Log in

View Full Version : ThunderHawk Browser for Pocket PC Review


Tycho Morgan
05-31-2002, 05:53 AM
<a href="http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/software/internet_thunderhawk.htm">http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/software/internet_thunderhawk.htm</a><br /><br />I've been watching the development of ThunderHawk since the first email concerning it landed in my inbox. This looks like a really great program, and I'm glad that it's finally available.<br /><br />I was first introduced to the idea of proxy browsing when I used a Palm, and it made perfect sense. Mobile devices simply don't have the capacity to process all of the things that big computers can and their Internet connections don't have the same broadband speeds that many of us have at home. Proxy browsing makes surfing quicker and easier, allowing for a much more enjoyable experience.<br /><br />This review just reinforces what I already suspected about this program. It's great. It's revolutionary. It's really annoying that I don't have any kind of connection to use it with. <br /> <br />By the way, here's something that always makes me happy: "ThunderHawk actually supports more web standards than Pocket IE, including HTML 4.0, SSL, XML 1.0, CSS 1 and some of CSS 2, JavaScript 1.5 and more. Not bad!"

helios
05-31-2002, 08:50 AM
I disagree with the review that Thunderhawk is a killer app for the Pocket PC. After having used a trial copy on my device for a week now, I find it has some good points, but unfortunately, it also has too many drawbacks to make it a must-have app or even a might-have app.

The good points include:

- excellent antialiased small fonts, very legible (wish these fonts were available for use in other apps besides Thunderhawk)

- graphics load faster than in pocketie, because the images are shrunk down on their servers and then sent to you

- supports more standards than pocketie, and thus you can view more web sites accurately than in pocketie

The drawbacks include:

- no cache! (pages are always reloaded on their servers and 'pushed' to your ppc).

- the whole page is not loaded in at once, just the part that is visible on your pocket pc; if you scroll down the web page, you have to wait for the thunderhawk servers to send you the next part of the webpage (this makes browsing a long website with Thunderhawk a major pain)

- no favorites/bookmarks

- you cannot use any of your installed/favorite input panels like calligrapher, wordlogic, fitaly, etc to input text; only their built-in keyboard is available

- cannot use it to display html files stored locally on your ppc device (because thunderhawk isn't really an html browser, its just a local display program which simply displays the compressed web site 'image' from the thunderhawk servers).

I personally had high hopes for the Thunderhawk application, because I really would like to be able to surf the net on the go without having to resort to lugging a laptop around and the preview pictures looked impressive. Unfortunately, my experiences with Thunderhawk were not that positive. Its definitely a good start, and perhaps with a bit more tweaking and the addition of some sorely needed features (bookmarks, cache) it might become the killer app described in the review.

denivan
05-31-2002, 11:35 AM
All i can say is that 50USD a year is a madness. I use virtual desktop manager (to change resolution) and a landscape tool for browsing the web, maybe this Thunderhawk has more readable but fonts, but I cannot justify the cost of 50 USD a year. Okay, I now it works through a proxy server based system and they need to invest in lots of bandwith and servers, but still, I cannot justify this cost, and I'm sore lots of people are with me on this.

Ivan

Paragon
05-31-2002, 02:04 PM
Sorry Sam I have to give this at least 1 1/2 thumbs down, maybe the full 2

NO cache that is a very big ooops, geeez if you scroll just a line or two you have to wait for the page to reload. Overall that is not faster surfing, it's a PITA. No bookmarks follows along not far behind in the PITA department. $50.00 a year when I can get a free proxy, no thanks.

With Internet Explorer 5.0 supposedly in Windows CE .NET, and 3G networks poping up allowing for faster services, and the availability of free proxy servers I see Thunderhawk joining it buddies, Bluekite, and Zadiel, in the recycle bin.

Now after being so critical I give Bitsteam a half a thumb for innovating. They have put considerable effort into making this happen. Maybe something very good will spin off of this. You never progress if you don't try.

Dave

dma1965
05-31-2002, 06:46 PM
I have to side with the naysayers as well on this issue. Although the font and general page rendering is quite nice, the fact that it does no caching makes it quite unpleasant, even over my 802.11 network. I was hoping this would solve the issue of my online banking, which it does seem to do, at least in the security issues, but scrolling down my online statement takes so long, it is actually faster to just run the hack through RegKing. I also have to give up all the cool stuff MultiIE allows me to do, such as multiple windows, tap and hold menu functionality, button mappings, save as functions, and, of course, the ability to build my own locally stored portal page, and Avantgo (the last two are Pocket IE functions). I would probably keep Thunderhawk for those few occassions when I want to do stuff that is a complete pain in the butt with Pocket IE (like viewing THIS :!: discussion board), but at $49 per year, they are SOL with this unsatisfied customer. :cry:

Paragon
05-31-2002, 07:16 PM
I was hoping this would solve the issue of my online banking, :

Are you aware there ia a reg hack that usually sovle that ?

