- Windows Notebook + emulator versus Psion NetBook

- To G3 or not to G3? Smartphones, philosophy, and the whole damned thing

- Waterproof 9500?

- 9500 Calendar speed and funnies

- Re: Windows Notebook + emulator versus Psion NetBook

- Subject: problem loading programs

- 9500 rant

- Help Please -- Java Psion Link under Ubuntu

- Re: HTC S710

- Re: What we will be using??? (email sync)

- diary/calendar, What we will be using???, Windows Notebook + emulator,

- Chris's 9500 rant and P910i case

- Answer to David Steer about Macs

- funny behaviour with Sandisk 512 MB

- RE: job

Date: 26 Feb 2007 06:44:24 +0100
From: TheSage <address truncated>
Subject: Windows Notebook + emulator versus Psion NetBook

Hi All,

With regards to Jean's suggestion regarding the use of the emulator on a windows machine, I have previously attempted to download the emulator (for just that purpose). However, I have yet to find a link that is
still active and can down load the software. I have a PsiWin disk (I believe it is 2.3) which I woul have expected it to be on but have yet
to find it.

Any help in locating the emulator would be most appreciated.

Regards

Les

Date: 26 Feb 2007 07:51:26 +0100
From: Jonathan S <address truncated>
Subject: To G3 or not to G3? Smartphones, philosophy, and the whole damned thing

Hi guys, it's along time since I've posted here, and it's usually when I need advice, so nothing's changed there then!

Since I last posted, I swiched from my second Palm in two years to a Dell Axim; the Palm software is SO much better, faster, simpler, more reliable, but both Palms' screens packed up on me (ie their touch sensitivity just went completely awry), and the only way of repairing them seemed to be by buying and installing a new screen, costing only slightly more than a whole  machine...).

I have been using my Axim with a Nokia 6680, disappointing phone, slow, crashes, not like the Nokias I was used to (but the number of Nokia chargers we have round the house, my dear; what a good way of keeping customers tied to the
brand, so what have they done? Changed the charger socket! Amazing). I digress....

My contract on the Nokia is nearly up, so there is a chance to change  phone, which I is why (ah, the point of the posting, at last) I began to look at Smartphones.

First issue: I would want one that did 'push' email, and am confused  as to whether only Blackberry do this, or make their software available to  others,
or whether every network can do it with the right phone. Are any  networks really better than any others? I was on Orange for many years, but last  year went over to O2, no special loyalties to them though.

Second issue: what is the point of 3G? I though it was to provide speed of access to email and Web, but most of the phones I've looked at don't have it;
it  seems to have become reserved for video calls (which I don't need at all),
so  should I worry, or stick out for it?

Third issue: Symbian, Palm or Microsoft? What about the Trio 75, which  seems
to combine (the best or the worst?) both of the latter? I want reliability (including screen!), speed, long battery life, good hanging onto calls, useable
screen sizewise, intuitive software, a repleacement for my phine and Axim (although it means using hands free so I can use the phone and read my diary at
the same time), and a built in teleporter (only joking!).

The phones I've looked at so far include the Treo 750, XDA Orbit (no G3,  GPS nice, but not essential), Blackberry Pearl (looks nice, but how easy to use, and no G3...), and one or two of the new Nokias. HTC Tytn looks nifty, but is
it  (or its clones) one I should consider? Cameras on phones do little for
me,  neither is a built in hifi a prerequisite. Radio would be nice (it's on the
Orbit, which generally seems good, apart from no G3, and confusion about
push  email.

I'd be grateful for all advice, however anecdotal.

Thanks in advance

Regards to  all

JS

Dr Jonathan Shapiro
Senior Fellow
Health Services  Management Centre
University of Birmingham
40 Edgbaston Park  Road
Birmingham B15 2RT
United Kingdom

T: +44 (0)121 414 3169
F:  +44 (0)121 414 7051
M: +44 (0)7770 380 800
E: <address truncated>

Date: 26 Feb 2007 08:50:40 +0100
From: Ray Upton <address truncated>
Subject: Waterproof 9500?

In case any of you were wondering, I can confirm that the 9500 does not float, perhaps that's why my kids call mine 'the brick'!

