Palm Zire Handheld Instructions Manual

							Zire handheld components
11
Locating back panel components
Application buttonsActivates the individual handheld applications that 
correspond to the icons on the buttons: Date Book and Address 
Book. If your handheld is turned off, pressing either 
application button activates the handheld and opens the 
corresponding application. This is the fastest way to open an 
application.
TIPSee“Buttons preferences” in Chapter 15 for details on 
reassigning these buttons to activate any application on your 
handheld.
StylusServes as a pointing and writing device for navigating through 
applications and entering data on your handheld. To use the 
stylus, slide it out of the storage slot and hold it as you would a 
pen or pencil.
Reset buttonUnder normal use, you should not have to use the reset button. 
See“Resetting your handheld” in Appendix A for information 
about when and how to use the reset button.
Reset buttonStylus 
						

							Chapter 2 Exploring Your Handheld
12
Locating top components
Using the protective flip cover
The flip cover protects your handheld screen when it is not in use. You can open 
the cover so that it rests on the back of your handheld, or remove it altogether. 
To attach the cover:
nAlign the rail with the groove on the back of your handheld, and slide the cover 
into place.
IR portUses infrared technology to transmit data to and receive data 
from other Palm OS
® handhelds, and to perform HotSync® 
operations. See“Beaming data” in Chapter 3 and see“IR 
HotSync operations” in Chapter 14 for more information.
USB connectorConnects your handheld to the cable which connects to the USB 
port of your computer. This allows you to update the 
information between your handheld and computer using 
HotSync technology. 
AC power 
connectorConnects your handheld to an electric outlet so you can charge 
your handheld.
USB 
connector
IR port
AC power 
connector 
						

							Using your handheld with a PIM
13
To remove the cover:
1.Open the cover and grasp the back flap.
2.Gently slide the cover to one side until the rail slides out from the groove on the 
back of your handheld. Do not pull the rail out of the groove.
Using your handheld with a PIM
Your handheld comes with a personal information manager (PIM),
Palm Desktop software. If you prefer to use another personal information manager 
(PIM), such as Microsoft Outlook, you still need to install Palm Desktop software 
in order to add HotSync Manager, connection software, and other features of 
Palm Desktop software to your computer. The connection software, called a 
conduit, lets you synchronize the data between your handheld and your PIM. The 
conduit for Microsoft Outlook is included on the Palm Desktop software CD-ROM 
(Windows only). For information on the availability of conduit software for the 
PIM you use, contact the vendor of your PIM or visit the web site
 www.palm.com.
Elements of the handheld interface
Menu barA set of commands that are specific to the application. Not all 
applications have a menu bar.
IconsTap the icons to do the following:
nOpen applications 
nOpen menus 
nPerform a HotSync operation 
nFind text anywhere in your data 
Menu 
bar
Icons
ClockContrast 
control 
						

							Chapter 2 Exploring Your Handheld
14
Contrast controlTap the Contrast icon   to open the Adjust Contrast dialog 
box. Tap to the left or right of the slider to adjust the contrast in 
small increments or drag the slider to change the contrast in 
large increments. You can also press the up and down scroll 
buttons to adjust the contrast.
ClockTap the Clock icon   to briefly display the time and date.
ABCWith the cursor in an input field, tap “ABC” to activate the 
alphabetic keyboard.
123With the cursor in an input field, tap “123” to activate the 
numeric keyboard.
Check boxWhen a check mark appears in a check box, the 
corresponding option is active. If a check box is empty, 
tapping it inserts a check mark. If a check box is checked, 
tapping it removes the check mark.
Command buttonsTap a button to perform a command. Command buttons 
appear in dialog boxes and at the bottom of application 
screens.
Next/previous arrowsTap the left and right arrows to display the previous and next 
record; tap the up and down arrows to display the previous 
and next page of information. 
Pick listTap the arrow to display a list of choices, and then tap an item 
in the list to select it.
Scroll barDrag the slider, or tap the top or bottom arrow, to scroll the 
display one line at a time. To scroll to the previous page, tap 
the scroll bar just above the slider. To scroll to the next page, 
tap the scroll bar just below the slider.
You can also scroll to the previous and next pages by 
pressing the upper and lower scroll buttons on the front 
panel of your handheld.
Scroll 
bar Previous/next arrows
Check 
box
Command 
button
Pick list 
						

							Tapping and typing
15
Displaying online tips
Many of the dialog boxes that appear on your handheld contain an online Tips icon 
 in the upper-right corner. Online tips anticipate questions you have in a dialog 
box, provide shortcuts for using the dialog box, or give you other useful 
information.
To display an online tip:
1.Tap the Tips icon  . 
2.After you review the tip, tap Done.
Tapping and typing
Like using a mouse to click elements on a computer screen, using the stylus to tap 
elements on your handheld screen is the basic action that gets things done.
The first time you start your handheld, setup instructions appear on the screen. 
These instructions include a calibration screen. Calibration aligns the internal 
circuitry of your handheld with its touch-sensitive screen so that when you tap an 
element on the screen, the handheld can detect exactly which task you want to 
perform. 
IMPORTANTAlways use the point of the stylus for tapping or making strokes on the 
handheld screen. Never use an actual pen, pencil, or other sharp object to write on 
the handheld screen.
With your handheld turned on, you can tap the handheld screen to do many 
operations, such as the following:
nOpen applications
nChoose menu commands
nInitiate a Find operation to search through applications installed on your 
handheld for specific text 
						

