What's with Windows Mobile?: Ask the Editors

Q: I need to replace my Palm Treo 650. Here's what I need. I need the organizing/calendar as well as contacts features. It needs to be a quad-band phone; have a screen similar in size to the Palm 650; a camera so it can record video clips and photos. It also needs to send text messages with photos attached and a QWERTY keyboard.

I'd buy another Treo, but I hear that Windows Mobile 6 works really slowly and is unreliable (at least on the Palms). I've also heard that Treo keyboards tend to die (like mine has). I've definitely ruled out the BlackBerry Pearls. Have I heard wrong about the Treos and/or Windows Mobile? What else is out there that fits my demanding feature list? Thanks greatly!--thracker11 via email

A: I'll be honest (and I don't think I'm in the minority here), the Windows Mobile operating system has its fair share of problems. It's not the most intuitive OS in the world, and it has a checkered past of stability issues and slow performance. So thracker11, you have reason for concern. That said, I feel like Microsoft has made strides in improving the OS.
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F1 simulation predicts more overtaking in 2009

As far as we know, Formula One (F1) cars are the fastest compared with almost all other motorsports. Yet there is still the risk of the race getting boring if all these speed demons always travel in a procession with Ferrari and McLaren-Mercedes forever leading the pack. According to a computer simulation done to project the effect of the aerodynamic bodywork changes for next season, we'll probably see more overtaking in 2009 compared to this year.

The report claims that F1 cars next year will look very different because of smaller wings, lack of winglets and very different rear diffusers. This will make it easier for the cars to get closer to one another, making overtaking more likely. But with overtaking comes risks and thrills, too. So if you haven't enjoyed this season much so far, hang in there for a possibly more ride season next year.

Via F1-Live.com | Image credit: Morio

10 (more) absurd iPhone apps

It's been just a month since the App Store hit the streets, and the number of applications has skyrocketed. That doesn't mean they're all winners though. The vast majority are downright useless, buggy, or simply overpriced. Heck, some have even been removed by Apple because of all-around lameness. Since our inaugural list of absurd iPhone apps was a big hit, we've picked another group of 10 that are even more absurd than the first ones.

Note: This list is not the same as the version that was published Monday afternoon. Glagow Coma Scale has been replaced with 40 Cozy's Pour1out in light of creator Brent Thompson's comment about the people it's helped. That's not so absurd.

1. GottaGo
Price: US$1.99
This is one of those apps you hope is some sort of sick joke. Designed to get you out of a bad date or an awkward conversation, you can use GottaGo to ring you up with a fake phone call that looks real to your unsuspecting date. All you have to do is set the time like you would an alarm and it will call you, with faked caller ID and everything.

Why it's absurd: Be a decent human being and tell someone when it's just not working. They'll probably respect you more and it'll tie things up better than trying to explain why your apartment being on fire means you'll have to skip dessert.
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Touchscreen Symbian OS on a Samsung mobile phone next year

To date, there are no Symbian S60 phones that come with touchscreen display, but come next year, we can expect such an implementation to be seen on a Samsung handset.

Mahmood Kalantar, regional director of Symbian S60 in Asia Pacific, said at the launch of the INNOV8 in Vietnam that his company is "working on a touchscreen Symbian OS" and we can expect to see it in a Samsung mobile phone in 2009.

Nokia, which bought over Symbian earlier this year, will probably be the first manufacturer to incorporate the new OS into its phones and we're guessing that the Korean chaebol won't be lagging too far behind.

Sony's Cyber-shot T500 captures HD movies

It's no surprise that Sony has kept up with the point-and-shoots trend to deliver HD-movie capture feature in one of its latest offering, the Cyber-shot DSC-T500.

The T500 was announced yesterday and its specifications look quite promising--10-megapixel sensor, 5x optical zoom, 3.5-inch touchscreen display and optical image stabilizer. One of the major selling points would, of course, be the HD-quality (1,280 x 720 pixels) movie capture function. Sony also mentioned that videos will be recorded in the .MPEG4 format instead of the usual .AVI. This will supposedly reduce the recording file sizes. Another upside of the T500 is its the ability to capture audio in stereo quality which will offer a better aural experience.

Sony was unable to confirm with us the T500's availability and pricing, but we've got our mitts on a set so check back soon for a hands-on preview.

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