My iPaq might be two and a half years old, but it's got a thumboard and WiFi. While that might not count for much, it's enough to let me rock on with three mobile web apps that have allowed me to stick with Old Faithful instead of springing for a new device.

What are they? Gmail, Google Reader, and Ping.Fm Mobile.

The three things I really want to be able to do with my handheld are check and send email, read my RSS feeds, and update my status on sites like Twitter, Plurk, etc. I am, however, terrible at remembering to keep my iPaq docked and charged, and I'm not good at saving my favorite mobile app installers when I reformat my base PC.

All of which means that I need three simple apps that will run well on a freshly booted, totally naked Pocket PC 2003 install with clunky old Pocket Internet Explorer.

These three have never let me down. They're all formatted nicely for my vertical QVGA screen and stripped of any annoying elements that mess with rendering. What's more, I can follow Brad's advice and have all three open in tabs at the same time.

Gmail is great with a thumboard, and way better than texting from my cell. Reader does an excellent job of reformatting all my feeds so that they're easily readable. Using Ping.Fm means I don't have to worry about whether or not sites like Plurk, Rejaw, or Pownce will function on the iPaq. One simple form updates them all for me. Rad.

These three must haves - along with the basic PIM and media functions that Pocket PC 2003 came with - are enough to keep me productive, even with a handheld that's woefully out of date by today's standards.

Sure, Wikipedia may be one of the best places on the internet to find information on just about anything in a hurry, but what about when you're stuck in an elevator during a blackout and you can't remember who wrote The Republic? Relax! Pocket Wikipedia provides quick access to important articles offline - and on just about any kind of device.

The download includes about 24,000 images and over 14 million words covering about 5,000 articles. Each one has been carefully hand-picked from Wikipedia's massive repository of community-assembled knowledge to avoid some of the more important omissions from Wikipedia's own Cd-Rom version Pocket Wikipedia is currently available for Windows, Linux, and PocketPC only.

Want it? Keep in mind the old adage "All good things come to those who wait." None of the mirrors we found were all that fast, but it's too good a download to ignore.

[via Best Freeware and Lifehacker]

One of the best web browsers for Windows Mobile is getting an update. While it's not Opera 9 just yet, version 8.65 adds a number of new drool-worthy features for any mobile browser:

• Grab and scroll through screens on Pocket PC edition devices only
• Web search in the address bar
• Save images
• Copy text
• Send a link as an e-mail, SMS, or MMS
• Import IE bookmarks
• Multi-language support
• Support for Macromedia Flash Player 7 for Pocket PCs
• FlashLite 2.1

We're pretty sure that flash support does not mean you'll be able to view the full versions of flash video web sites like YouTube, but there's always the mobile version.

Opera 8.65 will be a free upgrade for registered users. Right now if you click the download button you're taken to a link for Opera 8.60, but look for the new version to go live any minute now.
[via Aximsite]

One of the first things programs I install on any new Windows Mobile device is a replacement for the built-in file explorer utility. The default utility is difficult to navigate, can't browse ZIP files, and doesn't have split screen support.

There are some great commercial replacements out there like Resco File Explorer and Anton Tomov's Virtual Explorer, but there are also several great free alternatives. Just a quick note, I've tested each of these programs on my Dell Axim X50v, which means they run well on a VGA Pocket PC running Windows Mobile 2003SE. I can't confirm that they all run on Windows Mobile 5 or 6, although I suspect most will work well on older devices running WM2003, or Pocket PC 2002 or 2003.

Total Commander

Christian Ghisler's Total Commander (shown above) is probably one of the best known file explorers for Windows Mobile devices. You can choose to view your files in a variety of formats, including split screen, virtual split screen (where you can tap an arrow to shift back and forth between a "left" and "right" screen), or single screen mode. There's also a tree view mode.

Total commander also gives you access to detailed file information, lets you view or create ZIP files, and lets you choose to view or hide files in ROM. An FTP client is included, as is a file search utility. When I said the first thing I install on a new PDA is a file explorer, I was talking about Total Commander.

Ghisler also makes a commercial version of Total Commander for Windows, but the mobile software is freeware.

So, you've got a problem. You've got a handy little Pocket PC with a beautiful screen and stereo sound, but no way of getting your DVDs compressed and converted to a compatible file format so that you can put them onto it. Right?

Enter Spb Mobile DVD. This little application packs a lot of punch, but is as easy to use as you could imagine. Simply drop in your DVD, launch the application, then follow the wizard as it helps you choose the best settings for your Pocket PC and the particular DVD you're encoding. On the upper end, the quality is extremely good; you can get true VGA (640x480). Spb Mobile DVD supports both XVID and the more standard WMV video formats, and can convert videos that will play on devices down to a 200MHz processor.

This converter will also convert a standard video file you've got sitting on your machine, so it's not just a one-trick pony. This thing is well worth the $24.95 price tag. The trial version will let you test its capabilities, but puts an ugly green nag screen over top of your video repeatedly, so you'd never want to have to watch something like that.

