TamsPPC - the PocketPC Blog

HP’s 214 has been awaited longingly by many - its specs made it an excellent VGA handheld(signaling HP’s return to the very market it abandoned after the failure of its hx4700). But can it stack up? Before we get to physical properties, size, screen quality and the likes, let’s first take a look at the accessory bundle…

The ipaq’s box is styled in the same, “common” branding that we first saw on the rx4240 - the box emphases the 4″ touchscreen:

Opening the box reveals an overview chart showing what part of the device does what(useful for novices):

Flipping away the specs unveils a layer of CD’s(HP stopped to include the original CD’s into samples because my lovely colleagues at other agencies kept stealing them for the Outlook license) - I would personally have preferred to see the device immediately, with the CD’s one level below:

Removing manuals,… finally let’s you access the device - the battery is below. As for accessories, HP included a strange non-USB wallwart, a leather sleeve and a data cable:

I myself am perplexed as to why HP omitted its useful(for charging a bunch of other devices when traveling) USB wall wart from the packet and replaced it with a proprietary one - the 214 can be charged via its MiniUSB port. That aside, the accessory bundle is like on all other ipaq’s we saw recently…stay tuned for a size comparison soon!

Use the discount code FUNNYMOZ to get 20% off the list price of Mozaki in the TamsShop!

People frequenting MSN Games will probably know Mozaki - a simple puzzler that is insanely amusing. Now, AstraWare has ported the game to touchscreened WIndows Mobile devices - can it stack up here?

Mozaki can be played in two modes - it supports both timed and untimed modes:

However, the game principle remains the same. Bricks appear randomly at the right side of the screen; they must then be moved onto the screen to create lines from the border to the center:

Tiles can be rotated on-screen by tapping them:

If a line of matching colors is established, it disappears:

Ganging up tiles leads to cubes which are worth more points when being removed:

The tile at the bottom right provides with special tiles that are colorless(match all colors) or remove tiles around them:

Replayability is achieved due to the level system. After a few lanes are cleared, the colors at the borders are swapped(adjacent tiles also swap colors); eventually, new colors appear.

AstraWare included a little on-screen-help system - it proved to be extremely useful for me:

This review looked at version 1.02 of the game on a hp ipaq rx4240. The program needs about 2MB of memory and can be run from an external memory card.

In the end, Mozaki is an excellent and amusing puzzler - unlike the smartphone version recently reviewed at TamsWMS’s, this one really is fun to play. Puzzle fans should definitely get it for the hammer price of 9.95$ at the TamsShop(and don’t forget the discount)!

Use the discount code FUNNYHEX to get 20% off Hexic in the TamsShop!

AstraWare recently ported a few puzzlers from MSN Games to the Windows Mobile platform. Hexic is the second application(coming after Mozaki) that is unleashed onto Windows Mobile devices - can this Bejeweled clone stack up?

Like its sister product Mozaki, Hexic can be played in timed and untimed modes at varying difficulties:

Astraware also gave the program a ‘puzzle’ mode - here, you are assigned specific jobs that must be solved by clearing the board:

The goal behind Hexic is rotating tiles to form three adjacent ones which then disappear. For example, look at the marked tiles below:

Similar to Mozaki, the game includes a detailed tutorial and in-game help system.

This review looked at version 1.02 of Hexic on a hp ipaq rx4240 running its stock Windows Mobile 5 ROM. The program needs about 3 to 4MB of RAM and can be stored on an external memory card.

In the end, Hexic is little more than Bejeweled for people with a good spatial sense. People who like Bejeweled will probably like Hexic, as will people who have played it on MSN Games. Get the trial here and see if you can cope with the controls: the full version can be purchased for 9.95$ in the TamsShop.

Platypus is the new side-scrolling shooter game from the developers at Astraware. It’s available for PalmOS and Windows Mobile smartphones and PDAs.

This game is not like other side-scrolling shoot-’em-ups: it’s based on the Platypus game for PC and Mac, so the visuals are created with clay, which gives the game its uniqueness. In fact, the game has nice graphics and animations, which makes it even more fun to play. But more on that later.

see the explosion? it’s photographed, recolored clay

After starting the game, you are in the main menu. It’s possible to start a new game from there, view the high scores, go to the settings menu, exit the program or continue a game which you’ve paused before.

