Posts in Handhelds
Asus to offer WM6 for current handhelds
John Chan | May 25, 2007
Not to be left behind, Asus has announced that it, too, will be upgrading some current models running Windows Mobile 5.0 (WM5) to Windows Mobile 6 (WM6) in July. The models included are the A626 and A696 PDAs as well as the GPS-enabled P535 PDA-phone.
The A626 and A696 were announced together with the P735 PDA-phone in April 2007, and both currently run WM5 Pocket PC Edition. It was earlier reported that Asus had no intentions to upgrade the OS on these two devices, but it seems there has been a change of plans--for the better. The P735 PDA-phone will be available from next week, and the initial shipment will already come with WM6, so no upgrade is necessary for that model.
This OS upgrade will take place in July. Users will then be able to download a file from the Asus Web site to update their handhelds.
WM6 is Microsoft's latest OS for mobile devices. Among its improvements is the ability to read and compose emails in HTML format. Click here to find out which other handhelds will receive upgrades to WM6.
WM6 for Atom Life available on Thurs, says O2
John Chan | May 22, 2007
| Editors' note:
23 May 2007--As of today, the WM6 English ROM for the Atom Life is already available on the O2 site. Registered users can log in with their accounts and proceed to download the update.
|
According to O2, Atom Life users will soon be able to get their hands on the long-awaited Windows Mobile 6 Professional upgrade on Thursday. The company told CNET Asia that this will be available on the O2 site for download, or users can make a trip to the O2 service centers if they'd rather not do it themselves.
Though the upgrade was already tested and scheduled for a launch last week, O2 revealed that the update to WM6 was "pending final approval to ensure that its rigorous standards were met before being released".
The enhancements available in the Atom Life like SMS Plus and Phone Plus will continue to work after the upgrade. Users should also be aware that all data in the device will be erased, so make sure it is backed up before attempting the update. As with any software upgrade, this one should be done with utmost care. CNET Asia will not be held responsible for any damage or loss of data as a result of the process.
WM6 is the latest version of Microsoft's OS for mobile devices. Improvements from the earlier WM5 include the ability to view and compose emails in HTML format and the option to make use of the Windows Live set of services on the handheld. Click here to read a full review of WM6.
E-Ten leads the pack for WM6 updates
John Chan | May 14, 2007
Users of the E-Ten X500 and M700 handhelds rejoice--the Windows Mobile 6 (WM6) upgrade for these two devices is available.
Soon after the Taiwanese company announced its plans to provide WM6 free for current users, the upgrade is now available on the glofiish Web site. It requires registered users to obtain an "Action Key" via email, which users can request through E-Ten's support page. From there, the update can be downloaded by inputting the provided access code and the device's IMEI number.
This makes E-Ten the first company to roll out its WM6 update. O2 could have been the first but a delay in its approval process with Microsoft has postponed its upgrade for the Atom Life.
VGA display on compact handheld
John Chan | May 10, 2007
VGA displays on PDA-phones have mostly been reserved for those who don't mind huge devices. Handhelds like the Dopod U1000 tip the scales at 375g, hardly something you'd want to put into a pants pocket.
E-Ten has just announced the glofiish X500+, an update of its X500 PDA-phone. Like the older model, the improved X500+ is a quadband GSM phone device with built-in GPS. The big difference is that its 2.8-inch display has a resolution of 640 x 480, up from the current 320 x 240 on the X500. Its 15.5mm thickness and weight of 146g will make it one of the smallest and lightest PDA-phones to sport a VGA display.
Both the X500+ and X500 will come with Windows Mobile 6 Professional. The X500+ will have it out of the box, while X500 users will receive an upgrade to the newer OS from E-Ten.
Also new in the X500+ is the macro-capable 2-megapixel camera. This will be useful for its bundled Namecard Manager application which will save contacts onto the handheld based on just photos taken of name cards.
E-Ten had earlier announced another VGA device, the glofiish X800, which features 3.5G technology and also a GPS chip. Even then, the X500+ is expected to be available earlier than the X800, which will be launched in Q3 for the Asia-Pacific region. Unfortunately, at press time, E-Ten's representative was not able to give more specific information regarding the release date and pricing of the X500+.
WM6 for E-Ten but not for HP
John Chan | May 09, 2007
Announcements about Windows Mobile 6 upgrades are coming thick and fast. This time, there's both good news and bad news for E-Ten glofiish and HP iPaq users, respectively.
In a press release, E-Ten announced that it will be upgrading its glofiish X500 and M700 devices to WM6. These are both GPS-enabled handhelds and are the two latest commercially available handhelds in E-Ten's line of glofiish products. The upgrade will be made available on the glofiish Web site from May.
HP users, on the other hand, will not get WM6 upgrades for the iPaq hw6900, rw6800, rx4000 and rx5000 series of handhelds. The computer giant cited "the potential for long delays, as well as possible carry-over costs" to its customers as reasons for this decision. These devices will continue to be offered to customers with Windows Mobile 5.0 installed.
HP's future devices will come with the new OS though, starting with the HP iPaq 512 Voice Messenger smart phone which features WM6 Standard.
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