Beginning to think I really don't need a pda...(Mostly from a student perspective)

[kuyars]

Sorry if this post really goes nowhere, but if there's anywhere it may belong, it most definitely fits in the Just Chatting Forum :)

Here's my history: I started with a handspring visor about 4 years ago, and I really got into the whole scheduling thing with keeping track of assignment due dates (I'm a 3rd year college student), paying rent reminders, etc. Somewhere along the way, maybe just a year later, it just sort of fizzled out and the visor became a Dust Collector.

Since then I've gone through the Axim X5 and the Zaurus 5500 and each time I usually go into my 3 months of intense organization, and then gradually wane into not using the pda much at all.

Being a student, I am sometimes caught with lots of assignment due dates and tests that would require scheduling. But periods where I don't own a PDA (such as now), it really is no problem to dedicate the back of my notebook to scribble something down (a phone number, a due date, etc) and as soon as I go home, just enter the data into Outlook. It's really not as cumbersome as it may sound -- probably takes less than a minute really.

I used the search function on the forums for the term "student" to see how other students were using their pdas. A lot of posts extolled programs that kept track of their GPAs, class schedules, and yes, due dates. I dont know, but I'm really not that inclined to keep a constant eye on my GPA -- as long as I know I'm doing well enough :) And by the 3rd week of class, I have already internalized my class schedules. From my own experience, being a comp. engineering major, note-taking on a pda is nearly impossible, what with all the formulas, symbols, and charts that I have to deal with.

Sure, I also used my pda to look at photos, listen to mp3s, and surf the net via the wifi-enabled campus (even though computers are almost always available). But I'm pretty frugal, as most college students are, and somehow it doesn't seem to justify the $200+ when I don't use it productively.

So there isn't much of a point here really and I've got to admit that I've got that itch again since I qualify for those awesome discounts on the new iPaqs, or that visor can go for $50 with the Palm trade-in program that's ending soon. But I've begun to accept the fact that it's really just my techno-lust that spurns my purchasing...

Ok, sorry for that folks! But if anyone out there has roughly the same thoughts, I'd sure love to hear it!

/end of long useless post

[Linus]

I could see how PDAs might not be the be-all-end-all for students that some people like to think. My "system" when I was back in college was similar to yours - handwritten notes that were transcribed to the desktop computer. I think it's often quicker to jot down a handwritten note and then type it on a full-sized keyboard than to use whatever input method on a PPC. And since most of my waking hours not spent in class were spent within 10 ft. of that desktop, the mobility factor wasn't much of an issue. If you need to have that information with you all the time, it's great. If you don't, it's just another toy.

Now that I'm in the "real world," though, I find my new 2210 really handy. I spend less time at home, and the desktop has turned more into a media machine than a productivity box since it isn't internet-connected. At work, all I need to take to a meeting is the PPC - no bulky paper notebooks or calendars that have to be transcribed if I want to keep a digital record. Seems to have worked really well so far.

The other features I see fundamentally as toys. I listen to MP3s a lot, but I wouldn't call it an essential feature. Same thing with movies, IR capability, GPS linkage, wireless communication, etc. - all are nifty, but generally don't make a big impact on your day-to-day life.

Bottom line - if you don't need it, don't buy it. No matter what other people say or how cool you think new technology is.

[KayMan2k]

"Zaurus 5500"
Do you mean the SL or ZR?

I am also a college student and have had a Casio E-115 up until 4 months ago when it died. I used it to keep a mobile copy of my most recent emails, remind me of major assignments, record audio in the classroom and lookup information. In my LISP course I installed a mobile version and was able to program along with the course (we don't have PCs in our classrooms). It was great.

I use it to go through power point slides and plan out circuits. I don't really use it to organize my day-to-day schedule but have it as a mobile version of documents, MP3 for some entertainment, and of course Argentum.

Recently, I have been programing for it and plan to demonstrate my thesis at the end of this year on my iPaq. I've been 4 months without a PDA - it hasn't been easy. I've even used my old Zaurus ZR-5000+.

[maximus]

how about internet connectivity on the go? connectivity with your family, loved one, instant access to your stocks, etc. during my graduate years, i was basically paying my tuition from my stock investment. a PPC would have been a great help back then.

[kuyars]

Guys, those are all excellent replies, which I'd love to tackle one at a time.

