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View Full Version : Flirting with the dark side


Anthony Caruana
07-21-2003, 07:38 AM
OK - so I made the mistake of selling my old iPAQ before I got me new one. Now I'm in no man's (person's?) land without a PDA. :bawl:

I desperation I bought a new (ebay) mobile phone that i can sync my schedule to via IR. Sort of OK but clunky. :?

Then I got my hands on an un-used PalmVx that was lying around the office. Some people even suggested that to me that as a business tool that the palm would be better for me than any PPC. :?:

Well, it's been a day and I gotta say - please send me my 2210 HP before I go mad. :pukeface:

Here's the thing. I had a few quiet moments and decided to play a game. So I go to the Games menu and ... it's empty. I found some else with a palm and they beamed me a couple of games (good thing number 1 - ability to beam apps is very nice).

The one place that the palm I am using wins hands down over the PPC is size. For me (and this is a personal thing) small is good.

But now the downside of this thing called Palm. No MP3, no colour, crappy screen (I know these are fixed in other models), no built in games and the worst thing of all input sucks. I know that I could learn how to write graffiti but surely the input mechanism should be more intuitive. I've been writing for over 30 years - why should I learn how to again cos of some stinkin' computer program!

OK I feel better now. Spleen vented. Long live the PPC!

g0097
07-21-2003, 07:58 AM
I must say that the worst most crash prone machine I ever owned was a Palm Tungsten T. I tried to use that puppy like a pocket pc and it crashed ever other minute on me because it could not handle it. Though I think that palm and more specifically Sony is really kicking pocket pc's butt in the design department...I think that power and native support of documents and lots of other files will keep me away from the "dark side"...at least for now. :D

Jorgen
07-21-2003, 11:24 AM
Really? I have had a Tungsten T since 27/12 last year and it never crashes without a reason. Like all other Palm PDAs, they are *very* reliable and the one I use for nearly all work-related stuff - the only work-things I use my PPC's for is for reasing PDF file sand PowerPoint Presentations.

However, the Palm TT uses a new processor and cannot run all old applications. You may have been running an incompatible program which indeed would cause a soft reset.

With "native support of documents" I assume you mean MS Office files. Now, I thought that it was well known that Palm's Documents-to-go gives far better support regarding these than Win-CE?

Jorgen

Stephen Beesley
07-21-2003, 11:43 AM
With "native support of documents" I assume you mean MS Office files. Now, I thought that it was well known that Palm's Documents-to-go gives far better support regarding these than Win-CE? Jorgen

Can somebody straighten me out on this - I was under the impression that Documents-to-go was a third party app (by Dataviz) although some Palms come with a trial version.

If so, then as far as I can see it is hardly a fair comparision to say that Palm + a third party app does a better job than PPC by itself.

PPC + textmaker does a great job of retaining formattting on MS Word documents for example.

Goldtee

TawnerX
07-21-2003, 01:14 PM
DTG comes inside the CD with select models, user have to instal it. It's not universal.

Hyperluminal
07-21-2003, 02:28 PM
Why isn't there an option to buy a PPC?

And if you can't get a PPC now, I would suggest the fetal position option for a while... ;)

Jorgen
07-21-2003, 03:11 PM
I'll have to admit that the 2210 looks very sexy!

Jorgen

David Prahl
07-21-2003, 04:36 PM
If you're Microsoft-centric (who isn't), meaning you use Outlook for contacts and Office for documents, I'd stay with the Pocket PC.

It's a hassle to have to buy DTG and then convert documents to .doc thru the conduit app. If the Palm desktop is fine with you, stick with the Palm. It's simple and stable. You're missing out on features, but you might not need them.

If you want to stick with the Palm Vx form factor, get a Zire 71 (Palm OS) or HP 1910 or 1940 (Pocket PC).

The 2215 is REALLY lightweight and cool, but if you don't need the power and features don't buy them.

Jorgen
07-21-2003, 08:36 PM
You can easily sync Palm with Outlook - while trying to change from a Palm 505 to hp-568, I synched both machines with Outlook. The software comes with the Palm Vx.

But if you have ordered the 2210, is it worth the effort?

Jorgen

Thinkingmandavid
07-22-2003, 04:10 AM
Can somebody straighten me out on this - I was under the impression that Documents-to-go was a third party app (by Dataviz) although some Palms come with a trial version.

If so, then as far as I can see it is hardly a fair comparision to say that Palm + a third party app does a better job than PPC by itself.

PPC + textmaker does a great job of retaining formattting on MS Word documents for example.


I agree. Documents to go is third party, so whilie it may come on the disk, this doesnt mean it is actually part of the pda itself. on the Zire 71 one, dont you have to still buy this??? 8O
The ppc comes with the software "built in", which is better than purchasing it. I KNow the pocket version can be improved upon, but it is still not extra money on the basic use like on documents to go?
HOw about this? I saw at work the latest palm catalog left by a plam rep and near the end of it, there is a comparison of Documents to go against ppc word,excel, etc. They make is sound that all palms come with it but we all know that just isnt true. They build up Documents to go not even telling of any extra expenses, if we add extra expense to the ppc "built in" software, it would whip the pants of of crap palm! 8)

Jorgen
07-22-2003, 03:44 PM
For people like us who actively follow what software is available via this and other sites, the only consideration should be what can be achieved with a reasonable effort and at what price. This must certainly be the case where the 3rd party software is included (unless you want to argue that h1910 cannot play mp3 because the software has to be installed?).

Anyway, the sad thing is that neither platform is perfect and that's why I "need" both a Palm and a PPC.

Jorgen

Jeff Song
07-22-2003, 07:24 PM
I think that most palms and sonys are now coming packaged with a program that can only view the documents, but not edit them. So you would need to purchase DTG or Quickoffice in order to have the editing functionality.

kuyars
07-22-2003, 09:05 PM
I think you should suck it up and try to give the palm more of a chance. And just to try to actively remind yourself that to compare the Palm Vx to an Ipaq which is generations ahead is just unfair (I know you realize this, but just keep telling yourself :) ).

This way, you can always say that you've used both platforms and know the strengths and weaknesses of each, rather than those who just flame either platform when they've never tried it themselves.

Thinkingmandavid
07-22-2003, 11:17 PM
:armed: here! here! I agree with that, and sense I have used both, I consider the ppc to be the better choice. I would like a better variety in hardware, now that would be good. As I stated in another post, The choice of what OS to use in a device.
Both have their weaknesses, but it still remains that most ppcs's come more prepared for word and exel "built in".