Are PDAs going the way of Dinosaurs?

[lhorton]

I'm thinking about getting a Windows Mobile device. I currently have a Lifedrive (which is working fine, just a little slow and a little heavy) and a Blackberry 9100g. I've been contemplating getting an Axim (they're 25% off), or searching out one of the last hp 4700s. But it just seems from all I've read that the true PDA is a dying beast. Soon only converged devices will survive.

So, okay, I looked at the HTC Wizard (under Cingular branding the 8190 I think). Not much power but a phone too.

But it bothers me to spend that much (I won't sign a new contract with a cellular company ever again just to get a phone discount) on a cellphone as I tend to get new ones every year or so. Or if I switch carriers the phone is useless unless I move to T-Mo.

So I'm back to getting myself a RAZR and a nice PDA like the Axim.

I'm I wrong to worry about laying out that much cash right now when things seem to be changing so quickly? Is there something new and amazing coming soon that I should be waiting for?

[JK27]

Personally, I think PDA's are here to stay. The question, however, will be in what form. You're absolutely correct thinking converged devices are where PDA's are currently heading.

I recently switched from a HP 4155 to a Verizon xv6700 converged device. I love it! I don't believe I will be going back to separate phones/PDA's.

I paid $299 for my xv6700 (with WM5, sliding keyboard, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth and, of course, phone service). While I did have to extend my current Verizon contract, th purchase price for this PPC/Phone was significantly cheaper than any comparable stand-alone PDA I could have purchased (e.g., Axim, iPaq) with similar features.

I understand what you're saying about not wanting to sign a two year cell phone agreement -- but ... that's the way the cell phone game is played these days.

Good luck!

Link to xv6700 review: http://www.mobiletechreview.com/Verizon-XV6700.htm

[lhorton]

I'm not familiar with the Verizon phones. What processor does your xv6700 have? I am very interested in the HTC Wizard type device that Cingular has, but the processor just seems positively diminutive compared to a regular, top end PDA processor.

I know the smaller processor extends the battery life, but do people find it a problem when doing more pda type activities such as spreadsheets etc?

[JK27]

Originally posted by laurah
I'm not familiar with the Verizon phones. What processor does your xv6700 have? I am very interested in the HTC Wizard type device that Cingular has, but the processor just seems positively diminutive compared to a regular, top end PDA processor.

I know the smaller processor extends the battery life, but do people find it a problem when doing more pda type activities such as spreadsheets etc?

The phone I referenced is actually made by HTC and is also known as an Apache. Sprint offers it as the PPC-6700, Verizon offers it as the xv6700.

From the review: "The XV6700 is a compact Windows Mobile 5.0 Pocket PC phone with a standard QVGA display, 416 MHz processor, 64 megs of RAM, 128 megs of flash ROM, EVDO, WiFi, Bluetooth and a 1.3 megapixel camera ... The XV6700 runs on the 416 MHz flavor of Intel's PXA 270 XScale processor. That's a pretty fast CPU which has been the sweet spot for PPC performance for a few years now. Yes, you can get 624 MHz Pocket PCs (non-phone models), but the resulting shortened battery life would leave much to be desired."

I think the processor is quite speedy -- speedy enough for my purposes.

P.S. If you are considering the HTC Wizard, be sure to check out the link I gave you. It compares performance between the Wizard and the Apache (xv6700). The Apache is significantly faster than the Wizard on most tests.

[imported_jah]

things are changing indeed, and may change back before its all done.

all the more reason to get a seperate cell phone and pda these days.

[JK27]

Originally posted by jah
things are changing indeed, and may change back before its all done.

all the more reason to get a seperate cell phone and pda these days.

That doesn't make sense to me. For MY needs, convergence has many advantages -- with no disadvantages. What are the advantages of carrying separate pda's and cell phones? Just curious ...

[Bloney]

I moved from a hx4700 (624MHz xScale) to a Wizard (200MHz OMAP) and two things strike me as relevent here:

1) I don't notice a performance hit. The OMAP and xscale can't be measured by their clock speeds - a bit like comparing engine sizes of a diesel family car and a sport bike (motorbike that is) and saying the motorbike MUST be less powerful.

I'm not suggesting for a millisecond that the 200MHz OMAP can outperform the 624MHz xscale, but the difference isn't as great as it might seem. Give it a go if you can and see for yourself.

2) An 1800mAh standard battery on the hx4700 means that battery life isn't an issue!

Your right about converged devices taking over, I think. Something I'm not too happy about, but I do think my Wizard is great and don't regret it.

Sometimes though, I'll pick the hx up and be completely blown away just by the screen-it is that good!

Good Luck!

[imported_jah]

"What are the advantages of carrying separate pda's and cell phones?"



-i keep a cell phone on my person at all times. i buy the smallest phone possible for that purpose. i have only one sim card account and dont want to swap cards when i use my pda.

-if i swap from gps to cdma i want to keep my pda. change my provider from t-moble to verison.

-the screens on pda+cell devices are smaller. they are not as fast. they have a keyboard.

-my ipaq pda is not reliable. my cell phone is.


lets face it converged devices are not here yet and may never be in N America. if the cell phone companies have their way most of us would not be able to afford the cost in terms of bytes per $$

[JK27]

Originally posted by jah
I keep a cell phone on my person at all times. i buy the smallest phone possible for that purpose. i have only one sim card account and dont want to swap cards when i use my pda.

I keep a cell phone AND a PDA on my person at all times. One converged device (e.g., the xv6700) is smaller than a cell phone and a standalone PDA combined. There is no need to switch any SIM card when you have only one device!

if i swap from gps to cdma i want to keep my pda. change my provider from t-moble to verison.

I can switch from voice to gps on my converged device. I'm very happy with Verizon ... no need to switch carriers.

the screens on pda+cell devices are smaller. they are not as fast. they have a keyboard.

I'm not sure which converged devices you're talking about, but my xv6700 has a screen which is larger than any cell phone I've ever seen: 2.8", 320x240 QVGA. Not as fast? Again -- which devices are you comparing -- and with what tasks? Also, converged devices and cell phones both have keyboards/keypads.

my ipaq pda is not reliable. my cell phone is.

My xv6700 is extremely reliable.

lets face it converged devices are not here yet and may never be in N America. if the cell phone companies have their way most of us would not be able to afford the cost in terms of bytes per $$

I respectfully disagree. Research and sales show that converged devices are, in fact, here. To be honest, I don't believe you have identified any advantages in 2 devices versus one.

[RiPpeR]

I too... have no use for a convergence device. I want a full-fledged PPC and the smallest phone possible.

I use my PPC almost like a portable laptop... something that I can still easily carry around all the time... unlike a laptop. These converged devices just do not have the screen realestate that I want to be useful.

The demographics that are purchasing these convergence devices are for the most part cell phone users that are being sold a phone integrated with a PPC, than PPC owners that are being sold a PPC integrated with a phone.

I am sure there are a few exceptions... but for the hardcore PPC user... this axim is probably true, especially if you are using VGA devices.

I can't imagine doing a spreadsheet or letter on a converged device, it is small enough on a PPC VGA screen.