Happy Pi Day!

Software / Hardware

• Outlook Mobile team blog. Subscribed.
• Loke notes that Newsbreak 2.0 is out. He talks about his experiences after two days. Hanselman digs it, too. Stay tuned for my forthcoming mobile RSS reader review.
• Check out the AT&T WS SMT5700 over at Engadget Mobile.  Looks like someone cross-bred a Treo, a BlackJack, and a N62.

Development

• SQL CE 2005 BOL has been updated; get the March 2007 .chm.
• The February 2007 monthly updates are now available for Windows Embedded CE 6.0, Windows CE 5.0, 090-015008ccc1dc%26DisplayLang%3den">Windows CE 5.0 Network Media Device Feature Pack, and Windows CE.NET 4.2
• Neil C. shows us RPM running under Vista and how to interact with interactive phone services in 3 lines of code.
• I got an e-mail last week that the Red FIVE Labs team has released a CTP of their .NET CF 1.0 port to Symbian.   Write once, run everywhere? Um, no. Read their FAQ.
• Mike Lipp from the CF team talks about app compat with NETCF v2 SP2.  As you know already, .NET CF 2.0 SP2 has been released; keep an eye on this post from the .NET CF team. They will be updating it as the releases (QFEs, etc) become available.
• Anand talks more about networking support on Vista for Device Emulator v2.   And Richard shows how to send your GPS location.

Community

• Cincinnati/Dayton Code Camp: March 24, 2007 Are you registered? Check out the sessions.
• Next CINNUG meeting: March 20, 2007 on Guidance Automation Toolkit

In Other News

• Check out Julie's LapDawg Laptop stand review.
• Omar links to a YouTube video of a demonstration of Vista speech recognition. I, too, laughed heartily.

TMM ...back again. :-)

Software / Hardware

• Samsung’s i770 looks to be a compelling Windows Mobile Smartphone – particularly with its clamshell design.
• Also from CoolSmartphone.com – Motorola’s Q (yes, the long-awaited, oft-delayed Q) will be landing on May 31  Be sure to check out this Moto Q vs Samsung i320 video on YouTube.com (via CoolSmartphone.com)
• It looks like T-Mobile UK subscribers will be getting some HSDPA goodness
• SlingMedia now has a beta version of SlingPlayer Mobile for Smartphone
• PocketPCThoughts.com takes a look at OneNote Mobile (Beta) on a WM PPC
• MobileTechReview reviews the new HP iPAQ hw6915

 Development

• It’s been out for a month now.. Microsoft Device Emulator 2.0 Beta – CTP  Also, check out Barry Bond’s blog entry on how 40% better performance was achieved in the emulator  Of course, there is always the standalone of Microsoft Device Emulator 1.0 for folks who want some RTM-quality goodness (note that this has the added bonus of having MSFP WM5.0 images).
• Attention all Windows Mobile developers:  Mel Sampat is now blogging about WM AppCompat.  Subscribed.

In Other News . . .

• The .mobi TLD has been launched.  Be sure to check out the availability and rollout plan at Mobile Top Level Domain (hint: general availability isn’t until August 28..hope no one has a trademark on the name I’m after..)
• Windows Media Player 11 (beta) is available
• Unboxing.com (via TinyScreenfuls.com)
• BusyBoxDotNet – sweet ASP.NET control, but I don’t think you’ll be able to use it as a mobile control (via James Avery)

Software / Hardware 

• msmobiles.com has a review and some nice photos of the HTC TyTN  I could use that spiffy scroll wheel on my HTC Wizard
• PhoneMag.com reports that Symbian has released v9.3 of their OS.  Check out the er, nifty features
• Microsoft has released ActiveSync 4.2.  Download it.
• Linux fan? Like Smartphones?  Some enterprising folks have ported Linux to an HTC smartphone (via SmartphoneThoughts.com)
  

 Development

• John Kennedy wants to know what your searches look like when searching for Windows Mobile documentation
• Microsoft has now released their Device Emulator 1.0 under Shared Source.   (via Alex Yakhnin)
• The Windows CE Networking Team brings us two gems: Why is GPSID Tricky To Configure on PPC/SP?  and a bit about GPSID on WinCE 5.0. ..funny, i was just talking about GPSID last week with some co-workers.

