Messages

1

Deals and Great Z Buys / 3200 Preorder Now Available

« on: June 12, 2006, 12:33:55 pm »

So what general spec is the 3200 and what if any benefits would I see over my c860 ?
Can't find any spec on the forum.

'Actually, now that I've done my own work to prove to myself that swapping out the internal microdrive is so eminently available to anyone with a small phillips screwdriver'

What did you replace it with chuckr ?
One of the main reasons I went for the 860 was the fact that it was completely solid state. I see too many dead harddrives, I don't want one in my pda. And hi-speed 4gb cf cards are pretty cheap - even in the uk.
Just seen an 8gb, but it was pretty pricey.
So what did you use and what differences does the 3200 have over the 860 or c1000 ?

2

New products and alternatives / Isn't This What Sharp Should Be Doing?

« on: June 12, 2006, 12:14:18 pm »

As someone who works at fixing/keeping-the-pile-of-crap-running windows xp on a daily basis on (to date) thousands of different spec machines. the thought of it in a device as small and as pda aimed as this is both horrific and clever at the same time.

Since owning a z (few years now) and using my 860 every single day, usually for hours on end (especially if I've got some new books from baen :-) I have to say the most trouble I've had is the cf card not being recognised as a drive (happened once) which was sorted on a reboot.

Windows xp on the other hand has a real penchant for committing suicide between shutdown and startup. Frequently essential system files are corrupted which entails a complete reinstall.
On a system without a built in cdrom - this becomes a major pain. And on a system that's touted as being pda-portable it's positively crazy to use such an unstable os.

Win98se on something like this would be superb, as it pretty much never truly dies.
But xp - nope I'll stay with my zaurus, there's nothing I want to do portably that it won't do. And clamshell with a twist has to be the way to go on an ultra portable.
This slide out keyboard crap just gives you a bad shape for typing/reading with it on a flat surface. I never have my z flat, even if holding it to read clamshell wide, it's still always bent at the hinge.
Plus the fact that you've got a permantly exposed touch screen - truly bad idea.

Sony have actually produced an ultra compact digital camera with a 3 inch touch screen on the back. thereby ensuring instantly that you can't stick it in your pocket and have to have a carry case.
touch screen devices should always have either a built in cover or be clamshell :-)

But lots of people think winxp is good so this gadget will be bought.
I'd like one for the sheer cool factor, but as a serious tool - it's hopeless.

3

Accessories / Charging Options

« on: March 30, 2006, 11:43:31 am »

Yes and probably yes (amazon taking an age to load so gave up)

You can also use any cheap (I pay about £3 $5 - ish for these things) universal power adaptor for all three gadgets.
set to 4.5 volts positive internal pin.
As the tomtom go 300 doesn't come with mains supply - this is what I bought, works as well as anything else.
Always try slightly less voltage rather than slightly more: ie 4.5 rather than 6 - just to be on the safe side :-)

Essentially anything that will charge with usb should also charge with one of these. Although always check the positive/negative polarities - I fried my very first z5500 like that - haven't done it since, lol.

Quite why the commercial sharp, sony etc chargers are rated at 2amp when a 450ma charger works just as well is beyond me.  
Except a 2amp generic charger is very expensive :-)
Or am I being a wee bit too cynical ?

4

Software / Atari Lynx Emulator Working!

« on: March 30, 2006, 11:32:28 am »

Excellent !
So...
Anyone know how ?

5

Accessories / Omfg Broadband!

« on: March 30, 2006, 11:29:26 am »

I'm not against the vodofone cards, for the right application they are a very useful bit of kit.
But I suspect most zaurus users would have one to score points and for 'my pda's better than your pda' discussions (which it is - obviously lol)

However might it not be a better idea to have a much cheaper tariff on a bluetooth mobile and connect to that through a bluetooth card on your zaurus ?

A client of mine used to use a vodafone card as his main internet connection so I've got some idea what the things cost to run. And it's not cheap.

6

Software / Atari Lynx Emulator Working!

« on: March 29, 2006, 05:50:57 am »

Not actually arguing with you per se. But I just want to know how to change the lynx games I ACTUALLY OWN that I bought from a company that no longer exists in a form to profit from the sale or reproduction of those games (the legal definition of piracy or copyright infringement).

