Go check it out at Palm Addicts for all the giveaways that Sammy generously gives away from time to time! Of course, it’s also a great site of pda related news.

Over the next few weeks I will be doing double duty as a judge in the button enhancer category of Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazines and also presenting reviews of them here. So, you can get a better idea of the software programs in that category and how I will be judging and voting.

Today, I’ll be doing a review of Hundera’s HButton. This is another button enhancer program quite similar to Burr Oak Software’s HotButton Plus, with one main exception: it’s FREE!
Here’s the full list of all the software reviews in the button enhancement category:

FantasticBytes’ Softkey Manager

Burr Oak Software’s HotButton Plus

Momidi’s BtnPlus

AE Button Plus

AE Keyboard Mapper

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HButton enables you to assign a hardware button or button combination (Start, Ok, Option+Send, Option+Start, Option+OK, Side) to launch the HButton software program where you can then launch a variety of your chosen applications from within it. Again, this is another very useful application that enhances the one handed operation of your smartphone or PDA device.

For those who want to skip over all the detailed review and just want a summary, you can jump to the review summary

The program is very easy to use and quite basic and simple. You assign a hardware button to launch HButton. Then you select the program or programs you want to launch or run from within HButton. Once done, you’re set and can start using it to launch a variety of programs anywhere. Yes, it’s THAT simple.

Again, much like the other button enhancer programs, you have to first assign a hardware button to launch HButton. You have the following hardware button options or button combinations: Start, Ok, Option+Send, Option+Start, Option+OK, Side. Once it’s set, you’ll need to assign the programs you wish to launch from within HButton.

Video of HButton

Video at YouTube

Here are my observations:

Unfortunately, it works on only a few buttons on my Treo 750. The hardware buttons and button combinations available are:

• Start
• Ok
• Option+Send
• Option+Start
• Option+OK
• Side

Here’s some of what I’ve observed when trying the program with these button and button combinations on my Treo 750. Please keep in mind that what I’ve observed may be unique due to my particular device and what third party software I’ve installed.

The ‘Start’ button works fine and will cycle through the list. The ‘Ok’ button doesn’t work at all. The ‘Option+Send’ combinations works. The ‘Option+Start’ won’t work. Holding the ‘Option+OK’ button combination only opens the first app in the list and doesn’t cycle through the list of apps like other buttons and button combinations. Holding the ‘Side’ button will only launch the first application and not cycle through the list.

So, out of a possible six hardware button and combinations, only two fully work without any problems or limitations (Start, Option+Send). Two button and/or button combinations only open up the first application and won’t cycle through the list (Option+Ok, Side) and the remaining two button and/or button combinations simply doesn’t work at all (Ok, Option+Start).

Also, if you try assigning HButton to the Ok, Start buttons, you may encounter error messages when pressing them after the button assignment attempts. Apparently, it looks like HButton is still assigned to those buttons. You will need to assign them back to their default settings. To do so, go into Start. (You will need to tap on the Start icon at the top left hand corner since Start button doesn’t work). Settings. Buttons. Find the buttons and re-assign them back to what they should be.

Considering that the program is free and that it does work (albeit very limited and restricted to really only two workable hardware button combination for my Treo 750), this program is very promising. I’m quite confident that the developer could make it work flawlessly on a Treo 750 with some testing and debugging since Burr Oak Software’s HotButton Plus is capable of making it work with the other hardware buttons. What I’ve experienced may be due to very limited testing on the Treo 750. Please keep in mind that it’s practically impossible to make a software program work on all devices unless a lot of work is done to ensure that it works. This is, after all, a freeware.

Review Summary

Hundera’s HButton program is a very promising button enhancement program similar to Burr Oak Software’s HotButton Plus, except that this program is FREE. You can assign a hardware button or button combination to launch the HButton program which can then launch a list of programs or perform a variety of tasks. This program is very easy to use and takes up very little file size (a plus!) and it gets the job done. Unfortunately, the program is very limited in supporting the hardware buttons on my Treo 750 (and I am quite sure that other Windows Mobile or Pocket PC devices will be better supported). With some tinkering, testing, I’m quite sure that it could work flawlessly. I especially like the automatic scrolling of the program simply by holding on to the button and releasing it to launch the program or task. This really makes it a one finger button launcher. I would love to see this program updated with a voice recording feature similar to what Burr Oak Software’s HotButton Plus offers, which I personally find very useful. As a freeware, this program could be well worth your time to download and install. Unfortunately for me, with only 2 main hardware buttons and/or button combinations that work without problems, I can’t use its full potential. Go check out Hundera’s HButton and see if it works for you!

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