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PalmOS 3.3 Released
MatriXOracle writes "PalmOS 3.3 is now available for download for users of the Palm V, Palm III/IIIx, IBM WorkPad c3/30X/20X, and older Palms with the 2MB upgrade card. Palm IIIe users can't upgrade, due to the lack of a flashable ROM on those systems, and Palm VII users will have to wait for an upgrade compatible with those devices to become available. New features include a doubling of the maximum HotSync speed, HoySync-over-IR, Euro support, and network logon enhancements. "
There is a discussion of how to do this under Linux over at Palmstation .
You are right... pilot-xfer is a great tool (although the version I have cored when trying to sync a full 8 MB TRG upgraded IIIx).
Bill Kilgallon
Mathematically impossible requirements are technically not against policy.
I haven't seen this problem with my Palm V. Maybe I have a more recent version of the firmware... If this is the case you can probably expect 3.3 to fix your problem. (In other words, I'd try the upgrade if I were you)
;-)
Surely this hasn't been happening to my Palm V without my notice... I do use it for something other than games occasionally...
/* The beatings will continue until morale improves. */
With pilot-xfer(1), type pilot-xfer -i filename where filename is the name of the file to be installed. It works with multiple files and wildcards, too. So, you can just list a bunch of filenames separated by spaces after the "-i" argument and go to town. I'm not sure how to do it with gpilotd. However, if it's anything like the pilot applications in KDE, you simply choose the applications that you want to install with the installer application (below Memos and Scheduler). There's a simple file browser, you just click after selecting like you would anything else. Hopefully, this helps.
--Al
Note to moderators: When two nearly-identical items are posted consecutively, mark the *FIRST* one "Redundant" since the second usually contains some small correction for an error in the first.
My IIIx updated flawlessly from Win98. I was a bit slow though, about 6 minutes for the actual OS upgrade, but at least another 10 minutes to backup and restore all my data and programs. You must make sure to disable all "hacks" and some other software like Launcher III before you start the update. Does anyone know if they fixed the "battery drain while in cradle" bug in this release? I know the battery drain can be fixed by physical means, but I was wondering if a soft fix was there yet.
That sounds like the message I've seen when the physical connection is bad and a data transfer fails unexpectedly.
I'm not surprised it died if it lost its connection while updating the flash. This is always dangerous, especially if done remotely (e.g. over the cradle link). I assume they had to do it this way - if they could have transferred the whole firmware image to local memory and flashed from there it would have been much safer... Maybe the image is too large.
/* The beatings will continue until morale improves. */
TIA,
Well, I have NT at my office, but I'm not an adminstrator on the machine and the IT folx won't install the Palm Desktop, so I'm SOL.
-- Don't Tase me, bro!
Actually, GNOME has a really cool pilot package.
Software can now sync with the pilot as long as they provide a CORBA interface. They've already done it with gnomecal and gnomecard.
sri
Will this update also be available on the Visor's? I have been putting off buying one untill the add-on packs come out, but it look like there are a LOT of nice features in 3.3..
-- I'm the root of all that's evil, but you can call me cookie..
3COM/USR Courier owners have given a bad rap in the past from laptop users. The reason is the advance power management on most laptops make them undesirable for accomplishing the time sentative flash process. If during the middle of the flash the laptop APM renders the program accomplishing the flash unavailable then the modem is rendered unusable. USR eventually got smart and put an all caps warning to laptop users to tap a key (non-shift/non-control/non-alt as some bios/apm systems do not count pressing these keys) during the upgrade. It maybe possible that 3COM or Palm Computing hasn't gotten so clever with their on-screen warnings yet.
My Palm III seems a lot more responsive, especially running Avantgo with this update. Don't ask me why.
The hotsynch runs at the same speed for me under NT, maybe even slower, as it seems to take a long time to "finish up" the tail end of the process.
