New Version of Diddlebug Released

Posted By: Ryan Kairer Wednesday, July 16, 2008 5:02:59 PM

One of the best Palm OS freeware apps just recently received its first update in nearly four years. Work on the open source Diddlebug program has picked up after a long hiatus and the new developers have just released a new version. Diddlebug is essentially an e-post it note application. It allows you to scribble notes on your Palm device using the stylus (or finger) and set alarms and reminders for each note with ease. The new version features numerous bug-fixes, proper 5-way navigation support and compatibility with the latest Palm devices including the Treo 600/650/680 and Centro devices.

DiddleBug v.2.90.d.5 is free to use and is open sourced under the GNU General Public License.

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Absolutely, positively LOVE it!

LiveFaith @ 7/17/2008 2:45:11 AM #

Since my Palm IIIe S/E in 1998, Diddlebug has been on board. Ladies and gents, this is one of the classics of Palm OS. When I think of switching to a Blackberry or iPhone, Diddlebug is one of the first things I think about living without. Aint gonna do it!

Easy notes - awesome
Quick note alarms - excellent
Fast, stable, & small footprint - The "zen" of a company I once knew
Free - Priceless

One thing you should try is making Diddlebug movies! I have made 10-15 funny scrolling movies like the ones you made as kids when flipping book pages. My kids were engrossed with my T3 a few years back and nearly consumed a 12 hour drive on vacation.

... now time to go DL the upgrade! Thanks to everyone who worked on this.

Pat Horne

RE: Absolutely, positively LOVE it!

joad @ 7/21/2008 5:47:16 PM #

Yes, brings back good memories of the early days (gray on gray-green). Love the new color ability, and it seems just as stable as before.

Maybe some talented person can improve the GUI just a bit, but glad to see it installed back on my Palm again...

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**Another vote for a >100MB RAM Treo**

Still exists?

cstamper @ 7/17/2008 8:49:07 AM #

Wow, I haven't seen this thing for years. Years ago, it worked nicely on my old m515.

Maybe I'll try it again. Never know, they may have actually *added color*!Or even Hi-res!

Seriously, this is a nice app. But its way old, and doesn't look like they fixed that yet.

http://tinyurl.com/2ooncg

RE: Still exists?

LiveFaith @ 7/17/2008 11:01:08 AM #

Looks old. Worx great. Super productive.

Now, what would be nice is to see this app use 256 grayscales on hi-rez to smooth the graphics out, making handwriting near perfect. Also allowing gray scale fills and color choices would be amazing.

Pat Horne

RE: Still exists?

MikeT5 @ 7/17/2008 12:11:45 PM #

I just installed DiddleBug 2.90.d.5, the latest version, onto my new Centro. If you call-up the menu on the program, click on "Options," and then click on "Ext. Preferences," it will bring-up a a dialog screen. At the bottom of the screen, you can select background and text colors. The latest version of DiddleBug supports high resolution and various digital ink effects. BTW: Absolutely love the new Centro.

RE: Still exists?

LiveFaith @ 7/17/2008 1:27:48 PM #

No. What I'm talking or about is being able to have a white BG (other) and allowing for different colored lines and shapes on the same frame. Sorry for the confusion.

Pat Horne

RE: Still exists?

nastebu @ 7/17/2008 11:26:05 PM #

brutally outdated compared to the iPhone equivalent. Of course, you have to pay $6.

http://sketchesapp.com/

http://www.lintlabs.com/no2.html

RE: Still exists?

LiveFaith @ 7/18/2008 3:53:41 PM #

Tho no fault of the software, team ... what are you supposed to scribble with? A handy push pin or pencil laying around your stylusless iPhone?

Pat Horne

RE: Still exists?

nastebu @ 7/19/2008 10:50:02 AM #

Apparently your finger. I guess it works better because of the zooming feature on the iPhone, you zoom in for details. From the blurb:

Would you like to jot down notes on your iPhone's gorgeous touch screen? Are you missing a way to sketch a simple diagram as a quick reminder? Will your children like to draw on your iPhone, maybe on top of a picture you shoot with the camera? Sketches is a native iPhone application that will allow you to do all that.
Jot down your notes, scribble your thoughts and annotate your pictures using only your fingers and your imagination! Illustrate your ideas with simple but colorful diagrams, notes and sketches.
Place shapes using multitouch gestures, zoom in for those accurate little details, save your creations in your personal corkboard or send them to others. Use Sketches for business, creativity or simply share it as a pastime with your friends.

Which files to load?

palmit @ 7/17/2008 12:00:55 PM #

It been awhile since I last used this application.

After unzipping download would I just need to install "DiddleBug-english.prc" on my Centro?

RE: Which files to load?

MikeT5 @ 7/17/2008 12:22:56 PM #

Correct-provided your pricipal language is English. The other .prc files are for foreign languages as indicated. The "dbscHack" prc and "DiddleSnap" prc files are for the DiddleSnap screen capture utility, which also requires the "X-Master" or other hack-manager to run. The latter do not need to be added to your palm install utility to activate DiddleBug.

