Update: Beta Test Complete - Thank you!

[Guest MichaelP7]

Want to help Beta test a new piece of Pocket PC software?

Check out the post below from the team behind VirtuaMouse.

Hi all,

I was wondering if anyone would be willing to play around with our new application? In exchange, if you provide any feedback (likes, dislikes, bug report, suggestions, etc.) you'll receive a free licensed copy when it's released for sale. :o

It's called VirtuaMouse One-Hand and its main purpose is to make it easy to use your entire device with one hand. We do this by giving you a virtual mouse cursor that you control with your Pocket PC's arrow keys (aka D-Pad, thumbpad or joypad).

You can "tap" anywhere a stylus can, and do almost anything a stylus can do. Plus the hand that you'd normally use to hold the stylus stays free, so you can do something else with your other hand. This increases your productivity and saves you time.

It's like having a bluetooth mouse, but without the mouse.

The only applications that it won't work with are fullscreen games, or non-fullscreen games/applications with lots of animation.

Here's a screenshot:

...And a short video preview:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4Mgwvz23cWI

(My apologies in advance for the blurry video, we'll be getting a better camera soon. :( )

We're only accepting a limited number of beta participants at this time though. To join, please visit our website and create an account in our forums. You can also visit our website to read more about VirtuaMouse One-Hand. Testers will be chosen on a "first come, first served" basis.

If you have any questions before signing up, please feel free to post them here, or PM me.

Edit:

The beta testing for VirtuaMouse One-Hand has been completed and VirtuaMouse has been released to the public. Everyone can now download a free, fully functional 30 day trial version. If you would like more information on VirtuaMouse One-Hand, or would like to download the trial version, please visit http://www.innovisoft.com/products/virtuamouse.

Thanks to all of the beta participants!

Thank you,

Michael

[Edited by Paul (MVP) for News]

Paul: Not sure i'm a big fan of mouse pointers on PPC myself, but if it appeals to you, then join in the fun :D

Edited August 8, 2008 by MichaelP7

[Guest awarner (MVP)]

Sounds interesting, good luck with the app.

[Guest MichaelP7]

Sounds interesting, good luck with the app.

Thanks awarner! :D Did you have any questions about it?

There's still plenty of room for more beta testers, by the way. So if you'd like to try it out, please feel free to join by signing up for our beta tester forums.

For more info, please visit: http://www.innovisoft.com/products/virtuamouse/.

--

Edit: Beta Forums link removed, since the beta period is over.

Edited July 19, 2008 by MichaelP7

[Guest mwright]

I have been having a play for a little while.

The trouble is - I am struggling to find anything that it is good for!

So far everything has been easier to achieve without using the software. What I mean is that when I get the stylus out to use it I actually NEED the stylus. Either that, or just using the D-pad to move about. For example it is SO much easier to use the onscreen keyboard with the stylus rather than a virtual mouse. And I find it much easier to use the D-pad to select links in a web page than to use either this software or the stylus.

If you can suggest something that I can try - I would be only too happy to give it a go!

Cheers

Edited June 6, 2008 by mwright

[Guest MichaelP7]

...So far everything has been easier to achieve without using the software. What I mean is that when I get the stylus out to use it I actually NEED the stylus. Either that, or just using the D-pad to move about. For example it is SO much easier to use the onscreen keyboard with the stylus rather than a virtual mouse. And I find it much easier to use the D-pad to select links in a web page than to use either this software or the stylus.

If you can suggest something that I can try - I would be only too happy to give it a go!

Hi mwright,

Thanks for trying it out and for your useful feedback! :o

You're absolutely right, the stylus is easier to use, if you happen to already have it in your hand. At other times, the D-Pad is easier to use as well. VirtuaMouse isn't meant to be a full replacement for the stylus or D-Pad though, it's meant to give you an effective alternative to using them.

There will be times when VirtuaMouse is easier to use and also times where the stylus is more convenient.

(As a side-note: I try to be very careful with how we write our descriptions. This is why you won't find us claiming anywhere that VirtuaMouse replaces the stylus.)

I think the important thing to keep in mind is that the purpose of VirtuaMouse is to "fill in the gaps" between when you're in "full-out stylus mode" and "I just want to do something quick/specific/simple with my Pocket PC mode." Sometimes, it's nice just to not have to use the stylus.

As an example, let's say that you're trying to use your PDA with one hand while using a program that isn't very "D-Pad friendly," like the Calendar program on Windows Mobile 5. You've opened it already, and all you want to do now is switch from the default "Day" view to "Month" view.

If you don't have the stylus in your hand, and you try to do this with the D-Pad alone, you can't. Pressing the arrow keys just moves the "day" forward or backwards one day at a time.

To switch to "month view," you have to press the left softkey (the button marked "Day") somehow. Simple enough. But on devices like the Dell Axim X50v or the HTC Touch, the only way to press a softkey is to:

1. Use the stylus, or

2. Use the tip of your thumb.

That's it. Those are your two options. So what do you do?

I'll tell you what I used to do as an X50v owner:

1) I'd put down anything that I had in my other hand,

2) pull out the stylus, and

3) tap the button

Then, since I already had the stylus in my hand, I'd probably continue to use it until I was done using my Pocket PC.

But did you notice what happened there? My PDA task is done -- which is great -- but what about that thing that I was holding in my other hand? I forgot about it. It has now been 7 minutes since I first pulled out my stylus, which is 7 minutes since I last thought about whatever else I was doing before. This forgotten task could have been anything: from a document that I was supposed to review before my meeting in 2 minutes, to a coffee that has now gone cold.

If I had VirtuaMouse installed, I could have clicked that button in less than three seconds while still keeping whatever else I was doing accessible with my other hand.

So, the underlying issue here is that the stylus saps focus (and productivity) from anything non-PDA related.

The stylus is fast and accurate, that's true; but it's a two handed operation. You can't use the stylus and your Pocket PC with one hand (I've tried :( ). This is a big problem because whenever you're using the stylus, it automatically means that you can't do a lot of other things. Things as simple as talking on the phone, walking the dog, holding a piece of paper, or holding onto one of those subway/bus handles can't be done without juggling both the stylus and whatever else you're trying to do.

(I've done some of these myself. For instance, I tried to use my PDA while standing on the bus. I ended up holding my Pocket PC with a left-handed ninja grip while using my right arm to keep me safely latched to an oily, hand-smudged metal pole. It wasn't a fun ride.)

The stylus is an effective tool, don't get me wrong, but there's a cost to using it that a lot of people aren't aware of.

So, if you already happen to have the stylus in your hand, then by all means, use the stylus. Once you have the stylus in your hand, it'll be probably faster. But for those other times when you're not already holding the stylus, or when you can't hold it because your "stylus hand" is occupied, then just press the "VirtuaMouse Show/Hide" button and use it instead.

It may not be as fast as a stylus would be, but it gets the job done and it doesn't tie both of your hands to your device.

Thanks again for the feedback, I'm glad you brought this up! It made me realize that the usefulness of VirtuaMouse may not always be immediately apparent.

I hope this helps. And please, keep the feedback/questions/comments coming. :D

Cheers

Edited June 7, 2008 by MichaelP7