QUICK Starter Info for New Axim users (free stuff)

stormloader · 08-29-05, 12:58 PM

I'd have REALLY benefited from this knowledge when I got my Axim x50v (WM2003se O/S) and now my x51v (WM5 O/S). Quick info which is perfect for me when I talk to other Axim users or I need to reinstall stuff on my Axim. These items should work with WM5 and WM6 handheld PocketPCs and with Windows Mobile 2003se PDAs unless noted otherwise. =)

New Axim user README:
If you have an x50v or an x51v then you have a VGA device. Otherwise you probably have a QVGA device. Make sure you use programs appropriate for your device resolution! Before installing programs, it is good to have an SD or CF card handy, but you also can use the PDA's Built-in storage (BIS) memory to store programs & files. The BIS memory will not be affected by Hard Resets so your info is safe there as it would be on a SD/CF card. Hard Resets will clear EVERYTHING in RAM though & possilby render some installed programs unusable, so be careful, read your instruction manual about how to hard reset and what it will do to your PDA.

For x51 users, you may need to do a "Fake Server Trick" to get the WM5 operating system to work perfectly.

For x50 Axim WM2003se or older O/S users: Some programs MUST be stored in the default memory (RAM) area though and NOT stored on separate cards... (startup programs for instance, battery gauges, task bars, etc.) These items in RAM must be restored after any hard reset. (This does NOT apply to x51 Axim users of WM5 O/S)

When you install programs (ESPECIALLY Today screen programs like weather panels) you may need to "Soft Reset" your Axim afterwards (use stylus to poke the little hole in the back of the unit). Occasionally with programs like VBAR you must also find it in your 'Programs' menu and run it once, then change the settings for it to always run at STARTUP.

Axims have an X-SCALE processor so if that is a choice, you should choose that type of file when downloading programs. If ARM files are only available, pick ARM. Make sure you download non-VGA verstions of software if you don't have the x50v/x51v

**Attention x51 (or other WM5 users)
Pocket Internet Explore (PIE) "page down" fix is viewable at the end of this post, scroll down...

Good FREE software I use includes:

MS ActiveSync (4.2 version for x51 users) or (3.8 version for x50 or older users from your Dell CD-ROM) required to connect to the AXIM from your PC computer (click on the language you want to download at the site):
Activesync 4.2 --- (For USB PDA charging you need ActiveSyncToggleBeta ; read this thread:ActiveSync fix

Cab file Installer (CabInstl) for programs (install on BIS/SD/CF memory)
ONLY needed for x50 O/S WM2003SE or earlier, x51 O/S WM5 has this ability built in:
FreewarePPC.com - Freeware Pocket PC: CabInstl v1.04
After you install this program, you may then install CAB files on your AXIM using it to place programs on BIS, SD, or CF cards in folders that you create. The default install area for programs is RAM memory which you may not want for some programs.

Customizable Program Launcher (cLaunch) (install in Default memory)
After it appears on your Today screen, you use the options on it to add the launcher icons you wish to have appear on your Today screen for programs that you have installed on your PDA. For example, if you want the video player to be accessible, you browse to it and select the executable file and it will put the icon on your Today screen. Use Options and Setting to change the icon sizes, tabs, etc.:
FreewarePPC.com - Freeware Pocket PC: cLaunch v12.04
My choices in settings:
-- cLaunch > options > System > cLaunch height: 36 -- check boxes 2 and 6 --
-- cLaunch > settings > Icon > Icon Size: 32

Weather To Go v4.2:
Weather on Today screen works good. Goto settings to enter your cities you want tracked!
Weather To Go v4.2

Weather Panel (install in Default memory):
May not work correctly anymore, but you could still try it. The site is in French, but the English weather panel program works.
PocketPCFreeware : PocketWeather 0.98.01

Bible (OliveTree) (install on Default/BIS/SD/CF memory):
BibleReader for Pocket PC - Olive Tree Bible Software

Video player (The Core - TCPMP) - plays DIVX & other video types (install on Default/BIS/SD/CF memory):
TCPMP

Music Player (GSPlayer) MP3s & more! (install on Default/BIS/SD/CF memory):
FreewarePPC.com - Freeware Pocket PC: GSPlayer

Home Screen Battery Gauge (install in Default memory... I use BatteryTime, NOT BatteryTimePlus):
BatteryTime (TodayPlugin) for PocketPC on PocketGear.com
(Sometimes the data bar appears blank on the Today screen, clicking once on the blank bar brings up the menu and reveals the data again)

