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Tips & Tricks to help you do more with your device!

pre-Windows Mobile 5

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Download free GPS tracking software

Submitted Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Mologogo is offering free GPS tracking software for Windows Mobile 6 GPS-enabled touch screen smartphones. Mologogo can be used to keep track of friends or kids, share your location on the Web, find your phone if it gets lost, and more. Mologogo can be downloaded at wm.mologogo.com.

Changing e-mail settings: past e-mail, size limit, and more

Submitted Tuesday, May 6, 2008

When changing your e-mail settings in Messaging, remember that there are two places to do so: in the Options menu in ActiveSync or Windows Mobile Device Center on your desktop PC, and in the Options menu in Messaging on your device.

[Read more]

Stop the soft keyboard from popping up

Submitted Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Touch screen devices have a built-in soft keyboard that will pop up automatically every time there is an opportunity to enter text. This is a convenient feature on devices that do not have hardware keyboards, but it can quickly become annoying if you have a built-in QWERTY keyboard and prefer to use it for text entry.
If you want the soft keyboard to stop popping up, go to an application or screen that accepts text. When the soft keyboard pops up, ignore it and use your device’s hardware keyboard to enter text.
[Read more]

Setting the Sensitivity in Tasks and Calendar Appointments

Submitted Thursday, March 6, 2008
One of the built in features of Tasks and Calendar Appointments is the ability to set the Sensitivity level. In the New Task or Appointment screen, there are four Sensitivity levels to choose from:
  • Normal (default setting)
  • Personal – Use for content that contains personal (not business-related) information.
  • Private – Use for personal or business-related content that you don’t want others (who may have access to a PC you synchronize with) to see.
[Read more]

Turn down volume level to save power

Submitted Tuesday, May 6, 2008

When conserving power to extend battery life, every little bit helps. One way to conserve a little more power is to turn the volume down to the lowest setting that is bearable for you.

[Read more]

Know the Start menu structure

Submitted Tuesday, February 26, 2008
In order to take full advantage of the Start menu on touch screen devices, it can be helpful to know how it is structured and how it functions. The Start menu is divided into three sections:
  1. Top section: Contains links to a maximum of seven applications. By default, it lists Calendar, Contacts, Internet Explorer, Windows Media Player, and others. You can configure this portion of the Start menu to list any built-in or user-installed application by going to Settings >Menus.
[Read more]

Using the “Today timeout” feature

Submitted Thursday, March 27, 2008
The Today timeout feature allows you to set the amount of time (1-12 hours) that you want your device to wait before it automatically returns to the Today screen if another program is open. Note that your device must be powered off and remain idle for the allotted time in order for the Today timeout to work.
[Read more]

Use the Internet Explorer Home Page

Submitted Friday, October 3, 2008

Microsoft made a customized Home Page for Internet Explorer on Windows Mobile devices that featured a search bar and a drop-down list for Favorites and History. Some of the newer devices come set up with a default carrier version of the Home Page which may not be as useful as Microsoft’s. If you want to set up your device to use Microsoft’s Home Page, do the following (for touch screen devices):

[Read more]

Using the “USB Charging” option in HP iPAQs

Submitted Thursday, March 27, 2008

Most HP iPAQs have a built-in feature called “USB Charging,” which enables the ability to charge your device from your PC’s USB port and allows you to set the rate of charge to “Slow” or “Fast.” To activate this feature, go to Start >Settings >System tab, tap on the Power icon, and select the tab labeled “USB Charging.” Check the box labeled “Use USB Charging” if you want your iPAQ to charge while it is connected to a desktop PC via a USB sync cable.

[Read more]

Three ways to make phone calls

Submitted Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Windows Mobile smartphones have a variety of ways that you can make phone calls. Here are the three primary ways:

[Read more]

Using “Normal,” “Silent,” “Outdoor,” and other sound Profiles

Submitted Wednesday, April 16, 2008

Non-touch screen smartphones have a “Profiles” menu that allows you to switch your phone into different sound modes, depending upon how you want your phone to sound when you are receiving a call or another notification. To view or change these sound modes, or "Profiles," go to Start >Settings >Profiles. Note that different smartphones have different Profiles built in, depending on the make and model. The following Profiles are the ones shared by most smartphones:

[Read more]

Download and install ringtones on your device from your PC

Submitted Wednesday, January 2, 2008

There are thousands of inexpensive or free ringtones available on the Web, which you can download and install on your Windows Mobile device. After you have downloaded a ringtone to your desktop PC, follow these steps to install it on your device:

[Read more]

Three Talk key functions

Submitted Tuesday, October 7, 2008

The green Talk key has three different functions:

  • While the phone is ringing, press Talk to answer the call.
  • If you press Talk when there is no call in progress, the Call History screen will open where you can select a call to bring up the person’s contact information (if available).
  • During a call, you can press and hold Talk to switch to speakerphone mode if your phone has this capability.

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.

Use shorthand in Transcriber

Submitted Monday, September 29, 2008

If you use the Transcriber option for entering text into your touch screen device, you can make the process easier by using the Shorthand feature so that any shorthand text that you write on the screen (e.g. “app”) will appear as the full (longhand) word typed out (“application”). Here’s how you do it:

[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.)

