Windows Mobile Community Advice Question

[Jason Dunn]

<p>I'm a big believer in the wisdom of crowds - well, except when they're angry and carrying pitchforks and/or torches - so I wanted to put this question that I received to the community at large:</p><p><em>"Hi, Jason, I've had my T-Mobile MDA for 3 yrs., the logest I have ever had a PDA. I once was sold on the HTC TyTN II and the Xperia X1, but reading users' comments about cracking and being discontinued, I just don't know where to head. I looked over the T-Mobile G1, loved the sleek design, touch-screen,etc. but I am afraid I'd lose too much with the Android OS. I have Bibles and ebooks I read from daily. I am currently on weight watchers and found a perfect Point Calculator. I'm afraid I'd lose all my apps like that, not to mention Wor, Excel and Power Point. Here is what I am looking for 400 Mhz, 256 MB, GPS (would really like voice navigation.) Does any such animal exist? What, in your opinion, is the best out there today."</em></p><p>Weigh in with your opinions Pocket PC Thoughts readers! What would you suggest for this person?</p>

[compboss17]

<p>I'm a big believer in the wisdom of crowds - well, except when they're angry and carrying pitchforks and/or torches - so I wanted to put this question that I received to the community at large:

Get an iPhone it has all of that (128 RAM for now but probably will have more with the new one): GPS with upcoming turn by turn directions support, 412 mhz processor, about a million weight watchers apps of different types, bibles and e-books galore (a lot of them either free or really inexpensive), and all different kinds of office (I recommend Quickoffice) apps with built in support for reading of pretty much any file you could possibly want.

BTW, I used to have the Tytn 1 for almost a year.

[JamesM]

I know it doesn't qualify as "today", but maybe he should wait until July 22 for the Touch Pro 2 from T-Mobile. It's the closest, form factor-wise to his MDA. I wouldn't buy a Wing at this point, as it's long in the tooth and about to give way to the TP2.

[nosmohtac]

I think the wing has already been pulled from T-Mobile's site.

I would also recommend waiting for the TP2. It is just around the corner and will be able to do everything they do with their MDA and more.

[hummingbirdhill]

Hmmmm . . . the HTC Fuze is a classic . . . :-)

[heliod]

I don't know where this guy is and if it is available at this area, but I would also recommend a GOOD look at the Samsung Omnia. Despite some little things that I would like to be better, this is the best device I have ever held.

Helio

[marlof]

Funny that Arne and you (you'll always be the Bluetooth twins in my memory...) are both that enthousiastic about the Samsung Omnia. It looks like an excellent phone, but after having been spoiled by two Treo's and a Samsung i780 in a row, I'd have a hard time adopting to life without a front facing QWERTY keyboard. My core business on the device are calendar (SBSH Calendar Touch), contacts, e-mail, messaging, (all standard apps), RSS feeds (SPB Insight, since it allows me to download the photos of photoblogs using my wireless network at home), webbrowsing (Opera 9.5 beta), Twitter (PockeTwit), Facebook (MS app), GPS (McGuider 2009), Picture viewing (Samsung app). With 320x320, I'd like a bigger screen (the Omnia 240x400 sounds better to be), but it's just manageable on the device. Other than that, the device suits me well. I haven't had the need to use the included second battery after a day of usage. At the moment, the i780 is only EUR 279 without a contract, which is a bit of a steal. I was looking into newer devices, but I'm thinking really hard to buy a spare i780 for when my current one breaks.

[Lord_Zelo]

If I were this guy I would consider the HTC Touch HD. It's a very stable and popular device and I'm sure the screen size (3.8" 480x800) would be a nice upgrade from what he is used to. He would still be able to use the apps that he has obviously invested time and money into. As far as GPS goes the Touch HD has is but he would need an application that utilizes it. Personally I use TomTom Navigator, which I think is great, plus the voice navigation works both in the dumb US measurement system (where I am) as well as the nice Metric system. Another nice feature is it has a 3.5mm audio jack instead of the dumb mini USB jack that HTC has implemented as of late. It also has a 5 MP camera.

The Touch HD is quad band, but not compatible with 3G in the US at the moment(I've heard a US 3G version is possibly in the works, correct me if I'm wrong though).

Anyway, that would be my choice since he mentioned he does a lot of reading, having a good screen makes a big difference since I do a lot of reading on my device as well.

[JonnoB]

I had the MDA on T-Mobile at one time and switched it out for the Tilt (TyTN II) unlocked, and then now, an unlocked Fuze (HTC Touch Pro). I will upgrade to the Touch Pro 2 once I can get it. If I were still using my MDA, I would definately wait until July and get the TP2 at that time.

[moriahcom]

I also have had my MDA for about 3 years. I have also tested many other devices and seem to go back to the MDA. I'm waiting for the Touch Pro 2. Why? When I go to buy a new shirt I end up looking at shirts just like the one I have on. I think he should also wait for the TP2 which has a similar form factor. The data plan is inexpensive and I'm sure Tmo will leave the GPS open.

[Phillip Dyson]

I'm not sure anyone should be buying a device that not running, or officially stated to upgrade to Windows Mobile 6.5

Think of all the things you'd probably miss out on.
IE 6 and widgets.
Marketplace

Will the Zune services support Windows Mobile 6.1? Maybe not even 6.5 for that matter.

