When Did You Convert To Pocket PC?

[Ed Hansberry]

Over the past few days, we have posted several articles on pa1mOne and PalmSource relating to <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?topic_id=34275">declining market</a> <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?topic_id=34357">share</a> and the <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?topic_id=33936">possibility of pa1mOne</a> using alternative operating systems and the status of their <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/index.php?topic_id=34263">next OS, Cobalt</a>. In those threads and in similar threads on other sites, I've seen comments like <i>"Until about three weeks ago I was a Palm user and have been since the very first Palm Pilot came out. When they put out the Tungsten T5 with no wifi and still on OS5, etc, that was the last straw for me"</i> from new users like <a href="http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/forums/profile.php?mode=viewprofile&u=19893">shb</a>.<br /><br />First of all, to all the new users that have either switched to Pocket PC or are here looking for more information that are considering a switch or simply wanting to get more info before taking the plunge into the world of ultra-mobile computing, welcome! :mrgreen: <br /><br />Second, we'd like to know when you made the switch and the circumstances surrounding it.

[jmbneaf]

It all started with a Palm III way back when. Then I moved to the dual slotted Handera 330 that had a ton of features and was criticized for being to much (ha! :D).

In early 2002, I switched to a Pocket PC after a friend showed me the real advantage of Pocket PC's (Multi tasking, color screens and such). Sadly I got a Toshiba e740 (again dual slots), WiFi - even more power.

I then moved to a Toshiba e755 - after realizing that Toshiba wasn't going to support legacy devices, I tried a Sigmarion III (more for work). While very cool and very powerful, the Sig III wasn't as portable as a PPC so I went back to a HP iPaq h2215. I used it for 2 months and then sold to to the very same friend who got me into PPC's.

I now have dual slots again with dual wireless (BT and WiFi) and VGA with my hx4700 - add a BT Phone and keyboard and I'm in portable heaven.

I have since converted a couple of other Palm users and even a manager above me to Pocket PC's (the manager is also using a hx4705).
I looked really long and hard at a tablet pc or even the new micro PC's Sony and OQO and couldn't justify the extra cost for what I use my PPC for daily.

Long live the Pocket PC!!

Thats my story...... -JB

[orol]

I was once a hard core palm os user. actually It begun with palm but then I realized palm wasn't the one who was pushing the envelop .. so I had trg pro with CF & wifi CF & palm portable keyboard .. then sony clie sj30 with 320x320 screen and size of less then original palm V. I had some other sony PDAs after then until I had UX50 which lasted so long in my hands .. well until I switched to smartphones and sold UX50 .. still the best design in my eyes, small, powerfull with great stamina (16 hours of mp3! or 35 with an extra batter attached! )

but I have to admint PPC went a long way and now WM2003SE is really great system

[Rob Borek]

I'm so old skool, I remember Ed's odyssey to find an iPAQ (the original iPAQ)!

[KTamas]

I originally wanted an Motorola Accomply 008, but i had a choice to buy my Father's boss'es iPaq 3670 this year march - and i bought the 3670 :)
Then i got an extra job, sold the ipaq and bought an Asus MyPal a620.

[johncruise]

early adopter too :-) Began with a grayscale Casio E-11 (http://www.the-gadgeteer.com/e11-review.html).

[bjornkeizers]

My PDA addiction started with the Palm Pilot Pro, many years ago. Then one day, I saw a review in a magazine about the Philips Nino; a CE device. I finally got my hands on a second hand one two years later and really loved it. It was a lot more flexible then my Palm.

So, when the first true Pocket PC arrived on the scene, I ran out and bought one. An Ipaq 3630. It was over a 1.000 guilders at the time - the same as a mid-range desktop! I also got the CF jacket and CF card, which seems silly by today's standards. I sold it in 2001 when the battery died and upgraded to a Jornada 565... after that, I got my 1915 which I still have to this day.

My next device will certainly be a PPC!

[SHC]

Started with a Psion Organizer II CM, then a Sharp something or other, first Windows CE device was a Philips Nino. Had one brief excursion to the dark side (Sony Clie NX73V), now got a 4700.

[Mike Dimmick]

Technically I never switched - my first PDA was an HP Jornada 525 I won in a competition. Friends had had Palms though. A friend of mine switched from a Handspring Visor to an iPAQ 5450 last year - expandability was important to him, and modern Palms suck in that area.

[dbman]

I switched from Palm when the Dell Axim was released. I had a Tungsten T1 and when I saw what I could buy from Dell for $300, I returned the T1 and never looked back.

[jgalindo]

I switched when the pocket pc phone came out.

[sfjlittel]

I use pocketpc + palm os + symbian os ( + windows + linux + bsd ), but I strated using pocketpc os in 2001 (casio cassiopeia em 500)

[outdoor]

Started off with a Palm IIIc in 1999/2000 (dont remember).... palmOS was pretty cool at that time because its the first color OS device (OS 3.5). Had great fun with it, then switched to palm m505. I didn't live up to expectations, then after a year i switched to a clie NX70 because of the extended screen. The Clie was great, but the OS limited its capabilities. I had a CF WL100 wireless LAN card, but i had a hard time accessing the web and all pop3 email clients are garbage. I then switched to an iPaq 4150 in early 2004 and i LOVED it. So Long, palmos!


I now have an i-mate pda2k with palmone IR keyboard, and its wireless heaven for me!! wheeeee

[mattsmith0622]

I switched to PPC in November of 2000. My boss at the time gave me a 3630 that he brought back from Asia. I didn't look back (I went through every model of iPaq) until the Treo 600 recently came out on Verizon, but I've since grown up and ditched the Treo in favor of my iPaq 4705, bluetooth keyboard, and bluetooth Motorola v710.

