Palm Community

aim/jabber/yahoo chat

2008-06-25T17:59:39Z

I still use my treo 650 all the time, and one of the uses i have historically used my treos for is keeping in touch with my aim/jabber/yahoo chat accounts. (i switch computers too frequently to want to have to figure out how to login logout as i move form location to location.)

I used verichat which was good for aim/yahoo

when that went away, I switched to mundu, but it kept dropping me offline.

I tried Causerie and it worked pretty good although the jabber was flakey. they recently turned into mtalk, but of the last 2 weeks i get a "relocating server" message when i try to login, and updating to the latest client and emailing their support has netted no results.

Is there any IM client you guys like/use?

attention Facebook and Twitter users!

2008-06-17T01:34:26Z

Official Palm client for Facebook: http://www.palm.com/us/software/facebook/index.html

A client for Twitter: http://www.mitreo.com/motwit_twitter_palm_os/

my first palm

2008-06-04T15:08:41Z

http://www.currys.co.uk/martprd/store/cur_page.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@2089658705.1212591462@@@@&BV_EngineID=ccciadeefihhlehcflgceggdhhmdfhm.0&category_oid=-22654&sku=889701&page=Product&fm=1&sm=11&tm=0
im thinking of the palm z22 as it is inexpensive
does anyone own one?
is it good?
are there anyother reccomendations for a cheap but reliable palm for first timers?
thanks xx

Day Planner Program for my PDA

2008-06-03T01:04:21Z

Does anyone know of a really good agenda / day planner freeware program for the Palm TX? I'd like something that is more task/goal-oriented than the standard calendar program.

palm @ 2008-05-27T08:28:00

2008-05-27T13:28:37Z

I have a Treo 650. Is there any easy way to do voice commands over a bluetooth headset?

Palm Brain Fried Moment...

2008-05-25T03:52:22Z

OK, I've gone totally stupid, and its driving me nuts.

How the hell do you name a Palm? How do you restore your data to a new one?

I've done this before, but I can't for the life of me figure out how the hell to do it now!

On a Palm, if you run the HotSync applet in the upper right hand corner you'll see the "name" of the Palm. This is how the Palm syncing software differentiates between different Palms that are synced to the same computer.

How the hell does that "name" get there???????

In the interests of full disclosure, the "Palm" I'm trying to restore to is a Garnet virtual machine running on a Nokia N810. The Hotsync Manager I'm trying to use is "The Missing Sync" since this software will give 802.11b syncing capability to the Mac.

"The Missing Sync" sees all my old data and has picked up the old Palm's name of "Doc Kinne". When I try to do a restore of the data on my Mac to the Garnet VM, the two software packages appear to talk and connect...and very quickly - far too quickly - sync up. I think it is doing it too quickly, and doing nothing substancial, because the Garnet VM doesn't have the name of "Doc Kinne" attached to it.

Now, let's just forget that I'm trying to restore to a Garnet VM. I can't remember/figure out how to do this on a godsdamned regular Palm. I cannot figure out how the string "Doc Kinne" got into the upper right hand corner of the Hotsync applet on my M515?

How the hell is this done?????? I have literally done this about 5 times in my life with no problem, but I cannot figure out how to do it now. :-(

iphoneimitation

2008-05-20T18:51:05Z

I have a Palm Centro and for a few days now I've been trying to install iphoneimitation (I know I'm late on this,I'm just rather bored with my phone). I went online on my phone and saved a zip file onto my sd card and now I don't know what to do. Will it work that way? Do I have to save it to my computer and hot sync onto my Centro? I've found video tutorials on how to set it up and nothing on how to actually install it.

Taps

2008-04-23T14:44:38Z

My T3 did a hard reset, without my consent, a few days ago, and after I brooded for a minute, I turned it off. It hasn't turned on since. Is it dead?

Resurrecting my treo

2008-04-11T07:12:26Z

My treo 700p had recently, inexplicably, bogged down.

I decided that the most expedient solution was to do a hard reset.
It's been a couple years since I've looked around for the requisite
apps and games for a treo, and I suspect that a few have been
improved, or written since I last checked.

What do you consider the "must-have" apps?
Where can I get them?

google maps
usb modem
pssh
freecell

are there any particularly good mail clients?
livejournal clients?
web browsers?

It seems that the palm JVM is no longer available: http://blog.palm.com/palm/2008/01/last-chance-to.html
anybody know where I can get a copy?

palm @ 2008-04-06T23:36:00

2008-04-06T20:33:37Z

Check http://palm.mobiletopsoft.com All i need is available for free at this page.

palm @ 2008-02-08T09:15:00

2008-02-08T15:15:19Z

Any recommendations on a mail client for a Treo 650 other than Versamail?

Centro community...

2008-02-02T02:29:21Z

I've noticed there isn't a Palm Centro community on LJ. Anyone out there interested enough to want to create/join one?

SD cards: What's the deal?

2008-01-23T12:09:51Z

Can my Treo 680 only use 4GB SD(HC?) cards? Am I wasting my time and money if I get an 8GB? Because now that the 16GB cards are coming out, I anticipate a price drop on the 8GB cards. And shucks, I'd rather have 8GB of music than 4 with me on my work commute.

Help, I is confuzed.

Palm Treo 650 for Sale... Again...

