PDA Recommendations?

[helius]

Okay, I think I'm finally going to join the gadget-toting crowd...

Besides the usual PDA functions (calendar, appointments and address book), my requirements are:
- Needs to be able to read PDF files (or a cheap/free way to convert technical papers in PDF format to some other format for the PDA).
- Needs to play mp3s (mostly speech/audio-books coded at low bitrates)
- Needs decent amount of memory, or cheap expandable (CF?) memory.

I'd rather go with one based on the PalmOS for battery life, but I get the feeling that I'm pretty much limited to the Sony Clies and PocketPCs. Any suggestions/recommendations appreciated.

[spigidygak]

My vote goes to the sony clie's especially the 710/760 series. Although the stick memory is more, that palm is very uber.

[helius]

Youch. The PEG-N760C is rather pricey, going for US$450 at Sonystyle. Are the Clies the only high-end PalmOS-based ones with built-in stereo headphone jacks?

[Sandman]

For the Palm OS the Sony Clies are the best out there just get what you need it to do, plus with expandable memory, option for video and audio,and options for a universal remote control for your home A/V equipment.

For the Pocket PC I would go with the HP Jornada either the 540 or 560 series and it has a faster processor capable of multi-threading/taksing, better display, more memory, builin mic,speaker,& headphone jack,builtin CFI slot for expandability like a compact flash memory card, which are dropping in price and increasing in size, Wireless NIC cards, GSM phone cards, GPS cards,etc... You will be amazed at what you can do with it... Divx movies, TV shows downloaded from Morpheus converted to fit the WMP,MP3's who needs an mp3 player,plus Adobe acrobat docs look the same as on a PC,but smaller unlike the text only version on a Palm OS, real word docs and excel files.

Note: both will be upgrading their processors soon. Palm will be going to the StrongArm Processor used by the Pocket PC now at 206MHz Pocket PC's will be going to Xscale 300 and 400MHz models.

Check out the deals at Dell most are 10% off and there is a $20 stackable coupon around...

[TommyBoomfiger]

chalk up another vote for the clie series. i love mine and its sonys lowest offering. They are pretty much the best you can get as far as palm os goes. Im sooooooooo tempted to get a new color model, the N760C with built in music player or T615 with 16MB INTERNAL RAM and AV remote (mp3 is a $130 option direct, less elsewhere), but it is true that palm os handhelds are going to be getting new faster hardware. about sandmans note of palm os going to the 206mhz strongarm processor, im not too sure about that, everything ive heard is that palm is still deciding on the next chip but the strongarm has been the favorite so far. i personally dont like ppc handhelds, but that is my personal preference. my fav ppc is a color compaq ipaq, but i dont remember which model. they are often much bigger and heavier, but aside from sonys, ppc color screens are usually better than most palmos, faster for games and have more onboard memory. also, its easier to edit and view microsoft office format files. i find it harder and more confusing to use than palm os, but im sure if you own one, you will get used to it.

[helius]

Thanks for the information. Now to look into whether PDF/PalmOS thingy. But I suppose I'm basically looking at the Clies, the Jordanas or the IPaQs.

[TommyBoomfiger]

any palm os pda can read pdf files, adobe has released acrobat reader and some other companies have pdf readre utils. i think documents to go has one with thier full package.

[Windsor]

The Sony Clie's can be found for "cheap" relatively, I mean if you look, and the 10% off plus $20 at Dell is a pretty good choice. They have the N760C

If the deal is still on, it totals to about $385 shipped.

[TommyBoomfiger]

yeah, i wouldnt buy from sony's own site. thier price is going to be the retail price. like windsor said, try shopping around. ive seen n760c's for under 400 and T615's for around 350. try using a price search engine. my favorites are Pricewatch and Pricegrabber. also if you want to go with the t615 and still want music you will need the headset remote. about 130 retail but you will be able to find it elsewhere.

[DREDD]

This probably doesn't help but I love Visor platnums :-)

[qmanchu]

The consensus seems to be that if battery life is one of your priorities, you'll want to get a PDA based on the Palm OS and specifically the Clies (as has already been mentioned). My only single complaint about the Sony PDAs is its use of Sony's proprietary Memory Stick which is usually going to cost you more than most other media.

[faither]

Memory sticks are not a big issue as I've had two Sony digital cameras (currently the F707). Ohhhh, I can't wait for my Clie T615 to be delivered tomorrow.

[Cantacuzene]

Get color. Color is all important.

[hapoo]

I've been on both sides of the fence, first with a Palm Vx now with an Ipaq 3765. If your going to be doing any serious reading on this thing i suggest you go with the Ipaq simply because of the screen size, I've read books on mine easily, something that was a pain in the ass with the palm. The audio's great, and the ipaq is also widely supported.

[helius]

I haven't looked too closely at the Ipaqs, but there are so many similarly-numbered models it makes my head spin.

[Jeffbx]

I'm with Hapoo on this one - having used both, the brightness, clarity & screen size of the iPaq makes me never want to use a Palm ever again, esp. for things like reading or web-surfing. Battery life with the iPaq is not a problem if you have the add-on PC card sleeve. This sleeve (not the CF sleeve!) has a second battery built into it which doubles the life of the system.