Take Voice notes (NoteM) with MP3 instead of WAV (install on Default/BIS/SD/CF memory):
PDAgold.com :: Freeware :: NoteM

File Browser (GSFinder+) (install on Default/BIS/SD/CF memory):
PocketPCFreeware : GSFinder+ 1.04

VBAR - Task Bar - (install in Default memory) Works GREAT with WM5 or previous O/S users to show you a battery gauge, RAM gauge, and switcher bar:
Axims minimize programs instead of closing THEM! To fix this, a great close apps program (VBAR) can help!
(When you access WIFI settings, you may have to hit the "enter" key on the software keyboard to choose a WIFI setting)
--
FreewarePPC.com - Freeware Pocket PC: vBar v2.2
--

No need to install the Resco Photo Viewer from Dell's CD, try out XNPocketView instead. XNPocket saves images in other formats, crop images, adjust brightness/contrast levels, etc. which Resco CANNOT do as far as I can tell! Plus it has the features of Resco like screen capture, photo slideshows, albums, etc. so you don't miss out on those features.
XnView Pocket

Full screen keyboard (Flash-based)
I've developed this myself for use in the PDA community!
... keyboard ...

True VGA for your x51v (Thanks markvan)
Manual and EXE installations:
MvRTrueVGA

FREE phone calls over WiFi to landline/cell phones! I use the mobile version of Grand Central (google) to get a free incoming phone number and Gizmo5 helps with a 'somewhat' free outgoing service. Put it all together with SJPhone on your Axim and that's free incoming and outgoing calls!!
(ATTN: voipcheap or similar 'free' voip sites allow usage but NO LONGER FREE) The following tutorial is a good guide except that voipcheap, etc., charges now:
http://www.aximsite.com/boards/showthread.php?t=124461

Adobe.com has a Flash player for the PocketPc that runs flash animations in the browser on the PDA. This does NOT support all Flash animated pages. Sometimes you will browse a site that uses Flash that will cause your browser to freeze. If you wish to browse pages that cause this, you can set your browser to not display images, or rename the Flash system file on your AXIM something else so that the Flash portions will not be rendered ... in some cases though the web designers make "Flash only" pages. The DLL file is found in your "Windows" main memory folder in the "Macromedia" folder.

Flash Player Version 7 for Pocket PC

I use mDigger since AvantGo is now GONE to keep my Axim updated with content (like news and movie theater times). You can have the files update over wifi. If you see other good news readers like mDigger or AvantGo, let me know!
mDigger

Pocket PC Skype, Voice OR Text chat free over Internet to other PC/PPCs.
Go mobile with Skype

Remote Control (trial only) software to "learn" remote buttons to your pda to control your TV, DVD player, etc... nice free trial.
WinCESoft

Remote Display Control from MS will show your PDA screen on your PC going through the ActiveSync connection where you can use your mouse and keyboard as input devices.
ActiveSync Remote Display

Emulator (Morphgear) for games (install on Default/SD/CF/BIS memory):
http://www.spicypixel.com/web/page/morphgear/Home.aspx

Temp File Cleaner (install in Default memory) this will clean out your IE browser and Avantgo files/folders that can clog up your RAM (default place cache is stored) If your PDA is sluggish or won't run something right, you could try using this cleaner (I don't think you need this APP with WM5 Axims):
FreewarePPC.com - Freeware Pocket PC: FastCleanup for Pocket PC v1.3

PDA Shutdown Utility (install in Default memory) make sure you get the one for your AXIM, non-VGA or VGA
(This may not work on x51 Axims, I haven't tried it):
PDAgold.com :: Freeware :: psShutXP
Non-VGA use ARM link

UNO Game (install on Default/SD/CF/BIS memory):
Hot Death Uno on PocketGear.com

WiFI Radar (install on Default/BIS/SD/CF memory) :
FreewarePPC.com - Freeware Pocket PC / Freeware Windows Mobile: WiFiFoFum v2.2.12

TI Calc emulator (I have not tried this, but it looks neat):
FreewarePPC.com - Freeware Pocket PC / Freeware Windows Mobile: Virtual TI Pocket Emulator v2.4 Beta

----------------------

Good Links:

MyCast your digital media with Orb 2.0 remote pc access software
Watch videos/photos/music remotely over the Internet (PPC or PC free)!

http://www.logmein.com
Use your desktop remotely over the Internet (PPC or PC free)!

Online TV:
Beeline TV - Watch TV Online - Free Internet TV Channels

Online Radio (download the small link file to your PPC or PC & run the file to connect wirelessly or wired):
SHOUTcast | Free internet radio!