EverCode
Dumb joke? so sue me. but it was on topic, particularly because the rest of the post was making a real point. [sigh]You probably don't know what zaftig means either, so allow me to apologize for being too sophistcated.
Check out datebk3. It takes care of B and C, maybe D.
You might try using the hack "Time Pal", available from various Palm download sites, including this one on ZD Net: ZD Net Palm Downloads. It keeps your Pilot on the same time as the PC you are syncing from. The time may be off, but it's off together... (No, I am not the author, nor a ZD Net person. Just a Pilot freak sharing a solution). LJ
--
I have a Symbol SPT-1740 -- Basically, a Palm III with integrated barcode scanner and Spectrum24 wireless LAN. It came (a month ago) with PalmOS 3.32 already installed. Not having had a lot of prior experience with the Palm, I didn't even know that Hotsync at 115200 or Direct IR was anything special. The network Hotsync over the air is pretty spiffy.
Now if I could just get my company to buy me a Spectrum24 access point to use at home...
Anyone have a good way to add Slashdot as an AvantGo channel? I'd love to get the full text of the articles and comments (at a high threshhold), but if even if I customize my settings for "Slashdot Lite", AvantGo spends too much memory grabbing the administrative pages (FAQ, code, etc.) before grabbing the content. Is there a "Slashdot Lite--" that's just the articles without the administrative links?
Chelloveck
I give up on debugging. From now on, SIGSEGV is a feature.
My copy of Frotz is still working on my Palm III following the 3.3 upgrade.
note that datebk3 is what ships on the visor...
I believe they licensed it from Pimlico.
Upgrade now!
I confirm that Patience is dead.... must check for updates.
That's some stupid shit to say, since the Visor just came out. Why don't you give Palm Computing the opportunity to bring their prices down, since this is their first PalmOS competitor? Is that okay with you, Mr. Anonymous Fuckstick?
-katana666@yahoo.com
Actually, I think you can go back...
As of yesterday afternoon late, they did have instructions on re-flashing and going back to the previous OS. I didn't use them, as I was happy with the upgrade, but I do remember they were there.
As I recall, they were smart enough to build the flash loader into real rom (not the flash rom), so you cannot render your beloved palm unbootable (unlike many pre pentium II motherboards).
Bill Kilgallon
Mathematically impossible requirements are technically not against policy.
Palm also provides an optional connection to Macintosh systems. Handspring Visors sync via a USB cradle which will work in any Win9x or recent-model Macintosh environment. For the Palms with serial cradles, a suite of very useful utilities called pilot-link has been created for Linux and ported to OS/2.
To be fair, bear in mind that the Palm series of "connected organizers" has been traditionally targeted toward the business crowd. That's why
* you see such extravagant leather cases for it;
* conduits to programs like Outlook are available;
* and, of course, it's designed for Windows and Mac first.
For more information, click here.
Not only that, but they're also making an Ethernet Cradle, so that you can sync and connect directly over a network. Cool.
Now, if they'd only release a Hotsync manager that would run as an NT service, life would be grand. They are releasing the Palm Sync Server, but that costs US$20K(!). Yowch.
by Mike Buddha -- Someday the mountain might get him, but the law never will.
Yes.
According to what I've seen from 3Com, you'll be able to use the new HotSync Manager with both Palms. However, once you've upgraded your III, only it will be able to take advantage of the higher transfer rates. Your IIIe is not flash-upgradeable, but it will still connect and synchronize its databases.
For more information, click here.
And even if it did take up memory - maybe it's say 200 bytes? How much could it be already.
-Ariel
-Ariel
I called them up as well, didn't talk to the supervisor, but the person said that there may be a Linux version in the future, because one of his documents said that "it's available for Windows and Machintosh only, at this time", but I doubt that they will have a Linux version ready.
That's a pisser because I have no Windows at work and have rebooting my home machine.
