What should I buy?

[Ghaleon]

Im currently in the market for my first PDA (just a PDA, not a phone). I know very little about the diferent os` and was hoping that you kind folks could answer some questions for me.

My main question at this point concerns compatibility. I`d like to use programs like skype or gizmo to make calls when I`m in the range of a wifi network. Provided that I buy a headset, will I be able to do this with garnet? What about windows mobile?

Also, there`s a flashcard program that I really want to use. It has an iteration for palm OS, but not for windows mobile. Will the palm os version work for windows mobile? Will the windows version work for windows mobile?

Aside from these I`ll want my PDA for some more standard uses; email, note taking, calendar syncing, internet browsing, and the like...

Thanks for your time!

 

[DoubleHelix]

Just PDA devices are certainly not common anymore. Your options are limited for a new device. I've never heard of anyone using any mobile device as a VOIP phone, so I have serious doubts it's even possible.

Browsing the web in a mobile browser on a small screen is only good for quick news updates or other such brief checks. Don't plan to surf the web all day on a tiny screen that may not even display a page properly.

I'm not sure what you mean by using a PDA for e-mail since obviously you can't check e-mail on the device unless you're connected over a wireless network (will seriously suck battery life) or using a cellar network.

I think you've got some "pie in the sky" dreams about PDAs being miniature desktop computers. Have you ever used a PDA?

 

[Ghaleon]

Just PDA devices are certainly not common anymore.

I`m living abroad, with plans to leave the country in a year or two, and plenty of people in my situation seem to have them. I don`t want to buy a phone PDA and commit to a phone plan because I will be traveling around the world for the next few years.

I was reffering to POP and IMAP email support and I`m aware that connectivity will be limited to wifi hotspots.

Skype is available for windows mobile (here). My question is: is this is something that could work on a "non-phone" PDA with a wifi connection and a headset?

 

[dannyn]

i dont understand what you want... you said non-phone but you want skype and a headset..

 

[Ghaleon]

What I had in mind was a voip program that would work as it does on a pc when it is in the range of a wireless network.

Skype mobile offers this service, but I want to be sure that it will work on a non-phone pda.

Thanks!

 

[jalind]

Im currently in the market for my first PDA (just a PDA, not a phone). I know very little about the diferent os` and was hoping that you kind folks could answer some questions for me.

My main question at this point concerns compatibility. I`d like to use programs like skype or gizmo to make calls when I`m in the range of a wifi network. Provided that I buy a headset, will I be able to do this with garnet? What about windows mobile?

Also, there`s a flashcard program that I really want to use. It has an iteration for palm OS, but not for windows mobile. Will the palm os version work for windows mobile? Will the windows version work for windows mobile?

Aside from these I`ll want my PDA for some more standard uses; email, note taking, calendar syncing, internet browsing, and the like...

Thanks for your time!

I have a Palm T|X - with WiFi and Bluetooth inside. Several points about the Palm PDAs:

• Palm OS (Garnet) is completely different from Windows Mobile - programs for one will NOT work on the other -- totally different O/S's. IMVHO, Palm Garnet, albeit older and a bit more limited than WinMobile, is more stable and there's near zero problems with or risk from malware (nearly non-existent for Palm OS). Some software has been ported between the two -- you will find for that software there are two versions, Palm and WinMobile.
• I'm not certain a VOIP would work very well with a Palm PDA that has WiFi (on board or added). First, there is no microphone and the headphone connector is standard stereo mini phone jack -- no mic input on it. You need a mic for VOIP. In addition the WiFi on Palm devices is 802.11b -- S-L-O-W compared to 802.11g. Even though that's sufficient for web browsing on a Palm, I doubt "b" WiFi has enough bandwidth for very good VOIP use (even if you had a mic). Few pure PDAs have 802.11g.

All that said, I'm exceptionally pleased with my Palm T|X as a PDA. It's stable, has decent battery life (for a PDA) and can do all manner of things including playing back entire full-length movies (in MP4, stored on an SD card, and using TCPMP with its variety of CODECs; TCPMP is THE video player for a Palm and it's completely free). Also has a decent screen for them -- 480x320 pixels with 16M colors (and TCPMP can "dither" as well). I use custom encoding settings in Videora iPod Converter to make MP4 videos for the T|X. VeMode will easily make AVI videos for Palms -- and it has settings already set up in it (easier but MP4 videos are higher quality). Palm still doesn't support SDHC (SD 2.0) so you're limited to a 2GB SD card (unless you're lucky enough to find one or more of the very rapidly disappearing 4GB SD cards that are not SDHC). In the main though -- the Palm T|X is my "brain" at work with calendar, notes, contacts, etc. My phone is a RAZR V3m and I'm perfectly happy using and carrying two devices -- indeed I'd rather not mix the two together in one device (like a Treo) -- a personal preference but works better for me that way -- I can Bluetooth a phone earpiece/mic to the RAZR on my belt and use the Palm for making notes during the call at the same time.

BTW -- I wasn't all that impressed with the Palm Life Drive which has a micro hard drive inside. Reviews I read noted that it was actually slower than the T|X which is pure flash memory and RAM, and it reminded me more of an entertainment device than a PDA.

-- John

 

[linskyjack]

Get yourself a Blackberry that supports wi-fi. Fantastic email machine with very nice multi-media capabilities. I think that Verizon has a world wide BB Curve that people really like. I have the one with the built in camera, GPS, media player etc---wonderful bit of technology.