Complete listing of all news stories posted on Dave's PDA Place in the month of October 2002.  Some stories linked to could have been removed or changed since their original posting.

64mb of Memory for FREE
Thursday 10.31.02 at 1:05 AM PST
Tiger Direct has a promotion for the next 11 hours that will allow you to get a free 64mb Memory Stick, CF, or SD memory card. What could be better then free memory? Just order select I-O Data memory cards before the end of Halloween and send in the rebate.
Memory Stick | CF Type I | Secure Digital (SD)

New Software Releases
Thursday 10.31.02 at 1:02 AM PST
V2R's Skin2Choose now includes 7 Phone Sins with 2 special Halloween Skins and 2 Halloween Themes and allows you to change your Theme within the same application. Planetgriff has announced the release of the mda pSyn. The new module includes LFO(low frequency oscillator), envelope, filter and amp controllers and more. Cascata Limited has released an original 3D game called Master Thief for Palm OS. The game uses MobileWizardry�s advance AI engine for full-color game play. Mobility Electronics' has officially announced its new Mobilefile application, giving mobile professionals wireless access to data files on their PCs. Applications that you only need on a sporadic basis can be pulled in and installed using Mobilefile, and you can even pull in MP3 and MPEG4 files into certain models of Palm Powered devices and create a virtual jukebox.

HP iPAQ 1900 Rumored Picture
Tuesday 10.29.02 at 4:10 PM PST
Spotted on a message board, a picture of a possible HP low an iPAQ appeared. Word on the board was this is the iPAQ 1900 though the model number could be different. The formfactor is different the previous iPAQ's and the iPAQ 5400. See the link below for the picture
HP iPAQ Rumors

Special Edition Sony T665 and SJ30
Tuesday 10.29.02 at 11:47 AM PST
Palm Info Center has information about two Special Edition products Sony is planning for the holiday season. The special editions are marked by different color cases. The T665 SE comes in orange while the SJ30 SE comes in glossy black or glossy white. Both devices will be the same price as their "normal" counterparts.
More from PIC

Palm Tungsten-T Announced
Sunday 10.27.02 at 10:18 PM PST
Palm has officially released the Tungsten T device. The device is in the same form factor as the "Oslo" we saw month ago and some of the publicity photos are the same as the leaked rumor pictures. The Tungsten T runs Palm OS version 5.0 on a TI OMAP1510 processor. It includes 16mb for RAM, a lithium battery, headphone jack, SD slot, built in Bluetooth, and microphone, all in a .6" thick package. The Tungsten T retails for $500 direct from Palm and Palm is showing the product as in stock and ready to ship.
Hardware: PDA: Palm: Tungsten-T | Complete Press Release

Palm Tungsten-W Announced
Sunday 10.27.02 at 10:18 PM PST
Palm has announced their future Tungsten-W device, their latest wireless PDA. Unlike its predictors the i705 and VII, the Tungsten-W has a 16-bit color screen, headset jack, SD slot, GPRS wireless, a built in keyboard, and up to 16mb of RAM. The device will have a price tag of $550 when it becomes available early in 2003.
Hardware: PDA: Palm: Tungsten-W | More @ Palm

New Software Releases
Sunday 10.27.02 at 10:07 PM PST
Hexacto will be bringing Links to Pocket PC's and Smartphones. The game will feature golf with state-of-the-art graphics, two courses (with the ability to add more) and photo-quality player animations. AIM Productions has released Dynamike, a colorful puzzle game with some explosive action. The game will challenge your mind and requires focus to complete. Astraware has released the first game playable on the Tungsten T. They have optimized Bejweled for Palm OS 5. The game shows of the performance features of the new products as well as the pride Astraware has for their software.

