Scientist Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 I am sure several people here use PDA's, so I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on which one to buy. I have about $200 or so to spend, so I was looking at the Zire 31 and a refurbished Zire 71, and also the Tungsten E. There is also a PocketPC I was looking at, but it is $270 so that is a little too steep for me. I think the Tungsten E looks pretty good and it has the professional version of Documents to Go which I really want, but I am concerned about the reliability of the hardware. There are Clie's too, but none of them in my price range can play Mp3's which is also something I want. Anyway, I would appreciate any help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Brent Rolfe Posted October 20, 2004 Report Share Posted October 20, 2004 I am sure several people here use PDA's, so I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on which one to buy. I have about $200 or so to spend, so I was looking at the Zire 31 and a refurbished Zire 71, and also the Tungsten E. There is also a PocketPC I was looking at, but it is $270 so that is a little too steep for me. I think the Tungsten E looks pretty good and it has the professional version of Documents to Go which I really want, but I am concerned about the reliability of the hardware. There are Clie's too, but none of them in my price range can play Mp3's which is also something I want. Anyway, I would appreciate any help! While I am not a sophisticated user of my Palm, I use a Tungsten E and have had no problems with it at all. I think I saw an ad. up here in Canada recently (Staples-Business Depot) for a Tungsten E with a bonus wireless key board all for $299 canadian dollars! So shop around. I use mine to carry around my ACT! customer database so that I can make appointments while on the road, update my "E" and then hotsynch to my laptop back in the office....(it is almost impossible to make phone calls, book appointments, open my laptop and enter the appt. in ACT! .....while driving so the palm is easier. The synchronisation to ACT! is great. I carry a few Word documents around with me on the E, just in case I want to do some work on them when my laptop is not convenient. But I don't use Word or Excel much on the E. Hope this helps? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwakeAndFree Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Around 200$, definitely go with a Palm, and Zire is a good choice. If you need the basics - calendar, address book, to do lists, stuff like that - just buy the cheapest one you can find. Tungsten is more advanced, and it is certainly worth the extra cash - but only if you're looking for something more than the basics: downloading lots of software from the internet, playing games, managing large files, etc. If you're not sure, surf a little and look at the software available for Palm OS. Some of it may appeal to you, but will require a faster processor, a color screen, or more storage than you have on the basic machines. Hope this helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DavidV Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 I am in the market for a PDA too, actually. I am thinking of getting the new Dell Axim X50 (the 520Mhz). Does anyone have experience with a Dell PDA? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
AwakeAndFree Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 I've read only good reviews on Dell's PDAs. And as the OS is Windows Mobile 2003, you can't go wrong there. I think Dell's PDAs offer a good value - usually lower prices than HP and others, and mostly the same features. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
adavies42 Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 I am sure several people here use PDA's, so I was just wondering if anyone had some advice on which one to buy. I have about $200 or so to spend, so I was looking at the Zire 31 and a refurbished Zire 71, and also the Tungsten E. There is also a PocketPC I was looking at, but it is $270 so that is a little too steep for me. I think the Tungsten E looks pretty good and it has the professional version of Documents to Go which I really want, but I am concerned about the reliability of the hardware. There are Clie's too, but none of them in my price range can play Mp3's which is also something I want. Anyway, I would appreciate any help! I've never used a Zire, but I have nothing but good things to say about Palm in general. My first PDA was a IIIx, and I'm still using my trusty IIIc, now over three years old. The difference between Zires and Tungstens, AFAICT, is in functionality, so wheich you get will depend on what you need out of it. BTW, a word of warning--having a Palm destroys your memory! I can barely remember what day it is w/o it! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bowzer Posted October 21, 2004 Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Does anyone have experience with a Dell PDA? I love my Dell Axim! It was significantly cheaper than comparable models from other manufacturers. I'm a Microsoft fanboy so PocketPC was a must for me. 62M of RAM plus 32M of fixed storage space has been plenty to suit my needs. If you have a wireless network then integrated wireless is also a great choice (I can sync and surf through my network anywhere in my house). Dell handhelds come with some nice proprietary software for application management and wireless networking. I would highly recommend the Dell handhelds. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scientist Posted October 21, 2004 Author Report Share Posted October 21, 2004 Thanks everyone! I actually have a Palm Vx and have gotten a lot of use out of it, but it is getting old now and sometimes it has problems. All I really want a PDA for is for scheduling and phone numbers and things like that, so I haven't decided if I really want to spend so much money on a new one. But, I am glad people here have had positive experiences with the Palms... it makes me feel more confident about them. By the way, that Dell Axim looks awesome! It looks like a good price for what you get, but it is totally out of my range! I was looking around their website... does Dell make anything that is closer to my budget? Thanks again for all your help! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Toolboxnj Posted October 24, 2004 Report Share Posted October 24, 2004 I have the HP4350. It was a little heavy duty for me, but I found a refurbished one on eBAY for $300 (instead of the retail $450). Try and find something with Bluetooth, because it'll come in handy with other components (for instance, I use my PDA as a GPS device as well without losing the memory slot). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
McGroarty Posted October 30, 2004 Report Share Posted October 30, 2004 No specific recommendations on models, but do look at the accessories available for whichever PDA you're considering. Some use proprietary interfaces for memory cards and the likes. It's no fun to pay a premium in a more limited market, and then to throw away any add ons if you change to a new PDA a couple years down the line. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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