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Microsoft apparently is working on an app store

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Have 10 years in marketing, product management or development? Five-plus years in the mobile industry?

Experience working with mobile operators and marketplaces? Helped the initial launch of products in the mobile industry?

Why, that sounds like a few people we know around here!

Those are a few of the requirements of a job listing on seattle.computerjobs.com and spied by CNET as a possible indicator that Microsoft has its own applications store in the works.

The job title is listed as "Senior Project Manager - Skymarket," with the following description:

This is a unique opportunity and time of rapid change in the mobile industry for a Senior Product Manager in the Mobile Communications Services team to drive the launch of a v1 marketplace service for Windows Mobile.

Along with the responsibilities you might expect in this sort of job comes this particular nugget:

Preparation and driving the cross group collaboration with stakeholders in the commercial launch of the marketplace service with the launch of WM 7.

Interesting. Might that mean that Windows Mobile 7 will be held up for the creation of an app store? That might just be worth the wait.

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Weekly Software Wrangle - Week 16

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Welcome to the Weekly Software Wrangle #16. There's a corral chock full of new, updated and free apps to overview, so pull on your cowboy boots and let's rodeo!

This week, WM Standard new software is Golden Tee Golf and Pinball Evolution. Updated software includes SmartMileage and Uno Free Fall. The free app this week is AIM.

WM Professional new software are WordPlay and Documents to Go Premium. Updated software includes Calligrapher 8.7 and Photo Contacts Pro 5. Freeware is PocketCAS.

Get those lassos out and lets rope in some apps for this week's Wrangle!

WM Standard: New

First up this week for a WM Standard app is Golden Tee Golf (Smartphone) v1.0.8 from InFusio Inc. I spent an awful lot of quarters playing the arcade version with my co-workers years ago.

Golden Tee

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Sony says Xperia X1 still on for Q4

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Sony Ericsson's doing a little damage control after reports over the past several days said the much-hyped Windows Mobile Pro device would be delayed until possibly January.

A Reuters report has an SE spokeswoman saying that they're still "on target."

"There is absolutely no delay. The product is on track," Sony Ericsson spokeswoman Merran Wrigley said. "We have said it will roll out in Q4 and we are on target to do that."

So, we continue to wait. And wait. And wait some more. To pass the time, enjoy Dieter's hands-on with the Xperia X1 from CTIA back in April.

Via Engadget Mobile & WM Power User

Update: Can't get enough Xperia? A new promo video from Sony, after the break.

[via]

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Playing catch-up: An update to Viigo's WinMo app

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Viigo, long one of our favorite RSS readers, recently updated its free Windows Mobile beta of Project Tango to version 3.0.18.

In the listed improvements are a U.S. Elections channel, options for the stocks services, and a channel for the Olympics, which, of course, are now over.

Also now available are live NFL scores, just in time for the beginning of the season Thursday.

Remember that this is a beta application, and there are bound to be some bugs. And while its multimedia capabilities are still behind that of Kinoma Play, it does pick up in the RSS reader category. And, best of all, it's free.

Check it out now at http://www.viigo.com/wmbeta.

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DIY Windows Mobile Drone

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

We normally refrain from using salty language here at WMExperts, but sometimes, well, sometimes something is just too bad ass and such a great example of the power of the platform that we can't help ourselves. Witness: The Windows Mobile-based remote-controlled airplane drone [via]. Sincerely, we're tearing up a little from the sheer awesome:

  • It's auto-piloted along a preset GPS path by the iPaq 6515 you see strapped to the bottom
  • It automatically takes pictures are pre-set GPS waypoints, instantly sent along by MMS.
  • It accepts course changes, camera commands, and more by SMS

You can download the code yourself to create your own drone. Chris Anderson, the heroric DIY Drone poster who created the software last year (seriously, how did we miss this?), notes that the software is still technically Beta. Our advice: toss some Qik realtime video streaming up in this rig.

Ladies and Gentlemen: this is why having an open platform that's easy to develop for is important.

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Get your tweets on with ceTwit

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

We've previously discussed Tiny Twitter, a stand-alone Twitter client for WIndows Mobile pro and standard, and Twit Today, a today screen plug-in for touchscreen devices.

