Epocdigest V1 # 250

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Tips for Posting to the Digest and how to unsubscribe

at the end of the Digest

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Epoc Digest Thu, 15 May 2003 Volume 01 : Number 250

************************************************************************

Sent to: 779 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 22 messages:

==============================

-- Jornada

- Re: MnetBooks again

- SMTP server authentication

- Transfer Agenda to Palm

- Re: MNetBooks again

- RE: non-English Language Dictinariesl (#249)

- Re: Accented characters on the Mako / Revo (# 249 3)

- Problems using R5 files on Nokia 9210

- Re TubeRoute

- Re: Serial Cable?

- RE: MNetBooks again

- Re: Data Costs

- Data calls in free mins

- Data Costs, nConvert uninstall, Jornada 720, Psion 5, Tube,

- French Dictionary

- Soundmaster

- Re: Data Costs

- Reminiscing

- Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 248 (4) Usage of EPOC machine

- Jornada and two questions

*++++++++++&

Date: 15 May 2003

From: Epocdigest team

Subject:

Hi unknown subscriber,

we got back the last 3 digests with the message " mailbox unavailable".

Please remove your redirection to this address.

Best Regards

Rolf Vonau

The Epoc Digest Team

*++++++++++&

Date: 13 May 2003 22:08:59 +0100

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: Jornada

On Tuesday, May 13, 2003, at 06:58 PM, EpocDigest wrote:

> No connectivity with Apple Mac OS X (but then neither have Psions)

I have had Macs and Psions working together for ten years and although interfacing is difficult, it is possible.

On the other hand, I have given up on the Jornada. I bought the programme that interfaces with MacOsX but I have never been able to get the cable to work between the Mac and the Jornada.

For me, there is no competition - I much prefer the Psion and I have now made the policy decision to stick with it, since it does all that I ask of it. Rather than moving on to a different machine and a different OS, I will be buying a couple of er5 machines to back up my Revo and 5mx pro

Whatever happened to the announced POS update to the 5mx?

*++++++++++&

Date: 13 May 2003 22:28:13 +0100

From: Marcus von Cube

Subject: Re: MnetBooks again

Peter,

>1. Is it possible to directly synch/update info such as contacts and agenda from a 5mx to the NB, without passing through a desktop?

You can do it file wise (not record wise) with EPOCSynch (freeware)

>2. If synching is problematic, can each machine read from the other's CF card? (I think I'm right in assuming that the NB needs its CF card permanently loaded for OS reasons...?!).

Yes and no. You can remove the CF from a netBook, but you need one with the operating

system installed when you *cold* boot your machine. After that, the CF in no longer needed for that reason (I use a dedicated 16MB CF for that purpose). If you want to copy files between machines which are a little too big for beaming, you can plug the S5 CF into a PCMCIA adapter

which fits into the right slot (drive E).

>3. Are there any serious problems with the Malaysian models?

You are tight to the version of the operating system coming with the machine, but it includes the latest network drivers (AFAIK)

>4. Does anyone use their NBs for CAD work? How do you find it?

No me.

>5. What software is bundled with the MNB?

Others will jump in here.

Marcus

http://www.mvcsys.de

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 03:29:41 +0100

From: Christopher Holly

Subject: SMTP server authentication

I'm trying to get my netBook to send email to my ADSL ISP's SMTP server. Unfortunately, the ISP requires authentication. That does not appear to be an option with the Psion email program. Looks like I will have to use web email unless any of you Psion geniuses know some way to authenticate outgoing email on the Psion (which I think just involves sending the user ID and password to the SMTP server). Any ideas would be appreciated.

Chris Holly

830 S. Fess Ave.

Bloomington, IN 47401

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 06:25:24 +0100

From: Jim Cooke

Subject: Transfer Agenda to Palm

> Date: 11 May 2003 22:58:09 +0100

> From: Sanjay Chawla

> Subject: Palm Calendar

> I have recently come upon a Tungsten T. It is a very nice

> device but certainly not the same capabilites of the Psion

> devices, although the RealOne mp3 player is a nice feature.

> I know people have described how to transfer an Agenda file

> to Palm's calendar via a Pc. I do not have M$ Outlook but I

> would still like to try this transfer. Can someone tell me

> how to do this?

