Review: Microsoft My Phone

Microsoft My PhoneMicrosoft have recently opened up their ‘mobile cloud’ service to BETA testers. Microsoft My Phone is basically a sync service for the items on your phone. However, where this one differs is it stores items such as your contacts, calendar, tasks, text messages, photos, videos, music and documents all in one password protected online location.

The service syncs with Windows Mobile devices using a small sync client. The sync client works a little like ActiveSync in such a way that in can either be set up on a schedule or sync’s can be performed manually. Allowing you 200.00 MB’s worth of online storage space, all linked to your Windows Live account.

There are some downsides to the solution. Especially if you already sync with an exchange server. This unfortunatly prevents you from syncing your calendar, contacts, and tasks etc with the service. You can however continue to sync the other items on your phone.

I can see the service being used as a backup in case of lost or stolen phones, or simply as a way to easily access the documents stored on your phone in situations where you are unable to connect your phone to a PC. Like in a cyber cafe perhaps?

One of the benefits of this service over some of the others, is it’s ability to backup files stored on a storage card!

You can find more information about Microsoft My Phone over at it’s official website http://myphone.microsoft.com

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Mozilla Fennec (Firefox Mobile) reaches 'Alpha' state

FennecFor many months now the developers over in Mozilla towers have been locked away without food or drink, whilst they carefully put together years of experience and browser speed increased surfing into their mobile offering of Firefox. Now finally, the first ‘Alpha’ release has arrived!

The first ‘Alpha’ is only available for the OS2008 (“Maemo”) software platforms which include the Nokia N810 Internet Tablets. However, if you are not an owner of such a device, you can always download a copy desktop PC:

Watch this space for news of a Windows Mobile Alpha!

UPDATE: You can now download the Windows Mobile Cab from here

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Lock your Windows Mobile Phone in style

If you have a touch screen windows mobile phone, you may know have frustrating it is to take the phone out of your pocket and finding you have been connected to the speaking clock for 45 mins.

Now, I know there’s a built in key pad lock.. However, check out S2U2 (Slide to unlock)

S2U2 is a simple lock/unlock application which has the iPhone style slide unlocking. It can be used as a screensaver while you don’t use your device. It has CallerID function (but may not work on some devices, so please try it first); S2P control plugin; and volume control. It can show many system information (customizable) even without unlocking.

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Spb TV 1.0 – Mobile TV, the Way It Should Be

Las Vegas, March 31st, 2009 – Today at CTIA Wireless, Spb Software – a leading maker of mobile applications, announces the release of Spb TV – a practical mobile TV player with patent-pending on-screen controls and fast channel switching technology, use of intelligent stream correction, picture-in-picture mode, and an integrated TV guide with export of show reminders into Outlook. Spb TV is a subscription-free and international live mobile TV solution that is geared up to utilize the new generation of faster wireless networks.

The now standalone mobile TV solution for Windows Phones, Spb TV was first introduced to the market in September 2008 as the flagship feature of Spb Online. Since then, it has hosted millions of mobile TV sessions. Spb TV is unique in its approach to the mobile TV experience, offering the unexpectedly natural simplicity of watching live TV on a phone. Spb TV goes a long way to support the genuine TV watching behavior on a handset: quick TV guide check-up and channel hopping, on-screen controls for volume and backlight, neat integration of TV functionality with other mobile features (such as messages, calls, and battery life monitoring).

“Mobile TV is an additional fun factor for phone users, who expect hassle-free access to a nice selection of international TV channels from their handsets,” – comments Sebastian-Justus Schmidt, Spb Software CEO. “This is why Spb TV is subscription-free, optimized for 3G and WiMax networks, but works great with WiFi connections too. We also look to cooperation with mobile operators, to provide more customized and branded mobile TV experiences to their subscribers,” Sebastian concludes.

