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| Busker MP3 Player |
| 12.10.05 (12:00 am) [edit] |
 If you've purchased a Palm device over the past year, it probably came with an MP3 Player loaded in ROM, maybe RealPlayer, or PocketTunes. You may even have downloaded another media player, such as AeroPlayer or TCPMP. If you're like me, you probably have two or more media players installed on your device.
I'm a long time user of RealPlayer, because it was preloaded in ROM on my Zire 72. It's adequate, as long as I only want to listen to MP3 files. Like many PalmAddicts, I also use The Core Pocket Media Player. TCPMP plays most media formats, including AAC and MPEG Video, with the proper CODECs installed. It's a very versatile player, but the UI can be a little confusing at times for new users.
Over the past week or so I have had the pleasure of test-driving the Busker MP3 Player from Electric Pocket.
The first thing that caught my eye the first time I ran Busker was the ease of one-tap play selection.
 With an MP3 loaded SD Card inserted, one tap will launch a randomly generated list of 15 songs (Quick List), your favorites list (Playlists), all tracks on the card in sequential order, or open the folder of any artist loaded on the card (Busker automatically generates the Artist list for you). How much simpler could it be to get right to the content you want to hear? I love the ease of getting a different variety of music every time I tap the QuickList option -- it keeps the music from getting stale.
Busker automatically sorts your MP3 files into artist folders for display without changing the layout on your SD Card by using the clip data encoded into the MP3 file. The result is that you can dump songs from several artists into the same folder on your SD Card and Busker allows you to choose just one artist (or even just one album from that artist) to listen to without creating a Playlist.
Creating a Favorites Playlist is as easy as tapping the STAR icon of a song when it's playing. It is instantly added to your favorites list for quick playback next time.
 Busker supports album art, including compatibility with album art embedded in MP3 files. No album art embedded? No problem! Busker supports album art search for wireless devices with a simple tap to connect and search. And if that fails you, too, or if you just want to choose your own picture to display, just place any JPEG file into the same folder as your MP3 files, and Busker will load it as album art.
Other great features in Busker include:
* An alarm clock that will play the MP3 or WAV file of your choice (did I forget to mention that Busker plays WAV files, too?).
* Run out of time to listen to a podcast on your commute to work? Set a Bookmark and pick up where you left off on your drive home.
* Don't have an SD Card reader to copy MP3 files to? Busker is compatible with Softick Card Export II for file transfer.
* Busker supports background playing.
* You can manually turn the screen off to save battery power, or Busker will automatically turn off the screen at the preset Auto Off setting in the Preferences panel.
On top of all the great features, Electric Pocket's support to the one minor issue I encountered was swift and helpful.
What else can I say? RealPlayer is installed in ROM on my device, so there's no deleting it. I'll keep TCPMP as a video player and AAC player. As for MP3 and WAV files, you can bet I'm switching to Busker. It's easy to use, feature-packed, takes only half a meg of memory, and sells for $19.95 at ElectricPocket.com.
By the way, don't let the funky colors in my screen shots throw you off. Those colors are my feeble attempt to create a festive Christmas theme on my device using Colorize.
-Jeff Cole, Associate Writer, Indiana USA
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| Review: Farkle by Smart Box Design |
| 12.09.05 (11:59 pm) [edit] |
 For me, one of the best ways to use my PDA is to play games - noone wants to work all the time, right? I'm always on the lookout for new games, so I was very pleased to be given the opportunity to review a game from Smart Box Design: Farkle, which is a game combining Craps and Yahtzee.
The game can have up to four players (with a minimum of two required), and can be any combination of Palm or Human. You can choose to set a minimum score that the players must attain in order to start the game, and also the score to play up to.
 You roll 6 dice, choosing at least one scoring die on each roll. The scoring dice are 1,5,three of a kind, three pairs, and a 6-dice straight. On each roll you can choose to Pass and keep your current score, or you can try your luck at getting a higher score, and roll the remaining die. If your roll doesn't have any scoring die, you get a Farkle. If you get three Farkles in a row, you lose 1000 points. And, yes, if your score is less than 1000 points at the time, you go into negative scores!
 When one of the players has reached the score to play up to, each other player has one chance to see if they can beat the current high score. You keep rolling the dice until you either beat the score or Farkle, with the winner being the person with the highest score.
 Of course I had to make that screen shot example one where I won - anything else just wouldn't have been right ;)
There is also a statistics table where you can view the win/loss record for all of the players.
Farkle has elements of luck and skill to it - you need luck on your side in getting the highest scoring combinations, but you also need to know the best time to bank your points - it happened more than once that I thought I'd give it "just one more roll" to see if I could better my score, only to end up with a Farkle.
It all depends on your strategy - some people are more willing to go for broke than I am!
 I really enjoy playing Farkle. The graphics are beautiful, with rich colours, and the sound effects are a nice touch to the game. The rules are easy to learn, and the game is very addictive. It is the perfect game to play if you have a few minutes spare, but at the same time it is very easy to spend a lot longer on it!
I highly recommend Farkle - it has definitely earned a spot on my list of most-played games on my PDA.
Farkle is available for $14.95 from the Smart Box Design site (although look in the PA sidebar for a special deal).
- Jenny O'Reilly, Associate Writer (Australia)
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| Review of Astraware’s Mazera |
| 12.09.05 (11:57 pm) [edit] |
Astraware is the place to go for your handheld gaming and entertainment needs. With over 140 applications for most handheld platforms, Astraware is uniquely positioned to cater to anyone’s gaming and entertainment needs. Reviewing applications for Astraware can be a daunting task as they have such a wide range of diverse, quality applications. Over the years, Astraware has made their reputation by producing various genres of exciting and challenging games. Recently, they have included some of the best stable of applications for everyday use cementing their hold as “the home of handheld entertainment”. I will be reviewing a number of applications from their gaming and Lifestyle sections over the next few days.
Everyone loves puzzles! Whether it’s building blocks or Rubik’s cube; crosswords or Soduku, puzzles have stumped and satisfied people from all walks of life the world over. Astraware and Cold River Studios have captured the wonderful spirit of excitement and challenge unique to puzzles in their latest hit creation: Mazera.
Mazera is a huge and vast world left open for the imaginations of gamers everywhere to explore vicariously through our intrepid hero, Ix. Since he was young, Ix was kidnapped by the treacherous Mazerans and left on display for all to see in their alien zoo. However, Ix has found a way to finally escape and we are along for the ride! The artwork for the game is indicative of the anime/manga craze that’s become so popular today. The gameplay is further accented by the futuristically brooding, ambient soundtrack that is a principle element to the peerless success of Astraware’s games.
