Is it possible to use a pocket pc as a laptop replacement? lots of questions inside.

[griegomas]

i am looking into gettting a laptop, but i was wondering, could a pocket pc replace that? i will need it for the usual college stuff, plus browsing the web and playing some games. is this all possible? i realize pc games dont work on the pocket pc platform, so how are the games that do? i would have a desktop to download stuff off the internet with if need be. has anyone done this before? also, do you think it is cost effective? or should i just get a laptop instead? any help is appreciated, i think it would be sweet if i could just use a pocket pc instead of a normal computer.

[Kati Compton]

Depends on what your college stuff is. If you're studying computer programming, it would not be enough, as I don't believe there's a good robust compiler out there for C let alone Java.

Writing papers on it? You'd have to get a keyboard, no question. But I would really recommend an actual computer if you're going to be doing a lot of writing. Just for ergonomics sake. The small screen is not conducive for many hours of use.

On the other hand, I believe there are VGA adapters out there, aren't there?

But still - I'd say laptop. But I'm not as hard-core as a lot of the people here.

[cslaughtermd]

I think that it comes down to a battle between coolness, standalone functionality and individual preference: You can easily make your pocketpc into your mobile computer - get a full-sized fold-out keyboard, a new h2215 :D , bluetooth phone, and a bit of memory, using your desktop for installation and data transfer and you've got everything you need in a pocket-sized package. I used my 3850, stowaway keyboard and a PCMCIA modem for my sole computer in Hawaii for 5 weeks and it worked great! (One snag, long story, moral: compactflash backup) The games are actually quite good (Argentum is great, I hear that Everquest and AOE is great too), some even addicting (cropped out), the built-in software allows you to surf the web, write papers (stripped down Word, don't expect bells and whistles), listen to mp3s, watch video, edit/view photos and tons more! Drawbacks: 1. you won't save that much money by the time you accessorize. 2. takes time to get things set up properly and learn the system. 3. Requires desktop connection (although much less with a bluetooth phone). 4. for a little more you can get a tiny fujitsu lifebook that does it all in XP. Pros: 1. way cool 2. pocketable - the smaller and more convenient your device the more likely you'll use it regularly. 3. slighly less expensive than a laptop.
Hope this helps!

[CTSLICK]

I went laptop free last week on my business trip. The only thing I missed was the screen real estate. I did get tired of working on the small screen, especially when working for extended periods in Word and Excel. A keyboard is a must for any extended work in my opinion. The web experience for many sites is not very good either...sites have been slow to provide pages formatted for the small screen.

Overall I am betting you could use your PPC for many things. Travelling light to study groups, the library or even class would be great. This is where a PPC shines.

You must consider how much heavy duty computing you will need to be mobile with. If you need the equivalent of a desktop when you are out and about then the laptop is the only way to go.

[pROvIs]

it probably isnt a very practical posibility yet as the expense and technology just isnt there. I would recomend the laptop if you can only afford one. BUT if you must get a pocket pc that does the most your best bet is to get the Sharp Zaurus as it can run most linux applications. however this can also be a problem if you aren't familiar with linux and i dont want to begin to think about triyng to install a wirelessi nternet adapter in it.

[Kati Compton]

Keep in mind that some of these replies are assuming you already have a desktop. If that's true, then that makes using the PPC more realistic as your "mobile" solution, because you could do the hard-core stuff on the desktop. But if you don't have a desktop... You wouldn't even be able to install a lot of the software onto the PPC.

[davidspalding]

It's like Starship Enterprise versus Shuttlecraft Galileo.

... Sure, you can go on excursions in a shuttlecraft, visit a planet, maybe spend a week away solo or with a couple of friends. But without a shower, recreational facilities, personal space, et al, the shuttlecraft ends up like "living out of your car." At some point you want the space, the facilities, the comforts of a real starship. No one normally wants to explore the stars for months, years in a small runabout.

Same with these things. You can do a lot with a PPC if you really leverage the capabilities and 3rd party software. But after a day or two, I crave a full sized keyboard, 15" or bigger monitor, and the multi-windowed interface of a personal workstation (notice that i didn't say Windows) with Internet, or at least network, capabilities. Of couse, I am frustrated if that workstation can't inteface with my pocket computer to use my personal information, or just update some news.

Sorry for the geeky metaphor, but I think it illustrates that what may feel neat and economical for a day becomes a serious limitation, and a burden, for more than a week. Unless you're some kinda PPC evangelist who's out to prove to the world just how cool and versatile PPCs are. But it sounds like you have real work to do instead.

My best suggestion for you: write out your needs (column 1) and wants (column 2), and determine if a PPC can easily, affordably accomodate both columns. You can find refurb and budget laptops for not much more than the cost of a PPC with plenty of accessories - shop around, or enlist the aid of an experienced buyer. (Know anyone who works at Best Buy? Their employee discount is outrageous. 2-3 yrs ago, Dell also had a clearance shop with good deals.)

