Windows Mobile Louisville

Teksoft has released version 2.0 of FingerTouch - FingerTouch Pro.

Features:

• 5 layouts:
  • classic keyboard
  • smart keyboard (predictable)
  • phone keyboard (phone-like)
  • calculator/numeric keyboard
  • the successful big keyboard (predictable)
• Fast text input with patented technologies:
  • Embedded fT9 Technology, this is the Teksoft-Patented, T9-like technology included in Fingertouch Professional
  • Embedded UltraKeyboard Technology, for assigning various actions to text commands (triggers)
• Configurable layout, including keyboard Skin, text font, size and color
• Drag and drop on keyboard for changing the keyboard size, or for customizing the position of the keys
• Magnifier that can help you better see the keys you are pressing
• Configurable fT9 parameters, for easy use including finger easy interface
• Gestures for Backspace, Space, Enter or Upper-case letters
• Ultrakeyboard advanced configuration panel for defining your custom action and triggers.

You can watch several videos showing FingerTouch Pro in action, as each of its features is well documented for easy use.

There is a 16 day trial version available.  Try it or buy it here.

There’s good news for people in the United States who are eager to get their hands on the HTC Touch Pro: a version  this upcoming Windows Mobile smartphone has received FCC approval.

This device will have a great deal in common with the recently-released HTC Touch Diamond, but the Touch Pro will have more of a focus on business users.

The version that’s just been approved is for CDMA carriers, which is in-line with an earlier unconfirmed report that this device will be coming to Sprint. But there’s nothing in the FCC filing that specifies this carrier over the other CDMA-based carriers, like Verizon.

Today’s development doesn’t give any solid information on when the debut is going to happen. A wireless device can’t be released in the U.S. without FCC approval, but it can happen any time thereafter.  Sprint hasn’t said anything official about this model, but the earlier leak said this carrier will release the HTC Touch Pro in September.

A confidentiality request filed with the FCC paperwork asks that no internal details on this device be revealed to the public until October 19.  A version of this smartphone for GSM carriers is also expected to be available later this year.

An Overview of the HTC Touch Pro

• This Windows Mobile 6.1 device will have a 2.8-inch VGA touchscreen and TouchFLO 3D, HTC’s new alternate user interface that makes Windows Mobile devices easier to use with a fingertip.
• The GSM version will have support for HSPA, including HSDPA (7.2 Mbps) and HSUPA, while the CDMA one will support EV-DO. One or more of these will add Wi-Fi and Bluetooth on top of that.
• The Touch Pro will also include GPS, a microSD/SDHC card slot, and a 3.2 MP camera.

SOURCE: Brighthand

FUNCONTACT GOT NEW SUIT
New stylish black skin for businessmen

VITO Technology releases a new version of FunContact - the best selling contact manager that provides the most exciting and convenient contact management on Windows Mobile touch screen devices. You can do everything with a flick of a finger!
 
FunContact 2.15 presents two major new features: a new black skin like in the recently released ZoomBoard and SMS-Chat, and also joystick support. The black skin fits perfectly brand-new Windows Mobile devices hitting the market like HTC Diamond, TyTN II, Touch Pro and all other devices from Touch series as they all have dim color theme.
 
The original “fun” skin is still available and allows even serious businessmen to take their ease on vacation and relax. After all your wife is not going to believe you are actually updating your contacts or looking thru the call history even if she notices the sliding screens with exciting animation and bright colors. She might want to have a play with it though, so beware.
 
Joystick support has been the outcry from our customers since FunContact was released. New FunContact gives you the choice: you can scroll the list with a finger or with a joystick. Both variants are very convenient, and though the main idea of FunContact is to manage contacts with finger, some FunContact users addicted to joystick now can also benefit by performing all the basic operations in FunContact like calling, texting ,etc. with joystick.

FunContact is available for $19.95 here.  There is a special offer in the post on the forum!  Hint Hint!

Electric Pocket has just added a bunch of new free ringtones to its Ringo ringtone manager for smartphones. The new ringtones were custom composed exclusively for Ringo and won’t be found anywhere else. The ringtones are a mix of Classical, Country, Rock, Salsa and Ragtime.

Ringo gives smartphone users an attractive and easy-to-use interface for playing their own MP3 music as ringtones and message tones on their phone, as well as making personal and group call tones easy to set up and maintain.

Ringo is available at ringomo.com for US$19.95.

I’ve been using Jott for some time now, and I find it incredibly handy and useful - I even have my Google Calendar set up with Jott Links, so I can Jott an appointment from my phone and it shows up on my Google Calendar (then, taking it a step further, I have GooSync, so my Google Calendar syncs with my Mogul!).

Enter Jott Feeds.  “Jott Feeds is a new and easy way to get updates from your favorite websites by listening to them on your mobile phone!  It is a simple service designed to make accessing the information you want as easy as a phone call.

