- RE: eeepc

- Re: E90 vs. 5mx

- RE: XP crashes due to PsiWin

- Re: 5mx on a bike

- Re: eeepc

- Ref: 5MX

- Re: Asus eee

- TomTom RoutePlanner, v3.0

- eee pc file management question

Date: 24 Apr 2008 17:59:04 +0000
From: Duncan Rounding <address truncated>
Subject: RE: eeepc

You can add more software to your eeepc but before doing so I would recommend that you learn how to back up the unit completely. If you don't do so then you will be limited to restoring to the original defaults and may loose all your data.

The best place to read up and ask questions is in the eeeuser forums:
http://forum.eeeuser.com/
There is also a wiki on the same site that has a wealth of information.

I have loaded a few extra programs on mine without any issues - brilliant machine. I use it daily connected to a Huawei E220 HSDPA 3G modem which works great. (No drivers required or additional software required)

HTH

Duncan

Date: 24 Apr 2008 19:33:45 +0000
From: Ian Chapple <address truncated>
Subject: Re: E90 vs. 5mx

Dear All,
as there seems to be a fair bit of E90 bashing going around at the moment, I thought I would write in its defence.

As has been discussed many times, both here and in various other forums (fora?), no current smartphone can be considered as a true Psion replacement, insofar as there are many things that a Psion can/could do that smartphones can not. However, once you bear in mind that no phone manufacturer, even those using Symbian as the OS, is actually trying to create a Psion-in-a-phone, this comparison becomes a bit meaningless... Yes, there are things that Psions can do better, but there are an awful lot of things that they simply can't do; when one considers just how much is crammed into a device like the E90, it is mind-boggling.

I moved from a P910i to an E90, and am totally bowled over by just how capable a device it is. Sure, it has its problems, and I am eagerly awaiting the soon-to-released firmware upgrade, but when all is said and done, I can basically do anything I want on it. So it can't open two Word documents at the same time; that's not a problem for me. Some claim that the Calendar app is a bit basic; I don't have a particular problem with it, but for those that do, there are plenty of 3rd party alternatives. People say that the camera is a bit slow; but hang on, a mobile phone with a 3,2 Megapixel camera would have been unthinkable even 2 or 3 years ago. OK, so the keyboard on the E90 is a bit "stiff", for wont of a better word; a 5mx style keyboard would be superb, except that the phone would then be 50% bigger than it already is, and it's not exactly what one would call petite...

At the end of the day, it's horses for courses as we say in English. For those die-hard Psion users out there, converting to a "dumbed down" smartphone is unthinkable. I have no problem with that. But to continuously criticise phones such as the E90 because it's not some sort of Psion-clone is kind of missing the point, as this is exactly what it was never intended to be. What you do get is a phone on which you can listen to music (in stereo) while simultaneously editing a Word document and using it to navigate your way home; you try and do that on a Psion.....!

Cheers, Ian.

PS. and I still use my netbook every day.

Date: 24 Apr 2008 22:14:06 +0000
From: Alan R Morris <address truncated>
Subject: RE: XP crashes due to PsiWin

From: Thomas F. van der Zijden <address truncated>

} This is annyoing: my PC also suddenly switches itself off
} completely as if
} there were a power failure if I use PsiWin.

} I hope that there will be a solution to this.

Thomas, as far as I'm concerned, it's Windows gone bad.  Ever since
version 1.00, windows has gradually gone bad.

It depends on how it's used.  The more that programs are installed and
deleted, the quicker it comes round to a re-install.

At about the same time, one of the HP printer .exe files loaded at boot
time, started to use processor time.  While in the background, as I
hardly ever use the HP printer, it would up the processor to 100% usage.

Starting anything was delayed while the new app grabbed processor time.
Now removed the HP .exe using MSCONFIG.  That stopped the HP grab, but
probably also caused the Copyany (also loaded at boot time) to become
very unstable.

But hey! That’s what to expect with Windows.

Reg.

Date: 25 Apr 2008 04:40:45 +0000
From: Keith Giles <address truncated>
Subject: Re: 5mx on a bike

Thomas van der Zijden wrote:

> I still am surprised that your 5mx 'lives' many years without any > problems in a bag on a bike. They are more robust than I thought.

You needn't be surprised - I did have problems. I had to have the cable replaced (under warranty). This past month the batteries started failing after about a week - mostly just sitting in the dock without AC turned on. A posting on Psion Place by someone who has this problem suggested a physical turn off switch might be broken. I don't see how this would apply to my 5mx because I always turn it off before closing.

