Quick--Need a PDA Recommendation

[efusco]

I have not used all my alloted CME money for this fiscal year and have to spend about $6-700 in the next couple of weeks. I can get a PDA (reimbursed at 75%) with that money. Thus, I could, in theory buy a PDA costing up to about $900 and that would use up all my remaining money. I have almost ZERO experience with PDAs and need a good recommendation...like within the hour on what I should get.

I don't really want a $900 PDA, more like a $500 one, I'll use the rest of the money for text books or something.

[aarons12]

well, this is not exactly what you asked, but i love my treo from palm/handspring. i would not buy another PDA that was not connected to the web, and includes a keyboard so i can answer my email. many folks these days even post their discussion board comments via their treo.

[efusco]

well, this is not exactly what you asked, but i love my treo from palm/handspring. i would not buy another PDA that was not connected to the web, and includes a keyboard so i can answer my email. many folks these days even post their discussion board comments via their treo.

Thanks Aarons...what model/style? Cost?

[TonyPSchaefer]

Efusco,
I have a Dell Axim that I bought early last year. The main reason I bought it was that it cost less than the other PDAs at the time. My trade-off was that Dell didn't - at the time - have WiFi and all that gizmo stuff which I didn't/don't need anyway. I recently checked out the current Axim offerings and see that they have added the gadgets to the Axims.

I realize that you are looking for spend some cash and might, therefore, go for a more expensive unit, but based on my experience, I would recommend Dell. Also, There is a huge forum at http://www.aximsite.com with a wealth of knowledge about using Dell Axims. I have used that site extensively. It's somewhat similar in layout to Priuschat, actually.

Good luck with your choice. I hope you don't choose in haste and regret it later. But rest assured that unlike cars, all PDAs are zero-emmision. :-D

[aarons12]

i have the treo300. the newer model is the 600. i still like my 300 just fine mainly because i prefer the flip case, which protects the screen and keys.

however the 300 is only a sprint phone, so it's not for everybody. the 600 is available from a number of carriers.

which also points up again why i'm not sure this is the right recommendation, we are definitely talking a convergence device that includes cel phone and internet access, and you might not be looking for that. if you are, these are great.

you can see lots more info from actual users in the discussion groups at treocentral.com

[naterprius]

I love my Samsung SPH-i300. (Discontinued Palm Phone). New ones include i330, i500, i700.

PalmOS may be on its way out, with Sony's recent announcement to discontinue the Clie.

I'll never carry another phone that isn't a PDA phone.

Here are my "killer" apps:

-PocketQuicken-Synchronizes with Quicken... enter transactions while at the store, less busy work with quicken on the computer at home
-YAUC-converts any unit to any unit
-Keyring-stores passwords in an encrypted format
-TotalCar-Keeps track of car expenses
-LinkSynchronizer-Synchronize favorites between multiple computers, like home and work; allows lookup of favorites on the go
-All my PQA's (mobile wireless apps) like Mapquest, cbs marketwatch, travelocity, ebay, Aol Instant Messenger, Google, and others like a real time bus locater for Denver. These only work with wireless enabled PalmOS devices like palm VII, 7 series (using 9600 bps two way pager network) and palmphones (using the phone circuit at 14400) or 3G palmphones (using 196000 bps packet service like Sprint Vision) or Wi-Fi palmOS devices (using any available Wi-Fi access point nearby). All of these require some sort of subscription to access except the Wi-Fi at home or at the office. You likely have to pay to use Wi-Fi in public.

Good Luck selecting a PDA. If you'd like to know more about PDAPhones, check out http://www.pdaphonehome.com

Nate

[bookrats]

Evan,

I'm on my third PDA in 6 years; and until the Prius came along, it's the gadget I obsessed over the most.

However, to give you recommendations, I've got some questions for you.

The main one is, what do you most want to use your PDA for:[list]Daily schedules -- appointments, to-do lists, etc.[*]Contacts (anywhere from simple address book to complicated client/contact/patient lists)[*]Personal organization / general list-making (grocery list, etc.)[*]Carrying secure information around (like passwords) securely.[*]Mobile spreadsheet viewing (PDAs have gotten very good at this)[*]Mobile document viewing (i.e., carrying Word documents around)[*]Finances (e.g., mobile Quicken, so you can enter costs in as you travel.)[*]Reference -- lot of dictionary and particularly medical reference items for PDAs right now[*]Digital photo album (and cameras built into many PDAs.)[*]Reading news (I read various newspapers on my PDA every morning in the vanpool)[*]Games[*]MP3 player[*]Internet access (e-mail or web browsing via Wifi or cell phone modem)[list]
I realize this is a tough question, since you're not familiar with PDAs. Also, there are a lot of things I use my PDA for that I never thought I'd be doing with it.

Most imporantly, of the things above, what will be the primary purposes?

Also, what type of computers will you be synching your PDA with? (I.e., Mac or Windows or Linux or...) If you're a Mac or Linux person, there will be some barriers to what you can do.

And do you use a cell phone? The issue of a combined cell phone PDA vs having the two communicate via Bluetooth are significant.

[Dion]

I use a Sony Clie because,it was cheaper than the Palm. But Palms are better. I recommend the Palm Tungsten T3 about $400. The Dell is a PocketPC that is more like Windows but doesn't really do what the Palm does; although it does some things better like video and audio and window apps.

[aarons12]

my killer apps are

splashID which also keeps track of passwords and logins

splashphoto which takes the place of carrying family and other pix in my wallet

yahoo online calendar which syncs to everything via their own version of intellisync, and then emails me when i have appointments.

AOL for palm, which handles my aol email as well as instant messaging.

bejewelled, for those waits in line at costco

filez, for backup

and of course i would be remiss if i didn't mention my own ringtone collections which i design and sell on handango.

[Danny]

I'll 2nd the Treo 600 vote. I got mine a couple of months ago to keep up with all the email I've had to deal with concerning PriusChat, names/numbers, calendar, etc. It's really been a life saver.

I decided to get it after I went to Seattle and was PriusChat-less for 5 days You can't imagine the anxiety I had over this damned site! :P

Seriously, though, I've been through 3 PDAs over the last 3 years - I've never used one as much as I have since I got one that's integrated into my phone. Now I have wireless internet anywhere, email, organization and more. You can get the Treo 600 today for Sprint, Cingular & T-Mobile. Verizon is coming soon with the 610, which could possible have BT integrated.

The suggestion of the Axim is an excellent one as well.