Windows Mobile 6.5 Web Widgets at 17:21

I have playing around with the widgets now for a while and I have found a few things.

The first is that web widgets will run quite happily.

The second is that it isn’t as easy as copying a widget into place and running it. Although not yet. Currently the widgets will only run via the \Windows\riahost.exe which is only setup for 3 – MSN Weather, Money and Search.

I began by taking a Vista Sidebar Gadget as they are Microsoft’s widgets. Simply running them doesn’t work and trying to open then with riahost.exe doesn’t work either. When I checked the 3 MSN widgets I found that they are hard coded into the riahost. This means that you have to replace one to run your own.

Copying the contents of the uncompressed gadget to the \Program Files\Widgets\User\2 folder is the start. riahost lloks for the money.htm so the gadget’s htm must be renamed. Running the MSN Money shortcut now displays the text but not the images. I have been struggling with the images and this is going to take a lot of work on amending the .css file.

I’ve used Sidebar Gadgets, Google Widgets, Yahoo Widgets and they all have this similar problem. This shows that they will run, but will need porting rather than simply copying into place.

Now, Web Widgets.

Heading over to WidgetsBox, I’ve tried a few web based widgets and I’m having much better success. Copying this code into the htm file and using the config.xml and two icon images (.ico and .png) these are running straight away. There is a short delay while the web widget gets the images.

All of the html appears to run under riahost.exe,it is just a case of getting the coding right to run on our screens. Of course Windows Mobile 6.5 will allow user created widgets to run on the device. We are not at the answer yet, but with a little more developers on the case, we should get there very soon.

I think that we are going to see a blend of web and client based widgets when developers start turning their attention our way.

Windows Mobile 6.5: Today Screen Add-Ons at 13:03

The XDA Developers have begun to produced apps for extending the new Windows Mobile 6.5 today screen (Titanium).
There are a small group who have been working hard and have produced sliders for Weather, Opera, Speed Dial and an App Launcher.

My favorite is the Weather Slider.
Unselected, this gives the temperature and general description of the wether (Sunny).
Once selected, it gives a current status icon and the current/max/min temps for next 5 days.
You can then slide across to give a new tab for each day with a more detailed description.
The final slide is a link into the new 6.5 MSN Weather Widget.

This Slider also changes your right soft key to its setup menu.
Here you can define the update schdule/hours and define your city.

This app uses AccuWeather to provide the forecast, so to find your local city code just visit here.
Select your city and copy the location code from the end of the web address (e.g. EUR|UK|UK174|Manchester)

11th May – Windows Mobile 6.5 Officially Released at 17:47

So, Q2 2009 will be the officially release of Windows Mobile 6.5 at day one of the Tech Ed 2009 conference next month.

Stephanie Ferguson, GM of Business Experiences at Microsoft’s Mobile Communications Business is going to deliver the kick off launch presentation of Windows Mobile 6.5 on Monday, May 11th at 1:00PM – 2:15PM. This Tech Ed 2009 session focuses on one of the biggest launches in the history of Windows Mobile – Windows Mobile 6.5. It is targeted at both IT Professionals and Developers, with a cool demo and an outline of great stuff to come. Be sure to join us as we are giving away 5 Samsung Blackjack II’s!

source: The Boy Genius Report

Developers: From App Store to Marketplace at 18:05

Apple’s App Store created an easy way for both mobile users to buy apps and for developers to distribute their programs. It spawned a great deal of innovation within those developers and there have been more apps written for the iPhone in one year, than there has been created for Windows Mobile ever.

There a number of reasons:

The first is the fact all of the Apps are in one place and this helps both the developers and the consumers. The developers can pay one site to distribute their apps, immediately reaching the entire app buying audience. For the consumers it is the flipside of the same argument. When somebody wants to buy an App, there is no trawling sites to find thee app that you want and finding the best price, thus simplifying the whole buying process.

The second is the market which is buying the phones. Windows Mobile is predominantly bought for business use, where as the iPhone was designed as a feature phone, where the standard user was already paying for ringtones and wallpapers. Getting those people to switch from paying $3 for a ringtone to paying $1 for an app was very easy.

The next is the type of apps which have been written for the platforms. Windows Mobile apps are used most days once bought, normally in the workplace to improve productivity, and are invariably complex multi-level apps. If we look at the iPhone apps, there are more games and ‘30 second’ apps. Most Windows Mobile apps are for niche use, most iPhone apps will be used by everybody.

Device centric apps. If you want to write an app for the iPhone, you have one screen resolution with 2 (soon to be 3) different handset’s hardware to write for. There are so many different screen resolutions available for WM that it makes it difficult for developers and consumers to know if the app will run. The hardware choice further confounds things with so many different combinations of GPS, Camera, Accelerometers and physical keyboard/optical keyboard options. Writing an app for all WM devices just isn’t possible.

I am really looking for to Windows Marketplace which will address most of these points and I expect that a number of the iPhone Developers will port their apps to re-produce their success on WM. Lets just hope that the road bumps wont put too many of them off.

HTC Diamond 2 : ETA UK - 15th April - £420 at 23:45

Expansys have the Diamond 2 on pre-order now for £420 (inc tax).

