November 17th, 2009 - SPB Software, world's leading mobile software developer, invites all mobile users to participate in its sixth annual SPB Survey (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/support/survey.html). The SPB Survey is a questionnaire that captures user preferences and builds up a combined report that identifies the changing user profiles, mobile device expectations and the handset use cases. This report is expected to be released in early December 2009.

SPB Software, leading expert in mobile device usability and a recognized brand in the consumer market, desires to reach out directly to users of all mobile platforms with the survey. This will empower users to provide direct feedback bypassing the prism of mobile operators and professional consulting houses. This year's survey is an enhancement over the previous one, eliminating some of the inapplicable questions and adding a few fundamental ones. This year the survey is held in 10 languages: English, Chinese (Traditional and Simplified), Spanish, Portuguese, Russian, German, French, Italian, Dutch and Czech.

A few lucky, randomly picked SPB Survey participants will receive valuable 'thank you' gifts. The 1st place holder will be rewarded with a mobile device of their choice (within the limit of $1000) from such major internet retailers as Amazon or eXpansys and a $100 worth of our software. Second place will be rewarded with a $100 worth of smartphone accessories of choice from our partners at Smartphone Experts (www.smartphoneexperts.com) plus a $100 worth of our software. The prize for 3rd place is a $100 worth of our software.



The survey will last untill 7 p.m. GMT December 4th, with results expected to be publicly available by December 17th. All winners will be contacted with details on how to claim their prizes before December 20th, 2009.

Newsfactor:Dell will enter the smartphone market with its Android-powered Mini 3 and wireless carriers China Mobile, the world's largest telecommunications company, and Claro in Brazil. Dell's Ron Garriques said the move reflects Dell's expansion into mobile products. Both the China and Brazil markets are expected to grow.

Read More:

Link to Mini 3 Photos

Newsfactor: Users of jailbroken Apple, Inc. iPhones in Australia are reporting a worm that adds rock star Rick Astley wallpaper and uses up bandwidth. At least four variants of the first worm to spread between iPhones have been found. Hacker ikex, aka Ashley Towns, used the SSH application to spread the worm. The worm could be used by cybercriminals.

Read More at Newsfactor

The Verizon TV advertisement campaign showing a comparison between Verizon and At&T 3G maps is pretty clever as they poke fun at AT&T and Apple. No denying the AT&T 3G map is fairly sparse with the exception the big metro areas. AT&T/Cingular always seem a step behind Verizon and Sprint on the data front. Anyway, AT&T is suing, claiming the Verizon ads are misleading in regards to coverage. Well from my perspective the ad is very clear on the lack of AT&T 3G coverage in the hinterland. Enjoy the ads while they run and hopefully AT&T is preparing for 4G.

The August 2009 update for Windows phones running Windows Mobile 5.0, Windows Mobile 6.0, Windows Mobile 6.1, and Windows Mobile 6.5 is a cumulative rollup that includes all the changes released in earlier updates. For more information about such changes, consult Microsoft Knowledge Base article 958729.

For Windows phone users who connect to a PC to synchronize

If you connect your phone directly to a PC with a USB cable or cradle, follow these instructions. First, make sure your PC is up to date (see http://support.microsoft.com/gp/cp_dst for more details).
Note Make sure you update all PCs that you may use to connect to your Windows phone. This will update the time zone definitions on your PC.

Connect your Windows phone to your PC.
Download and run the WindowsMobile-KB975353.msi package.

(J2 Communications) Flixster, the world’s biggest online movie community, is getting even bigger this week by releasing its first fully native Blackberry application and a major update to its popular Android app – simultaneously reaching a new milestone of 8 million mobile users.

Flixster 2.0 for the Android launched today, adding integration with Facebook Connect, a newsfeed for up-to-date friend ratings, and other enhancements. Flixster also submitted its first fully native version for the Blackberry, which is expected to be available at the Blackberry App World soon. The beta version of Flixster for the Blackberry is already among the smartphone’s top 40 free apps.