Platypus main menu

The Settings menu

The typical settings for a game are located here: switching between landscape for left-handed people and landscape for right-handed people is possible, as well as enabling/disabling auto-fire, adjusting the sound- and music volume and last but not least toggling between stylus and button controls.

The gameplay

You start with an aircraft with one simple weapon which just shoots straight forward. The enemy aircraft are coming from the right, and you have to shoot them - at first, they’re quite easy to defeat, but as the time goes on, it’s getting more difficult to extinguish them without being killed. The number of bullets you need to destroy an enemy is always different, there are easy ones which can be killed with only one bullet, or more difficult ones which need 5 shots to be defeated.

stage selection screen

The aircraft is controlled with the d-pad or with the stylus by touching the screen. If you press the center key, the aircraft starts shooting and won’t stop until you press the key again.

Every action is accentuated with a fitting sound, for example if an enemy aircraft explodes, or just the buzzing sound of a weapon.

one of the more advanced weapons

After a while. there are some obstacles in the game which should be avoided. For example, don’t collide with the power lines - otherwise the aircraft will explode immediately. There are some turret guns which are trying to shoot you - better destroy them ASAP! After defeating some enemys, earn extra points by collecting the fruits.

left: exploding enemy, losing a banana. Collect it to get extra points:
right: see the wires of the power line in the right part of the image?

You start with four lives, but have chances to earn more in the game and at the end of each level. When there are no lives left and you’re killed, the score counter is set to zero, but the game continues where you died.

compatibility

I succesfully tested the game on a VGA Dell x51V, so it will run on VGA and QVGA devices. Screens with a resolution of 240×240 are supported as well. Even when I clocked the device down from 624 MHZ to 208 MHz, the game was quite smooth and playable. Supported WM operating systems are 2003 SE, 5.0, 6 Classic and Professional.

Finally, the game is highly recommended for some gaming sessions while you are in a bus/train etc. It’s fun to play thanks to the nice graphics, so be sure to try it out!

Platypus for Windows Mobile 5/6.0 (free trial available!)

Platypus for pre-Windows Mobile 5.0 (free trial available!)

(screenshots by Astraware)

Apple’s iPod touch debuted a new kind of thumb keyboard - whenever a key was tapped, a bigger picture of it appeared on the screen above. Vito Technologies now went one step further - their program not only displays the key, but also the surrounding area.

In case you wonder about how this looks - the image below shows the program working in default mode. Whenever you press one of the keys, the bubble containing the magnification is popped up:

The product includes a variety of layouts that can be chosen with th key on the left - the images below show English, numeric and German modes:

A menu can be opened to configure various aspects of the program:

Last but not least, ZoomBoard has a variety of different zoom modes:

This review looked at version 2.0 of the program on a hp ipaq rx4240 running Windows Mobile 5. The program automatically installs itself into the RAM when the cab is launched - no information about the file size is given(and the program cannot be installed onto an external memory card).

In the end, ZoomBoard succeeds in taking Apple’s thumb keyboard system one step further - here, the zoom view really helps when it comes to hitting characters. In case the concept outlined above sounds attractive to you, try out the free trial and purchase this 15$ app in the TamsShop if you like it…

P.S. The text in the screenshots is a short story written by Dr. Kohrs of abc texte. A big thank you goes out to her for permitting us to use it as sample!

VITO EyePhoto is a fingerfriendly photo viewer and part of the VITO iWindowsMobile collection.

launch screen of EyePhoto

When the program starts up the first time, it suggests updating the photo library. Press the update button on the upper left of the screen and wait until the program found all images. Then, the list of the photos appears on the screen. EyePhoto searches on storage cards and in the internal storage.

