The Register - Biting the hand that feeds IT
Last Checked: 07.10.2008 19:44:12

Google takes aim at drunken messaging
Can Mountain View end Beer Goggles?The forward-thinking folks at Google have implemented a novel solution to prevent regretful drunken digital correspondence to friends, family, co-workers, and loved ones.…

SpringSource responds to support criticism
Java acquisition comingExclusiveSpringSource is updating its controversial maintenance policy three weeks after encountering a barrage of criticism.…

IT contractor caught stealing Shell Oil employee info
Database for 'majority' of US workers breachedShell Oil has warned its employees to be on the lookout for identity theft after an on-site IT contractor was caught stealing worker information out of a company database.…

Linux distros lead jumps from Sun
Incomplete strategySun Microsystems has lost a key individual responsible for getting its aspiring open-source software included in leading Linux distributions.…

IBM doubles Power cores
Keeping up with the DunningtonsWell, the rumor going around that IBM is doubling up the processor core counts on its Power Systems servers turns out to be true.…

US Army gets eco-conscious, preps mega solar plant
Get in da choppah, Mother Nature!!You know the "go green" push is reaching a zenith when the fuel-slurping US Army wants to get serious about having a daintier environmental footprint.…

US brain trust: Beware of trawling-for-terrorist apps
Are your rights intruded?Surveillance programs that try to identify terrorists by trawling the internet and electronic databases for tell-tale signs are of limited success and should be carefully evaluated for privacy concerns, a group of technologists and policy makers that advises the US government said.…

Apathy comes easy to OpenAjax Alliance
Struggles on AJAX interop projectThe OpenAjax Allianceis once again finding it tough to enlist support for its projects, despite representing some of the biggest players - with the most resources - in software biz and on online.…

CA buys IDFocus for identity management boost
More reliance on complianceIn briefEnterprise software omnicorp CA has acquired Palo Alto, CA-based IDFocus to blend the firm's identity management software with its own CA Identity Manager.…

Net game turns PC into undercover surveillance zombie
Smile, your webcam has been clickjackedUnderscoring the severity of a new class of vulnerability known as clickjacking, a blogger has created a proof-of-concept game that uses a PC's video cam and microphone to secretly spy on the player.…

'Overplayed' privacy concerns rile Symantec boss
'IP addresses are so not private'InterviewConsumers ought to accept that loss of privacy is the price they pay for using internet service, according to Symantec chief exec John Thompson.…

EverGrid reinvents self as Windows-loving Librato
More than supercomputingEverGrid has changed its name to Librato, expanding the scope of its products to include Windows servers as well as Linux and to the broader workload management job.…

Spectrum Bridge solves the white space problem
Parcel it up and sell it cheapLast month saw the launch of SpecEx, allowing companies to sell on spectrum licences - but SpecEx backers Spectrum Bridge want to see us all competing for a few MHz in the brave new world of secondary markets.…

EU battery rule may zap iPhone, blow away MacBook Air
Replace thisThe EU is readying a new set of directives that could spell trouble for Apple's iPhone and any other gadget that lacks an easily removable power pack.…

Lithium-ion battery beater to debut in 'major' laptop release
ZPower's silver-zinc tech finally coming to market?Left-field battery developer ZPower has signed up a "major notebook computer" manufacturer, which will release a laptop fitted with its silver-zinc power packs next year.…

Yahoo! engineer arrested in Indian terror swoop
Authorities arrest 15, including three 'terror techies'A group of 15 alleged Islamist terrorists arrested in India yesterday included a trio of techies - one a principal engineer at Yahoo!…

Fish snapped snacking at 4,200 fathoms
'Absolutely amazing footage' from the hadal depthsAn international team of marine scientists has obtained "absolutely amazing footage" of fish feeding at a hadal 7,700 metres down in the Pacific Ocean's Japan Trench.…

AMD shares jump at birth of The Foundry Company
Now AMD stands for Abu DhabiAMD shares rose more than 18 per cent on Wall Street this morning, following confirmation from the struggling chip maker that it will spin off its manufacturing operations and build a wafer fab in conjunction with its money-spinning bedfellow, the Advanced Technology Investment Company (ATIC).…

Dell's disk-to-disk backup box
Turn it on and goDell is introducing a DL2000 disk-to-disk (D2D) backup appliance that comes with integrated Symantec or CommVault backup software and is meant as an alternative to tape backup, which is relegated to offsite backup.…

