Archived from groups: comp.sys.handhelds (More info?)

I am in the market to buy a PDA. Can anyone here tell me what web
sites will give me everything I need to know about them, including
recommendations on specific makes and models?

-Jonathan

Archived from groups: comp.sys.handhelds (More info?)

On 21 Apr 2005 12:07:42 -0700, jfklein@shaw.ca (Jonathan) wrote:

>I am in the market to buy a PDA. Can anyone here tell me what web
>sites will give me everything I need to know about them, including
>recommendations on specific makes and models?

I think the first step is for you to determine why _you_ want to buy a
PDA. From that you can derive a list of functions with _your_
priorities. You should also decide how well a PDA must perform each of
those functions. For example, someone's top priority might be a
calendar, and it would only be useful if they could carry it in a
shirt pocket and if it were available in less than 2 seconds. Someone
else might insist on a combination phone and PDA that can fit in a
briefcase and costs less than $200 US.

I admit to a heavy bias towards _printed_ material, especially when
I'm new to a field. So I recommend buying a related magazine or two
(look for names like Pocket PC and Mobile Computing). That will help
you become familiar with terms, hardware, features, and costs. You'll
also get some leads on web sites.

I've seen questions similar to yours at least once a week. So google
_will_ help you find threads with answers. But finding a good search
string may take some effort, because the question is asked in many
ways.


>
>-Jonathan

-----------------------------------------
To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message).

Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
500 Harrison Ave., Suite 3R
Boston, MA 02118
www.penfact.com

Archived from groups: comp.sys.handhelds (More info?)

Right now the reason I am looking for a PDA is that I want a handheld
device that will run spreadsheets. But during my research I will
probably come up with more requireemnts.

I am curious, why do you favor printed material versus on-line? Do you
know if the publications you mentionedcan be viewed on line (if
purchased of course)?

I realize there is probably a lot of information in the newsgroup
archives and on the internet in general on PDAs. The problem is there
is too much information, and it is often very time consuming getting
to the best sources of the information you want, especially when it is
on a topic you are unfamiliar with. This is why I started by posting
to the news groups asking for advice on where to start.

Would you say comp.sys.handhelds is the best news group for
information on PDAa, or are there better?

-Jonathan



r_z_aret@pen_fact.com wrote in message news:<j7ii6196ctkkj4g1cftnpchgrcul0gam6m@4ax.com>...
> On 21 Apr 2005 12:07:42 -0700, jfklein@shaw.ca (Jonathan) wrote:
>
> >I am in the market to buy a PDA. Can anyone here tell me what web
> >sites will give me everything I need to know about them, including
> >recommendations on specific makes and models?
>
> I think the first step is for you to determine why _you_ want to buy a
> PDA. From that you can derive a list of functions with _your_
> priorities. You should also decide how well a PDA must perform each of
> those functions. For example, someone's top priority might be a
> calendar, and it would only be useful if they could carry it in a
> shirt pocket and if it were available in less than 2 seconds. Someone
> else might insist on a combination phone and PDA that can fit in a
> briefcase and costs less than $200 US.
>
> I admit to a heavy bias towards _printed_ material, especially when
> I'm new to a field. So I recommend buying a related magazine or two
> (look for names like Pocket PC and Mobile Computing). That will help
> you become familiar with terms, hardware, features, and costs. You'll
> also get some leads on web sites.
>
> I've seen questions similar to yours at least once a week. So google
> _will_ help you find threads with answers. But finding a good search
> string may take some effort, because the question is asked in many
> ways.
>
>
> >
> >-Jonathan
>
> -----------------------------------------
> To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message).
>
> Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
> PenFact, Inc.
> 500 Harrison Ave., Suite 3R
> Boston, MA 02118
> www.penfact.com

Archived from groups: comp.sys.handhelds (More info?)

Jonathan wrote:
> Would you say comp.sys.handhelds is the best news group for
> information on PDAa, or are there better?

Try a Palm newsgroup too, to get a balanced response.

--

Burning_Ranger

To email: aziz@aziz1removethispart.fsnet.co.uk

Archived from groups: comp.sys.handhelds (More info?)

I have a general question as well. For internet use on the pda is
there generally a flat rate per month or there a fee per minute?

Archived from groups: comp.sys.handhelds (More info?)

ienjball@yahoo.com wrote:
> I have a general question as well. For internet use on the pda is
> there generally a flat rate per month or there a fee per minute?

For internet the PDA can be connected to your existing ISP with whatever
cost that has; it is no different than any other computer. Integrated
cell phone/PDAs are another matter entirely with the cost depending on
the charges for web access from the cell phone provider.

Q

Archived from groups: comp.sys.handhelds (More info?)

