PDA for Tech Savy Students?

Kichigai Mentat asks: "When I was a student in High School, I was quite disorganized. I found that a good organizer helped me out, and eventually got myself a reliable Palm m105. As I'm about to go into college, I'm considering picking up a new machine to replace my nearly-dead PDA. However, the selection seems to be either Palm OS, which I find rather limiting in terms of what you can and cannot do on the system (I LIKE being able to organize things into sub-folders), or Window Mobile, which isn't Linux or Mac OS X friendly. What sort of third-party options are available that work with existing PIM apps, will work without Windows, and won't cost an arm and a leg?"

Comments

A few things

[PunkOfLinux]

I can't remember who makes it, but the Zaurus line seems to be pretty cool. I know several people who have one, and they LOVE them. Also, you can get linux to run on a PalmOne device. Granted, it'll wipe the os... but... hey, if you wanna, go ahead.

Re:A few things

[pruss]

One does not need to wipe the OS to run Linux on a PalmOS device. In fact, in newer flash-based devices, you don't even lose your PalmOS data. See www.hackndev.com

Re:A few things

[Infinityis]

I'll second that. I bought a Zaurus (Collie, 5500) on Ebay for $100, and it came with a wifi card, 2 compact flash cards, SD card, and charger + cradle.

Some of the nice things about it:

-Keyboard is built in under a slide-out panel, for those of us who don't like graffiti input methods.
-Trivial to flash with a new ROM (such as OPIE or GPE)...but I'd recommend either having two CF cards or a CF card reader/writer on your computer so you can get yourself out of sticky situations.
-You can either plug in the charger directly to the Zaurus or via the cradle, which add immeasurably to the convenience, because you can charge it an use it at the same time without being at your computer.
-Lots of nice programs for free, such as VNC viewer & server, PDF reader, etc.
-Headphone jack for listening to music, either from songs stored on the Zaurus or streaming from a computer connected wirelessly.
-The translucent plastic flip-cover can be removed easily.

Did I mention it runs Linux?

The only downside I've come across is that the battery life isn't the best in the world, but personally I rarely have problems with an empty battery. Also, it requires a little technical proficiency to get everything (like an internet browser) running well on the non-defaul ROM.

I can't speak for the newer Zauruses, but they look even nicer than the one I have.

Re:A few things

[Mr. Slippery]

The manufacturer is Sharp, and they no longer distribute them in the US.

However, there are distributors that import them and do the English language conversion, such as conics.net.

The SL-C3xxx clamshell models with built-in harddrives rock. It's like having a laptop that was exposed to a shrink ray.

I installed KO/Pi on mine as an scheduler/organizer, and use the provided "Hancom Word" word processor to maintain my journal and do other writing. I got a WiFi card for it, and I can even hook up my cell phone via it's USB port and do a SSH session from anywhere I can get a signal.

I think their success in Japan versus the U.S. is due to the fact that in Japan, the clamshell form factor seems to be very common for electronic dictonaries, while Americans are still looking for something that looks like a Palm Pilot. It's a shame and a crime that such a wonderful piece of technology, which draws admiring stares whereever I go, isn't more widely available in the U.S.

Re:A few things

[grahamdrew]

I actively used (and still have) one of the original Zauruses for a while, and although it was great when you paired it with a WiFi card and wanted to do some quick web browsing, email, or instant messaging it wasn't terribly good at PIM. Getting it to sync with anything but Outlook or Sharp's own app was a challenge at best. Strangely enough, getting it to sync with a linux box was harder than syncing with windows or OS X. It was a very nice mobile tablet at the time, but not a very good PDA. I had used a Handera 330 (PalmOS based device with a CF slot) before that and it was excellent at PDA functionality, but the mobile communications weren't great.

Andrew Beard

Mac OS X solutions for Pocket PCs...

[Silas Palmer-Cannon]

There are solutions out there for syncing Microsoft PDAs with Mac OS X. Take a look at The Missing Sync at http://www.markspace.com/ I have never used this solution, but I've heard good things about it from others.

Just keep this in mind...

