Which PDA offers most bang for the buck?

shootist16

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I am considering a PDA. Which PDA packs the most features for the $$$?
 
Ipaq 3835.[$275-299]. It's 64 MB, 206MHZ, and runs PC2002. For the money it's got to be one of the best bangs for the buck
 
Originally posted by wolfmann601
Ipaq 3835.[$275-299]. It's 64 MB, 206MHZ, and runs PC2002. For the money it's got to be one of the best bangs for the buck

Depends on which OS you want to run. Palm is probably the most popular (based on sales). If you go Palm OS, the I would recommend any of the Color Sony Clies. They are awesome with high definition screens.

Mike
 
Windows based: Toshiba/Compaq/Dell

Palm: Sony (palm products second, but it isn't very close except for the new tungsten)

Got to ask yourself what it's used for - scheduling/database stuff, etc.. palm OS makes better use of resources. Windows based stuff are a bit more flashy w/ better multimedia apps.

Sam
 
I have had a Sony Clie 710/760 for a year and a half and have become very dependent on it for a variety of business and personal tasks. It was a great machine with a vibrant screen in a truly pocket sized package. It was a little bulkier than the Palm 505 which was their color offering at the time, but the display was so much better on the Sony that It won out over the Palm for me. Besides database stuff, contact and appointment data and a calculator, it also allowed me to carry pictures of the wife and kids, play a few games, read ebooks and Avantgo, and occasionally listen to some tunes on an airplane. I picked the Palm OS as the devices seemed more compact than the PPC devices of the time and the Palm OS was supported on both Mac and PC platforms. Since I have a Mac for work and PCs at home this was important to me.

My Clie died suddenly last week. Or, well, it seemed ill and I accidentally killed it during surgery. Sony wouldn't work on it even out of warranty because I'd upgraded the machine to Palm OS4 which they don't support on a 710. So suddenly I needed a new PDA. There was no way I'd go the two weeks or more that Sony would take to repair it even if they would work on it.

I think the most bang right now is the newer Sony PEG-665C. It does everything my 710 did, but has twice the memory (16 mb) and twice the processor (66mhz vs 33) and is about 40% thinner with an even better screen than the 710. Because Sony is coming out with some new models in the next few weeks, the 665C has been reduced at Best Buy to $299.00. This is a tremendous PDA and with a 128mb Memorystick, you can get a couple hours of tunes to go with pretty good sounding hardware MP3 support.

As much as I like the Clie 665c, I ended up buying the Palm Tungsten T. It's also got 16mb of memory like the Clies but runs on Palm OS5, has a 144mhz Strongarm processor and built in bluetooth wireless connectivity. Unfortunately for me it uses SD memory, not memory stick, so my existing memory stick is useless. I think there are certain things I like better about the Sony 665s form factor in some respects, but the T has more forward looking technologies with the newer OS (not supported on the Sony T or N series), the wireless hook up and the stronger processor. The tiny size is pretty cool as well. Now if only I could find a cool case for it.

Sony has some larger OS5 machines NR & NX series), but they're too large to go everywhere with me like the T does, or even my old dead 710. Their top end stuff with the built in cameras and stuff is over the top and just plain too bulky for me. They're almost laptop replacements.

I hear that if you have to go PPC, the Toshiba 740 is the hot ticket, but for now I'm still a Palm guy.

jmx

PS: Whatever you do, don't try the game Bejeweled.
 
Their are so many options. Sure is hard to decide. I believe I am leaning windows because of the software compatibility and multimedia.

What can you tell me about getting online? How much can one expect to spend for this service?
 
The ony cost is the airtime you use on the cell phone.

Which software compatability are you talking about? There's more Palm software out there than you can imagine, including Documents to go that let you use Excel spreadsheets and Word docs transparently on the Palm platform.

Also, what multimedia are you talking about? I've seen a couple guys play short movie trailers on their PPC device. Woowoo! Would you really watch a whole movie on a 3" screen, assuming you could find a micro storage device that would hold that much data (which doesn't exist yet)?

If the PPC's larger memory complement is what you're thinking, start looking at the size of the actual programs and you'll find 16mb on a Palm device is way roomier than 64mb on a PPC due to programming bloat.

Don't take this to mean I'm anti-windows. I actually give my boss crap for wasting extra money buying Macs, when windowns machines make more sense to me for our business applications. I just think the Palm OS is more elegant for the things that PDAs actually get used for.

jmx
 
jmx, you have me rethinking my windows position now. Maybe I should take a closer look at palm.

I'm confused :confused:
 
A few months back, there was a review of PDAs in Consumer Reports magazine. If there's a library where they have the issues for the last few months, you might want to check on that. The reviews are well written, and overall, it leaned toward the Sony CLIE line for best buy.
 
Originally posted by jmxcpter
Also, what multimedia are you talking about? I've seen a couple guys play short movie trailers on their PPC device. Woowoo! Would you really watch a whole movie on a 3" screen, assuming you could find a micro storage device that would hold that much data (which doesn't exist yet)?
Sorry to blow your bubble, but you can easily carry a whole movie to play at the PPC's resolution well within the scope of a Microdrive. No, not something I'd do, but it's possible.

I've been using PocketPc's for over 3 years, and have yet to regret miving away from Palm. Of course my PDA requirements are not those of a typical user. I regularly use my PPC to direct serial connect into all my Cisco switches and router and upload config files without having to lug around a laptop. That also applies to my PBX and various Unix boxes. And for the level of data that I manage, I have yet to come across a Palm based software that's compatible with MS Access for my database requirements.

And I've enjoyed reading my morning e-newspaper, or going through my emails, while listening to my MP3 during my morning commute, for the past 2 years. And with my Verizon 1X Express Network card, I can browse and interact with the internet wirelessly, and have cellular service capabilities.

As for price point, the new Dell PPC is priced at around $200.
 
Despite the PocketPC's obvious link to Windows I think the PalmOS does just as well at providing shared-access to data. The biggest difference I see is in usage styles. The people I know who want a micro-laptop prefer PocketPCs. The rest of us generally prefer PalmOS devices.

I agree with everyone who has said that Sony is the best of the Palms. I have carried a lot of different PalmOS devices, partly because I've been using them forever and partly because the company I work for has to keep around test units of every possible type. After year with a Palm Pro, Palm III, and Palm m505 I am much happier with my Sony Clie PEG-T665.

Sony offers more features and better displays than Palm for around the same prices.

--Bob Q
 
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