[Ed Hansberry]

Started off with a Palm IIIc in 1999/2000 (dont remember).... palmOS was pretty cool at that time because its the first color OS device (OS 3.5).
first color PalmOS device maybe, and then I'm not sure. When did the Handspring Prism come out? On the Windows CE side, Philips, Casio, Compaq, HP and probably a few others all had a color PDA out based on Windows CE 2.11, the last CE for PDAs before Pocket PC was launched in April 2000 - and 100% of those were color.

[buss]

After seeing a friend's Palm I bought a Palm III in the late 90's. What I was really looking for was a replacement for my Franklin Planner that I carried with me everywhere. The Palm did a great job and a few years later my wife bought me 505. Loved the color screen and the rechargable battery, but was still having the same problem, sync issues with Outlook. I rely on Outlook very much with work and it was getting to be a problem. Another friend switched from his 505 to a HP4150. He was visiting from Hong Kong earlier this year, and over a few beers he convinced me that I need to make the switch.

The transisition to the new OS was not that difficult, love the seamless intergration with Outlook and no longer need to carry a seperate MP3 player. Only things that I do not like with my PPC is the extremly limited battery life (have the extended battery, but that makes the unit too bulky) and a lack of freeware when compared to the Palm OS.

When it is all said and done, I do prefer the PPC over the Palm but that does not mean there isn't room for improvements.

[KimVette]

(*) When Compaq introduced the sleeve expansion form factor which allowed for unprecedented flexibility in expansion capability.

*mourns the death of Compaq and the iPAQ and the tyranny of Carly Fiorina*

[Jacob]

Started with the 1910 (never converted from anything), then moved onto the 4155. :)

[outdoor]

Started off with a Palm IIIc in 1999/2000 (dont remember).... palmOS was pretty cool at that time because its the first color OS device (OS 3.5).
first color PalmOS device maybe, and then I'm not sure. When did the Handspring Prism come out? On the Windows CE side, Philips, Casio, Compaq, HP and probably a few others all had a color PDA out based on Windows CE 2.11, the last CE for PDAs before Pocket PC was launched in April 2000 - and 100% of those were color.


i believe handspring prism was released after palm IIIc came out. As for color PPCs, they were out there in the market wayy before palm IIIc, but I have heard from a lot of people saying CE 2.11 was really unstable.

[Hx4700]

Note 45% (as of now) got into ppc in 2000 or before - wow :)
Real hardcore group here on ppct, eh.
Ron...

[arnage2]

i was a palm user till june 2002. i moved over to ppc 2002 (ipaq 3835). Since then , ive had like 25 handhelds. some palm os5, but most were ppc.

Theres just something about ppc that i like better :)

[Take1]

Began PDA life with a Philips Nino 500 in 2000 and then upgraded to a Casio E-100 (MIPS 131 MHz!! and STEREO sound!) . I still miss the gorgeous screen from my old E-100 (and EM500).

Remember the iPaq 'pre-order thread' from Brightand. Got mine in July (they were released in May) via Mobile Planet. Those were exciting times -- 200 MHz on a PDA back then is like someone releasing a 1 GHz model nowadays!

Currently using an E800. Hope a 4150 sized VGA device will come out next year!

[Taltoz]

I switched from a well used and abused Palm III. The Palm could not compare to the Ipaq 3635 that I snagged off the net during the original rush on them. I even had one of the original silver slider compact flash sleeves. I them moved on to the Toshiba e750 (for the wireless) which I will soon be selling to my brother so that I may purchase a Dell X50v.

[WolfUK]

I switched to an iPAQ 2210 from a Palm T3 a few weeks ago. I had been a Palm user for four years and a Psion user for the four years prior to that. My main reasons for switching were a general dissatisfaction of the Palm OS and PalmOne and also because I feel that PalmOne are now targeting the basic PIM and PDA users and leaving the power users for Microsoft to pick up. Within days of getting my 2210 I was convinced that I had made a good decision and getting to grips with a new operating system and many news ways of doing things has been a lot less painful than I thought it would be.

[bvkeen]

My first PPC was a 3955 and I've owned 5 or 6 since then. I started out with a Palm III in1998 or 1999 and had several Palms. I've had about 5 or 6 Pocket PCs, with my current being my favorite PDA of all time (the 4700).

I've never completely left Palm and have a T3 as backup in case my 4700 craps out. But the Pocket PC is my preferred platform. I might experiment with a Cobalt-based Palm, if one ever comes out, but I plan on sticking with the Pocket PC unless Cobalt is better than most people think it will be.

[tospappy]

It all started when my wife and I bought a couple of Nino's, back in 1999. We thought they were great, but soon moved to Jornada 720's, then back with a few steps to handheld form factor. Today it is a 5455 for me and a 2210 for her. Never even considered a palm.

[Vidge]

I haven't converted. Although I own a PPC (hp4155), my T3 is still my main PDA.

[buckyg]

Started "way back" on a Casio e-105 (when it was new), then to a Casio e-125. Stayed there for quite awhile until I finally "modernized" to an iPAQ 5455. I'm now on an hx4705.

It's interesting to me that some of the older machines had stuff I really liked that most of the new ones don't. I'm thinking of the Casios button layout, a jog-wheel... Makes me feel like I'm an old person saying, "Why, back in the good ol' days..."

Isn't the time scale for technology wonderful? The "good ol' days" were only a handful of years on any other scale...

