Astraware's Annual Hogmanay Party Savings

Join Astraware for their Annual Hogmanay Party and save on a range of great games!

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - Monday 31st December 2007 - Astraware would like to invite you to their Annual Hogmanay Party sale which starts today - 31st December 2007 - and runs until midnight PST on 11th January 2008!

Each day during this New Year celebration, one or two games will be offered with huge discounts. With a wide range of action, adventure, word games, puzzles, strategy and card games to choose from, there's certain to be something for everyone. Each offer lasts for just 24 hours, changing at midnight, so make sure to check back for the new offer each day!

The first game in the Annual Hogmanay Party on Monday 31st December is the beautiful puzzler Glyph for just $9.95. To grab this, or any of the great Hogmanay offers, head over to http://www.astraware.com/promo/hogmanay08.

About Astraware
Founded in 1994 and incorporated in 2000, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include Astraware Sudoku, Zap! 2000/2016, PopCap Games' Bejeweled, and Zuma, and Sandlot Games' Tradewinds, and GlyphTM. Astraware is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner, and a Palm Select Developer. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in more than 100 countries. Visit Astraware at http://www.astraware.com.

It's been over 20 years since I last visited the "British Isles" so I had to check Wikipedia to remind myself just what Hogmanay is / was / means -- well, you know what I mean... so I decided to post the definition here too:

Hogmanay (pronounced [ˌhɔgməˈneː] — with the main stress on the last syllable - hug-m'NAY) is the Scots word for the last day of the year and is synonymous with the celebration of the New Year (Gregorian calendar) in the Scottish manner. Its official date is 31 December (Old Year's Night). However this is normally only the start of a celebration which lasts through the night until the morning of Ne'erday (1 January) or, in some cases, 2 January which is a Scottish Bank Holiday.

FunContact 2.0 to Blow Your Mind! (Windows Mobile)

FunContact 2.0 to Blow Your Mind!
Farewell to default Windows Mobile contacts

29 December, 2007 – VITO Technology releases a new version of FunContact. Managing contacts on your Windows Mobile Pocket PC has become easier and more fun! New features on top of finger friendly and stylish interface make FunContact a truly irreplaceable contact manager. Now even more visual effects!

The new sliding out keypad allows you to easily dial numbers missing from your contacts. All it takes is tapping the red arrow, and here you are dialing the number you need. T9 contacts look up is also possible on this keypad like on smartphones.

New version of FunContact provides its own contact editing. It has become possible to edit or add new contacts without going to the default WM contacts. Forget about default contacts with its old-fashioned looks and awkward editing. Now you can easily edit your contacts right from FunContact, delete, add new fields, etc. You’ll find out that editing contacts is fun as well!

The calls in call history are now grouped by the type of calls (missed, incoming or outgoing calls) and by the date. All types of calls for the same contact are grouped separately for each day. This way you will see only one record in the list even if you got several calls from a certain contact: only the last one is displayed.

Once you started using FunContact it’s difficult to come back to the default contacts. You simply enjoy managing your contacts with finger. Clinton Fitch, the well known MVP says: "Having used FunContact for several weeks now it is hard to see myself not using it going forward. It has made contacting those on my contact list quicker and far easier with the ability to SMS or e-mail them with only a tap or two versus using the native Windows Mobile applications."

FunContact is available for $19.95 at http://iWindowsMobile.com and http://vitotechnology.com. Look out for 25% HOLIDAY DISCOUNT! Current users upgrade for free.

VITO Technology Inc. (founded in Novosibirsk, Russia) is known for its high-tech products in the field of Windows Mobile and Symbian software, GPS navigation and custom projects. Introduced in the present article FunContact is a touch oriented contact manager for Windows Mobile Pocket PC.

Skyscape: New Year's Special Offer

We know you work hard and that time is money. Skyscape can help you save time, effort and money with this special offer for New Year's:

* Palm Tungsten E2 plus $130 in Clinical Decision Support Tools with Free shipping for only $189
OR
*Palm Tx plus $130 in Clinical Decision Support Tools with Free shipping for only $269.

Using mobile medical information at the point of care has been proven to reduce errors, save time and improve patient outcomes. With over 500 trusted resources covering more than 35 specialties, Skyscape provides healthcare practitioners with an unlimited selection of titles from the most expansive and trusted mobile medical library in the world!

To see Skyscape's entire portfolio of resources for physicians and nurses, and get your new year's gift, click here.

Hurry - offer ends 31 December 2007!

Best Regards,
The Skyscape Team

Daily Quote 3.1 Released

Christmas and New Year’s Eve Quotes Galore – Daily Quote 3.1 Released

In the old days, it was not called the Holiday Season; the Christians called it 'Christmas' and went to church; the Jews called it 'Hanukka' and went to synagogue; the atheists went to parties and drank.
People passing each other on the street would say 'Merry Christmas!' or 'Happy Hanukka!' or (to the atheists) 'Look out for the wall!'" - Dave Barry "Christmas Shopping: A Survivor's Guide"

Youth is when you're allowed to stay up late on New Year's Eve. Middle age is when you're forced to. - Bill Vaughan

Did the quotes above make you giggle? Are you starting to grow tired of all the New Year’s Eve / Christmas crap? We think we have an answer here….

Tamoggemon Software has just announced an update to Daily Quote, its award-winning quote manager for Palm OS. Daily Quote 3.1 improves the following aspects of the program:

ZLauncher plug-in
This plug-in has received enhancements improving text clarity significantly on HiRes and HiRes+ devices. A newly-added turbo mode allows quote scrolling speed to be adjusted over an even wider range!

New quote databases
Additionally, version 3.1 ships with two database files containing quotes about Christmas and New Year’s Eve. These databases can be installed onto your handheld/smartphone; and provide approximately 100 entertaining quotes that make the horrors of Christmas much more bearable!

Combined with our existing features like 2day integration and quote databases that can be edited on the go, Daily Quote remains the most comprehensive quote management/display solution for Palm OS!

A 14day evaluation version is available for free from http://www.tamoggemon.com/pdq/download.php; existing customers get a free upgrade under Tamoggemon’s free-update policy. The full version costs 9.95$ and can be purchased from MobiHand!

Natara DayNotez™ 3 for Palm OS v3.0.3 Update

Natara is excited to announce a point release of DayNotez 3 for Palm OS 5 mobile devices.

Since the release of DayNotez Palm v3.0.1, many bug fixes have been made for the v3.0.3 release.

If you are running DayNotez v3.0.1 or v3.0.2 on your Palm, we suggest you install the free v3.0.3 update.

One of the most requested changes in this version is the ability to return to the v2 editing mode for "wysiwyg" bullet and numbered lists. The tagged method introduced in v3 is still the preferred method, but this option is for those that like reading their entries directly from the edit view. This option is configurable from the Options/Prefs menu Edit tab by configuring the Use Plain Text Bullets checkbox.

Don't forget to visit our forums if you need help or have questions or comments about this new release.

To upgrade from an earlier version of DayNotez just install DayNotez 3 over your current installation. It's always best to make a backup of your current DayNotez database before upgrading. There is a backup topic in the user manual with more information.

New USB BlackFrog Now Available

FrogPad has just announced the release of their new USB BlackFrog FrogPad one-handed keyboard.

FrogPad is a one-handed keyboard that works with most USB compatible devices. This includes all desktops, laptops, tablets, wearable PC's, and gaming applications. A tutorial comes with your Froggie, and there is a serious tutorial is available through DeMarque. http://frogpad.zeroforum.com/zerothread?id=550

Specifications:

• Black faceplate
• Black keypad.
• Matching keyboard case.
• PC & Mac Compatible
• USB Connection

Right-handed Orientation
Dimensions: 5.60" x 3.73" x 0.66" (0.35" Corner Radius)
Weight: 7 oz.
Cost: $129.99 USD

Astraware releases Winter Edition of Solitaire

Astraware releases a special Winter Edition of Astraware Solitaire

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - December 5th, 2007 - Winter has arrived in the Northern Hemisphere and the Holiday Season is upon us, so to celebrate Astraware has created a special version of their popular Astraware Solitaire game for Palm OS(R) and Windows Mobile(R) smartphones and PDAs.