Sony Develops New TV Tuner Cards
Sunday 10.27.02 at 11:31 AM PST
"Sony Japan has announced that it has developed some of the smallest TV tuners designed for PDAs and other mobile devices. When integrated with a mobile device the user would be able to receive and view broadcast television...Sony says they are planning to supply samples of the modules in February 2003....Starting prices look high: $299 and $340, but we can expect them to drop after few months."
Complete Story @ PalmInfoCenter

Site: Weekly News Report Update
Sunday 10.27.02 at 11:20 AM PST
I am sorry to those that look to the Weekly News Report section for an update on what happened in the previous week. But now it is updated again and I will try to stay more on top of it. For those that don't know, the Weekly News Report (accessible on from the left side of the homepage) provides a quick summary of major events of the week.
Weekly News Report

Weekend Deals
Saturday 10.26.02 at 2:40 PM PST
Palm device prices are dropping getting ready for the release of the Tungsten series next week. Pick up a Palm m515 for a cool $280 or if Palm isn�t your cup of tea, check out the Sony SJ20 which is down to $165. If you are Pocket PC fan, the iPAQ 3900�s are way down price with the 3970 for $615 and the 3950 for a little over $530. If you already have a device, memory is always good and Sandisk 256mb cards are available in CF and SD formats for under $100 and $125 respectively (plus you get a free card reader).

Palm Tugsten T French Ad
Thursday 10.24.02 at 11:21 AM PST
I just recieved a clipping from a French computer stores catalog that is listing the Tungsten T. It is listed as TI ARM based 144mhz processor, 16mb of RAM, Palm OS 5, Bluetooth, and a 16-bit color screen. These specifications are similar to what has previously been rumored.
See the Ad | Other Tungsten Rumors

Video In and Out CF Cards
Wednesday 10.23.02 at 5:36 PM PST
Animation Technologies is releasing to new Compact Flash cards one which allows you to output video from your device and another that lets you input it! The FlyPresenter-CF outputs through the CF slot at up to a 1024x768 resolution either on a VGA, RCA, or S-Video connection. The FlyGrabber-CF allows for video input through the CF slot, displays at up to 30fps, can utilize the full screen, allows for taking snapshots and recording full motion video and more.
FlyPresenter-CF | FlyGrabber-CF

Microsoft ActiveSync 3.6 Released
Wednesday 10.23.02 at 9:24 AM PST
Microsoft has now officially released AS 3.6. Those that have been unable to find it since we talked about it last month can now easily find it on the Microsoft Pocket PC website. Version 3.6 includes secuirty, reliability, and compatibility updates.
Get ActiveSync 3.6

Microsoft Smartphone Released
Tuesday 10.22.02 at 7:15 PM PST
Microsoft has released detailed information about Smartphones, where they are coming from, what they will have, and more! The Smartphone adds the functionality of a PDA to a cellphone, but the primary function of the device is still as a phone. Unlike the Pocket PC Phone Editions, these do not have touch screens nor as big of a screen, and run quite differently. I recently had a chance to play with one of these and was very impression with the hard work that had been put in to make sure this product has great functionality. Look for them next year in the US.
More From MS

Smartphone 2002 SDK Available
Tuesday 10.22.02 at 12:50 AM PST
Developers, listen up! The Smartphone 2002 SDK has been released by Microsoft. Download the Smartphone 2002 SDK, which includes APIs for Smartphone 2002 application development, user interface design elements, full-device emulation, and comprehensive documentation, including design and porting guides and white papers.
Get the SP2K SDK

Toshbia e740 Voluntary Recall
Monday 10.21.02 at 5:37 PM PST
Toshiba has initiated a
voluntary recall for Pocket PC e740 units bearing serial numbers 72014641L through 92041620L*. A loss of data can occur if the battery is allowed to fully discharge or if the battery is disconnected from the e740 for any reason. If the serial number of your Pocket PC falls outside this range, your device is not impacted and there is no action required on your part.
Letter from Toshiba about Recall

New PPC Theme Editor
Monday 10.21.02 at 5:34 PM PST
Microsoft has released a new theme editor for Pocket PC 2002 devices. Like the previous vesrion of Theme Editor, this one runs on your desktop but includes improve image manipulation features. Also included is a Theme switcher for use on your device. Check it out free from the link below.
Theme Generator Version 2

New CoPilot GPS Jacket
Monday 10.21.02 at 5:23 PM PST
TravRoute has released a new GPS jacket for iPAQ Pocket PC's. The new GPS jacket comes in a 35% smaller package, internal battery, smaller power requirement, more data throughput, and more. Price of the GPS jacket is $350 and will start shipping on the 23rd.
More Info @ TravRoute

