Smartphone.and.Pocket.PC.Magazine.June.July.2006

TeAM YYePG Digitally signed by TeAM YYePG DN: cn=TeAM YYePG, c=US, o=TeAM YYePG, ou=TeAM YYePG, email=yyepg@msn.com Reason: I attest to the accuracy and integrity of this document Date: 2006.04.22 20:28:16 +08'00' YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 06 Vol 9 No 3 12 Phone Revolution on display at 3GSM Barcelona Regular Departments THE MOST OUT OF WIRELESS COMMUNICATIONS Software and Accessories 15-41 GETTING His Wi-Fi-equipped Pocket PC helps him stay synced, on schedule, and up to date on the road. Our board of expert judges report on the most functional and easy-to-use communications software. How do you get the most out of the Wi-Fi networks in your area? With these power tools, of course! Windows Mobile Pocket PCs and Smartphones Faster, sexier, and more powerful Windows Mobile phones were a hit at the 3GSM World Conference. Feature-by-feature comparison of available Windows Mobile devices. The ability to make inexpensive phone calls over the Internet will change the way we communicate. What’s Wi-Fi? When should I use Bluetooth? Is wireless data safe? This primer explains it all. Our board of expert judges report on the accessories they can’t live without. Tired of traveling with a tangle of cables and adapters? Check out Gomadic’s solution. 42, 45, 51 Great Windows Mobile Accessories 2 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 If you live for games, these accessories will make your life a lot easier and protect your Pocket PC. Variety is the spice of life. This issue’s roundup has something for everyone. SOTI’s updated remote control software lets you use your desktop PC’s keyboard and mouse to control your Windows Mobile device. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support THE SMARTPHONE FUTURE 22 How to Use Voice over IP solutions 96 Enterprise Solutions As the functionality has grown, the choices have multiplied. Podcasts have made their way into a college IT course. Students at one college not only listen to them—they create them. Atlanta had several wireless events in one week. Municipal Wireless was discussed at one; another focused on bar codes and RFID. The new 700w offers a new world of Windows Mobile to healthcare professionals. Starter Kits offer a convenient and powerful entrée into the world of Windows Mobile development. New rugged Pocket PCs that run on Windows Mobile 5.0. The Pocket PC makes the life of this commercial pilot more connections? Read this article! Need weather reports, movie times, driving directions, and Using GPS with your Pocket PC; How to copy passwordprotected documents; Creating document templates; Resolving Networking with Bluetooth; Uninstalling Opera; Games that work with Windows Mobile 5; Adding Today screen program icons, more. New and updated Web applications make mobile browsing easier. future. 71 Pocket PC for the Professional Pilot YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 GREAT GAMES SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 3 47 From The Editor Rich Hall EXECUTIVE EDITOR/PUBLISHER Hal Goldstein • hal@PocketPCmag.com You want phones? We got phones! EDITOR/PUBLICATIONS DIRECTOR Richard Hall • rich@PocketPCmag.com T ENTERPRISE EDITOR Duncan H. Brown • duncan@PocketPCmag.com he lead article for this issue is a report on some of the new Windows Mobile devices on display at the 3GSM World conference, which took place in Barcelona this March. Of ASSOCIATE EDITORS & CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Chris De Herrera • teched@pocketpctalk.com Clinton Fitch • management@clintonfitch.com Mark Frydenberg • mfrydenberg@bentley.edu Allen Gall • allen@pocketpcmag.com Shari Griffin • tekchic@tekchic.com Dan Hanttula • danh@semperaptus.com Tim Hillebrand • chief@synergetics.com Jim Karpen • jim_karpen@PocketPCmag.com John Kennedy • johntkennedy@hotmail.com Kartik Muralidharan • kartik_Muralidharan@infosys.com Rick Odato • rick@odato.com David Shier • david@shier.com Ed Zabrek • medicaleditor@PocketPCmag.com Paul Zazzarino • paulzazzarino@3zwireless.com Phone Edition devices or Smartphones—so called “convergent devices” that blend PDA and mobile phone capabilities. You can still expect to see “plain-vanilla” Pocket PCs hit the market, but from here on out, the big growth will be in the Phone Edition and Smartphone areas. Smartphones with FM radios, super-fast broadband cellular networks that support streaming video and audio, integrated GPS, and smaller, thinner, and sexier devices. As one online writer phrased it, “it was Windows Mobile heaven.” and foremost—Pocket PCs. Third-party software developers will continue to update existing titles and release new titles for the Pocket PC platform. But they will also devote resources to the Smartphone platform, porting over existing titles and creating new ones for it. We take a pretty thorough look at VoIP, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, and related issues in this issue’s special wireless section, and most of the section relates to Pocket PCs, Phone Edition devices, and Smartphones. This issue has a minor focus on accessories, and again, most of the products discussed are available for a variety of Windows Mobile devices. That’s even true for the games and software programs we discuss in this issue, as well as many of the tips and how-to’s. The Enterprise sector is a little different. We’ve yet to see a ruggedized Windows Mobile Smartphone, but we are starting to see vertical niche Pocket PC Phone Edition devices. One of these, Symbol’s new MC70, has just about every technology under the sun built into it, including a GSM/GPRS phone. And our Medical Editor discusses how Palm’s new Phone Edition device, the Windows Mobile Treo 700w, is well suited to healthcare professionals. Finally, our publisher, Hal Goldstein, attended 3GSM World this year and reports on it in his Pocket View column. He’s bullish about the future of the Smartphone because they’re small, stylish, easy to use, and inexpensive. Couple those features with the rapid expansion of wireless broadband networks and change is in the air. The next few years will be a challenge to developers and wireless carriers. But the consumer should have a lot of fun! NEW PRODUCTS EDITOR Diane Dumas • diane@PocketPCmag.com COPY EDITOR Wayne Kneeskern • wayne@PocketPCmag.com ART DIRECTOR Al Constantineau • albert@thaddeus.com COVER DESIGN George Foster • george@fostercovers.com DIRECTOR OF OPERATIONS/CIRCULATION Colleen Rodibaugh • colleen@PocketPCmag.com CUSTOMER SERVICE Cindy Bennett • cindy@thaddeus.com Michelle Talley • michelle@thaddeus.com EXECUTIVE ADVISOR Rita Goldstein BPA Audited 2006 Best of Everything Software Package 130 programs worth $3000+ chosen by experts for only $297! IS IT A GOOD DEAL FOR YOU? Download our VALUE CALCULATOR and calculate your $avings! More than 100 Winners & Finalists included www.PocketPCmag.com/cd YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 4 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Inbox We cannot respond to all letters or e-mail (but we read them all). Please send us questions, suggestions for improvements in the magazine, ideas for new software, or general comments. All responses, unless otherwise indicated, are from Rich Hall, Editor of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine. You can reach Rich at rich@PocketPCmag.com. This column contains e-mail from readers as well as selected messages from the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine forums. Weather plug-ins for Europe Thank you for the very good article in the a Good Thing Better!” (www.pocketpcmag. ). It’s a great source of information for someone new to Pocket PCs like me. One of the many things I saw in the article was the Weather To Go program (www.tonaya.com). I downloaded it and I love it, except that it only reports weather in the U.S. I live in Lisbon, Portugal. Is there anything similar that reports on the weather in Europe? João Pontes Pereira, Lisbon, Portugal Windows Mobile 5.0. Is there a big difference between the versions of the OS? Which of these would be a good buy for a physician? Dr. Charles Lee, Malaysia Dr. Lee: I would add the Sprint or Verizon 6700 to your list. See my article about the 700w on page 64. I personally use and recommend the Samsung i730 to physicians in the U.S. Unfortunately all of these run on the CDMA networks in the U.S, and I assume that Malaysia, like most of the rest of the world, is standardized on GSM/GPRS wireless networks. I have not heard of the i730 or 6700 being available with an integrated GSM phone, but they may be in Asia. Also, I personally do not like using a square screen device with healthcare applications. That said, I do know some non-physicians who like it. Finally, as of now, I prefer Windows Mobile 2003 Secin many ways. However, Web downloads and ActiveSync transfers are better with 5.0. It’s all a matter of personal preference. Ed Zabrek, M.D. Medical Editor, Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine THADDEUS COMPUTING, PUBLISHER 110 N Court St, Fairfield, IA 52556 USA Phone: 641-472-6330 or 800-373-6114 Fax: 641-472-1879 E-mail: editor@PocketPCmag.com Web: www.PocketPCmag.com CUSTOMER SERVICE; SUBSCRIPTIONS To change address or clear up any problem with your subscription, contact our subscription department info@PocketPCmag.com Please note: The Staff of Smartphone & Pocket PC cannot provide technical support. For support visit www.PocketPCmag.com/forum WE WELCOME TIPS, ARTICLES, AND REVIEWS We invite article proposals for future issues, as well as Quick Tip submissions. Write or e-mail us at the address above. Please include your phone number. We do not offer payment for articles. We cannot promise to run any particular article. For article guidelines: www.PocketPCmag.com/submissions For general info about getting your product published: www.PocketPCmag.com/publish.asp PRINTER Quebecor World Midland 1700 James Savage Road Midland, Michigan 48640 USA 800-448-4288 NEWSSTAND DISTRIBUTION Curtis Circulation Company 760 River Road New Milford, New Jersey 07646 USA 201-634-7400 Excel Mobile questions How many rows/columns on the Excel Mobile 5.0 spreadsheet and are there any upgrades that you know of where the spreadsheet size can be maximized? Also, do you know of any handhelds that have a stereo microphone jack? Scott Jeffrey Scott: The size is still the same as the previous version of the program, Pocket Excel. It has 256 column, 16,384 row capability. There is one third-party spreadsheet program that can handle 256 columns and 65,536 rows. It’s called SpreadCE. Download it here (www. byedesign.freeserve.co.uk/), but be sure to download the Pocket PC /ARM version of the product—the MIPS and SH3 versions are for older Pocket PCs and will not work with Pocket PC 2002, Windows Mobile 2003, and Windows Mobile 5.0 devices. Finally, all Pocket PCs have stereo headphone jacks. Most Phone Edition devices have mono microphone jacks, but none are stereo. NEWSSTAND COORDINATOR Carl Kopf & Associates 203-944-9466 REPRINTS The Reprint Outsource Calvin Roller • roller.cal2@verizon.net 717-394-7350 Journal Bar displays current weather information for cities in the U.S. and over 230 countries. Joao, I just went to the Omega One site and looked at the description of their Journal Bar product. It provides a lot of information, including weather. The description of the weather information says that it covers “over 230 countries & thousands of cites...” Here’s the direct link: (www.omegaone.com/journal bar/default.htm). They offer a free trial download that lets you use the program for a few days to see if you like it. MAILING LIST RENTAL Worldata Jay Schwedelson • jay@worldata.com 800-331-8102 x176 www.worldata.com ADVERTISE Suzee Dittberner • suzee@PocketPCmag.com 913-344-1352 Marty Hermann • marty@PocketPCmag.com 913-344-1316 Fax for Suzee and Marty: 913-469-0806 Recommendations for Physicians Dr. Zabrek, I really like your articles and would value your expert opinion on something. I am deeply interested in getting a device that has PDA and phone functions. I have seen the O2 Atom, the Treo 700w, and HP’s iPAQ phone devices. In addition, Nokia is coming How do I back up my Windows Mobile 5.0 device? I enjoy your Pocket PC Web site and have been trying to solve a problem. In August last PC with the Windows Mobile 2003 software preinstalled. I recently upgraded to the Windows Mobile 5.0 version because I liked the YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Smartphone & Pocket PC (ISSN 1528-5456) is published by Thaddeus Computing Inc. at 110 North Court Street, Fairfield, IA 52556, USA. Periodicals postage paid at Fairfield, Iowa, Midland, MI and at additional mailing offices. Subscription rates payable in U.S. dollars, checks drawn on a U.S. bank, or by credit card—one year: $19.95; two years: $34.95. Postage: Within United States free; outside United States add $18 per year. Published bi-monthly, plus one bonus issue, in late fall/early winter. Please allow four to six weeks for receipt of first issue. Executive, Editorial, Circulation, Marketing Offices: 110 North Court Street, Fairfield, IA 52556. Telephone: 641-472-6330, Fax: 641-472-1879. Advertising Offices: Ascend Media, 11600 College Boulevard, Overland Park, KS 66210; Telephone: 913-469-1110, ext. 212 or 298; Fax: 913-469-0806. © Copyright 2005-06, Thaddeus Computing Inc, all rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced without written permission. Reasonable efforts are made to provide accurate and useful information, but the reader must make his or her own investigations and decisions; the Publisher and Editorial Staff cannot assume any responsibility or liability for the use of information contained herein. POSTMASTER: Please send address changes to Smartphone & Pocket PC, Thaddeus Computing Inc, 110 North Court Street, Fairfield, IA 52556. “Windows” and “Windows Mobile” are registered trademarks of Microsoft Corporation. dows Mobile 2003 Second Edition and others 6 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Inbox fact that if the battery completely runs down I wouldn’t lose all my data. I am havto back up my data to either my desktop PC and/or to a storage card. I thought that ActiveSync would let me perform a backup? Any suggestions on the best way to approach this? Tim Doherty, Iowa City, Iowa which works with WM 5.0 devices. Duncan H. Brown Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Problems with ActiveSync 4.x and HP Protect Tools In December 2005, I running Windows Mobile encountered was that I was unable to install ActiveSync v. Tim: Microsoft removed the ability to perform back- SpriteBackup lets WM 5.0 users back up it came wanted to install to ups using ActiveSync 4.x. data to their PC, a functionality that a non-existent “E” drive on The reason they give is that, was removed from ActiveSync 4.0. my laptop. After contacting because Windows Mobile 5.0 devices now store all data in non-volatile in my ActiveSync folder and all went well. I have also noticed that when I put my iPAQ needed. Fortunately, third-party software deinto the cradle to synchronize it, I have to take velopers are working hard to add WM5 supit out/put it back several times before I hear the port to their backup/restore program. Sprite little “trill” that signals that there is a connecSoftware (www.spritesoftware.com/pocketpc. tion between the iPAQ and my laptop. I have php), has already released a WM5 version of tried deleting and re-establishing the partnertheir popular Sprite Backup program. ship, but this does not seem to have helped. Chris De Herrera, www.pocketpcfaq.com Finally, I have noticed that occasionally, Spb Software House (www.spbsoftware when I go the Synchronized Files folder on house.com) has also released Spb Backup, my laptop to work on a Word or Excel docu- into the Explore function in ActiveSync, I can see that it has been synchronized, but it just won’t appear in the Synchronized Files folder on my laptop. Generally, if I take the iPAQ out of the cradle and then replace it, this tends to cure the problem. I called HP and spent two hours on the phone with the technician. In the end, he had me do a hard reset to restore factory settings and reinstalled everything. This solved the problem. To give him credit, the technician was VERY helpful and patient. I suspect that the connection problems may tect Tools, which is built into the iPAQ (and accessed through the Start > Settings > System folder). After the hard reset, when I re-enabled Protect-Tools, I noticed that my connection problems started again. As soon as I disabled it, things went OK. William Martin What can I say? Problems with ActiveSync 4.x continue. I’ve written about the problems www.pocketpcfaq. com/faqs/activesync/tshoot-as4x.htm). Also, see my article on page 74. Chris De Herrera, www.pocketpcfaq.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support newsBYTES BenQ-Siemens P50 available in Europe introduced its much-delayed Windows Mobile 2003 Phone Edition device in Europe. The P50 is a relatively small device, with a 2.8 inch diagonal QVGA color touch screen and an integrated quad-band GPS/GPRS phone. It also comes with integrated Bluetooth, WiFi, an integrated digital camera, and a QWERTY thumb keyboard. The BenQ P50 is sold in the U.S. through MobilePlanet.com. l According to industry sources, HP will ViaMichelin’s navigation software and a GPS-enabled car cradle for the European market. To use the GPS capability, you Mobile 5.0 device, into the dash-mounted cradle. No word on whether existing release this combo in the U.S. Hosted Messaging and Collaboration version 3.5. As part of this new offering, T-Mobile will upgrade to the Messaging and Security Feature Pack (MSFP) for Windows Mobile 5.0-based devices, making it possible to offer hosted email services across its full range of Windows Mobile-based T-Mobile MDA Smartphones. x Please e-mail any Windows Mobile related news to newseditor@PocketPCmag.com HP offers iPAQ/GPS combo in Europe www.windowsmobiletoday.com/articles/ l HTC’s Windows Mobile devices to support Microsoft’s Direct Push e-mail HTC, the leading designer and manufacturer of Windows Mobile Pocket PCs and Smartphones has announced that its new devices will support Microsoft’s Direct Push e-mail technology. The company predicts that the integration of push e-mail capability on Microsoft’s Windows Mobile 5.0 platform will lead to sigmail and drive further demand for Smartphone and PDA devices. In addition, HTC will team up with British Telecom and Virgin Mobile to offer broadcast TV and radio service to mobile phones. The service will be available later this year in Europe, on a limited basis. No word on when it will become available in the U.S. l Microsoft acquires MotionBridge Microsoft has announced the acquisition of MotionBridge, a provider of Internet search technology for mobile devices. According to Microsoft, the MotionBridge technology “brings superior simplicity for users, delivering clustered results and deep links to downloadable content from multiple providers with lution rules, and manage their service with age statistics.” x TI’s OMAP chipset to power Microsoft Windows Mobile-Based Smartphones Microsoft and Texas Instruments (TI) have announced that Amoi Electronics, HTC, and Sagem Communication are developing new Windows Mobile Smartphones based on TI’s cording to Microsoft and TI, this single-core are achieved through higher levels of integration, more aggressive process technology, and better system partitioning. x HP separates handheld and notebook business units Hewlett-Packard has announced that it will separate its handheld and notebook business units within the company’s Personal Systems Group (PSG). According to HP the purpose of this is to “provide greater focus and oversight to the multi-billion dollar converged handheld marketplace.” The split will give each unit respective business. The change also builds on HP’s recent moves to streamline its organization, including splitting certain functions that had previously been combined. The separation few years. Microsoft Office Communicator Mobile Microsoft has announced the upcoming avail- 2005. Communicator Mobile is based on the 2005 desktop client, which is similar to MSN Messenger but runs within a corporate environment and offers more features and enhanced security. Communicator Mobile is expected to be available for download for Live Communi- Worldwide shipments of PDAs increases by 19% in 2005 previous year. Windows Mobile was the topselling PDA operating system last year, and the Hewlett-Packard iPAQ was the top sellthe total PDA market and around a third of all Windows Mobile sales. Interestingly, industry sources report that HP’s fourth quarter 2005 previous year, speculating that it was due to the decline of unconnected devices (traditional Pocket PCs) and inconsistent marketing strategy. Hopefully, HP’s separation of its handheld help turn this around. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support x T-Mobile to offer Microsoft direct push e-mail services on Windows Mobilebased devices in the Netherlands Microsoft, T-Mobile Netherlands, and IS Interned Services today announced the upcoming availability of new professional e-mail packages for small and medium-sized businesses based on the Microsoft Solution for 8 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support What’s New on the Smartphone & Pocket PC www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs Here are short summaries of just a few of the great posts published daily on the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine blogs. We encourage you to read the complete post, post your own comments, and ask questions of the authors. Below each post we’ve placed the date of the post post, go to the blog home page (www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs) and use the navigation calendar in the right column to browse to the date in question. BLOGS Recover digital pictures or lost files from a memory card There is any number of applications which assist with the recovery of One such piece of software is PhotoRec, which ships with CGSecurity’s TestDisk program (www.cgsecurity.org/wiki/TestDisk_Download). Stick, SecureDigital, SmartMedia, Microdrive, MMC, and USB Memory Drives.). It even works with hard disks and CD ROMS. PhotoRec is safe to use, and will never attempt to write to the drive or memory you in the directory from where you are running the PhotoRec program. PhotoRec is free and is distributed under GNU Public License. Extend your battery life—never before published tips! Battery life is very important—especially if you don’t have any chance to charge them or swap batteries while on the move. Then, every additional minute you can squeeze out from the battery may be important. Most current Pocket PCs allow you to set the processor speed to conserve your battery. Usually, this is done from the Start>Settings>Power settings screen. In this post, I show you the other things you can do to optimize battery life. Posted April 2 by Werner Ruotsalainen Dell Axim x51v Bluetooth functionality heavily enhanced! A number of the AximSite forum members have been working hard on making the best Bluetooth stack (Widcomm) work on the Axim. The current state of this project is really promising and it may be worth completely switching to the new Widcomm Bluetooth (BT) stack, particularly if you want to establish BT Personal Area Networks for playing multiplayer games, connecting to BT access points like the D-Link Posted March 25 by Werner Ruotsalainen The HP iPAQ hx4700 Windows Mobile 5 upgrade HP has recently released the Windows Mobile 5 upgrade for the HP For example, before applying the upgrade, a soft reset takes about 75 seconds. After applying the upgrade, the soft reset time is reduced to how the necessary tweaking should be done. Photo Contacts PRO: A must-have for Phone Edition devices! Surprisingly often, the writers at our magazine get asked “What software do you use on your personal device?” One of my favorite applications is Photo Contacts PRO www.pocketx. net). Photo Contacts PRO lets you dial visually. Rather than reading through a list of names in the Pocket PC Contacts application, you can quickly scan the pictures of all the people in your phone book and tap their picture to dial them. The application also adds the same photo to the Caller ID display on Pocket PC 2003 Second Edition/2003/2002 Photo Edition devices (Windows Mobile 5 has this feature built-in to the operating system). The program is also available for Smartphones. Battleship (left) and Billiard Master (right) are two of over 60 multiplayer games available for the Pocket PC. Multiplayer Games article updated: reports on over 60 games I’ve heavily updated (almost completely rewritten) this online article. It now contains everything about Pocket PC 2000, 2002, and Windows bile devices. The report includes stress tests over both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. The extensive “Main Comparison Chart” has been updated to include operating system compliance data and now contains a far more thorough breakdown of networking compliance. Anyone interested in playing multiplayer games with friends should read the article. Mysaifu 0.2.2: A great, free Java Virtual Machine! Mysaifu (www2s.biglobe.ne.jp/~dat/java/project/jvm/index_en.html) is currently the only, fully Java-compatible Java Virtual Machine (JVM) that is not only available for the Pocket PC, but still being improved by its developers. Similar programs are around, but they have either been abandoned (like Jeode), or haven’t be updated for over a year (like Some months ago it was completely unable to display any graphics or GUI components and was by far the slowest JVM; now, it’s displaying them quite well and runs much faster. I tested it with Wyvern, a Java-based multiplayer game. It still has some bugs, but I was happy with what I saw. How do I create and send HTML e-mails from my Pocket PC? Is it possible to send an HTML-formatted e-mail from a Pocket PC? The answer is yes, if you use Qmail and enable the very useful Header Edit mode while writing/forwarding/replying to an e-mail. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 10 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Phone Revolution! Faster, sexier, and more powerful Windows Mobile phones were a hit at the BARCELONA O ver forty years ago a young musician with a poet’s name wrote a song about how times were changing rapidly. His purpose was political, but the sentiment certainly applies to mobile computing technology. We’ve gone from functionality. A few years back PDAs started acquiring mobile phone functionality—and vice versa. This year, almost all of the new Windows Mobile devices we’ve seen have phone capability built in. And that’s not all. Pocket PCs with integrated phone capability—the so-called “Phone Edition devices”—are starting to look more and more like mobile phones! Some of the more intriguing results of this evolution were on display at the the title of the conference suggests, 3GSM World looks at innovative devices and services relating to GSM cellular networks. All of the devices described in this article support GSM/GPRS networks. (Cingular and T-Mobile are the only GSM carriers in U.S.) The focus this year was on high-speed data networks (the so called “3G” and “3.5G” networks) and bringing TV to mobile devices. Unlike e-mail or even audio, you need pretty hefty bandwidth to stream video and TV to a mobile device. Highspeed data networks, as they are deployed, will help make this a reality. 3GSM WORLD CONFERENCE by Rich Hall 12 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Phone Revolution! Pocket PCs and Smartphones Windows Mobile was everywhere. According to Arne Hess at TheUnwired.net, this year’s 3GSM Word was “Windows Mobile heaven.” HTC was showing off its new Trilogy device, a TV enabled Smartphone that it will release later this year through Virgin Mobile and British Telecom (BT). Fujitsu-Siemens displayed its new T-Series Pocket LOOX Phone Edition device with integrated GPS, Samsung unveiled its new i320, and i-mate presented its new , a Razrlike device based on HTC’s Star Trek Smartphone. (We’ve also included a few announcements from the CeBIT show, which took place in Germany a month later.) 3GSM is a European conference and most of the devices described otherwise, we do not know when they will be released in the U.S., or which carriers will support them. As mentioned, Cingular and T-Mobile are the GSM carriers in the U.S. Note also that it is possible that CDMA versions of these products may also be introduced. If so, you may see them available through Sprit or Verizon Wireless. Fujitsu Siemens GPS-enabled Pocket LOOX Phone Edition Key feature: Integrated GPS. tion devices, which will be available this summer in Europe. Based on Windows Mobile 5.0, both of the devices in this series have UTMS-based tri-band GSM phones built into them. Both incorporate Wi-Fi and Bluetooth technology, as well as a built-in SiRFstar III GPS receiver. HTC /Virgin Mobile TV Smartphone lacks. The devices will be available in Europe this summer. Fujitsu Siemens does not offer its Windows Mobile devices in the U.S., but they are occasionally available through third-party vendors like MobilePlanet.com. More information on Fujitsu Siemens Web site (www.fujitsusiemens.com/products/mobile/handhelds/). Key feature: Broadband capability supporting digital TV and radio broadcasts. HTC, the primary designer and manufacturer of Windows Mobile devices in the world, has announced that it will team up with Virgin Mobile and British Telecom (BT) to offer mobile TV on a new Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone. The new device, called the Trilogy, will be marketed through wireless carriers in Europe. Virgin Mobile/BT will offer the digital TV and radio broadcast service to its customers later this year. camera. HTC Press release ( Super-thin i-mate Smartflip Key feature: Super-thin design. I-mate (www.imate.com) displayed a new, super-thin Windows Mobile 5 Smartphone at 3GSM. Apparently, it will be released in Australia in the late spring. This clamshell device will be based on GSM/GPRS phone technology and will have inte- l) SDRAM and is based on quad-band GSM/GPRS phone technology. HTC designs and manufacturers Windows Mobile devices for i-mate, and we may see this device branded and marketed by other vendors. Glossary of terms used in this article 3G: The next generation of high-speed wireless communications technology that promises data speeds up to 384 Kbps Bluetooth: Short-range, broadband wireless technology used primarily for connecting computers to peripherals without cables. CDMA (Code-Division Multiple Access): A digital cellular technology used primarily in the U.S. CDMA is promoted as providing better capacity for voice and data communications than other commercial mobile technologies. EDGE (Enhanced Data rates for GSM Evolution): Allows data to be delivered at rates up to 384 Kbps. It is based on the GSM standard and, when implemented, is available over GSM networks. GPS: Technology accessing the U.S. Global Positioning System that allows a user to determine position, altitude, and if moving, speed and direction anywhere on the planet. GPRS (General Packet Radio Service): A standard for wireless data communications which runs at speeds up to 115 kilobits per second. Most GSM networks use GPRS for data communications. GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications): The leading digital cellular system in the world (outside the U.S.). GSM service is available in more than 100 countries and has become the de facto standard in Europe and Asia. VoIP (Voice over Internet Protocol): Technology involving software and hardware that allows a user to place and receive phone calls over a computer connected to the Internet. Wi-Fi (Wireless Fidelity): Short-range, broadband wireless technology used primarily for connecting computers to Local Area Networks for Internet and company server access. Samsung SGH-i320 Smartphone Key feature: Slim, attractive rectangular device. Samsung (www.samsung.com) unveiled the new SGHi320, the so-called “Q killer” in reference to Motorola’s soon-to-be-released Q Smartphone. The i320 is a Windows Mobile 5-based Smartphone with EDGE-capable GSM/GPRS phone technology. Like the Motorola Q, it is pixel horizontal display and a built-in QWERTY thumb and a micro-SD card slot for memory expansion. www.samsung.com/PressCenter/ index.asp Samsung SGH-i310 Key feature: 8 GB mini hard drive for music and video storage. At the CeBIT show in Germany, Samsung (www.samsung.com) un- Windows Mobile 5 software and has an integrated, 8 GB micro hard drive built into it for storage of music, video, and other was also released.) The popularity of mobile music and video ensures that we’ll be seeing more Windows Mobile devices with high-capacity micro hard drives. pable. It has integrated Bluetooth that supports audio stream- YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 13 Pocket PCs and Smartphones Phone Revolution! card slot. Samsung will also bundle document viewing software with www.samsung.com/PressCenter/index.asp There will always be a market for plain-vanilla PDAs, but the future belongs to connected devices with serious multimedia capability. You’ll have Smartphones with built-in TVs, Phone Edition devices with FM radio, Windows Mobile devices with multi-gigabyte hard drives to store all six seasons of The Sopranos, ubiquitous Internet connectivity via Wi-Fi hotspots or broadband wide-area networks, and much more. Just about any technology you can think of is going to be built into your mobile device. And looks will matter more as device manufacturers compete for younger, style-conscious consumers. The days of plainbut-functional, box-shaped PDAs are ending. Forty years ago the young poet sang, “The Times They Are A-Changin.” Consumers of mobile technology will get to enjoy the change in from it. However, it’s prudent to remember that most of that song he sang was a warning to those who resisted change. “For he that gets hurt will be he who has stalled.” Words of wisdom to the device manufacturers, software developers, and wireless carriers of the world—and to magazine publishers as well! GIGABYTE g-Smart Phone Edition device with TV function Key feature: Integrated analog TV receiver (for Taiwan market) Also from CeBIT, GIGABYTE Communications has announced Phone Edition device with built-in analog TV functionality, for the Taiwan market. In addition, g-Smart will support push etal camera, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. GIGABYTE introduced a more traditional Phone Edition device without TV capability at 3GSM. Giga-Byte press release (www.gigabytecm.com/egbc_news. 3). ASUS shows P305 3G Windows Mobile Smartphone Key feature: Supports 3G high-speed data networks for streaming video and audio. ASUS was showing its new P305, a 3G Smartphone based on Windows Mobile 5. The P305 has support for Microsoft’s Messaging and Security Feature Pack built into it, enabling push e-mail for users synchronizing with Microsoft Exchange 2003. The term “3G” refers to the next generation of high-speed wireless communications technology that promises quality streaming video and audio a practical reality for mobile phone users. Detailed specs, launch dates, and information about carriers was not available. 5) HP’s new version of Mobile Messenger Integrated GPS, square screen, improved keyboard lettering HP has formally announced the successor to the hw6500 series, the iPAQ hw6900 Mobile Messenger. The device has an improved QWERTY thumb keyboard with easier to read lettering, and sports the new Windows Mobile 5.0 OS and application suite. Like its predecessor, the hw6900 incorporates quad-band GSM with EDGE support, Wi-Fi 802.11b and Bluetooth wireless capability, and a built-in GPS receiver. And like the hw6500 series, it has a 3-inch diagonal square display with a resolution of 240 x 240 pixels. The device will be available in two versions: one with a 1.3 mega pixel digital camera and one without. The HP iPAQ hw6900 series was expected to be available in the Asia Pacific and Europe, Middle East and Africa regions this past spring and in North America in late spring or early summer. Telecommunications carrier information and pricing will vary by region. HP press release (www.hp.com/hpinfo/newsroom/press/2006/060213a.html). AnexTEK SP310 Phone Edition device Key feature: Integrated GPS receiver. GSM/GPRS Phone Edition device with an integrated thumb keyboard, GPS receiver, and digital camera. The device also has built-in Wi-Fi and Bluetooth capability. AnexTEK is a Taiwan company that distributes its products in the Far East, Africa, and the Middle East. No information was available on the company Web site (www.anextek.com). VIPN’s AXIA 308 PDA Phone with VoIP Integrated VoIP capability Voice Internet Phone Network of Switzerland (www.vipn.ch) has announced that it will market the new AXIA A308, a Windows Mobile 5 device for GSM/ GPRS/EDGE networks. The numeric keypad below the display makes it look a lot like a Windows Mobile Smartphone but is really a small Phone Edition device—perhaps this design foreshadows the eventual convergence of the two device types. In addition to an integrated digital camera and Bluetooth capability, the device also features Wi-Fi connectivity, to which VIPN has added VoIP features for Internet phone calls. VoIP capability is another thing we can expect to become standard in future devices. No word on when the device will be released in Europe, but VIPN is taking pre-orders. Product spec sheet (www.vipn.ch/pdf/308.pdf). Motorola announces phone with built-in FM radio Key feature: Integrated FM radio. In the third quarter of this year, Motorola will introduce an Internet-capable mobile phone with a built-in FM radio. This is not a Windows Mobile device, but this and previously mentioned devices demonstrate a growing trend—the integration of media capability into the mobile phone niche. Motorola press release (www.motorola.com/motoinfo/product/ ). Mio’s GPS-enabled Windows Mobile devices Integrated GPS capability Mio Technologies will introduce a number of new GPS-enabled devices in the near future. The one that is getting the most press is the Mio A701, a GSM/GPRS Phone Edition device running Windows Mobile 5 and featuring integrated GPS, digital camera, and Bluetooth capability. Mio is also introducing successors to its popular Mio 168 GPS-enabled Pocket PC. The new P350 and P550 are nearly identical Pocket PCs, but the latter has integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Mio will also introduce new, standalone GPS devices that will not have PDA functionality. The devices will be introduced in Europe first; no word on U.S. availability or price as of yet. Mio’s CeBIT Web page (www.mioatcebit.be/) The Times They Are A-Changin’ we started this publication with the name Handheld PC Magazine. We changed it to Pocket PC magazine in 2000, and to Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine earlier this year. The way things are going, we’ll probably be calling it Wi-Fi Enabled Computer Chips Embedded in Your Brain magazine in a few years. The writing’s on the wall and it doesn’t take an Einstein to read it. 14 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS A Day In the Life … with the Help of Wi-Fi! by Clinton Fitch T ravel is an integral part of my job. As a Voice Over IP Telephony a month. Most of these are day trips, but at least one involves one or more nights in a hotel. I still take a laptop PC with me for presentations, invoice creation, and other things. But I’ve been leaving it in its case more and more, thanks to my Dell Axim X50v Pocket PC. From the perspective of or one-day use basis. I sign up for the T-Mobile DayPass option via Pocket Internet Explorer, and am online in minutes. While I’m checking my e-mail, Ilium Software’s NewsBreak (www. iliumsoft.com) is downloading the new content on RSS feeds to which I subscribe. NewsBreak does this automatically when it detects a network connection, and displays a brief summary of the downloaded items (Fig. 2). The beauty of RSS is that it downloads a reasonable portion of the full article. You can tap on the link to download the full article (if you’re connected to the Web). RSS feeds are a great way to bring news and other current information with you when traveling. any wireless network—corporate or public—usually within one minute and without the hassle of unpacking my laptop and waiting for it to boot up. Many enterprises now provide wireless access to their networks, but need to obtain from the IT department before you can connect. In addition, there is a plethora of public wireless hotspots available in coffee shops, libraries, and even in entire downtown areas of large cities. Some ing free hotspots when you’re on the road can be a challenge. Before I head out, I check WiFi Free Spot Directory (www. m), which lists free hotspots by state and city. Listings include the name and address of the business or organization providing the service, along with the address, phone number, and Web link (if available). If you are new to the world of wireless connectivity, you might not realize how much it can improve your effectiveness when you’re on the road. Fig. 1: Outlook Web Access gives me access to What follows is a diary demy Exchange Account via Pocket Internet scribing how I used my Wi-Fi Explorer. enabled Pocket PC on a recent day trip. 8:30 AM: In the air—no Wi-Fi yet, but plenty of power With my check of e-mail and RSS feed download complete, I board for a few hours. RSS feeds and take care of my remaining e-mail. I used to worry about airlines have DC power outlets seats. I’ve purchased a spare power adapter from Dell (www. dell.com) and use it to power my Axim while I’m in the air. It’s one of the best investments I’ve made. 6:30 AM: Sync e-mail and other information e-mail from my corporate Exchange server as well as to synchronize e-mail, I pack everything up and make my way to Dallas/Fort Worth neapolis/St. Paul airport. After leaving the plane, I stop at a newly opened Starbucks on the concourse. This one has a T-Mobile hotspot, so I’m able Fig. 2: My RSS subscriptions via Ilium’s NewsBreak. ing the DayPass option I purchased at Dallas/Fort Worth. I once again check my e-mail and see one that I must answer immediately. I use Outlook Web Access to respond and then follow up with a phone call. While I’m online, NewsBreak is once again downloading the most recent items in the RSS feeds I subscribe to. 10:30 AM: Arrive, go online at Starbucks 8:00 AM: Online at airport hotspot of them urgent, and read the latest news on the topics I’m interested in, all using my Pocket PC. After arriving at Dallas/Fort Worth and getting through the security area, I get to my gate with nearly thirty minutes to spare. I unpack my check e-mail via Outlook Web Access, a Web-based front end for Exless connectivity. All of the terminals have T-Mobile hotspots and the airline clubs (American Airlines Admirals Club, etc.) have free Wi-Fi access available. The T-Mobile access can be purchased on a monthly 12:00 PM: The laptop PC finally comes out Clinton Fitch is the owner and Senior Editor of Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! (www.clintonfitch.com) and HPC:Factor (www.hpcfactor.com). He has been involved in the Windows Mobile community since 1999 and has written nearly 100 reviews during that time. By day, Clinton is a Voice Over IP Call Center engineer and lives in the Dallas, Texas area with his wife and two teenage children. He can be reached via e-mail at management@clintonfitch.com or Clinton@hpcfactor.com SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 15 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS A DAY IN THE LIFE...WITH THE HELP OF WI-FI! greetings and visits I hunker down in an available cubical. I nect it to the company network wirelessly, and sync my Axim mediately sends out the e-mail morning’s travels. Throughout the day I have several meetings; I use the Axim in some of them to take notes or display information. One of the best note taking applications I’ve found is PhatPad (www. phatware.com). As a network engineer, I constantly need to diagram network solutions for my co-workers to see. By using wireless access when you travel, check with the hotel or your travel agent beforehand. They will be able to tell you if the hotel offers wireless connectivity and if there is a cost associated with it. There are some hotels that have wireless access available for a fee— your stay is longer. As a general rule, when the access is fee-based, you will only be able to access it from your hotel room. Once I’m in my room, I turn on my Axim and sign onto Pocket MSN and into MSN Messenger to “talk” with a co-worker. He also traveled from Dallas to Minneapolis, and like me, he uses a Windows Mobile device. He lets me know that he is downstairs in the hotel’s restaurant eating an early dinner, and invites me to join him. Since neither one of us is very interested in driving in the inch-per-hour snow that is falling outside, we enjoy dinner at the hotel and spend most of it talking about business. We use our Pocket PCs’ infrared ports to “beam” each other contacts that we need for upcoming business opportunities and projects. Infrared communications is not as useful as Wi-Fi, but it’s quick and a line-of-sight connection, it’s fairly secure. Fig. 3: PhatPad is great for taking notes and then beaming them to others. 