2008 June - AllShadow.com

How to Hard Reset via Hardware Buttons

Posted by Brandon Miniman on June 30th, 2008

Hard resetting your device is like formatting the hard drive of your computer and then reinstalling the operating system. It causes all of the data to be wiped out, which may be a good thing if you want a fresh start, or if your phone is inoperable for some reason.

Of course you can hard reset your phone by going to Start > Accessories > Clear Storage, but what if you’re not even even to get that far? Well you can hard reset using the hardware buttons, and a thanks to jasonweaver for posting this in the Support forum. Here are the steps:

Note: The device must be turned on.
1. If the device is on, remove the battery to turn it off, and re-insert the battery.
2. Press and hold the Left soft key and Right soft key together.
3. Press and hold the Power button for two seconds.
4. When you see a message that starts with ‘This operation will delete…’. release the soft keys.
5. A start-up screen appears, and then the screen shows a black message shown below.
6. Press the Send key, the device prompts you to restart it.


$5 for MP3 Albums

Posted by Mike Benton on June 28th, 2008

Starting earlier today Amazon is offering up $5 MP3 albums for download. Albums up today are Sublime by Sublime, Consolers Of The Lonely by The Raconteurs, Detours by Sheryl Crow, Rumours by Fleetwood Mac, and Birth Of The Cool by Miles Davis.

Edit: If you’re into Soul they’re giving away some free Soul tracks.


How Did You First Hear About AllShadow.com?

Posted by Brandon Miniman on June 27th, 2008

We’re curious and want to know how you heard about this site. Let us know below!


Who Else Wants Better Gmail on the Shadow?

Posted by Mike Benton on June 25th, 2008

Sure you can always access your Gmail from m.gmail.com or even set up Outlook Mobile to load your Gmail, but sometimes you want an experience that looks more like your desktop Gmail. In case you hadn’t heard , Google has had a java version of Gmail for awhile now. If you use Gmail a lot then I suggest Java Gmail as you will find the interface very much similar to what you are used to.

It has many of the full browser features in an easier to access way than Pocket Internet Explorer’s version. If you want to give it a whirl direct your mobile browser to gmail.com/app. If you haven’t tried the mobile browser version than go to m.gmail.com. Enjoy!


The JB5 Mobile Browser

Posted by Mike Benton on June 24th, 2008

If you want an alternative to the Pocket Internet Explorer (PIE), have tried out Opera Mini and can’t wait for SkyFire then take a look at JB5. This browser is definitely faster than PIE, doesn’t need Java like Opera Mini and is available now unlike SkyFire. Among some of the features are Progressive rendering as content downloads (very fast), Bookmarks management (Import/Export), Save pages to your phone, Find/Search in page, a Download Manager, Save Images, display without Images, set as default browser, different display options, full screen, and more. Keep reading for more information about JB5 Read Full Entry


Announcing the Launch of Our Touch Pro/Touch Diamond Forums

Posted by Brandon Miniman on June 23rd, 2008

Today we are excited to announce the launch of a new site that we’ve created, AllTouchSite.com. This new site will take on a similar format to AllShadow, but for the HTC Touch Pro and Touch Diamond phones, plus future HTC Touch devices.

So what are our plans for the new site? Well, because the Touch Pro and Diamond are not yet sold in the US, we’re going to keep the main site in low profile mode for a few weeks until we can get a hold of USA-versions of both devices. The forums will be open for business starting today - and, as we see the need, we’ll expand the number of topics. We realize that you probably don’t have a Diamond or Touch Pro yet, but if and when you do get one, we’ll be ready for you.

Here’s the beauty of the forums at AllTouchSite.com: it shares the same user database as the forum at AllShadow, meaning that you don’t have to re-register on the new site. Your post count, login/password, and PM mailbox all are synchronized. =D

Wait a sec, are we abandoning the Shadow? No, not even close. In fact, with the Shadow II just around the corner, and more and more themes/hacks/mods coming out for the original Shadow, we have a lot of really interesting content coming up here on the main site, and of course, the Shadow forums continue to be an excellent resource.

All that said, go take a peek at the AllTouchSite forums and start chattin’. If you see any bugs or issues, please post them here.

