If you yet to noticed, Android has been a part of the Windows Mobile phone communities for a while now, well now you can actually flash it. Flashing a phone means replacing everything on it with something new and updated, well a developer from XDA has used this technique and made a new flashing system for flashing Windows Mobile phones and giving it Android 1.6. This can only be done for the Vogue, but hopefully the the community will shift over to the Touchpro2 soon then the Touch Diamond2. This is a risky flash, because when you flash Android, it erases everything on your phone including Windows Mobile before installing Android, so it is not a dual boot sort of thing, it is one way or the other.

The Instructions can be found here. Their is currently a bounty for anyone who wants to make $1280, all you have to do is make a flashable version of Android for the Touchpro2, pretty simple, check it out here.

Source:MOSN

If you take the risk and flash this, we can not be held liable for any bricked phones, just saying.

The latest official HTC HD2 ROM is 1.48, but version 1.61 appears to have just leaked on XDA Developers.

It is not clear exactly what this update brings, but noted improvements is the integration of the Pink splodge fix, a new and improved radio ROM, an Owner settings page (returned after the confusing replacement HTC had in place with the owner card) and fixes regarding the calendar.

For more read this XDA Developers thread here.

Via Pocketnow.com

We told you earlier that Windows Phone would be arriving at Latin America, and now we can also bring the welcome news that the Samsung Omnia II will be available soon in Argentina, through the carrier Personal.

The Omnia 2 will cost ARS$ 1499 with the All Inclusive Plan that includes 300 sms, 300 minutes of voice, 300MB and 5 numbers to communicate free of charge (4 lines of Staff and 1 land line).  Another option costs ARS$ 1699 with the All Inclusive Plan 200, which includes 200 SMS, 200 voice minutes, 200 MB and 5 friends to communicate with unlimited numbers free (4 lines of Staff and 1 land line).

Customers can reserve theirs on the website of Personal at www.personal.com.ar here.

Source

This post was submitted by teo.

Hay everyone this is our little unboxing video of the new Samsung Omnia2. The new device from Verizon wireless with a very nice AMOLED screen and much more. Enjoy the Video, We will be having the Video Hardware and software tour a little later today and tomorrow.

If you have a yearning for an AMOLED smartphone with a front-facing QWERTY keyboard, you can now get the HP iPAQ Glisten from AT&T online.

Not in stores yet, the smartphone is available for only $179.99 on a two year contract.

Are anyone tempted by this device? Let us know why in the comments below.

Via WMExperts.com

I love this promotional video for the LG eXpo! Hopefully the device will get onto shelves very soon.  If they get this on TV I guarantee they will sell at least a few thousand!

LG has a microsite for the eXpo here where more videos can be viewed.

Mobile Communicator from Michael Gannotti on Vimeo.

Mike Gannotti, social media evangelist for Microsoft has been publishing his top 10 applications for Windows Mobile on the Windows Mobile blog.

10th in his top 10 is Office Communicator Mobile, an enterprise application:

From the Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile 2007 R2 web page:

“The 2007 R2 version of Microsoft® Office Communicator Mobile is an enterprise application for mobile devices that helps you quickly find and communicate with your colleagues. The application is designed to make communication easier and more accessible and includes real-time presence information, single number reach support and rich instant messaging (IM) capability all with a familiar look and feel similar to the desktop version of Microsoft Office Communicator.”

Read more at the Windows blog here.

The recent hot fix for the HTC HD2s camera does work to some extent, though not in all situations.

After

Before

These are taken on my HTC HD2 running the 1.48 WWE Test ROM.

In some shots, there is a clear reduction in redness, but in others it seems to make no difference!

Apologies for the lack of decent pictures, I’m not great with cameras, and the sun decided to hide whilst I did this!

Is this a good enough fix, or would you prefer something better?

Today we received the new Omnia2 and also the Imagio for reviews. We received this new devices and will be reviewing them shortly after I have time to play with and get use to it to give you the best comparison and maybe even a video 4 way comparison with the HD, TP2, Imagio, Omnia2 and if I feel like it, Iphone 3G. Look out this week to get all these details and reviews coming your way.

With the Verizon Samsung Omnia 2 now becoming widely available, reviews have been pouring in.  The latest is this one by Mobileburn, which is broken into two parts.

Above is the unboxing and first impressions, and after the break is a look at the software bundled with the device.

