Day: June 11, 2008

“Apple’s iPhone and iPod Touch will see a firmware upgrade to version 2.0, come sometime in early July, possibly the 11th, to coincide with the new iPhone’s launch. In terms of pricing, it’ll cost nothing for iPhone users, and Pound 9.95. Now, you may be wondering what the new firmware adds. For the business users, there’s support for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync. Push Email is present, a feature welcomed by users who may also use a BlackBerry, as well as an iPhone. Users will now also be able to view Microsoft Powerpoint presentations, and enjoy support for iWork documents, as well as the ability to save images from email to the photo library, and new contact search function. For the parents buying iPhones for their children, firmware version 2.0 adds the option of parental controls, allowing you to filter content of your choice.Speaking of push email, Apple will soon be releasing MobileMe, a program which sends, or pushes new emails, and calendar events from your PC or Mac to your iPhone and iPod Touch (plus it also allows storing data and documents, as well as sharing images via iDisk and Gallery). It will retail for 59 Pound /115 Dollars /74 Euro, for a single-user licence, and 89/174/112, for a family-user licence. It will be compatible with such apps as Microsoft Outlook for PC, Address Book and iCal for Mac OS X. Every user will be given up to 20Gb of storage for his sharing pleasure. Games will be a key feature in the version 2.0 firmware, thanks to the Software Development Kit. Super Monkey Ball is game you may be familiar with. It is a game where you guide a money, who is inside a transparent ball, through levels, or stages, to the end of the stage, navigating through several platforms. It looks to be perfectly suited to the iPhone/Touch, thanks to the built-in accelerometer. Another game, Cro-Mag Rally, sees you tilting the iPhone – making it act as a steering wheel.” via mobile-review.com

“HP today announced the first shipment date of the HP iPAQ 900 Series Business Messenger, a 3G smartphone designed for maximum mobile productivity to a global audience at the HP Connecting Your World conference.The HP iPAQ 900 Series Business Messenger shines with a stylish, glossy, piano-black design and features an integrated QWERTY keyboard, Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system and the latest wireless technologies, to simplify the complexities of business and personal life.The feature-packed HP iPAQ 900 Series offers voice and mobile email communications, along with support for critical business applications. It uses tri-band UMTS/HSDPA and quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE wireless technology to allow customers to make calls and quickly access the Internet around the world, while integrated Bluetooth and Wi-Fi wireless technology allows for convenient connectivity.
“As more of the workforce becomes mobile, customers are demanding greater sophistication and functionality from smartphones,” said Paul Damiani, vice president and general manager, Handheld Business Unit, Personal Systems Group, HP. “HP has used customer feedback to develop devices that not only provide connectivity, productivity tools and GPS navigation, but also support the business applications that truly keep the on-the-go professional connected.”
The HP iPAQ 900 Series runs on the Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional operating system for access to familiar productivity applications and a richer mobile experience with Internet browsing and texting, simpler email and wireless setup, and security enhancements.
The device features an alphanumeric QWERTY thumb keyboard for fast typing, a touch-screen display and a five-way navigation scroll wheel allowing convenient one-handed navigation through menus and emails. Built-in Cyberon Voice Commander and HP Voice Reply features enable hands-free emailing and other device commands.(3)
Those constantly on the move will welcome turn-by-turn navigation(4) via built-in GPS. The HP iPAQ 900 Series also features Microsoft Internet Sharing software that simplifies connecting to the Internet with a notebook PC anywhere high-speed cellular data networks are available.
In addition to the latest entertainment applications from Windows Mobile 6.1, the HP iPAQ 900 Series features a 3-megapixel camera and the ability to quickly upload images to leading online photo service Snapfish. Photos captured with an HP iPAQ can be directly uploaded to Snapfish accounts over the air.
The HP iPAQ 900 Series also supports HP Enterprise Mobility Suite, the HP mobile device management solution that allows easy setup and over-the-air manageability. The suite allows enterprises to remotely manage, help secure and support mobile devices for maximum device performance and access to applications, data and networks.
Pricing and availability
The HP iPAQ 900 Series Business Messenger will be available worldwide. Shipping dates will vary by region and are expected to begin by June 30. Prices will vary by country and region.
More information on the HP iPAQ 900 Series is available in an online press kit at www.hp.com/personal.