#267798 - 23/10/2005 01:32
Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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It's about time I got a Palm. Primarily to always have my contacts, calendar, tasks, and files. Secondarily for cool technology I currently don't have: GPS display, wireless internet, maps-to-go, city info. Tertiarily for cool whiz-bang gadgetry I don't really need: portable MP3s, videos, games, IM, etc.
Must ba a Palm, I've got enough Windows in my life already. I've narrowed it to three:
Palm TX - big screen allows cool apps, video, etc.
Treo 650 - LOVE the keyboard, phone helps combine gadgets
Tungsten C - love the keyboard, but that's all.
Some of the deal breakers:
Can I run the cool 320x480 apps on 320x320? If not, maybe get the TX.
Can I learn to scribble on the TX? If not, maybe get Treo or C.
Can I disband my beloved Motorola StarTac 7868W? If so, get the Treo.
Other questions:
Are the Treo and C good enough for "1st person GPS maps" with audio directions?
Can I get a Wireless SD/MMC card to network the Treo?
Does anything make the C better than the other two?
Can I get a big SD/MMC card and use the Palm for file storage?
What's this about the Treo and C need an expansion card to play MP3s??
Is the trusty T5 simply dwarfed by the TX?
I have access to a Treo, so should really experiment with that. But I so love the StarTac simplicity, clamshell case, and mic you actually speak into (POTS handset style).
Any advice for a guy who's clinging to his floppy disk, pocket calendar, antique phone, and stickey notes?
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- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#267799 - 23/10/2005 02:51
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: FireFox31]
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veteran
Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
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Quote:
Can I run the cool 320x480 apps on 320x320? If not, maybe get the TX.
Most apps run natively in 320x320, and some do not support the big screen. It is harder to find apps that only run in 320x480, but there might be a few that exist.
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Can I learn to scribble on the TX? If not, maybe get Treo or C.
You should be able to, but don't expect it to be faster than a keyboard. You can always get an extra wireless keyboard, and in my experience (I've owned several Palms, including a Tungsten C) I don't text input much, just read a lot and sync the verbose stuff with my PC.
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Are the Treo and C good enough for "1st person GPS maps" with audio directions?
Ask Mark Lord, I think he uses a maps/GPS program with his Zire. I know the TomTom software for the Palm is pretty slick, but never used it myself.
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Can I get a Wireless SD/MMC card to network the Treo?
No
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Does anything make the C better than the other two?
Wifi + Keyboard (TX only has Wifi)
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Can I get a big SD/MMC card and use the Palm for file storage?
With additional software, they can act like a removable USB drive. You can of course pop the SD card out and use it for file storage, too.
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What's this about the Treo and C need an expansion card to play MP3s??
The Treo and C needs to have MP3s stored on a SD card, you can't store them in memory (or I've never done it). The T5 has a special memory area that acts like an expansion card and you can store MP3s internally for playback. The Tungsten C is no good for listening to music because the audio jack is mono only. MONO ONLY. I heard that they were going to port some kind of Skype-like phone software to it and that is why they have the mono headset jack instead of the stereo jack.
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Is the trusty T5 simply dwarfed by the TX?
Not entirely. The T5 still has drive mode, where you can use it natively (wthout extra software) as a USB drive. It also comes with 256M of memory vs. 128 in the TX, and has a faster processor. The battery life is a bit longer, too. I considered getting a TX, but I really didn't use the wifi part of my C much when I owned it, and I like the faster processor for watching movies with TCPMP. That is a must have for any T3/T5/TX/Lifedrive owner. Get a 1gig SD card, rip some DVDs using FairUse Wizard and I can fit 3-4 movies on one SD card and watch two of them on one charge. Great for trips on the plane. I also use my Palm as my portable MP3 player.
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#267800 - 23/10/2005 04:21
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: cushman]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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Awesome awesome awesome. Thanks for the tips. Of course, the Palm I get must support Palantir!
No wireless NIC for the Treo? That seems unbelievable since it's got an SD/MMC slot. I'll dig into that on the Treo forums.
So the faster processor in the T5 really matters eh? That's another plus for the C. But I thought you couldn't watch DVDs and use cool "true 640x480" apps in 320x320. Speed without DVD ability doesn't help.
Maybe the LifeDrive is the killer app, but I hate to pay for built in memory which will quickly drop in value. That Zire 72 has a surprising feature set; one of the few with voice memos I crave. I thought that was available on the Treo with software, as are many other features.
So th C is out, the Treo is most practical, but if big screen TX has access to special apps (DVD, 640x480 "native", etc), it may win out. Forget the keyboard, I'm always near a computer to sync even the quickest entry.
