Do you keep checking your start menu, looking for Find? Unlike Windows 98 and 2000, Windows CE does not include Find on the start menu. Some Handheld PC vendors have bundled BSQUARE's bFind with their devices to solve this problem. If your Handheld PC does not include bFind you will have to surf over to BSQUARE's web site and buy a copy of their bUseful Utilities Pack, which includes bFind. Or do you?
If you own a Handheld PC Professional, you don't have to! A version of Find is actually included with your device, but it is buried in a place you would not expect. You will find it in Inbox. Start Inbox and select File, Find Message. The dialog box shown below will appear.
Type in a word or phrase to search for and then expand the Type drop-down list. You will notice that the options include, All Outlook data, Appointments (All), Appointments (recurring only), Contacts, Mail Messages, Tasks (All), and Tasks (recurring only). When I select All Outlook Data for the type in the dialog above, Windows CE searches through all of the Outlook data and returns the results as shown here:
This version of Find is deficient in one area: it does not search for files on the device. Find will not set any speed records, but it does work and can prevent you from shelling out a few bucks. It is only available on the Handheld PC Professional. Why Microsoft did not choose to add this to other Pocket Outlook applications, or the start menu is beyond me.