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Page 1 of 3 NZ Macguide Issue 11
Palm
Palm Tungsten T, Tungsten C, Tungsten W, Palm Zire, Zire 71, Palm m500, m50, m515, m100, m105, m125, m130, Palm IIIc, III xe, Vx, VII, VIIx, i705 Handspring
Handspring Treo 90 Organizer, Treo 180 Communicator, Treo 270 Communicator, Treo 300 Communicator, Treo 90, Treo 180, Treo 270, Treo 300, Handspring Visor Edge, Visor Neo, Visor Platinum, Visor Prism, Visor Pro Sony
Sony Cli» PEG-N610C, Cli»PEG-NR7, Cli»PEG-NR70V, Cli»PEG-NX60, Cli»PEG-S320, Cli»PEG-S360, Cli»PEG-SJ20, Cli»PEG-SJ30, Cli»PEG-SL10, Cli»PEG-T415, Cli»PEG-T615C, Cli»PEG-T665C Others
This list leaves out some major players who are usually Mac compatible with other product lines, like HP. However, company Mark/Space has come to the rescue with Missing Sync (see panel later in this story) for PDAs running Palm, Sony or PocketPC software including those from Samsung, Sony and others - what's more, Missing Sync is also available for OS 9. Fraser Kitt tested Missing Sync running an HP iPAQ h2210 (see main article). | I've always been a little leery of PDAs - a notepad for a couple of dollars always seemed to cover all my requirements. However, having a Bluetooth phone that syncs with my Mac's Address Book and iCal appointments' manager has certainly been a boon, and as PDAs, phones and other digital devices increasingly resemble each other, the little consumer items are becoming so powerful it's perhaps time we gave them serious consideration. Convergence is the key: PDAs and phones are starting to become more and more similar, and some PDAs have versatile digital cameras built into them. Add wireless (WiFi and/or Bluetooth), ever faster processors, long battery life and more RAM and they are getting near the power of low-spec laptops. So how will a PDA with a qwerty keyboard, wireless connectivity, hundreds of applications, a colour screen, games, camera, video, email and phone capabilities benefit you? Apart from having a pad in your pocket that doesn't record awful handwriting and that downloads files to and from your Mac, assessors can now visit a site, take notes and a few snaps and email them immediately to the office, then go directly to the next job. Real estate agents can look at houses and archive pictures and take calls, all on one device. Paramedics can get injury details and images to doctors instantly, and perhaps receive on-scene emergency advice in return. Most PDAs still let you 'write' directly on the screen with a stylus - you can teach them to interpret your handwriting, converting it into text (many have virtual keyboards you can tap, and newer models these days have real qwerty keyboards with little buttons you operate with your thumbs - hard, but a darn sight easier than tapping tiny characters with a stylus). The stylus is best deployed tapping items on the screen for fast navigation. Even if you just want a device upon which you can send cheap 021 text messages using a tiny keyboard - beats thumb-fumbling a cell phone - there are hundreds of other uses; I'm sure you will be able to imagine many more once you've finished reading our Product Guide. Not to mention, there are hundreds of extra PDA applications in shareware or reasonably priced - you can download them from the net. These include games, maps, convertors, educative software ... you name it. Soon we may be able to beam ourselves up to the Enterprise. For now, let's see what PDAs you can get in New Zealand (with the emphasis on Mac connectivity, of course).  Where's Captain Kirk? Coz he's left his communicator behind ... the little 270 comes with a USB HotSync cable (press the button on the plug that fgoes into the PDA to sync), travel charger for the lithium ion battery, hands-free speaker and microphone and software (Palm OS 3.5.2H) for Windows and OS 9.
Handspring was founded by three Palm pioneers - Jeff Hawkins who invented the original Palm Pilot, Ed Colligan who marketed it and Donna Dubinsky, who built the company. OS X Palm 4 software for OS X is downloadable - at 9.7Mb - from http://support.handspring.com/esupport/. Have a look around the full-featured site for the many downloadable aps, games, patches, updates and customisation options on it. Before installing Palm Desktop 4.0 for Macintosh on the Treo 270, it's best to have your dial-up (CSD) connection already set up as the Configure Your Treo wizard is not compatible with Palm Desktop 4.0. If you want to set up a CSD connection with the wizard, do so before installing Palm Desktop 4.0, or install Palm Desktop 4.0 but then you'll have to input all the settings manually. (Treo GPRS Upgrade is compatible with Palm 4.0.) As a communications device, it has dual-band GSM built in for global use, with a handy little speakerphone built into the flip-up lid. There's even vibrate mode. As a PDA, you get a tiny keyboard - protected by the fold-up cover which makes the PDA more phone-like when open - and all the usual Palm aps. There's even a full Mail service (but it's sold separately). Verdict
The colour screen is not up to the Palms' sharpness and, on the trial unit, faded slightly in the top left corner (these have often been through many hands). That said, while the Treo 270 doesn't have Bluetooth or WiFi, cell-phone functions give you voice, SMS and data abilities. There's no expansion slot, but as a single device replacing a phone and a PDA, it's small size - yes, it fits in a shirt pocket - clever, trim design and functionality make it worth serious consideration, especially if you travel a lot. 
