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General discussion

Seriously need help picking out a PDA

Sep 8, 2004 10:01AM PDT

I'm lost in the endless market for PDAs...and not even sure a PDA is right for me...any advice will help...

What I am looking for:
1. WiFi, (bluetooth a plus but not a must).
2. Being able to use it to type mainly word documents and then transfer those to Microsoft Word on my Win XP desktop and visa versa.
4. Able top attach a keyboard a plus (like the fold out kind)
5. Any datebook type software extras a plus.

Those are the main funtions....any extras a plus, please help me out here. Price not an issue.

Discussion is locked

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Sep 8, 2004 10:18AM PDT

The items are easy to hit with the new Dell Axim, but I run into people that don't understand that Pocket Word mangles Word documents and Microsoft doesn't appear to be tackling that issue. Best of luck,

Bob

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Sep 8, 2004 10:49AM PDT

There anyway to save as rih text format then just put it on word...or another program that will take the pocket word stuff...just as pocket word to wordpad or something like then, then to Microsoft Word?

I'll take a look at the Dell Axim, thanks for the tip...

Other suggestions welcome please.

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Sep 8, 2004 10:56AM PDT

You can try that, but I think you need a web article about the issue.

"Pocket Office is an embarrassment..."
http://www.geek.com/news/geeknews/2002Jul/bpd20020719015473.htm

There are many other reviews, but most of the issues revolve around formatting. Since PDAs don't have printers, the cues taken from the printer, the fonts and more are just missing from the PDA. The reason is simple. A PDA is not a PC.

Bob

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Sep 8, 2004 11:08AM PDT

Wow Great little review there...I hope their product does well...

Oh as for the Dell Axim I'm shocked at the hardware/price...I was really looking into an iPAQ but dell seems to cream them price wise and the hardware seems much stronger...maybe not as much software?

Only thing about the Dell Axim is (I still have to look) but so far I only see them with built in B Wifi and not G as well...I know most hotspots are b but as you might recall the home network I want to set up will be in G, as of now.

Thanks Very Much Bob aka "R. Proffitt" great quailty responses here.

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Sep 8, 2004 11:16AM PDT

The G speed could be a debatable feature. It will likely cost in terms of battery power. But if you wait just a few months, my bet is that you'll find a G equipped model. It's unlikely a PDA could feel the speed.

The Dell model is very competitive on price and you can call into sales and ask for more detail on the software.

Bob

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Sep 8, 2004 2:22PM PDT

LordGop,
As far as MS Word & Excel compatability/functions, this should completely make you click-heels (keeps all formatting instead of stripping most of it away):

http://www.softmaker.de/index_en.htm

Had an early PalmPilot and am debating whether to replace my iPAQ3955 (about $650 Win02). To bring it up-to-date would require SanDisk's combo-256KRam-Wi-Fi SD Card ($129), a slip-on kb (hp $59), Win03 Mob. ($29), which would go a long way into funding a replacement. Considering iPAQ4350; built-in illuminated kb, blue, wi-fi (usually handhelds are not fast enough for g wi-fi), replaceable batt, approx same form as 3955.

I like hp's world-class support site ? they really work hard at it, so am a little partial there. Disappointed that none of their just released models do not have a thumb kb (need a table for a fold-out kb?hard to find one in a crowd/car/elevator. May as well have a laptop. There is a prog that allows you to type into desktop PC and it directly controls PPC- can search/find it at Handango).

Want more reviews-forums?
http://brighthand.com/ -reviews, forum
http://discuss.cewindows.net/ -forum
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/_top/bestsites.asp -busy for days!!

AK

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Sep 8, 2004 3:00PM PDT

Thanks alot guys really goes help with all the marketing out there to have some first hand PDA people responding...My brother got an HP iPAQ and really liked it...so far it is between them and the Dell Axim...

Just one last thing if anyone would be so care...even though the Dell only has WiFi B can I still use it on a WiFi G network with out slowing it down or not being able to use it at all? Not that I would be able to take adavantage of the speed but mainly would it work?

Thanks Again for taking the time =)

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Absolutely you can use B devices on a G router.
Sep 8, 2004 10:35PM PDT

I'm typing from my laptop with a B card and a G wifi router right now.

Bob

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Re: Seriously need help picking out a PDA
Oct 28, 2004 9:31AM PDT

You'll probably want a notebook instead. No offense to the handheld community (I actually have a notebook and just bought a Pocket PC myself).

You are going to get tired of whipping out that keyboard everytime you want to type something on a 4" screen. It sounds like you also want to surf the net and check emails.

If you like a handheld, the cheapest is the rx3115, which comes with windows mobile 2003 SE with both WiFi and Bluetooth.