РЕКЛАМА

БАНЕРООБМЕН

СТАТИСТИКА

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Introduction
This is a hack system extensions manager on steroids. TealMaster manages the third-party add-on extensions, also known as "hacks," that enhance the functionality of the Palm. Its features go beyond free and simple hack managers like X-Master.

It gives you control of when to run or stop running a hack program. For example, whenever I launch Program123, I don't want ScreenShot Hack to run because it uses the same shortcut. Plus, I have no need to take screenshots of Program123. Another reason why you might want to turn off a hack while using a program is because some hacks cause problems for certain programs.

Features
New features in v1.4 released May 1, 2001 (quoted from TealPoint website)

• Added "profile mapping" for automated profile-switching when switching apps
• Added fifth profile choice
• Added option to select profiles from drop down list
• Added ability to name profiles
• Added profile selector to the re-enable dialog box after reset
• Added new "All Off" (disabled) profile which is automatically selected when aborting after a reset so that previous profile settings are not affected
• Added external program calling mechanism
• Restructured hack activation mechanism for compatibility with TrapWeaver
• Reordered hack activation sequence for better compatibility with Datagator
• Fixed system to safety detect and recover when a startup-bypass reset sequence is performed
• Added fast-drawing when changing hack activation and priorities

Installation
Just like any other shareware program: download the file and unzip it; use the Palm install tool to install the program file TEALMSTR.PRC--the program file should be wherever you put it after unzipping; at the next HotSync, it'll be on the PDA.

Windows PC users can use the setup installer by double-clicking on SETUP.EXE and following the on-screen prompts.

You can also install MSTRDOC.PRC, which is the manual in Palm-readable format; it can be read on the PalmPilot with, of course, TealDoc. You don't have to install the manual. Better yet, save the space and refer to the online manual.

If you already have hacks on the handheld prior to installing TealMaster, it'll find them. It's best to disable the hack before loading TealMaster. Although I had two hack managers loaded at the same time without problems, it's a good idea to uninstall one--from the Application menu: Menu > Delete > find your hack manager, and select it for deletion.

TealMaster won't work too well by itself--if there are no hacks, then there is no point in downloading TealMaster. You'll find tons of hacks on software downloading websites and then you'll wonder what you ever did without them.

Usage/Running the Program
If you've never used a hack manager or Xmaster, you're in for a challenge. It's no longer simply turn the program on/off and view the program's information. Let's take a look by tapping on TealMaster, the tire-like icon.

Here you'll see an alphabetized list of your hacks along with a checkbox, priority, the size of each program, a ? (question mark), and a + (plus sign). Intuitively, you know the checkbox indicates whether or not the hack program is active. Click on the priority number next to the program title and it'll provide a drop down box for determining the priority of the program.

Figure 2: Profiles

For this review, in Profile A ScreenShot gets 1 since I have to take pictures for your viewing pleasure. AfterBurner gets 2 since it gives the PDA super duper speed. McPhling and PopCalc are not used or needed as often, so I gave those a 3 and 4.

Continuing on, the ? provides About-style information for the program. The + takes you to the program's options/setup screen.

Now that you have the hang of the first screen, let's tour Profiles. In Figure 2 above, there are tabs for Off, A, B, C, D, and E. Selecting Off turns off all the hacks. If you select Profile selector as pop list from TealMaster's Preferences, you'll have the option of renaming a profile to a meaningful name. Instead of tabs, you'll get a drop-down list of the profile names, and Profile A is selected in Figure 3.

Figure 3: Profile A

Each profile has its own settings, priorities, and active hacks. For example, an employee who is also a student may have different needs for hacks when at school as opposed to when at work. He can rename Profile A to School and select programs most useful to his schoolwork. Then he can rename Profile B to Work and select hacks that he'd use at work.

This helps avoid having all the hacks turned on at once. All you have to do is open the profile you wish to use and go to work. When it's time to switch, just open the new profile and your hacks in that profile are ready for use.

Figure 4: A different profile

Figure 4 shows Profile C, where all of the hacks have the same prioritization.

When more than one hack wants to operate on the same function the first one in the chain will handle the function first. However, it may or may not handle the second function. It's possible the second hack won't even operate. That's where setting priorities can help you. In my case, ScreenShot come before speed (Afterburner). I'd rather slowly get a screenshot then not get one at all because Afterburner interferes.

Profile Mapping is another hotshot program functionality. On this screen, you'll see a list of all the PDA applications (non-hacks) and whether the hack is off or on for this profile. Selecting the Auto-switch profile by app (also activates delete protect) enables the hack manager to switch profiles based on the active program.