Further Details to Designer 6.5 Themes at 23:38

There are now 5 Fashion Designers who have created themes for Windows Mobile 6.5 :

Isaac Mizrahi

DVF

Rock and Republic

Ron Arad

Vera Wing

View Full Album

The themes bring the official wallpapers, provide custom colours throughout the UI and also bring a colour mask to the Today Screen Taskbar.

The shading also masks our own chosen wallpaper.

View Full Album

More Windows Mobile 7 Screenshots at 10:23

Microsoft have released a new Software + Service video and just like Synchronizing Life, this includes further shots of Windows Mobile 7.

View Full Album

The video shows a Touch HD, Touch Pro and an Xperia X1.

Video Archive : Synchronizing Life at 10:23

I’ve brought this one out of the archives as it is interesting to see how the latest shots of Windows Mobile 7 compare with those from the start of last year.

Video : Software + Service – The Greater Sum at 10:17

Microsoft have a new video available for viewing pushing Cloud Services – Software + Service – The Greater Sum.

Oh yeah, this also includes shots of a Windows Mobile 7 based UI.

Watch the video here or head to the Software + Service site.

10 Windows Phones for Windows Mobile 6.5 Release at 00:48

Support is building for Windows Mobile 6.5 (Probably bolstered  following the recent success of the Windows 7 betas).

Robbie Bach, during CTIA, has announced , "We will have over 10 phones available in the U.S. alone. We expect to see that grow.".

We already know that HTC’s Diamond 2 and Touch Pro 2 have been ear marked for free upgrades, so we can expect these two on that list. So, I’ll be keeping my eyes peeled for the other 8.

Source : eWeek.com

Video: Introducing Windows Marketplace at 18:43

Microsoft have released this fantastic video showcasing the new Windows Mobile 6.5 client app for connecting to the Windows Marketplace.

(displayed in Silverlight)

Iris Browser Update for Windows Mobile at 17:25

Torch Mobile have now released a new version of their popular Iris Web Browser for Windows Mobile - version 1.1.6.

Newest features include :
A new registry flag to control the minimum/maximum zoom levels
Performance improvements including 25% faster page loads
Improved scrolling performance
Improved paint speed

Downloadable from Torch Mobile Upgradable from Options, Menu, Check for Updates.

New Look : What Do You Think? at 16:21

I've updated the look of my Blog.

What does everyone think?

New Windows Mobile 6.5 Satellite Phone at 15:07

Elektrobit are exhibiting a new Satellite Phone which is already running Windows Mobile 6.5.

The phone is a candybar qwerty device running Windows Mobile 6.5 Pro, QVGA touchscreen, BT, WiFi, GPS, 3MP camera.
And according to TerreStar, can quickly switch between satellite and 3G mode.

For a satellite phone this is both 'small' and attractive (no external antenna).

The two great things to gleam from is that it is the first instance of a QVGA screen running Windows Mobile 6.5 and it also the first Candybar that we have seen running 6.5.

Again, there has been sight of a Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard.
Is this a pre-emptive for there being no Windows Mobile 7 Standard?

For further images head over to WMExperts.

Non-Official WiMo App Store at 10:47

There is a new non-official Windows Mobile App Store.
This is un-linked with Microsoft and offers just 15 applications (predominantly SPB software).

Its a well presented site, but as there is no mobile portal, its success is uncertain.
Let's see what comes of it.

More Pluses to Windows Marketplace for Mobile at 10:32

Robbie Bach's keynote speach at CTIA has yealded more information about Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Firstly, Self Service Refunds :
The refund option on Marketplace is set to be extremely consumer friendly, allowing the buyer to choose the refund option (within 24hours), without having to have the option justified.

Purchase Back Ups :
As with the iStore, when you purchase from Marketplace, you will be able to re-download the application as the service will remember your purchases.
Further to this, it will not matter whether you bought the app online, or via the client app on your Windows 6.5> device - your login will store the details of your purchases.
This will mean that you can buy the app at via the online site and then later, download the install onto your device (very handy if your in a rush).

New Apple Patent Covering Movement Based Control at 10:13

Another Apple patent has surfaced (this from Oct 07) which covers "movement-based interfaces for personal media device.".
At that Apple could stop any other manufacturer from using acceloromter based software.

But will they?

We have seen a large number of legal cases regarding copyright infringments, but how many of those are by the top marque companies, such as Apple/Microsoft/RIM against companies of the same marque?

Virtually all of the patent cases have been by smaller companies who appear to have raised a patent simply as a means to make money from those already 'breaching' it.

I believe that every patent we see from the likes of Apple/Microsoft/RIM are infact security against the innovative technology that we are already using.
When one of our respectable software houses show an patent, it is not a declaration of war, but a olive branch, protecting the others.

How do you feel about the patents of already existing technology?

Windows Messenger + AOL, ICQ, Skype, Facebook & Google Talk at 12:29

On Thrusday the 2nd April we will see a new version of Windows Live Mobile being made available.
This is set to add further language support and enhanced photo upload capabilities.

The next upgrade is set to bring an even greater improvement.
Microsoft are working with developers to add the ability to conenct with other IM networks.
The list of names so far include AOL, ICQ, Skype, Facebook & Google Talk