Smartphone Fanatics

Astraware Releases Phaze Lite

2009-07-06T19:19:00.003-04:00

Astraware, the Handmark games unit, today released Phaze "Lite". Phaze, a unique game available only on the iPhone and iPod touch, is an exciting new futuristic racing game that offers players an exhilarating race experience as they select their ship and race around rollercoaster-like tracks with stomach-flipping twists and turns, and velocity-increasing boost pads, while collecting powerups and avoiding their competitors' weapons!

The Lite version, available now, includes one race craft, one location and two difficulty levels so players get a chance to try out Phaze for FREE! If they enjoy the game, the full version additionally includes Championship mode, a total of four difficulty levels, 15 more locations (with 64 tracks across all difficulties), and a total of 10 race craft (some are unlockable).

You can download Phaze from the Apple iTunes App Store.

PUGcast the Blog Updates Their News Feed

2009-07-05T23:03:00.005-04:00

Clemens Schuchert, the host of "PUGcast Sync Your Ears" and editor of the blog by the same name, has written me to let the Smartphone Fanatics out there that he has upgraded the PUGcast news feed service. The new feed, called News Roll, aggregates news for our favorite smartphones, including the iPhone, BlackBerry, Palm, and Symbian.

You can check out the News Roll over at the PUGcast website.

SplashData File Magic 2.0 Review

2009-07-05T22:29:00.007-04:00

Have you ever felt constrained by the types of data you can sync to your iPhone or iPod touch? Apple’s iPhone 3.0 software can read Microsoft Office files and Adobe Acrobat documents that have been sent as email attachments, but there is no easy way to get commonly used documents on to your device. Wouldn’t it be cool if all it took to sync documents with your iPhone was to simply drag and drop the files into a window? If that seems like something you want, then you need SplashData’s File Magic!

File Magic is a two-piece solution. File Magic, the desktop application, is a drag-and-drop file transfer tool. The desktop application looks for the File Magic application on your iPhone and then establishes a Wi-Fi link between the two. With File Magic it easy to quickly load documents on your iPhone so you don’t have to waste anymore time emailing documents to yourself. In addition to Microsoft Office and Adobe Acrobat files that I have already mentioned, File Magic also supports: plain text files (.txt), web pages (.htm, .html), non-DRM music files (.mp3, .aac, .wav), images (.jpg, .gif, .png, .tif) and MPEG-4 videos (.m4v).

File Magic is easy to learn. After playing with the software for a few minutes I felt that I had a handle on all of the features. To help you get up and running quickly, SplashData has included a Quick Start Guide that is accessible right from the mobile application. If you want to see what File Magic is capable of before you purchase the software, or if you are the inquisitive type and want some additional information, SplashData also has a user’s guide available on their website. For most people, the on device guide will be all they will need to read.

There are two ways to get documents into your iPhone. The first is to synchronize File Magic running on your iPhone with your computer. The computer and the iPhone or iPod touch must both be on the same Wi-Fi network for this to work. You can also send or receive files directly into or out of your device when the person you want to share your document with is on the same Wi-Fi network and has a copy of File Magic installed. Since SplashData has their own application for managing the files you load on your device, you can send a document from the SplashData data store to anyone else by attaching the document to an email message and sending it to any valid email address.

File Magic makes the document transfer process so easy, that you have to wonder why Apple didn’t include this feature in their software from the get go.

There are two things that I did find annoying about the installation and use of File Magic. The ah-hoc networking between the iPhone and desktop application uses a networking service called Bonjour. If you are using a Mac, Bonjour is all ready installed on your computer. PC users, on the other hand, will have to install it. The thing that I didn’t like was that the File Magic installer couldn’t figure out if Bonjour was already installed on my Windows Vista PC. (SplashData does tell you how to manually check to see if Bonjour is already installed.) The other thing that I found annoying was in the photo browser; you can’t use the iPhone OS gestures to flick to the next or previous photos. To move forward and backward in the deck of photos that have been loaded into File Magic you must use the left and right arrow navigation buttons at the top right of the screen. Both of these issues can be addressed as software updates and shouldn’t cause any serious problems in the long run.