There is a world of discovery awaiting players who love games that have the special mix of challenging yet, fun and relaxing gameplay. As I traverse this world with Ix, I oftentimes get the feelings of great anticipation and satisfaction tantamount to opening those Cracker Jack prizes as a kid! I’ve been more than mildly surprised to stumble across maps hidden underwater when I’ve mistakenly stepped over water’s edge; or, accidentally walked into a sprawling bush only to find an essential key tucked inside the shrubbery!
Along the way, we meet the denizens of Mazera as they try to chew, claw or blast you to oblivion. However, not everyone is a fiend, as you find friends who cross your path and lend a much-needed helping hand to get you out of a tight spot. There seems to be an infinite number of lives throughout the game which is greatly satisfying as I learn as I go. If you’re like me, it may take one, two or more attempts before figuring out a level’s particular solution. It was a great move on Astraware’s part to allow Ix to regenerate new lives over and over at no cost or penalty to your health or placement in the game.
Mazera is a fun, puzzle game featuring an alien world of imaginative landscapes and incomparable denizens. Astraware and Cold River Studios have flexed their creative muscles and pulled out all the stops to present a game which is nonpareil to Astraware’s usual stable of high quality games. This one is a keeper!
Mazera can be found at Astraware's site and retails for only $29.95 and worth every penny.
-Kevin Agot, Associate Writer, Carmichael, California
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| WordWatch |
| 12.09.05 (11:56 pm) [edit] |
 My absolute favourite genre of PDA games is word games, and today I bring you a review of one such game from Smart Box Design, called WordWatch. There are three playing modes available to registered users - WordWatch (the standard mode), Untimed and Practice.
The aim of WordWatch is to create a word using all the letters you are given (the number of letters ranges from 5 to 9), before you run out of time. If you can't make a word using all the letters, make the longest word you can. The letters that you don't use at the end of the allotted time become red tiles, and are placed in an area at the bottom. If you get 8 or more red tiles, the game is over.
 If you can't solve the full-length word, you can click on Pass and it will show you the solution. But make sure you have entered the longest word you can, because all the tiles you haven't used will become red tiles! You move up through the levels based on how often you solve the full-length word, and how few red tiles you have - the fewer, the better.
 In the WordWatch and Untimed modes, there is an additional round called the Bonus Round. If you have red tiles, and you find the full-length word for that round, you are given the opportunity to get rid of some of your red tiles. You make a word of the same length as the original word for that round, using as many red tiles as you can. Any red tiles you use are removed.
 The Practice mode has an anagram round. If you solve the full-length word and there is another full-length word that can be made with the same letters, you start this round to try to find another word.
 At the beginning of Untimed mode, you start out with some red tiles. The good thing about this mode is that you have as long as you like to find the full-length word, so it's perfect if you don't want the stress of trying to beat the clock. When you have found the full-length word for each round, you are given a bonus round to try to use up the red tiles.
One thing I am used to seeing on games is a numerical score; so I find WordWatch's scoring system, which is determined by your current level and round number, a bit unusual. However, this is purely personal preference and it in no way detracts from the enjoyment of the game.
As I have come to expect from Smart Box Design, the graphics on this game are excellent, with a great colour scheme and design. The sound effects are subtle, although the countdown when you're down to the last 5 seconds makes me a bit nervous! My nerves aside, Smart Box Design has again come up with a game that is perfect for playing any time, even if you've only got a few minutes or a few hours spare. Be warned, though, it is very difficult to put down!
For word game fanatics, WordWatch is a must.
WordWatch is available for $14.95 from the Smart Box Design site (but check out the PA sidebar for a special deal).
- Jenny O'Reilly, Associate Writer (Australia)
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| Review: THIEVES AND KINGS |
| 11.09.05 (4:52 am) [edit] |
 Anyone who has followed my posts since I’ve written for Palm Addict knows that I love to play games on my PDAs. I go through phases of being hooked on different games, but there are a few that are always at the top of my list of favorites. The one that has most consistently been on every list is the great solitaire game Thieves, from thievesandkings.com. I found this game early on in my Palm Addict days thanks to Sammy’s recommendation. Thieves “stole” my attention from the first time I played it, and no solitaire game has ever come close to capturing my interest as completely as Thieves has done.
A few weeks ago, as I was happily playing a game of Thieves, it dawned on me that though I have mentioned it many times, I have never done an official review of my fave game! I contacted the author Paul DeWolf, to ask if he would mind if I reviewed the game for Palm Addict. It has been a pleasure to meet him, and he has been extremely helpful in answering my questions. And, the good news is, as if my favorite game weren’t already perfect, he has just completed developing an awesome new improved high-resolution Palm version! The new high-res graphics are outstanding, and this new version also keeps track of all time, monthly and weekly scores.
Thieves is simple but highly addictive. It is a version of Golf solitaire, though one of the distinctive features of Thieves is that it includes wild cards. The object is to empty the 35 card table by building on the waste pile. Cards may be removed from the bottom row, and can be of any suit as long as they are one value greater or lower than the card on the waste pile. Unlike some versions of Golf, Aces are low, and Kings are high, and there is no circular building on either. The wild cards, or jokers, add just the right touch to make the game even more fun. They can be saved for the right moment, or used to get a long run of cards off the table. My favorite situation is to have a joker on the top row. This I save, no matter what, hoping I get down to one card. In that situation, it is a certain key to moving to the next level.
Another unique element of this game is that once a table is cleared, you keep your accumulating score, and a new table appears as you advance to the next level. This is evident by the different color of each new background. The new level has the same setup as the prior table, however with each successive level advancement, there is one less wild card in play. I have made it as far as the 4th level, though even getting to the 3rd, is an accomplishment. Strategy is essential, and it is important to not only get long runs of cards, but it is also critical to try to remove the cards from each row fairly equally. It requires careful judgment when deciding which to remove when there are 2 possible choices. Often it is clear that one choice will set up a possible future run, or another might even up the numbers in the rows.
I love this game because it is the perfect mix of luck and strategy. It is a great game to pick up when you have just a few minutes to play a game. The Palm version is helpful here, in that if you are interrupted, it remains where you left off, and you can resume play at a later time. But, if you are like me, if time permits, you will spend far longer than a few minutes playing “just one more hand.” Somehow when a hand ends, win or lose, you are sure that the next one will be a winner! I think part of the addictiveness comes from the quick gameplay. It’s easy to start another round knowing that it will only take “a minute,” though in my case, the “minutes” soon turn into many. There is also an excellent PC version of this game (which comes with Kings Corners, Fortitude, and Klondike.) Here I should mention that I am also addicted to the PC version of Thieves. If I’m on my computer waiting for an email or instant message, I will start a game and play it between emails or chat responses.
