The Cheap Man's Fizz Traveller

[Rocco Augusto]

If you own a Windows Mobile device then chances are you have heard of <a href="http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=216">Fizz Traveller</a> [Affiliate] or have run across the homescreen weather plug-in for this program. While Fizz Traveller is a fantastic program, unfortunately not everyone can afford it. This is where Google comes into play, by also offering a Web-based weather service. With just a few clicks of the keypad you can have Google serve you up a five-day forecast that is just as good as any other weather prediction software.<!><br /> <br />If you can afford Fizz Traveller then I highly recommend purchasing it. There are so many fantastic homescreens out there that use the Fizz plug-in that it would be a shame not to have this program in your arsenal. If you can’t afford it though then this tip is for you, so pay attention.<br /><br />First thing you need to do is open up Pocket IE. Once inside of Pocket IE hit the right soft key button and choose “<i>ADDRESS BAR</i>”. Inside the address bar enter in the URL “<i><a href="htp://www.google.com">htp://www.google.com</a></i>” and select the option “<i>GO</i>” or hit the left soft key.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz1.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz1t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a> <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz2.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz2t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a> <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz3.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz3t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a><br /><i>(Figure 1a, 1b and 1c shows the process of navigating to Google inside of Pocket IE)</i><br /><br />Once Google’s page fully loads enter “<i>weather:[YOUR ZIP CODE]</i>” into the search box and select the “<i>Google Search</i>” button. What should display is a nice five-day forecast like the one in the screenshot below. You will have to scroll around the page a little bit to see the complete five-day forecast, but when you’re going the free route you usually have to work a little bit for the reward.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz4.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz4t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a> <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz5.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz5t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a><br /><i>(Figure 2a, 2b gives you an example of what the Google Weather page looks like)</i><br /><br />Now to make things easier on you the next time you want to check the weather we are going to bookmark this page. To do this we will hit the right soft key button to bring up the “<i>MENU</i>” and we will select option three which is “<i>ADD TO FAVORITES</i>”. To keep things simple lets change the name to “<i>Google Weather</i>” and hit the left soft key button to add this to your favorites. <br /><br /><a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz6.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz6t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a> <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz7.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz7t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a> <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz8.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz8t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a> <a href="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz9.png"><img src="http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/images/augusto-2006.06.19-cheapfizz9t.png" alt="User submitted image" title="User submitted image"/></a><br /><i>(Figure 3a, 3b, 3c and 3d covers the process of saving your new found Internet friend, Google Weather, to your current list of favorites :))</i><br /><br />Now if you want to know what the weather is like all you have to do is open Pocket IE and choose the bookmark you made for Google Weather and you’re in business!<br /><br /><i>Rocco Augusto is a Contributing Editor for Smartphone Thoughts. When not selling cellular phones for Cingular you can usually find him on the Smartphone Thoughts forums or playing with his HTC Faraday handset.</i>

[ctmagnus]

:( Doesn't work yet with Canadian postal codes.

[Rocco Augusto]

sorry :(

[brobinson]

Or create a favorite from this link - http://www.accuweather.com/pda/pda_5dy.asp?thisZip=90210

Just replace the zip code and go directly to the 5 day forecast formatted for a mobile device in a couple of taps.

[aarcam]

Good tip. When I go to htp://www.google.com, it automatically changes the address to http://www.google.wml and I don’t have the same options and the search results are everything but helpful.

It works if I go to http://www.google.com/webhp and follow the rest of your tutorial though.

I have an SP5 + Cingular data plan.

[supbro]

Or use my favorite, wunderground. It even has a satellite image:

http://mobile.wunderground.com/cgi-bin/findweather/getForecast?brand=mobile&amp;query=90210

(change zip code appropriately)

[reydiodj]

Well, if it's only weather, there's always the freeware app from Connected Bits:

http://weather.connectedbits.com/

- it has always worked great on my MPx200, SMT5600 and the WM5.0 version is in beta.

[Kris Kumar]

Well, if it's only weather, there's always the freeware app from Connected Bits:

http://weather.connectedbits.com/

- it has always worked great on my MPx200, SMT5600 and the WM5.0 version is in beta.

I wanted to use that but decided to stay away. It requires .NET CF 2.0 to be installed, which will eat precious memory because the files need to go into the \Windows folder. :-( :evil:

I was surprised to find that the latest 2125 ROM doesn't have .NET 2.0 CF baked it. :-(

Unless you have other .NET 2.0 apps, I would recommend staying away from installing .NET 2.0. Just my 2 cents! :-)

[Rocco Augusto]

I wanted to use that but decided to stay away. It requires .NET CF 2.0 to be installed, which will eat precious memory because the files need to go into the \Windows folder. :-( :evil:

I was surprised to find that the latest 2125 ROM doesn't have .NET 2.0 CF baked it. :-(

Unless you have other .NET 2.0 apps, I would recommend staying away from installing .NET 2.0. Just my 2 cents! :-)

thats the whole reason i havent finished my woize review. left me with 500k of memory left. i was holding out to see if .net was in the new rom but it wasnt :(

[Mike Temporale]

I was surprised to find that the latest 2125 ROM doesn't have .NET 2.0 CF baked it. :-(

Because .NetCF2 is a larger footprint, you won't find it baked into any updates. It's my understanding that they can't change anything that will alter the device requirements. A larger footprint changes the memory requirements on the device. So it won't happen until the next major release. Nice eh?

