Form the list of functions you wish your PDA to have, you don't really need one that's more powerful than the Tungsten C. Most current PDAs can handle your workload without a problem. In fact, the Tungsten C has the fastest processor available in a Palm. However, there are many other features you can upgrade.
If you prefer a Palm, I'd recommend the Tungsten T5. Though it lacks a keyboard, it has a much larger screen for viewing photos. In addition, it has four times the built-in storage capacity. And, as an added bonus, it is one of few handhelds which won't lose all of your files if your battery goes dead.
However, since your old Palm cracked without cause, you may want to consider straying from the flock. I divorced my Palm a few years ago, in favor of my new love...the PocketPC. They are, on average, much more powerful than the Palm, and have more features. The top brands are Dell and HP, although I'd recommend Dell as HP's line is slightly overpriced and under-featured compared to Dell's Axims.
Dell has two lines...X30 and X50, each with a low, medium, and high versions. The X30s have been around for a while, but have comparable specs to the X50s, and are $100 cheaper than their newer counterparts. You can check out a comparison of these models here. They range in price from $199 for the X30 Low to $499 for the X50v (High). Based upon your desire for great photo display, and depending on how much you are willing to spend, you may want to look at the X50v, which has a 3.7'' 480x640 VGA screen.
However, for your needs/desires, you may want to stay with a mid-range Palm...especially since they boast the longest battery life for those extra-long ebooks. Since you don't require wireless capabilities and don't intend on heavy gaming or watching many video, a cheaper PDA will suffice, and make your wallet a much happier individual. ![]()
Hope this helps,
John
*Note* Programs and games from the Palm are not compatible with the WindowsMobile OS. This may also be a consideration if you have purchased software for your Tungsten C.
Tungsten C screen cracked -- looking at new rather than repair. I've over-loaded myself w/info today and now am in analysis paralysis... would really appreciate knowlegeable advice! I liked the keyboard on the C, but I don't know if it's absolutely necessary for my use, so it's not a deal-breaker. I'm afraid of another C (because I didn't do ANYTHING to cause that screen to crack) and am interested in larger display... I'm mostly trying to figure out if better technology to suit my needs has come out in the past 2 years.
Needs/Considerations:
-- Contacts/Calendar/Outlook sync
-- Photos (quality large display would be great)
-- Docs-to-go (Spreadsheets, Word, etc)... I don't need to do a lot of editing, mostly reading.
-- Read e-books
-- Light games (solitaire, scrabble, monopoly)
-- Robust and simple add-on software capability (such as shopping list, quicken)
-- Wi-Fi/Bluetooth not absolutely necessary... I might have use for these features in the future, but not currently useful (not deal-breakers, either)
-- Don't need phone/camera.
-- Price not a huge consideration -- don't want to pay for a bunch of features that I won't use, but don't mind paying for what I really want/need above (and will take the extra features if that's what I need to do).
Thanks very much for any advice on meeting my needs!!!!

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