Bluetooth Networking. Custom iPAQ CF sleeve. The SS2.
	Modify your serial cradle to USB.
	Connect to the Internet using your USB or serial cradle
	Battery charger for your iPAQ
	Customize your iPAQ sounds and display.
	Modify your Pocket IE version.
	Enable ClearTypeText on your IE.
	Remove Character recognizer from your input menu.
	Modify your cradle for Vaja case
	Save the poor battery of your PocketPC 2002 device
	Custom iPAQ Jacket.

• Custom iPAQ CF sleeve:

          Here is the one I made myself.

The process of making the sleeve is described in Dale Coffin's page (http://www.dalecoffing.com/iPAQ/GM/CF_Thin.htm) but you basically need  some time to make it yourself. Don't rush and make sure you get some wet sand paper for the finish (after you apply the bondo). Dale didn't mention that you needed to use this but I found out that if you want best results you will need to get a sanding block and some very thin sand paper (1000+). You also also want to include a TORX #6 screw bit to disassemble the CF card. 
Tip: If you do not want to spend extra time to make the surface of the bondo smooth, you may want to try Fleckstone paint which will cover most of the imperfections on the card.  

• Modify your serial cradle to USB: 

This is a little mod that I found on this website: http://xetranet.com/ipaq/usb.htm

It allows you to modify your serial cradle to USB. This site is in French so here is a little review for those of you that aren't fluent in French yet!!

1. Open the serial cradle using a TORX 6. 

2. Take the cable apart. Make sure that you don't lose the springs and you take a good look how it is assembled.

3. Take a USB cable and cut it in order to keep the end that will connect to your
   desktop.

4. On the little board detach the connector CON2 (CON2 is marked on the  board  on the side of the connector).

5. Solder the following:

   

   	The red cable (coming from the USB) to #7 on the CON2.
   	The white cable to #10 on the CON2.
   	The green USB cable to #11 of the CON2.
   	The white USB cable to #12 of the CON2.

   Once finished try to see if you can sync with your desktop. 
   The iPAQ should turn on when plug-in the connector. In my 
   case I had to had the following:

   In addition to the red USB cable connected to #7 you  want to solder it to #14 as well.

   Finish the job by making sure your work is secure, and 
   reassemble the cradle.

   

   Note that there apparently exists different versions of the serial cradle.
   I was sent this comment by Ian, which was kind enough to let me post it;

   After trying to convert my cradle to the USB version I found it failed.
   After some time and testing I came to the conclusion that there may be different versions of the little PCB board found inside the cradle.
   The USB connections on Con 1 (The one that connects to the iPaq) are on pins 11 and 12, which are also connected to pins 11 and 12 on con2 (the one that connects to the serial cable).
   However, on my board the con 1 pins 11 and 12 were not connected to anything (I also noticed small differences between the pictures supplied on the page and my board). On my board pins 11 and 12 on con 1 are connected only to two surface mounted diodes which appear to be over voltage protectors; they do not connect to ANY of the pins on the con2 connector.

   Connecting the USB green and white wires directly to the pins 11 and 12 (respectively) on the con 1 connector solved the problem, and the cradle now works with my USB. It is important to connect directly to the pins on the con 1 connector; NOT on the other side of the 'diodes' - connecting to the wrong side of the diodes will result in the cable not working.
   Also: after drilling a small hole and removing the plastic 'lock' which locks down the side 'wings' of the cradle (the bits that pop up and down depending on if you have a jacket on the iPaq or not) will provide enough room inside the cradle to leave BOTH the serial and USB cables connected.
   Here is another info posted by Simon Bannister. On the new serial cradles you can directly solder the USB wires onto the board!!!!
   
   The newer circuit boards in the cradle have pin holes in the circuit board ready to directly solder your USB cable to.
   
   They are:
   H1-Sheild
   H2-Red
   H3-Black
   H5-White
   H6-Green
   
   Just remember that you may have to reboot your PC when the software detects the IPAQ in the cradle. Also set both Activesynch and the IPAQ to USB.

• Connect to the Internet using you USB or serial cradle:

By now most people how found out of this work, but if you're still a little confused about it, here is a little summary. There are also different solution, one of them listed on Dale Coffin's site:  http://www.dalecoffing.com/General/MichaelBoone/InternetConnect.htm

    My iPAQ connected.

Here is mine:

These steps can be applied to the serial or even infrared connection.

The next step is to install a utility that allow your computer to run as server and create a IP address for your iPAQ. I use AnalogX Proxy. In order to setup your PPC do the following steps:

You use the same settings for AOL IM. 

NOTE: I have problem with this mod using the latest ROM version. Apparently it will only work with ROM 1.29... working on the update! 

• Battery charger for your iPAQ:

I did this one in no time; the finish isn't perfect but that's what you get in 10 minutes!

You can find a complete installation review 
here: 
http://www.dalecoffing.com/Casio/DennisWolfe/BatteryExtender/BatteryExtender.htm

• Customize your iPAQ sounds and display:

Here is my Today's page, customized with a picture of my car but also the iPAQ skin for the Gigabar, and a custom Today's windows (today's the day).             

As far as the sounds go, I used some sounds from Windows ME that I transferred into the windows directory of my iPAQ (wav format). If you want to change your Network connections sounds, you might have to rename them before transferring the file; make sure you back them up first (just copy and paste them into your desktop My Documents directory). Here is the list of the sound name:

Note: You may also transfer the wave files to your Windows directory without  changing their names. If they do not list in the sound pop-down menu, you will need to rename them as explained above. Try to keep the initial names short (such as sync, syncd,....).

• Modify your Pocket IE version:

Here is a little trick to make the server "think" that you are using a IE 5+ platform.

Use regedit or some type of registry editor.

Note: to remove the screen size restriction that some websites have, you can delete the "240*320" value found under \PostPlatform\.

• Enable ClearTypeText:

This will enable ClearTypeText for some HTML using this technology.
You will need a registry editor once again (such as regedit).

Note: To disable it, you can reset it's value to 0.

• Remove the Character Recognizer from your input menu:

You will need to use regedit or other registry editor.

You may do the same with other input methods, by locating their DWORD:

For Transcriber: {F0034DD0-2AD4-11d1-9CB0-E84be8000000}

For Keyboard: {4229667-ae04-11d0-a4f8-00aa00749b9}

• Modify your cradle for Vaja case:

Here is a little trick that will help you sync your iPAQ when using a Vaja case.
I just received mine a few days ago, and noticed that unless holding the PPC down in the cradle, it wouldn't sync! So here is the trick:

• Custom iPAQ Jacket, by Thomas Wong;
  
  Here is a nice little transparent Jacket that you might want to check out!!!
  Here is the link: http://ipaq.isgreat.net/

• Save the poor battery of your PocketPC 2002 device:
  For the past couple of months I've been facing significantly lower battery life. Using and IBM Microdrive (with most of my programs installed on it), my poor iPAQ's battery has been taking a severe hit when on! I did notice a significant drop in battery life after installing the new OS, PocketPC 2002.
  The reason being is that under the connection tab in your settings panel, you have the option to leave the IrDa open at all times ("Receive all incoming beams..."). After many hours of testing using Battery Monitor, I noticed that while the option is activated, the battery life will be reduced by an amazing 30%. My old iPAQ only lasted a mere 10 hours with no backlight and no CF. Turning the option on will cut this time to a poor (very poor) 7 hours! Now, using the backlight and a Microdrive during a normal day is just becoming more and more difficult! It looks like the 1300mAh iPAQ battery offered by LinearLogiX will soon find a new home in my unit. For now, I carry my home made battery pack in case of an emergency!

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