Windows mobile one-handed use
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Windows Mobile Easy of Use / One Hand Tips
I see it all the time...those who are new to WM or who are coming from Palm say within the first day (or less than an hour) of using a totally new OS, "I can't move around in it like I could with my Palm OS".....Well, no surprise because it is not Palm but a totally different OS. I know that is so obvious that it shouldn't need to said, but sometimes going back to the basics can really help a lot people as they transition into the WM world.
Some of the biggest complaints sound like this:
- It takes 5 times more clicks to do the same thing in POS
- Everything is hidden in menus and I can't find anything or takes too long to get to it.
- I can dial 3 people on my Palm Treo in the same time it takes me to dial one number in WM.
Most of all these complaints can be addressed by simple knowledge of the tools and settings options of WM out of the box or some 3rd party apps ranging from free to $15.
I have seen this same type of comments brought up in so many other threads in the last 3 days that I wanted to start a Ease of Use / One Hand Tips thread to help those new to WM understand how easy it really is to use WM. In the Future Treo forum buried on the 3rd page of a thread I had a post that the follow is based off of, but greatly added to, about addressing the ease of use of a WM device vs a Treo Palm device.
HARDWARE BUTTONS
The actual hardware can play a HUGE part in this question. For example the PPC-6600 series of phones have 9 programable hardware buttons. This includes Start Menu and OK (Close) buttons. The 6600 also has 5 way nav. I have my buttons set to launch:
- Calendar
- PIE
- WebIs Mail
- Start Menu
- Camera
- VC for easy voice dialing while driving
- OK (close)
- Rotate screen between Landscape and Portrait
I am not sure how many are programable on the Treo 700w/wx, but it probably is a fair amount. To map your buttons to launch those most used apps with one hit of a hardware buttton, go to Start Menu>>Setting>>Personal>>Buttons
SOFTWARE SOLUTIONS
Many people do not give enough credit to either the customizable Start Menu or the Today Page. What I cannot access directly with a single click of a hardware button, I can usually access with only one to three clicks of the 5 way nav or a single tap of my finger on the Today Page.
For example in the settings ( Menu>>Setting>>Personal>>Menus ) you can specify up to 8 or so programs to include at the very top of your Start Menu. With any file manager, you can also easily organize your Start Menu in a very organized fashion.....just like I used to do with Zlauncher with the same amount of 5 way nav clicks to launch a program. Then you add in the Recent section of the Start Menu that shows the last 5 or so more programs that you most recently launched. And all if it accessable with a Start Menu button and 5 way nav'able. Below is an example of how I customized my menus along with WisBar that is talked about a little later.
In the same Menu Settings above you can also somewhat customize the New button that lets you easily start a new Appointment, Word Doc, Excel Spreadsheet, Contact, Task, Note, Message, etc..... with only only two taps with your finger.
In order to stream line your Today Page and to clear away all the clutter go to Menu>>Setting>>Personal>>Today>>Items and you can select and uncheck any item to display on your Today Page.
You have to remember that this is still a newer device, depending on exactly what model you have. Anytime you are a pioneer with a new device you have to expect that there will updates to programs coming soon if they are not arleady availabe for WM05 or for square screens. So if some of the options below are not WM05 ready yet.....keep a close eye on them so you can use the moment they are. Some of these options:
Just like with Palm OS, WM has several 3rd party Menu solutions to help organize the menu to be more effective. I personally use Wisbar Advance 2. I have screen shots below of how I use this with organizing my menu like I mentioned above. You can see it at http://www.lakeridgesoftware.com/index.html. They also have a new add on to this called Wisbar Desktop that is WM05 compatible, but I have not tried it myself.
Or there are several free to pay for utilities that will let you add icons on your Today page for all of your favorite or most used programs. I use a Today screen plugin called Pocket Plus ( http://www.spbsoftwarehouse.com/products/pocketplus/?en )that will officially work with WM05. One of the advantages of this is you can put program icons on your Start Page. Another tool that will do this and has worked on other WM05 devices is iLauncher found here: http://www.sbsh.net/products/ilauncher/ . You can see a row of icons in the screen shot below.
The latest version of PocketPlus also adds a great Alt-Tab style task manager. I assigned to a hardware button and it is not dead easy and fast to switch between multiple running programs.
You add a couple utilities like PocketBreeze and Contact Breeze which are WM05 compatable found at http://www.sbsh.net/products/pocketbreeze/, and I rarely have open my Calendar and Contacts...all accessed from the Today Screen. With ContactBreeze I can look up and have a contact dialing just as fast as on my Treo. Plus I never have to open my email to see if I have any...a summary at a glance on the Today page. Again, see screen shots below.
There are other great utilities that speed things up that don't deal with navigation. For example a great little tool called TapText 1.1 ( LINK HERE ). TapText is a whole new way of inserting text into your notes, e-mail or documents, etc... With only two taps you can add pre-edited text into any application without leaving it or even changing your preferred input method. If you are tired of entering the same text over and over, then this is the best tool for you. Use it to save time when entering your meeting notes, sending e-mails, chatting, writing documents, or even filling forms while browsing the internet. To use TapText, simply tap on its icon on the top bar. This will bring its menu, where you select the text you want to enter to your current active application.
I just found this cool utility. I use the keyboard a lot, but there are times when I like to use the software keyboard....like when I have lot of numbers to included in my text. PDAmill offers Topkey. This is basically skinned software keyboard that offers [B]Self-learning predictive input[/B]!!! For example when I first typed the word "stylus" it it did not come up as a predictive input option, but it did the second time I started to type the word because it learned it from the first time I used it!
You can take a look at it and download a demo here:
WORKING IT ALL TOGETHER
So to launch a program one handed without a stylus that is not mapped to a hardware button, I just hit the Start Menu, hardware button. 5 way nav down two or three spaces and push Enter.
I want to launch a different program...just one single tap on an icon on the Today Screen with iLauncher or Pocket Plus type plugin....a finger works just fine.
Of course, this does not even cover the benefits of VC that can launch any progam with a single spoken word.
I have to be honest and say that with a little understanding of the tools available with both OS and a good phone layout.....the navigation differences in time and easy to launch a program between Palm and WM becomes very small.
If you have any other helpful hints, utilities, ect... that you have found to help make navigation or one handed use easier with your WM device please share them here!
I hope this helps! :)
