What's on my Treo 650 - Part 1

I'm still loving the Treo 650 and my list of installed software has settled down, so I thought I'd share what I'm running. This mix of apps has proven to be quite stable. Also be sure to read the previous post on Treo 650 Accessories.

Launcher X - The built-in application launcher just doesn't do it for me. I want quick access to lots of things with a minimal number of clicks and all with the 5-way navigator. The 5-way is enabled via this unofficial patch. The list below is divided into multiple "tabs" from the Launcher X skin. $19.95


Main Tab

• Owner - Simple way for someone (honest) who has found your Treo to find out the owner and return it. Freeware
  
  
• SplashID - A password manager. Pick one good strong password and use it to lock up all the other passwords or other private information in one place. If your Treo is always with you, then you can always get to any password you need. It uses Blowfish encryption to keep everything safe. There's an add-on which provides a desktop app and a conduit so you can access your data directly on the PC as well (though I don't use this feature). $29.95 currently, but I got it for free in an (apparently) limited-time offer
  
  
• mobileCLOCK (formerly "Bob's Alarm") - I used to use the free BigClock which was great, but had problems on the Treo 650. Then I found Bob's Alarm. It gives you a countdown timer, stopwatch with lap timer, and alarm clock. It can do a lot more (for $9.50 after the trial period), but I only need the basics so there was no reason for me to register it. Shareware
  
  
• Pocket Tunes - All things audio. I use this extensively. Sure it plays MP3's, OGG, WAV, WMA and even syncs with Windows Media Player 10 when you connect the hotsync cable, but the Deluxe version does so much more. I primarily use it for playing podcasts (which are really just MP3 files) but it adds bookmarking to keep your place. It also provides streaming audio via ShoutCast. You better have an unlimited data plan for it, but you can stream internet radio right to your Treo wherever you have a data connection. Catch up on NPR whereever you are or listen to your favorite obscure mix of music via one of the many low-bandwidth Shoutcast stations. You better get a big SD card for all these audio files. $34.95
  
  
• Note Pad - This is a Palm app that was lifted from a LifeDrive ROM image. It's similar to Diddlebug. You can scribble any note or drawing you want freeform on your Treo. You can attach some details to it and set an alarm. It's great for quickly jotting down a phone number or other short note - kind of like Post-Its for the Treo. It's similar to DiddleBug (freeware). This one was tricky to install since it's not a normal app. You have to transfer them via an SD card and then move them to the appropriate place. Furthermore, if you want the conduit to sync these files to your desktop, you've got additional work to do. But once installed, it's pretty nice. If I didn't already have a database of notes I wanted to keep from my Zire 71, I'd probably just go with Diddlebug, though. Free
  
  
• SoundRec - Just as you would expect, it's a voice recorder and does support recording to an SD card. No option to export directly to MP3 though, it uses WAV, and you can adjust the volume and quality. Free
  
  

Net(work) Tab

• ChatterEmail -Best email client for the Treo. When used with an IMAP account, you get true "push" email like a Blackberry device. I often receive email on my Treo before it gets to my desktop machine. Works with multiple accounts, IMAP and POP, and runs in the background. $32
  
  
• KMaps - Google Maps on the Treo! Pretty impressive. There are lots of location-aware services coming out that tie into this. Start with the KMaps Wiki. Free
  
  
• Dir Assist -a sort of 411 service for your Treo. Quickly look up phone numbers, addresses, and maps. Treo can auto-dial phone numbers so you don't have to remember them and then switch to the phone app. Sure, you could do all this stuff in Blazer, but it's much faster and more convenient here. Freeware
  
  
• EzFTP - FTP files to and from your Treo; also supports expansion card. Freeware
  
  
• FlightStatus - self-explanatory. Freeware
  
  
• PalmVNC - Connect to and take control of your PC from anywhere. This actually works pretty well, depending on what you're trying to do. Requires a special (included) VNC server running on the PC to take the most advantage out of screen scaling. Freeware
  
  
• TuSSH -Create a Secure SHell connection to a server. Freeware
  
  

A(udio)/V(ideo) Tab

• Audible -Audio books. Like books-on-tape, but better. You download what you want, sync it to your Treo, then listen whenever you want. Wonderful for your daily commute. Subscription required
  
  
• TCPMP -Watch movies on your Treo! This is pretty difficult to believe until you see it. This media player will play just about anything, often handling scaling on-the-fly, and it looks good on the Treo. It's open source and already handles most audio and video codecs. You must try this, and you must have a large SD storage card. With the right software, you can rip a DVD, transcode it, and store it on your SD card. Then watch it whenever you want, whereever you want. I also use it to view other online downloadable shows like Systm, thebroken, and From The Shadows. Free
  
  

There's much more to come. I still haven't covered the Documents, Calculators, Games, Utilities, or System tabs.

What's on my Treo 650 - Part 2 Posted by Chris on 7/26/2005 10:06:00 PM :: Permalink   
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