Epocdigest V1 # 330

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Epoc Digest Tue, 02 Sep 2003 Volume 01 : Number 330

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Sent to: 798 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 14 messages:

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- Netbook woes.....

- T610 and faxing

- Motorola Leaving Symbian

- Additional PDA, netBook Pro, Symbian

- Palmtop Money,

- Screen cable goes on 5mx pro, Additional PDA,

- Phoneman does not copy sender of SMS

- OT: Taxation without representation

- FEIER.SIS

- Re: Psion & T610

- Agenda & Lotus Notes

- Re: Revo Form-Factor Successor...

- Re: Long lasting S7/netBook

- EPOC Explorer application - source code offer

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 14:17:38 +0100

From: salix

Subject: Netbook woes.....

Hi All,

sorry for absence. My new netbook that I was (am) so pleased with started playing up; would not connect to internet using gold card,(tried three different cards and all kinds of settings). It would however connect using the travel modem via infra red. The other problem was horizontal lines appearing on screen briefly when switching between apps.

So I look on the Expansys support page and they did not want to know, as I had had it for more than 3 seconds. So I telephoned the number that they had as a Psion contact. I phoned them and the woman I talked to said ok, but phone Psion technical support to make sure before you send it in under warranty. So I phoned technical support and explained at a cost of £1.00 per minute what the problem was and what I had tried to fix it - to which he replied - oh.. you had better send it in then. It will take two to three weeks and has to go to France, but send it to Milton Keynes first. So I went on to the Psion support page and started to fill in a RMA form. BUT when it got to the - please enter serial number - bit, it said that I would have to pay because my machine was over a year old??? NOW bare this is mind that Expansys have the Netbook on their site for delivery in 3-4 days (they did when I ordered anyway). It took three months between order and delivery. So, if the machine is over a year old - where has it been for the last 15 months before I got it??

Anyway I stopped filling in the form and phoned Psion again. The lady said....yeah yeah you can just go through it saying you will pay by cheque but dont really. Just put your invoice copy in the parcel. So I duly completed the form, printed it off. Put Netbook, RMA form, letter of explanation and copy of invoice in box. Packed it well, wrote all details on outside of package, paid to have it delivered by recorded delivery and came back home. And waited. And waited. And thought after two weeks I had better check the web site using the RMA tracker. So used my wifes pc to check site.....and.....wowowow it was on hold at Milton Keynes because a payment had not been made. Read on.... if item has not been paid for within I think it was six weeks the item would be destroyed!!!!!????? So my wife said she would phone the next day. She phoned and spoke to the first helpful nice person since this ordeal began and he said that I should have been told to send a copy of invoice under separate cover. Grrrr. He said 'do not worry' fax invoice copy to me and I will get it sorted. About two and half weeks later I receive an email to tell me that it is fixed and being shipped. I was given a UPS code and managed to track it through France into UK and to me. I opened up the package expecting to see a report of letter to tell me what the fault was or at least something like a warranty for the repair - but nothing, not a thing. So I still do not know what the fault was. I love my Psions - the support system on the other hand.........

Cheers Salix

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 16:51:13 +0100

From: Kevin Collins

Subject: T610 and faxing

Hi folks...

I am very pleased indeed with this phone and, indeed, had no problem with GPRS connection: worked first time with the T68 settings from Mike's site.

I am pleased to report 100% clear outgoing faxes once more, after the 6310i shortcomings in this regard and, having read the manual, came to the

conclusion that I would have no trouble receiving faxes either for the first time since using the SH888 some years ago. The manual suggests that the facility is available to choose the next call type; however, when I follow instructions and go to Calls, Next Call, I can find no option for Next

Incoming Call as described on page 68.

To Itamar and any other T610 owners: would you please check this out on your phones and let me know if the option exists on your handsets? Many

thanks.

