Thanks for looking at my stuff, I got my current phone as a hand-me-down and have been trying it out for a few weeks. I really like the PDA aspects of it, but the form is killing me. I need a tougher phone that I don't have to worry about so much. I'm open to any and all suggestions. Thanks again for your time.
-Eli

1. What PDA and/or mobile phone do you use today?
Palm Treo 700P

2. Are you locked into a mobile carrier (i.e. Verizon Wireless, Sprint PCS, etc.), or do you prefer a particular carrier? Do you know if one carrier has better coverage in places that you need to be? (PLEASE SEE THE CARRIER NOTE BELOW)
Right now I pretty much need Verizon, but would it be possible for you to ignore this question and just give me the best options on any carrier? (I might be able to change in the near future.)

3. Where are you based? Do you stay in one place or travel a lot? Do you travel internationally... how much and where? Do you intend to use your PDAPhone there?
Quite stationary. Travel around NC and maybe a couple vacations to other places in the U.S.


4. Do have a preference of Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian, Smartphone OS, Blackberry, etc.?
I have only ever used the Palm OS, but have experimented with a friend's Windows based phone and didn't really like it.

5. Are you likely to run it the way it came out of the box, or do you intend to load a whole lot of extra applications and stuff on it? Do you know of anything now that you will need to run?
Probably a lot like it comes out of the box. I may load a few apps, but nothing major.

6. How important is wireless data access, and for what would you use it? (i.e. Web browsing, VPN, Remote termnial Access, Instant messaging, etc)?
Not important at all. Zero web browsing.

7. Will you need to view Microsoft Office documents on the PDAPhone? Will you need to edit them?
Yes and yes.

8. Will you need access to an email system?
a)Is it corporate (Exchange, Groupwise,Lotus, Other?) What Version? Do you want email wirelessly or do you want to do it in the office with a sync cable/cradle? Can you get your Corporate email configured for mobile access or do you need to run a desktop redirector?
b)Is it Pop3/Imap? Who is the service provider?
Don't need to.


9. Do you do SMS messaging a lot (telephone to telephone messaging)?
Yes.

10. Do you want to use a GPS with the PDAPhone for mapping and navigation?
Probably not.

11. What is your size preference.. very close to the smallest cellphone, or you don’t care.. function over size?
A big enough screen to view documents, but not a huge brick of a phone.

12. How will you carry it... pocket, belt, purse, etc.?
This is my main problem with my phone now. I have always carried my phone in my back pocket and taken it out when I sit down. Since I have switched from a standard flip-phone to the Palm 700p, I have big issues carrying the phone. I worry a lot about the screen getting messed up and being a girl, it's hard to carry in my pocket. I work a rough job and I need a tougher phone. And I realize that I am contradicting myself, but I would rather have a tougher, larger phone than a smaller, more vulnerable one.

13. Do you prefer a particular form factor… flip-phone, candy bar, etc?
Flips make me feel more comfortable as far as protection and talking comfort, but I'm open to other options.

14. Do you prefer a QWERTY keyboard, numeric dial-pad, or stylus?
I'm getting attached to the QWERTY.

15. Do you want to play a lot of video games on the PDAPhone? What kinds - puzzles, strategy, action adventure, etc.?
Not really a phone gamer. Maybe some hearts or something basic.

16. Do you want to listen to music on the PDAPhone? What kind... mp3, streamed, etc.?
It might be nice to be able to listen to mp3's but it isn't essential.

17. Do you want a camera on the PDAPhone?
Yes. A decent camera would be quite helpful.

18. Do you have any other hardware you intend to use with the PDAPhone? Do you intend to use any Bluetooth devices? What types of devices?
I have a jawbone 2 and a set of Lubix bluetooth stereo headphones. It would be nice if they would work with it.

19. What kind of battery life do you need?(Always near a charger, battery life is not an issue or Need the battery to last several days) How many hours do you expect to spend talking on the phone? How many hours of data?(Web browsing, push email, VPN, IM etc)
A long phone call every couple days, but nothing extreme. A lot of texting and Word document action, along with calender and task planning. The 700p has a really good battery life, so it would be a shame to downgrade.

20. What are your budget limits (PDAPhones range in price from below $100 for older used models to nearly $1000 for high end models without a carrier subisidy)?
A couple hundred would probably be reasonable. Basically the lower the price, the better. But again, I'm open to any suggestion.

I'm going to have to admit that the 700p is probably one of the more durable PDA phones you can get. Most newer models are 90% screen and a lot more fragile, and with the 700p you have a pretty solid casing and a recessed screen (you'll probably notice that most newer touch screen PDA phones do not). Also, Palm OS is dead so you wont be finding any new devices running it, unfortunately. You may want to look at the Centro (on Verizon) for a cheap alternative, but its mostly the same as the 700p but with a smaller screen.

If you're really worried about durability, I would suggest a Blackberry (any model but the Storm). These are non touch screen PDAs that are rock solid (I used to kick mine across parking lots). Text messaging will be easy but document editing will be a little tougher, although possible.

Hope this helps...

Hey, thanks for the reply. I kind of figured that the 700p would be a recommended option. I might switch to the Centro for something a little sleeker and easier to carry. I have a few questions though, maybe you could help me. I was really considering a BB, but my friend told me that you have to pay a lot extra for the BB services (which are required). Is that true? Can't you just use the phone without all of the internet extras? And why exactly would you say that a BB would be harder to work with documents on? Is it the size or a software thing? And finally, do you know what the main differences are between the 700p and the Centro? Would it be a bad move to switch? I hate to ask all of these stupid questions and I really appreciate any help that you have time for.
Thanks
-Eli

Blackberry data plans always cost extra, but they are usually tiered in BIS (Blackberry Internet Service - cheaper) and BES (Blackberry Enterprise Service - more expensive). You would only need BES if you worked for a company that supported Blackberrys. As to why they cost more, I'm not sure if its a licensing thing from Blackberry (because your email runs through a private Blackberry network) or because its perceived that Blackberry users will use more data (which is generally not true).

As far as editing documents on the Blackberry: it will be more difficult because the BB doesnt have a touch screen so navigation may be difficult. I also didnt like the implementation of Documents to Go on the BB, but I never felt comfortable editing documents on any device that wasnt Windows Mobile (and I still disliked that).

Regarding your final question about the Centro vs the 700p, I would say the main differences are size, battery life, and keyboard. The Centro is smaller, has a harder to use keyboard, and the battery life is okay at best (the battery is 40% smaller I believe). The Palm OS is pretty much the same besides a built in IM client on the Centro.

Thanks a lot, you've really helped me out.

Glad I could help. Don't hesitate to post if you have any more questions!

EDIT: 400th post!