Help - Cannot make up my mind :(

[SVX]

I am looking to converge my cellphone with my PDA. Right now I use an Ipaq 3850 and a Touchpoint 3000 through Sprint. I am looking to merge these two and am having a hard time deciding. I can only go with AT&T or Sprint services. Currently I have the following to choose from:

AT&T: Siemens X56 (aka O2 XDA)
AT&T: HTC (SPV) Smartphone (coming soon)
AT&T: Sony T68is (use with existing Ipaq)

or

Sprint: Samsung i700
Sprint: Hitachi G1000

Cost is a concern to me. I am an IBM employee and get good discounts with both companies on equipment. In the end it amounts to about 50% off hardware. I plan on reselling my Ipaq and all its accessories including my 1gb Microdrive as well as the TP3000 to make up for the difference if I go with a new "merged" device.

Here is what I am looking for. I want an MP3 player, ability to change batteries, camera is nice (but not necessary), memory expansion (SD/SDIO), and the ability to use my existing PPC apps which I have invested a good deal into.

I really like the HTC Smartphone design, but feel it will be limited in its expansion and its funtionality.

The G1000 is a sweet looking device (even if it is rather bulky). I am a little concerned about it not having a directional hat and fear that the cost will be rather high through Sprint.

The i700 again is a very very nice device, but I fear the price.

The SX56 has gotten great reviews on the net. I like the sleek look and am pleased to see that there are upgrades avalable for it on the net. My only hesitations are the fact that it does not have an SDIO slot and the 12bit screen.

My final option is to keep my Ipaq and get a Bluetooth card to use with the Sony T68is. That way I could use my phone with both my laptop and my PPC. This would be my cheapest route costing me a little over $70 plus the cost of a Bluetooth CF card. It would also allow me to continue using all of my existing Ipaq hardware and software.

Any ideas? This is a tough decision for me. I would be especially grateful if someone who using the T68is could tell me how it works for them. I am also curious to know just what it syncs with when you sync with your pc.

Thanks in advance! :)

[Qman]

I am looking to converge my cellphone with my PDA. Right now I use an Ipaq 3850 and a Touchpoint 3000 through Sprint. I am looking to merge these two and am having a hard time deciding. I can only go with AT&T or Sprint services. Currently I have the following to choose from:

AT&T: Siemens X56 (aka O2 XDA)
AT&T: HTC (SPV) Smartphone (coming soon)
AT&T: Sony T68is (use with existing Ipaq)

or

Sprint: Samsung i700
Sprint: Hitachi G1000

Cost is a concern to me. I am an IBM employee and get good discounts with both companies on equipment. In the end it amounts to about 50% off hardware. I plan on reselling my Ipaq and all its accessories including my 1gb Microdrive as well as the TP3000 to make up for the difference if I go with a new "merged" device.

Here is what I am looking for. I want an MP3 player, ability to change batteries, camera is nice (but not necessary), memory expansion (SD/SDIO), and the ability to use my existing PPC apps which I have invested a good deal into.

I really like the HTC Smartphone design, but feel it will be limited in its expansion and its funtionality.

The G1000 is a sweet looking device (even if it is rather bulky). I am a little concerned about it not having a directional hat and fear that the cost will be rather high through Sprint.

The i700 again is a very very nice device, but I fear the price.

The SX56 has gotten great reviews on the net. I like the sleek look and am pleased to see that there are upgrades avalable for it on the net. My only hesitations are the fact that it does not have an SDIO slot and the 12bit screen.

My final option is to keep my Ipaq and get a Bluetooth card to use with the Sony T68is. That way I could use my phone with both my laptop and my PPC. This would be my cheapest route costing me a little over $70 plus the cost of a Bluetooth CF card. It would also allow me to continue using all of my existing Ipaq hardware and software.

Any ideas? This is a tough decision for me. I would be especially grateful if someone who using the T68is could tell me how it works for them. I am also curious to know just what it syncs with when you sync with your pc.

