can the iphone replace the Palm TX?

[aye5882]

Hey all. I'm a medical student looking for a PDA to store all the essential medical references and I'm not familiar at all w/ the iPhone's specs. Does anyone know if the iPhone is capable of storing data such as Epocrates and all the other medical programs?? It would be great to combine a PDA w/ a phone and not have to deal w/ the keyboard like all the other pda/phone hybrids...

thanks!

 

[66217]

Not 100% sure. But it is very probable you won't be able to install that. At least not at the beginning, maybe if they start letting 3rd party apps to make software for the iPhone you would be able. But again, it is not very probable for this to happen.

 

[Eric1285]

Probably not unless you can get all your medical info in a PDF or something. Or perhaps in a web page form and store it on the iPhone so you can browse it with Safari.

 

[dallasgrant]

Hey all. I'm a medical student looking for a PDA to store all the essential medical references and I'm not familiar at all w/ the iPhone's specs. Does anyone know if the iPhone is capable of storing data such as Epocrates and all the other medical programs?? It would be great to combine a PDA w/ a phone and not have to deal w/ the keyboard like all the other pda/phone hybrids...

thanks!

The iPhone will have the capabilities for such actions, but naming this is the first phone to run Apple software, it may be a least a year before you will see an application for the phone.

If I were you, I would find software that is currently available for at least the PalmOS and the WindowsMobileOS ... if they already have a couple programs for different types of mobile phones (particularly the touch screen phones), chances are they will make an iPhone version. Ask them if they have plans to make an iPhone version of its software

 

[.Andy]

I'm in a similar boat aye5882 although I'm in Australia so no iPhone for quite a while. After much deliberation I just ordered a Treo 680 to tide me over until I can be sure of epocrates/unbound medicine etc being available for the iphone.

The hardest part is investing in programs - it's upwards of $US50 - 150 for programs for the palm (or Winmobile) OS. Once you've a few you're really locking yourself in financially. It's a tough decision whether to jump in now and have a device for your studies, or make do without one for a year or two.

 

[aye5882]

cool. i'm not in a rush or anything.... i'm trying to hold off as long as possible so i can get the latest technology or have the current technology being very cheap. its a win - win situation

 

[Acehigh]

Hey all. I'm a medical student looking for a PDA to store all the essential medical references and I'm not familiar at all w/ the iPhone's specs. Does anyone know if the iPhone is capable of storing data such as Epocrates and all the other medical programs?? It would be great to combine a PDA w/ a phone and not have to deal w/ the keyboard like all the other pda/phone hybrids...

thanks!

I have a Palm Tx and use ePocrates, 5MCC and other skyscape programs. I doubt that they will work and if they will make medical software for iphone. They will be limited number of Iphones, and how many of the owners will be in the medical field. The best hope will be if they make an emulator for palm/os

Plus you probably brought programs for the Palm/TX and wont get that much if you sell it.

 

[macaddicted]

I have a TX from a while back and a 700p that I will probably drop for the iPhone. If I were you I would stick to the Palm for now. No one has a clue as to when there may be third party solutions, especially business/medical solutions. Hopefully we will have a better idea tomorrow.

I had a TX with a Razr when I went to the 700p last fall. I like having both devices together, but there are some serious problems with the 700p. Things are still a bit up in the air right now (what we can do with the iPhone, whether there will be a firmware update before the 700p becomes completely irrelevent), so I will give you the old refrain: if you need it now buy it now otherwise wait.

 

[Gonzlobo]

Hey all. I'm a medical student looking for a PDA to store all the essential medical references and I'm not familiar at all w/ the iPhone's specs. Does anyone know if the iPhone is capable of storing data such as Epocrates and all the other medical programs?? It would be great to combine a PDA w/ a phone and not have to deal w/ the keyboard like all the other pda/phone hybrids...

thanks!

<from your point of view>
Cool, I'm using my iphone to view lots of important medical journals. I'm so cool!

<from your patients & other doctors' view>
Jeez, that new intern is texting/listening to their ipod/making a call on their cell phone while that patient is bleeding to death

(juuuust joking)

 

[zap2]

^^Why would he have headphones when doing medical stuff? And if he were calling, he have the phone at his head to talk. Maybe texting, but thats it




For now, I'd say no. The Palm works, and has support for what you need to do, wait a little and maybe the iPhone will be able to do it, but Apple likes secrets, and this time, it isn't a good thing for you.

 

[Gonzlobo]

.

 

[Epocrates]

Epocrates on the iphone -- Update

Hi aye5882 and other Epocrates supporters!

We noticed that you expressed interest in medical technology for the new iPhone or iPod touch devices.

While it’s not currently possible to download Epocrates software to an iPhone device, we recently announced that the free Epocrates Online web-based drug reference is now available in a format that's optimized for the Apple devices.

Simply point your Safari browser to http://m.epocrates.com/iphone to access continually updated monographs for more than 3,300 drugs.

Apple recently announced that in early 2008 software developers will be able to begin to create applications for iPhone devices. We are excited to explore the opportunity to offer our mobile products on this new platform as well.

Best wishes!
The Epocrates Team

 

[BrentT]

I've contacted Epocrates, Skyscape, and Unbound Medicine. All are planning to release medical software for the iPod Touch and iPhone by fall. The current iPhone medical software requires a continuous network connection as the data does not reside on the device.

I have started a Healthcare iPod blog to keep track of medical software developments for the iPhone and iPod Touch at http://www.healthcarepod.com

 

[JBaker122586]

Epocrates showed off their program on the iPhone a month and a half ago at the SDK announcement.
I'd assume it'll be released much earlier than next fall.

 

[Orelhas]

The potential of the iphone for this area is so big! They should really start working because this could be a major breakthrough for the medical teams. Imagine being able to track your patients anywhere in the hospital, have access on location to their previous medical records (everyone had that patient that doesn't know anything about his/hers medical history), being able to receive alerts about a patient, not waiting until the nurse calls you. Seeing the x-rays, CT or labs, deciding what to do before getting near the patient. Adjusting meds on location. Recording your voice and then get it on text through voice recognition (if this worked ok would save a lot of time). Through wi-fi to a server it would be at a nice speed. Anyway, probably years ahead... But a man has to dream...

 

[BrentT]

Epocrates showed off their program on the iPhone a month and a half ago at the SDK announcement.
I'd assume it'll be released much earlier than next fall.

I hope you're right. The app displayed at the SDK introduction was an unfinished demo. Also remember that end user testing is still tough as few physicians or nurses have the new firmware. Epocrates has just announced an IPO so I hope the infusion of cash will bring some innovative iPhone software.