PEN NEWS | Tablet PC News | Rugged PC News | Pen News Archives by month

Ultra-rugged Trimble/TDS Nomad packs a punch
Tripod Data Systems, a Trimble company, was among the very first to bring to market a new machine built around the 806MHz version of the new XScale PXA320 processor. Having bought the XScale processor business from Intel in 2006, new owner Marvel offers a speedy, powerful, yet also very energy-efficient solution to forward-thinking clients. The Windows Mobile 6-based Trimble/TDS Nomad is an ultra-rugged high-performance handheld with a full gigabyte of Flash, a full 480 x 640 VGA display, and exemplary configurability with customizable endcaps. It operates in an enormously wide temperature range and can even survive underwater. [see description and specs of the Trimble/TDS Nomad] -- Posted Thursday, August 16, 2007 by chb

Mobile Linux coming on strong
The LiMo Foundation was formed by founder members Motorola, NEC, NTT DoCoMo, Panasonic Mobile Communications, Samsung Electronics, and Vodafone in January 2007. Its goal is to create a globally competitive, Linux-based software platform for mobile devices. They signed up a dozen new members since the launch and expect to see the first handsets supporting the LiMo platform to reach market in the first half of 2008. Motorola announced a significant step in its commitment to mobile Linux by introducing MOTOMAGX, its next generation mobile Linux platform. Motorola has sold more than 9 million Linux-based handsets worldwide, and in the next few years, up to 60% of Motorola's handset portfolio is expected to be based on Linux. [Read about Motorola's MOTOMAGX Linux strategy] -- Posted Wednesday, August 8, 2007 by chb

Kingston Mobility Kit
Leave it to Kingston Technology to help consumers sort out and manage the proliferation of different memory cards. Their new all-in-one Mobility Kit includes one of those tiny 1GB microSD cards and then THREE adapters so users can seamlessly convert to a SD card, miniSD or USB and use the microSD card across devices to easily move photos, music, videos or data to cameras, mobile phones, PDAs or computers. All for a grand total of US$27 list.
-- Posted Tuesday, August 7, 2007 by chb

iPhone. Apple changes the world. Again
14 years ago I bought a Newton. It changed my life. It spawned a magazine, Pen Computing. It became a career in publishing. It spawned Digital Camera Magazine also, and then my work with other magazines, such as Handheld Computing. When the iPhone came out, I ordered one from Apple. And have now lived with it for a while. I think it just may change my life. Again. Here's my iPhone story, and what I think of it. --Conrad H. Blickenstorfer

-- Posted Tuesday, July 31, 2007 by chb

An iPhone Story: The Announcement. The Wait. The Day. The Phone
The iPhone has been around for a month and got off to a rousing start. Read the story of how one of our contributors fell in love with the iPhone the day Steve Jobs announced it at his keynote address at MacWorld 2007, then waited and waited and waited, stood in line, and then screamed out "Zero!" when the rope at the Apple store line was lifted. Ann Marie describes the iPhone, what it can do and what it can't, and what she'd like to see in software upgrades and next gen versions. [read iPhone: The Announcement. The Wait. The Day. The Phone] -- Posted Monday, July 30, 2007 by chb

VDC study: Mobile device downtime nukes productivity
VDC released a comprehensive analysis of total cost of ownership (TCO) of mobile computer and communications devices used in Enterprise Mobility Solutions in vertical and application markets. Nearly 50% of the cost of operating a mobile computing and communications device in enterprise settings are the costs of worker productivity downtime when the device fails. According to the research, upfront hardware adoption accounts for only 16% of mobile computer TCO, however, it frequently represents the single most important selection criterion. VDC also clearly found a lower TCO for rugged mobile computers in comparison to non-rugged or consumer/commercial-grade mobile computers for many applications because of the significantly higher failure rates of non-rugged hardware. [View VDC report on Mobile Computing TCO] -- Posted Friday, July 27, 2007 by chb

Trimble introduces GPS Pack for GPS phones
GPS is more and more becoming part of our daily life. Trimble now offers the Trimble GPS Pack-a suite that combines GPS phone applications into one package: AllSport GPS lets you track exercise activity by monitoring time, speed, calories burned, and distance traveled during outdoor workouts. Geocache Navigator brings geocaching capabilities to the mobile phone by seamlessly connecting to the largest geocaching database in the world so geocachers can seek the caches using a uniquely constructed, radar-like interface that guides them toward their destination. Trimble Outdoors is a complete outdoor trip planning and navigation solution that allows consumers to review and plan trips online, send routes, maps and waypoints wirelessly to their GPS phone and then use the phone to guide their adventures. The Trimble GPS Pack is available through Sprint on more than 12 GPS-enabled Sprint and Nextel phones for $6.99 per month. (See Trimble Outdoors. -- Posted Thursday, July 26, 2007 by chb

TomTom buying map supplier Tele Atlas
There are really only two major suppliers of mapping data, US-based Navteq and Dutch Tele Atlas. Now it looks like TomTom, the world's largest maker of car navigation devices, will buy Tele Atlas. While Tele Atlas would continue to operate as an independent business, the Tele Atlas sale to a GPS device maker will put others in the navigation device field in the position of having to buy from a competitor -- not an optimal situation, except for Navteq. [see press release on proposed Tele Atlas sale to TomTom] -- Posted Monday, July 23, 2007 by chb

Synaptics MobileTouch used in fliphone
The fact that Synaptics' MobileTouch is used in the Huawei U550 flip hone is nice, but the real story is the technology itself. It replaces mechanical buttons and switches with a custom-designed capacitive sensor that translates gestures for scrolling, selection and cursor control for on-screen navigation. [Read about the Synaptics MobileTouch or download a PDF of the MobileTouch Product Brief] -- Posted Monday, July 23, 2007 by chb

TealPoint Software to support Foleo
TealPoint Software -- a leader in mobile software solutions -- will offer Foleo customers a full suite of new security, entertainment and productivity applications, including TealSafe, TealPaint, TealDiet, SudokuAddict and ShortCircuit, with more applications to follow. See the Software for Foleo page on TealPoint's website. -- Posted Sunday, July 22, 2007 by chb

