11-29-2004, 06:00 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 46
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Wisbar Advance 2: Using Your Pocket PC Just Got Easier
Product Category: Utility
Manufacturer: Lakeridge Software
Where to buy: PocketGear
Price: $9.99 USD
System Requirements: Windows Pocket PC 2002 or greater, Windows Mobile 2003, Windows Mobile 2003SE, 500Kb of storage memory.
Pros:- Tightly integrates with the OS;
- Eases navigation of menus and settings;
- Eases configuration of various aspects of a Pocket PC;
- Small storage requirement.
Cons:- There is no help or user manual included in the program;
- Wisbar Advance 2.0 acts strangely when used with PDA phones (the developer warns that it was not designed to work with a Pocket PC phone. Although it works, it has some minor ideosyncracies);
- Small resource indicators can be hard to read.
Summary:
Wisbar Advance is a good example of a highly useful program that comes in a small and affordable package. Every once in a while, a Pocket PC program comes along that really enhances and improves the usability of the Pocket PC; Wisbar Advance 2.0 is one of them. The program smoothly integrates with the OS to the point that it doesn't feel like an add on. The beauty of Wisbar Advance is that it does not intrude on or alter the function of other programs or the OS itself.
Read on for the full review!
Figure 1: Cascading menus make Wisbar Advance easy to navigate.
The Wisdom of Wisbar Advance
I couldn't count the times that someone has seen me busily clicking away at my Pocket PC and said, "I thought about getting one of those, but they seem too complicated for me." These comments often come from people who are not technophobes--many of them work in the technology industry, as I do. Their common misconception stems from the idea that a Pocket PC would add an unnecessary complication to their life and a strain on their wallet. Those of us who have been willing to get a Pocket PC, and learn to use it, know the value and usefulness of our "second brain."
To be honest, the learning curve for me with my Pocket PC Phone Edition was probably longer than I'd like to admit. Stick with me, here, because this line of thought *does* have something to do with Wisbar Advance. When a product that makes a Pocket PC more user-friendly, more configurable, and easier to use, it's good for the user, and it's good for the Pocket PC industry, in general. Wisbar Advance 2 takes a short time to get accustomed to, but it adds some very nice features to the Pocket PC.- Manage applications (and memory) more efficiently;
- Easily add and remove functions from the task bar;
- Customize the appearance and buttons of any program;
- Setup audio notifications for system events.
Figure 2: Access the items under your task menu from any screen.
Something for Everyone
Even if you're one of those Pocket PC users who is content to navigate to the remaining charge on your battery, even if you don't mind navigating to the screen that shows your memory usage, and even if you enjoy manually closing programs, Wisbar Advance 2 still has something for you. Although it's a bit tedious, Wisbar Advance enables the user to create custom skins for your applications or download and use skins created by other users. Wisbar Advance 2 also provides the ability to easily switch between applications, and allows you to actually close programs by exiting them, instead of minimizing them. Also, with the pull down menu on the bar, the user has the option of closing all background tasks or closing all tasks.
It's All About Convenience
What's the best thing about Wisbar Advance 2? For me, ithe best thing about Wisbar is the continuous and unobtrusive indicators that give a general representation of how much storage and program memory is available, an iicon on the tool bar that allows me to switch to my phone dialer screen with one click, and an icon that displays whether there is voice mail, e-mail, or SMS messages waiting. These displays are constantly viewable on the bar at the top of the display. Wisbar Advance is a small and yet is makes a big difference in the ease of keeping an eye status of the most critical aspects of the Pocket PC -- it's a no-brainer.
The days of having to go back to the Today screen and using it as a portal for many functions, that the average user needs, are gone. Wisbar Advance 2 moves the "Programs" listing on the menu bar on the "Start" button and if selected, the program list cascades, similar to the desktop version of Microsoft's OS, and the program categories, too, are multi-tiered and will cascade without navigating.
Figure 3: Cascading menus make navigation easy.
How Well Does This Thing Work?
