You should load this to main memory for speed purposes and it supports all screen resolutions.

For complete release information and download instructions head here to the developer’s website and here to the XDA thread. Of course, remember to use the donate link if you like APBilbo’s work.

(via: WMPU)

Once upon a time I was driving after dark on a windy unlit road in Westport Connecticut and as I got close to a blind curve on a hill I noticed a car pulled over on one side of the road and an incapacitated deer in the middle of the other. I did some calculations in my head and determined that traffic headed toward that deer wouldn’t be able to see him in time to make an evasive maneuver and that the deer, whom I’ll go ahead and personify for narrative effect as Mister Deer, was presenting a major hazard so I thought I’d do a good deed and pull over to drag him out of the way for the deer scooper man to deal with later.

As I approached Mister Deer, I saw that he was alive and conscious. I heard a car approaching, bam, the deer tumbled underneath and was now twenty feet further away from me and the car kept going (Toyota maybe?). I was briefly relieved that there was no serious accident and that the deer was surely dead this time but as I got closer I saw that the deer was still alive and kicking. Five seconds pass, history repeated itself and if you can believe it he was still alive. Resilient little fella. That has got to be some kind of Westport deer record for surviving so many abrupt introductions to fenders, windshields and tires.

Depending on how your mind works this is going to get a little more disturbing. Don’t judge me.

I have a healthy relationship with animals. I like petting them (I’m really good at it, I know all the special spots) but I don’t mind eating them, I don’t carry around buckets of red paint either and I don’t give to PETA. I’m not a hunter. But Mister Deer needed to die right quick and the three cars had proven ineffective.

At the time I wasn’t packing so I asked myself what MacGyver would do. I surveyed the scene, found a bowling ball-sized rock, hauled it toward Mister Deer, fired off a quick prayer for good aim, acquired the appropriate target (we maintained eye contact actually), I raised the rock way up high, then I swiftly did the opposite — goodnight Mister Deer, may you heal a lot during your ascent into Deer Heaven.

Finally managed to accomplish my initial objective, got him and the improvised gravitational device out of the way. The woman who had first hit him was hysterical throughout all of this (did you know that the the Greeks came up with that word because they believed that it only afflicted women and was therefore triggered by disturbances in the uterus?) so I went up to her, told her that it wasn’t her fault, could have been anyone, the deer wasn’t suffering anymore, “maybe you should talk to someone about this tomorrow,” yada yada yada, and was Oscar Mike.

Doug Simmons

• showing map in fullscreen
• finger friendly user interface
• map tiles are automatically downloaded if internet connection is available
• map tiles are stored locally for offline use
• GPS support and GSM triangulation
• show actual position on map
• follow-mode to automatically scroll the map
• search addresses (testing)
• calculate routes (not yet implemented)
• gps and gsm tracking (not yet implemented)
• choose between different OSM servers (not yet implemented)

Download this app here. It is still a work in progress. So try it out and give the developer some feedback at his XDA thread.

The new bicycling layer for Google Maps, accessible via the “More…” drop down menu at the top of the map, will display an overlay of the various bike-friendly roads and trails around town. The layer is color-coded to show three different types of paths:

• Dark green indicates a dedicated bike-only trail;
• Light green indicates a dedicated bike lane along a road;
• Dotted green indicates roads without bike lanes but are more appropriate for biking, based on factors such as terrain, traffic, and intersections.

Check out the video that Google released as well:

Even though Google Maps with Bicycle Directions has only been released to desktop versions, Google says a Mobile Version is planned. If you want to learn more about Google Maps with Bicycle Directions, jump after the break for the Google Press Release, or check out the Google Maps web page or CLICK HERE.

March 10, 2010 – If you’re one of the 57 million Americans who ride a bike, mapping your daily commute, exploring new trails, and planning recreational rides just became a little bit easier. Google is announcing that we have added biking directions in the U.S. to Google Maps. This has been the most requested addition to Google Maps, and we’re delighted to be unveiling this new feature at the National Bike Summit in Washington, DC.

