Pocket PC magazine, October/November 2004
Page 5
(above) PictPocket Cinema lets you display a variety of image and video formats on your Pocket PC.
PictPocket Cinema supports video out through VGA cards such as Colorgraphic’s Voyager VGA CF and Margi ’s Presenter-to-Go SD or CF cards. Finally, I appreciated PictPocket Cinema’s ease of installation and operation. It’s one program with features that save me from purchasing two or three others.
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Matt Keys (http://www.pocketmatrix.com)PocketMVP (http://home.adelphia.net/~mdukette/downloads.html) brings high speed playback of high compression video to your Pocket PC. It allows users to fit entire DIVX-formatted movies in less than 200MB, and play them back at an enjoyable speed. Kudus to the team who developed this program!
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William Ramby (http://www.ppx3k.com)PocketDivX (http://www.projectmayo.com): So far, this is my favorite video player for the Pocket PC. PocketDivX is easy to use and can play DivX, AVI, MPEG 1 and 3. The interface is simple and allows for browsing. Videos are played evenly and the audio works well.
Smartphone Multimedia solutions
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Chris Brunskill (http://smartphone.modaco.com) Soundz Cool (http://www.aimproductions.be) makes a complicated task of assigning ring tones, event notifications, and other sounds very simple. You can even use it to import sounds from other sources. The PC-based configuration tool is well laid out and easy to use.
PocketMVP (http://malloc.nerim.net) and Pocket TV (http://www.pockettv.com) both allow you to play video files on a Windows Mobile Smartphone. PocketMVP has the added benefit of allowing you to play MP3 music files and create playlists. However, playing video using the applications requires a fairly high level of skill in order to re-encode a video to a frame rate, bit rate, and screen size that is viewable on the Smartphone.
(above) Pocket TV lets you play MPEG video on your Windows Mobile Smartphone.
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Joel Evans (http://www.geek.com)Pocket Slideshow (http://www.cnetx.com) worked flawlessly every time I used it to make a presentation from my Smartphone. A great tool for a salesperson, giving them the ability to pull up a presentation at any time and in any place.
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Pocket PC magazine’s Board of Experts
We owe a huge debt to the following Pocket PC experts. Over 600 Pocket PC, Smartphone, Developer, and Enterprise Deployment products in 100 categories were nominated for the Pocket PC magazine Best Software Awards 2003. Windows Mobile experts from around the world agreed to judge and to select winners for each category. These experts are authors of Pocket PC books, Pocket PC magazine contributors, Microsoft Pocket PC MVPs, Pocket PC magazine support forum contributors, and associates of top Pocket PC Web sites.
Pocket PC magazine wishes to thank each of these individuals. We invite you to visit their Web sites. Collectively, our experts invested thousands of hours putting the software titles through their paces. You will find their comments about the winners and nominees published in subsequent issues of Pocket PC magazine during 2004.
Thank you, experts!
