Marketplace Pick
Market Pick
Spinning Around your PIM (1/2)
Birdsoft eXtreme Agenda v3.1
INTRODUCTION
The world of Windows Mobile Professional Personal Information Manager (PIM) is very competitive and these days hard to break into. Birdsoft is adding to this competitive marketplace with the release of version 3.1 of eXtreme Agenda for Windows Mobile Professional, however they are not new to the PIM marketplace and where one of the first full featured PIMs to be released on Windows Mobile Standard (SmartPhone 2002). They bring some innovative concepts such as the Spinner over from the one handed world of Windows Mobile Standard. Let's take eXtreme Agenda for a spin and see how it stacks up!
SETUP
The installation of eXtreme Agenda can be performed on a Windows PC (XP and Vista) with an .exe or directly on the Windows Mobile device with a .cab file.
The Windows PC based installer. I installed eXtreme Agenda using Vista and Windows Mobile Device Center.
The Windows Mobile installer. The one of advantage of eXtreme Agenda is its small memory footprint. At 1556KB, it is one of the smallest PIMs I have used.
PRODUCT FEATURES
The Spinner is a very innovative user interface paradigm for selecting the function you want to use. It is operable via the D-Pad or the touch screen. I am able to use it my thumb in a circular motion, then double tapping on the function that appears in the selection box at 12 noon.
The Spinner is customizable and allows views, specific contacts, program shortcuts, web address URL, and saved views.
The views soft function key allows you to access key functions directly.
The calendar view display icons for birthdays and tasks which are due on a given day. Every view's left soft key returns to the Spinner.
The calendar view provides menu options which allow you to create appointments and tasks from pre defined templates. Unfortunately the templates are static and there is currently no way to place variables which would allow for data substitution from the PIM database.
The appointment entry screen provides Outlook desktop reminder and recurrence options not found in the standard Windows Mobile PIM. A wheel based calendar and time entry user interface which is touch sensitive using up and down finger flicks. Very nice.
The contact view displays the associated picture if available. The menu options provide a full range of features and access to all of the data in the standard PIM database.
The task view and menu option. The template option is also available for tasks. A nice Outlook desktop feature is the ability to turn a task into an appointment.
The note view allows you to use Outlook desktop notes and email them as an attachment. The problem; the .pwi format is only readable by other Windows Mobile devices.
The eXtreme Agenda incorporated a very nice feature; an electronic wallet which is encrypted using the 256-bit Blowfish encryption, a public domain cipher algorithm sighted on the popular show "24"...and the desktop eXtreme Wallet companion is currently free with the purchase of eXtreme Agenda.
The weekly calendar view with active tasks at the top.
The project feature is nice way to organize contacts, tasks, and appointments, as well as external links. The eXtreme Agenda covers every data item and the basic functions of a serious PIM.
