Pimp up your Windows Mobile !

It surely is the ‘Touch Generation’ now. With most of the major cell phone players now in the touch screen market, you have a bundle of options when it comes to buying one.

I use one from the good old HTC Gene family, the P3400i, one of the cheapest products from the Pocket PC giant, HTC. Its based on Windows Mobile 5 platform. No Wi-Fi or 3G, but it pretty much does everything I need and fits perfectly for me when considering the price/performance ratio.

Now that you own one, making your gizmo productive is one tricky part. There are hundreds of apps available on the Web, but it’s rather difficult to find one that completely satisfies your needs. I mean, when you are happy with the performance, the looks bug you, or when the looks are good, you find that the app is eating away most of the internal memory.

Well, these are some of the apps that I feel can make your PPC come alive.

Videos

• When it comes to playing videos, the built-in ‘Windows Media Player’ in WM5 is a complete nuisance; it takes up longer time to load, can’t play the videos smoothly, and doesn’t really support a wide range of video formats that you really dig for.

I use the TCPMP. When it comes to video playback, this seems to be the best. Its super-fast, supports a wide range of video formats, has a completely free-license DivX Player, and the good part, it’s free! The latest Beta release is TCPMP 0.81 RC1. A more stable version, that I use is the 0.72 RC1. The 0.81 RC1 has additional support for WMV9 vidoes, and it looks slightly better than its predecessor.

You also need to install additional plugins for advanced functionality like playing flash videos, AMR, AC3, Matroska, HQ, Flac et cetera.

http://tamspalm.tamoggemon.com/2006/12/25/tcpmp-072rc1-incl-nearly-all-plugins/

Download and install the player first and then the plugins.

TCPMP should suffice your needs when it comes to portable video playback.

Music

• The Audio Manager in WM5 is pretty much what you need to listen to your favorite tunes. It doesn’t impress you, but it’s quite good at its functions. The Audio Booster functionality is pretty good with its clean equalizer and bass-boost effects. Only minus point is that it takes up quite a bit of memory. Now, you just listened to a song and you desperately want to make it your ring tone, what’ll you do? Well, the Audio Manager has a trimming functionality too. You can trim your songs instantly and make it as your ring tone or send it to your ring tones folder.

Personally, I use the Audio Manager, but if you consider using a third party software, I recommend the GS Player. It’s a basic mp3 playback software for PPC, and its free too. Get it here:

http://hp.vector.co.jp/authors/VA032810/

Utilities

Clear Temp

• Clear Temp is all you need for clearing your temp, cache, cookies, history etc. It’s somewhat similar to the CCleaner, which is a PC App. It frees the internal memory and the Recent Program list. It’s a quite fast in its working and again a freeware.

http://cleartemp.en.softonic.com/pocketpc

Hide Folers

• Hide Folders is another good application that lets you do what the name suggests, “hide your folders”.

Hide your private stuffs with ease!

http://handheld.softpedia.com/get/System-Utilities/Enhancements/Hide-Folders-67768.shtml

WM5torage

• If you copy a lot of files back and forth between your PC and PPC, the ActiveSync might annoy you when copying very large files, like a MP4 movie for instance.

WM5torage lets your PC recognize your Storage Card as a Flash Drive. You activate this utility, plug in to your PC with the data cable, and there it is, ‘redemption’! Now, you can copy your files without using the ActiveSync. A good tool if you travel a lot, or visit the Internet Cafes in the city frequently.

Use your PPC as a Flash Drive.

http://wm5torage.en.softonic.com/windowsmobile

Internet

Opera Mobile

• Opera Mobile 9.5 Public Beta is the ultimate in browsing experience on a PPC. This version is built up on top of the rendering engine for Opera web browser, Presto. It tries to bring the real-time PC browsing experience to mobiles with its zoom, tabbed browsing and touch interface functionalities. You even could download files, videos, mp3s straight to you mobile with ease. This is a must use app for PPC users. Opera has release a new version of the browser, the 9.7 Beta Public, find the download link below.

A must-use app!

