supportcontent.aspx?id=19302

Find all WM6.1 upgrades in one place

Need to know if there is an upgrade for your device? I usually recommend you check the device manufacturer or mobile operator's website to find out. Even that can be difficult, especially if the sites are not user friendly. Well, search no more. Jason Langridge has put a list of WM6.1 upgrades on his blog. So, point your browser to http://blogs.msdn.com/jasonlan/archive/2008/10/16/windows-mobile-6-1-upgrades-how-to-find-them.aspx and see if your device is listed there. Good job Jason :)            

Windows 7 Faq and WMDC

Paul Thurrot has an interesting faq about Windows 7, the next version of Windows to be released in early 2010. Yes, Windows 7 is the official name of the OS as recently announced by Microsoft. Paul writes that Windows Mobile Device Center will be included in Windows 7. Therefore, no separate download anymore. Read Paul Thurrot Windows 7 faq at http://www.winsupersite.com/faq/windows_7.asp    

Registry tweaks for the HTC Touch Diamond

I found this extensive list of registry tweaks for the HTC Touch Diamond on XDA forums and thought it might be of interest to HTC Diamond owners who are or will be reading this post. Bear in mind that tweaking the registry requires that you to be extremely careful. Therefore, you apply those tweaks at your own risk. BTW, if you know some tweaks that are not in the list, feel free to share it on XDA.
 
Here's the link to the thread:
 
http://forum.xda-developers.com/showthread.php?t=398265

WisBar Advance Desktop released

I'm surprised I missed the release of Wisbar sometime ago. But it's never too late. So, if you want to give your device a new look, go for Wisbar Advance. This application has been around for sometime already and lets you customize your home or Today screen according to your taste.

 
"WisBar Advance Desktop replaces your existing Today screen. Using WisBar Advance Desktop, you can create shortcuts, system meters, floating windows and virtual pages to extend the functionality of your Windows Mobile device.
WisBar Advance Desktop also supports most existing Today plugins. You can arrange them on multiple pages in order to maximize their usefulness".
 
A trial version of the software can be downloaded from http://www.lakeridgesoftware.com/products/pocketpc/WisBarAdvanceDesktop/

Winterface updated, now with Weather.

VITO Technology updates Winterface - mobile shell for Windows Mobile devices. The new version of Winterface features a Weather icon among other status icons with "live" info like time, calendar, e-mail, tasks and other icons. Winterface 1.14 also addresses some minor device specific bugs and provides further improvements.
Since Winterface was released in July there has been a definite call from its users for weather support. Many users find Winterface much more attractive than the Today screen and want to see Weather information in Winterface.

For this purpose VITO Technology has developed a free stand-alone product Weather. Weather installs on device just like any other application but its icon when added to Winterface displays the actual weather information. Weather is completely finger-friendly and easy to use application.

Among other improvements there are numerous bug fixes and cyclic page scrolling, i.e. users can flip through pages with icons from the last page immediately to the first one and vice versa.

Weather is a free application available for downloading here: http://iwindowsmobile.com/Weather.cab      
 
Vito Technology website: http://iwindowsmobile.com
       

WM6.1 upgrade for HTC Dual released

An upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.1 has been released by HTC for the Touch Dual.
 
Download the upgrade from http://www.htc.com/www/supportdownloadlist.aspx?p_id=44&cat=all
 
Check out this link to learn more about Windows Mobile 6.1:
 
http://www.htc.com/www/supportdownloadlist.aspx?p_id=44&cat=all
 

Windows Mobile 6.1 for Pantech Duo available for download.

It's great to see more and more device manufacturers offering free Windows Mobile 6.1 for their devices. It's now Pantech's to join in with the upgrade for the Pantech Duo that can be downloaded from http://www.pantechusa.com/html/images/software/download.htm. Just make sure you read the instructions carefully on Pantech's website and backup your data before upgrading.

Press-Release. Play the Games, Play the Online Games of Spb!

St. Petersburg, October 08th, 2008 - Spb Software, the world's leading maker of Windows Mobile applications announces the release of Spb Online Games as a separate suite. Originally, part of Spb Online - a set of online services under one roof, which attracted over 15,000 users in under two weeks (at the rate of more than 1000 users per day) - Spb Online Games is a collection of four instant online games, supplemented with an online chat service.

Spb Online Games makes it possible to play two versions of Checkers, Hexagon, or Reversi with real people from virtually anywhere in the world, in real-time. Any online game can be launched within 30 seconds and if interrupted - continued from the spot it was left off. The service already has thousands of registered players on the network, with each potential opponent equipped with a configurable user profile (might include picture, name, type of handset, and network). The online gaming experience can be further personalized through real-time chatting with active online players.