All-in-all, I thought that File Magic is the must have application for those people who like to take their important documents with them. The software is easy to use and the document transfer between the desktop computer and an iPhone or iPod touch worked without any issues during my testing.

File Magic will work with any iPhone or iPod touch that has iPhone OS 2.1 or later installed. The desktop application works with Mac OS X 10.4.11 and later, Windows Vista, and Windows XP. You can purchase File Magic for iPhone and iPod touch for $4.99 from the Apple iTunes App Store. For more information, or to download the free desktop application, please visit the SplashData website.

Mobile Apps 360: FlightControl

2009-07-04T20:49:00.008-04:00

Mobile Apps 360 takes a look at great mobile software for your iPhone, iPod touch, BlackBerry, and Windows Mobile smartphones that will help keep your favorite mobile gear fresh with new software.

FlightControl is an original, super addictive game from FireMint, that puts you in the critical role of an air traffic controller. It is up to you to safely land airplanes, jets, jumbo jets, and helicopters. You can learn how to play this action/strategy game in minutes and will have you coming back for more.

You control the aircraft on the screen by tapping them, and then dragging it to the run way. Sure, it sounds easy, until you start playing. The game starts off slow, but before long, you will find yourself trying to manage a sky full of plans and helicopters. You will need to keep an eye on both planes that are coming in for a landing and new aircraft arriving into your air space, one mid-air collision will end your game!

FlightControl features three different locations for you to play: a land locked air field, an airport in Hawaii with island and water runways, and a military aircraft carrier.

Game play is super addictive. I lost an hour immediately following the installation of this game on my iPod touch. The graphics, background music, and sound effects are well done. If your iPhone 3G, 3GS or second generation iPod touch has iPhone OS 3.0 or later installed, you can go head-to-head with your friend and you can also post your high scores to the FilghtControl leader board which has a cool Google Maps and Twitter integration so you can see who else is playing near you. Original iPhone and iPod touch owners can still play, however, they won't be able to use the multi-player feature.

FlightControl is normally $2.99, but is on sale for a limited time for $0.99. For more details, checkout the FlightControl website, or head over to the iTunes App Store if you're ready to buy.

Happy Independence Day!

2009-07-04T10:31:00.005-04:00

The 4th of July marks the birth of the United States, and Smartphone Fanatics wishes all of our readers a Happy Independence day!

To help celebrate the day, our friends at Astraware, Handmark's games division, has once again posted their free Handmark Fireworks application!

Handmark Fireworks features a selection of patriotic backgrounds including the Statue of Liberty, Mount Rushmore and the Stars and Stripes, and offers a choice of stirring tunes including the Star Spangled Banner and Stars and Stripes Forever!

Handmark Fireworks is available for Windows Mobile and BlackBerry smartphones and for iPhone and iPod touch. (Sorry BlackBerry owners - this time round you'll have to hum your own marches! This edition of Fireworks for BlackBerry does not include music.)

What better way to celebrate 4th of July than with some Fireworks? Download your copy today - it's available for a limited time only!

Download your free copy of Fireworks by using one of the links below:

Apple iPhone and iPod touch
BlackBerry Smartphones (non-touchscreen, touch screen)
Windows Mobile Professional (touchscreen)
Windows Mobile Smartphone (non-touchscreen)

Palm Releases Security Update for webOS

2009-06-29T16:52:00.004-04:00

Earlier today, Palm released Palm webOS Update 1.0.4 which addresses security issues in the new mobile operating system.

Palm webOS 1.0.4 does not add any new applications or features to the Pre, but does raise the Sprint configuration to version 1.6. The nature of the security issues that are being addressed with the 1.0.4 update have not been specified.

You can download the Palm webOS 1.0.4 update over the air to your Pre by using the Updates application. For more information, visit the Pre software update page.

What's Up with Palm on AT&T?

