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	Landscape 1.0: First Thoughts

Last update: 12-31-1969	Submitted by Joel



I'm looking at my TH55/E right now -- in landscape mode. Yeah, I was skeptical when I read the threads about this. I mean, who wouldn't be when there were many unsuccessful attempts to do this before? When Mobile Stream kept on delaying the release, I was ready to pass this off as another futile attempt. Then one day, I received an email with a beta release and for the next hours I was hooked. I could not believe it, it's like having a new TH55 all over again. This run-through of Landscape is based on the TH55. I hope this would help others see how Landscape works. Installing The install file (PinMgr.prc) is 19kb. Hotsync and restart. That's all there is to it. Uninstalling Uninstalling PinMgr.prc is a bit tricky. Do a warm reset by pressing the left button on TH-55 (press the Page Up button for other Clies). Insert the stylus in the reset hole while holding the left button -- the handheld will restart without the silk area. Tap the dropdown menu on the upper right and select Buttons. Assign CLIEFiles to one of the buttons. Pressing the button afterwards will launch CLIEFiles. Make sure it says "Handheld" (and not "MS") in the upper right. Look for "PinMgr", select, then delete. Reset the Clie. Making it work After installing, I can now just tap at the clock area of the status bar to change to landscape orientation. The clock area is divided into two unlabeled tap areas. Generally, the hour area turns the screen clockwise, while the am/pm area turns the screen counterclockwise. (I prefer the clockwise turn, maybe because I'm right-handed.) Applications Basically, any application that works in landscape mode for the Tungsten T\|3, T\|5, or Zodiac will work with the Clie NX/NZ/TH with Landscape installed. Mobile Stream has also locked some basic applications to always run in 320 x 320 portrait mode. This is not a limitation of Landscape but rather of the applications -- which were never designed to run in landscape. The following is a list of the built-in applications that work in landscape. Address Clie Files Clie Mail Clie Viewer Date Book Memo Pad NetFront Picsel Viewer To Do List Meanwhile, here is a list of applications that are locked in 320 x 320 portrait mode. Exiting from these applications reverts to the default portrait view. Audio Player CLIE Camera Movie Recorder Movie Player CLIE Demo Welcome Flash Player Digitizer Setup Panel The Silk Area The Silk Area and Status Bar design and graphics remain the same. The icons do not auto-rotate to adjust in landscape orientation. You can still write on the respective Graffiti area for letters and numbers but capitalizations are not working, yet. A good alternative for Graffiti input is the excellent donationware, Graffiti Anywhere (thanks to jjesusfreak01 for the suggestion). Conclusion There you go. Those are my quick observations. Landscape is a fantastic utility from Mobile Stream. It is definitely a welcome addition to my TH55. Landscape is not perfect. There are still bugs that vary from user to user. Mobile Stream however, offers excellent customer support and will do their best to get to the solution. They are in fact, hard at work -- still optimizing Landscape. $19.95 may sound expensive to some but not for me. It's something I am all too willing to spend on an application that has breathed new life into my TH55/E ... or should I say, TH55/L? Screenshots (note: as of this writing, there are no applications that can make a successful screen capture. A digital camera was used instead.) Applications in alphabetical order. Agendus Bejeweled 2 Bike or Die CLIE Mail Datebk5 Datebk5 HandyShopper NetFront PocketTunes - skin design by Lance Wehrung WAClock - some applications can be rotated but will still be in 320 x 320. Notice also that the silk area will not really change orientation. Discussions at 1src: Sony CLIE NX/NZ/TH landscape utility Landscape!!!!! by Mobile Stream Mobile Stream releases Landscape Landscape on Nx!!!!! (NX series) Landscape is here!!!!!! (UX series) Landscape info: Mobile Stream Clickapps.com (Buy Landscape 1.0) Thank you to Mobile Stream for the support. Thank you to jjesusfreak01 for the invaluable tips.