SBSH Mobile has announced that Facade has received an upgrade to version 2.1. For the uninitiated, Facade is an interface customization tool for Windows phones without touchscreens.

We love us some Windows Mobile Standard around here. Customizing and tweaking can be a little more difficult on Standard than Professional, making a tool like Facade pretty handy for those of you that want more control over the look and feel that your phone provides.

In addition to the bug fixes, language updates, and performance and stability improvements; Facade includes some new or improved features in version 2.1. Access to an online Skins Arena will allow you to find and install a skin that fits your personality without forcing you to build your own. The Skins Arena can be accessed from your device or from a computer. Analog Clocks are also supported in 2.1, and are skinnable as well.

Facade 2.1 is available as a free upgrade to registered users of Facade 2. Those of you still using version 1.x can upgrade to 2.1 for $7.95.

The Samsung Jack is turning out to be a very good Windows Mobile phone, and Windows Mobile Standard remains an equally good operating system. The sliding panels of the Samsung Jack's Today Screen can put a lot of information at your fingertips, but I can't help but feel Microsoft missed the boat when it didn't put a contact panel on Windows Mobile Standard 6.1.

Have no fear, CHome Configurator will make up for the lack of a contact panel and then some. CHome Configurator isn't a stranger to Windows Mobile Standard and is a utility that will allow you to add, delete and modify the WM Standard Panels. To see how well CHome fits with the Samsung Jack, follow the break.

Read the rest of this entry »

We ran across this video of Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard running on a Motorola Q9h and it leaves us with more questions than answers. First, can you shoot a video any more out of focus?

The 2:41 minute long video first posted on Everything Q does show the Moto Q running Windows Mobile 6.5 by showing the "About" screen and we agree with wmpoweruser in that Windows Mobile Standard 6.5 doesn't look much different than Windows Mobile Standard 6.1. But we already knew that, didn't we.

Two things stand out here. The phone has Regedit and Documents to Go installed. Does this mean that WM Standard 6.5 is loaded with a registry editor and Documents to Go? Or were these two items added after the install? (The latter, probably.) The video definitely leaves you with more questions than answers, but we do know that there has been some work in loading custom ROMs onto the Q line. Perhaps things are farther along than we thought?

A few weeks ago the mobile browser Skyfire 1.0 was released for Windows Mobile. We took a look at it on the AT&T Fuze and found it to be a decent browser with a good bit of potential.

We had the opportunity to review the Samsung Jack and taking advantage of having a Windows Mobile Standard phone in the house, Skyfire 1.0 was installed and taken for a test drive. Follow the break to see how well Skyfire matches up with Windows Mobile Standard.

Read the rest of this entry »

You've got the HTC Snap and the Samsung Jack, and it looks like LG is following in their footsteps by introducing the GW550. The GW550 is another front-facing keyboard, 2.4-inch QVGA, Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard phone.

Just when you thought WM Standard was on its last leg, devices running the standard OS seem to be coming out of the woodwork. The GW550 also sports a 3 megapixel camera, "global" 3G, and 7.2Mbps HSDPA/2Mbps HSUPA capabilities. Based on the photos, the GW550 is follows the conservative appearance the Snap and Jack have, and it has the same lines as the Nokia N71.

No word yet from LG on pricing or availability. Depending on pricing and what the final specifications shake out to be, if you're in the market for a WM Standard phone the LG GW550 might make the choice a little more difficult to make.

Via The Boy Genius Report

Now, we're not ones to complain about any Windows Mobile Standard device that comes out these days -- they're getting so few and far between that we don't want to further scare carriers away from asking for them.  So instead of kvetching about how the LG HQ looks and smells like a HP Voice Messenger, we'll note how the LG HQ also looks to put the BlackBerry Pearl in its place.  If LG puts some marketing weight behind it, it might actually manage to draw some of those Pearl users away, because the specs are nothing to sniff at:

• Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard
• 3G, Quad Band Edge
• WiFi, Bluetooth
• 2MP camera
• miniSD HD
• 256 ROM/128 RAM
• 240x320 QVGA screen

By the way, if you were wondering, our dream of seeing a Windows Mobile standard device with a resolution greater than 240x320 is on its last legs.  

It's time for Software Wrangle 23 and we will look at a bunch of new, updated and free apps one last time before riding off into the sunset. Let's saddle up one last time and go out guns blazing!

This week, WM Standard new software is TuneSync for Windows Mobile and Golf Tracks Standard. Updated software includes A3VS DVD Catalyst 3 and SBSH Facade 1.4.1. The free app this week is Skyfire.

WM Professional new software are Budget Manager Deluxe and Video Poker. Updated software includes MASPware GuardMobile and Winterface. Freeware is Digital Tool List v1.0 beta.

Read the rest of this entry »

It's been a long time since we've heard anything about HP's Silver — that's it on the right — which we first got wind of way back in January. We initially expected it to launch in July, but that obviously didn't happen.

Now Engadget Mobile has brought word that the Silver is still alive and kicking, and they have a photo gallery to prove it.

It should be interesting to see if the original leaked specs — 7.2 HSDPA, 240x320 screen, 1010mAh batter, GPS, WiFi — have held up over the long wait, or if they've managed to improve anything in the interim. You can see the sliding panels of Windows Mobile 6.1 in the above photo, so there's one  bullet point that's gotten slightly better with age.

Still no word on pricing or release date, but look for the Silver to hit Europe's Vodaphone first.

Time to open the stables, saddle up, and start wrangling this week's software. This week we'll rope in some new and updated software for WM Standard and Professional, as well as take a peek at some freeware.

This week we're looking at new software for WM Standard, including GPSed and Genius Converter. Updated software includes Elecont Smartphone Manager and PDA Tuner PRO Live Online Radio and TV. Featured freeware includes Ilium Software Screen Capture and SplashNews for Smartphone.

Over on the WM Professional side, new software this week includes Pocket Workout Wizard v3.2 and Skybox. Updated software includes HiCalc - Your Trusted Calculator and Pocket DB for WM6 Professional. The freebies include IRCy Dictionary and Scatto.

Without further ado, let's start riding over to this week's Wrangle!

Read the rest of this entry »

Like our sister sites, we thought it was high time to deliver to you a Weekly Software Wrangle, where we herd and rope in some of the new and updated software for WM Standard and Professional.

This week we're looking at new software for WM Standard, including PhoneyCall, Fizz Alarms, and WM Tip Calculator. Updated software includes Extreme Agenda, AE Button Plus, and CorePlayer Mobile for Smartphone.

Over on the WM Professional side, new software this week includes Lexisgoo English Dictionary, In The Bag Shopping List, and Ringtones Deluxe +250 Volume 4. Updated software includes Softick Card Export, Master Kick and Zoomboard.

So saddle up, partners, and ready your lassos! Be sure to holler "YEEEHAWW!" as you stampede over to this week's Wrangle!

Read the rest of this entry »