One of the most annoying things about Windows Mobile devices is that by default you can only close an application by clicking on the start menu, settings, system, memory, and then running programs tabs. Then you highlight an item and click stop. Whew. That's a 7 click solution.

While there are a number of programs out there that let you convert the X button in the upper right corner from "minimize" to "close," or give you a list of running programs to close, sometimes you just want more information. A whole lot more.

That's where Task Manager comes in. This program gives you pretty much everything you can get from the Windows task manager, and then some. Running processes, check. System devices, got it. Sort system process by CPU usage or RAM, check your IP configuration or you know, close active programs. There's also a registry editor packed in there.

Oh yeah, and did I mention that this is a free download? The only downside is you have to register for the buzzdev forums if you want to use the download link.

Pocket SharpMT is a handy blogging application for PocketPC devices which supports posting to MovableType blogs, including TypePad. It's the smaller cousin of SharpMT, a desktop blogging client for Windows. With full support of all posting options, as well as the ability to upload images, it's great for blogging if you are away from your computer and want to quickly convey your love of milkshakes to the world.

Pocket SharpMT requires the .NET Compact Framework 2.0, which is a free download from Microsoft's web site, so grab that first if you don't have it.

Iambic has launched a beta for a Pocket PC version of its popular organization program Agendus.

Agendus is a personal information management (PIM) suite for PalmOS that offers a complete replacement for the default calendar, contact, and notes programs. Like most PIM programs, Agendus offers a choice of multiple views, color schemes, and icons for sorting through their data. Along with Datebk, it's one of the more popular PIM suites for Palm.

The Windows Mobile market is currently dominated by Agenda Fusion and Pocket Informant. I'll be curious to see whether there's room for another PIM suite in the Windows Mobile world. There are already a number of also-ran programs vying for third place in the popularity contest. Ulti-Planner is a light-weight PIM program, and Pen Agenda offers a clean look for a low price, but neither gets the kind of attention that Agenda Fusion and Pocket Informant do.

What I think is really a shame is that there's such a large market for 3rd party calendar/contacts/notes programs. Considering these are the functions that most casual PDA users are looking for when they pick up a device, it seems a bit silly that the default features of Windows Mobile PDAs leave so much to be desired. The month and week views in Pocket Outlook's calendar couldn't be much less useful. And it doesn't look like Microsoft has any plans to change much in the next version of Windows Mobile.

Don't you hate it when a company goes and updates its software only to leave you with fewer features?

One of the main complaints people have had about ActiveSync 4.x is that Microsoft took away the ability to synchronize your Windows Mobile device with your computer over WiFi. If you want WiFi syncing, you have to go back to ActiveSync 3.8 or ealier.

Microsoft has long maintained that they removed WiFi sync for security reasons, but that's pretty much all they were willing to say. Users were dubious because you can still sync over WiFi if you're syncing with an Exchange Server.

Well Mike Calligaro has posted a detailed explanation on the Windows Mobile Team Blog. And here's the deal: Microsoft had taken absolutely no steps to protect your data when syncing over WiFi.

Essentially ActiveSync was designed for connecting your PC and your PDA over a serial connection. Later, USB support was added. And eventually when Microsoft saw hardware manufacturers making CompactFlash Ethernet cards they enabled Ethernet connections. And then they added WiFi syncing using the same protocol as Ethernet.

The problem is they didn't account for viruses or security in any way. There's no encryption. When you're connecting two devices via a cable, that's fine. But when you're connecting over WiFi, you're sending all over your personal information out over an unsecured network. And Calligaro says ActiveSync doesn't do a very good job of making sure the correct device is connected. That means if someone observed you syncing your PDA to your computer, they could theoretically trick your PC into thinking it should connect to their device.

So they eliminated WiFi syncing. At some point, it may return, but only after Microsoft builds a layer of encryption into ActiveSync. Encryption is already part of Microsoft Exchange Server, which is why you can still sync to a server over WiFi. Calligaro says there's no telling when The Windows Mobile Team will get around to WiFi sync.

[Via Brighthand]

Today Microsoft officially launches its Zune media player. But I've had an iPod competitor in my pocket for the last few years: My PDA. And it's got something that the Zune doesn't -- podcast support. Well, kind of.

Just like the Zune, Pocket PCs don't come with software allowing you to automatically download podcasts, or to easily organize them. But with a little tweaking, and a couple of free programs, you can add those functions.

You can use Juice to download podcasts to my PC and a program called Mobsync to transfer them to my PDA. It might lack the wow factor of a podcatcher that runs on your PDA, like Pocket Podcasts. But unlike Pocket Podcasts, this sytem runs automatically in the background, and doesn't require you to connect your PDA to the internet to download new shows.

Juice (formerly known as iPodder), is probably one of the best cross-platform podcatchers. It runs on Windows, Mac, and Linux. The free program is pretty easy to configure. You can select podcasts from a list or copy and past your selections. You customize how frequently the program checks for new episodes, and how long it will keep episodes. And you can place them in any folder on your computer.