From Pay-BASIC to $51 billion in 31 years
In early 1976, Bill Gates wrote an open and wildly unpopular letter to hobbyists persisting in his belief that software should not be free. On July 19, 2007, Microsoft announced revenue of $13.37 billion for the quarter ended June 30, 2007, a 13% increase over the same period of the prior year. For the fiscal year ended June 30, 2007, Microsoft announced revenue of $51.12 billion, a 15% increase over the prior year. -- Posted Friday, July 20, 2007 by chb

How to get the "Designed for Windows Mobile 6" logo
QualityLogic has been selected by Microsoft to conduct certification testing for Microsoft's "Designed for Microsoft Windows Mobile 6” logo program. QualityLogic's certification testing ensures that a software application is compatible with Windows Mobile 6. It also aims to help developers take full advantage of new features found in Windows Mobile 6, and bring rich, reliable applications to the market. When an application has successfully completed testing, it will be certified to use the "Designed for Microsoft Windows Mobile 6” logo. -- Posted Friday, July 20, 2007 by chb

Spellex Tablet PC Suite 2.0
Spellex announced the Spellex Tablet PC Suite 2.0 for specialty terminology. The new Tablet PC enhancement recognizes hundreds of thousands of comprehensive English terms, including words relating to business, language, current trends, and Internet technology. With the Spellex Tablet PC Suite, you can also enhance your handwriting recognition and spell checking ability by adding specialized terms from the medical, legal, and scientific fields. Pricing for the Spellex Tablet PC Suite starts at $59. -- Posted Friday, July 20, 2007 by chb

4GB miniSDHC!
Flash card maker Transcend announced its new 4GB miniSDHC Class 4 card. It supports the FAT32 file formats and with the enclosed adapter, the tiny 4GB card can be used as a standard SDHC card to handle the high capacity demands of all those cool new devices compatible with SD 2.0. If you're into mobile entertainment, a couple of thousand high-res pictures, a thousand digital music files, or eight hours of vid clips now fit into a device much smaller than a postage stamp. 007 never had it that good. -- Posted Friday, July 20, 2007 by chb

Transmeta gets investment from AMD
At some point Transmeta was a high flier with its energy-efficient and innovative Crusoe processors that were supposed to make Tablet PCs and all sorts of cool-running, long-lasting lightweight computers possible. But while Transmeta had some design wins, mostly in Japan, the general perception was that the chips were slow and simply not up to snuff, so the buying public stayed away from a promising technology. In time Transmeta stopped making processors and began licensing its technologies instead. AMD, in particular, has viewed Transmeta as a key ally in the development of the AMD64 technology, and has now invested $7.5 million in Transmeta preferred stock. -- Posted Monday, July 9, 2007 by chb

iPhone off to a rousing start
The Apple iPhone went on sale 6PM June 29th and sold half a million units over the weekend. Reports of availability were mixed, with some news sources reporting that supplies were running low, but customers could still get an iPhone Monday morning. Pen Computing put that to the test. Our local AT&T; store in Folsom, CA was out and quoted two week delivery, same as the Apple website. Are we sorry we didn't stand in line Friday? You bet. -- Posted Monday, July 2, 2007 by chb

Palm sales remain flat
Palm reported that its revenue for the full fiscal year 2007, which ended June 1, 2007, was $1.56 billion, down a percent from the $1.58 billion reported in fiscal year 2006. Smartphone sell-through for the full year reached a company record high totaling 2.7 million units, up 34% year over year. Smartphone revenue from the Treos was $1.25 billion, up 15 percent from the prior year. So it's virtually all Treos now, and hardly any Palm PDAs anymore. While a billion and a half still constitutes a nice-size company, it pales against Nokia ($53 billion), Microsoft ($50 billion) or Apple which has quietly grown into a $22 billion company and has all the buzz with the iPhone. Let's hope the Foleo has a big impact! -- Posted Friday, June 29, 2007 by chb

Mobile video apparently coming on strong
After another quarter of impressive subscriber growth, mobile video is rapidly becoming a significant new media distribution platform. According to Telephia, the world's largest provider of syndicated consumer research to the telecom and mobile media markets, mobile video revenues in the U.S. totaled $146 million in Q1 2007, growing 198 percent year-over-year. There were 8.4 million mobile video subscribers last quarter with penetration doubling to nearly four percent since Q1 2006. [read research summary] -- Posted Wednesday, June 27, 2007 by chb

What do smartphone users browse?
Smartphones make lousy web browsers, for now, and unlike DoCoMo in Japan, there really still isn't a smartphone "killer app" other than the ability to do email. M:Metric ranks the top mobile web sites visited by smartphone users every month. For April 2007, the top ten were Google (63%!), Yahoo, Microsoft, AT&T;, Time Warner, Disney News Corp., Sprint, The Weather Channel, and eBay. Not exactly mind-blowingly exciting. -- Posted Tuesday, June 26, 2007 by chb

NEO2 educational computer adds functionality
We always liked Alphasmart's large-size Palm-based devices that essentially added a full keyboard to a Palm. Renaissance Learning, Inc's Neo line are not Palms, but instead simple education and learning devices that teach kids. There is a wordprocessor, SmartApplets that can do quizzes, sharing files, tutoring and so on. The new NEO2 looks the same as the original 12.4 x 9.75 x 1.75 Neo with its 5.75 x 1.5" 6-line display, but has twice the memory (4MB instead of 2) and adds new apps in Accelerated Reader and an app wheere students can instantly respond to teacher question. [See NEO2 description] -- Posted Tuesday, June 26, 2007 by chb

Motorola announces Good Mobile Messaging 5
Motorola beefed up its position in the mobile office with the announcement of Good Mobile Messaging 5. This announcement follows Motorola’s recent acquisition of Good Technology, Inc., and advances the Good Mobile Messaging software and service to help solve the information clutter problem for mobile users. Good Mobile Messaging 5 helps make mobile email more personalized and productive, all while enhancing IT control. [see release on Good 5] -- Posted Tuesday, June 26, 2007 by chb

