PhoneFiles

Site Has Moved

phonefiles — Thu, 15 Jun 2006 10:03:36 +0000

The site has now moved and can be found a www.phonefiles.com. The move was necessary to allow new features such as a wallpaper gallery to be added over the next few weeks.

Origami UMPCs are a disaster

phonefiles — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 12:04:46 +0000

So proclaims the Inquirer, and follows with a reasoning that includes weight, battery life, data input,speed and price. UMPC's (ultra mobile personal computers) are a new format developed by Microsoft and several hardware manufacturers to provide laptop like functionality in a VHS tape sized case.

Sell your house using Wifi

phonefiles — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 11:54:42 +0000

American Company Sell Smart Real Estate have launched a device called the Knockbox. It's a wifi device that you place in a property for sale, and anyone trying to connect gets diverted to the info pages for the property. Of course, its sold as a way of allowing property viewers with wireless devices to view details, but we all know it's a great way of advertising to wardrivers. And letting your nosy neighbours check out your asking price.

Windows Vista on a Mac Book

phonefiles — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 08:43:34 +0000

TUAW has an article about running Vista, Microsoft's next version of windows, on an Apple Mac Book. Just doesn't seem right, running a Microsoft OS on an Apple computer. I understand the need to dual boot, but my reason for wanting a Mac Book is so that I don't have to run Windows XP.

One of the Director's at a company I worked at last year used an Apple Powerbook. This was strange, as the company was entirely Microsoft based for all its software. I eventually found out the Powerbook launched VirtualPC running Windows XP full screen when it booted. The Director had to run Windows XP but had insisted he wanted a Powerbook. Using VirtualPC was the only way to do this at the time. Now they could install boot camp on a Mac Book Pro and run Windows without the emulator, giving a big speed increase.

Site Move

phonefiles — Sun, 11 Jun 2006 08:27:49 +0000

The site is moving off WordPress to a new server today, so if things go a bit basic stick with it, we'll be back soon.

The Microsoft Handheld?

phonefiles — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 22:00:04 +0000

Rumours continue to fly about the microsoft handheld, but all the sources fail to agree what the handheld will be.

Will it be a PDA? No reason for this, Windows Mobile is a successful platform. Why would Microsoft want to start making hardware?

Will it be a new micro PC? The Ultra Mobile PC has just launched, no point in confusing the market with another format.

Will it be a handheld console, like the PSP? This is more interesting. Looking at the services offered by the Xbox 360, a Microsoft handheld console would be versatile. If it can sync with outlook and the new Vista calender/mail programs, download content from Windows MediaCenter, and Support add-on software, it's already a PDA. Could this be the portable to go with the media hub?

Bid on Ebay from your mobile….

phonefiles — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 17:12:32 +0000

….. But only if you are using Ebay.de (the german site). Opera, makers of the spiffy web browser for just about every platform EXCEPT palm, have teamed up with Ebay.de to offer the German Opera Mini eBay edition. This allows you to search, bid and buy on the German site, and also surf the web as with the regular Opera browser.

Mobile TV on your handheld

phonefiles — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 13:45:10 +0000

Slashphone have details on the Philips SDIO 1000/1100 mobile TV receivers, recently showcased at the Computex show in Taiwan. These SD sized cards allow your PocketPC or linux based device to receive DVB-H signals for TV on the go.

Play Footie on your Palm

phonefiles — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 13:34:39 +0000

Anyone remember Sensible Soccer on the Amiga? If you have a Palm with an ARM cpu and OS5 you can now play Essential Soccer from Proprog. The teams and players are from the 2006 World Cup, and having tried the demo (Palm only for now, PocketPC soon) it really took me back to the early 90's amiga scene.

New Wallpapers for Palm 320×480

phonefiles — Sat, 10 Jun 2006 10:19:53 +0000

Several new wallpapers for palm 320×480 devices have been added over the past few days. If anyone wants to submit their own creations mail them to the address shown under Contact in the left column.

