Paml or PPC?

[therock003]

Hello dear friends i would like your help in this one.I'm in desperate need of some clarifications as i just can't make my mind.I don't want to make a premature buy and lose my money.I have read several articles on the net and others say Palm others PPC.What are the differences?

What i want,is variety of programms,good media quality and playback,gps and lots of hardware tweaks and expansion,which of these two is most suited for my needs?

As for the models,i've distinguised are from Palm Treo 650 and from PPC Dell Axim x50v and HP hx 4700.

I await your guidance!

[surur]

They are different classes of devices. The Treo 650 is a PDA Phone, whereas the other two are PDA's. For many people the convenience of integration beat the multitude of features in the PDA devices.

Now i you were comparing the Dell Axim x50v to the LifeDrive or T5 it would be much simpler to declare the PocketPC's the clear leaders.

Surur

[kaitanium]

if you want your "variety of programms,good media quality and playback,gps and lots of hardware tweaks and expansion" then pretty much pocket pc is the way to go, even though palm has its share. i once had a palm but once i went to ppc, never looked back one bit

[therock003]

If that's the case then PPC it should be.Some added quostion:

A)Why do palm and ppc have up to 65k colours max while mobiles have 262k?
B)Can i have pcmcia cards in PPC?
C)Can i run palm applications in a PPC?
D)How many tasks can simultaneously run in a PPC,what ram does it have?

And last but not least,what are the differences between Dell Axim x50v And Hp hx 4700?

Which one should i choose?

[fazwarts]

if you want your "variety of programms,good media quality and playback,gps and lots of hardware tweaks and expansion" then pretty much pocket pc is the way to go, even though palm has its share. i once had a palm but once i went to ppc, never looked back one bit
I just recently moved from Palm to PPC. Both platforms will meet all your requirements. For Palm the Lifedrive would be a good choice.
The main reason I switched from Palm to PPC is the way PPC integrates into the Desktop Windows enviroment. The PalmOS is a completely different story, however once you get to know all "secrets" the Palm will fit your needs as much as a PPC.

It's a matter of personal taste to make a good choice. In fact the best you can do is try both systems thoroughly before you decide.

[ADBrown]

A)Why do palm and ppc have up to 65k colours max while mobiles have 262k?

Some PocketPCs do. It's a function of the LCD screens, and 262k LCDs are cheaper in the tiny, low resolutions used by phones.

B)Can i have pcmcia cards in PPC?

No, but you can have CompactFlash and SD cards.

C)Can i run palm applications in a PPC?

Some, though an application called StyleTap.

D)How many tasks can simultaneously run in a PPC,what ram does it have?

Current PocketPCs have 64-128 MB of RAM. You could reasonably run around a 4-6 applications before you started running into performance issues.

And last but not least,what are the differences between Dell Axim x50v And Hp hx 4700?

The Axim is smaller, lighter, cheaper, has better buttons, a hardware 3D accelerator chip, and the option to hook up an external monitor. The iPaq is larger, heavier, has a better battery, and a larger screen.

I've had both, and I greatly prefer the Axim. It's got a more appealing design, better features, and provides far more for the price.

[therock003]

Thanx a lot guys for all the answers you've made some things clear for me but i need to be cautious before i buy something i regret!

Last time i did that i ended paying a sony ericsson p910i uiq for 700 euros and i got bored of it right away and i don't want to do the same mistake again.I wish we could rent mobiles and gadgets to see the ups and downs.

So AdBrown my friend you say i should go for the Dell?That's what i thought but i'm worried about that 0.3 more inches of the hp.Do they make a difference?

I'm a great movie fan and most of all i want a clear and smooth playback.Do you think that a 4 inch screen will make the difference over the 3.7 of dell's?

P.S.Palms have pcmcia slots right?Are they beeter in multitasking?

[surur]

If that's the case then PPC it should be.Some added quostion:

A)Why do palm and ppc have up to 65k colours max while mobiles have 262k?
B)Can i have pcmcia cards in PPC?
C)Can i run palm applications in a PPC?
D)How many tasks can simultaneously run in a PPC,what ram does it have?

And last but not least,what are the differences between Dell Axim x50v And Hp hx 4700?

Which one should i choose?



a) I understand its an OS limitation.
b) There used to be sleeves for Compaq ipaq's which took pcmcia cards, but most peripherals I can think of now come in CF, SD or bluetooth versions, so I do not believe this is necessary any more.
c) Yes, a lot of software can run under a commercial translator called styletap http://www.styletap.com
d) Any number of services, and up to 32 processes. How many you can run in practice depends on how resource intensive your software is.

Dell Axim x50v vs HP 4705 - you could write a book really. Don't forget there are other VGA pocketpc's such as the Loox 720 and Asus 730W. Especially if you are European the Loox 720 is a very good choice.