/Simon
I think those are pretty much the same devices - the WorkPad is just a relabeled Pilot, and the Phone is pretty much just a borg-like combination of the pilot and a phone... I think the Visor is the only device that is significantly different, hardware-wise.
Or I could be wrong. :)
Once you've upgraded the OS, there's no turning back.
x .exe (modify filename accordingly for other versions).
This page says otherwise. Still, it's good to check compatibility before re-flashing anything.
p.s. A quick tip if you want to download the file without clicking through all the official pages - the actual URL ends up as http://palm.www.conxion.com/PalmOS330_ENG_PalmIII
--
So this new PalmOS will include networking? Or so it says,...
Yes, Virginia, it does include networking. I have it on my Palm as we speak.
Does this mean that later versions can be upgraded without a Desktop computer? According to the page, you need a desktop computer to upgrade the ROM. I'd like to see a self-sustaining Palmtop (computer), and not a overclocked digital rolex.
Two things:
1)No, you need to sync your Palm before you upgrade the ROM, else, you'll lose all your data. One of the great strengths of the Palm OS is the nearly seamless desktop integration. If you don't want that, buy a WinCE machine, but I couldn't recommend that, as a former owner of a WinCE machine.
2)Palm was designed from the ground up to be a high-powered, overclocked digital Rolodex. That's what it is and that's what it endeavors to be. It's a lot handier than you'd think at first glance. I've owned Newtons, WinCE machines, various and sundry digital organizers, laptops and Palm Pilots, and I tell you from experience, the Palm is the only one I continue to use on a regular basis, the exact same way I used it when I first bought it. All the other sat at home after a few months.
by Mike Buddha -- Someday the mountain might get him, but the law never will.
Palms don't have color screens...
I have the same problem. Every week or two, my Palm seems to get set a week back exactly (so it's not just a battery drain or something). So far it hasn't been enough of a problem for me to call 3Com about it, but I checked their site and there's no mention of the problem.
I hope this patch fixes it, but I doubt it since it's not mentioned in the release notes. I'm going to check in a few days after I wait and see what issues get reported by people installing the update.
I wish I'd gotten a Visor too, but I got my Palm V a little too early.
Does anybody know how I can check the language that my Palm is using? I am not sure if I should use Int English or US English.
Do a query in freshmeat.net for "pilot"
Windows is NOT a MUST in today's world!!!!!
Support The GNU Project!! http://www.gnu.org
What it probably should have said was:
Decent linux palm desktop= jpilot - just like the windows one. search freshmeat.
... everyone uses ftp or http, but I do have samba if I need to share stuff with windows-stricken coworkers.
I disagree that everyone needs to have windows. Granted, I did install windows in vmware, and I can use vnc to bring up a windows desktop from a lab machines, but honestly, I just don't ever find a need or use for windows anymore.
- I've got gnome/enlightenment/xscreensaver for all my eye candy.
- I've got staroffice, wvHtml, xlHtml for decoding msOffice-encrypyed information.
- I write just about everything in vi using plain text, or netscape's html editor, or via a web-app
- I write a script to do anything that I need to do more than 5 times.
- opensource unix apps, perl, and shell scripts just keep increasing my productivity. Now I can pretty much prototype an app fast than I can find a commercial solution
- I sync my pilot on linux and solaris using jpilot
- I bought a playstation for playing games
- I've got xmame if I ever missed wasting my cpu cycles on playing games.
- nobody where I work shares files using CIFS much anymore 'cause it's about as reliable as the list of servers you get when you click on 'network neighborhood'
Hey, I'm a unix sysadmin, and I figured that if *I* can't live without windows then maybe nobody can. When I shut off my last windows box, there were a few difficult times, but it's been surprisingly easy to not go back, and I'm a lot more productive.
It's not for everyone yet though. I'm not sure whether I'm ready to move my dad to linux -- he has a hard enough time with windows, but he's the one that's asking about linux 'cause win95 hangs and crashes so often.
Surprised this hasn't been moderated up more. Come on people, get the blasted joke already!
