I usually carry around my notebook, and have long resisted getting a PDA. I thought I didn't need one. But now, I think I shoould get one. I no longer tote my laptop everywhere I go, and it's not always on, anyway.

I'd like a cool one, with some ability to screw around with it, you know, color, maybe, or a golf game, you know, something to really diminish my productivity. But frankly, the cheap Zire would probably work for me.

If anyone has one of these that they want to dump because they are not good enough for their needs, let me know. As a loyal FTer, I'm always game for a bargain.

Also, if people have suggestions, like:

You'd be a moron to pay for a used PDA since they die exactly 24 months after new, please let me know.

In PDAs, I've had a Pilot 5000, a Psion Series 3, a Psion Series 5, an HP 320LX, a Palm M100, a Compaq iPAQ 3850 and my new acquisition the SonyEricsson P800 smartphone/PDA...

The most useful PDA, in my view, is the one that you will actually take with you. The Palm ones are pretty muched focussed on being a PDA, whereas the PocketPC ones seem to be more 'general purpose'; depends on your priorities I'd say. For what it's worth, the best golf game I've seen was definitely on the PocketPC (ZioGolf).

The Microsoft based ones seem to have the best synchronisation capabilities (assuming you use Outlook on the desktop, otherwise all bets are off); the Sony ones have sexy design and nice integrated features like cameras. The Palm ones seem to be the quickest responding (because it's not really a multitasking operating system and the Palm apps are much lighter-weight) but tend to lag the PocketPC ones on multimedia I'd say.

I'd give you a good deal on my old iPAQ 3850 but I suspect the shipping would be prohibitive

BSF45, I'm partial to the new h5455 from HPaq.

http://www.flyertalk.com/travel/fttr...ML/000197.html

P800, P800, P800, P800.

What he said. I love mine!

Do you have a budget? The newer, high end units like the Sony Clie NX and NZ series and the Palm Tungsten T are nice. They run the latest Palm OS (OS 5), which means lots of bells and whistles like MP3 players, video players and digital cameras (built in on some, add on's on others).

Add a keyboard and the appropriate software, you can do much of the functions of a regular laptop (word processing. spreadsheets, etc) and a connection to the internet (dial up, or wireless) allows for email and limited web surfing).

Oh, the P800 is cool, too.

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Michael Steinberg
Editor
BizTrip
www.biztrip.com

I'm in the camp that thinks a phone should be a phone and a pda should be a pda.

I hate big phones. I'm not a huge headset fan either. My phone needs to fit comfortably in my pocket (not on my belt) and needs to be small enough and light enough not to be a burden.

I've got the h5455 linked to my t68 via bluetooth, if I need to use the internet on my PDA, the phone doesn't leave my pocket. If I'm out at night, I don't want to lug around my PDA.

I think a small BT phone and any pocket PC with bluetooth is the best of both worlds.

I don't agree, in the past all PDA/phone combo's were made by pda firms OR phone firms. The P800 is part phone firm (Ericsson) and part PDA firm(s) (Sony and Symbian). They have finally managed to get the perfect balance between PDA and phone.

Technically speaking, this is not correct. The group within Sony that handles the P800 has no connection with the Sony Clie PDA group. I know this from having spoken with folks on both teams. This is why the phone runs Symbian and the Clie runs the Palm OS.



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Michael Steinberg
Editor
BizTrip
www.biztrip.com

Well, I refuse to lug a pda on my belt (nerd alert!) when all I need is a phone.

And, unlike the Meatman, I don't feel like swapping my sim between hardware all the time.

I think best in class standalone models of each genre is the way to go. Plus I have wifi on my PDA when I'm at work or home

True, but many of the design features of the P800 were introduced by Sony, AFTER Ericsson were ready to market it, things like the MP3 player and memorystick slot were all brought over by the Sony boffins.

Will you marry me?

Only if you're willing to move to Utah.

I think best in class standalone models of each genre is the way to go.

Oh no, you're a modelizer!