[paschott]

Our company ordered two devices at the first - an iPaq 3600 series and an HP Jornada 720. My boss got the iPaq with CF sleeve. I got the 720. While I really liked the 720, it had very little support and was eventually killed off by HP. I also had trouble with the screen which was taking more and more beating and finally didn't come back (hard use and a couple of falls). At that point, I researched the current Pocket PC models and settled on an iPaq 2215 because it had everything except wireless and two slots. There's always the attitude that one can do better if we wait, but I couldn't wait much longer. 1 month without a PDA and I was quite disorganized. Sad, but true.

Gave up on Palms because of the small screens and limited ability to run multiple programs at one time. Looked at the Zaurus, but decided that I'd rather have the broader commercial support of a PPC.

Anyway, I'd say that the survey needs another category for those who weren't quite using PPC, but were using CE devices after PPC OS appeared on the market. :-)

-Pete

[tritan]

I haven't switched and currently own a TE palm. I have had just about every palm since the III. I recently had a chance to play with my buddies Dell x30 for a week comparing to my TE. Love the screen, and feature set. Palm just does the PIM better ,but PPC does the rest better. Love the Drop and drag file on your desktop for syncing its priceless. I also can't get over how much more bang you get for your buck with feature sets compared to Palmone right now.

[JPD6825]

I'm another who switched when the Dell Axim came out. For $200 I thought it was a great deal - WM2002 at that time. Habitually watched Dell site for deals... bought a couple more one day when Dell had a great deal on refurbed units- like $120. They came with WM2003. Sold my 'Adam' to a co-worker; gave one of the re-furbs to my wife. Life is good.

[welovejesus]

I purchased the Diamond Mako since it was a great deal. After Psion pulled out of the handheld market, I was stuck with a myriad software purchases ($$$). 8O The Mako had the best form factor and one of the most efficient kernels. The Jornada seemed tempting but was overpriced and undersupported. The fact that Microsoft and major hardware manufacturers backed Pocket PC made the decision to swtich to the Pocket PC easy. It is good to know that one's investment in hardware and software will not be lost! The most financially viable solution was the Dell Axim X5 Basic.

[Jason Dunn]

Everyone probably already knows this, but I figured I'd contribute...I started using a Velo 1 that I paid an insane $1500 CND for by the time the conversion rate, shipping, import taxes etc... 8O Never owned a Palm OS device, and don't plan to either. :devilboy:

[Fishie]

Started out with this: http://www.pdagold.com/hardware/detail.asp?d=19

Since then I have had way too many devices, a couple of Toshiba´s, a bunch of Clie´s, a cornocupia of Ipaqs, a few other clamshell devices etcetera.

At the moment I am happily using the Sigmarion3 which after a few small modifications has become the most powerfull PDA I have ever used.

Plays near DVD quality DiVX movies at full speed and full screen as well(and what a screen 800by480 on 5.1 inch)

Only problem is that ts not pocketable like a PPC.

[MikeUnwired]

My first experiences with Pocket PC were pretty rocky. I had one of the original Compaq iPAQ models and it would constantly lose it's pairing with my computer. So, I got a bad taste in my mouth early on for PPC.

I used Palm OS units for several years because I was familiar and they worked well enough for me. But, I did crave more and better.

When PPC 2003 came out and the connection manager was so much easier to use, I finally got in the swing and started to use an HP iPAQ 2215. I got a little distracted from daily use of that unit by the Treo 600 I was also using -- and writing training systems about. The lack of screen real estate, limits on expansion media and a few other things made the 2215 a better handheld for me. Once my contract was up on that unit, I sold it, bought a Bluetooth phone and settled in on a HP iPAQ hx4700 as my handheld because of the screen quality.

The Palm community is falling apart and in ruins. I don't see it as a viable long-term standard to follow at this point. They managed to screw-up a good thing.

[Fishie]

Started off with a Palm IIIc in 1999/2000 (dont remember).... palmOS was pretty cool at that time because its the first color OS device (OS 3.5).
first color PalmOS device maybe, and then I'm not sure. When did the Handspring Prism come out? On the Windows CE side, Philips, Casio, Compaq, HP and probably a few others all had a color PDA out based on Windows CE 2.11, the last CE for PDAs before Pocket PC was launched in April 2000 - and 100% of those were color.

No they werent, plenty of black and white ones were released.
The last black and white one running PPC was a unit running PPC 2K2 and even today there are plenty of black and white WinCE machines available.

Do your homework Ed.

[Fishie]

but I have heard from a lot of people saying CE 2.11 was really unstable.

From memory it was a lot more stable then 2.0 thats for sure.

[UnnDunn]

Started with a Palm III in what, '98 I guess...

It broke after a few months. So ever the glutton for punishment, I bought another one. That broke too. :evil:

Went without a PDA for a while, but then the allure of the Handspring Visor Prism captured me. I was still firmly a hardcore Palm user at the time. This was in 2000.

That lasted almost four years, until I left it in a taxi. In Cuba. :oops:

So after that I bought my iPaq 2215 to replace it. That's my current device. I don't see how I could possibly go back to a Palm device.

[ipaq_wannabe]

until recently, i was a die-hard palm addict... except for some occasional flings with microsoft devices, i always had been a palm-user since 2000...

but one thing that i am proud of is that i was one of the first users of windows ce when it first came out around 1997-1998 (if my memory serves me right - it was ROM version 1.1)...

i was really short on cash then (since i was just a college student), and couldnt really afford the available version 2.0 upgrade... this device was then used until around april 2000, where i went to the Palm Vx (this was my first exposure to the Palm world)...

since then, i had some dalliances - the Casio E115 (with the digital camera), the NEC MobilePro 700, then the Genio 550X, then the iPaq 3850...

and until recently, where PalmOne's lack of innovation finally drove me back, and this time with a PocketLoox 610...

