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Friday July 05, 1996

From: Mike Lombrozo <lombroma@MAIL.CALYPSO.COM>
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 1996 12:49:18 -0700
Subject: Re: List Posts & Replies

Wendy

Yes, I got the message below and doubt that you sent it directly to me

Mike

----------
From:   Wendy Schramm[SMTP:A5993644663@ATTPLS.NET]
Sent:   Thursday, January 25, 1996 10:39 AM
To:     Multiple recipients of list MAGICCAP
Subject:        Re: List Posts & Replies

Dear Magic Cap User Group,

If you're replying to a Telecard originally addressed to more than one
person or addressed using a group name card, Option-touching the reply
button will send your reply Telecard to everyone.  Just touching Reply
sends to the originator only.  However, because you're replying to a
mailing list, it handles its own routing I believe.  So in this case,
from a Magic Cap device it shouldn't matter whether you touch reply or
Option-touch reply.

This will be a good test because I touched just reply but I bet
everyone got it right?  (it would be helpful for more than one person
to reply now please.)

W. Schramm
Author of Magic Cap Complete (so I want to be sure that this really
works like I just said!)



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`
end

From: Mike Lombrozo <lombroma@MAIL.CALYPSO.COM>
Date: Thu, 4 Jul 1996 12:45:45 -0700
Subject: Re: Protective Covers for Screen

Chris

I've used the Barrier from RoadRunner Tracks.  These are made for the
Newton, but fit the ML with some minor trimming.  The Barrier has no
adhesive and fits under the lip of the case around the screen itself.  I've
also heard that WriteWare makes a protector that has an adhesive backing.
 Their Website is WriteWare.com  Note that that ALL protectors reduce
contrast.

Someone else just went to an art store, bought some clear transparentcy
material and made their own for pennies.  I'm going to take this approach
next time I need protectors.

Mike


----------
From:   Christopher Burr[SMTP:cburr@KCC.COM]
Subject:        Protective Covers for Screen

Someone mentions that someone was selling protective covers for the screens
for the MLs.  Can someone give me the name and phone of the company...  Or
even better, if anyone's come up with a cheaper solution, please let me
know...

Thanks,
  Chris




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`
end

From: Mike Lombrozo <lombroma@MAIL.CALYPSO.COM>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 07:45:42 -0700
Subject: Re: PrestoMail/PrestoLinks

AJ

I've got both PrestoMail & Links on my PIC2000 (w/2MB SRAM card) and have
had few problems either accessing the web or getting mail.  I had to use
the login script to get to my ISP, but very few problems since then.

One of the annoying problems is when I stop/cancel a long download, the
modem doesn't seem to fully disconnect.  I get communication dialog boxes
that seem to say the modem is still trying to download.  Shutting down and
restarting the ML solves this problem.

Mike

----------
From:   AJ Wright[SMTP:aj@GS1.CINTI.NET]
Sent:   Wednesday, July 03, 1996 7:35 PM
Subject:        PrestoMail/PrestoLinks

I've been having nothing but problems since I got PrestoMail/PrestoLinks.
I must have made a dozen calls to General Magic's tech support (followed
their advice to the letter). After each call the situation is worse than
before I placed the call:( When first installed I was able to send email
and browse the web but could not retrieve email (timed out while checking
mail). Now, several calls later, I can't do anything . . . can't send
email, browse the Web or even connect. Anyone else experiencing such
exasperating problems with this package? OR is it just me :(

AJ

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
If you want better kids, be better parents
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@




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#`"KN
`
end

From: Steve Maller <mc@MALLER.COM>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 11:55:36 -0700
Subject: Re: steves mail

At 9:00 AM -0700 7/5/96, Steve Cooley wrote:
>At 9:14 AM -0700 7/4/96, John Culver wrote:
>> Dear Magic,
>> How do i get steves mail.
>>
>Why do you want my mail? :) sorry.

I believe it's *my* mail he wanted.   :)

Steve Maller (Steve's Mail Tools author)

From: Shawn Jipp <A5193644654@ATTPLS.NET>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 19:42:29 +0000
Subject: Ricochet Gossip

Metricom is unable to ship Ricochet wireless modems to Magic Link users
because the last three batches of cables that are used between the
Magic Port and their modems have been defective.

They defective cables are made by a company called Beltron? somewhere
in the midwest. The pressure is mounting for this company to fix their
production problems.

General Magic now has orders for 20 of these modems which Metricom
cannot fill.

