- Wireless devices in aircraft

- Re: AAs v battery-packs

- Various

- In-car PSU for Psion 5mx

- RE: AAs v battery-packs

- Sending email on 7book

Date: 25 Jan 2006 18:47:41 +0100
From: Bob Cousins <address truncated>
Subject: Wireless devices in aircraft

As a frequent flier I have read with interest the correspondence on mobile phone usage in aircraft. Apart from the tedium of having to sit next to someone yakking on their mobile for several hours (at least on a train you can get off or move seats) there is somesound sense in the blanket ban on their use.
According to a friend who understands avionics the problem arises when the phone is switched on or a call is initiated.  At this time the phone transmits at full power until it establishes with a base station. Individually this might not be a problem but if a number of passengers all switch on at the same time in different parts of the aircraft then the burst of RF that is suddenly released in the aircraft might be significant. There is a school of thought that believes that an aircraft which aborted a landing in Malaysia crashed because because a high proportion of the passengers switched on their phones to tell loved ones that they would be late (no pun intended). The aircraft was fly-by-wire and there were no survivors.
Incidentally I was on a flight back from Kazakhstan recently during which a PITA passenger insisted on using his phone despite numerous requests by flight staff and other passengers to switch it off.  When we landed he was arrested.
Bob Cousins

Date: 25 Jan 2006 21:17:27 +0100
From: Ian Chapple <address truncated>
Subject: Re: AAs v battery-packs

Armin,
>>It depends what is important to you. If size is so important, that you are willing to throw away a fully working phone, that you like, someday.<<

It's not really a question of willing. Most people, myself included, are happy to have a phone which is not (too) bulky. This is usually only achievable by using proprietary flat battery packs. I appreciate the fact that my P910 is thinner than it would be if it used AAs, but I would certainly not be happy if in 2 or 3 years time I was unable to replace the battery, and I would not be "willing" to dispose of it solely for this reason. The decision of a manufacturer to use "special" battery packs and the lack of support for a particular device after a certain number of years are two separate issues.

And let's not forget, the vast majority of electronic devices, or at least mobile phones, are replaced long before the state of their battery becomes an issue. I'm not condoning this, but it is a fact; at the end of the day, a manufacturer will claim (rightly or wrongly) that his obligation is to the purchaser of a *new* device. On this basis, the use of battery packs and their non-availablity after a certain number of years will not be considered a problem by most manufacturers.

>>At the moment I am trying to find a new battery pack for my SE T610, because I have to recharge twice a week now.<<

Good luck. Mind you, I charge my P910 about 4 times a week.... :-)

>>If I find a AA powered cellphone, that works with a Psion, I would probably take it.<<

Highly unlikely, I suspect.


Alan,

>>This is a typical modern society problem.  Years ago the A ..... D and PP... Ranges of standard sized batteries was a sign of good design by manufacturers for the good benefit of society as a whole.  Companies made products that used batteries (actually cells in the AA case) and were content with making a profit on those products.  They left making of batteries to other companies.

Now almost every company wants to make their own unique sized battery packs, so that only they can make the profit, at the expense of the consumer.<<

I'm not sure this is entirely fair. Most devices include their own charging mechanism, which often requires communication with the battery (very few battery packs only have two contacts); this would probably not be possible with an off-the-shelf battery.

>>Nikon have recently introduced a new digital camera that even uses the same model number of battery as previous models, but they are not inter-exchangable.<<

That's just plain stupid.

>>A range of thin (for phones) and thicker (for laptops) batteries with a standard set of sizes and voltages would benefit all consumers, but I can't ever see it happening.<<

True.

>>Why are the lithium battery packs so expensive ?  It's not the technology, it's the trade name mark-up.<<

Also true. Even Psion aren't (weren't) immune from this. Look at the price of netbook battery packs. And let's not get started on the Revo.....

At the end of the day, mobile phones are generally better for *not* using AA batteries, purely because of the size reduction that this makes possible. And it's not only mobile phones; many other devices (Palms, Pocket PCs, iPods etc.) would not be the size and shape they are if they used AAs.

However, the problem of not being able to buy a new battery after a few years *is* an issue which probably should be looked at; this sort of thing is dealt with in countries such as Germany by forcing manufacturers to maintain a stock of replacement parts for each product for a certain number of years after production ceases. I can well imagine at some point the EU will bring in some sort of legislation regarding this issue; after all, it's much better for the environment if devices are not being thrown away purely for the sake of a battery.

Cheers, Ian.