7:30 PM: Web surfing in comfort Back in my room I unpack my laptop and again connect to the hotel’s wireless network. I then sync my Axim with my laptop, pulling down any e-mail I have received. I can then take my device to the sofa in my room and relax, answering emails, which will be sent out when I sync again with the laptop. I also do A common complaint about Web of security features or the speed at which some pages load because of their intensive use of graphics. Some sites have “mobile” versions of the site, with minimal graphics and pages designed to download fast and display better on smaller screens. This makes your browsing experience more enjoyable. Figure Fig. 4: Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com! displayed on my laptop PC using IE 7.0. PhatPad (Fig. 3), I’m able to do that and save it as a JPEG image and then beam it to them to review on their own later. When saved as a JPEG, the image can be viewed on any platform. my laptop PC. Figure 5 shows the mobile version of my site displayed in Pocket Internet Explorer. Note that the Google Ads and button graphics are gone on the mobile version. This speeds up the experience on your Pocket PC. 10:00 PM: Lights out! I sync it with my laptop and leave my laptop connected to the Wi-Fi network. During the night, any e-mails I receive will be automatically synced to my Pocket PC, along with the latest RSS feeds. They will be there waiting for me in the morning. As you can see, using wireless connectivity on your device is not only simple, it’s highly advantageous while on the road. A few years using a modem and a phone line to send and receive e-mail. And you could pretty much forget Web browsing with an excruciatingly slow dialup connection. Now, you can stay connected most of the time with your Wi-Fi equipped Pocket PC. 5:00 PM: Get a hotel that offers Wi-Fi access Fig. 5: The mobile version of my site displayed on my Axim X50v in Pocket Internet Explorer. I decide to pack up and go to my hotel a little early. For this trip I’m staying at a Hilton Garden Inn. Like many hotels today, they offer either free wireless access in your room, and in some cases, throughout the entire facility. If you need YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 16 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS Ask the Experts: Communications From the Judges of the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards 2005 Our panel of expert judges comment on noteworthy third-party communications programs for Pocket PCs and Smartphones. The purpose of found on our Web site (www.pocketpcmag.com/awards/main.asp). For the sake of brevity, we’ve included only one comment per product and edited them for clarity. —Rich Hall POCKET PC SOFTWARE PHONE AND FAX Jeyo Mobile Companion www.jeyo.com This program installs an SMS client on your Windows PC, allowing you to send, receive, and manage text messages from Outlook through your Phone Edition device or Smartphone. It’s a very useful capability, especially if you use SMS and spend a lot of time sitting in front of a PC. MMS is not currently supported—it would be a nice feature to add. Remzi Semsettin Turer www.mail2web.com Phone alarm reminds you of missed calls, and more. plug-in. It not only continues to remind me of missed calls and unread SMS, it displays call signal strength and battery level. You can change the look of the program with free downloadable skins, and create up to seven prospecify different sound levels, alarm sounds, which communication ports are active (Bluetooth, IR), or if the phone should be on or off. So, for example, you can specify to have the phone turned on during business hours and off in the evenings. Remzi Semsettin Turer www.mail2web.com your Pocket PC if you make a lot of long distance phone calls. You’ll need a high-speed Internet connection to use Skype—Wi-Fi works best. Once installed, the program allows you to make free phone calls over the Internet to other Skype users. You can also subscribe to the “Skype Out” service and make calls to wired or wireless phones for a fraction of the normal long distance rates. Skype is also available for PCs running Windows, Linux, and the Mac OS. David Shier www.BluetoothNews.com Pocket Mirror adds advanced synchronization options to ActiveSync. data from one to the other easy. Reynold Flores www.mobilegadgetnews.com www.intellisync.com All the programs in the Synchronization category work, but none offered substantial advantages over ActiveSync, for the Outlook user. That said, I found Intellisync to be the fastest and easiest to use, offering a good mix of connection options for those using one of the long list of third-party PIMs supported by the program. Norman Wilson SYNCHRONIZATION Internet connection setup and phone synchronization utilities: It is impossible to summarize my views of these programs in a few sentences. However, I have published extensive reviews on the Smartphone and Pocket PC magazine forums. Please read the 7 SMS and Contacts synchrocom/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ 7 Werner Ruotsalainen www.winmobiletech.com GPRS Traffic keeps track of mobile traffic on your Windows Mobile GSM/GPRS phone. www.all-locations.com This is the ultimate tool for keepWindows Mobile GSM/GPRS phones. Without it, I would completely lose control of my mobile phone bills. (Also available for Smartphone.) Andreas Erle www.worldofppc.com PhoneAlarm www.pocketmax.net I love this Today SMARTPHONE SOFTWARE CALLER ID TOOLS Pocket Skype turns your Internetconnected Pocket PC into a phone. www.skype.com Skype is a great utility to have on screen YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support www.chapura.com Pocket Mirror not only allows you to synchronize the default Outlook folders, it also lets you synchronize public folders and Outlook subfolders. It lets you store this information in Outlook Mobile, in ActiveSync-supported categories, or in new folder-like categories. Since it’s available for both Palm handhelds and Pocket PCs, it makes the translation of Call2Picture lets you view a photo of who’s calling you. www.v2r.ag It’s a great application that does exactly what it says it does. If seeing a photo of the person that 17 Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Special SecTiON: WireleSS is calling you is what you require then look no further. (Also displays the caller’s name, company, and phone number.) Marc Pell www.MSMobileNews.com Skweezer www.greenlightwireless.net More sites are offering “mobile” versions of their Web pages optimized for the smaller PDA screens, but most still don’t. What are you supposed to do? Load the full version of the site with all the images, and max out your traffic costs? No! Check out Skweezer, a Web-based service for your Pocket PC or Smartphone that reformats big sites on the fly. Just type in your favorite URL and Skweezer reduces it to fit Unwired dropping 11:09 if Page 1 your screen, 3/21/06 the imagesAM you want. Registered users can view their favorite sites, Ask the experts: CommuniCAtions access existing POP3 e-mail accounts, and specify their preferred search engine. It’s fast, it’s free, and it reduces traffic costs! Alex Januschewsky www.pocketpc-salzburg.at PhonE tools and synchronization up discussions, participants are annoyed by the time spent. Suddenly, your mobile phone rings and you get the stare of death! You can turn your phone off (and miss the really essential calls) or use Smartfilter to block everything but the important calls. (Also available for Pocket PC Phone Edition.) Andreas Erle www.worldofppc.com Smartfilter blocks unwanted calls on your Smartphone or Phone Edition device. Smartfilter www.novomobile.com The classical dilemma: A meeting with heated Abidia Wireless makes eBay activity possible on your phone-equipped device. Abidia Wireless 3.0 for Smartphone www.abidia.com Abidia Wireless is just what an eBay junkie needs. The program lets you participate in eBay or Overstock.com auctions from your Smartphone, via a GPRS, 1xRTT, Wi-Fi, or Bluetooth connection to the Internet. It consistently gives me a good user experience. An effective and feature-packed program—Abidia Wireless is great. Paul O’Brien www.MoDaCo.com n WANTED dead or alive! HP 200LX or HP 1000CX Palmtops Cash Reward $$$ We’ll buy 1 or 1000! Contact Wayne Kneeskern Thaddeus Computing Email: wayne@thaddeus.com or call 800-373-6114 fax 641-472-1879 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 1 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS Wi-Fi Power Tools Get the most out of wireless networks in your area by Dan Hanttula I cannot remember how I survived without wireless networking. I have one in my home and frequently access public hotspots in my community to dash off a quick e-mail or instant message. I have even used airport and hotel hotspots to remotely manage projects while on vacation or on business trips. Now that I can connect to the Web anywhere, the hotspot and your device. As mentioned, the built-in networking software (a.k.a., Wi-Fi mansolutions available, and one of the best is Socket Wi-Fi Companion (www.socketcom.com). This program quickly scans the area for available wireless networks and shows you each one with their signal strength To connect to a network, simply tap on a hotspot name in the list and tap on “Get Connected.” Wi-Fi Companion will take care of all the network requires one. Once you’re connected, Wi-Fi Companion offers a new set of helpful utilities. The screen includes a pop-up menu for single tap access to surf the Web or check e-mail, as well as for launching Socket’s Wi-Fi utility applications (Ping and TraceRoute). A special Power Save feature allows you to specify whether you’d like to have the best battery savings, best network performance, or a balance between the two. This dialog will change how the Wi-Fi Companion controls the power to Fig. 2: NeoHunt scans the area for wireless networks the wireless radio to help you conserve batand stores the GPS coordinates of each hotspot. tery power or maintain a stable wireless connection. You can also select an “automatic management” feature, which automatically adjusts the power up for better reception when your device is connected to a AC power adapter and down to conserve battery power when you’re not. The Wi-Fi Companion software ships with two utility applications, Wi-Fi Ping and Wi-Fi TraceRoute. These applications can help you troubleshoot network problems by checking the range of your network where delays in communications are occuring. Wi-Fi Companion is available from Socket Communications for www. socketcom.com install the application on to a Pocket PC. Dan Hanttula has covered the handheld market for more than a decade, lectured at PDA conferences, vertical market trade associations and appeared on popular television series like TechTV’s Screen Savers show. Later this year, he’ll be teaching an entire curriculum of Pocket PC classes at the Moore-Norman Technology Center. He has published hundreds of articles including guest pieces for ZDTV, C|NET, Microsoft, Leo Laporte’s 2003 Technology Almanac, and other print media and online news sources. His Web site (www.SemperAptus.com) is designed to promote Internetconnected devices, has become a popular resource for Pocket PC users and gadget lovers alike. In March 2001, he published his first book, the Official Hewlett-Packard Pocket PC Handbook by IDG Books. He can be reached via e-mail at danh@semperaptus.com. 19 sometimes easier than connecting to it. The networking software built into Wi-Fi equipped Windows Mobile devices is sometimes tough to use, and networks with encryption and other online. The software applications discussed in wireless networks. In addition, they add some incredible additional features to your Wi-Fi equipped device. Fig. 1: The Socket Wi-Fi Companion gives you one-tap access to wireless networks in your immediate area. Locate hotspots quickly a hotspot. Wi-Fi is nothing more than a short range, two-way radio that handles data rather than voice communications. Wi-Fi equipped Windows Mobile devices come with software that lets you control the Wi-Fi radio built into the device. You can use the radio/software combination to “sniff out” the signals coming from a Wi-Fi hotspot, determine their strength, and establish a connection between YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS Map your local hotspots ing, a hobby called “wardriving” was born. Users would drive around their neighborhoods with GPS-equipped laptops and map all of the wireless networks in the area. This information could be uploaded to a Web site to share with other users. NeoHunt with your Pocket PC. As you move around, the software displays all of the available wireless networks (Fig 2) on-screen. If your Pocket PC is equipped with a GPS receiver, the software integrates with it to map the coordinates of the Wi-Fi networks you encounter. Data can be imported into Pocket Streets to display where you located hotspots on a street map or imported into Microsoft’s Terraserver. The developer has no immediate plans to support the WM5 feature that allows shared use of the GPS data. This means you cannot run another application that accesses the GPS receiver, (for example, a navigation program that provides driving directions) while you map hotspots using neoHunt. In addition, I had difBluetooth GPS accessories. So make sure you install and experiment with the trial version of the application to make sure it works with your equipment before you purchase it. More information and a link to a trial download are available on the developer’s German language Web site (www.playseven. com) or on the special English language site he’s created for his .NET applications (www. dotnetux.net). You can also purchase the soft- WI-FI POWER TOOLS help you quickly locate business in your area by typing in a keyword like “Starbucks.” Georeal-world location. So, for example, you can enter a Geotag while standing in front of your favorite restaurant saying “Try the pepperoni pizza!” and when another Navizon user walks by, they’ll receive your message (if they’ve opted to do so). The Buddy Tracker allows you to pinpoint your friends (who must have Fig. 3: Navizon uses Wireless Network and cellular tower info to pinpoint your location, even without a GPS. also considering developing RSS feeds to provide user location data for corporate and other advanced uses. The software is available for the Windows Mobile Pocket PC and Smartphone at no charge and can be downloaded from the Navizon Web site (www.navizon.com). The application requires version 2.0 of the .NET Framework. If you need this, you will be prompted to install Find your location anywhere As a GPS (Global Positioning System) fanatic, I’ve become accustomed to using my world. However, to use GPS, your receiver must be able to “see” the GPS satellites orbiting the earth. That is, there must be no obstructions between your GPS receiver and the satellites (mountains, tall buildings, walls if you’re indoors, etc). If you have consistent problems with your GPS receiver, check out Navizon, a new product that uses Wi-Fi and cellular networks to pinpoint your location. You don’t even need a GPS receiver to use this program! Navizon uses the available wireless netare. It relies on “user submissions” of local area information. This means it requires a user to have previously driven in your area with a location of each wireless network in your area. Once they upload the information, other users running Navizon can drive around their neighborhood as if they had a GPS card on their Pocket PC. The software “mimics” a GPS data 20 Fig. 4: You can locate other users on the Navizon Web site in near real-time. stream to send it to programs that can use GPS information like Pocket Streets. And, if you already own a GPS, Navizon will “kick in” when the GPS isn’t receiving a signal to help prevent a blank screen when you drive into a tunnel or in an area with tall buildings. Windows Mobile Smartphone and Pocket PC Phone Edition users can add the wireless carrier data information to their location data to help further enhance the software’s accuracy. In addition, users with wireless connectivity (either through their cellular wireless data plan or a Wi-Fi hotspot) can access Navizon’s Local Search, Geotags, and Buddy Tracker features. Local Search uses Google Local to YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support program. You can download .NET Framework for free from Microsoft. If you do not want to share your location data with others, you can you the ability to store and use your own data, but not share your data or allow you to use data from other users. This software has only just launched and has very few user submissions. But it offers an amazing amount of promise. Keep your desktop in hand FilePoint Exchange from Bachmann Software & Services is an application to help you wirelessly retrieve documents, music, and S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 WI-FI POWER TOOLS SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS leave on a business trip and forget to bring along some important launch FilePoint Exchange on your Pocket PC, and grab the necesFilePoint Exchange installs components on your Pocket PC and your desktop PC, allowing you to establish a connection between the two over the Internet. Once connected, you have full access to your 5), and click the Retrieve Selected Files button to download them directly to your Pocket PC. If you have Google Desktop installed on the PC, you can use FilePoint Exchange’s Google Search feature to remotely search PC from your handheld using keywords. The application will Fig. 5: FilePoint Exchange allows you to access your desktop PC files wirelessly and transfer them directly to content. So, if you your Pocket PC with one-button ease. know you’ve created a document document, enter that text and tap search. Google Desktop Search will explore your PC for documents with the text in them, and FilePoint You can set up multiple log-in accounts for quick access to your home and work computers, or your laptop, desktop, and network servers. The software works across a wireless cellular connection, from a Wi-Fi hotspot, or even across your company’s internal networks. The FilePoint Exchange mobile application is designed for Pocket PC 2002, Pocket PC 2003, Pocket PC Phone Edition and Windows Mobile 5.0. FilePoint Exchange Mobility Server must be www.bachmann software.com). Want to “get more?” Are you an expert in a particular Windows Mobile technology and want to share your knowledge? Have you ever felt like you’re not taking full advantage of some feature of your handheld? In either case, send your comments to (danh@semperaptus.com or rich@ PocketPCmag.com). We will try to make it easier to become a Windows Mobile power user! YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 21 SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS Internet Phones: The Future of Telecommunications As Wi-Fi hotspots become ubiquitous, the ability to make inexpensive phone calls over the Internet will change the way we communicate. by Tim Hillebrand I ago, to make a phone call over the Internet using “Voice over Internet Protocol” technology. The quality of the call was poor and using VoIP was awkward and inconvenient. over the years. Now, talking over the Internet can be as simple as using a landline phone. More importantly, it’s a lot less expensive. Other than the monthly fee you pay to your Internet Service Provider (and in some cases a VoIP service provider) calls from one computer to another—anywhere in the world—are free. There are even services that allow you to make calls from your computer to a landline or cell phone number. This type of call involves a small fee—usually much less expensive than a traditional long distance call. VoIP technology involves special software that allows you to use an Internet-connected computer equipped with a microphone and speaker to talk to another person with a similarly equipped computer. The special software converts your voice into data packets, which it then transmits over the Internet. The software on the receiving computer converts the data back into audio and plays it over a speaker. With the appropriate VoIP software and microphones, any two computers with live, broadband Internet connections can be used. Vonage is the biggest VoIP service provider in the U.S. you must have a high-speed Internet connection. In many cases, you can even keep your current phone number. But if you wish, you and this can come in handy. Suppose, for example, that you have relatives in Flagstaff, Arizona, and they like to call you a lot. You can make your area code the one for Flagstaff, and any call they make to you will be a local call for them. Or, if your business is located in upstate New York but you do most of your business in the City, you can make your area code that of New York City to save your clients money. (Note that Vonage may not have service in the area you want—check that out before signing up.) After signing up, you will receive your starter kit in the mail in a few days. It consists of a short user manual and a little black box. Plug the box into your Cable or DSL modem, power it up, plug your regular phone set into the box, and begin making calls. The transition is seamless and you use your phone just as you always have. I only rarely notice any difference in service or quality of voice transmission. You can even use the same extensions you have always used throughout your house or have to pay for it. If you want a dedicated fax no additional charge. So, for example, your friends back home can call you in Hong Kong and it’s a local call to them. But, there’s another mobile aspect called SoftPhone, which Phone is downloadable software that turns any laptop or PC into a virtual phone and can be used on the road with a high-speed Internet connection. Unfortunately, Vonage does not have software for Windows Mobile devices. Skype: VoIP over any broadband Internet connection Another solution is Skype (www.skype.com), free VoIP software that can be used on any PC or laptop as well as on Pocket PCs. Unfortunately, there is no Skype yet for Smartphones, but then there are very few Smartphones with WiFi. Skype promises that it will release a Smartphone version, but will not divulge when. VoIP service providers There are a number of service providers that specialize in VoIP. All you have to do is conduct a Web search on “VoIP service providers” month depending on the level of service, which ited calls in the United States and Canada. The biggest player is Vonage. Three months ago, I decided to switch to Vonage (www.vonage. com) and give up my regular phone service. ger obligated to the phone company. Even better, I save a bundle each month. Vonage gives you a choice of plans. Residential users can a month for calls anywhere in the U.S., Canada, limited minutes). Vonage offers similar plans The only requirement for service is that 22 Skype is a software program that lets you make phone calls over the Internet, with your Pocket PC. The big advantage of Skype over Vonage is that it’s available for the Pocket PC and does not involve a monthly service fee. You can make Timothy S. Hillebrand, Ph.D., president of Synergetics International, is an archaeologist and mobile technology enthusiast who enjoys writing archaeological adventure novels, traveling, and working in his Japanese garden. He is a blogger and the Windows Mobile editor for Handheld Computing Magazine. He has contributed hundreds of articles and reviews to various publications. He offers a workshop for the legal profession on how to become e-legal, e-literate, and e-mobile. His e-mail address is: chief@synergetics.org. a month. Included at no extra charge are such features as call waiting, conference calling, call on the phone, and through e-mail. With respect to mobility, you can take your black box with you when you travel and continue to use your account anywhere you can access a high-speed Internet connection for YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 VOLP: THE FUTURE OF TELECOMMUNICATIONS SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS support line, but some of its customer service appears to be outsourced and occasionally understand. At the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) recently in Las Vegas, Vonage was almost omnipresent, not only with a large booth but with kiosks everywhere inviting people to make free calls anywhere in the world. Skype was evident too, in the number of smaller booths offering Skype phones and accessories. You will surely be seeing a lot of Skype peripherVonage offers a Wi-Fi phone als on the market bethat connects to Wi-Fi fore long designed to hotspots and lets you make streamline the VoIP VoIP calls. experience. Skype was recently acquired by eBay, and Vonage will soon release an initial public stock offering. With the potential of VoIP, one or both of these companies may become another Google. There are many companies nipping at their heels, and you can be sure that the existing PSTN telecommunication companies are not going to roll over and allow VoIP to put them out of business. Some large telcos are already offering VoIP service, but from what I’ve seen not at competitive prices. Whatever happens, the consumer will be the big winner. I am delighted with the advent of VoIP in a fully functional form. I invite you to try it yourself. I think you will be pleased with the quality—and the money you save! calls to other Internet-connected computers for free. You can even call a landline or mobile phone for 2.7 cents per minute, but you’ll need to establish a prepaid SkypeOut account for this purpose. You can also receive PSTN (Public Switched Telephone Network) calls and even have your own phone number and receive incoming calls with a SkypeIn account, which has the same rate structure as SkypeOut. You must purand unused time expires after three months. Unlike Vonage, which requires an interface that hooks into your cable or DSL modem, Skype is software controlled. You can use a headset, or a separate speaker and miNexoTek’s Skype crophone on your PC, or even Memory Phone lets the built-in speaker and mic on you plug into any your laptop. In addition, Skype Internet-enabled phones are available. These plug PC and make phone into any Internet-connected PC calls using your and let you make calls using SkypeOut account. the SkypeOut account. I have a very nice Skype USB phone from Nexotek. and will remember all my contacts and account information. Nexotek (www.nexotek.com) has several sets available. the country code, which is a little added bother. But, you can store it if it’s a frequently called number and just tap on it to dial it. As mentioned, Vonage does not have software for Windows Mobile devices. But you can make calls over the Internet with a handFi Phone, which is available from Vonage. It looks like a vintage cell phone, complete with an antenna and a small monochrome screen. Its limitation is that it may only be used from a Wi-Fi hotspot. However, there are thousands of public access points available and more being lit up every day. Unfortunately, it will not work with locked Wi-Fi networks, and it will not work with subscription networks such as T-Mobile because there is no way to enter usernames and passwords. of fun calling my friends and pestering them from restaurants, hotel parking lots, hospitals, coffee shops, malls, and bookstores all over town. It searches for open networks and allows you to connect to them quickly. Voice quality is excellent in most cases except sometimes when talking to someone on a cell phone. The Wi-Fi Phone must have a separate Vonage account because it is a completely separate line with its own phone number. I think having a wireless network at home for this phone. If you travel, especially abroad, this phone would be even more desirable. Skype Gateway diverter box VoIP and Smartphones Nexotek also offers the Skype Gateway NTB300 diverter box with a USB connection. You simply plug this box into your PC, and it will automatically divert incoming Skype calls to your cell phone or any other phone you designate. It will also divert regular PSTN calls to a Skype phone, a mobile phone, or a remote phone. This box will connect to a your regular phone set into it to make and receive Skype calls. This box is nothing short of miraculous—a must have for every home, VoIP and handhelds As previously mentioned, Skype will eventually release a version of its software for Smartphones. In the meantime, I have discovered a company in Ireland that produces a VoIP client for Smartphones called Cicero (www. ciceronetworks.com/products/phone/). Unfortunately, it is not available on the U.S. market at this time. Without a doubt, as more Smartphones become Wi-Fi enabled, Skype and other similar services will become available. The truth is, however, if you have a Skype diverter box that enables you to receive and send calls on your cell phone, you really don’t need Skype software for Smartphones. SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC magazine’s 4 FREE weekly E-mail newsletters www.PocketPCmag.com Unfortunately, my experience using Skype on a Pocket PC has not always been positive. I can called party almost always complains of broken signals and an annoying echo. This problem disappeared when I started using a Bluetooth headset with my Windows Mobile device. I use the Motorola HS850, which I believe is the smallest Bluetooth headset available, and the reason I chose it. Note also that when making calls to PSTN numbers, you must always use The consumer will be the big winner! to make using Skype is the relative lack of support. There is no phone number to call for help. The only method of support is through e-mail, and it can take days to get an answer. Skype’s Support Web page ( skype.com) has links to user guides, FAQs, a “knowledgebase,” and user forums that can sometimes be helpful. On the other hand, Vonage customer supYYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support SUBSCRIBE TO: • News • Web happenings • Games • New products 23 Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C YOURS FREE WITH 2 YEAR SUBSCRIPTION Includes FREE games, utilities, themes, E-books, videos, plus over 100 demos of Best Software Awards Finalists and Winners What’s on it? Demos of all software listed on pages 25-33, plus great freeware! 2006 Best of Everything Demo CD* FREE with your 2-YEAR subscription or renewal! *May be purchased separately for $15 at www.PocketPCmag.com/democd MAIL CARD TODAY YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for E-MAIL OR: Go TO www.PocketPCmag.com/subscribe Support orders@pocketpcmag.com PHONE 800-373-6114 FAX 641-472-1879 800-373-6114 • orders@pocketPCmag.com ($7.99 at newsstand) A full 100-page comprehensive guide to the best software,accessories and devices. May not be reproduced without permission. © 2004, Thaddeus Computing, all rights reserved. info@pocketpcmag.com $5.95 Judges pick their favorites! P. 2 POCKET PC COMMUNICATION 4 4 Phone and Fax Synchronization Action Games Board Games Card Games Racing Games Casino Games Chess Games Game Emulators Kids Game Packs Puzzle Games Strategy Games Role Playing Games Shooting Games Simulations Space Games Sports Trivia Games GPS Geocaching GPS Moving Map GPS Utilities GPS with Voice Guidance Database Finance List Managers PIMs Secure Info Managers Sporting Browsers & Web Utilities Chat and Messaging E-mail News Readers Terminals UTILITIES 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 8 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 9 Calculator Document Viewers File Management Handwriting Notes Printing Remote Host Control Screen Capture Screen Display Security Soft Keyboards Speech System and Registry Task Management Themes Time & Expenses Time Utilities Today-screen Plug-in TV & Stereo Remote Unit Conversion Winners and Finalists 4th Annual Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards 2004 GAMES 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 4 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 5 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 6 7 7 7 7 7 P ocket PC magazine’s Best Software Awards 2004 celebrate and honor the efforts of independent developers, whose software products help make yourWindows Mobile device more functional and fun! In addition to honoring developers, the Best Software Awards help you select the software that suits your needs. The awards are divided into three sections: consumer software for Pocket PCs, consumer software for Smartphones, and software for developers. Windows Mobile experts from around the world (page 13) voted on nearly 600 products in 100 categories. The products with the highest vote totals were selected as winners, and runners up, were named finalists. SMARTPHONE COMMUNICATION 10 Caller ID Tools 10 Phone Tools /Sync GPS GAMES 10 Action/Simulation 10 Board Games 10 Casino & Cards 10 Game Emulators 10 Puzzle Games 10 Shooting Games 10 Sports INFORMATION MGRS Pocket PC and Smartphone Consumer Software Pocket PC magazine’s New Products Editor, Diane Dumas, and our Board of Expert judges selected the 2004 award nominees. Approximately 20% of the software in the Encyclopedia of Software and Accessories was nominated. These nominations were frozen on July 31, 2004, and only products and versions released by that date were eligible for this year’s awards. • Pocket PC Software Nominees (www.pocketpcmag.com/awards/nominees_2004.asp) • Smartphone Software Nominees (www.pocketpcmag.com/awards/categorysp_2004.asp) INTERNET INFORMATION MGRS 10 Info Managers/Database 11 Secure Info Mgrs ($5.95) A “must have” if $5.95 May not be reproduced without permission. © 2005, Thaddeus Computing, all rights reserved. info@pocketpcmag.com MULTIMEDIA 11 Multimedia Tools Developer Software Chris Forsberg (www.businessanyplace.net) and Bob Katayama (www.han-d-solutions.com) headed a team of experts to determine nominations for Developer Software. • Developer Software Nominees (www.pocketpcmag.com/awards/category_2004.asp?catid=46) In addition, Pocket PC magazine also gives annual Community Outstanding Achievement Awards (page 13). These annual awards are given to individuals and their organizations whose extraordinary contributions benefit the entire Windows Mobile community. Our Board of Expert judges is comprised of over 80 Pocket PC and Smartphone software experts from around the world. The Board of Experts casts votes to determine the winners. These judges also submit comments about the software for future publication in Pocket PC magazine. These experts are prominent Web Sites associates, Microsoft MVPs (Most Valuable Professionals), support forum contributors, and Pocket PC magazine contributors. They are all volunteers and none are employed by Pocket PC magazine. We begin by sharing our judges’ answers to the question: “Of all the products you tested for this year’s Best Software Awards, which was your favorite?” 1 P O C K E T P C Special Report: Best Software Awards MULTIMEDIA TEXT & REFERENCE Special Report TRAVEL 8 8 8 8 Guides Info Managers Multilingual Dictionaries Time 11 Dictionaries Audio TRAVEL Graphic Design/Drawing 11 Travel Tools Image Management UTILITIES Music Composition Power Point & Presentation 11 Calculators Remote Media Controllers 11 Document Viewers 11 File Management Video 11 Networking/ PERSONAL Remote Desktop 7 Dining 11 Notes 7 Genealogy 11 Screen Capture/Display 7 Health and Fitness 11 System & Registry 11 Task Management TEXT & REFERENCE 7 Bible Software 7 Dictionaries 12 DEVELOPER SOFTWARE 7 e-Book Readers 13 OUTSTANDING 7 Thesauruses ($7.99 at newsstand) Worth the price of subscription if bought separately ACHIEVEMENT AWARDS 13 POCKET PC MAGAZINE BOARD OF EXPERTS Best Tips! Page 1 1 2 3 4 5 6 8 10 11 12 14 Alarm Pocket Word Calculator Page 14 14 16 16 17 18 18 19 19 20 21 22 you’re looking for the best software! ($5.95) Printing Help Files Initial publication Sept. 06 Navigating Your Pocket PC Calendar Contacts Tasks Printing Help Files Tip 1: Printing out Pocket PC Help files 1. 2. 3. With your Pocket PC synchronized with your desktop PC, open File Explorer on your desktop PC and create a new folder on your desktop PC . Call it “PPC Help.” Still in File Explorer, go to My Computer, Mobile Device, My Pocket PC, Windows. In the Windows folder, view it in “Detail” Copy all of the HTML with extension .htm and Bitmap with extension .bmp images from that Windows folder to the “PPC Help” folder on your desktop PC. from Internet Explorer. Security Tip 2: Pocket PC 2002 Power On Password Protection By Frances Koo setting. To make the Pocket PC always request a password when you power on your Pocket PC, go to Start Menu > Settings > Personal > your Pocket PC and then power it back on, the password screen will appear instantly. 1 Great tips about all aspects of the Pocket PC. SEND CARD NOW! YES! I WANT TO SUBSCRIBE. I want to have Pocket PC magazine Print Edition delivered to my home or office every other month, plus receive my FREE Bonuses with my paid subscription. Check One: 2 Years. . . . . . . $34.95 INCLUDES: FREE Best of Everything Demo CD, 2 FREE Pocket PC magazine’s Special Reports, 2 FREE Annual Buyer’s Guides. 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MS Reader Back Issue CD (6+ years) $29.95 + $3 shipping worldwide All Pocket PC magazines since May 2000 (Payment required) Method of Payment*: Visa MC Discover AmEx Check** Card No. _________________________________ Exp. Date _______ Your Satisfaction Guarantee PPC93M Over $3000 of Award-Winning Software for only $297 The most incredible software package ever offered. 130 Winners and Finalists from the Includes 8 of the Top 10 Best Sellers of 2005! Spb Pocket Plus, Battery Pack Pro, Agenda Fusion, Pocket-DVD Studio, SBSH PocketBreeze, Pocket Informant, eWallet, Spb Weather, PocketPlus Best Software Awards SEE FOR YOURSELF! Detailed listing of all software .... Page 25-33 Testimonials.......................... Page 36 FAQ .................................... Page 35 Risk FREE Offer ...................... Page 37 Smartphone Package ............... Page 34 www.PocketPCmag.com/cd NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES BUSINESS REPLY MAIL FIRST- CLASS MAIL PERMIT NO. 1047 FAIRFIELD, IA POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC magazine For Windows Mobile Users Thaddeus Computing 110 North Court Street YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION 2006 Best of Everything Software Package www.PocketPCmag.com/cd All this software is included! CLOCKS Spb Time Flexible custom clocks, timers and stopwatches. Supports analog and digital clock modes, world clock, plus Spb Time works as a clock screen saver on Windows Mobile 2003 devices. $9.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com Timekeeper Customizable stop watch with unique activity skins - track a relay or a chess game, or while baking a dish. It will alert you when the time is up. $9.95 Conduits Technologies, Inc. www.conduits.com mTimeSync (Pocket PC) Keeps your mobile device clock synchronized with NTP time servers on the Internet. $19.95 Nomad Electronics www.nomadelectronics.com NOTES/ORGANIZATION Agenda Fusion 7 Manage your schedule, contacts, notes, and tasks. 7 calendar views, contacts and tasks management and more. Alarm notes reminders! New Projects view organizes everything, even tracks time! $29.95 Developer One, Inc. www.developerone.com Resco Stickies The power of simplicity! Puts an icon on your Today bar that when tapped allows you to create a new note or view all notes. You can enter the note in your own handwriting or record it in your own voice and you can select a date and time at which to be reminded by the note. $19.95 Resco, Ltd. www.resco.net PhatPad “Add PhatPad support into (PhatNotes) and you have the undisputed king of Pocket PC Notes software.” Raj Pillai Microsoft MVP–Mobile Devices www.pocketpcfaq.com/raj $29.95 PhatWare Corporation www.phatware.com PocketMirror Professional “Chapura has succeeded in making multiple contact, calendar and task folders easy to use by mapping them to categories. By using categories, users are easily able to access information separately and combined.“ Chris De Herrera www.pocketpcfaq.com $49.95 Chapura, Inc. www.chapura.com The Dog Ate It “An invaluable tracking tool that caters to the student beyond what a standard calendar application could. They also offer a desktop version (sold separately) for perfect accompaniment.” Matt Kitchen, Owner www.mozongoware.com $14.95 Birdsoft www.birdsoft.net phoneAlarm “Adds profiles with multiple options (ringtones, etc.) and notification of a new SMS, email or voice message. Even displays missed calls on your Today screen. It’s a must have!” Alex Januschewsky Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices www.pocketpc-salzburg.at $19.95 pocketMax www.pocketmax.net TreNotes Pack Lets you create hierarchical lists of tasks or notes. You can assign different attributes to an item such as color, category, icon, or priority; create plain notes or notes with drawings, voice recordings, etc.; display a checkbox and progress bar for each item. $29.95 Fann Software www.fannsoftware.com ListPro Professional Edition Make and manage lists such as to-do lists, inventories, and shopping lists, and organize any kind of information. You can add custom columns, including dates, notes, categories, checkboxes, links, unlimited-size notes, sub-items and more. $29.95 Ilium Software www.iliumsoft.com Pocket Informant PhatNotes Professional Edition “PhatNotes is a notes organizer. Not only is it a great note taker, but the organizational scheme puts PhatNotes in a league of its own.” Scott Lodgson, writer & editor www.pocketnow.com $39.95 PhatWare Corporation www.phatware.com Replaces built-in Contacts, Tasks, and Appointments. “Pocket Informant has changed the way that I use my Pocket PC. It’s simply the best PIM available!” Thomas Stamulis Information Security Consultant www.truenorthgroupllc.com $24.95 WebIS, Inc. www.webis.net VITO QuickContact A phone book that includes everything you need to call your contacts and input phone numbers; one-handed control. Also lets you send SMS or e-mail, open home pages in the Internet and search people in your database. $15.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com 25 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL SPECIAL ADVERTISING ADVERTISING SECTION SECTION $3000+ of software chosen by experts for only $297! www.PocketPCmag.com/cd WEB FlexMail 2006 “A powerhouse application with a ton of features. Comes highly recommended if you’re serious about mail on your device.” Paul, O’Brien, Founder www.MoDaCo.com $19.95 WebIS, Inc. www.webis.net NetFront with JV-Lite “Net Front 3.1 with JV light2 remains my best choice for a Pocket Browser, offering an almost compatible to PC Browsers Experience.” Saar Avigour, Executive Editor, Pocket.co.il $29.80 ACCESS Co., Ltd www.access-us-inc.com Pocket SpamFilter Pocket SpamFilter helps keep your e-mail account free of spam. You can inspect e-mails before downloading them to your Pocket PC. Features include Domain Blocking, Friendly Domains, Friends, and Blackmail E-mailers. $24.95 PocketPCSoft www.pocketpcsoft.com ThunderHawk 2.0 “Gone is the need to try to figure out how the web page was meant to be viewed since Thunderhawk lets you browse a full web page with ease and does this better than any other company.” Joel Evans, founder www.geek.com $49.95/Yr. Bitstream Inc. www.bitstream.com/wireless Egress Display your favorite RSS/ATOM feeds directly on your Pocket PC. Also the ideal podcasting client. “A must for all Pocket PC owners!” Matt Kitchen, Owner www.mozongoware.com $12 GarishKernels www.garishkernels.net/egress.html Qusnetsoft NewsReader A full-function NNTP client for Pocket PC. A convenient, quick way to read and synchronize news. Subscribe to accounts for several NNTP servers at the same time. $18.97 Qusnetsoft Developer’s Roof www.qusnetsoft.ru Skweezer Pro Web-based service; reformats largescreen Web pages for small-screen viewing. Content is easier to view, loads faster and less costly. Includes e-mail, RSS reader, address book, favorites, Web search, and more! $14.99/Yr. Greenlight Wireless Corp. www.greenlightwireless.net Full robust Web browsing is possible on the Pocket PC using NetFront or ThunderHawk GPS/MAPPING IntelliGolf Par edition Automates golf scoring, wagering, and GPS-based shot tracking from tee-to-green. “Intelligolf is an incredible application! Easy to use, and the FREE access to thousands of golf courses ROCKS!” Matt Coddington, Editor www.pocketpclouisville.com $29.95 Karrier Communications www.intelligolf.com display a message screen when near a waypoint. $30 VisualGPS, LLC www.visualgps.net GPS Tuner “A beautifully designed application with superior features and an astounding interface. GPS Tuner should be your only choice when shopping for geocaching and GPS utility suites.” Dan Hantulla The Pocket PC Handbook www.semperaptus.com $35 Megalith-Gabor Tarnok www.gpstuner.com Included in package See “Web” above. DATABASES VITO Navigator II “Provides a full on-screen compass, geographical position to waypoint, recording of tracks and waypoints and much more. “ Dave Burrows, daveburrows.com $19.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com Franson GpsGate Program to run multiple GPS applications at the same time using one single GPS. It can also be used to simulate a GPS and log/replay GPS data. $29.95 Franson franson.biz Visual CE Lite Mobile database application builder for non-programmers. Create your own custom data entry screens in minutes! $19.95 SYWARE, Inc. www.syware.com Memory-Map Pocket Navigator “A clear choice for serious outdoor activity involving detailed topographic maps.” Tim Hillebrand Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine contributor, President, Synergetics International $99.95 Memory-Map, Inc. www.memory-map.com GolfPS Software “Super user-friendly golf scoring (from simple finger taps). Gives you the feeling of being a player in a golf video game come to life.” Shawna Kelly, Microsoft MVP and S & PPC magazine contributor www.artzest.com $39.95 GolfPS www.golfps.com PERSONAL INFO SECURE CodeWallet Pro 2005 “Rest assured that all of your important information is secure and easily accessible with CodeWallet Pro 2005!” Thomas Stamulis, Information Security Consultant www.truenorthgroupllc.com $29.95 Developer One, Inc. www.developerone.com eWallet Professional Edition “The best Secure Information Manager for Pocket PC. It’s fast, has a small footprint, syncs flawlessly with its Windows PC companion, and is tremendously secure. No PDA or Smartphone leaves my home without it.” Steve Sande www.gizmoranch.com $29.95 Ilium Software www.iliumsoft.com VITO AstroNavigator Find Constellations! Displays a sky map above you, according to your current position, time and direction of movement. $15.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com BeeLineGPS A geocaching application is ideal to guide you on tours and alert you to geocaches. Also, gives advanced warning for speed traps. It allows a waypoint to play a sound file and 26 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd Over 130 programs included at an unbelievably low price! www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION IMPROVED PERFORMANCE Pocket Hack Master Change the default processor speed of your XScale Pocket PC to gain additional performance or save battery life. The Advanced Utility for Controlling your Pocket PC. Now supports additional Samsung processors. $14.95 Anton Tomov www.antontomov.com Pocket Mechanic Professional “Pocket Mechanic is simply the best storage card management utility. You can do it all: format, Defrag, Scan and Repair.” Thomas Stamulis, Information Security Consultant www.truenorthgroupllc.com $14.95 Anton Tomov www.antontomov.com Tweaks2k2 .NET “A ‘Must Have’ for Pocket PC users who are not familiar with programming, but like to improve their devices.“ Ricardo Morales, Executive Editor of Pocket México, www.pocketmexico.com $15.50 Tweaks2k2 www.tweaks2k2.com IMPROVED TODAY SCREEN Battery Pack Pro “Battery Pack Pro is the Today plugin that does it all—from displaying battery information to task management to world time display... it’s more than a Today plug-in, it’s a Pocket PC management tool!” Rob Borek, Microsoft MVP-Mobile Devices pocketpcvision.com $29.99 Omega One Software www.omegaone.com PocketBreeze “Calendar and tasks information on your Today screen! Easy to use interface, constant updates, and programmers who respond to user enquiries and suggestions for improvement: a world-class program.“ Rob Borek Microsoft MVP-Mobile Devices pocketpcvision.com $14.95 SBSH Mobile Software www.sbsh.net Spb Weather A powerful weather forecast Today screen plug-in. Customize weather views, skins and even the weather forecast data source. Save space by running Spb Weather as a tab. “Spb makes some killer software!” Matt Coddington, Editor www.pocketpclouisville.com $14.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com Spb Pocket Plus “The most complete Task Management, Application Launching, Today Plug-in available.” John Ohnstad Dev. Relations/Senior Writer www.pocketanywhere.com $24.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com Spb Diary Most of actions related to appointments, tasks, contacts and notes can be performed even without leaving the Today screen. “Outstanding. The ability to make all your contacts available by one tap of the screen makes it a must have.“ Clinton Fitch III, owner www.clintonfitch.com $14.