Epocdigest V1 # 505

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Epoc Digest Thu, 22 Apr 2004 Volume 01 : Number 505

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Sent to: 772 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 09 messages:

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- *** SPAM *** ROM

- Re: Alternative PDAs

- Sharp Zaurii, *** SPAM ***, Ericsson P900, Offline reader,

- Meeting

- Re: netBook / Series7 Screens

- RE: Offline Web

- Re: Screen on nBook/S7

- OLRs

- S7 freezing on internet connection

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 15:17:46 +0000

From: Keith Giles

Subject: *** SPAM *** ROM

Has anybody taken a look at http://gtm.tel.uva.es/xtep/ ? It appears it might be able to do something about changing the Mbook ROM. but maybe not - I don't understand exactly what it's all about. I've downloaded 2 of the files, but there are no Readme or Help files to say just what one does with the apps.

OK, all you computer gurus, what gives with this?

Happy Cycling,

Keith

Sunnyvale, CA

http://ohsix827.home.comcast.net

Thought For The Day: Injustice is relatively easy to bear; what stings is justice. l

All my outgoing e-mails have been checked by Norton Anti-virus.

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 15:23:25 +0000

From: Mark James Dougan

Subject: Re: Alternative PDAs

To Steve (and anyone else, there seems to some interest in these machines so

I'm posting this to the digest):

I bought a Sharp Zaurus 760 when the screen cable on my MC218 went to Psion

heaven. I am very happy with the Zaurus, and it is an extremely capable

machine *but* you have to be prepared to tinker with it if you want to make

good use of it, and it helps if you have some experience with Linux.

The operating system as supplied has some quirks and bugs. There are

independent developers who have cleaned it up, sorted out the bugs, and added

extra functionality, but in order to upgrade you have to be willing to access

service menus and re-flash the internal memory. It is not at all difficult,

and you can find good step-by-step instructions, but it can be a bit

intimidating. Choosing between the many alternatives available can also be a

bit confusing. For me, the best alternative currently available is that

prepared by a developer group with the unfortunate name of 'Cacko'. This is a

polished and debugged version of the original Sharp rom, with some useful

extra functionality, such as the latest version of the Opera browser. The

best source for information and instructions is the zaurus user group (ZUG -

www.zaurususergroup.com)

If you feel that you're up to it, you can save some money and buy an

unconverted Japanese version and step straight up to one of the new and

improved (and Anglicised) versions. This is what I did. I bought from

www.conics.net. Not that I want to take anything away from shirtpocket.co.uk

who have given me excellent service when I have bought some accessories from

them.

The PIM software that comes as standard has very limited functionality. An

excellent free alternative to the agenda and to-do list is available (called

KO/PI), but I still haven't found a really good address book program. In

general the programs available are biased towards computer geeks, but I have

found a good program to keep track of vehicle mileage, a good e-book reader,

a good equivalent to Jotter, .pdf viewer etc. The built-in word processor is

much more basic than Psion Word, but will save directly to .doc format. The

built-in spreadsheet is pretty good, and will save/open .xls files. You

*will* be disappointed by the general quality of programs availble compared

to the Psion, but that would probably be the case for Palm or PocketPC as

well. In terms of usability and functionality for PDA software, the Psion 5mx

still sets the standard.

The Zaurus keyboard is not as good as the 5mx, but it is perfectly useable and

not at all as bad as it looks in photographs. Battery life is OK: maybe 8 to

10 hours on a full charge, less if I use wifi networking which is very easy

to set-up with a cheap (¤40) compact flash card. The screen is small but

superbly clear.

What do I like about it? Yesterday during a long flight home after a visit to

a customer I was able to listen to MP3's whilst writing up a visit report,

refering to files which I had copied from the customer's laptop (the Zaurus

can be set to work as a USB drive, so you don't need to install special

software on the laptop to copy files across), with the same instant on/off

which made the Psion so much better for this kind of thing than a laptop.

During a stop-over at Madrid airport I was able to check some websites using

an infrared connection to my mobile phone, and websurfing is a pleasure using

Opera 7.3 on the Zaurus, not a chore as it was with Opera 5.14 on the Psion.

The Zaurus also works remarkably well as a video player for those idle

moments.

What do I miss about the Psion? Mainly the longer battery life, and also I

miss Route Planner and City Maps. Oh, and Tome Raider.

If the Zaurus was stolen tomorrow, would I buy another one? Definitely.

Sorry for the long post, but I hope that someone will find it useful.

M.J.Dougan

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 16:19:00 +0000

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Sharp Zaurii, *** SPAM ***, Ericsson P900, Offline reader,

Answer to: joanne cook

Re.: Sharp Zaurii - Try the following digests : 257, 272, 307, 308, 320, 321, 425 and 427.

