In order for us to release the first official version of a product, we need to prepare various product related setups and documents such as help file, software activation server, online shopping arrangements and etc. For the family of Token2Shell software, it seems such preparation would take us a couple of more months. We could wait until everything is ready but we have decided to let loose some RC(Release Candidate) versions first.

The RC versions are fully functional but do not include help documents and only usable until February 28, 2009. You can download the RC versions only from the following Windows Mobile community.

• MoDaCo (http://www.modaco.com/)
  

  Link to the post at MoDaCo regarding Token2Shell/Mobile:
  http://www.modaco.com/content/windows-mobile...

In order to download the RC versions, you need to create a forum account for the site. It's free and it also allows you to post messages and comments. (Please note that the forum account you created at Choung Networks will *NOT* work on that site. You need to create a new one if you do not already have an account for the site.)

MoDaCo is one of the best Windows Mobile community sites and you should be able to discuss more freely about the new Token2Shell/Mobile, device compatibility issues, or perhaps gather information for better(?) alternatives. :-)

If you do not yet own a Windows Mobile device, this may be a good time to see how or what Windows Mobile can do. For your information, if you wish to tryout Windows Mobile OS before actually buying a device, you can install and run a Windows Mobile emulator. It's available free of charge from Microsoft.

• Mobile 6.1.4 Emulator Images
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=1a7a6b52-f89e-4354-84ce-5d19c204498a&DisplayLang=en

After the installation, you should find shortcuts to emulators in [ Start ] » [ All Programs ] » [ Windows Mobile SDK 6 ] » [ Standalone Emulator Images ] » [ US English ]. The emulator acts just like a real device and you can install and test most of the software available for Windows Mobile including Token2Shell/Mobile.

Just like a real device, you may also need to install synchronization software on your Windows desktop. This software is called "Windows Mobile Device Center" in Windows Vista, and "ActiveSync" in the previous versions of Windows. It's used for accessing your Windows Mobile device from the desktop PC for installing software, backing up contacts/settings, synchronizing emails/appointments and etc.

• ActiveSync 4.5
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=9e641c34-6f7f-404d-a04b-dc09f8141141&DisplayLang=en
• Windows Mobile Device Center 6.1
  http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=46f72df1-e46a-4a5f-a791-09f07aaa1914&DisplayLang=en

For Windows Mobile emulators, to emulate a connection for the synchronization software mentioned above, run [ Start ] » [ All Programs ] » [ Windows Mobile SDK 6 ] » [ Tools ] » "Device Emulator Manager" and select the running emulation instance from the list, and choose "Cradle" from the right click popup menu.

Before selecting the "Cradle" menu, make sure you have selected "DMA" under [ File ] » [ Connection Settings ] » [Allow connections to one of the following ] in ActiveSync. (The same option is found in Windows Mobile Device Center under [ Mobile Device Settings ] » [ Connection Settings ].)

To install Token2Shell/Mobile on the emulator, simply run Token2Shell/Mobile installer from the desktop PC after a connection is established between the device and ActiveSync (or Windows Mobile Device Center).

• Learn Windows Mobile
  http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/windowsmobile/bb264342.aspx
• Windows Mobile 6 Device Types - Smartphones & PDAs
  http://pocketpccentral.net/smartphone/help/general/wm6_naming_scheme.htm
• Running Windows Mobile 6.1 on your desktop computer
  http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS2917538848.html
• How to 'run' Windows Mobile 6.1 on your PC
  http://jkontherun.com/2008/04/22/how-to-run-wind/