2018-12-02 23:42:18

Hi folks.
So in this topic, I mentioned an Archery game for Windows Mobile on what used to be m.l-works.net. That was Liam's foray into mobile game development. With Windows Mobile longsince forgotten, I haven't seen anyone take the time to figure out and get an emulator going like we have with Mess Apple/Talking Dosbox. With things like Mame being discussed more indepth and more handheld toys being emulated, I thought it would be nice to get this going. So, I have something to offer. No, it's not mobile archery, yet. However, I do have a Windows Mobile6 professional emulator going preconfigured with speech access. A fair warning that what I have will be Mobile Speak in 10minute demo mode, so for now you're going to have to make do with restarting the emulator. I'm not so sure about starting the 30day trial of Mobile Speak. I've done it without preserving the save state and it's reverted back to 10minute demo mode, but with no clear way to access the hardware id of the rom, I'm not sure what the thing is taking from the phone to start the trial, and since it's being sent to the server, the hardware id of my rom could potentially trigger an activation on anyone using the thing. I don't think so, but my info is not quite as transparent as it would be with vmware. What's more I'm surprised the trial/registration server is even still going, as I don't think you can still buy Mobile Speak anyhow.
At any rate,
download it here.
A crude readme is included to get you started, since I originally created this package to upload for some folks on Twitter. Once I actually get this thing off the ground for real I will update it, same goes for if I get new content.
Enjoy!

2018-12-03 00:02:44

Thanks for posting this. Considering Code factory nor in fact anybody else is in the Simbial/Windows mobile business, they should have made Mobile speak free. If I am right, you can still buy it through local dealers. In any case, downloading this now and will give it a try.

2018-12-03 00:15:52 (edited by jack 2018-12-03 00:17:16)

Are you kidding? You can still buy the thing? Now that's news to me as I thought they even said they pretty much dropped the project, considering built-in screenreaders pretty much killed the need. If it is indeed still available, I guess that would explain why the activation server is still up, but for the record I have not found a US distributor that still carries it.
Making it free wouldn't have been the easiest option for them. Seeing as Windows Mobile had literally not built-in tts voices like Simbian did, every single voice that Mobile Speak uses requires royalties. Go figure.

2018-12-03 00:23:47

Ah alright, I didn't know about Windows mobile not having a built in TTS engine. Now regarding emulation. I remember in the previous thread you said something about some things working only on XP. So how is compatibility with Windows 10? I cannot install active sinc as when I try to do it I get a notification saying Microsoft ActiveSync can't run on Windows. This app may impact PC security or performance. Check for an updated app that runs on this version of Windows..

2018-12-03 00:26:20

Don't try it on Windows 10 since ActiveSync doesn't work. Your best bet is to install an XP virtual machine. Sure, windows 7 has WMDC, though for whatever reason I've found its performance to be a bit flaky compared to ActiveSync. Besides, Activesync will recognize cradled emulation devices if you set it up to.

2018-12-03 00:28:07

How much resources does it need to run and function properly? I'm asking cause I'm not sure if it will work under my poor PC specs, however I do have an XP VM so will just try it I guess.

2018-12-03 00:34:34

It's a pretty low-maintenance operating system since the hardware by today's standards wasn't that great. If your xp vm runs optimally, chances are Windows Mobile will run well. I think 256mb of ram is actually the max size allowed.

2018-12-03 00:41:21

Windows Mobile Device Center, the successor to Active Sync, actually does still work on Windows 10. You need to tweak the services that power it, though.

Oh no! Somebody released the h key! Everybody run and hide!

2018-12-03 00:55:34

Yeah, not so sure about Ms Virtual PC 2007 though, which is required for networking support.

2018-12-03 17:23:10

windows mobile does have built in tts for reading new mail, based on the freely available l&h tts3000. I know that because my very first sell phone was running wm6.5, and I set it to automaticly read my mail.

be a hero and stop Coppa now!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dkm … DkWZ8/edit
-id software, 1995

2018-12-03 18:44:06

Huh, I'm not seeing it in my windows mobile6 pro rom. IN either case, no screenreaders ever took advantage of it.