2009-06-28T23:55:00.005-04:00

I was just looking at the AT&T website, and I noticed that there are no Centro or Treo 750 smartphones available for sale. I'll admit that both devices, the Palm OS 5 Centro and the Windows Mobile Treo 750 aren't new devices by any definition, but you would expect that AT&T would still have some units in stock.

I have read some Internet rumors that said that the Palm webOS powered Eos smartphone would be arriving on the AT&T network sometime around the end of the year, but nothing specific. I have also not read anythign that would indicate that Palm is halted the sale of the AT&T smartphones.

Windows Mobile customers can still get the Palm Treo Pro as an unlocked device and use their existing AT&T 3G SIM cards with the device if they wish.

I'll have to keep an eye on this one.

Palm Reports Q4 and FY 2009 Results

2009-06-26T00:00:00.003-04:00

Palm, Inc. today reported that total revenues in the fourth quarter of fiscal year 2009, ended May 29, 2009, were $86.8 million. Gross profit was $20.1 million and gross margin was 23.1 percent. These results include the effects of subscription accounting treatment required by GAAP. In accordance with this methodology,revenues and cost of revenues for the Palm Pre smartphone are deferred and recognized over the product’s estimated economic life.

On a non-GAAP basis, Adjusted Revenues in the fourth quarter totaled $113.2 million, Adjusted
Gross Profit was $30.4 million and Adjusted Gross Margin was 26.8 percent.

“The launch of Palm webOS and Palm Pre was a major milestone in Palm’s transformation; we have now officially reentered the race,” said Jon Rubinstein, Palm’s chairman and chief executive officer. “We have more to accomplish, but the groundwork is laid for a very promising future here at Palm. Our senior management team is capable, motivated and focused on execution; there is a large group of developers waiting to build great applications for Palm webOS; and we have a new product pipeline that we think will set a standard for the industry.”

The company shipped a total of 351,000 smartphone units during the quarter, representing a 6
percent increase from the third quarter of fiscal year 2009 and a year-over-year decline of 62
percent. Smartphone sell-through for the quarter was 460,000 units, down 5 percent vs. the third quarter of fiscal year 2009 and down 52 percent year-over-year.

In addition to the prepared statements that where posted on Palm's website, there where a few other items of interest that I took away from listening to the conference call.

Palm is continuing to wrap up production of the Pre to meet demand
US penetration for smartphones is 19%, 11% globally
A user experience that delights the customer was mentioned twice
The Mojo SDK program is being expanded; everyone will have access by the end of September
Palm plans to continue to roll out fixes and software enhancements to webOS that will be free to Pre customers
The Pre did not go on sale during Palm's Q4 period
Canada's Bell Mobility is the next carrier to begin shipping the Pre

I'm really surprised that both Palm's CEO and CFO where talking about building hardware and software products that delight the customer. That has been a long standing requirement at Palm, and it seems that even through the transition of senior company management, new hardware platforms, and a new mobile operating system, at the core, Palm is still the company that wants to be simply, easy to use products to market. I'm glad to see that delighting the customer is still very much a part of the company's DNA.

Palm still has a lot of work cut out for them, but after a long and hard road that started two years ago, we finally have a Palm that is really up to the challenge of building some new powerful solutions that we haven't seen in a long time from the company.

You can read the full Q4 and FY 2009 results document on the Palm website.

iPhone OS 3.0, webOS 1.0.3 and New Apps

2009-06-20T15:29:00.004-04:00

I'm a fan of both Apple and Palm. That is why I'm using a MacBook to write this blog and record my 1SRC Pre|Switcher podcasts. My phone of choice is the Palm Pre smart(er)phone.

This weekend looks like it is going to be a busy one. Just in the last few days, I've gotten my hands on new software for both my Apple iPod touch and my Palm Pre.

On Wednesday, Apple released the iPhone OS 3.0 update for existing iPhone and iPod touch devices. I also received copies of DataViz Documents To Go and SplashData File Magic. I'll have reviews of iPhone OS 3.0 and both both applications soon.

