Stockholm, August 21 2006.
Dear Forum:
We have a C# application running on older Smartphone models
(MS Windows 2003SE for Smartphone) where both WM5.0 and PDAs
are "overkill".
The Smartphone gets input data from a barcode scanner via
bluetooth (SPP serial profile), forwards the data via GPRS to
a webserver which validates & replies with a beep + ascii-text.
Now, at the end of a transaction, we need to send ascii-text
not to the Smartphone display but rather to a portable printer
at the remote location - preferably also pushed out from the
Smartphone via bluetooth to the mobile printer.
The REAL snag is that 99% of the market only use PDAs so the
hardware manufacturers themselves have no drivers which can
be used on Win 2003SE Smartphone OS (only PPC/WinCE or WM5.0)
and consequently we need to find a workaround to solve this.
[A] Using FieldSoftware's SmartphonePrint which does allow
for bluetooth printing to some models, but it only can print
PIM elements unfortunately.
In that case, we thought of using the Smartphone PIM task
+ Notes attached to a Task, as the text to print, but this
mean we must create a Task+Notes on-the-fly programmatically
deleting any previous ones in the process, AND launch the
3rd-party SmartphonePrint sequence without user interaction!!
Does anyone now how this could be done simply?
Else, has anyone seen any other Smartphone 2003 print
utility from "way back when" ??
[C] Better yet, would anyone knows of any usable drivers?!?
so we indeed could integrate the printing to our C# application
(deployed from MS Visual Studio 2005 Professional), and bypass
the need for a 3rd-party software, which is harder to control
AND which would lead to resorting to end-user action...
Grateful for any suggestions, albeit in priority C > B > A !
Brgds,
/Per Hagman
==============================================================
PS-1:
There are two-three well-known 3rd-party suppliers of standard
software for printing from an older Smartphone such as Qtek8080
or imate SP3 - aka SPV/Xphone/SDA/SMT5600 etc, namely:
FieldSoftware -- www.fieldsoftware.com/smartphoneprintfull.htm
JetCet -- www.westtek.com/smartphone/jetcet (only IrDA!)
PrintBoy -- www.bachmannsoftware.com/pbce.htm (only MS Mobile 5.0?)
Although articles, forums etc. indicate that PrintBoy works on
both PDA and Smartphones, its CAB-file doesn't install on our
MS Win 2003SE Smartphone...
Repligo 2.0 for Smartphones looks like another method, but we
will have to doublecheck if the HP printing is possible for
the portable printers that are available... ???
www.cerience.com/products/smp/index.htm
www.cerience.com/docs/smp/docs/index.htm#Printing
There are a number of small portable mobile printers available
on the market, many conveniently eqipped with a bluetooth
interface -- these printers are ok for field-service printing
For a visual near-complete listing, see again:
www.fieldsoftware.com/PrintersSupported.htm
PS-2:
There is also ActivePrint for PDA printing while docked, and
it might work for Smartphones. However, it doen't really apply
for printing at remote locations (or in a delivery truck) using
small mobile printers,,,
www.activeprint.pocketwatchsoftware.com/news/2006.04.04.htm
Finally at www.print4mobile.com/Engine.htm we found a system
for printing more sophisticated database-driven report prints
which is a clear overkill for us at this stage, and still we
cannot see how they would handle the lacking mobile printer drivers...
Note:
HP has discontinued its Win Smartphone 2003SE package in late 2005:
http://h20000.www2.hp.com/bizsuppor...&swLang=8&mode=2&taskId=135&swItem=ja-36647-1
However, here's a download link:
www.yse-uk.com/download/details.php?file=37
Related
I'm a .NET server-side developer who's 100% new to PDA programming. I know the various SDKs exist but I haven't downloaded them or their associated emulators. I've skimmed the MS docs, but I haven't played with them to see what they can really do.
I'm looking for the sort-of opposite of an emulator.
