Pocket PC Rants and Raves

secret_squirrel

Just thought I would share some of my experiences after a week of owning my New Dell Axim X3i.

I bought it to replace my ancient Psion Revo that had to be retired due to droppage!

So here what I like and dont like (feel free to correct any misconceptions Im operating under.)


Likes
Size - nice and small.
Wifi works like a charm -I connected to my 54g router in less than 3mins
Terminal Services is useful.
Pocket IE is serviceable (Note to Opera - pocketpc version now please )
Windows Media player is good. (I have loads of WMA's that I cant be bothered to convert)

Dislikes
Crappy connectivety to my Mobile via IRDA (my psion could suck my phone book & sim dry and repopulate it in minutes) - I havent even got the Axim connected yet!!!
Have to use Outlook 2002 on my PC to import Contacts (My psion could import directly from my phone, or from several different text formats) Why Bill why??? I HATE OUTLOOK
Close (x button) only hides a program it doesnt shut it down (dell provides a utility to do this but its still a pain)
Randomised screen brightness settings. WinMobile 2003 seems to randomly choose and alter brightness settings between user actions. (ie charging on stand will some times refuse to light the screen until I goto the brightness setting and do it manually.
Battery life could be better (note to self get extended battery)

So anyone want to correct me on things I may have got wrong???

flywheel

opera on windows mobile - yeah would like to see it - their Small Screen Rendering is pretty good - but Opera and MS are a bit like oil and water when it comes to relationships - although one of the opera guys at the last expo I was at just put an Windows Mobile MS Smarthone in his pocket as I arrived for a chat and was a bit taken aback I had noticed and would't talk about it specifically - so maybe sometime

depending on your mobile - you can get apps that let you control the phone - sms - manage contacts - from the pda - e.g. Running Voice GSM or Visual IT Simple SMS / Phone Book

it's an Windows product with Pocket Outlook so it's preference is Outlook... there are some 3rd party apps that can get it working with Notes, Mac iCal/Addrss Book, Entourage though

screen brightness - brightness settings usually have a battery and powered setting and tiemout - and some have an ambient lighting adjuster - migth be worth a fiddle in the brightness settings

close means minimise alright - there is a nice app called Pocket Plus that alows you to set close means close and ehancements to Pocket IE (multi windows / full screen view) and today screen shortcuts / monitors so might be worth a look

battery life - the curse of mobile devices - main things - switch off wireless when you don't need it and keep the backlight as low as possible (and timeout as soon as possible)

BrianG

andreio

To close the applications you can always use WisBar or Wisbar Advance (www.pelmarinc.com), both free.

For mobile phone management (addresses, sms, screen logo and ringtones) I use smartGSM from www.smartsoftworks.com It works with both bluetooth and infrared.