A Super Cheap Super-Pim

[Jonathon Watkins]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.uglybass.com/ultiplanner/' target='_blank'>http://www.uglybass.com/ultiplanner/</a><br /><br /></div>So, you want a Super PIM like Pocket Informant &amp; Agenda Fusion etc. but don’t want to stretch to $24.95 or $29.95 respectively? Well, you really want to check out Ulti-Planner then, as it’s going for $6 for a very limited time.<br /><br />It includes: " Full Contact, Task, Schedule, Note, and Journal Support, Compatible with your Pocket Outlook Data, Multiple Customizable Views per section, Linking, Category Icons and Coloring (with Complete Fast built-in Manager), Multiple Task Grouping(Category, Completed, Name, Priority, and Sensitivity), Multiple Contact Grouping(Category, Company, and Name), Quick Task and Contact Entry , Smart Contact Searching, Speed, Flexibility" and doubtless much more.<br /> <br /> <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/upnewssanim1.gif" /> <br /><br />In the developer's own words: " Why?? Because we can. The other guys have great products and a head start, and so have a strangle hold on the market. But we have that potential too, we just have to get the word out and get our product out there. They aren't much ahead in terms of technology, and we started out with a more well planned base application with features they don't have and/or have already copied. So what better way to get noticed than to have an outrageous sale! Here we come...!!!" Fair enough. So – give them a whorl and see what you think guys.<br /><br />p.s. I really love the fact this organizer is hosted on uglybass.com, a Bass Fishing website! :huh: :lol:

[princeofzion]

I've never used PI or AF so how does Ulti Planner compare to the the big boys? Are there any reviews? If not, do the specs. really suggest that it could be as powerful?

[dorelse]

Well, I'm already an AF user, but for $6.00, I'll give it a go!

[Qman]

Same here with AF!
But from the screen shots UP
looks pretty good, so I'll give
it a test run and see how I like. :wink:

[rfsjr]

Gave this a whirl and installed to my 2215. At first glance, it appears to do all the developers say. I wasn't really looking for a PIM, but for $6, I did very well to find this one. :)

[babsknupp]

Well, I'm a happy camper. Just installed it and will check it out more tomorrow. I had to uninstall PI because it just wouldn't stay open on my SX56. (memory issues) Then I saw this, and I'm trying it out. I'm pleased. I don't care much for the built-in PPC calendar but was ready to be resigned to it. Now I have a good option that hopefully will work on my SX56. I haven't done a whole lot yet, but at first glance, it looks pretty nice. Has good clean lines. Well, anyway, I'm glad.

[Jimmy Dodd]

I took the demo for a spin.

The first thing I noticed was that in Contacts if you leave the Name field blank and fill in the Company Name the Contacts list shows up blank. PI and MS Contacts both show the company name in this situation. Perhaps that's just the demo version (but I doubt it).

Having said that, this seems like a nice app (especially for only $6) if you are ready to move beyond the basic PIM features of Pocket Outlook but aren't ready to go the Super-PIM route of PI or AF.

[Thinkingmandavid]

HOwdy, I have used this for a brief time before and I liked it. I am going to buy the 6 buck one since that fits my budget. I htink it is well worth the money and more. A few months ago I posted links for just about every PIM available on the market and Ulti-PLanner was one of them.
Off to buyit!:)

[Thinkingmandavid]

mmm, get this, i just tried to open up the files andit says notenough storag space...go figure. any ideas?
thanks:)

[Wiggster]

Looks like a nice, cheap killer app. Unfortunately, I am the only person on the planet who doesn't use my PDA for any sort of PIM functionality, so I'll just look at it be pretty for a few days :D

[yawanag]

I used Cabinstl and got a message: "This program cannot be run on this device."

Thought I would get not enough storage but instead got the above.

[freckles]

I took the demo for a spin.

The first thing I noticed was that in Contacts if you leave the Name field blank and fill in the Company Name the Contacts list shows up blank. PI and MS Contacts both show the company name in this situation. Perhaps that's just the demo version (but I doubt it).

Having said that, this seems like a nice app (especially for only $6) if you are ready to move beyond the basic PIM features of Pocket Outlook but aren't ready to go the Super-PIM route of PI or AF.

I noticed this too when I first installed it last night. However, there is setting to change the view which worked (at least with my contacts):
Ulti-Planner>Contact View Options>Name Format: File As

I really like how the month view shows each appointment's icon - PI doesn't do that, i.e., I've got 3 appts. in 1 category, but only 1 icon will show.

This looks great and I'll purchase, but I really hope the tasks function will improve soon - due dates aren't visible! IMHO, PI has a better interface for tasks, ATM.

