Re: Difference between ROM and RAM
- From: "Clint" <nobody@xxxxxxxxxxx>
- Date: Fri, 13 Jan 2006 08:45:50 -0700
Currently, the top of the line X51v is the same as the bottom of the line
X51v, AFAIK. Both are 256MB ROM, 64MB of RAM. You can get the RAM upgraded
to 128MB by various companies, at the expense of your warranty and about
$150 to $200. Some of the HP's offer 128MB of RAM (the hx2750). I can't
comment on some of the lessor known brands, like Asus, etc.
One thing I'd mention to the OP, who's interested in developing software
that may or may not work on a lower end machine. First off, there's a
microsoft.public.pocketpc.developer newsgroup as well, which may have
more/different help available to you. Second, giving your users the option
to configure their memory the way they want would be good. For example,
give easy to modify setup options in the app to save large data files on
removable (SD, CF) media, instead of using the default application location.
Finally, if you code for a requirement of 128MB of RAM, you'll really limit
your market and customer options. If you have to, you have to. But unless
you're selling a complete hardware/software solution, you'll probably get
very limited take-up on your product, as only a small percentage of your
prospective users will be able to use it.
For that matter, you mention that your application is very large. You may
want to look at optimizing the application so it's memory footprint is less
painful to your users. Again, if you're building something for a very fixed
solution (i.e. it's the only app running on the PPC), it might not be so
bad. But if your users, even with 64 or 128MB of RAM, are constantly having
to purge your app from memory, or having to do a soft-reset, they'll be
frustrated. Even massively graphical applications like GPS/mapping tools
don't force users to go through that, AFAIK (the only one I run is
PocketStreets). Keep in mind that on a PocketPC, apps don't close in the
usual sense. They just go to the background, and keep the memory. Be
friendly to your users, and their applications!
--
Clint
"Clinton Fitch [MVP-Mobile Devices]"
<management@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
news:OpclygEGGHA.3036@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
> ICE,
>
> Let me see if I can help clear some of this up for you. If I cover stuff
> you already know I apologize in advance.
>
> Part of the challenge is that the terms ROM and RAM have changed a bit
> with the introduction of Windows Mobile 5.0. Also, RAM and ROM up until
> WM5 were not treated the same as your desktop PC.
>
> In Windows Mobile 2003SE and earlier., the ROM is where the OS files were
> stored and in some cases, like iPaq's, users could access a percentage of
> that ROM for file storage (The "User Available' part). This File Store
> area was designed for users to put data or applications in it that would
> survive a hard reset of the device. Why? Because in WM2003SE and
> earlier, you could store applications in RAM - volatile and if you lost
> power you lost your data/programs/etc. In WM2003SE, RAM was treated as
> storage space as well as application running space.
>
> With Windows Mobile 5, things got a lot simpler. RAM is now used only for
> application running, just like on your desktop PC. ROM, to keep the
> comparison going, is like your HD. You store files/data/application there
> and if you loose power to your device, you don't loose that information.
> ROM in this case is a bit of a misnomer to be honest. There is a part of
> the ROM that is truly Read Only but another part that you can write too
> for you information. This concept is generally referred to as Persistent
> Storage. My comparision to a desktop PC isn't "water tight" as there are
> some technical differences obviously, but it gives you a good picture of
> what is going on behind the scenes.
>
> As far as I know - and others correct me if I"m wrong here - the largest
> available RAM/ROM combination out there is in the Dell x51 series. The
> top unit in that line has a 256MB ROM and 128MB RAM.
>
> I hope this helps,
>
> --
> Clinton Fitch [MVP-Mobile Devices]
> Principle
> Clinton Fitch (Dot) Com!
> http://www.clintonfitch.com
>
>
>
>
> "ICE" <ICE@xxxxxxxxxx> wrote in message
> news:43c7a2ac$0$32197$ba620e4c@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx
>> Hi,
>>
>> I'm totally confused. I'm programming application for Pocket PC and I'm
>> having some memory issues.
>> I have several pocket PC's such as ACER n10, HP 4700, Psion Workabout
>> pro.
>>
>> The ACER n10 has 32Mb of ROM and 64 RAM. I suppose the 32 Mb is taken by
>> the OS etc. So, nothing can be written to the ROM (Read only.....)
>> HP 4700 has 128Mb ROM and 64 RAM The box says 128Mb ROM (80 Mb user
>> available: ROM READ ONLY??????) and 64 RAM (55 Mb user available).
>>
>> I'm looking to free up as much memory as possible, because my application
>> are rather large.
>> I suppose windows mobile uses both ROM and RAM to operate.
>>
>> You could say that adding an SD card on the 4700 is pratically the same
>> as expanding the ROM (80 Mb available, called iPaq File Store), while ROM
>> should be read only.... (Is a HDD on a desktop computer also called ROM
>> memory?)
>>
>> Does anyone know if there are already pocket pc's with 128 RAM so that
>> bigger programs can be run?
>>
>> Thanks
>>
>>
>
>
.
- References:
- Difference between ROM and RAM
- From: ICE
- Re: Difference between ROM and RAM
- From: Clinton Fitch [MVP-Mobile Devices]
- Difference between ROM and RAM
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