Pocket PC apps tend to have a bad approach...

MonarchX · 09-09-07, 06:38 PM

PocketPC apps should prioritize on being easy to use. I find that the simplest applications tend to be the best ones.

For example, for my school work I use regular Calendar and under NOTES I place my HW assignments because its so flexible and easy to access. I tried so many apps where you have to through hell knows how many menus, options, properties, and so much organization that it becomes useless for easy data INPUT.

I haven't found an organizer better than the generic Windows Mobile one. Other things can be accomplished with Excel rather than a specific program.

Many apps have ONE good feature and then rest is useless crap.

I tend to dislike Microsoft but in this particular case I think they did the best job for providing the most useful software already present in Windows Mobile!

dkimak · 09-10-07, 11:40 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by MonarchX

PocketPC apps should prioritize on being easy to use. I find that the simplest applications tend to be the best ones.

While I agree with you that ease-of-use is very important, I find that there are a lot of PocketPC apps that do focus on this.

Entering appointments in Pocket Informant is MUCH easier than in the basic Calendar application. They have made it easy to select the date and time of the appointment. And entering notes is very easy as well.

Guess it comes down to what your expectation of the application is and how you plan to use it. A spreadsheet gives maximum flexibility, but doesn't give you the GUI or controls that an app provides...

uzziah0 · 09-10-07, 12:34 PM

I think a lot of apps have been created with a focused intended use (the developer thinking "I would use it like this"), and not really thinking what other preferences others would like. This is probably more prevalent with single developer apps, where there are not a bunch of people adding perspectives.
A lot of these are updated from comments from users. So they get better.

I think a lot of the companies with a presence here on AximSite get feedback from users, and update their apps. MS probably doesn't listen as much.

I think not being easy to use kills a lot of apps, becasue the developer does not listen to users and make modifications to make it easier for more users.

**PocketBrain** · 09-11-07, 04:52 AM

I have to agree; I am a Notes and Excel nerd.

*radimus* · 09-11-07, 05:07 AM

Some of it is due to product growth... Take PocketBreeze as an example... If you have followed the development of the app, it has gone into a dozen different directions than the original concept of a better interface to the calendar app.

That being said it still does that and does it well, however everytime i explore its options, I find a new thing to tweak and tune.

iLauncher is the same way.

Now do not confuse 'feature set' with 'complexity of use', I might only use 20% of what PB provides, but others might use a different 20%

The other side of this coin is 'feature bloat', where the developers try to throw everything AND the neighbor's kitchen sink into an app... I just started t thread in the 8525 forum where I'm looking to replace MobileShell and PhoneSuite with previously unused aspects of progs I already had.. plus a few task specific freeware apps

Just another case of 'Buyer Beware' and YMMV

*radimus* · 09-11-07, 05:10 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by PocketBrain

I have to agree; I am a Notes and Excel nerd.

I know... I have Listpro and MyList, and found that Notes works better for me than either of them