- @PIE@Loox

[Prevost]

I haven't switched from Palm...yet.

Recently, I had my hands on an rx1715 (I guess...it didn't had a model label readily visible), just to try.

I could get used to the interface - it's strange to me after two years using Palms, but hey, it is supposed to be like Windows, which I've been using since release 3.0.

But what I'm affraid I cannot get used to is 240x320 screen. Simply not par for a 320x320. I didn't had enough time to play with the iPAQ screen options, but with the dark background it was set, text was ugly, with some kind of "chromatic aberration" I couldn't stand.

This makes me think I will need to go for a VGA device, but I'm affraid this option is beyond my pocket's reach.

Sad thing. I was thinking of a 2210 for upgrading, but my experience with rx1715 screen put me off.

Any comment on this?

The only thing I know, my Tungsten T will die someday. And apart from the posibility of Cobalt (which seems blown as for that statement of "being open to other OS for Palm devices), I hardly will consider another Palm PDA.

[daS]

My first handheld was an HP 95/LX - bought on a whim while on a trip to New York. I was instantly hooked. From there it was a 100LX then the 200LX (actually a few of those).

The first Windows CE device I got was the first one out the door: the Casio Handheld PC - and every generation after that. However, in all that time, I still used the 200LX from 1994 as my main handheld until the HP Jornada 680 made the HP/C a "usable" device.

While I have each generation of Palm-Size/PC and Pocket PC (starting with a Compaq Aero) I stuck with the Handheld PC until Pocket PC 2002.

Lost count of them all, but most are tucked away in a big box (along with my first computer: a KIM-1! :rock on dude!: )

I'm now using an iPAQ 6315, but I'll change again when I there's a better phone that really supports Bluetooth. :roll:

[jdhill]

Windows CE/Palm-sized PC/Pocket PC:
1. Casio E10
2. Casio E100
3. Casio E115
4. Casio E200
5. Toshiba e755
6. Dell Axim X50v (just ordered) (Soon to be Current)

SmartPhones:
1. Motorola MPX-200
2. Samsung SCH-600 (Current)

Wireless E-Mail Devices:
1. Motorola T-900 (Current)
2. RIM BlackBerry (Current)

Also owned:
1. Casio A22
2. IPaq 3150
3. Handspring Visor Deluxe (had to see what the Dark Side was about)
4. Diamond Mako (Psion Revo re-branded) (had to see what the other Dark Side was about)
5. IBM z50 (Jupiter class)

[Deslock]

In 2003. Windows Mobile 2003 was technically Pocket PC 3.0 and MS does it right with release 3.0.
Actually, the hype around the time of the first PPCs was "MS does it right with release 3.0". Microsoft had revised the GUI and came up with a new name, but it was really the successor to the Palm-Sized PC and was widely recognized as Microsoft's 3rd attempt at the consumer handheld market. Some notable releases during Windows Mobile OS History:

1996 Q4: CE 1.0
1997 Q3: CE 2.0
1998 Q2: Palm-Sized PC (based on CE 2.1)
2000 Q2: Pocket PC (based on CE 3.0)
2001 Q?: Pocket PC 2002 (based on CE 3.0)
2003 Q2: Windows Mobile 2003 (based on CE 4.2)
2004 Q3: Windows Mobile 2003 SE (based on CE 4.2)

[jimski]

Switched from Palm devices (long time user) to Sony in late 2001, due to Palm's lack of creativity. Waited six months for Sony to release their Bluetooth (sorry Ed) Memory Stick (backordered at Expansys for 3 months) and finally gave up when the iPAQ 3870 w/Bluetooth came out in June 2002.

A bit of a rocky start, but no regrets.

[dma1965]

I switched to a Pocket PC (an iPaq 3640) back in 2001 when I got a job running a Citrix Metaframe network, and my boss showed me Pocket Citrix. I was a HARDCORE Palm user at the time, but I thought I would give it a try. I hated it at first, but all the features made me love it. I actually considered switching back to Palm about a month ago, when I made the switch from Windows to Mac for my personal laptop, since Mac and Palm play together much better than Pocket PC and Mac do. I went so far as to look at all the new models, but the thing that stopped me cold was the lack of Terminal services and I could not find a decent model which had Bluetooth and Wifi both. I also decided that since I manage a Windows network, Pocket PC is a much better tool. Oddly enough, I really believe Pocket PC is a much better operating system than any Windows desktop OS. It is much simpler, faster, and more user friendly, much like the Mac is. No popups, no viruses, very fast at finding information, and with Wifi, a great surfing tool. Really has Palm beat, hands down.

[TMann]

I'm a partial switcher...

I've owned a number of Palms (Zire 71, Tungsten T3, Clie TG50 and TH55,) and a few different PPC's (e805, 4355 and 4155.) My Palm T3 has been my "main" PDA for a while. It's small, fast and reliable and I'm very familiar with the Palm PIM apps.

After the T5 came out, though, I started looking more seriously at the idea of using a PPC as my "main" device. I had a 4155, and spent about two weeks trying to use it for all of my PDA needs. There were a few headaches getting switched over and I found that I still preferred a few of the Palm programs over their PPC counterparts, (my database program and the PIM apps.) Overall, though, the PPC OS just seemed to offer more potential than the Palm OS.

