Softeq Blog

Happy Holidays!

2009-12-21T16:24:00.004-06:00

We wish everyone a very Merry Christmas and prosperous New Year!

See you at CES in Las Vegas, January 6th - 10th, to kick off 2010. We would love an opportunity to meet with you in person. Please contact us to schedule a convenient meeting time.

We look forward to what we can achieve together in the coming year!

-- Your friends at Softeq

Softeq at GITEX Expo in Dubai

2009-10-18T23:09:00.003-05:00

Softeq Development is participating in the leading Middle East IT-technology exhibition Gitex Technology Week which is held in Dubai, UAE from October, 18th to October, 22nd.

The aim of GITEX Business Solutions is to build upon the exhibition’s position as the region’s largest IT procurement platform, by providing focused areas for technology organisations to network with the thousands of senior technology managers and chief information officers set to visit the high profile event.

GITEX Business Solutions aims to provide three distinct areas for: Network & Security, Office Technology & Supplies, and IT Solutions.

The structure of GITEX Business Solutions is poised to meet the demands of a rapidly developing IT solutions market, with industry analysis from IDC estimating that the IT services market in the UAE alone will grow to over US$1 billion by 2010.

We encourage you to visit this remarkable IT event and welcome you to stop by and visit us at our booth #G6-54. Look forward to seeing you there!

zGhost Now Available for iPhone!

2009-10-10T18:37:00.009-05:00

We are excited to announce our new game division, zgames, has released their first iPhone app, zGhost!

zGhost is an augmented reality application that combines 3D graphics over live video that lets you see ghosts and take pictures of them using the live camera preview of your phone. The camera is actually sensitive enough to pick up the low-glow of ectoplasm radiated by ghosts. It works similarly to the nightvision setting of your video camera. See what's around you right now, that you can't see with your own eyes!

Now available for iPhone 3GS and coming very soon to Android. zGhost v1.0 can be downloaded for $0.99 on the App Store here.

Become a zGames Facebook fan and upload your favorite zGhost photos. We look forward to hearing from you!

Read more about zgames online here.

Softeq on Lead Conference panel in Washington D.C.

2009-08-14T18:10:00.012-05:00

Come meet Softeq Development Corporations, VP & General Manager, Trey Litel, on Saturday, August 15th at the Lead Conference 2009 in Washington, D.C. Trey will be a panelist during "The Future of Accessible Technology" session discussing how new accessible technologies will change and shape the way we provide accommodations in museums, theaters, stadiums and other public venues.

Softeq launches zGames Division

2009-08-01T22:46:00.004-05:00

For those of you who have been with us over the last 14 years know we have been keeping our eye on the mobile game market and have worked on game projects for SEGA, Atari and Motorola. We've also written books on game programming, so as you can imagine, we are very excited to announce the launch of our new game division, zgames.

Our mission with zgames is to create leading edge applications for iPhone, Android, Blackberry, and Windows Mobile, while showcasing our technical software capabilities. Games are some of the most demanding programs you can write. And fun, too!

We look forward to sharing the fun with you through the games and applications we develop. Feel free to drop us a line with feedback on new features or the types of games you would like to play. Your feedback is important and key to our success!

Stay tuned for the announcement of our first zgames release....coming just in time for Halloween!

Read more about zgames online.

Houston Chronicle features Durateq ATV

2009-07-11T15:28:00.021-05:00

The Houston Chronicle's Technology Business reporter, Purva Patel, spent an afternoon with Softeq Development Corporation's CEO, Chris Howard and Vice President of Sales, Trey Litel, to learn more about the Durateq Assistive Technology solution, a rugged hand-held device created by Softeq which gives visitors with visual or hearing impairments the same experience as others at theme parks, museums and other public entertainment venues.

"It's a really innovative device," said Ronald Milliman, a spokesman for the American Council of the Blind. "The people we know who have used it are very excited about it."

To read the complete article: Device Helps Those With Visual, Hearing Impairments

For more information, visit http://www.durateq.com/atv.asp.

Orlando Sentinel story on DURATEQ ATV at Disney

2009-04-16T13:29:00.001-05:00

An article today in the Orlando Sentinel talks about the DURATEQ ATV devices and their success at the Walt Disney World theme park. Heard but not seen at Disney: Device helps blind visualize rides.

HP Reference2Win Case Study features Softeq

2009-03-15T15:33:00.000-05:00

The HP Reference2Win Case Study was recently released featuring Softeq's story and involvement behind the DURATEQ devices in-use at the Walt Disney World theme parks!

