Taking PRODUCTIVITY to the MAX!

Utility and productivity applications fill in the gaps and enhance your PC Companion.

By Rich Hall

This special section is on utility and productivity software you can buy, or download for free, to enhance your Windows CE Palm-size PC or Handheld PC.

In researching this issue, we discovered that the term "utility" is used rather loosely in the software industry. The best definition I could come up with is as follows:

A "utility" is a small software program that does something to enhance your work environment. A utility is not a software "application" in that it does not produce a document or data file (like a word processor creates a document or a sketch pad products a graphic). A task manager or a file converter are examples of utility programs.

We also look at "productivity programs" in this issue. Productivity programs are small applications created to improve productivity ­ very similar to the definition of "utility." A productivity program may or may not create a document, but that is not its main function. For example, it would be hard to argue that programs like Pocket Word or Pocket Excel do not improve productivity, but the whole purpose of a word processor, or a spreadsheet program is to create a document. They are applications, not "productivity programs" in the sense that we use the phrase in this issue. An example of a productivity program would be an expense tracker, used to track the money your spend on a trip. It may or may not be able to produce a printed out report, but the main purpose of this small program is to track expenses ­ it is a productivity program.

Utility programs can certainly improve your productivity. And productivity programs can be very small and not produce documents. For this issue, it's simpler not to distinguish between them.

What follows is a quick look at a number of products. What they have in common is that they enhance your PC Companion and make you more productive. We've looked over past articles in Handheld PC Magazine, consulted contributing writers, looked at popular Web sites and other publications, and put together this section.

This section begins with specific categories of utilities and productivity software and then lists packages that did not fit in any particular category. In a few cases we simply list the name of a company that produces a whole lot of good software. We took suggestions from our contributing authors, and made a subjective decision about what to list as a "top program." The Handheld PC Magazine Buyer's Guide gives a much more comprehensive listing of the utility and productivity software available.

Calculators

PC Companions come with a simple calculator built in, but a number of excellent add-on calculators have been developed by independent vendors.

Calcy Force ($35, use with H/PC & Ps/PC, Ruksun Software, www.ruksun. com/wince/) A Scientific Calculator that supports base conversions, arithmetic, logical, trigonometric and logarithmic functions.

CoolCalc ($29.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, Applian Technologies, www.applian.com) An Algebraic or RPN scientific calculator, computer math calculator, financial calculator and conversion calculator. CoolCalc includes over 100 different functions, and a macro feature.

Financial Consultant and Fiscal Pro ($39.95 each, H/PC & Ps/PC, LandWare, www.landware.com) Solve Investment analysis problems, Date Calculations, Loans, Leasing and Mortgages, Amortizations and more. Financial Consultant is a little more powerful and includes scientific functions. Fiscal Pro uses an interesting 'forms-based" to make data entry easier.

Pocket BizCalc ($39.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, Odyssey Computing, www.odysseyinc.com). A full-featured business/financial calculator emulating the HP-12C. Use RPN entry to perform loan/mortgage, discounted cash flow, bond, compound interest, leasing, actuarial and markup functions, depreciation, and amortization schedule and more. Odyssey Computing also developed MBA-Calc, a business/financial calculator that emulates the Texas Instruments BA-II Plus.

Pocket Solver ($32, H/PC & Ps/PC, Surerange Analysis, www.surerange.com ) An equation calculator that lets you type in an equation and enter values for all but one of the variables.

RapidCalc ($13.95; Ps/PC, Developer One, www.developer one.com/) Accessed from the Palm-sized PC's soft-input panel and used to perform quick calculations and past them into other documents.

Contact Managers

H/PCs and Palm-size PCs come with Calendar, Contact and Task capability built in. But many professionals have used and prefer dedicated contact management software. Two of the most popular programs are:

ACT! for Windows CE ($99.95, H/PC, Symantec, www.symantec.com) This version of ACT! is based on the desktop version and exchanges data seamlessly with it. It incorporates the main features of the desktop version and has a similar user interface. It includes contact database, scheduler, comprehensive log, and other features.

Pocket On-Schedule ($89.95, H/PC, Odyssey Computing, www.odysseyinc.com) A couple of our contributing authors use and like the H/PC version of this popular contact manager. Pocket On-Schedule features unlimited phone books, daily/weekly/monthly/6 & 8-months calendar views, to-do list and journal views, dialing/e-mail/Internet support, contact history, advanced filters, global search, contact information templates, and customizable layouts.

Handwriting Recognition Programs

Palm-size PCs come with a simple version of JOT built-in, but there other full-featured programs available for Ps/PCs and H/PCs.

