PocketPCTools Reviews WM2003SE

[bkbroil]

PocketPCTools' Andy Stansfield has posted a review of WM2003SE. He goes into details of how certain applications react under WM2003SE. It's enough information for those of you (like me) who have a VGA device to decide whether you want to give it a try! Will you try it? (I'm still holding off. )
if it isn’t SE ready, it’ll not look as good as it did in MyVGA if it filled the screen in that mode. If it IS SE compliant, it’ll look great. So my conclusion is that I’m keeping it. I think enough of the applications I also use such as TTM and Claunch will have HighDPI versions/alternatives to leave it alone until they do, and as PI is my main app of choice and works well, I’m happy. On balance I’ll have a better PDA experience then under WM2003SE than I did under plain old WM2003 with MyVGA.

[jkendrick]

Thanks for the plug. After removing SE a couple of days ago because some key programs didn't work I reinstalled it today. I believe that the initial install was corrupt somehow as some of the negative things I was seeing others were not reporting.
I must say that so far I am really liking it. Everything is crisp and clear and really hi-res. There are some apps that don't look as good- eReader is one of them. It's certainly usable but not as pretty. That will change when it's updated for SE. Netfront requires a hack to allow it to work in VGA. There's a detailed description on BH on how to do that. It gets NF back to 95% of what it was prior to SE. It was one of the major apps that led to my removing SE earlier and the only reason I reinstalled it was this hack to fix it.
What you have to be aware of is how SE works to understand what programs might have problems and which won't. SE on VGA devices runs differently than on standard QVGA devices. MS has developed a scheme where s/w developers can include a resource in their executable that tells the OS if the device is "hiDPI" or not. If so then the program installs and runs in VGA. If this tag is not present then the OS assumes the program is not VGA capable and pixel doubles it up to fill the VGA screen. This results in lousy imaging for most programs. The problem with NF is that Access had made it fully VGA compliant but without the hiDPI tag as it predated SE. The hack basically puts it back together the way it was except under SE.
I must say it's nice having the ability to switch to landscape on the fly. I have assigned that function to the HOME button on the e805 so when I fire up the web browser for example, I just hit the button and boom, landscape. When I finish I hit it again and it pops back to portrait. This is very nice stuff. PI is absolutely gorgeous in hiDPI. I have only encountered one program that won't run at all and I'm working with the developer to find out why. It's not mainstream s/w so it won't likely affect many people.

[bkbroil]

Hmmmmm....I'm still not sure whether I should try it or not...Can you give me the links for the PI hack and the Netfront hack...I just may get ambitious and give it a shot...also, did you say there was a way to go back to WM2003?

[Brad Isaac]

awww go ahead! Take the chance

[bkbroil]

If there's a way to go back....I think I'm going to....

[bkbroil]

I found the link for the Netfront fix...

[bkbroil]

And here's the link for the PI fix....
I'm doing it...

[bkbroil]

I'm installing the kernel now....I can't believe I did this on a whim....ahhh...what the heck...these things are toys aren't they?

[jkendrick]

Twilight Zone music playing in background. I can show you an easy way back if you need it.

[bkbroil]

james -- I downloaded the PocketInformant.ARM.cab and I can't find a 333k file in there.....Am I looking in the right place?

[bkbroil]

Wait a minute....I think I was supposed to install a 5.1 Beta.....where do I get that?

[jkendrick]

Go to the PI forums and in the Blog forum there should be a 5.1 beta thread. The link's in there. I'd just email it to you but it's not on my PPC. I'm actually in the jacuzzi while posting this and I'm not getting out for that.

[bkbroil]

I got it...I installed 5.1 and I renamed the 334k file to PIResources.dll and copied it into the Windows directory... Is this supposed to be in VGA mode..
Everything is in QVGA...
I'm installing Netfront now...

[Brad Isaac]

Originally Posted by jkendrick

I'm actually in the jacuzzi while posting this and I'm not getting out for that.

Alright...of all the "Where's the weirdest place you've used your Pocket PC, this is the first I've heard of it being used in a Jacuzzi.

[Addic]

BK and your installing all the above after JUST reinstalling your all your files from a ROM and RAM hiccup!
Dude, you is brave .
Let me guess your not saving any of these files to ROM!
Let us know how you get on.

[bkbroil]

I figured after going through all of that last night...at least now I know where to get all my registration codes...
Also, what the heck....I'm married and have two small children..I have no life....so this adds excitement!

[jkendrick]

OK, I'm out now and was going to send you the file but I see you've got it. It's not really in QVGA- notice all the hi-res shiny new icons in PI?
Brad, I surf the web and read ebooks every night in the jacuzzi to unwind. It's SSSOOOO relaxing.

[Addic]

Jeez! you guys make my life sound so dull.
I don't know anyone that's got their own jacuzzi over here, we have to content ourselves with farting in the bath or playing find the soap in the shower (which can be exciting if the missus joins in )
It's just gone 04:47am on Saturday morning and this is best I can do............. sigh
At least you guys make me larf

[bkbroil]

I don't know.... :? I'm not liking the fact that nothing is in VGA anymore. I like being able to rotate the screen by hitting the record button (I mapped the record button to <rotate screen>) but even Netfront appears to be in QVGA..
Netfront also doesn't look as nice as it did...I can barely read the words..

[bkbroil]

I just noticed, MSReader isn't installed...didn't that come on the update?

[jkendrick]

You have to d/l MS Reader and install that.
If your Netfront looks fuzzy then the hack to fix it didn't work. Mine looks like it did before SE with the exception that the location toolbar is a little cut off at the top. I keep it turned off most of the time anyway.

[bkbroil]

I'm downloading embedded Visual C++ right now to perform the hi-Res Aware fix on the Netfront.exe (by using the repligo.exe)....Man, am I obsessed with this gadget or what?
Anyone who is following this -- here's the link to read about the hi-res aware fix on brighthand.

[bkbroil]

Okay, I just finished installing embedded Visual C++ and running the hi-res Aware fix on Netfront...and.....(drum roll please.....).......
It looks just like it did under MyVGA.....maybe even better....Okay, now I have hope....Now I want to know what other applications are "hi-res aware" or what other applications I can fix the same way I did Netfront...
Now I'm getting excited.....WoooHooo!

[teddys3bears]

JKendrick mentioned on 5/29 that he had a way back from WM2003SE...PLEASE tell me what it is...I'm not liking it AT ALL. I want my original e805 back!!!!

[knelson]

On the back of a Seedoo at the river... I can not get cellular reception in the coves but if I take my daughters Seedoo out and sit in the middle of Lake Mojave I get reception...
My wife has actually lost 3 cell phones making calls on the Seedoo and then a boat comes by she loses her balance and throws her cell phone...
Alright...of all the "Where's the weirdest place you've used your Pocket PC, this is the first I've heard of it being used in a Jacuzzi.