|
    AvantGo Fires Up New VersionPosted By: Ryan on Tuesday, January 11, 2005 11:58:12 AM
iAnywhere Solutions, a subsidiary of Sybase, today launched the latest version of its AvantGo service, delivering superior features for managing and viewing mobile Internet content offline or online, anywhere at anytime.
"Since the AvantGo service was unveiled five years ago, we've received thousands of requests and suggestions for new features," said Neil Versen, senior director of AvantGo at iAnywhere Solutions. "Today, with the launch of the next-generation AvantGo, we're responding by delivering the most powerful and comprehensive mobile Internet service available anywhere. Now users can manage their web content more efficiently, syncing from their desktop or choosing and updating their channels wirelessly." Enhanced connected/wireless features
* Abbreviate sync times and minimize wireless costs by selecting the
channels you wish to sync
* Browse and search over a thousand AvantGo channels while connected
* Surf the web using AvantGo -- from a new section on the AvantGo
homepage
* Wireless-only channels, such as web mail channels, can now be accessed
* Forms within channels (e.g. supply zip code for movie times) can be
submitted wirelessly in real-time
* Search AvantGo channels, and get search returns, in real-time
Enhanced user experience
* A complete redesign of the user interface including tabbed navigation,
customized channel layout, choice of fonts and new color themes
* Small-screen optimized navigation designed to maintain ease-of-use
* New browser versions for Palm OS 5, Pocket PC and Symbian, which
include top requested features, including full-screen screen support
for palmOne T3 and T5 devices
Improved on-device channel management and selection
* Search, browse and add over a thousand AvantGo channels from your
device online or offline
* Customize the layout of your channel list
* Create Personal Channels from your device
* On-device Help & Alert sections
* Trouble-shooting tips and service alerts on your device
* Channel recommendations based upon other channels to which a user is
subscribed
Advanced customer support functionality
* New user interface includes context help -- each section has icon that
can be expanded for more information about a feature
* One of the new tabbed navigation features includes a Help tab which
includes top FAQ's and tips for each platform supported
* The new Alerts tab displays important information regarding the user's
account or the AvantGo Service (e.g. Service maintenance notices, user
tips, premium service expiration notices, etc.)
iAnywhere's new AvantGo service is immediately available for free download. The update supports all major handheld devices running Palm OS 5, Pocket PC (2000, 2002, 2003), Symbian UIQ and Symbian OS v.6.1 Series 60.
More Stories Like This...  Mobiscope Webcam Monitor Released for Palm OS Kinoma Player EX v4.5 Released Resco Suite for Palm OS Updated Idea-Jot-It 2.0 Released ptpChat Now Available As Freeware mySchedule NHL 2008 Released More articles about Software
Article Comments
26 total comments The following comments are owned by whoever posted them. PIC is not responsible for them in any way. login or register for free in order to post comments.  RE: I never expected them to hang in there this long!
Yes, but it's still the same unreliable AG, with correct syncs only most (rather than all) of the time. I have gotten utter gibberish at times on my T3, and the font size varies with the site, which is ridiculous. The only feature it has that is absent in the much better (and also free) Plucker is that it can sync wirelessly. Some users are reporting total inability to sync, others (like me) see where suddenly sites that were syncing no longer sync at all. I still can't recommend it, except to those who are willing to endure such inadequacies. Philippe Radley
RE: I never expected them to hang in there this long!
I was having the same problem with sporadic syncs until I reconfigured it to save the channels in internal memory. I have no idea if that was just a fortuitous coincidence or if there's something to it but about 90% of my woes went away as soon as I did that (after first completely removing all traces of the previous build of AG on my desktop and my T3).
The font issue...well, there's nothing that can be done about that at the present time. RE: I never expected them to hang in there this long!
For my money, AvantGo has been one of the few near-perfect applications for Palm. It does exactly what it claimed to do, and exactly what I wanted.
So far, I haven't had the need to browse the net live. AvantGo easily lets me choose sites to download and synchronizes efficiently (albeit a little slowly). This allows me to review content updated daily. On my T3, I have never had garbled text, or any problems synching (to both internal and external memory). I've used the app for more than four years at least - from a Palm V, to a Sony Clie, to the T3. Always reliable, dependable and well-used. RE: I never expected them to hang in there this long!
