The biggest strength of the Web - its comprehensiveness - is also its chief weakness. For example, do a Google search on Pocket PC and you'll get a list with over 10 million hits. Everything you'd ever want to know about the Pocket PC is available online. But who's got the time to read through even a small portion of it?
We have a similar situation with third-party software for Windows Mobile devices. As these devices have become more popular, the number of games, applications, utilities, and other programs available from software developers has increased to the point where our Encyclopedia of Software and Accessories has about 3000 software titles in it. The software is well categorized, and the Encyclopedia has a find feature to help you narrow down your search. But how do you find the best program available?
The solution is Pocket PC magazines Best Software Awards. This issue lists over 700 titles nominated by Windows Mobile experts around the world. The next issue, or annual Buyers Guide, will present the finalists and winners in 125 different categories for Pocket PC and Smartphone consumer and developer software products. We also give awards for software that best helps developers create interesting and useful software for your Windows Mobile devices.
Finding the right Pocket PC Phone Edition device just got easier with the recent release of Samsung's SCH-i730 and HP's iPAQ hw6500 Mobile Messenger. Both devices have built-in QWERTY thumb keyboards, which are getting pretty standard on Phone Edition devices these days. The Mobile Messenger is the first Phone Edition device to incorporate a 240x240 pixel square screen and a built-in GPS receiver. Read more about both of these devices in this issue.
While were on the subject of awards, John Psuik deserves a special one. In five years he's gone from overweight and out of shape to the Ironman Triathlon. He writes about it in this issue and how his Pocket PC has helped him become fit and trim for the rest of his life. (And check out the Handango Champion Awards announcement in Diane's Discoveries. John's company, Developer One, won the Developer of the Year award.)
Also deserving an award of some sort are our regular contributors. Our heartfelt thanks go to Allen Gall for his efforts with the Games Roundup, to Dan Hanttula for his regular Get More column, Tim Hillebrand for his regular on-the-road contributions, and Jim Karpen for his What's Online column. Special thanks also to Ed Zabrek and David Shier for their contributions in the area of wireless communications, Dale Coffing and Derek Ball for the occasional device review, to Shawna Kelly, Paul O'Brien, Clinton Fitch, Stephan Schmidt, and everyone else who's ever contributed a letter, tip, or article to Pocket PC magazine.
These authors are the reason we are successful. They are our champions!
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