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What the Raphael expands on, replaces or begins to replace?

I thought I'd start what I hope become a regular event at xda-developers.com. Posting how valuable our devices are to us. Specifically, what our devices...in this case the Raphael....replaces or begins to replace with native or expanded functionality.
I'll start off with a not so exhaustive list of the obvious and give others a chance to share. What I propose is that we post the function and specify what software or setup allows for this function. You don't necissarily have to go into detail, for example, if you've setup your device to be a "router" on your home network because that would take a little time...but you can post something like "LAN Router = configuring device without additional software" or something like that. If you list VoIP Device you can say "Replaced my VoIP Device using Skype" or something similar.
I'm curious how much functionality we can squeeze out of these devices. This post will also serve to give others ideas, provide a place to share your ideas, and give new people an idea of how powerful these devices are.
Here we go...
- Replaced my GPS device and I use TomTom.
- Begins to replace my digital camera and cam corder. Even though it doesn't take very high resolution images and there is still room for growth it does a decent job and i no longer have to carry around those two devices. I use the native components and software of the device. If anyone has better software to accomplish this let us know.
- Replaces my voice recorder. I'm still trying to narrow down which software I like best for this so your suggestions are very welcome.
- Replaced my FM Radio but only when away from my car
- Replaced my portable XM Radio as I stream XM using PocketXM. This is an old software and i think there are newer and better ones out by now but i havne't taken the time to go look so your suggestions are welcome to enhance this experience.
- Replaces the newspaper. I subscribe to newsfeeds using Egress. I've tried a dozen or more Windows Mobile feed readers and imho this is by far the best and has all the features i want.
- Allows me to stay in touch via IM using BeeJive IM.
- Allows me to stay in touch via IRC using zsIRC. zsIRC is missing a few things and is not perfect but is the better freeware product taht comes close.
- Expands on e-mail by allowing me to stay in contact with Pocket Outlook.
- Replaces my wireless/wifi scanner using WiFiFoFum. There are other software products i've tried but this one does exactly what i need and also works in conjunction with GPS so I can later map my scans using Google Earth or other mapping software. I even use it in conjunction with other software to perform wireless audits for my work.
- Provides me with mobile Bluetooth scanning capabilities using Bluezard and btCrawler. Please provide your suggestions if you have other software that does a good job in this area.
- Begins to replace my MP3 player. My MP3 player has a lot more space but the Raphael does a good job as a temporary replacement for this device.
- Allows me to watch my TV/Cable at the house from anywhere using Slingbox's SlingPlayer and the Slingbox Pro.
- Replaces the Weather Channel using WeatherPanel on SecondToday.
- Begins to replace my gaming devices because you can play some nice Windows Mobile based games, not to mention you can also install several different emulators to play other device games on your Windows Mobile device.
- Enhanced the way I input business cards into my contacts by allowing me to take a picture of the business card using WorldCard Mobile.
- Enhances the way I store critical information by using eWallet.
- Replaces the dictionary as there are tons of superior dictionary software products on the market now. I use several so won't list them here unless asked. If you have a favorite please let us know.
- Replaces the encyclopedia using Brittanica Concise Encyclopiedia or Pocket Wiki. I know there are others out there and I welcome your suggestions on this as I'm looking for the most complete solution possible.
- Replaces the phone directory using Live Search, Google, or numerous other products.
- Provides for a portable packet sniffer beyond the laptop using Handy Sniffer.
- Begins to replace the eBook Reader for many but not those that can't read off the tiny screen. I'm still looking for a better and universal solution that will read all formats and allow for better viewing on the smaller screen.
My list could go on but i'm going to stop there and give others a chance to respond with their list and also help me with mine if they have better suggestions.
Let's see how much functionality we can squeeze from this little device.

chiphone still working....

Just to let all those interested know - 6 months ago I was whined at for mentioning a £80 phone that did all that I needed my Windows Mobile phone for at a fifth the price...
All were convinced it would die after 6 months - oooh look - its still working. And its probably made in the same factory as the one you are looking at that would cost £500... maybe even at Foxconn which even under German Luftwaffe rules would collectively qualify as an air ace with 13 'kills' so far of its own employees through either suicide or suspected beatings or exhaustion (all other WW1 air forces only required 5 kills, hence the boast that the German AF was twice as good..).
Sadly since there are no phones available at the moment that fit what I need from a phone in the WinMo arena I will either be buying the S4200 QWERTY flip with wifi & TV - or reinvesting in the joys of symbian with the Vivaz Pro - the best phone I ever had is still going strong - an E70 from Nokia thats 6 years old now and still lasts three days on standby. Sadly its getting a little slow in the tooth...
The only niggle I have with the TVG3 is the camera quality and also there is no one place to control data/wifi selection. Other than that its perfectly usable.
Since I had to look for JAVA applications as there are no developers for the MTK O/S system as used in both the TVG3 & the S4200 I have found a couple that are useful and may be of some interest to people here...
Firstly Snaptu - which is a java based app which works with touchscreens and can provide either apps or links to websites along with RSS newsreader feeds and a eminantly usable weather application including of all things astronomical information. This includes a very usable facebook application.
There is also a application called microcalc which is a spreadsheet which is able to accept data from excel using the *.slk extension (SYLK - symbolic link)- although to be fair this is not a complete conversion.

