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We missed last weeks tip (cocaine is helluva drug), but we'll make it up you by dishing out two tips this week: one today, one tomorrow. Deck?

The first for today is really, really easy but yields a very cool look for your device: Glossy Black Bars

See, in WM6/6.1 when you try to use an all black theme (or any other that you want with black bars--those top and bottom things), you get boring old gray or the old WM5 "flat" bars, which is an interesting but dated look.

A simple way around this is to use EazyVG's simple .exe file. You just plop it on your device, choose any theme (.tsk) and then run "Glossy Black Bars.exe" and you'll device will get those shiny bars like in the pic above.

Neat, eh?

Download from the link to XDA (need to register) or just hop to our WM Software section in the forums where it's an attachment.

Awhile back we posted how Sprint kept their word and finally released a PictureMail (MMS) application for all their WM devices.

One weird quirk is that Sprint chose to bypass Palm's threaded messaging app for PictureMail use, requiring you to send the picture via the "Pictures & Videos" program instead. This only applies to the Treo 800w. Lame.

Thanks to NightRaven and Vetack, who were working on the WM6.1 ROM for the 700wx, they figured a way to enable the built-in MMS capabilities using Palm's program. Next, Ebag333 applied this new trick to the Treo 800w and we now have a working version with a simple .cab install. This makes a much more integrated system.

Video and audio clips are able to be sent as well as pictures, of course. Click here for the thread and a slew of other pictures of the app in action.

Great work guys!

Small Correction: You can send multiple images and a text in one message.

One topic we've been discussing here at WMExperts (especially our podcasts) is whether or not the new Mobile Internet Explorer, aptly dubbed "6 on 6", will be available as a separate download or update for current generation devices. After all, it doesn't seem too difficult, but whaddya we know?

Turns out the answer is "no"

From the Windows Mobile Team Blog, "Khush" who says he from the Windows Mobile team, states:

Regarding making IE Mobile available as a separate download or update, the rich media experiences that IE Mobile 6 enables require more powerful, advanced devices. That is why it will not be available as an upgrade or direct download for current phones, but rather will be made available on new phones.

Not written in stone of course, but doesn't look good for most current devices. Looks good though for the expected Sprint Treo Pro, which we expect early next year.

Other tidbits:

IE Mobile 6 is expected to show up in devices at the end of 2008 or early 2009.

...although this release is called Internet Explorer Mobile 6, there are components from other versions of Internet Explorer for the desktop. One example of that is the support for Jscript v5.7 which we brought over from Internet Explorer 8 for the desktop.

Of course the big news though is MS announced the emulator and demoed the new, richer MIE. So for developers or those curious, get the emulator here.

More at the WM Team Blog

Thanks Yirk!

One question we hear a lot from new WM users is do they need an anti-virus program for their device?

Norton, Kaspersky, Spybot, Airscanner and Bit Defender all have WM versions available already--so it's not surprising to find someone wondering if they need it.

The general answer we give is for now: no--you don't need this software. Using it will merely slow down your device, is added cost and premature.

Just last week though, the BBC ran a story--the yearly "mobile viruses are coming!" one. Since 2003, when PPCs started to really take off, we've been constantly hearing & preparing for the big day these viruses take off. Surely that day will happen, but so far it has not and there have not been any popular or pervasive attacks. Plus, with the fractionation of mobile OSs, there is no prime target (though Symbian is up there).

Still, the best protection is always knowledge. Be careful of where you get your files from (trusted software distributors only), don't run files from unknown email and keep up with mobile technology news ;-)

Read: "Handsets to become crime targets"

Sure 16GB microSDs are just launching now, but why not plan for the future? Like the way, way future.

Sandisk said that they are working and planning on launching a whopping 128GB version but not for another 3 years.

Which begs all sorts of questions like:

• Will microSD actually be relevant in 2011?
• What the heck will the mobile industry even look like in 2011?
• Why tease us so?

Well hey, best of luck to you Sandisk. If I'm still alive in 3 years, I look forward to porting my giant collection of NSFW materials to my WM8 device.

Mock up courtesy of wmpoweruser.com

Sure, just about everyone is moving to the new kid on the block--Touch Diamond, but not everyone is made out of cash and lets be honest, the original Sprint Touch has its charm too (WM 6.1, GPS, RevA, etc).

So it's nice to see this guy dropping to the ultra-low price of just $49 on Sprint (with a new contract, or talking Sprint down if you're convincing). That's even lower than the Centro.

Have that friend who wants their first smartphone but not ready to commit? Maybe this will tempt them. And throw in that special Sprint plan...magic!

Some bad news folks, word from CNet is that the much anticipated HTC Touch Pro which was set to be released on October 19th has been pushed back to the end of October/beginning of November.

Doesn't look to be anything serious in the way of problems outside of Sprint trying to make sure they have enough supply on launch.

Sprint expects to slightly delay launch of the Touch Pro by HTC to ensure we have adequate inventory in all channels before making the device commercially available. Customers can expect the device to become available in select national retailers by the end of the month and then in all Sprint sales channels including online at www.sprint.com and Sprint Stores by early November.

Upside? You have a few more weeks to save for the $299 (w/ 2 year agreement + MIR; $579 OTD) device! Might as well give Dieter's walk through vid with the Touch Pro another whirl too...

Thanks Inimical and Patrick for the heads up!

One of my favorite (and free, ahem) IM solutions (Google Talk, AIM, Yahoo, VOIP) is Octro as I have always found it easy to use and streamlined for simple use--plus the plugin is nifty.

Getting updated to 2.0, the Octro team has added some cool new features including

• P2P Video Conferencing (!)
• Complete VOIP product. Access to PSTN (something which was discussed in a recent podcast)
• Buddy Icons

Obviously the Video conferencing is the big one here. We'll be giving it a spin here at WME headquarters this week and let you know our thoughts. Chime in with yours in comments.

Download it here

(Quick note: you need to have at least one Google Talk or Jabber account logged in before Octro will let you set the other stuff up! Download their manual from the above link to find instructions)

Trying to keep up with Skyfire's updates is becoming a little bit hard these days (no obvious change log, their help forum makes no mention and their Twitter is not that active).

All we can say is that version 8.0.7081 is out today and that it probably fixes some things ;-P

So if you are having problems or just want the latest and greatest, make sure you get the update. You need to login here and go through their cumbersome "send me and SMS" thingamajig--seriously guys, get an auto-update feature stat!

Dunno what Skyfire is? Check out Dieter's video walk-through right here.

Thanks chocmatic for the heads up!

Here's a real cool trick from our friends at XDA.

As you may have noticed, in the WM version of Google Maps we do not yet have the patented Google "Street View" feature whereby you can see real 360° pan shots of the street you are mapping. The soon-to-drop Android G1 and BlackBerry devices have it, but no love for Google's WM stepchild.

But, until that update you can do this:

• download Esmertec Jbed (java manager) here (if needed)
• download "KDKobes Google Maps Street View" .jar file here; place in \My Documents

Install the Esmertec Java client (you'll need to link it to your Start Menu from from the root \Esmertec Java folder). Then Menu --> Install --> Local files and it should find KDKobe's .jar file. Install and you're done!

Now, just launch Google Maps (BB edition, natch) from the Esmertec Java client and away you go. Find a street address, hit options on the bubble and click "Street View". You can even make it full screen, albeit a bit grainy.

Down sides? No "My Location" or GPS. But hey, it's a start! My own thoughts? Overall it works surprisingly well. Give it a go.

via Tilt Mobility & props to KDKobes for discovering this!

ps Eat our shorts CrackBerry! ;-) WM is unstoppable.