I love avantgo it is one of the best programs. Now that it has full screen support for the T3 it's even better.
Tungsten T3 + T610 RE: I never expected them to hang in there this long!
While switching desktop PCs the other day, I had to go to AG.com and download the software, and VIOLA. OS5, HVGA & expansion card support on a new attractive interface. Great work AG and they even get you up to 3MB for free. What a great time to be alive.
RE: I never expected them to hang in there this long!
a quick off-topic question fro rcartwright: what is that quote from ("The Anglo-Saxon-Scots-Irish people are the most warlike people in history, and their enemies forget it at their peril. ")?
 AvantGo is TOASTThe_Voice_of_Reason @ 1/11/2005 9:55:35 PM #
AvantGo was killed by:
Wireless web via real browsers + Bluetooth cellphones/Wi-Fi. They never had a realistic revenue model, and now they've become redundant. Life is hard. Then you die.™ ****************************************************************** RE: AvantGo is TOASTrcartwright @ 1/11/2005 11:06:54 PM #
Yes, tasty toast that I use every day. Yes, Plucker is technically better but AvantGo is much more useable.
BTW, VoR you are one of the few people I have encounter that could be perishing from thrist, see a full glass of clean cold water, and then complain about the design of the glass. RE: AvantGo is TOAST
It seems extremely unreasonable to proclaim that an application is "toast" when it's quite obviously well-liked and popular.
I love the application - for my needs it performs well. The other applications mentioned serve different needs. As to whether they "try" to charge or not, the service is still free for my needs. If they tried to charge for the amount I use, I would gladly pay. It's a service, and not everyone subscribes to the "entitlement philosophy." For example, when Vindigo went pay-for-service, I subscribed, without any regret. == By the way, what's the deal with the trademark symbol? That has got to be the most ignorant thing I've seen on a message board ever. Like, this guy will sue me for doing this: Life is hard. Then you die.™ RE: AvantGo is TOAST
Just like french toast, I like my AvantGo very much:)
Only thing I wish they would implement is the ability to scroll the page by tapping the screen as in Plucker and iSilo. RE: AvantGo is TOAST
Wolfgard,
I think you meant "freedom toast", right? Actually, I think they have some screen tapping options to set now. I have a T3 and the d-pad works great for 1 handed navigation. Others probably too. Pat Horne; www.churchoflivingfaith.com RE: AvantGo is TOAST
@LiveFaith
Lol...I'll have my freedom fries along with my freedom toast please. Oh my, Politics! And no, I don't think there's a screen tap feature on the new AvantGo. I might be wrong, but I couldn't find it anywhere. Oh yeah, I meant the region tap feature as in Plucker and iSilo. RE: AvantGo is TOAST
a quick off-topic question fro rcartwright: what is that quote from ("The Anglo-Saxon-Scots-Irish people are the most warlike people in history, and their enemies forget it at their peril. ")?
RE: AvantGo is TOAST
I disagree with VOR about AvantGo being TOAST. They're still around and that's more than you can say for a lot of their peers from the bubble days. Also if you followed the company before they were acquired, most of the revenue did not come from the consumer facing channels model. It came from the corporate facing side of the business and licensing. I agree that the proliferation of wireless enabled devices made it unecessary for many users, but it's good to see that they are still around and trying to incorporate more wireless features to stay in the game. Plus it's free. Why complain?
RE: AvantGo is TOASTThe_Voice_of_Reason @ 1/12/2005 10:44:53 PM #
I disagree with VOR about AvantGo being TOAST. They're still around and that's more than you can say for a lot of their peers from the bubble days. Also if you followed the company before they were acquired, most of the revenue did not come from the consumer facing channels model. It came from the corporate facing side of the business and licensing. I agree that the proliferation of wireless enabled devices made it unecessary for many users, but it's good to see that they are still around and trying to incorporate more wireless features to stay in the game. Plus it's free. Why complain?
