While I am on the topic of GPSes, Pretec has started setting their CompactFlash GPS receiver. They have also announced a Bluetooth CompactFlash receiver and a 3-in-1 CompactFlash converter that converts MMC, SD, and Sony Memory stick to CompactFlash. MobilePlanet is selling the GPS receiver for $199 and says it is available for shipping. I think this will be a perfect accessory for the new Toshiba Pocket PC and its two slots.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:08 PM |
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I am reading reports of people having problems with inserting the main battery in the new HP 560. It appears that the cut out of the case for the battery is not good in some devices requiring some force to get the battery inserted. Another report that I am seeing is that the HP 560 squeals while charging. I have not personally had either of these problems with my 560, but these reports are discouraging. I was hoping that in the area of quality the other OEMs would not consider Compaq to be the baseline.
posted by Frank McPherson 4:27 PM |
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I just got back from a little day trip during which I tried out the latest version of the Pharos Navigator GPS software on a Compaq iPAQ running Pocket PC 2002. This is the first product that I reviewed for PocketPC.com over a year ago, and in that I review I concluded that the voice prompts were not accurate enought to be of value when you don't know where you are going. I found on this trip that the voice prompts were much better, making it more useful when traveling in unknown areas. However, I think this program has a big problem in that it does not automatically generate new routes when it detects that you are off route. You have to manually tell Pharos to create a new route, which is too much to do when you are driving. I much prefer Co-Pilot's approach to automatically generating new routes. The voice navigation also completely gives up when you go off route. It tells you twice you are off route and then shuts up, which is probably what you want. However, in one instance I got back on to the generated route and it still did not provide voice prompts.
Another big problem that I have with Pharos is the method it uses for zooming in and out of the map. You draw a box around an area to zoom in, and you draw a diagonal line left to right to zoom out. Again, when I am driving I don't want to be messing with the screen. It would be much better if I could program some hardware buttons to zoom in and out.
One more area where Co-Pilot is better with is downloading maps. Co-Pilot provides a wizard that you use to select any area in the country to download to a storage card or device. Pharos simply breaks up areas into separate files, which you have to manually copy to a storage card or the device. They provide a map helper to help you determine which section you need to download, but I would think it would be much better if I could actually click on one of those sections in the helper and it would retrieve the files and download them to the device. I don't know what Pharos does if you have to create a route that goes across map files.
The accuracy of the voice prompts in Pharos has improved, but the issues I mention above are significant enough for me to still keep Co-Pilot as my GPS software of choice. However, I understand that Pharos will be coming out with a new version of their software that will include automatic re-route and reverse route so that version may address most of my issues.
posted by Frank McPherson 4:22 PM |
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The HP Jornada 560 works just fine with cradles for the Jornada 540 series. I received my 560 Friday afternoon, and I find it to be a great device. The other day I speculated that the "backup" Flash ROM space can be used for applications. That is accurate and in fact HP takes advantage of this feature by installing some of their extra applications in that space. The Screen setting on the HP 560 series has what appears to be a unique feature, it enables you to turn on ClearType across applications. Tap Start, Settings, System, Screen. Oddly enough, while ClearType works in Pocket Word and Pocket Outlook, it doesn't work in Internet Explorer. To display ClearType in Internet Explorer download and install RegKing 2002.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:37 AM |
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PCWorld.com - New Pocket PCs Cater to Connected Travelers This article includes mention of an ethernet cradle for iPAQs. It also says that a Pocket PC 2002 version of Money 2002 will be available for download on October 15. There is also mention of Vindigo, which Smaller.com reports will be available October 22. Vindigo is a killer app for many Palm users.
posted by Frank McPherson 10:27 AM |
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PDABuzz.com - Friday, October 05 2001 The Buzz reports that Omnisky is having problems. My personly experience with both Omnisky and GoAmerica has not been that good. I am currently subscribed to both services, and both have their problems. For instance, I find GoAmerica's email service to be very unreliable, which is a major problem given that email is probably the many reason why one uses wireless connections.
posted by Frank McPherson 10:11 AM |
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If you are of the artistic bent you can download the theme builder and make your own Pocket PC themes.
posted by Frank McPherson 10:03 AM |
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VoiceStream - products & services It appears that Voicestream's GPRS service is called iStream. Well, this is interesting. I checked the buy page for the iStream service, which asks for my state and area code, and it suggests to me that the service is available here now. I need to get some confirmation.
posted by Frank McPherson 10:01 AM |
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allNetDevices: - AT&T Wireless Expands GPRS AT&T is expanding their GPRS service to Las Vegas, Phoenix, and Portland. There will probably be a bunch of GPRS things at Fall Comdex. Comdex will certainly put that new service to the test. I wonder what the heck Voicestream is up to with their GPRS service.
posted by Frank McPherson 9:52 AM |
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smaller.com - Special Reports So far from what I read, Smaller.com has the best coverage of yesterday's Pocket PC 2002 launch. They give you a good overview of the new Server Synchronization feature that Pocket PC 2002 supports. However, Server Sync requires Mobile Information Server, so in order for you and I to synchronize with Exchange servers we will need to get our IT folks to install and support MIS. I don't feel optimistic that server sync will be a feature that many of us will see.
