“Arvale: Short Tales is a light Role Playing Game with four separate stories to choose from. Each story consists of about 10-20 hours of gameplay apiece. Short Tales lets you explore 30 vast locations with hundreds of detailed maps, unique characters, and menacing monsters.”

Arvale: Short Tales is a console-style RPG that follows on from Arvale: Journey of Illusion and Arvale II: Ocean of Time. Unlike the latter two, Short Tales allows you to pick from four different protagonists with different story-lines for each, and features a new time-based battle engine. You can pick up a trial or purchase through our affiliate link. If Short Tales is anything like the first two games in this series, it’s well worth a look.

CorePlayer is one of the most well-reputed 3rd party media application available for Windows Mobile. There are a number of fixes, additions, and updates in this latest release, so be sure to visit their site if you’re a current user. Some of the significant changes include the ability to save / load playlists, added equalizer profile management, and support for older versions of Windows CE. Check it out and give us your thoughts!

“If you look at the history of portable recorded music, you can see a clear trend: first we had cassette tapes, then CDs. The pre-recorded music gave way to custom-burned CDs with the music the person wanted on it. Then came portable digital media players. The allure of digital audio players was simple: being able to carry more a lot of music in a single device. Since the first digital audio players made their début, we’ve seen a steady march toward higher and higher capacity storage. Today, the largest devices have a staggering 100+ GB worth of storage. Most people don’t have that much music to fill the player, but throwing more storage at the problem can only work for so long - and ultimately you’re still limited to the music that’s on the player. What if you eliminate the local storage factor, and instead stream the music to a wireless device? Suddenly having a lot of space for your music no longer matters. What if you allow the portable device to access a huge variety of music? That’s a game-changing idea, and it’s exactly what Mercora is looking to deliver.”

The Two Inch View has a nice write-up about Mercora, a new way to stream music to your device and thus free up users from requiring large amounts of storage space just to have a good music selection on their Windows Mobile Devices. While it may be slightly ahead of it’s time, it’s still a pretty neat idea.

“If there is an standard built-in application on Windows Mobile Pocket PCs that has been cursed as much as it is loved, it could very well be the Notes application. Notes has been around in the Pocket PC PIM (Personal Information Manager) since the early days of the platform with the idea and intention of being able to synchronize with your desktop’s Microsoft Outlook so these notes can be viewed and/or shared. While this worked by-and-large, the lack of features within the Notes application itself tended to make users shy away from it. The lack of features included things such as being able to bullet items, change font faces (bold or italic), easy exportation of files and many others. The answer for these needs and a more robust notes application has been addressed by PhatWare with their application PhatNotes Professional.”

Clinton has taken a look at Phatware’s latest Phatnotes version over at his site, and if you’re looking for a fairly good note-taking app, this review will prove useful in your search!

“Ever since I saw the early press on the release of iGo Navigator in Europe a year or so ago, I’ve wanted to try it out. It seemed to have a lot of the features I wanted and it had an interface that was attractive and functional. Recently, I got to work with a pre-release version of the application and USA maps and I put it through its paces.”

GpsPasSion.com has a nicely detailed review of the iGo Navigator program that ought to be released for the US shortly. Overall, the program gets a thumbs up, with some caveats of course, but the bundled maps are a let down - they’re at least a year behind. Hopefully, that will be remedied with the full release version. Personally I’m a little wary of having the program locked to a memory card as (1) you can’t use your memory slot for other programs, and (2) you have to go back to iGo if anything goes wrong with the card. Still, I’ve seen other good reviews and user feedback on iGo, so if you’re in the market for a good map program, this one should be on your shortlist.

Laridian has released an updated version of PocketBible 3 that adds a few new features. One of the most welcome additions is a horizontal scroll bar, when necessary, to search results. Often the verse returned would scroll off the right side of the screen and the actual search terms wouldn’t be shown in the search result window. Now, a horizontal bar will appear allowing you to briefly scan the whole verse to see if it is what you wanted.

With more and more people installing additional translations and dictionaries, Laridian has added the ability to set your preferred Greek and Hebrew dictionaries. This is useful if you install either the either the King James Version with the Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance or the New American Standard with Strong’s Exhaustive Concordance but would rather default to the more detailed dictionaries like the Complete Word Study available for the Old Testament (Hebrew) or New Testament (Greek). The update is free to all current PocketBible 3 owners.

“Spb Software House, the leading Pocket PC software developer, unveils Spb UniThemes 2.0 - the improved technology for changing Pocket PC look-and-feel. Every UniTheme is a complete set of skins for all skinnable standard applications, like Calculator, Dialer and Windows Media Player as well as Spb’s own Pocket PC applications, all designed in one style. With new 2.0 version Spb Software House proposes 6 new and updated UniThemes with smart installers and improved Windows Mobile 5 support.”

Spb Software House has released the second revision of UniThemes - a collection of themes and skins for a range of standard Windows Mobile applications and Spb applications for Pocket PCs. If you’re an Spb Club member, you can grab the new UniThemes for free. Otherwise, they’re $9.95.