It's down to two. Thanks for the tips, I'll see if the TX reeally outshines the Treo.
_________________________
- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#267801 - 23/10/2005 09:33
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: FireFox31]
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old hand
Registered: 07/01/2005
Posts: 893
Loc: Sector ZZ9pZa
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Of course, the Palm I get must support Palantir!
Is there any Palm that doesn't support Palantir? I'm sure it will work on pretty much anything, since it is a native res app without any specific processor requirements... no?
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No wireless NIC for the Treo? That seems unbelievable since it's got an SD/MMC slot. I'll dig into that on the Treo forums.
Tell me about it, it is annoying. If there was proper WiFi support, I'd be all over a 650. WiFi is unsupported, and simply doesn't work out of the box. However, a guy called Shadowmite has hacked the WiFi drivers from a Tungsten to a Treo, and it does work to a fashion! Apparantly it is buggy, and you will need to do a bunch of things before putting the card in and taking it out. If you need WiFi, this is not really a recommended method. If you just want to play around, it might do.
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one of the few with voice memos I crave. I thought that was available on the Treo with software, as are many other features.
There is *so* much 3rd party stuff out there. I use SoundRec on my 600, and its great.
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Forget the keyboard, I'm always near a computer to sync even the quickest entry.
Right, I will accept that it is not massively important to have a keyboard on a Palm, they work very well without. BUT, the Treo is fantastic because it has a keyboard in a phone. I don't use the keyboard much in Palm apps, but it is great to tap away an SMS message before you could even choose a recipient on a normal phone. To take the phone out of your pocket, tap in someones initials and call them before you could even unlock the keypad on a normal phone. When swapping numbers with an old friend, you'd have his/her contact details stored in your Treo before he/she has managed to put your name in their phone.
Plus, its one less thing to have in your pocket, and that has got to count for something, right?
(OT) Post 100!
Edited by sein (23/10/2005 11:41)
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#267802 - 23/10/2005 13:00
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: FireFox31]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 29/08/2000
Posts: 14486
Loc: Canada
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Quote:
That Zire 72 has a surprising feature set; one of the few with voice memos I crave. I thought that was available on the Treo with software, as are many other features.
No good way to get wifi on the Zire72, though. Palm does market an SDIO (SD card) Wifi package for it, but consensus seems to be that it is total crap.
I have surfed the web over bluetooth from my Zire72, though, but range is very limited.
For GPS, I use an external Bluetooth "mouse" with its own rechargeable Lion battery, along with Mapopolis mapping s/w on the Zire72. Autorouting navigation, voice-prompts, and USA / Canada maps are excellent, and European maps are also available. Nice app, but the UI needs work. Looks like it was dumb ported from WinCE, and doesn't behave like many native PalmOS apps.
I never use the voice-memo app, and really wish Palm would permit remapping its dedicated button for some more useful purpose!
Built-in camera is handy for some geocaches, but doesn't quite do it when compared with my other photo gear.
Cheers
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#267803 - 23/10/2005 13:34
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: FireFox31]
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veteran
Registered: 21/01/2002
Posts: 1380
Loc: Erie, CO
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Quote:
Awesome awesome awesome. Thanks for the tips. Of course, the Palm I get must support Palantir!
Hehe, pretty much ANY Palm supports Palantir. The only requirements are an IrDA port and PalmOS 3.0 or greater.
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No wireless NIC for the Treo? That seems unbelievable since it's got an SD/MMC slot.
Like has been said, it's been hacked, but it is only for the Sprint Treo. Why would co-branded Treos want you to be able to surf the web for free when you can pay for it with a service plan? I think this is the main reason, not a technical one.
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So the faster processor in the T5 really matters eh? That's another plus for the C. But I thought you couldn't watch DVDs and use cool "true 640x480" apps in 320x320. Speed without DVD ability doesn't help.
A faster processor allows you to listen to music in the background while doing something else quickly. I listen to MP3s sometimes while playing Bejeweled, and you can definately see the slight lag in the game with my T5. It would be greater on a lesser Palm.
Not sure what you mean by 640x480 native, the max res on the TX/T5 is 480x320. I transcode my DVDs to that resolution (either 480x200 for 1:2.35 or 480x256 for the other format, 16x9? - fullscreen stuff is much larger on the screen: 440x320) to make the movies smaller. I've seen videos on the Treo, they are very small. Don't expect to have fun watching a widescreen movie on that postage stamp. On my T5 the movies are much more viewable, less than a PSP but definately watchable. See this thread for a post about my video setup.