Perhaps the biggest news out of the event is the integrated wireless device manufactured by HTC. There are some very nice pictures of the device on the Internet, making me wonder whether I would want one of them or wait for Stinger. I really hope that Microsoft figures out a way to may Pocket PC 2002 devices and Stinger work together.
Finally, Eric writes about his first impressions of the Casio E-200. I have only seen pictures on the Net, but I have to say that I have the same reaction. I just don't find the Casio device to be appealing.
I am really looking forward to receiving my HP Jornada 565. I really think HP has made some huge strides with this device, and I personally think their plans for expandability are on par with the iPAQ. Perhaps the most appealing thing to me is that 8 MB of Flash ROM they make available to users. All the references that I have seen suggest that it should be used for backups, but the Pocket Now review I have read suggests that space can also be used for applications. If that is true then the 565 really is a 40 MB device. I really like the idea of being able to load some key apps, like Pocket Informant, WISBAR, Sierra Aircard drivers, etc.. into that space. It is also my understanding that it has the same serial/USB port as the 540 and 520 series meaning that my it should work with my Stowaway keyboard. In fact, the Stowaway driver is built in ROM. The physical size changes probably mean the Novatel Ministrel modem will be loose, but it could still work.
posted by Frank McPherson 9:49 AM |
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Stellent Introduces Quick View Plus for Microsoft Windows-Powered Pocket PC 2002-Based Devices "The Stellent Quick View Plus for Windows CE technology enables document and attachment viewing on Windows CE-based devices, delivering a high fidelity view of more than 70 file formats and supporting a vast array of document formatting and page layout features with the ultimate goal of providing a view identical to the display of the document in its native application. This technology further extends mobile users' ability to access email attachments and corporate information from anywhere." Funny, this is the second Pocket PC launch and partner companies are still making references to Windows CE.
posted by Frank McPherson 9:30 AM |
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I am not so sure that I like the look of the Casio E-200 but it appears to be nice and thin and the PC Card sleeve is appealing.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:47 PM |
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New handhelds arrive that run Microsoft's Pocket PC 2002 (10/03/2001) "What Microsoft appears to be doing is pursuing the strategy its rivals mocked a year ago -- squeezing much of the functionality of a PC into a handheld computer. Only now, it doesn't seem like such a dumb idea."
posted by Frank McPherson 6:36 PM |
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CNET.com - News - Todays Hot Topic - Pocket PC release This page has an overview of CNET's coverage the Pocket PC 2002 launch.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:29 PM |
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Pocket PC 2002 debuts - Tech News - CNET.com "On Wednesday, a Samsung executive told Reuters that the company will launch a Pocket PC-based device next year, but the company didn't make an announcement at Thursday's event."
posted by Frank McPherson 6:26 PM |
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Pocket PC 2002 debuts - Tech News - CNET.com The Toshiba Pocket PC e570 is priced at $569 and will be available later in November. It has 64 MB of RAM, expandable to 128 MB.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:25 PM |
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mmO2 today announced that it is to custom manufacture a fully connected, integrated mobile phone and data device equipped with Microsoft’s Pocket PC 2002. The O2 xda is designed to offer GSM and ‘always on’ high-speed GPRS network connectivity for Microsoft’s Pocket PC 2002 software applications.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:11 PM |
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"Acer will introduce the Pocket PC and MDS in selected regions where its products have shown a strong presence and success in the markets." Whatever that means.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:09 PM |
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Here is a nice page of full of photos of the new Pocket PC hardware.
posted by Frank McPherson 6:08 PM |
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IDC says Pocket PC poised to make big gains
posted by Frank McPherson 4:58 PM |
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Will Agenda Fusion be better than Pocket Informant?
posted by Frank McPherson 5:11 PM |
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ZDNet: Story: Why Compaq's iPaq won't dominate new Pocket PCs
posted by Frank McPherson 5:05 PM |
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Samsung to Launch Pocket PC Handhelds in 2002 Hmm... I am starting to wonder just how many Pocket PC brands we need. Everyone is starting to jump on board. What we need is some better price competition.
posted by Frank McPherson 4:16 PM |
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pocketnow.com - Review - Hewlett Packard Jornada 568 Pocket PC Pocket Now got their hands on a Jornada before the official release. You can read their thorough review that includes plenty of pictures and screen shots.
posted by Frank McPherson 4:34 PM |
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Pocket PC Thoughts has moved to a new server.
posted by Frank McPherson 3:53 PM |
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PCWorld.com - Panasonic Pushes Secure Digital Storage Two larger cards: 256 MB and 512 MB.
posted by Frank McPherson 11:50 AM |
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