I was leaning over my pond on Saturday to take out the pump, when my 9500 fell out of my pocket into the pond. It floated tantalisingly on the surface for half a second before plunging to the depths.  I managed to fish it out after a few seconds, just in time to see the display switch itself off. I took everything off off it that I could, which isn't much actually, & put it on the radiator to dry out, and started looking on ebay for replacements. After 24 hours, I put the battery back in and apart from a regular flash from the inside screen, it was dead. So the battery came back out & it went back on the radiator. A further 12 hours later, I tried again and miraculously it worked! It's as good as new, apart from a strange holographic effect on the main screen. Good job I I didn't put in any bids on ebay.

One lesson learnt though: when I put the sim into a spare phone, I realised that it was a newish sim and didn't have any phone numbers on it, including quite a number that I had no other erecord of, so if the phone had broken I would have been snookered until I got a replacement. So when it re-started the first thing I did was to copy the contacts onto the sim.

Cheers,

Ray Upton

Date: 26 Feb 2007 09:25:02 +0100
From: Steve Litchfield <address truncated>
Subject: 9500 Calendar speed and funnies

This might help you Chris, but when I upgraded my 9500 to v5.22 (a year or two ago), I restored my backup from the old v4 firmware and this caused slowdowns and funny behaviour. I'd strongly recommend you wiping your internal disk and rebuilding using Outlook sync and direct document xfer etc. This should speed things up!

BTW guys, I'm quite enjoying the Nokia E90 proto - Smartphones Show 25, up in a couple of days, will have my video preview of the E90.

Cheers
..........................
    Steve Litchfield
    http://3lib.ukonline.co.uk/, with software and features for Symbian smartphones.
    Senior writer for PDA Essentials magazine (UK) -
http://www.pda-essentials.co.uk/
    News and reviews editor for AllAboutSymbian -
http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/
    Producer and presenter for the Smartphones Show -
http://www.smartphones-show.com/

--

Date: 26 Feb 2007 10:18:33 +0100
From: Chris Handley
Subject: Re: Windows Notebook + emulator versus Psion NetBook

Jean Guillonneau wrote:
> So the NetBook is a solution. You have got all the EPOC tools and a way > to connect to the web. But the webbrowsers are not really up to date ! Theoretically, > there is another solution. Why not a small windows notebook with the EPOC
> emulator ? Here, you have both : EPOC tools and all the web engines. Plus
> PsiWin.
>
> What are the experience of the digestees in that matter : Windows
> Notebook + emulator / Psion NetBook ?

Having tried this several years ago, with my Acer clamshell Tablet PC, so that I had a touch-screen + keyboard in a laptop not much larger or heavier than the Netbook.  I posted some of my experiences at the time on Psion Place, but a brief summary & more recent opinion:

+ It's absolutely no good for PIM stuff (like Agenda), because (a) it will not wake-up & sound an alarm for you, (b) it takes 10+ seconds to wake from Hibernation (which may or may not be acceptable).

+ I don't believe PsiWin can be used with the Emulator, unless you can know of software to provide a pair of virtual serial ports on the same machine (and even then getting the Emulator to use it might not be possible).

+ The Emulator canNOT access the internet (so can't use Email), unless you can find out how to configure RAS (or something).  I was never able to find any explanations or help with that, so I'd say it's impossible for the majority of people.

+ You can't run any commercial Psion software, because all that used C++, which needs to be recompiled for the Emulator - so no using the awesome Route or Street Planner.  But most OPL apps can be got to run, as long as you can find WINS versions of the required OPXs (the normal MARM ones don't work).  There was some (semi?) free C++ software that was available recompiled for the Emulator, but I don't recall what now.

+ Oh, you can run Java stuff too, although not as seamlessly as on normal Psions.  I seem to recall there was a limit of one Java app at any time, and quitting that app may have quit the emulator.

+ The Emulator has a habit of occasionally crashing, thus loosing whatever you were doing.  That may or may not be down to my particular set-up.

