Phonesnews.com

“Launcher X is a highly configurable application launcher that replaces the built-in launcher on your Palm Powered Handheld.UpdatedFull support for the latest Palm OS/Access OS NVFS file system Treo 5 Way navigation Updated registration coding system Features: The first and only 3rd party launcher enhanced for the Treo 700P! Manage and organize your applications with a simple drag-drop action Quick access to common functions using our “Gadget” toolbar Manage your applications on your memory card by dragging to the SD card gadget Browse your memory card and rename/copy/delete files and folders Rename applications to whatever you wish Manually specify the order of icons any way you wish Quick icon access to many documents or files Configure the look and behaviour of your UI with Active Skins …and much, much more!” Check it here:

“The E50 has a QVGA (240 x 320) screen which has a sensor and automatically adjusts its brightness as necessary (this can be user controlled too). The quality of the screen is excellent, even under bright lights, and considerably eases reading of the screen when compared to lower resolution devices. QVGA screens are becoming standard for higher end phones, but are still some what rare in the mid-tier. The QVGA screen also means the E50 is better able to take advantage of the changes (smoother fonts, resizeable UI) in S60 3rd Edition when compared to lower resolution devices. The keyboard, especially when using number keys, is excellent. There are no gaps between the keys, but they are sufficiently large, have good tactile feedback and are ridged such that even those with larger fingers should have no problems. The softkeys, application key, cancel key, and the send and end keys are a little smaller, and took a few moments to get used to, but should present no problems. The joystick was responsive to directional touches (it is a stick, rather than a four way button), was also good and is given plenty of room, which should mean less accidental key presses when navigating through lists and menus.On the left hand side of the phone there are volume up and down buttons. These work for both phone calls and multimedia. Having these buttons on the sides does make a difference because it is much easier to adjust volume mid-call (if you change from a noisy to quiet environment or vice versa). The power button is found on the top of the device and, as with other Nokia phones, allows you to quickly switch profiles (important to prevent ringtone embarrassment in meetings). On the right hand side of the device is a record key. This starts up the Recorder application which allows you to record short voice notes. Below this is the pencil key which is used for copy and paste functions and selecting multiple items from lists. The location on the side of the device makes a lot of sense since it is usually used in conjunction with other keys. Thanks to the positioning your fingers do not have to perform contortions to combine button presses.” Read this nice article here:

“Once again Akihabara News is at the cutting edge when it comes to exclusive HD videos of the nicest gadgets, and today we feature the Sony UX50! The manufacturer has just started supplying the first machines to the retailers yesterday and today, and the UX90 should hit the shelves by the end of this week. A number of shops like Yodobashi Camera have some demo machines on display from this afternoon onwards and some other shops have not received their units yet, so this really is HOT news!So, without further ado, here’s the HD video of this new beast!The Flash Video is now OK here !”

“Till recently Nokia was dealing only with one major browser-supplier, namely Opera, which armed most of the smartphones with its products. Yet once Nseries stepped into limelight, Nokia set the goal to develop and integrate an application of its own, so that it could outdo Opera’s one. To make the task easier to accomplish, Nokia simply turned to available to all codes of open-source resources and compiled their solution basing off them. The engine of the final version is almost alike that found Apple Safari Browser, though there are several more components used there. Over at Nokia they decided to embed API browser management, connect a couple of additional modules, re-work the interface and merge it with download manager, which is in fact a part of the any operating system used. The given browser is enabled only for handsets running Symbian 9, in other words powered by S60 3ed edition. Several models feature this app as a pre-installed one, for example the N80, on some you will find a default S60 browser with a possibility to replace it with OSS Browser (it’s the old title, used for distinguishing from the standard browser). Functionality-wise the OSS Browser leaves the default one far behind – so let us look into what makes it so supreme. But before doing so, I shall clear up the terminology for you: for the time being, all Symbian 9 S60 handsets incorporate OSS by default, which is specially marked in order to discern that installed on earlier models from the new one. In future exactly this app is going to receive all patches and consequentially reserved space on all upcoming S60-powered handsets. ” Read this interesting article at mobile-review.com

“There’s a well known English saying that you shouldn’t look a gift horse in the mouth. In the context of Golf Pro 2 (for more on the name, see the note at the end of this review), its availability for free with some of the Nokia S60 3rd Edition smartphones should, in theory, mean that noone’s going to complain too much if the game itself disappoints.However, there’s a problem. With a really good game, the purchase price is irrelevant, you’re going to be playing it for a dozen hours a week and whether it’s free or costs 30 Pounds doesn’t matter that much. In the case of the original Golf Pro Contest (for S60 2nd Edition devices), Rafe and I would each play it daily and rated it very highly indeed. And with sports simulations, it’s not a question of working through some quick plot and then getting bored. In Golf Pro Contest, there was always last time’s score to beat, and with different wind strengths and directions for every hole, every time. Yes, there were some flaws, such as the single course, the confusing wind indication and the occasional lie detection problems, but the sheer gameplay carried us through.” Read it all here:

