Epocdigest V1 # 418

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Epoc Digest Mon, 05 Jan 2004 Volume 01 : Number 418

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Sent to: 790 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 16 messages:

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- Dismantling netBook to fix screen calibration (4 Chris Holly)

- nB US AC adapter (4 Jim W-G)

- Re. MNetBook warranty (4 Itamar)

- Pics of fix?

- PDF files (4 Chris H.)

- Old Zaurus, OT (4 Jim W-G)

- Re: Dana vs. MBook (4 Peter)

- Re: Dana v. Mbook (4 Jim W-G)

- Re: Your message to the Epocdigest

- Re: Series 7 and Mbook screen cables (4 Scott L.)

- Re: Port scan on the S5mx (4 Rolf V.)

- Re: Malay Shipping (4 Jim W-G)

- Re: Editor et al (4 Astrid - a female!)

- PRO battery (4 Thomas)

- Re: Backups Again (4 Chris H.)

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:36:13 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Dismantling netBook to fix screen calibration (4 Chris Holly)

> Ok, I've pushed where the label used to be on my Malay

> netBook. I've recalibrated and reset to factory. It just

> keeps drifting. When I have had too much coffee, I have to

> fight the urge to pound the stylus right throught the screen!

Yet another reason to stick to decaf, I guess! ;)

> Is it worth dismantling and reconnecting the cable to the MB?

> From what I can see, I don't have to dismantle it very much

> to get to that cable connection. Is it likely to do any good?

> Has anyone tried this? Has anyone wished they had left well

> enough alone and just kept pushing on the label?

The job is easy. I've done it a few times, myself. Just make sure to remove all 3 sources of power before you go in and discharge any static on your hands and try not to touch the 2 modules or the motherboard itself. On my end, re-clamping and cleaning the cable's end with isopropyl alcohol didn't help much with the calibration (the problem returned), but it did correct the problem with wildly fluctuating contrast that popped up recently - just after turning the machine sideways to show a diagram to a viewer from a more appropriate angle. Interestingly, the three times I've opened the machine up the cable has looked fine. Each time it has been sitting clamped in properly and the connection looks clean too. Go figure.

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:36:26 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: nB US AC adapter (4 Jim W-G)

> (now shelved waiting for US power adapter to arrive from

> Psion UK)

Has Psion UK given you a time frame for delivery on the US adapter, Jim?

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:36:57 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re. MNetBook warranty (4 Itamar)

> Answer to: David Lir & others

> Re. MNetBook warranty - While I appreciate that Pulster gives

> a 2 year warranty, who will repair the machines in the near

> future ? We already read in the last digest that Psion now

> repairs machines outside the UK and how long will that last ?

> How long will the spare parts be available?

I have absolutely no idea. That's why I bought 2 MnetBook's when they were only $258US. I figured I could use the extra battery (another concern of mine was: where will I be able to buy a battery a few years hence?) and the difference between the cost of a 2nd machine and a 2nd battery alone would be swallowed up by the cost of a single repair - and I didn't know whether Psion would even deign to repair a MnetBook at all - since they had clearly not wanted them sold outside of Malaysia (IIRC) to begin with.

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:36:58 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Pics of fix?

With all the talk lately of problems with netBook screen-cable connections and the fix that Psion is said to have implemented somewhere near the end of the older netBook model's lifecycle - I'm itching to see a few detailed snaps of Psion's fix - especially if compared to a netBook without the fix. A few close-ups of a netBook's screen-cable where it connects to the motherboard *showing Psion's fix* would be very much appreciated! I would especially like to see if I could duplicate Psion's fix on my own machine!

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:37:00 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: PDF files (4 Chris H.)

>> I've got an MnetBook with the extra RAM. Does the Java

>> Reader run as slowly as the Java version of Lemmings or

>> GrandRapid? If so I won't bother with it.

> It does run that slowly IF you don't have a Netbook (or

> Malayabook like you have). With a Netbook, it is still

> slower than PDF+, but not greatly so IMHO. Certainly once it

> has cached some pages it runs pretty quick

I'll try to get around to trying it out someday. Hopefully, it will fill the gap for the small percentage (IME) of PDF files that crash PDF+.

