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Epoc Digest Wed, 25 Sep 2002 Volume 01 : Number 082
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Sent to: 609 subscribers
In today's Epoc Digest 12 messages:
==============================
- Re: NETPAD RUNNING WINCE (4 Peter)
- Re: Jornada HPC 720.... (4 Mick)
- Re: Isopropyl Alcohol (4 Emilio)
- Re: IBM Microdrives: older verses newer
- Re: HSCSD v. GPRS (4 Rolf)
- TomeRaider is half-price :)
- RE: why so many Psions?
- Re: Reading the whole tree on a CF (4 Simon)
- Re: PDF printer
- Re: Psion and WinCE (4 Caspar)
- Re: Nokia's third Symbian OS model
- 5mx: grabbing screenshots / Deserting
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Date: 23/09/2002 9:00:56 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: NETPAD RUNNING WINCE (4 Peter)
"it makes good business sense for Psion to offer a WINCE alternative because of the predominance of CE machines in the the US vertical market."
Agreed. It makes *perfect* sense - especially for a ruggedized tablet such as the netPad.
"It's good news for us as EPOC users because it means that the potential market for the netpad will be much larger, which means more potential sales, which means more viability for Psion, which means more chance that we will have EPOC machines into the future."
Not sure I'm following you here, Peter. I can't see how a single successful (in terms of sales) Psion WINCE machine or even an entire line of successful Psion WINCE machines would instill in Psion's board the desire to re-enter the market with new EPOC machines. If Psion's *WINCE* machines sell well it seems to me that Psion would be that much more likely to build more *WINCE* machines and it seems to me it would then become *much less likely* for Psion to build any new EPOC machines. Perhaps I'm missing something?
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David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:00:59 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: Jornada HPC 720.... (4 Mick)
">Thanks for telling us of the mechanical
> longevity/durability of your 680's keyboard - it's good to know.
Yup, it's excellent, I'd be very surprised if you had any problems with it."
I'd be surprised too since I won't be anywhere near Jornada Land for years :) - that's after both my 5mx's are unfixable or my eyesight has gotten to the point that I absolutely *need* a higher contrast display. By that time HP's line of HPCs will have substantially changed, or Psion will have brought back its own line of Palmtops (one can only hope!).
"> BTW, how old was your 5mx when you suffered its first cable
> break?
5mx - 19 months
Replacement still OK, but I've hardly used it."
> How many times a day would you estimate that you had
> opened it on average?
Oh, >30? Hard to say really - constant usage TBH."
Hmmm. This makes me *hopeful* that the cable on my 5mx will last quite a few years. I typically keep my Psion open, sitting in its PalmTec case, and just tote it around that way. The only time I close it is just before I head out the door. I average then about 2 closings and 2 openings a day or LESS - I've not had to close or reopen it even once today. Should last a while then!
"> How many apps
> can you have running at once without the HP slowing down or
> becoming unstable?
Depends on the apps, but I generally have 5 or 6 on the go with no problem."
So this would be a 720 then - that's pretty good :)
"The biggest problem is usually poorly programmed applications causing hanging. Palmtop were particularly bad for this, their CE ports of Psion applications being quite appalling at the start. Coded applications cause little or no problem at all, just as with Psion apps I guess."
Reminds me of ports of Windows games to the Mac - I soon learned that they weren't worth the irritation.
Anyway, thanks for all the feedback and enjoy your HP! I think we'd better stop chatting about Jornada's though - I'm afraid we might be greatly annoying some of our fellow Psioneers!
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David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:01:04 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: Isopropyl Alcohol (4 Emilio)
Emilio wrote:
"The product sold for refilling car windshilds is diluted Isopropyl Alcohol. It can be used "as is" to clean the Psion screen.