This new feature includes: step-by-step bicycling directions; bike trails outlined directly on the map; and a new “Bicycling” layer that indicates bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly roads.

The directions feature provides step-by-step, bike-specific routing suggestions – similar to the directions provided by our driving, walking, or public transit modes. Simply enter a start point and destination and select “Bicycling" from the drop-down menu. You will receive a route that is optimized for cycling, taking advantage of bike trails, bike lanes, and bike-friendly streets and avoiding hilly terrain whenever possible. Just like Google pioneered with driving directions, you can click-and-drag your route to customize it as you’d like. You can also access the other features in Google Maps, such as Street View, so you can tell exactly where you might need to turn on your route or preview how wide a bike lane is, and Local Search, so you know where you can take a water break or where the bike shops are along your route. Biking directions provides time estimates for routes based on an algorithm that takes into account the length of the route, the number of hills, fatigue over time, and other variables.

The new bicycling layer for Google Maps, accessible via the “More…” drop down menu at the top of the map, will display an overlay of the various bike-friendly roads and trails around town. The layer is color-coded to show three different types of paths:

• Dark green indicates a dedicated bike-only trail;
• Light green indicates a dedicated bike lane along a road;
• Dotted green indicates roads without bike lanes but are more appropriate for biking, based on factors such as terrain, traffic, and intersections. 

Thousands of miles of trails in the US have also been added directly onto the map. This helps cyclists better plan their routes, and can also expose the availability and convenience of bike trails to a new audience. Maybe you’re planning a trip to Seattle and notice that the Burke-Gilman trail goes right past your hotel and decide to do an afternoon bike tour of the city, or maybe you notice a trail that will make your daily bike-to-work commute safer and more scenic.

Google has partnered with the Rails-to-Trails Conservancy, a nonprofit that creates networks of trails from former rail lines, to provide information on bike trails in more than 150 cities.

“The demand for trail maps and information has never been higher, especially as more people recognize biking as a viable, inexpensive and healthy alternative to driving,” says Rails-to-Trails President Keith Laughlin. “Sharing our trail data is an exceptional way to introduce the world to what 150,000 RTC members and supporters already know—biking is the ideal way to get where you’re going. The addition of biking directions to Google Maps makes life easier for bikers, whether they are commuting to work or biking for fun, and it can introduce our network of trails to a whole new audience of cyclists-to-be.”

Visit http://maps.google.com/biking to try out this new feature. Biking directions for Google Maps is currently in Beta.  We are constantly adding new trail information and encourage bikers to send feedback and route information for inclusion via our reporting tool that you can find at the bottom of the map. Biking directions is currently available on desktop versions of Google Maps for the United States, but a mobile version is planned.

1. During a meal  
2. While in the bathroom  
3. Lying in bed at night 
4. At a movie, play, musical, etc…
5. On a date  
6. Working out at the gym  
7. At a child’s event of function
8. At church

Now, I had already known that I would score badly on any mobility obsessive test, but I was a little pleased that I did not go 8 for 8! How many did you score on? Here is what the survey found on what percentage of people polled used mobility on or where as the case may be:

1. During a meal – 62 percent 
2. While in the bathroom – 57 percent 
3. Lying in bed at night – 50 percent
4. At a movie, play, musical, etc… – 25 percent
5. On a date – 18 percent 
6. Working out at the gym – 17 percent 
7. At a child’s event of function – 17 percent
8. At church – 11 percent

You can read the entire CareerBuilder Survey after the break, but I invite you to share your scores with us and leave a comment. Mine was 7/8.

While smart phones have made it easier for workers to stay connected to the office, they may not be a good idea for every commute. According to a new CareerBuilder survey, more than one-half (54 percent) of workers who have a smart phone or similar device said they check it when driving a vehicle. Comparing industries, sales workers (66 percent) used their smart phones while driving more than any other group surveyed, followed by 59 percent of professional and business services workers and 50 percent of health care workers. The survey was conducted among more than 5,200 workers between November 5 and November 23, 2009.

