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Looking for advice - PDA purchase


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I looked at 2 brands, Sony and Palm, and i have found my "ideal" model considering my budget.

After comparing features, I am most interested in this model

I'd like to know if anyone has something to say about the model quality, technical support / return policy, and anything (good or bad) i should be aware before buying.

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quote:

Originally posted by Darkling:

quote:

Originally posted by Epsilon 5:

[QB] I looked at 2 brands, Sony and Palm, and i have found my "ideal" model considering my budget. [QB]

Only 2 brands, with everthing there is? How about Blackberry or Thera


admitedly - i don't know much about the brands of PDAs. Furthermore I'm not fond of buying items from people, instead of companies. Hell, I'm not even sure i want to buy online.

I don't need internet access, I don't need email syncronisation, I don't need phone access, and the mp3 player is just an extra. What i want most is all the stuff to organise my life and the ability to edit office files .. and colors.

Edit - i looked at other brands and it always costs too much. Toshiba, HP, blackberry, etc .. ever 199$ usd is streching my limits a bit, but there's little under that price that doesn't suck.

[ 03-16-2004, 01:50 PM: Message edited by: Epsilon 5 ]

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One of the things that I like about Ebay is that everyone rates the people that they've bought from. Heck it's not hard to see that if someone has sold over 1000 items and has kept 99% of those people happy, then you shouldn't have a problem with them. Just make sure you don't buy from someone with a low rating and you should be OK.

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Palm is alright, it's user friendly, however if you can upgrade to HP then it's more like a little mini computer. However, if you are just using it for an organizer and maybe a few other things, palm does it nicely.

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I've been looking at getting an iPAQ 1945. 64MB memory, fast enough processor, bluetooth, good sized color screen and Pocket PC 2003 make it ideal and you can get a good deal on EBay. The 5455 would be sweet but it's a wee bit out of my price range at the moment.

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Eps, I have the Tungsten/E and I think it's great. Palm has come a long way, but it's not a Pocket PC.

I'd definitely recommend it if it seems to do the things you're looking for. The battery life is excellent, the display is crisp and bright and it definitely has that cool factor.

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I recently bought a Palm Tungsten T from Overstock.com. I have been very happy with it, but I don't suggest using Overstock.com. It was a refurbished model, and only came with the very basic software.

The Tungsten E model is very nice and has most of the cool features for the best price.

As far as Palm vs. Sony, they both use PalmOS software. So I am not sure how diffent they would be.

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  • 3 weeks later...

I just picked up an Ipaq 3835 off E-bay for $165.

Can't wait to get to playing with my new toy.

Checkthis thing out.

64 Meg of Ram, 32 megs of ROM, SD card slot, and I can pick up a 264 meg SD card for $60 now at Costco, and the SAME card fits my digital camera, YES!!

It does digital voice recording, it does voice commands, it has a 3.5 inch screen, the thing is loaded to the hilt.

I even picked up a home inspection program for it, no more writing down notes and possibly forgetting something, the Ipaq will have all the info I need and I can just write it on the screen with the handwriting to print conversion software, Gotta love that.

It will do wireless, play Mp3's, I can load movies on it, pictures on it, can add a GPS to it, it just goes ON AND ON AND ON!!!

It shipped today via USPS, and I should have it by Tuesday!! HOORAH!!!

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I have a Zire 71 , it's my second Palm and I am quite happy with it. If you desire a pocket pc I would say go with the HP but as I have two PC's at home and my wife's spiffy new laptop arriving soon , I see no need for duplication of services.

I have been able to locate some very useful software for my line of work (SoapDish) which allows me to keep clinical notes, update patients medication dosages and even assist in DSM IV diagnosis. It also has a built in digital camera, expands to an MP3( with memory card upgrade). Because the new positions I am being considered for are all sattelite clincics I will have to keep in touch and post schedules using Outlook which is easy on the Zire 71.

The Zire is an upgrade over the model you want and is available at the Palm website for the same price ( 50.00 rebate) Check it out.

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You're all wrong. The sharp Zaurus is best.

PDA Lineup

I've had palms and pocket PC's, but I like the Zaurus best. Mostly I like how it's an open platform, and there's tons of linux geeks out there pumping out cool open source programs for it. I like having the slide out thumb keyboard. I like loading up an IBM 1gb microdrive with divx movies and watching them on my lunch break.

Heck, just go here to see all the features:

Sharp Zaurus

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quote:

Originally posted by Chaoticmass:

You're all wrong. The sharp Zaurus is best.

I've had palms and pocket PC's, but I like the Zaurus best. Mostly I like how it's an open platform, and there's tons of linux geeks out there pumping out cool open source programs for it. I like having the slide out thumb keyboard. I like loading up an IBM 1gb microdrive with divx movies and watching them on my lunch break.

Heck, just go here to see all the features:


LINUX? UGH!!!

I want a REAL OS, Pocket PC 2002 is so much easier to deal with then Linux or Palm. Linux? UGH!!