Compare their specifications here. http://www.firstloox.org/VGAppc.htm

Surur

[fazwarts]

P.S.Palms have pcmcia slots right?Are they beeter in multitasking?
As far as I know no single Palm exists with a pcmcia slot. Most Palms have SD-slots only (with exception Sony which uses Memorycard).

PalmOS doesn't multitask at all, however:

- You can listen to MP3 music and perform tasks (or play games etc) at the same time

- With PalmOS there is "Save State", which means that when a program is closed, the state will be saved.When opening that program again, the state is the same as before closing it. Looks and works very much like multitasking, but it is not the same.

[ADBrown]

So AdBrown my friend you say i should go for the Dell?That's what i thought but i'm worried about that 0.3 more inches of the hp.Do they make a difference?

The difference in thickness is actually 0.03 inches, which is about 1 millimeter. Not a big difference, I think. Besides, the iPaq is a half inch longer (12 mm) and .2 inches wider (5 mm).

I'm a great movie fan and most of all i want a clear and smooth playback.Do you think that a 4 inch screen will make the difference over the 3.7 of dell's?

If video is a consideration, I'd lean even more towards the Axim. Its 3D accelerator chip also provides hardware video decoding, which means that it can play any MPEG1 or MPEG4 video, even at desktop resolution, in perfect fluidity.

P.S.Palms have pcmcia slots right?Are they beeter in multitasking?

As mentioned by fazwarts, no and no. There exists no Palm with a PCMCIA slot, and they have no real multitasking. As an addendum, the "save state" capability doesn't work for all program--even many of the built in applications can't do it. So if you're in the middle of browsing a web page, and you want to copy some text from it to a note so that you can keep it, you have to close the browser, open the note program, save the note, then go back and open the browser again.

[MitchellO]

YEah, multitasking is not a strong point of Palms.

I used to have a Palm, and it was really stable. I may have to reset my PPC a few times a week, but my Palm V maybe once a month (or after installing an app).

Personally out of your three devices (Treo 650, x50v, hx4700) I would choose the Treo. Its phone and PDA capabilities in one device make it great value. I have been considering selling my Mini to get one, as I really like integrated thumboards (my last PDA was an iPAQ 4355), but lack of funds have made that difficult.

And if you haven't seen the lifedrive in person, do before you even think of buying it. I saw it yesterday, and unlike in the pics it is frickin HUGE!!!!

[therock003]

Well i've considered things and i believe i'm going for the Dell x50v.

One last thing though,since i consider buying it from US for better price (i'm from Greece) will i have any compatibilitty issues?

[ADBrown]

You'll need a plug adapter to hook it up to local main power. The Axim's power adapter already supports the 240v power in Europe, so all you need is a passive plug adapter, not a transformer. Other than that, you should be fine.

[therock003]

I compared the characteristics in the link surur gave and i relaised that it's controlled via 5-way D-pad!So it doesn't have a touchscreen?That's basic for me.Can't it be upgraded in having one?Also few other features?

A)What's a USB Host?Does it mean that some ppc with this can have a usb input?
B)What's the Difference betwwen Seria,Consumer and Fast IR?
C)What's the significance of Available RAM?It says RAM and Available RAM.The Ram that's not available meaning memory taken by system processes by deafault?Dell has 64 can it be upgraded to 128?
D)About GPS does it have it already or do i need some kind of a gadget for it?
EDIT-E)I forgot this one and i edited it-Dell also doesn't have a camera,can it get one?

As for prices does anybody know a good place for the US?I just want to compare.My cousins are going to visit me later this month and if prices are better there and i'm gonna tell them to get me one.

The Price i've found Dell in Europe included tax and transportation is 464 euros if in Us it's cheaper i'l get it from there.

[surur]

I compared the characteristics in the link surur gave and i relaised that it's controlled via 5-way D-pad!So it doesn't have a touchscreen?That's basic for me.Can't it be upgraded in having one?Also few other features?

A)What's a USB Host?Does it mean that some ppc with this can have a usb input?
B)What's the Difference betwwen Seria,Consumer and Fast IR?
C)What's the significance of Available RAM?It says RAM and Available RAM.The Ram that's not available meaning memory taken by system processes by deafault?Dell has 64 can it be upgraded to 128?
D)About GPS does it have it already or do i need some kind of a gadget for it?
E)I forgot this one and i edited it-Dell also doesn't have a camera,can it get one?