Now we bring you Kosertech's ceTwit. Version 2.0 of the popular microblogging app recently was released, and here's what you get:

  • Timeline display (merged and filtered)
  • Account storage
  • Status Updates
  • Direct Messages
  • Click to reply
  • Automated Refresh
  • Smartphone support
  • Avatars in timeline
  • Local caching of avatars
  • Squeezer support
  • Relative Timestamps
  • Follow/Unfollow
  • Twitpic support
  • ping.fm support
  • timeline updates while device is sleeping
  • audible/vibrate alerts
  • retweet
  • favorite
  • delete

Also offered from Kosertech is ceSnipURL, which makes long Web site addresses Twit-friendly right from your phone - a very handy feature.

To download the cab files directly to your phone: ceSnipURL, ceTwit 2.0 for touchscreen devices, and ceTwit 2.0 for non-touchscreen devices. 

You can follow ceTwit's developer here, and be sure to follow our feed, www.twitter.com/wmexperts.

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Documents to Go now on touchscreen devices

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Documents to Go, the popular alternative to Microsoft Office Mobile, is now available on Windows Mobile Professional Devices.

With the app you get:

  • Create, view and edit native Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint files, including in the Office 2007 format.
  • View native Adobe PDF files.
  • Decompress zipped files.
  • "Zip and send" files.
  • Create, view and edit Excel charts.
  • Access password-protected Word and Excel files (in 97-2004 formats).
  • And a slew of other goodies.

You can get Documents to Go Version 3.0031 in the WM Experts software store for $29.99.

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Photoshop.com Mobile Beta coming next month

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

When you think photo editing, usually one name comes to mind. And finally, Photoshop is getting into the mobile game.

In September, Adobe plans to release Photoshop.com Mobile beta, which will work in conjunction with your free Photoshop.com account. From your Windows Mobile device, you'll be able to upload, store, access and share up to 5 gigabytes of photos - $49.99 upgrades you to Photoshop.com Plus and gets you 20 gigs of space. And once your photos are online, you'll be able to edit them in the cloud with Photoshop Express.

The beta will be Windows Mobile specific, at least at first, with the Motorola Q9m and Q9h; Samsung Blackjack I and II, and Palm's Treo 750 and 700w/wx supported.

The iPhone, BlackBerry Pearl, Motorola Razr, Nokia 5310 and 6301 will be able to upload from the ShoZu service later next month.

Via BGR

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Silverlight's Olympic-size struggles (thanks, NBC)

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Poor little Silverlight. It's gotta be tough enough trying to put a chink in Adobe's Flash armor, and the Summer Olympics seemed like it'd be the place for Microsoft's latest to shine. The technology worked fine, bringing streaming video and loads of Olympic goodness to the masses.

However, not everything's coming up roses. TechCrunch has a good article explaining that despite the spin cast forth by NBC, it's online plan fell short.

NBCOlympics.com flourished with 72 million videos streamed and 1.2 billion page views, but Yahoo Sports still had 400,000 more visitors a day, at 4.7 million, TechCrunch says. Some of that should be attributable to Yahoo being an established portal, but that's still a pretty big hit for NBC - and Microsoft's Silverlight - to take one such a high-profile event. Why the discrepancy?

NBC decided to limit what people could see online, especially live streams, in favor of its TV coverage because it feared cannibalizing its TV audience. Those fears proved to be unfounded because given the choice, most people would rather watch the Olympics on TV than online. But NBC missed a big opportunity here to expand its audience by streaming events it gave short shrift on TV (i.e., anything that wasn’t women’s beach volleyball or sports where the U.S. didn’t have a good chance of earning a medal).

Silverlight is far from dead in the water. And we still have high hopes for it in the mobile sector, hopefully with the release of Windows Mobile 7. But we're starting to get antsy for more than online demos and aging YouTube videos - especially with iPhone 2.0 unleashed (for better or for worse), and Android ramping up (despite rumors to the contrary).

Read: No Matter How NBC Spins It, Olympics Web Strategy Comes Up A Loser

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Weekly Software Wrangle - Week 15

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

The Weekly Software Wrangle #15 is here and ready to ride!

This week, WM Standard new software is Map My Tracks and Pregnancy e-Wheel for the Motorola Q. Updated software includes SplashPhoto and SmartBlock. The free app this week is ClearTemp.

