I told you, it's just my taste...I prefer smooth black curves anytime :)

:p What's even worse, is being digital GSM only, in the rural parts of AZ I have to resort to the quarters method... Of course, the value in this is having all of your business data in one place and integrated (contacts list tied to calls for billable time, for example, track work for your contacts, even record calls relative to contacts, etc). The recording saved my butt this week in relation to an auto accident and insurance issue; I was able to prove what I said rather than what they claimed I said. The liars were very pissed off that I recorded them and could prove them liars.

Question 1: What about the Sony-Ericsson P900 or P910i? It’s tri-band, has Bluetooth, excellent PDA functions and visually intuitive menus, writes e-mail on the go, has a QWERTY keyboard on the flip, runs Java programs (that you can write yourself), handles MP3 and MPEG4, and has and integrated camera/video. The P910i even has handwriting recognition! (Haven’t used it, but it looks promising.)

Question 2: If they can fit 4 Gb into the puny iPod Mini, why can’t someone introduce a PDA/phone that has, say, a built-in 1 Gb disk? (This is my biggest gripe.)

Just asking...
ArcticStones

I'm playing with the HP hx4705 now. A PDA with a VGA screen, and I've got a 5GB drive in it right now. Didn't come with it; fits into the CF slot. Sharp has introduced a PDA with a HD inside, but it only runs Linux, so it's got very limited use and marketability.

The downside to the Sony, Motorola, and other Symbian/Linux/proprietary phone/PDA devices is lack of add-on software. If you like what's built in, go for it. I just have yet to find a PIM that's as well-featured as Pocket Informant. With a hectic schedule, big task list, lots of travel, and lots of contacts, I need a powerful way to tie it all together. All of the built-in PIM tools are very light-duty.

The phone that I started this thread about is rather problematic right now due to a third-party Bluetooth stack. Unfortunately the manufacturer went this route instead of the stable and reliable MS Bluetooth software. It makes headset connections flaky. So while the hardware and OS are fantastic, the BT issues make it very problematic for someone who spends the day on the phone and absolutely needs a headset. They said a fix is coming in three weeks.

I think it's going to be time soon to just figure out where to draw the line between a PDA and a mini computer until the 2 actually converge.

The O2 PPC is kind of a brick, but it does have alot of horsepower behind it.

I mean, if they added a phone feature to this would it be the ultimate pda/phone?

Kind of a brick?!? Have you seen one in person? Held it? And which version are you talking about, there are three of them now. The latest (pictured in this thread) is slightly larger/heavier than the other two, but those were sleek, small, and light.

The OQO is just a small computer. There's a HUGE difference between a standard computer that you can squeeze into your hand and a computer designed to be used that way. The PPC OS has gone through many generations of being streamlined for a handheld device that you can use on the run. The thought of trying to use Windows XP while running between flights is just ludicrous.

BTW, you can add a phone to the OQO via a CF GSM/GPRS card. It would still suck though, as a PDA. It certainly makes a nice replacement for a laptop for some people. In any case, this is just going to be a niche market. For me the OQO could not replace my PowerBook because of the small screen and KB size, and could not replace my Pocket PC because it's not geared toward being used as a handheld.

I guess the true ultimate PDA-phone would be the hx4705 I picked up today with a phone built in. I could add a CF phone card, but it doesn't integrate the audio, so you can't use a BT headset, just wired. It would work nicely for data though.

Yes
No
O2 Xda II

And yes, i think it's huge.I havn't carried anything 190g's in my pocket since the early 90's.

But after reading your comments on PPC's I was thinking about waiting for this.

Any thoughts?

The Magician is going to be the first of the devices targeted toward people that think a PDA is too big. This trend is what's going to kill the "smart phone" market, which I think is only transitional. It's reasonably powerful just less so than the top devices on the market. Most people will be very happy with it, and it's as powerful as the best devices from a year ago.

Personally I don't understand the size/weight issue, since the tiniest phone on my belt is no different from the largest phone on my belt. But then, I carried a Newton for so many years, and that was huge.

The VGA screen on the hx4700 is very nice. Great to be able remote to a machine from the handheld and see the whole screen. Admin work is much easier than it used to be.

Does the touchscreen on a PocketPC go out of whack? I've owned 4 Palms now and every single one of them, the touchscreen goes to hell eventually and I find I have to constantly re-calibrate the digitizer (sometimes 6 times a day! ARGH!). This alone might convince me to move on from the Palm platform..

Yeah, I remember that with my Palm. I also recall that happening on some of the Netwons.

No, I've never once had to recalibrate a PPC screen. Surprisingly, even when you rotate the screen back and forth a lot it stays calibrated.

This iPAQ I'm playing with now is so impressive (unfortunately it's not a phone). The VGA 4" display is just amazing. The 624MHz processor is pretty damn nice too. Wireless is fantastic. The Motorola phone I'm using it with is another (very annoying) story.

ok - u got me. It looks like I'm gonna take the plunge & go PPC.

Now I'm starting from square1, so what do I need 2 know? (OSX syncing related, as I can find the Palm->PPC switching stuff NEwhere) (Unless some1's just got some free time & and nothing better to do of course ;) )

An interesting note on Pocket PC crashing... Today I got an e-mail from a user that I support. She complained about her three year old Cassiopeia Pocket PC doing strange things. I mentioned a few things to check and noted that at three years old with daily use, it might just be worn out. I also suggested that she do a reset on it. She answered, "How do I do that?" Turns out it has never been rebooted in THREE YEARS.

Yeah, those Pocket PCs crash all the time...

Seen it in person, held it, XDAIIs.

8 my words.

Own 1 now. ^_^