Registered: Dec 2001
Location:
Posts: 5

Neo's new feature? Please confirm

Just got a new Neo and started using NiMH batteries.
Using .7 tip to change the battery type to "NiMH", then found the Beam function is disabled automatically. Beam function works fine only by changing the battery type back to "Alkaline" with .7 Neo users, please confirm is this a feature or a problem with my new visor.

TIA
Shawn

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Sayre, PA
Posts: 39

happened to me too

I Changed my Neo to nicad batteries settings, though I actually left alklines in and got the following message when I tried to beam.

Power manager beaming has been temporarily disapled because the combination of features you are using requires more power
than currently available (Pwr 1E03)

My battery meter on lauchem read 100% in this mode. I just changed the batteries yesterday so they should be full powereed

The battery selector trick does allow you to select Nimh or recharable alkaline sure you selected the right type of battery?

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Facts don't do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
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Registered: Nov 1999
Location: King William, Virginia USA
Posts: 70

I think something's wrong here... I tried this today after installing freshly-charged NiMH's and got the same message. Changing the setting to Alkaline allowed it to go further but it didn't actually try to beam anything out as far as I could tell... it came back with a message asking if I wanted to accept what I tried to beam out into Applications? Tried using the normal beamer and Beam Box with the same result.

Sounds like something's screwy in Neo-land...

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

I wonder if this is a side-effect of the neo's OS being originally modded for the Edge, which has a nonreplaceable lion battery?

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Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Sayre, PA
Posts: 39

anyone call tech support

I don't use rechargable batteries or beam all that much, but it sounds like it is time to call our english challenged friends in tech support at handspring.

__________________
Facts all come with points of view
Facts don't do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
Facts are living turned inside out
- David Byrne

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: King William, Virginia USA
Posts: 70

I sent in an e-mail support request to Handspring and got back the following...

quote:

---

Dear YBYSAIAH,


Thank you for your email.

We understand that you are experiencing problems with the beaming function.
Please the following to resolve this issue.

1. Within Prefs | General drop down menu, verify that Beam Receive is "On".
2. If your batteries are low, replace them with fresh alkaline batteries.
(Or, for the Visor Prism, recharge the batteries).
3. Be certain the Visors are apart by between 4 inches to 1 yard
(approximately 10 cm to 1 meter) not more than 30 degrees away from being
parallel.
4. Attempt lifting the Visor if it is on a table, slightly change the mutual
angle of the Visor IR ports (found on the upper left side of the Visor's
casing.)
5. Wipe clean the Visor's IR port.
6. If you have an third party launcher programs installed on your Visor,
delete them and then try a beaming operation.
7. Make sure that Date Book+ is not the opened application in the receiving
unit. The regular Date Book will work fine.
8. If all of the above fails, perform a HotSync operation and then hard
reset the Visor (see your User Guide for a full illustration of how to do
this).

If you are still experiencing problems please send us another email and
refer to the case number in the subject line or call the Technical Support
line at 1-716-871-6448. We are open from 9am to 9pm EST, Monday to Friday.

If you would like the latest updates or latest news concerning our products
please sign up for the FREE Electronic Newsletter. Please visit us at
www.handspring.com/support for any FAQ's. To get a quicker resolution,
please visit http://support.handspring.com/esupport.

Regards,
Mala
Handspring Technical Support







=====================================================================
Can't beam.... getting Power Manager error (Pwr 1E03) even with
freshly-charged NiMH batteries - please advise.

---

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: King William, Virginia USA
Posts: 70

And the (non-) answer is...

quote:

---

Dear YBYSAIAH,


Thank you for contacting Handspring Technical Support again.

At this time, Handspring recommends only AAA alkaline batteries for use in
the Visor. The Visor was optimized to use this type of battery.

If you want a rechargeable solution, you may want to try eXtend Computer
and Instrument. They have developed a rechargeable NiMH battery and charger
specifically for the Visor. For further details, please see
http://www.extendcomputer.com/

Also see http://www.icuaccessories.com under their "Handspring" section for
details on a similar product and http://www.thinkingbytes.com/ under the
"Hardware" section.
Please note that Handspring neither supports nor endorses these products.



Regards,
Kemal
Handspring Technical Support




Here



Please verify that a Neo set to the NiMH setting with
freshly-charged NiMH batteries will beam. Mine won't. It
gives the error listed below.

---

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Sayre, PA
Posts: 39

everready is now a platinum sponser

Maybe this is Handsprings way of announcing they have a new platinum sponser. Hey if I was everyready or durecell I would fork over a few grand to make sure your product kept eating my product

__________________
Facts all come with points of view
Facts don't do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
Facts are living turned inside out
- David Byrne

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: King William, Virginia USA
Posts: 70

I'm getting nowhere fast...

quote:

---

Dear YBYSAIAH,


Thank you for your email.

