Grassia Network Solutions

Palm Treo Pro Makes A Cameo Appearance

2008-08-15T12:19:00.003-04:00

Yesterday pictures of what appears to be a new Windows Mobile Treo appeared briefly on the Palm website. WMExperts forum member "scottymomo" discovered the Treo Pro, which bears a striking resemblance to the rumored Treo 850, while visiting the Palm Self-Paced Learning site. References to the Treo Pro have already been removed from the site.

If the Treo Pro is in fact the rumored Treo 850/Drucker that was leaked back in January, I think that many people will be pleased with Palm's next Windows Mobile smartphone.

To see the three screen grabs, including the uncropped version of the above photo, visit the WMExperts discussion forums. (Registration required)

2008 Family Reunion Photos Online

2008-08-15T02:10:00.001-04:00

So this year's family reunion has come and gone and we all had a totally awesome time!

I'm not sure how I ended up taking on the role of Official Photographer, since there was at least one retired professional photographer at the event, but I've taken the 80 some odd photos and built a digital photo album for your enjoyment.

I'm also hard at work on developing a DVD slide show that you can play on your home DVD player (no computer required) and select paper prints. The paper prints are going to take a while and I will get them out to you as soon as I can.

In the mean time, please do enjoy the new 2008 Family Reunion website that I am hosting over on the Grassia Network Solutions web server.

Cheers!

Alan Grassia

Insaniquarium Deluxe by Astraware and PopCap Games

2008-08-07T14:43:00.002-04:00

Astraware(R) and PopCap Games, Inc. are excited to announce the release of one of PopCap's flagship titles for Palm OS(R) and Windows Mobile(R) smartphones. Insaniquarium DeluxeTM offers hours of frantic aquarium fun as you feed your fish, watch them grow and protect them from alien invaders!

Insaniquarium Deluxe is the craziest aquarium game ever - tend to your fish and keep them happy and they'll reward you with precious coins and jewels. Use the money you earn to buy upgrades for your tank or egg parts which hatch lots of different in-tank pets with special powers. These pets can help you feed your fish, collect coins, or even protect against the aliens that will invade your tank and wreak havoc. You can also use the money you earn to buy better weapons to see the aliens off quicker!

Insaniquarium Deluxe includes 3 fun ways to play:

Adventure - keep your fish healthy and protect them from aliens through 4 fun aquarium stages each with multiple levels of mayhem;

Time Trial - feed your fish and fight off the alien invaders to make as much money as possible against the clock. A new time trial is unlocked as you complete each stage in Adventure

Challenge - once you've mastered Adventure, face the ultimate challenge as you feed your fish and try to protect them from ever increasing alien attacks. The challenge ends when the last fish is zapped!

Insaniquarium Deluxe is available for Palm OS(R) 5 smartphones and PDAs with at least a 320x320 screen, and for smartphones and PDAs running Windows Mobile(R) 2003 and later. For more information, to try and to buy, visit http://www.astraware.com/insaniquariumdlx.

Resco Launches IDGuard for Palm OS Smartphones

2008-08-03T15:02:00.001-04:00

Resco IDGuard is a brand new Windows solution for protecting sensitive data of any kind - passwords, documents, images etc. The application provides a complete workflow for secure documents and can synchronize effortlessly with the Palm OS® platform.

Resco, the leading provider of end-user mobile applications and developer tools for the .NET platform, proudly announces the release of the Resco IDGuard - a new security solution for the Windows platform.

Resco IDGuard was initially implemented for the Palm OS® mobile platform, the Windows release can automatically synchronize its data onto a handheld device running IDGuard for Palm OS via HotSync.

Resco IDGuard can be used as a classic password manager with a very general data structure:
Records (PINs, logins, accounts...) can have notes, reminders and attachments and can be structured into the tree of any complexity.

Unique feature - Document Safe
Nowadays, every software house has a password manager. But Resco IDGuard does much more:
it be used to store business documents or private data of any kind.

Moreover, IDGuard offers complete secure work flow for the common document types, so that the users can safely preview or edit sensitive documents. Secure handling is provided for MS Office documents, PDF, common image types and media files.

