The Mobile Genealogist

Dick Eastman from Eastmans Online Genealogy Newsletter makes reference to a new Genealogy Software Review Website that you may find interesting.

The new website is called Genealogy Software Reviews by Louis Kessler and currently contains 355 different genealogy related software programs.   Since it’s a new site there aren’t many reviews yet, but here’s your chance to provide feedback on your favorite or not so favorite genealogy program and to read opinions about the software from other users.   It also makes for a very handy reference on what other software is available.   (I found two different genealogy programs for the Psion handheld that I wasn’t aware existed for example)

Dick Eastman’s blog entry can be found HERE.

And Genealogy Software Reviews can be found HERE.

And don’t forget to provide a review for your favorite handheld genealogy program!

Brighthand has an article about a GPS application called “GPS Today” that display GPS information on your devices “Today Screen”.  (Assuming of course you have a GPS!)   Without getting into too much detail, the other interesting thing is that the price is right… Free.

Click HERE for the article.

The other day I got an email, I’m sure some would call it Spam, from “Earth Products & Accessories”.    It may have been outright “Spam” or a marketing email which came about because of my installation of Google Earth, but in this case the device advertised did peak my interest.

The email read…

Trackstick II Personal Tracker Tracksticks are tiny GPS location recorders capable of continuously logging their own location histories for extended periods of time. The Trackstick records its own location, time, date, speed, heading and altitude at preset intervals. Traveled routes can be viewed directly in Google Earth. Includes GPX photo stamping feature for adding your favorite photos to you own maps.

The first thing that came to mind was it would be handy to track my location when traipsing about the country taking digital photographs of the old family farms, one room school houses, cemeteries or whatever.    (Comparing the timestamp of the image with the timestamps of the GPS location)    And since it will allow you to attach photos to Google Earth, you could then create a virtual tour of your trip.

If that sounds interesting, more information can be found HERE.

My Today Screen has a series of 8 articles about things you can do to your device to improve performance or increase productivity.   Click on any of the titles below to go to that article.

• Part I - Performance Tweaks
• Part II - Messaging
• Part III - GPRS/EDGE and IE
• Part IV - Phone Operation
• Part V - Display options
• Part VI - ActiveSync & MS Voice Commander
• Part VII - Miscellaneous 1/2
• Part VIII - Miscellaneous 2/2? (Not yet published?)

My Today Screen has put together a list of 111 free applications to “improve” your Windows Mobile device.

And since everyone likes free, the list can be found HERE.

College Degree.com has come up with a list of 101 ways to make your Smartphone Smarter.   Since the list covers smartphones that use all types of operating systems, Mobility Site has summarized the items in the list that are specific to Windows Mobile.

The Mobile Site list can be found HERE.

The original College Degree.com list can be found HERE.

Do you have a Windows Mobile Device with a GPS and want a really interesting application to use with it?  (GPS isn’t actually required for this application, but it can take advantage of one)   Do you like to stargaze but don’t have a handy way to identify what you are looking at?

My Today Screen has a review of iWindows Mobile AstroAnavigator II which looks to be a very nice application and also wins my award for longest application name!

Click HERE to learn more.

We’ve been busy working on implementing Photo support into Pocket Genealogist that we haven’t had much time to update The Mobile Genealogist with current news and events.  We will try and get some of the more interesting items posted over the next couple of weeks.   (Keep an eye on the Northern Hills Software Public Beta area located HERE for the upcoming Photo support)

 The wife was talking about seizures by Customs of hard drives for travelers coming into the United States so this article by Engadget was timely.    The reference to ”1984″ would be funny if things weren’t going so “Orwellian”.

 Click HERE for the article.

Pocket Genealogist 3.21, another free update for Version 3 users, is now available for download.  As with all Pocket Genealogist releases, the 3.21 update is a complete release and does not require the installation of any previous versions.   If you already are using a Version 3 release, simply install 3.21 overtop your current version.

Changes/Enhancements in 3.21 since the 3.11 release:

WARNING: If you are upgrading from 3.11 or earlier, the database layout has changed and you will need to re-import/sync all your Pocket Genealogist databases.

• Device/Desktop: Support for Legacy Family Tree Version 7
  • Support for new Married Name feature of V7. 
  • “Direct” imports for Legacy V4 have been discontinued.

• Device/Desktop: Support for The Master Genealogist Version 7

  • Support for TMG 7.01 HVR3 field with mtDNA

• Device/Desktop: Support for Ancestral Quest 12 Build 12

  • Support for Phonetic and Romanized Names
• Device/Desktop: Support for FTM 2008 via GEDCOM import or “Direct” using optional PAF/FTM add-on.  (Fact and Name Notes not yet supported with PAF/FTM Add-on import.)
• Desktop: Initial support for “PhpGedView” GEDCOM Import.  
• Device: Reworked the “Name” tab and added “Custom” name fields (AKA, Married Name, Phonetic Name, Romanized Name, etc.) in support of PAF, AQ, Progen and Family Historian.
• Device: DNA screens completely reworked to add better support for AQ, TMG and Legacy including support for mtDNA.  (mtDNA availability dependant on support by desktop genealogy program)
• Device: Relationship calculator changed to display list of individuals that are the ancestors/descendants between the two selected people.
• Device: Added support for selecting font size for non-touchscreen smartphones.   (now works the same as the other device types)
• Desktop: Added new option on “Advanced” options screen - “Synchronize to location with most free space”.  With initial sync of a database, the location (memory, file store or storage card) with the most space will be selected as the target of the sync.   (Which can be overridden)
• Device: Support for 480×272 screen resolution devices.  (Widescreen GPS devices for example)
• Device: Support for 320×320 screen (touchscreen) resolution devices.
• Device: Support for 176×220 (non-touchscreen) smartphones (Windows Mobile 5 and higher)
• Device: Support for Smartphones (non-touchscreen) with 320×320, 400×240 and 440×240 screens.  Pocket Genealogist is not yet “optimized” for these resolutions (There will be wasted space on the screens), but the program will run.  We will add better support on request.
• Device:  Support for PocketPC’s or Smartphones (touchscreen) with 240×400 and 480×800 screens.  Pocket Genealogist is not yet “optimized” for these resolutions (There will be wasted space on the screens), but the program will run.  We will add better support on request.
• Desktop: The installer will now warn user if database layout changes have occurred with the new install.
• See Northern Hills Software Website for additional changes and fixes.

This is good news for those in the target markets for Best Buys new (trial) recycling program.     Best Buy already accepts smaller items in all stores, but this new program will accept larger electronics such as TV’s, Monitors up to 32 inches and computers.

If you live in Baltimore, San Francisco or Minnesota now is the time to take advantage of this new program!

More information can be found HERE from Engadget.