We have PDA-connected software that we're demo-ing at a tradeshow. But the real demo is of the server-side stuff we've built; the PDA is essentially a dumb terminal using only its built-in browser & Outlook.
We need to run the demo on the real PDA but have the results visible to a large audience. So the goal is to somehow make the PDA's screen appear on our VGA projector that'll spray the image on the large screen behind the presenter.
Right now our first-cut plan is to have the PDA connected to a PC via the sync cradle. Then all we need is some software on either the PC or the PDA that'll drag the real-time screen image to the PC.
Does anyone know of such a program?
In the alternative, do the MS SDK emulators include the full functionality of a typical PDA, such as browser & Outlook so I can simply use the emulator and the PC's network connection to simulate the browser/Outlook & over-the-air connectivity, with no real PDA in the demo? The demo doesn't need any telephony capability, just TCP/IP connectivity.
If the emulators do have that capability, which one(s) do I need? There are a bunch of SDKs and emulators available & I don't really have time to grab them all and uninstall - reinstall hunting for the right one. We're looking for something that's American-market compatible and we don't much care which specific hardware device(s) it's emulating.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'll return the favor somehow.
hi,
if you need to show the PDA acreen on your PC monitor then you can use aprogram called PPC controller.
it even anables you to control the PDA from the PC.
http://www.soti.net/
hope thats what you are looking for.
Thanks, that was EXACTLY what I was looking for.
It'll also be a big hit around here for a bunch of other uses. All that and inexpensive as well.
Thanks again, and the next time you have some server-side .NET headscratcher, send me a note. I owe you one.
Another option is the free powertoy for PocketPC MS Remote Desktop Control and Activesync.
If the device has Bluetooth like the XDA2 then you can ActiveSync using Bluetooth and the presenter can wander within about 10 meters of the PC with the bluetooth connection and teh projector.
http://www.etencorp.com/PressCenter/press.php?pid=45&tid=2
Eten M-500 users get WM2005 upgrade, XDA IIi users should get this!!!!!!!!
E-TEN M500 Pocket PC Phone is
Upgradeable to Windows® Mobile 5.0
E-TEN Information Systems is pleased to announce a Windows® Mobile 5.0 upgrade program for its current E-TEN brand M500 Device. The upgrade CD will be available for purchase by users though regular E-TEN distribution channels in December 2005.
The M500 pocket PC launched in Q1/2005 using Windows® 2003 Pocket PC Phone Edition software has won Germany's IF Design award 2005 and also many other awards throughout the world. The M500 was originally designed to allow users to integrate a digital lifestyle with the new wave of mobile business and personal entertainment capabilities. Given upgrade, it will provide users with more enhanced communication, productivity and multimedia experiences.
Windows® Mobile 5.0, the new, more powerful software platform includes updated Microsoft Office programs:
Word Mobile
now let's users insert photos and edit their print fonts and a greatly improved format retention capability provides enhanced support for viewing imbedded tables, lists and images in Word documents.
Excel Mobile now includes editor support mechanisms that provide much better built-in text applications, stronger support for diagrams, plus a zoom function and full screen mode.
PowerPoint Mobile
is a new function that allows users to review their PowerPoint files and practice their presentations while in their office or on the road. This new program runs smoothly, displays pictures and basic graphics and downloads large files quickly and efficiently.
Also:
New functions enhance the synchronization between the M500 and a PC.
Users can customize their contact lists by attaching photos and assigning personal melodies to separate contacts.
Windows® Media Player 10 Mobile allows users to enjoy a larger variety of entertainment options and a more powerful integrated multimedia experience.
Pocket MSN features home screen plug-ins for one-click access to improved email and messenger functions.
'Persistent Memory Storage' retains information even if the unit's battery runs down.
Hi please see this link, url]http://forum.xda-developers.com/viewtopic.php?t=26506[/url] , there is a link in one of the posts near the bottom to sign a petition to 02, please add your name, the more the better [
Since getting my m5000 last Friday i've been considering the various uses it could have - from both a personal and business point of view.