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#267804 - 23/10/2005 15:27
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: cushman]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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I remember that video thread; that's what got me started on this thinking. But yes, the keyboard seems necessary, like Sein says. I forget about the search ability. My local Treo guru said the Treo 700 is coming soon, so I'll wait for that. Using a bluetooth headset will avoid "talking into a brick" and makes more hands-free sense anyway. I think my mind is made up. Thanks for the inpuf. But what was that 1st person point of view 3D map with spoken directions GPS software that I saw? Thomas had it at the Amersfoort meet, but was it PocketPC? That software is a must-have for a PDA.
_________________________
- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#267805 - 23/10/2005 18:30
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: FireFox31]
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addict
Registered: 27/10/2002
Posts: 568
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It was TomTom, I think, which is also available for the Palm. I have it and think it works great. But I haven't tried other mapsoftwares either, though...  Stig
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#267806 - 24/10/2005 02:05
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: FireFox31]
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carpal tunnel
Registered: 08/06/1999
Posts: 7868
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Are you really sure you going to use such a thing? I tried carrying a PDA around for a while, but just found it pointless after owning a Palm III, Palm V, then an iPaq. My iPaq is likely dead now, having not even been turned on in 18 months. PDAs definitely have their use, but also I think were a bit overhyped. Wireless internet anywhere on a small screen seems mostly pointless to me, since computers are usually easily in reach, or Google SMS can answer simple things like movie showtimes or local restaurants. I tested an OmniSky modem on my Palm V, and found it more novel then useful.
Contacts, I have them all in my RAZR phone, and maintain then via iSync these days, and have contacts still entered in my first Nokia thanks to SIM based contact storage. With a bluetooth based program, I can ensure my phone is synced once a day when I am in range automatically. No need for a cradle, no manual syncing, no forgotten contacts.
Calendar, I have iCal for the rare occasion I need something scheduled. The calendar then gets synced to my phone along with the contacts via the already mentioned iSync.
Files, I have a USB thumb drive that sometimes comes with me, but usually I just find it easier to have web based IMAP mail and web space.
GPS, I still have my separate Garmin GPS V unit that gets put in the car when needed on vacation, or when geocaching. For local use, I find it's not really needed, but that probably comes with knowing the town inside and out.
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#267807 - 25/10/2005 00:53
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: drakino]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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You bring up a good point about doublechecking the real need for a PDA. I've avoided it for years, but I finally have to give in to the fact: I Have No Brain No, I take that back, Outlook is my brain... only at work. Tasks track every project and record every history, the calendar tracks one time and recurring scheduled events and how I've spent my time, contacts are automatically horded from e-mail, and IMAP keeps all my communications. At work, that's four years of information, fully searchable, easily accessed and viewed. I just need that in my home life. Phone numbers are hidden in .TXT files on my desktop, tasks are stacks of papers on my floor, one time events written in my pocket calendar, recurring events long since dribbled out my ear and onto the floor. I'd love a portable brain to remind me, record fleeting thoughts, stabilize my ToDo list, never get me lost, check spelling and meaning (dictionary), and store pictures to save me those thousands of words. Heck, the only thing I don't need it to do is play music, which is constantly echoing around in my empty skull. (i hate being braindead. i am currently very frustrated with my total inability to think, remember, converse, react, decide, etc. so so frustrating.)
_________________________
- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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#267808 - 25/10/2005 01:00
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: drakino]
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addict
Registered: 24/07/2003
Posts: 500
Loc: Colorado, N.A.
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I've certainly used mine every day for the last 3 years. And it excels at everything Mr. FF31 requires (plus handheld gaming). Unfortunately, they don't make it any more. That leaves us with the new T|X, with similar specs except for the dual SD slots and landscape/game-friendly controls.
Edited by DLF (25/10/2005 01:03)
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#267809 - 25/10/2005 01:44
Re: Palm recommendations (for a guy who avoids technology)
[Re: DLF]
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pooh-bah
Registered: 19/09/2002
Posts: 2494
Loc: East Coast, USA
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Wow, that sounds (past tense) like a great device. Like the empeg of the PDA world. But the Treo communities seem big ( Treonauts) with plenty of cool free and pay 3rd party software. Yeah, Treo 700p, if it doesn't stink. Video on the TX sounds cool, but my brain can remember video. My brain can't remember "call my college about the grade for that class I took", but a Treo lets me quickly type it in and set a reminder. Ah, to have a brain........
_________________________
- FireFox31 110gig MKIIa (30+80), Eutronix lights, 32 meg stacked RAM, Filener orange gel lens, Greenlights Lit Buttons green set
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