Hiarcs for Pocket and Palm

Get your specific HIARCS/Junior support questions answered here as well as up-to-the-minute news!

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pgeorges
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Hiarcs for Pocket and Palm

Post by pgeorges »

I enjoyed a lot Hiarcs under Palm, and it seems a native Pocket PC version (no styletap) is developped : is it possible to get a planned release date, and an idea of its features ?

I started a port of Scid to Pocket PC (still beta version), and it gives a lot of info (engine analysis with multi lines display, opening stats and book support, can open several bases simultaneously ...), and it would be really great if a Hiarcs version for Pocket PC could give such "chessbase" like features. The features of Pocket CT ART are also very important for me (tactical training).

For the Palm, are there plans for a new version release ? What will be the changes ?

Pascal Georges
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Mark Uniacke
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Post by Mark Uniacke »

I intend to release a new Palm version in the autumn. I will explain the features then. For now I don't want to say too much about it because competitors are listening and might want to use some of the new ideas.

The Pocket PC version is behind schedule, I am considering a different path to see if I can get it to market this year.

I think in a week or two when things are not so busy and we have a lot of members we could do a poll of features wanted by customers on Palm or Pocket Hiarcs.

Best wishes,
Mark
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Post by Wardy »

Here's a customer for Hiarcs pocket pc :D
Wardy
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Post by Wardy »

Here's a customer for Hiarcs pocket pc :D
Cubeman
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Post by Cubeman »

That is good news Mark, I too am waiting for a dedicated Hiarcs for PPC as i don't like using StyleTap.If the user interface could be made similar to the features of PocketFritz2 then that would be a big improvement,especially the multi variation and the length of analysis information and the intelligent move completion is better on PF2 since you can quite often make a move with a single tap on the screen just by tapping the destination square.One aspect of Hiarcs I really like is the display of the opening book so still keep this.
Also don't give free updates for current owners as this leads to stagnation of development just look at Chess Genius for an example.There looks like there is going to be some good releases of PPC chess engines soon with Rybka,Pocketfritz3 and Shredder all making plans.
chipschap
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Potential Palm Upgrade

Post by chipschap »

I also would happily pay an upgrade fee for an updated Palm version. Palm Hiarcs is a tremendous value; I could even claim that it saved me buying a laptop as it meets all my travel needs right on the Palm.
Mizerak
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Palm upgrade

Post by Mizerak »

I agree - when I went looking for a new portable chess computer, I bought a Palm with Hiarcs. I would welcome an upgraded version too, and am looking forward to it.

-- Miz
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Post by andy »

I'd also like to add my support for an upgrade to the Palm Hiarcs product. Although I own both the Palm and Mac versions of Hiarcs, it's the portable version that I absolutely can't do without. (As noted by another poster elsewhere in the forum, there's also the issue of the Sigma Chess Mac interface being somewhat lacking in certain ways)

I sent Mark a few ideas for enhancements a few years back, and at the time his response, understandably at the time, was that he wanted to maintain compatibility with the old Dragonball-based Palm units, and that limited the scope of what could be added to the program. Since those models are now pretty much obsolete, it will be exciting to see what kind of improvements will go into the new version, and I'll be competing with everyone else here to be the first to pay for it :)
William Hulme
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Post by William Hulme »

I've recently had to replace my older Palm device with a PPC (Win Mobile 5) needed for work reasons. I really miss having HIARCS in my pocket! Not so keen on the styletap interface. I have tried Pocket Fritz2 (best feature is online lookup of positions), Pocket Grandmaster (best feature is reading multiple lines) & Chessgenius - but nothing plays real instructive, understandable chess like Hiarcs. On my main PC I bought Fritz10 - and yes it can destroy me in a game - but it plays so computer like (opposite of my style) that its not great for learning/analysing. I have Hiarcs 11UCI as my main engine and it really helps me. I would defininetly purchase Hiarcs for PPC if/when it becomes available.
johnl
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Post by johnl »

The future handheld will be a single pda-smartphone device and windows mobile OS will dominate the market. The HP iPAQ hw6915 is just one example.

johnl
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mclane
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Post by mclane »

why should i play chess with a mobile ?
the radio waves it emittes is exactly the OPPOSITE that is needed for concentration about a position. the micro-waves irritate the brain thinking.

have you ever seen karpov or kasparov putting their heads into a microwave and thinking about a chess position ?


also WHY should someone use Microsoft OS for playing chess ?
its the worst OS you could imagine.
What seems like a fairy tale today may be reality tomorrow.
Here we have a fairy tale of the day after tomorrow....
pgeorges
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My wish list for Hiarcs PPC

Post by pgeorges »

In case it may be of any interest, here is my own wish list, sorted by importance ( *** => important, * => less important)

*** play a game against a simulated ELO (already exists in Palm Hiarcs), with an extended range (1200 -> 2300)
*** book info (relative move value with NAG codes like ! ?) (already exists in Palm Hiarcs)
*** ability to open different game bases (certainly in proprietary format)
*** engine analysis with display of the N best lines
*** tactical training, where each position already has a solution inserted in the training base : Hiarcs compare the user input with the correct line(s) or refutation(s) present in the base
*** tactical training, where positions have no solution present in the training base : Hiarcs compare the user input with what it has calculated after X seconds of thinking (and the user's answer is considered correct if user_score > (calculated_score - 0.5) for example )
*** variations management (add variation, delete var, move var to main line, etc.). When browsing a game, a popup displays available variations.
*** import / export of PGN files
*** insertion of comments to moves : NAG values
* insertion of comments to moves : text
** search in a base depending upon usual PGN tags : player names, ECO, result, etc.
** play a game against Hiarcs, where Hiarcs will follow a specific opening (KID, french winawer, ...)
** book selection/swap on the fly
** search in a base for a particular position
* search in a base for a particular pattern (games ending with Rooks + pawns, Bishop sacrifice on h7, ...)
* use of EGTB (may be not Nalimov but bitbases or other highly compacted format)
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Mark Uniacke
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Post by Mark Uniacke »

Thanks for all the responses and your ideas for features will be carefully considered.

I still MUCH prefer the Palm to the Pocket PC, the Pocket PC strikes me as over complex. It is a pity Palm took their eye off the ball with the Palm evolution.

Best wishes,
Mark
Daniel
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Post by Daniel »

Hello,

I had Hiarcs intalled in a Palm T5, and I bougth a new Plam TX. How can I transfer the licence to my new Palm?

Thanks,

Daniel
pgeorges
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Post by pgeorges »

Mark Uniacke wrote:Thanks for all the responses and your ideas for features will be carefully considered.

I still MUCH prefer the Palm to the Pocket PC, the Pocket PC strikes me as over complex. It is a pity Palm took their eye off the ball with the Palm evolution.

Best wishes,
Mark
I am a Palm and Pocket user / coder and I agree with you. But the market, helped by Palm Inc., seems to have made a choice.

If you need testers, on PPC or Palm, I am a volunteer !
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