New and no Idea........

[Tyrant]

Hiya Everyone.

I have just bought an HP4150 , and have no clue how to make this thing work. OK, maybe I aint that bad, but this is my 1st PDA, and I need some help..

Is Windows media the best MP3 player.
Whats the best method for audio, is it MP3 or is there any other types that are better.????????

Is there a need for a Virus package to be used. I am on my home wireless network, and will search for other Wifi hotspots, so do I need a Virus program and are there any decent ones.??????

Is the H4150 any good used as a remote for TV, ifso , are there any decent programs for this.. ?????

Is there any programs, like norton Systemworks for the PC, which tweak, tune , clean a Pocket pc... ????????

and finally, customizing Pocket pc's with themes.. What is the best program for this.. I fancy turning my IPAQ into something a lil bit different, but which program is the best for this????

Many thanks for taking the time to read,
Rgds
Neil

[felixdd]

Hiya Everyone.

I have just bought an HP4150 , and have no clue how to make this thing work. OK, maybe I aint that bad, but this is my 1st PDA, and I need some help..
Well lets see where this takes us shall we?

Is Windows media the best MP3 player.
Whats the best method for audio, is it MP3 or is there any other types that are better.????????
Windows Media Player for the desktop can transfer music to the PDA by first converting them to WMP. This will give near CD-quality audio at nearly half the size of an MP3. Of course, you'll need the included WMP to play those on your PPC. If you are savvy with oggs, there are 3rd party programs that play ogg files as well, and those are even more compact. Some programs include GSPlayer2, Winampaq, and Pocket Music Player.

Is there a need for a Virus package to be used. I am on my home wireless network, and will search for other Wifi hotspots, so do I need a Virus program and are there any decent ones.??????
Up from the conception of Windows CE (the OS that your PPC runs) to now, there has been one virus, which was created just last week (and it's technically a trojan). But as it stands, as long as you get your programs and such from reputable sources, you sohuld do fine without it.

Is the H4150 any good used as a remote for TV, ifso , are there any decent programs for this.. ?????
Since the 4150 doesn't come with Consumer IR, its IR port is more suited for data transfer than the range and spread needed for acting as a remote control A consumer IR is basically a IR LED that's brighter and shines with better spread than one that does data. But you can still use it as a remote control for various IR-equipped appliances with programs like Nevo and others -- just search up www.pocketpccity.com for programs. You'll just have to aim a bit better, that's all ;).

Is there any programs, like norton Systemworks for the PC, which tweak, tune , clean a Pocket pc... ???????? Smalltweak, Tweaks2K2, RegKing, and others. There are lots out there.[/quote]

and finally, customizing Pocket pc's with themes.. What is the best program for this.. I fancy turning my IPAQ into something a lil bit different, but which program is the best for this????
You should get Microsoft Theme Generator. You can also skin the top taskbar with Wisbar, Icbar, and Gigabar (as well as add more functionality). One thing that is essential that is provided by these aforementioned bar programs is that they let you actually close a program. The "X" that appears in the upper right hand corner of your PPC when you open a program doesn't actually close the program -- it only minimizes it and keeps it running in the background, taking up valuable resources. The above programs will close it. Until you download one of them, I recommend you close programs by pressing "ctrl-Q" on your soft-keyboard in your ipaq.

Many thanks for taking the time to read,
Rgds
Neil

No problem at all! ;)

[Wiggster]

Just supplementing Felix's post, he's pretty spot-on:

and finally, customizing Pocket pc's with themes.. What is the best program for this.. I fancy turning my IPAQ into something a lil bit different, but which program is the best for this????

A must-have is Wisbar Advance (http://www.lakeridgesoftware.com/wisbar/). It'll skin the Start bar and the Status bar (on the top and bottom, respectively). If you want to skin your start page, Dashboard (http://www.snoopsoft.com/dashboard/index.html) is unbeatable (try it before you buy it if you want to see for yourself). These two go together well, and you can find many great-looking themes (http://www.wincustomize.com/skins.asp?sort=Downloads&order=Descending&library=14) that utilize both these products.

If you don't want Dashboard, there are plenty of regular today (http://browse.deviantart.com/handhelds/todaythemes/?view=1&order=5&limit=24) themes (http://www.mcdeb.com/) out there, I'm sure some people will have favorite sites to go to.

[Tyrant]

Many thanks Felixdd for the awesome reply.

I have just looked at Microsoft Theme generator , but that seems to be for Windows Mobile 2002 software only, and I seem to remember mine is 2003.... Is it compatible as the microsoft site states for 2002 only..

I have download winamp for the Pocket pc, and will try that out..
1 more question though if you dont mind.. For me to transfer my cd's into Ogg files, is it easy with a specified program. I am after getting as many songs onto my only 256mb card that I can. Which program converts my CD's to Ogg files the best?

