BostonPocketPC Reviews SanDisk Connect+ 128MB WiFi CF Card

[Jason Dunn]

<div class='os_post_top_link'><a href='http://www.bostonpocketpc.com/modules.php?op=modload&name=Reviews&file=index&req=showcontent&id=141' target='_blank'>http://www.bostonpocketpc.com/modul...wcontent&id=141</a><br /><br /></div>Steven 'fyiguy' Hughes, one of the most prolific and "everywhere at once" people in the Pocket PC industry, has written up a solid review on this new Sandisk product:<br /><br />"If you are an owner of a PocketPC with only on CF slot and are begrudgingly switching out cards for WiFi access at the loss of additional memory, the folks at SanDisk have come out with an all in one solution called the Connect Plus 128MB + Wi-Fi CompactFlash™ This card combines flash your standard Compact Flash memory and 802.11b wireless communications into a single card giving PDA and notebook users, the freedom to quickly transmit and receive data, images and music from thousands of hotspots worldwide."<br /><br />I really like the idea of this card, but the more I think about it, I'm not convinced it would fit with the way I use my Pocket PC: I'd tend to only want the WiFi card with me when I was sure I'd have WiFi access, whereas I'd always want my data with me - so I'd probably install apps to the SD or CF card I'd want to keep in the unit all the time. What about you? Does this product appeal to you?

[qmrq]

I'm not much on these 'combo card' dealies. When the flash dies it becomes an expensive wifi card.

[JonathanWardRogers]

Can this be used in a card reader? If so, it would be good temporary storage when out and about with the WiFi card. Why only 128MB, though? :roll:

[klinux]

Although I have a PPC2002 device, I wish they'd develop PPC2000 drivers as well. There are still some of us out there!

[Jason Dunn]

I'm not much on these 'combo card' dealies. When the flash dies it becomes an expensive wifi card.

How often do Flash cards die though? I've heard of the very rare case involving airport X-Ray machines, but that's it...

[JonnoB]

The combo cards are great. Let me explain.

I don't want to clutter my SD card or my main memory with network based applications (IRC, FTP, PIE alternatives, Pocket Outlook alternatives, etc)... instead, I install those applications in the 128mb that comes with the WiFi. Then the applications I don't need without WiFi do not take up precious space and when I install WiFi, I have the apps I need and want.

[David Prahl]

I saw a poll here recently about where people keep their PPCs. I'm too lazy to search for it, but I think that the majority of people keep it in their pant's pocket.

I can't think of many applications where I'd be OK with having the card sticking out of the top of my PPC. Even with a case that accomodated it, it would still be something that would get in your way or might break off.

Hopefully in another 5 years we'll have combo SD memory and 802.11x cards that fit flush inside the device! Even a CF version would be cool.

[Dazbot]

I'm not much on these 'combo card' dealies. When the flash dies it becomes an expensive wifi card.

How often do Flash cards die though? I've heard of the very rare case involving airport X-Ray machines, but that's it...

I took my old iPAQ 3850 and CF+ with a DaneElec 256MB CF card abroad and after going through the X-ray machine, I had to do a soft reset to get it back, (it could still see the CF+ sleeve), it didn't happen again though.

The card still works 18 months after I bought it, now in the h2210.

[qmrq]

How often do Flash cards die though? I've heard of the very rare case involving airport X-Ray machines, but that's it...

All flash dies. You get about 10^5 rewrites, though new controllers supposedly give 10^6 rewrites by spreading out wear evenly across all cells.

[Scott R]

I really like the idea of this card, but the more I think about it, I'm not convinced it would fit with the way I use my Pocket PC: I'd tend to only want the WiFi card with me when I was sure I'd have WiFi access, whereas I'd always want my data with me - so I'd probably install apps to the SD or CF card I'd want to keep in the unit all the time. What about you?This is exactly what I said when I talked about this card on my site (http://goodthatway.com/news_arc/?id=49). A combo card might make sense to me if it was a GPS/memory card, because map data takes up a lot of space. But what data would you only need when you're using your Wi-Fi card. JonnoB gave some examples, but do those really take up 128MB of memory? I think you made a good case for a combo Wi-Fi/32MB card, but I'd feel like I was wasting my money and/or memory with a 128MB/Wi-Fi combo card. With memory prices getting lower every day, perhaps this will be a moot point when a dedicated 128MB CF card only costs $10 or so. But right now, 128MB still seems pretty big to me.

Scott

[The Yaz]

I like the idea of the combo card because it would be useful for two scenarios that I've come across in my wireless PocketPC usage.

1- It would be nice to set up the internet temporary folder to this card's storage to save my precious on board memory.

2- There are certain work files that I only access when my PocketPC is connected to my office WAN. Again, it would be a nice way to organize my file system.

