HandBrowser Offers Launcher Replacement with VFS

Posted By: Ed Thursday, December 20, 2001 2:35:11 PM

BetterPalm Software has launched HandBrowser, a substitute for the built-in Palm application launcher which can display for liles and applications. It has support for VFS memory cards and File-App associations allow applications to be launched by tapping on their associated file. It can display all the apps or all the files on the handheld on a single window or break them up into categories. It is available now for $20.

HandBrowser can display, open, beam, delete and categorize files or apps stored on external memory cards.

It allows easier access to the Palm’s in-built functions such as back-light, beam, categorize, delete, etc. with its on-screen icons and menus.

It works on all handhelds running Palm OS 3.0 and higher.

Related Information:

PIC: Launcher III Offers Extensive VFS Support
PIC: Review: FilePoint 1.5
PIC: Organize Your Handheld with myWorkbench 2.0
PIC: Software Forum

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Better?

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 2:42:32 PM #

I wish someone would make a launcher replacement that showed directories and files like they really exist. Like the way I'm use to dealing with files and Apps on a Mac or Windows.

RE: Better?

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 2:52:30 PM #

Why don't you buy a PocketPC?

RE: Better?

popko @ 12/20/2001 5:09:27 PM #

"Why don't you buy a PocketPC?"

So the guy likes to see his files the Mac and maybe the MS way? It's a fact that current file mamgment can be improved!

This type of comments are not heping and would the one posted it stop BS eveying in the world?

RE: Better?

neiltaggart @ 12/21/2001 4:39:03 AM #

Better yet, have a look at McFile - works for me!

RE: McFile

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/21/2001 10:46:52 AM #

Have a link to this? versiontracker & palmgear didn't show anything.

RE: Better?

rldunn @ 12/21/2001 11:35:46 AM #

It's on Handango.

RE: Better?

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/22/2001 11:15:55 AM #

try myWorkbench. Its like Explorer on windows with two views.

www.toysoft.ca/myWorkbench.html

Doesn't Work w/Hackmaster...

acarrino @ 12/20/2001 2:53:04 PM #

Big mistake boys. I am definitely a big hack user, as I know may people are. Creating a program that does not allow users to run their hacks (that they have grown so fond of) will surely piss more people off than anything else.

RE: Doesn't Work w/Hackmaster...

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 3:03:48 PM #

Launcher III is cheaper, faster, cleaner, offers more functionality, and is also hack-friendly.

..but if you want your eyecandy, this may be it (that is, if you haven't heard of silverscreen)

RE: Doesn't Work w/Hackmaster...

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 3:24:00 PM #

Launcher III is the greatest!!!

RE: Doesn't Work w/Hackmaster...

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 4:52:27 PM #

MegaLauncher is the fastest, supports cards, has tools for copying, moving and deleting from cards, has a nice interface with changeable skins.

RE: Doesn't Work w/Hackmaster...

rldunn @ 12/20/2001 5:02:50 PM #

Megalauncher is a great app and looks great, but it is NOT faster than Launcher III.

RE: Doesn't Work w/Hackmaster...

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 6:15:15 PM #

MegaLauncher offers more functions and features than Launcher III, launcher III looks ugly too.
Check out these MegaLauncher screen shots, (megasoft's screenshots are lame)

http://photos.groups.yahoo.com/group/nxtclieclub/lst

Click on Megalauncher and you'll see 9 nice screenshots showing off different skins and screens.

RE: Doesn't Work w/Hackmaster...

Coyote67 @ 12/20/2001 8:49:06 PM #

Megasuperduper launcher quad edition 3. Guys, the proof is in the pudding. Show some actual benchmarks.

---------------------------------------
When you have a Clie shoved up your mouth, you can only talk in vowels.

Tried It - Don't Like It!

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 6:14:16 PM #

I ran the demo today and don't like it. Everytime you hit the home button to go to HandBrowser you see a "Please Wait" message. During this time it appears to be reading RAM and the expansion card. That is a waste of time if I haven't installed or moved anything. (Launcher III is much better in this regard, I can turn off the automatic "Refresh App" function and speed up performance greatly. I manually trigger the refresh when I need it.) The other problem was with associating applications with files it found on the expansion card. It created duplicates in RAM everytime. So much for supporting VFS. In my opinion this program is not ready for prime time yet!

6 icons per screen? how pathetic.

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 7:22:29 PM #

6 icons per screen? How pathetic.

And what's with the drop down categories and tabs at the same time?

You can't polish a turd, Beavis...

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/20/2001 8:16:46 PM #

It's hard to find a launcher that's going to stand up to LauncherIII or Megalauncher, both of which are fantastic. This thing is far from it. How foolish can you be to create an app that won't work with hacks? The developer suicide!

I'd like to say that the pretty colors make up for it,

but that just doesn't cut it.

"Maybe it's real leather."
"No, it's vinyl. You can't polish a turd, Beavis."

Tried a few, but I keep going back

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/21/2001 6:57:57 AM #

Launchers seem to be all the rage.
While they have a pretty and high-function interface, they all fail in one sense: They are, invariably, complicated and therefore difficult to use.
I tried a variety, but I keep reverting to the built in launcher. While it could do with improvements, it comes through tops for me!
Remember: KISS - Keep It Simple, Stupid!

RE: Tried a few, but I keep going back

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/24/2001 1:15:11 AM #

Many of us share your view.

Takes too long?

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/21/2001 9:09:27 AM #

I have a Visor Platinum and FlashPlus. Launching the application displays the message "Please wait ...". The message sits there for a long time and it seems that my Platinum is hung! Had to reset. It is no longer on my visor.

Be Careful!

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/21/2001 9:52:09 AM #

Dude, I had the same problem except I couldn't get past that screen even after reset.

What I had to do was assign McFile to a button temporarily, so that once I reset the machine and it got to the date/time prefs, I could jump to McFile and delete the damn thing and its prefs.

Otherwise I was stuck with hard-resetting because it would never let me get to the normal Palm launcher.

RE: Takes too long?

I.M. Anonymous @ 12/21/2001 11:52:05 AM #

That's exactly what happened to me, therefore I deleted the application off my Platinum.

RE: Takes too long?

ziptoit @ 12/23/2001 11:16:17 PM #

TICK TACK
CAN'T USE A HACK,
TICK TOC,
OR SHOULD IT BE TICK, TOC, TICK, TOC, TICK, TOC
HANDBORWSER CAN'T BEAT THE CLOCK!

MIGHT JUST AS WELL RUN YOUR PROGRAMS FROM THE MEMORY CARD. ALTHOUGH IT TAKES
FOREVER, AT LEAST IT'S FREE. HANDYBROWSER TAKES ALMOST AS LONG. I HAVE REMOVED MY
TRIAL COPY AND IF THEY GAVE IT AWAY AS "FREEWARE" I WOULD CHOOSE NOT TO USE IT.

I'D LOVE TO FIND A BETTER WAY. HANDYBROWSER IS JUST NOT IT!
SAVE YOUR TIME AND SAVE YOUR MONEY.

Thank you for offering an alternative to www.palmgear.com where their customer service ethic is to give the least amount of service with the greatest amount of excuses.