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El Gato · Aug 10, 2005, 12:23 PM

Hey guys, I've been looking at PDA's and was wondering if anybody had any buying advice.

I'm basically looking for a laptop replacement so I don't have to take my laptop with me all the time. I'm a grad student at the moment, so it gets difficult at times to carry around all of my books as well as a laptop. So I'd need something that I can take notes on easily, has WiFi (definite) and Bluetooth (nice, but not necessary), and can create Word/Excel/PPT.

I was looking at Palm's LifeDrive and Tungsten C. Any thoughts or others to look at? Is this not really what a PDA is meant for and I'm asking too much?

Thanks for the help, I know shite about these things.

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 12:28 PM

I think if you are trying to write word docs or long papers you will be very very disappointed quickly. The life drive is ok but no way a laptop replacement.

If anything look at the 12" iBook or those Tiny Sony Vios.

El Gato · Aug 10, 2005, 12:42 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

I think if you are trying to write word docs or long papers you will be very very disappointed quickly. The life drive is ok but no way a laptop replacement.

If anything look at the 12" iBook or those Tiny Sony Vios.

Thanks for the reply. Definitely not long papers - I think that would probably drive me crazy

I guess laptop replacement wasn't the best phrase to use for what I'm looking for. Basically, taking notes in class in Word, being able to follow along on a PPT, check email, and light web use. Bluetooth would be nice to make syncing with my iBook a little easier (I hope).

I'm more or less leaning towards the LifeDrive, but just want some justification to buy it. If it's too difficult to take notes on, then I'll probably just stick with my lappy.

turtle777 · Aug 10, 2005, 01:03 PM

Originally Posted by El Gato

Basically, taking notes in class in Word, being able to follow along on a PPT.

Word: works halfway. If you get the C, you can get one of these foldable keyboards. They are really cheap now, you can get them for less than $ 10.

PPT: forget it, doesn't work well. Has to be converted for viewing on Palm, then you can't edit it anymore. It's a pain.

-t

Paco500 · Aug 10, 2005, 01:28 PM

I would pass on the C- it hasn't been refreshed in 2 years- very long in the tooth.

I think would best (sadly) option would be a PPC. Figure out your budget, remember to save $ for packetmac or the missing sync, and get the best one for the bucks.

olePigeon · Aug 10, 2005, 01:38 PM

As much as I'd hate to recommend one, I think a PocketPC would be your best bet if you want to deal with Word and PowerPoint on a tiny platform.

You'd need to buy The Missing Sync if you want it to sync with your PowerBook.

El Gato · Aug 10, 2005, 02:21 PM

Originally Posted by olePigeon

As much as I'd hate to recommend one, I think a PocketPC would be your best bet if you want to deal with Word and PowerPoint on a tiny platform.

You'd need to buy The Missing Sync if you want it to sync with your PowerBook.

I hate that you recommended it too

Just kidding, any suggestions on PocketPCs to check out?

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 02:29 PM

Originally Posted by El Gato

I hate that you recommended it too

Just kidding, any suggestions on PocketPCs to check out?

hp.com

nonhuman · Aug 10, 2005, 02:56 PM

Yeah, unfortunately Windows powered PDAs seem to be the only decent ones out there right now. I really wish Apple would do something about that...

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 03:05 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

Yeah, unfortunately Windows powered PDAs seem to be the only decent ones out there right now. I really wish Apple would do something about that...

At the rate PDA's are declining I am glad Apple never went through a second round of that.

turtle777 · Aug 10, 2005, 03:26 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

At the rate PDA's are declining I am glad Apple never went through a second round of that.

I wouldn't mind a well-designed PDA/cellphone combination from Apple...

-t

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 03:29 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

I wouldn't mind a well-designed PDA/cellphone combination from Apple...

-t

And 150,000 people wanted the G4 Cube (me included). But that is not enough.

I also have a newton.

El Gato · Aug 10, 2005, 03:31 PM

Wasn't there some grumblings from Apple about a WiFi equipped iPod around Christmas time? I thought I remembered reading something along those lines. And isn't the Newton handwriting technology buried in OSX?

I don't know if Apple would put out a PDA, but they seem to keep their options open to move in that direction.

turtle777 · Aug 10, 2005, 03:34 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

And 150,000 people wanted the G4 Cube (me included). But that is not enough.

