Category: Software

In these times of Garmin, TomTom, IGo and even more impressively Google holding GPS software with an Iron fist, its nice to see a NaviComputer getting back out there. NaviComputer for months has been supplying free offline GPS software for all Windows Mobile users and now with this update it can better your experience with the software. The update brings more language support to Spanish, French and Italian users. Some bugs were also fixed with this new released that were apparent in the previous version.

Here is the changelog:

• New: Square Screen support
• New: Spanish translation (Thanks to Iñigo)
• New: French translation (Thanks to Paul)
• New: Italian translation (Thanks to Giovanni)
• New: Possibility to toggle gps on/off by tapping the right corner in the topbar.
• Fix: Wrong location when adding POI while 2xZoom is enabled
• Fix: Importing some gpx files / waypoints failed

Features:
– Offline map navigation without internet connection/dataplan
– Easy map download from online mapsources like OpenStreetMap
– Finger friendly and fluid user interface
– Track recording with statistics like time, distance, average speed and elevation profile
– Conform to the common gpx file format (import and export)
– Multilingual userinterface (English, German, Spanish, French, Italian)
Device Requirements:
– Windows Mobile 6 operating system
– WVGA, VGA, QWVGA or QVGA touch display
– .NET Compact Framework 3.5 installed
– GPS receiver (internal gps receiver recommended, but external receivers may work as well)
PC Requirements:
– Windows XP, Windows Vista or Windows 7 OS
– .NET Framework 3.5 installed
– Internet access
– Active Sync (for installation) recommended
Installation:
Connect your device to Active Sync and run the .exe installer
This will install NaviComputer on your device and NaviMapper on your PC.
If you cannot use activesync, you will find the CAB in your program directory after running the setup.

The VGA world is one of the luckiest, not only do they have some great cooks, but but great developers ready to port WVGA software in a heart beat. This time amarullz from XDA has done it again and ported one of the newest versions of Sense UI. This version is not the current T-mobile versions we are all running but just a more stable European version. The port is complete and is ready for cooks to insert in their ROMs, but sadly no CAB was made available just yet. If you have a VGA device and need a ROM that has this build in, we will try and get this on our next WMPoweruser Series ROM.

Cooks: Get the files

Windows Phone 7 series was released merely 5 days ago and already [ElCondor] has a new startup for it. [ElCondor] took the newest design, logo and slogan of WP7S and made it into something that enhances your excitement of restarting your device. The startup is made for all resolutions, so no one is left out, and all you do is install the CAB and your set.

“This looks pixilated but the dithering isn’t visible on your screen! It prevents gradient banding.”

Get your WP7S on

Gra 3D na Toshibie TG02 from pda.pl on Vimeo.

Here is another great video recorded by PDA.pl, showing the Toshiba TG02 running an amazing 3D game demo. Hopefully we will see more of these quality games released over the next few months.

Here’s a cool toy app created by 6Fg8, a member of XDA-Developers.com.

The software for the HTC HD2 uses the built-in compass to detect metal nearby by the deviation of the earth’s magnetic field included by the metal. 

How to use:

Place your device flat on a surface. After starting the app, the gauge should show zero. If it doesn’t, take your device and write a couple of "eights" in the air (this is to get rid of magnetism which might get stuck in the sensors).

Then use a pair of scissor or something the like and move it slowly to the right side of your device. At a distance of approx. 5 cm. the gauge should start to move. Take your device and move it with its right side near metals, and see if the gauge shows values.

Download the app here or use our Microsoft tag (gettag.mobi)

Via Pocketnow.com

Pairing our devices with our other gadgets have always been a bit of a hassle. Microsoft aims to simplify the process by only requiring that you enter your credentials once, by pairing with a master device, and then have all your other gadgets be automatically authorised.

In the example above, pairing manually with your desktop with automatically also authorize you with your laptop and other desktop also.  Extending this, one can see for example the same principle applying to connecting your phone with your Xbox and photo frame also.

In more technical terms, Microsoft claims:

A technique that enables a portable device to be automatically associated with a plurality of computers. Information that a computer can use to authenticate a portable device and establish a trusted relationship prior to creating an association with the portable device is created and stored in a data store that is accessible by a plurality of computers and is associated with a user of the portable device. When a computer discovers such a portable device with which it is not yet associated, the computer can identify a user logged into the computer and use information identifying the user to retrieve authentication information that is device independent and is expected to be presented by the portable device to authenticate it and allow automatic association.

Read the full patent here.