So I sold my 4155 last week, and just ordered a Dell x50v this evening. I will keep my T3, as a backup PDA, but I think that for now, Windows Mobile will be my PDA OS of choice.

TMann

(Having said all of that, I must add that I am somewhat ambivalent about which platform I use. If PalmOne comes out with a killer device next Spring, I will happily go back to that platform. Unfortunately, it seems that all of PalmOne's energy is going into the Treo line. :( )

[Ed Hansberry]

...Pocket PC was launched in April 2000 - and 100% of those were color.

No they werent, plenty of black and white ones were released.
The last black and white one running PPC was a unit running PPC 2K2 and even today there are plenty of black and white WinCE machines available.

Do your homework Ed.
There were 4 Pocket PCs shown in April 2000 for the launch party at Grand Central Station. The Jornada 540 series, the Casio 115, a Symbol unit and the iPAQ 3600. Which of those "launced in April 2000" was B&amp;W?

All the B&amp;W units came out later, like the iPAQ 3100.

Do your homework Fishie and read what people write before you start correcting or answering what you think they wrote.

[smashie2000]

Well I switched from palm 2 weeks ago to an rx3715 and I love it. The reasons for switching, simple, I got a new phone and the plam won't support it, the lack of wifi on the palm. And finally being fed up with lack of support after they bring a new model out. I had a TT and when the T2 came out, no more support. I've had palm os devices of various types for the last 5 years, it will take a pretty groundbreaking device for me to go back to them.

[Fishie]

I apologise, it would help if you wouldnt write in such an ambivalent and confusing way though.

[notesguy88]

Everyone probably already knows this, but I figured I'd contribute...I started using a Velo 1 that I paid an insane $1500 CND for by the time the conversion rate, shipping, import taxes etc... 8O Never owned a Palm OS device, and don't plan to either. :devilboy:

Like you, my first device was a Phillips Velo 1 which was my first mobile device. Unlike you, my next two devices were the Palm V and the Palm Vx. At that time I didn't like how Windows CE worked on the Velo so I switched to Palm OS. In addition, I had somewhat of an "Internet" access back then when OnmiSky was around. However, when the iPAQ 3630 came out, I was one of the early users of it. I remember when it first came out and J&R Computer World had only two in stock. I whipped out my credit card and never looked back. Since the 3630, I've also gotten the 3970 (which I've upgraded to WM2003), the Pocket PC Phone and recently the iPAQ 6315.

[Phillip Dyson]

I started with the PSION Revo which I purchased off of Ebay back in 2000. I went with that to replace my Franklin planner. I also had some sort of Stylus-phobia. I insisted on having a keyboard (for some reason).

Later I purchased the IPaq 3600. Along with bot CF and PC card sleeves. When I signed up for the Richochet wireless broadband I was in heaven. Of course when they went under, there was no way I could go back to dial-up so I immediately signed up for Comcast internet at home. :)

I kept that one until the 2215 came out and I snatched it up the very same week. I still have that one today. Along with my Audiovox 5600 I"m doing okay. Although I still miss the Richochet. :cry:

I'm currently torn between the Dell X50v and the Toshiba 830.

Funny, just this weekend my 70 year old Dad mentioned to me that he was looking at a Dell. He wants GPS and to replace his old Sharp organizer. I resisted the urge to peddle him off on Palm for the simpler interface. I figured, he's smart. And I can help him if he gets into trouble.

[ucfgrad93]

There was no choice for those of us who can't make up their minds and switch back and forth between PPC and POS.

[serpico]

I converted a few months ago after having so many problems with my last Palmpilot. I'm one of those who have used it since the first model, and I knew I had to upgrade to a real PDA. I needed more and Palm gave the same thing over and over but just in a new case design.

Today the same thing is happening and no OS6 for awhile.

[Deslock]

I apologise, it would help if you wouldnt write in such an ambivalent and confusing way though.
You have a point. Ed's posts are often confusing (and/or misleading). In this case:
On the Windows CE side, Philips, Casio, Compaq, HP and probably a few others all had a color PDA out based on Windows CE 2.11, the last CE for PDAs before Pocket PC was launched in April 2000 - and 100% of those were color.
Technically speaking, because he first referred to PPC in the singular, it is implied that he was talking about the platform and not just the specific PPC models launched Apr 2000 (that is to say that he wrote that the platform was launched Apr 2000, not that the first PPCs were launched Apr 2000). I suspect that you're not the only person who interpretted his "100% of those" statement as applying to all models from the PPC platform.

[Snail]

I too have done a lot of switching OS - NewtOS, Psion, PalmOS, WinCE...

I still drool over some of the latest great features of WM2003SE, but until a manufacturer is brave enough to reproduce the form factor of my UX50 with WM2003 under the hood, I won't be swiching again for a while...

[drop]

Dell made it affordable to throw away my Handspring Platinum and try new thing. Started with a X5 and never look back. I am on my second PPC, a X50v. Happy, happy 0X .

[Jonathan1]

[Device 1]My first PDA was an Palm Pilot 5000. It didn't do a whole heck of a lot. But it did the basics and that was what I was looking for at the time.

[Device 2]The next on my hit list was an Apple Newton Messagepad 2100. I got it slightly used back in late 97/early 98. I love the form factor. Obviously its not for everyone (which is a given since it isn't still around) but I still use it to date. There is no peer when it comes to taking notes. The feel of writing on the screen, the superb handwriting recog, the ample screen space that doesn't go overboard like the tablet PC does. Its just a good all around general purpose note taking device.

