GP2X OHH program list 3c - Applications: Misc Apps (part 3 of 3)

This has taken... um... a while, hasn't it? Still, I really have done it now! Here is the last part of the "Misc Apps" program list. I was originally intending to go on to another category after this, but we'll have to see how it goes. I have a game review to write yet, for one thing!

OHH GP2X archive - Applications: Misc Apps
Click the link above to go to the contents page for this section on openhandhelds.org, which gives rather more details for each file, and a screenshot for many. This list is intended more as a quick reference, for those who just want to scan what's available. Note that I haven't generally commented on a program's quality or completeness.

sbagen: create binaural beats
sdlmore-0.2.tar.gz: draws command-line output with SDL
SigGen try1: signal generator
Skin installer: copy skins from SD to the GP2X
Skin2x: manage your skins
Sleep: add sleep/hibernate facility to the console
SnowCatch - Screensaver - GP2X: screensaver/demo
Speaker Toggle: turn speaker on and off
Speaker Toggle (new firmwares): as above, for "new"(!) fw 1.4+
STerm 0.6.1 : terminal emulator

termula2x 0.2.1: another terminal emulator
Textreader: just what it says
timer: simple on-screen timer
Timer Skins: skins for the above
TinySDGL for gp2x: graphics library; includes gears
TioTest: SD I/O benchmark
Tv on: enable TV-out mode; can be autorun
txtcon: convert newline codes; fixes Gutenberg files
USB Host networking for GP2X: connect a CDC Ethernet device (needs cradle etc)
Viewer4DM (Viewer for Dictionary & Mp3): text viewer with music support

VNC Server for GP2X (F200 TS emulation): networking tool
VNCServer 2x: as above without F200/touchscreen support
Wget: content retrieval tool
Wireless USB toolkit: connect to open networks with an RT2570 dongle
xReader: Spanish-language text reader
Xreader 2beta: mutilingual version of the above
Xynth: very early GUI
Z-nCarder: text-viewer, primarily for Russian
zgv2x: image viewer

A couple of things

1) Yes, I am still going to carry on with the list of programs from the OHH site. The pause is for reasons entirely unconnected with 2XGB, or even the GP2X. I will be getting back to it!

2) On the (hugely unlikely) offchance that anyone other than me actually reads this these days, please do feel free to suggest games you'd like to see reviewed.

GP2X OHH program list 3b - Applications: Misc Apps (part 2 of 3)

Right then; here's part two of the Misc Apps section, at long last. Unfortunately the OHH archive is a bit of a mess in this category, with a lot of near-duplication. I haven't attempted to untangle things; just listed what's there. Part 3 of this list will be along in a week or two.

OHH GP2X archive - Applications: Misc Apps
Click the link above to go to the contents page for this section on openhandhelds.org, which gives rather more details for each file, and a screenshot for many. This list is intended more as a quick reference, for those who just want to scan what's available. Note that I haven't generally commented on a program's quality or completeness.


GP2xOpenSSH: port of OpenSSH 4.3p2 client and server
GP2Xpdf: PDF viewer
GPmark GP2X: graphics benchmark
Gprss and Getrss: offline RSS reader and download tool
Graffiti: load a JPG and scribble on it
Grafx2 - The Ultimate 256-color painting program: bitmap-based graphics app
GReader2X: improved ebook reader
gshot: save screenshots of GP2X programs
gshot Sourcecode: source of the above
HDPARM 4 GP2X: SD card tester