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:37:01 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Old Zaurus, OT (4 Jim W-G)

> Marketing here (the US) was sporadic at best. Sharp was

> putting forth a better effort with their Zaurus (newspaper

> ads etc.) but (IMO) their underpowered processor was their

> downfall. It was a better machine than the Palms (IMO) and

> far inferior to the Psions but with a much better screen

I owned the Zaurus 5800. The machine was very RUGGEDLY built, had a nice clear screen for its time, a super long runtime on 2 AA alkalines (about double that of the 5mx) and pretty decent software - though nowhere near as good as the applications on a 3a. The slow processor on the Z eventually killed it for me - it was too slow to keep up with my typing in the built-in word processor! BTW, I know of a cellphone store in Toronto that still has an unused Z-5800 under glass as mere decoration. I would have bought it for its sentimental value alone or as decoration in *my* abode - but before I could even voice the question a salesman came over and told me *quite firmly*, "No, it's NOT for sale!" ;)

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:37:31 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Dana vs. MBook (4 Peter)

> If it's any help, I have a Series 7 and a Dana. I'm a pretty

> fast touch typist, and find the Dana's keyboard marginally

> better. But Palm OS 4.1 is so slow that when I type a

> sentence on the Dana, I have to pause and let the computer

> catch up

Hi Peter,

I'm sure glad I didn't go for a Dana then - either for myself or for my kids! I've already suffered through the experience of a computer too slow to keep up with fast typing once, and would rather not repeat it!

All of this talk on the Digest recently, of both the Dana and the upcoming Palm OS 6, gives me the idea that an affordable and fast netBook alternative may appear in the not-too-distant future - running Palm OS 6. Any thoughts?

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:37:32 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Dana v. Mbook (4 Jim W-G)

> You have to remember that I taught myself to type on an old

> Underwood when I was about 10 years old. Then I acquired

> typing skills on type 15 and 300 TTY machines in the

> telephone industry. Then to computers with a IBM Selectric

> somewhere in between. All of this to say I am a hunt & peck

> typist and only use two fingers one hand, 1 finger on the

> other. So I'm not to be taken as an expert on keyboards.

> You know what the NBook keyboard is like. The Dana is a bit

> bigger but the keys are cheaper and feel it (it is an

> inexpensive machine).

Thanks for that, Jim. I forgot that some of us never learned to touch-type. I started out as a hunt-and-peck typist myself and then *forced* myself to learn to touch-type years ago. I am now a moderately efficient touch-typist. The nice thing about the MnetBook is that the keys feel as good under my fingers as those on my Panasonic laptop. Indeed, they both use a basically identical 'folding-chair' mechanical design. If the keys on the Dana feel noticeably cheaper than the keys on the MnetBook than that would seem to offset the increase in size - but I'm sure it's all very subjective. At any rate, I find the netBook's keyboard to be excellent for both 'hunt and peck' (or as I sometimes call it 'tap') typing as well as for true touch-typing. Touch-typing, of course, goes much faster once one becomes accustomed to it.

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:37:33 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Dana v. Mbook (4 Jim W-G)

> They still have the package for $258 but it's marked sold out

> as is one other bundled option (I forget what it contained).

> I like the gold Card modem that came with even though it

> works just fine with my IR Modem. It will make web browsing

> easier

They've had the $258 option listed as 'sold out' for quite a looooong time. I bought the Gold modem for $28 (or so) at time of purchase. I agree it's easier to browse with the Gold modem - especially when the netBook is sitting in one's lap. I also find that the Gold modem holds the line better - more reliably - than the IR modem. I use the IR modem when netBooking from my desk, as I prefer to keep my E: drive (a 512MB CF in a PCMCIA adapter) inserted, as much as possible.

> Absolutely true. But the fact that the MBook at $450 is a

> fantastic buy doesn't change the fact that the Dana is a lot

> of computer for a small amount of money.

I know what you mean, but I don't think that the Dana is the buy it once was. Portable computers, and in particular Palm OS machines, have come down notably in price since the Dana was introduced - more (percentage-wise) than the new Dana has. However, the Dana does seem to occupy a very unique niche in the marketspace. The 16MB Dana, with its antiquated screen technology (notice how I didn't say obsolete?) would be a good buy at $299US, IMO. Of course, now that Peter has told us how his Dana can't even keep up with his typing - I'm not sure a Dana at any price is a good value for a touch-typist!?

