Archive for the ‘Software’ Category

Pocket Genealogist Version 3.40

Saturday, July 11th, 2009

Pocket Genealogist Version 3.40 is now available for download from the Northern Hills Software website.  This is another free update for all version 3 users, simply download and install 3.40 overtop your current version.  (As always the update is a complete version of Pocket Genealogist.  You can update any V3 release with this version) 

Downloads can be found HERE.  This version has the following changes: 

  • Device/Desktop:  Pocket Genealogist is now fully UNICODE compliant. (It can still import ANSI, ANSEL, UTF-8 or UNICODE, but internally everything is now UNICODE) Unicode provides much better support for International character sets.

  • Device/Desktop:  Support for Legacy Version 7.0.0.97. This version of Legacy has database changes so you will need to re-import your Pocket Genealogist databases.

  • Desktop:  Support for Family Historian V4.

  • Desktop:  On GEDCOM export, ANSI, UTF-8 or UNICODE can now be selected as the ‘encoding’ type.

  • Desktop:  Changes to PAF/FTM Add-on (especially for FTM 2008 and 2009) to take extra measures to ensure that all individuals are imported.

  • Desktop:  Windows 98 and ME no longer supported.

  • Device:  Support for devices with screen resolution of 400×240.

  • Device/Desktop:  Update to most language translations.
  • Desktop:  The Backup feature for 2-way Legacy syncing will now default to the location of the Legacy database if no backup path is found in the Legacy configuration file.
  • Desktop:  Support for “Between” dates for FTM 2008/2009 Add-on Imports.

  • Desktop:  Fixed Direct Ancestral Quest imports to support ‘relative’ paths for multimedia files.

  • Device:  Changed label on To Do screen from “Date” to “Due Date” for FTM imports.

  • Device:  Fix to Individual “Main” tab for Smartphones with 320×320 screens. (Display and edit of Given and Surname)

  • Desktop:  Fix to Legacy 2 way sync as it would re-sync images that didn’t need to be synced. (Wasn’t causing any harm, but was unnecessary)

  • Desktop:  Fix to desktop sync screen to properly display memory / storage card locations available for syncing on device. (Was not working with 64-bit Vista)
  • Device:  Disallow editing or deletion of To Do’s for FTM Add-on import.

Pocket Genealogist 3.32

Saturday, March 28th, 2009

Pocket Genealogist Version 3.32 is now available for download from the Northern Hills Software website.  This is another free update for all version 3 users, simply download and install 3.32 overtop your current version.  (As always the update is a complete version of Pocket Genealogist.  You can update any V3 release with this version) 

Downloads can be found HERE. 

 

This version has the following changes: 

  • Device/Desktop:  Support for RootsMagic 4. (‘Direct’ import requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’)

  • Desktop:  New GenBridge module which greatly improves the FTM 2008 and 2009 imports with the PAF/FTM Add-on. (Note that large FTM 2009 databases can be significantly slower than older versions of FTM)

  • Desktop:  Added support for Multimedia imports for FTM 2006 and older with the PAF/FTM Add-on.  (Multimedia support requires ‘Advanced’ version of Pocket Genealogist)

  • Desktop:  Added a new ‘Check for Update’ option which can be used to check the NHS website for program updates.

  • Device:  Change to the installing on the device in support of Windows Mobile 6.1.4. (Program files are now stored in a different location on device)

  • Device:  Better support for devices with 800×480 screens.

  • Device:  Added ‘External Viewer’ menu option to the ‘Object’ tab for Multimedia. This will allow the display of the current image in the Windows Mobile Picture viewer. (If ‘BMP’ option is selected, must be Windows Mobile 5 or higher)  Multimedia requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’.

  • Desktop:  Added ‘Small’, ‘Medium’ and ‘Large’ option (on Advanced Options screen) for sizing images sent to the device. ‘Small’ is the default.  Multimedia requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’.

  • Device:  Removal of the ‘Stretch’ checkbox from the PocketPC screens (to save space) and adjustments to dialog to increase picture viewing area.  Multimedia requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’.

