Palm Foleo Announcement Due Later Today

Palm, Inc accidentally released some of the details of the device the Palm community has been referring to as the "Hawk" yesterday when a press release was sent out over Palm's new Social Media News Release service.

The new device, called the Palm Foleo, will be officially announced later today by company co-founder, Jeff Hawkins at D: All Things Digital conference.

For all the latest details, visit the Gadgets on the Go website.

Palm "Hawk" to be Announced On May 30th

Earlier today, Palm, Inc. issued a press release stating that company founder Jeff Hawkins will be hosting a live web conference from the upcoming D: All Things Digital conference on May 30th. During this live video webcast, Mr. Hawkins will "describe a new category of mobile device."

More details will be posted when they become available.

Read the Palm press release...

AT&T Treo 680 ROM Update

Palm has been on a role quietly releasing a number of important software patches and maintenance releases. Last week, Palm released a security update for the Treo 650, 680, and 700p. And Palm has committed to releasing a maintenance release ROM upgrade for the Treo 700p next week. Yesterday, Palm rolled out a maintenance ROM update for AT&T/Cingular branded Treo 680 smartphones.

According to the Palm website, this latest update includes the following goodies:

• Improved power management for better battery life
• Camera software update (previously released)
• Helps correct distorted characters in the title bar of Phone application
• Helps fix device "freezing" under certain conditions
• Increased security in the System Lockout feature
• Daylight Savings Time rules updates (previously released)
• Improved support for unique wireless networks in the Caribbean, Latin America, and Asia
• Replaces "Cingular" branding with the new "AT&T" branding

The Treo 680 AT&T/Cingular update provides a fair amount of enhancements and updates to the Treo 680. The Palm website goes on to deal how to check to see if your Treo 680 needs the update and how to go about installing the update on your smart device if you do need it.

An interesting item of interest with this update is the ability to apply the maintenance release from a SD card as an alternative to installing the upgrade utility to the Treo via a HotSync operation. (miniSD and microSD cards are specifically mentioned as having reliability issues. A full sized SD card should be used for the update if you chose to utilize that installation method.)

Download the update...

Treo 755p vs the Treo 700p

Gadgets On The Go has a new article posted today called "Treo 755p vs the Treo 700p" in which Jimmie Geddes compares a stock (ie: no 700p MR applied) Treo 700p with Palm's latest Palm OS Treo, the 755p.

The Treo 700p is running Palm OS 5 Garnet, the same OS as the Treo 755p. You would expect the Treo 700p and Treo 755p user experience to be the similar, but I can tell you it’s not.

The Treo 700p and Treo 755p are like night and day. The Treo 755p is completely stable, suffers no lag/white screen, plays skip-free music, stays connected to my Bluetooth headset, and has not spontaneously reset once while I've had it.

What I will tell you is if you're happy with your Treo 700p I see no reason to upgrade. The Treo 755p is not enough of an update to justify the expense. If you have an earlier Treo and want to upgrade to what is hands down the best Palm Treo I highly recommend it. The Treo 755p is in my opinion the best Treo available, Palm OS or Windows Mobile.

Full review...

Resco Explorer 2007 for Palm OS Released

Bratislava, Slovakia | May 21, 2007 -- Resco (www.resco.net), the leading provider of end-user mobile applications, announced today a major upgrade of its best-selling application - Resco Explorer 2007 for Palm OS®.

Explorer 2007 features fully transparent FTP integration, bookmarking of the favorites and the RAM Analyzer - the tool that helps to understand RAM and to identify old unneeded data files. Explorer 2007 contains also http downloader and live updater of the Resco products.

Resco also announces that its latest developments - WorldCup coverage, Resco Neeews!, Explorer 2007 - are part of a deeper strategy, where the focus is put on the network services. Explorer users will see Windows network connectivity in the close future.


About Explorer 2007
The original idea behind Resco Explorer was to bring an efficient data manager to the Palm OS® platform. Over time the Resco Explorer - being developed in close cooperation with the user community - matured into atool that excels as a file manager, zipper, backup, viewer, FTP explorer, RAM analyzer and as a collection of many other tools for the PDA management.

Attractive interface and techniques known from the desktop world (drag, context menu, etc.) make the application handling powerful and intuitive. Special optimizations for the popular Treo series are incorporated.

Pricing and Availability
14-days trial can be found at: http://www.resco.net/palm/explorer/. The cost is $29.95 USD, temporarily decreased to $19.95. Application is provided in English language, German and French versions are distributed via pdassi.


About Resco s.r.o.
Founded in 1999, Resco, s.r.o. (www.resco.net) is the leading developer of a wide range of mobile software products for multiple handheld software platforms. Besides the best selling end-user mobile applications, Resco also offers developer tools as well as enterprise mobile solutions. Today the company has a lot more than 100,000 satisfied customers worldwide. All Resco products are available for immediate download from www.resco.net.

* Palm OS® is a registered trademark of Palm Trademark Holding Company,
LLC

Astraware honoured with Passport Exporter of the Year Award

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - May 21st, 2007 - Astraware is very excited to announce that they have been honoured with the award for Passport Exporter of the Year for West Midlands, from UK Trade & Investment.

