pocket pc to pocket pc wifi chat

[Chris1012]

does anyone know of any software that allows pocket pc's to chat to other pocket pc's using their wifi or bluetooth connection. Obviously it's gonna be short range but I would like to know if there is any software to make this possible.

[SteveHoward999]

gPhone - it comes as part of the standard installation for Toshiba E830

I'm not certain if a PDA version of their software is freely available... I didn't have any luck when I looked around their site for a minute or two

http://www.gphone.com/

[Menneisyys]

gPhone - it comes as part of the standard installation for Toshiba E830

I'm not certain if a PDA version of their software is freely available... I didn't have any luck when I looked around their site for a minute or two

http://www.gphone.com/

It's freely available at http://www.vlijapan.com/downloads/bin_20030505/PKG203JP.exe (CAB form and PC version are also available here: http://www.vlijapan.com/downloads/bin_20030505/ ). The main download screen can be found at http://www.vlijapan.com/downloads/; you don't need to use it (and struggle with Japanese stuff), however, because the files/the directory is freely accessible.

Install it; after running it, just press the second button at the first, Japanese language screen (it has 'IP' on it). The two textfields may be login info for some kind of dir server; they can be left empty.

This app is just GREAT! It works great over Wi-Fi and even Bluetooth, even over ad-hoc (P2P) connections. That is, if you want to chat over BT, just pair two PDA's and use the 'Network Access' profile to start a PAN; it'll also give IP's to all PDA's after a while and gPhone will, then, be able to work.

Fortunately, apart from the first page and the chat 'Send' button, the app is all in English.

Incidentally, I've also tested version 1.60, the last full English version I was able to find in my archives. It doesn't support chat/file transfer.

Also, http://www.gphone.com/, as with https://www.gphoneonline.com/ (see http://www.windowsfordevices.com/news/NS5805810404.html -> http://www.vliusa.com/Service/info.aspx?id=141 ) and the old page, http://www.gtony.com, no longer exist. This is why I needed to Babelfish the Japanese pages I was able to find, play around with the user registration page and the non-translated buttons with the old method of 'trial and error' until I found the above-mentioned URL's.

Feel free to ask further questions - this app is a gem! I love it! At last, a working (unlike, for example, ProximityMail or Bluetooth Chat) BT/Wi-Fi chatter app! (see http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=36203, http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=4873 and http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/viewtopic.php?t=38291 for more info on those apps.)

[Jon Westfall]

Thanks for finding a working solution for this interesting software Menneisyys!

[Menneisyys]

I've continued playing with (Pocket) Gphone and found out that the PC version of the app has the login screen (which is exactly the same as with the PPC version) also in English:

http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/media/users/20345/gphone-1.png

I've tested the app with low-bandwidth usage. It's very important for people that have relatively cheap GPRS connection and would want to make long-distancce VoIP calls from their PPC's. Microsoft Portrait as I've described/explained in my article on it (http://menneisyys.freeweb.hu/portrait/), can be used for this even with a Multislot Class 10 GPRS device. Unfortunately, Gphone can't be used over very low-bandwidth connections.

[SteveHoward999]

I thought this was great software when I got it with my Toshiba E830. I tried to sign up for a gPhone number on a number of occasions, and mailed them about it --- never receiving a reply.

This thread inspired me to try again. I mailed them asking why I could not get signed up ...


Hi

I have tried on a number of occasions to sign up for a gPhone number, but I can never get past the sign-up page. Today I get the following error


Fatal error: Call to undefined function: pfpro_init() in
/var/www/html/GPOL2/payflow.php on line 91"


Reply

Dear Steve,

For business reason, we closed our Gphone service and support at the end of last year. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Regards,

Jon Yao


I asked if they had given any time to considering making this information available on their web site .... I'm looking forward to the response :-)

[Menneisyys]

I thought this was great software when I got it with my Toshiba E830. I tried to sign up for a gPhone number on a number of occasions, and mailed them about it --- never receiving a reply.

This thread inspired me to try again. I mailed them asking why I could not get signed up ...


Hi

I have tried on a number of occasions to sign up for a gPhone number, but I can never get past the sign-up page. Today I get the following error


Fatal error: Call to undefined function: pfpro_init() in
/var/www/html/GPOL2/payflow.php on line 91"


Reply

Dear Steve,

For business reason, we closed our Gphone service and support at the end of last year. Sorry for the inconvenience.

Regards,

Jon Yao


I asked if they had given any time to considering making this information available on their web site .... I'm looking forward to the response :-)

Thanks for the follow-up; hope they will not remove their program from the Net - it really rocks. Now that it's 'dead', however, I won't recommend it for nomination for the PPCMag Best PPCMag software of 2005, though (I've just spent some minutes filling in the nomination form...). I really regret this because it's the only working BT/PAN and Wi-Fi/ad-hoc chatter I could find...

[SteveHoward999]

I asked if they had given any time to considering making this information available on their web site .... I'm looking forward to the response :-)


The response?

Yes, we have already set a pop-up window to give an announcement on our Gphoneonline.com web-site at the end of year.

Thanks for your suggestion. We will also set such announcement on our vliusa.com web-site. Sorry for the inconvenience.


