Variations in Portability

[Marble]

I recently asked a college student friend of mine what she thought about my recent decision to purchase a 15" Powerbook for school, and apparently she finds it more convenient to use a palm with fold-out keyboard for note-taking and more mobile tasks, and to keep a more powerful desktop at home.
The combination is less expensive, and seems to have fewer drawbacks than purchasing what could potentially be soon legacy hardware in the 15". Those G5s are awfully tempting. Have any other students considered the possibility of such a paring for school, and if so, how do you like it? Is a palm pilot (with keyboard) and a desktop computer a match made in heaven?

 

[Eniregnat]

No. The combo sucks!

I have tried and own a Handspring with the really cool collapsible keyboard, but it just isn’t as functional and useful as a full sized laptop for classes.
.
iBook Palm+Keyboard QuickPad Pro

text entry_____good________ok________________good
ease of use____good________awkward____________ok
reliability____good________ok________________great
software______great________good (specialized)________na
back light____good________ok________________none
cost_________1k________200________________100-300
transfer options good____USB/IRDA/CARD/other____USB/IRDA
transfer speed great________ok________________poor
battery life____2+hrs________6+hrs________________Wow, it just keeps going.
tip over______not likely____YEP________________No
keyboard _____good________ok-good____________good
screen size____good________tiny but ok____________80col Text
quick gpx.____Ok________Good________________Nope
spell check software good____OK- can’t transfer license____Ok
crash potential low________quite possible________unlikely
reset time____long________medium, drivers reload____quick
versatile____very________ok________________not very versatile




PERSONAL EXPIERNECE
Go with the laptop. You can take it to the library and do research. It’s better for writing papers, and the screen is easier to deal with. I did find a Visor with keyboard useful for tracking call numbers and finding books. It isn’t bad for taking notes, but the screen is a little hard to stare at for long periods of time. I use a QuickPad Pro for fieldwork. I don’t need much more than text processor with spread sheet capability. Besides, If I damage an inexpensive Quickpad I’m ok. If I damage my laptop, I’m screwed. I wouldn’t recommend a Palm with keyboard or a Quickpad as anybody’s primary computer for text entry.

 

[Marble]

Great! Thanks for responding.

 

[Eniregnat]

Not a problem. I just didn't find the combination very functional for lots of typeing. It was still good for casual not takeing and for writing on the go. I prefer my QuickPad Pro and my eMate300.

If your interisted, I do have a working Tangerine Visor, Targus Keyboard, desktop USB sync pod, and a Spring Board that has 32MB of CF. I may also have spare stli and a travle connector. I would part with it for a fare price +shipping.

 

[Marble]

Ah, too late buddy. I've just ordered a 15" Powerbook with loads of peripherals. From what you've said, though, it's going to be the best thing I could have gotten. You've helped me feel much more comfortable with the purchase .

 

[Schiffi]

Well, you're going to enjoy the 15"! Hopefully you went with the 1GHz of course?

 

[herr_neumann]

I used my ibook to take notes at UCD. full laptop is the only way to go. I even got tired of carrying around my books so I would scan the needed pages for each class so that I could follow along without 50lbs of books every day.

 

[bennetsaysargh]

Originally posted by herr_neumann
I used my ibook to take notes at UCD. full laptop is the only way to go. I even got tired of carrying around my books so I would scan the needed pages for each class so that I could follow along without 50lbs of books every day.

now that is smart. if only you could buy PDF versions of the text books. that would save money for everyone, and you could get live updates if needed

 

[WannabeSQ]

Scanning the books, now there's a great use of technology to make life easier, why didn't I think of that?? Well, probably cause I don't have a scanner, but they are damn cheap these days, i think ill get one for next semester. Hell, id scan the whole book and make a PDF if I could. Too bad that Project Gutenberg thing doesn't apply to new texts. I would pay to have my books in electronic form.

 

[Ugg]

I'm sure that e-textbooks will be the future. Think of all those trees being felled and when it comes to textbooks, changes can't be made very easily at all. I can't imagine life without books, but life without textbooks seems like a good idea. Totally customizable, with links, and all the other goodies of e-books. It's the future.

 

[Marble]

I did buy the 1Ghz model, yes. I also like the idea of scanning in textbooks. Maybe I'll pick up a decent scanner along the way - of course, studying from a computer screen I would think was trying on the eyes, but I've never used an LCD before, and I hear they are much more comfortable.

Can't wait.