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Leaked: WM 5.0 ROM For Samsung SCH-I730

"Thanks to an anonymous beta tester at pdaphonehome.com, the incredible work of legendary programmer SuperDave and pdaphonehome moderator mrailing, we’ve gotten our hands on the unofficial WM 5.0 AKU2 Rom for the Samsung SCH-I730. It needs not be said (but I’ll say it anyway) that this is an unsupported ROM and we take no responsibility for damage to your device. This is not for the faint of heart. If you’re in doubt, wait for the official release. Still with me? Good. Fortune favors the brave."

[Via Windows Mobile Underground]

Remember… do this at your own risk! But if it works…. let us know!

Can MS Push-Mail really Challenge R.I.M.?

 

“Microsoft Corp. may one day challenge Research In Motion Ltd. for dominance of the mobile email market, but, despite the launch of the first “direct push” email devices, the Windows Mobile operating system isn’t up to the task yet, according to analysts. They point to several constraints. For starters, there aren’t many push-capable Windows Mobile devices out on the market yet, the upgrade path from older devices isn’t at all clear, and enterprises haven’t yet had time to test the server and device software fully to ensure that it works well. “The press seems to be giving Microsoft the benefit of the doubt that their release 1.0 of wireless email software will be competitive with the Blackberry in terms of security, manageability, and battery life,” says Gartner Inc. analyst Todd Kort. “But I have strong doubts about this.” He predicts Microsoft’s wireless email problems will be resolved with the next software revision, expected sometime next year, as well as more and better hardware that exploit it more fully.”

RIM licenses or Microsoft Direct Push? There is much speculation going around about the future for both, with this piece coming to the consensus that RIM need not fear a license drop-off in sales for quite some time. But as new WM 5 devices role out (And non-converged devices seemingly drop off the map), might RIM not be able to rest as long as some predict? How quickly, if ever, will the MS solution become dominant?

The press seems to be giving Microsoft the benefit of the doubt that their release 1.0 of wireless email software will be competitive with the Blackberry in terms of security, manageability, and battery life,” says Gartner Inc. analyst Todd Kort. “But I have strong doubts about this.” He predicts Microsoft’s wireless email problems will be resolved with the next software revision, expected sometime next year, as well as more and better hardware that exploit it more fully.

Kort cites three key weaknesses in the software as it stands:

• Mobile Outlook is still too hard to navigate on a mobile device.
• Windows devices still use too much battery power compared to the Blackberry.
• The security and manageability features in the 1.0 release are inferior to those on the Blackberry.

“Smart companies using Windows Mobile devices will choose GoodLink rather than the Microsoft push email offering, at least until the next Microsoft rev,” comments Kort.

Of course, if users have already installed the RIM email servers it will be difficult for Microsoft to persuade them to swap them out. They tend to be a fiercely loyal bunch. (See RIM’s Unified Theory.)

“We’re a Blackberry shop… We’ve made our investment in their backend, so we’ll be sticking with Blackberry, especially now that the attorneys have made their decision,” says Stephen Taylor, IS manager at Denver-based law firm Rothgerber, Johnson & Lyons.

Companies that do want to implement Microsoft push email for their mobile employees, however, will need to install Exchange Server 2003 Service Pack 2 (SP2), which was first made available late in 2005. Then they will also need to upgrade Microsoft Mobile devices with the the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) for Windows Mobile 5.0.

Microsoft users, however, will have to get the device upgrade from the hardware manufacturer. And at least right now, it doesn’t look as if many vendors are going to be offering upgrades for anything other than devices with the 5.0 version of the mobile OS.

For instance, Palm Inc. will offer a downloadable upgrade for its new Windows Mobile device, and Hewlett-Packard Co. (NYSE: HPQ – message board) will be bringing out a new smartphone using the push software, but vendors aren’t talking about upgrades for older devices.

“You’re better off asking the manufacturers,” a Microsoft spokesperson told Unstrung recently, when we asked about upgrade cycles.

