Ilium Software Releases eWallet 5.0

[Jon Westfall]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/ew/ew_50.htm' target='_blank'>http://www.iliumsoft.com/site/ew/ew_50.htm</a><br /><br /></div>"Here is a summary of the improvements included in eWallet 5.0:<br />- Synchronize with as many wallets with as many PCs and devices as you want<br />- Synchronize with servers and other PCs on a network<br />- Synchronize to other folders on the same PC for automated backups<br />- Synchronize to removable storage devices (USB, removable hard drives, etc.)<br />- Synchronize with remote locations via FTP<br />- Built-in online backup/viewing capability through FilesAnywhere sync<br />- Brand new sync setup interface<br />- Full support for Vista and Mobile Device Center<br />- All new icon set<br />- Four self-installing icon packs<br />- eWallet Companion step-by-step help tool<br />- Graphics, icons, and sounds stored in My Documents now making it easier to customize<br />- "No Password Needed" wallet option"<br /><br />After an extremely short time of public beta, eWallet 5.0 has been released! Head on over to Ilium's site and check it out - especially if you're looking for more sync options!

[mattbugz]

Long time eWallet user, but I'm not sure if this upgrade is worth it for my needs. I guess I'll wait and see and end up purchasing anyway. :)

[Ilium Software]

I think you'll like it but if you decide it's not for you, as always, we will continue to support our previous version users.

Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
---------------------
http://www.iliumsoft.com

And be sure check out our new blog! http://blog.iliumsoft.com/

[angler]

I have purchased the upgrade despite I have not yet fully utilized various synchronization methods and new Windows support by this new version. I am a long term and frequent user of eWallet and just pay my small effort to Iliumsoft's work. Just wish that the 90 days free upgrade should be extend to 1 year like most other software even it is rare a well-developed software may release another major upgrade within a year.

[Ilium Software]

Hi Angler,

I passed your request along. The decision to use a 90 day upgrade period was based on a number of calculations but we do keep track of requests like this to make sure we're doing the right thing both financially AND for the customer.


Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
---------------------
http://www.iliumsoft.com

And be sure check out our new blog! http://blog.iliumsoft.com/

[JMac]

Long time eWallet user here also. (Since Fall 2003).

I can't really find a reason that I would want to upgrade this time. :(

Not much new here except the remote access and sync features. While I'm sure that is important to many users, , it does not benefit me in any way, so I'll have to go with something else, I guess.

No new icons, but a link to a site where you can buy icons for $2.99 each? With a minimum of three? That's not a feature I like very much at all!!

[Ilium Software]

I can't really find a reason that I would want to upgrade this time

We can respect that. That is one of the reasons we always continue to support users of our older versions. We know that every upgrade won't meet the needs of every user.

No new icons, but a link to a site where you can buy icons for $2.99 each

I think you mis-understood. eWallet 5.0 has completely new icons. The link is simply to the person who MADE the icons. We just like her and wanted to let people know about her.

The new icons are built-in. Did you not see them? They are significantly different than the old ones. Also, you can install any of our previous icons using self-installing icon packs (work with 5.0) available here:

http://iliumsoft.com/site/ew/ew_icons.htm

And the $2.99 price on her icons is because they are commercial grade graphics that come in TONS of formats for $2.99. They aren't "ewallet icons". The eWallet icons are, as I mentioned, built-in already.

[JMac]

I think you mis-understood. eWallet 5.0 has completely new icons. The link is simply to the person who MADE the icons. We just like her and wanted to let people know about her.

The new icons are built-in. Did you not see them? They are significantly different than the old ones. Also, you can install any of our previous icons using self-installing icon packs (work with 5.0) available here:

http://iliumsoft.com/site/ew/ew_icons.htm

And the $2.99 price on her icons is because they are commercial grade graphics that come in TONS of formats for $2.99. They aren't "ewallet icons". The eWallet icons are, as I mentioned, built-in already.

Hmmm...

I guess I missed the "built-in"part. If that fact is mentioned on your site, I have yet to find it. Even your reply above is a little misleading - at first I thought you were saying that they were available there for download and I was just missing it. When asked about the new included icons, referring to the download page for the old icons is bound to be confusing. I know I'm not the only person who thinks that the "new icons" are for sale at the IconIdea link.

