2008 is definitely a great year mobile computing , it is quite evident when you see the new HTC Shift. It is the most latest & powerful enough hand device to run Windows Vista Business, the HTC Shift is a perfect example of the kind of portability and functionality we require while on the move.

HTC Shift is an awesome device. It’s a perfect combination of Windows Mobile 6 Pro “smartphone” and a Windows Vista UMPC. They both can run at the same time you can use a button to switch between them. It is not a cell phone, you can not use this to make calls.

HTC Shift has SnapVUE™ which is an always-on mode that provides you instant access to critical information like e-mail previews, local weather, calendar, and SMS even if the device is not switched on. Push e-mail gives you instant alerts whenever you have new Outlook® e-mails. Through Wi-Fi or 3.5G high-speed connectivity, you enjoy the ultimate productivity and highest fidelity Internet experience around.

HTC Shift also features a 7-inch touch sensitive screen that slides out and tilts to a comfortable angle. It has a full QWERTY keyboard for convenient messaging and text input. A built-in fingerprint sensor is provided for increased security.

• 7-inch, 800×480 touchscreen
• 1GB of RAM
• 30GB hard drive
• Bluetooth 2.0
• Wi-Fi 802.11g
• GSM/EDGE/HSDPA
• 1.2 mp camera (for video conferencing)
• Small touchpad for the mouse

The US release of the HTC Shift is due out this quarter. Price will be approx around USD1499.

Fring is a mobile application that provides free VoIP calling & instant messenger on cell phones. The recent release of fring is now available for Windows Mobile 5.0 and 6.0 series devices. This preview release truly brings VoIP experience to Windows based Smart phones and Pocket PCs allowing you to make calls over any 3G, GPRS or Wi-Fi Internet connection.

Fring has came a long way since our previous coverage and has continued to expand its offerings. It supports a wide range of mobile devices powered by Symbian or Windows mobile platform. It is also an instant messenger which supports multiple IM service providers and protocols including MSN, Skype, Gtalk, Twitter & SIP.

It supports chat and voice conversation with your friends on MSN, Skype, GTalk or fring’s network. You can make calls long distance PSTN or Mobile calls with SkypeOut or use a SIP provider like GizmoProject, SIPNET, VoipCheap, VoipStunt or FWD.

I use fring + VoipStunt on my Nokia and HTC Wizard phone over GPRS to make long distance VoIP Calls. It works flawlessly, the sound quality is good (if not best) and it does not consumes too much of phone’s resources or battery.

Give it a try… it’s fringing free!

IBM yesterday stepped up its efforts to woo telecoms companies with the launch of a suite of products aimed at improving the performance and security of telecoms networks.

The package is aimed at companies looking to enhance the security of increasingly popular IP-based services, such as VoIP and internet TV.

IBM’s Telecom Core Infrastructure Security Solution comprises BladeCenter servers, Tivoli security software, Netcool network management software and NarusInsight traffic monitoring software.

Simultaneous rollouts were announced at ITU Telecom World in Hong Kong and TeleManagement Forum in Dallas.

The security and monitoring bundle aims to provide a scalable security system that Big Blue hopes will appeal to small and large telecoms providers.

The move is part of a growing effort by IBM to attract network management customers, and specifically telecoms networks, to its Tivoli management suite.

Netcool, the network management software used in the system, was obtained by IBM last February when the company acquired Micromuse.

IBM last week announced the acquisition of another wireless network management software vendor in the shape of Vallent Corporation.

OpenBSD founder Theo de Raadt has written an open letter to the open source software community requesting that users assist in pressuring Intel to provide documentation and change the distribution policies for certain components of its wireless drivers. In the past, de Raadt’s efforts have influenced other vendors and compelled them to be more accommodating, but Intel seems reluctant to budge.

An active participant in the open source software community, Intel has previously contributed code to the Linux wireless stack and has released open source Linux drivers for many of its hardware products including integrated graphics devices and wireless networking components. Unlike wireless hardware developed by other vendors, Intel’s Pro/Wireless drivers (ipw3945) depend on an independent binary blob that runs in userspace and enforces compliance with FCC regulations regarding radio transmissions. In devices produced by other manufacturers, that functionality is typically integrated into the proprietary firmware that runs on the device itself. Although the blob is available for free and is included in many Linux distributions, the OpenBSD developers are not willing to compromise their own rights by agreeing to Intel’s redistribution terms. A few major Linux vendors, most notably Red Hat, also share the same attitude and have refused to distribute the blob.