So I dug out a 5mxPro (English) I bought 6-7 years ago when Expansis was offering them; and another 5mx (hardly used) which I bought about the same time from a bike club member who, for some unknown reason, quickly lost interest in it. I picked it up for $50 - completely
boxed with manuals, cable, CD.

I've been testing them both to decide which I'll take on my next tour. Both seem to be using batteries like they should. Except for a couple of things, I find with the 5mx: I have the Switch On/Off set with only the "Switch off when case closed" box checked; and use Macro5 to show the battery info on first turn on of the day, closing with a beep.

Every once in a while I hear a beep, open the 5mx and find it has turned itself on and opened and closed the battery info. Plus when I look at Switch On/Off, it has checked the box "Switch on when screen is tapped". Why it's doing that I don't know.

As for my original 5mx, I may well take it to the Dutch Psion Club meeting in September to see if I can get it fixed.

Happy Cycling,
Keith
Sunnyvale, CA

Thought For The Day: Toys are so sophisticated these days that they can play with each other.

Date: 25 Apr 2008 15:34:48 +0000
From: Ajai Khattri <address truncated>
Subject: Re: eeepc

On 23 Apr 2008, Bob <address truncated> wrote:

> As I have posted before I really like my eeepc. I do have a question > forthose more familiar with Linux that I, it might be just me, but I > havelooked at the different web sites----is there any place that one can > findthird party software or other programs????  I would like to add some > but theonly thing I can find are things that it looks like you have to
> able to useraw data to make a program.  Can't find any .sis or .cab type > files orwhatever the parlance is in Linux.

Generally you would use a package manager to download and install packages in Linux (no CAB or SIS files here). Xandros is a Debian fork so you
should have the Synaptic package manager available (inside of which, you can search for and install packages). Its also possible to add third-party repositories that the package manager will use in addition to the default ones.

You might want to read this:
http://www.freesoftwaremagazine.com/columns/asus_eeepc_part_two_setting_full_kde_gnu_linux_experience
--
Aj.

Date: 25 Apr 2008 22:15:33 +0000
From: K.I. van der Straten <address truncated>
Subject: Ref: 5MX

*  Great to read from Keith that the Psions still have some specific *  uses. I still am surprised that your 5mx 'lives' many years without any *  problems in a bag on a bike. They are more robust than I thought.

No Thomas, two years ago Keith got the screencable problem too.
He was on that moment in Denmark, after that he came to The Netherlands and Pieter replaced the cable for a strong one.

Regards,

Kees.

Date: 25 Apr 2008 22:15:34 +0000
From: K.I. van der Straten <address truncated>
Subject: Re: Asus eee

Hello Keith,

I think that you can't find a better PDA then the 5MX for your bike trips. Or you have to thing on a phone or the other devices are bigger then the 5MX.
Data, there isn't a replacement, you can find it only on a Psion.
OK there is a Data program for the S80 communicator (9500, 9300 and 9300i), but the Psion Data is much better, in my opinion.
Biklog, you can do it in an excell or sheet, but it can't reach the quality of Biklog (Thank you Jaap for this great program).
You didn't mention the instant on and off.
OK the Linux eeepc has a start-up time of 25 - 35 seconds that's quite fast for a PC, but the Psion is faster.
And you didn't mention the battery live.
The Asus runs 2,5 up to 3 ours, the 5MX with fresh batteries more then 20 ours.
So....

Kind regards,

Kees.

Date: 26 Apr 2008 15:01:18 +0000
From: Keith Giles <address truncated>
Subject: TomTom RoutePlanner, v3.0

I had to re-install this app on my 5mx. Now when I go to Menu/Map/Set Preferences, I get the following error message:

Program: Enroute
Reason code: E32USER-CBase
Reason number: 21

Does anyone know what I have to do to correct this so I can get to Preferences?

Happy Cycling,
Keith
Sunnyvale, CA

Thought For The Day: Expecting success without hard work is like trying to harvest where you haven't planted.

Date: 27 Apr 2008 16:53:27 +0000
From: Jim Watson-Gove <address truncated>
Subject: eee pc file management question

Can't figure out how to control file placement when working in Open Office - Writer and/or File Manager 4.0

I can create a Word document ok but when I go to save it there is no option to allow the designating of a folder.

When I try to Save To, there is no option to specify (or navigate to) Folder.

When I try to create a "Word" document (I guess "Writer document would
be more accurate) in File Manager, there is only the option to create
a Folder.

After saving a document, I can go looking for it in File Manager and
find it, the cut and paste to move it where I wish.

What am I missing???

tia,

jim