"Doing Greek" on a PalmOS hand held computer

For several years I observed the growth and development of the hand held computer market, but refrained from participating--primarily because I had not seen sufficient utility or value for my particular needs. That changed in the fall of 2000 (which is when I bought my first hand held). What made the difference was the release of software for Greek that was not previously available. This page is devoted to software related to Greek on PalmOS devices. It is not updated very often, and I've stopped trying to keep info current.

As of 2005 I've given up on the practical utility of such technology as practical or beneficial to my life/usage style and gave my handheld to someone who had better use for it. I tried it for several years, but it just isn't worth it to me. One of my biggest complaints in using handheld computers for Greek and/or Bible purposes is, in one word: CONTEXT. You can't see enough text on the screen at any readable size to justify serious use. There are hermeneutical implications of this that I don't like--but I'm not writing a definitive statement about it here, just telling you what my reaction has been. So what's here is "for what it's worth." There may be some utility for other purposes (e.g., learning vocabulary, etc.). I('ve also gotten the impression that PocketPC technology is where the future is rather than PalmOS--though I've never used one.)

Software

UBS Greek NT with GRAMCORD database from Olive Tree Software

Here is a complete UBS Greek NT with the complete GRAMCORD database. You can read the Greek NT in full screen mode, or split the screen to display the GRAMCORD database at the bottom. There has been an old, "TR" NT available for some time, but this is the first time that there has been a modern Greek testament for the Palm platform. It is a commercial product that sells for $25 (if you already own a version of GRAMCORD, $45 otherwise--see the link for details). You can also get only the Greek NT text for $25. (W-H and Byz[R-P] texts are free.) There's also a Hebrew BHS...

As for size, the Greek NT alone takes about 480K; with GRAMCORD, it takes about 1,370K. The Bible Reader software necessary to access the text is another 415K. (This same reader also provides access to a wide variety of other Bibles, both English and other modern languages. Some are free; others are commercial versions.) 

(At 800 x 600 or higher resolution, these images are smaller than actual size. A standard Palm device screen is 160 x 160 pixels--which is about 2 3/8" [6 cm] square. The newer hi-res screens are about the same size but are 320 x 320.)

Check the GRAMCORD website for details.

MiniFlash (formerly PocketGreek)

This is a nifty program for Greek vocabulary review (also now includes Hebrew, Aramaic, Latin, & German, etc.). It contains about 1,000 words with definitions and a nice, built-in Greek font (with accents). The database is customizable in that you can add new words or change the glosses provided. Version 2.3.3 is current as of 5/03. Recommended.

FAQ

I've received several questions regarding the Greek NT software and the Palm in general. Below are my responses.

1. How do you load the NT program into the Palm device?

Palm programs are down loaded from a desktop computer (either Windows or Mac) via a "cradle"/cable connected to the computer either by USB or serial. The hand held plugs into the cradle and the user then presses a "sync" button to update both the desktop and the hand held. There is software that runs on the desktop with which you configure new programs to be downloaded. The organizer functions of the hand held sync with either the Palm Organizer software that comes with the hand held (it's quite good) or with other PIMs (e.g., Outlook).

As for the NT program specifically, that is downloaded from the net. PocketGreek is free, so that's a direct download. The Greek NT is a commercial program, so you must first pay for it and then the publisher sends it as an email attached file.

2. Are there any special programs needed to utilize the GRAMCORD add-on?

No, the same BibleReader program that displays the Greek NT also handles the GRAMCORD database.

3. Do you need to own the GRAMCORD program to utilize the Palm setup?

No. You can use the Greek NT without owning the GRAMCORD portion.

4. Does the Palm device come with a preloaded operating system?

Yes. It also includes a number of software programs (the organizer program's calendar, to do, contacts, etc.)

5. I noticed it uses a USB connection to one's computer. Is this necessary to set up the Palm device with the needed software?

You must have either a USB port or a serial port connection. Different hand helds come with different options this way. Most now come standard with USB; a serial cradle is optional. (USB on Windows requires Windows 98 or higher--it will *not* work with Windows 95; the serial cradle is necessary for Win95. Mac requires sys. 8.6 or higher for a USB connection.)

It is also possible to use a hand held "out of the box" with no desktop computer--though you would be limited to the software that comes preinstalled and you would have no way to do a backup (though the Handspring does offer a backup module as an option).

Other Palm sites

PalmPilot/3Com (This is the original company that really started the "Palm Revolution"--the founders sold it to 3Com--and then started Handspring.)

Palm Gear (The source for anything related to the PalmOS..., software, accessories, etc...)

Go to: Top of this page
NT Resources main page
BBC (college) BBS (seminary) 

Decker Genealogy main page
Who is Rod Decker?
Contact Info

These pages use CSS and Unicode UTF-8 encoding; most Greek text is now in Unicode format, though some remnants of the older, non-standard Galilee encoding remain. You should not have difficulties viewing this material if you have a relatively current web browser and a font that contains polytonic Greek. (Even the archaic IE will work, but you ought to be using FireFox! :)

hits since 1/2/03; page first posted, 10/25/00.