HandyAid is an enhancement for the Palm PDA. The main enhancement focus on reducing battery usage and reduce data losses due to dead battery.

The other major focus is to enhance the usability of your PDA by addressing operational restrictions of the PalmOS.

New in Version 1.7

• Button Plus. Expand your hard-button functionality by assigning extra applications to the existing settings. You can assign up to 20 applications/internal functions with the combination of the 4-main application buttons and the 5-Way Navigator buttons.
• Stay-On when network is connected (online).
• Stay-On battery drain protection.
• New Stay-On implementation to reduce overhead.
• Auto Hotsync when plug-in.
• Support hidden applications in “Display Saver Group”, and “Switch-On tasks”.
• Expand Display Saver Groups to 10 groups.
• Remove Display saver group timeout/display-off limitation.
• Support “Disable Auto-Off” in Display Saver Group.
• Enforce “Display-Off” state.
• Prevent application switch during MMC card insert.
• Prevent accidental voice-key presses.
• Restore backlight/brightness state during soft reset.
• Color pop-window. User customizable.
• Fix problem in “Saver Group” behavior.
• Fix screen dim problems during Hotsync.
• Fix 5-Way launching Launcher with the select button while in HandyAid.
• Fix soft-reset key presses to bypass prompt.
• Fix Stay-On problem.

Main Features

• PalmOS provides a single auto-off timeout for all operations. HandyAid provides 5 additional auto-off timeout settings for some of the common operations (software-on, end of hot-sync, SD/MMC card operations and remove from cradle). The additional settings reduce the need to switch-off your PDA manually and reduce battery wastage when it is not attended to.
• Manage Software-on. There are times when your PDA switches on itself when you are not around. This can be due to Datebook alarm or other 3rd party software you configured to perform functions at specific time. For the built-in Datebook alarm and some of the 3rd party tools, the PDA will only switch-off after the auto-off time has expired. HandyAid allows you to configure a shorter auto-off time for this event. This event can also be started without the screen backlight, conserving your battery. If you happen to be around and you attend to this event, all you need is a tap on the screen or press one of the hard key to restore the full functionality of the PDA.
• Switch-On Guard. Accidental switch-on can lead to dead battery and loss of all data on your PDA. HandyAid provides complete customization on the button to use for switch-on. When wrong buttons are used to switch-on, the HandyAid solution reduces the screen flickering that is common in other software providing this functionality.
• Standard PalmOS “stay-on in cradle” has the following limitations:

  “Stay-on in cradle” can only be enabled with the security auto-lock disabled.

  If “Stay-on in cradle” is enabled and in switch-off mode, a DateBook alarm or similar event will cause it to stay on until you attend to it, shortening the display lifespan.

  HandyAid stay-On works with the security auto-lock enable. However the device will only be locked at the next switch-off and if the auto-lock is due. The HandyAid stay-on feature is only enabled when it is physically switch-on using one of the PDA’s buttons. In short, the stay-on feature is only enabled when you want it.

• Display Saver. This feature helps to conserve your battery and extent your display lifespan. With the dimmer enabled, the screen will be dim when there is no activity. On the next level, either with or without dimmer enable, you can customize it to switch-off your display as well, but remain active. To reactivate your PDA, all you need is a single tap on the screen or press one of the hard key. You can now customize your PDA to power-on longer to suit your needs, reducing the need to constantly switch-on the device due to auto-off timeout.

  Application specific dimmer, display-off and auto-off timeouts can be configured. Support 10 groupings and up to 8 applications per group.

• Button-Plus. Expand the hard-button capabilities to launch up to 20 different applications and perform internal functions. The applications can be in in the main memory or external memory card.
• Switch-Off Tasks. With this feature, you can be sure your Private record is set back to “Mask” or “Hide” mode. With the beam receive ON, your PDA is constantly scanning for beam activity. HandyAid can ensure the beam receive is “switch off”.
• Security enhancements. Able to lock and switch off your PDA when remove from the charging cradle. On soft reset you can specify to lock your PDA.
• Address digitizer problem. Auto calibrates the digitizer on switch-on or you can launch the digitizer on soft reset.