iPAQ 4700 Special operating notes:

For users of the new iPAQ 4700 series, there are some significant issues to understand that will make performance much more consistent. There are a few problems with the newly released 4700 series of iPAQ computers that we are sure that HP will eventually resolve, but in the short term require careful operational workarounds.

A soft reset is accomplished when the Stylus is inserted into a hole in the base of the Pocket PC pushing a tiny recessed button. We generally recommend performing a soft reset before every flight to insure that the memory is clean in the Pocket PC and to enhance software reliability. HOWEVER, the HP4700 as it is being delivered at this time contains a nasty bug related to the soft reset process. If the WiFi wireless network radio is enabled ) when you perform the soft reset, all of your software installed on the Pocket PC can be lost!

Bluetooth and wifi operation are both denoted by the blue light on the front of the iPAQ. If you have used wifi, you MUST enter the iPAQ wireless manager screen (tap the little antenna in the lower right corner or the TODAY Screen) and turn it off by pressing the ALL OFF button before you soft reset the PDA. You can also access the Wireless manager by tapping Start, then Settings, then Connections, then iPAQ Wireless.

We are sure that HP will move to quickly fix this problem and update the software in all 4700™s including those already in the field.

Memory Management

The iPAQ 4700 is particularly sensitive to available memory when working with AnywhereWx with XM Satellite weather.  Anywhere WX software requires about 28mb of available program memory to run the software It is essential to maximize the program memory available to Anywhere WX software to ensure reliable operation. The entire anywhere Map installation requires about 27MB of storage memory, which leaves very little memory on a 4700 iPAQ without using the File Store (which is very generous but very slow) or a memory card. Fortunately most of the Anywhere Map software can be moved from storage memory to either of these storage devices.

It is important to move as much of the Anywhere Map installation to a compact flash or Secure digital memory card. An easy to use utility that moves the appropriate files to the storage card automatically is available for download from www.anywheremap.com/downloads

Please check to see if this program is already installed on your pocket PC and if not, we recommend downloading it and moving the database over to storage card on the 4700.

When updating the database, you should install the update to the storage card and not to main memory .

Using the iPAQ File Store

A neat feature of the 4700 is the built in non-volatile memory that is referred to as the iPAQ File Store . Unlike main program memory, the File store does not lose it™s contents when the batteries run down or when a hard-reset is performed on the PDA. The File Store contains approximately 85MB of memory. Almost all of the files used by Anywhere Map can be stored in the file store to conserve main memory.

Unfortunately the File Store memory is VERY VERY slow to access, so certain Anywhere Map files should not be saved to the file store. The files for Highway data (three files called Roada ) should not be placed in the file store, as these files are sorted periodically (when Highways are selected to be displayed), and the sorting operation can take up to 45 seconds when the files are in file store. By contrast, the sort operation only takes a few seconds when the files are in main memory or in an SD card. This speed issue is especially unfortunate as the Roada files are the largest database files used by the iPAQ.

We expect to significantly reduce the memory required by the Anywhere WX software by December 2004, with the planned release of version 1.65 of the software.

Bluetooth startup

It is critical that the Bluetooth radio in the iPAQ be on before you attempt to connect to the Bluetooth GPS. Before starting any program with which the Bluetooth GPS will be used, you must be sure to turn on the Bluetooth system in the iPaq Wireless screen. This screen may be found in the Start > Settings screen, under the Connections tab, or it may also be found by tapping the wireless icon in the lower right corner of the Today screen, which is the screen you initially see when the 4700 is started. The today screen may be viewed at any time by tapping Start and then Today. 

Here you will see the status of both the wifi and Bluetooth radios. If the round buttons are green, that wireless capability is on. If they are gray with a small red x-box , then that wireless features is turned off.

Tap the round Bluetooth button once to turn on the Bluetooth radio. MAKE SURE the wifi radio button above is turned off. Then tap OK in the upper right corner.

If you fail to enable the Bluetooth wireless feature prior to using the wireless feature, the system may hang up requiring a soft reset to recover. Version 1.6.1 of Anywhere Map will issue an error message when one tries to connect to a Bluetooth device with the Bluetooth power off.

Backing up your iPAQ

Due to the above mentioned issues with the 4700, it is quite likely that you will at some time or another experience a problem with your Pocket PC which will require the software to be re-installed. In order to minimize the hassle of such an event, we STRONGLY URGE 4700 users to use the built in Backup utility.

Your iPAQ has a Backup / Restore features that allows you to protect the entire system from power loss. You can initiate the process by tapping Start > Programs > iPAQ Back Up. Now simply tap BackUp. The entire system will be backed up to the SD card in your iPAQ if you have one. If not, the entire system will be backed up to the File Store in the PDA™s non-volatile memory area. The process will take approximately 4 minutes for a back up.  Your entire Anywhere Map system installation can be backed up to the File Store in minutes, and we STRONGLY URGE you to do so. 

To restore your system after a power loss or a hard reset, simply start up the computer and tap Start > Programs > iPAQ Backup. On the screen that comes up next tap Restore. This will automatically put everything back the way it was and you will be ready to go in a few minutes. Note that your system clock will also be restored to it™s value at the time of the backup, so you will need to set the clock and calendar after a backup / restore operation.

Other iPAQ Settings affecting usability

There are a number of other important setups to make the new 4700 best suited for aviation use.

Set up hotkey for AW Map launch

• Start > settings > buttons
• Set Button 3 to AWM

Turn down auto repeat on up/down control

• Start>settings>buttons>up/down control. 
  • Set Delay before first repeat to LONG 
  • Set repeat rate to SLOW

Disable the pop up screen saver calendar or else it will pop up unexpectedly over the map during flight. This is very annoying to say the least ¦

• Start > Programs > Dockware
  • Press and hold on the calendar displayed and uncheck the start automatically item in the menu

Set the NavPoint navigation mode and sensitivity “ The NavPoint is the small touch pad beneath the display on the iPAQ. This touch pad by default is very sensitive and is almost impossible to use in turbulence and at night without being adjusted. Fortunately the adjustment process is very simple.

• Start > Settings > System > Navpoint
  • Set Navpoint Sensitivity to HEAVY TOUCH (this makes the nav key much less twitchy)
  • Set Navigation mode radio button on
  • Turn lines scrolled per swipe to 0