Get snapping for Freedom
Taking on the Surveillance Society is no picnicIf you have a camera, are ever so slightly worried about the burgeoning surveillance society in the UK, and are prepared to brave the hostility of police and passers-by, then you too could take part in "Freedom Not Fear Day" this weekend.…

How Wikipedia Works
40% off at Reg BooksGeeks Guide2It’s all new at The Registerright now, and today Reg Booksis launching its brand new feature - Geeks Guide2.…

Renault looks to wee-hued windows to cut car power draw
Leverages Insulated bodywork and psychology too'Leccy TechSay 'bonjour' to Renault's electric city car concept, the imaginately monikered ZE - for 'Zero Emission', if you have to ask - which it expects to put into full-scale production three years down the 'pike.…

Indian Moon mission is go for 22 October
Hi-tech survey gig for Chandrayaan-1India is all set to launch its first unmanned Moon mission on 22 October - the Chandrayaan-1probe, which will over two years survey our satellite's surface with a rack of hi-res kit.…

Net-stock fraudster Moller offers flying saucer on eBay
No bargepole long enoughFamous flying-car inventor Paul Moller, who was fined in 2003 by the US authorities for selling "fraudulent unregistered stock" on the internet, is now selling his personal flying saucer prototype on eBay. Our advice: buyer beware.…

UK.gov and UK.biz pour £60m into IT skills gap
Your timing is impeccableThe government today announced that it will spend £30m to create a National Skills Academy for IT, in an attempt to train more of the workers employers are demanding.…

UK stockings bereft of Nokia Tube
Next year? BahNokia's first push into touch-control, the 5800 XpressMusic, won't be available in major markets until next year, including both the USA and UK.…

Fraud victims urged to use DPA to rebuild credit ratings
You've got me all wrongUK victims of identity fraud are being urged to use the Data Protection Act as a tool to restore their credit rating.…

German methanol unit wins Pentagon portable-power prize
Fuel-cell/battery combos sweep the rankingsThe US defence department has announced the winner of its "Wearable Power Prize", a contest to develop a portable powerpack which could lessen the crippling load of batteries carried by modern soldiers. The $1m purse has been taken by US firm DuPont, partnered with Germany's SFC (Smart Fuel Cell).…

NetApp faces Sun lawsuit loss
Patents weakened - more could fallSun is crowing that a judicial ruling in the NetApp_Sun IP lawsuit has effectively invalidated another NetApp patent. The US Patent Office also appears to be rejecting NetApp's key patents in the law suit. NetApp's position looks like it's crumbling.…

Oxbridge lectures now on iTunes
Grey matter shuffleThe universities of Oxford and Cambridge are to make lectures by well-known academics available through Apple's iTunes.…

Sharp shows first 'zero-emission' telly
Solar power to the peopleIf your electricity bills are getting you down, then perhaps it’s time you started living off grid? And, thanks to Sharp, you’ll still be able to watch TV while cuddling up to Mother Nature.…

Wireless-data LED lamps to replace lightbulbs - US profs
'The era of hyperconnectivity is upon us'The US government is funding research into using next-generation LED lighting as data network access points. Room or street lamps would link with devices using visible light, carrying data beyond over existing power lines.…

Cold War comfort on software engineering’s birthday
Yesterday's issues at 40Forty years ago today, at the height of the Cold War, around 50 computing experts gathered in the southern German market town of Garmischto change history.…

LG HFB-500 solar-powered Bluetooth car kit
Here comes the sun... at lastReviewIf your job involves making a lot of phone calls in cars, or you just like to be available when you're on the move, a Bluetooth headset or an easy-fit car kit is the best option.…

No mile-high pr0n for Delta passengers
Seatbelt signs off, smut filters on...The skies are looking bleaker for those who like to enliven dull plane trips with a bit of internet porn - Delta Airlines has announced it intends to filter "inappropriate" websites on its planned airborne Wi-Fi service.…

Lords to attack UK.gov failings on internet security
Fraud reporting recommendations ignoredMembers of the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee will this Friday call on ministers to do more to battle security threats online.…

Nintendo to limit DSi games with DVD-style region locks
Bid to stop halt 'underage gamers', apparentlyThe upcoming DSi handheld games console will be region locked, Nintendo has confirmed.…