> Sanjay Chawla

Sanjay,

There is no easy way to do this without Outlook. You can output Psion Agenda

either using AgnDump (although I can't get this to work on my 5mx) or do a

print to file and clean up the results in a spreadsheet. The problem you're

going to have is the Palm Desktop. There is no import facility at all. There

is a program called Dimex that will import a CSV or Excel version of your

Agenda print to file into the Palm Desktop. It costs $10 and is available at

www.palmgear.com . I've used Dimex and it does work but requires a good bit

of fiddling and you're going to lose all your repeat information from

Agenda.

By far the easiest and most painless way to do this get a copy of Outlook

98. Do a search of the web for discount Microsoft software. You can get

Outlook 98 for less than $40. You can then sync your Psion to Outlook and

sync the Palm to Outlook and everything will transfer correctly. Believe me,

you'll save a huge amount of time and consternation if you get Outlook to do

this. Steve Litchfield has a summary of how to transfer data from a Psion to

a Palm at http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/topalmos.htm .

Regards, Jim

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 07:00:02 +0100

From: Ian Chapple

Subject: Re: MNetBooks again

Hi Peter,

>> 1. Is it possible to directly synch/update info such as contacts and agenda from a 5mx to the NB, without passing through a desktop? I use a RiscOS desktop so cannot use PsiWin.<<

Yes, just copy the relevant files from the 5mx to the netbook via infrared; the contacts file is usually c:\system\data\contacts.cdb, the agenda file(s) vary.

>> 2. If synching is problematic, can each machine read from the other's CF card? (I think I'm right in assuming that the NB needs its CF card permanently loaded for OS reasons...?!).<<

There's nor problem swapping CF cards from one machine to the other. Regarding the OS CF card, this is only needed when installing the OS after a hard reset, after that, you can take it out and put it in a *safe* place.

>>3. Are there any serious problems with the Malaysian models?<<

I returned my David Lowe netbook because it had a "ripply" point in the middle of the screen; the replacement has this is as well, but to a much lesser degree. Whether this is systematic problem....

>>4. Does anyone use their NBs for CAD work? How do you find it?<<

Nope.

>>5. What software is bundled with the MNB?<<

Not sure.

Cheers, Ian.

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 07:09:21 +0100

From: ExAbEtAl

Subject: RE: non-English Language Dictinariesl (#249)

>>>>

Gary Jenkinson wrote:

Despite searching previous Digests I can't find the entry where a fellow subscriber offered to send/direct anyone interested in getting foreign dictionaries installed on their Psions. If this is still available please could you let me know? (and where I would need to install them on my netBook please!)

Gary,

I've been struggling with the same problem and found the English, German and French dictionaries on www.janell.de/workshop.htm. (halfway down the page, links after Download: called Englische Rechtschreibung etc. Install them on \system\data on any drive. I am also using a very good freeware program to switch between dictionaries called SpellX, see: website.leidenuniv.nl/~linthorsthjm/exabetal/.

I am still missing the Spanish dictionary, if anyone can point me the right way, I'd be grateful.

Miguel

<<<<

Hi Gary, Miguel,

Re: dictionaries... why don't you ask me? Miguel was already on my site to get SpellX; I have a cryptic link there to the dictionaries and info on how to set things up. Due to possible copyright issues, I can't give you the address here, but if you ask me off-digest, I can set you on the track. ___________________________________

Huub Linthorshttp://website.leidenuniv.nl/~linthorsthjm/exabetal/

ExAb, CodeSafe, S5mboles, SpellX and more

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 07:15:14 +0100

From: ExAbEtAl

Subject: Re: Accented characters on the Mako / Revo (# 249 3)

Hi,

ExAb has a series of mnemonic keys to place almost any special character (including the Norwegian ones).

