bUseful Utilities Pak:
The bEST Gets Even Better!

by Ed Zabrek, M.D.

The latest release of the bSQUARE bUseful Utilities Pak delivers new and improved utilities for smoother, safer Windows CE performance.

In the scaled down world of Windows CE, a product occasionally comes along that takes handheld computing to the next higher level of functionality and utility. At this year's COMDEX in Las Vegas, bSQUARE Corporation (www.bsquare.com) unveiled the next generation of its bUseful utility suite. The first release over a year ago was nearly perfect. This one is even better!

The bSQUARE^® bUseful^™ Utilities Pak is comprised of 10 individual software utilities, including bUseful Backup Plus, bUseful Analyzer, bUseful Zip, bUseful Script, bUseful Scheduler, bUseful Launch, bUseful Notepad, bUseful FindSpace, bTask, and bFind. Taken together, these programs help mobile and IT professionals avoid data loss disasters, achieve benchmark performance, and manage device memory on Windows CE-based PC Companions. A single CD contains software for all currently available Windows CE platforms (H/PC, H/PC Pro, and Palm-size PC), and all processors (from MIPS to SH4). If installed in its entirety, the suite takes up about 2MB.

A year ago I reviewed the first version of the bUseful Utility Pak (March/April '99 issue of Handheld PC Magazine). bSQUARE has enhanced many of the original utilities, but eliminated others. Gone are MoonPhase, List Plus, HTML Editor, and UUEncode. If you want to keep these discontinued programs, you can install the new versions without deleting the eliminated ones. I installed all of the new utilities onto the Flash memory cards in my HP Jornada 680 H/PC Pro and my Compaq Aero 2180 Palm-size PC. The suite functioned flawlessly!

Ten useful utilities

This review will take a look at the individual components of the new suite. Look for "NEW TO ..." for changes that distinguish the new version from the original.

bUseful Backup Plus -- alone worth the cost of the suite!

Computer crashes are an unfortunate fact of life. If you use a computer, whether it is a Palm-size PC or a large server, you MUST back up your data frequently or suffer the consequences. You can back up your entire PC Companion using ActiveSync. In addition, many manufacturers include backup programs with their devices. But no matter what you are using now, there is no better backup utility than bUseful Backup Plus! This program allows you to back up, view, and restore all or specific parts of your data (see Screen 1).

Screen 1: Backup Plus lets you view, back up, and restore all or specific parts of your data on your H/PC, H/PC Pro or P/PC.

The backup is saved on a PC or CF storage card and a complete backup can be accomplished in a matter of minutes (depending on the number and size of your files). Files are automatically compressed by about 70% during the backup, minimizing the storage space required.

NEW TO BACKUP PLUS: When you back up your data, a wizard gives you the option of including the contents of your PC/CF storage card in the backup. This feature takes the confusion out of performing a "complete" backup. Also, the new version has a "self-extracting" backup option. In the previous version of bUseful Backup, if you had a total system meltdown (i.e., you lost everything on the PC Companion) you had to re-install bUseful Backup before you could restore the backup. Now you can create a self-extracting backup that is like a mini-executable file. You click on it and it does the restore all by itself. The self-extracting backups are also an ideal way to "clone" data files, or PC Companions. Configure the H/PC or P/PC the way you want it, use bUseful Backup Plus to create the self-extracting backup file, and then distribute that file to others. A single PC card can create an unlimited number of identical devices with simplicity and ease.

Use the bUseful Backup Plus utility after making any changes to your data. I recommend that you change your self-extracting backup whenever you add or remove software on your unit.

bTask

bTask supports H/PCs and H/PC Pros, but is particularly useful on the Palm-size PC. In fact, if you use a Palm-size PC, bTask is indispensable. One of the inherent shortcomings of the current P/PC interface is the inability to close open applications. bTask allows you to navigate quickly between applications and close applications one at time or all at once. Many manufacturers are now adding this or a similar utility directly to the device. I have not found these programs to be as complete as bTask when you compare the look, feel and features. bTask also allows you to view device information, including storage card memory and battery status (see Screen 2).

NEW TO BTASK: Has an improved, more graphical user interface (see Screen 2):.

Screen 2: bUseful bTask lets you navigate quickly between applications and close applications one at time or all at once. It also allows you to view device information including storage card memory and battery status.

bUseful Analyzer

This utility evaluates and analyzes every portion of your PC Companion's system, including CPU information, power management, video, battery life, and more. Analyzer evaluates performance by using any of a number of industry-standard benchmarks, including Drystone, Whetstone, Bizstone, Graphstone, Thinkstone, Memstone, or a combination of all of the benchmarks.

