Basic Pocket PC Questions

[sebjo]

I'm wondering if I can turn a wav or mp3 sound into a ppc alarm that can then be selected as a replacement for the standard system alarms.
Can anyone help?

[David Prahl]

Sure! I have several Star Trek WAVs now instead of the default alarms. First of all, they need to be WAV files. If they're not, you can find plenty of free converters on the web. :google:

Copy them into the "My Documents" folder on your device.

Go in to the Sounds and Notifications area in the Settings menu, and change what you want.

[szamot]

..errrr I think you actually have to put them in the Windows folder this way they will be visible in your drop down menu when you try to select them.

[Aerestis]

Wow, I am new to this. Can I use my pocketpc as an alarm clock or something? or does it just make beep sounds when my calender comes to a certain time? That sounds insanely cool, so if it can, my day is made!

[Vulcan]

PPC can fuction as an alarm clock....

[Aerestis]

Excellent! I suppose it should be plugged in to a wall, though? Or can it run efficiently on batteries for simple tasks... If I could make one do that on batteries, then wow. I've been so hung up on so many things, and I really want one, but I want it to be a good investment. So all of the good things about it make me so much happier because I actually have a reason to get a new gadget

[Andy Whiteford]

You can use it as an alarm clock plugged into a socket or running off the battery - it makes no odds as the device just wakes up from standby prior to the alarm going off. If you are using it for your early morning alarm call though, I would recommend leaving it plugged in overnight though to keep your battery topped up for the day ahead!

[Aerestis]

well that's very cool then. Does it recharge when plugged in? I didn't realize that. I thought you needed a cradle. And how loud is the ppc? I can't imagine them being very loud.

[Andy Whiteford]

You can charge them in the cradle or with a seperate power or sync/charge cable. I just use the power lead and charge mine at the bedside and sync wirelessly - no need for a cradle!
All the Pocket PCs I have used have been more than loud enough to be used as an alarm clock. You may have problems hearing reminders if your device is in a bag or you are in a noisy environment but otherwise they are fine.

[Aerestis]

ahh I can't really afford a wireless connection I think. Plus, there are probably not many hotspots around here. I'm not sure how it all works... but I assume tyhe cradle would be cheaper for syncing and charging for me than a wireless sync. At any rate, this is really cool. Are the reminders able to be set for numerous times of the day? And they just beep to your schedule maybe? That would be really handy for my schooling. Not a necessity of course but you know how you see a cool gadget some day and you'll find any reason to need it :wink: They make life fun some times. So this alarm clock and also reminder function now is really appealing to me, these things seem capable of a lot.

[Andy Whiteford]

You can sync through a number of ways such as a USB lead or cradle that normally come supplied, Infrared if your desktop or laptop computer supports it and also via a wireless connection such as Bluetooth or Wifi. Any of these are fine but more than likely you would use one of the first two straight out of the box at no extra cost.
You can set an alarm for anytime of the day or you can set a reminder for any appointments or scheduled items you have in your calendar so in theory you could have numerous alarms or reminders throughout the day.

[David Prahl]

I am guessing that 75%-90% of members still use a sync cable or cradle. I have a wireless network at home, but prefer a USB connection for some reason.

If you're interested in how reminders work, you might consider downloading the manual to a Pocket PC. Here' the manual to a Pocket PC (PPC) I'm reviewing right now:
http://gullfoss2.fcc.gov/prod/oet/forms/blobs/retrieve.cgi?attachment_id=363213&native_or_pdf=pdf

[Aerestis]

I like that manual. Are manuals available for all ppc's? I should go have a look... There's far more information in there than I would have expected. I'm really into the Dell, I'm wanting to buy it actually but I doubt it will still be in stock next month. The website says there are limitied quantities sooo... I'm hoping maybe there is a slight price drop too, hehe. Maybe ten or fifteen dollars in the next month on some ppc's. We'll see... But I do enjoy the manuals, so thanks. I'm going to go look for more :D

[David Prahl]

Let us know what you're looking for in a device and we can suggest a few.

We're really good at telling people what to spend their money on! :mrgreen:

[Aerestis]

Well, I'll try to be as detailed as possible.

I want something that will not be obsolete in six months to a year. I realize that the industry moves forward extremely swiftly, but still, I want to have my valuable hardware continue to be valuable for at least a little while.