In case of "unsupported" file types, IDGuard provides semi-automatic mode, where the document is opened in its editor and IDGuard reminds the user to close it manually when done editing.

About Resco IDGuard
The Windows version is compatible with Windows 2000/XP/Vista, the PDA version requires Palm OS® 5.0+. Both version use the industrial standard in encryption technology to provide the maximum level of security - the AES encryption which is considered safe even by the US government.

A free 14-day trial can be found at http://www.resco.net/palm/idguard/. IDGuard costs $19.95 USD and covers the license for both the Windows and PDA versions. The application is provided in the English language, Palm OS® German version is distributed via pdassi.de.

All Resco products are available for immediate download from www.resco.net.

Astraware Hot Summer Summer Sale!

2008-08-02T14:11:00.001-04:00

Summer's here and it's time for some fun! Whether you're on vacation, or just want something new to play, Astraware(R) has the solution - the Astraware Hot Summer Sale!

Starting on 1st August, Astraware is offering 25 games each with at least 25% off the regular price. Several of the games are as low as $9.95 each!

If you're looking for action games like Platypus or GTS World Racing, strategy titles like Westward or Tradewinds 2, word games like Bubble Babble, or favorite classics like Astraware Sudoku - they're all included with special prices for a limited time! The Hot Summer Sale only lasts until midnight on 17th August, so make sure you don't miss out.

For all the details and to bag yourself a bargain, visit the Hot Summer Sale page at: http://www.astraware.com/promo/summer08.

2 Million Centros, Treo 800w BT Update

2008-07-29T23:06:00.001-04:00

Palm Sells 2 Million Centro Smartphones

Earlier today, Palm issued a press release stating that the smartphone maker had sold it's 2 millionth Centro smartphone.

"Consumers are ready to do more on their mobile phone, and Centro has struck a chord around the world," said Brodie Keast, senior vice president of marketing for Palm, Inc. "Centro has everything a person needs to stay connected with everyone who is important to them -- and at a price point and size that make smartphones more attractive to a much wider audience."

The same press release continues:

"Now available from almost 20 carriers worldwide, including the three largest carriers in the United States, Centro has reached more young adults and women, as well as a broader range of household income, than any prior Palm smartphone. It offers customers an affordable, simple and fun option for staying connected and doing more with their mobile phones."

With the consumer-oriented Centro smartphone, the ease of use of the Palm OS, stylish design, and a great price point come together to create a solution that does delight the first smartphone customers.

Palm Releases a Bluetooth Voice Dialing Update

Owners of the recently released Windows Mobile Treo 800w are now able to install a small patch that will allow them to use hands-free voice dialing commands over a Bluetooth headset.

The 131kb patch can be install from your desktop Windows XP or Vista computer, over-the-air directly to your Treo 800w, or via a microSD card. The installation and download links can be found on the Sprint Treo 800w downloads page.

Since this is a software patch, and not a full flash ROM upgrade, if you hard reset your Treo 800w, you will need to reapply this patch. Furthermore, this update is only intended for Sprint Treo 800w smartphones running the TREO800w-1.03-SPNT software image.

Palm Officially Launches the Treo 800w

2008-07-14T14:44:00.003-04:00

Earlier today, Palm has launched the Treo 800w smartphone for the Sprint wireless network with Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, 802.11g Wi-Fi, and GPS capabilities.

"Palm is adding a unique stamp to the Windows Mobile experience with the Treo 800w," said Stephane Maes, vice president, product marketing, Palm, Inc. "It's an easy-to-use feature-packed smartphone that will keep users happy, empowered and productive."

The complete list of Treo 800w product specs can be found on the Palm Treo 800w website.
A downloadable PDF datasheet for the Treo 800w is also available.

The Treo 800w can be purchased for as little as $249.99 with a qualifying service plan and after instant and mail in rebates. Without a service agreement, the Treo 800w sells for $599.

You can purchase the Treo 800w from Palm's online store or Sprint's retail outlets and online store.

Weekend Wrap Up

2008-07-13T21:05:00.006-04:00

This weekend, Palm made three important moves, not that anyone noticed with iPhonemania 2.0 in full swing.

