Palm vs. PocketPC

from WinCustomize Forums
I've been a long time Palm III owner and am starting to think about getting a new PDA. But I'm not sure which to get. I'm starting to get somewhat frustrated with the lack of innovation and advancement with the PalmOS (low resolution displays, relatively limited abilities).

Is there going to be any major updates to PalmOS in the near future that would make it worth waiting for or should I look at getting the next generation iPaq when it comes out. What do you guys think?
17,802 views 55 replies
Reply #1 from WinCustomize Forums Top
The Visor Prism. Best screen display available on the market (65,000 colors).
http://www.handspring.com/products/visorprism/index.jhtml
Or you can check this page for a head to head comparision with the iPAQ: http://www.handspring.com/products/visorfamily/compare/prism_ipaq.jhtml
Reply #2 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Oh and the cool thing about Visors is the springboard modules. If you're a gadget freak and got some money to spend, you can can a cordless modem, turn your PDA into a cell phone, a digital camera, an MP3 player, etc. Quite cool.
Galactic Civilizations IV
Reply #3 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yea, but they're still relatively low resolution and can't do very much application wise. The resolution is really the thing that bugs me the most.
Reply #4 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hum... resolution wise I think they're all the same...But I can't find any information whatsoever on the resolution of those babies. But still go in a store and compare, I tell you the difference between 8 bits and 16 bits colors is staggering. Night and day, especially when playing games (yes, there are very cool games for the Palm OS 3.5) and viewing pictures or video (short video, needless to say).
Reply #5 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hmmm this is a very interesting question
IMHO...

are you crazy???
Go for the IPAQ!!! (worth the extra money, just ask anyone who has paid for theirs! mine was a gift so I cannot be asked) hehe

get the 3670 and btw Leonard just notified me this week he is now doing "128" internal memory upgrades!

But I'm very content w/ the 64 internal upgrade
(It does the job well w/o the bulk of the jacket etc.)

yes palm does have more apps avail at the moment but all that is changing by the minute and the apps avail for IPAQ are more stimulating than Palm anyways!


Reply #7 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My poor little Ipaq is in the shop.. getting cleaned of dust, more battery life, and a digitizer that works. Juni's didn't take as long to fix. Yup, that's right.. two people bought their Ipaqs on the same day, and both had huge QC issues. But we just couldn't bare to part with them until now. I'm currently a using Palm IIIe and trying to pretend it's an Ipaq.. heh.

I love my Ipaq... until the Toshiba Genio is released

As for more apps.. the only app I'm severely missing right now is a Homework program for school. There were tons of those for Palm, and exactly one crappy one for PocketPC.. yet, students here prefer Ipaqs... *sigh*




Reply #8 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Ya know what's silly? The price point for the m505. It's side by side at the local stores with the Ipaq... at the same freaking price! Uhh.. let's see which one has a brighter screen.. and which one does more. They priced the m505 too too high. I understand when someone would prefer the simplicity of the Palm.. but why make it just as expenesive as the Ipaq? Makes no sense at all.. If I were planning on buying a Palm, I'd take one look at that and buy an Ipaq instead. I know, because I've used and been a fan of both OSes.
Reply #9 from WinCustomize Forums Top
We used to have a couple of palm devices (black and white and the color one) then I bought a Compaq Ipaq. The difference is like night and day...palm looks bleak after using the Ipaq...slow and cumbersome to use.

Pocket PCs offer much more -> mp3 playing, high res movies, internet browsing, office programs (like excel, word), better looking games, more processor power.

There is one coming out from Toshiba in august that looks really promising. It will be the size of a Visor and have an integrated microdrive (1 Gig storage!).

It all depends on what you want to use your pda for. My recommendation would be getting a Pocket PC device.

(Yes, my ipaq came back from repairs in less than a week and they fixed things I hadn't even complained about ).
Reply #10 from WinCustomize Forums Top
"Pocket PCs offer much more -> mp3 playing, high res movies, internet browsing, office programs (like excel, word), better looking games, more processor power." -juni.

You can do all these with a Visor too.
If I had the money I would still buy a Visor Prism, but with all the gismo modules so I can turn it in a cell phone and a digital camera.

