Steve and his Sony Magic Link - Week 3
Steve and his Sony Magic Link - Week 3
Fall/1994
Topics
* Still going! * I got my headset! * Memory is running low * What about the poor late shift workers? * PersonaLink Server Tip * The test of Sony as a communicator provider * Gripe List Update * Publisher * Backup to PC update * Time to talk to Bill Gates! (Pocket Quicken Info) * Summary
Disclaimer:
This is a report by me (Steve Riggins) on my use of a Sony Magic Link. I am not affiliated with Sony or General Magic, except that I have friends that work there. 8-) The information contained herein is personal opinion and I will not be held responsible for any decisions you make based off of my writings. Make sure you tell this to your spouse, the one who balances the checkbook.
Still going! ------------
I realize that my reports can seem negative. With as many things that Magic Cap does right, the percentage of issues I am raising is fairly small. My Magic Link has still replaced my Newton. In fact, I'm transferring data by hand, knowing full well that I could lose it all at a moments notice because the backup software is not shipping yet.
I got my headset! -----------------
On the Week 3 anniversary, I finally got my headset. My Frys salesman didn't call me on Thursday and when I went in today, the manager told me that they had not come in it. As I was leaving, a third salesman stopped me and asked if I had picked up my headset yet (Gee, I spend too much money there). I said, "No, they are not in yet," and he said, "Yes, they are." Here I sit with my headset in my ear! It cost $69 at the Campbell Frys.
The quality is really good. I'm impressed. I called a friend and when I told him, he was surprised as well. Now all I need is a phone switch box so I can choose which of my three lines the Magic Link is connected to!
WARNING! On the down side, don't do some processor intensive task while talking to someone. I did a 'clean up memory' and 30 seconds later, was cut off. I guess the OS completely shuts down while cleaning up RAM and thus, my phone stopped working.
You know, I am really geeky. I remember chastising a friend 5 years ago for buying a Dove modem that acted as a voice mail system. I distinctly recall saying, "Dave, thats very cool. But when was the last time your PhoneMate answering machine crashed?" I've come full circle.
Memory is running low ---------------------
I have quite a few applications on my RAM card as well as about 160K of data and a 333K backup. I'm down to 180K free on the card.
For internal memory, I've got 130K free, with NO data and NO packages on it. Obviously, ram is being used somewhere. We have some theories, but until its proven, I won't comment on them.
If it wasn't for the rumour that wiping the link (Taking out its batteries for 10 mins) screwed up your AT&T PersonaLink account, I'd wipe mine and see how much RAM I regained.
As I mentioned earlier, someone in this industry has to get 4MB cards under $200, or General Magic needs to find a safe way to use FLASH ram cards, of which I already own an Intel 2MB but can't use it in my Magic Link.
What about the poor late shift workers? ---------------------------------------
It appears that the Magic Cap datebook suffers from the same problems that all other datebooks suffer from: You can't make a meeting that occurs from 10pm until 1am. Someday people will understand that someone who works the lateshift might want to make a meeting from 11:30pm until 12:30 am.
PersonaLink Server Tip ----------------------
I was receving a lot of messages with attachments the other day when my communicator ran out of memory. I did a clean up and after 2-3 minutes, it finished, but it had also hung up the phone. Upon dialing back, it said I had no waiting messages.
The packages did not come over completely, and PersonaLink had marked the messages as read. Uggh.
The solution is to go to your in box, select the lamp, click rules, then uncheck the rule that says "When a message is collected, remove it from the server mailbox."
Now, in the future, you can grab a summary and check an old message and re-receive it. I don't know how long AT&T will hold onto the message, but its probably the 30-40 days like other services.
The test of Sony as a communicator provider -------------------------------------------
Obviously, the current Magic Link has bugs and we'll see patches for them at some point. On top of that, OAG and MarketPlace are coming, but where will they go? A simple browsing of the ROM shelf shows that the AOL client is 136K, and it doesn't do all that much.
Will we need to use precious RAM on our already full 1MB cards for these new apps and system patches?
