Poll: Do you use a Palm or PocketPC variant?

[archcommus]

Well I want a handheld PC and I want to see what's used more here, Palm or PocketPC. Also, please discuss this in general, as well. I'm trying to find something under $200 that will fit my needs:

MP3 player
reading web pages on the go
portable gaming
writing on the go (maybe, not sure how convenient it'd be with a handheld)
and the usuals, scheduler, contacts, etc.

 

[jtusa]

I used to have an older palm handheld, I hated it and ended up giving it to my mom. After seeing what a couple of my friends with PocketPCs can do with their handhelds I'd definitely go that route.

 

[archcommus]

PocketPC seems to be leading by a lot.

Still unsure if I'd use one much. I went through my classes for senior year for the first time today, I really have zero chances to use it in school. So maybe some at work, and that's really about it. Schedules and contacts don't seem like a big deal, nor do games, so really I'd just use it for offline web page browsing. Maybe I'm not thinking of some things?

 

[MrMaster]

I use pocketpc. I started off with a Palm but that was years ago. I think the PPC's are overall cheaper than the Palms. I have noticed that most people where I work has some type of PPC variant. Usually an HP Ipaq. I have an HP 1945.

 

[archcommus]

Does anybody have anything good to say about Palm over PPC?

 

[Wingznut]

Switched from Palm to PocketPC a few years ago... I use my iPAQ every single day, and I see absolutely no reason to go back to Palm.

 

[Texun]

Maybe I'm stuck in the past but I still use an M130 because it accomplishes 2 main objectives for me: I keep over a thousand phone numbers in it for use when out of the office, and since my job has me hopping between 5 offices for meetings and such I have it sync with Outlook to keep track of my appointments. I have a laptop with Wi-Fi once I get to one of the offices so I don't know what else I would need beyond the Palm. I hate editing anything on anything smaller than a laptop screen.

*Edit*

What do others use the PPC for besides appointments and phone\email listings?

 

[footbal07]

i have a ipaq 2215 and i use it to surf the web, check email, watch movies, listen to mp3s, remote control, it plays doom and games like that well, terminal services, and aim.
im selling it for more then wat u were asking but if u might be interested i have it for sale in f/s forum.

 

[PizzaDude]

none...I think pockt pc's are dumb :thumbsdown:

 

[archcommus]

Originally posted by: footbal07
i have a ipaq 2215 and i use it to surf the web, check email, watch movies, listen to mp3s, remote control, it plays doom and games like that well, terminal services, and aim.
im selling it for more then wat u were asking but if u might be interested i have it for sale in f/s forum.

Wow quite the list, makes it sound so versatile. But I have to ask:

Surf the web, high monthly charge? crappy looking pages?

Check email, can you check a regular ISP-provided account?

Watch movies...how much do they take up compressed? Does the battery make it all the way through?

Remote control for...everything?

What are terminal services?

AIM sounds interesting.

So many things, I just see potential problems with a lot of it, that's why I ask.

 

[ed21x]

Originally posted by: archcommus87
Does anybody have anything good to say about Palm over PPC?

of course... in general, Palms tend to have shorter boot up times, greater stability, and longer battery life. I personally really appreciate the greater 3rd party support and added simplicity of my clie n760. You'll find all the features you've listed available for most palms. However, after their move to the 5.0+ OS, and 400 mhz processors, the palms have been looking more and more like the pocket pc with each passing day

 

[Kaido]

dell axim x5 all the way! CF and SD card slots

 

[archcommus]

When I asked about a high monthly charge for surfing the web, I meant for actual internet anywhere you want, like you can get on a cell phone, not for wireless network access, which obviously costs nothing. What kinds of plans are available for anywhere internet? Do they suck?

 

[pkananen]

use a treo 600 w/ palm, great, i have to have two devices in 1!

 

[Dulanic]

Have a iPaq and love it.

 

[oboeguy]

Arch has already heard from me, but for the record... I've never used a PPC. I've had two PalmOS PDAs and haven't had the impulse to switch. The only thing that might get me to switch is something like paritcular expansion capabilities, like for an affordable GPS unit. Do both PalmOS and PPC models offer that sort thing? (no clue)

 

[sparks]

I have a Treo 600. Its really the best of both worlds, it a great phone and a great PDA.

