USB mass storage emulation?

snowmoon · 04-28-03, 10:02 PM

Anyone know if it's possible to get the axim to emulate a mass storage device for those times when a handy active sync / IR connection is not availble. It would be a nice feature being able to access my files on 98% of the PC's out there using the standard sync cable.

I long for the day that I can use textmaker to create .rtf/.doc files and then just attach my PPC to the lab PC and edit the files on the unit. No conversion no hassle.

All I have been able to find is the "Mass storage driver" that allows usb devices to be attached to PPC units.

Anyone?

04-28-03, 10:20 PM

Well if you carry around activesync and the usb driver disk, you'll be fine. :p Without the ActiveSync and USB drivers, you'll not be able to see the Axim.

I'd say spend the money on one of those USB keychains. Much cheaper and you don't have to worry about it breaking.

snowmoon · 04-28-03, 11:08 PM

Several problems notes...

1) Not all computers ALLOW you to install drivers. What about linux/mac/other where USB mass storage compatibility is there but not activestynk

2) I have one, but when away from the house it would be nice to be able to swap files to and fro from the PPC to edit and revise on a real PC when one is handy.

So this is strictly because of the fact that I already carry my PPC everywhere and would like to take further advantage of it's capabilities. Having the files cooped up inside the axim is not always the best solution.

Right now my best solution is a cheap USB MS comapatible secure digital reader so I can at least use the secure digital card for moveing files back and forth.

Amadeus · 04-28-03, 11:13 PM

I'm also interested in this feature. I used to have Sony CLIE. It has something they call Export/Import driver. In reality it shows MemoryStick as a disk drive on the desktop. And it's working as a dream. Speed was ~2mb/s, instead of Ax's 100-200kb/s. I miss it very much.

04-29-03, 12:47 AM

Again why not just use a USB keychain memory? They are so cheap now...

Tracy · 04-29-03, 01:08 AM

There is a thumb drive type device that uses a SD card as it's memory. Most PC don't require a driver to access these so no software need be installed. You could then xfer files from the SD card to the Axim.

Amadeus · 04-29-03, 01:12 AM

Well, in these terms, yes. Sure, U can carry a card reader/writer with you. It's not too big, etc. But it defies the whole idea of handheld COMPUTER. We are talking about a full-functional computer.

Tracy · 04-29-03, 01:38 AM

It would be nice to be able to hook up anywhere with no drivers and standard USB cables, but where I work, I can't even plug my personal PDA into a PC. The SD solution is a nice workaround.

snowmoon · 04-29-03, 07:21 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cageyjames
Again why not just use a USB keychain memory? They are so cheap now...

You seem to miss the senario...

Create document on PPC
Go right down to generic computer ( any computer with .doc edditing will do )
Download and revise document on regular pc
Move it back to PPC

All of this without installing drivers ( I CAN'T INSTALL ANYTHING ON SOME PC's ie LAB PC's MAC's )

Amadeus · 04-30-03, 12:18 AM

Have the same problems. Even if I can install the drivers each time, it doesn't make much sense. Would you really like to install drivers on each computer you want to sync a document with? That is too much of a hassle.
One possible solution is to buy an Ethernet 10/100 Card and connect to the network where the target comp. lives, access Ax from that computer over the network and do all you need with the files. I don't know exactly, but it looks like in this case we won't need any additional drivers.

04-30-03, 01:11 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by snowmoon
You seem to miss the senario...

Create document on PPC
Go right down to generic computer ( any computer with .doc edditing will do )
Download and revise document on regular pc
Move it back to PPC

All of this without installing drivers ( I CAN'T INSTALL ANYTHING ON SOME PC's ie LAB PC's MAC's )

No I didn't miss it. Its not possible.

NMkiD · 04-30-03, 03:28 AM

I have a 246MB Lexar JumpDrive USB 2.0 keychain stick of memory, its great, really fast, and once you get used to havign it you always use it. This things actually let me free up space on my axim for other things, I wish I could plug it into the axim tho, I can store like 10 albums in .wma format on there ;)

Tracy · 04-30-03, 11:55 PM

Here is a link to Kanguru's web site. They offer an upgradable thumb drive solution that allows you to put read and write to a SD card. No drivers required. Just hook it up to your PC, move some files to it, and then install the SD card into your Axim and away you go. Not as elegant as using the AX as a mass storage device, but it is a driverless alternative. http://www.kanguru.com/microdriveplus.html

snowmoon · 05-01-03, 12:12 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by cageyjames
No I didn't miss it. Its not possible.

Both the clie's and my digital wallet can act in proxy mode for the flash media that they hold, why not a PPC device?

It's not an impossibility, just nobody has done it yet. I was asking the question and I got my answer. I was hoping to simplify the solution and not have to drag around another peice of hardware ( mini SD reader ).

Oh well.

05-01-03, 12:16 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by snowmoon
Both the clie's and my digital wallet can act in proxy mode for the flash media that they hold, why not a PPC device?

Its the way Microsoft handled the Pocket PC. You can't copy files over unless you have ActiveSync installed... Why did they do this, I don't know???

Sure someone could write a driver to replace ActiveSync, but we'd be back in the same boat. Heck we don't even have a unified driver for all Pocket PCs yet. A friend could bring an iPAQ over to your computer that you had you Axim on and windows would ask for divers. Makes no sense....