Note: The tips contained in this section are from various sources. Thanks to evereyone supporting Pocket and Handheld PC users.

POCKET PC ACCESSORIES SITE-AUDIO AMPLIFIER FOR POCKET PC

Accessories are vital in fashion—and for your Pocket PC. Check out the Pocket PC accessories on the DataNation Web site (www.data-nation.com/index.htm). You'll find the Snap-N-Type portable keyboard, PDA Screen Protectors, a cigarette-lighter charger for your car, and more. My favorite is the "Boostaroo," a portable, battery-powered, audio amplifier for all Pocket PCs.

Boostaroo is a portable, battery-powered, audio amplifier for Pocket PCs and portable audio players.

CUSTOMIZE TODAY SCREEN WITHOUT POWERTOYS

I read the tips on customizing the Today screen graphics in your column on pages 74-75 of the March 2002 issue of Pocket PC magazine. I have found a way to change the background image on the Today screen that does not require the PowerToys Today Screen Image Tool or Themes Generator. Follow these steps:

1. Select an electronic image file and, using any photo-editing program on your desktop PC, either resize it or crop it down to 240x268 pixels and save it in .GIF format.
2. Use File Explorer on your Pocket PC to find the .GIF image that is currently being used for the Today Screen background. It is located in the Windows folder and is called "tdywater" on my Pocket PC. [Editor's note: On my HP 560 Pocket PC it was called "stwater." Whatever it is called, it will probably be the largest .GIF file in your Windows folder. Write down that file name so you have it for step 4. Rich]
3. Rename the existing Today screen graphic so that you have it as a backup later if you want to restore it. I renamed "tdywater" to "1_tdywater."
4. Copy the custom .GIF image you created in step 1 from your desktop PC into your Pocket PC's Windows folder. Rename it, giving it the name of the original Today screen graphic.

That should do it. The next time you go to your Today screen your custom graphic or photo will be displayed as the background of the Today screen.

Mike Barondeau

POCKET AND HANDHELD PC PARTNERSHIP NAMES

The next time you synchronize your Pocket PC with your desktop PC, notice that the ActiveSync window on your desktop PC (and on your Pocket PC 2002), identifies the device that is connected to the desktop. By default, every Pocket PC is called "Pocket_PC" (big surprise). That works fine if you only have one device. But if you keep more one Pocket PC, you will need to provide a different name for each device if you want to synchronize them. Here is how to change the ID name on a new Pocket PC before its first synchronization with the desktop.

The ActiveSync window on your desktop PC identifies the device that is connected to it.

1. On the Pocket PC, tap on Start > Settings > System > About > Device ID.
2. In the "Device Name" box, enter your new ID name.
3. Tap on OK.