Hiding or dismissing notifications

Submitted Tuesday, May 6, 2008

When receiving new e-mail and MMS messages or if you have a missed phone call on your Windows Mobile device, a “Notification” may appear in the lower left corner of the Today screen. Once you tap on the notification, you will have the option to either “Hide” or “Dismiss” it—tapping Hide will place it in the background, and it will remain on the bottom task bar; tapping Dismiss will permanently get rid of it.

[Read more]

Quickly deleting e-mails in Messaging

Submitted Tuesday, March 18, 2008

If you have accumulated a high number of e-mails in your Inbox and want to get rid of them quickly, here are a few tips to expedite the process:

[Read more]

Set X button to close down programs completely

Submitted Tuesday, January 29, 2008
The X button in the upper right corner of a touch screen display does not really shut down the current program. For example, if you are working on a Word Mobile document and open Calendar to check an appointment, when you tap on Calendar’s X button Word Mobile pops back up and you no longer see Calendar. But Calendar is still running in the background, using some of your system RAM to do it.
[Read more]

Adjust the scrolling speed of the D-pad

Submitted Tuesday, January 15, 2008
The D-pad allows you to scroll through menus, lists, and data fields on your Windows Mobile device. You can fine tune the D-pad’s scrolling speed on touch screen devices by adjusting its “Repeat rate” and “Delay before first repeat.” Here’s how you do it:
  1. Go to the Start >Settings >Buttons >Up/Down Control tab.
  2. Adjust the slider on the “Delay before first repeat” field. If you hold the D-pad in the down or up position, it waits a brief period of time before scrolling.
[Read more]

Use the “Hint” option to remember a password

Submitted Tuesday, March 25, 2008
If you want to set a password to access your touch screen device for added security but are afraid you might forget it, you can use the “Hint” option in the Password menu.
  1. Go to Start >Settings >Password (or Lock) and tap the Hint tab.
  2. Enter a hint for yourself in the data field. Remember that the hint that you enter may be visible by others, so be sure it is something that only you will know.
  3. After you have set the desired Hint (as well as a password and options in the Password tab), tap OK.
[Read more]

Using your handset as a modem

Submitted Friday, August 1, 2008

Werner Ruotsalainen describes in detail how you can use your smartphone as a modem for a computer. Click here for the article.

Select an ink color in Transcriber

Submitted Monday, December 3, 2007

Transcriber is found on all Windows Mobile touch screen devices. When activated, it allows you to use your stylus to write on the screen in print, cursive, or mixed styles, and have the writing translated into text. By default, your handwriting appears as blue “ink” on the screen. After it is translated into text, the ink disappears from the screen. You can change the ink color from the default Blue setting to a different color by following these steps:

[Read more]

How to reestablish an ActiveSync partnership

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007
If your Pocket PC has experienced a reset and loses its data, you can use your old ActiveSync partnership by creating a new one and using the same name as the previous one. Go to the Start >Settings >System tab >About >Device ID screen and type in the old name in the field.

How to get rid of auto-synchronization in Messaging

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to use a registry editor to disable Messaging from being automatically synchronized when you sync your device to your desktop PC.

Click here for the article.

Conserve battery power—turn off backlighting

Submitted Tuesday, December 11, 2007
On some touch screen devices, you can press and hold down the power on/off button to turn off the screen backlighting (hold the button down again to turn it back on). Turning it off will save you power, but it will also make the screen difficult to view in a poorly lit environment.
[Read more]

How to make your device look like a desktop PC to Web servers

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
If you want to browse the Web as if you were a desktop PC by viewing pages that are not in Internet Explorer Mobile mode, then read this Werner Ruotsalainen tutorial. He covers a number of different Web browsers, including Internet Explorer Mobile, Opera Mobile, and NetFront 3.3.

Click here for the article.

MAC address of your Wi-Fi unit/card

Submitted Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to obtain the MAC address of your Wi-Fi unit/card using both built-in and third-party applications. Click here for the article.

How to change the 5 minute backlight timeout limit

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s tutorial on making registry changes to get around the 5 minute backlight timeout limit.

Click here for the article.

How to set up a Bluetooth Personal Area Network (PAN)

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Werner Ruotsalainen provides a full tutorial on how to create a Bluetooth PAN, which allows you to text or voice chat, share an Internet connection, or play multiplayer video games between two devices.

Click here for the article.

E-mail Word docs or other files from your desktop PC to your mobile device

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007

Why do this? You might be having problems with ActiveSync/Mobile Device Center, or you might be in a hurry and want to avoid the bother of connecting your device to your PC, opening Explorer, and copying and pasting files. Whatever the reason, it’s quick and easy to open your PC’s e-mail program, attach a file to an e-mail, and send it to yourself. If you have a phone-enabled device, you can access your e-mail from your carrier’s network. Another option is to send the e-mail to your Hotmail or Gmail account.