2008-01-18T17:43:33Z

So, I had my auction up and running. It broke what I was looking for to cover the cost of my refurb... and I was ecstatic. As the auction neared the end, it even broke more than I thought it would. Then it got sniped at the end. Hey, I've sniped an auction or two. It's part of the fun. All in all, a great auction. Then I got address of the winner, trundled down to the post office, got the shipping rates, and started to firm up the final points with the auction winner. Then he poses a question. "Is this phone unlocked?" Hmmm... Let's see, the auction title is "Palm Treo 650 Cingular AT&T Cell Phone,PDA, PLUS EXTRAS", the big bold bullet point is "Palm Treo 650 for AT&T Cingular Cell Phone". I jot a quick note back, that the listing was for "as is" and that the phone's not unlocked... as it's stated in the title and entry. "Oh, well then I'm not buying it. If you want to unlock it, then I'll buy it."

WTF?!

I give him another chance to rescind that statement. Nope. He restates that he's made an offer.

This being said, I make second offers to my other three bidders who were there at the end. They don't get back to me, so I can only assume that they're already covered when it comes to getting what they want.

So, I've got to relist the phone.

I figured I’d use the advice from my TwitterPeep Kreg Steppe from ChuckChat and Friends in Tech, again, and post my fundraising attempt here.

So, I upgraded my Palm Treo 650, which I bought used, by buying a refurbed Treo 680. Not bad. I’m loving the new connection speed with my upgraded SIM card and the 680.

That being said, I’ve got a spare Treo 650 for sale on eBay. So, if you’d like to buy a nice condition Treo 650 , stop on by to eBay and bid away.

Thanks.

Palm Treo 650 Auction Nearing End Soon

2008-01-14T14:52:54Z

A mere 26 hours left in my auction for a Palm Treo 650 and extras (notably a 2GB card). I've babied it, and now it's your turn.

turning off Roaming when traveling

2008-01-13T11:58:49Z

Help!

I'm out of town this week, and suddenly my Palm Treo 700P phone is in Roaming mode. For the life of me I cannot find the setting which turns off roaming, as I've heard that where I am now (Detroit) the roaming charges will be expensive.

Anyone know how to deactivate the "roaming when needed" feature on the 700P?

Palm Treo 700P on Verizon out of Los Angeles.

Palm Treo 650 for Sale

2008-01-08T20:41:32Z

So, I upgraded my Palm Treo 650, which I bought used, by buying a refurbed Treo 680. Not bad. I'm loving the new connection speed with my upgraded SIM card and the 680.

That being said, I've got a spare Treo 650 for sale on eBay. So, if you'd like to buy a nice condition Treo 650 , stop on by to eBay and bid away.

Thanks.

Palm Software Round-Up (Pet Records)

2007-12-31T20:28:23Z

This is mostly for my own sanity/records, but this set of reviews might be of service to anyone else who owns a Palm device. I've been meaning to "import" all of my pets vet records into my PDA and help myself remember when I need to make my next vet appointment and for who. At first I just used Memos, but this meant re-entering information and manually setting reminders. So, I went on a search and rounded up several vet record programs for Palm. All of these programs were tested on a Palm T|X (Palm OS v5.4) and utilizing information from the last vet appointments for my Boxer and one of my ferrets. All of these programs are either freeware or shareware (prices are noted).

4T Pet 1.2
30-Day Trial Download
Compatibility: Palm OS 3.5 or higher
Size: 45.06 KB
Price: $12.95
---
Well, I had had high hopes for this program from the description on TuCows, but the program just kept crashing on my Palm T|X. I've included it here in case anyone else wants to try to get the 30-day trial to work on their Palm device and post their thoughts on the program (if it works).

ADA v2.3
15-Day Trial Download
Compatibility: Palm OS
Size: 183 KB
Price: $16.95
---
First Impressions: The program icon is the simple bone with a transparent background and is one of the best program icons I've seen so far. Being a shareware, the demo reminds you of how many days are left in the trial and the startup screen has UNREGISTERED in big letters. The Main Menu screen is mostly taken up by an overly large company logo. Six button are crunched on the left with most of the labels abbreviated: Animal, Treatment, Vaccination, Medical History, Reproduction (?), and Clients. Clicking any of these (with the exception of the Reproduction button, which doesn't work, will take you to a summary screen for that category of entries. Strangely, you want to fill out the Client information first (so that your name will appear in the drop down menu of owners. On the Client entry screen, you can enter: name, address, two telephone #s, city, and email. Back at the Client summary screen, you'll see a name and phone number (only 7 digits show up) for each person. You can then go to the Animal section to create entries for each pet that include: full name, call name, birthdate, date of death, pedigree (?), sex, color, registration #, marks, breeder, and a drop down for owner. At the bottom of this screen is a button labelled "Pedi." that takes you to a screen to enter the names of a 2-generation pedigree for the pet. (I have no idea what the Pedigree field is for then.) The summary screen then shows the full name and sex of each pet. On the Treatment entry screen, you can pick a pet from a drop down, set a date and time for a reminder (which doesn't work), and enter a description of the treatment needed. The Vaccination entry screen is very similar, which fields for: picking the pet, entering a date, and description of the vaccine given. The Medical History entry screen has frields for: picking the pet, date, weight (no unit), and a description of medications given.
Pros: I really liked having the summary screens for each section. These made navigation very easy. The Vaccination, Treatment, and Medical History summary screens are sortable by animal, so you can quickly find a specific entry. The Treatment entry screens have a place to set a reminder alarm for that treatment (could be used for upcoming vaccinations), but the alarm didn't go off. Having a two-generation pedigree was also a nice touch that hadn't been seen in other programs.
Cons: The Vaccination, Treatment, and Medical History entries are a bit redundant and could be converged into one category with entry forms that take the full space or buttons to add additional information. The Reproduction section never worked, so I have no idea what was supposed to be in this area. the reminders for treatment also didn't work. Maybe these would work in the full version, but I have to assume that the program is faulty since nothing is mentioned about it being a limited version. The overly large company logo takes away from the main menu and is an eye sore.
Verdict: (3.0/5.0)
This program seems more suited for a veterinarian than a pet owner (ability to enter multiple clients, but no vets), so it doesn't really seem to belong in this grouping. That said, it does a pretty good job--save for some bugs--at imitating a pet records program. There are a number of improvements to be made, however, to earn those other two stars: fix the reminder alarm & Reproduction section, add a time to the vaccination entry, change "Pedigree" to "Breed" on the Animal entry screen, make the company logo smaller to allow for adequate room for the menu, change the Clients area to Vets and integrate it to the other sections, and combine the Treatments and Vaccinations sections into the Medical History section. This program may be a four or five star program (again, save for the bugs) for a vet or vet tech.

