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ActiveX in IE Mobile

Tue, 26 Jun 2007 06:59:58 -0400

The IE Mobile team has posted a quick tip for deploying ActiveX applications using IE Mobile. The big catch is that ActiveX content is not automatically downloaded and it must be pre-compiled into ARM or X86 code.

T-Mobile posts free WM6 update for Dash

Tue, 08 May 2007 06:59:58 -0400

It's official: T-Mobile has posted a free Windows Mobile 6 upgrade for the Dash. Unless T-Mobile worked out some special deal with Microsoft, I can only assume the carrier is absorbing the cost of the upgrade--a clear sign T-Mobile wants the Dash to succeed.

Understanding ActiveSync partnerships

Tue, 01 May 2007 06:59:56 -0400

ActiveSync and Windows Mobile Device Center require a "partnership" to be formed between the desktop and the mobile device, not unlike BlueTooth pairing. Chris De Herrera's Windows CE Website takes you through the mechanics of that partnership.

BlackBerry for Windows Mobile

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:01:38 -0400

RIM announced it will release a version of its BlackBerry Application Suite for Windows Mobile 6 devices. The suite fully emulates the BlackBerry OS, meaning all third-party apps will be supported in addition to RIM's email and calendering tools. This potentially offers a new solution for mobile enterprise developers and IT departments struggling to support RIM devices and Windows Mobile. RIM's new media player will not be supported initially, but will likely come in a later release.

The thought of a Treo running BlackBerry on top of Windows Mobile would have seemed ridiculous a few years ago. I think decoupling the software from the hardware is a good thing; consumers get to mix and match and vendors can focus on their strengths. Of course, fans of the BlackBerry hardware argue RIM should create Windows Mobile devices instead.

ALSO: RIM explains last week's email outage. But not everyone is impressed (to say the least).

HTC's WM6 upgrade plans

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:01:37 -0400

HTC has released its Windows Mobile 6 upgrade plan. HTC Europe will release the first round of updates for the S620, Advantage TyTN and others. Engadget has more.

Win Mobile: Practical uses of MAPI

Mon, 23 Apr 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Microsoft's MAPI allows developers to manipulate folders and messages on Windows Mobile devices. The Windows Mobile Team Blog has posted some practical examples of how to use the MAPI targeted at Windows Mobile IS Vs.

.NET CF 2.0 SP2 released

Mon, 19 Mar 2007 20:01:36 -0400

Microsoft has released Service Pack 2 for .NET Compact Framework. It includes numerous bug fixes as well as a new remote performance monitor and other tools designed to help find memory leaks. I previously wrote about Microsoft's .NET CF SP2 compatibility tests.

.NET CF v2 SP2 compatibility forecast

Mon, 12 Mar 2007 20:01:36 -0400

The Microsoft .NET CF team has posted the results of its backwards compatibility tests against version 2 SP2. The team found a few quirks, but it looks like most applications will work just fine. Blog

Editor's Corner

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:01:39 -0500

Mobile Widgets
The allure of widgets is obvious: porting, compatibility testing and code signing are major headaches for developers just trying to create a simple application or piece of content. A well-designed widget architecture promises to take that all away.

I've touched on mobile widget platforms from Bling on Mojax when I wrote about mobile AJAX a few weeks ago, but since then Opera Software has announced Opera 9 Mobile, which will feature a mobile version of Opera Widgets. This is a pretty big deal as Opera already has a large library of desktop widgets and a sizable user base. (The other big new feature announced in Opera 9 Mobile is "intelligent zoom," which sounds a bit like the "pinch zoom" feature in the upcoming iPhone.)

And Opera isn't the only big name trying to get in on the action. Yahoo is trying to leverage its desktop Widget Engine (and the 1,500 existing desktop widgets available for download) with the latest version of Yahoo Go for Mobile. Go for Mobile 2.0 is a downloadable app that includes widgets for weather, breaking news, search and pictures through Flickr.

Another new entrant to the mobile widget arena is Canoo's UltraLightClient (ULC). ULC is best known as a Java-based platform for creating "rich Internet applications." The company just announced ULC Mobile, a J2ME version that can leverage ULC's existing codebase. There is one catch: while many products let developers create widgets for free in order to promote the platform, ULC Mobile has to charge for it. The client is free, but a developer license costs about $5,000.

Next Week: I'll be reporting live from the Game Developers Conference in San Francisco. -Eli

Syware adds Windows Smartphone support

Mon, 26 Feb 2007 19:01:36 -0500

Syware has announced a new beta version of Visual CE that supports Windows CE devices without touchscreens (i.e. Windows Mobile Smartphone devices like the Motorola Q and the Samsung Blackjack). This is good news for developers hoping to target the growing number of cheap, Smartphone devices out there. Release