Nokia Eseries "business devices"
It's becoming increasingly difficult to figure out what's a phone, a smartphone, a PDA, some connected Internet thing, or, as Nokia now calls them, a "business device." As far as form factor goes, the new Nokia E65 follows the layout once pioneered by RIM with its early full-size Blackberrys. It has a QWERTY keyboard, measures 4.6 x 2.8 x .55 inches and weighs 5.3 ounces, big for a phone but not for a Treo/Blackberry/HP competitor. The Quad-band GSM/Edge/WCDMA device has a 2.8-inch 320x240 screen, runs on the S60 platform, has a 2MP camera, 50MB user memory, 802.11b/g, and Bluetooth. Users can thus do email via Nokia Intellisync, Mail for Exchange, Visto Mobile and BlackBerry Connect; use QuickOffice, and call via band or VoIP. The price? Around US$400. [see Nokia e61i] -- Posted Tuesday, June 26, 2007 by chb

CyberShift workforce management now on BlackBerry
CyberShift, a provider of global workforce management and expense management software and services, announced that their enterprise-class Workforce Management 3G solutions are now integrated with the BlackBerry wireless platform. Used by thousands of organizations around the world, the BlackBerry platform is the de facto standard in wireless communications for mobile workers. [read full CyberShift release] -- Posted Tuesday, June 26, 2007 by chb

GD-Itronix introduces the GoBook MR-1 ultra-mobile notebook
GD-Itronix has released the GoBook MR-1, a fully rugged Windows ultra-mobile notebook that measures just 6 x 4.5 inches and is about an inch and a half thick. The MR-1 is powered by a 1.2GHz Intel Core Solo processor, can accommodate 1GB of 533MHz DDR2 RAM, comes with a shock-mounted and heated 40GB disk (80GB available), and has a brilliant, razor-sharp 1024 x 600 pixel 5.6" SVGA-W with the GD-Itronix DynaVue technology that provides superb outdoor viewability. The MR-1's magnesium chassis and housing is sealed to IP54 standards and can take as much punishment as the company's fully rugged XR-1 notebook. The MR-1 can be ordered with as many as four integrated wireless systems (three radio plus GPS), including 3G high speed services. A clever "slice" expansion system allows for expansion via stackable modules. [Read full review of the GD-Itronix MR-1 ultra-mobile notebook] -- Posted Monday, June 11, 2007 by chb

Added: Talla-Tech ruggeds: RPDA-57 and Tacter-31M
We've added descriptions and specs of two rugged handhelds from Tallahassee Technologies. The RPDA-57 is a rugged Pocket PC running Windows CE 5.0 on a PXA270 processor. It is extremely flexible with a variety of modular backs. The Tacter-31M is a very compact full Windows machine available with either a 6.4-inch display or a XGA 10.4-inch screen, both sunlight readable. In June of 2007, Tallahassee Technologies received a $18.5 million purchase order from the US Marine Corps for the RPDA-57. [See descriptions and specs for RPDA-57 rugged military Pocket PC and Tacter-M31 rugged Windows handheld computer] -- Posted Monday, June 11, 2007 by chb

Feature: What Type of Flatscreen Should I Get?
Even if you're mostly mobile, you want a big easy-on-the-eyes flatscreen to do work in the office and at home. Technology Editor Geoff Walker analyzes the current LCD flatscreen market, explains concepts and advantages and presents his recommendations and choices, including three Editor's Choices. [Read "What Type of Flatscreen Should I get?"] -- Posted Monday, June 11, 2007 by chb

Review: MobileDemand xTablet T8600
Offering integrated bar code and mag card readers for field data collection activities makes the MobileDemand xTablet T8600 Tablet PC a superb productivity tool for a variety of vertical market applications. It is also one of the few tablets with an integrated keypad, speeding up data entry. The fully rugged slate has a magnesium housing, extensive shock absorption, can survive multiple 3-foot drops and offers IP54 sealing (see our shower test. A massive battery allows for full-shift operation. Despite all this, the xTablet T8600 is very compact and weighs just 4.6 pounds. [Read full review of MobileDemand xTablet T8600 Tablet PC] -- Posted Wednesday, June 6, 2007 by chb

GD-Itronix unveils semi-rugged GoBook VR-2 with DynaVue
General Dynamics Itronix unveiled the GoBook VR-2, a compact semi-rugged notebook using the company' stunning new DynaVue display technology that provides superb outdoor viewability on its 13.3-inch touchscreen display. This is one machine where you have to see outdoor performance to believe it. The VR-2 features excellent industrial design, state-of-the-art processor technology, and multiple wireless technologies including GPS and various 3G wide area wireless network systems. [Read detailed review of the GD-Itronix VR-2 semi-rugged notebook] -- Posted Monday, June 4, 2007 by chb

GD-Itronix DynaVue Outdoor-Readable Display Technology
General Dynamics Itronix has unveiled a remarkable daylight-readable display technology called "DynaVue." How good is it? Our technology editor Geoff Walker says, "Don't you just hate it when some marketing guy labels something as "ultimate"? Well, I've found something that really should be labeled as "ultimate." It's General Dynamics (GD) Itronix' brand-new DynaVue outdoor-readable touch-screen display technology." [Read technical review of the Itronix DunaVue Outdoor-Readable Touch-Screen Display technology] -- Posted Monday, June 4, 2007 by chb

Jeff Hawkins unveils Foleo, a Linux-based smartphone companion
None other than Jeff Hawkins himself introduced what the pen computing pioneer, inventor of Graffiti, inventor of the Palm Pilot, founder of Handspring and creator of the Treo considers one of the most important mobile computing products ever -- the Palm Foleo. What is the Palm Foleo? The Foleo is not a laptop replacement. It's a mobile companion for all those people who do a lot of wireless email. So instead of squinting at a tiny smartphone screen and then struggling to do real work on a tiny thumbtype keyboard, the Foleo has a neat 10-inch display with 1024 x 600 resolution and a full-size keyboard though it measures just 10.6 x 6.7 inches and is less than an inch thick. You can sync with Treos and other smartphones, browse the web via WiFi, Bluetooth, or the phone and there will likely soon be tons of apps. It'll cost US$499 and should be available this summer. [Read our first impressions of the palm Foleo] -- Posted Thursday, May 31, 2007 by chb