In his letter to the open source community, de Raadt asks that users contact Intel and request that the hardware company provide the open source community with better documentation and that they make binary blobs available under more reasonable redistribution terms. Documentation is sorely needed by prominent BSD developer Damien Bergamini, who recently wrote a new, open source Intel Pro/Wireless driver that does not depend on a binary blob. Bergamini, who possesses extensive driver development expertise, heavily criticized Intel’s driver and said that “it is amazing how poorly [the ipw3945] driver is designed.” When asked why Intel would incorporate regulatory enforcement code into a userspace component rather than the firmware, his first impression was that “they wanted to reduce the complexity of their firmware which [is] bloated and buggy.” Bergamini has also suggested that Intel may be using “FCC rules as a pretext to hide intellectual property in the binary-only portions of their drivers.” Bergamini supports this assertion by illuminating the ease with which the enforcement control mechanisms in the binary blob can be circumvented through minor modifications to Intel’s open source driver.

Known for his abrasive attitude and extremely caustic approach when interacting with vendors, de Raadt typically prefers insults and pressure tactics rather than subtle diplomacy. When confronted about his attitude by an HP employee at a computer conference in 2004, de Raadt famously joked “in eight years of saying nothing, we’ve got nothing, and I’m going to start saying nasty things, in the hope that some of these vendors will start giving me money so I’ll shut up.”

Convinced that his approach is necessary and warranted, de Raadt explains in his letter that “vendors often want a quiet private discussion, because in a quiet private discussion they can continue to dismiss the requests and in the end do absolutely nothing. They do not want a noisy public discussion, because then they look bad. But they DESERVE TO LOOK BAD, because they are being bad to those who bought their hardware!” Towards the end of the letter, de Raadt accuses Intel of perpetrating “open source fraud” and describes Intel representative James Ketrenos as a “big fat liar.”

As an open source community member who has voiced similar criticisms of other companies in the past and also prefers public debate rather than discreet discourse, I can certainly appreciate de Raadt’s frustration, but his vitriolic attitude is considered excessive by many within the community. It is worth noting that his pressure campaigns have successfully influenced companies in the past. In 2004 the Free Software Foundation gave him the prestigious Award for the Advancement of Free Software to honor his successful efforts to open up wireless firmware. Intel has not yet responded to de Raadt’s claims, but I doubt that the hardware vendor will make any immediate concessions given its concerns about FCC compliance.

Source: Ars Technica

Today Sirius Satellite Radio Inc. have introduced its first pocket-sized portable radio that allows subscribers to listen to live broadcasts and to digital music from their personal collections.

It is called Sirius’ Stiletto 100, This will compete with a similar portable line from rival XM Satellite Radio Holdings Inc., will sell for about $350.It also has a short-range wireless Internet link that connects to Web radio.

FEATURES:

• Live portable reception of SIRIUS programming
• Stores up to 100 hours of live SIRIUS Satellite Radio programming (2 GB)
• Automatically records your favorite SIRIUS Satellite Radio 100% commercial-free music
• One touch recording of up to 10 hours of live, individual songs from SIRIUS Satellite Radio’s 100% commercial-free music
• Schedule & record up to 6-hour blocks of your music programming, talk or news from SIRIUS Satellite Radio broadcasts.
• Listen to SIRIUS Internet Radio over an accessible WiFi network
• Download and manage MP3/WMA files with included My SIRIUS Studioâ„¢ software for Windows PCs
• Bookmark your favorite songs and easily purchase though
• Yahoo! Music Jukeboxâ„¢ provides a simple and easy way for you to purchase, download your favorite SIRIUS songs
• Compatible with most internet music providers download and subscription services (Not compatible with AAC files)
• Exclusive Aurora user interface provides easy access to your favorite SIRIUS live and stored content with a bright 2.2″ full color display
• Enhanced media dial with six-way navigation control that puts everything at your fingertips
• SIRIUS Replay™—Pause, rewind and replay 44 minutes of live radio
• 30 channel presets
• Audible channel names
• GameAlert™—Prompts when your favorite games are being broadcast and alerts you when the scores change
• GameZone™—Lists all your favorite teams in one category and lets you select a different team from each of the various sport leagues including NFL, NBA, NHL® and college sports
• Parental Control and Channel Lock.