Linus: You seem to have gotten the gist of my situation. Much like you, time spent away from the classroom is spent within 10 feet of my desktop computer. Things may change once I graduate and head out into the real world, but I'm heading your direction in the sense that I don't necessarily use a pda to the best of its capacity now...meaning that I shouldn't purchase what I don't need.

KayMan2k: Sorry, I meant the Zaurus SL-5500. Out of all the examples you gave of your Casio E-115 usage, the recording audio in the classroom bit intrigued me the most. Did you record the entire lecture? I had not even considered this in a pda's usage. That would be an amazing benefit, although one could simply get a dedicated tape recorder for the same purpose...but I dont really know how much those things cost.

Maximus: Internet connectivity on the go is the holy grail of how I would want to utilize my pda. Unfortunately, not being into stocks (although I wouldn't mind to be), the combination of lack of funds and the monthly investment for a data-service plan doesnt seem feasible for me. As I mentioned above, at those times when I'm not on campus, I'm at home, where there's an internet-connected computer just waiting.

Out of all these responses, I'm just wondering if you guys find that your pdas lean toward being "crucial" or instead add a significant amount of convenience to your day-to-day lives? I ask this because even for a person like me, I *could* say that a pda would add convenience to my life, but is really not vital. I suppose that only I can really determine how much of a dollar-value I would pay for convenience...

[maximus]

Message edited.

Note: I am very sorry for the double posting, when clickin the 'submit' button, I was dropped by the GPRS network.

[acetuk]

This is an interesting thread.

I am out in 'the real world' having never had a PDA of any sort while I was at college. I now use my Jornada more than ever before and because it is so crucial to me and is starting to look and act it's age (a stratch here, knock there) I am looking to buy a nice shiny new PPC2003 device.

Getting back to the subject... I used my Jornada for about a year before ditching it in favour of a paper based organiser. For that whole year I looked desperately for a way to justify the massive investment I had made in what was really a glorified Palm to me (calender, contact etc. but nothing else). I failed. Database ideas came and went, list programs were installed and never used... the list is endless. The only thing that ever remained constant was Pocket Informant and even then I was sat 99% of my time at my main desktop and never needed to use it.

My paper organiser then lasted about four months before that then became inadequate. And I was back to the Jornada. This time though (as my job has now changed) I am finding my PPC more useful than ever, but still only through PI. MP3's are on my storage card but are hardly ever listened to. No movies. Lots of books though... my personal fix!!

I would suggest that each persons viewpoint of a PDA is different - at the moment I wouldn't live without mine to the point that I am thinking about spending £500 more on a new one. But six months ago that was very different.

[droppedd]

I don't need a PDA in college; i just like having one. It replaces an mp3 player, gameboy, and portable movie player, for one; plus it'll be pretty damn cool to be able to log on AIM in class with my new wi-fi card :D.

Where I am finding it useful is at my job this summer; I'm in and out of the office a lot and I use it for contacts and appointments quite a bit. You know, the stuff PDAs are designed for; not just as a toy :lol:.

I am also thinking of other possible uses... my school is switching to Voice Over IP phones now (rendering my newfangled 2.4 Ghz cordless phone useless... grrr); i wonder if i could make calls from around campus on my iPaq 2210 with wifi? 8) since i'm a poor college student, that could conceivably save me some on my cellphone bill (since i mostly make on-campus calls during the day).

Actually, one very good use I've made of a PDA was as my textbook for a class on programming langauges; the book (about Scheme) is available free online (legally, i mean); so carrying it around on my old Clie saved me having to buy the hard printout version (not to mention my back thanked me for the lighter load in my bag, plus I saved a few trees :)). Plus being able to search for specific topics without flipping back and forth from the index was quite nice.

The one thing I notice: my friends who leave their PDAs sitting in their room are generally using big bulky ones; who wants to carry around an Axim or Visor when most of the time you don't even have a bag with you? That's why I went for the 2210 - enough geek features for me, but nice and compact (not as small as my Clie T415, but hey, that was monochrome and the thinnest Palm OS handheld ever).

[Talyn]

I just found a new use for mine (well, something I'd never done before at least).

