I’m very pleased with myself. I’ve managed to set up an automatic process to record The World Today from the BBC World Service between 5.30am and 6.00am BST, move the file from one computer to another, convert it from mp2 to mp3, and then dump the said mp3 file onto my Palm, which is also HotSynced around the same time.
So by the time I wake up, I can pick up my PDA, and have all the latest news in both text and audio versions ready to listen to. This is particularly useful when I reach the underground, as I tend to listen to the radio when overground, and then switch.
For those that are interested, the audio is captured with a Wavefinder, using the wonderful Dabbar, and the copying and conversion are done via a batch file and a command line version of the LAME audio converter. I did try to use a program called Pilot Install to copy the file across to my PDA, which allows command line running, but it didn’t seem to like to install either mp3s or to copy to the SD card on my PDA. It also had issues with closing down HotSync. A shame because then I’d have been able to use the already running Windows XP Scheduler rather than a third party program. In the end I wrapped the whole thing up with a scheduled macro built in MacroMaker, which allows the capture of keystrokes and mousestrokes so that I can use the Palm Quick Install program to copy the file across. On my Palm, I use a program called Syncer to schedule a HotSync that updates the PDA nice and simply.