| dklanecky1 |
I need some advice, and I'm hoping someone in this group has already been down this road.
My trusty old monochrome Palm Vx from 1999 or so is not holding a battery charge, and I'm told the battery is not user replaceable, so it looks like I'm in the market for a new PDA. It has 8mb of memory, and is currently about 3/4 full.
I am behind a PC almost all day, so I primarily use the Vx as a data repository for when I need to remember something, or almost anything, and my gray matter seems to be less trustworthy everyday.
I use the desktop versions of the calendar, contacts, to do list, and memo pad for all my miscellaneous information. No other real applications are installed or used, OK maybe a few games.
I would really like to be able to use the half dozen or so compact flash cards that I've accumulated to expand the storage rather than buy new memory media, but that's a problem if I stay within the Palm OS as they don't have any units that accept CF cards currently.
I'm told that if I go to the Windows CE OS, I lose my desktop applications that I've come to love and use daily for the last 4-5 years as it doesn't support them. (Our corporate Mail program is Lotus Notes.)
Has anyone else made the move from the Palm Desktop to Windows CE? Care to share any success or failure or applications that can make my upcoming decision easier? |
|
|
| Gonzo |
I've been using a Palm for a long time...like I think my first one was the Palm Pro. love the simplicity of it. I have used the Windows Mobile briefly. Maybe I'm just used to a Palm but I liked it much better. Found it just simply cleaner. I am willing to be that you will never fillup the 8MB based on your use. I use it the same execpt for everything... inluding personal stuff that is encrypted.
The only thing I would think about doing is getting a cell phone with the Palm OS then I would only have to cary one item. Something like the Samsung phone.
Best of luck to you. |
|
|
| david_brown14 |
| Had a Palm III for years that finally kicked the bucket. Replaced it with an iPAQ Pocket PC and I would never go back. Love the interface so much more than the Palm. But, I use Outlook which is seamless with the Pocket PC, so I can't help you on that aspect. |
|
|
| jaak |
Oh, this is a discussion that comes up over and over again, with different operating systems...
I had a WinCE device, a Jornada, the first one, I think, and while I loved the application support, I hated the lack of speed. So I too, went to a Palm Vx eventually, because like Linux is to Windows, the Palm OS is much more efficient and faster, as well as being better with memory.
Well, things have changed, and we now have the low cost processing power that CE needed to compete, but we now call it Windows Mobile. So while the Palm OS, like Linux, is a great OS, the reality is the application support and integration into existing windows applications, is not as deep as a PPC, plus the things that killed WinCE have been addressed.
I loved my Jornada, but it was too slow. I loved my Palm Vx, but it lacked the application support I wanted. Now I have my Ipaq, I've got it all. A CF slot, an SD slot, Bluetooth, 802.11, I run my Navigation on it, pull up spreadsheets, have my contacts, use it on the plane to play mp3's and one day, I hope to have an application talking to the Murano's radio controls and display.
I like Linux too. I have 9 PC's on my network, and one's running Linux. It's a better operating system, but doesn't have the application support, and that's what ultimately drives what you need.
Pick the applications you'd like to run, then get the platform that supports it, not the other way around... |
|
|
| msfiveiron |
I'm on my fourth or fifth Palm device, currently a Zire 71. I would pick a Tungsten E or Tungsten 3 as my next device, for a few reasons:
1) I have invested in a lot of Palm software over the years (Yes, I do pay for my shareware!) :) . I also now have a stockpile of SD-based application and data cards
2) I have a lot of data that, quite frankly, I'm too lazy to convert
3) I don't need my handheld to mimic a computer's functionality, and don't see the need for the heft and bloat of the WinCE/Pocket PC OS. The Zire is speedy and robust enough for my needs.
4) I will do anything possible to avoid consciously supporting Microsoft! With the exception of Word and Excel, an MS product will never be my first choice.
I also use Notes as my corporate email, and use the EasySync application to transfer my calendar to the Palm. I do not see the need to copy email into my handheld, since I'm in front of my computer all day. I still keep my address book on the Palm Desktop, since the Notes address book is pretty much a POS :28:
Using EasySync, I can select which Palm data will sync to which PC application. There are still a couple of flubs, like Notes recurring appointments don't translate well, and the Palm will concatenate meeting descriptions if they are too long. All in all, this arrangement seems to work the best for me, YMMV. |
|
|
| UncaDanno |
I have three PDAs. A Casseopeia PV-400, a Cassiopeia E-200, and a Viewsonic V37. The Boss Lady gave me the PV-400, I bought the E-200, and the V37 was a freebie 'cause I do handheld development and M$ wanted folks to get going on PocketPC 2003.
I like the Windows CE platform better than Palm.
Mostly because the Palm is a PAIN to develop for. I'm currently working on a PPC 2003 app that ties in to a GPS application.
Took three days to get a framework built that fires up the GPS app, sends it a destination (address or coordinates), and lets it take over to guide you on your way.
NO WAY it could've been done that quickly on a Palm... |
|
|
| dklanecky1 |
Thanks everyone for your feedback.
I think I really want to stay with the Palm family for a few reasons:
I've already upgraded from my original M500 and it was painless.
I only use the desktop applications that run on the Palm Desktop.
I really wouldn't be looking for a new PDA if the battery was replaceable on the Vx, so I guess that means I'm satisified with the functionality on the Palm.
I keep looking at all the things you could do though with the HP4155 (for about the same money as the Palm T3) and it's very tempting.
Decisions, decisions!!
:confused: |
|
|
| dmako |
Just gave my wife my Clie TH55 and went with a iPAQ 4150 (same as 4155).
Using Visual Studio I am hoping to create some applications for work for it.
So far I love it, but it's new so it has the cool factor going for it. But with WI-FI and Bluetooth and a connection swiss ary knife. |
|
|
| jaak |
I guess I'm going to have to break down and move to Visual Studio, from VB6. I'm scared!:creeplook
My VB is rusty and my C++ even more so. So going to VS is a leap, but I suppose I shouldn't hide my head in the sand. After all, I hope to have an MP3 player in there one day, that sends artist and title info to the Murano's display, as well as being controlled by it.
Seems like no one else is investing the time to do it... (I think they've all run off and hid, as they don't have the time either!) |
|
|
| dmako |
Time to try c#
quote:
Originally posted by jaak
I guess I'm going to have to break down and move to Visual Studio, from VB6. I'm scared!:creeplook
My VB is rusty and my C++ even more so. So going to VS is a leap, but I suppose I shouldn't hide my head in the sand. After all, I hope to have an MP3 player in there one day, that sends artist and title info to the Murano's display, as well as being controlled by it.
Seems like no one else is investing the time to do it... (I think they've all run off and hid, as they don't have the time either!)
|
|
|
| jaak |
| Yeah, I'm sure initially it would make my head #, but I'd love it after a while....:D |
|
|
| UncaDanno |
Forget about doing anything really serious on a handheld with VB. eMbedded Tools 3.0 had eVB. It is, shall we say, fragile.
M$ then released eVC++ 4.0. And has dropped support for eVB altogether. Should tell you something.
I use eVC++ 3.0 for PPC 2002 and earlier. eVC++ 4.0 for PPC 2003.
Sure, you can use VS.NET to develop for handhelds. But doing so requires the mobile .NET framework to be installed. BIG FOOTPRINT. |
|
|
| jaak |
Hey good info! I haven't even finished emulating a sat receiver, but the more I think about this, the more I'm starting to think that maybe it's just easier to use a Pac unit to initialise the interface and send additional commands with the PPC.
At the rate I'm doing this, I should have it finished in time for the lease to expire...;) |
|
|
|