In Other News . . .

• Windows Developer Power Tools  (via James Avery)   Check it out, lots of good stuff from lots of swell folks (I contributed some articles, too!)

Software / Hardware

• Loke has a very handy WM5/WM6 feature guide
• CoolSmartPhone.com is reporting that the T-Mobile Ameo has landed on the T-Mo UK website.
• Ericsson is doing some nifty things with EDGE Evolution (1MB, anyone?)
• Jason  Landgridge talks about storage card wipe and encryption in WM6

Developers

• A KB article about the unexpected return of an incorrect number of rows from SQL Mobile  2005 and SQL CE 2005 (aka 3.0 and 3.1) has been posted.
• Anand reminds us to not mix n' match privs on Vista with VS2005 and the Emulator
• Interesting post on using SSCE for unit testing in VSTS. (via Nick Randolph)
• Nick also talks about support in the March Orcas CTP for sync services in these two posts.

In Other News

• March CINNUG meeting: Come hear Stefan Kyntchev talk about the Guidance Automation Toolkit (GAT).   If you have installed the Mobile Client Software Factory, you had to install GAT (and GAX - Guidance Automation eXtensions), so come see what you can do with GAT.
  
• Jeff Atwood blogs about the idea of a "Works on My Machine" certification. SWEEEET!  Don't forget to get the t-shirt so that you can brag to your l33t friends that you're a bumbling moron.

 Software / Hardware

• Microsoft releases Device Emulator 1.0 source.  Check out Barry’s post.
• John Spaith of the Windows CE Networking team tells us what Windows CE 5.01 is.
• Microsoft is adding support for Windows 2000 to SQL Server 2005 Everywhere Edition. Check out Jim Wilson’s post.
• msmobiles.com is reporting that the HTC StarTrek has passed FCC approval

 Development

• Alex Yakhnin from OpenNETCF blogs about a PopUp Menu for .NET CF applications.  Available for beta testing now.
• Peter Foot blogs about Windows Mobile 5.0 Bluetooth Virtual Serial Ports. 
• Daniel Moth gives us Textbox with cue banner.  Spiffy!
• The Mobile Client Software Factory for July 2006 has been released.
• The Visual Studio for Devices team lets us know what versions of .NET CF will be supported by VS code-named “Orcas”.

In Other News . . .

• A great .NET vs. Java post by Craig Schmitt (via Jim Holmes)

Hardware

•  infoSync has a quick article on the OQO 02

 Software

• TeaShark "a new way to use the web when mobile".  (via RussellBeattie.com)  - seems a bit DeepFish-y to me. Watch the video on YouTube.
• MobHappy informs us that Orbitz is now mobile.
• CoolSmartPhone.com introduces Viigo, a free (as in beer) Windows Mobile RSS reader.

Development

• Andrew Arnott gives the rundown on what WCF features will be supported in .NET CF 3.5
• Neil Cowburn gives a HOWTO to Create unit tests for device apps with NUnitLite.  One alternative to the unit test framework in MCSF.
• Also check out his HOWTO on retrieving the device type from the desktop, retrieving the device ID from the desktop, and programmatically enabling/disabling flight mode.
• Rob Tiffany is making chapters available on his blog for his SQL Server CE data synchronization book.
• Device Emulator v3 automation interfaces anyone?
• This entry on the Mobile Developer Wiki informs us how to configure ASP.NET AJAX to recognize IE Mobile. Also check out this entry on IE Mobile (previously known as Pocket IE) differences in regards to AJAX support.

Community

• OpenNETCF has launched their community site.
• sqlserverce.org, the SQL Server CE community portal

 Alrighty… I’ve been head’s down working on some demos (I’ve got a new appreciation for the power of the various MapPoint offerings) in lovely St. Petersburg, FL (although it’s a bit wet here tonight).