Electric Blue Centro, Temporary Price Cut

On Friday, Palm introduced a new electric blue Centro on the AT&T wireless network. If you are following along on your scorecards, AT&T now has three colors to choose from: obsidian black, glacier white, and now electric blue. To entice even more people to chose Centro, AT&T has lowered the price to $69.99 when you sign up for a qualifying two-year service agreement. That is great news for anyone looking to jump on the smartphone bandwagon!

You can purchase an AT&T Centro either online from the Palm or AT&T website, or from any AT&T retail outlet. For more details, visit the Palm Centro website.

Sprint Begins Selling the Palm Treo 800w

At long last the new Palm Treo 800w is available! It has a great looking case and offers several new built-in features previously unavailable on any previous Palm smartphone.

Just some of the new features include Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1; a 320x320 touch screen display, a 2.0MP camera, and built-in Wi-Fi and GPS radios. The new Treo retails for $599, however, when you sign up for a qualifying service plan, after instant and mail-in rebates, the 800w sells for $249.99. A handsome price for what could be a very nice phone.

On Sunday night, Palm has yet to issue a press release or update their website and online store. Look for more details come Monday morning.

Oh Palm, sigh…

Working with AT&T to bring out a new Centro, if only in color, and putting a price cut in place was the right thing to do. And launching the much-anticipated Treo 800w on Sprint was another positive step forward.

Yet, once again, Palm’s marketing department show how inept they are. Launching two new phones and introducing a price cut during the same weekend that Apple was rolling out their new iPhone 3G and iPhone 2.0 software was just poor planning.

John Paczkowski from the D: All Things Digital website, has the perfect quote from Charlie Wolf who is an analyst at Needham & Company. The quote reads:

“They took the wrong day to do it,” said Charlie Wolf, a wireless analyst at Needham & Co. “It’s going to be drowned out by the hoopla around the iPhone.”

I truly hope that Palm learns from this mistake, and doesn’t start talking publicly about their Palm OS II/Nova plans and/or devices during the same week that Apple is rolling out new products at MacWorld Expo in San Francisco come January 2009. Palm needs to get out in front of Apple, or get behind them. Just don’t go toe-to-toe with them.

Sprint Begins Selling the Palm Treo 800w

2008-07-13T17:38:00.001-04:00

Starting today, Sprint has begun selling the Palm Treo 800w smartphone. According to the Sprint website, the Treo 800w has the following product specifications:

Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1
Autonomous and simultaneous GPS using Sprint Navigation for turn by turn directions, and points of interest searches
Stereo Bluetooth lets you listen to your music on the go
Embedded Wi-Fi
2.0 Megapixel camera/camcorder
MicroSD card support
320x320 TFT display capable of displaying 65K colors
256MB of user memory, 128MB of program memory
Incoming call alerts when a data session is in progress, avoid sending callers directly to voicemail
Phone as a modem support

The Treo 800w sells for $599 without a service plan and can be had for as little as $249.99 when purchased with a monthly $25 or more data plan (in addition to a voice plan) or the Sprint Simply Everything plan ($250 instant savings, $100 mail-in rebate).

Palm has yet to issue a press release officially announcing the Treo 800w. Additionally, the Palm website and online store have yet to be updated. I expect Palm's official launch of the Treo 800w to come on Monday morning.

Make sure you tune into this week's 1SRC.com Podcast for more details on the Treo 800w.

For more details, or to purchase the Treo 800w now, visit the Sprint website.

Rumor: Treo 700wx Windows Mobile 6.0 Upgrade

2008-06-14T22:05:00.000-04:00

Later this summer, it would appear that Palm is planning on releasing some ROM upgrades for their devices.

Of particular note is the Windows Mobile 6.0 Professional for the Verizon Treo 700wx. Note that this is not a Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional upgrade and it will not be made available for the Verizon Treo 700w. (The Treo 700w has 32MB of RAM versus the 64MB on the Treo 700wx.) Palm is also reportedly working on two minor upgrades for the Sprint Centro and Treo 755p for Verizon that will likely be released later this year.

