AotW: Papyrus

[Guest Paul [MVP]]

AotW: Papyrus

This week's app is Papyrus from SBSH.net, a great Calendar replacement application.

As a hardcore Exchange user utilitising things like Calendar functionality to the max, i've always been frustrated by the included capabilities of the Smartphone OS. It's applications like Papyrus that really turn the Smartphone into a true replacement for a PDA (and leave my Pocket PC sitting on the shelf!)

As is traditional now with AotW, we've tracked down Amit Regev from SBSH to give us the lowdown ;)

Hi Amit and thanks for speaking to MoDaCo! Please introduce yourself!

I can say that I'm a gadget freak that enjoy spending my time developing software for Mobile devices, started SBSH about two years ago and working today as SBSH's CEO and part of the developers team.

Describe Papyrus in your own words

Papyrus goal is to allow people to use their Smartphone devices as a real time management tool, leaving at home their old PPC/Palm and the need to carry two devices. Two of the major issues we faced with the Smartphone hardware is how to give a real in-depth display of one's appointments and tasks with such a small real-estate and how to allow faster input methods with the phones input panel, which is mainly designed for numeric input and not text.

To solve the small display real-estate Smartphone devices offer we are using many visual signs that the user can customize, allowing us to pack more information on the each of the views. Several examples will be the use in customizable category icons/colors, status icons, customizable status colors, leading rectangles before appointments, optional timelines and much more. All can be customized by the user.

To bring faster input methods we added many faster input methods. One good example is the MyText feature, allowing the user to define up to 10 pre-defined strings that he can insert to the new appointment/task fields using the number keys, making it easy to input a full common line with two number clicks instead of 50-60 presses.

What makes Papyrus worth buying above other Smartphone applications?

Papyrus is the only solution today that really allow users to replace their PDA with their Smartphone, making the Smartphone a real time management solution. Users that are looking for better ways to manage their agenda and take it with them in their pocket will find Papyrus a must have.

What can we expect to see next from SBSH?

We are working these days on many new features for Papyrus like a full separate view for Tasks, so they won't be displayed only as part of the appointments. This view will also include many advance filtering and sorting options. After that, we have some surprises for the near future which I can't share for now. Might worth mentioning that the upgrades to these features with the upcoming updates will be free.

Apart from Papyrus, we hope to have a new Smartphone application in a few months from now, which is now in the beginning design stages. Those of you who also own a Symbian device  will be able to get Papyrus for Symbian series 60 in less then a month, and are already invited to download our public beta from our site.

I'd like to thank Amit for his contribution, and remember, you can download a free trial of Papyrus here!

:D

P

[Guest austinmitchell]

Registered Power Calendar a while ago but it couldn't replace my Palm (and hasn't been updated). Papyrus can replace my Palm and the tasks feature sound great. Aany idea when the tasks feature will be available (will save me buying a tasks program)?

Cheers,

Austin.

[Guest argh]

It already supports tasks - they currently seem to be shown in a similar way to calendar appointments, but on the current day.

I reported an issue that I was having with modifying an existing task and synchronising back to Outlook - SBSH responded very quickly to say that they would investigate.

The continual regular updates on this product based on customer feedback is truly impressive. I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another SBSH title and can't wait to see what they have in store.

[Guest brykins]

The continual regular updates on this product based on customer feedback is truly impressive.

There's a minor problem on the latest version (1.1.0.8 I think) that causes the screen not to refresh when moving from day to day on the day view, using the left and right buttons. It seems to effect some people and not others, but it makes it unuseable on my C500.

Otherwise a great application.

[Guest amitregev]

There's a minor problem on the latest version (1.1.0.8 I think) that causes the screen not to refresh when moving from day to day on the day view, using the left and right buttons. It seems to effect some people and not others, but it makes it unuseable on my C500.

Otherwise a great application.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Hi brykins ;)

I'm glad to say we found this one and fixed it on our internal version that will soon be released, this should be a pretty rare case; We also added many new features with the upcoming update which I hope will be out in a few days 8)

[Guest amitregev]

It already supports tasks - they currently seem to be shown in a similar way to calendar appointments, but on the current day.

