Sniper for Pocket PC for Collaboration with Other Devices via Bluetooth [Archive]

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Ekkie Tepsupornchai

09-20-2006, 02:00 PM

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.gadgetapps.net/' target='_blank'>http://www.gadgetapps.net/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"Sniper is a MoSoSo (Mobile Social Software) application designed to operate using BlueTooth. Using Sniper you can send/receive and reply to text messages from other BlueTooth equipped phones (including non Windows Mobile devices such as Nokias and Sony-Ericssons)... Sniper will also allow you to transfer files between devices as well as messages... Sniper also includes a Bluejacking feature which means you can send files or messages to all devices within range at the same time. A useful feature for sending out Business cards at meetings!"</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/ekkie_sniper_200609.jpg" /><br /><br />That loading page makes Sniper look like an arcade shoot'em-up, but Sniper is actually a Bluetooth driven application allowing you to send and receive messages via Bluetooth with other Bluetooth-enabled devices (including Nokia and SonyEricsson smartphones) that are within range. I'm not sure how welcome the Bluejacking feature will be though (allows for broadcasted messages to all discoverable Bluetooth-devices in the area). Anyway, if you're interested, trial download is available via the provided link and you can register the software for $7.95.

sweb3028

09-20-2006, 04:46 PM

uhhh ..... where's the link :?

j.moghisi

09-20-2006, 06:02 PM

look at the photo a little bit more carefully

http://www.gadgetapps.net/ if you couldn't find it (no offence)

cya

Menneisyys

09-20-2006, 08:36 PM

Have been testing this stuff for quite some time. It, however, seems I'll only be able to post a review & comparison tomorrow (I've had a very busy day and, especially now, after swimming, am very tired). Stay tuned :)

jlp

09-21-2006, 01:40 AM

Does this version at last support the best PPC aka Pocket Loox 720? 8)

RogueSpear

09-21-2006, 03:11 AM

Menneisyys

09-21-2006, 07:15 AM

Does this version at last support the best PPC aka Pocket Loox 720? 8)

Nope, it's only compatible with the MS BT stack.

Menneisyys

09-21-2006, 07:21 AM

I don't spend a ton of time reading the forums here, so please forgive me if this is one millionth time it's been said.. but there sure don't seem to be too many pro bono software developers in the Windows Mobile field. I realize that $7.95 isn't all that much, but this is one of those utilities where you would want as many people as possible to be using it. Even if it were free, I can't imagine running into too many others while out and about that you'd connect to with this.

Well, there has always been a great demand for personal messaging / file transfer solutions. Imagine a boring meeting where you can send quick messages on your PDA to a friend next to you, without the others knowing this ;)

Menneisyys

09-21-2006, 08:46 PM

Here's my review:

REVIEW: Latest, just-released version of Bluetooth chatter / Bluejacking app Sniper

Ever wanted to use the Bluetooth capabilities of your Pocket PC for local (text) messaging and file transfer, including local broadcasting? Take a look at Sniper, which is a comparatively new, constantly updated native Bluetooth messenger utility.

Unfortunately, there are very few local Bluetooth-based applications on the Pocket PC platform. As has pointed out in my article on Microsoft (MS) Portrait (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=179&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1), the only really usable, Bluetooth-capable, internet-less text messaging / file transfer application, Portrait isn’t able to work over the Microsoft Bluetooth stack, only over real TCP/IP networks (including BT PAN and Wi-Fi P2P), which the Microsoft Bluetooth stack doesn't support because it lacks support for the Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN).

The same stands for the very similar but already abandoned Gphone . Finally, the other two, similar applications, ProximityMail and Bluetooth Chat, are no longer supported and have never really worked. (Note that I elaborate on the latter two apps and, particularly, the current, similar project of the developer of the former in the Appendix at the end of this article.)

At last: native Microsoft Bluetooth stack messaging solution; on the other hand, some compatibility problems

The new application is definitely good in that it supports the Microsoft Bluetooth stack, as opposed to Microsoft Portrait. If you have a device with the Microsoft Bluetooth stack, you’ll certainly welcome the new application – at last, a local native Bluetooth messaging solution that doesn’t require Wi-Fi peer-to-peer networks or an active Internet connection.

http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperMain.jpg

Unfortunately, it has some severe problems. First, while the homepage of the application advertises the app as PPC2k2+-compliant, it doesn’t seem to work with pre-WM5 Windows Mobile operating systems. I’ve tested all the available versions with both Pocket PC 2002, WM2003 and WM2003SE. I've made some example screenshots (see this (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperWm2003-1.bmp.png) and this (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperWm2003-2.bmp.png)) to show you it doesn't work: as can be seen, the installer can’t even install the WM5-only CAB files.

