Great Prices on SD / CF Memory at BestBuy
Several readers let me know that they got 512MB CF and SD cards very inexpensively at BestBuy. They’re doing a special right now where you get $40 instant savings plus a $30 mail in rebate on Sandisk CF memory and $50 instant savings plus a $40 mail in rebate on Sandisk SD memory. That brings the price on a 512MB CF card down to $79.99 and a 512MB SD card is only $129.99. You can order online at www.bestbuy.com - many stores are already out of stock on the cards at this price. (Note - this posting was made before we had our problems with Blogger, so this price might not be available now. Your mileage may vary.)
PDAntic.com Review of the HP iPAQ h4150: The Best Pocket PC Ever!
As promised, I’ve completed my review of the HP iPAQ h4150 Pocket PC and I’ll let you in on the bottom line - I think this is the best Pocket PC ever made! It’s small and lightweight, speedy and connected, and the price won’t have you maxing out your credit cards. When I think of all of the Windows CE Handheld PCs, Palm PCs, Palm-Size PCs, and Pocket PCs that came before this device, it amazes me that it has only taken six years (from the first Windows CE device) to get to this powerful little Pocket PC. If you’re in the market for a Pocket PC or didn’t get the PDA you wanted for Christmas, you should definitely consider buying the h4150.
Click the link in the paragraph above to read the review or click on the “reviews” button at the top of the page to get to our listing of recent reviews.
PhoneMagic V1.20 Released - Special Price This Week
Penticon Technologies Ltd. is pleased to announce the release of PhoneMagic V1.20.? The most innovative Address Book replacement application has gotten even better. This new version adds Stylus Free Lookup, Touch-Tone Dialing, and Support for the 5-Way Navigator on the Treo 600. PhoneMagic’s Smart Lookup got even Smarter.
PhoneMagic has the familiar look and feel of the built-in Address Book, but adds many new and innovative features;
– Smart Lookup lets you look up numbers based on first name, last name or company name, without needing to re-sort your address book.?
– Use theStylus Free Lookup to lookup numbers faster than ever before.
– Each time you open PhoneMagic, the most Recent Numbers you looked up will always be displayed on your screen (in color)
– With PhoneMagic’s Reminders, you’ll never forget to make an important phone call.
– You can Pop-Up PhoneMagic without leaving the application that’s running, and once you’ve found the number that you want, you’re right back in the original application. Using Virtual Links, you can pop-up PhoneMagic and immediately open a specific record in your phone book.
– Use PhoneMagic’s Touch-Tone Dialing to dial on any regular phone (this feature requires sound support on the Palm device).
Check out the PhoneMagic web site, and learn about the Secrets of PhoneMagic. For more detailed information, make sure to check out the PhoneMagic Handbook and FAQ.? Best of all, download PhoneMagic, and try it out for the 30 day free evaluation period. Buy it this week on PalmGear and save $2.00 - enter Promotional Code: 36990735
Merry Christmas!
I just wanted to wish all of my readers a MERRY CHRISTMAS. I’m not going to be politically correct and wish a Happy Hanukkah, Happy Kwaanza, or Happy Festivus (thanks, Frank Costanza, for yet another made-up holiday!) to everyone. For most of my life December 25th has been Christmas Day and the 24th has been Christmas Eve, so I’m going to keep in touch with my roots and wish everyone the best for the season.
Your holiday present this year from PDAntic.com will be a review of the iPAQ 4150 - expect to see that present under your tree soon!
PDAntic.com eBook of the Week: Pompeii by Robert Harris
With all of the attention that Palm Digital Media gets, a lot of PDA users tend to forget another ebook store - Fictionwise. I’ve been a Fictionwise affiliate for three years and their library is huge. What I really like about this store is that many ebooks are available in a variety of formats — Palm Reader, Mobipocket, Microsoft Reader, Adobe Acrobat, etc… Fictionwise customers have a bookshelf that stores all of the books you’ve ordered, so if you’re like me and have accidentally destroyed your library of ebooks, you can just download them again. Books aren’t the only thing you can buy from Fictionwise - they also have the largest selection of magazines in electronic format that I’ve ever seen!
Their pricing is better than Palm Digital Media’s as well - for example, the current bestseller “Pompeii” is currently on sale from PDM for $9.95 (marked down from the $24.95 list price). At Fictionwise, the regular price is $8.49 and you can get it for as little as $7.22 at their club price!
