Epocdigest V1 # 307

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Epoc Digest Mon, 28 Jul 2003 Volume 01 : Number 307

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Sent to: 796 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 15 messages:

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

- Canadian Mako Upgrade

- Life after Psion

- Nokia 92xx questions

- (was: Revo Form-Factor Successor [OT])

- Crypto crashes / Opera 3 vs 5

- Compatibility of Mobile-Camera and Psion?

- Fn and Menu keys on the nB? Java on nB?

- Questions about PSION replacements

- Revo Battery Replacment/Sharp and Palm Clamshells

- Re: Orange SPV

- nB petition & *.CE

- Q2 2003 Shipment & Market Share Figures

- 1GB CF-Card "disk not present"

- Future of SymbianOS, Blueberry, Little rant Psion going WinCE, Zaurus SL-C700

- Help!

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 01:03:59 +0100

From: Jim Watson-Gove

Subject: Canadian Mako Upgrade

I sent in my two Mako's for battery upgrade and battery software upgrade.

The machines came back, and looked like they were "cured." With normal care (almost full discharge, etc.) after about six months they are back to acting up like before.

Count me in the group of nonbelievers.

As convenient as the Mako form is (slips in a shirt pocket - great screen as long as you don't need backlight), I've relegated them with our classic to the role of backup when one of the 5mx's need to go back for repair.

jim - port townsend

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 01:04:05 +0100

From: Jim Watson-Gove

Subject: Life after Psion

I bought a Dana a while back to explore the Palm OS, and then bought a Treo 90 to check out the thumb board (it was discounted down to about $125 US after mail-in rebate).

As a non power user, I find that if I had to, I could move over to the Palm OS.

The Treo has a great readable (except in bright sunlight) color screen - the Dana has an excellent keyboard. The Treo is great as a book reader. It's agenda is excellent, and the address book likewise. SnapperMail on the Treo (and Dana) is surprisingly good despite no spell check (its primary

weakness).

I find myself using the 5mx for EMail, Sheet (QuickSheet on the Dana and the Treo is pathetic compared to EPOC sheet), and to hold onto the vast amount of data I have accumulated over the years. I carry the Treo around for pIm functions and for reading electronic books. I use the Dana for heavy duty text entry jobs (editing a small press magazine, working on the latest poem or the latest attempt at a novel).

Could I get along without the Palm toys, using only the 5mx? Absolutely.

Could I get along with only the Palm machines? Hmmmm - yes but not happily.

Now is Psion would just stick around, same for EPOC. Will hang onto my Psions and keep them working as long as possible.

Do I hear right that Psion is not providing EPOC on their latest NetBook? (been away from the list for a bit). A WinCe (or whatever they call it now) machine? Bodes ill for sure.

jim - port townsend

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 15:10:50 +0100

From: Johan Lindahl

Subject: Nokia 92xx questions

Hi!

I got myself a used Nokia 9210i after i got tired of my P800 lacking a keyboard.

I went back to my Revo Plus / Nokia 8210 combo for a while but i missed the color screen of the P800 and carrying only one unit.

The questions regarding 92xx:

1. Is there any Macro language available?

2. News reader?

3. Visibility outside in sunlight is very bad, any tips about that? Even with full light and contrast it's hard to read.

4. Something like SaveMail? OPL runtime do exist for 92xx so maybe it'll be possible to translate it.

To the few 92xx owners of the digest, what is your must have applications?

Mine is so far:

EBook

Mobipocket Reader

FreeCrypt

With kind regards,

Johan Lindahl

Stockholm, Sweden

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 15:48:55 +0100

From: Jaan Sass

Subject: (was: Revo Form-Factor Successor [OT])

I still think the Psion7/Netbook is a worthy successor to Revo/Psion 5mx. Since I started using my Psion 7 a year ago I would never go back to something smaller. It is a rugged beautiful machine. I have the memory upgrade and some great software. I use it comepletely alone at home and in tandem with my computer at work. I do my banking and some of my shopping on it. I have found alot of ebooks including the Cadfael mystery series, and Lord of the Rings using bearshare on my work pc. I read the books using mobipocket software. I make ebooks from the txt files on my psion 7 and on my PC at work. I have a Catholic Study Bible I made from the Claretian site http://www.bible.claret.org/bibles/index.html. The bible is available for free as doc files which using mobipocket I turned into PRC files. Mobipocket is one of my favorite programs.

