John at myITforum.com

For those with Windows Vista deployed and using Bitlocker, there's a great site for FAQs if you haven't seen it.

http://technet2.microsoft.com/WindowsVista/en/library/58358421-a7f5-4c97-ab41-2bcc61a58a701033.mspx?mfr=true

T-Mobile has just confirmed the specs and features of their freshly released MDA Vario IV. Here’s what T-Mobile’s MDA Vario IV (similar to the HTC Raphael) has to offer:
• Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional,
• Qualcomm MSM 7200 CPU at 528 MHz,
• GSM/GPRS/EDGE (900/1800/1900 MHz),
• Dualband UMTS/HSDPA (850/2100 MHz) up to 7.2 Mbps,
• Bluetooth 2.0+EDR,
• WiFi b/g and GPS (FM radio?),
• 256 MB RAM and 512 MB ROM,
• MicroSD memory slot,
• 5-rows slide-out QWERTZ/Y keyboard.

Say what?  A 5-row slide out keyboard???

The other question is, T-Mobile internationally always gets the goods.  Why doesn't T-Mobile in the US ever get it?  T-Mobile in the US looks and reads like a Blackberry shop.  They have the Dash (how OLD is that), the Shadow, and the Wing.  The specs aren't impressive...

Experience faster and smoother browsing with NetFront Browser v3.5 for Windows Mobile Concept Version. Leveraging the latest NetFront Browser core available for the Windows Mobile platform, NetFront Browser v3.5 for Windows Mobile Concept Version features improved key operation, stylus pen functionality and overall usability. The browser also features improvements in speed including first draw time, zooming speed and rendering mode selection.

ACCESS encourages you to download NetFront Browser v3.5 for Windows Mobile Concept Version and submit your feedback using the form listed at the bottom of this page.

Well, I've finally done it.  The first vacation I've had with the entire family in 4 years.  The last time I took the entire family somewhere was Cancun, MX when my boys were 2,3 and 5.  My boys are now 6,7 and 9.  I'm leaving for Puerto Vallarta in six days.  Friday morning can't come fast enough...and I'll be there for ten days.

Been looking forward to this for quite awhile...I can't wait.  I probably won't be blogging much, unless the mood strikes me.  I'll certainly have my Tilt to blog with, and should be able to since data works in MX, but we'll see.

Is the Pantech Duo 2 on the way?  The Pantech Duo C810 is currently on AT&T.  Is this the new model?

FCC

Check out the beta of Sysinternals Live, a service that enables you to execute Sysinternals tools directly from the Web without hunting for and manually downloading them. Simply enter a tool’s Sysinternals Live path into Windows Explorer or a command prompt as \\live.sysinternals.com\tools\<toolname.exe> or view the entire Sysinternals Live tools directory in a browser at http://live.sysinternals.com.

High Tech Computer (HTC) has already shipped its first batch of over 10,000 HTC Touch Diamond handsets to Hong Kong CSL, according to market sources, contradicting market rumors stating that HTC would delay shipments until June.

HTC will eventually start deliveries to telecom service operators in Europe as well as those in other Asia Pacific markets in June, said the sources who are familiar with HTC's roadmap.

HTC, having just launched the first model in the HTC Touch Diamond lineup, also recently unveiled a second-version (codenamed Raphael) in Germany. The new model adds a slide-out QWERTY keyboard.

HTC will cooperate with T-Mobile to market the two models in Germany, with the first Touch Diamond to be available under T-Mobile's MDA Compact IV trade name and the second under the name MDA Vario IV, the sources noted.

Source

Interesting...

Microsoft is investigating new public reports of a blended threat that allows remote code execution on all supported versions of Windows XP and Windows Vista when Apple’s Safari for Windows has been installed. Safari is not installed with Windows XP or Windows Vista by default; it must be installed independently or through the Apple Software Update application. Customers running Safari on Windows should review this advisory.

At the present time, Microsoft is unaware of any attacks attempting to exploit this blended threat. Upon completion of this investigation, Microsoft will take the appropriate measures to protect our customers. This may include providing a solution through a service pack, the monthly update process, or an out-of-cycle security update, depending on customers needs.

