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Passwords Plus
May 5, 2004
Passwords Plus is actually two applications in one, with desktop and handheld components. One of the nicest things is that you can almost forget which one you’re using at any given time, because they are very similar to each other in design and layout, and they sync flawlessly. It might be easier to start with the desktop application for data entry, and then use the handheld for quick reference. On the desktop, you’ll see a toolbar at the top of the window and a listing below of your passwords. On the right, the detail window lets you see everything at once.
Passwords, email accounts, credit card numbers, and web logins are all organized using categories and templates. That allows you to quickly narrow down the list for work-related items, personal information, and the like. Templates are used during data entry and are really nice because they help to prompt you for the specifics during each entry. Putting in a web address? Passwords Plus will ask you for your username and password, POP3 server, Exchange and SMTP servers, etc. You can change individual field labels if necessary (you have ten) and there’s also a note field if you need to enter additional information. Nice touches include the ability to quickly duplicate an entry and hyperlinked email addresses and URLs for one-click access on the desktop.
On the handheld, you’ll see a listing of your passwords, but no detail pane due to the limited screen size. In order to get the details, you simply tap on the item you’re interested in. There’s also a Lookup field at the bottom of the screen so that you can quickly find the record you need, and a “New” button at the bottom allows you to quickly make a new entry. You can change categories by using the drop-down listing at the top right corner of the screen. The sync conduit worked flawlessly during my testing, no matter whether I changed existing entries or added new ones on either the handheld or the desktop.
Import support is very strong, with the ability to transfer information from a variety of password management programs such as Cloak, eWallet, Secret, SplashID, YAPS, and many others. You are able to export your records to CSV, which is a nice plus. Of course your personal information isn’t secure in that format, but it can be necessary sometimes to share it with others in your family. You can also print from the desktop, so that you can put a copy in a safe deposit box, for example. I didn’t have any problems at all with crashes or unexpected behavior, but that doesn’t mean that Passwords Plus is perfect. I was disappointed in the lack of high res support, which would be useful for seeing long lists of information at once while minimizing scrolling. The CSV export format was also rather cluttered, though I understand why it’s done the way it is— the individual field labels for each record are added, doubling the number of columns necessary in the spreadsheet. Comprehensive, but it can be overwhelming trying to find exactly what you need and create a coherent table out of it.
Passwords Plus does a good job of keeping personal information private, using 128-bit Blowfish encryption. Set a good password for the application, and you’ll be home free. Mac OS X and Windows versions are available, and you can also get a new Pocket PC version that was just released. You can get your own copy for $29.99 at the Dataviz web site.
PocketGoddess Rating for Dataviz Passwords Plus: 
