is this the Droid I'm looking for?

[xarophti]

Hello,

I joined these forums to do some research and get some feedback to find out if an Android device is for me.

I've spent the past 7 years unwilling to part with my Handspring Visor with VisorPhone attachment because I still want a REAL PDA. (I think a gentleman from Denmark put it best in the Lounge in "Don't they make PDAs anymore?) However, in the face of increasing age (of the device) and incompatibility with more modern phones (SMS messages are causing fatal device error crashes due to decoding errors) I'm afraid an upgrade is inevitable. Not terribly interested in "toys", although I must admit some of the web functionality is nice (but couldn't care less about cameras, mp3 players, fancy ringtones and the like - trade it all for a real PDA style calendar function, to-do list and contacts - not to mention handwriting recognition input)

Will Android applications fill the bill? Or am I destined to be disappointed?

(and part of it is, believe it or not, I don't want to leave T-Mobile. They've been good to me, and they've got a relatively reasonably priced data plan)

Now that you know my life story...

xarophti

 

[samuelmaskell]

Honestly, it seems to me that you would be slightly more suited to something like that palm pre. After all, palm definitely knows how to make a pda. I'm sure an android device would be fine for you but it may not be the best. Don't get me wrong. I love my magic. I think it was the best choice for me. However, everyone's different. Then again, I may not have any idea what I'm talking about. I'd certainly wait to see what everyone else has to say.

 

[johnkzin]

Android doesn't do handwriting recognition. I don't know whether or not the Pre does (since it's completely different software wise).

Though, Maemo does (not exactly like PalmOS, but it works). And there's rumors that within the next two months (maybe the next two weeks: rumors suggest it'll be announced on Sept 2nd), the N900 Maemo phone will be announced for T-Mobile.

Maemo is a Linux derivative, so there's lots of options on that front. For calendar, there's a few programs, one of which will sync with Google Calendar. The place to ask would be over at maemo.org - Talk (the forums for Maemo), to see what your options are for Maemo software and the like.

It'll be a tough one for me ... I love Android, but it has a few shortcomings. I loved Maemo for a long time, but jumped ship to Android because Nokia wasn't releasing a Maemo phone. I love my G1 ... so it's going to be a difficult moment when I have to choose between them. Ideally someone will port the Android run time (Dalvik) to Maemo, and then I can have the best of both

Anyway, good luck in your search

 

[spottyelephant]

You should look at the Samsung Onnia PRO b7610.

Review

and

Price

It's windows mobile based and should do everything you need to do

 

[samuelmaskell]

Wm sucks though..

 

[johnkzin]

Wm sucks though..

Amen.

Unfortunately, the next Android phones I might find compelling (because they have physical keyboards) ... are headed to Sprint and Verizon (the InstinctQ and Sholes). Hopefully we'll see GSM versions of both.

But the one that was going to head to AT&T seems to have been canceled.