New to PDA / Pocket PCs, interested in GPS, lots of questions

[pilot4x4]

I've never owned a PDA / Pocket PC but have decided I'd like to get one. I'd like to use one for the following uses:Excel (I collect books and other items and I'd like to be able to carry a database of my collections), Word documents, Email when traveling, and keeping track of appointments and contacts. I started out looking at a Tungsten E2 at Radio Shack but I'm not sure it will meet my needs. I'll need a unit that is Wi-fi equipped or a seperate Wi-fi card. I'm also interested in GPS so I've been considering the Garmin M5 but have read plenty of good and bad about it. If I do want GPS do you think it's better to buy a unit with GPS built in or get a Bluetooth or CF GPS unit. I'd like to use the GPS in my motorhome and my concern with a unit like the Garmin is that it might be hard to find a place to mount it where both the driver and passenger could look at it since the seats are a few feet apart from each other. It seems like with a seperate GPS it could be left laying on the dash and the PDA could be moved to either side as necessary. If I run a seperate GPS with pocket PC is it possible to make it work with my contact list to goto an address in the contact list like the Garmin will? Last but not least if I was to go with a Palm unit will it let me work with Word and Excel as easily as a Windows based unit will? Thanks in advance for answering my questions, John

[OneAngryDwarf]

1) Pocket PC is easier to work with Word and Excel documents as compared to a Palm

2) Sure you can use excel for your book collection but you could even get a database application which may already be made for that or just sync's with an Access database (just a thought but excel would work fine).

3) I would get a Bluetooth GPS unit for multiple reasons, getting one internal inflates the price of the PPC and usually lowers the overall power of the unit to compensate for cost and size. Two you can hook a laptop upto it, other handhelds, some cell phones, whatever. Three, you can move the PDA around without worry of obstructing your GPS connection.
Fourth, you could hook up multiple devices simultaneously to the GPS (done this before and it works). So if you wanted to, you could have a PPC for the passenger and one for the driver which will both access the GPS or you could have the PPC as the driver unit while letting your passenger get a more robust view on a laptop.

4) Most GPS mapping software will work w/ your contact list. Only one that I know of will let you navigate from the contact list but almost all others let you open the GPS program choose to go to a destination from your contacts and then have it.

5) Pocket PC is superior and more powerful than all current Palms, why else would Palm be using Windows Mobile (Pocket PC) on one of their devices coming out early next year?

6) I'd highly recommend the Dell Axim X51v, I just got one and its a great device, 640x480 pixel screen as opposed to Pocket PC standard 320x240, latest operating system, CF slot and SD slot for great expansion, bluetooth, Wi-Fi, compact size and cheaper than store-bought competition. Look out for good deals on it. Look carefully on Dell's site, they will have multiple prices for the same device within the same page so choose the right one. The prices often vary between the business section and the home section. I got my Axim last week for $380 and it came w/ an extra battery. The HP equivalent in power is $600. Keep checking Dell and you may even get a better deal than I received as they offer deals all the friggin time. (on a side not, these things do a good job of playing music and video too - you can hook up an fm transmitter or a tape deck thing and listen to stuff or just hear the GPS directions better).

(I use a Dell Axim X51v, Belkin BT GPS, iGuidance 2.1 GPS navigational software (w/ VGA optimizations - high res), 512MB CF card, and a 1GB SD card - I surf the net, navigate to places, watch vids/movies, listen to music, read books, play games and organize my life all from the comfort of my Axim)