PDA's. Your recommendations.

[Cyclic Hotline]

I have finally crumbled ( <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> ) and am about to buy one of these devices for myself.

In addition to the usual functions they provide, what I really need is an electronic notebook, 'cos if I don't write it down anymore, it's gone from my brain almost immediately (it will return, at entirely the wrong time, and suffer the same fate once more). Now I'm losing the bits of paper that I write the notes on, 'cos I write so much stuff down.

I searched the archives here and saw a range of very positive comments. I have researched any number of sites, so now it's down to the comments of current users with today's equipment.

Would be interested in a variety of functional, useable, features; but looking more to augment, rather than to replace, my notebook and web equipped cellphone.

Oh, did I mention I was a cheap bastaard? <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">


Thanks in advance...

[Evo7]

I like the Palm m500. Not sure if £200ish counts as cheap or not though. The m125 is apparently good too and is £50 cheaper.

Not sure if you've seen it, but PCPro just did a Labs test of a whole bunch of PDAs -

<a href="http://www.pcpro.co.uk/" target="_blank">http://www.pcpro.co.uk/</a>

[sanjosebaz]

Get one that runs WinDoze CE (for instance Compaq's iPAQ). Then you can upgrade it with something like the <a href="http://www.anywheremap.com/anywhere/" target="_blank">Anywhere Map</a> GPS.

[ 21 December 2001: Message edited by: sanjosebaz ]</p>

[???pax]

Consider the Handspring. It allows you to plug in modules to add extra functionality to the usual diary/address book funtionality. There is a plug in GPS module and MP3 player and loads more. I would recommend that you make sure that you can install a MIDP Java runtime on what you buy, it looks like this is the way mobile devices such as PDA's and cell phones are going (has gone) as far as nifty apps are concerned. The palm will enable you to do this.

???pax

[BayAreaLondoner]

I have been a Palm user for a few years and have recently acquired an iPAQ (PocketPC).
Bottom line: figure out what you want it for. If you mostly want an organiser, calendar, etc. then the Palm is a good device, and is what it was designed for.
The Sony Clie Palm-based device is the half-way house between a Palm and a PocketPC, but it is hampered by the Palm's operating system.
If you see yourself requiring the ability to use documents from Word, Excel, etc. listen to MP3s, connect to local area networks, access "real applications" go for the PocketPC.
Longer term this is what will happen: the Palm based devices will be consumer level and the PocketPC ones will be used by companies to enable their employees to run productivity applications and access company resources, etc.
If you decide that the PocketPC is for you, I would suggest that you wait until the middle of next year for improved models at more reasonable price points.

[2XL]

Ask yourself some basic questions as to what you want to achieve with the PDA. I gather you are looking for connectivity with your laptop etc.

If you want Windows OS(handheld Word, Works, Excel etc), synchronisation with your laptop/desktop, inbuilt modem, keyboard etc consider the Jornada 720. It has one of the best screens in the business with both keyboard and "tap" capabilities. Yes it is a bit expensive but try buying it at an airport for some serious savings. By the time you add all of its capabilities to a Compaq IPAQ or Jornada 568 you would have easily passed the Jornada 720's selling price.

There are alot of serious choices out there. It still all depends on what you REALLY intend doing with the PDA. Be honest with yourself as this is an expensive decision.

Now how do I do that again .......

[PPRuNe Towers]

CH: regarding that last line of yours :)

I yield in every way to the expert knowledge and opinion given above but offer this thought.

The PDA market has collapsed - it's a bloodbath out there with a 30% slump in sales during the last two quarters. Select carefully for your needs and then kneel on their throats until they scream uncle and give you a very significant discount with mucho freebies :) :)

Marketing? Bah, humbug!!
Rob

[Feeton Terrafirma]

I'm a bit of a cheap bastard too..........

I bought a Palm V about 2 years ago, just when the Vx was coming and I got the V for a song. I also have a Compaq iPAQ 3630.