Download the new Opera Mobile 9.7 Public Beta here.http://www.opera.com/mobile/download/

YouTube for WM

• Mobile video streaming is simply the best thing to happen, ever! Playing YouTube videos on your mobile just got funkier with the release of the new YouTube for Windows Mobile streaming app. It’s a stunner! It’s fast and neatly designed for the average PPC user and the interface never looked so good. Find your videos on the search box, click play and the app will play the video nice and fast in the landscape mode. But be sure you have a good data plan it will give you a run for your money because of YouTube, as usual, will chew up a hell lot of data. For installation visit http://m.youtube.com with your device and follow the instructions.

Google Maps Mobile

• Determine your current location with our without GPS, get driving and transit directions, get phone numbers and addresses for local business; that’s what google maps lets you do, but only this time it’s on your mobile.

http://www.google.com/mobile/products/maps.html#p=default

I think this should do it. These are just the essential, the basics, when it comes to your PPC. Try these out today and know the difference..;-)

Being Me !

Profile

Age: 24

Height: 5′ 10″

Weight: 95Kg

Body Mass Index: 30Kg/m2

Wondering whose profile is it? Well, its mine. Today, I bumped upon the ‘much rejected’ BMI Calculator page in Men’s Health India. After some seconds, I figured out I’d give it a go. After a couple of clicks, I found out that I was overweight, or obese to be more precise. May be that’s why I’m so uncomfortable traveling in a bus, I thought the seats were pretty small.

I’m really struggling with the greatest menace of all time, “weight”. I do know that burning the calories is the only option for me this time, but how. I don’t live a normal man’s life. I work in night shifts, which honestly till now I’ve not been able to adapt. I don’t have a proper sleeping time, a proper routine as my shift timings fluctuate very rapidly. More than finding a time for exercising, it’s the initial laziness that’s killing me. It takes 20 days for an errand to become a habit or routine, and I’m bad at it, and I mean really bad.

They say, 12.1% people in India are either obese or overweight. It really is good to be a member of a club, which I was not for a very long time until now, but joining the “Indian Obese/Overweight Club” was a little too much for me, considering the pile load of troubles that I caused due to my negligence.

The good thing I did in these days is that I quit smoking. Yup, I did it! It’s been more than a month. I don’t think I’ll smoke that nic-stick again. That too was a reason for me being overweight. I’m 25 now and it’s time to be serious in life, I don’t know why am I scribbling this in my blog. Honestly, I don’t have any thing else to write … ha !

To add to my delight, I found out that I’m suffering from a condition called Alopecia Areata. I’m losing hair in circles. What a damn world. My immune system is identifying my hair follicles are foreign and it’s attacking them, shedding them to baldness. It can be worse, I could lose all of my hair on my body if it becomes worse. And there’s more, there is possibly no cure for it. Isn’t it a delight? God !!! WHY DO BAD THINGS HAPPEN TO GOOD PEOPLE?

Parents separated, not even a bachelor degree in hand, overweight, losing hair, single n lonely, away from home, no identity to prove my nationality; no driver’s license, PAN card, passport … This is me … and being me is a bit difficult … at least that’s what I want to believe ! God Help Me !

Quit Smoking !!!

As usual, life’s so dull these days. May be its the weather in CBE, life seems so slow and creepy for me. Its been quite some time that I had a feeling that I’m missing something vital in my life. I feel like a loser, may be I am one. Love, money, health; I’ve lost it all, or don’t have much of it rather! So I thought it’s high-time for damage control! And may be I should start with something that is in my hand, something that is under my control. The first thing that came to my mind was “Smoking”.

I’ve been trying to quit smoking for sometime now, but all my attempts went in vain. The max I could control was for a week and a half. For me it was not a lot about controlling, cos i knew deep inside that I could quit, it was easy cos I believed it was easy. I googled for a bit and bumped on a piece of article published in indiatimes.com. I think its really cool and really useful for people who are trying to quit. Here is the extract.

Here are 12 techniques that will help you quit the habit.
Remember – you can do it!

1. Deep Breathing Perhaps The Single Most Powerful And Important Technique: Every time you want a cigarette, do the following. Do it three times.

Inhale the deepest lung-full of air you can, and then, very slowly, exhale. Purse your lips so that the air must come out slowly. As you exhale, close your eyes, and let your chin gradually sink over onto your chest. Visualize all the tension leaving your body, slowly draining out of your fingers and toes, just flowing on out.

