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REX 6000 Help Page News Archive
June 1 - 15, 2001
June 14, 2001
Office XP users working with Off-line files may need to tweak a bit. (From JJ)
There's an update on using the REX with Office XP on our OS page. It may apply to you if you are using Outlook 2002 (from Office XP) with the REX 6000, connecting to an Exchange Server and using Offline files. Thanks, JJ!
REX developers - public server available for testing compiling REX add-ins! (From Di)
"A lot of things are going around! Wow! I bought IAR compiler and set up a public server for testing it. Now everybody can try DS2 SDK, compile code, use emulator. Look at www.dimitriy.com , then follow the links to 'Rex,' and then 'SDK setup.' Best Regards, Di"
Di's Technical REX pages are a must see for any actual/potential REX developer. And he's right, a LOT of things are happening in the REX developer community!
Detailed pictures of the REX internals, w/chip names, etc. (Again from Di)
Di has provided space to host detailed pictures of the internals of a REX 6000 that an anonymous donor has provided us. The pics show the internals of the device, and inlude a listing of chips referenced to letter markers added to the pictures!
Look under "Hardware" and then "Picture Gallery - Inside REX 6000" and "REX 6000 Chip Markers" on Di's Technical REX pages
June 12, 2001
Another REX source in Australia. (From Paul)
"For purchasing Rex in Australia contact CX computers in Sydney - www.cx.com.au. They sold me the Rex, including the USB cradle, for AUD$280, plus AUD$20 delivery to the other side of the country."
Simplified icon creation for REX add-in programmers. (From Mantillo.)
"Uploaded Icon to Hex Translator for Rex 6000 selfmade addins, for those who don't have or don't want to
use excel to create their addin-icons!download it at: http://www.onkelfuzzy.de in the rex section!
REX NET back up (and better?) after 48 hour "maintenance" downtime. (From Arnie)
"Garbo: It may not seem like much, but I used to have a lot of trouble logging in to rex.net. Syncing always worked ok, but it would never take my password at the front door. After the weekend, it worked on the first try :) The sad part is, that I have completly lost interest in rex.net and I don't even bother to sync with it anymore. It's not what I got the r6k for."
REX available in Australia - not cheap! (From Jur)
"Rex6k is available at Calculator King in Australia for AU$299. Cradle sold seperately for AU$99. All this is about the same as US$189. :-( Must be great to live in the US with great $99 prices."
REX available in Singapore shop - very cheap! (From Ym)
"Last week, I saw one shop in Singapore's Funan Centre (the shopping centre where you will find many PC shops) selling the R6K USB version for S$149 (approx. US$83) only."
Intel pursuing phone/PDA merger? (From Stephen)
"This might be an indication on the future of the Rex6000. Intel has purchased a company to get involved in merging the cellular phone and the PDA. A quote from the article:
'This division is currently working on Intel's answer to the merger between the cellular telephone, the Internet and personal digital accessories.'
June 11, 2001
New battery record reported! (From Dennis in Holland)
"Just changed batteries on my Trex after 5 months and 11 days. Not bad I think, since you don't know how old the factory batteries were....ciao
June 9, 2001
Looking for REX comics? (From Mantillo)
"You can find rex comics at www.onkelfuzzy.de in the REX section."
Truly the REX has arrived - it has it's a comic strip you can read on it!
Update to Mr. Morotomi's Biorhythm add-in!
The biorhythm add-in has been updated to correct a few issues - see our Addin page for a link to Hideo Morotomi's add-in page!
Developers are marching forward - a snapshot from the REX Developers list. (From Myles)
"I've built on Jory's helloworld demo to include a number of implemented dataslim SDK functions:
The implemented functions are:
DsDisplayBlockClear(0, 0, 240, 120);
DsPrintf(20,5,16,"Sample addin from C SDK.");
DsTextButton(90,70,70,20,61,"Continue");
DsAddinTerminate();
msg=DsEventMessageGet();As Amiram has confirmed, perhaps only 10 functions are needed to develop applications. Those above might enable a number of simple text & button based applications to be developed. Chris H. source code also identified the code for a few more functions which I will aim to incorporate asap.
If you are interested in this visit: http://www.mirix.net. You can download the kit and see a screenshot from a demo addin."
More battery sources. (From Tony)
I found out that one can get batteries quite cheaply by contacting the distributor directly. The distributor for Maxell in Singapore sold them to me for around US$0.80. Of course I ordered 20 pieces which I think is reasonable enough. Should I buy from watch shop, it will cost me around US$2.70.
For asia users (more detail): http://www.maxell.com.sg/contact/ Others: http://www.maxell.com/home/index_contact.html.
Given the interest in this subject, the REX FAQ has been reorganized a bit and a section on battery issues and sources has been added.
June 6, 2001
Using the REX while in the Serial cradle
It appears that you can use the REX while it is inserted in the Serial cradle. To do so, remove the batteries from the REX before inserting it. This keeps the REX from going into "sync" mode. This might give some of you gamers or eText readers an way of extending your battery life.
The USB cradle does not use batteries and likely will not support using the REX in this way. Let us know if you find otherwise.
June 5, 2001
There's a lot of stuff going on in the new REX Developer's mailing list.
If you're interested in programming for the REX, the REX Developer's list is simply hopping with information and ideas. See our Internet Resources pages for information on joining the REX Developers or REX Users list.
Looking for batteries in Germany?
"Hi, just wanted to let you know that at www.reichelt.de they sell Varta CR2016, 90mAh batteries for -.88 DM, thats about $ -.40. Peter from Heidelberg."
