I'm Converted

[Punk Rooster]

Pocket PC/Phone/Camera Unit for me. Leave aptops for dead. Wasn't sure at first, but after finally getting someone to give a demo, I was hooked instantly. For $899, i can get an O2- http://www.seeo2.com/ looking at the XDA Mini, but will peruse further. Another site to look at is http://www.palm.com.au
Would be interested in some technical advice, from those who know what they are talking about.
Cheers

[smac]

What do you want to achieve with the device?

Lots of options, and the right one for you will depend on how you will be using it - calendar, phone, contacts, reviewing documents, games???

[Wedgie]

Comparing a phone with some features to a laptop is like comparing a skateboard to a car Punky.
Agreed skateboards are easier to carry around but I know what I'd prefer.

If you want a PDA buy a decent PDA for $300-$400, if you want a phone buy a phone, if you want a camera don't even waste your time with 1.3mp.
If you're after a gimmick toy and a bit of convenience go ahead.

You can actually get a pretty decent laptop at the moment for $799.
I'm not sure how your phone leaves a laptop for dead. Perhaps if you were cripple and couldn't carry a bag around I could see the benefit but even then it wouldn't be worth it IMHO for the specs involved.

If your heart is set on this toy have a look at the HP iPAQ hw6515 Mobile. Its cheaper, has similar specs, is a tad bigger but also has a keyboard for those who hate stylus's like myself.

[Punk Rooster]

What do you want to achieve with the device?

Lots of options, and the right one for you will depend on how you will be using it - calendar, phone, contacts, reviewing documents, games???

My primary requirements are-
Diary/callender/appointment reminders
phone
all my work leads get sent to me via text mssg, seeing as this is phone & pocket pc, I can recieve the information & process it to what I need, without double handing (ie cut n paste v writing info down on a clipboard whilst driving), then when I get home, upload the info (in spreadsheet format) into my pc, saving me from entering data written down during the day.
Also, I'll be able to e-mail the office with requests to call me, send them booking details via e-mail. For what I need to do, this appears to be the solution to me. I don't have presentations to show clients (I could arm myself with a few DVD's anyway)



camera.

I have a decent quality camera anyway, so I wouldn't be taking too many photos as it is (I realise they'd be low quality anyway.

Comparing a phone with some features to a laptop is like comparing a skateboard to a car Punky.
Agreed skateboards are easier to carry around but I know what I'd prefer.

If you want a PDA buy a decent PDA for $300-$400, if you want a phone buy a phone, if you want a camera don't even waste your time with 1.3mp.
If you're after a gimmick toy and a bit of convenience go ahead.

You can actually get a pretty decent laptop at the moment for $799.
I'm not sure how your phone leaves a laptop for dead. Perhaps if you were cripple and couldn't carry a bag around I could see the benefit but even then it wouldn't be worth it IMHO for the specs involved.

If your heart is set on this toy have a look at the HP iPAQ hw6515 Mobile. Its cheaper, has similar specs, is a tad bigger but also has a keyboard for those who hate stylus's like myself.

I guess I like the dual phone/pda feature (read above). I guess if all I need is a skateboard, why buy a car? I really believe this suits my purpose better than a laptop- if I was commuting to an office every day, then I'd go for a laptop for obvious reasons- all work would be done from that. I think the PDA unit is a much compact version containing the features I'm looking for. I'm not looking to surf the web, download songs & listen to music etc.
Hopefully I've stated what my needs are, I feel I'm heading in the right direction, but feel free to say so either way.

[Wedgie]

All of the requirements you listed can be found in simple "3" phones which can cost as low as $14pm including phone and certain amount of phone calls.
You'll basically be paying $900 for the ability to use a spreadsheet (and for a new toy).
A laptop cheaper than that would do the job and save you the uploading.
Even though you don't need to surf the web, download songs & listen to music you can do this with both 3 phones and the toy you're proposing. (well I assume you can do it on your toy as if a simple cheap 3 phone can do it I'd imagine a "smart" phone would too)

[Wedgie]

Another option you could look at besides the HP is this from 3 which does everything you're asking for:

http://www.three.com.au/index.cfm?pid=2204&pageid=2617

It'd cost $30pm over 24 months ($720 all up, a tad more expnesive than the HP but you don't have to worry about the money up front) and you can get call plans from $20pm with that deal.