Huub

___________________________________

Huub Linthorshttp://website.leidenuniv.nl/~linthorsthjm/exabetal/

ExAb, CodeSafe, S5mboles, SpellX and more

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 07:31:02 +0100

From: Arjen Broeze

Subject: Problems using R5 files on Nokia 9210

Hi all

I've been lurking around this digest for some time and this is my first real post. A couple of weeks ago, my Ericsson MC 218 suffered the dreaded screen cable problem (horizontal lines on the display). This was the second time in one year and as I had bought extended warranty, I expected it to be repaired. But Ericsson doesn't repair MC218's anymore and the retailer simply gave me my money back (which I think is good service btw). So, I decided to go for a Nokia 9210 figuring it had the same Symbian operating system albeit a newer version. Although the keyboard is a lot smaller and it doesn't have much RAM, I'm very pleased with the combination of phone and PDA. One very big minor point is that afaik Symbian did not spend any time on creating software to upgrade from R5 to R6. So, the only way to access all my data of my MC218 is with the emulator. What I really miss also is the Data application on the 9210. Other important software is there (Program, Word, Sheet, Jotter (called Notes)), but there's no import functionality for the R5 formats.

So, if anyone knows of an application that will convert my old Program, Word, Sheet and Jotter files to the corresponding 9210 format and an application that can import or view Data files on a 9210, I'd be extremely grateful.

Best regards

Arjen Broeze

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 10:34:43 +0100

From: Colin Messer

Subject: Re TubeRoute

An excellent application and easy to configure. As an experiment I down loaded a map for the UK's other underground system, Glasgow's Clockwork Orange, created a new database, entered the details and identified the stations on the map. Worked a treat as a proving exercise but not particularly useful as the Glasgow underground only has two lines, one going clockwise and the other counter-clockwise, like the circle line.

The main use for me is the additional information section. I enter information about where the exit is. I find it so frustrating to get off the train and find it takes me five minutes to get to the platform exit. This app gives me the illusion of being in control.

http://www.chris.s.handley.btinternet.co.uk/TubeRoute_230303.zip

Incidentally I always use BMCONV.EXE to convert pictures. I know this requires a PC, but I get the best results. First, use paint to convert to 16 colour bitmap (.bmp), then BMCONV.EXE to convert to 16 grey scale .mbm for my 5mx.

Is using nConvert or MBMView a better option?

------------------

Colin Messer

Twickenham

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 11:38:27 +0100

From: renee ford

Subject: Re: Serial Cable?

Itamar wrote:

Re.: power connection - It could be far cheaper to search for the serial cable that will double as a power connection instead of sending in your 5MX for a repair.

Thanks for the suggestion but... I'm not using a PC to syphon power from; my Psions are stand-alones (she says proudly and with a whiff of defiance, oh wait, we're all friends here <g>).

renee ford,

usually in Davis

currently in Chicago

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 12:15:30 +0100

From: Daniele Squarci

Subject: RE: MNetBooks again

Peter McCafferty wrote:

>>1. Is it possible to directly synch/update info such as contacts and agenda from a 5mx to the NB, without passing through a desktop? I use a RiscOS desktop so cannot use PsiWin.<<

You cannot really sync between the two machines, but you can easily beam the updated agenda or contacts files from one to another, or use the excellent EpocSync to do so automatically. www.freepoc.de

>>2. If synching is problematic, can each machine read from the other's CF card? (I think I'm right in assuming that the NB needs its CF card permanently loaded for OS reasons...?!).<<

No, you don't need the CF card to be permanently inserted in the MnetBook. Should you need a hard reset, the OS has to be loaded from CF card into the ROM, but can then be removed. You can then swap CFs at your heart's content!

>>3. Are there any serious problems with the Malaysian models?<<

None that I know! Just be aware that the OS is NOT upgradeable as the standard netBook.

>>4. Does anyone use their NBs for CAD work? How do you find it?<<

Sorry! Can't help you here!

>>5. What software is bundled with the MNB?<<

Standard ER5 software + Opera 3.14 + nFTP. The CD that comes with the MnetBook has a selection of shareware titles.

Ciao

Daniele Squarci

Italy

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 13:02:30 +0100

From: David Steer $Plus$

Subject: Re: Data Costs

Simon,

Just out of Interest, I though the non-geographical numbers were charged at local rate (including 0845 numbers). Why would you require anything else?

Also, these numbers can be dialed from oversees.

Regards

David Steer

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 15:03:53 +0100

From: Ashley Burrows

Subject: Data calls in free mins

Andy Hayes

asked if any operator includes data calls in the free mins of your contract.

I know Vodafone do,

but I also have an Orange PAYG sim that I have used in my 9210 whilst both abroad and in UK to send receive both Data & Fax

Good luck in Shetland.

