I'm stumped. Go with a smartphone or keep my Clie & get a better freebie phone?

1. What PDA and/or mobile phone do I use today?
PDA: Sony Clié TG50
Phone: some Verizon LG b&w freebie – hate the contact menus

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?

My Verizon contract is up. I’m favoring T-Mobile b/c the Family Plan is the cheapest. Sprint is a no – co-workers complain of little to no connection in Toronto, where I travel 3-4x a year.

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?

Need service for occasional business travel to: Toronto & other major US metro areas.

4. Do have a preference of Palm, Pocket PC, Symbian, Smartphone OS, Blackberry, etc.?

I’ve been a long-time Palm user. I’d consider another OS if it plays well with a Mac.

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?

SplashWallet, Datebk5, AvantGo, Grafitti Anywhere.

6. How important is wireless data access, and what would you use it for (i.e. web browsing, email, remote terminal access, AOL Instant Messenger, etc.)?
7. Will you need to view Microsoft Office documents on the pdaPhone? Will you need to edit them?
8. Will you need to access a corporate email system? Will you do this while in a cradle (or via a sync cable), or do you need to do this while you are out of your office?
9. Do you do SMS messaging a lot (telephone to telephone messaging)?
10. Do you need a GPS for mapping and navigation?

No to questions 6-10 – none of these are needed and will be unlikely to be used.

11. What is your size preference.. very close to the smallest cellphone, or you don’t care.. function over size?

Needs to have a PDA size screen and keyboard.

12. How will you carry it... pocket, belt, purse, etc.?

Purse with occasional belt clip use.

13. Do you prefer a particular form factor… flip-phone, candy bar, etc?

PDA: prefer keyboard & flip cover
Phone: prefer flip, but am willing to compromise for screen size.

14. Do you prefer a QWERTY keyboard, numeric dial-pad, or stylus?

QWERTY Keyboard is an absolute must, stylus is also required.

15. Do you want to play a lot of video games on the pdaPhone? What kinds - puzzles, strategy, action adventure, etc.?

the occasional game of Bejeweled, Collapse and Big Money

16. Do you want to listen to music on the pdaPhone? What kind... mp3, streamed, etc.?

No – I have an iPod mini

17. 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’d like to use a wireless headset.

18. 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)?

$300-400 is my max, less is always preferable

Hubbie is really pushing to sign with T-Mobile this week because of a deal on the h6315, so speed recommendations would be helpful.

Thanks,
Bree

I would say a Treo 600 may be your best bet. You can get a wireless headset for non-bluetooth phones and use it (like the Jabra BT200) instead of getting Bluetooth in the phone itself. The Treo 600 is currently $299 on the T-Mobile web site.

The h6315 may be overkill for you. Yeah, it has a lot of features, but you don't seem to want or need them.

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John

PDAPhoneHome Forum Moderator

The h6315 is for hubbie, to replace his aging iPaq 3675. He didn't like any of the other PPC phones.

Is the Treo 600's low-res screen an issue for previous hi-res owners? I've grown quite accustomed to the quality of the Clié's screen. T-Mobile doesn't appear to have a timeline for carrying the 650, which has a much better screen.

Bree

I have only heard of rumors about the Treo 650 and whether T-Mobile will carry it eventually.

I have an iPAQ hx4700 (with VGA 640x480 screen) and it blows away the PDAphone screens out there. Too bad it isn't also a phone... but it does connect to T-Mobile through my Bluetooth V600, so that helps. I do understand... the screen resolution *DOES* make a difference and once you have it, you won't want to go back.

So, the Treo 600 is the only option available in Palm for you through T-Mobile right now. Are you willing to lose the resolution? Or try a new device (h6315?) Or just find a couple of unconverged devices that work together?

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John

PDAPhoneHome Forum Moderator

darn -- the local reps didn't know anything, either.

MIL bought herself one for Xmas -- it is a beauty, isn't it?

Played with Sprint's 600 & 650 over the weekend -- the 600 screen just looked so sad compared to my Clie and the 650.

I've played with the PPC interface, and haven't loved it. I'm a Mac girl, so the Palm OS is my best fit until Apple gets around to releasing the iTablet mini.

This is starting to look more likely. My purse would like a converged device, but I think the feature set and service just aren't there yet. I'll start looking at Bluetooth phones to iSync contacts with my iBook.

Too bad Cingular doesn't have the right PPC model -- DH is pretty set on the h6315, and I'm sick of him complaining about the battery life on the old iPaq and the geek factor of his Han Solo belt (phone + iPaq).

Thanks for the input.

Bree

Best of luck! Things change all of the time in this new world, so get your seat belt on and hang on!

__________________
John

PDAPhoneHome Forum Moderator