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Cresotech PocketLANce
Products: PocketLANce
Price: $39.00
Developer: Cresotech (http://www.cresotech.com/index.htm or http://www.pocketlance.com/)
Cresotech PocketLANce
is a little networking application. I must say that it was the application
Pocket PC needed.
Latest release: Cresotech has just release (10/3/01) version 1.05.
The newest version gets ride of the ActiveSync connection necessity (i.e no
more software installed on your desktop). Special promotional price of USD
29 only!
Installation:
The installation process which is very particular to all Cresotech applications remains. You'll need to install the application from the desktop PC, and then register it using the provided reg code using Active Sync. I found this method a little confusing at first but since it isn't my first Cresotech program installed, the operation went smoothly and to tell you the truth, I believe it to be one of the best way to register programs. You won't have to bother with entering codes by hand... Simply plug it in, and copy and paste the provided number.
The program:
PocketLANce is a network utility that allows users to view all computers and shares on the current network. This works through Active Sync. In other words, you'll simply have to plug in your PPC in the cradle to be able to view every single machine on the network as well as the different folders/printers, and eventually use them!
The program will install a desktop utility that will enable the PPC to communicate while synchronized. It will take the form of a little background application, visible in the system tray. As soon as the PPC starts AS, Cresotech PocketLance will initialize communication with the network and you'll be able to enjoy full networking functions.
I tried it here at home and found it quite useful. I created a share on purpose for the test; I shared one of my many mp3 folders. The mp3s were soon visible on the PPC, and I was able to copy, paste, delete the files located in that folder (I had full permission).
You will not be able to directly play mp3 from a network share since this option would need to be embedded into WMP and other such applications. You also won't be able to use the shared printers, or at least I couldn't find how to do so.
One thing that I noticed is while trying to share larger sized folders; the files wouldn't be displayed even after a long wait time; I eventually received a little warning message saying that the folder wasn't accessible; it might have been due to the excessive amount of data placed in that specific folder, over 5G, but I have been successful with folders around 1G. After contacting Cresotech about this minor problem, I was told that this symptom only occurs on PocketPC with limited amount of memory... (Ahhh, I'm still at 32MB of onboard RAM). Cresotech will mostlikely add a warning message in future versions!
Conclusion:PocketLANce is a nice little utility that should simplify the life of many people, especially those running AS through 802.11b in big corporate environment. As a home user, it will provide quick and easy access to shared files and folders on all your networked computers. As a note, PocketPC 2002 is supposed to have an embedded networking function though so far I haven't been able to test it, and from what I've seen, I wouldn't be surprised to see more limitations than PocketLance offers.
Once again, Cresotech has done the work quite properly with a very neat, easy to use application.
Finally, I want to thank Vadim Ortikov, Sales Director at Cresotech for sending me these programs.
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