Next, use Mobsync to automatically transfer the files to your PDA. Mobsync lets you sync as many folders as you would like on your PC with a folder on a Windows Mobile PC. So if you create a podcasts folder on your PC and place all of your downloaded shows in subdirectories, you can sync the whole group of them with a folder on your PocketPC, either in main memory or on a storage card. When you're done listening to a podcast, you can delete it from your PDA and next time you sync it will be deleted from your computer as well.

Mobsync version 1.09 is available for 9.45 Euros (about $12 US), or you can pick up a free copy of version 0.94 which seems to work just fine for most purposes.

If you're looking for more advanced features, ACiD Sync is a new program that will go a few steps further than Mobsync. For example, say you've got a small memory card, but want to sync hours and hours of content. There's a plugin for ACiD Sync that will resample your mp3s before copying them. Another plugin will downsample pictures to VGA or QVGA resolution. ACiD Sync Lite is available for $10, a full version with support for syncing multiple desktops will be released soon.

Yes, you read that headline right--WinMobile Torrent is a BitTorrent client for Pocket PCs. I've been an avid Pocket PC user for literally years, and I can honestly say I've never considered using one for downloading torrent files. To be fair, though, these days with the huge memory cards we can add to our Pocket PCs and modern battery life, it's really not that strange of an idea. Since Barb Dybwad first mentioned WinMobile Torrent here on Download Squad back in July of 2005, they've definitely been around for awhile. So it seems people with more imagination than me have been doing the deed - that is, downloading using their Pocket PCs.

So what's new in the new 2.1 release?

• Multiple trackers
• Selective download
• Speed setup guide (something all bittorrent clients appear to need)
• Ability to create a torrent from the mobile device
• Single-handed operation

This is one of those applications that you might not constantly need, but it sure is nice to know that it's available. At $19.99, you probably want to have a real need for it before shelling out.

Pocket PC users are kind of screwed when it comes to mobility software. Although our devices are far more capable than modern phones, almost all online mobility software caters to the phone using contingent. Consider Gmail Mobile - although it's a nice pared-down interface for mobile phone users, on a Pocket PC it's horrendous to use, particularly if you don't happen to have a Windows Mobile powered phone. Google Reader Mobile is similar - so pared down that Bloglines kicks its ass on a Pocket PC.

So I was pretty disappointed when Google released a new downloadable client for mobile phones that makes using Gmail a lot faster and more enjoyable on mobile devices, since Google's definition of mobile devices appears to be "mobile phones". And this got me to thinking, since the new downloadable Gmail Mobile client is written in Java, shouldn't there be some way to run a Java virtual machine on my Pocket PC 2003 Dell Axim X50v? And it turns out, there is!

Tetris clones are a dime a dozen, but S-TRIS 2 is unique in two ways. One, it's free, and two, it's damn good. I found and tested it on my Pocket PC, but it turns out that S-TRIS 2 is available for a number of platforms, including Win32 (Windows), GP2X, Pocket PC, Smartphone, and Symbian. How cool is that?

In terms of game play value, S-TRIS 2 is right up there. The visuals are clean, quick and smooth, the sound effects are solid, and the controls feel responsive. It's a simple matter to remap the controls if you prefer a different layout - for example, I like to have the "fast drop" button be the center button on my keypad, and it took me all of about 15 seconds to make that happen. The game gracefully pauses if you have to turn the power off on your device, and starts up and shuts down relatively quickly.

S-TRIS 2 is definitely a keeper on my Pocket PC.

Say what you will about Dave Winer, he's hard to ignore in the blogosphere. Recently Dave released YoMoBlog, a web-based blogging client for mobile devices like Blackberries, Treos and Pocket PCs. All you do is fill out a few fields on the start page (which we've linked to above), which include blog url, email address, username , and password, and if all goes well you should be able to post directly to your blog.

In my tests I found YoMoBlog to be extremely slow, but I'm sure that can be chalked up to weird internet inconsistencies. Otherwise it seemed to work fine. Note that your blog engine must support the Metaweblog API for this site to work.

Personally I'm not big on entering text into a mobile device, but this service could be a godsend in the event you're in a situation where blogging in a timely fashion is critical. Of course, the fine print says, "This is experimental software. Please back up your data. We are not responsible for any loss in service or loss of data entered into the system. Will not use your personal information for any purpose other than to allow you to create and edit posts on your weblog. The security of the system is very simple, don't trust it for sensitive information. We make no guarantees about performance, uptime, and we may cancel the service at any time, for any reason, at our discretion.", so you certainly wouldn't want to build a business around this service, or rely on it as your only mobile blogging solution.

Engtech has developed a solution that many of us have been waiting for. Although I am pretty much an online software user now, I still utilize Microsoft Outlook for email and some scheduling. Which really created problems when on the road, and away from my sole machine. Engtech is using some software called ScheduleWorld. ScheduleWorld is working with Google Calendar, Gmail, and Outlook in a wacky way. It actually syncs up with Palms, Pocket PC's, Blackberry's, and iPods as well. So, if you are in need of syncing virtually all of your devices, you might want to look more into this application. If anyone has experience using this, drop a comment and let us know how effective the syncing is.