Mobile Computing
* Winner of the Western Publications Association 2004 Maggie Award *
as Best Online Newsletter!
August 19th, 2004
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Technology Advice You Can Trust
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PC World Contributing Editor James A. Martin helps you make the most
of your computing on the go with tools, tips, and product
recommendations about handhelds and notebooks and more.
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August 19th, 2004
In This Issue:
- Feature: The Great PDA-Smart Phone Smackdown
- Notebooks & Accessories: Create a Wi-Fi Network on the Go; Zaurus
Makes Great Notebook Alternative; Dell Recalls Power Adapters
- Gadgets & Services: An MP3 Accessory for Your BMW; A BMW Accessory
for Your MP3s; An OPod for Your IPod
* Feature: The Great PDA-Smart Phone Smackdown *
Have you dumped, or are you planning to dump, your PDA in favor of a
cell phone/PDA combo device? If so, why? If not, why not?
Those are the questions I posed to readers in my July 8 newsletter. My
queries were prompted by Sony's announcement that it had no plans to
introduce new Clie PDAs in the U.S., concentrating instead on smart
phones (another term, essentially, for combo or hybrid devices).
The response from readers to my questions was overwhelming. More than
40 people e-mailed me their opinions, experiences, heartaches, and
ecstasies concerning the PDA vs. smart phone issue. Sentiment was
equally divided, more or less, between those who'd rather have a cell
phone and a separate PDA and those who prefer the all-in-one approach.
But when I took a close look at the explanations behind the
sentiments, an interesting pattern emerged. I found that readers who
favored a PDA and a cell phone supported their case with multiple
reasons, while those in the smart phone camp pretty much harped on the
all-in-one convenience issue. So what follows is a summary, of sorts,
with six arguments in favor of two devices and three in favor of the
combo units.
Whichever side you're on, or if you're still undecided, I think you'll
learn a few things. I certainly did.
Why a PDA and a Cell Phone Are Better Than a Smart Phone
1. If you switch carriers, your PDA/cell phone might end up as a PDA.
You know how you can take your phone number with you when switching
wireless carriers, but frequently, you can't take your cell phone?
Well, that's often true with smart phones, too, writes Jason Stringer
of Hollis, New Hampshire. My research corroborates his theory, with a
few exceptions.
Suppose you buy a PalmOne Treo 600 from AT&T Wireless and sign a
one-year contract for a voice/data plan. Then, after your contract
expires, you want to switch to Sprint. Well, guess what? Sprint
supports a different Treo 600 model than AT&T Wireless. So the
$350-to-$500 PDA/combo device you bought from AT&T Wireless a year
earlier will not work as a cell phone with your new Sprint service.
Sprint's Treo 600 uses the carrier's CDMA-based service, a PalmOne
spokesperson explained to me. But AT&T Wireless, Cingular Wireless,
and T-Mobile offer the Treo 600 for use on their GSM/GPRS networks.
"So you can't switch from Sprint to those other carriers and use your
phone with them," she confirmed. What's more, AT&T Wireless "locks"
its phones, meaning its smart phones can't be configured for use with
other carriers.
Bottom Line: If it's possible you'll be switching cell phone
providers, consider buying a generic Treo 600 (from PalmOne) that can
be used with any carrier except Sprint. The downside: You'll most
likely forgo deals and rebates that cell phone providers offer on the
Treo 600 to entice you to sign a contract.
For more information about the Treo 600, read our review:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/516283/0/
For the latest prices, go to our Product Finder:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722319/0/
Or check out the vendors site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722320/0/
2. Combo devices require too many compromises. Smart phones "will
eventually replace the untalkative PDAs," writes Craig Edward Given, a
systems analyst in Chattanooga, Tennessee. "But currently the
offerings are few, feature sets are limited, and costs can rival that
of a desktop computer--not to mention the expensive carrier plans that
combine data and voice." Craig believes that, for him at least, a
better solution is a cable from SupplyNet that lets him connect his
cell phone to his PDA to make an Internet connection. For more info,
check out the cables at the vendor's Web site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722321/0/
3. The all-in-one design has drawbacks. Lose a PDA but not your cell
phone? Bad. Lose both? Catastrophic. "I hate the thought of having all
the information that matters to me on a single device that can easily
be lost or stolen," writes J. Chinn of Portland, Oregon. There's also
the inconvenience. If you lose your combo device, you have neither a
cell phone nor a PDA at your disposal.
4. PDAs are more affordable. "I'm planning to stick with my Cassiopeia
Pocket Manager BE-300 until PDA/phone combos are cheap enough so that
mere mortals can afford them," writes Jeff Partridge of New
Philadelphia, Ohio. Jeff says he paid $125 for the BE-300. (Casio's
Web site now lists the device as $200 and "not available.") By
comparison, some smart phones, such as the Treo 600, cost about $500.
To read more about the BE-300, go to Casio's site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722322/0/
5. A PDA's size is just right. "Smart phones are still too large for
the phone I want. And once they get small enough, they'll be too small
to use conveniently as a PDA," writes Barry Gottlieb of San Francisco.
6. Combo devices could distract drivers. Using a cell phone when
driving is risky enough, notes Bob Hoover Jr. of Lawrenceville,
Georgia. "But I am very concerned about how much more of a distraction
combo devices will become, with PDA, camera, and whatever else they
come with," he adds.