[Read more]

Set the default settings for new Notes, Voice Notes

Submitted Wednesday, March 26, 2008

You can use the Input configuration utility in the Settings folder to change the default settings for Notes or Voice recordings. Go to Start >Settings >Input, select the Options tab, and do any of the following:

[Read more]

Using ClearType to make text more readable

Submitted Wednesday, March 26, 2008
ClearType is a text font setting that is built into touch screen devices that smoothes the edges of screen fonts to make the text more readable. Opinions vary widely on whether ClearType actually makes text more readable or not. This may be partly due to the various screen sizes and number of pixels that are available on different devices, which can cause the look of ClearType to vary slightly.
To turn ClearType on, go to Start >Settings >System tab, open the Screen configuration utility, and select the ClearType tab.
[Read more]

Using the Device Lock feature

Submitted Thursday, March 27, 2008

Windows Mobile 5 and 6 touch screen devices have a “Device Lock” feature that disables all input into the device. This feature is useful if you want to make sure that there will be no accidental button presses or other input into the device, perhaps while you’re carrying it in your pocket or a shoulder bag.

[Read more]

Download free “Cool Stuff” from Microsoft

Submitted Wednesday, April 30, 2008

Microsoft has created a new site that offers free Windows Mobile downloads (windowsmobile.com/coolstuff). The site includes Ringtones, Wallpapers, Themes, Games, and Maps, Directions, Traffic.

Use your device as a flashlight

Submitted Tuesday, May 6, 2008

In a pinch, the LED backlight in the screens of Windows Mobile devices (and other mobile phones) can be used as a light in dark environments (such as lighting a darkened hallway, going up or down unfamiliar steps, or using it as a reading lamp if someone else is asleep in the same room). Here are some points to keep in mind:

[Read more]

Powering down phone-enabled devices to conserve power

Submitted Tuesday, May 6, 2008

Most phone-enabled devices can be powered down (completely turned off) to conserve battery power. This is accomplished by pressing and holding the power on/off button (or the red End Call button if your device has no power button). Note that powering down a device is different from leaving the device in suspend mode (which means that the screen is off but the device is still using power and its phone and other core operations are still running). Pressing the power button once on a touch screen device will put it into suspend mode (pressing it once again will turn it back on).

[Read more]

Organize your Programs in folders

Submitted Tuesday, May 6, 2008

If your Programs folder is cluttered with numerous application icons that you have amassed over a long period of time, you can organize it by creating new folders within Programs to arrange different apps by their type. For example, if you have installed a number of system tools, you could create a “Tools” folder and move their icons in that folder. Here’s how you create folders:

[Read more]

GPS vs. aGPS: A Quick Tutorial

Submitted Tuesday, February 12, 2008

A number of new devices are coming out that feature aGPS (assisted GPS). Malatesta at WMExperts.com provides an excellent tutorial on the differences between aGPS and standard GPS. Click here for the article.

Smartphones to avoid

Submitted Tuesday, February 12, 2008

Jamie Lendino at SmartDeviceCentral.com provides advice on five smartphones to avoid while device hunting. Click here for the article.

Recycling your old cell phone

Submitted Tuesday, February 19, 2008

Recycling your old cell phones, accessories, batteries, and other mobile device objects can help reduce energy consumption and greenhouse gas emissions. Before recycling your device, make sure that you have terminated your service contract and that you have removed all personal data from the device. Here are some recycling options:

[Read more]

Color code your cables when traveling

Submitted Tuesday, February 26, 2008
If you do a lot of traveling and carry a ton of electronic equipment such as a Windows Mobile device, an MP3 player, a laptop, international power converters, DC adaptors for the plane, etc., each of these gadgets unfortunately comes with a number of power and sync cables.
One way to organize the clutter is to use Velcro color-coded cable ties. Each device that you carry can then get its own color tie.
[Read more]

The Today screen “New” menu

Submitted Thursday, March 6, 2008
On pre-WM 5 touch screen devices, there was a convenient built-in feature on the Today screen: a New menu in the lower left corner that allowed you to quickly open a new Word document, Contact, Appointment, or other item without having to navigate to it through the Start menu.
This feature was left off of Windows Mobile starting with version 5, but a third-party freeware program called WM5NewMenu (saman-cz.com/ppc/index.html) is available that adds this feature back to Windows Mobile
[Read more]

Perform restart immediately after uninstalling a program

Submitted Tuesday, March 11, 2008
In my work as Editor of Smartphone & Pocket PC magazine, I have to install a lot of third-party software on my device so that I can test and review products or edit other authors’ reviews. I usually wait until I’m finished with a series of reviews before I delete these programs from my device, but that can cause a problem.
In some cases, after you delete a program, a message is displayed that instructs you to “restart the device to finish removing the program,” (below).
[Read more]

Deleting all Outlook data quickly

Submitted Tuesday, March 18, 2008

For various reasons, you may need to delete all or large portions of your Outlook Mobile Contacts, Calendar, or Tasks entries. For example, you might want to delete a number of contacts at a company that went out of business. The ability to do this quickly is limited on Windows Mobile devices. Here is what you can do:

[Read more]

Learning Call History symbols

Submitted Tuesday, March 25, 2008

Outgoing, incoming, and missed calls are all stored in Call History (press the green Send Call button to view Call History) on Windows Mobile devices. Each type of call has a symbol associated with it to distinguish what type of call it is, which is located along the left edge of the Call History screen next to each number. They are:

[Read more]

Answer incoming calls automatically

Submitted Tuesday, January 22, 2008

You can set a phone-enabled touch screen device to answer calls automatically without pressing the Talk key.

