08-15-2002, 03:59 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Random XDA musings, part 1
I've switched over to using the HTC Spaceneedle (XDA) as my full-time device, but rather than trying to give you a long review, I wanted to keep track of my findings by having discussions around concepts and issues unique to a connected device. This is part one, and XDA and non-XDA owners alike are invited to participate. For some of you who have had your devices connected for a while, these musings may seem almost simplistic, but to me, it's all new. 
The SIM card I borrowed from a friend currently is data-only. I have a voice & data SIM on the way, but for now I'm using it as a connected data device only, not voice. Last night I was in a shopping mall with Ashley, and I was chatting with pt via Messenger. I wanted to stay connected and available, but I noticed that as soon as the power saving settings kicked in, the device would shut off and I'd lose the GPRS data connection. The only solution seemed to be to override the power saving setting and tell the device to never turn off. Yet that is dangerous to your data - if you forget to turn the device off even once, you may lose everything after it stays on for a whole day.
It would seem logical to have a per-application override of power settings, or have the power settings be connection-aware: if a data connection was present, it wouldn't shut the device off. A similar problem exists with IR - if you're sending someone a large file via IR, the Pocket PC will simply turn off in the middle of the transfer. It almost makes you wonder if the people testing the OS really put it through all its paces, doesn't it?
Considering the Pocket PC 2002 OS was designed to be very "wireless friendly", I find this issue to be rather glaring. Let's hope Microsoft takes note of this and fixes it for next time. What's the solution here? How do you deal with this limitation?
(By the way, I've named my XDA "Tanto". A Tanto is a small dagger worn by Samurai as part of their three-piece set of armaments. It seemed fitting.)
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08-15-2002, 04:11 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 95
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This is one of the big issues I'm having with my T-Phone as well. I'd love to leave messenger running all day (as it uses hardly any of my traffic bucket). It's almost like there needs to be an intermediate setting between off and on. I'd really like a utility to tell my Pocket PC Phone to power down after 1 minute unless Messenger is open (or I have an active data connection), in which case just turn off the screen. A setting for the device to force a disconnect and power down when the battery got to a certain level (say 25%) would be cool as well. Too bad there's no cron on the Pocket PC 
With powering down severing data connections now, my data experience feels more like being on a PC and specifically choosing to dial-up rather than an always connected data device. As a result, I've found myself not going online as much as I thought I would.
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08-15-2002, 04:22 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by Mr. Anonymous
With powering down severing data connections now, my data experience feels more like being on a PC and specifically choosing to dial-up rather than an always connected data device. As a result, I've found myself not going online as much as I thought I would.
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Exactly! I've been on broadband for going on seven years now, and the concept of having to dial out for every connection seems a big step backwards (especially when the connection takes a while to complete).
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08-15-2002, 04:39 PM
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Contributing Editor Emeritus
Join Date: Jun 2003
Posts: 1,350
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the J928 has the same problem, but at least when you close the cover, it shuts down the screen completely, which saves battery life in itself. still I feel a bit awkward when turning off the power savings settings.
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08-15-2002, 05:19 PM
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Mystic
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,768
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like wifi
I think the Symbol WiFi card has it right.... where it will scale back power useage based on need. Applications, like the ones mentioned (IR transfer/receive, Messenger, etc) should be able to induce minimal power for continual connection. At the very least, the driver stack for the GPRS connection should be able to have some sort of throttle mechanism to detect idleness.... maybe even with two sliders that measure packet quantity slide control with a time slide control to provide users with an ability to specify how little data over a certain period of time is considered an idle state capable of allowing the device to power-down.
__________________
Jonathan (JonnoB)
"All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing." -Edmund Burke
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08-15-2002, 07:18 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: May 2002
Posts: 27
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It seems like this would be easy for MS to patch - after all the device doesn' turn itself off if you're listening to mp3s. Maybe some enterprising programmer could knock up a little app to address this shortcoming :?:
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08-15-2002, 07:19 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 217
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I've been one of the lucky that has been using a data enabled PDA for well over a year and I had to work around some of these issues. In our own application we are very data aware and do override the power off. The API's are there so I'm not sure why MS isn't using them in programs like Messenger, but that opens up a whole can of worms :wink:
What I find myself doing more often to keep my data connection alive is to use either Media Player or, more recently, Running Voice to shut the screen off while keeping power to the device on to conserve batteries (you can map this function to a button in both of those apps for those that don't know what I'm talking about). I've asked our developers to incorporate this into our app, but it has been deferred for now. For now it has been a great battery saver and allows me to use the PDA for the day with data enabled the entire day. I do find myself charging every night though 
To add to your musings I will offer up my short opinion on data enabled PDA's. I've been fortunate in that my company gets a lot of these devices early on from manufacturers and partners and I have used/seen the XDA, WDA, Smartphone, Nokia communicators, Treo's, etc .... and some other cool things come in and out of the office. My experience with the combined devices so far has been rather mixed. For what our application targets (enterprise users) these are great. Most of our research with enterpirses has shown that this is a preferred device in that it cuts down the number of devices carried by the employee, and therefore support and hardware costs are lowered (ROI is great).
On the other hand, I still don't use them as my day-to-day device. The PDA functionality is the same since it's the same base OS. That part I have no problems with as I know the benefits and limitations of the PPC OS now. What I don't like is the phone capablities of these devices as well as the size. I currently carry a T39 and 3870 combo and I love it because at any time I can remove the PDA and reduce my bulk. Once smartphones hit the market, I will probably change my opinion, but for now, I find that every time I use combined devices as a phone, it doesn't feel right to me (too big, bulky, etc.). I'm sure app developers will greatly extend the phone features once these devices are on the market en masse, and that may make them way more attractive.
Anyway, I've babbled long enough and I think you get the gist of what I'm saying. I hope you use the screen off feature.
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08-16-2002, 06:38 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 355
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your ad here
some folks don't know about the screen toggle function...it'll also keep your data connection going.
start > windows media
tools > settings > buttons
choose screen toggle, then press the up arrow on the dpad. you can use others, i use that one.
cheers,
pt
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08-16-2002, 06:43 AM
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Thinker
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 355
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your ad here
Quote:
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Originally Posted by Jason Dunn
Exactly! I've been on broadband for going on seven years now, and the concept of having to dial out for every connection seems a big step backwards (especially when the connection takes a while to complete).
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maybe this was the "safe" option. if people really want to have always on gprs they'll need to install another app, or doing something else. it might have just been risk management. if the reviewers who thought these things were phones left gprs on for a week and got a huge bill there would be like a jillion bad press.
all that said, once an app is avail, i'll be the first one to use it. i want auto pop checker.
cheers,
pt
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08-16-2002, 03:43 PM
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Executive Editor
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 29,160
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Re: your ad here
Quote:
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Originally Posted by pt
if the reviewers who thought these things were phones left gprs on for a week and got a huge bill there would be like a jillion bad press.
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GPRS charges are based on data transferred, not connection time like AOL or another ISP. You could stay connected 24/7 and not transfer any data, and you wouldn't be charged a thing (someone correct me if I'm wrong here). That's what makes this all the more mystifying - it seems to go against the nature of the device and its purpose.
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