Agendus from Iambic is one of the “Super PIMs” for the PalmOS platform and has been immensely popular with its users. They have decided to move forward with a Windows Mobile version of their software. There is additional information in the forum, and screenshots are available if you are a registered user.

If you want to participate in the beta, head over to the Iambic support forum, register and subscribe to the “Agendus for Windows Mobile” thread. Of course, in the world of Windows Mobile, Pocket Informant and Agenda Fusion rule the SuperPIM category. Do you think there is room for a third player?

I came across a neat application for Pocket PC called MagiCall. It lets you filter out calls or text messages based on contact, phone number, phone number prefix, and others. Seems like a useful tool to gain control over who calls your phone. You can also reply to a call with a text message, much like the Treo 700w. To download the trial or buy for $25, click here…. Read More

“Put your home movies, DVDs or TV programs on your Pocket PC and watch them in great quality, with stereo sound and in full screen landscape mode… New Cyberspeed technology ensured 350% faster DVD conversions: put a full length feature film on your Pocket PC in less than 45 minutes. Holiday travel will be so much more relaxed and kids love to watch movies and tv in the car. With only two clicks, this PC software converts the content of your videofile or DVD to a super small movie file, which will play on any Windows Mobile 2003 device…”

Rip and encode a full-length movie in less than 45 minutes? That’s an impressive claim. The new version 4 can be registered here for $32.95 and trial download is available. For owners of prior versions, consult this page for upgrade instructions. Basically, the upgrade is free if you have version 3.0 or later. For everyone else, it’s a 50% discount, bringing the price down to $16.49 (okay, so it’s not EXACTLY 50%). As always, give us your thoughts if you’ve tried this latest release.

“SecureGSM is proud to announce the latest updates for SecureGSM Pro and SecureGSM SP crypto phone products. This latest product update shows SecureGSM’s strong commitment to supporting the latest and up-coming products within the Windows Mobile family. “We are committed to give our customers the widest range of devices to choose from, than any other crypto phone manufacturer. Our customers can choose from a large variety of the latest and greatest devices to suit their personal needs and taste.” said Alexander Moloksher, General Manager of SecureGSM. These latest updates feature functional enhancements as well as support for new and upcoming devices from some of the world’s largest brands of Windows Mobile Communicators and Smartphones.”

In addition to supporting some of the newest Pocket PCs and Smartphones in the market, the new versions of SecureGSM Pro and SecureGSM SP feature auto-detection of screen types, improved handling of poor network conditions and exceptional line disconnections, support for integrated keyboards, an optimized audio engine, and support for Windows Mobile 5.0 AKU 3.x. You can download a trial version at the SecureGSM web site.

“SportsDo delivers real-time feedback on your sports performance on your mobile phone. It uses the global GPS satellite system to generate live and accurate readings on your speed, distance travelled, time, gradient, calories used, pace, total ascent and descent. SportsDo is ideal for any sporting activity. If you’re out and about and want a better understanding of your performance level, SportsDo is the perfect fit. Training, racing or just having fun ? SportsDo adds depth and detail to your activities. Designed specifically for ease of use on the move, SportsDo is an intuitive and attractive addition to your routine.”

A new version of SportsDo has arrived, and this one includes a good collection of new features: support for buddy’s last known location and one’s own location, points of interest, live photos (which can be uploaded automatically to a portal), and location packs. If you’re on a computer, visit this page for more information. On a mobile device? Then head over to this .mobi page.

“High data security professional backup tool that is easy to use, fully customizable with extended backup options to suit your needs. Simple/Advanced mode, password protection, clever organization of this powerful backup application with great graphics and much more make it the best choice for your data.”

It is $20, and there is a 7 day trial. It supports Windows Mobile 2003SE and Windows Mobile 5.

My good buddy, Tim Adams, pocketnow.com Sr. Editor Extrodinaire, recently wrote a great Short Take review on iNav iGuidance v3.01. If you haven’t seen the review, you need to do yourself a favor and check it out.

As a Short Take, it doesn’t take very long to read. As mentioned in the review, I’ve… Read More

“Let TravelTalk transform your Pocket PC into a powerful personal translator! TravelTalk is a convenient application that translates sentences commonly used when traveling into four different languages. TravelTalk offers translations for nearly every travel situation right at your fingertips. Have the ability to converse in Spanish, German, French and Italian all the time–at a conference, during a flight, at a restaurant, while meeting new acquaintances, or traveling on a business or personal trip.”

TravelTalk, a phrasebook application supporting 4 languages (Spanish, German, Italian, French), has been updated to version 1.2. I’m not sure what’s changed since version 1.0 (which we posted on two years ago), other than the obvious WM5 softkey support and the fact it’s now sold by iambic instead of Two Peaks. If you’re interested, TravelTalk costs $14.95, which is not bad for a 4-language phrasebook.

At long last, Voice Command 1.6 is out. New features include Bluetooth handsfree support, including initiation from the headset and new algorithms to better support Bluetooth-quality audio; support for Smartphone (like we care ); spoken incoming email announcements; and support for A2DP/HFP combo headsets.

