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Well now, it looks like a defector from WinMo to iPhone (full disclosure: I myself use both right now) has taken issue with a certain line from my Treo 800w Review:

And finally we have the top of the device featuring the silence switch. I’ll point out to my iPhone using friends (and, yes, my own alter ego) that this is a proper ringer switch, not the bollocks that you’ll find on the iPhone. When you enable the ringer switch on a Treo, the external speaker is silent, period, whether you’re getting an SMS or playing a game or having an alarm go off. That’s how it’s supposed to be, folks, and that’s how it works on the 800w.

Bearxor (a frequent poster at PPCGeeks) is contending that the ringer switch on the Treo is “dumb” and the switch on the iPhone is “smart” because, well, if you're playing music, you want to hear music, regardless of the ringer switch. Ditto alarms -- if you set an alarm, you darn well want to have it wake you up, ringer switch be damned.

Reasonable people can disagree, of course, and Bearxor is right when he writes that “There’s just no such thing as a ‘proper ringer switch’ though.” Fair enough, I shouldn't have called the iPhone's “bollocks.” On the other hand, I still prefer the Treo's ringer switch behavior to the iPhone's. I don't think it's “dumb” at all. I just think it's better for pocket usage. When I reach into my pocket and set the ringer switch to vibrate, I want an iron-clad guarantee that it's never going to make noise. If I want to watch movies or listen to music through the external speaker, I don't mind switching the ringer back to “on.”

How 'bout you, though? Which do you prefer: the Treo's “Silence all” behavior or the iPhone's “Silence the stuff we figure you want to silence and leave the rest on” behavior?

The arguments over the effects of cell phone radiation go on, but the head of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute is taking no chances.

Dr. Ronald B. Herberman has warned his 3,000 faculty and staff members to limit cell phone use, and he says children should only use them in emergencies because their brains are still developing.

"These waves have been shown to have the ability to penetrate into the brain," said Herberman, who based his advisory on international studies from countries such as France, Germany and India. "This provides a plausible basis for concern that it might be contributing to an increased incidence in brain tumors."

Score another point for Bluetooth headsets, I guess.

Read: UPMC memo: Cell phones pose cancer threat

From Shape Services, the makers of the popular IM+, comes Persistent.im, basically an always-on private conference that allows you to use your current IM client.

Each conference shows up and behaves as a contact in the IM contacts' list. Conference participants may use accounts in AIM®/iChat, MSN®/Windows Live™ Messenger, Yahoo!®, ICQ®, Jabber®, Google Talk™ and MySpaceIM and keep using their preferred instant messenger client.

You can use multiple IM clients and load your contacts from your favorite IM service, and there are a few bot commands to make conferencing command line-like friendly.

The free service works across desktop and mobile devices - wherever you choose to IM from.

Try Persistent.im

It seems like an eternity since Dieter got some serious hands-on time with the Sony Xperia X1. And in the tech world, it certainly has been, what with the launch of the HTC Diamond and that other "smart" phone taking center stage recently.

But the X1 has been lurking and still appears headed for a fall release. IntoMobile recently mentions a November launch on Australia's 3 network, and inexperia's got a French connection stating mid-October, for about $1,000 sans contract.

As for the U.S., we're still hoping for a September release, with AT&T the likely carrier.

Check in after the jump for Dieter's hands-on specs.

What's under the hood

• HSDPA/HSUPA (Quad Band, too)
• WiFi and Bluetooth
• aGPS
• 3.2 Megapixel Camera
• 110 x 53 x 16.7 mm
• 145 grams
• 1500 mAH Battery
• Qualcomm's MSM7200A CPU, 528Mhz (confirmed)
• 800x480 resolution Touchscreen (flush)
• MicroSD for expansion
• MiniUSB for data and charging
• 3.5mm headset jack for music

CrystalTalk is Motorola’s latest audio technology that is reported to deliver maximum audio performance in even the noisiest of environments.  The Motorola H12 Bluetooth Headset ($89.95) is Moto’s first headset to incorporate this technology.  According to Motorola, CrystalTalk uses dual microphones to cancel out background noise, enhance your voice and channel pure, clear audio directly into your ear.  On paper, it would seem the H12 is leading the pack of mini-headsets on the market today.

To see if CrystalTalk and the Motorola H12 deliver the maximum audio performance, read on!