Software / Hardware 

• Microsoft has announces that Live Communications Server 2005 will be extended so that it can communicate with both Windows Mobile and RIM BlackBerry (via mobilepipeline.com)
• Larry Lieberman explains the oft-frustrating-to-consumers facts of life regarding Windows Mobile distribution
• Intermec brings us the CN30, a modular Windows Mobile device with a VGA display. (via windowsfordevices.com)
• Loren brings news of the forthcoming Tecra M4 Tablet PC
• Orange France has released an update for the SPV C500 (via modaco.com)   … and a UK (/US) update is imminent
• Marcus Perryman answers the age-old question: How is Windows Mobile related to Windows CE?  Not know the answer?  Read up!
• 6500-100448.php">Gizmodo gives more pictures of the upcoming hw6500 (spiffy back-lit keyboard)

 Development

• .NET CF 2.0, Beta 2 redistributable is now available here.
• Thom Robbins makes the slide deck available from his presentation on Extending the Enterprise through Mobile Solutions  (5+ MB .zip)
• Alex Feinman talks about WCELoad  I’ll add that the wceload.exe switches do not necessarily work as advertised (my experience on WinCE 4.2)
• Windows Mobile – the predictable development platform

Other Stuff

• T-Mobile brings us Personal Coverage Check  Current and potential T-Mobile subscribers – check this out …and note the .aspx extension;-) 
• “Why in the world would you think your (cell) phone would work in your house?” – asks Verizon CEO Ivan Seidenberg (via the Furrygoat)
• From The Inquirer, Gartner is predicting a mobile OS war.  …you don’t say…

-Nino

I've been asked a few times recently about setting up Internet connectivity with the WM5.0 emulator;  I usually point people to this post: http://blogs.msdn.com/akhune/archive/2005/11/16/493329.aspx .  However, if you want to do it without ActiveSync..

Update: In reponse to a few comments, I have updated some of the steps, and added a disclaimer:

-This solution is neither recommended nor supported by Microsoft (although I got it to work and use it frequently)
-I take no responsibility for the state of your emulators before, during, or after you implement this configuration
-For best results, I suggest that you have only once instance of Visual Studio 2005 open and that you hard-reset your emulator (being certain to purge any saved state) after every configuration change.

1.Install the Virtual Machine Network Driver for Microsoft Device Emulator.

2. In Visual Studio 2005, open Tools>Options. Select Device Tools >
Devices. Then select the 'Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Emulator' and click the Properteies button

3. Change Transport in the Emulator properties to 'TCP Connect Transport'.  Then click the 'Configure' button. You can then set an IP address (one valid for your network); although I have found that the emulator retrieves one on its own from from DHCP, if that is available.  Additionally, I have found that if you leave the IP as 127.0.0.1, you may be unable to deploy.

4. Click the Emulator Options button. In the Emulator Properties dialog that opens, select the Network tab. Make certain that the 'Enable NE2000  PCMCIA network adapter and bind to:" box is checked and that you have selected the correct network adapter of your computer.

5. OK your way out of these dialogs

6. Start the emulator.  Start > Settings > Network Cards  

7. Tap NE2000 Compatible Ethernet Driver. Select either 'Connected network card" or one of the adapters listed [that has a valid network connection].  Tap OK (and tap OK on the dialog that comes up).

8. Make certain that the 'My network card connects to:" drop-down is set to 'The Internet'

9. Clear any saved state from the emulator and hard-reset it.

10. Open up Internet Explorer Mobile and enter your URL...

-Nino

So I decided not to blog much from O’ahu – not such a bad thing, eh?  (..and I got sick of updating all of my feeds over my GPRS connection).  I’m in Seattle for most of this week for project meetings and taking part of this evening to catch up a bit on blogging..and e-mail.

Software / Hardware 

• Mike Calligaro from the Windows Mobile team blogs about the power profiles (On/Off/Sleep, etc) and the differences between PPC and SP
• Socket has launched a smaller-than-usual SDIO Wi-Fi card (via msmobiles.com)
• i-mate has released a limited edition JAM – nifty charcoal color, 128MB RAM (ouch on the battery life), CA A/V, Skype on-board and more (via Pocket PC Thoughts)
• Intel has formally announced that the PXA26x series of ARM processors has come to an end. (via Pocket PC Thoughts)
• HTC Apache pictures from the::unwired
• HTC Galaxy from the::unwired
• The purported Treo 670 – Engadget has more pics     I’m still debating the reality of this coming to market.. (and if there’s a GSM version – please whack that damn tree trunk antenna).