  • Device:  Added menu option “Ignore Rel. to Parent” with the relationship calculator. When used, this will ignore the “Relationship to Parent” status’s such as “Adopted”.  The relationship calculator requires Pocket Genealogist ‘Advanced’

  • Desktop:  Added a ‘splitter’ bar between the database area and the log window on the main desktop screen so you can choose how much space is dedicated to each area.

  • Desktop:  For most ‘listviews’, a sort indicator is now added to the column header indicating the direction of the sort when you click on a column.

  • Desktop:  Removed support for “Direct” imports of The Master Genealogist Version 4.

  • Desktop:  Reorganized the ‘Advanced Options’ dialog on the desktop.

  • Desktop:  Fix to Media and Language sync screens on desktop as they weren’t properly setting language translations for the buttons.

  • Desktop:  Better support for Windows Vista when re-sizing desktop windows in Pocket Genealogist.

  • Desktop:  Change to the Legacy 2-way processing of new names added on the device. (Previously could add a prefix or suffix in Legacy with a single space, this didn’t cause any problems other than the Legacy “Check/Repair” would complain about it)

  • Desktop:  Fix to GEDCOM import to eliminate buffer overflow (program termination) when importing a GEDCOM created on a Macintosh.

  • Desktop:  Fix to GEDCOM and PAF Add-on import to allow media filenames with diacritic characters.

  • Device/Desktop:  Update to French, Norwegian and Swedish translations.

An Alternate User Interface(s)

Friday, March 6th, 2009

Interested in the new finger friendly changes for Windows Mobile 6.5 but don’t want to wait?

Here are some articles about some alternate user interfaces that you can use to “dress up” your current device.

First a free one (although in beta) called Pointui

Gizmodo
“Pointui 2 Gives Touchscreen Windows Mobile Phones a new Lease on Life”

Pocketnow
“Pointui Home 2 is Released and Free”
“PointUI Home 2 Video Review”

And one that isn’t free but comes highly rated called Spb Mobile Shell (Available soon)

Mobility Site
“Mobile Shell 3.0 Announced at MWC”

Pocketnow
“Another Great UI Replacement: SPB Mobile Shell 3.0”

And another one that I’m not familiar with:

Pocketnow
“Another New Interface for Windows Mobile: SHBT MyHome”

And an unusual one that comes with the hardware (Acer) and does “3D”

Pocketnow
“MWC: New Acer Interface does 3D”

Lost or Stolen Phone… Phone home!

Monday, January 26th, 2009

If you’re concerned about how you might attempt recovery of a lost or stolen Windows Mobile Phone, PocketNow has an article about the “Smartprotect” software which attempts to solve that problem.

Click HERE for more details.

5 Mobile Productivity Tips

Thursday, January 22nd, 2009

Although this article has a slant towards business users, most of the information is still applicable for mobile use of your Windows Mobile device when you are out and about doing your Genealogy work.

PocketNow has an article entitled “Get Things Going While You’re Going” discussing 5 things that can make you more productive when you are mobile.   Click HERE for the article.

Security Features of Windows Mobile

Wednesday, January 21st, 2009

Since yesterday’s topic dealt with security (or lack of) with Presidential use of mobile devices, it seemed like a fitting follow up would be information regarding security features of Windows Mobile (6.1).

PocketNow has a short article and a presentation discussing these features which can be found HERE.

Disclaimer: The presentation is almost exclusively geared towards topics applicable to a corporate environment.

A Mouse pointer for your handheld?

Saturday, January 17th, 2009

Non-touchscreen based smartphones are designed to be used one handed.     They are however more limited with regards to interacting with software as there is no stylus or touchscreen.   Touchscreen based devices are much more powerful with regards to software operation, but are more difficult to use one handed.

Pocket PC Thoughts has an article that may be the solution to this problem.    Innovisoft has released VirtuaMouse One-Hand software for Windows Mobile 2003 and newer devices that have a D-Pad.  (The 5-way controller that is found on most touchscreen based devices)

If this sounds interesting, click HERE for the Pocket PC Thoughts article.

Genealogy Software Review Website

Thursday, September 25th, 2008

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!

GPS on the Today Screen

Friday, August 22nd, 2008

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.

GeoTerrestrial GPSToday

Click HERE for the article.

Make your device work for YOU! (In 8 Parts)

Friday, August 15th, 2008

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.