Jot for T3 -- BIG DISAPOINTMENT!!

[mike808]

I've been waiting for months for CIC to release Jot for the T3!!!

Although I have tried some graffiti2 alternatives such as transferring graffiti1 files, MessagEase, Fitaly, and Tealscript I still keep coming back to plain old graffiti2 because of various hardware issues / software conflicts. I actually like graffiti2 in many / most cases except that I HATE the 2 strokes for some letters.

So...I figured when CIC updated Jot for the T3 I would have the best of both worlds...graffiti2 -- but single strokes for i, k etc....

Well Jot 2.1 has been released and CIC shouldn't have bothered!!!

Here's my problem in a nut shell -- on the T3 it's full screen Jot or nothing!?!?!?

CIC ignores the graffiti icon on the system status bar...it's now an ornament...changing it's state does nothing...Jot is ALWAYS on, and can't be turned off without going into Jot (if I'm wrong on this, please someone point out the process to me)...

Secondly, it does only half the job...whether it can be turned off easily or not as stated above, CIC clearly states that Jot doesn't function in the virtual graffiti area -- As stated in the manual "Jot is not supported in the input area" meaning that it's back to 'plain' graffiti2 (double strokes?!?!?!).

On top of this there is the price issue -- There is no price break / upgrade price for the T3 (even though graffiti2 is a scaled back Jot), so for $39 (or $29 for "JotComplete) I still have to live with graffiti2 in the virtual graffiti area and I lose full screen toggle?????

So all and all I'm curious why CIC released this upgrade...the only stated functionality is T3 / Treo600 support. I can't speak to t600 issues, but it's INADEQUATE support for the T3!!!

[rkadowns]

Thank you for the post. You said about all that needs to be said. Looks like I will stick with the built in input method until decuma uses the DIA as well.

Anyone know why it appears so difficult for 3rd parties to use the DIA area?

[motionmind]

I'm thrilled with G2 since it's more like my normal writing (printing). Cursive would be nice though.

[mike808]

>> Anyone know why it appears so difficult for 3rd parties to use the DIA area?

There have been numerous threads talking about how PalmOne won't release information about programming the DIA area. All apps in this category come from programmers who have "reverse engineered" the process. I understand that and I've have been trying to wait patiently for the Jot upgrade. My problem is releasing sub-standard software that actually takes away functionality and charging premium prices for it.

>>I'm thrilled with G2 since it's more like my normal writing (printing).

I can't say I'm "thrilled" with it. I'm a minority among the Palm users that I know in that I like it better than Graffiti1. The two-stroke characters i, k, and t drive me crazy...both in input errors, and the occasional program that just won't accept them.

As I said, I've tried numerous alternatives...for now it appears I'm stuck with graffiti2 with the occasional full keyboard for speed and stability.

[John_Blasdell]

Really -- just the act of writing. Graffiti that is. I purchased a T3 a couple of months ago, and really enjoy it. When I first turned it on, I could barely do anything with it. I needed to input "stuff" and the T3's Graffiti 2 is somewhat different from G1. I had followed the thread about "upgrading" late model Palms back to G1, but decided to learn and use G2. I looked at TealScript (that looks like the best solution), but after reading hundreds of pages of documentation and trying out lots of new software, I just didn't have the time right now to properly set up and train myself and TealScript. I had become fairly fast and accurate with G1 on my Visor Prism, even inputting thoughts as I drove (I know, I know…). For some reason, G2 just isn't as smooth or quick. What really made things worse was when I recently revived my Visor. I thought it was dead, but after resting for a month, followed by charging, it seems OK. Now I had to unlearn G2 for one unit, and remember it for the other. Not good. When I revived the Visor, I thought I'd only use it as an emergency backup, in case the T3 had a very bad day. That hasn't worked exactly as planned, but I do take the Visor with me and use it almost daily. I had a problem for a few days getting the T3 to talk to my cell phone; I used the Visor. I'm waiting for Bluetooth keyboards to be released, so I use the Visor and Stowaway keyboard to type some things.

I lost patience with G2 last week. I transferred the two G1 files to an SD card, copied them from the SD card to the Palm, did a soft reset, and Presto, G1 was back! It was that easy. The G1 Help screens are back, and the T3's "Graffiti Anywhere" feature remains. Then I discovered all is not perfect, or as before. G2 incorporates a feature like MiddleCapsHack, where writing a graffiti letter partially in the number area capitalizes the letter. That feature is gone!

Newbies (no prior Graffiti experience) are probably best served learning G2 -- many of them seem to like it -- or TealScript if G2 isn't to their liking. For the rest of us, no easy answer. I gave G2 two months, used it a lot, but gave up when my speed (mostly accuracy) wasn’t where I wanted.

Thanks for the Jot review. You did our homework for us, and we know not to waste time in that swamp.

