Hand Held device help

gtghmgtghm New
edited August 2005 in Hardware
Ok, I need a hand held device that I can upload software to and stuff.
I don't care about games and MP3's, I'm thinking something that uses a pointer/plastic stick thing...

I need it to upload some bowling tracking software that I can use during tournaments and things. I know that they make the software and there are people starting to show up using this technology. If I am in the market for a hand held thing I know that you guys will know what the best ones are...

Thanks for the help,
"g"

Comments

  • gtghmgtghm New
    edited August 2005
    Bump
  • jradminjradmin North Kackalaki
    edited August 2005
    Dell actually makes some diecent handhelds. Your on your own with the bowling software though.
  • NightwolfNightwolf Afghanistan Member
    edited August 2005
    I like the tungsten t2's, thats what we get at school.
  • gtghmgtghm New
    edited August 2005
    cool, thanks. I got the bowling software thing figured out...

    Is there any big major differences between the Palm OS devices and the pocket PC OS's...

    Thanks,
    "g"
  • TheSmJTheSmJ
    edited August 2005
    I've been doing a lot of reading about PDAs for the past couple weeks, and I've learned this about the differences between Pocket PC and Palm:

    Just like the MacOS vs. Windows debate, it all comes down to personal preference.

    Some say Pocket PC is slower than Palm, others say the opposite. Some say Palm is easier to work with than Pocket PC, others say the opposite. As far I've been able to gather after weeks of research, it all comes down to both the individual's opinion, and the hardware that's running it.

    Since no one PDA is available loaded with your choice of OS, it's impossible to figure out which system is better without bringing the PDA hardware itself into the equation. Furthermore, since each PDA model and brand has slightly different hardware capabilities and target price points, it is again impossible to differentiate between the two.


    My recommendation is this:

    Decide what it is you want to do with your PDA and the maximum amount of money you want to spend, and start reading reviews.

    If the software you want to use (and it sounds like you have a specific software title in mind) only uses Pocket PC, limit your choices to PDAs running PPC. If the software is available for both systems, think of what else you may want to do with your new device (a video player, cell phone, MP3s, WIFI), compare the feature’s importance to the amount you are looking to spend, and start reading reviews, forums, editorials, etc until you’ve found the perfect PDA for your needs.


    For instance, my cell phone (a TMobile Sidekick) died last week. I NEED a cell phone, and after having the Sidekick (which is a PDA like device, only with much less expandability than your average PDA), I knew I wanted wireless web and instant messaging. I also wanted something I could grow on and mess around with, so I decided a real PDA with a cell phone capability (known as a smartphone) was what I was looking for.

    I searched around at a bunch of non-partison review sites and began reading. I also began lurking in forums which were full of people who owned both PPC and Palm based phones made from many different manufacturers, and paid close attention to the price points (mine was no more than $400) and compatibilities for a carrier with a cheap unlimited data plan and easy to understand voice plan (I chose Sprint).

    After whittling away at many different models, and reading more reviews and forum posts than I can count, I chose PalmOne’s Treo 650. It is fully compatible with the Sprint network, offers all the features I’m looking for outside of a plain cell phone (video, music, Web access, Bluetooth, DUN (makes your PDA capable of being a wireless modem for any Bluetooth enabled PC), all instant messaging services, and finally a very large user following with more user mods and 3rd party software than I would ever have the time to try, all within my target price (only $290 with a 2 year Sprint contract). I am confident this is the PDA for me. :P


    So yeah, do what I did and:

    1. Decide what you NEED to do and the MAXIMUM you want to spend, and find the PDAs capable of doing it without breaking your spending limit.

    2. Ask yourself all the thing you WANT to be able to do with it and narrow down the available models until you end up with one model in particular you’re interested in.

    3. Go and visit a working model in a brick and mortar store (if possible) as well as read all the specific user accounts you can find to be sure it doesn’t have some kind of show stopping bugs and annoyances only those who’ve used it for more than a couple of months could tell you about.

    4. Then finally, make your purchase.
  • gtghmgtghm New
    edited August 2005
    Great advice thanks,
    "g"
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