It would probably work best when you have a sleeve or pouch for your PocketPC that could hold the card handy when it is not in use.

Steve 8)

[JonnoB]

Another good example:

I now use as my daily-use Pocket PC, a 22xx device. I had been using a 568 before handing it down to my daughter. I took the symbol WiFi CF card from that device and am now using it in the new iPaq. Because the Jornada 56x line only has a CF slot, this combo device would be perfect. That is if it is Type I ???

[fyiguy]

I a will try and answer a few questions addressed in this forum post.

Can this be used in a card reader? If so, it would be good temporary storage when out and about with the WiFi card. Why only 128MB, though? :roll:

It can be used in a card reader and is great for using as a work only storage option for documents and email attachments, which is big if you get word and excel invoices and contracts sent to you regularly.

I saw a poll here recently about where people keep their PPCs. I'm too lazy to search for it, but I think that the majority of people keep it in their pant's pocket.

I can't think of many applications where I'd be OK with having the card sticking out of the top of my PPC. Even with a case that accomodated it, it would still be something that would get in your way or might break off.

Hopefully in another 5 years we'll have combo SD memory and 802.11x cards that fit flush inside the device! Even a CF version would be cool.

Yeah I too carry my Pocketpc in my pocket, however talking to a case manufacturer they say the US likes Belt worn cases, while those in Europe prefer to pocket it. Me - I just think it falls upon personal preference.

In regards to storing the card in the PPC, you really can't since the card must be removed and inserted each time it is used. So you will have to find another way of transporting it. The SanDisk card was also a bit too thick to fit in any CF cases or my standard Business card holder, I currently use to transport my CF cards.

The added benefit of having all your Networking apps(antivirus software, Networking Utils-granted aren't really that big, but if you have a lot it adds up- (mine aren't that much at 12MB), web browsing software, ftp,email software and attachments, Networked-shared files, patches and drivers for PCs etc.) on one Storage card is great for those that have a lot of these utilities or even have games that take advantage of WiFi networking.


Another good example:

I now use as my daily-use Pocket PC, a 22xx device. I had been using a 568 before handing it down to my daughter. I took the symbol WiFi CF card from that device and am now using it in the new iPaq. Because the Jornada 56x line only has a CF slot, this combo device would be perfect. That is if it is Type I ???


Yes it is a Type I and works with the Jornada 56x. Jonno, I was just curious. How you did you get your Symbol card to work with the WM2003? Do the the 2002 drivers work or are you using someone else's drivers(like Socket or Senao)? When I called Symbol a while ago they said that they don't have any certified 2003 drivers yet, so I didn't even bother trying with any others. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

In regards to other posts about the the amount of memory, it would have been nice if it was 256 MB like its little brother, the SD WiFi combo slated for release later this year, but the memory restrictions may have been due to certain manufacturing conditions,like they were too far in the manufacturing process to make any changes.

Hope this answers most of the questions...

[David Prahl]

I can see how it would be cool to have all of the needed software on the card.

If you're giving someone temporary wi-fi access in a business setting, you can have the card pre-loaded with drivers, Anti-Virus apps, and other corporate software.

If hotspots rented cards, this would be the card to offer.

[Scott R]

If hotspots rented cards, this would be the card to offer.I think that's a great idea, though again 128MB would seem like overkill. This reminds me of the Handspring Springboard concept, where the drivers were stored in ROM with the card, allowing you to just pop the card into a device without worrying about drivers. Can that be done here or do you still need to load drivers onto the PPC itself via a desktop computer?

Scott

[fyiguy]

If hotspots rented cards, this would be the card to offer.I think that's a great idea, though again 128MB would seem like overkill. This reminds me of the Handspring Springboard concept, where the drivers were stored in ROM with the card, allowing you to just pop the card into a device without worrying about drivers. Can that be done here or do you still need to load drivers onto the PPC itself via a desktop computer?

Scott

You could copy the Cab Files to the Storage card and set up an Autorun to install it , but it may not run on some PPCs due to some manufacturers having different specs on how to handle Autorun-some only allow the first Storage card other models may handle it differently.

3 Directories: 10003, 2577, 4000, are specific to the various processor ie if your PPC has a strongarm, it would be a type 2577 processor, so you would need to create a directory \2577 on the storage card, and rename the app autorun.exe.

For most folks that might mean copying a program to the directory and
renaming it. For you developers, that would mean creating a small executable that launches whatever you want and it is even possible to configure it with run-time options to change that.