I find the Visor more expandable personnaly, and the colors much much nicer. And besides, the OS is not by Microsoft, and therefore doesn't crash as much. Hehehe!
Reply #11 from WinCustomize Forums Top
About 3 months ago, asked Doreen's advice re "What Pocket PC to buy?". IPAQ was her reply,
so Jumbles listened, purchased, and have to say, IMHO,she was right:)
Reply #12 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I'm still not going to look at either of 'em until I can use my owwn handwriting. @#$%!! I also fear there both more like agenda's than computers. I just want a palm sized computer.
Reply #13 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Craeonics, check out this link; there thousands upin thousands of software developped for PDAs. They are indeed computers:
http://www.palmgear.com/software/index.cfm
Reply #15 from WinCustomize Forums Top
My Ipaq actually recognizes my handwriting better than I do. For class notes I use the stowaway keyboard though.. there when I want it, and out of the way the rest of the time. The connector on it is very flimsy when compared to the Palm version though.

Heh, at least my Ipaq knew my handwriting before the digitizer went south.. but it's getting fixed as we speak (hopefully).
Reply #16 from WinCustomize Forums Top
crae Pocket PC "means" Pocket Personal "Computer"
why do you keep thinking agenda only?
I can do "anything" on my ppc that I can do on my Computer and "more" cuz I can do it when I'm anywhere at anytime... (including wireless irc! can ya do that on agenda gadgets only??? no...)
which means you don't need to be strapped to your chair and/or home ever.

/me thinks crae needs to explore more
Reply #17 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Playing Devil's advocate again.. But ya gotta admit, having to add a huge CF sleeve in order to do anything cool is kind of annoying. Of course, what could I add to my Palm to make it connect to the net at adsl speeds?

Don't worry about me, I'm just grumpy that I don't have my Ipaq.

Reply #18 from WinCustomize Forums Top
For Juni when he wakes up..

Juni, speaking of being grumpy and Ipaq-less.. There seems to be a debate as to what Toshiba means when they say Integrated Microdrive. It could also mean they simply throw in a Microdrive.. which you already have.

As to it being inside the device.. I'm skeptical.

(but it would be cool, wouldn't it?)
Reply #19 from WinCustomize Forums Top
hehe plainsong, but you and juni do know you can get the internal upgrade right? he is now offering the 128 internal upgrades
(so now you can toss the CF sleeve)
however the PC card sleeve is still a problem unlesssssssssss...........

ya get the sleeve altered permanently into the vaja case and it cuts the bulk too

(I have not personally done so cuz I'm kinda on a budget w/ my gadget turn on at the moment)


but might be my next waste money on unneccesary stuff adventure hehe
Reply #20 from WinCustomize Forums Top
I really really want that "Merlin os" I recently spotted, have you guys seen it?
all the icons on the ppc are adorable!
and you get "Pop up Bubble" reminders and stuff, instead of he usual boring reminders we have now.

I want Merlin before anything else on my ppc next


I think it is due out end of year not sure, I just found out about that myself been kinda lagging on ppc stuff lately

you guys need to fill me in now! hehe
Reply #21 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Here is the link for some ss's of Merlin

http://www.brighthand.com/html/editorials/merlin.html
Reply #22 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Plainsong: there are cordless modems for Palm and Visors too. Check this one out... Of course it's pricey.
https://store.palm.com/Catalog/productdetails.asp?productnr=3180&parent=1010&type=1
Reply #23 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Hey, I just checked out the new Palm m505 featuring the new Palm OS 4. It's very cool.
Ah, now if only I had money.
Reply #24 from WinCustomize Forums Top
About handwriting, Microsoft Transcriber works great (lets you write directly on the screen) and it even recognizes _my_ crow's feet.
Reply #25 from WinCustomize Forums Top
Yeah, there are modems for Palm, but not network cards.

Doreen, sure I've seen those mods, but I'd have to send in my CF sleeve, or else pay and arm and a leg, and I'm in Finland. Since the release of the Toshiba and new Nec devices is so close, I figure I'll bide my time and wait. Yes yes, I know.. I'm a traitor.

Those Merlin SS's took a a beating on PDA Buzz as being ugly, but I think they just don't appreciate the good graphics work when they see it.