Here at Ilium Software, we now have three RSS feeds: the one for this blog, the one for our News Page , and the one for our ListPro List Exchange. These work great in desktop RSS aggregators like NewsGator, FeedDemon, or in Windows Mobile software like our own NewsBreak.
I’m not much of an early-adopter. I bought my car as soon as it was introduced because I needed a car, I bought my shiny Apple iMac Core Duo because a refurbished one went on sale for a good price, and I bought my first PDA because I was going through that age where I wanted to buy everything that was a gadget. These things were coincidences; I didn’t intentionally jump on the bandwagon while it was still a skateboard, I just happened to step on it and didn’t fall off.
RSS aggregators confuse me, because they take content from a website and shove it into one little new and special place that still makes me open up the original website in a browser. Most websites don’t post entire articles to their feeds, so why not just go to the site and read the whole thing? (Incidentally, I don’t like RSS aggregators on the desktop, but on a PDA? I’m all for packing information into a compact central place.)
That changed when I discovered Google’s Personalized Homepage. The idea is similar to portals such as My Yahoo!, where all kinds of stuff like weather, news, photos, stock quotes get aggregated onto one page you can set as your browser homepage. It’s been around for a while, and jumped out of Beta less than a while ago, but now is as good a time as any to mention it to anyone who wants to try out RSS without investing in a complete standalone program.
You get a simple website that shows news headlines from various websites (and other information), in classic Google bare-bones style, and you can add anything you want to it. It’s right in your browser, something you already use all the time.
That said, our RSS feeds go great with it. You can click on the following links to add them right away:
Blog: 
News:
List Exchange:
You don’t even need a Google account to use these – it can work with cookies in your browser to recognize you when you go back to the Google homepage. Of course, My Yahoo! has become a similar service, and they basically offer the same features with a Yahoo! flavor. I’m not promoting Google for any reason besides the fact that I like them and I know about them. Google Homepage, NewsGator, Yahoo – similar ideas, different flair.
I want to encourage you (the user) to subscribe to our RSS feeds somehow, because they help us tell you interesting and important things without having to send out mass-emails. When you subscribe to a news feed, you are in control. If a company sends out mass emails, they have to figure out how to avoid being marked as a spammer or blacklisted for putting out 10,000 emails in one day, and it’s often hard for you – the user – to control whether or not you get the email.
Imagine: instead of hoping that an upgrade email that we send out makes it through the muddy waters of the internet and through spam filters, you simply open your browser and right there, “Ilium Software announces a new program that will do everything for you!”. We’re not there yet, but if you subscribe, you’ll find out when we are.
So you have a Apple iMac Core Duo? When can we expect and eWallet version for MAC OSX and Blackberry????
That’s actually a really, really good question. It’s a good enough question that I half want to make an entire blog post about it.
We’d really like to make versions of our software for Macintosh, Symbian, BlackBerry/RIM, Linux, etc. I know I would really like eWallet and ListPro on my Mac so I didn’t have to enter everything on my PDA – at least it’s a Treo 650 so there’s a keyboard to type on.
However, it’s not that easy. In fact, it’s just plain hard. I don’t think there’s a proper “PR” way of saying that – it’s hard, and it’s a lot of work. Creating a Macintosh version of eWallet, would increase testing by at least a factor of two – testing on all Windows versions we support, and all Macintosh OS versions (and unlike PCs, we now have Intel Macintoshes as well as PowerPC, further increasing the load.) We would have to develop the software for Macintosh and keep it updated on twice as many platforms. We would have to support it, meaning more users and more possible problems, as well as training for anyone who doesn’t know how to use a Mac.
Add economics to the above – if we spent a huge amount of time and money to create, test, and support Macintosh versions of our software but they turned out to be unpopular, we wouldn’t recoup much of the cost and it would negatively impact all of our other development and support efforts.
We aren’t a huge company and we’ve never taken outside investment – Ilium is built on the success of our products and our quality support, and we’ve come pretty far as a result. We simply can’t risk ourselves and our customers to try and embrace every market.
That said, we haven’t completely given up on other versions of our software. We don’t have plans for Macintosh versions, for example, but that doesn’t mean we won’t change our mind. Every user who asks if we have a Mac version is recorded, so we can keep track of how much demand there is for our software on other platforms, and we encourage users to make requests! If it becomes easier due to development changes, or if the Macintosh market explodes, or if Ilium is suddenly staffed by Apple users, things could totally change.
Great response!!! Please add me to the Mac and Blackberry list… I will still use and love the XP, PocketPC, and U3 versions I carry on a daily basis…. Also thanks for keeping use informed….
Kevin,
I just moved to a Blackberry and am sad to report that there does not seem to be a viable solution like eWallet out there for this device. I hope you decide to develope eWallet for the Blackberry. Please keep us posted.
Thanks
Chris
I just switched over to a Blackberry as well and I am really going to miss eWallet. I’ll will keep using the desktop version, but it would be great to sync it with the Blackberry.
Like the other guys on this blog, I have just moved to the Blackberry platform and now have to stop using my eWallet after two years of great use and benefit.