Mitigating Factors:

• Customers who have changed the default location where Safari downloads content to the local drive are not affected by this blended threat.

Need a notebook and don't want to pay a lot?  Willing to buy a refurbished unit?  Check out HP's clearance center:

The Washington Post is reporting:

Apple Inc.'s iPhone, a new model of which is widely expected this summer, took 19.2 percent of the U.S. market for "smart" phones in the first quarter of 2008, according to research firm IDC's vendor survey.

That was down from 26.7 percent of smart phones sold in the fourth quarter of last year, which included the holiday shopping season, IDC found.

Much of the slack was picked up by Research In Motion Ltd.'s BlackBerry, which took 35.1 percent of the market in the fourth quarter and then 44.5 percent in the first.

IDC analyst Ramon Llamas said the BlackBerry is now strong in the "prosumer" segment, as RIM has successfully widened the appeal of the device beyond the professionals who have been its core customer group.

Palm picked up 13%, Samsung picked up 9%.  Moto picked up 3%.

Now wouldn't this be something...

As the FCC auctions off an unused spectrum of airwaves, the winner may be forced to provide free wireless internet for most of the country. No date or terms for the auction have been set, but the government's deal requires that free service on the 25 MHz spectrum reaches at least half the in five years and 95 percent within ten years. The agreement, proposed by FCC chairman Kevin Martin, also stipulates that the bidder must filter out obscene content for allowing the winner to use the remaining portion of the spectrum for commercial purposes.

"We're hoping there will be increased interest in the proposal; and because this will provide wireless broadband services to more Americans, it is certainly something we want to see," said FCC spokesman Rob Kenny.

CTIA, the principal trade group for wireless companies, is unenthusiastic about the proposal, taking issue with the provision that the service must be free. Prior to this proposal, there has been little interest in this portion of the spectrum, as wireless carriers preferred the 700MHz airwaves auctioned a few months ago.

A startup company called M2Z previously asked to use the airwaves for free, providing free wireless with a content filter and garnering revenue from advertising that would be shared with the government. The FCC turned M2Z down, saying the company needed to bid against other carriers, but Martin's proposal is very similar. The next step is a June 12^th meeting where more details are expected to be hammered out.

Source: AP Business and Yahoo! News, and Switched

Microsoft has optimistically announced that it expects at least 50% growth for Windows Mobile in 2008 and 2009 as smartphone sales rise rapidly.

"Fifty percent growth is the minimum," says Eddie Wu, the software company's managing director of OEM embedded devices Asia.

Microsoft expects to sell 20 million units in the fiscal year ending in June, far higher than the previous year's 11 million.

"We're actually still seeing very good growth (for our mobile software) in markets like Europe and the United States," says Wu, adding that growth of Windows Mobile has been fastest in the emerging markets of Asia, the Middle East, Brazil, Russia and India.

Source

Jason Dunn writes it...and since I've installed Zune Software for my Zune, I couldn't agree more...

Something interesting happened this month: after the Zune 2.5 software update was released, I started using it more to actually listen to music. Does that sound a bit strange? Previously I'd really only used it as synching software - meaning I'd load it up to push music, photos, and videos onto my Zune - but not much else. My Zune syncs with my Media Center machine, a computer that I use primarily for watching TV and DVDs. It's hooked up to a Dell 26" LCD TV and a Logitech 5.1 speaker system, so I often use it to listen to music, but always in Media Center mode so I can use the remote to control the tunes.

As I used the Zune 2.5 software more I came to realize that it was everything that Windows Media Player 11 was not: friendly, fast, agile, and able to easily handle my 12,403 songs (that's what the Zune software tells me I have). It's also much faster at picking up new content in monitored folders, which solves a long-standing problem I've had with adding new music to my collection and not being able to play it right away from another computer. It doesn't hurt that the Zune software is so beautiful and fun to use either! Windows Media Player 11 looks sad in comparison.

