Palm Tungsten C Questions

On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 21:29:20 -0400, "asdf" <asdf.DeleteThis@asdf.com> wrote:

>I am seriously looking into getting a Palm Tungsten C. I am upgrading from
>a Handspring Platinum. Mainly for the wireless capabilities and speed. I
>have several questions:
>
> 1. Secure Digital Media. Is there any advantage in getting the Palm
>xxMB Expansion card verse just a generic Secure Media card? The Palm card
>states that it has utilities to easily move store and manage files. Is
>there any built in support for a generic SM card?
>

I have three non-Palm cards. All are from different companies, and all
work well. I don't know anything about the utilities with the Palm
Card. I have a few utilities which handle the cards, but if you don't
already have such utilities, there may be an advantage in getting the
card from Palm, assuming the added cost isn't greater than it would
cost to buy card and utilities separately.

> 2. Can Data be viewed directly from the Expansion Card? Or does one
>have to move it into system memory?
>

A large number of programs will read data from the card.

> 3. Graffiti. Is there anyway to use graffiti as opposed to graffiti 2?
>I do not like the two strokes for the i and t. Though I will most likely
>get used to it.

Hopefully someone else can answer this. I would look into third party
programs which allow you to customize graffiti--maybe some will allow
you do do characters as in original graffiti.

> 4. Standard Keyboard. I know that the TC has a thumb keyboard, but has
>anyone used an extrenal keyboard? Any recommendations? I had a Targus for
>my handspring and was happy with it.

I don't need the keyboard as much as with older Palms, but I still
picked up a Palm keyboard. If I had to do a lot of typing, I would
rather use it than the built in keyboard.

>Thanks,
>Eric
>
>
>

On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 21:29:20 +0000, asdf wrote:

> I am seriously looking into getting a Palm Tungsten C. I am upgrading from
> a Handspring Platinum. Mainly for the wireless capabilities and speed. I
> have several questions:

> 1. Secure Digital Media. Is there any advantage in getting the Palm
> xxMB Expansion card verse just a generic Secure Media card? The Palm card
> states that it has utilities to easily move store and manage files. Is
> there any built in support for a generic SM card?

Hey, Eric,

256 meg cards are $82USD at Wal-Mart, and I've bought SanDisk, Panasonic,
and Lexar. The freeware Filez program and most any good launcher
(I use LauncherX) will easily move, store, and manage files for you.

What you will need is a good backup program that backs up to the card.
Crashes and hard resets are not unknown on the C... It's much better
than my T|T, but that might because I'm more experienced with OS-5 now
and simply *tempt* the thing less.

> 2. Can Data be viewed directly from the Expansion Card? Or does one
> have to move it into system memory?

Some data can *only* be viewed from the expansion card! The C includes a
jpeg program that will view standard .jpg format images in RAM or on
the card. Aeroplayer, however, requires that the audio files be on the
card. WordSmith makes good use of the card, too.

In all cases that I know of, only read-only databases are read directly
from the card without be moved to main memory. When I first got my -C,
I went into memory-hoarding mode like I'd learned with my previous
Palms, but it's not really necessary. Now I leave my big, frequently
used programs in RAM.

> 3. Graffiti. Is there anyway to use graffiti as opposed to graffiti 2?
> I do not like the two strokes for the i and t. Though I will most likely
> get used to it.

I didn't WANT to get used to it, so I'm trying out TealScript now. With
a fresh install, it restores all the old Graffiti functionality, plus
it can be tweaked to customize its recognition -- that is, trained to
your individual handwriting style.

> 4. Standard Keyboard. I know that the TC has a thumb keyboard, but has
> anyone used an extrenal keyboard? Any recommendations? I had a Targus for
> my handspring and was happy with it.

Having large finders and thumbs (being all thumbs, I guess) I'm not
to enamored with that keyboard. The keys are too close together for
me to poke just one, so I end up using the stylus on the keys, too.

Some folks do rather well thumbing the keyboard, however.

I have a Palm folding keyboard (NOT the ultrathin) that I've had for almost
three years, and it works well with the -C. The handheld is so fast that I
never type ahead of the display, which is a pleasant experience even
compared to my Tungsten-T. The C's larger battery will also power the
keyboard for about two-three hours. By comparison, the -T would poop
out after only about 30 minutes.

> Thanks,
> Eric

All you gotta do is ask! Somebody here will either know the answer
or where to look. Enjoy that C.

Take care,

Stoney

On Sun, 22 Jun 2003 21:29:20 +0000, asdf wrote:

> I am seriously looking into getting a Palm Tungsten C. I am upgrading from
> a Handspring Platinum. Mainly for the wireless capabilities and speed. I
> have several questions:

> 1. Secure Digital Media. Is there any advantage in getting the Palm
> xxMB Expansion card verse just a generic Secure Media card? The Palm card
> states that it has utilities to easily move store and manage files. Is
> there any built in support for a generic SM card?

Hey, Eric,

256 meg cards are $82USD at Wal-Mart, and I've bought SanDisk, Panasonic,
and Lexar. The freeware Filez program and most any good launcher
(I use LauncherX) will easily move, store, and manage files for you.

What you will need is a good backup program that backs up to the card.
Crashes and hard resets are not unknown on the C... It's much better
than my T|T, but that might because I'm more experienced with OS-5 now
and simply *tempt* the thing less.

> 2. Can Data be viewed directly from the Expansion Card? Or does one
> have to move it into system memory?

Some data can *only* be viewed from the expansion card! The C includes a
jpeg program that will view standard .jpg format images in RAM or on
the card. Aeroplayer, however, requires that the audio files be on the
card. WordSmith makes good use of the card, too.

In all cases that I know of, only read-only databases are read directly
from the card without be moved to main memory. When I first got my -C,
I went into memory-hoarding mode like I'd learned with my previous
Palms, but it's not really necessary. Now I leave my big, frequently
used programs in RAM.

> 3. Graffiti. Is there anyway to use graffiti as opposed to graffiti 2?
> I do not like the two strokes for the i and t. Though I will most likely
> get used to it.

I didn't WANT to get used to it, so I'm trying out TealScript now. With
a fresh install, it restores all the old Graffiti functionality, plus
it can be tweaked to customize its recognition -- that is, trained to
your individual handwriting style.

> 4. Standard Keyboard. I know that the TC has a thumb keyboard, but has
> anyone used an extrenal keyboard? Any recommendations? I had a Targus for
> my handspring and was happy with it.

Having large finders and thumbs (being all thumbs, I guess) I'm not
to enamored with that keyboard. The keys are too close together for
me to poke just one, so I end up using the stylus on the keys, too.

Some folks do rather well thumbing the keyboard, however.

I have a Palm folding keyboard (NOT the ultrathin) that I've had for almost
three years, and it works well with the -C. The handheld is so fast that I
never type ahead of the display, which is a pleasant experience even
compared to my Tungsten-T. The C's larger battery will also power the
keyboard for about two-three hours. By comparison, the -T would poop
out after only about 30 minutes.

> Thanks,
> Eric

All you gotta do is ask! Somebody here will either know the answer
or where to look. Enjoy that C.

Take care,

Stoney