On 24 Apr 2005 12:10:55 -0700, jfklein@shaw.ca (Jonathan) wrote:

>Right now the reason I am looking for a PDA is that I want a handheld
>device that will run spreadsheets. But during my research I will
>probably come up with more requireemnts.

Yes, deciding what we want often involves a "Catch 22": we don't know
what we want until we know it exists, and we don't know something
exists until we think to look for it.


>
>I am curious, why do you favor printed material versus on-line? Do you
>know if the publications you mentionedcan be viewed on line (if
>purchased of course)?

I find printed material much easier to digest. Definitely subject to
personal preference. At least in my area (Boston, MA), magazines about
PDAs are easy to find. Certainly in stores. Maybe even in libraries.
The ones I've seen tend to have stories about how folks use their
PDAs, and reviews. Thus my bias towards printed is especially strong
in this case.


>
>I realize there is probably a lot of information in the newsgroup
>archives and on the internet in general on PDAs. The problem is there
>is too much information, and it is often very time consuming getting
>to the best sources of the information you want, especially when it is
>on a topic you are unfamiliar with. This is why I started by posting
>to the news groups asking for advice on where to start.

I, at least, think starting with newsgroups is especially likely to
overwhelm. And asking a broad question in a newsgroup is largely a
waste of everyone's time. For one thing, similar questions have
probably been asked before, so a search with google is likely to
uncover a wider range of answers, more quickly. If you're trying to
decide what features might be useful for _you_ then asking such a
question in a newsgroup may well miss the feature(s) most important
for you. For example, I'm not sure how many folks would list
spreadsheets as a reason to get a PDA. On the other hand, if you ask
folks which PDA might be useful for viewing spreadsheets, you might
get a useful set of answers. You are even more likely to get a
digestible and usable set of answers if you add more criteria. And
using google is likely to help you find a newsgroup most appropriate
for your questions. In other words, I think you will find newsgroups
far less overwhelming if you stay away from them until you have a
clearer idea of _your_ criteria.

When I'm trying to find info on a topic that's new to me, I first
decide whether to start with printed material or google advanced
newsgroup (http://groups.google.com/advanced_group_search). If the
topic is large (as in a whole new set of function) or I have a large
set of options (as in buying a PDA), _and_ I think I know a good
source of printed info, that will be my first choice. At some point, I
will almost always use google. My first attempts will most likely turn
up few useful hits. But looking at the first few hits each time helps
me develop a better search criteria. After a bit, I will have enough
leads and terms to let me get real info. If I still have a lot of
options at that point (as in choosing among many products), I may
alternate between google and printed. Once in a while, I'll actually
ask a question, but only when I'm convinced I can ask a clear question
that's likely to get a useful answer.


>
>Would you say comp.sys.handhelds is the best news group for
>information on PDAa, or are there better?
>
>-Jonathan
>
>
>
>r_z_aret@pen_fact.com wrote in message news:<j7ii6196ctkkj4g1cftnpchgrcul0gam6m@4ax.com>...
>> On 21 Apr 2005 12:07:42 -0700, jfklein@shaw.ca (Jonathan) wrote:
>>
>> >I am in the market to buy a PDA. Can anyone here tell me what web
>> >sites will give me everything I need to know about them, including
>> >recommendations on specific makes and models?
>>
>> I think the first step is for you to determine why _you_ want to buy a
>> PDA. From that you can derive a list of functions with _your_
>> priorities. You should also decide how well a PDA must perform each of
>> those functions. For example, someone's top priority might be a
>> calendar, and it would only be useful if they could carry it in a
>> shirt pocket and if it were available in less than 2 seconds. Someone
>> else might insist on a combination phone and PDA that can fit in a
>> briefcase and costs less than $200 US.
>>
>> I admit to a heavy bias towards _printed_ material, especially when
>> I'm new to a field. So I recommend buying a related magazine or two
>> (look for names like Pocket PC and Mobile Computing). That will help
>> you become familiar with terms, hardware, features, and costs. You'll
>> also get some leads on web sites.
>>
>> I've seen questions similar to yours at least once a week. So google
>> _will_ help you find threads with answers. But finding a good search
>> string may take some effort, because the question is asked in many
>> ways.
>>
>>
>> >
>> >-Jonathan
>>
>> -----------------------------------------
>> To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message).
>>
>> Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
>> PenFact, Inc.
>> 500 Harrison Ave., Suite 3R
>> Boston, MA 02118
>> www.penfact.com

-----------------------------------------
To reply to me, remove the underscores (_) from my email address (and please indicate which newsgroup and message).

Robert E. Zaret, eMVP
PenFact, Inc.
500 Harrison Ave., Suite 3R
Boston, MA 02118
www.penfact.com