Jenneth Reviews SmarphoneNotes

[Eric Lin]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.jenneth.info/archives/000254.html' target='_blank'>http://www.jenneth.info/archives/000254.html</a><br /><br /></div>Two minor gripes I have with Smartphone 2002 are the poor built-in Task manager and the lack of support for text Notes. Jenneth quite agrees with me and she's reviewed SmartphoneNotes, the first text Notes application with an ActiveSync plugin for your PC.<br /><br />"Somebody please explain to me the justification for omitting to include a proper Notes application in the Smartphone 2002 OS? I mean really - the most basic mobile phones are including this these days! Never mind the fact that "Notes" is part of the Pocket Outlook suite and the developers would have made a conscious decision to exclude it rather than include it. There's a Voice Notes application, which makes sense considering the medium, but why not include a text notes portion?<br /><br />Thankfully Syncdata has come to the rescue with SmartphoneNotes, a full-featured notes program that lets you synchronise notes with Pocket Outlook and create/edit/delete them on your Smartphone."

[encece]

This program, along with PowerTasks, fills in the large gaps in the OS's PIM applications left by Microsoft. Now the basic applications can really give PocketPCs and Palms a run for their money. Especially for the huge amount of users who use mobile devices exclusively for PIM applications. (I'd bet it's a larger number than you would think.)

[smartphone2002.info]

See also a review here (http://www.smartphone2002.info/modules.php?name=News&file=article&sid=175&mode=&order=0&thold=0). It contains screenshots and a comment of Giuseppe Govi why SmartphoneNotes is only available for Orange Smartphones.

[RDC]

...and a comment of Giuseppe Govi why SmartphoneNotes is only available for Orange Smartphones.

This is weak. I want this program. But because I don't have an Orange branded Smartphone I can't sync my notes.

Will the developer get in trouble if they include other brands w/o permission or official software signature?

I'm confused.

[spg]

Will the developer get in trouble if they include other brands w/o permission or official software signature? I'm confused.
I'm a little confused too, but I don't think it is an issue of getting in trouble. If I'm understanding everything right, it is an issue that the phones will not allow programs access to core OS and phone features unless it is a "signed" application. And in this case, Smartphone Notes has to access those features to be able to sync. Programs without the need to access the core OS will run fine on any phone... someone correct me here if I'm wrong.

I really do not understand the whole signed/unsigned, locked/unlocked deal with these phones. Why lock it in a way that people can't install applications on the phone? I understand the need to keep the branding... but seems like applications would have no effect on that (as opposed to locked for a certain network). Maybe it is just me, but I really think this was a crazy thing to have included here. :?

[RDC]

Maybe it is just me, but I really think this was a crazy thing to have included here. :?

I think it's crazy too. Though the reason is unclear to us, there is certainly a legitimate roadblock. It must have something to do with Microsoft.

Ilium has eWallet and Listpro available for the Smartphone. But the files don't automatically sync with the desktop counterparts.

Yet, here we have Smartphone Notes that did make it's way into ActiveSync. But only for Orange branded units.

Now I think Ilium is pretty damn good software developer. So there must be some technical and/or certification hurdle Ilium is having trouble clearing.

I don't know.

[smartphone2002.info]

If I'm understanding everything right, it is an issue that the phones will not allow programs access to core OS and phone features unless it is a "signed" application. And in this case, Smartphone Notes has to access those features to be able to sync. Programs without the need to access the core OS will run fine on any phone... someone correct me here if I'm wrong. You are absolutly right!!!