McPets v1.0
Freeware Download
Compatibility: Any Palm device, Palm OS v3.5 or higher
Size: 108 KB
Price: FREE
---
First Impressions: The program icon is a "child's drawing" of a person's head. from the start, you can see that there are a lot of features and is more sophisticated than the program icon may indicate. (Note: The interface has been improved since the version in the screen shots pictured above, so it will look slightly different.) The Table screen gives you an overview of three tables (appointments, veterinarians, and shows). At the bottom, you can choose to show all pets or one particular pet. While at the Vet Appointment screen, you can click on "Pet" button to add files for each of your pet (no re-entering information each time) and do the same with the "Vet. Name" button. On the Vet Appointment screen, you can also enter appointment date (and time, integrated with the Calendar), reason, price, click on a visit type (grooming, shots, medical, and dental), and add a note. At the Pet screen, you can enter: call name, registered name, registered/not, dame's name, sire's name, birth location, birthdate, price, breed, registration #, microchip #, and add a note. At the Vet screen, you can enter: vet name, address, phone #, website, email, and add a note. The newest tab entered is for recording shows
Pros: Each tab is searchable in some way (drop down menu for appointments and vets, search feature for shows tab). Separate files for pet information and vets (with lots of fields for entering info) saves time when adding multiple vet visit records. The reason for visit field is text, so you can list several reasons (or use note area). All the date fields are integrated with the Calendar to make inputting the date easy. You can also add a time for the vet visit, but the date/time doesn't appear to save on the Calendar. The Shows tab could come in handy for those who show their pets or compete in performance trials.
Cons: Program icon is very silly looking and has nothing to do with pets. The is no way to set reminders for vaccinations nor is there a separate field for vaccinations. Breed is misspelled as "Bread" in the Pet screen, and this got annoying quickly, but it was the only spelling error found.
Verdict: (4.5/5.0)
This program has the potential to be a perfect five star program with only a few improvements: integrate appointment time into the Calendar (automatically adds the appointment to datebook), add a due date for vaccines and reminder alarm from the Appointment screen, add a few more details (such as weight and sex) to the Pet Info screen, remove the Registered/Unregistered buttons, and correct the spelling of Breed on the Pet Info screen. Unfortunately, the vaccine due date reminder is one of the most important features I was looking for, so this program ends up being so close to the mark that it misses it by a mile. As someone who is active in shows and competitions, I'm tempted to use it anyway and just enter the vaccine reminders in manually.

My Dog v1.5
30-Day Trial Download
Compatibility: any Palm device with Palm OS 3.0 or higher
Size: 29.0 KB
Price: $7.50
---
First Impressions: The program icon for My Dog is a fairly nice bulldog head with a white background. Being a share, th first thing that comes up on the demo is a reminder of how many days are left in your trial. Next screen ("My Dog") you see in a summary of any pets you've entered (name, breed, age, coat color, and weight). You have to click the Edit button to make a new pet file. On the My Dog Info screen, you can enter: name, breed, birthday (it calculates age for you), coat color, eye color, weight (lbs.), height (ins.), AKC/UKC number, markings, and check several boxes (stud/birth, neutered, bobbed tail, ears cropped, computer chip, champion, grand champion, good with kids, and male/female). To go back to the main screen, you click a small house pic at the top of the screen (there is also an eraser and trashcan at the top of the screen). There is only one place, the main screen, to enter information about a vet and set reminders (whic work and bring up the main screen of the program). Strangely, when you set a reminder, the top of the screen goes white. You can still click on where the pet listings are to go to an entry and the screen returns to normal when you go back to it.
Pros: I really liked the automatic calculating of age by just entering the pet's birthday. However, this seems to be the only feature of note in this program.
Cons: There is only one place to enter a vet's name and phone number (assumes you one have one vet), and there is no support for actual vet records. The reminder feature works, but you can only set two for the entire program and there's no room to put a description (beyond "heartworm" and "shots") to explain what the reminder is for. This would just be confusing for an owner of multiple pets needig multiple vaccinations each.
Verdict: (1.0/5.0)
This is another shareware program that might as well be scrapped because it doesn't come close to the freeware programs out there. In fact, this program is the one that least fits into this round-up because it doesn't actually keep health/vet records on your pet. But, if all you want is a note area for some basic pet info and two possibly confusing reminders, this is a pretty small program.

My Pets v2.0
30-Day Trial Download
Compatibility: Palm OS 3.0 or higher
Size: 39K
Price: $6.00
---
First Impressions: This program's icon is a strange envelope-like object on a white backgroun. Surprisingly, there isn't a reminder pop-up with a countdown of days remaining on the free trial. The first screen you see is "General Info" screen that summarizes the pets you've entered (pet type, name, age, and weight). This program's navigation is mostly based on small icons. To make a pet entry, you click a sheet of paper icon near the bottom of the screen. On the Details screen, you can pick the type of animal (clicking the red "lollypop" icon allows you to add types of animals to the drop down menu) and enter: name, age, color, weight (no units), height (no units, and sex. There are five icons along the right side of this screen (besides the red lollypop). The top on (a calculator) takes you to a Purchase Info where you can enter: date of purchase, store, age, price, and some notes. The next three icons are a flame, cross, and bullseye--none of these work or seem to have anything to do with pets (especially the cross) and don't actually work. The last icon is a sheet of paper and takes you to a note area.
Pros: None really.
Cons: It has no space for health/vet records. These may have been under one of the icons that didn't work, but there's no way of knowing. Since this wasn't labeled as a limited demo, I have to assume that the program is too buggy for actual sale.
Verdict: (0.5/5.0)
This is another scrap it program that shouldn't be called a pet records program. There's very little room for information on your pet and no space for vet records.