Don't see how that's piracy in any shape or form - do you ?
Even by microsofts standards I would still only be using one version of the software on one machine at any given time.

Plus it's totally relevant to the post and I do miss my lynx shoot em ups.

piracy might be relevant if I had asked where to download roms someone else had made - I haven't and won't.
your call mate - but there's nothing illegal or even slightly dodgy going on :-)

7

Accessories / Hp Sd 1.3 Mp Camera On Zaurus?!?

« on: March 28, 2006, 11:36:10 am »

Okay whats AWMN ?

8

Accessories / Omfg Broadband!

« on: March 28, 2006, 11:31:53 am »

Probably not chiswick - it was actually the City of london - which I think means the bit you get charged for driving in. Although wifi tends to leak a bit so you could probably park up just outside the congestion zone and steal their internet :-)
Fairly sure it was a register article so I would have thought it wasn't entirely smoke and mirrors :-)
Nope it's genuine
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2006/02/21/city_gets_wifi/
Looks like they're doing it so the lawyers can surf porn in their lunchhour :-)

Possibly not entirely free - but we all know ways round that :-)

9

Software / Mindmapping Software For Z Sl-c3000?

« on: March 28, 2006, 11:21:09 am »

LOL pretty sure my mind isn't that organised :-)

10

Software / Web Broswer

« on: March 28, 2006, 11:17:18 am »

Was going to say try the zaurus software archives.
but after checking it turns out I obviously didn't get either opera or netfront from there.
I tend to use netfront for web browsing and opera for reading html books.

Got it ! :-)
opera comes with the zaurus you can install it from the extras/apllications disc.
Should work with opie rom.
Pretty sure it's like the word and excel programs and can be added and removed independant of the whole rom.

11

Software / Zroad

« on: March 28, 2006, 11:06:25 am »

Saw zroad mentioned, ran a search on the forums and drew as good as a blank. checked out the guys download page.
And while I'd love a mapping program on my z - I need uk maps - on account of not living in america.

So anyone got any idea what format they need to be in. for example could I export them from autoroute - this program supports several export options for pocket pc maps or possibly use tomtom go maps ?
or what ?

A good mapping program is pretty much the only thing the zaurus lacks.  
Or rather now it's just the maps that are lacking.

12

Software / Atari Lynx Emulator Working!

« on: March 28, 2006, 10:59:36 am »

Umm, yes, right.
Well I guess the loonies have to be around somewhere. I'm personally disgusted that people want to charge me £35 for a small piece of plastic that cost them 3 pence to make - but hey, each to their own :-)
And kudos to your mate gta lcs is a damn good game :-)
But I think you need to take a chill pill.

Personally I think the idea of gates of zendicon on the zaurus is a standup idea - and I do own the rom :-)
Actually a RELEVANT point.
Anyone got any idea how to turn all my lynx games into roms ? If it was any good I've got it. I'd love to play some of them on my 1.50 psp [span style=\'font-size:8pt;line-height:100%\'](yes that's one reason I have to use pirated gta, blame sony not me mate - buggered if I'm losing my versatility on something that cost nearly as much as my c860)[/span] as well as my z and possibly on the pc as well.

So loonies aside, how do you turn little plastic lynx games into roms ?

13

Accessories / Omfg Broadband!

« on: March 28, 2006, 10:46:10 am »

what's wrong with wifi ?
you guys made of money or something ?

I just keep note of the wireless networks I'm setting up :-)

And wasn't there some bizarre rumour that the entire city of london was going to be a FREE wifi zone ?
I mean you probably need some sort of compensation for having to go to the dump. But if london does it, then so will most cities.

Got to keep up with the joneses.

But I'll be buggered if I'm going to contaminate my z with a mobile phone card. Hell I don't even use a mobile myself :-)

14

Software / Atari Lynx Emulator Working!

« on: March 28, 2006, 05:16:57 am »

Gates of zendicon and zarlor mercenary on my zaurus ?
it's sad but that makes me happier than getting the gta iso to run on my psp (who buys games ???)

And as an old atari user magazine hack it makes me happy to see the stuff's still going :-)

15

Accessories / Battery Extenders

« on: March 28, 2006, 05:12:24 am »

the first unit is actually an 1800 battery with a slot to add your psp battery.
so nope - won't explode :-)