Well, I tried out the upgrade last night. Is it just my imagination, or did the OS get a little zippier? Switching between applications and the launcher seems to happen more quickly. At any rate, I have encountered a serious problem with this upgrade. I use MoneyManager (have been for about 5 months, actually), and have a huge db of financial transactions. When HotSync attempted to restore everything to my Palm III, it would not restore this DB! My Palm hangs with a "Fatal Exception" each time this happens. Has anyone seen this behavior? Anyone know how to get around it? Several other of my DB's will not sync back into the Palm, either.
How does one go about doing this? I had a set of directions for v3.0 that didn;t work. Any help or pointers you can provide would be great.
-mark
If your computer says LINUX, run...computers can't talk! [unless you have text-speech software]
my housemate just tried to upgrade the os on his palm IIIx and managed to completely destroy the little thing. poor little pilot. last i saw him he was on the phone w/ 3-com trying to get a new palm pilot...
Is there a way to use something like avant-go under linux? I love having the NY Times on my palm v with me wherever I go... and I hate having to boot windows just to acquire that functionality.
Can the new OS be installed in the Visor's RAM area instead, since there is no flash memory? I believe a Handspring site said this might be possible, but nothing about it in this announcement. Since Palm IIIe users can't upgrade, I'm not too hopeful...
So this new PalmOS will include networking? Or so it says,...
Does this mean that later versions can be upgraded without a Desktop computer? According to the page, you need a desktop computer to upgrade the ROM. I'd like to see a self-sustaining Palmtop (computer), and not a overclocked digital rolex.
> Yeach! Another Windows self extracting binary.
:P
> Is there a Linux version of the PalmOS update
> out there?
Unfortunately, the installer seems to replace the standard hotsync utility while installing (to perform a full backup, and to force a sync of their special flash preparation program, and then do some stuff that talks to the flash program), so the chances of just being able to unzip it and sync are pretty low.
Looks like the choices are petition for a Linux version, or borrowing a Windows or Macintosh machine.
Yeach! Another Windows self extracting binary. Is there a Linux version of the PalmOS update out there?
I threw this on my Palm V yesterday, and it is definiely worth the download if you do any Synching of your data. I was able to half my synch time with this new version of the OS. Can't wait to try out synching over IR to my laptop sometime.....
Take the time to read the instructions though folks, it takes about 6 minutes to install 3.3 and your screen freaks out during this time....
DrLunch.com The site that tells you what's for lunch!
You can get a IIIx (4Mb) from Buycomp for $220; the Visor (2Mb) is $179, the Deluxe (8Mb) is $249... not a lot of difference. The slot is cool, but the Palm prices aren't too bad.
New features include a doubling of the maximum HotSync speed...
:)
Now I can install Solitare faster then ever before!
But seriously...I love my Palm, I use it much more often then I ever used my Franklin Planner. And I can play games with it! Wait...that sounded vaguely dirty...
:)
I wear pants.
I hate to say it,, but with the Visor being so much cheaper and doing the same stuff, I see Palm going the way of the Amiga
When I called Palm spring to cancel my visor, the tech insisted that my visor is flash upgradeable and wouldnt make me cancel it. The only way I got him to cancel my order was by asking "do you support linux?"
:)
--
Does this work with other clones (for example the Symbol PPT 1500, and ppt 1800) it seems it should since they are largely palm III's with some extra doodads (ie, more ram, scanner, ethernet )
------- Oh damn.... the Sigfile escaped... -Great OM
OK, what was I bitching about yesterday? Yes, Microsoft Windows is bloatware, but can't PalmOS be at least zaftig? I mean, "HotSyncque Vites" [hee hee, I that's Euro support for faster you-know-what]: that's it? Oooh la la! let me run right out! [yawn]
It looks like they have finally added the option to set up a TCP/IP connection using the standard cradle. Previously PalmOS would have only let you use a modem to connect to network; now IR and direct serial are possible..We're getting there, just wait until there is a nice Bluetooth add-on for Palm, or better, the Visor.
