Helpful Resources for Newbies

[yardcat]

Some things that helped me GREATLY in my transition form a Total Newbie, to the almost Complete Newbie that I am today:

Read this forum regularly (my favorite forum).

Axim Forum is also good, especially for beginners, and the Axim is such a large community, that may be a reason to purchase one. Also, Axim has a terrific Large FAQ/tutorials page.

Do 'Searches' in the forums, that way your not limited to the first that come up on that particular day.

SmartPhone & Pocket PC Magazine http://www.pocketpcmag.com/default.asp, also buy a copy.

See 'Links' at the top of this page for other Forums and resources.

Google searches can help alot - more than you think.

Don't jump into any purchase too quickly, you WILL become the victim of Mass Groupthink and the Corporate Marketeers, guaranteed!

I know the Tech-speak and dry language that can be seen in many of these forums can be off-putting, as a Newbie, but if you keep reading the forums regularly, you will come to love these beautiful little devices. Have patience, people here will help you.

There are a lot of other resources, but these are all I can recall off the top of my head. Also...Thanks everyone! - yardcat

[yardcat]

Supprised to see that this topic didn't get replies, but access to basic PPC knowledge was absolutely critical to me as a beginning PPC user.

Just thought to add the following forum that I hadn't yet discovered. Not sure how good it is, but seemed to be current and with pretty good participation.

Long-live the Newbie.

-yardcat.

[Menneisyys]

Yup, it's the forum and blog seach engines that all newbies should use as often as possible. Most questions newbies ask have already been answered in the forums.

[Joelacrane]

I was rather suprised when my first pocket pc didnt come with any kind of manual about the OS. It was very strange.

This forum has been excellent in assisting me with finding the right pda. I'll see how good everyones advice was when it arrives.

[Menneisyys]

I was rather suprised when my first pocket pc didnt come with any kind of manual about the OS. It was very strange.


Almost none of the current PDA's come with printed Windows Mobile manuals, "only" with device-specific ones. This is certainly very bad practice - back in the "old" days of WinCE (for example, with the HP 320LX), they were also included.

[yardcat]

Device Manual was practically non-existent for my recent Loox N560. A truely great machine, otherwise.

Also, PC software is a different world from the larger Desktop software companies. In a certain sense I don't believe one can DEMAND the perfect software. And this has a certain logic. PPC software is generally developed by small groups or individuals, which can produce a highly creative & ingenious programs, and also at a fast pace. Adapting to the new Wm5 OS, was a HUGE change for developers - and look how fast they've done it! Hope things stay that way!

Its also a technical world, where the non-programmer has to guess what people are talking about. And, other than the forums or blogs (blogs, hmmm... I know Menneisyys blog, but need to find more blogs), there isn't much written in books,etc. that I know of.

Luckily, I had to wait forever to get my device, so I just read the forums, in the meantime. It ended up being 6+ months, but have been able to riggle out of some pretty hairy situations because of this.

-yardcat