Round Robin: Android Casey needs Help with the Fuze!

[Casey Chan#WP]

Hello All You Windows Mobile Experts!

This is Casey from Android Central and I desperately need your help! As the Smartphone Round Robin continues, I'm lucky enough to be using an AT&T Fuze, well it's more like the Fuze is using me because I have no idea how to work this very powerful device!

I'm going to have questions throughout the week because I've never used a Windows Mobile device before and I seem to be in way over my head. Touch Flo 3D seems to be pretty darn slick but I still have to get used to using a stylus. So instead of asking a ton of questions all at once, I think I'm going to have to take baby steps with the Fuze--it's just so much to handle.

First, how do I get my contacts onto the Fuze? I use a Mac and have no access to a PC. Gmail Contacts is an option as well, if that's at all possible. I guess we can broaden the scope: advice on all around syncing PIM data would be great!

And, any advice on apps to download? Hints on how to even download apps? Boy, I'm going to be doing a ton of research on WMExperts the next couple days! Hopefully I can give it an "educated" look by the end of the week!

Please help!

This is an Official Round Robin Contest Thread -- Details Here

 

[Dieter Bohn]

Welcome Casey!

My first piece of advice: ignore that stylus. You can pretty much get by without ever using it. :d

 

[softmagnet]

Hello All You Windows Mobile Experts!

This is Casey from Android Central and I desperately need your help! As the Smartphone Round Robin continues, I'm lucky enough to be using an AT&T Fuze, well it's more like the Fuze is using me because I have no idea how to work this very powerful device!

I'm going to have questions throughout the week because I've never used a Windows Mobile device before and I seem to be in way over my head. Touch Flo 3D seems to be pretty darn slick but I still have to get used to using a stylus. So instead of asking a ton of questions all at once, I think I'm going to have to take baby steps with the Fuze--it's just so much to handle.

First, how do I get my contacts onto the Fuze? I use a Mac and have no access to a PC. Gmail Contacts is an option as well, if that's at all possible. I guess we can broaden the scope: advice on all around syncing PIM data would be great!

And, any advice on apps to download? Hints on how to even download apps? Boy, I'm going to be doing a ton of research on WMExperts the next couple days! Hopefully I can give it an "educated" look by the end of the week!

Please help!

This is an Official Round Robin Contest Thread -- Details Here

Missing Sync should be your first software purchase. Sync your contacts and other stuff from your Mac to the Fuze.

 

[George Ponder]

hTorch is a pretty neat application. Kind of a gadget app that turns the camera light into a flash light.

I don't know if in learning the Fuze, the Advance Configuration Tool would be a good recommendation but it allows you to reorganize the Touchflo tabs and control a lot more settings (still learning about it myself).

How to get all this on your Fuze? Personally, I copy the .CAB file to my storage card then install the app from the card. You can download and install some apps from the Fuze's browser and then there's activesync. No clue on how the MAC will influence things.

 

[Doc31#WP]

pretend the stylus isn't there... you really won't need it.
download...
1. PHM RegEdit and make wm work for you
2. Skyfire is a great back up browser
3. Find SecondToday (to get the today screen back well keeping TF3D

 

[berdinkerdickle]

I really wish they could get these devices 100% stylus free.
There always seems to be one app that you need to pull out the stylus for.

 

[mkmkmk13]

Hello All You Windows Mobile Experts!

This is Casey from Android Central and I desperately need your help! As the Smartphone Round Robin continues, I'm lucky enough to be using an AT&T Fuze, well it's more like the Fuze is using me because I have no idea how to work this very powerful device!

I'm going to have questions throughout the week because I've never used a Windows Mobile device before and I seem to be in way over my head. Touch Flo 3D seems to be pretty darn slick but I still have to get used to using a stylus. So instead of asking a ton of questions all at once, I think I'm going to have to take baby steps with the Fuze--it's just so much to handle.

First, how do I get my contacts onto the Fuze? I use a Mac and have no access to a PC. Gmail Contacts is an option as well, if that's at all possible. I guess we can broaden the scope: advice on all around syncing PIM data would be great!

And, any advice on apps to download? Hints on how to even download apps? Boy, I'm going to be doing a ton of research on WMExperts the next couple days! Hopefully I can give it an "educated" look by the end of the week!

Please help!

This is an Official Round Robin Contest Thread -- Details Here

is there no stylus in the G1?


u can download tomtom or MS LIVE and compare it to google maps
check out how many ROMS are also available and what a world of difference itll do to ur phone unlike other smartphones out there where u have to rely on networks or manufacturers to supply u with updates!!

