PDAs

My friend, it is also 1AM on the weekend before Christmas...give it time. I have an Axim x51v but to be honest, I use it for reading PDFs and so on. I love it. It's a Windows Mobile 5 device, which means it requires MarkSpace's Missing Sync. I actually don't have that yet, but I want to get it.

 

i got a tungsten e2. it's great! i don't sync it with my mac tho.

 

About 5 years ago, I tried Windows Pocket PC (HP Jornada) as a back up to my Palm PDA. My impression with Pocket PC was:
1. battery comes off easily while I transport it in my bag (that model did not have the batter lock)
2. Windows Pocket PC OS seems bloated like its own XP OS
3. Graffiti hand writing seems to work better on Palm than Pocket PC
4. Pocket PC makes me feel like I am using Windows (which is true)

It's possible my impression only pertains to that particular model I used. But, except for #1, the rest of the points could be still valid.

 

I have a toshiba E400. Runs on Windows Mobile 2003 Special Edition I think. It's what, 3 years old? It's still does pretty well. The battery life was never something to complain about. It would have been cool if it had wireless networking, then I would have used it as a portable SKYPE phone. I could never the the missing sync to work properly with it though. My mac would always crash if I dissonected or powered off my PDA. Other than that it was great. I always liked the look of the Palm Lifedrives, but they have been around for a while. If I was after a PDA, I'd be waiting to see Palms new releases (I don't know if or when they're coming out).

Hope that helps out.

 

I use a HP iPAQ hx4700, basically for PIM features. It has an excellent VGA screen, where I can see a whole month in one go, though I usually use the week view. Works well enough with the Mac using Missing Sync. Shame they stopped making it.

 

Well, if you have/install Parallels with Windows on your MacBook, you should be able to use that to get files on/off a Windows Mobile Pocket PC.

 

Well, having had various fancier PDAs in the past, I'm a recent but enthusiastic convert to this remarkably inexpensive kit. Remarkably robust too, and seriously recommended.

 

I use the Palm TX, it's under 300 bucks, has Wifi, Bluetooth, a beautiful screen, and is a very popular palm handheld.

I chose palm because i can't stand windows.

It's the number 1 favorite PDA/Smartphone among users and the number one PDA (excluding smartphones) rated by the cnet editors.
http://reviews.cnet.com/Handhelds/2001-3127_7-0.html?tag=cnetfd.dir

 

[Apologies for the long post]

I'm also using a Palm TX. This is my fourth Palm, and easily the best of the lot. I had given up on Palm after my Tungsten T became practically unusable, but after struggling for a year without a PDA, I got a TX and it restored my faith.

Palms are certainly not perfect (the OS is a bit old-school), but they're really fast to use. If you need to scribble a note or look up an address, you want to be able to power-up, get into an app, do your stuff and switch off as quickly as possible. That's Palm's forte.

The TX is thin, lightweight, reliable, with great battery life, great screen, good features (WiFi, bluetooth)... and it's affordable.

I'm using it with The Missing Sync. If you get a Palm, you must get TMS and forget the supplied Palm desktop software.

What else..

* There's no other PDA with the features of the TX at anything like the price. PDAs don't hold their value well, so it seems sensible to spend as little as possible to get the job done. Only... don't forget all the add-ons! (Case, TMS and other apps, screen protector).

* The WiFi works very well and connecting to networks is a piece of cake. I hear it's nothing like as easy on Windows Mobile. Email and web browsing work just fine on the TX.

* Get a screen protector. Otherwise you will eventually scratch the graffiti input area with the stylus, and then the recognition disintegrates a bit.

* Best case I found for it: Piel Frama

* Battery life excellent, esp if you turn off BT and WiFi when you don't need them. Which is quick and easy to do with the little control panel bar.

* Flash memory is a relief after the Tungsten T. No more losing all your data if you don't recharge the thing for a while.

* Great Palm apps that I consider essential: Checklist (better than the built-in ToDo), SplashID, TCPMP (video player - I can't get the supplied "Media" app to work at all)

* Want a good game to kill some time on long trips? Warfare Incorporated - realtime strategy. Easily worth the $20 or whatever it costs.

* I wouldn't bother trying to use it as an MP3 player. It's just too clunky, and the audio quality isn't up to much. Get an iPod. There really is no substitute.

* Syncing over Bluetooth is convenient, but a little slow. Use the USB cable if you're in a rush or need to transfer big files.

The Windows Mobile competition? I agonised about this for ages before buying the TX, because I felt (and in many ways still feel) that the Palm OS is dying a slow death. But I had a play with an HP WM unit for ten minutes and pretty much hated it... seemed like all the same ridiculous jumping thru hoops as you get with Windows. I've read several reports from people who went to WM, and ended up getting a Palm again because WM, although pretty, was awfully slow to use. But what do I know?

If, like me, you primarily need a diary/notebook/address book replacement, Palms are great. The "DocsToGo" Spreadsheet app and Word processor are good too.

If you need to draw, do serious word processing, or want to use your PDA for gaming, Windows Mobile may be a better choice. It's more like a PC in your hand. Is that what you get a PDA for though?

Still hoping Apple enter the market though! That would be very cool.

HTH

 

My Palm TX works very well with my Mac Pro. It synchs with the bluetooth no problem.

 

hi,

i have a palm zire right now and want to upgrade to a palm TX. the cost of a wifi card and a new battery for the zire are too high. it's better to get a TX.

i have a few questions though:

is palm desktop universal binary?
how good is the wifi reception (in hotels, starbucks)?
how feasible is websurfing on the TX? (i'm thinking of checking/writing email's on my .Mac account, Yahoo mail, surfing macrumors and such.


thanks, andi

 

I have an x50v...the best PDA I have ever used/owned. PPC is superior to Palm OS, although it crashes wayyy more. The screen is gorgeous, and pocket informant/pocket breeze make organizing myself a breeze (no pun intended!)
If youre in the market for a PDA (and not a smartphone) I would surely STILL recommend the x50v as nothing new has been released (well theres the x51v ,but that only adds WM5...I would probably get that one). Good luck!

 

i'm not sure if it's universal - but it runs smooth (it not exactly processor intensive!

wifi reception is fine

i wouldnt surf the web for fun on a pda, the screen size makes it too frustrating, but it's handy for checking emails and making short replies.