We understand that you are unable to beam using rechargeable batteries for
your Visor Neo.

For testing purpose please use 2 AAA Alkaline batteries.

Try beaming to another PDA. Are you still experiencing problems ? Or does
the beaming work fine ?

If above suggestion could not resolve the issue, please quote the case
number listed in the subject line of this email, this will assist us in
tracking your contact. If you have any more difficulties or inquiries please
feel free to email us or contact the Handspring Technical Support line at
716-871-6448. We are open from 9 AM to 9 PM EST, Monday to Friday. One of
our agents will be happy to walk you through a solution.

If you would like the latest updates or latest news concerning our products
please sign up for the FREE Electronic Newsletter.

Please visit us at www.handspring.com/support for any FAQ's.


Thank you.
Seema
Handspring Technical Support.

======================================================================
OK,

Yes or no, does beaming work on a Neo with NiMH batteries?

If not, why not?

These batteries (MAHA AAA NiMH's) worked fine on the Visor Deluxe I had
prior to the Neo.

Since the eXtend solution is nothing more than 2 AAA NiMH batteries in a
pretty package, what makes you think they will solve the Neo's inability to
beam properly?

Some specific answers to my specific questions would be appreciated.

Regards,

YBYSAIAH

---

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

quote:

---

Originally posted by YBYSAIAH
I'm getting nowhere fast...

---

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Registered: Nov 1999
Location: King William, Virginia USA
Posts: 70

The latest reply...

quote:

---

Dear YBYSAIAH,


Thank you for your email.

We are sorry to hear about the problems you are experiencing with the
beaming function. However, this beaming error is intermittent and often
difficult to reproduce. The issue is currently being studied.

Can you tell us if you have any modules attached to your Visor while trying
to beam? Or do you have any HackMaster installed on the Visor Neo? Do you
have the Eyemodule software on your Visor?

If you would like the latest updates or latest news concerning our products
please sign up for the FREE Electronic Newsletter. Please visit us at
www.handspring.com/support for any FAQ's. To get a quicker resolution,
please visit http://support.handspring.com/esupport.

Regards,
Mala
Handspring Technical Support


======================================================================
Hi,

It beams just fine even with NiMH batteries when set to [Alkaline] but gives
the PWR 1E03 error when set to [NiMH] (using shortcut.7 in Memo Pad to
change the settings).

Is this what it's supposed to do?

Is there a reason I shouldn't beam using NiMH batteries?

Regards,

YBYSAIAH

---

Registered: Dec 2001
Location: malaysia
Posts: 2

I am a Neo user and would like to know if there is a problem if you use NiMH under the Alkaline battery mode. The only problem I forsee is that the battery indicator may not be indicating the coreect battery level. Pls advice as I intend to purchase NiMH soon.

Registered: Jan 2001
Location: Sayre, PA
Posts: 39

smoking gun

Unfortunately Cancerman there is a smoking gun when it comes to nimh's & Neos. Seems Nimhs are as good for a Neo as a pack of Morleys are for you Trust no one. And by the way did you really die when you were pushed down that flight of stairs by Alec K.

Nimhs and neos seem not to mix and it is Handspring policy not reccomend them....... or is it. Think that is th point of this thread.

__________________
Facts all come with points of view
Facts don't do what I want them to
Facts just twist the truth around
Facts are living turned inside out
- David Byrne

Registered: Feb 2001
Location: Them Twin Cities
Posts: 1758

You know, I had a highly intelligent and useful reply, but roadrunner crapped out...

Here's my take:

running any palmos device in alkaline mode with nimh batteries in is generally a bad idea. It's not just incorrect battery levels, but the wrong power draws. Alkalines can handle large spikes in usage and draw, nimhs can't--this is why the eyemod1 got smarpy with nimh batteries. It can lead to data loss. Don't do it.

So, the easy answer is to just run the thing in nicd mode. No problem, right? Well, apparently the Neo has a problem, or maybe it doesn't, nobody knows because Handspring hasn't given us a straight answer. I suppose it's possible that they're just not understanding the question.. but more likely is that a really knowledgable person has yet to see the question....

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Registered: Nov 2001
Location: Lake City, PA
Posts: 19

I got an email from someone at Handspring a month or two ago after I first got my Neo about this issue. What he said was that beaming needed quite a bit more current than standard operation and that with NIMH and NICD cells that there was not sufficient indication that the battery was at the end of its discharge cycle to prevent beaming from losing all the users data in some circumstances. To prevent this they disabled the beaming function with NICD and NIMH. He indicated that they had a number of unhappy users who had thier visor's lose data during a beam operation.
HTH
Gene