Pet Care 2.1
30-day Trial Download
Compatibility: Palm OS
Size: 106 KB
Price: $9.99
---
First Impressions: The program icon is a small puppy face. Being a trial version, the first thing that comes up (each time you enter the program) is a reminder on how many days are left and how to purchase the program. After that, you can make a file for each of your pets. The Pet screen is the real main screen of this program. From here, you can enter basic information (name, type, birthdate, owner, and contact) and navigate to a number of areas (description, pedigree, insurance, emergency, care instructions, health record, training, activity, and note). Unfortunately, most of these buttons take you to a simple note screen. Entries can only be made under Health record, Training, and Activity. At the Health Record screen, you can enter: a description, visit date, due date, vet, cost, and a note about the appointment. The Training screen has fields for a description, date, time, detail, and result. The Activity screen has fields for a description, date, time, and detail. Notes can be added at both of these screens, as well.
Pros: All of the date fields are integrated with the Calendar to make inputting the date easy. You can add a due/end date for treatment, but that doesn't seem to actually create a reminder. Everything is branched from a pet's entry, so navigation is very easy and very little information needs to be re-entered. I like the idea of the Training & Activities records, but more integration is needed (goals/progress, etc.) to really put it to use.
Cons: The due date feature doesn't appear to make a reminder and vet appointments don't appear on the Calendar. You also can't record the time of the appointment. There aren't that many fields to enter pet information, so everything would end up in the Description note area. That seems like a bit of a waste of resources, given the size of the program. I also don't see a real reason to enter in my own name and contact info on the Pets screen. That area could have been put to better use.
Verdict: (2.5/5.0)
This program makes a good attempt to be a vet records program, but feels unfinished. The navigation and organization is excellent, but the core of the program is missing and only barely gets three stars (2.5 stars would be more accurate actually). To complete this program, it would need: a full pet info screen (dropping the owner & contact fields for more important information such as weight and sex), files for each vet with a drop down menu on the Health Records screen, vaccine due date reminder, time of appointment, and some fleshing out of the areas that were only given note areas (fields for relative's names under Pedigree, food under Care Instructions, contact info under Emergency, policy information under Insurance, etc.). If all of these items were added, this program could be a perfect five star program.

The Pet Organizer v1.0
15-Day Trial Download
Compatibility: Palm OS 3.5
Size: 83.90 KB
Price: $15.00
---
First Impressions: The program icon is two small cat heads on a white background. The opening screen is largely the logo of a dog and cat with a "register" button. At the lower right is a pawprint icon that takes you into the program, but not before seeing the logo again and having to click on a second pawprint (the icon in the lower left on the second screen takes you back to the first screen...in case you wanted to see the logo one more time). The main menu screen shows a summary of any pets entered (pet name, ID#, and expiration date of ID). At the bottom of this and other screens is a set of colorful, but semi-confusing icons (trash, erase, all back, one back, one forward, all forward, new, info/exit, and home). From the Pets summary screen, clicking the icon of a dog-earred page will take you to the Pet entry screen to enter information about your pet (name, birthdate, ID #, expiration of ID, and other IDs). There are three larger icons at the bottom of this screen that take you to the Medical, Grooming, and Training sections. The Medical screen has four buttons: Vet, Rx, Rabies, and License. At the Vet screen, you can enter contact information for each vet (name, address, phone, and emergency). At the top of this screen is a drop down menu of pet names, and there is an Appointments button at the bottom. (Yes, you have to go through the Vet Info screen to get to a summary of Appointments.) This summary shows the date, time, cost, and name of the pet for that appointment. You can sort entries in the summary by pet (sometimes) and in date order. A running total appears towards the bottom. On the Vet Visit screen you can enter a date, time, cost and notes about the appointment. The drop down menu at the top is used to marked it for a certain pet. At the bottom of this screen are shortcut buttons to the Rx and Rabies screens. For RX, you can enter: medication, start, DC'd (dosed?), Int. Dose, Dose, Int. Freq., Freq., Last Rx'd, Refills, and Rx. Exp. Although, you can enter information for multiple pets in these previous areas, you have to go back to the Pet list to enter Rabies information for particular pet. The License screen has fields for: number, expiration date, and licensed from. The Grooming and Training screens each have fields for: date, time, cost, and notes. The summary screens for Grooming and Training can also be sorted by pet.
Pros: Having space dedicatated for medications (even if it's too much space) and license information is nice. The sorting feature is a useful tool that is often left out of programs. The Grooming and Training sections are nice bonuses, but aren't necessary and seemed wasted when the program lacks core features.
Cons: The navigation in this program is horrible. Having to go through the Vet screen to get the summary of appointments quickly became annoying. There also seemed to be some bugs with the pet sorting feature, and nothing seemed to happen at times. Having to go back to the main menu to enter in a new Rabies entry was also annoying. For how complicated the program is, it lacks core features and valuable information fields.
Verdict: (2.0/5.0)
I was split between a 1.5 and a 2.0 stars on this one. The navigation is enough to give you a headache and there dosn't seem to be much substance behind it's complicated structure. Given that this is one of the more expensive sharewares, I certainly don't see it being worth buying.