ART Recognition ($59.95, demo, H/PC & Ps/PC, ART, www.artcomp.com) Adds voice recognition and enhanced handwriting recognition to PC Companions. Bundle includes: SmARTwriter ­ adds handwriting recognition that learns to recognize your handwriting; Pocket Commander ­ adds voice command capability to launch or open any application or file, and send voice mail via e-mail with a voice command.

CalliGrapher ($49.95, demo, H/PC & Ps/PC, ParaGraph, www.paragraph.com/) Adds handwriting recognition for all styles - cursive, print or mixed. No training required. Screen drawing, note-taking, spell checking supported.

Jot ($59, demo, H/PC) & Jot Pro ($29, Ps/PC, CIC, www.cic.com) Provides simple handwriting recognition capability. User must learn Jot's characters and enters individual characters.

Navigation Software

Pocket Streets (Free, H/PC & Ps/PC, Microsoft, www.micro soft.com/expedia/) Application that lets the users download portions of maps from Microsoft's desktop PC map programs, including Expedia Streets, Mappoint and Trips 2000. See review, page 28 this issue. Pocket Streets is free, but the desktop map programs cost $50-$70.

HandMap (Freeware demo, Ps/PC, Evolutionary Systems, www.handmap.net) An electronic street directory that lets users zoom in and out and pan around looking at the map of the city or region installed. Sample & purchased maps are linked to form a growing network.

Street Wizard ($74.95, H/PC, Adept Computer Solutions, www.streetwizard.com) Ships with desktop and Windows CE applications and a CD-ROM that includes street-level maps for the entire USA, except Alaska. Download map from desktop version and use H/PC to look up addresses, airports and various other places. You can zoom, pan, and scroll to display areas of interest. Street Wizard for CE will automatically calculate the best route between any two or more street addresses. The route is then highlighted and the text directions displayed on the screen.

Synchronization Programs

IntelliMigrate ($39.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, Puma Technology, www.pumatech.com) Translates data from one PDA format to Windows CE format as well as several other types of palmtops or PDAs.

Intellisync ($69.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, Puma Technology, www.pumatech.com) Provides direct synchronization of contacts, calendar and task information between Windows CE and a wide range of PC-based contact managers, personal information managers and group schedulers. Programs supported for synchronization include Act!, Outlook 97, Microsoft Schedule+, Lotus Organizer, ECCO, GoldMine, NetManage, Day Timer Organizer, Sidekick, and others.

Maximizer CELink ($49, H/PC, Maximizer, www.maximi zer.com) Provides two-way synchronization with Maximizer 97's Hotlist, Calendar, Contact files, and Notes with H/PC's PIM.

Randsoft Harmony 98 ($59.95, H/PC, Rand Software, www.randsoft.com ) Provides embedded one-click synchronization between H/PCs and many contact managers (PIMS) by adding a menu bar inside the applications. It supports the following PIMS: MS Outlook97, Lotus Organizer `97, Ecco Pro 4.0, ACT! 3.0. A free trial version is available to download from the Randsoft Web site.

Utilities and productivity, Misc.

These products don't seem to fit in a nice sub-category, but are worthwhile nonetheless.

AlarmMe ($15, demo, H/PC, Eppen Software, www.eppen. com/alarme/) Turns your Handheld PC into an alarm clock and has big, easy to read numbers.

bSQUARE products (bSQUARE Technologies, www.bsquare. com) produces a variety of excellent productivity/utility software. They have recently enhanced and re-packaged their software into two comprehensive suites: bPRODUCTIVE and bUSEFUL. Both suites are described in a review, beginning on page 22.

CASIO Soft products. CASIO Soft (www.casiosoft.com) has just released three new packages for Windows CE devices. Check out the review on page 26.

CETuner ($14.99, H/PC, Paragon Software, www.mobile soft.com) Enlarge fonts, soften colors, or increase work area on your H/PC to make information easier to see and use.

CeAppBar ($9.95, H/PC, Queen image, www.queenimage.com/) Lets you launch up to 100 different applications from a button bar on your H/PC.

DelUtilities (Free, H/PC, download at www.cemonster.com/) Delete unwanted data with a single click. DelGarbage deletes all your trash; DelHosts deletes the "hosts" entry from the registry; DelInternet deletes the temporary Internet cache; DelRecent deletes the recent list.

Dial4Me ($17.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, Sixxac, www.sixxac.com/ce) Organize and dial phone numbers from your PC Companion. Dial4Me generates dial tones from the phone numbers in your Contacts database. Hold the phone handset over the speaker.

Dial-a-matic ($19.95, H/PC, Applian Technologies, www.appl ian.com) Highlight a Contacts phone number, double-tap the Dail-a-matic icon and generate DTMF telephone tones that will dial most telephones.