And hey - we’re hiring, both for AllShadow and AllTouchSite. It’s a paying position (we’re not going to make you rich, but it could be a decent part time income). If you’re interested and have a good amount of free time, fantastic writing ability, and a strong knowledge of the Windows Mobile platform, send us a resume at brandon(at)alltouchsite.com, with subject “Apply.”


Favorite Bookmarks, Most Useful?

Posted by Mike Benton on June 23rd, 2008

Not every site we like to visit is optimized for mobiles. That’s why we have brilliant browsers like Opera Mini and Skyfire. However, we are seeing more and more mobile sites becoming more useful than their full screened counterparts. Whether it be simplicity of design or just great results there are some mobile sites that serve their function well. On the other hand, there are also apps that serve up certain information faster than using any browser would (i.e. Google Maps for directions, or Live Search for directions, movies or events).

Sometimes we depend on our mobile favorites to serve up frequently used sites in a mobile format, like AllShadow.com for instance, it’s mobile friendly! Other times, mobile sites help us discover something new. What are your frequented mobile sites? What sites do you have to have a bookmark for because they are that useful? What are some sites you wish were mobile friendly?

Some of my bookmarks I have (in A to Z order):

If you have any great mobile sites that aren’t listed here (not being a full directory) I’m sure the rest of the AllShadow Community would love to hear about them. So post them in the comments, be sure to tell us what you find useful about them. If you have any sites that you wish were mobile friendly let us know!


5 Quick Shadow Productivity Tips

Posted by Brandon Miniman on June 19th, 2008

Here are a few tips that may save you time while using your Shadow. I’m sure some of them you know already, but you may find one or two to be new:

1. Holding down the 1 key will dial your voicemail.
2. You can quickly toggle through multiple numbers of your contacts (like home, work, mobile) instead of having to open their full contact information and scroll around. To do this for “James,” for example, type James from your Home screen, highlight James’ name, and use the right/left buttons to flip through m-h-w-txt, etc.
3. You can speed dial a program. This lets you tap and hold a number on your keypad to launch a program, rather than digging through the start menu. Go into the Start menu, highlight the program you want, then click the Menu soft key, and click Add Speed Dial.
4. Search through Outlook mobile mail just by typing in your Inbox. The Shadow will filter matches by both subject and sender.
5. Change your profile quickly by holding down the Home button.


Need a Free Podcast Catcher?

Posted by Mike Benton on June 19th, 2008

If you’re into Podcasts and like free then you might want to check out BeyondPod. As a free and open source podcatcher it works remarkable well and has plenty of features, including the ability to import your feeds from Google Reader. Check it out at BeyondPod.Mobi If you need a good collection of podcasts check out Podcast.com


AllShadow.com Performance Enhancements v1.0

Posted by Mike Benton on June 17th, 2008

Thanks to the AllShadow Community! If it wasn’t for the Contributors in the Forum this post wouldn’t be possible!

For new Shadow owners, or those that don’t want to mess with the registry, this file will provide some basic performance enhancements. After installation you will notice that your Shadow is running more to your liking. Be sure to check back now and then as updates will happen.

Enhancements/Changes this file makes to the Shadow are:

  • Application Unlock – enables certain programs to fully operate (i.e. Google Maps ‘My Location’ feature)
  • SMS Sent Notification turned off – gets rid of that annoying Message Sent notification you get when sending texts
  • Disabled Neo Interface Windows Media Player (WMP) – this does not remove WMP from your phone or make it unusable, it only turns off the ‘pane’ in the Neo interface. This specific pane uses a lot of memory and slows your phone down. You can still use Windows Media Player from the Start menu
  • Slimmer Scrollbars – slimmer scroll bars means more screen Real Estate
  • Larger Glyph Cache – speeds up graphics

  • Enable Clear type – smoother fonts

To Install:

  • Download AllShadow.com Performance Enhancements v1.0 to your computer and then transfer to your phone.
  • Go to Start > File Explorer > and navigate to where you downloaded the file and run it (highlight and press center select)
  • After Installation turn your phone off, remove the battery for 30 seconds (to be sure) then turn the Shadow back on.

