(above) Warlords II battles can become very involved, but Pocket PC Studios’ quality port of the game makes it worthwhile.
For more information on Warlords II, visit the Pocket PC Studios Web site (http://www.ppcstudios.com/warlords2prod.htm). Warlords II: Pocket PC Edition supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $29.95
GTS Racing Challenge (B+)
GTS Racing Challenge features four racing modes (single race, challenge cup, grand tour, and championship), four difficulty modes, and three cars (two Dodge Vipers and an Indy-type car). The actual layout of the tracks differs depending on what difficulty level you choose. Driving around the tracks is simple enough, with an external behind-the-car view and straightforward gas, braking, and left/right controls (which are user-configurable). The game looks and runs like the old arcade game Outrun, but lacks Outrun’s punchy music. Performance is fast, but the other cars look a little distorted and blocky as you go by them on the track (Crazy Kart has this characteristic as well). The fact that you can’t see very far ahead of the car makes racing a little nerve-racking, especially if you’re barreling along in the Indy car—turns sneak up on you and it’s very easy to drive off the track. Crazy Kart is newer and has the edge in terms of graphics and fun factor, but GRC provides more long-term satisfaction with all the racing modes it offers.
(above) GTS Racing Challenge doesn’t look quite as good as Crazy Kart, but its multiple game modes should keep racing fans satisfied longer.
For more information on this game, visit the Astraware Web site (http://www.astraware.com/games/pazzazz/gts/). GTS Racing Challenge supports Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003 devices. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $17.95.
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Other New Games
Worms World Party (A-)
This Pocket PC version of the popular Worms franchise has the same great game play as the desktop PC versions of the game. However, limited sound output, performance issues, and lack of a storyline hold this one back.
(above) Although the Pocket PC version has some limitations, Worms World Party is worthwhile, especially if you enjoy it on the desktop PC.
For more information on this game, visit the Worms World Party Web site (http://www.hexacto.com/game_worms.php). supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $24.95.
Z-Raid (A-)
Fast (albeit monotonous) game play and 16-bit graphics make this one a good substitute for the classic Atari/Intellivision arcade game.
(above) Although the Pocket PC version has some limitations, Worms World Party is worthwhile, especially if you enjoy it on the desktop PC.
For more information on this game, visit the Z-Raid Web site: (http://www.warmi.net/pocketpc/zraid/). Z-Raid supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $6.95.
Kursk (B+)
Modeled after the desktop game this team-based first-person shooter falls short of the mark set by its desktop-PC cousin, but it’s still an interesting diversion.
(above) Although it’s a bit amateurish, Kursk is a commendable effort to replicate one of the newer desktop PC games.
For more information on this game, visit the HyperForge Web site (http://www.hyperforge.com). supports Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003 devices. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $14.95.
Pocket Rockets Pro (B+)
This one is a solid Pocket PC one-on-one version of the popular Texas Hold ‘Em poker game with great graphics.
(above) Pocket Rockets Pro puts a good-looking, good-playing version of Texas Hold ‘Em poker on your Pocket PC.
For more information on this game, visit the Pocket Rockets Pro Web site (http://bigslicksoftware.com/pocketrocketspro/). supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $14.95.
Lines3D (B+)
Lines3D lacks multiple game modes and its angled view makes it a little hard to play, but great graphics make this simple line-up-the-objects game worthwhile.
(above) Graphically, Lines3D is the best line-up-the-objects game to date.
For more information on Lines3D, visit the SimbSoft Web site: (http://www.simbsoft.com/products/lines3d/). Lines3D supports all Pocket PCs. A free demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $9.95.
Tower Mogul (B+)
Modeled after Maxis’ popular this simulation of building a high-rise is graphically pleasing and has surprising depth. Earlier versions of the game had problems with the user interface, but those have been fixed.
(above) With most of the glitches from earlier versions fixed, the current version of Tower Mogul is a good game.
For more information on please visit the eSoft Interactive Web site: (http://www.esoftinteractive.com/towermogul/). Tower Mogul supports all Pocket PCs. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $11.95.
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Gaming News
Handmark, which specializes in converting old board games to the Pocket PC, has just released an official version of Trivial Pursuit was created in 1982 and remained an icon of pop culture throughout the decade. The best feature of Handmark’s version is that it supports wireless communication between multiple players, via infrared and Bluetooth. Like Handmark’s other games, Trivial Pursuit carries a rather steep price tag of $29.95. I’m not sure how many people would be willing to pay that much for a trivia game apart from hardcore fans and nostalgia buffs.
A boxed version will also be available at retail locations. I would like to see more Pocket PC games available in stores as it will help the platform gain more credibility. Handmark has already released Scrabble and Monopoly, so I wonder what’s next—Uno? Jenga?