Nokia E61 Review

phonefiles — Fri, 09 Jun 2006 08:25:22 +0000

OSnews have a review of the Nokia E61 business phone/communicator. I've been mighty tempted to get one of these myself, but the only place I have found them is on Vodafone's business site. The E61 looks like it could combine everything I like about my Palm TX (mini internet tablet, ease of use, synchronise with my mac and PC) with a phone. But then again, I could wait for the E62 or the Sony Ericsson M600i…..

Doh!

phonefiles — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 18:09:12 +0000

In what I can only describe as a Homer Simpson moment, I discovered last night that the part of a wallpaper a palm device displays is different in the new "Favorites" launcher and the original "Applications" launcher. The "making a palm wallpaper" guide has now been updated to show this, and all the palm 320×480 wallpapers have been modified. The problem was only visible when using the "Favorites" launcher in landscape mode, and as I don't use the "Favorites" launcher I completely missed this mistake.

Nokia 6234 now on Vodafone

phonefiles — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 14:22:37 +0000

The Nokia 6234 is now available on Vodafone, free on all price plans. It looks like a run of the mill Nokia 6 series, but the spec is sweet: 240×320 screen with 256K colors, stereo speakers, microSD card slot with 64Mb included (up to 2Gb supported), 3G, 2 mega-pixel camera, video and audio playback, and FM radio. Full specification here.

The open alternative to Microsoft’s Origami

phonefiles — Thu, 08 Jun 2006 14:07:53 +0000

If you have been reading about Microsoft's new UMPC platform ("Origami") and feeling underwhelmed this may be for you. Pepper Computer have announced the Pepperpad 3, a linux based Tablet portable computer. Hardware includes a 624Mhz Xscale processor, 7" 800×480 screen, 256Mb RAM, 256Mb ROM, a 20 or 30Gb Hard Disk and a USB 2 port for connecting to your PC. Applications are provided for audio/video playback, web browsing, photo management, IR control and several other tasks.

The only question I have is how do we classify this device – computer or PDA?

Alienware Superman Limited Edition Computers

phonefiles — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 15:09:19 +0000

Alienware.com have some very nice Superman themed laptops and desktops on their USA site at the moment. Unfortunately the UK site has no mention of them, but we can live in hope.

Wear England colours on your ear

phonefiles — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 14:38:35 +0000

Treocentral have a review of the newish Jabra B160 bluetooth headset. What sets this model apart is its use of interchangeable faceplates, so you can change the appearance to match your phone or whatever you want. If you are feeling patriotic at the moment you can get this headset here for £26.99, with 42 faceplates including 9 exclusive England world cup ones.

Google wants your desktop, Part 23

phonefiles — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 14:16:39 +0000

The latest attempt by google to offer everything you could ever want from a computer is……. Google Spreadsheets. A nice idea, but do you want Google to hold all your financial data? And even with broadband, it's just not as responsive as a dektop application (and I'm on a 10Mbit connection). If Google manage to persuade us all to use online applications and data storage will we all be using £100 thin-clients in 10 years time?

You may also want to pay a visit to Google Labs to see what else they are working on.

Sharp 770SH now on Vodafone

phonefiles — Wed, 07 Jun 2006 14:04:54 +0000

Vodafone have announced the immediate availability of the Sharp 770SH. It's a smart clam-shell that's available free on any of their price plans, so that should tell you where it sits specification wise.

Falling memory prices

phonefiles — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 20:13:46 +0000

With most new mobile devices offering audio and video playback the need for additional storage cards is increasing. I use a 1Gb SD card in my Palm TX which gives me around 10 albums worth of mp3's as well as my Tomtom Uk maps. My digital camera (a Nikon D50) also uses SD cards, and earlier this year I bought four 512Mb cards so I could shoot lots of best quality photo's.

I paid £15.99 each for the cards, so guess how happy I was to get an email today from MyMemory.co.uk with their latest offers, including a Kingston 1Gb SD card for £15.99. That's right, in four months the cost of SD storage has halved. 2Gb card are £31.99, £46.48 for Kingston. They also have a handy memory selector to make sure you get the right type of memory for your mobile device. I'm off now to check if my TX is compatible with 2Gb or the latest 4Gb SD Cards…….