Tari Akpodiete, http://www.pocketrocketfx.com
Saar Avigour, http://www.pocket.co.il
Rob Borek, http://www.pocketpcone2one.com
Daron Brewood, http://www.tekguru.co.uk
Chris Brunskill, http://smartphone.modaco.com
Dave Burrows, http://www.pocketgps.co.uk
David Ciccone, http://www.mobilitytoday.com
Giorgio Cifani, http://www.cifani.it
Nathan Clevenger, http://www.clevrware.com
Tom Cochrane, http://www.pocketpcportal.com
Dale Coffing, http://www.pocketpcpassion.com
David Conger, http://www.davespda.com
Christophe Cordonnier, http://www.smartphonefrance.info
Chris De Herrera, http://www.cewindows.net
Helio Diamant, http://www.pocketpcfreak.com
Jason Dunn, http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com
Jen Edwards, http://www.pocketgoddess.com
Tomer Eisner, http://www.handystore.co.il
Joel Evans, http://www.geek.com
Andrew Farkas
James Fee, http://www.aximsite.com
Christian Forsberg, http://www.businessanyplace.net
Allen Gall, http://www.pocketpcmag.com
Zoran Galovic, http://www.dotnetembedded.com
Gary Garland, http://www.gadgetaddict.com
Ed Hansberry, http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com
Arne Hess, http://www.ppcw.net
David Hettel, http://www.geekzone.co.nz
Tim Hillebrand
Greg Hilton, http://www.pocketpcsoft.net
Steven Hughes, http://www.bostonpocketpc.com
John Hung
Young Joo, http://www.aximsite.com
Bob Katayama, http://www.technobrains.com
Shawna Kelly, http://www.artzest.com
Matt Keys, http://www.pocketmatrix.com
Chris Leckness, http://www.aximsite.com
Chee Wee Lee, http://www.ppcsg.com
Robert Levy, http://www.smartphonethoughts.com
Elisabeth Liddell, http://www.foxpop.co.uk
Steve Lundstrom, http://www.pocketpcthemes.com
Bob Madry
Julio Meneses, http://www.mipcdebolsillo.com
John Mierau, http://www.compu2go.com
Matthew Miller, http://www.pdageek.com
Geoffrey Moehl II, http://www.pocketpclife.co.uk
Paul O’Brien, http://smartphone.modaco.com
Jenneth Orantia, http://www.jenneth.info
Lee Osborne, http://www.pocketpclife.co.uk
John Ottini, http://www.pocketpcmag.com
Charles Pickrell, http://www.mobilecomputingsig.com
William Ramby, http://www.ppx3k.com
Steve Sande, http://www.pdantic.com
Stephan Schmidt, http://www.smartphone2002.info
Markus Schweiger, http://www.pocket-expert.de
Andrew Scott
Nilay Shah, http://www.medicalpocketpc.com
David Shier, http://www.bluetoothnews.com
Barry Shilmover, http://www.pocketpctools.com
Michael Sommer, http://www.firstcoastnews.com/onyourside/gadget.asp
Don Sorcinelli, http://www.bostonpocketpc.com
Ziad Traboulsi, http://www.mobi-mania.com
Jim Turner, http://www.pocketthemes.com
Alan Williams, http://www.pdaavenue.com
Ed Zabrek, http://www.pocketpcmag.com
Diane’s Discoveries
CeBIT Show Report
Reviews from New Products Editor Diane Dumas
This year’s CeBIT America show was held in late May at the Javits Convention Center in New York City, amidst the hustle and bustle of the Big Apple. CeBIT America is important information and communications technology events. CeBIT America’s exhibition floor and conference programs are designed to provide participants with up to date information on ICT technology.
(above) CeBIT
Although there wasn’t much in the way of Window Mobile products at the show, I did manage to find a few interesting things.
WideRay’s beaming station: A monolith of show knowledge
If you’ve attended a computer show lately, you’ve probably seen these "beaming stations" scattered around the show floor. Step in front of one, make sure your Pocket PC is set to "Receive all incoming beams," and the station downloads information about the show to your Pocket PC, including company names and booth numbers. I found it extremely useful, especially for locating obscure companies whose booths were hidden in the rear of the exhibition hall.
(above) Jack Service Point beaming station provided show information for CeBIT attendees.
The beaming stations at CeBIT America, and other shows I’ve attended recently, are called Jack Service Points. They were developed by and are available from WideRay (http://www.wideray.com).
NetOP: Control your computer remotely with a Pocket PC
At the CrossTec booth (http://www
.crossteccorp.com) I learned more about NetOP, a remote control suite that allows enterprise and home user to remotely control a desktop PC from anywhere using Pocket Internet Explorer and an Internet connection. I was impressed with this solution because it works directly between the host and client; no outside service is involved, which means there isn’t a monthly subscription fee. They also told me that if your computer has a "Wake-On-LAN" feature (most new computer do) you can remotely turn-on/off your computer. If that isn’t enough, you can also control one Pocket PC using another Pocket PC!
