Smartphone Thoughts - Daily News, Views, Rants and Raves

Skype 3.0 Beta for Windows Mobile has just been released, and it delivers two major features: SMS and file transfers. There's also a new user interface and a single installer for both Windows Mobile Classic/Professional (Pocket PC) and Windows Mobile Standard (Smartphone). Interested? Check out the video demo at the Skype Blogs, then download it and give it a whirl.

"txtForward automatically forwards SMS text messages you send or receive on your BlackBerry or Windows Mobile smartphone to any email address you supply. Using txtForward to send your incoming text messages to email can be useful in a number of different ways... "



At first I didn't really see the point of this software, but one use would be to forward a text to your email account for archival purposes. The site has other recommended uses for it as well. It costs $7.95 and has a trial version available. It only specifies Windows Mobile, so I am not sure if it work on both Pro and Standard.

"txtForward automatically forwards SMS text messages you send or receive on your BlackBerry or Windows Mobile smartphone to any email address you supply. Using txtForward to send your incoming text messages to email can be useful in a number of different ways"

Whether you carry around multiple devices and can't remember which SMS message is on which device or you just want to back up all of your SMS messages in an easy no fuss manner, txtForward is the Windows Mobile application that you have been missing out on. You can download a free trial of txtForward from the Electric Pocket website and if you like this program you can purchase it from our affiliate store for only $9.95. If you try out this application be sure to let us know how you like it!

"Text messaging is something that just about everyone is doing these days. I have spoken with many friends who admit that texting has become their primary means of communicating with their kids when they are out with friends. I can't estimate how many times I have been sitting in my house and watched at least two family members sitting texting on their phone. It's more commonplace than out of place these days."

jkOnTheRun has some interesting insights to how text messaging has become an important method of communication for the deaf. I hadn't really thought about it before, but SMS seems to be almost tailor made for the deaf as a means of remote communication. Do you know anyone that is deaf that relies heavily on SMS?

"My brother, the cinematographer, is a MAC kinda guy. So, naturally he packs an iPhone of which he is very proud. While visiting me last week he was showing off the virtues of his iPhone with a bit of a smug air and a tinge of superiority. He quickly established that the iPhone makes phone calls, surfs the Web, does email and SMS, takes pictures (but has no flash), and it does it all on a really cool, high-resolution, finger-friendly touch screen..."



Over at Mobility Site, Tim Hillebrand has brought us one of the most amusing articles I have read this week. I was hoping to post this earlier in the week, but with our server woes I decided to push this back to Friday to give you guys and gals a good chuckle before the weekend. Tim goes through the list of all of Apple's good qualities that was packed into their little device that could and than in classic 1980's buddy comedy fashion the article takes a turn for the comical going through everything you would think this fancy high end device should/would include in its repertoire list but doesn't. It just goes to show us that Apple's handset has as many growing pains to conquer as Microsoft's cellular device offerings and also that Tim's brother is a good sport for letting him write this article about him. ;)

"QoreFunctions, makers of the popular PushEffect application for Windows Mobile SmartPhones is pleased to announce the immediate availability of LEDAlerts - Custom LED notifications for your Windows Mobile 6 SmartPhone!"



QoreFunctions LEDAlerts is a pretty cool application that allows you to put those lazy LED lights to good use. With LEDAlerts you can activate your device's LEDs for missed calls and missed reminders as well as new voice mail messages, email messages, SMS messages, and MMS messages. As I said, pretty cool application... unfortunately the only device that is on the market that would make this a useful application is the Samsung Blackjack II which has a ridiculous 7 different color LED lights! Who knew?!

Don't be discouraged though, LEDAlerts is also compatible with the HTC S730, Verizon SMT5800, T-Mobile Dash/S620 though these handsets only have one LED light available for use. You can purchase LEDAlerts from QoreFunctions' website for $12.95USD

Just when you think you've heard (and maybe used) all the corny pick-up lines there are, now you can look forward to reading them on your cell phone. LG recently ran a "Text in the City" contest to find the best one-liners people are using to flirt with others through SMS. Lines like "Can I snap your picture so I can show Santa what I gotta have for xmas?" and "Are you a cop, cause you're definitely one of New York's finest?" led the pack.

The contest "explored the emerging trend of phone flirting and how the tech savvy use design features of their mobile phones to get people's attention." I don't know about that. In order to flirt over SMS to work, you really need to have the other person's phone number. Isn't that usually the hard part? What have been your phone-flirting experiences been like - and has your Smartphone helped you get a date? :D