by Meryl K. Evans



Web Browsing

Windows Mobile devices come with Internet Explorer, but users have many other options available, including Webby Mobile (users.tpg.com.au/lordf/anorigi nalidea/webby.htm), which comes with tabs for loading multiple pages and easy switching between pages. It also has an ad blocker and RSS reader for reading the latest news. Webby Mobile supports full-screen browsing and multiple resolutions.

The goal of Minimo’s (www.mozilla.org/projects/minimo) developers was to create a browser that takes up little space and uses few resources on small devices. And in that, they have succeeded. Mozilla calls the free browser a “small version of Firefox” with many similar features, including tabs and the ability to change the look and feel of Web sites.



Manage Money

Carry your passwords, credit card numbers, health information, and other important records in eWallet ($29.95; www.iliumsoft
.com). Stop thinking of passwords and rely on its password generator—the application relies on 256-bit encryption to ensure the data stays secure.

Enter and track transactions, assets, and balances with PocketMoney For Axim 51 ($29.99; www.handmark.com). Having a financial management application with you ensures you don’t forget to add any withdrawals or charges. Quicken and Microsoft Money users can import and export the data into PocketMoney, but those who have neither can use it as a standalone application. A list of supported devices is available at the Handmark Software Web site.



Time & Project Tracking

Tracking time on a project is a challenge, especially since a person can switch projects or clients multiple times in a single day. Project Clock ($35; www.cybermatrix.com) tracks tasks by project and client. The program creates reports that you can filter by client, project, date, and task. Project Clock has a separate desktop edition that can sync with the Pocket PC edition.



Tricked Out Notebooks & Alarms

BugMe! has been around for a long time for Palm OS devices and has recently become available for Windows Mobile devices. Write quick notes and set an alarm to remind yourself to act on the note with BugMe! Mobile ($19.95; www.electricpocket.com). The app also lets you take screenshots, make notes, and send email and text messages. The program can also take voice notes, display thumbnail views, lock notes, and accept repeating alarms.

For those needing more alarm power, alarmToday (www.pocketmax.net) displays all alarms and includes handwritten and voice-recorded alarm notes, macros, and alarms that can take action such as opening applications or playing music. alarmToday is available for about $10.



Cleaning & Tweaking

Clean your Window Mobile device’s Registry, history, and files to get more RAM with SKTools v.3.0.60 ($12.99; www.s-k-tools.com). The application comes with an uninstaller and over 70 system tweaks. Current users upgrade for free. SKTools Lite for Windows Mobile 5.0 smartphones is a free application with fewer features.

Get your device performing at peak levels by dumping junk files, running the defragmenter, and cleaning up Registry and duplicate files with Pocket Mechanic Pro ($19.95; www.antontomov.com).

Modify the calendar to set working hours, change your Today screen’s calendar view, change colors of scrollbars and toolbars, and manage security with EasyTweak ($12; www.10gsoft.com). It can back up, undo, and reapply tweaks.

Do you frequently use the ALT-TAB combination to switch between documents and applications in Windows? You’ll like David Andrš’ tMan (free; pda.jasnapaka .com), a small task manager that lets you switch between and close applications. Another freebie from the developer is Batti, a customizable app that shows how much power remains in your battery. Also, check out pRuler to turn your mobile device into a ruler for measuring items in millimeters and inches.



Easier Typing

How many times do you press a button only to miss? Phraze-It ($19.95; www.prevalentdevices.com) provides eight keyboard layouts that increase the size of on-screen buttons and text display for easier typing with one finger or two thumbs.

Change the look of the on-screen keyboard with TenGO ($24.95; www.tengo.net). This handy application divides its character keys into six boxes. Users simply tap the box containing the letters of the word they wish to type instead of hunting and pecking each letter, and TenGO figures out which word to enter.



Talk To The Handheld

Tell your device what to do without using your hands with Fonix VoiceCentral ($39.95; www.fonixspeech.com), an interactive voice recognition application that accepts voice commands to dial contacts, listen to emails, reply to messages, surf the Internet, play media, and access your calendar, tasks, and contacts. The hands-free application currently works with Windows Mobile 2002/2003.



Enhance The Today Screen

Applications known as launchers (comparable to the Task Bar and the Quick Launch Bar in Windows) let users quickly access programs and features. Keep in mind that the Today screen varies by device.

Scott Seligman’s Launcher (scottandmichelle.net/scott/cestuff.html) adds icons similar to the Quick Launch Bar in Windows, typically found immediately right of the Start button. You can add and remove any program from Launcher.

Another free option is cLaunch (home.pacific.net.sg/~welic/claunch.html), which includes tabs for grouping related applications. One tab could be for games, another for utilities, one for music, and a main tab. The application holds up to eight tabs and allows customization.

Windows Mobile 5 users missing the New Menu feature in previous versions can get it back with WM5NewMenu (www.saman-cz.com/ppc), a free application with customizable features and menus to launch new items such as a text message, document, note, or email. Enter up to 31 items per level, with six levels available, and add separators. Put the New Menu button wherever you want.

Tab lovers might prefer PocketBreeze ($14.95; www.sbsh.net) and its ability to do horizontal and vertical tabs on the Today screen, as well as customize them and choose the layout, fonts, icons and colors.