Posts Tagged ‘Windows Mobile (Windows phone)’
I had problem with my Samsung i900 Omnia phone being stuck in stand by mode for no obvious reason, except I discovered applications doing this. I was living with that some time until I finally jumped into the problem.
I was, from old ages, used to install almost all applications to storage card. Only some critical ones (like today screen items) into internal memory. I did the same with Omnia, although it has another storage already build in. The symptoms were simple. I ran application, put phone into stand by mode and (sometimes) later I wasn’t able to wake it up. Pretty annoying. I spotted these “problematical” applications and get used to close these after the work.
But few days ago I was sick of this. Mainly because you have to later wait when you’re starting the application again. So I did some observations and thinking. After some false (and tedious) attempts I inferred the problem might be Omnia’s handling of storage card. And yes, it was. After I move all applications from storage card to internal storage, all problems disappeared. Well, at least the phone isn’t freezing. Sometimes it takes 2-5 seconds to wake it up (light up the display), but that’s minor for me (probably the phone is doing something with the storage).
So if you’re experiencing same problem, install/move all (or the “problematic” ones) applications from storage card to internal memory of internal storage.
Note: If you’re using internal storage as USB drive and you connect phone to the computer some applications may stuck or behave weird as during this time the storage is not accessible to phone itself.
My terminology: 
internal memory = couple of MBs where system is
internal storage = x GBs where you can put your files
storage card = SD card you can put into your phone
There’s a lot of rumors about the new Windows Mobile 7, especially in last days before MWC. A lot of unconfirmed information is flying around and lot of comments. What I would like to focus on is backward compatibility, Marketplace, Compact Framework and new look and feel of homescreen.
A lot of folks is not happy about dropping backward compatibility. I, on the other hand, am pleased with this step. The world has changed, especially the mobile world. What was ok in 2001, is not in 2010. I like new trends in control, give me that on WM too.
Marketplace should be only way to get application into device. For me as a developer this is little scary, because even for simple free utility you’ll need to buy certificate for developer. But if the applications will be thoroughly tested, I’m ok with it. And may increase the quality of apps as well.
Backward compatibility for Compact Framework is interesting too. The idea of writing application in current century’s tool like C# and .NET with GC and nice libraries I like. But JITing on not so much powerful devices? I don’t know. Here I like the speed and responsiveness of app. What MonoTouch is doing is IMO the way. And if MS would provide such a tool … neat!
I don’t know whether the screenshots and descriptions I saw/read are close to the reality or not (we’ll see in couple of days), but it looks like, there’s no classic home screen as I use it now (with Spb Diary) (and how some screens show the new iPhone OS will have it) – tasks, appointments for next couple of days/weeks. This means a lot of people will be pissed off, because the device is also work and productivity tool. Will it degrade it to into “just” device for fun, while iPhone will be slowly trying to get the attention of people using the phone for work half of the day too?
During the Friday I realized, that I did a long time nothing with my iPhone & MonoTouch development environment and I should try something more challenging. As I’m still fighting with some good idea for real world test application and my UIs are looking weird, I decided to turn my attention not to iPhone app directly, but to MonoTouch capabilities.
As a true geek I decided to try to connect to Firebird from iPhone. Although, thinking about it, I’m trying to connect to Firebird (or make it work with) with various technologies (Astoria offline, Silverlight, etc.). Because .NET provider for Firebird is pure C# and we have Mono compatible build, I deduced that it should work with iPhone too.
Sure, it’s a nice challenge to whole MonoTouch stack, because the .NET provider is more about the code than about the application itself. And we’re using there a lot of different things that can go wrong or may not be available or compilable to native code. And I have to say, the guys behind MonoTouch did a great work (I still can’t believe it).
With couple of minor tweaks I was able to create application that connects from iPhone (simulator) through internet to Firebird server. Pure C#, no hacking or major problems.
Application connecting to Firebird server and showing the server version.
First I’m impressed how mature the MonoTouch is. Second I’m still trying think thru all the possibilities you have with this. With some work on UI you can deliver the same database oriented application to Windows Mobile and iPhone using the same business layer (sure some webservice approach would be better, but …).
Looks like it’s time to stop playing and get some serious test app done.
I’m wondering whether we should start providing build of .NET provider for Firebird for MonoTouch/iPhone, as we have for Compact Framework?
I just found out that My Phone was released (is it a long time or not? ). Although I’m synchronizing my device with Exchange server, I’m really missing (wireless) file synchronization – either with some folder on my computer or via some website. So the My Phone looked like what I was looking for.
You can synchronize certain types of files and the storage card too. Sounds great. Until you find that you cannot select folders to sync. Only file types like Music or Documents and with or without the storage card included. This might be little problem, taking into account the current space on website is 200MB and I have 2GB of data on my card. But I don’t need to sync all these, just couple of folders with important stuff.
What a pity. Hope the Live Mesh will be soon ready for Windows phones (see, new name 
) and will work more or less the same as on “big” computer. Or anybody knows some good similar service?
Nice article about what word(s) to use for what action(s). Also discussion is worth reading.