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com WisBar Advance Desktop A WisBar Advance 2.x plugin that replaces your existing Today screen. You can create shortcuts, system meters, floating windows and virtual pages to extend the functionality of your PocketPC. $9.95 Lakeridge Software www.lakeridgesoftware.com Sprite Backup Newly Added! Journal Bar Today screen plug-in; displays large amounts of useful information in a small, scrollable window. Displays weather (14 locations), news, stocks (200), movie times and reviews, TV listings, and sports scores. Information is updated from the Internet wirelessly or when docked. $29.99 Omega One Software LLC www.omegaone.com Spb Extended Theme Generator Free tool creates extended Themes for your Today screen. An add-on for Microsoft Theme Generator which adds additional options. $FREE Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com The best way to back up and restore all the information on your mobile device. Simple and easy to use and the proven choice world wide. “Sprite Backup has saved my butt more than once, and I owe it to the ease of use and the convenient Desktop app!” Matt Coddington, Editor, www. pocketpclouisville.com $29.95 Sprite Software www.spritesoftware.com WisBar Advance 2 Provides a cascading start menu and other features to change the appearance and operation of your system to a degree not matched in other software. Upgraded version 2 more tightly integrated with PPC operating system. $9.99 Lakeridge Software www.lakeridgesoftware.com IMPROVED DISPLAY CE Tuner 2005 A utility for creating and changing themes, adjusting colors, and customizing fonts on your device for easier viewing. Landscape and hi-resolution VGA modes are supported. $14.95 Paragon Software GmbH www.penreader.com FILE MANAGEMENT PE Explorer Suite Includes all the capabilities of PE File Explorer, PE Zip Explorer, PE Encrypt, PE FTP Explorer, and PE Net Explorer. $49.95 Vieka Technology Inc. www.vieka.com Nyditot Virtual Display Display at any resolution including industry standard VGA, SVGA, XGA, etc. Custom resolutions such as 900x300 or 2000x2000. Output can be viewed full-scale or compressed. Dynamically pan, zoom and rotate in four orientations. $19.95 Nyditot www.nyditot.com Total Commander A complete file manager with built-in text editor which supports zip files and infrared beaming. Available in German, French, Russian, Chinese, Hungarian. Many additional features. $FREE Total Commander www.ghisler.com 27 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The most comprehensive Software Package ever offered for Pocket PC www.PocketPCmag.com/cd INPUT CalliGrapher Natural handwriting recognition software that employs fuzzy logic and neural net techniques to recognize handwriting. Supports cursive, print or mixed handwriting styles. Support for 11 languages other than English. $39.95 PhatWare Corporation www.phatware.com Resco Keyboard Pro Write text faster. In addition to the unique system keyboard, there are additional numeric layouts. These include a “writing calculator” for typing numbers or numerical expressions. It also has a special keyboard for fast insertion of frequently used phrases. $19.95 Resco, Ltd. www.resco.net TenGO Keyboard Simple-to-use, innovative, QWERTY-enhanced text-inputting software for faster, easier and longer input. Only 6 keys for letters. Allows for fast, error-free text entry for email, note-taking, or instant messaging. $19.95 Xrgomics, Inc. www.tengo.net Spb Full Screen Keyboard Soft keyboard that covers the entire screen area in landscape view and has keys large enough to be typed on with fingertips. $9.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com PenReader Multilingual handwriting recognition utility that supports 28 languages and doesn’t require any special training. Recognizes punctuation, numbers, special symbols and more. $29.95 Paragon Software GmbH www.penreader.com PASSWORD PROTECTION 1-Pass “Makes security quick and easy.” Gary Garland www.gadgetaddict.com $19.99 Omega One Software LLC www.omegaone.com SCREEN CAPTURE Pocket ScreenSnap Captures screen shots. “It will do everything other screen capture applications do and also includes a full image thumbnail viewer, customized output folders, custom buttons, confirm on/off and more.” David Conger, Microsoft MVP and Creator www.davespda.com. $14.95 Developer One, Inc. www.developerone.com ScreenShotCE Allows you to make screen captures directly while using the device normally. Allows you to record a voice notice as well as the geographic position of the screen capture. $3.99 BeniSoft www.bendlin.info/en ASTRONOMY FITNESS FOOD/WINE Pocket Cook “Pocket cook not only is a great program but has a powerful desktop component AND can import mealmaster recipes which are readily available on the net.” Myron Swartz Pocket PC Superuser $24.95 Electronic Frontier www.pocketcook.net COINS Euro Coins Pocket Collector QVGA “Euro Coins has a very slick interface that is well designed and easy to understand. An invaluable tool to organize, catalog, and manage your collection.” Jack Cook, Senior Editor http://mobilitytoday.com $15.95 Albegor Entertainment www.albegor.com Wine Enthusiast Guide 2005 “Wine Enthusiast is a classy and well-rounded guide! You can look up wine ratings, track your favorite wines in detail, have wine terminology at your fingertips, and more.” Shawna Kelly, Microsoft MVP and Pocket PC magazine contributor, www.artzest.com $24.95 LandWare, Inc. www.landware.com Pocket Stars PDA “Beautiful graphics and an excellent interface make it both useful and eye-catching. A perfect tool for the backyard astronomer.” Norman Wilson, Consultant normanjwilson.ca $19.95 Nomad Electronics www.nomadelectronics.com Pocket Workout A workout management solution that saves your workout information as you do exercise, or create routines and plan your workouts in advance. You can also track your supplement usage and more. $14.95 Electric Dreams Inc. www.electricdreams.ca FOREIGN LANGUAGES LingvoSoft Talking Dictionary 2006 Gold Talking bidirectional dictionaries. Each provides synthesis of both languages, speech, screen rotation, virtual keyboards, bilingual user’s manuals, and more. 6 separate dictionaries: English to Dutch, German, Italian, Russian, Spanish and French. $49.95 each LingvoSoft www.lingvosoft.com 28 MobiLearn Talking Phrasebook English/ French & English/Spanish “An incredible asset to the international traveler. If you can’t pronounce a word, MobiLearn will do it for you; and the intuitive interface makes finding the word or phrase you need a snap.” Joshua Villens, Tech Journalist $34.99 each MobiLearn, Inc. www.mobilearn.net Speereo Voice Translator Understands spoken English and translates it for you. Includes travel guide. “I had used it during my stay in Berlin and it was very handy to have for those moments when language was a barrier.” Raj Pillai, Microsoft MVP–Mobile Devices www.pocketpcfaq.com/raj $39.99 Speereo Software www.speereo.com SlovoEd Multilingual Dictionaries Translation and explanatory dictionaries, available for more than 150 language pairs. $5.95-$49.95 Paragon Software GmbH www.penreader.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd 2006 Best of Everything Software Package www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION REFERENCE BEIKS English Thesaurus Look up words from within any application quickly and easily with this handy modern pocket American English thesaurus. 55,000 entries take only 2 MB. $10 Beiks LLC. www.beiks.com REMOTE ACCESS Laplink Everywhere 4 Remote access to your PC’s files, email, Internet favorites and PIM data from your web-enabled Pocket PC. Read and respond to emails and access and update contacts, calendar and tasks while offline. “Simply the best, hands down.” Clinton Fitch III, owner www.clintonfitch.com $49.95 LapLink, Inc. www.laplink.com NetRemote Pro The ultimate in 2 way remote control using your Pocket PC. Using NetRemote and your WiFi enabled Pocket PC or any networked Windows computer, you will have full control of your digital $29.99 Promixis www.promixis.com Leonard Maltin’s 2006 Movie Guide Essential facts for over 21,000 films, including ratings and capsule reviews. Summarizes plot, rates quality, and contains great tidbits of information; plus DVD movie releases via a free Web update. $24.95 LandWare, Inc. www.landware.com DVD CONVERSION Pocket-DVD Studio Easy to use interface makes all of the complex parts of the conversion process (video/audio bit rates, aspect ratios and file size outputs) as easy as moving a slider bar. Has preset cropping buttons and the fastest conversion rate. Makes the complex process simple and fun. Dan Hantulla, author The Pocket PC Handbook www.semperaptus.com $39.95 PQDVD.com www.pqdvd.com Lextionary “‘Innovative’ isn’t generally a word that you apply to dictionary programs; but Lextionary’s intuitive and clever approach to demonstrating word relationships has raises the standard for dictionary programs.” Joshua Villines, Tech Journalist $14.95 Revolutionary Software Front www.revolution.cx Britannica Concise Encyclopedia 2006 Handheld Edition Featuring 25,000 entries and 2,300 images, with an introductory paragraph for a concise description of every subject. $29.95 Town Compass www.pocketdirectory.com DVD Catalyst/PocketDVD3 Sophisticated yet easy, with great support. Output to WMV7,8,9/DIVX and XVID files. “One of the most advanced DVD ripping applications available for mobile and desktop users alike.“ Clinton Fitch III, owner www.clintonfitch.com $17.95 PocketDVD www.pocketdvd.ca PocketBible “My main Bible reading application. It’s extremely powerful and functional. Reading a commentary while having a Bible translation open at the same time is very useful during sermons and Bible studies.” Matthew Miller, pdageek.com, & www.palmsolo.com $10 Laridian www.laridian.com Lexisgoo English Dictionary Updated version with new functions. “One of the most popular dictionaries on the Pocket PC. Also provides audible pronunciations, grammar and effective writing handbook including over 4140 Idioms, and pattern searching words which is ideal for crossword puzzles!” Dave Burrows daveburrows.com $19.95 PPCLINK www.ppclink.com PHOTO Photogenics Draw pictures from scratch or edit existing images using realistic media. Draw with airbrush, chalk, pencil, sponge, watercolor, and smudge, and apply over 60 filters. $49.99 Idruna Software Inc. www.idruna.com TrueTerm Thesaurus Editable monolingual thesaurus in English, Spanish and French. Also includes Italian, German, Portuguese/Brazilian, Dutch, Swedish. $19.95 TrueTerm www.trueterm.com Resco Photo Viewer “Versatile little photo viewer comes wrapped in a cute package. The perfect balance of functionality and intuitiveness. Full-size digital camera pictures were a breeze to edit and view. ” Rachel Eichen, www.aximsite.com $24.95 Resco, Ltd. www.resco.net 2005 World Almanac Handheld Edition “2005 World Almanac is the most complete reference database you can have for your PPC. The program is worthy of having its own SD card.“ Russ Terrell, Senior Editor www.Mozongoware.com $19.95 Town Compass www.pocketdirectory.com WordBook Speaking English Dictionary/ Thesaurus “Audio word pronunciation capability, lookup engine and ability to get words from virtually any application–this software is a winner.” Tim Hillebrand, SPPC magazine contributor, President, Synergetics International $19.95 TranCreative www.trancreative.com Spb Imageer Photo viewing and editing tool with one-tap slideshows, album creation, and thumbnail generation. Supports JPEG, GIF, BMP, TIFF, and PNG. Features include: red-eye reduction, cropping, auto-level adjustment, brightness, contrast, hue, saturation, lightness, and RBG color channels. $14.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com Pocket Artist “By far the best Pocket PC-based Photoshop-like application.” Werner Ruotsalainen a.k.a. “Menneisyys“ www.winmobiletech.com $49.95 Conduits Technologies, Inc. www.conduits.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd 29 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The most comprehensive Software Package ever offered for Pocket PC www.PocketPCmag.com/cd AUDIO Resco Audio Recorder “Records audio and plays various formats like mp3, wav, ogg vorbis and others. Has an adjustable gain control. Recorded notes can be edited, cut, combined and exported. Lots of other features. Easy to use.” Alex Januschewsky Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices www.pocketpc-salzburg.at $19.95 Resco, Ltd. www.resco.net GENEALOGY VITO SoundEditor Sound editing on the Pocket PC. Processes very large files (over 100 MB) in just a few seconds. Supports native non-compressed WAVE format and has a basic set of tools: copy, cut, paste, and one-step undo/re-do. $15.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com CE My Family View and edit your family tree. Import GEDCOM files on your Desktop and automatically convert them for use on your Pocket PC. $20 oneMan software www.cemyfamily.com Pocket Genealogist Basic “Pocket Genealogist is the only program for the serious Genealogist.” David Hettel Microsoft MVP – Mobile Devices $20 Northern Hills Software www.northernhillssoftware.com CALCULATORS/CONVERSION 1-Calc “With a nice interface that packs a lot of features, 1-Calc is my favorite calculator on the Pocket PC for everyday use.” James Kendrick, Creator of tech website jkontherun.com $19.99 Omega One Software LLC www.omegaone.com friendly interface. It also contains various useful reference tables. $9.95 Fann Software www.fannsoftware.com MEDIA PLAYER DockWare Pro Personalized clock and calendar displays pictures. “One of the nicest looking additions to my pocket PC and a great way to display my favourite pictures. The security feature is also very useful.” Jim Turner www.angelicthemes.co.uk $9.95 Ilium Software www.iliumsoft.com Rudeo Control for Windows Media Player “Works flawlessly and controls Windows Media Player, communicating perfectly with it.” Helio Diamant, PocketPCFreak.com $19.95 Rudeo Consulting www.rudeo.com Conversions In Hand “Has a colorful, easy to use interface and contains more unit conversions than any of its competitors. The latest version also adds new functionality (Area code finder, Tip calculator, Roman Numeral converter and more) to an already first rate piece of software.“ John Ottini, Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine contributor $18.99 Burr Oak Software www.burroak.on.ca VITO SoundExplorer 2005 Turns your Pocket PC into a universal multimedia dictaphone and MP3 player, and can be used for recording interviews or lectures, and listening to music. $24.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com PocketMusic Player Bundle “This program is the easiest music player to use. Since I use my Pocket PC as the primary music listening device, it will be one of the most frequently accessed programs.” John Hung, Superuser $19.95 Pocket Mind Software www.pocketmind.com CoolCalc Newly Added! ConverterCE Pro A unit conversion, currency conversion, and reference utility. It includes conversions for many commonly used units in a usercommands for controlling a device. $14.95 PDAwin www.pdawin.com REMOTE CONTROL TV Remote Controller A universal remote control application which can control 30 predefined devices such as TVs, VCRs, etc. Recognizes up to 25 voice 12 fast and handy calculators, including Scientific, Computer Math, RPN, Money, Dates, Conversions and more. Customize these or design your own! $19.95 Applian Technologies www.applian.com FINANCE/TIME TimeBiller Lets you track your time so you can properly bill your customer. $40 Fann Software www.fannsoftware.com Spb Finance “Gives the user a full picture of their finances plus the ability to synchronize with Quicken and Money. Categories, budgets, reports, entry on the fly, and historical data for those who want their finances portable.” John Ohnstad Dev. Relations/Sr. Writer www.pocketanywhere.com $24.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com SYNTHESIZER Syntrax A realtime synthesizer and sequencer combined. Compose songs with up to 8 stereo channels and realtime effects like morphing, filters and echoes. Export your songs to your desktop whenever you like. Comes with demo tunes and lots of instruments. $20 Klaar www.klaar.com Pocket Quicken Easily keep your Quicken information complete, accurate, and up-to-date wherever you go. (Quicken 99 or later desktop version required.) $39.95 LandWare, Inc. www.landware.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 30 ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd 2006 Best of Everything Software Package www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION ACTION GAMES ShapeShifter “Definitely the winner in Puzzle category. It is so addictive that my wife often grabs my PPC just to play this game!!” Dan Goh, PPC Games Superuser $19.95 Astraware Ltd. www.astraware.com Acky’s XP Breakout “Acky’s XP Breakout has an astounding amount of features for a Breakout game and is a first-class effort from beginning to end. It’s the most definitive Breakout game I’ve seen on any platform.” Allen Gall, Games Editor Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine $12.95 Isotope 244 Graphics www.isotope244.com Virtual Pool Mobile “Probably the best virtual pool game ever made. All it’s missing is the smoky atmosphere, classic rock ‘n roll on the jukebox, and a few brews on the table - as good as the PC version I bought 10 years ago but now fits in your pocket.” Owen Smith www.msmobilenews.com $19.95 Celeris, Inc. www.celeris.com Curse of the Pharaohs Frantic action, mind bending puzzles and intense atmosphere. “Near perfect in game play with great sounds, music and graphics... If you want a fun game that will last you for hours, this is the game for you!” Russ Terrell, Senior Editor $19.95 Just Mobile Games www.justmobilegames.com AnthelionThe Galactic Alliance “With astonishing wizardry, Anthelion turns the tiny screen in your hand into a starfighter cockpit. You’ll never go back to solitaire after you’ve seen how much fun it is to turn things into space dust.” Joshua Villines, Tech Journalist $19.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com SkyForce Ultimate classic arcade shooter, with 3D interactive objects, outstanding graphics, special effects, and soundtrack. 100% pure gameplay. $9.95 Infinite Dreams www.idreams.pl Zuma Match sets of three or more colored balls by firing them from the mouth of the mythical stone frog toward advancing balls. “Zuma is a very unique game that will provides hours of fun.” John Hung, Superuser $19.95 Astraware Ltd. www.astraware.com Flux Challenge “The premier racing game for the Pocket PC. Great track design, a good array of ships to choose from, and a terrific career mode. Great visual effects and very fast performance even on older devices make the game a blast to play.” Allen Gall, Games Editor Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine $19.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com Snails “My all time favorite strategy game. The graphics are still state of the art and the fun factor is unbeatable. The special effects, the music and sound combined with a well programmed computer intelligence makes this game a must have for your PPC.” Alex Januschewsky Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices www.pocketpc-salzburg.at $19.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com Arvale-Journey of Illusion “I’ve never seen an RPG with such awesome graphics and music! Over 200 different monsters, a load of things for your inventory, multiple player classes, over 280 maps to explore and 20 hours of play.” Alex Januschewsky Microsoft MVP Mobile Devices www.pocketpc-salzburg.at $19.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com EMULATORS Pocket Commodore 64 Play C64 games on your Pocket PC! BIOS ROMS built-in, 90% speed increase over Pocket C64, stereo sound, and packed with extra features! Now officially licensed by Commodore! $24.95 Clickgamer Technologies Ltd. www.clickgamer.com GTS Racing Challenge An action racing game where you can choose between a sports car, a stylish coupe, or the raw power of a race car. Eight different race tracks, all with stunning backdrops, eight frenzied competitors with you on the track, but just one winner. $19.95 Astraware Ltd. www.astraware.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 31 ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The most comprehensive Software Package ever offered for Pocket PC www.PocketPCmag.com/cd BRAIN GAMES Backgammon Professional A version of the classic game of backgammon. You can take back pieces and replay moves, save and load games, get a hint from the computer, and choose from a number of screen layouts. $9.99 ZingMagic Limited www.zingmagic.com ChromaGames “ChromaGames provides excellent renditions of the thinking person’s triumvirate of board games: chess, checkers, and backgammon. Built-in help will get you back in the game if you haven’t played in a while.” Allen Gall, Games Editor Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine $19.95 Astraware Ltd. www.astraware.com GameBox Gems A collection of 8 puzzle games played with gems, jewels, and pickaxes. It has graphics and animations, with a lot of music and sound effects to make gameplay interesting. “PDAMill titles are always flawless and professional” Joshua Villines, Tech Journalist $14.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com Mastersoft SuDoku “One of the best SuDoku ports I’ve seen. Over a million built-in puzzles and ability to enter SuDoku puzzles from the daily newspaper. Can literally keep you enthralled for years!” Steve Sande www.gizmoranch.com $14.95 Mastersoft Mobile Solutions www.mastersoftmobilesolutions.com Bejeweled 2 “Just as addictive as the first version. And with the addition of new game pieces, new backgrounds and more modes to play, I wont stop playing Bejeweled 2 anytime soon, except maybe during meetings...or maybe not. Amy Zunk, Managing Editor www.pocketanywhere.com $19.95 Astraware Ltd. www.astraware.com Cubis Solve the intricate puzzles in this cube-matching brainteaser. Includes beautiful graphics and animation and in-game music. $19.95 Astraware Ltd. www.astraware.com IntelliChess Pocket PC chess game featuring strong AI and the ability to play over the Internet. Play chess with a strong computer opponent, or with another human player; set up custom positions on the board; play online games at ChessClub.com. $24.95 Intorine www.intorine.com Myst “Myst helped define the modern adventure game in the early 90s, and anyone wanting to appreciate what makes an adventure game good should play (or replay it) on their Pocket PC. “ Allen Gall, Games Editor Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine $19.95 Mean Hamster Software www.meanhamstersoftware.com Championship Chess Pro Test your mastery on five skill levels against eight unique computer personalities. Practice various strategies or brush up on the basics with the intro tutorial. $19.95 DreamQuest Software www.dqsoft.com GameBox Classics “I love GameBox Classics - it reminds me of all the games I played as a kid... only with better graphics (and in colour even!), and I don’t have to drag a 30kg computer and monitor around with me to play them everywhere!” Rob Borek Microsoft MVP-Mobile Devices pocketpcvision.com $14.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com Majong Paradise A Majong tutorial that will teach you the ancient game and will help make you a professional player. $14.95 Aidem Systems Inc. www.aidem.com.tw Time Tracker Teaches young children how to tell time using an analog clock. Ten educational levels range from simple hour hand manipulation to complex double-digit subtraction. $2 Pocket Tutor www.PocketTutor.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 32 ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd 2006 Best of Everything Software Package www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION CARD GAMES Aces Texas Hold’em No Limit No limit version of Texas Hold’em which includes: 480X640 support, portrait and landscape options, up to 22 opponents. Opponent and game settings may be modified. $19.99 Concrete Software, Inc. www.concretesoftware.com Championship Spades Pro Playful characters and multiple features to customize each game. Interactive tutorial. 4 variations and 5 difficulty levels from novice to master. Challenge players online from around the world in free Internet lobby $19.95 DreamQuest Software www.dqsoft.com GameBox Solitaire II “This ‘box’ of solitaire games features horizontal orientation and superb graphics to make playing solitaire even better. I really love the ability to have 10 different solitaire game styles available at once.” Chris Leckness, Owner/Webmaster, Aximsite.com and iPaqHQ.com $14.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com King Sol Solitaire 2004 “King Sol, with its recent update to a staggering 300 variants of solitaire still has the most features and provides the most overall value.” Allen Gall, Games Editor Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine $14.95 Rapture Technologies, Inc. www.rapturetech.com Multiplayer Championship Poker “Blew away my expectations of what a handheld poker game should be. Puts all of your friend’s electronic poker games to shame.” Dan Hantulla, author The Pocket PC Handbook www.semperaptus.com $14.95 www.realdice.com GameBox Solitaire 10 solitaire games: Blind Alleys, Canfield, Chinese, East Haven, 14-Out, Freecell, Golf, Klondike, Pyramid, and Pyramid Golf. Includes unlimited undo of moves, visualization effects, and the ability to save unfinished games. It has ambient music with sound effects and quality graphics. $14.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com All Mobile Casino “A favorite of mine for quite some time. With over 13 different casino games, there’s something for everyone. Old favorites like blackjack and roulette are included, along with different varieties of slots and video poker.” Rachel Eichen www.aximsite.com $17.95 Binaryfish www.binaryfish.com All-In Hold ‘Em Tournament Texas Hold ‘Em poker at its best. Play in career mode with multi-table tournaments or just play a quick game. Challenge the top AI available in no-limit, pot-limit, or limit-action with completely customizable play. $14.95 Birdsoft www.birdsoft.net One for all Solitaires Collection Over 200 game variants with detailed rules and animated demonstrations. Complete statistics show you how you’re doing. $17.45 Paragon Software GmbH www.penreader.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd 33 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The most comprehensive Software Package ever offered for Pocket PC www.PocketPCmag.com/cd EW! Smartphone N Software Package Over $440 of Smartphone Software for only $139! This great “mini-package” is for Smartphones only. If you have a Pocket PC Phone Edition (has a touchscreen) order the regular Best of Everything Software Package for the Pocket PC. APPLICATIONS Lextionary $24.95 Revolutionary Software Front www.revolution.cx Spb GPRS Monitor $19.95 Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com Done In 50 Seconds $12.99 AIM Productions NV www.aimproductions.be ListPro (Professional Edition) $29.95 Ilium Software www.iliumsoft.com Flux Challenge $9.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com Papyrus $17.95 SBSH Mobile Software www.sbsh.net 1-Calc $19.99 Omega One Software LLC www.omegaone.com PhatNotes $29.95 PhatWare Corporation www.phatware.com SmartphoneNotes $15.95 SyncData www.syncdata.it ALL-calculator $9.98 ALL-locations www.all-locations.com PocketLANce $29 Cresotech, Inc. www.cresotech.com TipsByte Tip Calculator $4.95 stoutbytes.com www.stoutbytes.com SkyForce $9.98 Infinite Dreams http://www.idreams.pl ALL-explorer $9.98 ALL-locations www.all-locations.com PocketMirror $49.95 Chapura www.chapura.com Tweaks2k2 .NET $12.99 Tweaks2k2 www.tweaks2k2.com Smart 4lign $4.99 AIM Productions NV www.aimproductions.be Battery Pack Pro $19.99 Omega One Software LLC www.omegaone.com Resco SystemToys $4.95 Resco, Ltd. www.resco.net GAMES All-In Hold’Em $14.95 Birdsoft www.birdsoft.net Smartello $4.99 AIM Productions NV www.aimproductions.be CodeWallet Pro 2005 $29.95 Developer One, Inc. www.developerone.com Snaills $9.95 PDAmill www.pdamill.com DockWare Pro $9.95 Ilium Software www.iliumsoft.com Sprite backup Skweezer Pro $14.99/yr. Greenlight Wireless Corp. www.greenlightwireless.net $29.95 Sprite Software www.spritesoftware.com eWallet (Professional Edition) $29.95 Ilium Software www.iliumsoft.com Virtual Pool Mobile $19.95 Celeris, Inc. www.celeris.com Homescreen Designer $12 Ruttensoft www.ruttensoft.com SlovoEd Multilingual Dictionaries $9.95 - $29.95 Paragon Software GmbH www.penreader.com Bejeweled for Smartphone $14.95 Astraware Limited www.astraware.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 34 ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd $3000+ of software chosen by experts for only $297! www.PocketPCmag.com/cd SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION “I can’t believe it!” Yes, it’s true! Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine is really offering all this great software (see pages 25-33) for only $297. There’s even a RISK FREE money back guarantee. For more details and to order please visit www.PocketPCmag.com/cd. Just the FAQs: How can you offer so much software at such a huge discount? We at Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine partner with publishers whose software programs are 2005 Best Software Awards Winners and Finalists. These partners provide us with licenses of their software. In exchange for the licenses, we promote their software in our Best of Everything print and on-line advertising and by placing their software on our Best Of Everything demo CD. Consequently, we can offer the best Windows Mobile software on our “Best of Everything Software Package” at huge savings off the retail price. Once I purchase the Software Package, how do I get the software? You go to our Customer Site to obtain FULL VERSIONS by individually selecting the software in the Package that you want. The Full codes that activate the demo versions (demo versions are included with the Package on our Demo CD) or 2) You get a download link to download the full version of the software. Can I try it RISK FREE? Yes. You’ll be able to try the DEMO VERSIONS of the software included on “The Best of Everything Demo CD.” If for any reason you decide you don’t want to register the full versions, call or email us within 30 days of receiving the Package and receive a FULL REFUND, INCLUDING SHIPPING! In any case, you KEEP THE DEMO CD, and any other FREE gifts included with the package—all as our “thank you” for trying this offer! After I request the full version of a software program from your Customer Site, how long does it take to receive it? products are delivered immediately by us. The other approximately automated the process, so that registration also comes quickly. In a longer delays, but we are here to help if there are any problems. Are the latest versions of the programs included in the Software Package? Yes. However, some versions included on the Demo CD may become outdated after the time of publication. For those, you just download the current demo version from the vendor’s web site. Do I have access to vendor updates? Yes, the upgrade policy parallels the policy of the individual venregister the product in May through our registration system. In June a vendor comes out with a newer version, upgrading their customers who bought in May for free. You may also obtain the upgrade for free. What is the last day to obtain register codes/full versions of the software? full versions of the software. What is the difference between The Best of Everything Software Package and The Best of Everything Demo CD? The Best of Everything DEMO CD contains DEMO versions of award winning software programs as well as other demos, and freeware. The Best of Everything Software Package includes FULL versions of the award winning software programs, as well as other bonuses and free gifts. (The DEMO CD is included when you order the Software Package and contains some of the free gifts you receive for trying the Software Package.) Do you have a version for my Windows Mobile Smartphone? Yes! We are offering a smaller software package exclusively for Windows Mobile phone, then it is a Pocket PC Phone Edition device, and you should order the regular Pocket PC Software Package. The Smartphone version of the package only works for Windows Mobile phones without the touchscreen. Will the Software Package work with the new Windows Mobile 5 OS? With a reasonably high degree of certainty we believe all or almost these are prominent vendors, in many cases we expect upgrades deby the time the package ships in April. ORDER ONLINE: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd Phone: 800-373-6114 Fax: 641-472-1879 E-mail: orders@PocketPCmag.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd 35 SPECIAL ADVERTISING SECTION The most comprehensive Software Package ever offered for Pocket PC www.PocketPCmag.com/cd Our Customers Loved the 2005 Package! “One of the best buys for software “The software let me take total anywhere!” —Brian Soo Hoo command of my Pocket PC Phone. “The overall value of the package was exceptional. With the variety of different programs available, I found out that my Pocket PC could do more than I ever thought.” “How could I refuse? Getting the best software there is at a price that is reasonable, plus the magazine!” -Jeff Mortenson, Information Technology Manager “Great software, great price. One of the best computing almost all of my software needs.” —Michael George “The Best of Everything Package is a smokin’ good deal!” —Raymond Belair couldn’t function without.” -Andrew Davis, CFO “I had just recently purchased a PPC Phone and was fairly ignorant of the software that was available for it. This offer exposed me to some great software and made it available at a fantastic price. It also made easier to convince my wife that it was a great deal! Thank you for making such a great offer.” —Sean Sullivan I found many programs I wouldn’t have known about if it wasn’t for this package. I have a Windows Mobile 5 “This is a WONDERFUL offer! I purchase the 2005 software for myself, I also purchased it for my sister.” —LeAnna M. I received the Package last week and I LOVE it! I am ordering another one for my son. What a deal! —Larry H. “The BOE package is a great way to gain access to a variety of very beneficial (and fun) software. I gave the purchase of this CD a great deal of thought because of the cost, but I have been overjoyed with what I have gotten for my money. Thanks for making this CD available. I’ve really enjoyed using the software.” —Beth H. “Everything I needed was on it. The price was very reasonable, and the magazine subscription with all the previous issues made answering my questions and gaining helpful information extremely easy. Thanks Package.” —Matthew S. “Your technical support was great.” “Very helpful and patient with me.” “Very responsive!” —Beth H. —Michael George —Jeff Mortenson, IT Manager —Rocky G. “Your people are the best!” “Very, very pleased with the responses given and with the quick turn-around time to respond. Could not say anything better about the assistance they gave me. “Thanks....this really got me comfortable to the switch to the Pocket PC.” —Roberto M. immediately, and I didn’t have to go through the whole Hats off to your technical support team!” —Matthew S. Read Independent Reviews of 2005 Package from: YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 36 PocketPCThoughts, Technobrains, Monzongoware, Windows Mobile News, Dave’s iPAQ, Aximsite. Go to www.PocketPCmag.com/CD. ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd Order your 2006 Best of Everything Software Package Today! Includes Full Versions of 130 software programs from our 2005 Best Software Awards, worth over $3000. Also includes a 1-year subscription or renewal to Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine, print and MS-Reader editions. Note: All software must be registered at our customer site by January 31, 2007. See FAQ on page 35 for details. 5 FREE GIFTS ARE YOURS…JUST FOR TRYING IT RISK FREE! That’s right! Order the Package and try the DEMO versions of all the software from our Demo CD, included as part of the Package. If for any reason you decide you don’t want to register the full versions, call or email us within 30 days of receiving the Package and receive a FULL REFUND, including shipping. You keep 5 FREE GIFTS as our “Thank You” for trying the Package! FREE 2006 Demo CD! FREE 2 Special Reports! FREE Back Issues! FREE $25 FREE Laser Pointer! Demo version of award-winning software plus FREE Games, Utilities, Themes, EBooks, Videos 101 Best Tips, Best Software Awards 2005 6 years of back issues of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine in MS Reader format From UsedHandhelds.com Combination Laser Pointer/Stylus ONLY $297! ORDER NOW! www.PocketPCmag.com/cd Phone: 800-373-6114 Fax: 641-472-1879 E-mail: orders@PocketPCmag.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Smartphone Package is also available for $139. See page 34 for details. ORDER and more info: www.PocketPCmag.com/cd 37 SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS Wireless Options for the Pocket PC by David Shier A s a stand-alone device, the Pocket PC can be a great personal and business tool. But its real power is displayed when it’s connected to the outside world. As a connected device, it becomes not only a source of timely information for the Pocket PC user, but a means of sharing important information with friends and associates. Of course, all Windows Mobile devices come with the ability to connect to a desktop PC via a sync cable. But a cabled solution interferes with the mobility of the device. It’s the combination of a Pocket PC and a wireless data connection that delivers the greatest functionality. The number of wireless options available to Pocket PC users has increased, further complicating the already confusing subject of wireless connectivity. The goal of this article is to unravel this confusion. one Windows Mobile device to another. Because a beam of light is used, the IrDA ports on the two devices must have a direct line of sight to each other. And because the beam is weak, the devices must be rather close together. For- reliability of the connection tends to drop off On the Pocket PC, the data transfer rate of which is the same speed as a standard cabled serial port. You may notice that many laptops offer “FIR” (Fast InfraRed), which supdoesn’t offer such speeds, FIR is backwardscompatible with standard IrDA. That means that Pocket PCs can communicate, albeit at the lower speed, with FIR-equipped laptops. All versions of the Pocket PC have the ability to “beam” data to other Windows Mobile devices via the IrDA port. In addition, Pocket PCs introduced during and after 2002 have the ability to swap Calendar and Contact informaSome portable printers have IrDA ports what will accept data from Pocket PCs as well with A few words about data transfer rates When comparing the speed of various wireless technologies I will be using “bits per second” or “bps” as a measure of data transfer rates. This is a measure of the raw speed at which the wireless interface communicates. A single bit is the smallest possible piece of information. A single character of text is typically encoded into 8 bits. In addition, there is an overhead associated with any type of data communications that typically eats up another 2 bits per character. You can approximate the number of actual characters that can be transferred per second by dividing the bit rate of a particular Fig. 2: HP’s iPAQ h4705 has a powerful commercial-grade infrared port and the Nevo Universal Remote Control software built in, allowing you to use it to control your TV, VCR, etc. Remote Control software built in (Fig. 2). Despite the limitations of distance and alignment, infrared has the distinct advantage of being included on nearly all handhelds and most laptop computers. This often makes it the communications option of choice when copying small amounts of data from one handheld to another. Bluetooth: a short-range “wireless cable replacement” rate. Because all wireless technologies are subject to errors, all include some type of error checking procedure. If the wireless connection is poor, errors will result and some data will need to be re-transmitted, slowing down the data transfer rate. Also, many wireless technologies are asymmetrical, which means that the transfer rate in one direction is faster than in the other. Finally, many wireless networks use data compression techniques to speed up the overall throughput. More on this later in the less technologies available for the Pocket PC and Smartphone. Bluetooth is a low-power, short-range wireless networking technology that is typically described as a “wireless cable replacement.” Since it uses radio waves instead of light, you don’t have to worry about line-of-sight connections. Low power consumption is a key feature of Bluetooth, making it ideal for battery-powered devices like the Pocket PC and the Smartphone. But this also limits the range of a Bluetooth device. To balance the range/power-consumption needs of different applications, the Bluetooth Fig.1: The Pocket PC’s IrDA port lets you send and receive contacts, calendar appointments, files, and more to and from another Pocket PC or Palm OS device. the appropriate software installed. A few Pocket PCs come with commercialgrade infrared ports, which have a greater range. With the appropriate software, this allows them to be used as a remote control for TVs, VCRs, such device. It comes with Nevo’s Universal YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Class 3 devices use the least amount of David Shier is the President of Shier Systems & Software, Inc. and the Managing Editor of www. BluetoothNews.com as well as the Wireless Technology Editor of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine. A former software engineer and director of marketing and sales, David started Shier Systems in 1994 to focus on providing ultramobile computing and communications solutions. He is a frequent speaker at various industry events. Through Shier Systems, David is available for consulting services related to mobile and wireless applications. For his support of the Windows Mobile community, David has received Microsoft’s MVP award. He can be contacted at david@shier.com. Infrared communications All Pocket PCs and Smartphones include short-range wireless capability via their builtin IrDA port. This port produces a rather weak beam of infrared light to transmit data from 38 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 WIRELESS OPTIONS FOR THE POCKET PC SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS somewhere on the package. Pocket PCs with Wi-Fi capability built in are available from HP, Dell, and ASUS. You can add Wi-Fi capability to a Pocket PC using CompactFlash Wi-Fi adapters from SanDisk (www.sandisk.com), Socket (www.socket com.com), Symbol (www.symbol.com), and others. Wi-Fi adapters in the smaller SDIO format are available from SanDisk and Socket. (www.anycom.com), Belkin (www.belkin. com), and Socket (www.socketcom.com). Wi-Fi: short-range wireless LAN high-bandwidth wireless network using any of the 802.ll standards. While it is possible to have two Pocket PCs equipped with Wi-Fi communicate directly with each other in what is known as an “ad hoc” network, this is more either IrDA or Bluetooth. Wi-Fi is typically used to connect to a wireless Local Area Network (LAN). Wireless access points”located throughout the network let Pocket PCs or any other Wi-Fi-equipped computers interface with the network. Wi-Fi is great for connecting your many businesses are setting up Wi-Fi hotspots for public use in order to attract more customthan adequate if you want to connect your Pocket PC to a cell phone or beam a print job from your Pocket PC to a Bluetooth-enabled printer. Most battery-operated Bluetooth devices are Class 3. Class 2 devices use slightly more power (2.5 mW output) and have a slightly greater often used with laptop computers or other devices that have more powerful batteries than a Pocket PC’s. Class 1 devices mW output) and have the greatest range (up to are typically network access points or printer interfaces—devices that draw their power from an outlet. lounges in major airports, and T-Mobile has installed Wi-Fi in more than 2,000 Starbucks coffee shops and Borders bookstores. Government agencies are even getting involved. For example, the state of Iowa is in the process of installing Wi-Fi hotspots in rest stops along major highways. However, it should be noted that the commercial providers of wireless the use of public funds to pay for free networks that compete with their services. So the public hotspots in places such as Philadelphia, Long Beach and San Jose may be in jeopardy. Wi-Fi has evolved through a number of dif- Fig. 3: You can use Bluetooth communications to connect your Pocket PC to a mobile phone. Shown here are the HP iPAQ hx2700 and the Nokia 6600 mobile phone. Both have built-in Bluetooth capability. You can add Bluetooth to a Pocket PC with an adapter. and is still the most popular. Wi-Fi devices usfactors, the actual rate you can expect will not exceed 720 Kbps. In addition, some Pocket PC implementations of Bluetooth use serial port hardware, which may reduce the actual speed be based on ultra-wide-band”technology that promises much faster speeds while consuming even less power than the current version. Bluetooth is often used to connect the Pocket PC to a wired or wireless network. For example, you can use Bluetooth to connect your Pocket PC to a compatible cell phone, phone to dial out to the Internet (Fig. 3). Bluetooth can also be used to connect your Pocket PC via ActiveSync to a laptop or desktop PC. There are also a variety of interesting Bluetooth-equipped peripherals, including printers, GPS receivers, and more. HP, Dell, and ASUS are shipping Pocket PCs with integrated Bluetooth in the U.S. You can add Bluetooth capability to Pocket PCs with a CF or SDIO card adapter from Anycom not practical for the Pocket PC because they tend to have higher power requirements, and because Pocket PC can’t take advantage of the added speed they provide (see the table on the found in many more places, I strongly suggest sticking to devices using this version of the - This article started with the extremely shortrange IrDA solution, moved through the personal area network (PAN) created by Bluetooth technology, and arrived at the wireless local area network (LAN) created by Wi-Fi. These are all relatively short-range solutions. Now it’s time to look at wide area networks (WANs). The short-range solutions we have discussed so far have the advantages of high speeds and little or no operating costs. One of the reasons they are cheap to operate is because they use frequencies set aside by the FCC for unlicensed wireless networks. You don’t have to pay anyone a service fee to use these frequencies, and they can be used by many different networks. This works out because the range of these devices is very short and there is very little interference. The best example of a WAN is the telephone network with cables stretching coast to coast. Wireless WANs are long-range wireless networks like the one your mobile phone uses. If you need wireless data access outside the range of a wireless LAN, you have to interact with a wireless WAN. To do this, you move into the area of licensed bandwidth—the domain of wireless data carriers such as Cingular, Verizon, T-Mobile, and others. A number of Pocket PC Phone Edition devices are marketed by wireless service providers, including the Samsung i730 marketed by Verizon Wireless Fig. 4: The Samsung i730 Pocket PC Phone Edition device from Verizon Wireless has a built-in EVDO-capable CDMA phone, slide-down QWERTY thumb keyboard, and integrated Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Wide Area Network wireless options YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 39 SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS PC user is still relatively inexpensive. But the carrier’s investment in wireless spectrum licenses, transmitters, and other infrastructure WIRELESS OPTIONS FOR THE POCKET PC offers data rates that are typically double that charge the user a subscription fee. GSM networks In Europe and much of the rest of the world, the cellular system has been standardized on a single wireless technology called GSM (Global System for Mobile Communications). The GSM system allows circuit switched data to be a packet-switched GSM option called GPRS (General Packet Radio Service) was added to most GSM networks. GPRS uses multiple channels simultaneously to speed up the data rate. Newer data technologies, such as EDGE and UMTS offer even higher speeds than GPRS. Note that while the UMTS standard is based on WCDMA technology (Wideband CDMA), it is not at all compatible with the CMDA technology used in the U.S. or Korea. Competing standards in the U.S. The government of the U.S. did not want to dictate a wireless standard as was done elsewhere. Consequently, there are a variety of competing standards throughout the country. The only truly ubiquitous coverage is provided by analog cellular technology, and in many rural areas this is the only option. Digital cellular systems are available in most major metropoliiDEN, and CDMA. GSM is available through Cingular (including the former AT&T Wireless) and TMobile (formerly VoiceStream). iDEN is a proprietary system offered only by Nextel (recently acquired by Sprint.) While iDEN has the ability to support packetswitched data, Nextel is not currently offering the service. CDMA was developed by Qualcomm and and Verizon. CDMA uses its bandwidth more fers faster circuit-switched connections of up STANDARD IrDA (SIR) 802.11b (Wi-Fi) 802.11a 802.11g Bluetooth 1xRTT 1EvDO GPRS EDGE UMTS (WCDMA) 40 data network is being rolled out in major metropolitan areas by CDMA carriers, which offers speeds on par with wired broadband networks such as DSL. Picking the right WAN solution If you travel internationally, GSM/GPRS may be a wiser choice than CDMA. After all, the potential for faster throughput doesn’t do you any good if there’s no coverage available. Also, the GSM/GPRS standard uses “SIM modules” to hold subscriber account information such as your mobile telephone number. You can move your account information to a new GSM phone by simply moving the SIM chip, which is usually found in a slot behind the battery. This makes upgrading to a newer model of phone or to a Pocket PC Phone Edition device very easy. Current CDMA technolSmartphone, or Phone Edition device provided by your carrier. Of course, you can’t ignore the pricing of data plans in your evaluation, but carriers are these plans and they are changing their prices all the time. While the details vary, data pricing is similar to voice, but with bytes replacing amount of data is included; after that you pay an additional charge for packets used. As an example, one of Cingular’s plans provides up each kilobyte after that. On the other hand, T-Mobile offers unlimited GPRS for $20 per month. When looking at the different plans, carefully consider how you intend to use your wireless data capability. Most people tend to over-estimate their wireless data usage. RePocket PC screens are small. You probably won’t be spending a lot of time using wireless SPEED (BPS) 9600 - 115 Kbps 1 - 11 Mbps 5 - 54 Mbps 1 - 54 Mbps 115 - 720 Kbps 40 -115 Kbps 300-900 Kbps 20 - 60 Kbps 80-120 Kbps checking e-mail and the occasional Web page. So take both the voice and data pricing into consideration when you select a plan. If you do intend to use a wireless WAN for Internet browsing, be aware that the builtin data compression features that some carriers offer can make a huge difference in the data transfer rate of the service. You might be able to get by with a less expensive data plan. Also, while most Web pages are designed to be viewed on larger desktop PC screens, that detail is wasted on the smaller Pocket PC display. Carriers such as Sprint and T-Mobile will reduce the resolution of Web images prior to transferring them to the Pocket PC in order to limit the amount of data transferred. Is my data safe? While it is possible for any wireless transmission to be intercepted, some technologies are harder to intercept than others. IrDA operates over very short distances and requires a line-of-sight connection; you should be able to detect someone trying to intercept your data simply by looking around the room. Bluetooth offers built-in security that is quite robust compared to other wireless technologies. The most ambitious methods for cracking data encryption generally require a large sample of data to work with. Bluetooth reduces the potential for this by “pairing” devices. For example, once your Pocket PC is paired with your laptop, they don’t need to re-transmit certain key data that others would need in order to crack their shared encryption keys. Wi-Fi also provides an encryption scheme, called WEP (Wired Equivalent Privacy) protocol. Unfortunately, WEP is cumbersome to use because all devices on a Wi-Fi network must use the same WEP key. Since this key must be distributed to every device, it is rarely changed and is subject to discovery. A further problem with WEP is that it’s possible for someone monitoring the network to crack the of packets. Obviously, public Wi-Fi hotspots don’t enable WEP encryption, since it would block the public from access. However, these limitations should not discourage you from using WEP encryption on your home or ofcontrol who gets a copy of the WEP key and in a business network, it should be possible to change the key periodically when security becomes a concern (such as when an employee with access to the network key leaves.) Certainly a lock that can be defeated with some effort is much better than no lock at all! Also, Windows Mobile 2003 supports the more se- CARRIER/SPECTRUM Infrared 2.4 GHz 5 GHz 2.4 GHz 2.4 GHz CDMA Cellular CDMA Cellular GSM Cellular GSM Cellular GSM Cellular TYPICAL DISTANCE 0.5 - 10 ft 50 - 500 ft 20 -150 ft 50 -300 ft 30 -300 ft Miles Miles Miles Miles 200-500 Kbps Miles YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 WIRELESS OPTIONS FOR THE POCKET PC SPECIAL SECTION: WIRELESS corporate environments. Wireless WAN has some security features, but they should not be depended on for extremely sensitive data. Instead, users of wireless networks should use additional virtual private network (VPN) software to encrypt sensitive data. Encryption is also provided by the SSL (Secure Socket Layer) protocol used by some Web servers, such as e-commerce sites and online banking. Enterprise applications can also use this built-in security feature of Pocket Internet Explorer. Fig. 5: Wireless Web access is ideal for timely information such as this real-time traffic map of LA freeways, found at http://traffic.tann.net/cgi-bin/tann_la_map. Which wireless option is right for you? I use each type of wireless communication at different times. For example, I use Wi-Fi to connect my Pocket PC to my desktop PC also use it to connect to T-Mobile hotspots for downloading large amounts of data while on the road. If I’m not near a Starbucks, I use nia (Fig. 5), or to send and receive e-mail. If I meet someone with a Pocket PC or Palm OS device, I exchange contact information and other data using IrDA. Each technology has its place. Each offers compromises in cost, speed, availability, security, and ease of use. You need to consider how you intend to use your Pocket PC, and needs. In combination, the various wireless solutions can greatly increase the value of your Pocket PC. