I just wonder if there is anything I need to watch out for.

I am getting some ix104 ruggedised tablets and am trying to obtain the
now discontinued RIM 1802g GPRS modems for them. None of the dealers
will sell me these; they insist on me sending the machines to them for
the upgrade. This is just a restrictive marketing policy; they know my
machines come from a large batch dumped on the market by a large
customer at an extremely good price, and effectively come with no
warranty :)

XP should be plug and play, yes?


Peter.
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Peter wrote:
> I just wonder if there is anything I need to watch out for.
>
> I am getting some ix104 ruggedised tablets and am trying to obtain the
> now discontinued RIM 1802g GPRS modems for them. None of the dealers
> will sell me these; they insist on me sending the machines to them for
> the upgrade. This is just a restrictive marketing policy; they know my
> machines come from a large batch dumped on the market by a large
> customer at an extremely good price, and effectively come with no
> warranty :)

Setup should be pretty straightforward, standard modem drivers, already
included in XP Pro (==Tablet). But, are those OEM gprs modem modules? Or
with some modular antenna already included? And are you sure they are
PCMCIA with e.g. cardbus interface, and not just pcmcia form factor but
an entirely different connector? SIM card slot included? Just some
things to be aware of... A quick glance at the devel documents at
http://www.rim.net/oem/index.shtml made it appear that there's some
hardware setup involved.

A batch of used mobile phones with grps support, and maybe bluetooth (if
ix104 supports that), could be an alternative for "integrating" GPRS.
Unless those 1802g are dirt cheap... ;-)

cheers,
- Jan

Peter, I'm not familiar with the device, but if there is proprietary and/or
non-conforming hardware connections which need to be made, then perhaps
their requirement is not too far off base.

My question would be why you would want a discontinued device. I'd look for
newer, easier to use devices.
--
Chris H.
Microsoft Windows MVP/Tablet PC
Tablet Creations - http://nicecreations.us/
Associate Expert
Expert Zone - www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/expertzone


"Peter" <peter0o0o0o@peter2-0-o-0.c0.uk> wrote in message
news:22rdt053fk49hd93lt6kbjp5v68apvgu5e@4ax.com...
>I just wonder if there is anything I need to watch out for.
>
> I am getting some ix104 ruggedised tablets and am trying to obtain the
> now discontinued RIM 1802g GPRS modems for them. None of the dealers
> will sell me these; they insist on me sending the machines to them for
> the upgrade. This is just a restrictive marketing policy; they know my
> machines come from a large batch dumped on the market by a large
> customer at an extremely good price, and effectively come with no
> warranty :)
>
> XP should be plug and play, yes?
>
>
> Peter.
> --
> Return address is invalid to help stop junk mail.
> E-mail replies to peter1234@peter2000XY.co.uk but remove the X and the Y.
> Please do NOT copy usenet posts to email - it is NOT necessary.

"Chris H." <winxpnews********.com> wrote

>My question would be why you would want a discontinued device. I'd look for
>newer, easier to use devices.

This is because no new option appears to be available. The RIM GPRS
modem was dropped in Dec 2004 - very recently - and I expect Xplore
have ample stocks.



Peter.
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Jan Wagner <no_spam@thanks.net> wrote

>Setup should be pretty straightforward, standard modem drivers, already
>included in XP Pro (==Tablet). But, are those OEM gprs modem modules? Or
>with some modular antenna already included? And are you sure they are
>PCMCIA with e.g. cardbus interface, and not just pcmcia form factor but
>an entirely different connector? SIM card slot included? Just some
>things to be aware of... A quick glance at the devel documents at
>http://www.rim.net/oem/index.shtml made it appear that there's some
>hardware setup involved.

Sure. However the ix104 already has an "OEM bay" designed for the RIM
1802g so mechanically it should fit.

There is the issue of making up RF cables to connect to the antennae
internal to the ix104 but I can do that.

>A batch of used mobile phones with grps support, and maybe bluetooth (if
> ix104 supports that), could be an alternative for "integrating" GPRS.
>Unless those 1802g are dirt cheap... ;-)

Absolutely right - especially as here in the UK I need to temporarily
insert the SIM card into a normal phone in order to set up the
website-based topping up :) :) The silly phone companies never thought
of that one.

The reason I prefer to avoid bluetooth is that it often doesn't work.
I struggle with it almost daily with bluetooth connected GPS receivers
and PDAs in moving map applications. This is a relatively critical
application (ground based flight planning) and I've already had
bluetooth connections vanishing and having to be replaced by USB-232
cables just to get something going... It could be the PC/PDA software
or it could be bugs in the Nokia 6310i phone...