According to the latest rumor, the Windows Mobile 6.0 update for the Treo 700wx is be no different than the already released update for the AT&T Treo 750. Also like the Windows Mobile 6.0 update for the Treo 750, there are some important things to consider before applying the upgrade:

You can not revert back to Windows Mobile 5.0
The update will be available for free from the Palm website
The upgrade can only be downloaded once. You are advised to burn the installer to a CD before applying the upgrade
Any Treo 700wx sent in for repair service will automatically be upgraded
The upgrade can be installed either from the desktop computer or by running the upgrade directly off of a SD card

I honestly never expected this update to be released for the Treo 700wx. I'm glad to see that Palm will be releasing the update. A lot of Treo 700wx customers have been asking for it.

[Thanks to Ain't No Snitch for the tip.]

Alan is "Bizarro"

2008-05-26T08:14:00.001-04:00

I've been accused of being exactly like this comic. Apologies to Dan Piraro, creator of the Bizarro comic strip. To read more Bizarro comics online, check out the Seattle Post-Intelligencer website.

Club Astraware offers for May 2008

2008-05-12T10:45:00.004-04:00

The Club Astraware Member-only discount offer for May 2008 is Golden Skull for just $9.95, that's a huge saving of $10 off the regular price!

Golden Skull is a puzzle adventure game that will take you on an unforgettable journey through undiscovered Mayan pyramids and long forgotten ruins.

Featuring amazing graphics, and an entertaining story mode, Golden Skull delivers challenging gameplay with unbelievable production value. It's a puzzle adventure game the whole family will enjoy.

There are 3 double points offers in Club Astraware this month, so members can build up their points even quicker and get even bigger discounts on games in the future! The games offering double points this month are Text Twist, Platypus, and Astraware Boardgames. Simply buy any of these games at full price and get twice the regular number of points! For example: buy a game for $19.95 and you'll get almost $4 worth of points to use against your next purchase!

These offers are only available in Club Astraware until the end of May 2008. To get your hands on them simply join or login to Club Astraware at http://www.astraware.com/club. It's quick to join and completely free too!

Readers of Foleo Fanatics and listeners of my weekly 1SRC.com podcast know that I'm a huge fan of Astraware's games. Joining Club Astraware is a great way to pick up some outstanding games for your favorite Palm OS or Windows Mobile smartphone or PDA handheld.

Office Mobile 2007 Upgrade

2008-05-10T11:39:00.001-04:00

I just ran across a link on the Microsoft Windows Mobile website for the Office Mobile 2007 upgrade.

Depending on the build of Windows Mobile 5.0 installed on your smart devices the upgrade will be free for some users while others will have to pay $49.95 for the upgrade kit. (Yikes!) Before purchasing the upgrade, I strongly suggest that you check with your smart device vendor to see if they have any Windows Mobile upgrades available. You might be able to upgrade your install of Windows Mobile and then qualify for the free Office Mobile upgrade.

On the Microsoft Office Mobile Upgrade or Purchase page, there is a simple series of questions that helps you determine if your device qualifies for a free upgrade or not. Microsoft was nice enough to publish a Office Mobile 6.1 FAQ so you can learn about what is included in the latest version of Office for Windows Mobile devices before pluncking down the cash for the upgrade. Upgrades can be purchased from Handango, and volume licenses are available if you have a fleet of Windows Mobile 5 devices to upgrade.

I see this upgrade being important for users who find themselves with a Windows Mobile 5 device with no vendor provided upgrade to Windows Mobile 6, and who need support for Microsoft Office 2007 files. If you are a non-corporate user who doesn't need the latest and the greatest, I would skip the upgrade until you need to purchase it. $50 is a lot of money to gain support for Office 2007. DataViz Documents To Go 10, which added support for Office 2007 on the Palm OS platform, only ran customers $29.95.

Weathering an Outage?

2008-02-16T11:18:00.004-05:00

I've noticed over the last day or two that I am no longer to get mobile weather updates on my Treo 755p and Apple iPod touch. Have you?

On the Treo, I'm using GX-5's Treo Weather and on the iPod I'm using Apple's Weather applet. As far as I know, both applications use a connection to Yahoo! for weather updates.

I'll post an update when things are working again. Stay tuned.