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 41 Software and Accessories Ask the Experts: Favorite Accessories From the Judges of the Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards 2005 Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine gives out awards each year for the best software. Our expert judges doen’t get to vote on hardware accessories, but they do have their favorites. We asked them to comment on them for this issue. For the sake of brevity, we’ve included only one comment per product and edited them for clarity and brevity—Rich Hall. CASES, CABLES, ADAPTERS, AND SCREEN PROTECTORS Piel Frama Case www.pielframa.com Piel Frama cases are well constructed, padded for protection, and reasonably priced. They have a removable belt clip and have pockets that can hold 2 SD cards and some business cards. It’s a competent accessory that’s more of a necessity to me. Gary Garland www.gelaw.info 2.5mm Plug to 3.5mm Socket Adaptor www.maplin.co.uk The 2.5mm Plug to 3.5mm Socket Adaptor is an essential product for anyone looking to use headphones with the common 3.5mm jack on a Windows Mobile device with a 2.5mm socket (available in mono and stereo versions). Marc Pell www.MSMobileNews.com case is padded and everything is well protected—and right there when I need it! Amy R Zunk www.gadgetme.com Sena Case www.senacases.com Sena pays attention to detail when making their stylish and well-built right where the reset button is located. I can do a soft reset withcase—very convenient! Clinton Fitch resembles a common cigarette lighter adapter. But it has a USB port on the other end, allowing you to use Boxwave’s DirectSync cable or miniSync retractable cable to charge your device in a car or airplane. Notice also the twopronged fold out plug that allows you to plug it into an AC wall socket to charge your device. If you want to travel light and keep your device charged wherever you go, the ingenious VersaCharger is a must-have! Rey Flores www.mobilegadgetnews.com Vaja Cases Rhinoskin hardcase www.vaja.com Most importantly, the Vaja Case protects my investment. But the sheer quality of the design and the leather make it stand out as a truly great buy. Jim Turner www.angelicthemes.co.uk VGA-out adapter for Axim X50v/X51v, from PC-Mobile. Belkin’s ClearScreen protectors are available for HP iPAQ Pocket PCs. Rhinoskin Aluminum Hardcase www.saunders-usa.com The Rhinoskin metallic case is extremely durable. It has two slots inside the cover to hold my SD cards and an additional clip if I ever want to attach it to my belt or handbag strap. It’s a must have for a klutz like me. Amy R Zunk www.gadgetme.com VGA Cable Adapter for Dell Axim X50v/X51v www.pc-mobile.net PC-Mobile’s VGA Cable Adapter and Dell’s Mirror utility allows display a movie or a PowerPoint presentation on a big screen. It mobile. Darius Wey www.pocketpcthoughts.com Belkin ClearScreen www.belkin.com Belkin’s ClearScreen screen protectors are a must have for iPAQ users. Without one of these, my touch screen would be completely scratched. Amy R Zunk www.gadgetme.com BJ Silicone Skins www.jpshk.com The BJ Silicone case is perfect for my O2 Executive, a Phone Edition device similar to the i-mate super light weight. It protects the phone from scratches, but does not add bulk! Dan Goh VersaCharger eliminates cables and adapters, and helps you keep your Windows Mobile device charged. Podzilla padded carrying case WriteSHIELD Screen Protectors (AG and C2) www.pocketpctechs.com WriteSHIELD is a non-adhesive, reusable, bubble-free, and easy to install screen protector. The AG version of the product improves the screen’s writing surface and makes it suitable for outdoor use. The C2 version is crystal clear, virtually eliminating the distortion of colors. Both versions of RoadWired Podzilla www.roadwired.com Podzilla lets me carry all of my mobile devices in one case when I’m on freelance assignments. The VersaCharger & Boxwave cables www.boxwave.com Lighten the weight of your gadget bag and reduce the number of cables and adapters you tote around everyday with Boxwave’s YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 42 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Ask the Experts: Favorite Accessories Software and Accessories WriteSHIELD are barely noticeable on a PDA, unlike cheap screen protectors, which are very noticeable. Darius Wey www.pocketpcthoughts.com It looks like a standard Type II CompactFlash card, but is actually a small rotating-disk hard drive. I use it to store and watch movies, listen to MP3s, and store all my third-party software. The 8 GB version shown here is also be released soon! (The product is currently listed on the Seagate site as the “CompactFlash Photo Hard Drive.”) Dan Goh the phone number of the incoming call. This allows you to leave your mobile phone stashed away in your pocket when you answer calls, shifting the two-device paradigm back to one device. Lutz Bendlin www.pocketgpsworld.com PERIPHERALS Arkon DM520 : Docking GPS Mount for Dell Axim kind—a Pocket PC car mount with an integrated GPS receiver and powered speaker. It’s a musthave if you want to use your PDA for in-car navigation. (Also available for iPAQs, i-mates, and other devices.) Joel Evans www.geek.com Spectec SDW-820 WLAN Card WIRELESS CONNECTIVITY Bluetooth Stereo Headset A number of Bluetooth stereo headsets are available. They have no wires to get caught on gym equipment, and nothing hanging down to trip you while you’re running—they’re just a plain and simple pleasure. Myron Swartz www.spectec.com.tw/ The SDW-820 adds Wi-Fi capability to your Windows Mobile device via the SDIO card slot. It works with Pocket PCs and Smartphones running the 2003 or later versions of the OS. This one is shorter than similar cards; almost the size of a regular SD storage card. However, the card achieves better performance than older, longer cards, and requires less power from the battery. This one is surely a winner. Helio Diamant www.pocketpcfreak.com offers excellent reception, it can sage Channel (TMC), which is available throughout Europe and is free of charge. With this feature jam again. Stephan Schmidt www.smartphone-web.com Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard Just Mobile Docking Station www.thinkoutside.com The Stowaway Bluetooth Keyboard turns a Pocket PC into a mini-desktop, allowing you to type out long e-mails. No matter how good you get with handwriting recognition, third party soft input panels, or thumb boards, a real keyboard just can’t be beat. It’s a must have for the touch typist. Ed Hansberry www.ehansberry.com Globalsat BT-338 GPS STORAGE www.globalsat.com.tw Based on the SiRF III chipset, this Bluetooth-enabled GPS receiver is small, light, and easy onds, and works well in vehicles with shielded windshields. It even works from inside the glove compartment, under the seats, or inside buildings. Great value! Helio Diamant www.pocketpcfreak.com Spetec’s Wi-Fi adapter card for MiniSD slots. Spectec SDW-822 MiniSD card www.spectec.com.tw/ Now that we’re starting to see Phone Edition devices and Smartphones with MiniSD card slots, it’s good that Spectec has introduced a MiniSD Wi-Fi adapter card. Like the previous Spectec card, it works with Pocket PCs and Smartphones running the 2003 or later versions of the OS and has the same performance and low power demand. Helio Diamant www.pocketpcfreak.com m This docking station not only powers your device, it lets you play music through high-quality speakers (astonishing bass and clear sound). Now I can rock to my own selection of music in any hotel room. (Works with select Windows Mobile devices; check compatibility before purchasing.) Stephan Schmidt www.smartphone-web.com SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC magazine’s 4 FREE weekly E-mail newsletters www.PocketPCmag.com Seagate offers 4 and 8GB micro drives in the CompactFlash format. Jabra BT800: a Bluetooth headset for your phone-enabled Windows Mobile device. OTHER Seagate ST1 4 GB CFII HDD www.seagate.com - Jabra BT800 GNS 5843 20 channel Bluetooth GPS receiver www.gns-gmbh.com/en/ GPS receiver based on the new 20 channel SiRF III chip. It not only SUBSCRIBE TO: • News • Web happenings www.jabra.com The BT800 is a noise canceling Bluetooth headset that displays • Games • New products 43 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Software and Accessories Charger Challenge Can Gomadic’s Sync ‘n Charge system totally replace the cables, cradles, power adapters, and car chargers for all my different devices? by Shari K. Griffin I n the past, my daily commute to work was a hassle. Each day I carried my Pocket PC and several other gadgets with me, along with cables for each one so I could connect them to my work computer for syncing and/or charging during the day. At the end of the day I’d bring them back with me so that I could connect to my home PC in the evenings. In addition, I had cigarette lighter power adapters in my car—one for each gadget I carried with me. As you can imagine, I was frustrated with the clutter of the power adapters and the tangle of cables. I needed a simpler solution. I’ve been aware of Gomadic cables for some time and reviewed www. ). With the release of Gomadic’s new TipExchange technology, I hoped that my cable conundrum had been solved. I decided to do a “cable challenge.” I’d replace all my cables and power adapters with the Gomadic system and moment’s notice, for two weeks. emergency backup battery charger which allows you to charge your device with four AA Gomadic’s adapter tips (lower left) let you connect the batteries when no retractable cable and other power adapters to your Pocket other power source PC or Smartphone. is available. The backup battery charger has a permanently attached cable that connects to the handheld device with the help of an adapter tip. Gomadic also sent me three adapter tips, which allowed me to connect the various Don’t loose or forget the adapter tips! Wide variety of cables and power adapters Gomadic offers a wide variety of cables, power adapters, car mounts, and other accessories for Windows Mobile, Palm OS, and iPod handhelds. As mentioned, I was particularly interested in their interchangeable cable system, which allows you to use a single cable to connect a variety of handheld devices to different power sources. The USB end of the cable connects to a universal AC wall charger or a universal cigarette lighter power adapter for your car. The other end of the connects to your handheld device with the help of a small adapter tip. A wide variety of these adapter tips is available, allowing you to use the system with just about any Windows Mobile device as well as other handhelds. For my “charger challenge” Gomadic was kind enough to send One of the strengths of this system can also turn into a disadvantage. The adapter tip allows you to use one cable for a variety of power sources. But if you misplace the tip, you can’t connect to any of them. I had a tendency to leave the adapter tip for each gadget wherever I last used it. A few times when I arrived at work I later found that the tip for my Pocket PC was still sitting on the dining room table where I had last charged it. Luckily I solved my connector abandonment issues by carrying all of the Gomadic parts in a small zipper case originally designed for storing SD cards. I keep the case with my Pocket PC at all times, ensuring that I always have the proper adapter tip with me. Another possible drawback to the Gomadic Compact Power Kit is that you can only charge one device at a time. Gomadic does carry other Power Kits that offer separate charge cables for wall and car charging. But when you’re dealing with a single power source like your car’s cigarette lighter, no dual-charging solution is available. Finally, the other big advantage of Gomadic’s TipExchange technology is that it does away with the need to purchase new power adapters every time you get a new handheld. All you have to do is buy a new adapter tip to use the Gomadic power chargers. Fewer cables, less hassle YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 44 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 which consisted of a retractable USB sync/ charge retractable cable, a USB universal travel charger, and a universal USB car charger. They also sent me an ing colors. I was able to go two weeks without any problems. I even took a trip over a holiday weekend, and the Gomadic cable system worked wonderfully, without weighing down or crowding my carry-on with you, consider simplifying your life with a visit to Gomadic’s Web site (www.gomadic.com). Shari K. Griffin is a Senior .NET Architect and Pocket PC enthusiast living in Phoenix, AZ. She has been a consultant in the IT industry for over nine years and has experience in a variety of industries. She enjoys hiking, reading eBooks, blogging (www.tekchic.com) and MMORPG gaming. You can contact Shari at tekchic@tekchic.com. Software and Accessories Accessories Every Gamer Needs! by Allen Gall A s a gamer, I’ve come across a few accessories that make my gaming sessions a lot more enjoyable. If you play a lot of games on your Pocket PC, you owe it to yourself to take a look at these enhancements for your device. They’ll help make your games more enjoyable. ScreenGuardz offers screen protector packplus shipping—the best price I’ve seen. You can mobile device out there, including phones, media players, and even full-size monitors. If you need a custom size, they’ll make one based on measurements you provide at no extra charge. Storage cards As the old maxim goes, you can never have enough storage space. The default memory on most Pocket PCs gets gobbled up pretty quickly once you start putting games, audio all of us, storage cards are getting cheaper by the month, so there’s no reason to go without space. Whether your device takes CompactFlash, Secure Digital, or the newer miniSD card, many options are available. For most byte storage card for games, music, and even a couple movies. The Transcend 80X Secure Digital Card Kingston’s inexpensive 1 GB Compact Flash memory card provides a lot of space in the reliable CF format. The cards describe here can be used in devices with a Compact Flash slot. Kingston CF cards can be purchased from a variety of online retail CompactFlash Card is around $80. For those with miniSD slots on their devices, SanDisk makes several cards in that format SanDisk miniSD cards come with an adapter that lets you use the card in a full SD card slot. Screenguardz protectors offer vital screen protection for your device at a good price. For more information or to purchase the protectors, visit the Screenguardz Web site (www.screenguardz.com/pocketpc). You can also make your own protectors usstore or a vinyl tablecloth, but you’ll have to create your own template based on the size of your screen. (Editor’s Note: Plus, they may not look or work quite as well as screen protectors performance for about the same price as stanrefers to how many times faster the card runs per second. On games requiring a lot of data transfer (those with large maps, large movies make a difference. Digital Card, please visit the Transcend Web site (www.transcendusa.com). The Transcend card can be used in devices with a Secure Digi$58.50 on the Transcend Web site but can be found for less than $50 on price comparison sites like PriceGrabber.com, Shopping.com, and PriceWatch.com. Kingston Technologies, a well-known player in the data storage industry, offers inexpensive Compact Flash Type I cards with caaddition, Kingston offers more expensive, highFor more information on the Kingston ComWeb site (www.kingston.com). Kingston storage cards come with a full lifetime warranty. SanDisk’s miniSD storage card. miniSD card, please visit the vendor’s Web site (www.sandisk.com). SanDisk miniSD cards can be used with any device featuring Stereo headphones Web site and for slightly less from a variety of online retail outlets. Screen protectors Since games require a lot more stylus tapping and dragging compared to other applications, screen protection is essential for gamers. Most Pocket PC manufacturers offer optional screen protectors for their devices. In addition, aftermarket vendors offer many different screen protector products at a variety of price points. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 The built-in mono speaker on most Pocket PCs doesn’t do a good job of reproducing audio. To listen to stereo sound and the subtle details of music or movies, you really should have a decent pair of headphones—it makes a big difference. Even games sound better with a pair of headphones, since you’ll hear audio cues and sound effects that are easy to miss otherwise. The Sony MDR-Q66LW headphones provide decent sound in a thoughtful package for mobile users. These lightweight (2 oz.) headphones clip over the ear but offer superior sound quality and comfort over the less expensive ear bud units that come with many portable devices. Other features include a retractable, anti-tangle cord for easy storage. If you’re looking for an inexpensive and portable set of headphones that still provide decent sound, the SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 45 Software and Accessories Accessories Every Gamer Needs! The Sony MDR-Q66LW headphones are a good compromise between sound quality, portability, and cost. the Sony Style Web site (www.sonystyle.com) and search chased through Sony or from a variety of retail and online outlets. Boostaroo Revolution volume enhancer The Boostaroo Revolution can be very helpful if you want to use a high-end pair of headphones with a portable audio device. Highend headphones typically have high impedance (a type of electrical properly. Powered by two AAAA batteries and using a sophisticated microprocessor, the Boostaroo Revolution doubles the volume of your Pocket PC. Made of smooth plastic with a power LED and a loop for attaching a strap, the unit is stylish and looks great. The Boostaroo Revolution’s amThe Boostaroo Revolution improves enhancement when playing games, the quality of high-end headphones used with your Pocket PC. watching movies, or listening to audevice’s 3D audio processing (which can’t be disabled), the Boostaroo Revolution is still a good value. Since the unit connects through the headphone jack, it can be used on all your other mobile devices as well. For those with regular headphones, the standard Boostaroo model is a good bet. For more information on the Boostaroo Revolution and Boostaroo www.boostaroo.com). - How Can We HELP You? We offer discounts on quantity purchases of new and used handhelds. Email Wayne@usedhandhelds.com or call 800-373-6114. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 46 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Software and Accessories GAMES ROUNDUP short reviews from Games Editor Allen Gall Variety T his issue’s roundup has something for everyone. If you like pure shooting, you have Assaultaire, My Little Tank, and . For something off the wall, there’s the offbeat horror game A Bloody Mess. Those of you interested in more cerebral games should check out Combo Tower 3D and BrickGenius, two interesting new puzzle games. also receive bonus points during the game to add to your attributes. Assaultaire’s blend of action and tactics make it a winner. For more information on this game, visit the Clickgamer Web site (www.clickgamer. com). Assaultaire supports Pocket PC 2002 and newer devices. A demo is available, and My Little Tank is purely a shooting game, but it’s a high quality game all the way around. For more information on this game, visit the Astraware Web site (www.astraware.com). My Little Tank supports all Pocket PCs and Smartphones. A demo is available, and the full Bouncin’ looks like another breakout game, but unique controls and clever board design make it unique and interesting. Bouncin’ is a cross between breakout and air hockey. Instead of just moving your paddle to the left and right, you can also move it up and down for more control. You can select from throwback to the original Breakout, but it’s the unique Keys and Microgolf boards that really make the game shine. Keys and Keys II have elements of pinball and require you to shoot “key” balls to unlock chutes and hit switches. Microgolf requires you to bounce the ball in the hole and even has sand traps. I was pleasantly surprised at how original it was and how well it plays. Good work on this one! For more information, visit the Digital Smithy Web site (www.digitalsmithy.com). Bouncin’ supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be pur- Bouncin’ (B+) Assaultaire is a sophisticated shooting game involving tactics. Assaultaire is a top-down scrolling shooter where you take out enemy targets with your tank. Assaultaire is the same type of game as My Little Tank (also reviewed in this issue), but it’s much more sophisticated. Missions are varied, with some requiring you to destroy everything that moves, and others requiring you tank has several attributes (such as the speed and strength of your tank, and the power of your weapons) which can be adjusted depending on the mission. For example, missions re- Assaultaire (A-) Moonfighter blends great action with challenging controls. is a Lunar Lander clone where you carefully maneuver your rocket ship through caves by using your thrusters. The concept is similar to Rocket Elite, one of the most well-known Pocket PC games. Moonplay gimmicks of Rocket Elite, but its focus on navigating tricky passageways and taking out enemies makes it a good shooting game. For more information on this game, visit the Astraware Web site (www.astraware.com). Moonfighter (B+) Where to Get These Games • Handango (www.handango.com) • PocketGear (www.pocketgear.com) • Clickgamer (www.clickgamer.com) Unless otherwise noted, games mentioned in this column are available at the following Web sites: Many games are also available at the developer’s Web site (check the end of each review for developer information, supported devices, and prices). My Little Tank is a cute little overhead shooting game with excellent graphics and animation (especially in VGA mode). MLT’s game play is very simple and focuses on shooting everything in sight. The enemies are pretty dumb and not overly aggressive, but the game is still fun and satisfying. If you want a similar game with a little more sophistication, check out Assaultaire. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support My Little Tank (B+) Allen Gall is from the Central Illinois area. His main interests in PDAs include gaming (of course) and e-books. Allen is always interested in reviewing and testing new games and hardware for the Pocket PC platform. You can reach him at allen@PocketPCmag.com. 47 Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Software and Accessories Games Roundup EA acquires JAMDAT EA, the game publishing giant, has purchased JAMDAT Mobile, Inc., for a surprisingly twelve months following the completion of the acquisition, including popular titles like Tetris, Bejeweled, JAMDAT Bowling, Need For Speed, Madden NFL Football and FIFA Soccer. ‘This is an important strategic acquisition for Electronic Arts,’” said EA Chairman position in the rapidly growing business of providing games on mobile phones. We look forward to the JAMDAT team joining EA.’ A few years back, JAMDAD purchased a small company called Hexacto. At the time, which included the popular “Addict” series of sports games as well as several other titles. After the buyout, JAMDAT continued to market the games, but Hexacto fell silent, except for the release of a lackluster crossword puzzle game. Since EA hasn’t shown much interest in Pocket PCs, I’m guessing that the focus will remain on the larger and vastly more a workable version of Need for Speed on the Pocket PC? If you’ve been thinking about snatching up any of the old Hexacto games lately, now is probably the time. With new owners, those games may become unavailable in the next few months. newer devices. A demo is available, and the BrickGenius is a great brain teaser. ers, but this one just doesn’t grab me. For more information on this game, visit the Ballshooter Web site (www.ballshooter. com). Brick Genius supports Pocket PC 2000 and newer devices. A demo is available, and Other New Games Sabot is based on the old game of Paratrooper: take out enemies with your cannon as they fall from the sky. Sabot is based on the old arcade game Paratrooper. mies with your cannon as they fall from above. A Bloody Mess is a must for horror fans. Combo Tower 3D has you slide and match colored tiles from a large, rotating 3-dimensional column. Combo Tower challenges you to make matches of threes in a spinning 3D tower. It sounds like fun, but the matches come easily and it’s not much of a challenge. For more information on this game, visit the Pocket Napalm Web site (www.pocketnapalm. com). Combo Tower 3D supports Pocket PC 2002 and newer devices. A demo is available. but hearing the plummeting death screams as you blow holes in the chutes may become a guilty pleasure. For more information on this game, visit www.bellennium. com). Sabot supports Pocket PC 2002 and newer devices. A demo is available, and the Sabot (B) A cheesy game with a cheesy back story, A Bloody Mess has you defend your middleclass home against hordes of zombies. ABM is a straightforward vertical scroller where you take out enemies with your gun as they approach from the top of the screen. Powerups help avoid repetition, and the zombies are varied, approaching in random order and at different speeds. The graphics are simplistic and the lack of gore may leave some unsatisFor more information on this game, visit the Geeks of Chaos Web site (www.geeksof chaos.com/gamesite). A Bloody Mess supports Pocket PC 2002 and newer devices. A demo is available, and the full version can be pur- A Bloody Mess (B+) Combo Tower 3D (A-) Based on an old Incan game, Tomatl has you color or shape. Absence of sound and so-so graphics contribute to the mediocre game play, but this title’s a freebie and will probably make somebody’s day. For more information on this game, visit the Tomatl Web site (www.kyuran.be/world/). Tomatl supports Pocket PC 2002 and newer devices. Tomatl is a free download. Tomatl (B) From the same people who gave us BrickSlider, BrickGenius is a level-based game where you need to slide tiles into certain spots on the screen. Lots of tricky arrangements and gimmicks will appeal to those who like brainteasYYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support BrickGenius (B+) 48 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Software and Accessories SOTI Pocket Controller Control your Pocket PC or Smartphone from a desktop PC by Clinton Fitch L ike the majority of Windows Mobile users, I spend most of the workday sitting at a desk with my Pocket PC docked and synchronized with my PC. I regularly look up information on my Windows Mobile device (and occasionally relax with a game www.pdamill.com). Howfull-sized keyboard and my Pocket PC’s tiny little stylus to be a bit awkward. The obvious truth is that it’s much easier to use the computer’s keyboard and mouse! device. For example, the System Info screen processor used by your device, as well as display specs, available memory, and battery charge information. Pocket Controller’s Task Manager shows you what processes are running on your Windows Mobile device. Similar to the Task Manager on Windows PCs, this tool shows the processes running on your device and the application using it, and gives you the option to close the process. This function is helpful when your Pocket PC is misbehaving or running slow, allowing you to shut down processes one at a time to determine which one is causing the problems. Control your Pocket PC with your PC’s keyboard and mouse The solution to my problem is Pocket Controller Professional, from SOTI (www.soti. net). Pocket Controller is a “host-client” application that installs on both your PC and Windows Mobile device. Once installed and activated, you can open applications and control your Pocket PC using the PC’s keyboard and mouse, and view the Pocket PC’s screen from a window on your PC’s display. You can hardware buttons, and can create scripts to automate tasks on your handheld. Pocket Controller also allows you to capture screenshots of your Pocket PC’s display and frame them in skins resembling your device, as well as create video recordings Pocket Controller’s desktop PC component occupies approximately 7 MB of hard disk space, while the Windows Mobile software is designed to work on Pocket PC 2002 as well as Windows Mobile 2003, 2003SE and 5.0 devices, including Smartphones. The Windows Mobile software installs into the device’s main memory and is started automatically after a soft-reset of the device. The program requires that ActiveSync be running in order to function properly. Once installed and started, Pocket Controller displays the Windows Mobile device screen on your PC’s monitor, along with the various menus of the application itself (Figs. are available via icons above the device screen, and all can be accessed by the various pulldown menus on the menu bar. With the Windows Mobile device displayed, it’s no longer necessary to tap on the Pocket PC’s physical screen. You can use your desktop PC’s mouse Fig. 1 (above): Pocket Controller’s main display as it appears on your PC’s desktop. Fig. 2 (right): A larger view of the main display. to click on the Start menu and other items on the Pocket PC screen, and the functionality is near-identical. For example, normally you would tap and hold on a word with your stylus to access the pop-up Edit menu. In Pocket Controller, you use the mouse to place the cursor on the word, and then hold the right mouse button down to access the Edit menu. Notice also the Application Buttons toolbar located at the top of the Pocket Controller window immediately above the image of the Pocket PC’s screen (Fig. 3). These duplicate the hardware buttons on your Pocket PC—click on one with your mouse to start the program or activate the function associated with the button. Fig. 4: The System Information screen displays memory usage, battery charge, and other information about your Pocket PC or Smartphone. SOTI also includes a Remote DOS Box, which is accessed from the Tools menu. This activates a DOS emulator that provides you with a CLI (Command Line Interface) for your Windows Mobile device. This emulator accepts a wide range of DOS commands. For example, you can type “dir” and hit Enter on your keyboard, and the CLI screen will display also access your desktop drives via the emulator, not just the Windows Mobile device. A complete list of the commands supported by the application. Perhaps more practical than the DOS emulator is the screen capture function, which allows you to capture an image of the Win49 Fig. 3: Click on the buttons in Pocket Controller’s Application Buttons toolbar to launch Pocket PC applications. In this image, the toolbar is located immediately above the Pocket PC display. You also have the option of “skinning” the application so that the Pocket Controller window on your PC looks like your model of Pocket PC or Smartphone. You change the skin from the Skin Manger, which is accessed from Controller’s Tools menu. Once the skin is selected and applied, the display changes to reIn addition to its remote control capabilities, Pocket Controller provides you with speYYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Software and Accessories SOTI Pocket Controller dows Mobile screen that is being displayed by Pocket Controller. This function is accessed from the File menu. The Save Screen To Disk option lets you specify the format in which you save the capture (BMP, JPG or GIF) as well as the location where the automatically enters a name for the captured screen shots (capwith Media Player Mobile. Pocket Controller also incorporates a function that allows you to record a macro that automatically performs a multi-step task, such as document in it. Once created, you can run the macro anytime by selecting the macro play button on the menu bar. Well behaved and intuitive, with great Help files Fig. 5: The Screen Capture feature of Pocket Controller To activate this feature select the Video option from the Tools menu, and then click on Record. This opens the Recording Information screen, which allows you to name the video Pocket Controller is a well behaved and intuitive application, supported by some of the best Screen To Disk dialog box before you save them. Alternately, you can use the Save Screen To Clipboard option to copy the image and then paste it into an open graphics program on your PC. Finally, note that when a skin is being displayed, the screen capture includes the skin as well as the display of the Windows Mobile device. Pocket Controller also includes a Video mode which allows you to create videos of actions performed on your Windows Mobile device. This feature is commonly used to create demonstrations of the use of programs on the Pocket PC or Smartphone, which can be excellent teaching tools for those new to Windows Mobile, especially in the corporate environment. and function of Pocket Controller is covered in not only useful, but somewhat of a novelty toyou spend most of the day in front of a desktop or laptop PC and want to minimize your use of the stylus. Beyond this, its ability to capture screens and videos make it an excellent choice ing videos. To get more information, to purchase the program, or to download a free trial version, visit the SOTI Web site (www.soti.net). click on OK and the Video Compression dialog box pops up. This allows you to select a video compression codec from those installed on your PC. Unless you are familiar with the characteristics of the different codices, leave this set to Full Frames (Uncompressed). The which can be viewed using the desktop PC version of Windows Media Player, but not YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support New Software and Accessories The products listed here include hardware, software, publications, events, and services for devices using the Windows Mobile operating system. They are part of our comprehensive Encyclopedia of Software and Accessories at www. PocketPCmag.com/encyclopedia.asp. We list suggested retail prices, but they may change without notice. These listings do not represent an endorsement by the editors. Many of the software products are available for online downloading. For live links to the Web sites mentioned in this section, visit our Web site at www.PocketPCmag.com and click on the “current issue” button. Information about the various Pocket PCs themselves can be found in our “At A Glance” section. Vendors: If you have a product to announce, enter it directly into our Encyclopedia www.PocketPCmag.com/encyclopedia. asp, or send an e-mail message to Diane Dumas at diane@PocketPCmag.com. You can also read “How to Get Information Published in Smartphone & Pocket PC” www.PocketPCmag.com/publish.asp. l = Pocket PC n = Handheld PC = Smartphone u = Desktop PC Go To . . . www.PocketPCmag.com Encyclopedia of Software & Accessories for live links and downloads of products mentioned in this section! HARDWARE PERIPHERALS GPS DEVICES STORAGE EXTERNAL STORAGE DEVICES $15.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com BOARD GAMES Four In A Line Professional The perfect game for those who look for a quick five-minute pleasure fix on the run; line up 4 pieces in a row. $7.99 ZingMagic Limited www.zingmagic.com i-mate Backgammon Multiplayer Based on Western backgammon rules, the game also includes a doubling cube to up the ante; or, just play for fun. $14.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Checkers Multiplayer A straight checkers game that also supports online play. $19.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Dominoes Multiplayer A Double 6 and Double 9 dominoes game; includes online play. $19.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com Multiplayer Championship Backgammon Backgammon with stunning graphics, powerful AI opponents, multiplayer gaming over the Internet, more. $14.95 Real Dice; www.realdice.com Yacht A classic poker dice game. $5.99 ZingMagic Limited www.zingmagic.com SYNCHRONIZATION Add2Outlook for Tasks A client-based, Outlook private (mailbox) and/or public (shared/group) task synchronizer for Exchange users. $Free Advantage International, Inc. www.diditbetter.com Hearts Hearts is a game where skilled players triumph over their less skillful opponents due to its depth of strategy. $7.99 ZingMagic Limited www.zingmagic.com Spades Allows you to develop and test your Spades skills by bringing it to your mobile device. $7.99 ZingMagic Limited www.zingmagic.com DEVELOPERS Globalsat BT-338 Bluetooth GPS Receiver l n u Bluetooth GPS receiver with the SiRF III chipset for high ensitivity. $149.99/sample price Globalsat Techology Corp www.globalsat.com.tw Store-It Hi-Speed USB Portable Hard Drives A portable, pocket-sized hard drive with integrated EZ-Touch One Button Backup! $99.99 - $269.99 Pexagon Technology www.pexagontech.com .NET POSITIONING LIBRARIES AND CONTROLS TomTom In The Hand A .NET Compact Framework wrapper around the Tom Tom Navigator SDK v5.21 $95 In The Hand; www.inthehand.com CASINO GAMES i-mate Blackjack Multiplayer Blackjack; play offline on device or online with other players against the i-bet casino! $19.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Sea Dog A continuation of the series of i-bet casino games; also includes online play. $14.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Texas Hold’em Poker Multiplayer The ultimate Texas Hold’em Poker experience; supports online play. $19.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com SERVICE WHERE TO BUY WINDOWS CE HARDWARE Poi2Go.com Web Provides GPS navigation software users dynamic, newest, convenient, flexible, and personalized POIs. $0 poi2go.com; www.poi2go.com TDS M3 Rugged Pocket PC built to survive life in the real world. $816.32 Robotic Control & Automation www.rcauk.com DEVELOPER DATABASE ITTIA DB - FUEL A flexible, ultra-fast, efficient, lightweight database management sytem for mobile devices and embedded systems. $varies ITTIA; www.ittia.com GV-201 All-In-One Car Navigator A complete navigation and entertainment system in a single package. $450/each for a sample price Globalsat Techology Corp www.globalsat.com.tw GAMES ACTION GAMES Cowgirl Game where you control a cowgirl as she uses her lasso to catch different prizes including cows, horses, cash bags, etc. $9.95 Intorine; www.intorine.com Meteor Breakout Space-themed breakout-style game. $14.95 Mobile Stream www.mobile-stream.com Tire Tossin A game that’s set in the backwoods, involving speed, strength and timing. $4.99 The-Web-Lab.com; the-web-lab.com CHESS GAMES Chinese Chess Professional Critically-acclaimed Chinese Chess application, renowned for its superb playability for players of all levels. $9.99 ZingMagic Limited www.zingmagic.com Rampart Chess for Smartphone Beautifully-rendered chess pieces, a powerful chess engine with 10 levels of play, two-player mode, and editable boards. $9.95 Rampart Games www.rampartgames.com SOFTWARE COMMUNICATION PHONE AND FAX SD-502 SDIO GPS Receiver with 512MB memory SDIO GPS reciever with 512 MB memory and high-performance SiRF Star III GPS chipset. $178 Globalsat Techology Corp www.globalsat.com.tw Call SMS Blocker Application to create blacklist/whitelist to block incoming calls and SMS. $10.95 Winmobileapps www.winmobileapps.com CARD GAMES Aces Omaha No Limit Think of it as Texas Hold’em poker on STEROIDS! $14.99 Concrete Software, Inc. www.concretesoftware.com Euchre A plain-trick game for four players in fixed partnershipsl partners sitting VITO QuickContact WM 5.0 opposite. Enables one-hand control, using only $7.99 the joystick or arrow buttons of your ZingMagic Limited Pocket PC, to work with Contacts. www.zingmagic.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 51 Software and Accessories New Products l = Pocket PC n = Handheld PC = Smartphone u = Desktop PC Sudoku Master A BILLION+ unique puzzles, stunning graphics, elegant interface, more. HanDBase Plus for Window Mobile Smartphone Feature-rich database application. Skookum Subscriber A multimedia content aggregator for Windows Mobile 5 devices. ter gadget that can save the detailed statistics for every trip, and more. $29.99 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com VITO AudioNotes Records your notes into MP3 or WAV formats. ProTrader client for PocketPC Brings a trading terminal onto your Pocket PC. analyser for your PC and Pocket PC. $44.95 4Pockets.com; www.4pockets.com VITO AudioNotes Records your notes into MP3 or WAV, features recording presets, VAS, and microphone auto gain control. $19.