Want to fool your friends into believing your had Microsoft’s latest mobile OS on your phone, or maybe just get a feel of what it may look like?

Download this video created by Montecristoff and play it in your video player, and go out and have fun!

Download at 4share here.

What’s better than having a T-Rex or a Dragon as a pet? Having a T-Rex or a Dragon to ride you around in Free Realms! Dragon and T-Rex Rides are now available to transport players, with more Ride options coming soon. Players on Rides can have all the fun in-game adventures they had before rides, but at quicker travel speeds. Rides are super-fast and let players travel around Free Realms at more than 150% of their normal speed.

Ride vendors can be found in Sanctuary, Seaside, Merry Vale, and Lakeshore. At each vendor there is a stable hand and a trainer to answer questions and help with purchases. To buy a Ride, talk to the stable hand or enter the Station Cash™ Marketplace. You will need to click the “View All Categories” button and click “Rides.” T-Rex rides are currently priced at 450 Station Cash and dragon rides are currently priced at 550 Station Cash. Rides are currently available for Members only.

RIDES FEATURES:
• Choose T-Rex or Dragon Rides in five different tints
• Rides provide faster travel speeds of up to 150%
• Ride vendors available in Sanctuary, Seaside, Merry Vale, & Lakeshore
• One click of the saddle to get on and off the Ride
• Run, jump, swim, and bounce off launch pads and more!
• Ability to own more than one Ride

Microsoft: Just so you know. With us, it’s never off the table.
Motorola: (After Microsoft left) Damn it, it’s never off the table!

The on-again, off again relationship between Microsoft and Motorola took another twist with Motorola’s boss Sanjay Jha making the surprise statement that the company was looking for diversity in its  smartphone portfolio.

"I’m open to it," Mr. Jha said. "I think I need diversity in our portfolio."

The “it” Jha was talking about is releasing new devices using Microsoft’s new Windows Phone 7 series OS.

This is quite a divergence from a statement made by a Motorola spokesperson at Mobile World Congress which reads:

"We value our long-standing relationship with Microsoft across Motorola and look forward to their next generation of Windows Mobile platform software for potential integration on future mobile devices. As we have continued to focus our investment on differentiated end-user experiences, that investment at this point remains largely focused on Android."

Motorola pointedly did not appear on the list of Microsoft partners releasing Windows Phone 7 products.

So, with Motorola and Microsoft on a break, will they eventually live happily ever after? Let us know your opinion below.

Source: BusinessInsider, Phonescoop, Gizmodo, Wallstreet Journal.

Thanks MobilePaddy for the tip.

Gamers worldwide can now log-in and immerse themselves in EverQuest II Sentinel’s Fate, the latest expansion from the massively multiplayer online game by Sony Online Entertainment (SOE). Sentinel’s Fate is the sixth expansion for the groundbreaking EverQuest II franchise. This all-in-one compilation pack will be available at select retail stores on February 16, 2010 for the suggested retail price of $39.99 USD plus applicable tax and via digital download beginning February 23, 2010.

“Sentinel’s Fate is the result of inspiration derived from both the original EverQuest franchise and suggestions made by our dedicated player community,” said Alan Crosby, Producer, Sony Online Entertainment. “By honing in on what’s important to our players, we have been able to refine the overall gameplay experience and ensure that there is something for everyone to enjoy in this expansion, new players and veterans alike.”

EverQuest II Sentinel’s Fate transports players into a universe of legend and lore where exploration is just the beginning. It includes many highly-detailed areas that are fondly remembered from the original EverQuest, as well as brand new areas to discover. Players can now explore the fabled lands of Odus, filled with epic quests, magnificent dungeons and limitless content provide the ultimate MMO experience for new players and seasoned veterans alike. Sentinel’s Fate presents the next chapter of the EverQuest II legacy which has been written by the passion of players and fueled by the hunger for adventure. Retail customers will enjoy up to a 7-day head start of gameplay access before the digital release. Customers who purchase the Collector’s Edition will receive an exclusive Armored Highland Stalker in-game mount with matching pewter figurine.

Finally, current EverQuest II subscribers with characters level 80-90 can now participate in the ultimate PVP with the complimentary addition of Battlegrounds. Battlegrounds allows players to engage in the most exciting and intense PvP battle against their friends or foes, regardless of server, and provide thrilling group-based, competitive matches in three all-new zones.