[Jimmy Dodd]

The first thing I noticed was that in Contacts if you leave the Name field blank and fill in the Company Name the Contacts list shows up blank. PI and MS Contacts both show the company name in this situation. Perhaps that's just the demo version (but I doubt it).


I noticed this too when I first installed it last night. However, there is setting to change the view which worked (at least with my contacts):
Ulti-Planner>Contact View Options>Name Format: File As


That worked. Thanks! :way to go:

[disconnected]

In the month view, how many different icons can be shown?

[Gottria]

Another problem I found with it is how do you map the calander and contacts functions to the front buttons? I can map Ulti-Planner but that is it. It still uses the default Microsoft editing functions for appointments and adding contacts. Other than that it's a great program for $6.

[Birdiestyle]

Up to 9 icons if the bars are turned off.
And Ill gladly consider new icons for a future release if you want to send ideas, and/or images(8x8), and plan to give the option of user defined icons as well in a future version...

On some devices, the included mini applications work to map the hardware buttons. There are 4 small applications that are installed in the program directory for just this purpose (just make a shortcut to them in a folder under \windows\start menu\programs\" so the button mapper can see them), although some problems have been encountered and a better implementation is in the works..


If you are not using the setup.exe and active-sync to install, are you sure you are using the right cab file. Most devices are the ultiplanner.sa.cab (strong arm) file, so hopefully that might help....


Note on Uglybass.com: Yeah, I own both sites(love to fish), and now Im googled so well Im afraid to get it its own account. But they can also be linked to using UltiPlanner.com and Birdsoft.net. Ill switch it over here sometime!.

[jlp]

As the developer says they have the "potential", they're not there just yet.

But it's a good first version app.

OTOH they have a few conceptual problems: you can't view the last appointment in the day view, it's beyond the bottom scroll arrow (obviously if you have more than a screen full of appointments). And there are a few other problems like that.

Also they could gather all the options on the same screen with the relevant tabs. There are only 10% of PI options for example.

Given enough development, they can reach that "potential". Just remembering they are at version 1.x vs. the other guys at v.5.x

[Birdiestyle]

Very true point, though I would put our 1.x more in line with their 3.x or so(and 4.x or 5.x and beyond in a few areas), and we are way more conservative on our versioning numbers.... So we're not that far behind...

I have never experienced your day view problem, but I will try my best to duplicate and fix it!

Im not sure about the options comment. We have all the "view specific" options in one location and global settings in its own dialog for way less clutter and hopefully an increased understanding. We hope that it is a much better way than having an overwhelming options dialog with 20+ tabs, and tons more options buried in menus... 10%??! :)

Thanks for taking a look everyone!!

Brian
Birdsoft

[Gerard]

I love this thing! After 2 minutes using the trial, I hit the PayPal link (in NetFront, as PayPal never works for me in PIE). First time I've tried a PIM software that actually made me excited.

However, now that I'm getting used to it a bit and have mapped my Contact button to it, I am bothered by a couple of things. For the most part I love the way Contacts works. But I am very used to just opening Contacts, then starting to write a name, and having the matching items just get narrowed down as I enter letters. By this means I can usually get to a name in about 3 seconds, where tapping a tab and then scrolling can take 5 to 10 seconds. That's a significant difference, and since your app doesn't seem to operate in such a way as to pay attention to SIP or keyboard entry like this, it will slow me down. Trying the Search function, which really should be on the icon bar and not take two taps to open, I find that it does indeed work... but the listed search results won't respond to taps, double-taps, or Enter on a keyboard. After a bit I did discover that the little magnifier icon on the bottom bar opens a highlighted item.... but that's not terrible easy when it's so small, especially if I'm looking for a contact or appointment while walking, which I often do. I like it for appointments views a lot, but the native Contacts app is just faster to use. This function certainly works much better than the native app Calendar, so perhaps it balances.

Anyway, I'm really liking it overall. Very nice work, and I feel a bit guilty getting it so cheaply. I'll certainly recommend it to anyone asking for a good PIM. Journal functions are not something I've ever used, but it looks like I might just start!

[dorelse]

Keep it up. I'd love to see a much faster load time( on my 4355, its almost 30 secs) , and d-pad support so I can move up and down in all the views w/o a stylus.

Very good first effort...keep it up!

[Birdiestyle]

30 seconds!!?? There must be something in a few new systems that doesnt play nice?? Though most 2003 users dont have this problem...


More d-pad support... contact type ahead(I always use the abc toolbar, but should be allowing both), great I love feedback like this...

