The latest rumor and speculation has it that the American arm of Deutsche Telecom, T-Mobile USA, will delay the launch of the Touch Pro2 Windows Phone because of fears that Windows Mobile will overshadow the carrier's other flagship device the MyTouch3G, an Android handset that will be purely touch and will bear similarities to the T-Mobile G1.

Unfortunately, that pushes the early summer launch of the Touch Pro2, which we had previously reviewed, to mid-August. Eager users can either wait til August 12 or check out our review to appease their hunger for HTC's latest flagship device until then.

(via: TmoNews)

Yes, there will be a Windows Mobile 6.5 for non-touchscreen devices, but it's going to look very similar to Windows Mobile 6.1. In fact, if you want further info of what 6.5 Standard will bring, check our Chuong's great article: What is Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard?

In this video, we see a Moto Q9h running on 6.5 Standard with minor visual changes, such as those to the system font.

(via wmpoweruser)

The new T-Mobile Dash 3G's hardware is very similar to the HTC Snap. It's got the same Qualcomm MSM7225 processor running at 528MHz, Windows Mobile 6.1 Standard, 256MB ROM, 192MB RAM, assisted GPS, WiFi b & g, Bluetooth 2.0 + EDR, USB 2.0, 1500mAh battery, 2.0MP camera and microSD expansion.

The biggest difference between the Dash 3G and the HTC Snap is the keyboard layout. The Snap had a Tab key to the left of the "A" and beneath the "Q". The Dash 3G puts the A all the way to the left, and moves the Tab key down towards the spacebar. This puts the A too far to the left in my opinion, and makes many of the other keys in the 2nd row, too offset from where you expect them to be. For example, usually the "U" is just above the "J", but with the Dash's layout, the Y is too close. At any rate, it takes some getting used to.

Another difference is the plastic shell. The backing has a soft-touch finish, just like the previous Dash and many other T-Mobile Smartphones. It's not just black though. There are subtle bronze paint specs in the finish. The bronze flakes are also in the shinier plastic around the screen and keyboard. You have to look close to notice, but it's still a nice touch.

Face Contact 2.0 is a nifty application that integrates a scrolling list of contact photos directly onto the today screen of a Windows Phone.

• Finger-friendly Today plugin with 3D rendering and kinetic scrolling.
• Single key calling using the "Start Call" key.
• Send Text and E-mail messages with a simple gesture.
• Contact menu with frequently used communication methods.
• Optional call confirmation screen with alternate numbers.
• Contact details with street address, notes, and other information.
• Full integration with Outlook Mobile.
• Sort contacts by name, company, or User Defined order.
• Index-tracking shows current position while scrolling.
• Choice of progressive/predicting tracking.
• Jump instantly to any letter/position in the list.
• Integrated Contact Manager to add or edit contacts.
• User assignable gestures/actions.
• WM6.5-like user interface with configurable 3D effects.
• Adjust or replace pictures, with cropping and rotation.
• Camera support.
• Gallery with dozens of ready-to-use icons.
• Adjustable display options and plugin position.
• Smart error handling.
• Full control on picture layout and motion settings.
• Configurable Text and E-mail accounts.
• Quick start user interface to help you get started.
• Detailed context-sensitive Help.

Face Contact 2.0 comes with a free trial and costs around $16 USD for the full version. The program will run on virtually all Windows Mobile 5 and greater devices with a touch screen.

You've seen our unboxing, heard our impressions of the device from a Windows Mobile perspective, and gone through some growing pains with other webOS Palm Pre customers in the States on Sprint's CDMA networks. Well, for those lusting after a GSM global world, the first Pre has been spotted in Vietnam sporting a SIM and being demoed with a Vietnamese carrier's SIM.

If you're looking for a device with a sliding keyboard and high resolution screen for your next phone, you undoubtedly are considering the Touch Pro 2 (which we reviewed) or the upcoming Omnia Pro.

Both devices have very similar dimensions, with the Touch Pro2 being a bit taller. Also different, the Touch Pro2 has that tiling screen, and the Omnia Pro uses is using AMOLED screen technology to provide sharper blacks and better power efficiency. For a spec-to-spec comparison, check out PDAdb.net.

(via AreaMobile, thanks Nightflyer for the tip)

The reason that many Windows Mobile 6.5 devices will retain the resistive touchscreens is that quite a few programs and apps still require small, accurate touchscreen input. Capacitive touchscreens do not offer that degree of flexibility yet. According to Marcus Perryman--a "developer evangelist for Windows Mobile" according to WMPowerUser--capacitive touchscreens will still be available on some Windows Mobile devices.

Windows Mobile 6.5 has primarily been designed for resistive screens because some input areas still rely on small controls and require a high level of input accuracy that can’t be easily achieved with a finger and require a stylus; however some device manufacturers are considering options to ship capacitive screens.

(via: WMPowerUser)

The T-Mobile Dash 3G is very similar to the HTC Snap we reviewed earlier. At first glance you might think it was the same device, however there are some subtle differences to the hardware and software. The new Dash 3G is T-Mobile USA's first Windows Mobile device to support T-Mobile's brand of 3G high-speed internet access.

Take a look at what you get in the box, as well as how it compares to a few other smartphone form factors.

Man’s best friend has always been a faithful companion. Loyalty and obedience have led us to be so infatuated with our canine counterpart.

Whether to impress friends or just preserve that new carpet, training dogs to obey commands is rather important. Dog Whistle is a small application that will help turn the training into a more productive venture. The program works the same way as a normal dog whistle; it produces high pitched sounds through the speaker that are designed to get the pouch's attention.

Dog Whistle is free and will run on nearly all VGA Windows Mobile 5 and greater devices with a touch screen. The program does require .NET 3.5 Compact to be installed. Spotted on PPCFreeware.

The group behind the Bluetooth certification just let it slip that the HTC Snap, which we had previously reviewed, will be getting either a Windows Mobile 6.5 Standard upgrade or may be released with 6.5 onboard.

It's unclear at this point whether carrier-branded editions of the Snap, with T-Mobile's Dash 3G resembling the Snap most closely in the USA, will also get the same 6.5 treatment or if those devices will launch with 6.1.

(via: WMPowerUser)

No matter what we think of webOS, and I admit it looks nice, the hardware on the Palm Pre isn't holding up too well. Users are reporting wobbly sliding mechanisms, gaps that are getting wider between the two sliding panels, cracking and scratched screens that require multiple exchanges to get the issues resolved.

Unlike the BlackBerry Storm, which had its own issues of growing pains in the press, the Pre's issue is hardware related which makes it a bit harder to fix.

Are you a Pre owner? Have you had to bring it back?

(via: PreCentral.net)