Spy chiefs plot £12bn IT spree for comms überdatabase
Black boxes to keep Black's firm in the blackBillions of pounds of public money will soon be up for grabs for private IT contractors ready to serve the Interception Modernisation Programme - UK spy chiefs' plan to store details of every call, email, text and web browsing session.…

NASA's IBEX to sniff interstellar boundary
Looking beyond the termination shockNASA's Interstellar Boundary Explorer, aka IBEX, will on 19 October lift off from Kwajalein Atoll in the Marshall Islands on a mission to probe the interstellar boundary beyond our heliosphere's termination shock1- a region where "the hot solar wind slams into the cold expanse of space", as NASA nicely puts it.…

Mosley asks Europe to change UK privacy laws
'I should have been told first!'Motor racing chief Max Mosley has applied to the European Court of Human Rights in an attempt to reform the UK's privacy laws. He wants editors to be forced to tell people when they are about to publish stories about them.…

iPhone squares up to Android
Have at you with your Google Street ViewApple is aiming to get off the back foot when it comes to phone features with the forthcoming release of iPhone firmware - hopefully before the Googlephone gets into circulation.…

Xyratex speeds up arrays and doubles protection
End-to-end 8gig SANS coming?Disk array sub-system supplier Xyratex has introduced its fastest-ever array by adding an 8Gbit/s Fibre Channel (FC) product along with new RAID 6 capabilities.…

Videos cast light on BlackBerry Storm
Launch date still unknownThe BlackBerry Storm handset is as good as confirmed now, following the airing of a Storm advert on US TV and the leak online of a promotional Storm video.…

New NASA nuclear Mars rover hits budget, time problems
Laser rock-crushing droid tank attack for '11?NASA's plans for a huge, nuclear powered laser-toting robot tank to succeed the present rovers on the surface of Mars have hit budget problems, according to reports.…

Reading privacy policies takes 10 minutes on average
Too long to read: ResearchersWebsite privacy policies take on average 10 minutes to read and sometimes run into thousands of words, researchers have found. While some are short, others would take over half an hour to read.…

SAP shares tumble after sales warning
Loose lips sink shipsSAP saw its shares fall 16 per cent on Nasdaq yesterday, in a market which fell five per cent, after it warned it had seen sales fall off a cliff in the last two weeks of September.…

AMD spins off manufacturing biz
Fabless future for x86 number twoAMD is splitting into two companies - one to design chips and one to carry out the debt-dependent business of actually making them.…

Visa finds a home inside a Nokia
Handset vendor or bank?Visa and Nokia have signed a deal to embed Visa functionality in the NFC-touting Nokia 6212 Classic, enabling US owners to upload their Visa accounts onto the handset as well as transferring money between handsets over the wireless network.…

Win a Palm Treo Pro smartphone
One £399 handset could be yoursCompetitionTo celebrate the launch of its latest Windows Mobile smartphone, Palm wants to give one of the gadgets away to one lucky Register Hardwarereader.…

Pocket PC Thoughts.com - Pocket PC Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves
Built: Wed, 08 Oct 2008 02:28:41 GMT
Last Checked: 07.10.2008 19:44:16

HTC to USA: "No Touch HD for You"
http://twitter.com/htc/statuses/948774282Imagine witnessing the unveiling of a spectacular device, only to be denied access to it through local channels. Imagine no more. Just yesterday, HTC tweetedthat the Touch HDwould not be released in the US. And, as you would expect, a good number of Touch HD fans made it clear that they weren't happy. HTC's responsewas pretty much salt in the wound, with the company suggesting that it previously had no idea that there was huge demand for high-end devices in the US, but now it knows! There's your cue for some facepalm action.

Toshiba to Offer Super Fast Charging Technology
http://www.engadget.com/2008/10/05/...-in-10-minutes/"Imagine this -- you, sitting in a dingy airport terminal waiting on your flight with a lifeless laptop and just 10 minutes to spare. You've got oodles of spreadsheet work to do before 8:00AM tomorrow, and unless you get it done on this flight, you're fubared. Toshiba is looking to make said scenario seem like one that's not so grim, as its prototype SCIB (Super Charge Ion Battery) purportedly has the potential to get 90% full in just 10 minutes."I've been traveling a lot lately and can really appreciate the need for something like this. This will be a killer feature that hopefully Toshiba will license out for all sorts of devices. Of course the cynic in me thinks that technology like this would be kept out of the marketplace in order to maintain the market for extra batteries.

