Windows Mobile 6.6 or 7 Announcement Coming To MWC?
There have been tons of rumors floating around about the release of Windows Mobile 7, and even a bunch of screen shots. We chase rumors here as much as anyone, but I have been hesitant to write about any Windows Mobile 7 rumors because of the continued delays, disappointments, and updates released to Windows Mobile 6.5. Even though Windows Mobile 6.5 was a much needed patch, to an outdated operating system and most especially, user interface, it was really only made better by the efforts of HTC to continue integrating their Touch Flo 3D and Sense technology deeper into the operating system leaving Windows Mobile’s flaws in it’s shadow.
Now, don’t get me wrong, Titanium and Chome were a much needed shot in the are for Windows Mobile 6.5. Both of which letting us say goodbye to the tired UI that dated back to Windows Mobile 5 was released in 2005. Oh, and by the way, if you want to see a great comparison between all of the different User Interfaces currently available for Windows Mobile, you must check out David’s article: What’s Your UI? As is usual for David, it is a very well done walk through all of the different ways that you interface with your device.
So that sort of brings us to today. The much anticipated release of Windows Mobile 7 and the savior to a platform rich in history and former glory. Even though the release of Windows Mobile 7 won’t mean much to current device owners with Windows Mobile 6.5, as WinMo 7 will only support devices like the HTC HD2 that use a 1gHz and have a 800×480 touch screen and is already released in Europe and coming to T-Mobile.
So what can we expect in Windows Mobile 7? We can definitely count on Zune and other social media like Facebook, Twitter and even XBOX Live. All this with native multi-touch and a massive reworking of the whole operating system making it all finger friendly and easier to use. But it was during a Microsoft Conference Call by CFO Peter Klein where he tipped us all off to the next version of Windows Mobile would be shown in Barcelona “in a few weeks” at the World Mobile Congress (WMC). But! Yes, there is a but folks, and I hate to throw this at you, but there is a rumor by Digitimes.com that says that Microsoft will not release WinMo 7, but in fact release yet another update to the current Windows Mobile 6.5 platform and calling it Windows Mobile 6.6. Digitimes suggests that slumping sales (ya think?) is because of competitors like iPhone (obviously) and Android that both support capacitive screens and multi-touch. So is this simply going to be the announcement? Windows Mobile 6.5 with a Capacitive Screen update to Windows Mobile 6.6? This does seem to have some believability based on the enormous setbacks Microsoft continues to have releasing the shiny new OS we have all been wait (and waiting) for for years. Because Windows Mobile 6.5 was released at last years WMC, and if Microsoft releases 6.6 and this years 2010 WMC, it is likely, or highly probable that Windows Mobile 7 could be setback (yet again) to 2011. I seem to be torn on this, even though I strongly want to see Windows Mobile 7 released ASAP, it would likely be fatal for Microsoft to release it before it was perfected. Let’s all hope for a Windows Mobile 7 release, but hope that good times will indeed return to Windows Mobile.
Foursquare Beta Available For WM
Foursquare is a pretty popular app particularly because it’s cross platform and already available for the iPhone and Android. It gives you a bunch of ways to stay in contact with your friends. When you get to a meeting place, for example, you can ‘check-in’ so your friends know you are there and you can then find out other places in the area. And when you get to a location you can find out tips from other Foursquare users (like to avoid the clam bake on Sundays). It sort of seems like a mix between Twitter and Google Lattitude. Anyway, more info on Foursquare can be found here. To get the beta for WM you’ll need to email the developer or complete a webform. The details for WM are located here. As a beta it has some limitations (listed here) and currently uses Goog locations and not GPS, doesn’t support push notifications and doesn’t tell you where your friends are. If you’re into Foursquare it’s a start so check it out.
via WMPowerUser
Let Me Tweak That for You
Ever been driving with TomTom or whatever running and suddenly you get that stupid Cannot Connect bubble recursively popping up, freezing TomTom until you try to nimbly tap the Dismiss button while driving? And you went on XDA and said How the hell do I turn that off and they either say google it or go into Notifications and disable it there? Didn’t work, right? This thing should do the trick. Flash a non-AT&T custom rom and are wondering why it doesn’t feel like assisted GPS is working? This cab will pump in AT&T’s aGPS servers into your registry. Make sure aGPS is on in Settings > System, reboot, see what happens.
Flash a Leo rom with the documents tab but now your phone is ridiculously unusable, slow and crashing? This helped me on the Tilt 2 and my sources say it’s good for Fuzes. Can’t figure out how to use these new Manila SMS interfaces? Aggravating, right? Well until they figure it out you can switch back to the standard WinMo text messaging with this. Going crazy because you dropped a hundred bucks on some fancy stereo bluetooth headset but since you flashed a custom rom with HTC Sense and when playing with the Sense player you cannot use the buttons on the headset to change the track and pause and what not? Give this a try but disable Sense first, install, soft reset, reenable Sense.
