too much information.... PDA shopping...help anyone?

Well, I'm not actually trying to use it to replace a pc but my expectations are kind of high. Hopefully not TOO far out of the realm of possiblity with todays options?

I need a PDA to use for the clinical ears of medical school, and I will need to be able to run probobly at least 5 or 6 pretty large medical programs and to be able to access information from the fairly quickly because I may have a pateint or teacher waiting for an answer and that sort of thing.

I also wanted to use the device for a calander and to addresses and those kinds of things. Also I like to write short notes of things to remeber and lists. basically all of the organizing sorts of functions I guess. I do some email and internet stuff but I still use a pc for those functions if I am near one.

I'd like to play audio files of various sorts (music, recorded lectures, radio programs...)

Also wanted to use it to store and have handy some information that I'd like to keep more secure like passwords. certainly if I ever need to use it to access patient information (I don't know if I will need, and don't know too much about those applications yet) I will want to keep that kind of imformation secure just as a matter of policy to respect those people (patients).

The keyboard/thumboard is mainly because I don't like using the stylus and screen keyboard as a matter of preference.

Having phone capabilities would mean one less thing to carry. At home and in some hospitals/offices I have internet acces, but it would be nice to be able to check email or look something up online in those oh so many other places where I can't get wireless.

Hopefully those specifics will give you a better idea of what I need/want in a handheld and what some good options may be. I'm pretty new to the world of PDA's.

For the most part, your requirements are completely workable, but a few of your expectations are pushing the limits of today's PDAs. Here's a run through of my thoughts/views:

* 64MB RAM and 256MB ROM is considered one of the upper tiers...you'll find very few PDAs that exceed those specs.

* No PDA has more than 2 card slots...a CompactFlash and the other a SecureDigital. In fact, Palms and a number of PocketPCs only have one slot. Both can be used simultaneously, though it will tax your battery. Also, the max size most PDAs can handle is 1GB, and not necessarilly high-speed SD cards.

* Bluetooth is available on most PDAs today, and WiFi is common on upper-level models. Just remember you can't access WiFi from anywhere...you must be on a local network or at a hotspot to connect.

* Almost all PDAs only support 802.11b, meaning you'll haeve the slower version of WiFi. 802.11g, and the upcomming 802.11n, are usually found only on laptops, at least for the time being. (The next generation of PDAs will be 802.11g-complient, but still lacking 802.11n.)

* You'll find selections of PDAs with physicial keyboards slim pickins...most have shied away from them (the small keys can be quite nasty to use after a while), so you're mostly left with PocketPC phones and Smartphones.

* I recommend getting a full-sized folding keyboard, which is much easier to use. They come in Bluetooth, InfraRed, and corded forms, depending on the PDA you choose. Prices can range from $50 on up.

* I'd stay away from the biometrics if I were you. Most manufacturers don't use them, and HP stopped using them for a while because of security (they can be bypassed by using gummy candy), reliability (they fail with dirty or oily fingers), and stability (there have been reports of the software crashing every time you log in) issues. There are programs available that can let you customize your login process, inclusing the usage of pictures...you tap certain spots in combination to log in instead of using a password and the keyboard.

* Stay away from smartphones for your needs...they typically have very small screens and lack the power you're looking for. PocketPC Phones are a nice option, but you'll pay morfor them than the average PDA and receive a less powerful PDA for the ability to use it as a phone. In addition, they are usually locked to a specific carrier, so if you switch from Verizon to Cingular you'll have to buy a new PDA. Thus, I'd stay away from the high service rates (you'd have to pay extra for using your wireless account to connect to the net) and low functionality and stick with a standard PDA.

* Windows Mobile 5.0 is by far the superior operating system, as it packs an updated version of Pocket Office and supports persistent memory so you won't lose any data if the battery dies. However, there may be some bugs in it as it's only recently been released and there are no guarentees made that all programs will be compatible. On the other hand, if you purchase a PDA running WM2003SE you may not have the ability to upgrade in the future, and thus be prevented from running the latest applications. Given that, I'd go with WM5.0 and contact the developer or come back here for guidence should you find any programs that don't work.

* All PDAs can handle address books, calanders, to do lists, appointments, etc, and almost all can handle multimedia, so that's not a problem.

* With a seperate PDA and cell phone you may have the option (depending on themodel of cell phone) to create a Bluetooth connection so that you can access the net. Just note that you''d have to pay extra to your cell phone company and that Bluetooth is slower than WiFi, so performance would be an issue.

* Some things you missed include the processor. Stay above 400MHz, with 624MHz being the best and what you should go for considering the workload you have set in front of you. Also, the screen may be an issue if you want to play games, watch movies, or look at photos. QVGA is standard and pretty good, but VGA can bring new life to multimedia.
-------------------------------------------------------
Given everything you're looking for, and in the absence of a price limit, I'm going to recomend the Dell Axim X51v as the best one for you. It's currently on sale for $424 and packs everything you want...the latest OS, the best processor available, high amounts of RAM and ROM, a VGA screen, a multimedia accelerator, WiFi, Bluetooth, and more. Just get a folding keyboard for it, pair it up with your cell phone if you want, and use it as a vast resource as you go through med school.

Hope this helps,
John


P.S. My only question would be what 5 or 6 large medical programs you plan on running? (Are they WM5.0 or WM2003SE compatible?) Depending on their requirements, particularly RAM, they may slow even the fastest PDA down when used simultaneously.