I’ve decided that I’m going to revive my “eBook of the week” link to Fictionwise because I’m so impressed with the way that they handle electronic publishing. And, strangely enough, my first ebook of the week is Pompeii by Robert Harris. Click here to buy a copy of this exciting bestseller now! You can buy this book in Mobipocket, Palm Reader, Microsoft Reader or Adobe Acrobat formats and be reading it in a few minutes.
We’ll also be setting up a special permanent link for PDAntic.com readers that points directly to a frequently updated list of new ebooks and e-magazines.
LodeRunner Xmas Edition Available for Download
Like LodeRunner? Then you’ll love LodeRunner Xmas Edition from the folks at Ballshooter. They have a special version of their LodeRunner game featuring Christmas graphics, levels and soundtracks. It’s available from www.ballshooter.com for only $12! You’ll also find that they’ve put their other games on sale, so if you’re looking for a last minute gift for your Pocket PC buddies or yourself, take a look.
2005: A Look Back
As usual, many of the PDA sites are starting to do their “year in review” and “what’s coming up” articles. I’ve done similar article since 1994 when I first started up PDAntic.com, and frankly I think they’re a bit of a waste of time. After all, we all know what exactly has come out on the market during the last 12 months, and it’s anyone’s guess as to what will happen in the upcoming year. So I thought I would take a leap forward to the end of 2005 and make some predictions as to what will happen…
1) No more unconnected PDAs. The handwriting recognition is on the wall…your run of the mill, unconnected Palm or Pocket PC device is going to be a museum piece soon. Why? Well, when I can get a fairly nice GSM/GPRS phone with a built-in VGA camera, voice dialing, and all the PIM functions (calendar, alarms, address book, etc…) for less than $100 from my mobile phone carrier, why would I want to spend $100 to $700 on another device? That phone I’m talking about is available already in the Nokia 3650, Sony Ericsson T-610/616 and a number of other devices. Hell, you can even get a Motorola MPx 200 Smartphone for less than $100 through AT&T Wireless right now with a two-year voice/data plan. It just doesn’t make sense for unconnected devices like the Palm m105 or HP iPAQ h1910 to have any relevance in the consumer electronics market within two years.
2) More little keyboards. Instant messaging hasn’t caught on as much in the US as it has in Europe, but we’re starting to see some interest. A lot of people try using their mobile phone keypads and T9 to IM, but it gets frustrating if you’re trying to quickly respond to someone. In addition, handwriting recognition just isn’t as good as it should be and many people give up on Graffiti or the Pocket PC block recognizer after a few abortive attempts. The answer? More of those little thumbboards. I would bet that we’ll see more devices like the Treo 600 coming out, and if the year 2005 ends without at least one Microsoft Windows Mobile Smartphone device with an integrated keyboard I’ll be amazed.
3) Very well integrated wireless. I kind of like the way that I can use my GSM/GPRS phone as a Bluetooth “modem” for my iPAQ 4150 and then switch smoothly over to WiFi when I’m at home or at a hot spot. My guess is that by the end of 2005 most devices will come with wireless data access (i.e., 1xRTT or GPRS) and WiFi built in, and that the devices will automatically switch to the fastest network.
4) More cameras. I love my Nokia 3650’s internal camera, even though the VGA resolution isn’t the best. It still allows me to take a lot of very spontaneous photographs without having to worry about carrying one more device (my digital camera) with me. Check out my personal moblog at http://pdantic.textamerica.com to get an idea of the fun or “educational” photographs you can take with a camera phone. I’d also speculate that by the end of 2005, at least one mobile carrier will feature full video over wireless for a mobile videophone experience!
What’s your vision of the near future? Either click the “Comments” link below or send me e-mail (be sure to remove the “spamsucks” from the e-mail address before mailing).
48 Hour Special on PocketGrandMaster!
PocketGrandMaster - Great Chess for Pocket PC and Smartphone
Clickgamer.com has let us know that PocketGrandMaster for Pocket PC and Smartphone are now available for the next two days for half price! That’s $12.49 for the Pocket PC version, and only $4.95 for the Smartphone version!
PocketGrandMaster is an amazing chess game for Windows Mobile devices. Featuring an extremely strong chess engine with an opening book of 200,000 moves,the engine is a successor to the program finishing 4th in the World Microcomputer Chess Championships. There are a number of great game features:
a.. Beginner, Expert, Coach & Training modes
b.. “Show threat” tells you CPU plans
c.. Quick move input (one tap logic & dragging)
d.. “Hint” lets PocketGrandmaster suggest a good move for you
e.. Analysis mode to browse through your games and find mistakes
f.. Help available for all functions and dialogs
g.. Multiple levels for both blitz and tournament
You can buy your copy of PocketGrandMaster (a quality title by Game Partner Clevergames) by clicking here!