UPDATE:
The Weather applet on my iPod touch is now working. So it is just my Sprint Treo 755p and GX-5's Treo Weather that is being difficult.

UPDATE 2: GX-5 has released and upgrade that addresses the issue.

NYPC PalmPilot Meeting Feb 6

2008-02-04T20:39:00.001-05:00

NYPC PalmPilot SIG meetings are held the 1st Wednesday of the month and start at 6:30 PM. All user levels are welcome.

NYPC membership is not mandatory, but highly recommended to Palm SIG members.

Location: Meetings are held at NYPC's offices in the New Yorker/Ramada Hotel, 8th Avenue & 34th Street, Suite 551.

Directions: Take the A, E, or C trains to 34th Street.
(Map:http://tinyurl.com/yavrxj)

Feb. 6th Meeting: Content, Content, Content

We'll not only explore the popular knowlege-based Palm websites but delve into the nooks and crannies of what in-depth information there lies within.

As per a great suggestion by member Jerry V, we'll follow links, and realy get to the meat of what these websites have to offer.

See you on Wednesday.

Ted and Grace

===================
NYPC PalmPilot SIG
Grace Lee & Ted Cohn, Co-Chairs
email: nypcpalmpilot@gmail.com
URL: http://nypc.org/palm.php

Pocket Tunes 4.0.6 Update

2008-01-29T20:57:00.001-05:00

I just received and email from NormSoft alerting me that the PocketTunes 4.0.6 upgrade has been released. The 4.0.6 update includes one enhancement and several bug fixes for the 4.x code base.

This is a free upgrade for customers who have purchased PocketTunes 4 or for LifeDrive, TX, Treo 680, Treo 700p, Treo 755p, and Centro customers who have PocketTunes bundled on their devices. Customers who purchased PocketTunes 3.x qualify for special upgrade pricing.

A complete list of PocketTunes 4.x features and fixes is available on the NormSoft website.

You can download the desktop updater or install the update directly on your Internet connected device with the Help > Check for Updates command in PocketTunes. The PocketTunes 4 user guide is also available online.

PDT 6.2 Sync Journal - Update

2008-01-23T04:12:00.000-05:00

I've completed my testing of the new Palm Desktop by ACCESS 6.2 for Windows. You can read parts 2 and 3 over on Foleo Fanatics.

PDT 6.2 Sync Journal - Day 3

PDT 6.2 Sync Journal - Day 2

To sync your Palm OS device to Palm Desktop 6.2, you need to meet the following two requirements:

Palm-branded device running Palm OS 5.2.1 or later
Palm-braded device with the Contacts, Calendar, Tasks, and Memo PIM applications

The Treo 600 will not sync to Palm Desktop 6.2 as it has the older PIM applications. All other Palm OS devices can use the new HotSync Manager to sync data with Outlook.

Computer Outlook Show Posted

2008-01-23T04:10:00.001-05:00

Last week I was lucky enough to be able to co-host the January 16th Computer Outlook Radio Talk Show with host John Iasiuolo.

If you didn't get a chance to listen to that show live last Wednesday, it is now available for download as a podcast. To listen to the show, visit the Computer Outlook show archive, and click the Play button for the January 16th show.

PDT 6.2 Sync Journal - Day 1

2008-01-18T21:53:00.001-05:00

Since the release of Palm Desktop by ACCESS 6.2 for Windows, I've been trying to figure out what, exactly, of Palm's devices work with this new release.

The download page states, as a new feature:

"Integrated Desktop: Provides a single desktop and conduit compatibility across all Palm OS 3.5.x through 5.4.x devices."

The download page also goes on to state in the system requirements section:

"Palm devices:
Palm Centro
Treo 755p , 700p, 680, 650
Palm TX, Z22
Tungsten E2"

Not wanting to let this direct conflict go unchallenged, I have decided that I'm going to start testing the devices in my collection of Palm OS devices against Palm Desktop by ACCESS 6.2.