BTW, by FastBackup program (see www.freepoc.org ) was adapted to work well on the Emulator, and even supports a crude synchronisation method, so check it out!  My TubeRoute program also works (much faster!), although I can't remember if I officially released a version for the Emulator.
---
Chris Handley

Date: 26 Feb 2007 12:12:34 +0100
From: Franco Cozzani <address truncated>
Subject: Subject: problem loading programs

Many thanks to Jean Guillonneau.

yes, indeed that (a Sandisk 512 MB) seemed the problem. Unfortunately, that was the smallest CF card in the store; Flash memories did move too far for our psions!

Regards, Franco Cozzani

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

Date: 26 Feb 2007 14:14:02 +0100
From: Timothy H.D. Williams <address truncated>
Subject: 9500 rant

On Feb 25, 2007, at 20:12, The Digest wrote:

> But IMHO the 9500 still seems to be the best replacement for a Psion,

I would agree with this assessment. But there are things on the 9500 which are a inexplicably feeble.

I find I never use the Desk. Either I use iDesk (brilliant) or the file browser. But neither can replace the ER6 interface.

Has anybody produced an Psion-like interface for the 9500 ?

and is there any way to gain access to the system files on the Nokia from a Macintosh via Bluetooth?

T

Date: 26 Feb 2007 15:55:34 +0100
From: Rick & Rachel Krohn <address truncated>
Subject: Help Please -- Java Psion Link under Ubuntu

I can't help you with Java Psion Link, however, you might consider plptools (http://plptools.sourceforge.net/).
It contains plpnfsd which makes your Psion's files appear as an NFS filesystem on Linux.  You can then use standard Linux tools (or roll your own) to backup files.  I wrote a Perl program that does incremental backups for my 5 and Mako.  An incremental backup of my Mako typically takes just over 1 minute.

For those of you annoyed by PsiWin's full "incremental" backup due to daylight savings time, I've never had that problem with plptools.
Psion's "Summer Times" and Linux's handling of DST play together just fine.

--
Eric Krohn

Date: 26 Feb 2007 20:00:47 +0100
From: Mike Dyer <address truncated>
Subject: Re: HTC S710

Date: 25 Feb 2007 01:22:46 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman <address truncated>
Subject: HTC S710,

Answer to: Mike Dyer

Re.: HTC S710 - Thanks for that URL, interesting to see all the new phones. I think thisphone is similar to the Qtek 9100 and other HTC phones that have the thumbboard as well but no keys on the front which makes the screen a lot bigger which in my humble opinion is a better option. Why does one need a dual control, on the front as well as on the foldable thumbboard ?

Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK

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

Hi Itamar,

look at the size of it though, what impressed me about this device, is you could carry a proper smartphone with word and excel editing in a device no bigger than a 'normal' mobile phone.

You can actually carry a smartphone around socially and not look like a geek, no-one would be any wiser, it just looks like a normal phone. But when you need a full thumb board for messaging or document editing it's there, built in ready to go.

Regards,

Mike Dyer.

Date: 26 Feb 2007 20:46:08 +0100
From: William Fuggle
Subject: Re: What we will be using??? (email sync)

On 26 Feb 2007, at 00:22, David wrote:

> The only problem I have with using MAC OS X is that what I need is > a device I can receive e-mails on (and send) and then replicate at > the end of the day with my main client (currently Outlook 2002).  > My Psion does this very well, the Apple would not.  H

Actually I do this with Macbook and my nokia e61 (the specialist nokia email phone) simply because I use am imap email system rather than pop email. One of preferences is to store sent mail on server and received mail is also stored there. So both my devices can "see" the same messages. Why bother to sync between the devices? The other advantage of imap is that my e61 is connected to it all day and when a new email hits the inbox this is flagged on e61 (bing-bong and flashing light). So you don't need an official push-email solution to get immediate email notification.

cheers

Bill

Date: 27 Feb 2007 00:16:21 +0100
From: Itamar Engelsman <address truncated>
Subject: diary/calendar, What we will be using???, Windows Notebook + emulator,

Answer to: Mike Dyer

Re.: diary/calendar - I would first have to see the week screen on your Treo 600 before I can judge whether something else exists or not. I am now tryingAgendus on my WM5 phone and find it quite complete as well.
And I also agree with you, new is not always better, quite the contrary. with everything new there exists this desire by the creators to change things, also those that are functioning extremely well already.

