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Posts tagged iPAQ
HP iPAQ Accessories
May 29th
Ever since I’ve been using the HP iPAQ 910c (see http://www.nickmelchi.com/bl0g/2009/01/04/goodbye-iphone-hello-ipaq/), I’ve been trying to not carry an iPod and the iPaq when I commute to Milwaukee.
I had previously only been carrying my iPhone, which served as my music, video, phone, calendar, address book, entertainment and e-mail device. The iPaq takes care of phone, address book calendar, e-mail and music. I’m starting to get videos/movies on it, but its a bit kludgy yet.
I had an FM transmitter that was working just fine with my iPhone and iPod but it was connection specific to those devices. Couldn’t use it with the iPaq. The iPaq 910c only has a mini-USB connection on it, so I had to find an adapter to convert that connection to a 3.5mm audio jack.
If you read one of my other posts (http://www.nickmelchi.com/bl0g/2009/01/15/ipaq-910c-topics/), I reference http://www.repairhppda.com/ as a site to order accessories for iPaqs and other devices. I decided to order the adapter they advertised. Specifically, this is the adapter: http://www.repairhppda.com/35mm-audio-jack-to-usb-converter-p-740.html
I ordered it, paid with a debit card, everything was fine, I thought. Order was processed and everything looked OK, and it was as far as they were concerned.
My bank detected the charge I just made as a fraudulent charge and disabled my debit card. I didn’t know about it until I tried using it several more times while out and about. I called the bank and they explained that the system detected activity outside my normal spending and took preventative action.
After looking more into it, turns out the site is based in Hong Kong and the parts actually ship from Hong Kong. The bank the site uses for credit card transactions, is the royal bank of scotland. Combine me being in the USA, rarely buying things online from outside the country, with a site in Hong Kong that uses a bank in Scotland and you get Nick’s debit card frozen.
It took about a month and a half, but the part did arrive and it works well. I can use any headphones or any FM transmitter that has a 3.5mm connector on it.
They recently sent me an e-mail with a new product they just released. It is an adapter that allows you to charge/sync as well as plug-in a regular 3.5mm connection. They had me hook, line and sinker.
Since I have been using the iPaq as my music source in the car and at work, the battery was draining very quickly and since I could charge while I listened, this new product was just what I was looking for.
After mulling it over for a week, I broke down and ordered it on 5/28/2009. It said shipping is from 7 to 20 days, so who knows when it will arrive and who knows if my bank will freeze my card again, but either way, if it means I can stop carrying two devices with me, I’m in.
An image from their website of the new product. Perhaps I’ll update it with a reallife image when mine arrives. I think I could take a better picture than that anyways.

Overall, I’m happy with the http://www.repairhppda.com website.
Twikini, a Windows Mobile Twitter app
May 22nd
Ever since I’ve been using my HP iPaq 910c, which was a change from my iPhone to Windows Mobile, I had been searching for a Twitter application that was as good as the iPhone apps I had used.
I struggled with ceTwit, PockeTwit for a while, I tried Twobile, Tiny Twitter and Twitter’s mobile site and was left with a bad taste in my mouth. Why? Because I had been used to the clean, ease of use applications I got from the iPhone app store and all the Windows Mobile apps were kludgy and underdeveloped in my opinion. They just didn’t have the polish that I was looking for. The web based sites were not as convenient as an actual application.
Side note: Twinkle was my favorite iPhone Twitter app because of the location (who’s twittering around me) functionality.
Then, I found Twikini (http://www.trinketsoftware.com/Twikini/) by using Twitter’s search page to find windows mobile apps. I’ve been using it since release .5 (I think) and each release has been an improvement on the previous. The latest release, version 1.1 fixed some of the ‘bugs’ that were in 1.0 and since then, it’s been great. Twikini is a very well written and has the polished look and feel that reminds me of what I miss about the Apple applications I used to use. Customer support (via @twikini on twitter) is very good about getting back to users and posting updates on the program/functionality.
The GPS integration isn’t working on my device yet, but according to their FAQ, they are working on improving GPS functionality. In the meantime, they allow you to manually update your location (see screenshot).
One thing I’d really like to see in a future release is the “who’s twittering around me” functionality, like Twinkle on the iPhone.
If you’re looking for a Twitter application for Windows Mobile, Twikini is the best around, as far as I’m concerned.
Get it here: http://www.trinketsoftware.com/twikini/

