Any Palm type handheld guru's out there.
Discussion
Mrs Mel annopunced in her wisdom last night that she wanted "one of those tiny in your hand computer" for christmas. Now I know FA about the bloody things and thought they were always a bit geeky and used by people that had given up the ability to actually write anything down, but I am prepared to be converted on this blinkered opinion. Anyway when I pushed her on "Why" she said "so I can write emails and things, maybe do some proper spreadsheet work work, throw away my filofax and diary oh and play silly games on the coach going to work everyday" So with that in mind I throw it open to the floor for what one should I get her, and does it do anything I would really be impressed with ????
Compaq iPaq 3970
Full on bluetooth etc etc etc, match it up with a GPRS bluetooth phone and you can browse the web, use MSN Messenger and loads more stuff in the car/bus/taxi.
Get the add-on GPS jacket and it becomes a removeable sat nav system (handy with the amount of cars you have Mel) so thats perhaps a selling point.
You can also get a CF card that has an IR diode in it so you can replace all your remote controls with one unit.
Matt.
>> Edited by plotloss on Thursday 28th November 15:38
Full on bluetooth etc etc etc, match it up with a GPRS bluetooth phone and you can browse the web, use MSN Messenger and loads more stuff in the car/bus/taxi.
Get the add-on GPS jacket and it becomes a removeable sat nav system (handy with the amount of cars you have Mel) so thats perhaps a selling point.
You can also get a CF card that has an IR diode in it so you can replace all your remote controls with one unit.
Matt.
>> Edited by plotloss on Thursday 28th November 15:38
HP Jornada or Compaq iPaq aren't bad, but watch the price of the add-ons, especially the GSM GPRS stuff for the emailing, unless she's synchronising with a work or home PC for her email that is.
Someone will probably nick the thing, so don't throw away the filofax just yet.
And no you won't be impressed!
Andy
>> Edited by andyf007 on Thursday 28th November 15:44
Someone will probably nick the thing, so don't throw away the filofax just yet.
And no you won't be impressed!
Andy
>> Edited by andyf007 on Thursday 28th November 15:44
mel said:
plotloss said: You can also get a CF card that has an IR diode in it so you can replace all your remote controls with one unit.
And a translation into English please ?
A thingy that goes into the back of the palm pc thing with an infrared whotsit that will allow you to ditch all your remote controls and use the palm pc whojamaflip.
Matt.
If you don't want to go down the microsoft route, and depending on Budget, both the latest Palm Tungsten and the Sony Clie range are pretty good. Compatibility is good, Documents to go handles most Office type apps, email synchronisation with Outlook, Notes and most major packages is there, and plenty of silly games. If she wants a small device predominantly for diary, contacts, card games etc. the Palm is easily the better platform, if you want something more high end, then it is a bit more of a contest, but personally I would still stick with the Palm OS devices.
in line with today's anti-daft-gadget rant, they're all shite.
If it's colour, the batteries last about 7 minutes..
If it's black & white, the batteres last months but you can't see anything on the screen without squinting..
If it has no keyboard, inputting data via the 'writing' system is painful
If it has a keyboard, inputting data involves putting your finger-ends in an electric pencil sharpener in order be able to pick out any one key..
Don't take my word for it, but I've got a drawer full of Palm 3s, Palm 5s, Psion 3s and Psion 5s that have all been retired due to arsing about factors...
Claire has a Compaq whizzy Ipaq colouor handheld and she's forever losing her data from it because the batteries give up so quickly..
And when she tries to feed info in, she can't keep up with someone using a filofax or pocket diary..
In short, spend as little money on it as you can as she'll ditch it in under a month - use the rest of the money on a backup present..
>> Edited by CarZee (moderator) on Thursday 28th November 15:57
If it's colour, the batteries last about 7 minutes..
If it's black & white, the batteres last months but you can't see anything on the screen without squinting..
If it has no keyboard, inputting data via the 'writing' system is painful
If it has a keyboard, inputting data involves putting your finger-ends in an electric pencil sharpener in order be able to pick out any one key..
Don't take my word for it, but I've got a drawer full of Palm 3s, Palm 5s, Psion 3s and Psion 5s that have all been retired due to arsing about factors...
Claire has a Compaq whizzy Ipaq colouor handheld and she's forever losing her data from it because the batteries give up so quickly..
And when she tries to feed info in, she can't keep up with someone using a filofax or pocket diary..
In short, spend as little money on it as you can as she'll ditch it in under a month - use the rest of the money on a backup present..
>> Edited by CarZee (moderator) on Thursday 28th November 15:57
remember to add "personal belongings outside the home" to your household insurance, and do regular backups, cos no doubt when she's waving £700's worth of pocket sized equipment around in public, some pleasant chap will be only too happy to carry it for your wife on a permanent basis...
My Mrs got an HP Jornada 640. The flip open sort that looks like a tiny laptop. Proper keys. Fetching blue and aluminium design. A few hundred quid. It runs all the stuff you need and will synchronise with your main PC at home.
My Mrs still actually uses hers daily after 18 months. I've got the previous generation one...over two years old..and I still use it daily for contacts/address book/calendar.
Down sides - not tiny, not cute, its a lump in the briefcase/handbag not a "pocket" thing at all.
Up side - actually works, runs off mains in the office, batteries when out. Proper keyboard (none of yer pen crap).
In my experience if you go for the cutesy one its bugger all use.
My Mrs still actually uses hers daily after 18 months. I've got the previous generation one...over two years old..and I still use it daily for contacts/address book/calendar.
