SOTI Pocket Controller Professional 5.01 Released

[Darius Wey]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=18480&productType=2' target='_blank'>http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/...0&productType=2</a><br /><br /></div><i>"SOTI is proud to announce the release of Pocket Controller-Professional 5.0, the latest version of our award-winning software to view and control your Windows Mobile, Pocket PC, Windows Smartphone, and other Windows CE based devices from a desktop computer."</i><br /><br /><img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/images/web/2003/wey-20050427-SOTI.gif" /><br /><br />I would provide a list of the features but then you'd be scrolling forever, so if you're interested in finding out what's new and what's hot, visit the <a href="http://www.soti.net/default.asp?Cmd=Products&SubCmd=PCPro">SOTI website</a> for more information. Suffice to say, Pocket Controller is one of the more widely-regarded remote control applications available, so if you haven't yet tried it out and wish to do so, <a href="http://www.handango.com/ampp/store/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=311&productId=18480&productType=2">Handango</a> would be the place to go for a free trial version. This newly-released version of Pocket Controller can be purchased for $30.95. As usual, <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/subscribe.php">subscribers</a> get a 15% discount. [Affiliate]

[Menneisyys]

May be a bit offtopic... haven't tested version 5.01 as yet (still using version 4.12), so, this post may not be topical any more.

All Pocket Controller versions up to now have suffered from a GIF encoding problem: the GIF screenshot files that the app creates aren't compressed and are, consequently, huge in size.

I've written a command to make ImageMagick to recompress them (without any quality loss - it's GIF, after all) without much manual interaction. Just issue the

FOR /R %%X IN (*.gif) DO "C:\Program Files\ImageMagick-6.2.1-Q8\convert.exe" "%%X" "%%X"

command in the difectory where your captured images are located, and all images are compressed.

(please note that this command contains the ImageMagick version wired-in - change it accordingly to your version. Also note that ImageMagick versions older than 1-2 years, due to the then-yet-active GIF copyright, don't compress GIF files either, so, if you have an old version, download a new one from http://www.imagemagick.org/script/download.php )

[Phillip Dyson]

I just yesterday sent an email to Soti support concerning problems upgrading my smartphone from 4.12 to 5.0. The very same day they replied telling me to redownload. Then I saw that there was a 5.01 that fixed my problem

I'm not saying that this release was all for me, but I do love conspiracy theories. :D

Seriously, it does seem that there support is pretty good so far.

[Sven Johannsen]

I have been using Pocket Controller for many years and find it the best program for the function. I do have a grip with the company however. Their upgrade policy is less than friendly. While most companies provide a year of upgrades or upgrades within a major revision number, at least, SOTI only provides '6 months of free upgrades service'... 'that begin on the date the product was purchased.'

That wouldn't be bad if you were dealing with SBSH which releases new updates weekly, but looking through the revision history you find gaps like V4.03, 28 Sep 2003 to V4.08, 19 Apr 2004, over 6 months between updates. The gap between V4.12, 15 Jul, 2004 and V5.00, 15 Apr, 2005 and the latest, V5.01, 26 Apr, 2005, is also over 6 months.

I realize that last update ostensibly jumps a major version, but you could easily have bought the product and never had the opportunity for any update at all. It would just be nice if they were a bit more in line with what seems to be the norm in PPC software update policies, or were a little more frequent with the updates, or gave you a little more than a 20% break on an update purchase. Eighty percent seemed a bit steep to me when I upgraded from 4.03 to 4.10 to get fixes to landscape and rotation support. Another 80% to get this upgrade is something I'll have to think about.

[ghostppc]

I have been using Pocket Controller for many years and find it the best program for the function. I do have a grip with the company however. Their upgrade policy is less than friendly. While most companies provide a year of upgrades or upgrades within a major revision number, at least, SOTI only provides '6 months of free upgrades service'... 'that begin on the date the product was purchased.'

..........


I've noticed the same thing. And when I first started using the software, and would notice problems in the version I had, they would tell me that I needed their current version that would fix the problems. However I would have to buy the newest version. When I finally went back and forth with them about that not really being fair they gave me a discount code that lasted for about 2 days just before their even newer version came out :agrue: For the most part pretty good software, almost a necessity. But kind of crappy that you have to pay $30 for the upgrades. :?

[Jonathon Watkins]

Good to see the upgrade with new skins etc. I've been using Pocket Controller-Professional for a while and it's really good to work with. I do agree SOTI do need to work on the upgrade-friendliness though. :?

[beq]

I'd purchased Pocket Controller-Pro last month (then v4.12) and noticed 10 days ago that v5.0 was available. But after reinstalling v5.0 I found the old reg code did not work, so I had to email them to manually send me the new reg code (which they did).

Now I see v5.01 is available so I'll have to reinstall it again (I hope I won't have to ask for a new reg code again though).

[Darius Wey]

Now I see v5.01 is available so I'll have to reinstall it again (I hope I won't have to ask for a new reg code again though).

In most cases, you won't have to. Point upgrades usually aren't that troublesome (unless you just happen to own a certain fruity OS for your computer). ;)

[RealImpact]

I'm with you guys on the upgrade policy. This is the third time I have had to re-purchase this software. The last time was 7 months ago(just outside their 6 month window). I don't mind paying for an upgrade(even half the original price) but having to repurchase it is getting old. It is a great piece of software but I don't plan on buying the upgrade.

[RealImpact]

SOTI sent me a reg code today even though I was 7 months out. It was a nice thing to do. I still hope they officially revise their upgrade policy but I am pleased with their response.

Todd

[Jonathon Watkins]

SOTI sent me a reg code today even though I was 7 months out. It was a nice thing to do.

:way to go: Result. Now I wonder if SOTI will play more nicely with the rest of us? :p