What can PDA's actually DO?

da4i's

Hi all,
Im really interested in getting a PDA. But before i part with one; what exactly can they do? From what i read; they are good for Music playing, wireless internet browsing with WiFi, sharing files between other devices with Bluetooth and reading PDF's and text files. Is there anything else to add to the list? Are there any good sites for descent freeware programs??

Thanks all for your time,
Dave

Tom Dunne

Whoa, where do I start?

I am sure you are aware of the usual organising/calendering and synchronisation with Outlook? You can also watch movies, play any amount of games (there are quite a few emulators available). If it has bluetooth, you can hook it up to a gps receiver and have it guide you home with voice commands.

Some PDAs also have phone features, so you can make proper phone calls (did I also mention Skype? Instant Messengers?). My new baby even has a built in FM radio.

In summary, you can stay organised, stay in touch and stay entertained with a PDA. Good sites include PocketPC Freeware and PDA Thoughts.

da4i's

Thank you very much for your reply.
Hmmm instant messangers eh?? MSN here i come
Can i ask about the keyboard; what is it? a touch screen keyboard?? is it hard to use of do you get used to it??

Thanks all again,
Dave

Tom Dunne

da4i's wrote:

Thank you very much for your reply.
Hmmm instant messangers eh?? MSN here i come
Can i ask about the keyboard; what is it? a touch screen keyboard?? is it hard to use of do you get used to it??

You can get them with keyboards, you can get them without. See have a look at www.expansys.ie for what's available.

Those without, you can use a stylus and write on the screen in hand writing. It's actually fairly straight forward. You wouldn't write a novel on it, but I find it great for text messages.

da4i's

tom dunne wrote:

You can get them with keyboards, you can get them without. See have a look at www.expansys.ie for what's available.

Those without, you can use a stylus and write on the screen in hand writing. It's actually fairly straight forward. You wouldn't write a novel on it, but I find it great for text messages.

You mean the PDA will pick up your writing and convert it to computer font (if you get me)

OK how would i write a post on say this site with a PDA if i had no keyboard???

Thanks for your time,
Dave

Tom Dunne

da4i's wrote:

You mean the PDA will pick up your writing and convert it to computer font (if you get me)

Yes. Now, you can't write in your normal joined-up scrawl, but if you write each letter individually, it will convert it to letters on the screen. Exactly the same as if you were using a keyboard.

da4i's wrote:

OK how would i write a post on say this site with a PDA if i had no keyboard???

Exactly the same way you would if you had a keyboard. Instead of pressing the K on the keyboard, you write the letter K, followed by writing the letter e and the letter y and so on... It is slower, but it works.

BendiBus

tom dunne wrote:

Exactly the same way you would if you had a keyboard. Instead of pressing the K on the keyboard, you write the letter K, followed by writing the letter e and the letter y and so on... It is slower, but it works.

How does entering passwords work? Do they need to be written too or can a keyboard be displayed and tapped with the stylus?

Tom Dunne

Both.

I should have mentioned earlier that there is always the option of bringing up a virtual keyboard on the screen to tap in the words/letters.

But entering a password with handwriting is possible. The letters just appear as asterisks, as you would expect.

Thirdfox

My joint writing does appear correctly (98% of the time) - it just depends on how good you train the PDA I suppose. If you buy a bluetooth keyboard you can write a novel on your PDA!

Also GPS is a commonly used feature with PDAs. I have installed a programme that turns the infra-red port into a universal remote control too.

But mostly I use it for keeping my contacts/calendar up to date and music (much handier than booting up my laptop).

tech

are the Dell Axim any good, Im kinda thinking of buying a Nokia E61 smartphone but I could not install SKYPE on this

da4i's

Thanks for all the help guys
I saw also you can buy full books in PDF format for use on the PDA... Im really interested in this stuff now I love also the way some McDonalds restraunts have wireless internet available to customers... Does anyone know what frequency it is? 802.11G/B/A ??

Thanks all again,
Dave

Tom Dunne

tech wrote:

are the Dell Axim any good, Im kinda thinking of buying a Nokia E61 smartphone but I could not install SKYPE on this

Dell Axims are up there with the best. Again, it depens on what you want.