Add any RSS feed to your Jott account, call Jott and have them read to you over your phone. Whether you are in the car or walking around town- you can now listen in to your trusted sources of news and other content without needing Internet access”.

I’ve only been playing with it since yesterday, but it’s very cool!  Jott offers numerous feeds for you to choose from (Yahoo! News, Local Weather, Tech Crunch, Mashable, Lifehacker and many more), or you can create your own feeds.  I created a feed for this blog as well as the forum (see the buttons over in the right-hand navigation panel) - it is pretty cool to hear the posts on the phone!

Check it out - Jott is free!

The official Windows Mobile 6.1 ROM update for Sprint’s Mogul and Touch has been leaked out early.  Yes, this is the official ROM that will soon be available on both HTC and Sprint’s sites.  I have installed the update for my Mogul and it went very smoothly.  I’m going to post details in the forum about the links, how it went and how I restored my data.

Read this post from back in April to refresh your memory on features of Windows Mobile 6.1.

Spb Software is partnering with Toshiba Information Systems (UK) Ltd – Mobile Communications Division, to deliver the ultimate mobile device experience through the recently launched Toshiba Portégé G810. The Portégé G810 features the Spb Mobile Shell-based Toshiba Touch Interface, a customized version of Spb Full Screen Keyboard, the Spb Pocket Plus smart scrolling component, and other Windows Mobile customization enhancements. The strong combination of a powerful platform and functional hardware, complemented by a set of usability tools from Spb, make Toshiba’s Portégé G810 a very fast and intuitive smartphone.

“We designed the Portégé G810 as a stylish touch screen Windows Mobile phone, ideal for both mobile-working and socializing, as it combines a powerful operating system with an incredibly user-friendly interface,” says Bertrand Issard, Head of Product Planning & Strategy, Toshiba Information Systems (UK) Ltd. “We turned to Spb Software, with their extensive Windows Mobile software and usability expertise, to support us in creating a highly intuitive user interface for our Portégé G810,” he concludes.

“Microsoft is committed to support a vibrant partner ecosystem and always delivers opportunities to create solutions that meet a wide range of Windows Mobile customers’ needs,” comments Fabio Falzea, acting as Mobile Communications Business Lead, Microsoft Central & Eastern Europe Area. “The Toshiba - Spb synergy is one good example of the rich benefits the Microsoft ecosystem secures to the market, where partners are able to complement each other’s strengths and deliver new innovative and rich experiences on Windows Mobile platform”.

The Toshiba Touch Interface has been localized into 13 languages, has been skillfully embedded into the operating system, and is incredibly stable. “Toshiba’s Portégé G810 has a very fast and responsive screen, with outstanding color quality,” - says Yaroslav Goncharov, Spb Software CTO - “the Spb Mobile Shell gestures and animation are especially striking, emphasizing the pure beauty of this finger-friendly mobile device.”

Further Information

Further information about this project can be found at the Spb and Toshiba websites:
About Spb customization for Toshiba Portégé G810
Toshiba Portégé G810 website
Spb Mobile Shell

Congratulations are in order for Windows Mobile Louisville Co-Editor Ian Husk, as he is now a father!  Isabel Rose was born early this morning, and Ian sent this shot of his “little sweetheart”!  I guess it goes without saying that Ian will miss tomorrow night’s meeting! :)  Please join me in congratulating Ian on the arrival his new baby girl!  You can reach Ian at Ian@WindowsMobileLouisville.com

Have you seen Zumobi? This new Windows Mobile application offers a completely unique way to browse the mobile web in format that’s ideal for the small screens of our mobile devices.  Instead of traditional browsing via links and clicking, Zumobi displays a widget with tiles (small squares) representing your favorite web sites.  To “browse” these sites, you zoom in on them – much easier than typing in a URL.  From the application’s configuration menu, you can manage the tiles you want displayed – pulling from categories like humor, finance, news, kids, games, sports, weather, entertainment, and more, but one of the new additions in Zumobi’s latest release is a pretty awesome tool that lets you make your own tiles.  Called the “Tile Wizard,” you can customize a tile’s look-and-feel while pulling in content from any RSS feed.  These user-generated tiles can also be shared with your friends, just like any tile added from the Gallery.  Want to get Zumobi on your Windows Mobile phone?  Just go to http://get.zumobi.com from your device’s browser.

Source: Sarah Perez over at on10.net

The USGA has provided a cool (free) mobile leaderboard for download.  Here are the details from U.S. Open mobile:

Don’t Miss Out on the 2008 U.S. Open Action

Download the official Championship mobile leaderboard FREE.  Keep up with all the action, wherever you are.  Features include:

• Real-time scoring, stats, and leaderboard
• Latest Blogs from Torrey Pines, including USGA writers and patrons
• Breaking News, Alerts, and Photos
• Torrey Pines hole-by-hole details 
• Customize and track your favorite players