Out of the Box

The Motorola H12 is a lightweight headset, weighing only .4 ounces, and is very similar to the Motorola BH680.  Measuring 1.65 inches long and .7 inches wide, the H12 is a smidgen larger than the H680.  The best way to describe the headset’s diamond cut metal surface is sleek.

The H12 comes packaged with two charging cradles, the AC adapter, a few ear buds of assorted sizes, a Quick Start Guide and a clip that allows you to snap the headset to a shirt button.  The headset also has a clear plastic ear hook that can be reversed for left ear use.

I don’t understand Motorola’s thinking on providing two chargers.  One is a charging case (just like you get with the BH680) that the headset sits down into that the other is a stylish cradle that the headset leans on.  Both charge through magnetic contacts and with only one AC adapter, having one in the office and the other at home doesn’t make sense. I would have preferred a single charging cradle and a means to charge the H12 in the car instead of the two cradles.  As is, the cradle is the only way to charge the H12 and probably the H12’s greatest limitation.

The H12 has a dedicated power button which is nice because there is no doubt as to whether the device is on or not.  Volume keys are found on the top side of the headset and a main button rests on the top surface of the H12.  The buttons are large and easy to manipulate while the headset is worn as well as when it’s not.  A small LED light is just below the main button to alert/confirm functions through various blinks and colors.

Performance

The H12, after fully charged, goes into pairing mode when first turned on.  Pairing the H12 with my Samsung BlackJack II was uneventful and in a matter of seconds, I was connected.  The Bluetooth connection between the phone and headset was strong.  No static was present when carrying the phone on the opposite hip in a case.

The H12 was extremely comfortable to wear.  While you can wear the headset without the ear hook, the hook was not uncomfortable and added a level of security to the wear.  The shirt clip is an interesting accessory which allows you to clip the H12 to a shirt button.  It’s essentially a “U” clip that goes around a button and the H12 snaps in between the thongs.  Using the shirt clip is a little awkward and takes some time to get used to.  While it adds a level of convenience, I prefer a lanyard carry option better.

I was interested to see if CrystalTalk was as good as Motorola claimed.  Earpiece volume was good but a little muffled.  Increasing the volume helps but you still have a slight muffle to the volume.  In looking at the ear bud design a good portion of the earpiece is covered with the rubber ear bud.  At first I thought the cut out was dependant on the ear bud size but the other ear buds had small cut outs for the speaker as well.  Taking the ear bud off noticeably improved the volume but made the H12 noticeably uncomfortable to wear.

Microphone performance and volume was good, maybe a touch better than any other headset on the market.  In using a normal tone and volume, my voice came in clear.  Background noises such as traffic and the air conditioner were almost eliminated.  Louder noises such as the car stereo were filtered out nicely.

The H12 has a nice feature set including last number redial, call reject, voice dialing (phone dependant), call mute and call hold.  The H12 also has the ability to answer a second call or reject a second call.  The LED confirms these actions as well as alerting owners to low batteries through a series of colored flashes.  Battery life is rated by Motorola to be approximately 8 days of stand by time and 5.5 hours of talk time.  With the limited charging options, battery power should last you the day or in between destinations when traveling. 

Overall Impression

So is the Motorola H12 Bluetooth Headset ($89.95) with CrystalTalk technology leading the pack of Bluetooth Headsets on the market today?  The H12 is a solid performer that is comfortable to wear, has good microphone performance, a good feature set, and decent battery life.  But with the volume muffled by the ear bud design and limited charging options, if it’s leading the pack it’s not by much.

I have to recognize the dedicated power button one more time.  This feature of the H12 is something that other headset engineers should strongly consider.  I’ve tested several Bluetooth headsets that power on through the call/main button and it is difficult at times to tell if the headset is on or off.  I’ve caught myself staring at headsets waiting for the blinking blue light and turned the headset off when I thought I was turning it on too many times.  It’s refreshing to look at the headset and know for certain the thing is on or off.  It may be a minor feature to some but I think Motorola hit the nail on the head by having a dedicated power button.

Compared to the Motorola BH680 Bluetooth Headset ($59.95) the H12 is more comfortable, has slightly better microphone performance but the BH680 has slightly better speaker volume and battery life.  Otherwise these two headsets are almost equal. 

I really think if Motorola redesigned the ear buds the H12 would be very hard to beat even with the limited charging options.  As is, the H12 simply makes choosing a mini-headset a little harder to make.  It should be on everyone’s short list.

