Quickies: Palm Desktop 4.1 Beta, TealMovie, Themes

A new beta version of Palm Desktop 4.1 for Windows is available from Palm. -Gilles and Albert

TealPoint Software has released TealMovie 2.22 beta that resolves the application's audio problems on the Sony T series. -Russell Howell

Palm Desktop Themes 2.0 from m5[studio is available with gradient colors to improve the look of the Palm Desktop. -Gilles

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finally

cp31 @ 3/9/2002 11:37:03 AM #
all the sudden palm desktop stopped working, and it couldnt be open or anyhting. i installed the palm desktop, and i opened it for the first time since december

RE: finally
fireman54 @ 3/9/2002 11:53:07 AM #
Is it too early in the morning to say...

Huh???

RE: finally
cp31 @ 3/9/2002 12:03:33 PM #
k : in december, i had a problem with windows xp and palm desktop, and i couldnt do anything. i couldnt hotsync, open palm desktop or anything.now i can

Desktop 4.1

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 12:39:01 PM #
I am downloading this now for use with my m515. Is it worth it??? Any new features??? The pre info is SLIM!

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 12:47:53 PM #
Please play around with it for a while and then give us a report. I'm at work so I can't get a look at it until tonight.

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 1:27:32 PM #
OK I downloaded and played with it. Here is what I found that appears to be new:

1. Many more themes - like 14+ with a "Random" Option.
2. An "Auto Save" Data Feature that can be set for every X time period.
3. A "Check/Repair Records" Option.
4. Customized Alarm sounds from any "Browsed" Windows file - ex. "Musica Asterisk" "Chime" etc. I guess you could use "wav" file but I didn't try.
5. NO Notepad Desktop function was included in the Beta.
6. vCAL - Datebook "Send to vCal" VCalendar Option a la vCard of 4.0.
7. New icons for "Large Icons" option in Address - these are different for a "Company" Listing vs. a Person (Name) Contact. It shows a building (Empire State Bldg?) for a Company vs. a body for a person.
8. AUTO FORMAT of a contact when you "Send to MS Word" to a LABEL or MAIL ADDRESS! I suggested this to Palm a long time ago! I'm not sure if this was a result of my suggestion or not, but I LOVE this new feature! You can quickly, easily create a single MAIL ADDRESS and don't have to format it. Print it, cut it out, and tape it to the envelope. NICE.

SO WHAT DO YOU THINK?

RE: Desktop 4.1
Ed @ 3/9/2002 1:46:18 PM #
Thanks, I really appreciate you going to all the work of writing these up.

---
News Editor
RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 2:45:15 PM #
No problema - You're welcome. Thanks again for your hard work on this great site.

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 2:56:05 PM #
The major developer impact of Palm Desktop 4.1 is twofold:

1) The ability to make third-party applications that run "inside" Palm Desktop, providing a unified user experience. (At PalmSource they told us that these add-in modules could also "easily" be adapted to run inside Outlook.)

2) The ability to make third-party add-ins that run from the toolbar that can utilize and/or manipulate PIM or other data (i.e., "Send instant message to this contact", "Validate this contact's address against the US Postal Service database", etc.)

I think these architectural changes are pretty exciting.

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 4:33:45 PM #
So how soon before somebody writes a mail client plug-in for Palm Desktop so I can say good riddance to Outlook?

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 4:46:41 PM #
I'm waiting for that, as well. Once a decent POP client is integrated with Palm Desktop, Outlook is gone from my PC.

RE: Desktop 4.1
EnocH @ 3/9/2002 5:53:23 PM #
here, here...
i guess this echoes many off our cries!!!


God Bless,
EnocH

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/9/2002 6:12:48 PM #
Be CAREFUL!

The 4.1 Beta over-wrote my Pocket Mirror
settings for Outlook and I had to re-install.


RE: Desktop 4.1
JeepBastard @ 3/10/2002 9:38:53 AM #
I wish they would include the ability to play mp3 files as well as wav files..


I really would like email addresses in the pim to be linked to my email program.

[http://www.mediathreat.net]

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 10:35:42 AM #
- I installed the beta over version 4.0 and my m515 wouldn't sync anymore. Had to do a complete reinstall (after removing my palm application from the desktop). Now it works ok.

- I would also LOVE to see an e-mail client built-in.

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 11:42:41 AM #
Same here. Haven't reinstalled yet though, because I was still trying to narrow down the source of the hotsync problem.

Did you reinstall the software that the 515 came with, or the new beta?

