Epocdigest V1 # 510

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Epoc Digest Tue, 27 Apr 2004 Volume 01 : Number 510

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Sent to: 778 subscribers

In today's Epoc Digest 22 messages:

==============================

- RE: 3Lib Psion meeting - Epoc Digest V1 # 509

- Revo 24 mb

- RE: 5mx purchase

- RE: Series 7 and Travel Modem

- Re: Pedantic

- New Palms/Revo Batteries/New 5mx/Empower

- Re: Epoc Digest V1 # 509 Richard

- Subject: Palm machines - digest N° 509

- Re: Revo Internal

- Re: Colour screens (2 Richard)

- RE: Palm Machines

- TomTom # 509

- ABs Pedantry and Rudeness

- Palm machines, TomTom,

- Re: Palm Machines

- Dodgy netPads / Empower

- Re: Empower

- Re: Revo Battery Replacement

- Re: Palm machines

- Re: xtep disk image

- Re: Hard reset

- Re: Tomeraider

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

Date: 26 Apr 2004 23:21:30 +0000

From: David Steer $Plus$

Subject: RE: 3Lib Psion meeting - Epoc Digest V1 # 509

Richard / Steve L,

I too work on (just off) Trafalgar Square! I can second that as a choice location! Whitehall has several Ok pubs and a wine bar!

Cheers,

David

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

Date: 26 Apr 2004 23:34:16 +0000

From: Timothy H.D. Williams

Subject: Revo 24 mb

On 26 Apr 2004, at 19:59, someone wrote:

> Revo Battery - The REVO only has one battery paack and no back-up > battery. If it needs to be replaced you can contact the usual

> addresses like POS in the UK or others in Germany, Canada and I think > still in the USA.

For some reason my Revo has stopped going off at the wrong time. For the last ten days it has been acting quite properly.

I was so worried it would turn off for ever that I bought a

reconditioned 16 mb Revo from POS which for the time being I am using as a back up - and leaving beside my telephone, where it is most

useful. I paid 106 gbp tax free.

---

It were not best that we should all think alike; it is difference of opinion that makes horse races.

MARK TWAIN, Pudd'nhead Wilson

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 04:37:41 +0000

From: Bob

Subject: RE: 5mx purchase

Functionally there is little difference in the UK and US models of the Psion Machines. They both have Euro symbols, but one has a dollar sign instead of the Pound sign. And the spell checker is different, but there is a peice of software that will fix that called SpellX, leidenuniv.nl/~linthorsthjm/. You can change from UK to US Spelling and the other way around. So there is no big difference if you get it for the right price.

Thanks,

Bob

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 04:43:50 +0000

From: Bob

Subject: RE: Series 7 and Travel Modem

Thanks Itamar, I use PC card modems in both my Series 7 and Netbook. I was just wondering about using the Travel Modem. The PC cards are very good anyway. Very easy to use.

Thanks,

Bob

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 06:25:26 +0000

From: Antony Booth

Subject: Re: Pedantic

To: Kevin Collins

Antony Booth wrote (> ):

>> Well, if you are happy with being pedantic, maybe you > will not mind me having a go?<<

Perhaps: "you will not mind *my* having a go"? <G><

My what? ;-)

Antony Booth

---

Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.

Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com). Version: 6.0.667 / Virus Database: 429 - Release Date: 23/04/2004

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 07:44:21 +0000

From: Jim Cooke

Subject: New Palms/Revo Batteries/New 5mx/Empower

> Date: 25 Apr 2004 23:44:32 +0000

> From: Peter Burke

> Subject: Palm machines

> I am currently an MC218 user but alas this cannot last

> forever. I am looking to 'upgrade' to Palm, and have thought

> of the tungsten T3. However it is rumoured that there is a

> new Palm coming out soon with a new operating system. Anyone

> know, is it true and is it likely to be worth waiting for? Peter Burke

Yes, there are new Palms coming out with OS 6 (Cobalt). I don't know the

time frame but it's supposed to be "sometime this summer". OS 6 will be a

major advance with multitasking, built-in wireless and bluetooth, and a

completely new set of PIM applications. From the few things I've seen so

far, it would be worth waiting for these OS 6 units to come out before

making a decision about what to buy.

The T3 has OS 5.21. It is essentially an interim release before OS 6.

Although the hardware should be able to run OS 6, Palm has made no

commitment to allow these unties to be upgraded. Palm slipped in some the

new PIM applications on the T3 and T|E and they have caused no end of

problems in terms of syncing with Outlook. Palm has issued some patches but

many of the problems continue.