Astraware Solitaire Winter Edition includes a new icy colour theme and beautiful Winter/Holiday card backs created by Astraware artists Bryan King and Mike Hanson. It also includes all of the features of the standard edition - 12 of the most well-known and best-loved single player card games; easily customizable rules so you can play your way; a range of different colour themes, backgrounds and card backs; and unlockable rewards featuring the Golden Trophy Deck.

Astraware Solitaire Winter Edition is a FREE download for registered users of the standard edition of Astraware Solitaire or Astraware Solitaire Halloween Edition as registration codes work for all three versions. New users who purchase Astraware Solitaire Winter Edition will also be able to use their registration code in the standard version of the game. It's available for Palm OS(R) 5 devices with hi-res screens, and for Windows Mobile(R) 2003, 2003SE, 5 & 6 Classic (Pocket PC), Professional (Phone Edition), and Standard (Smartphone) devices, priced $19.95.

About Astraware
Founded in 1994 and incorporated in 2000, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include Astraware Sudoku, Zap! 2000/2016, PopCap Games Bejeweled., and Zuma., and Sandlot Games. Tradewinds., and GlyphTM. Astraware is a Microsoft. Certified Gold Partner, and a Palm. Select Developer. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in more than 100 countries. Visit Astraware at http://www.astraware.com.

Astraware releases 8 games in Astraware Casino

Try your luck with 8 great casino games in Astraware Casino

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - December 5th, 2007 - Astraware(R) would like you to invite you to try your luck with Astraware Casino - a collection of the most popular casino games all in one pack. Enjoy all the fun of a real casino on your Palm OS(R) or Windows Mobile(R) smartphone or PDA without losing your shirt!

Astraware Casino features 8 of the most popular games found in casinos around the world including Texas Hold 'Em Limit Poker, Roulette, Slots, and Blackjack. You'll also get $1000 in your virtual wallet so you can start playing right away.

Astraware Casino includes instructions on how to play each of the games, designed with casual players in mind, so each of the games is perfect for everyone to enjoy without playing with real money. As you progress and play more, higher stake tables and games are unlocked, offering bigger bets and larger wins. Astraware Casino also includes a bank where you can get an overdraft if your luck is out, or stash your cash if you win big!

"Our casino has all the fun games and attraction, but unlike a real casino, the odds are with the player, so your chances of winning - and winning big - are that much better," said Howard Tomlinson, CEO of Astraware. "Take you pick from a choice of games, try your luck on the slots, use your skill at blackjack, keep your cool and make your bluff in poker, there's something for all players!"

Just like when you take a regular vacation, it's fun to bring back souvenirs, and in Astraware Casino you get your own Souvenir Suitcase. As you play you'll reach certain achievements which unlock different items to remind you of your trip to the Astraware Casino.

Astraware Casino is available for Palm OS(R) 5 devices with hi-res screens, and Windows Mobile(R) devices running 2003, 2003SE, 5 & 6 and with square, QVGA, and VGA portrait and landscape screens. The game is priced $19.95. To download a free trial, visit http://www.astraware.com/casino.

About Astraware
Founded in 1994 and incorporated in 2000, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include Astraware Sudoku, Zap! 2000/2016, PopCap Games Bejeweled., and Zuma., and Sandlot Games. Tradewinds., and GlyphTM. Astraware is a Microsoft. Certified Gold Partner, and a Palm. Select Developer. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in more than 100 countries. Visit Astraware at http://www.astraware.com.

Google's Android SDK (gPhone)

When Google first announced Android and it’s SDK (Software Developers Kit), I admit to not paying much attention.

It’s not that I ignored it. Actually, I thought it was a really interesting idea. In fact I thought it was a very workable way of convincing the community to develop the infamous gPhone.

I was wrong.

I now realize that Android is not just interesting, it truly is inspirational, and I think it will result in the community developing not the gPhone, but rather THE gPhone. Not a phone defined by Google, but a phone defined by the development community. As in “G” for Group phone.

This could be THE big open source development project.

Take a closer look:

Sergey Brin and Steve Horowitz discuss the availability of the SDK, that it will be open source in the future, and demo some applications.

US Census Takers Getting A Custom PDA

Popular Mechanics was able to get their hands on one of the custom PDAs that US census takers will be using in 2010. They have posted a hands on review article, complete with video.

Census to Cut Red Tape with Tricked-Out Mobile Data Collector
It looks like the latest smartphone-on-steroids, teeming with everything from GPS and wireless to a touchscreen and a stylus. Throw in an SD memory slot, fingerprint authentication and Windows Mobile 5.0, and you’ve got a powerful, easy-to-use PDA in your hands. Trouble is (besides being clunky at nearly twice the size of BlackBerry), once inefficient bureaucrats will be the only ones allowed to use it come 2010.

Slow Migration Away From My Palm

Well... I never thought I would do this, but I'm slowly migrating away from my Palm. My current Palm is the Palm TX, and I've been using it for everything for about two years now. Of course, there is a long line of Palm PDA's running back before the Palm TX.

The things I use my Palm for includes using it as an MP3 player. I find this to be especially handy, since I always have my Palm with me, and all I need is a set of earbuds (or better yet, some real headphones) and some MP3 files (I usually listen to netcasts instead of music) loaded on my SD memory card.

So if I find my Palm so handy for playing MP3s, what’s could be the drawback? We'll I've been getting more physically active, and while my Palm works great during cycling and weight training, I’m finding the TX a little large (and heavy) lately for use while running.

Truth be told, even when running, since it's usually in a pocket, I don’t find the Palm TX that large, cumbersome or heavy, at least not enough to be worth spending money on a fix / replacement. However, I had a birthday recently, and one of the gifts I received was an MP3 player from my family.

This new toy is a really nice, 2Gig flash based SanDisk Sansa e250 video and music player. It’s small, light, and shiny! [Grin] I find it especially nice to use for music and short video clips.

Unfortunately, I don’t usually listen to music, rather I listen to netcasts, mostly from the TWiT Netcast Network. So far, I find the controls to be less appropriate when it comes to listing to much longer (40 to 80 minutes long) MP3s making it hard for example, to return to where I left off.

I have decided to give myself time to get use to the MP3 player controls, and develop new habits etc. I’ll be sure to post more on this topic and let you know how things work out after a longer adjustment period.

Last Canadian Music Chain Closes

ET Canada has posted a Vancouver Sun article on the last Canadian Music Chain closing it's Brick-and-Mortar Store and moving on line.

Essentially, I see this as a sign of the times... while studies have shown that P2P downloaders buy more CDs because of their wider exposure to all the artists out there, the CD publishers are still charging way too much for physical music albums.

Last Canadian Music Chain Closes
Music World shutting its doors, but new owner says business will move online

Music World, the last Canadian-owned national music store chain, is under bankruptcy protection and will close its stores, the latest victim of a rapidly changing music business.

...

Music World has 72 stores and was previously owned by the Pindoff family, which founded the business more than 30 years ago and sold it to a group of investors last week.

An "orderly wind down" of operations is planned by Music World's new owners, according to court documents, including the immediate liquidation of inventory in order to take advantage of the holiday shopping season.

All 648 employees will be laid off by Jan. 31.

HMV Canada is interested in buying some of the Music World stores, said president Humphrey Kadaner in an e-mail, but has not yet determined how many or which ones.

The U.K.-based HMV is the last chain standing, with more than 100 stores across the country.

...

Canadian sales of CDs, music DVDs and other physical music formats (such as cassettes) have fallen about 20 per cent since last year, according to the Canadian Recording Industry Association.

...

It's a shame to see the market slim down like this, but I don't agree that only the 'chain' stores are to blame. Although, I must also admit that I rarely 'handle' my CDs any more. I have the majority of them ripped into MP3 so that I can listed them on my Palm (or my new MP3 player).

Make sure you click through to read the whole article, it's an interesting read.

Remembrance Day ~ Lest We Forget

Today is Remembrance Day (Armistice Day) here in Canada. Remembrance Day, and Veterans Week (the week leading up to it) is the time of year that we go to extra lengths to ensure our Veterans sacrifices are NOT forgotten.

The following quick remembrance is from the Veterans Affairs Canada site.



