I want a PDA

[Zucarita9000]

I've noticed that PDAs are not all the rage right now, but I need something to take my Outlook with me, check calendar, tasks and documents. I work a lot with MS Outlook 2003, so a Windows-based PDS will be the obvious choice.

HP hasn't refreshed their pda lineup in over a year, and Palm is only using Windows on the Treo 700 (wich costs like $700). The Palm T|X looks nice, but I don't know much about Palm OS, I will be much more confortable with WinMobile.

The only one I can think of is Dell, that has the Axim X51v with some impresive specs, a nice large screen and wireleless connectivity.

I was wondering if I should probably get one of those, or do you guys recommend something else?

 

[RebateMonger]

Well, I like my new Dell Axim x51v, but it may cost you a bit more than $300. There are sales sometimes, and coupons. I got mine from an Ebay seller, new in the box, for $350 including shipping, since there weren't any steals at Dell at that particular moment.

I like the VGA screen, and it's about as large as they come. I download a lot of technical podcasts in .mp3 format and carry the Axim with me to listen to them. And I'm able to get my email while I'm at some locations that have WiFi. I DO wish, occasionally, that I had cell capability on it. But I had a hard time with committing to a year or two of nearly $100 a month cell/data plans. I get unlimited Cricket phone service for $40 a month. Also, the straight PDAs can be a bit less limiting to use than the phone versions of WM5.

I synch my Outlook to my Exchange Server via the built-in WiFi, using WPA encrytpion to my DLink router and a VPN connection to my outside Exchange Server. I've also gotten the BlueTooth connection to function for transfering a few files directly from my main PC. But BlueTooth is pretty slow.

 

[Steelerz37]

i bought a x51v from a member of the forums for $280 a few weeks ago. Still has about 10 months of the warranty left so its was basically brand new. I went with it because of the larger screen and since it has wifi and bluetooth. If you need to access the internet and your cell phone has bluetooth you can most likely do it that way if your careful and dont abuse it, else you might get hit with a large cell phone bill. Thats my plan anyway when my contract is up and I can get a new phone. But anyway, if you dont mind buying used you can get an axim for under $300 with warranty left.

 

[artemedes]

I work a lot with MS Outlook 2003, so a Windows-based PDS will be the obvious choice.

Umm, OK. If you want a windows-based one that is your choice. We use both at work and have people that simply prefer one or the other.

If you can go to the store and play with each you could make a better decision.

I just changed from from an ipaq with wireless and bluetooth to the palm T/X and love it. It doesn't crash very often at all, where my ipaq was always needing to be reset. The palm TX also uses flash memory so if you run the batteries down you don't have to resynch just to get your stuff back. I also think I am having better luck viewing my MS Office files with Documents to Go than I did with the Ipaq. It is lighter, has better battery life and the landscape mode makes those previously mentioned excel spreadsheets look much better. One last thing. I tend to use WPA-PSK/AES on my wireless units at home and work. With a 6 dollar upgrade from Palm I can now get my TX on the network, where I had to change the wireless settings to get the buggy ipaq on the network. Needless to say I am much happier with the palm.

Bottom line is that you have to use both to decide which one is best for you.


I am sorry if this sounds like an advertisement. I don't work for Palm or anyone who sells these types of devices. I just love my new Palm TX.

 

[Ipno]

Pretty happy with my blackberry 7100, it syncs up wirelessly with my outlook from work so all my data is always current. Though your employer needs a special server for that kind of functionality, I'd still use the blackberry even if it didn't do that.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Well, I've been looking at the Palm TX and it does look nice indeed. It's cheaper also, but there's an instant savings deal at Dell.com that brings down the X51v to $280 or so...

 

[ThunderLew]

You could get a Windows Mobile Smartphone instead. Look into the the MDA if you have T-Mobile or the 8125 if you have cingular. If you are on the Verizon network, you could get the new treo 700 or the ppc-6700 on Sprint.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Originally posted by: ThunderLew
You could get a Windows Mobile Smartphone instead. Look into the the MDA if you have T-Mobile or the 8125 if you have cingular. If you are on the Verizon network, you could get the new treo 700 or the ppc-6700 on Sprint.

I wish I could get a Treo 700, but I don't live in the US. An unlocked Treo 700 is like $900 US down here (it sucks). Smartphone are pretty much out of the equation.

 

[Smartazz]

personally, I liked the Tungston, very nice pda. Forgot who makes it though, but I've used it.

 

[everman]

Palm makes the Tungston. I use an Axim X51V almost every day, I take a lot of notes on it with a bluetooth keyboard. Great PDA

 

[bob4432]

my wife has a siemens sx66, excellent phone/pda combo, i just wish cingular didn't stop carrying them as i need one now. probably go with one of the axim ones and keep my "old skool" phone...

 

[sniperruff]

how about a PDA phone?