I have to go to a recurrent class each year, and at the end of day 1, the final exam is reviewed so we know what to study that night so we can get the test out of the way. While the instructor was going through the test (yes, he phrased the questions differently than they were written at least!) I held the Record button. So that night, I could play back the whole thing, and search my study packet to find which questions would be on the test.

Worked great for the questions that were both in the study pack and the test. The rest of the questions were up to me to find the answers in all the other books.

[KayMan2k]

To clarify, I don't feel that I need a PDA during college. However, having a PDA makes my life easier with organization, information on the go, correcting essays, and taking notes (I tend to loose the paper ones).

About using a PDA as a audio recorder - I sometimes record the entire lecture but mostly record when the prof. is talking quickly or explaining a diagram. It's somtimes easier to listen to the explanation again then to try to decipher your notes. PPC made it quick and easy to record, the mic was good on my E-115 and I could clearly hear - just be sure to put your PDA on mute! :) A digital audio recorded probably isn't too expensive nowadays - but I already had my PDA. Plus I'm a visual person and organizing files in a directory is easier for me than in/out positions of a tape or order of recordings.

Others mentioned using WiFi. I have never had a WiFi card but with the h5555 I plan on using it for AIM, mobile email checking, researching the web on the current topic, and streaming news video.

My advice - if you don't use it much then you might wanna just sell it. But if you do like it just don't need all the power you could get a less expensive one (I hear the 19xx series is really nice). I've seen the Dell - too bulky for me (yes, 5555 is large too - but looks nicer and is packed with features).

[jd4science]

Just a shameless plug for a website: www.pdagrad.com This is a website designed just for students. It might help you to ask there.

Justin

[Crystal Eitle]

Just a shameless plug for a website: www.pdagrad.com This is a website designed just for students. It might help you to ask there.
Somewhat O/T: Just looked at PDAgrad for the first time; I'd never gone there before, as I'm not a student. It looks very nice! Kudos to whoever designed it.

[jd4science]

Just try to remember to pass on the info? We can always use some more members. :)

Thanks,
Justin.

[dean_shan]

I don't use mine for school purposes too often (sometimes games when bored). I use it more for personal use. Some days I use my e740 more then my personal desktop.

[kuyars]

Despite the excellent messages posted here regarding other students' uses of their PDA...sorry if this sounds harsh, but it still does sound to me primarily a luxury item (toy) more so than anything else.

I'm not sure if this extends outwards to life outside of school, where it seems that a pda could be remarkably helpful.

This is how I figure it:

Notetaking on a pda - this really doesn't work well, especially in the realm of mathematics.

Wireless on a pda - it could be helpful to have wireless in school, but just how urgent is that email anyway? It might sound good to research current school topics on the web, but I kind of doubt that this will happen to any truly useful degree. I once looked up the words that make up an acronym on google via wifi, but that was the extent of its usefulness. Most of my campus has plenty of available computer labs.

Video on a pda - this is a really cool use of a pda and I think it's a valid reason to own one. If perhaps I were stuck in school for extended periods of time, then this could be a viable way to pass the time (apart from studying). But as it is, I try to not schedule myself to have longer than 2 hours of breaks between classes.

MP3 on a pda - a very good reason to use a pda. With pdas getting so much cheaper and inherently more versatile than just regular mp3 players, it totally makes sense to get a pda instead. The only advantage I can see for getting a true-blue mp3 player is having a remote on the headphones. Sure the buttons can be programmed to give it alternate functions, but it's still not as easy/convenient as a remote on the headphones. Clie's do this, I don't know why PPCs and other Palms dont offer this.

Scheduling on a pda - most students I know own a computer in their dorm/apartment/etc. As I stated, when I'm not at school, most likely I'll be at home so it's quite simple for me to see my schedule on Outlook on my desktop computer.

These are my personal opinions on how I (would) use *my pda.* I think, at this point, it all boils down to how much money I am willing to shell out for a luxury item. Luxury, of course, from the eyes of a college student.

[Skitals]

Guys, face it, your PDA is a toy! Sure it may have some good uses, but nothing that can't be done in more traditional, cheaper, methods. You are simply using it as an excuse for why you NEED it; when in fact, you don't. Alright, I'm not even in college... going to be a high school senior this year. I have been using PDAs since middle school!

