We all like a desktop solution to edit data on our Windows Mobile devices, it’s just easier, the ill fated Redfly from Celio, hit the market at an unfortunate time, coinciding with the introduction and utter proliferation of the netbook. Although the devices were similairly sized and priced, the disadvantage of the Redfly was that it doesn’t do anything but work off your Windows Mobile device, let’s face it Celio couldn’t even give the hardware away.
In what appears to be an astute marketing move, they have released a software Beta, that let’s you use an XP or Vista based PC, in the same way as the stand alone Redfly, whilst still running all of your normal Windows apps. Not having the chance to check out the Hardware, I had to try out the software, up till now, I’ve been using Soti Pocket Controller for the same purpose, but of late I’ve noticed some inconsistencies with screen capture, so another option like this, took my attention immediately. Aware that this is a beta, I thought I’d have a quick look and tell you what I think… [just a note, click on any of the images to see full size]
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For most of my time using Windows Mobile, I’ve preferred an integrated PIM management solution, but lately I’ve been looking to some of the more finger friendly solutions, to solve this information management problem. Most of these I would describe as PIM pods, they focus on a particular aspect of your personal information, and bring a slick look to that particular information.
Well, Phone Genius from Panoramicsoft is a new application from a little known company, [I had never heard of them before], that delivers a Contact/Call management program, that I’ve taken quite a liking to.
It’s a nice package with a great today screen plug-in and lots of smooth animated transitions, as well as an eye pleasing look! Let’s go a little deeper, shall we?
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What’s a typical day for you and your device of choice?
For me, 6.00 am start, power up the Tilt, and check email, it’s a reflex action these days, on a good day, as few as thirty something to wade through. On a bad day, well, it can get up really high depending on what the JAMM team have been rambling on about and getting off topic on while I’m asleep. Fifteen to Twenty minutes of device uptime, working out what I need to get back to and what can wait, then shower shave and shampoo to get out the front door and walk the dog, whilst checking Twitter, before I’m out the door again to get the train to work. train ride consists of answering urgent email, and trying to wade through the feeds in NewsBreak for anything that seems like urgent news, or at least of interest, for the site. 9.00 am, I’ve already run the phone for maybe an hour and a half, needless to say, sometimes I go home with a dead device.
Any time I’m left out of contact like that, is unproductive and definitely an anxious time, [am I sounding like a web addict yet] any possible alleviation of that anxiety is welcome. So the aptly named Universal Emergency USB Charger from Proporta, is probably better than a tranquilliser for me. I’ve been trying it out for the last couple of weeks and I’m feeling a lot calmer, check out why
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With all of the criticism of the native Windows Mobile interface, and even though Windows Mobile 6.5 is coming it really isn’t an exciting option for most of the dedicated WinMo users out there. So the search for a better UI for windows Mobile devices, goes on, so we have the latest version of Vito Technology’s Winterface to have a look at, it may be for you
I had a very early look at Winterface, and put it on the back burner, for a later look, and now I’m happy to say I like what I’m looking at a whole lot better…
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I have to say, I’ve been using Spb Wallet since version 1.0, and I want to refer you to the review that made me pick up the program in the first place. TJ really pointed out what made the application great in that iteration, and sold me on it. Then when I read Lauren’s head to head, of eWallet and Spb Wallet, I had already upgraded to Spb Wallet 1.5, and have been using it ever since. So any new upgrade is on my radar, when version 2,0 came out, I had my sleeping bag and was waiting on line for my download, virtually.
Of course, Spb Wallet is a very stable, and time tested application, but the tendency to focus on finger friendly, sans stylus, applications has driven many windows mobile developers to upgrade the UI’s they include in updates. most WinMo devices don’t have a large screen, so the finger friendly options become a moot point. Although, they make apps look a whole lot better.
Spb Wallet 2.0 offers a new UI, a bevy of new syncing options, and a more succinct file system, compacting your previous wallet files, let’s go
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PIM management on Windows Mobile devices, has always been lacking, spurning a large number of third party applications, to augment the native, mediocre, PIM management included on WinMo devices. If you’re lucky, [like me] when you’re a new windows mobile user, you’ll find a PIM Management application that meets your needs entirely and stick with it.