The price, you ask? $39.99 for a new copy, or $9.95 for upgrades. Handango has a link for purchasing the upgrade; I’m not sure how those of us that got it via other means (say, integrated into the 700w’s ROM) should upgrade. If I find out, I’ll let you know. In the meantime, if any of you have installed it, report back and tell us how well it works. [Affiliate link]

The latest update to Microsoft Voice Command is now available at Handango for Pocket PC and Smartphones.
Read More

“Animated Today version 4 will bring your Today screen to life with glorious full color animations. Animated Today created the Animated Theme market more than three years ago and there are now thousands of free themes available to download. Fully internationalized with support for 12 languages including Chinese, Dutch, English, French, German, Italian, Japanese, Korean, Polish, Portuguese, Spanish and Taiwanese”

Want to spice up your Today screen? Personally I’ve never been a fan of this sort of app since it takes up resources that I would rather put toward other uses. But if you want your device to look pleasing (because you see it more than you see your family…) then perhaps it would be a good investment! They have a 14 day trial - take a peek.

“Fizz Software Ltd. is pleased to announce that Fizz Traveller 2.4 has been released for Pocket PC and Smartphone. This release is a FREE upgrade for all registered users of 2.x. New features include:- improved landscape Smartphone screens, many new alarm features (override system volume profiles, dismiss early options, simpler interface, support for configurable repeating days of the week), animated satellite images, new home-screen features, and many smaller customer requests & bug fixes.”

Fizz Traveller 2.4 is available now as a free upgrade for registered v2.x users or as a new release with a 25% off discount. Simply punch in the code, FT24SPNV, at the Fizz Software web site.

“Fishopolis is Real-Action Shoot’em Up game. Your task is to shoot fish, but what the real fun part is that you are using your whole phone to aim. Simply - to aim to the right, move your phone to the right. Fishopolis is using the image from the phone’s camera to detect movement. Now this is real action!”

I like that last bit - puts real meaning to using body english when playing a game! Might be a bit difficult to explain if you play this in public though! Shame it won’t work in WM2003SE or VGA or non-phone devices (mine is all three, with a camera). The developer says that the PPC version has been tested on the HTC Wizard and variants but not on other devices, so best to try it out before buying. You can ogle the trial at our affiliate store here.

“Photo Dialer shows you a “list” of your Photo Dialer people with their photo’s in your Today screen. In order to use this feature just assign photos or any other images to your contacts. You can scroll through the Photo Dialer by using the left/right function with the joystick. In the sleep mode the application shows small thumb nails of your favourite people photos.”

V2R has just released a new version of their Photo Dialer application, with Windows Mobile 5 support. If you’re a fan of their work, you’ll want to check out the new version of this app!

Paragon Software’s latest release, SlovoEd 6.0, offers a new Morphology Module, which handles the translation of English, Spanish, and Russian words in any grammatical form. All this alongside the existing Resident Module, which translates words in third-party applications. Interested? Head over to the Paragon Software web site for more information.

Mark/Space today released a big update to Missing Sync, their flagship Mac synchronization program. v3.0 brings a ton of new features to the table, including Address Book photos, comprehensive Notes sync (including a desktop app to maintain and view them, voice record sync, .Mac sync, and Yojimbo support), file sync, iPhoto sync (including a free copy of SplashPhoto on the Pocket PC), iTunes sync, Safari bookmark sync support, and support for different desktop PIMs via Sync Services, including not only Address Book/iCal and Entourage but also SOHO Organizer and (soon) Market Circle Daylite.

I haven’t tested it yet, but I’m really looking forward to this upgrade from v2.5. v2.5 wasn’t perfect, but it was starting to become better, and if v3.0 can improve on its stability and add all these features… well, then, there’s simply no comparison. While ActiveSync has been steadily losing features over the years and doesn’t support any PIMs other than Outlook, Missing Sync keeps on adding features. The one main unresolved quirk I notice is that Missing Sync still requires that you disconnect from GPRS/1xRTT/EVDO when syncing… and that they still don’t have a free trial. I’ll live with those for now in order to have a comprehensive Mac sync solution. A new copy costs $39.95; upgrades before October 1 cost $19.95, and any purchases after October 1 qualify for a free upgrade. Has anyone tried it yet?

“We are pleased to announce the immediate availability of CalliGrapher 8.4, the new version of the advanced handwriting recognition software for Windows Mobile based devices. Last month CalliGrapher was named the best handwriting recognition software for Microsoft Windows Mobile based Pocket PCs by industry experts for the fifth consecutive year. CalliGrapher analyzes pen strokes written in any application window or in the designated Write Pad area, then converts those pen strokes into text and sends the recognized text to the target application.”

CalliGrapher 8.4 includes a new digital ink filter, Today screen setting, and static word segmentation option. If you own an earlier version of CalliGrapher 8, then this is a free upgrade. Yet to try or buy? Head over to our affiliate software store.

Earlier in the week, it was the 2007 Office system; just a few seconds ago, it was Windows Vista’s turn to reach the RTM stage. General availability is scheduled for January 30, though business consumers will be able to pick it up at the end of this month. Windows Vista marks the start of something new in the world of Windows Mobile, as ActiveSync officially passes the baton on to the Windows Mobile Device Center. Are you ready for the switch?