In 8th grade I got a Palm IIIxe... which was a huge investment for me back then. I actually did take notes on it and stuff, why? I have no freaking clue. It took twice as long, and I was constantly struggling to keep up with the teacher. After a month or so it was used solely for gaming :)

That got old after a while and in 9th grade I got my first pocket pc... the classic ipaq 3635 :) Damn... spending $500 on a handheld when you are in 9th grade? Is that normal? lol. I used it for listening to MP3's and watching movies in the back of the class. I only got caught once... I had the volume on A Bugs Life up too loud. I also lovedddd PocketNES despite the button issue. I was in gadget utopia :)

After a while I stopped using it. Time moved on, I got my license and needed GPS because I always get lost driving around. I look into Pocket PC based solutions... I almost got a GPS sleeve but then I would have been tied to the ipaq form factor. I decided it was time to get a new pocket pc. iPAQ 5455 was there for me. I picked the 5455 cause at its time it was king of the pocket pc's and had integrated bluetooth... perfect for a bluetooth gps solution! So there goes another $300 on the reciever :) Oh, and you cant have an ipaq without a nice case and the Piel Frama case did the trick.

I guess that should have been good enough, but I decided to sell the 5455 to get a 2210. With a WiFi card it does everything the 5455 did and is smaller so hopefully i will use it more. Plus its faster, and Quake at 18fps sounds nice.

What am I gonna use it for? I have no clue. I dont really care either... I just love toys.

Btw... this year i used the 5455 mostly for its wireless features. I discovered various WAPs in my highschool. Namely the science hallway and library. It was SOOO nice to be able to walk between classes and check my email. I would type responses and other email in class, and send it walking through the hall past the WAPs. Of course our library has connected computers already but they dont let us check email or go on AIM. No one knew the difference when i was typing away on my ipaq + ir keyboard :)

Like my dad always says... the difference between men and boys is the price of their toys.

And fyi... i buy all this stuff with my own money. Mommy and Daddy dont spoil me.

[droppedd]

And fyi... i buy all this stuff with my own money. Mommy and Daddy dont spoil me.

Then for a high school senior you must have quite a lucrative outside source of income - 4 high-end PDAs since 8th grade, plus a car with bluetooth GPS? 8O either you've been selling crack on the side, or you have a slightly more lenient definition of "my own money" than I do.

Personally, I can only afford the toys because I'm on a full scholarship at school, and I have a job on campus as well as one during the summer... but I don't try to pretend that makes me financially independent by any means. If my parents weren't buying my books and housing & feeding me for summer break, and giving me money for clothes, I'd be in a somewhat tougher situation (although not impossible) and I'm not ashamed to admit that. And I'd certainly have to cut back on my PDA and guitar habits. I'd say I have it a LOT better than most people; some people I know get little or no help from their parents towards tuition and the like, and their student loans will be deadly after they graduate.

So sure... maybe I saved up money from working at school and over the summer and bought myself a 2210, but it's kinda unfair to assert that as "my own money" when my parents are still buying me most of the necessities (and many non-necessities; i'm sure your parents give you an allowance). That alone makes me pretty damn spoiled in a world where the average person makes as little as they do and where I have friends who can't even get a job at a fast food place, the economy is so bad (i'll end my guilt trip here, sorry). Anyways, I don't try to assert my financial independence anymore when talking to my friends - as they point out to me, i'm still spoiled even if what I'm spending is technically "my own money."

and kuyars, you are right. While having a PC in your room is nowadays more or less a necessity on campus (at least on mine - most profs communicate only through email and electronic submission of papers, and school elections are solely online), a PDA is a luxury item. But personally I find it a useful luxury, whereas I have friends whose PDAs sit in their cradles useless, making them money they may as well have thrown down the toilet.

[kuyars]

droppedd, you seem to be about in the same situation as I am (except for the full scholarship hehe), in terms of both having your parents being the backbone of your support supplemented with your own part-time job money on the side.

So I'm wondering if at any point, did you feel guilty for those times (if there were any) where you felt that you weren't using your pda as much as I thought you should? Or in a productive manner?

My whole deal is when I had a pda, I felt pressure to use it for something productive, like scheduling or viewing school pdf files, when I knew deep down that it's just so much easier to do on a desktop which was never that far away. Point being is, even if there were easier methods of doing something, I tried to do it on the pda, if only to justify the purchase. In the end, guilt got the better of me and I sold the thing on ebay. I'm just wondering if you, or anyone else reading, has ever had similar thoughts?

