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

Hi, I'm looking into buying a palm for the first time, and I'm
not sure what to go for. I assume that the organiser bits of
all models will be fine, but apart from that I want:

to read free ascii ebooks
to play board/card games
maybe play a bit of roguelikes or text adventures
maybe do a bit of programming (is there some kind of compact C
for palm? Is there a good version of scheme?)

I won't use (but I won't complain about):

cameras, mp3s, internet.

How much of what I list will I be able to do (comfortably) with
a zire 21/31? I am edging towards a zire 31, but I might be put
off if I can't do what I list above... I could stretch to a
zire 72, or a Tungsten E. Would I be better off with an older
second hand model?

I am buying in Britain btw

Thanks in advance for any help,

Richard Hunt

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

Tungsten E, best bang for the buck!

Bill Crocker


"Richard Hunt" <0102806h@student.gla.ac.uk> wrote in message
news:18ae804a.0501010846.3d2cebf0@posting.google.com...
> Hi, I'm looking into buying a palm for the first time, and I'm
> not sure what to go for. I assume that the organiser bits of
> all models will be fine, but apart from that I want:
>
> to read free ascii ebooks
> to play board/card games
> maybe play a bit of roguelikes or text adventures
> maybe do a bit of programming (is there some kind of compact C
> for palm? Is there a good version of scheme?)
>
> I won't use (but I won't complain about):
>
> cameras, mp3s, internet.
>
> How much of what I list will I be able to do (comfortably) with
> a zire 21/31? I am edging towards a zire 31, but I might be put
> off if I can't do what I list above... I could stretch to a
> zire 72, or a Tungsten E. Would I be better off with an older
> second hand model?
>
> I am buying in Britain btw
>
> Thanks in advance for any help,
>
> Richard Hunt

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

Here in comp.sys.palmtops.pilot,
"Bill Crocker" <wcrocker007@comcast.net> spake unto us, saying:

>"Richard Hunt" <0102806h@student.gla.ac.uk> wrote
>
>> Hi, I'm looking into buying a palm for the first time, and I'm
>> not sure what to go for. I assume that the organiser bits of
>> all models will be fine, but apart from that I want:
>>
>> to read free ascii ebooks
>> to play board/card games
>> maybe play a bit of roguelikes or text adventures
>> maybe do a bit of programming (is there some kind of compact C
>> for palm? Is there a good version of scheme?)
>>
>> I won't use (but I won't complain about):
>>
>> cameras, mp3s, internet.
>
>Tungsten E, best bang for the buck!

In his context?

An m105 costs around US$30 on eBay if you look, and it'll do everything
he listed rather well. It has a smaller plastic screen, but that makes
it somewhat more durable, and it also has the advantage of long battery
life uses a standard easily-replaced battery (2xAAA) which can also be
replaced with rechargable NiCAD or NiMH cells if one wants.

Of course, he'd be screwed in terms of MP3 playing and probably internet
access if he changed his mind. :-) But PalmPix cameras exist for that
model, and they're not too bad for casual-use/toy cameras.

Here's a sample pic in low light taken with my m105:

http://www.visi.com/~rsteiner/house2.jpg

Also, the price of m105 add-ons is quite low. I've seen Palm folding
keyboards on eBay for under US$6 + S&H (which is why I have two of
them) and I've seen serial cradles for US$0.99 + S&H apiece.

Those are Buy It Now prices, not bids.

--
-Rich Steiner >>>---> http://www.visi.com/~rsteiner >>>---> Smyrna, GA USA
OS/2 + eCS + Linux + Win95 + DOS + PC/GEOS + Executor = PC Hobbyist Heaven!
WARNING: I've seen FIELDATA FORTRAN V and I know how to use it!
The Theorem Theorem: If If, Then Then.

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

Yes, I agree. I would recommend the Tungsten E as the best mid-range device.
Great screen, good processor, handles multimedia and MS office docs, and
looks nice.

--
tim@palmzone.net
http://www.palmzone.net
Check out the new fully interactive, community-based PalmZone.net!