Ah well, if Apple can't make it for a competitive price, it won't sell.

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

I also have a newton.

D00d, you're da man. Does it have BT and WiFi ? Does it sync with Mail and iCalender ?

-t

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 03:53 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Ah well, if Apple can't make it for a competitive price, it won't sell.

D00d, you're da man. Does it have BT and WiFi ? Does it sync with Mail and iCalender ?

-t

Is that all it takes for success? Cuz the ones that do aren't selling.

turtle777 · Aug 10, 2005, 03:55 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

Is that all it takes for success? Cuz the ones that do aren't selling.

Are you implying that PDAs w/o BT and WiFi would be selling better ?

Listen, we are in 2005. It really doesn't matter what made a PDA (un)successful back in the mid 90ies.

-t

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 03:57 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Are you implying that PDAs w/o BT and WiFi would be selling better ?

Listen, we are in 2005. It really doesn't matter what made a PDA (un)successful back in the mid 90ies.

-t

I am talking about 2005 and how even though they do what you mentioned the sales are still dropping. Even palm is moving away from PDA's and into smartphones.

turtle777 · Aug 10, 2005, 04:00 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

Even palm is moving away from PDA's and into smartphones.

Maybe that's what I meant by "well-designed PDA/cellphone combination"

-t

- - e r i k - - · Aug 10, 2005, 04:06 PM

PDAs are a niche market at best. Apple won't touch it again.

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 04:07 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Maybe that's what I meant by "well-designed PDA/cellphone combination"

-t

Great, now what could apple do to make it sell better than the Treo? Make it white and work only with Mac Software? Ya people really want that over Office and outlook compatibility.

turtle777 · Aug 10, 2005, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by - - e r i k - -

PDAs are a niche market at best. Apple won't touch it again.

Wouldn't bet my grandma on that.

Apple has become very unpredictable recently.
* Mac under $ 500
* multi-button mouse
* switch to Intel

-t

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 07:51 PM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Wouldn't bet my grandma on that.

Apple has become very unpredictable recently.
* Mac under $ 500
* multi-button mouse
* switch to Intel

-t

No really, how could they make a smartphone better than anyone else?

Salty · Aug 10, 2005, 09:29 PM

I'd say carry less books and get an iBook

I know a guy with a Tungstin E and he enjoys it. But either way... I'd stick with an iBook.

Buckaroo · Aug 10, 2005, 09:35 PM

My opinion is that the Sony TH-55 is the best PDA out there. Except Sony don't make them anymore.

nonhuman · Aug 10, 2005, 11:27 PM

PDAs were a failure. But the advances in hardware that have been made mean that you can have a fully functional computer in a hand held form factor. Combining them with cell phones means you can always have internet access even when you're not near a WiFi AP or bluetooth equipped computer.

All I really want is something that will sync with my MS Exchange email and calendar, give me functional web browsing so I can use the various administrative web interfaces for things like our Exchange server, spam filter, and firewalls and, ideally, give me a command line so I could ssh into our Linux server if I really needed to. And do all that from anywhere either because it's integrated into a cell phone or has bluetooth so I can use it in conjunction with a bluetooth phone (in which case WAP enabled WiFi would also be nice so I wouldn't have to pay Verizon just to check my email). I assume a Windows Mobile smartphone would be able to run Putty in which case that would do everything I want. A Linux based PDA like the Archos PMA 400 or the Sharp Zaurus (I'd get an SL-C3000) would also let me do that, but Evolution's exchange support is pretty shaky in my experience. With the Archos PMA 400 I could even hook up an external keyboard and do real word processing and even web development. The only part of my job I wouldn't be able to do from it is the video editing.

So really PDAs are becoming viable. A PDA paired with a desktop computer can be a cheaper but more portable and just as capable alternative to a laptop.

nonhuman · Aug 10, 2005, 11:28 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

No really, how could they make a smartphone better than anyone else?

The same way they already made the PC and PDA and mp3 player better than everyone else...

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 10, 2005, 11:31 PM

Originally Posted by nonhuman

The same way they already made the PC and PDA and mp3 player better than everyone else...