Regards,

Kevin [Cork, Ireland]

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 16:55:20 +0100

From: Martin Maxwell

Subject: Motorola Leaving Symbian

Itamar wrote:

>>Yes, I read the same in the UK papers yesterday. However, here it was written that Motorola plans to use a variety of OS systems and will not stop using Symbian. Anyhow, the direction Motorola was taking was clear when they stopped the joint development of a phone with Psion/Symbian. They further wrote that Nokia is investing more money into Symbian as they are afraid that Microsoft will enter and take over the market just as happened with the PC's. Microsoft is still struggling and Nokia wants to try and make sure they stay that way. <<<

Very true. In addition, I think I picked up somewhere that Motorola declared its intention to leave Symbian as shareholder several years ago - perhaps even as far back as their pull-out of the Odin project. But the founding members of Symbian (Psion, Nokia, Ericsson and Motorola) included a clause in their JV agreement that any founding shareholder is not allowed to sell any of its shares until 5 years after the inception of the company. These five years have lapsed now. Perhaps we will see more change of hands of Symbian shares from now on. I personally feel that - to remain a balanced consortium - Nokia should take the first possible opportunity to reduce their shareholding by bringing in someone else.

cheers

Martin Maxwell

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 17:11:54 +0100

From: Martin Maxwell

Subject: Additional PDA, netBook Pro, Symbian

Rolf Brunsting wrote:

>>>What Symbian supplies is the software equivalent of a LEGO construction set. The licensee is free to decide whether to do all the necessary construction itself, or to get Symbian involved in the construction. Symbian OS is also based on a number of component families, like microprocessors that are based on an ARM core. Use such a processor in your device and you only have to tune Symbian OS to that particular ARM based processor. You don't have to do a complete rewrite. Don't forget that Psion Teklogix is one of Symbian's customers. When a Symbian OS based netBook Pro would sell in Psion Teklogix' marketplace you can be sure that Symbian will supply the necessary assistance that's within its scope (subject to negotiations)<<<

Very true.

In fact, you could say - well almost - that Symbian OS v7.0 is already running on netBook Pro, albeit the UI and the applications have not yet been optimised for it. Why do I say that? Simply because Symbian OS v7.0 was and is verified on the Intel Lubbock test board. The Intel Lubbock test board is - based on the intelligence I have so far on the netBook Pro - if not identical so at least close to identical with the netBook Pro motherboard, chipset, screen, input devices, expansion options and ports. They are so close in both features and design parameters that it is easy to suspect that Teklogix simply have saved some much needed R&D money by using the Lubbock test board straight off as design basis for the netBook Pro. I hope to get this hypothesis verified within a few months time.

cheers

Martin Maxwell

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 17:26:06 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Palmtop Money,

Answer to: David Lir

Re.: Palmtop Money - I don't think we can be surprised anymore when Companies do not give support for EPOC programs anymore, even though I do think, like you, that it is wrong. It is a direct result of the demise of the OS, no more money to be made in changing anything.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 17:26:07 +0100

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Screen cable goes on 5mx pro, Additional PDA,

Answer to: Timothy H.D. Williams

Re.: Screen cable goes on 5mx pro - Sorry to hear about your problem. Yes, I think the S7/nB are more reliable and if you don't mind the larger size a good replacement and upgrade to colour screen. The keyboard is even better than the 5MX one.

Answer to: Rolf Brunsting

Re. Additional PDA - Thanks for the answer. Yes, I did check the price of the P800 and it was over 200 pounds. I appreciate your answer but _for me_ the price was definitely a factor. This even more so as in the UK we can upgrade our phones every year with renewal of the contract. I am one of those people that likes to keep his machines apart. My phone is my phone, my camera a camera (Nikon D100, I work professionally as a 2nd job) and my PDA a PDA. My though was an additional light and small PDA to be used together with the S7, not to integrate the various parts together. Maybe that thought is wrong, I understand. I took the T610 for the size and the screen, the camera is just there but was not a factor for me at all (nor the games). Yes, I have always rejected the idea of synchronising two machines and never did it, even not with Outlook at work or home. However, with the demise of the smaller EPOC machines I might be "forced to". Sometimes I do miss not having details with me as I left the S7 at home, from maps to simple numbers. But, I don't have the answer yet and am just thinking about it.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 18:24:08 +0100

