I'm not a big game player - the most recent game I played was Windows Solitaire over 7 years ago ... but if it's free what can be wrong about that ?! :)

* OK, OK, I must confess, I did try a couple of games on my smartphone 8-)

So, here it goes:

This weeks free Smartphone software at Handango is Game Pack 1 SP by Implicit Software Solutions - includes 6 games - a $20 value.

To get the game pack for free, simply add it to your cart and use coupon code "FREEAPP".

Don't forget to thank Handango, and check out other software by Implicit Software Solutions :)

Ilium Software has announced today NewsBreak, a news reader for the SmartPhone platform. Previously this program was only offered for the PocketPC but is now available to both platforms.

Although NewsBreak has become available just today, it looks very polished. Besides all the features you would rightfully expect to find in a typical RSS aggregator, it features keyword filtering and setting notifications.

I did encounter a couple of very minor issues (or rather inconveniences) but given the product is one day old I would not hesitate to call it a brilliant (and nice looking too) piece of work.

I tried in the past both freeware RSS readers and one more written in Java and I uninstalled all of these after 15-30 minutes of use.

I'm very excited about NewsBreak, still enjoy playing with it and it looks like this tool will change my view on using RSS on Smartphone. It was really hard to get used to the other ones for me spoiled by RSSBandit. But this is not the case with NewsBreak!

If I got you interested, you can read more and download the tool for evaluation from Ilium Software web site

New version of xBar was just released.

xBar is #2 essential tool for Smartphone on my list. Not only it adds missing Alt-Tab functionality to Windows Mobile but also enables needed Copy-Paste operation between applications.

One of the greatest additions in version 2.5 is two new macros that allow to remap the Clipboard Copy and Paste operations to any keys. I wasn't comfortable using the default Vol-Down and Vol-Up buttons for Copy-Paste.

Just few days ago I emailed David and asked about the enhancement and now I can reassign Copy-Paste to the softkeys!

Great job, David! That was quick! Very impressive!

Microsoft released some tutorials that run directly on your device for Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition Smartphones.

"Learn to use Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition software by downloading tutorials to your device.

The Tutorials for Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition are designed to introduce novice users of Smartphone, Pocket PC, and Pocket PC Phone Edition devices to the capabilities of the latest release of Windows Mobile software. The tutorials combine text and animations to illustrate how to perform common tasks."

Click here to download the tutorials from Microsoft

(Make sure you have enough storage on your smartphone before you install the tutorials - they require 6.5MB of space)

The .NET Compact Framework Team is looking for feedback from developers on what they would like to see in future releases of the framework. Here is your chance to help shape the future of Windows Mobile from a developer point of view! Stop by the .NET Compact Framework Team blog for more information and details on how to submit your suggestion.

http://blogs.msdn.com/netcfteam/archive/2005/01/04/346372.aspx

Alex Yakhnin of OpenNETCF.org has posted list of his best .NetCF blog articles in 2004 - another one worth bookmarking if you are serious about development for Smartphones and Pocket PC.

As found on Windows Mobile Team blog entry that points to Nauman Leghari's blog which lists plenty of great SmartPhone Programming articles grouped nicely:  

• Introduction to the .NET Compact Framework
• The Smartphone User Interface
• Smartphone Controls
• Graphics
• Files and Directories
• Mobile Web Services
• Working with Unmanaged Code
• Deploying Smartphone Application
• Interoperability
• Game Programming with Smartphone
• Advanced Topics: Security, Debugging, Performance and such 

I recommend you bookmark this one if you ever intend on building an app or two for Windows Mobile.

Smartphone "Tip-o-the-Day" posted a great Bluetooth trick:

Want a very fast way to enable (or disable) Bluetooth?

Bluetooth Toggle allows the least amount of keystrokes to accomplish this. It can be done with one keystroke (just add a single-digit speed-dial to this utility). Personally, I made it two keystrokes--"2" and "8" (for "B" and "T", BlueTooth, get it?). That way it is easy to remember.

Simply download the file, "BTToggle.CAB" from here:

http://www.modaco.com/index.php?showtopic=99493

and copy it to your phone. Click on this CAB file from your device to install it. After a quick installation, a shortcut to it is placed in the Accessories section of Start menu. Create a speed-dial shortcut to it and you're done.

