Tablet PC Blogs

So apparently, a port scan attack somehow managed to wipe out most of the posts from the previous year. What a shame. However, I managed to get my M400 woes pages back. There is an online database of the Internet. It's called the Way Back Machine . I used to be able to view my previous websites on this server, but opted instead to use their robots.txt control feature to remove my sites from the archive.

There are probably other Internet archive sites that aren't so well publicized. And these ones may keep content on their servers for eternity. The web truly does live forever.

 

I haven't written about anything as much as I have detailed the problems I've been experiencing, mostly because I need to get some answers, and I'm hoping that somebody somewhere on the net will have them. Please read my previous blog post describing the standby and shutdown problems. It's just gotten more annoying.

Lately, I shut the M400 down and it doesn't really shut down. Rather, it sounds like it shuts down, but it stays on somehow and burns out the battery. Occasionally it does something else, and I was able to duplicate the problem today.

My Toshiba M400 was running low on battery power (about 7%) so I switched it to standby. I watched it go blank and the little power light started to blink, indicating it was sleeping. I put the computer in my backpack. When I took it out 40 minutes later, I found both the power and the wireless indicator lights on. Somehow the machine decided on its own to turn itself on. However, the screen stayed blank, I couldn't hear any fan noise, and the machine otherwise looked dead. When I shut it down, I heard the hard drive park.

I'll be doing more extensive testing later on. For now I'm asking all you experts: Is this behaviour remniscent of a virus?

Also, I found this link that may help me. I'll report back after I've tried it.

Edit (2007/05/16): It wasn't the link above, it was this link instead. And the problem still goes on. I believe it's related to the power profile being set to hibernate after a specific point in time. If the machine is running on battery power and I've entered standby mode, the machine may not have enough power to wake and enter hibernation. Instead the power and wireless light turn on and the screen stays blank, never to resume, no matter what I try. I'll run a few more tests and let y'all know for sure. It didn't do it while connected to my docking station, so battery power must be the ticket.

Originally published 05-14-2007, 8:49 PM
Content salvaged from the Way Back Machine

I was hoping to make my next entry the most glorious, pumped up, praiseworthy review of the Toshiba M400. I mean, what's there not to like? Intel Core Duo T2400 processor, 512MB DDR2 667MHz RAM, built in sound, video, bluetooth, and fingerprint scanner... all in the tablet platform. My spare stylus for my M200 (the Consolidator) works with it, as do the batteries. Plus, where the Consolidator lacked IEE1394 (firewire) and optical drive, the M400 has a built-in 4-pin firewire and a DVD Super Multi drive. The firewire port is better than on Lapzilla (my old 17" P30). Where Lapzilla would lose connection on the side ports (something I noticed too late after my warranty expired), the side ports on my new sword, "Excalibur", hold the cables securely so I can move my audio interface wthout losing connection.

And the fingerprint sensor does more than I expected. On top of simplifying my computer login to a quick thumb swipe, I can use the protector software to store information for password protected pages and applications, like GTalk and Skype. Let's forget for an moment that I set a hard disk password, which I didn't realize I can't remove. Ever. Fingerprint reader to the rescue! Not only will my thumb swipe open the hard drive, but it also scoots me past the BIOS, and even into the default login account for Windows, no questions asked. THAT is a skookum piece of hardware.

With that we hit the end of the positives. My model #M400-TD10TE has been wrought with problems ever since I bought it, but the problems have been inconsistent, which makes me believe they're more due to system software rather than hardware. At any rate, I thought I should at least post these out here on net-land, as I haven't heard these problems nor resolutions in the past number of weeks.

I spent the first three weeks trying to unload built-in software I was never going to use, and setting up software I was. I was really annoyed that my computer was running really slowly. I mean, the machine has two processors and a shared 2MB level 2 cache, and it was operating less efficiently than the Consolidator, which is a Centrino-based system. Even after upgrading the RAM to 2GB (using Toshiba-certified 667MHz chips) there was a slight delay when opening applications applications. And let's not talk about battery life for even a moment, because if I were writing this review using the battery power alone, I wouldn't get through all of it. Fortunately my special came with a docking station, which has been the most consistent piece of hardware related to this Tablet PC purchase.

My first web search revealed a system recovery was in order. Armed with my notes, I said "bye bye" to all my work and ran the recovery DVDs, selecting the opton to also free up the hidden recovery partition on the hard drive — I needed the extra 3 gigs. I ran all the updates to Windows XP and had my IT guy at work install our corporate licenses for my software, and they worked well. Well enough, anyway.