(above) NetOP allows you to control your desktop PC using a Pocket PC
APC uses Pocket PCs for a handheld audio tour of their product line
Near Pocket PC magazine’s booth I discovered a booth with a row of Dell Axim Pocket PCs on their front table. It turned out to be the APC booth (http://www.apc.com), a company that specializes in network products and services. They were using the Axim and a custom software application to present a "guided tour" of their product line-up. Walk up to their table and they handed you an Axim and a headset. Then, as you pass each station at their booth; you tapped on the appropriate icon to get information about the product. I thought this was a novel way to put the Pocket PC to work. They also told me that they kept a pretty close eye on people using the Axims so that they didn’t walk away with the demo!
(above) APC used the Dell Axim Pocket PC to present a guided audio tour of their products.
MSN Direct: The one to watch!
Strolling down an aisle at CeBIT, I discovered Microsoft’s MSN Direct Watch booth. I own one of these watches, and although it doesn’t replace my Pocket PC or Smartphone, I find it handy for receiving one-way MSN Instant messages and to remind me about daily appointments.
(above) MSN Direct: It’s all in the wrist.
New features have been added since the release of the watch earlier this year; sports scores, horoscopes, lottery, and a special daily diversions section. These new "channels" are free and sure to be popular along with the other channels that include news, weather, stocks, calendar, and IM messages.
The MSN Direct service (http://direct.msn.com) costs $59 per year or $9.95 per month. For a limited time, you can get three months free when you sign up for the yearly service plan. Watch prices vary from $99 to over $300.
Stowaway Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard: One keyboard to rule them all
When I returned from CeBIT I found the new Think Outside Stowaway Bluetooth Wireless Keyboard waiting for me on my desk! I still haven’t completely recovered from my Bluetooth Fever article (Jun/Jul 2004 Issue) and was eager to try it out.
Their new folding keyboard works with nearly all Bluetooth-enabled Pocket PCs and Smartphones, as well as Windows Mobile devices using Socket’s CF and SDIO Bluetooth Connection Kits (http://www.socketcom.com). In addition, the keyboard works with Bluetooth-enabled PCs that use Widcomm and Logitech Bluetooth software.
(above) Stowaway’s new keyboard connects to most Bluetooth-enabled devices.
The Stowaway is a full-sized keyboard (minus the top row) with generous 18mm key spacing. It weighs a mere 6 ounces, uses 2-AAA batteries, and has a detachable PDA/Smartphone stand. It’s priced at $149.99 and is available from Think Outside (http://www.thinkoutside.com) and other online vendors.
The Big Apple
It’s always a pleasure to travel to New York City to attend a show. The city has a charm unlike any other place in the world due to its unique culture and diversity. I can hardly wait to return to the next show and discover more new and exciting products!
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Diane Dumas works for Pocket PC magazine as the New Products Editor and is also a Microsoft MVP in Digital Media. Her interests include writing, digital music, and streaming video, and she is a rabid fan of all Pocket PCs! She has authored numerous articles about digital music, Pocket PCs, and wireless communications. She writes a column in each issue, "Diane’s Discoveries" along with frequent product reviews and "how-to" articles. She also co-hosts a monthly hour-long radio talk show for "Computer Outlook". She enjoys using her Gateway 901X Media Center PC, Motion Computing Tablet PC, Toshiba e805 Pocket PC, and Xbox Live, on her home Wi-Fi network.You reach Diane at diane@PocketPCmag.com.
Games Roundup
Puzzles Galore
Short reviews from Games Editor Allen Gall
Most of my selections this time around are puzzle games. Over the past couple of months, innovative titles like Concentrix, nCircle, and Lejjo have been released. These three titles offer interesting new ideas and, as far as I know, were created from scratch for the Pocket PC. Other games, such as Dynomite and Word Mojo, are based on older ideas. They’re well-crafted and avoid being cliché.