 

[bob4432]

this may be the one i end up buying if i can't get a good deal on a sx66 - http://onlinestorez.cingular.com/cell-p...027&q_deviceId=cdsku9870111&WT.svl=mod

 

[Synomenon]

I'd go for a Palm TX and then get Dataviz's "Beyond Contacts" and "Documents To Go" programs for Palm.

 

[Zucarita9000]

I've been reading about the X51v, and almost every review says something about the speed of it. It is slower than previous models due to the fact that it uses ROM instead of RAM to install and store programs (but that's a good thing because if the battery runs out, you don't lose data). Is the speed decrease really significant?

 

[YoshiSato]

The dell is the way to go for good tech at a cheap price.

 

[InlineFour]

as others have suggested, how about a pda phone? my tmobile mda syncs with outlook/exchange through wifi.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Originally posted by: InlineFour
as others have suggested, how about a pda phone? my tmobile mda syncs with outlook/exchange through wifi.

Again, I don't live in the US so no Smartphones for me. They're very expensive here, and I only have a Treo 650 and a Blackberry to choose from, both over $450 US.

 

[jimbob200521]

YGPM

 

[thebigdude]

Originally posted by: Zucarita9000
I've noticed that PDAs are not all the rage right now, but I need something to take my Outlook with me, check calendar, tasks and documents. I work a lot with MS Outlook 2003, so a Windows-based PDS will be the obvious choice.

HP hasn't refreshed their pda lineup in over a year, and Palm is only using Windows on the Treo 700 (wich costs like $700). The Palm T|X looks nice, but I don't know much about Palm OS, I will be much more confortable with WinMobile.

The only one I can think of is Dell, that has the Axim X51v with some impresive specs, a nice large screen and wireleless connectivity.

I was wondering if I should probably get one of those, or do you guys recommend something else?

as has already been mentioned a palm with documents to go can handle ms office and outlook just fine

i personally prefer the palm over the windows pdas, but both seem to be pretty solid now

like artemedes said try both and buy whichever one you like best

 

[YoshiSato]

Originally posted by: InlineFour
as others have suggested, how about a pda phone? my tmobile mda syncs with outlook/exchange through wifi.

I've been eyeing the MDA(I currently have a SK2) but $400 for a PDA that is less powerful than a Dell X51v and it takes mini SD cards, where as the Dell takes normal SD AND CF with built in Wifi and bluetooth

The only advantage the MDA has over any ture pocketPC is the wireless data ability(out side a wifi zone which you have permission to access), but at $50 bucks a month I don't find that service worth it. If you only use your MDA in a wifi zone, why not get a true PDA?

I can't wait until someone makes a SDIO or CF card that lets you use any PDA with any cell service you want and have full service intergration with the card and your device(there are CF cards that run on GSM services but the device can't use the card for it's own data purposes, you can only make phone calls via headset)

 

[Zucarita9000]

Ok, lets see: these are some of the tasks I'd like to do with my future PDA:

Carry my Outlook with me. That is emails, contacts, tasks and calendar. I want nice and simple sync with Outlook, so that when I complete a task in the PDS the task will be updated in Outlook, and vice versa. I have my tasks organized with categories, so the PDA would have to be compatible with it.

Notes. It would be nice to sync notes too. Write some stuff in the PDA and automatically sync it with Outlook Notes.

Office files. Just some Word and Excel documents, not a lot of them.

Media. If I can put some video files, it would be a plus. I have a bunch of DivX TV show episodes that would be nice to carry with me. I'm sure I'll have to re-encode them though.

Games. Not really that important. Maybe just a few to get by during my daliy commute.

I've reading about the TX and it looks great. Almost $100 less than the X51v and much more attractive.

 

[gunit]

I got the palm TX and love it. Wifi and bluetooth FTW.

 

[InlineFour]

Originally posted by: YoshiSato

Originally posted by: InlineFour
as others have suggested, how about a pda phone? my tmobile mda syncs with outlook/exchange through wifi.

I've been eyeing the MDA(I currently have a SK2) but $400 for a PDA that is less powerful than a Dell X51v and it takes mini SD cards, where as the Dell takes normal SD AND CF with built in Wifi and bluetooth

The only advantage the MDA has over any ture pocketPC is the wireless data ability(out side a wifi zone which you have permission to access), but at $50 bucks a month I don't find that service worth it. If you only use your MDA in a wifi zone, why not get a true PDA?

I can't wait until someone makes a SDIO or CF card that lets you use any PDA with any cell service you want and have full service intergration with the card and your device(there are CF cards that run on GSM services but the device can't use the card for it's own data purposes, you can only make phone calls via headset)

i wanted an all in one phone that was not too big. the mda was perfect for my needs.

 

[Zucarita9000]

Should I go ahead and get the TX or wait till Palm comes out with a new model using Windows Mobile?