MobilityFlow's Touch Commander

[Janak Parekh]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.touch-commander.com/' target='_blank'>http://www.touch-commander.com/</a><br /><br /></div><i>"MobilityFlow.com today announces Touch Commander, a unique application for controlling PDA and smartphones by recognizing and responding to the touch and sweep of a finger across the screen. With Touch Commander in place, you get a one-touch access to phone calls, emails, SMS messages, calendar, appointments, applications and other commonly used content. The 'touchy-feely' effect provided by Touch Commander is much the same as the finger touch scrolling, browsing and spinning a three dimensional interface by the finger in the Touch phone by HTC TouchFLO or Apple iPhone."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/parekh-20081101-TouchCommander.gif" /><br /><br />If you don't have an HTC device with TouchFLO but want finger-based operation, this might be a product to check out. There's a neat little Flash animation on their homepage that quickly shows how to use the product. If anyone's given it a spin, feel free to post your experiences here. If you like the software, it costs $14.95.

[JonnoB]

Eventually I expect Microsoft to build this type of functionality into the OS. With the success of the Apple iPod Touch and iPhone as well as the HTC Cube and TouchFlo interfaces, I can see this as becoming necessary overall. Unlike the Apple products however, the touch interface is not consistent across all applications. This is where core functionality needs to be woven from an OS perspective. Perhaps implemented as a SIP with full screen gesture support?

[azhiker]

One hand operation sounds great!

Shucks! :cry: It only works for those with Windows Mobile 5 and better. Not on my Axim 50V with Windows Mobile 2003 SE. I am not going to adjust my operating system just to get this touch system. So I will have to wait for my next phone or PDA with Wndows Mobile 6 or 7!

[hamishmacdonald]

I don't think you can really use the word "unique" in your copy then go on to describe two other products your software is designed to mimic.

[smittyofdhs]

one handed touch or scrolling is really cool BUT...

AS mentioned above, the rest of the OS is not setup to do this. The apple OS (for the most part) is setup to be an OS with loads of finger-friendly buttons and sliders. The WM OS is not that and won't be that until MS decides to pull on this into the OS.

What's the point of using a finger-friendly launcher to open a program (for eexample, the calendar app), then what?.... you have to get out the stylus and start using the OS as we have for years in the PPC world. So in reality, this finger-friendly launcher has really not saved me any time or work or made it any easier to use the device. This holds true with almost any app. most of them are designed to be used with stylus, not the finger.

[mikeypizano]

I agree, I tried the demo and was not really impressed much after a day. Its more less for showing off really...

[deanhatescoffee]

Looks, and sounds, pretty "meh". Touch interfaces are cool, but using a stylus is more precise anyway. Considering the fact that this app is really only good for a few screens before you need to use a stylus, it seems pretty worthless overall.

[jkendrick]

I tried this on the HTC Advantage a couple of weeks ago but it won't run, errors out on start. Contact to their support went unanswered. I tried it at their request so I'm rot impressed with their support at all.

[Non-Geek]

I find the software quite useful. I note comments by others that after 1 or 2 applications, we still have to use a stylus. But I just added folder, followed by sub-folders and further to create a line of commands until gets to do what I want --- all operated by fingers. The only drawback is that it takes a long time to create those lines of commands. Good application, but I also hope Microsoft will incorporate a more touch friendly application.

[jarekt]

One hand operation sounds great!

Shucks! :cry: It only works for those with Windows Mobile 5 and better. Not on my Axim 50V with Windows Mobile 2003 SE. I am not going to adjust my operating system just to get this touch system. So I will have to wait for my next phone or PDA with Wndows Mobile 6 or 7!

AFAIK You need Net framework 2.0. Very nice app. I like it much better than original The Cube by HTC.

[bigray327]

This functionality is available for free at xda-developers.com.

[blazingwolf]

This functionality is available for free at xda-developers.com.

Yep. A program called Ftouchflo will give you the finger scrolling in all applications. It's very nice and works great with some of the flash cube programs that have been created.