Review: Toshiba Portege R400
Toshiba has ditched its Satellite and Tecra Tablet PCs, but the Portege R400 is a stunner. Ultra-light and ultra-elegant, this premium Tablet PC convertible runs Vista Ultimate on its 12.1-inch 1280 x 800 pixel wide-format screen. If the 43 watt-hour battery isn't enough, you just snap a second onto the bottom. Performance is right up there, but no optical drive and just a PC Card slot for expansion. On the other hand, Verizon EVDO is built-in! And if you haven't tried handwriting reco in a while, do! It works better than ever.[Read our review of the Toshiba Portege R400] -- Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2007 by chb

Full review: GETAC A790 with PCI expansion chassis
If you need a fully rugged notebook that can also accommodate standard ISA, PCI or PCI Express cards via special expansion units that attach onto the bottom of the computer, the GETAC A790 fits the bill. It is equipped with the latest technology, offers superb expandability via two peripheral bays, and packs more battery power than any other notebook we've tested. IP54 sealing, low temperature operation, optional touch and sunlight-readable screens, numerous civilian and military radios options make the GETAC A790 a compelling choice. [Read full review of the GETAC A790 rugged notebook] -- Posted Tuesday, May 29, 2007 by chb

Kingston MobileLite 9-in-1 Card Reader
Our friends at Kingston Technology, whom we often rely on for memory and storage in various devices from tiny handhelds to our media servers, have introduced a brilliant product that can accommodate all SD, microSD and miniSD card variants in one little, and amazingly inexpensive, card reader for all SD, microSD and miniSD card variants, 9 in all. [Read our review of the MobileLite 9-in-1 reader and a description of all supported card formats.] -- Posted Wednesday, May 23, 2007 by chb

Living with HP's iPaq hw6915 smartphone
While everyone's waiting for Apple's iPhone, we've been busy long-term testing one of HP's smartphones, the GPS-enabled quad-band hw6915 smartphone. As almost all things HP, the 6915 is first-rate and crams an awful lot of features into a small and handy package. The screen might benefit from higher resolution than just 240 x 240 pixels, you have to get used to the thumb-type QWERTY keyboard, and the really excellent GPS receiver tends to drain the battery rather quickly, but the hw6915 is easy to like, and to come to depend on. [Read iPaq hw6915 impressions] -- Posted Friday, May 18, 2007 by chb

Wyse shipping thin clients with Windows Embedded CE 6.0
Wyse Technology announced that it is shipping thin clients based on Microsoft Windows Embedded CE 6.0 with its optimized security and IT administration features while utilizing enhanced add-on and peripheral support. Windows Embedded CE 6.0 enables Wyse thin computers to support the latest Windows Embedded CE-based applications while making it easier to integrate and manage peripherals such as wireless adapters, smart card readers and security solutions. Embedded CE 6.0 is ideal for IT departments and organizations that require Citrix ICA, Microsoft RDP as well as a local browser and terminal emulation support. -- Posted Friday, May 18, 2007 by chb

Fujitsu announces U Series convertible UMPC
Adding to its long tradition of offering pen slates, Tablet PC convertibles, and mini notebooks with touchscreens, Fujitsu announced the U Series of convertible ultra-mobile PCs. Unlike most current UMPCs, the U Series offers full (albeit cramped) notebook functionality with a 74%-scale QWERTY keyboard as well as tablet operation. The little device measures just 6.75 × 5.25 inches, is barely over an inch thick, and weighs about 1.3 pounds. The U Series is powered by an 800 MHz Intel A110 chip, has 20-40GB of hard disk, 512MB or a gig of RAM, and a 5.6-inch wide screen with 1024x600 resolution. Either Windows XP Pro or Vista are available, and the starting price in Japan is US$1,199. [Read our description of the Fujitsu U-Series UMPC convertible] -- Posted Wednesday, May 16, 2007 by chb

Gigabyte to reveal slider UMPC
Gigabyte is joining the growing number of vendors offering an ultra-personal PC. The Taiwanese comapny's U60 UMPC sports a handsome "slider" design not unlike the OQO. It uses Windows Vista (Home Basic or Premium, or Business) on ViA C7-M processors running at 1.0 to 1.5GHz, has 512-768MB of DDR2-533 RAM, and a 800 x 480 pixel 6.5-inch LED-backlit LCD. Click on the small picture to peruse the keyboard: it is a split unit that may require a bit of getting used to. -- Posted Tuesday, May 15, 2007 by chb

iPodPedia!!!
In the spirit of author Michael Miller's book, Googlepedia, his new book iPodPedia is a comprehensive guide to all things iPod. It explains how to add alblum art to your iPod, play YouTube videos, rip a CD directly, or back up your music. Those more advanced may be interested in viewing PDFs and maps on their iPod. And there's info on how to listen to an iPod on your home audio system, or how to customize the main menu and display. iPodPedia functions as a detailed reference to all iPod/iTunes features, a step-by-step how-to for common iPod operations, and a guide to advanced operations and customization. -- Posted Monday, May 14, 2007 by chb

Stowaway Sierra Five-Row Bluetooth Keyboard Lets your Fingers Fly
The Stowaway five-row Bluetooth keyboard is the ultimate input device; it far outshines the competition because there is not competition. No matter what you call this full-size keyboard, it's definitely the pinnacle of inputting, the acme of key-finger articulation, the apogee of texting applications. We particularly appreciated the ease with which it connects because that can be a real nightmare with some Bluetooth peripherals. [Read our review of the Stowaway Sierra Five-Row Bluetooth Keyboard] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Samsung Black Jack: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
There is a lot to like about the Samsung/Cingular Black Jack, and I think anyone who wants a small and powerful handheld communicator will be pleased with this unit. Let's face it; it is one sexy little package that almost anyone would be proud to pack. [A detailed look at the Samsung Black jack] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