Kit includes:

• Radio
• Earbuds
• Antenna headphone for expanded live signal reception
• Standard and slim batteries
• PC cable (USB compatible)
• AC adapter
• My SIRIUS Studioâ„¢ software with Yahoo! Music Jukeboxâ„¢

Don’t you wish to listen to the same music collection you have on your computer on your mobile? And you would prefer to use an easy method that lets you do that?

I found out about the new music service Mercora M, it is making your task easy..you can wirelessly stream your own music collections to your phones, not only that but also upgrade yourself to the latest “Web 2.0″ social networking capabilities which enables users to listen to stream their friends’ music, as well as thousands of Internet-based music broadcasts. Mercora has this capability.

High-quality, on-demand custom radio stations available, offering greater variety than any streaming music or satellite radio service.Mercora M is an application for Windows 2000 or XP, and streams music to portable devices running Windows Mobile 5.0 or Windows Mobile 2003 SE, which includes gadgets like the Motorola Q and Palm Treo 700w.

Enjoy it all, your own music library, thousands of available Internet radio stations, or access personal music libraries of up to five other Mercora users, without violating copyright or DRM restrictions. The Mercora service enables users to browse artists and tracks, plus connect with other users via instant messaging.

Mercora M will be free through October 31; after that, Mercora M will be offered on a subscription basis for $4.99 a month, $49.99 a year, or $99.99 for two years.

Now thats Cool stuff for your windows Mobile!

Sony Corp. is trying to attract youngsters with their new launch; it is a Web browser, messaging program, wireless phone and digital music player all in one!

This cool looking handheld gadget is named Mylo. It has most common available cell phone features; main attraction on it is its Wi-Fi ability. Surf the Web or chat on campus, at the coffee shop, in the bookstore or wherever you can find a hotspot.

Mylo is derived from “my life online”_ is priced at $350, As it is targeted for young generation, it is costly. The looks of Mylo feels is like a game controller, with a bright 2-by-1 1/2-inch backlit screen that packs 320-by-240 pixels of sharp resolution.  Funky Looks, Will be Noticed I am sure, but price will inhibit many to buy it.

Sony says the lithium-ion battery provides 3 1/2 hours of Internet call time, about 8 hours of video and up to 45 hours of music playback.The device also allows users to wirelessly hook up with other nearby Mylo owners to stream MP3s.

The Mylo is the latest device looking toblur the lines between phones, computers and media players. It’s a cute gadget that does what it sets out to do, but is it worth investing in a device that’s only fully functional at Wi-Fi hotspots?

 

 

Students living and going to class on a Wi-Fi-enabled campus might think so, but $350 is a hefty initial investment even if you’re saving on monthly access fees.

This guy shows his installation of Car UMPC with TabletKiosk eo and StreetDeck. It have Touch Screen Control, Rear-view Camera Support, MP3 Player, DVD/Video Player, Picture Viewer, Bluetooth Phone Integration, Satellite Radio & WiFi Sync Support. It looks slick with its amazing feautes, more details at UltraMobileGeek.

Mobile application fring allows you to make free VoIP calls through Skype & GTalk. It is basically an integrated mobile client for Skype & GTalk which uses Skype API. It works on GPRS & 3G network and does not require to connect to your computer or Wi-Fi network. The application also allows to make calls between other fring users and SkypeOut as well. It is an only application/service of its kind and have a patent pending for P2P Mobile VoIP technology. Both, the mobile application & service is totally free. The service is currently in closed Beta and you can download the application for free.

The fring website says that it will work on Nokia’s 3G enabled Symbian handsets and you would require a 3G service provider. Also, they have only few 3G enabled Nokia devices listed in compatibility list. But, I’ve been using it on my Nokia N70 handset with GPRS (EDGE) network and it works great. I don’t see a reason why it should not work with other handsets with GPRS network. However, I recommend EDGE enable handset & network for good connectivity. I suggest you to go ahead and try out with your Symbian handset on GPRS or 3G.

The Slingbox has a new Japanese competitor. It’s a new USB dongle that lets you watch TV via Skype. You just plug the dongle into the USB port on your computer, connect your cable or other TV service to the dongle to give your PC TV access, and you are in business. You can watch the programs on your own TV from any computer with high speed internet access and Skype installed. You can even change the channels on your TV via Skype.

The programming doesn’t have to be recorded to your PC in order to be viewed, though there is apparently a bit of a lag between what is broadcast live and what you get to view.

The dongle appears to be available only in Japan for now, and it only works on a PC, so Mac users will have to settle for whatever TV they can find on the road. No word on what it will cost.