EverQuest II Sentinels Fate Features:
• Level cap increase to 90 to achieve your character’s greatest potential
• Two expansive new overland zones to discover: The Sundered Frontier and Stonebrunt Highlands
• 12 new dungeons to battle through
• 400 new quests based on the legend of Odus
• Five new Heritage Quests with valuable new loot
• Over 2,000 new weapons, armor, and items to enjoy
• All new alternate advancement abilities to expand your arsenal of powers
• Hundreds of new dangerous and cunning creatures

EverQuest II Sentinel’s Fate Standard Edition Retail Box Includes:
• Sentinel’s Fate™ expansion pack, plus the entire award-winning content from five previously released expansion packs and three adventure packs
• Players can explore up to 90 levels of breathtaking content in more than 300 expansive and dangerous environments both new and nostalgic
• Experience the legend and lore of EQII through more than 8,000 quests with over 5,000 savage creatures
• Forge your character’s destiny by choosing from 19 unique player races and 24 distinct character classes
• Customize your character with unique armor sets, exciting weapon advancements, fascinating mounts and collect thousands of items for your home or guild hall
• Includes Legends of NorrathTM strategic online trading card game

EverQuest II Sentinel’s Fate Collector’s Edition Retail Box Includes:
• Up to a 7-day head start of gameplay access before the digital release
• Exclusive Armored Highland Stalker in-game mount to accompany you through your Norrathian adventure
• Collectible Armored Highland Stalker figurine
• Coveted Guarding of the Reasoned in-game armor* to provide extra protection on your journey
• EverCracked! The Phenomenon of EverQuest DVD Documentary
• $10.00 Sentinel’s Fate digital download discount coupon for Station Store
• 500 Station Cash to spend on virtual items
• Legends of Norrath The Fall of Erudin scenario
• 30-day subscription included for new accounts

EQII Sentinel’s Fate Station Store Digital Download (Available for purchase February 23, 2010)
• Coveted Guarding of the Learned armor* to provide extra protection on your journey
• Legends of Norrath™ The Fall of Erudin scenario
• 500 Station Cash™ to spend on virtual items
• 30-day subscription included for new accounts

EQII Sentinel’s Fate Station Cash™ Purchase (Available for purchase February 23, 2010 through the EQII in-game Marketplace)
• Coveted Guarding of the Learned armor* to provide extra protection on your journey
• Legends of Norrath™ The Fall of Erudin scenario
• 500 Station Cash™ to spend on virtual items
• 30-day subscription included for new accounts

*In-game item: Limit one (1) per character. Non-transferable. No cash value.

SK Telecom i ich rozwi?zanie do sterowania samochodem from pda.pl on Vimeo.

Ever wanted to turn your car into a smartphone accessory?  This application demonstrated by SK Telecom at Mobile World Congress and recorded by PDA.pl, shows a software application installed on the Samsung Omnia 2 which allows the user to interface with the trip computer, start the car, monitor cabin conditions, switch the lights on and off, open and lock the doors and boot and even see who is driving using the dashboard camera, and where they are going using the GPS.

Now of course the usefulness of all this cool technology is pretty questionable, but I cant think of anything better to keep an eye on your newly qualified child.  Of course you probably do not want to give your offspring a luxury car either..

What do our readers think? Let us know below.

I used to be one of those folks checking email, Twitter or my text messages while driving. After viewing some public service type announcements and having one close call to many, I decided to put the phone in my pocket before entering a vehicle. Even if I’m stuck in traffic these days, I still resist the urge to get connected. Some people just can’t hang up the habit however, and I found one company with a software solution when browsing Jason Langridge’s blog today.

ZoomSafer leverages the GPS receiver in your smartphone to determine when you’re moving about in a vehicle. If you’re zipping around the town, the software locks down your device keyboard and display, eliminating distractions. The solution can be set for auto-activation, but there’s also a “passenger mode” setting, allowing for phone use while sitting shotgun. I like the auto-respond feature as well — if set, ZoomSafer will reply to incoming text messages or emails, so folks know that you’re on the road and therefore unavailable. The software also works with a Bluetooth headset to announce callers, removing the need to look at your phone.

There’s definitely a benefit involved for the smartphone addicts out there with a product like this. You can pay either a monthly fee at $2.99 a month or buy a perpetual license for a one-time fee of $25 — both of which are likely far less expensive than an unfortunate accident caused by using the phone while driving. For now, ZoomSafer is only available on certain BlackBerry handsets, although there’s also a free beta version for select Windows Mobile handsets. The company also plans an Android version for release this quarter.