As a side note: I find it very odd in retrospect, because I also own a gamecube, which is PURELY a luxury item. However, I have no qualms about owning it, despite it offering nothing remotely productive, aside from perhaps stress-relief? Perhaps if I viewed a pda as purely a toy, much like my gamecube, then I wouldn't be riddled with these guilty notions of not using it as a businessman would. Interesting....

[droppedd]

So I'm wondering if at any point, did you feel guilty for those times (if there were any) where you felt that you weren't using your pda as much as I thought you should? Or in a productive manner?

I don't know - I always used my PDAs a LOT (but almost entirely for games; outside of the time I put my textbook in CS class onto it). So my PDAs certainly aren't suffering from underuse. When I underutilize a toy, I don't feel guilty so much as just feel that it's wasting money, and onto ebay it goes. I have a really fun travel guitar (a Baby Taylor, for you guitar nerds) that I kept in my locker in high school, and brought with on my trip to Israel last year (that was free, subsidized by Birthright Israel (http://www.birthrightisrael.com/), so i don't feel guilty for that trip :))... but I just don't have room for an extra guitar (besides my regular one) in my dorm room, so it's sitting there unused. So i'll put it on ebay and probably get as much as I paid for it. (gotta love ebay buyers :)).

I guess I do occasionally feel pressured to do something useful on my PDA; but that's just because I used productivity excuses to justify purchasing my Palms in the past. There was no "productivity increase" that I can think of getting from a perfectly functional Sony Clie to a new 2210, so I didn't delude myself into thinking of it as anything but an entertainment device. So I don't really feel guilty for it. Especially considering the most cutting-edge pieces of gaming equipment I own are a GeForce 2 MX and an N64 :).

I feel guilty in general for not putting my money to better use... people are starving every day. Myself slowly becoming something of a utilitarian and agreeing with Peter Singer (i became vegetarian 2 years ago), I know i can and ought to do something to help... but it's difficult when there are so many toys i want :wink:. Alas, I have two of the most expensive habits besides crack: computers and guitars.

Luckily, unlike most college students, i don't drink, so i can think of it as money that would've gone into sixpacks otherwise :).

[Skitals]

Then for a high school senior you must have quite a lucrative outside source of income - 4 high-end PDAs since 8th grade, plus a car with bluetooth GPS? 8O either you've been selling crack on the side, or you have a slightly more lenient definition of "my own money" than I do.

Yes, I have been quiet lucky financially for my age. I have been running various websites for years. I had a beavis & butthead website before most people had computers when i was in elementary school. Wrote the damn thing in html too :) Website can be easy money if you know what you are doing... the trick is doing it on something you actually have a passion for. My xbox website pulled in over $5000 in just a couple months. And the best part of all this is when you are my age, you have no financial responsibilities. All of my money goes into my car, toys, going out, etc. My money is spread out across 3 bank accounts, ameritrade, paypal account, a possitive balance on my credit card, and cash :D

thank you digital age!

[droppedd]

well, good for you. I'm jealous :). Especially considering how down the toilet the whole internet market is these days.

[Skitals]

well, good for you. I'm jealous :). Especially considering how down the toilet the whole internet market is these days.

There is always a market for something... you just need to find a niche and do something new and different.

[that dan guy]

I think that If I had a ppc in college I would have been in much better shape. I am an avid post it user and my desk at work was always cluttered with them but know I use my dell axim and I don't lose those notes. In college I can only imagine how helpful a ppc would have been. I like the idea of recording notes on my ppc voice recorder and drawing the diagrams and equations may be dificult but possible. I like the idea of putting some of my books on it to save having to carry them arround. Plus you can download all of the clculators you need for finance, unit conversion, and scientific calculators as well. You could also back up all of your papers on your ppc and there are some professors that are a little more progessive that would allow you to beam them or email the paper to them or just print them out over a network or to an ir printer. Plus I have access to my schedule and phone contacts all the time so that i can check it at a glance because I was always forgetting stuff and due dates in school. And that is just the productive uses. You also have wireless internet and email and games, mp3s, movies, plus map programs for when you want to go on a road trip and weather updates with accuweather. And it can also be an icebreaker for fellow classmates who are always wowed by the guy who has the neat toys to play with before class. ( okay I am stretching it on that last one). I use my dell axim advance quite a bit I have a 1 gig cf card, a 256 sd card and a 512mg sd card on the way and I must admit that it has helped me on long trips and keep track of clients and my schedule. I can only imagine how it would have helped me in college when I didn't have as much control over my schedule.

