Windows Mobile Pocket PC & Symbian Smartphone software and freeware, reviews, tips & tricks

May 05 AIM Productions Game Pack 1 and CE-CHECKERS Pocket PC Games
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:Games, Pocket PC,

Pocket PC software developers from AIM Productions NV has just released their latest two additions to ppc games, AIM Productions Game Pack 1 1.0 and CE-CHECKERS 1.

AIM Productions Game Pack 1 is 3-in-1 game pack featuring Wordquake, QubiX and Ghost Hunt and you can get these 3 games at also 40% discount.

Wordquake is challenging word puzzle/arcade game. Guide the falling letters to form words, which will make the line disappear.

In QubiX your goal is to draw shapes on the screen, whilst avoiding all kind of enemies.

In Ghost Hunt you have to attack all kinds of spooky creatures from hell with your Pocket PC stylus. Catch them in a lasso to disintegrate them before your Scare-O-Meter reaches death level.

You can download AIM Productions Game Pack 1 from here.

CE-CHECKERS is one of those games where the object of this brainteasing puzzle game is simple: capture all the stones from your Pocket PC, or block them so they cannot be moved. Sounds easy doesn't it, but don't underestimate the power of your Pocket PC !

CE-CHECKERS 1 Features:

* 3 difficulty levels (easy-medium-hard) in each game
* Undo feature to reset your last move
* help screens with game rules integrated
* compatible with ALL Pocket PC's running Pocket PC 2000 or 2002
* easy automatic installation to main memory or storage card

You can download CE-CHECKERS 1 from here.

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May 05 QUALCOMM with support for Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphones
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:Mobile News, Smartphone, Hardware,

Microsoft and QUALCOMM Inc. has just announced a collaboration that will include support for the Wm5 platform on QUALCOMM’s highly integrated Mobile Station Modem (MSM) chipsets. QUALCOMM may mean that Windows Mobile phones at last will be able to offer UMTS (and fast UMTS = HSDPA) also in case of low-end models. The collaboration will enable device makers to develop more affordable, feature-rich Windows Mobile powered phones while shortening their development times. Support will also give users extended battery life while running a wide variety of business and entertainment applications.

Microsoft and QUALCOMM will fully integrate and test the Windows Mobile operating system with QUALCOMM’s dual-core architecture. The integration and testing speeds time to market by removing some custom development work device makers previously undertook to build 3G Windows Mobile devices with QUALCOMM chipsets.

Support for the Windows Mobile platform on QUALCOMM’s highly integrated MSM solutions also gives users extended battery life while running a wide variety of business and entertainment applications, such as Microsoft Office Mobile and Windows Media® Player Mobile, along with third-party offerings.

Microsoft and QUALCOMM are fully integrating and testing support for the Windows Mobile operating system on Convergence Platform 7XXX-series MSM chipsets from QUALCOMM, which feature a dual-core architecture with an integrated ARM11 applications processor and ARM9 modem processor for superior performance. The testing and integration speeds time to market by enabling handset manufacturers to more easily develop Windows Mobile-powered devices featuring the Convergence Platform MSM chipsets by removing some custom development work that would otherwise be required. Additionally, device makers can take advantage of the CDMA2000 1xEV-DO and UMTS modem features, as well as the hardware-accelerated multimedia capabilities, multi-megapixel camera support, 3D graphics and Assisted-GPS engines from the Launchpad suite of technologies integrated with Convergence Platform MSM chipsets.

More information here.

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May 05 A Look at What is New With Free Voice Over IP Providers
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:Tips, Software, Pocket PC, Linux,

What you should know before signing up with a voice over IP provider. The information provided in this article is geared toward people who operate a Linux operating system and are interested in converting their Pocket PC into a free Voice Over IP Phone. At the end of this article you will see a comparison chart, which will show the following:

* What operating system/platform do you need? Will you be running a Linux, Macintosh, Pocket PC or Windows Microsoft operating system?
* What is the pricing structure?
* Will you be able to make calls from your computer to a real landline phone?
* The ability to use videoconferencing or not
* Where can you buy it?
* How is the sound quality?

I trolled the Internet for something new, interesting, unusual and perhaps something you’ve never heard about in the Voice Over IP or digital telephone markets. Before going further, I would like to define the following important industry terms:

* What is Voice Over IP?
* What does the term server-side mean?
* What does the term client-side mean?

