Comments on: Palm Releases Update for the Tungsten C

Palm has released an update for the Tungsten C handheld on its support website. The software update addresses issues involving a MAC address bug, clicking noises and various WiFi related compatibility issues.
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1st one?!

T.W.G @ 6/24/2003 4:06:47 PM #
cool :-)

Hope they'll release the Tungsten T2 as soon as possible 'cause I sold mine at ebay in Germany.

Greetings


Thomas
www.twgmusic.de


RE: 1st one?!
longtimepalmuser @ 6/25/2003 4:57:21 AM #
I hope they do too, and put the virtual grafitti area on it at last.

Last week I got a 400MHz XScale PocketPC given free to me by Microsoft for upgrading to VisualStudio2003 (not bad for £200!) - Yes they've got to the point where they are giving them away to the masses now! Problem is they will get market hold doing things like this.

Sadly, as I have never been a fan of PocketPC's and it's cumbersome OS, and often hardware too, I have to admit to being more tempted to this OS than ever before. I know it's been said before, but Palm need to produce some PPC bashers, before their last chance slips away. - Like the Sony's but without that bloody awful clamshell/keyboard form factor.

Just one other thought... With the PPC and Palm OS's converging on very similar hardware platforms now. i.e. XScales, 64Mb Ram, etc maybe we could see a Palm OS5.2 / 6.0 "upgrade" for PPCs? and just flash the Palm OS over the top of the Microsoft offering. As the saying goes - "If mohamed won't go to the mountain..."

Zire71 Update?

dkhaw @ 6/24/2003 4:22:43 PM #
Looks like Palm has addressed the popping/clicking noise for Palm O/S 5.2 in the Tungsten C.

I wonder when they will release the patch for the Zire71? Zire71 has a masked ROM, so I guess the update would have to reside in RAM?

I have the MAC address problem

geoken @ 6/24/2003 5:20:40 PM #
I followed the instructions and discovered that I have the MAC address problem. The instructions said to stop and contact support, which I just did via e-mail. If this requires a replacement I will only accept with advance repalacement at no cost to me. If not I will return it to Circuit City because I bought the 2 year replacement plan. I'll post the reply I get from Palm support.
George

RE: I have the MAC address problem
jimg72 @ 6/27/2003 12:07:09 AM #
No and No on both accounts. I called them today and I have to pay shipping back to Palm and they will ship the unit back to me. They said 7-10 day turn-around. I would've never known I had the problem since everything was working fine until I checked before I was going to run the update. Bringing it back to Circuit ****y might be your best bet, I bought mine at Comp-U-Plus which doesn't exchange or except returns on Palm products. Cheap price, I only paid like $420, but service after the purchase is non-existent.

When will they release update on OS

Wuju @ 6/24/2003 5:36:21 PM #
When will they release an OS update to 5.2 for Tungsten T??? I'm waiting for a long time here.

RE: When will they release update on OS
Bioco @ 6/24/2003 6:15:18 PM #
Have Patience my young PADAWAN and concentrate on the FORCE that surounds you.

Where's the PIC review of the Tungsten C?

Mr T @ 6/24/2003 6:27:54 PM #
I can't remember if PIC has ever taken this long to post a review. What's going on?

What about the Zire 71?
pauleyc @ 6/25/2003 4:54:02 AM #
Is it just me or was there also no Z71 review by PIC?

-------
pauleyc
RE: Where's the PIC review of the Tungsten C?
Altema @ 6/25/2003 1:03:38 PM #
Now that you mention it, their absence is odd...

RE: Where's the PIC review of the Tungsten C?
T.W.G @ 6/25/2003 4:11:47 PM #
but you can found a german one on:

http://www.pdaforum.de

in the category "handhelds"


Greetings


Thomas

Are they mad?

gavinfabl @ 6/25/2003 9:23:25 AM #
I have downloaed the update. It is 9.08 MB. Yes its huge.

Do you guys agree

Zlauncher 3.01, Tungsten T

RE: Are they mad?
alee @ 6/25/2003 12:10:28 PM #
It is big. But once you flash your unit, it can be safely deleted. Not a real big deal for me.

Patch the MAC address

garyduke @ 6/25/2003 11:35:52 AM #
I'd rather Palm write an updater to patch the MAC address back to its factory setting. Since serial numbers (a.ka. device ID) are unique to each palm, and haven't been affected, Palm should have a database somewhere that will confirm the MAC address for each serial number. Since you can check the serial number via the Palm OS, palm just has to write a Web-database driven application that verifies the serial number on the palm, then (and only then) it writes back (or flashes back) the MAC address associated with that serial number.

