Purchasing experience and settling down with a Toshiba e355

[benca1]

What a month. Here's the nutshell, for no particular reason:

- decided that I needed a real tool for managing my time, something I could always have on me, but not a binder, voila, PDA. This was early September.

- decided on PPC, only based on a superficial impression that it's more robust, flexible, and mostly that I like the looks of the calendar more then Palm.

- blah blah blah - everything I look at sucks, Not one PDA combines what I would like at a good price point. Wait it out for the X3. I really wanted a small form factor, the X5 is indeed a brick!

- The X3 is big dissapointment. The iPaq 1935-1945 only has a 2.5mm jack, totally sqashing - in my opinion - all usefullness with audio (forget audible.com, and mp3s). Bluetooth is questionably useful and I don't want to pay for it. The 2210/2215 fits the bill nicely... at nearly 400 bucks. And honestly, the expensive PDAs seem more like glorified toys then like real tools. Also, generally the more money the larger the PDA.

Anyhoo I found the Toshiba at amazon for 180 bucks with a 20 dollar mail-in rebate, and I even had a 30 dollar gift certificate laying around.

At this price, 130, I care far less about many things. I have my essential tool. But! I still have 64 MB of RAM (only 16 MB of ROM), I still have a SDIO expansion slot, and I still have a 300Mhz Intel processor. It comes with a cradle to boot.

Apologies for the long post, it just feels like I dropped a heavy backpack.

[Thinkingmandavid]

question, so is that heavy back pack all of the paper from your dayrunner, or is it the complaining about ppc prices?
I have toshiba 355 and it meets my needs. If you ever want bt it can still be added. HOw long have you had it? there is a driver update on the toshiba website. It is the only one for that model and I recommend it.

[benca1]

:wink: That 6 pound day runner would be it!

I haven't actually got my grubby paws on that thing yet. It's supposed to be delivered Friday. Will check out the driver, thanks for the heads up.

For the money.... wow.... it's hard to rationalize the 400 for the 2215, when you can almost as much, almost as small for less then half the price.

[JustinGTP]

:wink: That 6 pound day runner would be it!

I haven't actually got my grubby paws on that thing yet. It's supposed to be delivered Friday. Will check out the driver, thanks for the heads up.

For the money.... wow.... it's hard to rationalize the 400 for the 2215, when you can almost as much, almost as small for less then half the price.


I have the 2215 and its way smaller, much faster, and has a way nicer screen. This is vital when playing movies and video clips from your SD or CF memory card. We have bluetooth, and the CF slot. It is a better device, and its smaller, but better = more money, not more money = bigger PDA.

-Justin.

[benca1]

Hiya Civic Si! (I have the rsx-s!)

Oh yes, the 2215 is better, much better. But at amazon the e355 is 160 bucks. The 270 bucks I saved (adding in my gift cert.) is just enough to upgrade my rear sway bar, and install a nuespeed X-brace.

It's all about money. Spending an additional 270 to watch a movie is very cool, but not worth going without the suspension upgrades...I think.

270 bucks just isn't worth it for me. Maybe if bluetooth was 100 times more common. Maybe is SD cards were more expensive then CF cards here at Costco (same price). Maybe if the 2215 did have a better screen (they look the same to me!).... just maybe then I would forgo the car stuff! But that's pushing it.

My point is that, outside of the hobbyists, price matters. I was goig to order the 2215 until I saw that amazon deal. Now I have money to do other things. I like that. :wink:

[JustinGTP]

Hiya Civic Si! (I have the rsx-s!)

Oh yes, the 2215 is better, much better. But at amazon the e355 is 160 bucks. The 270 bucks I saved (adding in my gift cert.) is just enough to upgrade my rear sway bar, and install a nuespeed X-brace.

It's all about money. Spending an additional 270 to watch a movie is very cool, but not worth going without the suspension upgrades...I think.

270 bucks just isn't worth it for me. Maybe if bluetooth was 100 times more common. Maybe is SD cards were more expensive then CF cards here at Costco (same price). Maybe if the 2215 did have a better screen (they look the same to me!).... just maybe then I would forgo the car stuff! But that's pushing it.

My point is that, outside of the hobbyists, price matters. I was goig to order the 2215 until I saw that amazon deal. Now I have money to do other things. I like that. :wink:

Ahh. The Car. That explains it :wink:

-Justin.

[Thinkingmandavid]

Ihear you about the $$$$, I bought my355 at best buy for 129.99, for me it does the job. I had my last pda stolen so i was glad to be this ppc. I will soon buy a keyboard and the toshiba blue tooth card.
so tell us how it goes withyours:)