.KEYWORD pplte0800
.FLYINGHEAD LETTERS TO THE EDITOR
.TITLE Health, religion, and installers…Oh my!
.DEPT
.SUMMARY The PalmPower mailbag has been busy this month. In this edition of letters to the editor, a query is answered, a few new product options are noted, an application is sought, and the moral integrity of our publication is questioned.
.EDNOTE The PalmPower mailbag has been busy this month. In this edition of letters to the editor, a query is answered, a few new product options are noted, an application is sought, and the moral integrity of our publication is questioned.
.H1 Logbook for diabetics
In last month’s issue you have a question from a woman asking about glucose tracking software for diabetics for the Palm device. I’m the author of such a product, which can be purchased through http://www.handango.com. It’s called Logbook, pictured in Figure A.
.FIG A Logbook tracks insulin shots and records blood glucose readings.
For more information, try my Web site at http://www.martoon.com/shareware/logbook.html.
Nick Martin
.H1 The buddy system
I recently read your article by Michael Compeau ("Have your Documents to Go" at http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200007/docs2go001.html) on taking desktop documents "to go," and I was quite surprised that I saw no mention of our product, "InstallBuddy." As you may know, in many ways it is similar to Documents To Go, but has substantial added benefits:
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.BULLET It is completely integrated into the Palm Desktop software, HotSync, Word, Excel, PowerPoint, and Windows Desktop, in a much more transparent and intuitive fashion;
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.BULLET It supports a significantly broader range of desktop documents, including PowerPoint, PDF, and HTML;
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.BULLET It works with "industry standard" Palm device viewers, including JFile, Doc, iSilo, HanDBase, etc.;
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.BULLET It is easily extensible and "open" (via plug-ins) such that anybody can develop simple desktop translators and viewers;
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.BULLET It has won numerous awards and favorable reviews and was chosen as a finalist in the 1999 ZDNet PalmPilot Software Awards;
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.BULLET It supports email attachment conversion in conjunction with MultiMail;
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.BULLET It is 30% cheaper.
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Alexander Hinds, M.D.
President and CEO
BackupBuddy Software
.H2 David Gewirtz comments
Alexander was kind enough to send me copies of both InstallBuddy and BackupBuddy, which I’ve played with. While this is certainly not a review, I’ve tinkered with both, and they’re pretty slick. You owe it to yourself to go check them out. We have reviewed BackupBuddy before and intend, at some point, to cover InstallBuddy, as well.
We think it’s great when readers send in additional information about articles we run. Feel free to tell us when you know something more about a topic we’ve covered, or post a message on the PowerBoards.
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.H1 Looking for iobserve
I saw an application called iobserve at the Annual International Council for Exceptional Children Conference. It is used to collect behavioral data to document students’ behaviors using frequency/interval/time sampling recording. It allows the user to specify the length of the interval, allows several different behaviors to be documented, and alerts users to the change/end of the interval. Have you seen this program or any other like it? Could you supply the vendor information so I can contact them?
Carole Milner
.H2 Editor-in-Chief David Gewirtz responds
I looked at PalmGear and Handango and didn’t have any luck finding it. Maybe one of our readers out there can help.
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.H1 PalmPower’s morality questioned
The following letter is in response to this news item which ran at the PalmPower News Center on July 10, 2000:
.QUOTE PK Entertainment has announced the creation of SinPalm.com, a new, free adult entertainment portal for Palm OS and Pocket PC users. The site initially served up erotic stories and now offers risque SinCards. Users can visit SinPalm.com on their desktop computers and add SinPalm to their AvantGo channels. The site can also be accessed with handheld browsers like ProxiWeb or using Pocket PC’s Internet Explorer. Palm VII users can also download the SinPalm PQA Web Clipping Application.
I have been enjoying PalmPower for some time and must advise you that I was quite disappointed in your issue today (Monday, July 10). Your decision to post an article informing people of porn sites now available for handhelds shows a poor lack of discretion in what is considered newsworthy and advancement of the productive usefulness of handhelds.
Jim McConnell
.H2 Editor-in-Chief David Gewirtz responds
Actually, it wasn’t an article. It was a news item. And, frankly, whatever your personal preferences, this is definitely news in this market. To be fair, the mission of our news team isn’t "advancement of the productive usefulness of handhelds." Rather, their mission is to provide industry news and information about what’s happening in this arena. Frankly, I find it fascinating that porn has found handhelds. Historically, one of the first popularizations of a mass medium has been via adult material (VCRs are one such example). We’ve just recently begun seeing a few adult-related handheld sites, which further indicates the mainstreaming of handheld devices such as the Palm organizer.
Besides, we’ve previously posted news about downloadable Bibles for Palm devices. It’s only fair we give equal time to the loyal opposition.
.H2 Jim McConnell responds to the response
Loyal opposition??? Boy, now I know where you guys are coming from and where your allegiance lies. I will now freely share your response with others so they may know your position.
Jim McConnell
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.H2 Editor-in-Chief David Gewirtz responds to the response’s response
Really? I don’t even know where I’m coming from, and as for allegiance, that’s even more of a sticky wicket. But I’m sure glad you do. And you’re welcome to share my well-considered response with whomever you’d like.
Before I close this most enlightened interchange, let me caution you: you don’t know me and I don’t know you. It’s foolish for you to judge where I might be "coming from" or my "allegiance." Although I, like many in the media, do have some strong feelings about many political topics, I’ve gone to exceptional pains to not let those opinions influence or color our publications. Frankly, I personally didn’t even know we ran that news piece until you pointed it out.
Now that I think about it, I guess I do know where my allegiance lies: with enlightened people who don’t judge things they know nothing of. And I’m definitely coming from a place that doesn’t condemn others for not believing what I believe.
If that means I’m destined for Hell, so be it. I have a share in a really nice houseboat on the Lake of Fire.
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.H1 Product availability and resources
For more information on Logbook, visit http://www.martoon.com/shareware/logbook.html.
To read Michael Compeau’s article on Documents to Go in the July 2000 issue of PalmPower, visit http://www.palmpower.com/issues/issue200007/docs2go001.html.
For more information on InstallBuddy, visit http://www.backupbuddy.com/ib/prod_installbuddy_details.html.
For more information on SinPalm.com, visit http://www.sinpalm.com/palmgateway.asp.
.H1 Bulk reprints
Bulk reprints of this article (in quantities of 100 or more) are available for a fee from Reprint Services, a ZATZ business partner. Contact them at reprints@zatz.com or by calling 1-800-217-7874.
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.DISCUSS http://powerboards.zatz.com/cgi-bin/webx?13@@.ee6e62b
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