time to upgrade technologies

[Bill Storey]

Hello to all,

I'm a new forum member that is looking into moving from a NEC MobilePro 790 handheld pc to a PPC. I'll be using this unit for (1) pda, (2) checking email anytime I'm away from home, (3) note taking in my college classes, so I will need to be able to use an external full size keyboard, and a VGA screen would be very nice, (4) recreation (music, video's, ebooks), (5)possibly use as GPS.
I think I will want a PPC that is bluetooth enabled to allow me to connect to my cell phone if I don't get a converged unit. A camera isn't a deal breaker either way, although I suppose if it was decent it wouldn't be a bad thing. I would also like the unit to be useable all day long so battery life is important. What PPC and accessories am I looking for? I myself can't answer that question yet, as I am just starting my search, so all input is welcome. This forum is one of the starting points in my search.

Bill

[Menneisyys]

Are you in Europe? Then, the Fujitsu-Siemens N560.

The States? Then, the Dell Axim x51v.

[Brad Adrian]

I've been very happy with my Dell Axim X51v, and it might be just right for you. It's got Bluetooth, but no camera, and I've been pretty successful connecting to the Internet using my phone (which does have a camera). The screen is nice, too.

With a Bluetooth-enabled device, you can also get a full-size (but folding) keyboard; that works a lot better than the infrared ones and you don't have to get a new keyboard if you get a new device. And, Bluetooth GPS receivers work great in those situations, too. From what you describe, I'd also suggest looking at models for which you can get an extended-power battery. Power consumption is, of course, variable, depending on how brightly you have the screen lit, etc. but if you really need day-long juice, most standard batteries will be a disappointment.

As far as WHAT you can do with a Windows Mobile Powered Pocket PC, they'll all have about the same capabilities and run the same applications. As you probably already know, though, you can never have enough RAM, so I tend to favor those with plenty under the hood.

[Brad Adrian]

You might also want to think about getting a decent case for your new device; most are shipped with flimsy little sleeves that don't protect them much and hinder access. For some ideas, look at vaja.com, sena.com and ebcases.com.

Not really what most people consider an "accessory," some additional form of input software might be something you'd like to think about. The built-in on-screen keyboard, letter recognizer, block recognizer and Transcriber (full-word handwriting recognizer) offer lots of flexibility, but there are other options for when a full-size keyboard won't do. FITALY and TENGO are popular choices. I use Calligrapher, a full-featured, powerful handwriting recognition app; it's so accurate and fast that I use it almost exclusively and don't even need an external keyboard.

Some sort of clear screen protector is also a good idea, IMO. That way, if you get a bit of grit under your stylus, you won't etch your meeting notes into the screen. There are ALL kinds, of varying stiffness, smoothness, etc. but if you want to hear lots of opinions, search this site for the words "screen protector best" (selecting "search for all terms") and you'll get some great threads to read. I hesitate to offer one specific thread, because there is no definitive way to evaluate which type is best for you. I happen to prefer the glare-free ones from PPCTechs.com; they're more expensive than some, but can literally last a year or longer.

Of course, there are many, many other types of accessories to be had, and I'm sure others will chime in here with their favorites, too. Don't forget to hold a bit of money back, though, for when you find those applications and games that you just CAN'T live without. If you want to get an idea of some of the really cool, fun and powerful software available, read the posts in the SOFTWARE section of these forums and/or visit online stores at Handango.com, Pocketgear.com and SPBsoft.com.

So, that's my long answer to a short question. As you might expect, there are a lot of Windows Mobile uber-enthusiasts here, and we welcome any and all questions you might have.

Good luck!!

[ctmagnus]

You might also want to think about getting a decent case for your new device; most are shipped with flimsy little sleeves that don't protect them much and hinder access. For some ideas, look at vaja.com, sena.com and ebcases.com.

Those should be vajacases.com (www.vajacases.com) and senacases.com (www.senacases.com), respectively. ;)

[hamishmacdonald]

I have an Acer n311 and love it. (And I've owned most of the current Windows Mobile devices at some point.)

- It's cheaper than most others.
- It's all screen, no bulk (and a VGA screen at that).
- It's well put together, from hardware to little software features (turning on and off Bluetooth and WiFi, that kind of daily use level of detail).

The Acer doesn't get talked about much, but it's the best device I've had so far.