Peter.
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Peter wrote:
> Jan Wagner <no_spam@thanks.net> wrote
>>Setup should be pretty straightforward, standard modem drivers, already
>>included in XP Pro (==Tablet). But, are those OEM gprs modem modules? Or
>>with some modular antenna already included? And are you sure they are
>>PCMCIA with e.g. cardbus interface, and not just pcmcia form factor but
>>an entirely different connector? SIM card slot included? Just some
>>things to be aware of... A quick glance at the devel documents at
>>http://www.rim.net/oem/index.shtml made it appear that there's some
>>hardware setup involved.
>
> Sure. However the ix104 already has an "OEM bay" designed for the RIM
> 1802g so mechanically it should fit.
>
> There is the issue of making up RF cables to connect to the antennae
> internal to the ix104 but I can do that.

Well if as you said the ix104 has already (all?) relevant stuff inside
and the bay is designed for the 1802g & others, then it sounds fairly
simple to add. Assuming you can actually talk the dealers into selling
you a batch of those modems! ;-)

Although, it is possible that the service personnel that adds the gprs
modules will also toggle a couple of relevant bits in the ix104 BIOS, to
enable the oem bay or internal serial port (COM3?). If you boot the
ix104 into bios setup and it doesn't show any options for enabling the
bay or port, and XP Device Manager doesn't list any suspicious 'extra'
serial ports, you'll have to do some creative rewiring (gprs module FPC
cable, data and control lines => DB9 connector of an existing serial port).
There'd be less risks involved if would send in the ix104's in for
fitting the module. OTOH, if you're in for some risks, can ask
xploretech for tech documents, or like soldering, then... :-))

> The reason I prefer to avoid bluetooth is that it often doesn't work.

Would've been an easy route, didn't know it's so unrealiable... There
are of course external USB GPRS modems like those from Olitec, but
carrying gets cumbersome and those usb modems aren't ruggedized either.

regards,
- Jan

Hey Peter
I have a iX104 device here in the UAE which has the 1802g factory
fitted.
I am sure your can get the iX104 delears in your country to sort this
out for you.

Jan Wagner wrote:
> Peter wrote:
> > Jan Wagner <no_spam@thanks.net> wrote
> >>Setup should be pretty straightforward, standard modem drivers,
already
> >>included in XP Pro (==Tablet). But, are those OEM gprs modem
modules? Or
> >>with some modular antenna already included? And are you sure they
are
> >>PCMCIA with e.g. cardbus interface, and not just pcmcia form factor
but
> >>an entirely different connector? SIM card slot included? Just some
> >>things to be aware of... A quick glance at the devel documents at
> >>http://www.rim.net/oem/index.shtml made it appear that there's some

> >>hardware setup involved.
> >
> > Sure. However the ix104 already has an "OEM bay" designed for the
RIM
> > 1802g so mechanically it should fit.
> >
> > There is the issue of making up RF cables to connect to the
antennae
> > internal to the ix104 but I can do that.
>
> Well if as you said the ix104 has already (all?) relevant stuff
inside
> and the bay is designed for the 1802g & others, then it sounds fairly

> simple to add. Assuming you can actually talk the dealers into
selling
> you a batch of those modems! ;-)
>
> Although, it is possible that the service personnel that adds the
gprs
> modules will also toggle a couple of relevant bits in the ix104 BIOS,
to
> enable the oem bay or internal serial port (COM3?). If you boot the
> ix104 into bios setup and it doesn't show any options for enabling
the
> bay or port, and XP Device Manager doesn't list any suspicious
'extra'
> serial ports, you'll have to do some creative rewiring (gprs module
FPC
> cable, data and control lines => DB9 connector of an existing serial
port).
> There'd be less risks involved if would send in the ix104's in for
> fitting the module. OTOH, if you're in for some risks, can ask
> xploretech for tech documents, or like soldering, then... :-))
>
> > The reason I prefer to avoid bluetooth is that it often doesn't
work.
>
> Would've been an easy route, didn't know it's so unrealiable... There

> are of course external USB GPRS modems like those from Olitec, but
> carrying gets cumbersome and those usb modems aren't ruggedized
either.
>
> regards,
> - Jan

Hi,

I am sure they would with a new factory unit but they won't support
this one because it comes from a large batch which one of their
customers dumped in the market and which they won't support...

I have located some 1802g modems OK.

Peter

>Hey Peter
>I have a iX104 device here in the UAE which has the 1802g factory
>fitted.
>I am sure your can get the iX104 delears in your country to sort this
>out for you.


Peter.
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