When I got an iPhone, I abandoned the harsh wake up of my old alarm clock. (Love the “Harp” sound…) One of the first things I do in the morning is check the weather and read the online news. With Mendelini’s iPhone app, Glance, I can see the time, the weather and a scrolling RSS feed before my feet hit the floor. Considering there are over 200 different alarm clock apps in the iTunes App store… not to mention the very effective built-in Clock app… Glance is an elegant, customizable clock application for Apple’s iPhone or iPod Touch. … [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Watches and Clocks, iPhone related

Tagged: iPhone, iPod Touch, Utility

Mendelini’s iPhone App – Glance originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 11, 2009 at 6:05 pm.

The Palm Centro. Small. Cheap. Powerful. No Notepad program.

Ah, Palm… I know things are not going that great for you right now, but come on- leaving NotePad off the Centro? Forcing thousands of your devoted fans to use (shiver) pencils and paper for quick notes? You might think that Voice Memo is good enough, but one cannot scribble the design for a working Flux Capacitor in Voice Memo now, can one?

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

BugMe! Notepad: Palm OS Utility Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 27, 2008 at 8:15 am.

The Palm Centro is an amazing device for its price and size. I love mine almost unconditionally- almost. Today, I am going to rant about a couple of the things that bug me.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Butler – Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 7, 2008 at 4:31 pm.

With the nearly endless number of usernames, passwords, web logins, bank accounts,
credit card numbers, software licenses, and other sensitive/personal data everyone
has to have these days to keep up in the digital age, I long ago turned towards
a secure/encrypted password manager. It is the ONLY way I can keep track of
all the electronic accessibility and critical information I need to keep with me 24/7.
Plus the fact one must keep personal information secure with the constant threat
of identity and cyber theft, I do not see how folks can live without a (mobile
&/or desktop) program like these.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: iPhone related

Tagged: iPhone, Software, Utility

Secure Information Keeper software for the iPhone and iPod Touch originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 7, 2008 at 10:00 am.

Hobbyist Software is
now on my official list of "Good places for Centro/Treo software",
and their browser/launcher Initiate Pro is
an example of why.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Initiate Pro – Palm OS Utility Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 18, 2008 at 4:20 pm.

Hobbyist Software offers a great line of software for the Palm
Treo and
Centro user, and some of it can even be used for other Palms. When I asked for some codes so I could trial their products for a long enough time to figure them out, they were very helpful. They started me with Initiate Pro and Power Hero. I am still learning about Initiate Pro, so let’s look at Power Hero.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Hobbyist Software Power Hero – Palm OS Utility Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on July 29, 2008 at 8:00 am.

I have thought of myself as a Palm Power User since the days of my old Handspring Visor Deluxe (Ice), back when cell phones were big bricks and Windows was an unstable annoying platform. Now, I am using a Palm Centro Smartphone, cell phones are in danger of vanishing as they get smaller, and Windows…

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Ilium Software’s eWallet – Palm OS Utility Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 30, 2008 at 8:00 am.

One of my favorite mobile apps is ShoZu. So when Julie asked me to do a piece on a *really* useful mobile app, I didn’t have to look too far.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related, Symbian OS Related, Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Palm, Pocket PC, Software, Symbian, Utility

ShoZu Mobile Photo and Video Sharing Application Review originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 16, 2008 at 6:00 pm.

One of the perpetually unresolved debates among web users and observers alike is, “Who among the big three – Yahoo Mail, Windows Live Hotmail and Gmail – has the best email service?”

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related, Symbian OS Related, Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Palm, Pocket PC, Software, Symbian, Utility

GMail Mobile originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 6, 2008 at 4:20 pm.

One of the great things about PDA’s is the ability to carry a huge library of books in electronic form. I must have a couple hundred books on mine, ranging from reference to how-to to light fiction. It is sweet to be able to carry 20-30 pounds worth of paper in a few ounces of electronics!