> Actually with the way most people use the machine (it's not a

> pocket computer) the mains connection is great. It has an

> excellent battery charging system. No worry about

> overcharging etc. so plugging it into the mains for a few

> hours or overnight when the battery bar starts going down and

> you're up and running for a long long time. The world

> traveling types using Danas, and there are some who appear on

> the AlphSmart community forum, carry AA's for the emergency

> (away from mains or being someplace where the mains power is

> not compatible). The battery access is via a cover plate

> held on with small screws. It's not really that well set up

> for battery changes like the Psion products are.

I didn't realize that they had made the 'old battery swap' so difficult to accomplish! Screws!?? I guess this has to do with AlphaSmart's 'kids first' focus. If I were using a Dana I'd probably use good old alkalines - but I'd take out the screws and keep the plate on with electrical tape :). You're quite right though - most people with Dana's do run the machine off the rechargeable pack. It's just not the way I'd prefer to use the machine.

> You know the urban legend about the kid who hit the power

> pole in New York and all the lights went out for three states

> around? It may be like that.

and...

> Did I cause it to happen? I hit the pole with my stick

> (again and again) so I at least was part of it <S>

I'm sure your input was part of the process, as was the input from everybody else who must have been *screaming* for a widescreen version of WordSmith. I would have been too, if I had a Dana! Like you I always found the Blue Nomad people to be very responsive.

> <<I agree 100%; but it is still quite amazing what you can

> accomplish on a little Palm.>>

> That's why I say if Psion goes away, I can make do with Palm.

I could too - but I won't have to worry about making do with a Palm for a while yet :). Of course if Palm OS 6...

> We'll see how I manage - I plan to integrate the MBook into

> my arsenal. Treo for carrying around agenda and address book

> as well as Palm Reader (I'm down to three word files on the

> Treo). 5mx for my email, primary data needs; Sheets,

> Databases, poetry files, etc etc. The Dana for maintaining

> my elist (SnapperMail supports BCC just fine on

> Earthlink).The MBook will primarily be used for editing my

> two magazines, preparing mss for submission, and all large

> scale (3 & 4 hours at a crack) word processing jobs. I also

> see myself using the MBook for limited browsing

Talk about MULTI-TASKING! :)

> <<I considered picking up a Dana for one of my kids ->>

> My first impulse is to say yes, a great machine to introduce

> a kid to computers. But thinking about it, I suspect if you

> really want to get a kid to takeoff, get him a high powered

> Windows machine

Yup, I decided it would be better to teach the kids how to use MS Word, Excel, Publisher, FrontPage, etc., since so many employers prefer that their employees be proficient with the MS stuff. (sigh)

> Palm is let down by its OS - that's why they're coming out

> with OS 6. There will be small machines for the new OS and

> eventually Dana will slap in a higher powered processor,

> configure if for the new OS and take off.

It will fun to watch as the Dana and the Palm OS grow up together. I too am expecting a greatly improved Dana with the improved OS.

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:37:54 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Your message to the Epocdigest

I'm a little mystified by this one, Manuel! I am pretty sure that I sent my new email addrto the Digest Team some time ago - and I've only sent in messages from my standard ISP and the messages have been included in the last few digests with address included in the headers. Could you please enlighten me as to what the problem could be?

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:38:06 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Series 7 and Mbook screen cables (4 Scott L.)

> I have a newer Series 7 thatworks great for now, and two

> Malaybooks with no problem

Which of your 3 machines is in daily use? My MnetBook was put to good use daily *for 5 months* before the calibration problem first appeared. That's not to say any of your machines are (or will be) so affected - but how do you know that the 2 MnetBook's are in the clear?

> So I do not fault Psion, what usually happens is, you know

> you have a potential problem, but marketing deadlines and end

> "o" budget dictate the final episode. But as you know these

> things come back to haunt you, and can actually tarnish a

> product badly.