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 11:52:58 AM #
Apparently there's some compliance or some way that the new Palm Desktop finds and plugs in old applications. I installed it, ran it, and surprise! surprise! Icons for both DayNotez Desktop and HandBase Desktop were in the dock. If all of my other desktop apps were there (WordSmith, QuickSheet, BackupBuddy, etc.), it would be prefect. But then again, it is still in beta...

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 11:58:40 AM #
There is some mail support. Right click on a contact with an e-mail address, and you get an "E-mail..." option that uses your active mail client to send a message to that contact.

I guess Outlook is on its way out the Window(s) after all.

RE: Desktop 4.1
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 7:50:16 PM #
*Did you reinstall the software that the 515 came with, or the new beta?*

I reinstalled the new beta ;-)=

The expense application has now disappeared from my desktop, as well of course as the notepad which seems not to be included (yet) in the beta. This kind of things is normal for a beta, anyway, nothing to complain about !!!(?)

RE: Desktop 4.1 EMAIL
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/11/2002 2:04:12 AM #
Also waiting on an email addon...How wonderfull that would be...I asked for it in the last desk top? How hard could it be?

BMAN

Hopefully a good sign

RogerW @ 3/9/2002 1:28:20 PM #
What about us Mac OS Xuser? At the moment we have a more or less non-functional(syncproblems) beta version, no support and no word on any new versions.

Hopefully this windows beta is a good sign, though. With this out, maybe there are time for continuing the Mac version....?

----
Roger W

RE: Desktop 4.1
dsm363 @ 3/9/2002 9:08:50 PM #
Any news on a Mac version for the new desktop software? They mention ActiveX alot in the .pdf file about the new software. Also, will the new applications be able to easily work within the PC and Mac version of the desktop software or will they have to make 2 versions (meaning there likely won't be a Mac version). Thanks.

Unjustified optimism
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 4:55:34 AM #
The absence of any movement on the OS X beta after two months (and the paucity of new features in the OS X beta when compared to the items listed above) suggests that Palm couldn't care less about Mac users.

Focussing on the customers Palm could most easily lose to the PocketPC (ie: Windows users) seems to make sense, but Mac users tend to be more evangelistic than their PC using counterparts. When Psion supported the Mac, my friends tended to buy Psions: when they neglected their Mac support, my friends started hearing about Palms instead.

If Palm don't care about free advertising, they may follow Psion in other ways as well :-(

RE: Hopefully a good sign
RogerW @ 3/11/2002 4:40:07 AM #
Well as long as they develop the syncronizing conduit. But without that, no other program (Chronos Personal Organizer or whomever) are able to help us either.

Or is there any third party option when it comes to syncronizing software?

----
Roger W

Teal Movie

czzii @ 3/9/2002 2:24:58 PM #
Teal movie
It's look working fine, until I tried to play movie that size over 2 Mb. It's always crash when the movie already played for a while.
???

==========================
[ Czzii ]
RE: Teal Movie
Altema @ 3/9/2002 3:56:34 PM #
Czzii, did the older version of TealMovie do the same thing? If it is a problem with the new version only, then it is probably either a bug, or the new version may have slightly higher processing requirements which can strain the processor.

To make sure you are not pushing your handheld too hard, make sure that your battery is above 30%, that you have at least 1.5 Mb of RAM free, and that the movie clip frame rate is not above 15 FPS unless it has no audio. Also, turn your hacks off to see if that helps.

If every thing above checks out, then it may a bug and should be reported to TealPoint.

I have done major testing on version 2.10, and only ran into problems if the data rate was too high for the processor to handle while streaming from an external card. Trying to process 24 frames per second at 3,000 bytes per frame and uncompressed audio my be workable if the clip is in RAM, but not on an external card. The picture would lock while the audio squealed, or the image would have corrupted pixels.

When I create a movie clip that will be run from a card, I keep the frame rate between 10 and 15 fps, and compress the audio unless there is music in the clip. I've found that I can run large clips created at maximum video and audio quality at 10 fps from the card with no CPU acceleration. Keeping the maximum quality and going above 10 fps requires that you crank up the processor speed using something like FastCPU, or you need to keep the clip in RAM. The longest clip I have made is about 30 minutes long and plays fine all the way through, but I had to decrease the quality to 2,500 bytes per frame to keep the file size reasonable.

Of course, none of these guidelines mean anything if the new version has a problem itself! :)

RE: Teal Movie
czzii @ 3/9/2002 4:49:30 PM #
I never tried the older one before. I used T615C and everything look fine (ftps10-15, sound, battery 100%, momery left 1740 kb).