Many Palm users use this ability to carry one or more versions of the Bible with them- makes those cute, little, nearly impossible to read ‘pocket-sized’ Bibles obsolete! There are many options for ‘e-Bibles’, from iPod versions to MP3 spoken versions to e-texts that can be read by most text readers, to dedicated readers with special tools for the job. These last versions are what we will look at here.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Palm Bible Readers Comparison: Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 11, 2008 at 3:24 pm.

Last week, I discovered that two of the most frequently asked questions we receive are “How can I stay in touch with my IM buddies on my mobile phone?” and “How can I make VoIP calls from my mobile phone?”

So, earlier in the week, fresh from a vacation break, I set out in my quest for the perfect IM client & the perfect VoIP client for mobile phones. I found the solution to *both* the problems in fring.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Symbian OS Related, Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Software, Symbian, Utility

fring Mobile IM Client: Symbian OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 13, 2008 at 5:09 pm.

A while back, I posted an article about my beloved Palm T/X and how it was doing after a couple years of use. (See the article here.) One major finding was the loss of calibration that was driving me crazy- I had to literally tap the very bottom edge of the screen to access the lower row of buttons.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

PowerDigi: Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on March 3, 2008 at 4:29 pm.

Released in November of last year, the latest offering of Opera Mini, version 4, hasn’t really sent shockwaves through the World of cell phones. Whilst the iPhone browser (which I think is very annoying!) has been hailed as a revolutionary success, Mini has taken the sidelines slightly, but as I have learned, this isn’t really a position it deserves.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related, Symbian OS Related, Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Palm, Pocket PC, Software, Symbian, Utility

Opera Mini v4 Mobile Web Browser originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on February 19, 2008 at 9:18 pm.

Dear Santa,

I have been a really good boy this last year. A really, really good boy. I swear I had nothing to do with the Gadgeteer site crash incident!

Anyway, here is my list of the utilities I think you should bring all good Palm users. (I did thank you for the Palm Tx a couple years ago, didn’t I?). In order to keep the list manageable, I have broken it up into sections. Here is the Palm Utilities section.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Articles, Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Palm OS Utility Wish List 2007 originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on December 12, 2007 at 4:39 pm.

Being an overweight diabetic is a pain in a lot of ways, but one of the biggest is the ongoing job of trying to lose weight- which always seems to find its way home. I welcome any tool in the fight, and CalorieKing’s Handheld Diet Diary was brought to my attention as a possible ally.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

CalorieKing Handheld Diet Diary: Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on November 29, 2007 at 9:06 pm.

One of my favorite MS-DOS applications was a program called InfoSelect. InfoSelect gave me a functionally endless stack of small note cards and a great search tool. Make a note, any kind- contacts information, scheduling details, grocery list, books to find, phone messages, etc.- and InfoSelect would store it for you, and find it in a heartbeat. To sweeten the pot, you could create reusable forms, color-code things, and much more. It was sweet.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Slow-Cooked Software ScrapBook – Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 26, 2007 at 12:00 pm.

Many of the new Palm software titles over the last couple of years have been targeted for the medical field. You would almost think that every doctor, nurse, technician, and other health-care provider is issued a free Palm upon graduation (which might be a way to boost the sagging visibility of my favorite electronic device!) OK, I was a certified EMT in my state back some 20 years ago and actively teach various first-aid and CPR courses. Why not take some of these texts for a test drive?

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Skyscape Medical e-Texts – Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on October 9, 2007 at 9:59 pm.

During the heyday of the Palm OS PDA, we used to talk about ‘laptop killers’- how to turn your Visor, Clie or Palm into a complete laptop-like device. The keystone issue- the ‘make it or break it’ crux of the problem- was live note-taking in a class or meeting.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Pennovate Notes Pro – Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on September 12, 2007 at 6:23 pm.

Since the advent of the handheld device, the quest for easy input of data while on-the-go was always the Holy Grail of mobile computing.  In my earlier Gadgeteer review, I went down that path, looking at the excellent handwriting recognition software, PhatWare’s Calligrapher.  Calligrapher did a great job of taking my scrawl and translating it into digital form, performing just as advertised.  However, just as there are all kinds of PDAs and handheld platforms today, so too are the means by which developers have devised ways to input your data. 