If I had to choose only one solitaire game for my Palm (or my PC,) it would be an easy choice. Thieves is by far my favorite solitaire game. It is challenging, yet not taxing, and I never tire of playing it. The Palm version used to be $15, but Paul informed me that to correspond with the release of his improved games and his newly redesigned website, he has reduced the price to $10! And for just $5 more, ($15 total) you can add both of the other great Palm games, Kings Corners and Fortitude. Add the PC version of all four games for just $10 more. ($25 total, for all 7 games!) I am being completely sincere when I say that I think these games are worth every penny!
By the way, I just played Fortitude on my T/C for the first time the other day, and I was enthralled. It is the first solitaire game I’ve played that might actually have a chance to chase Thieves out of the #1 spot! Time will tell, but I highly recommend that you seize this awesome trio of Palm games, and let Thieves capture your attention, as it has completely stolen mine!
- Jan, Deputy Editor US, (Alpine, UT, USA)
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| Enfora WiFi Sled for the Treo 650 Review |
| 11.09.05 (4:50 am) [edit] |
 Andrew Carlton has done a great job at reviewing the Enfora WiFi Sled for the Treo 650. It's well written and very detailed. "A couple of months have gone by since Enfora’s WiFi Adapter for our Treo 650 was released and I’ve now had enough time to play around with it to venture into writing a review. First though I’d like to look into why one might need or prefer a WiFi adapter as opposed to either an SD or internal solution. Having played around with both of Palm’s LifeDrive and new T|X handhelds which have WiFi built-in there is no doubt that it’s extremely convenient but the main drawback is enormous and rapid battery drain on the devices." Read on...
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| Review of Proporta’s Crystal Case for the Lifedrive |
| 11.09.05 (4:48 am) [edit] |
Over the past few days, I have had the opportunity to try out Proporta’s Crystal Case for the Lifedrive. I left my OEM leather case at my computer desk and gave this case a trial by fire if you will. Here are my thoughts.
Durability- will it protect?
For my durability test (and the last time I perform this test), I placed my Lifedrive in the Crystal Case and dropped it from a height of a little more than half a foot to my kitchen floor (it is carpeted, but it is not the high plush pile carpet) and the Lifedrive was falling on its side. I wanted to see if the case would stay together or not and it did. My Lifedrive didn’t like it, because I had to reset it for the device to turn back on again! So the case’s staying power is good (although a harder fall might jar the case apart), protected my Lifedrive from a slight drop which would probably be equivalent to dropping it onto a desk or in the car.
Design- is it ugly looking?
In defense of any case crafted for the Lifedrive, one must remember that a case plus the Lifedrive means it will be thicker. So, I’m not going to focus on that, however, the Crystal Case did not add anymore thickness than the OEM leather case that came with my Lifedrive, in case you are wondering.
As I showed people the case, everyone of them looked at it and were quite impressed. They used words like cool, sharp, nice, etc. to describe the case. I must admit that I too liked the look of seeing my entire Lifedrive revealed and not covered up. It makes great eye candy as anyone could easily see your Lifedrive and see it is not your typically handheld.
Here also in the design is my biggest complaint about this case. On the back side of the case, there are no rubber feet to stop the case from sliding off a smooth surface. This could spell trouble if one made an inadvertent elbow to the Lifedrive. I could even make my Lifedrive do 360s on my kitchen table (people wonder why my first Lifedrive died). Oh, it did turn on right away after that test, too, in case you are wondering.
Functionality- Is this even a word?
With this case you have a clear protective lid that covers the screen as well and provides more protection. In order to tap on the screen, you must lift the lid; it’s kind of like a Star Trek communicator. “Beam me up, Scotty. There is no perfect PDA down here!” Anyways… I really liked that my Lifedrive didn’t have to be removed from the case as everything was easily accessible. My hotsync cable had no problems fitting in the slot, headphones set in just right, the stylus was easy to get to, sound recorder and portrait/landscape button is accessible, and getting my SD card out was no trouble either. Nothing you normally do with a caseless Lifedrive is impeded. You could also use this case in conjunction with Proporta’s Magnetic Vehicle Docking Mount if you had a Bluetooth GPS device or something like that.
Conclusion- Avoid extreme PDA tests when reviewing accessories!
Overall Proporta’s Crystal Case is first-class in its feel and functionality. If you want to show off your Lifedrive, you need to check out Proporta’s Crystal Clear case as it is the best type of case for showing off your device and keeping it protected at the same time. Proporta makes Crystal cases for other devices as well in case you don’t have a lifedrive. The Lifedrive Crystal Case sells for $19.95 and comes with a belt clip attachment as well.
Joshua Burdick – Associate Writer (Buffalo, NY, USA)
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| REVIEW: Proporta Alu-Leather T5 and T/x case |
| 11.09.05 (4:46 am) [edit] |
 I am happy that I have had the opportunity to test drive a Proporta aluminum-lined leather T5/Tx case. If you\\\'re short on time, let me say that the case is highly recommended, two stylii up.
I have a history of avoiding PDA cases. Perhaps this stubborness was formed because my first \\\"PDA,\\\" a 64kb Casio BOSS, was a battle- (and backpack-) ready hard clamshell.
In any case (pun not intended), It took a lot of convincing to get me to trade in my Palm Vx\\\'s flip cover for something more substantial. After all, part of its appeal came from how much power it packed into that sleek and small package. Any case added bulk and, like a sweatshirt over a toned torso, hid more than it did.
I confess to having similar thoughts about my T5. It isn\\\'t as small as the Vx, not by a long shot. But it looks as beautiful. Think of it as Crawford to the Vx\\\'s Kate Moss (The irony of the Crawford Vx is not lost on me). I was loathe to put a case on the T5 and worried that it would shift out of the \\\"pocketable\\\" category and into \\\"bulky.\\\"
Which is why I am so happy that Proporta sent me this case. It is an ideal companion to the T5, protecting it from daily risks to its welfare and, as an added bonus, enhancing the T5\\\'s looks. All that while taking nothing away from its usability or function.