Palm OS Laptop Alternative
Sunday 10.20.02 at 4:15 PM PST
Alpha Smart has released its Palm Powered Dana laptop alternative. Included is a full-sized keyboard and a screen that's 3.5 times wider than the typical handheld screen. You can type or enter data using the keyboard or write with the Dana stylus directly onto the screen. All Palm OS applications are compatible with Dana, and many are ready to take advantage of the wide screen. Price tag on this device is $399.
More Information @ Palm Store

New Software Releases
Friday 10.18.02 at 12:33 AM PST
Cascata has launched CubeHead, the full-color puzzle game that promises to set a new standard in handheld PC puzzle games. Players move tiles across the board to line up matching tiles to score points, and to finally claim CubeHead�s throne. Avaion has released FatFinger 2.0, a next generation in Graffiti-free, hardware-free, stylus-free onscreen keyboards. FatFinger offers finger-sized, touch type keyboards that allow users to input text into their Palm OS handhelds quickly and accurately with their fingers. V2R is introducing Skin2Choose, software for customizing the phone dialer in Pocket PC Phone Edition. And finally, Applian Technologies announces a brand new way to personalize your Pocket PC, "Sound Effects for Pocket PC". This program lets you assign unique sounds to 16 different events, including menu taps, error and low battery alerts, ActiveSync start and end, and many more.

Wireless Card Game Tournament
Friday 10.18.02 at 12:26 AM PST
"DreamQuest Software is providing details on their upcoming wireless card game tournament. To be held on Saturday, November 16, 2002 at 4 p.m. PST in DreamQuest Software's free Internet lobby, entrants will compete on cell phones or PDA handhelds equipped with wireless access to the Internet. Competitors will challenge each other for prizes donated from Nokia, Handango and others. The Grand Prize winner will receive a Nokia 9290 Communicator..."
More Information

New Palm Tungsten Pictures
Thursday 10.17.02 at 1:25 PM PST
It seems that someone in Russia already has put together a review of the Palm Tugsten, though the review was recently pulled for no reason. Various other sites included Dave's PDA now have some pictures from those pages as well as more confirmed specifications of the future product which has an expected release date of Oct 27th/28th.
Palm Tungsten Pictures

Shoutcast Unofficially Comes to PPC
Wednesday 10.16.02 at 7:34 PM PST
A Brighthand user recent found a Shoutcast client compatible with Pocket PC. The client, though is not originally in English, it has been ported to Pocket PC. The version should still be considered a beta, but it an interesting program for power users. (I don't recommend this product for everyone because I am unsure how stable it is.)
Brighthand Message Board Link

Bluetooth SDIO Connection Kit
Wednesday 10.16.02 at 1:04 AM PST
Socket has announced its Bluetooth SDIO Connection Kit, which includes Pocket's software and a new SD card for use in any Pocket PC that has a Secure Digital I/O slot. Socket uses unique software to allow for easy connection of its Bluetooth card and other devices such as cell phones and printers. The connection kit is availabe for $160.
Complete Press Release

Pharos GPS for PPC PE
Wednesday 10.16.02 at 12:59 AM PST
"Pharos has introduced the first Pocket GPS Navigator Kit for Pocket PC Phones Editions. This extention of Pharos' line of GPS navigation solutions for Pocket PCs offers door-to-door navigation and routing with a variety of features, including turn-by-turn directions and voice prompts." The GPS Navigator systen if priced at $200 and is available at the Pharos website.
Pharos GPS

Ad For Palm Tungsten Found
Wednesday 10.16.02 at 12:27 AM PST
Palm Info Center recieved a picture from a German Computer Catalog with upcoming details of the Palm Tunsten. "The Tungsten T will have a 320x320 pixel screen, built in Bluetooth 1.1, 16mb RAM, Palm OS 5 and an ARM processor...The unit also has an SD/MMC expansion slot...It is approximately 4 by 3 by .6 inches." Price tag is still expected at $500
Rumors Section | More from PIC