The other thing to consider is support. Nothing that runs on current Palm OS

machines will run on Palm OS 6 machines. OS 5.x has a tiny installed base

compared to OS 3.x and 4.x machines. I suspect that third party support will

fall off quickly for OS 5.x after OS 6 comes out. Third party apps should

continue to support the earlier operating systems for some time to come

since the installed base is so huge.

Just my best guesses so YMMV.

Regards, Jim

> Date: 26 Apr 2004 06:07:17 +0000

> From: David Bramham

> Subject: Re:Revo Internal Battery Replacement

> Thanks Ian, This is the problem I am having , the battery

> went flat and now I cannot get it to switch on even when I

> recharge the battery.I was under the impression that there

> was an internal battery as when external power is applied,

> the case gets warm in the area around the series of breather

> holes in the underside of the case.I still would like to open

> it up just to check inside , does anybody know how I can do

> this? Regards -David

David,

Go to http://www.portal-pda.com/main.php3 . They have a very good section on

how to open up a Revo and replace the batteries.

Regards, Jim

> Emily wrote:

> >I may be interested in purchasing a 5MX, USA Model. Does any

> >one have suggestions where?

> Try Ebay. I bought a spare there recently. There were a

> number of UK models going for about £100. Not sure about USA

> models though (Is there a difference?)

> Cheers,

> Ray Upton

There are some slight differences between the USA 5mx and the UK 5mx. The

keyboard layout is slightly different with a dollar sign replacing the pound

sign, for example. The dictionary and thesaurus also have American English

rather than British English so a spell check recognizes that that

"recognize" is the correct spelling rather than "recognise".<g>

Until fairly recently, Psion USA was selling off the last of their stock of

new 5mx's for $299 but these appear to be gone now so e-bay or Amazon is

probably the best hope.

Regards, Jim

> Date: 26 Apr 2004 12:19:09 +0000

> From: Armin Podtschaske

> Subject: Empower

> Hello Andy!

> I guess your questions did not get lost, but probably nobody

> uses Empower. I do not use it.

> Psee you,

Andy,

I tried Empower and just couldn't get my arms around it. It doesn't

integrate very well with Agenda and there didn't seem to be many things you

could do with it you couldn't do with a combination of Agenda and to-do's.

One thing that I have fount that works very well is Desktop Control Panel

Version 8, which allows you to assign projects and categories to both

appointments and to-do's as well as link contacts to both. It's also a

pretty good replacement for the Psion UI and is well integrated with both

Agenda and Contacts.

Regards, Jim

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 08:01:43 +0000

From: George Cooke

Subject: Re: Epoc Digest V1 # 509 Richard

> Clever people 2,

> Does anyone know of an app. that switch off the screen of 7/netBook, > while keeping the Psion on. When copying over large amounts of data, > but not looking at the screen, it seems silly to waste the battery

> (and perhaps the life of the screen.)

That is a very good idea. I was wondering if one of the screensaver progs like Martin Guthrie's wonderful Clock5 would work on the Netbook. Futhermore, would it work as a backup (driven by PsiWIn) was in progress?

Failing that, just reducing the contrast/ brightness of the screen could partially alleviate battery life (in theory, but I'm only guessing). A macro could be written to do this.

Food for thought.

George

My Desk-My Office

S of my screen W of my fridge

Feeling we do not have enough Owens these days on this digest ;-)

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 08:42:39 +0000

From: Franco Cozzani

Subject: Subject: Palm machines - digest N° 509

Dear Peter, dear all:

I am perhaps one of the least computer-savy readers of the digest but I do

have a MC 218 and plan to buy a Palm, so here is my word of wisdom.

Part 1 - technical specs.

I myself read rumours about a possible upper end Tungsten, likely to be

called T4. It would not take a stretch of immagination to guess that it

should:

1. Run on Palm OS 6 (now called Cobalt, I guess), which from the little

I know should offer better networking and multimedia. Whether or not Cobalt

is a real multi-tasking, that means you can run different apps at the same

time as opposed to opening and closing them fast, I do not know and leave to

most experience readers to inform you and me on this.

But I think that T4 should definitely run on OS 6, since this was released

to developers end of 2003 and it is about time to see it on the market.

