What are the 5 most important functions you use your PDA for?

[IpaqMan2]

I have been wondering how the PDA market and it's user base has changed since their release to today.

So my question I would like to ask everyone is:

What are the 5 most important functions you use your PDA for?

Number you answers from most important to least.
It could be anything from ebook reading, listening to MP3s, gaming, watching videos, & ect.

example:
For me it's,
1. daily PIM functions
2. daily Note taking.
3. keeping my check book balanced
4. eBook reading
5. Avantgo - Carrying news information and being able to read it through out the day.

[SteveHoward999]

1, eBooks
2, taking notes, to-do lists, appointments
3, contacts database
4, AvantGo
5, Email + web on the move

can't stick to only 5 though
GPS (CF card), what's on at the cinema, pocket pool, music, movies, ...


Steve

[disconnected]

1) ebooks
2) GPS (bluetooth)
3) internet access (Sprint bluetooth phone)
4) games (serious Cropped Out addiction)
5) calendar


I think that's in order now (although 2 and 3 are close). The main reason I got my first PPC in 2000 was for internet access; I didn't think I'd like reading on the small screen, and GPS for PPCs hadn't even come about yet.

[Zab]

1. micromedex
2. ebooks
3. games
4. being able to come home from lunch, sync in the 10 minutes i get, and read my email when i get to work
5. see above but replace email with news

[Ink Noise]

For me, here is how it would break down....

1) PIM functions
2) Data on the go (business related)
3) Entertainment & Amusement
4) Wireless Internet
5) Being able to work along side a PC (native file support) so that I can just toss in an SD card and work.

As for a device, it would be a large screen, long battery life and integrated connectivity.

Good topic,
Ink Noise

[surur]

My main uses of my ppc phone

1) Calender and appointments
2) Note taking
3) Internet access (PPCthoughts and google)
4) phone
5) GPS


Surur

[kahchong]

I am having a HP IPAQ h4150 ppc and I mainly use it for:

1. Using Wi-Fi for internet access

2. Listening mp3 songs & Watching videos just like an entertainment jukebox.

3. Taking down Reminders, Appointments as well as storing Contacts.

4. Using the Pocket Word to do some drawing/sketching or some word processing. The Pocket Word is really just like the desktop MS Word, very useful!

5. Using the Bluetooth to connect to other peoples devices like mobile phones & PDAs, often send and receive files from one another.

[Kowalski]

1) PIM functions, note taking(abd idalibrary)
2) MP3
3) internet access, chat, mail using gprs
4) video
5) ebook reading

[Stephen Beesley]

hmmmm, for me it would be:

1. wifi intenet access
2. notetaking/writing
3. ebooks
4. watching videos
5. games

Of course the order of importance probably changes from week to week, but that is probably the list of things I will most likely be doing on my Pocket PC at any given moment.

[piperpilot]

For me, its:

1. PIM Functions
2. Gaming
3. Listening to music/recorded radio shows
4. Wireless Internet
5. ebooks

Lately, however, I've been doing a lot of word processing using Pocket Word.

[Andy Whiteford]

My h4150:

1. PIM usage
2. Ewallet
3. Alarm Clock
4. Note taking / Ad Hoc reminders
5. Games

[Zero101]

1.) Calendar/PIM access while on the go

2.) Internet access when away from a PC. Websurfing, chatting, email, etc.

3.) Entertainment (games, Divx movies, music)

4.) Light note-taking

[DVD]

iPaq 5550:

1) PIM
2) ewallet (but perhaps that's really a PIM function)
3) note-taking (eg: I'm at school 1 day/week) ; memo-writing
4) email / IM
5) testing clients' LANs (using expansion sleeve and CF LAN card, 'cos most of them don't have wi-fi) and telnet client -- saves me carting a laptop around

[Ryan Joseph]

Great topic! It's really interesting reading everyone's uses. Here's what I use my i-mate for:

1. GPRS Internet and e-mail (I'm posting right now from the New Jersey turnpike 8) )
2. Phone and contacts
3. Bible
4. Note-taking
5. Entertainment (I use the camera, mp3s, videos and games equally)

It's kind of surprising how many people put Wireless Internet in their top five. I guess it's just too useful and cool not to use. :mrgreen:

[apanther28]

1) PIM functions
2) Music
3) Games
4) Movies
5) Just for the cool factor

[Wiggster]

I'm a student and I work at a certain video rental store, so I have light benefits.

1. Transcribing lectures in class
2. Games (I have a 256 MB SD card full of 'em, and my girlfriend always wants to play Insaniquarium in bed)
3. Internet access anywhere on campus/in my apartment (WiFi)
4. Music (Walking to work is impossible withotu some tunes)
5. IMDB database at my fingertips

[SteveHoward999]

2. Games (I have a 256 MB SD card full of 'em, and my girlfriend always wants to play Insaniquarium in bed)

Is this some new kink I need to explore?

