INTRODUCTION

    The race continues between PIM applications: DeveloperOne has just fired its latest salvo in the Personal Information Manager (PIM) war with a major upgrade, Agenda Fusion 8. We reviewed the last minor update to Agenda Fusion 7 here. In addition to improving the Windows Mobile 5.0 installation and update process, DeveloperOne has added two hot new functions to Agenda Fusion, a dual alarm feature which lets you set two different reminder alarms for one appointment and the integratin of the call log with the contact data for Windows Mobile Phone edition users. Let’s see how well these work!

WHAT’S HOT

  The new features in Agenda Fusion 8 include:

• Call Log Integration in Contacts
• Quick view of upcoming birthdays and anniversaries
• Dual Alarm feature lets you set two reminders for important events
• Improved installation/update process for Windows Mobile 5
• Fixes to fonts when running on Japanese / Chinese devices
• Year View Navigation improved
• Updated display format for recurring multi-day items
• Non-business hours coloring added to Hourly Day/Week
• Updated file linking
• Performance updates for Contacts view
• Language Updates
  

SETUP

   DeveloperOne’s Agenda Fusion 8 can be downloaded as a Windows XP .exe or Pocket PC 2002/2003/Windows Mobile 5.0 .cab installation file here. The only difference between the two installation types is that .cab installation allows for the direct installation onto the Pocket PC while the .exe installation requires a Windows XP PC and ActiveSync.

(desktop images link to higher resolution)

The main setup screen for Agenda Fusion 8.

The selection of the appropriate Pocket PC OS version must be made on the screen. The installation of the Agenda Fusion category icon collection is optional.

    If Agenda Fusion 8 is purchased using the "Purchase Online" button at the bottom of this screen, the Windows XP installation offers a discount of $5.00 off of the retail price, . Once the Windows XP installation is completed, the appropriate .cab file is copied to the Pocket PC using ActiveSync. For a Pocket PC 2002/2003 setup, the location of the installation is selected using ActiveSync, while the Windows Mobile 5.0 setup displays the location selection on the Pocket PC.

PRODUCT FEATURES

    The Agenda Fusion 8 application provides enhanced PIM functionality with the addition of project time management features. This review will concentrate on some of the new functions in this release.

    Agenda Fusion 8 still uses the classic user interface with tabs to switch between calendar, tasks, contacts, alarm notes, and projects views. A drop down menu can also be used to jump between views. Icons at the bottom of the screen are used to access major functions. Unfortunately for Windows Mobile 5.0 users, the lack of soft keys diminishes the ability to operate Agenda Fusion with one hand.

    One of the new features of Agenda Fusion 8 is the ability to set a second reminder on a calendar event. The first reminder is set by using the default reminder fields. The second reminder is set by tapping the "2" icon to the right of the tools menu item.

The second reminder screen provides for quick date selection button in addition to a drop down calendar. The time selection is performed by using the familiar Agenda Fusion pop up.

The Outlook data structure does not support second reminders. Agenda Fusion automatically generates a second calendar event on the date and time of the second reminder.

A benefit of this additional calendar event is that the second reminder also works with Exchange and Outlook.

Both calendar events are linked in Agenda Fusion.

Another interesting feature in the calendar event creation funcntion is the ability to use the Microsoft Outlook Mobile user interface.

The contact detail view provides the call log detail on Pocket PC phones with the total number of calls as well as the status of each call.

Another new feature is the ability to sort and display contacts by anniversary date or birthday. The entries are grouped in 3 categories; next 30 days, next 90 days and beyond 90 days.

The yearly calendar view navigation with the D-Pad was improved. The highlight feature provides a means of emphasizing a set of dates without impacting calendar entries.

    DeveloperOne has added some excellent features in Agenda Fusion 8, however the performance on a 200MHZ T-Mobile MDA (a.k.a HTC Wizard) was sluggish at load time and when navigating between calendar, tasks, contacts, alarm notes, and projects.

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HELP SUPPORT

   DeveloperOne’s support provides a contact form here and a well attended forum here. I did not have any problems with the product and did not evaluate DeveloperOne’s support responsiveness. There is an good .pdf manual here with a linked table of contents. The addition of an index would be useful.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS

    Agenda Fusion 8 supports Pocket PC 2002/2003 and Windows Mobile 5.0. The Windows Mobile 5.0 version of Agenda Fusion 8 loaded into memory at 7.13MB on a T-Mobile MDA and 7.45MB on a Dell Axim X51v. The Windows Mobile 5.0 storage requirement is 1,473.1KB.

BUGS AND WISHES

   There were two dissapointments with Agenda Fusion 8: the first is the lack of soft keys for one handed operation and the second is the poor performance on the T-Mobile’s MDA 200MHZ processor. However, I encountered no performance problems with a 612MHZ Dell Axim X51v. From our last review’s wish list, DeveloperOne has addressed the editing of notes from the calendar view and there have been some improvements to the journal items. My wishlist keeps the remaining items from my last review:

• Windows Mobile 5.0 soft keys
• Appointment duration time option for addition to project time
• No integration with 3rd party note applications such as Phatware’s Phatpad

PURCHASING

   
Agenda Fusion 8 can be purchased for $29.95 here.  A trial version is available here and a special $5.00 discount is offered when a purchase is made directly from the Windows XP installation routine. Users with earlier version can upgrade to Agenda Fusion 8 for $14.95 here.

PROS

• 
  

  Dual reminders

• 
  

  Call log integration

• 
  

  Power text editor

• Project Time Management

CONS

• 
  

  Lack of Windows Mobile 5.0 soft keys

• 
  

  Poor performance on 200MHz device

• Unable to dial a contact without the stylus

Value
Ease of Use
Features
Overall

What
do these ratings mean?

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OVERALL IMPRESSION

   With Agenda Fusion 8, DeveloperOne has leapfrogged WebIS’ Pocket Informant 2005 with the double reminder and call log integration features. Agenda Fusion 8 is a well thought out Personal Information Manager which gives you much greater control of your calendar, contacts and tasks than the lackluster Microsoft applications. With the Windows Mobile 5.0 environment, the lack of soft keys forced a score of 3 in the "Ease of Use" category" in an otherwise excellent product and value. Pocket Informant does have soft keys and more view customization options. However if you need basic project and time management features, Agenda Fusion 8 is for you. You will need a heftly device to run it like a Dell Axim X51v. I cannot recommend it on a device running at 200MHZ such as a T-Mobile MDA.