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General PDA Questions
What processor does my device use?
The best place to find out what processor your
device uses is in the hardware
section of Dave's PDA Place. Some of the most common processors
are the Intel StrongARM and the Motorola Dragonball.
How do I know how much RAM I have?
The best place to find out how much
RAM your device has in the hardware
section of Dave's PDA Place. RAM is Random Access
Memory, and unlike in your desktop computer, RAM in PDA's is used
partly for storage space. In most cases, RAM is split
between being storage space and being space for your device to run
programs in. How should I protect my screen?
One way to protect your screen is to make your
own screen protector. Take a careful measurement of the dimension of
your handheld's screen then cut (x-acto knives work best) the same size
(slightly "taller") in a clear plastic report cover (overhead
projector sheet, overlay plastic). Lay it on the screen, and slide it a
bit under the "frame" to hold it in place (static cling is a
good thing!) and voila! Instant Protection. You can swap them for new
homemade ones every month if you want. (psionjeppy, PDAsquare message
boards) Another way it to buy screen protectors that are premade.
Many stores like CompUSA will carry them.
What can I do to expand my PDA?
The best place to find out what kind of
expansion slot your device uses is in the
hardware
section of Dave's PDA Place. There are many types of
expansions, including Compact Flash, Multimedia Cards, Secure
Digital, and PC Cards (PCMCIA). Each is a slightly different
size and have different options available.
Can I overclock my PDA?
WARNING...If you
don't know what Overclocking is, then it is probably not for you.
Though in the end, this should make your PDA go much faster, it can ruin
it. Since you are voiding your warranty by trying this, you will not
be able to get your device fixed without paying, should you have problems
in the future.
Casio E-115 -
http://www.dalecoffing.com/Casio/LeeX/E115overclock.htm
http://www.truthring.com/e115_overclock/intro.htm
Casio E-125 -
http://www.hi-pda.com/usercomment/001215/overclocke125.htm
http://www.geocities.com/fayle001/E125OVERCLOCK.html
http://www.rojakpot.com/Other_Articles/E-125_OC/E-125_OC_01.htm
Casio EM-500 -
http://www.geocities.com/fayle001/EM_500_WARNING.html
Compaq iPAQ -
http://www.jimmysoftware.com/Software/Overclock/IPAQCLK.EXE
What
is the difference between MMC and SD?
SD cards (Secure Digital) come with built in encryption
to safe-guard your data. MMC is really the same, just without this
safe-guard. There also are some speed differences between SD and MMC.
SD memory is also going to be more expensive then MMC. Most devices
that support SD memory will support MMC as well.
Where
can I find my devices serial number?
Most often the serial number is right on the back
of your device. If it isn't there, check inside of the battery
compartment, most likely on the back of the cover. Many companies
put the number in here. You might also check in the information that
came with you device. Often, there is a sheet that lists your
devices serial number.
Can
I upgrade my processor or internal memory?
The simple answer...No. The processors on
PDA's cannot be upgrade because in most cases they are directly connected
to the system board of the device. Even if they could be removed,
most devices are built specifically for the processor that they have in
them, and changing it could risk compatibility issues. The internal
memory can not be upgraded by you, though some devices can have more
memory installed by companies that know how to do it (though this might
void your warranty in some cases).
What
does it mean when a CF Card is 16x?
This is similar to the distinction of speeds in a
CD-ROM drive. 1x would be defined as a transfer rate of 150
kilobytes (KB) per second. That means a 16x card should be able to
transfer at a rate of up to 2400 KB/second. The problem with these
numbers is that there is no real connection between the numbers of one
company and the numbers of another. Also companies usually don't
tell you if that is a burst of sustained transfer rate, or if that is when
the card is reading or writing. Take a look at Dpreview
for an independent comparison of actual speeds.
Does
using SD instead of CF limit my expandability?
It all depends on what you are looking for and
how long you want to wait. The SDIO (Secure Digital Input/Output)
standard has now been set, though device manufactures must include the new
specification in their device designs. More and more expansion
makers will turn to SD since most device manufactures are including it in
their device designs. If you need solutions immediately, CF is your
best bet, but SD will be here and ready to go soon.
If
I buy a device that was just released, how long will it be "new"
for?
Just like everything in technology, by the time
you get it, it will be old. No really, usually you device will stay
at the top of the line for at least a month before the company releases a
slight modification or another company releases something. One of
the best times to avoid something like this is to buy just after a large
number of companies have released new products on to the market.
That way there probably won't be many devices release for another couple
months.
Is
it possible to move my data from my Palm device to a Pocket PC?
Yes. The best bet to do this is do have all
your data from your Palm synced with Outlook. Pocket PC's are
automatically setup (and actually come with) Outlook, so that tends to be
the easiest way. You could also beam the data since newer Pocket
PC's have added IrDA support.
Is
there more danger in losing data with regular batteries than rechargeable?
No danger. You have a couple days usually
to change the battery before the backup would die. Not all
manufactures are moving away from it, but thinner devices just can't
handle them. I wouldn't worry to much about a lithium battery going
bad like a NiMH would. I have one in my iPAQ and it still works
just fine and plus they like to be charged even when they aren't dead.
Much more reliable then NiMH, but still not as disposable like a set of
AA's or AAA's.
Are
PDA screens a problem with getting scratched up and unattractive to view?
Yes, all screens
can easily get scratched. Invest $10-25 on screen
protectors, they are usually well worth the money.
Do
I really have to initially charge my PDA for as long as the manual says?
Yes, you do.
If you don't you risk battery issues in the future.
Can you explain
the StrongARM vs. XScale issue?
The major issue is performance. In some
cases, XScale runs much faster then StrongARM, but in other cases it runs
at about the same speed. XScale is based on a new ARM architecture, and if
code is written for that, then performance increases will ensue. Microsoft
said it was important that PPC 2002 be completely compatible between
devices which is why PPC was not optimized for the new instruction set. If
they had changed things then every application would have to be ported to
XScale if software companies wanted new PPC users to be able to use their
software. XScale really proves to have a better power consumption
then StrongARM (as I outlined in another post). Companies are using XScale
because of this and the potential for faster processing. It would really
be stupid to continue to use old technology which has no benefits over the
newer. Granted, XScale does not work exactly like we would like it to out
of the box, but there are applications that are optimized for it, and
XScale still is generally better then StrongARM. |