Windows Mobile 2003 for Pocket PC was really just an incremental upgrade, but it looks like the next version of the operating system will have substantial advancements in graphics capability. Robert Levy reports the following, (on SmartPhoneThoughts.com):
“Microsoft has announced today their plans to bring DirectX down to mobile devices in the next generation of Windows Mobile. First on the list of features are DirectDraw and Direct3D Mobile. This is a COM based subset of Direct3D 8 from the desktop and is designed from the ground up specifically for mobile devices. Direct3D mobile features a flexible architecture that allows work to be done in software, using graphics acceleration hardware, or using a hybrid of the two. And, of course, it will be accessible through both native and managed code on both Pocket PC and Smartphone. This innovation will bring Windows Mobile applications to the next level in terms of their graphical display abilities. If you find today’s Windows Mobile games to be attractive, just wait until developers and hardware manufacturers start taking advantage of Direct3D Mobile.”
Right now we have a pretty skeletal version of DirectX on our Pocket PCs, and graphics capability (along with CPU power) is a major limiting factor. Graphics isn’t everything in games, but improving what devices can do will only mean better games in the future.
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Where to Get These Games
Unless otherwise noted, games mentioned in this coluvmn are available at the following Web sites:
Handango (http://www.handango.com)
PocketGear (http://www.pocketgear.com)
Many games are also available at the developer’s Web site (check the end of each review for developer information, supported devices, and prices).
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Allen Gall is from the Central Illinois area and holds a Master of Arts in English from Bradley University. He has worked as a Web content writer, a developer of e-learning courses, and a technical editor for one of the world’s largest insurance companies. His interests range from classic literature to computer hardware and videogame consoles. His main interests in PDAs include gaming (of course), e-books, and wireless connectivity. Allen is always interested in reviewing and testing new games and products for the
Pocket PC platform. You can reach him at [email protected].
Diane’s Discoveries
—reviews from New Products Editor Diane Dumas
Knowledge is Power
Knowledge is power, and knowledge begins with information. Many of the products mentioned in this article increase the power of your Pocket PC by giving you access to information that was previously unavailable on your device. For example, WorldMate Pro lets you view up-to-the-minute airline schedules on your Pocket PC, alerting you to possible flight delays. Pocket Asset Manager displays the current value of your complete portfolio at any time of the day or night. And Journal Bar v.2 keeps you in touch with the world by displaying current news on your Today screen.
Following this article, I’ll report on some of the new products that I discovered in early January 2004, at the Consumer Electronic Show (CES) in Las Vegas. All of these discoveries will help enhance your Pocket PC’s capabilities, and empower you.
Stowaway Infrared Wireless Keyboard
Think Outside, known for their cleverly engineered folding keyboards, has done it again with their new Infrared Wireless Keyboard. This accessory makes it easier to access information via Inbox or Pocket Internet Explorer, and express it via Pocket Word. Rather than try to make a docking keyboard for every Pocket PC on the market, they have created a single wireless keyboard that communicates with a variety of PDAs via the IrDA port. The connection is fast enough to keep up with my typing. The key spacing is a generous 18mm (considered a full-size keyboard), and feels very comfortable to my own fat fingers on the keys. The keyboard’s IrDA port is on the end of an adjustable arm, allowing you to position it close to your Pocket PC’s infrared port, wherever it is located.
(above) Stowaway Infrared Wireless Keyboard
Use With: Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003
Price: $69.99
http://www.thinkoutside.com
WorldMate Pro
WorldMate Pro can save you time and major headaches when you travel. Enter a 3-letter airport code and the day you wish to leave on your trip, tap the “update” button, and a list of all the available flights is displayed on-screen. You can then tap on any airline to expand the flight information. The worldwide flight schedules are provided by OAG (Official Airline Guide). Also included are weather forecasts for over 38,000 locations worldwide from The Weather Channel, an itinerary manager, a tip and tax calculator, a day/night map, a world clock, up-to-date currency exchange rates, international dialing codes, a packing list, clothing measurements, and more. Information is obtained using a direct or ActiveSync Internet connection.
(above) WorldMate Pro
Use With: Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003
Price: $49.95 (Includes one year of Premium Online Services)
http://www.mobimate.com
Journal Bar v.2 with Expansion Pack
The Journal Bar is one of my favorite programs and one of the applications I always install first on a new Pocket PC. It’s a Today screen plug-in that displays large amounts of useful information in a small, scrollable window. Journal Bar displays weather (2 locations), news, stocks, movie times and reviews, TV listings, and sports scores. The Expansion Pack adds an additional 5 weather screens and over 100 news sources from around the world. Information is updated from the Internet and automatically synchronized with your Pocket PC.
