In the beginning, there was an awesome media player for Windows Mobile called ‘BetaPlayer‘. It could handle all kinds of audio and video codecs that the mobile version of Windows Media Player couldn’t. Eventually BetaPlayer turned into TCPMP (The Core Pocket Media Player), a freeware media app. And it was truly awesome. Then, all of a sudden, TCPMP dropped support for files downloaded from iTunes for legal reasons, and TCPMP became a little less useful. From this, the commercial CorePlayer was born. CorePlayer allows developers to collect some revenue and pay licensing fees for proprietary codec support.

I’ve been using CorePlayer for quite some time now and I love it. It does everything I want it to do: movies, video clips, audio files, YouTube, podcasts, JPGs, FLV files… and tonnes more.

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QUICKLIST:

System/OS/Device Requirements: Pocket PC 2000, Pocket PC 2002, Pocket PC 2003, Pocket PC 2003 SE, WM5, WM6, WM6.1
Price: $29.95 ( 20% off for the month of November with coupon code “WMCoolOpen”!) Free trial also available.
Company: CoreCodec, Inc.
Download: Available at our store for only $29.95!

KEY FEATURES:

• YouTube support, with built-in browse and search
• BlueTooth Stereo (A2DP) and Remote Control (AVRCP) support
• Programmable Hotkeys
• Supports over 15 Languages
• Media library (Manage your RSS Feeds, playlists, podcasts, bookmarks)
• Podcast Support (Standard and Enhanced)
• Streaming support (HTTP, UDP, RTP, RTSP, RTCP, SDP, Unicast, Multicast)
• IPTV/DVB-H/DVB-SH Ready
• Audio: MP3, WMA, AAC, MKA, WAV, OGG, Speex, WAVPACK, FLAC, MPC, AMR, GSM, ADPCM, ALaw, MuLaw, MIDI
• Video: WMV, CoreAVC� (H.264), AVCHD, MKV, MPEG-1, MPEG-4 part 2 (ASP), DivX, XviD, MJPEG, MSVIDEO1
• Images: JPG (420, 422, 440), BMP, PNG, GIF, TIFF
• Containers: FLV, Matroska�, ASX, ASF, TS, PS, M2TS, 3GPP, MOV, AVI, MPEG-4, NSV
• GPU support: Intel 2700g, ATI Imageon, Qualcomm QTv
• CoreUI / Universal Skins (Custom interface)

VERDICT:

There are a number of ways to watch YouTube videos on your mobile phone, but CorePlayer is the coolest and easiest way I’ve found, hands down. It uses minimal memory, runs very smoothly, the mp3 player shows album art, allows both mp3 and aac equalizer usage, and it can play back 700×600 DivX avi files without dropping any frams which is very cool.

The only problem I actually encountered with it was that the download did not include a help file, which would have been very useful. But there are plenty of resources online that provide help and CoreCodec themselves offer an email helpline to those in need. So it’s not all bad news on the help front.

RATING: (out of 5)

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Ever wish your WinMo phone sounded more like a tricorder? I know I have!

Well now, it’s possible… for some strange reason.

FlaxBox is a funny Windows Mobile application that brings eight super weird sounds to your phone. It features sounds like phasers, machine guns and crazy explosions.

The application lets you play these sounds whenever you’d like. I highly recommend doing so during important meetings, at funerals and weddings, and of course, on crowded buses. Think about all the leg room that a loud sound effect fart could get you!

Check out the video above and then be sure to download the freeware application!

The Samsung Omnia’s biggest selling point is its touch screen – it’s huge, very responsive, and looks very sharp. Also worth noting are its 8GB internal memory (expandable to 24GB with a 16GB microSD card!), great battery life, GPS built right in, and a 5MP auto-focus camera (with LED flash).

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Mitchell Oke of GadgetZone had this to say about the Omnia:

The Omnia has a beautiful 3.2 inch 240×400 display that dominates the front of the device. It isn’t quite as high-res as some of its competitors, but it looks great and is extremely responsive. The biggest problem with some of these touch screen handsets is that the display isn’t sensitive enough to a finger press. Fortunately the Omnia passes with flying colours.

In fact, Samsung are so adamant that you won’t need a stylus that there isn’t a slot for one! Some may see this as a nuisance, but in a week of use without it we can safely say that the stylus can stay in the box.

That’s a glowing recommendation if we’ve ever heard one!

Sadly the Samsung Omnia still uses proprietary connectors for power, syncing, and audio. But so many phones still do that we can’t be that disappointed. Someday, my friends. Someday phone manufacturers will light up our lives with 3.5 mm headphone jacks…

Have an Omnia? Be sure to let us know what you think of it in the comments below.

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Phone Dog has just posted a video hands-on of the popular LG Incite on AT&T. The first LG ’smartphone’ to be released in the US ever (which, of course, is debatable by some… but not by me! I agree.)

The AT&T Incite runs Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro, has a 3″ touchscreen, Video Share and a 3.5mm audio jack (Thank you, phone gods!). But, as these guys point out — what’s up with having a stylus and not having a slot on the device to store the stylus?

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In case you’ve forgotten (I dare you to tell me you’re from Russia but have forgotten!), the HTC Max 4G will be available for the Russian WiMAX network “Scartel” (Yota) on November 26th it’ll be the worlds first ever integrated GSM / WiMAX handset. The network will enable a rich multimedia experience and a high quality telephone connection. It’s currently sitting on the HTC website just waiting its turn.