Some workers admit they may be risking safety on the road to check their phones because they feel pressured to do so. Twenty-one percent of workers say they check their mobile device every time it vibrates or beeps and 18 percent report they are required by their company to be accessible beyond office hours via mobile device. Also, 14 percent of workers said they feel obligated to constantly stay in touch with work because of the current tough economy.

In addition to driving, workers with smart phones said they are checking in with the office on their smart phones from virtually anywhere and everywhere, including:

• During a meal – 62 percent 
• While in the bathroom – 57 percent 
• Lying in bed at night – 50 percent
• At a movie, play, musical, etc… – 25 percent
• On a date – 18 percent 
• Working out at the gym – 17 percent 
• At a child’s event of function – 17 percent
• At church – 11 percent

“It is challenging for workers to maintain a good work/life balance when they are constantly connected to the office, so turning their devices off is important for their health and safety," said Rosemary Haefner, vice president of human resources for CareerBuilder. "The lines between work and life can be very blurry these days – 17 percent of workers said they feel like their work day never ends because of technology connecting them to the office. To reduce burnout and avoid potentially risky behavior, workers should allot technology-free time when away from work."

  Haefner offers the following advice on how to disconnect from the e-leash:

  –  Turn off your smart phone when driving: Not only is it illegal in many states, but using your mobile device while driving is dangerous to you and others on the road. If it’s necessary to leave your smart phone on and a conference call or other urgent matter comes up, pull over to safely handle the situation.

–  Set priorities for outside of work: Twenty-three percent of workers who are required to be accessible beyond office hours report that being too connected to their jobs via technology has caused issues or      arguments with their friends and family. Discuss the e-leash with your loved ones so that they are aware that sometimes you may need to be connected to work.

–  Have a backup plan in place: If you anticipate being needed outside of the office, plan to have an out-of-office message or voicemail up, or leave contact information for others familiar with your area of the      business. That way, any emergency can be handled appropriately if you can’t get to it.

Survey Methodology

This survey was conducted online within the U.S. by Harris Interactive© on behalf of CareerBuilder.com among 5,231 U.S. employees (employed full-time; not self-employed; non-government) ages 18 and over between November 5 and November 23, 2009 (percentages for some questions are based on a subset of U.S. employees, based on their responses to certain questions). With a pure probability sample of 5,231 one could say with a 95 percent probability that the overall results have a sampling error of +/- 1.35 percentage points, respectively. Sampling error for data from sub-samples is higher and varies.

(via: BGR)

I bought three batteries advertised on eBay as being OEM/HTC. Two of the three were counterfeits. It seems there is a sea of counterfeit batteries and that ain’t right so I want to waste a ton of time trying to do something about it. If you get burned with a fake OEM or otherwise unsatisfactory battery, here’s how I recommend you handle it: First hit the seller with a negative feedback rating using language like “counterfeit” and “fraud” then contact the seller demanding your money back — but not in exchange for sending the battery back as, and you can advise them of this if asked, sending something that is fake in exchange for money, either normal money or refunded money, may constitute mail fraud. I wouldn’t worry about being prosecuted, but why make the schlep to the post office just so they can make sure there isn’t any loose evidence of their fraud? And you don’t want to mail it back just so they can sell it to someone else. If you’re not sure if your battery is copacetic or not and want to run it by me, I’ll test that sucker for you and even cover the return postage, no problem (but right now I can only charge Tilt 2 batteries, sorry everyone else).

The one legit OEM, by the way, came from Brooklyn.