Date: 26 Jan 2006 04:52:48 +0100
From: Martin Maxwell <address truncated>
Subject: Various

Answer to: Franco Cozzani RE: What would you change about your Psion? >Subject: What would you change about your Psion? >.... First, the screen of the MC 218/ 5MX for a modern, colour, bright screen. It really took, and takes, our >enduring devotion to Epoc's brilliance and unmatched 5MX keyboard to put up with the muggy and often plain >unreadable screen of our beloved MC 218/5MX. I personally do not have any problems with the screen. It behaves very well in sunlight, better than most colour screens. However, often you need to adjust the angle by sticking a pen, the stylo or a pack of business cards behind the screen. >Fine. But more and more in my line of job, the Chair hands out the meeting docs in the format of USB keys, >which of course are perfectly useless on the spot with a Psion. Therefore, USB support + faster loading of >.pdf files would come strongly as N° 2 wish. Undeniably so, but you can do pretty well with IrDA beaming and PDF+. Instead of a USB stick whose memory can only be accessed over USB, I opted to purchase a CF USB plug (just marginally larger in size), which allows you to take out the CF and plug in the Psion. >And, yes, I would not mind to have a modern Li rechargeable battery for the 5MX. As for the known problem of >typing War and Peace while in the Gobi desert, one could think of an adapter for AA batteries like Nikon >digital reflex cameras have (Itamar, I guess you know more about this than I do?). I guess this is a matter of personal views. My strong preference is for AAs. If I want rechargeable AAs I can purchase rechargeable AAs. The last thing I want is to be dependent on a proprietary Li battery with which you never know when production is going to cease and you're left stranded. I think the AA form factor is essential for me to continue to rely on the 5mx for at least another decade. Kind regards Martin Maxwell Bangkok ~ Thailand Aswer to: Martin O'Neill (IOL) <address truncated> Subject: BT keyboard for Itamar Engelsman >I had the same problem with one of my 5mx keyboards in the past and I remember reading about a cure for >the problem either on the digest or on one of the forums.  As far as I can recall, it involved removing the 5mx >key and cutting out some foam?  Perhaps, someone else can remember better. You can also heat the spacebar up with hot water, turn it upside down and bend it downwards over a coin or a pen. The issue is often that the edges of the spacebar touches the rubber before the a keypress is sensed. This has completely solved the problem for me. Kind regards Martin Maxwell Bangkok ~ Thailand Answer to: Armin Podtschaske <address truncated> Subject: Re: AAs v battery-packs >My 5MX still has the full Power as if it was fresh from the shelf some years ago. And it will ever have. >If the batteries capacity start to degrade, I throw them in the recycle bin and can be sure to be able to go to >any shop I like, ask for a new set of rechargeble AA's and will never hear the answer: "sorry, we don't sell >theese any longer since a year". Exactly my conclustion too. In addition, if you want rechargeable AAs, then there are such available. This is one reason why 5mx despite its decade old design will outlive almost all mobile phones who are on the market today. Kind regards Martin Maxwell Bangkok ~ Thailand 

Date: 26 Jan 2006 09:18:03 +0100
From: Kevin.Bewley
Subject: In-car PSU for Psion 5mx

I've got a couple of questions - I'm sure you guys will know: What can I use to convert my car's 12V DC 'cigarette lighter' power into something that will power my psion 5mx? Smaller the better as I already have the PalmTop GPS - shame they didn't make that with a fly lead to power the actual Psion!

I'm also interested in how to free up the 'need to press my space bar very hard to make it work' problem.

Thanks,
Kevin

PS. is anyone else surprised at how accurate CityMaps + GPS is? I was amazed!!

Date: 26 Jan 2006 14:23:00 +0100
From: franck banag
Subject: RE: AAs v battery-packs

I am still using regularly my psion5mx (spreadsheet, word, bank account), and the solution AA battery + backup battery is simply the best for pda.

Do I use switch it on every day, or every 4weeks (in holidays, traveling), I don't have to worry about power supply. I just need spare rechargeable AA batteries somewhere in my bag, and if not, I will buy them in any shop, in any country.

To share my experience, When taking the psion in travel (saving me to bring the laptop), I don't have to carry the power supply, to have the foreign electrical plugs and not have to recharge every N days (to maintain
data),...., which would be the case if using battery-packs.

For the phone usage, the battery pack makes sense, because it is 100% switched on, used every day and doesn't carry data apart contacts (saved in the sim card). Having to open the phone every day (6230i with heavy usage) to change the battery will not be fun.

Cheers,

Franck

Date: 27 Jan 2006 04:04:32 +0100
From: brudolph <address truncated>
Subject: Sending email on 7book

I have a problem on my 7book sending email.  I am on a network. It has always worked fine and if for some reason it wouldn't send, usually you would find that the outgoing email settings were wrong.  I have checked all those settings several times and they all seem right.  I can receive email and use the internet just fine.  Its just sending email.  I click on send and it says sending and the progress bar moves along and after it gets all the way across it says no emails sent.  Any ideas please???  I haven't tried it with my pc card modem because I can't find the cable for it. Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmm 



Thanks,
Bobby