Toshiba Releases e330
Tuesday 10.15.02 at 10:28 AM PST
Toshiba has released information on their new e330/e335 product. Its specifications are: 300mhz XScale processor, 64mb of RAM, 16-bit color screen, SD slot, Host USB (optional), full duplex audio, .4 inches thick, a 1000 mAh battery and a price tag of $349. The product will likely ship within the next month. The formfactor of this product is the same as the e310.
Hardware: PDA: Toshiba e330 | More from Toshiba

New Software Releases
Monday 10.14.02 at 7:43 PM PST
G3 Sudios has released Video Poker Pro, a fully animated simulator of the popular casino game that sets itself apart from typical shareware-style games through the inclusion of unique features. V2R has released the final version of Caller2Picture, an application for assigning Pictures to contact information for callers on Pocket PC Phone Editions. Spb Software is annoucing Palbum Suite version 4 for Pocket PC. The suite includes a complete photo album, picture viewer and image optimizer all in one package.

Rumor: More HP iPAQ Information
Monday 10.14.02 at 3:49 PM PST
Brighthand has posted an additional picture showing three 5000 series devices. The last two include no WiFi but GSM/GPRS or CDMA wireless built in instead. We have assigned them numbers based on what the were rumored as earlier. See the link below for more.
HP iPAQ Rumored Pictures

New Service Pack (EUU3) for PPC
Monday 10.14.02 at 3:38 PM PST
Pocket PC users will soon be able to get the next Service Pack for Pocket PC 2002. The End-User Update packs some great features like Windows Media Player 8.5 (improved performance and features), tab support in Pocket IE, as well as many other updates. It is up to device manufactures when the release the new update.
Offical MS News Release

Zire RAM Upgrade
Monday 10.14.02 at 12:17 AM PST
STNE is offering an 8mb RAM upgrade for the recently released Palm Zire. The upgrade costs $50 for a 24 hour turn around upgrade or the procedure can be done same day for $25 more.
STNE Zire Upgrade

ViewSonic Releases V35 Info
Thursday 10.10.02 at 1:32 PM PST
ViewSonic has officially listed their new V35 Pocket PC as a product. The V35 uses a 300Mhz XScale processor, 64mb of RAM, 32mb ROM, and a secure digital card slot. Expected retail for this device is $300 and coul be available in the next month.
More Information from ViewSonic

HP iPAQ FCC Information Filed
Wednesday 10.09.02 at 7:12 PM PST
Since the new iPAQ's will use Bluetooth and/or 802.11b, information must be filed with the FCC. CNet (in their horrible vague article) is reporting this information has been filed. CNet is quick to say nothing nor provide a link to the FCC webpage where there should be pictures of the new products. We are looking into getting more information.
Update: Complete specs of the 5400 series products are as follows can be found using the Device Pictures link below. This is for the 5400 series, not a specific product. Though all 5400 devices will have WLAN, not all will have Bluetooth and some maybe contain additional memory.
Update 2: Six models could be available at release time. It is likely that four will be 5000 series products (5110/5115, 5130/5135, 5450/5455, 5650/5655).
Device Pictures | CNet Article

Sony Invests in PalmSource
Wednesday 10.09.02 at 7:07 PM PST
Sony has recently bought approxmatly 6% of the newly formed PalmSource company for $20 million. Most of PalmSource is still owned by Palm shareholder. This investment by Sony shows their commitment to the Palm OS. PalmSource will soon be fully pulling away from Palm, focusing on the software side of all things Palm (the Palm OS).

Dell Handheld Down To $199
Wednesday 10.09.02 at 1:24 AM PST
"Dell is planning to unveil two handhelds--one priced at $199--this fall...Both handhelds are expected to be put on display at the Comdex Fall 2002 tradeshow in November, sources said. One handheld, which will incorporate a 300MHz Intel XScale processor, will sell for $199. The other handheld will include a 400MHz Intel XScale processor and sell for $299. "
Complete Story

Review: Belkin Wi-Fi PC Card
Tuesday 10.08.02 at 11:12 PM PST
"I recently picked up a Belkin 802.11b Wi-Fi PCMCIA Card for use with my iPAQ on our schools wireless network. This card sports a powerful range, but also a large power consumtion. My complete review of this product is available in the review section. (Note, this is not normally a Pocket PC wireless card, though is supported via the Compaq WL100 driver).
Reviews: Belkin Wi-Fi PC Card

