Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 21

I haven't seen any other posts about this, so here goes.

Has anyone else noticed the PDABuzz Palm Vx review (by Wes Salmon, Oct. 6)? In it Mr. Salmon says the following:

"On to the OS ... the Palm Vx uses PalmOS 3.3 which is the same version as in the Handspring Visor. Rumor has it that many of the speed improvements Handspring worked into their version for the Visor have also been worked into the Palm Vx PalmOS version. Until I can confirm or deny this, I'll leave it in the rumor bin but it would be nice to see such optimization."

We know the Visor OS is "based on" Palm OS 3.1 (this would certainly be true of 3.3).

Does anyone know anything more about this?

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Bellevue, Wa, USA
Posts: 72

The 3.3 version probobly just gives the Palm Vx the same speed as the Visor. I suspect this is why the author got confused. We know that vosor has 3.1, but with speed improvements in the machine and OS. Is it possible that 3.3 is a USB upgrade? That is my thought. Havn't been checking the OS threads though.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Lewisburg, PA
Posts: 56

visor is supposedly 3.1 with tweaks. ofcourse 3.3 is also 3.1 with tweaks, but my impression is the visor has alot less of these so called tweaks. here is what i have heard, and i run a beta 3.3 on my palm3 so I have experience with 3.3 as well.

visor 3.1+:
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>springboard support
<LI>euro symbol
<LI>faster speed by removing some extra wait states related to ram.
</UL>

real 3.3 (palm Vx)
<UL TYPE=SQUARE>
<LI>euro symbol
<LI>faster speed by removing some extra wait states related to ram.
<LI>faster hotsyncing
<LI>more hotsync options built in, like infrared to irda cell phones and modem.
<LI> the palm Vx has a 20mhz cpu instead of all other palms which have a 16mhz one.
</UL>

i think that covers all the issues i PERSONALLY know of. i do not have a Vx or a visor so it is hard to say

------------------
Tom Alphin III - [email protected] - www.students.bucknell.edu/alphin/

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Urbana IL
Posts: 144

Whoa! Where did you hear that Vx had a 20 MHz CPU? I immediately went to palm.com and looked at the data sheet, but I saw no mention that it had a faster CPU.

As far as the faster hotsyncing debate goes, they bumped the hotsync speed up to 115kbps max. However, this is still far less than the Visor bandwidth (USB) which has been conservatively estimated at 4 times the speed of the older palms. (or about twice as fast as the Vx)

IR Hotsync is probably the most important feature that I see as being left out of OS3.1 Personally, I doubt I would ever use it, but I do find it galling that I am unable to make that decision do to the lack of flash.

The inclusion of the Avantgo client in 3.3 is also nice, although of dubious value since if AG updates their soft, you'd have to download it anyway. At least you can stick it in flash and save some memory.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, Texas
Posts: 231

Lack of flash ROM will not prevent you from IR syncing. There are several thrid-party apps that can be bought, or IBM has a free download, that will allow IR syncing with the current version of the Palm OS.

From what I hear of the 3.3 OS, our Visors will in no way be at a disadvantage without it. (Well, I did just think of something; I am assuming one would hotsync with USB. If you have to use serial then it would sure be nice to bump up the speed. This is not an issue for me as I will be USB.)

tyler

Registered: Oct 1999
Location:
Posts: 95

Where do you go at IBM to get that free IrDA Sync app?

MJH &lt;&gt;&lt;

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Salem, OR, USA
Posts: 91

http://www.pc.ibm.com/qtechinfo/PFAN-3V4RVG.html

[This message has been edited by DKantola (edited 10-12-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Midland, Texas
Posts: 231

Whoops! Perhaps I opened my trap a little too ignorantly. I must say that I mentioned the IBM synch not out of first-hand knowledge, but out of recollections of postings on such possibilities on a Palm newsgroup. I never followed it up because I don't have an IR syncing need myself.

At any rate, here's the link to IBM's IR syncing utility, WITH ONE LIIITTTTLLEEE CATCH...they say it only supported with workpads and thinkpads. I suppose that means that IBM will not offer tech support to Palm/Visor users, but I'm not sure. So user BEWARE:


http://www.pc.ibm.com/us/support/th...amp;subtype=All

I do think that I have heard of people using it on Palms, but I say again, use at your own risk. Can someone with first-hand knowledge jump in here and set the record straight?

Hope this helps, and sorry for spouting off before I had the facts completely straight. (hope I'm correct)

tyler


[This message has been edited by tyler (edited 10-12-1999).]

[This message has been edited by tyler (edited 10-12-1999).]

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Texan in Calgary for a while
Posts: 1361

There is also IrSync+ from www.iscomplete.com . It is free and takes up only 3K.

------------------
James Hromadka
VisorCentral.com
Personal Website: http://www.geocities.com/jehromadka

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Streamwood, IL USA
Posts: 118

I used IBM's IR Sync with a Palm III and a Compaq Prosignia Laptop and it worked fine. The Fact is the Palm devices and the IBM devices are EXCATALLY the same. Same OS same IRDa port. The IBM Ir Sync does not have a desktop componant, you simply enable you IR port as a com port and configure Hotsync to use that Com port. It is 100% compatable, they only say that so they don't have to support it on non-IBM Hardware. Of course it is FREE and very easy to use, so the support is not a big deal.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Cupertino, CA, USA
Posts: 7

ruexp67, how do I find out if my Compaq Presario laptop has a IR port on it. If there is one how do I configure it as a COM port. Please advise.

Cheers.
&gt;I used IBM's IR Sync with a Palm III and a Compaq Prosignia Laptop and it worked fine. The IBM Ir Sync does not have a desktop componant, you simply enable you IR port as a com port and configure Hotsync to use that Com port.

Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 27

adVisor,

Thanks for noticing my mistake ... I was working off older information (rumor) about the OS version and I didn't fact check before I published.

I've since updated the feature to read "the Palm Vx uses PalmOS 3.3 which is very similar to the tweaked PalmOS 3.1 used in the Handspring Visor", hopefully this will avoid any further confusion.

In any event, it looks like this has sparked some great discussion about the differences between the two OS's.

And no need to call me Mr ... I'm just a normal web monkey like everyone else.

------------------
Wes Salmon
PDA Buzz Guy
www.pdabuzz.com

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: Saint Paul, MN
Posts: 2

Tiroth wrote

"The inclusion of the Avantgo client in 3.3 is also nice, although of dubious value since if AG updates their soft, you'd have to download it anyway. At least you can stick it in flash and save some memory."

This is the first I've heard of Avantgo being included in OS 3.3 (but then I haven't followed the issue until the last week or so). Is AG actually going to reside in flash RAM with 3.3? If so, this would be good news for those with 4M IIIx's.