“The OS update process for mobile devices is very device- and manufacturer-specific,” comments David Via of Ferris Research. “I am seeing fewer and fewer device manufacturers even offer major OS updates, like from Windows Mobile 2003 to Windows Mobile 5.”

Many users will just go ahead and buy new devices, as they’re known to do every two to three years, Via added.

This lag between market hype and enterprise reality may not be all bad for Microsoft, however — as Gartner’s Kort points out — there will come a time when users want to do more with their devices than just mobile email.

“About the time Microsoft improves its email offering and fixes mobile Outlook, enterprises will begin entertaining the idea of mobilizing additional applications beyond email, such as CRM, SFA, and field services. This is when Microsoft will become a threat to RIM,” Kort opines.

— Source: Unstrung

Can’t download that video? Now you can – KeepVid lite launched!

 

KeepVid has simplified its web tool, allowing you to save video files from over 45 sites to your computer with a single click of the mouse. Downloading video’s has never been easier

Check it out here!

Earthcomber gets enhanced with DiscoverOurTown!

DiscoverOurTown, an Internet city guide for 2,000 USA cities, is now available in a mobile GPS-enabled format for Palm OS and Windows Mobile PDAs and smartphones. The new travel guides are powered by Earthcomber, a free mobile service that matches users favorite interests to spots around them.

“For those who aren’t rushing to get to a destination and would much rather discover the hidden treasures along the roadways, now they have an easy way to find out whether a side-trip off the main road is worthwhile,” said Howell Jones, vice president of DiscoverOurTown.

Earthcomber just got bigger and better with the addition of DiscoverOurTown listings, which is now available with a FREE download of Earthcomber. So go ahead and say good-bye to those huge guide books and hassling with annoying maps! Let Earthcomber do the searching and finding for you. With the help of alerts and DiscoverOurTown listings, you can plan your travels better or enjoy a spontaneous side adventure…take your pick!

Take a tour here!

Via:PPCAddict

 

SlingPlayer Mobile Review

INTRODUCTION
    So you bought your digital super HD 60 inch plasma screen TV with digital cable, but you work 80 hours a week to pay for it so you never get to watch it. I have got the solution for you, as well as your companies productivity department’s worst nightmare. Introducing SlingPlayer mobile. That’s right, SlingPlayer mobile. As in, you can watch your television on your Pocket PC if you’ve got a SlingBox. This is the ultimate toy, and attracts a crowd wherever you bring it, trust me.

For those of you not familiar with the SlingBox by Sling Media, let me give you a brief introduction. You hook up this pretty looking box up to your coaxial cable line if you have regular cable, or the outputs from your cable box if you have digital cable. Then you hook the SlingBox up to your router, do a little configuration, and voila! It broadcasts your television over the internet so you can watch it anywhere you have an internet connection. One setback is that it is limited to one connection per SlingBox, which is obviously a piracy protection rather than a hardware limitation, but it is still pretty cool. Freshly released, SlingPlayer Mobile brings the SlingBox broadcast to any Windows Mobile Pocket PC (Smartphone client not yet available) with an internet connection.

WHAT’S HOT
    This is the first release of the mobile version, and has been anticipated by many in the Pocket PC community. I’ll tell you what is hot: it works. It is not perfect, but it does what it says.

SETUP
    First thing, you have to make sure you have Microsoft ActiveSync 4.1 installed. The installation guide calls for this, so make sure you perform an update or verify that you already have it installed. After you perform the update, installation is straightforward. Run the exe, let it install on your Pocket PC while it’s in the cradle, and you are set. Warning: the install does take a very long time, and requires a soft reset which it will do automatically for you. One note I would like to point out is that if you have vBar installed (a popular alternative program to the switcher bar) you might want to uninstall it prior to installing SlingPlayer as I encountered some problems with the system locking up which went away after removal of vBar.

PRODUCT FEATURES

When you start up SlingPlayer Mobile, this is what you get after a quick little splash screen. First off you are going to need to add your SlingBox so you can watch it. When you first start a window will come up and ask you if you want to update your SlingBox directory. Click ok to this. You still will need to setup your SlingBox so you need to click Player -> Slingbox Directory -> Add SlingBox.

