In theory, you should be able to simply set up Internet Sharing on your Windows Mobile device with Bluetooth PAN. Then on your Mac, simply create a BlueTooth PAN connection. The problem with this is that you run the risk of eating up your mobile device’s battery much quicker as its using its 3G connection and its bluetooth connection simultaneouslly. Even though it should work, I never could get it going, anyways. Ideally, we want to plug the phone in via USB, so that it is charging while sharing its connection. OSX won’t support the standard ActiveSync USB Internet Sharing method, so you’ll need to do a little work to get it going.

First download these files

Unzip and Copy all three files to /Library/Modem Scripts

Back on your Windows Mobile device, in the USB connection settings, change USB to mode to MODEM instead of ActiveSync. You may get a warning here that ActiveSync won’t work when Modem is selected. Remember to change it back later when you are ready to sync up again with a Windows computer. Once you’ve selected modem, plug your device into your Mac via USB.

Now, go to your Network Preferences menu.

On the left side, you should see your list of Network Interfaces. Click the little “+” sign to add an interface. Click Interface drop down menu, and you should see a choice for “Samsung CDMA Technologies”. Go ahead and choose it, and click CREATE. it should populate itself on the left-hand pane now.

Highlight the new Samsung Entry, and on the right side make the following entries:

Configuration: Default

Telephone Number: wap.cingular

Account Name: WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM

Password: CINGULAR1

Now click Advanced…

On the Modem Tab, make sure Vendor is Samsung and Model is GPRS (GSM/3G)

On the PPP tab:

For Session, Uncheck “Redial if Busy”

Next to Settings, choose CONFIGURATION and select “Send PPP echo packets” and uncheck: Use TCP header compression.

Apply all these changes and lock the Network Preferences, and you’re ready to test.

Its a good idea when testing to disable your Wi-Fi so you can be sure you’re genuinely using your mobile devices WAN.

Now, highlight the Samsung modem, and on the right side, click CONNECT. If all goes correct, you should see a little meter with your connection strength, and you should now be able to surf the web. Go for it!

According to Trend Micro’s summary:

Two things can be summed up from the events that transpired:

1. As expected, the P2P communications of the Downad/Conficker botnet may have just been used to serve an update, and not via HTTP. The Conficker/Downad P2P communications is now running in full swing!
2. Conficker-Waledac connection? Possible, but we still have to dig deeper into this…

Here’s a link to more information from Trend Micro

Here’s a link to the conficker “eye test” – it’ll let you know if your machine is infected or not.

http://www.talkbiz.com/confickertest/

There are several ways for you to enjoy the Pandora service while away from your computer’s web browser. Here are a few:

1) IPhone application- You can get more info here. Basically, its just like the website. All the major functions available on the web are right there in the application – creating playlists, approving songs, getting info, etc., It’s FREE, of course.

2) Windows Mobile Application – great for your Tilt, BlackJack II, or Fuze.  This WinMo app let’s you listen to your stations, create new ones, view album art, etc., More info here

3) Boxee – Popular media center software Boxee now has a native application available for free download.  Great cover art, station creation, song approval, and slick graphics.

4) Chumby – Raise your hand if you’ve got a Chumby. No, me neither. If you’re one of the two people who has one, you’re in luck, because Chumby officially supports Pandora.  There’s more info on their website

5) Sprint Instinct – Digital Lounge now has Pandora available. Just log in to your Digital Lounge and search for Pandora. Get ready to pay $3 per month, however. ouch.

There are a few other devices out there that will play friendly with Pandora. If you’ve tried them, let us know…

In theory, you should be able to simply set up Internet Sharing on your Windows Mobile device with Bluetooth PAN. Then on your Mac, simply create a BlueTooth PAN connection. The problem with this is that you run the risk of eating up your mobile device’s battery much quicker as its using its 3G connection and its bluetooth connection simultaneouslly. Even though it should work, I never could get it going, anyways. Ideally, we want to plug the phone in via USB, so that it is charging while sharing its connection. OSX won’t support the standard ActiveSync USB Internet Sharing method, so you’ll need to do a little work to get it going.

First download these files

Unzip and Copy all three files to /Library/Modem Scripts

Back on your Windows Mobile device, in the USB connection settings, change USB to mode to MODEM instead of ActiveSync. You may get a warning here that ActiveSync won’t work when Modem is selected.  Remember to change it back later when you are ready to sync up again with a Windows computer. Once you’ve selected modem, plug your device into your Mac via USB.

Now, go to your Network Preferences menu.

On the left side, you should see your list of Network Interfaces.  Click the little “+” sign to add an interface. Click Interface drop down menu, and you should see a choice for “Samsung CDMA Technologies”. Go ahead and choose it, and click CREATE. it should populate itself on the left-hand pane now.

