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Good news for those of you dealing with the "slog dump" error on the Samsung Epix (and good news for those of us looking for another reason to type "slog dump): Another fix is on the way. We say "another" because, well, the first fix didn't do so hot.

Sammy help-site CareAce.net has the deets on the new update:

Outrage is a choice word for the effects of the FOTA update provided by AT&T that we’d initially addressed. While the intentions were genuinely helpful, the patch did cost more problems for some users. The most apparent behavior includes the device freezes randomly when trying to dial. It is however notable that the problem (both SLOG DUMP and the effects after patch) does not apply to all Samsung Epix users.

AT&T has planned to release a revised patch in about two weeks, so if you’re experiencing frustration with the problem, help is under way.

So hang in there, Epix fans (henceforth referred to as Survivors of the Slog). Another fix is on the way. It might even work.

Via BGR

We'll say it up front: This is not a Windows phone. We agree with PhoneArena, which spotted this T-Mobile-bound phone on Samsung's Web site. When you click to get more info on the TouchWiz interface, which we WinMo fans know from the Samsung Omnia, you're greeted with an obvious render of TouchWiz running on top of Windows Mobile. Again, just like the Omnia.

OK, it's possible they're making a WinMo version of the Behold. But we're not betting on it. Likely this is just a bad Photoshop job (hey, we're all guilty of those) and not a new Samsung phone coming our way. Move along, folks. But if you still need more proof, peep the video after the break.

Quite awhile ago I wrote up on Marshall Wait Cursor 2, which is a really cool donationware app that allows you to change that old, boring WM5/6 wait cursor aka WinPie.

Well, he's back now with version 3 and much improvements all around. The app now has a very modern, finger-friendly interface. In addition, there is a whole bunch of new icons that are available as separate "icon packs" (note: the large ones only seem to work with VGA devices). These new icons are gorgeous and even hilarious (Famous dancing PB &J bananna? Done.  Beavis and Butthead?  Ready.).

Other notable changes with v.3:

• Works on any resolution device, even non-touch ones
• Autostart option
• Cursor timeout option
• Confirmed working with WM6.5 (natch)

I'm currently using the "Processing" box one because I'm just a tech nerd.  Anyways, give it a shot.  It's free and really spices up your device in a simple, painfree way.  Of course, we recommend doing a backup JIK and note that this will consume some memory, so Mogul and Sprint Treo Pro users take heed. 

Take a peek after the jump to see more of the UI and cursor choices!

[Download here!]

Holding out for a Sprint Touch Pro but just can't afford the new-customer price of $299? Well, Amazon is running one heck of a fire-sale as you can now pick one up for the quite low price of  $99! Of course, that is after a $100 mail-in-rebate. But still  ... with a point-of-purchase sale of $199, it is still lower than Sprint direct.

That's a heck of a deal if we say so ourselves.

Acer has apparently run into to problems with U.S. network operators and will delay the launch of the Windows Mobile phones announced earlier this year. The Tempo Series was originally projected to land in the U.S. by the end of 2009. While Acer wouldn't offer a target date, the best they would offer is that the phones would be available for U.S. release some time in 2010.

The bad news is we'll have to wait a little while longer to see the likes of the F1, x960, and F900. The good news is that the delay may have the new phones come off the assembly line already loaded with Windows Mobile 6.5, avoiding the need to worry about upgrading.

Via Phonescoop

Update: Acer let us know that there's still a shot at an Acer smartphone launch in the US during Q4 of 2009. 

They make movies about these things. Boy sees phone. Boy lusts after phone for months. Boy finally gets phone only to discover it's nice from afar but far from nice. OK, we've yet to see a movie quite like that. (But if they do, you bet Dieter and Mal will review it in the WMExperts Movie Review Podcast.)

No, we're talking about the Sony Xperia X1 here. It was announced with much pomp and circumstance but took months and months (and months and months) to come to market. And even then, it's gotten zero carrier support in the United States.

Turns out, the Xperia X1 was "a kind of experiment," said SE President Hideki "Dick" Komiyama. That's from a Financial Times piece [via Electronista] in which Komiyama speaks about SE's recent struggles and how it's failed to really compete in the smartphone industry.

But there's good news for you Windows Mobile fans: SE still plans to put out three smartphones by the end of the year – one Windows Mobile, one Android and one Symbian.

