Innobec SideWindow Available for Beta Testing

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.innobec.com/en/products.php' target='_blank'>http://www.innobec.com/en/products.php</a><br /><br /></div><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050529-Innobec.gif" /><br /><br />SideWindow allows you to use your Pocket PC as a virtual desktop extension for your computer, so if you need to drag your media player, your IM program, or even a photo album to your Pocket PC, you now can! SideWindow is currently in beta testing and the folk at Innobec Technologies are looking for feedback from any users interested in helping them out. As a reward, those who provide feedback will receive a free copy of SideWindow when it is released.

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Great concept, great idea. Only thing I noticed is that when I maximize a window on it, it doesn't really "maximize" and scrolls off the screen on my Ipaq 2215. Lotsa potential though!

[OSUKid7]

Darius, this is exactly what I thought jedediah was talking about in the Using a ppc as an external display (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39359) topic.

And wow, this does a pretty good job at doing exactly what I thought it would do - acting as an additional monitor to extend your PC's desktop. Only problem I see so far is it doesn't support VGA. Still great for a beta. :D

edit: awesome! a quick check of the settings, and it DOES support VGA (and even beyond, somehow.) Very good app.

[zetsurin]

Wow, this is very cool and performs very well on my XDA II Mini. Only query I have is how I could bring up the PocketPC on-screen keyboard to send keystrokes...

[Vincent M Ferrari]

Considering what it is, you wouldn't be able to do that. It's meant to be an auxiliary display, not a secondary keyboard. It's similar to hooking up another monitor.

[OSUKid7]

Only query I have is how I could bring up the PocketPC on-screen keyboard to send keystrokes...
Send text to the Pocket PC (external display)? You just use your PC keyboard. Works fine for me. When you're running this program, it converts your Pocket PC from a separate mobile device to a small monitor. It works just like a secondary monitor.

[Darius Wey]

Darius, this is exactly what I thought jedediah was talking about in the Using a ppc as an external display (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=39359) topic.

Haha, I forgot about that discussion. Let's just hope he/she reads this then. ;)

[zetsurin]

Considering what it is, you wouldn't be able to do that. It's meant to be an auxiliary display, not a secondary keyboard. It's similar to hooking up another monitor.

Fair enough I guess, however I can control everything using the stylus as a mouse and invoke menu commands, so keyboard input from the PDA also would be a useful addition IMHO. I understand of course, I would need to ensure that I set focus to the PDA app before assuming the keyboard input would go into it. I guess the best way to use is to put the PDA next to the PC monitor on some kind of platform, thus making the PDA keyboard input less necessary, but if I were to go the the toilet while connected by Bluetooth I wouldn't miss any messages in there, hehe. Beats reading the shampoo bottle as well :D Sure there are chat clients for the PDA, but the PC versions are that bit richer and PDAs serve well as thin clients.

Very impressed by this software. I've been waiting for something cool to play with next :)

[JPD6825]

W?BIC!
Per square inch... wouldn't the PPC be about the most expensive monitor you ever put on your desk? I may just have to try this - to see for myself.

[OSUKid7]

W?BIC!
Per square inch... wouldn't the PPC be about the most expensive monitor you ever put on your desk? I may just have to try this - to see for myself.
True, but what else do most people use their Pocket PCs for while they're cradled? And I've started using my Pocket PC for my AIM (with tabs via DeadAIM) window, so I can always see my IMs without blocking another window.

[DavidRoss]

Its not working for me... when i click 'start remote divice" a windows pops up on my ipaq for a split second, then dissapers.

I have an Ipaq 2215 with windows 2003. im connecting to Activesync via wireless, maybe thats the problem?

[Darius Wey]

Its not working for me... when i click 'start remote divice" a windows pops up on my ipaq for a split second, then dissapers.

I have an Ipaq 2215 with windows 2003. im connecting to Activesync via wireless, maybe thats the problem?

Try tapping or double tapping on your Pocket PC screen. By default, you have to drag windows off the top left corner of the PC's screen, in order for it to show on the Pocket PC.

[DavidRoss]

I think i have a problem with my "secondary" monitor, actually the sidewindow monitor is number 3 in my properties.

The problem is with number three activated, i still cant move my mouse off the primary monitor. even if the pocket pc was not working, i should still be able to move my mouse off the primary screen i would think.

And the window that pops up on my ipaq does not give me a chance to click it. it disappears to fast.

EDIT:

if i close out the sidewindow program, and activate the 3ed monitor, then i can move my mouse off screen, but as soon as a relaunch sidewindow, i then cant move the mouse off screen anymore.

[Darius Wey]

Well, if it's still posing a problem, it might be best to give them the feedback, so they can iron out any bugs for the next beta release. :)

[Vincent M Ferrari]

With the program installed on my computer, I had to drag down below the task bar to get stuff to appear on the ppc.