Flixster’s mobile “Movies” app remains one of the top 5 entertainment apps for the iPhone, and is installed on 1 in 5 iPhones in the U.S. As Flixster continues building its mobile presence, it crossed 8 million users for the first time in its history this week, adding to the 20 million monthly unique visitors it attracts on the Internet through Flixster.com and the “Movies” application on Facebook, in addition to its presence on MySpace and Bebo. Flixster’s mobile user base has more than doubled in 2009 alone.

smartphone platforms – the iPhone, Android, Blackberry and the Palm Pre,” said Joe
Greenstein, co-founder and CEO of Flixster. “Highly mobile moviegoers like to make their movie choices at the last minute, and Flixster has become a habit for them. In fact, more than 75 percent of Flixster’s mobile users are active, returning to Flixster frequently when they’re deciding what movie to see.”

On average, mobile Flixster users rate a movie every five seconds and stream 140 trailers per minute, Greenstein said.

Launched in January 2006, Flixster now offers its users access to more than 2.2 billion user movie ratings and more than 19,000 movie trailers, plus quizzes, games, photos and details about more than 75,000 movies. Visit Flixster at www.flixster.com for more details.

While the Windows Mobile 6.5 phones are arriving we're asking the question which programs will work inside the brand new Windows Mobile 6.5 Today Screen called "Titanium".

Elecont Weather is one of the most popular and useful plugins for Windows Mobile devices now supports phones with Windows Mobile 6.5 Default Today Screen (Titanium). Elecont Weather displays current weather conditions and 10-day forecast on Titanium Today Screen. In addition to the Today Screen Elecont Weather reports all necessary weather information at the popup window - air pressure graph for the last 24 hours (what can be useful for weather-dependent people), 10 day forecast with detailed descriptions, hourly weather forecast the next 48 hours (what helps plan the outdoor activities), UV Alerts (what prevents sunburns), Severe Weather alerts (US only) and other weather-related info.

Elecont Weather receives forecasts from the world's leading provider - WSI Corporation.

At this moment Elecont Weather is the unique Weather program which runs on the all kinds of Windows Mobile shells including Home Screen, Sliding Panel, Today Screen and Windows Mobile 6.5 Default Today screen. It is important if you're planning to change or upgrade your device.

The detailed ten day forecast, 48-hour hourly forecast and the Barometer (which you can use to predict weather by yourself) makes Elecont Weather the most accurate weather plugin on the market.

Read more and download free trial from http://www.elecont.com

During the next two weeks receive 30% off on Elecont Weather.

TOKYO—Toshiba Corporation (TOKYO: 6502), a world leader in the development of fuel-cell technology for handheld electronic equipment, today announced the launch of its first direct methanol fuel-cell product: Dynario™, an external power source that delivers power to mobile digital consumer products. Dynario™, together with a dedicated fuel cartridge for refueling on the go, will be launched in Japan, in a limited edition of 3,000 units only, and will be exclusively available at Shop1048 (http://shop1048.jp/), Toshiba's direct-order web site for digital consumer products in the Japanese market. Orders will be accepted from October 22, and shipping will start on October 29.

The power consumption of mobile electronic devices, including mobile phones, has greatly increased with added functionality, including TV reception and Internet connectivity. As a result, battery exhaustion has become a major concern. Dynario™'s DMFC delivers almost instant refueling that untethers electrical equipment from AC adapters and power outlets. It runs on mix of methanol and ambient oxygen, and the chemical reaction between the two in the fuel cell produces electricity.

Toshiba recognizes the DMFC as a high potential solution for portable equipment and is promoting intensive technology and product development, including improved practical use and downsizing.

The palm-sized Dynario™ is Toshiba's first DMFC product. Once fueled with an injection of methanol solution from its dedicated cartridge, Dynario™ starts to generate electricity that is delivered to a digital consumer product—a mobile phone or a digital media player—via a USB cable. On a single refill of methanol which can be made in an instant period (around 20 seconds), Dynario™ can generate enough power to charge two typical mobile phones.

Dynario™ integrates Toshiba's state-of-the-art fuel cell technology, allowing it to operate with only a small volume of concentrated methanol solution, reducing the size and weight of the fuel tank and the overall product. An ingenious fuel feed structure realizes uniform methanol delivery, and stable output to any attached device is fine-tuned by a built-in microcomputer. Performance is also optimized by Dynario™'s hybrid structure, which uses a lithium-ion battery charged by the fuel cell to store electricity. The dedicated fuel cartridge was co-developed with Toyo Seikan Kaisha, Ltd., one of Japan's leading packaging container companies.