Thanks
Brian
As a recent convert to Apple last week (and a Windows Mobile 5 user), I’m truly going to miss synchronizing my eWallet between PDA and desktop. I think eWallet is a fantastic app, but it’s not as useful for me unless I have my info both places. That said, put me down for a count towards the mac version (would that work through Missing Synch or something similar?).
Keep up the good work!
-Rob
What about a version of eWallet for Linux?
Add me to the list of former ewallet users. I recently switched to Blackberry as well and I miss ewallet very much. I have it on my PC but really want to be able to sync up. I may be forced to buy a lookalike version for BB which saddens me to no end.
Sign me up for a MAC version of eWallet. I can’t find anything good out there that comes close to eWallet. If I say “PLEASE” will you do it?
Recently swithced to Mac, I agree that a mac osX version of eWallet, preferably using missing sync or similar would be great.
About 3 months ago I switched to a mac. Since then, I found myself to be spending more time on work and less time on maintenance. So I started switching my office over to macs. So far we have switched 50% of our users. The ONLY time I use the PC now is to look up my ewallet info which is superbly organized by your handy utility. PLEASE don’t force me use the PC just to get my ewallet info. It’s the ONLY reason I still have the PC on my desk.
Have I repeated it myself often enough?
One more on the waiting list for a BB version. I love ewallet. Can’t wait to have it back.
I LOVE eWallet…it’s my favorite program for my Treo 650, and I’ve lost track of how many of my colleagues I’ve told about it! So now I’m a Mac convert with MacBook Pro, and purchased Parallels to be able to continue to sync eWallet and ListPro. I don’t use it for much else!
I’d LOVE to have a Mac version of both of these programs…..and am eternally optimistic.
I agree. I’d like to be added to the list for a Mac version of eWallet
Just want to add my comments to the previous postings regardig the request for a MAC version as well as a BB verion of ewallet and List Pro. I swithed from my Window mobile iPaq to a Blackeberry a year ago and I am now migrating from a Window PC to a MAC. I would gladly pay to buy the latest version of your software for those platforms if and when you make tem avaialble.
Definitely put me down for the MacOS X version of eWallet. Like another poster, I’m a Mac user (always, since 1986) and recently started using Win Mobile 5. Keychain is fine, but with no sync it’s only marginally useful.
Add two more.. (Me and my wife!!) who want ewallet for the blackberry platform. Just miss it too much!!!
I have been a eWallet user since the very beginning of the program. Recently both myself, my wife, and 4 cousins have moved from PCs to Macs (since we can now run both OSX and Windows on the wonderful Mac hardware). Turns out, we don’t really need Windows and have all been using Mac OSX as our primary OS. This means that it is no longer convenient for us to sync eWallet with our notebooks/desktops. Ultimately, we all use eWallet and love the program, without a Mac version, it is very likely we all switch to the first provider that can accomodate both and I hope Illium will be the first as you have been the first in this field. Count us down for 6 people!!!
Listpro and eWallet for Mac would be awesome! Come on fellas, the Mac (intel) market has exploded
Please add me to your list for a Mac version of eWallet.
You guys might want to take a look at this article: http://blog.iliumsoft.com/?p=50 as it discusses the whole issue of developing for new platforms. As an ex-Mac person I feel your pain. At the same time we have a lot of issues to consider which I talk about in that post I mentioned.
I have also moved from WM5 to the Blackberry and miss eWallet tremendously. It was my favorite smartphone app. I would definitely pay again to have it on the BBerry platform. Thanks for a great app anyway.
I have used your program, happily, for years. I haved moved from what appears to be a dieing Palm OS platform to a Blackberry and I have moved from Widnows to a Duo Core MAC.
Therfore, I miss your program and it’s utility. Please let me know if you release a version that I can use.
Thanks.
I have used eWallet for so long now that I am keeping a WinXP virtual machine in Linux just to run it!
I hope you are able to port it as soon as possible to Linux / MacOS. Thanks, Hank
I have switched over to a MAC as well and I would love to see a MAC version of eWallet that works with the MAC and a blackberry. There just isn’t anything that comes close to the elegance and power of eWallet for the Blackberry.
Thanks, Bryan
I just received the email about upgrading to eWallet 5. Unfortunately I won’t be upgrading. I converted to a blackberry last spring and a mac last fall and eWallet is not supported on either platform. The moment its available for the Mac, I’ll ditch my current software and switch back to eWallet.
Agree with Sho. The upgrade to version 5 does nothing for me. Looks like we’re heading to Blackberry’s too (in EMEA) and IMHO PalmOS is slowly disappearing. I currently have a Symbian phone, so have been without eWallet on a mobile platform for a couple of years, and this looks to continue.
I understand the multi-platform development issues (only too well) but it seems to me that Iliumsoft is not understanding how the market is changing. Either Iliumsoft wants to be a player, or not.
My perspective is that adding features to eWallet is fine, but I for one won’t be sending any $ to the company by upgrading. I would pay for eWallet on my phone, whatever that happens to be running (Blackberry, Symbian etc.). Although I’m not a Mac user, ignoring that market would seem to be restrictive of growth for Iliumsoft – as others have said, lots of people are shifting to Mac.
