Ermin,
To switch or not to switch...
That is a question that has or will face all of us at some time. I have
had a foot in both the pocket pc and Newton camps for almost a year now.
Since work provided me with a HP Jornada 545 Pocket PC. =20
A lot of other list users seem to favour Palm over the Pocket PC as an
alternative (If your really need one!) but I think that if you can get
past the whole Microsoft thing that the Pocket PC is much more like the
Newt in terms of capabilities. Now my HP545 is pretty old hat in the
PPC world now, but even so it gives me a nice colour screen (the newer
ones are much better outdoors) a good range of built in software
(although no were near as well integrated as on the Newt - what could
be!) and plenty of expandability both in terms of software and hardware.
In fact I have a very similar set up on my Jornada as on my uMP2k both
are set up with an external keyboard and a modem. I have used them both
for pretty much the same things:
- taking notes in university classes;
- keeping track of to do items and the occasional appointment;
- some web browsing and email; and, of course,
- the odd game.
All in all I have found them pretty comparable. Of course each has its
own strengths and weaknesses. The PPC is smaller and so I carry it with
me pretty much every where. The built in mp3 player and huge range of
games means that it is one of my primary pieces of "entertainment
equipment" and the built in Pocket IE is really a very serviceable web
browser. As for input methods well I pretty much stick to Microsoft
Transcriber/Paragraph Calligrapher (which is a development of the
cursive HWR used on the MP120 - MP2k). Okay I am not going to pretend
that it is quite as good as the HWR on the Newt, but it is pretty close:
the smaller screen is much less friendly and it has some annoying
features or lack of! The stow-away keyboard - now that is a dream! The
PPC will sync with windows no problems, but a Mac sync program is only
just coming onto the market from a third party.
All of that said, the Newt is still my PDA of choice for a range of
things. The HWR (I use Rosetta on the Newt) and larger screen make it a
dream for actually writing emails, letters or whatever. Actually on the
subject of writing - why can't any of the PPC or Palm makers come up
with a stylus that is actually usable?
The other great thing with the Newt is the overall OS integration. I
love, for example, the trick talked about on the list earlier of being
able to email packages from and to your newt. I also love the little
fun touches like the page crumpling up and going into the rubbish or the
delated text disappearing in a puff of smoke. =20
So what am I trying to say? Well we all have our different needs, likes
and dislikes. But for mine, the Pocket PC is worth a look. Mind you I
am not giving up my Newtons just yet!
Stephen Beesley =20
-----Original Message-----
From: Ermin Mistica [mailto:angel316_at_earthlink.net]=20
Sent: Sunday, 12 May 2002 2:28 PM
To: Newtontalk_at_newtontalk.net
Subject: [NTLK] Thinking of Switching
My dear fellow Newtonians,
For the longest time I have considered switching over to a different
platform, either Palm or Pocket PC. Oh wait those are the only two
platforms
left!!! I forget myself. I use my eMate for notetaking in classes, my MP
2100 for everything else. What has made me start thinking of the Dark
Side?
I just need full compatibility with my PC or Mac. I love the fact that
my MP
2100 can stand along but am just scared that one day it'll conk. When
Apple
finally comes out with something, I'll be first in line but until then,
I
can't chance losing the over 300 notes, 1400 names, and months of
appointments on the Newton which does not readily transfer over in its
entirety to my computer for backup. What shall I do? I defer to the
Newtonian Council for guidance.
Ermin
There is no emotion; there is peace.
There is no ignorance; there is knowledge.
There is no passion; there is serenity.
There is no death; there is the Force.
-Heart of the Jedi Code
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