[b]iPAQ 54xx PPC2003 how do I hate thee, let me count the ways![/b]

[szamot]

Here is something to think about, could the new PPC2003 rom for the 54xx series
actually be worse than the first un-patched rom on the original 38xx? I think
so, How many bugs does thee have, let me count the ways. It has been just a
bit over 24 hours since I packed the new PPC2003 ROM onto my shinny 54xx, which
until now has been working flawlessly, and so far it has been nothing but a
pain in the bum bum. I think my ROM came from the shallow end of the code pool
because it seems to go out of its way to make my life miserable - except for
the new theme which looks really good.

http://www.stoneraft.com/junk/ppc2003/desktop.JPG

1. First on the agenda ALARMS! Or shall I say the luck of them. It seems that
the new ROM forgets to let the iPAQ know that there is an alarm/reminder and
someone should sound the horn! Needless to say I slept in the day after I installed
the new ROM as the iPAQ froze while trying to wake me up - the irony here is
sickening. As it turns out while the biometric scanner is enabled the alarms/reminders
freeze the unit as they come on?

2. Biometric Scanner. Aside from doing a nasty deed to the Alarms it seems
to have an identity crisis on its own. No matter what I set the time to for
it to become engaged, mine was initially set to 30, then 1 hour then 90 minutes,
the scanner comes on ever time I power the device off and on, even if it is
only a minute. Needless to say I had to disable it to make the device usable,
and fix the freezing alarms.

http://www.stoneraft.com/junk/ppc2003/biometric.JPG


3. Email - here is a one cool client who does not like to work. I appreciate
the nice little lines going across the screen to make it look nicer but…while
the device is trying to sync the email will not come up when the email button
is pressed, the close button and the functions on the bottom of the application
come up but no go on the main screen. The applications shows up as open but
it can't be used. Nice one.

http://www.stoneraft.com/junk/ppc2003/mail1.JPG http://www.stoneraft.com/junk/ppc2003/mail2.JPG


4. I was really looking forward to an easier wireless connection…well I
am still waiting. I have Cisco BBSM running at work for a guest network. You
could connect an ass with a piece of wire tied to its rear end - but not the
iPAQ with the new ROM. It just sits and waits for who knows what, but it does
not connect. We use Cisco BBSM because it is most likely the most forgiving,
platform independent wired and wireless access you can have, not for the PPC
thought, did I mention I did have it connected on PPC2002? Indeed I did.

5. Once the wireless is turned off, the connected icon stays up, why is that,
wireless is off - go away icon, go. Worse yet it is trying to remind you to
connect to the network and the only way it disappears is when I give in and
tap &connect& to ether!

6. Windows Media 9 - still not what you would call &usable& piece
of software. You start up your WM9, pick your favorite tune, let it rip, minimize
the app. COOL. Then you try to open it back up again and it freezes in a mid
note sounding like a cricket on acid going at 250 bpm. Power off, power on seems
to fix that. Interestingly enough the application does not show up that it is
running anymore but the cricket is going strong.

http://www.stoneraft.com/junk/ppc2003/WM9.JPG

7. MS Reader - what can I say the ROM shipped with 2.2.1 which will not download
the free ebooks from MS site. Needless to say I have wasted some precious memory
and installed 2.2.2 built 3143, activated of course and guess what? Still can't
download any free MS ebooks. This really bothers me.

http://www.stoneraft.com/junk/ppc2003/reader.JPG

8. Wireless - yep there is more, I thought this OS was all about &under
the hood improvements& Well watching iPAQ operate while wireless is turned
on is like watching a stampeding horde of wild turtles trying to make it through
an ocean of molasses. Perhaps there was a millisecond shaved here and there
but compared to a light year it takes for anything to load on the iPAQ the time
saving is rather insignificant, dare I say not even noticeable.

9. Add to this that a lot of my favorite apps need upgrading…and some
of them have not been made available yet…. ActiveStink 3.7 is still as
bad as ever, although a quick PC reboot usually fixes that…..and

10. the fact that this upgrade will cost most of us some hard earned cash…makes
this proposition pretty hard to swallow.


Then again it could be just my iPAQ, it could be just me picking at things
because my hopes were shattered and the upgrade did not meet my expectations,
who knows - there is only one way to find out and install it for yourself. As
for me I am going back to PPC2002, I need a device that works, after all that
is why I bought it to begin with.

http://www.stoneraft.com/junk/ppc2003/version.JPG :soapbox:

[Pony99CA]

Then again it could be just my iPAQ, it could be just me picking at things because my hopes were shattered and the upgrade did not meet my expectations, who knows - there is only one way to find out and install it for yourself.
And how does one install it when it's not available yet? :?:

Steve

[piperpilot]

And how does one install it when it's not available yet? :?:

Could it be that he got the free upgrade for buying his iPAQ after March? That's the only thing I can think of because I just checked the HP site yesterday and the upgrade is still not available for purchase.

[that_kid]

I think not......I know where he/she got it but I digress. If he/she used the search button, they would've seen all the post regarding the alarm issues. The e-mail issue is shall I say.....a feature?? My 5555 does the same thing and it has nothing to do with other apps installed on the unit as my 5555 did this with no 3rd party programs installed. This e-mail problem seems to happen when you use the hardware key to call the mail app. If you use the shortcut on the start menu you don't run into this problem. I say this could be a "feature" because if you have pocket outlook set to check you mail at xx minutes, then the program has to open to do so and I don't want the program to pop up when I'm doing something else(ummm don't know but it almost sounds good). Windows media player works great on my 5555 and 5455, I'm able to stream 700k videos with no problem. With the old os I couldn't get above 200.

[theone3]

I think not......I know where he/she got it but I digress.I can tell you that the rom is not exactly "legit" ;)

>hint< Thats not the theme that comes with the real wmfppc2003 (gotta love the acronym)
. Perhaps there was a millisecond shaved here and there
but compared to a light year it takes for anything to load on the iPAQ the time
saving is rather insignificant, dare I say not even noticeable.
LOL! light year measures distance ;) 0X

[Duncan]

Thats not the theme that comes with the real wmfppc2003

Actually - it most certainly IS the new 2003 theme!

[Jerry Raia]

Thats not the theme that comes with the real wmfppc2003

Actually - it most certainly IS the new 2003 theme!

If it is its missing on my 5555.

[Duncan]

Well it is on the 2210 and has been remarked upon in a number of WM2003 reviews - so I'd say your (or maybe all) 5550 is missing something?

[Skitals]

That them is on my 2210, but its not the default one and its fugly!

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/resources/downloads/pocketpc/themes/WindowsMobile_Blue.JPG

:ppclove: PPC 2k3 themes (http://www.microsoft.com/windowsmobile/resources/downloads/pocketpc/themes.mspx)

[szamot]

The rom is legitimate, it is what has been pressed to the CD's that will be going out to all those who ordered it. Unless HP is into disinformation then I have no reason to believe that this ROM is anything but what will ship out.

I never thought of email "misfunction" as a "feature" in which case it would make sense for it not to come up when the device is checking for a mail box update. The email hardware button works perfectly once the active sync stops. I did have AS crash on me once and I had to resolve to restarting the PC and soft resetting the device as nothing else would work.

Theme is from MS site, and in my opinion it is the best one yet, it is very rich and sharp it really makes the screen stand out.

The only remaining things are WM9 and MS Reader which are in my view very disappointing.