How I use my HP Jornada 728 in 2022

(I orginal posted this on Reddit, I think most here know the apps mentioned)

I like old tech and especially handhelds and PDA's. I own number of Jornada 720s and 728, two NEC Mobilepro 900c, HP 200LX, HP 100LX and too many PDAs (I forgot some handhelds). But the Jornada 720/728 are my favorite. I like the form factor and they and they are just very useful. I'm curious if there are more people who still use their handheld in daily life like I do. But if so, how do you use them and what do you use.

I'll start with what I installed on my Jornada 728

Office replacement
- Softmaker TextMaker for Handheld PCs (rev 468)
- Softmaker PlanMaker for Handheld PCs (rev 326)

I'm longtime Softmaker user and I bought it for almost every device I own. HPC, PDA, Windows CE, Linux, Android and MacOS. It is a good replacement for the built-in office and many times more powerful.I don't think you can buy it these days unfortunally. I'm glad I was able to buy this and a lot of other software when it was still for sale.

Work stuff
- CE Agenda for HPC (version 1.0.6.7)
- Phatware HPC Notes Professional Edition (version 4.3d Build 4.329.0616)
- Phatware HPC Spell Version 2.6 (2.045.0211)
- Ilium eWallet Version 3.1.0
- Ilium ListPro 3.0

CE Agenda replaces the calendar and I find it more pleasant to use. It syncs with Lotus Organizer 6.1 on my desktop (Windows 10 IoT Enterprise LTSC). It is hard to explain why I still use Lotus Organizer, but I think if you use Lotus Organizer in the past you will agree it's awesome!The synchronization is done with XTNDConnect. So I can sync my calendar, contacts and tasks from within Lotus Organzer.I also use HPC Notes Pro on my Windows PC. And Windows Mobile Device Center will take care of the synchronization of notes from HPC Notes Pro. eWallet and ListPro are als very usefull.

Utilities:
- Micro Cheng Data Version 1.08b
- Inso Quick View Plus for Windows CE v6.05
- Resco Photo Viewer v5.20
- Resco Explorer 2003 v4.10
- GAPI v4.04
- Tweaks2K2 v0.6a
- Conversions in Hand Version 2.5
- Mobipocket Reader Pro 4.8
- Primer PDF Viewer V2.3

Just a bunch of usefull tools. Primer PDF Viewer works very nice. Resco (PDA Software kings) didn't produce a lot for the handheld, but what they did make was very good!

DOS Software
- PocketDos 1.12.3O

I run some DOS software on my Jornada 728 like Ashton Tate RapidFile, Norton Commander, Wordstar 4 and some games. But I normally use these programs on my HP200LX.

Games:
- Tinyware PocketChess v1.0
- FrotzCE Version 1.3
- Scumn


Edited by frisser 2022-02-12 10:46 AM

Wow, you've certainly run the gamut, software-wise. Can't think of anything to add except, maybe, Egress, a PPC RSS reader.

Do you run CPACK on PDOS and swap databases, etc w/ your 200LX?

Jake

Good list.

I might add

Multimedia
TCPMP
Pocket Paint

Utilities
vxUtil
Wisbar (if you want to reskin)
CaptureCE
SoundWidget
Adobe Acrobat Reader

Curious about this, could you explain this? Sounds cool

Edited by frisser 2022-02-13 8:40 AM

Pocket Paint - Ah yes, I forgot about this! I have bought this in 2007 - and could install the latest version (3.3). Conduits website is still online

Edited by frisser 2022-02-13 12:58 PM

Yes, VxUtil is great if you're using wifi/ networks... It will give you the IP address of your wifi card, ping sites, and automatically set Date and Time (set host to "time-d.nist.gov', may need to query a few times to get correct date, if registration request appears, just go into registry and delete all the related keys). Very useful if you "dual boot" from Devuan-Linux back to WinCE (requiring restoring from backup and date/time reset). Thank you C:Amie for recommending VxUtil some time ago... definite winner for networking and easy Date-Time update !

TCPMP is great too... you can assign keys, use outside buttons to start and stop, set equalizer, volume up/down great for audio books. Accesses network files too.

AIReader2... my favorite reader... can reads/parses downloaded HTML "super fast" including images (especially good for on the J720 32Mb as PIE4 chokes on everything) change font size/bold or text/background colors or reverse colors "On the Fly", divide page into 2 columns( very nice feature). Uses arrow keys page down, page up... but you can customize all keys/functions so set spacebar as page down, etc. Automatic scrolling is available. Occasionally drops a word but can be seen by toggling number "8" key. Can download from network storage files too.

Pocket Putty (requires Redgear) is great for telnet to ESP8266 and set options, like connect/disconnect to ssid, limit clients, deep sleep, save configuration, dhcp table. Also good for SSH to RasPi to start WRP-proxy, set port, geometry of screen etc in WRP.

Yes, the Jornada form factor is perfect... so like a paperback book IMO, and with "instant on" so similar to opening a page in a book.