[droppedd]

yeah, dan, but the point i think is that most of us are in our dorm a lot of the time anyways, and there's nothing the PPC can do that outlook on my desktop really can't... so the organizer functions are only moderately useful. Also, only a handful of textbooks are available online (i've only had one; a book on Scheme from MIT Press). And using a PPC as a calculator can be a pain in the ass... i'd use my TI-83 over it any day :).

If I bought a paper&pen organizer for $20 i'd have all the organizer functionality, easier note-taking, and best of all, no ActiveSync issues... but I like my toys :D.

[nice_micael]

Well here in Sweden meany people don't have pda in my school so it's very easy to get caught like playing gangsta race during class (teacher thinking it's a game boy and you have to start lecturing them :( )but im probably transferring to another school so i don't know how it is their but hoping it will be good.

[Jeff Song]

dropped, it is true that most of us college people are going to have a desktop with outlook on it in our dorms or in our apartments. However, if you go to a fairly good sized uni, then you know that a good part of your day is spent AWAY from the computer, and walking around to your next class, grabbing lunch, or in a lecture. This is when the PPC comes in handy.

During school, I used my PDAs for music while walking to my next class, movies during a lunch/study break, voice recorder for notes, calendar for test dates, work hours, and other calendar-esque items, tasks for hw and other things that I needed to complete on a certain day, check book register (so I would actually keep track of my daily expenses), ebook reader when I got bored, word/excel viewer&editor, alarm clock, games (like pokenes, bejeweled, etc), picture viewer....the list just goes on and on.

The thing is, it isn't a necessity to own a PDA. It also isn't a necessity to have the super fast internet connections, but it is nice. PDAs do what they are supposed to do-that is make our lives more organized and maybe a lil bit more interesting. I for one am glad that I own a Pocket PC and will continue to use one for a long time to come.

[kuyars]

Well, since I'm the one who started this thread, let me describe my situation. I believe I attend a fairly large university (calpoly) and yes, it's true that the pda can be used to mark down test dates and hw due dates.

But by the time I'm in school, I'll have already finished my homework for whatever was due that day, since I had already checked my dekstop Outlook the night before. And hopefully, I won't need my pda to tell me that I have an exam coming the next class period -- I would have found that out at home on my computer. So when I'm between classes and I'm walking to and fro on campus, I've largely gotten my tasks done, because I squared everything away the night before using my scheduling on my desktop.

However, I think you pretty much nailed when you said that "it isn't a necessity to own a PDA." I agree that it MAY be helpful in terms of simply MAKING sure that you've done your work prior to arriving on campus. I mean, let's face it. If you haven't done your work before arriving on campus, and you use your pda to find out that you have homework due in 15 minutes for your next class...then you need something more than a pda to drive some discipline into you.

All the other functions are clearly a non-necessity (mp3, games, pic viewer), which I pretty much classify the pda as a luxury item...and an expensive one at that. I agree that this is pretty much a value-based decision that only I can come to for myself, and it surely isn't definitive for everyone else. Simply because I find pdas to be rather expensive for their purported usefulness for a student, doesn't mean everyone will as well. So my qualm with pdas lies in the fact that I find their usefulness as planners to be relatively lacking (in situations where your desktop isnt far away), and I cannot quite justify the $$$ for the functions that are left once you remove the planner aspect, which are all the entertainment functions.

[droppedd]

I cannot quite justify the $$$ for the functions that are left once you remove the planner aspect, which are all the entertainment functions.