WM Professional new software are eQuickRecipes Deluxe and MASPware GeoFence. Updated software includes MobiForms for PPC and All-In Hold 'Em Poker. Freeware is Throttlelock.

Saddle up and ride, cowpokes! Time for this week's Wrangle!

WM Standard: New

First up this week for a WM Standard app is Map My Tracks v1.3.1 from Tinderhouse. Have you ever wondered, "Where the heck am I?"

Map My Tracks turns your mobile phone into your personal real-time GPS tracking device. Using a mobile phone with built-in GPS or an external GPS receiver you can map and track your location in real-time. Map My Tracks let your friends, competitors or parents know where you are right now.

Minimum Requirements: - Web-enabled phone with a data plan, Bluetooth & Java - GPS-enabled phone or external GPS receiver with Bluetooth - Map My Tracks Mobile installed on phone

Get Map My Tracks for FREE here.

The next new WM Standard app is Pregnancy e-Wheel for the Motorola Q v4.2 by Nialls Software. Granted, this software is rather gender-specific and even device-specific, but very useful for the right people.

Pregnancy e-Wheel is an ideal substitute for a manual pregnancy wheel, and a preliminary estimating tool for fetal development measurements. It estimates fetal weight based on differnet parameters such as the fundal height, and provides approximate percentile values for weight and length based on the Gestational Age. It provides the means to Estimate the Gestational Age (EGA) based on three diferent parameters: The Last Menstrual Period, the Estimated Delivery Date (EDD), and a given EGA at a specified UltraSound date.

Get Pregnancy e-Wheel for the Motorola Q for $9.95 here.

WM Standard: Updated


SplashPhoto for Smartphone v5.0 by SplashData, is our first updated software for WM Standard this week.

SplashPhoto turns your MS Smartphone into a mobile digital picture frame. Simply edit and organize your favorite images with the included desktop software then sync with your handheld to view images on the go.

Features: - NEW Camera Support - NEW Tree View to see all your photos in a familiar file system format - NEW Share images with others on Picasa, Flickr and Facebook - NEW Support for JPG, TIFF, GIF, and BMP - Simple, fast, high quality image viewer - and much more!

Get SplashPhoto for Smartphone for $29.95 here.

SmartBlock for Smartphone v2.3 by Efficasoft Co., Ltd., is the next updated app this week. Is there a stalker in your life? This app may be for you.

The smart way to block unwanted calls and SMS messages! Fully supports Windows Mobile Smartphone (2003, 2003SE, WM5, WM6), QVGA (240x320) and landscape screen.

Features: - Block/allow unwanted calls and SMS messages silently. - Convenient meeting mode with auto-SMS-answer-machine. - Powerful black/white list filters, SMS content filter as well as time setting support. - Protect black/white list, history etc. by password. - Widecard number support. For example, to block all calls from London: 020* - Import contacts from phone and SIM card. - Detailed history for all blocked calls and messages.

Get SmartBlock for Smartphone for only $10.95 here.

WM Standard: Freeware



The free app for WM Standard this week is ClearTemp v0.1 at www.smartphone-freeware.com.

Tired of folders on your device that are full of unwanted junk? Fall me be fast approaching, but every time of year is good for some Spring cleaning! ClearTemp is an application for you to free up memory on your device. If you have custom folders which you wish to clear, you can also add them in.

You can get ClearTemp for Free right here.







WM Professional: New

The first new WM Professional application for this week is eQuickRecipes Deluxe v4.0 by Lakshmi Solutions, LLC. Just thinking about this app makes me hungry. If you are tired of eating out and want the convenience of having recipes only a stylus tap away, then check this out.

Use eQuickRecipes to store your favorite and most often used cooking recipes.

Features: - The application already contains an initial set of 35 very good recipes to get you started. Add and edit recipes as you wish. - The Deluxe version includes a PC companion to facilitate data entry on the PC. User can export recipes to a word file for printing or to excel as a CSV file. - The application contains Help features describing each screen.

You can get eQuickRecipes Deluxe for $9.99 here.


Next up is MASPware GeoFence v1.0, by MASPWare.