Read their full review here.

While rumours of the HTC HD2 being dropped by Vodafone UK is circulating, on the other side of the world another carrier is set to get the device soon.

Tata DoCoMo, the joint venture between the Indian conglomerate and the Japanese carrier, is currently testing the HTC HD2, and the smartphone is set to become available on the 15th December there.

The price is expected to be in the 35000-40000 Rupees range ($750 to $860) which is around the same as elsewhere in the world.

Read more at Cellbharat here.

The Samsung Mondi Windows Mobile MID has been released some months ago, but we have seen very few reviews of the device pop up.

Mobiletechreview has fortunately stepped up to the plate and has published this video review showing the beautiful UI and comparing it to contemporary devices such as the HTC HD2.

The WIMAX device is currently available from BestBuy for $500, with WIMAX service running at around $30 per month from Clear.

Despite the device having the same screen size as the HTC HD2 the device in some ways seem more useable  as a Mobile Internet Device and I think if used as intended succeeds in its goals.

Read the full review here.

In a Q&A session at the ‘Connect!’ technology summit in London recently, Microsoft UK head of mobility Phil Moore confirmed Windows Mobile 7 will not be showing up very soon.

"It has been put back until late next year but it is definitely coming. You’re going to see a lot more on Windows Mobile 7. Giving the enterprise users and consumers what they want will be part of Windows Mobile 7. You’ll get flexibility on a much easier touch UI."

Late 2010 suggests a Q4 rather than Q3 launch. The launch date is important for buyers deciding if its worth waiting for the improved user interface of the upcoming OS, or buying a handset now.

Windows Mobile 7 has been an OS that appears to have been eternally delayed, with the software seemingly in development since 2005, and having seen rumoured launch dates as early as 2008. Hopefully in the increasingly competitive environment we will not see further slippage of the major software project.

Read more at MobileNews here.

Via MSMobiles.com

With the release of their Android version, Opera has offered their browser as a cross-platform UI and development platform for handsets ranging from smartphones running Symbian, Windows Mobile and Android all the way to feature phones running S40 and others.

They claim their widget-based application environment can lower development costs, speed time to market and deliver a consistent user experience to buyers, while providing a more visually attractive user interface.

The browser-based user interface has been touted before, previously by Access for example with their Netfront browser, but HTML-based UI’s have recently gained increased mind-share with the WebOS on the Palm Pre, which makes its adoption by another OEM slightly more likely.

While the main criticism would likely be that such a UI would be slow and unwieldy, it could easily be argued that at present many of us spend the majority of the time on our computers interacting mostly with web-based user interfaces for the various web applications that make up our online life these days.

Would our readers be interested in a web-based UI paradigm on their phones?  Let us know below.

Read more at Opera here.

The iPhone, unlike the HTC Imagio, is not evolved enough to have a kick stand, resulting in developments such as the above foldable stand that will fit easily in your wallet also.

It will however probably work perfectly well for your HTC HD2.

The GoGostand can be purchased here for $4.99 with free shipping.

Via PDA.PL

Lasse has now published the second part of his HTC HD2 review.

Lasse rightfully finds the HD2 to be a pretty fine device and crowns it “The Best Windows Mobile Phone” at the end of his review.

For part 1, see here.

For those of you who follow my Psychology of Technology blog posts (especially here and here), you know that I’m a bit cynical about how technology is impacting us, particularly when it comes to how we define relationships. My worries aren’t so great that I’m looking to wipe out our communications grid with an electromagnetic pulse or anything like that (Instant Quiz: Can you tell me what long-cancelled television show was based on that premise and who starred in it?), but the ways in which new media have changed our ability to establish relationships have me concerned.

But this post isn’t about all the problems that new media may cause. To the contrary, I want to honor a truly wonderful aspect of this rapidly emerging and evolving technology. I’m talking about the on-line communities that offer knowledge bases, forums, and collaboration in an area of common interest.

Having been a part of several technology-related communities, as both a user and a contributor, I am truly amazed at the generosity of spirit, expertise, and time that members devote to helping one other. I have experienced this munificence first hand many times. One such occasion occurred recently with an Italian fellow, whose real job is as a journalist, who spent hours over several days exchanging emails with me helping to solve a problem and create something new on my mobile phone. Whenever I had a question, he had an answer. He didn’t know me from Adam, yet he was willing gave his time and expertise to me. And for nothing more than a heart-felt thanks.