Hotkey: background daemon; launches app on specified button combination
Icon starter pack for GP2X: collection of menu icons
Interactive Messageboard 2.0: bulletin board for DOSBox
J2ME PhoneME cli_install script: command-line installation for J2ME
J2ME PhoneME for GP2X: allows some Java games to run
J2ME PhoneME for GP2X v0.2: updated version of the above
JoyTest: tests joystick configuration
KdiTor: text editor
KdiTor: slightly newer version of the above [yes, same title!]
LCD Pixel Fixer: unstick stuck pixels

libncurse 5.7: ncurses library; uses Open2x toolchain
Links Web Browser: basic browser
Links Web Browser for GP2X: newer version of the above
lrzsz (ZModem): serial-based file transfer utility
Mandelbrot: fractal pattern viewer
Map2X 0.0.6 for GP2X: simple navigation app; uses Google Maps data
Map2X 0.0.6 for Windows: as above, but for Windows
Map2X : traduction francaise: French text for Map2x
Map2X: Traduzione italiana: Italian text for Map2x
mc.zip: port of Midnight Commander; use telnet

Mount Nand FW3.0: enables the NAND to be mounted with older firmware
movie history remover: delete history of films watched
msmtp: send mails to server via STMP
nano2x: console-based text editor; use telnet
Network(RNDIS) over USB driver & Samba Server: custom kernel; beware!
New bluetooth modules and scripts for GP2X: what it says!
Notes2x: text editor
Open2X Image Viewer: picture viewer; based on o2xiv
PDFView : view PDF files
Pocket Flash Gp2x: basic Flash player (up to v7, without sound)

pv2x: image slideshow
pyBrush: simple drawing program
pyDiskUsage-fw2.0 : check free space in NAND and SD card
Qtopia F200 1.0.1: port of the PDA desktop
Qtopia on GP2X Test Version: older version of the above
RamHack Utility: tweak to increase your GP2X's speed
Rhapsody2x: command-line IRC client
Rhapsody2x: newer version of the above[yes, same title!]
rsvp4gp2x: Rapid Serial Visual Presentation

Progress on the program list

Yes, things have gone a little quiet, but I'm still beavering away at the "Misc Apps" section, and I would hope to have the next part of the program list up in no more than a week from now. I want to do at least one more review in the meantime, though.

GP2X OHH program list 3a - Applications: Misc Apps (part 1 of 3)

It's taking rather a long time to get through the huge (100+ programs!) Misc Apps section, so I'm splitting it into three parts. I expect I'll merge them all into one big post when I've finished. NB: I've left out the pre-rendered graphics viewer 3DNP GP2X, as the download link from OHH seems to be broken.

OHH GP2X archive - Applications: Misc Apps
Click the link above to go to the contents page for this section on openhandhelds.org, which gives rather more details for each file, and a screenshot for many. This list is intended more as a quick reference, for those who just want to scan what's available. Note that I haven't generally commented on a program's quality or completeness.

2XWord: crossword solver utility
Autorun Icon for Windows F200 Style: put on root of SD card to create icon when plugged into Windows
Autorun ini and icon for Windows: as above, but for the F100
Autorun.ini and Icon for Windows PCs: as above again, but slightly different design
Battery Test: benchmarking utility
Box2d Physics Library tech-demo 0.0001: SDL port of the 2D physics engine
BusyBox 1.8.2 (www.busybox.net): set of command-line tools
Cafix: connect a Casio fx-9850 calculator
Calculator: simple scientific calculator
CBook - EBook Reader: text reader

Clock2x: on-screen analogue/digital clock, with alarm
colourd - LCD colour correction daemon: adjust screen colours
Counter: very simple tally-keeping program
CPU/LCD-Tweaker: adjust CPU clock, RAM and memory timing
Croquet Deadness Board: tool for (American?) croquet players
dhcp client daemon: for the DHCP network management protocol
Dicey: dice-rolling app; supports many-sided dice and Fudge
DOSBox: Interactive Messageboard: requires DOSBox; shows text messages
Edge Pad: joystick-controlled notepad
Enexfi: file manager and explorer

Enlightenment for Embedded: proof-of-concept (unfinished) E17 implementation
eReader: another e-reader
F-200 wireless with WPA connect script: use the DWL-G122 adapter; requires cradle
fbGrab: grabs framebuffer and dumps it to .png file
Fcalc: touchscreen calculator, for F200 only
Fcalc 0.2: updated version of above
fetchmail: command-line POP3/IMAP mail grabber
* fGrabber - Ein fGrab Frontent: frontend for fbGrab
FlashPlay: simple Flash player
Flashplayer2x: another Flash player; fork of Pocketflash