Palm Pre customers will also want to download and install the webOS 1.0.3 update to their phones using the Updates application. If you also use MotionApps Classic on your Pre to run all of your old Palm OS applications, you should read the Classic FAQ before performing the upgrade.

Classic 1.1 Released With Some Bumps In the Road

2009-06-20T15:15:00.003-04:00

Along side the Palm webOS 1.0.3 update that went out Friday, MotionApps also released the 1.1.05 Classic update for webOS. Classic is a Palm OS 5 emulation package for webOS.

Classic 1.1 has some nice enhancement baked in, such as:

sound support
pinch/zoom feature
improved keyboard behavior
improved process of Palm OS application and data loading
enhanced preferences and overall greatly improved stability

The update, unfortunately, didn't roll out as smoothly as MotionApps would have liked. A note quickly appeared on the MotionApps blog that read:

"We have received reports from some users that they are experiencing issues with Classic after installing the webOS 1.0.3 update on their Pre which at the same time updated Classic 1.0 to Classic 1.1.

If you are experiencing any issues when running Classic after webOS 1.0.3 update, please see an FAQ entry we have posted with a fix."

The fix, as reported in the FAQ, includes the deletion of the "ClassicApps" folder on the Pre's storage volume that appears when you mount the Pre to your computers desktop.

The article also states that early adopters of Classic should also delete the Classic ROM Updater application as it is no longer required because the feauteres have been migrated into the Classic 1.1 update.

Classic can be downloaded to your Pre by using the App Catalog program on your Pre. If you chose to use Classic beyond it's 7 day trial period, you can purchase Classic for $29.99 from the MotionApps website.

Palm webOS Update 1.0.3

2009-06-20T14:59:00.004-04:00

On Friday night, Palm launched webOS 1.0.3 as an over the air (OTA) update for their Pre smart(er)phone. To download and install Palm webOS 1.0.3, use the Updates application on the Pre.

webOS 1.0.3 does not install any new application on the Pre, but does address some of the issues that have cropped up during the Pre's first full two weeks on the market. According to Palm, the webOS 1.0.3 update includes fixes for:

Power performance in areas where wireless coverage is sporadic or unavailable has been enhanced.
Non-SSL Exchange ActiveSync (EAS) mail servers are now supported.
Events created in Google calendar that contain a symbol or accented character in the event name can now synchronize.
Changes made to Google events on the phone now sync with Google online within a few minutes.
The sync interval for Google events has been decreased from every few hours to every 15 minutes.

This update will also change the Sprint configuration version from 1.4 to 1.5, however, there is no mention as to what this change intails. I have read some speculation on the Internet that this update changes how the cellular radio works. I have not seen any change in coverage or signal strength after the update was applied to my Pre.

You can read the complete list of webOS fixes address in the 1.0.3 update on the Palm website.

SplashTravel Comes to iPhone/iPod touch

2009-06-18T21:35:00.003-04:00

SplashData has recently released its popular SplashTravel suite to the App Store, but with all of the travel utilities combined under one icon. Until now, the suite has been available for Palm's Treo and Centro smartphones.

SplashTravel for iPhone and iPod touch offers:

Trip Organizer for Air, Hotel & Car reservations
Flight Tracker with gate, plane, and status info
Unit & Currency Converter
Tip Calculator
World Clock
Time Calculator
Packing List
Expense Report tool
lists of country codes, clothing size charts, etc.

Beyond the existing travel applications included in the suite, SplashData also added the powerful Trip Organizer and Home screen features to bring it all together in a cohesive user interface. I really like the idea of the trip organizer because when I travel for work, I always seem to forget something: black socks, a brown belt, toothpaste. I may have to book a trip to Florida just so I can test SplashTravel out!

For more details, visit the SplashData website or jump right over to the Apple App Store.

People Love Their Pre Smartphones

2009-06-18T17:52:00.004-04:00

We tend to get a little fanatical about mobile technology around a site like Smartphone Fanatics. That said, people really love their new Pre smartphones! One example is a review from Jenny Levin, a librarian in Chicago, IL.