As anyone who's used one knows, it's not that the Xperia X1 (read our full review here) is a bad phone. It's just that it priced itself out of the game without bringing anything really groundbreaking. The panels interface is interesting, but it's just not enough to justify spending that much jing, especially today. Let's hope SE finds more of a middle ground (and U.S. carrier support) with its next try.

A few weeks ago we saw an excellent interview with HTC's Eric Lin by Japanese site Akihabra News. The third part of that interview is now available. [via]

In the final installment, Lin gives a look at the HTC Magic, which runs Anrdoid, and the HTC Snap. He also talks about upgrades to Windows Mobile 6.5. You'll want to watch the whole interview, but here's a teaser:

"Microsoft has not announced any plans for 6.5 for Smartphones, for Standard edition yet. So, we cannot promise a 6.5 upgrade for Snap, because Microsoft has not offered 6.5 for Smartphones yet.However, we have absolutely promised a 6.5 upgrade for Diamond 2 and (Touch) Pro 2.

"And, in fact, we made changes to how 6.1 works and to the hardware of Diamond 2 and Pro 2 so that when our customers upgrade to 6.5, that everything will work the same, that they will not have to relearn anything."

Akihabra News interview with Eric Lin (Part 1, Part 2, Part 3)

OK, so what we have here is an update to the Microsoft Tag system, which is an update to the old QR Code. Have no idea what we're talking about? It goes like this: You load an app onto your phone that takes a picture of the tag and can recognize the metadata in once of these tags. Kinda like a barcode, but much cooler.

The old black-and-white QR Code left much to be desired. It looked like a code. Microsoft's original Tag (seen here at right) was an improvement, with different colors and shapes containing more information. But it still looked like code. With the upgrade, a series of dots can be hidden within a picture, as you can see above. (From left, that's a pinata, jelly beans and balloons.)

And that's cool and all. But if you want me to go to a Web site, just tell me the damn address. (Yeah, we know, it can launch video or audio automatically. But still.) I don't want to load another app that essentially just loads a Web site. That said, I don't have to use it if I don't want to. If this is your thing, check out more at Microsoft Tag. And if you're really into it, there's even a design contest going on.

Via the Windows Mobile Team Blog

This will be our only Xperia rumor today. We promise. And while we have no definite confirmation from SE that a follow-up to the Xperia X1 is in the works, what you see above is a Twitter post from SE marketing guru Harold de Kort.  Run through the ol' Google translator, you get "Of course after each X1 is an X2 and X3, X4, X5. What else is new. "

Either that's a bit of a kiss-off answer (which is entirely likely), or, yes, they're working on filling out the Xperia line. (Hopefully with Windows Mobile, but even that's not certain.) And if SE follows the same timetable it did with the X1, we could be hearing an announcement shortly and then seeing the phone sometime next year.

PortableGear.nl (via Unwired View)

This should come as a surprise to no one, given that it was painfully obvious in the Marketplace screenshots Malatesta broke over the weekend, but Microsoft apparently is in talks with carriers to have their own customizations in the Windows Marketplace.

As you can see above, it looks like AT&T will have its own little corner, and talks are under way overseas, too, according to Tweakers.net: (Apologies for the translation)

Microsoft wants to close deals with the major providers to the 'branded' versions. "Then about O2, Telefonica and Vodafone, large telco's," says Maarten Sonneveld, business group lead for Microsoft Mobile Netherlands. The providers may 'branded' versions use own ROMs of Windows Mobile devices.

Questions still remain as to what will actually be in the Marketplace upon launch. (For that matter, we still have no idea when the Marketplace and Windows Mobile 6.5 will launch.) We know of a bunch of developers who plan to be there from the outset, but the list of prohibited apps we found over the weekend has a lot of people scratching their heads. We'll just have to wait and see.

Via Unwired View

This one's had us scratching our heads all day upon reading about it. You can buy the Palm Treo Pro at Best Buy for $249 if you sign up for a "new 2-year activication" for AT&T service. Next stop: The nearest AT&T store. Nary a Treo Pro to be seen. What's up with that? Here's what AT&T had to say:

Treo Pro is a certified non-stock device. Our national retail partners are free to sell any of our certified devices, and set their own pricing. You would have to ask Best Buy if they are subsidizing or if Palm is discounting.

Odd, indeed. But we're not going to worry too much about it. The important thing is if you're looking for a Treo Pro on the cheap and don't mind digging in for two years, this might be the best way to do it.