So far, I've be able to HotSync my Treo 700p (Sprint) and my Treo 650 (Verizon) without any trouble. I've also been able to HotSync my Palm TX. But all of those devices are on the supported device list. But what about the LifeDrive, Tungsten T3, m505, and the Handspring Treo 90? What about the Tungsten T, the Palm Vx, and even a Clie NZ-90? I don't know. Keep reading and I'll post my findings as I work through my collection of devices.

New Year's Resolutions

2007-12-31T14:32:00.001-05:00

I've posted this week's 1SRC editorial, New Year's Resolutions.

"With all eyes on Palm Executive Chairman Jon Rubinstein and his senior management team in 2008, here are some New Year’s resolutions the company might take under consideration.

Closing the Books on 2007

2007 was a tough year for Palm. Earnings were down for two consecutive quarters. The Treo 755p failed to meet the target delivery date for the crucial holiday shopping season for carrier partner Verizon Wireless. The Foleo mobile companion was cancelled just weeks before it was due to begin shipping. No new handheld PDAs were shipped. And Palm CEO Ed Colligan suggested that the new Linux-based operating system, “Palm OS II” as I call it, would not appear on devices until 2009.

There have been a few successes for Palm. The new Centro smartphone has been a hit. Currently available only from Sprint and in black onyx and ruby red, there are rumors of the imminent release of a new pink Centro on Sprint and the launch of a white GSM Centro on AT&T Wireless. And Palm sold about 27% of the company to private equity firm Elevation Partners.

Looking Ahead to 2008

This New Year, Palm should consider the following resolutions:

1. Drive “Palm OS II” to completion

The single largest liability for Palm right now is the age of its Palm OS 5 operating system. The current code base that powers the Treo 680, 755p, and Centro was never really intended to power smartphones. The new Linux operating system needs to be completed this year and certified by Palm’s major wireless carrier partners.

Some of the features that customers will be looking for in Palm OS II include:
• a true multitasking operating system (voice and data at the same time)
• an updated modular user interface that still preserves Palm’s ease of use
• robust file management tools that will interact with other Palm devices
• robust web browser and email client
• support for multiple active wireless radios (cellular, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi)"

Keep reading...

Merry Chirstmas from GrassNet

2007-12-25T11:37:00.000-05:00

Merry Christmas and Season's Greetings from your friends at Foleo Fanatics!

Treo 750 Update 2.25 Recovery Tool

2007-12-15T17:12:00.001-05:00

I don't know how many people have seen this or not, so I wanted to mention it here. I'm a Palm OS user, and I carry a Treo 700p. That said, I try to keep up on what is going on over on the Windows Mobile side of the Palm house.

While researching the Treo 750 Updater 2.25 (the one that adds Windows Mobile 6.0) for a customer over on the Palm Community Help Forums, where I'm a moderator, I ran across the directions for using the Updater 2.25 Recover Tool.

I'm actually excited to see that Palm has packaged this tool into the upgrade kit. While I don't have a Windows Mobile device to test this on, the tool appears to give customers a second chance to recover from a Treo that was "bricked" by a failed upgrade.

AT&T and Cingular Wireless customers can download the 2.25 Updater here. The directions for using the recovery tool can be found here.

Astraware Casino Review

2007-12-11T22:56:00.001-05:00

Astraware’s latest game, Casino, brings all the fun an excitement of a trip to the casino without the risk of losing your shirt.

Last week saw the release of yet another high-quality game for the Palm OS and Windows Mobile platforms: Astraware Casino. Astraware Casio is a collection of eight popular casino games: Texas Hold ‘Em Limit Poker, Baccarat, Video Poker, Craps, Video Keno, Slots, Roulette, and Blackjack.

I enjoy playing card games in a casual setting when friends stop by to visit, but I’ve never been one to spend much time at the casino. After downloading and installing the demo, I was happy to learn that Astraware Casino is geared for the casual gamer. When you start the game, you are given $1,200 ($1,000 in your wallet, $200 in the bank) and all the games start off in “Tourist” mode. This mode is intended for the casual casino game player and there are limits on the minimum and maximum bets. For example, the Blackjack table has a minimum bet of $1 and a maximum bet limit of $250. In the third gaming level, “Regular”, the table limits are changed with the minimum bet set to $100 and the maximum bet set to $5,000. New modes of play are unlocked based on how frequently you play and win at the games in the Astraware Casino.