Okay its a short list, but perhaps I have a fear of being left behind.

[Zman]

I have a TyTN II and have dropped it several times and it still works fine, just get one of those cheap. I use it for nav in my car with TomTom software, and a 16gb media player, and watch movies on it during flights, and wifi.

[yawanag]

THANKS, Guys, I really do appreciate all your suggestions. I reallydid want to stay with T-Mobile after being with them for 9 years and because of that, I was getting unlimited internet access for 19.95. I was leaning toward the G1, but don't think Android is for me.

I had heard that there was something in the wind for a G1-2, but again I worried about it being Android. I also, was buying this with my income tax return and feared if I waited much longer the money would be spent on something else (like food, in these hard times) so I ended up buying an HTC Touch Pro. Really like how it feels in my hand. I am still trying to get all of my apps on it that I had on the MDA. Many don't work and I am looking for freebe substitutes.

I couldn't stand the Opera 9 browser. Someone at US Cellular downloaded Skyfire for me. Couldn't stand that either. Came home and did a google search for mobile browsers and lo and behold I found "Iris" a day before it posted on pocketpcfreeware. Now "Iris" is the browser I'm sticking with. On the Touch Pro I can't even navigate or close anything using IE with no buttons showing. I recommend you give "Iris" a run.

THANKS, again for all your help, and for those who called me a guy, you're forgiven. Actually, I am a 75 soon, in June, to be 76-year-old woman. I'm probably the oldest member of this community. So, unlike Rodney Dangerfield, I'm gonna demand some respect around here.

[Don Tolson]

On the Touch Pro I can't even navigate or close anything using IE with no buttons showing. I recommend you give "Iris" a run.

THANKS, again for all your help, and for those who called me a guy, you're forgiven. Actually, I am a 75 soon, in June, to be 76-year-old woman. I'm probably the oldest member of this community. So, unlike Rodney Dangerfield, I'm gonna demand some respect around here.

Welcome to the community... I feel like such a young - un @ 53!

I, too, have a Touch Pro, but it"s been upgraded to winmo6.5 and I"m quite enjoying the new version of IE. Much faster than Opera, and with all the scrolling, panning, and zoom very smooth.

And you can"t beat the integration+sync of Mobile Favorites....

..my $0.02

[tabi13]

Yeah the Touch Pro was the natural choice for you. Very well built GREAT device.
Congratulations on your purchase

[crimsonsky]

Well, I'm sort of in the same position as Ms. Yawanag (hope I remembered her handle correctly). I've been with T-Mobile for 5 years and not really wanting to change carriers. I've looked VERY hard at the iPhone, especially as I'm a Mac user, but the iPhone lacks too much (nothing like PhatNotes (and no, Evernote is not the same), I need Pocket Bible (I know they're coming out with an iPhone version, but who knows when), no accessible file system, nothing like TextMaker, and the list goes on). I also used my Blackberry Curve for 6 months but it's even worse than the iPhone for apps I want and need and the BB OS really is pretty crappy. The BB is a GREAT phone but a pretty sorry PDA and for that reason I have abandoned my Curve after six months and returned to my Wing.

I need a PDA more than a phone, and the Wing serves great for that especially once I figured out how to maximise it's miserly memory. BUT it's getting long in the tooth and the screen is impossible to see outside in any kind of sunlight. I'd also prefer a somewhat larger screen and VGA wouldn't be bad either. The problem with T-Mobile is that their phone selection is pretty poor and for WM even worse. But their customer service and reasonable prices are the main reason I stay and they've done well by me in the 5 years I've been with them, so I'm reluctant to leave.

I'm glad to know the TP2 is coming out, although 22 July is a long wait! I hope that device is a worthy successor to the Wing with more memory and a better screen that one can actually read outdoors. I'll have to do some Googling on that device, but keeping my fingers crossed. I really am ready to move up from the Wing, but definitely want to stay with both T-Mobile and Windows Mobile.

[crimsonsky]

I couldn't stand the Opera 9 browser. Someone at US Cellular downloaded Skyfire for me. Couldn't stand that either. Came home and did a google search for mobile browsers and lo and behold I found "Iris" a day before it posted on pocketpcfreeware. Now "Iris" is the browser I'm sticking with. On the Touch Pro I can't even navigate or close anything using IE with no buttons showing. I recommend you give "Iris" a run.



I'm not particularly impressed with Opera either. I actually use Skyfire. I gave Iris a try, but it keeps running out of memory on me (I have about 18 megs Program Memory free on my Wing) so I had to give up on it. I installed it on my SD card, so it's not using Storage memory. Your MDA runs WM2003SE, right? The older versions of WM were easier to control RAM usage than WM5 and above and with WM5 and above you can not adjust the allocation.

God bless you ma'am! You're an inspiration.

[tabi13]

If the TP2 builds upon the touch diamond or TouchPro then its going to be superb!
TouchPro as well as Diamond has VERY GOOD readibility outdoors (AND it auto adjust brightness depending on ambient light). It goes to full brightness outdoors and is one of the clearest and sharpest screens I have seen (VGA and bright and great saturation)