MobileTechReview Examines the Palm Treo Pro
http://www.mobiletechreview.com/pho...lm-Treo-Pro.htm"When we reviewed the Palm Treo 750 more than 1.5 years ago, it was a good phone with great ergonomics and Palm's usability touches that lacked competitive features like WiFi and a GPS. 1.5 years is a very long time in terms of consumer electronics and cell phones, and now we finally have a Windows Mobile Treo with all the trimmings, but minus the original Treo's wonderful palm-friendly (no pun intended) design, great keyboard and software tweaks. Funny how we can't have it both ways. That's not to say that the HTC-built Palm Treo Pro is a bad product by any means, but for those of you who are in love with Palm's special sauce-- it ain't here. There's no VCR-like screen controls for voicemail, no photo speed dial on the home screen and the custom applications like Comm Manager and the streaming media player are HTC's, not Palm's."Once again, MobileTechReviewoffers an indepth look at a mobile device. This time, the Palm Treo Prois examined, especially in the light of previous Palm devices they've reviewed. Since the new hardware bears a close resemblance to the design of the bargain Centro, the MTR take on ergonomics is especially interesting to those who anticipate using the keyboard heavily.

Matt Miller's Walk Down Memory Lane
http://blogs.zdnet.com/cell-phones/?p=141"I was working on some reviews this weekend and took a look at all of the devices in my current collection and started reflecting back on my mobile device history. Mickey recently asked me about my PDA/phone history on TCPJ Unlocked Show #004 and I thought a few of you may be interested in seeing what devices I have owned over the years. I also used many more devices during 2 week to 30-day evaluation periods that would easily take me over 100 mobile devices used of the last 11 years. Check out the image gallery of all of my devices."My friend Matt Miller published a great piece about his gadget history over on his ZDNet blog, and I thought it was worth linking to, if only for you to see the completely insane number of devices that Matt has owned over the years. Happy Friday everyone, have a great weekend!

European Pricing and Release Dates for New HTC Touch Devices
http://www.windowsmobileitaly.com/n...rdware/225.html"Lately Windows Mobile Italy has scored a few scoops, thanks to its own exclusive and confidential sources, providing the Italian website with some very valuable unpublished details concerning the latest breed of Windows Mobile smartphones just announced by HTC and respectively named HTC Touch HD, HTC Touch Viva and HTC Touch 3G. After having been the first to reveal the HTC Opal's real name [Automatic Translation], during the current week the Italian web portal has scored some more scoops by revealing the (not yet officially announced) pricing and availability schedule for Italy as well as a few more exclusive details concerning the available colors of all three devices."The article goes on to say that the HTC Touch HD, everyone's favourite object of lust lately, will be released in Europe in Q4, and will sell for 849 Euro (in Italy at least). The HTC Touch Viva will go on sale later this month (October) and will sell for 279 Euro. Lastly the HTC Touch 3G will run you 499 Euro and will also be released sometime in October. Those prices don't give us much insight into the North American market, because HTC sure isn't going to sell many HTC Touch HDs if they're selling for $1200 USD.

Best Software Awards 2008 Winners Announced
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/cms/awards/2008/home"The Winners in Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine's Eighth Annual Best Software Awards for Windows Mobile software have been announced at www.Smartphonemag.com/Awards. Eighty members of the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Board of Experts judged 936 Windows Mobile products in 194 Pocket PC and Smartphone categories. Winners are also listed in the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine 2009 Resource Guide first seen late November."The awards are in, so if you want to see which applications the judges selected as the best of the best, go have a peek. Did any of your favourite applications win awards? Any apps that you thing just plain rock but didn't even get nominated?

Crazy-Cheap Expansys Deals
http://www.expansys-usa.com/t.aspx?...rtner=pthoughtsThis is just a quick note pointing you toward some great deals that our affiliate Expansys partner store is running:MWg UBiQUiO 501 Windows Mobile 6 Professional phone: $99.99 USD, $135 offMWg UBiQUiO 503G Windows Mobile 6 Professional phone: $199 USD, $160 offZune 8 GB: $79.99 USD, $41 offAll these deals are low-inventory offers, so act fast if you're interested...

