crossbow
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Verizon's Samsung i760 out-BlackJacks the BlackJack?
What a better way to usher in the Crossbow Age than with this hot little number from Samsung? Roc A Fella and HTC Kid have again hooked us up with some details on the CDMA rendition of its i760 Pocket PC phone, taking on a decidedly different appearance from its GSM cousin by pushing the keypad to the right and the directional pad to the left. It looks like Verizon is all lined up to get this bad boy come Q2 of next year, packing a little next-gen Windows Mobile action in the process (though what we've seen so far suggests it ain't much more than a reskin). Specs (for those who can't be bothered to peep the image) include 128MB of ROM and 64MB of RAM, 802.11b / g, microSD expansion, and a sliding QWERTY keypad. Mix in just a touch of that glorious EV-DO broadband, and it looks like we've got yet another winner in Verizon's '07 bumper crop -- if Crossbow stays on schedule, that is.[Thanks, htckid]
Crossbow in the wild (on a Hermes, no less)
After observing that Crossbow (the next version of Windows Mobile destined to find its way into handsets) appears to be little more than a moderate reskin of the Winodws Mobile 5 we all know and love, our excitement sorta tempered; instead, we started hunkering down for the real prize, Photon -- a major rewrite that's still a ways off yet. Even so, we can't help but feel a twinge of joy at seeing the beautified platform doing its thing on a Hermes in the wild, especially considering that the Hermes is basically a year old. If nothing else, it gives us hope that the lives of the handsets in all our pockets right now might be extended a bit. Don't get us wrong, we'll be compulsively upgrading our hardware ad infinitum right alongside many of our readers -- but we suspect a Hermes with Crossbow will resell for a touch more on eBay than a Hermes with old-skool 5.0, y'know?[Via PDA247]
Windows Mobile "Crossbow" reviewed
The speculation is over kids, mobile-review got themselves a copy of the next major release of the Windows Mobile OS and slapped up a review for all to see. Codenamed "Crossbow," the mobile OS is expected to hit sometime in the first half of 2007 under what can be assumed to be a Windows Mobile 6.0 moniker. Although, as the review points out, a full numeric update is a bit generous as it could just as well be dubbed Windows Mobile 5.0 Second Edition given the lack of new features. For that, you'll have to wait another few years for Photon which will finally unify the Pocket PC and Smartphone divisions -- it's the former (a near-RTM development version) under review. So, now that your expectations are fully deflated, what are we looking at? To start with, most of the new functions in Crossbow are meant to play nice with the 2007 release of Office and Exchange. Just to run down the highlights, we're getting a fully revamped Outlook Mobile app with new Vista-inspired sounds and themes, Windows Live integration featuring Live Search Mobile, Live Mail Mobile, Live Messenger Mobile (which, ironically, was first available on Symbian S60 3rd edition deivces) all available direct from the Today screen, VoIP (SIP) support bundled into the phone-related part of the system, and Smart Dial 2.0 integration for fast search through contacts just like WinMo 5.0 SmartPhone edition. We're still looking at a typical 64MB ROM / 64MB RAM footprint and a minimum 200MHz CPU. Overall, the system performance is speedier throughout due to continued efforts at optimization started with AKU 3.0. There are few more changes of course but what we're looking at here is not an attempt to leapfrog the competition, rather, Crossbow is an effort just to keep the pace which ain't all bad. Oh, and good news for HP and E-Ten device owners, you'll likely have the option of updating to the new OS via a firmware update -- everyone else had best get to pestering their manufacture or trolling the torrents for the bump.[Thanks, Eldar]
A closer look at Windows Mobile codename "Crossbow"
If you've been thinking that Windows Mobile 5 could use a little spit 'n polish (and not much else), new screen shots coming in from GpsPasSion seem to confirm our hunch that that's pretty much how Crossbow rolls. The successor to Windows Mobile 5 -- whose real name and version number is not yet known -- looks less like a new operating system and more like a skin every time we lay eyes on it. To be fair, that's not to say there's nothing notably new here: these Smartphone caps indicate the presence of honest-to-goodness Word, Excel, and Powerpoint apps, Windows Update (FOTA perhaps?), and the previously-revealed Office Communicator stuff. It also looks like Crossbow's refined UI might finally rely on the presence of a 320 x 240 display to do its business, and rest assured, 220 x 176 will not be missed.[Thanks, Paul]
Gigabyte's dual-tuner g-Smart i200
Though Gigabyte's not much of a mobile presence here in the US, folks in Asian countries might want to listen up: the spec sheet on their g-Smart i200 Pocket PC phone makes it sound like the best thing since... well, the i120 and i300. The 512MB of internal storage is hot, the promise of Crossbow (if it's available by the device's launch in Q1 '07) is pure gold -- but what's really got us all fired up are the integrated dual tuners (DVB-H and DVB-T) and 2.69-inch VGA display. Yep, we said it: VGA. Everyone waiting for the promise of compromise-free mobile web browsing and remote desktop connections can come out of hiding, because this bad boy could very well be the phone you've been waiting for. The TV-out and DVR functionality don't hurt, either. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to book our flights to Taiwan.[Via Pocket PC Thoughts]
Windows Mobile "crossbow" in the wild?