Veterans Affairs Canada

Each year, Canada marks Veterans' Week from 5 to 11 November. Veterans' Week is a time to honour and remember all those who served Canada in times of war, military conflict and peace. Throughout the week, commemorative events and activities will be held in communities across Canada. This year, we call upon all Canadians, especially youth, to take an active role in commemoration. Taking part in remembrance events develops a deeper understanding of the sacrifices and achievements of those who have served and continue to serve our country. As Canadians, we have endless opportunities to become involved in remembrance. We can talk to a Veteran, visit a local cenotaph or monument, read a book or attend a Remembrance Day ceremony. When we take an active role in commemoration we become part of a legacy of remembrance and gratitude. We also set an example for future generations so that the torch of remembrance continues to burn brightly.

Palm Daily Quote 3.0 Released by Tamoggemon

Tamoggemon Software has released a whole new version of Daily Quote. Palm Daily Quote 3.0 is brand new, with new features and new compatibility modes.

“A quote a day keeps the jackass away” – Tam Hanna

Ever saw a quote and felt like taking it on the road with you? Ever felt like having your handheld greet you with a quote whenever it starts up? Ever wished that 2Day or ZLauncher had a Quote-of-the-day function? Tamoggemon Daily Quote does it all!



The latest version of Daily Quote gives you access to the following new features:

ZLauncher plug-in
ZLauncher users all over the world, rejoice! Our product can now be integrated into your favorite launcher via a simple plug-in. It then provides a Daily-Quote-powered quote ticker that is available whenever ZLauncher is opened!



Quote-a-day mode
Quote-a-day mode configures Daily Quote to update the displayed quote only once a day, instead of choosing a new one from the database whenever a quote is displayed.

Improvements to popup engine
The DailyQuote popup engine has been overhauled completely so that it is now 100% compatible with security applications and incoming call dialogs. Get a call? Daily Quote will not interfere! Handheld locked? A quote will be waiting for you after unlocking the handheld!

Combined with our existing features like 2day integration and quote databases that can be edited on the go, Daily Quote is the most comprehensive quote management / display solution for Palm OS!

A 14 day evaluation version is available for free from http://www.tamoggemon.com/pdq/download.php and existing customers get a free upgrade under Tamoggemon’s free-update policy. The full version costs only $9.95 and can be purchased from MobiHand!

Make sure you check out the 14 day trial, and the extra quote databases too...

Good Things -- Small Package

Last month the New York Times posted a good review (by David Pogue) of the newest Palm Smartphone -- the Centro.

(Mostly) Good Things in a Small Package
...

That must be what Palm was thinking when it unveiled the Centro, its new keyboard-equipped cellphone. It’s almost identical to the company’s popular Treo smartphone, but a little smaller and cheaper.

Your first reaction might well be to shake your head in dismay. Is that the best Palm can come up with? How could this great innovator of the ’90s have gotten so lost in the woods? People used to go nuts on every rumor of a new Palm device. Web sites ran reviews of every carrying case and stylus. Corporate geeks used Graffiti, the PalmPilot’s handwriting-recognition alphabet, even on whiteboards and notepads.

Not anymore. Lately, Palm’s innovation engines seem to be running on their last wisps of steam. There was a momentary flicker of hope last January when Palm’s founder, Jeff Hawkins, introduced the Foleo — a superthin, category-busting, laptoplike “cellphone companion” — but Palm canceled the Foleo last month.

So for two years, Palm’s “new” products have been little more than minor variations on the Treo — and the Centro appears to be yet another one.

Palm hoped that by trimming the Treo’s size and price, it would create a totally different product, a new crossover phone for people who have never before owned phones with alphabet keys. (By Palm’s reckoning, that’s 95 percent of cellphone buyers.)

But here’s the funny thing: the strategy works.

The Centro’s rounded plastic case, available in red or black, is 2.1 by 4.2 by 0.7 inches thick. That’s about a fifth of an inch smaller than the Treo 700 in every dimension. Doesn’t sound like much, but on gadgets that live in your grip, microns can feel like miles. And at 4.2 ounces, the Centro is also 34 percent lighter than the Treo.

...

Be sure to click through and read the entire article

Cellphone Jamming On The Rise

The New York Times ran a good article last week on the rise of "vigilanty cellphone jammers".

Devices Enforce Silence of Cellphones, Illegally

...

As cellphone use has skyrocketed, making it hard to avoid hearing half a conversation in many public places, a small but growing band of rebels is turning to a blunt countermeasure: the cellphone jammer, a gadget that renders nearby mobile devices impotent.

The technology is not new, but overseas exporters of jammers say demand is rising and they are sending hundreds of them a month into the United States — prompting scrutiny from federal regulators and new concern last week from the cellphone industry. The buyers include owners of cafes and hair salons, hoteliers, public speakers, theater operators, bus drivers and, increasingly, commuters on public transportation.

The development is creating a battle for control of the airspace within earshot. And the damage is collateral. Insensitive talkers impose their racket on the defenseless, while jammers punish not just the offender, but also more discreet chatterers.

“If anything characterizes the 21st century, it’s our inability to restrain ourselves for the benefit of other people,” said James Katz, director of the Center for Mobile Communication Studies at Rutgers University. “The cellphone talker thinks his rights go above that of people around him, and the jammer thinks his are the more important rights.”

...

Be sure to follow the above link and read the rest of the article

SanDisk Introduces 8GB microSDHC Card

SanDisk recently held a Hollywood Block Party event to introduce it's new "micro Secure Digital High Capacity" (microSDHC) 8 Gig memory cards. Their intent was to make 18-25 year-olds more aware of the expansion slots built into most electronic devices these days... such as smartphones!

... The development of the 8GB card has proliferated from the flash technology that SanDisk has already developed, but the company says the technology used in production was significantly difficult. The new 8 GB card can hold over 5,000 high-resolution photos, 2,000 digital songs, or 5 hours of high-quality M MPEG 4 video. Pretty impressive considering the card is smaller than a dime.

Although the 8 GB may be a wake-up call for consumers in realizing the capacity for storage in mobile devices, the consumption of content is really driving the introduction of memory this size. “More and more consumers are recognizing that convergence onto a handset really makes a lot of sense…instead of carrying multiple devices,” says Dan Hogan, Manager of Worldwide Marketing Mobile Markets for SanDisk.

...

As for an even higher capacity flash card on the horizon, consumers will have to wait and see. “As we move into a higher storage capacity, we move into new territory. The applications will expand but it will also be a question of how much consumers will want to pay for a 16GB card,” reflected Wong. The 8GB microSDHC card currently retails for $139 and the 8GB M2 card for $149.

According to SanDisk product website, the microSDHC features:

High storage capacity (8GB) for storing essential digital content such as high quality photos, videos, music and more

Optimal speed and performance for microSDHC compatible devices

Speed performance rating: Class 4 (based on SD 2.00 Specification)

High Quality microSDHC card backed by 5 year limited warranty

Built to last, with an operating shock rating of 2,000Gs, equivalent to a ten-foot drop **

SanDisk microSDHC 8GB card ships with Bonus MobileMate™ Micro Reader

o High speed USB 2.0 compatible transfer rates

o No additional card adapters required

o Compatible with Windows Vista and certified for Windows XP and Mac OS X


Be sure to click on the link to read the entire story.

Handheld PDA Market Still Shrinking

According to a recent research report, the Handheld PDA market is continuing to decline. Where Handheld is defined as PDA that does not include cellphone features. The reason this definition makes such a difference is that most smartphone users (Palm especially) don't see their smartphone as being "distinct from" or "not a" handheld PDA. It's like a research report saying that "home DVD movies" are dead, because everyone's buying HD-DVD players... Here's news for the researchers... smartphones are still handheld and PDAs!

PDA market still shrinking dramatically with no end in sight
Handheld makers saw their market contract substantially for the fifteenth consecutive quarter, according to a research report released today. The market volume is down about 70% from its peak in 2002 and IDC expects this trend to continue for at least another five years.

Playing in the handheld market today - with “handheld” being defined as a PDA without cellphone capability - isn’t much fun. Once again, the shipment volume of such devices declined significantly in the third quarter of this year.

...