    • AllShadow Community Veterans: If you feel there is something I should add to this that most people will enjoy please post in the comments (a link to the forum post describing the addition would suffice as well).

    Here’s the file in case you didn’t see it up above:

    AllShadow.com Performance Enhancements v1.0.cab

    This is the same file as above except in a zip file: AllShadow.com Performance Enhancements v1.0.cab.zip

    If you want to suggestion an addition to this read the forum thread . Please read everything and use the Search feature before requesting support.


    Poll: Your Next Phone?

    Posted by Brandon Miniman on June 15th, 2008

    For your next phone, what are you thinking?  Here’s a quick elaboration of the poll choices to help you decide.

    iPhone 3G: Buying an unlocked iPhone 3G and using it on T-Mobile probably won’t be possible now that Apple is requiring in-store activations, unlike the first iPhone.  If you’re going iPhone, you’ll have to jump to AT&T, and the price is $199-$299, plus a required $30 per month for unlimited data.

    Shadow II: What you’ve heard is true, and we’ve confirmed this with at least two highly reliable sources.  The Shadow II is a refresh of the existing Shadow, which will add Windows Mobile 6.1, UMA (for using HotSpot@Home), a faster processor (260MHz versus 201MHz), bigger battery, and redesigned exterior (with the same SureType keyboard).  No 3G.  We’re 90% sure on these details.  It’s likely to sell for $150-$250 with a new contract.

    Touch Diamond/Touch Pro: There’s a chance that we may see one of these devices on T-Mobile sometime in the second half of this year as the Shadow III, or another name.  The Diamond is being sold now unlocked for about $850, and the Touch Pro will go on sale soon unlocked for around $1000.  Ouch, pricey.  Even if you buy either device now, they won’t work on T-Mobile’s 3G network (which isn’t widely deployed yet, anyway) or AT&T’s existing 3G network, because it has European bands. You will be able to get EDGE speeds on T-Mobile, though.

    BlackBerry Thunder: Little is known about the first touchscreen BlackBerry, but we do know that it will be exclusive to Verizon indefinitely.  With a new contract it’s likely to run $300-$400.

    No clue/other: Is there something else that you’ve got your eye on, or are you just going to wait on the sidelines for a bit?  Tell us in the comments!


    4GB microSD for $14.81

    Posted by Mike Benton on June 14th, 2008

    Just cruising around Amazon and found a deal on a 4GB microSD card for $14.81. If you don’t have one yet this might be a good deal for you.


    Video: One Click DVD Conversion

    Posted by Mike Benton on June 13th, 2008

    Awhile back we posted a review on DVD Catalyst 3 and how to take your movies with you. In short, after the initial setup, the program offers one-click conversions of DVDs. It does have a free trial so you can go try it out for a week or so, see if you like it. Watch the video for the how-to and to get the right settings for the Shadow.

    By the way, DVD Catalyst is in our store as well. It’s less than $25, and saves you from a lot of headaches while easing your boredom and making long trips better.


    Opera Mini 4.1 Shortcuts and Features

    Posted by Mike Benton on June 12th, 2008
    Edit: Opera has released 9.5 for the desktop now and it looks very nice.

    Opera is constantly releasing updates for Opera Mini and their full sized browser for the desktop so it pays to check in every so often and see what’s new. I got excited about the new changes to Opera 9.5 beta and the Mini version because of several things.

    Opera Mini 4.1 now synchronizes your bookmarks and Speed Dial with the desktop browser. In addition to that, you can access these bookmarks from any browser on any computer in case you’re away from home. Very handy.

    To learn more about Opera Mini 4.1… Read Full Entry


    Outlook Shortcuts

    Posted by Mike Benton on June 11th, 2008

    Outlook Mobile has several shortcuts that you can use in the Inbox of email, text messages, MMS, etc. To use these simply press and hold the corresponding number on your keypad. You can reference these at any time by pressing and holding 0 (zero) on your keypad.

    The Shortcuts are:

    0 – List Shortcuts

    1 – Reply All

    2 – Reply

    3 – Mark/Read Unread

    4 – Flag

    5 – Move

    6 – Forward

    7 – Delete

    8 – Download Message

    9 – Send/Receive


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