Confused about which PDA to get - maemo.org

Mina | # 1 | 2009-09-09, 20:52 | Report

I'd like to get a wireless device that has the following capabilities:
1. Wireless internet and email, with ability to read PDFs and maybe do basic word document editing
2. Syncing to Remember the Milk, or its own daily planner/to-do list and calendar type application with a good interface that can be synced to my computer.

Essentially, I want a PDA-type device.

I don't want a phone. I'm not looking for music player or video player functionality, but if that's included in the device that's most practical for me, that's fine.

I was looking at the Nokia N810 as well as the iPod touch. Does anyone have suggestions at other devices I should look into? Thanks in advance.

mrojas | # 2 | 2009-09-09, 20:58 | Report

What calendar/to-do program do you use on your computer?

Edit: E-mail too, Gmail, Lotus, Exchange...?

Last edited by mrojas; 2009-09-09 at 21:01.

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Bulfaiter | # 3 | 2009-09-09, 21:10 | Report

Originally Posted by Mina View Post

I'd like to get a wireless device that has the following capabilities:
1. Wireless internet and email, with ability to read PDFs and maybe do basic word document editing
2. Syncing to Remember the Milk, or its own daily planner/to-do list and calendar type application with a good interface that can be synced to my computer.

Essentially, I want a PDA-type device.

I don't want a phone. I'm not looking for music player or video player functionality, but if that's included in the device that's most practical for me, that's fine.

I was looking at the Nokia N810 as well as the iPod touch. Does anyone have suggestions at other devices I should look into? Thanks in advance.

iPod Touch's PIM support (Calendar, TODO, Contacts and Mail) is better, in my opinion. They have a Remember the Milk Client, (but as far as I know you must be have a pro account), and they sync flawlessly with OS X.

The Nokia Internet Tablets (before the N900) have no PIM support from Nokia side. There are community applications, and while you may get them working, you'd have to spend some time configuring them.

So the question I ask you is: do you like "hacking"? Spending some time to get the most of the device? Or do you like to have things working fast and nice?

EDIT: There's a Remember The Milk client for the Tablets, developed in one of this years' Google Summer of Code projects.

Last edited by Bulfaiter; 2009-09-09 at 21:18. Reason: Canola2 Remember The Milk plugin

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Mina | # 4 | 2009-09-09, 22:34 | Report

Thank you for the replies, mrojas and Bulfaiter.

mrojas, I use Gmail and Remember the Milk heavily. I also use Google reader, Google docs, and Google voice and video chat on a daily basis, and Google calendar here and there. If Remember the Milk isn't available on a PDA but Google functionalities are, I'd be happy to switch over the Gmail + Tasks + Google calendar.

I'm goal- and detail-oriented and always make lists and memos for myself to keep track of deadlines, schedules, and to structure my off-time, so what I'm looking for is a portable wireless system with software that I can use to manage school, work, and personal stuff all in one place.

Bulfaiter, I'm not opposed to hacking, tweaking, and modding, but mostly I'd like an efficient, minimal device with as little modification as possible.

Bulfaiter | # 5 | 2009-09-09, 23:05 | Report

For Remember The Milk, there is this application, done in the Google Summer of Code.

If you just want to see how it works, go here

About Google's services:

Gmail: There's a gmail notifier, which, as far as I know, can only handle an account. It lives in the status bar, and changes its color if new mail arrives. You can also use a Mail client, but I can't tell you about it. I've tried the one which comes preinstalled, Modest, but I wasn't too happy with it. However, it's better here that you wait for another, more optimistic, opinion.
Google Calendar. There's an application, GPE-Calendar, which can sync and show your Google Calendar using Erminig (another app). I'm not using them right now, so I don't know if there are any issues that may concern you.
Google Voice. I think that there's a Google Voice client, but I haven't tried it yet.
Google Docs. As far as I know, it worked fine from the browser. But I don't use it, so I may be wrong.

I use the Tablet mostly for browsing, for reading feeds with Google Reader (I use the iPhone optimized web app), and for logging remotely with ssh. I also use it for multimedia, and reading ebooks.

As a final thought, I think that this device has a lot of potential, but had little support from Nokia in several fields, mainly PIM. However, the effort from its community has improved the tablets a lot, and new software is always coming to fill people's needs. The drawback is that you've got to expend some time if you want the tablet to do things which aren't there "out of the box". It will probably be able to do them, but you'll have to put hours.

In the other hand, the iPod may work better for your needs right out of the box, but has less potential "on the long run" (if there is that "long run" :P)

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mrojas | # 6 | 2009-09-10, 16:08 | Report

I gave a quick overview on what you can find on the market regarding PDA devices, sadly the PDA itself is almost dead (due to the smartphones).

I think the iPod Touch is your best bet atm. The iPod touch (specially the new announced model for $199) probably is going to have better support and require less hacking than the N810 to do what you want. Official support for the N810 has ceased and independent developers are more interested in the N900 now.

From what I know, you can use Google Docs, Calendar, and other apps in the Touch. No video calling, though because there is no camera, and you may need to Jailbreak it (Apple walled garden, iTunes, etc). No multitask as well.

Good luck!

P.S.: Have you checked up the N900?

Last edited by mrojas; 2009-09-10 at 16:14.

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Phen0m | # 7 | 2009-09-12, 18:02 | Report

The Samsung Mondi sounds perfect for you.. It's windows mobile, so any app a winmo phone can run, the Mondi will also utilize.. Large screen(4.3"), keypad, with d-pad, access to numerous PIM options and MS Office.

http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/m...etail&tab=spec

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tso | # 8 | 2009-09-12, 18:14 | Report

would have been interesting if they made a worldwide version of that one

drop the wimax, make UMTS/HSPA optional.

Mina | # 9 | 2009-09-14, 20:14 | Report

Thanks again for the great advice, everyone.

So the iPod touch 8gb version has essentially stayed the same from 2nd to 3rd gen. Amazon is selling both items for like $189 (I think the 3rd gen is actually a few dollars cheaper than the 2nd gen), or ~$205 for a combo deal with a sturdy rubber case and screen protectors.

I see the Nokia N810 is at around $220-240 right now. The Zune HD, released tomorrow, is at $220 for 16 GB. The Nokia N900 is $400-450 at the cheapest; the Samsung Mondi is at $450. The latter two are definitely out of my price range - I'm a grad student making $2000 a month, and my savings have been depleted by moving across the country and buying a home this summer.

At this point I am leaning toward the iPod touch, because the price is right (don't need more storage than 8GB, especially since I won't be storing videos or more than 100 or so songs on it - if I get it, it'll replace my 2.5-year-old 2GB mini Zen, which is pretty bare-bones and used only during my daily workouts), and because there are tons of third party apps available to customize the device's functionality. I've been looking at reviews of the many to-do list, daily planner, and similar-type Touch apps, and it seems like at least several, outside of RTM, have syncing capability.

Although, if you guys have more advice, I'd be happy to hear it.