PopUp Calculator
Another popular application Benc created is PopUp Calculator. It works basically the same way as PopUp Names, allowing you to access a calculator without the need to leave the current application. PopUp Calculator, pictured in Figure D, has standard calculator functions, including trigonometric and exponential functions.

FIGURE D

PopUp Calculator has standard calculator functions.

You can even copy the result of the calculation to the underlying application, which is extremely cool. Three screen sizes are available, and the application can be moved on the screen to the best position. PopUp Calculator is another great time-saver.

Currency Calculator
Currency Calculator was Benc's first Palm OS application, having been first released in the beginning of 1997. It's also notable in that this was one of the first 100 applications ever developed for the Palm OS. Benc's Currency Calculator, pictured in Figure E, is a combination of a high precision calculator and a fully configurable currency, unit, time, and temperature converter.

FIGURE E

Currency Calculator combines a high precision calculator with a fully configurable currency, unit, time, and temperature converter.

The calculator features trigonometric and exponential functions, as well as functions for performing time and date calculations.

Currency Calculator was also the first converter ever released that was fully compatible with the euro. Benc achieved this with the help of a consultant who was a European Union officer working on the implementation of the euro at the time.

TinyStocks (at http://www.tinystocks.com) has developed a HotSync conduit for Currency Calculator that will be available soon. With that conduit, the Currency Calculator database can be updated directly from the Internet during the HotSync process, so you'll always be up to date on the current exchange rate.

Benc was also excited to announce that Palmtop-Pro (at http://www.palmtop-pro.com) is taking Currency Calculator and PopUp Calculator to the North Pole on the Polarstern, an Arctic-bound research vessel. Scientists aboard the vessel will be using both calculators when putting together their reports. The Polarstern is pictured in Figure F.

FIGURE F

Scientists aboard the Polarstern will make use of Currency Calculator and PopUp Calculator. Click picture for a larger image.

The joy of Palm software development
Bozidar Benc has always liked small, programmable devices. His first programmable calculator was an HP 25C, pictured in Figure G, which he bought back in 1975.

FIGURE G

Benc's days programming small devices began with the HP 25C. Click picture for a larger image.

"There's much more challenge in doing something clever with low memory devices than with PCs," Benc says of his decision to begin programming smaller devices. I asked him if he had any advice for others who might be interested in taking up Palm software development. "Go ahead!" Benc said, "There is a lot of fun, and money if you have the right idea, in programming for the Palm OS."