Pda?

[PCBrandon]

Hi all,

I'm looking for a reasonably priced PDA (I think) that'll suit my needs. I don't like hand writing appointments, important dates, etc in a planner, but I really think managing it on something electronic would really help me out. Can anyone point me towards a good PDA (or any small electronic device) that'll work for me?

I have a laptop but I don't have it open by me throughout the entire day. Something that could possibly sync with software (maybe even Outlook) on my laptop would be great.

Thanks!
Brandon

[corksil]

I have a Sony Vaio laptop, and a Samsung i730 pocket PC phone. I also owned a higher-end HP pocket PC some time ago. I thought a PPC would make my life simpler and easier to stay on top of things, but let me say - it's just another thing to keep on top of to me. I hope it works out for you. I have activesync set up so when my device connects to my laptop via BT it sync email, contacts, appointments, and tasks automatically.

Are you looking at getting a phone-integrated PPC? Because if you could work the phone and PDA into one device, you could save some pocket space. :) If so, who is your carrier, mine is verizon and they offer the i730 for about 230USD with a 2-year contract. Not sure about any of the other carriers though. The major device competing with my i730 right now is the Palm 700p. In my experience, the units all basically do the same thing, they just have one or two features that the others don't have. This site (http://pdaphonehome.com/) has helped me out in the past. I hope I've helped.

[glc]

If you want to sync with Outlook, get a Windows-based PDA, the Dell Axims are very popular. If you want to use a Palm, use Palm Desktop. Palm *can* sync with Outlook but it requires a 3rd party conduit last I looked.

[doctorgonzo]

My advice: stay away from Pocket PC devices or anything that runs Windows Mobile. I support lots of different PDA devices, and they always seem to have the most trouble, such as intermittently deleting everything, erasing the memory, and fun stuff like that.

Palm devices work well and are easy to use. If you don't mind keeping your appointments in Palm Desktop instead of Outlook, then it's a breeze. Even so, I believe that the latest version of Palm Desktop (4.1.4e) will sync with Outlook without any other software, but we don't use Outlook where I work so I am not 100% sure.

[glc]

http://www.palm.com/us/support/outlooksupport.html

[Mac Medic]

Why not go with a smartphone. You can get a Motorola Q for $99 from Verizon or a Dash from T-Mobile for as low as $70 thru compUSA or many others from the various providors, obviously they require a service contract but I'm sure you have a cell phone, why not kill 2 birds with 1 stone. The PDA market is now effectively dead because of smartphones anyway.

[Stuey]

Motorola Q requires a data package. They start at $70 or so.

A $40 voice plan cost $50 a month after taxes etc, so a $70 package should be $80 or so.

$30 * 12 months = $360 extra in data fees.

Not to mention that the $99 deal is for a two year contract. Plus you're locked into the contract. If you decide you don't like, you're screwed. With a PDA, if you don't like it, you can sell it on ebay, to your friend/family, or use it only every now and then.

[doctorgonzo]

The PDA market is now effectively dead because of smartphones anyway.

I disagree with that. First, there are plenty of people out there who don't want a phone. Second, there are people out there who find smartphones to be far too complicated to use.

[Mac Medic]

The numbers show PDA sales slowing and smartphone sales up accordingly.

"Gartner predicted smartphone shipments will reach 81 million units in 2006, and the PDA market will top 16 million units."

And the service providers are starting to get smart. Sprint have unlimited data for $15 per month, T-Mobile don't even require a data plan to buy a smartphone, but offer a $6 pm plan that is unlimited (browsing and push mail too if you know the proxy server settings) on the low end. And considering most people now have a cell phone a convergence device for those who also want a PDA is a good idea as the numbers show. And with the choices available, palm, symbian, WM5 etc, there's a device for everybody. I've had many PDA's but would never go back to one now.

[Staren]

T-Mobile can be even better then just the $6 plan as well. I have a Blackberry with 1000 anytime minutes + unlimited data + unlimited txt messages for $60. If you're a big cell user anyway, don't even look at PDAs. Now if you don't use a cell phone quite that often, then ya a PDA might be a better way to go.