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Navigating your Device

Items about locating and organizing files and information and navigating among applications, including third-party task managers.

CoPilot GPS app now available for iOS and Android--FREE!

By Tim Hillebrand, May 10, 2012

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I remember when I got my first Android phone I was thrilled with the navigation capabilities of Google Maps, which guided me on a 400 mile trip to Seattle. I wasn't so thrilled when I found out what it cost me in usage charges from my service provider. And that was the last time I used Google Maps for navigation. I wasn't too happy about AT&T's navigation for pay either.

At that time ALK Technologies, the developer for CoPilot Live had not entered the iPhone or Android market yet.

SPB Shell 3D for Android now available!

By Nate Adcock, April 2, 2011

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The SPB guys have added 3D panels, widgets and many more features to the popular user display replacement now called SPB Shell 3D. The latest version is currently only available for Android phone types, but will hopefully include other OS types soon. Read on for more information from the press kit...

SPB Software teams up with Fujitsu on REGZA Phone!

By Nate Adcock, December 18, 2010

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Access the â€œQuick Listâ€

Submitted Wednesday, December 19, 2007

Non-touch screen smartphones have a built in menu known as the Quick List. As the name suggests, the Quick List provides quick access to a number of different functions, including “Power off,” “Flight mode,” “Device lock,” and the ability to change profiles (Silent, Vibrate, Outdoor, etc.).

[Read more]

Press Tab key to move between data fields

Submitted Thursday, November 15, 2007

Just as on desktop PCs, you can use the Tab key on touch screen devices (on either the soft keyboard or an external keyboard) to move between data fields in any menu. For example, you can use Tab to move from a username field to a password field on a Web site open in Internet Explorer Mobile. (Note that you can also move from one hyperlink to the next using the Tab key.)

OK/X button saves changes and closes programs

Submitted Thursday, November 15, 2007

When you open an application or program on a touch screen device or access one of the configuration utilities, you'll see an "X" or "OK" in the upper right corner of the display. You can tap on this button with your stylus to exit the application/screen. If you have a phone-enabled touch screen device with a physical "OK" button, you can press that button to exit. This saves you the bother of pulling out your stylus, and combined with the D-pad, allows you to perform most common tasks on your device with one hand.

Navigate through menus with the D-pad

Submitted Wednesday, November 7, 2007

With the D-pad, it is possible to navigate through any of the built-in menus in Windows Mobile devices (without the need for a stylus on touch screen devices).

For example, in the Settings menu on touch screen devices, you can use the D-pad to scroll through and highlight options, and to access the tabs at the bottom by pressing the down key when the last option at the bottom is highlighted.

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Touch screen devices: Use letter keys to access menu options

Submitted Wednesday, October 31, 2007

On touch screen devices that have QWERTY keyboards, you can use the letter keys to access menu options. For example, in the Calendar menu, the different options all have a letter underlined (such as “E” for “Edit”); simply press E on the keyboard to access the option.

Smartphones: Select the number of a menu option

Submitted Wednesday, October 31, 2007

The menus on non-touch screen smartphones have numbers associated with each menu option. Instead of scrolling through the menu to select your preferred option, you can press the number associated with it on the device’s keypad. This can save time, especially if you find that you are continually using the same option from a menu—once you commit that option’s number to memory, simply activate Menu and press the option number on the keypad.

Some menus on newer smartphones are truncated (see image).

[Read more]

Avoiding problems with the Windows Mobile shutdown model

Submitted Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses ways you can improve the management of opening and closing processes. Click here for the article.

Recommended voice controller applications

Submitted Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen recommends and discusses different voice controller programs for the Pocket PC, including Microsoft Voice Command and VITO Voice2Go. Click here for the article.

Smartphones: View menu options in full screen

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007

When you are selecting options in certain programs on non-touch screen smartphones, there is often a text field that displays one option at a time, and you must scroll through the list by pressing left or right on the navigation pad. One example of this is the Reminder field in a New Appointment screen (below left).

[Read more]

How to control your touch screen device

Submitted Wednesday, February 28, 2007

Start applications and access features on your touch screen device using the stylus and touch screen, or use the various hardware buttons to open and close programs and documents and navigate through the various program menus.

How to open programs and place calls with Speed Dial

Submitted Tuesday, February 27, 2007

You can use Speed Dial on most phone-enabled devices to place a call quickly. On non-touch screen smartphones, you can also use it to open programs.