[mikhael]

Completely OT, but I'm getting ready to fork over the better part of a thousand dollars for a PDA and its various and sundry accessories. I'm looking for opinions from people who have/use any of the current crop.

I'm dead set against PalmOS devices (Visors, Clies and PalmPilots), due to some issues with storage capacity, screen size and physical interfaces. I am currently considering the newest Compaq iPaq, HP Jornada, Casio Cassiopeia and the Sharp Zaurus. All of these are WinCE/PocketPC devices except the Sharp Zaurus, which is a Linux based device. I'm no big fan of Linux, but it has a builtin hide-away keyboard and its pretty speedy.

Does anyone have any opinions, roadstories, or warnings about any of these devices?

[Corsair]

I have a Palm M100...its okay, and a lot less than what you're talking about. Good for my needs (which are slim)

[mikhael]

Originally posted by Corsair
I have a Palm M100...its okay, and a lot less than what you're talking about. Good for my needs (which are slim)

I'm specifically not looking at PalmOS devices.

Each of the devices I'm looking at runs between $500 and $600, before I consider accessories, so I'm hoping to get opinions and real life information about them outside of the (bought) reviews and corporate hypesheets.

[Corsair]

Oh yeah. Ummmm heh heh. I read that part! No, really I did!

[IceFire]

I was going to say Palm as well...but apparently not.  I've got no idea....I haven't even looked at the alternative PDA's at all.  Whats the difference?

[mikhael]

Difference? well, the Zaurus is a Linux based device. The others are all WinCE/PocketPC (Microsfot Windows Compact Edition) based devices. I dislike Palm devices for several reasons, principally the small screens, the dedicated input spaces, and the lack of decent expansion slots or memory space. All the devices I am looking at are 64mb devices, with CF slots, some with SecureDigital slots.

[Kamikaze]

Just remember to get a fold-up keyboard add-on (if you can't stand not typing)

[CP5670]

I personally don't really see the purpose of PDAs; they are basically just really slow computers that can be carried around. I would just buy a full-fledged desktop computer instead.

[Kamikaze]

Originally posted by CP5670
I personally don't really see the purpose of PDAs; they are basically just really slow computers that can be carried around. I would just buy a full-fledged desktop computer instead.

End of Point

[CP5670]

What's the point of carrying around a slow computer everywhere though? Might as well just stay in one place and use a more powerful one. (you can't really do anything with a computer while walking around anyway, even if the units were at all powerful) These things seem more like consumer gimmicks to me, sort of like cellphones. :D

[Sandwich]

Let's see... some of those Sony Clie Palm OS-based (yes, I know... you're dead set against, blah blah) devices have hi-res screens, memory stick slots (128mb, anyone?), and multimedia capabilities.

But I digress. The real question is: What do you need it for?

[Setekh]

I personally don't really love PDAs either. It's the same deal with laptops, as well; pay more, get less. Portability isn't something I like... have to worry about battery power, and visibility, and all sorts of other stuff. But anyway, the Zaurus gets a nod from me... Linux systems everywhere work well. To my knowledge.

[Styxx]

My cell phone does almost everything I'd need on a PDA, and my WAP applications do the rest. I don't think I'd ever buy one of those things, but if I HAD to get one, I'd get a Yopi. I don't even know if it's out yet, but it's the only one I liked.

[CP5670]

It's the same deal with laptops, as well; pay more, get less. Portability isn't something I like... have to worry about battery power, and visibility, and all sorts of other stuff.

Hey same with me; I don't really mind if a computer takes up several rooms if it is relatively inexpensive and still powerful.

Anyway, I have heard good things about the Jornada and the Cassiopeia, at least in magazine reviews, but that was over a year ago. You might want to check the zdnet site or something and see what reviews they gave for the various PDAs.

[Styxx]

Wasn't the Cassiopeia line discontinued?

[Zeronet]

use the power of your mind instead of a keyboard, or one of those fold up keyboards.

[mikhael]

From Sandwich:
Let's see... some of those Sony Clie Palm OS-based (yes, I know... you're dead set against, blah blah) devices have hi-res screens, memory stick slots (128mb, anyone?), and multimedia capabilities.
But I digress. The real question is: What do you need it for?

Sandwich! Hi there. Missed you. To get the groovy multimedia, storage, hi-res screens etc in a Palm, they cost more and have less options than the PocketPC/WinCE devices of the same price.

What do I need it for? Second brain, organization, programming, writing, sketching, personal entertainment, and (most importantly) portable access to critical information when I can't be anywhere near a real computer. I spent Friday and Saturday tearing down an ISP and rebuilding it at a new location, singlehandedly. During the process, I had no network access, no dialup, nothing. I needed information that I could not get without resorting to a long distance phone. I often have ideas during my long drive home for work, that are gone before I get there. All the PDAs I'm looking at have a voice recorder. Besides anything else, they make just plain good toys. I can't bring myself to buy a Gameboy Advance, for example, becuase its JUST a toy. I got real work out of my old Philips Nino, and I'll get real work out of whatever I end up buying AND it will play games too.

From Setekh:
I personally don't really love PDAs either. It's the same deal with laptops, as well; pay more, get less.

You know, a friend of mine just bought an IBM laptop (she calls it the Black Slab of Power) specifically built for use with Alias|Wavefront's Maya. Her laptop cost about a grand more for the same desktop, but its far more portable. Hell, it outclasses all of my desktops at home and at work (though not my multiprocessor servers). Never underestimate the joy of being able to work on a 3d model under a tree in the park with a Wi-Fi connection back to HLP.

From Styxx:
Wasn't the Cassiopeia line discontinued?

Nope. The new E200 just came out. Its quite sexy, with a builtin USB host. I'm still trying to get the Casio techs to tell me if it can handle my MP3 Player (6gig hard drive). If so, that might close the deal. Being able to attach my PDA to my 6gig MP3 player (which acts as a hard drive when attached) would indeed rock.

[Zeronet]

Man, and all i want is the new RSI matrix watch, which displays the time in binary.

[Stryke 9]

Mmm... You should probably take another look at Visors, dude. They've got an insane number of add-ons, including memory cards.

Palm pilots make nice word processors- basically, they give you everything you could usefully do with a laptop, and are many times as portable.

I'd like to note, however, that the fold-up keyboards suck- fifty-some dollars and the keys stop working first time you drop it!!!:mad:

[Zeronet]

Well....er.....um....dont drop it. Im pretty sure my keyboard would break if i dropped it as would most.