[Device 3]Fast forward to Early '99. I was in the market for something more powerful then my Palm Pilot. So I picked up my first Wince device. A Cassiopeia E-11 with a whopping 8MB of internal RAM and a mind boggling 8MB CF card. The device was OK. But the gee wiz factor wore off fast. It had at best a 10 hours battery life. Now a days 10 hours is respectable. But keep in mind that we are talking 2 AAA batteries every couple of days. After a month I ended up going with rechargeable NICAD batteries that helped out but it still sucked that I had to carry a spare set with me because the quality of the battery meter sucked. It was like some cars. When the needle points to F it stays there a while. When it gets to the bottom of the tank it goes downhill fast. For some reason the meter when it got under 50% it dropped fast. Couple that with the fact that I was doing soft resets at least once a day and was constantly running out of space on the device and you can possibly see why in fall of '99 I was seriously looking at a Palm V.

The Palm Sized PC, to be blunt, sucked massive butt. I was literally a week away from purchasing one. Then I start reading online about a new device series from Microsoft. Something so revamped that they are going so far as to rename it. Its no longer Palm Sized PC. It’s the Pocket PC. Hmmmm as of '99 it was starting to look as if MS was starting to get their act together. I was running a beta of Windows 2000 on my desktop and was supremely happy with its quality and stability. Could Microsoft do the same with their PC line or would this be another lemon? So as much as I wanted a new device I waited. As more information started trickling in that fall the more excited I got. Casio was first on the scene with a color wince PDA sized device but knowing that the Pocket PC line was going to be color across the line. Finding out it would have a native resolution of 240 x 320 with 16 bit color. At that point Dale came onto the scene with pocketpcpassion.com (may it rest in peace.) As more info leaked the more interested I got in the device. Something in late winter very early Spring the first Pocket PC tour happened in a school in the Minneapolis suburbs. I and prob 60 others were there to see what Microsoft had up their sleeves. A wet behind the ears Beth Goza was there demoing the new devices along with the new OS. Suffice it to say I was impressed. Microsoft looked like they had actually put some real effort into this OS. We got to play with a Jornada 548 as well as a Casio E-115. But the device that got everyone excited was none other then the Compaq iPaq 3650. They had a non functioning model there but even though it didn't work the feel of the device in the hand was perfect. I knew that this was going to be my next PDA.

[Device 4] In a display that would be replicated time and again over the years and be followed up by HP; Compaq kept delaying the release date of the Compaq iPaq 3650. Initially it was May. The month after the launch. Then it was pushed back. I think twice. So it ended up being "officially" launched in June/July but in typical Compaq fashion they didn't supply the demand. I ordered my device in June from several online stores. I also preordered one from Best Buy. Suffice it to say I didn't get it until early September. Yes it took THAT long to get an iPaq. So please for the love of god those who complain about a wait period of a couple weeks. You know NOTHING about waiting. Along with the iPaq I got the CF sleeve initially along with a PCMCIA sleeve. Eventually I broke down in Feb of 01 and purchased a years service with Omnisky. It was a wireless service that provided a Sierra PCMCIA modem that got me on the net with my Pocket PC. That and in mid-2001 I picked up my 340MB IBM Microdrive. Finally as the ultimate upgrade I was one of the first people on the market to get a 64MB iPaq. Dale was/is good friend with the folks at pocketpctechs and he asked me if I wanted my device upgraded to 64MB. Hmmm that took all of 3 seconds to consider. So for a week in early 2001 I was without my device. But oh was it worth it. I was rolling in tech heaven. This device and its accessories was the bomb. Also that year I joined Dale Coffing's team and helped moderate the fledgling Pocketpcpassion discussion forums. A daunting task even at that time. (All hail PPCT mods. You guys do an outstanding job.) From that relationship I got a chance to review some software and even got a few small things out of it. None of which were asked for by me. I'm not crass after all. Just a PITA occasionally. ;)

[Device 5] My next device was a gift. A used Casio EM-500 (Grey/blue) I still use this device to date for e-book reading. No device other then the original Jornada used a true TFT screen. There are pros and cons to going with reflective tech but at the end of the day you are sacrificing screen quality. My EM-500 simply rocks when it comes to reading.

So fall of 2001 rolls around. Nothing all that interesting has come out on the market. Yes there were new Pocket PC devices but nothing that screamed BUY ME!! So I waited. In the mean time I helped startup the local Minneapolis Pocket PC usergroup. with the help of the local Microsoft office we initially had the meetings in their regional office's training/conference room. Very kind of them. After the 3 meeting or so it was obvious that this wasn't going to work out well since a MS employee had to stay after hours to allow us in and such. after jumping around to several locations we settled in at a suburban tech college. *shrugs* The interest in the Pocket PC has somewhat waned since that time. Partly due to work constraints, partly due to Microsoft's lack of forward momentum in the OS. At any rate moderating the forums and trying to play coordinator at the usergroup became to much and both got handed off to others. More accurately I just sort of slinked away.

[Device 6] At any rate 2001 passed by and 2002 rolled around. Again nothing from Microsoft, initially, it at that point had become frustrating. Microsoft rolls out this wonderful revamped OS and a whole year passes without anything. :( So summer '02 rolls around and hints start emerging about Pocket PC 2002 more importantly new Jornada devices from HP. As much as I love/loved my Compaq iPaq 3650 I really wanted integrated expansion, that and the flip cover sealed the deal. So October 4th the day the device was release I got an HP Jornada 568 from Circuit City and that is where I'm at right now.


