Archive for the ‘Problems’ Category

Epocrates-Windows Mobile Sync Problem Solved

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

I noticed a problem with Epocrates synchronization that occurred repeatedly and I figured out the solution and so I share with you the steps needed to get around it.

First of all, this problem happens on Windows Xp machine using Activesync and am not sure if the same applies to Windows Vista – Windows Mobile Device Center combination.

Second, it usually occurs when you reinstall Epocrates Essentials after previous installation (like for example when you get a new device and you want to sync it with the same desktop).

The problem is that after complete installation the synchronization does not start at all and when you check in Activesync Tools>Options you find that Epocrates Autoupdate can not be checked and is not highlighted and unclickable.

To solve the issue

1) On your desktop go to ActiveSync>Tools>Options and un-check all the options that you have it already syncing like notes, favorites, email, other added software, …etc. [ leave only contacts and calendar].

2) Resync the device [ remove it from the cable and reattach and not only resyncing].

3) Now reinstall Epocrates once again by double clicking the installation file you already downloaded from Epocrates.

4) Now go to ActiveSync Tools>Options and you will find that Autoupdate is clickable and so check it with a smile on your face!

5) Resync again and you will be asked for your Epocrates username and password enter it

Epocrates Sync

You will then have your Epocrates running and synced on your device.

Now in order to get back your other options that you have unchecked before in step 1 above, you need to uncheck Epocrates Autoupdate and thereafter continue sycning without Epocrates Autoupdate. There seems to be a problem autoupdating Epocrates with the other options. So just go without Epocrates update.

Epocrates Sync

Epocrates Sync

In the future if you want to update Epocrates you need to again unsync all your options leaving only contacts and calendar [steps 1 to 4 skipping step 3].

Or even better just sync wirelessly and don’t ever sync again via ActiveSync. Of course you need WiFi or GPRS access to do that. The steps shown here:

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Posted in All, Problems | 2 Comments »

Epocrates-Windows Mobile Sync Problem Solved

Saturday, October 11th, 2008

I noticed a problem with Epocrates synchronization that occurred repeatedly and I figured out the solution and so I share with you the steps needed to get around it.

First of all, this problem happens on Windows Xp machine using Activesync and am not sure if the same applies to Windows Vista – Windows Mobile Device Center combination.

Second, it usually occurs when you reinstall Epocrates Essentials after previous installation (like for example when you get a new device and you want to sync it with the same desktop).

The problem is that after complete installation the synchronization does not start at all and when you check in Activesync Tools>Options you find that Epocrates Autoupdate can not be checked and is not highlighted and unclickable.

To solve the issue

1) On your desktop go to ActiveSync>Tools>Options and un-check all the options that you have it already syncing like notes, favorites, email, other added software, …etc. [ leave only contacts and calendar].

2) Resync the device [ remove it from the cable and reattach and not only resyncing].

3) Now reinstall Epocrates once again by double clicking the installation file you already downloaded from Epocrates.

4) Now go to ActiveSync Tools>Options and you will find that Autoupdate is clickable and so check it with a smile on your face!

5) Resync again and you will be asked for your Epocrates username and password enter it

Epocrates Sync

You will then have your Epocrates running and synced on your device.

Now in order to get back your other options that you have unchecked before in step 1 above, you need to uncheck Epocrates Autoupdate and thereafter continue sycning without Epocrates Autoupdate. There seems to be a problem autoupdating Epocrates with the other options. So just go without Epocrates update.

Epocrates Sync

Epocrates Sync

In the future if you want to update Epocrates you need to again unsync all your options leaving only contacts and calendar [steps 1 to 4 skipping step 3].

Or even better just sync wirelessly and don’t ever sync again via ActiveSync. Of course you need WiFi or GPRS access to do that. The steps shown here:

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Posted in All, Problems | 2 Comments »

Solve your iPhone / iTouch problems with a Reset

Friday, September 19th, 2008

If you face any problem with your iPhone or iPod Touch you can easily solve the issue by resetting your device.

The problems that I was able to save with this maneuver are:

  • Not able to log in to my Skyscape iPhone access page
  • Slow and frozen connections to iTunes on Windows machine
  • Unable to retrieve email messages on the mail application of my iTouch
  • Hang up while updating my Epocrates Rx installed on the iTouch

The following screenshots illustrate the steps after going to the Settings from your home page:

iPhone Reset

Note that when do this you are not going to lose any media or data or applications that you previously stored on your iPhone and it is recommended to immediately sync with your iTunes right after the procedure.

For more tips like these visit the tutorials section of pda4peds.

Posted in All, Problems, iPhone | 2 Comments »

10 Things to keep using the PDA in Clinical Practice

Friday, September 12th, 2008

Many of our friends and colleagues are either reluctant to buy a PDA or they’ve got one but they just don’t utilize it in practice! so to tackle this issue we come up with some recommendations to get around this problem.

10 things that you should do to get yourself familiar with the PDA in clinical practice:

1- Get a good device: The issue here is not the hardware but rather the software what we call the operating system or OS. Try to get a device with an OS similar to what your co-workers are carrying so that you can troubleshoot together. Check the best OS guide and the Best device guide for further details.

    Tilt with a mouse

2- Take it with you: Don’t just be happy with it sitting idle in your locker/office or back at home. Carry it with you to the wards, ER, OR, and anywhere else. You will never know when you need it.