[CWolf]

Just as a note, the process works the other way too. My mate has a T1 and wanted G2 on it, so I used the Bluetooth and beamed the 2 G2 prefs files and the 2 G2 libraries to his T1 and it worked perfectly. He now has G2 on a G1 machine! I have G1 - can't stand G2 myself as I am always on the move.

[tanker_bob]

I don't understand the outrage over Jot 2.1. I downloaded the update and installed it after reading this thread. It works pretty well. Yes, it only works on the full screen, but that's the only way I use G2 anyway. There's no reason to open the slider if all I want to do is write w/G2 or Jot. I use MessagEase4T3 for serious writing, not G2 or Jot. With Jot's significant improvements over G2, I won't have to open the slider as much to write short bits.

Yes, Jot 2.1 is always active on the full screen. At first that disappointed me as well. However, they've solved the single biggest problem with that scheme. In G2, any tap on the screen produces or tries to produce a period, which introduces significant delays into screen taps. I found myself always turning G2 off during normal T3 use. Jot 2.1, however, uses a forward slash for the period. This ingenious stroke (no pun intended) allowed Jot to accept simple taps immediately for just that and eliminated the delay in using screen buttons. It works marvelously.

As to price, as a registered Jot user, I received a free upgrade. If the point was that T3 owners should have received a break because they have G2, then I don't agree. G2 is not an add-on like other apps on the CD. Jot provided the basis for G2, but clearly CIC doesn't know any more about the T3 DIA than anyone else. If they had provided a comprehensive solution, then maybe they could provide a break on the price. But Palm apparently didn't include CIC in their inner circle, and CIC had to do over six months of R&D and testing to reach compatibility with the T3. That's expensive. If you want to be upset with a company, try Palm. They are the ones who won't share the DIA API, or their new PIM syncing API, et al, with any third-party developer of whom I am aware.

Everyone is entitled to their opinion and I'm not trying to minimize anyone else's. I just wanted to offer an alternative view from someone who has also tried Jot 2.1. For the record, it will remain active on my T3. Jot will provide the input method when my slider is closed and MessagEase4T3 provides the same when the slider is open and for extensive text input. They make a nice combination.

[Sid]

Tanker Bob,
I could not find MessagEase4T3 at PalmGear, where is it available?
Thanks.

[mike808]

Tanker Bob,

As always, you present a level head in the face of emotional outcrcies. You make some valid points, and I agree, my initial post was born out of HUGE frustration(!!).

Having calmed down a bit though I still stand by my assertion that Jot 2.1 for the T3 is a dissapointment. It might be a great program on a different Palm device and I might feel differently if I had gotten a free upgrade, but I've never owned Jot.

CIC states in their manual that

'Graffiti 2 is Jot with the following minor differences:
Jot allows you to write one-stroke "i", "k" and "t".'

I hate / have problems with these strokes so much, I would have paid $40 to correct the problem, but in my opinion CIC is charging a premium price for "full Jot" and actually reducing functionality.

As a programmer myself I'm the first to stand-up for paying for R&D for good software. I agree with you that Pa1mOne takes a huge responsibility in this area for the way they have treated developers! I don't know how much R&D CIC did into the DIA area, but the end result is they didn't deal with it at all...they just ignored it. Which brings me back to my basic premise, For the T3 owner that has never owned Jot, Jot doesn't deliver!

I'm happy you have found a solution that works for you. I tried MessageEase for a couple months...it's a fine program, but after all that time I found myself happier returning to graffiti?! Even with the double stroke character problems, it's where I'm going to be for the foreseeable future...

[mike808]

Sid,

MessagEase website is www.exideas.com

[Sid]

Originally posted by mike808
Sid,

MessagEase website is www.exideas.com


Thanks! :)

[Vidge]

I got Jot a couple of years ago for a Xmas present, installed it and tried to use it for a week or so, and gave up. When I bought my T2 last August, I hated G2 so much that I tried Teal Script - hated it, too, just not as much as G2. The day the trick to put G1 files on was annouced, I did that. I got my first T3 on 9/26 and among the first files I loaded were the G1 files. I only kept them on a couple of days, since I started having trouble with my T3 and I thought the G1 files were part of the problem. (Turns out the T3 was faulty.) So since about 10/1, I've been using G2.

As a registered owner of Jot, I was able to get the upgrade for free and was about to try it again until I ran across this thread. Thanks for saving me some time.

I am still messing around with Fitaly as well.

[tanker_bob]

FWIW, my new MessagEase4T3 review was just posted here (http://www.pdabuyersguide.com/software/MessageEase.htm) at PDABuyersGuide.

I'm finding that Jot 2.1 seems to wrestle with G2 and lose at odd times. Haven't found the common thread yet, but it seems to be related to notification about text fields.