ANVL » Geek Update

So, I took the plunge and installed the new ROM for my Cingular 8525 (a ROM is like an OS upgrade for your computer). Although the ROM install went smoothly (thank you HTC), due to the inherent nature of the upgrade, all of my apps got deleted and needed to be reinstalled. In a way, this is a good thing, since it made me go through the list of what I used to have installed, and choose only the ones that I really use to reinstall. So, here’s my new/current list of apps for my PPC (kind of in order of how I would recommend to install):

HTweakC — install this first, run it, and choose Security->Allow unsigned apps before you install the rest of your apps. It will save you many minutes of responding to install prompts, since most/all of the apps you will install are unsigned…
Magic Button - although the new ROM has added functionality to change the behavior of the “X” button (it used to just minimize, now you can set it to close apps), Magic Button is still a must-have for me because it shows all of the open apps you have running, overlaying the title bar with mini app-icons. It also adds a Home icon so you can always jump back to the Today screen.
Batti — still the best battery meter around, given it’s size and usefulness. The new ROM supposedly increases battery time, so we shall see…
SK Tools — this is one of the 2 apps that I have actually purchased for my device (with so much good stuff as freeware, pay programs have to be excellent). It gives you a ton of options for optimizing, cleaning, and performance testing your device. If you’re a geek like I am, this is definately worth a look. You can get a 15 day trial to test it for yourself.
Spb Diary — this is the other app that I have purchased. It’s my current Today screen, and shows me my Mail, Calendar, Tasks, Contacts, etc. Download it and get a full feature trial to see if you like it too. (NOTE: I also tested Spb Backup and Spb Phone Suite, but chose not to purchase those [SK Tools will do backups, and I didn't use the functionality in the Phone Suite app], although I recommend Spb Software House as a great place to look for apps for your PPC phone.
WiFiFoFum — it’s a WiFi hotspot scanner for your PPC. I never got MiniStumbler going, but this works a treat.
vxUtil — a swiss-army-knife networking utility. ping, nslookup, tracert, ipconfig, etc.
Total Commander — a File Manager replacement that also handles zip/rar files.
TCPMP — a replacement video player for your PPC. I like this better than WMP, but ymmv. Both seem to work with Orb.
MortPlayer — a replacement music player for the PPC. Lot’s of skins available, and a lot easier to use than WMP. I also like how it locks the screen when you’re playing music, so you can use your PPC like an MP3 player.
Google Maps — Hey, it’s Google Maps on your mobile. Lifesaver.
Windows Live Search — Maps are good, local info is better than Google maps.
StopTime and Ephemeris — a stop watch and a sun/moon thinger. Trust me, it’s good stuff.
Kevtris — Tetris for your PPC. Fun stuff!