Consumers like Sony and Handspring devices

[Jason Dunn]

<a href="http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52973-2002Jul11.html">http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/articles/A52973-2002Jul11.html</a><br /><br />Interesting article. They're saying that, of the people they surveyed, people felt that they had less reliability issues with Sony and Handspring devices over Pocket PCs. No details were given, but I'd be interested to know if the problems they had were related to the device itself, or desktop synchronization (our friend ActiveSync). I'm willing to bet it's the latter. It doesn't surprise me that a Linux-based handheld was the most confusing one. <img src="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/images/smiles/icon_wink.gif" /><br /><br />"Among handhelds, users liked those running the Palm operating system better than machines loaded with Microsoft's more complex Pocket PC software, including the popular Compaq iPAQ. Interestingly, Palm clones Handspring and Sony were more appreciated than Palm's own handhelds. Users were most vexed with the Linux-fueled Sharp Zaurus and organizers made by Psion and Casio."

[Tom Eichers]

Makes sense, I think most people who buy th ePalm and Clone devices are looking only for a simple contact / address type device. Where as the Pocket PC people are doing way more that just that. (Web browsing, movie watching, etc..)

Funny about the Linux devices.

[Foo Fighter]

Considering the numerous problems the iPaq has had, it's no wonder it scored so poorly.

And Casio.....well, that piece of crap deserved to get an F. Failing sidelights....need I say more? :roll:

[Ed Hansberry]

Foo had also sent in a submission to the source article (http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,4149,364596,00.asp) on this after we got the original, but his was to the source article. More meat to it, plus a chart on all of the OEM's.

Interesting that only Casio, Psion and Sharp would not be likely candidates for a repurchase. HP, Compaq, Handspring, Sony and Palm users were satisified enough that they would buy again.

[madmaxmedia]

When will there be a version of ActiveSync that doesn't crash when you pull your PDA and re-insert, without having to restart your computer?

ActiveSync has great functionality but (still) buggy. It also freaks me out when I get the occasional "This PDA has never been synchronized with your PC before..."

[Take1]

My iPAQ 3835 freezes all too regularly for my taste -- I'm convinced it's the SD card read/write causing all the problems as my e310 doesn't have the same problem. The backlight on the iPAQ doesn't come on about 40% of the time. IF/When HP releases the revised ROM I really hope the freezing and slow performance is resolved.