Maybe that's the problem?

[OSUKid7]

With the program installed on my computer, I had to drag down below the task bar to get stuff to appear on the ppc.

Maybe that's the problem?
You should be able to go into your display properties and chose where you want your Pocket PC display (second or third display usually) to be located in relation to your primary display. I put mine directly below it, since that's where my Pocket PC is.

[Darius Wey]

Well, I've been playing with this for the past three days and I have to say it works great. One thing that nobody has mentioned is that SideWindow does not need a mobile client to operate. You only need to install the PC client, and then it's a sync-and-go solution from there. Clearly the benefits are seen on VGA devices, but QVGA still works great (with less screen real estate, that's all). :)

[OSUKid7]

Only thing I noticed is that when I maximize a window on it, it doesn't really "maximize" and scrolls off the screen on my Ipaq 2215. Lotsa potential though!
Yeah, after using this for awhile, I've noticed that problem too. Sometimes maximizing works great, other times it doesn't. I've found a workaround to this bug is to change the "Viewing Area" (resolution) in the SideWindow Server settings to something else, then back.

[Innobec]

Be sure we are taking note of the issue you discuss here but it would be great if you would go report them to : http://www.innobec.com/en/bug.php or just send us a small descriptive e-mail to [email protected]

This way we can keep track plus you will get the final release free.

Thank you

[OSUKid7]

Be sure we are taking note of the issue you discuss here but it would be great if you would go report them to : http://www.innobec.com/en/bug.php or just send us a small descriptive e-mail to [email protected]

This way we can keep track plus you will get the final release free.

Thank you
Good deal. :D Reported it. Keep up the good work.

BTW, you might want to change the bugmailler.php page to say "bug report sent" if something is POSTed to the page. :)

[johnm]

Wow this is a cool idea. I used to use Maxivista to turn my Laptop into a 3rd monitor (http://www.maxivista.com). This works the same way. I can't wait to try it out with my 4700.

[WialyDiody]

Wow this is a cool idea. I used to use Maxivista to turn my Laptop into a 3rd monitor (http://www.maxivista.com). This works the same way. I can't wait to try it out with my 4700.

I agree, this is very cool. I actually just discovered Maxivista about 2 hours before this news item was posted (never knew such a thing existed) Sidewindow and Maxivista work great together. I just ordered an old Tablet PC and it's supposed to be here this afternoon, I can't wait to have my desktop, laptop, tablet and PPC all used as one big monitor 'grid'.
This is like a geek's dream, 4 monitors, the main running a 3D desktop environment (SphereXP) for easy navigation, all wireless and each monitor can be removed and used as a stand alone device, and when it is removed the grid automatically compensates by snapping windows that were on the now-missing monitor to the main screen. It's awesome to see technology working together in such a useful/productive way. This is the kind of thing I've been wanting to see happen for a long long time now.
(BTW, I haven't seen it mentioned here yet, and if anyone it curious, this works fine over BT too, just a little choppy)
Thank you, Innobec :)

Matt

[RobrechtV]

Hey guys,

Already posted this on Innobec's bug report, just wanted to ask if anyone else has this problem.

I'm using my pocket pc hooked up to my laptop; laptop primary screen, pocket pc secondary through SideWindow. Works great, so far.
However, when I open my screen settings on my laptop, the lowest resolution I can choose for the secondary screen is 640 by 480, which is landscape VGA, while my pocket pc is portrait QVGA (240 by 320)! That's a little weird.
I suspect it's because my main screen has a landscape ratio, so it picks a landscape ratio for the secondary screen too, the minimun being landscape 640x480 (because with 320x240, the height would be smaller than the physical 240x320 screen........ get it?). Oh well, it isn't a problem really.

Try setting the viewing area on your device to maximum (right click on the SW icon in your system tray, then click 'settings'), this makes it a tiny but viewable, full-pledged desktop!!!
When I'm working on a Word document, I can drag parts of the text to my device screen as little scrap-objects so I can paste them somewhere else, making it an extra clipboard.

There must be a thousand other uses. This is a cool program, thanks Innobec.

Robrecht.

[Innobec]

[...] I'm using my pocket pc hooked up to my laptop; laptop primary screen, pocket pc secondary through SideWindow. Works great, so far. [...] when I open my screen settings on my laptop, the lowest resolution I can choose for the secondary screen is 640 by 480, which is landscape VGA, while my pocket pc is portrait QVGA (240 by 320)! That's a little weird.[...] There must be a thousand other uses. This is a cool program, thanks Innobec.

Actually the reason the lowest resolution you can go to is 640x480 is because this is the lowest resolution screen supported by Windows XP - it's a video driver SDK limitation more than anything else. We do our best to compensate for this limitation however.

Thanks for the kind words.