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com VITO Voice2Go Voice control of your Pocket PC; no more tapping on the screen with a stylus. $29.95 VITO Technology www.vitotechnology.com PUZZLE GAMES Chuzzle A fun, colorful game with four funfilled modes of play. $19.95 Astraware Limited www.astraware.com i-mate Cosmo Interactive A puzzle game where the user clear all balls as fast as possible. $19.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Filler Multiplayer A puzzle game where players conquer same-colored cells; online play. $14.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate JAM-JAMMY A game where the player tries to find hidden pearls. $14.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Lines Interactive A puzzle game where like-colored balls are aligned to score points; includes online play. $14.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Number Place Sudoku puzzle game; includes online play. $14.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com Mellow Yellow Color and paint for relaxation using a black and white image of your choice as a guide. $6.95 Lygue; www.lygue.mellowyellow.com Sudoku Master It has over a BILLION unique puzzles, the strongest Sudoku solver, stunning graphics, elegant interface, more. $14.95 Real Dice; www.realdice.com Sudoku Sensei Sudoku Sensei for the Smartphone provides for generating and playing Sudoku puzzles. $9.95 Sapphire Software Inc www.SapphireOnline.com SOLITAIRE GAMES Magic Solitaires Collection This collection contains more than 20 of most popular solitaire games including Klondike, Free Cell, and Four Seasons. $12.95 SMK Software; www.smksoftware.ru PIMS Project-ing Innovative project management solution organizes your Pocket Outlook data plus files, programs, and hyperlinks. $12.95 Birdsoft; www.birdsoft.net INFORMATION MANAGERS DATABASE HanDBase Enterprise for Windows Mobile Smartphones A feature-rich, award-winning database application. $99.99 DDH Software, Inc. www.ddhsoftware.com HanDBase Plus for Window Mobile Smartphone A feature-rich, award-winning database application. $29.99 DDH Software, Inc. www.ddhsoftware.com HanDBase Professional for Windows Mobile Smartphone A feature-rich, award-winning database application. $39.99 DDH Software, Inc. www.ddhsoftware.com SPORTS GAMES i-mate 3D Bowling A 10 pin 3D bowling game with customizable lanes and balls! $19.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com i-mate Pool Multiplayer An 8-ball and 9-ball pool game; includes online play. $19.95 Club i-mate FZ LLC www.clubimate.com Pocket Mini Golf 2 - Future City Expansion pack containing 21 new levels with a futuristic theme. $8.95 Momentum Games www.momentumgames.com PocketPigskin A mobile database application for college football scores and NCAA statistics! $8.49 PocketPigskin.biz www.pocketpigskin.biz INTERNET BROWSERS AND WEB UTILITIES Webby Mobile A powerful desktop-style browsing experience on the Pocket PC platform. $Free AnOriginalIdea.com www.anoriginalidea.com NEWS READERS RSSToGo An intuitive, easy-to-use RSS feed reader for your PocketPC. $5.99 Go Mobile Solutions www.gomobilesolutions.com Skookum Subscriber A multimedia content aggregator built specifically for handheld devices that run on the Windows Mobile OS. $Free Skookum, Inc. www.skookummobile.com MUSIC COMPOSITION Audio Box Micro Composer An all in one virtual recording studio and sound creation tool for your Pocket PC. $44.95 4Pockets.com; www.4pockets.com VIDEO DVD to Pocket PC Ripper Powerful, easy-to-use DVD ripping software which lets you rip and convert DVDs to Pocket PC formats. $29.00 Musthavesoft www.musthavesoft.com HEALTH AND FITNESS Cholesterol Tracker Saves cholesterol, LDL, HDL, Triglycerides, date of measurement, and comments. $19.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com Gym Journal Simplifies daily workout data logging. $9.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com Headache Diary Can help you and your doctor eliminate or control migraine and its many complications. $19.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com MyHealthRegistry Track all your health and medical records (and of your family or patients too)! $19.95 VidaOne, Inc. www.mysporttraining.com MISCELLANEOUS SOFTWARE OTHER Bill Log Expert + Desktop Edition This cool utility manages your bills and due dates; includes Desktop Companion. $8.99 DreameeSoft; www.dreameesoft.com VGA XL 32 Pixel 3D Icons Main Set Extra Large, Extra Detailed Icons, especially for your VGA device. $9.95 Chameleon Company www.chameleonco.com PROFESSIONAL CAD First Diagramming A Windows Mobile application for creating and viewing associative diagrams. $29.95 Matter and Motion, Inc. www.matterandmotion.com mTimeLog Three-in-one program for Pocket PC that allows you to manage your time, mileage and expenses. $29.95 Danso Interactive Solutions www.danso.com ProTrader client for PocketPC Brings a trading terminal comparable to those on regular PCs onto your Pocket PC. $Unk PFSoft; www.pfsoft.com STRATEGY GAMES Great Gold Rush Game where you collect gold and treasure; multi-player via Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and networks. $14.95 4Pockets.com; www.4pockets.com TRIVIA GAMES Smarty Pants Trivia Take on Smarty Pants Trivia for a REAL challenge. $6.95 Rampart Games www.rampartgames.com GPS GPS UTILITIES MULTIMEDIA AUDIO Pocket RTA Professional A highly portable real-time spectrum VITO ActiveTrace Turns your PDA into the universe counYYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 52 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 l = Pocket PC n = Handheld PC = Smartphone u = Desktop PC New Products Software and Accessories Talking English-Greek Dictionary Phrasebook for Pocket PC English/Greek phrasebook. CalliGrapher 8.2 New version of popular handwriting recognition software. MapKing The only Pocket PC GPS navigator in Asia that provide multi-lingual map for major cities in the Pan Asia region. $15-68 MapAsia.com; www.MapKing.com Syswatch Today-screen plugin gives you important system info instantly. Spb Backup Ultimate Pocket PC backup solution; includes full and custom backups. Spb Software House www.spbsoftwarehouse.com Sprite Backup 5.0 Device management and data security app; includes ability to trigger a local/remote wipe of a WM 5 device (with MSFP). $29.95 Sprite Software Ltd www.spritesoftware.com SALES AND MARKETING bMobile Sales Create invoices, estimates, and sales orders, and capture signatures. $299 bMobile Technology www.bmobiletech.com SCREEN DISPLAY Syswatch A very useful plugin for your Todayscreen, which gives you important system info instantly. $Free ALL-locations; www.all-locations.com TRANSLATORS Talking English-Greek Dictionary Phrasebook for Pocket PC English/Greek phrasebook; easier to use than a dictionary; optimized for travelers and talks in perfect Greek! Also available in English to Greek, Hebrew, Italian, Russian, and Spanish versions. $19.95 Beiks LLC.; www.beiks.com TEXT AND REFERENCE EDUCATIONAL Feng Shui Plan your home, improve your relationships, and achieve career success with this easy-to-follow Feng Shui guide. $19.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com Feng Shui Guide for Smartphone $19.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com Human Anatomy and Physiology A quick-study guide, also known as a “cheat sheet”, for anatomy and physiology students. $34.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com Human Anatomy and Physiology (SmartPhone) A quick-study guide, also known as a “cheat sheet”, for anatomy and physiology students. $34.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com The Art of Love Illustrated material from foreplay and anatomy to over sixty sex positions. $19.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com The Art of Love (Smartphone) $19.99 SoundTells; www.soundtells.com SYSTEM AND REGISTRY ALL-regedit 2.0 Gives your PDA similar functionality and is as intuitive as the Windows registry editor on your PC. $4.95 ALL-locations; www.all-locations.com Spb Backup Ultimate Pocket PC backup solution; includes full and custom backups. $19.95 TODAY-SCREEN PLUG-IN Phone Profiles 1.2.0.305 Application to set your phone settings in a easy and yet fast way. $Free Winmobileapps www.winmobileapps.com UTILITIES CALCULATOR ALL-calculator 1.1 Lite A free calculator for your Smartphone! $Free ALL-location; www.all-locations.com CalliGrapher 8.2 New version of popular handwriting recognition software for Windows Mobile-based devices. $39.95 PhatWare Corporation www.phatware.com Osymo Calc General and unlimited number of specialized calculators in one. $12 Osymo Software; www.osymo.com Prosurv Pocket Quads Professional Grade Topographic Map Software Non-proprietary, use any .tif image...VGA Version Available Uses full size Scan & Geo-reference your own images Auto-loads your maps Use For Search & Rescue Geology Archaeology Geocaching Hiking Off-Roading Hunting Surveying Real-Estate GIS MISCELLANEOUS UTILITIES Vsbenchmark 2006 Tests the graphic device performance with enhanced graphics for gaming and graphic application. $Free Virtual Spaghetti www.virtualspaghetti.com TRAVEL GUIDES City Fan Singapore for Pocket PC Full of information on Singapore’s notto-be-missed sights, best eateries, hip nightlife and trendy shops. $6 FanMedia Pte Ltd www.fanmediaguides.com Pocket WorldCon Convert Latitude/Longitude Convert State Plane & UTM Only Coordinate Conversion Program for the Pocket PC with NADCON capability! Also Converts Files Surveyors & Scientists Ask about Prosurv cEZ.NET Data Collection NOTES PhatPad 3.0 An advanced handwritten notes creator/organizer for Pocket PCs. $29.95 PhatWare Corporation www.phatware.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 53 Enterprise Solutions Editor’s Note Duncan H. Brown Editor Smartphone & Pocket PC Enterprise Solutions Applications Podcasts have made their way into a college IT course. Students at one college not only listen to them—they create them. by Mark Frydenberg Reviews The new 700w offers Windows Mobile for healthcare professionals who were previously using Palm OS devices. by Dr. Ed Zabrek O ne of the most important elements of the Windows Mobile environment for enterprises and businesses is integrated wireless. Standalone devices offer some functionality for individual users. But when devices are connected to a central server and with each other, a whole new menu of possibilities opens up. There’s a range of wireless technologies used in the enterprise today. Some companies depend on Wi-Fi hotspots and WiFi equipped devices. Others rely on cell phones and cell phoneequipped devices. Whatever the chosen medium, the important thing is not the technology, but the functionality it offers. Just like with television, it’s not the TV, cable, or satellite dish, but the programming available to you. Likewise, Windows Mobile devices are of no value to the enterprise without the applications and database systems that allow business information to migrate from company servers and customer information databases down to mobile devices in the hands of employees, wherever they might be. In this month’s issue, Kartik Muralidharan gives us an evolutionary perspective on the development of the Windows CE operating system. It’s fascinating to see how Microsoft continues to extend and expand its entries in the OS space for small and portable devices. Mark Frydenberg describes what happened when podcasting came to Bentley College. More that simply recording and posting his lectures, he had the students of his IT-intensive class learn about podcasting by doing it themselves. Paul Zazzarino has a report for us from Atlanta. Paul attended several conferences there recently; one was on the growth of municipal wireless networks, the other focused on bar codes and RFID technology. There are a lot of exciting developments occurring in the wireless sphere these days, and conferences like these can give us a foreshadowing of the shape of things to come. Ed Zabrek gives us a doctor’s-eye view of the new Palm Treo Mobile (5.0) OS—another indication of the great emphasis Palm places on the support of healthcare professionals. John Kennedy shows programmers how to use Starter Kits from Microsoft’s Mobile and Embedded Division to jump-start the development of a tabbed WM Web browser. The Starter Kits make it surprisingly easy to get a project off the ground. Finally, Dan Hanttula reviews three new rugged Pocket PCs running Windows Mobile 5.0. Often, rugged devices lag behind consumer Pocket PCs in terms of the OS version they run. It’s heartening to see this segment of the market adopting Microsoft’s new OS. I suspect that WM 5.0 features like “persistent storage” are impelling rugged device manufacturers to develop these new devices. Technology Windows CE (the core mobile OS on which Windows Mobile is built) has evolved since Microsoft are mileposts along that road. by Kartik Muralidharan Mobile 5.0 Handhelds Get the Job Done Three new rugged Pocket PCs run on Windows Mobile 5.0. by Dan Hanttula Development Atlanta had several wireless events in one week last March. Municipal Wireless was discussed at one; another focused on bar codes and RFID. by Paul Zazzarino Starter Kits offer a convenient and powerful entry into the world of Windows Mobile development. by John Kennedy 2006 BEST OF EVERYTHING Software Package 130 programs worth $3000+ chosen by experts for only $297! More than 100 Winners & Finalists included IS IT A GOOD DEAL FOR YOU? Download our VALUE CALCULATOR and calculate your $avings! www.PocketPCmag.com/cd YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 54 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Enterprise Solutions Microsoft’s Mobile OS Development An evolutionary perspective by Kartik Muralidharan icrosoft’s Windows is a ubiquitous name in the world of computing. dows OS exists on almost all the available computing platforms and devices. Two popular Windows families are Windows the platforms and devices targeted by these operating systems. of devices with more processing power, memory, and other resources, Windows CE (Compact Edition) is the operating system of choice for resource-constrained devices ranging from embedded industrial controllers to handhelds to home entertainment devices. M The evolution of Windows CE over time. Fig. 1: Microsoft has an operating systems for just about every type of device. Windows XP for PCs is just the beginning. Source: http://msdn.microsoft.com/mobility/ letters. and solutions. Next, we discuss a brief evolution of this operating system. this new operating system and had a similar in “Handheld PCs” and shipped with scaled down versions of Excel, Word, Internet Explorer, and Outlook. It also had support for terminal emulation as well as PPP for Internet e-Mail and Web browsing. The successor for this operating system came in the form of Windows CE 2.0 around and major kernel enhancements. Microsoft Windows CE .NET is the successor to Windows CE 3.0. It is a robust, real-time operating system for rapidly building the next generation of smart mobile and small footprint devices. Windows CE .NET works on four major CPU architecture families and on over 200 CPU types, and is used in a broad range of deWindows Thin Client, Smartphone, Web Pad, Internet/Media Appliance, Set-Top Box, Residential Gateway, Retail Point-of-Sale (POS), and Industrial Automation Device. The evolution of Windows CE The standards-based Windows CE platform is an entirely new operating system, completely different from the Microsoft PC operating systems. It’s built from the ground up to make possible new categories of business and consumer non-PC devices that can communicate with each other, share information with Windows-based personal computers, and connect Microsoft Windows CE, in its current shape, is an open, scalable, 32-bit operating system. It has been designed to meet the needs of this broad range of intelligent devices ranging from enterprise tools such as industrial Pocket PCs and Windows CE Microsoft has definitely added some key, upgrade-worthy functionality to Windows Mobile 5.0. It ships with Word Mobile and Excel Mobile, and also has built-in support for persistent storage so you don’t loose your data when your battery dies. The Pocket PC is a device platform which includes a set of system components from the Windows CE OS as well as application components, such as Microsoft Pocket Internet Explorer, Microsoft Pocket Word, Microsoft Pocket Excel, and Microsoft Pocket Outlook. With it, Microsoft standardized on both OS and hardware requirements of the device, which helps users by giving them a consistent form factor, applications, and other features, irrespective of the device manufacturer. By itself, Windows CE is a set of compoKartik Muralidharan works as a Technical Specialist in the Convergence Research team at SETLabs, Infosys. His current focus is on developing, conceptualizing and creating new solutions in the area of pervasive computing, enterprise mobility, wireless and emerging technology areas such as wireless sensor networks. He has over 4 years of experience working with mobile application deployment over a wide range of devices including mobile handsets and PDAs running operating systems like Windows Mobile and Palm OS. He has several publications in respected academic journal to his credit and has been an inventor with over 6 patents in the fields of wireless and pervasive computing systems. Kartik holds a Masters Degree in Data Communication and Networks from the University College in London. He can be reached at kartik_ muralidharan@infosys.com. controllers, communications hubs, and pointof-sale terminals to consumer products such as cameras, telephones, handhelds, and home entertainment devices. With Windows CE, Microsoft provides an cantly lowers the hurdles for original equipment manufacturers (OEMs), hardware manufacturers, software developers, and ultimately, customers to adopt new non-PC technologies 56 printing over infrared and serial connections, demand paging of FAT volumes and support for handwriting engines. It was also optimized to support some real-time applications The next version, Windows CE 3.0 was out nications technologies like COM, DCOM, and RPC (Remote Procedure Call), graphics and sound features like those on the other Windows YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Microsoft’s Mobile OS Development Enterprise Solutions Windows Mobile 5.0 Helps Developers Windows Mobile 5.0 offers numerous advantages for developers. (http://msdn.microsoft. com/mobility/windowsmobile/howto/windowsmobile5/why/default.aspx). First, it has a single toolset in Visual Studio 2005. Visual Studio 2005 offers a productive Windows Mobile development environment by integrating the best device development features from Visual Studio .NET 2003 and eMbedded Visual C++. Second, it is a more consistent and unified platform for devices. Windows Mobile 5.0 continues to offer a consistent set of APIs between devices and further unifies the Pocket PC and Smartphone platforms by offering: • Common Data Services: SQL Server 2005 Mobile Edition is now available for both platforms. • Soft Keys and Persistent Store on Pocket PC: The Soft Keys UI concept and "persistent store" data model is now common to both platforms. • Common Installer and Application Security Model: Both platforms now use a common application installer and share the same application security model. • More Managed APIs. Windows Mobile 5.0 enables managed code applications that tightly integrate with core device functionality like Messaging, Telephony, and Outlook Mobile data, while retaining the productivity benefits of a managed code environment. • Easier to Build and Test. Visual Studio 2005 makes it easier to build and test Windows Mobile 5.0 applications by introducing: • New Device Emulator: The new device emulator is based on the ARM instruction set and includes plenty of useful features that finally make it possible to build and test an application without ever needing to use a physical device. • New UI and Data Designers: New user interface and data designers in Visual Studio 2005 make enterprise developers more productive when they build applications. • UI Docking and Anchoring: Docking and anchoring features in Visual Studio 2005 make it easier to build user interfaces that adapt to different screen orientations and sizes. nents that an OS developer uses to build (customize) a proprietary OS. Original equipment manufacturers (OEMs) who purchase Windows CE use Platform Builder, an integrated development environment, to assemble and compile an OS image. The image includes Windows CE and custom components, and custom device drivers. The OS image is then programmed into the read-only memory of a microprocessor chipset. Windows CE is not restricted only to Pocket PC devices. It is appropriate for cash registers, cellular telephones, medical instruments, and any other appliance that requires a small, embedded OS. tations. The OS also has built-in support for persistent storage so that you don’t loose your data when your battery dies. What’s next? Windows CE and Windows Mobile will continue to change and improve over time in response to the needs and requirements of the marketplace. We can only expect to see yet more mobile devices (and other devices) sporting some version of the Windows CE OS. Will our Windows CEequipped refrigerator ever call our Windows Mobile PDA to remind us we need to buy a quart of milk? Will our CE-equipped car radio ever dial up our PC (or the Internet) in order to download the latest music? Only time (and Microsoft) will tell. For further information on Windows CE and Windows Mobile development, see: www.microsoft.com/presspass/press/2005/may05/05-10 WindowsMobile5PR.mspx www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS2937141620.html www.mobile-review.com/pda/articles/wm2005-magneto-en.shtml www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/Jul05/winmobile5.asp www.pocketpccentral.net/wm5brief.htm The upgrade to Windows Mobile 5.0 “Windows Mobile 5.0, (code named Magneto),” and there’s more to this new version than just a name change. Microsoft’s goals for this release were threefold. First, they wanted to improve end user’s productivity by giving them faster access to information and better productivity tools. Second, they want to enhance the user’s multimedia experience and give them more options to use media to personalize their devices. Finally, they wanted to make it easier for manufacturers to build, brand, and differentiate the Windows Mobile devices they create. RAM. As for the processor, Magneto will yield acceptable performance at 200 MHz. The operating system is based on the kernel Windows More details on the new features can be found at www.microsoft. com/windowsmobile/5/default.mspx ality to its mobile OS. On the Pocket PC, Windows Mobile 5.0 ships with Word Mobile and Excel Mobile, which supports tables, lists, and YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 57 Enterprise Solutions Podcasting Goes to College by Mark Frydenberg W hen the Oxford English dictionary approved of the word “podcast” in December, 2005, it was clear that the era of personal broadcasting was here to stay. In a world powered by the availability of information and multimedia on demand, podcasting provides a rich “any where, any time” solution for those constantly on the go. At my college, podcasting is used in one of the classes in the IT curriculum. The results have been gratifying, showing that this technology is maturing and becoming a mainstream phenomenon. Podcasting at Bentley College Bentley College is a business school just outside of Boston, MA, with technology is integrated into the core business curriculum. In my techpurchase Dell Axim Pocket PCs for their personal use in order to learn about technology. Both listening to and creating podcasts are an integral part of the course. scription. Students would listen to them if they missed class, or use them as a study tool. One student said, “I listen to the podcast on my Pocket PC and follow along with the PowerPoint slides. It’s a great way to remind me of what went on in class.” Many students, however, felt that listening to a complete one-hour lecture took too long and noted it was hard to - contents listing. They suggested that shorter formats would be more attractive for them to use. Therefore, for the second half of the semester, students worked in Fig. 1: Bentley students Ben Norbrothen and Laurie Watson share what they learned in a class via a video podcast. technology, ethics and social responsibility, and global commerce and culture. Adding podcasting into the course provides a new technology outlet for sharing their thoughts and experiences in several of these areas. What may have previously been a written assignment is now an which all students subscribe. They then listen to or watch them on their Pocket PCs. When I asked students how many would be willing to create one class podcast in this manner for extra credit, nearly all raised their ten-minute podcast, they have to understand the ins and outs of actually creating the podcast. Students are more apt to actually view or listen to the podcast episodes made by their classmates because they are shorter, and because they and their friends are in them. This exercise has created a community of learners outside the classroom. Students are more likely to do their own work since they must complete it in their own voices. As podcast producers, students use an emerging technology to report ties. They use new media to share their own messages. The ability to create their own podcasts entirely using a Pocket PC enables students to use technology to do on the scene reporting of their experiences interacting with technology. For example, when students go off campus in search of free wireless Internet, they use their Pocket PCs to create a sixty-second podcast describing where they are and whose Internet connection they are using. Later in the semester, when we discuss careers in information technology, they will interview people about their jobs and make their conversations available as podcasts for others to listen. As consumers, students learn to use the Internet to search for and subscribe to relevant or interesting feeds. A community develops as students listen to each to course topics. For example, the Mr. Excel podcast ( podcast) with Bill Jelen has a daily two-minute Excel tip. Watching a two-minute video clip on a Pocket PC is an enticing homework assignment that not only introduces basic Excel concepts, but also requires technical competency in knowing how to download it. as audio or video podcasts, listing the topics of each lecture in its de- No iPod? No problem! You don’t need an iPod to listen to podcasts. Your home computer or and more storage than a Pocket PC, there are still some advantages to podcasting on your Pocket PC. You have a larger screen for video and the potential to choose or use a variety of aggregators and media players. Your wireless Pocket PC will let you update your feeds without having to synchronize with your home computer. The storage card on your Pocket audio and video are stored in compressed formats and require less storage space. To listen to podcasts on your Windows Mobile device, you’ll need to install an aggregator such as FeederReader (www.feederreader.com) or SmartFig. 2: Feeder Reader is a full-featured RSS Aggregator for podcast listening and watching on Windows Mobile Pocket PCs. Mark Frydenberg is a Senior Lecturer and Software Specialist in the Computer Information Systems Department at Bentley College in Waltham, MA. In addition to the Technology Intensive IT 101 course, Mark also teaches courses in Programming, Web Development, and Electronic Commerce. You can e-mail Mark at mfrydenberg@bentley.edu. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 58 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Enterprise Solutions Podcasting Goes to College The Underlying Podcasting Technology Podcasting is based on a technology known as XML (eXtensible Markup Language), which uses tags similar to HTML tags on Web pages to add context to textual information in a standard format. Aggregator programs can download these files and interpret them because they all follow the same format. While HTML uses tags to display information, XML uses tags to describe information. Podcasting makes use of RSS (Really Simple Syndication); an XML based format is often used for distributing Web-accessible news headlines and other content. An RSS feed is represented by XML tags specifying its title, link, description, and copyright. Each item in the feed is specified with XML tags representing a title, description, and publication date, as shown in the XML file in Fig. 2. (For the sake of clarity, some optional tags and attributes that are often used have been omitted here.) A podcast is a single file (most commonly audio or video) distributed to an appropriate media player over the Internet. While the term was inspired by the popularity of iPod, Apple’s personal MP3 player which popularized the phenomenon, others have redefined it as an acronym to stand for “Personal On Demand,” describing the nature of the content to which users can subscribe. A podcast feed is nothing more than an RSS feed where each item has an added enclosure tag, with attributes describing the URL of the media file, and the media type, as shown in Figure 1. When you subscribe to a podcast, your aggregator will automatically download new audio or video content specified by the information in each item’s enclosure tag as it becomes available. Many Web sites use RSS feeds to offer news headlines, blogs, and podcasts for free download. You’ll recognize RSS feeds by the orange “RSS” or “XML” icons that are often used to identify them. The past year has seen an increasing number of podcasts, including broadcast radio and television clips, “underground” Internet Talk Radio shows, corporate advertisements, and college professors making their course content available for students to download later on. Feed (www.smartfeed.org) and subscribe to your favorite RSS or podcast feeds. It connects to these sites and downloads the updated content to your device. Some aggregators allow you to set the time for updating every day, while others will allow you to update at regular intervals every few hours. It’s also possible to use an aggregator such as Juice ( receiver.sourceforge.net) on your desktop to download the podcasts, and then synchronize the content to your Pocket PC using a program such as MobSync ( 5). While ActiveSync will synchronize only the My Documents folder, MobSync is an application that allows synchronization of any folder between your desktop and your Pocket PC. With MobSync, you can automatically transfer the podcasts you download to your computer onto a storage card on your Pocket PC. To play audio and video on your Pocket PC you need a media player. Your Pocket PC already has Windows Media Player installed as part of the operating system. It can play many, but not all media formats. TCPMP (The Core Pocket Media Player) is another media player that can play both audio and video formats with appropriate plug-ins installed. Download it from g. Feedreader (www.feederreader.com/mediaplayers.html) has an updated list of other Pocket PC Media Players. Fig. 3: CEdit lets you editing a Podcast’s Fig. 5: AudioBay lets you create (and listen XML File on your Pocket PC. to) podcasts on your Pocket PC. doing so may be a bit cumbersome if you have a lot of information to enter. FeedForAll. (www.feedforall.com com ing video enclosures. However, if you know a little about the underly- Creating a podcast on your Pocket PC To create and publish a podcast entirely using your Pocket PC, you and upload both to a Web server. You can do all of these things using your Pocket PC. To create the audio, use the voice recorder on your Pocket PC. The standard voice recorder uses WAV (an uncompressed format) to store www.freeware ppc.com/multimedia/notem.shtml). This free program records audio and stores it directly in MP3 format. Another alternative for audio recording is to use a digital voice recorder that records directly to MP3 format, such as Pogo’s RadioYourWay, S-Media’s GP2000 Digital Music Player, RCA’s Lyra, or Frontier expansion slot, and allow line in recording in MP3 format. Pop the SD card into your Pocket PC when you’re done recording, your Pocket PC with a free FTP program such as ftpView (www.pock) to upload both to your Web such as Feedvalidator.org to make sure it’s valid. 60 item. You only need to enter the title, description, enclosure name, and publication date. CEdit (www.logicalsky.com) (Fig. 3) is a Pocket PC AudioBay: Pocket PC podcast creation made simple dioBay (www.voiceatom.com) is an integrated solution that lets you create podcasts entirely on your Pocket PC. The product was scheduled AudioBay is organized around three functional tabs—Publish, Download, and Listen. The Publish tab is where you’d go to create a new podcast item, by recording your voice using the microphone on your Pocket PC. Add a title and description, and AudioBay then uploads both to the AudioBay server using your Pocket PC and a wire- YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Podcasting Goes to College Enterprise Solutions Creating and Playing Video Podcasts You need a media player to play video content on your Pocket PC. A Media player is a program that plays different types of multimedia, but not all media players can play all media formats. There is no single standard for compressed audio and video formats, which use different compression/decompression methods (codecs) to encode or decode the audio and video. When data is compressed, some quality is naturally lost. The different compression schemes try to remove redundancies in the original data that the human eye (or ear) wouldn’t necessarily notice. You need to install the appropriate codecs for your media player in order for it to be able to play the files stored in that format. Greg Smith, developer of FeederReader, explains in the FeederReader forums that many videos are being produced using 3ivx-encoded video and AAC encoded audio because the iPod supports these codecs. Program authors using some formats such as AAC are subject to licensing requirements, thus the “unofficial” plug-ins are available for TCPMP. TCPMP can play H.264-encoded or 3ivx-encoded video (known as AVC) and AAC-encoded audio when the appropriate plug-ins for these formats are installed. in your area. You can enter your zip code, or if you Pocket PC has GPS, AudioBay will determine the zip code. Scott Thibault, president of AcroDesign Technologies, the company developing AudioBay, tells me that, “The Internet is lacking in the local and users will be looking for local content. I think we will start to see podcasts covering local news, local college sports, etc. Market studies show that a sense of community is one of the basic needs of the youth market [to which this product is marketed]. The search by location feature aids in community building by connecting co-located podcasters.” You can set AudioBay to automatically download new feeds at a scheduled time. My students found AudioBay easy to use, and generated a number of enhancement requests that the developers will consider. AudioBay is the only integrated podcast solution for Pocket PCs that we’ve found. Adding Video to your Podcast We experimented with creating video for Pocket PC playback using three techniques. The first experiment used a Pentax digital camera, which records ten minutes of audio in QuickTime MOV format. We then transferred the video file onto a PC and used a trial version of Xilisoft MP4 Converter (www.xilisoft.com) to compress and save the video in MP4 format. The trial verOnce you have the right sion converts up to five minutes of hardware and software, video video, which, at 320x240 resolution podcasting is straightforward. compressed to MP4 format, requires about 3 MB of storage. The second experiment used a Logitech Web cam to record directly to the PC. After recording an hour of video using the software that comes with the Web cam, the program crashed on two separate occasions when saving the files. Shorter videos (20 minutes) did not have this problem. We then used CucuSoft’s iPod Movie/Video Converter (www. avi-vcd.com) to convert the AVI files to MP4 format. The program allows for 16 quality “levels” of compression and records in MP4 and H.264 formats with both constant and variable bit rates. These play fine in TCPMP and on video iPods. A midrange (level 8) compression resulted in an MP4 file that was about 18% of the original, uncompressed AVI file. The quality was acceptable. The unregistered version of CuCusoft places a “trial version” watermark on the resulting video, which was fine for academic purposes. Twenty minutes of compressed video required about 31 MB of storage. Our third experiment used a video camera connected to a Plextor ConvertX Real Time Digital Video Converter, which connects to a PC via a USB cable. The device does real-time compression and conversion to MP4 format as it records. Video-editing software is also included with the product. We recorded the video directly to an SD card in the laptop, so when we were finished recording, we could play it back directly on a Dell Axim Pocket PC. The quality was fine. 50 minutes of video required about 70 MB of storage. It just worked. Within minutes of the end of the class session, we were able to upload the video, edit the podcast XML file, and we were done. less Internet connection. There the WAV audio is converted to MP3 on the Pocket PC. But for short recordings of up to a few minutes, it What’s in store The increased popularity of portable personal multimedia players, and new software tools that simplify the process for both creating and subscribing to podcasts, will continue to sustain the popularity of podcasting as a new medium for Internet communication. Watch for smarter handling of enclosures which opens new possibilities for this emerging technology. As mobile phones, Pocket PCs, and multimedia players continue to converge into integrated smart devices, and as multi-gigabyte storage cards become more affordable, the future for creating and subscribing to podcasts on mobile devices holds great promise in education as well as in industry. Pocket PC Podcasting Tips When listening to audio podcasts on your Pocket PC using a media player such as Windows Media Player or TCPMP (The Core Pocket Media Player), turn the screen off to save battery power. Both players have a settings menu under Options that lets you assign one of the buttons on the front of your Pocket PC to toggle the screen. I used the “action” button at the center of the four-way navigation control. Turn off your Wi-Fi and Bluetooth while you’re at it, to preserve your battery. Make sure you have a large enough storage card for the podcasts to which you wish to subscribe. Get at least 512 MB, if not 1 GB of storage. If you don’t want to install an aggregator on your Pocket PC, you can still use your Web browser to read RSS feeds. Vicott Wong posted on the AximSite.com forums that he has created a dynamic Web site to display RSS feeds. Add http://mobile-sg.com/pie/rss. jspz to your browser’s favorites, and paste in the URL of the RSS feed you’d like to see. When recording audio on your Pocket PC, experiment with the voice recording settings under Start>Settings>Input>Options. We found that using the option of 11,025 Hz, 8 Bit, Mono (11 KB/s) rather than the standard 800 Hz Mono (8 KB/s) produced audio that sounded a bit less “tinny” when played back on both desktop, laptop, and mobile devices. Windows Mobile RSS Feeds and Podcasts Here are some RSS and podcasts with content of interest to Windows Mobile users: www.Pocketcasting.com—Pocket PC Media and Mobile Podcasting News http://ppcmag.com/rss.asp—Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine Feed www.pocketpcthoughts.com/xml—Pocket PC Thoughts Technology Discussion www.aximsite.com/boards/external.php—Dell Axim Forums http://engadgetmobile.com/rss.xml—Mobile Devices www.msmobiles.com—All About Windows Mobile Phones www.handyent.com/rss—Mobile Entertainment PC podcasting easy. On the Download tab, you can listen to your own podcast, or subscribe to other podcasts created through or independent of AudioBay. The Listen tab allows you to play audio that you’ve downloaded either to your device’s main memory or storage card. There’s also a YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 61 Enterprise Solutions Wireless Events in Atlanta The Muniwireless 2006 Conference and The Future of Barcoding & RFID Conference by Paul Zazzarino ogy that does not perform well when the device is moving or accelerat- Utilizing a mesh topology helps to reduce LOS issues as well. - is one that can be applied for online in a relatively quick manner. Since it is dedicated for public safety it will not be overutilized. At the Muniwireless 2006 Conference Vendor Showroom plethora of events in Atlanta during March signaled a resurgence in the high-tech economy. Many of the conferences touched on related aspects of Windows CE/Windows Mobile. Among the CHANNEL BANDWIDTH LOW POWER PEAK TX POWER HIGH POWER PEAK TX POWER A MHz 1 5 10 15 20 dBm Watts 75 14 17 18.8 20 100mW mW 25mW 50mW dBm Watts 20 27 30 31.8 33 2W 100mW 500mW 1W of Barcoding and RFID Conference. Muniwireless 2006 The Muniwireless Conference is the creation of Esme Vos, an intellectual property lawyer who has put her legal practice on hold to focus on delivering valuable and timely information about municipal wireless networks. She founded a portal for news and information about citywide wireless broadband projects around the world. To quote the “about” IT directors, systems integrators, wireless ISPs, vendors, community wireless advocates, journalists, legislators and policy makers. In addition to running Muniwireless and speaking at conferences, Esme writes research reports and delivers consulting services to cities and companies in the wireless industry.” The folks from Microcast Communications (www.microcast.biz) provided conference coordination and facilitation. application-related projects in one and Motorola covered the development and deployment of public safety-related projects in the other. I found the public safety related talks quite informative. There also was hardware on display such as robust video IP cameras, as well as some hefty access points to demonstrate the transmission of voice and video. cal aspects of the municipal efforts, and the different steps that must be taken and the hurdles that must be surmounted in order to make them happen. Table 1: FCC specifications for the 4.9 GHz frequency power requirements. Mesh Networks Five years ago at least one venture company acquired the patent rights for mesh technologies from the military and started creating products. Currently mesh networks are being deployed and utilized as accepted and standard solutions. Mesh technology works by having every device operate in ad hoc mode as well as performing as a router. The philosophy is to create self-forming networks which support the dynamic addition and attrition of nodes. Having multiple hops increases range and reduces the transmission power required. and software solutions by companies such as Airpath, Airspan, Alvarion, Cisco, EarthLink, FireTide, Leapfrog, Lok, Microcast, Motorola, NeoReach, Nortel, SkyPilot, RF Connect, Tropos, and WAZMetro. I wish I had been able to attend the second day of the Muniwirebut then there is always next year! Instead, I was off to the Future of Barcoding and RFID Conference. Paul Zazzarino began programming on Altairs and other microprocessor-based devices in the early 80’s. This was followed by over a dozen years of tool development, systems integration, and mobile handheld applications long before the terms “wireless”“802.11” and “mobile computing” were part of the common lexicon. Focusing on CE.NET solutions, Paul develops and evaluates mobile and wireless solutions for a variety of devices. Paul is happy to see the re-emergence of “Fat Clients”. They are now called Smart Clients and use HTTP to update themselves, and as they always did they operate stand-alone (independently buffering and storing data and adjusting connectivity and data delivery based on network availability and access). Paul has a Bachelors in Computer Science as well as several Mobile and Wireless certifications, Paul consults out of Atlanta, and can be reached at paulzazzarino@3zwireless.com. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 62 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Wireless Events in Atlanta Enterprise Solutions Enterprise Solutions If the bit is on as the item leaves the store, it will set off the alarm. The cashier either removes or neutralizes the label during purchase of the product. You can read more about barcodes, RFID and labels from the numerous free white papers on Zebra’s Web site (www.zebra.com/id/ zebra/na/en/index/resource_library/white_papers.html). At the Future of Barcoding and RFID Conference the future of barcoding and rfid conference This interesting event was funded by Barcoding Inc., a company expanding its market to provide enterprise solution design and deployment for the data collection industry. A single day event, many of the standard OEM players of this industry were there, including Cisco, DAP, Intermec, LXE, O’Neil, PSC, Symbol, and Zebra. Other vendors included Opticon, Stay-Linked, Nice-Label and Metrologic. The primary sponsor, Barcoding Inc., has created some interesting mobile applications such as a Mobile Radiation Detection System, which it deployed at the National Republican Convention. It consisted of a mobile device with a radiation sensor, combined with a GPS tracking system. Barcoding Inc. has created some interesting applications which really shed light on why the Automated Data Collection Industry is so diverse, fascinating, and fun! Just a few of Barcoding Inc.’s other projects included breast milk tracking, window cleaning progress tracking on high rises, and tracking equipment rental via RFID. The O’Neil company had some great portable printers which worked over Bluetooth or 802.11. Zebra builds robust printers and print engines which manufacturers can utilize for high volume production runs. Steve Zlocovich of Zebra gave a talk on the process of printing labels for RFID. In one of their white papers, they say, “RFID uses low power radio signals to exchange data wirelessly between chips and readers/ encoders. No direct line of sight is needed between the tag and the read/ write device. RFID tags consist of an integrated circuit attached to an antenna. Tags can be smaller than a grain of rice or larger than a brick. RFID tags are either passive (no battery) or active (battery).” Like 802.11, RFID varies in the frequency based upon the country in which it operates, but here are some common ranges: low frequency: 125 KHz, high frequency: 13.56 MHz, ultra high: 868 MHz (Europe), 915 MHz and 2.45 GHz. An interesting note: RFID tags can store anywhere from 64 to 256 bits of information, and they can be read-only or read-write or a mix. Normally they store anywhere from 8 to 32 bytes per tag; this data can be encoded and is typically an index into a database. RFID tags with a printed portion are now being termed “Smart Labels.” NATO has utilized RFID to manage their global supply chain. A similar technology which everyone has been exposed to is electronic article surveillance (EAS). These are tags or small stamp-like objects found in books or in the packaging of consumer products like electronics and tools. EAS can be thought of as one-bit stores of data. At the Barcoding and RFID Product Showcase If your are a developer and have read The .NET Compact Framework Programming with C# (Yao/Durant) you will appreciate the book’s summary of printing solutions for CE. The book illustrates four solutions: Direct Printing (a lot of control, but you must generate low level printing commands), GDI printing (an extra effort for protocols like Bluetooth), the HP Mobile Print SDK, and finally FieldSoftware’s Printer CE. Now there’s a fifth solution: Nice-Label’s printing package. It lets you design labels visually and rapidly, and you can then deploy them from CE/Mobile applications. They support RFID label printing as well. Hopefully we will not be setting IP addresses on our trash cans, but there probably are some with RFID tags already. The convergence of applications using mobile, RFID, security, telephony and wireless technologies is amazing. Use will only multiply as time passes; they’ll become both ubiquitous and invisible, yielding benefits to manufacturers, retailers, and consumers alike. n We’ve reserved this space for you to tell Windows Mobile users about your product. For details, contact: suzee@pocketpcmag.com suzee dittberner 913-344-1352 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C  marty@pocketpcmag.com marty hermann 913-344-1316 Enterprise Solutions Palm’s Treo 700w for Healthcare Finally, a familiar Palm device running the Window Mobile OS. Healthcare professionals can finally enter their data into a true 21st Century device! by Edward M. Zabrek, M.D., F.A.C.O.G. W ith Palm’s recent introduction of its Treo 700w, the familiar Treo form factor, and Palm name recognition in the healthcare vertical market, nition and widespread use it deserves! (Read Derek Ball’s review of the Treo 700w on page www.pocketpcmag. Palm hardware has long been the standard for healthcare professionals. Palm has worked extremely hard to make their mark in healthcare, and without question has been extremely effective and successful with these efforts (see sidebar). Though devices running the Palm OS are not my personal choice, it’s undeniable that I have been in the minority amongst healthcare professionals. With the advent of a Palm device running Windows Mobile, I expect to see this trend begin to shift to the Windows Mobile OS. ics, especially its QWERTY keyboard—the most usable thumb keyboard I have ever tried. When I heard that Palm was coming out with a wait to get my hands on it. I was very impressed by the Palm 700w I immediately loaded up my medical applications including Epocrates, (www.epocrates. com Mobile PDR (www.pdr.net), and several Skyscape Constellation programs (www.skyscape.com) (see Fig. 2). The 700w large medical applications installed to internal memory. All of my medical software installed and ran like a charm, turning the 700w into a truly useful adjunct that I can easily carry in my lab coat pocket, right next to my electronic stethoscope. The very functional QWERTY keyboard and the layout of the directional pad and application buttons made it easier to use these medical applications on the 700w than on any other device I’ve had. Add a very bright and easy-to-read screen and the power of Windows Mobile 5.0 and you have one incredible healthcare tool! Along with my review unit I received the Palm Treo Trip Kit (which provides numerous traveling power options). The new version of ActiveSync that ships with the 700w makes it easy to sync data wirelessly with a Bluetooth-enabled Windows PC. This has become my synchronization method of choice! In addition to the wish list Derek suggested in his review, I would love to see this device with a standard USB 2.0 charge/sync port (like Palm interface. Also, the next version of the 700w should have built-in Wi-Fi. Finally, I would have preferred more real estate (a larger Samsung i730. This may be a minority opinFig. 