Answer to: Pawel Magott & all

Re.: *** SPAM *** - Recently I get a lot of email with this text in the Subject field. Sometimes it is a real SPAM message, other times a normal message like Pawel's message to the digest. Where does this come from and what can we do about it ?

Answer to: Martin Maxwell

Re.: Ericsson P900 - Just out of interest, does there exist a foldable keyboard that can be used with this phone/PDA ?

Answer to: Richard

Re.: Offline reader - Try digests no. 353, 355 and 495.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 16:38:00 +0000

From: Steve Litchfield

Subject: Meeting

Thanks for the prompt... I've no plans to organise another meeting in the next month or so, although Reading worked well last time.

I'm still waiting for someone in London to find another suitable venue fairly near Paddington/Kings Cross.... any volunteers?

Cheers ____________________________________________________________________ Steve Litchfield, 3-Lib, http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/

For Psion and Symbian handhelds, with computer-based training on CD

Also PocketInfo, useful files - http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/pocketinfo Journalism: sub-editor and/or senior contributor to:

Palmtop User - http://www.palmtop.co.uk/

PDA Essentials - http://www.paragon.co.uk/mags/pdaessentials.html

PC Basics - http://www.paragon.co.uk/mags/pcbasics.html

Reviews editor, AllAboutSymbian - http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 18:40:18 +0000

From: Steve Hodgson

Subject: Re: netBook / Series7 Screens

ED> It may also simply be that you're going outdoor with the ED> machine now that spring has come (you're on the northern ED> hemispere, right?); the backlight cannot compete with ED> sunshine.

Arne,

Something of a rarity in Edinburgh I fear. Using the netBook in sunlight has always been an exercise in guess and trust when it come to typing. My problems are with the machine sitting on the desk in an office. My perception is that the screen brightens after a few minutes. even in the dark cupboard where I live in the evenings it seems darker - I tried pressing on the logo with no perceptible difference.

After many postings in comp.sys,psion.misc in the old pre-digest days saying then no-one really needed a colour screen, I finally got a netBook because my classic Series 5 screen was so dismal. It will probably be the screen that drives me to change again. Mostly though it's the realisation that all the heavyweight stuff I used to use the netBook for can be handled by my 12" Mac PowerBook, with no great size penalty. The idea of down-sizing to something more portable appeals.

regards,

Steve Hodgson

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 19:20:28 +0000

From: Bob

Subject: RE: Offline Web

I too have had Offline Web for a long time and have never got it working. I have also contacted Tom Tom and they told me that they don't support any Psion software any more. This was after many times trying to email them. I won't ever bother with them again. I must say however, I have many good programs from them over the years.

Thanks,

Bobbyr

Steilacoom, Washington

---

Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).

Version: 6.0.661 / Virus Database: 424 - Release Date: 4/19/2004

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 21:17:50 +0000

From: David Steer \(Plus\)

Subject: Re: Screen on nBook/S7

Steve Hodgson & Itamar Engelsman,

I remember reading about backlights sometime ago. I have the same difference between my S7 and nBook. The backlight has a half-life: i.e. the level if brightness of the backlight decreases by a factor of 50%. However, this is dependent of level of use so we can only guess this. Lets say your 9 to 5 continuos use will result in the level of brightness being half in 1 year. On this assumption brightness will be 25% (of original) by end of year 2, 12.5% by end of year 3 and so on. Counter this with that each setting level (1 to 9) is about twice the brightness of the previous setting, this should give you a usable brightness for well over 10 years based on 8 hours a day 356 days a year. See where I am going with this....

Regards

David

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 21:41:57 +0000

From: Philip S. Adkins Potter

Subject: OLRs

Hi Folks,

Richard , you seem to have had a very poor experience with Offline Web. I've never knowingly used an offline reader and don't even know what one is.

But the Snaffle I've got on my 5mx is a site-scooper written in JAVA. I don't use it now as the scooper on my Mac (Web Devil) is more convenient and quicker.

But perhaps site-scoopers are just OLRs masquerading!

Happy days,

Phil.

"If it can't be expressed in figures,

it is not science; it is opinion."

Try http://www.aypee2.net if you dare.

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

Date: 21 Apr 2004 22:50:34 +0000

From: Kevin Thorne

Subject: S7 freezing on internet connection

My S7 has started a regular habit of freezing whilst connected to the internet using my Psion IR Travel Modem. There is no particular pattern of when this occurs and it doesn't freeze in other normal operations, only when connected to the internet. Only a reset will cure it but then it usually happens again quite quickly. If I were using Windows I'd suspect a virus but surely not on my S7! Any ideas? I'm beginning to suspect yet another problem in my previously long list with the Psion IR modem :-(