2. Run at least at 400 MHz on last year processors or sports the new

520 MHz recetnly presented by Intel. May be some doubt on this, reliability

or future upgrading reasons could be issues, battery life (not stupendous on

the T3 also ??) is another.

3. Nice screen 320x 480 with landscape mode, a strong point of the T3,

with of course virtual graffiti.

4. Open question whether or not T4 will be a slide model, à la T3 and

T2. Some people like the compact form factor, others - like me - prefer a

larger PDA without recepticals for dirt and no need to use two hands to

open.

5. Almost certainly both bluetooth and WiFi, since Palmone must improve

on the T3 (which has BT but not WiFi), and why running OS 6 and not profit

from the advertised better networking ?

Palmone releases often in spring and fall, so if T4 does not come this

coming month, it will be for October. Which it is not impossible since Palm

should release two new Zire - and may be a middle range E2 with BT - so what

would them release next fall ??

Part 2 - buying tips

I actually write things - serious work - on my MC 218 and work on - as

opposed reading them - spreadsheets. This is thanks to its permanent

keyboard and logical Epoc OS. No surprise, it is a truism to all readers of

the digest and a profound mystery to the rest of mankind. Computer marketing

people included.

I find all Palms to be splendid palmtops to do things I cannot do - or is

ackward to do - with my MC 218/psion 5 mx. Such as checking the weather via

a GPRS phone while hiking, helping my wife with her huge grocery list, play

chess while waiting for the concert to start, and running a simple tree

growth project in the woods close to home if my palmtop also offers a

camera. But it cannot do - why should it ? - the things that I can do with

the MC 218.

Which bring me to wonder why everybody seems so concerned about doing all

things with only one PDA - be it of the palm / Ipac form factor or of the 5

mx / MC 218 minilaptop type.

So here is my suggestion to Peter: I will read with interest the specs of

the T4 when it is out. But I will buy the "consumer-aimed" Zire 72, which is

now a leak, no longer a rumour. Have a look at the specs, it should give me

what I miss most in my MC 218: a good colour screen, bluetooth for my

Ericsson R520, a nice 1.3 megap camera for those trees, a snappy 320 MHz

processor which does not hurt the package. It runs on OS 5.2 (Garnet ?)

which is probably sufficient for my limited capacity.

And I do not replace my MC 218 with it, I will use them in parallel for

different things.

You will notice that this Zire 72 to come very soon does not offer all what

the waited-for T4 should. Well, won't I need a good reason for a T5 ?

Good luck for your palm buying and all the best to all readers of the digest

and especially to our editors.

Franco COZZANI

Brussels

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 09:08:43 +0000

From: Jack

Subject: Re: Revo Internal

To: David Bramham who

>>>>>... still would like to open it up just to check inside , does anybody know how I can do this?<<<<

Yeep,

http://psion.by.ru/psioninside/revoinside/index.htm

http://www.revoworld.com/forum_Message.asp?Forum=5&ID=2741&Start=1

++ Step by step + photos :

http://www.portal-pda.com/guides/battcasing/battcasing.html

Take care

Jack

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 09:30:05 +0000

From: Jack

Subject: Re: Colour screens (2 Richard)

To Richard who wants to :

>>>>... switch off the screen of 7/netBook, while keeping the Psion on. When copying over large amounts of data, but not looking at the screen, it seems silly to waste the battery (and perhaps the life of the screen.)<<<<

Re:

No such sparing app AFAIK,

Fn+< &/or Fn+Space should do.

Jack

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 09:58:19 +0000

From: Roy Maidment

Subject: RE: Palm Machines

Peter Burke wrote:

I am currently an MC218 user but alas this cannot last forever. I am looking

to 'upgrade' to Palm, and have thought of the tungsten T3. However it is

rumoured that there is a new Palm coming out soon with a new operating

system. Anyone know, is it true and is it likely to be worth waiting for?

I bought a Palm Tungsten T3 in February - having sold my 5 and 5mx - and

have been very pleased with its' performance. The 'new' Palms, are reputed

to be multi-tasking machines: something I do miss from the Psion world. An

article regarding the new OS may be read at

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=6568.

So far as the timing of the new machines are concerned, this seems to be a

moveable feast, however some ideas can be read here

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=6591.

One piece of information that may be useful: I considered waiting for the

new OS before making a change to the Palm platform. That was during Autumn

last year, when it was scheduled to be released in December '03. Here we

are in April, and no new handhelds are available yet....