The Passport Exporter of the Year award is given to the company that is judged to have made the best use of innovation, improving processes and/or products/services whilst entering new markets, and the panel particularly commended Astraware's approach to market entry by building up key relationships with companies such as Palm, Inc. and Microsoft. Astraware was also praised for its product development, and for choosing tactics and growth rate with care.

"It is tremendously exciting to receive this recognition by UK Trade & Investment," said David Oakley, Astraware's CTO. "This award will help us to continue to expand our exports into new territories."

"While it has been relatively easy for us as a British company building links with US companies," said Howard Tomlinson, CEO of Astraware, "it has been great to get the additional support to help us make the right links to succeed in the Far East - a huge market and opportunity for us!"

Doug Mahoney, international trade director for UK Trade & Investment in the West Midlands, said: "I congratulate the team at Astraware on their thoroughly deserved success following their work on the Passport scheme with the Staffordshire international trade team, who will continue to provide them with ongoing support.

"Not only do they have highly sophisticated products and services, but they have gone to great care to select the right international markets at the right time, and to nurture excellent relationships with overseas partners."

The awards ceremony was held at The Thinktank in Birmingham on Friday 18th May and Astraware's CEO, Howard Tomlinson, and CTO, David Oakley accepted the award from Doug Mahoney, International Trade Director, UK Trade & Investment, West Midlands, in front of an audience of other award winners and nominees. Also in attendance from Astraware were Alison Barclay, CCO; Priscilla Cordova, Partner Manager; Roland Glew, QA Tester; Iain Moore, Windows Mobile Lead Developer; and Kirsten Tomlinson, Customer Service and QA Tester.

About Astraware

Founded in 1994, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include PopCap Games� Bejeweled�, Zuma�, and Insaniquarium�, Sandlot Games�� Tradewinds�, and Astraware Sudoku and Zap!2000/2016. Astraware is a Microsoft� Certified Gold Partner. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in over 100 countries. For more information, contact Alison Barclay at alison@astraware.com, or visit http://www.astraware.com.

About UK Trade & Investment

UK Trade & Investment is the government organisation that provides integrated support services for UK companies engaged in overseas trade and foreign enterprises seeking to locate in the UK. It brings together the work of teams in British embassies and FCO posts overseas and government departments across Whitehall. In England, international trade support is coordinated by nine International Trade Directors working in partnership with each Regional Development Agency. UK Trade & Investment services are delivered locally through a network of International Trade Teams. The devolved administrations in Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland have their own arrangements for local delivery of services. For more information visit the website http://www.uktradeinvest.gov.uk

Treo 700p and 680 Security Patch Released

Palm has released a security update for the Treo 700p and Treo 680 that closes a hole in the Palm OS 5 operating system that could allow limited information to be obtained from a Treo that has been locked with the Palm OS Security application.

According to Palm website,

"When the Treo [700p|680] smartphone password protection is enabled, the password protection can be partially circumvented by running the Find feature while on the "Make Emergency Call" screen. This would allow a malicious user to view a list of search results from the Treo [700p's|680's] built-in applications such as Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, Memos and Email. The malicious user cannot access or display anything beyond the search results list. An update is now available to address this."

Update for Treo 700p users...

Update for Treo 680 users...

Treo 700p MR is On Target

I was just checking out the official Palm blog and noticed that a short note was posted indicating that the Treo 700p Maintenance Release (MR) software update is on track to be released during the week of May 28th.

This is welcomed news for Treo 700p users as a number of bugs have been discovered in this device including spontaneous resets, lag when switching applications, and some strange behavior when using Bluetooth devices.

Read more...

Packs of Fun - save bagfuls on selected value packs of games!

KEELE, Staffordshire, UK - May 18th, 2007 - Astraware is excited to announce their Packs of Fun promotion, where you can save bagfuls on their most popular value packs of games. From Friday 18th May to Monday 28th May you can save on a selected range of game packs with up to 6 titles in each.

Packs of Fun is a fantastic opportunity to pick up a bargain on PopCap Games Pack 1, featuring Bejeweled, Alchemy and 3 other great titles, or the Family Games Pack including Insaniquarium, Bzzz! and 4 more fun, family-friendly games. There are 6 different packs to choose from and every one is discounted by $10, so get them now, this offer is only available for a limited time!

To bag yourself a bargain, head over to the Astraware website at http://www.astraware.com, but hurry, the sale ends on May 28th 2007!

About Astraware

Founded in 1994, Astraware Limited develops, publishes and distributes games for mobile devices. Some of the company's best known handheld titles include PopCap Games� Bejeweled�, Zuma�, and Insaniquarium�, Sandlot Games�� Tradewinds�, and Astraware Sudoku and Zap!2000/2016. Astraware is a Microsoft� Certified Gold Partner. Mobile gaming enthusiasts have downloaded more than 50 million copies of Astraware's products, and the company has customers in over 100 countries. For more information, contact Alison Barclay at alison@astraware.com, or visit http://www.astraware.com.

