The PDA version release of Google Maps a couple of days ago made a really big noise on various PDA dedicated sites. Msmobiles even gave their article a title “The best news for Windows Mobile in year 2007 : Google Maps for Windows Mobile released !!!”. Well, I do not know, I probably would not be so optimistic … But anyway, I also wanted to try this new software from Google and here are some early comments:

• a bug for a start – despite the fact that I chose to install GoogleMaps to Storage Card on my Artemis, the application file (593 KB) was copied to Program Files/GoogleMaps
• the maps show quite fast in different views
• map details seems to be identical with the PC version (obviously …)
• Google Maps needs internet connection to work – i.e. off-line browsing of downloaded maps is not possible
• I could not find the place where maps are stored (most probably it is Application Data/GoogleMaps); I also did not find where to change this location

To be honest, GoogleMaps are not going to stay long in my PDA as I do not really find any use for such software. But anyway, try it yourself …

After connecting my HTC Artemis to TomTom Home utility today, I got a message annoucing the availability of Connect2Internet database update. As the information message says (see above), the Connect2Internet database is supposed to include connection details for different mobile phones and mobile phone operators. The size of the update is 400 KB and the files named Connect2Internet.db and Connect2Internet.so were installed to Storage Card.

Already some time ago, PocketPC Magazine published a list of winners of the 2006 Best Software Awards. There are several categories and there is one winner for each of them. However, all nominees as well as all finalists are mentioned as well. The reason why I writing about it here is that I believe the list could be a very good place to start with for those who are searching for a useful utility in any of the categories. … or at least, I am using it in this way …

Recentely I tested two GPS utilities for WindowsMobile PDA‘s. The first of them is called VisualGPSce and works very well on HTC Artemis. VisualGPSce is GPS software that displays GPS data in both text and graphical form. Moreover, the data can be exported into a file. You can find more information here.

The second utility I was testing on HTC Artemis is called GPSAuto. Installation runs OK but while trying to access the GPS, the utility freezes and PDA has to be restarted. It is a pity as I would welcome some advanced speed-watching software. Anyway, the product pages are here.

Today a new version of SKTools (a great system and tweak utility) has been released. Here is a brief detail list of the changes and improvements in the new version:

• Delete PIM information option
• Added ‘Colors’, ‘ActiveSync’, ‘Phone Edition’, ‘Fonts’ tweaks section. Now SKTools have more 60 system tweaks
• Extended ‘System Optimization’ option
• Improved RAM freeup option for wm2005
• Improved installer
• Improved works with cached datas
• Improved help call (system tweaks)

You can download the new version of SKTools (3.1.2) here.

After a few weeks of using TomTom Navigator 6, I was able to rearrange the application and settings menu. I believe that handling of the application is now much more comfortable than it was with the default settings. For customizing the TomTom menu, I used a program called TomTom Menu Designer. If you are interested you can download my TomTom.mnu file here; TomTom Menu Designer is available here. When you finish your own TomTom.mnu, you have to copy the file into the root directory of your PDA into the TomTom/SdkRegistry folder. If you want to get back the default TomTom menu, you just delete the TomTom.mnu file or the folders.