Why use a handheld vs a smartphone?

[tritan]

With the rumors that Dell is going to stop making PPC handhelds and focus on wireless devices I wondered what is stopping everybody from switching to a smartphone. There seems to be a bigger choice of smartphone now vs. handhelds. If you think about it after Dell stops making them there will only be HP on the PPC side and Palm inc. on the Palm OS side.
What keeps you guys from switching ? Is it certain software? Do you use both a smartphone and handheld? memory? etc...

[dh]

I'd look at it from the other direction and ask "why on earth buy a pda without phone capabilities?"

I've making the change from PDA - the Zaurus C860 in my case - to Smartphone just so I can be connected all the time. The Zaurus is a great (maybe the best ever) PDA, but having no embedded wireless capabilities of any kind is making it obsolete.

As well as a day job with lots of traveling, I also have a part time wedding photo business where more than 50% of contact with my clients is by email. I've orderd an I-Mate SP5 which has EDGE, Bluetooth and WiFi all built in. Going to get the Stowaway keyboard as well for notetaking and when more than a short email reply is needed.

Having personal, local and wide area comunication in a single device seems to me to be the obvious evolution of mobile computing.

[SteveHoward999]

If I could get a machine with the specification of my E830 **or better**, most importantly *including the screen* for a reasonable price (not $1000++ for an HTC Universal), that includes a quad-band GSM phone then I would consider it.

But right now there's nothing like that.

Also, right now phones are great at being phones and less good at being PDAs. PDAs are great at being PDAs and less good at being phones. I can have a better phone plus PDA pair for about the same price as a converged device that is not so good overall. I can then upgrade my devices seperately as my needs or whims suit, maintaining a better pairing than a single device can give me today.

Oh - and don't forget there are times when I can not or will not carry a phone and other times when I can not or will not carry my PDA. This is probably the driving factor for me not wanting a converged device.

Pretty soon my arguments will be moot, and I know they are irrelevant to many here. But right now I can get the data and communication solution that I want only by buying separate devices.

[PetiteFlower]

I haven't heard any such rumors about Dell. In fact I think they're doing rather well in the PDA business, why would they get out of it now?

[ADBrown]

With the rumors that Dell is going to stop making PPC handhelds and focus on wireless devices I wondered what is stopping everybody from switching to a smartphone. There seems to be a bigger choice of smartphone now vs. handhelds. If you think about it after Dell stops making them there will only be HP on the PPC side and Palm inc. on the Palm OS side.
What keeps you guys from switching ? Is it certain software? Do you use both a smartphone and handheld? memory? etc...

Put it this way:

Bigger, sharper screen
More memory
Faster processor
More features
Dual slots
Etcetera, etcetera

There's still plenty of reasons not to go with a smartphone. They're never as powerful or comfortable to use for data as a conventional handheld.

PetiteFlower, the rumor in question originated from somebody on Aximsite who (ostensibly got an email from their IT firm saying that Dell had decided not to produce any more handhelds after the X51. Contrary to the original post, the report actually said that Dell was looking at converged devices, but had no intention of announcing anything at the moment. Take it for what you will, at this point I'd call it rumor.

[Sven Johannsen]

What keeps you guys from switching ?...
Along with all the other great reasons posted, you can buy a PPC without a camera in it. There are places you can't take a camera. Seems there is something about phone electronics that require a camera to be co-located.

[G M Fude]

What keeps you guys from switching ?
Size, mainly. My mobile phone goes with me everywhere, so it has to be small and light.

On the other hand, I bought an Axim X50v because of that big beautiful screen. I fly a lot on Virgin Blue airlines (not by choice -- tight**** boss) and they provide no in-flight entertainment. Don't provide anything at all, really, apart from the seat. So I watch movies on my handheld to alleviate the boredom. I haven't seen a smartphone yet that I'd be happy doing that with (see criterion in first paragraph above). Also a large PDA screen is important for use with GPS (hiking with topographical maps, turn-by-turn driving when interstate, etc).

Plus, I get a phone for free with my mobile plan, upgraded to a new top-of-the-line model every two years. If it gets scratched or knocked around within that time... pffftt... who cares?

[PetiteFlower]

Rumors that Dell was going to put out a converged device have been around since the original X5. I just don't see it happening.