AT&T To Get With The Program
Tuesday 10.08.02 at 11:50 AM PST
AT&T will soon be offering a XDA style device for mobile voice and data service on their network. The device is very similar to the T-Mobile (and XDA in Europe) but with a slightly different color and is branded by Siemens and AT&T. The software on the product will still but Pocket PC 2002 Phone Edition yet AT&T will include some of their own network tools as well.
More Information

Pocket Prompter
Tuesday 10.08.02 at 1:24 AM PST
PocketPrompter is an interesting new solution that mounts to almost any internal-focus broadcast, DV or movie camera lens. It's a one-way mirror system, allowing a reporter or actor to read scrolling text off a PocketPC running PocketPrompt software while looking directly at the camera. Full-blown prompter solutions can be very bulky and difficult to use, but this seems like a very simple solution for armatures and broadcasters alike. (Story Credit: PPCT)
More Information

Club Pocket PC's New Look
Tuesday 10.08.02 at 1:18 AM PST
Microsoft's Club Pocket PC Website is getting a new look again. They have expanded content, adding more features as well as support. There are some great little support items there if you are having trouble with a specific program in Pocket PC.
Microsoft Club Pocket PC

FM Radio Via CF Coming Soon
Monday 10.07.02 at 11:39 AM PST
iBIZ is information on the CF radio card we heard about some time ago. The Type I CF card allows your PDA to function as a radio. No price is available yet, though it should be inexpensive and sources say available by the end of the month. One interesting thing to note about the card is the placement of another headphone jack on the top of the CF card. Since Pocket PC's already have a headphone jack, this seems odd.
More at iBIZ

Palm Zire Released
Sunday 10.06.02 at 11:17 PM PST
Plam has official announced their new low cost Zire PDA. The Zire is available for the low price of $100 and comes with 2mb of memory, Palm OS 4.1, 16Mhz processor, and a 160x160 grayscale display. The Zire will be widely available as it is primarly a device to introduce people to Palm's products.
More Information

Veo SD Camera's for PPC and Palm
Sunday 10.06.02 at 11:09 PM PST
Veo is bringing two new SD cameras to market soon. The two cameras are basically the same, yet one is for Pocket PC and the other is for Palm. The Pocket PC camera also will take videos. Both take 640x480 24-bit color pictures and are priced at $99.
More Information

Dell's Pocket PC Concept Pictures
Saturday 10.05.02 at 1:05 PM PST
PDAFrance has some been leaked some design pictures possibly of Dell's future Pocket PC. Codenamed "Clemente," the product features specs like were previously rumored by other sites, though also the possibility of two different models. Since these are not actually pictures but a computer rendering, we can't say for sure that this product even exists.
PDAFrance | Main "Clemente" Rendering

Pocket PC Product Awards
Friday 10.04.02 at 1:35 PM PST
The finalists for the 2nd Annual Pocket PC Magazine Best Products Awards have been selected by an independent Board of Judges. Over 1400 Pocket PC software titles were considered and 436 were nominated for consideration by the Board of Experts. 101 nominees were selected as finalists. A winner will be selected in each of the 57 categories and awarded the "best of" award at the Pocket PC Summit at the end of the month.
Pocket PC Awards

New Software Releases
Friday 10.04.02 at 1:30 PM PST
V2R is offering a public beta of its Caller2Picture application for Pocket PC Phone Edition. The program adds a picture to Phone Editions Caller ID functionality. KSE Software is releasing a new version of TrueFax, the most powerful fax software available. TrueFax allows you to use your Pocket PC to send and recieve faxes. Proporta has released new versions of TomeRaider for both Pocket PC and Palm. TomeRaider is a power e-book/reference viewing program that runs on multiple platforms. DreamQuest is launching 500, a popular Australian card game. The game will be available for PC's, PDA's and some cell phones. The game also has an online component for head-to-head play. Planetgriff has a new release of release of Griff Pocket Music Studio, the music making machine for the Pocket PC. The new version includes such features as a pattern bank and vocal recordings.

