News

First Pogo upgrades start Tuesday, as "POGOS" moves to 1.2

Pogo has finally completed beta testing of its new operating software for its unique "pin-cushion" style pocket PDA, and first machines with the new OS will be loaded up tomorrow (Tuesday) - sorting out several user complaints.

The new version can be downloaded from the Web by existing owners. "It can be installed on top of any previous version of the Pogo software, and is faster, prettier and easier to use," said a company official today.

Some of the new features seem astonishing, not to mention wildly optimistic. The biggest enhancement seems to be the addition of GPRS data to the previous dial-up GSM phone link. This now comes with a claimed ability to download data over GPRS networks at over 120 kilobits per second, making it possible to play MP3 tracks "live" streaming off a remote Web site.

Sceptics suggest that this may well be the theoretical capability of the hardware, but one consultant went on to say that he'd "really like to see the network capable of feeding the data at that rate."

Others are bug-fixes, or niggle-reducers: for example, there is now an "undo" button. Users were complaining of losing all their work when they accidentally hit the "clear all" function.

New features also include a longer standby time (for up to 3 days from a full charge); a full-screen clock feature showings time zone, daylight-savings, etc; a new "getting started" movie to instruct first time users on basic usage; a "Controls-Info" page showing how much data you have sent and received, to help you manage your budget; and a re-written diary which doesn't slow down as your appointment book fills up.

There's a new game called Spangles, which has a new web based high-score feature.

Finally, there's a new media player MP3 player - it is faster, "reducing the likelihood of it pausing during other tasks," says the company, and featuring pause/resume buttons.

There are fuller details on Pogo's web site.