  1. Go to Start >Settings >Phone >More tab.
  2. Check the box labeled “Answer incoming calls without pressing Talk after [x] rings” (under Automatic Pickup).
  3. Once you have checked this box, you can select the number of rings you want the phone to wait (1-10) before answering in the drop-down menu.
  4. Tap OK to save the changes.

Listen to Sirius or XM satellite radio on your device

Submitted Tuesday, January 29, 2008
With a subscription to Sirius or XM satellite radio, the proper software, and a live Internet connection, you can listen to commercial-free music and other satellite radio programming on your touch screen device. Here’s how you do it.
Sirius subscribers
  1. Download Sirius WM5 at geekstoolbox.com and install it on your device.
[Read more]

How to buy a Windows Mobile phone

Submitted Thursday, February 7, 2008

Dieter Bohn at WMExperts.com has written an excellent article on the factors you should keep in mind when purchasing a smartphone. Click here for the article.

Add iPhone-like Contact scrolling to your device for free

Submitted Wednesday, January 2, 2008
A freeware program for touch screen devices called iContact provides iPhone-like scrolling for your Contacts. The program displays all your contacts vertically in a full screen format (except for the top task bar), and the list can be easily scrolled up or down using your finger or a stylus. A light touch on a contact name will open the normal Contact page, and if you tap OK, you will be taken back to the iContact list of contacts.
[Read more]

Realign screen to improve tap response

Submitted Tuesday, January 8, 2008
If you find that the display on your touch screen device is slow to respond to taps or isn’t responding accurately, try realigning it. To do this, go to Start >Settings >System tab >Screen and tap on the Align Screen button.
Align Screen asks you to tap on a series of five crosshair icons that appear in the center and four corners of the screen. Be sure to press down on the crosshairs as firmly and accurately as possible to ensure that your screen will be aligned correctly.
[Read more]

Assign pictures to your Contacts

Submitted Tuesday, January 8, 2008

Windows Mobile devices have the ability to assign a picture ID to your Contacts. Once you assign a picture to a contact, it will pop up on your screen when that contact calls you. After you have snapped a picture of the contact with your device (or saved one on it from another location), do the following:

Touch screen devices:

[Read more]

Create your own ringtone

Submitted Thursday, December 27, 2007
The surest way to have a unique ringtone on your smartphone is to create your own by recording one! The process is simple on Windows Mobile devices. Follow these steps.

Touch screen devices:

[Read more]

11 great free applications for touch screen devices

Submitted Friday, December 21, 2007

Here is a list of 11 great free applications for touch screen devices, including an excellent tetris game called Kevtris.

Create your own mobile blog

Submitted Friday, December 21, 2007

Suzanne Ross from Microsoft explains how you can create your own "moblog" using the built-in Outlook programs and Internet Explorer. Click here for the article.

Get rid of text message delivery notifications

Submitted Monday, December 3, 2007

Some Windows Mobile users have found that the delivery notification that appears after sending a text message can be annoying. To turn it off, do the following:

Phone-enabled touch screen devices
(This option may not be available on all models)

  1. Open Messaging and open a new text message.
  2. Select Menu >Message Options.
  3. Uncheck the box labeled “Request message delivery notifications.”

Non-touch screen smartphones

[Read more]

Select and dial phone numbers quickly with the D-pad

Submitted Tuesday, December 11, 2007

The Contacts manager built into all Windows Mobile devices lets you store more than one phone number for each contact (Work, Mobile, Home, Fax, etc.). When you tap on an item in the Contacts list, the various numbers are displayed on the screen with icons next to them. If your Windows Mobile device has phone capability, you can tap on the displayed number to place the call. Fortunately, there’s a quicker way to do this:

[Read more]

Access Clocks & Alarms directly from the Today screen

Submitted Wednesday, December 19, 2007

You can open the Clocks & Alarms Settings menu from the Today screen on touch screen devices by tapping on the date, which is located at the top of the screen directly under the Start menu. This lets you set an alarm, adjust date and time, or switch between Home and Visiting cities quickly without having to go through Start >Settings >Systems >Clock.

Personalizing Windows Mobile Device Center

Submitted Wednesday, December 19, 2007

mrailing on PDAPhoneHome.com has written a series of posts about how to have an image of your device appear in the Windows Mobile Device Center menu instead of the default generic image. The posts also provide a variety of different images of Windows Mobile devices. Click here to view the posts.

Change your clock from digital to analog

Submitted Thursday, November 29, 2007

You can change the clock display on touch screen devices from the default digital style to analog view, which displays the hands of a clock. Simply tap and hold on the time display in the upper right corner of the screen and select Analog from the pop-up menu.

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.