HP iPAQ hw6925 Pocket PC impressions
Clearly, there is no such thing as a perfect device, for everyone's needs and tastes vary. For many people, however, the HP iPaq 6925 could certainly be the perfect machine because it offers so much. Off the top of our heads, we cannot think of another machine on the market right now that has as many features as the 6925 at the same price. Read impressions of the HP iPAQ hw6925] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

i-mate JAQ3 -- a serious contender
The JAQ3 may appear to be a cousin to the Blackjack and Motorola Q, but it blows them both away in terms of its robust functionality. And when we discovered that it also had built-in Wi-Fi, unlike the BJ and Q, we were instant converts. Couple that with a 2.0 MPX, 4X digital zoom camera and stereo Bluetooth, and you have a real winner. [Read i-mate JAQ3 review] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Review: PopCap games
Our Dr. Tim reviews a set of great games that will enhance your desktop, but also consider installing them on your laptop, Tablet, or UMPC to make your next journey more pleasurable. Bejeweled is one of the most beguiling games you will ever play. It is inexplicably addictive. The Bookworm games are equally engaging, but more cerebral. Peggle is both fun and challenging. The graphics are spectacular works of whimsical art. Way to go PopCap. [Review of some of the coolest PopCap games] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Proporta to the rescue
We're always on the lookout for a new totebag for our gadgets, and Proporta came to our rescue! We found their Gadget Bag to be small and compact yet ample to carry most anything we need for remaining productive, connected, and entertained outside the office. [Read review of the cool Proporta Gadget Bag] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Review: Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007
With the powerful new features of Streets & Trips 2007 such as Windows Live and Outlook integration, a new and better GPS receiver, easier to see maps and PIOs, the online updating features, this program is a must-have. It is, in our reviewer's opinion, the best map and navigation software for the Windows world. [Read review of Microsoft Streets & Trips 2007] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Revisited: The Palm Treo 750
Tim Hillebrand presents his views on the Treo 750. The doctor goes: "The Treo 750 represents a continual evolution in the Palm Treo Windows Mobile Pocket PC phone line. I applaud the loss of that ugly antenna, which gives it a more streamlined look." [Read how Dr. Tim feels about the Treo 750] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Review: Walksoft True Toolbar and Space Reclaimer
Two useful utilities and from Valksoft that increase Windows Mobile productivity. True Toolbar will save you time and tapping with instant access to the depth of your device. This application does not reside just on the Today screen; it is available on the task bar in any application. Space Reclaimer is a brilliant scrubber that will ream out the polyps and debris from you system and keep it running faster. [Read review of Walksoft True Toolbar and Space Reclaimer] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Two Pentax cameras for the mobile lifestyle!
Not exactly pen computers or handhelds, these two digital cameras we've had in our pen and photography lab. But they relate anyway. The Pentax Optio T30 looks like just another sleek 7.1 megapixel camera, but it sports an innovative touchscreen interface that makes the camera quick and easy to use. And the wide-viewing-angle screen measures a full three inches diagonally. Hey, that more than most smartphones today! If you're the mobile type who spends a lot of time in on and under water, check out the waterproof Pentax Optio W30. It doesn't mind getting wet and you can even take it swimming and snorkeling, down to ten feet underwater! [Optio T30 review -- Optio W30 review] -- Posted Friday, May 11, 2007 by chb

Palm introduces Treo 755p for Sprint
Palm introduced the Treo 755p, a Palm OS-based Treo that uses the sleeker design first seen on last year's Treo 680, and adds Microsoft Direct Push Technology email support and a built-in Google Maps for mobile app. The Dual-band CDMA2000/EvDO-based Treo 755p runs on the Spring network, measures 4.4 x 2.3 x 0.84 inches and weighs 5.65 ounces. It has a 1.3 megapixel digital camera, 128MB of memory, 60 of which available to users, and a mini-SD card slot. [Read detailed description of the Treo 755p] -- Posted Thursday, May 10, 2007 by chb

Motion offers 32GB solid state drive for LS800 tablet
In what may well become a rapidly ccelerating trend, Motion Computing is now offering a 1.8-inch 32GB solid state drive for its ultra-compact LS800 Tablet PC. Since Flash has no moving parts, reliability is improved, there is 10% more battery life, and data is accessed faster. The new SSD drive has the same formfactor as a 1.8-inch hard drive, and current LS800 owners can upgrade their devices to an SSD drive via one of Motion's Certified Maintainer partners. [see our review of the Motion LS800] -- Posted Tuesday, May 8, 2007 by chb

Amtrak's mobile website
Amtrak has launched Amtrak.mobi, a new domain for Amtrak.com users. The .mobi domain is designed to guide mobile users to made-for-mobile Internet content and services that can be accessed with the confidence of knowing a site will work on practically any mobile phone. Because the Amtrak.mobi site is optimized for smaller screens, it provides easy access to the train reservation and information systems of Amtrak.com using most web-enabled mobile devices including cell phones and PDAs. -- Posted Monday, May 7, 2007 by chb

RIM reveals smallest and lightest BlackBerry yet
RIM introduced the BlackBerry Curve smartphone - the smallest and lightest full QWERTY BlackBerry smartphone with a smooth and friendly design that not only includes the typical thumb-type keyboard but also trackball navigation. The Pearl measures 4.2 x 2.4 x 0.6 inches, weighs 3.9 ounces, has a bright 320x240 display, a 2-megapixel camera with 5x digital zoom, built-in flash, audio, a microSD exansion slot, Bluetooth, a web browser and, of course, it's a phone in addition to providing the superior BlackBerry email and messaging capabilities. Check the BlackBerry Pearl website -- Posted Thursday, May 3, 2007 by chb

Microsoft rakes it in
Microsoft reported enormous profits for its third quarter performance (covering January to March 2007). On quarterly revenues of US$14.4 billion, the boys in Redmond extracted operating and net income of US$6.59 billion and US$4.93 billion, respectively. -- Posted Thursday, May 3, 2007 by chb

Additions and updates
RuggedPCReview.com has added TabletKiosk's Sahara TufTab i310XT and eo TufTab v7112XT UMPC to the rugged slates section. We've also added the Psion Teklogix 7530 G2 and 7535 G2, both tech updates to earlier models. We further added the Schweers Ticketman, a specialized solution for law enforcement, and Glacier Computer's Magnum and Everest vehicle-mounts. -- Posted Friday, April 27, 2007 by chb

