When a Windows Mobile device starts playing up, there is only a small amount of fault finding that we can do before we need to take drastic measures. One way to make the device run like new is to set it back to factory settings.

There are a couple of ways to restore factory settings. The most popular method requires you to hold down various buttons for set durations, resulting in a frustrating finger tangle. You will need to look up your manual for the specific combination your device uses.

Luckily, there is an easier way that should work for everyone!

Windows Mobile devices normally come with a program called Clear Storage. This program is used to restore your factory settings without the need to use complex button combinations. It is found in the Settings > System tab.

All you need to do is enter 1234 and press YES. This is a very easy way to restore factory settings.

The drawback with restoring factory settings is that all the data and programs on the device will be wiped, including ringtones and software you may have purchased. ActiveSync or WMDC will normally contain the installers for any 3^rd party programs that are installed on the device, and data such as mail, contacts and calendar can be synced up to Outlook. This makes restoration a quick process. It’s hardly worth fault finding when it is this simple.

There are a number of programs that make it easy for us to combine a scanner and a printer, so that we can use them in place of a photocopier.

I wanted to find a program that would make this job a piece of cake. I think I have succeeded, oddly enough with a program called Photocopier.

When I first loaded up Photocopier, I searched for the options to see what functions were available. However, there weren’t any fancy options, but this proved to be a good thing.

This program is so simple to use, it detects your scanner and your default printer and automatically uses those devices. These default settings will work very nicely for most simple home computer setups.

All the basic options available are on the main window, and they are kept to a minimum. We can choose the number of copies, brightness, basic scaling, and if we want to print in black and white or colour. This program has all the basic functions I have ever wanted to use on a photocopier.

Photocopier 3.03 is available for free (inoffensive popup on exit) from Nico Cuppon Software. There is also a commercial version available.

Windows Mobile has an inbuilt alarm system that works quite well, but it has some limitations. It is not finger friendly, there is no snooze feature, and we are limited to what sound files we can play as an alarm.

SnoozeAlarm II is a small program that can turn your Windows Mobile device into a worthwhile alarm clock. The buttons are large, making it easy to configure and set. Most importantly, there is a snooze button which is easy to press when you wake up. The snooze time is also configurable.

SnoozeAlarm II lets you wake up to an MP3 file rather than the default WAV files that come with Windows Mobile.

The only feature that SnoozeAlarm II doesn’t have which I would like to see is a feature to set the alarm to sound on weekdays only. Strangely enough, the built in Windows Mobile alarm does allow for.

Grab your copy for free from Spoontools.com.

Have you ever pressed the send button in Outlook, only to suddenly realise that you forgot to add the attachment, or that you are sending it to the wrong person?

Both Outlook 2003 and 2007 have a feature, where you can attempt to recall a message, effectively unsending the email message. This has got me out of trouble in the past. It is nice to be able to add in that after thought, or to remove that risky remark.

A recalled message is invisible on the recipients computer, as long as the recall takes place before the email has been downloaded onto their computer.

This recall feature is not totally reliable. Much depends on how quickly you send the recall message. However, there is no harm in giving this a try when it is needed.

To try it out, open up your sent items folder and double click on an email message. The email will open up in a new window. In Outlook 2003, Click on the actions menu. In Outlook 2007, click Other Actions. Finally, select Recall this message. It’s that simple.

Since the release of Office 2007, Outlook 2007 has included a nifty preview feature where you can see the contents of Office documents within Outlook itself, without needing to load up the entire program. Adobe included a preview handler into Acrobat 8.1, so previewing of PDF files within Outlook would also be possible.

These preview handlers (which tell Outlook how to preview the file) can save a lot of time, as there is no need to load up an entire program to view a document. So, we are covered for the standard Office documents and PDFs, but what about other types of files like audio or video files?

I came across a site jam packed with with these preview handlers ready to download, and a few links to other sites on the topic. The site features a preview handler that uses Windows Media Players ActiveX. This means that a wide range of media files can be previewed from within Outlook 2007. There is no need for external media players to be tampered with anymore, nor playlists altered.

Also on this site are handlers for previewing zip files, html files and various other source code files. After installing these packs, I can’t think of any file I would would want to preview that is not supported.

These handlers work in both XP and Vista, but they do require MS Outlook 2007.

For a lot more information, and the downloads, check out the Azar Family Site.