What's the best PDA phone for me?

[bevester]

Just after some advice. I haven't really stayed on top of new releases over the past 6 months or so, but I'm interested in finally upgrading from my old HP hx2490 to something that is a PDA phone. Back when I last looked the HTC Hermes/Dopod 838/i-Mate JasJam was the best for me. I loved the slide out keyboard (i do a lot of writing) and the biggish screen. I definitely need Bluetooth AD2P profile for my wireless headphones and as much expandable memory capability as possible for my music.

I live in Australia - not sure if that changes what I can and can't use.

Is there anything better than the Hermes considering what I need? Any tips would be appreciated.

[Jasmine]

I'm also interested in upgrading to a PDA phone, and would love to hear opinions/advice.

I've been using PDAs for years. In the last couple of years it's been the HP hx4700, which I love. What I really want is an upgraded/whizzier/more powerful version of the hx4700. However, I understand that such a device does not exist, and that manufacturers are pulling out of the PDA market. :(

If I want to get a whizzy new device, I assume it needs to be a PDA phone? I actually need a new mobile handset as well anyway, so I guess this is cool.

Things I'd be looking for in a device include: large screen (I know they won't be as large on a PDA phone compared to a non-phone PDA), lots of in-built memory, expansion slots, lots of third party apps available, bluetooth, IR. I'm not too worried about size and weight. I'm happy for it to be on the heavier side if it means I can have a larger screen and more power/memory.

Other thing is that I'm more interested in value-for-money than actual price. I don't mind if it's on the pricey side if you get a lot for your money and it's really packed full of features, power, memory, etc.

Cheers,
Jasmine

[Dale Daniels]

Well, I am by no means an expert, but I can tell you about my own experiences. I had been using an HP hx2795 for about a year and I was satisfied with it a great deal. I was one of those people who preferred to have my PDA and phone as separate devices. I used a bluetooth phone to get internet connectivity on my PDA.

A few months ago I bought my wife a new Cingular 8525 (HTC Hermes100) and I was very impressed with it. The iPaq had a larger processor (624mhz vs the 8525s 400mhz processor) but the 8525 seemed to do very well. I started to see many advantages to the integrated device and I finally bought one for myself. I do still have the hx2795 but it does not get much use.

What I like is that I do not have to set up a bluetooth connection in order to use the internet. Also, Bluetooth connections didn't appear to give me a connection speed greater that 115 kbps. Now that we have gone 3G (high speed HSDPA) in our area, the BT limitation really is noticed when connecting to the internet.

I use my device for writing quite a bit too and I had an IR keyboard and BT keyboard for the hx2795, but using it on the go could present problems from time to time. I still use the IR keyboard with my 8525 when I do extensive writing, but the built in is pretty nice for cleaning up my articles when I am on the go. The slide out keyboard is awesome and I cannot imagine not having it available for sending emails or text messages these days. I also use it for posting on several forums and it is MUCH easier than the simple on screen keyboards of the iPaq.

The HTC also has a built in camera. Even though it is only 2mp, it is still nice to have at my fingertips when I need it. I can also post quick pics on some of the forum sites without having to do a huge set up to make it happen.

I see many new devices are coming out with 200mhz processors, so I am glad that HTC went with a 400mhz on this device. I know it is a toss up between battery life and performance, but I can honestly say that I am happy with the battery life of my device. I have some very processor intensive games on the iPaq that ran a bit choppy on the HTC, but I really bought it for business use anyway. I kept the hx2795 so I have a device I can use for playing games, watching movies and other entertainment uses.

One thing I will say, I am chomping at the bit right now seeing that the new HTC Kaiser is about to be released. It is the next step up from my device and adds a tilting screen and GPS capability to the mix. I hate to upgrade so soon, but I am sorely tempted.

I don't know if any of this helps, but I would say that the HTC was a great idea for me. I would say about 75% of my posts here, on Smartphone and Pocket PC Magazine's site and several others, are all posted from my HTC. I don't think I would have ever done that on my iPaq without the the external keyboard.

Oh yeah, I know it is not exactly recommended, but I have also been able to write and send emails, text messages and other short communications even when driving. The familiar QWERTY layout definitely makes it easier.

[Jasmine]

This is very useful, especially since it sounds like you were coming from the same situation as I'm currently in, i.e. heavy user of an iPAQ, and a preference for keeping your PDA and you phone as separate devices.

I will look up the HTC Hermes 100 and the HTC Kaiser. I'm well overdue for an upgrade, but maybe I should wait for the HTC Kaiser! :)

Thanks for the advice,
Jasmine

[Jasmine]

I have what I'm sure is a really stoopid question. Sorry!

I did a search on http://www.pdadb.net/ for "HTC Hermes 100" and it came up with a list like this:

Orange SPV M3100 (HTC Hermes 100)
I-Mate JASJAM (HTC Hermes 100)
Dopod 838 Pro (HTC Hermes 100)
NTT DoCoMo hTc Z (HTC Hermes 100)
O2 XDA Trion (HTC Hermes 100)
Qtek 9600 (HTC Hermes 100)

Are these all the same basic device, but different re-sellers rename/re-badge them? Or add different stuff to the base unit?

Cheers,
Jasmine

[JesterMania]

I have what I'm sure is a really stoopid question. Sorry!

