# What is the Best PDA?



## minnes (Aug 15, 2001)

Hey, I am toying with the idea ofpicking up a PDA.
I was thinking of a refurbed Palm TX.
What's really important to me is screen size and resolution quality.
I really want photo viewiong on the go
So Iwas thinking the Palm TX with a big 2gig memory card would do it for me.
Any other thoughts on your experience with PDAs including Pocket PCs, Palms, treos, linux pdas etc?


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## Macified (Sep 18, 2003)

I have a TX and it's great. It feels slower than my previous Palm Zire 32s but it certainly will do what you want. The screen size is nice. You can download an app that will play movies in most formats (widescreen is perfect for this). I use mine primarily for organizer functions (use missing synch for Mac), reading e-books and listening to audio books (compatible with Audible.com). I wish Apple would partner and get some iTunes functionality working but it isn't going to happen.

edit: Can't forget Sudoku.


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## comprehab (May 28, 2005)

I am a Treo 650 user- probably overkill for what you are looking for. 
It is fine for picture viewing, music, videos, editing files, etc but I use it almost exclusively for e-mail/ contact manager/ to-do list. 
I have heard great things about the new TX- Wifi, nice big screen, and bluetooth. Can't go wrong with a palm.
Stay away from pocket PCs....I bought a dell axim X51v- kept it for about a month then dealt it off. It was unstable, no applications out for the newest version of WinMobile, difficult to navigate...and it wouldn't sync with my mac.
So, if you want a basic palm with a good feature set pick up a TX, if you are looking for the greatest smart phone of all time, grab a 650 or wait for the 700p.


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## retrocactus (Jun 17, 2003)

I agree with comprehab....the Treo 650 is the best smartphone/pda out there (especially for a mac user)...but is probably more than you're asking for and would cost a fair bit more than a refurb TX.

It would be hard to answer the original question of "What is the best pda" since everyone's needs are different.


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## Chris (Feb 8, 2001)

I picked up a refurbed Zire 31 about 8 months ago (the price was too good to ignore!) and I like it. But, then, I don't need telephone/e-mail portability. I'm just happy to have the expandable memory!


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## minnes (Aug 15, 2001)

The office program for Palm for word, excel powerpoint is soun ding good, and the other apps that abound, plusthe video, mp3, picture viewing is what I want.
Also I wanted wireless 801 g so,I can use it as a web and email checker in apinch at a hotspot.
I was looking at the Palm Liufedrive, but aside from the hard drive built in, it has no advatages and is said to be slower than the TX in some reviews.
Otherwise a refurb Lifedrive would be appealing

I wonder if there will ever be an Apple sub-laptop, ie like a 7-10 inch screen laptop or thereabouts.
Right now if they ditch the 12 inch iBook and Powerbooks than that leaves a gap for the size conscious.
Thats why I was thinking a Palm TX might do some of those functions until such a device exists.


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## dona83 (Jun 26, 2005)

If you're looking for a laptop replacement PDA, Palm TX or LifeDrive with keyboard and upgrade DocsToGo to version 8. 

If you're looking for a good reliable PDA with a very long battery life, Tungsten E2 -- WiFi card extra.

If you're looking for a good entertainment PDA with a camera to boot, Zire 72 (what my girlfriend has).

If you're looking for no frills no gimmicks, Zire 31. The nice simple white case goes good with a Mac.

If you're looking for a complete communications on the go roadwarrior PDA, the Treo 650 is awesome.

I used a Tungsten T in first year of college with a keyboard and my classmates were absolutely amazed that I was able to type up last minute school reports during class, connect it to a school computer via Card Export II by Softick ($14.95USD, http://www.softick.com/) do very minor editting to suit the printing layout, print it, hand it in. My T|T saved my butt from late marks more than a few times when I just didn't have the time out of school hours to finish the reports and needed to very discretely start/finish it during lectures or labs. It was also my sole mp3 player at the time (PocketTunes, I believe it's included with the T|X, pay $10 extra for Windows Media PlaysForSure support if you want it, http://www.normsoft.com/) before I got my iPod Shuffle, plus a very nifty video player (MMPlayer, $17.95, http://www.mmplayer.com/). For student on a budget, I would say the Tungsten T|X+2GB SD card+wireless keyboard+Card Export II (total cost $576?) will give the best bang for the buck as a complete laptop replacement.

Alternatively, for a limited time when you buy direct from www.palm.com/ca you can get a LifeDrive for $549 that comes with a free wireless keyboard, then there's the 4GB HD built in. Disadvantage? Apps on LifeDrive seem to load a tad slower due to the fact that it runs most things on the HD and has built in memory card mounting called DriveMode to PC/Mac (no need for CardExport II, I believe T|X doesn't have this), good news is that it has RAM which automatically stores the most frequently used applications, although only 12MB of it.


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## Guest (Jun 5, 2006)

Just chiming in as another happy TX user.


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