Multi-IM-client mobile phone app Palringo, previously available for Windows Mobile and Symbian, has now added the BlackBerry to its list of targets. The release works on Pearl, Curve and 8800 series models, and supports eight IM services, including Google Talk, Windows Live Messenger and Yahoo Messenger, allowing you to combine contacts in one single interface. Palringo is freeware.
Palringo

Samsung launched its U900 mobile phone today, promoting it as part of its Beijing Olympics sponsorship campaign. To my mind, there's a much more interesting feature to the phone: it's going to be available on every major local carrier simultaneously. To put that into some sort of perspective, the last time this happened with a Samsung phone was in 2005, according to the company.
Being available on multiple networks makes life simpler for everyone: if you've got an existing account you can just move over, if you want to make a switch you'll have a choice of options and pricing plans (the official RRP for the U900 is $699, but shopping around closer to the July release is bound to turn up a range of options).
Nonetheless, such an approach remains a rarity. When it comes down to the crunch, what do you consider first: the phone or the plan? It's becoming disturbingly evident that for iPhone users, the answer is "the phone, my kidney can be sold if necessary", but what about for the rest of the market -- that is, most of us?

Google has made it a lot easier to re-order and change what gadgets show up on your personalised Google Mobile page. Head to your iGoogle page, hit "Settings," and scroll down to Mobile. You can add mobile-compatible gadgets you already have on your iGoogle page, re-order and delete existing gadgets, and see what the page will look like on a phone screen. It's a lot more helpful than tweaking around on a tiny screen over a slower connection.

Read More »

Windows only: It's a great feeling to find a productivity application that fits your workflow, but if your platform of choice is Windows Mobile you might only find that app after hours of tedious installing and uninstalling with lots of tiny screen time and stylus poking. Recently released to the general public, Microsoft Windows Mobile Emulator is desktop software that imitates Windows Mobile 6, Windows Mobile 5.0, and Windows Mobile 2003SE on your PC. Install and uninstall software, try out themes and new interfaces, and use the phone's external buttons with the emulator—no stylus required.

Read More »

If your net-connected phone or PDA lacks an easy-to-sync note-taking application, or you just prefer the open-ended nature of wikis, PikoWiki is one of the better mobile-friendly wikis out there. A super-slim interface gives you all the tools you'll need to make and edit notes and lists, and search or browse your pages. Those with basic HTML knowledge don't have to learn a single bit of wiki style, and anyone can try it out on the demo pages provided. The real benefit, of course, is getting at those same notes from any other browser you find yourself at. PikoWiki is free to sign up for and use.

Read More »

US-centric: Tired of getting phone calls from the same 800-type phone number, but have no idea who's calling? 800Notes, a free user-submitted reverse phone directory, lets you see who might be ringing, whether it's a sales firm, debt collection... Read More »

The Marc and Angel productivity blog drums up 10 useful mobile phone numbers to keep in your contacts list—the kind of numbers you don't use often, but you really want to get at fast when you do. Among them, they make a strong argument to do a little research ahead of time and find a reputable, affordable, and, most importantly, available locksmith:

There's nothing worst than being locked out, especially at night. Save yourself the hassle of trying to find a reputable locksmith with reasonable prices when you are locked out and stressed out. Do a little homework now and find yourself a reputable locksmith that has a 24 hour emergency call service.

Read More »

When getting things done involves making phone calls, you want to spend the least amount of time and money on the horn as possible—and several tricks and services can help you do just that. With the right tones, keypresses, phone numbers, and know-how, you can skip through or cut off long-winded automated voice systems and humans, access web services by voice, and smartly screen incoming calls. Check out our pick of the 10 best telephony techniques for getting more done in less time over the phone.

Read More »

Need to make a long, long, long-distance call but don't want to pay the cost of a cheap lunch every minute? My VoIP Provider might be a good place to start looking for cheap internet-based calling options. The site offers rates and customer reviews for roughly 1400 VoIP services around the world, and can display and sort calling rates between nearly any two countries. You'll always want to dig around a bit before signing up with an unknown VoIP service, of course, but it's a handy way to get even cheaper phone calls than with standard call-out services. My VoIP Provider is a free service that doesn't seem to require a sign-up. Check out a handy roundup of the numerous VoIP tips and tricks we've previously featured to get more out of your internet calling.

The Digital Inspiration weblog has found another Facebook feature that's useful offline as well as on--a compilation of friends who list their phone numbers. To get to it, head to facebook.com/mobile and then hit the "Phonebook" link at the top to get a list that can be printed pretty easily. For another print-worthy Facebook feature, check out how to make a friends collage.