If you're eager to expand beyond the built-in applications on your device, there are many great Web sites that have large repositories of commercial software and freeware.
Putting this software on your device typically entails downloading the software to your PC, connecting your device via ActiveSync, and then going through the installation process. This process installs the necessary files to the correct folder on your Pocket PC, and configures your device to run the program.
Be sure to check out the Downloads section of the Best Sites page on the Pocket PC magazine Web site (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/top/best sites.asp), where you'll find links to over 30 download sites, including a large number of freeware sites. The Best Sites page also lists Web sites where you can download videos, eBooks, themes, and more.
Freeware galore for Pocket PC
Let's begin by taking a look at some of the top freeware sites for the Pocket PC. Some of these sites list nearly 2,000 titles, giving you a lot to choose from. Many of these software programs have earned a high degree of respect and are used widely. Some of the sites indicate the most popular programs, so you can quickly zero in on what other users consider the best and most useful programs.
PocketPCFreewares can be viewed in French, English, and other languages.
PocketPCFreewares (http://www.pocketpcfreewares.com/en/index.php) is a French freeware site that is also available in English and a number of other languages. It has an extensive listing, and goes beyond other top freeware sites by rating each program. In addition, in every category you can sort the list by rating, popularity, and name, giving you a chance to see which programs are the most highly valued.
FreewarePPC.com (http://www.freewareppc.com) is effectively organized into categories and subcategories and is one of the more popular sites for downloads.
PocketPCSoft.net (http://www pock etpcsoft.net) has a huge categorized listing of freeware and commercial software programs. The “Freeware” section (http://www.pocketpcsoft.net/php/pagefreeware.php) offers a categorized listing of over 1,900 freeware titles. A virtue of this site is the simple presentation and the speed of the search engine, allowing you to quickly scan a list of titles in a particular category to see what's available.
Other sites with good freeware listings include PPCSG.com (http://www.ppcsg.com/links.php) and MyPDACafe.com (http://www.mypdacafe.com/software).
Freeware for Smartphone
SmartPhoneSoft (http://www.smartphonesoft.com) is the sister site of PocketPCSoft.net, and lists commercial software and freeware for the Smartphone. As with the Pocket PC site, the freeware section can be viewed separately at (http://www.smartphonesoft.com/php/freeware.php).
SmartPhoneSoft has one of the most complete listings of Smartphone freeware.
MSMobiles.com (http://msmobiles.com/freeware) has a small listing of freeware for the Smartphone.
Commercial download sites
There are a number of excellent Web sites specializing in commercial software for Windows Mobile and other handheld devices.
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