2: Skyscape medical references are a fount of information on medicine. From my perspective as a practicing OBGYN, the new Treo 700w is just what the doctor ordered! I had previously tried the Palm OS YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Edward M. Zabrek, M.D., F.A.C.O.G., is our staff chief medical editor, and a full time, practicing Ob-Gyn at Memorial City-Memorial Hermann Hospital Systems in Houston, Texas, USA. He has an ambitious dream to “evolutionize” the practice of patient care with Windows Mobile devices. Formerly an independent consultant to Samsung Electronics’ Wireless division, he is always seeking ways to advance this dream. He can be reached via e-mail at MedicalEditor@ PocketPCmag.com. The Palm Treo 700w fits comfortably in the hand, while offering a convenient thumb keyboard. helds to what I have always considered the best OS from mobile healthcare professionals—Windows Mobile. Ironically, it has not only done that, it has led to Palm’s migration to Windows Mobile. Fig. 1: Epocrates Essentials provides vital information for doctors and healthcare professionals. Epocrates is a drug reference that has been available for Palm OS devices for a long time. handheld device—a Palm—just so they could use Epocrates. The initial Pocket PC version of Epocrates lagged far behind the Palm OS ofthe market a few years back. When I reviewed it I realized that it might start a migration of healthcare professionals from Palm OS hand64 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Palm’s Treo 700w for Healthcare Enterprise Solutions Palm’s Approach to Healthcare According to the Palm’s healthcare team, Palm aims to serve healthcare professionals. The company says the following of their long-term healthcare mission: Palm helps healthcare professionals enrich patient care by developing mobile solutions that improve efficiencies, reduce costs, improve the quality of care, and reduce medical errors. Handhelds and Smartphones from Palm, together with software from leading healthcare solution providers, offer clinicians a powerful tool to more easily: • Access vital patient data; • Communicate and collaborate with patients, colleagues and pharmacies; • Reference important drug, disease and diagnostic ion, but I think a larger screen is a better solution for displaying medical data and images. The Palm Treo 700w is currently available directly from Palm (www.palm.com) and from Verizon Wireless (www.verizonwireless.com) for use on their cellular network. information; • Manage their practices and schedules; • Ensure accurate charge capture; and • Increase physician, nurse and staff efficiencies. E-prescribing • DrFirst—www.drfirst.com • iScribe—www.iscribe.com Palms Partners in Patient Management: • McKesson—www.mckesson.com • MercuryMD—www.mercurymd.com • PatientKeeper—www.patientkeeper.com Security All Palm OS handhelds and Smartphones include a built-in security application featuring power-on password protection and autolocking. This simple yet effective application has no back doors and uses the MD5 hashing algorithm to encrypt the password. [Editor’s note, this security makes these devices HIPAA compliant, when the security features are used correctly. -Ed Zabrek] Drug and Clinical Reference • Epocrates—www.epocrates.com (see Fig. 2) • Skyscape—www.skyscape.com (see Fig. 3) • Unbound Medicine—www.unboundmedicine.com I highly recommend the Palm 700w for healthcare professionals. If you’re already fation will be easier. It is an extremely functional, well thought out, and well designed product. I can certainly live with its short comings, since it brings the world of Windows Mobile to the medical masses. Most exciting for me, it’s backed by the commitment and strength of Palm in the healthcare vertical. Windows Mobile Starter Kits: the Easy Way to Start Developing Creating a tabbed Windows Mobile Web browser by John Kennedy I f you are considering developing applications for Windows Mobile devices, I’ve help. By “we,” I mean the User Assistance team in the Mobile and Embedded Division at Microsoft; and by “help,” I mean we’re going to do some of the work for you. We all know that the best way to learn about a new developer tool, or to explore a new technology, is to try it out for yourself—and that’s what we’re trying to make as easy as possible. Hopefully, you are aware by now that Visual Studio 2005 is the recommended development platform for the latest Windows Mobile 5.0-based devices. One particularly cool new feature that Visual Studio provides is the “Starter Kit”—a special type of Project that can quickly be downloaded and used either by itself, or as the basis for your own applications. The Programmer/Writers at the Mobile and Embedded Division have created several of these Starter Kits and have plans for more. I’m going to take this opportunity to explain how they work, look in more detail at one in particular, and demonstrate how it can make a very useful addition to your Pocket PC programming toolkit. I hope by the time you reach copy of Visual Studio and download a Starter Kit to give it a try. of Microsoft’s Internet Explorer 7.0, or if you have used Firefox or even Safari on a Mac, you’ll know that “tabs” are all the rage. Effectively, a tabbed browser keeps multiple Web between them. I love this functionality, which is why I wrote my own tabbed Web browser for the ly reduce the development time compared to using C++. I then wrote some documentation, and packaged it all up as a Starter Kit. This means it’s really easy for any developer to John Kennedy is a Content Specialist in Microsoft’s Mobile and Embedded Devices Division, based in Redmond, Washington. When he’s not working on developer documentation, he’s scouring eBay for the latest My Little Ponies for his beautiful daughter Eve. He can be reached at johnkenn@ microsoft.com. 65 Writing a tabbed Web browser Have you ever been using Internet Explore Mobile on your Pocket PC, and wished you could have several instances running at once? Perhaps you want to search for some vital fact on MSN Search, and also want to keep your favorite mobile news Web site open. If you have tried out the latest beta release YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Enterprise Solutions Windows Mobile Starter Kits: the Easy Way to Start Developing Fig. 1: When you press F5, the project builds and deploys to the Pocket PC emulator, or Fig. 2: Break points let you examine your executing code step by step. to a real device. download it, build it, and use it. Better yet, it’s easy to expand with your own custom features. There’s no need to worry about HTML formatting, graphics rendering, “control.” A control is simply a programming element—such as a text box, menu or in this case a Web browser—that Visual Studio provides for you to use in your own applications. Controls are listed in the tooldo is drag them onto your application’s default Windows Form. tence. The code that does all the things associated with a Web browser has already been written and is part of the .NET Compact Framework. Think of the Compact Framework as a large library of code and controls that you can use in your own applications. The code that creates a WebBrowser control isn’t particularly comWebBrowser myWebbrowser = new WebBrowser(); Yes, programming can be this simple. Are you now starting to see how we can create a Web browser with multiple pages? In a nutshell, we simply create a bunch of these WebBrowser controls, and then use Hide() and Show() to make sure only one is visible at a time. The next challenge is that we have to allow the user of the applicacontrol we can make use of is the Tab control, which provides a strip of tabs to which extra tabs can easily be added. Every time the user taps their stylus on a tab, the application receives a message. A method intercepts this message, determines which tab has been tapped, and then shows the associated Web page and hides all the others. There will always be one extra empty tab—this is the tab that creates a shortcut for opening up a new, blank Web page. Extra Features • Using menus, and programmatically changing the menu options depending on the current state of the program—for example, the Back option will only be valid when it is possible to navigate back. • Creating a secondary dialog window that opens to allow the user to enter a URL by hand. • Using pre-populated pull-down lists to speed up the URL entry. • Using a “docked” control that automatically resizes when the screen is rotated. • Manually resizing other controls when the screen is rotated. • Accessing the list of Favorites created by the Internet Explorer Mobile application, to create a default Web page for new tabs to display. The idea behind a Starter Kit is to make sure it contains at least one thing you can take and use in your own applications. The ability to deal with a rotated screen for example, is something that all applications The Starter Kit authors try to put in as many useful comments in the source code as possible. If you still can’t make heads or tails of it, each Starter Kit has an associated Wiki Web page, so you can leave feedback or check with other users to see what extra features they have added. All this code does is create a new variable of type WebBrowser that in this example we call “myWebbrowser.” An instance of the WebBrowser control is then called into existence with the “new” keyword, and the myWebbrowser variable is used to keep track of it. The new myWebbrowser variable inherits all the features of the WebBrowser control, and to access them, you simply add a period and Visual Studio will pop open a list of all the methods and properties available to you. For example, let’s say you want to make the WebBrowser control myWebbrowser.Hide(); myWebbrowser.Show(); YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 66 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Windows Mobile Starter Kits: the Easy Way to Start Developing Enterprise Solutions Does this look familiar? It should – the WebControl provides your program with a complete Web browser. Notice the empty tab? Tap it to open a new Web page. If you want to enter a URL by hand, you can. The WWW and COM parts can be selected from a pull-down list to save you some typing. Once the new page has loaded, you can flip back to an earlier page at any time. Each tab is named after the Web page it displays. Menu options allow you to create a new Web page, close the existing one, or open that dialog for manually entering a URL. Nice and simple! The Starter Kit magic Let’s walk through using the Starter Kit step by step to demonstrate just how easy it is to get started. Once you have installed the Starter Kit, you can select it from the New Project dialog under My Templates. Just pick a name for your new Web browser, and Visual Studio will do the rest. documentation. It’s worth reading through this a few times, or even printing it out to refer to as you work. It contains instructions and suggestions for how to re-use the code in your own applications. built-in Pocket PC Emulator, or you can send it to a real device if you through the commented source code. Check the documentation for some quick changes to make in order to add new features. (Fig. 2) To explore in a little more detail, you can perform debugging by adding “break points.” Just click in the margin, and a red dot will appear. The program will stop running at that point, allowing you to step through code line-by-line, or look at the contents of variables. Putting all the source code associated with the tabbed Web browser into the form of a Starter Kit makes it easy to download and use. Once you download the Starter Kit, it will install itself into your copy of Visual Studio. From then on, when you go to create a new project, you’ll have the option of creating a Web Browser project. If you do so, the project will load and display a page of documentation that explains what the kit does, and how it works. There will also be some suggestions for improving the project, or adding new features. You can therefore use the Starter Kit as the basis of your own application. If you rotate the screen on your device, you’ll see that the Tab control remains in the correct location, and that the Web pages all resize as expected. The Tab control is “docked” which means it automatically is a large as it needs to be. The WebBrowser controls need to be resized by the application. If you tap on the empty tab, a new Web page will open. You can open up to ten Web pages at once (again, this limit is part of the application—you can change that if you want to open more, or less tabs), and then jump between them by tapping on the Tab control. The menu options allow you to navigate back (if appropriate), close the current Web page and to enter a URL by hand. If you chose this option, a new dialog will open that attempts to simplify entering URLs by including a lot of common text in pull-down lists. For example, “.COM,” “.ORG,” and “.NET” are all included, which might save you a little typing. Of course, as this is your application, you can add your own shortcuts to the list. You can choose to open the new page in the existing Web browser, or open a new one specially. This might also be a good location to add a new feature, such as a History list, which would allow you to re-visit previous pages without having to enter the URLs. You could even write some code to cache previous pages to memory, so if you lost your network connection, you could still do some browsing. Imagine an application that visits your favorite news Web site, and pre-loads all the interesting news stories for you, ready for you to read on the morning bus commute. Well, do more than imagine it—now you can write it yourself! Ready, Set, Go! If you are new to developing for Windows Mobile, or if you are an old hand and just want to see some new technologies in action, then I strongly encourage you to download some Starter Kits and give them a is at y, under downloads. You might also want to check out the MSDN blogs covering Windows Mobile, including e, com/windowsmobiledocs, and my own blog at johnkenn. The list of Starter Kits is growing all the time, and we have many more planned, including using Today screens in C++ and several on GPS and games developing. Go on—get started with a Starter Kit! Using your tabbed Web browser The Web browser we’ve just created is hopefully as straightforward to use as the built-in Internet Explorer Mobile. By default, there will be is the shortcut for creating a new page. All new Web pages are programmed to display a home page that consists of some links hard-coded into the application (and therefore ripe for you to change) and also the list of the Internet Explorer Mobile Favorites list. You can change the appearance of this page quite easily by tweaking the CreateDocument() method in the application source code. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 67 Enterprise Solutions Rugged Windows Mobile 5.0 Handhelds Get the Job Done by Dan Hanttula n addition to the slim and sexy consumer devices announced recently, veteran enterprise hardware manufacturers have introduced some unique and rugged Windows Mobile workhorses. Juniper, TDS, and Symbol are all offering new devices that extend when, where, and how you can use Windows Mobile in the enterprise. These are rugged devices, built to withstand water, extreme temperature, and accidental drops, equally at home in the great outdoors or in the roughren, these Windows Mobile 5.0 devices now use “persistent memory” to store data. You no longer have to worry about losing critical data if your battery dies. New devices are built to perform in the most unruly conditions I The Archer Field PC from Juniper Systems Archer Field PC from Juniper Systems, I was reminded of the old “Casio G-Shock” watches I loved as a kid. The “over the top” rugged look of the Archer makes you feel like you need to be outdoors just to use it, and the unit pays homage to the “working stiff,” with a unique approach to the Pocket PC. Rather than the normal application hardware buttons, the Archer has six oversized buttons surrounding ing counter clockwise these buttons activate the Start menu, Application Manager, Today screen, power on/off, Context menu, and Enter key. The Context button is unique and extremely useful. Pressing it pops up the context menu, which you normally do by holding your stylus down on an item. The front of the Archer is made of magnesium and surrounded by a bright orange rubber casing to help protect against shocks from drops of up to 5 feet (bettering the other units in this the memory card slots on the device, and an optional extended case (reportedly available in the Fig. 1: The Archer Field PC project beyond the top of the device. The extended features a tough magnesium case will feature a mounting location for the Holux case and oversized buttons. GPS Receiver antenna (an optional accessory) as well as a special hidden channel that allows you to run wires from the ports on the bottom of the unit to the top of the device. This would come in handy, for example, if you were using a GPS receiver that had an external antenna wire. Instead of letting the wire dangle outside the device and catch on a piece of equipment, you can store the wire in the hidden channel. The Archer has a simple hand strap made of elastic connected with two metal clips. The bottom of the strap can be quickly unclipped, but the top clip remains attached unless you remove it while the rubber case is detached. This makes it easy to permanently remove, but hand strap is the plastic battery door, which features a large lock that can be disengaged even with gloves on. The unit’s internal electronics are completely sealed, even when a battery is removed from the water damage. In addition to the standard Windows Mobile 5.0 applications, Juniper Systems has added numerous shortcuts to the built-in Applications Manager, including a hardware button, a listing in the Programs menu, and an omnipresent icon at the top of the screen. These make it easy for users to switch between applications or close them down to conserve memory. (Although they call it the “Applications Manager,” the shortcuts actually launch the Running Programs tab from the Pocket PC’s Settings > System > Memory screen.) The Archer also includes a format, allowing new users to acquaint themselves with the most commonly used features of the device. Although the Archer Field PC is not as feature-packed as the other Pocket PCs in this resistant, and the least expensive. And, earlier this year, Juniper Systems won the Mobility category when this device was entered in the Fig. 2: An onscreen guide Technology Innovation Accelerated Awards acquaints new users with held at the Intel Developer Forum. The Archer the most important features of the Archer Field PC. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 68 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Rugged Windows Mobile 5.0 Handhelds Get the Job Done Enterprise Solutions cation. Despite the fact that Bluetooth is built into the 500x model (and Wi-Fi is available as an option), you can’t glance at the device to check if the wireless services are on or off. However, TDS implemented a Today screen plug-in (Fig. 5) that provides more detailed information on the current status of the wireless services than a blinking LED would, so I cannot penalize the company too much for this decision. This plug-in and the Wireless Ranger’s control panel, is part of Windows Mobile 5.0’s Adaptation Kit Update (AKU) www.juni persys.com). A version with embedded Bluetooth is expected to be available in the fourth out a discharged PowerBoot for a fresh one without initiating a soft reset. And the unit is completely sealed, so you can change batteries in the rain or in a dusty environment. But my favorite feature is that the COMM (RS-232) and USB ports are mounted on the PowerBoot, not the actual Pocket PC. So, if your device takes a really bad fall and damages one of the ports beyond repair, you can simply replace the PowerBoot. The TDS Ranger also incorporates CFCaps which attach to the top of the unit to cover any accessories that project beyond the standard CF cap (included with the unit) is attached and will protect any standard sized cards that are inserted into the device. But, for example, if you add a barcode scanner which protrudes from the top of the device, there is an optional “Extended CF-Cap” that will cover the scanner to protect it from the elements, and features a clear area so that you can still scan through the cap. An optional carrying case that holds a Ranger with an attached Extended CFCap is also available. Carrying on from the previous generation of Ranger, TDS has added some great additional functionality on the 53 keys on the front of the device. An OK button allows you to quickly close applications and dialogs without touching the screen, while screen lock allows you to disable the touch screen (while the display remains on) so you can wipe off the screen without confusing your applications. With a press of the function (Fn) key, shortcut keys will launch the Windows Mobile help application and turn off the backlight. Finally, if you press and hold the power button it will prompt you to perform a soft reset, a feature that I absolutely love compared to the “recessed reset button” soft reset procedures of other devices. TDS added their own personal touch to the software by adding few devices to be released with this AKU. Fig. 3: The TDS Ranger meets military standards for water resistance as well as protection against drops, vibration, altitude, and extreme temperatures. TDS Ranger from Tripod Data Systems The TDS Ranger has been a workhorse for study that revealed TDS hardware and software are the most used and the most preferred platforms for the surveying industry. And the Ranger has made successful inroads into the forestry, utilities, and law enforcement industries as well. So when the company decided to upgrade their popular rugged device, they did so carefully; making improvements only where they were needed. Tripod made the new unit more ergonomic by rounding the edges on the device (Fig. 3) to make it easier to grip in inclement weather, and adding rubber feet so that the unit can be set down without harm to the device or the surface you set it on (such as a car hood). TDS now offers two models, an “entry level” 300x (with and the “powerhouse” 500x (with a 520 MHz Like the TDS Recon that I reviewed in the pany’s innovative Powerboot module, which contains a Lithium Ion rechargeable battery. The Ranger’s PowerBoot module provides up to 30 hours of power. The device stores enough power internally to allow you to quickly swap Figs. 5, 6: A Today screen plug-in (top) and Wireless Manager application (bottom) prominently display the wireless status of Bluetooth and Wi-Fi connections. TDS has proven that just a few changes can turn a great Pocket PC into an absolutely invaluable Windows Mobile 5.0 device! The TDS Ranger 300x and 500x are available from MobilePlanet (www.mobileplanet.com) and other local resellers. Visit the Tripod Data Systems Web site (www.tdsway.com) for more information and a complete list of worldwide retailers. Fig. 4: The TDS Ranger comes with a Battery Log application designed by the TDS software team to monitor battery performance. The only disappointment I found in my extensive test of the device was that the TDS YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support The MC70 Enterprise Digital Assistant from Symbol Symbol is trying to create a new market category in the handheld industry with the launch of the MC70 Enterprise Digital Assistant (or EDA), Symbol believes that there is a market between the rug69 Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Enterprise Solutions ged class of devices and the standard market for PDAs. This “sweet spot” provides the advance functionality of the high-end devices Symbol is known for, while providing a smaller form factor (Fig. 7) than the large handhelds we’re used to seeing in the ruggedized niche. And it isn’t just the smaller form factor that makes the MC70 appealing; Symbol has packed the MC70 with innovative features that have blown away every expectation I’ve had about a handheld device. The unit meets struction and the rugged case can withstand frequent four-foot drops to concrete and exposure to water and dust. Unlike most PDAs, the Fig. 7: The Symbol stylus for the MC70 is not hidMC70 offers powerful enterprise features in gernail to remove it. Even with a smaller, friendlier gloves on, you can simply slide form factor. the stylus out of its silo and start writing. Speaking of which, the tip of the stylus is spring-loaded which provides a wonderful experience when using it and, (according to the company) the spring-loaded stylus will extend the life of the touch screen. The MC70 exterior also features what Symbol calls the “Ski Jump.” A tiny ledge at the bottom of the unit, just below the keyboard, provides a better grip when you’re thumb-typing with the same hand that’s holding the device. It also protrudes just slightly further out than the keys on the device, so if you place the device on a rough surface face down, the keys will be protected. The Ski Jump is a unique Rugged Windows Mobile 5.0 Handhelds Get the Job Done feature that many users will take for granted, but will truly appreciate it if they ever try to use another PDA with one hand. Also unique to the MC70 is that it runs Windows Mobile 5.0 Phone Edition. This is sion of the Pocket PC software for devices with integrated cellular phone and, in addition to the voice services that a Phone Edition device features, it also means that the MC70 has kbps, depending on the network) anywhere the phone receives digital cellular service. Cellular service is provided by Cingular Wireless, but the phone isn’t “locked” and may be used with other SIM-based GSM/GPRS providers like T-Mobile in the U.S., as well as Vodafone, lular service, the MC70 supports all three curembedded wireless card. Along with the incredible hardware support for wireless communications, Symbol has added an entire toolkit of software to help harness the power of the MC70. A Wireless (Fig. 8) that will help you connect to and troubleshoot wireless connections. Socket also includes Stonestreet One’s Bluetooth Explorer application to connect the MC70 to other BTenabled devices. Bluetooth on the MC70 includes support for Dial-Up Networking (using a BT phone as a modem), File Transfer ServicService (connecting to an in-vehicle speakerphone), Headset Service (making it compatFigs. 8, 9: The wireless companion software helps to manage Wi-Fi connections (left) while the device’s location awareness (right) can provide incredible new options for the mobile workforce. Although it is designed for rugged use in the enterprise, I found the MC70 an extremely effective Pocket PC for personal use. The unit is larger than most Phone Edition devices, but the impact protection and impressive wireless features make it extremely attractive for onthis device is the power button, which is too small and slightly recessed into the device. I pull out the stylus just to turn on the MC70. That’s too much work for such an important feature, especially when all of the other buttons on the device are oversized. The MC70 is available with a QWERTY keyboard, or a numeric keypad (as shown in Figure 7) as well as with integrated barcode scanners or imaging device. More information on the MC70 is available on Symbol’s Web site (www.symbol.com), and the unit can be ordered directly from Symbol by calling their (for sending photos and contacts to another Bluetooth device), Personal Area Networking (for setting up an ad hoc group of devices), and Serial Port Service (for Global Positioning Systems and other accessories). When used with Sprint cellular service, the MC70 is location-aware. This means that the device can determine its position on a map without the use of a GPS (Global Positioning System) receiver. The review unit I received shipped with a demo application of the service that used Microsoft’s MapPoint Location service to provide street-level maps and points you are thinking about integrating this service for your organization, you should know that additional software development and service fees are required. (For more information on MapPoint Location services and the numerous options for deploying the service, check (www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/Sep05/ msmappoint.aspx). WINDOWS MOBILE 5.0 RUGGED DEVICE COMPARISON CHART Archer Field PC Environmental Shockproof IP 67 (Dust tight and water immersion resistant) Multiple drops from 5 feet Symbol MC70 IP 54 (Dust protected and splash resistant) Multiple drops from 4 feet 14° F to 155° F WM 5.0 Phone Edition 624 MHz QVGA (320x200 pixels) 64 MB 128 MB Lithium-Ion (6-9 hours) Built-in Bluetooth and trimode Wi-Fi (802.11 a/b/g) SD/SDIO slot TDS Ranger 300x IP 67 (Dust tight and water immersion resistant) Multiple drops from 4 feet -22º to 140° F Windows Mobile 5.0 312 MHz QVGA (320x200 pixels) 64 MB 256 MB Lithium-Ion (30 hours) TDS Ranger 500x IP67 (Dust tight and water immersion resistant) Multiple drops from 4 feet -22º F to 140° F Windows Mobile 5.0 520 MHz QVGA (320x200 pixels) 128 MB 512 MB Lithium-Ion (30 hours) Operating Temperatures -22º F to 122º F Operating System Processor Display Memory (RAM) Memory (Flash) Battery (manufacturer’s claimed operation time) Windows Mobile 5.0 520 MHz QVGA (320x200 pixels) 64 MB 128 MB Lithium-Ion (20 hours) Integrated Bluetooth available fourth quarter of 2006 CF Type I/II slot, SD/SDIO slot Wireless Communications Expansion Ports Price Integrated Bluetooth and Wi- Built-in Bluetooth, integrated Fi (802.11b) are optional Wi-Fi (802.11b) is optional CF Type I slot, CF Type II slot, SD/SDIO slot 9-pin serial port, USB Host (Type A), USB Client (Type B) and power $2349 CF Type I slot, CF Type II slot, SD/SDIO slot 9-pin serial port, USB Host (Type A), USB Client (Type B) and power $2999 ($3149 with integrated 802.11b) 9-pin serial port, USB Host (Mini None A), USB device (Mini B), and power $1,495 $2,195-$2,845 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 70 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 How To Use On Land, at Sea, and in the Air The Pocket PC makes the life of this commercial pilot more efficient—and enjoyable! by Rick Odato A s an airline pilot I’m always on the go. lines. I live out of a suitcase and I’m constantly torn between carrying everything I might need while I’m away, and wanting to keep the luggage burden to a minimum. My IBM laptop is a wonderful convenience, but when you add up the whole package of cables, power supply, CD-ROMs, etc., in addition to carrying four to six days of uniform supplies in my suitcase, and a very heavy chart case it can be a bit overwhelming. Now, with my Pocket PC, I can leave my laptop at home and still have almost all the software, entertainment and data that I need. Although I’ve recently my movie. I love the reaction of the passengers who see me holding that tiny device watching movies and listening to music. I’ve probably sold a lot of PDAs this way—maybe HP should put me on commission! I have a couple of programs that emulate They are great for solving time/speed/distance problems, as well as fuel consumption and conversion of metric/English standards, knots and mph, etc., both aboard ship and in the air. The programs are Electronic E-6B (www. niborex.com) and FlyBy E6B (www.handan go.com). I have both and haven’t decided yet on a favorite. My jet is equipped with sophisticated avionics computers, but it is great to be I also recently purchased Pocket Mechanic (www.omegaone.com), a storage card utility. However, I haven’t used it much. I use Skype for Pocket PC (www.skype. com/products/skype/pocketpc/) to keep in touch when I’m out of the country. Skype requires a broadband Internet connection to function properly, so when I’m on the road, I’m always on the lookout for a Wi-Fi hotspot. Pocket PCs with built-in Wi-Fi usually come with an application that will sniff-out Wi-Fi networks in the area. In addition, there are third-party programs that do this. I like WiFi Fo Fum (www.aspecto-software.com), but recently purchased Wi-Fi Companion (www. socketcom.com), which is probably the best Wi-Fi hotspots. It is an extremely well thought out program. video player program TCPMP ( corecodec.org/download), and start playing age card, along with a least one good movie. I use PocketDVD Studio (www.pocketdvd. ca/) on my PC to convert the movie DVD to a format more suitable to the Pocket PC. The conversion takes about one hour, producing a handheld device. This tiny device has certainly made my life easier and more organized. In the air slip it in the iPAQ. I absolutely love being able to listen to music and watch movies while I’m commuting to work or on our many “producAnother advantage of the Pocket PC is that I used to watch DVDs on my laptop PC during commutes. I’d wait for the plane to reach while the laptop booted up. I’d have to reverse the process when we started our descent (with the laptop’s battery was always getting drawn down. The whole thing was a bother and I was As an airline pilot, one of the things I love most about my Pocket PC is that I can connect to my laptop PC and sync my scheduling information, which I have previously downloaded from the airline’s mainframe. The information includes my trip schedule, crewmember names and payroll numbers, days off, vacation time I have coming, and more. I live in Sarasota, Florida, but my airline base is in Philadelphia, so I spend a lot of time commuting via air between the two cities. (The seat when they’re going to work.) To help pass the time while riding, I answer my e-mail, listen to music, and watch movies on my Pocket At sea I live on a boat in Florida and often do volunteer search and rescue work for the Coast Guard Auxiliary. I like C-Tide ( net/ctide/), another free Pocket PC program, to keep track of tides, currents, and lunar cycles. I intend to get a Bluetooth enabled GPS receiver with a nautical mapping program to use as a backup to my marine onboard GPS and Loran Navigation systems. I also use CAPN software on my laptop PC for navigation purposes. I’ll probably buy the Pocket PC version of the program soon (zCAPN www.thecapn. Rick Odato, flies a Boeing 737 for a major airline. He is presently based in Philadelphia and lives on a boat in Florida with his better-half, Alfredda, and their cocker spaniel “Tennessee.” He has been flying for well over thirty years with five different airlines. He is an avid boater and photographer, and loves computers and gadgets of all kinds. rick@odato.com. 71 I use TCPMP to enjoy movies in my Electronic E-6B (left) and FlyBy E6B (right) are flight computer programs for spare time. the Pocket PC. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Starting at only $229! Large Landscape Screen and Keyboard you can use! 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Thaddeus Computing INC TRY IT RISK FREE TODAY – $229! www.UsedHandhelds.com PLEASE Process My Order Immediately BUSINESS REPLY MAIL POSTAGE WILL BE PAID BY ADDRESSEE NO POSTAGE NECESSARY IF MAILED IN THE UNITED STATES SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC magazine For Users of Windows Mobile PDAs and Smartphones Thaddeus Computing 110 North Court YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Read Pocket PC magazine 3 ways with 1 on Paper You_may_prefer_the_ convenience of traditional paper._Subscribe_to_the_ PrInt eDItIon. Subscribe to all 3 for the price of 2 with... 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Card_No.___________________________________ Exp._Date_ _______ YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Signature__ ________________________________________________ * Iowa residents add 5% sales tax ** U.S. funds, drawn on a U.S. bank, payable to Thaddeus Computing On Land, at Sea, and in the Air How To Use sions written for the Windows and Palm operating systems, but I still prefer the old DOS version. I run it on my IBM laptop box. Much to my amazement, I was able to get the DOS version running on my Pocket PC using the DOS emulator PocketDOS (www.pocketdos. com). You’ve probably seen those tiny little roll-ons pilots wheel around airports. We have to travel Ephemeris helps me track lunar and solar Keep your guitar in tune with Visual Guitar TV Remote Controller—the name says it all. fast, and every extra cycles. Tuner. pound weighs us down. My Pocket PC functions com/zcapn.htm). as my link to work-related information, a comWe have wireless Internet at my home maprehensive source of personal information, a rina, and I love getting quick weather updates, music and movie player, a portable Internet radar, and satellite data using AvantGo (www. avantgo.com). I have quite a few subscription pocket! Thanks to it and some excellent softaccounts on Avantgo and often read the news ware, I have almost no reason to lug my laptop that way. around. I also use an outstanding program from Jonathan Sachs called Ephemeris ( comcast.net/~jonsachs) to track lunar and solar cycles—it can even be used as a makeshift The author, in his Coast Guard Auxiliary uniform, standing compass in a pinch. Jonathan also offers DOF on the deck of the Coast Guard ship Eagle, a three(Depth of Field) and Expose, which feed my masted, 300 ft. Barque. obsession with photography. All of his programs are free and extremely useful. On the land? As I mentioned, I live on a large powerboat docked in a Florida marina, so some of the uses I describe in the rest of this article aren’t literally “on the land.” My better half is a realtor, and she loves to use her Pocket PC to peruse the MLS data for her clients using a software package called Pocket Real Estate (www.pocketrealestate.com). She can even open her lockboxes with an infrared beam from her PDA. The best real estate software used to be exclusively for Palm, and we have found that a lot of vendors were reluctant to port their products to the Pocket PC. But the trend is changing and more and more Pocket PC products are appearing all the time. We occasionally have friends over and before I embarrass myself playing my guitar, I use Visual Guitar Tuner (www.phonature.com) to make sure it’s in tune. I also use Pocket Microsoft Money (www. microsoft.com/windowsmobile/downloads/money.mspx) to track my For entertainment at home, I watch some TV, and I use TV Remote Controller (www.pdawin.com) to drive my sweetie crazy changing channels. I seldom have any interest in playing games on the Pocket PC, but I have to admit that I’m addicted to Jawbreaker. I have almost all of the amazing Resco products and consider them must-haves for anyone with a Pocket PC. Finally, my all-time favorite software program is the older DOS version of Info Select (DOS version no longer available; Windows versions www.miclog.com). It is a freeform database that I’ve been using since the 80’s—I have years of priceless data stored in it. There are recent verYYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 73 How To Use ActiveSync 4.1 by Chris De Herrera Common Problems and Solutions ast fall, Microsoft released the latest update for ActiveSync version vices, and some of the solutions they’ve discovered. I keep an up-to- L Guide ( m). The online resource covers this topic in more detail. If you have a Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition or earlier device and do not own a Windows Mobile 5.0 device, I suggest that you stick with ActiveSync 3.8. ActiveSync Device detection: Install ActiveSync before connecting! One of the common mistakes that users make is to connect their Windows Mobile device to their PC’s USB port before installing ActiveSync. If you do this, your PC will have a problem “seeing” the Windows Mobile device (i.e., sensing that the device has been connected.) If you have done (Start > Settings > Control Panel > System > Hardware > Device Manager). There you will see an unknown device. Go ahead and delete the unknown device and unplug it. Plug in the device and it should be detected correctly by ActiveSync. Troubleshooting Guide” with instructions on how to add ActiveSync to the “exceptions lists” of a www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/help/activesync/default.mspx). Links to these instructions are in the “Desktop Firewall Applications” section. application documentation on how to add the ActiveSync application to the PORT NUMBER 990 DIRECTION Inbound Inbound Inbound Outbound Inbound Inbound TYPE TCP TCP TCP UDP TCP TCP DESCRIPTION Remote API (RAPI) Status Legacy Replication Legacy Replication Desktop Passthrough (DTPT) AirSync 2) ActiveSync uses the TCP and UDP ports shown in the table at right. This information may change in future releases of ActiveSync. 