I bet a lot of Slashdot users(who were too lazy to set up a PPP server on their home Linux boxes just to connect their Palms to the Internet) will be installing this upgrade and fulfilling their filthiest, hidden fantasies of using PalmVNC to use their Linux boxes or surfing the Web on the Palm from an ADSL connection..I, for one, will be trying them...
Zigbee Central: A Zigbee weblog
I don't know what happened to the article, but I know it is still visible at http://slashdot.org/articles/99/1 0/19/1230228.shtml...
/. articles disappear... but it does seem to happen on a regular basis... sunspots, maybe?
i dunno why
I have a Pro with a pager card (OS 3.0.2.x) and saw a warning on the site about updated not being compatible with this... Any ideas?
/Simon
works ok in linux with kpilot stuff.
Come on guys, not having Windows these days is no excuse. Everyone, and I mean EVERYONE, should have at least some kind of access to a Windows9x or NT machine somewhere. If you're really hard core and just use Linux, then get a copy of vmware and install Win9x in a vmware box. It works great and you can use all the cool Win9x hotsync stuff with your Palm instead of the hacked together Linux stuff. I wish someone would come out with a decent palm desktop for Linux though.. I couldn't seem to find one when I was looking. :-(
I downloaded it and ran the installer. My screen started to look odd, but the program said that this was normal. Fine.
I move on to the next step, and it tells me that it's "lost contact" with my Palm, and I should hit "retry." I do so about 9 times, finally choosing to reset the installation. Wrong answer, I guess. My Palm's OS is completely screwed. It's (my Palm, not the OS) sitting here in the cradle, with that weird screen, not responding to ANYTHING. That's right, no soft resets, hard resets, backlights, NOTHING. Thank god I just did a full backup or else I would have been pretty upset. I got the good people at Palm's customer support to send me one Next Day, and waive the replacement fee (thanks Robert!).Let this serve as a warning. Do a FULL backup before this installation.
Mark Prindle, the most underappreciated genius on the web.
What part of "unix sysadmin" didn't you understand? If their job can't be done without Windows, someone on their staff has severely screwed up.
pilot-xfer -i filename works on .prd and .prc files, uploading them into the RAM. This, the OS upgrade, is a ROM flash. pilot-xfer won't work. ROM flashing utilities do exist for unix, however, as the poster previous to you has mentioned.
I asked Palm support about upgrading to OS 3.3 using Linux, seeing the upgrade on their site seems to be Win or Mac-specific. Here is their entire reply:
Dear 3Com Customer,
Thank you for contacting Palm Computing(R) Online Support.
I understand you are having a problem with upgrading your Palm's OS.
I see that you are running Linux. I myself know that Linux is better then
windows, most likely the reason you use the operating system. There are some
set backs. The upgrade for the OS will not work because it's not readable by
your OS. Sorry for the inconvenience. Is there a way to upgrade the OS
without Windows or Mac? To my knowledge, No.
Have we resolved your issue to your satisfaction today? If the response we
have provided you does not meet with your satisfaction, please reply to this
message with an explanation as to why.
Please post all replies under this message.
Thank You,
Leo K.
~879
Palm Computing(R) Online Support
#:RES;1
Call For a Campaign: Linux/bin for Palm Upgrade-
-----------------------------------------------
From the day I purchased Palm, I have used it
with Linux ONLY. And I intend to do so...
We must campaign to get a upgrade.bin for Linux!
Let us *all* write nice,decent, short mails
to support@ explaining that we intend to use and do use Palm with Linux. And hence we request
an palm OS upgrade for Linux platform!
I have written such a mail. I am awaiting their
reply. I implore all of you to do this.
May the slash-dot FORCE be with you.
- ak
ps: this problem would not arise if palm os were
open/free source. I am even more convinced now,
of RMS's foresight.
