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Recommended Palm OS Software

Updated 2023-10-10: Added TenPin Solitaire

My main PDA is a Palm m500 which runs Palm OS 4. I think all of these applications will work on Palm OS 3.5 and up but I have only tested them on 4.

Hackin and Crackin

This is all roughly 20 year old software, some of it freeware or open source but much of it was shareware that required registering with a serial number to unlock. Some of these included an already cracked file that can be installed as normal. The rest can be registered with the codez below and the MultiUserHack(available below in the Hacks section) to change the hotysnc id.

Installable database of Codez4Palm Serial Numbers

Codez4Palm list in a text file

General Applications

Agenda

A replacent for the default DateBk calendar app that is just a bit more featureful but a LOT simpler and smaller than DateBk6. If you have pretty basic needs from a calendar (like me) this is a good choice that will save you a lot of space when compared to DateBk6.

Agenda v1.6.1

Natara Bonsai

Outliner, task manager, organizational tool that is very powerful. I often use this (or ShadowPlan) to plan issues of smolZINE.

Natara Bonsai v4.2.7

CardTXT

Kind of my killer app for my Palm PDA. It is a text editor that has all the basics covered nicely and can edit and save directly on an external SD card. This combined with one of the Palm folding keyboards makes for a nice distraction free writing device and I write most of my gemlog posts for my capsule with it.

CardTXT v0.70c

Converter

Handy and easy to use unit converter for tons of different things. Volume measurements, units of power, temperature and pretty much anything else you might need.

Converter v2.2

DateBk6

Datebook (what is usually just called a calendar these days) software that has a ton of features that I have barely scratched the surface of. Word on the street is that this is indespensible for heavy users with lots of appointments. Probably overkill for basic needs but I keep it around because of the nice extra calendar views alone. Pretty large so may not be worth it if you are low on space. NOTE: Leaving this on the list because it is a really great and powerful app but I have since switched over to Agenda for my personal use.

DateBk6 v6.1b-s2

Dice Roller

Exacly what is sounds like and no more. It has buttons to simulate rolling different types of die. Useful for various types of games. I plan to use the 4 sided dice for playing the Royal Game of Ur.

Dice roller v1.1

DiddleBug

Sketch pad, notepad and reminder app. It has fairly sophisticated drawing tools considering the platform. The alarm function means you can jot down a quick note or reminder and the note will reappear at the specified time which can be pretty handy.

DiddleBug v2.90.d.5

FileZ

File manager that can show you some useful information and lets you browse and perform basic file management on the internal memory and SD card.

FileZ v6.8.3

GentleMan

Another file manager. Not as nice as FileZ but smaller in size if you're running out of space.

GentleMan v0.99

HandyShopper

Really well done shopping list manager. Saves list items so all you have to do is re-add them to the "need" list for things you need often like groceries. It can even track and keep history of prices of items on your lists. You can create lists for specific stores, put lists into categories and it even has a one hand mode for checking off items with the hardware buttons to make it easy to do while grocery shopping. Excellent stuff!

HandyShopper v3.1.3

LCD Invert

Has one very simple task, invert the display. On monochrome displays with the backlight on sometimes inverting the display can make things much easier to look at. Recently I have started using LightHack instead of this but it's still a good tool.

Invert v1.0

List

Simple database and I mean very simple but in a good way. There are two customizable fields and a third field for additional notes. Good for saving and organizing information like music collections etc.

List v1.1.5

Mañana

Pretty much a carbon copy of the stock Palm OS todo app. The purpose is that since it is a separate app from the defualt todo you can put your less urgent tasks here and then when they become more urgent you can move them to the main todo list.

Mañana v1.0

Matrix

Shows the time and date with a matrix style cryptic text scroll animation background. Can be useful as a desk clock when your PDA is in the cradle but mostly its just cool and fun.

Matrix v1.3

Memo PLUS

Souped up version of the stock memo pad app. Kind of similar to DiddleBug it lets you draw with the stylus and set alarms. You can also enter text memos with graffiti just like the basic memo pad.

Memo PLUS v4.10 patched

OmniRemote

Universal remote that can learn the commands from any remote you have. How cool is that?!

OmniRemote Pro v2.15

Plucker

Plucker is a viewer for webpages that have been saved for offline viewing on a Palm device. There are two components to this. First, you run a program to download and convert the webpages. Next, you sync those to the PDA and view them offline with the Plucker viewer. A nice functional plucker downloader is available now written in python that is installable with pip.

Plucker v1.8

PyPlucker

ShadowPlan

Another advanced outliner/task/note app very similar to Bonsai. Someone that uses these apps more heavily might have a reason to prefer one over the other but they both seem very good to me. The main reason to use ShadowPlan over Bonsai is that the app is significantly smaller and thus a good choice if you're low on space.