If you are using a BT headset, this speed-dial can even be invoked while in the middle of a call.

[Via Smartphone "Tip-o-the-Day"]

The story was removed per request.

---
WMPowered staff

If Apple Corporation will not enter cell phone industry with iPhone or another Apple branded cell phone, then other manufacturers will not be waiting and will enter area, where Apple (yet) rules: mobile devices with hard disk.

People are bored of carrying around several devices and would prefer to have one device with all features they need. So if you already have Apple iPod, consider buying this Microsoft Smartphone with built-in hard disk:

... that Samsung is considering to produce. Some features of this phone:

• built-in hard disk of size: 3GB
• operating system: Windows Mobile Magneto = Windows Mobile powered by Windows CE 5.0, not by Winodws CE 4.2 as Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. Commercially Magneto will probably be known as "Windows Mobile 2005".
• bilt-in Bluetooth (version 2.0) with streaming in stereo (by now most Bleutooth audio is mono)
• GSM tri-band with GPRS class 10
• dimension: 113 x 48 x 21 mm , weight: 160 gr
• display: 320x240 pixels (Microsoft Smartphone platform in "Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition" version supports this resolution natively already)
• OTA / Online Music Service - online music downloads are
• jog shuttle navigation - something like in Apple iPod

To learn more click here.

We have seen Microsoft Smartphone cell phones from Samsung in various trade shows that were presented behind the glass, without possibility to play with them and that never (by now) have been commercially released. This new Microsoft Smartphone:

... may be just another Samsung smartphone never to be released commercially but who knows... so here are the features:

• OS: Microsoft Smartphone 2003 Second Edition (or to be precise: Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition for Smartphone)
• GSM tri-band with GPRS Class 10
• Intenna = Internal antenna (previous Microsoft Smartphone cellphones had external antenna protruding from the device, this one has antenna integrated in the case)
• built-in camera: 1 megapixel
• card slot: mini-SD
• built-in Bluetooth version 2
• dimensions: 94 x 50 x 26 mm (130 gr)
• file viewers (doc, xls, ppt, pdf)

To learn more click here .

[Via msmobiles.com]

With this program you can check prices of various items at Amazon: 

... so if you are seeing some item in brick and mortar shops you can compare to online price at Amazon! ... or get additional product information. Usually Amazon puts limit on usage of Amazon web services, and we dont' know how this program can work if number of users will increase beyond some point, but it is worth trying...

Shop at Amazon.com with ShopEdge from your Smartphone, today! Check the best prices offered at Amazon.com, before you buy at full price elsewhere. Also, find out local movie times and restaurants.

View item details, prices and ratings, start with a simple search. Check prices and ratings before you buy at retail shop. Find books, movies, electronics, health/personal care, PC hardware, wireless, software, sporting goods, kitchenware, tools, toys, video games and more. Read customer reviews and buy with Amazon 1- Click® from your Smartphone. You can always cancel it later. Find local movie times and restaurants, too.

To learn more or to download this FREE program click here.

[Via msmobiles.com]

"SBSH released today their first software for Smartphone devices; Papyrus, a new solution designed to replace the default calendar application on Smartphone devices with a more powerful solution. Papyrus is first released as public beta and can be downloaded for free, in return we hope that users using Papyrus will post their feature requests and ideas on our forms and help us improve Papyrus."

Papyrus looks like a pretty nice replacement for the limited functionality of the Smartphone calendar. Papyrus beta is a free download, however you must be a registered user of their forums before you can download it. Once you've registered, use this link to download Papyrus.

MGN member texlbs made life a lot easier for those of you who like to sync your Smartphones using Bluetooth. He stumbled across directions posted on MTekk for Pocket PCs, and converted those for use with the Smartphone platform. It involves setting up a speed dial button for Activesync, and will allow you to sync through Bluetooth with the press of one button. Click the title of this post to get the full instructions.

Test Entry in the WMPowered.com

Test Entry in the WMPowered.com

Test Entry in the WMPowered.com

Test Entry in the WMPowered.com