A new kind of gesture recognition used in DoCoMo phones
GestureTek Mobile announced that its EyeMobile gesture recognition technology for mobile phones has been embedded in two new accelerometer-equipped DoCoMo FOMA 904i series handsets released in Japan. This first OEM handset agreement for GestureTek's technology may pave the way for a shift in user/mobile interaction by allowing navigation menus, maps, photos, games and other applications simply by tilting the cellphone in various directions. The DoCoMo phones will launch with several dozen EyeMobile-enabled applications, including games. Other near-term applications include a map browser with rapid, button-free map navigation. Motion-controlled menu scrolling, picture browsing, and digital camera image zoom-and-pan as well as gesture-based Web page navigation may also be added soon and could vastly simplify using the mobile Internet. -- Posted Wednesday, April 25, 2007 by chb

Where are they now? Rejuvenated CIC inks deal with Lenovo
Longtime followers of the pen computing scene know CIC, Communication Intelligence Corporation, as a pioneer in handwriting recognition. As we all know, that was a rocky road. But where most others gave up, CIC rolled with the punches and reinvented itself as a (now profitable) provider of electronic signature solutions for business process automation in the financial industry and a leader in biometric signature verification. CIC just announced a sales and marketing agreement with Lenovo to provide its electronic signature solution for ThinkPad Tablet PCs and for the companies to jointly promote their product offerings. Much optimism stems from IDC suggesting that convertible Tablet PC unit shipments will reach more than one million this year and more than four million by 2010. CIC's SignatureOne Suite includes its SignatureOne Server, Sign-it, and iSign software. SignatureOne Server provides user authentication, profile administration and transaction receipts. Sign-it and iSign provide shrink-wrapped application plug-in as well as developer tools for the integration of signatures into complex enterprise architectures and custom applications. -- Posted Wednesday, April 25, 2007 by chb

iPhone survey: almost half of US population aware of it
A February 2007 online survey on the upcoming Apple iPhone by Harris Interactive that included 1,116 US adults showed that 47% of respondents were aware of the iPhone and 17% expressed interest in purchasing it. Of those interested, 9% said they'd buy at product launch and another 8% before their current service contract expired. 17% say they'd wait for their current contract to expire and 25% would purchase when their existing carrier offers the iPhone. 40% will wait for the price to come down. The hottest iPhone feature was its large storage capacity (37%), followed by quad band worldwide capabilities (36%) and its cool user interface (31%). -- Posted Monday, April 23, 2007 by chb

Trimble introduces handy WinMo5 Juno ST GPS handheld
Trimble introduced the latest addition to its GIS product line—the Juno ST handheld, a portable, low-cost data collection solution supported by Trimble's range of field and office software. It comes standard with a built-in high-sensitivity GPS receiver, runs WinMo Microsoft 5.0 software, has 128MB of non-volatile Flash, a SD slot, an 8-hour battery, WiFi/Bluetooth, weighs just 4.8 ounces and measures 4.3 in x 2.4 in x 0.7 inches. The Juno ST handheld GPS receiver is available for order now through Trimble's Mapping and GIS dealer network. It is expected to begin shipping in early May 2007. -- Posted Monday, April 23, 2007 by chb

Panasonic reveals rugged Toughbook CF-08 Wireless Display
Panasonic introduced the Windows CE 5.0-based Toughbook CF-08 Wireless Display. The new slate, which measures 10.5 x 8.25 inches, is 1.4 inches thick and weighs 2.65 pounds, is primarily meant to be used for terminal sessions while communicating with a Toughbook or Windows Server via Citrix or Microsoft RDP. The PXA270-powered slate has a 10.4-inch daylight-readable TFT with 1024x768 resolution. It is also meant to last, with IP54 ingress protection and a 4-foot drop spec. [Read our preview of the Panasonic Toughbook CF-08] -- Posted Thursday, April 12, 2007 by chb

Advantech releases industrial handheld terminal
The portable computer division of Advantech, a diversified Taiwanese computer maker with 33 branches worldwide and 2,700 employees also active in vehicle-mounts and medical computing platforms, has released the WinCE/XScale-powered MARS-1030 compact handheld mobile terminal for use in retail, warehousing, logistic and ordering service applications. The MARS-1030 carries an IP54 rating, can handle 5 foot drops to concrete, and operate between 14 and 122 degrees. Memory is up to 128MB of Flash and up to 256MB of SDRAM. There's a 3.5-inch transflective touchscreen display, both CF and SD card slots, 16- or 44-key keypad options, and a full-shift battery power. Options include integrated wireless LAN, Bluetooth, 1D/2D barcode scanners, GSM/GPRS and a large variety of accessories including pistol grip, holster, chargers, docks and cables. [see Advantech MARS-1030 product page] -- Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2007 by chb

No more Dell Axim Pocket PCs
A quote from Dell spokeswoman Anne Camden is making it around the web: "The Axim X51 family is no longer being offered, and we have no plans for a follow-on product at this time." So that would mean that the Dell Pocket PCs are dead, though Dell continues to offer Axim accessories and assorted Palms, GPS devices and the like, but the Axims themselves seem gone. They had a relatively lackluster 5-year run where low price seemed the primary motive. Still, the final X51v was a nice machine with a terrific VGA display, but for now the industry is dropping conventional PDAs. Sad but true, and a missed opportunity for sure. -- Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2007 by chb

Palm's future
News.com reports on Palm's analyst day in New York. Palm pointed at the growing smartphone market, projected to be $36 billion in 2009, and is counting on that segment of the market with its Treos. Nothing was mentioned of the rumors that Palm is seeking a buyer. Our take: Yes, the smartphone market is growing. But compared to the billion-plus cellphones, they're still just a drop in the bucket. And that drop is largely dominated by heavies like Nokia and Motorola, and generally by Symbian and Microsoft-based products. Worse, Palm has lost its once famous mojo and even ease-of-use whereas Microsoft keeps moving forward. Come on Ed! We know you can do it!!! -- Posted Wednesday, April 11, 2007 by chb