In a recent article, Peter Wolchak of Backbone Business Technology Lifestyle, interviewed Mario Belanger, president of Avaya Canada to get his perspective on the Voice Over IP market. Mario Belanger said, "Over the next five years, we expect the Canadian telecom market will shift offering fully converged IP telephoning solutions. Globally, there are approximately 400 million business lines and only about 18 million to 20 million are IP based business phone lines, which works out to 5% of the market. We're seeing a dramatic growth in IP telephony we think it will continue over the next five years. Our goal over the next five years is for Avaya's communications solutions to become designed into the offerings from the Canadian service providers. For example, customers will be able to call their service providers in Avaya solutions designed to fit their needs. This is likely not going to happen within five years, but is a longer-term goal." Mario Belanger also shared that the new features such as: meet me conferencing and unified messaging will put Voice Over IP in a competitive advantage over traditional long-distance services.

What is voice over IP?

Simply put, Voice Over IP is the ability to make a telephone call from your computer. The call on the Internet that you make from your computer, Pocket PC, tablet PC or laptop is turned into a voice signal, which is patched into your callers’ regional telephone network. Voice Over IP, digital telephony or Internet telephony is a technology that brings both Internet and the phone together. Internet telephony is an exchange of voice data over a network. Your local telephone company has a dedicated network to transmit voice data. However, with Internet telephony, the voice data streams over a general network, which in this case is the Internet.

Here is what you need to make calls on your computer or Pocket PC:

Plug your landline phone into a broadband Internet router
* Plug the broadband router to your electrical outlet for power
* Connect a cable from your Internet ADSL or cable modem to the broadband router/Voice Over IP phone adapter unit
* Connect a cable from the voice over IP broadband router / phone adapter to a router or hub switch
* Connect your desktop computer, Pocket PC or laptop to a router / hub switch

If you do not understand this information, please click on this link:http://www.broadvoice.com/support_install_SPA2100-bv.html where you'll be directed to a diagram, that visually explains what you need to do to make calls on your computer or Pocket PC.

As a business user, it's important to take into account that there are problems in using this inexpensive technology to make long-distance calls from your computer. Please keep these in mind:

* When making an outgoing long-distance call, you may or may not connect. Voice Over IP is still in its infancy in development.
* If you're using a 56K modem as your Internet connection speed, your voice will have a delay in the connection. You can remedy that by subscribing to a broadband cable Internet service provider.
* Before calling your local telephone company to disconnect your landline, the Voice Over IP technology has a lot of catching up to do.
* What if you need to make an emergency call and call 911? You're not guaranteed 100% that you Voice Over IP call will go through. In my previous article Voice Over IP Comparison, which you'll find by clicking on this link: http://www.symbianone.com/content/view/2123/31/ I discussed how there are full-service Voice Over IP providers, that will allow you to make 911 calls. Both Vonage and Net2phone have this service.
* Another problem with digital telephony is that there is not an E.164 standard like the ones set up to assign cell phone or landline phone numbers.

Eavesdropping On An Internet Telephone Call

Since Voice Over IP is still a developing technology, it's really easy for even a high school student to hack into your system to spy on your Internet telephony conversation. Encryption is not available on Voice Over IP. I wouldn't advise you to throw your Mickey Mouse telephone away just yet!

What Does the Term Server-Side Mean?

The server-side in the Voice Over IP equation would be the Internet telephony service provider. You need to sign up with a Voice Over IP provider if you want to make Internet telephone calls. There are full-service telecommunication firms such as : SIP phone, SIP Broker, Vonage, lingo, AOL, Total Talk, Verizon Comcast, Shaw cable, and Baby Tel, which are Voice Over IP service providers. These providers offer web-based Voice Over IP service for a monthly subscription fee. Some digital telephony providers are free such as: Skype and X-lite Counterpart Solutions Inc. Watch how Skype lets you make Voice Over IP calls to a conventional landline. In this case, you'll only be able to make PC to PC calls. Forget about ordering pizza or Chinese food on a Friday night if you are Skype user.

Pocket PC Voice Over IP - A Surprising Feature

Pocket PC owners, you'll be glad to know there is a company called Counter Path Solutions Inc. who will sell you a single user license for your Pocket PC for only $29.95 USD. It's called a Pocket PC 2.2 Sip SOFT Phone. Best of all, you can make videoconferencing calls if you upgrade to the next level. When you save money by using your Pocket PC to make free long distance calls, it’s like crispy, salty beer nuts - it's addictive! Once you start, you can't stop. To find out how you can use your Pocket PC as an Internet phone, please click on this link: http://www.xten.com/index.php?menu=Products&smenu=PPC. Best of all, you don't even need a headset to make or receive calls using the Pocket PC 2.2 Sip SOFT Phone application.

What Does the Term Client-Side Mean?

There are generally three types of standards or protocols in a typical Voice Over IP solution.

• 1) H.323
• 2) SIP or Session Initiation Protocol
• 3) There are also third-party proprietary protocols used by: Skype, SCCP, CISCO.

What's the difference between the session initiation protocol and the rest of the different standards? SIP stores the VoIP customer's IP address in their own package. This can be a problem when your Linux, Macintosh or Microsoft Windows operating system is behind a firewall.