So, in a single purchase you can get the classical "2 pigeons for a single bean"
Thanks for the tip Emilio. I think I'll stick with Kensington's "Screen Guardian" (Water, 2-Butoxyethanol and Ethanol), but those already using IA on their Psion's screen might be able to save themselves a trip to the pharmacy :)
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David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:01:08 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: IBM Microdrives: older verses newer
Kevin Thorne wrote:
"I've just taken the plunge and got a nice BIG 1Gb IBM Microdrive for my S7."
and
"Improved non-operating shock rating by 50 percent (from 1,000 G to 1,500 G). This is a measure of how rugged the drive is when turned off or not in use >"
Hi Kevin,
What is the Microdrive's shock rating when it is reading or writing data? Inquiring minds want to know!
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David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:01:13 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: HSCSD v. GPRS (4 Rolf)
Rolf B. wrote:
"What I started was a small Data file with information on using Psions in combination with mobile phones. This database has grown a bit and currently contains 3,663 records. I also have a range of documents published by the mobile phone manufacturers and other sources. Needless to say that I'm a subscriber to the news services of a number of mobile phone manufacturers plus some independent news services. Interesting news items and press releases are stored in a separate Data file. A third Data file contains mobile phone related messages from Psioneers as published on Usenet and ... the EPOC Digest."
I guess we all know who to contact for advice on EPOC mobile communications then! :)
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:01:53 am
From: David Lir
Subject: TomeRaider is half-price :)
I may have mentioned this before, but just in case I didn't (and if I did I apologise for bringing it up again):
i see that Revoworld.com still has their half-price TomeRaider offer up. I took advantage of the offer a couple of weeks ago, picked up TR for £7.50, and am quite pleased. Just thought I should point it out in case anyone else wishes to take advantage of the special offer.
Here's a cut and paste of the info from Revoworld.com:
"Tomeraider half price through Revoworld.com! If you want to take advantage of a 50% reduction in the price of Proporta's Tomeraider software, visit the Proporta web site now and enter BFTRMI as the promotion code in the checkout page and you can buy Tomeraider for 50% off!"
P.S. I know most of the old hats must have purchased TR by now, but I figured there might be a few newbies still floating around out there :)
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:01:56 am
From: David Lir
Subject: RE: why so many Psions?
Tim wrote:
"The reasons I have/had so many psions was my family. Providing 4 people with Psions was an interesting exercise."
I bet!
"my oldest daughter thought a 5mx was too large and was in the process of switching to a Revo when she gave up & went back to a Palm as the ideal size."
My daughter will soon be inheriting an old Palm and PPK with WordSmith etc. It's a good setup for trips to the library :)
"a person can sort of rationalize their way to more than one each."
As always! kind of like Imelda Marcos (sp?) and her shoes ;)
"some of my fellow engineers acquired Makos from me and not incidentally think that they are really neat."
Too bad Psion could never get their marketing act together, eh?
"no, I don't use a hard case on the Psion 5MX. The problem is that I often thumb-type while standing. Due to the sliding keyboard, the 5MX can flip out of the hand - a problem that I have never had with units that have a fixed/firm keyboard."
I see what you mean. I've been avoiding thumb-typing while standing since I got my 5mx. Glad to hear I wasn't simply being paranoid!
"The reason that I have so many different OSs is that besides my personal interest, as a sidelight (!) at work, I support any handheld that walks thru the door at my company, with obvious limitations and so I feel a good rationalization to try and HHC operating system. ;o"
Hey, your entitled to have a little fun once in a while! Just don't tell your boss! He may not agree ;)
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:02:00 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: Reading the whole tree on a CF (4 Simon)
"I can confirm that it is only when presenting a dialog box for opening or saving the file that it reads the whole directory tree. This does not happen when saving a file directly"
and
"For instance if you use 'Save as' or 'Open file' or 'New file' from within the application, a dialog box is presented, which allows you to step through the whole hierarchy to select the required folder. On my 5mx with a nearly full 128Mb SanDisk CF which was formatted in the 5mx, it takes 10 seconds to show the dialog box, then if I press the 'Tab' key, it takes a further 30 seconds before the fully expanded hierarchy is shown. But it saves files in usually less than a second."
Yup. Opening files from the disk is all too slow, and I'm afraid if I go to a larger 256mb or 512mb standard card (I've also filled my 128mb card!) that things will slow down even further. I am hoping that the higher speed of the Ultra will at least offset some, most, or all of an increase in card size. Too bad ER5 couldn't be patched so that it didn't read the entire directory tree!