I will only really spend about 350 cad, since I want to get a keyboard with it as well. They keyboard costs about one hundred, so I have to be careful with the price of the ppc. All in all, I have about five hundred cad to be spending.

I want something that can do text editing, mp3 playing, calculating (Is there graphing calculation software..?), organizing, and I guess something to do doodles in would be great, for my design courses. Just to sort of lay down ideas when I am perhaps on the bus or in the middle of an english seminar.

Then, I suppose I would like to know which ppc can give me the most bang for my buck. I know I'm asking for a lot so there may be a few that would be a viable interest, but I'm clearly having a bit of trouble finding my ppc so I would totally appreciate your help :D I'm glad you offered. If you can find something that is essentially what I'm looking for but perhaps a little less or a little more, then it would be great I guess. Currently I've only really looked at Dell and hp... I've looked at a few others but I haven't always understood what I was looking at.

The ability to play mp3's is able to be sacrificed, as I plan on using it at school and I don't believe I'm aloud to have those at school. But if it did have mp3 playing capabilities, I would like that a lot. The bus can get very boring, and so can waiting for them.

Thanks!

[David Prahl]

Because all Pocket PCs use the same operating system, they can all play MP3s, edit and create MS Word or MS Excel documents, and perform contact and appointment stuff right out of the box. You can easily add a graphic calculator program - check out this one at Handango:
http://www.handango.com/PlatformProductDetail.jsp?productType=2&optionId=1_2_2&jid=EF3216EEXBCC6X737DC4634AA4557XAX&platformId=2&siteId=1&productId=34845&sectionId=0&catalog=30&txtSearch=graphing+calculator

Just off the top of my head, I'd suggest the Dell Axim X3 or X5. Visit Dell.ca for Canadian pricing.

Also consider the HP 1935 or HP 1945 - but I don't know what their prices in CAD are.


Does size matter to you? How do you see yourself carrying it (pocket, briefcase, backback, etc.)?

[Aerestis]

Thanks! I wasn't aware that any could play mp3's. That's really cool.

Size is no issue I think. I have a protective note bag, most of my pants have larger pockets, and if I have no room one day I can always just leave my glasses case at home. I always wear them anyways, and I believe a ppc is only a little wider than my case so I can afford room for any size I'm sure. Are some models larger? I figured they were all the same size.

[David Prahl]

Although all models fit in your hand, there is a wide range of thicknesses and lengths. If you don't mind a thicker device, you might consider the Dell Axim X5. I own one, and carry it in my jeans pocket in a leather case.

I would suggest you read a few PPC reviews. Besides letting you form your own opinion about which device is best for you, they often include photos comparing thickness and size.

If you're looking for a specific device, search Google for "<device name> review". Check out our review of the HP 2215 in the "articles" section of this site - it has some great photos.

[Andy Whiteford]

As David has rightly said, any modern Pocket PC will do what you need. If you have no preference to size then I would strongly consider the Dell Axim X5 as it has a longer battery life than the majority of smaller devices and is a friendly device to use.
Before making a purchase though I would read about on some of the forums here and see if there is anything thing else you think you could be using a Pocket PC for. The more you plan to do with a device, the easier it is to narrow which specific devices match your needs and make a purchase.

[Aerestis]

I have decided on the Dell Axim 5... But, the problem is, apparently there are limited quantities. I'll be able to pick it up in a month, but since I feel so good about the purchase and stuff, I feel relatively sure that the model will be sold out before I can get one.

Maybe that's not very likely, it's just that on the website it's noted that there are limited quanities. I wish I could order it now.

[Andy Whiteford]

You will be able to purchase one no problem in a month's time. The X5 has been out for a while now so there isn't as big a demand for it. A month seems like a good time for a turnaround of stock.

[PetiteFlower]

I don't think they're going to be discontinuing the X5 anytime soon, we'd have heard about it if they were, so don't worry about the timing, it will still be there :)

[Aerestis]

Well that's good news then. What is a turn around of stock though? I'm imagining that it means potential lowering of prices, hehe. I can only hope.

[Andy Whiteford]

Well that's good news then. What is a turn around of stock though? I'm imagining that it means potential lowering of prices, hehe. I can only hope.

Meaning if they are low on stock and close to running out they will have more on the way and so one would assume in a months time they will have more stock in.

