Meebo Auto-Away is a simple program that detects your computer’s idle status and sets your Meebo status to away after a defined amount of idle time.

Background

Over the years, I have used a number of instant messaging aggregators, but my favorite so far has been Meebo, a free, web-based tool that can handle the usual suspects, like AIM and MSN, but also ICQ and Facebook. In addition, because it is web based, I can log on from any computer and access my organized friend list and view the history of my messages.

My major complaint with Meebo has always been that it does not set users to away when the computer has been idle, a feature that is present on most modern instant messaging applications. The reason is that a web application cannot access the operating system to determine how long the computer has been idle. I had hoped that the Meebo notifier, a desktop application, would handle this functionality, but, alas, it does not.

After having several people continue to message me even though I had been away from my computer for hours, I decided that I needed to do something to solve this problem. Meebo has no public API, so I couldn’t simply write a program that checked the computer’s idle status and set a user to away through a backdoor channel.

Instead, I went through the front door, embedding a browser into a .Net application that I’ve christened Meebo Auto-Away. Essentially, a user logs into Meebo through the embedded browser, but Meebo Auto-Away can determin a user’s idle time and set the user to away the same way that a web browser does.

Using Meebo Auto-Away

To use the program, simply download the executable and run it (you will need a Windows computer with .Net installed). After the application starts, you can enter the number of seconds you would like the program to wait before setting you away and the away message you would like displayed. You can then log into Meebo through the embedded web browser. You could actually use Meebo Auto-Away for all of your instant messaging, though I would recommend minimizing it to the system tray and using Meebo in a full browser (Meebo handles multiple sessions very well).

You can save your current idle time and away message values as the default in the file menu. Meebo Auto-Away connects through https, so your session is secure. I do not collect any data from the Meebo Auto-Away application or install any other applications. This is a personal program that I created for my own use, and I am sharing so that others frustrated Meebo users can also enjoy setting their status to away on idle.

If you have any questions or find any bugs, feel free to post them in the comments.

Download

Note that this application is freeware. I am not an employee of Meebo or associated with them in any way, save that I use and appreciate their application. By downloading, you agree that you are using Meebo Auto-Away at your own risk. I am not responsible for any issues that result from using Meebo Auto-Away.

Download MeeboAutoAway_v1.0

Screenshot

The Fuze is certainly not a phone for those who want top functionality out of the box. That is what the iPhone, T-Mobile G1,  or Samsung’s Touch-Wiz devices are for.  But for people who don’t mind tweaking their phones, the Fuze offers more capabilities and customization options than just about anything on the market.

There are several things that can be done to make the Fuze faster and more capable.  The best resource available is the site xda-developers.com.  There, one can find a wide assortments of custom programs and tweaks.  The ambitious can download entire custom Windows Mobile operating systems called ROMs, though doing so can void the Fuze’s warranty.  For those who don’t wish to go the custom ROM route, there are quite a few useful tweaks and programs for the stock AT&T ROM.

All of the programs in this post are freeware to the best of my knowledge and can be downloaded in this zip file.

Setup

The first tweak involves initial setup.  When you power the Fuze on for the first time, it installs a lot of custom AT&T programs.  Some of it is useful, but much if it is unnecessary bloat.  However, if you reset your phone after setup and right before the AT&T installers start, then reset one more time before the installer runs again, you will have a mostly bloat-free phone, and can just install important programs, such as TouchFlo and Opera, from the Windows folder.  Instructions for this whole process can be found here – just remember that you will need to reset twice (the XDA post doesn’t mention this until later) .

If you mess up, you can always hard reset and try again.  To hard reset, do the following:

• With the device turned on, press and hold the VOLUME DOWN and ENTER (round) buttons, then press the RESET button (bottom of the Fuze) with the stylus tip.
• Release the RESET button, but continue pressing the VOLUME DOWN and ENTER buttons until you see a message on the screen.
• Follow the instructions in the message to finish the hard reset.  This will clear all data from your Fuze (but not your memory card) and restore it to its factory default condition.

Registry Tweaks

Quick note: Duing this process, you may mess up something that causes problems for your phone.  I highly recommend using the built in Sprite Backup tool on your Fuze to create regular backups on your memory card so you can restore if you make a mistake.

