If you are really hard up for a pull like application, here is how I would implement
it on a Palm VII.
Have an application that patches the alarm API so a ping to some server via Palm.net
is hit by the device.
If the ping to the server notes there is new data, launch the app and notify the user
that something is coming in.
Have the app do the grabbing and storage of the data.
This allows the end user to disable the "push" and even delay the incoming data if
something is being done by the user.
As for the RIM Blackberry, I'm not impressed. Why? Their OS is very poorly featured
and the company has a poor history of
supporting third party developers like us. They should have licensed the PalmOS and
built their wireless technology inside. I'm
sure there is a business plan out there with this being passed around in some form.
$100K is not much for a company that size.
Also, the keyboard they have at the bottom of the device would make a very nice
keyboard plugged into the serial port like a modem.
Most of all, guys in the field love to screw around and play games on their
"professional" Palm devices to make it more intimate of
a machine. I know how these devices are _really_ used out in the field. These
truckers and factory workers are a lot smarter than
the line or plant owners believe. In most cases, they just can't communicate to them
right.
Steve
Vineel Shah wrote:
> Agreed. Also, the BellSouth Mobitex network that the Palm VII uses _is_ a
> 2-way, radio-based, pager network. It's used in the RIM Blackberry 950
> pagers. It's insanely expensive ($0.15-0.35/k) and not too fast, but it
> allows connectionless push-pull data exchange that is beautiful. The Palm
> VII is constrained by the designers, not by the infrastructure.
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