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Support
If you don't find your question here, please send it to us
via support@qvadis.com.
Include your name, the e-mail address you registered with
and HotSync name to help us verify that you are a registered user.
We'll post the most frequently asked questions here,
along with the answers, to help others in the future.
Why do I need a palmtop?
Palmtop organizers simplify your life, bringing the essentials -
datebook, contacts, to do list, and memos - into a pocket-sized package.
Modern palmtops are more than organizers, and are actually computers,
with the power to extend your desktop with hardware accessories and
thousands of useful programs to do anything from spreadsheet calculation
to reading books and documents.
You can read books and documents on a palmtop? Sure you can. The Memo program built into the Palm operating system already enables you to exchange short notes between your palmtop and PC. A class of programs called "readers" enable you to read much larger electronic format documents - from first aid manuals, to computer language references, to Shakespeare's works. back to top Why is Express Reader the reader of choice for Palm computers? Express Reader Pro is the premier integrated desktop-palmtop application for the Palm. ZDNet, publishers of PC Magazine, gave Express Reader Pro a five-star rating and called it "One cool package...a fantastic all-in-one PC and Palm document reader...You can't do much better than Express Reader Pro." We've also garnered Editor's Pick, Top 10 or and other accolades from Yahoo!, Lycos, Excite, CNET, PalmGear, Handango, and, best of all, from our users. You can get a pure palmtop version, Express Reader GT, or a pure desktop version, Express Reader DX, but the real power is in using the two together. With ER Pro, you can preview e-texts you've downloaded from the Web, convert your own text files or Word documents to Palm format, install them on your palmtop, and carry them with you to read wherever you go. Express Reader is the only reader designed from the start to embody the Zen of Palm philosophy. To paraphrase Jeff Hawkins, architect of the original PalmPilot, "The problem with most designers is knowing when to stop." As in the Palm organizer, our design objectives were a simple and intuitive interface, the ability to do the most useful things a reader program should do, and to do them very well. You'll see this in everything we've done and are planning for Express Reader. back to top How can I get Express Reader? You can download a 30-day evaluation version of Express Reader and register for the full version from this Website. Express Reader is also available from the leading Palm software distributors. back to top What is an "evaluation version"? An "evaluation version" of our software gives you a chance to try it out, for a limited time (30 days), before you register and pay full purchase price. The software is disabled after the prescribed evaluation time; this differs from a "shrink wrap version" in which you purchase the software before you can try it. back to top What does it mean to "register for the full version"? "Registering for the full version" means to pay for a license to use the full-featured software beyond the evaluation period. On payment, you will receive a unique registration key code (or two codes, one each for the desktop and palmtop, if you have Express Reader Pro) which you enter into Express Reader's registration form, after which the software automatically becomes the full registered version, with no registration reminders or start-up delays. back to top Can we upgrade from Express Reader GT (or DX) to Express Reader Pro? Not at present. If you are unsure whether you need both components, you have the benefit of testing our "evaluation version" for Express Reader Pro first. We have priced Express Reader Pro so that purchasing the bundle will always be less expensive than buying the GT and DX components separately. back to top What is the latest version of Express Reader? Express Reader GT is at Version 2.10 and Express Reader DX is at Version 2.02. The Express Reader Pro 2.10 suite consists of a bundled GT 2.10 module and DX 2.02 module. GT 2.10 included better Palm OS 3.5 compatibility, enhancements to the user interface and to categories, and compatibility with documents in flash memory. DX 2.02 included better Windows NT compatibility, enhancements to the user interface, the ability to directly convert Word documents to Palm format, and an enhanced Windows-based Help capability. For each module of Express Reader, if you registered for earlier versions your registration key code(s) will still work with Version 2.10. back to top How do we become part of any Beta testing programs? Available slots for external Beta testing of current programs under development have already been assigned. Qvadis supports PDA user groups by working directly with them for generic feedback or to help identify individuals for beta testing purposes; however, some slots may become available for future releases in the Pocket Ready line. See our Beta Programs resource for future areas. back to top How can we keep up to date on the availability of Pocket Ready applications? This Website will be updated whenever Express Reader upgrades or any other Pocket Ready applications are available. Or you can join our Express Reader Club. The free membership will entitle you to news and notifications of our various programs. Registered users of any Express Reader application are recommended to be members. back to top What is Express Reader GT? Express Reader GT is the standalone palmtop component of Express Reader Pro. With GT you can read any size electronically-formatted book or document on your