Follow us on Twitter

2009-03-03T13:10:00.006-06:00

You can follow @Softeq on Twitter now. See the last few Softeq tweets to the right of this blog. Our Twitter accounts are:

@Softeq - Softeq news and events

@techris - Softeq CEO

@Durateq - Durateq news and events

@DurateqATV - Durateq Assistive Technology related news

Take a look, and follow us!

Patriots go for extra yards using Durateq ATV

2009-02-16T14:16:00.005-06:00

On January 26, The Boston Globe ran a feature article on the Durateq ATV in their technology section. The section announced that the New England Patriots had completed installation of an assistive technology system for visitors with sight and hearing impairments at the Patriots Hall of Fame in Foxborough, Massachusetts. The system, consisting of an IR emitter network, FM transmitters, and DURATEQ ATV (Assistive Technology Version) handheld devices, was provided by Softeq. The DURATEQ ATV is Softeq's ruggedized, HP iPAQ-based device which has been enhanced for assistive applications.

Softeq was involved in the Hall of Fame project from the outset by interfacing with the building architects to specify where equipment would be placed, how power would be supplied, and data delivered to devices. Softeq worked with contractors on-site during installation to ensure proper placement of devices for adequate exhibit coverage and that all power and networking requirements were met.

Softeq also worked closely with WGBH in Boston, the inventors of Closed Captioning, to integrate captioning and audio description content that they developed specifically for The Hall. To read the feature article about the assistive system at the New England Patriots Hall of Fame and how Softeq and WGBH were involved, please see: Pats' hall of fame levels playing field.

ALICE enhances experience at ATIA 2009

2009-02-10T16:34:00.004-06:00

Softeq Development Corporation debuts ALICE, the Assistive Listening and Captioning Engine, at the Assistive Technology Industry Association (ATIA) Conference in Orlando during the week of January 28 – 31, 2009. ATIA commemorated 10 years of serving as the collective voice of the Assistive Technology (AT) industry.

Softeq would like to thank the many 2009 conference attendees who stopped by for a live demonstration of ALICE running on the DURATEQ ATV (Assistive Technology Version) rugged handheld solution. Attendees had the opportunity to walk throughout the conference hall with a DURATEQ ATV handheld to sample the immersive experience ALICE provides to patrons at museums, theme parks and other related venues requiring audible or visible assistance. "The demo was very interesting and helpful! I can see how, as a blind person, this would be very useful," said Michael D. Barber, Technology Analyst at Iowa Department for the Blind and ATIA 2009 attendee.

Special thanks to David Dikter, ATIA Director, Caroline Van Howe, ATIA Program Director and Kristi Williamson and the rest of the ATIA staff for an outstanding event and for providing Softeq the opportunity to offer the DURATEQ ATV demo for all ATIA members and attendees.

Listen to a podcast of SeroTalk’s interview with Trey Litel, Softeq VP and Durateq General Manager live at ATIA 2009. To learn more about ALICE and how “she” can help you in your next Assistive Technology engagement, please visit our DURATEQ Assistive Technology website today!

Tracking Christmas Trees

2008-12-10T12:10:00.000-06:00

How do foresters keep track of their work in the great outdoors? Sweden exports a great number of "Christmas Trees" from their well managed forest system. Organization is key and Swedish foresters rely on rugged handheld technology to keep track of their daily progress. They take notes of location and work performed, forming a geographic outline of where they have worked. Each night they synchronize via the internet to keep their companies abreast of the progress and update their geo-coded databases. They rely on a DURATEQ outfitted with an integrated GPS module and extended battery for day-long performance, and ESRI’s ArcPAD Software for data logging. The DURATEQ is a favorite because it is the thinnest and lightest rugged handheld available.

Whether or not your tree was found with the use of a DURATEQ handheld, we wish you all a very Merry Christmas!

Meet ALICE: Mobile Software for Assistive Technology

2008-12-01T16:17:00.008-06:00

When Alice encounters the Looking Glass in Lewis Carroll's famous story, it unlocks a whole new world of experiences for her. Similarly, the ALICE software from Softeq unlocks a rich world of multimedia experiences for people with disabilities. ALICE (which stands for the Assistive LIstening and Captioning Engine) runs on the Durateq ATV rugged handheld. ALICE was created by the Softeq team to provide an automatic and immersive experience at museums, theme parks, and venues for patrons with low sight, low hearing, or both. Now available at entertainment venues like renowned theme park Walt Disney World, The World of Coca-Cola, and The Hall at Patriot Place, the handheld is offered to guests with visual or auditory impairments. Venues also use ALICE and the DURATEQ ATV as a solution to meet the ADA requirements, because it combines Closed Captioning, Descriptive Narration, and Assistive Listening all in one small and lightweight device.