Llamas said that the PDA market is unlikely to go away completely since it still has “a loyal, if shrinking, following in developed economies, especially among enterprise users. In emerging markets, the appeal of the handheld devices seems anchored in the fact that, in the absence of a monthly service plan, it has a lower total cost of ownership compared to mobile phones and/or the converged mobile device."

Be sure to follow the link to read the entire article.

VersaMail Not Compatible with Gmail IMAP

There's a new post on the Palm Blog. In a nutshell, it says that the IMAP support in VersaMail is not compatible with the IMAP in Gmail. So much for a great idea. Unfortunately there seems to be no plans to "repair" VersaMail, especially since Palm is recommending we switch to ChatterEmail, yes, it is also owned by Palm, and will cost us an additional $39.95.

Palm VersaMail Compatibility with Gmail

There's been some discussion around Palm's VersaMail client being compatible with Google's Gmail. We wanted to clarify that currently Palm Treo and Centro smartphone customers can access their Gmail accounts using the POP email protocol. While VersaMail supports the IMAP protocol, there are some known incompatibilties and limitations with Gmail. For example, VersaMail does not support IMAP-IDLE, which is used by Gmail to deliver continuously updated email. For Gmail users on the Palm OS, there are aftermarket email solutions that support IMAP-IDLE on Treo and Centro like ChatterEmail.

Bringing the JezzBall feeling to Palm OS - BallZ 1.0 Released

Attention – High Addiction Potential!

Tamoggemon Software has just released BallZ 1.0! BallZ is an implementation of Microsoft’s evergreen JezzBall concept for Palm OS 5 handhelds and smartphones.


For decades, JezzBall has been popular due to its non-violent yet challenging, action-loaded game play. Tamoggemon Software has managed to adjust the JezzBall concept to mobile devices while keeping the original feel intact.

The registered version of BallZ contains 30 colourful and unique levels. The speed of the game can be adjusted to the player’s skills in 5 steps; moody background music and sound effects create an immersive game play experience rarely seen on a mobile device.


BallZ is compatible with all Palm OS 5 handhelds that have a colour screen (including Treo 600). The program costs $14.95 and can be purchased at MobiHand's. A free 14 day trial is available from tamoggemon.com

Palm cancels the Foleo

From CNET News.com:

Faced with biting criticism of the Foleo, a Linux-based psuedo-laptop gadget, Palm has decided to cancel the first generation of the device.

Palm CEO Ed Colligan broke the news on Palm's official blog Tuesday after the close of the stock market. Just last week, a financial analyst predicted that Palm would have to delay the Foleo's launch until September or October because of serious software-related bugs, but Colligan decided to kill the entire project instead.

Palm unveiled the Foleo at the D: All Things Digital conference in May to widespread skepticism, despite the fact that Palm founder Jeff Hawkins considered it "the best idea I've ever had." The Foleo is basically an underpowered laptop that's designed to give Treo users a break from typing e-mails on a small phone keyboard. However, few could figure out why smart phone users--who ostensibly own a laptop already--would want to buy a separate $499 device that could do little more than send e-mails. [Read more]

2 TXs bricked in less than 10 days!

That's right, over the past 10 days I've replaced 2 Palm TXs. And boy I'm pissed.

The first TX handheld, which I've owned for over a year, was bricked after I attempted to copy PicselBrowser from my RAM from the expansion card, via ZLauncher, and it didn't show up in the launcher view. I was going to attempt to find it with PalmInsider Pro, but on lauching, my device went into a reset. One problem, on resetting, it would get stuck at the grey Palm logo part. Hard reset, soft reset, cold reset, warm reset, and even a zero-out reset did nothing. I let the battery die and recharged it, with no luck. I ended up getting it replaced.

Then, just yesterday, I was doing a wifi network hotsync and the connection was lost and when I went to look at new TX, it was in a reset loop. This time, the reset would stay on the grey screen for a few sec, then go blank and reset. Once again, none of the resets did a thing and letting the power die did nothing.

If anyone has any ideas on why it's been happening, and/or how to prevent future problems, email me at jason@canuck-pda.ca.

Canuck Software releases DIAMemory

The utility that gives you DIA an added boost in usability

Springing forth from their return, Canuck Software today announced the immediate availability and release of DIAMemory. This new shareware application improves upon the DIA system and remembers how you like you DIA set up with each program.

There's no special methods or tedious per-application settings you need to go through, all you need to do is enable it and the rest is automated. Whenever you leave an application, DIAMemory will remember the DIA status (up/down) and the screen orientation. Then, when you return to that application, those settings will be retrieved and applied.

With DIAMemory, management of DIA is greatly improved. For example you can go from a launcher, set in portrait mode with DIA up, straight to a web browser, in landscape mod with DIA down, without having to touch the DIA at all.

DIAMemory is shareware with a 7-day trial and registration costs a mere $3.95. It is available exclusively at http://www.canuck-software.ca/diamem.html

Palm Desktop 6.2 Beta for Windows Vista

Palm recently released its Palm Desktop 6.2 Beta for Windows software.

What's New:

- Windows Vista compatible: Has earned Microsoft's "Works with Windows Vista" designation.
- New version: This beta software includes the new Palm Desktop 6.2 and Hotsync Manager 7 software.
- Install Tool: The Install Tool allows you to sync .prc and .pdb files (PalmOS applications and databases) to your device.
- Outlook 2007 synchronization: Allows you to use your USB sync cable to synchronize with Outlook 2007's Calendar, Contacts, Tasks and Notes.

Read more at Palm >>

Canuck Software is back!

Canadian developer returns to the Palm scene, and with a new program

WINNIPEG, July 21, 2007 -- Canuck Software today announced it's return to the PalmOS community after a 7-month hiatus. This return means the many outdated programs will finally have the opportunity to be updated. In fact, with the return to development comes the opportunity for bigger and better programs than ever to come about.

Unfortunately the freeware policy will need to change as the solo developer, Jason Robitaille, is now in university and now has more priorities to manage. All currently existing freeware applications will remain as such, even with their future updates, however most of the upcoming applications will now be shareware at very reasonable prices. While there will be upcoming freeware releases, shareware programs will now play a much larger role.

Along with Canuck Software's return comes and update to the popular journaling program for the PalmOS, Life As I See It, to correct several bugs and includes major internal updates.

Most importantly, Canuck Software is proud to announce the release of Life On My PC, the much-requested, shareware PC companion to Life As I See It. With Life On My PC, you can view and edit your journal entries from your PC desktop*! It even has linked password protection, meaning the same password you use in the Palm application is the one you get to use with this desktop program. Life On My PC is available for the low price of only $6.95, which includes all future updates.

*Life On My PC requires Microsoft .NET Framework and Palm Desktop with Hotsync ability

Life As I See It update is available at http://canuck-software.ca/life.html

Life On My PC is available at http://canuck-software.ca/lifepc.html

Jack BBQ summer update!

Jack or 100 Ways to Barbecue
(aka Jack BBQ) version v1.6
INDUSTRY ENTERTAINMENT production
http://www.indus3.org/






The good old Jack BBQ, comes again, better then ever. The game you’ll love,comes to you fresh, chilled, just perfect for the summer time. For allkind ofshades, mobiles and easy going moments of leisure. Summer time is time forJack BBQ!


New version v1.6 of "Jack or 100 Ways to Barbecue" brings:

- Support for Windows Mobile 6
- DirectX and GAPI support for Windows Mobile
- Better buttons support for Windows Mobile
- Improved installation for Windows Mobile
- Checking for game updates

ABOUT

"Jack or 100 Ways to Barbecue" is a platform game that brings the fun of jump& run and a lot of brain exercise while solving delicate logical problems.Your aim is to find the exit out of each level, which is well hidden by doorsand guarded by unfriendly monsters whose only desire is to meet you and breakyour bones well for disturbing their domestic living area.

SUPPORTED PLATFORMS

- PalmOS
- Windows Mobile [Professional / Classic / Standard / PocketPC / Smartphone]
- Symbian S60


TRIAL VERSION

Trial version of Jack BBQ game is available for downloading athttp://www.indus3.org/. It provides a chance to play the first level of thegame. No hi-score is available in the trial version.In order to be able to play all the levels of the game, have hi-score andenable other game features you should purchase the game athttp://www.indus3.org/.