Dave

dma1965
05-31-2002, 07:44 PM
If you read my post again, you will see that I mentioned using RegKing, which does perform the reg hack you mention, so, yes, I am aware, and I appreciate your assistance anyway. :D

Paragon
05-31-2002, 08:36 PM
If you read my post again, you will see that I mentioned using RegKing, which does perform the reg hack you mention, so, yes, I am aware, and I appreciate your assistance anyway. :D

Duh! Some days my lights are on but no one's home.

Dave

dma1965
05-31-2002, 08:39 PM
Duh! Some days my lights are on but no one's home.

At least your lights turn on when they are supposed to. Wish I could say the same for my iPaq 3870 :evil:

Paragon
05-31-2002, 08:41 PM
Shoulda bought a Jornada :D

Dave

dma1965
05-31-2002, 08:43 PM
Shoulda bought a Jornada :D

Dave

Been there, done that, hated it !!!! No offense intended. :wink:

Don't Panic!
06-01-2002, 01:37 AM
Duh! Some days my lights are on but no one's home.

At least your lights turn on when they are supposed to. Wish I could say the same for my iPaq 3870 :evil: :lol: I got a replacement for my 3835/50 under the carepaq program and for the past 3 weeks I haven't had any problems with the backlight. Maybe they've fixed it but aren't telling anyone? the serial number starts with 4G.
I hope data service prices come down soon in the US. I'm so jealous of the Canadians :wink:

Don't Panic!
Bobby

Paragon
06-01-2002, 02:25 AM
DP

The data deal with Telus is, if you buy the Sierra Aircard from them for $599.00 Canadian you get unlimited service for $50.00 a month for 6 months, then it goes back up to the normal rates. I stand to be corrected on this but I think it is $75.00 for 10mb..... are you still jealous? :)

Dave

Charles Pickrell
06-01-2002, 02:50 AM
I agree the program is VERY slow to refresh, the text input system is AWFUL! That keyboard is so unresponsive! And finally the nail in the coffin is that the program isn't smart enough to recognize user names with spaces in them. I went through registration hell for about an hour until I dug around and found the configuration.txt file and figured it out. Looks like pretty lazy programming to me. I'LL stick with Pocket IE.

Charles

Don't Panic!
06-01-2002, 07:35 PM
DP

The data deal with Telus is, if you buy the Sierra Aircard from them for $599.00 Canadian you get unlimited service for $50.00 a month for 6 months, then it goes back up to the normal rates. I stand to be corrected on this but I think it is $75.00 for 10mb..... are you still jealous? :)

DaveNo, I thought it was unlimited all the time not just 6 months. I don't get what these MB limits are about, does this mean if you download a large file you are over your monthlty limit...Wait a minute, CAN you download a file to your Pocket PC?

Don't Panic!
Bobby

Paragon
06-02-2002, 01:50 AM
Don't Panic

Check out this thread to see what is going on pricewise here in Canada for 1x. GPRS is very similar in pricing. http://www.howardforums.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=22240

The cost of service plans are the one thing I can see holding back 1x, And GPRS services form developing quickly. Not many are going to pay that kind of money every month.

Dave

Tycho Morgan
06-03-2002, 03:25 AM
In my own defense I'd like to say a few things regaurding my thoughts.

1. I don't have experience with this program, and I'm just going off of the review I was given, and specifications that I've read. All of the comments have pointed out that it looks really cool on paper, but less cool in person. This is mainly what I'm commenting on.

2. By stating our complaints with the program, hopefully Lary Bank and his parters will get a hint and make the neccessary corrections to the software. I'm fairly sure that Lary has an account on these boards.

That's all for now!

Cheers,
Sam

MultiMatt
02-26-2003, 02:47 PM
I agree the program is VERY slow to refresh, the text input system is AWFUL! That keyboard is so unresponsive!
Charles
Happened upon this post today, and I just so happen to be testing out Thunderhawk on my new iPAQ 5455. Thought it would make a nice addition to my integrated WiFi. As Charles said, the keyboard is indeed very unresponsive! When I went to register, I apparently missed a character in my email address (I swear, I saw each key "darken" when I tapped it!). Since getting that resolved with Bitstream, I have continued on with my "test drive", and have noticed the keyboard quirk even more. That keyboard sucks!
I like how pages are displayed more like they are intended to look, but overall, I am not "wowed" by this app.

Matt

mistergoodman
07-14-2003, 07:30 PM
I just got my first Pocket PC a few days ago-- a Dell Axim 300. Maybe it's because ThunderHawk has been updated since your earlier experiences, or maybe it's because of Pocket PC 2003, but I gotta say, I found the thing to be quite speedy. Much faster than Pocket IE, which seemed to crawl on my wi-fi network, and displayed too little of each page. The interface is a bit quirky, and I sure wish the screen oriented the other way in landscape mode for us right handers, but it has made wireless surfing a much more pleasurable experience. I'm still in the 30 day trial period of course, and if there's a better browser anyone wants to recommend, I'm listening... :D