Review: GETAC M230
The GETAC M230 is not your typical rugged notebook computer. This cool-running, silent magnesium-alloy machine is thinner than most (just 1.8 inches), yet has a media bay that can accommodate an optical drive or a second battery. It has a very high resolution 15-inch display (1400 x 1050 pixels), plenty of connectivity (including legacy ports), and state-of-the-art 3G wireless options (including a SIM slot). The GETAC M230 also features exemplary ergonomics and excellent industrial design. [read our full review of the GETAC M230] -- Posted Tuesday, April 10, 2007 by chb

Added/updated Fujitsu listings
We've added and updated listings for various Fujitsu Tablet PC products: Fujitsu LifeBook P1610, Fujitsu LifeBook B6210, Fujitsu LifeBook T4215, and the Fujitsu Stylistic ST5100 Series. -- Posted Wednesday, April 4, 2007 by chb

Socket Communications SoMo 650 Mobile Computer
As announced in January of 2007, Socket Communications is now shipping its first handheld computer. The SoMo 650 Mobile Computer is a handy Windows Mobile 5.0-based device that's more rugged than standard consumer PDAs, yet less costly and more compact than dedicated rugged handhelds. The SoMo 650 impresses with a 624MHz version of the PXA270 chip, 128MB of RAM and 256MB of flash, both SDIO and CF Card, and both Bluetooth 2.0 and 802.11b/g. It measures just 5 x 2.95 x 0.81 inches and weighs just over six ounces. Socket, having its roots in handheld peripherals, offers a large variety of add-on cards for scanning, baa code reading, RFID and other. [read description and specs of the Socket SoMo 650] -- Posted Friday, March 30, 2007 by chb

CTIA reports huge wireless data growth
CTIA - The Wireless Association announced that wireless data service revenues for 2006 rose to $15.2 billion. This represents a 77% increase over 2005, when data revenue was $8.6 billion. Data revenue represents money that wireless carriers earn on services other than voice. Wireless data revenues now total roughly 13% of all wireless service revenues. The survey also found that text messaging is enormously popular, with more than 158 billion messages sent in 2006. This represents a 95% increase over 2005. Wireless subscribers are also sending pictures and other multi-media messages in droves, with more than 2.7 billion MMS messages sent in 2006, up from 1.1 billion in 2005. Our take: That's all good news, but the increasing dependence of personal handhelds and smartphones on phone companies is disconcerting, as are the obscene markup and the ridiculous limitations (160 characters, usually 100 message storage limit) on text messaging.
-- Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2007 by chb

Mark/Space ships Mac OS X Missing Sync for Blackberry
Mark/Space, Inc. today announced that The Missing Sync for BlackBerry, the company's synchronization software for Mac OS X computers and BlackBerry handhelds is now shipping. The Missing Sync for BlackBerry provides reliable synchronization of contacts, calendar events, tasks, memos, and for multimedia-capable BlackBerry devices, photos, podcasts and music. [see Missing Sync for BlackBerry page] -- Posted Wednesday, March 28, 2007 by chb

Symbol/Motorola releases handy MC35 EDA
Symbol, now Motorola's "enterprise mobility business," introduced the MC35 Enterprise Digital Assistant (EDA), an all-in-one voice/data communication device in the form of a durable, compact handheld. The MC35, powered by a Marvell (remember, Intel sold the XScale) 416MHz XScale PXA270 processor and WinMobile 5.0, joins the MC50 and rugged MC70 as the third device in Symbol/Motorola's family of EDAs and combines cellular technology (quad-band GSM with EDGE), including GPS, 802.11b/g Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, with office functionality, 2-megapixel camera, and a bar code reader. You can do Voice-over-IP calls, but have to get third party software for that. The MC35 lists from $640 to $750, depending on configuration. Unlike most ruggedized handhelds, the MC35 is tiny at 5.0 x 2.6 x 0.80 inches, weighs little, and has a thumb-type keyboard. -- Posted Tuesday, March 27, 2007 by chb

Motion introduces LE1700 Tablet PC
Motion Computing introduced the LE1700, its new flagship slate. The new model comes in a standard and a "WriteTouch" version which offers an innovative digitizer that easily switches between writing and touch. The LE1700 has a 11.65 x 9.65 footprint, is just 0.74 inches thick, and weighs only 3.3 pounds. It is powered by a 1.5GHz Intel Core 2 Duo and can accommodate up to 4GB of RAM. The fingerprint reader now doubles as a navigation device and a second snap-on battery can provide full-shift operation. The 12.1-inch display has very high 1400 x 1050 pixel resolution and the polycarbonate/magnesium machine can be ordered with a variety of wireless radio options, and even has a SIM slot. [Read our full preview of the Motion LE1700] -- Posted Monday, March 26, 2007 by chb

Intermec CEO Larry Brady to retire
According to Intermec, its longtime CEO Larry D. Brady will retire from the position he has held since 2000. Brady may remain as chairman of Intermec, though that has not been decided yet. I had the pleasure of meeting Mr. Brady at Intermec's 2003 iComm conference where he presented a keynote and welcome address. My impression at the time was, All in all this was one of the best presentations on economic theory and its practical applications I have ever seen. Brady is a dynamic presenter with an unbelievable command of financial terminology and a man who clearly came across as a true captain of industry. -- Posted Thursday, March 22, 2007 by chb

Samsung reveals second-gen UMPC
According to a Reuters report, Samsung showed a second generation of its Ultra Mobile PC, the Q1 Ultra, at CeBIT. Samsung had expected to sell about 100,000 units of the first-gen Q1, but did not reach that goal. The Q1 Ultra has an improved keyboard, longer battery life, better wireless, is more handy, has a better display, navigation and mobile TV, and two cameras. Samsung expects to sell 200-300k units in the coming year, at a price of almost US$1,600. Our take: It's a reach. No matter how many features a UMPC has, it's a tough sell when you can buy a full function notebook for a few hundred bucks. Maybe the UMPC should concentrate on a) ultra-low cost, and b) rugged/vertical models. -- Posted Friday, March 16, 2007 by chb