> To whom it may be of interest:

> Sony in Japan will be releasing domestically their

> newest Clie, the PEG-UX50 which, from a form-factor

> point of view, may potentially be a replacement for our

> Revos. No confirmed news yet whether it will be released

> outside of Japan, but likely, yes.

> http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/3837.html

> For more information, although in japanese, you can go

> to the Sony Japan site. Featuring a 480x320 65K screen,

> Bluetooth, WiFi, camera and keyboard and expansion

> memory and only 175g (that's lighter than my Revo!),

> this is one sweet device!

> Cheers,

> Koi Hin

Bye bye

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 20:02:55 +0100

From: Thomas F. VAN DER ZIJDEN

Subject: Crypto crashes / Opera 3 vs 5

Hi group,

Crypto has worked for many years on my 5mx, but it suddenly began to crash if I used the option to decode a file and immediately launch the appropriate programme for it. I reinstalled it. I knew this reinstallation worked, because suddenly it changed the language from English to Dutch. However, the crash remains:

"Error in CRYPTO\SCANAPPS

111: Subscript or dimension error"

I like freeware proggies very much which resulted in the fact that Assistant now reports 198 (!) applications on my machine. Could this just be too much for Crypto? Does anyone know a solution, other than deleting some applications?

This crash already happened on my 5mx. It does not seem to be the result of my new Malaybook (on which Crypto crashes with the same error).

Opera:

The Malaybook "ROM" OS.IMG comes with Opera version 3.62 pre-installed, but I have a registered version of Opera 5.64. After every soft reset (which I do with Restart to gain memory) it can happen that Opera 3.62 takes over. It takes every HTML-page, if I hit the Internet icon on the right task bar it starts up, even when I go to d:\system\app\opera and start opera.app (which is version 5.14) I get version 3.62!

Only another soft reset followed by an immediate start of d:\system\app\opera.app can cure this, but it is not quite practical. Does anyone know how I can get rid of Opera 3.62 from the ROM? I only have the complete OS.IMG of the Malaybook on cédérom, not the separate .sis-files.

Yours truly,

Thomas van der Zijden

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 23:53:54 +0100

From: guillaume.favre

Subject: Compatibility of Mobile-Camera and Psion?

Hi,

Has any of you succeeded in sending on IR a picture taken with one of these new Camera-Mobile-Hifi-MP3 toys? Has anyone experience with the T610 from Ericsson?

It would be nice to send these pictures with the GPRS feature of a Psion, which is certainly cheaper than MMS and more convenient in usability. I'm the kind of guy that can type a SMS on a phone...

Cheers, Guillaume, Switzerland

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 23:53:55 +0100

From: guillaume.favre

Subject: Fn and Menu keys on the nB? Java on nB?

Hi,

I've asked some months ago if anyone had ever succeeded in switching with a software or exorcist prayer the stupidely inverted Fn and Menu key of the otherwise splendid nB. Has anyone?

And is it possible to get rid of some of the components of the nB ROM? A pity that this computer has so few RAM and that the expension ram is so expensive. For exemple, there is a ca. 600 kB file of zipped Java Classes. Do you really think that a zip file is useful in a ROM?

Any help greatly welcome!

Guillaume, Switzerland

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

Date: 27 Jul 2003 23:53:56 +0100

From: guillaume.favre

Subject: Questions about PSION replacements

I know! Again and again... Sorry...

Is there someone of you that is using one of these Linux based Sharp Zaurus C700 (i'm not sure apbout the reference). Their specifications can be seen at www.pulster.de They look great, expecially when you don't consider the running time of only 3.5 hours and the apparently poor softwares compared to these of the Psion Kingdom...

I would be pleased to read a review of a psionist about it.

Otherwise, how did the Psion-to-Palm users managed to use their Psion-Data files? I haven't find a decent CSV file viewer for Palm. And is that true that the Tomeraider file need to be smaller than the RAM of the Palm to be readed?

Many thanks for answers,

Guillaume, Switzerland

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

Date: 28 Jul 2003 00:16:52 +0100

From: Jim Cooke

Subject: Revo Battery Replacment/Sharp and Palm Clamshells

> Date: 25 Jul 2003 23:03:10 -0500

> From: Christopher Gharibo

> Subject: Re: [EPOC DIGEST V1 # 305 (32)]

> I opened up my Mako and wish to replace the battery. Where do

> I get appropriate replacement batteries for the Mako?