The problem with the netBook screen-cable connection certainly seems to affect a higher percentage of machines than say any similar problem(s) with cables or their connections on most decent brands of laptops. My opinion is that Psion has proven to be far less competent with flexicables than any of the big laptop makers - including those who have offered touch-screen models for a while now, such as Panasonic or Fujitsu.

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:39:58 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Port scan on the S5mx (4 Rolf V.)

> Hi David,

> thank you for the information. But I contacted already the

> author and he answered me, that he can't help me with

> NetUtils

Sorry about that, Rolf. I hope you find what you're looking for!

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:40:13 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Malay Shipping (4 Jim W-G)

> jim - waiting for a power unit being shipped from Psion

After it has arrived Jim, could you PM me and let me know if the power unit Psion ships you is branded 'Psion' or not - and whether it has a bent (right angle or 'L' shaped) tip or a straight tip as the 100/240 POD unit that Clove and Sita sells does?

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 05:46:57 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Editor et al (4 Astrid - a female!)

Hi Astrid,

I really only meant to point out that Ctrl-Shift-Fn-K is the proper keypress needed to Kill Editor from within the program itself. Thanks for mentioning NoSaveExit - I've been using it for *years*.

I am sorry for having mistaken you for a male! :-*

P.S. In the future could you *please* send your message either to the Digest OR as a Private Email - NOT both. It's a bit confusing when I receive a message that has been sent to the Digest also in my Inbox with *absolutely no indication* that the same message has been sent to the Digest.

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David Lir - \\:>{o>

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 08:28:46 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: PRO battery (4 Thomas)

> Answer to : David Lir

> The battery of the Netbook Pro should operate at a nominal

> voltage of 10.7 V, which will make the Netbook think that it

> is almost empty. Wouldn't this be a limitation on the hours

> of use you get from the N-Pro's battery ? The moment it

> becomes lower than 10.7 V... the Netbook will stop working. I

> guess you'll need another charger as well

The standard netBook Li-ion battery tops up at 12.6v when fully charged, yet it has 10.8v printed right on it. The PRO's data-sheet specs its battery at 12.6v. I haven't seen a PRO battery, but it may have 10.7v printed on it, which would explain the figure you've got. So *10.7 or 10.8v should represent the lowest voltage that the battery will provide for proper and full operation of the machine before needing to be recharged* (though the battery can be run down quite a bit further still) and *either battery will start out at 12.6v when fully charged*. I would expect that the new PRO battery rated at 2200mAH should be able to provide *at least* the 10.8v (but starting at 12.6v when fully charged) needed for proper operation of a standard netBook for substantially longer than the old battery which is rated at 1500 mAH - almost 50% longer. To put it another way: when used in the standard netBook the 1500mAH standard battery (when new) takes around 8 hours to drop from 12.6v (when fully charged) down to 10.8v, (though it can go down *quite* a bit more - some operations, such as writing to a CF disk will fail at around 10.6v, IME) and the PRO battery should take closer to 12 hours to do the same - assuming it will work and charge properly in the old machine. At any rate, I think that 10.7v figure you have probably refers to the PRO battery's voltage when depleted or nearly so.

Meanwhile, I should say that I have no direct experience using a PRO battery in my MnetBook. I have read 2 or 3 online reports from others who have had both machines in their possession at some point and who have stated that they had tested the PRO battery in the old machine and that it had worked fine - I think at least one of those users stated that the battery charged fine in the old machine also. I would expect that PT would prefer that the new battery be compatible with the old machines since they probably have contractual obligations with enterprise customers to provide replacement batteries for a while yet for the old machines - and with the new battery being backwards compatible they would need only stock or manufacture the one battery. Besides that - existing customers would be happy with the substantial increase in battery life on their old machines. Keep those customers happy and they will be that much more likely to buy the new machine when the time comes.

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David Lir - \\:>{o

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

Date: 5 Jan 2004 08:48:13 +0100

From: David Lir

Subject: Re: Backups Again (4 Chris H.)

Chris,

The limitations of textual communication are becoming all-too apparent with this thread. I will write my last message on this subject and *gladly let you have the final word* in response. You'll have to forgive me if this is a bit muddled - I'm working through a nasty case of the flu.