FX00 Batery Meter: check battery levels
G(P)=2X: function plotter
GirEllO Reboot: software-reboot your GP2X
gmenu2x - MAME und NeoGeo Alias Files: gmenu2x alias files for, er, MAME and NeoGeo
GNU Netcat for gp2x: networking utility
GP2X Energy Saver 1.0: minimises power consumption when GP2X not being used
GP2X GPE: port of the GPE Palmtop Environment
GP2X Package Manager: install files as .deb packages
GP2X Samba Client: a Samba client. For the GP2X
GP2X Sierpinski Carpet: draws a Sierpinski Carpet pattern

GP2X Sleep: power-saving utility
gp2x Stereo Fix: fixes the "mono sound" problem with early firmware
gp2x stereo patch autostart: autostart file for the above
GP2X Text File Viewer - gp2x VTex v0.2: text viewer with wordwrap
gp2x USB Host Driver: attach a powered USB hub to the Ext port
GP2X USB Serial: redirect serial output to USB cable
GP2X-Write: text editor with Danzeff-style on-screen keyboard
GP2X11: port of the KDrive Tiny X Server.

* Note the slightly incorrect spelling of fbGrab

GP2X OHH program list 2 - Applications: Launchers

On to part two of the list. This installment isn't the most exciting, admittedly, especially as a large number of these programs (including GMenu2x!) fail to run properly, or at all, on my F100 with 4.1.0 firmware. Still, they may be useful to some. Next time around will be considerably more interesting, I promise!

OHH GP2X archive - Applications - Launchers
Click the link above to go to the contents page for this section on openhandhelds.org, which gives rather more details for each file, and a screenshot for many. This list is intended more as a quick reference, for those who just want to scan what's available. Note that I haven't generally commented on a program's quality or completeness.

Filer2x: simple file manager/launcher
GMenu2x: full-featured alternative frontend with direct program link creation
* Gmenu2xLinks: auto-generate links for GMenu2x sections
GP2XMB: frontend designed to look like Sony's Cross Media Bar for PSP etc
Mocca: alternative graphical shell
QuickStart: autoruns a specified program on startup if a button is held down
Selector: frontend for handling multiple command-line parameters for apps
Stilish Menu: animated menu featuring all programs on an SD card
Sycophant (formerly GP2Xcc): comprehensive graphical app launcher
Unify: simple file manager

WanX: alternative graphical frontend
zLauncher 0.4.1: skinnable launcher; supports CPU speed setting

* OHH download file is misnamed as .rar; it's actually .zip -- rename before extracting

GP2X OHH program list 1 - Applications: Audio and Video

Yes, I've found something to do with this blog! All right, it's not very thrilling, but it is at least relevant to the GP2X.

OHH GP2X archive - Applications: Audio and Video
Click the link above to go to the contents page for this section on openhandhelds.org, which gives rather more details for each file, and a screenshot for many. This list is intended more as a quick reference, for those who just want to scan what's available. Note that I haven't generally commented on a program's quality or completeness.

AYLet.gp2x: plays ZX Spectrum .ay files
BSPlay: port of Soundmon Player for the Amiga
CAM2X: webcam/camera program, with drivers
conv_subs: script to convert subtitles from CP1250 to UTF-8
CraigAmp: music player supporting playlists, shuffle, album artwork etc
DicViewer: text file viewer with integrated MP3 support
Drumbox: 10-channel drum machine
ExDrum Machine: simple synth drum
FFPlay: experimental RM/WMV video player
FLite: speech synth for text files