... If you opt or a laptop, spend a few dollars for a spare battery, particularly if you can find a model which accepts a 2nd battery in a multiuse bay (e.g., leave the CD-ROM behind, pack 2 batteries). An extra AC adapter has always paid off for me -- you can plug in and charge at libraries, some cafes, et al, and be virtually free from "low battery emergencies" throughout the day, even if you're using it in every class and study hall. Also ... if your college has WiFi, you will definitely want a WiFi card. Of course, YMMV, but I've found that a great subnotebook (http://www.chromejob.com/articles/1999/colophon_5.htm) can easily become a constant companion, enabling studying, working, recreation, anywhere.

[griegomas]

ya i have a desktop. so is there a good Word Proccesor for the pocket pc? i would be getting one that has the new os on it, probably the 2210. what would i need to be practical? i was thinking i would get a sdio wifi card when they come out and pop like a gig cf card in it aswell. the things i use my puter for are word processing, surfing the web, answering email and playing cs. can i do all that with the ppc? cept the cs that is.

[ipaq38vette]

You could get Textmaker($50) for wordprocessing, Netfront(24$) for a good web browser, Inbox (included in OS) for email, and you can play multuplayer Quake I from www.pocketmatrix.com for CS.

[PetiteFlower]

I think if you have a desktop then you can use a PPC to take notes in class etc, and play games and all that fun stuff. If you did NOT have a desktop then you'd definitely need a laptop, but since you don't need a total computer replacement, a PPC is a good "mobile desktop companion".

If you're planning on doing a lot of writing on it and want to be able to transition flawlessly from PDA to desktop, you'll probably want to get something like Textmaker though since Pocket Word, while good for notes, doesn't seem to understand the meaning of the word "formatting"...

[davidspalding]

Pocket Word(pad) does a great job of ruining .doc files with Word formatting in them. Textmaker and an external keyboard would probably be de rigeur for taking copious notes. ,:)

[KidKomputer]

Textmaker would be a must (& it's $35 until june 27th). Plus you'd have all your phone #'s handy, a built in task list for HW assignments, and a calendar that you could input your sylabii (?) into. I've always been able to get by with the native PIM stuff but you might want to look into a third party alternative.

[Jeff Song]

I'm currently in college and I have a PPC and a laptop, but no desktop, altho I think that I'ma build one before school starts. The PPC is great b/c of all of the reminders for classes, task list, voice rec. etc etc. The MP3 player is also quite useful b/c of the walks from building to building, or when you just want to sit outside and relax. You can edit documents on teh go, look at pictures, watch movies, and play games in your spare time. Also, you can look up your friends numbers/addresses on the go. The best part? Its at your fingertips and you don't have to stop somewhere to open it up and turn it on-you can do what you want wherever you want.

I've learned that a PPC is an invaluable tool for use in college.

[xoiph]

I used an iPAQ instead of a laptop at my school because a laptop wasn't included in the scholarship and a PPC was cheaper (not really after the stowaway, CF sled, wireless LAN and stoage cards). Although it was cool, it could not replace a real laptop, especially if laptops are part of the curriculum and you need them to access files on the network or print classwork on the spot. I managed to pull these things off by transfering files to my classmates' laptops via IR and having them print whatever was necessary, but it was more of a pain in the ass than it needed to be :lol: I would spend just a little more and get a nice laptop--you can do so much more instead of finding a billion little programs and accessories to make a pda do more than it was intended to do. Hey, if you can afford it, get both! :way to go:

[shawnc]

As Kati mentions. this assumes you have a desktop. My situation prior to purchasing my Axim was similar to yours. My choice was between the Axim and HP 1910. I thought the Axim was more robust and would eliminate the need for a laptop. The bottom line is that if you are a heavy Excel and/or Word user, NO PPC will replace a laptop. I found this out the hard way and after one semester of trying to use the Axim, I ended up purchasing a laptop anyway.

IMO, the PPC is a great tool but will NEVER approach the functionality and productivity that it promises until it provides Word/Excel synchronization. This CRAP they call "Pocket" does not even come close. My advice, if you use these two software packages, buy the laptop. If not, a PPC will probably do and there is no better time to be in the market than now. There are SO many good products to choose from.

[nosmohtac]

I would recommend looking at Dell's site for laptops. At one time, they were offering their 32MB PPC for free with the purchase of a laptop.

[pROvIs]

right now they have free pocket pc with the purchase of a desktop

[madbart]

You have got to be kidding. No way know can a PPC replace a laptop in anyway shape or form.

Whilst they co exist great with a desktop or notebook forget it as a stand alone. The desktop real estate just isn't there!

