Andre Koster's blog

SMS over IP

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:31:46 +0200

My mobile operator (Orange NL) has the audacity to charge me 30 cents for international sms-es. This has come to an end thanks to VoipSMS. It's a simple and straightforward idea: a WM client for submitting an SMS to a website that sends it off, in this case VoipBuster. Note, you do need to create an account there. And although the SMS-es are listed for 1, 5, or 7.5 eurocent by VoipBuster, so far mine have been free. The author has also released a version for SMS77.

SMS over IP

Wed, 08 Aug 2007 16:29:41 +0200

My mobile operator has the audacity to charge me 30 cents for international sms-es. This has come to an end thanks to VoipSMS. It's a simple and straightforward idea: a WM client for submitting an SMS to a website that sends it off, in this case VoipBuster. Note, you do need to create an account there. And although the SMS-es are listed for 1, 5, or 7.5 eurocent by VoipBuster, so far mine have been free. The author has also released a version for SMS77.

ContactManager

Mon, 16 Jul 2007 11:43:36 +0200

I've found a fabulous contact manager called, yes, ContactManager 0.10. It's an iPhone like alternative for the WM Contacts application. It's fully usable by finger (until you start editing a contact, which is done in the usual way). Main highlights are

It's animated, the list scroll with your finger in a natural movement, the transition between contact detail and contact list are animated.
You can set contact as favorites, they will appear in the favorite list, perfect to get a quicklist of contacts under the finger.
You can edit your contact picture from the software, simply tap on the contact picture.

Shutting down GPRS data traffic

Sat, 07 Apr 2007 01:11:02 +0200

I found a very useful little tool that allows you to easily shut down GPRS traffic. Personally, I like it when travelling abroad (which happens easily given the small size of the Netherlands). When roaming, the data bits are made of gold and charged accordingly (15 euro per MB!). Hence, I really want to make sure I don't use any data. For Americans using Cingular it will also be very useful, since I read many times already that Cingular configures it's Wizards such that the GPRS connection is used even though a WiFi connection is available, freaking people out over accessive data bills.

Free WiFi Hotspots as POIs on your TomTom navigator

Mon, 18 Dec 2006 01:07:30 +0100

I've made POI files (.ov2) that show free WiFi hotspots on TomTom navigator. You can download the POI files for several West-European countries here. Enjoy!

Skype for slow CPUs

Wed, 13 Dec 2006 20:20:26 +0100

Just released, a new beta of Skype for WM5 on PPCs with slow CPUs (like the Wizard). While the previous slow CPU version only worked properly on overclocked Wizards (with OmapClock or BatteryStatus). This one, however, also works decently on 195 MHz. Nevertheless, the sound is more fluid if the CPU is overclocked a little. BatteryStatus chooses 247 MHz if you let it determine the speed automatically.

The coolest task manager you ever saw

Fri, 08 Dec 2006 14:29:25 +0100

Aspecto Software, the makers of WiFiFoFum and WiFiTunes also made a fabulous (freeware!) taskmanager called Dynamo.

Dynamo 2 is a cool, animated task manager for your PocketPC 2003 device. Say goodbye to boring text lists of running programs and instead manage your programs by sliding in images of all your running applications onto your screen. For each program on your device an image is saved and when you click the hotkey they all zoom onto your screen. Simply click the one you want and it will increase to fill the screen. Quickly seeing all the running programs is far more efficient than having to read through a text-based task list so Dynamo can make task switching a much faster, and cooler, experience.

Keep an eye at your device stats with this Today plugin

Sat, 02 Dec 2006 16:45:39 +0100

I recently found THIS great freeware Today plugin in the XDA forum for the HTC Prophet. Although ment for the Prophet, since it features the same OS (WM5) and processor (OMAP) it runs equally well on the Wizard. I won't describe all the features in depth, but limit myself to this (impressive!) list:

Wolfenstein 3D

Wed, 27 Sep 2006 23:59:01 +0200

The very first 3D arcade game I had on my 386 PC back in 1993 was 'Wolfenstein 3D', the predecessor of Doom. Hence, one can imagine I got a bit sentimental when I discovered that this awesome arcade adventure has been ported to Windows Mobile 5. You can find it here, enjoy!

Backing up with Spb Backup

Tue, 15 Aug 2006 16:08:49 +0200

I've been looking for backup software that allows system backups ever since I had to do my first hard-reset. With all the applications, configuration and customisations it takes me over two hours to get my Wizard back as it was. I've done that four times by now, not funny. After I found out that Sprite would not work for my Orange Wizard (due to the fact that it's not signed by Orange), and my backup test with Sunnysoft failed since it skipped open files, I was very happy to come across a third application, Spb Backup.

"Live" traffic information for the Netherlands

Sun, 23 Apr 2006 04:00:51 +0200

In the Netherlands, semi-live snapshots of the congestion of the nation's highways are publicised by the Dutch cardrivers association ANWB. It's great to have this information on your Wizard while on the road. However, the site uses Javascript (which IE doesn't support), and is loaded with ads that drive up your data bill. Hence, I wrote myself a little gateway...

The Opera Web Browser

Sun, 23 Apr 2006 01:33:51 +0200

One of the nice features of a device like the Wizard is the ability to browse the web anywhere, anytime. Unfortunately, the pre-installed Internet Explorer browser is very substandard. My main objective is that it doesn't support Javascript, so many websites won't work. The other Big Missing Feature are multiple windows or tabs. But there is a very good alternative, the Opera Webbrowser for PPC.

Repairing your dropping-down stylus

Thu, 20 Apr 2006 01:17:26 +0200

After one month of using my stylus I noticed that it fitted more loose in its silo. Also, when pulled out it didn't came out extended anymore. It fitted so loose, that I worried that I might lose it some day. Today was that day, I just lost my stylus. Luckily, HTC delivers a spare stylus with the Wizard. My only concern is, that the new stylus fits just as loose. Apparently, the problem is not the stylus, but the silo...

Flits Nav, (Dutch) mobile speed cameras as POI in TomTom Navigator

Wed, 12 Apr 2006 02:54:35 +0200

If you are a TomTom user, then you know the Point-Of-Interest that really has your interest are those annoying mobile speed cameras. FlitsNav is a cute little app that will fetch the current list of Dutch mobile speed cameras as a POI file.