1SRC Podcast 129

This week's 1SRC podcast has been posted. In this week's show, I cover:

• Palm CFO Andy Brown hits the analyst presentation circuit
• JAVOedge HiCap Portable Battery Charger Complete Bundle reivew
• 1SRC Editorial: Multiple Treo Price Points

Listen now...

1SRC Editorial: Multiple Price Points for the Treo

This week's 1SRC Editorial has been posted.

Last week Palm made the headlines on all of the Palm enthusiast websites with the announcement of the new Treo 755p on Sprint’s wireless network. It is the device that received the honorable mention which has gotten me thinking about the future. Rather than the Treo 755p, I’m thinking about the category that Palm is calling the “Very Low Cost Platform.”

Read more...

Palm Treo 755p Promotions

As a subscriber to Palm's Treo Newsletter, I received notification of the following promotions on purchases of a new Treo 755p on the Sprint network.


If you pre-order the Treo 755p for Sprint from Palm's online store you will:

• Receive a free car charger ($29.99)
• Free overnight shipping
  

Get the full details here...

Documents To Go v3 for Windows Mobile Smartphones

DataViz’s Latest Documents To Go Release Offers Office 2007 File Support for Windows Mobile Devices

Documents To Go Premium Edition Version 3, Enables Users of Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone and 6 Standard Devices to Open and View Microsoft Office Word & Excel 2007 Files

Milford, CT, May 15, 2007 – DataViz®, Inc., the leading provider of Office compatibility solutions for over 23 years, today announced the release of Documents To Go® Premium Edition Version 3 for Microsoft® Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone and 6 Standard devices. The latest version of the award-winning mobile Office suite enables users to open and view Microsoft Office Word and Excel 2007 files in their native .docx and .xlsx format on their devices. The new Open XML based file format, introduced in Microsoft’s latest productivity suite, Office 2007, was commercially released earlier this year. Documents To Go is available for a wide variety of Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6 Standard devices including the Motorola Q, Orange SPV E650, HTC S710 (HTC Vox), Samsung BlackJack, T-Mobile Dash, T-Mobile SDA, Cingular 3125, Cingular 2125 and more.

“As more and more businesses upgrade to Office 2007, the use of these files on mobile devices will become standard practice,” said Danny Tu, Documents To Go Product Manager, DataViz, Inc. “Documents To Go is ready to support these file types giving users the flexibility to access their sales numbers, contracts and other critical files on the go.”

DataViz’s commitment to develop Documents To Go for Windows Mobile began with it’s initial release for Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone devices on Feburary 12, 2007. In addition, Documents To Go is currently available on all shipping versions of the Motorola’s enterprise device, the MOTO Q PRO running Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition.

Pricing & Availability

A release which will include the ability to edit and create Word, Excel and PowerPoint Office 2007 files, will be available later in the year. Customers who purchase Documents To Go Premium Edition version 3 will receive this update at no additional cost. Documents To Go Premium Edition retails for $29.99 and is available directly from DataViz as well as many retail and online stores including Handango.com, Smartphone.net, Mobihand.com and the network of DataViz resellers and distributors worldwide. For more information and to download a free evaluation, visit www.dataviz.com/dxtgwinmobile .

About Documents To Go

DataViz’s began developing Office compatibility solutions for mobile devices in 1999 with Documents To Go for Palm OS and has since been extended to support Symbian UIQ, Series 80, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry smartphone devices. Various editions of Documents To Go have been chosen as the preferred Office solution to be included with a number of handheld devices and smartphones from Palm, Motorola, Sony and other hardware manufacturers. All editions of Documents To Go feature DataViz’s InTact Technology to provide complete document integrity. More information about Documents To Go, including a full list of supported devices and features, can be found at www.dataviz.com/dxtg .

Compatibility with Palm's Windows Mobile Treo Smartphones

This is great news for users of devices like the T-Mobile Dash and the Motorola Q devices. I would like to point out that this version of Documents To Go is not supported on Palm's Windows Mobile Treo smartphones. Palm's line of Windows Mobile Treo smartphones (Treo 700w, 700wx, 750, and 750v) all run Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Edition.

-Alan

Documents To Go v3 for Windows Mobile Smartphones

DataViz’s Latest Documents To Go Release Offers Office 2007 File Support for Windows Mobile Devices

Documents To Go Premium Edition Version 3, Enables Users of Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone and 6 Standard Devices to Open and View Microsoft Office Word & Excel 2007 Files

Milford, CT, May 15, 2007 – DataViz®, Inc., the leading provider of Office compatibility solutions for over 23 years, today announced the release of Documents To Go® Premium Edition Version 3 for Microsoft® Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone and 6 Standard devices. The latest version of the award-winning mobile Office suite enables users to open and view Microsoft Office Word and Excel 2007 files in their native .docx and .xlsx format on their devices. The new Open XML based file format, introduced in Microsoft’s latest productivity suite, Office 2007, was commercially released earlier this year. Documents To Go is available for a wide variety of Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6 Standard devices including the Motorola Q, Orange SPV E650, HTC S710 (HTC Vox), Samsung BlackJack, T-Mobile Dash, T-Mobile SDA, Cingular 3125, Cingular 2125 and more.