New office for Softeq Minsk

2008-08-08T20:00:00.003-05:00

Softeq Development celebrated the opening of their new office in Minsk, Belarus today. It was a lucky day for an office opening (08/08/08) and the Minsk crew celebrated with a nice dinner and some pool. Most of our offshore software and firmware development is performed out of our Minsk office.

Biometric SDK for .NET CF Beta

2008-04-04T17:08:00.000-05:00

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.

Walkthrough: Creating Web Pages for Mobile Devices

2008-03-01T18:20:00.000-06:00

Mobile development in ASP.NET does not differ much from traditional ASP.NET browser-based Web development. ASP.NET exposes a System.Web.Mobile namespace devoted specifically to Web development. You can create a Web page from the MobilePage base class and add controls from the System.Web.Mobile namespace. In this walkthrough, you will create two Web pages that inherit from the MobilePage class and that are designed for a mobile device.

How Do I: Test Unit Tests for Devices?

2008-02-17T17:03:00.003-06:00

Developers now have the possibility to create unit tests to test methods inside classes. However, what should you do when your unit tests contains bugs? In this video, Maarten Struys explains how to debug unit tests for smart device applications and how to single step through a test to fix it or to fix the unit under test. -- From Microsoft Developer Network

Emulators Available for iPAQ hx2000 and 100 Series

2008-02-10T13:02:00.001-06:00

Windows Mobile emulator images are now available for the iPAQ hx2000 series (Windows Mobile 5) and for the iPAQ 100 series (Windows Mobile 6). These images can be used with Visual Studio to test applications or simply as standalone emulators without Visual Studio.

The iPAQ emulators are available as free downloads to Developer and Premier members. Visit the iPAQ Developer Program web site for more information on membership benefits.

Windows Live Mobile Developer Program Updated

2008-02-05T23:11:00.000-06:00

Last week at Mobile World Congress in Barcelona, Microsoft launched a new version of its Windows Live Mobile Developer Program, enabling developers to create mobile versions of Windows Live services designed for virtually any mobile phone, independent of its OS. According to Microsoft, updates include new Mobile Services Protocol features and a new SDK enabling development of mobile versions of Windows Live Hotmail, Windows Live Messenger and Windows Live Spaces applications. Debuted two years ago, the Windows Live Mobile Developer Program now boasts more than 70 independent software vendor partners creating apps for deployment across more than 800 Windows Live for Mobile-equipped handsets.

HP Unveils iPAQ Navigate Online Service

2008-01-30T16:48:00.001-06:00

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.

Microsoft Device Emulator 3.0 - Standalone Release

2008-01-10T08:40:00.000-06:00

Microsoft Device Emulator 3.0 is the third publicly released version of the Device Emulator for ARM-based devices. The main addition with Device Emulator 3.0 is the new automation API for the device emulator manager, which allows developers programmatic access to perform the same operations on installed emulator images that can be performed interactively on the Device Emulator Manager drop-down and context menus.

Visual Studio 2008 released

2007-12-01T15:23:00.000-06:00

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.

How to make a Wi-Fi connection with your iPAQ

2007-11-10T15:54:00.000-06:00

With Wi-Fi (wireless fidelity) connectivity, you can use your iPAQ to access your corporate network and email anytime you're near a WLAN (wireless local area network). This guide shows you how to connect your iPAQ to a WLAN and use your connection to get your work done while you're on the go.

An Introduction to WCF for Device Developers

2007-11-07T16:57:00.005-06:00

Are you seeking to implement a service for mobile devices without all the configuration and setup that an XML Web Service involves? This article presents a complete, working, end-to-end example of how to create a Windows Communication Foundation (WCF) service running on a PC and how to consume it using a Compact Framework 3.5 application. -- From OpenNETCF Consulting, LLC

Introduction to the Microsoft Sync Framework

2007-11-05T16:56:00.003-06:00

"Partially connected application" is a buzzphrase frequently heard among mobile device developers yet robust implementations are, shall we say, far less frequently seen. The upcoming Microsoft Sync Framework solves the difficult synchronization challenges of a "partially connected" environment, allowing developers to focus on the "application". The Microsoft Sync Framework provides a platform for taking web services and databases offline. In addition, it provides optimized P2P sync of any type of file including contacts, music, videos, images and settings. The extensible framework includes built-in support for synchronizing relational databases, NTFS/FAT file systems, Simple Sharing Extensions for RSS/ATOM, devices and web services.