OT: Quickpad overview

[megarat megarat@xxxxxxxx]

> Well, I'm sorry it didn't work out. M$Word v5.5 maybe?

Word 5.5 seems to work just fine. with some minor tweaking. It's not as
bare-bones as I prefer, however. And the high memory overhead means that your
editable file size goes down.



> Cam, doesn't the QuickPad have a built-in word-processor, and is it any good?
> Compatible with other WP formats (Word, WordPerfect or RTF, for example)?
> If it's adequate for even rudimentary text entry, and files are readily
> transferable to a "real" computer, that could be the way to go.

The QP has a built-in word processor of sorts; it's really a text editor, with
some minor WP-ish features. It's pretty good for what it is, and most people
on the Quickpad mailing list (at groups.yahoo.com, if anyone's interested) are
delighted with it. My chief complaint is that it has a file-size limit of 64k,
and I typically work with manuscripts much larger than this.

File transfer is trivial. You can send files between the QP and a PC via
either serial or USB port. Windows software is included to facilitate this.
Still, the easiest way to go is to use the QP's built-in compact flash slot.
Just get a CF reader on your PC and you can have 128MB CF cards running files
back and forth like Zip disks.

All in all, it works very well. Regardless, I am interested in selling mine,
for reasons I'll explain in a moment.



> A full-size(?) keyboard, a pound and a half and 100+ hours of battery life!
> The tradeoff might be worth it. I'd be tempted to get one for
> library/cafe/airplane work, provided that data transfer is easy (and
> reliable).

The keyboard is indeed full-size (although some might argue that the space bar
and right-side shift key are noticably smaller), and I find it quite
comfortable. It even has those yummy page-up, page-down, end and home keys are
super-convenient when text-editing in a mouseless environment.

The weight is not an exaggeration; when you hold the QP in your hand, it's
startlingly light. When put in its custom carrying case, it becomes much
bigger and heavier, but it still beats a laptop.

The 100+ hours is only for four alkaline AA batteries. The QP can have an
optional internal NiMH battery charger, but with NiMH batteries it only
("only", ha!) runs for about 30 hours before you need to recharge them. Then
you just plug in the QP and the batteries are charged overnight.

The QP also has some nifty power-miser features that aren't advertised. You
can also power it via USB or the serial port. Just plug it into a computer,
hub, or other powered device by any of these ports and it will run by that
power source, instead of the batteries. It's pretty slick.



> Xy-compatibility aside, what are your impressions of this machine?

My impressions are mixed, but I'm being picky.

First of all, I've been using a gadget -- the Alphasmart Pro -- for several
years that is essentially a primordial version of this machine. The ASPro has
the same "keyboard with a screen" form factor; it runs for about 100 hours on 2
AA batteries; instant-on; rugged and light. While it's a keen device, it has
much room for improvement. The screen is only 4x40; it can only hold up to
128ish pages at once, and split up across eight memory banks; as a text-editor,
it's very rudamentary. But still, it has a neat appliance-like charm. It's
like a calculator: it never crashes, it does what it advertises, and there you
go. Plus, I got it for maybe $50 on eBay, so the price is right.

Currently, I keep the ASPro out at the cabin, use it for writing when the
laptop is charging via the solar collector, and I transfer the text to the
laptop later (via Apple's ADB port) when it has a charge again. So I already
have a usable system, of sorts.

So when I say I'm being picky, that's only because I'm looking for something
that can replace the entire system. I want a single device I can bring up to
the cabin, use it within a reasonable set of limits, and take back with me.
I'm probably crazy, but right now, I'm not happy enough with the limits of the
QP to supercede it over my current system. (Especially when I can get a few
hundred dollars for it by putting it back on eBay.)

At the risk of of going into too much detail, here are some further
impressions, good and bad:

The built-in applications are fine. The spreadsheet has some reasonable
programming features and is very capable for simple financial matters. There's
an address book and schedule that works pretty well, but it's slightly more
cumbersome than my Palm. I haven't tried out the built-in modem for POP email
access yet, but apparently it's a good bare-bones solution as well. Most
people decry the graphic calculator as useless, but I think it's okay. The
users on the mailing list who stick to the built-in applications tend to find
the QP the cat's meow. Those who expect it to be primarily a DOS computer
usually end up getting disappointed, and typically decide that the struggle of
finding working DOS apps isn't worth their time.

I have decided to sell mine (for the aforementioned reasons), if anyone here is
interested in purchasing it.  For specs, this is the QuickPad Pro Mail, with
the built-in modem and the internal NiMH battery charger. It is in almost-new
condition and has all cables (serial/USB/phone), the mains-power adaptor, the
original manual (FWIW), the floppy disk of Windows file-transfer software,
original carrying case, a set of brand-new NiMH batteries and two 128MB compact
flash cards, one of which contains a fair amount of software. New from
quickpad.com, the bare unit w/o batteries and CF cards is about $380. I'd be
happy to sell this set for $280.

(For the record, I bought this on eBay less than a month ago for about $260,
without the CF cards and NiMH batteries (The cards and batteries cost an
additional $60). I'm not profiteering, but I won't be taking a bath either.
If no one here wants to buy it for my asking price, I'll be posting it on
eBay.)

- cam


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