Furthermore, it’s incompatible with Widcomm/Broadcom Bluetooth stack-based devices like all HP iPAQ Pocket PC's (an example screenshot of it refusing running on the hx4700 is here (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/Sniperhx4700.bmp.png)), the Fujitsu-Siemens T800 (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1256&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1) series, the Acer n series and, of course, the Widcomm-hacked, WM5-based Dell Axim x50(v)/x51(v)'s (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=881&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1). This is a very bad problem: developers of Bluetooth applications should at last notice that, as has already been pointed out in my articles (example here (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1226&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1)), Broadcom has in the meantime made its WinCE SDK freely available (http://www.broadcom.com/products/bluetooth_sdk.php).

Available versions and differences between them; Bluejacking support in the trial version

There are two versions worth mentioning; first, of course, the latest one, 1.2.368, available here (http://www.gadgetapps.net/info/6/Sniper%20for%20PocketPC%201.2.368).

Bluejacking (see this article (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BlueJacking) for a complete description), one of the most important and innovative (no other Pocket PC application is capable of this) feature of the application, is completely disabled in the latest, above-linked version (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperNewDisabledDemoBluejack.jpg). Older versions (for example, version 1.1.237 available here at ClickApps (http://www.clickapps.com/download.htm?pvid=5539)), however, still support this functionality in the demo, except mass-sending more than one file at a time. That is, if you want to give this functionality a try in the demo version (I certainly recommend it), get the older version.

Some examples of it in action

A Pocket PC device discovering two other Pocket PC’s (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperDiscover.bmp.png).

Compared to MS Portrait or any other TCP/IP-based chatter application (including IRC clients (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/menneisyys/112005IRCClients.asp)), its chat feature is a bit more complicated to use. This is how it happens in practice: Sending a message: step 1 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperSendMsg.bmp.png), step 2 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperSendMsg2.bmp.png). On the receiving end, you get it (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperSendMsg4.bmp.png) (note that if you see it this way (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperSendMsg3.bmp.png), it means you’ve forgotten to disable the auto-receive of incoming beam (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=1196&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1)) and save it (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperSendMsg5.bmp.png). If you answer Yes, you’ll be taken to the messages (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperSendMsg6.bmp.png); it's only then that you'll be able to read it. There, you can, for example, reply to the sender (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperReply.bmp.png).

Examples of file transfer (sending files) 1 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/BlueJackFiles0.bmp.png), 2 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/BlueJackFiles.bmp.png) 3 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/BlueJackSendOneFileOnlyWorks.bmp.png) (sending multiple files like this (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/BlueJackFilesMany.bmp.png) doesn’t work in the demo (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/BlueJackFiles-MultipleSendDoesntwork.bmp.png)). At the receiving end, they’re saved in the pre-set save directory (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/BlueJackFilesReceiveEnd.bmp.png).

An example of bluejacking (http://www.winmobiletech.com/092006Sniper/SniperBluejakcMassSend.bmp.png).

Verdict

If you want local chatting with other Microsoft BT stack-based Pocket PC's or non-Windows Mobile Bluetooth phones, give it a try. If you can’t use a Wi-Fi peer-to-peer connection (or full Internet connectivity) between your WM5 Microsoft BT stack-based devices, give it a try. If you want to do some bluejacking, give it a try. Otherwise, particularly if you have a pre-WM5 or Widcomm/Broadcom-based device, stick with the free MS Portrait.

Appendix: What about ProximityMail and Bluetooth Chat?

Unfortunately, the other two native (non TCP/IP-based, unlike MS Portrait and Gphone) Bluetooth messaging applications, ProximityMail and Bluetooth Chat (latest, tested, still available versions 1.44 and 0.5b, respectively) are both useless and no longer developed.

The former, ProximityMail, will never be updated; the developer, Inventop Corp (http://www.proximitymail.com/), has removed all references to the product, including even the old download link (http://www.proximitymail.com/register.htm) (also see this (http://www.freewareppc.com/communication/proximitymail.shtml)). Its successor, BUZZeeBee (see the homepage for more info), still only has a desktop PC version. (They have been promising the Pocket PC version for months; there is still no sign of it).

The latter, Bluetooth Chat by Andrey Demidov (http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=11818), hasn’t been updated for three years and also seems to be completely abandoned. Needless to say, it has never really worked either.

jlp

09-21-2006, 09:20 PM

So to summerize your review this program only works on 10% of all PPCs in use today 8O.

