Best Handhelds

[karl]

What handhelds do you like best?

In my experience, the Handera 330 has been a great find in the PalmOS space. The best features include a virtual grafitti area which goes away to give Palm users far more vertical space to work with. Combined with a 240 pixel wide screen (and 320 down) vs the typical 160 pixel wide square screen, the screen provides great usabiity. For various technical reasons, the Handera Compact Flash interface has been far more useful than some of the other contenders - for example applications can write directly to Compact Flash. It lacks color, which brings me to the Sony Models...

Sony has put out a couple multimedia gems in the PalmOS space, providing up to 320 x 320 65,000-color range pixels on a bright screen. The higher end Clie's (760) even play music. I dont have any longterm personal experience with this unit, but I do believe it represents a strong future for handhelds.

I have not tried the new Samsung PDA-phone, nor the other phone contenders. Has not been a big need.

I would watch the tech news carefully about new handheld announcements. The Consumer Electronics Show next week, and PalmSource, a major developer conference in early February, are major windows for new model lineup announcements for the first half of 2002.

Additionally, some factors may cut pricing on Windows CE devices in the April timeframe.

What is your favorite handheld?

-- Karl

[Dlandmom]

I haven't really used many of the handhelds other than testing them at Comdex, but I personally use a Handspring Visor Deluxe and absolutely love it! I originally got it because of the flexibility of being able to pop in additional modules, but of course haven't even used that yet!

I did try out the Handspring Treo at Comdex this year, and it's really neat. It's an OS platform, phone and wireless all in one, and not really any bigger (just a little thicker). I can't wait for them to come out (this spring), although the $399 might be slightly prohibitive. I keep hoping Handspring will give a rebate to existing owners....

I've heard good things about the Compaq Ipaq, but in testing it at Comdex, didn't notice anything earth-shattering about it!

Karl, who makes the Handera? It sounds familiar, but I don't remember seeing it at Comdex.

[Lani]

Dlandmom -- I have been a big evangelist for Handspring ever since I got my Visor Deluxe back two years ago. Since then I've upgraded to a Platinum. I like Handspring because of its iconoclast founders (they invented and founded the original Palm company then they escaped to start their own new company and product line at Handspring), and because I really like the idea of the Springboard Modules that let you plug-and-play things like e-books, modems, etc. Andrew has a really neat Spring wireless phone Springboard Module on his Visor.

I haven't seen a Treo in person but I suspect that will change next week when I go to the MacWorld Expo at the Moscone Convention Center in San Francisco. It sounds GREAT except that the Treo line is a completely different product family from Visors, its biggest drawback being that they do not support Springboard Modules! :(

Handera is a new name; it used to be TRG. They make handhelds with bar code scanners and stuff.

The Ipaq uses Windows, I think. I would stay away from that unless you need hefty business applications, and your work is willing to buy you one. They have good Windows apps for it that is now (finally) giving Microsoft some reason to boast, but for various reasons (including the fact that the PocketPC has almost no third-party software support compared to the Palm) I would still go with a Palm OS PDA.

If you want to go with a nice Palm OS handheld, consider the Sony Clie 760C. It's not cheap -- $500 or so. But it is light as a feather, smaller than Palm and Handspring's main models, and the screen has the best resolution of them all. That particular Clie also does not feel like a toy, which some of the others ones do (the low-end Palms with the rounded body for example, feel even cheaper than Game Boys).

Right now MY biggest problem is that I have too much stuff and keep running out of memory with 8Mb installed.

[Dlandmom]

Wow, Lani, you must have a lot of stuff on there if you're running out with 8mb! I too love the history of the Handspring founders...gotta cheer for the "underdog" sometimes!

Definitely check out the Treo, and let me know how you feel about it! The color version won't be available until later in the year, but the black and white is listed at $399. I don't think you'll miss any features...well, maybe something here and there...it looks like a pretty darn inclusive product. Plus, since you have direct access to the Internet, you can pretty much download whatever you need. Can't wait to hear your review of it!

[Lani]

I have a couple of serious memory hogs:

During baseball season, I use ScorePAD to keep stats of games I attend. Between that app and its accompanying RosterPAD database, I think it takes up over 1.5Mb, especially as it gets closer toward the end of the season, when I have a few dozen game files. Keep in mind this is a professional-grade scorekeeper, so it tracks EVERY action during a game; not just scores. It tracks who was on which base when another player struck out (swinging or batting), etc. I found a lot of breathing room when the season ended and I deleted the apps, but come spring I'll have to make room for it again...

AvantGo: Currently pared down to a paltry 1.2Mb, I've had it bloated up to 2Mb with more subscriptions to primarily news sites.

DateBk4: I loved the enhanced DateBook+ that comes with the Handspring (which is better than the regular DateBook you get on the Palm) but DateBk4 takes up a half a meg.

I use a couple of database apps -- MobileDB for creating and distributing MLB schedules, and thinkDB for everything else. MobileDB takes up half a meg for me, and thinkDB takes up just under 1Mb.

TrvTracker: Comprehensive travel-planning and tracking application to retain complex travel plans including flight info and confirmations. It's relational with your datebook so it looks up hotel addresses there, etc. that's a third meg.

I have some e-books from Peanut Press, and those take up a few hundred Kb each.

WordSmith: IMHO the best Palm OS word processor of the bunch, but it takes up a half a meg.