This solution would solve the problem while preventing users from restoring to a MAC address other than the one linked to their serial number.

I'm sure Palm can do it, and I would appreciate not having to exchange my unit, as tho it has the MAC address bug it is fine otherwise, and do not want to exchange for another unit which may have other issues such as WiFi range, digitizer, etc.

Gary


Hard Reset

mcurtis @ 6/25/2003 12:32:28 PM #

I just installed the update and so far it seems to have removed the pops & clicks as advertised.

Just a heads up, however, that the "automatic reset" mentioned in the installation instructions is actually a hard reset, completely wiping your device of all data. Not a huge deal (you've Hotsync'd immediately before it and the next step has you Hotsync again, although without mentioning that it's in order to restore your data to your now empty device), but I really think they should have made this explicitly clear. I like to know in advance when everything is going to be removed from my device.

MJC

RE: Hard Reset
StevenFW @ 6/25/2003 5:52:57 PM #
I could not agree more. How they could not mention that a hard reset will take place is amazing. It's pertinent because the backup after wiping the device clean is often, I have found, frought with some minor installation difficulties and it is helpful to know that this is coming. Sure enough, I had some problems with Epocrates reinstallation, although minor.

RE: Hard Reset
cconrad @ 6/25/2003 9:08:00 PM #
Yes, I told Palm they should warn folks; the tech support guy I spoke with said that he would pass it on, as well as a warning to Canadian owners to check to see whether they have a US-English or an EFIGSP device (see next thread).

Anyway, it is a bit of a pain that this is a hard reset, as PocketMirror always messes up my categories on the first sync with a new (or newly reset) device. I've learned to make backups and learned how to work around the problem, but I have to watch carefully and be prepared to do two or three HotSyncs before everything is right again.

Also, I've noticed that the Palm Photos conduit seems to lock up too. I had to kill the HotSync process and start again.

I found the Palm OS 4.1 update on my m500 to be more slick, because there was a utility on the PC side that did a COMPLETE backup and restore in such as way that the regular conduits on the PC didn't seem to notice that anything had changed on the next normal HotSync.

RE: Hard Reset
Rafal @ 3/22/2004 9:17:26 PM #
I've noticed this 'click' issue almost immediately after getting the unit. I spoke with tech support but was told to return the unit. I installed the 2.0 update hoping it might help, but it has not, the clicking is alive and well even after several resets. Perhaps this update doesn't work on all Tungsten C units?

I like the audio feedback the Palms always give, and I've tried playing several games on the unit (hard not to with such a great screen and processor), but the sound is totally destroyed and ruins the experience for me. Unless Palm comes up with an update that handles the sound issue for ALL Tungsten C units I'll go ahead with my original plan to return the unit. :(

Canadians check carefully: you probably have an EFIG T|C

cconrad @ 6/25/2003 6:38:03 PM #
I was advised by Palm technical support to use the multilingual update at http://www.palm.com/us/support/downloads/tungstenc/tungstenc_update_legal.html, not the English one, even though the web site says "U.S. and Canada English Users". Check the part number on the bottom of your T|C carton to see if you're using the US English model of the EFIG model. Mine, and most of the T|C's I've seen sold here in Calgary are the EFIG model. I'm going to do the flash now. I'll let you all know how it goes.
RE: Canadians check carefully: you probably have an EFIG T|C
cconrad @ 6/25/2003 9:08:33 PM #
I applies the multi-national update and it worked fine, subject to the annoying restoration glitches I mentioned in the thread above. But like I said, check to see if you have the US English or the international version and then choose the right download. I really don't know what harm not doing this would cause, I just did as I was told on the phone. After my confused call to tech support, they might update the web page with the update.
RE: Canadians check carefully: you probably have an EFIG T|C
cconrad @ 6/25/2003 9:10:32 PM #
Make that "applied". Typing too fast. Too bad there's no posting edit feature...

Anyone notice no Alarms?

youngjm1 @ 6/26/2003 11:22:49 PM #
Has anybody else had the problem with No Alarms after running the Update?

Set system Sound in the sounds & Alerts to off then choose one of the Alarm sound levels. When system sound is set to Off there are no Alarms. When I set System Sound to any other setting, the alarms will sound.

Can somebody confirm this issue on their unit? I not running any hacks that would interfere with the Alarm function. Having the system sounds on is very anoying. I am hoping it is a software issue on my Palm and not a new bug in the OS.

