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Tips & Tricks|Installing Applications on Windows Mobile

More and more people are going the Windows Mobile route, which is great! Here's a short guide on one of the basics. Installing Applications.
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Basically there are 3 ways to install on a Windows Mobile Device.

#1 Desktop Installer - most software developers release a desktop installer these are designed to be used with a PC and Activesync. Your device must be connected to the PC via Activesync. After running the program be sure to finish the installation, check your device as you will be ask where the app should be installed. This is by far the easiest way to install apps and even keep a copy of them on your PC. On your next rebuild you can open up AS [Activesync] Add/Remove Programs and all past programs you installed will be listed and you can check what you want to install.

#2 CAB files - some developers offer OTA [Over the Air] downloads of their application these are in the form of CAB files. Once downloaded on your device you tap on them and they install on your device/storage card [you are given the option]. Starting WM5 CAB files do not delete themselves automatically so be sure to go back and delete them if you no longer need em to save on space. Most Apple-folk rely on CAB files since they don't have Activesync for Mac.

#3 Copy/Paste - some apps don't have CAB files or Desktop installers just EXEs made for Windows Mobile. These you have to copy over to your device and usually make a shortcut [lnk] which you plunk down in \Windows\Start Menu\Programs.

Storage vs Storage Card???
Where should you install your applications. Well it depends on what app you are installing. Some applications don't work too well off a Storage Card. Here's my personal take on where to install stuff:

Storage:
Today Plugins - sometimes Storage Cards don't initialize fast enough.
File Managers - if you want to browse another card you can't have your FM on your SC, right.
Media Players - if you want to listen/view/watch something on another card the player has to be on the device.
Apps that Require to be in Storage - UI enhancements like Wisbar or SPB MobileShell

Storage Card:
Games
Huge Apps [i.e. Dictionaries, Databases etc etc]
Everything else

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