“As more and more businesses upgrade to Office 2007, the use of these files on mobile devices will become standard practice,” said Danny Tu, Documents To Go Product Manager, DataViz, Inc. “Documents To Go is ready to support these file types giving users the flexibility to access their sales numbers, contracts and other critical files on the go.”

DataViz’s commitment to develop Documents To Go for Windows Mobile began with it’s initial release for Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone devices on Feburary 12, 2007. In addition, Documents To Go is currently available on all shipping versions of the Motorola’s enterprise device, the MOTO Q PRO running Windows Mobile 5.0 Smartphone Edition.

Pricing & Availability

A release which will include the ability to edit and create Word, Excel and PowerPoint Office 2007 files, will be available later in the year. Customers who purchase Documents To Go Premium Edition version 3 will receive this update at no additional cost. Documents To Go Premium Edition retails for $29.99 and is available directly from DataViz as well as many retail and online stores including Handango.com, Smartphone.net, Mobihand.com and the network of DataViz resellers and distributors worldwide. For more information and to download a free evaluation, visit www.dataviz.com/dxtgwinmobile .

About Documents To Go

DataViz’s began developing Office compatibility solutions for mobile devices in 1999 with Documents To Go for Palm OS and has since been extended to support Symbian UIQ, Series 80, Windows Mobile and BlackBerry smartphone devices. Various editions of Documents To Go have been chosen as the preferred Office solution to be included with a number of handheld devices and smartphones from Palm, Motorola, Sony and other hardware manufacturers. All editions of Documents To Go feature DataViz’s InTact Technology to provide complete document integrity. More information about Documents To Go, including a full list of supported devices and features, can be found at www.dataviz.com/dxtg .

Compatibility with Palm's Windows Mobile Treo Smartphones

This is great news for users of devices like the T-Mobile Dash and the Motorola Q devices. I would like to point out that this version of Documents To Go is not supported on Palm's Windows Mobile Treo smartphones. Palm's line of Windows Mobile Treo smartphones (Treo 700w, 700wx, 750, and 750v) all run Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC Edition.

-Alan

1SRC Podcast Mentioned on the Palm Blog

The 1SRC.com Palm Powered podcast was mentioned this past weekend on the official Palm company blog. I think that host of the 1SRC podcast is really good, but then again, I'm slightly biased.

Read more...

12 Days of Treo - Day 12

[Editor's Note: Sorry gang. The weekend got away from me. Here is the last installment of the 12 Days of Treo - Day 12 that should have been posted this past Saturday. -AG]

Day 12: Just Have Fun With It

The best way to learn more about your Palm Treo smartphone is to play with it. Go explore! If you backup your data to your computer or SD card regularly (read: daily) then there really isn’t much you can do to the Treo to damage the operating system or installed software.

I think that you will agree that Palm’s products are particularly easy to use. This is especially true of devices that use the Palm OS.

Regardless of what you do, there is software for your Treo that will help you get it done. Popular destinations for new Treo software include:

• Handango.com
• PalmGear.com
• PocketGear.com

If you are looking to participate in the diverse group of your fellow Palm device owners, be sure to check out the thriving communities at the following websites:

• 1SRC.com
• Brighthand.com
• GadgetsOnTheGo.net
• PalmAddicts.typepad.com
• TreoCentral.com

Lastly, don’t forget to check out Palm’s latest customer care services: MyPalm and the Self-Paced Learning Guides. The folks at MyPalm will help you configure or troubleshoot your Treo. You can download software from the MyTreo portal. And you can track your accessories and get in on special member-only promotional offerings.

12 Days of Treo - Day 11

Day 11: Treo Shortcuts

When you first start using the Treo there is a natural tendency to want to use the stylus. I feel that reaching for the stylus can be a slow way to get something don on the Treo. Using the touch screen, keyboard shortcuts, and the navigator system can be much faster.

Use the touch screen

All of Palm's Treo smartphones (including the Windows Mobile phones) include a touch screen. Sometimes the fastest way to get to a button on the screen is to reach up and tap it with your finger. If the screen becomes soiled, clean it off when a soft cloth. (T-shirts can be really helpful here.) If you are really worried about soiling the touch screen, then you can purchase a pre-cut screen protector from a thrid-party accessories vendor, like BoxWave.

Use keyboard shortcuts

Keyboard shortcuts are quick ways to issue commands that can be found in application menus. Using shortcuts are quick because they are only two key presses.

For example, if you wanted to see how much free space is left on your Treo, return to the application launcher by pressing the Home button. Then press the Menu button on the keyboard (to the right of the Alt key) and then press "I" for info. With just 2 key presses you can quickly access the information you are looking for. To learn which keyboard shortcuts are available for a give application, look for a letter listed along the right side of drop down menu. To issue that command, press the Menu button (to the right of the Alt button) and then the corresponding letter.

Use the 5-way navigation

Ever notice how some buttons have a light blue "halo" around them? That blue ring signifies that object is selected. To activate that object, press the center button on the navigator. If the object you want to activate isn't selected, you can move the halo around the screen using the navigator.

Bonus tip!

Did you know that you can access the Treo alerts screen by pressing and holding down the center button for 2 - 3 seconds?

