Question from Deserted AVANTGO User

JeffWeiss9 · 06-09-2009, 10:14 AM

Wandering in the desert after AVANTGO is disappearing, can anyone tell me how I can get news and other selected web pages downloaded to my PDA for offline reading (on trains and planes)??
I just tried mobipocket and RSS but got nowhere with it and couldn't find any kind of instructions / user manual for how to do it.
AVANTGO was so easy but I guess there weren't many of us left. Don't know what I'm going to do without my NYTimes on the morning train commute.
Thanks very much (if I'm in the right place). (Oh, yes, I also do read an occasional e-book).
Jeff

=X= · 06-09-2009, 11:04 AM

There are a few.

Mobipocket reader
Feedbooks
Calibre

Of the three I liked mobipocket the best simply because it was the most automated, meaning the feeds update and sync to your device automatically. It is also the easiest to add custom rss sites and blog. No I agree its not the easiest program to use but once you understand it, it's easy to use.
It did take me two trys to understand it.

ProfJulie · 06-09-2009, 11:53 AM

I use NewsGator on my pocket pc and wrote a detailed tutorial about it on my blog. Perhaps you'll find it interesting:

Staying Informed with NewsGator Go!

If I recall correctly, Avantgo allowed you to subscribe to a combination of "custom" channels and RSS feeds. You will only be able to set up the RSS feeds in whatever RSS reader you use.

To set up Mobipocket to subscribe to RSS feeds, you'll first need to locate the feed you wish to subscribe to by going to the website and finding the RSS feed button (orange button). Copy the RSS feed address.

Then open up Mobipocket on your computer, select the orange eNews icon in the left hand column, then select the orange Add eNews icon that you see on the top of the screen and select "Add a Feed."

Paste RSS feed address into the space provided, then select the Next button. You'll see a description of the feed you just added, select the Finish button.

JeffWeiss9 · 06-09-2009, 11:54 AM

Thanks for the response. I'm right now trying to get RSS feeds to work with mobipocket but I'm not even close. I can see them appear ActiveSync'ing over to my PDA (Pharos 535x) and on a page there, but when I click on any of those pages, I get a "link expired" message. Furthermore, for this to be useful to me I'd have to be able to sync it directly over wireless without ActiveSync'ing to my desktop. (The whole purpose is to download stuff on travel for offline reading when there is no web access). Can mobipocket or any of the other suggestions actually do this? I can't believe other people don't also have a need for that (that=AVANTGO automatic updating over wireless or activesync to the device for offline reading).
If you can point me to any user guide or helpful instructions, I'd be very greatful. My searches have come up with nothing and mobipocket doesn't even have a help file.
Thanks,
Jeff

JeffWeiss9 · 06-09-2009, 12:11 PM

Thanks ProfJulie-
Your NewsGator article looks like a pretty complete set of instructions so I'll try to set that up from my PDA when I arrive at my destination (2 hrs from my flight).
On the mobipocket display on my PDA, I don't see any enews button; only on my desktop. I do see a library with my feeds but when I click on any of them, I only get to one opening page.
Jeff

=X= · 06-09-2009, 12:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by JeffWeiss9

..... Furthermore, for this to be useful to me I'd have to be able to sync it directly over wireless without ActiveSync'ing to my desktop. (The whole purpose is to download stuff on travel for offline reading when there is no web access). .....

Ohhhh well that's a different story. If you wan't to download from your phone I'd suggest ViiGo. It's an RSS reader you can read real time or read offline with this product.

I use it for my blackberry storm but they have an iPhone and windows Mobile solution as well.

Here is their download page (link)
Here is a MS Windows promo page (link)

Here is a quote from their web site

Quote:

MY BLACKBERRY IS A PIMP
(2009-03-14) "The only time I experience separation anxiety is when I’m disconnected from my RSS feeds. But now, thanks to Viigo, this is only a concern when I’m taking a shower or submerged under some other body of water where electronics have no home. Viigo is an amazing offline RSS reader developed for Blackberry. That’s right… it’s offline. So whether you’re on the subway, in the air, or in a cave, you’ve got reading material. You can decide how many articles you want to store and how often you want to download each feed’s updates, and if you have an unlimited data plan like me…. you can download ’til your head spins." ...

=X=

ProfJulie · 06-09-2009, 12:38 PM

Newsgator Go! allows you to update feeds directly on the mobile device. I like it too because you can also use it for podcasts. There's no way to update Mobipocket feeds on the mobile device - Mobipocket feeds are updated on the computer and then synced over to the mobile device - this is one of the reasons I don't use it since I really try to keep my syncing time to a minimum and don't want to be chained to a computer.

