With HTC's Opal will come an entirely new flavor of TouchFLO, so it seems, with leaks of the updated skin already leaking out onto -- you guessed it -- xda-developers. The name "TouchFLO 2D" is being thrown around on the interwebs, and as the name implies, the package looks like a flattened version of the TouchFLO 3D we're now well acquainted with that's presumably been optimized for use on devices with lower resolutions, meeker processors, or a combination of the two. That makes it a prime candidate for adaptation to older phones, of course, and that's where the whiz kids at xda-devs come into play: without so much as an official reveal on HTC's part, it's already been verified for use on a who's who of handsets from the past couple years ranging from the original Touch to the TyTN II and pretty much everything in between. As usual, proceed with caution -- but if you take the plunge, do let us know how it treats you, alright?

[Thanks, Ivan F.]

With all these HTC models getting their brains rearranged to run Android, we're starting to wonder: just how necessary is the Dream? Don't get us wrong, we're pretty amped to see what kind of amazing hardware HTC's crafting to officially debut the consumer-ready cut of Android to the world, but there are plenty of very capable handsets already in the field -- and the Touch Diamond and Touch Pro should both be more than willing to donate their bodies in the name of science when the time comes, too. The latest model to get an Android port is the Polaris, also known as the Touch Cruise in production trim. At this point, the ports are still pretty raw and the level of functionality or spit and polish probably isn't what you're used to with the native WinMo installation, but they're getting there -- and considering that Android itself still has plenty of work remaining, it's an impressive feat and a promising sign of things to come for owners of older devices. Let us know how it goes if you're brave enough to give it a shot, y'hear?

[Thanks, smith]

HTC's Star Trek can now be safely categorized in the "classic" file, but it'd be a big mistake to put this interesting footnote in HTC's history out to pasture just yet. The handset, after all, ranks among the smallest Windows Mobile phones ever made, among the only clamshells, and arguably, among the most attractive (alright, maybe that's a bit of a stretch). But with that stale Windows Mobile 5 build on there hastening its death, what's an owner to do? Turn to the wizards at xda-developers, of course, who've come out swinging with a number of different Windows Mobile 6-based ROMs for a variety of Star Trek flavors, including the Cingular 3125 likely owned by many American customers, and it's all available for download. Always fun to see new life breathed into perfectly decent hardware, ain't it?

[Via pocketnow.com]

Who says you need a Sony Ericsson phone for a Sony Ericsson watch to function correctly? Well, Sony Ericsson does, but xda-developers is taking a slightly different tune. Member moneytoo over on the Windows Mobile hacking haven has fashioned "smartWatchM," an app that not only gets the Sony Ericsson Bluetooth wristwatch of your choice up and running on Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices, but -- get this -- actually manages to make it more functional than it is on Sony Ericsson's own phones. Besides the usual caller ID, SMS, MMS, and out of range notifications, smartWatchM adds weather, your task list, operator, profile, and phone battery / signal strength, among other things. Now before you get all worked into a lather about this, Sony Ericsson, bear in mind that this app is only going to sell more of your fricking watches, okay?

[Thanks, maflow]

Although frankly the benefits they'll see are marginal -- especially if they've already upgraded their handsets to AKU 3 -- many Sprint PPC-6700 / Verizon XV6700 devotees will nevertheless be delighted to learn that xda-developers forum member helmi_c is promising an Apache-compatible build of Windows Mobile 6 to be released this Friday, and he's got the screenshots that claim to prove it. As tipster Joey put it, "many of us [6700] owners have been kinda left out in the cold with no WM6 love for the 6700," but where manufacturers and carriers fail to act, you can usually count on the tireless community over at xda-developers to provide a solution -- and from the looks of things, helmi_c's build even trumps the standard upgrade by cooking the HTC Touch interface right in. Good stuff if it does indeed pan out, so we'll keep you posted.

Update: Helmi_c wrote in to let us know that he is actually based out of the ppcgeeks community, and the links in this post were quickly adjusted accordingly. Because seriously, would you want to step in between factions of highly motivated geeks and developers? No thanks.

[Thanks, Joey S.]

Microsoft has asked that the revered Xda-Developers site take down all Windows Mobile device ROM images. Sadly, it was inevitable that this day would eventually come. For those not in the know, the Xda-Developer forums are the uncrowned king or top shelf contender for any and all help, tips, tools or hacks for just about anything in the Windows Mobile world. In the past, Microsoft has asked to have images that were pre-release removed and the moderators always obliged, this time it would appear that it is for keeps. In conversation with Microsoft they argued that although the ROM images contain Microsoft software, having them available to the community doesn't necessarily hurt Microsoft's interests as their revenue stream ends with the purchase of the device proper. We will leave the legal debate to the lawyers, but the site is going to comply with the request. If you are into all that Windows Mobile tweaking and cooking – we suggest you get there posthaste and greedy as much stuff as you can before it is gone for good. Administrator Peter Poelman puts it rather succinctly at the end of the announcement he posted this morning: "The vendor giveth, and the vendor taketh away." Oh yeah, happy Valentine's day.

Hallelujah! After what has seemed like an endless wait, coupled with a crushing letdown by Microsoft, Windows Mobile 5.0 users who've upgraded to the AKU2 firmware can finally listen to stereo audio in glorious, wireless freedom. Users of numerous WM5 devices over at the xda-developers are reporting success with a series of files and registry hacks, posted by sas90850 and assembled into a handy CAB by Khuanchai, which enable the A2DP Bluetooth profile that was so conspicuously absent on the current round of AKU2 updates. Khuanchai's file can be found by following the "Read" link, and before you freak out, you need to register as a forum member before you're able to even see the download. Now if you'll excuse us, we need to hit the local electronics store and pick up a pair of BT 'phones, pronto.

[Via Smartphone Thoughts and the::unwired]