12 Days of Treo - Day 10

Day 10: VersaMail Tips

VersaMail is Palm's email client that comes bundled with all new Palm OS Treo smartphones. VersaMail is easy to setup and even easier to use.

Easy account setup

Palm has taken the pain out of configuring VersaMail for use with your existing email account(s). For example, when you create a new account in VersaMail, Palm has preprogrammed the server settings for Microsoft Exchange ActiveSync, AOL, Apple .Mac, Bell South, Cablevision, and many other services.

How easy is it to set up a new email account in VersaMail? If your service provider is among those which have been predefined, you only need to enter three pieces of information:

• your user name
• your password
• the first part of your email address (the part that comes before the @ symbol)

And that it! You can literally be up and running in minutes.


Be more productive

VersaMail version 3.5.x has some undocumented time saving features. Normally if you wanted to select multiple email messages to operate on, you would have to pull out the stylus and select each message one-at-a-time. If you are like me, you hate pulling out the stylus. Did you know that you can select multiple messages without the use of the stylus?

To select a block of contiguous messages, position the dark blue selection bar on the first message in the block. Then hold down the Option key (just below the 'A' key on the keyboard), and then press down on the navigator. As you move down a check mark will appear in the far left column indicating that the message has been selected. When all the messages have been selected, release the Option key, and then press right on the navigator. Select the function you wish to take on the selected messages. You can do things like mark the messages read, delete them, or even file them.

If you want to delete a message without having to open it, you can select the header in the inbox view, press right on the navigator, and then select Delete from the menu. Or you can select the message, and then press the Backspace key while holding down the Option key.

Upgrade to VersaMail 3.5

If your Palm OS Treo is running Palm OS 5.4.x then you can upgrade to VersaMail 3.5 for only $10 at PalmGear. When you perform the upgrade, install the new version of VersaMail on top of the existing version to upgrade from the old to the new version.

Digital Addiction

Sometimes we joke about being too connected. For example I almost always have a Treo with me wherever I go. However that handy little tool can be taken to the extreme as pointed out in a recent New York Times article titled "It Don't Mean a Thing if You Ain't Got That Ping." In the article that appeared in the Sunday, April 22 edition, author Matt Richtel writes:

"Experts who study computer use say the stated yearning to stay abreast of things may mask more visceral and powerful needs, as many self-aware users themselves will attest. Seductive, nearly inescapable needs.

Some theorize that constant use becomes ritualistic physical behavior, even addiction, the absorption of nervous energy, like chomping gum."

Keep reading...

12 Days of Treo - Day 9

Day 9: Astraware Games

I love pointing out that the Treo is a business tool. While true, the Treo can be also viewed as a fun business toy when you look at some of the great games that Astraware has to offer. Regardless of what kinds of games you like, puzzle, word, or something with a little more action, Astraware has games for you.

Personally, I like action games, so it isn't surprising to fine games like My Little Tank, Hellfire: Apache vs. Hind, GTS Racing Challenge, Hammer Heads, or Insaniquarium on my Treo at any given time.

If word games are your thing, make sure you check out Bookworm, Text Twist, and my favorite, Word Monaco.

Becareful! Astraware sells three of the most addictive games I've ever played on a mobile computer: Bejeweled and its modernized sibling Bejeweled 2, and Sudoku.

Many of the software titles found on the Astraware website come in both Palm OS and Windows Mobile versions meaning that you will always be able to join in on all the mobile fun.

If your Treo is all work and no play, I strongly suggest that you download and install any off the free demos from the Astraware site. If you are ready to buy, be sure to join Club Astraware to earn points for each of your purchases towards future discounts and club exclusives.

Just remember, I warned you about Bejeweled and Bejeweled 2!

Where Am I? - A Google Maps Mobile Add-on

Where Am I? is a free companion product to Google Maps Mobile running on a Palm OS Treo or PDA. Written by Marcin Orlowski, Where Am I? interfaces with a third-party Bluetooth GPS receiver (purchased separately) to determine your current location. You can then take those coordinates and pass them to Google Maps Mobile which will return with a map (street map or satellite photo) showing your present location.

This is just the sort of thing that would have helped me last week while I was driving to the venue for a presentation I was supporting. Treo customers that have a Palm GPS Navigator Smartphone Edition or other GPS solution should find this application a must have for their mobile software tool kit.

More information...

1SRC Podcast 128 - Treo 755p Special Edition

This week's 1SRC podcast focuses on Palm's new Treo 755p smartphone. I also review BoxWave's ElectraSpan extended life Treo battery.

Palm introduces the Treo 755p! Read the press release

Palm has a new customer training website, learning.palm.com

I review the BoxWave ElectraSpan Extended Battery

1SRC Editorial: Going Analog in a Digital World

The 12 Days of Treo over on GrassNet.net

Listen to show 128...

Palm Launches the MyPalm Customer Care Beta

While reviewing the Palm Treo 755p material just posted to the Palm website, I noticed a small logo in the top right corner of the page titled "mypalm beta". Naturally I clicked the link.

MyPalm beta appears to be a new customer care offering from Palm. The following is taken directly from the MyPalm beta site:

"Introducing our new MyPalm program, designed to help you get even more from your Treo smartphone. Whether you're looking for a little help getting your email up and running, the hottest new software application, or a little extra savings on that accessory you've been coveting, you'll find it here. Heck, we'll even remind you when there's a new update for your Treo."