[Cortex]

Answer: NO

As others have pointed out, the screen size, speed, diskspace and OS of a laptop provides much more power than a pocket pc.

The pocket pc's are good for small applications -- games, PIMs, money managers/trackers, etc. I occassionally used my for creating documents with pWord or pExcel but the small screen makes it painful after 15 minutes. The other advantage of PPCs is that they power on quickly and you can get to the data without much hassle.

They make laptops SOOOO SMALL now that I would have to recommend this for a college student. You can then get a cheap pocket pc to sync with it but for note taking and documents the laptop is prefered.

Check out the offerings by Sharp, Toshiba, Sony. I looked at one of the Sharp models a couple of days ago and it is amazing... Its only 2 pounds! and is incredibly small, has a 10" XGA screen and a 1 GHz Causo processor -- and only twice the price of a PPC ($1200 -- and you can probably find it cheaper)

Check out the 3D demo here...

> HERE < (http://www.sharpsystems.com/tmplproduct_mm10.asp)

[Jerry Raia]

Get one of those day planner things and forget all this electronic stuff :mrgreen:

[David Prahl]

Get one of those day planner things and forget all this electronic stuff :mrgreen:

You heard 'em! TREASON!

If I had to pick between a cheap notebook or nice PPC, I'd get a notebook. The Pocket PC is great, but how are you going to install any of these applications without a Windows PC?

The Pocket PC is designed to work as a mobile computer, but it works best in conjuction with one. Get a DESKTOP and a Pocket PC! It'll cost the same as a decent laptop! :wink:

[Jerry Raia]

Honestly, you really need all of it. A desktop, a laptop, and one Pocket PC really isnt enough. I'm still waiting for a good Pocket PC phone on verizon.

[Thinkingmandavid]

Hey, Dawg! you need to get a laptop. I am starting my masters this fall and I can tell you that no ppc in my personal opinion can match a laptop. Someone mentioned earlier about one of the Fujitsu's. I have had one and they are great, I currently have a sony laptop and hate the F***.
They have some nice thin ones that are really great. I have always been impressed by how great the keys feel and it is so easy to type on them.
Screen size was mentioned. I agree, when it comes to typing papers and notes, for some it is just plain easier to do so on a bigger size screen. You may haver to focuse harder on a smaller screen. I feel the more powerful word and excel programs on the laptop would be of more benefit to you.
the ppc would be a good assistant, hence the name,pda, personal digital assistant :mrgreen: if it is a matter of money, I would choose one of Fujitsu's light/small/then laptops. They are giving 2000 free wi fi minutes from T mobile away wiht it, you can also back up online as well for this. I had a good experience with Fujitsu and just passing it along:)

[pschultz]

Honestly, you really need all of it. A desktop, a laptop, and one Pocket PC really isnt enough. I'm still waiting for a good Pocket PC phone on verizon.
Get the new Samsung i700.

[Anthony Caruana]

I went through a similar decision a while ago (in the days of the Palm Size PC) and came to the following conclusions.

1 - In a lecture/class situation you need to be able to get your device up and running quickly
2 - The device had to have decent battery life
3 - In a lecture/class room formatting of docs had to be quick and easy as sometimes it's hard to keep up.
4 - Text entry has to be easy and as error free as possible

I tried to do the lecture thing with both a clam-shell type PDA (one with a larger screen and key board) and with a Pocket PC type device. I could never get it to all hang together for me.

Once I started using a laptop most of the problems went away.

However, when i was doing research I found my PDA to be really useful. I could quickly make short notes or voice record messages to my self. It was easy and quick to look up my schedule and tasks/assignments as well.

For me (and I stress this is a pretty personal decision) the best solution was a sub-notebook (I am still sing a Toshiba Portege 3490) and a PocketPC.

I suspec that you could find a Portege 3110 or similar for a pretty good price and also a Pocket PC.

I have the Portege set up so that it goes into either Standby or Hibernate mode when I shut the lid and I can get about 2 hrs battery life (with no power management enabled). This means that I can get myself up and running in a class in about the same time as it would to get a paper notepad and pens ready.

You can also get pretty smart and have a lecture notes template set up in word so that you can use keyboard short cuts for colouring text, etc while you take notes.

The only downside to these sorts of set ups was that i found it difficult to take down diagrams. However, i suspect that if you sit near the front of the class a small digital camera mut be workable (if not geeky ;))

[Thinkingmandavid]

The camera is a good idea for class, and I must say I had not considerd it myself. It makes sense. For either a ppc or a small laptop. MMMMMM, have me thinking:) thanks!:)
I can picuter it in my head, and I can see how it would all fit in together. It would also help in accurate notes. Of course cost is always an issue, but i found ecost to be reasonable, and overstock.com