Source

A Canadian privacy group has filed a complaint against the social networking site Facebook accusing it of violating privacy laws.

The Canadian Internet Policy and Public Interest Clinic has listed 22 separate breaches of privacy law in its country.

Clinic Director Phillipa Lawson told the BBC that, with over 7 million users in Canada, "Facebook needs to be held publicly accountable".

Facebook rejects the charge, claiming some of the highest standards around.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/technology/7428833.stm

Be one of the first...and see the Instinct defeat the iPhone.  The downside?  Instinct runs on a proprietary platform with a Java application layer.

http://www.nowisgood.com/?id9=SEM

Reserve yours today...

myITforum.com lists not working, all kinds of issues logging in to the web client?  What's going on with Google?  I've sent a couple of emails...no response yet to my inquiry's.  May be time to unsub from my gmail account and reestablish my account with a different addy.  I just don't get it.  What good does it do to have all that storage but not be able to use it?

Date: Wednesday, June 04, 2008
Time: 11:00 AM PT / 2:00 PM ET
Duration: One Hour

InformationWeek Webcast: The Smart, Safe Way to Mobile Enterprise Success
Join InformationWeek mobility expert, Eric Zeman, and Microsoft mobility expert, Chip Vollers, for this important Webcast. Learn the strategies, insights and tools your enterprise needs to efficiently and effectively deploy and manage mobile devices and provide access to line-of-business applications in the enterprise--without putting your corporate data at risk.

http://www.cmpnetseminars.com/ars/eventregistration.do;jsessionid=0514F4E1B55BCD8D27AD049B2062C829.web-cmp-02-tomcat2?mode=eventreg&F=1000994&submit=y&subscriptiontype=online%20event&K=1MS1A1

Interesting site for Windows Mobile....

Sprint has apparently changed up their ad for the Palm Centro...

Looking for accessories for your Palm phone?  Now's your chance...

Offer valid in the U.S. only at the Palm Store. Discount does not apply to taxes, gift wrapping or similar charges. Entire order must be shipped to a single address. Cannot be combined with any other promotional offer nor is this offer valid on previous purchases. Offer not valid on canceled or out of stock merchandise. Void where prohibited. Offer ends May 14, 2008.

Activist investor Carl Icahn has once again raised his stake in Motorola, which now stands at 7.6 percent of the company, up from 6.4 percent. Icahn now owns 172.2 million shares of the struggling company. Earlier last month Motorola bowed to pressure from Icahn and appointed one of his candidates, Keith Meister to the board of directors. The company also agreed to let his other candidate, William Hambrecht stand for election. After the appointees were received, Icahn dropped a suit that sought access to integral board documents.

Just a few brief comments for Windows Mobile 6.1.  I've tested Windows Mobile 6.1 for Windows Mobile Professional, and other than some threaded SMS chat (and domain enrollment for SCMDM), there isn't a whole lot there.  There are some pretty slick IE enhancements if you use the browser a lot on your device.

HOWEVER, Windows Mobile 6.1 on Windows Mobile Standard is a pretty major improvement over Windows Mobile 6 Standard.  The Sliding Panel addition in and of itself is worth upgrading when the WM6.1 OS is released later this month, early next month. 

Sliding panel? 

I've tried to capture some of the essence of the sliding panel above.  At a glance, you can see missed calls, voicemail, SMS text, and email messages without doing anything other than scrolling.  The time savings is incredible with this.  They've also include threaded SMS text and browser enhancements as well, but I really can't live without the sliding panel now. 

Am I a convert to Standard OS now?  Can I live without the touchscreen?  For those I talked to at MMS, the Tilt is still my favorite device.  It's my kitchen sink phone, the phone that can do it all.  However, the Standard OS and the sliding panel is growing on me.

What?  Not checking your email on your Windows Mobile phone?  Yes, I talked to a few of you at MMS...I can help...EMail me offline and we'll get you going with email access on your phone.  You know who you are...

Interested in Yahoo Go! Beta?

http:\\mobile.yahoo.com

Everything you need, all that you love.

