To my horror, as soon as our last issue hit the streets, I started receiving email. People couldn't get the tip from my last column to work. In the article I described how to view HP Jornada 540 applications sideways (see Tom Gibson's column, page 57, for a summary.) Somehow, in our cleverness turning the column itself sideways, the proper instruction
"rotate r" (with a space) became "rotater" (without a space). We immediately put up a correction at
our Web site. However, I am VERY sorry for the frustration and time wasted that the typo may have caused.
Why Some MS Reader eBooks can't be read on the Pocket PC
I also received a number of email complaints about my column about the free Michael Crichton TimeLine novel and the availability of eBooks at
BN.COM. In fact, shortly after the column was published, BN.COM started charging full retail price for TimeLine. Even worse, subscribers started purchasing BN.COM MS Reader eBooks, and they found they couldn't read them on their Pocket PC.
First an explanation, then the happy ending: The new desktop version of MS Reader (www.microsoft.com/reader)
version 1.5 supports something called DRM5. DRM refers to the protection level of an eBook publication. MS Reader on the Pocket PC supports DRM1 and DRM3 but not DRM5. Some publishers want more protection for their materials so they use DRM5. When the Reader 1.5 for Pocket PC becomes available, these books will be readable on a Pocket PC.
The good news? First there are LOTS of free and commercial eBooks available now for the Pocket PC. Check out (www.cewindows.net) for free eBooks and a list of commercial eBook reseller sites such as PeanutPress (www.peanutpress.com) with over 2000 MS Reader books. Secondly, we understand that Microsoft will correct the problem with the release of MS Reader 1.5 for the Pocket PC in the next couple of months. It will be a free download at (www.PocketPC.com). Finally, books published today with DRM5 can be read on a PC with MS Reader 1.5 for PC, available at
www.microsoft.com/reader.
HP Jornada 720
I have finally weaned myself from the HP 200LX, a wonderful palmtop. Despite its 1993 technology, its compact size and ability to work on AA's and run DOS still make it a great unit visit (www.PalmtopPaper.com). I finally made the move to an HP 548 Pocket PC when I was able to sync my HP 200LX contacts to desktop Outlook using Curtis Cameron's Outlook/200LX sync
program (www.palmtop.net). I run my HP 200LX DOS apps using PocketDOS (www.pocketdos.com).
HP recently sent me an HP Jornada 720 Handheld PC 2000 and I'm falling in love all over again. (See last issue's
HP 720 review) I used the HP 720 to type this article on my Las Vegas COMDEX flights. Not only have I ditched my HP 200LX, I also left my laptop home. With my HP 720 I did my e-mail and Web work in the hotel.
I have an old "classic" CompuServe account. Searching our
www.PocketPC mag.com database and making a few modifications to an archived article, I was able to use CompuServe as an ISP so I could get my company MS Exchange email with a local Las Vegas call. With our system administrator's help, I set up our inbox with the Thaddeus domain and defined SMTP host for sending email as smtp.compuserve.com. I created My CompuServe connection using Start > Programs >
Communications > Remote Networking. In the setup I checked "Use Terminal Window After Dialing." in the "Configure" option.
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