Palm-compatible computer (subject, of course, to the memory limitations of your palmtop). Previewing documents on your desktop, and converting them to Palm format when necessary, is best done with the previewer-publisher program, Express Reader DX, the desktop companion to GT. back to top What does the "GT" stand for? On roadsters and sports cars, "GT" stands for "Gran Turismo". The "GT" designation for the palmtop version of Express Reader is a reminder that this is a mobile, on-the-road software program. back to top Can you use GT with other desktop Palm conversion programs? Certainly; that's why we offer GT as a standalone product. If you're pretty savvy with existing Palm format conversion programs, and only need the utility of a palmtop reader, GT is a perfect choice. But you'll find that, for previewing, editing and converting documents for use with GT, Express Reader DX is unmatched in simplicity and usefulness - it's been designed for it. back to top Can you beam Express Reader GT to someone else? You may, and we encourage it. However, it reverts to an evaluation version on that Palm device until it is registered. back to top Can you edit documents using Express Reader GT? Not at present. Our design considerations and consumer research underline the fact that that word processing capabilities are best served on the desktop. Palmtop devices are best suited as viewers of previously-edited documents or references. This is why we concentrated instead on perfecting desktop tools such as Express Reader DX for file previewing, editing and conversion. back to top What is Express Reader DX? Express Reader DX is the standalone desktop component of Express Reader Pro. With DX you can preview electronically-formatted books or documents you've downloaded from the Web or other sources, edit those documents, or convert your desktop text-format documents to Palm format, and prepare any selected file for reading on your Palm-compatible computer. DX can be thought of as a previewer-publisher program. Reading on your handheld computer is best done using Express Reader GT, the palmtop companion product to DX. back to top What does the "DX" stand for? On roadsters and sports cars, "DX" stands for "Deluxe". The "DX" designation for this component of Express Reader is a reminder that, while still a tool for mobile, on-the-road users, DX is a utility for use on your "desk". back to top Can you use DX with other palmtop reader programs? Certainly; that's why we offer DX as a standalone product. We do think that the Express Reader GT palmtop program provides the best balance of simplicity and ease-of-use to DX. However, DX will add value to any palmtop reader by providing a simple previewing, editing, and publishing function for your desktop. back to top Can you edit documents using Express Reader DX? Yes you can! The first version of Express Reader DX was a simple previewer and text-to-Doc converter. However, due to user demand, we have now introduced editing capability to DX. Word processing is a complex application well-served by programs like Word and WordPerfect, which most users have on their PCs. While there is no need to replicate all of their functions, for most editing needs the new version of DX can work quite well, minimizing the need to switch back and forth on your PC between Express Reader and your favorite word processor. back to top How do you use other word processor programs to create a Palm file? If you edit your documents on your favorite word processor (or even your e-mail or internet browser program), save the document as an intermediate plain text (.txt) or rich text format (.rtf) file, which you then open and view with Express Reader DX. You then use DX to convert the file to Palm format, for HotSyncing to your Palm device. (Note that files edited by DX will be automatically saved in Palm format.) Why an intermediate .rtf file? Well, Word and WordPerfect, and other word processors and editors such as mail and Internet browser programs, have incompatible formats - often even between different versions of the same program. Using an intermediate .txt or .rtf format for conversion purposes is elegant because Express Reader DX can then be used no matter what your favorite word processor or editor, or whether Microsoft or Corel release a new version. Due to user demand, however, we have introduced the capability for Express Reader DX to read, edit and convert Web (HTML) and MS Word files directly, without going through an intermediate .rtf conversion. back to top Can we put bookmarks in our own files? Sure. When editing with DX, use the Bookmark options in the menu to insert bookmarks. When using another word processor, choose a unique Bookmark phrase such as (bm) or (**), or whatever you feel is appropriate, and insert these into your text wherever a bookmark is appropriate. Then put a <(bm)> or <(**)> right at the end of the file as a Bookmark phrase indicator, and use the DX MakePalmFile utility to convert your document. Express Reader will look for the Bookmark phrase indicator when it opens your document, then goes through your document to note the bookmarks for the Bookmark List, using the first 15 characters after each bookmark as a sort of reference title. Earlier versions of DX or GT (Version 1.00 or 1.01) will only recognize our standard Bookmark, (bm). Version 1.10 and higher will recognize any Bookmark chosen as above. back to top What if my desktop machine isn't Windows-based? A Mac version of Express Reader DX is certainly on our list of things to do. In the meantime, there are a several facilities you can use to convert your documents to Express Reader-compatible format, in case your environment is MacOS, or Java, or UNIX, made available and supported by their developers.