That was when the problems started. Being a bluetooth geek, I worked hard to get the built-in bluetooth card working. I bought a Rocketfish bluetooth keyboard and mouse and after an hour got it communicating properly. Why did I need a keyboard if I have a keyboard? Well, when I'm using applicaions like Photoshop, Illustrator and CorelDraw, I find some features aren't accessible with menus. And besides, keyboard shortuts are the tools of the master. I still wanted to draw in tablet mode, so the only option was an external keyboard. Rocketfish works great. The mouse has issues with it's battery compartment, but it's a mnor inconvenience for the lifespan of those batteries once the mouse gets working.

I have a Sony Ericsson Z520 cell phone, which had no problems synching with Outlook using a bluetooth dongle on the Consolidator. Unfortunately, the SE sync station doesn't recognize my internal bluetooth card, and so I can't synchronize my contacts with my cell phone. However, Toshiba's most recent update to the bluetooth stack (version 5.10.06) increased the functionality so I can open the phone like a hard drive and copy files between my computer and the phone again. The only function the original bluetooth stack provided was to use my cell phone as a wireless remote control, for use in triggering powerpoint presentations or windows media player. Useful functions I lost on the Consolidator. Now I see that it's because the SE driver took over in order to be able to synch my cell phone contacts. At any rate, I hope that SE will update their program to use built-in bluetooth cards. (Note to all: I've also tried IVT Bluesoleil version 3.2.2.8, and spoke with the customer service people, and they confirm that the drivers aren't compatible with Toshiba's internal card.)

Just last week I managed to get the official release of ActiveSync 4.5 to snchronize my Toshiba E830 Pocket PC, and it works great! It's a bit of a challenge to load applications, as the bluetooth driver always disconnects the serial port after synchronizing. I've looked everywhere, and even when the "leave connected" setting is selected, the two devices stop talking at the end of the data transfer. But if I time it just right, applications load and content synchs at the same time. So that's bearable. This makes me believe that I need to ditch my Z520a and get a Pocket PC cell phone. Any suggestions? (no Moto Q, please!)

On the success of my bluetooth update, I went ahead and updated the BIOS, first to version 3.30, then later to version 3.40. I also updated the Wacom Tablet PC driver, to add pressure-sensitivity to applications that didn't respond to it, strangely enough, including Photoshop CS2. At work I use Photoshop extensively, and it recognized the pressure levels of my old Wacom Graphire 2 USB tablet. But out of the box, Photoshop wasn't initially sensitive to the Excalibur's pressure. The Wacom driver fixed all that. Come to think of it, before I installed the Graphire on my work machine I downloaded the latest driver, so that's probably why it worked.

Somewhere in this update cocktail, with a few Windows XP updates thrown in to balance things out, my system is worse off than ever. My tablet works like a tablet only part of the time. Occasionally, after the screen blanks out when I enter standby, hibernation, or simply close the lid, The stylus stops working. The computer works fine, otherwise, but what's the point of a Tablet PC without a stylus?

I first noticed the problem after the BIOS update version 3.30. So I went ahead and upgraded to the Vista-ready BIOS version 3.40. The problem with this upgrade is that Toshiba's website said once I switched to a Vista-ready variant, I can no longer downgrade.

As I searched the web for problems related to the M400, I found a knowledge base article which cleared up a problem with IE and other applications opening slowly. My favourite application, the fingerprint reader software, was due for a build update. So I downloaded it and installed it, and all my problems were over. I could now enter standby and hibernate my system, and when it woke up the tablet pen worked. Such joy and jubiliation were short-lived, however. After lunch on Friday, I returned to my desk only to find that my computer resumed from standby, and the stylus didn't work. I was robbed! There went the neighbourhood.

So I'm still searching for the ideal fix for this problem. I'm thinking that I might have changed some settings related to the video display in the BIOS, but since upgrading to version 3.30 I haven't been able to use F1 to enter the BIOS. How stupid. I keep on trying though, and I know I will get in. Oh yes. I will get in.

While I had already planned to write a review today, in the hopes that some kind netizen will read my post and offer a solution to my woes, I now have a completely bizarre, new problem. Fortunately, I recall reading about it somewhere else. I'll have to find it again. Essentially, when I left the house this morning, I merely closed the laptop without powering it down, hibernating, nor entering standby. I've set my power options to do nothing when I close the laptop. I figure the hard drive shock protector will keep the machine safe if I transport it while it's still on. As I unsheathed Excalibur to engage in this review my stylus chose instead to track my scribbles in primary landscape mode, regardless of the screen orientation.