Dynario™ and its fuel cartridge fully comply with the International Electrotechnical Commission's safety standards (provisional edition).

Toshiba will gauge customer reaction and opinion from the Japanese release of Dynario™ and reflect them in the development of future DMFC products.
(Toshiba Press release)

DIGITIMES [Wednesday 21 October 2009] The HTC Hero smartphones from HTC (High Tech Computer) are currently enjoying brisk sales in the markets in Europe and Asia, causing tight production at HTC, according to Jack Tong, vice president of Asia Pacific at HTC.

The tight production will not be eased until November and the sales momentum of HTC Hero is expected to continue in the first quarter of 2010, Tong asserted.

Despite the increasing number of Android-powered smartphones launched by rival vendors, HTC believes it will continue to maintain its leading position in the Android smartphone segment, buoyed by its expertise related to the integration of touch and wireless communications technologies as well as contents and applications, Tong stated. Read more at Digi

Newsfactor: Verizon Wireless is siccing its first Android device, the Motorola Droid, on Apple, Inc.'s iPhone. Verizon's ads suggest what the iPhone 'iDon't' have, the Droid does. Verizon says it will launch multiple Android devices, and it has warmed up to Google as it embraces openness. But Verizon isn't likely to take on the iPhone feature for feature. ..."iDon't have a real keyboard," the ad says, touting other "iDon't" feature shortcomings of the iPhone. The ad, which ran on TV this past weekend, ends with what may be the Droid's tagline: "Everything iDon't ... Droid Does."
Read More at NewsFactor

Samsung Moment from Sprint, available on November 1, 2009

Samsung Moment™, exclusively from Sprint, is Samsung’s first U.S. handset integrating the open and innovate Android™ platform with the high-speed connectivity of America’s most dependable 3G network (EVDO Rev. A.). Its slide-out QWERTY keyboard, optical joystick and brilliant 3.2-inch AMOLED touch-screen display, with wider viewing angles and crisper colors, will dazzle those who want the freedom to stay connected on the go and enjoy a PC-like experience. Samsung Moment provides access to built-in Google™ mobile services, including Google Search™, Google Maps™, Gmail™ and YouTube™, as well as thousands of applications, widgets and games available in Android Market™. It offers access to personal and corporate e-mail, WiFi capability, GPS navigation, accelerometer, full HTML Web browser, stereo Bluetooth®, 3.2-megapixel camera and camcorder, expandable memory up to 32GB and access to social networking sites, including Facebook®, Flickr® and TwitterTM.

PRODUCTIVITY
• Full slide-out QWERTY keyboard
• Widescreen 3.2-inch AMOLED touch-screen display
• Android Market™
• Accelerometer and proximity sensor
• Outlook e-mail with Microsoft Direct Push Technology
and HTML support; E-mail (EAS), POP, IMAP
• Access e-mail from such well-known providers as AOL, Windows LiveTM including
MSN®, Hotmail® and Yahoo!
• Easily view Word, Excel, PowerPoint on the go to maximize productivity
• Built-in WiFi 802.11 b/g
• Visual Voicemail for quick and easy access to voice mail messages
• Sprint Navigation with GPS-enabled, turn-by-turn driving directions, navigate with a
3D map that moves with you


ENTERTAINMENT/PERSONALIZATION
• Android Market and access to such popular applications as Pandora®, ShopSavvyTM,
Twitter, ShazamTM, amazon.com®, USA Today®, Flixster®,
PacManTM, CraigslistCheckerTM, MySpaceTM Mobile and thousands of other applications
• 3.2-megapixel camera with flash and camcorder with auto-focus
• Advanced Stereo Bluetooth® wireless technology
• Sprint’s exclusive sports applications: NFL Mobile Live and NASCAR Sprint Cup Mobile
• Amazon MP3 Store and Media Player with 3.5-millimeter headphone jack
• Expandable Memory: 2GB MicroSD card included; supports up to 32GB MicroSD card

SPECIFICATIONS
• Dimensions: 4.6 x 2.34 x 0.63 inches; weight 5.67 oz.
• Main Display: 3.2-inch AMOLED (320 x 480 pixels) 16M colors
• Standard Lithium (LiIon) battery: up to 5.5 hours continuous talk time*