Ms. Levin has posted a review of the Pre on her blog, The Shifted Librarian, which has been written from the point of view of a Palm Treo or Centro owner who is considering the jump from Palm OS 5 to webOS.

"When I picked up my new Palm Pre smartphone last week, one of the store employees said, “You must have been waiting for this phone for a long time.” He could tell I was excited about it. I told him I’d been waiting for this phone for nine years, six of them on Palm Treos and a Centro, waiting for the next leap.

And now that I finally have it, I can say that while it’s quite clearly a first generation device, I love it. This post will explain why, but it won’t be a comparison of the iPhone versus the Pre. I’ve only played with an iPhone a couple of times, so it wouldn’t be fair, plus everyone knows I’m not a fan of Apple, so I can’t really be objective about this. So instead, this will be a review of the Pre from the perspective of a Treo/Centro owner wondering if she should upgrade, because that’s the question I’m getting asked the most. Back in 2003, I started a popular page called What’s on My Treo 600 that listed all of the apps I used and as a result, I heard from Palm owners for years (and occasionally still do), so this is an area I know well.

In fact, a lot of my issues with the Pre come from features the Treos/Centros did better, but I’ll also describe what’s new, both the good and the bad. As a result, this will be a long review, so skip this post if you’re not interested in smartphones or the Pre."

Keep reading...

Ms. Levin and I share many of the same views about the Pre. Long time Treo users will find that some of the nice little refinements from Palm OS 5.4.9 didn't make it into webOS 1.0.2; however, the big wins like multitasking and Synergy really make it all worth while. And yes, there have been issues with webOS 1.0.2 and the Pre including the erratic signal strength issue, weirdness with the Touchstone charging base, and Exchange and Gmail syncing issues. The good news is that Palm is aware of all of these issues and is working to resolve them. (There are some perks to be a Palm discussion forums moderator.)

You can read the full review over at The Shifted Librarian website.

Thanks to Geri for this tip.

Palm Responds to iTunes Third-Party Support Note

2009-06-18T17:36:00.004-04:00

Yesterday, John Paczkowski of the Wall Street Journal's All Things Digital blog, reported that Palm has issued their own statement about the Pre's ability to use the webOS Media Sync feature to sync with Apple's iTunes jukebox software.

“Palm’s media sync works with the current version of iTunes,” Palm spokesperson Lynn Fox told me. “If Apple chooses to disable media sync in a future version of iTunes, it will be a direct blow to their users who will be deprived of a seamless synchronization experience. However, people will have options. They can stay with the iTunes version that works to sync their music on their Pre, they can transfer the music via USB, and there are other third-party applications we could consider.”

I really hope this doesn't turn into a battle of wills. Once the technology is put out there, the hacker community is going to find ways around whatever road block that Apple tries to throw up to defend the walled garden that is iTunes.

In my opinion, it is clear that Apple will end up fighting a cold war with Palm or the hacker developer community similar to the one that pits Apple against the hacks that have been jailbreaking iPhones since 2007.

The long and short of it, if Apple's iTunes users and iTunes Store customers want to sync media to the Pre smartphone, someone is going to cook up a way to do it. So why not just let Palm's customers sync up with iTunes.

Besides, Apple doesn't think that the Palm Pre is a real threat to iPhones sales. Or do they?

[Via AllThingsD.com...]

Pre's iTunes Sync Feature Can Break at Anytime

2009-06-17T00:27:00.004-04:00

I think we all saw this coming. I'm surprised, actually, it has taken Apple this long to bring it up.