Before I discuss the case itself, I want to mention the delivery. The case arrived, with its packaging, in hand addressed envelope from the UK. Even though I am in New Jersey, USA, the package arrived within several days of having been shipped. For those who might be worried about an oversea purchase, set your worries aside - the world really has grown smaller. Within the envelope, two foil-wrapped bags of Earl Grey Tea. How British is that!
Now, to the case: I originally misunderstood which case Proporta was sending me to review, and resigned myself to getting used to an aluminum case -- solid and very modern, but perhaps too modern for elegance. When I opened the package, I discovered that Proporta had sent me their leather and aluminum case--The best of both worlds, combining the strength and security of metal with the warmth and style contrast-stitched leather. I should also mention that my wife, who is generally unimpressed with anything PDA related, conceded that this case looks really good.
The case is well designed and surprised me by working perfectly even when I used the T5 with my Palm IR keyboard. By utilizing the same slot as the original flipcover, Proporta has provided a full-coverage case that still flips out of the way when the Palm is placed on the keyboard holder in both landscape and upright positions. If Palm had thought to include a dock with the T5, I would be able to tell you whether the case maintains compatibility. As it stands, I can only conjecture that it does. The case shuts securely with a magnetic stap closure, my current favorite for devices that need to be opened and closed frequently. It took about a day for the leather strap to ease just enough for the case to open and close perfectly each time -- the same way a pair of fine shoes takes a little time to get \\\"broken in.\\\" My one caveat is that the T5 is not as comfortable to hold in one hand, as when reading on the morning subway (or Tube), with this case. Holding the additional flap is ever so slightly fatiguing in that position. Having a future version of this case fold flat against itself when open might help the morning commuter.
When closed, the case adds a little bulk, but it\\\'s very little for the amount of protection that\\\'s afforded. Imagine having one additional flip cover on the back -- that\\\'s about the additional thickness added. There\\\'s also about a milimeter of width on one side, so that the case can provide additional bump protection. The case does not actually cover the sides and is not designed to completely cushion the PDA in the even of an actual fall. The case protects against the usual bumps and crunches of life with a PDA and should be especially useful to the PDA that finds itself inside its owner\\\'s bag, purse, or briefcase. With its style and high usability, it will be even more welcome when the PDA emerges and takes center stage.
I\\\'ve just noticed that my fellow associate writer Kevin Agot reviewed a similar case for his Zire 72 and came to the same conclusion: Visit Proporta.com and check out their line of cases -- we especially recommend the alu-leather ones!
-Dov, Associate Writer (NY/NJ, USA)
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| My Review of My Little Tank |
| 11.09.05 (4:42 am) [edit] |
How do they do it? How is it that Astraware continues to develop addictive games for mobile devices? In their latest release, My Little Tank is a sure as shooting to please Palm Addicts everywhere and will roll over all the competition for game of the year! This has been the most addictive game I have reviewed thus far and one of the most fun games I have played, too.
Options, options, and more options
First off, you have the option to have a great tutorial that will help you learn the ins and outs of controlling your “little tank.” Being the man that I was, I immediately skipped the tutorial and went straight to the game play, but I’m sure it was a well written and quite informative piece of work and one that I will probably read later when I’m stuck on some future level wondering what do I do now. Not only can you control the game with the D-pad on your handheld, but also by using your stylus you can control your “little tank.” And if your little tank doesn’t look right you have the option to choose a different color for your little tank, making it even more your “little tank.” If you must know, I chose orange as my tank’s color! ;)
Game Play
I have only had a short time in playing the game, but from the very start I found the game easy to understand and amazing challenging as well. The higher levels bring on bigger and badder enemy tanks and will have you scrambling for cover! On each level (keep in mind there are 60 levels for you to conquer), you have different missions to complete some are destroying a certain amount of tanks or destroying specific targets or protecting your base from other tanks. Each tank battlefield is full of obstacles to make the game that much more enjoyable as you attempt to blow up the enemy’s tanks. Along the way you can get power-ups for your tank, invincibility, speed bonuses, smart bombs which blow up any tanks with in the bomb’s range, health bonuses, mini tanks which will give you an extra life, and freeze weapons which freeze all the enemy tanks. Again it was very addictive and fun to play. I found myself blowing thru walls and blowing up buildings in no time at all.
Graphics and sounds
The graphics are very sweet and high quality which is to be expected from Astraware. I especially loved the opening main menu background as it is one of the sharpest game menus I have seen. It really foretells what you’re going to get later on in the game. The music on my Lifedrive really blew me away and was very military-type sounding. It fit the game perfectly and I think that maybe Astraware should make a soundtrack of all their all game’s music as My Little Tanks music is really catchy.
Conclusion
I had been looking for sometime for a handheld tank game, because I use to play the Atari version of Tank pong or something like that a very long time ago and I missed it. Well, I think My Little Tank will fill that void for me. It was fun and challenging and I have an orange tank. I’m still amazed at how Astraware continues to put out such great games and this one is no exception. It’s just another great game from Astraware and a game that will be worth the money to put down for it! Check it out at Astraware. It’s currently on sale now for $14.95.
Joshua Burdick – Associate Writer (Buffalo, NY, USA)
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| Piel Frama Leather case for PalmOne Lifedrive |
| 07.09.05 (10:36 pm) [edit] |
 Yesterday I received a Piel Frama Leather case for PalmOne Lifedrive and I have to say it is a wonderful case. Room for my credit cards, Good quality leather, The LifeDrive fits in nicely in there. A nice belt clip which clips nicely onto the back of the case. Room for SD Memory cards and of course slots to connect to the hotsync cable etc. I was very impressed with this case and so far I would have to say that it is the best LifeDrive case that I have received. I will be taking a little more in-depth review of the case as the week goes by as I am only into one day of using it but normally I would not bother using a case for my Palm devices, I am quite lazy liker that but this case is different, it's quality and does more than just carry my LifeDrive it also fits all my cards and those small bits of paper that I always find myself carrying around. More on details on this case can be found at StylusCentral where the Piel Frama Leather case for PalmOne Lifedrive can be purchased for a sale price of $59, normally $69, and for the quality you get with this case I think this is very good quality.
I have added these thoughts on to our review and software thoughts page which you can read here
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| TREO 650 Review |
| 12.07.04 (1:43 pm) [edit] |
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 Nice review summary of the Treo 650 from Greg Lawhorn - thanks Greg!
Thoughts on the Treo 650.
The Great
• Size is everything. The 650 fits my hand (large hands) very, very well. It feels better than any cell phone I’ve every had. It also feels better than most of the Palms I’ve owned (with the possible exception of the M1xx family, which although plastic, had a great fit to the hand).
