Tag Archive: Windows Mobile


One of my main problem with having a windows mobile phone and a linux netbook is how to copy files from the netbook to the pocket pc and the other way around. In my Android I have an application that solves me the problem, aFile, which transforms you phone on a mobile server you can browse via a web-browser on your pc. But, alas, my problem is on my Windows mobile pc and not on my Android… that was until link8506 dropped is Wifi Remote Access on Xda-developers forum. And thank God he did 🙂 And the best part is… the application is also available on OMarket, meaning you can download it directly to your pocket pc.

So let’s check the Application it self.

When you start the application you are greet with the below screen where you can change a lot of stuff, but most important, to enable the remote access

Here the Remote access is already enabled

Once that’s done you just type the ip address on a web-browser and, put in the password you choose before and your good to go.

The server offer the basic file/folder operations like rename, delete, add folder, upload file, among other. For a full description of the operations please check the application thread on Xda.

Here are some screens of some of the operations I made.

Conclusion:

Pros

  • Efficient
  • Just what I was needing for my daily work;
  • Secure, you need a password to open the “file server”
  • Basic operations are there

Cons

  • The interface could use a little work (but it’s great as it is)

Classification: 9/10 Let’s wait for version 2.0 to give a perfect score

Links

Xda-developers news about the application

Xda-developers application thread

Technical sheet:

  • Application tested on Samsung Omnia 2 I8000
  • Review written on the web application via “Firefox” 3.6.3 for Windows Vista
  • Computer used: Asus Laptop (don’t recall model) running Windows Vista
  • Screen shots of pc actions where taken using Fireshot extension for Firefox
  • Screen shots of pocket pc action where taken using Ilium Screen Capture for windows mobile
  • Pictures uploaded to dropbox for usage via Droppedboxx for windows mobile

First things first. I’m a huge fan of Dropbox. I have it installed on my Asus EEE pc, my Asus Laptop (don’t recall the model, sorry), on my HTC Magic 3G, and now, thanks to d1k_is from Xda-Developers I can have it on my windows mobile pocket pc.

I loved the program so much I decide to give you, the ones that read this blog wannabe, a full review of the application.

When you open the application you’re presented with a double text field to put your username and your password of dropbox. Right below the text field is a little check box that will save your login details for future uses of the application, so make sure you check it.

After a successful login we get a screen where you can choose the sync folder (syncing not supported yet) and have several options on the bottom bar. Some of them haven’t been implemented yet, but they look promising.

The buttons are, from left to right: sync; dropbox, configuration, about, logout

In the configuration screen you now have the choice to make the application forget you login details as you can see beloow.

When you press the center of the screen, you’re taken to a browser like selection screen where you can choose the folder for syncing with your dropbox. But, as stated above, syncing is not yet supported.

Back to the main screen, the button that interests us right now is the second one from the left in the main screen. When you press it you’re taken to your dropbox, where you can browse your folders and files at will, add or delete folders, take pictures and send directly to the selected dropbox folder, upload files, download them and even send them as attachments via your e-mail client 🙂

Folder options

Up here we have, in order: take a photo and upload directly, Add Folder and Delete folder and Paste file (which you can copy using the 3rd button when you select a file- see file options)

File options

This five options are, in order, Download,  Attach (to email), Copy file (not yet), delete file and cancel selection.

In both option the upload file is always visible (top right corner).

Conclusion:

Pros:

  • It’s the Application that was missing in any professional smartphone.
  • You can check it to remember your login details, saving you the time of inputing them every time you start the application.
  • Over wi-fi it’s quick, so quick that I didn’t saw any difference between this one and the pc version.
  • Has all the essential file/folder operations, plus the take photo and upload it right to the dropbox.
  • You’ll be able to choose the sync folder on your device.
  • You can choose the destination folder when you want to download a file

Cons:

  • Stability problems, it crashes very often
  • Doesn’t save my login details (but it’s a beta so this might be remove in the future)
  • Doesn’t sync (yet, beta :))

What I would like to see in the application:

  • An option to upload several files at the same time (might became useless when sync it working… but it would be nice all the same).
  • The option to only sync certain files or folder (in order to avoid an overcrowded sd card for people that have large files or a lot a things on the dropbox.
  • Be a pal and put it on Omarket

Classification: 8/10 – might reach 10/10 when the beta is over

note: the review is now up to date.

