Resco Explorer 2009 Review

1SRC takes an exclusive first look at the features and enhancements in Resco’s powerful new file manager.

Later this week, Resco will be releasing a new version of their multifunction Palm OS file manager, Resco Explorer 2009.  For this latest release, which will have a version number of 5.01.0, the Palm OS team at Resco has added some nice features that will expand customer’s ability to manage their Palm smartphones and PDAs

The Basics

(Explorer brings the familiar Windows Explorer feel to Palm OS handhelds.)

While there are a number of free and commercial file managers available for the Palm OS operating system, only Resco continually improves Explorer.  What makes Explorer shine is the sheer depth of the application and what you can accomplish with it.  Resco Explorer 2009 can be used as an application launcher, a file manager with file compression support, a document viewer, and a network client.

Most Palm OS users will be drawn to Explorer for it’s powerful, yet easy to use file manager.  If you have used Windows Explorer on a Windows XP machine you will have no trouble getting around your Palm with the familiar folder tree in the left window pane and files and folders on the right. 

Explorer allows you to move files and folders quickly by providing drag-n-drop support between folders on the device or the inserted memory expansion card.  People who like to store lots of documents, pictures, music, ebooks, and video on their expansion cards will find Explorer 2009 up to the task of keeping things tidy and organized.  Tapping and holding your stylus on a file will bring up a Windows right-click like menu that gives you instant access to commands, including: File Info, Open With, Copy To, Rename, and Pack [into a .zip file].

(Explorer can be used as an application and file launcher.)

Another feature that users of any experience level will like is what I call “tap-to-app” application launching capability.  By toggling the folder tree off and switching icon mode on, you get an experience similar to Palm’s stock launcher only more flexible.  When Explorer is set to display the All application category, the folks at Resco really mean “all,” and show you all of the applications that are installed in RAM and any applications found in the Launcher folder on the inserted memory expansion card.  Other third-party application launcher can do the same thing, however, with Explorer there is no need to fuss with tabs, specialized toolbars, and all of the other screen clutter that can come with a replacement third-party application launcher.  If you tap on an application icon, Explorer launches that application.  If you tap on a document icon, Explorer can either display the file directly, as is the case with text files and JPEG pictures, or it can call an external application; such as Documents To Go for Office files or Pocket Tunes for music files.

The Advanced Features

Resco Explorer empowers users to dig into their Palm OS devices by allowing them to directly manipulate the files on their handheld.  (You should backup your handheld before performing live file modifications on your device.)  For example, selecting RAM from the tree view causes Resco to display a list of applications in the right windowpane and then allows you to tap the + icon to the left of the application name to see all the files associated to that application.  This can be very handy when you need to troubleshoot a corrupted database and you need to delete or rename a file you wouldn’t normally be able to access from the Palm application launcher.  Explorer also gives you access to application and database file attributes such as read only, hidden, backup during a HotSync operation, and whether or not an application or document is launchable or not.  The Explorer 2009 Control Panel is an easy way to inspect, and in some cases change, Palm OS system settings.

(Use Explorer to see what files are grouped to an application.  Explorer makes it easy to modify file attributes.)

(Explorer's Control Panel allows you to view hidden information in Palm OS.)

Check Cards is a new feature that Resco has introduced in Explorer 2009.  This handy little tool can be used to verify the health of your expansion card(s).  I tested this feature out with a PNY 2.0 SD card and a SanDisk 1GB microSD card.  The card from SanDisk is still relatively new, and as I expected, Explorer did not find any problems with the cards.  When I tested the 2.0GB card from PNY, Resco reported that there was some trouble with the card.  I’ll need to take the card over to my PC for further diagnostics, but I now know that the card is suspect and shouldn’t be used for things like data backups.

The file compression utility, Zipper, has been enhanced for the 2009 release of Explorer.  In addition to supporting the industry standard .zip file format, you can now extract the content of Tar (.tar) and GZip (.gz) and the open source .bzip2 archive format.  I rely on the functionality of Zipper when I receive a .zip file via email that contains documents that I need to update that day.  When I’m done, Zipper quickly compresses my updated documents and makes it easy to recompress and email the changed files back.

 Explorer can also act as a network client to a Windows network or FTP (File Transfer Protocol) server.  New in Resco Explorer 2009 is support for secure SSL connections, support for Unicode (if the FTP server supports it) and an enhancement that preserves file attributes such as date stamps when files are moved between the server and the handheld.

1SRC Buying Advice

The Palm OS development team at Resco has packed a dizzying array of features well beyond what is expected of a traditional file manager.  Explorer doubles as an application and file launcher, a compression utility, a document viewer, and a network client.  Serious Palm OS power users should make Explorer 2009 a part of their required software.  Novice users should only attempt to use some of the advanced features of Explorer only after they have reviewed the Explorer user guide.
 
Resco Explorer 2009 for Palm OS smartphones and handhelds requires Palm OS 5.0 or later (excluding the Treo 600).  A hires (320x320 or greater) display is suggested, but not required.  Before purchasing Explorer 2009, I would urge you to download and install the free 10-day trial version to make sure it meets your needs. 

Explorer 2009 will go on sale tomorrow (12/11/08) from the Resco website.  New customers will be able to purchase Explorer 2009 for Palm OS for $29.95.  If you purchased Explorer within the last year, you will be eligible for a free upgrade to the 2009 edition.  All other Resco Explorer customers who have not purchased a copy in the last year are eligible for a 50% upgrade discount.

For more information about Resco Explorer, including a link to the free trial, visit the Resco website .

Resco also has a version of Explorer available for customers who use Windows Mobile Professional smartphones, including the new Palm Treo Pro, and Treo 750.  Details are available here .