AppleInsider.com is reporting that Apple has posted a new Knowlege Base article (6/16/09) stating that the iPod and iPhone maker doesn't test for third-party media player compatibility with it's software and that the new Palm Pre smartphone may no longer be able to sync with iTunes as Apple upgrades the software over time. In article HT3642, Apple states:

"Apple designs the hardware and software to provide seamless integration of the iPhone and iPod with iTunes, the iTunes Store, and tens of thousands of apps on the App Store. Apple is aware that some third-parties claim that their digital media players are able to sync with Apple software. However, Apple does not provide support for, or test for compatibility with, non-Apple digital media players and, because software changes over time, newer versions of Apple's iTunes software may no longer provide syncing functionality with non-Apple digital media players."

AppleInsider also writes:

"Whether or not this is likely to happen with the Pre is difficult to tell. The feature works by identifying the smartphone in its hardware ID as an iPod and would require that Apple detect the difference between the Pre and a genuine iPod. Many of Palm's current engineers -- as well as its new CEO Jon Rubinstein -- are former Apple employees who have worked on the iPhone or iPod and are familiar with iTunes' current methods of recognizing plugged-in devices."

We will have to wait and see what happens. Apple and Palm have been dancing around each other like boxers in the ring. Will this become a slugfest similar to the games that Apple players with the hackers who jailbreak iPhones; with each side upping the ante? No one really knows for sure, but it has become clear that with Palm having people who have worked on the iPod and iPhone on staff, Palm should be well equiped to counter any unintentional or otherwise, breaks between the Pre and iTunes.

[Via AppleInsider.com...]

Capturing Palm webOS Screens

2009-06-16T05:00:00.000-04:00

Sometimes a picture really is worth 1,000 words. I just found out that you can capture a screen image of what is being displayed on your Pre with a simple keystroke command.

If you press the following keys in order, a picture of the screen will be written out to the Photos application on the Pre. The command is:

Orange key + Shift key + P key

To execute the command press and hold Orange, Shift, and then P. When you do, a new category will be shown in Photos called "screencaptures". From there, you can do whatever you want with the photo. The above photo was taken on my Pre as a test.

Documents To Go for iPhone/iPod touch Released

2009-06-14T20:58:00.006-04:00

I received word from my contact at DataViz that Documents To Go for the iPhone and iPod touch has gone live at the Apple App Store! Documents To Go has been my must have application for many years on my old Palm OS devices and now the award winning office suite is coming to the iPhone and iPod touch.

There are two editions of Documents To Go for iPhone and iPod touch: Documents To Go and Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments. Both editions provide the following features:

Create, edit, and view Microsoft Word documents (including Word 2007 and 2008)
View and synchronize Microsoft Excel, PowerPoint, Adobe Acrobat, Apple iWork '08 files
View web pages and most common graphics files
Mac and PC desktop 2-way Wi-Fi synchronization application

Customers who chose to purchase Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments will have access to the following features:

Exchange attachments are downloaded and processed by Documents To Go
Exchange attachments can be viewed or modified
Reply or forward to an existing email with the supported attachment types
Create new email messages and attache files for immediate transmission

Also included in this edition of Documents To Go is the InTact Technology that ensures that your document's original formatting remains the same regardless of where it is worked on. Another cool feature is DataViz's built-in support for cut, copy and paste without the need for iPhone OS 3.0 installed.

I have also been told that Documents To Go is iPhone OS 3.0 compatible so if you buy Documents To Go before you upgrade to iPhone OS 3.0, you can do so worry free.

Documents To Go and Documents To Go with Exchange Attachments are both available now from the App Store and are being sold at a special two week introductory rate of $4.99 and $9.99.

Both versions of Documents To Go require an iPhone or iPod touch with OS 2.2 or later.

I'll have more details about both versions of Documents To Go after the official DataViz press release is issued and I've had a chance to take Documents To Go out for a test drive.

For more details, visit the DataViz website.

Classic for webOS Updated

2009-06-13T22:21:00.003-04:00

I noticed this morning that MotionApps has released version 1.0.2 of Classic for webOS. Classic is the Palm OS 5 emulation software that allows you to run the thousands of Palm OS applications on the new Palm Pre smartphone.

I did not find any documentation that listed what issue was addressed with the minor maintenance release of the software.

