We all like to have our device run fast and start programs up quickly. I'm sure nobody enjoys waiting up to five or even more seconds in order for a program to start up or be terminated. This is where MemMaid comes in. MemMaid is a memory management utility which keeps your device clean of trash and contains several tools which help you to get the maximum performance out of your Windows Mobile touchscreen device. Read on to see if it's worth the price!

SETUP


Installation is fairly easy and straightforward done through ActiveSync on your desktop PC. All you need to do is connect your device to your PC and launch the installation exe from your PC and the app will be installed directly on your phone.

PRODUCT FEATURES


Once you installed MemMaid, three shortcuts will appear in your Programs Folder: MemMaid, the actual main program and two others MemMaid QuickClean and ReclaimRam. For those users who are not that into advanced tweaking, these two options are all they need in order to keep their device clean. MemMaid QuickClean cleans out the temporary folders, the browser cache and history files while ReclaimRam can recover RAM which was not released after a program got closed.
Once we start the main application for the first time we are offered an option to run the program in either Protective Mode or with Advanced Features enabled. In Protective Mode MemMaid will only apply changes which are known to be safe on your device, whereas with advanced features enabled you're allowed to tweak and apply changes as you feel.
The tweaks and tools of the program are split up into six categories. The first category contains the cleaning tools, namely Advanced Cleaner, Quick Cleaner and ReclaimRam. Besides performing the cleaning action itself, you can also check the folders and places (temporary files, cookies, cache files, bad uninstall files and registry, etc.) you would like to be cleaned by MemMaid.
There is also a neat little tool called Clean Schedule which you can access under the Tools menu and where you can schedule automatic cleaning of your device in order to get the best performance out of it.
The second category, which deals with databases, has four parts: Notification Queue, Registry, Database Usage and Extensions. Notification Queue lets you take a look at the scheduled events of your device, allowing you to find duplicate, expired or invalid events. Under Registry you can find a registry editor and explorer for those who like to do their own registry editing. Under Database Usage you can manually manage the databases which are used by your device. The last tab, Extensions , let's you manage which program is associated with what type of file.
The third category contains System Tweaks , with the help of which you can fine tune your device to run faster and smoother than ever. You can do these changes manually or for those who are not familiar with tweaking there are four optimizations to choose from, focusing on either memory or speed. There's also an Application Cache tab in this category, where you can change where some applications store their cache or data files, while under the Information tab you can see information about your device ( name/model, processor type, storage cards ) and if you're running on Windows Mobile 2003/2003SE you can even partition your RAM between "Storage"; and "Memory";. Sadly this feature is not available on WM6 as I would have loved to try it out. The last tool under this category is quite unique. DLL Optimizer lets you move some program DLLs (programs use these extensions to run) from the main memory to the storage memory, freeing up your devices main memory in the process.
The fourth category contains the tool and tweaks concerning StartUp. Here you can toggle which programs you want launched when you turn on your device, configure your Today plugins or toggle Startup Services.
The fifth category deals with storage memory. Here you can manage your files on your main memory or storage cards, find files, install/delete CAB files using the CAB Installer or view and manage the installed applications on your device.
The last category will show you all the applications and processes which currently run on your device and how much CPU power and memory they are using. Here you can safely terminate the ones which you do not use in order to free up memory.

HELP SUPPORT


I was pleasantly surprised to see how comprehensive and well written the Help section of MemMaid is. Normally I don't bother reading through the Help section, but the developers have really taken the time to write a detailed description for all the most important tools and how to use them, in a way that is understandable for the average user.

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS


MemMaid takes up about one megabyte of storage space and will run on the following platforms: Windows Mobile 6, Windows Mobile 5, or Window Mobile 2003/SE.

BUGS AND WISHES


Nothing major I have come across.However, if there is one thing I could ask for, perhaps in a next release, is a tool which does automatic clean/RAM recovery if the RAM usage goes above, for example 80%.That would really make things a lot quicker while working on your device. Another thing that is slightly concerning when using the program is that even though it has a Protected mode, it can cause system instability or even crash the OS if don't exactly know what we're deleting or changing.

PURCHASING


You can purchase MemMaid from our software store for $24.99 USD. There is also a trial version available for download.

Pros

  • Easy to use for cleaning
  • Great group of tools in one application
  • Allows for scheduled cleaning
  • Has tweaks and tools for both the average and the more advanced user

Cons

  • Can cause system instability
  • Pricey
  • Can delete important files which can crash the OS
  • Does not have the "recover RAM if RAM usage goes above certain percent" tool

OVERALL IMPRESSION


MemMaid is a must have for anyone that likes to tweak and modify their device. Although you may think the asking price for the program is a bit steep, MemMaid offers a full arsenal of memory management tools in a single program. Whether you use it for advanced memory tweaking or only quick cleaning and RAM recovery, MemMaid will not disappoint.