Varta batteries are one of the three with the highest rated capacity (90mAh). See here in our FAQ for more battery sources in the US and around the world.
June 4, 2001
Looking for batteries in Holland? (From Bertus.)
" For cr2016 batteries in Holland try searching dutch auction sites like ricardo.nl and ibazar.nl. There are some people who bought cr2016's in large quantities at the US shops from the Rex6000 FAQ, and are selling what they don't need. I found some for less than fl 2,50 a piece."
June 3, 2001
Something pretty amazing - 8 new add-in games (in one add-in!) released by Amiram!
"SoliRex - Rex 6000 Solitaire Suite Add-In
A Beta version of SoliRex is now available for download.
SoliRex is a single Rex 6000 add-in containing a suite of eight well-known solitaire games:
- Klondike (also known simply as "Solitaire")
- FreeCell
- Pyramid
- Pyramid Golf
- Monte carlo
- Stonewall
- Osmosis
- Aces UpSoliRex contains several features that are usually available in larger platforms, such as "Undo" and scoring. However, the Rex 6000 is not an ideal platform for games (or for any other software development, for that matter), so don't expect all the Bells and Whistles you get on a better platform.
This is a Beta version of SoliRex. As such, it is expected to contain bugs. Please report all bugs and suggestions to:
SoliRex Beta is distributed free of charge, but currently I prohibit posting the actual download on any site - it must be downloaded from my (temporary) download page. Check occasionally to see whether this Beta version has been updated or replaced with a Release version.
To download, go to:
http://www16.brinkster.com/amiram/solirex.htm
(It's a slow host - I'll look for something better in the near future)."
And no, this is not a joke/hoax. The games are all there, and run in "portrait" mode on the REX (e.g., you have to turn your REX on it's end to play the games). Kudos to Amiram, for producing an impressive suite of REX add-in games.
Since most of us are Outlook users . . .
Not really REX news, but Outlook users might benefit from this information. Excuse the off-topic report.
"I found a pretty nice outlook add-in site http://www.slipstick.com/addins/. There were a lot of interesting looking Outlook (not REX) add-ins available at that site that might prove useful to others. Not really a Rex thing, but the possibilities are there."
The Slipstick site has been around for ages, and is a great place to look for all things related to Outlook.
June 2, 2001
Windows XP update. (Thanks, Selim)
"... just wanted to let you know that I was able to get Rex 6000 using the USB cradle working with Windows XP build 2475. I didn't get the blue screen of death and everything synched OK"
This just in - REX defeats magnetic field . . . (From Victor)
"... I am a chemistry student and on the lab we use an NMR (Nuclear Magnectic Resonance) Scanning device. Basically it's just a really big superconducting magnet that measures what atoms are in a molecule and where they are (kinda beyond the scope of this story isn't it :-). You can't take a watch (anolog OR digital, doesn't matter) or a cell phone or anything electronic near it the magnet screws them up pretty good. So last week I was standing next to the device and way into the magnetic field when I suddely realised with horror that I had my REX in my pocket. "Oh my god, 200$ down the drain." But when I checked it, it was fine, it had withstood a magnetic field of 20 Tesla! (fyi, a normal every day magnet has a magnetic field in the order of 1 millionth of a Tesla...) in short, REX rulezz."
Now remember, don't try this at home unless you have a NMR Scanning device - you'll look silly when you tell your neighbor that the REX 6000 can withstand the magnetic field put off by your dishwasher.
June 1, 2001
A way to get movie listings back on your REX. (Thanks, Shawn!)
"For those people who miss the Movie listings of Rex.net, Amazon.com has started a weekly theatre email service that sends you the movie listings for your area every Thursday, based on a given zip code. Using Maillosaurusrex, you can then transfer this info automatically to your Rex. It isn’t a perfect service, I have been changing my zip code trying to get it to send me the two theatres that I frequent most often (it keeps sending me theatres that are downtown or too far south), but I am working on it. I thought other users might find it useful."
This may be limited to US REX users, but similar options likely exist in other countries.
An interesting use for Maillosaurus REX (from AntMelNat)
Although I wouldn’t read and write email in the R6K very often, I have found an extremely valuable use for this program. I am on several daily email lists, which deliver news stories, bible verses, word-for-the-day, etc. to my Inbox and this program moves them to the R6K without having to cut-and-paste them. One of my concerns, if Intel does not continue the REX line, is the loss of the web content. Using the Maillosaurus REX program, I have been able to get my own web content into the R6K quicker than a rex.net sync. This should work to get web content into the R5K as well.
See here on our Add-ins and Other Programs page for details on using Maillosaurus REX to get web content to your REX.
REX On-Board Diagnostics (From Chris.)
"Haven't heard anybody mention this, hope this isn't old news: hold down the "Back" button (2nd from top) and press reset (in back of Rex). Continue to hold the button while the Rex banner is displayed, then it briefly flashes "REX6000 Test program", then a menu of tests which you navigate via buttons (not touchscreen). As if this wasn't cool enough, the last menu item is "Developers Diag" which takes you to another menu of interesting stuff to play with, including "Serial Cradle debug" which I'm guessing (hoping!) may be a command line debugging interface. It says "diag program ... Insert Serial Cradle at 9600 baud!" I assume you put it in serial cradle and use a terminal app to talk to the diag on Rex, but I haven't gotten through yet. BTW, the strings for this app start at 4d328 in firmware, which is what compelled me to look for the "secret handshake." I had long looked for a way to get to the "Rex 6000" <Modem I/F> (string at 04666), maybe this is it?"