Why would anyone not buy a Sony Ericsson P800?

[imported_Edward Green]

I have been a long term fan of Palm. I started with a Palm III, free upgraded to a 3e, bought a Palm 3c the day they came out (which I gave to a friend in the end) and have had a Sony n770c for a couple of years.

My next upgrade was probably going to be a Sony TG50 with a Bluetooth phone. In the UK the phone will probably cost me ?50, and the TG50 ?400.

So, that's ?450.

Thing is I discover today that I can put an order in at Carphone Warehouse for a P800 with contract for ... ?200.

That's ?150 Less for a fully featured multimedia PDA with similar specifications and a built in camera. What is lost in PIM maturity is probably gained in phone integration.

The Phone and separate PDA may save me on software and new memory cards, and I would miss all the games, agendus, wordsmith, etc that I love about my Clie. But the P800 will do more ... for less.

Is there any future is unsubsidised PDA sales, when combo devices are so much cheaper and do so much more? I am beginning to wonder.

Can anyone talk me out of this?

[Chris Byrne]

Just in the throes of going from iPaq 3870/T39 to P800 - I think you've nailed it re: PIM immaturity & lack of 3rd party software (so far, at least), but the integration is just nice...

[imported_Edward Green]

So you are saying it's worth it?

[ucfgrad93]

I don't think its worth it for a few reasons.

1. I don't need to have a camera with me everywhere I go. It just adds to the expense and its something else to break.

2. I don't want the smaller screen.

3. I use my PDA alot more than I use my phone. I need the better PIM functions of a PDA, not the stripped down version of it on a phone.

[imported_Seraph]

I've been waiting for this one for a while. When I can get an unlocked one, I will get one.

L

[gfunkmagic]

That's ?150 Less for a fully featured multimedia PDA with similar specifications and a built in camera. What is lost in PIM maturity is probably gained in phone integration.

Edward,

I understand where you're coming from. I agonized over purchasing a Treo 300 for months until the prices came down and I was able to get one for $250 bucks US. The value of phone integration is extremely handy and hardcore users of smartphone devices will attest to the fact that they can never imagine going back to a disconnected device. The problem with the P800, however, is that it's a Symbian device. What use is great hardware unless you have the software available to run it? I will agree that the P800 is a very well designed smartphone, and that Opera is by far the best mobile browser on the market for any platform (I wish there was a PalmOS version). However, I personally could not quit the PalmOS platform b/c I have invested too much in the apps I have become accustomed too and unless there are equivalent or better alternatives on Symbian, I see no reason to switch...

Furthermore, I would advise you to wait a couple weeks and see what happens at Cebit in March. There have been numerous rumors about new smartphone devices from PalmSG and Handspring.

[Chris Byrne]

All fair enough, although I am definitely happy with my here and now. I was always a two device person, until I plumped for the P800, but now I can't see myself going back (at least until the interoperability between devices stabilises).

My appetite was actually whetted by my wife's SPV, and as my needs are relatively simple (basic PIM, music, browsing, checking email [multiple inboxes supported, including wireless and sync]bluetooth for headset I will eventually buy [digital Bluespoon, I think]) I feel the P800 is what I need it to be.

Opera is excellent, the device is pretty snappy and generally good to multi-task etc.

I found the camera is prinicpally useful for taking snaps of your contacts - I'm gradually collecting mugshots so that I can see easily exactly who is calling me.

[Timothy Rapson]

I had a Mako for 4 months till it died of a bad hinge. The OS was the finest PDA OS ever made. I did not even know where the reset buttons were until it developed hardware problems. Rock Solid. I would love an 800 just for the OS.

Since then I have had a mono Ipaq and a Clie NR. The NR has convinced me that a camera should be standard on all my future PDAs. Love it. But, the OS is not near as robust as the Mako, which is basically the Symbian OS in the 800 (Yes, I know that it is a LOT more complicated than this, but Symbian is fairly described as the latest version of EPOC. I am open to correction.) Of course, the phone won't have but a fraction of the software the Palm has, but there is significant stuff out now and I think it supports Java and a full developmers package available.

Only you can know which apps you absolutely can't do without and you should see a Symbian site (TwoCows would put you on to a TON of software and there are sites just for Symbian/Epoc) to make sure you can get such apps before you jump too hard.

As for going from Palm to Symbian, I found Epoc/Symbian on the Mako very easy to use. I had no problem going from desktop to Mako, to Ipaq. I *did* find the way Palm uses databases rather than files a little hard to get used to, but I think going the other way shouldn't be difficult. The latest version of the Symbian OS on the 800 is probably more like desktop or PPC windows. The OS on the Mako was more like an old DOS shell OS. Have you ever used such a thing? Anyway it uses files and file names just like desktops do.

As for reasons not to get an 800? The Memory Stink. I am really steamed at Sony for lying to all of us Clie users who invested in MS technology with the prospect of cards that store up to 1 gig. It will be a long time and a tough decision before I buy anything from Sony again. Your opinion may vary.

The 800 and it's type might just make PDAs as we know them history.

[imported_Edward Green]

As you know I was seriously considering giving up my Palm OS Past for a Sony p800, but didn't take the plunge.

The main reason I was tempted was the level that the p800 is subsidised compared to a brand new Palm OS unit by the line rental and future phone cost.

Then I saw this deal

That's a T68i + Nx70 for ?350

or maybe this
deal

That's the Tungsten T at ?200 with Bluetooth Phone

Does anyone know of other companies who are seeling PDA's with phones. Is it common in the states?

[gfunkmagic]

Wow, those are really nice deals! No, I have not seen any mobile+T|T bundled deals in the states unfortunately That would be a good idea IMHO however...