True for some people, but you can actually easily justify it just as an entertainment device. I would justify it like this: Game Boy Advance SP. $100. Flash linker cart to get games or 3 or 4 cartridges another $100+. Portable DVD player with 4" screen, probably $200+ (that one's kind of a stretch for me personally though; i wouldn't pay for one of those, even if i didn't have a PPC). MP3 player $70-$150. and universal remote: $10+.

the gear separately: $500+.
iPaq 2210 + 256 MB CF card: Less than $350 with student discount.
ability to relive your childhood glolry days by playing Secret of Mana on Pocket SNES: priceless. :D

For me, I also actually use the PDA functionality (I hate keeping things written, i always lose them or forget about where I wrote it, and why bother re-entering it into outlook by hand when you get back to your room?), and as soon as i get my wi-fi card (which my boss is paying for - sweet!), i'll be using that as well (I can check my email etc. during lunch from the cafeteria - no computers there for me to use, but they have an AP). That just makes it even sweeter. Not to mention, it will certainly make the 4-5 hour bus/train/car rides home from school less boring.

But I agree it's not a neccessity. Just a very nice convergence device that can be more cost-effective, and often better, than separate luxury devices (I know my old MP3 player is going on ebay this week, heheh).

[kuyars]

are you telling me that your commute to school takes 4-5 hours??

If so, then I'm all for the pda for you!! I'd get one if my commute was that long, but as it is, my apartment is 15 mins from campus....

[droppedd]

are you telling me that your commute to school takes 4-5 hours??

If so, then I'm all for the pda for you!! I'd get one if my commute was that long, but as it is, my apartment is 15 mins from campus....

no, i mean home home. My dorm is 15 minutes max from any building on campus. I usually go home maybe every 4-6 weeks, Boston to NY; and my new band is likely to get gigs in Westchester (where our singer lives), also 4+ hours away. That's also why i'm seriously considering getting that complete ripoff of an extra battery ($60 for a 900 mAH battery? Are you nuts?).

Also my girlfriend goes to school an hour away... having my 'Paq for when I go visit her will be kinda nice as well. Not that i'm planning to have much time or interest in the wireless web while i'm in her dorm... :wink:

[Birdiestyle]

But the PPC can be more convenient for Outlook type stuff.
Synching beats remembering the little notes in most cases...

If you use a student planner like "The Dog Ate It" to keep
track of your assignments, when you get your grades
in class, you can enter them right away and keep a running
total of grades and gpa, as well as do the Outlook type stuff.
Course now "The Dog Ate It" is available on the Desktop too,
so I guess you can now wait until you get back to your desktop
to enter that info too...

[dean_shan]

I cannot quite justify the $$$ for the functions that are left once you remove the planner aspect, which are all the entertainment functions.
But I agree it's not a neccessity. Just a very nice convergence device that can be more cost-effective, and often better, than separate luxury devices (I know my old MP3 player is going on ebay this week, heheh).

You hit the nail on the head with that post.

[Jeff Song]

Well, since I'm the one who started this thread, let me describe my situation. I believe I attend a fairly large university (calpoly) and yes, it's true that the pda can be used to mark down test dates and hw due dates.

But by the time I'm in school, I'll have already finished my homework for whatever was due that day, since I had already checked my dekstop Outlook the night before. And hopefully, I won't need my pda to tell me that I have an exam coming the next class period -- I would have found that out at home on my computer. So when I'm between classes and I'm walking to and fro on campus, I've largely gotten my tasks done, because I squared everything away the night before using my scheduling on my desktop.

However, I think you pretty much nailed when you said that "it isn't a necessity to own a PDA." I agree that it MAY be helpful in terms of simply MAKING sure that you've done your work prior to arriving on campus. I mean, let's face it. If you haven't done your work before arriving on campus, and you use your pda to find out that you have homework due in 15 minutes for your next class...then you need something more than a pda to drive some discipline into you.

All the other functions are clearly a non-necessity (mp3, games, pic viewer), which I pretty much classify the pda as a luxury item...and an expensive one at that. I agree that this is pretty much a value-based decision that only I can come to for myself, and it surely isn't definitive for everyone else. Simply because I find pdas to be rather expensive for their purported usefulness for a student, doesn't mean everyone will as well. So my qualm with pdas lies in the fact that I find their usefulness as planners to be relatively lacking (in situations where your desktop isnt far away), and I cannot quite justify the $$$ for the functions that are left once you remove the planner aspect, which are all the entertainment functions.

I can see where you are coming from. It looks like for YOUR purposes, a PDA isn't necessary at all. A simple legal pad and pen should suit you fine (I'm not trying to flame btw).

