Google Gears for Mobile Gives Offline Access to Windows Mobile Users... Maybe

[Rocco Augusto]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://lifehacker.com/363483/google-gears-for-mobile-gives-offline-access-to-windows-mobile-users' target='_blank'>http://lifehacker.com/363483/google...ws-mobile-users</a><br /><br /></div><em>&quot;Google's offline-enabling project Gears released a version for Windows Mobile 5 and 6 devices last night, and mobile web apps like online document editor Zoho Writer and money manager Buxfer have already thrown their hats into the not-always-mobile ring. It looks like documents are read-only in Zoho at this point, but, like its desktop brother, Zoho Writer Mobile will likely upgrade to full online/offline sync soon. Similarly, Buxfer lets you check account balances and see transactions, but not make any account changes. It's a nice start, however, and more mobile apps, and functionality, are likely to follow. Visit gears.google.com from your Windows Mobile 5 or 6 device to install Gears.&quot;<br /><br /></em><img border="1" src="http://images.thoughtsmedia.com/resizer/thumbs/size/500/spt/auto/1204750293.usr8.jpg" alt="" /><br /><br />This seemed like an incredibly cool software package for us Windows Mobile users and I was hoping I would be able to post this article with a ton of screenshots from a few offline web applications, but unfortunately I have not been able to install the recent release of Google Gears on my Samsung Blackjack. Since this story broke, whenever I have tried to browse the Google Gears site on my handset, I am presented with this <em>&quot;403 Forbidden&quot;</em> page. Though I cannot seem to find any confirmation of my theory, I think this might only be available for Windows Mobile Professional handsets. If this is the case, I for one would be a little annoyed with Google for leaving the rest of us in the dust. Has anyone else had any luck getting Google Gears up and running on their devices?<br /><br /><em><strong>NOTE: </strong>We received confirmation that Google Gears is in fact allowing Windows Mobile Standard users to download and use the application... Except for me. I have no idea what I did to upset the Google gods, but every site I browse to loads perfectly except for the Google Gears Page.</em>

[Timothy Huber]

The BJII has an intermittent problem whereby browsing with Pocket IE will always generate a 403 Access Forbidden error. The only solution so far is to restart the phone.

If I'm not encountering the 403 error, I'm able to access gears.google.com from my BJII with no problems.

[Rocco Augusto]

f I'm not encountering the 403 error, I'm able to access gears.google.com from my BJII with no problems.

Hm, this 403 error only appears on the Google Gears page for me. I tried restarting the phone several times to no avail :(

Post updated to reflect observations. Thanks thuber!

Maybe Google hates me?! :D

[cesarfong]

i dont have any problem to install in my blackjack II... maybe som proxies issues?

[cesarfong]

for the record i enter to the site via gears.google.com not usign the platform parameter

[ziggy]

I have a first gen Blackjack with WM6 and I get the 403 Forbidden error a few times a week. I don't need to reboot it though, I just go into the Wireless Manager (can get there by tapping the power button on mine) and turning the phone function on and off again real quick. I wish I knew what caused it though.

[Rocco Augusto]

I managed to get everything set up using my other Windows Mobile Standard device. Expect some screenshots of Google Gears in action before Monday! :)