PalmPowerups Back Online

Dmitry Grinberg's excellent Palm software support website PalmPowerups has been offline for about a week. Most of Dmitry's software consists of popular (and reasonably priced) unique Palm utilities, while some of them he distributes as freeware! We're glad to announce that Dmitry has his site back up and running...

Welcome back Dmitry, we missed you.

PalmPowerups back up
SiteAfter a week-long downtime PalmPowerups.com is back up. Some things are still being worked on, so please bear with us.
PowerDiGi v2 has been released. It is a free update.

All user information [INCLUDING LOGIN NAMES AND PASSWORDS] has, unfortunately, been lost, and will have to be recreated. This means your login will not work, and you need to create it again!
We sincerely apologize for any inconvenience this might cause.
dmitrygr on July 14 2007 15:29

Flash LEDs Now Out Perform Traditional Xenon Lamps

Seoul Semiconductors has announced that they have developed a new Flash LED that out performs the traditional flash light source - the xenon lamp. Not only are the new super bright Flash LEDs comparable in brightness to a traditional xenon lamp, but their ultra-miniature size (1/3 the width, 2/3 the length, and 1/5 the height) provides a considerable space savings, and they can run continuously for use in video cameras, something that a xenon lamp can’t do because it requires charging.

They already have at least one camera company interested “Flash LEDs will be applied to digital camera s flashes of a global digital camera manufacturer”. This means that Palm (and others of course) will finally be able to incorporate a usable flash into their PDAs and Smart Phones! I can’t wait! ~ Are you listening Palm?

Here's their press release:

Flash LEDs Reach High Resolution Level of Xenon Lamp for Digital Cameras

SEOUL, KOREA (5 July 2007) - Seoul Semiconductor (KOSDAQ: 046890), one of the ten largest LED manufacturers in the world, announced today that it has launched a super bright and ultra-mini flash LED that will replace xenon lamps which are generally used as a flash light source for digital cameras or 5 mega pixel camera phones. Seoul Semiconductor s Flash LEDs will be applied to digital camera s flashes of a global digital camera manufacturer.

Seoul Semiconductor s new flash LED, FCW211Z series, features super brightness, ultra-mini size, display of moving image, and long lifespan.

FCW211Z can operate at high current of 2 Amp, and emit up to 100 candelas, which indicates more than twice the brightness level of conventional LEDs for Flash. The Light Energy of the product at 26.49 lux-secs is comparable to that of high capacity xenon lamp, and it is expected to exceed the level of xenon in the near future.

The Flash LEDs small size supports the miniaturization of devices. It is suitable for ultra-small products such as mobile phones, digital cameras and video cameras.

Comparison of dimensions between FCW211Z Series and xenon lamp
- FCW211Z Series: width 3.5mm, length 3.0mm, height 0.75 mm
- Xenon lamp for mobile phone: width 10.1 mm, length 4.6mm, height 3.5 mm

FCW211Z series enables displaying of moving images and continuous shooting without a need of charge while conventional xenon lamps are not available for those functions. Furthermore, the series offers more than two times longer lifespan than conventional xenon lamp.

"The performance of conventional LEDs were not the best for flash due to its poor brightness despite its availability in moving image, ultra-mini size, and long lifespan. However, with our new FCW211Z series, we can now enjoy both the advantages of LEDs and superior image quality with brightness that is comparable to xenon lamp," says Byung Hack Lee, head of the chip and module business division at Seoul Semiconductor.

Follow the parrot! He's got my copy of Tradewinds 2!

Just recently, Astraware released Tradewinds 2 the sequel to their original sea-faring trading game. This time, instead of sailing the seas in the Far East, you now travel the waters in the Caribbean Sea with plenty of new ports and characters to encounter. Oh, and of course plenty of pirates – we can’t forget about them now, can we?

The first thing you’ll notice when starting the game is how similar the game looks to the original. The ports look kind of the same, as do the menus you use to interact with characters like the shipyard owners or bartenders. However, you’ll soon find that many small changes have been made to these parts of the game that make it better than the original, or sometimes worse. First off, the merchants really know how to make a hard deal in Tradewinds 2. You'll find that most ports have the same prices for items, so it's hard to make a good profit when you start out. However, as the game progresses players will find that there’s more to the merchants than before: they can help you with your journey, and as new ports open up so do new trading options.

“Journey?” you say? Yes, this time trading and fighting pirates isn’t the only thing in this game. Well, it sort of is, but this time there’s a new twist: you follow the story of the characters you choose or even create. Each character has their own unique destiny, as it were, that makes Tradewinds 2 more exciting and funnier than before. You begin as a humble trader or plundering pirate in one of the ports, and each port has its own mayor. These mayors are a large factor in the progression of the story, as they provide the player with quests which must be completed to move on. Every quest has a reward, and when the player has completed enough quests, sometimes maps are given to you that provide new ports or mayors of other ports may begin providing quests as well. Within time, all ports will be opened to the player for buying and selling wares, repairing and buying ships, or hiding in local bars because you inadvertently lost a crewmember (where did my first mate go anyways?) or need to find a new one.

One new addition to the game is the use of several different items that players collect throughout their journey. These items are very helpful to the player and can make sailing and fighting much easier. For example, there are items like charms that increase the accuracy or reloading speed of your cannons or ragdolls that increase your interest at the bank. There are, however, some items that are of no help at all, like the charm that makes you more prone to encountering pirates or storms. As the player progresses through the game, they’ll likely come across at least one of each kind of item, and it makes the game more fun in a certain kind of way. Another addition to the game is the way characters join your crew. Previously in the original Tradewinds, members of another group of sailors would join you in battle as extra firepower. Now, these folks can help you reload your cannons faster, slow down your enemy’s speed, or even slow you down! These extra characters are almost always part of the journey, and most of the time the story behind them is a fun read. Just whatever you do, keep away from the mayor’s drunken wife. The last time I checked, her and her pirate friends werent’ too happy to see me.

If there is a change from the original game that most players may not appreciate, it’s the new combat system. In Tradewinds, you could purchase up to 15 vessels to sail the seas, and each vessel could be upgraded in terms of extra firepower. If a player wanted to, they could have their entire fleet of vessels consist of massive frigates loaded to the max with cannons and no room for cargo. This time you sail on your own, one ship at a time. And on top of this, you are limited to the number of cannons your ship can carry. It seems sort of a nuisance at first, but in time I found it more of a blessing. I found that the more ships I had in my fleet in the original Tradewinds, the slower battles became. It was like the game was lagging at some points during battle. Instead, Tradewinds 2 puts your single vessel against multiple ships at once. This time, however, your cannons fire non-stop until you or your foes have sunk to the ocean bottom. What’s special this time is that you can buy special ammunition for your cannons, from firepots to tiki bombs. These add extra punch for your battles, and can mean the difference between victory and becoming shark food. Unfortunately, your cannons are still vulnerable and can be taken out by enemy fire. But hey, at least you can get shiny new cannons in the next port with a shipyard!

Overall, Tradewinds 2 is a great improvement from the first Tradewinds. And that really says something when the first title of the series is already top-notch. While some of the quests can be tedious, requiring you to travel back and forth chasing after a seedy pirate or getting rid of a cursed jewel, you’ll find that it’s all worth it in the end. It’s also very satisfying to watch a volley of cannonballs crash into the side of your enemy ships. Tradewinds 2 is a very fun game that you could play for 5 minutes or 5 hours. It’s got a great musical atmosphere and nice graphics. Not to mention some good jokes here and there. Regardless of what platform you play it on, Tradewinds 2 is definitely a game everybody would enjoy.

Tamoggemon Software Releases Binary Clock 4.1

Tamoggemon Software has just released Binary Clock 4.1!, the latest version of the award-winning Binary Clock for Palm OS.


This release improves the program's compatibility with the Palm Treo 755p!

Tamoggemon Software has always been committed to excellent customer care. This includes supporting newly-released devices as soon as possible in order to allow customers to upgrade to the newly-released device easily and without worries about their Tamoggemon programs.

Binary Clock costs only $9.95 and can be purchased from MobiHand; registered users can update simply by installing the new version over the old one! A 14-day evaluation version is available from www.palmbinaryclock.com!

