How does the NX70 use memory sticks?

[Unregistered]

I'll be buying a new PalmOS 5.0 device as soon as my tax refund gets in. I'm currently trying to decide between the NX60/70 and the Palm TungstenT.

My question is just how accessable the memory on a memory stick is. On earlier Palms and Visors, some apps could be run from a memory card, but read/write data couldn't be stored on the card -- you had to move it to regular memory, do the write, then move it back to the card.

Has this changed with the Clie NX series? Can I store read/write data on a memory stick? How about applications? Can they be run directly from the memory stick? Can apps, data, and MP3s all co-exist on a single memory stick?

If you have other thoughts or issues in using memory sticks, I'd appreciate the info.

Non-memory stick related issues: How well does wireless browsing work? What's a good belt case for the NX70?

Thanks,

Sean.

[Tek Phreak]

I don't think i know the answer to your first question, but can you store read/write data on any flash memory form? And yes, some applications you can run from the stick and those that don't have that capability built in you can most likely use another app to run it off a MS like PowerRun. And 3rdly, yes all file types can coexist on a single MS because Sony has folders dedicated to each type.

I can't answer your last 2 cause i have no experience with them sorry.

Enjoy.
-Tek

[ojleblanc]

Yes, read/write data can be stored on a memory stick. I keep my Word files and Excel spreadsheets on my memory stick and read/write to them using DocsToGo. For example, I track my miles per gallon in Excel. I open the spreadsheet directly from the memory stick, edit, and save it. I never transfer it to the internal memory on the NX. It takes a few seconds longer to access files on the memory stick versus the internal memory, but this is not too bad.

My only other thoughts on the memory stick is that 128 MB go quickly! Sony: bring on the CF drivers!

[Eric S]

Read/Write files on MemoryStick (any current PalmOS VFS memory, for that matter) can be done in one of two ways.

1) As mentioned above, some applications are smart enough to handle writing to VFS directly. This is dependent on the application, and many don't do this well.

2) There's at least one VFS-enabler that when you run a program, will copy the databases that program uses into RAM, then copies them back to VFS when the program exits.

[mashoutposse]

PLEASE GET POWERRUN!!!!!!!!!!!

I just got the newest version of PowerRun. Except for Clie Mail, my launcher app (ZLauncher), and the 14k Graffiti demo, every single one of my programs is running completely off of the Memory Stick (yes, even their respective databases).

PowerRun, as Eric S described, is a utility that allows you to store all of your programs on the Memory Stick by automatically copying them into RAM only when they are called upon. Think of your PC. It really doesn't run your programs directly from the hard drive; rather, it copies what it needs into RAM and runs it from there. PowerRun makes your Palm work more or less like this -- your Memory Stick becomes the 'hard drive,' and the built-in RAM is used less as storage space and more as a 'buffer.' Trust me; with PowerRun 1.2, the 11MB of RAM is not confining in the least -- dare I call it excess? ;)

PowerRun is an excellent, extremely user-friendly utility. It automatically detects your programs in RAM, lists them clearly (no confusing filenames), and moves them onto your Memory Stick with one click of the 'Move' button, databases and all. The program then automatically creates an application shortcut that resides in RAM (only about 3k each) -- best of all, these shortcuts prevent most launchers from forgetting the categorization of the programs! I can't tell you how annoying it is to remove a Memory Stick with about 50+ apps, then reinsert it and find all of your apps in the 'Unfiled' category :)

Here is a list of all of the programs on my Clie that are PowerRun-assisted and working flawlessly. As stated previously, only three apps aren't on this list; one of them voluntarily -- ZLauncher. You will also notice that there are a lot of big names here:

AcidImage
AcidSolitaire
Agendus 6
Bebop game
Bejeweled!
Bible Reader
Billiards
Bonsai
Car Master
Chain Reaction
ChessMaster
ChromaGames
CLIE Demo
Data Viewer
Datebk5
DayNotez
iSilo
Kinoma
Lemonade Tycoon
Ultrasoft Money
My Diary
Netfront Web Browser
PalmVNC
Power48
Shadow
SplashID
SplashPhoto
TealAuto
TealDoc
TinySheet 4
Tungsten T fonts
XCade
Zap! 2016

With all of this, I have 9MB of 11MB free (and I could have had 10MB, but I chose to run Zlauncher in RAM for convenience). Again, all of these programs are working flawlessly! Even the 2.0MB NetFront takes only about 3 seconds to be copied to RAM and running. As far as I'm concerned, if it doesn't work with PowerRun, then I probably didn't need it :)

[MikeLang]

Do the databases still sync with desktop when they are on memory stick?

[mashoutposse]

Yes!!!

[MikeLang]

What apps did you successfully sync after you moved them to MS? PowerRun's manual still said that apps/databases that were moved to MS won't sync and apps conduit won't work?
Thanks.

[mashoutposse]

I just synced SplashID with the desktop app (created a listing on the desktop app; it appeared on the handheld after syncing). I've also been syncing iSilo without issues. I'll try other programs, as well...

[mashoutposse]

I also made sure it goes the other way; I deleted the listing from the handheld, synced, and it deleted it from the desktop.

[mashoutposse]

Just synced ShadowPlan...

[mshaf]

The Tungsten is a piece of crap! Plastic hunk of garbage.

[mashoutposse]

DayNotez doesn't sync with the desktop unless you press the Hotsync button while the program is open (on the CLIE). I guess it's hit and miss...

[fnm]

Mashoutposse.

Just for curiosity, why you keep Clie Mail in the internal memory. There is any reason for this?

Thanks.

[mashoutposse]

Clie Mail doesn't see my network settings when it is loaded with PowerRun, unfortunately.

[fnm]

By any changes, do you know if it is save to use PowerRun with Avantgo.

Thanks.

[mashoutposse]

Haven't tried it with AvantGo (ISilo has replaced it)...