I just started a MobileTDL project. It is a PocketPC companion for Dan’s ToDo List, which I use extensively.
The code was copied from a dead project at SourceForge and adapted to make it work. More features to follow later but, for now, all the basic functionality is there and I’m quite happy to finally have this tool on my phone. :)
Since I can’t get used to Touch Lock Pro (missing calls as sometimes it does not unlock when the phone rings, need to rotate device when the alarm rings in the morning, etc.), I decided to go ahead with S2U2. It seems to be what one would expect from a locking program but also much more. I’m glad it has the setting to turn off the screen when the phone connects.
It also has a timeout, which locks the device after a number of seconds. The hardware buttons are locked when the device is suspended. The only issue I don’t know about is what happens when the phone rings and gets unlocked. Accidental move or press might answer or reject the call even if that’s not what you want. But that’s not a nuisance. One can always look at the logs and return a call or something like that.
The screen, when the device is locked, contains a clock, slider similar to iPhone’s, battery status, appointments, number of tasks, unread messages, and so on. Quite useful summary of key functions.
So far I like the way app works. It is just intuitive for me – it works the way I’d like such an app to operate.
ToDo List project page at The Code Project contains links to interesting related projects for ToDo List. One of those is the Gantt Viewer for ToDoList, which does exactly what it says – it displays your todo list (.tdl file) as a Gantt chart, taking into consideration start and/or end dates for each task. This is exactly what I needed to accommodate for the visual presentation of the task list.
Some task list are check-box based. These can be simple (list) or hierarchical. Yet, other ones are more project-based and depend on timelines and resources. I’m still finding the best way to organize tasks/projects and, so far, ToDo List is one of the most convenient tools for this purpose. Now, with Gantt Viewer this could just be my Holy Grail of (small) project management. :)
Yet another visual presentation of todo list is the Calendar plug-in for ToDoList. This is perfect companion to the previous two views (task list and Gantt chart).
Touch Lock Pro is my software of choice for locking and unlocking the device. It locks the device when you suspend it, disabling activation by accidentally pushing buttons.
Unlocking with light sensor is effective as it unlocks the device as soon as you take it out of the pouch.
It supports all the sensors on the device so you can create your own conditions and triggers for locking and unlocking – G-sensor, light sensor, screen, buttons, stylus, etc.
Here is a link to some useful software, on XDA Developers wiki. Among other useful things, it contains a link to SSMaPa, which can be used to customize Touch FLO 3D interface and change some default programs. The most common option, that I’m looking to use as well, is to replace the default calendar with Pocket Informant. I’m so used to seeing the Tasks in a calendar, an old habit from “floating appointments” on Visor Handspring.
Here is a free contacts synchronizer for Outlook and GMail. It goes well along Google Calendar Sync if you want to keep your PIM data synchronized between Outlook, GMail, and phone.
Here’s another web synchronization and storage tool – SugarSync. A friend showed me his Dropbox files on an iPhone today. While Dropbox has iPhone client, it is missing one for Windows Mobile. I know it’s probably a matter of time before they get one. However, SugarSync already has a Windows Mobile client and I need one so that my phone could become my real digital assistant. :) Now installing the SugarSync client on my PC and phone.
Well, the new Google option to synchronize your calendar and contacts between Gmail account and your phone is very addictive. The issue of having a central repository of contacts and appointments (hopefully soon there would be tasks as well) is just too good. Now, the issue that raises naturally is keeping contacts in sync between all the different places – your online repository (Gmail), mobile device (phone/PDA), your home computer , your work computer, or any other location you could have. While Google made a sync tool available to synchronize between a phone and Gmail, one thing that is left out is your computer with Outlook. Since Outlook address book is my main contacts repository, I wish to keep it that way. And, while one could sync Gmail with phone, then phone with Outlook, that is not the best solution. I wish, just like there is Google Calendar Sync, that I could sync Outlook with Gmail and then, whenever and wherever I plug in my phone, I get the latest updated contact list synchronized.
Well, Google has a tool but it is available only for business customers and it is a paid service. Fortunately, there are others out there. While I was aware of similar services earlier, I did not use any of them. But now I’m up for it.
So, here are some. Haven’t tested or used them yet but the demo for some of them shows they are simple enough, very straightforward (and I highly appreciate both of these characteristics) and free. Let me know which solution works for you.
I just installed Google Desktop (again) as there are some nice gadgets in there. At work I’m using Windows XP so I was looking for something to replace my Vista Deskbar I’m so used to. Desktop Sidebar is quite useful but the list of plugins does not seem to be that great. Besides, I happen to like the ability to pull out the gadgets and put them at different places on the screen. While I know it should be relatively easy to make these gadgets for any host, it’s just easier if someone has already done it. :)
So, after installing Google Dektop, the deskbar was placed on my main monitor, which is the left of the two, making it come in the middle between the two screens. As there are no options to move deskbar to another monitor, I was a bit confused at first. But the solution is very easy – just grab deskbar with your mouse and drag it onto another position, another monitor… Neat.