If you compare the specs there are some enormous differences:


Palm V
Memory - 2 mb
CPU Speed - 20 Mhz
Screen - mono


iPAQ 3630
Memory - 32 mb
CPU Speed - 200 Mhz
Screen - colour

And if all you do is look at the specs you WILL buy the wrong one.

List the functions you need, and then the functions you would like. Are you trying to replicate the laptop or suppliment it with something that fits in your shirt pocket?

Tick off the functions each possible unit has against your requirements and see what happens.

Battery life is another important issue for me, and the difference in real field performance of the battery is also huge.

As for my preference, the Palm wins hands down for me because it does all the things I need far easier than the iPAQ and the battery will last a couple of weeks normal use, rather than a couple of hours.

Good Luck!!

[ 26 December 2001: Message edited by: Feeton Terrafirma ]</p>

[woftam]

The Palm wins hands down for my purposes(M505).
And it's the only one worth having that fits in a typical shirt pocket. All the others are "nav bag" or "briefcase" jobs which is a huge negative as far as I'm concerned.The trusty Palm goes where you go without having to lug a bag around to carry your not so portable PDA.
I use it in conjunction with a laptop "mothership" to "Hotsync" data etc.
The laptop is also usefull for entering text etc.instead of the graffiti method.
Battery life is also excellent.
<img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

[1261]

Cyclic,

You don't say what desktop OS you are using; if you are a Wintel man then you will almost certainly find the PocketPC handhelds more user-friendly. If, like me, you are a Mac OS user (or Linux for that matter) then you'll almost certainly feel more comfortable with a Palm. And using a Palm means that Bill Gate$ doesn't need to get involved! <img src="smile.gif" border="0">

I would also endorse waftam's comments about the ergonomics of the Palm - I use an m500; it's simple and effective, but most of all it's SMALL. Easily fits in your pocket.

You can pick them up for £199 now if you look around (I got mine from John Lewis).

[Cyclic Hotline]

Sincere thanks for all the information posted here. I had my Christmas dinner with a bunch of geeks, who when I posed this question, went into raptures on every conceivable piece of equipment ever made! :)

But I did get to play with a variety of gear. As you can imagine, this did not go down too well with the various partners who were not into this!!! <img src="eek.gif" border="0">

I decided on a Sony Clie S320. It was small, relatively cheap ($169) and came with great references (plus I like Sony stuff).

So I went out to buy one today, none available!! Stopped producing them and everyone has sold out. (Sony has none left either!) So I decided to buy a demo one for $140, the only one they had, but they couldn't find the box and parts!

To cut the story short, they offered me a Clie 610C for $244.15 which I bought before they could change there minds. It was an "open-box" returned Christmas present. Comes with a free leather case and a free 32MB memory stick - figured it can't get much better than that! Got a colour machine with everything I wanted for a fair price.

There are new Sony machines on the market today, so there may be other good deals out there.

I am extremely happy <img src="smile.gif" border="0"> and what a great piece of technology. Don't know how I ever worked without it! <img src="tongue.gif" border="0">

Found a couple of useful sites for info on the way:
<a href="http://www.pdabuzz.com/" target="_blank">http://www.pdabuzz.com/</a> (good forums with current info)
<a href="http://www.cnet.com/" target="_blank">http://www.cnet.com/</a>
<a href="http://www.zdnet.com/products/" target="_blank">http://www.zdnet.com/products/</a>

[BayAreaLondoner]

Cyclic - also check out <a href="http://www.pilotgear.com" target="_blank">www.pilotgear.com</a> - lots of good Palm stuff there.

[SuperRanger]

cyclic,

may i suggest you pay this forum a visit...
<a href="http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CLIE_Users_Group" target="_blank">http://groups.yahoo.com/group/CLIE_Users_Group</a>

i got my m505 six months ago and have not regret it a single bit...

KS

[bonajet]

Hello RickP
I had a psion too and felt the same way as you but I must admit that, like cyclic, I'm very pleased with the Clie. The colour screen is excellent, you can listen to mp3, store colour photos, log book + all the other stuff. Plus it syncs with the mother ship much more easily than the old psion. Have a look - maybe you'll return to the PDA fold!