PDA Suggestions??

[Ray Darr]

I'm looking for a NON-PALM OS PDA with a tri-band Mobile Phone, with the camera, etc. I've checked out the IMate (AKA XDA02) plus there are a few HP units that are nice.

Wants:
- Windows-based OS
- Mobile Phone integrated
- Camera
- WiFi (or at least the ability to take a SanDisk Memory / WiFi combo card or some kind

Searches I have tried all end up on some sales-website. I can't find a decent review of the latest toys on the market.

Finally - where is the best to buy the new gadgets? North America? Middle East? Europe? Singapore / Kuala Lumpur / Hong Kong??

Thanks,
R.D.

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Ray Darr,

PDAs make great PDAs. Phones make great phones. Mixing a phone and PDA makes for a bulky phone.

It is a lot like what happens with cameras. Still Digital Cameras take great pictures and lousy video. Digital Camcorders take great video but lousy stills.

Last thought, PDAs last a lot longer than phones. It might be worth getting a really good phone and a really good PDA, it is not much extra bulk to carry around.

Take Care,

Richard

[Ray Darr]

Hi Richard.

I respect your help here - you've saved me many hours of grief and cursing with the many tips you've helped out - thanks greatly and sincerely....howEVER.....the PDA requirements I listed are exactly what I am after. We can have differences of opinions on this one - but only this one though! I agree greatly with other things you bring to the forum - thanks!

I have a great mobile phone, the PDA I had (which was LARGER than the ones I mentioned) was great, and any photos I snap are just that...snaps. Besides I have a great digital camera for dedicated photography - this would be for extremely casual snaps. I want the PDA to combine all, or most, of the features I listed...most importantly being a good, quality Windows-based PDA. If anyone has tried one like this, I would appreciate greatly to hear from you!!

NB to PPRuNe Towers - I (and many others) hereby nominate Richard from Naples Air Center as a super-user/helper and possible moderator.

[fobotcso]

Interesting thoughts succinctly put, Richard. My take on this is that I want to upgrade the (borrowed) GPS I am using to one with a much larger screen.

The facilities of the Garmin 12cx are all that I need. It works well in the car and interfaces well with the laptop and AutoRoute Express. But the display is too small for old eyes (and the menu system can get away from me sometimes )

So, what to I do? Extend your aphorism to my case and have separate PDA and GPS or go with the trend and get a combination?

What do you think?

[Keef]

I've used a PDA and a phone for years, and like them separate. Each is small and practical. I update each as it's worth doing so. (Bluetooth is essential!). The phone is "current", the PDA 2 years old but still does all I want it to.

My daughter (gadget freak) bought one of those phone-and-PDA devices. She got rid of it quickly and went back to separates. As Richard says, it didn't do anything oustandingly well.

Horses for courses!

[Naples Air Center, Inc.]

Ray Darr,

That was completely IMHO. I hope you find what you are looking for and that it serves you well for many years to come.

That is the great thing about technology, there is an almost infinite variety out there to choose from, since no two people are alike.

Take Care,

Richard

[wandrinabout]

Howdy Ray Darr

Like you, I too have been considering accepting the compromise and combining PDA and tri band mobile into one unit. As someone said previously, horses for courses.

Anyway, now to throw you the curve ball...
There is a unit I have been looking into, and most of the reviews etc read very well. It meets all your requirements, bar one.
Are you absolutly fixed on it running the Windows OS?

The unit is the Sony Ericcson P900. As I said, meets all your requirements, except it uses the latest Symbian OS. It is able to sync with your Windows desktop.

To me, it looks to be a very good unit. Horses for courses.....

Cheers, and good luck.

[drauk]

Ray, out of interest, why must be it non-palm based?

I'ved tried quite a variety of devices, including various mobiles, Pocket PC and Palm PDAs, plus Blackberry (the one including a GSM phone). I am happy to explain why the Treo 600 works the best for me by some considerable margin, but if there is a particular reason why a Palm device is no use for you then it isn't relevant I guess.

[andrewnash]

XDA 2. its made by the company "O2" and is very nice

[Ray Darr]

Richard - as I said, your help here on the forum is always very much appreciated.

Drauk - I have too many Win-based programs to start from scratch with Palm ones. Thanks though.

andrewnash - I'm giving the XDA2 serious thoughts. Not decided yet though.

[drauk]

Ray, understood. My own opinion is that at the moment one has to make a compromise as not one of the devices on the market is quite what I would like. The Treo I use now is the only PDA that I have tried which is good enough as a phone. I haven't owned an XDA II because I really want a key/thumbboard. Also battery life on the XDA II isn't that great - I understand it has to be charged every night which isn't ideal for me. Main downside to the Treo is that it doesn't have Bluetooth for use with my Powerbook.

As for reviews, have you tried www.gizmodo.com?

As for where to buy I'm not sure there are any real bargain places. Singapore used to be a good place, but it is no cheaper than the UK these days in my experience. Not sure about KL. If the model you want is available in the US that is probably the cheapest place. Anything/where with a service contract is going to be much cheaper obviously.

[Ray Darr]

Hi drauk.

Thanks for the different snippets of advice. That review website is a new one for me (and many other viewers here, no doubt!) and is greatly appreciated. I am wading through it as we speak.

....still searching....

Cheers.
R.D.