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 15:17:03 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Data Costs, nConvert uninstall, Jornada 720, Psion 5, Tube,

Answer to: Andy Hayes

Re.: Data Costs - You can have your DATA calls included if you find an ISP with a normal phone number to connect. For example, Compuserve (not free) still have a 020-7xxxxxx number which you can dial with your free minutes (although the number is not generally known <G>). Otherwise it will be difficult to find. The problem with BT is not the lack of competition as once yo have a BT line you can connect to a variety of third party services to reduce your call costs. The problem is the high fixed costs of their lines. Another option is GPRS but that is not cheap either if you regularly send or get larger emails or want to use it for surfing the web.

Answer to: Kevin Thorne & Edward Choi

Re. nConvert uninstall - If someone is really interested I am prepared to open the original installation file and check whether I can find the different components of this program. Did anyone else try this ?

Answer to: Nick Malone

Re. Jornada 720 - Thanks for the update, but I though that the Jornada was also taken out of production ? I surely don't see it at airport shops anymore.

Answer to: Ian Dean

Re. Psion 5 - Well, that is a tricky question. _I_ never had the screen cable problem and have always been very happy with my 5MX. I still use it in the car as a navigation system with the car-holder, Route- and Streetplanner and a Garmin GPS while my daily machine is the S7. The cover of the MX does not peel and it holds well. But as I said before, if the pocketabillity is not a major point, I would go for the S7 or the netBook because of the larger colour screen, the even better keyboard and the larger memory options (I use now 32 Mb memory and 128 Mb disk).

Answer to: Jack

Re. Tube - Thanks for the info. Believe it or not, but some of us (like me <G>) do not frequent the netgroups.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 15:17:14 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: French Dictionary

I have got the English-German dictionary from Collins but now also need the French one. Does anyone know whether these are still available and where ? Maybe someone has a 2nd hand one for sale ?

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 15:53:33 +0100

From: Tony Cabot

Subject: Soundmaster

One of the programs I used to use on my Psion 5 was Soundmaster. I havereinstalled

it on on Drive C in my netBook from the CD but it doesn't work correctly.When I try to

play one of the sounds included with the program I just get bursts of soundat about 1/2 second intervals with silence between. I wonder if this couldbe due to the much faster processor in the netBook and if anything can bedone to make it work. Palmtop/Tom Tom do not offer it anymore.

Thanks,

Tony Cabot

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 18:52:06 +0100

From: Mike Dyer

Subject: Re: Data Costs

Subject: Data Costs

Mike McConnell wrote:

"As far as I know Orange p-a-y-g doesn't allow data/fax calls and I don't get data calls included in my Orange free minutes. Can't give you any details for O2 or Vodafone as I've never used either."

Yes they do, I am on Orange Just Talk and use it daily. All Orange sim cards are data enabled, they used to say they didn't support data, i.e don't phone us if you can't get it to work, but what is wap if not data!.

You can even have GPRS on pay as you go now, but unfortunately my current phone does not support it.

Mike Dyer.

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 19:06:38 +0100

From: Owen H. Morgan

Subject: Re: Data Costs

Howdy!

Andy Hayes wrote (> ):

> As I am

> moving to Shetland in about 3 weeks I am wondering

> what to do about my mobile phone accounts.

<SNIP>

> Also I am correct in thinking

> that it is only TMobile and Virgin that issue data

> enabled payg phones in the UK.

I've used data on Vodafone payg in Shetland (and Scotland, Birmingham and Wolverhampton), so I know that it works. I don't know about any of the other providers. I only stopped at Out Skerries, Lerwick and Fair Isle. At Out Skerries I was still on my Norwegian Telenor card and didn't get Vodafone, can't remember which provider I connected to there. In Lerwick, Fair Isle and everywhere else I've been in the UK, Voda worked fine.

Good luck in Shetland. It's a lovely spot. I particularly enjoyed Fair Isle, and if there is any chance of work there, that would be my choice except that the harbour isn't good enough to keep a yacht in winter. In fact, the Fair Isle ferry is pulled out of the water on a marine railway at night.

Owen

Thought for the day:

I finally got my head together, now my body is falling apart.