							Chapter 2 Exploring Your Handheld
16
nSelect options in dialog boxes
nOpen the onscreen keyboards
Just as you can drag the mouse to select text or move objects on your computer, 
you can also drag the stylus to select text. You can also use the stylus to drag the 
slider of any scroll bar.
Entering data
There are several ways to enter data into your handheld:
nUsing the onscreen keyboard.
nUsing Graffiti writing.
nUsing Note Pad.
nEntering or importing data in Palm Desktop software and then synchronizing 
with your handheld.
nBeaming data from another device that has an infrared port. See“Beaming 
data” in Chapter 3 for details. 
Onscreen keyboard
When you create or edit a record in an application such as Address Book, you can 
open the onscreen keyboards to enter data.
Tap here for 
alphabetic keyboardTap here for numeric 
keyboard 
						

							Entering data
17
After a keyboard is open, you can tap to open any of the other keyboards, 
including the international keyboard. See“Using the onscreen keyboard” in 
Chapter 3 for more information.
Graffiti writing
Your handheld includes Graffiti writing software as the primary system for 
entering text and numbers. With Graffiti writing, you write simple strokes with the 
stylus and they are instantly recognized as letters or numbers. 
The Palm Desktop software CD-ROM includes Giraffe, a game you can use to 
practice Graffiti writing. See“Installing and removing applications” in Chapter 4 
for installation instructions. The Memo Pad application is ideal for practicing 
Graffiti writing. This section explains how to open Memo Pad and use it to practice 
Graffiti writing.
To open Memo Pad:
1.Tap the Home icon  . 
2.Tap the Memo Pad icon  . 
3.Ta p  N e w.
Backspace
Carriage return Ta b
Caps lock
Caps shift
Tap here to display 
alphabetic keyboard 
Tap here to display 
numeric keyboard Tap here to display 
international keyboard 
Alpha
Numeric
 International
Write letters here
Write numbers here
Division marks 
						

							Chapter 2 Exploring Your Handheld
18
NOTEA blinking cursor appears on the first line of the new memo to indicate 
where the new text will appear. 
See“Using Graffiti writing to enter data” in Chapter 3 for details.
Note Pad
The Note Pad application provides a place where you can write a quick note in 
your own handwriting directly on your handheld screen. Think of Note Pad as a 
virtual “sticky pad” for short notes. Later, you can transfer your “sticky” notes to 
a more permanent place by entering the information in the appropriate 
application, or throw them away by deleting them. See“Using Note Pad” in 
Chapter 11 for more information.
Using Palm Desktop software
If you have new records you want to add to your handheld and prefer to use the 
computer keyboard rather than Graffiti writing or the onscreen keyboard, enter 
the data in Palm Desktop software or the PIM you have installed to use with your 
handheld. For details on entering information in Palm Desktop software, refer to 
the online Help in Palm Desktop software, the Quick Tour in Palm Desktop 
software (for Windows users), and the Palm Desktop Software for the Macintosh 
User’s Guide located in the Documentation folder in the Palm folder.
New 
memo 
cursor
Write in 
Graffiti 
area
Ta p  
New  
						

							Customizing your handheld
19
After the information is in Palm Desktop software, perform a HotSync operation 
to synchronize your handheld with your computer. See“Performing cable 
HotSync operations” in Chapter 14 for more information.
Importing data
If you already have data in a database on your computer, you can import it into 
Palm Desktop software. You can import data stored in computer applications such 
as spreadsheets and databases, or from another Palm OS handheld. When you 
import data, you transfer the records to your handheld without having to enter 
them manually. See“Importing data” in Chapter 3 for more information.
Customizing your handheld
You can customize your handheld by using the Preferences application. You can 
enter personal information such as your name and address; change the time, date, 
and time zone; view different date and time formats when you travel; turn off 
sounds; and configure your handheld to work with a modem. See Chapter 15 for 
details.
To open the Preferences screens:
1.Tap the Home icon  . 
2.Tap the Preferences icon  . 
3.Tap the category pick list in the upper-right corner of the screen.
4.Tap the Preferences category you want to view.
The following procedures for setting the date give you an example of how to 
customize your handheld.
You make changes to the date and time in Date and Time preferences. 
						

							Chapter 2 Exploring Your Handheld
20
To set the date:
1.Tap the Set Date box.
2.Tap the arrows to select the current year.
3.Tap a month.
4.Tap the current date.
To set the time:
1.Tap the Set Time box.
2.Tap the up or down arrows to change the hour.
3.Tap each number of the minute, and then tap the arrows to change them.
4.Ta p  O K .
Tap to set date
Ta p  
arrows 
to 
select 
year
Tap to 
select 
month
Tap to select date