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View Full Version : I'm out. Decided to sell the PPC.


67stang
06-19-2003, 07:57 PM
After about five months of owning the Toshiba e740, I have decided to sell it on ebay. Here is why:


I bought it with the rationalization that it would make me more productive, more organized, etc. But I have concluded that all those things don't happen due to a gadget or tool, but because you are diciplined enough to be productive and organized to begin with. I am not.

I thought I'd put all my notes and tasks into the PPC. I did for a couple weeks, but resorted back to jotting on paper, etc. I think i like the idea that i can jot a note, look at it later, then toss it into the trash.
I didn't like the idea that if I put a task in Outlook (which takes longer than jotting it on paper), then I'd have to go back and remove it (takes longer once again.)

I used the wifi for about two days. I checked my email on yahoo while taking a dump. That was fun, but eventually I realized that I'd rather read Car and Driver or one of the more traditional restroom media.

Perhaps the most I used my ppc for was as an mp3 player. I liked being able to listen to my favorite tunes in the car. But even that eventually faded.

I thought it'd be cool to have some work documents on the ppc. That way at a meeting I could pop open the doc right there if needed, and impress people -while others made "action items" to review the doc back at their desk. This hardly worked, as the 30 page pdf was impossible to navigate on the tiny screen.

I did try some other gadgets initially... Total Remote, movie players, etc. But eventually they all seemed like a way to "force" utility from the device, rather than something that seemed a natural benefit. It is still much easier to pick up the bulky TV remote and surf with one thumb, rather than mess around with a PDA and stylus to change channels.



In the end I realized that all I want in terms of a digital assistant is something that holds all my contacts, and my calander, AND has some way to check email. When my work issued me a new ATT phone with GPRS, i realized I had all i needed in one slim form.


I think PPC's have a way to go, and when they become slimer and integrated with phones (more so than the few carriers today) I will revisit them.


Thanks, it's been a blast!

bljarv
06-19-2003, 08:25 PM
Wow, I see that you've posted 113 messages in this forum so I assume this was a well-thought-out decision. It sounds like it was anyway!

You know, I'm right there with you. You have to make this tool work for you, not the other way around. Putting all cool factor aside, :) there's no point forcing it and I really don't think it's the right solution for everyone.

Maybe we'll see you back here some day. 'Til then...happy trails...paper trails that is!

ntractv
06-19-2003, 08:36 PM
Sorry to see ya go. Fair Winds

Jason Dunn
06-19-2003, 08:44 PM
PDAs are certainly not for everyone, that's for sure. It sounds like you'd be a good candidate for a Smartphone!

dh
06-19-2003, 08:53 PM
It does seem as though an MS Smartphone would be a good fit for you.

Also you might want to look at the new Treo 600 that is due out in the fall. Although I don't have any real desire to go back to a Palm OS device, the Treo 600 looks to be a very nicely integrated phone/pda.

I'm thinking about the possibility of a combined device as well. Trouble is I want all the features of my Axim plus the phone in a Treo 600 size package.

Dream on!!

67stang
06-19-2003, 10:48 PM
Hey guys, don't make it so final. I still like the PPC boards, the technology, etc. I'll be around. Plus my work provides us (if desired) a Tosh e330, so i *may* still be fiddling with one.

I Really like the smart phone idea...but right now ATT doesnt seem to have anything in my area...do they? (California Bay Area).


No treo...i dont want Palm OS. Plus, Treo looks Terrible.

Janak Parekh
06-19-2003, 10:51 PM
I Really like the smart phone idea...but right now ATT doesnt seem to have anything in my area...do they? (California Bay Area).
Not MS Smartphones, not yet. But I'll soon be posting an article from a meeting with a Microsoft guy from CeBIT, who promises that we'll see them very soon, in both GSM and CDMA flavors.

--janak

Gremmie
06-19-2003, 11:09 PM
Could be a blackberry canidate. If senators can figure it out, anyone can.

Thinkingman
06-20-2003, 02:07 AM
Dude, sorry to see you get rid of your pda. I was thinking the same thing about the smart phone. It would be an excellent choice for you and sounds to me you would get everything you want. I dont know about ATT having one ready yet and available in your area. mmmmm