Samsung Propel Pro Now Available from AT&T

The latest QWERTY contender from Samsung is now officially available from AT&T. The Propel Pro though sharing attention with five other new AT&T flagships will certainly hold its own. Looking good as an upgraded version of the original Propel, there could be no stopping this pro from hooking every imaginable WinMo smartphone-using segment.



Samsung's Propel Pro AT&T offering is at $149.99 after a $50 mail-in rebate on a two-year contract. For those on a tight-crunching economic-slowdown budget, the original Propel can still be had at $49.99 while supply lasts.

Specs at a glance:
* Slider form factor with QWERTY keypad
* 2.5-inch TFT display, 320 x 320 pixels, 65K colors
* Quad band GSM (850/900/1800/1900 MHz)/GPRS/EDGE connectivity
* Tri-band UMTS/HSDPA connectivity (850/1900/2100 MHz)
* Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard OS
* 3 megapixel camera with autofocus
* Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth 2.0
* MicroSDHC support
* 4 x 2.5 x 0.6 inches, 4.8 ounces
* Talk time: up to 6 hours, Standby time: up to 12 days

More of the AT&T Samsung Propel Pro offering here.

Skype 3.0 Beta for Windows Mobile Now Available for Download

Skype 3.0 Beta for Windows Mobile is already available for download. Skype 2.5 however, recently went gold. The latest Skype version includes two new features: SMS and file transfer.

Using this beta, those with a Windows phone can send different file types to and from their Skype contacts around the world. This includes items like spreadsheets, music, and more.

In addition, the new version lets users send text messages through Skype. This is a paid service, but texting via Wi-Fi is generally less expensive than sending texts while roaming internationally.

The Skype 3.0 Beta for Windows Mobile can be downloaded now from its developer's website.

More about Skype

Skype is a VoIP service which lets users talk to other Skype users for free over Wi-Fi or 3G connections, and also enables low-cost voice calls to landlines. In addition, it offers instant messaging with Skype and other IM services.

Users need to purchase minutes via major credit cards or PayPal in order to make calls to regular phones.

In addition to the version of Skype for Windows Mobile, there are also ones for Nokia Internet Tablets, Windows, and Mac OS X.

Microsoft Disclosed Adding Web Widgets to Windows Mobile 6.5

Microsofts official blog confirmed the addition of web widgets in the upcoming release of Windows Mobile 6.5. Jorge Peraza, a software engineer and member of the development team disclosed the following:

A good way to think of a Windows Mobile Widget is as a “Portable chunk of the web” or just basically a rich internet application. Widgets are written using all the web technologies we know and love (HTML, CSS, AJAX, JavaScript) and, since they are powered under the covers by our new internet browser, they have full access to flash and other ActiveX controls available on the device (Like MediaPlayer).

The interesting thing about our Widget Platform is that it allows them to look and feel, to the end user, as a normal standalone application does; they have their own start menu icon, they show up as an individual apps in task manager and, most importantly, they have full control of the SK menu bar as any other application would (just easier J).

He also added that the exact capabilities of the widget framework and more details about it and the mobile OS will be available soon in the following months specifically during sessions on TechDays in April and TechEd 2009. He also shared some screenshots of the MSN widgets created by the Windows Live team below.

Treo Pro Now Available from Sprint

Today, Sprint users will be able to get their Palm fix with the launch of the Palm Treo Pro. The latest Treo Pro will be available at $299.99 before a $100 mail-in rebate which is contingent upon the choice of an Everything Plan or data plan of $30 or more. As far as specs, you’re looking at Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional, a full-QWERTY keypad, 2.5″ touchscreen display, 2 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi, GPS and EV-DO Rev. 0 / Rev. A connectivity, but at this point you must have already known that. It’s no Pre, but it should be the closest thing we can hold on until P-Day.

Palm Treo Pro Specifications:
Bands: GSM 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 HSDPA 850 / 1900 / 2100
Dimensions: 114 x 60 x 13.4 mm
Weight: 133g
Display: TFT touch screen, 65K colours, 320 x 320 pixels, 2.5 inches
Memory: microSD (TransFlash), up to 8GB, 100MB built-in user available memory, 128MB RAM
Processor: Qualcomm MSM7201 400MHz
Data: GPRS, Class 10 (4+1/3+2 slots), 32 - 48 kbps, EDGE, 3G, HSDPA
Wi-Fi: 802.11 b/g
Bluetooth: v2.0 with A2DP (+ Infrared port)
USB: microUSB
OS: Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.1 Professional
Camera: 2 MP, 1600×1200 pixels, video
Others: Built-in GPS, 3.5mm stereo headset jack, Standard battery, Li-Ion 1500 mAh, Stand-by up to 250 hours, Talk time up to 5 hours

More details about the Sprint Treo Pro can be found here.

Battle of the Mobile OS's: A Short Roundup

I still remember the days of Palm vs. Pocket PC, Palm OS vs. Windows Mobile. They're back, but this time, it's a four-way battle. The stakes are higher, and the operating systems are more powerful than ever. Who do you think will win the race? or at least the race to your wallet.



iPhone OS X
A slimmed-down version of Apple's OS X is at the core of every iPhone and iPod Touch. With such a powerful operating system, the iPhone can run apps that belong more on your Mac than on a mobile phone, and play games that belong more on a gaming console.



Google Android
Yes, typical of Google, the version of the Android operating system found in the HTC G1 is practically still in beta development. Despite this, all the nerds are a-buzz with the possibilities of Android. Its open architecture -- familiar to Linux fans -- allows anyone to develop applications for Android phones, as well as make improvements to the OS itself.



Palm WebOS
Palm's brand new operating system. WebOS is slated to power all Palm devices for the foreseeable future. Comparisons to the iPhone have been drawn with WebOS's familiar navigation, but crucially, WebOS is capable of a few things OS X can't do: multi-tasking with its "cards" system, and cut and paste.



Windows Mobile
Windows Mobile is the self-same operating system that ran your old Pocket PC PDA. Since then it has undergone radical cosmetic surgery, a heart replacement and about a gazillion nip tucks here and there. Still going strong. Windows Mobile is your first choice if connecting to enterprise networks is your priority. Word has it that WinMo 6.5 has some nifty visual tweaks.