Check out Aximsite.com for full details.

@da4i's: Don't know about McDonalds, but you can be sure they support B, which means pretty much all devices can be used in there.

mkennedy

da4i's wrote:

Hi all,
Im really interested in getting a PDA. But before i part with one; what exactly can they do? From what i read; they are good for Music playing, wireless internet browsing with WiFi, sharing files between other devices with Bluetooth and reading PDF's and text files. Is there anything else to add to the list? Are there any good sites for descent freeware programs??

Thanks all for your time,
Dave

maybe a more appropriate question is: what can't pdas do

i use my ipaq 4150 for a lot of stuff:

1) obviously for basic organiser stuff like keeping notes (voice or typed), keeping contacts, calender.

2) for reading e-books e.g medical textbooks, encyclopedias etc with i-silo/ other readers.

3) keeping pdf documents with acrobat reader.

4) listening to mp3s wiyh windows media on a 1gb storage card

5) watching the occasional film with betaplayer/realplayer

6) for email using pocket outlook (connecting thru my bluetooth mobile)

7) for web browsing/checking out www.boards.ie with pocketIE/netfront
(connecting thru my bluetooth mobile)

8) for satellite navigation using mapopolis (full ireland coverage now) and holux gpslim bluetooth receiver.


but there are plenty of other things you can use a pda for:

1)with the new ppc-phones you can combine all the above features with a phone.

2) you can get software that converts your pda into a universal remote control to control your tv/stereo etc.

3) some now have fm tuners

4) you can add an analog tv tuner via the cf/sdio slot. www.eopstech.com do these.

5) you can use skype for pocketpc to make voip calls over wifi (or theoretically over 3g). meaning free/cheaper calls

6) there are hundreds of useful applications and games for the pocketpc/windows mobile platform available e.g currency converters, weather apps from sites like www.handango.com, www.pocketgear.com, www.freecabs.de, www.ppcfreeware.com etc.

hth

BadCharlie

Just wondering could you use the PDA to link up to your server computer and be able to control your PC from your PDS. Like put files from one hard drive to another. Or even have 2 computers and connect up to them and control them from another room and so on pritty much what you can do with a laptop.

Tom Dunne

Yes.

In fact with VNC, you can actually take full control of another computer, as if you were sitting in front of it. PDAs are fully networkable, so you can do pretty much anything a regular computer can do.

You can even run Linux on them.

BadCharlie

tom dunne wrote:

Yes.

In fact with VNC, you can actually take full control of another computer, as if you were sitting in front of it. PDAs are fully networkable, so you can do pretty much anything a regular computer can do.

You can even run Linux on them.

Whats VNC ?
Also the one your getting with the o2. Is it not a bit to big to be putting it up to your ear ?

I dont know if i need a phone on mine.
But i would like to get one of these rather then a laptop. What i would need it to do would be Play movies and play music a lot. Also wirless internet and also controling my computers. Also be able to connect up to my phone by Bluetooth and GPS for my car would be cool. I would also like the screen to be big so the movies dont look rubish or the picture quality be good.

Can any one suggest to me the right PDA for me. That would meet my needs. And where does everone buy there PDA's?

Thanks

Tom Dunne

VNC is a piece of software that allows you to remote control another computer. Goolge it, there's loads of info out there.

The O2 Atom that I have is about the size a deck of cards, so it's not a bother making phone calls from it.

Have a look at the E-Ten 600+, it sounds like what you are looking for (note there is an E-Ten 600 and a 600+, go for the latter). It has all of what you require and it is a phone. The only reason I didn't buy it was because the atom has a built-in FM radio. I get mine on www.expansys.ie.

One point - do your homework before you buy. Don't rush into anything without knowing all about the device you buy. Also, sounds like you might not be too familiar with the hand-writing recognition. This is a big deal, some people hate it, some love it (I'm in the latter camp). You can, of course, get PDA's with mini-qwerty keyboards and bluetooth keyboards.

mkennedy

BadCharlie wrote:

Whats VNC ?
Also the one your getting with the o2. Is it not a bit to big to be putting it up to your ear ?