Save power while playing music: Turn off the screen

Submitted Wednesday, November 7, 2007

If you are listening to music on your device for a long period of time, you can save power by turning the screen off. This can be done by assigning a button to toggle the screen on and off in Windows Media Player. Follow these steps:

[Read more]

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.
[Read more]

Use “Copy Contact” option to duplicate information

Submitted Tuesday, November 20, 2007

If you need to enter multiple new contacts into your device and they have much of the same information, such as several people from the same company, you can use the Copy Contact option instead of creating a new Contact for each person. Follow these steps:

[Read more]

Delete shortcuts to built-in programs

Submitted Thursday, November 29, 2007
There are many programs built into Windows Mobile devices, and you may never use some of them (e.g., Terminal Services and Bubble Breaker). Unfortunately, you cannot delete these programs because they are permanently installed on the device. You can delete a program from the Start menu by going to Start >Settings >Menu and un-checking it in list.
[Read more]

Viewing WordPerfect files on a Pocket PC

Submitted Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses how WordPerfect files can be viewed on Pocket PCs by converting them to RTF files, since no third-party program exists to do it. Click here for the article.

Optimizing your Yahoo mail account

Submitted Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen discuss how to optimize a Yahoo mail account for Pocket PCs with the use of POP3, HTTP, or WAP accounts here.

Stop the soft input panel from automatically popping up

Submitted Tuesday, October 2, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen reviews three different "null-SIPs," third-party programs that automatically hide the built-in software input panel when they are activated. Click here for the article.

Mixing wireless types on a network can cause slow downs

Submitted Tuesday, October 2, 2007
When devices that run different wireless types are running on the same network, slow downs can occur due to the network's attempt to maintain a consitant speed.
For example, a network running on 802.11g (54 Mbps) is designed so that it can be used in a mixed mode environment and is therefore backward compatible with 802.11b (11 Mbps) wireless products. However, this comes at the cost of wireless speed optimization.
[Read more]

Transferring PIM information (Contacts, etc.) and messages to other Windows Mobile devices without Outlook/Exchange

Submitted Wednesday, October 3, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to transfer PIM files like Contacts and Calendar appointments from one Windows Mobile device to another (without using Outlook and ActiveSync) by using third-party programs such as SK Tools and PIM Backup. Click here for the article.

Bluetooth A2DP support via freeware

Submitted Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Some Windows Mobile devices do not support Bluetooth's Advanced Audio Distribution Profile (A2DP), which decodes incoming Bluetooth audio and sends it wirelessly to a Bluetooth headset, allowing a user to enjoy music wirelessly through headphones on the device.

[Read more]

Partition an SD card

Submitted Tuesday, October 9, 2007

Some programs may have trouble accessing small files in a large storage card. It can help to partition the card into smaller chunks. "TheBlasphemer" at xda-developers.com has written a how-to on partitioning an SD card. Click here for the article.

Picking the right e-mail strategy for your Windows Mobile device

Submitted Wednesday, October 10, 2007

An overview of the different options available for receiving e-mail on Windows Mobile devices, including POP, IMAP, and Exchange. Click here for the article.

Avoid skyrocketing cell phone bills

Submitted Wednesday, October 17, 2007

John Frederick Moore at CNET.com gives advice on how to keep cell phone bills at a manageable level. Click here for the article.

Use your Pocket PC as a Web camera

Submitted Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses the third-party application CoolCamera which uses the built-in camera as a Web camera. Click here for the article.

Hide those annoying Wi-Fi/modem connection “bubbles”

Submitted Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to turn these off in the Settings >Sounds & Notifications menu. Click here for the article.

Wi-Fi synching in ActiveSync

Submitted Wednesday, September 26, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses the inability of using Wi-Fi to sync using ActiveSync and other options that are available, including Bluetooth. Click here for the article.

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.

Voice-operated IR applications

Submitted Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses different voice-operated infrared remote controller applications, including VITO Remote and PDAWin TV remote controller 5.5. Click here for the article.

Hiding Internet Explorer vertical scrollbars

Submitted Wednesday, September 19, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen recommends Internet Explorer plug-ins to hide vertical scrollbars, such as MultiIE or PIEPlus. 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.

Types of infrared

Submitted Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses the different types of infrared and what devices have the different types. Click here for the article.

“Toggling” in infrared explained

Submitted Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains the “toggling” functionality in infrared controllers, or emitting two different commands. Click here for the explanation.

Appointments timestamp sync problem

Submitted Tuesday, September 11, 2007

If you find that your Appointments are transferred onto your desktop PC with the wrong timestamps on them, make sure that both your device and your desktop PC are in the same time zone.

Synching Contacts between a Pocket PC and a smartphone

Submitted Tuesday, September 11, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s recommendation on how to directly sync Contacts between a Pocket PC and a Smartphone using the third-party program Indovisi SMS here.

Installing the same application on several storage cards

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how you can rerun the installer on each storage card or use a card reader. Click here for the article.

Sound recorder compatibility with Windows Mobile 5 devices

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s roundup of sound recorder applications here.

Sharing an Internet connection through Bluetooth/Wi-Fi

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses how to use your device as an Internet access point through Bluetooth/Wi-Fi. Click here for the article.

Accessing shared drives on your desktop computer via ActiveSync

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses how to access the shared drives on your desktop PC via ActiveSync using File Explorer, and suggests a third-party solution as well. Click here for the article.

