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iPod or Palm?

revenuee

revenuee

macrumors 68020
Original poster
Sep 13, 2003
2,251
3
Alright guys i need some advice

I'm contemplating either purchasing a 10 gig iPod or some sort of Palm device like a tungsten c or something

i wonder if the palm device won't be to much over kill for me on one hand, but useless for me in another respect.

I've been researching the new iPod and i've come to realize that it might have a lot of the features i need.

I know about the mp3 player capabilities, but i'm really interested in what it has as far as organizing my life (well helping me organize)

i'm interested in a pretty good scheduling system, IE calendar and day planner would be very good, i know that the iPod has something like this, but i was wondering how good it actually is

i was also looking at the address book and how pretty useful that would be.

Finally the notes feature seems interesting i was wondering how people are finding this.

Hmmm perhaps i'm not asking the right questions? any advice? i can only afford one at the moment
 
It seems like you already want the palm, as those were/are designed for the day planning and contact managing. However, the iPod does pull double duty as an external hard drive too...
 
But the iPod

You'll never use the palm as much as you think - believe me. Just go on ebay and you will see hundreds of them for sale.
I sold mine a few months ago and I got an ipod and a good cell phone and never looked back.
 
Counterfit

thats just it, i'm not really sure if i need all the bangs and wistles of a Palm, while i could definatly use the few gigs for mobile storage

patrick0brien

now that could be messy, except that i don't know if i have enough stuff in my life to need to be able to add stuff on the go, i think i would be okay with syncing it to my comp and then just downloading

agentmouthwash

and thats exactly it, i'm worried that i might end up using it for the first few weeks, and then the novelty will wear off and i won't use it anymore

if the novelty wears off i can always use it as what it's meant to be, a music player

i mean i'm in first year right now, i don't know how my needs might expand in the next 4 years, sigh... the one big advantage that i see in the iPod is that i'm hoping to switch full to digital photography right now i have a small point and shoot that i use for parties and get togethers, but i shoot with a 35mm SLR when i need to get down to some serious work, but i'm thinking of replacing my current body with a nice SLR, and the added external storage seems like it could be something i would probably use on my ski/ camping treks -- hmm exept what i do i do when the battery dies and i'm in the middle of know where with no firewire port ... so much to consider
 
what's your budget? the cheapest palm's are $100. cheapest iPod is $300.

iPod is very useful as a portable HD, but will not really work well as a PDA replacement unless you are going to sync it with your Mac every so often. even then, you will only be able to look up addresses, schedules and notes on the go. no modifying them...

do you have a cell phone? they usually have basic calendar/address functions...
 
Re: iPod or Palm?

Originally posted by revenuee
I'm contemplating either purchasing a 10 gig iPod or some sort of Palm device like a tungsten c or something

i wonder if the palm device won't be to much over kill for me on one hand, but useless for me in another respect.
Click to expand...

Well here's my story. I wanted a PDA to keep track of appointments (I have a couple a day, not like my wife who's entire work schedule is driven by them), and was given a Sony Clie for my birthday. What I found is, for me personally, it was too big a pain to enter them in using Grafitti or the "typing" mode. So after a couple months, it turned out that I was always sitting down at my computer and typing them into the Palm desktop (well, now it's iCal; but same principle).

This model basically works as well with an iPod as it does a Palm. The iPod's calendar display is as useful as the Clie's IMHO. The Clie's main use now is to play Bejeweled.

So if you make a significant # of appointments on the go, get a Palm OS device. If you are a Bejeweled fanatic, get a Palm OS device. Otherwise get the iPod. It's quite useful in addition to being a great music device.
 
I agree - I ended up using the computer to input all the stuff I needed for my palm because the stylus is a pain to use. Now I use iCal and the address book and I sync it with my ipod.
 
depends upon how organized you are if you really need the organization then the palm is the way to go if not the iPod is
i have both but i use maybe my palm once a week usually just to play games and when i go on trips (very rare since i'm in college) i use it to read email carry my contacts around and play games
 
One thing that i could see myself using the Palm more so is if i got one of those mini keyboards with it... I could see myself using it to start papers, or write papers outside from my desktop ... i was thinking of a laptop for this, but they have not yet made a laptop i want to buy, plus the keyboard + palm combination would be 1/5th the price

but then again i'm not that well organized and i don't know if i would spend the time inputting info into either the iPod or the Palm

hmm ... quite the dilemma
 
the keyboards don't work the greatest, they're smaller than laptop ones and fairly difficult to type with not to mention you've only got like a 3 inch screen to view what you're typing
 
I have both, and found that the iPod is too limited for me as a PDA device. The Graffiti way of writing was a little tough to get used to, but now I'm able to write just as fast on the Palm as I do on paper.