Spb TV Windows Mobile Solution

Spb TV 1.0 Main Features

  • Unique TV browser with quick channels preview and list of current & upcoming TV shows for fast channel selection
  • Integrated full week’s TV guide
  • Ability to set Outlook reminders for TV shows of interested
  • Fast channels launch and switching technology
  • Picture-in-picture mode (channel preview while in another channel)
  • Finger-friendly onscreen “transparent” controls with instant access to regular TV features
  • Full support of hardware buttons controls
  • Network bandwidth fluctuations support
  • Clever integration of mobile TV functionality with other mobile phone features

Pricing and Availability

Spb TV 1.0 is compatible with Windows Phones running on Windows Mobile 5 and later Professional and Standard platforms, qVGA, VGA, Square QVGA, and WVGA screen resolutions are supported. Spb TV 1.0 has a full and a freeware versions, with the freeware version limited in features and number of channels available. Spb TV requires a reliable 3G, WiMax or WiFi network connection for proper streaming. Full version of Spb TV is available for 14.95 USD at www.SpbSoftwareHouse.com.

Further Information and Downloads

Spb TV web page (Pocket PC)
Spb TV web page (Smartphones)

Spb TV screenshots page (Pocket PC)
Spb TV screenshots page (Smartphones)

Spb TV evaluation copy downloading page (Pocket PC)
Spb TV evaluation copy downloading page (Smartphones)

About Spb Software (www.spbsoftwarehouse.com)

Spb is a leading brand in mobile software, standing for a unique line of popular consumer products and partnerships with the world’s most innovative handset makers and wireless carriers. The popularity of Spb’s solutions rests on profound usability research, relevance to valid subscriber needs and smartphone use cases, as well as superior technical implementation, stability, and quality graphic design.

Spb Software invites members of the media to get familiar with the application by claiming their complimentary copy of Spb TV through contacting Victoria Krasilshikova at pr@softspb.com.

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Spb Software Wins in Sony Ericsson Content Awards

St. Petersburg, February 11th, 2009 — Spb Software, world’s top Windows Mobile applications maker is named winner in Sony Ericsson Content Awards. Spb Traveler, an application which helps to keep track of travel arrangements, meetings, time zones, exchange rates, and even clothing sizes at virtually any spot on the planet wins in the XperiaTM Panels category. Unique to Spb Traveler is the 3D globe which animates trips with sleek animation and offers a Geo Game for a fun way to test ones geographical knowledge and kill time on the go.

As part of the second annual Content Awards competition, Sony Ericsson received hundreds of entries. Nominees were evaluated according to such criteria as of ease of use, innovation, look and feel, and entertainment or usefulness value by a panel of industry experts and thought leaders. The XperiaTM Panels category winner – Spb Traveler – has a revolutionary animated finger-friendly UI, provides valuable tools and information to travelers such as world time and global weather service (powered by Foreca, the trusted provider of msn.com), subscription-free flight search, tip calculator, multilingual phrasebook, as well as currency, unit, and clothing size converters. “This Xperia Panel is an ideal travel tool, well-packaged with a clearly defined user experience and is also friendly to use,” said Vildan Hasanbegovi?, Product Manager at Sony Ericsson.

In 2008, Spb Software was chosen to develop a user interface panel for Xperia™ X1 and put forth a top-notch, Spb Mobile Shell-based solution that compliments the X1 in both style and speed. “We had a vision for the new Spb Traveler from the start, but certainly, the idea of creating a business application panel for Sony Ericsson was the inspiration,” – comments Denis Khitrov, the Product Manager of Spb Traveler. – “I have to admit that this inspiration recently drove us to create yet another panel for Sony Ericsson’s Xperia – Spb Weather.”

Further Information and Downloads

Spb Traveler web page
Spb Traveler screenshots page
Spb Traveler panel for Sony Ericsson Xperia web page

Spb Weather web page
Spb Weather screenshots page
Spb Weather panel for Sony Ericsson Xperia web page

The Spb Mobile Shell panel for Sony Ericsson Xperia comes with all X1 devices as a free download:
Spb Mobile Shell for Xperia X1 webpage
Spb Mobile Shell webpage
Sony Ericsson Xperia X1 webpage
Download Spb Mobile Shell panel for Xperia X1

About Spb Software (www.spbsoftwarehouse.com)

Spb is a leading brand in mobile software, standing for a unique line of popular consumer products and partnerships with the world’s most innovative OEMs and carriers, such as Acer, ASUS, E-TEN, Gigabyte, HTC, O2, Palm, Pharos, Samsung, SingTel, Sky Link, Sony Ericsson, Swisscom Mobile, Toshiba, T-Mobile, and VimpelCom. The popularity of Spb’s software solutions rests on profound usability research, relevance to valid subscriber needs and smartphone use cases, as well as superior technical implementation, stability, and quality graphic design.

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