> Thanks you,

> Chris

Chris,

You can get NIMH AAA batteries at Radio Shack that should work with the

Revo. The tricky part is getting the charging thermistor hooked back up

again. There are some good pictures and instructions at

http://www.portal-pda.com/guides/revobatt/revobatt.html .

Regards, Jim

> Date: 26 Jul 2003 15:46:09 -0500

> From: guillaume.favre

> Subject: Questions about PSION replacements

Guillaume,

Ahh! Actual questions about Psion's rather than endless debates about

smartphones.<g>

> I know! Again and again... Sorry...

> Is there someone of you that is using one of these Linux

> based Sharp Zaurus C700 (i'm not sure apbout the reference).

> Their specifications can be seen at www.pulster.de They look

> great, expecially when you don't consider the running time of

> only 3.5 hours and the apparently poor softwares compared to

> these of the Psion Kingdom...

> I would be pleased to read a review of a psionist about it.

I would look at the Sony UX-50 before I bought a Sharp C700. You can see

some pictures and data at

http://www.pdaavenue.com/forum/showthread.php?&threadid=2510 . The Sony has

wi-fi and bluetooth built in, is smaller than the Sharp, and offers much

better battery life. The estimated release date in the US is September. The

keyboard appears to be at least as good as the Sharp and the overall

dimensions are smaller. I haven't seen a release date for Europe yet. The

advantage of the Sony over the Sharp is that it will be fully localized in

English when it's released. The Sharp is being localized by a fairly small

company with no official support from Sharp. The battery life has been

reported as dismal - even 3.5 hours is an optimistic estimate from the tests

I've read. The software is really terrible compared to the Palm OS and, of

course, much worse that what Psion has been offering for years. They still

don't have the sync software worked out for Outlook either. Considering that

the Sony and the Sharp will be about the same price but that Sony comes with

wi-fi and bluetooth and a properly localized OS, there's no doubt which one

I'd buy.

> Otherwise, how did the Psion-to-Palm users managed to use

> their Psion-Data files? I haven't find a decent CSV file

> viewer for Palm. And is that true that the Tomeraider file

> need to be smaller than the RAM of the Palm to be readed?

There are several very good database programs available for the Palm. The

one I use in HanDbase. It has it's own desktop as well as its own sync

conduit. It is able to easily convert Psion data files saved as CSV. It also

has many more features than Psion Data, including dropdown fields,

calculated fields, pick lists, and relational tables. You can even make your

own forms. It's almost on par with Kevin Millican's excellent PsiDat except

PsiDat is free and HanDbase costs $40.

Tomeraider files of any size can be read on a Palm. It will load as much of

the file as possible into RAM and then call any remaining parts of the file

as needed from the storage card. Even my 8mb Handspring Prism has no problem

reading large files. It's all quite seamless. That's also another point in

favor of the Sony, BTW. The landscape mode screen should make reading

e-books very pleasant.

Regards, Jim

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

Date: 28 Jul 2003 07:34:16 +0100

From: Neil Thompson

Subject: Re: Orange SPV

Martin,

I too have a SPV and have had no success whatsoever in getting it to talk to my Series 7 and I have tried a number of different methods and third party products.

I had an email sometime ago to say that someone had contacted MS to find out what protocol the SPV used but they didn't know!

Sorry, but I think you'll have to do what I do and that is sync your Psion to your PC and then your PC to your SPV.

Neil

www.neilthompson.co.uk/psion

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

Date: 28 Jul 2003 08:19:44 +0100

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: nB petition & *.CE

Dear Gianluca,

<< I believe that this is an excellent chance to show how vital the Psion International User community is and - at the same time - I do also believe that such a committed audience deserves a better future than the one that is currently underway >>

I haven't signed the petition either because I have the strong impression that the petition isn't really about the netBook. The petition is about being able to buy a new EPOC based handheld computer in the coming years. The reasons why the netBook was created and the direction in which Psion Teklogix needs to develop it further are forgotten.

The netBook was designed by Psion Enterprise Computing, previously known as Psion Industrial. These company names give the game away. The netBook is for corporate and industrial automation projects in which they run tailor made software that's integrated with other in-company or in-factory IT systems. It's not for the general consumer - that's the Series 7, the netBook's twin brother. The only reason why there are a relatively large number of netBooks in private hands is because it's the 7's twin brother. Had the netBook been a device like the WorkAbout there would have been one or two in private hands as part of a Psion collection or because of special needs. And there would have been no petition when a second generation of this WorkAbout-like netBook would change to Windows CE.

