Tech recommendations please

[andrewducker]

I was looking for what I wanted, and I suddenly realised that what I needed to do was ask all the techie people on here!

This is probably UK specific, but a US answer may at least point me in the right direction...

I want something computerlike I can carry around with me, that's small/light enough to basically forget about, but large enough to have a proper (albet small) keyboard that I can type things on.

So far, so standard PDA - the problem is that I want it to have GPRS access - basically I want to be able to do LJ posts from anywhere I am, without carrying around a laptop.

Anyone got any suggestions?

Comments

[mcgroarty.livejournal.com]

Not a whole lot of PDAs have GPRS, however many have Bluetooth now, and many phones have Bluetooth, which can be used to share their internet connections. I used an Ericsson T68i successfully with both a PocketPC and a Palm.

Be sure you give a modern PDA a try if you haven't. You may find that the handwriting recognition is okay. Failing that, I believe you can get wireless add-ons for the Sharp Zaurus PDAs, which have tiny little keyboards on 'em!

[aberbotimue.livejournal.com]

id seperate the two...

use either bluetooth or ir to talk to your mobile..

then the whole thing opens...

I being Mr gadget always used a pda for a few weeks and went back to the franklin, ( big pad of paper with dates! )

I used the psion cos i wanted to type, I tryed, and have ( for sale! ) the 3 the 5 and the mx5 all did quite well, the mx5 best...

suzy bought me a compaq, and to be honest, i don't miss the keyboard, and when i do, i use a pc and upload it.. my brother does the same, but got the keyboard fore it, which rolls out, and looks cool!

colour, and used windows ce, much more friendly than psion..

but, go check which.. I have user and pass if you want, god knows i pay too much for the service not to let eveyone that asks have the password...

[randomchris.livejournal.com]

iamubergeek claims that he can update his from a Compaq Ipaq 3850 Pocket PC - not sure if that's wireless though...

[andrewducker]

Cheers. I'll add that to the list of things to check out.

[cleodhna.livejournal.com]

The PsionMX5 is probably your baby. I have a Revo, and if the company would EVER upgrade its Mac connection software, it would be the best thing since bagels for me. The MX has a slightly larger keybord and a backlit screen, which the revo-- made to bye tiny and have long battery life-- lacks, but gosh, it is tiny. It'll access the 'net with an IR-capable mobile. And you can beam secret messages across the room to other people with Psions.

H'm... I need a 'phone with IR...

[andrewducker]

Cheers. My phone does IR, as will my next one, so that's ok.

I'll check it out.

[thepaintedone.livejournal.com]

With or without bluetooth most PDA type devices will hook up to more or less any recent GPRS enabled phone via a cable and can be used that way. Its a bit more awkward than a single bundle solution, but probably cheaper.

Keyboard wise, I think you might be looking at an add on, as they usualy have stylus keyboards. But its not an area I know much about. I've seen a couple of iPaq's which seem to be nice kit (and I'm generaly a fan of Compaq stuff).

One thing to watch out for, if you want to use this in an office environment where you dont have local admin access to your PC (i.e network securty policy), a lot of the sync software for PDA's wont work. Even if you install them as admin then run as a normal user, it wont see the device. You might get away with power user, but it depends on the security of the network. Of course if its for your home PC this wont be an issue, unless you really lock your PC down for AV protection.

[davecleghorn.livejournal.com]

Heloooo. We’ve got a Nokia 9210e communicator [http://www.orange.co.uk/cgi-bin/business/phones.pl?phone=nk9210]. One of the directors uses it for net a connection, and email when on the road – which is a lot. I tested it when we got it and it is very good. Its quite small for what you get (smaller than a pda) and has a full keyboard. My 2 p.

[andrewducker]

Sadly, about £450...

[davecleghorn.livejournal.com]

Oh. Well I think cleodhna’s shout is a good one. I had a Revo, which provides online access via IR and your phone – the browser was v good - black and white. I dont know if you can get the 5MX anymore - check this. The Revo standard should do what youre looking for, and its under £100.