These people are desperate to protect their feedback rating so you have some leverage here, at least enough to get your money back if not more. Actually by this point you may already have gotten your money back but let’s aim higher: In exchange for retracting your negative feedback in exchange for a neutral rating and not pursuing the situation further with eBay, PayPal, HTC, or if there actually is any, an equivalent their country has of a better business bureau, ask for the contact information of their supplier or the manufacturer. There are so many resellers that it’s pointless to try to report them all but getting information on who’s cooking up the bathtub batteries with the fake labels, now we’re talking. About what exactly I don’t know yet but it just feels like the right direction to head. I could use your help in getting that information in order to have any affect at all on this dirty industry so let us all benefit from your being victimized and not let the deal die in vain.

But it’s a safe bet they won’t cough that information up (at least the two I tried to pressure wouldn’t). So, demand next (in exchange for the bad feedback retraction) that they take the listing down of the fake item along with any duplicates, searching through their other listings for others of the same item. If they won’t do that, for your next counteroffer I would recommend to retract your negativity and stop breaking their balls if they would just remove any reference of HTC, OEM, HTC model numbers and the like — anything misleading buyers viewing the item into thinking it’s OEM. That’s just too much not to feed back negatively over. If they won’t do that, leave the negative feedback intact, sting them with a counterfeit report to eBay and move on in life.

So that’s what I did with Lovely Betty from Hong Kong. It’s both a good how-to for this situation and an amusing read. Sweet girl, so polite and even left me and now you too with a happy ending. Hit more so I can hit you back with the transcript.

Doug Simmons

On 3/6/2010 8:22 PM, eBay Member: ibestone wrote:
—————————————————————–
eBay sent this message to Douglas Simmons.
—————————————————————–
negative feedback
—————————————————————–

Dear sir,

We notice that you put a neagative feedback to us to claim the
defective battery.

We are very sorry to hear that news, and would like
to solve the problem for you. Solve problem will be more important to feel
unsatisfied.

Could you please tell us the problem in detail? Then we can
come to see what is the problem of the battery. Please feel at ease, we
will do our utmost to solve the problem for you.

Sorry for the
incovience, and hope you can understand. Thank you!

We are looking
forward to hearing from you. Thank you!

Best regards
Betty

2010/3/7 Doug Simmons

On your listing you identify this battery as the 35H00125-07M HTC (OEM) 1500mAh battery for the HTC Touch Pro2. However the battery’s performance, though not “defective” per se, is inferior to that of the actual OEM battery of the same model number. Most importantly, the battery’s label is a counterfeit. This is fraud. Mail fraud, specifically.

If you’d like I would be happy to carbon copy you testing data and photographs I send to HTC comparing your battery to three different legitimate OEM models’ physical appearance and charts of their electric performance that illustrate beyond any doubt that this battery is fake which is disturbing because you sell many batteries also identified as OEM batteries.

Perhaps you were unaware of and not complicit in this and that your supplier has been cheating you without your knowledge in addition to your customers. Please tell me who the supplier is and how to contact them and I will recant my negative rating and leave you out of this.

Doug

On 3/7/2010 12:21 AM, yongbo li wrote:

Hi£¬

Thanks for your reply.

We are sorry for the incovience, because we are not the expert on this field.

We just called the people who sell the item to us, and they told us they are also a distributor. They won’t tell us the information about the company since they it is their business secret. I think I need to respect his professional ethics, but we have told him the problem, and he promise to find another reliable manufactures.

Sorry for the incovience, we do not want to make our customer unhappy with every transaction with us. Hope you can understand us. Whether you will revise the feedback, we would appreciate you, you are really a understandable customer.

Best regards
Betty

2010/3/7 Doug Simmons

All right, so you feel that damaging relations between you and the people you pay for these fake batteries by somehow exposing them is more threatening to your business that I am. Perhaps you’re right, but it’s a shame because maybe if you built a reputation for selling legitimate batteries at competitive prices, you could achieve greater success as so many seem to do what you are doing, selling fakes, and the market of legitimacy is potentially ripe. Instead, by contributing to the counterfeit market, you are ultimately driving more sales to the legitimate dealers and driving away potential customers from yourself when they find out about the likes of you before they make a decision to buy. And those consumers are beginning to share information more aggressively than before.

