In the four years I have been associated with this site, there are a few programs and apps which have really stood out above the rest of the pack.  There is only one, however, which has consistently stood above the pack on virtually every platform.   Pocket Informant has from WebIS has been among the premiere personal information managers on virtually every platform, including Windows Mobile, Blackberry, iPhone/iPod Touch, and Google Android (it has sadly not been available on WebOS).  Most recently, our friends at WebIS released Pocket Informant for the iPad, which is where we pick up our action in this review.

If you are not already familiar with Pocket Informant…then you must be new to the site…we have been covering the app since its early Windows Mobile days.  Since then, while there have been many changes to the app and its interface, WebIS has done a fantastic job of staying true its core which, of course, means a fantastic calendar and information manager for the iPad.  Let’s go ahead and take a look.

One of the things I have really enjoyed about the iPad is the screen size and resolution, which allows for a level of graphics detail and sophistication which has never been seen in mobile devices.  In Pocket Informant, for example, this means the main interface can involve more than just a list of your activities.  Pocket Informant’s interface simulates the very paper and ink day planners which the app seeks to replace.   

Just like a real day planner, there are several tabbed sections, which you can jump between.  These sections include: Today, Calendar, Tasks, and Settings.  I did think it would have been nice to include a few additional tabs here, like Notes, Contacts, Birthdays, or even the ability to create custom made tabs.  Doing so would ensure that, like a real day planner, Pocket Informant could give you instant access to the tools and information you need, regardless of what that might include.  Nonetheless, we are not here to discuss the things this app cannot do, we are here to talk about how it works.  So, let’s go ahead and check out each of the tabs offered in the app.

As you would probably expect, the central component of Pocket Informant, like any day planner, is the calendar.  Just as with other versions, Pocket Informant offers all of the usual views.  You can check out your calendar by week or month.  You can also switch to an hour-by-hour breakdown of your day, or even just a list of upcoming events.  One thing that was great in the calendar was that if you use multiple calendar sources or tags, then your events will be color coded in order to give you a more complete “at-a-glance” view. 

Tap any event to open a popup with all of the events’ details.  Tapping a date in month view will open a popup showing more detail about all of the events for the selected date.

Meanwhile, on the right hand side of the screen is a scrollable month-by-month view, allowing you to gaze far into the future, or back into the past.  A helpful tool to say the least (in portrait view, this month-by-month view will be hidden under the expandable arrow).

In addition to your calendar, Pocket Informant also serves as an effective task manager.  This really works well, allowing you to view your tasks organized by due date, actions,  individual folders or contexts, and plenty of other methods.  Tap on any task to expand it for additional information.   I was impressed by how easy the screen is to navigate and read.  The app did a fantastic job of allowing you to access your important tasks, and ensure that nothing fell through the crack.

Adding new appointments, events, or tasks is simple using the the plus signs on top of the screen.  These open a pair of simple, easy to use dialogues.  simply complete all of the blanks with the correct information, and your work here is done.  I was impressed by how closely this actually resembled the new item dialogue in the iPad’s native calendar.  Whether this was intentional or not, I thought it was fantastic because most users will already be familiar with the layout and functionality of that dialogue.

The other great feature here is that you can tie any appointment to a location or contact from your address book.  Doing do allows you to instantly find the location or address in Google Maps.  This is fantastic for those times when you have a meeting on the other side of town, and no idea how to get there.

The best feature in Pocket Informant, however, is its ability to sync with your online accounts.  The calendar will sync with your Google account, while tasks can sync with Toodledo from virtually anywhere (though surprisingly, not Google Tasks or Remember The Milk).  Since my ultimate goal is to never connect my iPad to a computer, this cloud access is absolutely essential for me, and I am thrilled to say that it worked absolutely perfectly.

Now that we have discussed the two primary features of the app: calendar and tasks, we can put them together and create the Today tab.  This is the tab which really helps answer the questions, “What’s Next…”  On one screen, it shows your appointments, events, and tasks for the day (it will show any tasks due today or overdue).  This is a fantastic way to keep track of and organize your day’s activities. 

Of course, not everything in the app needs to be the way I have shown it.  There are plenty of customization settings under the Settings tab.  I am not going to get into an in-depth discussion of all the different settings you can adjust here…there are plenty of customization options, don’t worry.  That being said, I would be remiss if I did not briefly mention the settings.  With past versions of Pocket Informant, which we reviewed here on JAMM, we have been pretty critical of the organization of the settings screen.  In essence, there were so many settings in such confusing dialogues that it always felt like a cluttered mess.  I was pretty excited, therefore, to see just how far webIS has come with this.  The settings tab in Pocket Informant for iPhone is well organized and easy to navigate.  That is really about all you can request.

I have been a fan of WebIS and Pocket Informant since I discovered it on Windows Mobile.  Since then, I have used Pocket Informant on almost every device I have owned(I say almost because the WebOS version never quite materialized).  Based upon that history, I feel pretty comfortable with the statement I am about to make.  Not only is this the best version of Pocket Informant available on any platform, it is one of the best apps WebIS has ever produced …EVER…on any platform.  Sure, there are a few omissions, such as the lack of a contacts tab, and other useful tab, but I am hopeful those features will be coming soon in future versions (particularly since many of them already exist in the Windows Mobile and iPhone versions for the most part).  What WebIS has given us is a simple, easy to use app, without sacrificing any of the power displayed in previous versions of the app.  Most importantly for me, though, is the clear evidence that the developers at WebIS listen to the input and feedback of their users.  Many of the features which we have requested (such as the cluttered settings menus), or which have been discussed in WebIS forums have already made their way into the initial release of the app.  In the end, it should be clear why Pocket Informant routinely appears on so many lists of the top apps on each of the various mobile platforms.  This is truly one of the first absolutely essential apps I have used on the iPad.

