Now Where's eReader and Spb Finance for My Smartphone?

[marlof]

I've been using my Smartphone for some time now. Overall I'm pretty impressed with all the things I can do with my Smartphone, and I find myself wanting to leave my Pocket PC at home when I go out more and more. Just like Jason experienced with FlexWallet (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?p=45728) there's two applications that I use quite a lot which make it a necessity for me to bring my Pocket PC on most occasions: eReader and Spb Finance.

I love to read ebooks in spare moments, like when I'm waiting for an appointment/bus ride/etc. The advantage of ebooks is that you can have a wide collection with you at any given moment. And that you can read wherever you are, thanks to built in reading lights of a mobile device. And to me, eReader (http://www.ereader.com) is king when it comes to ease of use, new content and an almost perfect DRM solution. So over the past years I've ended up with a nice library of eReader ebooks. But when I just carry my Smartphone, I don't have access to my eReader books when I have to kill some time. Which.... sucks! So I find myself carrying my Pocket PC in more situations than I'd find ideal.

And there's Spb Finance (http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/finance/?en). I never was much of a user of desktop personal finance software. I found that keeping books in my spare time, sitting behind my computer, wasn't something I really wanted to do. I dislike saving tickets for this and for that, and then working my way through a bundle to enter the expenses in an application. There are so many nicer things to do with that computing time ;). But since I've started using Spb Finance, I don't worry about desktop apps anymore. I just use Spb Finance as a standalone personal finance manager, where I can update my records on the go at the moment the actual expense is happening. Providing I have my Pocket PC with me, since alas there's no version for the Smartphone. And since I don't want to collect bills to enter them later on, this is the second reason I carry my Pocket PC on more occasions than I'd care for.

How about you? Do you miss applications that would make your Smartphone the ultimate cool in usefulness?

[Mike Temporale]

I must confess, I still carry my Pocket PC with me, most of the time. While applications are one reason I still carry it, the other reason is WiFi. And that is the main reason. There is no reason I can't use eWallet on the Smartphone, but I just don't bother since I still carry my Pocket PC.

It's just so much faster and easier to check email/web over WiFi than GPRS. If I could have WiFi on my phone.... :drool:

[tcwatkins]

Have to say, the lack of a MS Reader on my smartphone has made me take the DRM off ebooks I bought so I could read them on the smartphone. I just don't see why MS doesn't put it on smartphones. More copies of MS Reader means more MS DRM books which means more royalties for MS, right?

[mbranscum]

Ummm...I use Mobipocket ereader from www.mobipocket.com ... does a nice job and has autoscroll. Have it installed on my SMT5600.

Someone here should do a review on it. :)

[apeguero]

I use Clearvue for MS documents and spreadsheets on my SMT5600. I also use XS Finance. It's alright but it doesn't synch with my MS Money. I was pretty bummed to discover that MS Money 2005 doesn't have Smartphone support. About the only thing I liked about MS Money for PocketPC was that it synched with my desktop version.

My advise for Microsoft, or anybody else, develop a program that will SYNCH with the desktop version of Money, not just exchange QIF files. That tends to get old after a while, having to delete accounts on a smartphone to then create them again in order to avoid duplicate transactions when importing a QIF file.

Another program that needs a good fixin' is Pocket Streets for Smartphone. I mean, you can't get directions in it plus it takes for ever to load. I rarely use it as a result.

I would like WIFI on my smartphone but ultimately I'd like faster GPRS.

I'd also like better memory management in these phones. It seems that at the end of the day, after running and closing a few programs and doing a little browsing, my phones memory goes down to about 5000k from an original 10218k of available memory.

For now, I'm 95% satisfied with my Audiovox SMT5600 but about 60% satisfied with the software for it.

[Jerry Raia]

You would think that MS would have SmartPhone versions of its software that is already running on the Pocket PC. Like Money. I agree about Pocket Streets, you could drive around with your eyes closed and find your way faster.

[dgage]

Since I am a consultant and travel a lot, I really like Two Peaks TripTracker. It keeps track of my itineraries, frequent flyer accounts, and expenses.

I also use CodeWallet Pro to keep track of my important account information. I am also using Roboform to keep track of username and passwords for various website accounts I have.

But one of the most used programs on my PocketPC is TextMaker as I use it to type documents on the plane. My laptop is a desktop replacement so I rarely pull it out unless I get first class so when I want to write up a document, email, or notes I whip out my Axim X5 with Dell Foldable Keyboard.

Other programs I use are primarily games with my favorite being PocketSlay.

David

[Janak Parekh]

I just don't see why MS doesn't put it on smartphones. More copies of MS Reader means more MS DRM books which means more royalties for MS, right?
They don't believe anyone would want to read eBooks on "such a small screen". :roll:

I use MobiPocket too. That's pretty good, but I already have some DRMed eReader books which I'd like to read on my Smartphone, so I sympathize (and agree!) with Marlof.

--janak

[marlof]

They don't believe anyone would want to read eBooks on "such a small screen". :roll:

I guess that's why ebook reading became quite popular on those 160x160 Palm screens. :D