Yahoo! Go is today’s essential solution for anyone with a mobile phone. It’s an all-in-one offering that lets you enjoy the best of the Internet on your phone—for free.* Send an email, upload photos, download a map, search for answers, check stock quotes, or get breaking news—all that and much more is available through Yahoo! Go.

*Your carrier’s standard charges may apply.

If you do, are you like me and can't wait another month for the season opener of Burn Notice?  Well, I just found this...

Regardless of her character’s fate on Battlestar Galactica, sexy Cylon, Tricia Helfer [above left] will join USA Network’s acclaimed spy dramedy, Burn Notice, in its upcoming second season.

Previously heard only in vaguely threatening phone calls, Helfer will bring the mysterious Carla out of the shadows. The extremely intelligent and incredibly sexy Carla is Michael’s [Jeffrey Donovan] only contact with the shadowy group that got him burned.

According to a USA press release, Carla has “plans for him and various “assignments” for him to take care of, and she’s not taking no for an answer. Michael’s trapped in a deadly game with Carla where the only way he can keep his family safe, and find out more about her, is to play along and look for the opening he needs to take her on.”

Burn Notice returns to USA this summer.

As if I need another reason to watch the show...

I've hesitated to write anything about the attendee party at MMS last week.  Why?  It's such a great event and I don't like being negative.  There were certainly pros and cons of the MMS conference this year, which I'll deal with later (I'm still filtering through all my notes, photos, and other info), but since I evaluated the MMS 2008 attendee party rather poorly, I thought I'd share my comments here as well.

To start off with, there were only three lines for the "food" tables.  Keep in mind this was a sold out crowd, 4000+ attendees, and only three buffet style tables set up for food.  You can imagine how long the lines were.  And imagine our disappointment once we got close to the table where the food was.  We showed up right at the start (our mistake), and the lines to the food were the longest in the place.  The food itself?  What can I say.  Miniature burritos, hamburgers, pizzas (at least what I think were miniature pizzas), and what I believe was miniature corn dogs.  I guess it was "miniature" night at MMS.  The bite I did take out of one of the hamburgers was almost completely raw, and certainly cold.  The food was awful (I won't go in to the grazing bars they had up loaded with vegetables...none of that was edible either).  There was some freaky looking Dr. Seuss character hanging around the table of vege's so didn't go near it.  Oh, and lest I forget...very SMALL paper plates to put the actual food on.  I think it held three miniature hamburgers.

Now, for the "entertainment".  Break dancers?  Spinning plates?  A juggler that was supposed to juggle chainsaws but tried to entertain us with sword juggling and plugged in hair dryer juggling?  Feats of strength like balancing a refrigerator on your face?  I blogged that night I was there about sensory overload.  Trust me, that's not a good thing.  Depending on where you were standing, you either heard the rock band tournament, the rock paper scissors tournament and the referee screaming, break dancing music, or the juggler screaming at you about his hair and how good it looked.  Seriously, who thought that was a good idea?

How about a Rock, Paper, Scissors tournament?  Does that sound exciting?  How about a game corner with some really nice plasma screens giving you the ability to play XBOX?  How about a Rock Band tournament?  How many thought the guy running the Rock Band tournament looked like a hippy Ricky Schroeder?  I don't want to knock the planners too much here but this is what they can come up with for a sold out crowd in Las Vegas?  Think about it.  It's supposed to be one of the premier entertainment capitals and this is what they plan?  Love to know the company they used to plan the event.

And yes, before I say this I KNOW it was unlimited food and beverage (and I feel sorry for those that paid extra for guests), but how about an hour or so in to the event, and most of the bars set up around the place actually "ran out" of beer (started pulling bottles from the "menu selection" and started telling us there isn't any more left).  Keep in mind, by this time, most had already left.  I believe it was scheduled for 3 hours but most bailed way before then.  Perhaps those that were there were drinking more than planned because there wasn't anything else to do?  The back part of the event hall had almost completely emptied out. 