If you are saying that trhere are no new icons available for download, but only inside the program file after it is installed, I don't think that is clear at all - and no one can see if there are any, or how many, etc.

Seriously, though, icons aside, the only new feature I see listed is remote access, correct? No other improvements? Don't get me wrong - that is probably important to some. Just not me. Being pretty much housebound, that doesn't add anything to the feature set that I use personally. Me? I could have really used a password input that can be done with fingers - 4.1 is simply too small to accurately press the numbers by hand.

The "Always on" password - does that mean I cannot use it without a password - or only use it for select cards?

Thanks.

[Ilium Software]

I'll definitely pass your comments along to the web folks.

As for features:

1. We rebuilt the sync interface from the ground up. We believe that it is now extremely easy to use now (and customer feedback seems to support this).

2. Users are no longer limited to synching each wallet with a single computer or device. You can sync as many wallets with as many computers and as many devices as you like.

3. You can sync to remote locations via FTP. You can also sync to other computers on a network (like a laptop, a network server, a USB storage device, etc.) This is especially handy if, for example, you want eWallet at home and at work. You just set both computers to sync to a central FTP site and you remain up to date all the time.

4. We updated all the icons within the program.

5. We took all our previous icon sets and created self-installing icon packs making them easy to use. If people show an interest we may provide additional icon packs in the future.

6. We offer built-in support for the FilesAnywhere storage service. This is there for people who aren't familiar with FTP or remote storage. With the FilesAnywhere service a person with no experience with FTP can start synching with and backing up to secure remote storage with a couple of clicks. (Although I should add that I use FA because I like their service, so it's good for experienced users as well.)

7. We added support for Vista and the Windows Mobile Device center. Not a feature exactly but not something that every program out there has added.

8. You can set an entire wallet to either require a password or not require a password now. Very handy if you want to make a "non-secure" wallet along with a "fully secure" wallet.

I'm not saying that this list will convince you since it sounds like the way you use eWallet doesn't call for much of this. We went with a feature set that focused on the areas the majority of our customers wanted to see improvement. Unfortunately, as with every update, we just can't add all the features users are looking for. That's why, as I mentioned, we make sure to support previous version users.

For a more detailed explanation of why we do or don't add certain features you might want to check out the blog post I put up about this subject ( http://blog.iliumsoft.com/?p=103 ). It may not make 5.0 a better choice for you but it may help you to see how we make these decisions.

Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
---------------------
http://www.iliumsoft.com

And be sure check out our new blog! http://blog.iliumsoft.com/

[ljclark]

I downloaded eWallet 5.0 something or other in January and paid for the desktop and PDA version (Order C16374). I never could figure out what was supposed to happen to get things synched, or where I was supposed to get things pointed to. Records started disappearing from my PDA version.

So I figured I'd order an update of an old FlexWallet version. I installed it and everything worked just fine the first time. No synch problems.

So I generated a text file from the eWallet data in my desktop, transferred the info to FlexWallet, and I'm a happy camper.

No big deal on the cost of the eWallet -- beer money.

[Ed Hansberry]

ljclark, I never could wraplmy head around the record level sync in eWallet either, especially when moving to new devices or PCs. however, you can turn it off and just use the old file level sync that ActiveSync doesy which is what I do.

[Ilium Software]

Using eWallet is typically very very easy. Sync works. The program works. It basically does what it is supposed to.

I really can't say it enough. If you EVER run into trouble PLEASE call us or email us. Odds are it is a simple fix! We're here. We DO answer emails and the phones. The type of problems you just described for instance all point to very simple solutions.

[email protected]
888-632-5388 (M-F, 8:30AM to 5:00PM)

Thanks!

Marc Tassin
Ilium Software
--------------------
[email protected]
+1 (734) 973-9388
---------------------
http://www.iliumsoft.com

And be sure check out our new blog! http://blog.iliumsoft.com/

[Ilium Software]

Many people had trouble with it before (v4.0) although with the new version (v5.0) the steps to sync go about like this:

1. Open the wallet you want to sync with in eWallet on your desktop
2. Click Setup in the Synchronize menu.
3. Right click on the name of your device in the list and choose the direction you want it to sync.
4. Click OK

You're done.

By default eWallet syncs when you turn it off, turn it on, or connect your PDA. You can change when it syncs using the options under Synchronize->SyncPro options.