PDA Software
 

I noticed Fodors now has PDA software. I gave it a try and it was ok, but had very limited choices for cities. Anyone use PDA software for their trip? Maybe mapping, their routesm hotel, train and flight informaiton, etc?

I have Palm OS 5.2 on a Tungsen

I use my iPAQ (PocketPC) for <i>everything</i>!

Besides the built-in appointment calendar, contacts etc., I load

Daily news and e-mail when I'm in a hotspot
Flight numbers, times, gates
Train times, platforms
Hotel addresses, phones, confirmation nos.
Restaurant addresses, phones
Maps with GPS
Subway/bus routing program (M&eacute;tro)
Language dictionaries/phrase books
Reading material (several novels)
Sightseeing possibilities
Currency calculator
Bank, consulate phone numbers
Passport numbers
Credit card numbers, PINs (encrypted)
Travel diary...

...in other words, anything I might otherwise have to carry paper for.

Nowadays I mostly use mine for calender and reading ebooks, as well as a genious Converter-program that converts anything, especially from metric to imperial measurements (including speed, volume and area :)

While I'm at it, if anyone likes Science Fiction take a look at www.baen.com they have every book they publish in &quot;all&quot; ebook formats and lots of books in a free library as well.

Cobos

<b><font color="BLUE">Please add software links to this thread</font></b>

Here's a nifty currency converter:

<b>http://www.indecka.com/software-windowsmobile.asp</b>

It has two outstanding features: it automatically updates exchange rates from the European Central Bank when you've got an internet connection, and

It's free!

At this writing, Microsoft eBooks has 379 titles in their Travel section:

<b>http://www.mslit.com/default.asp?mjr=TRV</b>

...including 10 free samples of Rough Guides.

<i>p.s.</i> These aren't PDA only. You can read them on any computer that has Microsoft Reader (free) on it.

FREE! Microsoft Streets &amp; Trips for PPC:

<b>http://www.pocketpccity.com/software/pocketpc/Pocket-Streets-for-free-2003-11-21-ce-pocketpc.html</b>

(Note the instructions on converting files.)

FREE! Maps for hundreds of European cities:

<b>http://www.ppc-welt.info/ppc-welt/karten/index.php?dir=europa</b>

FREE! More of same from Microsoft:

<b>http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/downloads/pocketstreets/mapdownload/psmapsearch.aspx</b>

FREE! Microsoft language dictionaries

French, German, Italian, Spanish

<b>http://www.mslit.com/default.asp?mjr=REF&amp;mnr=REF008000</b>

Can I really use my PDA as a cell phone in Europe? Is it practical?
&lt;http://www.mobiletechreview.com/tips...F_card.htm&gt;

Thanks Robespierre for the links!

I have had my Toshiba for nearly three years now and all I use it for is addresses, appointments and my audible books. I am ashamed to admit that I have never even tried out the WIFI option (my excuse is that I always travel with my notebook ...)

This year, I intend to exploit its capabilities. Feel free to nag me if I don't.

regards Ger

robjame,

there are enough issues with the compatibility of CF and SD peripherals that I would be dubious until I had seen an actual example working in my specific PPC.

Take your PDA to the Cingular store and ask to see a demo. Make sure the Enfora is unlocked before you sign anything. In Europe, all you will need is a SIM for the country you're in, and you're off and running.

Please do post back with a full report :)

Michelin has a complete line of road maps of Europe for Pocket PC or Palm. They are all GPS-enabled, so your location is continuously pinpointed on the map. You can zoom to 20 levels of detail, from entire regions to the smallest streets.

You enter Departure and Arrival points, and it plots the route on your screen, providing a list of directions, distances, and times as well. The &quot;MapSonic&quot; versions (pri¢ey) talk you through the directions as you drive (&quot;Antelope Freeway exit right, ¼ mile&quot;).

<b>http://www.shop.viamichelin.co.uk/csasp_editorial.asp?ID=96</b>

You can download a free demo that will run on a Windows PC from

<b>http://www.shop.viamichelin.co.uk/prod/VMCarto_Demo_PPC_EN.zip</b>

Red Guides (hotels and restaurants) are also available. The points of interest found in the Green Guides are represented by icons, but lack the text found in the book versions.

The greatest subway/bus routing program ever devised is M&eacute;tro (free) from

<b>http://nanika.net/metro</b>

Maps of Paris M&eacute;tro/Bus/RER in pdf format are at

<b>http://www.ratp.info/orienter/tous_plans_pdf.php
</b>

Most of the Transport for London maps are indexed here

<b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/maps-home.shtml</b>

and the Tourist Bus map is at

<b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/tfl/pdfdocs/tourist.pdf</b>

There's also a road map at

<b>http://www.tfl.gov.uk/streets/pdfdocs/TFL%20Base%20Map%20Master.pdf</b>

Hi I really need some help!! I tried downloading Adobe.v.2 to the hx4700 Ipaq with no luck I am doing something wrong! Anyone willing to let me email them about this. I need guidence thanks so much!

I'll be glad to help

robspierreatmbidsldotcom

Robespierre did you receive my email? gingerpot

Paris bus maps in pdf are available directly (without going through menus or gif downloads) from here:

<b>http://www.ratp.info/orienter/f_plan.php?loc=bus_paris&amp;nompdf=ROUTE&amp;fm=p df</b>

Substitute the route number you want for ROUTE in the above URL. The 21, 42, and 69 are some of the best for sightseeing.

Robespierre,

Do you know where I can find some *current* ebook travel guides for London, Paris, and Ireland?

