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View Full Version : Is a Smartphone overkill?

famousdavis
10-29-2004, 11:01 PM
Next year, I'm either going to help my wife begin using a PPC or a Smartphone, so we can synchronize our respective calendars and to-do lists. She's a non-techie.

I was surprised at how expensive Smartphones are. Why are they so expensive?

At their heart, don't they simply allow synchronization with a desktop computer's Outlook calendar/contacts/tasks? Aside from that, what makes them so smart?

And do Smartphone users typically find Smartphones to be baffling, like newbies to PPC hardware often do?

I'm upgrading to a Dell X50v, so my iPAQ 1910 is either going to my wife or my kids. I don't think my wife is eager to tote a new device around with her, so a Smartphone would be nice if I could justify the expense. Afterall, our Verizon Samsung phones from last year are working out very nicely.

Thoughts?
Darius Wey
10-30-2004, 03:36 AM
Smartphones don't let you just synchronise. It runs a variant of Windows Mobile, so you can install Smartphone programs on there too - and there's a bundle of them available! ;)

You can always head down to Smartphone Thoughts (http://www.smartphonethoughts.com/) and explore the world of Smartphones if you're curious. 8)
Prevost
10-30-2004, 01:26 PM
I don't think those are overkill. In fact, I think those are a good idea, with the shortcoming of the apparent need of making them smaller so as to be more "ear-friendly" and not look so bricky when talking thru them, specially with so many soooo small cell phones.

For the same reason, as well as I think of "PDAs", Smartphones are for an specific audience with particular needs - I guess they are waiting for the "perfect" Smartphone as much as us wait for the "perfect" "PDA" so far.

Now, having both "PDA" (I mean, computing mobile capabilities) AND phone capabilities, they are at first more difficult to use, more of that if handled by a non-techie... :roll:

I have handled a Treo and it is not at all so clear to figure out at first - and I have owned two Palm devices...I guess the same goes for WM Smartphones (there are none of them in Panama to date).