Features
Top 10 Software
for your Palm, Win CE, Symbian or Blackberry.
ãHere's
an easy one,ä my editor told me. ãCome up with the top ten applications
for your handheld·and could you do it for three or four platforms?ä
ãAny suggestions?ä I asked hopefully. ãNah. Go with your instincts.
Check out the sites. Surprise me.ä
Great.
So this is either a no-win or a no-fail scenario. But let it never
be said I lack for an opinion, nor shy from backing it up. The
only fly in this ointment is that straight out of the box, every
Palm, PC, Blackberry and Epoch device does more jobs than a Swiss
Army knife. Did you know you can get a Swiss Army knife with USB
Flash Memory? Still, if there wasn't any point in adding on, they
wouldn't have given you a memory card slot, would they? Of course,
given the range of devices I'm covering, lots of them don't have
memory slots, or cameras, or full time email or web access, but
some do. That complicates things a bit. I'll just have to try
my best to accommodate everyone.
Is
ãbestä the same as best selling? Heck no. That would make all
ten entries games, starting with Pocket Quake, Doom and other
first person shooters. But we're better than that·right? In general,
I asked myself what my handheld didn't come with that's really,
really handy·and I chose one program for each type of application.
I've
included two types of devices that may seem a bit challenged,
ones that use the Symbian OS, which you'll find in many cell phones,
and RIM BlackBerrys. While users may not have bought these devices
thinking of them as handheld computers, they really are·and they're
out there in large numbers. With all of the programs, check the
manufacturers' website to make sure they're compatible with your
device, especially those for the Symbian OS.
All
that being said, here are the Top Ten pieces of software you really
must have on your handheld. In my humble opinion.
1)
Multimedia
Watching movies may not be the first thing you think of when you're
wondering how to get the most out of your PDA, but if not, you're
underestimating it. Remember that TVs are only VGA resolution
devices themselves, and on a long plane flight (or car drive·if
somebody else is driving) you can get terrific value out of your
Netflix account by using one of these programs.
Pocket
PC/Palm:
Pocket-DVD
Studio for Pocket PC Version 2.1 ($32) Demo
(pqdvd.com)
Pocket-DVD Studio, which lets you create video files for Pocket
PC or Palm, can take any movie less than three hours long and
put it onto a 128/256/ 512MB card. Using technology licensed from
Intel for video coding, it zips through DVDs to turn them into
PDA-ready files. Since the speaker on a PDA is underpowered, it
automatically ramps up the sound to compensate. The controls are
really simple, and there are six cropping modes with several resolution
settings for each. There's subtitle support and you can start
in the middle of a movie or split one into multiple files. This
is device convergence at its best.
Symbian:
SmartMovie Version: 2.63 ($24.99)
(www.lonelycatgames.com)
While SmartMovie will let you convert DVD files into a format
that a Symbian device can read, what it really wants to do is
convert video files already on your PC and turn them into movie
files for your Symbian cell phone. It's able to rescale the video
to fit your screen, make it portrait or landscape as you wish,
and also supports file segmenting, subtitles and previewing of
different quality settings on your PC. You can adjust the brightness,
audio sync, volume and other settings to match your device's output.
BlackBerry:
Fluid X ($3)
rim.pdatopsoft.com/RIM/Fluid-X
No,
you can't watch movies on your Blackberry. At least I don't think
you can. For one thing, there's not a memory card slot to slip
a movie into, and there's just not enough memory in there to download
one across the USB connection. That's OK. Blackberry users are
too busy making deals and checking email to sit around watching
movies anyway, so they'd be just as happy spending the money they
save compared to those other programs on latte and shelling out
three bucks for Fluid X, which is nothing more than a hypnotic
little screen saver with adjustable settings. But hey, it's perfect
for chilling out after all that deal making stress.
2)
Utility
Nothing's perfect. Even the best PDA has something that doesn't
work quite the way you'd like and little things can become big
annoyances over time. These programs give back a good deal of
the functionality that you lose going from desktop to handheld.
Pocket
PC:
SPB Pocket Plus Version 2.2 ($14.95 )
www.spbsoftwarehouse.com
I've
always been frustrated because my Pocket PC doesn't act more like
my desktop. I understand that it's a smaller processor and I may
not get all the functionality, but some things just don't make
sense. SPB Pocket Plus doesn't replace the basic applications
of your PDA, it just improves on them. There's a close button
that really closes applications, the File Explorer gets added
zip file capability, the battery indicator is totally cool, the
Internet Explorer gets its missing features (like open new window)
back and literally hundreds of other tweaks you should never have
had to live without.
Palm:
RNS: Hi-Launcher by Radoslaw Nowak 2.1 ($19.95)
www.hilauncher.com
There's a lot done right in the Palm OS, and only a few things
that annoy me. One is that there's no Windows-like Start Menu
that lets me switch between applications. Hi-Launcher takes care
of that without getting in the way of the Palm's native goodness.