Omnia "Millionaire Pack" Is Anything But
http://www.letsgomobile.org/en/3907/samsung-omnia/The Omnia Millionaire Pack has been let loose! But, if you were hoping for a diamond-encrusted Omnia, sorry. Instead, this pack features the Omnia as you know it today, a slim Samsung WEP350 Bluetooth headset, a leather case, and a special edition of the Millionaire magazine- all for €699 ($968 USD). Yes, that's quite a few zeros less than $1,000,000, but we're sure such a niggle won't draw much criticism from the masses.

Resco Pocket Radio 1.90 Adds Bluetooth Headset Support
http://www.resco.net/pocketpc/radio/default.asp"Resco, one of the leading companies in software development of applications for mobile devices, announced today the availability of a brand new version of its award winning Resco Pocket Radio application for the Pocket PC platform. Version 1.90 now fully supports Bluetooth stereo head-sets and thus allows users to listen and tune into thousands of internet radio stations cable free. Moreover, with the new version it is possible to install a touch-optimized player to the Today Plugin and operate the radio directly from there. Easy radio importing, scheduled recording and a very friendly user interface are some of the many other features that made Resco Pocket Radio a sought-after application."Resco Pocket Radio 1.90adds support for Bluetooth headsets and a new Today plug-in. If you own a previous version, this is a free upgrade. Otherwise, head over to our affiliate software storeto try or buy.

Zune Experience Coming to Windows Mobile
http://www.cio.co.uk/concern/infras...=allchantopdate"CIO:Why has Microsoft developed Zune?Ballmer:At the end of the day, one of the big trends is that all content is going digital. And if we don't have the software and services that are useful, helpful and valuable for the consumption of music and video, we are sort of not really a player. Now, we built the Zune hardware with the Zune software - and what you'll see more and more over time is that the Zune software will also be ported to and be more important not just with the hardware but on the PC, on Windows Mobile devices, etc."What can I say other than IT'S ABOUT FREAKING TIME. I feel like I've told this story 1000 times by now, but here it is again: about four years ago I was at a Mobius or MVP event (I can't remember which) and a Microsoft person came up to me and asked me if I thought they should scrap Windows Media Player Mobile on the device and instead implement the Portable Media Center interface as the way end users would access their photos, videos, and music. I said "Yes, absolutely" before he was even finished talking. The first generation PMC hardware might have been pretty suck-tacular, but the UI was easy to use. The Zune is an evolution of that UI, and while the Zune still needs improvement on a number of levels, the Zune UI is very easy to use - easier to use an an iPod in my opinion. If Microsoft really cared about the consumer market, they would have implemented that media UI years ago and we'd be having a different discussion today. They didn't because they're focused on the enterprise market first and foremost, but that's slowly (oh so slowly) changing.Putting the Zune software onto Windows Mobile gives Microsoft a bunch of advantages: first, it lets them stop developing Windows Media Player Mobile, a piece of software that has sadly languished for years, hardly getting any updates or improvements. Secondly, it gives end users a great UI for media consumption, and assuming they go all the way with this, it gives users a media management solution (the Zune desktop software) that enables them to easily manage music and podcasts, and somewhat more easily manage photos and videos.I see this as a win-win all around if implemented properly. I can't see a single down-side to this - what do you think about it?