These corporeally disconnected communities, paradoxically enough, show people the very best that humanity has to offer – generosity, cooperation, patience, time, respect, compassion – to total strangers! I say paradoxically because I often wonder why people devote themselves to these communities. There are few obvious rewards for the experts in these communities who create knowledge bases, offer tutorials, and provide answers to “noobie” (new members of the community) questions. There are few financial incentives (developers can solicit donations for products they create, but I’m pretty sure they don’t cover the mortgage). It’s not likely to foster career advancement for most of those involved; contributors’ work lives are often entirely unrelated to the community’s focus. For example, in one mobile-technology community in which I am involved, some of the experts include an attorney, an auto-parts distributor, a chemist, and several college students).  And there is usually some price that is paid for such involvement, mostly time not devoted to work or family (I tell my wife that it’s better I’m into technology than porn!).

Yet the rewards, though less tangible, are obviously there. The experts in these communities can attain something of a god-like status to worshipping noobs and junior members who get thoughtful and detailed answers to their many questions. Now that I have attained a degree of competence (though far from expertise) in several on-line communities, I take great pride in finding answers to some of those questions. And, in return, what these communities have in abundance is the sincerest appreciation and gratitude from those who have been helped.

At a deeper level, despite these relatively small rewards, members devote time and energy to the community because of their passion for the topic, their desire to help others, and their wish to connect with those who share that passion. What pervades these communities is a deep feeling of altruism from its members. There’s just too much give and not enough take to see it any other way.

I’ve also been amazed at the kind of relationships that develop in these communities, particularly among the hard-core insiders who administer and contribute regularly to them. I’ve been fortunate be a part of the “staff” of one particular on-line community and the banter among us on the staff emails is little different than if we were a bunch of guys hanging out in one of our backyards. We know little about each other and will likely never meet, but we act like we’ve known each other for years. I think it is that distance and what I might call controlled anonymity (you only have to share what you want with others) that creates the level of comfort and openness that constantly surprises me. On-line communities like ours transcend pretty obvious geographical, cultural, and political differences (it’s often just fodder for mutual ribbing). And, to be honest, if we actually ever met, I’m not sure we would all get along because of those differences. I say that as a compliment, not a criticism, of on-line communities because it shows that if people focus on what they have in common, then it’s possible to rise above those areas in which they differ. The result is mutual respect, appreciation, as close to friendship as can develop on line, and a community in the truest sense of the word.

This post was submitted by drjim.

It seems a few days after I stopped waiting for the HTC HD2 with a sliding keyboard and decided to commit to the black slab, it seems Vodafone has decided to stop selling the HTC HD2.

Vodafone:

"We haven’t recalled or stopped selling it, at the moment we have simply ran out of stock. When our next batch of stock arrives, this will be used to fulfill our outstanding back orders but we won’t be taking any additional orders via Telesales."

The reason for this shocking development is not clear. Suspected reasons vary from Vodafone making way for the iPhone 3GS, HTC not being able to supply demand or the handset simply being moved from the consumer to business section and requiring a business contract.

Whatever the reason, there is likely to be thousands of disappointed current Vodafone subscribers who may be not be Vodafone subscribers for very long.  I am certainly glad I got my order in on the 8th, and am expecting the handset on the 15th, but I know many others are not as lucky.

We will be pinging our HTC rep tomorrow for an official denial or confirmation.

Are you an angry Vodafone subscriber?  Let us know below.

Read more in Vodafone’s forums here.

Via Engadget.com

Canada’s first Gigahertz phone is now available on Telus, with the LG IQ finally available for order on the carrier’s new HSDPA network.

The phone comes it pretty cheaply at $99, after a standard (for Canada at least) 3 year contract.  It beats the AT&T version, the LG eXpo, which was due to be released on the 2nd, but has been unaccountably delayed.

Strangely the pico-projector, the smartphone’s landmark accessory, does not seem to be on sale yet, but we can expect this to show up soon.

Are any of our readers picking up this smartphone?  Let us know in the comments below.

Via TheMobileninjas.com

Micheal Gannoti, Microsoft’s social media expert and the leading force behind the LiveMedia GPS Geocasting application by IncaX has started a series of geocasts talking about his favourite top 10 applications, most of which can be downloaded from Marketplace.

See his first instalment above, and keep an eye on his blog for the rest.