Classic can be purchased from online from the MotionApps website for $29.99. For more information about Classic, check out the MotionApps website.

Pre Journal: Leather Side Case, Touchstone

2009-06-13T21:52:00.005-04:00

Just a few days ago, I was talking about accessories for my new Palm Pre. A week later, I now have two.

First up is the Palm leather side case. This is the belt clip case for the Pre. (Palm also has a leather slip case.) So far I like the case. The Pre fits snugly in the case and Palm has included a little ribbon to help lift the Pre out of the case, reducing the risk that you will drop the Pre while removing it from the case. That is a really nice touch as I had almost dropped my Treo 755p a few times while using the older Palm leather Treo case.

The second accessory that I purchased was the Palm Touchstone. This is the super cool, if not super expensive, wireless battery charging dock for the Pre. (I purchased the cheapest of the three Touchstone kits.) There where two reasons that helped chanage my mind about Touchstone.

The first is the microUSB door on the right side of the Pre. There is this tiny little piece of plastic that holds the door to the body of the Pre. I had visions of accidentally snapping that thing off the phone while I was fiddling with the USB cable to either charge up the phone or sync media of files on to the device in Drive mode or Media Sync mode.

The second reason has to due with my complaint that Palm chose to go with the glossy finish on the Pre over the matte soft touch paint that was used on the Palm Treo 750 and 755p. You see, the Touchstone requires that you use a different back plate than the stock Palm back plate that comes with the Pre. The replacement Palm back plate that ships with the Pre has that soft touch paint that I like so much. So the phone is, in my opinion, easier to hold and feels nicer too. Oh, and the matte finish doesn't pick up fingerprints like the glossy version does.

I could have lived without the matte finish on the Pre, but I would have gone nuts if the microUSB door had broken off my Pre. If that had happened, I would have had to file an insurance claim with Sprint because it would have driven me nuts to have the port exposed.

All in all, I'm happy with my purchases, and I hope you will be too. Both accessories, the leather side case and the Touchstone charging base are available from Sprint (retail location and online) and at Palm's online store. As I understand it, both Palm's and Sprint's warehouses have ample supply of both accessories at this point.

Missing Sync for Palm Pre Beta

2009-06-12T14:42:00.000-04:00

Mark/Space has announced that there is a new public beta build for The Missing Sync for Palm Pre available.

The Palm Pre is now available. For those who are proud owners of this wonderful smart phone, we want to let you know that The Missing Sync for Palm Pre will make your Pre and Mac close companions. We even have a version for the PC on the way.

For a short while, The Missing Sync for Palm Pre is available as a fully functional Beta version, free to download for a limited time. Give it a try and find out how easy it is to take your stuff with you - from your Mac, onto your Pre.

Sync Address Book and iCal or Entourage - from your Mac to your Pre, and vice-versa - over Wi-Fi. Sync happens even when Pre is sitting on a Touchstone charger. Plus, transfer music, bookmarks, ringtones, videos and photos fast over the Pre's USB cable. And, bring documents and files with you - like Word, Excel and PDFs - to view on your Pre too.

To learn more about The Missing Sync for Palm Pre, or to download the free demo, head over to the Mark/Space website.

Toy Kite Releases iSamurai for iPhone/iPod touch

2009-06-12T05:37:00.000-04:00

Toy Kite Software has announced the launch of iSamurai, a two-player Wi-Fi sword fighting game for iPhone and iPod Touch. Developed specifically to take advantage of the iPhone's accelerometers and networking capabilities, iSamurai is an interactive sword-fighting game, where the two players slash, thrust, and block each other with their iPhones.

Depending on the physical movements of the two players, slashes and thrusts are interpreted by both devices and immediately registered as successful or blocked. When a player swings and the opponent blocks by holding up another iPhone, the ring of steel on steel is heard from both devices. An unsuccessful block results in the defender's iPhone emitting one of a number of cries to indicate a hit. Toy Kite has posted videos on its web site (as well as on YouTube) demonstrating the game in action. A training "Dojo" is offered so players can practice the different iSamurai moves.