Concentrix (A)
Think of Concentrix as Tetris played inside a giant circle, where you match arc-shaped pieces as they fall from the center to the outer edge. The game’s eight variations: Ringtrix, Radtrix, Cooltrix, Blocktrix, Tetrix, Dr. Trix, TriTrix, and RainTrix, offer a good amount of variety and different game pieces. The graphics are very polished, with good color balance and shading. The game also features good sound effects and music— something most Tetris clones lack. Concentrix is a good effort that delivers a freshness rarely seen in current puzzle games.
(above) Concentrix is a unique Tetris-like game in a circular environment.
For more information on this game, visit the Scalene Software Web site (http://www.scalenesoftware.com). Concentrix supports iPAQs running Pocket PC 2000 as well as Pocket PC 2002 and 2003 devices. A free demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $9.95.
Dynomite (A-)
Based on Puzzle Bobble, Dynomite is a puzzle game with a dinosaur theme. You launch eggs at the screen in order to make matching pairs and remove them. Two game modes ("Stomped," which is level based, and "Endless," which runs continuously) are offered along with three difficulty modes (normal, easy, and hard). The dinosaur theme seems to work well for the game, and there are plenty of power-ups and score multipliers (bonuses which "multiply" your score) to keep the game from getting monotonous. The game uses the "Aurora Sound System," which seems to improve the audio output a bit, although it requires an ARM processor to function properly. The game runs very smoothly, although I did notice some brief slowdowns. The "Endless" mode (the group of eggs comes down continuously from the top of the screen) runs a bit too quickly, but it’s still a good effort.
(above) Dynomite is an outstanding rendition of Puzzle Bobble.
For more information on this game, visit the Astraware Web site (http://www.astraware.com/ppc/default/dynomite?skucode=0052-053-0053). Dynomite supports all Pocket PCs. A free demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $17.95
nCircle (A-)
nCircle is a unique puzzle game that has already gained a strong following. The game board is made up of tiles consisting of curves. You turn the tiles up, down, right, or left in order to make circles and other shapes to remove the pieces from the board while extending the time limit. After you figure out the basic concept, the game stays lively with the addition of positive and negative bonuses, tricks, two difficulty modes, and a multitude of levels. This is one of the best-presented puzzle games of this type, with superb graphics, different tile sets, and good sound effects. The games don’t last long enough for my taste and I doubt it will dethrone Tetris and Bejeweled as the reigning champs of the puzzle game genre, but nCircle is a fresh idea that’s worth your time.
(above) nCircle offers an unusual style of game play in a slick package.
For more information on this game, visit the Bitlabs Web site (http://www.bitlabs.com/ncircle-02.html). nCircle supports Pocket PC 2002 and newer devices. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $9.95.
Pocket Mini Golf (B+)
The three courses available in Pocket Mini Golf are well designed, if a little pedestrian—you’ll find the usual ramps and elevated platforms and some conveyor belts. The swing interface is predic
tably simple and pretty functional: just drag the line where you want to hit, set the power, and tap the player to hit. Pocket Mini Golf offers two difficulty modes and two styles of game play, normal (which follows the usual golf rules) and timed (you’ll need to complete the course within a certain period). Interface problems make the game a little frustrating at times, like the fact that you can inadvertently hit the ball if you tap too close to the player. But Pocket Mini Golf is still one of the better simulations of a game that typically doesn’t transfer well to the Pocket PC.
(above) Pocket Mini Golf offers three courses.
For more information on this game, visit the Clickgamer Web site (http://www.clickgamer.com/moreinfo.htm?pid=72). Pocket Mini Golf supports Pocket PC 2002 and newer devices, as well as Windows Mobile SmartPhones. A demo is available, and the full version can be purchased for $12.95.