Magnetic PDA holder, safe to use??

[Blum]

A seller on ebay is advertising ‘Magnetic PDA holder’, you have probably seen the phone type. A magnet is stuck, to the dash or wherever, using double sided tape or pads and a thin steel strip stick to the back of the device.

Is this safe to use on a PDA?
Will close proximity of a magnetic field gdamage the screen / memory??

TIA.

[kartracer]

I've just replaced a broken iPAQ 3870 with a new iPAQ 5550 and the HP carry case that was included uses a magnetic clasp, so I guess it must be safe enough with an iPAQ. I can't think why other makes should be any different.

[Davidb67]

I asked the same question some time back when trying to decide how to mount my iPaq in-car after replacing my Navman GPS3000 sleeve with a b/t gps.

Bought a windscreen mounted magnetic holder from globalpositioningsystems for £14, and stuck the self-adhesive metal plate to the back of the iPaq's cover-paq (figuring I'd buy a new one purely for that purpose, but in the end didn't bother).

There is no "magnetic interference" with the iPaq's screen - not that there should be since it's not CRT, and there's never been any problems with magnetic fields in proimity to the memory or starage cards - which again being solid-state shouldn't be damaged, but you never know.

I have a VW Passat, and am able to position the iPaq so that it's bottom-edge just rests on the curve of the instrument shroud of the dash, taking away any leverage-strain on the windscreen-mounted magnetic holder, but allowing me to plug in power.

Had this set-up for about 6 months now, and NOT ONCE has the windscreen mount fell-off - unlike my Navman mount previously.....

Go get one!

[Dave]

It shouldn't be a problem unless you use a MicroDrive in which case kiss goodbye to it. The only thing I haven't extensively tested is whether these do create prolonged problems with the chips within Pocket PC's. I don't think they do, but haven't really wanted to test this myself.

[thax1]

Also, don't do as I did and put your fuel card near it.

That never worked again. I imagine it'd munch a Visa card too.

I've managed to get two car park tickets to stop working that way too.
You'd think I'd have learnt by now!

[Dave]

Have I learned too ? Nah! I keep putting these mounts down on my desk within about an inch of my Pocket PC or Laptop (even worse!)

I think we need to repeat "mind over matter", mind over matter, mind over matter, mind matter over [doh!]

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