20% Off All Software at TamsPalm Shop

Yesterday, Tam Hanna of Tamoggemon Software fame, posted the following message on his TamsPalm Blog:

20% off all software in the TamsShop
It’s vacation time finally…time to chill out, relax and have fun! For me, vacation time always means looking at loads and loads of new apps for my handhelds - after all, nothing beats a few rounds of a cool game after work.

Anyways, the discount code HOLIDAYTIME gets you 20% off all Palm OS and PocketPC software in the TamsShop for a week from now - have great fun shopping!

This is a good deal, and, even better, it's not limited to just the excellent Tamoggemon Software products (which include Binary Clock, Daily Quote, and File Find) but includes all ALL Palm OS and PocketPC software available from TamsShop - and the list is very extensive! This is an offer well worth your time checking out!

Tradewinds 2 for PDAs released by Astraware

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK and BOTHELL, Wash USA - 2 July 2007 - Astraware and Sandlot Games are excited to announce the release of the highly anticipated Tradewinds 2TM on handheld devices. Based on the highly-acclaimed PC game, Tradewinds 2 has been developed by Astraware for Palm OS and Windows Mobile handhelds and smartphones.

Tradewinds 2 is the sequel to Tradewinds. - a best-selling game of Far East trade and pirate adventures. Tradewinds 2 offers players a brand new adventure based in the exotic seas of the Caribbean. Building on the trading fun of the first game, Tradewinds 2 features 20 all new ports to explore, new ships and weapons to buy and upgrade, new goods to trade in, and a brand new feature - tasks to complete for honor and reward. In each port, the Governor may request the help of your captain - from simple shopping tasks to rescuing fair maidens and defeating dangerous pirates. Elicit help at the Inn, and buy charms and amulets from the trader to help your safe passage to the next port.

Choose from 5 characters to Captain your ship, or even create your own with the character generator, and then set sail for your adventure. Tradewinds 2 offers two play modes - Story Mode and Free Trade Mode - both offering many hours of game play. With over a hundred different tasks in a range of different character combinations encompassing different ports, Story Mode has excellent replay value. Free Trade Mode offers a different challenge, where players sail the seas to trade amongst ports and build their fortunes.

Tradewinds 2 is available for Palm OS. handhelds with hi-res screens running OS5, and for Windows Mobile. devices with a touch screen running WM2003, 5.0, and 6.0. Priced at $19.95, visit http://www.astraware.com/tradewinds2 for more information, to download a trial, or to buy. Tradewinds 2 for Palm OS, Windows Mobile and for PC can also be purchased from Sandlot Games - http://www.sandlotgames.com

About Astraware
Founded in 1994, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include PopCap Games, Bejeweled, Zuma, and Insaniquarium, Sandlot Games' Tradewinds, and Astraware Sudoku and Zap!2000/2016. Astraware is a Microsoft Certified Gold Partner. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in over 100 countries. For more information, contact Alison Barclay at alison@astraware.com, or visit http://www.astraware.com.

About Sandlot Games Corporation
Sandlot Games Corporation, headquartered in Bothell, Washington, is the world's premier developer and publisher of casual and family-friendly games. Sandlot Games boasts a captivating portfolio of popular game titles and franchises including Cake ManiaTM, GlyphTM, Super Granny., Tradewinds. and WestwardTM. Sandlot Games reaches millions of game players worldwide through a variety of distribution channels including online, PC, PDA's, handhelds, videogame consoles and mobile phones. Since 2002, over 80 million games have been downloaded by its loyal fan base. For more information or to play one of our award winning games, visit us at www.sandlotgames.com. For further information on the company, please contact: Jared Nieuwenhuis, Director of Global Marketing, Tel: 425.486.5822 (x291), email: jared@sandlotgames.com.

Celebrate 4th July with Fireworks from Astraware!

This free software application is for our friends 'South of the Border' (and no passport required either! {Grin})

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - 28 June 2007 - Astraware is pleased to announce a brand new version of their fun application Fireworks which is available for a limited time.

Fireworks is a simple FREE application, showing sequences of fireworks flying and exploding into the air. As 4th July is traditionally a time for fireworks and celebrations in the USA, the features have been created to help our American friends highlight one of their major holidays - Independence Day! Fireworks features a selection of patriotic backgrounds including the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore and the Stars and Stripes, and offers a choice of stirring tunes including the Star Spangled Banner and Stars and Stripes Forever!

Fireworks is available for devices running Palm OS (supports 160x160, 320x320 and 480x320 ~ FredPC). and Windows Mobile. including support for 240x240 square screens and QVGA landscape smartphones. What better way to celebrate 4th July than with some Fireworks? Download your copy today at http://www.astraware.com/fireworks - it's available for a limited time only! Oh, and did we mention, it's FREE?!

This looks like a really neat little application. Hopefully they'll develop a version for us to use on the 1st of July - Canada Day!

Resco Explorer 2007 v3.10 Released

Resco has just updated Resco Explorer 2007 to version 3.10! Resco Explorer 2007 is the top-selling file manager application for Palm OS handhelds, supporting zip archives, encryption, backups and various network protocols including FTP.

This release adds support for Windows Shares(SMB shares). This allows easy access to files shared via Windows folder sharing over Wifi, Bluetooth or GSM/CMDA(VPN) connections. The program can also access SMB shares hosted on Mac and Linux systems.

Resco Explorer allows you to treat files on a network share as if they were on a memory card - you can encrypt them, pack them into zip archives, move them around the host system or copy them to your Palm.

Accessing gigabytes of MP3's, documents, movies and files has never been so easy before. Just put them into a shared folder and download them to your memory card when you need them.

Resco Explorer costs $29.95 and can be purchased at various distributors like MobiHand and PalmGear ($24.95 until the 7/7/2007). An evaluation version is available from http://www.resco.net/palm/explorer/default.asp

As soon as I get some time, I will be evaluating Resco Explorer for all you loyal Canuck-PDA readers.

Astraware expands to the Palm Foleo

Palm and Astraware today announced the first two games for Palm’s new Foleo mobile companion - Astraware Sudoku and Astraware Solitaire. Additional titles from Astraware will follow.

Astraware Sudoku is a logical puzzle game suitable for players of all abilities. Features include six levels of difficulty, pencilmarks in a choice of styles, optional completion and tracking of pencilmarks plus an advanced hint system. In addition, it comes with a selection of built-in puzzles and, after registration, allows the addition of pre-built puzzle packs available free from http://www.sudokuoftheday.com.

Astraware Solitaire features 12 of the most well-known and best-loved single-player card games including Klondike, Spider, Freecell and Pyramid. Each game has a wide range of custom gameplay options so users can enjoy the games with their favorite variations on the standard rules. The game's style and interface has been designed to mirror the feeling of playing with real cards and offers a range of display options as well as detailed statistics to track progress. Astraware Solitaire has been optimized for the high-resolution display on the Foleo mobile companion and for use with the trackpoint controller.

"The Palm Foleo is a unique and exciting new type of device, and we’re thrilled to make two great popular games available for its users," said David Oakley, chief technology officer for Astraware. "The Foleo is an ideal companion for high-powered, time-starved executives, and Solitaire and Sudoku are ideal games to let them relax once their work is done."

By building the Foleo on an open Linux-based platform and publishing the tools developers might need, Palm hopes to establish a vibrant developer community to create new applications that extend the mobile companion’s built-in capabilities. Astraware demonstrates the ease with which exciting technology and applications can be ported to the Foleo mobile companion.

More information about Astraware is available at www.astraware.com.

For more information on the Foleo mobile companion, please visit http://www.palm.com/seefoleo. To sign up for notification about Foleo availability, please visit http://www.palm.com/foleonotify.

Manitoba Chiefs Want Air Use Money

Want a shock? Read the full CBC article via the link below. And in this case it doesn't matter if you are using a Palm OS Treo, Pocket PC Treo, or a dumb old cellphone from who-knows-who. This one will effect us all if the First Nations have their way. Here's my reaction:

On Wednesday, 30 May 2007 CBC News online carried a story about the Manitoba First Nations wanting to be paid every time some one uses one of their natural resources. They feel that this should include the air above their land, so that every time a cellphone radio wave crosses through, someone (in this case the provincial telephone company) should be paying the First Nations a 'cut'.

