I just baught a toshiba E750 new with Windows 2003 and for £115. is this a good deal. I know it got bad reviews and is a bit old now but I find it a solid PDA. But many are calling for an SE upgrade. What benefits would 2003 SE give me?

Dani AI

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A focused, practical note for owners deciding whether to chase a Windows Mobile SE ROM or add car navigation to a Toshiba E750.

Given the points raised by and , the key decision for in-car navigation is hardware and software compatibility rather than minor OS niceties. ROM upgrades are vendor-specific: prefer official Toshiba firmware and read the vendor release notes. Flashing the wrong ROM or an unofficial image can permanently brick the device, so back up data with ActiveSync and export important settings before attempting any update.

For GPS, the reliable route is an external receiver that supplies NMEA over a serial link (wired or Bluetooth SPP). Typical setup steps:

  • Pair the GPS (if Bluetooth) and note the COM port assigned.
  • Configure the navigation app to open that COM port and use NMEA input (common baud rates are 4800 or 9600).
  • Store large map files on an SD card to save internal storage.
    A Bluetooth GPS is usually easiest for car mounting; a wired serial receiver works fine if the PDA has the right connector or a compatible adapter.

Common problems and fixes: verify raw NMEA output with a simple monitor app to isolate hardware vs software; ensure the COM port is not occupied by another service; try an alternate Bluetooth stack if pairing fails; check satellite visibility and consider an external antenna; use a car power cable or cradle because continuous GPS use drains PDA batteries quickly.

Bottom line recommendation: unless an official Toshiba SE ROM adds essential device-level support, immediate gains for driving come from a good GPS receiver, compatible navigation software that supports COM/NMEA, and a proper car power/cradle solution.

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ive got a dell x30 high, and it has 2003 se. Basically there a few differnces, one being something i use a lot. It is that it natively supports screen rotation, so you can view it sideways for webpages you are looking at on the web at coffee shops and what not. It also has support for vga screens, and there is a section in the start menu that shows frequently used applications. It also has an updated internet explorer that makes webpages fit onto the screen much better by forcing them into a column. Also with the wireless, it has support for wpa secure networks.

If you want a real big difference, you will need mobile 2005 and a pda to support it.

Theres already a frewuently used apps and help button expcept the frequnt apps go horisontally

I probably dont need that. I only rotate with mobipockety which has its own thing and I have an expander thingy to link my pda up to a 800x600 PC monitor so VGA isnt abig issue. Also, my router is old (no wpa)

A better IE would be good tho. Will not having SE mean I cant use new GPS stuff (would like to get it for my 1st car)?

yeah, all of the features se added were already available with 3rd party addons. se just made them built into the os. nothing big, but a little improvement.

im not sure about the gps, you will have to look at the package for it. my guess is you will be fine.

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