Non-phone PDA recommendations?

[Radial]

I don't want a handheld WITH a phone. I just want a handheld. I don't care about cameras or wireless access. It should also use Windows Mobile (mainly so I can still use MLO), not Palm's OS.

The only thing I can find is a $300 unit from HP that's not even shipping yet. (WTF?!)

I'm getting panicky bc my HP RX3715 (which has been perfectly serviceable up until now) is getting goofy and I think will require replacement soon.

Any suggestions? I'd be most appreciative!

 

[shannam]

I use a Palm TX currently and have used a palm T3 and TE prior to that. I find Palm to be perfect for maintaining the basics of GTD. ie Calendar, Contacts, Tasks & Notes. You can use either Palm Desktop or Outlook to sync with. If you are using a Mac the choice for a desktop program is not quite so straight forward but I have used Entourage (Microsoft's equivalent to Outlook for the Mac platform) without any problems.

I find the Palm TX to be as good as any other Palm's I have used although my favourite was the T3 until the screen started playing up after a lot of use.

I've also got a Treo 650 (phone/pda) but although it is an excellent bit of kit, I don't like it's bulk and I have an in-car kit for my Nokia 6230i's (1 i use for work hours and i for all the other time) and so have to use a bluetooth headset with the Treo, which is just another thing to keep charged up and cart about as far as I'm concerned.

I've never needed or been attracted to using Windows PDA's as I think they are overkill for my needs.

Cheers
Steve

 

[mcogilvie]

Sorry, I think you're hosed. I'm in the same boat- my Palm T/X went unstable a few weeks ago, and I haven't replaced it. The windows ppc's were gone from local stores a loooong time ago here, and I think the last local chain to carry non-phone palms is dumping them. The invisible hand has decided that these devices are not as popular/profitable as hybrid devices.

I'm probably going to wait for further clarity in the marketplace before I do anything. Meanwhile, it's paper for me.

 

[Jamie Elis]

Palm Zire 22 is $99.00

Palm Zire22 is $99.00 no camera, no phone.

If this link won't work go to Palm website.

Click here: Palm - Products - Palm Z22 handheld

I have the Zire 71. I didn't get it for the camera but the camera has come in handy.

People with more Palm experience than speak with more authority, but I found that my Palm's instability was cured by re-loading the software. Unfortunatly, I couldn't find my discs so I did it though the website and the features have changed a bit (no more date-time stamping).

 

[Barry]

After 7 years with PDA's, my latest device got flakey a couple of months ago. I took the opportunity to re-evaluate the paper option. I converted to paper and am very happy I did. No going back (forward?) to PDAs for me.

I am also puzzled by the sudden dissapearance of the PDA market. What happened?

 

[mcogilvie]

I am also puzzled by the sudden dissapearance of the PDA market. What happened?

It hasn't been overnight. My top 3 reasons:

1) overlap of functionality with smart phones.
2) poor reception for (and unprofitability of) pocket pc's
3) strategic mistakes by palm

 

[Philb]

The new HP 111 and 211 will be available around the 3rd week of October I hear. These are just plain old pdas. No camera, includes wifi. MLO should work on these I would think. They are going to run Windows Mobile 6.

It will be interesting to see if any competitors jump in with similar products.

best

Phil.

 

[mmurray]

As a regular T|X user I keep thinking I should just grab a second T|X now while I can. There is always eBay of course.

Michael

 

[andesee]

Try eBay

From what I have been told (and read) the new WM5 devices are a bit slow due to the way that the OS manages memory. Having used a palm TX for a while I switched back to windows by buying a mint condition IPAQ hx4150 from eBay. It is excellent for GTD as it is fast, small and light running on WM2003. I think the future though is in Blackberries with wireless syncing of notes and tasks and with programmes such as NextAction making it easier to do GTD on them its a hard combination to beat.

 

[Radial]

It hasn't been overnight. My top 3 reasons:

1) overlap of functionality with smart phones.
2) poor reception for (and unprofitability of) pocket pc's
3) strategic mistakes by palm

Yup, you nailed it. In fact, the PDA section at the local Fry's (big electronics retailer) is shrinking as the display of smartphones over in the wireless section increases....

And Palm couldn't strategize its way out of a paper bag, unfortunately.

 

[haga2000]

I have been a satisfied user of a dell axim x50 for several years. I use pocket informant with it. Its very good for transfereing calendar/contacts/tasks/notes between 2 computers (home and work). I also use it with wlan to read news in the morning. For gtd work I use paper planner mainly due to the better overview you get. I thought my dell would be obsolete when I got a new smart phone (nokia e65) but the bigger screen makes reading easier on the dell.

 

[sharon888]

I've been looking at replacing my elderly PDA as well. I have a Clie. While I like paper for some things, the PDA is really great for my calendar and contacts. I had to have a medical test last week and they asked when I'd last had it done. It was easy for me to give them the date even though it was three years ago because I have my calendar in my PDA.