Steve

[Darren Behan]

1) PIM
2) Phone
3) News\Weather\Reference
4) Games
5) eBooks

db

[shawnc]

1. MP3
2. Avantgo
3. Reader




4. PIM
5. Games
[/list]

[Ripper014]

This is not an easy answer there are alot of important programs on my unit. But the following are the top five I probably consider the most important, but it leaves out programs such as SpreadCE, Textmaker, ListPro and a number of others that could easily be on the list.



1) WisBar - the first thing I install on fresh unit
2) PIM - in my case Agenda Fusion
3) Sprite Backup
4) Cash Organizer - Financial Software
5) Code Wallet - Manage all my personal information

[IpaqMan2]

I realized that there are many people out there who use their PDA's beyond 5 functions, but am guessing that the people who use their PDAs for at least 5 major functions are more likley to keep their PDAs longer than those who could be considered "fly by night: users, or in otherwords those people who purchased or were given a PDA, and use it until the "newness" has worn away.

I am also under the assumption that users who purchased their PDAs during their early days of release (back during the "Pilot" error, used their PDA's mainly for PIM functions. So I have been trying to see what and how people are using their PDA's today for an article that I was working on.

[Jeff Rutledge]

1. PIM
2. mp3 player
3. Tie: Games / Web
4. Money (Pocket Money) <-- Still waiting for SPB Finance that sync's with MS Money.
5. Lists (List Pro)

[VoodooEx]

Apart from receiving phone call (mine's a PPCPE), for me, it is:

1) Keeping track of my appointments and tasks.
2) Keeping track of my expenditures.
3) eBook reading.
4) Listening to music
5) Gaming

[Andy Whiteford]

This is not an easy answer there are alot of important programs on my unit. But the following are the top five I probably consider the most important, but it leaves out programs such as SpreadCE, Textmaker, ListPro and a number of others that could easily be on the list.



1) WisBar - the first thing I install on fresh unit
2) PIM - in my case Agenda Fusion
3) Sprite Backup
4) Cash Organizer - Financial Software
5) Code Wallet - Manage all my personal information


Not sure I would consider 1 and 3 as functions you would use your PPC for although they are important pieces of software. ;)

[Islander]

<clippage>
_________________
JR - www.calgaryppc.com

Neat...learn something new everyday...I didn't know that Tek n'Toys was Canadian, or that there was a Calgary connection to PPCThoughts. I *really* like to see Canadian content online...having been online since early '97, I know it used to be pretty rare.

Anyway...back to the lists... (and nice av Jeff :mrgreen: )

I am hoping my A716 arrives today...dreamed about it last night even, ...odd dream...suffice it to say, the A716 was HUGE and non-returnable 8O

When I use my Visor, my list is:
1) PIM functions -notes, addy's, lists, etc
2) Ebooks
3) Games
4) Calculators, advanced applications
5) Camera, eyemodule

When I get my ppc, I will definitely have a revised list
:D

[karinatwork]

Ok, here it goes (and in that order):

PIM
Lists (any kind of lists, to do, shopping, menu planner, recipes, etc. etc. I used to carry tons of paper around with me all the time)
Ebook Reading
Record of Expenses
Games
Photo Album
That's 6. Oh well.

;)

[Wiggster]

4. Money (Pocket Money) <-- Still waiting for SPB Finance that sync's with MS Money.

Ditto to that.

[ironguy]

1. PIM
2. ebooks
3. Docs and Spreadsheets
4. Bible
5. Lists

[Jeff Song]

4355-

1. Music
2. PIM
3. Wireless Internet/SMS to SE T610 (Bluetooth)
4. eWallet
5. eBooks

[i_spock]

1. ListPro lists (project and todo tracking at work, personal lists)
2. Wireless internet WiFi, GPRS via BT phone
3. Synced content, Avantgo, pocket RSS, journal bar
4. at the gym (pocket diet tracker, mysporttraining, fm radio CF card)
5. MP3 player

[dh]

1. PIM functions using KOrganizer and KAddress - every day
2. eBook reading using OpieReader - every evening
3. Note taking using StageOne or Textmaker - most workdays
4. Access to documents in Word, Excel or PDF formats - most workdays
5. Music, both MP3s and oggs - from time to time, often if I'm trying to read in bed but my wife is watching something on TV I don't like :D

All on a Sharp Zaurus C860.

[felixdd]

1) Music
2) eBooks.
3) Reading notes from class.
4) Viewing pictures
5) Games

I'm usually pretty good with deadlines so I don't really use the PIM functions too much.