Down sides - not tiny, not cute, its a lump in the briefcase/handbag not a "pocket" thing at all.
Up side - actually works, runs off mains in the office, batteries when out. Proper keyboard (none of yer pen crap).
In my experience if you go for the cutesy one its bugger all use.
I agree, get her a Gameboy advance for the coach, and a pack of refills for the filofax
CarZee said: in line with today's anti-daft-gadget rant, they're all shite.
right on the money there, dear boy
Niggle said:I agree, get her a Gameboy advance for the coach, and a pack of refills for the filofax
CarZee said: in line with today's anti-daft-gadget rant, they're all shite.
)
I've got the iPaq 3970 and it is brilliant. If you have a DVD drive on your pc then you can rip dvd's to the sd card and watch them on the way to work about 1hr to 64mb, the resolutions not brilliant but it passes the time. 3 guys in work saw it and played about with it and then got their own. (no knob gags please!!)
Only get one if you are really going to use it. They can end up like a sandwich grill - used for 2 days and then stored. I have been through 2 palms (the originals) and they ended up becoming redundant. The best one I had was the Nokia 9110i (PDA and phone) which was very handy but the synchronisation with Outlook screwed up and it would only handle a certain amount of contacts.
If you're a serious user and want to call people from your database or surf the net/send email buy a combo phone/pda or pda with bluetooth (but then u need a bluetooth phone as well). If you just want an address book get a palm based pda (e.g. Sony clie) for a hundred odd quid.
If you're a serious user and want to call people from your database or surf the net/send email buy a combo phone/pda or pda with bluetooth (but then u need a bluetooth phone as well). If you just want an address book get a palm based pda (e.g. Sony clie) for a hundred odd quid.
CarZee said: in line with today's anti-daft-gadget rant, they're all shite.
Wow CarZee your such a bundle of fun sometimes
If it's black & white, the batteres last months but you can't see anything on the screen without squinting..
I can read my PalmV fine, when its darh you can use the back light function which is a little tricky to read but nothing major.
My Palm V recharges on the cradle when not in use, on a full charge supposed to last a month. only tested it for two weeks without charging it up.
If it has no keyboard, inputting data via the 'writing' system is painful
After three years im quicker writing on the Palm than with a pen. There is a little game that comes with it that teaches you how to write quickly.
In short, spend as little money on it as you can as she'll ditch it in under a month - use the rest of the money on a backup present..
Palm have just brought out a base model for around £80 called the Zire www.palm.com/products/handhelds/zire/ which should do everything the misses wants, plus she can add things that she wants, a basic excel package might be avalable, you will have to check, probably not very expensive and there are tons of freeware stuff to download icluding games etc.
I had a paper diary and found it a pain to update my address book each year along with birthdays and aniversaries. Since having the Palm I have never missed one as I set a recurring alarm for each occation that reminds me a week before. I lost my paper diary and all the numbers in it, now everything is synced with my pc and even if the palm is stolen or lost and new one can just be booted up and the information restored
Paul
ps sorry CarZee too many
>> Edited by Cotty on Thursday 28th November 20:24
I find my ipaq 3630 easy to read (very clear screen) and the writing easy to do... partly cos the shapes are as you should expect, not some weird method a la palm. Whenever people in the office eye up my ipaq i let them have a go and they can easily for instance write their name in the notes section.
As for usage, if it's just to be used as an address book then its a waste. If it's to be used for managing appointments, storing data, making notes in meetings, writing word docs, keeping addresses and maybe checking email, then go for it. I find it VERY useful and will never go back to paper-based systems.
As for usage, if it's just to be used as an address book then its a waste. If it's to be used for managing appointments, storing data, making notes in meetings, writing word docs, keeping addresses and maybe checking email, then go for it. I find it VERY useful and will never go back to paper-based systems.
Cotty - you've just reiterated what I said - there can bedifficulties with the monochrome screens but the battery life is good..
IPaq people: how long can you go between battery charges? Do you lose your data if you run the battery out? (assuming no CFCards)
I know that the pocket PCs have a better handwriting method than the palms, but it's navigation that takes the time.. I watched my wife tap in a shedload of dates for engagements as they were reeled off.. the others with pen & paper were fine.. flicking between the different views, modes, days etc and she was falling behind the people with diaries.
Go on.. Face facts.. you've goto be pretty anal to successfully use one of these things things on a longterm basis
IPaq people: how long can you go between battery charges? Do you lose your data if you run the battery out? (assuming no CFCards)
I know that the pocket PCs have a better handwriting method than the palms, but it's navigation that takes the time.. I watched my wife tap in a shedload of dates for engagements as they were reeled off.. the others with pen & paper were fine.. flicking between the different views, modes, days etc and she was falling behind the people with diaries.
Go on.. Face facts.. you've goto be pretty anal to successfully use one of these things things on a longterm basis
I think the "Sandwich Toaster" comment is on the money , it will probably amaze you for a few days with its functions and then get put in a draw and then like an archeologist digging in the ruins of a lost city years later you will find it and wonder what use this ancient race had for such a contraption .
But hey if it floats your boat why not
But hey if it floats your boat why not
plotloss said: Compaq iPaq 3970
You can also get a CF card that has an IR diode in it so you can replace all your remote controls with one unit.
Matt.
Mat you dont need a IR jacket as the built in on on the IPAQ 3790 is powerfull enough. I now have all my TV/HI FI/DVD/Video/Sky programed into it (software came with it)
Drux
Gassing Station | General Gassing [Archive] | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff