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…
Blog
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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.
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Visual Studio vs. Windows Mobile Software Development
Mel Sampat, a Program Manager in the Microsoft Windows Mobile product group tells us there is nothing to worry about if you plan to use Visual Studio 2005 SP1 and Windows Vista to develop software for Windows Mobile devices. A link to an 8 minute video demonstrating using Visual Studio with Windows can be found at the end of the blog entry…
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Wampad Mobile Portal
Got a note from Shawn McCollum letting me know about his mobile portal site tuned for web-enabled phones (work on PDA format screens too). Its set up to help you find information and display in a mobile friendly format using the Google mobile transformation service. You can search for specific web formats/services such as websites, news, and flickr. You can find it: -
NPR reports about GPS for Cell Phones
NPR has two overlapping (shares content) streaming audio reports about GPS for Cell Phones…
GPS Is Smartening Up Your Cell Phone
…about GPS being an open resource on Nextel phones but not phones from other US mobile phone companies.
Power of GPS Phones Locked Away from Most Users
…adds a bit more focus about why the phone companies have not opened up the ability to develop services for the GPS in many cell phones.