Thanks again.

[Jonathon Watkins]

....great I love feedback like this...

Good, because we quite enjoy having developers of apps over to have a chat with. :way to go: Nice job!

[Peter Traugot]

I'd like to see the ability to "tap and hold" in any of the schedule views to create an appointment. Right now, you can only add an appointment in the "day" view.

Nice app. thanks for such a nice deal.

[MerlinAZ]

Hi Brian and everyone else. I just registered anticipating good use of the program. One problem though. Once the program is running, if I use the X to close the program, it wont open again unless I go to the memory icon and stop it as a running program. Then when I tap the program icon, it will open. I have a Dell Axim x3i with Windows Mobile 2003. Any thoughts? Thanks for any help.

[Gerard]

That is odd. On my iPAQ 3835, running PPC2002, it minimises and re-opens just fine. I've shut down GigaBar so that I'm just using the 'smart minimise' function of the X instead of actually closing anything, and it's perfectly capable of reappearing on top multiple times with lots of other programs running. GigaBar's X closes it of course. So does the Exit menu option in the program itself. Could this be a WM2003 glitch?

[MerlinAZ]

Yes. When I use the Ultiplanner-Exit function, then push the button I mapped to the program, it opens just fine. I guess I'll be using the "Exit" and not the X to close the program for now. It would be much easier to just tap the X-it's two taps the other way.

[Gerard]

.... and it'd be a lot more useful if the X Microsoft supplies us all were actually a 'close program' button. But it isn't. It is more like a 'bring up the last thing I was doing before I opened this window' button, which is why so many PPC users use third-party task management programs. Mapping ZapIt to a button or putting it in the Start Menu is the least memory-intensive at 5KB. Effective too. MyTools works great, and isn't very large, and does lots of other neat things besides closing programs. WisBar and GigaBar are more power-user stuff, but very effective for those willing to learn a few things in order to render their devices vastly more efficient. Lot os options, none of which involve tools from Microsoft except in that they have to be PPC compatible.

[babsknupp]

I'm quite pleased. I was having problems with my other PIM program staying open, (memory issues, no doubt) and was less than thrilled but resigned to using the built-in PIM, when my husband saw Ulti-Planner. It's installed now in my SX56 and working great. I like the layout. It displays my calendar appointments the way I prefer it to. I am very pleased to have this program. It is the answer for me-doesn't take up too much space, and the bottom line for me is that it doesn't shut down on me due to memory usage issues. I am just so happy to be able to use a PIM program again, and a quality one at that.

[jlp]

Very true point, though I would put our 1.x more in line with their 3.x or so(and 4.x or 5.x and beyond in a few areas), and we are way more conservative on our versioning numbers.... So we're not that far behind...

I have never experienced your day view problem, but I will try my best to duplicate and fix it!

Im not sure about the options comment. We have all the "view specific" options in one location and global settings in its own dialog for way less clutter and hopefully an increased understanding. We hope that it is a much better way than having an overwhelming options dialog with 20+ tabs, and tons more options buried in menus... 10%??! :)

Thanks for taking a look everyone!!

Brian
Birdsoft

10% I was talking about options not features :) you certainly have more than 10% of PI features :)

[freckles]

any chance that you can give us an idea of what is planned for future releases, either on the official website, forum, here or wherever? i mentioned in my earlier post that i'd like to see the tasks function improved - there doesn't appear to be a way to sort by due date. even when sorting by priority, it then sorts alphabetically. :cry:

i registered today and would be happy to provide any input that would be useful to you - just let me know where to post :D

[Birdiestyle]

Hi,
Right now, I am working on getting the new Ulti-Planner version out..
Here is what is planned and/or done:

* Contact Photos (and possibly full contact editing/viewing redone)
* Type Ahead Contact Bar
* Sort Tasks by Due Date
* Quick Appointment Entry
* Sort Notes by Name
* Doubleclick search results
* Undated tasks on Schedule view
* Play nice with VGA
* Day View as main Schedule view
* few other changes...
* and possibly a few more big ones... anything major you need??

* fixed the "x" minimize thing
-amazingly it had to do with using a date format function on 2003, so was a lil hard to track down).
* couple other 2003 fixes (recurring appt problems, multi-day repeating, etc...)

Throw suggestions my way(preferably via email), and Ill definitely consider them.....

Thanks

Brian
Birdsoft

[mch_nz]

Hi Brian,
the planned updates sound great. Any feel for when this will be released?
Cheers,
Mark

[AprilRyan]

Update, this is now selling at US$10. Not too sure if all the planned updates ever pushed through.