I've read several write that they showed up 20-30 minutes after it was supposed to start, only to see a mass exodus underway.   Most left after that long.  I was getting SMS text messages from friends asking where I was in the "pandemonium", "madhouse" and other such terms, only to receive a message 15-20 minutes later saying "they've had enough and are heading out".  I've been to MMS probably 5 or 6 times, can't really remember, but this was the absolute worst closing party of any of the events I've attended (even in towns where they roll up the carpets early, like San Diego).  Pretty sad really when you think about it because MMS has really become "the event" for system administrators, and really has a lot of momentum.  For those first timers that attended, please return.  This wasn't "normal".

I will close with this and say however that our own "closing party" held at Carnaval over at Harrah's the night of the attendee party was one of the best events of the week.  A really great band called The Crashers played just about everything imaginable, and a sizeable myITforum crowd ended up there.  So, while the late evening/early morning ended well, the actual attendee party needed some serious help.  If you go to MMS again and are looking for some quality time, find a few folks (yes, both men AND women) from the myITforum crowd and tag along.  You won't be sorry...

Nothing like paying $2.99 for daily access, and $9.99 for monthly access when Google Maps and Windows Live Services provides the stuff for free.  Oh wait, Verizon has their GPS locked down that ONLY works with VZ Navigator.  Now I get it...

Anyway, in a press release today...

Verizon Wireless, builder and operator of the nation’s most reliable wireless network, announced today that VZ Navigator(SM) (Version 4) is now available on select consumer phones. First announced during CTIA WIRELESS 2008, the newest version of VZ Navigator allows customers in 75 cities from coast to coast to access information about traffic incidents on major roadways, obtain traffic updates and find detours around traffic congestion and accidents. More cities are expected to be added in the coming year. In addition, the new version of VZ Navigator offers a 3D perspective view of maps, a movie and events finder, weather reports and forecasts, and gas prices at nearby gas stations.

For those that want to try a free version, go here:

Google Maps

google.com\gmm

Windows Live Services

wls.live.com

The wait is over...

Verizon Wireless, builder and operator of the nation’s most reliable wireless network, announced the MOTO Q(TM) 9c will be available in the company’s online store and in Verizon Wireless business sales channels on May 9. Customers will be able to purchase the newest member of Verizon Wireless’ MOTO Q family at Verizon Wireless Communications Stores, including those in Circuit City, in the coming weeks.

The MOTO Q 9c is the perfect smartphone for business professionals and offers powerful capabilities, including access to more than 14 million points of interest with Verizon Wireless’ popular VZ NavigatorSM service. The phone will also offer the following features and capabilities:

• Windows Mobile® 6 Standard – access to POP3 or IMAP4 e-mail accounts
• Documents To Go® – read, edit and create Microsoft® Word®, Excel® and PowerPoint® documents
• Full QWERTY keyboard with dedicated “hot keys” for shortcuts to popular applications
• 2.4” color screen with innovative adaptive technology to adjust for optimized brightness for indoor and outdoor lighting to maximize battery power
• 1.3 megapixel camera with flash and fixed focus, plus video capture and playback
• 128 MB of on-board memory and optional removable memory future-proofed up to 32 GB (sold separately)
• Voice-activated dialing
• Smart contacts dialing
• Speakerphone
• Stereo Bluetooth® wireless technology supporting both Bluetooth A2DP and AVRCP profiles*

Pricing
MOTO Q 9c will be available for $249.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate and a new two-year customer agreement. An additional $100 credit toward the purchase of the handset is available for customers who sign up for qualifying voice and data plans at the time of purchase. Verizon Wireless Nationwide E-mail plans for MOTO Q 9c begin at $79.99 for 450 anytime voice minutes and unlimited e-mail. VZ Navigator is also available for $9.99 for monthly access.

For more information about Verizon Wireless products and services, visit a Verizon Wireless Communications Store, call 1-800-2 JOIN IN or go to www.verizonwireless.com. Business customers should contact their Verizon Wireless Business Sales Representative directly at 1-800-VZW-4BIZ.