Many thanks again for your knowledge.

Neil

[Wiggster]

I have just looked at Microsoft Theme generator , but that seems to be for Windows Mobile 2002 software only, and I seem to remember mine is 2003.... Is it compatible as the microsoft site states for 2002 only..


The 2002 themes will work on WM2003. The only hiccup is that when you create themes with that, you can't use the integrated "transfer to device" button. Just save the theme then transfer it to your PDA's \Windows folder via ActiveSync.

[felixdd]

Many thanks Felixdd for the awesome reply.

I have just looked at Microsoft Theme generator , but that seems to be for Windows Mobile 2002 software only, and I seem to remember mine is 2003.... Is it compatible as the microsoft site states for 2002 only..

It should work with WM2003. For me it did.

I have download winamp for the Pocket pc, and will try that out..
1 more question though if you dont mind.. For me to transfer my cd's into Ogg files, is it easy with a specified program. I am after getting as many songs onto my only 256mb card that I can. Which program converts my CD's to Ogg files the best?
dbPowerAmp (http://www.dbpoweramp.com/).

It will work for converting MP3's to ogg as well.

[Badandy]

Hey Tyrant. Congrats on your new Ipaq. It is the same one as mine, so I hope I can offer assistance.


-I do like the included Windows Media Player, but as Felix said, if you want to play oggs and other types of files, you will need a different piece of software.

-As far as themes go, I read your post like you wanted to download themes and choose your own, not make them yourself. For this I would download Wisbar Advanced from www.lakeridgesoftware.com

Install Wisbar Advanced and enable it. This is a great program, and will have you half your way to a new theme on your pocket pc. Then, go to the search function on this forum and type in "Juni" (without quotes) under "Find Member". Go to any one of his posts and click on the link in his signature. Go to his site and download some themes in the "Wisbar Advanced" section of his website. Once you downloaded the file, install it on your PocketPC by placing the .tsk file in your "My Documents" folder, and place the other folder in the skins section of Wisbar Advanced. To do the step I just described connect your PocketPC to your computer and once it has synced, click on the Explore button in ActiveSync on your computer. Navigate to

-Program Files-->Wisbar Advanced-->Skins and then just copy and paste the folder in there. Then, take your PPC out of the cradle and go to the settings tab in Wisbar Advanced. Click on "Theme" and then click on "Use Theme file". Like earlier, navigate to where you put that folder and then click "OK". After this go to your today screen. It should look much different. If the background just doesn't go, you might not have put on the background. To do this, on your PPC navigate to

Start-->settings-->today and select the file that you placed in the My Documents folder earlier.



I tried to make this as clear as I could, but if you have any questions, just respond back and I am sure me or someone will respond rather quickly.

[felixdd]

Oh these two links are extremely valuable for the PPC skinner:

What does your Today Screen look like? (http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=8e4f9bf5d745f61d66ff271dcd0868bf&threadid=29635&goto=lastpost) (this thread's been going for years, from the first inception of PPC to Windows Mobile 2003. I suggest you read from the last post back....

Everything Today Discussion (http://discussion.brighthand.com/showthread.php?s=8e4f9bf5d745f61d66ff271dcd0868bf&threadid=106617). This thread talks about a Today screen enhancement program called Everything Today, taking an icon-oriented approach to the today screen.

Everything Today and Dashboard both heavily modifies the today screen. I've personally used Dashboard for a year before I just switched to no-frills plugins for the Today screen. Not as pretty, but a bit faster. Then again, you've got a fast device so speed won't be much of an issue for you ;)

[Tyrant]

What does your today screen look like, 257 pages long........
Its 0315hrs, here in the UK, and you give me a thread 257, and I cant go to bed until I have had a good look thru...
If youv'e seen any Monty Python films, this line just about captures Felixdd...
"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy" :wink:

My missus is gonna castrate me in the morning when I refuse to get outta my pit.

Only 252 pages to go.

Many thanks again,
Neil

[felixdd]

What does your today screen look like, 257 pages long........
Its 0315hrs, here in the UK, and you give me a thread 257, and I cant go to bed until I have had a good look thru...
If youv'e seen any Monty Python films, this line just about captures Felixdd...
"He's not the messiah, he's a very naughty boy" :wink:

My missus is gonna castrate me in the morning when I refuse to get outta my pit.

Only 252 pages to go.

Many thanks again,
Neil

ROFL! Don't even try to read the whole thing. Just skim through the last few pages to get a hint of what is possible ;)

[Tyrant]

SPB Pocketplus v2.1

Pretty nice piece of kit. fairly easy to work out, even for a Noob like myself. Configured the X Button to close, rather than minimise, and I have memory and battery icons on the today screen which is handy...

Not bad at all.

rgds
Neil

[PetiteFlower]

This is the one piece of software I can't live without, myself. Nothing is more annoying to me then the broken close button!