Thanks

RE: Anyone notice no Alarms?
BMoshier @ 6/27/2003 3:46:14 PM #
I'm pre-update and the alarm does NOT relate to the system sounds.

In other words, for those of us pre-update: System sounds can be OFF; Alarm can be HIGH; You'll get a HIGH alarm.

Just wondering, how much memory does this update take after all is said and done? (Anyone look at their memory size before and after?)



Bertram Moshier
Oracle Certified Professional 8i and 9i DBA

RE: Anyone notice no Alarms?
BMoshier @ 6/27/2003 3:57:39 PM #
Well, I called Palm Technical support and here is the story:

1) Alarms: Pre-Update: Broken! (Yes, having Systems Sound OFF and Alarms HIGH and sounding the alarm is an error!)

Post-Update: Functions Properly! (Yes, you have to have systems sound set LOW or louder to hear an alarm. This is the way it is suppose to work.)

Sigh: I like the pre-update way.

NOTE: I think a case can be made for this to be incorrect! Why? If you'll notice (at least pre-update) Alarms has an OFF setting.

This combination of system sounds and alarms might make sense, if Alarms did NOT have an OFF setting. But why should setting the systems sound to OFF turn off the alarms when Alarms has its own settings to turn it off?

On the other hand one could say Alarms are a system sound and hence the setting affects Alarms. Giving Alarms an OFF setting says I can have System sound LOW and Alarms OFF.

The problem is one can't do it the other way around. I don't want to hear when a "dialog box" appears (so I set systems sounds off). Yet, I want to hear my Alarms.

BOTTOM LINE: THIS AFFECTS ***ALL*** PALM USERS AS THIS WILL BE IN FUTURE PALM OS RELEASES. WHAT WE NEED TO DO IS TO ASK PALM TO EXPAND THE SETTINGS TO ALLOW:

A) What is available today *and*
B) For systems sounds to be off (e.g. no dialog box sounds) and to honor the alarms setting.

How? Say a check box in alarms saying if alarms is part of systems sound or not. Checked means alarams is part of systems sounds (post update). Unchecked means alarms is NOT part of system sounds (pre-update).

2) Memory: The update after everything is said and done is 4MB! Damn! My 64MB is already down to 40MB. This will take it down to 36MB. Oh, well, 36MB is still a lot more than any other Palm device. I'm just old school when 4MB was an entire Palm (now it is just an update).



Bertram Moshier
Oracle Certified Professional 8i and 9i DBA

RE: Anyone notice no Alarms?
youngjm1 @ 6/27/2003 9:14:34 PM #
sounds like my call triggered a very interesting response so that they don't have to fix this. Having the system sounds switch on is very annoying. I need my alarms but do not need a beep every time I sync, get a pop up window, etc...

In regards to the question about how much space? The update loads to your palm and then when you run it, it flashes the ROM. After the update process, you can delete the upgrade app. Unless you access the ROM with something like FlashPro, etc No additional RAM is used.


RE: Anyone notice no Alarms?
youngjm1 @ 6/27/2003 9:21:14 PM #
One other interesting note about their story that the Palm OS is suppose to work this way post update, It is not listed as one of the fixed bugs?

Warning! Tungsten C update has frozen my machine

Johan69x @ 7/13/2003 7:33:05 PM #
I did the Palm update and used the international update as I bought it in the UK. After I did the update I managed to start with the hotsync. After about a minute, the machine just froze and displayed "Fatal Alert - Fatal Exception - Reset". When I press the reset button on the back of the machine, the same error comes up. I am getting desperate and I hope that someone might be able to help me.

/J

RE: Warning! Tungsten C update has frozen my machine
Johan69x @ 7/13/2003 7:51:30 PM #
Ok. Now I managed to find the hard reset, but the same fatal error lock loop starts when the sync is at the cleaning up stage. Any ideas?

/J

MAC problem still here

scott99 @ 10/3/2004 6:02:00 PM #
I recently purchased a Tungsten C, less than 30 days ago from PalmOne.

I just found out today I have the MAC address bug when I was going to update my software version to the latest version.

It seems that thier statement about a PDA running version "10B 5/14/03 13:" not needing the fix (according to Palm's site) is not true. As I am now stuck trying to get my PDA replaced because of the MAC problem.

So, even after a year...brand new Tungsten C's are being sold that have the MAC address bug....not cool.


- Scott

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