Adding a SlingBox is very easy. All you have to do is get your Slingbox Finder ID from the SlingBox setup screen (do this on your regular computer) and then enter your password, hit ok, and you are ready to go. I love it when things are simple and go smoothly. Lets get down to business here.

To start watching, click Player -> (your SlingBox) -> Watch. Give it a few seconds to connect and…wow! It’s your television!

    My first reaction to the picture quality was disgust… However, if you wait a few seconds for the stream to buffer and optimize, it will clear up as much as your internet connection allows for. After this, I was impressed with the video quality. The audio is fine and sounds as good as anything coming out of the puny speakers on my Axim. The fact remains that I am watching my television over my Axim which is just plain incredible.

    Time to change the channel! To bring up the task bar, simply click on the screen where you see it in the picture above and it will pop up. What do we have here to play with? First we see the player menu which has a number of options which we will discuss later. Next to that we have the stop button. This simply stops video playback and will bring you back to the main screen with the black box. Then we have the remote control popup button, followed by mute, a volume control slider, toggle control mode (more on this later), and toggle full screen.

    The remote control is a little strange, and takes up a silly amount of the screen compared to the size of the tiny buttons, which are hard to push in my opinion because of their size. The manual channel changer is too small as well. Good thing we have that gray text “SlingRemote” on the side, or else we wouldn’t know what to do. Changing the channel is very straightforward: to go up or down one consecutive channel, hit the down or up channel button on the left. To go to a particular channel, enter the number and either wait a second or hit enter. After a short delay you will hear an audible “pop” sound and the channel will change. Hopefully the next version will contain a much better remote control, although believe it or not, this is a large improvement over the previous beta version I tested several days ago.

    If you are having trouble getting a good picture over your connection (especially those on EDGE or GPRS), there is hope! Seen in the screenshot above (to access click Player -> Player Modes) are two extra modes that will help. Audio only mode is fairly self explanatory and although you should be able to receive this fine on low bandwidth networks, I don’t find this acceptable unless you actually want to only listen to the broadcast. A much better option is Slide Show mode. This player mode drops the frame rate down to about 1 fps and keeps the audio intact. Over my WiFi connection, the picture quality was terrific. It is fairly easy to keep track of what is going on, but the frame rates still make for some choppy video.

    Editor-in-Chief Brandon Miniman got a chance to test out SlingPlayer Mobile on his Cingular 8125 with an EDGE connection and confirmed that the video is choppy for the first few minutes, and becomes adequate (but still not smooth) after several minutes, probably as a result of the streaming optimization that the software is using.

    Also on the main menu, there is an option to select your desired input from the SlingBox. This is great if you have multiple sources such as a Coaxial connection as well as your satellite dish. I only have extra basic cable, so I was not able to experiment with this.

    Time to check out the options! Going to player -> Player Options will bring you to the screen above. Let me warn you: this is PAINFULLY slow. The video feed really destroys your system resources. The first tab which comes up is “Player.” Under buffer settings you can change between automatic and manual. Although I left it on automatic, some player issues can be resolved by changing the buffer and optimization settings. Mine works fine, so if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!

    The next tab is “Encoding.” If you want to yank as much quality as you can from your SlingBox, you can disable the SlingStream optimization settings and adjust the settings to your liking. In my opinion, SlingStream optimization does a great job of keeping things moving while giving you the best possible quality. Once again these are mainly options you want to change if you are having any sort of problem with your video feed.

    Then we come to the “Audio” tab. To tell you the truth I can’t change the sole option in this tab, but maybe you can! Possibly this may have something to do with my coaxial input or else it may just not be supported in this beta release.

    Finally, we have the advanced options tab. The first two options do not seem to do anything I can figure out. No statistics are shown on the screen whether that option is checked off or not. However, the “Reconnect…” option is nice if you want your video to come up automatically when you start the player. This avoids the black background that comes up after the original splash screen.