Once you clear the bloat, there are a number of optimizations you can do to your Windows Mobile Registry.  To do this, you will need the following:

• A good registry editor; I recommend PHM Registry Editor.
• For those who are nervous editing their registry or want a simplier way, there are two tools that allow you to make quite a few useful registry changes through a clean, GUI interface.  Advanced Config Tool is the most useful, but Diamond Tweak also has some useful options.
• For a list of useful registry tweaks, check out this XDA thread.
• Useful GPS tweaks can be found here.
• Finally, this blog post has information about downloading a cab that will optimize your graphics with a new driver.  There is also a link in the post to download Diamond VR Hologram to test your graphics performance.

Useful Applications

So you’ve cleaned the bloat from your phone, now it’s time to add some useful programs.  There are a lot of useful programs for Windows Mobile phones, but unfortunately, there is no official Windows Mobile App Store (yet), and it can be hard to find useful applications on sites like Handango.  Luckily, all these programs are free, and I’ve attached a zip file containing all of them.  Note that some of these programs may have newer versions available than what is in the zip.

• Touch Lock Pro.  A wonderful program that will really lock your Fuze’s screen when you turn it off and will turn it on after you tap the buttons or remove the stylus.  Solved my most frusterating Fuze problem – having the battery drain in my pocket because the screen turned on.
• FM Radio.  Comes bundled with the unbranded Touch Pro, but AT&T removed it from the Fuze.  Now you can add it back and listen to the radio on your phone.  Requires headphones to pick up signals.
• MP3Trimmer.  Another program that originally came with the Touch Pro.  It lets you take an MP3 on your phone and turn it into a ringtone.
• Weather Database Editor.  Add more cities to the list for the TouchFlow weather tab.  Instructions are in the link, though you will have to read through a bunch of posts.
• Google Maps.  Probably the most useful program that is not pre-installed, and a great asset when combined with the GPS tweaks listed above.  The Windows Mobile version has support for both Streetview and Latitude.
• Fring.  The best free Instant Messaging application I have found, though I have had occasional connection issues and the GUI could use some tweaking.  For those willing to pay, check out Agile Messenger.
• Dashwire.  Back up your photos, contacts, and other information over the air, for free.  Requires signing up for an account first through the link.
• GPS Test.  A simple program that shows what satellites your GPS has a lock on.  Useful for getting a lock before starting Google Maps.
• Keepass Password Safe.  A small program that allows you to store all of your usernames and passwords in a highly encrypted database and access them with one master password.  Also works on desktop PCs.
• ceTwit.  There are several Twitter applications available for Windows Mobile, and this one is basic but works for me.
• Lightsaber.  Basic program, lets you swing your phone like a fool and hear lightsaber noises.  Great for parties.
• QuickMark.  A program for reading QR codes, which are still gaining popularity in the U.S.
• Skyfire.  An alternative to the Opera browser that caches your websites on a remote server.  Less finger friendly than Opera, but supports Flash to a limited degree and works well over EDGE connections.
• TCPMP.  An alternative movie/music player.  Now discontinued, but still works well. For those who are willing to pay, development continues on the commercial version.
• Skype.  Fring allows VOIP calls, but many people already have Skype accounts.
• Illium ScreenCapture.  In case you need screenshots from your phone.  This program has a nice timer feature.
• Total Commander.  GUI feels a little dated, but it offers a file manager with many more options than the Windows Mobile default manager.

For those who want to be able to record calls (check the legality first), you will need the following two programs, which can be found here or in the zip file above.  I would definitely create a backup with Sprite Backup before installing these.

• XDA Diamond Dialer – the dialer from the HTC Touch HD.  I’m not sold on it, but it works all right and is necessary for recording.
• In Call Recording – adds a record option to the calling menu.

This list is certainly not exhaustive, but should provide you with some useful programs to get started with your Fuze. Again, the zip file containing these programs is available here.  Also, if you are looking for a very minimalist leather case without flaps and belt clips and other bulky things, try this one.  Note that I have this case, but I did not purchase from that seller, so I cannot vouch for them (though they have good reviews).