RE: Which files to load?

palmit @ 7/17/2008 1:25:19 PM #

Yeah I loaded the english version. I wasn't to sure about the "syszlib*.prc" files.

thanks

RE: Which files to load?

palmit @ 7/17/2008 4:12:13 PM #

Its funny I was looking for an app like this about a week ago and ended up loading NotePad app from my TX on my Centro. The only problem with that was the alarm didnt work when I disabled system alerts. So now I deleted notepad and will start using Diddlebug.

RE: Which files to load?

PacManFoo @ 7/17/2008 4:27:28 PM #

The Centro doesn't come with Notepad?

Wow, leave it to Palm to take away features.

Don't they still take notes in middle school?

The last known classic PDA user.
I've recently upgraded from a Palm TX to a Newton MP2000!

RE: Which files to load?

hkklife @ 7/17/2008 4:35:22 PM #

Palm jettisoned Notepad, I believe, in the TX to 700p transition from '05 to '06. So it hasn't been on any POS device (Treo/Centros) in several years now. I'm glad to see Diddlebug back and hope the new developers can hang in there with it for the long haul. But with the ever-shrinking screens on Palm's devices, it probably makes more sense nowadays to invest in a pen/stylus combo & just stick a few post-it notes onto the back of your device. This kind of app is just SCREAMING for 320x480+ screen size & resolution.

Pilot 1000->Pilot 5000->PalmPilot Pro->IIIe->Vx->m505->T|T->T|T2->T|C->T|T3->T|T5->Zodiac 2->TX->Verizon Treo 700P->Verizon Treo 755p

RE: Which files to load?

Navamske @ 7/17/2008 5:26:00 PM #

How did you get Notepad from your TX to your Centro? I wanted to do exactly the same thing with the same hardware, but Notepad was one of the applications that had an icon of a lock next to their names and so I couldn't beam it.

RE: Which files to load?

LiveFaith @ 7/17/2008 5:55:36 PM #

Notepad handles 320x480, but it's not near as quick and easy to use as Diddlebug or BugMe. Strange to me why Palm does not just contract for relative pennies to get these apps from the devs. Maybe have them "Palmized" and even trim back some of the near useless features.

I feel bad for all the newbs that buy a Palm and never realize they can get killer apps like this for free.

Pat Horne

RE: Which files to load?

palmit @ 7/17/2008 5:59:48 PM #

I used FileZ to disable copy protected and then beamed it to my Centro.

RE: Which files to load?

joad @ 7/19/2008 6:39:22 PM #

Ok palmit, you have violated Palm's software copyright and as soon as they get their security squad done with the case of the missing OS6 they're heading to pick you up. Remember - Waterboarding is not just for breakfast anymore.

Let this be a warning and deterrent to anyone else thinking of trying to upgrade your Palm devices to 2001-level technology, especially by using anything Palm used to be competent at. The future of Palm is Windows Mobile - you WILL be assimilated.

PalmOS is only to be used on the Fisher-Price Centro line, then they can write it off as "not selling" because they are not selling it.

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**Another vote for a >100MB RAM Treo**

Liked Diddlebug way back when

rokiteer @ 7/17/2008 1:35:26 PM #

It's great to see renewed development on this classic app, and best wishes to the programmers!

RE: Liked Diddlebug way back when

joad @ 7/19/2008 6:39:50 PM #

This always seemed much more stable than BugMe!, and it's free!

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**Another vote for a >100MB RAM Treo**

v. 2.90.d.5???

Scud @ 7/17/2008 6:48:46 PM #

I've got DiddleBug version 2.90.d.5 by Peter Putzer on my 650 since December 2007. The app. itself is dated Nov 29, 2007.

RE: v. 2.90.d.5???

PacManFoo @ 7/23/2008 8:29:28 AM #

Finally got around to trying this again on the TX. Still no 320X480 support in V 2.90.d.5. Still looks like the same old diddlebug to me. Bug Me! is much better anyway with the ability to save as a .bmp file.

The last known classic PDA user.
I've recently upgraded from a Palm TX to a Newton MP2000!

no need for this app

Gekko @ 7/17/2008 11:39:35 PM #

it's faster just to type in the note with the centro/treo keyboard rather than to pull out stylus, tap, scribble, replace stylus with this klunky etch-a-sketch.

RE: no need for this app

MikeT5 @ 7/18/2008 7:03:39 AM #

In the past, I have found there were times when a quick freehand drawing would come in handy for diagramming directions to a location without calling-up Google maps or GPS, which obviously can do this better, but the latter won't let you play a game of tic-tac-toe, etc., with friends at the pub, or quickly jot down and save an idea without texting and correcting. DiddleBug provides a text editor that can be used with available, small-footprint plug-ins, to export text as tasks, calendar appointments, contacts, and the like, in native palm and third party apps such as DateBook. It always supplies you with "paper" and "pen" when either or both may be unavailable. This app is a gem.