Pocket Informant for iPad was developed by WebIS, and is available in the iTunes App Store for $6.99. 

I’ve been waiting for this for over a year… Its awesome; and finally here!

eWallet for Mac OSX, the WHOLE sha-bang, including all of eWallet’s security, convenience and customization has been released and is available for purchase and download.

eWallet for MacOS!

Features of the app include, but are not limited to

• Sync fast and keep your info up to date: Using Ilium’s included SyncPro(r) technology, eWallet for Mac OS X easily and safely syncs your info with your iPhone, iPad, or iPod touch via WiFi. You can also sync with other computers on the same network, and external storage devices like USB thumb drives.
• Same great features, brand new version: Many of the features you know and trust from eWallet for Windows have been included in eWallet for Mac OS X, but with a unique interface just for Mac owners.

Another great aspect of eWallet for Mac is that it doesn’t require an additional purchase. When customers buy eWallet from Ilium Software for $19.95, they’ll get full support for Mac OS X along with support for Windows PC, BlackBerry, our free eWallet Viewer for Android, and Windows Mobile. And customers who already own eWallet 7 for Windows PC get full Mac support at no additional cost!

Users can also add eWallet for their iPhone, iPad, and iPod touch by purchasing the iOS version of eWallet through the iTunes App Store.

This is an incredible value, and a wonderful way to protect your identity and sensitive information while carrying it with you.  A review is pending, and should be up in a couple of weeks or so. Stay tuned!

For $63 you can buy a new MAPSCO for the Dallas-Fort Worth area.  For $39.00 you can get a refurbished Magellan Roadmate 1340 from Walmart.com which can actually guide you…hmm…decisions, decisions….

This little travel guide has received a alatest.com score of 7.9 out of 10.  Shipping is $3 if you want it shipped to your home or you can get free site to store shipping and pick it up at your local store.

From Walmart.com’s site:

The Magellan RoadMate 1340 device boasts the acclaimed OneTouch menu, a 3.5" color touch screen and an ultra-thin design. Preloaded maps and points of interest for the United States, Canada, and Puerto Rico make the RoadMate 1340 ideal for both business trips and vacations. Easy-to-use, premium features give you confidence on the road and deliver a powerful navigation experience.

Magellan Roadmate 1340 3.5" GPS, Refurbished:

• 3.5" color touchscreen
  Presents information clearly and brightly for optimal navigation
• OneTouch menu
  Instant access to your personalized bookmarks of favorite places
• AAA TourBook
  Ratings and descriptions of AAA approved places to stay, play, dine and save
• Highway lane assist
  Shows you the correct lane before your next turn
• Millions of Points of Interest (POI)
  Find POIs all over the country
• Automatic re-route
  Recalculates your route if you miss a turn
• Auto night view
  Adjusts screen for easy night viewing
• Rechargeable Battery
  Travel wirelessly or plan trip while vechicle is off

Extended warranties – an interesting concept.  It’s like buying insurance as it does offer peace of mind – however, it does have its premiums.  There are many extended warranties available and many electronics stores offer them.  With these warranties there are different levels of coverage with some covering even accidental types of damages like spills, drops, and more.  The question today is, would you buy and extended warranty?  Why or why not?  In my case, I would say it depends on the purchase and the exact wording of the warranty.  For those that offer a dollar for dollar value type, personally I feel that it does have its advantages if you use the product very heavily.  When it does break (ex. a hard drive), they’ll usually reimburse you for the price of the hard drive you paid minus the cost of the warranty.  In such cases, this is a win win situation as usually by the time it fails and falls outside of the manufacturer’s original warranty, for the same price you can get a new and better product.  It’s like leasing it for just the cost of the warranty.  For computers, however, it is an odd situation considering that most problems these days are caused by software which is not covered by a warranty.  So if you send that virus infested PC into a service department, chances are you will be charged the diagnostic fee and your problem will not be fixed under the warranty.  On the flip side, when and if a computer’s hardware does fail, for many, it would mean the death and replacement of the computer if they didn’t have a warranty as it would cost anywhere from  $160 to $410 to just fix and get the computer (desktop in this case) running again with it’s original OS and a backup of your files. For laptops, things get worse as all parts of a laptop are proprietary and usually flat rate fees apply that can cost anywhere from $400 to $600 to repair.  In short, warranties do have their uses and certainly they can and will benefit some people.  But before getting yourself into one, be sure to read ALL parts of the written contract for yourself so that you can make an informed choice.

There’s nothing like curling up with a good book when on vacation.  Or in this case, if you happen to be in select Fairmont Hotels, the opportunity to curl up to a loaned Kobo eReader pre-loaded with Random House bestsellers.  This special amenity is part of the personalized service of Fairmont’s President’s Club, a private, dedicated offering where guests can experience an exclusive oasis.  The Kobo eReader comes pre-loaded with titles that include a variety of fiction and non-fiction eBooks by authors including Bret Easton Ellis, Sophie Kinsella and Alexander McCall Smith.  Upon returning the eReader, guest will receive a discount coupon that can be used to receive $2 off select Random House titles.  I’m excited about this offering as many on vacation would love to read and dragging a physical library can be like dragging bricks.  I’m glad that Fairmont is taking such an initiative.  Perhaps we shall see other hotels in the future offer something similar.