 Development

• OpenNETCF.org has released v1.4 of their excellent Smart Device Framework  Go get it!!!
• Here’s a utility that will allow you to get some information back out of a CAB file (via Marcus Perryman)
• In The Hand has released WindowsMobile In The Hand to provide a matching set of APIs for previous [to WM5] versions of Windows Mobile
• Marcus Perryman blogs about setting up a device emulator under VS2005

In Other News . . .

• Microsoft has released SyncToy v1 Beta for WinXP  Omar blogs about it, too
• Neil clears up any confusion about OpenNETCF.org and its offerings

-Nino

 Lots ‘o stuff in my TMM News Bin to blog while I eagerly await my Audiovox SMT5600 (via eBay, of course).  I can hear it now... ”What took you so long?”  That answer is easy: $.

Software / Hardware 

• From Canada comes the first RFID reader/writer SD card (via smartphonethoughts.com)   Spiffy!
• Mac users with Windows Mobile devices – check out Missing Sync for Windows Mobile (via MobileRead)
• smartphonethoughts.com brings us news of a Windows CE-based phone (yes, you read that correctly) .
• From the airport security category, thestate troopers in Logan airport are using iPAQs running software called PocketCop over Cingular’s EDGE network. (via pocketpcthoughts.com)
• More news on the hw6515 and hw6510 ‘Mobile Messenger’ devices from HP: here, here, and here (good pics on this one)
• From coolsmartphone.com comes an article on syncing MP3s with WMP10
• HTC Typhoon (Audiovox SMT5600, Orange SPV C500, i-mate SP3) owners: Boxwave has made it’s Wall Charger Direct and Car Charger Direct compatible with this hardware (via smartphonethoughts.com)   For grins, here’s a list of all the Boxwave products available for the Audiovox SMT5600
• Here’s more from the ‘Windows Mobile-powered Treo’ front; msmobiles.com has the piece.
• From coolsmartphone.com: Lenovo Group to launch a Windows Mobile phone? (Lenovo is the company that is taking over IBM Thinkpad production)
• Arne Hess from PPCW.net brings us news of third-party cradle for your HTC Typhoon smartphone 
• It’s final: the sale of Audiovox Communications Corporation to UTStarcom, Inc. has been finalized. Canadians can now get the SMT5600 via Rogers Wireless    FYI: UTStarcom  Audiovox

 Development

• Mark Arteaga brings us news of RIM’s new development platform: Blackberry Mobile Data Systems 4.1
• Mike Gunderloy reviews Crossfire and gives it a thumbs up.  I’m a bit more skeptical; I need to give this version a test run.
• Sue Loh gives a rebuttal to an article on the use of GetTickCount(). This is a good read, and must for mobile devs.
• From the it may be ‘new to you’ category: Emulating SMS and phone calls using a device emulator with Virtual Radio support
• Neil Cowburn gives us the results of his “How do you test your smart device applications?” poll.  Ashamedly, yours truly did not respond (and I don’t know why I didn’t). :-( 
• MEDC Podcasts (via Paul Mooney)

Related News

• Jim Balsillie (RIM CEO) appears to not be concered with the forthcoming Magneto and E2k3 SP2 launches (eWeek article). Despite him saying something about “Windows Mobile device for 2006”  and his other comments, I think he knows what is coming (either that or RIM is really out of step), and yes, I think he is concerned, but is not conveying that (and I do not expect him to). I’m really curious as to what we’ll hear from RIM come September.
• mobilepipline has a case study on UPS going Wireless
• Seth Demsey is leaving the .NET CF team
• Neil Enns from the Windows Mobile team is blogging about his MEDC 2005 experiences (remember: it’s Neil’s fault if Bill G’s demo breaks <g> )
• personaltechpipeline brings us news about potential device interfaces from MS Research (which has an RSS feed, btw)
• Want some fun?  Ride along with a Verizon Test Man  (via pocketpcthoughts.com)
• Flickr users: Flickr Mobile is here. (via mobileread)
• Here’s a gem from mobileread: the Motorola DynaTAC 8000X (the world’s first cell phone)

-Nino