• Feel is great, too. Weigh seems about that of a 3rd generation 10g iPod.
• Screen brightness is gorgeous inside, and quite legible out on this cloudy day. I’m not sure what a bright and sunny day will bring, but I suspect that it will be fine.
• Quality of construction is very high. No loose pieces. The battery compartment door fits snugly, but comes loose easily when the button is pushed, then locks down well when replaced.
The Good
• Complaints about sound quality aside, it sounds pretty good; just as good as the cordless phone I use in my home, and no worse than some cell phones I’ve owned. It is not as good as a wired phone, but I’ve never used a cell phone that was.
• The screen size is smaller than the other Palms I’ve used, but has the same resolution (320x320) as a number of the current stable of Palms. As a result, text and graphics are very sharp and vividly colored.
• The camera is much better than I expected, at least 100% improvement over the Zire 71 that I own. I wouldn’t hesitate to use this for certain types of shots to send friends or family.
The So-So
• The keyboard is a tad smaller than the Tungsten C I just sold, with the keys closer together. Typing will be a little slower than the T|C to start, with some loss of accuracy.
• I miss having four programmable buttons (calendar, address, etc.). OK, this is slightly misleading – the other two buttons have been assigned to the phone (green for send, red for hang up, and also for turning the unit on and off). They ARE programmable, but I’m not sure how the phone would function, then.
The Ugly
• Some programs, designed for the 600, have caused random restarts. The key here is to load at least these programs slowly, and try them a few times before loading anything else.
• I really miss the command stroke button from the Tungsten C to enter commands quickly. Yes, the 650 has a menu button, which is nice, but I’m not seeing an easy way to copy and paste using the keyboard. I’m still learning, though, and I hate manuals, so it might very well be there and I haven’t discovered it yet.
• Last complaint – really! On the Tungsten C, pressing a key and holding it for a little longer would give you a capital letter. On the Treo it begins to repeat the letter. I used the capitalization feature constantly, only using caps lock when I needed to enter all caps text.
The Summary
I love this unit already. I made a call using the included headset (a Jabra 250 headset is due tomorrow) and was able to check my schedule and make an entry while talking – very cool. I highly recommend the 650.
- Greg Lawhorn
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| REVIEW: Ultrasoft Money Upgrade |
| 11.11.04 (2:20 am) [edit] |
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Ultrasoft has released a very important upgrade to Ultrasoft Money (UM) tonight. It's for anyone that either has Microsoft Money 2005 and/or a T5 or Treo650.
I was fortunate enough to be on the Beta team for the Money 2005 tests and I have to say it works great. There are a few things that I wanted to point out about the new version.
First, it is able to sync with Money 2005...this is BEFORE Microsoft has a version of their on Pocket PC program that will sync to Money 2005. This in itself is a pretty impressive feat. In my tests on the Beta I have had no major difficulties and the speed at which Ultrasoft handled the few bugs poeple had was impressive.
The second feature I wanted to highlight is the budget feature. This alone was worth the price of the upgrade from version 3. Ultrasoft now allows you to see exactly where you are in relation to your budget all the time, anywhere. The instant you enter a transaction in, you see a graphic display that shows you how much of the monthly budget you have used. You can click on the graphic and see the exact dollar values if you want. I also love the reports feature which allows me to see graphically where my various expenditures are at for the month.
There are a ton of other features, some new to version 4.1 and some that have been around for a long time. Here are some other things I like about the program:
1. Ease of entering information. It remembers the names of the Payees so once you've entered a name once the next time takes only 1 or two letters and it will enter the rest of the names.
2. Automation. Do you have automatic bill payments monthly? UM can handle it, once set up it will automatically pop them in the registry on the date you specified then when you sync to the desktop, pop it into Money.
3. Wayyyyyyyy better picture of my finances. This isn't really a sole feature of UM but I love that I can enter all my transactions into my Palm as soon as I have er transacted them. I mean there I am in another Timmies line (if you live in Canada you know exactly where I mean :-) ) and before I even get my extra large double double, in goes the transaction before I forget it. This way I catch all those small things that can add up over a month...like too many Timmy coffees....
4. Complete picture. There's not much I can't view on Money 2005 that I can't view on my Tungsten T thanks to UM. It gives me all the accounts I want to view. It even helps my marriage. Now when my wife asks me 'just what do you spend $40 a week on anyway' I just flip her the bir...er I mean Palm and say now more (of course when one does that one should make sure 'Flowers For My Wife' is ine of the transactions showing, counterbalances the multiple Palmgear entries in the Visa registry)
If it wasn't for this program I wouldn't have dicovered my money leaks ($50 a week on lunches! eek!!). I can honestly say that it is one program that has truely paid for itself. It's helped me to become more fiscally responsible or maybe, more accurately, fiscally aware. I've probably saved more than ten times the money I spent on the program.
Now I know after such slobering over this program you think I am affiliated with the company but no I'm not. The closest I got was the Beta test for Money 2005 synching. But I can say if you find yourself struggling to get a handle on your finaces, this is a great place to start. And if nothing else it gives you a cover for when you're playing Bejeweled 2. 'Honestly honey, I wasn't playing games I was balancing our budget and planning out how to pay for litle Benjamin's education...really' :-)
Dave, Associate Writer (Tim Horton's Coffee Shop, Toronto, Canada)
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| SAMMY'S THOUGHT: A brief review of the Blackberry 7200 |
| 11.03.04 (1:49 am) [edit] |
 So I said that I would put together a quick review of the Blackberry that I have been using. Well the 7200 is small and suprisingly light too. It has a ble casing, color screen and just a little larger than a pack of playing cards. I set the device to charge for an hour and then went ahead and set up my GPRS settingsm within 5 minutes my emails were being downloaded. The device was fully functional.
Now, the PIM applications are not on par with Palm OS but they are sufficent with weekly and daily views. I was suprised to see a monthly view which I find helpful.
Contacts is limited but sufficent and of course I can compose an email and pick an email from my contacts list.
The advantage to the Blackberry is the fact that it pushes email to me every 15 minutes and it does this very well with no hitches to date and of course I can delete email from the server or retain server email if I require.
Finally in this short review the screen is colored and can be backlit however I will say that the backlight is not very bright but I did get used to it. Additionally the keyboard is very good and I am able to type at fast speeds although the keyboard is not quite as good as the one on my Tungsten C. In conclusion I would have to say the 7200 is very good although not as good as my Tungsten C yet if I did not have any other choice I would preger to use a Blackberry over a Pocket PC yet it still falls quite short of Palm OS which shows what a powerful operating system Palm OS is.
