Revisiting PDAs, One Last Time
Over the years, the countless arguments we've had about PDAs usually focused on specific features: screen resolution (how high is high enough?), Bluetooth (does it suck or not?), multimedia capabilities (who needs 'em?), and so on. But I think we always agreed that that Palm OS platform was largely superior to Pocket PC.
What about now? I still give Palms the edge in terms of simplicity, but I must reluctantly admit to having switched to a Pocket PC--specifically, a Dell Axim X50v. It has the features I want in a PDA, namely Wi-Fi, two expansion slots, a removable battery, and excellent audio/video capabilities. Sure, the new Palm LifeDrive has a 4GB hard drive and Wi-Fi, but it's slow, bulky, and expensive. Plus, it has the same old Palm OS. Where's the innovation?
What about now? I still give Palms the edge in terms of simplicity, but I must reluctantly admit to having switched to a Pocket PC--specifically, a Dell Axim X50v. It has the features I want in a PDA, namely Wi-Fi, two expansion slots, a removable battery, and excellent audio/video capabilities. Sure, the new Palm LifeDrive has a 4GB hard drive and Wi-Fi, but it's slow, bulky, and expensive. Plus, it has the same old Palm OS. Where's the innovation?
posted by Rick Broida @ 12:48 PM
2 Comments:
At July 12, 2005 4:39 PM,
Rick Broida said…
For the record, I stand by all my original claims regarding VGA screens and the like. At the time, any such advanced features were poorly implemented (or nothing more than third-party kludges) or prohibitively expensive. But with models like the Axim X50v selling for $399 (less if you shop around) with high-end features that actually work, who am I to complain? Even so, I would never claim that what I need or want from a PDA is what everyone needs or wants. That kind of silliness I'll leave to you.
You're right (hey, first time--congrats!) that Palm vs. Pocket PC is pretty much a moot question at this point. Unless, of course, you're on a budget. PalmOne still has $99, $129, and $199 models, all of which are extremely capable. It'll cost you at least $300 to get any of the latest Pocket PC models from Dell or HP. And, of course, you'll have to contend with the staggeringly bad Windows Mobile interface.
Hmmm...maybe the question isn't so moot after all.
At August 31, 2005 11:09 AM,
Rick Broida said…
Once again I must urge you to actually read my posts, as your brain seems unable to distinguish reality from things it sees on TV.
Was I shortsighted once or twice? Sure, I can admit to that. But it's nothing compared to your blind devotion to a technology that has played a major role in Palm's demise: Bluetooth.
As I've said for years, it's a technology almost nobody wants. And to this day, almost nobody knows what it is. Yet Palm continues to force it down users' throats instead of providing the wireless option they really want: Wi-Fi.
That's one of the chief reasons I switched to a Pocket PC. The only viable Palm model that has Wi-Fi is the LifeDrive, which is bulky, slow, and overpriced. By comparison, just about every Pocket PC has Wi-Fi.
Right about now is when you start whining, "Bluetooth and Wi-Fi aren't the same thing!" Of course they're not. One is useful, the other isn't. I wonder if your mammoth ego will allow you to admit that Bluetooth has been a failure from the get-go, and that you were wrong to champion it.
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