Things I do:
Web surf almost anywhere (GPRS)
MP3s
AIM
Games
Contacts
Notes

 

[footbal07]

as for the internet i have yet to pay for it. i kno with my pda you can use a bluetooth cellphone and there is a minimal extra cost with that if any(but most bluetooth phones are gsm btw). there is always wifi which is what i usually use with the addition of a cheap cf wifi card. internet exporer is rather usable for moderate usage, and you can always store the pages on your pda ahead of time if you dont have wifi or a bt phone.
for mail you can set it up to either syncronize with your computer or you can send and recieve mail from your isp(or a combo of both).
i can watch a full length movie at a rather decent quality (its a lifesaver on those long plane flights). i use autogk and i can get rather good quality @ 320 x 240 on the 256 meg sd card in divx format. with gk or even autogk it took some practice to get the movies encoded and tweaked right but if you get a guide it is rather simple. with a set of decent earbuds and a radioshack headphone booster movies and mp3s have excellent quality.
when im using it i get pretty decent battery life but with heavy gaming or depending on ur excessory cards a extra battery can come in handy and as you use it more you will learn tricks to get the most outta the battery.
it comes with nevo installed and i have been able to set it up for all my home components and its nice to mess with teachers in class (they just cant put two and two together). but it works with pretty much all newer electronics without much trouble.the ir port also works for many other uses with lappys and other portables.
if comes with a terminal services client installed which i never got too much use of but i can see the purpose.
for aim i was able to dl the canadian version for free(only diff is stock quotes) and it was very usefull for me but would be that much better wit a keyboard.
also i love to use it with my canon a70 to mess with pictures and show people, and on a home network u can get apps to stream music and video to it.
i hope that pretty much answers your questions its just some people really overlook the advantages of handhelds today.

 

[Kishan]

buy yourself a dedicated DAP(Digital Audio Player) and a cheap Palm. I got a Palm m515, which isn't bad at all for 40 bucks at Best Buy. You think you will use all the features, andit is a cool toy, but after a couple of days, it may seem lk,e a wates of money for your purposes.

 

[powerMarkymark]

Palm Tungsten T3.

 

[archcommus]

Wow, a lot of features I must say, I'm impressed with all you can do with your handheld.

Maybe someday I'll have a use for one, I look forward to playing around with one.

But for now, really the only thing I'd do with it is on-the-go web page reading and scheduling. I'd never watch movies on it, play games, be on AIM, etc. Really the only chance I have to use it is it at work, which they probably wouldn't appreciate me doing. :\ So basically, if I could use it a lot more often than just then, I'd buy one, and TRY to use it secretly at work, but since that's really the ONLY time I could use it, it's not worth it.

But footbal07, for flights and stuff, wouldn't a laptop be more convenient and powerful for you?

 

[Aganack1]

All my friends have new palms and they are very nice... much nicer then the current Pocket PC's I have an pocket pc and it's ok... but to tell you the truth it isn't as usfull as i thought it would be.

 

[jdiddy]

My last PDA was a Sony Clie T665. Have'nt fired it up for a while now though.

 

[Jazon]

I have a Sony Clie TJ37. It has WiFi, MP3, 310K digital camera, and Palm OS. It is great and you can get them pretty cheap. It was only $300 Canadian ~$230US. The unit itself is the same size as a wallet. I am a long time user of Palm OS. I perfer Palm OS over Pocket PC because of :
Software - more of it!
Battery life
usability
physical size

I also bought a Sony TJ25 a couple of months ago to $95 at staples B&M

 

[Jazon]

Originally posted by: oboeguy
Arch has already heard from me, but for the record... I've never used a PPC. I've had two PalmOS PDAs and haven't had the impulse to switch. The only thing that might get me to switch is something like paritcular expansion capabilities, like for an affordable GPS unit. Do both PalmOS and PPC models offer that sort thing? (no clue)

You can get GPS for pretty much any PalmOS or PPC. I have GPS for my Sony Clie TJ37 and it is great! The old version of Mapopolis(PalmOS 3.x) I find is better than the PalmOS5 version. I bought my GPS for ~$100US