04-09-2003, 12:08 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
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Capable Pocket PC Installer from Spb Software House
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/airsetup/index.html
Spb Software House has come up with a very cool solution to a problem that is becoming more and more common among developers and end users. Pocket PC application installations generally depend on a desktop PC connection and ActiveSync. The Pocket PC has all the support built-in to really be a first class citizen on the network, so the PC dependencies are really not technically nescessary. Sure, you can use so called CAB files to install applications without ActiveSunc but CAB files are large, don't give the user the choice on where to install the application, and can't pop up an end-user license agreement when installing the application. The problem is the same regardless of whether the Pocket PC is connected to the Internet using wire or wireless, but the fact that CAB files are large do present more of an obstacle in wireless scenarios which are more expensive and usually deliver lower bandwidth.
The solution to the problems is called Spb AirSetup which addresses all of these issues:
"... AirSetup provides effective compression of CAB files, drastically cutting down on the file size and the time required to download the file. In internal testing, CAB file sizes shrunk anywhere from 24% to 47% in size, and further savings are possible depending on the nature of the CAB install. Smaller file sizes mean faster downloads, less chance of error, and less cost to the customer. This, in turn, results in more trial downloads, and more potential customers. Spb AirSetup allows the developer to specify the location of the application install, or to give the user an option of internal RAM or any system storage card. If your application only works in main system RAM, you can mandate the install location. Giving potential customers a choice of where to install an application greatly enhances the odds that they'll keep it installed for the length of your trial period rather than uninstalling it when they run short of system RAM. The final feature of Spb AirSetup is to provide an integrated EULA and HTML-based Read Me file. This allows developers to present a trial install guide, help file, or any other support materials. The inclusion of the EULA allows an install procedure that protects the developer from potential legal liabilities if something were to go wrong with the install procedure. Although rare, occurrences such as these are not unheard of, and using Spb AirSetup will allow developers to protect themselves. By including rich Read Me files, developers can point out important application features that will enhance the user's experience."
The following image illustrates where Spb AirSetup comes into the picture!
Spb AirSetup is targeted to developers and costs $99.95. There's a free demo version available. Read more in the press release!
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04-09-2003, 01:03 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 330
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This sounds very good news for wireless users. There is nothing as bad as downloading an app to your pocketpc and finding you can only install it via an active sick(not a mistake). Cab files also have the nasty habbit of deleting themselves after you do an install. Install on demand is the way to go.
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04-09-2003, 01:20 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 45
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I would really like to see a "more" link for this news article. My whole screen is filled with it so I can only see this article. Usually there is a more button on such a large piece of text (look at Jason's reports lately)
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04-09-2003, 01:21 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 170
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I was waiting for some developer to release something like this. What would be great is that online software retailers adopt a system like this, or it becomes the standard used on the net, so that when browsing from a pocket pc you could try out software without need of booting up a pc.
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04-09-2003, 01:22 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 170
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Eh, will this need to install something from the pocket pc or we could take a barebones pocket pc, start IE and begin installing apps? Gonna go to website and find out...
-edit-
http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/prod...up/sample.html
Seems they are self-contained and doesnt need to preinstall anything on the pocketpc... right?
Will try later @ home, no wireless at work.
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04-09-2003, 01:35 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Apr 2007
Posts: 354
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Venturello
Seems they are self-contained and doesnt need to preinstall anything on the pocketpc... right?
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Yes a single self contained file which does the whole setup process - very neat!
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04-09-2003, 02:47 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 302
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CAB Files?
I have never installed a PPC app with a CAB file, but do so regularly on an old CE 2.11 device. I am always given a choice about where I want to install an app. Is what Andy said true?
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04-09-2003, 02:52 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 124
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Great! Good luck
I hope that developers DO use this. It's acutally reasonably priced, too.
This will be a boon to Mac OS users with PocketPCs. Sure, I can extract CABs and install them manually, but as the article mentions, I can not choose installation destination. That means moving things by hand to the SD card, hacking the registry, and fixing links. It's a pain.
Good luck, spb!
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04-09-2003, 02:59 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 1,177
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by sfjlittel
I would really like to see a "more" link for this news article. My whole screen is filled with it so I can only see this article. Usually there is a more button on such a large piece of text (look at Jason's reports lately)
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Sure, no problem! It's done! 
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04-09-2003, 03:10 PM
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Thinker
Join Date: Mar 2004
Posts: 469
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It's called cabinstall, works great for me, let's me install where I want to. Usually you can tell if a developer has been thinking ahead by the fact that he/she has a .cab or .exe download available. :roll:
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