For example, I don't need PopCalc when playing games, but I could use ScreenShot. In this case, I set up a Profile E with PopCalc turned off and ScreenShot turned on. Then I use the Profile Mapping list, go to the games, and adjust accordingly (in Figure 5, I chose Golf Solitaire and Lines) to pick the E profile for all the games. Even if I am using Profile A, I'll be switched to Profile E whenever entering Golf or Lines.

Figure 5: Profile Mapping

(Remember, only if I check the "Auto-switch profile by app.")

Whenever I write a long e-mail on the PDA, I use my keyboard as well as the Tab key to move from To: to Subject: to the body of the message. Well, stupid me forgot to turn off ScreenShot Hack before doing this and ended up taking unnecessary pictures of me writing an e-mail. To take care of this, I went into Profile Mapping and selected Mail followed by Hacks Off. It is not associated with any profile, so this is a global change. Also, I checked Auto-switch profile by app so TealMaster would do it for me.

The first time I tried it, I forgot to check Auto-switch profile by app and once again took screenshots of an e-mail in progress. Back to TealMaster to check it and then back to the e-mail. It worked. No more trying to remember to turn off ScreenShot Hack when I write e-mails. In Figure 6, I did the same thing for AvantGo and turned off hacks whenever I am in the program.

Figure 6: AvantGo profile settings

One game started acting quirky after installing TealMaster. Even if all the hacks were turned off, it still acted up. It took a soft reset to get it back to normal. After playing with TealMaster some more, the game went bizarre again. It may or may not be TealMaster, but each time I do a reset the game is fine until I mess with TealMaster.

You can set up Preferences to beep whenever you change profiles. Again, if I am in Profile A and I start playing Golf Solitaire, it will beep to notify me of the profile change. Does it work? Beats me. I refuse to have the PDA sound on at all for fear someone will hear me in a meeting. ;)

In the Options menu shown in Figure 7 below, you see Show Active Patches, Extensions Summary, and Analyze Patches available for review. Unless you are a Palm programmer, the last one may not mean much to you (it doesn't to me and I am not obtuse when it comes to Palm functionality). But it gives you a way to diagnose problems with interaction between two or more hacks.

Figure 7: Options menu

Troubleshooting/Help
The program and the loaded hacks froze the PDA several times. This is no surprise since occasionally there are conflicts between hacks and programs. It just takes a soft reset (CPR) to bring the PDA back to life. Take a paperclip and push it in the hole on the back of the unit. If you have a modem or some other module attached to the back of the handheld device, take it off so you can get to the black hole.

After resetting, TealMaster will ask if you wish to reactivate your program--unless you choose to do it manually from the Preferences menu shown in Figure 8. You have the option of manual activation or one to 5 second auto-activation. TealMaster will automatically activate for you after your selected seconds of inactivity.

Figure 8: Preferences menu

There is more help available from the Help file at TealPoint.

If all else fails, including the Help Desk page, fill out the online form to contact Tech Support.

Conclusion
No question, TealMaster has superpowers not found in X-Master or the original Hackmaster. On the down side, it's more complicated to use. But Supergeeks will love having control over the hacks. The choices of what you can do with TealMaster are endless.

For those preferring simplicity and who don't want to spend the energy figuring out which hack works better for which application, X-Master or other less powerful hack managers will do the job just fine. But if you're like me and can never remember to turn off the stupid, unneeded hack that goes off in the middle of an application, the ten bucks are worth it.

Ratings Defense
TealMaster comes close to earning 5 Geekheads for Quality, but I had to consult the Help file many times to understand the advanced features. Most geeks rarely consult a Help file, a good test of intuitiveness. Good news is that there is an i button on most screens for onscreen help. Also, TealMaster might've been the culprit for affecting one of my favorite games even with the hacks turned off; I did a Profile Map to turn off the hacks during this game, but it didn't help. I contacted the game's programmer and he was unaware of similar problems.

TealMaster is as geeky as all get out, thus the 5 Geekheads for Geekness. Anything that has the ability to review event handlers earns maximum geek points. I'll let go of my modesty and say that I have been a geek since I got my first computer at 10, but never reached Super Geekdom since I didn't take an interest in heavy-duty programming or networking. It takes time and patience to figure out some of TealMaster's advanced features. Once you get those down pat and figure out which hack programs work best in which condition, TealMaster is a powerful app that can do lots for you.