Just a polite suggestion from a gweilo.

So, Betty, protect the secrets of a criminal enterprise if you must but please send me a what I paid for, a legitimate HTC/OEM 1500mAh battery. Then I will remove this negative ebay feedback and call it even.

Doug Simmons

——– Original Message ——–
Subject: Re: negative feedback
Date: Sun, 7 Mar 2010 15:18:00 +0800
From: yongbo li
To: Doug Simmons

Hi,
Thanks for your quick reply.
Firstly, I want to say I am very sorry for the incovience. I sell the OEM battery to my customers since it will be much cheaper than the original. But maybe due to my poor professional, I made the mistake. I will care it.
I will refund you to show our sorry. But could you please wait for a while since I need to come to having a meeting. Thank you!
Best regards
betty

2010/3/8 Doug Simmons

Betty,

Thanks for refunding my money. I am dismayed that you continue to sell what you know to be a counterfeit battery (along, presumably, with 96 others), still identifying it falsely as the 35H00125-07M 1500mAh not just on the battery itself but right on the ebay listing in plain text. Not only, as we both know, is it not the HTC 35H00125-07M, your supplier actually screwed up the labeling as that model number, if you’d Google it, belongs to HTC’s 1100mAh version. That’s not only fraudulent, it’s sloppy and stupid. Maybe you should ask your bootlegging suppliers to try a little harder.

Because you might have kids to feed and this is all I’m going to get out of you I will retract the rating provided that, at the very least, please remove the “* Model No..: RHOD160, 35H00125-07M” from every listing you have for this particular battery. I’ll retract the rating and leave you alone and not test any of your other batteries. I will move on to someone else, I won’t get more help from eBay against you, I won’t email HTC pictures and your links and so on. The picture of the back label (along with the branding on the other side of the label) is misleading enough but listing the model number too? That’s just crossing the line and you know it Betty. But if you leave it there or take it off for a while then put it back I will have someone else you do not know buy the battery from you to send to me to test again and if there is further disappointment I won’t be so understanding.

Remove the model number from these listings and send me the feedback revision request, please.

Good night.
Doug Simmons

On 3/7/2010 10:57 PM, yongbo li wrote:

Hi,
Thanks for your reply.
Thank you for your notice. We are not attempt to sell the item, but we need to arrange the report for the problem, and hand it to our manager, then we can end the listing with his permit. It is the neccessory progress, and hope you can understand.
Today, I get the reply from the manager, and have ended the listing. You can check it.
I have sent your the feedback revision request, please accept it. Thank you!
Thank you for your understanding and kindness again.

Best regards
Betty

2010/3/8 Doug Simmons

Thank you Betty. I have fixed the negative feedback. Have a good day and good luck.

Doug Simmons

Fin.

So are you going to be in line on the 24th of March to get one of these? No Windows Phone 7 Upgrades takes a lot wind out of my sales for having to cough up $449.99 without contract for it. I know XDA will be all over this, but, with 6 months or so before the release of Windows Phone 7, I think I am in a holding pattern for now.  

It is quite easy to sync your contacts, calendar, tasks, and emails between Windows Mobile Pocket Outlook on your phone and Office Outlook on your PC using Microsoft ActiveSync. However, ActiveSync doesn’t help if you use Thunderbird or Sunbird on your PC and not Microsoft Outlook. 

That is when BirdieSync helps you out. It syncs all Pocket Outlook contacts, emails, calendar, and tasks using ActiveSync. The synchronization happens automatically as soon as you connect your mobile to your computer. The most recent changes on any device you sync are synced to the other devices.  This ensures that everything is in sync on all devices.  It also supports the synchronization with WebDAV, calDAV and WCAP remote calendars.

You can try the trial version available with full functionality for 21 days before you buy the program. Read more details and the system requirements on the main website.

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