Why are banner ads appearing?

phonefiles — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 18:22:53 +0000

If you are wondering why banner adds are appearing on the site, its because I'm planning to add a lot of new features over the next few months, like a proper gallery for wallpapers. Doing this requires the site to move off the WordPress servers, which will mean paying for hosting.

Any links to online companies are chosen because I use them myself. I don't believe in recommending a company unless I have given them my own money several times. I also shop around so the links featured offer excellent prices and service.

Nokia N91 Review

phonefiles — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:27:19 +0000

LAPTOP magazine have a review of the Nokia N91, which is just starting to trickle out into UK stores. They're not that impressed, awarding it only three out of five.

The New U2 iPod

phonefiles — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 16:08:09 +0000

Apple have today launched the new U2 iPod, a black and red version of the current 5th generation iPod with video. For your money you get 30Gb storage, and a code you can redeem at the iTunes store for an exclusive 30 minute video. The UK price is £239. There is even a Quicktime rotating model here.

Ubuntu 6.06 + Aiglx

phonefiles — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 15:42:25 +0000

Ubuntu Linux 6.06 (The Dapper Drake) was released a few days ago, and I have been playing with it on my test box. It's the most polished Linux distribution I have tried so far, and with a small amount of fiddling I've got Aiglx running. This is software that uses OpenGL to draw the desktop and provide fancy effects. The fun starts when you move a window, it turns transparent and sways as you move it. The screen display is one face of a cube, and you can grab the cube and spin it to switch to another desktop screen. The screen grabs don't really do it justice so you can watch a short video here.

All this is running on a cheap Intel 915v motherboard with integrated graphics, which features in many cheap laptops. That means you can enjoy the eye candy without having to splash out on top end hardware.

Ubuntu is a free Linux distribution that is available from this page.

Is speed important?

phonefiles — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:48:04 +0000

1src have an interesting article discussing the importance of processor speed Vs responsiveness of a device. When I moved from a Palm T5 to a TX the processor speed dropped from 416 to 300 Mhz, but I have not noticed any drop in responsiveness. Mhz is no longer the selling factor in desktop computers, so is it relevant in mobile devices? The closing advice is pretty sensible, recommending that numbers mean nothing so go to a shop and try the device. If it feels fast then it is.

Latest availability

phonefiles — Tue, 06 Jun 2006 14:30:46 +0000

The latest handsets are slowly starting to appear, including the Nokia N80 and N91.
Vodafone are showing stock of both these handsets, but the other mobile networks are lagging, either out of stock or not even offering these models. Am I the only one getting frustrated reading about impressive kit and waiting months for it to turn up in the UK? It seems Europe and the USA get the goods way before we do.

Buymobilephones.net have both models available for reasonable prices on Orange (N80) and O2 (N80/N91). I've bought phones from this company before and found them to be very good. Unlike some others (onestopphoneshop were the worst).

The Next Thin Thing

phonefiles — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 17:21:07 +0000

Details are emerging of the Motorola SCPL "Scalpel", a rumoured 5mm thick phone with QVGA screen, 512Mb Flash memory and Bluetooth 2.0. If it turns out to be real this could be the best mobile/iPod nano combination yet.

8Gb Nano soon?

phonefiles — Mon, 05 Jun 2006 15:10:14 +0000

Digitimes have a story today speculating that higher capacity Flash Memory based iPods are due this autumn. Looks like Apple is buying up large amounts of NAND memory to keep the mobile music hordes happy.

Dictionary now open

phonefiles — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 13:42:41 +0000

Check out the new site dictionary, we’re adding all the mobile related terms that you might be reading and wondering what they mean.

Sony W850i review

phonefiles — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 11:29:15 +0000

Mobile-review have the details on the coming soon Sony W850i walkman phone. Looks like an impressive combination of media player/phone/camera/games complete with colour pulsing case and slider.