Joval





Edited by joval 2022-02-13 6:03 PM

Re: CPACK--on PDOS's screenshots, one of them shows CPACK running. Conceivably, you could share the database, phone, and appt .gdbs with 200LX and HPC. I certainly do that with a 200LX and CPACK on a DOS computer.

Soon, in the DOS Palmtop sub-forum, I'll post a how-to about syncing 200LX with desktop Outlook and another about database conversion (HanDBase/Portabase>csv>gdb).

Jake

Hi All,

Just a word or two to say I am enjoying using my Jornada 72(8) in WinCE stand alone mode mostly these days (and less so in Devuan/WPA/RasPi4).

As you may recall...

1. I replaced the internal modem with an ESP8266 wifi "open to WPA2 bridge" which has an on/off switch where the telephone jack used to be. This works well with the home router for most part.

2. and using the Aironet 340 pcmcia wifi card which can be turned on and off as well to save power with Jake's DevPSwitch app (thanks Jake!)

3.Combined with a bright crisp screen via LED backlight upgrade which really makes reading so much easier than the dull dingy old fluorescent backlight which is nearly unreadable in many instances.

I am able to use the PIE4 browser and Frogfind.com to surf the net in "text only mode" which is actually great for Wikipedia articles, looking up business phone numbers, download project guttenberg ebook files ("Don Quixote" being the latest), searches, dictionary word definitions, author biography (Cervantes who wrote Don Quixote was actually kidnapped as a galley slave for 4 years until his family paid a randsom to Barbary pirates).

It functions quite like a paperback book collection, with the ability to zip onto the net and off again with out any worry about security because the ESP is limited to one connection and connection time is short usually.

You just can't beat the instant on and off for book reading, and the ESP wifi shuts off when the J720 is powered off... so short term the "open wifi" lack of encryption is not of much concern.

BTW, I'm using my pricey Laptop to surf the net in a full featured mode and I find the Brave browser does a good job of blocking all the distracting popups (Thanks C:Amie)! But instant on is not possible (as with the J720).

joval

I must laugh at myself... forgot how nice the J72(8)/Devuan/WPA/RasPi4 synergy is... and how nice and easy it is to boot up!

As I am doing now... takes about 3 minutes and maybe a minute or so more to get wifi going and then SSH to VNC puts the RasPi desktop right on the Jornada720 (64Mb ROM).

So fast, no lag typing. Definitely the best way to post messages from the Jornada to the Web/HPCFactor! Bright LED backlit screen.

I just need to automate the ssh login and vnc...
although I have to give credit to _dev-null (Stefan), because indirectly because of his efforts I have learned so much Linux now I can use x-terminal with good speed and facility... and troubleshoot wifi connection issues. The J720 is a great learning tool !

speaking of tools: reminder "sudo Xdotool click 3" works well as a right click workaround
on the RasPi desktop to set up audio output, etc. I included that app on the Jornada devuan image, but you have to install in on the RasPi too.

Also, I usually use the calibration app under desktop=>settings so the cursor is accurate for VNC tapping. Evidently, if you add the 4 numerical parameters to the stated 99-calibration.conf file and save it, recalibration each time you boot up Devuan won't be necessary.

I find that increasing screen contrast by 2 increments works well with VNC/RasPi... easily done with Timo's RasPi-config which I have appear in a separate window on autologin... using the LCD menu.

VNC app is located only on the RasPi (not needed on the J720) and is accessed once you SSH to RasPi via jornada xterminal. Gives you the full RasPi desktop... you can select scrolling for full size or can fit to Jornada screen which squashes the screen down... but very workable.

It is amazingly comfortable posting in an easy chair and typing away... with such ease. J720/Devuan/wpa/RasPi can do it all! Bluetooth speaker gives you local sound even if the RasPi is far`across the room... but you need that mouse right click fix using xdotool to select and pair it.

Of course because of the ease... my posts are far too long and drawn out (like so many of those click bait Youtube videos... also very viewable on the J720/devuan/rasPi combo).

and IceWM window manger is so slick... so easy to move from one desktop to another: RasPi via VNC on one, Jornada config and open xterminal window on another, battery level on all or any, etc.

One thing I like about using Firefox (again running on the RasPi Desktop but x-forwarded) are the shortcuts like ctrl+home, ctrl+end which can zip you from top to bottom of the web page, etc.

The available disk images are remarkably full featured and comprehensive and when running on a J728 0r equivalent 64 ROM board quite fast.

See... here I am running on and on... all cuz it's so easy, so comfy, so enjoyable... jornada on my knees feet on an ottoman, laid back. No laptop or tablet compares!

joval via J72(8)/Devuan/WPA/RasPi/VNC/Firefox

Edited by joval 2022-07-01 4:43 AM

Maybe off topic, but is it possible to synchronize with Google Calendar nowadays? And is there an agenda application on the Jornada that can import ical (.ics) calendar file?