Its menus pop-up over any application so you can switch back and
forth with ease and you can set up any number of submenus, windows
and color schemes. You can run applications off storage cards,
control HotSynchs from the Palm, turn Bluetooth on or off and
control well as many other settings.
Symbian:
Handy Tools by EPOCWARE ($49.75)
www.epocware.com
For just under $50, you get a terrific collection of tools for
your Symbian OS cell phone in one bundle that would have cost
over $100 individually. There's Handy Day, a daily organizer like
the Outlook Today function; Handy Safe an encrypted locker for
sensitive data; Handy Book, an ebook reader that works with files
in ãPalm Docä format; Handy Expense, which lets you track expenses
and export them to a text or Excel file on your PC; and, finally,
Handy Databank, with which you can convert PC database files into
something your phone can use.
BlackBerry:
MyUtils Burghelea ($11.99)
www.handango.com
Written by Romanian Stefan Adrian, this inexpensive
program has enough utilities to fill an article by itself. MyFlashlight
turns your BlackBerry into a very useful light; MyClock has 18
different dials with really nicely designed faces; MyTip settles
discussions about how much each of your friends should kick in;
and MyUnits, Exchanges, and Holidays let you convert to other
systems for measurements or money and give you a heads up on holidays
in 23 other countries. If you're a world traveler, this is an
application you don't want to leave home without. Even if you're
just going around town, it's pretty handy.
3)
Financial
I'm biased because I use Quicken on my PC. But I use it because
it's the one I think is the best personal financial application,
so the best Handheld application should be able to coordinate
with it directly, if possible. For Palm and Pocket PC that's not
a problem, but it's harder on the other platforms.
Pocket
PC/Palm:
Pocket
Quicken 2.03 ($29.95)
www.landware.com/pocketquicken
Though Quicken itself comes from Intuit, the folks at Landware
worked closely with them every step of the way to make sure that
the handheld version communicates seamlessly with its big brother.
It's certified for Quicken 2005 and lets you keep up with your
financial life on the go. Your data is protected with PIN access,
entries quick-fill to save you steps, and you can track budgets,
view account balances and registers and more. For me, the key
to keeping my personal finances straight is to enter receipts
sooner rather than later, and this is the perfect tool for the
job.
Symbian:
RMRBank ($35)
www.rmrsoft.com/epoc/er6/bank.htm
RMRBank offers full Quicken and MS Money compatibility, and I
like that. The basic program offers a lot of the standard personal
finance tools; accounts entries, transactions, currencies exchange
and archiving. If you want more, they've got lots of additional
modules you can add in for everything from budgets to fuel expense
tracking.
BlackBerry:
ExpenseLog Pro
www.j2x.ca/elp_des.htm
I'm surprised that there aren't more financial apps out there
for BlackBerrys, but I've heard good things about ExpenseLog Pro,
which works as a Java client on the Blackberry (or Symbian device
for that matter), and with a website that you can synch your financial
data with. It doesn't directly offer Quicken or MS Money support,
but you should be able to work something out with the output from
the website.
4)
Navigation
No matter where you go, there you are·and so is your handheld.
It can be fun to wander around exploring the world at random,
but when you realize you're really, really lost, these programs
will put you back on the map in a hurry.
Pocket
PC/Palm:
Tom Tom Navigator 2004 w/ BT GPS ($299)
www.tomtom.com
Sure, it's a lot of money, but if time is money, you'll be paid
back in time saved by knowing where you are and where you're going.
You don't have to get the Bluetooth GPS version either, but being
wirelessly connected to GPS raises the experience to a new level
ö one that's actually useful. TomTom gives you spoken route instructions,
cool (and useful) 3D or 2D views with day/night variations, thousands
of points of interest, and has maps of the U.S. and Canada on
the included CD.
Symbian:
EuroNavigator Software & Service 12Mos Wayfinder Systems AB
www.wayfinder.com
If you're not from around here, and here happens to be somewhere
in Europe, you really need help. Fortunately Symbian devices originated
in Europe, so it's much easier to find map software for the region.
Unfortunately, the US remains a mystery to them.
BlackBerry:
1map for RIM handhelds (FREE)
blackberry.1map.info
Since you can't insert a card with hundreds of megabytes of memory
into your BlackBerry, you might think that there's no hope for
mapping software. Surprisingly, 1map makes a navigation package
that does all the normal stuff and will allow input from a GPS
device besides. It was designed to work with RIM 957 or 857, and
though the program is free, the maps are extra. Of course, with
any BlackBerry with a web browser you can just go to MapQuest,
but that assumes you're close enough to civilization to get connectivity
and have time for it to load, neither of which seem to be true
when I'm lost.