Hate Manila/Sense/TF3D’s “enhanced” finger oversized menus and notification manager? This will install itself in Tools\Tweaks to let you toggle that. Miss having those old multiple snooze options instead of only being able to snooze for five minutes? Bam, problem solved with this (if you also disable enhanced notifications with the aforementioned cab I believe).
Hilarious Windows Phone Video
It’s not too often that I am a loss for words, but this is one of those times! I laughed my <bleep> off at this video! It seems like a weird take from the Rocky Horror Picture Show and some warped and twisted Chinese Korean version of Willie Wonka and the Chocolate Factory with little WinMo Oompa Loompas running around. But the most horrifying thing to me was that this was a 4:29 length video and I actually watched the whole thing! I better give Dr. Jim a call right away! Anyway, check it out for yourself!
source: wmpu
Find The Words To Your Favorite Songs With Lyrics Finder v1.0
There has been a ton of times my wife and I would argue over the lyrics to a song or want to find out of the lyrics to a particular some were appropriate for my kids before we download them. Now, instead of going to our PC to find out the Lyrics, we can now find the words to our Favorite songs by using this cool new app for Windows Mobile called Lyrics Finder v1.0 by Rvanavr at PPCGeeks. Pocketnow.com did a really cool video on Lyrics Finder v1.0 that is very well done. Check it out:
So head on over to PPCGeeks and check it out and download.
Thanks to tipster Jason for letting us know! Keep the tips coming!
AT&T Is Blocking Facebook Lite
There are lots of ways to get FaceBook on your phone. As you all know, we have a dedicated app for it but if you want a different way to view it you can go to a few different sites on your phone. There’s facebook.com, m.facebook.com, touch.facebook.com (which replaced iphone.facebook.com) and lite.facebook.com. You actually get different views and options depending on the version you go to (and the browser you are using). Iris used to bring up the iPhone page for example and some browsers will redirect from Facebook.com to the m.facebook.com site. Facebook Lite (lite.facebook.com) has been getting a lot of news lately and is noted as being faster and better than the regular version. While that may be news to you, there’s even more news here. Turns out that AT&T is blocking you from accessing the site from your phone. Just try it – 404 error. OK, want to go to it? Two options- turn on wifi and bingo you’re there or disable the AT&T hidden proxy and bam…site loads. And yes, restore the proxy and 404 error comes back. Why is AT&T doing it? No idea [insert conspiracy theory here].
So the lines are open. Which version of Facebook is your favorite on your mobile and why is AT&T blocking lite.facebook.com?
By the way, the XDA thread is here where they first made the correlation between carrier and Facebook lite.
Non HTC Devices Make It To XDA
Last week we talked about XDA considering expanding their forums to include non HTC devices. I was all for the LG Expo, Omnia II and Toshiba TG01. You guys were a little more skeptical than I was (and wanted to put them on their own island). Well for those of you that wanted to open up the forums today is your day. They have added four new devices to the forums: Acer Neo Touch F1 S200, Acer Liquid A1 S100, Samsung Omnia II and Toshiba TG01. So that’s three new WM devices that are not HTC. For my two cents, that’s a good start.
If you’re looking for the new forums go way down to the bottom. If the forum you are looking for is not there yet just be patient…well you waited this long so what’s a few more hours?:)
Icon Changer for Windows Mobile 6.5
Back in October we mentioned Nullstring’s 6.5 Start Menu Icon Changer which was a great app but it wasn’t fully developed at the time. Well time has served it well. The latest release is now feature rich and a lot easier to use. The features:
- Changing/Removing the Icon
- Can create New Folder
- Saving/Loading Themes
- Sorting Start Menu Programs
- Register shortcut files
- Changing the Animated Bootup Screen (the 2nd bootup screen)
- Changing Microsoft Bootup Screen (the 3rd bootup screen)
The complete instructions and download is available here.
Add A Call History Tab to TF3D 2.1
OK now that you read the title let me start with the limitations. It is for TF3D Sense 2.1 right now and only in WVGA. It is, as the title suggests, a call history tab. It’s a great tab to have and I hope that we can get this in TF3D 2.5 and in VGA. If you’re interested in this you can check out this thread in XDA. Of course, if you want to join in and help to modify the files for VGA or 2.5 I won’t stop you:)
It’s Time for More Spb Time…
Spb has released a new update for Spb Time to include some small fixes and improvements.
SPB Time is an advanced, skinnable time toolbox for your Windows Mobile phone. Analog and digital clock modes, World clock, timers and stopwatches, and advanced alarms. A lot of time-related functions in this world’s bestselling application!
What’s been updated:
Version 3.2.0 (Jan 28, 2010):
- Digital clock widget for SPB Mobile Shell added
- BIO alarm errors fixed
- Wakeup problems on timers fixed
- Moon phases errors fixed
- Animation improved
- Skin engine improved
Get your update here: http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/pocketpc-software/time/
