Blog entries tagged How To

Eliminating pesky 802.11 alerts on Recon X Windows Mobile 6

Brian — Mon, 06 Sep 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Have you ever driven by a Starbucks with your Trimble 802.11-enabled outdoor rugged device and noticed that you get an alert "Select network to connect to"? This feature of our products can be a blessing and a curse. When you are looking for a network to connect to, the feature is great. However, when you only want

to connect to one network, it can be a real annoyance.

If you are using the recently released Recon X with Windows Mobile 6, the Wireless Access feature elimRead More...

Hands free RECON in the field

Guest — Fri, 06 Aug 2010 05:00:00 +0100

I own a RECON 400 mhz which I purchased in 2005 to help me locate remote jungle sinkholes and aid in data collection for a wide variety of scientific disciplines. I run the SoloField Software on the RECON and ArcView 9.2 on my laptop. Without a doubt the RECON has revolutionized the way in which I work in the field. I have lived for the last 14 years in Quintana Roo, Mexico. I am a cave diver and run a non-profitRead More...

Remote Display Controller on XP or Vista

Jan Gallant — Mon, 12 Jul 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Occasionally you may want to view the screen of your Recon or Ranger on your PC. Follow these instructions for a Recon or Ranger with Windows Mobile 5.0 if you're working on a PC that runs XP or Vista.
Download Microsoft Windows Mobile Developer Power Toys (WindowsMobilePowerToys.msi) Connect the Recon or Ranger to your computer via ActiveSync. Double tap on WindowsMobilePowerToys.msi on the PC to install it. Allow the program to install itself. Once successfully installed on your PC,Read More...

How to reset your unit to a Factory Default state

Jan Gallant — Mon, 21 Jun 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Warning: This operation will clear the persistent store including all user data, applications, and settings! If you are using Survey Pro or other installed software it will need to be re-installed and re-licensed after a Factory Default reset.

A Factory Default reset is the only way to recover from a forgotten password.

For a Recon with Windows Mobile 5: To restore to a Factory Default state, reset the unit. When you hear the quick double beep, simultaneously press the SRead More...

How to perform a right mouse click on a Nomad, Recon or Ranger

Jan Gallant — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 05:00:00 +0100

To perform the equivalent of a right mouse click, gently hold the stylus against the screen until the context menu appears. A small ring of dots will be drawn on the screen around the tip of the stylus, and then the context menu will appear.

Do you have a particular question for our How To series? Please feel free to post it in the forum section. Or, alternatively, if you've found a solution to a situation you think others may have encountered, please post your story in our blog sectiRead More...

Allow multiple programs to use the Trimble Nomad's GPS information

Guest — Mon, 17 May 2010 05:00:00 +0100

The Trimble Nomad 800L, 800LC and 800LE ship with an embedded GPS (Global Positioning System) chip. This chip allows you to use location information for a variety of different purposes, like turn-by-turn driving directions, location-based points of interest and even tracking your travel (more on this in a later article).

However, in the past, GPS data was only able to be used by one application at a time. Obviously, this limits the usefulness of theRead More...

Solution Providers offer Opportunities to go Mobile

Charles Bonville — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 01:47:36 +0100

A successful mobility project requires more than just a computing platform and applications. A successful mobility project requires a complete mobility solution including mobile devices designed for the desired usage model, mobile application development, mobile device management, project administrationRead More...

Setting up multiple units is easy

Connie Colligan — Wed, 21 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +0100

You just unpacked your Nomad and now you're ready to modify the settings. You can customize your Nomad just the way you want it in a short amount of time. Even if you have 99 other units waiting in boxes.

It's not a long or difficult process, but with that many units it can be rather time-consuming. I hear it all the time from customers who want to set up their Nomads with specific settings and software, and they want every unit to behave exactly the same. Whether your company has nineRead More...

Third-party software for your handheld: what works?

Jan Gallant — Mon, 19 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +0100

Here in tech support, we are commonly asked, “Do you know of a Windows Mobile application that does X?” There are thousands of third-party applications available for Windows Mobile devices, and if your request is generic enough, it’s very likely someone has already written the application you’re looking for. And although those of us who work in tech support try to keep current with what’s available, we simply can’t keep up with all the third-party Windows MRead More...

Navigating without a GPS

Brian — Mon, 12 Apr 2010 05:00:00 +0100

People today assume that finding your location coordinates requires a GPS device. That’s no longer true. Navizon is a software-only wireless positioning system that triangulates signals broadcast from WiFi access points and cell phone towers, so you can find your way in most metropolitan areas worldwide without GPS hardware.

Here’s how it works:

If you don’t have GPS on your handheld, Navizon’s Virtual GPS software (available for a small, one-Read More...

Get a little bit more from your GPS

Brian — Mon, 08 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Have you ever wanted to see the status of your GPS in an easy-to-use interface? I recently found a great application for your GPS-enabled Recon or Ranger called Visual GPSce. The program is available via VisualGPS.net, and it’s a free download.

What I like best about this little program is its simplicity. After downloading the application, all I had to do was set the serial port to COM4 (the Microsoft GPS sharing port), and the data started flowing in.

The first screen shoRead More...

Connect anytime, anywhere with Yuma’s ExpressCard slot

Victoria Gagnon — Wed, 03 Mar 2010 06:00:00 +0100

In one of my previous posts, I talked about the benefits of the ExpressCard slot that comes standard on Yuma. And I just happened to think of another good example of someone who’s using it to his advantage.

A dairy professor at Oregon State University uses the ExpressCard slot two ways. First, it serves as a practical tool to communicate with offshore developers. Second, it acts as a teaching tool.

While working on a custom solution with a software developer in Israel, the professRead More...

Turn your cell phone into a modem for anywhere Internet access

Jan Gallant — Fri, 26 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

One of the most common questions we hear in Tech Support is “How can I e-mail my data from the field back to the office?” If you have a Web-enabled Bluetooth cell phone, and if your Recon or Ranger is also equipped with Bluetooth, then you may be able to use your cell phone as a modem to connect your handheld to the Internet. You do not need to install any extra software on your handheld; the Windows Mobile 5 operating system includes

everything you need. Once Read More...

One of Yuma’s best, but little-known features

Victoria Gagnon — Wed, 17 Feb 2010 06:00:00 +0100

Need to communicate in real time? One of the most commonly overlooked features of Yuma, the ExpressCard slot offers real-time wireless capabilities when outfitted with a WAN Express Card.*

Let's say a farmer is out in the field and his tractor breaks down. His foreman knows this machine like the back of his hand. Unfortunately, he's back at the shop.

With a Yuma in hand, problem solved. Using the 3G ExpressCard/34 slot and the dual front/back video cameras that come standard onRead More...

Featured Accessory: 3G Sprint Wireless

Charles Bonville — Tue, 20 Oct 2009 05:00:00 +0100

Did you know that the Nomad has a 3G Wireless option that runs on the Sprint Network? The Nomad 800LD bundle comes with a top-mounted USB host port, a USB 3G Sprint WWAN modem, and an Extended CF-Cap to keep it all protected to IP67 standards.

The Franklin Wireless broaRead More...

Understanding Battery Life

Charles Bonville — Wed, 09 Sep 2009 21:30:02 +0100

What factors impact battery energy life? Does operating a computer in indoor versus outdoor environments have a significant impact on the computer's battery life?

First, what is our definition of battery energy life? Battery life is the amount of time a fully charged battery provides power to operate the computer. Now addressing the question, there are many factors that influence battery energy life and yes, outdoor environments add another layer of complexity. This blog post identiRead More...