The battle between Personal Information Managers (PIM) in the Windows Mobile Professional (touch screen) environment is quite competitive. Earlier this year we reviewed WebIS’ latest version of Pocket Informant and Birdsoft’s new Windows Mobile Pro version of eXtreme Agenda.
INTRODUCTION
- Home screen
- Calendar events
- Address book/Contacts
- Personal notes/journal
- Task lists
- Project management
- Templates/Macros
This comparison uses version 8.02 build 1164 of Pocket Informant requires 3895 KB of program memory and version 3.12 of eXtreme Agenda requires 1556 KB of program memory.
SETUP
The comparison is divided into section associated with the categorization I listed above.
PRODUCT FEATURES
Home Screen
The home screen is the interface which allows you to navigate to each major feature within the PIM application.
The home screen for both applications allow you to access the major functions using touch, soft key menus or the D-Pad. Pocket Informant (PI) allows you enter a number which is great if you have a device with an easily accessible numeric keypad like the Verizon Samsung i760. On the other hand eXtreme Agenda (XA) has the innovative Spinner which lets you have some fun with your finger.
Calendar Events
A Calendar event is a reference to a particular day and time represented within the calendar. There are multiple similar calendar views in both applications.
These are the Month views.
And these are the Day views.
Finally, we have the week views.
Both applications provide the basics. PI has an additional agenda view which merges in tasks. XA merges tasks in the daily detail portion of the month view. The applications allow you to filter, however PI provides more customization options for views.
The calendar entry method look similar and they use additional detail screen for appropriate fields. Both provide for custom alarms, however PI allows Time Zone entry and the ability to link and/or journal your entries.
Address Book/Contacts
An address book is a collection of records which can include first name, last name, company name, address, telephone number, e-mail address, fax number, mobile phone number, IM handle and many other field to help describe the contact.
The base views for Contacts. Both application use the elevator to navigate up/down the list and perform a text search, however PI provides a touch option which allows you to flick through the list but don’t expect iPhone sensitivity. The option of the ABC bar of the top of the PI view helps alphabetically filter using the D-Pad. The default icons in XA automatically differentiate between company and individual contact entries.
This is the detail views. PI provides for a text message and call log option on the initial display, while those options are available in the menu in XA.
The entry screens are very similar, although PI only shows the most popular fields on the initial display. The additional fields in PI require the user to select them.
Personal Notes/Journal
A journal from the Latin diurnalis, daily is used in PIM applications as a daily record of events or business. It can also be a diary.
Here we have the notes view. Both application provide the same basic functionality like voice record. PI does offer specific activity templates like daily notes and mission statements.
PI provides a Journal option which allows you to link appointments, notes, contacts, categories and external links.
XA provide an electronic wallet feature which allows you to secure important information. PI does have a encrypt/decrypt feature but it is not as all encompassing as the one in XA.
Task Lists
A task list (also to-do list) is a list of tasks to be completed, such as chores or steps toward completing a project (Wikipedia).
The PI and AX task lists provide the same basic features.
Project Management
Project Management is the discipline of planning, organizing, and managing resources to bring about the successful completion of specific project goals and objectives (Wikipedia).
XA has a project management feature which allows you to organize contacts, tasks, and appointments in a hierarchical view. There is no such feature in PI.
Templates / Macros
A template is a pattern or an overlay. In PIM application they allow you pre fill in new entries. A macro is a programmatic means of extending templates with active data for the PIMs database.
The template feature of PI is much more advanced that XA, especially when you take macros into consideration. This appointment template use macro fields in the subject to initiate the contact chooser. The macro inserts the selected contacts first and last name. The contact’s phone number is inserted in the location field.
PURCHASING
Pocket Informant costs $29.95 and can be purchased via the pocketnow.com store. eXtreme Agenda costs slightly less at $24.95 and can also be had at the pocketnow.com store. Both links will allow you to download a trial before you buy.
The comparison of WebIS Pocket Informant 8 and Birdsoft eXtreme Agenda 3.1 shows that for basic PIM functionality they are fairly equal, however . Pocket Informant’s customizations are much more sophisticated and can be adapted to a user’s role. Pocket Informant also has Enterprise level functions like searching the Exchange Global Address List and templates with macros. However that is not to take anything away from eXtreme Agenda; yes it is a simpler application but the inclusion of a hierarchical project structure is very valuable. In the end, owning either application will provide you with a greatly improved PIM experience over what Microsoft ships with Windows Mobile. As a user, this comparison will hopefully help you decide if the $5 delta is worth getting the Cadillac (Pocket Informant @ $29.95) or will you be satisfied with driving a Buick (eXtreme Agenda @ $24.95).
OVERALL IMPRESSION
for the more advanced user, Pocket Informant 8 is clearly superior
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