[Dlandmom]

Wow, you're getting your money's worth, aren't you, Lani?

I'm nowhere near that much in memory! What's different about the Datebook+? I use it and haven't noticed what's different from the plain Datebook.

What do you think of AvantGo? I've thought of trying it but haven't yet.

Any thoughts on a pocket pc? I wish there were a way you could meld the pocket pc and the handheld and not have it cost an arm and a leg!

[Lani]

Actually the way I spend money registering shareware, it's kind of like the pet rabbits -- they were cheap to buy but expensive to maintain (relatively speaking). I think I have spent more money on software than on the cost of the Visor.

DateBk has a lot more preferences you can customize. More bells and whistles. Good if you are using your scheduler a LOT. DateBk4 has even more bells and whistles.

AvantGo is GREAT. Not quite the same as being wireless, but I can sync up current news and such, and read it like I'm browsing. Definitely recommended.

[FEJ]

I love my Palm V (the old 2 MB one). I bought it 2 1/2 years ago when I started back to school. It is almost full but I cant justify purchasing a new one. one of the main reasons i picked it (and would pick the Palm m505 or Sony next) would be the size.it is real slim and fits in the back pocket well. I have the aluminum cover by Palm so it doesn't get crushed. I put everything in it. Sometimes when I don't want to carry my laptop (actually it started before I bought a laptop) I would write papers on my Palm, hotsync it with the desktop using Pocket Mirror, and copy the notepad out of Outlook into Word. From there I could do some quick formatting and Viola' , I had a paper to turn in.

I still use a lot of the basics with my palm, but sync it with Outlook,. I also use Pocket Quicken to synch with Quicken for Finances. My favorite program is DateMate which is good to enter Birthdays, Anniversary, etc.. That way I can remember important events, even if I don't have the persons Phone number,. etc...

For the "Desktop" on my Palm, use Silver Screen which allows you to manipulate the look and Icons.

I am due to upgrade my handheld soon, when I can afford it


I am glad you started this Forum Lani. I will add links to some of my PDA software soon.

[Dlandmom]

FEJ, that's awsome! You've pretty much turned your Palm into a pocket PC! That's the one thing I would really like to have on my Handspring.... I do find that the graffiti doesn't pick up as quickly as I write (either that, or I'm not writing precisely enough for graffiti to pick up). I'm really hoping the economy picks up this first quarter (better economy = Dlandmom gets a bigger paycheck!) so that I can really consider a Treo when it comes out.

[Lani]

Originally posted by Dlandmom
I do find that the graffiti doesn't pick up as quickly as I write (either that, or I'm not writing precisely enough for graffiti to pick up).Dlandmom, if you haven't already, consider putting a strip of Scotch tape along your writing surface on your PDA. It makes writing on it with your stylus much more akin to writing on paper. It provides a big of drag so you aren't slipping so much. The width of the tape is about the same as the height of the Graffiti area. You can find articles telling you how to do it precisely, but as long as you can place the tape across the bottom of your screen you are all set. It will also provide some protection for the part of the screen that gets the most use as well.

[Dlandmom]

Wow, Lani! That's a fabulous tip! Thanks! I'll go do it right away!

[Abraham Rocha]

I just got my PDA for Christmas and I was quite surprised!

I have an iPAQ pocket pc model 3670, made by compaq. It has the Windows CE operating system with a color display. It has MS money, MS explorer, pocket word, pocket Excel, MS windows media player, pocket viewer, yada, yada. It is pretty loaded. The darn thing has 64 MB of memory, and plays MP3's.

It has internet capability, as well as a little ad to sign up for AvantGo. i was considering it, and the discussion here about AvantGo helps. With attachments, it can be used as a cell phone too. I don't have that yet, that's kinda over the top.

I have to admit, I have had it for only 2 weeks now and I'm not even using most of the applications yet because I haven't had time to learn! I need to take a vacation (from mouseplanet perhaps?) to learn all the features. This thing is the greatest!


:)

[Dastinson]

Personally, my handheld is a Handspring Visor Deluxe. A definite advantage over the Palm due to its springboard upgrade slot. I usually have a Memplug module sitting in mine with a 16MB smartmedia card sitting in it. I also have a GPS for it for travelling (the street maps come with the module).

You can also pick up a factory refurbished Visor Prism color unit at Fry's Electronics for around $199.

[Lani]

Hey Dastinson -- welcome to MousePad! Don't forget to introduce yourself in the thread "~THE NEW~Welcome new MousePad residents! [Introduce yourself here!] (http://mousepad.mouseplanet.com/showthread.php?threadid=1958)." :)

[jeancbpugh]

Originally posted by lani
AvantGo is GREAT. Not quite the same as being wireless, but I can sync up current news and such, and read it like I'm browsing. Definitely recommended.

Please be aware that AvantGo is crummy about tech support. I've tried loading AvantGo several times, gotten the software installed on my Palm Vx, but can't get the wretched thing to do the initial sync with their server. And AvantGo tech support never responds to my questions. (I suspect they only respond if you pay the special fee...):(

[stan4d_steph]

Sorry to dig this up, but I am probably getting a handheld for my birthday. I am currently deciding between the Palm m125 and the Sony Clie PEG-360. Anyone have any experience with either one? I know that the Sony has 16 MB of RAM to 8 MB for the Palm, but I am unclear of the difference between the two in regards to their expansion capabilities. Thanks for any advice.