tips news, reviews, software and freeware

Google has recently activated IMAP support for its popular Gmail E-Mail service. This means that you can download your E-Mails to your PC or Mac, using Outlook or whatever you are using, and in addition you can access the same inbox from your mobile device. Google is also offering a mail client for mobile devices, but for the moment it only supports J2ME-enabled devices and since not all Windows Mobile devices includes J2ME but Outlook Mobile, this is the better option anyway.

E-Mail clients using IMAP generally leave messages on the server until the user explicitly deletes them. This and other options of IMAP operation allow multiple clients to access the same mailbox. While IMAP offers access to the mail store on the server, the client may store local copies of the messages, these are considered to be a temporary cache and the server's store is authoritative.


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TouchPal is a innovative software keyboard based on T+ patent-pending English input method to significantly improve the user experience of inputting on touchscreens of handheld devices. CooTek, the developers of TouchPal, say it is possible to achieve 300 chars/min! Quite impresive number indeed.

After installing it on my HTC TyTN i can honestly say typing on TouchPal is pretty easy job. Taping and sliding are the only things you need to do with your finger. Most of the time the only needed is tap after tap to get to auto-word predition. You can also slide left or right for a specfic letter, slide up for uppercase, or slide down for a punctuation. And all these is makeable with one hand pretty easy.
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Symbian Series 60 3rd edition devices are quite smart these days and with their use comes the question about the file sharing. The default option you have to do this is via Bluetooth, but this is quite old-fashioned and slow for a geeky person. That's the reason why i am so happy to share with you the ONE and ONLY application available today for Wireless file sharing between series 60 3rd edition phones and computer - SymSMB.

SymSMB features 3 programs in 1 application:

* phone to computer wireless access;
* computer to phone wireless access;
* file browser.

* There are at least a few wireless protocols to choose from.

This neat application gives you the power to Share, browse, access, transfer, organize, rename, copy or move files and folders between mobile phone and computer wirelessly so it is time to forget ancient Cable Era again. Other cool function that will be implemented in future is phone to phone access, which will definitely be a great option to Symbian phones.

SymSMB works on almost all Nokia E-series, Nokia N-Series, Samsung SGH-i450, Samsung SGH-i520 and LG Joy Symbian powered phones. It is available for download at Symbian Freeware site.

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Here is one very interesting article which explains Mobile Malware with its threats and prevention. It is published by Zhu Cheng who uses to write Technical White Papers for McAfee Avert Labs. In this article he explorers possibilities of what malware software running in your Windows Mobile phones could do without you noticing it. The most common operating systems used by smartphones and personal digital assistants (PDAs) are Microsoft Windows CE and the Symbian OS. Windows Mobile 2003 and Windows Mobile 6 are based on the Windows CE, which has an open-source kernel strategy. The operating system S60 is based on Symbian OS, a closed-source operating system that is developed and maintained by Nokia.

Carrying a "smart" mobile phone is almost like having a powerful computer in your pocket. An increasing number of phones sold today—especially in Europe—include not only a camera but also extensive online access, keyboards, and other typical computer functions. However, with power and convenience comes a cost. Just as our desktop and laptop computers face security threats, so do these smart phones. The unfortunate irony of this evolution is that the greater the functionality gains, the more vulnerable smart phones become to the same types of threats that plague our laptops and desktops.

Zhu Cheng points that greatest threats to mobile phones are in these seven areas: Text messages, Contacts, Video, Phone transcriptions, Call records, Documentation and Buffer overflows. Note that he explains how a virus could search for all video or photo files on your Smartphone through the file API and send those files to a malicious third-party via the wireless network or using the mobile voice-recording API, a virus could indeed change a mobile into a tape recorder, record your conversations and then redirect them. Horrible!

To protect the Windows Mobile API, Microsoft by default employs a certificate system. Only programs with signed certificates can call mobile APIs. This system works well until a user wants to add an unsigned program. One way around the default security is to use a tool such as Novosec's SDA_ApplicationUnlock, which completely disables certificate security on a mobile phone. The danger of unlocking, however, is that it reduces the security of the device. Once you unlock, any program—including malware—could use the API calls. Our advice is simple. Don't use programs like this if you want to keep your smart phone secure.

