Friday, November 4

Smarty Phone

My first real geek gadget was a Handspring PDA. Before the PDA, I tried using various planners without too much success in organizing myself. I gave that old Handspring to my wife when I got my PowerBook, because I pretty much took it with me everywhere and found I was just using the OSX apps instead.

I'm going to be selling the PowerBook soon and going back to using a big desktop computer, so I want to get another PDA. Since I don't want to have either my pockets or my belt loaded with both a cell phone AND a PDA, I'm looking into a Smart Phone. Trouble is, I'm absolutely clueless in this arena. So I'm asking my blog audience for some help, since I know that many of you are gadget geeks.

My thoughts/questions:
• OSX compatibility. I like the native OSX apps (iCal, Address Book, etc) over Palm Desktop, unless they have seriously upgraded it in the last few years.

• I like to take notes at meetings and seminars. I got pretty good at using Graffiti, although I was thinking of getting one of those foldable keyboards before I got the PB. I've never used any of those tiny thumb keyboards I see on some. Is that the only way to input on these or can you write on the screen with a stylus?

• I'm not much of a traveller, so I don't really care about accessing e-mail on one. The Blackberry seems to use this as a big selling point.

• What are the different OS platforms? Anyone clue me in on the strengths/weakness of them.

• I don't care really what carrier I use. Right now Sprint does my cell, but that just because my sister works there and I got my phone from her.

So, comments are open-
Any thoughts and opinions would be appreciated

6 Comments:

Hugh said...

Since you don't need to access email, how about using an iPod with a voice recorder? It has all your iCal, Address Book, iPhoto and other data. When you sync it transfers your voice recordings to iTunes and Syncs them back to the iPod.

I recorded a client meeting last week and found it actually refreshing to listen to my notes rather than trying to read my handwriting. I also picked up on some verbal nuances I would have missed with my written notes. I've also been able to review the notes commuting around town.

Of course this is a bad idea if you have to take written notes.

9:38 PM  
Kim Siever said...

My first gadget was an electronic planner that held about 200 names (addresses, too), several calendaring items, and several to do items. I do not believe there was a note feature. It couldn't sync with a computer, but what did I care; I wa son my mission and didn't have a computer. I do remember that Sony was the maker of the gadget though and it cost me around 80$.

1:09 PM  
Kristian said...

I thought about the iPod. The only thing is that you can't enter data (other than a voice recording, i guess). One of these days I hope Jobs & Co. decides to give us an Apple PDA, but until then, I'll just keep praying to the Mac Gods.

1:15 PM  
Kris said...

http://www.pcworld.com/browse/1172/topic.html?page=1

Here is a good spot to view reviews on all the good cells hybrids.

Hope one works for you.

11:35 PM  
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2:31 AM  
Midway Six said...

Well...

Have you picked up an iPhone?

I took it everywhere while flying around this summer.. I found it extremely handy!

s/v!

- Midway Six
CAPblog

4:31 PM  

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