Owen H. Morgan, Yacht "Naomi J.", LD-953°27.22'N 6°09.05'W

Malahide, Ireland

http://home.no.net/naomij

Phone and SMS:

In Ireland: +353 (0)87 7474173

In Norway: +47 92053097

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 21:19:22 +0100

From: Kevin Thorne

Subject: Reminiscing

Reply to Ian Dean:

Subject: Reminiscing

Like you, I bought my first S5 around October 1997 and had used the excellent S3 range before that. I have not yet found any other PDA to be as functional or as useful as a S5 - this is after nearly 6 years! I think most of us would agree that the S5 keyboard is simply the undisputed king as regards any PDA of this size. Handwriting recognition can't compete with its wonderful keyboard when one needs an efficient way of handling large amounts of data entry on a small PDA. I don't think Psion could ever improve the S5 keyboard but does it really have to die with the inevitable disappearance of their last keyboarded clamshell device, the 5mx? Such a waste of a brilliant design. I really, really wish Nokia had bought the rights to use the keyboard of the S5 on their 9210. OK, so it's a phone as well as a PDA but you don't HAVE to use the telephony side of it and it retails contract free for not a lot more than the last 5mx machines now. I wonder how many people would buy a 9210 if it had a "proper" Psion keyboard? Well, at least it does have a keyboard, unlike many other models - it's not too bad but a bit of a shock if one has been used to the S5. I'm getting more used to it but I still long for my S5 keyboard. However, I don't long for its gloomy monochrome screen and my 9210's screen is far more pleasurable to view. So, what's the answer for me? Well, I still hope that as the 9210 is still in production there is still a chance Nokia will update it. I'm not expecting them to improve the keyboard - more just giving it a makeover, giving it features that their other top end phones now have. The single biggest improvement would be very simple - give it a lot more RAM so it can perform much more effieciently as a PDA and allow its EPOC o/s to multitask properly without continual "out of memory" messages. So, to conclude, for me the only real alternative if I want to stay with EPOC (which I do) with a keyboard IS the 9210. I wonder what the future will hold for it?

Regards

Kevin Thorne

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 22:50:42 +0100

From: Elaine J Smith

Subject: Re: EPOC DIGEST V1 # 248 (4) Usage of EPOC machine

Hi All,

I am not as brave as most of you people and still use my ancient yet trusty PC for both emailing and Internet use. However I use my 5MX and more recently 7 book for virtually everything else. My favourite use is in creating my manuals for the Reiki classes I teach on the 7book, simply because I can sit in a comfortable chair with a lovely view of the garden and type it in comfort, a bit at a time whenever and wherever I want to.

Then as I needed to draw special symbols and gave up with Microsoft basic painting program using the mouse (total frustration), I again used the 7book.

However when it comes to connecting with the PC to transfer the documents, drawings etc, I often have difficulty with the 7book so instead beam these files to the 5MX which always connects first time. Although I was amazed by the fact that although the 5MX is not in colour, when opening the drawings on the PC, they were back in colour again!

On the whole I use the 7book more than my PC and 5mx, agenda organises my busy day, and it is brilliant being able to attach various files to the agenda entries.

Jotter gets used a lot as well, and just today I used the record function to send a wav file to somebody in the states who is composing some special music and needed a voice sample.

The 7book keyboard is an utter pleasure to use and I recently completed a manual in four parts which was over 20500 words in total. I do not think I could have done that on the PC as they keys are harder and the seat not so comfortable although the view is OK!

Elaine

> Usage of EPOC machine

Many Reiki Blessings

Elaine J Smith

Independent Reiki Master

Reiki Fusion/RADAR

*++++++++++&

Date: 14 May 2003 23:30:09 +0100

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: Jornada and two questions

I suppose the primary reason for my preferring a Revo or 5mx to my Jornada 710 is the absence of a banking programme with the Hewlett and the fabulous freeware AbpBank in Psion.

I have just visited the Psion/Expansys site. Does anyone know why the US Revo is more expensive than the UK version?

The euro at the moment is fairly strong and so I'm thinking of buying a back-up Revo for my 5mxpro. All my Revos have broken down over the battery in under a year. What is the best deal? Isn't there a German site that sells Revos with more memory and better batteries? Or should