Zack Whittaker over at MSBlog.org asks how to upgrade a Windows Mobile 2003 2nd Edition Pocket PC to Media Player 10 Mobile. And, the answer is:Â Not from Microsoft. Windows Mobile devices are more like applicances than computers. The large ROM-based applications like Media Player must be burned-in rather than simply installed on top of whatever is there. These firmware based applications are updated by the device manufacturer (not Microsoft). It tends differ from manufacturer to manufacturer. My Dell Axim X50v device, for example, got its Media Player 10 Mobile upgrade with the large AKU2 upgrade Dell made available last year. HP and other firms provided similar upgrades.
Category: Mobile Devices
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Smartphone shipments up 75.5% for first half of 2006
Techweb reports that an unnamed market research firm (might be Gartner since it is mentioned later in the article) says that Smartphone shipments were up 75.5% in the first half of 2006.
The article says the report shows that North America is the only region where PDAs outsold Smartphones. Personally, I find that hard to believe even assuming that the popular Palm Treo line is considered a PDA instead of a smartphone.
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HP iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion
HP’s web site shows their soon-to-be-released GPS, WiFi (802.11b and 802.11g!), Bluetooth, music/photo/video playing, Windows Mobile 5 powered handheld device with a 3.5″ LCD screen (bigger than the Zune’s) with a price of $599.99.HP iPAQ rx5915 Travel Companion
So, whatever happened to the $500 GPS-enabled UMPC anyway? In any case, CNET has a video review of this new GPS-enabled iPAQ available at the link below.
HP iPaq rx5900 Travel Companion
Too bad it doesn’t have a QWERTY keyboard of some kind…
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Engadget: How-To: Use your EV-DO Pocket PC phone for internet access
Engadget has a step-by-step illustrated tutorial showing how to use a Verizon Wireless Pocket PC Phone Edition (Windows Mobile 5) XV6700 as mobile modem for a notebook. You can find the article at…
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Microsoft ActiveSync Troubleshooting
Guy Williams posted the following question on my O’Reilly Windows DevCenter blog. My response includes a bunch of llinks which might be a bit much for the blog response box there. So, I’m posting a reply here.
I just bought a Treo 700wx from Sprint. I cannot get ActiveSync to recognize the phone (when the phone is connected via USB cable).
The error says “Active Sync cannot connect to the Windows Mobile powered device. To troubleshoot the problem, click ok.”
I spent about 8 hours yesterday along with many (10+) calls to Sprint to get the phone working with the Activesync software that came standard with it. I went through levels 1,2 and 3 of Sprint support. I was connected this morning to Sprint’s special “TREO Activesync” department. No one could get the software running so that I could sync with the Treo 700wx.
At this point, I am at a total loss regarding what to do. Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated.
The first thing you should check is whether you have a software firewall (e.g., Zone Alarm) running. If so, check out my blog item:
ActiveSync 4.1 for Microsoft Windows Mobile 5 devices released
If that is not the case, check out the following ActiveSync troubleshooting guides.
Microsoft.com: What Does the Troubleshooter for ActiveSync Do?
PocketPCFAQ.com: ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide – General
There’s also an item specifically focused on the Treo 700w (one generation older than the 700wx) at:
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Fossil Bluetooth Watch Talks to Your Phone
The USA Today article Bluetooth watches to show who’s calling reports that Fossil and Sony-Ericsson teamed up to create a Bluetooth watch that displays Caller-ID information on the watch and lets you send the call to voice mail if you don’t want to pick up the phone to answer it. It looks like the watch only works with Sony-Ericsson phones that it says that support for other Symbian based phones is planned. The watches will be available by the end of October under Fossil’s “Mobile Wear by Abacus” brand, the regular Fossil brand, and a Sony Ericsson-branded version. Prices will range from $200 to $250.