All of new Spb Online Games features (such as the online chat service and more informative user profile) will become available to registered users of Spb Online through automatic 'push' update to Spb Online version 1.1.


*** Pricing and Availability ***

Spb Online Games software is compatible with Windows Mobile 5 and later Professional and Standard devices, qVGA, VGA, Square QVGA, and WVGA screen resolutions are supported. A Wi-Fi, GPRS, 3G, or ActiveSync connection is required for online playing. A free, 15-day trial version is available, or Spb Online Games may be purchased for 14.95 USD at www.spbsoftwarehouse.com. 


*** Further Information and Downloads ***

Further information regarding Spb Online can be found at the Spb website:

Spb Online Games for Pocket PC web page (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/onlinegames)
Spb Online Games for Pocket PC screenshots page (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/onlinegames/screenshots.html)
Spb Online Games for Pocket PC downloading page (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/onlinegames/download.html)

Spb Online Games for Smartphone web page (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/smartphone/onlinegames)
Spb Online Games for Smartphone screenshots page (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/smartphone/onlinegames/screenshots.html)
Spb Online Games for Smartphone downloading page (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/smartphone/onlinegames/download.html)

Firmware update for Samsung Omnia released

If you live in Europe and own a Samsung Omnia, a firmware update is available for you to download. The update is to bring more stability to the device. It can be downloaded free from http://www.samsungmobile.com/promotion/omnia/index.jsp
Applying the update will delete your data and software installer by the owner. It is important to do a backup and carefully follow the instructions on Samsung's website.

Fake Call Beta

Trinket Software, which recently released PowerSMS, has announced a new product in beta. Fake Call is "a secret weapon against boring meetings and bad dates", says the site.
It even lets you schedule a fake call. If you have a use for that kind of software, head over to www.trinketsoftware.com/FakeCall/ And download the beta version. Now, just avoid getting yourself caught using that "secret weapon".

Sign up for TextGuard Beta

TextGuard is an application that lets you filter, Search, block, and archive text messages on your Windows Mobile device. You can also monitor all incoming and outgoing calls. TextGuard is still in Beta, therefore free to use. If you would like to participate, go to http://www.textguard.com/. I think they have a special offer for beta testers. Will confirm that later.
 
Read the press release about TextGuard here.
 

Press release: Best Software Awards 2008 Winners Announced

The Winners in Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine's Eighth Annual Best Software Awards for Windows Mobile software have been announced at www.Smartphonemag.com/Awards.  Eighty members of the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Board of Experts judged 936 Windows Mobile products in 194 Pocket PC and Smartphone categories. Winners are also listed in the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine 2009 Resource Guide first seen late November.

From the Publisher of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine, Hal Goldstein
"The annual Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards helps users select software that best suits their Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone needs by honoring companies that produce outstanding software. The awards process is a huge 6-month undertaking involving the experts of the Windows Mobile community starting with over 15,000 Pocket PC and Smartphone products."
The Awards Process
Nominations Manager, Werner Ruotsalainen, and the Board of Expert judges spent two months selecting 936 award nominees, about 20% of the software in the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Encyclopedia of Software and Accessories.
The Board of Experts
The Board of Experts voted for the finalists and winners are from all over the world. They run prominent Web Sites, serve as Microsoft MVPs, and write for Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine and other organizations. These experts all are volunteers and none are employed by Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine.
Winners & Finalists listed in last issue of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine -- available in new Knowledge Bundle
The Knowledge Bundle contains 2009 Resource Guide (last issue) with Awards Winners & Finalists, GPS, How-tos and Accessories sections, 100-page How-to Guide, Back-Issues of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine and a 15% discount on all Windows Mobile software.

HTC Cruise gets WM6.1 upgrade

Owners of the HTC Touch Cruise can now download a free upgrade from http://www.htc.com/www/supportdownloadlist.aspx?p_id=59&cat=all.
Applying the upgrade will delete data and software that was installed by the user. Therefore, I advised a backup before applying the upgrade.

Steve Ballmer about Google's Android

In an interview with BBC, the Microsoft Chief Executive said about Android: "You've got to remember Android is version one...and it looks like version one". Steve Ballmer went on to say that Google has "one handset maker, we've got 55. They're available through one operator, we've got 175." Crushing numbers :)

He also admits that there had been problems with Vista. Read more at http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/business/7647399.stm