[jbarr]

I'm not going to recommend any specific PDA, but I do have this bit of advice: Don't let the technology cloud your need to remain organized. It's so easy to get sucked into the features and capabilities that you often forget the real reason to have a PDA. I wrote an article about simplifying my PDA use wherein I describe how I "stepped back" to using a Palm Z22 instead of the latest and greatest whiz-bang PDA. You see, for me, I was so easily distracted by the "stuff of the PDA" that I found that I was spending more time tweaking, playing, and hacking my PDA than actually using it productively.

After a few months, in retrospect, I am now craving a higher resolution screen and more memory, but the surprising reality is that my Palm Z22 really works, and really works well...for me. And that's the key. Find what works for you and stick with it.

So regardless of what you choose, try to keep the perspective of simplicity.

-Jim
http://jimstips.com/

Consider Symbian.

[GrpA]

Have a look at some of the Symbian phones out there. I'm lost without my Motorola A1000.

The nice thing about them is that they double as a telephone, and are about the same size as well.

Also made my Erricson and other phone manufacturers, and open source programmable... Lot of apps to D/L free or for fee as well.

GrpA

Obligatory "Hipster" Post

[Noksagt]

One of the big trends floating around with the "GTD" nerds is carrying a small paper notebook or a pile of index cards. This works quite well--you never run out of batteries & can trade info for people. Some nerd chick thought it was "cool because it was like a lab notebook."

I've gone through the PALM, Clie (which runs Palm OS), and the Sharp Zaurus. The Zaurus is good, but the batteries would always die on me. Paper is great!

Palm OS

[vga_init]

I've had a Palm Pilot for the past few years. It's stable, compatible, and is the best organization software I've ever used. Pocket PC's with Windows CE (or whatever it's called these days) tend to cost a bit more, and sure, I think the operating system is more robust and flexible, but this is a device where simplicity is a feature. Also keep in mind that PalmOS is fully programmable (you can download the development libraries after registration--available for linux), and there exists a wealth of apps for it. On wi-fi enabled units, you can get such things as browsers and ssh clients (more then enough to satisfy the geek in you). PalmOS is also compatible with lots of linux apps (eg evolution plugins)

Also, regardless of bells and whistles, it's a solid organizer--everything you need is right there in one package. In fact, you can get a cheap Zire without dropping more than $99, and you'll get all the organizing goodness of PalmOS (no features barred, same interface) as well as a generous 32mb or so of RAM (how many people do you know?). That cheap model won't have a fancy pants screen or play mp3's, but you bet your granny's knickers you'll be organized. Feel like spending a little more? Get a Tungsten E2--plenty of RAM, gorgeous screen, media playback, SD slot, and enough features spared to allow you to keep things simple and straightforwad and the price tag low (eg no wifi or bluetooth, but doesn't your cell phone do that? Or your laptop? Or...oh hell, just check your schedule).

Whatever you choose to buy, you won't regret it. To those who need them, a sturdy organizer is worth its weight in gold, and Palm knows how to make that work. They also how to please your geeky self.

slim pickings

[juventasone]

The Symbian OS is primarly for smartphones, and unfortunately they usually make for lousy PDAs. But if you're still interested check out the Nokia E61 or Sony Ericsson M600i. Same could be said about RIM's Blackberry OS.

There's also an plethora of quirky, mostly-discontinued embedded linux PDAs, including the geek-famous Zaurus.

If you thought having only two major players for PDA OS's was unfortunate, Palm has started replacing the Palm OS with Windows Mobile on some of their own hardware.

Been there, broken a few

[wolf87]

I have quite a bit of experience in this regard. I had 3 PDAs in HS (Zire 71, Tungsten C, and HP 4350), a Treo 600 during my first 2 yrs of college, and now I have a Moto Q. Some advice on PDAs and smartphones for college:

• QWERTY is your friend. When going from class-to-class, there is no way you can use the handwriting input fast enough to get assignments down. Physical keyboards are best. Windows Mobile has the best on-screen.
• Don't worry about platform compatibility with a WM PDA. PocketMac (http://www.pocketmac.net) is a great piece of software (used it form the HP 4350). It's actually more reliable than ActiveSync, in my experience.
• Personally, for storing class and assignment info, I prefer WM. Newer Palms with better calendar software may be better, but this is my experience with Treo 600.
• Consider a smartphone. It's a lot easier, especially for contacts. For example, I keep all of my professors' office hours in notes attached to their contact entries. Makes it really easy to access the info.
• Get a sturdy case. When you're running from one end of campus to the other, you will drop your PDA and/or phone. My failure to do so is one reason I now have a Q (who knew 5 drops onto pavement was the Treo's limit?). I like aluminum ones; then again, I'm a klutz.