"With iSamurai, we have been able to implement a two-player sword fighting game that uses the iPhone's accelerometers to determine when a player attacks with his or her iPhone or uses it to block an opponent's attack," said Robert Hogg, CEO and founder of Toy Kite Software. "The iPhones communicate with each other over Wi-Fi in real time, and if a slash is not instantly countered with the correct block, a hit is scored. With iSamurai, we take the game out of the iPhone's screen and into the real world - players actually sword fight with their iPhones."

iSamurai includes a single-player mode with four levels of difficulty. Four unique characters: peasant, apprentice, warrior and samurai, yell out different attacks, and the player must quickly defend against them and launch offensive attacks by swinging the iPhone. To get players started, iSamurai offers a tutorial featuring animations of the different attacks. The game also includes quotes from The Art of War by Sun Tzu and from The Book of Five Rings by samurai Miyamoto Musashi.

"As robotics engineers, we were excited about the iPhone's ability to sense motion," said Arin Morfopoulos, Director of Development at Toy Kite Software. "Using that capability and inter-phone communication over Wi-Fi, we created a game where two iPhones are instantly aware of each other's motions and respond with the sounds of battle."

iSamurai requires an iPhone or iPod touch with system software 2.2.1 or later.

iSamurai: Two-Player Sword Fight for iPhone is only $2.99 (USD) and is available now exclusively through Apple's iTunes Store. For a limited time, iSamurai will be on sale for $.99 (USD). iSamurai 1.0 uses a Wi-Fi connection for two-player mode. iSamurai 2.0 will be a free upgrade for Apple's upcoming iPhone software 3.0, allowing two players to compete anywhere using blue-tooth communication between their iPhones.

Astraware Solitaire Comes to BlackBerry

2009-06-12T00:27:00.005-04:00

Handmark recently announced the release of Astraware Solitaire - its award-winning solitaire games pack for BlackBerry smartphones.

This highly acclaimed games pack, created by Astraware - the Handmark Game Studio, includes 12 of the most well-known single player card games selected from customer feedback. These games include Klondike, Pyramid, Spider, Clock, and Yukon.

Astraware Solitaire boasts a range of exclusive, must-have features including:

Fully customizable game play allowing customers to use their chosen rule set for each game
'Mirror' layout - an essential feature for one-handed use
Choice of card face, including an option suitable for those with visual impairments
Detailed statistics for players who love to track their wins
Golden Trophy Deck reward system which players can unlock as they play

"Of all the mobile Solitaire games I've ever played, Astraware Solitaire delivers the best user experience," said Cassidy Lackey, VP of Handmark Studios. "It has all the card games I love to play and it's the perfect game for those spare moments when I'm waiting at the airport or between meetings."

Astraware Solitaire is available for the BlackBerry Storm smartphone and all BlackBerry smartphones with a trackball. It is immediately available to download at www.handmark.com or www.astraware.com for $9.95 and will soon be available on BlackBerry App World. For more information visit http://www.astraware.com/blackberry/solitaire.

Get Your Palm Pre Tips on Twitter

2009-06-12T00:06:00.003-04:00

Fellow Foleo Fanatic and Palm Pre affectionado, Ben Combee has started a new Twitter feed called "palmpretips".

palmpretips has some cool tips that I didn't know about. For example, did you know that:

"At the end of a long page in browser and want to go to a new URL? Just hit center and start typing, using universal search as your URL bar."?

I didn't either. This twitter feed is going to super handy for Pre users and will be one you will want to subscribe to!

1SRC Podcast 212

2009-06-11T23:57:00.005-04:00

The latest 1SRC Podcast has been posted for your listening enjoyment.

This week, on the 1SRC Podcast, I cover:

Reggie has launched 1SRC sister site PreSwitcher.com.
Ed Colligan is leaving Palm.
Palm Launches the Pre Smartphone on Sprint!
First impressions of the Pre and webOS.
Accessories for the Pre.
MotionApps Classic for webOS.

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