Just moved over to Mac and intend to shift to BB or iPhone soon. I love ewallet. Add me to the list – I need ewallet back in my life. sort it out please!!!!!
Just switched to Apple with a Mac Pro and Macbook Pro. The only reason my Windows PC is still plugged in is ewallet. If you make a version for the Intel Macs I would buy for sure. No Windows / emulation ever on my Macs by the way, keeping them “pure”. Thanks
Add me to the list of users who have a Intel based Mac who would like to see eWallet native on the Mac. Even if it didn’t sync with a PDA at first, I would love to have a eWallet icon on my OS X desktop just to be able to look at my wallet file.
Again another mac switcher here. I would love to see ewallet on the mac. Splash ID crosses mac/pc/pocket pc/palm platforms, surely you guys can too?
I’am an eWallet user windows/smartphone. I just switched to mac book pro and I’cant syncronize my phone with eWallet in a bottle (CrossOver)… please develope it for OSX
After using Windows machines for 14 years, I’ve had enough. I’m now preparing to switch to a Mac Pro instead of buying yet another buggy round of MSFT software. The only thing I’ll really miss is eWallet. Please– Build a Mac version!!
I am a big user of ListPro on both Window Mobile and Win XP, however I’m just switching over to a Mac and starting to think how am I going to access ListPro, or will I have to ditch it for something else ? Let’s hope there’s Mac version coming ?
One more person to the I’d love to have eWallet on my MAC. I too am a recent convert to the MAC.
Just wanted to put in another request for eWallet on the Blackberry.
One of our users would like to ditch his Palm and just carry his Blackberry, but there are two or three apps he can’t/won’t leave behind. One of which is eWallet.
If we could get a version eWallet for the Blackberry platform, he’d be happy, we’d be ecstatic, and would gladly recommend the product to anyone.
Converted to a Blackberry myself and REALLY miss having eWallet!
I started using eWallet with my Trio 600. Two years ago I moved to BB 7290. I just re-upped with Cingular for 2 more years with a new BB 8800. I would NEVER to back to Palm.
Until recently I continued to use eWallet on my desktop. But CryptMagic comes pretty close, so I am switching over and saying good-bye to eWallet. I wish that weren’t the case, but I just can’t wait any longer for you to realize that Palm is dead and BB is King.
You are really missing the boat.
I’ve been an eWallet and ListPro user for years, first on Palm OS, then on Windows Mobile, both syncing with Windows. I’ve recently switched to a MacBook, and I *really* wish that eWallet and ListPro were available on the Mac. Missing Sync’s file sync conduit seems like it would do fine for desktop to PDA syncing (after all, that’s how it works for Windows to Windows Mobile). If there were Mac versions of eWallet and ListPro I’d buy them in a heartbeat.
My windows products are going through there last upgrade cycle into my garbage can in favor of the macosx platoform. I’ve been switching out my window’s only software for the last year in preparation. eWallet is that last app stuck in windows. zit is a great product and I will miss it, but my productivity increases in every other part of my computing life will more then make up for its loss
Put me down for a Blackberry version of eWallet as well. I just switched over from WM and hate not having this information available at my fingertips.
I am an eWallet user and have recently made the switch to Mac. I hope you will develop a Mac version of eWallet as I’d hate to have to switch to another password manager that supports Mac and Windows.
ewallet is the only must-have app on my PC that I cant replace when I switch to a mac, which is happening soon. pls make available for mac! soon!!
I have a Mac and a Palm TX. I don’t necessarily need to always synchronize to a Windows machine. However, if I could save eWallet data to an SD card on the palm which I could read onto a windows machine for emergency backup if needed, that would satisfy me. Obviously, I have a windows machine at my disposal if needed.
Would love to see eWallet for OSX. It’s the only reason I still have to boot into Windows.
I have been upgrading eWallet for past couple of versions, but *NOT* any more due to missing Linux support. I have been trying to avoid paying Microsoft ‘Tax’ by constantly upgrading to latest OS, since they are growing more expensive each time (hardware/software upgrades). I am getting stuck each time I want to use the passwords stored in eWallet. I have to reboot to Windows each time. I have searched, but could not find a good eWallet replacement. In my mind, eWallet by definition should be all platform. You probably may not even know what would be the market outside of windows base. Try putting a poll on your site with Linux, Mac and get some attention from search engines. For these people, you may want to put some sort of a demo movie.
Try working with http://www.codeweavers.com to enable running with their crossOver product. It might be the lease expensive way out for you.
I stopped upgrading my ewallet and listpro as well. Since there is no mac support I have unfortunately had to abandon iliumsoft and start using splashid. Also, the bunk they were spewing before about inte and power pc is just that bunk. Universal apps should make it much easier for iliumsoft to embrace the mac community and displace splashid (splashid is inferior in many ways to ewallet).
But oh well… I won’t hold my breath.
you’ve heard it before, but thought I would voice it again… Many year veteran of Ewallet, swiched to a Macbook Pro and eager to to hear from you when/if you add Mac OS to your compatibility list…. Great product, great team and good luck with all