07-31-2004, 01:00 PM
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Swami
Join Date: Feb 2004
Posts: 4,303
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Pocket PC; Toy or Tool?
"With more and more colleagues and friends using PDAs these days, it's interesting to observe the different "PDA habits". Besides the observation that Pocket PCs are becoming the clear winner with beginners, more interesting is the question how long does it take that somebody becomes used to switching from analogue to digital in information management, or in simple words: how long does it take to become familiar with these little devices? When is the time that the initial "toy" becomes a useful tool?"
Dr. Wolfgang Irber has posted a very thoughtful article over at PPCW.Net. In it he examines how a PDA can move from a useful gadget, to a time consuming annoyance and finally an indispensable tool. He makes a very good point that it takes time to changing you way of operating from analogue to digital. I.e. he's not talking about getting to know the PDA and OS in question, but the whole notion of how you think, as well how you organise, sort and retrieve the long term and day-to-day data you need. If your habits still follow the old patterns learned over years, then your expensive PDA will remain a little used toy.
It's interesting that after Dr. Wolfgang's 'honeymoon period with his Pocket PC, he hit problems that often consumed more time to fix then the time he saved with the new technology. He also found that the most useful way of solving the problems was to search for information on the Internet. Well, who would have thought that? :wink: He says that the more you can do with a PDA, the more you use it, the more you understand it and the more you benefit from it. To sum up, here's a particular thoughtful quote from the article: "Recently I was asked by a colleague who was sitting next to me in a meeting while I was writing notes using the PDA: "Hey man, do you actually use it for everything?" I thought about it for a moment and replied: "Yes, almost." So, could you answer the same and what are your thoughts on the subject of toy vs. tool?
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07-31-2004, 02:31 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Aug 2002
Posts: 62
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I was a long-time Daytimer/Franklin Covey paper planner user and could not imagine swithing to digital organising. But the first time I saw the little Palm V (1999) and thought about how cool it would be to have one, I switched. But not without hardship and hassle! Even after moving to a Jornada 548, and loving the device, I became frustrated with learning to think digitally and not on paper. I wrestled with the big picture view of my schedule, and even went back to using paper once. But I was only using a paper planner for two weeks and realised that I was much more efficient using my iPAQ that using a paper planner. I migrated back and will not switch again.
If you're new to PDA organising, you must give yourself time to work through the paradigm shift required for using the device. You must use it as your sole capture device and not try to use your paper planner and your PDA. If you truly make the break from paper and work through the mental shift required, you'll thank yourself many times over.
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07-31-2004, 03:56 PM
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Theorist
Join Date: Oct 2003
Posts: 258
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I agree...but the frustrating part can come again and again and again. Just two days ago my iPAQ and ActiveSync decided to stop co-operating (for no apparent reason) and after hours of uninstalling and reinstalling, back-up and restoring etc etc, I decided to hard reset my iPAQ and then spent another few hours rebuilding it today.
I won't go back to paper - but I atleast do have the option to switch to other platforms (PalmOS, SymbianOS, Linux etc).
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07-31-2004, 04:23 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Jul 2002
Posts: 193
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This guy definately knows what he's talking about. I had a Daytimer for five years before I saw someone's Palm back in 2000. I decided I had to have one and when I bought my IIIxe one weekend I sat down and entered all of my contacts into the computer. The only thing that kept me from throwng away the planner was I didn't know if I could make teh change to digital but I decided to do it, I'd go cold turkey. I never touched my paper planner again and after a few months I could answer like Dr. Wolfgang when asked if I did everything with my PDA.
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07-31-2004, 05:21 PM
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Pupil
Join Date: Apr 2004
Posts: 22
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Strange enough, I've never been able to use a paper planner or a Rollodex.  ops:
The first time I bought a PDA (I can't remember which it was, but it's a long time ago - I'm an early adopter!), I had no problem shifting to it 100%!
Today, I work as much as possible paperless.
My colleagues are the only reason why I still use paper documents and note-pads:
They don't understand - and judge negatively - how I can go to a meeting hands in pocket and take out my PDA for note taking and reference searching!
So, too make them happy I carry around an (empty) briefcase and keep working only with my Pocket PC PDA!! :?
It's about time mentalities change...
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07-31-2004, 09:00 PM
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5000+ Posts? I Should OWN This Site!
Join Date: Aug 2006
Posts: 5,616
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The only thing holding me back from going 100% purely digital (I still reach for a piece of paper and a non-stylus writing instrument for a quick scribble from time to time) is HWR. I've never been a SIP-keyboard speed freak (ROM-based, Fitaly or otherwise) and Calligrapher is vastly improved over transcriber but there's still the occassional time when I enter a word with Calligrapher and get Fr^={P%x. I plan to purchase PhatPad in the very near future, though, and live the digital lifestyle to the fullest!
__________________
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07-31-2004, 09:46 PM
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Pontificator
Join Date: Jul 2003
Posts: 1,041
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Quote:
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Originally Posted by dennis
So, too make them happy I carry around an (empty) briefcase and keep working only with my Pocket PC PDA!! :?
It's about time mentalities change...
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You must be working with an older crowd? I know what you mean.
I'm the young guy (I'm 37, so you know who I'm talking about) who goes from meeting to meeting, taking notes with my PDA/keyboard. I always get weird looks. Especially from the older crowd.
When I went from my Palm IIIxe to my iPAQ 3870, I put the Palm device in the parts bin. I then gave it to a friend who wanted to get a PDA, but couldn't afford one. She only used paper until that time. It only took a few weeks for her to consider her PDA and indespensible tool. Now she wants a color one!
I've used my laptop once in the last two years. No platform is perfect and PPC can use some work, but it's pretty good 
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07-31-2004, 10:15 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Dec 2002
Posts: 58
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I work mainly digitally. Desktop to laptop and Pocket PC. I work construction as an Electrician and quite often a piece of cardboard and a sharpie for a quick note or list is the tool of choice. Often because I have to hand that info off to another person or because it's simply faster and more convienient for quick short term notes like a measurement that won't matter in 5 minutes. I made a tool pouch that houses my Dell Axim X5 in an Otter box and has places for a few tools as well so it's always on me. I still track time, material, manpower, and job notes on my Ax but haven't been able to go quite 100% digital although everyone I works with thinks that I do. I bought my first PDA ( Casio BE-300 ) for helping me remember dates, and numbers. It never ceaces to amaze me how many ways you can find to integrate a PDA into you work/leisure life. I'd be lost without mine now.
Glisson
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07-31-2004, 10:34 PM
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Intellectual
Join Date: Feb 2002
Posts: 168
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For me it's a lifestyle accessory. I do use it for PIM, but probably 15% of the time (tells me when to do what or reminds me of this or that) and e-mail a reference/note for workl., etc.. The rest of the time it's used for leisure activities: reading eBooks (haven't read a paper book for quite a while now.... some 3.5 years), news (AvantGo and Handstory keep the world at my fingertips) while on the go, and WFi + PIEPlus while at home . Video and Audio aren't used much (the occasional Enterprise episode fore lunchtime viewing.
Tried gaming on the PPC but really can't get into it = Bejeweled is nice, once in a while.
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07-31-2004, 11:52 PM
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Ponderer
Join Date: Jun 2004
Posts: 104
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Funny I never really thought about the transition that I went through to get from paper to digital. After reading this article I kind of stared at the ceiling for a while and thought about it and I realized that it did take years really. In fact, I would say it's kind of an ongoing process. There are still some things that I don�t do on my PDA like making coffee and vacuuming the house. :wink:
--Jim
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Linear Mode
