There are two major types of web browsers for the Palm: “live” browsers (Blazer, PalmScape, NetFront) which use active Internet connections (wired or wireless), and “offline” web browsers (AvantGo, Plucker, HandStory) which download web pages during hotsync and save them on the Palm for later viewing. In this section, we will cover offline browsers only–live browsers, because they require a live Internet connection to work, will be covered in the Connectivity section.
AvantGo ( www.avantgo.com ) was one of the first offline web browsers, and has become a standard. It allows you to download web content onto your Palm every time you synchronize, so that you can take it with you and view it later, while disconnected from the Internet. AvantGo is actually a combination of software that you install on your Palm (about 290MB), a conduit that you install on your computer, and an account that you set up on their website, which is where you identify the website (or “channels”) that you want to view. The software is also available for the PocketPC–and can event be used as a “live” browser if you do have an Internet connection.
A huge variety of websites have optimized channels available to AvantGo users, from general interest news sites to specialty medical sites. Some of the most respected medical journals make their tables of contents and abstracts available in this format, though the list is constantly changing (check with the Kellogg Library for more information about individual journals). The Canadian Medical Association ( www.cma.ca ) has also started a channel, with current and archived news stories from CMAJ and the Medical Post and a CME section that typically includes a review article on some medical topic.
The DalMedix intranet has its own AvantGo custom channel available, allowing users to take news and notices, undergraduate student schedules, a faculty email/phone book, and even departmental calendars with them on their Palm. In the future, this channel may also be used to distribute clinical practice guidelines, case logging databases, and other information or tools of use to Faculty of Medicine users. Instructions for setting up this channel can be found in the DalMedix sitemap / help page (look under the “How do I…” section).
In early 2002, AvantGo announced its plans to cut off its heavily used free custom channel service, and to charge for all custom channels with 8 or more subscribers (including non-profit and educational institutions like us). Although our service has not yet been interrupted, this may affect the selection of 3rd-party channels available, and may also mean an upcoming change in the DalMedix channel.
The good news is that there are a variety of high-quality, open-source AvantGo alternatives available, the chief among them being Plucker ( www.plkr.org ). Plucker combines an easy-to-use desktop program and a handheld reader, does away with the need for a server account to act as middleman, and it’s free. It takes a little tweaking, but we encourage you to try it out.
A second alternative is HandStory ( www.handstory.com ), an eBook reader that comes in a freely-downloadable Basic version. This well-liked reader application has a feature called Web Clipping, in which “Web sites are regularly updated into web clips to be synced at a pre-designated time on a daily basis. Just press the HotSync button on your Palm cradle to sync web clips for offline web browsing.” It can also be used as a general-purpose content viewer for your Palm, for viewing DOC files, eBooks (in HandStory format), and images.