Frotz just resets. No more Zork! Sob.
Also Patience has stopped working completely.
Apart from that the upgrade went flawlessly. Didn't lose any data. Didn't lose any apps. The only thing I care about that stopped working was Frotz.
Oh, and the new version of Hardball is now way too fast to play and causes a crash when it exits. This was the 3.3 version included in the upgrade.
Also this might be my imagination, but it seems as if my Palm III is faster now. I could be dreaming, but it seems as if the ToDoList app is faster when bringing up ToDos. Similarly, the Applications app seems to be faster when switching between groups.
Has anyone else noticed a speedup? Is this perhaps just due to the defragment my Palm got when it did the upgrade (full reset and resync)? Maybe I'm just delusional?
I'm happy with the upgrade. I've lost a few apps, but the 2x speedup on HotSync more than compensates for that. And the IR HotSync looks like fun.
I have no idea why, but my palm III is a *lot* faster with the OS Upgrade. Screen redraws are at least twice as fast as before. And when I boost the LCD speed a little with Clockmaster, my Palm flies.
This can't be good...
Check out "ReDo" for the repeating task functionality. It's great.
Tell your friends about xenu.net
Does anyone know if the new hotsync manager will work with a Pilot running PalmOS 3.0? (I've got a III and a IIIe...)
--"You can lead a man to knowledge, but you can't make him think."
It's a shame that they only provide to Winblows software for the desktop.
Injured software engineer wins against Mattel!
I don't have windows, and have been extremely happy with both gpilotd and pilot-xfer, FWIW.
-- Erich
Slashdot reader since 1997
It basically gives a rundown of the new features, nothing special.
Mark Prindle, the most underappreciated genius on the web.
Greeeat - i run the updater for my IIIx/Mac and it gets to the last stage then can't restore my data from the Mac to the Palm.
Ring tech support and they say 'there's a bug, it shouldn't have been released'.
Well it was and i downloaded and ran it. should i charge them for my time?
The page that a poster suggested said that it can't work with 3COM rom files because the 3COM rom files are missing the first 32K.
-- Erich
Slashdot reader since 1997
My Palm V, like many others I know, suffer date losses every few days and have to have the correct day reset. I asked Palm about this and they are aware but have no solution for it yet (they told me to hard-reset, but using the prefs app is much less drastic).
I was thinking of throwing my V in the trash (what good is an organiser that can't keep the date?) and getting a Visor. But if this patch fixes it, I'll keep it.
I've upgraded my Palm V and now it doesn't know how to turn itself off (by physical button or the power off icon in LauncherIII) while the Hackmaster PalmVFix is active.
If you see this problem turn off this hack and you should be back to normal. (Maybe HackMaster needs to be updated?)
/* The beatings will continue until morale improves. */
What I wouldn't give for: a.) two addresses per contact, one home, the other business. b.) appointments that can span multiple dates (i.e. late party or difference in time zones) c.) multiple time zone support d.) repeating tasks
I'm watching my palm screen and I can see a while bunch of people in suits and this lady in a red dress. Deja vu.
Whoa.
-Chris
I read an article, today, that seemed to indicate that 3com/Palm WERE actually planning on using the new Dragonball VZ chip in a new palm device.
Now, I don't give a rat's ass about color, but it's 33MHz, instead of 16MHz, so I'm wondering if there's going to be some kind of retrofit kit, or even a hardware hack. I know that there's a software program that overclocks the 16MHz up to like 18, and the expense of extreme battery wear and tear, but if the new processor could be soldiered/plugged into the same socket, and run at 33MHz, with no other mods, and give the same battery life, then. . . I'm dreamin' dude!
"The number of suckers born each minute doubles every 18 months."
These are my friends, See how they glisten. See this one shine, how he smiles in the light.
Regardless, double check. Once you've upgraded the OS, there's no turning back.
As soon as you're born you start dying