Use ActiveSync as a Recycle Bin for your device

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007
You are probably aware that if you delete a file on your Windows Mobile device, it's gone for good. Unlike a Windows desktop PC, there's no Recycle Bin you can go to to undelete the file. The tip here is, make sure you want the image file, word document, spreadsheet, etc., gone before you delete it.
Fortunately, there is a workaround using ActiveSync, which makes it possible to undelete a file.
[Read more]

Change the navigation pad scrolling behavior in Internet Explorer

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007

You may notice that in Internet Explorer, if you use the navigation pad to scroll around on a Web page, the links will be highlighted instead of the entire page being scrolled. Werner Ruotsalainen discusses how to change this, from using registry editors to using third-party Web browsers. Click here for the article.

Paste a number into the phone dialer

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007

On touch screen devices, you can copy and paste a number (from a document, e-mail, or Web page) into the phone dialer. Note that the procedure may vary according to the device. On WM 6 Professional devices, you select Menu >Paste in the phone dialer, and the number will appear in the number field. On WM 5 devices like the Palm Treo, you tap and hold in the phone dialer field and then select Paste (after you have copied the number). On pre-WM 5 devices, select Edit >Paste. Once you have pasted the number into the dialer, hit the Call button to place the call.

Install .CAB files from your desktop

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Read Ben Stanley's description of how to use a third-party program called CABviaActiveSync to install CAB files to your device using ActiveSync on your desktop computer here. 

AM/FM CF/SD radio cards

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s post and subsequent discussion regarding radio cards for Pocket PCs here.

RealOne streamed content on Pocket PCs

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to watch and listen to RealOne streamed content on Pocket PCs, including using a Wi-Fi access point. Click here for the article.

Roundup of registry editors

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

If you are interested in making changes to your registry, make sure and read Werner Ruotsalainen’s “Ultimate Roundup of Registry Editors for the Pocket PC.”

Voice-operated infrared remote controller applications

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses the different options in remote controller applications. Click here for the article.

Boot into Safe Mode

Submitted Tuesday, August 28, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to use third-party software to re-boot your Pocket PC into Safe Mode if you are having trouble re-booting correctly, particularly after installing a third-party program. Click here for the article.

Protect yourself from text spammers

Submitted Wednesday, August 29, 2007
To avoid receiving text message spam, call 888-382-1222 to register with the National Do Not Call List, which will block your number for five years. You must call from the number you wish to block. Or, you can register at donotcall.gov.
[Read more]

Speed up playback of audio files on Pocket PCs

Submitted Thursday, September 6, 2007

The "Voice Pitch Lock" setting on Vito SoundExplorer (vitotechnology.com) allows you to slow down or speed up the playback speed. (Vito SoundExplorer supports Windows Mobile 2003 through Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PCs and includes a plug-in that lets you record and play back voice memos from the Today screen.)

Pre-WM 5 Pocket PCs: Customize the New menu

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007
You can open a new (empty) document in Word Mobile by tapping on the New button in the lower left corner of the screen. The New button is also found on Excel Mobile, Notes, Contacts, and other applications. The key here is that you have to be in the desired application to open a new document associated with that application.
In addition to the New button, pre-Windows Mobile 5 Pocket PCs have a New menu which is activated by tapping on the small up-arrow icon next to the New button.
[Read more]

Copy your Internet Explorer Favorites list from your PC to your device

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007
If you want your Windows Mobile device to have the same Favorites list as the one found in Internet Explorer on your PC, all you have to do is copy them from your PC to your device via ActiveSync.
  1. Connect your device to your PC, open the ActiveSync window on the PC, and click on the Explore icon.
  2. In Explore, navigate to the “C:\Documents and Settings\[username]\Favorites” folder on your PC.
  3. Select and copy the sites that you want to appear as Favorites on your device.
  4. In Explore, navigate to the
[Read more]

Using the Lock feature on non-touch screen smartphones

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007

Using the Lock feature on your smartphone will disable the function of the keys. This can be especially useful if you have your device tucked into a pocket or bag where the keys can be accidentally pressed. Here is how it works:

[Read more]

Use third-party programs to convert images during synchronization

Submitted Thursday, August 16, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses different ActiveSync plug-ins that convert images so that they will fit onto Pocket PC screens, such as Resco Picture Viewer and SplashPhoto. Click here for the article.

Accessing IMAP4 mail servers on the Pocket PC

Submitted Thursday, August 16, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses the advantages of using IMAP4 to access your e-mail and the third-party applications that allow you to do so, such as FlexMail 2007 and Qmail. Click here for the article.

Stop the Internet disconnect when it’s not actively in use

Submitted Thursday, August 16, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s recommendation on how to disallow the automatic Internet disconnect using the third-party program vxUtil. Click here for the article.

Problem accessing storage cards on iPAQ 2210

Submitted Thursday, August 16, 2007

When the battery level is under 10%, the device automatically disables the SD/CF cards (one of the very few models that does this). Recharge the battery and try again.

Java Midlets on the Pocket PC

Submitted Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s extensive tutorial on the use and installation of Midlets such as the Opera Mini Web browser here.

How and why you can kill the ActiveSync process

Submitted Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses why you may want to kill the ActiveSync process and the third-party programs that can be used to do so, incuding KillSync and Resync. Click here for the article.

Playing MiDi files on your Pocket PC

Submitted Tuesday, August 21, 2007

If you are interested in playing MiDi audio files on your Pocket PC, read Werner Ruotsalainen’s complete roundup of third-party applications that can do so. Click here for the article.