Psion Teklogix is, of course, not adverse to selling a number of netBooks to private individuals. Just as Ford is not against selling a Transit van to a private individual, rather than a Mondeo Estate. What Ford won't do, however, is to allow key aspects of the next generation Transit to be determined by private buyers. The same applies to Psion Teklogix. When corporate and industrial IT managers consider Windows CE to be their platform of choice the next generation netBook will have to be a Windows CE device. That Psion Teklogix will loose some of its private customers is a pity. However, they may be replaced by private individuals who currently own a Windows CE based HP Jornada 820.

That there's a "Psion International User community" doesn't matter because the vast majority of these people aren't Psion Teklogix' customers. They were customers of one of Psion's other outfits, Psion Computers, and bought such devices as the Series 5mx, Revo and Series 7. Psion Computers is no more because the market for its products effectively disappeared. Why petition Psion Teklogix into the trap of developing the netBook Pro for a market which hardly exists? A market which it doesn't operate in anyway.

<< Should P/T not be interested in diverting their sales, we would accept they found a third party willing to care about dealing with a privately branded Symbian OS netBook pro. Such a more marketing-oriented company would probably consider this a bridgehead for developing smaller machines with the same OS and I am confident everybody would easily understand the possibilities which may arise by such a situation >>

What I "easily understand" about this is that it's wishful thinking. Psion Teklogix won't take any action in this direction on the basis of a petition. What Psion Teklogix will do, like any company will, is to listen to a group of people who have a business plan as well as a bag of money. A plan which involves selling an EPOC based netBook Pro on the consumer market. One in which Psion Teklogix will be an OEM supplier. The plan will need to answer some questions, or course. EPOC may need to be adapted to run on the netBook Pro's hardware. Now, who's going to do that and who's paying for it? That's what Psion Teklogix will listen to, not a petition.

In the above quotation you write about a "marketing-oriented company". Note that a petition is also a form of marketing because you want your target audience (Psion Teklogix) to do something that's of mutual benefit. The first thing you therefore need to do is to make sure that your interests overlap the interests of your target audience. The people who came up with the petition didn't do that, which makes the petition rather pointless.

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jul 2003 08:19:52 +0100

From: Rolf Brunsting

Subject: Q2 2003 Shipment & Market Share Figures

Dear Friends,

I've mentioned some smartphone market share figures in another message. Please find below the complete list of European figures for the second quarter of 2003 as published by Canalys.

Smartphone vendor shipments:

1) Nokia

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 838,650

- Q2 2003 Market share : 78%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 59,220

- Q2 2003 Market share : 70%

- Change in Shipments : +1,316%

2) SonyEricsson

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 164,750

- Q2 2003 Market share : 15%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 3,410

- Q2 2003 Market share : 4%

- Change in Shipments : +4731%

3) Orange

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 58,070

- Q2 2003 Market share : 5%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : N/A

- Q2 2003 Market share : N/A

- Change in Shipments : N/A

4) Others

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 6,960

- Q2 2003 Market share : 1%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 22,420

- Q2 2003 Market share : 26%

- Change in Shipments : -69%

Totals

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 1.068,430

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 85,050

- Change in Shipments : +1,256%

PDA Vendor Shipments

1) Palm

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 210,850

- Q2 2003 Market share : 34%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 145,080

- Q2 2003 Market share : 35%

- Change in Shipments : +45%

2) Hewlett Packard

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 154,600

- Q2 2003 Market share : 25%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 151,530

- Q2 2003 Market share : 36%

- Change in Shipments : +2%

3) Medion

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 47,450

- Q2 2003 Market share : 8%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : N/A

- Q2 2003 Market share : N/A

- Change in Shipments : N/A

4) Sony

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 46,100

- Q2 2003 Market share : 7%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 28, 090

- Q2 2003 Market share : 7%

- Change in Shipments : +64%

5) Others

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 168,520

- Q2 2003 Market share : 27%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 90,650

- Q2 2003 Market share : 22%

- Change in Shipments : +86%

Totals

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 627,520

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 415,350

- Change in Shipments : +51%

The figures as published by IDC are as follows:

Western European Mobile device vendors

1) Nokia

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 694,815

- Q2 2003 Market share : 46.5%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 32,581

- Q2 2003 Market share : 7.1%

- Change in Shipments : 2032%

2) Palm

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 188,942

- Q2 2003 Market share : 12.6%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 134,800

