Quickies: Facer, OmniRemote, Games

Facer is a new application launcher with an integrated "today page". Users can view their appointments and To-Dos within the launcher itself. It supports memory cards, change-able themes and has basic support for hi-res screens. It costs $13.

Pacific Neotek has released a beta library that lets the new 66 MHz Sony Clié models use OmniRemote. It should also improve signal quality on all models. -Ian Davenport

Paragon Software has released AnotherBottle, a game in which the player steers a small helicopter through a canyon full of obstacles. It costs $9.75. -PR

Strategic Commander 1.1 is in beta. The new version adds color and runs more quickly. The game costs $15. -Simon Brunning

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Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 9:48:18 AM #
Just tried the demo. You can barely get an idea of what they are trying to offer. Also it has crashed a total of 4 times. Sure, it's beta, but guess what? It's no longer on my device. I'm back to using Wassup 1.2

RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 9:57:32 AM #
At least the screen shots look good. However, these guys are obviously designing it on POSE. For use on a real device, the "start" bar should be on the bottom!

RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 10:22:10 AM #
I get a Fatal Exception just launching it. There is a forum on their site that is filling up with the same.

Looks good but they need to work on the bugs. It should at least launch.

RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
Hotoru @ 7/18/2002 11:30:21 AM #
I am still wanting a launcher that will access the memory card without so much slowdown.
Would be perfect if would only "read" the files on the card after a hotsync or when you press a button for refresh list. That way could launch card files without having to wait for refresh every time launcher started.
Hotoru

RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 12:35:40 PM #
Use Launcher III then and turn off Auto Refresh. It will do refreshes then only when manually triggered, or if it notices a card removal/insertion
RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 2:34:07 PM #
After downloading and unzipping the demo file, the Facer Folder was empty. I guess I'm not missing anything after reading the posts here.
RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
Ben S @ 7/18/2002 3:28:23 PM #
I had to download the file three times before I got an intact ZIP. I think it may still be corrupt: the PRC won't even install on POSE (although it does work in the OS5 sim), and it crashes my Palm on start up.

RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 9:24:02 PM #
*sigh* I use "Today." It's FREE and it's NOT BUGGY.
RE: Facer is very buggy, and horribly crippled
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/23/2002 8:38:00 PM #
I have Today as well. Works well, but does anyone know if you can have it start up automatically or become a "default" screen when you exit apps?

Strategic Commander still alive?!

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 11:12:18 AM #
Glad to hear this game will be updated. Yes, it's a very very small difference, but... It's nice to know the developer hasn't totally forgotten about it. It would be really neat if they could convert it for use on the larger, higher-resolution screens. Either way, I really like the game & I play it daily.

Tip DS

RE: Strategic Commander still alive?!
mtg101 @ 7/19/2002 4:23:18 AM #
I've been beta testing the new version, and I'm very pleased with the updates. Most of them are minor niggling bug-fixes, but welcome all the same. The major changes are the addition of color and major speed increases.

Color for me was important - I'd even gone in and hacked the pics to be color using OnBoard RscrEdit :)

But the biggest diffference is the speed. I used to overclock the game because it took ages to complete a turn - now it runs faster unclocked than it used to overclocked.


---
russ@russb.fsnet.co.uk

RE: Strategic Commander still alive?!
brunns @ 7/19/2002 6:22:18 AM #
I play it daily too. I listed the changes that I'd like to see here - www.brunningonline.net/simon/blog/archives/000236.html

RE: Strategic Commander still alive?!
tipds @ 7/20/2002 11:59:22 PM #
I read your page on SC improvements. I have to admit that I'd like to see those too. I've actually wished for all those myself (except the one about a plant back/fwd button.) I've written the author & he agrees they'd be good. We'll see if they ever get implimented.

I also like Space Trader.

Tip DS

The best is still...

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 11:15:04 AM #
... HotDate.
http://rallypilot.sourceforge.net/

No frills or thrills or goofy themes. Just pure speed and functionality. Nothing more, nothing less. Sure a color version would be nice, but that's the only thing I would change.

The things I hate about these "today" apps are:
1: "3 unread emails" Really, what is the percentage of Palm users who consistently use it for email? Those that do, great. I'm sure it has its place and works as it should. If I had a different type of job, then I would probably use it too. But for my current position, I couldn't possibly have 40+ emails a day going to my Palm and have it be effective.
2: "2 appts today" Ok, now I need to tap AGAIN to find out what these 2 appts are.
3: "4 todos" Again, more clicks. Facer has potential, but those other "today" programs only offers more taps to see 'wassup'.
4: Why do I want my Palm to look like a PocketPC? (enough said!)
Check out HotDate people. Free and functional.

RE: The best is still...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 12:02:31 PM #
Been there, done that. Hated it.

That's one of the ugliest apps I've come across. Sure, great functionality... but they need to get with the program. Color for one is a must on color devices.

Ahh, lookey at dem cute Calvin&Hobbes icons on Wassup... everyone say "ahh..." :-)


RE: The best is still...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 12:20:33 PM #
Try TODAY v 1.5 at:

http://www.freewarepalm.com/utilities/today.shtml

To me, anyway, it's great (and it's free).

RE: The best is still...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 12:47:03 PM #
I would love it if hotdate had color and layout simular to Today 1.5.

I agree with you on everything you said about e-mails, appts and todo's AMEN to all that. And I don't want my palm to look like a PocketPC. But why oh why not suport a couple more colors than black and white... Make the thing pretty for goodness sakes.

Remember that few guys go after the chick who has a great personality but looks like crap. And most guys don't go after the air head who is all looks (and if they do they grow tired of her quickly). Its the girls who have both who are rare and loved by all.

What I'm saying in all this is that something is beauty is important. Useability is important. And beauty is a part of useability. So themes, colors, elegant display's are all important.

RE: The best is still...
I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 4:31:07 PM #
I really like ClockPop Hack. It does everything I need. Check it out at:
www.palmgear.com/software/showsoftware.cfm?prodID=13111

Facer is Pocket PC!! Neato!

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 2:06:19 PM #
Is it just me or does Facer look like Pocket PC 2002? Geez, cant people be original in there designs!

RE: Facer is Pocket PC!! Neato!
Kesh @ 7/18/2002 3:28:12 PM #
Which part of the news report were you not paying attention to? 'Today' screens are exactly what PPC2002 looks like... that was the point! Kinda like GoBar put a Windows-style Start menu on your Palm. Sometimes people just like to have a familiar interface on a new device.

SFCave er ''Another Bottle''

I.M. Anonymous @ 7/18/2002 4:59:44 PM #
The screenshots of Another Bottle look almost exactly like SFCave except in colour and the ribbon is a helicopter.
RE: SFCave er
volcanopele @ 7/18/2002 5:12:52 PM #
Not only does it look like SFCAve, it plays like SFCave. Quite frankly, SFCave/Another Bottle probably is worth the 10 bucks with the amount of time that I play with it but most people might just opt for the free version than the Pendragon version.
Plus the free version takes up only about 2-4 KB of RAM. You can't get much smaller than that except for those mirror programs.

Jason

Facer aint half bad...

twizza @ 7/20/2002 1:12:23 AM #
...it aint half good either. But I like the direction where it is going. It truley is a rip-off of the PPC Today screen. If the ability to make themes extends to tabbed or non-tabbed interfaces, this will be a good alternative to LauncherX [of course this means LX will have to be released]. But until then this looks like a nice app. I am debating buying it until I can see what the theme maker program can do. But this is quite nice.
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