Right now, membership to the beta is free. I'm looking forward to exploring this new service later today.

Palm Introduces the Treo 755p

First Palm OS Based Treo Device with Built-in Microsoft Direct Push Technology for Email and Integrated Google Maps for Mobile

SUNNYVALE, Calif., May 09, 2007 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- Evolving the Treo(TM) product line to keep mobile professionals connected, productive and entertained, Palm, Inc. (Nasdaq: PALM) today introduced the Treo 755p smart device, a new Palm OS(R) Treo for Sprint (NYSE:S). The CDMA Treo 755p is the first Treo device to offer built-in Microsoft Direct Push Technology email support; Google Maps for mobile; and the latest Treo design, with integrated antenna, slimmer form factor and mini-SD slot.(1) Sprint is the first carrier selling the next-generation Treo 755p, which is available for as low as $279.99 with a two-year service agreement and a $100 mail-in rebate, and is available starting mid-May in two fashionable colors - midnight blue and burgundy.

The new Treo 755p brings customers quick, wireless access to web, email, business, multimedia applications and instant messaging (IM) for Sprint customers nationwide (standard text and Vision charges apply where applicable).(2) The Treo 755p runs on the Sprint Mobile Broadband Network, the nation's largest mobile broadband network - reaching more than 206 million people across the country in more than 11,000 cities and 1,000 airports.

"The Treo 755p is a stylish and powerful device ideal for business professionals looking for the power to do more while on the go," said Danny Bowman, vice president of customer equipment for Sprint. "Building upon the success of the Treo 700p, we've added enhancements such as Mobile Voice Control, a new IM application and Sprint TV(SM) in the ROM for mobile entertainment and news."

As the newest member of the Treo family, the Treo 755p smart device combines the sleek, internal antenna hardware design of devices such as the Treo 680 and Treo 750 with Palm's latest Palm OS software, shipped on millions of Palm OS based Treo devices worldwide. Currently, there are more than 29,000 Palm OS applications commercially available, from healthcare and sales force automation to games and travel. Palm differentiates this smart device from others in the Treo line by offering the following features along with many additional enhancements.

Keep reading the Palm Treo 755p press release...

12 Days of Treo - Day 8

Day 8: Treo Resets

Every now and again you may need to reset your Treo. Depending upon which Treo you have (Palm OS or Windows Mobile) there are a few different ways to do this. Treos have three basic types of resets you should know about. They are:

• Soft reset (similar to rebooting your computer)
• Battery reset
• Hard reset (erases everything and reloads factory defaults)

Soft reset

You can soft reset your Palm OS or Windows Mobile Treo by either pressing the reset button or removing the battery. On older Treos, the reset button is found on the back of the device. On newer Treos, devices that have removable batteries, the reset button can be found in the battery compartment. (The Treo 680 has no reset button. To reset the device, remove the battery, wait 10 seconds, and then put the battery back in.)


Battery reset

When you find that your Treo is not holding a charge like it used to it might be time to try a battery reset. Connect the Treo to it's charger and then soft reset your Treo. When the Treo is done restarting, leave it connected to the charger over night. If that doesn't help put the spring back in your battery, it might be time to think about getting a new battery...or a new Treo!


Hard reset

The hard reset is a destructive reset. When you perform the hard reset all of the data and applications on your Treo will be erased, the pre-installed applications will be reloaded, and the device will be returned to it's factory default settings. There is no way to undo or roll back a hard reset. Please be sure that you have a backup of your data stored someplace else prior to performing the hard reset. (Palm OS Treo users, a backup of your Treo is performed at the end of each HotSync operation automatically.) In most cases, you can restore your data to the Treo after a hard reset by performing a HotSync (Palm OS) or ActiveSync (Windows Mobile) operation.

To perform the hard reset, press and hold the Power button, and then soft reset the device. When the Palm logo screen appears, release the Power button. A message will appear prompting you to erase the data. Press Up on the navigation pad to erase the Treo. Press Down to abort the hard reset and continue to restart normally.


Additional information

For more detailed directions, you can refer to Chapter 1 of GrassNet's Palm Powered Desk Reference, and Palm's own Palm OS or Windows Mobile reset guides.

Windows Vista Compatible Palm Desktop is Coming

Over on Palm's official blog, product manager David Sloan has posted a note to let us know that Palm is working on a fully compatible version of the Palm Desktop and HotSync Manager for the Windows Vista operating system.

Read more...

Documents To Go Is Coming to the BlackBerry

DataViz to Deliver Award-Winning Mobile Office Solution to Handle

Native Files for BlackBerry



Preview to be showcased at the 2007 Wireless Enterprise Symposium in Orlando, FL May 8th-10th

Orlando, Fl, May 7, 2007, Wireless Enterprise Symposium – DataViz®, Inc., today announced the latest addition to the company’s award-winning mobile Office editing suite: Documents To Go® for BlackBerry® (expected to ship later this year). Documents To Go will enable users of BlackBerry from Research In Motion (RIM) (Nasdaq: RIMM) to access, view, edit and create Native Microsoft® Word, Excel and PowerPoint® files on their devices. Native file support will provide users with the benefit and flexibility of using files and attachments regardless of how they are delivered to their BlackBerry smartphone.

