Personal Technology Tips in Plain English
Windows Mobile
Clone Wars: Windows Mobile App Store
Jan 26th
Microsoft is huge on copycatting anything that seems to be working elsewhere. They are known to be that one person that’s always late to the party. Perhaps trying to be fashionably late, many times it’s just a huge embarrassment for Microsoft . . . other times, they are just glad they got in the door before it was too late.
Here’s a classic example of the clone-aholic tendencies of Redmond WA: Windows Mobile smartphone users (like me with my Samsung Blackjack) now have an App Store of their own. Of course, Microsoft is in denial that it is copying Apple’s itunes apps store, so it’s not called the “Windows Mobile App Store” like it should.
Instead, it is branded as the Windows Mobile Marketplace:
The only problem is that while the Blackberry App Store has launched with hundreds and hundreds of apps – over 1,100 games alone, the WM App Store only has about 500 or so apps in total. Nothing to write home about at this point.
We’ll have to wait until Microsoft figures out how to load up the store with great apps from 3rd party developers as the iPhone app store has done. But in the meantime, there are some neat WM apps like the Facebook, Skyfire browser, MySpace, and other apps which most WM6 users will want to look at and download.
Have you tried the Windows Mobile App Store? What apps have you downloaded so far? Which have been a waste of your time and money? Let us know in the comment section below!
Take Your Addiction With You: Facebook App for Windows Mobile
Jun 19th
You spend way too much time on Facebook as it is.
But not, you can do it away from the keyboard so that it LOOKS like you’re not as addicted as you are.
Now any Windows Mobile phone like the Samsung Jack is your new Facebook portal with the Windows Mobile Facebook Application.
Up to now, your social media addictions either kept you returning to your computer or you started a 2nd line of social media crazziness like Twitter.
Now, you have two outlets on your computer, and another one for your Windows Mobile cell phone.
I think the neatest part of this application is that you can upload photos AND videos to your Facebook profile.
Go ahead, and download it now. Just don’t forget to friend me when you do.
How To Send Free Text Messages From Your Apple iPhone (or any other cell phone)
Apr 5th
The original iPhone cellular plan from AT&T included 200 free SMS Text Messages per month…
But AT&T and Apple got wise as they started to sell millions of new iPhones and no longer include free text messaging in the data plan.
Now, you have to pay $5 or more to add on buckets of text messages or else you’re stuck paying $0.15 per text message a la carte.
And especially if you have a teen daughter that did nothing but send 10,000+ text messages in a single month at school, home, and everywhere else, you’ll be stuck with a massive cell phone bill (imagine getting a cell phone bill from Verizon Wireless for $4,756.25 in a single month?) you need to know about this free service.
Here’s a great tip for how to send free text message from the iPhone WITHOUT any additional text message plan.
Of course this also works on any other web-enabled smart phone like Windows Mobile devices… Read the rest of this entry »
Gain New Super Powers With Your Voice
Mar 18th
Some people are loud mouths.
Now they officially have a reason to be proud. Their voice just gained new super powers.
Demonstrating this new cell phone trick to friends will make you the envy of all.
For example, what if you could simply speak into your cell phone phrase like, “all the things my wife said I had to by at the grocery store” and voila! you get the entire list verbatim. And I mean verbatim!
This new trick may just save your life or at least your hide some day. What is it?
It’s a neat new technology that’s being previewed by Microsoft and available as a free download for Windows Mobile phones right now. . . Read the rest of this entry »
Make Sure You Gain An Hour At The Right Time!
Oct 28th
My, how time flies…Daylight savings is upon us.
This year, in 2008, Daylight Saving Time begins on March 9 and ends on November 2nd.
(And for you future minded people, in 2009, Daylight Saving Time begins on March 8th and ends on Nov. 1st.)
The problem is that not all Windows Mobile cell phones – and desktop PC’s for that matter – are up-to-date regarding the recent change in how we do daylight savings here in the United States. If you recall, the US Government figured out that we don’t actually save electricity nor increase productivity by changing the timing of our clocks — so they moved the dates to confuse us all last year.
This year is no different, but you can be a little better prepared so that your cell phone time/date isn’t out of sync for a week or two based on the new daylight savings calendar.
So this is just a reminder to make sure you have applied the updates to your desktop PC’s windows / Vista platform, your Microsoft Outlook and your Windows Mobile device should be fine with your next syncs. The list of Microsoft applications that are affected are: Read the rest of this entry »
A Version of Texas That Is Portable And Handheld
Aug 13th
Everything is big in Texas.
Even the current cultural craze over Texas Hold ‘Em is gigantic.
However, here’s one instance where it ain’t that big. In fact, it’s so small you can take it with you wherever you go. . .
Read the rest of this entry »
Free Upgrade to Windows Mobile Microsoft Office 6.1
May 19th
Microsoft Office 2007 introduced an annoying new file format which causes confusion among users of older Microsoft Office products since they need a downloadable plug-in to view files in .docx format on the PC for instance.
The reason for this change that will cause problems for a couple of years until everyone upgrades to Office 2007 is that the files are now saved in an XML-based file format. Supposedly, the benefits are that these new file formats will reduce file size, improve security and reliability, and enhance integration with external sources (web, etc).
If you have Microsoft Office Mobile on your smartphone cell phone, that you may have already experienced issues reading documents saved by anyone with the newer Office 2007 applications – just like on the PC.
To allow Windows Mobile to work with Office documents created in the new file formats, Microsoft has put out a free upgrade for Word Mobile, Excel Mobile, and PowerPoint Mobile. . . Read the rest of this entry »
I love tech, gadgets and the web. Hope you pick-up a useful tip or two here today that helps you use technology to your advantage! Better yet, why not share your own expertise in a comment on a post today to help the other readers that land here for answers!