The newton OS rocked, the hardware was too large. An OS will not carry a product, just look at windows.

But please, tell me what Apple could add to the PDA to make it the next iPod.

turtle777 · Aug 11, 2005, 09:08 AM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

No really, how could they make a smartphone better than anyone else?

Well, how come they make

* laptops
* MP3 players
* desktop computers
* OS'es

better than anyone else ?

Duh !

-t

brapper · Aug 11, 2005, 09:19 AM

I just picked up a Tungsten C second hand and after some difficulties with connecting to my home network were resolved, I've really begun to enjoy it. It has a good feel to it and having the thumb board is actually great. Granted, I haven't written anything long with it however I've used it to post here and also to IM with friends. I was thinking of getting a lifedrive, but really, they're big and I wanted to give the thumb board a shot. Would be nice to have the 4 GBs for media though...

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 11, 2005, 09:43 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

Well, how come they make

* laptops
* MP3 players
* desktop computers
* OS'es

better than anyone else ?

Duh !

-t

Stop giving that vague answer and give me some substance. Specifically what can Apple do? What are smart-phones missing today that only Apple can provide?

turtle777 · Aug 11, 2005, 10:00 AM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

Stop giving that vague answer and give me some substance. Specifically what can Apple do? What are smart-phones missing today that only Apple can provide?

* industrial design
* ease of use
* compatibility with iTunes
* compatibility with Apple Mail, iCalender, .Mac

Can't believe how limited your imagination is that you consider the existing smart phones perfect with no room for improvement...

And don't give me the market share crap, why would Apple not be able to make the cross-platform compatible, like they did with the iPod ?

-t

Scandalous Ion Cannon · Aug 11, 2005, 10:33 AM

Originally Posted by turtle777

* industrial design
* ease of use
* compatibility with iTunes
* compatibility with Apple Mail, iCalender, .Mac

Can't believe how limited your imagination is that you consider the existing smart phones perfect with no room for improvement...

And don't give me the market share crap, why would Apple not be able to make the cross-platform compatible, like they did with the iPod ?

-t

Market share crap? You really think the billions of Windows users out there want Apple mail, iCal and .Mac support? Even the iPod was not a huge success until they catered to PC users.

So far every PDA plays mp3's. Nobody cares. Ease of use? Look at Windows and Windows CE? They suck yet people buy.

I have a vivid imagination but even I can't see what Apple could do to make a PDA appealing.

turtle777 · Aug 11, 2005, 11:10 AM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

Market share crap? You really think the billions of Windows users out there want Apple mail, iCal and .Mac support? Even the iPod was not a huge success until they catered to PC users.

So far every PDA plays mp3's. Nobody cares. Ease of use? Look at Windows and Windows CE? They suck yet people buy.

I have a vivid imagination but even I can't see what Apple could do to make a PDA appealing.

Make a smartphone that

* plays iTunes ACC
* integrates with Apple & Outlook (Express)
* has the ease-of-use of the iPod
* looks good
* comes at a halfway decent price

I can't see why this wouldn't sell to Mac as well as PC users.

-t

lavar78 · Aug 11, 2005, 11:27 AM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

Market share crap? You really think the billions of Windows users out there want Apple mail, iCal and .Mac support? Even the iPod was not a huge success until they catered to PC users.

I know you're exaggerating to help make your point, but the iPod was a pretty big success even before it was made for Windows. It wasn't huge compared to what it is now, but it was certainly huge WRT the MP3 player market at that time.

I have a vivid imagination but even I can't see what Apple could do to make a PDA appealing.

While I tend to agree with you, I don't think this proves your point at all. I'm sure someone can come up with something worthwhile. It's extremely hard but not impossible.

nonhuman · Aug 11, 2005, 12:01 PM

Originally Posted by Scandalous Ion Cannon

The newton OS rocked, the hardware was too large. An OS will not carry a product, just look at windows.

But please, tell me what Apple could add to the PDA to make it the next iPod.

An OS will too carry a product. Otherwise there would be no Mac users. I don't know about you, but I use Macs because of the OS not the hardware.

Yes the hardware was too large on the Newton, but that was mostly because it came out before the technology was really ready. Current hardware technology applied to the Newton (and an upgraded, OS X compatible OS of course) would allow for one awesome PDA.