I suggest you reading the whole article (pdf) and consider practices under How to Prevent Mobile Malware Attacks section.

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Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP) basically allows your phone to send audio over bluetooth at a normal frequency, letting you listen to your facourite music over the air. You can play music on Windows Media Player on your phone and listen to it at your bluetooth headphones. Unfortunately some Windows Mobile 5 devices do not have A2DP built in. In this case you need to install this simple app called zoA2DP. With this little freeware you will be able to pair your bluetooth stereo headphones and listen away in wireless bliss.



Take note, that when you pair your headphones, be sure to check Wireless Stereo. This is the new capability that is added with A2DP.



Notice the music note icon in the titlebar indicating that A2DP is enabled. This will only come on if a wireless stereo device has been paired.
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Most of the Windows Mobile softwares comes in executable file which could be double clicked and installed directly, but some of the applications just come in a CAB file which should be copyed to the device and installed from there. This copying could be a little complicated for a person not so aware of software installing and such. Here comes some new solutions for this problem. The first one is called CABviaActiveSync. This great freeware applications adds an option to your Windows Explorer context menu labeled "CABviaActiveSync". After having CABviaActiveSync installed at your system you will be able to just right click a .CAB file and select "CABviaActiveSync" from the dropdown menu to have it copied and installed at your device. Pretty useful ah ?



The second option i would like to show was originally created for Windows Mobile Smartphones only but i think it should be working at all the Windows Mobile devices. It's called Sp Cab File Kit and its a little more advanced than the "CABviaActiveSync". "Sp Cab File Kit" supported extensions are standard Smartphone CAB, setup INF, at setup XML. You can analyze, extract or just install a .CAB file by just right clicking on it. here you can check out a demo video of how "Sp Cab File Kit" could be used.



Both options are useful but i recommend "CABviaActiveSync" for beginners and "Sp Cab File Kit" for more advanced developer users.

Download "CABviaActiveSync" - here

Download "Sp Cab File Kit" - here


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The default calculator application in today smartphones is quite cool but when it comes to hard calculations it gives up. Here is one just relesed program for Windows Mobile 6 Standard based Smartphones which is a free calculator. It is called SmartCalc and is a perfect substitute calculator for the smartphone, because the one that comes with it is lacking a few features.

SmartCalc has advanced functions like square root, sin, cosine and many other. It includes a memory funtion, and will actually exit the application instead of hanging around in the background.

SmartCalc is available for free download at Smartphone Freeware site, and ofcourse you can browse for other calculators here which will best fit your needs.

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If your intentions are to get fit then i have a solution for you. It is called BMI Calculator v1.1 and is a free tool for Palm OS powered handhelds that helps you check your progress with Body Mass Index.

This is very simple program to help you calculate your Body Mass Index (BMI). Fill in the height & weight then tap on the button "calculate" to find our your BMI value. Tap on the button to switch between Imperial / Metric system.

BMI Calculator v1.1 is available for free download at Freeware Palm site. BTW I can also recommend you reading the Healthy Temple Blog, which has lots of tips, diets and nutrition facts for helthy living.

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Do you know that in Windows Mobile Standard (Smartphone edition) there is a feature that can help you easily change the communication method with any of your phone book contacts. When you have the contact highlighted you can press d-pad left and right keys to change the persons contact method for example work, home, mobile phone number or sms and e-mail. While pressing Left/Right keys you there will be slight change of the letter at the right side and you will see the tiny "w" turn to "m", "h", "e" etc. You will no longer need to open the contact itsefl and select the number you need. This technique is much faster and will increase the usability of your smartphone contacts management


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The situation is simple - You can't take that call, but don't want the person on the other end to wonder where you are or what you're doing? And here your worries ends. Ignore with SMS is recently released program for Windows Mobile devices, which just needs a a simple button tap and it takes to quickly and easily send that person a text message letting them know you're in an important metting or at the movies.

Ignore with SMS is available for free download at Freeware Pocket PC site.

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