[sosha]

Speaking of weather, I have discovered Handy Weather at smartphone.net. It has more US cities than Fizz Traveller, which seems geared towards the European Market. It 's $5 less than Traveller, easy to use, and very straight forward.

http://www.smartphone.net/smartphonethoughts/software_detail.asp?id=2368

** modified for affiliate link by Mod MT ;)

[JrFoxMN]

Good tip. When I go to htp://www.google.com, it automatically changes the address to http://www.google.wml and I don’t have the same options and the search results are everything but helpful.

It works if I go to http://www.google.com/webhp and follow the rest of your tutorial though.

I have an SP5 + Cingular data plan.

I've got the exact same thing.

Rocco - is there something that you're doing differently that you see the normal Google page instead of the Google mobile page? I believe you have a 2125 as well. Is it because you might be using a different network. :-)

And great thread guys! Lots of sweet info.

[Kris Kumar]

Good tip. When I go to htp://www.google.com, it automatically changes the address to http://www.google.wml and I don’t have the same options and the search results are everything but helpful.

It works if I go to http://www.google.com/webhp and follow the rest of your tutorial though.

I have an SP5 + Cingular data plan.

I've got the exact same thing.

Rocco - is there something that you're doing differently that you see the normal Google page instead of the Google mobile page? I believe you have a 2125 as well. Is it because you might be using a different network. :-)

And great thread guys! Lots of sweet info.

It depends on whether you are using the "WAP" or "Internet" connection. ;-)

In pIE, go to Menu->Tools->Options->Connections:

I believe the "Automatically detect settings" is unchecked in your case. Check the box and click Done. Now try the http://www.google.com again. :-)


Also you can use Google's personalized site for the weather info. ;-)

[JrFoxMN]

It depends on whether you are using the "WAP" or "Internet" connection. ;-)

In pIE, go to Menu->Tools->Options->Connections:

I believe the "Automatically detect settings" is unchecked in your case. Check the box and click Done. Now try the http://www.google.com again. :-)

Excellent. Worked like a charm. The only "downside" I can see to this is that you can no longer get to the MEdia Net page. Does anyone know the full URL for that by chance? (Not that I really care, just more out of interest.)

[Kris Kumar]

Does anyone know the full URL for that by chance? (Not that I really care, just more out of interest.)

I remember running into that problem a long long time ago and I know that I could not get it working when the check box was selected. :-( Even spent some time with the customer support, no luck. And I don't think there is a direct URL. At least there isn't one that is published by Cingular.

But you are right, a direct URL will fix the problem, especially if it has .wml or WAP://

[Pete Paxton]

So do any of these programs give you the current temp as well as a simple extended forecast from your home today screen? Not just the extended forecast but the current conditions as well? I had a program like this for my Blackberry and it was great. I just turned on my phone and I could instantly get the current temp of my city as well as a three day forecast automatically. There must be something like this for the smartphone. Do Fizztraveller, Fizzweather, or Handy weather do this? I see where each will give the extended forecast on the home screen but not current conditions. As a health/PE teacher, it really comes in handy to know what it's currently like outside. Here's a link of the BB app:

http://www.crossriversystems.com/PocketDayBB.htm

Anything out there like this?

[subzerohf]

... Do Fizztraveller, Fizzweather, or Handy weather do this? I see where each will give the extended forecast on the home screen but not current conditions...

I have Fizztraveller on my phone. But it does not have a current condition view. In Fizztraveller they have a 24hr view and 48hr view in addition to a 5-day forecast. Each of these two views has 4 different forecast sections for the day: morning, afternoon, evening, and night. For instance, if you update the weather data at 2:51 pm, your 24hr view will start with the latest "afternoon" forecast, followed by evening, night, and morning. I guess this is close to current condition, but not quite up-to-the-minute, though.

Fizztraveller also comes with world times and alarms for each of the world times. It is quite handy if you are travelling across several time zones.

[Rocco Augusto]

It depends on whether you are using the "WAP" or "Internet" connection. ;-)

In pIE, go to Menu->Tools->Options->Connections:

I believe the "Automatically detect settings" is unchecked in your case. Check the box and click Done. Now try the http://www.google.com again. :-)

Excellent. Worked like a charm. The only "downside" I can see to this is that you can no longer get to the MEdia Net page. Does anyone know the full URL for that by chance? (Not that I really care, just more out of interest.)

http://device.home

[Kris Kumar]

http://device.home

I remember trying it and tried it again. It doesn't work.

When I said the real URL I meant to say an address that can be resolved by the DNS servers on the Internet. device.home is too generic, and the Internet DNS servers wouldn't know what to do because it is not fully qualified.

It works when pIE is using the WAP network [instead of the automatic option] because when the WAP network is active, the WAP proxy server hosted by Cingular processes the request first. The WAP proxy server of Cingular resolves the device.home address, which it knows because it is on its network. ;-)

[Mike Temporale]

When I said the real URL I meant to say an address that can be resolved by the DNS servers on the Internet. device.home is too generic, and the Internet DNS servers wouldn't know what to do because it is not fully qualified.

Device.Home would only resolve if you're using their DNS servers. Any other DNS would choke on it. So if it's not working, check the DNS you have listed. But, if you're not using it then who really cares. ;)