I dont know if i need a phone on mine.
But i would like to get one of these rather then a laptop. What i would need it to do would be Play movies and play music a lot. Also wirless internet and also controling my computers. Also be able to connect up to my phone by Bluetooth and GPS for my car would be cool. I would also like the screen to be big so the movies dont look rubish or the picture quality be good.

Can any one suggest to me the right PDA for me. That would meet my needs. And where does everone buy there PDA's?

Thanks

www.expansys.ie specialise in all things wireless/mobile here but they probably sell more ppc-phones now than actual pdas.

you could try your local pc world/harvey norman etc or try ebay. there's usually plenty of cheap pdas on offer there.
hth

btw, one other use for pdas i didn't mention is using software like orb to watch telly anywhere (ie over 3g/wifi) once you have an always-on bb connection/tv tuner at home. then you can connect thru' the orb software to your pc at home to watch telly on your pda.

BadCharlie

Thanks for all the info guys. Will look into it more but prob will be later in the year before i buy one if i do buy one. I could c my self using one a lot just to find the one for my needs. Will check out the one posted above.

BopNiblets

I was gonna suggest GPS but that's an obvious one.

Oddest use I've seen was an application that made the the PDA screen more reflective, it turned it into a mirror!

I also played the first Age Of Empires on a Dell Axim, heheh.

da4i's

I second that motion. Thanks for the info guys

BadCharlie

tom dunne wrote:

Some PDAs also have phone features, so you can make proper phone calls (did I also mention Skype? Instant Messengers?). My new baby even has a built in FM radio.

This one you picked is very nice. How long have u had it ? Been looking more and more into these. But your XDA is very hard to find well there out of stock the places i have checked so maybe u cant buy them any more.

What do u make of your new PDA then tom ?

Tom Dunne

BadCharlie wrote:

What do u make of your new PDA then tom ?

I'm in love again :D:D:D

It's nothing short of incredible. It's about the size of a deck of cards, so it's not like the old XDA's where you felt you were holding a slice of toast up to your ear.

The O2 software that you can download really makes it. I have it only the week now, but I have to say I am very impressed.

As for ordering it, I got mine of Expansys - they order it directly from the Far East (Honk Kong mine came from). It took over a week, but it was worth the wait.

Let me know if you want an in-depth review. I will be only toooooo glad to provide it.

tech

Thats an expensive unit, am I correct in saying there is no 3G on this unit?

Tom Dunne

tech wrote:

Thats an expensive unit, am I correct in saying there is no 3G on this unit?

That is correct. Who needs 3G? I certainly don't.

tech

are you from Today FM? Pet Sounds?

Tom Dunne

I haven't hear that one in a while.

Dr. Dre

I have one of these I can't recommend it highly enough!

jester77

I have the HTC Prophet, its marketed as O2 XDA Neo, imate Jamin, Qtek s200 and a few others. Excellent device and can't say a bad thing about it. It's great for emailing and organising and it's very compact! Lots of fun things you can do as well, i've a NES, SNES and Mega Drive emulators on it, plays divx and music, great camera and has built in WLAN which is great. I can access my media center at home from any hotspot and stream music, videos and pics straight to the device using Orb. Now if only I had a flat GPRS subscription

Tom Dunne

jester77 wrote:

Now if only I had a flat GPRS subscription

Yeah, like that is every going to happen. I wish.

Although Vodafone's offering sounds good - flat rate 3G data for 50 Eurons. I know a few Boardsters have been dabbling in it.

jester77

tom dunne wrote:

Yeah, like that is every going to happen. I wish.

Although Vodafone's offering sounds good - flat rate 3G data for 50 Eurons. I know a few Boardsters have been dabbling in it.

50 is a little steep but I do have a VOIP client on my phone which I have used via wifi in the house to connect to Blueface, SJPhone is the app. Sound was just not right plus you have to use the headset. But if it eliminated the need for expensive calls then €50 might not be such bad value!