I was playing with a Palm the other day, and it took me 20 minutes just to figure out how to navigate the darn thing, it was AWFUL, and Linuxm the support from software vendors is just not there.

Give me an OS that is A: Easy and familiar to use B: has a LOT of programs that can be used on it and C: is upgradeable easily. That would be Windows Pocket PC 2002 or 2003.

I don't mind lining Bill Gates Pockets a bit, I like Windows, so I will stick with it.

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quote:

Originally posted by Race Bannon IV:

I have a Zire 71 , it's my second Palm and I am quite happy with it. If you desire a pocket pc I would say go with the HP but as I have two PC's at home and my wife's spiffy new laptop arriving soon , I see no need for duplication of services.

I have been able to locate some very useful software for my line of work (SoapDish) which allows me to keep clinical notes, update patients medication dosages and even assist in DSM IV diagnosis. It also has a built in digital camera, expands to an MP3( with memory card upgrade). Because the new positions I am being considered for are all sattelite clincics I will have to keep in touch and post schedules using Outlook which is easy on the Zire 71.

The Zire is an upgrade over the model you want and is available at the Palm website for the same price ( 50.00 rebate) Check it out.

The Zire is a nice machine, it just doesnt have the oomph that I need with my work. I need to download programs for Home Inspection, E-books of NEC codes, Databases of Recalled items etc, so the Zire just wasn't enough for me.

That is why I chose the 3835, because of the fact it is upgradeable, takes an SD card, just like My camera, and I have a reader writer for that card on my computer, so I can load programs directly onto the card, instead of doing that whole sinc thing, and the expansions for it are excellent, just picked up a PCMCIA expansion for it for $20, and a Compact Flash Expansion for $30, oh and a minikeyboard that attaches to the bottom of the unit so that I type directly, forget that handwriting recognition. I mean NO one has come up with a program that will recognize my handwriting, my doctor can't even read my handwriting..LOL

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I just received my HP5555 which replaces my year old HP5455.

I usually buy the TAP plan at CompUSA. So, recently my HP5455 stopped synching reliably. Which gave me a perfect excuse to go the store and replace it under my TAP plan. Now I have the greatest bestest PPC on the market

Jaguar, if you want to see what a true VGA screen looks like, get the Nyditot virtual display. It'll blow you away.

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After years of using my trusty old Psion series 5, this weekend I upgraded to the Toshiba E800. It was a toss up between that and the IPAQ 5555 and to be honest I bought the Toshiba because it was easier to buy locally.

It's a really good machine though. 128 RAM, takes both types of memory cards, even has a 2 meg video memory and, with a hack, runs in 640*480 res. Very nice

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Yeah, I was going to get the e805. Until I found out that Toshiba had discontinued the e800 series. Which means, if its broke, you're probably screwed. I wanted it primarily for the VGA display since it looks so wicked.

Also, IIRC, that e800 only has PPC2002. You would need the PPC2003 upgrade from Toshiba. Not to mention the upcoming PPC2003 SP coming out this month I think.

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quote:

Originally posted by Supreme Cmdr:

Yeah, I was going to get the e805. Until I found out that Toshiba had discontinued the e800 series. Which means, if its broke, you're probably screwed. I wanted it primarily for the VGA display since it looks so wicked.

Also, IIRC, that e800 only has PPC2002. You would need the PPC2003 upgrade from Toshiba. Not to mention the upcoming PPC2003 SP coming out this month I think.

I'm sure I'd read it had PPC2003, but I can't find anything on the unit to verify this. It says I have Pocket PC version 4.20.1081 (Build 13100) but this doesn't mean too much to me.

I also heard (after I'd bought it) of rumours it had been discontinued. That is worrying. I'll have to hope that, like my series 5, it lasts a few years with no faults.

Still no regrets though.. although the gadget freak in me would love the fingerprint recognition of the 5555

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That is sweet.

I have been playing with my new toy for the last 24 hours or so, and have been having a ball.

Loaded up a bunch of E-books, and the memory is still not even 1/4 full, oh and a couple of games and a home inspection program. When my 256 meg SD card gets here next week, I'll REALLY load this puppy up.

I also found some Great Jaguar themes for it, and they look great, big cats in Trees, Jaguars stalking, Jaguars running, etc, oh and a Dachshund theme as well. I love those little wiener dogs.

Now I have find some more killer apps and programs to load up on it, like a hourly rate program that will help me remember the hours that I work for people doing maintenance on their houses, mileage on my car etc.

I know they exist, it is just a matter of finding them.

Oh, and I also bought the microkeyboard for it, so I can type directly into the unit. Too killer!!

It was really all I could afford right now, or I would have gone for a higher unit, but this one is doing the job so far, I amy upgrade in another year or so, or until this one blows up...

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Hey Jaguar, they are cool aren't they

I just found out that the SD card from my digital camera fits into my pda!

SC, is there any point in asking if there's a version of UC coming out for pocket pc? Awww common! How cool would that be?

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