ShadowPlan v4.3.1

WordSmith

This is a word processor that is good for writing and has styling, word count and even spell check capabilities. Very nice if you do a lot of long form writing.

WordSmith v2.2.27

TiBR (Tiny Book Reader)

Ebook reader software that comes in 3 flavors, lite, regular and pro. Lite is very small and has the fewest features but can be good if you're low on free space. The standard and pro versions each add more features as well as increase the program size.

TiBR Pro V1.52

TiBR v1.52

TiBR Lite v1.52

Hacks

X-Master/Hackmaster

You will need this in order to install the hacks listed below. Facilitates "hacks" which are small programs that modify some lower level aspects of the OS to change the way certain things work. The gist is you install X-Master, then install a hack, after that you open X-Master where you can enable/disable the hack and configure whatever options the hack provides you with.

X-Master v1.4

App/DA Launcher

This hack is pretty neat. It lets you install some mini versions of apps that are called "Desk Accessories". What this does is enables some limited multi-tasking not normally possible in Palm OS. These DAs can be launched in a window over top of the currently running application. Another thing it does is add a little shortcut to your home button that can quickly launch apps from a popup list, a condensed list of your recently used apps and a gesture to immediately launch the last used app.

App/DA Launcher v0.5.4

FastCapHack

Modifies the graffiti entry so that you can write letters straddling the line between the letter and number area in order to write capital letters. This can speed up text entry by skipping the step of enabling shift or capslock.

FastCapHack v1.09

LightHack

For some Palm models inverting the LCD when the backlight is on helps with visibility. This hack automatically inverts the LCD when the backlight is on and reverts it when it goes off.

palm/lighthk.prc

MultiUserHack

A very handy hack that lets you set a different HotSync ID for individual applications. This is vital for using cracked serial numbers to register shareware applications.

MultiUserHack v3.04

Games

Galax

Good space invaders/galaga/galaxian clone.

Galax v2.2b

Golf Solitaire

A fun variation on solitaire where you're trying to get the lowest score.

Golf v1.2

HMaki

Simple puzzle game.

HMaki v3.9

iRogue/CalcRogue

Rogue for Palm OS! I'm honestly not sure if one is better than the other. They are different visually and with the control scheme but both seem to work just fine.

iRogue v0.47

CalcRogue vBeta6c

Mulg

Cool puzzle game where you roll a ball around levels with the stylus to reach the goal with hazards and keys to collect along the way.

Mulg/Mulg II

Palmdle

Very nicely done Wordle clone that has a mechanism for entering a code to play the actual current word of the day in sync with the original Wordle. Get the day's code at the pamdle website below.

Palmdle v2.1

https://palmdle.maple.pet/

pBobble

It's Puzzle Bobble or Bust-A-Move on Palm OS!

pBobble v1.0 Beta 3

Phoinix

Game Boy emulator. The Game Boy roms need to be converted with an included tool and at least on my m500 most games don't run at full speed. Still, it's pretty neat! Probably best for turn based, puzzle and other non-action games unless you're playing on a model powerful than the Motorola Dragonball CPUs.

Phoinix Starter Pack

Phoinix ROM conversion Tools

Phoinix website with more lanuages and other downloads with preconverted games

Prison

Fancy breakout style game that plays pretty nicely.

Prison v1.8

Rally 1000

A racing card game that I was and now am again so so addicted to X-).

Rally 1000 v4.2

Sokoban

There are number of different sokoban games on the Palm. Here are a couple that I've tried.

Sokoban

Pocket Sokoban

SolPok

Kind of a mashup of solitaire and poker where you have to make a four poker hands from a deck of random cards.

SolPok v2.1

TenPin Solitaire

A combo of bowling and solitiare. It is not obvious at first but the goal is to "bowl" a ball by trying to combine the numbers of up to 3 pins to match one of the cards on the right. The part that isn't obvious at first is that only the second digit matters. Example: A 2 pin would match a 2 card and an 8 and 4 pin (8+4=12) selected together would also match a 2 card. It's a pretty fun mashup on solitaire!

TenPin Solitaire

TetAttack

Tetris Attack on Palm OS! It's so good and playing with the stylus is a perfect fit for this game.

TetAttack v1.5

Vexed

Really good and open source puzzle game. If you're familiar with the Tatio game Puzznic that was released for arcades, NES, Game Boy and other systems Vexed is pretty much that except you move the blocks around with the stylus.

Vexed v2.2

Void

Remake of the classic space exploration and combat sim Elite.

Void v1.0

Void Manual

Wordlet

A cool little word game where you try to make words from adjacent letters in a 4x4 grid with a time limit.

v2.0.5

WordToss

A word game that is a variation on the Boggle style of gameplay where you select adjacent letters to form as many words as you can.

Word Toss v1.4

Yahdice

Classic Yahtzee dice game that plays very well with the stylus.

Yahdice v2.0.1