Menneisyys
02-19-2007, 09:19 PM
Now that I’m working on a FULL roundup of EVERYTHING Windows Mobile instant messaging-related, I’ve also scrutinized the current state of Internet Relay Chat (IRC) applications. As I’ve already published several articles on Windows Mobile IRC clients (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&s=Internet+Relay+Chat&sentence=AND), I’ve decided not to wait for the instant messaging article to be finished, but publish the news (as they are, as is the case with
First, PocketIRC .
PocketIRC has always been one of the best IRC applications for the Pocket PC (see these search results (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&s=pocketirc&sentence=AND) for more information on this question). The brand new version just released adds / fixes the following:
The much requested Favourite Channels list and auto join on connect capability (example screenshot here (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/PocketIRCFavChannels.bmp.png))
More detailed error messages, and improved disconnect detection
Verdict: a must for all existing PocketIRC users and recommended for anyone that wants to access IRC on his or her Pocket PC.
DXmobile releases Glam IRC, a “modern-style IRC app”
http://trials2.pocketgear.com/Product_images/9/9113/GlamScreen.gif
DXmobile, a newcomer to Windows Mobile development, has recently released a brand new IRC application called Glam IRC. Note that DXmobile doesn’t have a homepage; therefore, you’ll need to download their app (if you bother, that is) from third-party servers like PocketGear (http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=24136) and Handango (http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=1&language=english&platformId=2&N=96806%2095789&productId=202962&R=202962).
Unfortunately, while, on paper, this application seems to be pretty capable, in reality, it is really-really weak.
First, it doesn’t run properly on WM5 and WM6 VGA devices: it has major rendering problems. It seems it’s sensing a QVGA screen as can be seen in for example this Dell Axim x51v screenshot (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCMajorRenderingProbs.bmp.png) (the same in Landscape (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCMajorRenderingProbsLS.bmp.png)). The same stands for WM6 (Crossbow), as can be seen in here (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCVGAWM6.bmp.png). It’s, however, OK with WM5 QVGA (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCQVGAWM5.bmp.png) (including landscape (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCQVGAWM5LS.bmp.png)) and WM2003(SE), both QVGA and VGA, as can for example be seen in this (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCSEVGA.bmp.png) WM2003SE VGA Pocket Loox 720 screenshot.
Unfortunately, this title is one of the worst IRC apps for Windows Mobile I’ve ever tested. It’s very hard to find anything positive about it, except for the DCC and the offline messaging capabilities (which I couldn’t test because of the major trial restrictions, and I, generally, don’t request a review copy of apps I know I couldn’t write anything positive about.)
The problems:
Has a lot of typos (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCTypoInExit.bmp.png) - no serious app should contain typos
Major incompatibility problems with WM5 / WM6 VGA models
Absolutely no user control commands (kick etc) (1 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView.bmp.png); in Menu / List channelname Users (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView2.bmp.png), there is no context menu and the main menu only offers DCC file sending to the user (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView3.bmp.png)
No colors, bold, underline, italic etc (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView.bmp.png)
Trial mode entirely useless, you can’t even tell anything to anyone
Upon receiving a message in another tab, you don’t get any kind of a notification; not even the color of the tab name is changed
Not any kind of copy/paste support (including clicking URL’s), let alone logging and other advanced functionality that have long been supported by alternate clients
Verdict: forget it, this REALLY overpriced ($19) and REALLY bad application is just not worth bothering. There are a lot of even FREE IRC clients that are way better than this one.
First, PocketIRC .
PocketIRC has always been one of the best IRC applications for the Pocket PC (see these search results (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&s=pocketirc&sentence=AND) for more information on this question). The brand new version just released adds / fixes the following:
The much requested Favourite Channels list and auto join on connect capability (example screenshot here (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/PocketIRCFavChannels.bmp.png))
More detailed error messages, and improved disconnect detection
Verdict: a must for all existing PocketIRC users and recommended for anyone that wants to access IRC on his or her Pocket PC.
DXmobile releases Glam IRC, a “modern-style IRC app”
http://trials2.pocketgear.com/Product_images/9/9113/GlamScreen.gif
DXmobile, a newcomer to Windows Mobile development, has recently released a brand new IRC application called Glam IRC. Note that DXmobile doesn’t have a homepage; therefore, you’ll need to download their app (if you bother, that is) from third-party servers like PocketGear (http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=24136) and Handango (http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?siteId=1&language=english&platformId=2&N=96806%2095789&productId=202962&R=202962).
Unfortunately, while, on paper, this application seems to be pretty capable, in reality, it is really-really weak.
First, it doesn’t run properly on WM5 and WM6 VGA devices: it has major rendering problems. It seems it’s sensing a QVGA screen as can be seen in for example this Dell Axim x51v screenshot (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCMajorRenderingProbs.bmp.png) (the same in Landscape (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCMajorRenderingProbsLS.bmp.png)). The same stands for WM6 (Crossbow), as can be seen in here (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCVGAWM6.bmp.png). It’s, however, OK with WM5 QVGA (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCQVGAWM5.bmp.png) (including landscape (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCQVGAWM5LS.bmp.png)) and WM2003(SE), both QVGA and VGA, as can for example be seen in this (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCSEVGA.bmp.png) WM2003SE VGA Pocket Loox 720 screenshot.
Unfortunately, this title is one of the worst IRC apps for Windows Mobile I’ve ever tested. It’s very hard to find anything positive about it, except for the DCC and the offline messaging capabilities (which I couldn’t test because of the major trial restrictions, and I, generally, don’t request a review copy of apps I know I couldn’t write anything positive about.)
The problems:
Has a lot of typos (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/GlamIRCTypoInExit.bmp.png) - no serious app should contain typos
Major incompatibility problems with WM5 / WM6 VGA models
Absolutely no user control commands (kick etc) (1 (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView.bmp.png); in Menu / List channelname Users (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView2.bmp.png), there is no context menu and the main menu only offers DCC file sending to the user (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView3.bmp.png)
No colors, bold, underline, italic etc (http://www.winmobiletech.com/022007IRCNews/DXMobileGlamirc1ChannelView.bmp.png)
Trial mode entirely useless, you can’t even tell anything to anyone
Upon receiving a message in another tab, you don’t get any kind of a notification; not even the color of the tab name is changed
Not any kind of copy/paste support (including clicking URL’s), let alone logging and other advanced functionality that have long been supported by alternate clients
Verdict: forget it, this REALLY overpriced ($19) and REALLY bad application is just not worth bothering. There are a lot of even FREE IRC clients that are way better than this one.