Stick It In Your Ear...and Love It! A Review of The Helium Digital HD650 BT Headset
Product Category:Bluetooth HeadsetManufacturer:Helium DigitalWhere to Buy:Helium DigitalPrice:$39.99 CAD (Approx. $40 USD)Specifications:Bluetooth v2.0; supports both Headset (HSP) and Handsfree (HFP) profiles; 9.5g (0.33 oz); 44mm (1.6in) * 19mm(0.75in) * 19mm(0.75in); 5 hours talk, 150 hours standbyPros:Small, light, unobtrusive headset;Innovative, no-loop, earpiece which staysin your ear;Good quality audio;Great battery life.Cons:Need charger stand to charge earpiece;Noise cancelling is not strong.Summary:The HD-650 Bluetooth headset is the latest addition to Helium Digital's product line, and you might (reasonably) be thinking, so what? What makes this headset different from all the rest? Well, this is the first one I've seen that's specifically designed without an earhook, and for me it's the first unit I've tested which is light, comfortable, works well and will actually stayin my ear for the whole day -- even while riding the bike home! In my search for the perfect headset, I may have reached Nirvana.Yup, Another BT Headset...Seems like Bluetooth headsets have become almost a 'commodity' item these days, with every discount vendor selling no-name and name-brand models for bargain basement prices. Even liquidator companies like Xcess Cargo are getting in the game! So how do you pick one?In truth, most headsets will do an adequate job of the basics -- attaching to your phone and allowing hands-free operation, with reasonable battery life. I quite enjoy using a headset, since it allows me to keep my hands available for multi-tasking, lookups, and sometimes just gesticulating wildly in the air while I illustrate a point to a caller. But the challenge has been in finding one which provided good volume for both office and outdoor use (I'm frequently walking between client sites and errands); reasonable noise cancellation; and comfort. I need a headset that I can stick into my ear at the beginning of my 9 to 10 hour day and know it will stay there without me having to re-adjust every five minutes because it hurts or feels like it's going to fall off.I've gone through both the v1 and v2 Jawbones and numerous Jabras, Motorolas, etc., but couldn't get any to fit 'just right'. I was beginning to give up when Helium Digitial contacted us, asking if we'd like to review their HD-650. I was a bit doubtful, based on the marketing material, since I couldn't see how it would be comfortable or stable without an earhook. But, ever the adventurer, we took the dive...The headset itself is about 3/4 the size of a flash drive, and weighs practically nothing.Figure 1: A close-up shot of headset itself. This is about 3 times actual size...This is definitely not bulky! The big black button at the top is the multi-function switch for power/pairing mode, and there are volume up and down switches on the left and right sides, respectively. The LED just below the HELIUM logo shows the status of the unit, and the mike is located at the bottom.Figure 2: Here's a closeup of the two ear gels provided -- again almost 3 times normal size, so you can see the detail. They look quite different from other ear inserts, but those 'fingers' on the lower end do a great job of comfortably and securely fitting the headset in your ear.The ear gels provided come in two sizes -- the difference being the length of the fingers used to hold the headset firmly in the ear. I actually tried both and even the longer one fit. Over the long haul though, the smaller one was more comfortable for me. The holes in the gel go over the earpiece/speaker of the headset and they are reversible, so you can wear them with the fingers pointing forward (toward your jaw) or back (toward the back lip of your ear).I thought figuring out how to insert the headset and get a comfortable fit would take a little while, but I was very pleasantly surprised that it fit right in practically the first time! Because there's no ear hook to fuss with, things are a lot easier. In my case, I just place the headset over my right ear pointing down, then gently twist it 90 degrees (to point forward) and that's it! -- everything just sets in perfectly. I find it most comfortable with the fingers pointing back -- so the front edge (top of this picture) fits under the skin in the middle of my ear and the fingers gently rubbing the back of the ear. Your results may be different. It feels very comfortable during normal work around the office (I get up and walk around a LOT) and feels totally secure while riding my bike home from work.Figure 3: A sideview shot of the headset with the ear gel attached. Notice how the gel is angled to create ridges which fit inside the folds of skin in your ear. The big button on the side of the headset is for volume. I'm not sure what the smaller one beside it does. (There's no mention of it in the User Manual, and pressing it doesn't do anything.)Figure 4: Just to give you an idea of the relative size of this thing, here's what it looks like on my head. Not too 'borg-ish', eh?

Google's 2001 Search Index, and the Site That Gave Birth To Thoughts Media
http://www.google.com/search2001.htmlAs part of Google's 10th anniversary celebration, they are making their oldest saved index from 2001 available again. For grins, I did a search for Pocket PC and number 4 on the list was Pocket PC Thoughts, complete with a link to the web archive - on my birthday coincidentally. So even just a few months after the Pocket PC's April 2001 launch, Pocket PC Thoughts was one of the top ranked sites according to Google. As I look through the names of Editors on the site back then, only Jason Dunn remains.That's right. Look at that big impressive HP Jornada 540 series device in the logo. Go ahead, admit it, you know you want one. Of course, I am sure today's logo will look just as silly in 2015 when we all have our phones down to the size of a pea embedded in our ears. Other things though will likely remain constant: it will still have Solitaire, won't have a close button and Windows Mobile Device Center for Windows 10 will still be trashing my favorites.