Here ya go WinMo lovers, a screen shot of the purported next generation Windows Mobile OS codenamed Crossbow, courtesy of MS Mobile News. Sure, it could just be a WinMo 5.0 theme for all we know but if this is the full Pocket PC homescreen above, then we can expect a glossier look, continued softkey support, and a smattering of oh so Vista icons when this, and the SmartPhone version are released in the first half of 2007. As we already heard from Microsoft, Crossbow will feature a new version of Office Communicator and "strong links with Office 2007 and Exchange 12." If all this still leaves you aching for the hotness of Photon, well, suck it up son 'cause that's not scheduled to hit until the first half of 2008.
The weapons of Killzone: Liberation
If you've played the demo, you got a good taste of what to expect from the upcoming PSP-exclusive Killzone: Liberation. You can only carry one weapon at a time, meaning weapons selection is pretty crucial to the strategy of the game. Thankfully, there are crates that will supply you with the necessary tools you'll need (for example: a rocket launcher before a deadly battle against two tanks). GameTrailers.com has posted an excellent video feature, covering the various weapons in the game. Their favorite? A explosive crossbow, a la Darkwatch. They reveal details on how you can purchase new weapons, use C4, command your teammates to cover you with turret fire, ride a tank, and more. Chris found the game demo to be pretty damn good, and with all these gameplay features, it seems like the full game will not disappoint (hopefully). Killzone: Liberation hits stores on Halloween.
Brian Walker to fly rocket-propelled craft launched with world's largest crossbow
Most people have some sort of fantasy about flying, but not everyone is as dumb about it as Brian Walker. Calling it Project RUSH (Rapid Up Super High), the man has built for himself the world's largest crossbow to launch a tiny rocket-propelled craft carrying his fragile body 20 miles into the air. He plans to pull 10 gs as the carbon-fiber bowstring releases and sends his little spaceship-like vehicle soaring into the air while firing a jet turbine with 1350 pounds of thrust. He will be wearing a Russian space suit to help keep his innards in, and has hydrogen peroxide rockets to help slow his descent, but we can't think his mother is very happy about this all the same. Right now Brian is waiting on FAA approval, and is planning to test the launcher with a giant fiberglass arrow before he launches himself this fall.[Via MAKE]
Some deets on the future of Windows Mobile laid bare
Brighthand appears to have unearthed a few details on what's up with Windows Mobile 5.0 and beyond, as laid out in a Microsoft "Tech Days" presentation given in Switzerland (which we can only presume they didn't expect to make it into the wild -- oh come now, sillies). There isn't much to work with here, but the document makes mention of "Crossbow," what might otherwise be remarked as WinMo AKU3. We know, we know, you probably still don't have AKU2 yet, but with Crossbow you might be able to look forward to "Great mobile messaging," "Advanced Business and Enterprise propositions," a "Strengthened phone experience," "Faster, easier application development and distribution," and a "Q1/Q2 '07 Marketing Launch." Yeah, that doesn't really tells loads. As for Photon: "New, Flexible Shell," "Modular Containers," "'Yamazaki' CE kernel," and "Q1/Q2 '08 Marketing Launch," meaning it could be mid to late 2008 to see the true successor to WinMo 5.0. Dems the breaks, ladies and gents, we're just letting you know what we find.[Via MGN]Update: Reader Uni points out you can snag the PowerPoint presentation here.
