How often do you buy a new PDA?

[hdsalinas]

I have been looking at the reaction of people to the new ipaqs coming out (4xxx) this fall. It seems that a lot of people have decided to get one even though they just got their ipaq 2215 or 1945. These devices are just a couple of months old and people already are thinking of upgrading.

I just got my 1945 last week. The last time I bought a PDA was a l bit more than two years ago. All this time I have been using my "old" 3650 which finally died. (digitizer and battery did not last more than 15 minutes). If my ipaq had not died I would still be using it.

I love my ipaq 1945 now. I wanted the 2215 but was just not available here in Honduras. (Central America) I will probably stick with it at least for another 2 years. Is not that I dont liketo have the latest tech in my hands, is just that there are other priorities in life. (like food)

I know if I had the money I would buy one... who knows, maybe every six month or whenever a brand new one came along.

So how often do you guys get a new PDA?

[TopDog]

I used to work with PDA's, back then I changed my primary PDA (I say that because I had several at the same time for testing etc...) at least 2-3 times a year.

Now that I have to pay for it myself, I cannot finansially justify more than once a year.

I now have a Dell Axim that I got in february, and are considering replacing it right over newyear, if I find a PDA with mobile built in that fits my demands and price-limits ;-)

[Pocket PC Dubai]

You should’ve included in this poll “Every six months”, I believe the majority here are replacing PDAs every 6 months. Actually I’m one of them, but I’m using my h5450 for 8 moths so far. Now I’m going to buy the next new PPC Phone Combo. :wink:

[AhuhX]

I'd update more often if there were significant enough enhancements. I went from the 3630 - 2210 without updating to the 3700,3800,3900,5400 devices inbetween.

The OS & hardware updates inbetween have been verging on pathetic quite frankly.

I'm *hoping* the 2004 devices give me a reason to upgrade again. VGA and a decent UI refresh would do it.

[Anthony Caruana]

I usually switch devices every year or just over. As I can get my PDAs very cheaply (through work) it's pretty economical to do that as I can usually sell my old device and get my money back on it.

I've got a 2215 (upgraded from a 3850) and can't see myself moving to the 4000 series.

[Stephen Beesley]

You should’ve included in this poll “Every six months”, I believe the majority here are replacing PDAs every 6 months. Actually I’m one of them, but I’m using my h5450 for 8 moths so far. Now I’m going to buy the next new PPC Phone Combo. :wink:

While I would love to be able to upgrade every year (the idea of being able to upgrade every six months just staggers me :D PDA are obviously much cheaper in relative terms in the US) but I just cannot really justify that on either a financial or features basis.

Currently my Jornada 568 is going into its second year and with the addition of a wifi card and now a HP pocket keyboard it is still doing pretty much everything that I need (rather than want :mrgreen:). In fact even if I could afford a new PPC at the moment I think I would still hold off until PPC 2004 comes along. I am still not sure that the newer devices offer the mix of features that I am after, so I am holding out for what ever comes next. Of course that is if I can stop myself being tempted away from the platform by the new Palm/Sony designs or even by the Sharp devices.

[PetiteFlower]

I'm not allowing myself to upgrade until I've had my current(first) PDA for a full year. Money being tight and just a general dislike for wastefulness deters me from doing it sooner.

[Steven Cedrone]

Jornada 548 -> Ipaq 2215...

3 years before I switched devices... :wink:

Steve

[CTSLICK]

Sharp Wizard - 7 Months
Palm IIIx - 1.5 years
Casio EM-500 - 2.8 years
Dell Axim - 7 months and counting

My plan is to try and get 2 years out of my Axim but I if someone comes out with a small clamshell PPC with integrated bluetooth and WiFi then I may replace it sooner.

[david291]

Whenever something new comes out, usually supplied for free by the manufacturer as they want us to recommend their hardware to our reseller sales force for use with our software. Currently using a Toshiba e750 as my personal choice. The e800 should be arriving any day now for testing. A Dell X3 should arrive soon too. :D

[dh]

I used my Palm Vx for a couple of years and I've had my Axim since March this year.

I might upgrade sometime in the new year, but so far I have not seen anything I really want.

If I still had the Palm Vx, and had never bought the Axim, I would now buy a Treo 600. The features of PPC now make it hard to want to go back to POS, but I confess I'm tempted.

The P900 looks good as well, but I don't want Memory Stick and I would prefer the faster data from Sprint rather than going with GPRS.

[Pocket PC Dubai]

Whenever something new comes out, usually supplied for free by the manufacturer as they want us to recommend their hardware to our reseller sales force for use with our software. Currently using a Toshiba e750 as my personal choice. The e800 should be arriving any day now for testing. A Dell X3 should arrive soon too. :D

What a lucky guy! 8O

[hdsalinas]

You should’ve included in this poll “Every six months”, I believe the majority here are replacing PDAs every 6 months.

Well I did, but they dont show up, and I could not figure out how to edit the poll questions

By the way, I only had my first PDA (palmIIIx) for almost 6 months. I later saw the HP Jornada 540 and fell in love with it. I used it for a year but I could not stand the screen, how slow it was and the fact that everyday there were fewer applications for it. Then I got my ipaq 3650 which was a huge improvement but it was too big with the CF jacket. Then the battery began to die after a year and half of use and then the digitizer died.

I know got an ipaq 1945, simply because I could not live without a PDA and wanted to get something small.

Funny thing is that the Jornada is still alive after all these years!

[szamot]

The longest I have held a handheld for was 14 months the shortest 3 weeks. But it usually averages out to about 6-8 months, unless something really cool comes out.

[Thinkingmandavid]

I tend to use my pda for the longest possible. The only reason I am still in the market for a new one is because my last one was stolen. I havent had one for months. To me they are just expensive. I am looking at either a 225, 1945,35. But I dont change pda's like socks:) I like to get the most out of them. If there was something that caught my eye that I just "really" had to have, then I might. To me, they are all so similar that it just isnt worth it. Of course, I am still waiting on my 1 gig processor and 1 gig ram:) :) :)

[Jeff Rutledge]

I'm long overdue for an upgrade.

I bought one of the first iPAQ 3600's. I then got a 3870 as soon as they came out (if I'd have waited, I probably would have been much happier with a 3970). I am still using the 3870 as I patiently wait for a solid PPC Phone device to hit N. America. If I hadn't trialed a Siemens SX-56 for two weeks and fallen for the PPCPE approach, I'd have bought a 5555 or 2215 by now for sure.

[agyger]

My PDA history:
January 1998: Psion Series 5
September 2002: Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox 600

I still use my trusty Psion from time to time (great and very stable OS, long battery life, killer keyboard :rock on dude!: ). At the moment I don't see any reason why I should buy a new device. I'll use my Loox for another year or two.

Adrian

[Don Tolson]

I've been through about 5 PDAs from various manufacturers, but sorry, I don't keep a detailed history... :roll:

I've recently moved to an iPAQ 2215, but only because my old one gave up after a drop onto concrete.

I just can't keep up financially with the 'latest and greatest', since the cycle seems to be about every 5 to 6 months. So, I tend to buy 'accessories' for my PDA to give it the functionality I need. (Anyone know where I can get a bluetooth keyboard for an iPAQ?)

[stevew]

I've been buying a new PPC about every year. I usally sell the one I'm replacing on ebay so some of the money comes back. My last was the Ipaq 3835 which was serving me well and did all I needed a PPC to do. But when the 5555's came out, there was that "Gotta have it" factor. Getting to use Wifi and bluetooth has been fun. PPC's are one of my hobbies so that justifies the money spent :D