 

[treofred]

Hi Casey,

enjoy the Fuze! Since you're both a Mac users and an Android G1 users, you seem far removed from the Microsoft world (Windows, Outlook (Entourage maybe?) )

You might want to try OggSync which will synchronize your Google Calendar and Contact with your pocket Outlook... and through the cloud too

Go here to download directly from your Fuze

http://oggsync.com/m/

Good luck

 

[HobbesIsReal#WP]

First, how do I get my contacts onto the Fuze? I use a Mac and have no access to a PC. Gmail Contacts is an option as well, if that's at all possible. I guess we can broaden the scope: advice on all around syncing PIM data would be great!

I fon't have a MAC, but I believe Dieter does. He would be a perfect person to ask. But until then....

SYNC WITH MAC
Here are some options, though I cannot say which one is the best (or worst) option...

• Missing Sync
• PocketMAC
• SyncMate

SYNC GMAIL / CONTACTS / CALENDAR

With your Gmail & Gcontacts use TreoFred's advice with oggsync.

Here is also a tutorial on how to set up Gmail on your WM phone.

Or if you want to use IMAP to access Gmail, here is how to do that.

Also take a look at all the free Google apps, including Calendar, Mail, etc... for the Window Mobile OS.

And, any advice on apps to download? Hints on how to even download apps? Boy, I'm going to be doing a ton of research on WMExperts the next couple days! Hopefully I can give it an "educated" look by the end of the week!

Please help!

Here is a step by step tutorial on how to install apps on a WM phone I wrote for those brand new to the world Windows Mobile:

How To: Install, Uninstall, and Transfer Files on Windows Mobile​

As far as must have apps:

• Resco Explorer 2008 -- browse the files on your phone, registry editor, etc....
• Memmaid -- helps manage memory, but also can do all the speed tweaks on your phone with one click.
• Sprite Backup -- If you were going to have this phone for any length of time, this is vital.

 

[Draiko#AC]

1. As everyone else has said... Missing Sync is a MUST HAVE for any Mac user who has a WinMo phone

2. Livemesh mobile... If you're not using Live mesh yet, you need to start using it now! It's AWESOME!

3. If you use Google calendar, try NUEVASYNC (nuevasync.com). It's a free webservice that allows you to use Activesync (on the FUZE) to automatically sync Appointments and Contacts to your google calendar/contacts wirelessly (exchange for all of us). Unlike Oggsync, you don't need to install anything on your phone.

4. Coreplayer... This will enable your FUZE to play almost ANY Video format you throw at it! It will eat anything for lunch. Just transfer the video over to the FUZE and use Coreplayer to play it. Done. No transcoding, no resizing... just done.

5. iGO 8, Tom Tom 7, Garmin XT, or any other GPS app... I really want to see how you feel about your phone being a Turn-by-turn GPS instead of being stuck with Google Maps.

6. WinMobile Torrent... Torrent client on your phone. Enough Said.

7. Kinoma Play... The only thing keeping me from replacing Coreplayer with Kinoma Play is the fact that Kinoma won't play AVIs. KP's UI is AWESOME and the ability for KP to be your ORB client is almost worth the $30

8. USE MICROSOFT VOICE COMMAND!

9. The Sprint Touch Pro comes with Sprint TV, if you want a taste of live TV on your phone, use MobiTV.

10. MusicID is pretty cool... but most of the top-shelf smartphones have a "listen to ID your Music" program

11. Use the built-in RSS hub to automatically download Feeds and Podcasts

12. Skyfire, while a little bit of a "jerky" experience compared to Opera mobile 9.5, is a must-have when you just NEED to view flash sites. The newest version works on VGA devices. It's also the fastest mobile browser that exists right now.

13. Klaxon (I like to call it the Louise Woodward Alarm) is awesome.

14. If you're not using a stereo Bluetooth headset, then try out a Program like BT Toggle or BT Audio so that you can listen to anything using any bluetooth headset.

15. AE Button Plus... it allows you to control which buttons do what on your device... almost any button and button combination you can think of... no holds barred! With it, I've configured my Diamond's WiFi to toggle with a long keypress of the "enter" button on the D-pad and my A2DP stereo Bluetooth to toggle with a double press of my "end" key. I've set up my Girlfriend's Touch Pro's enter key to act like an "ok" button when double pressed (very handy!).

16. Thumbcal ... a much nicer calendar

17. Resco Explorer is a must-have!

18. 1-calc is a good calculator program to try out

19. Gyrator 2 is a tricky program to configure but will allow g-sensor rotation in any program you want.

20. TaskFacade is a nice Task switcher... make sure you close it out before playing videos in Coreplayer or Kinoma Play or else it'll slow everything down.

