Treo 650 or Blackberry

[Guest]

Need to make a decision on either one. I need email on the road. Contact and tasks the same. I know that the Blackberry stinks for tasks and overall GTD. Anyone can offer advice on either platform would be great and appriciative.

Doug

 

[yuryg]

Need to make a decision on either one. I need email on the road. Contact and tasks the same. I know that the Blackberry stinks for tasks and overall GTD. Anyone can offer advice on either platform would be great and appriciative.

Doug my opinion is that a PocketPC based phone device will potentially be easier in implementing GTD. There are a lot of developments in a product called Pocket Informant that I am using, and that I am putting together a methodology behind.

They have an easy way of doing project tasks in pocket informant for hierarchical tasks that can really applly well towards the GTD.

 

[Martin]

I know that the Blackberry stinks for tasks and overall GTD.
Doug

I can't confirm this. Since version 3.8. the Blackberry supports categories. I have set up my outlook according to David Allen's PDF and the Blackberry works well with it.

The user interface is a bit old fashioned though. A PocketPc would give you fancier graphics while the Blackberry reminds me of old Palm software but it works well IMHO.

The big advantage for me is that I receive mails and meeting requests whereever I am. I use to process my email while commuting. I have a folder called DONE and one called NA and move mail items to either of it. When I'm back in the office I just have to deal with the NA folder and create tasks or projects from the items.

HTH
Martin

 

[carrdwight]

From a Palm OS Fan

If I were purchasing my first device, I'd definately go with the Treo. I am now using a Palm T3 in conjunction with a GSM cell phone. I would have gotten a Treo 650 a long time ago, exept the memory on the Treo is not sufficient to transfer the data I have on my T3.

I am now looking at upgrading the cell phone to some sort of smart phone, leaning towards the Treo 600, but I will still carry the T3 cause I'm hooked on several Palm OS solutions and I really like the T3.

So again, I don't know what you are using now, but if this is your first device, my biased recommendation would be a Treo 650.

Dwight...

 

[TheTechChik]

Treo 650 User Here!

Treo 650 User Here! What would it take to get me to give up my Treo? Well, you'd have to pry it from my cold dead fingers. JMHO

:-D

Ps. carrdwight, I do agree with you about the inadequate internal memory but I put a 1gb card in mine (and I'm awaiting the 2gb cards) and with a launcher app that allows running programs from the card, it suffices until the 700 comes out. And then the 750, and then ...........

 

[froggol]

smartphones are even better

Being an old PDA user (got my first one, a Philips Nino, in 98) and an even older cell phone user (95), it was clear to me as soon as I got both that I needed to have them combined.

Most of my time is used calling, receiving calls, or reading from the device. Not entering things. Also, I did not want to look to much of a dork and carry around a huge looking device.

I found what I needed and it actually also has a intereting note taking advantage.

I use a smartphone using Windows Mobile (you can find it under various brands in Europe, US..) with that I can:
- get all my contacts, calendar items and emails (exchange, pop, hotmail)
- get my to do's with categories
- enclose sound files captured with teh device into email (no need to type a lengtthy answer on a T9 keyboard, just record it)

Here is the "GTD-like" twist: I use the latter to email myself voice memos each time I have an idea ("don't forget to water plants", "calll Mr X" ) while I'm on the go (car, shopping..). This way:
- I never forget anything: all those end up in my outlook inbox
- I never carry around papers with notes that I lose
- I still look cool with my phone (vs treo, blackberry...) :-D

ps: for those that may ask this is my phone, this is my 3rd smartphone, by far the best do far: Audiovox SMT5600 ( http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,1759,1674705,00.asp )

 

[rzulian]

Smatphone edition todo list

Hi,
in italy the phone is branded Imate sp3.
You wrote that the tasks (todo list) can handle categories. Do you use the standard todo list or another program? I ask you this because some times ago I've looked at the phone in a shop and I din't find the categories in the todo list.
Are this categories sincronized with GTD add.in in outlook?

Thank you for your help.

Regards,
Riccardo

 

[moises]

I had a Palm T2 and a standalone cell phone until 2 weeks ago.

Now I have a Blackberry 7290.

I liked my Palm and I like my Blackberry. The BB does have categories and they synch just fine with my Outlook which has the GTD Outlook Add-In.

A Forbes.com review concludes:

After all that, I'm ready to render judgment: This time around, the BlackBerry wins, and it's not even close. It gets more things right than does the Treo, and I say that as a longtime lover of the Palm OS. My frustrations with the BlackBerry were minor compared to the much bigger issues I had with the Treo. And I for one didn't miss the lack of an integrated camera on the BlackBerry. PalmOne might fare better were it to try a stripped-down Treo without a camera, which seems an indulgence that accomplishes little but adding weight and costly components. To me, the BlackBerry's relative simplicity is the better choice.

For full article go to: http://www.forbes.com/personaltech/2004/12/06/cx_ah_1206tentech.html%3Cbr%20/%3E

I've never used a Treo, so I can't give you a fair comparison.

That said, I chose the BB because it has a reputation for being more rugged, always on with long battery life, and superior keyboard and data entry (thumbwheel).

The downside of the BB that I've experienced so far: no voice recorder (I miss that feature of my Palm T2), a lot less memory than my Palm so I can't work on the large Word document and large Excel spreadsheet that I used to carry on my Palm.

The lack of voice recorder is bearable, I leave voicemails. Instead of carrying large Word and Excel files I now email myself updates to these files.

Having one integrated device is priceless. No more entering names and addresses by hand into my phone. Once they are in Outlook they are integrated into my phone's address book. The web access is slow but better than nothing.

 

[froggol]

smartphones are even better (part 2)

RE: to do

although limited in features the to-do of Windows Mobile phones allows you to sort per category (i.e. actions in GTD toolbar). you won't see all nicely grouped like in outlook, but youcan decide to show only, say, @deck, @call....

Re: Blackberry vs smartphones (at least Window Mobiles ones)
I did not mention it but those phones also support:
- Pocket IE
- passport => you can get to your hotmail or other passport enabled sites
- MSN messenger
- pocket street: if you know street and trips (North America) or Autoroute Express (EU) this is great, super easy to export maps from your PC to your cell. Just helped me out of a jammed street last weekend (I did not have the map of the city in my car, but I did had all the region's map on my flash card in my smartphone.
- windows media player:
- I use it to listen to music (from my mini-SD flash card inside), no need for a flash based player anymore (and support any "playsforsure" bought music: MSN, napster,...)
- for the real geeks, it can even get your shows from your media center PC. great for the last "4400" on the Tuesday morning commute in the train