"Bill Crocker" <wcrocker007@comcast.net> wrote in message
news:teednUP1i9PhSUvcRVn-3w@comcast.com...
> Tungsten E, best bang for the buck!
>
> Bill Crocker
>
>
> "Richard Hunt" <0102806h@student.gla.ac.uk> wrote in message
> news:18ae804a.0501010846.3d2cebf0@posting.google.com...
>> Hi, I'm looking into buying a palm for the first time, and I'm
>> not sure what to go for. I assume that the organiser bits of
>> all models will be fine, but apart from that I want:
>>
>> to read free ascii ebooks
>> to play board/card games
>> maybe play a bit of roguelikes or text adventures
>> maybe do a bit of programming (is there some kind of compact C
>> for palm? Is there a good version of scheme?)
>>
>> I won't use (but I won't complain about):
>>
>> cameras, mp3s, internet.
>>
>> How much of what I list will I be able to do (comfortably) with
>> a zire 21/31? I am edging towards a zire 31, but I might be put
>> off if I can't do what I list above... I could stretch to a
>> zire 72, or a Tungsten E. Would I be better off with an older
>> second hand model?
>>
>> I am buying in Britain btw
>>
>> Thanks in advance for any help,
>>
>> Richard Hunt
>
>

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

On 2005-01-02, Tim Nicholson <tim@pdainfosource.com> wrote:
> Yes, I agree. I would recommend the Tungsten E as the best mid-range device.
> Great screen, good processor, handles multimedia and MS office docs, and
> looks nice.

He doesn't care about multimedia, though.

Frankly, if you want a new box, the cheapest Zire ($100 list, you can
find it for $75) will be more than adequate. Plus

1. If after trying you hate Palms, you haven't wasted much money.
2. If after trying you love Palms, you can invest in a Tungsten
and, well, won't have wasted much money. :-)
--
Carl Fink carl@fink.to
Jabootu's Minister of Proofreading
http://www.jabootu.com

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

Dear Richard,

>From the list of functions that you provided, you would probably be
served just fine by the Zire 21. However, if you are intending to
purchase a new device in that price range you might be happier with an
older device second hand. Do try to think carefully about functions
like an integrated camera, ability to play MP3s or video, having a
voice recorder, bluetooth, and WiFi. You indeed might not use them,
but before you buy a device that precludes these options, imagine if
you did have them, and think if there's any way you might use them.
Indeed, you might very well not, and shouldn't buy a device with
functions that you won't use (if you can help it!) but it is worth the
mental exercise of thinking carefully. If you had asked me seven years
ago if I would use a PDA I would have said no. But then someone gave
me a Palm III and here I am about seven Palms later . . . .

So first, I'd like to refer you to this webpage I've written some time
ago:

http://sam.lipoff.org/palmpilot/whichpalm.html

Although some of the recommendations for high-end devices are a little
out of date (but will be updated soon!) you should look towards the
bottom of the page where I write about some older devices that are
still available second hand.

In particular, for what you describe, I'd recommend looking at the
following three devices:

HandEra 330 (fantastic all around device)
Palm Vx (a true classic)
Sony Clie PEG-S360 or SL-10 (an excellent device, well made with neat
features)

If you really want a color screen you might want to consider:

Palm IIIc (yes, really!)
Palm m515 (like a color Palm Vx)
Sony Clie T615C (again, an excellent device with neat features)

These devices won't be able to run OS 5, and have slower processors
that can't play video or run super-graphic intensive games. Some
software is not compatible with pre-OS 5 devices, but probably just as
much older software is not compatible with OS 5 itself!

Even the most expensive of the devices listed above (HandEra, m515,
T615c) won't be more expensive than a new Zire 21 or 31, and the least
expensive can be had on eBay for less than a case for the Zire 21!

Also, it is important to remember that peripherals for these older
devices can be had very cheaply, so you can add a nice case, a portable
keyboard, and other peripherals. Battery life will also be better on
an older device, monochrome screens can be used in all lighting
conditions, and I think each of those older devices is better made than
current PalmOne models.

You should take a careful look on eBay---the only snag might be that
some of these devices may not be available from sellers in the UK, and
not all US sellers are set up to ship internationally.

And to answer your other questions, yes, there are a few versions of C
(and micro-C) for the Palm:

http://onboardc.sourceforge.net/
http://www.orbworks.com/pcpalm/
http://www.aldweb.com/articles.php?lng=en&pg=5298

And an implementation of Scheme called LispMe:

http://www.lispme.de/index.html

You might enjoy looking at Michael Winikoff's page about development
tools for the Palm:

http://www.winikoff.net/palm/dev.html

If you intend to do serious text entry on your Palm Pilot, you owe it
to yourself to at least try pEdit:

http://home.columbus.rr.com/nevai/palm/
Good luck with whatever purchase you decide to make.

--Sam Lipoff

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

Thanks for pointing me to the website. I had a look around on
the net for second hand palms. I found a Clie PEG-TJ35 for
£80 (+£5 p&p) on Amazon zShops. Does this sound like a good
deal?

Richard