If all you're going to do with the device you buy is keep your schedule and contacts, with a few notes here and there, buy the Palm. I believe that the Zire is about $99, so you could use the money you save, and add to it to buy an iPod at a later time.
 
for under $200, the Palm Tungsten E makes a nice option. It's got a great color screen, plays MP3s, shows photos and videos (Kinoma format). With an SD card, you can store quite a few songs - sure, not as much as iPod, but a few hours worth at least.
I love mine, it definitely helps keep me organized. Data entry seems easy enough to me - it's my first PDA - and I would say that I probably enter more info directly on the Palm than via my computer (because it's always with me whenever the calls come in).
The added bonus of having the ability to show video clips is great. I've been able to dazzle some clients by showing them rough cuts on the wee 320x240 screen.
I probably wouldn't have spent any more than $200, but I feel with the Tungsten E I have gotten my money's worth.

But when I have enough $$$ laying around, I still really want an iPod....
 
I have the Tungsten C and an ipod. Currently the T|C comes with dated software. You'll have to spend at least $100 extra to bring it up to speed. Docs2Go on the T|C does not take native office documents. Version 6 does. Web browser is very dated and WebPro will cost you $34.95. It doesn't have stereo sound so forget listening to music.

However, if you're going to be in a wi-fi environment a lot, it's nice to have. I e-mail my girlfriend in class when I'm bored all the time. I talk on AIM, IRC, read the news... etc.

It's definitely the most useful Palm that Palmone makes. If I were to do it again however, I would get the Clie UX50.
 
I was in your shoes about 2 years ago. I thought a Palm would organize my life but alas, my Palm m130 is collecting dust on my desk. It didn't last too long as a planner before being relegated to a gaming machines in those boring Chem 320 classes. If you know you're going to adhere to the practice of using a PDA and don't mind learning how to write the alphabets so that the device will recognize your intent, then by all means. If you're like me, and would rather use stickies and post it notes to organize ones life, then go with the iPod.
 
Originally posted by Gymnut
I was in your shoes about 2 years ago. I thought a Palm would organize my life but alas, my Palm m130 is collecting dust on my desk. It didn't last too long as a planner before being relegated to a gaming machines in those boring Chem 320 classes. If you know you're going to adhere to the practice of using a PDA and don't mind learning how to write the alphabets so that the device will recognize your intent, then by all means. If you're like me, and would rather use stickies and post it notes to organize ones life, then go with the iPod.
Click to expand...


This is exactly my concern... it would be a habit that i'de have to get into, because i don't even use sticky notes ... thats why i could see myself actually getting use of the functions in the iPod because i would probably look at the iPod a couple times a day to change songs, and while i was at it probably check my schedule ... LOL maybe i can buy the palm and and convince someone to get me an iPod for Xmas ... LOL :D
 
It's an interesting question, iPod or Palm. One I've been looking at myself over the last few weeks.

What I need/want is a PDA that I can use to check email, do internet, store my calendar and contacts and allow me to update them on the road, prepare Word docs, spreadsheets (forget the stylus for this, I need a full size keyboard). The ability to take photos, record voice memos and listen to some music would be nice as well but are not essential.

When it came down to it, I realised that I needed a smartphone and not an iPod or a Palm. In fact I settled on the Handspring Treo 600 which does everything I want and attaches to a full size keyboard.

Now I just have to find the money to buy the thing.

The key thing with all these kinds of questions though is that you really have to be honest with yourself about what you need and what you want. Get this straight and your choice becomes a lot easier.
 
hmm... i think there is a new app you can get for the mac that puts your e-mail onto your ipod... i have a sony clie sj360 and an ipod, i rarely use the palm pilot, for writing things in, graphity is a lot easier to type it in on my pb... i think the ipod is the way to go

if you want a basic palm pilot like the one i have, you should check out an acution site, mayb comp usa auctions .com or something... i saw a m505 go for $35 a little while ago...
 
www.dayrunner.com

That should take care of any scheduling problems. Now go get that iPod!!


I have an old Handspring Visor that I never used for more than an address book because it was so much easier for me to just jot down paper notes to shove in my pocket. Don't get a Palm unless you KNOW you need it. Like when you're 30 and working for The Man.
Get the iPod and you'll have a lot more useful machine at your disposal.
 
Originally posted by arnette
www.dayrunner.com

That should take care of any scheduling problems. Now go get that iPod!!


I have an old Handspring Visor that I never used for more than an address book because it was so much easier for me to just jot down paper notes to shove in my pocket. Don't get a Palm unless you KNOW you need it. Like when you're 30 and working for The Man.
Get the iPod and you'll have a lot more useful machine at your disposal.
Click to expand...

i definatly wouldn't use that, i have one that i got from my University and i never use it... i don't even know where it is
 
Alright, i've decided

I'm going with the iPod

I don't really need to be able to input data on the go, but rather double check already pre planned events - the Schedule Calendar in the iPod is more then adequate for this task. The same goes for the address book

I'm going with the 10 gig because i think that any larger will be over kill at the moment as i have less then 1 gig of music currently on my hard-drive ...

I do however forsee this iPod being bared with the Belkin card reader accessory for use with my digital camera's as extra pocket storage

Thanks for all your help guys
 
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