Analyzer can be useful when comparing various CE devices. This feature is an easy way to test the speed of your machine. This analysis takes a while to complete. (I recommend using this utility while on AC power.)

NEW TO ANALYZER: New version includes support for the latest SH4 and MIPS architectures.

bUseful FindSpace

bUseful FindSpace saves space on your PC Companion by identifying and deleting unnecessary files from your PC Companion (such as duplicate files, invalid shortcuts, temp files, cache files, etc.) When you uninstall a piece of software from your PC Companion, the process sometimes leaves pieces of the programs "lying around" taking up file storage space. Graphics and HTML files are saved in a cache when you browse the Web. And it's easy to save duplicate copies of the same document you're working on. FindSpace helps you find and delete unnecessary files, freeing up storage space in the process (see Screen 3).

Screen 3: bUseful FindSpace saves space on your PC Companion by identifying and deleting unnecessary files.

If you have a large number of files, or a number of large files on your device, it can take some time to run FindSpace. The process can eat up battery life, so connect up to your AC adapter before you look for that extra space on your PC Companion.

NEW TO FINDSPACE: The new version incorporates a new, easy-to-read user interface, the ability to repair registry problems, results charting, and more.

bUseful Script

bUseful Script is a simple macro writing utility that allows you to automate routine tasks such as logging onto an ISP, retrieving e-mail, and more. You can easily learn the bUseful Script language with the handy script editor that inserts common commands for you.

NEW TO SCRIPT: New version incorporates support for Jscript and VBscript for full macro capabilities, such as application launch and usage.

bUseful Scheduler (new to the suite)

Works in concert with bUseful Script to schedule device tasks. For example, you can create a script to automate a task (such as logging onto an ISP) with the bUseful Script utility. Then you can use bUseful Scheduler to schedule the task occurrence. Or you could use bUseful Scheduler with bUseful Script to check e-mail every 30 minutes, or with bUseful Backup to automatically back up your device every Friday. There are a lot of possibilities with this one.

bUseful Scheduler can run programs once, every X minutes, daily, weekly, or monthly, and schedule multiple events. There is no need to turn the machine on --Scheduler can run events even when the device is off.

bUseful Launch

bUseful Launch is a cool utility that adds a customized start menu for rapid launching of your most used programs, folders, files, Web sites, and more! The Launch icon resides on the right side of the taskbar (a.k.a. "system tray"). Tap on the icon and a menu of applications pops up. Tap a selection to launch an application. Add whatever application you like to the menu. If you use a Palm-size PC you will love this utility!

bUseful Notepad

bUseful Notepad is a simple text editor -- a quick and easy method for creating and editing text files. bUseful Notepad opens and saves text in ASCII (text-only) format and in Unicode format on your Windows CE device. Its "Word Count" feature tells you the number of words in a document.

bFind

bFind is an extremely useful global-find utility that lets you search the contents of your PC Companion for files by name or for files containing specific words, phrases, character strings or file names. bFind lets you search your entire memory (including storage cards) or specific locations in your memory (Calendar, Contacts, Appointments, e-mail messages, and more ).

bUseful Zip (new to the suite)

bUseful Zip adds industry-standard file compression and archiving capability to PC Companions. You can view the contents of a Zipped archive, extract individual (or all) files from the archive, zip a group of files to reduce file size for e-mailing or storing on your PC Companion, and more. It creates Zip files compatible with WinZip and other Zip utilities for DOS and UNIX. It even lets you encrypt files that are being added to a Zip archive.

Almost flawless

As I already said, the first release of bUseful Utility Pak was near perfect and this one's better! bUseful Backup Plus, Analyzer, FindSpace, Script and bTask have all been improved, and bUseful Scheduler and Zip have been added, making this second version almost flawless. If you only buy one third-party software program for your PC Companion, bUseful Utilities Pak is the one.

bSQUARE bUseful Utilities Pak is available for Palm-size PC, Handheld PC and Handheld PC Professional edition PC Companions. Suggested retail price is $59.95 for all ten utilities. bUseful Utilities Pak is available from the bSQUARE online store at www.bsquare.com and other bSQUARE resellers. It's unclear what the upgrade price will be for owners of version 1.0. For further information, visit bSQUARE's Web site at www.bsquare.com or call 888-820-4500.

Ed is Medical Editor of Handheld PC Magazine, a practicing obstetrician-gynecologist in Houston, Texas, and chief technology correspondent for OBGYN.NET (www.obgyn.net), a Web site for obstetricians, gynecologists, and related industry persons.