Pet Pal v1.0
Freeware Download
Compatibility: Palm Vx devices, Palm OS (color)
Size: 290 KB (two 145 KB files)
Price: FREE
---
First Impressions: The program icon is a small cartoon chicken on white background. Although, this is a freeware program, you have the option of registering the program for free but it's not clear what the advantage would be. The first screen you see is a summary of pets screen that also displays the PetPal logo (with the cute cartoon chicken) and a pawprint background. There are three buttons at the bottom (Add New, View, and Delete). Clicking "Add new" takes you to a three part area to enter information on your pet. The first screen is Basic Info, where you can enter: name, sex, birthdate, type (limited to dog or cat), weight (lbs.), breed, registered name, registration #, tattoo #, city license #, and chip ID #. The next screen is Medical informaiton, where you can enter: vet's name, address, phone, emergency #, a small note, and list any medical conditions. The third screen is Grooming information, where you can list: groomer's name, address, phone, shampoo brand, last bath, check off if the pet is afraid of the hair dryer or has sensitive skin, and note any special instructions.
Pros: For a freeware program, there's quite a bit of graphics work that has gone into it. As with other program, space for grooming information is a nice bonus, but it can't make up for lacking core features. The navigation is nice, but there also isn't much to navigate through unfortunately.
Cons: There's no space for actual vet records, so this program is really only a basic and grooming information program. Even then, it only handles dogs and cats--unless you do as I did, and list the type as dog and use the breed area to note ferret, etc.
Verdict: (2.0/5.0)
It's a nice free program for storing basic information on your pet, vet, and groomer, but that is it. It doesn't handle storing any information on vet visits or vaccinations.

Pet Shots v1.0
Freeware Download
Compatibility: Any Palm device, Palm OS v3.5 or higher
Size: 29 KB
Price: FREE
---
First Impressions: The program's icon has a full white background and features a simple needle. The main menu has four options: Pet Information, All Vaccine Records, Vaccine Records, and Veterinarian. The Pet Info screen lets you enter: name, registered name, birth date, breed, height, and weight. When you click done, this takes you straight to the Vaccine Records screen--where you can enter: pet (drop down), vet (drop down), date, vaccine, due date, set a reminder, and add notes. Finishing this screen takes you back to the main menu. The All Vaccines screen gives you a summary table of the vaccine records you've entered. The Vet Info screen has fields for: vet name, address, office phone, emergency phone, and email. Hitting done on this screen takes you to the first vaccine record you made before you can exit to the main menu.
Pros: All date fields are integrated with the Calendar to make inputting easier. This is the first program that I came across that actually integrated with the Calendar's alarm feature to let you set reminders for vaccine due dates.
Cons: Veterinarian is misspelled as veternarian throughout and it can be annoying. The navigation can be a bit annoying, since you continuously go back to the first vaccine record entered. The drop down menu for vets (on the Vaccine Record screen) doesn't seem to work properly, so you can't actually pick a vet. You also can't enter a time on the vet appointment, just the date. On the All Vaccines page, the name of the animal and date are cut off, which limits it's use as a summary of files.
Verdict: (3.0/5.0)
This program is the first program I found with a vaccine reminder alarm integrated into the program. Unfortunately, it doesn't have enough support and is too buggy to be of real use. Several points need to be fixed: fix the bug with the Vet drop down menu, add some more information on the Pet Info screen (sex, registration number, etc.), move the height & weight fields to the Vaccine screen, add a time to the vet appointment field, add more space for name & date on the All Vaccines screen, add a search/sorting feature so that the user can only veiw vaccines/appointments for one pet on the All Vaccines screen, and correct the misspellings. I should point out that if the creaters of McPets and PetShots were to combine the best parts of their programs, they would undoubtedly create the best vet records program possible.