People have been waiting for 2 months now for this problem to be
resolved.  One of the people in the waiting queue works with Steve Jobs
himself.

Metricom has even contacted Sony and was told that these cables cost
Sony $90 to make and that they loose money on them and could not
provide any to Metricom for less than that!

You heard it here folks...

From: Gordon Boddington <A5523644633@ATTPLS.NET>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 20:02:12 +0000
Subject: webmail

Dear Magic,
Could some kind soul send me a copy of webmail? Well, i forgot the full
name but, i know it let you browse the web through your plink acount.
Any info or software would be better then awesome.

Gordon

From: Shawn Jipp <A5193644654@ATTPLS.NET>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 20:02:02 +0000
Subject: Magic Port to Serial?

Has anyone succesfully made a cable that will connect to an external
modem from the Magic Port?
///////Shawn Jipp

From: Shawn Jipp <A5193644654@ATTPLS.NET>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 20:01:50 +0000
Subject: BAMCUG meeting

Dear Magic Cappers:

I apologize for STILL not sending out the record of the BAMCUG meeting
but I am STILL waiting to hear back from General Magic (Earth to Steve
Schramm..are you there?).

Some points in the story need to be clarified and GM still has not sent
out to any of us the list of email addresses for those in attendance
(the paper that we all passed around).

On another newsworthy note, General Magic told us that they delayed
releasing Magic cap for Windows (MCW) because they were told that it
must have one button synchronization with Magic Links or Envoys like
the US Robotics Pilot (why is that thing so popular??).

We can expect the final release of MCW anytime between July and
November and it will sell for only $49.95!

Of course you MAC users will need to go dish out an additional $2,000
for a PC! 

///////Shawn Jipp

A5193644654@attpls.net (My Sony Magic Link- Preferred account)

A5873644615@attpls.net (Magic Cap for Windows on my work PC)

DrWho00009@aol.com (America Online)

apps@nanometrics.com (My work email)

http://spdcc.com/~dhirsch/shawn
(Shawn Jipp's temporary WEB page containing his travel stories)

http://www.nanometrics.com/nanometrics
(Company WEB site that Shawn wrote)

From: Richard Brodsky <rbro@TALENTWORKS.COM>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 13:08:26 -0700
Subject: Re: Ricochet Gossip

Aren't these cables available anywhere else?

Richard Brodsky
*********************************************************************
rbro@talentworks.com
http://www.talentworks.com

Talentworks
The Online Casting Source
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * * *

rbro@sitemagic.com
http://www.sitemagic.com
Sitemagic
Website Design, Hosting and Promotion

From: John Culver <A5133644645@ATTPLS.NET>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 21:17:50 +0000
Subject: Re: steves mail

Dear Magic,
We got a networkful of magicclowns here

---
 NOTICE: This message originally included graphics and/or sounds which
can only be received by AT&T PersonaLink(sm) subscribers. You received
only the text portion(s) of the message.  Please contact the sender for
information that was deleted. To learn how to send and receive
graphics, voice and text messages via AT&T PersonaLink Services, call
1-800-936-LINK.

From: AJ Wright <aj@GS1.CINTI.NET>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 21:15:18 -0400
Subject: Presto/General Magic Problems

Thanks to everyone who replied to my PrestoMail/PrestoLinks "problem"
post :)
My ISP went out of their way to help me on this. They did get Presto to
connect, at their office but Presto wouldn't recognize the connection or
respond, most of the time. I spoke to a supervisor at General Magic (from
the ISP's office) and he was extemely rude and not helpful. Everyone in
the office heard his rude remarks on the speakerphone. This same person
also refused to give me instructions on obtaining a refund for the Presto
package. I'm extremely disappointed with General Magic's customer service
and the way they handle (manhandle) customers :( This is one company I DO
NOT plan on doing business with in the future.

AJ

@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
"Trust yourself. Think for yourself.
Act for yourself. Speak for yourself.
Be yourself. Imititation is suicide."

Marva Collins
@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@

From: Dave Mayfield <jdm326@REVEALED.NET>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 22:33:08 -0500
Subject: Presto/General Magic Problems

This is really a sad tail. If these companies could do one thing right, you
would think it would be to make customers happy, and to do that you
sometimes have to spend a few bucks.

I don't mean to be to harsh on GM, because I am very happy to have Presto
Mail, but I was one of the beta testers, and during the beta test period
(Which I thought was very short) I never could get Presto Mail to connect to
my ISP, now I am seeing several message from people with the same trouble. I
would say GM has a few bugs to work out yet, and I hope they do. My ISP
helped me to make Presto connect at long last and now it works just fine
100% of the time. But I really do think there is a bug.