The ones I am finding are somewhat dated (2003-04)...

Thanks!

The version of AutoRoute I used in the Channel Islands in September, 2005 includes maps for all of Western Europe - and then some.

It even pinpointed our position, course, and speed on the ferry between Jersey and Guernsey.

The Currency Converter cited above has moved to

http://www.indecka.net/windowsmobile.asp

Thanks Robespierre! This information is very much appreciated.

Dear Robespierre: The information on this particular thread is invaluable. Thank you so very much for providing such excellent resources.

I may yet start another thread with the following two questions, but I thought I would ask while you were &quot;here&quot;: was there a specific reason that you chose an iPAQ? Is there another PDA you would recommend?

Looking forward to your advice,

Charles

The things to look for in a pocket computer are:

Battery life (hot-swappable is best)
Provision for BIG expansion memory (SD)
Ability to plug in peripherals (CF)

Main memory size isn't so important if you manage your plug-in memory intelligently.

The slowest processor is fast enough. Remember, we're traveling to Europe, not Mars, and faster CPUs use up power.

I can't make a recommendation because I haven't surveyed the market lately. When I want to do something my 2215 can't, I'll revisit the question.

I was finally getting comfortable with the idea of using my Dell Axim for our 1 month trip to Europe and not bringing as much paper. We took it on a week-end away and it died ! Thought we had a dead battery or just done something stupid, so called Dell when we got home. Nope, it was dead all right ! They replaced it with a new PDA but that set my comfort level WAY back. I'll still take it on the trip for GPS use, but I'll have paper to back up my travel info. Darn....

Hi travel52
What a bummer - it can happen but I think that a total failure is pretty unusual. I recall doing complete resets at first but usually it was when I was downloading programs into my Dell and they weren't working correctly(usually my fault).
I should point out that this is one of the reasons Robespierre (and I) save all our files on SD cards. This not only keeps them organized (a card for music, a card for reservations, one with books, another with Word files, etc) but leaves internal memory uncluttered for faster access. Perhaps most important, if you ever have a total meltdown you can easily take tha cards into any internet cafe and access or download your material. I have never heard of these cards failing.
Good luck.

SD cards can and do fail, and have a large but finite number of times that they can be written to, by the nature of the design. That said, it is very rare for them to fail, besides by stupid/careless people sitting on them and breaking them, and if you have several of them, if one happens to fail, you're only out whatever info was on that one (and hopefully it'll be the books or music, rather than information necessary for the trip, but I'd email a copy of everything to myself just in case, and/or carry a CD with a backup, and/or paper). You can never be too careful.

I also have the Ipaq 2215 and I would appreciate some help with a few questions. If I let it sit and the battery goes flat, I lose all my data and have to reload all the programs. Is this normal? Is there a way to do this that is not so painful?
Will Windows Mobile 5 work on this unit? If so, where can I get it?

There are about three answers to your dilemma.

First, the built-in (not field-swappable) battery will preserve volatile storage (RAM) across battery depletion. You can remove the battery altogether for a few days and, even though you can't run programs until a charged one is installed, nothing will be lost. I always have a spare battery in the charging stand anyway.

Second, if you keep your programs and data in non-volatile storage, it won't <i>ever</i> be lost. Back up your calendar and contacts to the iPAQ File Store, and load new programs and data to SD or CF memory cards. Keep a second copy of stuff that you can't navigate without.

Finally (and perhaps most important): synchronize your iPAQ with a desktop or laptop computer regularly, after configuring ActiveSync to back up files to it.

One way of keeping documents available is to attach scans of them to emails sent to a webmail account.

Robespierre
You are a treasure. What about the new version of Windows Mobile? Will it work on our 2215? Where do I get it?
BTW If you are going to be in Paris between to 20th and 25th of April I would love to buy you a drink!

:&quot;&gt;

Too bad, WM5 is only for these models: http://tinyurl.com/lruty

Thank you for the kind offer. I wish I could be in town then. Have a 1664 for me. <i>Salut!</i>

Avec plasir!

Can anyone recommend a good program to crunch movies?

Microsoft Movie Maker 2

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ptember15.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...viemaker2.mspx

Thanks Robespierre, but what do you use to copy a DVD to an SD card etc. I am so #@*&amp; lost when it comes to this stuff. May I email you directly?

Hi, I am checking out some PDAs, am new at this. Are the ones mentioned here, ipaq, 2215, etc. compatible with MacIntosh?

The only ones I saw at stores are the Palms,Tungsten E2, Palm TX. I am confused about bluetooth wireless vs Wi-Fi wireless.

Thanks.

Palms, Pocket PCs, Macs and Wintel computers are all different (although there are some Windows Macs now).

The PPC has a Windows look about it, but the programs of one won't run on the other. Which one do you need? I'll tell you what I have told clients: decide what you want to do with the machine, and pick one with the appropriate specs.

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless that connects devices together, such as a headset with a cell phone.

WiFi is a way of connecting a computer to the internet through a nearby &quot;base station&quot; - the kind of thing that Starbuck's and McDonalds offer in their stores.

bookmark :)

Thanks, Robespierre.

I would like one that is compatible with Mac, has Wi-Fi wireless, and long life battery,easy to recharge. I guess it is possible to use voltage converter and plug in wall outlet overseas.

any recommendations?

What do you mean by &quot;compatible with Mac?&quot; As I said above, they're all different and not interoperable.

I have a iMac. so I think that the PDA should be able to use the MAC OSX, in order to transfer files, etc.