[Eriq Cook]

Pretty cool. Worked good on my T-Mo Wing. Only about 500k required to install. I'll be surprised if we don't see this tech built into the next WM7 (along with VoiceCommand 2.0) :)

[sto-helit.de]

Could anybody explain me that fuss about finger friendly lauchers currently?
The old programs menu is (mostly), MortButtons does similar things (in some aspects more, though there are no finger gestures) since several years and almost nobody even noticed it, but now with SPB Menu (part of Mobile Shell) and HTC Touch (where at least there's an additional Today plugin and touchflo in most applications), it's suddenly the big thing?
Besides, I'd rather like something like PP4's today plugin build in the upcoming WM update...

[Jason Lee]

Haven't you learned yet? Steve Jobs said it was the next big thing... You have no choice. ;)

I just find it really funny that all these years people have wanted "one handed navigation", the ability to use their WM device without touching the screen...
Well I guess now that we have that it is time to want something else. But I guess that is to be expected. it seems to be human nature to not be satisfied with what you have. :D

My device has the touchflo scrolling but not the silly cube. I do find the finger scrolling handy from time to time but I do think this iPhone craze is getting a little out of hand. With every developer out there adding touch scrolling there are bound to be conflicts eventually.

[sto-helit.de]

Haven't you learned yet? Steve Jobs said it was the next big thing... You have no choice. ;)
That must be it... Always faszinating, how Steve get's it again and again. I think he could even make old cells like Nokia 5110 the big thing - "Easy interface, even old people can use it! And you can change the cover!!!". ;)

I just find it really funny that all these years people have wanted "one handed navigation", the ability to use their WM device without touching the screen...
Even more funny if you regard MortButtons supports both - iterating with one hardware button and run by timeout, and/or tapping a big screen entry (well, "big" depending on Skin and settings...). But still there was no big fuzz about it. Don't get me wrong, I don't whine about it. It wasn't my most time intensive project, and I wouldn't get rich from many freeware users anyway. ;)
I'm just a bit surprised similar concepts become so popular years after the first versions, just because there's an iPhone... (OK, admitted - Today launcher plugins were quite popular before. And some people lauched MortButtons from them as "sub menus" before, too...)

Well I guess now that we have that it is time to want something else. But I guess that is to be expected. it seems to be human nature to not be satisfied with what you have. :D
Good thing is: With a PPC you can update and choose. When Steve says the iPhone's an outdated interface, you've got to buy the next $700 phone ("Dude, you want to launch Safari with a single hardware button? Here's iPhone 2.0!" :twisted: )
Though there's a quite deprimising trend to remove the application buttons from newer PPC PEs. I think that's quite a sad trend. Once there were at least 4 app buttons at the same location on all PPCs, so apps and games could utilize them. Then there were the first PEs, and they were assigned completely confusing (button 1 on the top right?). And nowadays, many devices only have a camera button that can't be modified and one or two other application buttons. But that's maybe something for another discussion... (OK, now there are the soft keys, too. Nice thing, sure, but I'd still love some more app buttons... And on some PEs even those are missing...)

I do find the finger scrolling handy from time to time
Sure, I like that, too. PP4 has something similar included. I don't say it's all bad.

With every developer out there adding touch scrolling there are bound to be conflicts eventually.
Indeed. I think something like that should be part of the operating system. Let's see if they do it in WM7. Since there are solutions out now, this shouldn't be too hard to implement...
Besides, touch srolling sometimes conflicts with other usages. For example, it becomes a bit complicated to select multiple items or move to a different screen element ("Oops, didn't want to press THAT button!") if the area scrolls instead of the old behaviour. E.g., it might be nice to scroll your agenda - but how to select more than half an hour for a new appointment?

[stoker]

Don't mind the program too much..Programming folders, icons takes a little time though.. On my Tytn, the lag ,when hitting the screen is almost negligible,, I even think that my programs, including Resco explorer etc, come up faster..Not sure why that would be though..Maybe just an illusion. Trying to find the right thumb movement or finger movement can be a little trying. Many times I would touch the screen ,perhaps in the wrong place, and the program(Touch commander) would disappear. Now, in their animatied Gif on their home page, it shows a thumb movement downwards to close the TC program, and leaving you with the Today screen, however, I havent't figured out yet what gesture you need to bring it back up! (other than having to click on the TC shortcup all over again). Perhaps if anyone knows, they can mention it in the reply area. Thx

[dcmarch]

I have a treo and the touch commander locks up the screen every time I use it. It looks like a nice program if it would worked. I have emailed support several times with no reply. Poor custumer service in my eyes.