The latest iPod killer

phonefiles — Sun, 04 Jun 2006 10:50:35 +0000

Getting tired of hearing about the latest media player that's going to knock the iPod of its throne? Cnet have a review of the latest, the Toshiba Gigabeat S MES30VW. All looks very impressive, so read the review and watch the video .

Free iPod book

phonefiles — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 09:13:41 +0000

iLounge have made available The Free iPod Book 2.0. Follow the links to download this 194 page guide to iTunes and iPod.

Sony Ericsson M600i due soon

phonefiles — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 09:08:18 +0000

Infosync have news today that the M600i business phone has started shipping in Europe. Still no sightings in the UK yet, but read the Cnet Asia preview here.

Wall socket thin client now available

phonefiles — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 08:56:55 +0000

Jade Integration has launched what I think is the first wall socket thin client, the JackPC. Fitting into a standard UK single wall socket (but looking a bit deeper at 40mm) it offers an AMD risc processor at 333 or 500Mhz and runs Windows CE offering a citrix and Microsoft RDP client. Prices start at £209 for a unit with VGA output and 64Mb ram.

Blackberry 7130v now available

phonefiles — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 08:46:19 +0000

Vodafone now have the Blackberry 7130v in the business section of their site. Poking around in there I also found other goodies such as the Vodafone v1240 windows mobile 5 smartphone, Nokia E61, Qtek 9100 and HP hw6510

The 100 Best Products of the Year

phonefiles — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 08:27:48 +0000

PCworld (that's the american web site, not the UK store) has an article on their top 100 products from the past year. Have a read, there are some interesting products in there that have yet to reach the UK.

Swedish Pirate site shut down by USA?

phonefiles — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 08:09:02 +0000

Wiredfire has a story or two about a Swedish bittorrent site that has been raided and shut down despite breaking no Swedish laws. Makes for interesting reading, and highlights the variations in regional law concerning sharing copyrighted material.

Where’s the 6th Gen iPod?

phonefiles — Fri, 02 Jun 2006 07:59:05 +0000

MP3Buzz.net have an article titled "6th Generation iPod – What We Know" that shows just how little we know on this much rumoured but hopefully coming soon device.

Meizu Miniplayer – Nano Sized Video Player

phonefiles — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:22:07 +0000

T3 have some photo's of the Meizu Miniplayer, an iPod nano sized media player that supports a range of video formats and has impressive battery life. It's due to go on sale in Japan this month, but no details yet on the spec. themp3players.com have some more photo's showing the unit next to a nano for size comparison.

Slingbox arrives in the UK

phonefiles — Thu, 01 Jun 2006 09:15:17 +0000

The impressive Slingbox device is finally available in the UK. It's an ingot shaped box that sits on your TV and streams content to a PC, from either an AV input or the built in freeview. The clever part is that you can view your stream on any network/internet connected PC (as long as it's running windows 2000/XP, mac software is due first half of 2006). That means watching daytime telly at work or cable/satellite films at a friends house is possible. USA customers have PDA support for windows mobile, but this is not yet compatible with the UK Pal version.

The slingbox is compatible with a wide range of set top boxes, and is currently available at PCworld for £179.99.

Opera Mobile 8.6 for PPC Released

phonefiles — Wed, 31 May 2006 10:22:46 +0000

The latest version of the Opera Browser is now out for PPC, and you can get it here. This page shows what platforms the browser is available for, but why no Palm? I could understand if it was restricted to phones, but what about Treo's? The page shows downloads for Psion and Qtopia, neither of which are phone platforms. Come on Opera, get your browser ported to Palm. Please.

Aopen announces new mini PC

phonefiles — Wed, 31 May 2006 10:09:03 +0000

reghardware has the scoop on Aopen's second generation mini PC. Reminds me of a certain Small Form Factor computer in white, can't quite remember which one…….

Core Duo processor and Intel 945GM chipset, looks like the hardware spec is the same as well. I guess this is an option if you want a Mac Mini in black. Or you could try here.