2018-12-03 19:44:31

perhapse the tts is specific to certain phones. mine was a Samsung Jack from AT&T.

be a hero and stop Coppa now!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dkm … DkWZ8/edit
-id software, 1995

2018-12-04 00:02:37 (edited by jack 2018-12-04 00:02:53)

It must be, as Samsung was known for providing their own tts based off another engine.

2018-12-04 01:07:04

Can you just use the mobile 6.1 version that was found in something like the pacmate omni? Or is that thing still supported.

2018-12-04 02:29:49

while we're at it, how about a windows ce emulator.
also, somewhat on topic, I ran across an emulator for java mobile games.

be a hero and stop Coppa now!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dkm … DkWZ8/edit
-id software, 1995

2018-12-04 03:52:29

Windows CE is a bit of a slippery slope. It's supposedly emulatable in vmware, but it's windows embedded ce 6. I'll have to look. Pacmate virtual emulation would be great, so would Braillenote. Oh and the Maestro as well.

2018-12-04 16:02:39

I think I made a topic about emulating the pac mte but what I remember, Jaws is like hardware imbedded in it I think. I wish I could emulate a pac mate because it was true un modified win CE unlike the BrailleNote and BrailleSense. I never had a pac mate and would love to experience win CE the way it was meant to, without keysoft or HIMS firmware over it.

Power is not the responsibility of freedom, but it is actually the responsibility of being responsible, it's self, because someone who is irresponsible is enslaved by their own weaknesses.

2018-12-04 17:43:06

Me to. I have always loved win2k and anything xp or windows mobile related.

2018-12-04 17:46:10

Jaws is firmware-embedded, not hardware-embedded. So we'd need a rom image.

2018-12-04 19:57:57

and how about a bns virtual machine. the speech box portion to connect it to pcs is already emulated in the form of virtual bns. a BNS enterpriter shouldn't be that hard since it's OS is based off a form of Basic. Appearently there were a few apple 2 ports on the thing, indeed braillesoft ported origon trail to it and was once working on a port of Eman that went unreleased because noone owns a bns anymore.

be a hero and stop Coppa now!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dkm … DkWZ8/edit
-id software, 1995

2018-12-04 22:02:06

I would kill for a BNS emulator.

#FreeTheCheese
"The most deadly poison of our times is indifference. And this happens, although the praise of God should know no limits. Let us strive, therefore, to praise Him to the greatest extent of our powers." - St. Maximilian Kolbe

2018-12-05 00:54:25

Not until artic ssi263/sc02 is...oh wait, didn't they already emulate that in Mame?

2018-12-05 02:22:26

pretty sure it's emulated in mame already, as part of the mockingboard emulation.

be a hero and stop Coppa now!
https://docs.google.com/document/d/1Dkm … DkWZ8/edit
-id software, 1995

2020-04-09 19:50:25

This brings back an old thread, but Mobile Archery is live on the audiogames archive. Go git it!
I contacted Dolphin regarding Smart Hal/Pocket Hal, so hopefully we'll hear back from them concerning preservation possibility. Might do the same for Mobile Speak as well depending on how well this goes over with Dolphin. Once we get at least one fully functioning screen reader, this emulator will likely be properly hosted somewhere along with a games package.

2020-04-09 20:29:52 (edited by Chris 2020-04-09 20:32:12)

Afew things:

Is this Windows Mobile 6.1 or 6.5? If not 6.5, why? Why is this using the professional version vs something like Windows Mobile Classic? What's the difference anyway? Does this work on Windows 10? It doesn't appear to, so I'll have to dig out a Windows XP virtual machine. Why do you need ActiveSync and Microsoft virtual PC? Are they absolutely required? You said it was for networking, but I'd rather not expose this to the Internet if at all possible.

Do you have anymore games? I thought a bunch of them were produced by Braillesoft, but I can't find them anywhere. What's the difference between the pocket PC and smartphone version of Audio Archery?

This is slightly off-topic, but since we're talking about Windows Mobile 6, what is the PacMate running with it's final 6.5 update. Is it Windows Mobile 6.0, 6.1, or the latest version of 6.5?

Grab my Adventure at C: stages Right here.