I felt no need to upgrade to Windows Mobile 2003 or what I like to call it Pocket PC 2003. It was and is just a rehash of Pocket PC 2002 and a rehash of Pocket PC 2000. Microsoft has show zero interest in pushing the platform. Even Pocket PC 2003 SE as nice as the landscape support, scaling fonts, and VGA support is its GUI is in serious need of a revamp. Its core needs some tweaking. Hello!?!? Protected memory anyone? The only reason I'm even looking at a new device is mainly hardware. with the proliferation of WIFI having it built in is becoming more and more attractive. The screen quality on these new devices blows my Jornada out of the water also there is the fact that HP liked the original iPaq screen so much they even copied its dust problem. I have a serious case of dandruff behind my Jornada's screen. Finally there is the whole CPU issue. 206Mhz is working perfectly fine but its showing its age. To be honest the entire device, while wholly functional is getting long in the tooth. If all goes well I should have my iPod paid off in December and will be sporting a iPaq 4700 in January. I just need to pay attention to the rumor mills to make sure HP doesn't release something in 1st quarter. Last thing I want to do is purchase a new device just to find out its been eclipsed within a handful of months.

[Darius Wey]

If all goes well I should have my iPod paid off in December and will be sporting a iPaq 4700 in January. I just need to pay attention to the rumor mills to make sure HP doesn't release something in 1st quarter. Last thing I want to do is purchase a new device just to find out its been eclipsed within a handful of months.

WM2005 is expected to debut next year - whether it's Q1/Q2, I'm not sure. But if you can hold on just that little bit longer, you may be able to bypass this entire WM2003SE phase and hope to grab a device designed for the new OS.

[Oregon Trail]

Never needed to convert. We did a lot of research before I bought it. The OS was better than Palm's. Nearly all of the devices had better screens. Character recognition is easier in the PPC. I started out with a Casio E-125. If it hadn't begun resetting frequently last spring, I'd still be using it. What a nice screen it has. I moved to a Toshiba 805 in June. Love the improved OS, larger internal memory, second card slot and better battery life.(except when using it wi-fi) One lesson to remember; if you want quality you have to shop for it. Buying the first one you see because it's a new type of device is usually a mistake.

[Fishie]

[quote="Deslock
Technically speaking, because he first referred to PPC in the singular, it is implied that he was talking about the platform and not just the specific PPC models launched Apr 2000 (that is to say that he wrote that the platform was launched Apr 2000, not that the first PPCs were launched Apr 2000). I suspect that you're not the only person who interpretted his "100% of those" statement as applying to all models from the PPC platform.[/quote]

I think he does it on purpose.

[Ed Hansberry]

I think he does it on purpose.I do. I think very carefully about what I am writing and I say what I mean. I choose my words carefully so that anyone that is reading it can comprehend it if they wish. If they glance at it though or read into it what they want to be there, then yeah, you'd be confused.

I am sort of amazed at the poll breakdown. Nearing 2,000 votes and so far:
29% are pre-Pocket PC users. I never though it would be that large of a percentage.
15% are new to the Pocket PC in 2003/4 and another 3% are headed that way. :way to go:

[ipaq_wannabe]

If all goes well I should have my iPod paid off in December and will be sporting a iPaq 4700 in January. I just need to pay attention to the rumor mills to make sure HP doesn't release something in 1st quarter. Last thing I want to do is purchase a new device just to find out its been eclipsed within a handful of months.

WM2005 is expected to debut next year - whether it's Q1/Q2, I'm not sure. But if you can hold on just that little bit longer, you may be able to bypass this entire WM2003SE phase and hope to grab a device designed for the new OS.

if that were the case, then i should stop thinking of which is better to get - the iPaq rx4700-series, the new Axim x50v, or the Genio 830w... well, since there are better things around the corner...

the problem is - if i could just wait... ive played with my WM2003 device for about a month now, and sometimes i regret of getting instead of going straight to the WM2003SE devices (i found a really good deal for brand new obsolete models).

however, as you said, it could be a chance for me to bypass the SE phase altogether...

wow!!!

:mrgreen:

[guinness]

I started off with a TI Avigo, in 1998. It worked well for what it was was and it was the cheapest PDA at that time ($100).

I became a PPC user in 2002 with my X5. Debated about going the POS route, but Palm was too limiting and Sony too proprietary. So I went with the Dell, which I liked, even with the PPC 2002 shortcomings. WM 2003 improved on it quite a bit, but I'm holding off for WM 2005, with its true VGA support and 3D acceleration.

[Fishie]

This might come as a bit of a shoick to the proud owners of the Dell 50v but the screen on it is horrible.

Yeah coming from qvga it looks awesome but actually try holding it next to an Ipaq 4700 or Toshiba E830 for instance and weep big tears.

[targetdrone]

I started with a Casio E-100 back in '99. I got it mainly as a powerful MP3 player. I bought an IBM 340mb Microdrive at the same time. The drive was more than the Casiopeia.
I bought an X5 shortly after they came out. (Still a solid unit.)
I was in line early for an X3i. What speed! I quickly fell out of love as the corner of the case hurts to hold on to while reading e-books. I bought the X3i over the Ipaq because it had the consumer IR port and I didn't need Bluetooth (or so I thought then).
Then I bought the 4155 and added a Sony Ericsson t610 phone with unlimited internet. Joy!!!

I am not replacing it until I get the 2005 OS with wireless G, BT, 600x800 resolution and 256mb RAM that is as small and light as my 4155.

[TMann]

This might come as a bit of a shoick to the proud owners of the Dell 50v but the screen on it is horrible.

Yeah coming from qvga it looks awesome but actually try holding it next to an Ipaq 4700 or Toshiba E830 for instance and weep big tears.

