One common misconception about Palm is that it is incompatible with MS Office software. Ashish Gupta takes a look at the two most popular MS Office synchronisation packages for the Palm OS

Since the beginning of this series of articles on the Palm OS, we have been clarifying many misconceptions about the capabilities of the Palm handheld computer. This article deals with a very basic misconception.

Myth: Palm OS–based handheld computers cannot run MS Office compatible software.

Fact: Palm OS handheld computers can run MS Office compatible software and can seamlessly synchronise with your desktop PC’s MS Office files. This includes MS Word, MS Excel, MS Outlook, and even MS PowerPoint.

Can’t afford a laptop but still need to work on critical files while outside your office? Don’t want to lug around a heavy laptop everywhere you go? Need to carry a few documents home to be worked on through the night? Use your Palm handheld computer. And if you like working on MS Office, the Palm OS is your ideal companion.

Let me introduce you to the two most popular MS Office synchronisation packages for the Palm OS.

• Documents To Go Professional
• Quickoffice

Using these packages, you can download MS Office files from your desktop computer onto your Palm handheld computer at the end of your work day, edit the documents while travelling or when at home, and update your desktop computer’s files the next day through a simple HotSync operation.

Documents To Go Professional
Developed by Dataviz, this software lets you edit your sales forecasts, price lists, contracts and even review your presentations on the go. It also supports the Mac OS.

It enables multiple computer synchronisation, so you can keep your files synchronised between your home and office computers. This package is so popular that it now comes bundled with some of the latest Palm models.

There are three major components to this package:

• Word To Go
• Sheet To Go
• Slideshow To Go

Word To Go
You can create, view and edit word documents using Word To Go. It has an auto-scroll feature that allows you to adjust the scroll speed to match your reading speed and you can read large documents with little effort.

Word To Go also has a feature where you can set bookmarks using Microsoft Word’s bookmark feature or Word To Go’s bookmark system and these are carried back and forth intact through the synchronisation process. This tool is very handy as it enables you to manoeuvre through large documents quickly.

One cool feature of Word To Go is that you can beam the document and a copy of WordView, the view-only software, to others with a Palm device. This makes it easy for you to share files with others who may not have the Word To Go software.

Sheet To Go
Create, view and edit spreadsheet files on your Palm handheld computer. It supports over 110 functions including logical, financial, statistical, database and informational functions.

Slideshow To Go
Slideshow To Go allows you to open and review PowerPoint files. It offers the ability to select Outline, Slide or Notes View on the handheld. It supports colour slides with graphics, and has the ability to zoom in on detailed slides.

Add on Kit
You can also install the add-on kit that includes support for e-mail and attachments, GIF, JPG and BMP picture formats, and PDF files.

You can download this software from http://www.dataviz.-com or from http://www.palm-gear.com.

Quickoffice
Quickoffice includes spreadsheet, charting, and document editing, all in one easy-to-use solution tightly integrated with MS Excel and Word.

In addition, Quickoffice is packed with a host of enterprise-oriented, network and wireless-enabled capabilities. In less than the time it takes to ‘boot’ your laptop, you’ll be doing productive work anywhere!

Quick -office has three main components namely, Quicksheet, Quickchart and Quickword.

Quicksheet automatically synchronises with Microsoft Excel.

Quickchart adds an important charting element to Quicksheet and contains five charting types: line, pie, scatter, bar and stock charts. Users can chart multiple series on the same grid and can view graphs in grey scale or in patterns.

Quickword is built upon the popular Palm OS text document editor, SmartDoc, and takes it to the next level by seamlessly integrating with Microsoft Word. Utilising HotSync Technology, Quickword gives users the ability to create, view and edit MS Word-compatible text documents on their Palm handheld computers.

Quickoffice offers other advanced features such as the ability to print your spreadsheets and text documents directly from your handheld. It provides support for real-time peer-to-multi-peer collaboration, network integration allows you to sync your Excel and Word data onto your fleet of Quickoffice-enabled handhelds through a centralised server network. Also, the barcode scanner integration allows you to scan barcode data straight into Quicksheet and sync it in Excel format to your desktop or network.

With Quicksheet’s ImagiProbe support you can scan sensor data straight into Quicksheet, do on-the-field-analysis and charting, and sync it to Excel for further analysis and filing. ImagiProbe is a powerful software application and sensor interface, which when combined with sensors and a handheld computer, creates a portable laboratory that enables students or researchers to collect and analyse data.

The Quick-office suite supports 802.11b Wireless LAN protocol and CDPD, CDMA, GSM and GPRS wireless wide area data protocols.

You can download this software from www.cesinc.com or from www.palmgear.com

Conclusion
This article has given you just a brief overview of the capabilities of a Palm handheld computer to perform in the rigorous environment of deadlines, reports, seminars and presentations.

The Palm handheld computer is a powerful office companion, once you know how to use it. Hopefully, this article would have moved you a step closer in that direction.

(Most applications mentioned in this and following articles are available for download from www.palmgear.com . If you still have trouble finding any application feel free to e-mail the author)

Ashish Gupta is the Founder and President of The Indian Palm User Group. He can be reached at ash@notcomguys.com

Feedback, questions and comments will be entertained, and appreciated. Technical support questions will be answered. This column will feature in the first and third issues of every month. IPUG Website: www.notcomguys.com/palm