Display Colors Applet ($12.00, shareware, H/PC, Xoanan, www.xoanan.com/windowsce/) Change the color scheme on your Windows CE 2.0 device.

Dutilities (Free, H/PC, D Collections, www.dcollections.com/) A combination of four different programs that let you setup the start programs on your handheld, adjust the sound, change the touch keys (HP 620LX), and view the amount of memory left.

e-Wallet ($29.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, Ilium Software, www.iliumsoft.com). Compact information manager that lets you enter misc. information (credit and calling cards, passwords, etc.) on 'cards' in your PC Companion. Synchronize your information to your desktop and have it safely wherever you need it.

FastTask ($10, shareware, H/PC & Ps/PC, Grundle Software, www.grundlesoftware.com/) Closes all active programs on your Palm-size PC with one simple click of its tray icon.

HPC dbExplorer ($24.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, PhatWare, www.phat ware.com) Browse and manage databases on your PC Companion. Copy, Rename, Delete, Backup, Restore, and Transfer databases.

HPC NetProfile ($14.95, demo, H/PC & Ps/PC, PhatWare, www.phatware.com) Manage multiple profiles for connecting to the Internet or other TCP/IP-based networks with your PC Companion.

HPC Notes ($59.95, demo, H/PC & Ps/PC, PhatWare, www.phat ware.com) Create notes and organize them by type, subject, creation and modification date. An H/PC and desktop PC version of the program are installed, and can be kept synchronized. Users can also synchronize notes directly with Microsoft Outlook.

Image Expert CE ($49.95, demo, H/PC, Sierra Imaging, www.sierraimaging.com/) View images from a digital camera on your H/PC. Annotate them with voice, ink or text and share them via e-mail and IrDA. Automatically synchronize H/PCs to the Windows 95/98/NT version of Image Expert. Image Expert CE is compatible with any camera that stores images in JPEG (JPG) or Bitmap (.BMP) formats. (CORRECTION: Sierra Imaging's The Buyer's Guide issue listed incorrect contact information for Sierra Imaging. Contact them at Phone: 877-446-2439 (toll free) or 831-461-2070; Fax: 831-461-2072; E-mail: iece@sierraimaging.com/

Internet Force ($69.95, H/PC, Ruksun Software, www.ruksun.com/wince/) Collection of Internet utilities, including Scotty FTP -- Graphical FTP client that enables the upload or download of files. Telnet Force -- Allows connections to a remote server. Net Force -- A set of Internet utilities for the H/PC, especially useful to Network Administrators. Includes Finger, WHOIS and NS Lookup utilities.

JETCET Print ($24.95, H/PC) and JETCET Print Professional ($39.95, H/PC, WESTTEK, www.westtek.com) Adds color printing capability to the H/PC and support for many additional printers. Includes a color image viewer; enhanced color & monochrome half-toning; color & monochrome toner saver mode; side-by-side 2-up printing; supports output via a parallel card; print Pocket PowerPoint presentations; spool print jobs or work off-line; print from popular applications, i.e. Pocket Word & Pocket Excel.

Landware Productivity Pack ($39.95, demo, H/PC, LandWare, www.landware. com) Supports searching for a file, retrieving a file from an H/PC backup image, dialing the phone, adding a new task/contact and entering glossary text. Utilities include FindForce, HPC Vault, Pocket Dialit4Me, NewTask, New Contact, QuickText and LaunchBar.

ListPro ($24.95, demo, H/PC & Ps/PC, Ilium Software, www.iliumsoft.com) Lets you take notes and organize them into lists. Desktop companion version lets you make lists on your desktop PC and synch them with your PC Companion.

Microsoft Powertoys (Free, H/PC, Microsoft, www.microsoft. com/windowsce/ downloads/pccompanions/default.asp) A set of utilities, including Remote Control (CE 1.0 only), Paint, Cascading Menus, Three new sound schemes, Mute, Arcade, Argyle, Cars, Castle, Chitz, Concrete, Honey, Squares, and Thatch bitmap tiles.

Mobile Channel viewer for H/PC (Free, H/PC, Microsoft, www .microsoft.com/ windowsce/downloads/) Handheld PC version of the Mobile Channel viewer that lets users download and view Mobile Channel Web sites off line.

Palm Accounts (25 UK pounds, H/PC, demo, Stargate Software, www.stargate-soft ware.co.uk/) Supports multi-currency transactions and lets you track financial transactions in multiple accounts. Palm Accounts is a standalone product and does not synchronize with Microsoft Money or Intuit's Quicken.