5)
Universal Remote
There is no prize for how many devices you have on the coffee
table in front of you. Since you've already got your handheld,
shouldn't you be consolidating all those functions into one place?
The only caveat is that the IR emitters on handhelds aren't as
strong as those on controllers, so you've got to be in the direct
line of sight to make it work. Still, it would be nice if these
programs paid attention to the work Logitech is doing with their
Harmony Universal Remote and set up a similar website to program
all your gear to work together.
Pocket
PC:
TV remote controller 5.5 voice operated ($14.95)
www.pdawin.com
Being able to tell your controller to change the TV channel must
be the ultimate dream of the couch potato, and thanks to this
handy application, it can come true. There are predefined devices
a learn mode to add unknown devices in, timer functions, skins,
multiple languages·and it controls volume and other functions
too. You can still use you PDA to do other things because the
program is "listening" in the background.
Palm:
NoviiRemote Deluxe ($34.99)
www.novii.tv/nrdeluxe
NoviiRemote controls your entire media world, including your entertainment
system TV, DVD and TiVo. The new version started out as an upgrade
to the standard product, but they got carried away with a new
graphics engine that affords greater flexibility in the customizable
layouts and an improved navigation system and interfact, so they
decided to call it a new product.
Symbian:
Psiloc Total irRemote Control
www.psiloc.com
You'll have to check their website for compatibility with your
Symbian powered phone, but if it's supported you'll have the ultimate
device convergence, cell, PDA and remote·all in one. Supported
phones can learn new devices, change their displays to your preferences
and assign buttons to commands of your choosing.
6)
PIM
Maybe you think you're happy with the Personal Information Manager
on your PDA. After all, it works well enough, doesn't it. Take
a look at these programs, which kick that functionality up a notch
or two, and ask yourself if good enough is what you want to settle
for.
Symbian:
Agendus
www.iambic.com
Both Palm and Symbian devices can use the Agendus
for all the things that they already do well÷Calendar, Contacts,
Memos and To Do's÷but much, much better. The easy to use interface
has a toolbar of the most frequently used features, and the program's
strength lies in its ability to integrate information between
its different parts without having to jump from program to program.
The Symbian version also has over the air functionality for weather
updates and other information. Though it synchronizes with Outlook,
ACT! or Palm for Windows, you can opt to buy a Windows Desktop
version that matches the feel of the handheld one.
BlackBerry:
Reqwireless BlackBerry Value Bundle by Reqwireless Inc. ($54.99)
www.reqwireless.com/products.html
While not quite in the PIM category, this bundle of improved web
browser and html capable email solution is pretty nice. The browser
can view Microsoft Word, Microsoft Excel, ZIP, Corel WordPerfect
and Adobe PDF documents, as well as resize images to fit the screen.
The email application will display GIF, JPEG, PNG, TIFF and BMP
formats, follow embedded hyperlinks in messages and offers automatic
Spam filtering. The bad news about BlackBerrys is that they can
get Spam 24/7 anywhere they are, so this last feature is very
desirable.
7)
Reference
Knowledge at your fingertips is a wonderful thing. Having web
access on our desks makes reference librarians of us all. Unfortunately,
once we go out into the world, we leave that ability to pull up
facts and figures behind. Fortunately, your handheld can fill
that void.
Pocket
PC/Palm/Symbian:
Britannica Concise Encyclopedia ($29.95)
www.gomdm.com/p_encyclopedia.asp
If I was stuck on a desert island (or in a modern metropolis)
with only one reference work, it would be the Encyclopedia Britannica·which
is available on most anything except the BlackBerry. Though it's
the Concise edition, it's still a great reference work to have
at your fingertips. If you're wondering how I'll recharge my handheld
on that desert island before I run out of power·I'm sure there's
enough information in the encyclopedia for me to put together
a wave powered generator before it dies. My only wish is that
you could get a concise IMDB (www.imdb.com) thrown in, too.
BlackBerry:
eOffice
Personal Edition 2.137.070 ($199)
dynoplex.pdapointer.com
Once again, the BlackBerry doesn't come off well in the unconnected
world, not being able to hold an encyclopedia on its own. For
now you'll just have to stay within range of a cell tower and
discretely browse the Wikipedia (www.wikipedia.org). Or, you could
keep a copy of the Britanica in Word and use the eOffice Personal
Edition to browse it over the web while it's on your office server.
While two hundred bucks isn't pocket change, it's cheap for what
you get, namely a full office suite able to edit documents remotely.
8)
Gaming
If you were hoping for a first person shooter to top my game list,
you can stop hoping. Despite the GameBoy generation's devotion
to handheld devices, graphically intensive games come off much
better on a big screen. Besides, you might as well exercise your
mind as well as your thumbs.
