My Review of SMS Commander

Though branded as a smartphone, none of the built-in features and very few third-party applications actually make the Treo a specially better or smarter phone (as compared to a better PDA) than any other. One important exception to that is Suntzu Software's brilliant SMS Commander, which has been recently updated to version 1.08.

The idea behind this very small (around 166 KB) yet feature-rich application is a simple one: use SMS messages to remotely initiate processes on your device while you are away from it. Those include the standard set of theft safeguards such as remote device lock, remote password-change and remote hard-reset partially offered by some other applications available on the market, but also a robust set of unique features which gives you almost total remote control of your device.

Let's say you have forgotten your phone at home (or left it there on purpose while on a trip or for any other similar reason). SMS commander lets you, via a simple remote SMS (which you can send from any other phone or even from the web if your service provider allows it), search your address book for contact details, view all missed, incoming and outgoing calls, enable call and SMS forwarding, and even initiate a phone call or send an SMS from your Treo though you might be hundred of miles away from it. This (subject, of course, to legal restrictions which might be applicable in your jurisdiction) can prove to be quite handy not only to keep all relevant data at the same place for future use, but also to avoid the ever increasing threats on ones privacy (such as some third-party's use of your phone's location to track you down or follow your activities).

And if that is not enough you can also do quite a lot of remote maintenance to your Treo through features such as remote check of your battery level and signal strength and remote battery off, and even initiate any other Treo application remotely which you can use for example to record or filter incoming calls using the appropriate third party applications.

All in all – SMS commander a brilliant set of handy tools which I think every sophisticated Treo owner should have with her at all times.

Highly recommended.

Hugs, Maya