Software

Upon plugging in the Pertelian X2040, the OS found the new device as the "FT245R USB FIFO" device. The details of the chip can be found here. The software requires Microsoft .NET 2.0 and Visual J# to run. Both of these programs will be downloaded by the Pertelian installer and installed at the right time. This ensures a hassle free installation, in case if you are missing certain components.

The software behind the Pertelian is updated quite frequently, adding support for new devices and functions. There have been over 20 updates in 2006 alone, so if there are any bugs found, you can expect fixes within a relatively short time. The newest version can be found here on their website.

I downloaded the newest one available at writing: Pertelian Version 4 - Update 2006.12.19. As mentioned above, the installation worked flawlessly.


There are four main areas within the the software. The first is the "General Settings" tab. Here the user can change what is shown on the screen as soon as the software is started, change the scroll speed of text, set media support or disable auto hide on startup. If you would like to use the software all the time, just add the a shortcut to your autostart folder and select "Hide on startup". You can also set the network settings to enable functionality which requires Internet access.


The second tab, shows which email accounts you have set up. You can easily add new accounts by pressing "Add Server". The pop-up is straight forward. You simply enter your email account information and hit OK. I set up both my private email and the techpowerup.com Email.


The third basic function is called "Hot keys". The user can set the key combinations needed to traverse the display and use it while Windows is focused on another program. This is great if you are playing a game, or watching a movie and do not want to minimize everything just to chat with your friends for example. The next tab is named "IM" and works with AIM 6.0 Triton, YAHOO Messenger 7, ICQ 5, GAIM 2.0. These may not be the newest at the moment, but the developers are working on supporting the newest ones. ForeSight Systems keeps working to update the software and support for the newest wave of IMs should be available in the future.


The last tab actually lists the installed plugins. There are quite a few that come standard with the software. You can select a plugin and hit "Configure" to set that plugin up.


I chose Ebay and was presented a very interesting setup window. I got a token by logging into my Ebay account through the link given in Pertelian v4. After doing so the software imported my unique token. All I had to do was enter my Ebay ID (User Name). The second tab lets you list any auction you want to follow. The display can keep track of these for you and notify you visually about the status of the items listed.


The weather plugin keeps track of the current situation and future weather forecast at a location of your choosing. You can set the weather by postal code if you live in the USA or by searching for the Town name outside of the United States. It is great to see that the locations are not limited to large cities only.