While, I agree that most people seem to like the Ipaq and Toshiba screens better than the Dell's, I haven't heard that most people thought the x50v's screen was "horrible." I think that is is still a huge improvement over the QVGA screens than were the norm just a short while ago.

For many of us who purchased the Dell, the low price and small size were the most important factors in choosing which VGA device to buy.

TMann

[Jonathan1]

, 600x800 resolution and 256mb RAM that is as small and light as my 4155.


Hehe. Then you are going to be waiting a LONG while. From what I understand there aren't even screens on the market that can do 800 x600 in a PDA sized screen. That and look at the benchmarks on devices that have VGA. The 'marks don't tank but they do take a hit. There won't be a PPC that does that res without a dedicated GPU and only now are only a couple devices on the market going with a GPU. I wouldn't wait for 800 x 600. I doubt even MS is going to be going to that with the PPC before PPC 2006 or 2007.

[lssong99]

I used a Casio PDA around 1984~86. The PDA can store up to 400 phone numbers and has a TOUCH screen which you can use DIGITAL INK :!: to jot down anything with a stylus! The Casio PDA is called IF-8000 and also works as a calculator...

That was well before even Windows! :wink:

Any one earlier? :mrgreen:

[rlobrecht]

I started with a Casio E-10.

[Fishie]

, 600x800 resolution and 256mb RAM that is as small and light as my 4155.


Hehe. Then you are going to be waiting a LONG while. From what I understand there aren't even screens on the market that can do 800 x600 in a PDA sized screen. That and look at the benchmarks on devices that have VGA. The 'marks don't tank but they do take a hit. There won't be a PPC that does that res without a dedicated GPU and only now are only a couple devices on the market going with a GPU. I wouldn't wait for 800 x 600. I doubt even MS is going to be going to that with the PPC before PPC 2006 or 2007.

My Sigmarion3 has 800by480 and is every bit as fast as PPCs out there.
Even the Toshiba e800 had a dedicated graphics card so they do exist, WinCE 4.1 and higher supports even higher resolution then that so there is no problem why it wouldnt be possible.
The biggest killjoy speedwise is actually second edition as compared to regular Win Mobile 2K3 its a resource hog.

As for the Dell 50v yes the screen looks nicer then QVGA machines out there, the colours however suck and compared to the other VGA machines out there it sucks completely, paired with an anemic battery and the bad screen the Dell is actually baf valuye for money when one starts to think of it.
Despite being the cheapest machine out there I cant recomend it to anyone and would advice value conscious people who are looking for a VGA device to pick up a cheap Toshiba e800/805 instead.
It makes far more sense and with the MyVGA hack you can have your screen rotation and apps in true VGA witouth a horrible speed loss for most things.

[ipaq_wannabe]

I started with a Casio E-10.

the E-10 was around 1996 to 1997, or maybe 1998... i think...

[rprata]

I used an HP 4155 very briefly earlier in the year, but the real switch came when I bought the HP h6315 PPC Phone. It's taken some getting used to, and it's been a bumpy ride, but so far, so good. I LOVE Voice Command :D

[mv]

I started with a jornada 548... first pocket pc ever! ah, that slugish SH3 cpu... :lol:

[LynnPritchard]

Have always loved "techie" stuff and started with basic Palm. Moved to m505 and liked it but lusted after my husband's iPAQ (with its gorgeous screen). Had to stay with Palm initially as I'm a Realtor and used Top Producer, supported by Palm but not Pocket PC's. Finally threw caution to the winds, bagged Top Producer and imported data into Outlook [HORRIBLE process], and bought an iPAQ5555. Love at first sight....until I heard about the Samsung i700 which had phone and internet capability. Bolted again, passed 5555 to my husband, and adore the Samsung! :lol:

[Steve Jordan]

I started with a Casio Zoomer bought on clearance, running Geos, and I was perfectly satisfied with the quality of the Geos OS for handhelds. I looked at Palm, but didn't like the permanent graffiti screen space wasting a third of the screen. Unfortunately, when I needed to replace the Casio, Geos had sort of evaporated, so I bought a TI Avigo on clearance, after it had been discontinued.

Avigo ran a proprietary OS, and I was satisfied with its quality, but it could not be expanded on or modified. When I needed more, TI was out of the PPC business. And Palm was still wasting screen space with graffiti. So I bought a Diamond Mako running Psion, also on discontinued clearance. (Hey... at least I was getting 'em cheap.)

Again, I was satisfied with the OS, and I liked the permanent keyboard, but was still limited in modifications. When I began having mechanical problems and started looking, Palm was still wasting space with graffiti, and the one exception was too expensive. So I finally chose Toshiba's E-330 for its expansion, wealth of programs, virtual screen (and available keyboards), and other peripherals.

I admit that if full Windows worked as well as PPC 3.0, I'd have a lot less problems with my PC and laptop. (Even if it was made by scheming, lying, greedy, government-bribing, public-gouging, monopolistic... well, anyway.) Still, the OS means less to me than the flexibility of the platform. And this is hands-down the most flexible PPC platform I've used yet, thanks to the heavy third-party support.

[Jeff Rutledge]

I had one of the first iPAQ 3650's, with all of it's problems (screen-flip, dust, etc.). Even so, I thought it was great. Everybody at work who had Palm's couldn't believe what I could do (I moved from a Vx). Since then I've had a 3870, a Siemens SX-56 (only for a few weeks) and now have a 2215. I'm contemplating a 4700, but I think I'm going to wait for the next generation of devices.