> It sounds VERY much like you have totally misunderstood

> Profiles in FastBackup, because you do NOT need to use

> Profiles to backup multiple folders & files!

Boy, you must think me very stupid. On my 5mx I use FastBackup - without ever having touched the Profiles feature at all [though I should mention that if I do select Profiles from the Action picklist on my 5mx and then choose Edit Action I am given the choice to choose the 'active profile' and my single configured backup is listed as #1 in the list, strongly implying that (without having ever touched the Profiles feature on my 5mx) my default backup is considered by the program a Profile, indeed as the 'active profile'] - to backup all of C to a folder on D - and I am well aware that that folder contains all of the files, folders and subfolders from C! Did you think that I was creating and running Profiles for each folder or file?

Further, I don't see how I can be said to be misunderstanding FastBackup's Profiles. On my MnB, I use one Profile to backup everything on C to a folder on D and another to backup everything on D to a folder on E. As mentioned I prefer to have FastBackup run both of these Profiles in sequence - usually at least once a day. I have also created and run (as a test) a 3rd profile that duplicates one of my FlashBack 'subset' profiles perfectly. This backs up only a select subset of the folders, subfolders and files found on C to a profile-specific folder on D. It worked great (I've since deleted it) and a quick check showed that, once run, its associated backup folder had the identical configuration of files and folders within it as the similar FlashBack Profile's backup folder. So as I see it, a FastBackup Profile can be used either to run a complete (incremental) backup of an entire disk to a specific folder (on another disk) or to backup only a subset of folders, subfolders and files on a disk to a specific folder - and that's exactly haw I use FastBackup - and it works great for me.

If you look at my D drive (a 512MB CF) you will see a folder called 'Backup'. Within that folder are 2 folders 'FastBackup and 'FlashBack'. In the FastBackup folder are also 2 folders: '5mx' and 'nB'. In the '5mx' folder I have the latest backup of my 5mx's C drive (using FastBackup *without* having touched Profiles - and yes I know that running FastBackup without having touched Profiles backs up multiple files and folders at a time!) and in the 'nB' folder I have the latest backup of my MnB's C drive (using FastBackup Profile 1 on my MnB). In the D:\Backup\FlashBack folder I have 3 folders - one for each of my FlashBack 'subset' Profiles. Also, in my D:\Backup\FastBackup folder, I had (just today until I deleted it) a folder for the test FastBackup Profile I ran which quite nicely backed up a small subset of folders (some with sub-folders) and files. Everything has been working fine on my end. Also, at the root of my *E* drive (another 512MB CF) I have a folder called 'MyBackup' which has the latest incremental backup (using FastBackup Profile 2 on my MnB) of my complete D drive - this of course includes a copy of my complete D:\Backup folder with both the 'FastBackup' and 'FlashBack' folders and all their subfolders.

> you do NOT need to use Profiles to backup multiple folders &

> files! You only need it if you are using multiple disks

> simultaneously, which is a fairly unusual need.

And (taken from FastBackup's help file)...

> There has been much more interest in backing-up several disks

> (e.g. both C & D to E) than I expected. Therefore the

> ability to manage & use multiple "profiles" was added"

All this gives me the impression that you see Profiles as something that should ONLY be used for backing up multiple disks - which is a far too limited and limiting view of what Profiles in ANY backup program can and should be used for, IMO. I should say that Profiles in a backup program can be *at least as useful for backing up subsets of files and folders* as for backing up entire or multiple disks. Accordingly, I use different Profiles to do just that - backup whole drives - as well as subsets of folders and files. As mentioned, I am presently using FlashBack Profiles to backup my subsets - but if I only had FastBackup to work with I would use its Profiles feature to back up my subsets too - certainly my test FastBackup profile worked for that purpose very well.

> you do NOT need to use Profiles to backup multiple folders &

> files!...

Just to re-emphasize: No kidding. I KNOW.

> You only need it if you are using multiple disks

> simultaneously...

Not true. FastBackup's Profiles are also quite useful for backing up only subsets of data to specified folders on a CF.

> ...which is a fairly unusual need

Also not so - many netBook users use C, D and E. Though G-d only knows what you mean by 'using multiple disks *simultaneously*...'.