Windows Mobile apps help keep New Year’s resolutions |
| | This year, I’m keeping my New Year’s resolutions simple and straightforward: live healthier, work smarter, and play more. Over the next few months I’m hoping to drop 10 pounds and achieve a better work/life balance—all with the help of Windows Mobile. Whether it’s living healthier, working smarter, or making the most of play time, there are Windows Mobile applications to keep me on track.
I think my goals are realistic. They don’t require a complete lifestyle change or untold additional hours on the elliptical machine. Plus, I’ve developed a foolproof strategy.
A big part of my strategy, honed razor-sharp from the successes and failures accumulated over a lifetime, is really quite simple: to be mindful of how the choices I make support or impede my goals—in other words, self-directed guilt. Courtesy of my future self, delivered in accusatory tones uncomfortably similar to my mother’s: “You’re going to eat that now? An hour before bed? Are you trying to kill yourself?” Hearing that voice in my head actually does help. Rather than grab fast food when I have limited time for lunch, I’ll opt for the can of tuna in my desk. It’s not like I really enjoy fast food anyhow. The guilt always ruins it. Better to eat something healthy and feel the rush of self control. I just need to be organized enough to have the tuna stored in my desk.
That’s another major component of the strategy: organization. Achieving my goals requires access to the appropriate information and tools. One invaluable organizational tool is my Windows Mobile phone. |
| Ten Windows Mobile apps I’m seriously considering | I’ve created a list of Windows Mobile applications that I’m eyeing to help me keep my resolutions. The apps listed here represent the most popular and highest-rated Windows Mobile–certified applications currently available. Most of these programs have a trial version that lets you experience it before you plop down your hard-earned cash.
Note Application rankings and ratings were current as of December 2008. | Airscanner Mobile Antivirus, by Airscanner Corporation, is the most popular smartphone application right now. This powerful virus scanner helps protect your device from wireless viruses. Since I keep a lot of personal info on my phone, it’s worth it to me to make sure it’s protected. Airscanner offers a free trial version. Handmark Express, by Handmark, Inc., is a four-star Internet application. It provides one-touch access to news, weather, and sports. It also includes movie times, yellow pages, and even an Oxford reference guide. Get all the information you need, right at your finger tips. Handmark offers a free 14-day trial version. IM+ Mobile Instant Messenger, by SHAPE Services, is currently the fourth-most-popular smartphone application and ranks five stars. Use one interface to chat with friends on any of the major platforms: AIM/iChat, MSN/Windows Live Messenger, MySpace IM, Yahoo!, ICQ, Jabber, and Google. If you maintain multiple IM accounts, this handy app can greatly simplify your life. Shape offers a free 7-day trial version. MyPersonalDiet, by VidaOne, Inc., helps you track your food intake and workouts using your smartphone. Create a personal diet plan and view calorie and nutrient information for more than 7,500 food items. If you have food restrictions, you can monitor specific nutrients. It even works with Consumer Reports successful diet recommendations. Gentimer, by Rivia, is a five-star, all-in-one application for alarms, timers, stopwatches, and world time. You can use .WMA, .MP3, and .WAV alarms to remind you of important events. It also offers a stopwatch that supports an unlimited number of laps plus a world time function with your choice of 140 cities. For those of us prone to forgetting appointments and meetings, this app may offer assistance. Rivia offers a free trial version. eWallet, by Ilium Software, ranks three stars. This handy app lets you securely store personal information that you frequently need, like credit card numbers, PINs, passwords, and travel details. For me, this application means that the information I have scattered over several scraps of paper in my checkbook can now be consolidated into one easy-to-find place. Ilium offers a free 30-day trial. Fonix Voice Dial, by Fonix, is the second-most-popular smartphone app and ranks five stars. Voice Dial adds voice recognition software to your smartphone, letting you call someone (literally) by name. It also supports audio via a Bluetooth headset. Wayfinder Navigator, by Wayfinder Systems AB, is a five-star utility. It provides turn-by-turn directions as well as voice-guidance and traffic information. It includes 3 million points of interest, such as museums, restaurants, and gas stations. If you’re directionally challenged, this app can save you time and frustration. 1-Home Edit, by Omega One, is the fifth-most-popular smartphone application and ranks high with five stars. This Home screen editor lets you swap background images and add and remove elements (plug-ins) on the Home screen. 1-Home Edit also includes 20 new color schemes. Use this app to truly customize your mobile device. Omega One offers a trial version. Aces Texas Hold’em No-Limit, by Concrete Software, Inc., is the third-most-popular smartphone app and has a five-star rating. Easy and fun to learn, Texas Hold’em is one of the most exciting games out there. Test your smarts and improve your skill. This is a fun way to pass the time when traveling or to take a quick break from tedious tasks. Concrete Software offers a free demo.
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| Tip There’s a wide range of great Windows Mobile apps available, though not all are Windows Mobile Certified. If you have need of a particular application, search the web to see what’s out there. (I used the following resolution-supportive search terms—along with Windows Mobile—and found some interesting apps: pedometer, calorie counter, mileage tracker, restaurant guide, exercise, and health.) You may also want to explore the member-generated help forums to see what other folks are using. |
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