Both Gnome Meeting and Microsoft NetMeeting use the H.323 protocol. Apple's iChat, SIP phone and Microsoft Messanger use the Session Initiation Protocol(SIP).

Hardware for you - The Client

If you want to have the highest possible sound quality, consider these two options:

1) Purchase a TALKPro USB 100 parrot translator from VXI Corporation for only $129.00 USD. You can call them toll free at (800)742-8588. Their Corporate website is: vxicorp.com. Hours of operation are from 8AM to 5 p.m. Eastern Standard Time. Some of the features I really enjoy on this Macintosh certified headset include: volume dial control, the mute on and off button, the quick disconnect switch, Echo reduction, noise canceling technology ensuring higher speech recognition accuracy. Once you start using the VXI talk Pro headset, you'll never consider any other brand name. If you are also a Macintosh user, you'll be glad to know that these headsets are compatible with Macintosh laptops and computers. If you would like to read a recent press release on the talk Pro USB 100, please click on this link:http://www.vxicorp.com/about/Press/2006/2006-04-04.asp. In addition to the noise canceling technology, you'll also appreciate the very high call quality coming through on your TALKPro USB 100 parrot headset. This product comes with a two-year unconditional warranty.

2) In addition to considering your network architecture, look at how much available bandwidth you can access. I tested a Voice Over IP call using a slow dial-up 506K modem. The call was not even, there were dead gaps where I couldn't hear anything from the other caller. The static and connection was really poor and inconsistent. I tested another call using my Talk Pro USB 100 headset from VXI. This time using a high-speed broadband cable connection provided by Shaw cable, the call had clarity, there were no echo sounds, and I could hear the person very clearly through out the duration of the call. I was really impressed. I run a Linux operating system and installed Gnome Meeting on my computer and have found this to the best option.

If you want a use your Pocket PC as a Voice Over IP phone, your best bet is a Pocket PC 2.2 SIP phone from www.xten.net. Here is a comparison chart of four applications, which I tested. Comparison Chart.

	Gnome Meeting	Kphone	Skype	X-Lite
Licence	Open Source / GPL	Open Source / GPL	Proprietary free ware	Proprietary free ware
Operating System	Linux	Linux	Linux, MS windows, Mac	Pocket PC, Linux, MS windows, Mac
Make Calls from your computer to a real phone	Yes	No	No	No. But Pro-version. Possible
3 way calling	Yes	no	no	No. only in Pro-version
Sound quality	Very good, consistent	Good enough for me since I use Broadband connection	Good, sometimes choppy & flaky	The sound was good in both directions, sometimes on a subsequent call, there was static in the speech
Requires Headphones to work	yes	Yes	Yes	No
Protocol	H.323, SIP	SIP	Has their own proprietary Protocol	SIP
Where to buy it?	Gnome Meeting	Kphone Website	Skype Website	Buy it from the Xten Website

You are not bound by a fixed location. Like the old adage, have phone will travel; only now it's the broadband router and phone adapter that travels with you. Simply pack the adapter in your suitcase and at your new destination just plug it into a broadband connection. Say hi to your friends and neighbors back home just by using one of the Voice Over IP providers recommended above. Source: The Linux Journal issue 145.

Source: Rene Tse.

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May 05 Famous Einstein task for Pocket PC. Can you solve it?
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:Games, Pocket PC,

Einstein 1.2 for Pocket PC devices is game that will test your logic skill with this challenging logic game based on famous Einstein task. The goal of the game is to solve the grid with cards (like Sudoku).

Einstein 1.2 Features 3 difficulties, Auto save and Help on rules for solving puzzles. Despite of these features i can say developers from Mobirate have told the truth with the phrase "Only 2% of people can solve this", it's quite tough.

You can download Einstein 1.2 from here or VGA version from here.

Palm users can download Einstein 1.2 here.

Note:
This game also available as part of logic games pack - BrainGym. It includes: Sudoku Pro, Pentamino, 3D Color Cube, Einstein.

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May 05 TabletKiosk eo V7110 released for the United States
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:UMPC, Devices, Mobile News,

The TabletKiosk V7110 UMPC has been announced for sale in the US. TabletKiosk said it will be priced $900 bucks, and TabletKiosk eo V7110 is not only the first UMPC to arrive in the States, but it happens to be the cheapest UMPC announced so far.

The $900 is not really petty change but when compared to other this UMPC wins hands down in the pricing department. It has started shipping from today to all major American digital retail stores. http://tabletkiosk.com/

Powered by the 1.0GHz VIA C7-M ULV processor, a new Ultra Low Voltage processor that provides longer battery life than traditional Low Voltage processors, eo was designed for ultimate productivity and convenience. It also features USB 2.0, wireless networking, Bluetooth connectivity, enhanced touch screen capabilities and voice recognition.