Pet Vet! 1.0
30-Day Trial Download
Compatibility: Palm OS
Size: 35.18 KB
Price: $7.95
---
First Impressions: The program icon is a large white icon with blue circle with small, pixilated dog and cat. As a shareware, the first thing that pops up is a pop up to remind you of how many days are left on your free trial. Next is the logo screen of a rather large Noah's ark (odd, given that vet records havig nothing to do with a religious fable). There are no buttons or icons on this screen, but if you tap anywhere it will take you to the next screen (I guess the program writer thought that the ark logo was more important than basic navigation buttons). The main menu is actually well-organized and the logo (a relevant one of a person walking a dog) only takes up ~40% of the screen. The main column of buttons include: Pets, Pets Vet Care, Pet Foods, Training, and Pet Types). At the bottom of the screen is a larger button titled Local Vets/Stores/Boarding. At the top right corner is an information icon that takes you to a key of the buttons used in the other screens. If you have an exotic pet (such as a ferret), I would suggest going to the Pet Types screen first. Here you can edit the pet type drop down list (which came preloaded with a wide variety of pets...including "Rock"...but not some of the more common exotics such as ferrets). The next two areas that you might want to enter information into before heading to the Pets area is in Local Vets/Stores/Boarding and Pet Foods. The first will take you to a summary screen of pet businesses (name and store type) and sort by store type (seems to be a bug here). At the entry screen, you can list: store name, address, city, state, zip, phone, store type, and a short note. You can also check if it is the primary business you use. The second (Pet Foods) takes you to a summary of foods you feed your pets (name, size, price, and pet type). On the entry screen, you can also pick where you purchase it (from drop down of businesses you entered in the previous section), pick which pet it is for, and add a short note. The Pet screen (going back to the main menu first) displays a summary of your pets (name, type, and breed). On the entry screen, you can enter: name, pet type (from drop down), breed, food (from drop down), frequency of feeding, date of last bedding/litter change, and date of last grooming. At the bottom of this screen are three buttons: Vitals, Notes, and Shots. The Vitals screens lets you enter information of the pet's breeder, purchase date, birthdate, vet (from drop down), and favorite toy. The Note button just takes you to a note area. The Shots screen provides a location for an overview of last vaccination dates (this isn't linked to the vet records area). There are five areas to enter vaccine names and dates, but you can't set reminder alarms. The next area to go to is Pets Vet Care (from the main menu). There is a summary screen that can be sorted entries (pet name & date) by pet. The entry screen has fields for: date (blank at top), pet name (from drop down), symptoms, treatment, medication, and return visit date (no reminder alarm). The last area is Training, which also has a summary screen (date, pet, training type) that can be sorted by pet. At the entry screen, you can enter: date, pet (from drop down), duration, training type, and notes.
Pros: This is a highly interconnected program with a lot of room to customize. I liked being able to enter information about what each pet eats, where I buy food, training sessions, what is done at each vet visit, a summary of vaccinations, etc.
Cons: The navigation takes some getting used to, but it does a pretty good job considering how much there is to navigate through. The sort feature on Local Vet/Stores/Boarding seems to have a bug. Although it's nice that you can enter the type of each business, it adds all those types (repeating the same type) in the sort drop down menu. This makes sorting this screen a pain if you enter in several "Vets" or "Groomers". Another big flaw is that, although there is an area to make entries for vets, you can't set which vet you went to for a particular visit. This would have been logical, given the integration of pet name, food, and business drop down menus on other screens. Like most programs, it also lacks any integration with the reminder alarm feature of the calendar. The ark logo is also a bit annoying--mostly because the screen was given entirely to that logo and their was no room given to an Enter button.
Verdict: (3.5/5.0)
This is a fairly decent program with some nice extra features and developed areas, but it's missing some of the core features for any vet records program. It's still one of the better (but not best) programs I've seen so far. Some points of improvement are: fix the bug on the Local Vets/Stores/Boarding sorting feature (maybe integrate an editable business type drop down menu in the same manner as the pet types), add a drop down menu of vets to the Vet Visit screen, integrate fully into the calendar so you can set reminder alarms within the program, and add more "vital" information (sex, weight, color/markings, registration #, microchip #, etc.). I'd also suggest changing the opening screen to a smaller (preferrable pet-related, non-religious logo) and an Enter button.

Pet Vet Record for HanDBase 1.0
Freeware Download (Pet Vet) (30-Day Trial Download of HanDBase)
Compatibility: Palm OS and others, requires HanDBase v.2.7x or greater
Size: 3.30 KB (HanDBase ranges from ~500KB to 6MB, depending on version)
Price: FREE (HanDBase ranges from $15 to $80, depending on version)
Additional programs by user: Dog Enthusiast Suite for HanDBase 1.0 and Dog Rescue Log and Vet Record for HanDBase 1.0
---
First Impressions: Since you need to also have HanDBase, download and installation take quite a bit longer than with other programs. You also have to access this program through HanDBase, whose program icon is a blue thumbs up on a silver coin. The opening screen for HanDBase is a rather busy description of the program and reminder that it is only a trial version. Then, you're taken to a listing of all of the database programs you have in HanDBase (I tried out a few others while I had the trial installed). You click on Pet Vet Record to get to the program. The main screen on the program is a list of all the pets you've entered (or the pre-entered ones you start out with). The entry screen allows you to enter: pet name, pet type (this drop down is editable), birthdate, intact/altered, notes from the last and for the next vet visit, dates of last vaccines (4 canine-specific, 5 feline-specific, and rabies) and last heartworm treatment, test results for fecal/heartworm/other tests, notes on medical procedures and allergies, current medication, OFA #, vet's contact info, groomer's name, date of next grooming, and kennel contact info. Under the details button, you can set one reminder alarm (which works) for each animal.
Pros: This program puts all of the current information about each pet at your fingertips. By using HanDBase, several fields have editable pop-up lists. Unfortunately, this doesn't extend to changing the name or elliminating some of the many vaccines listed.
Cons: Foremost, if you don't already use HanDBase, this program is going to be expensive and take up a lot of space on your Palm. My survey of other programs didn't provide enough reason for me to buy HanDBase. In focusing on current information, this program sacrifices a full record of vaccines, etc. The program is also geared more towards dog and cat owners than owners of other pets. The long list of vaccines that are only relevant to two types of pets gets annoying.
Verdict: (2.0/5.0)
Given that there are many better stand-alone programs out there, this program really isn't worth messing with unless you already have HanDBase or are willing to pay for it. I liked the idea of having all the current information on one screen, but not at the expense of not actually having those earlier records. For a ferret owner, the long list of vaccinations were also annoying. I would have really like to have been able to edit those vaccines to get rid of some and change a few to things that are relevant to other animals. For those who do like this format, the creator of this program also put out a package of databases for show dog records (including Agility) and a package for those who run dog rescues.

