Irony is: folks bashing Microsoft and Windows CE, and then saying "Don't be rude."
Let's be clear - Windows CE is the base operating system on any Pocket PC device (iPaq, etc.), but PocketPC is far more than simply Windows CE. Windows CE, by itself, is pretty stable. Put some crappy applications on top of it (or any operating system), and you're set up for disaster. I'd say that you would need to give the transmitter a try before judgments are made regarding Windows CE. I think that folks will be pleasantly surprised with it. - Dave -----Original Message----- From: Martin Usher [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] Sent: Thursday, December 09, 2004 23:57 To: Soaring Subject: Re: [RCSE] New era or just hype? I don't have a particular fondness for the Vole or its CE "operating system" but it'll probably work just fine since we're not planning to run additional software on the system (are we?). The two processors are almost certainly an ARM to drive the display and whatever Futaba's using in its current radios. Its not meaningful to talk about 'multiple processors', the things are so cheap anyway that it doesn't make sense to combine the functions (especially as the "Futaba" processor could do anything up to and including synthesize the radio signal). I like the display -- a decent display has been long overdue on these radios. I'd be concerned about breaking it, though (and it won't be cheap to replace). They seem to be using a reflective liquid crystal as well, the sort that may have a rather narrow viewing angle and a dislike of getting hot (as in "I left it on the field in the sun while I was sorting out the winch and when I got back to it the dislpay was unreadable"). There are better display technologies out there -- I think the "organic LED" might be the one that's the most robust but its too new to be in something like this. Maybe this is truly a solution looking for a problem? After all, we don't need the display when flying and we could just as easily program the thing using an external computer, even using something as small as a PDA. Martin Usher PS. I like the Palm OS. Its quite capable of running a radio, it'll do a lot more than two channels ("don't be rude"). I use both it and CE -- CE is flashy but it does a relatively poor job compared to palm (you only have to look at the new HP iPAQ, the $600 one, to see what I mean -- it looks really good, and its a major letdown when you try to do anything with it). I currently have a Nexio to play with -- a 5" screen, a $1200 price tag, a battery life that's insufficient (and it runs down when the system is not in use, losing useful settings in the process). Palms are not as flashy but they're more functional, IMO. Neither are suitable for an embedded system like a radio, though -- there are much better systems out there for that. RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off. RCSE-List facilities provided by Model Airplane News. Send "subscribe" and "unsubscribe" requests to [EMAIL PROTECTED] Please note that subscribe and unsubscribe messages must be sent in text only format with MIME turned off.
