Various Zire72 Questions.

[IsLNdbOi]

Ok. Getting ready to finally buy a Silver Zire72 here. I have a couple of questions and would really appreciate it if you other 1srcers could help me.

1) Is RealOne Player built into the Zire72's ROM? If not, if I install a different player, can I assign the button with the music icon (bottom right of the four hard buttons on the front), to the player that I install?

2) Is there a "Windows Media Player" for Palm?

3) Since the Zire72 has a SD slot, if I get a SD card, can I connect the Zire72 to any computer and have the Zire72 act like a SD card reader? This is of course so I can use my Zire72 as sort of a thumb / pen drive.

4) I used to use Graffiti Anywhere with my TH55. Is it true that in the preferences of the Zire72, you can enable Graffiti 2 on the whole screen? So I'm not limited to writing in the graffiti area? (I saw this on page 46 of the User Guide downloaded from Palm's website). Does it work kind of like Graffiti Anywhere?

Thanks for any help. Free GMail accounts for those that can answer my questions! ;)

[KProz]

My First Post :)
I bought a Zire 72 some time ago and think it's very good compared to the previous Palm's i've owned (Screen broke about a week ago :( its gone back to palmOne for replacement).
In answer to your questions,
1) Yes, RealOne is built into the rom and you can re-assign the button from the preferences menu.
2) No, there isn't a Windows Media Player for palm however, there are many video players available including MMPlayer. Kinoma and Teal Movie
3) Yes, you can use the internal SD card slot like a "pen drive" however, you will need 2rd party software (such as Card Export) to be able to do this.
4) Yes, im pretty sure this feature is call "write anywhere" and is somewhere in the preferences menu.
Hope this helps.

[toymaker]

Wow KProz first posting and right on with the info! Welcome to 1src. :D

If I might add a slightly different perspective as well,

1.The Real player installed in ROM works ok but background playback stops at the end of the current song when you leave the program. There is an minor update available if you purchased songs from their webstore and want to play them on your palm. Oh and the conduit to the Desktop App is known to crash PC's badly, I gave up and use AeroPlayer except occasionally for my purchased songs still in Real format.

2.There is a built in program called Media that displays your pictures and movies you record on your palm but it also is pretty good at converting Video from your PC to your palm just by a simple-drag and-drop.

2a. If you are refering to playing WMA songs on your palm, Pocket Tunes can play un-encrypted WMA songs. (I prefer AeroPlayer which plays OggVorbis)

3.Like KProz said get Card Export. It works!

4. Yes it is called the Write anywhere option in the Writing Area tab in preferences and it works just like Graffiti Anywhere which I used to use as well.

I hope this helps you, definately get the silver edition if you go with the 72 mine is now a DIY silver edition. There is talk about a Zire 73 coming out very soon but no details yet, It might be worth waiting a little longer.

[Tam Hanna]

Nothing to add here. The Info is nice!
About the Zire 73-I have not yet seen any rumour. If you need the handheld quickly, get it. If you can wait-waiting is always a good thing to do!

[IsLNdbOi]

Thanks for all the info. guys. That's a shame that RealOne is built into the ROM. I downloaded the 649 page manual from Palm's site yesterday and it said one of the applications on the included CD was RealOne for Palm so I thought that it wasn't in ROM. Here's what the manuals says starting on page 27:

What’s on the CD?
The CD includes desktop software for your computer and additional software for your handheld. The desktop software lets you use your computer to view, enter, and manage info for many of the applications on your handheld. Make sure you install the desktop software so that you can back up the info on your handheld onto your computer. The additional handheld software lets you do more things with your handheld. When you set up your handheld you may have already installed some (or all) these applications. You can install any remaining applications at any time.

Your CD includes titles such as the following:
-Palm® Desktop software View, enter, manage, and back up info for Calendar, Contacts, Tasks, Memos, and Expense on your computer. You can also view, manage, and back up info for Note Pad, Voice Memo, and Media (Media is Windows only). When you synchronize your handheld with your computer, the info is updated in both places. This application installs
automatically during the initial CD installation process.

-palmOne™ Quick Install Transfer applications and other files from your computer to your handheld or to an expansion card that is seated in the expansion slot (Windows only). This application installs automatically during the initial CD installation process.

-Send To Handheld droplet Transfer applications and other files from your computer to your handheld or to an expansion card that is seated in the expansion slot (Mac only). This application installs automatically during the initial CD installation process.

-Getting Started Guide Keep the Getting Started Guide with you and view it on your handheld.