- Q2 2003 Market share : 29.4%

- Change in Shipments : +40%

3) SonyEricsson

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 150,000

- Q2 2003 Market share : 10%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : N/A

- Q2 2003 Market share : N/A

- Change in Shipments : N/A

4) Hewlett Packard

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 140,064

- Q2 2003 Market share : 9.4%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 144,928

- Q2 2003 Market share : 31.6%

- Change in Shipments : -3%

5) Medion

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 54,000

- Q2 2003 Market share : 3.6%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : N/A

- Q2 2003 Market share : N/A

- Change in Shipments : N/A

6) Others

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 265,800

- Q2 2003 Market share : 17,8%

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 146,972

- Q2 2003 Market share : 32%

- Change in Shipments : +81%

Totals

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 1,493,621

- Q2 2002 Shipments : 459,281

- Change in Shipments : +225%

Worldwide PDA Vendors

1) Palm

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 903,096

- Q2 2003 Market share : 39.9%

2) Hewlett Packard

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 381,000

- Q2 2003 Market share : 16.8%

3) Sony

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 256,600

- Q2 2003 Market share : 11.3%

4) Dell

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 152,000

- Q2 2003 Market share : 6.7%

5) Toshiba

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 75,600

- Q2 2003 Market share : 3.3%

6) Others

- Q2 2003 Shipments : 496,965

- Q2 2003 Market share : 21.9%

Kind Regards,

Rolf Brunsting - Darp - Netherlands

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

Date: 28 Jul 2003 09:16:22 +0100

From: Roman Frotz

Subject: 1GB CF-Card "disk not present"

Hi,

I just bought a 1GB CF-Card from Sandisk via Ebay for use in my 5MX Pro. But so far I only got the message "disk not present" after I put them into the CF slot. First thing I did was to check if the card is o.k. I put them into my PC. No problems. I reformatted the card from FAT32 to FAT16 because I thought this might be the reason. No success. Next guess was that maybe the the micro switch inside the CF card slot of my Psion was not working properly. Checked it by putting in my old CF card. The old card was recognized right away... Put the 1GB card into my spare 5MX Pro. Same message "disk not present". Tried a soft reset. No success...I've bought the Essential Disk Utilities a while ago but without even recognizing the card the program is not really helpful in my case...What else can I do to get this card running because I think I remember from previous postings that some of you already use 1GB CF cards?

Any hints?

Thanks a lot,

Roman

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

Date: 28 Jul 2003 12:06:04 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Future of SymbianOS, Blueberry, Little rant Psion going WinCE, Zaurus SL-C700

Answer to: Rolf Brunsting

Re.: Future of SymbianOS - Thanks for a long and interesting explanation. I don't think Arents will have anything personal to gain from WinCE increasing it's share or not. You clearly differ from opinion and outlook and your message was based on good arguments (IMHO). I think however that unfortunately we did see the end of the EPOC (Symbian) OS as a front for palmtops or smart phones, maybe but for Nokia although they did not bring out their successor to the 9210 either. And it is interesting to note that apparently the new netBook will run windowsCE as well without (as far as we know now) a possibillity to switch to EPOC (Symbian) OS. Someone wrote it could have to do with the availabillity of bluetooth and other new techniques which would have to be developed for the EPOC (Symbian) OS ?

To All

Re. Blueberry - Today I read an article in the Times in the UK that in the city (of London) this machine gained tremendously in popularity as it can synchronise with the email systems of larger Companies. Apparently in meetings people now are asked to switch off their machines as many were reading their emails during meetings. In 2002 abt. 7,000 were sold and in 2003 sofar already over 30,000 (if I remember these figures correctly). Still, I don't understand how people can work with these small keys.

Answer to: Arent Kits van Heijningen

Re. Little rant aboutPsion going WinCE - You forgot to mention that the opinio of the author is that WinCE is nothing more but an in between stage and that the future lies in Linux.

Toc All

Re. Zaurus SL-C700 - Looking at a few websites this looks like a really attractive machine, a (on the picture) decent keyboard, good screen and reasonable software. If anyone has got this machine, I for one would be interested to hear about your experiences with it.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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

Date: 28 Jul 2003 17:53:51 +0100

From: Terry Gordon

Subject: Help!

I've had no problems w/ my MalayNetbook until this morning. When I turn it on, it's screen is lit but blank and it makes a regular alarm sound every couple seconds or more. Fully charging the battery didn't help. Only a soft reset poke made the noise stop. Any suggestions before I do a hard restart?? TIA. TG