Complain? I'm not complaining. Merely stating that they are now redundant for many (most?) power users. If YOU "followed the company before they were acquired" then you would know that they would have also disappeared like "their peers from the bubble days". They had a single big contract (a healthcare company) that kept them barely alive for years. What do they have now that's bringing in revenue? Enlighten us, Amigo. Sorry, but like the song says, "Wi-Fi/Bluetooth killed the AvantGo star..." ****************************************************************** RE: AvantGo is TOASTThe_Voice_of_Reason @ 1/13/2005 9:16:02 PM #
Complain? I'm not complaining. Merely stating that they are now redundant for many (most?) power users. If YOU "followed the company before they were acquired" then you would know that they would have also disappeared like "their peers from the bubble days" had they not been bought out. They had a single big contract (a healthcare company) that kept them barely alive for years. What do they have now that's bringing in revenue? Enlighten us, Amigo.
Sorry, but like the song says, "Wi-Fi/Bluetooth killed the AvantGo star..." ****************************************************************** RE: AvantGo is TOAST
Actually VOR, AvantGo picked a very poor time to sell out, probably the worst possible time. They were close to break-even financially but sold the company at the very end of the bust (early '03) for around $1 per share which was less than cash value. They had enough cash to keep operations going for several quarters but decided the better option was to be acquired. Management probably thought it was a good long term decision at the time due to poor market conditions, but it was a very shortsighted move. They initiated the buyout process literally the month before the stock markets would begin to stage a recovery. It was a classic case of selling at the bottom.
They had enough going for them that they would likely still be around today and with a higher market cap, maybe even a $5 plus stock if they had decided to do a better job in the email sync space and OEM licensing. Look at SYNC, OPWV and a few others from the same time period. Even RIMM was only a $6 a share back then. It was a bad time to sell. Sybase got a good deal and AvantGo shareholders did not. Just my opinion.
Any reason to come back?Strider_mt2k @ 1/12/2005 10:48:51 AM #
I got kinda spoiled on surfing WiFi at home and when travelling with my TH55, so my Avantgo usage dropped off and I eventualy dropped it altogether.
Any compelling reason to come back? I never had complaints about the service, it just wasn't suiting my needs. Avantgo does rock.
Avantgo causes problem with Mac Hotsync
Everytime after I performed a wireless sync of AvantGo on my Palm, my Mac will hotsync with my Palm as if my Palm has never hotsynced before! The hotsync process will takes ages.
This bug has been around for a long while, unfortunately the latest 5.7 release still has this problem. Will this be fixed at all? RE: Avantgo causes problem with Mac Hotsyncbhall_markspace @ 1/12/2005 6:04:08 PM #
We reported this bug to AvantGo a while back. In the meantime, we include a fix for it with Missing Sync (install the file "/Applications/Missing Sync for Palm OS/AvantGoFixer.prc" to your handheld).
Also the new 4.0.3 includes our own Mark/Space AvantGo Conduit. 4.0.3 will ship shortly, and there is a beta (requires a 4.x reg code to operate) at http://www.markspace.com/testing/ Brian RE: Avantgo causes problem with Mac Hotsync
Is the AvantGoFixer.PRC free for everyone use? But one needs to buy a license of the Missing Sync in order to use it.
Thank you.
Still no native MacOS X compatibility
At least, none that I can find without having to dig out my old user ID from lord knows how many years ago. Thanks but no thanks - I'll stick with iSilo.
---- What do you think, sirs? RE: Still no native MacOS X compatibility
I don't understand how needing User ID is relevant to OS X compatibility. From what I see on their website, you'd need an Avantgo User ID whatever Desktop and Handheld combination you use, be it Windows, Pocket PC, OS X or Palm.
Just for the record, MAL conduit software on OS X with a Palm OS 4 device and it's been a problem free combination 99.5% of the time: nothing in life is perfect!
|
 Special Deals
Shop at Amazon and help support PalmInfocenter
|
||||
PalmInfocenter.com is not affiliated with or endorsed by Palm Inc, Access or PalmSource in any way.
Any use of the word Palm is for discussion purposes and is a registered trademark of Palm Inc.
Unauthorized reproduction of content is strictly forbidden.
© MobileInfocenter.com, all rights reserved.
The new version enhances capabilities allow for improved wireless synchronization, easier on-device web channel management and an expanded support system for AvantGo users, resulting in a more robust online and offline user experience.
Despite having a 1x cell connection over BT, I still find AvantGo to be useful enough to keep installed and sync'd on a daily basis.