Should Palm Scrap Nova And Use Android As Its Next OS?
http://bigtech.blogs.fortune.cnn.co...-needs-android/"Unless you’re Google, these look like rough times to launch a mobile operating system. That puts Palm (PALM) in an awkward position. Things have not been going well for the beleaguered smartphone maker, whose founders arguably kickstarted the smartphone revolution 12 years ago. Eighty percent of its sales come from the troubled U.S. market, its Treo phone has given up market share to the BlackBerry and it has lost buzz to the iPhone."The article goes on to list a number of reasons why it makes sense for Palm to consider using Google's Android as the basis for its next platform rather than sticking with its homegrown OS, code named Nova. Had Android come out a year earlier, I am sure Palm would have given it serious consideration, but now that they are relatively close to releasing Nova (9 months is close when you consider their last OS was released in 2002) could they really switch now? I think long term that would be a good solution, but short term it would be a very rocky road.

Apple Threatens iTunes Shutdown if Royalty Increase is Pushed Through
http://blog.wired.com/music/2008/10...days-copyr.html"Apple has threatened to shut down the iTunes music store if an obscure three-person board appointed by the Librarian of Congress increase the royalties paid to publishers and songwriters by six cents per song. The Copyright Royalty Board is scheduled to hand down its decision on these rates Thursday. As part of their general muscle-flexing of late, music publishers asked the board to increase royalties paid to publishers and songwriters from 9 cents to 15 cents per track. Apple -- which has mightily resisted tampering in any way with its 99 cent price point for tracks -- said that if the rate hike goes through and the labels refuse to absorb the entire resulting increase, the iTunes music store will become unprofitable."If you put music on your Windows Mobile phone, your MP3 player, or your Zune, and you ever purchase that music from iTunes, this is news you'll want to know about. I'm not personally a big fan of iTunes, but I certainly support their stance in resisting this move. They've sold several billion songs, largely because the 99 cent purchase price of an iTunes song is a reasonable alternative to piracy for most people. If you give people a chance to be honest, they will - iTunes proved that. According to this Wired article, Apple pays artists and labels 65 to 70 cents per song, 9 cents of which the artist or studio is paying to the publishers. It seems to me that if this law were to pass, the increased rates should come from the artist/label end - after all, without the songwriter that created the song in the first place, they'd have nothing in the first place.It will be interesting to watch how this plays out - the music industry has been undermining Apple and iTunes lately, offering DRM-free MP3s to Amazon while denying them to Apple. Steve Jobs isn't known for compromising (what with that huge ego and all), so this will be interesting to watch. And if this law does pass, what will happen to Amazon's MP3 store? Or Rhapsody's MP3 store? Will we see $1.10 pricing there (you just know they'd round up), or will they too shut down? This could have some dire consequences for online music stores, who all operate at razor-thin profit margins as it is. Could this kill or cripple the entire industry? The music companies would prefer to have us all buying CDs anyway, right?

Microsoft To Continue Licensing Fees For Windows Mobile
http://news.cnet.com/8301-13846_3-10055120-62.html"Microsoft plans to continue charging licensing fees from handset makers for Windows Mobile operating system and not follow the free offerings of Google and Nokia, reports Reuters. Microsoft charges $8 to $15 per phone, according to research firm Strategy Analytics, which sounds like shockingly high amount for a mobile operating system that's less than stellar, especially when you could get Android's decent (but not great) OS for free. "Not sure that should come as a surprise to anyone. In other breaking news, the oceans will be wet today.

See Others, Communicate Easier on Windows Mobile Says iVisit
http://www.ivisit.com/"iVisit has launched a public beta of our ground breaking multiparty audio/video conferencing application for mobile devices and desktops. With iVisit, you can use your Windows Mobile phone or Windows/Mac desktop to connect to other iVisit users and communicate face-to-face from anywhere, transmit live video of your surroundings, and host or attend online meetings. iVisit works cross platform and cross carrier, enabling mobile-to-desktop, mobile-to-mobile, and desktop-to-desktop connectivity."Communication can be a tricky business, and business class windows mobile devices rarely ship with all the tools businesses need. However iVisit seeks to fill a void in the market with the simple idea that sometimes you just need to see others. Or have integrated Push-to-talk, or being able to report your location to headquarters via GPS. iVisit looks like it offers a fairly nice toolset for managing mobile workers. What are your thoughts?