“The handset’s design doesn’t appear monolithic – it has eye-grabbing uncommon elements, making it look somehow different them all other devices of the same class. The same holds true for Sony Ericsson W900i, where official black finishing was diversified with orange edging of the navigation pad. Other manufacturers are not aiming at experimenting with outlook of their products and thus present solutions in austere style without flashy colors. Though the first glance won’t reveal any fancy parts of the construction, saving for the button under the screen, painted in orange.” Read this big review here:

“Due to popular demand, we are extending the SlingPlayer Mobile experience to Windows Mobile Smartphone devices. With a navigation-focused user interface, SlingPlayer Mobile for Windows Smartphone now lets you watch your Slingbox on smartphones without touch-screens and stylus. If you have a Windows Mobile Smartphone, check out our BETA version. Features Navigation-focused SlingPlayer interface Automatic Slingbox Directory synchronization SlingStream video optimization Multiple input device support Intuitive remote control “Favorites” shortcuts Keypad shortcuts Full-screen video Audio-Only and Slide Show modes Slingbox Finder support “

“Sony Ericsson has released their first walkman phone W42S for Japan’s KDDI telco last week. The phone has incorporate their past minidisc/walkman jog dial design, and giving a 30 hours long music playback time.The model “W42S” is made by Sony Ericsson for CDMA 1X network. The walkman phone is the first released in Japan and is able to play music continuously for 30 hours. It will be available end of June. A Mobile Music Enhanced chipset is being used in the phone. The chipset MSM6550 has a lower power consumption compare to other music decoder. Need to store more music files, a 1GB internal memory is available built in. You can transfer the music files from your pc to the phone via USB cradle and SonicStage software. The music player support music format like ATRAC3plus, ATRAC3, WAV, MP3, WMA and AAC.The memory can be further expanded through the memory stick duo slot. Up to 4GB of the memory card is supported. Adding up the original 1GB, it will give you a total of 5GB space, much more than a normal mp3 player. Sony Ericsson has also re-used their previous jog dial design in minidiscman. The extended silver metal let you hang the phone on your neck and also giving you easy access to music playback operation. You can activated the music player, navigate the song list and adjust the volume.Other than music files, FM radio receiver is also available in this phone. The retail package comes with a headset which can be used as a remote control too. 262k colors display screen is a QVGA screen, giving you 240 x 320 resolution on a 2.2 inches screen. Sony Ericsson promised to use a ultra hard coat layer on the screen to protect the phone. Lastly, the phone is 49 x 106 x 24mm in size, and 123g for the weight.” More photos at slashphone.com

“kLauncher is brings the concept of a today page in your Palm OS device associated with a favorites launcher. kLauncher gathers information from the built-in applications Date Book, SnapperMail/Versamail,Task, Expenses, SMS, MaTirelire, NVBackup and displays the things to do today together with current time, date, free memory, date and time of last hotsync of the handheld device.This new version is mainly a fix update. Below the list of modification since the 0.5.12 (or 0.5bB) :- Backup Attribut is now set to true- Global memory optimization- SDK Plugin- Plugin NVBackup- Memory bug fix in module preference.- Bug fix on ‘home’ key detection.- kL-LNCH is no more needed- Bug fix and optimization on Calendar repetition parser.” Check it here:

“A HIGHLY-PLACED mole in a North American company has attempted to leak details of a data only clamshell to the INQ. The device is intended as a mass market version of the original RIM Blackberry.Just like the first Blackberries, this mystery handset won’t offer any voice capabilities. However, it will support GPRS to enable users to download their emails remotely. The intention is to sign up users onto data only tariffs – hopefully a flat data tariff too!One of the key elements of this offering is that it will be sold through ISPs rather than through mobile phone stores. That way the ISP can sell the Blueberry (our codename for it) already pre-configured to work with the ISP’s own email mailboxes.Currently one of the big problems with persuading consumers to track their emails on standard mobile phones is that it takes ages to key in all the correct parameters. Using OTA (Over the Air) technology will be another way in which the Blueberry can be configured for email.The intention is to keep the cost of the Blueberry as low as possible. Consequently it will use a proprietary real-time OS rather than paying the licence fee for Symbian or Windows Mobile, for example.The INQ trawled the Net looking for the culprit and discovered the Ogo which is designed along very similar lines. The Ogo is available in four countries currently – the USA, Germany, Switzerland and Turkey.Perhaps, the OEM which makes the Ogo for IXI will be manufacturing the Blueberry?” via theinquirer.net