Huge losses at Vodafone

phonefiles — Wed, 31 May 2006 09:59:33 +0000

I'm finding it hard to comprehend the losses that Vodafone has reported for the last year. 14.9 Billion pounds is a sum that just doesn't register. £14,900,000,000. What a way to set a new record for a UK company's losses. The worst part is that Vodafone have announced 400 job cuts to reduce costs.

Apple + Nike = £££££

phonefiles — Wed, 31 May 2006 08:53:26 +0000

Apple and Nike have announced a joint venture that allows you to use an iPod nano as a fancy pedometer. The shoes featura a "built-in pocket under the insole" that the sensor/transmitter slips into, and a receiver that plugs into your nano. The system works on a proprietary wireless protocol so it looks unlikely there will be a set of wireless earphones as an add-on. More info here.

Windows Vista Ultimate = $450

phonefiles — Tue, 30 May 2006 22:17:48 +0000

ITwire are carrying a story claiming that Windows Vista Ultimate will cost $450 ~~if it ever~~ when it ships. Allowing for exchange rates and the dollar to pound straight conversion we could end up paying over £300 when this hits the UK. Since Apple charge about £100 for OS X, Vista is starting to look a bit on the pricey side. Especially when stores like John Lewis are selling OS X 10.4.3 Tiger for £44.50.

Wallpapers Section Now Open

phonefiles — Tue, 30 May 2006 10:49:11 +0000

The First wallpapers are now up for Palm devices. Check them out and don't forget to have a look at the guide to make your own.

World Cup on a 200″ screen

phonefiles — Tue, 30 May 2006 09:49:04 +0000

Odeon are showing all the World Cup matches at selected cinemas. Tickets are available now, but no word on how much noise you can make before someone complains and the manager kicks you out.

Pandora – Personalised Radio

phonefiles — Tue, 30 May 2006 09:41:39 +0000

I found Pandora last week, and have since been enjoying a constant stream of music geared to my taste. Once you sign up for a free account you enter the names of bands you like, and Pandora will play similar music. You can tell pandora if you like or dislike each track, and the only downside I have found is that you can skip only a limited number of tracks per hour. So far it's a great way of finding new music, and when you find something you like there is a link to buy it from iTunes or Amazon.

Creative Zen Touch 20GB for £111+£6.50

phonefiles — Mon, 29 May 2006 18:01:02 +0000

Komplett have a deal on the Creative Zen Touch 20Gb at the moment, and you can get one this week for £111 plus £6.50 postage (all including VAT). There are several reviews from people who have bought them already, and the comments sound positive. The 24 hour battery life looks useful, and stock is currently showing over 1,000 units. If you can't stretch to an iPod with video this may be just what you need.

I'm not sure if there are any left, but I recently picked up a Smartdisk Flashtrax XT from Staples for £100. This is a 40gb photo backup and audio/video player with built in 3.5" screen and 14 hour playback for audio, 7 hours for video. The package I got includes the SD/MS/SM to CF adaptor and scart lead. The web site isn't showing the Flashtrax, but then it wasn't when I got mine. If you are interested give your nearest store a call. They also had several other gadgets at good prices including the Palm Tungsten E for £70.

The worst phone name yet?

phonefiles — Mon, 29 May 2006 17:36:17 +0000

The Motorola Ming is now available in Hong Kong, and first reports suggest that it is neither an evil dictator or incredibly ugly. No word on if this model will ever make it to blighty, but i'm certain the name will change if it does. Phonescoop have the spec if you fancy getting one from Ebay. (Search for Motorola A1200, the model number seems more common than the new name). Just remember to check the sellers feedback and don't fall for the con men.

Palm Wallpaper Guide

phonefiles — Mon, 29 May 2006 17:18:17 +0000

Our first guide is now up in the originally titled "Guides" section. If you have ever wanted to create wallpapers for your Palm T3,T5,TX or Lifedrive head on over and see how easy it is once you know a few important details.