If you're like me (and hopefully you aren't), you have very little sense of direction. When out in the wild, it would be nice to have boundaries so I know that I'm staying in a general area and not wandering off into oblivion.

MASPware GeoFence is a GPS-based surveillance tool for Windows Mobile devices. This program loads a virtual fence (GPX/KML) and starts alerts, if the current position is out of bounds. This program can use any kind of GPX (GPS Exchange Format) data files and can also use Google KML files. You can easily record tracks with MASPware GPSmeter to use it as a virtual fence. Furthermore, it supports the free quoox|TRACKER tracking system, to track the position over the internet.

You can get MASPWare GeoFence for $9.95 here.


WM Professional: Updated

The first updated WM Professional app this week is MobiForms For PPC / WinMobile v4.05 by MobiForms.

MobiForms is a rapid application development (RAD) tool for creating mobile applications for just about any wireless platform including Tablet PC, Pocket PC, Windows CE, Windows Mobile, Smartphone, Symbian or Palm. MobiForms offers all the tools in one "box" for the creation and deployment of any type of mobile application - from surveys to field service, from signature capture to bar coding. Inexpensive solutions can be built and deployed in minutes instead of days with the intuitive MobiForms graphical drag and drop interface. MobiForms uses Java, but the Java layer is totally hidden from the developer leaving you to concentrate on high-level business logic and the application look and feel.

This app is packed full of features and has numerous improvements, so it's best to click the link below for a full description.

Pick up MobiForms For PPC / WinMobile for $178.00 here.


Next up is All-In Hold 'Em Poker - Tournament Play v2.80 by Birdsoft.

Are you looking for a great game of Texas Hold 'Em for your Windows Mobile Pro/Pocket PC device? Well you've found the best!

All-In gives the most bang for the buck with great features including Career Mode with Multi-Table Tournaments, a great gameplay and graphics engine, and the choice of No-Limit, Pot Limit, or Limit gaming all in one program.

It also has top-notch AI opponents. Computer players play with three styles of play(Tight, Normal, or Loose) and can even show tells and will TILT.

If you're a new player this is a great place to learn, with hand hints and tips, a complete help system, and the great AI to judge your progress against.

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Tweak, tweak, and tweak some more

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Easily the biggest advantage of owning a Windows Mobile device is the ability to, well, tweak the hell out of it. While you can do so with a registry editor, that can be tedious, time-consuming and sometimes a little fraught with danger.

But if you own a WinMo Professional (touchscreen) device, there's a very simple alternative. Enter Advanced Configuration Tool, a free app recently updated to Version 3.0 that now offers more than 200 settings for your OS and its applications.

If you're already a fan, here are some of the Version 3.0 changes:

  • Better device compatibility.
  • Import/export settings using provisioning XML.
  • Customize HTC's TouchFLO 3D, and map soft keys.
  • Full VGA support.
  • Custom values in the configuration files.
  • Restore previous settings.

And so on and so forth ...

This really is a simple way to squeeze out every last drop of power from your phone. It breathed life back into my old Treo 750, and you don't need any programming or super-secret registry skills to make it work for you.

You can download it in cab form or as a desktop installation. To learn more about the app, visit the page at XDA, or the Advanced Configuration Tool Wiki.

Reminder: This is for WinMo Professional (read touchscreen or Pocket PC) ONLY.

And as much as we love this program, please use it wisely, and be sure to back up your device before doing any major surgery. Happy hacking!

Via MoDaCo

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Weekly Software Wrangle - Week 13

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Howdy, partners. Welcome back for the Weekly Software Wrangle, lucky #13! This week the featured new software for WM Standard is Mobiola Remote Phone Control and Insaniquarium Deluxe for Smartphone. Updated software includes Pocket Tunes Deluxe for Windows Mobile and Mobiola Screen Capture. Free software is EdgeWay SmartPhone Utils.

WM Professional new software is Hinavigator - Touch To Go and VirtuaMouse One-Hand. Updated software includes EasyHelper SMS Security and Sniffi. Freeware is Phonetracker4Free v2.0.33.

It's time to dig in your spurs for Weekly Software Wrangle 13!

WM Standard: New

The first new WM Standard app is Mobiola Remote Phone Control v1.0.8 by SHAPE Services.