I did a search on http://www.pdadb.net/ for "HTC Hermes 100" and it came up with a list like this:

Orange SPV M3100 (HTC Hermes 100)
I-Mate JASJAM (HTC Hermes 100)
Dopod 838 Pro (HTC Hermes 100)
NTT DoCoMo hTc Z (HTC Hermes 100)
O2 XDA Trion (HTC Hermes 100)
Qtek 9600 (HTC Hermes 100)

Are these all the same basic device, but different re-sellers rename/re-badge them? Or add different stuff to the base unit?

Cheers,
Jasmine

They are the exact same device, with only minor branding and aesthetic changes. My opinion is to get the one that gives you the best warranty, as buying overseas models may give you headaches when trying to get your device fixed should anything go wrong.

I am also preparing to make the change from my hx2790 to a Pocket PC Phone. From the news I have read, the Kaiser release date should be very soon - but for myself I plan on getting the HTC Herald (P4350) very soon.

[Jasmine]

I am also preparing to make the change from my hx2790 to a Pocket PC Phone. From the news I have read, the Kaiser release date should be very soon - but for myself I plan on getting the HTC Herald (P4350) very soon.
Thanks for the info. I will also look up the HTC Herald (P4350).

Can you tell a bit about why you've chosen the HTC Herald (P4350) for your transition to Pocket PC phones? I'm keen to learn from others making the same leap. :)

Thanks,
Jasmine

[JesterMania]

I am also preparing to make the change from my hx2790 to a Pocket PC Phone. From the news I have read, the Kaiser release date should be very soon - but for myself I plan on getting the HTC Herald (P4350) very soon.
Thanks for the info. I will also look up the HTC Herald (P4350).

Can you tell a bit about why you've chosen the HTC Herald (P4350) for your transition to Pocket PC phones? I'm keen to learn from others making the same leap. :)

Thanks,
Jasmine

Sure. Prior to my decision a little while ago, I was determined to get an HTC TyTN as I needed a Pocket PC Phone with a sliding keyboard (had enough of tapping on chicklet-sized virtual keys). At the time, the TyTN was really the only one of its kind and even now, very few devices have what the TyTN offers so that choice came naturally. When I went to a phone import store, I had a chance to play around with the Herald and discovered a few things:

- It was far slimmer than the TyTN
- It had a spring-loaded keyboard which performed better than the natural-sliding keyboard used by the TyTN, Wizard, etc.
- The make of the device felt much more high-quality

It was virtually the same as the TyTN except it had no 3G and a processor that was 200MHz slower. I live in Canada and our data rates are insanely expensive - totally unaffordable so no 3G does not bother me. The 200MHz processor does not bother me either as I've tried gaming with Pocket PCs (my hx2790 has a 624MHz processor :mrgreen: ) and I simply did not enjoy the experience. For PIM, GPS, and other applications - a 200MHz OMAP is enough for my needs.

However, if you are in a 3G area with affordable data rates (hear that Rogers?) - a 3G-enabled PPC Phone such as the TyTN will be to your benefit. Between the TyTN and Herald it was a very hard decision as both have pros and cons. I invite you to check out both. If you are from the States, T-Mobile has the Herald as the T-Mobile Wing.

To recap:

TyTN:
+ 3G
+ 400MHz
- size
- no spring-loaded keyboard

Herald:
+ spring-loaded keyboard
+ slimmer and better make-quality
- only 200MHz OMAP processor
- no 3G

Spec-wize, the Herald doesn't keep up with the TyTN but when buying a mobile handset, sometimes there is more to the handset than pure specs. Try both in your hand and see which appeals to you more. If I had the patience and money, I would wait a few more weeks for the Kaiser and get that. Although I have not played with one first-hand, from the reviews/specs it seems to be exactly the Herald + TyTN combined. The power of the TyTN with the form/make of a Herald.

Whichever you choose, let us know of your final decision. 8)

[bevester]

Fantastic advice everybody, thanks for taking the time to reply. I'll look into all those options. Interestingly, I was at a party on the weekend where a friend said his workmate has an HTC Hermes (actually an i-Mate JasJam) and doesn't like it because it's very buggy. Not sure exactly how, but prior to that I had only heard good things...

[Dale Daniels]

Any product made by humans is bound to turn out a rotten egg once in awhile unfortunately. I have had nothing but good luck with mine. That person may need to take it back for repair or replacement. But you are wise to fully check out whatever device you are looking into buying.

I am lucky enough to live in a 3G area so that was another reason for my choice, but he is definitely right in saying that specs are not the end-all tell-all of a mobile device.

One thing I really like about 3G is my ability to attach my UMPC and get high speed internet. In fact, I am on the 3G network with my UMPC right now.

On a final note, it is great to see someone really thinking about their device choice and not buying simply on hype. I see so many people buy because of all the hype around new devices, and they are often disappointed. One gentleman at work was impressed with all the function of my device. He got caught up in the hype behind the Blackjack (which is okay but not one of my favorites) and told me he was going to get one. I tried to tell him what limitations there were with the device but he had stars in his eyes and ran out to buy one immediately.

Long story short - He was VERY disappointed when he found that the device did not allow him to edit Word or Excel documents like my 8525 did. He also did not realize it was not a touchscreen (I tried to tell him but he was too busy talking instead of listening) so in the end he ended up with a device he was not satisfied with.

You are doing some great research and it shows that you are trying to make the best decision...in the end you will be happy you did so.