Purchasing PDA Soon, Good Advice Appreciated!!

[bmassey]

Hello everyone!

I'm new here, so please be gentle!

I'm looking to buy a PDA. I'm a new college student,. and I'm having a difficult time staying organized. I have quite a few activities, one of which requiring 10+ meetings/month. It hasn't happened yet (It's been close), but I'm deathly afraid of missing something I need to be at because I happen to forget. I'm hoping a PDA can help me with this.

I basically want something that has a great scheduler/todo list (preferrably with priority support). Something that can make lots of noise to remind me when I have something important coming up would be great. I want to keep track of my homework assignments as well, so it has to be easy and conveniant to access, add, and mange todos and appointments. In addition to that, there are a few things I'd like.

Necessary:
-Color screen
-Great organizer/todo list with alarm
-Easy/quick input (no physical keyboards. Does PocketPC have a good equivalent to Graffiti?)
-USB or Firewire PC connectivity
-average or better battery life

Preferred:
-User-replacable battery
-Wi-fi
-Internet instant messaging (not really necessary, just cool)
-Landscape view support
-MS Office compatibility
-Good customization/personalization features

Don't want:
-Camera
-Phone
-Physical keyboard (virtual is fine, but none that makes the PDA larger or seperate keyboards)

Overall, It's got to be able to keep me aware of commitments, but I'd get a lot of use out of some of the wi-fi features.

I don't want to set a rigid price range, because I tend to buy things more on the basis of price/value instead of just price. Therfore-unless it's something amazing-I would really like to stay under $275. I really don't have any experience with PDA's,. so I don't even have a preference between Palm OS and Pocket PC, but if I understand, PPC multi-tasks (which is a good thing).

I'd appreciate if anyone could offer any advice! Thanks!

Brandon

[ADBrown]

Hello everyone!

I'm new here, so please be gentle!

I'm looking to buy a PDA. I'm a new college student,. and I'm having a difficult time staying organized. I have quite a few activities, one of which requiring 10+ meetings/month. It hasn't happened yet (It's been close), but I'm deathly afraid of missing something I need to be at because I happen to forget. I'm hoping a PDA can help me with this.

I basically want something that has a great scheduler/todo list (preferrably with priority support). Something that can make lots of noise to remind me when I have something important coming up would be great. I want to keep track of my homework assignments as well, so it has to be easy and conveniant to access, add, and mange todos and appointments. In addition to that, there are a few things I'd like.

Necessary:
-Color screen
-Great organizer/todo list with alarm
-Easy/quick input (no physical keyboards. Does PocketPC have a good equivalent to Graffiti?)
-USB or Firewire PC connectivity
-average or better battery life

Preferred:
-User-replacable battery
-Wi-fi
-Internet instant messaging (not really necessary, just cool)
-Landscape view support
-MS Office compatibility
-Good customization/personalization features

Don't want:
-Camera
-Phone
-Physical keyboard (virtual is fine, but none that makes the PDA larger or seperate keyboards)

Overall, It's got to be able to keep me aware of commitments, but I'd get a lot of use out of some of the wi-fi features.

I don't want to set a rigid price range, because I tend to buy things more on the basis of price/value instead of just price. Therfore-unless it's something amazing-I would really like to stay under $275. I really don't have any experience with PDA's,. so I don't even have a preference between Palm OS and Pocket PC, but if I understand, PPC multi-tasks (which is a good thing).

I'd appreciate if anyone could offer any advice! Thanks!

Brandon

Axim X30 midlevel. Everything you want. Nothing you don't. Starts at $230.

[ChunkyMonkey]

You may want to give the iPaq 2215 a look. I have held both in the hand. Personally I think that the iPaq is more conforable in the hand then the Axim. You can find many stores online that sell the 2215 for about the same price as the Axim. Plus, ordering the Axim may cause you to wait weeks for the order to be fullfilled.

Either way. You really can't loose with either device.

[SteveHoward999]

Almost any PocketPC fits what you describe.

"Easy/quick input (no physical keyboards. Does PocketPC have a good equivalent to Graffiti?)"

There are 4 standard input options --

Block Recogniser -- seems very similar to Grafiti
Keyboard - virtual, on-screen keyboard
Letter recogniser - recognises handwritten letters
Transcriber - recognises handwriting, including cursive

You can also just write notes, recording the actual handwriting and recognise the text later automatically ... or if your writing is as bad as mine, just transcribe it manually.


HTH

Steve

[Kowalski]

as steve stated most of the pocketpc in the market will be just fine for you. so i suggest you to focus on the smaller and cheeper models like ipaq 1945

[PetiteFlower]

Either Axim X30 or Ipaq 4155. Former is cheaper, form factor not quite as sexy, latter is more money, somewhat smaller and sexier. Both have wifi and all your other wants/needs.

You might want to think about a 3rd party software for your calender needs though. The built in stuff is not bad, but the alarms can be unreliable (yay bugs!) and if your schedule is really complex it just might not have all the features you want. Pocket Informant and Agenda Fusion are 2 popular PIM programs :)

[Dolphin]

as steve stated most of the pocketpc in the market will be just fine for you. so i suggest you to focus on the smaller and cheeper models like ipaq 1945

Bingo!!! Or even sweeter... the 4150/4155!!!!!