Here are some unpacking pics presented by engadget's reader Tomi B.

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May 05 Mini BlackBerry 7130 approved by FCC yesterday
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:Devices, BlackBerry,

The FCC yesterday approved two new GSM BlackBerrys. The existing 7130e will soon be joined by GSM/EDGE models: the 7130c for Cingular and a 7130g, likely to come to T-Mobile if naming conventions remain the same.

Each of the GSM devices should have quad-band EDGE as per the filing, as well as Bluetooth 2.0, 64MB flash and 16MB RAM, and the usual mini USB port. The 7130c/g has a new more-rectangular form factor featuring the hybrid SureType keyboard and quad-band GSM/GPRS.

We will let you know more as these BlackBerry devices get prices and launch dates.

More info you can find here.

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May 05 Opera Mini 2.0 released for mobile devices
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:Software, Pocket PC, Symbian, Palm, Smartphone,

Opera Software have released Opera Mini 2.0, a spanking new version of their tiny Web browser that runs on almost all mobile phones or handheld devices. It is build on the success of the first version and accelerates mobile surfing by using compression and reformatting techniques.

New features in version 2.0 of Opera Mini is a speed dial widget, which lets surfers call up bookmarks by assigning shortcut key combinations. There's also a selection of new skins available to customise the look of the browser, and a natty new multisearch feature, letting users select extra search engines for the home page.

Opera Mini 2.0 Key Feature is support for mobile commerce via SMS. It means that you can directly buy ringtones, games and other content for delivery as an SMS. This system lets the seller set the price with charges appearing in the phone bill as an SMS.

The new browser is compatible with a host of phones, smartphones and PDAs (including Sony Ericsson, Pocket PC and Palm handets) and can be downloaded for free by typing in http://mini.opera.com into your WAP-tastic browser or by delivery via SMS download for a small fee.

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May 05 UPX 2.0 helps you free space in your Pocket PC
Published by Vesselin Nerdeff in:Software, Pocket PC, Tips,

UPX aka Ultimate Packer for eXecutables is a free, portable, extendable, high-performance executable packer for several different executable formats. It achieves an excellent compression ratio and offers very fast decompression. Your executables suffer no memory overhead or other drawbacks because of in-place decompression.

UPX can compress your PPC .exe and .dll and give you extra space to for everything you want. This pocket pc application is able to free up to 20% of space.

UPX 2.0 Features:

* new format: added support for arm/pe (ARM executables running on WinCE)
* new format: added support for linux elf/amd64
* new format: added support for linux elf/ppc32
* new format: added support for mach/ppc32 (Apple Mac OS X)
* new format: added support for bootable Linux kernels ("vmlinuz/386")
* new format: added support for Playstation exes ("ps1/exe")
* slightly better compression using the new NRV2E algorithm
* new options for compression tuning (e.g. '--brute')
* improved win32/pe compatibility
* direct ELF-to-memory decompression
* various bug fixes

You can download Ultimate Packer for eXecutables from here.

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May 03 T-Mobile Sidekick 3 First Official Shot
Published by Baksanir in:Smartphone, Devices,

This is the first official marketing shot of the upcoming Sidekick 3 from T-Mobile after FCC has approved it. Two months ago we have surprised you with leaked images (Sidekick III from T-Mobile new images leaked), but this one shot here is the highest resolution picture yet on the Internet and we are hoping that availability of the image shows that the Sidekick 3 marketing campaign is ready to roll and this great device is truly close to launching.

The picture shows the little details of the four navigation buttons on all corners of the Sidekick 3, it also shows the USB port and gives a better look at the finish and the keyboard. Rumors mention that T-Mobile is planning to announce the release date soon and it will probably be June 26th.

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May 03 Travel Mobile Pocket PC Companion
Published by Baksanir in:Software, Pocket PC,

Travel Mobile 1.0 is developed by Eieseco gives you the ability to operate with a multifunctional clock, Alarm Clock, Multi-zone clocks, Time Calc and Converter straight on your Pocket PC. Alarm Clock will always remind you about an important appointment. Time Calculator will be a reliable companion in a travel informing you of the local time. It can show you what time is it in 600 cities of the world!

Travel Mobile 1.0 Features:

* User-friendly interface
* Home screen
* Clocks - Compare 4 world clocks to your home time, 600+ preinstalled cities
* Automatic Time Calculator - When it is 8:00 am in New York, what is the time in Berlin?
* Seven alarms with advanced options:
* Timing advanced settings
* The alarms can be set to a specific day, or range of day
* Currencies Converter - View 3 currencies at once
* Convert Lengths, Measurements, Weights and more

Travel Mobile 1.0 supports all Pocket PC 2002 or later and you can download it from here.

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