HELP SUPPORT
   The program itself is fairly straightforward, however there is a great deal of support offered from Sling Media as well as the included SlingPlayer Mobile installation guide.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS
    You need to be running either Windows 2000 or XP on your desktop computer, and have Active Synch 4.1 installed. Make sure you check this as even my fairly new Dell Axim x51v didn’t ship with Active Synch 4.1. Also make sure you upgrade to the latest firmware for your SlingBox and install the latest version of SlingPlayer on your computer. The upgrade is available on Sling Media’s home page. Finally, your Pocket PC needs to be running Windows Mobile 5.0 or Pocket PC 2003.

BUGS AND WISHES
    This is a beta version, so it is not perfect. My first install caused a critical error, but this seems to have been fixed in the latest beta. One thing that bothers me is that when I pull up the controls menu it will frequently be partially blacked out and not let you use all the buttons. This is easy to get around, and usually just requires you to close the menu by tapping the video portion of the the screen, and tapping the bottom again to bring up the controls. Even with nothing running in the background, the menus within the program take forever to pop up, and occasionally will freeze up and not show, or show up partially. You also want to avoid inserting or removing your Pocket PC from the cradle while SlingPlayer is running as it tends to freeze up. Stability is definitely an issue with this beta release, and hopefully will be taken care of in subsequent releases. Currently, there is no Smartphone version available, but one will be issued within the next month of this review.

PURCHASING
    According to the company: “SlingPlayer Mobile will be offered as a free download to all customers starting on March 23rd and the product will feature a 30+ day trial. If you are a registered Slingbox owner or if you purchase a Slingbox between March 23rd and April 26th and register it, you will receive a registration key for the final version of SlingPlayer Mobile. After April 26th SlingPlayer Mobile will be available for purchase for a one-time charge of $29.99 and of course, that does not include the cost of a Slingbox, which is a required component in order for SlingPlayer Mobile to work on a Windows Mobile Pocket PC or Pocket PC Phone.” The beta can be downloaded here.

PROS

• You can watch live TV on your Pocket PC…very cool!
• Simple, easy to use
• Slideshow mode is great when your bandwidth is limited
• Picture quality varies but can be very nice
• Audio is flawless (never skipped on me)

CONS

• Even over WiFi, video can become choppy and pixilated
• A big resource hog, don’t even bother running another program concurrently
• Menus can take an inordinate amount of time to open
• No Smartphone client (yet)

Source: Pocketnow

i-mate released the long awaited AKU 2 ROM update for the i-mate SP5 and SP5m

 

Today, i-mate released the long awaited ROM update for the i-mate SP5 and SP5m Windows Mobile Smartphone which is based on Microsoft’s AKU 2 and therefore contains the MSFP (Microsoft Feature Pack which is the E-Mail push functionality with Exchange 2003 and SP2) but unfortunately not the A2DP Bluetooth stereo protocol yet as previewed earlier.

Nevertheless, the ROM update also contains other important fixes and feature updates and is available in several language pack versions.

The main improvements from the updated OS, 1.5.331.4, are:

• Microsoft Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP):
  • Addition of the MSFP allowing Direct Push email, remote device wiping, security policy enforcement and Global Address List Lookup for customers using a MS Exchange Server 2003 with Service Pack 2.
• File beaming over Bluetooth:
  • It is now possible to beam files over Bluetooth using the file manager.
• Improved radio functionality:
  • Microphone level has been boosted.
  • Cell Broadcast display is now supported.
  • Line2 functionality introduced.
  • Busy Tone corrected.
  • Improved the echo suppression.
  • USSD service support is upgraded.
• Updated MMS:
  • MMS will now operate until there is only 1 Mb of free storage space. Previously this limit was set at 4Mb.
  • MMS client updated to the current version.
• Improved Pocket Internet Explorer:
  • Frames functionality now supported in the browser.
  • Quick navigation using Page Up key ( key 2 ) and Page Down key ( key 8 ).
• Keypad Light Timing:
  • The timeout of the keypad light can now be set. There is a utility in the ‘Utilities’ section of the SP5 support pages that will let you set it. Note that setting the keypad light over 8 seconds will cause significant reduction in battery life.
• Voice Dial:
  • Voice Dial reliability from handset has been improved.
• Communication Manager:
  • Communication Manager has been updated to allow current data services to be stopped, Direct Push email to be started/stopped using a single button press and flight mode to be switched on/off.
• Reminders:
  • When the device is locked, calendar reminders can be snoozed by using the joystick. Previously it was only possible to press the numeric key associated with the menu option to snooze a reminder.
• Bluetooth:
  • Car Kit interface: Address book sync can now be performed to car kits.
  • Bluetooth Beaming from file manager has now been improved (more reliable and faster).
• Java:
  • Updated Java client to latest version.