Get control of your smartphone from your PC. This app shows your phone screen on your PC so you can zoom in/out, take a snapshot, video recording, works via WiFi (NEW!), Bluetooth or USB, and demo your phone through Skype Video and record YouTube video presentations directly to YouTube using webcam driver functionality.

Note: Trial version limits single connections to 5 minutes and has 7 days evaluation period.

Features: * Shows your phone screen on your PC * zoom in/out * full screen regime * snapshot * video recording * Works via WiFi(NEW!), Bluetooth or USB * Demo your phone through Skype Video and record YouTube video presentations directly to YouTube using webcam driver functionality

Get Mobiola Remote Phone Control v1.0.8 for $34.95 here.

The next new WM Standard app is Insaniquarium Deluxe for Smartphone v1.00 by Astraware.

Insaniquarium Deluxe

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Android may be giving WinMo 7 even more time (Updated)

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

Rut ro, Raggy. Looks like things in the Android camp are slowing down even further.

Barron's [via Giz] has it from a Global Equities Research analyst that there aren't enough developers working on Google's open-source mobile OS, and that an already rumored delay of the first Android handset may be pushed back till sometime in the first quarter of next year.

It seems there are too many people who want to work on established operating systems, including Windows Mobile.

Android, “is not able to attract enough developers because toolkits offered by Microsoft (MSFT), Apple (AAPL), Research in Motion (RIMM), and Nokia’s (NOK) Symbian software group, have sucked up software developers’ attention.

The Barron's blog also mentions that HTC is dragging its feet some on the hardware side, "demanding a guaranteed minimum revenue surety from Google."

A company not having unlimited resources to throw at a project? That must sound downright alien to Google.

Update: electronista reports that HTC denies the delay and says they're still on track for a Fall 2008 release.

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Microsoft spent a half-billion on Danger

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

How much is the Sidekick worth to you? If you're Microsoft, try $500 million, which is what it spent on Danger, the parent company of the uber-popular Teen texter (ask your kids).

The questions still remain of what Steve Ballmer & Co. plan to do with it (probably some sort of consumer device), and what kind of timetable they're looking at. (Hint: Not anytime soon.)

Stay tuned, folks.

Via Engadget Mobile

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Can customs seize your Windows Mobile device?

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

A bit of hoopla was raised last week over border search policies disclosed by the U.S. Department of Homeland Security. In almost every news story, the word "laptop" was used in the headline. And this is true. Your laptop can be seized and its information inspected for an unspecified amount of time, no suspicion necessary.

If you're visiting WM Experts, you're probably a fine, upstanding member of society, and a model patriot and benefit to the American way of life, blah blah blah.

But the next logical question is, "Can they take my Windows Mobile device?" Check in after the jump for the answer, and for some tips that could save you some time and embarrassment. (Though if you're looking for a way to completely sneak one past the government and cause some shenanigans, you're at the wrong place.)

Welcome back. So can The Man snag your phone and look at your data?

The answer is: Absolutely. Along with just about anything (electronic or otherwise) you have on your person.

From the Policy Regarding Border Search of Information (pdf link), dated July 16, 2008 (bold section emphasized by us):

CBP [Customs and Border Protection] is responsible for ensuring compliance with customs, immigration, and other Federal laws at the border. To that end, officers may examine documents, books, pamphlets, and other printed material, as well as computers, disks, hard drives, and other electronic or digital storage devices.  These examinations are part of CBP's long-standing practice and are essential to uncovering vital law enforcement information. For example, examinations of documents and electronic devices are a crucial tool for detecting information concerning terrorism, narcotics smuggling, and other national security matters; alien admissibility; contraband including child pornography, monetary instruments, and information in violation of copyright or trademark laws; and evidence of embargo violations or other import or export control laws.

The policy isn't new, and it applies to anyone entering the United States, citizen or not.

Handling the information

So customs can snag your device, copy your data or inspect it on site, and there's not a whole lot you can do to stop them from doing so. If they find probable cause that you're up to no good, they may "seize and retain the originals and/or copies of relevant documents or devices, as authorized by law."

And your data can be copied and shared with just about any other governmental agency.