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL: My views on the Pocket PC PDA2K device. Is it better than a Palm OS device? |
| 10.29.04 (12:02 am) [edit] |
  So thoughts on using the PDA2K compared to my TC. Well firstly, remember that I am not against the Pocket PC, indeed it's a terrific platform but one that is not for me. Why? Well let me start by saying the PDA2K has to be one of the best PDA's that I have ever used in terms of hardware. It beats the tc for a number of reasons. Firstly it has a built in kekpad. Now I could not grasp using this and it took me for forever to even get any of my words right and I think you remember me saying so last week. However after some practice I am getting used to it and typing on it has become a hell of a lot easier. In fact although not as fast as my tc I am able to get a good speed up.
The other thing I like is that we have wifi and bluetooth all built in and of course it has a camera built in so in that case that is why it beats the tc hands down. However in regards to using it is a different story. I like the idea of Windows Mobile but yet never really thought of it as a simple operating system. If you want a OS that powerful with lots of bells and whistles then can I suiggest Windows Mobile, yet something light and straight to the point then can I say stick with the Palm OS. The PDA2K is certainly bright. I think the screen is very crisp and I would say that it's as bright as my TC. The keyboard is great because it illuminates with a nice blue glow allowing me to see my keys easily in the dark, so no problem there. Furthermore its easy to write on and the device is small enough to fit into my pocket. Oh did I forget to tell you the PDA2K is also a phone too? Well it is and the reception was equal to my Treo 600 however I think that holding the Treo 600 is a lot easier than the PDA2K.
Whenever I have used Windows Mobile I have never had that much luck with it. I always experience the odd crash and end up losing a word documents that I was working on so end up relying on my Palm device and this is a good thing. So in this short opinion what are my conclusions? I think the PDA2K is the best Windows Mobile device I have ever used. The hardware is better than my TC and indeed its on par I think with the Treo 600 if not that bit better because it has Wifi, however as an operating system I have to say that I did not find the device as reliable as using my tc. It's also easier to type on my tc rather than the PDA2K. On the other hand its a nice looking device and I would certainly recomend as a Pocket PC, but if you asking me about Palm OS v Windows Mobile then I would have to say that its Palm OS for me and I'm sticking with the TC, however as hardware goes this device gets 8.5 out of 10, and it loses a point because I am not used to the keyboard yet.
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
 I have added these thoughts on to our review and software thoughts page which you can read here
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL: Agendus |
| 10.28.04 (11:30 pm) [edit] |
I have been using Agendus for the last two weeks and I have to say that it's certainly growing on me. For those not aware Agendus is a great PIM and is very powerful. Now I am not going to go into a full blown review but I will say this its excellent. Let's start with the views. You have:
Daily View
You have time bars starting from whatever time you choose in my case its 8am as its no point any earlier as I dont get up until 8am and then it goes on until midnight. At the bottom of the page you have your to do list which is how I like it. I can see all of my to do items for that day. Obviously at the top of the view you have the days of the week so you choose say Tuesday of that week to see whats happening. The menu's allow me to enter anything in fopr that day whether its an appointment or a task. You can also enter in calls to a new meeting. At the bottom of the view and indeed all of the views is a tabbled graphic menu which allows you to select any of the views. Quite perfect.
7 Day view
Gives you a week view at one tiome and this is one of my favorite views because it allows you to see what free time you have. I have my weekends a different color to the rest of the week. The view also allows you to see what free time that you have. It certainly is quite helpful especially if you want to plan ahead. Again, menu options give you the ability to add appointments where neccesary and of course change views.
Month View
Use icons to see what your doing later in the month. Selecting any day from the month view automatically gives you the days agenda. Thios is great if you are putting in birthdays, holidays or whatever. It is nothingt something that I tend to use that much but it does give a good graphical impression of what is happening.
Three month view
This for me acts as a calendar. The only downside to this is that there are no letters stating what day each date represents which annoys me slighly however you get used to knowing that Sundays are corresponding to the first date in the left column etc, however it would still be nice if it told you the date.
7 Day at a glance view
This is my favorite because it gives a weekly list of tasks and your agenda and is my standard view when using TC. It's helpful to see everything going on at a glance.
To Do List
There is task list that lists everything that is going on for the week ahead. I use this to delete and plan my tasks.
Contacts
We must not forget the contacts view. This is a very powerful contacts program. I just automatically use contacts all of the time andf have the relevant hard button corresponding to it. You can even attach photographs too.
Conclusion
There is a lot more besides what I have written above. There are templates for certain tasks which I know a lot of people find useful. There is a free trial to give this a whirl and then purchase price and then Agendus can then be purchased for $29.95. I have to give this 9 out of 10. It loses a point for a poor calendar view and again this is my own opinion so bear that in mind when you consider downloading it.
Available from Iambic
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| SAMMY'S THOUGHT: Snappermail |
| 10.28.04 (1:21 am) [edit] |
I have been using the latest version of Snappermail and have to say that its a wonderful application and one that I really enjoy using. It gibes my Palm devifce a complete different perspective of using it. Earlier this week I was talking about how my TC is also seen as a communicator rather than just a standard PDA. Snappermail certainly helps makes my tc more of a communication device. It's not all plain sailing but its getting there. Snappermail is powerful, it allows me access to not just my mac email but also my AOL email. This is good because I need full access to both of these accounts. It also allows me to draft emails when I am out and about. A prime example is I like to visit Starbucks quite close to my office every afternoon, I call it the treat of the day and whilst I am there I can respond to email that I have had waiting in my inbox for my attention. Now I know that WiFi is a major factor in Starbucks in the UK, however in the US it has not reached its peak so my local Starbucks does not have WiFi. However I can still keep the emails in draft format and send off when I am back in the office. However it shows that I am able to write email wherever I am and send when I want to.
Push email is big with the likes of the blackberry and providing that you have a connection to the internet, in my case with tc wifi I can have Snappermail retrieve my email at periodic times such as every ten minutes and alert me when I have mail. Very handy. It does run into some problems which are no doubt user caused. An example is that sometimes my email does not check for mail at the same times and I have to manually ask it to check mail, then it will go ahead and start checking. Other times I may place my tc in the cradle to charge and find that it no longer wants to check at periodic times, however, take it out of the cradle and it's off again checking. Not sure what is happening but it always sorts itself out. In the end I can be certain to get my email at the times I need it.