Thanks in advance! :)


WOW I'd go with T68i if $70.00 is all its going to cost. Also here is a great looking Bluetooth card with a $45.00 Buy it now on eBay at:
http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&item=3417190407&category=3708


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[cyclist]

I am looking to converge my cellphone with my PDA.

AT&T: Siemens X56 (aka O2 XDA)

I've got an O2 XDA. It doesn't meet a lot of your criteria.

Here is what I am looking for. I want an MP3 player, ability to change batteries, camera is nice (but not necessary), memory expansion (SD/SDIO), and the ability to use my existing PPC apps which I have invested a good deal into.
MP3 player - Windows Media Player included
Change batteries - no. There's an additional add-on battery, but the device battery itself isn't consumer accessible.
Camera - I don't think that there is one, due to lack of SDIO support.
Existing PPC apps - yes


The SX56 has gotten great reviews on the net. I like the sleek look and am pleased to see that there are upgrades avalable for it on the net. My only hesitations are the fact that it does not have an SDIO slot and the 12bit screen.
The screen doesn't bother me, it seems good enough for my uses, but the only way to judge that is to see for yourself. Upgrade availability depends very much on the OEM supplier. Unfortunately for me, O2 UK are incredibly slow :(

[SVX]

Anyone else got ideas?

[dMores]

well, if i were in your shoes i'd go with a smartphone, at the moment.

i would definately not get the t68i (it's a great phone, but you won't be converging anything), so there's smartphone and mda left.

so it depends on how much you use your pda. if you only check your contacts/appointments/tasks etc. mainly, you should get the smartphone. it has all those functions implemented.
if you need a full-blown pda, the mda is your only option.

[SVX]

Very true on the merge (or lack of) if I go with the T68is. I suppose the benefit of the T68is is the fact that I could use the phone with both my pda AND my laptop.

This is a toughie for me.

[Qman]

Very true on the merge (or lack of) if I go with the T68is. I suppose the benefit of the T68is is the fact that I could use the phone with both my pda AND my laptop.

This is a toughie for me.

I still standby with my recommendation on getting the T681 for the $70.00 if thats what it will cost you. In the worst case if you don't like it you can also ways sell it on eBay and make a profit. :mrgreen:

Go for it!

[crash]

its not very cheap but couldn't you just get a gsm/gprs card for your pda? that way you can get what you're after and keep your current pda too. the geek in me would go for the card rather than the pieces needed for the ti68 bluetooth combo. as for the xda screen its not that bad. may not have alot of colors but it works fine and you'll only notice the differnce with photos probably. if looking for pda phone i'd probably wait now for the 2003 models. hopefully they'll have better memory and upgrade options/ i'd like to see cf and sd i/o, maybe a camera...stuff like that.

[sobk]

Upgrade availability depends very much on the OEM supplier. Unfortunately for me, O2 UK are incredibly slow :(

They do seem to be don't they - I think they only bring something out if they are sure that it will be a big seller, whereas the other providers (e.g. Vodafone UK) don't seem limited like that - Maybe because O2 is just a small company and the other UK providers are a lot bigger (Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange via France Telecom - 3 don't seem involved in the PPC market at all for some reason).

I'm waiting on a Pocket PC Phone Edition 2003 device from O2, fingers crossed.

[cyclist]

Upgrade availability depends very much on the OEM supplier. Unfortunately for me, O2 UK are incredibly slow :(

They do seem to be don't they - I think they only bring something out if they are sure that it will be a big seller, whereas the other providers (e.g. Vodafone UK) don't seem limited like that - Maybe because O2 is just a small company and the other UK providers are a lot bigger (Vodafone, T-Mobile, Orange via France Telecom - 3 don't seem involved in the PPC market at all for some reason).

I'm waiting on a Pocket PC Phone Edition 2003 device from O2, fingers crossed.

All the speculation seems to suggest that 2003 edition is just around the corner. O2 will take a while to get their act together. I just hope they are sorted by September, when my year's XDA contract is up and I'll be looking for an upgrade. I want a 64Mb RAM version, and 2003 would be nice to have as well.