Comments on: Smartmedia module for IIIx

AMS has announced a Smartmedia module for the IIIx at a price of $79. The device appears to be some sort of board replacement that gives you acces to Smartmedia memory cards ranging from 4 - 32MB's. Shipment is expected sometime in March. Check out at ams-fl.com/axxpac/e_index.html
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TRG Pro killer!

mikecane@palminfocenter.com @ 2/16/2000 12:13:16 PM #
This kills the TRGPro as far as I'm concerned. Why buy a whole new unit when this will do the job? mc
RE: TRG Pro killer!
Bikemaniac @ 2/16/2000 3:52:26 PM #
well smart media is not the standard. and that new backshell looks HUGE. Look at the way the cartridge sticks out as well, ICK.
No improved speaker "alarm what alarm"
and I wonder how the SW works, TRG on the other hand is TOP notch.
yes this looks good and is an option but a TRGPRO killer? DOUBT IT.
hehe and I still counting the days till mine comes
RE: TRG Pro killer!
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/16/2000 4:16:27 PM #
>well smart media is not the standard.
Wrong, Its the standard in MP3 players and used by
many photo cameras.

>and that new backshell looks HUGE.
Wrong, Same size as a IIIx...Its the angle that makes it worse.

>Look at the way the cartridge sticks out as well, ICK.
Wrong, the picture was taken that way to show how the card is inserted.
If you have saw the animated GIF instead of jumping in to conclusions,
you could saw that.

> No improved speaker "alarm what alarm" and I wonder how the

To play WAV files with 8bit @32khz mono ?, forget it.
The IIIx speaker is enough for me.

Hey, dont get me wrong, i was also thinking to buy
a TRGpro but with the axxPac around i dont know...
(PS: IIIc is a big disappointement to me)

Amandio J.S. Bacalhau

RE: TRG Pro killer!
mikecane@palminfocenter.com @ 2/16/2000 4:47:45 PM #
Geez! A simple observation by me and this place erupts in controversy! I am still enthused by this Smartmedia unit. It gives PalmOS owners another option. And it helps drive ANOTHER nail in that pox, WinCE! mc
RE: TRG Pro killer!
fbott @ 2/16/2000 5:56:17 PM #
I don't know if it's a "TRG Pro Killer" or not, but for someone like myself
who is looking to extend the life of his Palm III till all of this IIIc, IIIxe, will
TRG make a Color unit, etc... stuff clears up a little, it is a very interesting option.
RE: TRG Pro killer!
Dave @ 3/22/2000 2:42:58 PM #
Just for everyone's information Socket Communications is going to release a CF form factor
SmartMedia card reader. This works with the TRGpro and it's software out of the box.
By the way, SmartMedia is only good for memory up to 64MB which makes it very limited
whereas CF covers memory, modems, barcode scanners, Bluetooth, wireless and many
more devices in the future.

I'll tell you why...

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/16/2000 1:47:11 PM #
First of all, smartmedia is limited to 32mb, where compact flash is already shipping up to 320MB.

Secondly, IIIx's are going for around $195 on eBay, so selling your IIIx for $195 and buying the TRG Pro for $329 gives you your REAL upgrade cost for the TRGPro, closer to $130. This is still more expensive then the smartmedia upgrade, but it is within the same league.

Thirdly, the TRG Pro also has a faster CPU then the IIIx (or it at least sure feels that way to me). I have also noticed substantially better battery life related to serial port operations. I can't prove this (I sold my IIIx), but it sure feels like batteries are going further, in spite of high frequency high capacity hot syncs.

Fourthly, the TRG Pro has a better speaker (that can play DTMF tones for dialing the phone). It can even play wav files directly off the compact flash.

Fifthly, the TRG Pro includes some extremely well proven software and software derivatives. This bundled software allows you to use your built in flash (2 MB), move data on and off the compact flash card, and perform full backups and restores to and from the compact flash card. TRG is currently beta testing software that will allow applications and data to run seemlessly out of the compact flash directly, effectively giving your palm near infinite capacity for many cases. The TRG software has been proven over many years (flashpro), and is easily worth $30 to $50.

Sixthly :), the TRGPro comes with 8MB of internal ram. Your IIIx will still be running with 4MB.

Finally, you don't have to take anything apart to use the TRG Pro. For the flash "upgrade", you have to install an expansion card and replace the back of your palm.

Don't get me wrong, this smartmedia upgrade is a nice option, and I am glad to see it. But when you consider the advantages of compact flash over smartmedia, and combine that with the 4MB upgrade and speaker enhancements you end up with on the TRG Pro, I think it is still the more compelling option, even at twice the "upgrade" price.

Just IMHO though....
Bill

RE: I'll tell you why...
I.M. Anonymous @ 2/16/2000 4:27:52 PM #
Wrong, if you read the Technical specs of Smartmedia it is
prepared to grow up to GBytes ! (Just like CF and MMC cards).
IIRC, Toshiba is allready making cards of 64 and 128 MB.
As for the TRGpro vs IIIx speed just use one of the hacks
that will make the IIIx faster.
I can also use FlashPro (but i agree that will make the price of both
options almost equal) Dont forget also that CF cards when writting (and also when reading)
spends way much
energy than a SmartMedia card !...when you start to run apps directly from CF cards
your bat. life will decrease even if its only reading the card. I wonder also if it slowdown the "loading" of apps.
After all, CF is slower than RAM. Anyway, dont forget that if TRG is gonna make possible that trick, these guys *maybe* also can with
their card adaptor...and because Smartmedia cards spend much less energy... ;-)

Amandio J.S. Bacalhau

RE: I'll tell you why...
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/22/2000 8:02:03 AM #
I've heard that the makers of AxxPac are actually beta testing software that allows you to run apps directly off a SmartMedia card. It won't be long. It's unfortunate, however, that Palm has removed the expansion slot from their Palm IIIxe. It looks like the ONLY Palm the AxxPac will work with is the Palm IIIx.

Re: TRGpro Killer

I.M. Anonymous @ 2/16/2000 11:32:52 PM #
I too don't see this as a TRGpro killer. But then again, I don't see the practicality of 340MB on a device that's so small. You can store a comprehensive library of applications in 10MB of space, and I doubt that a cross referenced encyclopedia in iSilo text format would fill a 32MB SmartMedia card.

The TRGpro is probably a niche product in the Palm line. I consider myself a power user, and I have no idea what I'd do with 340MB on my IIIx.

I have been investigating use of large databases though. I'm in marketing, and we have a huge price list that I've been looking for a way to get it into the Palms in the organisation, and was even considering TRG memory card upgrades.

The SmartMedia card solution would allow us to upgrade our price list on the marketing team's machines quickly and easily every month when the new one comes out. And the SmartMedia card will allow capture of all billing and invoicing that we do, likely in a custom application.

Hopefully, the software for the Palm that they bundle will allow a backup to a SmartMedia card. Handy for when you get caught away from your main PC for a long time.

I think that the $79 add-on is a fabulous product. And a used Palm IIIx will likely sell at about the price of a new discounted IIIe when the new machines debut in a couple days. Don't count on getting that much for your used machine.

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