HandStory ... worth getting?

[KCoram]

Another HandStory question here. (Thanks again to gvtexas for answering my other one).

Now that I've been playing with HandStory Basic for a few days, I'm debating upgrading to the Suite. It'd be nice to be able to use the memory card, minimize the VG area (I've got an NX70), and set up custom web clips.

But ...

I've already got Mobipocket, which reads DOC files just fine (it's really slow, though), AcidImage for viewing image files, and Plucker HiRes for downloading websites for off-line reading. Is it really worth spending a bit of money for a single app that does more-or-less the same thing as those three combined? HandStory isn't that expensive, but it's still money.

I'm looking for opinions on both sides here. If you bought the Suite, or if you passed it up, I'd love to hear your reasons why.

Thanks in advance,

- KC

[OcellNuri]

I have AcidImage for images and DeepReader for ebooks. I only use Handstory for web clipping. I do not have Plucker, I tried it but it just didn't do it for me. This is why I got Handstory. If Plucker is working fine for you then I feel like you don't really need to buy Handstory, unless there are things Handstory does that Plucker doesn't, and these are features you need.

[Unregistered]

handstory is great. worth buying. you can view any webpage on your palm. the suite also allows you to view hi-res pictures.

[tanker_bob]

I recommend HandStory Suite. I use it for all its capabilities. I replaced Fireviewer, Weasel Reader, and AvantGo with HandStory. It's integration into Windows provides an even greater power than the individual programs it replaced. I haven't looked back. I have a review of HandStory Suite on PDA Avenue (http://www.pdaavenue.com/forum/showthread.php?s=&threadid=89) that may help.

[gvtexas]

Originally posted by KCoram
I'm looking for opinions on both sides here. If you bought the Suite, or if you passed it up, I'd love to hear your reasons why.

FWIW, I know that HandStory has some interesting things in store for future releases...so the program will continue to develop and expand.

[sebring]

Originally posted by KCoram
Another HandStory question here. (Thanks again to gvtexas for answering my other one).

Now that I've been playing with HandStory Basic for a few days, I'm debating upgrading to the Suite. It'd be nice to be able to use the memory card, minimize the VG area (I've got an NX70), and set up custom web clips.

But ...

I've already got Mobipocket, which reads DOC files just fine (it's really slow, though), AcidImage for viewing image files, and Plucker HiRes for downloading websites for off-line reading. Is it really worth spending a bit of money for a single app that does more-or-less the same thing as those three combined? HandStory isn't that expensive, but it's still money.

I'm looking for opinions on both sides here. If you bought the Suite, or if you passed it up, I'd love to hear your reasons why.

Thanks in advance,

- KC

Handstory has a couple of features that are almost worth the price of it alone.

1) With a right mouse click, you have the option to save almost any web page and links as a clip to you Clie.

2) With a right mouse click, you can also save an image to your Clie.

Handstory isn't the best Doc reader, but it is competent and it isn't the best image viewer, but it is also competent there. Handstory images files are somewhat large and can't be viewed with any other app I've found, but Handstory does have a converter built into the desktop to convert Handstory images to .bmp that can be used by other apps.

It is convenient to set clips to update daily (I do wish they had a few more update interval options other than "automatic daily" and "manual"). Creating Direct Clips is a no-brainer and for the more adventuresome Script Clips can be created to grab specific info from web sites that aren't designed for mobile devices.

[OcellNuri]

Originally posted by sebring


1) With a right mouse click, you have the option to save almost any web page and links as a clip to you Clie.


I agree. This is most-deff one of the most powerful features of this app.

[n2ifp]

Quiet, it's one of the Palm's OS best kept secrets:D!

[tanker_bob]

Just got an email: HandStory Suite 2.3 is on sale at PalmGear for $19.95.

[KCoram]

Thanks for all the suggestions, everyone. Thanks too for the excellent review, tanker_bob.

I'm not quite convinced that HandStory will display website clips better than Plucker does, but it is certainly easier to use to get them. The right-click menu integration you all describe is very attractive. If only the plugin supported Mozilla, my primary browser, as well as IE ...

HandStory Suite 2.3 is still showing as going for $29.95 at PalmGear, for me. Do I need a promotional code to get the lower price? $19.95 I'd definitely go for. $29.95, I may wait until after I get my next paycheck

[LanMan]

Promotional code #43909954

[KCoram]

Thanks, LanMan! For $19.95, I'll buy it.

In fact, I just did. Thanks all for the advice and answers.

[archangel]

My only gripe is how it handles files on the memory stick. It takes all the books for mobipocket and moves them over to the handstory folder. Then I have to copy them back to read them with mobipocket.

A very irritating feature that I wish they would fix.

[kstuart]

Can the web clipping of a particular page be set to only include certain URLs , or exclude certain URLs ?

If not, then it would produce web pages that are far too big, because some of the web pages that I read have hundreds of URLs that are linked to sites all over the web, BUT I only want the stories from the particular site or even only a section of it (ie www.blah.com/blah_blah/ (http://www.blah.com/blah_blah/)* )

 

[ksjenkins]

Originally posted by archangel
My only gripe is how it handles files on the memory stick. It takes all the books for mobipocket and moves them over to the handstory folder. Then I have to copy them back to read them with mobipocket.

A very irritating feature that I wish they would fix.

 

Archangel:

I sidestep the whole Hotsync issue by using MSImport. Once Handstory is finished syncing my offline web pages I MSImport and move the files from my /Palm/SK/CardInstall/Memory Stick directory to the /Palm/Programs/Handstory directory on the MS. It takes about 20 seconds for my 3MB of Handstory clips vs. 20 minutes of HotSync time. It would be nice if Handstory would send the clips directly to the Handstory directory tho... I agree :D

 

 

[LanMan]

Can Handstory read peanutpress files?

[gvtexas]

Originally posted by ksjenkins
It would be nice if Handstory would send the clips directly to the Handstory directory tho... I agree

I'm not sure they can. I think that's a limitation of the hotsync to card function, at least with OS4x. Someone correct me if I'm wrong.

I automate the process you describe using a simple batch file. One click and my files are moved from harddisk to ms (after connecting MSImport...and I automate that too with a button assignment).

[gvtexas]

Originally posted by LanMan
Can Handstory read peanutpress files?

If you're talking about the proprietary format the PalmReader uses, then no...I don't think anything reads those but PR/PRP.

[LanMan]

Originally posted by gvtexas


If you're talking about the proprietary format the PalmReader uses, then no...I don't think anything reads those but PR/PRP.

Yes, I am talking about the PalmReader formatted ebooks. Darn, I really want to eliminate some apps. There needs to be one reader for ALL formats. Or maybe a better alternative would be to have only one doc format! ;)

[sebring]

Originally posted by kstuart
Can the web clipping of a particular page be set to only include certain URLs , or exclude certain URLs ?

If not, then it would produce web pages that are far too big, because some of the web pages that I read have hundreds of URLs that are linked to sites all over the web, BUT I only want the stories from the particular site or even only a section of it (ie www.blah.com/blah_blah/ (http://www.blah.com/blah_blah/)* )

 

I believe this is one of the capabilities of "script clips". I haven't created any of my own script clips yet. It looks a bit intimidating and I've been able to meet most of my needs with direct clips or with script clips from the Handstory web site.