| Recommended Retail Price | $1399
| | Operating System | Palm 4.0 | | Processor | 33MHz Motorola Dragonball VZ processor | | RAM | 16Mb RAM
| Dimensions | 110 (H) x 69 (W) 18 (D) mm (Weight: 153g) | | Display | 12-bit colour, backlit, displays over 4000 colours | | Keyboard | Yes, (qwerty) | | Connections | USB, infrared (depending on Mac), dual-band GSM world phone allows calls around the globe (GPRS upgradability). | | Battery life | Rechargeable Lithium Ion with up to three hours talk time, 150 hours standby time | | Included Applications | Phone Book, Date Book Plus, SMS, Blazer web browser, To Do List, Memo Pad, Advanced Calculator, City Time world clock, Expense | | Also includes | Protective flip lid, hands-free phone headset
| | In the box | Metal stylus, USB HotSync∆ cable, charging cable (100-240V), hands-free headset, CD-ROM including desktop synchronization software (OS 8.5-9 and Windows 98, Me, 2000, XP) user guide. | | Mac System Requirements | Mac with USB port and CD drive, OS 8.5, 9+ or OS X installed | | Further info | www.handspring.co.nz | The Great Leap Forward
On the horizon for handspring in NZ is the Tr»o 600 SmartPhone, designed to be a small, easy to use smartphone with a built-in QWERTY keyboard. Currently being tested for the Vodafone NZ network before release, it combines a full-featured mobile phone and Palm OS∆ organizer with wireless communication (email, messaging, web browsing) and a digital camera. Treo 600 is a quad-band GSM/GPRS world phone that supports high-speed wireless connectivity for wireless. It has conference calling for up to six participants and 16-channel MIDI ring tones, domed keyboard keys, five-way navigation button, an SD/MMC expansion slot, AC charger, USB HotSync cable, hands-free headset, slipcase, user manual and synchronization software on CD for Windows and Macintosh. Watch this space. |  Straight out of the box this PDA (formerly known as a Compaq) has no support for your Mac, but for a small price you can quickly download 'the Missing Sync' from Mark/Space which not only lets you sync your iPAQ h2210 but also use iCal, iSync, iTunes and iPhoto (see panel Missing Sync).
PDAs are meant to be small and the h2210 is no exception, its tiny body is enhanced with rubber inserts exactly where you grip it. At the top are both SD and Compact Flash type II card slots that make this PDA extremely expandable. Add a camera, more memory, a GPS unit, a modem or a WiFi card. By adding these two slots the possibilities are endless and will continue to expand this little handheld. Bluetooth is standard on this model and it finds a d-link equipped Mac easily with the use of its Bluetooth manager. Applications like Pocket Word and Excel are installed and work just like their big brothers. The contact book looks just like Mac's address book, and the calendar works similarly to iCal.
If you're stuck for a remote, use your iPAQ! It has a nifty little program called Nevo which is a learning remote. Program it for the TV, stereo, DVD and VCR. It will also work with other appliances like household lighting and data projectors. Once registered you should go to the mynevo.com site and download different skins and buttons, or codes for new appliances. The colour screen is to die for: transflective colour TFT screen 240x320 pixels with 64k colour support at a .24 mm dot pitch. It uses the entire screen for playback; just touch the screen for pop-up menus to access the various programs. You can even play MP3s on it using Windows Media Player. Verdict
With the two card slots it's a perfect companion to your digital camera/s and the many useful programs made it an instant hit at Fraser Kitt's house - even with his six year old! The only drawbacks are having to buy additional software to run it on your Mac and no cell phone ability, although data transmission can be added via a GPRS card. 
| Recommended Retail Price | $895
| | Operating System | Pocket PC 2003 (needs 'Missing Sync' with a Mac) | | Processor | 400MHz Intel∆ XScaleÙ
RAM | | RAM | 32Mb ROM, 64MB RAM (56MB usable) | Dimensions | 115.4mm (H) x 74 (W) x 15.4 (D) (Weight: 142g) | | Display | Touchscreen, 240 x 320 pixels, 16-bit displaying 65,536 colours, 96mm viewable image (diagonal) | | Keyboard | No (virtual keyboard, character recognition, voice recorder, inking, optional keyboard accessories ) | | Connections | Bluetooth, Infrared (WiFi optional), charging/sync cradle, SD/CF expansion slots | | Battery life | 900mAh Lithium-Ion Rechargeable Battery; four hours recharge time | | Included Applications | Nevo Remote, Word, Excel, internet explorer, inbox, notes, windows media player, calendar, Contacts, picture viewer, games | | Also includes | Can be used as a programmable remote, audio record and playback (voice, MP3, or audio programs from the Web), volume up/down/mute, integrated speaker, 3.5mm stereo headphone and microphone jacks, backlight (multi-level brightness adjustment) | | In the box | | | Mac System Requirements | OS X and Missing Sync | | Further info | Tech Pacific (Ph 09 414 0100) and other dealers | | Missing Sync is a godsend for any Mac user who wants to use an HP iPAQ PDA with their computer. It's effortless to install and is an easy-to-use program with elegant Mac OS X graphics. This straightforward program lets you use all your Mac apps like iSync, iCal, iTunes and iPhoto and adds drag-and-drop simplicity to using Word and Excel documents. In conjunction with the new Pocket PC 2003 software, MS automatically converts your .doc and .xls files into Pocket PC versions. It will automatically add your calendar information to iCal on your Mac and vice versa via iSync 1.1. It's a dream to use. When setting it up you can choose to mount the Pocket PC to your desktop. It adds plug-ins to iPhoto and iTunes so you can smoothly send photos to your handheld and even drag mp3s from within iTunes. The iPhoto plug-in lets you resize the images for the smaller screen on the iPAQ. Just choose 'export' from the file menu in iPhoto and send the selected image/s to your iPAQ. As all the software for the iPAQ is PC only, you will need to extract the cab files from the .exe download before you can use the 'install file' command to uncompress and load the little Pocket PC program. If you use a PC emulator like virtual PC, you'll have no trouble doing this - or go to Handango as they have ppc specific cab files for download at http://mobile.handango.com For a paltry US$39.95 (about NZ$70), download the software from the Mark/Space website at www.markspace.com It will have you using a chic new iPAQ without feeling guilty about moving to the Dark Side. |
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