Related research on GigaOM Pro (sub req’d):

Is Speech-Recognition Technology Ready for Prime Time?

At a recent interview with CNET Asia Aaron Woodman, Microsoft Mobile Communications Business Director revealed that no Windows Mobile 6.5 devices will get upgrades to Windows Phone 7 series.

When asked if users of the current Windows Mobile software can upgrade to Windows Phone 7 series, he said:

Woodman: I don’t know if any Windows Mobile 6.5 device today meets those specifications.

He went on to reveal the Qualcomm would be the only provider of processors for phones running Windows Phone 7, leaving any hopes of a Tegra device dashed.

Woodman: We will provide the OS primarily to software developers in March. Every 7 Series device will have a Qualcomm chip. It will be touch-based. There won’t be any non-touch, but that’s not saying there won’t be any keyboard devices, so they will all be touch and capacitive. There is a single aspect ratio. It will have Wi-Fi and GPS and other services which we will talk about soon.

Regarding Windows Mobile 6.5, he revealed that the OS will live on as long as enterprise wants it.

Woodman: We don’t have a specific timeline for Windows Mobile 6.5. It still has a lot of demand and value for both OEMs and customers today. The reality is that demand will determine the lifespan of Windows Mobile 6.5. So as long as OEMs and customers find value there, we’ll continue to support and sell the product.

Windows Mobile 6.5 will also be the only version of the OS that OEM’s are allowed to skin.

Lastly the  head of Mobile Services, Manish Ladha, for Microsoft Asia, revealed a lack of integration plans for Microsoft’s online services going forward.

Ladha: Hotmail, Messenger and Photos are the more popular ones. There’s also Spaces, but it’s not that prominent. SkyDrive is a very popular service on the PC. However, we have a similar service which is called MyPhone.

It seems there’s some duplication of services. Does Microsoft plan to combine them moving forward?
Ladha: I won’t call it duplication of features. It’s just that on the phone, there is no Windows Live SkyDrive for mobile. Instead, it’s MyPhone. So it’s ultimately performing the same actions.

It seems to me Microsoft still has a way to go to develop a coherent strategy for all of their customers, both business and consumer, which would also encompass all their services. Do our readers agree?

Read the full interview with much more detail at CNET Asia here

DLNA by Toshiba on TG02 from pda.pl on Vimeo.

Stealing more content from our polish friends, the above video taken at Mobile World Congress shows a great implementation of DLNA on the Toshiba TG02, making it appear rather effortless to throw music, video and photos onto your big screen or view it on your small one.

DLNA is a consumer feature we often see from companies like Toshiba and Samsung who have consumer electronics heritages, rather than from HTC who have no connection at all to your living room, and may be one of these features which would tempt a buyer into getting a TG02 rather than a HD2.

Are anyone using DLNA on their phones?  Let us know your experience below.

Interview with Alfredo Patron about Windows Phone 7 Series from pda.pl on Vimeo.

Above we have an interview with Alfredo Patron, Microsoft Mobility executive for EMEA, on Windows phone 7 recorded by our friends at PDA.pl.

From the 10 minute interview, we can draw a few interesting point, such as that the release windows stretches from October all the way to December, that Xbox live cross-platform games will be coming, that all Windows Phones 7 devices will have the same UI, which OEM’s can “participate” in but can not extend.

OEM’s are expected to differentiate mainly in hardware e.g. higher megapixel camera and adding keyboards.

Another interesting point was that different applications may live in different “hubs” on the device, instead of actually extending the functionality of the hubs themselves.

Of course we can expect to hear a lot more at MIX10 soon, but at this stage we still appreciate every insight we get regarding this new and disruptive product from Microsoft.

Does anyone notice anything we may have missed? Let us know below.

Source:PDA.pl

Mozilla has announced a new Alpha for their Mobile Firefox product on Windows Mobile.  The timing is opportune, as their project has been seen to be in doubt after comments by one of their executives suggesting they may wait till Windows Phone 7 is released.

New in this version is:

• Improved interactions with the software keyboard
• Fixed painting artefacts from panning
• Faster .exe installer option
• More responsive "fuzzy" zoom
• Option to become default browser
• Opening downloads from download manager fixed
• Password echoing
• Improved panning/scrolling performance
• Improved start-up time
• Numerous bug fixes
• Improved painting performance
• Improved UI polish
• Improved kinetic panning with directional locking
• Ability to scroll frames
• Improved zooming support

The 10 MB cab can be downloaded, here.

