We cannot respond to all letters or e-mail (but we read them all). Please send us questions, suggestions for improvements in the magazine, ideas for new software, or general comments. All response, unless otherwise indicated, are from Rich Hall, Editor of Pocket PC magazine. You can reach Rich at rich@PocketPCmag.com. This column contains e-mail from readers as well as selected messages from the Pocket PC magazine forums.
Wireless syncing missing from ActiveSync 4.0
Thanks for the great overview of Windows Mobile 5.0. I read your comments on ActiveSync 4.0 with interest and then tried the beta. You mentioned that you would be able to sync over network or wirelessly. That should be amended to say that AS 4.0 only supports direct cabled and Bluetooth syncing. Microsoft has removed from AS4.0 the ability to sync over your local network, wired or wirelessly. Microsoft mentions what I think is a bogus security concern for this change. I hope that we will be able to continue to use ActiveSync 3.8 with Windows Mobile 5.0, which does support local network syncing.
John J. Buxbaum
Need Bluetooth headset for my iPAQ
After reading Diane's article on the Nextlink Bluespoon AX Bluetooth headsets, (p. 48, April 2005 edition) I have bought one, hoping to use it not only as a hands-free telephone set, but also as a wireless method of listening to audio books on my O2 XDA IIs. However I am only able to get it to work during phone calls. It will not tune in to MP3 files. It will not link at all with my non-phone edition iPAQ h2210. I am very happy to have bought the device purely from the phone call point of view but do you have any advice on whether or not it, or any other wireless device, can be used to listen to MP3's streamed from my pocket PC while I am on my daily walks?
Mark Sinclair
The AX should work with your PDAs which support BT headset profiles. I had tested it with several Pocket PCs including my Dell X50v. However, the sound quality isn't that good for listening to music. I would highly recommend HP's BT stereo headphones. I have a pair and they are both light and sound as good as wired headphones. The headphones use a different high-quality audio BT profile. Check them out at HP's online store (http://www.shopping.hp.com). They cost about $100.
Diane Dumas
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