Today I installed the VNC viewer software on the m5000 and it lets me remotely control my office desktop computer - plus all of our other workstations (I'm the IT Manager - we use it for remote support).
I'm giving some serious thought to the possibility of not having a desktop PC - instead using my m5000 to it's full capability just using vnc to access a spare computer in the office with all the apps on it i use. this would also work when i'm not in the office.
any views on this? i just thought that with the m5000 practically being a laptop it makes sense to possibly use it instead of a desktop pc.
i think the concept is more of an addition to a desktop, not a replacement.
its a very useful utility to read information, but when it comes to maniputlating data, ie, editing a huge spreadsheet its not really up to the spec of office on a desktop.
maybe 5years down the line when the software has been developed enough, the hardware is smaller and of higher specs.
but for now, i see it as a portable part of my main systems, and pound for pound the pc is still a way more viable option.
StyleTap now supports landscape mode. I works well with the HTC Universal. With this application you can run Palm Applications on your HTC Universal.
I use it mainly with SuperMemo. It still needs some more tweaking but it is stable and definitely working great on our device.
Here is a short description from their site:
StyleTap® Platform allows you to run applications (and games!) originally written for Palm OS® handhelds on your Windows Mobile™ Pocket PC handheld. With more than 20,000 applications for the Palm OS platform available – many of them free – you will be able to do so much more with your Windows Mobile Pocket PC handheld.
Their site is found here: http://www.styletap.com/
HI,
With my device, see below, I wish to print to a printer. A4
I wish to do this via blue tooth connection.
Please advise..
- Do I need software to do this on the device for Wm5 ? If so who provides this ?
- Can you recommend a nice compact ( small ) printer brand or model that will do this for me. One I can take with me on travel and plug into a wall.
Also it would be good if the printer has USB from device to printer as well as a back up.
Please advise thanks
Well after much frustration this is my story. I wish to print from device directly to printer formated MS Office documents rec'd by email attachments.
Firstly...
Printers choice >> ip90 Canon or the HP Deskjet 460wbt
I found this link say HP 460 performs better and longer.
http://www.hp.com/sbso/expert/competitive_460_vs_canon_ip90.pdf
Canon has a high demand on ink, and a lower dpi for text printing. What is more important you need software for device that supports the print and works.
Both www.amazon.com and www.cnet.com say ip90 is a better printer, but this is for notebooks and not PPC.
I purchased the HP Deskjet 460 with BT device. Set up on Com8 port for bluetooth, they dont tell you this.
Secondly, software selections
PrintBoy >> www.bachmannsoftware.com
ClearVue Suite ( Full version ) >> www.westtek.com
Testing printing on rec'd email word doc attachments with plenty of neat formats and graphics.
Thirdly my testing
PrintBoy
Did not print the word doc at all < I found out the reason why, as PrintBoy does not support print tables on a word doc, so PrintBoy is not 100% capable of printing word docs > , but it did print stuff that was very plain like text files. It has documentation to say the HP printer has been tested and confirmed to work. ip90 print not so confident. see here printer matrix for printboy here >> http://www.bachmannsoftware.com/PrinterMatrixWEB.pdf
ClearVue Suite prints native MS office files ( xls, doc, ppt) not WM5 pocket word or doc files. And it prints them very well. Prints them from email and device ok. But this software will not print plain text files. So you need both if you want full print functionality.
I did not consider ActivePrint as I wanted to print directly from device to printer without the need for a desktop pc. I am still looking at PIEprint and others ( ie http://www.fieldsoftware.com/default.htm ).
Hope this helps !
I have a WM5 device (Mitac Mio a701). I just pair it w/ bt printer (an hp 450 deskjet w/ the compact flash BT card) and i can just print, no need for extra software. It's been a while, but you either select print, or send the file.
Regards,
Jason