Is that a good summary? 8)

Bad, bad, bad :evil:

Menneisyys

09-21-2006, 09:35 PM

So to summerize your review this program only works on 10% of all PPCs in use today 8O.

Is that a good summary? 8)

Bad, bad, bad :evil:

Yup, currently WM5 + MS BT stack. Now that I've linked in the Broadcom API, however, I do hope they also implement Widcomm/Broadcom support (and also make a pre-WM5-compliant installer available).

iforevans

10-10-2006, 02:56 PM

Hi,

I'm the developer of Sniper :)

Thanks for the review. I'd like to answer some of your points.

"Unfortunately, it has some severe problems. First, while the homepage of the application advertises the app as PPC2k2+-compliant, it doesn’t seem to work with pre-WM5 Windows Mobile operating systems. I’ve tested all the available versions with both Pocket PC 2002, WM2003 and WM2003SE. I've made some example screenshots (see this and this ) to show you it doesn't work: as can be seen, the installer can’t even install the WM5-only CAB files."

Sniper WILL run happily on 2003 Pocket PC's. The App was developed using Visual Studio 2003 targeted for 2003 Pocket PC's. Yet for some reason CABS are rejected by *some* PPC's of that OS. Microsoft tell me that this is because the manufactures have made changes that make the OS report itself incorrectly.Do I beleive them? ;)

Anyway, I am working on a fix for the CAB files.

If you'd like to see Sniper working on one of your 2003/2003SE PPC's WITH the MS stack, you can email me on

sniper[AT]gadgetapps.net

And I'll tell you how to get it installed and running.

Your point about the Broadcom stack is well taken. When writing Sniper I had to make a choice of Broadcomm or MS stack. ALL Smartphones at the time used the MS stack (The recently released Q is now an exception) and around half of PPC's as well. So i went with the MS Stack. Also at the time Broadcom were also charging a lot of money for the SDK which has only very recently been released free of charge. I am now looking into a Broadcom version.

Again, thanks for taking the time to review Sniper :)

...Ifor

Menneisyys

10-10-2006, 03:33 PM

Glad to hear you'll implement Broadcom support :)

iforevans

10-10-2006, 03:34 PM

So to summerize your review this program only works on 10% of all PPCs in use today 8O.

Is that a good summary? 8)

Bad, bad, bad :evil:

"Yup, currently WM5 + MS BT stack. Now that I've linked in the Broadcom API, however, I do hope they also implement Widcomm/Broadcom support (and also make a pre-WM5-compliant installer available)."

Update, so I think that my version of Visual Studo is using the Smartphone version of the CAB generator even when generating PPC CABS. This is bad as the Smartphone version of CABWIZ generates, by default, Compressed CABS. Pre WM5 PPC's cannot handle compressed CABS.

I am going to build a non-compressed CAB using the PPC version of CABWIZ. Would you be up for testing it for me?

Cheers

...Ifor

Menneisyys

10-10-2006, 03:41 PM

I am going to build a non-compressed CAB using the PPC version of CABWIZ. Would you be up for testing it for me?

Sure, feel free to send it over.

iforevans

10-10-2006, 03:47 PM

Menneisyys

10-10-2006, 03:50 PM

I am going to build a non-compressed CAB using the PPC version of CABWIZ. Would you be up for testing it for me?

Sure, feel free to send it over.

Will take me a few hours. I have to reinstall VS to get hold of the original PPC CABWIZ. Once its done I'll send it over :)

Can you PM me with an email I can send to?

Cheers

...Ifor

OK, addy PM'ed; no hurry because I'll soon go to swim and, then, sleep (I'm situated in Europe).

iforevans

10-10-2006, 04:00 PM

iforevans

10-17-2006, 02:33 PM

So, the new CABS (uncompressed) work on the older PPC's as well now.

However Sniper will not run on WM devices that use the WidComm/Broadcomm stack.

ALL Smartphones (except the Q) use the MS Stack and ALL of the HTC Pocket PC's as well. This is why I went with the MS Stack.

I *may* start work on a Broadcomm version, but it means a complete rewrite of the low level parts of Sniper which is a LOT of work and this is a part-time thing for me. Sniper doesn't pay the rent. And there is a lot of other stuff I was planning for 1.3. It'll come down to Broadcomm support or a 1.3 Release.

I may do a poll on the Sniper home site www.gadgetapps.net site to find out what percentage of people have an MS vs Broadcom device.

...Ifor