Playing Astraware Casino is a breeze. As with other recent games from Astraware (Solitaire and Boardgames) you move around the game board with the 5-way navigator, or if you prefer, the stylus. The first time to select to play a game that you have not previously played, the game’s rules are displayed in a How to Play window. The directions are well written and easy to understand. You can always view the game directions by tapping the Menu button and selecting Instructions from the menu. (I am still having trouble with the Craps game. I may have to get my book of Hoyle games out and read up on game play strategies.) Moving between the different games and the bank is easily done. Just select Bank or Choose Game from the menu and you will be back to the high stakes action in no time. Adding to the fun are unlockable souvenirs that you win while playing the game. So far my favorite souvenir is the Hawaiian Shirt, with the Ace of Spades a close second.

Astraware Casino is available for both Palm OS handhelds and Treo smartphones, and Treo smartphones running Windows Mobile 5 and 6. This includes the newest Palm smartphones, the Treo 500v (Europe) and the Centro (United States). I tested the game on the Palm TX, Treo 650, and 700p and the game experience was good. Astraware has made a time limited trial available for download. That is a great way to try the game out before you buy and the make sure your hardware is supported. Astraware Casino for Palm OS and Windows Mobile is available now from the Astraware online store and sells for $19.95.

Regardless of weather you are a casual card player or an adrenaline junkie who likes to live life on the edge, with Astraware Casino loaded on your Palm you will be able to take a little piece of the Las Vegas thrill with you wherever you go.

For more information or to download the demo, visit the Astraware website.

Alex Pruss Freeware Software Archive

2007-12-03T22:07:00.000-05:00

When the "new" PocketGear.com went online recently, I discovered that I was unable to find NVBackup in the catalog of software. I figured that I was doing something wrong and started poking around the PocketGear site thinking that I was looking in the wrong place.

The PocketGear.com Developer Guide shed some light as to what was going on. The following are excerpts from that document.

"Affiliate relationships associated with PalmGear, however, have ended with the exception of the existing Palm.com partnership. Motricity will cease support for the existing PalmGear platform and infrastructure. As a result, the classic PalmGear site will redirect in the near future to the unified new PocketGear. This move to the new platform and site will limit our ability to support existing affiliate locations. We are preparing to launch a new affiliate program in the near future, and look forward to presenting our partners with new opportunities for distribution and sales."

This includes the software store that was being hosted for ACCESS, formerly known as PalmSource. Jim Della, ACCESS Software Store Manager, writes on the ACCESS website:

"The ACCESS Software Store will officially close on November 27th. We thank you for your patronage.

You will still be able to review and purchase Garnet OS (formerly Palm OS) applications at www.pocketgear.com, an exciting new online store launched by Motricity, the ACCESS partner formerly hosting the ACCESS Software Store."

The Palm online software store is still very much running and open for business.

My problem is with the following passage from the PocketGear Developer Guide:

"We have taken careful steps to ensure that the new PocketGear is populated to the fullest extent and reflective of our prior catalogs at the 'legacy' sites. While we have eliminated much of the outdated and freeware listings, actively selling current titles have been migrated to the new PocketGear. Please note that listings at the new PocketGear have been assigned new product ID's as well as new urls."

Way back when I first got started in the Palm user community, great sites like PalmGear helped me learn about my new Palm IIIx, but introduced me to a world of great commercial, shareware, and freeware applications for my device.

The elimination of freeware from the new PocketGear and the shuttering of PalmGear is clearly a business decision that Motricity is free to make, but I don't have to like it.

That said, I have decided to do something about this situation. I have obtained permission from Alexander Pruss, who is a well known and respected Palm OS application developer, to host his freeware applications here on FoleoFanatics. Over the coming weeks I will grow the catalog of software that is available for download.

It is this spirit of community that really is one of the best rewards of being a member of the Palm user community.

Enjoy!

Alan Grassia
Editor, FoleoFanatics

Visit the Software by Alex Pruss archive...

Happy Thanksgiving!

2007-11-22T08:58:00.001-05:00

Happy Thanksgiving from the Turkeys at Grassnet.net!