From: Thomas F. VAN DER ZIJDEN

Subject: Phoneman does not copy sender of SMS

Hi group,

When I arrive in The Netherlands with my Belgian mobile phone I receive SMS like "Welcome to the KPN Mobile network. For retrieving voice-mail, you can dial 1933. For customer care dial 1999. Enjoy your stay in the Netherlands."

Nothing strange, but... they come from "Gratis bellen" ("Make free phone calls"), which I find very misleading. Both KPN and Vodafone do this. Now, I wanted to get these messages from my 6210 with Phoneman as a proove, but Phoneman sees the sender as "KPN Telecom" or "Vodafone NL", just as it should be. Does anybody have any idea what is happening here.

On the subject of suddenly empty batteries on the Netbook:

It seems that the "Switch on when case is opened" is the culprit. I suspect the Netbook/Malaybook to switch on whenever the lid is only mildly touched or vibrated. Therefore it empties its batteries very suddenly during any transport. I switched this option off.

Upon Itamar's suggestion I checked my programs: none of them leaves the Netbook on and none of them switches it back on (at least I did not catch it doing this latter action).

Yours truly,

Thomas van der Zijden

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 20:11:03 +0100

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: OT: Taxation without representation

On Monday, September 1, 2003, at 11:58 AM, Keith Giles wrote:

> Thought For The Day: Ever wonder if taxation without representation > might have been cheaper? (Perhaps only significant to US readers.)

It would have spared us abysmal Mel Gibson movies and the US'd now have a parliamentary democracy.

---

You know you're old if they have discontinued your blood type.

Phyllis Diller

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 20:21:06 +0100

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: FEIER.SIS

Are listers aware of the German program FEIER.SIS?

I am not quite sure where I found it on the net and although I speak no German I have got it to work.

Quite simply, it will put the holidays of any given country for any given year into your agenda file.

There is also another interesting German application which I found - and with my 5mx out of service, I don't even know what it is called - which gives you all the coins for each member state in the Euro zone.

Are there other gems out there?

Timothy Williams

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 21:21:49 +0100

From: Jan R Gustafsson

Subject: Re: Psion & T610

Itamar Engelsman wrote at 17 Aug 2003 00:23:05 +0000 in EPOC DIGEST V1 # 321 (2)

> Answer to: Jan R Gustafsson

> Re. Psion & T610 - I now have this phone but in

> general don't syncrhonise between the phone and my

> S7. If you want me to try it, send me an email

> with exact instructions and I'll do my best.

Thanks for your kind offering. What I would like you to do is simply to send a single Task from the Psion Agenda to the T610 by infrared and report on how it is received by the phone. It would be extra interesting If you could try to beam one task with and one task without an attached word note.

Best regards,

Jan G

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

Date: 1 Sep 2003 23:44:53 +0100

From: Euan Mee

Subject: Agenda & Lotus Notes

Does anyone have any experience of synching these two bits of software - or any other hints for getting a Psion working well with Notes?

Cheers,

Euan

xlucid

this).sf.(antispam.)net

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

Date: 2 Sep 2003 03:39:43 +0100

From: Jaan Sass

Subject: Re: Revo Form-Factor Successor...