In addition, Documents To Go will bring its revolutionary InTact Technology™ to retain complex file formatting when receiving, editing and sending files to and from a BlackBerry smartphone. Documents To Go will provide an optimal user experience while simultaneously maintaining the integrity of the mobile document.

"The BlackBerry solution attracts a broad range of mobile customers who can benefit from the ability to work with native Microsoft Office files," said Jeff McDowell, Vice President, Global Alliances at Research In Motion. "Documents To Go from DataViz will provide another degree of mobile flexibility and productivity to BlackBerry customers and we are very pleased that this software is becoming available to our growing customer base."



“We are excited to expand our Documents To Go product line to include BlackBerry smartphones,” said Dick Fontana, President of DataViz, Inc. “BlackBerry customers can now have the same confidence editing and emailing native Office files as they would if they used the file right on their desktop. We are excited to enter the BlackBerry ecosystem and deliver to the unique needs of the Blackberry customer.”

2007 Wireless Enterprise Symposium (WES)

To see a live demonstration of Documents To Go for BlackBerry, visit the DataViz booth (#315) at WES, May 8-10, Orlando, Florida – Orlando World Center Marriott & Convention Center.

12 Days of Treo - Day 7

Day 7: vCardManager

vCardManager is a new application for the Treo that allows you to send and receive vCards (think digital business cards) from devices other than a Treo smartphone. Best of all, vCardManager is free!

vCardManager comes in handy because the way vCards are handled is slightly different from device to device. vCardManager allows you to format outgoing and incoming vCards so that your card can be read on the target device and incoming cards are formatted for the Treo.

vCardManager works on the Treo 600, 650, 680, and 700p.

1SRC Editorial: Going Analog in a Digital World

This week's 1SRC Editorial has been posted.

In today’s technology driven world, why do we still rely on paper when the chips are down? Is this behavior just human nature when we are in a stressful situation? Or is it because, deep down, we are just more comfortable with non-digital solutions?

Paper Please

Last week I was driving out to a community event for work. I was supposed to arrive on site at 4:30pm to setup the computers, a wireless network, and a projector for a 6:00pm presentation. The only problem was that I walked in the door at 5:15pm.

I’m a person who always seems to get lost when driving someplace new. Knowing this, I printed out the directions to the event venue and a Google Map of the area. I figured that I was all set. I would have preferred to have had a GPS system with me however; I’ve yet to purchase one because we all know about the Bluetooth stability issues on the Treo 700p. I just couldn’t bring myself to spend $299 on a Palm GPS solution that may not work reliably with my Treo. (As of the writing of this editorial, the Treo 700p Maintenance Release has yet to be released.)

I had a good idea of where I need to be and had been to the area for a previous event. Unlike previous trips, I was unable to find the turn off street. I followed the main road, route 25, all the way to the end and then got that sinking feeling that I was officially lost.

Read more...

12 Days of Treo - Day 6

Day 6 - DataViz Passwords Plus

Passwords Plus is a password and personal identification number (PIN) management tool for Palm OS Treo smartphones. (The Windows Mobile edition has been discontinued.)

Passwords Plus is capable of storing all sorts of personal information. Some of the predefined templates you can choose from include:

• Bank and credit card accounts
• Product and software information (here is a secure place to store your serial numbers)
• Website logins and email accounts
• Contact information, birthdays, and anniversaries

If you don't like any of those templates, you can customize your own and change field names to fit your needs. To make data entry easy, Passwords Plus also includes a desktop application (Mac OS X, Windows) and a HotSync conduit.

I have been using Passwords Plus for years and use it almost every day to help me remember passwords for all sorts of things. The data in the database is protected with 128-bit encryption. You can also backup your database for easy recovery in case of a hard disk crash. And Passwords Plus will lock itself when the Treo is idle for two minutes.

Passwords Plus can be ordered directly from the DataViz online store for $29.99.

12 Days of Treo - Day 5

Day 5 - eReader

eReader is an electronic book (ebook) reader for the Treo (Palm OS and Windows Mobile). The cool thing about ebooks is that you can read them at anytime at any place. Nothing can be handier when trying to read a book while feeding a baby. (Thanks for Matt P. for that suggestion.) eReader is free, however, there is a "pro" version that costs $9.95.

If you opt for the Pro edition, you can:

• Look up works in the ebook you are reading in the included Marriam-Webster's Pocket Dictionary
• Auto-scroll the text on the screen
• Customize the color themes
• Install the Agfa Monotype and ITC eBook font packs ($14.95 each)

You can get ebooks from a variety of sources. The eReader site sells ebooks that work specifically with the eReader software (titles are encrypted with Digital Rights Management software). The eReader site also has a large selection of new and old titles in many categories. Fictionwise is another great source for commercial ebooks. I've used both and I am happy with the service both offer.

There are also a large selection of free public domain ebooks that can be downloaded from Project Gutenberg. MemoWare is another great source for free ebooks with many interesting categories.