>Return-Path: 
>Date:         Fri, 5 Jul 1996 21:15:18 -0400
>Reply-To: Magic Cap Discussion List 
>Sender: Magic Cap Discussion List 
>From: AJ Wright 
>Subject:      Presto/General Magic Problems
>To: Multiple recipients of list MAGICCAP 
>
>Thanks to everyone who replied to my PrestoMail/PrestoLinks "problem"
>post :)
>My ISP went out of their way to help me on this. They did get Presto to
>connect, at their office but Presto wouldn't recognize the connection or
>respond, most of the time. I spoke to a supervisor at General Magic (from
>the ISP's office) and he was extemely rude and not helpful. Everyone in
>the office heard his rude remarks on the speakerphone. This same person
>also refused to give me instructions on obtaining a refund for the Presto
>package. I'm extremely disappointed with General Magic's customer service
>and the way they handle (manhandle) customers :( This is one company I DO
>NOT plan on doing business with in the future.
>
>AJ
>
>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
>"Trust yourself. Think for yourself.
>Act for yourself. Speak for yourself.
>Be yourself. Imititation is suicide."
>
>Marva Collins
>@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@@
>
*********************************************************
James (Dave) Mayfield   E-Mail: jdm326@revealed.net
GTE Mobilnet            Phone: 319-386-2483
5010 North Brady St     Mobile: 319-340-7397
Davenport,Iowa. 52806   Fax: 319-388-0335
GTE Mobilnet of Iowa Web Page, with links to other
GTE Mobilnet sites: http://home.revealed.net/qste/gte
********************************************************

From: Kevin Fries <A5783644665@ATTPLS.NET>
Date: Sat, 6 Jul 1996 03:55:53 +0000
Subject: Problem with PIC

Dear Magic,
     Well after almost 6 weeks I think that I have finally figured the
worst part of my SML.  Sony's stealth marketing department.  In the
past 6 weeks I have spent more time explaining what this thing is than
any thing else.  Just as an example:

Ten days ago, I bought an Epson 2M memory card from CompUSA.  Since
that store did not have any in stock, I had to order it.  I received
the call that the card came in and scribbled the info on a notebook
page.  When I got to the store I pulled out my ML to give the counter
person the info.  He went back to the area where the special orders
were at but I noticed he kept staring at me.  Well to make a long story
short, it wasn't me he was staring at it was the ML.  When he got back
he looked around nervously then whispered to me "Where did you get that
thing?"  After a few moments, he realized the memory was for the ML and
it had a PCMCIA slot.  He then wanted to know if it could handle a 28.8
modem in that slot.  When I turned the unit around to show him the
built in modem and explained the speed opyions he was floored.  Looking
around nervously again, he asked "How much does it cost?"

I only wish that this was an isolated experience.  A similar reaction
at my office (Colorado Division of Wildlife), our headquarters
(Department of Natural Resources), other electronics stores like
Computer City, etc.  Someone asked why the USR Pilot was so popular,
well I cast my vote for:
[X] They didn't know about Magic Links and Envoys

So here is my plea

Sony,
     Advertise these things better and spread the word!  I could use
the time savings.

Thanks

Kevin Fries

From: Tom Anderson <toma@HALCYON.COM>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 21:33:31 -0700
Subject: Re: Presto/General Magic Problems

>My ISP went out of their way to help me on this. They did get Presto to
>connect, at their office but Presto wouldn't recognize the connection or
>respond, most of the time. I spoke to a supervisor at General Magic (from
>the ISP's office) and he was extemely rude and not helpful. Everyone in
>the office heard his rude remarks on the speakerphone. This same person
>also refused to give me instructions on obtaining a refund for the Presto
>package. I'm extremely disappointed with General Magic's customer service
>and the way they handle (manhandle) customers :( This is one company I DO
>NOT plan on doing business with in the future.


My experience with GM customer support was not as bad as yours, but they
first wanted me to contact my ISP.  I told them that My account worked
with a PC so I didn't think it was an ISP problem (I also can only
speculate what Netcom would say when I said I was using a Sony Magic
Link).  Turns out the IP address for Netcom's DNS has changed from the
one selected by Presto. For anyone else the primary DNS should be
199.182.120.201 (203 is selected by the software). The next IP is correct
199.182.120.202.

