.FLYINGHEAD Product Shoot-out
.TITLE Chronos vs. PilotClock
.OTHER
.SUMMARY Tired of fumbling for the Date Book menu title just to get a little tiny clock? Do you want your PalmPilot to tell you the time to the day in big bold numbers? Two programs are designed to do just that. Our merciless product shootout compares them so you can use the best solution.
.AUTHOR Calvin O. Parker
Chronos and PilotClock are two applications for the PalmPilot that perform similar functions. Chronos is a shareware application written by Andrew Ball, and PilotClock is a commercial application written by the folks at Little Wing Software. Each of these applications provide basic clock, stopwatch, and timer functions. PilotClock adds to this the ability to set multiple alarms. Which one is best? When you finish reading this article, you should be able to answer that question yourself.
.H1 The auto-off feature
Each application approaches the problem of when to use the built-in "auto-off" feature of the PalmPilot differently. While both allow you to turn this feature off, effectively "locking" your PalmPilot on, PilotClock actually locks the PalmPilot on when using the stopwatch or timer functions. Chronos does not, but because of it the auto-off can affect each function’s accuracy. For specific details, see the section below dealing with each feature.
.H1 The clock screen
Each application has a clock screen that shows you the day of the week, the date, and the time. In addition, the current battery voltage is displayed, as well as a world time. See Figures A and B for a comparison of each screen. Also note that Chronos, shown in Figure A, will return you to the last screen you were using in the application, PilotClock, as shown in Figure B, always returns you to the clock screen.
.FIG A The Clock screen in Chronos is similar to the one for PilotClock.
.FIG B PilotClock shows the next scheduled alarm time on its clock screen.
Chronos has 30 time zones defined and allows you to choose from a drop-down list on the main clock screen the one to use as your World Time. PilotClock, on the other hand, allows you to choose from 37 time zones, selectable from the Preferences window.
With PilotClock, you can quickly select which time zone is shown on the main display, either the home time or world time. With Chronos, to do this requires you switch the actual Home time zone (selectable in Preferences).
Because PilotClock includes the ability to set multiple alarms, its main clock display also shows the next scheduled alarm.
Chronos includes the ability to automatically reset your clock (the actual system clock) forward and backward for daylight savings time. The exact dates are pre-entered, but can be reset in the Preferences screen.
I really have no preference based on the clock screen, as both applications provide similar basic functionality . I like Chronos’ ability to automatically set the time for me at a daylight savings shift, but I think I’d prefer an option to turn this off (or perhaps just give me a little reminder when the time comes to change it).
.H1 The stopwatch screen
Each application’s stopwatch screen contains similar elements. Each shows an elapsed time, and allows you to calculate lap and split times. Each also shows the current date and time (Chronos doesn’t show the seconds of the current time) and displays a running time down to the hundredth of a second. See Figure C and D for a comparison of each screen.
.FIG C The Stopwatch screen for Chronos displays the lap time only after one has been recorded.
.FIG D Note that PilotClock remaps the hardware buttons instead of giving you on-screen buttons.
Chronos limits the number of lap times displayed to five, and brings up another window to clear those five if you try to do a sixth. This window allows you to clear the lap times, and start over. PilotClock, on the hand, will allow up to 99 lap/split times, but only displays the last one in the window.
As mentioned earlier, PilotClock basically "locks" the power on when the stopwatch is in use. Chronos doesn’t do this unless you’ve chosen to disable auto-off in Preferences. However, if you’re timing something with longer than two minute laps with Chronos, the power will go off, rendering the stopwatch reading useless. Turning the unit back on shows that the stopwatch doesn’t continue to "run" while the unit is off.
Each application allows you to control the stopwatch in a different manner. Chronos’ stopwatch is started and stopped by simply tapping the screen and gives you on screen buttons for Lap and Reset. PilotClock re-assigns the hardware buttons to be Start, Stop, Lap/Split and Reset.
.H1 The timer screen
Once again, each of these applications is very similar when we get to the Timer screen, with each showing the timer (hours, minutes, and seconds), and the current date and time. Once again, you’ll notice that PilotClock, in Figure E, uses the hardware buttons to control the timer’s functions, Chronos, shown in Figure F does the same using on-screen buttons.
.FIG E PilotClock uses its own alarms, allowing you to set varying tones.
.FIG F The Chronos timer screen also displays the world time.
You’ll notice that the PilotClock screen has information about setting the alarm "volume" and duration. PilotClock uses its own alarm sounds, whereas Chronos uses the standard system alarm. An advantage to using PilotClock is that you can specify the alarm sound and more importantly, the alarm duration (set in seconds).
An interesting feature of Chronos is the Auto Timer (set in Preferences). Setting this allows you to run a continuous timer at a specified interval. For example, setting the timer to one minute with Auto Timer would count down to one minute, sound an alarm, then start counting down to one minute again.
Once again, PilotClock locks the PalmPilot’s power on when in use, regardless of the setting in its Preferences screen. Chronos will turn off at your specified auto-off interval, and will sound an alarm when the time expires. However, due to the limitation in PalmOS, which checks for alarms on one minute intervals, a Chronos timer might potentially be up to one minute late in sounding if the unit is turned off. Confused? Well, when off, the PalmPilot only checks alarms every minute. If you set a 30 second timer in Chronos and turn the unit off, it will sound when the next minute interval is passed.
.H1 PilotClock alarms
The PilotClock application also includes an alarm feature, which allows you to specify up to nine separate alarms. Chronos does not include an alarm feature. See Figure G for a screenshot of PilotClock’s alarm screen
.FIG G PilotClock includes an alarm feature.
PilotClock’s alarm feature is actually quite nice. It allows you to set up to nine separate alarms, each one with its own settings. These settings include alarm duration, repeat times, volume, on/off status and whether or not this alarm is to be triggered based on the home or world time. As with most alarm applications on the PalmPilot, this feature will wake up the PalmPilot if it is switched off, sounding the specified alarm.
.H1 Conclusion
Both of these applications are very good, and would fulfill most people’s needs for a general stopwatch, timer, and clock. PilotClock takes this one step further by providing a general alarm application in addition to the ones that both applications have. I would personally recommend Chronos for most people, as it basically includes the same features as PilotClock, for $13. However, If you need the added alarm capabilities or if you’re concerned about the auto-off options in Chronos, PilotClock is a great application.
.BEGIN_SIDEBAR
.H1 Product availability
PilotClock, $19.95, Little Wing Software, http://www.lwsd.com
Chronos, $7, Andrew Ball, http://www2.cyg.net/~aball/
.END_SIDEBAR
.BIO Calvin O. Parker is the maintainer of a PalmPilot FAQ site on the Internet. He has been actively involved with the PalmPilot online community for over a year, and has recently written a book on the PalmPilot: The Complete PalmPilot Guide. Find out more information at http://www.pilotfaq.com.
.DISCUSS http://www.component-net.com/webx?13@@.ee6bd58