To which I replied:-

Since I and millions of others run pop-up blockers this is never seen. You should remove the sign-up form too! If you had removed it already I would not have wasted my time over the last few months repeatedly atempting to sign up!

It makes much more sense to simply take down anything that makes it look like it is possible to sign up, and anything that makes it look like there is something to sign up for. From what you say, your entire web presence on these sites is a complete waste of time and space for anyone who discovers them.


Their response? Silence.

[SteveHoward999]

Thanks for the follow-up; hope they will not remove their program from the Net - it really rocks. Now that it's 'dead', however, I won't recommend it for nomination for the PPCMag Best PPCMag software of 2005, though (I've just spent some minutes filling in the nomination form...). I really regret this because it's the only working BT/PAN and Wi-Fi/ad-hoc chatter I could find...

It is a great peice of software. Hopefully something better will come along soon. Maybe bluetooth and Skype could offer a future solution ...

[mrbascombe]

Can I use this app to talk with a pc with bluetooth fitted?
I have paired them and activesysnc works.

Do I need a login name and password?
What format do you put the IP address in as?


Also
I intend to test this out with a friends phone to phone.
Do I have to setup a network first?

I am on an imate jam - so is he.

[Menneisyys]

Can I use this app to talk with a pc with bluetooth fitted?
I have paired them and activesysnc works.

Do I need a login name and password?
What format do you put the IP address in as?


Also
I intend to test this out with a friends phone to phone.
Do I have to setup a network first?

I am on an imate jam - so is he.

You don't need any authentication in p2p connections.

You only need to provide the IP address of the other party. You can always tell this (even if they are dynamic because you make an ad-hoc Wi-Fi connection or create a BT PAN) number - the Gphone client always displays your own IP address. Just enter this address to the other client and you're set.

I've successfully made connections between 2 BT PDA's and a PDA and a desktop PC with Gphone; all services worked.

[mrbascombe]

ok
how do I make a PAN in bluetooth?

[Menneisyys]

ok
how do I make a PAN in bluetooth?

Please read my tutorial at http://pocketpcmag.com/forum/topic.asp?TOPIC_ID=16260

[mrbascombe]

2. in your PDA's Bluetooth Manager, choose New/Connect!/Join a personal network. On the next screen ("Please select whether you would like to join or host a personal network") leave the default 'Join' set; just press Next (WM2003SE users, note that this screen doesn't exist under your op. system!). After this, just choose your desktop PC from the list of the already paired devices.


I am on 2003se on an imate jam so no go then?

[Menneisyys]

2. in your PDA's Bluetooth Manager, choose New/Connect!/Join a personal network. On the next screen ("Please select whether you would like to join or host a personal network") leave the default 'Join' set; just press Next (WM2003SE users, note that this screen doesn't exist under your op. system!). After this, just choose your desktop PC from the list of the already paired devices.


I am on 2003se on an imate jam so no go then?

On the contrary - it will run on your Jam too. I've written the above PAN tutorial by testing it on both my WM2003 and WM2003SE devices.

[mrbascombe]

i couldn't fin dthe tools menu u mentioned but..
I can see an IP address on my imate when i open gphone.
Do i just put the ip address of the pc in there to connect to it?

How do I get 2 jams to talk to each other like this?

Sorry if i am sounding dumb - I can't find any info anywhere on this

[Menneisyys]

i couldn't fin dthe tools menu u mentioned but..
I can see an IP address on my imate when i open gphone.
Do i just put the ip address of the pc in there to connect to it?

How do I get 2 jams to talk to each other like this?

Sorry if i am sounding dumb - I can't find any info anywhere on this

It's there on the main screen, just after the L (Local) letter and before the 00:00:00 string, in the form of

L: <number>.<number>.<number>.<number>

[mrbascombe]

What about imate to imate?
How do they make a PAN?

[Menneisyys]

What about imate to imate?
How do they make a PAN?

If you use the built-in Microsoft Bluetooth stack, then, you can't create BT PAN, sorry. See for example http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=22009 on this.

If, on the other hand, you've installed the Bluesoleil BT stack + manager (please see http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=22009 on this) on your Jam, you will be able to do this.

EDIT: the Toshiba BT stack (also hacked on your Jam) may work too; see http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=15604 too.

[mrbascombe]

Thanks
After reading the threads I am worried I'll end up with a sick phone if I install the wrong stuff.
So no pan for me.

I appreciate your help
cheers

[mrbascombe]

OK - so I lasted a week then cracked..
I put the toshiba stack on yesterday - all good.
Nice to see all those options available now in bluetooth.

but

it won't connect to hbh-65 sony headset
It see's it but when it rings the headset in the last phase of connecting the bluetooth I can't answer the "call" from the jam by hitting the answer button on the earpiece. It rings it but wont connect.

Should I try Bluesoleil?

[Menneisyys]

OK - so I lasted a week then cracked..
I put the toshiba stack on yesterday - all good.
Nice to see all those options available now in bluetooth.

but

it won't connect to hbh-65 sony headset
It see's it but when it rings the headset in the last phase of connecting the bluetooth I can't answer the "call" from the jam by hitting the answer button on the earpiece. It rings it but wont connect.

Should I try Bluesoleil?

Yes, give it a try. Also make sure you read all related BT-upgrading threads over at XDA-Developers.