When finished, you can start browsing throug your photos!

left screenshot: list of the folders
right screenshot: content of a folder

EyePhoto lists all folders wich contain pictures with a preview image - tap on a folder to see the content, then tap on an image to switch to fullscreen mode. It might take some time to load an image; this depends on its size. After a few seconds in fullscreen mode, the upper menu disappears. The upper menu shows the number of the current image, a button to switch back to the folder view, and a button to rotate the screen 90° CW. To show this menu after it disappeared, just tap once on the screen. When in fullscreen mode, zooming in is possible by tapping twice on the image or by clicking the zoom button in the lower left corner. To jump to the next image, just swipe the finger from the right to the left.

left screen: image in fullscreen mode
right image: same picture, but 90°CW rotated

A main feature is the kinetic scrolling function in the folder list. It works very simple and can be controlled easily with your fingers, just swipe your finger from the bottom of the screen to the top to scroll. Have a look at this video to see how it’s working:

EyePhoto demonstration on YouTube

In the settings menu, you can change the language: the program supports English, French and German. There are no other settings available than changing the language.

settings menu of EyePhoto

There is a thing which should be improve IMHO: I’m storing my music with album art on my CF card, so there are ~20 album covers, all in different folders. EyePhoto handles them like every other picture and adds them to it’s library, which makes the list very unclear. It would be better if the user could set exceptions, which folders shouldn’t be scanned for images.

I think EyePhoto is a great addition to the iWindowsMobile collection and it’s main objective, the usability without a stylus, is achieved.

So far, the hp ipaq 614 business navigator has presented itself as a well-done and innovative device with a lot of similarities to the rx4240. Unfortunately, HP did not include a VGA screen…can the QVGA display stack up?

Our first test partner was Palm’s Treo 680 - the 614 managed to come out a bit ahead:

Comparisons between it and a rx4240 ended in a tie - as the screens seem similarly big, it looks like HP used the same LCM module in both devices. This explains the excellent contrast…but also leads to potential issues in very bright sunlight:

In the end, it looks like HP recycled the rx4240’s excellent screen here. Insanely high color saturation and bright enough for most outdoor use(I never had any problems using my rx4240 outdoors in Austria) - this definitely is a great display. However, navigators tend to be used outdoors a lot - a device with a reflective display may be better suited for people living in countries with loads of sun..

The folks over at BrightHand’s report that HP does not plan to offer any Windows Mobile 6.1 upgrades for its existing devices. Mike Hockey from HP is quoted as following:

HP will not be offering an operating system upgrade for currently shipping HP iPAQ devices beyond what ships on the device today — Microsoft Windows Mobile 6.

This decision comes after having evaluated the potential for delays in firmware and software updates, device recertification, and carry-over costs to our customers that are often associated with an operating system upgrade.

HP is committed to continuing its long-standing relationship with Microsoft and will deliver HP iPAQs with Windows Mobile 6.1 at a future date.

For me, this is a very bad sign. Originally, HP devices stood for future security - the original iPaq’s always got at least one software update(usually in time, although the hx4700 was a bit, um, late). However, all of this changed when Windows Mobile 6.0 was announced; HP was no longer willing to offer any upgrades for its existing devices.

This definitely is a slap in the face of all device owners; people expecting an upgrade due to HP’s excellent part track record are now standing in the rain.

But HP now has an even bigger problem: the 110 and 210 series. These generally well-done devices are now hampered by their outdated OS - which will make selling them more difficult.

Does this mark the beginning of the end of HP? Will they become a new Acer soon? Or will they understand their mistake and row back?

Please let us know what you think!

Use the discount code SECUCHEAP to get 20% off SecuBox in the TamsShop! The code is also valid for the smartphone version of the program!

Nowadays, PocketPC handhelds can protect all data in RAM via the system password facility. However, data on a memory card can be accessed even if the system is locked - just remove the card, and voila. Aiko Solutions wants to put an end to this…do they succeed at making data thief’s days ugly?

SecuBox is centered around so-called storages. A storage is a fancy expression for a secure archive file; it can contain encrypted files and folders:

New storage files are created with a special wizard. The maximal storage capacity must be fixed while the storage is being created - once the storage is created, it can no longer be changed.:

Once this is done, the file can be mounted and unmounted in the startup screen. Mounted storage files can be accessed just like memory cards:

SecuBox protects the files with 256bit AES encryption, which is considered safe by the US military. The product contains a variety of options accessible via a menu of checkable icons(weird UI…) - for example, all mounted storages can be removed when the device goes to sleep(unfortunately, unmounting can not be tied to the password system(delay timer)):

Last but not least, the product ships with an excellent help system:

This review looked at version 1.4.2 of the program on an hp ipaq rx4240 running Windows Mobile 5. SecuBox was stable in the reviewing period - no issues here.