Often, I am away from home. After class, I go to work right away, only going home to change and maybe eat. I dont have the time to look at outlook, and that is why I have a PPC. I can do all of the multimedia sort of things, plus organize myself for the following day. I'm sure that you understand that in college, professors often assign hw that is due a over a week. I have my hw in there to remind me of that, so that I can get it done. I never use my calendar to tell me what I need to do in 15 min-I already know from seeing it multiple times. How about new reminders that you need to tell yourself? This is a very important aspect of the functionality of a PPC. Addresses at your fingertips, and so much more.

to sum up, it seems like you spend a lot of your spare time in your dorm/apt. This is fine as you have your computer there for you at all times. However, for those of us that can't be by our desktops all day, then a PPC becomes more than just a novelty item-it becomes a true helper, a device that really helps you out day to day.

If you no longer need your PPC, then mail it to me :D I'll find a good home for it 8O

[kuyars]

guys, I really appreciate all the great posts -- they've really helped to clarify my own position as I see how they relate to all of yours.

In the end, I sadly have to maintain that, for the most part, a pda in my lifestyle is really just gravy. But who likes to eat turkey without all the trimmings right? :)

That being said, I may yet sucuumb to my techno-lust if an awesome deal comes along. In a couple of months, Dell may be offering the X3 part, which is rumored to be around $150 (right?), and if it's anywhere as groundbreaking as the X5 was, maybe it could end up being a real steal. At that price point, I can be sure that its value can be justified as a convergence device, as droppedd's excellent post pointed out. Furthermore, the market will have to respond to such a low price, which will be great.

Maybe it's blasphemy, but I've also always wanted a Clie, and that new Clie announcement on Friday has gotten my attention....

[dean_shan]

to sum up, it seems like you spend a lot of your spare time in your dorm/apt. This is fine as you have your computer there for you at all times. However, for those of us that can't be by our desktops all day, then a PPC becomes more than just a novelty item-it becomes a true helper, a device that really helps you out day to day.

Very true. It is realy nice to take data with you at all times.

[Jeff Song]

guys, I really appreciate all the great posts -- they've really helped to clarify my own position as I see how they relate to all of yours.

In the end, I sadly have to maintain that, for the most part, a pda in my lifestyle is really just gravy. But who likes to eat turkey without all the trimmings right? :)

That being said, I may yet sucuumb to my techno-lust if an awesome deal comes along. In a couple of months, Dell may be offering the X3 part, which is rumored to be around $150 (right?), and if it's anywhere as groundbreaking as the X5 was, maybe it could end up being a real steal. At that price point, I can be sure that its value can be justified as a convergence device, as droppedd's excellent post pointed out. Furthermore, the market will have to respond to such a low price, which will be great.

Maybe it's blasphemy, but I've also always wanted a Clie, and that new Clie announcement on Friday has gotten my attention....


At that price, a PPC would definitely be a no brainer for one in your situation.

About the clie-I've owned two before, and I am VERY dissatisfied with Sony's proprietary nature and failure to do what customers demand. However, the line is very impressive, but the OS is VERY lacking imo.

[manoosie]

Very interesting discussion. My philosophy is that with a handheld, you can become a power user and make it worth it. For instance, this is when i use it(i am a student also)

Workout in the morning and listen to mp3s at the same time.

Records my lifts with pocket workout.

Read books before i got to sleep. This is great because i can read when all my roomates are asleep and i dont have to turn on the light.(new microsoft promotion is great)

Phone numbers of friends of course.

My computer labs can sometimes be full. Nice to have it when that happens.

Quicken, keep track of finiances on the go, which is important considering us college students have no money.

Show off my pictures to friends on campus.

Games for when class sucks.

To me, its worth it for this stuff. If you dedicate yourself to it, i think it can be justified. :D

[dean_shan]

Games for when class sucks.

True this is a great feature of PPC. It's almost the reason I got one. :wink:

[maximus]

For me, the ultimate use of a PPC for me are to:
1. GPRS (internet everywhere, sms everywhere, one device for all)
2. watching/listening to divx/oggs on those long haul flights.
3. pocketICQ
4. grocery notes
5. giving some people (people that talk utter nonsense on meetings) the feeling of how insignificant they are, by choosing to play with my axim instead of listening to them.