Customize your own word completion dictionary

Submitted Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses what dictionaries already exist (like MikkoPPC) and provides a tool that will help you create your own. Click here for the article

Displaying a Pocket PC on a projector

Submitted Tuesday, August 21, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses the different methods of displaying the screen of a Pocket PC through a projector, including the use of an external CF/SD VGA output card. Click here for the article.

Different factors may affect mobile phone call quality

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007
Here is a list of different factors that can affect calls on your mobile phone:
  • Built-in components: The receptivity of the phone’s antenna as well as the quality of the built-in microphone and speaker can affect call quality. Different phones are built with different components, and bad performance may not always be the carrier’s fault. That said, most phone-enabled Windows Mobile devices in the U.S. are sold by carriers, and they test them extensively before offering them.
[Read more]

Get album art to appear in Windows Media Player

Submitted Friday, August 24, 2007

Media Player Mobile is designed to display album cover art when a song from the album is being played. Unfortunately, it doesn’t always do it—a bug that can greatly annoy music enthusiasts. One way to ensure that they will display is to manually create folders for each album and include the album image in the folder. Follow these steps:

[Read more]

Flushing the registry

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s discussion of flushing the registry/Windows CE database under Windows Mobile 5 here.

Pocket PC game emulators

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s post about listings of game emulators for the Pocket PC here.

Use third-party programs to convert images during synchronization

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses different ActiveSync plug-ins that convert images so that they will fit onto Pocket PC screens, such as Resco Picture Viewer and SplashPhoto. Click here for the article.

Listen to Internet radio on your device

Submitted Friday, August 10, 2007

Jaime Lendino provides advice and software and service recommendations for listening to Internet radio on your device. Click here for the article.

How to encrypt your Wi-Fi connection

Submitted Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Brad Isaac at PocketPCAddict.com explains a quick procedure to lock down your Wi-Fi router.

Click here for the article.

Be notified of incoming e-mail on your Pocket PC

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to get your Pocket PC (Phone Editions work the best) to notify you only when there is new incoming mail being received by going into Messaging settings and Sounds & Notifications. Click here for the article.

Extracting Voice Note files to your desktop PC

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen provides his own third-party program for extracting WAV files (Voice Notes) from Notes files so that they can be listened to on desktop PCs. Click here for the article.

File Store/ Built-in Storage deletion upon WM 5 install

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

If you upgrade your Pocket PC to Windows Mobile 5.0, you will lose your File Store/ Built-in storage during the install. This is because WM 5 takes up more flash ROM.

How to create links to programs in your Settings menu

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s full tutorial on creating and using .lnk files and downloading them.

Click here for the article.

How to change your Messaging account names

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
The built-in Messaging application doesn’t allow you to change an account name after it has been created. Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s explanation of how to get around this using the third-party program Pocket dbExplorer.

Click here for the article.

How to send money using PayPal on your Windows Mobile device

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Dan Hanttula explains how to send a payment on your device using PayPal via e-mail or text message. Simply set up an account with PayPal and send your payment. Read the full how-to.

Click here for the article.

How to stop your device from trying to connect to the Web

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Check your Today plug-ins and your POP3 Inbox accounts. Read the complete Werner Ruotsalainen how-to.

Click here for the article.

How to set an arbitrary suspend timeout in Windows Mobile

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to set an arbitrary suspend timeout in Windows Mobile by using a third-party registry editor to make registry changes.

Click here for the article.

How to extract Contacts from backup files

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Werner Ruotsalainen explains how to use his own third-party program to extract Contacts from ActiveSync and backup files.

Click here for the article.

How to send HTML e-mails from your Pocket PC

Submitted Tuesday, July 31, 2007
Werner Ruotsalainen recommends using the program Qmail. Read his description of the process.

Click here for the article.

Are there “consumer” and “corporate” PDA series?

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s discussion on the perceived differences of different Pocket PC brands here.

E-mail clients for Pocket PCs

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s updated roundup of e-mail clients for Pocket PCs here.

Backing up Windows Mobile 5 devices

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Read Werner Ruotsalainen’s complete overview and test of WM 5 backup solutions here.

Windows Mobile Device Center built into Windows Vista

Submitted Tuesday, July 17, 2007

Microsoft’s new Windows Vista operating system for PCs includes Windows Mobile Device Center (WMDC)—the latest version of the program formerly called ActiveSync. The user interface on WMDC has been overhauled, the partnership wizard has been improved, media files can be automatically synchronized, and Windows Update has been integrated to provide automatic updates. WMDC is compatible with devices running Windows Mobile 2003 or later versions of the OS.

[Read more]

Changing the text font color on the Today screen

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007

Werner Ruotsalainen discusses the third-party programs (including Tweaks2K2 and CETuner) that can change the Today screen’s text font color. Click here for the full article.

How to avoid problems with ROM upgrades

Submitted Tuesday, July 17, 2007
Occasionally, device manufacturers and wireless carriers will offer major “ROM upgrades” for the Windows Mobile devices they market. When they do, they provide you with an installation file (on CD or downloadable) that walks you through the process, step by step. To avoid problems, follow these instructions to the letter.