I like the design of Snappermail. It's simple, a nice blue color although you can of course go back to the classic look. Furthermore I also enjoy deleating email and know that its also deleated off my email server I do not have to see or delete the same messages in my inbox on my Mac. Deleating using IMAP just saves the day there. To conclude I think Snappermail is the best. Yes there are some problems but as I have explained I really think these are the fault of the user rather than the software itself. I would be happy to give Snappermail a well deserved 9 out of 10www.snappermail.com
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
I have also posted this review on our reviews page
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL, A short review of the Blackberry 7100 |
| 10.27.04 (11:06 pm) [edit] |
 Take the Blackberry out of it's box and your met with an unusual looking blue / grey toned cell phone with the red Vodafone graphics. It's is quite narrow, smaller than what I thought and very light. It weighs in my opinion the same or if not just a little lighter than my t600. I have to charge the 7100 and I do so for an hour. As this uses a Vodafone SIM card rather than my Orange SIM card I have to manually add all my contacts which takes me the good part of an hour. The screen is brighter than I had imagined because I had read a number of reviews saying the screen was not so bright. In my opinion it's not as bright as the Treo but it's still comftable to view.
The apps are cool enough, there are the normal PIM applications including a to do list, obviously a contacts application etc. My initial impressions are that although the applications are sufficent they do not compare to the Palm OS where the applications are far superior. Receiving email automatically is very good however I later realized that it's pushed to your blackberry on 15 minute intervals. Now when you compare that to my Tungsten C using Snappermail I can have me emailed downloaded every 5 minutes if I wanted providing I am in a wifi enabled area such as my office or at home.
One has to remember that I am very new to the Blackberry and nowhere near as confiodent as using a Palm OS device. However it is clean, seems quick and does what I need it to do. However my TC and indeed the Treo 600 performs better plus they are also much faster too. However if I had to choose between using a Windows Mobile device and a Blackberry then I know what I would choose and thats a Blackberry. The Blackberry community reminds me of what the Palm community was like when we first started Palm Addict back in the Summer of 1999 which seems like a generation ago. However I will say that I am more than happy using my TC and I think thats a reflection of how good this device is.
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL: A brief review of the Veo Traveller Camera for Palm |
| 10.20.04 (5:37 am) [edit] |
 Using a Veo camera with my Palm device is a real blessing. There are many times when I just want to pick up my Tungsten C and just snap away. The camera is small and fits into the SD Card slot at the top of my TC. The camera itself is real easy to use, it's just a case of finding the Veo application, adjusting the camera to a view in focus using the screen on your TC or whatever Palm device you use and for me I just hit the Navigator button to shoot the image.
It then asks whether you want to save the image and by doing so I can then email it or use Verichat to send it on. I can also squeeze the image to whatever size I want and the Veo camera can set the brightness automatically or you can do ity manually. Focusing is done by yourself and there are several zoom in / zoom out options for you to take advanage of.
One must remember that the Veo camera can also be used as a video camera and this works perfectly fine too, although it will eat memory so a good Memory card will be needed to save the file. Personally I tend not to take advantage of the video although it is good to know that it's there should I need it.
In conclusion I never thought that I would take advantage of a camera enabled Palm device but in the end I think that I would not ever puchase a Palm device without the camera and with that in mind, over the last six months or so I have taken advantage where I can of using the camera. My Veo camera has really opened my eyes to taking photographs with my Palm device and if you have the opportunity I urge you to take advantage of taking snapshots, you may just be suprised with how your pictures turn out.
[Link - Veo]
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL: Verichat |
| 10.16.04 (10:12 am) [edit] |
I wanted to talk briefly about one of my favorite software titles Verichat because its very important to me. Verichat is an instant messenger for Palm OS and can connect to the main 4 Messenger clients,, ICQ,, Yahoo Messenger, MSN, and of course AIM.. I use all of these to stay in contact with people I know. I am not always available but at least once a day I try to get online so that I can speak to my office and friends.
 Verichat has a great deal of advantages and one of them is the ability to be in another application and be sent a IM at any time. You can reply with a quick message or indeed if you wish enter into a full blown conversation, the option, well is yours. Verichat is one of those applications where you pay for a subscription on an annual basis rather than a one off payment but I am happy with that.
Verichat is very stable and I have never had a problem with it. Oh, I forgot to mention that in fact you can actually hhave different alert tones depending on where you are and what attention you require. Personally I have mine to vibrate but you can choose what alert prefence you desire. Another neat feature is the ability to allow Verichat to connect the instant you switch your TC on. I don't allow this opportunity but you have the choice.
There are a lot of other features that come with Verichat and it's a sound application which holds many benefits for me personally. You can download from Palmgear and it costs $24.95 which is good value and I certainly have gotten my money's worth out of it.
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| USER THOUGHT: Comparing WiFi |
| 09.25.04 (1:19 pm) [edit] |
Back to the Palm Addict Site
  Being a true PalmAddict, I now own both an Enfora WiFi unit and a PalmOne WiFi card for my T3. Each has their own advantage and disadvantage. While not a full review, I thought I would share a few thoughts on each after having used each side by side for a week.
Enfora Pros: Does not use memory card slot, has its own battery, case provides protection in one unit, charger can also charge the T3 PalmOne Pros: Small and portable, very fast, software includes VPN client
Enfora Cons: Big, not "pocketable", a bit slow by comparison PalmOne Cons: Takes memory card slot, power hungry (but easily used with Power To Go sled)
In actual use with VersaMail and WebPro each works nicely for me. I've used both in my office WiFi and home WiFi network with ease. The PalmOne card connection is really quick, probably because it is not going via the Universal Connector. There is sufficient memory on the T3 should I wish to download something with the PalmOne card then move it to a memory card later.
I am now seeking more networking software to make the use of my T3 wireless more versatile. I am using WiFi and this opens up an entirely new form of portability in my office setting. I've yet to put the VPN to use, but hope to try that this week. I would really be interested in trying to work with webpages on the Palm and FTP using the free software available for this purpose. I may try some things in Native Word and see how that works out.
Any suggestions from other PalmAddicts on how to maximize my WiFi experiences would be welcome. PA is THE place to share. Thanks Sammy and everyone else for the great work here.
- Kraig (Deposit, NY, US)
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| SOFTWARE: Always On |
| 09.11.04 (2:35 am) [edit] |
If your tierd of your Palm device switching itself off all of the time after 3 minutes or so, then you should get yourself a copy of the freeware Always On. You decide when your Palm device switches off. You can download it from www.persicke.de.
