Handhelds/PDAs - Palm vs Zaurus vs others - Opinions? Experiences?

[Paul Lussier]

> On 3/21/07, Tom Buskey <tom at buskey.name> wrote:
>> What do you want?  A computer you can carry around with you?  Or something
>> to carry around w/ your data until you can get to a real computer?

[...]

"Ben Scott" <dragonhawk at gmail.com> writes:

>   The ability to use it as a handheld -- i.e., *in my hand* -- is also
> critical.  I want something I can whip out at a moment's notice, to
> jot down that cool URL or book someone just told me about, or add an
> appointment or to-do.

[...]

> I was *really* hoping to hear the Zaurus was good at this stuff, but
> it sounds like that's not the case.  :-(

>> Palm is what you use until you get to a real computer.

> It amuses me greatly that a unit with a 200 MHz processor, 32
> megabytes of RAM, and a high DPI, high color screen isn't considered
> a "real computer" anymore.  :-)

> It amuses me greatly that a unit with a 200 MHz processor, 32
> megabytes of RAM, and a high DPI, high color screen isn't considered
> a "real computer" anymore.  :-)

[...]

>   Based on feedback I've gotten here, and what I've read elsewhere,
> I'm thinking a Palm Z22 or E2 will be the way I go.

Wait!  Before you go running off half-cocked and do something you'll
  a) regret
  b) be disappointed in, and/or 
  c) come back here and *complain* about later

please allow me to suggest a heretofore as yet unmentioned alternative
which has been serving me well for several years now.

I too, am a previous Palm owner.  In fact, I currently have a Treo 600
(which I've complained about here several times for it's
deficiencies).  About 2 or 3 years ago, as I was getting more and more
into emacs and began using it's planner-mode for my daily calendar,
todo list, etc.  The then author and project leader of planner-mode,
Sacha Chua (Cc'ed on this e-mail) who's since become a good friend of
mine, introduced me to my current PDA/PIM device of choice: The
Hipster PDA.

Want to jot down a url, book title, bus schedule, price of corn
flakes?  No problem, the Hipster PDA can do all that.  Need to make an
appointment for some date in the future?  No problem, the Hipster PDA
can do that too!  Need to get someone's contact information?  Or give
someone else yours?  No problem, the Hipster PDA has room for millions
of addresses in its virtually infinite scalable memory system.  It's
infinitely customizable, extensible, scalable, and extremely flexible
(literally!).

>From the website:

  The Hipster PDA (Parietal Disgorgement Aid) is a fully extensible
  system for coordinating incoming and outgoing data for any aspect of
  your life and work. It scales brilliantly, degrades gracefully,
  supports optional categories and beaming, and is configurable to an
  unlimited number of options. Best of all, the Hipster PDA fits into
  your hip pocket and costs practically nothing to purchase and
  maintain.

Sick of having a phone that "does everything" but none of it well?
Sick of having to say "wait a minute" to someone on the phone while
you stop talking, pull the PDA away from your ear to either look
something up or write something down?  Then the Hipster PDA is for you!

Sick of running out of juice in your phone or PDA because your forgot
to charge it last night?  Tired of paying for "phone" insurance just
in case you drop your phone in a puddle (or worse!)?  Then you'll love
The Hipster's ability to easily withstand getting wet!  Sick of
spending money on batteries? Then the Hipster PDA and it's
self-powering capability is for you!

So, where do you get this wonderful, almost too-good-to-be-true device?
Right here:

  http://www.43folders.com/2004/09/03/introducing-the-hipster-pda/

-- 
Seeya,
Paul
--
Key fingerprint = 1660 FECC 5D21 D286 F853  E808 BB07 9239 53F1 28EE

A: Yes.                                                               
> Q: Are you sure?                                                    
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