JeffWeiss9 · 06-09-2009, 12:39 PM

Thanks, I'll look into that, although at first glance I only see support for smart phones, not PDA (maybe its time I upgrade).
Jeff (off for a while)

GntlmnBndt · 06-15-2009, 12:46 PM

It has been quite a while since I used it, but iSilo and iSiloX used to make a great combination for automated downloading and offline reading. They are still being updated. I think it took a bit of work to get iSiloX to download exactly what I wanted, but once it did updating was a breeze.

Good luck with it!
The Bandit

06-09-2009, 10:14 AM	#1
JeffWeiss9 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Pharos 535x	Question from Deserted AVANTGO User Wandering in the desert after AVANTGO is disappearing, can anyone tell me how I can get news and other selected web pages downloaded to my PDA for offline reading (on trains and planes)?? I just tried mobipocket and RSS but got nowhere with it and couldn't find any kind of instructions / user manual for how to do it. AVANTGO was so easy but I guess there weren't many of us left. Don't know what I'm going to do without my NYTimes on the morning train commute. Thanks very much (if I'm in the right place). (Oh, yes, I also do read an occasional e-book). Jeff

06-09-2009, 11:54 AM	#4
JeffWeiss9 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Pharos 535x	still perplexed Thanks for the response. I'm right now trying to get RSS feeds to work with mobipocket but I'm not even close. I can see them appear ActiveSync'ing over to my PDA (Pharos 535x) and on a page there, but when I click on any of those pages, I get a "link expired" message. Furthermore, for this to be useful to me I'd have to be able to sync it directly over wireless without ActiveSync'ing to my desktop. (The whole purpose is to download stuff on travel for offline reading when there is no web access). Can mobipocket or any of the other suggestions actually do this? I can't believe other people don't also have a need for that (that=AVANTGO automatic updating over wireless or activesync to the device for offline reading). If you can point me to any user guide or helpful instructions, I'd be very greatful. My searches have come up with nothing and mobipocket doesn't even have a help file. Thanks, Jeff

06-09-2009, 12:11 PM	#5
JeffWeiss9 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Pharos 535x	NewsGator Thanks ProfJulie- Your NewsGator article looks like a pretty complete set of instructions so I'll try to set that up from my PDA when I arrive at my destination (2 hrs from my flight). On the mobipocket display on my PDA, I don't see any enews button; only on my desktop. I do see a library with my feeds but when I click on any of them, I only get to one opening page. Jeff

06-09-2009, 12:39 PM	#8
JeffWeiss9 Junior Member Posts: 4 Karma: 10 Join Date: Jun 2009 Device: Pharos 535x	viigo Thanks, I'll look into that, although at first glance I only see support for smart phones, not PDA (maybe its time I upgrade). Jeff (off for a while)

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06-09-2009, 11:04 AM	#2
=X= Wizard Posts: 3,671 Karma: 12205348 Join Date: Mar 2008 Device: Galaxy S, Nook w/CM7	There are a few. Mobipocket reader Feedbooks Calibre Of the three I liked mobipocket the best simply because it was the most automated, meaning the feeds update and sync to your device automatically. It is also the easiest to add custom rss sites and blog. No I agree its not the easiest program to use but once you understand it, it's easy to use. It did take me two trys to understand it.

06-09-2009, 11:53 AM	#3
ProfJulie Evangelist Posts: 423 Karma: 890 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: whatever	I use NewsGator on my pocket pc and wrote a detailed tutorial about it on my blog. Perhaps you'll find it interesting: Staying Informed with NewsGator Go! If I recall correctly, Avantgo allowed you to subscribe to a combination of "custom" channels and RSS feeds. You will only be able to set up the RSS feeds in whatever RSS reader you use. To set up Mobipocket to subscribe to RSS feeds, you'll first need to locate the feed you wish to subscribe to by going to the website and finding the RSS feed button (orange button). Copy the RSS feed address. Then open up Mobipocket on your computer, select the orange eNews icon in the left hand column, then select the orange Add eNews icon that you see on the top of the screen and select "Add a Feed." Paste RSS feed address into the space provided, then select the Next button. You'll see a description of the feed you just added, select the Finish button.

06-09-2009, 12:38 PM	#7
ProfJulie Evangelist Posts: 423 Karma: 890 Join Date: Dec 2007 Location: USA Device: whatever	Newsgator Go! allows you to update feeds directly on the mobile device. I like it too because you can also use it for podcasts. There's no way to update Mobipocket feeds on the mobile device - Mobipocket feeds are updated on the computer and then synced over to the mobile device - this is one of the reasons I don't use it since I really try to keep my syncing time to a minimum and don't want to be chained to a computer.

06-15-2009, 12:46 PM	#9
GntlmnBndt Zealot Posts: 135 Karma: 142 Join Date: Jul 2008 Device: iPod Touch, iPad	It has been quite a while since I used it, but iSilo and iSiloX used to make a great combination for automated downloading and offline reading. They are still being updated. I think it took a bit of work to get iSiloX to download exactly what I wanted, but once it did updating was a breeze. Good luck with it! The Bandit

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