Pocket Genealogist Version 3.40

The following was written by Northern Hills Software:

Pocket Genealogist Version 3.40 is now available for download from the Northern Hills Software website.  This is another free update for all version 3 customers, simply download and install 3.40 on top your current version.  (As always the update is a complete version of Pocket Genealogist.  You can update any V3 release with this version)

Downloads can be found at http://www.northernhillssoftware.com/download.htm.

This version has the following changes:

• Device/Desktop:  Pocket Genealogist is now fully UNICODE compliant. (It can still import ANSI, ANSEL, UTF-8 or UNICODE, but internally everything is now UNICODE) Unicode provides much better support for International character sets.
• Device/Desktop:  Support for Legacy Version 7.0.0.97. This version of Legacy has database changes so you will need to re-import your Pocket Genealogist databases.
• Desktop:  Support for Family Historian V4.
• Desktop:  On GEDCOM export, ANSI, UTF-8 or UNICODE can now be selected as the ‘encoding’ type.
• Desktop:  Changes to PAF/FTM Add-on (especially for FTM 2008 and 2009) to take extra measures to ensure that all individuals are imported.
• Desktop:  Windows 98 and ME no longer supported.
• Device:  Support for devices with screen resolution of 400×240.
• Device/Desktop:  Update to most language translations.
• Desktop:  The Backup feature for 2-way Legacy syncing will now default to the location of the Legacy database if no backup path is found in the Legacy configuration file.
• Desktop:  Support for “Between” dates for FTM 2008/2009 Add-on Imports.
• Desktop:  Fixed Direct Ancestral Quest imports to support ‘relative’ paths for multimedia files.
• Device:  Changed label on To Do screen from “Date” to “Due Date” for FTM imports.
• Device:  Fix to Individual “Main” tab for Smartphones with 320×320 screens. (Display and edit of Given and Surname)
• Desktop:  Fix to Legacy 2 way sync as it would re-sync images that didn’t need to be synced. (Wasn’t causing any harm, but was unnecessary)
• Desktop:  Fix to desktop sync screen to properly display memory / storage card locations available for syncing on device. (Was not working with 64-bit Vista)
• Device:  Disallow editing or deletion of To Do’s for FTM Add-on import.

You can learn more at http://www.PocketGenealogist.com.

Comments

[Sam Grolson]

Is there any plan to port this program to the iPhone?

[Dick Eastman]

I have no insight into Northern Hills Software's future plans, but I will point out there are already several excellent genealogy programs for the iPhone. I have recently written two reviews of such programs and am working on a third that will appear here shortly. You can see several of my earlier articles about iPhone genealogy software if you start at http://www.google.com/cse?cx=003715150024579880844%3Aulyzue1ivzu&ie=UTF-8&q=iPhone&sa=Search

- Dick Eastman

[Jeff Benson]

Neither do I know what Northern Hills' long-term plans might be. I do know that Pocket Genealogist is written for the Windows Mobile operating system. Windows Mobile is Microsoft's latest incarnation of their Windows OS designed for small devices like phones, PDAs, etc. It would probably be difficult and costly for Northern Hills to support to another mobile operating system. Speaking as a software developer, it is never trivial to write software that runs on two or more different operating systems. I wouldn't count on seeing a version of Pocket Genealogist for iPhone any time soon, if ever.

On the other hand, considering the vicious competition between various operating systems for mobile phones (e.g. Apple/iPhone, Symbian, Android, Windows Mobile,...), some IT industry pundits think Windows Mobile and a couple other mobile OSes will eventually lose support from device manufacturers in favor of the more popular/more successful competitors (like Apple). I recently researched various "smart phones" in hopes of finding a Windows Mobile phone, partly so I could use Pocket Genealogist on it. Most of the Windows Mobile phones got terrible reviews from end-users (at least the on-line reviews I found), so I have little reason to doubt this long-term prognosis. That's not to say Windows Mobile won't be around for some time -- Microsoft doesn't give up easily. But Northern Hills may ultimately find themselves with a very tiny share of the mobile device market if they continue on a course of only supporting Windows Mobile. Whether they can make the jump to another mobile OS or not, only they can say.

- Jeff Benson

[Jeff Carlen]

Forgive my non-wired ignorance: what kind of mobile devices would you use this on other than an iphone? I am a little behind the curve on this, my cell phone doesn't even text.

It would sure be nice to have my genealogical data with me in an easily portable medium when researching in libraries, public record offices, etc.

Thanks,
Jeff Carlen

[Dick Eastman]

---> what kind of mobile devices would you use this on other than an iphone?

Samsung I760 Cellular Phone, Samsung SCH i730 Cellular phone, Samsung Saga cell phone, any of the Hewlett-Packard iPAQ handheld computers (which are NOT cell phones), Nextel Motorola i920 Cellular Phone, Motorola SURF A3100 cell phone, Motorola Q cell phone, ASUS MyPal A626, HTC P3452, Audiovox XV6700 PDA Windows Mobile Cell Phone, Verizon Wireless SMT5800 cell phone or any other handheld computer or cell phone that uses the Windows Mobile operating system.

It will only work on the Windows Mobile operating system so that leaves out the Apple iPhone and all the Blackberry devices as well as any that use the Palm operating system and the Nokia phones (most of which use the Symbian operating system).

- Dick Eastman

[Kevin Phillips]

No, We are not planning on doing an iPhone version. As pointed out, there are MANY operating systems available for mobile devices and trying to support more than one is technically and financially difficult. (Apple is brilliant at marketing and the iPhone gets lots of attention, but there are many good operating systems and phones out there, it's not as if the iPhone is the only solution, they aren't even the majority... I get a lot more requests for people asking for a Blackberry version than I do for an iPhone version... and no, there are no Blackberry genealogy programs available)

One thing to keep in mind and why Apple, although having good success at the moment, is likely to long term run into problems.... THEY totally control the hardware and operating system. HP or HTC or ANY other manufacturer of phones are locked out, they MUST use a competitive operating system. So Apple against the world, I don't see Apple winning. (I'm sure the iPhone will be around awhile, but they currently have the market "mind set" and that isn't sustainable)

Windows Mobile has had great success over the years, and is still selling 10's of millions of devices a year (I believe the iPhone sells about the same now, I've not kept up with the sales figures but I think last year Windows Mobile was still outselling them)... and you are right, Microsoft is not one to easily quit. (And I totally agree that Microsoft was getting complacent as shown by the iPhone success) Windows Mobile 6.5 is coming out soon with a revamped user interface, and Windows Mobile 7 which is scheduled for 2010 is supposed to be a HUGE change. (Although I like SOME of the finger friendly navigation done so well with the iPhone, a lot of the interaction I want to do still works better with a stylus) Hopefully future Windows Mobile versions have a good balance between the two.

Kevin Phillips
Northern Hills Software