Pocket PC for $199...YES!
Thursday 10.03.02 at 10:36 AM PST
The Toshiba e310 just doesn't ever stop being a great value. And now, it is only $199 after a series of rebates from TigerDirect, eSend and Toshiba. I can't believe this price, it is absurd. This is really one great little Pocket PC and now is price competition with almost every device on the market today.
e310 Specs @ davespda

Free Ebooks for Reader and Palm
Wednesday 10.02.02 at 11:56 PM PST
Brenda, a visitor of this site, pointed out that the University of Virgina Library has a collection of 1,800 free ebooks for both Pocket PC's (Reader) and Palm devices. You can download such ebooks as Huckleberry Finn, Macbeth, Moby Dick, and more favorites from not only the classics but also the Bible as well as some contemporary texts.
Ebook Library at the UVA

Site: Belkin 802.11b PC Card
Wednesday 10.02.02 at 11:12 PM PST
I just ordered one of Belkin's 802.11b PC Cards for use with my iPAQ (just found out there are some Wi-Fi points on campus). It was a really good price from TigerDirect. $50 - $10 rebate, or $40 (and 2nd day shipping was only $7). I like this card because many reviews said it has a very good range and though it is suppose to be a power hog, that is alright. The card doesn't say it is PPC compatible, but CeWindows has it listed as supported with Compaq drivers. Check out the link below. More information on the card Monday.

HP Talks About New iPAQ Prices
Wednesday 10.02.02 at 8:34 PM PST
"Hewlett Packard plans to release two new iPaq handhelds for the holidays, including its slimmest model yet and a high-end model with built-in wireless networking. They will use the low-end model to go after the $200 to $400 midrange market. HP is also aiming at corporate users with the high-end device, which includes built-in 802.11b wireless and Bluetooth capabilities along with a built-in fingerprint. The high-end unit will be priced in the $400 to $650 range."
Complete Story @ CNET

Sony NX-Series is Official
Wednesday 10.02.02 at 9:20 AM PST
The specs of the first two Palm OS 5 based products are now official. The Sony CLIE NX70V and NX60 are first OS 5 products to be announced. Both use a 200MHz XScale processor, have 320x480 16-bit color, 16mb RAM, 16mb ROM, built-in microphone, wireless expansion slot, memory stick slot, and all in the same form factor as the NR-series. The NX70V will also include a camera that can record and play MPEG4 movies. The devices will ship at the end of the month with the NX70V priced at $599 and the NX60 at $499. Oh and the NX70V can be purchased in a black case instead of the standard gray.
Hardware: PDA: Sony NX70V | Complete Press Release

New Software Releases
Tuesday 10.01.02 at 9:37 PM PST
WebIS (aka PocketInformant) has introduced a full featured email client for Pocket PC. @Mail is the solution for users that no longer want to hassle with Inbox. Hexacto and Team17 are bringing Worms World Party to Pocket PC's, Palm OS devices, and Smartphones. In WWP, players control an army of four worms, each of whom are dropped into combat zones against rival worm factions.

Dude, Dell Is Ready To Roll
Tuesday 10.01.02 at 7:33 PM PST
...or so says a recent article at computer news site "The Inquirer." Previous reports said Dell was putting off the launch but new rumors say it will be in November. The also report some specs including 64mb of memory, 0.7" thickness, dual slots, and 1440mwh and 3400mwh batteries.
Complete Story

LOOX!...It's Coming...Again
Tuesday 10.01.02 at 7:28 PM PST
Once again, there are reports that the Fujitsu Loox is coming to the US. Expected release is November 18th with a retail price of $500. It is unclear if the previous release date was just failed (due to bugs) or just a rumor.
Hardware: Pocket PC: Fujitsu

2002-2003 MS MVP's Announced
Tuesday 10.01.02 at 11:27 AM PST
Today, Microsoft has officially released the list of 2002-2003 Most Valuable Professionals (MVP's). This year, I am added to the list as an MVP in the Mobile Devices division. I am pleased to join the ranks of so many I have admired for the last couple years. Don't worry, this award isn't going to change the face of the site. Dave's PDA will still be a comprehensive PDA resource.
MVP Site @ Microsoft | Mobile Devices MVP's
 

Feel free to email me about your own PDA, questions, comments, articles, rumors, and reviews.  I can be reached at dave@davespda.com.