21. G-Light gives you total control of the Light sensor and backlight including program-specific backlight levels. My Girlfriend loves the fact that her screen will now totally dim when she wants to read an ebook.

22. While Windows only, Gremote is just AWESOME. It turns the phone into a universal Remote control, trackpad, airmouse, keyboard, and game pad for your PC (via Bluetooth or WiFi)!

23. Another Windows only must have is either SOTI's pocket controller. This allows total control of your phone via 3G, WiFi, USB, or BT connection.


Check out the forums at Xda-developers.com for a TON of cool stuff you can do with the FUZE (Raphael and Touch Diamond Forums specifically).

Someone on PPCgeeks.com also made a program that plays a custom sound when you flip out the keyboard... everyone I know with a Touch Pro downloaded it and set it to play the Transformers transforming sound! AWESOME!

PS - I must've edited this post 6 times because I kept forgetting some of these programs!

 

[Bunbury]

It sure would be nice if some of the folks in the Round Robin had PCs instead of Macs, like 90% of us do. WinMo will certainly have a learning curve for any user, but especially for a Mac user.

 

[questionfear]

I third the missing sync votes. It's a great program.

There's also a program called goosync that can sync google calendar with winmob.

If you come across any programs that are in .exe files, here's how I get around that to install on my phone (I have a double whammy-most .exe files are blocked on my work pc from being installed, and I use a mac at home): first, look to see if there's an over-the-air option, they can send an sms or email with a download link to your phone. The other option is to email the developer and ask specifically for the .cab file. Most programs have over the air or direct .cab downloads available, but if you email the dev and ask nicely you can usually get around the oddball .exe program. Mark/Space, the creators of missing sync, also have a list of mac-friendly programs on their website. It's small but a good starting point.

Run, don't walk, to missing sync though. It's a great program.

 

[Dimietriev]

It sure would be nice if some of the folks in the Round Robin had PCs instead of Macs, like 90% of us do. WinMo will certainly have a learning curve for any user, but especially for a Mac user.

If they all have macs, maybe that should be a sign.. hah

anyway, a stylus still has a place for some people, those who have fat fingers.

 

[trwm]

If they all have macs, maybe that should be a sign.. hah

anyway, a stylus still has a place for some people, those who have fat fingers.

I second the fat finger limitation. I use the stylus almost always once I can't navigate with my finger on the main screen. In fact, the only time I pull out the keyboard is to use the arrow keys in conjunction with the shift key to select multiple files. I think the character recognition with the stylus is way better than the keyboard.

 

[berdinkerdickle]

I prefer a PPC, but I would rather not have to use a stylus - ever.

 

[Q]

I prefer a PPC, but I would rather not have to use a stylus - ever.

I actually like the stylus because I don't like using my fingers on the screen. I can never get screen protectors to line up right, and while built-in and newer apps work fine with onscreen navigation, just about all the games I go for call for a stylus. Anyone tried switching from a stylus-based version of Bejeweled to the one on the iPhone? 'Nuff said.

IMO it's like having the choice of stick or automatic in cars--there are enough users of both that we're likely to see both around for a good while.

 

[berdinkerdickle]

Actually, I don't like touching the screen either.
But WM for Smartphone isn't enough for me.
I guess what I'm looking for is a device that's easy to get around, easy to select text, and yet doesn't require you to touch the screen.

 

[dannzeman]

Any luck getting your PIM onto the Fuze? One thing I do to make app installation a bit quicker is when I find the app online on my computer I'll copy the link to the cab and send it in a text message to my phone where I can download/save/install it from there. That way I don't have to mess with typing a long url with the keyboard.

 

[pinguino1]

@ Draiko,

WOW! man, that's list is longer than my wife's shopping list!.
I'll save it as a reference. I will need it. Thanks

I have a question, thought, Power users will be delighted to spend as many hours installing all kind of gitzmos in their Fuze, and hacking and setting everything.

But what about the other 99% of users, who will be frustrated with the phone because almost everything they try fails and they don't know, don't want, don't care, don't have the time or patience and they expect that everything advertised will work out the box?

After been told that this phone gives them, internet, music player, stereo bluetooh, sync of emails and contacts etc etc, just to find out that they need a program for this, a hack for that, a tool for the other... What are they going to feel?

 

[berdinkerdickle]

If I haven't already suggested; do a backup before trying any 3rd party apps.