The end of the year is usually the time when the number of Pocket PC users grow more than in previous months. Whether it’s the season of giving with Christmas, the year-end bonuses allows for a bigger budget, or a dedication to oneself to be more organized, Pocket PC sales (and the sale of other electronic items as well I suppose) increased during this time of the year. And what I have come to realize is that a good number of these buyers and receivers are actually new to the world of Windows Mobile. As such, they have no idea on its capabilities and how to go about to maximize their device.

Thus for the month of December, I have decided to do a Beginner’s Guide To Pocket PC. And it could not be done at a better time because with 5 Saturdays in the month, I can cover a wide variety of topics so that by the end of the month, if you are a beginner, you would not feel lost anymore.

Choosing The Right Device

Before you can own a Windows Mobile phone, you will need to shop for one. Unless of course you are receiving it as a surprise gift, then you could probably skip this section. However, if you are in the market for a Pocket PC, you would do well by reading on.

Choosing the right device can make a lot of difference between a great experience and a bad one. My very first post on this blog explained why some people will hate Pocket PCs and how you can prevent it from happening to you. The best in the market may not be the best for you. And buying the most expensive is not usually the answer (unless your main and only reason for getting a Pocket PC is to boast its functions. Even so, I can teach you to do it for far cheaper). So what are the things you need to consider? Here are 5 which I think are important:

1. What Do You Need?

List out what you need and be specific about it. The main reason you want to get a Pocket PC is to organize your life but all Pocket PC can do that. So you need to go one step further and decide what you want your Windows Mobile device to do. Will you be using it for navigation? Then you’ll need one with a built-in GPS chipset, and a good chipset as well. Do you plan to type a lot of emails or work with Word documents on the go frequently? Then consider a device with a QWERTY keyboard.

It helps if you can be very specific as this would help you narrow down your choices. In the case of GPS chipset, since you are looking for a good one, then you are only considering devices with a SiRFStarIII chip. By being specific, you can make better choices because you know what you want. But do be careful because if you are very specific in each area, you might not find any device at all.

Besides being specific, you will also need to prioritize which functions are the most important to you so. Doing so gives you the flexibility to consider other devices if your dream device has not been developed.

2. What Is Your Budget?

After you have listed out your needs and wants in a Pocket PC, the next step is to work out a budget. Do some research in this area because you never know if you could get one on the cheap with rebates. Or if you are looking at second hand devices, then you can adjust your budget accordingly.

By having a budget, you are limiting yourself to devices that you can afford but also fits your needs. If you are unable to match a device to your budget, then something will have to give. Do bear in mind that besides the device, you would have to factor in cost of accessories and software if you plan to purchase any. Sometimes, these might cost a lot so do remember to factor them in.

Prices are pretty hard to fix because they vary by sellers but you can check out Expansys for a guide as they cover a wide range of countries. Alternatively, your cellular provider might have them as well.

3. What Are Its Advantages/Disadvantages?

Say you already have a list of functions and budget. With these in mind, you would have already narrowed your choices down to a few devices. If there are still to many, then go back to needs and be more specific.

Now that you have this narrowed down list, find out what are each device’s advantages and disadvantages. Go to forums, blogs or any site that discusses the product. Read up reviews about it and post your questions if you have any. By doing so, you get a better understanding of each devices shortcoming so you can decide for yourself if the device is really the want you want. Spend as much time as you need doing this as it would save you a lot of pain in the future.

My advice is to check out PDAdb.net which covers (almost) all PDA devices out there. Don’t forget to visit forums of specific devices such as XDA Developers for HTC devices and Eten Users for Eten devices. For reviews, there are sites like Eten Blog dot Com, Tracy and Matt’s Blog and Smartphone & Pocket PC Magazine.

4. How Is The Support?

This is an important component that many fail to factor in. You want to know how good is the support for the device. Not just the repair center that you send your device to when it gets damaged. Although that itself is important, you need to consider other factors as well. Is there an online forum or site about this device? Are the people there helpful in solving problems? If I face any problems with my device, how long before I can get support.

Many a time, the manufacturers are slow with support but I have heard of sellers doing their own repairs and provide great after-sales service. Check to see if there are any such sellers in your area before you make the commitment.

This resource would be specific to the brand that you are buying so do look around to generate your own list. Besides the ones listed in point 3, you can also check out HowardForums and PPCSG which support Windows Mobile devices in general.

5. Can You Get It?

You could usually get any device if you search hard enough but do not take it for granted. Sometimes, a certain model is not available in a particular region because they have another model for that. Other times, the brand is not even available in that country. If all else fails, you can turn to the internet to get them but be warned that they might be more expensive than you initially thought.

Some sites you can consider are eBay (they do sell brand new phones) and Eten Webshop (if you are planning to get Eten Glofiish devices).

Basic Maintanence

Now that you have gotten your Pocket PC, you would want to take good care of it. But what exactly constitutes good care? Well based on experience and research, here are some rules I live by which might serve you well too.

Battery

It’s sad fact that no matter what you do, your battery will deteriorate over time. But that does not mean you should ignore its well-being. For starters, it is good practice to charge it initially for 12 hours minimum. There are those who argue that with Lithium-Ion batteries, you do not have to do so, but there are those who argue otherwise. At the moment, it does not hurt for the long initial charge, so why not.

The other thing to keep in mind is that you should always charge your device when you get the chance. There was a test recently conducted that showed that the battery was most often charged survived the longest. The one that was charged when it went flat did not fare well. You should also keep that in mind. Never let your battery drain before you charge it. Not only will this damage the battery in the long run but it might also damage your device. For example, if your power runs out when the device was writing to memory card, your memory card may get corrupted and there is usually no going back from there. Better to be safe than sorry.

Memory

This is another component that you want to keep tabs on. Basically when memory runs low, your device becomes sluggish. There could be many reasons for this, from bad design to just bad usage on your part. But you can still do your part to ensure optimum performance.

For one, clear your temporary cache often. Whether you do it manually or with an application such as MemMaid does not matter. As long as you do it and do it often enough. For me, that is every 2-3 days. By constantly cleaning my device’s memory, I can ensure that my device runs as best as it should. There are other memory tweaks that you can do as well and these will be discussed in a later part.

General

This means just taking good care of your device. No matter how rugged it is, it is still an electronic device. Do not drop or place it near magnetic objects. If you see dirt on the connectors or in plugs, be sure to wipe them off. Do not let anything build up on or inside your device because this can only mean trouble.

If you, like me, do not like keeping your device in a case, then do ensure that when you put it into your pocket, to not mix it with keys or coins. The best would be to not put anything else in that pocket that you have your Pocket PC.

End Of Part I

This is just the start of the guide and some beginners might find that it is too basic. But not too worry, it gets more advanced next week as I take you through the basics of your Pocket PC. Over the course of the month, you will start to learn more about your Pocket PC, including recommended software, both freeware and commercial that you might want to install in your device. I will also cover registry hacks and tweaks for those of you who want to give it a go.

If you have any suggestions for this series, then do leave a comment. While I have already planned the areas I would like to cover in this series, I just might cover your suggestions as well.

Tags: guide, Series