Summer has been a great time for updates!

Well it's been a great, hot summer and the same can be said about the Windows Mobile software space! There's been some great, hot updates to quite a few of your favorite software applications. Let's take a look at some of the highlights:

Plusmo v2.0

Reify Software Incorporated released an upgrade to their interesting Plusmo software application, which I reviewed in a round-up earlier this year.

The new features include:

• A new "Dynamic rotating information ticker" which cycles through unread articles and messages at the top of the Plusmo home screen and lets you scan unread headlines while synchronizing.
• The "local area search" allows you to find nearby businesses, services and more.
• New "Local information channels" including news, weather, and traffic.
• New sports features allow you to follow your favorite sports teams on-the-go including such as US college sports, professional football, professional baseball and more.

The download is available at no-charge by pointing Pocket IE to http://plusmo.com. Or you can learn more by visting the Plusmo Overview page.

Radar

Radar, the mobile photo-sharing site just launched their Windows Mobile software application. And, at the same time, they launched a bunch of new features:

• Improved layout with "whisper" and "like it" features. Whisper allows you to leave a private or catty comment that will only be shown to the picture's owner while everyone else will see that "someone whispered." The "Like it" allows you to mark a favorite picture with a star and will show you how many other people agree with you.
• New audience controls help you manage who can see individual photos, including options for all your friends, some friends, or only you.

The software is still a little rough around the edges (for example, it isn't fully functional on touchscreen devices without a keyboard), but you can learn more and sign up for the service at http://radar.net/

PhatNotes 5

And finally, PhatNotes is back with version five! The software boasts support for Windows Vista (Windows Vista Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1), Windows Mobile 6.0 and ActiveSync 4.5.

Along with improvements to the User Interface and installation software, there are a number of new features:

• Support for multiple groups (folders)
• New "Context analyzer" allows dialing phone numbers, opening URLs, and sending emails by clicking on the respective item
• 256-bit strong encryption algorithm
• Smartphone: Now includes "PhatSpell," a multilingual spell checker
• Smartphone: Support for rich text formatting (only availble on Windows Mobile 5 or later)
• Pocket PC: Additional buttons and 2nd toolbar for the Note Editor dialog
• Pocket PC: New text formatting features (only availble on Windows Mobile 5 or later)
• Pocket PC: Improved handling of user reminders (alarms)
• Desktop PC: Nine themes, including four skins that match the Microsoft Office 2007 look and feel
• Desktop PC: New text formatting features
• Desktop PC: Redesigned PhatNotes Alarms desktop utility user interface
• Desktop PC: Customizable context analyzer to help identify phone numbers, hyperlinks, etc.
• Desktop PC: New "PhatSpell" multilingual spell checker with the ability to sync dictionaries on desktop, Smartphone, and Pocket PC
• Desktop PC: New Favorites window provides instant access to favorite notes
• Desktop PC: New Shortcut window launches favorite applications and open URLs/Files directly from PhatNotes
• Desktop PC: New Alarms window allows quick access to pending reminders

The PhatNotes 5.0 upgrade is free for PhatNotes 4.x Professional, Standard and Smartphone Editions owners who purchased the software between Feburary 1st, 2007 and September 29th, 2007. If you purchased v4.x prior to Feburary of this year, you can upgrade for $19.95. Otherwise the software is available for $39.95 from the Phatware store.