12 Days of Treo - Day 4

Day 4: Dial by Name

One of the coolest features of the Treo has been the ability to dial a telephone number by using someone's name. (This is at least true for the Treo 600 an later.) No longer will Treo owners need to remember someone's telephone number. They only need to remember their name.

You see, on the Treo, once you have populated your Contacts database, all you need to do is type a name to call up all of the matching telephone numbers. If I wanted to call John Doe and I can't recall his phone number, from the Phone screen, select the Contacts button, and then start typing "Doe"and your contacts are filtered based on the information you type.

As the database is filtered, you will see names from your contacts database on the left, and below the name, and to the right, you see all of the phone numbers for that person. To make the call, use the navigator to select a number and then press the center button. BOOM! Your call is made.

If you don't want to keep typing out "John Doe" to see his phone numbers, another easy way to access the information is to simply type "jd". All of the contacts in the database that match the first initial, last initial or last initial, first initial of "jd" will be displayed. Select the number you want and press the center button. Now you're off and running.

But wait! There is yet one more way to access frequently accessed phone numbers. Let's say that you want to have someone's phone information at the ready all the time and with minimal typing. When you are in the Phone application (press the Phone button), you can define a favorite. A favorite can be just about anything: an application, a web page, and application, or even a contact.

On Treo smartphones running the Palm OS, there will be four blue rectangles just about the navigator. Press down twice to expand the list of favorites. Scroll around the favorites tabs until you find and select an empty slot. Press the Menu button, and then select "Edit Favorite Button..." from the Record menu.

Now, enter the specifics of the favorite by setting the Type to be "Speed Dial". Tap or select the "Lookup" button and find the phone number you want to link the speed dial to. Optionally, you can select a key on the keyboard to be the "Quick Key", a key you can press and hold to automatically dial the number with out further keystrokes. When you are done, tap or select the OK button. Now, when I need to call John Doe, I can select his speed dial button, or I can press and hold his quick key to dial the number which was selected from my contacts database.

But what if John has two or three numbers? Do I need to create a speed dial entry for his office phone and his cell phone? The answer is no. If you select John's favorite button and press the space bar rather than the center button, a window pops open and show you all of John's phone numbers. Just highlight the number you need to call (W=work, H=home, M=mobile) and then press the center button.

12 Days of Treo - Day 3

Day 3: MyTreo (Bluefish Wireless AddIt) + Getsportz

Another handy set of applications that I use all the time on my Treo smartphone is MyTreo and Getsportz. Both applications are developed by Bluefish Wireless.

MyTreo is a customized and rebranded version of AddIt. (The full version of AddIt can be used on Palm's handheld devices.) The MyTreo application has three functions, they are:

• Electronic Treo user guide
• Technical support and troubleshooting assistance
• Reuters news service

The first two features are nice, sepecially if you are still getting to know your Treo. But when the chips are down, chances are you will call the resident computer nerd in the family when your Treo stops working. It is the last feature, the Reuters news service that I enjoy using.

The news is provided free of charge and covers such categories as:

• Top News
• Entertainment
• Business
• Politics

Getsportz

Getsportz is another free application from Bluefish Wireless. If you like sports then this is the mobile application for you. Getsportz has it all with professional and college baseball, football, basketball, golf, tennis, hockey, and auto racing. With Getsportz, you can view:

• Game schedules
• Top news
• Team standings
• Sport scores
• Live MLB game feeds

12 Days of Treo - Day 2

Day 2: Google Maps

Did you know that you can get Google Maps on your Treo (Palm OS or Windows Mobile)? Like most things Google, Google Maps for your Treo is free.

With Google Maps on your Treo you can:

• Get detailed driving directions
• Satellite images (my favorite)
• Traffic updates (great if you commute over the San Francisco Bay bridge)

In addition, you can zoom in and out on the street maps and satellite images. I am really amazed at the level of detail you get on the satellite images. You can check it out by entering "Empire State Building", turning on satellite images, and then zoom in. You can see the cars on the street below.

Download Google Maps here.

12 Days of Treo - Day 1

A long time co-worker and good friend of mine, Annie W, has just purchased a new Treo and will soon be leaving for a new job and greener pastures.

To help send her off, I decided to start the 12 days of Treo. 12 Days of Treo will consist of a daily little Treo trick or software goodie leading up to the last day of work with me.

Day 1: NVBackup + 1GB SD Card

NVBackup is a great Palm OS backup application that was written by long time Palm OS Community member Alexander Pruss. What makes it even better is that it is free. You use NVBackup to back up the contents of your Palm OS Treo (650 or later) to the inserted SD card.

A Secure Digital (SD) card is a handy (sorry about the pun) accessory that allows you to store all sorts of nifty things on your Treo. Everything from photos, music and video, ebooks, Office and Acrobat documents, even backup files. SD cards can be purchased just about anywhere.

I usually get PNY or SanDisk cards from the local Staples. When purchasing a SD card, please be aware of your Treo's maximum card size. Palm has an informative knowledge base article here. Treo 680 users, under most conditions, you will be able to use the new 4GB Secure Digital High Capacity (SDHC) cards.