I guess for me what I do not like the most about the Dana is the screen. My psion 7 is color and bigger. I never thought that I would say this but color does make a difference. I still do not like palm os and yes I have played with the clie but it does not have the feel of an epoc system. I can know multitask the same kind of documents on my psion 7 using the new version of winepoc so I will not have to wait for new version of Palm to come out. Mobipocket satisfies all my reading requirements with the help of PDF+. I have games and and the internet using opera and an isp provider called Garbersoft.net that allows me to use the software the seven came with. It is an american provider that costs only $9.95 usd a month. For the Dana to be a useful replacement it would have to meet the above requirments. I cannot afford a laptop so this remains the most useful option for me.

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

Date: 2 Sep 2003 03:39:47 +0100

From: Jaan Sass

Subject: Re: Long lasting S7/netBook

I have to agree. Why do we need to upgrade. My Psion 7 runs fine and does everything that I want it to do. Opera works well on the web and winepoc allows me to multitask several documents at the same time. I recently was able to use a BJC 80 printer with my Psion 7 using infrared and the the print driver Canon BJC-80 (LQ) Printer Driver from Andrew Johnson.

The Software I have is:

PDF+

PDF Font

WinEpoc

ABP Banking

Dighandler

Reader ( to use with pen scanner)

Opera 5.14

Andrew Johnson's drivers for printers

mobipocket reader pro

prc file maker

repevmail

essential tools, winzip, recycle bin, restart etc

data I use all the time.

the list goes on and would include my favorite games.

Dark Horizons

Simcity

I update the software often and enjoy my machine and do not see the reason to upgrade to another machine.

> Reply to Martin:

> <But I cannot more agree with your last sentence. The

> current netBook is still a wonderful and very productive

> machine. There should not be any panic replacing it.

> With softwares such as plBeam, SmtpAuth, nConvert, Pdf+

> and the Build158 WiFi card support, there will not be

> any need for replacement for several years ahead. As far

> as I am concerned, it still does the job better than any

> PC notebook. No other such machine will last you on a

> flight from Singapore to London.>

> To me, it seems as though upgrade fever is getting to

> some of us, judging by all the discussion on the NetBook

> Pro! I always look around at other machines to rival my

> S7 yet always end up returning to the cosy familiarity

> of my ER5 machine. I'd just like to add that I often go

> away for weekends and when I first got my S7 (in 2000) I

> used to always carry the mains unit to make sure I'd

> have enough power to last. I soon realised this was a

> pointless exercise in carrying unnecessary extra weight

> as I always seemed to return home without having to

> access a mains socket when I was away. This advantage

> alone makes the S7/netBook a little marvel in my book.

> Regards

> Kevin Thorne

Bye bye

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

Date: 2 Sep 2003 07:49:55 +0100

From: Arjen Broeze

Subject: EPOC Explorer application - source code offer

Hi all

About a year ago I started working on a Windows Explorer clone for EPOC machines. At that time I had an Ericsson MC218, but due to the screen cable going bust and Ericsson not repairing their MC218's anymore, I switched to a Nokia Communicator.

I thought I'd be able to finish my OPL-projects on the communicator as well since it's merely a newer version of EPOC. But, although it is possible to develop OPL-applications for the 9210, almost all OPX's I used aren't available for the R6 platform. Neuon doesn't respond to questions if they're planning to release their OPX's for R6, so I reluctantly decided to abandon my R5 OPL projects (I don't see a way to rewrite the code to not use some of the OPX-es).

Anyway, I now have two OPL-project that will never be finished, which I regret because I think the R5 community may find them useful. One of them is the above mentioned Windows Explorer clone (which is almost finished and, besides being just a little proud for being able to create it, I found it an extremely useful utility myself). Another one is a resource editor/compiler (also very useful, manage all languages in a single file, lots of options, can even read and replace strings in OPL source files). Both projects are in nOPL+ and use some of the language extensions nOPL+ offers. I'd love to finish them myself, but not having access to an R5 machine anymore I can't.

For this reason I would like to offer these two projects (source-code, modules, OPXes, bitmaps, resource files, etc) to anyone on this list who is willing to finish and support these two projects as freeware or postcardware. If you're interested, please reply to me at the above address.