In the end, SecuBox provides an excellent(although slightly cumbersome) way to protect your memory card data. If the company would allow images to change their size automatically, security nirvana is reached. But even now, the product is an excellent choice - if you have sensitive data on your memory card, get the program NOW…

Now that you have an impression of the size of the hp ipaq 614 business navigator, it’s time to look at what HP has integrated into the device from a physical standpoint. After the excellent rx4240 and 110 classic, HP must beat itself - can the boys do it?

When looking at the 614, one immediately notes the slightly weird keyboard - no application buttons, no 5way. Instead, HP now graces users with a combined “nav 5way keyboard”. For example, instead of having dedicated 5way keys, you briefly touch the circle in order to toggle a 5way press(center is missing). The two small buttons under the screen can be used as application launch keys or as direct access toggles for the two WM6 softkeys. As for the other keys…the icons are mostly self-explanatory…

Sounds weird - but after a bit of playing around, you’ll eventually become accustomed to the new from of input(and start to like it). Controlling applications works very well indeed - however, gamers will still prefer a dedicated 5way navigator.

The left side of the unit contains a jog dial and two further soft buttons - one doubles the ok key found in the front, whereas the other one is for the voice recorder. The jog dial itself is very well done and handles well - no issues here:

The top of the device features a “silence” button - while this is not quote as comfortable as a Treo’s slider(no visual indication of status - come on, give us a LED), it’s nevertheless great to see HP integrate this into their devices.

On the right side, there is only the camera key. Two pressure points(focus and shoot) - while the first point is very easy to reach, fully pressing the key takes a bit too much pressure for my taste:

The stylus of the box is telescopic and thick enough for my taste(Centro, rx4240, 614 and Treo stylus; from left to right):

Last but not least, the bottom of the 614 contains HP’s classic MiniUSB port, a reset button and the stylus silo(!!!). Unfortunately, HP seems to have omitted all kinds of headphone port from this device(probably because of breakage issues - just ask Palm or Gamepark Holdings) - it seems to be bluetooth only here nowadays:

In the end, HP really seems to be at war with the concept of a 5way. First, the 4700 got that dreaded touchpad. Then, the rx4240 got a scroll wheel(which was insanely cool - but sucked for gamers); now the 614 gets a “touchscreenish” navigator instead of hardware buttons. Nevertheless, the 614 is an excellent machine from a physical perspective - everything is in the right place. If you can live without the 3.5″ headphone jack, all is fine for you - it’s a HP box…

Tune in soon to find out more about the 614’s screen!

Recently, many PocketPC developers started to make their apps look iPhoneish(please - this is NOT a discussion about the questionable merits of the iPhone interface); and Resco’s Sudoku is the next candidate for an UI overhaul.

All features that a state-of-the-art Sudoku application needs are included into the product; it can accept custom Sudokus, solve them, find errors and give hints. Static screenshots do not do this app justice. Look at this Google Video to see what it really is like:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=-3050957024104020064&hl=en

As of now, I am not sure when the product will hit the market - please stay tuned and wait for a discount code at launch!

Cutting a long story short: this program simply looks amazing. Sudoku fans - this is a must have; you’ll love it….

Now that the hp ipaq 614 has been unboxed, it’s time to see how big HP’s latest baby is compared to some other units laying around closeby.

The first contender is Palm’s ever-famous Treo 680/750. Our ipaq is a bit thinner(due to the slimmer screen) and a bit higher:

A vintage Palm TX is much bigger, but slimmer:

Our rx4240 is a bit smaller, but wider(more on that box later in this review):

Both the QTEK 8500 and Nokia’s N71 are smaller from the front - however, the N71 is significantly thicker:

Last but not least, here is the device next to an iPod touch(as wide as an iPhone, but approximately 100% slimmer):

In the end, the HP ipaq 614 business navigator is a pleasant device. It definitely isn’t among the smallest machines on the market - but small doesn’t necessarily mean good(especially when smartphones are concerned). HP has struck a very good balance here, the device can be held comfortably for longer timespans. Now if it only had VGA and a proper keyboard…

Tune in soon for a look at what HP chose to do with the space!

Before we even start this review, let’s all thank Stefan Weder big-time for managing to get this device into my claws. Don’t ask me how he did it, but he made it. Perfect work - folks from other companies(Asus, I am looking at you) really can learn a lot from him!