All Pocketpc's have touchscreens AND D-pads.
1) USB host means being able to connect to USB periferals such as keyboards, mice and thumb drives, just like your desktop PC. Most PDA's dont have this, and its usefullness is limited by the availability of drivers. However most keyboards and thumb drives should work, and a variety of other devices such as printers and cameras occasionally work. The Dell does not have USB host. It does have bluetooth however, which can do most of these things, but USB is more ubiquitous in periferals.
2) Serial and Fast IR means infra-red used to pass data, such as beaming a phone number or activesyncing with a desktop. Consumer IR means also being able to use your PDA as a remote control. The Dell apparently does have SOME ability in C-IR.
3) Your PDA comes with a set amount of RAM (64 or 128MB) but after it boots some of that is used by the OS for utilities and drivers. Its basically like free RAM available after boot time on a desktop. The Dell can be upgraded to 128MB RAM, but WM5 will make this unnecessary as it uses RAM more efficiently.
4) The Dell does not have GPS built in, but with freely available software and a GPS reciever can be used for Sat-Nav. Expect to pay 200-300 euro for this.
5) You can get a number of SD or CF cameras which will plug into the slot in your device. Dont expect amazing quality however.

I'll end with my spiel, which is that the Loox 720 has USB host, 128MB ram and a 1.3 Megapixel camera, plus jog dail and consumer Infra-red and a very good screen (amongst other features) and an European community, which I think is enough to justify its higher price.

Surur
(Loox owner of course ;) )

[Sven Johannsen]

The Dell can be upgraded to 128MB RAM,

But that cost you $199 and voids your warranty. None of these are like PCs where you go to Crucial, buy a stick and install it yourself, for next to nothing. For the most part, what it comes with, is what you got.

[Nurhisham Hussein]

For more info on USB host, you can check out an article I wrote here:

http://www.mypdacafe.com/articles.php?id=219

There's also a very long thread on firstloox.org on peripherals that work with USB host here:

http://www.firstloox.org/forums/showthread.php?t=2356

[therock003]

Surur

Loox does have better features except the Rom in Which Dell has twice as much and VGA out which is unique and very important and Dell Has it.

Damn!Dell or Loox now?

Price ranges for these 2 ppc anyone?

[surur]

The larger ROM is really not a significant feature, as anything you can install in ROM would be as happy to be installed on a SD or Cf card, and may even load faster from there.

The video out however is the Axim's unique feature, and it does it very well. If video games or video out for presentations etc is a very important feature for you then the Dell is a no-brainer. The Loox could be made to have these features via an add-on CF card, but its not half as good as the built-in solution in the Dell.

Cost wise, if you buy in Europe the Dell costs roughly the same as the Loox, give or take a few Euros. However if you are getting a Dell from America is will be dramatically cheaper, by a few hundred euro. I do not know what your position regarding warranty would be however.

Surur

[therock003]

Ok these are my final arguments:

Dell Axim X50v vs. Fujitsu-Siemens Pocket Loox 720

Strong Points

Processor 624 > 520
Graphics 2D/3d > Integrated
Rom 128 > 64
Vga Out Yes > No
Screen 3.7 in. > 3.6 in.

Ram 64 < 128
USB Host No < Yes (1.1)
Camera No < Yes (1.3 MP)
Navigation -- < Jog Dial

And one minor difference:


IR Fast < Consumer

(Which honestly i really don't care,cause IR is useless ,ven if there was no IR support i wouldn't mind one bit!)

So with that said i believe Dell is the winner.

Ram is upgrdeable so Dell can upgrade to 128,Jog Dial is handy but not essential,IR as i said i don't care,and as for the camera,i have one on my mobile and i tend to buy a digital 7.2mp one,so it only leaves the USB host that i think is what's missing from Dell.

As for price,I've found Dell at 440 euros,what's the Price i the US?

[kaitanium]

they usually start here around $399-424. got mine for $262

[therock003]

Will a CF USB HOst do the trick for Dell?As for compatibillity will it be the same?

As for bluetooth can it handle connections from more than one devices at the same time?

And is it true that Palms have far more variety of applications?

[Nurhisham Hussein]

1. It might - the drivers certainly work, even better than the ones on the Loox. The Ratoc drivers are currently required if you want to use a USB mouse with the Loox

2. Yes

3. Nope, may have been true once, certainly isn't anymore.

[therock003]

Ok I've made my mind finally.I'm purchasing Dell.

I would like to thank all of you who contributed and made things clear for me with your replies,i really appreciate it guys!

[surur]

Best luck. Please come back for any advice or frustrations. Aximsite.com is the great resource for Axim users also of course.

Surur

[kaitanium]

goooo dell! pocketpcs that is, not anything else

[therock003]

Guys one more thing.

Do you believe it would be better to get a bleutooth gps device for use with palm or would be wiser to get a sole gps handheld device?

I need it for my job,not just for fun and i need to know as for precision,accurasy,and overall whats best.