Pocket
PC:
Pocket Grandmaster ($24.99)
www.pocketgrandmaster.com
Palm:
Chess
Tiger ($24.99)
www.chesstiger.com
The essential game for grownups is chess. No, I'm no good at it
either, but I'm sure I could get good enough not to embarrass
myself if only I kept at it, and that's exactly what having one
of these top rated programs in your pocket lets you do. Pick it
up, put it down, think it over. It is perfect for sitting around
with a few minutes to kill, and it makes you look smart, too.
Symbian:
Atari Retro ($29.99)
www.gomdm.com/p_atari.asp
On the other hand, since you're playing with your cell phone here,
there's not much value in looking too smart. You might as well
look cool. In this case, retro cool. There are more colorful versions
of these games out there, but mastering the original has a certain
time warp touch to it. I like this collection because, in addition
to Centipede, Missile Command and Breakout, it includes my all
time favorite· Asteroids.
BlackBerry:
Merriam-Webster
Crossword by JSmart Technologies ($29.99)
www.jsmart.com
BlackBerry users look too focused to be cool, unless they're using
a 7100. Without a touchscreen, chess becomes work just moving
the pieces around. BlackBerry users like to solve problems, so
the Merriam-Webster Crossword collection by JSmart should keep
them engaged while they're flying to and from corporate crisis.
9)
Security
Let me get this straight. You loaded up all your bank accounts
and passwords on your handheld and didn't enable the startup password.
Then you walked off and left it on a table at the coffee shop.
Or worse, you were so worried, you took off any information that
might be sensitive and left it home. Neither of these is good
enough. What you need is a data vault on the device where you
can keep confidential data. Here are some of the better ones.
Pocket
PC/Palm/Symbian:
Mobipassword 2.01 ($29.95)
www.mobipassword.com
ãMobipassword is an advanced personal information and access management
solution for MS Windows.ä It runs on your desktop as well as you
handheld and provides secure storage of important personal information
such as user IDs and passwords, financial accounts and PINs. Using
a Single Sign-On subsystem, it enables access to a set of secure
organizers for all that data you'd really rather not share with
the world. And it's not just about your handheld. Security for
Mobipassword starts at the desktop, where you sign in to access
the data in the first place.
BlackBerry:
My Safe ($30)
http://www.handango.com
My Safe gives you a place to store sensitive data on the BlackBerry,
and includes a useful ãinactivity log out featureä that closes
your safe if you forget about it. Program, $30. Peace of mind·priceless.
10)
Misc
By setting up arbitrary categories, I've excluded a few applications
which are very popular, useful or both. Here's their chance to
get on your handheld.
Pocket
PC:
Pocket SlideShow 1.35 by CNetX ($19.95)
cnetx.com/SlideShow
Perfect for giving "elevator pitches" of whatever your're trying
to talk the world into, and if you can't put it together in a
cool little presentation on your iPaq, then you haven't figured
out what you're up to anyway. File conversion is accomplished
by dragging a PowerPoint presentation from your Desktop PC to
Pocket PC or Handheld PC (via ActiveSync), and the conversion
filter will do the rest.
Palm:
Bejeweled 2 by PopCap ($19.95)
www.popcap.com
If you're not addicted to Bejeweled, then don't visit their website
to try the online version of this game. Playing it won't make
you a better person, but trying to match the scintillating gems
on the screen so they combine (making more gems drop down) is
more alluring than usual, thanks to the excellent graphics, which
are nicely reproduced on the Palm.
Symbian:
Quickoffice Premier 2.0 by Mobile Digital Media ($39.99)
www.quickoffice.com/uiq/
Though I didn't have room to fit this in earlier, Quickoffice
deserves a mention. Not only is it the ãthe only available Microsoft
Office file editing solution for Symbian UIQ platform smartphonesä
working with Microsoft Word, Excel spreadsheets and PowerPoint
presentations, but it will open native PC format e-mail attachments
directly on the device for editing.
BlackBerry:
NewsFlash by Total Wireless Solutions ($4)
www.twistsoft.com
If you've gotten through all the email that's been sent to your
BlackBerry, you can spend time catching up on what the rest of
the world has been up to in your absence by loading this RSS news
feed onto your device. It comes set up with free feeds from the
BBC, MSNBC, New York Times, Reuters and Yahoo to get you started,
but you can find plenty more to help you on your way to information
overload.
Conclusion
So that's the list. You're probably anxious to go out and buy
one of each for your handheld, but in the unlikely event that
you disagree with any of my picks, don't keep it to yourself.
Tell us about it. You're probably wrong, but I'm willing to listen,
and new applications do come out every so often. Just one thing.
If you do take up the challenge, don't pick just one application.
Come up with a full top ten list. If we get enough feedback, maybe
we can come up with a prize (like free software) or all the fame
you can eat. Maybe. All submissions should be emailed to topten@mobilemg.com.
Home
