Review: UsedHandhelds.com "The Great Handheld PC Software & Resource CD 2007"

We dreamed of it, and they did it. UsedHandheld's have taken some of the most prestigious Handheld PC Software applications, from some of our most elite developers and put them together on in one place, exclusively and for the very first time.

UsedHandheld's backup the offer with discounts for buyers of the Jornada 720, and are giving all new MobilePro users the chance to own the bundle for free as part of the MobilePro 900/900C package. Excellent value if you're in the market for new hardware, but what about as a stand-alone purchase?

Chris Tilley takes a look at the UsedHandheld's CD, sizes up the offer and sees if it deserves the title the Great Handheld PC Software & Resource CD.

Read the review and have your say here on the forums

View: UsedHandhelds.com "The Great Handheld PC Software & Resource CD"

Chris, thanks much for the review!

To pull off the CD required the effort and feedback of many active in the Handheld PC community - vendors, webmasters, experts. Special thanks go to Chris at HPCFactor, Rich Hawley of HPCNEC.com, and John Ottini and his newssletters. Chris, Rich, and John, made suggestions of what should be on CD and provided us useful feedback as we put it together, making sure info accurate and relevant. Having said that, we are ultimately responsible for the good and any mistakes. The vendors participating with their great software also deserve a lot of credit. David Seagull of our internal staff, knowing little about Handhelds, actually pulled it together. His lack of initial knowledge and his compassion for "newbies" help make the CD simple and straightforward to use.

We actually put the CD together in an effort to create a compelling package for selling HP Jornada 720/728's and NEC MobilePro 900/900c at www.UsedHandhelds.com. We bundle the CD and a new Wi-Fi with all MobilePro sales. We greatly reduce the price of the CD with Jornada sales. Also, all our Jornada and MobilePros come with a 30 day return guarantee. I am happy that Chris sees it as a strong stand-alone product for existing users.

I am a long-time fan of the handheld form factor. In fact we still have a very strong business supporting HP 200LX users at www.palmtoppaper.com. We now publish Smartphone & Pocket PC mag, and it is fascinating to see with the release of new Windows Mobile 5 and 6, the keyboards and even the clamshells slowly coming back.

Hal Goldstein
Owner and Founder
Thaddeus Computing
www.thaddeus.com

Excellent review of the CD Chris!

Thanks Gent's.

I have been playing with PocketDOS on the MP900, it runs quite well even with the BOCHS processor provider. But my do PD make it difficult to get started with emulation on the device. Moving data between a fully emulated environment and the host is plain not explained in their documentation...

... yes, I was trying to install NT on it - well I promised I would after the BOCHS review!

It is a lot of fun though, and the CD does make the MP one mean machine - like it should have been from day one.

Masterful job with the review.......... it almost makes me want to buy another copy of the CD!

Chris - Thanks for dreaming it!

Hal - thanks for getting it done!

Can't wait for the 2008 release (hint, hint)

I'm suddenly pleased that Hal is out of the States, the chances of him successfully hurling a brick at me at this moment in time are pretty slim. Thanks John

So, Hal, when is the mag getting its original name (Handheld PC Magazine) back?

Just a note: After some hinting the CD is back again at Usedhandhelds website, Better: At $79 now (US , incl. shipping) . And for us with Euro's, it boils down to 65 euro's including the $18 shipping. Great.

Stupid question from a newby. Is the "StrongArm/XScale processor" binary compatible with the Via 8505 aka: Arm WM-8505?

Thanks,
Tom

Yup.