What? No Christmas Lists?
In case you’re wondering why we’re not running the typical “20 exciting gifts for your PDA-loving friends” articles on PDAntic.com this holiday season, it’s not because we’re turning Grinchy. It’s simply because there are SO many sites that are all doing the same thing this year and we’ve noticed that a lot of them are picking the same items as gifts! So you’ll have to excuse our lack of enthusiasm for putting out yet another list of techie toys to purchase… 
Press Release: Fitaly Keyboard for Tungsten T3 Now Available
Designed specifically for T3 virtual writing area, 50+ WPM data entry
Burlington, MA (December 18, 2003) — Textware Solutions is pleased to announce that the Fitaly Keyboard for the palmOne Tungsten T3 handheld is now available. This version, called FitalyVirtual, has been designed specifically for use in the T3 virtual input area.
The FitalyVirtual Keyboard is an ergonomic replacement for the standard QWERTY on-screen keyboard. The FITALY key arrangement minimizes stylus travel: 84% of the keystrokes used for text are placed in a very tight pattern, with the remaining keystrokes never more than two keys away. In addition, each key is near the keys most likely to follow in English text.
Fifty Words Per Minute On Your Palm
The effect is to minimize stylus travel. In addition, the layout practically eliminates hand movement when typing text. This means that you can type with your hand rested on the lower area, moving only the fingers holding the stylus. The result is a significant increase in the speed of entering information into the device. Typical Fitaly users will quickly achieve rates of 50+ WPM on their device.
The FitalyVirtual Keyboard is designed to be fully integrated with the Tungsten T3. The keyboard is easily displayed or hidden with a simple tap of the input selector icon on the T3 status bar. The keyboard can also be set to be the default keyboard for the device. It will then open or close automatically when the stretch display is utilized.
Many additional features on the Fitaly Keyboard make text input fast and efficient. For example, a user can capitalize a letter by simply sliding the stylus away from that letter after the “tap”. This “slide” capability can also be personalized to meet the individual users needs. Customized “slides” can instruct the device to execute macros, such as automatically enter the users name, today’s date, email signature or other text they require.
Application Launcher capability is also part of the Fitaly Keyboard. A customizable tap command on the keyboard brings up a list of the Most Recently Used applications. The user can quickly switch to a new program, from the list of up to 12 applications shown. In addition, Fitaly provides an Application Bar at the bottom of the screen with another tap command. This bar can display 8 icons and is not duplicated in the Most Recently used list. This means you can quickly access up to 20 applications by combining the two features.
For More Information
For complete details, to download a demo version or to purchase the FitalyVirtual Keyboard for the Tungsten T3, visit:
http://fitaly.com/fitalyvirtualt3/fitalyvirtualannounce.htm
Off Topic - LOTR: ROTK
OK, so this post has nothing to do with PDAs or other electronic gadgets. That’s what’s great about running your own site - you can occasionally go off on tangents that are so completely off topic that they’re almost ludicrous…
Anyway, the thing that is fascinating me today isn’t a Pocket PC or Palm, a Smartphone or a robotic lawnmower - it’s a movie. In about 3.5 hours I’ll be sitting in the theater watching Lord of the Rings: Return of the King. I haven’t been this excited about seeing a movie since my dad took me to see 2001: A Space Odyssey in 1968.
There’s good reason to be excited. The first two movies are wonderful, especially in their “extended edition DVD” versions. And the third book of Tolkien’s cycle was always my favorite, with the climactic battles and bittersweet farewells. It’s a timeless story about good versus evil, and about ordinary people doing extraordinary things. My only regret is that I was unable to get tickets to the marathon they had in 40 or so cities yesterday, where lucky viewers got to see the extended edition versions of Fellowship of the Ring and The Two Towers, then saw Return of the King before anyone else.
Do yourself a favor and go see this film soon! The reviews are almost universally good, so this is bound to be a blockbuster over the holidays.
Free eBooks from Palm Digital Media
It’s always very nice to receive gifts at this time of year, and Palm Digital Media is overflowing with Christmas spirit with their 12 days of Christmas free ebook giveaway!
They probably started this a few days ago but I just noticed…sorry about that! If you don’t already have Palm Reader for your Pocket PC, PalmOS device, PC or Mac, you can download a free copy from their site.
Have fun and build up your ebook library at the same time! Merry Christmas! Click the image above to go to the Palm Digital Media website.
