Memory management software for your smartphone

If you are really tight on memory, you can try some of the memory compression software solutions for Series 60 phones. The FExplorer tool discussed in "Explore the Filesystem" [Hack #20] can compress memory by moving fragmented storage units into a contiguous block. This operation typically increases available memory by 10%.

If the FExplorer memory compressor is still not good enough, Symbian software tools are available for compressing in-memory data and applications by up to 60% when they are not in use. These memory compression tools can expand the compressed files when they are needed. They essentially trade the persistent storage space for CPU processing cycles. Two popular data compression programs for Nokia Series 60 devices are:

ZipMan
ZipMan is a zip archive utility for Series 60 devices. You can build compressed archives of images, video clips, and other files from the Gallery. When you need to use those files later, ZipMan extracts them for you. You can download and purchase ZipMan from http://www.wildpalm.co.uk/ZipMan7650.html.

Space Doubler
Space Doubler compresses Symbian applications. It runs in the background to expand the compressed application on the fly whenever you try to execute the application. From the user's point of view, the compressed application behaves exactly the same way as the regular applications, except that the startup time is slower due to the extra expansion process. You can download and purchase Space Doubler from the following web site: http://www.psiloc.com/index.html?id=154.

In general, I do not recommend using these two solutions on a regular basis, unless you are desperate for space, since they slow down the device noticeably.