pocketPCpassion Bulletin Board - BlueTooth ActiveSync with 3870 Works!! There has been some debate about whether or not one will be able to synchronize the iPAQ 3870 using Bluetooth. Apparently it can be done, at least with the IBM Thinkpad A30p and Windows XP. The trick is to get Bluetooth working on the notebook as a COM port so that the desktop ActiveSync can communicate.
posted by Frank McPherson 1:39 AM |
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PDA Pro Review Navman GPS 3000i Series I see lots of questions from people outside the United States looking for mapping & GPS software. Dave Burrows has written this good review of the Navman GPS that and reports that it comes with the TomTom maps.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:57 PM |
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Brighthand Forums - PocketPC 2002 Service Pack!!! Casio has posted the Pocket PC 2002 Service Pack 1 on their web site. Though it is only on Casio's site at this time, some people are installing it on their iPAQs and Jornadas with success. If you aren't experiencing the problems that this service pack fixes I recommend waiting until the OEM for your Pocket PC posts the service pack.
Here is the link to the download page on Casio's web site.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:36 PM |
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This morning I was playing around with nPOP and I think I might use it as my main email program on Pocket PCs. The reason being that it supports SMTP authentication and allows me to specify the SMTP username and password. Pocket PC 2002 Inbox supports SMTP authentication, but it assumes that the SMTP username and password is the same as for the POP3 server. That works if you are going to use the same server that uses the same password, but right now that is not the case for me. nPOP has one big defficiency, and that is that it has its own address book and does not pull addresses from Contacts. I really would rather not have to enter email addresses in two different places on my Pocket PC.
But here is an interesting thing. The author of nPOP has posted the source code to the program, so I wonder if some enterprising programmer could take the code and add the integration with Contacts?
posted by Frank McPherson 12:15 PM |
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I was reading an article about Xerox's suit against Palm over Graffiti, and this quote about the case made me laugh: "It's the kind of thing that puts lawyers' kids through college." True, true.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:10 PM |
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Gartner Dataquest's Todd Kort says that Pocket PC prices will get below $500 this year, which if he is right that will be good news for people interested in buying Pocket PCs.
posted by Frank McPherson 12:06 PM |
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infoSync : ClearType revealed Jeff Kirvin has written a very informative article on ClearType, and why it looks different on different Pocket PCs.
posted by Frank McPherson 4:31 PM |
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Dale Coffing has two new toys -- iPAQ 3870 Pocket PCs, and he has been testing the Bluetooth communication. The 3870 is the first shipping handheld with integrated Bluetooth capability, and it will be interesting to see whether the 3870 helps Bluetooth become more successful.
posted by Frank McPherson 2:29 PM |
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Today I received the TT Tech T301 SnapNType keyboard. This keyboard only works on the Compaq iPAQ 3100 and 3600 series Pocket PCs. It will not work on the newer 3800 series iPAQs because it connects via the serial port.
This is the very first time that I have seen one of these type or RIM-like keyboards, and I have to say that I am very disappointed with the unit that I have.
The most significant problem that I have is with the key feedback. I expect the keys to be like a keyboard, which are easy to press, give, and push back up. The keys on the SnapNType give no feedback, and to me it is like trying to type on little bumps. RIM pagers set the standard for these type of keyboards, and I don't think the SnapNType even comes close to RIM.
Part of the problem with SnapNType maybe that the keys are rubberized, which is very different from normal keyboards. Again, the keys on RIM pagers are made of the same type of plastic that you find on normal keyboards.
Another big problem that I have with this keyboard is the location of the backspace key. It is down at the bottom of the keyboard, and not at the top right where it is located on all other keyboards. I understand that there is a physical space problem here, but IMHO backspace and enter are two of the most important keys that need to be located where people expect. Because the keyboard is so hard to use, typing accuracy goes down, so you are going to be using that backspace a lot.
The keyboard is designed to attach to the iPAQ while it is in a sleeve. While I understand that is probably because one will probably use the keyboard while connected to the Internet, sleeves add a lot bulk. I find it very awkward trying to hold and iPAQ + sleeve + keyboard and type. Perhaps with time I may get used to this type of combination, but I am now much more skeptical about these little keyboards on any type of Pocket PC. I am looking forward to seeing and trying HP's design to see if its any better, but even theirs looks very bulky.
You are not going to type a novel with this keyboard, and I personally recommend using a Stowaway keyboard for serious typing with a Pocket PC. However, the SnapNType is smaller and more portable than a Stowaway, and I can see how it would be useful for replying to email. I don't have a problem using the Letter Recognizer or Transcriber on Pocket PCs to reply to email, but you may be different. I like pens, and if I needed an integrated keyboard I think a Handheld PC would be a better device.
For a different perspective on the SnapNType keyboard, read phillip torrone's short attention span review.
posted by Frank McPherson 2:08 PM |
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