999 5678 5679 5721 26675 www.pocket g). Make sure required services are running Server 2003 in order to synchronize. If you are unable to synchronize, it could be because one or • • • • COM+ Event System DCOM Server Process Launcher DHCP Client Universal Plug and Play Device Host YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 74 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Active Sync 4.1: Common Problems and Solutions You can start the services on your PC by clicking on Start > Control Panel > Administrative Tools > Services. Select the service by double clicking on it. In the dialog box, specify the option for it to run Automatically. I have created ActiveSync_4.x_Start_Required_Srvices. bat (www.pocketpcfaq.com/faqs/activesync/ActiveSync_4.x_Start_Required_Srvices.bat) to start these services for you. If you are unable to connect after running this batch file, then review the list of services above to make sure they are started and set to Automatic. How To Use Additional online resources Dropped connections? Check USB ports Not all USB ports are the same. Some desktops and laptops use internal hubs for their USB ports. ActiveSync does not work through USB hubs. So if ActiveSync drops the connection periodically, try plugging your device into another USB port on your PC. If that does not resolve the problem, try unplugging all other USB devices before plugging in your Windows Mobile 5.0 device. I hope these tips help solve any problems you may encounter with ActiveSync 4.0/4.1. If not, one of these online resources might be able to help you: • Microsoft ActiveSync 4.0/4.1 USB Connection Troubleshooting Guide. (www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/help/activesync/default.mspx). • My own ActiveSync 4.x Troubleshooting Guide—a more in-depth version of this article. (www.pocketpcfaq.com/faqs/activesync/tshoot-as4x.htm). • Bev Howard’s Solving ActiveSync Issues (http://bevhoward.com/ASync.htm). • Microsoft’s ActiveSync Discussion newsgroup (Microsoft.public.pocketpc.activesync). A link to this newsgroup is on the Windows Mobile newsgroup Web page (www.microsoft.com/ windowsmobile/communities/newsgroups.mspx) n Existing partnership before a hard reset If you have an existing partnership and you have performed a hard reset you will be prompted to create a new partnership when you connect. If you delete the old partnership before you connect, you can reuse the same name for the partnership. Tech support may ask for ActiveSync logs Microsoft provides multiple logs to help users identify errors with ActiveSync. If you contact technical support about ActiveSync problems, they may want to review the logs. Here is a list of the common logs that you may need to refer to in order to identify issues with ActiveSync: • %temp%\activesync.log: The installation log • %windir%\setupapi.log: The setupapi log. This includes device driver installations. • %temp%\wcescomm.log: The ActiveSync communications log. This resets each time you connect. • %temp%\wceslog.log: The ActiveSync 3.x and 4.x services log. • %temp%\wcesmgr.log: The ActiveSync status log. • %temp%\outstore.log: The Outlook synchronization errors log. I have created an easy to use batch file called Activesync_Logs.bat (www.pocketpcfaq.com/faqs/activesync/Activesync_Logs.bat) which will gather the logs and display them in Notepad for you. Contact your OEM or carrier for assistance If you are unable to resolve your ActiveSync problem you always have the option to call your Pocket PC or Smartphone manufacturer, or the cellular carrier that sold you the device. Since they sold you the Pocket PC or Smartphone, they are responsible for supporting ActiveSync along with your device. HP 200LX ´ 100LX ´ 1000CX We’ll pay cash for 1 or 1000 In working condition or not contact Wayne Kneeskern at thaddeus computing, inc. 110 North Court, Fairfield, Iowa 52556 uSa e-mail: wayne@thaddeus.com www.palmtoppaper.com Phone: 800-373-6114 or 641-472-6330 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 75 How to Use Google Mobile Weather reports, movie times, driving directions: use Google Mobile to find them fast! by Tim Hillebrand T he whole world is aware of the wonders of Google as a premier search engine for general information. However, not everyone may realize that it is also a powerful tool for academic research, letting you retrieve scholarly works via its Scholar feayou’re looking for a school to attend, you can and more using the University Search funcdigital pictures, Froogle makes comparative shopping easier, and Catalogs lets you browse the content of mail-order catalogs. The best way to access these and other features is from the Google Services Web page (www.google. com/intl/en/options). developed, visit the Google Labs Web page once in a while ( ). One of the more exciting new arenas currently under development is Google Mobile for handheld devices. because it provides you with 2.5 GB of online storage for free and lets you import your contacts. To subscribe to RSS feeds that you wish to receive in your Gmail account, go to www. google.com/reader. You can also send group e-mails to a list with Gmail. When the new Google Mobile screen appears, you will see four radio button search Web (Beta). Below these choices are links Fig. 3: Tap on the name of the business to get a street map displaying the location of the business. numbered icons. Below the map is a complete listing of the businesses, with names, addresses, and phone numbers (Fig. 2). Select a business name in this list to bring up a street map displaying the location of the business (Fig. 3). On most phone-capable devices, you can call the business by selecting its phone number. Google Local can be even easier to use on a Smartphone if you install a free utility available from Google. This adds an active cursor feature that lets you scroll to the numbered icons on the map, and have the information about the business pop up on the screen augive you the option of calling the establishment or having a street map to the location displayed. I love this application. To give your mobile phone this capability, go to Google’s “Local for mobile” Web page (www.google.com/glm) and select the “Get Started” button. You’ll be prompted to select your phone from a list of phone manufacturers. Only two Windows Mobile Smartphones are on the list. If your phone isn’t on the list, select the “Generic” button and then select “Advanced MidP2”, which will probably work for you. home page is Mobile Web (Beta). This limits your search to Web sites that have been optimized for small-screen viewing. Fig. 2: Google’s Local function helps you find restaurants, theaters, and other businesses. to Gmail and Personalized Home Page. To www.google.com/ig on a PC and sign in. The changes you make will appear next time you sign in and view your home page on your mobile device. You can customize your Google home page to display Gmail, weather, headline news, stocks, movies, quote of the day, word of the day, bookmarks, and recent searches. It is similar to a personal MSN or Yahoo page on a PC. You can easily switch back to the classic view without all your preferences. As mentioned, under the Google search box are four radio buttons to channel your search. The default is Web. The Images funcany subject. The Local function is a handy tool Fig.1: Google Mobile home page. Google Mobile home page To access Google Mobile, open Internet Explorer Mobile and key in www.google.com/ xhtml ized Home Page feature, you’ll have to sign up for a free Google account. To sign up for a new Gmail account on your handheld device, go to www.google.com/accounts/SmsMailSignup . You will be sent an SMS message with further instructions. A Gmail account is worth having 76 airport San Diego CA,” and a zoomable map is YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Google Mobile How To Use out, go to www.google.com/sms/tips.pdf. SMS. You can query it just the same way by deal of overlap, but you might get a chuckle by asking for a joke or a pickup line with just “j” t for more commands. It’s interesting to send the same query to both sources to see which reply is more informative. Some libraries are already experimenting with this kind of information service, but the response time will undoubtedly be slower. Google has another new feature called Google talk (www.google.com/talk/), which lets you send instant messages or talk to friends and associates with Gmail accounts. The service is similar to Skype, but you cannot call landline or cell phones as you can with a Skypeout account. Perhaps this capability will be added as more wireless phones acquire WiFi capability. Finally, at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas, Google announced that it would enter the media download business and compete with iTunes, WalMart, and Napster. Fig. 4 (left): A Google SMS request for a weather report for Moscow, Idaho. Fig.5: The weather report that came back a few seconds later. of an unfamiliar word. You can convert curphone area codes. Forget your GPS? You can ask for point-to-point driving directions, and can even get the weather report for any city in the world. If you are about to make a purchase, but you’re not sure if it’s a good price, send a Google SMS and ask for some comparative pricing. If the store you’re at offers to beat any price on an item, you can look it up and show them your Google SMS response. Are you beginning to see the value of Google SMS as a tool for the traveler? If you’re having trouble using Google SMS and need some guidance, key in “help” or visit the Google SMS Web page ( com). You can also request “tips” or “shortcuts” Google SMS Most people are aware that you can send short mobile phone. Google SMS allows you to send text message queries to retrieve all manner of information. To use this free service go to Messaging on your phone device and select Text Message. Create a new message A dynamic, creative, and profitable company characters, in a few seconds (Fig. 5). (You may receive more than one reply if it exceeds Want to know where The Pink Panther is playing in Minot, North Dakota? Enter “Pink Google SMS will send you a list of theaters. You can ask for theaters, movies, reviews, show times, and more. Google SMS isn’t limited to movies. You can ask for the location of Wi-Fi hotspots, pizza joints, coffee shops, bookstores, hotels, and more. You can go beyond that and ask for translations of words and phrases from English to other major lan- Have you noticed that the surest indicator of the success of a company is when its name starts to be used as a verb? We’ve all heard “FedEx me hearing “Let me Google that” when someone wants to do a Google search on something. I remember not long ago when Google came out with its initial public stock offering. I didn’t invest because I thought it was overpriced at it’s now in the $300-350 range. With all that Google is doing to advance mobile functionalstatus as a verb! / Moviename Location / Weather Location / (T)ranslate / Question / Calculator / Currency / Area code / Zip code. For a more complete cheat sheet with examples that you can print How Can We HELP You? We offer discounts on quantity purchases of new and used handhelds. Email Wayne@usedhandhelds.com or call 800-373-6114. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 77 EDITED BY RICH HALL How-To’s How to add national holidays to Calendar Prerequisites: T ( How to stream personal content over the Web Prerequisites: Glossary: Stream: Orb ( Add your country’s holidays in Calendar on your desktop PC, and sync them with your Windows Mobile device. TCPMP (top) and Pocket TV (bottom) are alternative media players for the Pocket PC. Note: • Movie Maker ( Smartphone & Pocket PC • TCPMP( • Pocket TV ( YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 78 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 TIPS and TRICKS BASIC TIPS Using GPS systems with your Windows Mobile device A few Pocket PCs come with GPS receivers built into them. For those that don’t, you can add this capability via GPS navigation packages offered by a number of vendors. A comprehensive article on the available GPS solutions was published in the September 2005 issue (www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/sep05/gpssolutions.aspx). Here are a few tips for those who do add GPS capabilities to their device: 1) GPS receivers must be able to “see” the GPS satellites orbiting the earth. That is, they must have an unobstructed line-of-site view of at least three GPS satellites to receive the necessary data. If you use GPS in your car, you can improve the reception of the GPS receiver by mounting it as close to your front windshield as possible. In addition, some vendors offer external antennas that you can mount on the outside of your car and connect to the receiver via a cable. Finally, you might consider buying a Bluetooth-enabled GPS receiver. They can be mounted anywhere and communicate with your Windows Mobile device wirelessly. In addition, they are very portable and can easily be moved from one vehicle to another. 2) You may temporarily loose your GPS signal when driving in a tunnel, in the mountains, or in cities with tall buildings. The advice in point 1 will help some, but there’s not much else you can do about this. When the obstacles are gone, your device will reacquire the signal. 3) If you use GPS in a car, invest in a cigarette lighter power adapter to keep the receiver and your Pocket PC fully charged. 4) Some GPS receivers come with cables that connect to your Windows Mobile device. If you want to purchase one of these, make sure you get one designed to work with the unique connector on the bottom of your device. The vendor will be able to help you with this. 5) When purchasing a GPS system, look for the navigation software you like the most. Then, purchase a GPS receiver the software vendor recommends. Some vendors offer software/receiver packages—these are the best bet. Edited by Rich Hall Spell check and count words in Word Mobile documents The version of Word built into Pocket PCs will let you spell check a document and count the words in it. The process is simple: 1) Open Word Mobile (“Pocket Word” in pre-WM5 devices) and select the document you want to check from the file list. 2) On Windows Mobile 5 devices, tap on Menu (bottom right) and select Tools from the pop up menu. (On pre-WM5 devices, tap the Tool menu at the bottom of the screen.) 3) On Windows Mobile 5 devices, select the Spelling option from the pop-up menu. (On pre-WM5 devices, select Spell Check from the pop-up list.) The spell checker will stop and highlight each word it doesn’t recognize, and display a list of alternatives. Tap on a word in this list and spell checker will replace the highlighted word with it. You are also given the opportunity to ignore the highlighted word or add it to the spellchecker dictionary. Remove password protection on Word and Excel documents before copying them to your Pocket PC The desktop PC versions of Word and Excel allow you to password protect individual documents to keep them secure. However, you will not be able to use ActiveSync to move these documents to your Pocket PC while they are protected. You must first open them on your PC, remove the password protection, save them, and then copy them to your device. Here’s how you remove password protection: 1) Open the document on your PC. 2) Click on the Tools menu and select Options. 3) Click on the tab labeled Security. This displays a screen that will list a “Password to open” and a “Password to modify” the document. 4) Delete the password(s) and click on In the desktop PC versions of Excel and the OK button. Word, the Security tab in the Options screen 5) Save the document. After you have completed these steps, lets you set and remove passwords. If Word you should be able to copy the document to and Excel documents have passwords set, you will not be able to copy them to your your Pocket PC. Pocket PC. On Windows Mobile 5 devices, you select Word Mobile’s Spelling checker feature from the Menu>Tools pop-up (left). The spelling checker highlights words it does not recognize and displays a list of alternatives (right). You can also do a quick count of the words in a Word document. Open the document in Word Mobile. Then, tap on Menu, then Tools, and select Word Count. On pre-WM5 devices, open the document, tap on Tools, and select Word Count. Use document templates to simplify and speed up document creation I use Word Mobile mainly to write in-company memos, letters, and to take notes at meetings. I use Excel Mobile to track mileage and gas on trips, and to keep lists of documents I’m working on for Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine. The format for each of these documents doesn’t change much, so I’ve created templates for each type of document. Whenever I want to write a memo, I call up the memo template, write the memo and save it under a different name. Whenever I go on a trip, I call up my mileage template, use it to track mileage-related expenses and save it under a new name. It saves a lot of time. Here’s how you create a Word document template: 1) Open Word Mobile on your Pocket PC. 2) Open a new document (or open one of the existing templates). 3) Set the document up the way you want it. You can enter your contact info, a salutation and introduction, a conclusion…any text you want. You can use the Menu > Format screen to format the paragraphs and select the font size, type, and color. Once you have the document the way you want, save the new document as a template as follows: 4) Tap on Menu > File > Save As. (In pre-WM5 devices, tap on Tools > Save Document As…) 5) Select “Document Template…” from the Type list. 79 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C TIPS and TRICKS 6) Select “Templates” for the Folder list. 7) Enter the name of the new template in the Name field. (Give it a name that reminds you of its purpose.) 8) Tap on the Save button. microsoft.com/en-us/templates/default.aspx) or do a Web search on “Word templates” or “Excel templates.” Open a specific Word template In addition to any templates you create, five document templates are built into Word Mobile: Blank Document, Meetings Notes, Memo, Phone Memo, and To Do. To use a specific template as the basis of a new document, follow these steps: 1) Open Word Mobile. 2) Tap on the folders icon in the upper left of the screen. By default, it should be labeled “All Folders.” 3) Select Templates from the pop-up list. 4) Select the template you want and a new document will open based on that template. 5) When you are finished filling in the document, tap on Menu > File > Save As, and give the document a name. (On A new document based on Word Mobile’s pre-WM5 devices, tap on Tools > Save Meeting Notes template. Document As… and give the document a name.) Resolve synchronization conflicts Occasionally, ActiveSync has a problem figuring out which of two versions of a document is the correct one. For example, if you make changes to two versions of the same document, one on your Pocket PC and the other on your PC, and if you make these changes when your Pocket PC is NOT connected to the PC, ActiveSync may not be able to figure out which version takes precedent. 1) By default, ActiveSync is set up to expect the data on the PC to be correct. You can change this to favor the Pocket PC version of the document as follows: 2) Open ActiveSync on your PC, click on the Tools menu, and select Options. 3) Click on the Settings button to display the Desktop Computer Settings screen. The second data field on this screen is labeled “If there is a conflict:” By default, it should say “Replace Item on Device.” 4) Click on the down arrow next to this field and select “Replace Item on Desktop.” If ActiveSync encounters a conflict, it will favor the Pocket PC version of the document and synchronize that with your PC. Beaming information between two Windows Mobile devices You can use the infrared port on your Pocket PC or Smartphone to “beam” Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, and files to another Windows Mobile device. Let’s say you want to beam a client’s contact information to a business associate. Here’s how you do it: 1) Bring the two devices close to each other with the infrared ports facing each other. Note: You can place the two devices on a table or hold them in your hands. The devices should be 12 to 24 inches apart (the closer the better). The infrared ports on most Windows Mobile devices are located on the top edge of the device, but a few have them on the left edge. Make Select “Beam Contact” from the edit menu sure the IR ports are facing each other, and to transfer contact info to another make sure that nothing is obstructing the Windows Mobile device via infrared line-of-sight between the two. (I once had communications. a problem beaming a contact because I was holding the device and my finger was covering the IR port.) 2) Open Contacts and find the item you want to beam in the list view. 3) Hold your stylus down on the item in the list. This will cause the edit menu to pop up. 4) Select Beam Contact… from the Edit menu. A screen will open listing the devices in range and ready to receive your contact. 5) Tap on the device name to beam the contact. The instructions are nearly identical for items in Calendar and Tasks, and for files listed in File Explorer. Change the default Word template By default, Word Mobile opens the Blank Document template. If you find you are using another template most of the time, you can change the default to always base a new document on a different template. Follow these steps: 1) Open Word Mobile. 2) Tap on Menu and select Options. (On pre-WM5 devices, tap on Tools > Options.) The first item in the Options screen is the Default template setting. By default, it should list Blank Document. 3) Tap on the down arrow and select the template you want to make your default. 4) Tap on OK when you’re finished. Creating Excel Mobile templates Excel Mobile also lets you create templates. Follow these steps: 1) Open Excel Mobile and create a worksheet that will be the basis of your new template. 2) Tap on Menu > File > Save As… (On pre-WM5 devices, tap on Tools > Save Wordbook As…) 3) Select “Excel Template…” from the Type list. (On pre-WM5 devices, select “Pocket Excel Template…” or “Excel 97/2000 Template” from the Type list.) 4) Select “Templates” from the Folder list. 5) Give the Excel template a name. 6) Tap on the Save button. The process of opening a specific Excel template and changing the default template is nearly identical to the process for Word Mobile. Excel Mobile comes with one built-in template: Vehicle Mileage Log. Plenty of templates out there Templates are wonderful ways to save time and money. Whenever you find yourself recreating text or formatting in a Pocket Word or Excel document, you should save it as a template so you won’t have to do it again. Computer users have been creating and saving templates for desktop PC versions of Word and Excel for quite a while. Many of these templates can be used as is, or simplified to work on the Pocket PC. Download them, modify them on your desktop PC so that they suit your needs, and copy them to your Pocket PC. For free Word or Excel templates, visit the Microsoft Office Template Gallery (http://office. 80 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Read eBooks on your Pocket PC and Smartphone Earlier Pocket PCs had Microsoft Reader built into them, but Microsoft removed it beginning with the Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition. However, you can still download the program for free and install it on your Pocket PC. The program is available on Microsoft’s Web site (www.microsoft.com/reader/downloads/ppc.asp). With MS Reader installed on your Pocket PC, you can download and read eBooks formatted in Microsoft’s LIT format. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support TIPS and TRICKS Microsoft Reader for the Pocket PC lets you view unprotected eBooks, as well as commercial titles protected with Digital Rights Management level 5 security. However, to view protected books you must first “activate” Microsoft Reader through Microsoft’s Passport system. This must also be done with the desktop version of Microsoft Reader. To active your copy of MS reader after you install it, follow these steps: 1) Connect your Pocket PC to your desktop PC via ActiveSync. (Your desktop should have a live Internet connection.) 2) Use your PC’s Web browser to go the MS Reader Activation Web page (http://das. microsoft.com/activate/en-us). Microsoft Reader for the Pocket PC lets you 3) Click on the link labeled “Sign in to read .lit file eBooks. start the Activation process” and follow the on-screen instructions. Microsoft’s online catalog of eBooks (www.mslit.com) lists a wide variety of commercial eBooks with links to the online booksellers that offer them. A wealth of free eBooks is still available; an Internet search on “free eBooks” will help you find these. A variety of eBook links can be found in the Media section of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine’s Best Sites Web page (www.pocketpcmag.com/bestsites.asp). A number of third-party eBook reader applications allow you to view eBooks formatted in other popular formats. For more on this, read Tim Hillebrand’s article in the February 05 issue (www.pocketpcmag.com/_archives/feb05/ebookreaders.aspx). Finally, a couple readers are available for the Windows Mobile Smartphone. Check out Orneta Reader (www.orneta.com) and Tiny eBook Reader (www.golden crater.com). ADVANCED TIPS Accessing Yahoo Mail from your Pocket PC When you attempt to log onto Yahoo, you may get a screen that tells you that Yahoo “may not be optimized for the Web browser you are using.” Upgrading to IE 6 or Netscape does you no good because it’s referring to PC or Mac versions of the program. You need to tap on “Switch back to the Yahoo! version supported by your current browser.” In addition, you can access your mailbox from Yahoo’s WAP-optimized page (http://wap.oa.yahoo. com/raw?dp=mail). It’s quite a bit simpler than the standard HTML interface, but the most important things (checking/composing mail with address book) are present. Menneisyys Administrator: Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine forums To access Yahoo Mail on your Pocket PC, tap on the “Switch back” link on the Yahoo Mail page (left) or go through Yahoo’s WAP-optimized page (right) Web sites supporting Handheld PC users Psst! I’m going to let you in on a little secret; The Handheld PC Community is alive and well! If you are a newcomer to the world of Handheld PCs, you will be very happy to know that there are several excellent Internet Web sites that cater specifically to your platform of choice. Program in Basic on your Pocket PC Basic4ppc is a Basic programming language the runs on the Pocket PC. It includes a visual designer, events, forms, controls, and other features. New to version 2.0: Windows Mobile 5.0 support, Menu Editor, Calendar control. Open / Save dialog. Random access files, Real runtime control manipulation, ListBox control, NumericUpDown control, faster calculations, and more. A free demo version of the program is available on the Basic4ppc Web site (www.basic4ppc.com/ Downloads.html). Erel, Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine forums Do Basic programming on your Pocket PC. HPC: FACTOR (www.hpcfactor.com) is one of the oldest and most vibrant H/PC Web sites on the Internet. Along with providing the latest up-to-date news on anything related to the Handheld PC platform, it also boosts one of the largest and most active forums, with well over 1,300 members. If you are in the market for new software or perhaps a new or used Handheld PC, you might want to browse their extensive Software and Hardware Reviews section, which is chock full of insightful hands-on reviews by HPC: Factor Staff members and Special Guests. Looking for How To articles? Look no further than the Support and Tutorials section. Are you wondering if that Wi-Fi Card, cables or modem is compatible with your HPC? Check out the Hardware Compatibility List. What about some beautiful wallpaper for your HPC or skins for your media player? You can find a nice collection of them on this Web site. If you are looking for anything HPC-related, this site should definitely be the starting point of every H/PC owners search! For more, great Handheld PC Web sites, please download the March 2006 Issue of The Handheld PC Newsletter at the HPC NEC Web site (www.hpcnec.com/hpcnl.htm). John Ottini, www.hpcnec.com Getting a Bluetooth-enabled Smartphone to work as a modem for Mac OS X laptops You can use a Bluetooth-enabled Smartphone as a modem to connect a Mac OS X computer to the Internet. Justin Blanton published a tip on this, with step-by-step instructions and a link to the scripts you’ll need. For more, visit his Web site (http://justinblanton. com/2006/01/mac-os-x-windows-mobile-bluetooth-modem). YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 81 Tips From The PocketPCmag.com Forums The quality and success of Smartphone & Pocket PC from the practical wisdom of its readers and their contributions to the publication. “Tips from the Forums” represents a small sample of the Pocket PC wisdom posted on our online forums (www.PocketPCmag. Edited by Rich Hall com/forum). We have edited this material for clarity and to avoid repetition, but also include links to the original posts, which may have additional details. A very big “Thanks!” goes to all the forum members and moderators for sharing their insights with other users. Trouble going online: receiving “address not valid” message 0 I just got a new HP iPAQ h1950 Pocket PC, and I’m learning how to use it without too many hassles. The first time I went on the Internet it went smoothly, but the second time I kept getting a dialog box telling me “The address is not valid. Check the address and try again.” Could I be missing something in my program files or is it to do with my connection? I’m pretty new to this stuff and imagine that it is something fairly simple that I am missing. Chuckscope I received an h1950 for Christmas and ran into the exact same problem. I hooked up to my wireless network when I was setting up the iPAQ for the first time, but could not after that. I spent an entire afternoon with HP’s instant support, but I got the problem solved. What finally got me to connect to the wireless system was changing the router’s channel. I was using channel 11 and HP had me change to channel 6. I have a D-Link 11b router. They also had me delete the older version of ActiveSync on my HP desktop PC and replace it with ActiveSync 4.1, which you can download for free from Microsoft (www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/ addons/default.mspx). One or both of those things fixed the problem. HP tech support was very helpful and friendly. Werick www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20679 www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20637 Problems uninstalling Opera Web browser 0 Opera has released a beta version of its Web browser for the Pocket PC, which can be downloaded for free from their Web site (www.opera.com/products/mobile/ products/winmobileppc/). The program includes a pop-up blocker, the ability to open multiple windows, and other advanced features. I installed it on my HP iPAQ to test, and mistakenly answered “Yes” when it asked me if I wanted to make it my default browser. When I was finished, I uninstalled it, but apparently it did not change Internet Explorer Mobile back to my default browser. It no longer opens when I click on a Web link in an e-mail or RSS feed. Any suggestions on how to fix this? Anzolace The easiest way to fix it is to do a hard reset of your device to restore all default settings. However, after doing this, you’ll have to restore all your data and reinstall third-party programs. Back up your device before hand. Here’s a link to a registry file you import into the Pocket PC’s System Registry to restore the previous assignments (www. winmobiletech.com/sekalaiset/Revert OperaAssignments.reg). You’ll need a registry editing program to do this, and editing the registry can be tricky. Menneisyys, Forum Administrator www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20527 Fish Tycoon and some other Astraware games do work with Windows Mobile 5.0. As far as MS Reader activation is concerned, there are dozens of threads on this question. Use the forum search engine here and on other Pocket PC boards and on Google, or check out this Pocket PC Thoughts thread (www.pocket pcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic. php?t=44561). Menneisyys, Forum Administrator www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20731 Which iPAQ should I get? 0 Networking with Bluetooth 0 I just installed a USB Bluetooth dongle, connected it to my PC, and installed the Bluetooth manager software that came with it. I can send files from my PC to my Pocket PC via Bluetooth, but can’t do anything else. How can I get network access? Every time I try, it says that the PC is “not discoverable.” Aiti Check out this tutorial on the Geekzone site (www.geekzone.co.nz/content. asp?contentid=1421). Menneisyys, Forum Administrator 82 MS Reader activation problems with WM 5.0 Astraware games 0 The games I have from Astraware won’t install properly and I’m even having trouble with MS Reader activation. I contacted Astraware and they sent me a link to the games that have been certified to run on 5.0 (www.astraware.com/ppc/wm5). And the nice person who answered my e-mail did say that PopCap bundle #1 will soon be compatible, as will all future releases. He also said they are slowly getting some of the older favorites up and running. Bzymom YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support I need a Pocket PC primarily for general business use. Is it worth the difference to buy the HP iPAQ hx2700 series over the hx2400 series? Pwppcuser If you’re buying a Windows Mobile 5.0 model, get one with the most persistent storage (flash ROM). It’s used as “internal memory” to hold data and user-installed programs. Since everything on a WM5 device is stored in flash ROM, you won’t lose your data if the battery runs out. Also, if you have sensitive information, make sure the model has the ProtectTools encryption software, which is built into many HP Pocket PCs. If security is extremely important to you, favor the hx2700 series, which has a built-in fingerprint reader. One final consideration: If you need to install and use one or more third-party software programs, and if these programs are particularly S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Tips From The PocketPCmag.com Forums important to you, make sure they are compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0. If it isn’t, you may want to consider a Pocket PC running the Windows Mobile 2003 software. Ppc4me!!! www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20777 Clinton Fitch www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=19866 Airport site) closes Pocket Internet Explorer every time I try to open it. It displays live flight information and might have something to do with Java. What can I do to remedy the problem? Tuppence220 it to your desktop or laptop PC and back up the iPAQ using ActiveSync, the desktop PC synchronization program that ships with all Pocket PCs. If you no longer have the CD containing ActiveSync, you can download a copy of it for free, from Microsoft’s Web site (www. microsoft.com/windowsmobile/ addons/default.mspx). If you do not have the sync cable, you may still be able to purchase it from HP’s Web site (www.hp.com). (Notice to owners of Windows Mobile 5.0 devices. The backup function in ActiveSync 4.1 is disabled for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, and no longer appears in the Options menu. However, if you connect a pre-WM5 device to a PC using AS 4.1, backup/restore is still available.) Menneisyys, Forum Administrator www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20699 Games for iPAQ hp6515 square screen 0 I was wondering if there are any games that would work well with the square screen on my HP iPAQ hw6515? I try running games developed for the standard Pocket PC screen, but because of the hp6515’s 240x240 pixel resolution, the bottom section of the display is always missing. Shinigami Skweezer reformats Web pages for your Pocket PC. One solution to this problem is to use a mobile Web portal like Skweezer, which reformats Web sites on the fly so they display properly on your mobile device. Open Pocket Internet Explorer, go to the Skweezer Web site (www.skweezer. com), and type in the Gatwick Web address (www.gatwickairport.com). The page is reformatted and properly displayed on your screen. Menneisyys Forum Administrator www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20689 Adding Today screen program icons 0 I’ve got a MIO168 PDA (Windows Mobile 2003) which has the TomTom GPS software installed. When I did the initial install, a TomTom icon was placed on the Today screen on the line below the Tasks entry. All I had to do was tap on the icon to launch the TomTom navigator program. For some reason this has now vanished and I can’t find anywhere to add extra options to this screen. Anyone know how it’s done please? Lencuff Is the TomTom navigator program preinstalled in flash ROM? If not, you might try reinstalling the program. That might put the icon back on the Today screen. Rich Hall There’re several apps that can do this (http://pocketpcmag.com/forum/topic. asp?TOPIC_ID=18383). As you have a QVGA device, I’d go with the free cLaunch (www.freewareppc.com/ utilities/claunch.shtml) unless you need additional capabilities like a battery bar. Menneisyys, Forum Administrator Wow! I installed cLaunch and it has made my PDA a totally different beast! It’s a shame that something like this program isn’t built into the device. Many thanks! Lencuff www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20583 Cubis and other titles from Astraware and PDAmill offer games for square screen Pocket PCs. Unfortunately, very few games are compatible with the hw6515’s square screen. Currently, PDAmill (http://pdamill.com) offers four titles for square screen devices: GameBox Classics, GameBox Gems, GameBox Solitaire and Flux Challenge. In addition, Astraware (www.astraware. com) offers a number of titles that work with square screen Pocket PCs. Menneisyys Forum Administrator www.pocketpcmag.com/forum/ topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=20241 Backup utility for Pocket PC 0 Web site won’t open; keeps closing Pocket Internet Explorer 0 I have an HP iPAQ h4100 Pocket PC and have no problem loading most Web sites. However, one in particular (the Gatwick A friend of mine gave me his HP iPAQ h1930 Pocket PC, which he was no longer using. Unfortunately, I can’t find a backup program on it anywhere. When the battery runs out, everything is lost. It’s so frustrating! I have a 1GB SD card. I want to know if there is a free backup program available somewhere. I really want to be able to use this Pocket PC, but don’t see it happening unless I can back it up. Noma_85 There are many third-party solutions, but they are all commercial products. (A list of them is available here (www. pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php? blog =3&p=497&more=1). Do you have the sync cable that came with the device? If so, you can connect YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 83 WHAT’S ONLINE Jim Karpen An Overview of Windows Mobile Web Browsers W ith the near-ubiquity of wireless hotspots and the growing trend to integrate Wi-Fi into Pocket PCs and Smartphones, some users are becoming concerned about the limitations of related to the size of the display. Most Web pages are designed to be viewed on larger desktop PC displays. Pocket Internet Explorer can reformat Web pages to display in single column format. But the results are often unsatisfying and require a lot of horizontal scrolling. The second problem is that many Web pages use Cascading Style Sheets and other Web technologies that Pocket Internet Explorer is unable to deal with. The most common frustrating experience is going to one’s banking site and being unable to log in, or not being able to access navigational aids such as dropdown menus. As a result, many Windows Mobile users limit themselves to visiting so called “mobile sites” formatted to display well on smaller screens. www.pocketpcmag.com/mobile/ mobile.asp.) Unfortunately, mobile sites are a small subset of the Internet universe. Many people want it all! Fortunately, alternatives abound. In previous articles we’ve discussed proxy services such as Skweezer (www.skweezer.net) and webXcope (www.webxcope.com). These dynamically reformat Web content for the small screen of your device. While these services do a good job of shoehorning content, they are still limited in regard to letting you access Web pages that use advanced technologies. In this article, we’ll look at some of the alternative commercial and freeware Web browsers available for Windows Mobile devices. it’s probably best not to make Opera your default browser. NetFront Web browser for Pocket PCs NetFront 3.2 (www.access-us-inc.com) is a leading alternative to Pocket Internet Explorer and was the winner in this category in our 2005 Best Software awards. Version 3.3 will be released soon, adding support for Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, which is missing in 3.2. reports, sounds like it will be a killer application. According to a preliminary report published on Brighthand (www.brighthand.com), With the use of plug-ins, you’ll be able to use documents, Flash animations, and videos. It’s Opera 8.5 for Windows Mobile Pocket PCs JavaScript, allowing it to access pages that Pocket Internet Explorer cannot. Our testing shows that its ability to access Web pages that use advanced technologies is excellent. Opera’s most notable feature, according to early users, is its phenomenal speed—faster than any other Windows Mobile browser. Other features include a popup blocker, zoom capability, a download manager, tabbing/multiple windows, and smart-rendering technolthe width of any size screen. Also available is the free Opera Mini. It’s primarily intended for low-end mobile phones that aren’t ordinarily able to access the Web or are able to do so with a limited WAP text-only interface. It’s written in Java, and to use it on download a Java Virtual Machine. It has basic features such as bookmarks and browsing history, but doesn’t have the advanced features of Opera’s Mobile Browser. Pocket PC, you are asked if you want to make it your default browser. We’ve received reports that if you do this and then remove Opera, the uninstall procedure does not change Pocket Internet Explorer back to your default browser. This means that if you click on a Web link in an e-mail, etc, it may not automatically open Pocket Internet Explorer. For the time being, YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Opera Web Browser for Windows Mobile devices NetFront 3.2 for Pocket PC Like Opera, NetFront can access Web pages using advanced technologies. However, users say that current beta versions aren’t as fast as Opera. Those previewing the beta of version 3.3 say that although it has greatly improved Jim Karpen Ph.D. is on faculty at Maharishi University of Management in Fairfield, Iowa. He has been interested in the revolutionary consequences of computer technology ever since writing his Ph.D. dissertation–a study of the “digitized word” that anticipated the Internet revolution. He has been writing regularly about the Internet since 1994. His Web site, www.jimkarpen. com, contains selected Internet columns written monthly for the Iowa Source magazine. Contact Jim at jim_karpen@PocketPCmag.com. Opera has long been an excellent alternative product and now as a freebie. Much current excitement surrounds Opera’s Mobile Browser (www.opera.com/products/mobile). Opera 8.0 for Windows Mobile Smartphones was version of Opera 8.5 for Windows Mobile Pocket PC was released early this year (beta Web standards, including CSS2, DOM 2, and 84 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 What’s Online How To Use page (www.pocketpcmag.com/awards/nomi nees_2005.asp). It’s exciting to see so much development in this area and to know that as high-speed wireless becomes ubiquitous, we will have powerful software that will give us effective access ThunderHawk Web browser JavaScript support, there are still some Web pages it cannot access. NetFront 3.2 lets you open multiple Web ThunderHawk is available through the Bitstream Web site. The browser/proxy server A Smartphone version of the product is also available, as is a free trial. Minimo, a free browser based on Mozilla, is available for Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PCs. to the entire Internet on our mobile devices. MultiIE: Pocket Internet Explorer plug-in blocker, RSS support, zoom capability, integrated Internet searching, and more. NetFront 3.2 for Pocket PC is available for $30 from Handango.com and PocketGear.com. ThunderHawk: A browser/proxy server combo MultiIE (www.multiie.info) is a plug-in for Pocket Internet Explorer, not a standalone browser. It adds a range of capabilities to PIE, chief among them being the ability to open more than one browser window at a time and see a list of all open windows. Other features include the ability to save Web pages. Mulawards. It is currently available for pre-WinMobile 5.0/ Internet Explorer Mobile version will be available soon. A wide variety of Internet related titles are available for the Pocket PC. Check out the “Internet” category on our Best Software Awards Minimo: Free mobile version of Mozilla ThunderHawk (www.bitstream.com/wire less) was recently updated to support Windows Mobile 5.0. It supports devices with VGA displays and offers a left keyboard orientation for compatibility with certain Pocket PC Phone Edition devices with thumb keyboards. ThunderHawk is a browser that works in conjunction with a proxy server hosted by reformatting Web pages designed for desktop PCs. ThunderHawk produces pages that have capable of presenting complex, multi-column pages. It can handle a variety of advanced Web You’ll also want to keep an eye on Minimo (www.mozilla.org/projects/minimo), the free mobile version of the popular open-source browser software Mozilla. It’s a fairly quick and capable browser. It includes tabbed browsIt is compatible with Windows Mobile 5.0. is particularly valuable for Pocket PCs with a QVGA display. The latest version also includes Java support on Windows Mobile 5.0 devices, letting you run Java applets. Note that Java is different from Javascript, which is much simpler and more limited. For greater compatibility with Web pages, Windows Mobile browsers need to support both. As this is being written, only Netfront and ThunderHawk have Java capability. www.BluetoothNews.com www.BluetoothNews.com www.BluetoothNews.com www.BluetoothNews.com www.BluetoothNews.com www.BluetoothNews.com www.BluetoothNews.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 85 Visit AT A GLANCE — Pocket PCs & Smartphones — Feature by Feature Comparison Built-in Expansion Slots Battery Reviews of these, plus discontinued and hard to find Pocket PCs can be found at www.PocketPCmag.com Send updated information to Duncan Brown, duncan@pocketpcmag.com. Built-in Comm. Card Comm Type Life (mfg est) Size Weight Comments Additional Software from Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (see listing at beginning of section for MS software) SD Card CF Card Operating System Price may vary Processor CPU Display diagonal pixels colors type RAM/ ROM (MB) Pocket PCs 229 GBP 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/32 • BT 3.7" 480x640 64 K Transflective TFT 64/128 • 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/32 • BT 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/64 Li-Ion • • 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/128 64/64 • • BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 19 hr 5.3x3.1x0.7" 6.9 oz 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA255 400 MHz PXA270 416 MHz • Mini-SD BT slot Wi-Fi 4.80x2.88x.77" 6.5 oz PXA270 520 MHz BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 8 hr 4.72x2.76x.65" 5.29 oz Samsung 2410 266 MHz Li-Ion 8 hr 4.7x2.8x.8" 5.8 oz Samsung 2440 400 MHz BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 8 hr 4.33x2.76x.54" 4.76 oz Samsung 2410 266 MHz Li-Ion 8 hr 4.67x2.8x.53" 4.6 oz IN ROM: Lunar View, Pictures, Backup/Restore Utility. On CD: Voice Dictionary, Pocket TV Enterprise Edition. Includes USB Host and Client. Lacks Wi-Fi. Currently available in England and Europe. Acer N30 global.acer.com $n.a. WM 2003 Acer N300 global.acer.com 249 GBP WM 5.0 VGA device with a big screen; has both Wi-Fi In ROM: Lunar View, Pictures, Backup/Restore Utility, WMP A fast, well-equipped WM 5.0and Client. Currently available in England and and Bluetooth, and USB Host 10 Mobile. On CD: Voice Dictionary. Europe. IN ROM: Lunar View, Pictures, Backup/Restore Utility. ON Includes built-in GPS, USB Host and Client. Lacks Wi-Fi. Currently available in CD: Destinator 3 GPS navigation software, Voice Dictionary. England and Europe. In ROM: Lunar View, Pictures, Backup/Restore Utility, WMP Availiable in 320-MHz version; also available with 128 MB RAM; has both 10 Mobile. On CD: Voice Dictionary, Pocket SlideShow. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and CF and SD card slots. GPS Software, Microsoft Voice Command IN ROM: ASUS Backup, ASUS Launcher, ASUS Settings, WiFiMe. An attractive Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC with ample ROM and built-in GPS, Bluetooth, and Wi-Fi (A632 lacks Wi-Fi). Two expansion slots; great battery life; built-in Bluetooth and Wi-Fi. Acer N35 global.acer.com WM 2003 Acer N50 global.acer.com $Varies $419 WM 2003 Second 260 GBP Edition Asus MyPal A632/A636 Series www.asus.com WM 5.0 Asus MyPal A716 www.asus.com WM 2003 Asus MyPal A730/A730W www.asus.com 3.7" 480x640 64 K Transflective TFT 64/64 • • PXA270 520 MHz BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 9 hr 4.63x2.85x.67" 6.0 oz WM 2003 Second $499 to Edition $599 IN ROM: ASUS Settings, ASUS Backup, ASUS Camera, ASUS Smart Keeper. ON CD: Presentation DX, Pocket Painter, VGA screen; integrated USB host, built-in 1.3 megapixel camera; Bluetooth; Money Tracer, Engineering Calculator, Pocket Book, PaPaGo A730W has integrated Wi-Fi. V5 Navigator, games. File Store, Backup, Switcher, Power Status, Brightness, Microphone Gain Control, Dell WLAN Utility, Funk Odyssey Client 4.0, Resco Picture Viewer, Geo Rally 3-D Game, Toy Golf, Battery Pack Lite, Media Player 10. A capable Bluetooth-enabled Pocket PC with a QVGA screen; 416 MHZ model lacks WiFi. Comes with USB cable (416 MHz model); USB cradle (520 MHz model). File Store, Backup, Switcher, Power Status, Dell WLAN Util- Gorgeous VGA screen; huge 256 MB of flash ROM; SD and CF card slots; Wi-Fi ity, Funk Odyssey Client 4.0, Resco Picture Viewer, Geo Rally and Bluetooth. A fabulous device loaded with features. 