EM-500 vs. Maestro

[Newsboy]

Just got my EM-500 from Outpost.com for $150, same as it ever was, ho-hum.

BUT, Staples just dropped the price on the Maestro to $250 after rebates. And there's $20-30 coupons out there I can use to further drop the price.

My only concern is the screen on the Maestro. No one has one in stock, so I can't compare it to my EM-500. Is it a huge leap? B/C that's one of the things that drew me to the EM-500 in the first place, the screen is awesome. Better than the IPAQ 3600s, and it blew the old HP screens away by a long shot.

I understand all the other benefits of getting the Maestro, but even at a pirce of ~$250 shipped, I'm still leary of the reflective 12K color screen and the reported abysmal battery life.

[Jason Dunn]

My only concern is the screen on the Maestro. No one has one in stock, so I can't compare it to my EM-500. Is it a huge leap? B/C that's one of the things that drew me to the EM-500 in the first place, the screen is awesome. Better than the IPAQ 3600s, and it blew the old HP screens away by a long shot.


The screen on the Toshiba/Maestro is "ok", but nothing beats the glorious screen of the EM-500 and E-125's. All other screens look pale by comparison...

[Newsboy]

UGH! I just found a thread at Dale's site w/ a $40 off coupon, bringing the price to $209!!!! Dangit!

I checked Ebay, and people are selling *refurbished* EM-500s for $250+!!!! And on a regular basis, not just a one-time fluke! Heck, broken EM-500s are going for $60-100.

People are dumb. People other than us of course. :wink:

Guess it's a trip to Staples for me tonight, see if it's worth $225. Maybe I could donate blood or something? :D

[Newsboy]

Just ordered the Maestro for $259! And I still have a $50 rebate to redeem! Total: $225 including tax and shipping! I'm so bad when it comes to restraint involving techno-geek deals.

*Smacks self on hand* *bad Newsboy*

Though I'm not without justification here. While I do still vastly prefer the EM-500 screen, I will be going back to get my master's degree in the fall at the Rochester Institute of Technology, same place I got my bachelor's degree. RIT just installed wireless 802.11b networking all across campus, in nearly every building. Thus I need the compact flash slot on the Maestro for wireless networking, something I can't do with the EM-500. It's also nice to have both slots available, since I have over 200 megs worth of MMC cards for my EM-500.

So both EM-500s go up on Ebay to pay for my baby. Thinking I'll sell the 32 meg and 16 meg MMC cards there too, to get 64 mb mmc cards.

[Newsboy]

ARGH. I ordered too quick, and didn't get to use multiple coupons. So I called and canceled the order, and re-ordered. Well then I couldn't use the $40 coupon again, and couldn't find a valid one anywhere. So I ended up using a $30 coupon, and a coupon for a free $90 set of luggage (and I'd say looking at it that it's worth at least that much, if not more; not cheap like I expected). Final cost $241 including tax and free shipping and free luggage.

I'm a bad bad man. :twisted:

[zucchini]

hi newsboy... where and how do u find all this rebate? plz help me!!

[Newsboy]

hi newsboy... where and how do u find all this rebate? plz help me!!


Unfortunately, the rebate has been pulled from the Staples website. But you can still find it at any Staples store, just walk in and ask for the Audiovox Maestro rebate form.