At the risk of bringing hellfire and damnation upon myself, a last comment

regarding the digest. On migrating to the Palm platform, I retained my

subscription, due to my erstwhile devotion to the product, and a genuine

interest in discussions regarding the continued use of Psions' products. I

have elected not to post a message regarding 'how good my new Palm is,'

after reading some comments about the Digest becoming more related to other

platforms. Lately however, more and more postings seem to be related to

grammatical and linguistic pedantry, and - excuse me for saying - mean

spirited comments about other 'postees.' I hope that this is something of a

temporary setback, and that all 'members' will continue to do what they do

best: share information with like minded Psion addicts, to better everyones'

use of the product.

Apologies - as always - for the long post.

With best regards,

Roy M

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 10:14:37 +0000

From: vlad a

Subject: TomTom # 509

> Arne Christensen wrote on 27.4.2004 1:59 Uhr:

> I bought CityMaps to get better and more maps... Not expensive, looks like > a much better application because country maps and street maps have

> been combined...

Arne, thanks for the details. Which version do you know works for the Psion? "New Edition"? Does it have 2 CDs or only one?

Best,

vlad a

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 10:34:12 +0000

From: Philip S. Adkins Potter

Subject: ABs Pedantry and Rudeness

Hi Folks,

AB, I don't particularly want this to degenerate into a slanging match.

But you proudly admit that you mean your posts to be inflammatory and it seems from your attack on Rick that good-nature and humour are alien to your idea of this digest. Your ideas of English grammar and spelling seem firmly rooted in the past. Your manners are bad and your 'Nettiquette appalling.

I'm truly glad you think that you are always on the right side. I expect most would disagree.

Like you, I post my eAddress - so if you really feel it important to abuse me further, please do it privately - but don't ask the Digest management team to censor my posts!

Take care,

Phil.

"Good sense about trivialities is better

than nonsense about things that matter."

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

(or try http://www.aypee2.net/thoughts.html#censorship,

or, but only if you're AB,

try http://www.aypee2.net/thoughts.html#epocdigest).

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 13:08:18 +0000

From: Itamar Engelsman

Subject: Palm machines, TomTom,

Answer to: Peter Burke

Re.: Palm machines - My first questio is do you really need such a small machine or could you consider upgrading to a mBook ? Apparently version 6 of the Palm OS is due out which again apparently will be proper multiple function like the Psion's. IMHO yes, it would be worthwhile waiting for, specially if you your MC218 is still functioning properly. What is the rush ?

Answer to: vlad a

Re.: TomTom - You wrote "Question is whether the "New Edition" (2-cd?) still has Epoc software". AFAIR after the first Citmaps came out they stopped updating the EPOC version [otherwise I would have upgraded <G>], but I could be wrong. From the last CD I got I think it had multiple formats availabillity but that the maps were indeed interchangeable. Their website does not mention Psion or Epoc anymore.

Best regards,

Itamar Engelsman

London, UK

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 19:55:29 +0000

From: Steve Hodgson

Subject: Re: Palm Machines

ED> I am currently an MC218 user but alas this cannot last ED> forever. I am looking to 'upgrade' to Palm, and have ED> thought of the tungsten T3. However it is rumoured that there ED> is a new Palm coming out soon with a new operating

ED> system. Anyone know, is it true and is it likely to be worth waiting for?

Peter,

This is an area that I've been watching with some interest too. I

would hesitate before making the move over to Palm just yet. It might

be worthwhile if you want to check out whether you like the platform

and want to stay with it. There are some good machines at the low end

that would allow you to do this.

There are a number of machines due out in the near future. Rumour has

it that new Zire machines will be announced tomorrow, running the

existing Palm OS, version 5. My real interest is in what Palm OS 6.0 (to be known as Cobalt) will look like once released onto hardware. I

reckon that we are looking at late summer at the earliest for this.

Cobalt has been developed by developers acquired when Palm took over

Be Inc. BeOS developers have developed the first multitasking version

of Palm OS, and should also include some potentially impressive media capabilities. BeOS was an incredibly advanced operating system, still

ahead of its time in many areas - it will be interesting to see what

the next release offers.

If I had to replace my netBook right now I think I would be looking at

a Zaurus running OpenZaurus. I don't normally advise delaying a change

of hardware (on the grounds that there will _always_ be something

better on the horizon) but my own paln is to soldier on see what these

Cobalt machines look like then jump ship in one direction or the

other.

Regards,

Steve Hodgson

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 22:24:01 +0000

From: Andy Hayes

Subject: Dodgy netPads / Empower

Chris, in answer to your question - yes!

