Free For All: Le Tour 2009

Ok, I’m not a mad weekend cyclist, I mean I ride the couch much more than I get my bike out. The annual Tour of France cycling event, has always fascinated me though, and this year there is also some added relevance concerning Windows Mobile.

For  the first time this year, the Columbia, High Road Sports team, is also sporting the HTC logo. HTC are  the largest supplier of Windows Mobile devices, *cough Android cough* worldwide. So bringing the brand to a high exposure sporting event like the Tour seems like a smart move. Have a look at the Team Columbia – HTC website!

Free For All: Google’s Windows Mobile App

It’s here, a Google app for Windows Mobile, Android and the iPhone’s poor cousin, so it seems. it’s new you have to agree to some huge contract that you’re not even going to read, and if you’re in Australia you don’t even exist at this point. Just say you’re in the states and avoid the confrontation!

What though do you actually get for your lack of bucks, a configurable desktop/today screen plug in.

Finally, Skyfire Web Browser, available for all!

Up until now, I couldn’t try Skyfire’s browser offering, it demanded an US or more recently an UK phone number for registration of the Beta. With the release of version 0.9 it’s finally become a free for all, and it adds some social media features that may be welcome, or not?

 

Just a note here, I’ve been registered for the beta, notification when it would be available outside the US, UK, and the notification I got, nada, nothing, zip. Any way, I’ve just installed the .cab to have a quick look, and although it renders well, and seems quick, it lacks a few obvious things that I think should be included in a browser.

New Device, New Today Screen! What about a Second?

I don’t have a lot of disposable income, and I definitely wont enter into a two year contract to have the latest and greatest Windows Mobile device. so coming from a pure Windows Mobile, well maybe not so pure, I have flashed my Axim up to WM 6.1, a couple of times to try out some of the cooked ROMs from certain developer sites. Hey I’m definitely one of those try before you buy sorts of guys.

So recently I, well some people I know wouldn’t think so, upgraded to my first Windows Professional  Mobile phone. I was fascinated by the Tytn II/Tilt/Kaiser upon it’s release, and picked one up on Ebay, used, for a price I could afford. Unlocked, of course, and the first thing I did was update the ROM. To my chagrin, HTC’s customised today screen, not the way I want my device of any kind set up. It just doesn’t offer me the versatility, or application access I’m used to. Being a long time WinMo user I have a repository of favourite applications, and a way of configuring them, that suits my needs, and of course I replicated this on the Tilt. What if though, some of the HTC plugins could serve me, and I could save some system memory by not running them on my preferred today screen setup.

In steps a tiny application called Second Today, oh, did I mention it’s free?

Free For All: File Explorer Extension

Here’s a great bit of software that adds a heap of added functionality to your WinMo file explorer. The native file explorer in windows mobile is pretty bland and featureless, paid applications like SPB Pocket Plus, added extras to the application, but they cost.

This free software, really adds some nice features that you might like to add to your own device.

It’s a really small cab and it works installed to a storage card, it adds some extra control to the way you view your files in file explorer, and some nice surprises, especially when dealing with image files.

 

Free For All: Group SMS

I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again, you’ve gotta love a bargain, right! I found this application over at WMPoweruser, last week, but had to try it before I’d post it for general consumption. It’s called Group SMS, it’s from an independent developer, and it adds the ability to send group SMS/MMS messages on WinMo Phones.

It’s simple, easy to use, and doesn’t take a lot of time to set up.

Free For All: TBlogger

Finally, a reasonable application that will let me post from a WinMo device, right here on JAMM.

 

It took a little bit of investigation, and playing with, but Travelling Blogger, is the perfect solution for blogging on the go from a windows mobile device. It doesn’t offer a WYSIWYG editing interface, so it takes a little time to get it working right, and you will have to pull out any HTML skills that you have, to help with formatting your posts, but that’s not a lot to ask, is it?

AT&T Tilt, Jilted, gets some HSDPA love!

Our good friend Clinton, over at Clinton Fitch dot Com has posted a great look at what sounds like some confounding stuff that mobile service providers get up to!

I’m sure I’ve mentioned that I’ve got a HTC TYTN II, on the way, [damn snail mail] so of course I’m looking for helpful software maniacally. So I’m reading and researching, and yesterday, Clinton tweeted about a useful app aimed at the TYTNII, Tilt, P4450 or if your a purist the Kaiser. Kaiser is a rather unfortunate naming faux pas, “don’t mention the war”.

 
KaiserTweak is a tweaking application that allows you to adjust various registry settings in your Kaiser device without having to actually go into the registry.  Think of it as Tweaks2K2 that is specific only to these devices (in fact, I use both on my Tilt now).

Clinton’s post though is much more than a look at a tweaking app, he rails at and questions the policies of mobile service providers, and rightly so! Hit the link below for the full article, and a bit of education.

HSDPA and the AT&T Tilt

Free For All: SIM Manager V1.4

This looks really good for the price, and why would I bother with it, well I’ve got a TYTN II/HTC Tilt on the way. Not that I’m going to retire my Axims, but I’m finally going to be able to stop relying on cheap prepaid phones, and rid my pockets of a device. One less thing too carry is always going to enhance my mobile experience.

Now most of us wouldn’t think about the SIM cards in our phones, but they are a Data storage device as well a connection manager. I use a 3g/HSDPA modem all of the time now, but when the  modem is connected to the PC it shows up as a USB storage device, go figure.

Considering that, wouldn’t you want a way to manage the data stored on your SIM card, in a straight forward intuitive way. Well it looks like SIM Manager is the application to let you do that with ease.

If you’ve a Windows Mobile phone you’ll want to check this out!

Download Link

SIM Manager V1.4, Great Free Utility for Windows Mobile | SolSie.com

Press release: Xmas Freebies – SBSH Mobile Software

I recently had the chance to have a look at a new application from SBSH for WinMo called Calendar Touch, a great, customisable replacement for the native calendar on windows mobile devices.

SBSH have announced a Christmas treble icon extension pack for SBSH Calendar and Calendar Touch. For the low low price of free.

It’s a little Christmas cheer from SBSH to you, which will let you further customise the visual recognition of your categories in the program.

Visually, Calendar Touch is already impressive, but little add ons like this make all the difference.

Hit the link below for the full press release and all of the links to get your Christmas Cheer from SBSH

 

Press release: Xmas Free Icon Stores – SBSH Mobile Software