-Documents To Go Create, view, and edit files that are compatible with Microsoft Word and Excel. This application from DataViz has a companion application on your computer where you can find complete documentation (desktop software is Windows only).

-palmOne VersaMail™ Send, receive, and manage e-mail messages wirelessly using the builtin Bluetooth technology on your handheld or by synchronizing with your Windows computer.

-palmOne Messages Send and receive short text (SMS) and multimedia (MMS) messages using the built-in Bluetooth technology on your handheld.

-palmOne WebPro Browse your favorite sites on the web using the built-in Bluetooth technology on your handheld. (Internet connection required.)

-AudiblePlayer Listen to newspapers, books, public radio, language instruction, and more (additional fees may apply). Windows only.

-RealOne Player Carry music on an expansion card (sold separately), create playlists, and listen to music on your handheld. This application also includes desktop software (Windows only). Both Mac and Windows users can use RealOne Player on the handheld.

-Windows Media Player/Direct X Works with the palmOne™ Media application. You need to install this software on your computer to view videos in certain formats in Palm Desktop software (Windows only). A Mac desktop video playback applications is not included. To view videos you capture on your handheld on your Mac, you need to install a third-party application that can play MPEG4 video with ADPCM audio files. For additional information, visit www.palmOne.com/support/zire72.

-Java Technologies Access more software and functions after you download WebSphere Micro Environment to run Java (J2ME) on your handheld. (Download requires Internet connection.)

-Handmark Solitaire Enjoy hours of entertainment with this solitaire game.

-powerOne Calculator Calculate math and business solutions with this enhanced calculator.

-Addit Preview, try, and buy software for your handheld (Windows only and web access required).

-Adobe Reader
for Palm OS View PDF files that are tailored to fit your handheld’s screen.

-Palm Reader Purchase and download eBooks from the web so you can read them when you want, where you want.

[IsLNdbOi]

I hate having something like RealOne Player in ROM. Is Documents To Go in ROM too? Which of the applications listed above (supposedly on the CD) are actually installed in ROM? Thanks again for your help guys.

If you want your GMail invites, please send me a PM.

[MrNako]

What did you do to your TH55?!

[IsLNdbOi]

Sold my TH55. I didn't use WiFi as much as I thought I would. WiFi isn't as accessible and widespread as I thought it would be by now. The only places I have access to wifi:

my home
limited areas on campus


With Bluetooth, I'll have internet access anywhere I have cell phone reception. Also, I got tired of the very high memory stick pro. prices. The things I will miss the most:

very large screen
the skinnable VG and SB
the "busy-ness" of the CLIE specific forums (palmOne forums / Zire forums seem pretty dead).

[toymaker]

Unfortunately Documents To Go isn't built into the ROM. I also wish it was the other way around and that RealOne Player was an optional install.

[IsLNdbOi]

Hmmm... I wish JackSprat and JackFlash worked with the Zire72. Are any of the other apps. on the Zire72 connected / linked to RealOne in any way? Is RealOne required for some of the other apps.?

[IsLNdbOi]

Actually, I prefer not having any third party apps. in ROM.

[danopoly]

Sold my TH55. I didn't use WiFi as much as I thought I would. WiFi isn't as accessible and widespread as I thought it would be by now. The only places I have access to wifi:

my home
limited areas on campus


With Bluetooth, I'll have internet access anywhere I have cell phone reception. Also, I got tired of the very high memory stick pro. prices. The things I will miss the most:

very large screen
the skinnable VG and SB
the "busy-ness" of the CLIE specific forums (palmOne forums / Zire forums seem pretty dead).

HAHA, i wanted the exact opposite, id rather have a Th55 than a zire 72. Even though my zire72 is my best pda right now (yes, it beats my tungsten T5), i prefere a th55. The battery life on my zire is horrific. And i wish i had wifi built into my zire. But overall, i like my zire 72. Its a great pda, nice looking and has sweet looking display colour.

[harpoon]

.... i prefere a th55. The battery life on my zire is horrific. ....

I've seen people use apps to underclock the processor on the Zire72 and extend the battery life. I myself haven't tried it. (Reason being, I don't have my new Zire72 until this weekend... Cant wait :D )

[danopoly]

Does any 1 here know anay apps that can increase battery life for the zire 72? if so, what do i do to be able to increase it?? I have lightSpeed and pxa clocker, would that help??

[IsLNdbOi]

Hey danopoly, where do you have wifi access?

[danopoly]

my neighborhood is surrounded my coffe shops, i usually go buy coffe sumtimes, and most of the shops i go to have acess. Why u ask???