Seiko SmartPad review??

[ChrisB]

Has anyone used the Seiko SmartPad. How well does it work etc?
www.seikosmart.com

Thanks,

ChrisB

[DScott]

Greetings;

Here is a review of the unit from PPCmag.

Review (http://www.pocketpcmag.com/Jul02/smartpad.asp)

Scott

[bobh]

The Seiko Smartpad 2,

http://www.siibusinessproducts.com/products/sp582.html

Doe not work with Palm OS5 Devices. The following note is buried in the Seiko web site:

A Special Note on Palm® Tungsten™ T

After extensive testing, Seiko Instruments USA Inc. has discovered that Tungsten T does not support devices that communicate via "low level IR" protocol such as Seiko Instruments USA Inc. InkLink, SmartPad, and other third party PDA peripherals.

Seiko Instruments USA Inc. has concluded that Tungsten T is not supportable. As a result, InkLink and SmartPad products are NOT compatible at this time.

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The problem appears to be more widespread than just the Tungsten. It appears to affect every OS5 and above device. In an e-mail, PalmOne responded (on 2-6-04):

Palm OS(R) 5 and above does not support the Raw IR protocol for communications as it is a non-IrDA-compliant method. Without this standard, it is possible for signal collisions to occur between devices during a data exchange. Also, it is possible to lose data when the infrared beam is broken, such as when someone walks between the two devices. The application must detect these error conditions and correct them.

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Has anybody figured out a workaround yet?