One-handed operation

[jamijam]

Hi all.

I own a Qtek S100 for around 2 weeks, and have come to love the device for it's all around functionality and small form factor.

As a PDA w/stylus, I have absolutely no complaints. It's a great tool with hundreds of different pieces of software and games to play with.

As many of you, I want to use the Magician as my main phone as well. This is where the problems start. Windows Mobile does not seem be geared towards non-stylus use, yet when you are out and about, it would be nice if you could accomplish basic tasks without the stylus. The main reason being is that when you are out you want to protect the screen so you put the device in a case, so the screen isn't accessible.

Anyway, you guys know all this. Now here's the question. Is there software out there that's designed to make Pocket PC phone edition a better one-handed device? I am thinking of something like the following:

You click one of the hardware buttons, which opens this 'one-handed' program. This brings up a tree/menu of different functions. Anything you would need to do while you're on the road. For example:

Turn the phone to silent.
Turn bluetooth on/off.
Control the music you're playing (on/off/forward/back etc..)
Turn the device off.
Anything you can think of.

I realize you can do some of these things by mapping certain buttons to certain programs or by scrolling on the today screen or by trying to use the start menu, but I'm finding that you can only get so far before you're stuck and you have to use the stylus.

So is there any software of this nature? If not I might sit down and write something myself. If I do it would be cool if everyone can pitch and name things they'd like to do with one hand that they can't seem to accomplish.

Thanks!

[kta]

What you need as a starter is Burr Oak HotButton Plus. This allows you to assign ONE hardware button that then pops up a list of programs that you can run. The list is configurable of course. You can navigate through the list of programs using your D-pad.

I would suggest getting a list of "Settings" shortcuts (available on the forum). Place these shortcuts in a folder and call them from HotButton Plus.

I also find Microsoft Voice Command a very useful software, especially when I'm driving. You can open programs, play music, etc. using your voice.

[calle]

Also, this hardware-button tweak might do something nice. Haven't tried myself.

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?action=expand,40355

[Koksie]

I use AEBPlus in combination with Mortbuttons. AEBPlus is bound to a hwardware button, in my case Calendar. When I double press it, Mortbutton 1 pops-up a list of apps that I set in Mortbutton options. In this way, I can switch on/off bluetooth, phone, or launch apps. Mortbutton gives up to 12 apps per list and 5 lists are available. With AEBPlus I can bind 3 Mortbuttons per hard button, e.g. 36 apps per button!

Mortbuttons can be found on www.sto-helit.de

[jamijam]

thanks guys. I will give all of these a try!

[Grill Oven]

phoneplus for phone abilities

phonealarms for profiles

[o2mn]

All those programs are not directly given what we expected - one handed operation.

jamijam,

Could you develop the program?

Cheers,

[ramses2]

Hi all.

I own a Qtek S100 for around 2 weeks, and have come to love the device for it's all around functionality and small form factor.

As a PDA w/stylus, I have absolutely no complaints. It's a great tool with hundreds of different pieces of software and games to play with.

As many of you, I want to use the Magician as my main phone as well. This is where the problems start. Windows Mobile does not seem be geared towards non-stylus use, yet when you are out and about, it would be nice if you could accomplish basic tasks without the stylus. The main reason being is that when you are out you want to protect the screen so you put the device in a case, so the screen isn't accessible.

Anyway, you guys know all this. Now here's the question. Is there software out there that's designed to make Pocket PC phone edition a better one-handed device? I am thinking of something like the following:

You click one of the hardware buttons, which opens this 'one-handed' program. This brings up a tree/menu of different functions. Anything you would need to do while you're on the road. For example:

Turn the phone to silent.
Turn bluetooth on/off.
Control the music you're playing (on/off/forward/back etc..)
Turn the device off.
Anything you can think of.

I realize you can do some of these things by mapping certain buttons to certain programs or by scrolling on the today screen or by trying to use the start menu, but I'm finding that you can only get so far before you're stuck and you have to use the stylus.

So is there any software of this nature? If not I might sit down and write something myself. If I do it would be cool if everyone can pitch and name things they'd like to do with one hand that they can't seem to accomplish.

Thanks!


HI

I use the O2 xdaI machine. I will get tmobile MDA COMPACT (= I-mate JAM) next week.

Hotbutton application is ok but the best so far for one hand operation is definitely Microsoft Voice Command ver. 1.5. It works increadibly weel on XDAI and I expect it will run even better on the JAM (I will let you know next week).

Cheers !

[jamijam]

Heard some things about Micrsofot Voice command but I was finding it hard to believe that using voice could work well in most cases (what if it's noisy? etc...). Maybe I'll give it a try.


o2mn,

Gonna give all these suggestions a try before I think about doing something myself. The goal would be to create a program that lets you go through the menus, etc of ALL programs. Just using the buttons.

[Krinkiespijer]

I don't know if i need to start a new topic about this but I'm trying to find out an easy way to create a launcher under a hardware button, like a bunch of people seems to wanna have.

In 'windows\appsbuttons' you can assign any hardware button to an *.exe. I want to know if there is an easy way to create a *.exe which
opens a *.link.

Something like:

IE2BUTTON.exe

» goto programfiles
»open IE2BUTTON.lnk

Hereby IE2BUTTON.lnk refers to the map IE2BUTTON where you can put every shortcut you want

[borgs]

Tried AEBPlus but it conflicts with application button mapping such as in TCPMP. Sometimes TCPMP gets the button press sometimes AEBPlus Plus got it - couldn't live with that so had to uninstall AEBPlus.

I use a combination of software:

PPCProfiles-Pro on the Today screen for switching phone on/off, bluetooth on/off etc via switching between profiles I've set up.
VJOKButton assigned to the memo button for closing apps, clicking OK.
MortButton for starting apps etc.
Application button mapping in TCPMP for one handed mp3 / video use.

The one thing I really want to be able to do still is alter the screen brightness one handed.