Handhelds vs. Laptops -- How to Lighten Your Load in One Easy Lesson

[Steve]

Read about it at http://www.brighthand.com/article/Handhelds_vs_Laptops

[Mike Cane]

Which column is the most amusing? The one that originates this thread, or this one?

http://www.infoworld.com/article/04/...nterwin_1.html

[imported_felixdd]

Would this be in response to Oliver Rist's article by any chance?

In any case, I'd like to say that even though you had a majority vote for readers of your book and on the online poll, the fact is that online polling is notoriously susceptible to bias. Furthermore, those that read your book was already motivated to ditch the laptop in the first place -- why would someone who loves their laptop read it?

I think that the number of laptop users that would be just as successfully outfitted with a PDA is less than you think. I myself am one of those people who, if I had a laptop, would use it to do what can be done well on a PDA: music, reading pdfs, typing notes in lectures -- I'm your prototypical Life Sciences student.

However I didn't outfit my Ipaq with a keyboard. Its involvement in a lecture is strictly limited to recording what the professor is saying.

I do type notes on my HPC, which for all intents and purposes of argument can be considered an ultraportable laptop in this case. And I use it like I would a laptop -- surf the web, music, typing notes, reading pdfs, and even as a thin client to remote control my desktop at home.

Why did I choose this path? Screen estate. I've seen a PPC+keyboard combination. Friends that want PDAs want to get it too. Those that don't often ask me why I don't have that combination. I always tell them the same answer -- it's too hard to organize what you type on a PPC screen.

And isn't it? A large screen offered by a laptop displays more information, but more importantly the information is presented in a wider aspect. The PPC screen is too narrow and thus the text will keep rolling over. And with the small size of the screen I would find myself hunched over trying to discern whether I typed an "m" or a "rn". This is a problem even in landscape mode -- it's just hard to discern how much you've typed, for one thing.

That said, I think that PDAs are meant to do something different than a laptop -- portable data access. You can't read PDFs while standing in the subway, one hand clenched to the metal pole. You can't open your bag and boot up your laptop (another disadvantage to a laptop) to look up a contact/appointment information while on the phone with a client.

Bottom line is, I believe, the laptop is better suited at portable data entry than is the PPC, while the PPC is best suited at portable data access than the laptop. Mutually complementary.

[imported_Sarah]

I sold my laptop last November and decided to try to manage with just my PDA when away from my office and home desktops...

Well, all I can say is that I haven't felt the need to pick up another laptop yet My 2210 can handle all of the moblie work that I need to do.

[imported_TMann]

It's funny, but this seems to be the topic of the week. There was an article on InfoWorld.com, which addressed this issue. (The author of that article, came to the opposite conclusion that is seen here, namely that PDA's are NOT adequate susbstitutes for a laptop.)

On another of of my favorite PDA websites, Palm Addict, (palmaddicts.blogspot.com), the website editor posed the same question to the readers, with varied responses.

It strikes me that this issue is similar to the debate between converged-PDA-phone-devices, vs. separate-PDA-and-phones. It all seems to depend on the needs of the user. If you are only checking e-mail, writing simple memos and using the PIM functions of your device, than a PDA, or even a smartphone will be wholly adequate and will be much more portable than a laptop.

However, if like me, you use your laptop to type long documents, and work on complicated Excel spreadsheets, than even a top-of-the-line PDA (Palm or PPC) is a poor substitute for a real laptop. The screen on a PDA is just too small to do any real work. Also, the full-size keyboard and trackpad pointer on a laptop will run circles around the mini-keyboards and styli of a PDA. At least FOR ME this has been th e case. YMMV.

So I'm still hauling around my 4.9 lb. Apple Powerbook whenever I need to get any serious work done. For the other 75% of my tasks, my Clie is just fine.

TMann

[Double-Trinity]

I use PDA/keyboard combo for typing lecture notes, and basic things like that. However, a notebook is stll what I'd need to use if I needed to do some work on any of the following:

1) Graphic design, even if you could stick a full version of photoshop among other programs onto a PDA, a LOT of real estate is needed to operate it effectively (VGA wouldnt' cut it, either). If I just want to do touchup on photos or draw something, PocketArtist and XNViewPocket can do those things, but full-fledged editing is impossible.

2) Web Design. I'd love to see someone install PHP onto a PDA and then try and build a website locally from it.

3) Video Editing... I don't think I need to say more.

[Digitaldoc]

>>PDA batteries last far longer ...<<


Not so with my Tabletpc by Electrovaya. Lasts 7-9 hours a day on wifi. My Ipaq battery needs charging before 4 hours.

PDAs are great for Contacts and Calendar, but for robust applications you need a robust OS with visual real estate.

[Steve]

Originally posted by felixdd
Would this be in response to Oliver Rist's article by any chance?

No. We've actually had this article on the back burner for a few weeks and decided to run it this week. Larry's been hot on this topic for a while now, hence the book.

[Twin_Pixel]

Not possible. I need a large screen to work nicely. I hate editing spreadsheets on a crammed 3,5" screen. I much rather do it on a 17" one. The same goes for web-browsing; it works on handhelds, but isn't desireable with the small screen, especially considering the fact that most, if not all, websites are optimized for resolutions that handhelds can't match. And scrolling is sooo much fun, right...?

Also, I have a passion for gaming and whilst I may enjoy quality games on my Sony Ericsson P900, I rather play Command & Conquer on the road.

To conclude, there's room for both. They complete each other quite well!

[nrosser]

it IS possible. It just depends on what you need to do when you're traveling and what your device expectations are.

For me and what I do, I can absolutely use just my Treo when I travel. In fact, I prefer to take just that. I can receive all email with all attachments as needed. No, I'm not doing massive spreadsheet creation with formulas, etc, nor am I editing the next movie to win the Gold Medal at Sundance or whatever.
I don't want to lug around the big PC. Handheld works great for me and my needs. Maybe not for others and what they do, but for me? You bet.