Copies of documents or devices, or portions thereof, which are retained in accordance with this section, may be shared by CBP with Federal, state, local, and foreign law enforcement agencies only to the extent consistent with applicable law and policy.

Absent probable cause, they can only keep information regarding immigration matters.

Other provisions

Windows Mobile is primarily still a business device, and businesspeople tend to travel with sensitive information.

There are provisions for "business information," though it doesn't say much more than "We'll do what we can to keep your stuff from falling into the wrong hands." And it adds that "Depending on the nature of the information presented, the Trade Secrets Act, the Privacy Act, and other laws may govern or restrict the handling of the information."

But we don't recommend claiming that the photos you took of the, er, entertainment, on your - cough, cough - "business trip" to Tijuana are proprietary information.

Attorney-client privilege is also addressed. While claiming such can't keep them from being searched, it should bring an extra level of oversight in the handling of your data.

Correspondence, court documents, and other legal documents may be covered by attorney-client privilege.  If an officer suspects that the content of such a document may constitute evidence of a crime or otherwise pertain to a determination within the jurisdiction of CBP, the officer must seek advice from the Associate/Assistant Chief Counsel or the appropriate U.S. Attorney's  office before conducting a search of the document.

What can you do?

The easiest answer is, leave your laptop or WinMo device at home. But that's not much of an answer, is it?

Here are a couple of simple solutions.

1. The cloud: We love the cloud. We talk about the cloud all the time. Store your data in the ether, and you don't have to worry about someone snagging it off your device. (Who has access to it way up the sky is a whole 'nother matter, but that's for another day.)

2. The ninja-stealth move: We'll keep saying it until we're blue in the face. Backup software is your friend, and SPB Backup 2.0 is perfect for this one.

It's as simple as doing a full - and encrypted - backup of your device, and saving that backup to a storage card (which you should already be doing) or, better yet, somewhere in the cloud (though the 20-meg or so file sizes could be a problem there).

Then, before heading back across the border, do a hard reset and wipe your device. When you get back home, restore from the backup, and you're right where you left off. No muss, no fuss.

The caveat

This isn't a foolproof way to keep your data completely out of the hands of, well, anyone but you, nor is it meant to be. If Jack Bauer wants to make sure you're not using your phone to make his next 24 hours a living hell, he's going to do so. (And, yes, we're well aware that it takes more than a simple reformatting to make data irretrievable.) This is just the equivalent of keeping a screener from riffling through your underwear in your suitcase, looking for a shotgun.

That said, there isn't a whole lot of legal precedent for this sort of thing yet, so there likely will be some bumps in the road.

Look, we certainly don't endorse transporting anything illegal over U.S. (or anyone else's) borders. And we're all for catching terrorists before they strike. So please don't view this as a way to circumvent policies and procedures meant to safeguard all of us.

But your data, your privacy and your Fourth Amendment rights are priceless, too.

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Microsoft misses 20-million-license goal

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

The good news: Microsoft sold more than 18 million Windows Mobile licenses in the last fiscal  year, which ended June 30.

The bad news: That's 2 million short of its 20-million-unit target.

Of course, it's all a matter of perspective. Worldwide, only Nokia and its Symbian OS is outselling Windows Mobile. Senior VP Andy Lees noted that Redmond's market share rose nearly 2 percentage points, to nearly 13 percent of the world smartphone market.

And Lees dumps some of the shortfall blame on device manufacturers, saying that some devices went to market later than expected. But he was mum on who the slowpokes were.

"The OEMs give us predictions as to when they'll ship the devices, and I don't want to put them in the dunk tank, if that's a phrase, by implying that they didn't stay on time. That's confidential conversations that we have."

Being as this is the sort of thing investors worry about, Microsoft stock (MSFT) was down just a tick at 11 a.m. EDT, at 26.20 a share.

Seattle Post-Intelligencer

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Opera Mobile 9.5 beta notification bug fixed

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

The folks over at Opera Mobile have updated the beta release of version 9.5 of their mobile browser.

Addressed is a bug that turned off notification sounds. And while Opera acknowledges that there are other bugs it's working on, they're not fixed in this release.

We have updated the beta1 with a fix for the (very annoying) bug that turned off the notification sounds. The notification bugfix was relatively trivial and had a low risk. We are aware of the other bugs and issues, but these aren't addressed in this update.