3-D Game, Toy Golf, Battery Pack Lite, Media Player 10 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support $399 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/128 • • Li-Ion PXA270 520 MHz BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 4.69x2.7x.7" 5.9 oz $499 3.7 480x640 64 K Transflective TFT 64/256 • • PXA270 624 MHz BT Wi-Fi 4.69x2.87x. 626" 4.9 oz 5x2.8x.74" 5.9 oz 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/32 • PXA270 312 MHz Li-Polymer 6 hr 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/32 • PXA270 312 MHz Li-Polymer 1,250 mAh • BT Li-Ion 1,250 mAh 64/64 2.83x5.04x.75" 5.9 oz 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 416 MHz 2.8x5.0x.8" 5.8 oz $Varies 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 624 MHz Samsung 2440 300 MHz Samsung 2410 300 MHz 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/192 or 64/128 32/64 • • BT Wi-Fi • Wi-Fi Li-Ion n.a. Li-Ion n.a. 4.71x3.01x.65" 5.8 oz 4.47x2.78x.5" 4.4 oz $299.99 $Varies 64/128 • BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 8 hrs. 432x2.24x.69" video 4.44 oz playback Dell X51 Series www.dell.com WM 5.0 Dell X51v www.dell.com WM 5.0 Garmin iQue M3 www.garmin.com WM 2003 Second $499 Edition IN ROM: Garmin 'Que' applications: QueMap, QueFind, QueGPS, QueTrip, QueRoute, QueTurns, System Manager; Basemap, Sprite Backup. ON CD: Garmin Mapsource City Select North America. IN ROM: Garmin 'Que' applications: QueMap, QueFind, QueGPS, QueTrip, QueRoute, QueTurns, System Manager; Basemap, Sprite Backup. ON SD: City Navigator North America NT (U.S., Canada & Puerto Rico maps). IN ROM: Garmin 'Que' applications: QueMap, QueFind, QueGPS, QueTrip, QueRoute, QueTurns, System Manager; Basemap, BTExplorer, Sprite Backup. ON CD: Garmin Mapsource City Select North America. Includes built-in GPS receiver/antenna. Excellent GPS application, good selection of included software. Included in package: docking/sync cable, A/C adapter, car docking cradle/charger, carrying case. Garmin iQue M4 www.garmin.com WM 2003 Second $749.99 Edition A GPS-equiped Pocket PC with built-in maps for North America. Garmin iQue M5 www.garmin.com WM 2003 Second $749.99 Edition Includes built-in GPS receiver/antenna. Excellent GPS applications, good selection of included software. Included in package: docking/sync cradle, A/C adapter, car docking cradle/charger, carrying case. Hewlett-Packard iPAQ hx2090 series www.hp.com WM 5.0 192 MB ROM, 624 HP Protect Tools, Bluetooth Phone Manager, iPAQ Wireless, An attractive series of devices. hx2790: 64 MB RAM,RAM/128flashflash ROM.MHz proc.; 2490 (520 MHz) and 2190 (312 MHz): 64 MB MB iTask, HP Image Zone. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth (2190 has Bluetooth only). Dual CF and SD card slots. iPAQ Wireless; Pocket Panel Lite; iPAQ Entertainment, Utilities, Windows Media Player 10. A decent device with adequate memory, a large screen and Wi-Fi. Hewlett-Packard iPAQ rx1950 WM 5.0 www.hp.com i-mate PDA-N www.imate.com WM 5.0 Voice Notes, PDF Viewer, Zip, Voice Recorder, Games Bundle. Includes GPS receiver, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, ample memory. Mio 168RS www.miogps.com 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/32 • PXA255 300 MHz Li-Ion 7.5 hr 4.42x2.76x.95" 5.19 oz WM 2003 Second $499 Edition IN ROM: Mio Utility, eBackup, eMenu, E-Viewer, MP3 Player, Built-in GPS; Also available as Evesham CoPilot, Navman PiN GPS and SkyMio Map GPS and Mio Map POI applications for Pocket PC. Walker GPS-500. Comes with a vehicle mount and car charger, case, 256MB ON CD: Mio Map software including Mio Map Console for SD Card, SD card reader. North America, maps, trip routing/navigating software. Phone Editions $Varies 2.8" 240x320 64 K TFT LCD 64/128 Li-Ion4 hr talk 200 hr stdby E-TEN G500 www.etencorp.com 4.69x2.44x.91" 6.74 oz IN ROM: BT Manager, Backup utility, Phone Settings, SIM Manager, Pictures, E-TEN Image Maker utility, Incoming call recognition, Application Quick Link. CSD Type, Voice Commander, Skype for Pocket PC, Image Wizard, MMS Composer, Battery Meter, Zoom SMS, M-Desk, Scenarios. $Varies 2.8" 240x320 64 K TFT LCD 64/128 • BT GSM/ Li-Ion 4 hrtalk 4.4x2.39x.87" GPRS 200 hr stdby 6.0 oz WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition Samsung 2440 400 MHz Samsung 2440 400 MHz 64/128 • BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 4 hrtalk 4.40x2.39x.87" GSM/ 200 hr stdby 5.82 oz GPRS BT GSM/ L-Polymer GPRS Samsung 2440 400 MHz BT GSM/ GPRS Slot is • miniSD Speed Dial, Call Filter, Voice Commander, Image Wizard, Image Maker, MMS Composer, Quick Link, Battery Meter, M-Desk, Scenarios, Backup Utility. GSM/GPRS device with built-in GPS and Bluetooth; 1.3 mega pixel camera, Mini-SD card slot, sync/charge cale, leather case. Quad-band GSM; features 1.3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, charging/sync cradle, leather case. Quad-band GSM/GPRS phone edition with built-in camera, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, ample memory, and running Windows Mobile 5.0. E-TEN M500 www.etencorp.com $Varies 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 2.8" 240x320 4 K STN LCD 64/32 • Samsung 2410 203 MHz 4.61x2.64x.91" 5.82 oz PXA270 312 MHz 64/64 4.65x2.8x.71" 5.8 oz has • mini-SD BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS slot • • • BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 4 hr talk 5.03x3.19x.98" GSM/ 250 hr stdby 10.05 oz GPRS BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 5 hr talk 4.25x2.28x.93" GSM/ 200 hr stdby 5.64 oz GPRS BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion GSM/ 6 hrtalk GPRS 168 hr stdby BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion GSM/GPRS WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition E-TEN M600 www.etencorp.com $Varies WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition E-TEN P300/P300B Series www.etencorp.com WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition IN ROM: Image Maker, Multimedia Manager, Photo Capture, GSM/GPRS device; use with T-Mobile and Cingular, smaller overall size and Phone Settings, SIM Manager, SIM toolkit, Backup utility, display than other Phone Edition Pocket PCs, P300 has built-in camera, System Console ON CD: Microsoft Pocket PC Games, AvantGo. P300B has integrated Bluetooth. BUILT IN: iPAQ Wireless, GSM/GPRS Settings Manager, HP iPAQ 6500/6515 sold direct by HP. Unique square-screen Pocket PC with Profiles, MMS Composer, Bluetooth Manager, iPAQ Backup, built-in quad-band GSM/GPRS phone and GPS receiver. Has an SD slot and a HP Photosmart Camera, HP Image Zone for Pocket PC, mini SD card slot, Bluetooth, and a thumb keyboard. Utilities: Self Test, Power Status. In ROM: MMS, Photo Contact, Photo Album, Camera Capture Utility, Camcorder, xBackup, SIM Manager. In ROM: MMS, Photo Contact, Photo Album, Camera Capture Utility, Camcorder, xBackup, SIM Manager. Computer Associates anti-virus software; Skype; Office Mobile, Windows Media Player 10. Camera Capture Utility, Smart Dialer, Phone Pad, Voice Command, Microsoft Office Mobile, Windows Media Player 10. Photo contact, Photo album, camera capture utility, xbackup, KSE Truefax. Camera Utility, XBackup, Photo Album. IN ROM: IA Style applications, MMS Composer, SIM Manager, SIM Tool Kit, xBackup, Wireless Modem. Orange Backup, Orange Update, Clearvue PDF, Clearvue PPT, Photo Contacts, Album. Today screen enhancements, Wireless Sync, Voice Command, Cubis, Picsel PDF Viewer. SIM-unlocked phone works with any GSM carrier. Features 1.3 megapixel camera. Made by HTC. In the Package: headphones, A/C adapter, USB Sync cable, carrying case. Offered with 128 MB of flash ROM, or 64 MB. Quad-band GSM/GPRS SIM-unlocked phone works with any GSM carrier. Features 1.3 megapixel camera, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Made by HTC. Quad-band GSM/GPRS with 3G UMTS high-speed access. Includes Bluetooth and Wi-Fi; swivel keyboard, 1.3 Megapixel camera and a second camera, big VGA-resolution screen. A powerful, full-featured device with quad-band GSM/GPRS and EDGE high-speed connectivity; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; 1.3 Megapixel camera, slide-out keyboard. Quad-band GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth and Wi-Fi, .3 Megapixel camera, slidedown keyboard. Dual-Band CDMA with high-speed EV-DO; .3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, slide-down keyboard. Built-in color VGA digital camera; unlocked, allowing you to install thirdparty software and swap SIM cards from GSM providers around the world. Phone Edition device with quad-band GSM/GPRS; available in England and Europe. Has Bluetooth, 1.3 megapixel camera. A square-screen device from Verizon Wireless with CDMA and EV-DO wireless capability, plus Bluetooth. Features a thumb keyboard and built-in camera. Hewlett-Packard iPAQ hw6500 WM 2003 PPC Mobile Messenger Series Phone Edition www.hp.com $TBA 3.0" 240x240 64 K Transflective TFT $629 $Varies $Varies 3.6" 480x640 64 K Transflective TFT 64/128 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/128 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 128/64 128/64 128/64 64/64 64/128 83 MB 128/64 128/64 • • • BT CDMA Wi-Fi i-mate JAM www.imate.com 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/128 64/128 4.252x2.284 x.717" oz BT GSM/ L-Polymer GPRS WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition 4.25x2.28x.71" 5.3 oz 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 520 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz PXA263 400 MHz • • • • • BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS 5 hrs. BT GSM/ GPRS L-Polymer 3.5 hr talk 160 hr stdby BT CDMA Li-Ion 4 hr talk 4.92x2.82x.74" 158 hr stdby 7.41 oz PXA270 416 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz i-mate JAMin www.imate.com WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition i-mate JASJAR www.imate.com $Varies Slot is • miniSD 4.92x2.82x.74" 7.41 oz WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition i-mate K-JAM www.imate.com $Varies $Varies $850 $Varies $Varies $Varies $Varies $629.99 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 416 MHz 64/128 PXA263 400 MHz 3.5" 240x320 64 K Active Matrix TFT PXA263 400 MHz 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 520 MHz 2.5" 240x240 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 312 MHz 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA 262 416 MHz 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA263 400 MHz 5.12x2.75x.8" 6.9 oz 4.25x2.28x.71" 3.74 oz 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA263 400 MHz WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition i-mate PDA2k www.imate.com WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition i-mate PDA2k EVDO www.imate.com WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support BT GSM/ Li-Ion 4.7 hr tk 4.4x2.3x.9" GPRS 360 hr stdby 6.4 oz Li-Ion i-mate Phone Edition www.imate.com WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition Orange SPV M500 web.orange.co.uk WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition Palm Treo 700w www.palm.com WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition Samsung SCH-i730 www.samsung.com WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition 4.49x2.28x.97" 6.44 oz BT Wi-Fi L-Polymer GSM/ 4 hr talk GPRS 200 hr stdby BT CDMA Li-Ion 3.6 hrtalk 6 days stdby IN ROM: SRS WOW XT Audio, Launcher, CarKit Volume, Ringtone Manager, OBEX FTP, Remote Control, VoiceSignal, CDMA/EVDO phone edition, slide-out keyboard, lots of memory, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth. Picsel Browser. ON CD: Sprite Backup. 4.9x2.8x.7" 7.4 oz 4.9x2.75x.74" 7.35 oz In ROM: Xbackup, SIM Manager, WLAN Manager. Marketed by Cingular; quad-band GSM/GPRS. Loaded with memory, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth; features slide-out keyboard; comes with docking cradle, case. In ROM: Album, Express Page One, Xbackup, Ring Tones, Dual-Band CDMA. Flexible wireless device includes BlueMicrophone ACG, Button Lock.On CD: Audible Player, Citrix Marketed by Sprint; keyboard. Removable battery provides plenty of power. tooth 1.1, slide-out GoToMyPC (web link). Siemens SX66 www.siemens.com WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition Sprint PCS PPC-6600/6601 www.sprint.com $Varies WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition Sprint PPC-6700 www.sprint.com $Varies WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition 4.25x2.3x1.0" • mini-SD BT CDMA Li-Ion 5.7 hr tk 6.07 oz Wi-Fi 200 hr stdby slot Slot is • miniSD BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion GSM/GPRS/ 5.5 hrtalk EDGE 120 hr stdby Microsoft Office Mobile, Windows Media Player 10. A powerful, full-featured device with dual-band CDMA and EV-DO, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, a 1.3 Megapixel camera, and a slide-out keyboard. 4.3x2.3x.9" 5.6 oz Microsoft Office Mobile, Windows Media Player 10. Marketed by T-Mobile; Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Bluetooth and WI-Fi; Slide-out keyboard, 1.3 mega pixel camera. T-Mobile MDA $Varies WM 5.0 PPC Phone Edition TI OMAP 850 64/128 200 MHz PXA263 400 MHz 128/64 Verizon XV6600 www.verizon.com WM 2003 PPC Phone Edition • BT CDMA Li-Ion 2.5 hr tk 4.92x2.82x.74" 168 hr stdby 7.41 oz No additional information. Dual-Band CDMA with high-speed EV-DO; comes with (or without) .3 megapixel camera, Bluetooth, slide-down keyboard. AT A GLANCE — Pocket PCs & Smartphones — Feature by Feature Comparison Built-in Expansion Slots Battery Reviews of these, plus discontinued and hard to find Pocket PCs can be found at www.PocketPCmag.com Send updated information to Duncan Brown, duncan@pocketpcmag.com. Built-in Comm. Card Comm Type Life (mfg est) Size Weight Additional Software from Equipment Manufacturer (OEM) (see listing at beginning of section for MS software) Comments SD Card CF Card Operating System Price may vary Processor CPU Display diagonal pixels colors type RAM/ ROM (MB) Smartphones $Varies 2.2" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/64 2.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 128/64 2.2" 176x220 64 K Transflective TFT • • Slot is mini-SD • Slot is mini-SD • Slot is mini-SD • Slot is mini-SD • GSM/ GPRS Li-Ion BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS n.a. BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion GSM/ n.a. GPRS BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS n.a. BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS n.a. 1.81x4.25x.63" No information available. 3.53 oz 4.23x1.75x.71" Photo album, camera capture utility, File Manager/Task 3.60 oz Manager, Voice Command software. 4.23x1.82x.69" Photo Album, Camera Capture, File/Task Manager. 3.74 oz 4.23x1.82x.69" Photo Album, camera capture utility, File/Task Manager. 3.74 oz 2.2" 176x220 64 K Transflective TFT 32/64 32/64 64/64 64/64 2.2" 176x220 64 K Transflective TFT 2.2" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 2.2" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 2.2" 176x220 262 K Transflective TFT 16/32 PXA 262 200 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz TI OMAP 710 32/64 132 MHz BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS 3.5 hr 4.74x1.97x.96" IN ROM: IA Style applications, MMS Composer, SIM 4.59 oz manager, SIM Tool Kit, xBackup, Wireless Modem TI OMAP 200 MHz • Slot is mini-SD BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS/ 5 hr Edge 4.25x2.83x.93" Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Pocket MSN. 5.3 oz TI OMAP 200 MHz • Slot is mini-SD BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS/ 5 hr Edge 4.57x1.81x.69" Windows Media Player 10 Mobile, Pocket MSN. 3.74 oz Quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge, 1.3 MP camera. Cingular 2125 www.cingular.com $Varies WM 5.0 Smartphone Cingular 8125 www.cingular.com $600 $Varies $Varies $Varies $Varies WM 5.0 Smartphone Quad-band GSM/GPRS/Edge, 1.3 MP camera, slide-out QWERTY keyboard. Triband GSM/GPRS. Unlocked, allowing you to install third-party software and swap SIM cards from GSM providers around the world. Tri-band GSM/GPRS. Has one mini SD slot; 3 megapixel camera. Tri-band GSM/GPRS; Bluetooth, VGA-resolution (.3 Megapixel) camera. Quad-band GSM/GPRS Smartphone with both Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, and a 1.3 Megapixel camera. Quad-band GSM/GPRS; Wi-Fi and Bluetooth, 1.3 Megapixel camera. i-mate Smartphone 2 www.imate.com Smartphone 2003 i-mate SP3 www.imate.com Smartphone 2003 i-mate SP3i www.imate.com Smartphone 2003 i-mate SP5 www.imate.com WM 5.0 Smartphone i-mate SP5m www.imate.com WM 5.0 Smartphone Mio 8390 www.miogps.com WM Smartphone $Varies 2003 Picture Viewer and Album, Pocket IE (HTML, WML, WAP2.0, 3.90x2.01x.95" SMS/MMS, MP3, WAV & WMA Playback support, Messen- Available in Asia and Europe; features tri-band GSM/GPRS; built-in digital 4.41 oz ger, Call History, Windows Media Text Input, Java MIDP2.0 camera. KVM, MPEG4 Encode/Decode 3.13x1.89x.95" i-Tap predictive text. 3.88 oz 1.81x4.25x.63" No information available. 3.53 oz Available through Cingular; Flip-phone style. Includes mini-SD slot, camera. Available in the U.K. and Europe. Has GSM/GPRS and Bluetooth. Has one mini SD slot; .3 mega pixel camera. Available in the U.S. and Europe. Tri-Band GSM/GPRS. Has 1.3 megapixel camera. Vertical Niche Pocket PCs (devices aimed at industrial/enterprise use) 3.7" 480x640 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 416 MHz 64/64 • • Li-Ion 5.5x3.1x1.0" 10.24 oz Varies Rugged design; durable; shock, splash and dust resistant. Wi-Fi and Bluetooth available installed. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 2" 176x220 64 K TFT LCD 32/64 32/64 32/64 64/64 32/32 32/64 • • Slot is mini-SD • Slot is mini-SD • Slot is mini-SD BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS n.a. 2.2" 176x220 64 K TFT 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA255 200 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz PXA255 200 MHz Motorola 180 MHz TI OMAP 730 32/64 200 MHz TI OMAP 200 MHz 32/64 2.2" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 2.2" 176x220 64 K Transflective TFT 2.2" 176x220 64 K Transflective TFT 2.2" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 2.2" 176x220 64 K Transflective TFT TI OMAP 200 MHz StrongARM 206 MHz • Slot is mini-SD BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS 5 hr BT GSM/ Lithium 4.25x1.81x.71" Includes Windows Media Player 10. GPRS Ion n.a. 3.77 oz BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS n.a. CDMA • has SIMM GSM/ slot GPRS • • Slot is mini-SD Li-Ion 4 hr Li-Ion 4.23x1.82x.69" No additional information available. 3.74 oz 3.54x2.1x0.92" Voice Signal, Smartphone applications. 5 oz 3.5x1.9x1.2" 5.9 oz $Varies BT GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS 4 hr Motorola MPx220 www.attwireless.com/mpx200 WM Smartphone $Varies 2003 Orange SPV c500 web.orange.co.uk WM Smartphone $Varies 2003 Orange SPV c550 web.orange.co.uk WM Smartphone $Varies 2003 Orange SPV c600 web.orange.co.uk WM 5.0 Smartphone Available only in the U.K. and Europe. Quad band GSM/GPRS; includes EDGE Internet connectivity; AKU2 update for Push E-mail; Bluetooth; 1.3 Megapixel camera. Marketed by Sprint and Verizon Wireless. Flip-phone style, dual-band CDMA. IN ROM: TeleNav GPS; Trimbel Outdoors and FindMe930; My-Cast Weather, Clearvue document viewer. Available from Sprint/Nextel; A walkie/talkie-enabled Smartphone running GSM/GPRS; includes GPS receiver and software. BT GSM/ Li-Ion 4.25x1.85x.77" Email client with Push support, File Manager, Task Manager, Available from T-Mobile only in Germany and England. GSM/GPRS device with GPRS 10 mAh 3.77 oz Modem-sharing application. Bluetooth, built-in 1.3 mega pixel cameral. 4.24x1.82x.69" IN ROM: Photo Contacts, Windows Media Player 10 Mobile. Marketed by Cingular.Tri-band GSM/GPRS, Bluetooth, built-in 1.3 megapixel camera, mini-SD slot. 3.58 oz Samsung SCH-i600 www.samsung.com WM Smartphone $Varies 2003 Sprint Sprint/Nextel i930 www.sprint.com WM Smartphone $Varies 2003 T-Mobile SDA II www.voicestream.com WM Smartphone $TBA 2003 UTStarcom SMT 5600 www.utstar.com WM Smartphone $320 2003 Casio Cassiopeia IT-10M20 www.casio.com WM 2003 Second $999.99 Edition Ecom X10 - Ex i.roc Series ecom-ex.de $Varies Li-Ion Varies 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/32 • Jet Keys, Bluetooth Manager, iTask Manager, Image Zone. 3.8" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/64 Li-Ion 3.5" 240x320 64 K TFT LCD 64/32 Li-Ion Li-Ion Varies Office Mobile, Media Player 10, Voice Command. Li-Ion • 3.8" 240x320 64 K Reflective TFT 64/32 64/64 64/128 • • 6.5x3.5x13.7" 17 oz • Wi-Fi 7.0x3.5x1.5" 15 oz • • 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT Li-Ion PXA270 520 MHz PXA255 400 MHz PXA250 400 MHz 7.53x3.5x1.97" Varies 17 oz PXA255 400 MHz BT Wi-Fi 9.6x3.45x1.66" Varies 19.68 oz PXA255 400 MHz • Slot is mini-SD 7.3x3.5x1.7" 17 oz Rugged design; built-in 1D/2D scanners, options for Bluetooth, Wi-Fi and GSM/GPRS modules. Available in 25 and 35-key keyboard options. Rugged design; 1/4 VGA display; 3 keyboard layouts; optional modules for WAN, LAN, and PAN; weight varies from 19.7 to 25.8 oz. Rugged and fast device with high-capacity battery; wireless WAN, LAN, and Bluetooth options; scanner options also available. Includes models 741, 751 and 761. Also available is the the 700 mono. Rugged mobile computer; integrated scanner and RS232 port; optional Bluetooth module. Available in an I-Safe model for explosion-prone environments. A rugged device with a 9-pin serial port, USB host; one of the first rugged devices equipped with Windows Mobile 5.0. PXA255 400 MHz BT Wi-Fi Li-Ion 7x3.3x1.5" 15.8 oz WM 2003 Three ruggedized models: the 410 has a Protection Rating of IP65. The 510 has a Gas Zone rating of 2 and Dust Zone rating of 22. The 610 has a Gas Zone rating of 1 and Dust Zone rating of 21. Weights: 410 & 510 = 15.8 oz.; 610 = 21.1 oz. Hand Held Products Dolphin 7900 Series www.hhp.com WM 2003 Second $Varies Edition Hand Held Products Dolphin 9500/9550 Series www.hhp.com $Varies $Varies $Varies WM 2003 Second $Varies Edition Intermec 700 Series www.intermec.com Pocket PC 2002 Intermec 730 Series www.intermec.com WM 2003 Juniper Systems Archer Field PC www.junipersys.com 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 64/64 • Wi-Fi PXA270 416 MHz 5.35x2.95 x1.13"6.77 oz WM 5.0 Symbol MC50 www.symbol.com WM 2003 Second $925 to Edition $1,200 Symbol’s Rapid Deployment Client (enables Mobility Services Platform management console to monitor the Ruggedized Pocket PC; 6 different models: 3 with keyboard, 3 without. Each device and track application versions, and Symbol's Mobile unit can include a scanner, a 2-D scanner, or a 1.1 megapixel digital camera. Companion (manages wireless network connectivity). Symbol’s Rapid Deployment Client (enables Mobility Services Platform management console to monitor the Ruggedized Pocket PC Phone Edition; Quad-band GSM/GPRS/EDGE, Tri-band device and track application versions, and Symbol's Mobile Wi-Fi, Bluetooth. Companion (manages wireless network connectivity). Varies Varies Rugged design, used for bar code scanning applications, backlit keypad; Also available with Windows CE. Rugged modular design allows reconfiguration of hardware and software for a specific mission without changing basic unit, options include internal Bluetooth, expansion modules for PC cards, GPS module. Rugged MIL-spec Pocket PC with thumb keyboard; protected against water, humidity, drops, dust, vibration, extreme temperatures, and altitude. Includes 9-pin serial port, numerous expansion options. Windows Mobile OS, rugged waterproof design. Meets MIL-STD-810F and IP 67 ruggedness specs. O-ring seal for protection from weather, supports qualified memory and Bluetooth cards. Varies Rugged; built-in scanner, 19-key keypad, touch screen, PC Card and CF slots, plus RS232 port. Symbol MC70 www.symbol.com $1,195$2,895 64/128 Li-Ion 3.5" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT PXA270 624 MHz 6.0x3.0x1.5" 11.2 oz WM 5.0 Phone Edition Also has • Rs232 port • • Li-Ion Sprite Backup L-Poly- 6.2x3.5x1to2" mer 14.5 to 23.5 oz BT NiMH 10.5x5.2x1.9" 2.1 lb. oz 6.5x3.75x1.75" Varies 16.96 oz 7.17x3.23 x1.14" 12.3 oz BT Wi-Fi 9.2x7.6x3.6" 26.08 oz BT Wi-Fi GSM/ Li-Ion GPRS/ EDGE Symbol MC9000 Series www.symbol.com $Varies $Varies 3.77" 240x320 64 K Transflective TFT 3.5" 320x240 64 K Transflective TFT 128/512 • • 3.8" 240x320 64 K Reflective TFT • Li-Ion 3.5" 240x320 64 K Reflective TFT 64/32 • StrongARM 206 MHz Also has • PC-Card slot PXA250 200 MHz or 400 MHz 64/64 or 64/128 PXA270 520 MHz PXA250 200 MHz or 400 MHz 64/32 or 64/48 3.8" 240x320 64 K Color or Mono 64/64 PXA255 400 MHz WM 2003 Talla-Tech Tacter R-PDA Series WM 2003 www.talla-tech.com $Varies TDS Ranger Series 300X/500X www.tdsway.com $1,299 WM 5.0 TDS Recon Series 200/400 www.tdsway.com $Varies WM 2003 OPERATING SYSTEM: Type of operating system. PRICE: $ U.S. DISPLAY: Diagonal measurement in inches; pixel resolution; number of colors in thousands (K); type of LCD. PROCESSOR/CPU: Type of processor and its speed. RAM/ROM: RAM is memory available for running programs and storing data. ROM is used for permanent storage of the built-in OS and applications. BUILT-IN EXPANSION SLOTS: card slots built into the device to accept the various types of memory/storage cards. Many larger card slots will accept smaller cards with the use of an adapter. PC cards and CF cards are shown at either Type I or Type II in the chart above. Unless otherwise noted all devices have a serial and an infrared interface; a built-in micrphone and speaker; and various action and navigation buttons. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support $Varies 9.4" 640x480 64K DSTN 32/24 • MIPS 168 MHz PC Card Type II & CF Slots Li-Ion 10 hr 8.75x11.25x1.0" 3.31 lbs. 8.1" 640x240 PXA255 64K DSTN Passive Matrix 400 MHz 64/64 • PC Card Type II & CF Slots Li-Ion 8 hr 9.69x5.05x1.19" 1.8 lbs. 8.4" 800x600 PXA255 SVGA Color Touch Screen 400 MHz 128/64 • 8.1" 640x240 256 Transflective TFT StrongARM 64/32 206 MHz PC Card Type II & CF Slots • Li-Ion n.a. Li-Ion 14 hr 9.25x7.24x1.38" 2.95 lbs. 8.47x3.35x1.37" 1.3 lbs. Varies Unitech PA950 www.ute.com WM 2003 Handheld PCs IN ROM: Citrix ICA Client; Vadem ViewFinder, bSquare bFax Pro and bUseful Backup Plus; Westtek JetCet Print drivers and PowerPoint Companion, Calligrapher. ON CD: Clio Applications. SwingTop pivoting arm and 180-degree screen rotation; can be used as a notebook, tablet or for presentations. Data Evolution Clio C-1050 www.dataevolution.com Handheld PC 2000 NEC MobilePro 900/900C www.neccsd.com Windows CE .NET $Varies IN ROM: Flash ROM configuration utility, NEC Sync Client v.5.1 ON CD: bSquare bFax software and bBackup utility, Engineered for the enterprise, keyboard size is 92% of a notebook's; has new Citrix ICA Client, Phatware Netprofiler, Westtek JetCET Intel XScale processor PXA255. Printer Driver, ANSYR PDF Viewer. IN ROM: Inbox, Pocket On-Schedule, Stllent File Viewer, JEM ON CD: Java Virtual Machine. Designed for the enterprise with large screen and keyboard; 128 MB SDRAM; long battery life; weighs almost 3 pounds; 3 expansion slots; no built-in modem. Microsoft CE.NET operating system, available with indoor or outdoor screens, rugged design, optional Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, or GSM/GPRS radios. BUILT-IN COMMUNICATION: BT = Bluetooth, Wi-Fi = 802.11B, CDMA = Code Division Multiple Access, GSM/GPRS = Global Sytem for Mobile Communications/General Packet Radio Service. BATTERY/LIFE: Type of battery and the estimated hours of continuous use it will provide according to manufacturers’ specifications. SIZE/WEIGHT: Dimensions of device in height, width, and depth plus the weight in ounces for the Pocket PCs and pound for the Handheld PCs. A partial listing of ADDITIONAL SOFTWARE FROM EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS that is built into the device or provided on CD; as well as our COMMENTS on some noteworthy features of each device. Note: Each OEM provides a different assortment of hardware accessories with their device. Items such as AC adapters, manuals, styluses come in most packaging and some include such things as cases. Check the OEM Web sites for a complete listing of accessories they include with their device. Psion Teklogix Netbook Pro www.psionteklogix.com Windows CE .NET $Varies Psion Teklogix netpad www.psionteklogix.com Windows CE .NET $Varies READING THESE CHARTS>> AT A GLANCE—Pocket PCs & Smartphones W.M. 5.0 PPC Premium Ed. W.M. 5.0 PPC Phone Ed. WM 2002/2003 Smartphone W.M. 5.0 PPC Standard Ed. W.M. 5.0 Smartphone WM 2003 Phone Ed. WM 2003 SE Edited by Duncan H. Brown WM 2003 Application PPC 2002 Description Built-In Asset Viewer Calculator Calendar Contacts External Keyboard Support File Explorer Inbox Infrared beaming Infrared OBEX beaming Internet Explorer Mobile (Pocket Internet Explorer) Jawbreaker Landscape viewing mode MSN Messenger MS Reader Notes Phone Dialer Pictures Excel Mobile (Pocket Excel) Powerpoint Mobile Word Mobile (Pocket Word) Server Sync Client Solitaire Tasks Terminal Server Client Text entry software Setup/Configuration utilities VPN Client Voice Recorder Windows Media Player • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Updated and expanded list of system information A simple math calculator An appointment book and scheduler Contacts database to manage phone numbers, addresses, and more Helps in the use of various keyboard functions when used with your Pocket PC File manager that lets you copy, delete, move files, and more E-Mail application that lets you receive, view, compose, and send E-Mail; download or upload E-mail directly from an Internet connection; or synchronize E-Mail with your desktop PC Send and receive data to and from other devices via infrared Adds use of OBEX (Object Exchange protocol) Pocket version of Web browse Puzzle game: match like-colored bubbles Supports both landscape and portrait viewing modes Instant Messenger application eBook viewer with ClearType technology for easy reading Create handwritten or typed notes, drawings, and recordings Supports built-in mobile phone, allowing you to tap in a phone number, speed dial, and send SMS messages; and also includes a call log, call notes, conference calling, customized ringer sounds, and more A picture viewer that lets you display .JPG files in thumbnail or full screen (called “Pictures & Vidoes” in WM 5.0) Spreadsheet program supports 100 functions and formulas; lets you format rows, columns, and cells; and includes spell checker Lets you view PowerPoint Presentations on your device Pocket version of word processor that includes simple formatting features, Find and Replace function, Spell checker, and more Enhanced synchronization of various applications Single-player card game Organize and prioritize your tasks Lets you log onto a Windows NT server that has Terminal Server software installed Soft Keyboard, Graffiti-like Block Recognizer, Letter Recognizer and Transcriber natural handwriting recognition software. The Smartphone does not have a touch screen, but has Tegic T9 predictive text input software to support keypad data entry Configure communications settings, adjust screen contrast, set clock, program launch buttons, set password and more A list of Virtual Private Networks supported by Windows Mobile 2003 Lets you record and play back short voice recordings using the Notes application Play MP3 and Microsoft Audio Format music through built-in speaker or stereo headphone jack; also plays Microsoft Video Format videos Included On or Accesible from CD ROM – Note that Microsoft may change the content of the CD without notice ActiveSync Internet Explorer MS Outlook MS Reader Transcriber Windows Media Player Citrix ICA Client • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • Synchronization software that installs on your desktop PC and lets you sync Outlook data between your handheld device and desktop PC. Also lets you transfer files and install software from your desktop to your handheld Desktop PC version of Microsoft’s Web browser Desktop PC version of Microsoft’s Personal Information Manager/E-mail application Desktop PC version of eBook reader User-installable version of the Pocket PC software that recognizes cursive, print, and mi•ed styles of handwriting Desktop version of Windows Media Player Lets you make an ICA connection to a Citri• server (only found on Pocket PC 2002 and Phone Edition CD) YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 90 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Marketplace YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 91 Marketplace The Clearest and Most Durable Screen Protector For Your PDA YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 92 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Marketplace YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 SMARTPHONE & POCKET PC 93 Marketplace Golfing this Weekend? NEW for the PPC-6700 20,000 SAVE 10% using discount code : PPCMAG2 125 YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support 94 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 Pocket PC User Groups If you are interested in participating in a Pocket PC user group, e-mail the contact in your area, listed below. These individuals are user group contacts only and cannot provide technical support for your Pocket PC. If you are starting a Pocket or Handheld PC user group, or would like to have an existing one listed here, please e-mail: Editor@PocketPCmag.com. Include the information in the format you see below. If your group has a Web site, include that also. Aruba Pocket PC Users Group Aruba Contact: webmaster@pocketpc-aruba.8m.com www.pocketpc-aruba.8m.com Pocket Mexico Contact: Gabriel Corvera, galo@pocketmexico.com GA: North Atlanta Pocket PC Users Group Tom Owens, OwensPPC@msn.com Atlanta, GA: Club Pocket PC Atlanta Eddie Hines, eddie@pocketpcatlanta.com www.pocketpcatlanta.com Honolulu, HI: Hawaii Pocket PC Users Group Todd Ogasawara, mobilehawaii@to-tech.com http://to-tech.com/mobilehawaii/ Chicago, IL: Chicago Area Mobile PC (or CAMPC) campc-subscribe@yahoogroups.com Chicago, IL: Chicago Area Pocket PC User Group George Pawlus, gpawlus@gsbalum.uchicago.edu http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/chipocketpc Louisville, KY: Club Pocket PC Louisville Matt Coddington, Matt@pocketpcLouisville. com www.pocketpcLouisville.com Lafayette, LA: Lafayette Pocket PC User Group Godswill Nwankwo, nwankwo1@ bellsouth.net http://lafayetteppc.ds4a.com Boston, MA: New England Pocket PC User Group Mike Massaro, mmassaro@BostonPocketPC.com www.BostonPocketPC.com E. Lansing, MI: Michigan State Palmtop User Group Doug Luckie, luckie@pilot.msu.edu www.msu.edu/~luckie/mspug.html Kalamazoo, MI: Palm/Pocket PC User Group (KzooPUG) Contact: Jeff Ray, jeff.ray@mobilelifestyles.net www.mobilelifestyles.net/ Minneapolis, MN: Twin Cities Pocket PC Users Group Russell Walker, rwalker@solopoint.net http://tcpocketpc.org Kansas City, MO: Greater Kansas City Pocket PC Nerds Group Contact: Kyle Trail, kyletrail@yahoo.com http://clubs.yahoo.com/clubs/ greaterkcpocketpcnerds Albuquerque, NM: Albuquerque Pocket PC Users Group Dale Coffing, dalec@pocketPCpassion.com www.pocketpcpassion.com Las Vegas, NV: Las Vegas Pocket PC Users Group/SIG Contact: Qman, 1qman@msn.com www.vegasbiznet.com/pocketpc/index.htm New York City, NY: New York City Digital Assistant Users’ Group, NYCDAUG Contact: info@nycdaug.org www.nycdaug.org Poughkeepsie, NY: Mid-Hudson Computer User Group, Inc. PDA/Mobile PC & Wireless SIG Contact: Dick Kranz, dickranz@bestweb.net www.mhcug.org/PDA.htm Westchester County, NY: Westchester PC Users Group Contact: Ken Fried, KenFried@bestweb.net www.wpcug.org Portland, OR: PDX-PDA User Group Contact: programs@ppcug.org http://pdxpda.cjb.net Philadelphia, PA: HUB PC User Group Contact: phlhubpcug@aol.com Pittsburgh, PA: Pittsburgh (PA) Pocket PC Users Group Victor Wrobleski, pittsburghpocketpc@proinbox.com www.PittsburghPocketPC.com Dallas-Ft. Worth, TX: Dallas-Fort Worth Pocket PC Users Group Contact: Brent Knipfer, bknipfer@getbetter.biz Salt Lake City, UT: Utah Pocket PC User Group Alan Ashby, AlanDAshby@pocketpcinsider.net www.pocketpcinsider.net Richmond, VA: Virginia Digital Assistant User Group (VaDAUG) Nicholas Applegate, President , vadaug@handesoftware.com www.vadaug.org Seattle, WA: Puget Sound Handheld Users Group (PSHUG) Rick Takagi, ricktakagi@pshug. org www.pshug.org Netherlands Dutch Pocket PC - club Contact: wouter@pocketpc-club.nl www.pocketpc-club.nl Australia Melbourne: Melbourne Pocket PC User Group Contact: contact@melbourneppc.org www.melbourneppc.org Sydney: Sydney Pocket PC User Group Contact: info@sydneypocketpc.org www.sydneypocketpc.org/html/ Norway Bergen: Bergen p0ggel.org Pocket PC Group Contact: Christian Mohn, ch-moh@online.no Online Community Nursing Pocket PC User Group http://groups. msn.com/nursingpocketpcusergroup/ http://groups.msn.com/ nursingpocketpcusergroup/ Mobile Community Radio Show Internet and Las Vegas Radio Station Broadcast (second Monday of each month at 6:00PM PT) John Iasiuolo, john@computeroutlookrts.com www.computeroutlookrts.com Central & South, NJ: New Jersey Pocket PC User Group David Ciccone, dave@davescompaqipaq.com www.davescompaqipaq.com Austria Salzburg: Club Pocket PC Salzburg Contact: Alex Januschewsky, alex@pocketpcsalzburg.at www.pocketpc-salzburg.at Vienna: Computer Communications Club (CCC) Werner Illsinger, werneri@ccc.at www.ccc.at/cccnew/ Brazil Brazilian Pocket PC User Groups Contact: webmaster@wince.com.br www.clubepocketpc.com.br Canada ON: Ontario Pocket PC User Group Contact: info@onppc.com www.onppc.com Ottawa, ON: Ottawa PocketPC Users Group Woodie Carroll, OttawaPPCug@rogers.com http://members.rogers.com/ottawappcug/ Quebec, PQ: Quebec Pocket PC User Group Sébastien Roy, info@pocketpcquebec.com www.pocketpcquebec.com Philippines Philippines Pocket PC Users Group Carlo Ma. Guerrero, ppcsurfr@hotmail.com www.pinoywindowsmobile.com Portugal Portugal Pocket PC Community Contact: Nuno Luz, nuno.luz@pocketpt.net www.pocketpt.net Germany Bremen-Hannover: Bremen-Hannover Pocket PC User Group Contact: Klaus H. Rechten, ppcusgbremenhannover@gmx.de www.ce-bremenhannover.de Berlin: Club Pocket PC Berlin Brandenburg Contact: Christian Henkel and Bernd Kaiser, info@clubpocketpc-berlin.de www.clubpocketpc-berlin.de Köln: Köln / Cologne Pocket PC User Group Hubert Haverkamp, koeln@pocketpc-users.de http://geocities.com/ppcusergroupkoeln Muenchen: Pocket PC User Group Muenchen Contact: joinnow@pocketpc-muenchen.de www.pocketpc-muenchen.de Rhein-Main: German Pocket PC User Group, RheinMain Markus Schweiger, mail@ce-rheinmain.de www.ce-rheinmain.de Ruhr, Essen: German Pocket PC/Windows CE User Group ruhr@pocketpc-users.de www.pocketpc-users.de Singapore PPCSG.COM Chee Wee (contact link on Web site)www.ppcsg.com Sweden Stockholm: Swedish Pocket PC User Group Christian Forsberg, chris@businessanyplace.net http://groups.msn.com/swedishpocketpcusers/ ADVERTISERS INDEX Be sure to mention our magazine when contacting our advertisers! Company Name AceBartender ALK Technologies Argent Solutions Arkon Bluetoothnews.com Conduits Technologies DeveloperOne GeoAge Ilium Software JAVOedge Karrier LandWare Laridian Lion Battery Moftware Nomad Electronics NuShield OQO Otter Products PDAir Piel Frama Pocket PC FAQ PocketPCTechs Potala Software Prosurv RAM Mounting Systems RealDice.com Resco Sena Cases Spb Software House TeleType Textware Solutions Thaddeus Computing Thaddeus Computing Thaddeus Computing Thaddeus Computing ThreeJTech Tripod Data Systems Unwired Software VMobileSoftware Page 93 11 93 91 85 50 7 BC 41 91 94 21 73 94 IFC 94 92 9 92 91 95 75 41 93 53 IBC 93 57 5 59 1,94 94 18,75 24,63 4,25-37,54 46,72,77 46,93 55 18 92 URL www.acebartender.com www.copilotgps.com www.argentsolutions.net www.arkon.com www.bluetoothnews.com www.conduits.com www.developerone.com www.geoage.com www.iliumsoft.com www.javoedge.com www.intelligolf.com www.landware.com www.laridian.com www.lionbattery.com www.fommy.com www.nomadelectronics.com www.nushield.com/ppc www.oqo.com www.otterbox.com www.pdair.com www.pielframa.com www.pocketpcfaq.com www.pocketpctechs.com www.potalasoftware.com www.prosurv.com www.ram-mount.com www.realdice.com www.resco.net www.senacases.com www.spbsoftwarehouse.com www.teletype.com www.fitaly.com www.palmtoppaper.com www.pocketpcmag.com www.pocketpcmag.com/cd www.usedhandhelds.com www.3jtech.net www.tdsway.com/rugged www.unwiredsoftware.com www.vmobilesoftware.com Switzerland Pocket PC User Group Schweiz Contact: Wyrsch Marco, marco@pocketpc.ch www.mobiledevices.ch/ug/ Turkey Turkish Palmtop PC User Group Ahmet G. Ozisik, agozisik@hotmail.com United Kingdom London area: UK Pocket PC User Group Adam Field, pocketpc@adamfield.co.uk http://communities.msn.co.uk/ PocketPCUKUsersGroup USA Mobile Technology Real Estate Professional Group Talmon Murphy, Jr., talmon@ SouthLandApp.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/ MobileAppraiserGroup/ Los Angeles, CA: Los Angeles Pocket PC Users Group Webmaster@pocketpcusersgroup.org www.pocketpcusersgroup.org Orange County, CA: Orange Co. Pocket PC User’s Group Chris Johnston, chrisjoh@microsoft.com www.ocppcug.com/ Sacramento, CA: NorCal Mobile Computing SIG, Sacramento Chapter Contact: Charles Pickrell, chas@123mail.net http://sacto.mobilecomputingsig.com San Francisco, CA: Northern California Mobile Computing SIG Shawna Kelly, shawna@artzest.com Rey Flores, reynold_flores@hotmail.com www.mobilecomputingsig.com Denver, CO: Rocky Mountain Wireless and Pocket PC User Group Contact: Steve Milroy, steve@rmwug.org www.rmwug.org Washington, DC: Capital PC Users’ Group, Pocket PC SIG Ray Wiley, rainman@gokatgo.net www.cpcug.org/user/pocketpc Miami, FL: CSPocketPCUG, South Florida Pocket PC Users Group Contact: bbojanoski@yahoo.com www.csppcug.cjb.net Greece Greece Pocket PC Users Group Contact: Nikolaos Bessis, nbessis@hotmail.com http://communities.msn.co.uk/ GreecePocketPCUsersGroup Athens: Greece Athens Pocket PC User Group Andreas Tsouchlaris, atsouch@nextbeta.com www.nextbeta.com/appug.htm Hong Kong Hong Kong Win CE User Group (HKWCEUG) Contact: Lennon Cheng, info@hkwceug.org.hk www.hkwceug.org.hk Indonesia Indonesian Pocket PC Group Contact: pocketpc@catcha.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/id-pocketpc Jakarta: Toshiba Pocket PC User Group Contact: Denny, denny@polarisnetwork.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/PocketToshiba/ Japan Pocket PC Japan Andrew Shuttleworth, andrew@andrewshuttleworth.com http://groups.yahoo.com/group/pocketpcjapan Mexico Mexico City: CB Amigos (Computadoras de Bolsillo) Contact: PpcCenter@aol.com YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support Jun/Jul 2006 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C 95 Pocket View “It’s the operator, stupid” and other musings about the Smartphone future ver 50,000 people from all over the world crowded into 3GSM, the world’s premier hi-tech Smartphone event in Barcelona in February. At 3GSM I saw an explosion of possibilities fueled by the convergence of technologies, new capital, and creativity. New and updated products and services ranged from TV anywhere, to online multi-player gaming, and to, yes, pornography. Collectively these services demonstrate the power, convenience, and personal nature of PDA phones thanks to their ability to rapidly send and receive data through the airways. Below are impressions based on my trip to Barcelona, in which I lay out some of the underlying fundamentals of this incredibly promising new world of mobile computing. Hal Goldstein Executive Editor and Publisher Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine hal@PocketPCmag.com O ish about the Smartphone future, including the points listed below. Anyone can use a phone The size of the mobile computing industry should multiply many times over as it becomes phone-centric rather than computer-centric. In the educated professionals willing to endure the tribulations associated with computers. On the other hand, pretty much anyone who can talk can use a phone. Now that new personal mobile computers come disguised as phones, Smartphones can become as ubiquitous as TVs. It’s the operator, stupid Sitting in the front row at Microsoft CEO Steve Ballmer’s 3GSM keynote address, I was so close that I could almost make out the penscribbled notes written on the back of Ballmer’s hand. Taking a page stupid,” Ballmer’s hand must have read “it’s the operator, stupid.” (By “operator” Ballmer means phone companies such as Cingular or Verizon in the U.S.) Ballmer began his talk telling us that “I love our operator partners.” and choice of activities that they get on the PC today. And it’s really the operators that embrace that.” Ballmer concluded by emphasizing the importance of Microsoft formforemost... with the mobile operators.” To emphasize the point, Ballmer said, “I personally probably spend more of my time meeting with telecom executives than I do any other segment of our partner and customer constituency because we see… so much of the growth opportunity Microsoft CEO building off… a very successful partnership with mobile Steve Ballmer operators.” Watching Microsoft, the dominant force in the PC industry, trying to bed the phone industry giants has been fun to watch these past three a key to mobile computing, analogous in many ways to Microsoft’s ownership of the operating system for PCs. The operators control the infrastructure of the ether—wireless networks capable of transmitting vast amounts of digital information at astounding speeds throughout the world. In the future we can explore the practical effect of this union for consumers and discuss the compromises Microsoft must make to consummate the relationship. For now just note that the operators have assumed a new seat of power as the Smartphone market evolves. The their partnership with operators or argued how their products would make money for the operators or boasted that their product or service bypassed the operators. Everyone likes photos, music, movies Once users become comfortable with the basic features of a mobile phone, it isn’t much of a stretch to push a button to take a photo, use voice commands to call a contact, or press a few TV-remote-controltype buttons to listen to music or watch video. Then, users will discover how easy it is to calculate tips, track to-do’s and appointments, and play solitaire on their phones. In other words, making use of PDA features will be easier for users when they start with a familiar phone rather than an intimidating computer. Fast Internet, e-mail, and the enterprise Fast digital transmission through the operators’ 3G networks is becoming available everywhere. Wireless broadband has already proven a boon for professionals and for large organizations. Business productivity should certainly increase with disciplined use of anytime anywhere Internet, e-mail, and corporate database access. Sleek, sexy designer phones Phones are personal—style matters! Boxy PCs, laptops, and PDAs of the computer era are being replaced by beautifully designed phones. Functionality is taken for granted. What matters will be aesthetics and ease of use. Microsoft shows that it gets it, by encouraging different shapes and different screen sizes with Windows Mobile 5. Just check out our cover story. Targeting the young One only has to look at mobile phone advertising to see that most Smartphone marketing is directed to large businesses or to young people. For example, in Barcelona and then back in the States, I became very aware of Motorola’s ever-present Moto campaign showing hip-looking 20-year olds and their Motorola cell phones. What does that all mean for Smartphone & Pocket PC? Young people targeted by Smartphone ad campaign. The Smartphone market as the “next new thing” The energy, creativity, and excitement at 3GSM reminded me of the time it again when people understood the power of the Internet. Smartphones 96 S M A R T P H O N E & P O C K E T P C Jun/Jul 2006 For the foreseeable future, our magazine will continue to view Smartphones as Windows Mobile PDAs with phone capabilities. That is, we will continue to write for our data-centric readership and for phone-centric folks that want to uncover the power of their smart device. If you have ideas for how we should evolve with the platform, please drop me an e-mail. YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support YYePG Proudly Presents, Thx for Support