(above) Journal Bar
Use With: Pocket PC 2002 and Windows Mobile 2003
Price: $14.95 for Journal Bar v.2 and $6.99 for the Expansion Pack
http://www.omegaone.com
PPX Application Navigator
Customize your Pocket PC Today screen with this graphical file/folder navigator and program launcher that includes forward and backward navigation. It displays either the native Pocket PC icons, one of several icon sets that are bundled with the application, or your own custom icons and images for folder icons and backgrounds. Additional icons can be downloaded from their site.
(above) PPX Application Navigator
Use With: Pocket PC ARM, Pocket PC 2002, and Windows Mobile 2003
Price: Free
http://www.ppx3k.com
Mugen Power Batteries
Need more power? Carry one of these batteries with you just in case. They take the place of the battery that came with your Pocket PC, and use the same charger, too. Batteries are available for iPAQ h1910 and h2215 (950mAh) and Dell X5 (2000mAh & 3800 mAh) Pocket PCs.
(above) Mugen Power Battery
Use With: iPAQ h1910 and h2215, and Dell X5
Price: $Varies
http://www.ArborElectronics.com
Seidio G2500 GPS Ready Mount
This model-specific vehicle mount, with an integrated PDA charger unit and a built-in speaker, fits like a glove. It includes a 360-degree swivel adapter and power charger for GPS, cell phone, or PDA. It also can serve as a hands-free speakerphone.
(above) G2500 GPS Ready Mount
Use With: XDA, Dell, and iPAQ
Price: $59.95
http://www.seidio.com
PAM—Pocket Asset Manager
Keep track of the stock market with PAM. It retrieves stock quotes and updates your stock portfolio from North American exchanges on a Pocket PC that’s connected to the Internet by sync cradle or wirelessly. PAM displays an arrow or line showing a rise/fall or no-change for stocks you’re following, along with the exchange symbol, point change, and value.
(above) Pocket Asset Manager
Use With: Pocket PC ARM, and Pocket PC 2002
Price: $19.95
http://www.synchsoftware.com
Show Report Consumer Electronics Show (CES)
by Diane Dumas
The Consumer Electronics Show (CES), held each year in Las Vegas, was the largest show I’ve ever attended, with 129,328 attendees and 2,491 companies exhibiting on 1.38 million square feet of exhibit space. There was so much to see and do at the show it was like a Disney World of electronic products, and just about as hard to see in only a few days. The hot buzz at the show this year was about the Bluetooth and GPS products. Here’s a glimpse of some of the interesting and exciting things I was able to see at the show.
Fossil gave me a demonstration of their new Wrist Net Smart Watch at the show. I was impressed by its ability to receive MSN Messenger instant messages, Outlook Calendar appointments, stock reports, and more via Microsoft’s DirectBand FM network, which will initially be available in 100 major metropolitan areas in the U.S. and 13 in Canada. The watch is relatively large, but lightweight and comfortable to wear. You need to charge it every other day using an AC adapter that is included with the watch. Fossil offers Smart Watch models priced from $129 to $179. The less expensive Abacus model is available at major electronic retailers such as Best Buy, Circuit City, and Fry’s, or online at http://www.abacuswatches.com. Other models are available at retailers carrying the Fossil brand, or online at http://www.fossil.com.
(above) The Fossil Abacus MSN Smart Watch can receive instant messages, news, weather, stock reports, and more.
Wizcom Technologies (http://www.wizcomtech.com) was demonstrating InfoScan, a very accurate scanning pen that uses its infrared capability to beam scanned text to a Pocket PC or Smartphone. The Windows Mobile device must have Peacemaker Pro (http://www.conduits.com) installed to communicate with InfoScan. This is a lower priced version of the pen I reviewed in the July 2001 issue (http://www.PocketPCmag.com/Jul01/penscanner.stm). The pen rolls across the surface of a page while scanning an image of the page, converts the image to text, and then displays it on a 3-line green/black display. It scans books, business cards, and any text from 6 to 22 point, in normal, bold, italic, or underlined fonts. The InfoScan scanning pen is available for $99.95 at CompUSA (http://www.compusa.com).
(above) Portable text scanning for your Smartphone and Pocket PC.
Haicom demonstrated their Bluetooth Slipper GPS Receiver at the show. This two-piece device includes a GPS receiver, and a unique Bluetooth “slippe
r.” The latter is a small docking station with a CF slot and built-in Bluetooth capability. You insert the GPS receiver (or CF storage cards) into the slipper and access it from a Bluetooth-equipped Pocket PC, Smartphone, or laptop. Price for the CF GPS card and slipper combo, without GPS software, is $225.95. You can purchase it on the BuyGPS Now Web site (http://www.buygpsnow.com).
(above) Double duty: Bluetooth Slipper that will accept GPS receiver or other CF cards.
Pocket PC magazine, Apr/May 2004 Page 10