Sony Ericsson P800 Handsfree Profile?
As a PDAntic.com reader, you’ve heard all about how Bluetooth is becoming ubiquitous. Many PCs are being shipped with built-in Bluetooth, most PDAs and a growing number of mobile phones have Bluetooth built-in or available as an add-on, and now even cars are starting to ship with Bluetooth!
An acquaintance from SegwayChat.com noted that he recently purchased one of these Bluetooth-enabled cars. The idea is that you can take a mobile phone equipped with Bluetooth and a handsfree profile, pair it with your vehicle, and use the car’s sound system as a handsfree speakerphone.
Unfortunately, Ben has noted that even the latest and greatest technology doesn’t always work the way it’s supposed to. He says “I bought a Sony Ericsson P800 phone earlier this year and thought that this would be the phone to end all phones, and it would last a good 3 or 4 years at least - until a phone with a better camera and a built-in 30gb drive comes available.??Well, I bought a 2004 Toyota Prius with built-in bluetooth… and guess what, the SE P800 only has a handset profile, and not a handsfree profile, so it doesn’t connect with *any* of the cars out there with Bluetooth built-in.? How ridiculous is that?? I was hoping that you could post something on your site to this effect, with the hopes that Sony Ericsson will see it and update their phones to support a Handsfree profile.”
If any PDAntic.com readers out there have contacts at Sony Ericsson, could you pass this information along? It’s always fun to see Bluetooth implemented in new and useful ways, and when a seemingly insignificant lack of software stands in the way it’s frustrating for everyone!
Crazy Kart for a Crazy Price from Clickgamer.com
Clickgamer.com is at it again! You can now get Crazy Kart for the Pocket PC for $6.99. Here are the details:
The fastest and funniest PocketPC racing game - incredible Graphics, smooth gamplay, this is a MUST HAVE!
+ Incredible Graphics - professional art, cutscenes, and 3D modeled cartoon-like characters
+ Smooth Gameplay - Intuitive controls, a clean interface, and assembly language game engine giving the smoothest gameplay ever seen on a PocketPC racing game.
+ 3 Different Playing Modes - Championship (includes 3 separate championships. Each with their respective difficulty level), Quick Race (for a one round match against the AI racers) and Time Attack (Race against time and and improve your racing skills)
+ Never ending gameplay - five worlds, and twelve beautiful handcrafted maps, the game also supports add-on packs, the first pack being already available for registered users.
Visit the Clickgamer site at http://www.clickgamer.com to buy your copy now!
PDAntic.com Exclusive Article: Macintosh to Pocket PC Sync Tools!
I’ve been a fan of Apple’s Macintosh computers for almost 20 years. On the day they were first released in 1984, I ran to my nearby Nynex Business Center store and anxiously stood in line to give the 128K original Macintosh a test drive. One thing led to another and in late 1984 I owned one of the first 512K “Fat Macs” in Denver. After taking my Mac to work and impressing everyone in the office with its graphical user interface and some of the applications that were developed for it, our company ended up buying several. Before you know it, we had almost 275 Macs scattered across the state!
When Windows 95 came out, my company was in the process of migrating to PCs, so I grudgingly went along with the move. And in 1997, I sold my last Mac (a PowerMac 6100) and said goodbye to the Apple world…
Until 2003, that is. I had read some articles about the new PowerBook G4 laptops and the Mac OS X 10.2 “Jaguar” operating system, and decided I should give one a try. One test drive later, I owned a brand new 12″ PowerBook G4 and I fell in love all over again.
However, I ran into a quandary. How would I synchronize my Pocket PCs with the Mac? After all, palmOne supplies support for Mac users and Apple has made it very easy for Palm users to use their devices with Macs, but Pocket PCs didn’t exactly seem to be widely support in the Mac world. A little bit of research over the last few months answered that question.
There are two applications that are currently on the market for synchronizing Pocket PCs with Macs. The Missing Sync for Pocket PC from Mark/Space Software provides a way for your Pocket PC to synchronize with the Macintosh iApps like iCal and Address Book through iSync. PocketMac Pro 3.0 from Information Appliance Associates uses a slightly different approach to solve the Mac to Pocket PC sync question.
If you’re a Mac user who is thinking about buying a Pocket PC, or a Pocket PC user who would like to switch to a Macintosh desktop or laptop computer, this article will give you the info you need to be able to make the switch! To read the review, click here, click on the article banner at the top of this post, or go to the review link at the top of the page.
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Joy of Tech!
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MacLevelTen
