Yes, we offer complete Pocket PC and scanner packages. The PDA and scanners are brand-new, with manufacturers warranty. If you buy a package from us, we get everything setup for use with your ScoutPal subscription, so when you get it you can just open up the box, learn how to turn it on, and then go out scouting. Plus, we include a free SD memory card and a card reader (for easy subsequent database updates), as well as free priority mail shipping within the USA.
Alternatively, you can use the hardware that you may already have or plan to purchase somewhere else, as long your equipment meets the ScoutPalDB hardware compatibility requirements.
"Getting Started" instructions for our PDA/scanner packages:
- Omnia-II PDA Package with Scanfob Bluetooth scanner
- Package with Socket 7m Bluetooth scanner
- Package with ROV Bluetooth scanner
- Package with Scanfob Bluetooth scanner
- (discontinued) Package with Socket 5m scanner
- Using templates with a ScoutPalDB package
- Cables and accessories that come with an HP iPAQ 210 package
Please visit our Features page.
Please read our ScoutPalDB2 Early Release page.
(I have my own compatible PDA and I want to get it setup with ScoutPalDB and/or I need to update the database, but I am not very good with computers.)
Yes, we can login to your computer and operate
it by remote control to show you how to do basic computer and
PDA operations like downloading and copying files.
Please call us at 
We also have a collection of YouTube videos (produced by ScoutPal and others) that demonstrate elementary computer and Pocket PC/SD card file operations.
Or, you can call ScoutPal for further instructions to mail your PDA system to us, and we will set it up for you for a flat $45 fee which also covers expedited and insured return shipping back to you.
Yes, absolutely. ScoutPalDB program files are put on an SD card, then the card is put into the PDA for subsequent setup and use. The Mac is only used to download and put the files into the PDA's SD card. Nearly all Mac's have an SD Card slot built right into them; if yours does not, no worries: SD card adaptors are inexpensive and widely available.
But, the built-in Mac zip file function does not properly
unzip a file's contents to SD cards, so you will need to install and use a PDA
program (it's free) that can unzip files directly within the PDA:
Download HTC_Zip, then put it on your PDA, then
tap on it to get it installed. Now, whenever you update the ScoutPalDB database,
you will simply put a raw, untouched newly-downloaded copy of the database update
file on the PDA's storage card; then (on the PDA) unzip its contents using HTC_Zip
as shown in this
Video
(Instructions for this process are also included in the ScoutPalDB
setup steps, items 2 and 3.)
Scanners are input devices, just like a keyboard. They send bar code digits into your Pocket PC, just as if you had tapped them in from a keyboard. Scanner support is an issue that is not directly connected with ScoutPalDB. Your scanner needs to be setup so that it can send bar code digits into any program that is running on the Pocket PC. ScoutPalDB will recognize US EAN-13 digit sequences, and automatically transform them into the underlying ISBN. General guidelines for identifying and scanning book bar codes can be found at http://www.scoutpal.com/db/howtoscan
Please visit http://www.scoutpal.com/db/howtoscan/ to learn how to identify and scan book bar codes.
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This information is available through the ScoutPal interactive web site lookup. If your PDA has wireless connectivity (Cellular data service, WiFi, bluetooth connection to a cell phone, etc., or if you have a Pocket PC/phone like a Treo 700w) you can add an optional "Fetch" button to the lookup display, and do an online lookup on the same screen with a single tap to fetch full ScoutPal real-time wireless lookup results, including Buyer Waiting, Edition Info, abebooks.com results, as well as "drill-down" for 3rd party offering details.
Visit the template center to learn how ScoutPalDB lookup results can be customized.
Some Windows Mobile devices (typically pda/phones) will only play audio files through a stereo Bluetooth headset. Phone calls may work with your mono headset just fine, but nothing is heard when a media file is played by ScoutPalDB or by the PDA's Media Center application. Some ScoutPals have told us that they were able to use this free utility to route stereo media playback to a mono Bluetooth headset. (Run it *after* you have paired the headset, not before.) Treo 750 users have reported success following this procedure. Disclaimer: These are not ScoutPal products, use them at your own risk.
Tap Start / Settings / System / Screen, then choose the orientation desired,
then tap ok. Watch
Video
You can disable whatever button may be currently setup to rotate the screen:
Tap Start / Settings / Personal Buttons.
Watch Video
(Windows comes with a built-in compressed file extractor, but occasionally a computer may have a had third-party commercial program installed, and as a consequence, native Windows support for handling compressed (zipped) files has been damaged.)
- After uninstalling WinZip, you can
re-enable Window's built-in Extract Wizard.
(You may additionally need to remove the WinZip .zip association (per Microsoft) and/or restore the default Windows .zip association.) - Alternatively, you can install and use a PDA program (it's free) that can unzip files directly
within the PDA:
Download HTC_Zip, then put it on your PDA, then
tap on it to get it installed. Now, whenever you update the ScoutPalDB database,
you will simply put a raw, untouched newly-downloaded copy of the database update
file on the PDA's storage card; then (on the PDA) unzip its contents using HTC_Zip
as shown in this
Video
(This is also the recommended procedure when using a Mac to download
updates.)
Disclaimer: These are not ScoutPal products or procedures, use them at your own risk.
Our subscription pricing and rules are simple, please review our Terms of Service
A ScoutPal Add-On subscription (for family members or employees) is half price, at $14.95/quarter (3 mos.)