The Price of getting mobile versions written

Hello,
Bit of background...
I built and run taxiroute which is a taxi fare calculator for the UK.
It's been up and running as a website only since 2008 and will hit £13m of enquiries this year.
The problem is that it only currently exists as a website and I think it would get much more traffic if I could get mobile versions of it launched.
To enable the mobile apps to plug into my system I have written a fully functional SOAP/XML Webservice which contains all the business logic for the system. This means that the mobile apps will have very little code in them as all they have to do is call my webservice.
So, with my API under my arm I started to approach a couple of mobile development companies with a view of getting the apps built.
I managed to find a development company in London who appear pretty unique as they have custom software which enables them to write the app once and port it across to all the other platforms. Which sounds perfect.
My problem is getting my head around the price they are asking for the development of the apps. They are asking for about £18k.
The work I see them having to do is the following:
1. Develop the design of the screens and graphics.
2. Develop the screens to talk to my API.
3. Get the application into the app stores for each platform.
To me, it appears a little excessive and I was looking for opinions really?
I love the idea of getting the one company to do all the development but I cannot seem to work out how they think it's going to be 36 days work, guessing that they charge £500 a day for developers etc...
Any thoughts?
Thanks
Trev

Looks like you have already done the main graft getting the webservice to work.
In .NET CF use an XmlTextReader class to go get it.
Substitute "here" and "there" with the real values your service expects.
Code:
XmlTextReader xtr = new XmlTextReader("http://www.yoursite.com/yourservice.xml?from=here&to=there");
xtr.Read();
// Until you get to the return value line(s) when xtr.Name will contain the result.
// Do with it what you will.........
xtr.Close();

stephj said:
Looks like you have already done the main graft getting the webservice to work.
Click to expand...
Click to collapse
hopefully so. even written my own windows mobile version to double check functionality. looks crap but works perfect.
£18k. wish i had it.
trev

[Q] Is there an XDA made app for Weight Watchers?

My Wife and I are doing this Weight Watchers thing. I've found THIS (post #5) to calculate WW points; I am wondering if there is an app that XDA knows about that will keep track of points.
I have also found THIS, but it is for Android. I am using M$ Excel to keep track now, but something like the last link would be more ideal.

Hey there,
Never heard of an "app" for wm so to speak, but WW do this as you've probably seen.
There does seem to be several progs that use WW method/points system such as seen here for example.
Google bought up this (which you probably did too )
Cheers.

I too would like to find a calculator for weight watchers for windows mobile. They support apps for iphone and android, and they even say soon for windows 7. But I cannot find anything for windows mobile 6. It looks like weight watchers is not going to support windows mobile. They changed the points system very recently, so everything I find is based on the old system. The new system is not based on calories, fat, and fiber. It uses fat, fiber, carbs, and protien. Hopefully soon someone will make a calculator for the new points system.

Is an Android Tablet OK for a public kiosk application

Helly guys,
My city asked me for a public Internet kiosk locked on the Internet site of the city.
No need for fancy camera, flash, etc... It just needs to use a plain html/javascript/php light Internet site.
But I do need the tablet to power by itself connecting to default wi-fi by itself and loading the Internet site by itself. And good built quality.
Am I right to think an Android tablet could do the trick ?
Any Android app / tablet suggestion please ?
Thank you
Phil

Yeah man. Here in Bangalore, India cheap Android tablets are used at many public places including buses for similar applications as you stated. I don't know what cheap brand is available near your location, so look around and find some. Any of these cheap low-spec tablets running Froyo/Gingerbread will be enough to just run the web browser. They suck at everything else, but just for that one application they would be fine.
I didn't get what you mean by the tablet powering on by itself, but connecting to WiFi automatically and opening a specified homepage in browser are possible. As far as I know every Android device requires some form of button press to turn on the screen. Maybe there's a way to get them to turn on by touching the screen, I don't know.
Also, be aware that most of these cheap tablets aren't licensed by Google, so they won't have Market and other Google related services. You'll have to sideload apps to install them. They'll just be useful for the bare minimum functions of a tablet, and nothing more unlike a fancy Honeycomb/ICS tablet. Build quality is pretty OK for some of the ones I've seen, but some suck. You should look at and try out a few.
Good luck!
Click thanks if I've helped you.

Android Kiosk Mode
Phil,
You may need to root the android tablet you use, because just running your plain html/javascript/php light Internet site wouldn't be enough to keep public from finding themselves on Facebook etc. There are ways to lock down the content so the public stays on pages necessary without getting into menus on devices etc. As far as powering up device and turning it off, our company is doing something similar for tablets used in taxis. armoractive.com

are you sure that "over the counter" tablets are sturdy enough for your regular "I wont care to read the instructions so I'll punch the screen to make it work" customer?
This looks the case where a bit more money spent in custom hardening will make for a lot more money wasted in reparing later

I have pretty much the same question as the OP. I'd like to use an android tablet as a simple kiosk. Would anyone recommend a particular make/model that would be suitable? Needs to use a web browser plus show some decent video so I'm assuming the really cheap ones are out. I'd imagine I'll need to root it too. Then figure out how to lock it down, but first things first

Kiosk Lockdown Solution
Absolutely! You can install a Kiosk Lockdown Solution like MobiLock Pro & manage single or a fleet of devices right from unified web-based dashboad!
Know More: Android Kiosk Mode