Now you can determine when your Palm device swiches itself off whether its 10 minutes, 15 mins, 30 mins or 1 hour. Additionally you can also set it to remain "always on"
Now here is the warning. Remember that if you choose the "Always On" option then it will drain your battery and it warns you of this when you choose this option. It's a great application that I use and change the settings depending on my daily useage.
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL: Nokia Communicator |
| 09.11.04 (2:26 am) [edit] |
I was talking yesterday about the Nokia Communicvator yesterday and last night I was playing around with it and I thought that I would share my experiences.The Communicator is pictured below.
It has a qwerty keyboard, a wide screen [color], and a full suite of applications including internet and email applications.
Now it runs Symbian and its also a mobile cell phone too. The device is a little thick when closed and I would not be able to carry it in a pocket. Open the clamshell device to reveal the keyboard. The keys are raised slighly allowing you to type quite quickly. The keys are not illuminated. The screen is bright and crisp and its a great feature of the device.
Now running the device is fine but I found memory to be the biggest problem. It would run slow if multiple applications were open and Opera web browser would not run if I had more than two other applications open. It does not come with Wifi and it is not bluetooth enabled. As I am used to WiFi it was quite slow at opening web pages as I had to use my BT internet account to surf web pages and download email. Frustrating when compared to a WioFi device.
So to conclude what would I give this out of ten? 3.5 out of ten. Why? Well the good points are that its a great clamshell device although a little thick. The keys are good for typing on but could be improved. I would like to see WiFi and Bluetooth intergrated [and of course Palm OS  ].
Now I see Nokia are introducing a Nokia Communicator 9500 which will have WiFi and Bluetooth built in. It also has an improved keyboard too. It looks good and I will try and get my hands on it when it is introduced towards the end of the year.
[Link - Nokia]
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL: Netchaser |
| 09.11.04 (2:24 am) [edit] |
I wanted to talk about Netchaser for all those with a WiFi enabled Palm device. What can I say about Netchaser? Well its a great application that runs well on my Tungsten C that is used to track WiFi hotspots.
Now this is not intended for users to steal bandwidth from other users, although it does little to prevent you from doing so, however the way I look at it is that it helps you detect public access wifi hotspots. I also like driving to and from the office and picking up hotspots from the various networks across Manchester.
In New York the city is like one large blanket of WiFi hotspots. Netchaser does a great job of 'sniffing' out the various hotspots so you can take advantage of them. An example will be Bryrant Park, in Midtown, which is a public access area where you take your Palm or WiFi laptop and surf to your hearts content.
Netchaser can vibrate, bleep or enable the flashing ED at the top of the Tungsten C when entering a WiFi hotspot. At the same time it will start and scan as soon as you open the application if you so wish.
It's a low cost title priced at $12, available from Palmgear. There is also a free version, although it stipulates its shareware but works just as well called WiFile available from freewarepalm.
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| SAMMY'S EDITORIAL: The Weather and my Palm |
| 09.10.04 (10:39 pm) [edit] |
I was always interested in the weather since as far I can remember. Living in the country with no building structures for miles and with views over the Atlantic Sea and facing west from Ireland gave me magnificent views and allowed me to see what weather fronts and cloud systems were destined to be passing over us. You could see at least 30 miles into the distance and I used to be able to time the weather fronts from the high cirrus clouds 12 hours before the rain to the stratus cumulus when the rains fell. Then you looked North West to see f you could see a clearing meaning the cold front had passed and you had some respite. I used to make weather observations every three hours and write them into a weather diary book, keeping them for years.
It was not until the mid 1990's that I started to back up the data on computer on my Mac at the time. I used a spreadsheet to enter the data. In 1998 I started to use my Palm device to enter the data. I used a spreadsheet and divided it into columns required for the task. It consisted of date, day, time, barometer pressure, trend [is pressure rising or falling, wind direction, wind speed, temperature, trend, low cloud type, cover, medium cloud type, cover, upper cloud type, cover. It then went onto Weather, visibility, and predicted forecast, which allowed me to predict using the conditions in the sky, ie cloud type and pressure observations and I merged this with the data on my Palm to make an educated guess. I wrote down every three hours, on the dot except for the 3am reading, the exact weather observations. As I am mostly busy I try to keep up with readings and enter them into my TC, backing it up with my Mac Powerbook.
The weather in the UK is nothing compared to that of other parts of the world. This year in the UK the weather has been terrible and it has only been the last few weeks were we have seen some sun. Now I have started to entering the data onto my Treo 600. It's small enough to fit in my pocket and I can go out and just with one thumb enter the data. Most of the data I collect consist of short words or numbers.
I have four or so years worth of data that I have collected on my Palm device that I have about weather observations for Southern Ireland and of course Manchester which is protected to a degree by the Pennine hills that dominate the spine of the UK. Little did I ever think 10 years or so ago that I would be able to computerize all my weather data onto a computer the size of one's hand, but guess what I have managed to do thanks to my Tungsten C and Treo 600.
- Sammy (Manchester, UK)
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| REVIEW: ClearScreen Protector Boxwave |
| 09.10.04 (10:37 pm) [edit] |
 Boxwave has sent us the ClearScreen Protector for the Palm. It helps to keep clean and undamaged the screen of the Palm. The screen protector comes in a small package, covered with plastic. In the back side it has the instructions, explained with photos on how to install de screen protector.
Before installing it, we must thoroughly clean the Palm Screen. By this, we will ensure that the screen will be free of hair, or any other small particle that can leave bubbles in the screen. It is recommended to clean the screen with a humid franel, specially in the sides, to ensure that the screen stas dust-free before installing the ClearTouch.
 Now, we open the package, and find that the protector comes with a plastic so as to protect the sticky side. Simply we remove the protection plastic, and begin to place the ClearTouch in the Palm, slowly so that we ensure that it is bubble free. For this we can use a credit card or something like it to remove any bubbles that form. The ClearTouch is really good, because it is not so flexible, so it is really difficult for bubles to form. The stylus moves easily thrugh the screen. It is worth of note that the touch of the protector and the stylus gives the 'feel' of paper nad pen. Also, the ClearTouch is specially made so as to not reflect light, and reduce in 90% UV rays reflected in the screen, says Boxwave's Website.
 To resume the review:
Reduces reflection.
Improves the rate of text input.
It is washable and reusable.
In case that it is not straight in the screen, it can be easily removed and placed again.
Instructions are easy and complete.
Without doubt, a must have for your Palm, and at 12.95 each, it SURE is worth it!!
- Jesus Vargas, Associate Writer, Mexico
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