[Doriath22]

Ok guys, here's my conundrum. I've been out of the "tech world" for some years now, and, naturally enough, don't recognize anything.

When I was a teenager, I bought an HP Jornada 545 on a budget. I loved it, used it, and enthusiastically participated on websites devoted to the Pocket PC and PDAs in general. Before I graduated from high school, the Jornada had been used so much that it was worn out (even with the metal case!) I moved on to an iPAQ H1940, though that was more of an impulse buy than anything else. I still use it, as a glorified library card catalogue. (It runs Pocket PC 2003, of course.)

Shortly after I purchased this device, I enrolled in a *very* old fashioned college, where technology of any kind was discouraged. For the next few years (ages in the tech world) I didn't watch television at all, and I checked my email perhaps once every week.

Earlier this year, a friend showed me his iPhone, and I was utterly mesmerized. I went out posthaste and bought myself an iPod Touch. Heretofore, I'd always avoided the iPod, almost as a point of pride, and figured that it was nothing more than a fancy MP3 player, and if I wanted to listen to music on the go, I always had a Pocket PC which was perfectly servicable for this purpose.

Anyway, I love my iPod touch (it seems almost, in my opinion, a worthy successor of the old Newton Messagepad) but I must confess, I'm quite mystified when I look at the greater "PDA world." When I go into my local Staples now, there are maybe 3 handhelds, a couple of palms and a Pocket PC which is more billed as a GPS solution than as a PDA. Contrast this with the "good old days" when Windows CE 3.0 had just come out, and the display had at least 6 palms, plus 3-4 Pocket PCs. I can't believe that people would just stop using and buying PDAs.... every cellphone I've seen seems to be very inelegant and cumbersome in comparison, and I just don't see too many "smartphones." All I see are iPhones.

So basically, my question is, what's the hot new device today? Are there any "traditional form factor" Pocket PCs? Do they sell? I'd ask if Palm is still alive and viable, but it seems to me, based on the (highly unscientific) observations, like Pocket PC (or is it Windows Mobile, now?) is actually in worse shape. You tell me....

I must confess a certain bewilderment! Going "under a rock" for four years really makes things hard when you decide to come out, hehe. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks guys!

[Doriath22]

Ok guys, here's my conundrum. I've been out of the "tech world" for some years now, and, naturally enough, don't recognize anything.

When I was a teenager, I bought an HP Jornada 545 on a budget. I loved it, used it, and enthusiastically participated on websites devoted to the Pocket PC and PDAs in general. Before I graduated from high school, the Jornada had been used so much that it was worn out (even with the metal case!) I moved on to an iPAQ H1940, though that was more of an impulse buy than anything else. I still use it, as a glorified library card catalogue. (It runs Pocket PC 2003, of course.)

Shortly after I purchased this device, I enrolled in a *very* old fashioned college, where technology of any kind was discouraged. For the next few years (ages in the tech world) I didn't watch television at all, and I checked my email perhaps once every week.

Earlier this year, a friend showed me his iPhone, and I was utterly mesmerized. I went out posthaste and bought myself an iPod Touch. Heretofore, I'd always avoided the iPod, almost as a point of pride, and figured that it was nothing more than a fancy MP3 player, and if I wanted to listen to music on the go, I always had a Pocket PC which was perfectly servicable for this purpose.

Anyway, I love my iPod touch (it seems almost, in my opinion, a worthy successor of the old Newton Messagepad) but I must confess, I'm quite mystified when I look at the greater "PDA world." When I go into my local Staples now, there are maybe 3 handhelds, a couple of palms and a Pocket PC which is more billed as a GPS solution than as a PDA. Contrast this with the "good old days" when Windows CE 3.0 had just come out, and the display had at least 6 palms, plus 3-4 Pocket PCs. I can't believe that people would just stop using and buying PDAs.... every cellphone I've seen seems to be very inelegant and cumbersome in comparison, and I just don't see too many "smartphones." All I see are iPhones.

So basically, my question is, what's the hot new device today? Are there any "traditional form factor" Pocket PCs? Do they sell? I'd ask if Palm is still alive and viable, but it seems to me, based on the (highly unscientific) observations, like Pocket PC (or is it Windows Mobile, now?) is actually in worse shape. You tell me....

I must confess a certain bewilderment! Going "under a rock" for four years really makes things hard when you decide to come out, hehe. Any help would be appreciated.

Thanks guys!

[Doriath22]

Hmm, I've never been one to solicit responses, but *shrug* 38 views and no replies? I know it's a little offbeat, but I figured somebody would be able to answer my question cogently in a few sentences

[Reid Kistler]

Originally Posted by Doriath22

Hmm, I've never been one to solicit responses, but *shrug* 38 views and no replies? I know it's a little offbeat, but I figured somebody would be able to answer my question cogently in a few sentences

Guess is that it is hard to tell what IS "state of the industry today" - perhaps because there are so many options available, and, of course, Opinions about them.

Am currently running a Dell Axim X30 Mid (WiFi as well as bluetooth & IR), along with a Razr phone - the model that is prone to Dust Disease. Have thought several times about Updating one, the other, or Both - but haven't found anything that is Compellingly Better FOR MY USAGE - and there's the rub: "my usage" is not necessarily the same as "someone else's usage."

Therefore the Qualities that are important to me may not be the ones that are important to someone else - so I could look at a device and say "waste of money" whereas someone else could look at the same device and say "state of the art!"

And since the two are not mutually exclusive, we could both be "correct" in our judgement - and yet perhaps think that anyone holding the Other Opinion is Blind, Foolish - or some term that is even more prejudicial - unless we recognize that we are viewing from different perspectives.

All that being said - and the subject could be Expanded upon almost without end - if I HAD to replace the Axim it appears that one of the newer HP iPaqs would most closely suit. Especially like the specs on the 211, although the 111 "Classic" would better fit the budget.

If I had to replace BOTH units - AND could choose only 1 device to cover pda AND phone - the AT&T Tilt would probably win. Does that make it "state of the industry"?? Suppose one could argue that it is - but it is also clear that one could argue that it is NOT....

Good luck in your quest!