LG KG800 “Chocolate”

phonefiles — Mon, 29 May 2006 16:46:51 +0000

The LG Chocolate looks like it's fast becoming THE most fashionable phone to own. A petite 94x44x15mm slider with 128Mb storage and gorgeous looks, this model is showing Nokia what a fashion phone should look like. Reviews can be found at ZDnet (video), Cool Hunting and TechDigest. The "Chocolate" even has its own Blog here.

iPod Nano Killer?

phonefiles — Sun, 28 May 2006 09:35:45 +0000

Mobility Today have a video review of the new Sandisk Sansa e260 portable media device. Looks like apple needs to get that TRUE iPod video out soon before all the little players overtake them.

Xmen 3 set in “Virtual” SF

phonefiles — Sun, 28 May 2006 08:58:02 +0000

SFgate has an interesting article on the location shoots for Xmen – The Last Stand. It seems the San Francisco shots were mostly not filmed in SF but were virtual computer generated scenes. The article also talks about some of the other big SFX movies due this year than use the same techniques.

Palm Treo 700p is out

phonefiles — Sun, 28 May 2006 08:46:07 +0000

The Treo 700p is now out in the USA and reviews can be found at Infosync, PC Magazine, Mobility Today (with Video) and Cnet (with video). This Palm based smartphone/PDA offers 60Mb user RAM, 312Mhz processor, 320×320 screen, fast network access and solid battery life. No word yet on when this model will make it to the UK or who will offer it. The general opinion seems to be that the 700p is the best smartphone/communicator yet and much better than the 700w (mindows mobile based) which has a lower resolution screen, bluetooth problems and a less intuitive and smooth user experience.

The only omission from the 700p is WiFi, stopping you from using it as a Skype device when you have a connection.

Nokia 8800 Aston Martin Edition

phonefiles — Sat, 27 May 2006 22:45:36 +0000

This has to be one of the classiest tie-ins ever. Stainless steel body laser etched with the Aston Martin Logo. Exclusive Aston Martin screensavers and wallpapers. And the best bit…. Ringtones of sampled V8 engines. Just the thing for the petrol head in your life. At £800+VAT, better make that the RICH petrol head. Hop over to the Aston Martin Web site and snap one up.

Motorola Q finally released

phonefiles — Sat, 27 May 2006 17:46:00 +0000

The Motorola Q has now been released in the USA, and one of the first reviews can be found on PCmag.com. This looks like an interesting communications device (way too powerful to be called a phone) in an interesting new form factor. Spec includes Windows Mobile 5, a thumboard and a landscape orientation screen.The Nokia N61 looks similar. It will be interesting to see how Symbian Os9.1 compares to Windows Mobile 5 in these devices. If they offer decent Mp3/Video playback and a browser I might even consider replacing my trusty Palm TX.

Apple Macbook

phonefiles — Sat, 27 May 2006 17:04:59 +0000

The new Apple Macbook looks to be THE computer to own at the moment. Apart from some problems with heat the reviews have been very positive. An Intel Core Duo processor for $1099/£749 looks like good value, and the glossy screen hasn't attracted much criticism. If anyone wants to donate one to the site I would be happy to post a comprehensive review.

Some in depth reviews can be found at Ars Technica, Cnet or Macworld

Xmen The Last Stand

phonefiles — Sat, 27 May 2006 13:53:24 +0000

If you like action and superhero films then go see Xmen – The Last Stand ASAP. As a long time Xmen fan (read the books for 25 years) I sat in the cinema grinning through most of the movie. The only time I wasn't grinning was when major characters were being killed off, and some of these scenes were shocking for an Xmen fan. The story moves at a good pace and builds to a fantastic ending. The effects are amazing throughout, and the characters seemed a lot deeper than the previous two films. This movie is highly recommended, and is my first must see of the year. I'm waiting for Pirates of the Caribbean 2 and Superman Returns next. One warning, don't leave the cinema before the end credits have finished rolling. There is a short scene after the end credits that shows what happened to one of the characters. Definitely worth waiting behind for.