Gregory T. Huang wrote:

Intellectual Ventures has been making a lot of waves lately. Today the Bellevue, WA-based firm, focused on the business of invention and patents, laid out its arguments for creating a new industry of “invention capital,” in a Harvard Business Review article penned by CEO and co-founder, Nathan Myhrvold. In a separate piece, the New York Times’ Steve Lohr addresses some longstanding questions from Myhrvold’s detractors, who call him a patent troll (more on this below).

In the HBR article, Myhrvold, who is coming off his talk at the TED conference in Long Beach, CA, presents the thinking behind his firm’s efforts to establish a separate marketplace for inventions, loosely following the models of venture capital and private equity. He also gives a status update on where Intellectual Ventures stands, and the formidable challenges it faces.

Invention capital is really the big vision of the company—with patent acquisitions as part of its overall strategy—and it’s fascinating to see how much things have progressed since the summer of 2008, when Myhrvold first spoke with me about it. Back then, the discussion was heavy on the historical context and the need for a new system to nurture inventions and inventors. In terms of results, it was largely wait and see. Now, it’s clear the company’s efforts worldwide are starting to pay off.

Myhrvold writes that Intellectual Ventures has 30,000-plus patents in its portfolios, most of them purchased. To critics who would say the company doesn’t invent anything itself, he notes that its 30 staff inventors and 100-plus consultants applied for 450 in-house patents in 2009, placing it in the world’s top 50 filers (ahead of Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, 3M, Mitsubishi, and Toyota); and that its wider network of 1,000-plus inventors in seven countries applied for more than 1,000 patents last year.

On the technology licensing and patent acquisitions front, he writes that Intellectual Ventures has made deals with more than a hundred Fortune 500 companies and their international equivalents, and that the firm’s “licensing activity has so far earned more than $1 billion.” To put that figure in perspective, Intellectual Ventures has raised some $5 billion from mostly undisclosed large investors (Microsoft is one).

In the Times piece, Lohr quotes critics who call Myhrvold’s outfit “Intellectual Vultures” and say the company uses its huge patent trove as leverage to extract hefty licensing fees. These critics also question Myhrvold’s penchant for setting up hundreds of shell companies and affiliated entities; by masking who actually owns Intellectual Ventures’ patents, this strategy reportedly makes it more difficult for other companies to know where they stand in negotiations with Myhrvold’s firm. Myhrvold is unapologetic about these tactics in the Times article, saying he’ll give up secrecy as soon as everybody else does.

But regardless of what his critics say, Myhrvold has clearly thought a lot about the hurdles that must be overcome in order for new markets ruled by inventors to take off. Here are three of his main ones:

—Managing risk. Myhrvold points out that insurance companies, pension funds, and mutual funds have figured out strategies to deal with this, and that the money it takes is comparable to VC …Next Page »

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These are just the ones mentioned in some of the documentation contained within the 6.5.3 DTK.

Windows Mobile 6.5 and Windows Mobile 6.5.3 contain significant enhancements from prior versions of Windows Mobile. Of special note are the Gesture APIs.

A new code sample is provided that uses the Mobile Mapping Framework

There is now support for native control theming.

• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional Device

• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional Emulator

• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional Square QVGA Emulator

• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional Square VGA Emulator

• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional VGA Emulator

• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional WQVGA Emulator

• Windows Mobile 6.5.3 Professional WVGA Emulator

Interestingly, there’s no mention of the HVGA resolution that seems to be becoming popular.

The emulator images are running build 23090, if that is of interest.

I will continue digging, see what else Microsoft have for us!

One of the most popular games in the iPhone App store, Flight Control, which has seen more than 2 million downloads, will become available on the Windows Mobile platform in July this year.

Namco Networks, a leading publisher and developer of mobile, announced a partnership with Firemint, to bring the software to Java, Windows Mobile, Brew and Android platforms in July 2010.

In Flight Control, players must guide planes, jets and helicopters safely to their landing zones. While it starts off relatively simple, as time passes more aircraft start to fill the friendly skies. It is up to the controller to alter the aircraft’s flight path as needed to avoid mid-air collisions. The addictive game continues as long as the player brings every flight home safe and sound.

Firemint’s CEO, Robert Murray, commented, “Having sold over two million copies on the iPhone in under a year, Flight Control has achieved amazing success. Our partnership with Namco began over three years ago with our development of Rolling with Katamari and we couldn’t be more thrilled to be working with them again. It will be a great feat to see our game reach an even broader demographic with the mobile edition.”

Via Businesswire.com