A good example of this is Co-Pilot on a CF Card:

On my CF card where Co-pilot is installed there is a 2577 directory with an autorun.exe and 2 cab files for the PocketCopilot and their Text to speech program, when I insert the CF into my PC with Co-pilot installed nothing happens, but when I insert it in another PPC it trys to automatically install itself, which I am sure you have to dactivate the reg code given on your previous PPC in order to activate it on the current one. I can't remember if it automatically launched Co-Pilot or not with the GPS unit attached and inserting the CF card, if doesn't this would be a cool feature, but I digress...

[David Prahl]

I'm not a developer (yet!), but couldn't you "Install to a different directory" when you install the drivers in ActiveSync?

I don't remember if this is an option, let alone if it would work. Maybe that's something I can try the next time I'm dead bored (instead of starting a "How Do YOU Make a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich" thread! :lol:).

[JonnoB]

Jonno, I was just curious. How you did you get your Symbol card to work with the WM2003? Do the the 2002 drivers work or are you using someone else's drivers(like Socket or Senao)? When I called Symbol a while ago they said that they don't have any certified 2003 drivers yet, so I didn't even bother trying with any others. Any help would be greatly appreciated.


The symbol is physically the same as the socket. Be sure not to have any Symbol or Socket 2002 drivers installed (hard reset to cleanup if necessary) and then install the 2003 Socket drivers (suggest file store as install location) and the Symbol will work perfectly.

[redrail9]

I actually bought this card from Dell's website. It instantly made my axim run very slow. I even tried a soft reset. Then a message flashed that the memory was not formatted correctly, and suggested I format. Which i tried, but an error message said that it could not be formatted. It took me 5 tries and several soft reset's before the memory seemed stable enough to use. That of course makes me nervous. I also hear rumors about these cards not working correctly with the Dell Axim. So i called DELL and they gave me tons of hassle returning this card, even though they admitted that they have driver issues! They insisted I perform a HARD reset. I refused and five minutes later on hold, they said I could send it back. What a Hassle! SHAME ON DELL. Selling a card they KNOW has problems running on their units!!!

[fyiguy]

I'm not a developer (yet!), but couldn't you "Install to a different directory" when you install the drivers in ActiveSync?

I don't remember if this is an option, let alone if it would work. Maybe that's something I can try the next time I'm dead bored (instead of starting a "How Do YOU Make a Peanut Butter & Jelly Sandwich" thread! :lol:).

Dave, you can choose to do this ,I actually initially tried to install the drivers & programto Safe Store, but it didn't work. The directions explicitly to choose "Yes to install default application". However this will work with all other software just choose "No" when given the option to install and then choose from the drop down list where you wish to install it.

[David Prahl]

I actually initially tried to install the drivers & programto Safe Store, but it didn't work. The directions explicitly to choose "Yes to install default application".

Thanks for lettings us know! The great part about this community is that everyone has done so many things, and they're willing to share their experiences.

Thanks, for the FYI, FYIguy! :)

[fyiguy]

I actually bought this card from Dell's website. It instantly made my axim run very slow. I even tried a soft reset. Then a message flashed that the memory was not formatted correctly, and suggested I format. Which i tried, but an error message said that it could not be formatted. It took me 5 tries and several soft reset's before the memory seemed stable enough to use. That of course makes me nervous. I also hear rumors about these cards not working correctly with the Dell Axim. So i called DELL and they gave me tons of hassle returning this card, even though they admitted that they have driver issues! They insisted I perform a HARD reset. I refused and five minutes later on hold, they said I could send it back. What a Hassle! SHAME ON DELL. Selling a card they KNOW has problems running on their units!!!

Yes the SanDisk Connection+ will not work with the Dell Axim due to Prism drivers already existing in ROM as well as some other issues, SanDisk is aware of this and are working on driver updates that are slated for release before the end of the year the same holds true for WM2003 based devices.

It is a shame Dell Customer Support are not aware of this issue,but then again Dell sells alot of stuff. However if it is sold or listed as working with the Dell Axim, they should be more cogniscient of this issue.

[Jason Dunn]

How often do Flash cards die though? I've heard of the very rare case involving airport X-Ray machines, but that's it...

All flash dies. You get about 10^5 rewrites, though new controllers supposedly give 10^6 rewrites by spreading out wear evenly across all cells.

Yeah, I know it all dies eventually, but I've *never* heard of someone reaching that limit! Be realistic would you please?? :roll: With a write cycle of 100,000, using the card every single day would require 273 years to exhaust a memory card in that fasion.

[Scott R]

Yeah, I know it all dies eventually, but I've *never* heard of someone reaching that limit! Be realistic would you please?? :roll: With a write cycle of 100,000, using the card every single day would require 273 years to exhaust a memory card in that fasion.If only we could say the same thing about batteries. I read recently on gpspassion.com (I think that was the one) a comment about how the built-in battery on the Socket Bluetooth GPS wouldn't (in theory) hold up for more than a year or so (forget exactly) if you charged it daily.

Scott