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Press Release:

SCARTEL AND HTC LAUNCH WORLD’S FIRST INTEGRATED GSM/WIMAX HANDSET

Designed and Optimized for the Russian market, HTC MAXTM 4G Will Be Available in Russia on November 26th

Scartel (brand Yota), Russian provider of Mobile WiMAX, and HTC Corporation, a global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, today announced the HTC MAX 4G, the world’s first integrated GSM/WiMAX handset. Supported by a broad range of services based on Yota’s Mobile WiMAX network, the HTC MAX 4G delivers a rich multimedia and high quality telephony experience in a sleek and powerful touch screen handset.

“Yota was established to provide a unique set of mobile communication services to millions of people in Russia and today we have launched the first device and services to realise its full potential,” said Denis Sverdlov, General Director of Yota’s parent company, Scartel LLC (brand Yota). “We really believe that these innovative services, high-speed Internet and stylish HTC MAX 4G will completely change the communications industry, just as the introduction of cellular communications did many years ago.”

HTC MAX 4G: A New World of Entertainment

The Yota Mobile WiMAX network offers high-speed wireless Internet access that opens a new realm of entertainment and communication possibilities. The basic Yota Home package will provide subscribers with instant access to online games, maps, messaging and file exchange applications while on the move. In addition, the high-capacity Mobile WiMAX network with traffic prioritisation algorithms, allows online films, video and TV programmes to be viewed on the large WVGA screen.

Thanks to mobile WiMAX, high-quality multimedia entertainment is no longer limited. With Yota Video, a full video on demand (VOD) service, users can watch their favourite movies and videos from their personal Yota catalogue anytime, anywhere.

Broadcasting 14 free channels at launch and 23 channels by the end of 2008, Yota TV introduces a powerful mobile television experience. The vibrant, 3.8 inch 800×480 screen of the HTC MAX 4G can display up to nine TV channels simultaneously, allowing quick and easy channel surfing and programme selection. Thanks to the device’s TV-out capability, users can also watch content on the big screen, putting the HTC MAX 4G at the very heart of the mobile entertainment experience.

For music-lovers, Yota Music offers an extensive online music catalogue of more than 50,000 titles, including a wide range of music from both international and independent music labels. Users can choose to either play the tracks direct from the online catalogue, or download them to the HTC MAX 4G’s 8GB of onboard flash memory.

In addition, a separate catalogue of electronic books is available, so users can download, read and enjoy a broad range of books while on the move.

”The introduction of the HTC MAX 4G represents the culmination of a close partnership between HTC and Yota to develop the world’s first integrated mobile GSM/WIMAX handset,” said Peter Chou, CEO and President, HTC Corporation. “Russia is a key strategic market for HTC and Yota’s Mobile WiMAX network sets a new global benchmark for next-generation mobile services.”

HTC MAX 4G: Flexible Communication

The HTC MAX 4G supports GSM calls using a SIM card from any Russian network operator and when both callers are Yota subscribers, the call will automatically be routed as a VoIP call over the Yota Mobile WiMAX network. The Yota Phone service also supports more business applications, allowing users to switch between English and Russian contact records while providing functionality such as call holding, conference calling and video calling using the VGA camera on the front of the device.

HTC MAX 4G: Unparalleled Performance With Intuitive Usability

The HTC MAX 4G was created to take full advantage of Yota’s high-speed Mobile WiMAX network without compromising style or ease of use. The device is sleek and elegant and includes a vibrant, large 3.8 inch, 800×480 WVGA touch screen display. Running Windows Mobile 6.1, the HTC MAX 4G incorporates HTC’s proprietary Touch FLO 3D user interface, allowing swift and intuitive navigation to key applications such as dialling calls, listening to music, taking picture and more.

Introduction of Yota Yap-yap

HTC MAX 4G users can now record their lives through a lens thanks to Yota’s Yap-yap service. This allows contacts to be synchronised and edited through the Web and video clips and photos can also be uploaded to www.yota.ru. Images taken with the integrated 5MP camera can also be geo-tagged using coordinates from the integrated GPS.

Key HTC MAX 4G specifications:

* Processor: Qualcomm® ESM7206A™ 528 MHz
* Platform: Windows Mobile® 6.1 Professional
* Memory: ROM: 256MB / RAM: 288MB / Flash: 8 GB
* Dimensions: 113.5mm X 63.1mm X 13.9mm
* Weight: 151 grams (with battery)
* Display: 3.8-inch TFT-LCD flat touch-sensitive screen with 480 x 800 WVGA resolution
* Network:
o Tri-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE:900/1800/1900 MHz
o Yota Mobile WiMAX 2,5-2.7 GHz
* Device Control: TouchFLO™ 3D
* GPS: Inbuilt GPS
* Connections:
o VoIP
o Wi-Fi®: IEEE 802.11 b/g
o Bluetooth® 2.0 with EDR
o HTC ExtUSB™
* Main camera: High-resolution with autofocus
* Second: VGA-camera
* Additional:
o Motion G-sensor (automatically rotating picture)
o Proximity sensor (saving energy while talking due to the switching the display off)
o FM-radio
* Audio: Ring tone formats:
o AAC, AAC+, eAAC+, AMR-NB, AMR-WB, QCP, MP3, WMA, WAV
o 40 polyphonic and standard MIDI format 0 and 1 (SMF)/SP MIDI
* Battery: Li-Pol, 1500 mAh
* Talk time:
o GSM: up to 420 minutes
o VoIP: up to 230 minutes
* Standby time:
o GSM: up to 350 hours
o VoIP: up to 50 hours
* AC Adapter: Voltage range/frequency: 100 ~ 240V AC, 50/60 Hz
* DC output: 5V and 1A

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