REVIEW: SplashWallet Part 1: SplashID

[Dale Ahn]

SplashData is a third-party software developer for a large range of mobile devices, bringing both productivity and convenience to your mobile device experience. My main focus in this three-part review will be SplashWallet, SplashData’s Ewallet suite that focuses on three main valuables that most of us may already carry in our wallets. As SplashData explains, “a wallet holds your most valuable possessions – identification, cash, checks, credit cards, shopping lists, even photos of friends and family.”

The first application I reviewed is SplashID. SplashID gives you security for all your confidential data and information such as usernames, passwords, bank accounts, credit cards, registrations, etc. SplashID comes as both a Pocket PC and desktop application, keeping records of your confidential data in two separate places with the ability to sync between the two. I found it to be easier imputing all of my data through the desktop application using a keyboard and after I was done I simply connected my i-mate JAM to my desktop via ActiveSync and presto! I had all my confidential data secure.



SplashID is customizable in user interface as well as fields and categories of data entry. This really gives you the ability to expand your data entry to more than what it already allows you. I really like that fact that SplashID does not limit you.

To maintain maximum security with passwords it is best to change it every 60 to 90 days. This is one rule I am not good with, that is why my favorite key feature in SplashID is the automatic password generator. I have numerous email accounts and web logins that I use for both personal and business reasons and I use the same password for most all my accounts. I seem to lack the ability to be creative with creating new passwords although sometimes I like to add variation with numbers and symbols just to be safe, it is still not enough. With the automatic password generator I was able to create a unique password for my accounts and logins to keep my accounts more secure. And you will know that all your confidential data is secure as you can set a 256-bit Blowfish encryption password for accessing SplashID.

Pros:

• Keeps all confidential data secure
• Easy to use interface
• No limitations of data entry
• Syncing capabilities between computer and device
• Automatic password generator

Cons:

• None!

Overall thoughts:
SplashID is well organized, easy to use, and gives me peace of mind that my confidential data is secure.

SplashID on its own costs $29.95 but with the SplashWallet suite you can get SplashID, SplashShopper, and SplashPhoto for a discounted price of $59.95. Check back in a couple weeks when I will post part 2 (SplashShopper) of this three-part review series.

Thanks to SplashData for providing me with SplashWallet.

[Ian Breakspear]

Hi Dale,

Thanks for the review, but I must say I have the exact opposite opinion of SplashID (and SplashWallet in general).

I crossgraded to SplashWallet for PocketPC from the PalmOS version, and was very unsatisfied. Some of my reasons for my poor experience with SplashWallet:

1) Poor support for switching to landscape view and back in SplashID, making some columns unable to display when moving back to portrait. Likewise in SplashShopper it becomes unusable when switching to landscape.
2) No way to get the info from Palm to Windows Mobile version unless you use a Windows desktop for both. Mac users are left in the cold (and yes we do use Windows Mobile because it is certainly more capable than PalmOS).
3) Not compliant with Windows Mobile 5 toolbars and display system (for both SplashID and SplashShopper).
4) Very slow start up for SplashShopper even on a fast Dopod 838 Pro.
5) Poor user interface design for all 3 of the apps in my opinion.
6) If SplashShopper is closed using the close box (with PocketPlus enabled for proper closing) it will not open again unless the device is soft reset.

With all of these problems I informed SplashData about my disappointment, and much to their credit they got back to me very rapidly and refunded my crossgrade fee. Great customer service.

I am much happier using CodeWallet Pro which appears more powerful, more customisable, and fully compatible with Windows Mobile 5 and landscape or portrait view. And Resco Photo Viewer is a far better option than SplashPhoto in my opinion.

Just thought I'd throw in my two cents.

[Ian Breakspear]

Oh and forgot to mention a tip for Mac users: I found that I can export the data from the Mac desktop version of SplashID and import into CodeWallet actually on the WM5 device. Not pretty or easy, but doable. I emailed the makers of other secure data apps and no others seemed to be able to import on the device from data in another format.

[Dale Ahn]

Ian Breakspear,

Thanks for your input! SplashID worked great for me and it's a shame it didn't do the same for you. I began using SplashShopper and already some of the problems you mentioned are prevalent.