[Punk Rooster]

I require the spreadsheet. Laptop v PDA, whilst driving a car/parked on the side of the road, a PDA would be a lot easier for me to use, without the issues of flat batteries, awkwardness of operating a laptop on my knee against the steering wheel. I'm not so impressed by the toy/fancy aspect of it, but it struck me as being, what I felt I was looking for. Also throw in the fact I can get a cradle installed into my car (for hands free & re-charging), these are the things that also have to come into consideration. Don't forget, I was pro-laptop, but was very impressed with the features & benefits. As for the 3 phone, you may be onto something there, but I do need the spreadsheets. If not, I'd look into it. The camera is not an essential part of the package.

[Wedgie]

Fair enough, personally I'd enter stuff in 10 times quicker on a laptop than with a stylus on a pda/smartphone so the awkwardness would be the other way around for me.
If you type with one finger like a nuffy then you might be better off with a stylus.
As mentioned before the HP has a keyboard as well as stylus so that would be a good compromise, I even hate mobile phones for entering SMS's, used to have a brick with a full keyboard and loved it!

Another with a keyboard besides the HP is the Palm Treo 650

[Wedgie]

Just done a bit of looking around, when comparing the HP to the o2 one site said about that the HP is the way to go "If you need a reliable and solid business tool, it fits the bill nicely, but if you want a phone with a little more visual flair, you may do better to look elsewhere. (ie the o2)"

The Palm has a bigger screen too which is often what you're paying for.

I'd personally wait till one came out with Wi-fi as it would be good browsing the net by wi-fi as opposed to by a 3G network and connecting to other applicances such as your pc as you could have it out in the car and still use your pc inside the house to transfer files.

[Sheik Yerbouti]

Pocket PC/Phone/Camera Unit for me. Leave aptops for dead. Wasn't sure at first, but after finally getting someone to give a demo, I was hooked instantly. For $899, i can get an O2- http://www.seeo2.com/ looking at the XDA Mini, but will peruse further. Another site to look at is http://www.palm.com.au
Would be interested in some technical advice, from those who know what they are talking about.
Cheers

Use a pen & paper you illiterate ****.

[Ian]

If you type with one finger like a nuffy then you might be better off with a stylus.

When I went to school it was the Nuffys who took typing lessons. Some of us not so Nuffys have progressed now, usually its 2 or 3 fingers

[Punk Rooster]

Use a pen & paper you illiterate ****.

Listen here, Your Royal Dyslexicness, the whole idea is for me to not be using pen & paper! It's called "progress".

[smac]

Personally, I would use a pda phone to do the stuff you want to do punky, a couple of the ones wedgie outlined would fit the bill. Another good idea would be to look at some of the pocket pc forums around the place, such as the microsoft.pocketpc newsgroups. There are heaps of forums to look at and they would give you an idea on what to be aware/wary of when making your decision. Never buy without a stack of research!

Good luck
SM

[Wedgie]

When I went to school it was the Nuffys who took typing lessons. Some of us not so Nuffys have progressed now, usually its 2 or 3 fingers

When you went to school they used stone tablets and chisels!
Yabadabadoo!

[Wedgie]

Here's a couple of others to look at punkmeister:

http://www.imate.com/t-DETAILS_JAMCH.aspx

http://www.imate.com/t-DETAILS_JASJAR.aspx

[Punk Rooster]

Here's a couple of others to look at punkmeister:

http://www.imate.com/t-DETAILS_JAMCH.aspx

http://www.imate.com/t-DETAILS_JASJAR.aspx

As a Business Analyst, can you make an executive decision as to which one is better? (including the O2) Every second word, I have to get a computer dictionary to breakdown the lingo. smac, feel free to form an opinion also (after analysing these sites)
PS Why can't they just have 1 PDA/PocketPC/anything to make it easier?

[Wedgie]

I'll have a further look for you tomorrow champ, but tell me, would you prefer having a little keyboard as an alternative to using a stylus?
I know I would.

[Punk Rooster]

I quite like the stylus/text conversion. I guess really, I could differentiate between things on each item, but I know others out there would know the "bullett points" to look for.

[Wedgie]

I quite like the stylus/text conversion. I guess really, I could differentiate between things on each item, but I know others out there would know the "bullett points" to look for.

That's fair enough, they all come with stylus/text conversion, its jut a matter of if you'd want a keyboard too especially for things like emails and sms.

[Punk Rooster]

The O2 has an "on screen" keyboard (ie enlarged) as well. That might be for dialling numbers tho. I might go & have a decent look on sat morn, see if the guy will let me have a play with it. I won't be purchasing one yet, I'll probably play with others as well, see which I may have a particular preference for. I guess as long as I don't get screwed on price. A guy I was talking to (customer) said try e-bay, but I I'll pay for the reliability of having a local merchant service it in case of breakdown.