Epocware/Handy Day - Rip Off?

[Salamanca]

I bought Handy Day from Epocware a while back and I'm pleased with the product. Ideal tool for the P800/900. Its been through some upgrades which I've always been informed of and been able to download - they tell you future upgrades are free of charge.

And now? They bring out another update which improves the functionality to a level equivalent to Tracker. Ah, but now they add 2004 to the title and charge for the upgrade! Its the same product with 2 extra screens, but they charge! The Tracker product from Symbianware has been upgraded beyond all recognition (with extra functionality) in the same time frame but with no extra charge.

Broken promises and false selling. I would suggest following this performance that everyone avoid buying any software from Epocware if they are going to start ripping people off charging for upgrades.

[Delta737]

Well, I must say that was the first thing I thought as well --> a rip off.

I took a look at their website, and Handy Day has become a bit more like Tracker now. I also like the new Week-View

Although I like the new features, I still think the upgrade should have been free.

[jpsanders]

I've just (grudgingly) paid for my upgrade. Here are my impressions:

* Faster
* Looks like a native app on my P900
* Integrates with system better (can pick up default wallpaper (P900), allows more control over how stuff like "New Call" and "Open Task" behave.
* "Unlock with Pen" (Can't test on my P900).
* Can change ratio of calendar/tasks/messages on main view.
* Can remove calendar/tasks/messages on main view.
* New Week View
* New Desktop good for dumping icons on and actually looks native (that's my only axe with Tracker, you can't make it look native).
* New System Tray Icon gives great task management, switching, etc access at the touch of an icon.

The Bad:

* Having to pay $5 + Tax for an upgrade after they promised free upgrades. You should be ashamed of yourselves Epocware. I understand that you have to fund major upgrades such as this, but you broke your promise.
* Can't lock the position of the system tray icon, meaning you could accidently drag it to another location.
* The crappy blue/green background on the system tray icon. It needs to have a transparent background as it looks out of place.
* The nasty white box that appears during some task switches as the system tray icon is created/destroyed.

That's my twopenneth (Two Cents if you're american!). Overall I think it's a worthy upgrade and well worth trying if you use Handy Day all the time. Call me fickle but I might just be switching back from Tracker 3.2!

Phil

[jpsanders]

More Bugs:

* Can enable "Unlock with Pen", but it doesn't seen to do anything with P900.
* The System Tray Icon always stays "on top" of other applications and therefore appears on full-screen Tracker skins, on top of drop downl lists (eg. the Application Shortcut list in Control Panel).

Phil

[Delta737]

Thanx for that! I'm still in doubt about whether or not to upgrade....

[Raven]

Count me into the "disgruntled customer" camp. I've done some beta testing and translating for them in the past, for which I've always been given a free copy of the software at hand. The last program I translated was Handy Databank - not an easy job I can tell you. I spent quite some time finding just the right words in Norwegian. For this I could choose whatever software I wanted from them, but at the time there wasn't any that interested me...

So, I therefore brought it up again upon the release of Handy Day 2004. Everything seemed to be a okay, they replied that they would send me the unlock code, but guess what, today I got an e-mail from them again where they had the nerve to ask me to translate the entire Handy Day 2004 program in order to get the unlock code! I should also mention that I did initially purchase the program, so what I will get for my translation is the upgrade fee ONLY.

EPOCWARE - FORGET IT!

I'm sticking to Tracker. SymbianWare is an excellent company in comparison, for whom I've also been a beta tester for a long while, and guess what, SymbianWare have given me EVERY SINGLE program they've made FOR FREE, even the ones I haven't tested.

Conclusion:

EPOCWARE = Baaaad.
SymbianWare = Gooood.

[Delta737]

Well Raven, that’s bloody ridiculous from Epocware. Shame on them

And your reply reminds me of another thing. The software isn’t even available in my language yet (Dutch), while previous versions were!

[jpsanders]

I emailed their support desk with the bugs I've found and still haven't had a reply.

I DO like HD2004, but the policy stinks

Phil

[jpsanders]

Sadly, I've now had a reply from the "QA and Technical Support Manager":

* No acknowledgement of the issues I've raised being genuine issues or bugs
* No comment on the upgrade policy except for the rather sarcastic "thanks for the viewpoint on our business"

The email is rather offensive in it's entire tone, examples being stuff like, when I pointed out that "Unlock with Pen" doesn't seem to do anything, I got the reply that this is meant to be used with "Lock after Timeout (P800)", however no acknowledgement that since the "Lock After Timeout" checkbox is disabled on the P900, the "Unlock With Pen" checkbox should be as well.

I do so much like beta testing software, and paying to do so is the pinnacle of my life (/SARCASM)

Shame really...

Phil

[betatester]

For all those people who feel cheated by Epocware, please fill in the poll at My-Symbian

[Salamanca]

Betatester - would love to take part in your poll, but it needs a logon to the forum on that site. I do have a logon, but it keeps telling me its inactive and to contact the adminstrator. Any other way I can get to the poll?

[betatester]

Originally posted by Salamanca
Betatester - would love to take part in your poll, but it needs a logon to the forum on that site. I do have a logon, but it keeps telling me its inactive and to contact the adminstrator. Any other way I can get to the poll?

The only way to participate in the poll is when you are logged on.

[Delta737]

When I've logged in, it gives me this message:
"The topic or post you requested does not exist"

Any ideas....

[betatester]

This sometimes happens and is a problem of the 'phpBB' bulletin board software. Just after login click the link in my post again and you will be brought to the topic.
Btw another interesting topic about a sales man from Penreader (Epocware) who tries to lie his ass out of this sh*t, you will find here

[Delta737]

Thanks! It works now. I voted unfair (and still didn't buy it)!