smart

After getting the green light from the FCC just a couple of weeks ago, Research in Motion today officially took the wraps off the RIM BlackBerry 8820, the company's first smart phone with integrated Wi-Fi. Available through AT&T Wireless later this summer, the 8820 supports 802.11a/b/g standards and is compliant with Wi-Fi security protocols, including WEP and WPA. In addition, the BlackBerry 8820 is the company's thinnest full QWERTY device to date (beat it, BlackBerry Curve), and has built-in GPS for out-of-the-box support for location-based services such as TeleNav GPS Navigator. Other highlights … Read more

It's not the Windows Mobile 6 software upgrade that some of you may be pining for, but Palm has released updates for the Verizon Wireless Treo 700w and Treo 700wx smart phones. The updater for the 700w brings support for dial-up networking (DUN), the A2DP Bluetooth profile for stereo Bluetooth headsets, Today screen enhancements, new dialing preferences, and additional compatibility with Bluetooth car kits. Sadly, Treo 700wx owners don't get as many perks, but you do get A2DP support, DUN improvements, and more daylight saving time features. Both updates are available now for download from Palm's support Web site.… Read more

I found this submission for the "In the Trenches" series to be intriguing. If you wanted to find someone with experience analogous to working in an open source community, where would you look?

According to Janice Smith of The rSmart Group, in academia. This may be particularly true for Janice, given rSmart's focus on open source applications in the Higher Education vertical, but I think it's telling that Janice found the same sort of collegiality and community-approach in open source as she had in her previous life in academia.

But let's hear it directly from Janice:

Name, company, title, and what you actually do

Janice A. Smith, The rSmart Group, Senior Education Consultant. I conduct on-site client assessments, develop requirements, design customizations, offer virtual and on-site training, and provide functional/technical support for an open source application in higher education and K-12.… Read more

One of the most sought-after Windows Mobile 6smart phones is the HTC Vox S710, and it's not hard to see why. The Vox combines some of the best elements of the company's other smart phones to make for one killer device. Sadly, it has yet to make its debut in the United States, but we got our hands on an unlocked version. Take a photo tour here, and check out our review to see if its performance can match its good looks.

Six months after its official unveiling at 3GSM World Congress, the HP iPaq 510 Voice Messenger is finally shipping here in the States. The voice-centric Windows Mobile 6 smart phone features some advanced voice-command functions that let you perform a number of tasks, such as making calls, opening applications, and composing and sending e-mails, just by the sound of your voice. The iPaq 510 is available unlocked through HP, with prices starting at $319.99.

On October 15, Smart starts production of its new Micro-Hybrid. This very mild hybrid car is based on the ForTwo city car. The hybrid system merely stops the gas engine when the car is stopped in traffic, then starts it up again when the driver releases the brake. Smart estimates it will get 13 percent better fuel economy than the standard ForTwo, which works out to about five additional miles per gallon. Very heavy traffic will increase the savings. While the ForTwo is slated to be sold in the U.S. early next year, Smart hasn't said whether it … Read more

Apparently, somewhere deep in cyberspace, there's a hidden Verizon Wireless Web site that holds some of the carrier's juiciest secrets, such as upcoming handsets. And though there's no specific mention of which site (so take this news for what it's worth), according to Engadget Mobile, some enterprising individuals have discovered the Samsung SCH-i760 on this site, fueling rumors that the unique slider smart phone will come to the CDMA carrier. There were no details as to release date or pricing, but we do know that the Windows Mobile 6 device has passed FCC testing and features … Read more

So feast your eyes on this. The Boy Genius Report has apparently scored some real-life photos of the next-gen T-Mobile Sidekick 3. Unlike previous models, the so-called Sidekick Slide (a.k.a. the Zante) is being manufactured by Motorola instead of Sharp and features a slide-up (duh, Slide) screen. No details on specs or availability just yet, but simply from a design perspective, I'm not quite sure I'm digging it. What do you guys think?

I recently had the opportunity to meet with two Microsoft officials to discuss Windows Home Server. According to Microsoft officials, this new solution could solve all of your backup problems and help you immediately restore your entire system to an earlier day if your hard drive dies suddenly. Could this be the saving grace we have all been waiting for? Read on and decide for yourself.

Although the product is still in development, the Windows Home Server (WHS) is very much a new category of home products. Accommodating almost 15 million households in the U.S. alone, WHS is designed … Read more