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Task Manager Shoot-Out for the 700W


Mon Jun 19, 2006 - 6:57 PM EDT - By Tim Hillebrand

More apps

MobiTools 3.3 [ Info ] ($9.95)

While I'm well acquainted with PPClink excellent dictionary, I have just learned about MobiTools, and I am impressed. MobiTools is a small desktop application that, like any good butler, is always there behind the scenes ready to offer assistance. It even supports small square screens. Speaking of screens, it has a handy screen capture tool that will grab the screen under it when you tap the camera icon or you can program a hardware button for this purpose. It has the quick, slick memory scrubber--an essential if you want to keep your machine at peak performance.

MobiTools also monitors your most frequently and most recently used applications and makes them available to you from a tap on the popup menu. It also monitors running tasks and lets you launch them or completely close them selectively or all at once. You can compile a list of your favorite applications for easy access. Or, you can quickly scroll through all installed programs or access system settings right from the desktop popup menu.

You can place and lock its icon that looks like a blue power button on the task bar or bottom tray for easy access. It displays battery and memory bars on its desktop popup menu. You can turn off the screen to save power, reset, or shut down the system using the icons at the bottom of the popup menu. Plus, you can tweak the speed of the processor from 100 to 500 MHz either to save battery or to give you more computing power.

I really like the fact that it'll install on a storage card to save main memory. This program, especially for its reasonable price, is definitely a thumbs-up, and you would do well to allow it to assist you. While the program is highly intuitive, it lacks any kind of help file whatsoever--not good.

WisBar Advance 2 [ Info ] ($9.99)

No, WisBar does not stand for the Wisconsin Bar Association, although you may think so, if you Googled it. Neither is WisBar a desktop manager like the first two applications. It is primarily a task management system. In carrying out its duties as a task manager, it integrates with the operating system to provide greater responsiveness and the ability to alter the look and presentation of your system.

Just look at what WisBar does to the task bar:

On the far right of the task bar is a battery/memory bar combo icon that expands with a tap to reveal a larger presentation. Moving to the left, the down arrow brings up the task bar that displays all running applications, which you can close simultaneously, launch or close selectively. Other functions are available here, such as a return to desktop button and an open settings button. In its settings, you can customize menus and the appearance of WisBar with themes. It's really fun to explore all the functions available in the command center.

To the left of the time display, you have icons for managing volume control, connectivity, and checking voicemail. WisBar, at your command, will also display running programs on the task bar for even easier access.

The screen shot on the right above displays an opened task manager menu for controlling running applications and gaining access to WisBar and system controls.

A quick tap of the Start button will bring up a reconfigured Startup Menu. You'll notice that the program's option appears at the top of the list where it really belongs for easy access instead of at the bottom. So, in its own way, WisBar is also a kind of program launcher, but not directly from the desktop as the previously described programs.

With all of its programmable options and shape-shifter qualities, WisBar is certainly a sophisticated task manager. I like how it functions well when installed to a memory card to save main memory. It is a perfect mate for a program launcher such as iLauncher that lacks a task manager, and you can install it on an expansion card as well.

SmallMenu Plus [ Info ] ($7.70)

This one's the least invasive of all the task managers. You invoke it simply by tapping the Start button. It doesn't even assert its own icon anywhere. If you wish, you can install this program to a memory card. When it's running, you'll immediately notice a reconfiguration of the start menu. Today is on top with a list of the most recently run programs appearing beneath it. If the list gets long, there's a side arrow that drops down to display more of the recently run programs.

Next come Programs and Favorites menu choices. Tapping on Programs brings up all the files and folders in the Windows Start Menu, which I don't really like because it takes time to scroll through all the cascading menus. I'd rather have the choice to select just the programs I most commonly use. Tapping Favorites cascades a menu of your Internet Explorer bookmarked sites, which is a nice feature from the desktop, but again, it can get cumbersome if you have many entries.

Next appear all the programs currently running in the background. You can nuke them or activate them from here. Below that is the usual Settings option. Suspend shuts off the machine. Last on the list is the SmartMenu option that gives you access to help and settings. You can also refresh the system from here, which shuts down all running programs and releases memory. You can turn on a battery indicator in the task bar from settings, but there is no memory monitor with this program.

Handy Switcher [ Info ] ($7.99)

HandySwitcher plops itself in the middle of the task bar where it remains always visible for easy access.

Tapping the HandySwitcher icon drops down a menu showing all running programs with the options familiar in all the task managers we have discussed.

Note the OPT button in the lower right corner. Pushing this takes you to a control panel for altering the display in many ways. This should keep you entertained and give variety to the presentation. You can specify if you want icons integrated and displayed for DinarSoft sister services that include HandyLauncher and HandyMenu. You can have full or compact icons for these plug-ins. I opted for the compact form. Little down arrows under the main HandySwitcher icon represent HandyLauncher and HandyMenu.

HandyLauncher [ Info ] ($7.99)

DinarSoft's HandyLauncher does not appear on the desktop like ProgramBar, iLauncher, and PocketPlus do. Instead, you tap its icon in the task bar for a popup menu that holds 15 entries. If you tap and hold it, up to 15 additional entries appear. It takes several steps to place application icons into HandyLauncher, which is a bit of a pain.

HandyMenu is a free download from DinarSoft and serves as a companion piece integrated with HandySwitcher. When you install it and tap on its icon (the other down arrow), you get a menu with a powerful set of options: Soft Reset, Power Off, Brightness, Memory, Battery Level, Today Themes, Today Plug-ins. Running Programs, Screen Off, IP Helper, and even a Screen Capture Utility.

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