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Look, T-Mobile, you're about to get a cool new Windows phone, so we're not gonna go all fire and brimstone on ya. But bringing back an $18 fee when we upgrade our phone just won't fly. The idea is to keep customers on your network. Your recent rate changes are a bit of a start. And certainly another $18 shouldn't keep that from happening, but it's kind of trite. Like airlines charging to check a bag. What we're saying is, you're better than that.

So we join our Android Central brethren in saying "Boo to the upgrade fee." And then we start scrounging for loose change as we await T-Mobile's successor to the venereable Dash.

Via TmoNews

I've always been a fan of themes for Windows Mobile and quickly becoming a fan SPB Mobile Shell themes.  Themes give you the ability to have your Windows Mobile phone become more reflective of your personality, moods, and likes.

Fuzemobility.com is reporting on a French website that has a forum section dedicated to SPB Mobile Shell themes that has caught my attention.  Actualitemobile.com has nineteen pages of home-grown QVGA, SQVGA, VGA and WQVGA themes for Mobile Shell v2.x ranging from goofy smiley faces to Star Wars themes.

The site does require registration to download the themes and is written in french.  Should you not be able to read french, you'll need something along the lines of Google Translate to navigate around the website. 

AT&T has launched FamilyMap, a fee-based service that will locate any number on your AT&T account. The service will locate and track the number from your wireless phone or PC. The service will not only use cell tower triangulation but also can activate the phone's GPS chip.

AT&T is offering a free 30-day trial period for FamilyMap and after the trial period, it will cost you $9.99 per month to locate up to two phones and $14.99 per month to locate up to five phones. Standard text message rates will also apply to any messages generate when locating a phone. But before you sign up, follow the break to see if this new service is worth the cost, and if it's really as creepy as others have found it  to be.

We're gluttons for punishment around here, so we figure the rest of you are, too, right? And with that in mind, the HTC Touch Diamond 2 just got some additional official love on the other side of the planet.

Our readers in Hong Kong (we know you're out there somewhere) can pick up the TD2 early next month on CSL Limited for about $578US. It also looks like April 22 has been nailed down as the launch date in Taiwan.

And now Mobile Tech Addicts brings word that U.K. dealer Clove has it in stock and ready for next day shipping for about $513US. Just remember that if you import a TD2, you won't have the U.S. 3G bands.

As for the rest of us here in the states? We'll just keep tapping our fingers patiently.

Update: After the break, an unboxing video from Tracy & Matt.

If you've been wanting a Treo Pro but the price made you pause, Amazon.com [via] may have the answer you've been looking for. The $399.99 price tag, with free shipping, is the lowest price we've seen for the unlocked Windows Mobile phone. We liked the Treo Pro when it was first released last year, we still like it now, and the lower price makes it even more attractive.

And speaking of the Treo Pro, there's a rumor floating around that it might finally get some carrier subsidy love from AT&T in the coming weeks. This is highly unsubstantiated (we couldn't get anything official from AT&T), so take it with a huge grain of salt. The post at HowardForums says $250 on contract. But we're not gonna bet the farm on that just yet.

The Toshiba TG01 still hasn't gotten into the hands of the consumer (though we're growing more impressed with it every day), and already we're getting wind of its follow-ups, along with a couple other Windows Mobile devices with some exciting features. The shakedown, after the break, from Greek site Techblog: [via]

Last month Microsoft posted a job for a Principal Development Manager to work with Windows Mobile 7. A key issue in the listing surrounded "updateability,"which re-enforced what Dieter had talked about in a podcast, namely that Microsoft was focusing on over-ther-air firmware updates.

Now comes a new job posting for a "Lead Software Development Engineer" that bolsters all of this:

Have you wished to see your Windows Mobile phone with new features “magically” show up without you buying a new one? Do you want to see greater and better quality and cool software delivered to your love ones’ Windows phones from just a click? If this is your dream, this is a place for you. Come join us to make this dream into reality! With the mobile industry’s strong growth and several competitors playing in the field, we are going to have a challenging but fun time to show customers what Windows phone can become in the next few years.

We are in Windows Mobile device update team. Our goal is to enable customers to anticipate and enjoy a predictable stream of new and improved capabilities for their Windows Phone via a Device Update service that is worry-free and easy-to-use. Broad scope and impact, deep technologies, engineering challenges, partner interfacing with OEMs and MS internal partners, and fast pace delivery are all part of our charter. In the agile development environment, you will be working with PM/architect/test and partner teams to deliver critical stack of the update solution. You will lead a team of smart developers to solve problems in mobile OS, PC applications, and interacting with web services.

It's too bad that we'll have to wait until Windows Mobile 7 for some FOTA goodness, but it will be interesting to see how application updates are rolled alongwide the Windows Marketplace for Mobile.

Ars Technica [via MTA]

For all you "Halo" fans out there, Microsoft's got something cooking. Exactly what, we're not quite sure, but a recent job listing drops hints at "large-scale testing of the out of game Live experience by gamers across the world."

From the Careerbuilder job listing:

We're looking to blend console, web, and mobile to create an immersive Halo world that follows the dedicated Halo fan wherever they go. We need engineers that can build connected technology while working in a startup environment.

Does that mean Master Chief will be coming to a Windows phone (or, gasp, some other platform) near you? That's not yet clear. But it has been tried in the past, and we know Microsoft's putting more emphasis on gaming with the upcoming Marketplace. We'll keep our heads on a swivel.

Via gamers.com

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Looks like HTC snuck out a ROM update for the Sprint variant of the Touch Diamond. Here's what's fixed in this "Maintenance Release":

• Provides enhancements to the HTC dialer application
• Resolves an issue where the “Internal Storage” drive may not be recognized by the device
• Includes minor enhancements for Sprint TV and Opera Browser
• Resolves an issue with time not updating correctly after daylight savings time adjustment
• Includes a variety of minor bug fixes

Applying the update will bump you up to Version 2.00.651.7. As always, be sure to read through all the instructions (pdf link), and above all, back up your important data first!

HTC ROM update via ppcgeeks

Having become pretty popular with Windows Mobile, the Skyfire browser apparently is  making its way over to our BlackBerry cousins. According to an e-mail snagged by the Boy Genuis Report, a search is on for Alpha testers.

We are looking for early Alpha testers to help us develop Skyfire for BlackBerry. If you like to be the first on the block, and on the bleeding edge (bugs!), please sign up and give us a steady stream of feedback so together we can make browsing on the BlackBerry the best it can be.

You can bet CrackBerry users will be lined up down the street for this one. Because if there's one thing that platform needs to improve on, it's the browsing experience. (Yes, we really just said that. Hey, browsing's been getting better on Windows Mobile in leaps and bounds lately.)