Using a usb flash drive with pocket pc?

[Aerestis]

Hmmm, is this possible with something like a Dell axim 5 or Palm Tungsten E? Or any ppc with a usb port? See, I currently have a usb flash drive, and I want to get a pocket pc for taking notes, setting dates, maybe playing a few games, and hopefully I can get a graphing calculation app on it. But, if I can't use my flash drive, that will be really dissapointing. I would probably use it to hold mp3's, as those are far too large to store on the hard drive on the ppc.

Also, is there very much free software for text editing on pocket pc's? Hmmm, I'm relatively sure I'll be getting the Tungsten E, and a folding keyboard. I hope this will be a good investment, but I am mainly concerned about the expansion capability of a usb flash drive.

Also... Do the fold out keyboards respond to fast typing? I;'ve heard rumours... But that is a little off topic :wink:

[Aerestis]

oh no, sorry. I didn't realize until a moment ago that palms aren;t pocket pc's. or are they? How confusing. Oh well, I'm not so interested because I also just noticed that they use an entirely different operating system, and I have been told that I would want windowson the pocket pc... ahhhh decisions.

[DanielTS]

It's possible with USB host built-in PPC or with PPC & USB 1.1 Host Adaptor CF Card (http://www.ratocsystems.com/english/products/subpages/cfu1u.html)

New PPC with USB Host feature : Mitac Mio 558, Toshiba e800

[Robb Bates]

Not exactly what you're looking for but here's another option.

Kanguru MicroDrive+ (http://www.kanguru.com/microdriveplus.html)

It's a combo USB flash drive/SD Card reader.

Or using any portable SD card reader as a flash drive would do the same.

Robb

[PetiteFlower]

It would be a lot easier to just get a storage card to use with your PPC. USB is a pain on a ppc, you'd need a USB host compact flash adapter or you'd have to get a toshiba 755 or 805(?) which are natively USB host capable. Then you'd also have to find drivers so that your device would be capable of accessing the drive. In other words, difficult, expensive, and maybe not even possible.

Don't have a clue about Palms. PPC is better IMO, and most people here will agree, but you should do your own research about both platforms.

[c38b2]

If you want "future expandability" do not get the Tungsten E. The mini-USB port is client only (NO keyboards, etc. through the bottom port). It also does not have any form of wireless besides IR built-in. The T|E is a great handheld but it's not for you. I would recommend the HP 2215 series for you ;)

[Aerestis]

So I can't just go and throw my usb flash card into any usb port on any old ppc? That is very dissapointing... I can't afford the ones that are usb flash capable. They are 800 cad, which is crazy. I'm looking at more like 299 to 35 cad. Thanks for the help, though! I was under the wrong impression and I'm glad you guys were able to help me.

[DanielTS]

You could get the Toshiba e400 at half of the Toshiba e800 price. :wink:

The Toshiba e350, another older USB Host capable PPC, is cheaper.

[PetiteFlower]

I don't know how much USB drives cost but you can get a memory card for not too much money now, with a card reader that you can also plug into your PC. Will serve the same function.

[Pat Logsdon]

Also... Do the fold out keyboards respond to fast typing?
Yup. If you're a touch typist, you should be able to bang out close to your normal rate on a normal keyboard.

Regarding the whole USB storage thing - no PDA (Palm or otherwise) is really meant to use them - they're more of a floppy replacement for desktop PCs. They wouldn't really work very well in conjunction with a PDA - they're too big, thus negating the "pocketability" of the device.

In the Pocket PC world, we use different flash media, like compact flash card or secure digital cards. These work the same as the USB flash drive you have; they're just a different format - the same storage capacity w/o the large housing.

That said, if you need to swap back and forth between a laptop or PC and a PPC, that Kanguru drive looks really nice. You could use the SD card in your PPC, and the USB drive in your laptop/PC, and use the drive as a flash reader if you need to get info from your SD card. Nice!

Thanks, Robb - I think I'm going to pick up one of those things! 8)

[Aerestis]

that expandable usb drive looked excellent to me as well. At any rate, a usb flash is the same price as a secure digital. I'm having the same deja vu for the third time now. But it's over, and I just had to type that it was happening as it happened. Well, I suppose I should make the move to a 64 or 128 meg sd then.

The great thing about my usb thing is that it can clip inside of my pocket very comfortably though. I was pretty excited that I had something that could adapt to the ppc :cry: Oh well, thanks for the help. Any more information would also be gladly accepted, as I'm trying to research the ppc as much as possible.

[PetiteFlower]

The card will mostly live inside your ppc which fits in your pocket :) If you end up getting more then one card, then you can either keep the spare card in the little plastic sleeve that it comes in, or you can get a case for your PPC that has a pocket for a spare card :)

[Robb Bates]

Thanks, Robb - I think I'm going to pick up one of those things! 8)

No sweat. I just wish I had the $$$ to get one too. I usually download 30 x 3MB radio show audio files via Active Sync and it takes FOREVER!!! I got an SD card reader at home but I need one for work. I'll just have to come up with $25 and pick one up somewhere. But with a brand new baby boy :D , I think making sure he has food is a wiser use of my limited funds.

Robb

[JustinGTP]

Yep priorities!

I recently got the Lexar Media 7 in 1 card reader, I love it. SO much faster, it is USB 2.0 and I am loving it, seemless transfer of files between my PPC and PC. I take it to school, and on the XP computers, it is plug and play.

-Justin.

[maximus]

But with a brand new baby boy :D , I think making sure he has food is a wiser use of my limited funds.
Robb

Food, clothing, medicine, milk, toys ... and pretty soon, education, gameboys, playstation, PPC, motorcycle, car, tuition, etc. etc. etc. :D
Congrats on the new baby boy !

[Aerestis]

I wish my parents bought me ppc's :) or cars and tuitions... I have to buy it myself. I think that's part of moving out, though. hehe. Congratulations on the baby, I imagine it is a wiser decision to provide for it :D

[Robb Bates]

Yeah, it's always a tough decision. Food ... new gadget ... food ... new gadget. ARGH! What does this have to be so hard?
:wink:
Robb

[Air]

that expandable usb drive looked excellent to me as well. At any rate, a usb flash is the same price as a secure digital. I'm having the same deja vu for the third time now. But it's over, and I just had to type that it was happening as it happened. Well, I suppose I should make the move to a 64 or 128 meg sd then.

The great thing about my usb thing is that it can clip inside of my pocket very comfortably though. I was pretty excited that I had something that could adapt to the ppc :cry: Oh well, thanks for the help. Any more information would also be gladly accepted, as I'm trying to research the ppc as much as possible.

just buy one of those pocketable USB <-> SD adapter, they are about the same size of USB drive, except it holds SD card in it. Amazon sells it for about $20.

if you want a desktop to access the SD card, just unplug the card from the handheld and insert it to the adaptor. Voila...

[Robb Bates]

just buy one of those pocketable USB <-> SD adapter, they are about the same size of USB drive, except it holds SD card in it. Amazon sells it for about $20.

I have a USB flash drive that is about as big as a BIC lighter. It's small enough to keep on my key chain. But I'd love to have an SD card reader on my keychain instead. Unfortunately, most of them are a little bit too big to fit comfortably in my pocket. And I wouldn't want to carry one unless I can keep it in my pocket without even noticing it.

As I posted earlier, I like the Kanguru one, but it's still a bit too big. Could someone post some links to some SD card readers that are very small. What is the smallest one out there?

Robb Bates