This is a variation of a yoga technique and is very relaxing. If you practice this, you’ll be able to use it for any future stressful situation you find yourself in. And it will be your greatest weapon during the strong cravings sure to assault you over the first few days.

2. Taking In Fluids:
The first few days, drink LOTS of water and fluids to help flush out the nicotine and other poisons from your body.

Remember that the urge to smoke only lasts a few minutes, and will then pass. The urges gradually become farther and farther apart as the days go by.

3. Stay Away From Alcohol, Sugar And Coffee
Do your very best to stay away from alcohol, sugar and coffee the first week or longer, as these tend to stimulate the desire for a cigarette. Avoid fatty foods, as your metabolism will slow down a bit without the nicotine, and you may gain weight even if you eat the same amount as before quitting. So discipline about diet is extra important now. No one ever said acquiring new habits would be easy!

Nibble on low calorie foods like celery, apples and carrots. Chew gum or suck on cinnamon sticks.

Stretch out your meals; eat slowly and wait a bit between bites.

After dinner, instead of a cigarette, treat yourself to a cup of mint tea or a peppermint candy.

4. Taking an Oral Substitute
In one study, about 25% of quitters found that an oral substitute was invaluable. Another 25% didn’t like the idea at all – they wanted a clean break with cigarettes. The rest weren’t certain.

One can use cinnamon sticks, chewing gum or artificial cigarettes as a substitute. You will mostly find that after the first week of being a non smoker, you wouldn’t even need these.

5. Get Exercising
Go to a gym, sit in the steam, exercise. Change your normal routine – take time to walk or even jog around the block or in the local park.

6.Pamper Yourself
Go ahead and join a yoga class or maybe reiki – they’re great! Get a one hour massage, take a long bath – pamper yourself. Get yourself involved in a hobby.

7. Ask For Support
Ask for support from co-workers, friends and family members. Ask for their tolerance. Let them know you’re quitting, and that you might be edgy or grumpy for a few days. If you don’t ask for support, you certainly won’t get any. If you do, you’ll be surprised how much it can help. Take a chance – try it and see!

Ask friends and family members not to smoke in your presence. Don’t be afraid to ask. This is more important than you may realize.

8. Destroy All Your Cigarettes
On your quit day, hide all ashtrays and destroy all your cigarettes, preferably with water, so no part of them is smokeable.

9. Write It Down
Write down ten good things about being a nonsmoker – and then write out ten bad things about smoking. Do it. It really helps.

10. Don’t Pretend
Don’t pretend smoking wasn’t enjoyable – it was. This is like losing a good friend – and it’s okay to grieve the loss. Feel that grief, don’t worry, it’s okay. Feel, and you heal. Stay with it – you can do it!

11. Affirm Yourself
Several times a day, quietly repeat to yourself the affirmation, “I am a nonsmoker.” Many quitters see themselves as smokers who are just not smoking for the moment. They have a self-image as smokers who still want a cigarette.

Silently repeating the affirmation “I am a nonsmoker” will help you change your view of yourself, and, even if it may seem silly to you, this is actually useful. Use it!

12. Holding Out
Here is perhaps the most valuable information among these points. In Phase 2, the period which begins a few weeks after quitting, the urges to smoke will subside considerably.

However, it’s vital to understand that from time to time, you will still be suddenly overwhelmed with a desire for “just one cigarette.” This will happen unexpectedly, during moments of stress, whether negative stress or positive (at a party, or on vacation). If you are unprepared to resist, succumbing to that “one cigarette” will lead you directly back to smoking.

Remember the following secret: in these surprise attacks during Phase 2 – and they will definitely come – do your deep breathing, and hold on for five minutes, and the urge will pass.

In conclusion
Remember that if you quit you will live longer and feel better. Quitting will lower your chances of having a heart attack, stroke, or cancer. The people you live with, especially children, will be healthier. If you are pregnant, you will improve your chances of having a healthy baby. And you will have extra money to spend on things other than cigarettes.

So get the information and support you need to make the stopping process a little easier. Seek the help of family and friends, and most important decide you want to do it and visualize yourself as a non-smoker.

Courtesy:indiatimes.com