Tom

From: Lee Butler <leebu@IX.NETCOM.COM>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 22:28:53 -0700
Subject: Re: Presto/General Magic Problems

Tom Anderson writes:
> Turns out the IP address for Netcom's DNS has changed from the
> one selected by Presto. For anyone else the primary DNS should be
> 199.182.120.201 (203 is selected by the software). The next IP is
> correct
> 199.182.120.202.

That's interesting...  I was told 203 was primary and 202 was backup...

203 was failing and 202 is working so netcom users will probably need to
change it...

Thanks,
Lee Butler
Consultant
leebu@ix.netcom.com
Phone:303.843.1738          Pager:800.480.9079

From: TC Lai <tclai@UCLA.EDU>
Date: Fri, 5 Jul 1996 23:04:11 -0700
Subject: Re: Why more Pilots than MLs? <LONG> (was Re: Problem with PIC)

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.snip.
  Someone asked why the USR Pilot was so popular,
>well I cast my vote for:
>[X] They didn't know about Magic Links and Envoys
.snip.

Just to add my comments on this thread - there are actually several reasons.

I was a proud PIC-1000 owner for a while, but found the weight and size
factor a real pain.  I loved the L-ion battery life and the neat interface,
but found programming it very difficult (too many inherited classes to deal
with.)

Also the 2400 modem, memory management difficulties with larger messages,
and nastiness of the intellink software to transfer info between the ML and
your computer made it a less than ideal sidekick (though it had lots of
personality!)

The Pilot has the edge in terms of size and the synchronization (supposedly
 the Macintosh conduit software still hasn't arrived... could this be
another diaster in the works?)  But that edge is very significant - I carry
my Pilot clipped to my belt and use it often (no startup time.)  The extra
buttons that it provides are also major improvements, as is the speed at
which you can retrieve information.  Again, the sychronization *should* be
cool, as soon as they ship the Mac conduit SDK...

As far as why they're selling so much better, they're being touted not as
PDAs or PICs, but as a scheduler (like a Casio BOSS), and are priced
accordingly ($300 - $390).  The PIC-2000 is still expensive, and the lack of
an extra PCMCIA slot (and frozen ROM) are handicaps for PIC-1000 users.  The
Envoy is cool, but its also EXPENSIVE.

However, the things I miss about the MagicCap interface now that I own a
Pilot, which could make the Pilot a killer app:

* Intelligent scheduling (I make an appointment, it brings up the card)
* A graphical environment with personality (and some complexity)
* A PCMCIA card slot and IR comm port


The things that I wish somebody would incorporate into the next MagicCap PIC
which are several selling points for the Pilot:

* SMALLER SIZE - Think Dick Tracy, ideally you want it to be strapped to
your wrist or on your belt.  Those alphanumeric pagers are about the right
form factor...

* Modularity - Some people need the modem.  Some people don't.  Make it an
option, as with an inexpensive keyboard and PCMCIA slot in order to reduce
cost.  Oh, and don't forget ROM upgrades this time...

* One-shot client software for talking to your computer so you can
upload/download schedules, files, etc.

* MagicCap software for your computer, so that it can do heavy duty stuff
while you go traveling, yet integrate better than that inelegant intellink
stuff.

* Standardized components, so that a specialized cable isn't needed to use
regular serial devices


I could go on, but I think everybody gets the idea.  Remember, this is just
my opinion.  Personally, neither device really has fit the bill for me, and
now I'm toting a used Duo 250 around.  (about $625 on the market these days,
comes with a big backlit active matrix screen, MacOS, keyboard, built-in 14
4, and serial port.  Definitely has a base of software, and is pretty easy
to write for by comparison.)

TC

PS: Lest anyone think I have deserted MagicCap, I'm still trying to write
programs, using the CodeWarrior simulator on my Mac as the testbed.  Ditto
for the Pilot.  Let's see what I can come up with...
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------------------------------------------------------------------------
    TC Lai                   (Pre)Cognitive Science Undergraduate,
                             University of California, Los Angeles
    tclai@ucla.edu
                             Macintosh Poweruser, Student Animator,
   "Those who dare, win."    Shareware Author, Small Business Owner.
------------------------------------------------------------------------
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              e-mail message to request PGP public keys

  Fingerprint  (512bit): 9B BA 0A F8 B5 CE 79 3A  8F D0 6F 22 B8 D0 55 FB
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          Copyright (c) 1996 by TC Lai. All Rights Reserved.

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