VetDB 1.0
30-day Trial Download
Compatibility: Palm OS
Size: 91 KB
Price: $12.00
---
First impressions: The program icon is a fuzzy puppy graphic on a white background (most icons have transparent backgrounds) and will appear towards the bottom of your applications screen. The main screen simply says "Veterinarian Records" and has several small animal pictures (these are actually the icons to view/add records). The six icons (dog, cat, reptile, fish, bird, and wild/exotic) take you to the six pet categories where you can make a file for a pet. The category screens have a fuzzy graphic of that type of animal (or just a rabbit for wild/exotic) and three headings: Patient, Date, and Q (checkboxes to indicate positive search results). In the left bottom corner is a spyglass that takes you to the search function (can be used to only show records for a single pet). Clicking the "Records" button takes you to the vet record screen where you can enter your pet's: name, sex, date of vet visit, age (years), weight (pounds), total cost, invoice #, vaccinations, tag ID, prescriptions, reason for visit, and symptoms. There is a calculator built in under the "Total" field. Small boxes next to the fields for vaccinations, tag ID, and prescriptions open text areas. The reasons for visit and symptoms fields are drop-down menus that additional options can be added to by clicking the boxes next to those fields. Filling out this screen creates one record (vet visit) for your pet.
Pros: Records are searchable (this is limited to within a category, though) by patient, invoice, reason for visit, and symptom. You can add more reasons for visits and symptoms, but can only choose one of these options for any record. Clicking the "DateBook" icon at the top of the record screen will add vet visit to Palm's Calendar, but it will not appear with a time. There is a quick uninstall program that downloads with the main program.
Cons: Having a category for fish, but lumping all wild/exotics together seemed a bit unnecessary. I would have liked to have seen either more icons for specific animals or the option to add additional pet categories beyond dogs or cats as needed. The graphics also seem very basic for a program for sale. The interface is very unintuitive and relies too much on unlabelled icons and hidden clickables. Only one option can be chosen for "Reasons for visit" and "Symptoms", so the customization of this field is rather limited. You have to re-add all the pet information for each vet visit, so it takes quite a bit of time to do even a few entries. There is no way to put in reminders for vaccinations or re-ordering medication. This program also seems to have a compatibility issue with my medical records program and wanted to overwrite files. Big no no!
Verdict: (1.5/5.0)
For an expensive shareware program, it is a supreme disappointment. It's only saving grace is good navigation and a good search feature. But, without a core to search and navigate, it's just a diversion. It was the only program that added the vet appointment (without a time) to the Datebook...but this also caused my Palm T|X to reboot and the program had issues with other programs. Listing the improvements needed would take to long, so I'm left with simply saying that it should be scrapped in favor of the much better freeware programs out there. Though, I was quite happy that the program is very easy to uninstall.

Ultimate Pet v1.1
Free Trial Download
Compatibility:
Size: 39 KB
Price: $9.99
---
First Impressions: It was hard to find at first because I was expecting the program to actually be called Ultimate Pet, but it's called "Pet" instead. the icon is a well-drawn cartoon dog on a white background (one of the best icons I've seen so far). The first screen you are taken to is the pet entry screen, where you can enter: name, registered name, birthday, breed, height, age, weight, and a note. Arrow buttons on the lower right allow you to scroll longer fields. At the bottom of the screen is actually two rows of buttons (that the arrow buttons are at the end of). The first button takes you to a Vet Information screen where you can enter: vet name, phone, fax, emergency, email, and full address. The next button takes you to a Medications screen (medication name, date, dose, and notes). The third button takes you to an Activities screen (date, event, and details). The first button on the second row takes you to a Medical History screen (just a note area, not what is pictured in the screenshots above). The next button takes you to the Diet screen, where you can enter: food, wet/dry, calories, carbohydrates, fat, and notes). the next two buttons are plus and minus signs. The minus sign button is the delete. The plus sign button brings up a screen noting that it is a feature of the full version; I'm assuming that it is for making multiple records.
Pros: Good navigation. It's the first program I've seen have a fax field for vet contact info. The Medications, Activities, and Diet screens are a nice touch. If the screenshots are accurate, then the Medications and Activities areas will also have summary screens to make these more useful.
Cons: The Medical History screen on the trial version was a disappoinment, but the screenshot shows a more developed and promising screen. If the screenshots are accurate, the program still doesn't seem to have a reminder alarm feature or integration of the vets into the Medical History screen.
Verdict: (2.5/5.0)
If the screenshots are accurate, then there are several more features available on the full version. It would have been nice to have had a 30-day full trial than this limited version free trial. As is, I wouldn't bother with this program and gave it 2.5 out of five stars. If the screenshots are accurate, then the program would be 3.5 or 4.0 stars. Potential improvements include: a list view of vets, integrating the vets list into the Medical History screen, add a reminder alarm to the Medications & Medical History screens, add a time to the Medical History screen, and add treats to the Diet screen.

[ZOO] English v1.0
Freeware Download
Compatibility: Palm OS v3.0 or higher
Size: 51 KB
Price: FREE
---
I can't say anything about this program because it could not be downloaded from any of the sites that had it offered. This program was originally done in Norwegian, so that version might be downloadable.

Final recommendations:

1. McPets 1.0 (4.5/5.0 stars) is a very well-developed freeware program that sets the bar in this round-up. Although missing the key feature of being able to set reminder alarms for vaccines and medications (which most of these programs lacked as well), there are relatively few things a pet owner would be left wanting...well, maybe a nice icon. ^_^ With some minor updating, though, this could be a perfect five star vet records program with the bonus of also recording show/competition information.

2. Ultimate Pet 1.1 (2.5/5.0 stars) is a shareware program that might have the most potential. It's hard to tell since they went with a limited version trial instead of a 30-day full version trial. If the screenshots are accurate, then the program is potentially a 3.5 or 4.0 star program at a mid-range price of $9.99. Without a full version trial it's hard to confident recommend this program, so buyers please be aware that you may be purchasing only a 2.5 star program.

3. Pet Vet! 1.0 (3.5/5.0 stars) is another shareware with some potential, but still missing some key features. Once you get past the complex navigation and obnoxious logo screen, it's actually not that bad. The program's main faults are: lacking a reminder alarm feature, neglecting to integrate a vet drop down menu into the vet visit screen, and limited fields to add extended information about pets (sex, weight, registration numbers, etc.). With those improvements, this could be a very good five star ver records program with some nice bonuses (stores, food, training, etc.).

