Going to Pocket PC and need some advice

[Shorty]

Ok.. beat this for a strange mindshift ;)

Im a former Handspring Visor user, who got himself a Sony Ericsson P800 smartphone. I tire of it's limitations (of which there are many).. so I am looking @ going to PPC.

An old friend has a Toshiba E740 which he has offered to me at great money, so Im taking it but.. I need some information on some pocket PC functions first (he lives 300 miles away, so just trying it out isn't possible).

Im really used to JOT as a handwriting recognition system. How does the Pocket PC handwriting compare? I just want to be able to write a character on the screen and it takes my reasonably clean scrawl and turns into the appropriate letter/character/number. I don't know how many of you have used JOT/Graffiti 2 though :?

Bluetooth. He is chucking in his CF Bluetooth card so I can wireless connect to my new phone (T610). Mobile email is essential for me, so being able to use pocket Outlook is needed. How many accounts can it support? Any email rules?? Sorting? Folders?

That was my main questions really but anyone who wants to convince me anymore about PPC.. please feel free ;)

:D

[Thinkingmandavid]

Howdy and welcome to the forums, glad to hear you are getting a ppc.

AS a side note first, I am surprised you were finding limitations with the sony p800 since it is running the symbain os. it can basically do everything a ppc can. you are looking at a different interface but to me the symbian os is so very stable. personal experience on that.

anyway, it is good he is throwing in the bluetooth card because for sure you will get good use out of that. If you find that your ppc doesnt do enough 'stock' then you can always add programs to it.

The handwriting is not too bad to me. it will learn you style of handwriting so when you enter 'a' it will recognize it as an a. you will not have to learn a new handwriting like palm has, oh excuse me, palm one :roll: so that is good, if for some reason you dont like the handwriting recognition that your toshiba comes with, you can always buy additional software for handwriting recognition that will improve upon it. :wink:

[Shorty]

I adore the handset, the fantastic Symbian 7 operating system and UIQ interface of my P800.. what I don't adore is the hamfisted way Sony Ericsson have missed off some significant functions (no rich text/HTML emails.. yeah thats cool.. but not everyone will send me plain text like I ask them :evil:) ... that is just one of my several gripes with the implementation... I could go on whining.. but I won't ;) (mumbles something about horrid maximum supported memory of 128mb in proprietary memory sticks)

The bluetooth element is essential to me as sometimes I can only get access to GSM CSD rather than my usual GPRS. I also have a wireless LAN @ home & work.. so that's another factor that tempts me ;). Id rather not have to limp along using IR :?

Damn, Im truly starting to sound like a pedantic Englishman.. oh wait.. I am :roll: :wink:

[Thinkingmandavid]

:) well, as long as you like who you are.

So how is it coming along with the choices in a ppc?

I always tell people to test out the models and see how they feel in your hand. If it feels like an extension of who you are then you will be much happier with that model. Dont get a model just because 'so and so' has it, and dont get a model because of pressure from someone else. :wink:

I also tell people to think six months down the road in what they will be needing when choosing a ppc. Currently, you may not need it, but as time goes by the need may come up, so be prepared for the future by spendind a few more bucks today for tomorrow. :wink: