Windows Mobile Tips

The default settings and sounds get old. Shake things up by changing them. If you like using sounds but think they’re too loud, try the one called “Quietest.” To change the sound settings, tap Start, Settings, and Sounds & Notifications. On the Sounds tab, you have four items for adjusting the audio: Events, Programs, Screen Taps, and Hardware Buttons. Enter a checkbox by tapping the box of those you wish to enable. Deselect the box to disable the sound.

options you have assigned, the more the battery gets drained. You can assign specific sounds to certain events and not assign sounds to the others. Tap the Notifications tab to select the sounds to play for specific events. If you don’t like the choices that come with your Windows Mobile handheld, you can download more from a software Web site such as PocketGear (www.pocketgear.com) or Handango (www.handango.com) or go to your favorite search engine and enter Pocket PC sounds or Windows Mobile sounds. Portable Nutritional Information When you go grocery shopping, out to eat, or pack a lunch, you can check the nutritional information of the food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture provides a User’s Guide for the USDA Nutrient Database for free (www.nal.usda.gov /fnic/foodcomp/srch/search.htm) for Windows handhelds and PCs. Search a food item until you find what you want, as the database has every kind of apple preparation included from raw to dried. Once you select the specific item, pick the amount as the apple could be small, medium, large, or sliced. Then the nutrient values appear complete with calories, protein, fiber, calcium, and other details. Owner Information If your handheld device gets stolen, there’s little you can do because the thief probably doesn’t plan to return it. However, if you’ve misplaced it, you can take a few steps to ensure it comes back to you other than hoping the person who finds it would return it to you. One step is to set the owner information to appear as soon as you turn on the PDA. The finder won’t have to dig around the personal information on your device to find the owner since it pops up as soon as it’s turned on. Tap Start, Settings, and Owner Information and enter your information. Select the Options tab and select the box next to Identification Information. There’s another checkbox for Notes. You can select the Notes tab and enter notes that can appear with the owner’s information. You could enter a note along the lines of, “Reward if found and returned. No questions asked.” This may encourage a would-be thief to return it. Add personality to your owner information page with OwnerInfoX by including a thumbnail-sized picture of you or a favorite photo. Download the free application from MyPDACafe.com. Setting Up Email Read email whenever you connect to the Internet or sync it with your with your desktop email. Before setting up a new POP3 or IMAP4 email account, find out if your ISP supports either standard. If so, obtain the followingSet up or change an email account using the wizard and click the ? icon for help.status appears as Completed or you can tap Cancel to back out. Tap Next. In the User information screen, enter your name, username, and password in the appropriate fields. Tap Save Password if you don’t want to enter it every time you check your email. Tap Next. Select POP3 or IMAP4 in the Account Type and the same appears in the Name field. Tap Next for the Server information window. Enter the Incoming mail and Outgoing mail as provided by your ISP. The domain name is usually left blank unless your ISP instructs otherwise. Tap Finish. A pop-up box appears asking if you want to download email from the new account. If not, your email account list appears. Either tap New to create another or, if you’re finished, tap OK. Podcasting & Windows Mobile Download shows from the Internet to carry with you on your Windows Mobile handheld or smartphone with help from Smartfeed (www.smartfeed .org). The developers call it a Podcatcher, which is a Podcast receiver for bringing podcasts to the PDA. The free software grabs Podcasts via a wireless or Bluetooth connection. Also use the tool for managing the Podcast library, receive recommendations based on the most current popular downloads, and schedule automatic updates of Podcasts in the library. Use A Photo As Background Though you can add a little color to your Today screen with Pocket Themes, you can do it quickly with a photo and turn your PDA into a brag mug. Find a photo or two as you can quickly changethe background anytime. Send the photo to your device by opening ActiveSync on your desktop PC and clicking Explore. Drag the picture you want into your mobile’s My Pictures folder or wherever you prefer to store your photos. Grab your device, tap Start and Settings. Ensure the Personal tab is selected and tap Today. Verify you’re on the Appearances tab and select a neutral theme or one that blends with the photo. It is required even with a Background. Tap the checkbox next to Use This Picture As The Background, tap Browse to find the picture, and then tap OK. When you do task management, expect a smile as you enjoy the new background.