Answer to: David Steer

Re.: What we will be using??? - I use a WM5 phone and the synchronisation of my diary works very well, no problems to report. I don't synchronise my emails as even if it works well it would screw up the way I work in the office. My emails all go to a free mailbox where I can pick them up on my Psion and/or WM5 phone and I can send answers to the senders with a copy to my email at work. That works for me a lot better as for example I can also open this mailbox on any other computer that has an internet connection if I don't want to use Remote Access for one reason or another.

Answer to: Jean Guillonneau

Re.: Windows Notebook + emulator - Nobody reported back as yet whether or not Psiwin will work on Windows Vista and it is another good question whether or not the Psion emulator will work on Vista or not. Did anyone check this out meanwhile ?

Best regards,
Itamar Engelsman
London, UK

Date: 27 Feb 2007 11:27:04 +0100
From: "Fergus Flanagan" <address truncated>
Subject: Chris's 9500 rant and P910i case

RE: Chris Handley's Nokia 9500 problem + rant

I know this is an out of place suggestion but after deciding that my Qtek 9100/XDA mini s was not doing it for me I did consider the 9500. But when I found out that the PIM functionality had been dumbed down I knew having been an ardent Psion user many years ago it would have been a short lived relationship. I even tried the SE P910i and loved it initially but was severely let down and frustrated by the unreliable dreadful sync with outlook.

Oh yes back to my suggestion, got the Palm Treo 650, something I never though I would ever do, go back to Palm that is. I use to have a run of Palm PDAs including Clie and a Handera. I won't go on about how much I like it and how seamlessly it combines pda and phone functionality in one device. The fact is it works so damn well.

Before I finish I have a used p910i case from Piel Frama for sale on ebay UK if anyone is interested.

Cheers

Fergus

Date: 27 Feb 2007 15:20:24 +0100
From: Franco Cozzani <address truncated>
Subject: Answer to David Steer about Macs

David,

I "think" that you can normally connect to servers running MS Outlook if you get Office for Mac on an Apple machine. The corresponding app to full Outlook is called "Entourage" and does - with an Apple look - more or less what you do with Outlook on a Windows machine. I am sorry not to be able to tell you more on this, since I do not run Office by MS on my Mac; I use open-source office apps like NeoOffice.
For the rest your points are well taken.
Regards, Franco

Franco Cozzani
Brussels

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

Date: 27 Feb 2007 15:27:14 +0100
From: Franco Cozzani <address truncated>
Subject: funny behaviour with Sandisk 512 MB

My query about not being able to load apps on the D: drive when using a 512 MB Sandisk CF card (the normal kind of CF) on a MC 218 has been kindly answered. What is funny is that the card works fine for files and folders.
Namely,  I create and edit files and folders on it, cut and paste to and from the C: drive, and also convert folders and files back and forth a PC.
But is does not work when I try to load apps on it.
As I wrote, an old 32 MB card works fine with the same apps.

Any further comments, please, on this behaviour?

Regards,

Franco Cozzani
Brussels

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

Date: 27 Feb 2007 23:13:20 +0100
From: Alan Morris <address truncated>
Subject: RE: job

From: Ian Chapple <address truncated>

} >>Now products are made to appear to
} >>do a job, but frequently fail.
}
} I think you're being extremely negative here. If you look at
} the job that smartphones are attempting to do, most of them
} achieve it most of the time. However, the job that they are
} attempting to do is not the job that you want them to do,
} which is not the same thing....

My comments were not just aimed a possible Psion replacements, but many
products designed (???) to replace older products.

My Nokia 6210e, which is still working very well, was replaced by, I
think, the 6310i.  But the replacement could never correctly handle
faxes.

My new toaster will not brown both sides the same.  I'm on the third
one, having sent back the first two.  It looks 'smart', but does not
work as well as the old toaster.

My new kettle.  It looks very 'smart' and does make a good cup of tea or
coffee.  But the filter blocks after a few days and the shape causes it
to spill very easily.

I could give other examples....

How often do you hear someone complaining about something new - " Oh,
the new one is never as good as the old one!".

Mobile phones are generally better than my first - at least I don't need
a bag to carry 'The Brick' over my shoulder!

Alan