GMU music player: music player with playlist and lyrics support
GP2X Tracker: basic drum tracker
GP2X TV-Out Fixer 0.3b2: enable TV-Out in many programs without official support for it
GP2XInitSound: modify the GP2X's startup sound
gp2xPd - Puredata: jam with Pure Data patches using the joystick
gp808x drumkit for Drumbox 0.1a: Roland TR-808 drumkit for Drumbox
libmedia + some codecs: adds MP2X codecs to libmedia; needs firmware 4.1.x
* Linball: unfinished pinball game
LittleGPTracker: sample-based tracker; interface based on littlesounddj for the Game Boy
madplaygp2x: command-line MP3 player

metro2x: simple metronome; requires pygame
Milkytracker: music creation tool based on Fast Tracker 2 for DOS
mov2gp: Perl script to resize movie files
MP2X: mplayer-based movie player, adding AAC/AC3 support and zoom for widescreen movies
MP2X modifications for Open2X: extra files for compiling on the Open2X firmware toolchain
MP2X skin : tech skin: alternative skin for MP2X movie player
MPlayer (Port from the PC Version): movie player with MPEG support
OldPlay: player for 150+ old music formats inc S3M, NSF, VGM etc, plus MID/MP3/FLAC
One More Music Player Client (ommpc2x): client for Music Player Daemon (included)
PBSynth: virtual analogue synthesiser

Pikix - VJ Software: basic VJing software
Sidplay2x: plays Commodore 64 music files
Soundbox: assign sound effects to the GP2X's buttons
ST-Sound GP2X: YM/SC68/SNDH music player for Atari ST files
stepSeq2x: 16-step sample sequencer
wmvplayer for GP2X(sample version): very basic WMA/WMV player

* Yes, Linball is included in this section on OHH. Don't ask me why!

New GP2X content :P

It's really nice to see that the software drought we suffered a couple of months ago has been broken. In July alone there were five new titles uploaded to OHH, which is the most in a single month since... er... March. Okay, not that long, but still. And yes, five: I'm not counting the skin for SnesGp2x as a piece of software. I really hope the full version of the Pure demo arrives soon, since at the moment I can't use it as it's not only TV-out-only but NTSC-only too; no use at all here in the UK!

The recent past -- stats and thoughts

On the left of the OHH page you can see a list of the most recent 50 files uploaded. At the time of writing the latest was the PocketSNES update (to v7.2.0) from 16 April -- which, incidentally, makes a substantial difference to speed on my GP2X, although it does always crash on exit, requiring a reboot. The 50th most recent was the FX00 Battery Meter from 30 June last year -- so the software drought since mid-April means that we're almost up to the year mark.

Let's break those figures down a bit. For each complete month in that time (ie July 2010 to March 2011 inclusive) the number of uploads is as follows: 4, 7, 4, 11, 2, 6, 4, 6. I'm not sure you can really infer too much from that sequence, other than that there's never been huge activity during the period. So, how about comparing with the other consoles covered by OHH? The last 50 uploads have taken the following time:

GP32: 1,115 days
GP2X: 347 days
Wiz: 237 days
Caanoo: 90 days
Zodiac: 226 days
Dingoo: 209 days
Pandora: 76 days

Let's be honest, it's not going to surprise any of us that GP2X development has slowed a great deal recently. It's just rather brought home seeing it in stark numerical terms like that. I'm sure there will be more GP2X releases, but there probably won't be very many of them: it'll only be the real enthusiasts who stay interested in the system with so much else available now. So, for the most part we'll have to make do with what we have, and accept that an awful lot of the niggles and bugs that have been advertised as "will be fixed in next release!" won't in fact ever be. That's a major part of the reason I have a "Completeness" score in my game reviews.

Talking of which... thanks for wading through these turgid ramblings. By way of reward, I promise that the next post here will indeed be a game review! I haven't decided what it will be yet, but I have a few candidates in mind. (Incidentally, I will consider requests to review specific games.)

PS: I don't know who you are, but hello to the person who came here via the Wall Street Journal! As it's behind a paywall, I can't see the article you arrived from, but it certainly adds a bit of tone to this place. *grins*