Top 300 or so PPC programs (links to many freebee sites):
Jon Aquino's Mental Garden: Freeware PPC Ratings Extracted and Sorted

Best sites link:
Best Sites for Windows Mobile Pocket PCs, Handheld PCs, and Smartphones

--

--

** PIE "Page Down" fix for x51 (or other WM5 users)
You'll need some registry hacking to switch to the normal scrolling mode. Get a registry editor (I recommend the free Tascal RegEdit but you can choose any other, WM5-compliant one ).

Navigate to [HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\ Software\ Microsoft\Internet Explorer\ Navigation\4-Way Nav] and change its value from 1 to 0.

Alternatively, if you don't want to directly edit the Registry, you can use a third-party application like Tweaks2k2 to do the trick: navigate to Tweaks/Internet Tricks and enable "PIE Smooth Scrolling." I found this info here

--

psionandy · 08-29-05, 01:05 PM

Nice list... I'm off to check some of them out :approve:

permalink · 08-29-05, 03:12 PM

Nice job,thanks for taking the time.

stormloader · 08-31-05, 06:01 PM

If anyone else has found useful, free, must-have apps, websites, or uses for their Axim, let me know. I'd like to hear from other users what helped them getting their Axim started up right. (Especially for new users and Firmware updaters)

TW

stormloader · 09-13-05, 12:33 PM

I've changed/added a few things since the original post including items like: the Flash link was incorrect so I fixed that and I added the Remote Control link to software I've had success in using (trial limits you to the number of buttons you push per open session). This learning remote is better at learning commands than the Philips learning remote I use at home!

--

--

stormloader · 09-14-05, 04:23 PM

I added a word of warning in the main thread post to users of the Flash plug-in. Check it out especially if you have problems with the Flash player for your PDA. If you come across a better way to browse Flash pages on your PDA, let me know! =)

Caddychunk · 09-14-05, 07:30 PM

Stormloader.

I think one application that a lot of people would love is Pocket Skype. It's a free VoIP program that I use almost daily. I like it a lot.

I also agree that orb.com is great. I watch plenty of vidoes without having them take space up on my Axim's flash memory.

I think I'm going to try out that TI calculator.

Thanks for the list of apps, good job.

tropicallie · 09-14-05, 09:12 PM

Wow, thanks for this. You have a lot of links I didn't know about.

stormloader · 09-15-05, 10:16 AM

Originally Posted by Caddychunk

I think one application that a lot of people would love is Pocket Skype. It's a free VoIP program that I use almost daily.

I too have tried Skype on the Axim, but I never got it to work. I'll add it to the list though since I know it works for many people. =)
--
--

stormloader · 09-21-05, 12:02 PM

I found my Dell CD that came with the Axim so that I could install the Resco Photo Viewer, but then I decided to try out XNPocketView instead. Glad I did because this is a free picture viewer/editor that seems to be better than the Resco product.

Resco can view and resize images, but XNPocket can save images in other formats, crop images, adjust brightness/contrast levels, etc. which Resco CANNOT do as far as I can tell! Plus it has the features of Resco like screen capture, photo slideshows, albums, etc. so you don't miss out on those features.

They also have similar PC versions if you like their stuff.

--

sportster44 · 09-21-05, 05:00 PM

Great list. Going to check some of this out!

Pocketbrain · 09-21-05, 06:12 PM

Good thread.
If you like graphing calculators, Try this link for a good HP48G/GX emulator.

PhantomPhreak · 09-26-05, 04:22 PM

Im having trouble getting that battery monitor to work...ive unzipped it and transferred it accross to my PDA, clicked it in the file explorer and it complains that it needs a program to open with??

Any thoughts

jimbo32 · 09-26-05, 04:54 PM

Originally Posted by stormloader

om/multimedia/notem.shtml[/url]

File Browser (install in default memory):
http://www.pocketpcfreewares.com/en/index.php?soft=1203

--

--

Nice list, but why do you install GSFinder in default (I assume you mean RAM) memory? I use it from BIS with no problem. I do install GSPocketMagic in RAM, since it's a Today type plugin.

stormloader · 09-27-05, 10:29 AM

Originally Posted by PhantomPhreak

Im having trouble getting that battery monitor to work...ive transferred to my PDA, clicked it in the file explorer and it complains that it needs a program to open with.

Looks like you have not installed the CAB installer program. Do this 1st, then you can install CAB file programs wherever you want on your PDA:

Cab file Installer for programs (install on SD/CF/BIS memory) if you are using an older PDA (not WM5 PDAs like x51s because this function is built in).