Personally, I think this is a ridiculous concept! How far do you think I (or any one else for that matter) would get if I went to Air Canada and demand a payment every time they flew over my land? After all, I own property (and live) near an International Airport, and they are making money traveling 'through' my private property! There is satellite signals to consider too... they carry billions of bits of information and communication signals, and they do it by flying over my house for a measurable amount of time! They owe me! What if I tried to charge for each radio wave (AM and FM) passing over my back yard? They owe me too! Lets not forget television signals, and the hundreds of thousand (if not more) of hand held Family Radio Sets in use by kids today. I'm sure those kids can afford a buck or two out of their weekly allowance so they can pay up every time they want to talk to their friend on the other side of my block. They ALL owe me... after all, it is my land, it is my air to tax!

Back to the First Nations / MTS thing. Besides being preposterous... It's not like we have cellphone charges that are reasonable when compared to the U.S.A., for example. Canadians already pay much higher prices for cellphone service than our neighbours to the south. This type of 'air use' fee, which, if enacted, will undoubtably be taxed tacked on to our already high cell bills, is far from 'fair use' in my books!

Here is a link to the full CBC article.

Manitoba Chiefs Want Cellphone Revenue
Manitoba First Nations are seeking compensation from Manitoba Telecom Services for every cellphone signal that passes through First Nations land, saying the airspace should be considered a resource like land and water.
'When it comes to using airspace, it's like using our water and simply because there's no precedent doesn't mean that it's not the right thing to do.' — Ovide Mercredi, Grand Rapids First Nation
At a recent economic development summit, the Assembly of Manitoba Chiefs resolved to negotiate revenue sharing with MTS for transmissions signals that cross the land, water and air space of their reserves and traditional territories.
"[The request is] based on the understanding that we do have some fundamental rights as indigenous people to land, water and airspace," said Chief Ovide Mercredi of the Grand Rapids First Nation.

A New Global Memory Card Standard

Here is some really interesting and exciting news. It seems that a group of less well known hardware manufacturers have gotten together and released something we almost never see from the "big guys" in the memory industry. A new memory card standard (no it's not that they created a new standard... everyone is always changing the 'standard' to something equally proprietary and definitely more expensive than what ever the last standard was) that is smaller, faster, and larger than virtually any other standard out there, and it's compatible with... drum roll please ... MMC (the precursor to SD) and USB (that's the big news... they're compatible!) You can plug them straight in to a USB port, or put them in an adapter and use them in any MMC (virtually all SD slots support MMC) slot.
For a change we are going to get a new memory card standard will work with our existing equipment, and is bigger (starting at 8GB, they are expected to hold up to 2,048GB - yes GB!), better (MMC and USB compatibility built in) and faster (480Mbit/sec)!

I want one of these in oh... 512GB should be large enough for a while anyway... for use in my TX!

Here is part of a Computer World article about the miCard. I encourage you to follow this link and read the full article.

Taiwan's miCard Chosen as Global Memory Card Standard
01 June 2007 (IDG News Service) -- A Taiwanese research institute has produced a new global memory card standard, called the miCard (Multiple Interface Card), designed to work in smaller consumer gadgets such as digital cameras, mobile phones and any device with a USB plug, which are common on PCs.
The purpose of the card is to make transferring pictures, songs and other data between gadgets and PCs easier. The card won the stamp of approval from the MultiMedia Card Association yesterday and is expected to be available globally starting in the third quarter.
Users [that's US - Canuck-PDA] will not only benefit from the versatility of the card, but also its speed. The miCard will transfer data at 480Mbit/sec, and throughput will improve over time. The first miCards will be able to store 8GB of data, but the maximum capacity is expected to top out around 2,048GB. The compatibility with both USB and MMC slots means most users won't need separate card readers anymore. MMC cards fit most consumer electronics, while USB connections are built into a wide range of IT hardware, including laptops, desktops, printers and home entertainment gear.

Kudos go to SlashDot where I found a comment entitled "A New Global Memory Card Standard" which got me interested enough to pursue the rest of this story.

Palm unveils the Foleo

From Palm Inc.:

CARLSBAD, Calif., May 30, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Building on its vision that the future of personal computing is mobile computing, Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq:PALM) today announced the Palm(R) Foleo(TM), its first smartphone companion product. The Foleo mobile companion has a large screen and full-size keyboard with which to view and edit email and office documents residing on a smartphone. Edits made on Foleo automatically are reflected on its paired smartphone and vice versa. Foleo and its paired smartphone stay synchronized throughout the day or at the touch of a button. This powerful combination is for productivity-minded business people who want a more complete mobile solution for email, attachments and access to the web.(1)

The Foleo mobile companion turns on and off instantly and features fast navigation, a compact and elegant design, and a battery that lasts up to 5 hours of use. Its applications include email, full-screen web browser, and editors or viewers for common business documents such as Word, Excel, PowerPoint and PDF files. The Foleo stays synchronized via Bluetooth(R) wireless technology and uses the smartphone's radio or the Foleo's built-in Wi-Fi radio for general Internet connectivity. [Read More]

Cake Mania: Back to the Bakery Review

Having immensely enjoyed the first installment of the Cake Mania series, I jumped at the opportunity to review the expansion to the popular game, Cake Mania: Back to the Bakery. Being an expansion, there aren't too many new things to be expected. What do you do in the game? Basically you use your stylus to perform tasks in baking cakes that match the orders of your customers. All the while the clock is ticking, but there are other distractions such as cupcakes and a TV to keep your customers patient. Gameplay and the basic feel of the game remains identical to the first Cake Mania. The only real difference from it is that the story is different and some of your customers are different. Difficulty? Not hard at all if you've been through the first Cake Mania, and it's not hard to get up to speed either. In fact, I've consistently surpassed the "Baker's Goal" for each level, several times by $500 (quite significant).

While the first game involved moving into different stores every "year" in the game in order to save up enough to buy back Evan's Bakery for the heroine's grandparents, the expansion has a different story. You're stuck in Evan's Bakery, but now you've entered a contest where the grand prize is a Hawaiian vacation. This you want to win for your grandfolks, so you're on a renovation shoping spree to prettify the bakery for the contest. Watching the bakery change its furnishings every few months is new to this game.

All in all, a great little game that is ideal for mobile devices. It's easy to pick up, fun to play, and makes great use of the touchscreen, like the one on the Treo 680 I tested this on. An excellent example of casual gaming!

By the way, my high score was 44545. ^_^

Astraware honoured with Passport Exporter of the Year Award

PRESS RELEASE

Astraware honoured with Passport Exporter of the Year Award

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - May 21st, 2007 - Astraware is very excited to announce that they have been honoured with the award for Passport Exporter of the Year for West Midlands, from UK Trade & Investment.

The Passport Exporter of the Year award is given to the company that is judged to have made the best use of innovation, improving processes and/or products/services whilst entering new markets, and the panel particularly commended Astraware's approach to market entry by building up key relationships with companies such as Palm, Inc. and Microsoft. Astraware was also praised for its product development, and for choosing tactics and growth rate with care.

"It is tremendously exciting to receive this recognition by UK Trade & Investment," said David Oakley, Astraware's CTO. "This award will help us to continue to expand our exports into new territories."

"While it has been relatively easy for us as a British company building links with US companies," said Howard Tomlinson, CEO of Astraware, "it has been great to get the additional support to help us make the right links to succeed in the Far East - a huge market and opportunity for us!

"Doug Mahoney, international trade director for UK Trade & Investment in the West Midlands, said: "I congratulate the team at Astraware on their thoroughly deserved success following their work on the Passport scheme with the Staffordshire international trade team, who will continue to provide them with ongoing support.

"Not only do they have highly sophisticated products and services, but they have gone to great care to select the right international markets at the right time, and to nurture excellent relationships with overseas partners.

"The awards ceremony was held at The Thinktank in Birmingham on Friday 18th May and Astraware's CEO, Howard Tomlinson, and CTO, David Oakley accepted the award from Doug Mahoney, International Trade Director, UK Trade & Investment, West Midlands, in front of an audience of other award winners and nominees. Also in attendance from Astraware were Alison Barclay, CCO; Priscilla Cordova, Partner Manager; Roland Glew, QA Tester; Iain Moore, Windows Mobile Lead Developer; and Kirsten Tomlinson, Customer Service and QA Tester.

