Newbie questions

I've just purchased a T Sinus simpad off ebay upgraded to CE.Net 4.1. I'm a little surprised not to find any office apps (pocket word, outlook, excel) or even a notepad or handwriting-based SIP. I'm used to PocketPC 2002 and 2003 but need a larger device (simpad) for a custom application developed in .NET compact framework.
So, my questions:
1. Is it possible to put Pocket Office on this T Sinus? If not the ms product, how about a good third party version? I'd prefer something that feels like "the real thing"
2. How about handwriting? I'd have thought this would be part of the OS
and it works really well on PocketPCs, so a good size screen should make it worthwhile.
3. How can I turn on single-click activation, like PocketPC (and IE4) so I no longer have to double click?
4. I've got a T-mobile Connection Center (sic) GPRS data card. I believe this to be an Option Globetrotter. I note the hardware compatibility list doesn't have a check next .net (and that's assuming the same card anyway). Does anyone know if this driver is likely to work? My serial number doesn't allow me downloads from Option's website as it's a T-Mobile SN.
5. Anything else I need to know?

Thanks in advance

Adrian

Wlecome to the world of the T/PC

As you set out with the SIMpad, you need to get your head around the difference between a platform release and a core release - the History of Windows CE article in the top nav may help

1) Not MS Office, SoftMaker are the creme de le creme for Wordprocessor and spreadsheet programs. There are other thirdparty apps to replace other 'bits'. Pocket On-Schedule being one for Pocket Outlook's PIM. We have reviews of SoftMaker's TestMaker and PlanMaker.

2) You'll want to look at Phatwares CalliGrapher - review of the latest version in the reviews section

3) It isn't an option under this shell

4) pass

5) You can upgrade it to CE 4.2 which will give you better all round driver support and compatibility, it's not free though. Again there is a recent review in the reviews section.

Firstly, sorry my original post came through three times. I'll be much more careful from now on.

OK, thanks for the very prompt reply.
I'll take a look at Softmaker and Phatware. Do you know of any mail clients that will allow me to connect to an Exchange server? There's always Exchange's web interface if all else fails, but that's quite a bit of bandwidth for GPRS. Also, anything like Visio?

re: 4) I've got it going and I'm testing it for remote desktop as we speak.

As for licences, I subscribe to MSDN universal, so I'm probably licenced up for development use of pretty much anything Microsoft.

Not to worry, happens all the time. Getting it up 3 times is not even close to the worst I've seen.

Microsoft have never been too helpful on the Exchange server conundrum, the most they gave was:
http://support.microsoft.com/?kbid=254548

I believe the general idea is that you have MS Outlook connected to the exchange server, and the H/PC/T/PC connected to MS Outlook. If you can set yourself up a wide area network path to ActiveSync, then that's achievable - yes, I know it's awfully long winded.

What did you need to do to get it working, anything special? I'd like to add compatibility to the hcl.

If you have MSDN, you want to get yourself VB6, VC6, Windows CE Toolkit 6 and for CE4 development just grab yourself Visual Studio 2003 and start downloading SDK's from hpcfactor.com/developer/

heh,
you'll be pleased to hear then my moderatorix that the beta forum has flood control

sounds very cool!

I did some embedded VB a few years ago and won't go near it again - worst thing MS ever did, that tool kit, buggy as hell.
I assume VS.Net will build for CE.Net, just as I've built for PocketPC2002 and 2003? Do you think I'll need VS2003 or VS2005? I'll get around to trying both.

The only thing I needed to do to get the Option Globetrotter working was find the link on option's website to the driver and follow their instructions. Well, almost, it didn't offer me an APN at first, but it installs an exe somewhere to allow you to add one.

2003 should build for CE4.2, I'd imagine that the SDK would run under 2005 as well, but I have no experience there.
Building for 4.0 or 4.1 on the other hand could be... problematic.

OK, I've broken it already

I was using Remote Desktop quite happily over the weekend. I'm sure I used it both over GRPS and Wifi. Anway, last night, I installed some software (trial version of Calligrapher 6.6, a notepad type product and a couple of other things which I promptly uninstalled). Anyway, got to work this morning and found I needed a file off my server, so I duly launched RD only to find that the SIP didn't work
It works fine (either Calligrapher or the software keyboard) in other software (IE, CMD prompt, notepad thingy, etc) but not Remote Desktop. I tried soft resetting my Simpad and not starting up Calligrapher, but it made no difference.

I found this on google:
http://groups.google.co.uk/group/microsoft.public.windowsce.platbuilder/browse_thread/thread/1f5bb5c4f119258b/b13010171be1724c?lnk=st&q=%22remote+desktop%22+ce+4.1&rnum=10#b13010171be1724c

but I can't say I really understand the reply. Can anyone help me here? Also, I've got some more questions about RD once this is out of the way

Thanks

Adrian

no it wasn't your fault, don't worry

it is a known bug with the english version of ce.net 4.1 on the simpad...
use the german version (iirc it works fine?) or upgrade to mullenger's ce.net 4.2..

This will present a bit of a problem to me:
1) I don't speak a word of German.
2) I've got the smaller-memory Simpad (T Sinus) so iirc, it can't be upgraded beyond 4.1



Is there any known work around, short of learning to speak foreign?

I believe that Mullenger is able to flash the device, just with less in it. Drop them an email, I'm sure they'll straighten it out for you one way or the other.

You micht also be able to drop it down to CE4.0 or HPC2000; not that CE 4.0 would be a favourable option.

Thanks for the tips, I'll PM Mullenger ASAP.

Will HPC2000 run .net CF applications? What's the Remote Desktop and IE like compared to CE.Net 4.1? Are there any versions of CE I can run that include Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Outlook, Notes, Transcriber, etc? I've been spoilt by the (software on a) PocketPC. What's so bad about CE.Net 4.0? Does the RD bug exist there too?

Thanks for the tips, I'll PM Mullenger ASAP.

Will HPC2000 run .net CF applications? What's the Remote Desktop and IE like compared to CE.Net 4.1? Are there any versions of CE I can run that include Pocket Word, Pocket Excel, Pocket Outlook, Notes, Transcriber, etc? I've been spoilt by the (software on a) PocketPC. What's so bad about CE.Net 4.0? Does the RD bug exist there too?