3- Make it your organizer: Keep your contacts, calendar, notes, emails, phone, videos, pictures, to do lists, and all your personal information in it. This is the way that will get you on the go and in no time you will feel that the handheld is actually indispensable in your day to day life.

4- Don’t be embarrassed: Many colleagues think that using the PDA in front of parents gives the impression of the lack of experience and confidence. On the contrary, patients and their families will consider you a hi-tech, concerned, careful, and an updated doctor.

5- Minimize the use of stylus: It might be the case that you just hate the waste of time and the inconvenience of getting the stylus out to navigate through the screen. Simply, lose the stylus and get yourself a touch device that allows single thumb navigation such as HTC Touch or iPhone.

6- Normal values: Checking the ideal patients weight, height … for his/her age and verifying the corresponding normal laboratory values will get you prepared for any patient and make you feel more confident before the encounter. The use of such daily tasks will get you used to the PDA gradually and you will then go for more complex tasks. Check the growth and development category for more.

7- Instant Answers: Just before seeing your ER patient and while you are in the elevator take your PDA out and see what could possibly causes hypokalemia and abdominal pain (using a DDx program) and check if your neonate’s alkaline phosphatase is really abnormal for his age (using a lab tool) and see if there are dangerous drug to drug interactions before filling your prescription. Questions like these can only be answered swiftly by the your handheld or by your seniror’s PC! If you get used to these simple tasks you will consider your PDA as your secret weapon.

8- Free Free Free: Yah I know that you hate paying for software so why don’t you check the list of wonderful free pediatric pda applications and give it a try.

9- CME: Shortage in credit hours and no time to travel to the conference, sounds familiar! Don’t bother yourself you can collect your credit at bed time reading or on your way to work via public transport. Check what CME available for the handheld.

10- Visit this blog and the pda4peds website often: Try to comment on this article and even write your own thoughts and get engaged with forums and stay updated of the latest.

For another version of this article check this pediatric pda guide.

Happy handhelding …

Posted in All, Opinions, Problems | No Comments »

Pedseducation for the Windows Mobile

Monday, June 16th, 2008

Pedseducation.org provides excellent CME credits specific for pediatricians.

Unfortunately the service is not available for the mobile platform as there is no mobile website and no software that can be installed on the PDA.

However, there is a work around …

What we need to do is download Flash Player 7 for Pocket PC which is a CAB file (copy the downloaded file to your device and open it from there). Please note that this plugin is available only for the Windows Mobile Internet Explorer and not for any other browsers or operating systems, Opera Mobile recently announced that their browser is Flash compatible but that is not correct as the Flash player is not showing in the Opera Mobile browser (read here for more details on this).

Then we log on to our account in pedseducation using our built-in Internet Explorer Mobile and this way we will be able to watch the (.SWF) videos on the mobile screen and when the lecture is finished we can go to the posttest and get the CME credit exactly as we do in our desktop or laptop.

Reading Pedseducation Lectures on Windows Mobile

However the resolution is quite bad here as we will not be able to read the small commentary texts and even the slides are not very clear.

Our advice to the developers of pedseducation is that either they should develop a PDA version of their service or at least a Power Point version of the lecture that can be downloaded to the PDA.

Posted in All, CME, General Issues, Problems | No Comments »

Epocrates – Windows Mobile Sync Problem Solved

Sunday, April 13th, 2008

Recently I faced a problem when I was trying to sync my Windows Mobile 6 (HTC TyTN II, AKA AT&T Tilt and Kaiser) with the Epocrates server to install and update my Epocrates Essentials.

The sync starts normally as usual but it get stucks and hangs up at around the end of the process. Just about where the progress bar shown here in the picture the autoupdate dropps off and no more syncing!

When I go to Start>Programs>Epocrates Essentials The following message appears!

So in an attempt to resolve this problem I tried the following:

1) Uninstalled-Reinstalled : As per their instructions I uninstalled the software completely and forced a soft-reset then I downloaded the software again from my Epocrates account and re-installed it again , YET THE PROBLEM PERSISTED!

2) Disabled Anti-Virus and Firewall : One of Epocrates support agants advised me to do this, so I disabled my Windows Defender (Using Windows Xp) and my Norton Antivirus, and my Threatfire3, and my Spyware Terminator. Repeated step 1 and THAT DID NOT HELP EATHER!

3) Over The Air installation : I thought there might be a problem in their sync server, so repated step 1 then I tried to install the software via wireless connection by going to (http://get.epocrates.com) and installation went smoothly, this time no doubtful Xp problems, but again AUTOUPDATE DID NOT FINISH!

4) I thought there could be a software conflict and so what I did I completely wiped up my device (Hard reset) and repeated steps 1 and 2 and THAT DID NOT SOLVE THE PROBLEM EITHER!

5) There is a program in HTC models called “Encryption” which encrypts files on memory card. When I unchecked this option I FINALLY WAS ABLE TO SYNC SMOOTHLY WITHOUT STALLING.

It seems that Epocarets are aware of this problem as they posted a specific support page, but they may be struggling with a solution. Recently they upgraded their software to manage memory automatically, in other words, if your main memory is not enough the software will move Rx, Dx, and Sx to your memory card and probably it is this upgrade that has caused Autoupdate to stall during syncing.

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Posted in All, Problems | No Comments »