Use your smartphone as a modem and connect your laptop to the Internet

Submitted Tuesday, July 17, 2007
You can use your phone-enabled Windows Mobile device to check your e-mail and browse the Web, but doing so on a small screen can be hard on the eyes. Fortunately, it may be possible to connect your laptop PC to the device (via cable or Bluetooth) and use the smartphone as a modem, which would allow you to browse the Web from your laptop.
Unfortunately, most wireless carriers don’t encourage this type of usage.
[Read more]

Palm Treo 700w/wx and 750 tips & tricks

Submitted Wednesday, August 8, 2007
  • Minimize the currently open application and return to the Today screen by holding down the green Call button.
  • Open the Task Manager to close any open application by holding down the OK button (or pressing the Option + OK).
  • Open the Search window by pressing Option + Left Shift button.
  • Open Calendar by pressing Option + Start menu button.
  • To open a program-specific menu in any program, press and ho
[Read more]

Conserve memory by deleting large files using Search

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007
If you find that you are running low on memory on your Pocket PC, a good way to get some back is to search for and delete unneeded files, especially large ones. You can use the built-in Search (or Find) tool to do this quickly and easily.
[Read more]

Turn your device into a remote control

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007
Using third-party software, you can use your Windows Mobile device's IR (infrared) port as a remote for almost any electronic device, including TVs, VCRs, and DVD players. To find software that supports remote control capabilities, visit our Software Store (smartphonemag.com/swstore) and type “remote control” into the search field.

[Read more]

Updating Daylight Savings Time settings

Submitted Monday, July 16, 2007
Starting in 2007, a new schedule for Daylight Savings Time (DST) was introduced. Because of this, the automatic settings set up for DST in Windows computers before this year are no longer correct.
[Read more]

Office 2007 documents can't be viewed on Windows Mobile 5 devices... yet

Submitted Monday, July 16, 2007

Due to major Office 2007 (XML) file format changes, devices running Windows Mobile 5 and earlier will not be able to directly read Office 2007 Excel, Word, and PowerPoint file on their device. Office 2007 users will need to resort to workarounds for viewing files on Windows Mobile devices, such as saving them in pre-2007 formats such as RTF or CSV. Microsoft announced that they will at some point issue an update for Windows Mobile 5 devices which will allow users to read the documents.

[Read more]

How to add a number from Call History to your Contacts

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007
Anytime you receive a call from a number that is not in your Contacts, you can add that number to a new or already existing Contact from the Call History list.

Start a program automatically after a soft reset

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007
If you want a program to start automatically on your Windows Mobile device after you do a soft reset, all you have to do is paste the program shortcut into your “StartUp” folder.
Open File Explorer (or File Manager) and navigate to the program that you want. Copy the program and navigate to the StartUp folder (under My Device\Windows). Paste the program in StartUp. The next time you soft reset your device, the program will automatically launch.

Access eBay, Wikipedia, and other mobile sites

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007

Anyone who has tried using eBay on a mobile device knows that it doesn’t work very well due to seemingly endless scroll bars. Instead, use this mobile eBay site (wap2.bonfiremedia.com) that is conveniently optimized for mobile devices. Note that you can view and bid on items but cannot make payments over the site. In addition, the widely popular encyclopedia site Wikipedia also has a mobile site (axa.instinct.co.nz/wiki/). For listings of other mobile sites, go to the following links:

[Read more]

Turning the sound off at set times

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007
There may be times when you want to schedule the sound on your device to be off (such as during regular lectures or meetings) so that you don’t have to manually turn the sound off and back on again.
[Read more]

Seamless playback of songs

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007

There are a number of third-party MP3 players for Windows Mobile devices that offer seamless playback (without noiseless gaps between songs). These include iPlay (40th.com) and Pocket Music (pocketmind.com).

Use screensavers on your device

Submitted Friday, May 25, 2007

Just as with desktop PCs, you can install third-party screen savers on Windows Mobile devices. For some quick results, visit our Software Store (smartphonemag.com/swstore) and do a search on “screen savers.” Note that some Today screen plug-ins such as Spb Time (spbsoftwarehouse.com) have a screen saver function included as a feature.

Password protect your Excel files

Submitted Tuesday, May 22, 2007

To password protect an Excel file in a Windows Mobile 2003 Second Edition device, open that file, go to Tools >Password and enter the password that you want to set up. After you save and close the file, you will be required to enter the password again before you can open the file. If you synchronize the file to your desktop PC, the password will be lost.

Finding a downloaded file

Submitted Tuesday, May 22, 2007

If you downloaded a file to your device and are unable to find it, then you should try looking for it in File Explorer (or File Manager) in Windows\Temporary Internet Files. Internet Explorer downloads all content to the subdirectories of the above mentioned directory. If a downloaded file does not have an association with any of the installed programs on your device, then it will be downloaded in that folder as well. You can copy the file from that folder to any other folder using File Explorer. To find a file more easily, you can sort the files by date.

Following up on Contacts in Outlook Mobile

Submitted Tuesday, May 22, 2007
If you're used to using the Follow Up feature in Outlook Contacts on the desktop (Actions >Follow Up), you may find it frustrating that Outlook Mobile has no parallel feature.
[Read more]