PDA and Mac

[JackP]

Hi

I have recently started using an IBook and have an iPAQ 3870 - has anybody got experience of pocket PC and Mac? - or would I be better off investing in something using a Palm OS perhaps.

Any thoughts appreciated - I am not very skilled on the tekkie side, so whatever solution I use it will have to be idiot proof!
Many thanks

JP

[manywhere]

Well, Pocket PCs and Macs can be made to work together! However, you need to buy Missing Sync, but it will be worth it! :wink:
You can have a look at my review of Missing Sync for Pocket PC for more info:
http://www.pdagold.com/articles/detail.asp?a=81

Missing Sync is quite easy to use and I don't think you will have any problems using it... :)

Good Luck! :D

[acronym]

I use missing sync with a powerbook and it works pretty well. There are still developers that require you to use their installer in windows, in which case you'd either have to have a windows computer handy or use virtual pc. You did mention that "I am not very skilled on the tekkie side" - and getting a pocket pc to work correctly with mac sometimes involves a bit of troubleshooting. So the answer of palm vs. pda depends on how much you will ultimately rely on the pda, and how much you will be installing additional software. Given that, if your only computer is an Apple, my advice is lean a bit more towards a Palm.

[bmhome1]

I'm a Mac user and love my iPaq, using Virtual PC for syncing and installing applications. But, I absolutely agree using that, or PocketMac or MissingSync PPC, definitely requires the user to become involved "technically" far beyond typical software application use.

However, there's no question, in my opinion, that the investment in time and patience is worth the results. Even PC users struggle with Activesync issues for PPC's, but still wouldn't consider switching to Palms.

[JackP]

Many thanks indeed, you have all been a great help. Mac OSX is great but they dont' seem big on PDA's! (I still have a Dell if I feel drawn back to the darkside!) - I will get Missing Synch - Filip great review by the way, it was way more helpful than the sales blurb on their website. I cant believe that even iTunes works!!

Another question, Filip - when you carry your 3870 outside during winter then come inside to use it - do you let it come up to room temperature for say 15 mins or just switch on - I spend half my time in the French Pyrenees (not as cold as Finland I know) and found last year that mine didn't enjoy working whilst cold - it would switch back off. Does the constant in/out hot/cold cause condensation somewhere inside the circuit boards?
Thanks again for the great info!
Jp

[manywhere]

Another question, Filip - when you carry your 3870 outside during winter then come inside to use it - do you let it come up to room temperature for say 15 mins or just switch on - I spend half my time in the French Pyrenees (not as cold as Finland I know) and found last year that mine didn't enjoy working whilst cold - it would switch back off. Does the constant in/out hot/cold cause condensation somewhere inside the circuit boards?
I've found that my iPaq 3870 doesn't like temperatures below -10 Celsius. That is when I've been experiencing the sudden switch-offs. The best practices are to let it catch room temperature for a while and use the innerpocket in my jacket.

The main reason I believe is the battery. I remember being outside in -20 degrees and even -30 with my previous Nokia 7110. The battery being the same type as in my iPaq (FYI: a lithium polymer battery), showed low when I checked it after a few minutes outside. This although it was fully charged earlier that day. Using the undocumented feature in Nokia phones, called Network Monitor, I had a look at the battery temperature which was a few degrees above zero Celsius.

Hence, I suppose what is happening is that when Lithium Poly batteries' temperature go below a certain internal temperature, their output voltage/current gets reduced significantly. So, when the iPaq is switched on in a cold state, it will shut itself off because it believes that its battery is low.

That is at least my theory... :lol:

[JackP]

Filip your theory makes perfect sense, I shall aim to keep the iPAQ warmer (ie not in my backpack) and see if I can write notes out on the Pyrenees this winter - I look forward also to my next trip to Ivalo so that I can test it in really cold weather!
JP