You have to move on though, and explore what’s out there for the platform. Now I have always favoured an all in one personal information manager, a program that does calendar, contacts, tasks from the one interface, but recently I had a look at SBSH Calendar Touch, and have become much more interested in what I’ll dub “PIM Pods”. Applications that take a specific portion of your personal info, and let you manage it, with some sort of integration of the rest of your PIM, while still focusing on their specific area.
What you really get are applications that are specifically tailored to your own needs when using your device. If your Windows mobile device is your communicator, you want every aspect of your contacts, MMS, SMS,Email,Calls covered in one place. This is what SunnySoft Contacts tries to deliver, but how does it fare?
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Today I bring news of a new application from SBSH Software, Calendar Touch.
Well if your familiar with a SmartPhone application from SBSH called Papyrus, you would know that it is a complete calendar solution for windows mobile, non touch screen devices. Obviously a natural evolution for Papyrus, from a developers point of view, would be to enable it for windows mobile touch screen devices. Now a program with “Touch” in the title may seem to imply that this application is focused on finger friendliness, and could be misleading to many users, but I’ll let Amit from SBSH explain the naming of this product:
We could have used something like “SBSH Calendar Pro/Classic”, but I’m sure you’ll agree with me that Microsoft couldn’t have chosen more confusing names to indicate the different device platforms. I believe that the naming and use of “Touch” to indicate that this is a touch-supporting device is pretty common by now and it is not an indication to “thumb-oriented-operation”
An interesting point of contention, that resulted in a dialogue, that will probably see Calendar Touch (CT) head down the “Finger” or “Thumb” friendly road in the future, but for now let’s have a look at Calendar Touch in it’s first release
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I am definitely a self professed SPB Software fanboy, I love their software, and I make no bones about it. That fact though, doesn’t make me biased, if they serve up a lemon, I’m gonna purse my lips and say yuck!
Now I’ve still got SPB Full Screen Keyboard loaded on my device, and it was the earliest attempt at a finger friendly keyboard for WinMo.
The keyboard is one of the most important aspects of human interfacing with a mobile device. The award-winning SPB Full Screen Keyboard was first released back in 2002, and is one of Spb’s flagship products with more than a six-year-long history of success. This finger-friendly on-screen keyboard came out way before the iPhone notion of usability, but still accumulated tens of thousands of loyal customers from all over the world.
OK the need for a finger friendly SIP has considerably reduced, iPhone has it, but most people are opting for devices with hardware keyboards, but for those of us who can’t afford to update this is looking like very good news. Hit the link below to see why I think so!
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So work is crazy, and I have had this item, an external speaker unit, from USB Fever, sitting in my locker at work, and whilst I waited for things to cook today, I thought I’d try it out rather than twiddle my thumbs, or reading my news feeds. One thing that got me with these speakers right away, was the fact that this is the first time I’ve gotten anything from USB Fever that was not in a generic/plain box. You will note the condition of the packaging I’m sure, the quaint Asian to English translation, and the somewhat worn look of the packaging. I’ve never received anything from USB Fever for review, that has not come in an unpadded envelope. Thus the worn look, postal workers don’t wear kid gloves as we know. Considering that, I’ve never received anything from them broken either, testimony to the sturdiness, and their judgment in saving on packaging. So just to say it cost HK$ 22.20/US$ 2.99 to send this, when the item retails for US$ 14.99, it cuts their profit down quite a bit. I know in the photo above it looks pretty dinky, but using it today I was quite happy with how it worked with internet streaming radio on my axim in a pretty noisy environment.
So What’s in the box?
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Twitter is slowly taking over the universe as we know it, in the last couple of months it usage has skyrocketed, and with that escalation, the need for better ways to incorporate it in your mobile life have been developed. Not long ago, after using a couple of Twitter apps, I came across another that eclipsed anything I had seen before, Pocket Twit. 