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

We are now also working on a stand alone tasks view that will include advance sorts and filters - hoping to have it ready really soon ;)

Full tasks support with a stand alone view for tasks is our main target for version 1.2.

[Guest drblow]

I just wanted to add a note to this thread to say that not only is papyrus an excellent calendar application, with more features than you could shake a big stick at ( ;) ), but the friendly, helpful support forum has proven to be absolutely second to none! SBSH have a great approach to making their software, and they actively listen to & respond to users issues, requests etc. Papyrus as an application has moved on leaps and bounds with each update, and those come out very frequently (and by that I mean weeks, not months!).

I cannot recommend SBSH software & Papyrus highly enough! ;)

[Guest chucky.egg]

Couldn't agree more

[Guest amitregev]

I just wanted to add a note to this thread to say that not only is papyrus an excellent calendar application, with more features than you could shake a big stick at ( :P ), but the friendly, helpful support forum has proven to be absolutely second to none!  SBSH have a great approach to making their software, and they actively listen to & respond to users issues, requests etc.  Papyrus as an application has moved on leaps and bounds with each update, and those come out very frequently (and by that I mean weeks, not months!).

I cannot recommend SBSH software & Papyrus highly enough!  ;)

<{POST_SNAPBACK}>

Thanks drblow and chucky.egg ;)

There has been a bit of a slowdown in the past 5 days due to PocketBreeze 4.3 release for Pocket PCs, but we are now back on track and I hope to have a new update ready really soon.

Among the new features with the next update we will have a new ability to define and edit any custom recurring pattern - all inside Papyrus, and not only the pre-defined recurring patterns that Papyrus offers until now, and also some new additional stuff we are now working on and a few bug fixes from latest update ;)

[Guest adrianrdaw]

;)

I agree with all the preceeding comments. I've only been using it 24 hours, but I think the new layout is more than worth the money. I shouldn't miss a night shift on the planner again! Thanks

[Guest travisb]

Have now got Papyrus as part of my Plus membership (cheers Paul). However I want to remove Power Calander first. There doesn't seem to be any obvious way of doing it (no instructions from Developer One, not in the Remove Programs list). I could just remove the folder under the Program Files, but what about the homescreen icon and any registry entries - is it a manual job?

[Guest fozzie]

Is it not in the remove programs list on the phone or in Active Sync (when the phone is connected to your PC), or both? I definitely wouldn't just start manually deleting things. You could also try re-installing and then uninstalling.

[Guest travisb]

Yes, not in Remove Programs list whether connected via ActiveSync or not. There is an post on this in the Developer One forums that has been un-answered for weeks. Will try the re-install and see if that helps. Otherwise it's a hard rest :frown:

[Guest fozzie]

Sorry, but not sure if I was clear enough. Did you check in the ActiveSync Add/Remove remove programmes list, as well as on the phone itself?

[Guest travisb]

Yup, checked in both.

Had an e-mail from Developer One, who claim that it should be visible in the phone remove programs list ( I have Code Wallet Pro from them, and that's listed), so I guess it's hard reset time

[Guest TigerNet]

I just wanted to add a note to this thread to say that not only is papyrus an excellent calendar application, with more features than you could shake a big stick at ( :D ), but the friendly, helpful support forum has proven to be absolutely second to none!  SBSH have a great approach to making their software, and they actively listen to & respond to users issues, requests etc.  Papyrus as an application has moved on leaps and bounds with each update, and those come out very frequently (and by that I mean weeks, not months!).

I cannot recommend SBSH software & Papyrus highly enough!  ;)

I will echo this sentiment. I e-mailed Amit yesterday to see if I could get a code for Papyrus on the Nokia series 60 (6680) that I am currently using. They sent the code almost immediately at no additional cost!!!

To me it is obvious that this is not just a great application, but is backed up by great service and support...

Many thanks Amit and Papyrus!!!

Cheers

Nick