Ratings (out of 5)

• Ease of Use: 5/5
• Build: 4/5 (those darn ear buds)
• Comfort: 5/5
• Battery Life: 4/5

Overall: 4.5/5

Pros

• Really comfortable to wear
• Strong Microphone performance
• Dedicated Power Button

Cons

• Ear Buds seem to muffle headset volume
• Limited Charging Options

What do you get when you combine pictures of the upcoming Samsung Omnia, iPhone 3g (eww..) and the HTC Touch Diamond?

A whole lotta deja vu, that's what. (Or yawns if you're a cynic like myself)

PortalPPC managed to get their hands on all three and literally stacked them up against each other for some comparisons. You certainly get an idea of screen resolution, brightness and size between all three.

Too bad the writing is all in some bizarre alien language.

Oh wait, I'm being told by our crack team of linguists it's Portuguese. Never heard of it, but if you can read it by all means sharesies! (We imagine it will involve discussing how awesome "black slab" is for a phone).

Click the link to see their full gallery!

Thanks dim!

On Wednesday we brought news of Microsoft's Live Mesh cloud-based storage service, giving you 5 gigs of space for your files to come and go as you please.

Today, the big M unleashed mobile-optimized access to the service, meaning you can get to your data while you're on the run.

It's not the full-on Windows Mobile client we're hoping for, but it's certainly a step in the right direction.

If you're already signed up for the tech preview, point your favorite mobile browser (yes, even the iPhone's) at https://m.mesh.com - note the secure site - and have at it.

Via MSDN

Our man Dieter got some hands-on time with a couple of Velocity Mobile devices back at CTIA, and he reported that the 103 was, in fact, "a sweet device."

And Dieter knows sweet devices.

Anyhoo, Crunchgear spied the 103 as it made its way through the FCC, which means it might well make its way to a carrier near you. We'll let you know.

A recap of the 103:

• Windows Mobile 6.1 Pro.
• HSDPA (850, 1900 and 2100 MHz bands).
• 128 megs RAM, 256 megs ROM
• 640x480 screen.
• 1450 mAh battery. 4 hours of talk time, 200 hours of standby, 2.5 hours of navigation.
• WiFi.
• Bluetooth 2.1 with EDR
• Mini USB connection.
• Assisted GPS.
• Micro SD card.
• 2MP rear-facing camera, 0.3MP on the front for video conferencing (though don't expect any U.S. carriers to leave that intact)

It's time for this week's Software Wrangle. We're featuring several apps this week for you to check out. This week we are featuring new software for WM Standard, Just Tones and Elecont Launcher. Updated software includes Pocket Informant 8 and Extreme Agenda - Your Organizer. Free software is Beyond Pod.

WM Professional new software is Message Alerts for WM and MASPware Checklist. Updated software includes Shopping List Deluxe and HiCalc - Your Trusted Calculator. Freeware is MSS Converter.

Saddle up for this week's Wrangle!

WM Standard: New

First up is Just Tones v1.0 by 1TouchMobile.

Just Tones lets you search for and set ringtones for contacts using a simple and efficient interface. Search for a contact using a T9 search. Play an existing ringtone for a contact. Search and select multiple contacts from the main screen and set a ringtone for them. Once a contact is selected, the search term is reset and ready for a new search. Just Tones supports playback of midi, mp3, wma and wav files.

Want to set a ringtone for a 'Company'? You can do that with Just Tones. You can also set a ringtone for a particular 'Category' (Personal, Business, Holiday etc.). Contacts can be sorted by Firstname or Lastname.

Features: - Set Ringtone for Single or Multiple contacts in one operation - Group ringtone using the 'Company' or 'Category' field for a contact - Sort contacts by Firstname or Lastname - Play/Stop ringtones from the main screen as well as the ringtone selection screen - Contacts are displayed along with their ringtone - Supports mp3,midi,wma and wav formats - Search contacts using a T9 search

Get Just Tones v1.0 for $7.95 here.

Next is Elecont Launcher v1.0.62 by Elecont. There may be a lot of launchers out there to choose from, but at this price point, this one is worth taking a look at.

Elecont Launcher allows you to start programs, documents and sites directly from Home screen. You can start your favorite shortcuts with one click. Optimized for finger usage.

Features: - Windows-like quick launch on Home and Today screen. - Starts for any applications, URLs, documents and control panel in one click. - Animated forecast on Home and Today screen. - Compatible with Windows Mobile themes. - Free full-functional 3-day trial version. - Free updates.