Please note that Qvadis makes no warranty or claim that these applications function without problem and can't provide any support for them. If you have questions, please contact the appropriate developer. back to topWhere can I find books and documents in Express Reader format? Check out our Ex Libris resources. We have a growing Library - now featuring over 6,000 free e-texts - as well as an InterLibrary resource, with the Web's most comprehensive set of links to other Palm e-text sites. Our FrontList section will feature the best of contemporary original e-books for purchase, spotlighting titles from Editio-Books.com, a leading Palm e-book publisher recently acquired by Qvadis. back to top How many books can you fit on a Palm computer? Obviously that depends on the free memory you have. You can fit roughly 160,000 words in 1 MB of memory on your Palm. Express Reader goes further and uses the Doc format algorithm to squeeze text to about 60% of its uncompressed size. That's well over a quarter of a million words per megabyte, or about 1000 pages or so of a modern hardcover, all in 1 Mb. back to top What is the Doc format? Doc format is the Palm industry-standard format for large e-text files. Palm Doc files have a .prc or .pdb suffix, and are not to be confused with Microsoft Word files having the .doc suffix. There are other Palm formats, but Doc is by far the most common. There are an enormous number of sites collecting pre-converted e-books in Doc format, which lends to its popularity. Rick Bram was the architect of the original specification, with contributions on the spec and on different utilities from Florent Pillet, Pat Beirne, Mark Pierce, Harold Bamford, Masatoshi Yoshizawa and others in the Palm community. back to top Why do all Doc files appear as one very large file in my Palm memory manager? Instead of showing the files individually, the Palm thinks of them as one large database containing all the text files. Use Express Reader's List view to see the individual files. back to top Can I create my own e-documents and download them to the Palm? Certainly. Express Reader DX is the perfect tool for publishing your e-books or other electronic documents to Palm format. DX can be used for viewing, editing, and converting files to Palm format, the first end-to-end solution for publishing to the Palm. You can use Microsoft Word or an HTML editor such as FrontPage to create and edit your document, save as a .doc or .html file, and then open them using Express Reader DX. Alternatively, you can use any ordinary word processor or text editor - Word, Corel WordPerfect, your e-mail program, browser editor, or even Notepad or Wordpad - to edit and format your text. Bookmark your text if necessary and then save as a text file. Next, open the document using DX, and use the DX MakePalmFile utility to convert it. Finally, use the HotSync utility on your Palm Desktop to install the new file onto your Palm. To re-edit, open the file on your PC using DX. Click on anywhere in the text window, press ctrl-A to select all the text, ctrl-C to copy the text to clipboard. Open your text editor, click on the blank page area and press ctrl-P to paste the text in. Edit and re-save as above. back to top Can Qvadis help us publish our company e-documents to the Palm platform? For corporate users who want documents and references - such as product and price lists, conference programs, handbooks, business plan and reference guides - converted to Palm format, or for any other type of custom publishing solution, check our Publishing resource page. Our proven expertise and technology can get your application out in short order. back to top
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Express Reader, Lexica, or any of our products or services.
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