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Current users of PhatNotes will be glad to learn of the version 5.3 release that has many new features and works seamlessly with Vista and all Windows Mobile devices.

PhatNotes is a super note-taking application that is really a powerful word processor. It syncs with your desktop and allows you to organize your notes in many different ways.

The new version sports a handy Windows task bar menu that allows convenient access to open and close notes as well as create and organize them. You can toggle icons in the task bar to suit your preferences. A new autobackup is also included.

Other features include rich text editing/formatting, file attachments, hyperlinks between notes, tree-like hierarchical organization of notes, reminders, PhatPad integration, voice notes and attachments. I really like the way you can drag any snippet of text into the file list and drop it wherever you wish to create new file with content. If security is a concern for you, you will be glad to know that you can encrypt PhatNotes and password protect them.

There is a 150+ page manual that comes with it, which in itself gives you some idea of the depths of this program. I will not try to replicate the manual here. Suffice it to say that, PhatNotes is more than a mere note-taking program, it is also a powerful word processor with features not found in Word and goes way beyond the native Note program that comes with Windows Mobile.

The functionality of PhatNotes should please all Smartphone users because of limited note-taking abilities. Until recently, the best you could do was a voice note, but I notice that some new Windows Mobile Smartphones have a Note program included now.

Combine PhatNotes with an external Bluetooth keyboard for your Smartphone, and you are set up to write novels.

The question is whether Windows Mobile Classic and Professional users can really justify the added expense of PhatNotes when they already have a Note and Word program. The truth is that while PhatNotes is light years beyond Outlook Note, it is not as sophisticated as Word. But it will do a lot of handy things the Word can’t do such as the marvelous organization system and voice notes and attachments, hyperlinks and searching among notes.

Unfortunately, PhatNotes notes do not sync with Outlook Notes. However, if this is important to you, there is a completely separate version of PhatNotes that will sync with Outlook Notes. However, it lacks some of the features found in version 5.3 and does not come with a desktop program.

There are some things missing in PhatNotes such as handwriting recognition, drawing, autoshapes, and colors schemes. These and other powerful features are found, however, in PhatPad. PhatNotes is fully compatible with PhatPad features.

In my mind, it is a pity that the two programs do not come automatically combined as one. I see them as an integral set. But, it gets a little pricey if you buy them separately. Unfortunately there is no package deal, but I highly recommend combining both to give you a powerful set of note-taking, handwriting, drawing, and word processing tools for your handheld device.

PhatNotes 5.3 is a free upgrade for all 5.x users. Registered users of other, older versions may upgrade for $19.95 through June 2008. The regular price is $39.95.

Tim Hillebrand (105 Posts) - Website | Twitter | Facebook