Direct from Alex Kac: First, we have the announcement that Pocket Informant 8.5 was released today with many improvements in Smartphone and Pocket PC editions. We have some major improvements in the Calendar, Tasks View, Missions, and Contacts and it is now available as a free upgrade to all Pocket Informant 8.x owners. Version 8.5 of Pocket Informant is a mature PIM on Windows Mobile and most of our major improvements have been focusing on ease of use, improving the basic usability in finger touch modes, stylus, and one-handed usage scenarios. We don't want  just cram more features in. Some areas like Journal and Events Views received a lot of attention. Furthermore as a limited time special promotion we are selling Pocket Informant for BlackBerry and Windows Mobile at $16.95 - our regular upgrade price!

Just visit <http://www.PocketInformant.com/pocketinformant> for Windows Mobile to upgrade or take advantage of the current pricing or <http://www.pocketinformant.com/products_info.php?p_id=pocketinformant_bb> for BlackBerry. While you are at our site, take a look at the PDA Essentials Editor's Choice Review of Pocket Informant: <http://www.pocketinformant.com/graphics/ads/078-079_PDAE_80.pdf>

Resco -- one of our favourite software suppliers for the mobile platforms (we'll have a whole mini-review segment coming of Resco programs) now is actively supporting the G-sensor technololgy. We know that these accelerometers are becoming more and more prevelant in upmarket mobile units, such as the HTC Touch Diamond and HTC Touch Pro, as well as the Samsung Omnia. The Apple iPhone and iPod Touch also have these G-sensors implemented.

Resco's announcement goes a lot further that just using this technology for fun and games... How cool would it be in business applications?

Check out Resco's Press Release here.

WebIs just announced an edition of Pocket Informant for the BlackBerry.

Here are some details from their Press Release today.

We'll soon have a short review on the HTC cruise on the site. We currently are testing it out and so far are quite impressed with the device. You will remember of course that the Cruise has Co-Pilot Live installed and that's part of the main attraction.

Also, we will endeavour to have the HTC Touch Diamond on our test bench when it becomes available here in Australia in August.

Stay tuned.

The BT-Q1200 SOLAR Ultra Travel Recorder GPS from Qstarz is launched today and with its solar panel should be able to really stretch your time out in the open. Up to 48 hours.

This bluetooth device is also capable of logging your whereabouts and where you've shot all your pictures.

With 200.000 waypoints it has plenty of memory. No pricing available yet .