Syware mobile tools now fully Vista-compatible
Syware announced that their mobile development tools are now fully compatible with the Microsoft Windows Vista operating system. Syware's powerful mobility development tools make it easy to build applications for all types of Windows Mobile devices: Pocket PC, Pocket PC Phone Edition and Smartphone. SYWARE, Inc.'s products continue to support all previous 32-bit Windows operating systems and are fully backward compatible. -- Posted Thursday, March 15, 2007 by chb

Psion introduces 8515 touchscreen vehicle-mount
Psion Teklogix introduced a compact, lightweight vehicle-mount computer in the XScale-powered 8515. It's a modern, full-function tablet with integrated QWERTY keyboard and ten function keys for easy operation. The 6.4-inch VGA touchscreen has special anti-reflective and anti-glare treatment. The 8515 offers excellent connectivity both wireless (802.11b/g and Bluetooth) and wired (3 USB and UART DE9). It's also a tough unit with a high-impact polycarbonate shell, IP65 sealing and all the requisite environmental testing. [read our description and specs] -- Posted Thursday, March 15, 2007 by chb

F-Origin announces HaptiTouch 2.0 for next-gen touch navigation
F-Origin, providers of touchscreen, motion control and UI technologies announced HaptiTouch 2.0. This new product release enables OEMs and ODMs to quickly and efficiently integrate intelligent and easy-to-use touchscreens into mobile phones, portable computing devices, interactive kiosks and terminal devices. HaptiTouch now supports devices of all types along with displays ranging from small mobile phones to screens as large as 15 inches. HaptiTouch's highly customizable API can be implemented with multiple operating systems. -- Posted Tuesday, March 13, 2007 by chb

Intermec's 2007 Webinars: Insight into latest supply chain trends and technologies
Intermec has released the schedule for its 2007 Webinar Series, with information designed to improve efficiency and establish best practices with the latest technologies. The 60-minute live webcasts cover a range of topics, including RFID compliance and asset tracking, the proposed Electronic On Board Recorder (EOBR) rule, working in hazardous environments and the surge in 2D bar code use. [see Intermec 2007 webinar schedule] -- Posted Tuesday, March 13, 2007 by chb

"New" AT&T; issues red Treos and Blackberrys
Reminiscent of the days when Apple offered all those different-colored first gen iMacs, AT&T; announced an eye-catching, dark ruby-colored version of the BlackBerry Pearl, a 4.2 x 1.97 x .57 device that weighs just 3.1 ounces, and a striking crimson version of the Treo 680. The red BlackBerry Pearl is the first wireless handset to be branded for the new AT&T.; At Pen Computing, we like to have all those color choices, but better digital voice quality and not so many dropped calls would be even nicer...
-- Posted Monday, March 12, 2007 by chb

FlipStart near release, blogger has demo on YouTube
The Vulcan FlipStart, a tiny PC has been in the making for quite some time, but now it seems like it's finally going to be released. Preview units run on a 1.1GHz Pentium M , have 512MB of RAM, a 30GB drive, Windows XP (Vista possible), integrated EV-DO, 1024 x 600 Wide SVGA 5.6" display, 802.11b/g, and a webcam. James Kendrick presents a nice hands-on review of the Flipstart including a YouTube video. -- Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2007 by chb

Samsung ships hybrid hard drives
Samsung announced availability of its hybrid hard drive in 80GB, 120GB and 160GB capacities. Optimized to work with Vista notebooks, the Samsung MH80 is a 2.5-inch hybrid hard drive with 128 or 256 MB of flash. It combines a hard disk drive with a OneNAND Flash cache and Microsoft’s ReadyDrive software, offering faster boot and resume times (up to 50%), increased battery life and greater reliability because the hard disk doesn't have to constantly spin when the computer is on battery power. As a result, the drive is less susceptible to shock damage, data loss and repairs. The drive can also operate at a lower temperature than a regular hard drive. -- Posted Wednesday, March 7, 2007 by chb

PDAMill merges into Nav N Go, discontinues Palm development
PDAMill has merged with Nav N Go and changed its name to Nav N Go Game Studios. The company also announced that they are discontinuing all of products for the Palm OS platform. They did this because some of their Palm OS products worked on a device by device basis and because of recent developments with the Palm OS platform itself. Nav N Go was originally known for GPS solutions, including the much praised iGO My Way GPS navigation product, but quickly expanded beyond expectations and continues to grow. Emphasis will now be on Windows Mobile, BREW, J2ME (mobile Java), and Symbian devices. -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2007 by chb

Useful free white papers
Tech Republic, a free service that makes available white papers on a variety of technical subjects, has added a paper on HP Compaq Thin Clients. While there, poke around for other white papers of interests. -- Posted Monday, March 5, 2007 by chb

IP68-rated imaging device
It's not a mobile computer, but every time we come across a device that is the equivalent of IP68 rated, can handle temperatures down to 14 degrees and still work, and surives 5-foot drops, we listen. What we're talking about is the Stylus 770 SW digital camera from Olympus. They call it waterproof, shockproof, temperatureproof and crushproof. And it is. We took pictures with it at a depth of 67 feet and had it underwater for hours at a time. [Read review of the waterproof Olympus 770] -- Posted Friday, March 2, 2007 by chb

Motion releases C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant
Motion Computing, the company that specializes on Tablet PC slates and nothing else, has introduced a handy mobile slate designed specifically for healthcare environments. It's a handy 10 x 10 inch device less than an inch thick and weighing just over three pounds. It's powerful enough with an Intel Core Solo processor to run Vista. It has excellent ergonomics, superior onboard security, communication and even RFID and barcode scanning. There's a 2-megapixel digital camera and the whole device is made so it can be easily cleaned and desinfected. Finally, there's an easy-mount dock that fits almost anywhere. [Read our preview of the Motion C5 Mobile Clinical Assistant] -- Posted Tuesday, February 20, 2007 by chb

Itronix' General Dynamics XR-1 wins Laptop Mag Editor's Choice
Itronix Corporation, a General Dynamics company, announced that the GoBook XR-1 laptop has earned the highly coveted Editor's Choice designation from LAPTOP Magazine in the rugged computing category. The computer, which received a 4-star rating, is featured in the March 2007 issue of LAPTOP (see our detailed review of the XR-1)) -- Posted Tuesday, February 20, 2007 by chb

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