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Pocket PC, Software, Utility

DinarSoft TapText – Windows Mobile Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 23, 2007 at 5:28 pm.

In my house, I am the Master of the Five Remotes, Not Including the Universal Remote We Rarely Use or the TV Remote That We Don’t Need Because We Can Control It With the TiVo Remote Besides The Batteries In It Are Usually Dead. The massive responsibility lies heavily upon my kingly head. Just keeping track of all of the remotes is bad enough, but since I have kids, none of my remotes have battery covers. (If you have kids, you’ll understand. If you don’t, thank God your batteries are not always in danger of falling out.)

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

NoviiRemote Deluxe – Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 13, 2007 at 5:29 pm.

Julie asked me a couple weeks ago if I would be interested in reviewing Easy PocketNAV’s OnCourse Navigator GPS software and I didn’t have to be asked twice!  Understand that I am a novice when it comes to GPS and GPS software but the technology behind it just fascinates me.  My previous experiences with GPS were with HP’s Navigation System (the GPS Bluetooth unit and software bundle) that I used with my HP hx4705 IPAQ and after I upgraded to Windows Mobile 5 on that unit, I bought OnCourse Navigator 5 (OCN5).  I have since sold my IPAQ and GPS unit over a year ago and I let the OCN software sit to the side…that is until now.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: GPS, Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Pocket PC, Software, Utility

Easy PocketNAV’s OnCourse Navigator 6 GPS Software – Windows Mobile Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on August 1, 2007 at 5:03 pm.

I’ve just been diagnosed with diabetes. I am a bit overwhelmed with the flood of information- both that I need to learn, and that I need to now learn to track. I have already learned a few things.

A. Diabetes is sometimes called the “data disease” because the more you understand it and track it, and know what it is doing, the better you can manage it.
B. It is really depressing to be a diabetic.
C. If ya gotta deal with the data involved, ya may as well make it work for you.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Diabetes Log Software – Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on June 7, 2007 at 10:00 am.

This month, my review focuses on another program that has a
large following in the PDA community…PhatWare’s
PhatNotes.  In earlier reviews on note-taking programs, I
mentioned that the PocketPC was made for note-taking.  Most
note applications are singular in their focus of taking
notes.  PhatWare took that one concept step further,
really giant steps forward, in how notes are taken and
organized.  The folks at PhatWare utilize the database
approach to organizing data, syncing it to outside platforms and
adding functionality within the “note” like voice or images. 
All in all, PhatNotes sets the standard for note-taking and
others to emulate.  Let me try to explain how I’ve come to
this conclusion…

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Pocket PC, Software, Utility

PhatWare’s PhatNotes Standard – Windows Mobile Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on May 21, 2007 at 2:45 pm.

Some people love them, some hate them. I tend to be one of those who load one, fiddle with it forever, then eventually give up and go back to the simplicity of the Palm interface. A few years ago, I did head-to-head comparisons with most of the major versions, and at one time or another owned a valid copy of Launcher X, MegaLauncher, Silver Screen, and others. I settled on ZLauncher, but mostly because I spent enough time with it to make it work how I wanted. If you want to argue that one of the other ’standards’ is better, I won’t disagree. It is just a matter of personal preference.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Palm OS related

Tagged: Palm, Software, Utility

Propel and iSpin Launchers: Palm OS Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 26, 2007 at 4:15 pm.

This software review is on PhatWare’s CalliGrapher which has to be on the “must-have” list of utilities for any serious PDA junkie’s collection. Setting aside the Casio B.O.S.S. I used only briefly, I consider my first handheld to be the Apple Newton MessagePad. What was the big attraction of the MessagePad device? It was its handwriting-to-text translation, the earliest ancestor of today’s CalliGrapher. The inventors of that software was not Apple but actually some creative Russian programmers and the company they eventually formed called Paragraph International.

… [visit site to read more]

Filed in categories: Windows Mobile related

Tagged: Pocket PC, Software, Utility

PhatWare’s Calligrapher v8.5 – Windows Mobile Utility originally appeared on The Gadgeteer on April 9, 2007 at 6:06 pm.