True Connect Pro: How Did You Ever Live Without It?

If you're a power user, you probably have a program that lets you access your Windows Mobile device from your computer without having to actually have the device in hand. The most popular of these programs is probably Pocket Controller Professional, but my own personal favorite has always been Desktop Rover from Neslo Software. But when I upgraded to Vista I learned that Desktop Rover isn't Vista compatible yet (although it will be eventually).

I can't speak for everyone else but I know that when I find a program I really like, I tend to stick with it for a long time and often don't even bother looking for alternatives. Every now and then, though, it's good to see what else is out there. So I decided to take this opportunity to see what other programs may have cropped up since I started using Desktop Rover. I'm glad I did, because if I hadn't I never would have discovered True Connect Pro from Raspberry Software.

What Does This Program Do?

The idea behind programs like True Connect Pro and Desktop Rover is simple: they allow you to move your mouse pointer to the edge of your computer's screen and onto the screen of your Windows Mobile device. From there you can use your mouse as if it were a stylus and use your PC's keyboard to enter text as needed. This means that if you're working on your laptop but suddenly have a need to do something with your Pocket PC, you can do it without having to undock your device, pull out the stylus, do whatever you have to do, put the stylus away, and then redock your device.

This may not be that big a deal to you if you're the sort of person who is awed by the fact that the "latest" phones can play .mp3 files. But if instead you're the sort of person that uses your device to do a lot of different things, programs like this are indispensable. I know that I'm always needing to pick up my Pocket PC to check various things, enter info into SPB Finance, MyPersonalDiet, etc. and it's really nice to be able to do all this without having to go through all the motions described in the previous paragraph.

What's the Alternative?

The only other way to control your Windows Mobile device from your computer is to take the approach that Pocket Controller Professional does, which is to create a window that displays your device's screen on your PC and then allows you to control what goes on with your device by manipulating the window.

I've always found this approach to be much less desirable than the True Connect Pro approach for several reasons. The main reason is that I don't want to clutter up my PC screen if I don't have to. The second is that all of these programs suffer an understandable, but nonetheless significant, performance lag. The final reason is that the True Connect Pro way of doing things is without doubt the more intuitive approach: all you do is move the mouse off your PC screen and onto your Pocket PC screen. What could be easier? The only time I can imagine preferring the Pocket Controller Professional approach is if I wanted to give some kind of Pocket PC presentation and so wanted to display my Pocket PC screen on my PC.

For Those of You Who Prefer the Alternative...

For those of you who prefer the alternative, or if you suddenly find yourself needing to display your device's screen on your PC, True Connect Pro also comes with this ability! For the reasons mentioned above, I don't really like to use this functionality on a regular basis but I do have to admit that it's a nice perk.

In True Connect Pro, this functionality is called "On Screen Connect." When it's enabled, you'll see a little tiny protrusion on the side of your PC screen (you can choose which side). In the screenshot below, I've enabled on screen connect and placed the protrusion on the left side of the screen:

Hovering your mouse pointer over the protrusion will expand it, revealing a window that displays your Pocket PC's screen. You can then manipulate it using your mouse and keyboard just as you can when using True Connect Pro's other mode.

Two Versions of True Connect

I've been oversimplifying a little bit thus far. There are actually two versions of True Connect: True Connect Pro and True Connect Lite. The only major difference between the two, currently, is that the Lite version doesn't contain the "on screen connect" functionality. There are several minor differences however. For example, the ability to remap hotkeys is only available in the Pro version.

Other Features

• Cut, copy, and paste between your device and your PC
• Take screenshots of your device
• Change the size of the window (i.e. zoom) of the window in "on screen connect" mode
• Display the window in full screen mode against a black backdrop for presentations
• SMS message integration with Microsoft Outlook (this will only be available in the Pro version of True Connect and won't be available until the next version is released)
• Support for Pocket PCs and Smartphones

What Makes True Connect Pro Stand Out

The first thing that caught my attention about True Connect Pro was the ease of installation: download the program, run the setup file, and that's it! I mean it, that's it. It could not be easier.

A related feature that makes True Connect Pro a pleasure to use is the fact that no manual installation is needed on your device! Once you've installed the program on your PC, simply connect your device and you're ready to go. If you need to connect another device to your PC, simply plug it in and it's ready to go!

The main thing to commend this program is something a little less tangible: the simple fact that it does something worthwhile and does it well. This sort of "move off your PC screen and onto your Pocket PC screen" functionality is so basic, so useful, that I am frankly at a loss to explain why there aren't more programs that provide it. True Connect not only provides this functionality, it does so in a way that feels highly polished and professional.

Any Room for Improvement?

I have only one complaint, and it might be my own fault: when Firefox is maximized I can't "move onto" my device's screen like I normally can. I believe that this has something to do with the Windows Vista's interesting way of handling User Accounts, administrator privileges, etc. It's a small issue and, like I said, it may have something to do with the way I'm running Firefox but I felt like I needed to at least mention it in case others experience it.

Additionally, some might consider the $30 price tag for the Pro version a little steep (the Lite version is half that much at $15). I'll leave that for you to decide.

Conclusion

If you're reading this review, you're probably the sort of person that could benefit from using True Connect. Not only does it add much needed functionality to your PC and Windows Mobile device, it does so in an impossibly easy and seamlessly smooth way! At the end of the day, installing this program will be like adding another arm...once you use it you won't know how you ever got along without it.