When I first installed Wisbar Advance, I didn't really notice anything--at first. I wasn't sure what was supposed to happen, what it would do, or how it would benefit me. Then, I noticed that when the program is started, the new, if subtle, bar that resides at the top of the screen was the key to the Wisbar's functionality. Like most everything, there is a slight learning curve associated with Wisbar Advance, but it strikes me that it's the sort of program that, once it's installed and the user gets accustomed to it, it feels like a very "normal" part of the OS and it's easy to become attached to the advantages that it provides.
Wisbar Advance 2 installs easily and doesn't need a lot of explanation, but some of the finer points of the features are elusive, especially without a help file or user guide readily available. Lakeridge Software does have some FAQ's and directions on skinning. Skinning may not be high on everyone's priority list, but there are a few cool skins that are available for free download on the manufacturer's site.
Figure 4: Downloadable skin created for Wisbar Advance 2.
Conclusions
If you've got a Pocket PC with a suitable OS, you can benefit from what Wisbar Advance has to offer. Wisbar Advance 2 does not alter the way any of the other programs on the Pocket PC work, but it offers the capability of more easily accessing and monitoring battery, memory, and message status. If I can look at my Pocket PC screen and see whether I have messages, memory available, and/or switch between active programs, without having to go back to my Today screen or minimize running programs, life is good. The previously mentioned trial downloads are available from Handange, PocketGear, and directly from Lakeridge Software. If you like the convenience of having several key status indicators visible at a glance, and you're tired of having to manually close programs, Wisbar Advance 2.0 is well worth the $10 pricetag.
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11-29-2004, 07:00 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Apr 2003
Posts: 124
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v. 2 versus Advance
I use wisbar advance and really enjoy it. Would people using 2.0 recommend it. $10 is not that much, but I am happy with advance. Anyone want to comment on the differences between the two and your experiences with it. I will download the trial, but just want to get some other user comments right now.
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11-29-2004, 07:22 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 96
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Re: Wisbar Advance 2: Using Your Pocket PC Just Got Easier
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Originally Posted by Steve Sharp
Cons:- Wisbar Advance 2.0 acts strangely when used with PDA phones (the developer warns that it was not designed to work with a Pocket PC phone. Although it works, it has some minor ideosyncracies);
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Does anyone know of specific issues related to Wisbar Advance 2 and Pocket PC Phone Edition?
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11-29-2004, 08:29 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 46
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phone edition issues
all I've noticed is that there is a phone icon on the tool bar that allows you to toggle to the phone dialer, and sometimes I get 3 or 4 iterations of this icon on the bar.
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11-29-2004, 08:39 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 46
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differences in versions of Wisbar
I haven't used the original version of Wisbar, so I don't know what has changed. I think Doug Reaburn has a lot of experience w/ both versions. maybe he'll pop in and offer some comments.
SS
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11-29-2004, 10:02 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Oct 2004
Posts: 14
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I really enjoy Wisbar, adds some great functionality and there are some great skins available.
However, I've noticed that with the hx4700, when I try to activate Landscape mode with WisBar activated, the top bar's graphics become garbled and the start button dosn't work, requiring a soft reset. Very annoying. As a result I don't use landscape as often as I'd like.
Aside from this problem it's a great program, I highly reccommend it.
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11-29-2004, 10:21 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 81
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Lakeridge Software is making a Wisbar Advance called Phone Edition
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11-30-2004, 01:23 AM
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Theorist
Join Date: May 2004
Posts: 266
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Sorry, I didn't like it. I used it for a day and then installed vbar instead. I really didn't need all the features, just an X that closes instead of minimize. I liked the older version of Wisbar better.
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11-30-2004, 02:07 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2004
Posts: 90
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Comparison Question
What would be the real advantages of Wisbar Advance over PPX?
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11-30-2004, 02:15 AM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2004
Posts: 81
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PPX looks kool, but i dont know much about it, does it have many issues with it? Im looking to get this and try it out, is it worth a look?
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Linear Mode