Get Elecont Launcher for $9.95 here.

WM Standard: Updated

Pocket Informant 8 v8.1 by Web Information Solutions, Inc. is our first updated software for WM Standard this week.

Pocket Informant 8 brings a new level of ease of use to your mobile device. Version 8 introduces a new Roles based user-interface that lets you scale the user-interface and feature to your needs offering you just the power you want. A fully one handed interface lets you use Pocket Informant without ever touching the stylus - or if you prefer finger control Pocket Informant brings finger touch scrolling, a touch ABC bar in Contacts, and new finger friendly time pickers.

Features: - Smartphone version - Same codebase for SP and PPC - Fully one handed interface - New! Events View lets you track tasks and appointments as they come - New! Journal View gives you both dated and parent groupings of all journals - Roles based UI lets you scale the featureset from a basic "Pocket Outlook with = Benefits", to "Task" and "Appointment" focused modes as well as a power user mode - Contact links/Phone numbers in the subject of appointments/tasks - Franklin Covey Goals, Mission, and Compass/Roles added - Completely redesigned settings - Month View has a new FilmStrip mode - Smooth Scrolling and Touch modes - Touch A-Z side bar in Contacts - Many other new features and improvements

Get Pocket Informant 8 for $29.95 here.

Extreme Agenda - Your Organizer v3.3 by Birdsoft is the next updated application this week.

Extreme Agenda is the premier Personal Information Manager for your Windows Mobile Smartphone. It features Powerful Agenda Views, Photo Contacts, Todos, Search, and even Notes and a Secure Wallet in one easy to use package.

Extreme Agenda Version 3.0 now includes a Project view, Innovative Spinner Selection screen, timeline week view, and so much more. Also included are features like Linking, Templates, Notes, and friendly one-handed operation.

Get Extreme Agenda - Your Organizer v3.3 for only $24.95 here.

WM Standard: Freeware

This week's free app for WM Standard is BeyondPod at www.smartphone-freeware.com.

BeyondPod is FREE, Open Source, RSS feed reader and podcast manager (podcatcher) for Microsoft Smartphone and Pocket PC.

Using BeyondPod you can subscribe for RSS feeds, read the feed content, download and listen to associated podcasts (enclosures) directly on your mobile device.

BeyondPod also provides a convenient way to play downloaded podcasts using a built in media player with features like configurable "TiVo style" commercial skip, tracking of played time, easy cleanup of played podcasts and many others.

You can get BeyondPod for Free right here.

WM Professional: New

The first new WM Professional application for this week is Message Alerts for Windows Mobile v3.1 by WebMessenger Inc.

WebMessenger Message Alerts puts you back in control of managing communications on your mobile device by providing powerful rules and filters for your mobile email and SMS Messages!

Define your own filters using rules that are automatically applied to your incoming E-mail and SMS Messages and be alerted to just what is needed through user defined alerts to include your own MP3 audio files. Includes custom alerts for low battery and low memory on your mobile device.

Features: - The Message Alert application runs in the background on your Windows Mobile device and is automatically launched with the OS. You can control the time of day and week when the rules/alerts are active with the settings screen. Rules - Can be defined based on the Subject:, From:, To: , CC: fields or the message content. - Can also be created through the context menus in the Inbox and Address Book applications. - Continuous alert - Customized audio and vibrate notification - A pop-up dialog notification - And many more features!

You can get Message Alerts for Windows Mobile for $24.95 here.

Next up is MASPware CheckList v5.01.4 by MASPware, a great way to keep track of what you need to get done!

MASPware CheckList lets you more easily and quickly administrate all kinds of checklists. Starting from your shopping cart up to a subject list for your next meeting.

You are supported by a Desktop PC program to edit your lists quick and easy. Furthermore, CheckList provides exporting and importing lists and data records to and from Pocket Outlook.

Features: - Easy, fast and comfortable - Administrate unlimited number of lists - Unlimited number of listentries - ViewMode for realistic view - Categorized lists - Listnotes - Treeview - Auto-Update Option - Desktop-PC tool for editing (Microsoft .NET Framework necessarily) - Backup-Function - Desktop synchronisation - Import and export of outlook-textnotes

You can get MASPware Checklist for $19.99 here.

WM Professional: Updated

The first updated WM Professional app this week is Shopping List Deluxe v4.0 by Lakshmi Solutions LLC. Shopping List 4.0 will help you to organize, plan and manage the different items that you need to buy.