4. Pet Shots 1.0 (3.0/5.0 stars) was the only program to be full integrated into the calendar's reminder alarm feature--and it's freeware, putting all the shareware programs to shame. The poor navigation and bugs make this program a challenge to use in it's current state. If the bugs are fixed and a few improvements made, this could be at least a four star program with five star potential.

X-posted from my LJ & to palmos.

Restet button

2007-11-27T14:06:09Z

If I press the reset button on my palm, does that reset the entire thing? (As in all the info currently stored on it will be gone?)

It's locked up and is not responding.

Treo 680

2007-11-27T05:09:19Z

I just ordered a Treo 680. What accessories/software/patches should I be looking at? I already ordered a case for it. Isn't there stuff you can download that helps with battery life? That sort of thing.

This is an upgrade (sidewaysgrade?) from a T3, if that helps.

Disappearing Docs?

2007-11-25T15:50:39Z

Has anyone else ever had a Word file disappear off of your palm? I was taking notes in the document this week, so I know it was there recently. Went to open it today, and its vanished without a trace (as in, it's not in my list of documents). I've been adding to this doc all term, and although I have backup on my computer for most of the file, I am missing two days worth of notes now.

I am wondering if this has anything to do with the fact that I keep getting a message which says something like "fatal error" and then my palm will freeze up. (Freeze up as in it doesn't respond at all, I can't even turn it off). I usually just put it on the charger, and then after a while it'll work fine again (and it's been doing this for months). But maybe it's not working fine, if my file has disappeared...

Thoughts?

Edit to add: I have a Tungsten E2.

PalmOS Zire72

2007-11-21T23:13:41Z

So after many hours of madness and attemps and finally a live chat help advisor, I got my Palm to HotSync with my PC. NOW I want to add Word or other Documents to my Palm to read them on it, but I have tried: iSilo, MobiPocket, and Plucker, all with no luck in using them correctly or getting them to work with my Palm.
Anyone have any ideas on a FREE program I can use that will transfer documents from my Hard Drive to my Palm so I can read them on the go?

THANKS!

treo 600 issues

2007-11-07T16:20:28Z

quick and dirty:
i've recently changed from a palm z22 (stolen) to a blackberry 7290 (okay but not a great organizer and i prefer palm os) to a palm treo 600 (got it cheap). i'm disappointed by some of the treo's (lack of) features and i don't have money for a newer unit. so i need new software.

what i miss:
color coded calendar
recurring tasks

what i don't understand:
floating events? what is the deal with these? what's the point? they're like daily tasks, and if you don't check it as done they move to the next day, or what? none of the versions of palm os i've used had this feature and the used treo 600 i got on ebay didn't come with a manual.

what i'm looking for:
an OS upgrade (haven't found one) that will allow me to color code appointments on my calendar and allow for recurring tasks.

what i'd settle for:
a third party application that allows me to have color coded appointments and recurring tasks. i haven't been able to find a good one yet.

can anyone suggest an app that will do what i'm looking for? i'd prefer something with a free trial so i don't have to pay for it before i make a decision.

THANKS!

ps. hi i'm new here.

I'll try (but probably fail) to be brief

2007-10-18T02:55:48Z

Preamble: I don't play a lot of my music on my computer, mostly just on my PDA when I'm in transit. In addition to that I've got a number of games on there as well. Because some of the games require a medium amount of free memory to run I copied a lot of the extra graphics to the card as well. The larger games are on the card, the mp3s are on the card, and there's too much stuff on the card.

The graphics program regularly scans the images in its display, regardless of available memory, and unfortunately it ran out of room. I removed the graphics to my harddrive, the only thing I could remove myself, and thought that was that. I later learned, what I should've realized, that some of the music files had merged and a couple of the games no longer functioned.

A thing I know from when I've done with with 3.5 disks, which I still use (don't you judge me!), is that when you push the limits of its storage capacity its essentially broken. You can do a very thorough format of it and it mighe be saved but you lose much and it doesn't always work...

...that said, I don't wanna lose what's still on there and I found that deleting the corrupted files just lets what isn't fall into the damaged...uhm...slots.

Short Form: I have a PalmOne Zire 72. The card is a SanDisk 2GB.

Question: I've tried everything I can think of with the uploading software I've got but I'm stumped. How do I take the information on the card and put it back on my PC?

Macs and TXs

2007-10-17T10:27:56Z

Hello! I am new to the PDA world, and as such, just joined this community.

I'm posting because I am having issues with trying to sync my Mac and my Palm TX. Here are the details:

I am running a PowerBook G4 (1.67 GHz) running OSX 10.4.9. For my contacts and calendar, I am using Entourage 2004.

I purchased a used Palm TX from someone on eBay. The only things that were sent were the unit itself (with stylus), the software CD, the serial/USB cable, and a wall power adapter.

Now, I'm trying to figure out how to sync with Entourage. I have installed the Palm Desktop software, looks like it's version 4.2.2. Through Entourage, I have installed the "Handheld Sync Installer" to set up the Entourage Conduit.

Now, using Bluetooth, I somehow managed to get the Mac and the Palm to see each other. But I can't get anything to sync. I've also briefly tried iSync to see if I can at least get Address Book contacts over...but this isn't working either.

I'm rather irritated that I didn't receive a manual with the Palm, but even stuff I am finding online isn't really helping me because I am completely new to syncing a PDA. And, I'm getting very frustrated!

Does anyone have advice on how I can try to get this working? I'm going to Germany in a couple of weeks, and would really like things up and running before I leave so I can take it with me and send out postcards!

Thank you so so so much in advance!!