If you have questions, feel free to contact me. Always glad to help a fellow student.

Palm OS is still the way to go

[Yeechang Lee]

As I posted just yesterday, I've had a Palm OS-based PDA of one kind or another since 1997 when I was still in college, and just bought a Treo 700p. Every one has been a huge help in keeping me organized.

As a student I didn't find synchronization with a desktop PIM essential. I entered all my contacts and schedules on the PDA and used pilot-link on my Linux box for app installs and backups. Since I graduated and entered the workforce that's completely changed, but you have at least four years before you'll likely have to worry about that. Assuming you were the same way in high school, this gives you a bit more flexibility than I have in terms of picking a PDA; my need for Outlook synchronization meant I couldn't consider a Nokia 770 or a Zaurus, no matter how badly I wanted real Linux on my pocket device. My post from yesterday talks about why Windows Mobile and Symbian were out for me. That leaves . . . just Palm OS.

You mention cost. Brand-new Palm PDAs are as inexpensive as $99 for a Z22. Or, do what I did and get the Treo 700p; Amazon.com offers it for new Sprint or Verizon customers for as low as $250 after rebate and a two-year contract. Not a bad price for a combination of state-of-the-art Palm PDA and EV-DO-capable handset!

Alpha Geek PDA

[CompMD]

I work for a university spinoff company, and operate all over the place, from remote USAF bomb ranges to KU's campus. I have a UTStarcom PPC6700. It does EVERYTHING. 420MHz Intel PXA270, 128MB memory, 1GB miniSD, EV-DO (~2.5Mbps on Sprint around Lawrence, KS and Kansas City), 802.11b, Bluetooth, 1.3MP camera, WinMo 5. I have loaded a full featured media player (TCPMP) for DivX movies, PocketPutty and Terminal Services Client to manage the office network when I'm away, and AgileMessenger for multiprotocol IMming. The phone integrates seamlessly with Contacts, and that all syncs up to Outlook at the office. Its a serious gadget and it helps me get work done a lot faster. It's damn near a laptop replacement.

Get a PDA, not a "computer"

[seebs]

I have Zauruses, a Nokia N770, a PocketPC, and a Palm.

The Palm is the one I use day in and day out. If Handera hadn't folded, I might still be on my Handera 330, which wasn't even color.

Here is what you need:
1. Datebook/calendar software of some sort.
2. Usable text entry.
3. A good alarm.
4. Decent battery life.

That's it. Day in and day out, that's what matters. Can you take a note quickly enough to get it down before you forget? Can you get the alarm to go off at the time you need it to, and will it do common things (snooze for 10 minutes, for instance) with simple clicks?

If you can get that, you're done. You have a PDA. Do not let "features" distract you. My Compaq iPaq, with a 640x480 screen, untold memory, both SD and CF slots, wifi, and so on, sits on a shelf somewhere. My Palm with Datebook5 goes with me ABSOLUTELY EVERYWHERE. There is no comparison. PalmOS is technically inept; so what? It works. When an alarm is due, the machine makes a piercing noise I can detect even if the PDA is in a bag. It can go in a bag without breaking instantly. If I forget to charge it for a day, it still works.

In short, it's a kickass PDA. Which is what I want. Yeah, I would like it if PalmOS sucked less. But PocketPC isn't in the running, and after a couple of months trying to run various Linux-hosted PDA apps, I went back to Datebook5. It's just plain better.

If you want a portable computer, think of that as totally distinct from your PDA. The portable computer is for hacking on, for debugging interesting problems, for spending a week wondering why you can't get a new kernel to work with the sound hardware. The PDA runs one or two off the shelf apps and does it reliably and consistently.