Biometric SDK for .NET CF Beta

Are you developing a .NET Compact Framework application that manages sensitive information and could benefit from biometric (fingerprint) authentication? If so, you'll definitely want to check out the new Softeq iPAQ Biometric SDK for .NET beta release available now. Created by Softeq, it provides a .NET class library to access the fingerprint scanner on select HP iPAQ models of the hx2700 and H5400 series. C# and VB.NET are supported.

The Softeq iPAQ Biometric SDK is available as a free download to Developer and Premier members. Not yet a Developer or Premier member? Please visit the iPAQ Developer Program web site to enroll.

HP Unveils iPAQ Navigate Online Service

HP iPAQ Navigate is a free trip planning website allowing customers to create tailored travel plans, research destinations and points of interest and then load their custom itineraries to the HP iPAQ 300 Series Travel Companion. The new HP iPAQ Navigate website includes trip planning features ideal for both work and play, allowing users to create trip plans for their own use or share with friends, family or colleagues. Take a look.

Visual Studio 2008 released

On Monday, Nov. 19, Microsoft announced that Visual Studio 2008 and the .NET Framework 3.5 were released to manufacturing (RTM). With more than 250 new features, Visual Studio 2008 includes significant enhancements in every edition, including Visual Studio Express and Visual Studio Team System. This entry from WindowsForDevices.com discusses specific enhancements included for device developers.

Windows Mobile Starter Kits

Windows Mobile Starter Kits available on the Microsoft Developer Network (MSDN) are fully functional sample applications. Each sample is complete and contains its documentation, so you can get started right away. Current kits include a Tabbed Web Browser, a Windows Mobile 5 Today Screen plug-in, a Windows Mobile 6 Home Screen plug-in, and games. Also available separately is the new Contact Starter Kit, which demonstrates accessing the internal contacts database.

TechCrunch and Joost

A couple of sites we've stumbled onto lately...

If you're interested in new Internet products and companies, be sure and take a look at TechCrunch. Written by Michael Arrington and boasting over 400K readers, the blog is an interesting read.

For something completely different, keep your eye on Joost.

Joost provides a new way of watching TV that combines the best of full-screen television entertainment with the interactive and community benefits of the Internet to bring broadcast-quality video to viewers anytime, anywhere.

Founded by Niklas Zennstrøm and Janus Friis (the same guys that created Kazaa and then Skype), it certainly has the pedigree for something great.

New World of Coca-Cola

The New World of Coca-Cola opened a few weeks ago in Atlanta, Georgia. It offers several interactive theaters, a full history of Coca-Cola, and an actual working bottling plant! It also offers Durateq handhelds featuring an Assistive Listening and Captioning engine by Softeq.

Guests can listen to amplified audio, view closed captioning for the shows and exhibits, or listen to content in multiple languages. Discriptive narration is also offered for the blind.

The handhelds are free to guests and can be checked out at the Guest Services station in the main lobby.

Tesla Roadster

Normally, when we talk here about cool mobile hardware, we're referring to products created by our sister company Durateq. (And if you're new to this blog, we'll bring you up to speed: Durateq is to hardware as Softeq is to software...leading edge design and development). Today though, we're talking a different kind of mobile hardware, the Tesla Roadster.

This car is 100% electric and unlike any electric car you've ever seen before. There is no electric car penalty.

Historically, it seemed to us that electric cars had been designed by people who thought we really shouldn‘t be driving at all - but if we must, we should suffer every minute of it. Electric cars have had terrible range and embarrassing styling. To those who say electric cars have been tried and failed we say, of course electric cars won't catch on if no one actually wants to drive them.

The fact they named the company after one of our heroes is an added bonus. Driving one of these roadsters would be better than that Tesla Coil we never got around to making. Fortunately we know someone on the reserved list and maybe, just maybe, we'll get a ride.