Philip, thanks for the advice on Web Grabber, I am going for a look now. On the matter of Empower, I am trying to slowly introduce a question, which I have previously asked, but was probably drowned by the background noise of the sig arguement, regarding why an application gives an error to say that it cant find an OPX, that has been installed from a SIS from within the zip that contained the application SIS, no matter what drive that OPX and app are installed to.

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 22:33:43 +0000

From: Astrid Stappenbeck

Subject: Re: Empower

Andy Hayes wrote:

> Does anyone remember Empower? Its a contact management app. Whenever I try to run it I am told that it cant find c:\system\apps\opx\message.opx this is even though the opx has its own sis installer and I can see the file in the correct place. I have tried to install it to both C: and D: after removing it through the add/remove apps in the control panel. Would one of you programmers (or other clever folk) mind telling me where I am going wrong? <

Probably using a too modern Psion. Empower is not a very recent program - having the messenger app installed is not even taken for granted. So unless your using it with an old 5 the interaction with the mail app won't work since it is called differently on newer machines. You will therefore need the Empower version without e-mail support (or a different machine) - sorry.

Astrid

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 22:33:46 +0000

From: Astrid Stappenbeck

Subject: Re: Revo Battery Replacement

David Bramham wrote:

> This is the problem I am having, the battery went flat and now I cannot get it to switch on even when I recharge the battery. < ... > I still would like to open it up just to check inside, does anybody know how I can do this? <

You have to remove the logo on top. Recommended was the use of dental floss (slicing it off) so that the plate wouldn't bend out of form. After that you just have to take out the two small hinges you find underneath the logo and slide the case open. That gives you a view on the batteries and time to consider how good you are at soldering. If you send it in for a repair you might get improved battery management software as well - although that didn't seem to be the end of everybody's revo woes...

Good luck, though,

Astrid

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 22:33:48 +0000

From: Astrid Stappenbeck

Subject: Re: Palm machines

Peter Burke wrote

> I am currently an MC218 user but alas this cannot last forever. I am looking to 'upgrade' to Palm, and have thought of the tungsten T3. However it is rumoured that there is a new Palm coming out soon with a new operating system. Anyone know, is it true and is it likely to be worth waiting for? <

The new operating system has multitasking - so it's definetely a major improvement - but I have no idea when the new models are about to be on the market, what features they will have and how the price difference will be to the old 5.x OS. Worth waiting would depend on those factors as well, I guess. However, if you want one now, why going for the T3? I had thought the C with the thumbboard (quite good) and the far better battery life would be a more natural choice for someone used to a Psion.

Astrid

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 22:33:50 +0000

From: Astrid Stappenbeck

Subject: Re: xtep disk image

Creating/changing a diskimage for a Pro with xtep's software is not just for those wanting to change the language. I guess it will be a good (and cheap) way to increase the memory on C. Now you can e.g. delete the sample files, bombs, the help file and have Spell or at least it's huge datafiles on D - something that has been wished for by several psioneers for ages.

http://gtm.tel.uva.es/xtep/

Astrid

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 22:33:52 +0000

From: Astrid Stappenbeck

Subject: Re: Hard reset

I suppose the hard resetting method described to cure the overflow-problem will succeed - I find it however a bit drastic. You can always close everything down, remove the other drive(s) and rename the system folder on C. This gives you pretty much the same state and you can slowly copy bits and pieces back - trying to isolate the problem. It has worked for me so far and you don't need a PC.

BTW no need to remove the batteries for a hard reset - just perform a soft one and press both shift-keys while bringing it back to life (it's in the manual - but then: who reads a manual ;-) )

Astrid

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

Date: 27 Apr 2004 22:33:54 +0000

From: Astrid Stappenbeck

Subject: Re: Tomeraider

Hi Vlad,

> I had an issue recently with TomeRaider and I wrote Proporta.com support. They were very kind, couldn't help though and told me my issue would be resolved in the new TR version - about to be released. <

Do you know what changes they have made? Copying, better compression, images? Or just small stuff?

Is the problem you're referring to the one you mentioned in a previous digest (quickfind)? I experienced it for a short time after upgrading from 2.08 to 2.09. But it seemed to vanish after a while. If you still have it, you could mail me one of the offending files (possibly a small one - English Wikipedia is not a good idea ;-) ). If it works ok than it must be something with your settings/copy/machine.