Sync Your Mac and Windows Mobile With SyncMate
http://www.sync-mac.com"SyncMate FREE Edition is a perfect solution for information management. It is FREE and easy-to-use synchronizer for Mac and Pocket PC, that will help you keep all your documents, text messages, contacts, calendar entries and events and other stuff well organized. With SyncMate Free edition you can synchronize applications like Address Book, iCal, etc. Also you can easily read SMS directly from your Mac, check detailed device information (battery state, etc) and visually analyze memory usage. SyncMate Expert Edition (available for a small fee) grants you even more synchronization possibilities. With Expert Edition it is very handy to synchronize time and share Internet between your Mac and your mobile device, which is very important for all mobile people. Synchronize iTunes and iPhoto to keep all your favorite music and pictures within a click of a button."Well, if you have a Mac and want to sync it with your Windows Mobile device, SyncMate is definitely an option. You can sync via USB or Wi-Fi with your address book or calendar. The expert edition will also allow you to sync photos and music. There aren't many sync options for the mac and certainly not many free ones. If you decide to try SyncMate, be sure and post back to let us know what you think.

SanDisk Announces 16GB microSDHC
http://www.sandisk.com/Corporate/Pr...se.aspx?ID=4398"SanDisk Corporation (NASDAQ: SNDK), a global leader in flash memory products, today announced it is bringing to market its 16GB* microSDHC™ and Memory Stick Micro™ (M2™) mobile memory cards - the world’s largest removable storage capacity for mobile phones. Best Buy Mobile (NYSE: BBY) and Verizon Wireless (NYSE: VZ) stores are the first major retail outlets in the United States to carry the 16GB capacity. The fingernail-sized 16GB memory cards allow consumers to “wake up” the many storage-intensive features offered by today’s portable handsets such as music and video playback, high-definition digital camera functions, gaming and GPS applications. In addition to the mobile phone, consumers can use the 16GB microSDHC card in a multitude of other devices, including video cameras, GPS receivers or MP3 players with a microSD™ slots such as SanDisk’s Sansa® players."Like the sound of a 16GB microSDHC in your Omnia, Touch Pro, Touch Diamo... oh wait, no slot in that one.Cruel jokes aside, this is certainly a welcome addition to the microSDHC family. If you're in the US, it'll be available at Best Buy Mobile stores in October and Verizon Wireless stores in November at an MSRP of $99.99. Anyone plan on purchasing one?

Android and Windows Mobile Complement Each Other Claims HTC
http://www.reghardware.co.uk/2008/0..._complementary/"T-Mobile G1 manufacturer HTC plans to develop more handsets based on Android. It maintain this will not affect its Windows Mobile business - the Google platform and Microsoft's are 'complementary', it claimed. According to a report by DigiTimes, John Wang, Chief Marketing Officer at HTC, said that both systems have their merits, and so handsets based on either platform will appeal to different users."I'm sure we can all agree that the only way this newest HTC Android enabled device is 'complementary' to Windows Mobile is due to how ugly it is and the wonders it will do for pushing users to the new Touch family of devices! All kidding aside, I have to agree with HTC on this one. Google Android and Windows Mobile are not even in the same league. Both platforms target completely different groups of consumers and where the Windows Mobile camp has been screaming at the top of their lungs for years hoping Microsoft will release a more consumer friendly version of their flagship mobile operating system, nothing has come of it at all. Even being as ugly as the T-Mobile G1 is, it will still sell a lot of handsets. This device is target to the general consumer and doesn't focus on the business aspect and because of that I can't take three steps outside of my front door without hearing someone talking about the T-Mobile G1 or having them ask me about it.HTC will now be able to create new super sleek consumer friendly devices and at the same time, continue to cater to the enterprise and enthusiast crowd. This is the best of both worlds for HTC. Hopefully this will be a good swift kick in the posterior to make Microsoft hustle to bring us something really cool in Windows Mobile 7.

Bored With Windows Mobile Device Center, Microsoft Provides Sync Solution For Other Devices
http://specials.msn.co.in/sp08/msph...illmy_phone.asp"Microsoft just released the first beta version of its Phone Data Manager application which looks like a serious alternative for some of the Nokia PC Suite features as it support wider range of mobile devices including most of the Nokia S60 2nd and 3rd edition phones."REALLYMicrosoft? This is what you are spending your time on? Would it be toomuch to ask to fix ActiveSync 4.x and Windows Mobile Device Center first?