[Thinkingmandavid]

The x5 is a good choice and you will be able to do everything you want with it for class. I use mine for class as well at the graduate school. It is great for assignments, test times, editing papers because of the word feature, etc. I have pocket plus installed which has worked out well for me.
Reading the reviews is a good idea because it actually helps you to become more familiar with the unit, and reading the manual through will also prove to be valuable as well. Not everyone does that but I do, maybe that makes me a geek :mrgreen:

[David Prahl]

I'm in High School and I use "The Dog Ate It" every day to keep track of assignments and tests. You might check out a review I wrote here:
http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/articles.php?action=expand,18130

[Draculaaa]

I've just bought my first PPC (Toshiba e405), I can suggest you a few sites that have lots of reviews of PPCs:

http://www.pdareviewspot.com (pretty good one, select a model and it shows reviews on different sites)

http://www.infosyncworld.com

http://www.pdabuyersguide.com

http://www.brigthhand.com (one of the classic PDA sites)

About the manuals..... Amazon.com has a feature that if you search a given PDA it sometimes display a direct link to the PDF manual of it, that's a very useful feature.

Drac.

[Aerestis]

ahhh here in Canada, the Dell that I want just went up thirty dollars. Any idea why? Maybe the features are a little better. I might be mistaked but I recalled the screen being smaller... I should double check. Blahhh, thirty dollars is around ten percent higher. Oh well, It's still at the affordable mark.

[maximus]

All I can say about my experience with PPCs is ... They worth every penny you spent on them. :) Ever been in social events that are ultra boring, but you have to be present ? Ever been in meetings with annoying peoples who kept on arguing and bragging ? Well, with a PPC, you can pretend to be a professional, as if you still listen to all the crap flying in the room, while actually you are doing something else.

A PPC is your passport to happiness, my friend =)

[Aerestis]

yeahhh, they do seem really fun. And I looked into the dell, it does look as though it has improved. Perhaps I am getting more for what I am paying still, because I believe the screen is better. But I can't remember what the old model looked like and its exact specs. Oh wait, I can find out because someone on this forum gave me a link to the old manual :). I should dig that up.

But it's decided! Next week I am ordering it. I hope I enjoy it. I'll be getting the keyboard sometime next month, it costs quite a bit. I can't wait to actually get it, though. Waiting is terrible :D it will be my first ppc.

[David Prahl]

Glad you've made up your mind - please feel free to ask any questions once you get one.

The 10% rise in price was Dell ending a 10% discount they had been offering. These are very common, but there's no way to tell when the next one will happen.

[ethancaine]

While I've been less than overjoyed by Dell's customer service, I am extremely happy with my Axim X5. It's size isn't an issue with me and the performance is great. I got it as a toy last March and it has become a neccessary evil.

Overall: great choice.

Also, as stated above, Dell is really into 'on again, off again' discounts... so maybe hang around for a week or two waiting for a discount... the price isn't going up, so you can only win.

[fmcpherson]

I like that manual. Are manuals available for all ppc's?

You might find my book, How To Do Everything With Your Pocket PC, Third Edition useful. You'll find it on Amazon by searching on ISBN 0072229799. It should also be in your local bookstore. (Author: Frank McPherson, Publisher: Osborne/McGraw-Hill)

[David Prahl]

You might find my book, How To Do Everything With Your Pocket PC, Third Edition useful.

Wow! A real celebrity!
:werenotworthy:

[luiskim]

i was surfing around the canadian dell site and i wasn't able to find any axim x5 anymore... but for what i saw... i would recommend the x3 por the price... it's around your price range... and i think it's better than the x5...

what i've noticed is that when you have a PPC you always wish it was smaller... the first one i had was a iPaq 3800... first when i bought it i was the happiest guy in the world... but then i just wanted it to be smaller with a better screen... wirelles connectivity... and everything else there is to be in the market...

the point is... the more you know about something, the more you want them... when you buy the x5 (by the way... how much is it?) you are gonna see someone with a smaller device... and somehow, you are gonna want to have something smaller and neat looking device as well...

so think about the x3... the price range is at around 350CND... i own a iPaq 2210 and i love it... i'm sure i'll be happy for at least a year... and as someone mentioned already... every penny you spend is worth it...