Menneisyys

It was a few weeks ago that I’ve reviewed the initial 1.0 version of Teksoft’s new all-in-one task manager / keyboard macro / screenshot taker etc. application, Smartbar. Then, I didn’t unconditionally recommend it because of some of the shortcomings.

Fortunately, the excellent folks at Teksoft have implemented everything what I’ve asked for / criticized on in my previous review and also fixed the 1.0 bugs. This means the new version sports:

1. a REALLY working Close button – now, you don’t need to go to the Today screen to shut down an application. Excellent!
2. VGA compliance. I’ve tested it on the HTC Universal. It worked flawlessly.
3. a sufficiently large timeframes for capturing shots (one shot every minute / 30 / 10 / 2 seconds) in multishot mode in the screen capturer application
4. etc.

I’ve also spotted some new, minor bugs in the current, tested build (1.2.008, dated 12/03/2006), which will surely be fixed:

1. While it’s nice to see the CPU usage meter in Task Manager, it has some problems: during my tests, it repeatedly reported 0% for tasks that did consume a CPU cycles considerably (for example, Resco Audio Recorder recording into MP3).
2. The “Switch to” list of the Close/Minimize menu sometimes isn’t properly updated and doesn’t list active applications
3. There’s no Today plug-in any more (at least not on the Universal – I’ll report back as soon as I manage to test it on the Wizard)
4. The application, it seems, is still (?) incompatible with non-Phone Edition Pocket PC’s. It didn’t find a related library on neither my VGA WM2003SE Pocket Loox 720 nor my QVGA WM2003 HP iPAQ 2210 (fortunately, I didn’t end up having to hard reset the latter, unlike with the original version). (Note that I couldn’t test the title on my other WM5 devices as they’re either being repaired – yeah, the dreaded “fried HTC Wizard sound switched switch” problem – or loaned to would-be Pocket PC buyer co-workers to find out why it’s worth buying a Pocket PC. As soon as I get them back, I’ll deploy the new version on them too to find out how they fare.)

The Teksoft folks have also addressed what the HowardForum forum users asked for / complained of:

1. The per-CPU registration has been changed to per-owner name-based one. Now, you can deploy your copy on any number of your PDA’s and can also continue using it on your future ones.
2. The credit-based paying has been changed to a direct, PayPal-based one. Now, purchasing a Teksoft app is far easier – and less expensive.

Verdict

Go give this title a try – it’s really capable and already a decent alternative to, say, iLauncher 3, Spb Pocket Plus or the Today plug-in of Resco File Explorer.

__________________
MS MVP- Mobile Devices.

Menneisyys

UPDATE (12/07/2006): justanothermobilemonday frontpage. This MobilitySite thread may be worth checking out for more info on the square screen compliance (the title, currently, is NOT compatible with square-screen devices!) and some warnings on SmartBar's displacing some items in the Start menu on pre-WM5 devices. (Note that these links are all moved to Programs - that is, they aren't lost / destroyed at all. It's there that you'll find them.)

I've also received a message from the Teksoft; they state they'll fix the first, second and fourth problems I've listed and that the Today plug-in has been left out deliberately.

__________________
MS MVP- Mobile Devices.

karmalized

I spent a few days trying this one out, but no matter what version I tried (2003se or 2005) I kept getting a "signed" error, and was unable to start the program. The other mini-apps that come with it like the cpu monitor worked perfectly, but the main app wouldn't start. So I wrote to the support who, very quickly, responded to tell me they are still working on the x51v/WM5.

oh, i will wait.

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Jay Pearson ccna

raul tinca

@karmalized
Here is a test build of the new version:
http://www.teksoftco.com/storage/tem...ld_1.2.009.zip
Please download and after unzip install the following three cabs in the specified order:
teksoft-cer-1.cab
teksoft-cer-2.cab
smartbar.signed.arm.cab
(make sure to install the signed named cab and not the unsigned one - this should be installed on 2003 SE and older devices)
Let me know how it runs at your end.
Cheers,
Raul