The ROM images for both, the SP5 and the SP5m are available for immediate download from the Club i-mate site.

 

Source: The::Unwired

 

Microsoft® Windows Mobile™ 5.0 upgrade – hx2000 and hx4700

Update: Download available here!

» Purchase CD Kits Now – North America Small & Medium Business Store
» Purchase Downloads Now

This upgrade offer provides you the ability to upgrade your HP iPAQ hx2000 and hx4700 series Pocket PC with Microsoft Windows Mobile Version 5.0, without purchasing new hardware.

The Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade is currently available on CD for the HP iPAQ hx2000 and HP iPAQ hx4700 series Pocket PC. The downloads are currently available just for the HP iPAQ hx2000. The downloads for the HP iPAQ hx4700 will be available soon.

The new Microsoft Windows Mobile Version 5.0 includes:

• ActiveSync 4.1, the most current synchronization software for faster management and transfer of information on your PC server
• Improved Productivity
  • Faster access to email and information
  • New Office Mobile Suite
    • Word Mobile for great document format support
    • Excel Mobile for better support when viewing and creating charts
    • PowerPoint Mobile for viewing and giving presentation on the go
  • Secure Device Management
• Integrated Multimedia (Windows Media Player 10)
  • More support for media via services and the desktop
  • More options to use media to personalize devices
• Persistent Store: helps to protect against the loss of personal data and applications when batteries discharge completely
• Pocket MSN, which permits one click access to MSN Hotmail and MSN Messenger

Note: Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 is the latest Operating System for Microsoft; please check your third party websites for compatibility and driver updates.

Ordering Upgrades:

HP offers you two ways to order your Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade:

• Physical Upgrade – CD Kit – Purchase CD Kits Now – North America Small & Medium Business Store
• Electronic Download – Purchase Downloads now

» You may Purchase the Microsoft Windows Mobile 5.0 upgrade for select the iPAQ Pocket PCs for $39.99 (US)*. Bulk orders are also available in quantities for fifty.

If you have any questions, please contact:

CD Kits – 1800 HP INVENT or 800-474-6836
Downloads – ebusinesssupport@hp.com

Hard Aluminum Case for Axim X50..Only $10 today!

This Dell Axim X50 and X50v case is made 100% made of anodized aircraft grade aluminum and designed according to the profile of the Axim handheld. The neoprene lining on top, bottom and the side holds your unit securely in place. The tight form fit neoprene on the side holds the top and bottom of the case tightly together and prevents it accidentally opening and get your handheld scratched. With this form-fitting metal deluxe case, it protects your investment. Specifications:

• Light weight aircraft grade scratch-resistant andoized aluminum.
• Precision molded case to fit your handheld perfectly.
• Neoprene lining holds your Axim securely in place, protects it against drops, shocks and collisions.
• Cutouts give easy access to Stylus, SD/MMC Expansion Slot, IR Port, Headphone Jack,Voice Memo Button and Connector.
• Activesync your handheld using a cable
• With belt clip and post system (add-on)
• Includes 2 SD card storage slots
• Includes business card holder

Available here!

Car Charger

VGA device , in general requires hi-output charger and those car charger costs $30-$40…

It has been reported the PSP charger can do the job beautifully at fraction of the cost $8. available at your RadioShack store near you!

Note: use the connector dongle that comes with your WM devices..And it works for other 5v DC equipment too (e.g. GPS receiver)

Detail here!