Links:

Xda-developers news about the application

Xda-developers application thread

Technical sheet:

  • Application tested on Samsung Omnia 2 I8000
  • Review written on the web application via “Firefox” 3.6.3 for Windows Vista
  • Computer used: Asus Laptop (don’t recall model) running Windows Vista
  • Screen shots of pocket pc action where taken using Ilium Screen Capture for windows mobile
  • Pictures uploaded to dropbox for usage via Droppedboxx for windows mobile

So I was browsing trough xda looking at some of the news, specially the news app that the guys at the forum are always releasing and I decided to try one out, but I wanted to post some pics of it on the review. That took me on another search, and in this type of cases, google is your friend.

As a result of the search I came across the ilium screen capture tool (first result on google actually). I try it out and decided to share you, my estimated readers, my opinion about the tool itself.

The application is quite simple. You just start it from the start menu or from a shortcut and you are presented with the screen below.

By pressing menu you can choose some options.

The second one allows you to choose the hardware button to press in order to take the shots and the length, in seconds, of the timer.

The timer option, when pressed  will take a screen shot in x seconds (that can be changed in the options menu)

The third option is quite interesting actually. Ilium software produces more applications. via the “More” menu you can download them to you device directly which is quite handy 🙂

Conclusion:
Pros:

  • The software does what the producer say it does. A very simple, low-weight, and straight foward application. It’s ideal for people that want to take screenshots of they are doing.
  • The web-site allows you to download the .cab, meaning you can install it on the fly
  • One single note: when the app is running the chosen hardware button will only perform the screen capture, the default action of the chosen button will be override.

Cons:

  • You can’t choose the destination folder or the base name of the files.

Classification: 9/10

sites:

Ilium Software
Screen Capture

Technical sheet:

  • Application tested on Samsung Omnia 2 I8000
  • Review written on the web application via “Chrome” for linux
  • Computer used: Asus eee pc 901 running eeebuntu nbr 9.10
  • Screen shots of pocket pc action where taken using Ilium Screen Capture for windows mobile
  • Pictures uploaded to dropbox for usage via Droppedboxx for windows mobile

Third post about my Omnia, this time I’ll dicussing gaming on Omnia.

The amoled screen makes you have an amazing gaming experience. The games I’ve tried run very smoothly, almost flawlessly. The sound is also very nice. There is however a huge negative point.

No directional buttons 🙁 If for most games this is not a problem, for the ones I specially like, it’s a huge problem. You see, my favourite games for a handled are RPG and Strategy games. Playing those games without directional buttons is complicated at best. Another negative point is the lack of an “confirm” button. In HTC devices, the center button confirms option, function that is very handy in most RPG pocket pc games and most Strategy games.

to be concluded

So I finally bought an Omnia II. At first I was surprised by the screen size, it appears to be a lot more slim in pictures, and second I was simply amazed with the quality of the screen. It appears to have a self-glow that gives an all new experience of cellphone screen. The amoled screen just looks great. My first, and so far unique, backslash is the stylus pen. Normally HTC has the stylus inserted on the phone casing, while samsung has a pen that get secure to the phone through and little line. 🙁

I haven’t had a lot of time to try it out and tweak it, and according with what I’ve been reading at xda and modaco, it seems that this phone as a lot of out-of-the-box tweaks available which is great.

So stay tune for more comments on what appears to be a very well bought piece of technology.

I’m no going for 4th attempt to install Manila on this rom, let’s see if this is the one 🙂

So here’s my first review on technology. For a kick off I decide to use a rom for my HTC prophet that I’ve been using for some weeks now.

The rom works great on the phone and the installation is super easy, specially if you already have an engineering SPL (which was my case). The zip file that contains the rom also comes with the installer. And you must have active sync (or Vista equivalent) installed on you pc.

The installation is quick and very simple, just follow the instructions on the pc screen and keep pushing next. After you installed the rom, the phone is good to go. The only backslash is the wi-fi. I was unable to activated out-of-the-box but after I installed the HTC Network wizard (also available on xda) the wi-fi started working perfectly.

After a clean install I got 60MB of free memory, which is great for installing some more app or games. The rom is stable and fast.

Final verdict on the Rom: 9/10

pros: easy to install thanks to the install tool that comes in the zip; stability, fast rom, you can get a taste of windows mobile 6.5 on your old HTC Prophet

cons: wi-fi need’s extra file to work (maybe it’s not the dev’s fault); no Manila (have been trying to work that one out)

links:

Rom thread on xda