Personal mobile software roundup: Jan. 3-13, 2006

- Gary Thayer, Editor

Jan. 12, 2006 -- (MobileVillage) -- Here is roundup to-date of new or updated personal software for mobile users.

Apple unveiled iLife '06, the next generation of its suite of digital lifestyle applications featuring major new versions of iPhoto, iMovie HD, iDVD, GarageBand and also featuring Apple's new iWeb web-designing application. While the iLife suite can be bought at apple.com, it is also bundled with Apple's new MacBook Pro notebook. The MacBook Pro is Apple's first to run on Intel's new 1.67 GHz Core Duo processor, which promises up to four times the performance of the PowerBook G4. The MacBook Pro measures one inch thin, weighs 5.6 pounds, and features a built-in iSight video camera and a 15-inch display that is 67-percent brighter than previous Apple laptops.

Coalescent Systems announced its Gabcast podcasting service, which creates podcasts for bloggers, vodcasters, webmasters, journalists, and others. Users dial into Gabcast using a cellular phone or telephone to record and publish audio content. (A toll free number is available for those in the US.) Gabcast users can also record and publish audio content via Voice-over-IP (VoIP), such as via Free World Dialup, Asterisk, and other Internet phone providers. Notification of published audio content is sent via Really Simple Syndication (RSS). Subscribers to Gabcast "channels" may use their RSS reader of choice. To signup for a free account, go to gabcast.com.

Chapura has released Call Log+ for the Palm Treo 650 smartphone. The software lets users take notes on their smartphone during or after a phone call and keep track of these conversations on their PC desktop by synchronizing the call log and associated notes with Outlook Journal entries, linking them to the corresponding Outlook Contacts. Chapura also sells other software applications for synchronization of Outlook Contacts, Calendar, Tasks and Notes. For information, see chapura.com.

Electric Pocket has released PhotoDial, a photographic speed dial application for Treo 650 smartphones or Bluetooth-enabled PDAs. See details here.

Netomat has released "netomat hub", a free content creation and sharing service for mobile phone and PC users. Members can set up groups, called hubs, devoted to any topic from their mobile phones and PCs. They can then invite friends and friends of friends to their hubs and begin sharing and messaging instantly; adding camera phone photos, digital camera photos and as much text as they want. Members can also "drag and drop" RSS feeds to a hub and receive content updates containing images and text on their mobile phones and PCs.

Netomat hub works with most major PC browsers (e.g., Internet Explorer, Firefox, Opera), and most mobile browsers (Openwave 6.x , Nokia, Motorola Proprietary, Sony Ericsson, Access Netfront and Teleca/AU Systems). The software is available for free at netomat.net. For mobile users, operator data charges apply.

PhatWare has released version 3.0 of its PhatPad note taking software for Microsoft Windows-based devices, Tablet and Desktop PCs. The main new features of PhatPad 3.0 include the ability to add voice notes; a Today Screen add-on for recently created or modified PhatPad documents and voice notes; and a two customizable popup toolbars that can be edited to include the user's most-utilized tools.

Other new features in version 3.0 include a file manager with note preview that allows the user to preview all pages in the PhatPad document before opening them and change the page order during the document preview; a new search dialog box for access to found notes; and better integration with the most recent versions of PhatWare's CalliGrapher and PenOffice handwriting recognition appliations.

PhatPad works on Pocket PC 2003 or later devices based on Windows Mobile 4.2 or later and Tablet and Desktop PCs with Windows 2000 or later. PhatPad 3.0 is available at phatware.com for US $30. Registered users of previous versions of PhatPad can upgrade the product for $20.

Remoba has released its latest version of its Remo software that provides access to email, contacts, and calendar on mobile phones, including "plain" non-smartphones. Remo is compatible with Microsoft Outlook, Outlook Express, Lotus Notes, and Palm Desktop software. The email application accepts POP, POP3, and IMAP formats as well as any Internet based e-mail account. Besides receiving email, users can receive text alerts before meetings or other important events such as birthdays or anniversaries.

Remo is available from Verizon Wireless and some other mobile phone carriers. Verizon customers may download Remo from the Get-It-Now section. For more information, see remoba.com.

Spark Technology has added support for Motorola phones to its CellStik contacts entry and backup application, which also supports LG and Samsung models. CellStik allows users to enter and edit cell phone contacts on their PC keyboard and transfer their entire phonebook in minutes. Users can save and update (add, delete and edit) all of their cell phone contacts. The software does not require any cables. CellStik sells for US $40. For more information about Orb, see cellstik.com.

More Recent Software News Links:

All: Opera Mini browser for phones available (IDG)

Blackberry: Google Talk coming to Blackberry (IDG)

Palm: Picsel document viewer now supports Palm (Palm InfoCenter)

Symbian: open source applications and games (NewsForge)

Symbian: Destinator SP brings GPS navigation to your smartphone (MobileMag)

Symbian: Callwave lets you listen as a caller leaves voicemail on your mobile (MobileMag)

Windows Mobile: Using Yahoo Mail on Windows Mobile (MSMobiles)

Windows: Access files anywhere (comparison of Avvenu, EasyReach, & BeInSync) (PC World)

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