"What I'd really like to know (but probably can't find out) is, would it take longer with the same files on a bigger CF (& by how much) & how much quicker would an 'Ultra' CF of the same capacity be & whether (& how much) the delay is dependant on fragmentation, cluster size, make of CF, etc, etc."
Me too! Especially whether the higher speed of the Ultra will indeed translate to higher data access on a 5mx.
"BTW, in theory, you should be able to reduce the delay by choosing NOT to show the 'System' folder, in the System screen preferences. However in practise, I find it makes hardly any difference."
Yup. I've often heard this suggested - but as you say it makes very little difference - to say the least! :(
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:02:18 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: PDF printer
Kevin wrote:
"IMHO, nConvert is THE killer app for EPOC as it offers file sharing with the BIG Microsoft corporation."
nConvert doesn't really give people a reason to buy a Psion - just one less reason not to :) As such I don't view nC as a killer app. A killer app, to me, is any application that makes lots of people want to buy into an OS.
"There is nothing wrong with any computer having a stand alone O/S but it MUST be able to share/convert files with Microsoft apps in this connected world we live in."
Unfortunately this is all too true. So far the only attachments I've gotten on my 5mx are MS Word files - documents which were so simplistic they could easily have been sent out as RTF files or even as text. The senders however *assumed* I had MS Word loaded. I do have Word XP (on my laptop) and like it quite a bit - though it did take some getting used to after WordPerfect 8 and 9. But it is interesting how everyone (colloquially speaking) seems to just expect everyone else to have the apps and hardware necessary to read MS file formats - they don't even ask first! MS's dominance stretches far beyond the corporate world, I'm afraid.
"Psion should have built it into the ROM as a standard app, I'm sure you would agree!"
I do think that Psion should have shipped nConvert, or something like it, with every unit shipped - but not in ROM as this sort of app would seem to require a steady stream of updates and/or patches to be done right.
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:02:23 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: Psion and WinCE (4 Caspar)
Caspar wrote:
"I would sorely be dissappointed if Psion neglected Symbian/EPOC altogether."
and
"It is such a waste to develop for a clumsy OS like WinCE rather than put more effort in perfecting EPOC for mass market."
I am at least *somewhat* hopeful that Psion will come up with an improved ER5 for use with a future netBook. If they do, and it does well - perhaps we'll see more Psion palmtops?! I hope so anyhow :) I agree, btw, that letting EPOC die would be a huge waste!
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 9:02:54 am
From: David Lir
Subject: Re: Nokia's third Symbian OS model
Rolf Brunsting wrote:
"Nokia's third Symbian OS =?ISO-8859-1?Q?=10?= model"
Were you using StickyKeys too? ;)
------------------------
David Lir - \\:>{o>
*++++++++++&
Date: 23/09/2002 6:53:31 pm
From: Simon Jeffree
Subject: 5mx: grabbing screenshots / Deserting
To: Chris Cooper
Re: 5mx: grabbing screenshots
Shift+Control+Fn+S is definitely the right shortcut to grab a screenshot on the 5mx. It brings up a 'Save file' dialog box entitled "Save screen image as EPOC picture file". I find the only reliable way of pressing this key combination is to put the 5mx down on the desk (or your knee, or whatever) & use an individual finger on each key. Using one finger or thumb across several keys puts too much rocking force on them & they just don't make a good enough contact. I use a combination of thumb, first & second finger of the left hand on the 3 modifier keys, together with a finger or thumb from the right hand on the 'S' key.
Sorry if this is like teaching my grandmother to suck eggs but on the other hand, it may just help.
To: Andy Salmon
Re: Deserting
Don't feel bad about 'deserting' to another PDA platform. Although we may feel a nostalgic pang of pain at the loss ofanother EPOC enthusiast, we shouldn't be offended as we're all going to have to do the same at some point.
I wish you all the best on your new platform.
All the best
Simon Jeffree
Maidstone, Kent, Uk
*++++++++++&
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