Also noted on Opera's blog is our how-to on moving the cache file off your device and on to your storage card. (Commence horn tootage!)

Keyboard problems persist: Aside from the "Out of Memory" errors, one of the other biggest gripes with the 9.5 beta has been with soft keyboards. Opera is aware of this and says the problem lies not with its software - or Windows Mobile for that matter - but with customized keyboards.

Opera supports the SIP architecture and the IME architecture, so Opera works fine with the default Microsoft keyboards. Unfortunately, many new devices have shiny keyboards that look nice, but do not comply to Microsoft's SIP [software-based input panel] and/or IME [input method editor] standard. Those keyboards work well on an edit control, but not with other applications that want to use user-input from a keyboard.

Basically, there are standards with which Opera Mobile works just fine, but some of these newfangled software keyboards just aren't playing nicely. Opera says it will work to make its browser more compatible with nonstandard keyboards, but that there are limits, which makes sense. Standards are set for a reason. Let's hope the keyboard programmers fix things on their end.

Get the Opera Mobile 9.5 beta 1 here, and let us know in the comments if your notification problems are fixed.

And if you haven't seen it yet, check out Dieter's hands-on video walk-through of Opera Mobile 9.5.

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IM meets conferencing with Persistent.im

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

From Shape Services, the makers of the popular IM+, comes Persistent.im, basically an always-on private conference that allows you to use your current IM client.

Each conference shows up and behaves as a contact in the IM contacts' list. Conference participants may use accounts in AIM®/iChat, MSN®/Windows Live™ Messenger, Yahoo!®, ICQ®, Jabber®, Google Talk™ and MySpaceIM and keep using their preferred instant messenger client.

You can use multiple IM clients and load your contacts from your favorite IM service, and there are a few bot commands to make conferencing command line-like friendly.

The free service works across desktop and mobile devices - wherever you choose to IM from.

Try Persistent.im

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Pocket Informant updated to 8.1

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

If you were wooed by our five-star review and snagged a copy of Pocket Informant 8, be aware that the popular Personal Information Manager has been upgraded to 8.1.

Highlights of the upgrade include (get the full list here):

  • 2 Key Search for Pocket PC - this is like T9 for search
  • Contacts rewritten so that it now is very fast
  • Improved Events view with groupings and more options
  • Improved Journal view with groupings and better view
  • Improved Touch mode
  • Major improvements to Smartphone all over the place
  • SmartPhone now supports Linking
  • Better one-handed usage
  • Default Number (SmartNum) now editable in the editor
  • A number of Template improvements

The upgrade is free if you already have Pocket Informant 8, or if you purchased Pocket Informant 2007 after Sept. 1, 2007. If you bought it before that date or got a copy as part of a promotion, the upgrade will cost $16.95. Full retail of Pocket Informant 8 is $29.95.

Pocket Informant is available on Windows Mobile Professional (touchscreen) and Standard (no touchscreen) devices. Find it directly at www.pocketinformant.com, and we've got it in the WM Experts Store.

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Sony Xperia X1 comes out of hiding

By chris#WP, Saturday, Jan 3, 2009 at 3:28 am EST

It seems like an eternity since Dieter got some serious hands-on time with the Sony Xperia X1. And in the tech world, it certainly has been, what with the launch of the HTC Diamond and that other "smart" phone taking center stage recently.

But the X1 has been lurking and still appears headed for a fall release. IntoMobile recently mentions a November launch on Australia's 3 network, and inexperia's got a French connection stating mid-October, for about $1,000 sans contract.

As for the U.S., we're still hoping for a September release, with AT&T the likely carrier.

Check in after the jump for Dieter's hands-on specs.

What's under the hood

  • HSDPA/HSUPA (Quad Band, too)
  • WiFi and Bluetooth
  • aGPS
  • 3.2 Megapixel Camera
  • 110 x 53 x 16.7 mm
  • 145 grams
  • 1500 mAH Battery
  • Qualcomm's MSM7200A CPU, 528Mhz (confirmed)
  • 800x480 resolution Touchscreen (flush)
  • MicroSD for expansion
  • MiniUSB for data and charging
  • 3.5mm headset jack for music
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