HPC News

My Case Logic external hard drive case review was published by HPC:Factor today and you can read it by clicking here.

I recently became interested in forum userbars. Since I didn't want to use an existing userbar, I decided to create my own. There are many tutorials available on-line: here and here for example. You can find the pixel font and the instructions on how to use it here.

Psion Netbook Pro: Follow-Up

There are various annoying issues with my Netbook Pro:
- unresponsive spacebar
- weakened battery
- crackling while playing mp3s

I managed to fix the spacebar rather quickly by inserting a small piece of thick paper between the rubber dome and the keycap. The second issue is a bit more pressing but since the battery still holds about 3-4 hours (with Ethernet), I can live with that for a while. However, I will be rebuilding the battery, if I decide to keep the Netbook in the long-term. The crackling sound is the biggest problem so far. What happens is that, if you do anything (task switching, scrolling, etc.) during MP3 playback, you'll get lots of crackling noise (like static) in the background. If you leave the computer alone, sound remains clear. Supposedly, there is a bug in later firmwares (400 and newer) and we're currently trying to find the last pre-400 firmware to test this.

RedGear v1.0.0 available for purchase

Alpaxo Software is proud to announce the availability of RedGear v1.0.0, which may be purchased on the following page:

>>> RedGear - Alpaxo Software <<<

RedGear is an upgrade for Windows® CE devices running HPC2000 and CE.NET. It extends the operating system so that newer Windows Mobile software can now run on your HPC2000 & CE .NET device! RedGear™ retains the familiar look and feel of your device while allowing key applications such as Opera Mobile v8.65 to run perfectly. Plus, support for additional popular Windows Mobile applications is continually improving!

RedGear solves problems like:

• "Cannot find _____.exe or one of its components."
• "_____.exe is not a valid Windows CE application."
• Manual modification of files ("hacking")

The following devices have been tested and found working:

• HP Jornada 710/720/728
• NTT DoCoMo Sigmarion III
• Skeye Pad SL
• SmartBook G138
• Psion Netbook Pro
• NEC MobilePro 900/900C (unmodified)

For further information or questions, please don't hesitate to visit the Alpaxo Software Technical Support Forums.

HPC News

Yesterday I finally placed an order for a used Psion Teklogix Netbook Pro at Pulster (DE). I just couldn't resist the low price of €150 (plus €15 shipping). The Netbook Pro will hopefully completely replace my Jornada 728 and take care of all my needs on the move. Why? The features just blow you away! It has a significantly bigger touch-screen capable of 800x600@65K, a nice, comfortable keyboard and runs Windows CE .NET 4.2. There's also lots of room for expansion in the form of a 16-bit PCMCIA slot, Compact Flash slot and SDIO slot as well as USB host. In theory the Netbook comes very close to being the perfect HPC.