Help Pls! PDA

[TechZone]

Hi, I want to buy a PDA. I don't know any thing about PDAs. My budget is around $350.
I have few questions -

1. Which one Palm OS Or Pocket PC? Whats the main difference?
2. What should I look for in PDAs befor I buy?
3. 200MHz Processor is it good enough for a new PDA user?
4. Can you pls recommend some PDAs for me.

I realy want to buy a PDA but don't know any thing. Please help me. Thanks.

 

[darkpark]

it would help if you provided some details on what you plan on using the PDA for.
based on my experience with troubleshooting PDA's at a local hospital the pocket pc ones seemed to crap out more often (err.. had to perform a hard reset) than the palm OS.

if you select a palm os pda than stay away from the none palm ones err.. such as the tungsten brand. i think there is one other pda mfg'er that makes palm os based pda's.
if you go with the pocket pc than i'd recommend the toshiba brand. i've ran across several models and they all had a nice look and feel.

anyway, figure out first what you plan on doing with this PDA and go from there.

 

[WillowHawk]

1) it depends on exactly what you wanna do...PalmOS is more for the buisness types, as it is VERY straight forward, and easy to navagate. PocketPC is more for the multimedia tpes. movies, music, and pics come like second nature to this OS because it is basically just a Windows OS, just taylored for a weaker processor. the thing is, that with PocketPC, you have to run through more hoops to get some things done...kinda like windows, but its not an inconveniance.

if you just want word processing, calendars,basic games, music, drawing, pdf and simplicity...then PalmOS is for you

if you want movies, nice games, music, then head over to the PocketPC area

2) look for style, and functionality. some PDA's have bluetooth, wifi, expansion slots, cameras and microphones. again, alot of those functions with the exception of the expansion slots come with more money, but 350 is more than enough. Next you have to look for is the expansion slot....you will find out very quickly that you dont have enough space on ur PDA for what you wanna store. (kinda like how that 80 gig HD got filled soooo darn fast)...so you wanna see waht kind of card they take...SD, MMC, CF, and the like...basically the stuff used for cameras are also used in pdas. a heck of alot of them use SD cards, more expensive ones can take CompactFlash aswell, which some say is cheaper..but its up to you

3)for basic functions on a PDA even 125mhz is enough for a pda user....(a new pda user will find himself useing the pda to its potential very quickly. specially when you play around with it alot.

the only limitations about processing power is video playback, advanced multitasking, and hard gameplay... being that Pocket PC is practially designed for multimedia, it should very easily take what you give it. multi tasking might be slightly hesitant, and depending on the quality of the game, framerate is relative to processing power.

once you get a good PDA, you wont find the need to "upgrade" for a long time.

4) you wanna go for PalmOS:check the Tungsten T5 ..has alot you might adore

you wanna go for PocketPC then the HP iPAQ rx3115 might be good for you...

both within ur price range if you look right, but then again, both for different people.

have fun dude with whatever you get, i guarantee you will find plenty of uses for it

hope this helps ya

*grumbles about not haveing 350 bucks of my own to spend*

 

[Scheizekopf]

I recommend Dell or HP.

I've owned and used both. Both use the same OS. Work the same. Work good.

 

[darktiger]

1. You should go with Pocket PC
2. Wireless/bluetooth, track record, history, features, batterylife
3. No, you should look for 400mhz and above..
4. Dell Axim

 

[Scheizekopf]

1. You should go with Pocket PC
2. Wireless/bluetooth, track record, history, features, batterylife
3. No, you should look for 400mhz and above..
4. Dell Axim

That's definately the Dell.

I had an X5. I like the new ones. Much smaller and better specs. And cheaper too.