Will these problems never cease? I was planning to return Excalibur last month but then it started living up to its name. Now it's almost five months one and I haven't a clue where to begin solving these problems.

HELP!

Originally published 05-06-2007, 9:25 PM
Content salvaged from the Way Back Machine
 

The thrill of having a TABLET has kind of worn off. I guess it's because I'm a faster typist than a writer, and with my horrible handwriting the system has mucho trouble converting to text, as well as searching my ink. Don't ask for me to post samples of my script. I'm very embarrassed by it. I looked through my journals of twenty years ago and my penmanship was to die for. I even lettered comic books with my incredibly precise block notation. Nowadays I have to hire an interpreter for my interpreter to read my chickenscratches.

That said, I'm still having fun using pen-based systems. The next item on the agenda: my Toshiba E830 pocket pc. Yes, it's old. Yes, Toshiba no longer sells Pocket PC devices. I don't know why. This thing is a skookum piece of gear, albeit in desperate need of a software update to Windows Mobile 5. Still, I'm getting tons of mileage out of it, with the only drawback being that it doesn't have a cell phone built in.

When I bought my M200 the E830 came as part of the package. I was at first unsure that I would even use it. But it grew on me. It's a little bigger than a Palm or an iPAQ device, but this makes for a very readable screen. Plus, it's smaller than my Tablet, so I can truly take it anywhere. It connects to my PC using a cradle that has a blue neon band around the base remniscent of Close Encounters of the Third Kind. Very cool to look at, but not so cool when I'm trying to sleep. With a built-in 128MB memory, both SD AND CompactFlash slots, WifFi 802.11b, and bluetooth 1.1, this thing packs a punch. I'm so spoiled by this puppy that I can't find a Windows Mobile Phone Edition device that even remotely compares to these specs. Often TelCo carriers avoid giving WiFi, forcing one to use their data network (and pay more money for it). The most comparable processor on the market, made by Samsung, is a lousy cell phone. I want it all.

Last month I finally got ActiveSync to work using a bluetooth serial port. I knew it should have been possible, and with the help of a website found by a Google search it's done. I've always used combinations of WiFi and bluetooth to transfer files between devices (and my cell phone) and update my AvantGo reader content. I've also created a bluetooth serial connection to use my cell phone as a modem to send a quick email from the E830. Now, with ActiveSync working wirelessly, I don't need the UFO cradle to sync to Outlook on the Tablet. And this makes for some really peaceful sleeps.

Things I use my pocket pc for (and would love to merge with a cell phone in future):

• At the gym: I store my music on an SD card, and track my workouts using an Excel spreadsheet; I've also just found a workout tracking program to try
• At church: Pocket E-Sword (also available for Palm devices) with a collection of Bibles, a Strong's concordance, an International Standard Bible Encyclopedia, Devotional, and an editor to write notes
• Songwriting: I can record audio notes through a built-in microphone, and store the files as audio or as part of a text note
• On the buses: I keep up with the news downloaded into AvantGo. One of these days I'll think to add my own channels. Right now my favourite channel is Hubblesite Mini: great pictures from the Hubble telescope, scientific reports on recent NASA news, and quizzes for the novice and the learned alike
• At coffee shops: I can connect to any WiFi network (unless their authentication isn't built to handle handheld devices) and check email, surf the web, and download files
• Entertain the kids: My eldest son (5) loves "jawbreaker". As an aside, I also found a version for the PC that sets up a network where users can share high scores over the Internet and peer-to-peer chat. Kind of spooky
• More entertainment: My son also likes to draw in the notepad, and use the multiple coloured crayon-app "PencilBox". For just a few bucks I can upgrade the program into a full-function drawing app
• Out and about: My contacts and appointments are synched up with Outlook on my Tablet. Eventually I would like to set up an Exchange server (or something compatible) so that my wife and I can have separate calendars, but can still see each others' availability
• Picture Perfect: The SD card slot is great for pulling pictures off my camera to take to the photo lab. Why upload when you're already in the neighbourhood? Guaranteed 1-hour service. Yeah baby

The handwriting recognition on the Pocket PC is worse than the Tablet. However, I am getting better. As practice on the Pocket PC improves my handwriting, the Tablet will finally be able to guess the right words every time! I'll be sure to keep this blog updated with more experiences consoldiating my two handwriting-based toys.

Many thanks to Layne for making this tablet pc blogging website available to spread the word on the tablet pc. I've recently converted to the tablet platform and am constantly finding new uses for its features. I look forward to exploring this community with you!