HP’s 614. Delayed multiple times, withdrawn from the USA under dubious circumstances…the 614 has had a pretty active “history” before even shipping. Anyways, now it’s here - can it fill up the void ripped open by hp’s foolish discontinuation of the GPS-enabled rx5xxx devices?

The company has standardized its box design quite some time ago - this box doesn’t really look all that different. However, the designer chose to emphasize the “clickwheel” concept that replaces the traditional 5way on this machine:

As always, opening the box immediately reveals a device overview and basic instructions on getting started:

Once the lids are flipped away, one can immediately reach all accessories found in the box - HP included its standard MiniUSB charge/sync set and a headset:

A short “manual” and some software is hidden below the accessory tray:

As always, HP didn’t make the screen cover transparent to allow usage as a screen protector. Instead, the company used it as a “billboard” for a few extra warnings to novice users:

The camera lens also gets some protection by the way:

So far, so good - the 614 has not disappointed me so far! Will the good impression last? Tune in soon for Part 2 of our review!

P.S. The unit won’t be around much longer. If you wish me to test anything specific, please let me know NOW.

P.S.2 Want to see our HP ipaq 614 unboxing video? Find it over at Google Video:
http://video.google.com/videoplay?docid=7970787505444739814

I recently ordered some new styli for my Dell Axim x51v, which arrived today. According to the product description, the first one is a 3-in-1 stylus: in addition to the normal stylus functions (tapping on a touch screen - haha) there is a ballpen and a reset pin build in right into the same stylus at the same size.

Ball-point pen
This is quite practical, imagine you have to take a note of something but you can’t use your pocket pc for that (and there are several reasons). The ballpen is located right under the upper black part of the stylus.

Reset pin
Who doesn’t know this situation: you worked or played around with you Pocket PC and suddenly, it won’t respond to any key press. At least then, you remember: Yeah, it’s Windows But anyway, you need to restart the pocket pc in order to continue working, and that’s where the reset pin is for. At several devices, the reset hole at the back of the device is to small to press your stylus into it. Fortunaly, you got a Proporta 3-in-1 stylus, so just screw out the lower part of it and a small pin appears which should fit fine in every reset hole.

With the proporta Stylus, I got a new feeling if I work with my Pocket PC, it lies very smooth in the hand and the cap seems to be softer than the one of the original stylus. If you consider buying a new one, have a look in Proporta’s shop…

Tune in soon for part 2!

The screenshots in this review were supplied by the developer, as the game is incompatible with our screenshot program

Resco’s Defender can be credited with starting the tower defense craze - Azgard Defence plans to dethrone the king. Will it get out on top?

Unlike Resco Defender, Azgard Defence(written with a c(!!!)) retains the actual ‘level’ concept - maps are bigger than the average PocketPC’s screen. Also,the terrain actually influences where creatures walk and where towers can be built:

All of the towers are based on one of the four initial towers that can be built via a toolbox on the right of the screen(and a hardbutton press). Clicking a tower sometimes brings up the ‘tower info’ dialog - it allows you to ‘level up’ or upgrade the tower. Leveling up a tower boosts stats and usually is much cheaper than upgrading, but does not change the tower’s behavior. However, higher-level towers are more expensive to upgrade(should you ever wish to).

Some updates change a tower’s behavior dramatically - for example, the tiny little archer tower at the left can be transformed into things like a corrosion tower with stacked damage. Here’s a picture of the game’s tech tree:

MoreGames included a decent set of creeps with various properties - the images below show a few samples:

Azgard Defence has excellent graphics and a well-done sound track - here are few images showing some of the visual effects:

Last but not least, the program contains an excellent level editor that can be used to ‘replenish’ your level supply:

This review looked at version 1.03 of the program on a HP rx4240. The game was stable and caused no major glitches. It needs k of memory and can be installed onto an external memory card.

Cutting a long story short, Azgard Defense brings true WarCraft 3 feeling to the Pocket PC. While the game is a bit difficult to control, true Tower Defense freaks(e.g. yours truly) will marvel at the huge levels and the level editor. Casual gamers, on the other hand, will be overwhelmed by the interface. In case you love Tower Defense, this 10$ app is an absolute must-have!