==========================
[ Czzii ]

RE: Teal Movie
czzii @ 3/9/2002 4:53:56 PM #
Sorry, I forgot something. I using Pidirect VFS II for runing movie.

^-^'


==========================
[ Czzii ]

RE: Teal Movie
Altema @ 3/11/2002 3:34:09 PM #
Oops, that might do it! Try it without Pidirect, if it still acts up, then contact TealPoint support.

PS: Sorry it took so long to get back, I can no longer reply via AvantGo for some reason for the past two months.

FlashDio

crustyedgeofinnovation @ 3/10/2002 12:11:07 AM #
has anyone tried the flashdio usb memory thing...it's not for palm, but it looks really interesting, you plug it into the usb and you can store up to a gig on it, though the 1 gig stick cost $1000.... it still looks cool, just wondering if anyone has tried it...palm should put something like this in the next device, so that people can hold some data with them while they travel around, but it would be expensive... there's a clip of it on News.com on the right corner...

RE: FlashDio
Ed @ 3/10/2002 3:57:44 AM #
I've moved this to a place where it is less off-topic. If you want to bring up something not related to a current article, place use the Forums. That's what they are for:
http://www.palminfocenter.com/forum/

---
News Editor

RE: FlashDio?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 5:11:22 AM #
In the dark recesses of what is left of my memory, I seem to recall that someone over at SourceForge was working on a 'Y drive' app. I believe the idea was that the Palm could be used just like another drive, so that you could load files into it and carry them around. Don't know what came of this project. Not sure if there is a real need for this anyway.

RE: FlashDio?
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 7:50:33 AM #
"has anyone tried the flashdio usb memory thing...it's not for palm, but it looks really interesting, you plug it into the usb and you can store up to a gig on it, though the 1 gig stick cost $1000.... it still looks cool, just wondering if anyone has tried it...palm should put something like this in the next device, so that people can hold some data with them while they travel around, but it would be expensive..."


Sony did this. It is called MSImport on the CLies. You can use the memory stick as a drive on your PC.

Palm Desktop 4.1 for development purposes!

I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 12:48:39 AM #
Please not the URL for the Palm Desktop 4.1 beta (../dev/tools/desktop../). The software is posted on a developer tools website which is quite different than an end user website.

Palm is providing the Palm Desktop 4.1 beta for developers who wish to explore the plug-in functionality of Palm Desktop 4.1. I do not recommend replacing your existing desktop software with beta software that is targeted at developers. The Palm Desktop SDK and PalmSource Conference sessions, available at the same URL, provide an introduction and tools for the extensibility features of Palm Desktop 4.1

-

RE: Palm Desktop 4.1 for development purposes!
JeepBastard @ 3/10/2002 8:16:36 AM #
Stuff it you! You are trying to just have the new desktop for yourself! It's for all of us to use and crash and loose our data. We know the risks. We read the EULA!

[http://www.mediathreat.net]
RE: Palm Desktop 4.1 for development purposes!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 9:15:45 AM #
I tried it and I didn't "loose" any data. Jeep - nice dumb website - why provide a link? Better question: Why waste the bandwith?

RE: Palm Desktop 4.1 for self-development purposes!
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/10/2002 10:39:42 AM #
Self-development is worth the risk.
There is no real harm in installing a palm beta. Not more than in installing a MS product with SP7 and later...

note pad.exe

ijablokov @ 3/10/2002 1:44:37 PM #
Why do I get a 'note pad.exe not found' error when I start the PD4.1?

RE: note pad.exe
tsinvest @ 3/10/2002 4:13:52 PM #
I got the same thing - here is a note I posted under the forums - I installed 4.1 over my 4.01 desktop and upon openning it gave me the message that it could not find the notepad application. Also hotsync worked for only a few seconds then kicked out and said it couldn't do something (sorry I don't remember what) By the way I have an M505 - maybe this is the problem with the note pad? Nevertheless, I uninstalled the beta and reinstalled 4.01 and all works fine. I too would appreciate suggestions - I don't need the 4.1 now but it is my curiosity that has gotten the best of me.

Regards, Tom S.


Regards, Tom S.

RE: note pad.exe
I.M. Anonymous @ 3/11/2002 8:08:20 AM #
Do a full uninstall of Palm Desktop, whatever version you're using, and then install the new beta. If you just install over 4.01, you're going to have hotsync problems.

As for the notepad application, the beta didn't come with it. But then, it's the first beta, and notepad was just an add-on application to support that function on the PDA. It wasn't really integrated with Palm Desktop.

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