PowerTime ($17.95, demo, H/PC & Ps/PC, Sixxac, www.sixxac. com) A power monitoring tool that lets you track your rechargeable batteries. It maintains battery usage data and estimates remaining time.

ProxiWeb Browser (Free demo, Ps/PC, ProxiNet, www.prox inet.com/) A full-featured, graphical Web browser for the Palm-size PC.

QuickLaunch ($9.95, demo, Ps/PC, Applian Technologies, www.applian.com) Application launcher for Palm-size PC that lets you define two screens of 9 customizable buttons that will run any application on your Ps/PC.

RegEdit ($13, shareware, H/PC & Ps/PC, Grundle Software, www.grundlesoftware .com/wince.htm) Browse and search the entire registry; add, delete or modify Keys; add or modify Value Types; cut, copy, paste, and drag and drop moving values; and rename values.

ScottyFTP Client ($29.95, H/PC & Ps/PC, Ruksun Software, www.ruksun.com) Lets you connect to any FTP server and upload or download files.

StickyShift for Windows CE ($19.95, H/PC, Applian Tech, www.applian.com) Press and release the H/PC's shift key and then press the key you want shifted.

SysInfo Browser ($9.95, demo, H/PC, The Web Mill, www.webmill.com/ce) Displays information about your device, including over 100 parameters of interest to users and H/PC developers.

Tascal RegEdit (Free, H/PC & Ps/PC, www.cemonster.com) A registry editor for Windows CE devices, similar to the Windows 95/NT registry editor.

Utility Closet CE ($25, H/PC, Plannet Crafters, www.plannetarium.com) Collection of converters, timers, mini-notes, and other tools to simplify common tasks.

Visual CE ($129, H/PC, Syware, www.syware.com) Lets users create databases and forms-based applications to collect display and modify data on an H/PC.

VxHPC ($29.95, demo, H/PC, Cambridge Computer, www.cam.com /vxhpc.html) Lets you connect H/PCs to BBS's, Digital, Unix, Wang and Internet host systems.

XTCE DOS Emulator ($50, demo, H/PC & Ps/PC, Pyram-ID Prod., www.pyramid .demon.co.uk/) Emulates a PC/XT compatible computer with a CGA display and up to 1Mb of memory. You can install DOS and run DOS applications on your H/PC.

^{Handheld PC Magazine Online Web Reference}

Again, we tried to limit ourselves to the top utilities and productivity software in this issue. It's a tough call because new software is appears daily. For a comprehensive look at the Windows CE software available, including software we've just discovered, visit our Handheld PC Magazine's Web site, www.hpcmag.com

Alarm me turns your handheld into an alarm clock.

Pocket BizCalc adds a full-featured business/financial calculator to your H/PC (shown here) or Palm-size PC. BizCalc emulates the HP-12C.

CeAppBar adds an application button-bar to your H/PC.

Street Wizard CE ships with desktop and Windows CE versions. Download maps from desktop to H/PC. Street Wizard will calculate the best route between any two or more street addresses and give you turn-by-turn directions.

CoolCalc adds an algebraic or RPN scientific calculator, computer math calculator, financial calculator and conversion calculator. Available for Palm-size PC (shown here) or H/PC.

Image Expert CE lets you view images from a digital camera on your H/PC. Annotate them with voice, ink or text and share them via e-mail and IrDA.

E-Wallet adds a compact information manager that lets you store your information in cards. Available for H/PC (shown here) and Palm-size PC.

JETCET Print adds color printing capability to the H/PC and support for many additional printers. Includes a Color Image Viewer, Enhanced Color & Monochrome Half-toning, and more.

Adds an electronic street map to your Palm-size PC. Company Web site has sample & purchased maps from around the world.

HPC Notes lets you create notes; organize them by type, subject, creation and modification date; and synchronize them with desktop version. Available for Palm-size PC (shown here) and H/PC.

Palm Accounts lets you track financial transactions in multiple accounts and currencies.

Pocket On-Schedule is an H/PC contact manager that features unlimited phone books, daily/weekly/monthly/6 & 8 months calendar views, to-do list and journal views, dialing/e-mail/Internet support, contact history, and more.

Pocket Solver adds an equation calculator to the Palm-size PC (shown here) or the H/PC. Pocket Solver lets you type in an equation and enter values for all but one of the variables.

ProxiWeb Browser is a full-featured, graphical Web browser for the Palm-size PC. ProxiWeb Browser is capable of displaying Web text and graphics, including online photos.

XTCE DOS Emulator creates a PC/XT-compatible computer with a CGA display and up to 1Mb of memory. You can install DOS and run DOS applications on your H/PC. Shown here is a DOS version of Microsoftís Flight Simulator running in XTCE on an H/PC.