About Astraware

Founded in 1994, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include PopCap Games’ Bejeweled®, Zuma®, and Insaniquarium®, Sandlot Games®’ Tradewinds®, and Astraware Sudoku and Zap!2000/2016. Astraware is a Microsoft® Certified Gold Partner. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in over 100 countries. For more information, contact Alison Barclay at alison@astraware.com, or visit http://www.astraware.com.

About UK Trade & Investment

UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that provides integrated support services for UK companies engaged in overseas trade and foreign enterprises seeking to locate in the UK. It brings together the work of teams in British embassies and FCO posts overseas and government departments across Whitehall. In England, international trade support is coordinated by nine International Trade Directors working in partnership with each Regional Development Agency. UK Trade & Investment services are delivered locally through a network of International Trade Teams. The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements for local delivery of services. For more information visit the website http://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

Astraware's Packs of Fun - save bagfuls on selected value packs of games!

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - May 18th, 2007 - Astraware is excited to announce their Packs of Fun promotion, where you can save bagfuls on their most popular value packs of games. From Friday 18th May to Monday 28th May you can save on a selected range of game packs with up to 6 titles in each.

Packs of Fun is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a bargain on PopCap Games Pack 1, featuring Bejeweled, Alchemy and 3 other great titles, or the Family Games Pack including Insaniquarium, Bzzz! and 4 more fun, family-friendly games. There are 6 different packs to choose from and every one is discounted by $10, so get them now, this offer is only available for a limited time!

To bag yourself a bargain, head over to the Astraware website at http://www.astraware.com/, but hurry, the sale ends on May 28th 2007!

About Astraware

Founded in 1994, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include PopCap Games’ Bejeweled®, Zuma®, and Insaniquarium®, Sandlot Games®’ Tradewinds®, and Astraware Sudoku and Zap!2000/2016. Astraware is a Microsoft® Certified Gold Partner. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in over 100 countries. For more information, contact Alison Barclay at alison@astraware.com, or visit http://www.astraware.com/.

Special Offer !!! TREO Users !!!

Are you a heavy Treo user like me? Are you tired of charging your smartphone all the time just because your battery would not give you more than 4 hours of talktime? Well, as dependant as I was to my Treo, I decided to get a spare battery ($84.95 CAD) at Palm Online Store for emergency purposes in case the first one runs out .

At first, I thought my problem was solved but little did I know the second battery will be on 'idle' mode until I get to charge it with my Treo 650 itself. Then, Palm came out with this brilliant idea of manufacturing a portable treo battery charger which from a personal point of view is convenient to my needs. An extra $23.95 CAD will be added to my total cost.

Oh!!! I should have been patient, I should have waited. Palm Online Store is now offering this practical charger 'FREE' when you buy the Palm standard Battery. I would like to mention that the offer comes only with the battery for the 650 and 700's but the Treo battery charger is compatible with the 680 and 750 as well. The offer is valid until May 23rd,2007.

For more info: Visit http://canadastore.palm.com

Evolving Technology...

MyPalm beta is the new program that was launched by Palm this month itself. The web-based program promises amazing services, should a Treo user decide to register for free.
Registered users will enjoy an exclusive 24/7 hotline assistance and additional benefits as follow:

• Wireless delivery of software and services
• Alerts and updates about the software and accessories you own
• Insider tips and "how to's"
• A personal MyPalm account and homepage
• and more ...

The service is currently available for wireless carriers in the US only, but Treo users in CANADA are to join the wagon in the days to come. To take full advantage of the service, it is strongly recommended to sign up for an unlimited data plan with your mobile carrier.

For more info: Visit http://www.palm.com/mypalm

*The 24/7 hotline assistance seems not to be related to the existing complimentary 90 days technical support by phone.

Palm Treo 755p Announced!

From Palm Inc.:

Evolving the Treo(TM) product line to keep mobile professionals connected, productive and entertained, Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) today introduced the Treo 755p smart device, a new Palm OS(R) Treo for Sprint (NYSE:S). The CDMA Treo 755p is the first Treo device to offer built-in Microsoft Direct Push Technology email support; Google Maps for mobile; and the latest Treo design, with integrated antenna, slimmer form factor and mini-SD slot.(1) Sprint is the first carrier selling the next-generation Treo 755p, which is available for as low as $279.99 with a two-year service agreement and a $100 mail-in rebate, and is available starting mid-May in two fashionable colors - midnight blue and burgundy.

The new Treo 755p brings customers quick, wireless access to web, email, business, multimedia applications and instant messaging (IM) for Sprint customers nationwide (standard text and Vision charges apply where applicable).(2) The Treo 755p runs on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, the nation's largest mobile broadband network - reaching more than 206 million people across the country in more than 11,000 cities and 1,000 airports. [Read More]

More information about the Treo 755p can be found at http://www.palm.com/us/products/smartphones/treo755p/

Palm to offer $10,000 cash prize for its Treo Windows Mobile developer contest

Palm to offer $10,000 cash prize for its Treo Windows Mobile Developer contest


With less than a month to go, Palm is calling all the developers out there to join its Treo Windows Mobile challenge contest. The contest seeks the 'hottest' new Windows Moblie Application that will run on their Treo 700w, 700wx, 750 and 750v smartphones.

To widen the contest, developers are given the opportunity to port existing applications to the Windows Mobile platform or develop a 'hard-to-resist' new software application which may be freeware, shareware or commercial. All submitted entries will be judged on originality, usability, reliability and compatibility without forgetting to mention the 'Wow' factor of graphical look and feel.

On June 7th at Microsoft's Tech Ed conference in Orlando, Florida, four finalists and one grand prize winner will be chosen. Though each one of the four finalists will get to carry home some fancy Palm and Microsoft gadgets, the grand winner will cash in $10,000 and many other surprising gifts. Time to show your talents! developers.

*All contest entries must be submitted by June 5th, 2007.
For more info: Visit Palm Developer Network site at : http://pdn.palm.com

Now's your chance to get a glimpse of the future to come. PDA Performance is offering a rare opportunity for you to experience, hands-on, a feature-restricted version of Saguaro®. (You guessed it - the "secret" features are coming in the final version.) In return, we're asking for your feedback. Sneak a peek and help shape the future of what's destined to become the most stunning mobile operating system, ever.

But hurry. Tell everyone you know. While the "Sneak Peek" is open to everyone, the download will only be available until April 27th.

Click on the image to download the sneak peak!

Tamoggemon Software releases Binary Clock 4

Tamoggemon proudly announces the release of the latest version of the most feature rich and best-looking Palm OS Binary Clock.

ABOUT VERSION 4
Our product has a custom, adjustable drawing engine that allows you to make Binary Clock look like you want it to. Previous versions scored rave reviews for their flexibility, coolness and stability – version 4 improves the following:

IMPROVED LOOKS
The rendering engine of Binary Clock 4 received a variety of polishes leading to even more configuration choices. You can now make the text background transparent, choose the jump time for the date bar and even disable the seconds columns to get a calmer display!

TREO KEYGUARD AWARE
Binary Clock 4’s alarm clock is now aware of the Keyguard feature of the Treo 600/650/680/700p, and disables it when needed.

A free 14 day trial can be downloaded from http://www.palmbinaryclock.com, while registration costs only $9.95 at MobiHand’s and includes a 30-day cash back warranty.

Registered customers get access to the update for free, and do not need to re-enter all their settings when upgrading. Binary Clock for Palm OS can automatically import settings from older versions! However, version 4.0 cannot import settings from versions older than 3.1 - contact Tamoggemon for an upgrade patch before installing version 4 (it would otherwise replace your settings with default ones)!

Palm Binary Clock is an excellent, and definitely unusual clock program. To learn more about this interesting and unique program, check out our review of Binary Clock 3 for Palm OS.

Tamoggemon Software is a software house based in Vienna, Austria, that develops Palm OS programs and manages an excellent news source (blog) called TamsPalm. They have several excellent products on the market, including Palm Binary Clock, Palm File Find, and Daily Quote for Palm OS (which also includes a free ShSh 2day plug-in).