Will the applications be shipped on PCMCIA cards, causing a 2-3 minute delay while we swap RAM and the application cards?
The test will come with the policy Sony comes up with for upgrading pioneers who spent a lot of money to get on the bandwagon and support Sony.
I was shocked, then overjoyed, when Apple announced the $100 ROM/Feature/2 software packages upgrade offer. Many contend that the 110 should have been the first Newton, but I got a lot of use out of my original Newton and the upgrade was great.
But Sony, well, how many times have you upgraded your DiscMan? How about your Sports Radio? Sony definately does not have a track record with the regards to upgrades, at least one that I am aware of.
I would hope that Sony realizes that this is a different market. People will not be willing to pioneer future Sony products if they feel that they will have to buy entirely new units every 6-12 months.
I guess we'll all have to stay tuned and see what happens.
Hopefully, nobody will make a Magic Cap device with less than 2 MB internal memory from now on.
Gripe List Update ------------------
The screen is no longer number 1, nor is the lack of undo. Both of these have to be addressed, but there are greater day to day issues that are more of a problem.
* Missing internal RAM * Need more internal RAM so I can put my DATA there, and not on the card. I'd also store my outgoing mail if I had more data RAM. * The speed of removing a card (with DATA on it) is pretty slow. I definately won't get the pager card until these three issues are solved. * Modem too slow for lots of mail. If I was using NewtonMail, the modem speed would be fine. But the SML handles mail fairly well, thus I am getting a lot of mail (422 received, 211 sent) and the faster modem would help.
Publisher ---------
This has been reported in many other locations, so I'll repeat it here. This is a mail address on PersonaLink called 'Publisher' that is rumoured to be a Magic Link itself.
If you send a blank message to 'Publisher' then in 2-3 hours you'll get a message with post-its representing free software.
Use the Copy tool (Tools window, Option-Tap the title bar, select copy) and copy the post-its for the software you want to the tote bag. Reply to the message and then drag the post-its onto the reply. In 2-3 hours you'll have some cool software!
The two neatest are MergeMeister and Scramble.
MergeMeister allows you to merge name cards and is truly a GOD-SEND! Lets say you create a name card for me and enter my home address (because you know it) The next time you get a updated name card for me, the default choice is to keep the old card or the new one.
Well, the new one won't have my home address. The old one may have the wrong PersonaLink address. What to do? Click the merge button! MergeMeister installs Merge buttons in the proper places. You get a new card with the merged data and you can replace the older card with this new card. Its GREAT!
Scramble is a word hunt game that is really fun when you're stuck waiting in the doctors office or at the dealers. If you like word searches, pick up Scramble!
As always, do whatever you need to to back up your Magic Link. Software is written by humans, and no matter how good they are as programmers they can make mistakes. If you're leary, the best bet is to wait until the backup software arrives before getting these packages.
Backup to PC update -------------------
I talked to IntelliLink last week and they said that the Windows version of the backup software was done and should be out in 2 weeks. The Mac version is done/near done, they are waiting for cables, and should be out in 4 weeks.
If this is true, then their cross platform backup record is better than Apple's, although they should have followed Apple's lead from the Newton Introduction and given away beta kits to early adopters.
Time to talk to Bill Gates! ---------------------------
I talked to Intuit several weeks ago and to my horror, they showed no plans for a Pocket Quicken -> Desktop Quicken for the Macintosh product! Ack! Now that Microsoft owns Intuit, maybe we can write Bill a peronaLink and ask him to get started on one ASAP.
If anyone at Intuit has different information, please let us know! Pocket Quicken is *AWESOME*, justifies the cost of the Magic Link, but unless I can move all of these transactions to my Mac, its not nearly ar useful.
Summary -------
Nothing new here. The Sony Magic Link is a tool. Plain as that. if you need a PIM/Communicator and have the $1200 laying around (for the goodies and all) they buy one from a 30MBG place and see if you like it. You may, or may not. Only you can decide that. I think my is great!
© Copyright 1997-2002 Steve Riggins. Graphics by Andrew Duncan.