Highlight the new Samsung Entry, and on the right side make the following entries:

Configuration: Default

Telephone Number: wap.cingular

Account Name: WAP@CINGULARGPRS.COM

Password: CINGULAR1

Now click Advanced…

On the Modem Tab, make sure Vendor is Samsung and Model is GPRS (GSM/3G)

On the PPP tab:

For Session, Uncheck “Redial if Busy”

Next to Settings, choose CONFIGURATION and select “Send PPP echo packets” and uncheck: Use TCP header compression.

Apply all these changes and lock the Network Preferences, and you’re ready to test.

Its a good idea when testing to disable your Wi-Fi so you can be sure you’re genuinely using your mobile devices WAN.

Now, highlight the Samsung modem, and on the right side, click CONNECT. If all goes correct, you should see a little meter with your connection strength, and you should now be able to surf the web. Go for it!

“It lists thousands of kosher restaurants and includes the Book of Psalms, the three daily prayer services, the Traveler’s Prayer, a Hebrew calendar, and two versions of Grace After Meals.” Apparently GPS and Cell Phones are OK as long as there’s none of that dirty internet on them. Nice idea.

I wonder if it shuts down automatically on Friday night? Here are some other features I heard they are including:

1) Default voice of Jackie Mason
2) Yells at you in “Mother-In-Law Voice” when you miss your turn.
3) POI are all Doctor’s offices, mostly podiatrists and urologists

4) Special mode that guides by landmarks: “Make a right when you get to the hospital where Uncle Mort had his goiter removed…”

5) Speed Warnings over 25 MPH: “Oy Vey! You’re going too fast! You’re driving like a meshuginah”
6) Media Player preloaded with Yentl, the Jazz Singer, and Fiddler on the Roof
7) Routes you half-way through every trip to visit your Grandmother
8 ) Warns you when powering up that you look a little thin. “Have you been eating enough? Maybe you should have a nosh before you leave.”
9) Unfortunately, maps are only available for Boca Raton and the lower East Side of New York
10) Hot key to call your Grandson for help using the damn thing

1. One of the great and sometimes not-so-great features of WinMo is true multitasking. You can have several applications running simultaneously. This can sometimes be a battery killer, but for better or worse, it’s nice to be able to stream music while checking google maps, switch to your web browser and back.
2. There are a TON of applications available for Windows Mobile. It’s been around for years and there is a strong developer base creating all kinds of applications.  Sure Apple has the App Store, but there are real robust enterprise productivity and business applications developed for WinMo – including Office. Most of the apps I’ve seen for the iPhone look fun or useful for about 5 minutes. If you do just want fun on your BlackJack2 or other device, there are apps like TCPMP (plays all those DIVX movies, mp3’s, etc.,) Opera, Google Maps, Live Search, Pandora, Last FM, Skyfire (which includes real FLASH support))…
3. GPS – Apple touts it’s GPS functionality like no one has ever used a GPS before. I use  Garmin software on my BlackJackII and it gives me turn-by-turn directions, gas prices, etc., Microsoft Live Search does Turn-by-turn text for free.
4. Exchange ActiveSync. Now, I know the iPhone  has this, but if you’re running an Exchange environment, its the best sync system out there. It works great, and it works best on a Windows Mobile device. Raise your hand if your Blackberry went down last year along with RIM?  Exchange ActiveSync leaves it in your (admin’s) hands.  Unless you bring the servers down it keeps running. Push Email to the masses. Not to mention Enterprise class features including AD management, remote Wipe, corporate policy restrictions for free.
5. Works with all types of form factors – Over the last several years, I’ve tried models with touchscreens, keyboards,  flip phone, candybars, Ruggedized. The OS adapts very well to multiple hardware designs.
6. Works with different manufacturers-One of the things I look forward to with Android is that multiple manufacturer’s will be producing handsets with it running.  I’ve used WinMo on devices from the likes of Samsung, HTC, Motorola, Pantech, HP and others. Although WinMo offers consistency among the devices, it leaves room for each OEM to tweak it to their liking. I think the compettion among them has pushed MS and them forward in the development of the Mobile OS.  If y you like the iPhone, for better or worse, you’re stuck with Apple.
7. Bluetooth Stereo (A2DP) – I love washing the car or riding my bike  listening to my Motorola-S9 bluetooth headphones
8. Tethering – I can tether my laptop via USB or bluetooth without any crazy hacks. This has been a lifesaver many times.
9. Familiar Windows Interface – Theres something nice and familiar, however boring it may be, to have that little old start button there to get you going.  Additionally, I like being able to simply drag and drop files onto the device once I’m synced.
10. Skype – Although there are 3rd Party apps to make this work on the iPhone, as far as I know, WinMo is still the only mobile OS that supports a true Skype Client.

I could just as easily write another article about 10 things I hate bout Windows Mobile, but we’ll leave  that for another day. Sure, the iPhone and Android have some of the features above, and do many of them even better; but neither of them have all of them. Hopefully Apple and Google have lit a fire under Microsoft’s ass and the next version of WinMo will rock.