I've been using a PalmOS device since the USR Palm Professional, including TRG Pro and Handera 330. I've gone back to a Z22 since my TX died in under a year and Palm refused to honor the warranty because my wife bought it as a gift. The Z22 will be my last PalmOS device, even if I have to go back to paper. I have well defined requirements: I have no interest at this time in a data plan; just want to use it offline and by wifi. My hot buttons are robust calendar (DateBk3 user for the last decade), robust addressbook (the HTC one is a joke and the Motorola ones can't be previewed on the non-function store displays), java-equipped browser to support local TiddlyWiki files, and sync data to Linux (PCLOS) for backup. The ability to migrate data from the Palm would be a big plus. I have not bought a device yet since the electronics dealers in my area (USA-MD) won't sell you one without the data plan. I don't care whether it is also used for a phone - irrelevant to me. There are going to be 50 hours a week when it will sit in my car in the parking lot (alongside laptop, mp3 player, camera and phone) since those are banned from my employer's buildings. I tried to look at the Archos device, but the store unit didn't work. I'd appreciate both hardware and software recommendations. You can't see alternative apps in the Marketplace unless you first have a device - and I won't buy hardware without first knowing what software is available. They don't make it easy!
Hey there, Alan. Welcome. There are quite a few ex-Palm users here; try searching for "Palm" or "Palmy". I don't know whether I should rightly call myself an ex-Palm user, because I still carry my Treo around with me for all the things that Android can't do. Reading your post, it seems you really have no need of phone functionality; on than account alone I would recommend you to stay away from Android -- not only is it on a fundamental level a phone OS, it is taking every advantage of being one and will not function very well without it. Your dilemma sounds almost like mine: you want a pda, nowadays they only make smart phones, and that's just not the same thing. For instance, where the Palm has an address book, the Android phones really just have a phone book. It's a subtle but important difference. So, if you want my advice: if you want a pda, stick with your Palm, and have it refurbished if need be (I can recommend a guy). I'd elaborate, but I might just as well link to some of my older posts: Don't they make PDA's anymore? Review: My take on the Android OS and the Galaxy I hope you find a satisfactory and sustainable solution that's better than paper.
If you don't want to roll your phone into your PDA, STAY with an old Palm! You can get plenty of them in good condition on eBay or Craigslist, and dirt cheap! Stick with PalmDesktop4.1 or earlier. I've got 6 PalmOS devices here, 3 of which I'd have "used up" if they had a phone! Actually I have 2 Sony Clie's which are nicer than the Palms they competed with at the time. Clie's don't all directly sync with Palms though.
It doesn't look like Palm will ever get any of my money again either though. That's what's most attractive to me about my Droid though; open system. Google's holding a lot of my data these days, but not as tight as Palm did. It'll be easier for me to move my stuff around from google than what Palm did.
I'm sorry if I missed this but what kind of employer doesn't allow a cellphone?! I've never heard of that.
c'mon is this just the current schoolyard for you? Go ask an uncle that's not in jail. This illustrates another enormous difference between PDAs and "cellphones"; the people that use them.
If you work in Retail most stores will have rules against carrying a cell phone while on the clock because of employees wasting company time on their cell phone.
Some government facilities don't allow them, as well as some government contractors (such as DOE and DOD contractors). The place where I work TECHNICALLY doesn't allow camera phones (by not allowing cameras unless previously approved) but they don't search you on the way in since it's a private company that doesn't build highly-sensitive equipment at my location.
Ok that makes sense I just assumed OP didn't work for something like that. Well I actually work in a retail store and there policy is just have the phone off/on silent.
I used to work at a company that had a division handling DOD affairs. It was tucked into a tiny corner of the building with very limited access; personally, I never saw and would have never been allowed to enter. Still, none of the employees (even the non-cleared ones such as myself) were allowed to have a camera (and as such, couldn't really have a phone) anywhere in the building. If they found one on you, you'd be fired immediately. Some companies are very, very sensitive about the goings-on inside, and some have carefully protected company/business information that they absolutely cannot risk. There are probably lots of other reasons that one wouldn't be allowed to bring certain devices into a company's building, but that's what I've run into in the past.
Have you considered an ipod touch? The app store has made big improvements in the number and quality of business oriented apps lately. Just a thought.
Unfortunatly it seems like everyone but Winmo is going cloud based, windows mobile being the exception with ActiveSync and a reg key to password protect the data connection, but you don't want a winmo phone unless your tied to outlook and willing to put up with all its other problems. I haven't found any way to prevent android from using data (except airplane mode which would prevent the phone use as well) so even if you could get the pay as you go data plan you would end up running up a lot of $$$. I'm finding missing features both in the android calendar and in the online googole calendar, making its pda use a little limited.
Eugene, look at an app called Quick Settings, it looks like it MIGHT be able to turn off mobile data. Also, the standard power control widget has the ability to turn off account synching...
I am considering an iPod Touch; my wife uses one and my daughter uses an iPhone. But I resent having to PAY a fee to back up the device to my own computer (which won't even work since they refuse to support my desktop OS). I was also one of the original Apple ][ owners who were denied any upgrade opportunities (other than full-retail price, get in line with new buyers attitude) while owners of another model were given substantial discounts and priority shipping. I don't want to be locked into another proprietary format. Apple has earned my distrust. Android would be a good alternative to a true Linux device, which would be my first choice. Wince (or winmo) is just another 'replace all your apps when we upgrade your OS so we can rip more money out of your pocket' product that isn't appealing
I've not looked at the calendar/contacts on an ipod touch, how well do they stand up against other pda/pim's
Eugene, It has been very hard to get it out of my wife's hand, but I would expect from the brief looks I've gotten that the contacts is roughly comparable to that of the PalmOS and the Datebook is somewhat less capable than the Pimlico DateBk series I've used for the last 8+ years, but not horribly so. My problems with Apple aren't with their equipment - it is their treatment of their customers that I object to.
What fields does the iphone have that the android doesn't. I'd like to see nearly everything from the vcard/ical/vcal standards implemented at least. The address book in KDE lets you put a manager name and a spouse name (they have PC'ed it to partner) as well as kids names, etc. So I can keep track of who is an uncle/aunt or cousin things like that. Korganizer uses ical and has some other fields, like category, attachment. MSoutlook used to have a contact field in a calendar entry where you could associate a contact with that event without inviting them.
iphone manual; beyond this, try google or bing http://manuals.info.apple.com/en/iphone_user_guide.pdf
Bing??? Someone actually uses it? NEway. Looks like the iphone calendar lacks recurrances on tuesday/thursday, or Mon/Wed/Friday, and the ability to duplicate events. Its contact details seem to be as equally lacking additional fields as well. This seems to be common anymore, No one takes the time to implement the additional fields except the kde group who is wanting to strictly adhere to standards.