Why a Smart Phone Is Better Than a PDA and a Cell Phone
1. All your data is in one portable device. While this can be a
disadvantage, many readers see it as a compelling advantage. Treo 600
user Joe Rothman of Aurora, Colorado, writes: "The ability to look up
contact and schedule info and Microsoft Outlook Inbox contents on the
same device (through DataViz's Inbox To Go program), while out on a
call, is great!"
2. Combo devices are much more convenient to use. "Several years ago I
tried using a Palm III and a standard cell phone," recalls Bill Heiser
of San Francisco. "This didn't work out well. Usually I didn't have
the phone number I wanted in the phone, so I had to put down the
phone, find the PDA, look up the number, put down the PDA, pick up the
phone, and dial the number." Bill switched to a Kyocera 6035, an early
phone/PDA combo device, and later upgraded to the Kyocera 7135. "It's
been a real winner," he writes, "and I can't imagine going back to a
standard phone and stand-alone PDA." For more about the Palm OS-based
7135, go to Kyocera's Web site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722323/0/
3. Most people just need a cell phone that stores contacts. "For the
average businessperson, including myself, there are two critical
tools: Outlook and a cell phone," writes Lonny R. Paul, director of
e-commerce for TigerDirect, an online/catalog electronics retailer.
Lonny uses Yahoo IntelliSync to keep Yahoo Mail and Outlook e-mail in
sync with his cell phone, a Sony Ericsson T616. "No matter what, the
phone is most critical," he adds. "It's always with me, and it needs
to have the information I want. PDAs as we know them," Lonny declares,
"are dead." For pricing and info on the Sony Ericsson T616, go to our
Product Finder:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722324/0/
4. Combo devices don't make you look like a geek. Michal T. Horace of
Portland, Oregon, says he feels "like a geeky gunslinger in the Old
West when I've got my cell phone clipped on my right hip and my Pocket
PC clipped on my left. I'm always needing both, so I always carry
both." Michal hopes to purchase a single PDA/cell phone unit in the
next year, though he admits having reservations about "putting so much
money and data in a single unit that I could lose on any given bad
day."
My Two Cents
For the time being, I'm sticking with a PDA and a cell phone. Why?
Because when traveling, I often use my PDA in lieu of a notebook, and
a smart phone's screen is smaller than screens on most PDAs and just
doesn't cut it under those circumstances.
Also, with my new Dell Axim X30 Pocket PC (with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth
connectivity built in) getting an Internet connection when I need one
usually isn't a problem. The Wi-Fi lets me connect at hot spots, such
as those at Starbuck's or in hotels. And with Socket Communication's
Bluetooth-compatible 56K Cordless Modem ($149), I can easily get a
dial-up connection on the Axim when I'm not near a hot spot. Add a
full-sized, fold-out keyboard, and I'm in business.
For more about the Dell Axim X30, read our review:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/601465/0/
For more about the Socket Communications modem, go to the vendor's Web
site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722325/0/
Dell's fold-out keyboard for PDAs is available for $69 (as of this
writing, $62 with rebate) at the company's Web site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722326/0/
* Notebooks & Accessories *
News: Create a Wi-Fi Network on the Go
Apple's new AirPort Express ($129) was designed to create an
802.11g-based wireless connection that lets you stream music from your
Wi-Fi enabled Mac or PC to your home stereo. But Apple says the device
can also be used to create a wireless network wherever there's a
broadband wired network, too. Stuck in a hotel conference room with
one Ethernet network jack? Just connect the AirPort Express to the
Ethernet jack and, voila, you have an instant Wi-Fi network that other
computer users (with 802.11b or 802.11g networking cards) in the room
can hop onto, Apple says.
AirPort Express weighs only 6.7 ounces and measures 3.7 by 2.95 by
1.12 inches. For more details, go to Apple's site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722327/0/
Reader Review: Zaurus Makes Great Notebook Alternative
In a recent newsletter, I asked readers for their favorite notebook
alternatives. Al Scott of Columbus, Ohio responds: "I quit taking my
notebook with me on trips quite some time ago. In fact, I really only
use it for word processing and Web surfing when I'm home. When
traveling, nothing beats my Zaurus SL-6000L for what I need to do. Its
larger [than most PDAs] screen makes it great for e-mail, Web surfing,
office applications, and games."
The Zaurus's 4-inch, 480-by-640-pixel screen is indeed larger than the
majority of PDAs. By comparison, the PalmOne Tungsten T3 screen, while
slid open, is 320 by 480 pixels. The Zaurus is based on Linux,
includes Wi-Fi and a built-in keyboard, and costs about $700.
See our review at:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722328/0/
For more details, go to Sharp's Web site:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722329/0/
News: Dell Recalls Power Adapters
Dell said recently it is recalling some 38,000 of its Combination
Auto/Air Adapters because they can create an electrical shock if used
with power cords from third-party manufacturers. The portable power
adapters were sold between December 2003 and May 2004 as an accessory
with Latitude and Inspiron notebooks. Dell said it hadn't heard of any
electrical shocks but was recalling the adapters to prevent any such
problems. More details:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722330/0/
* Gadgets & Services *
News: An MP3 Accessory for Your BMW
Thought your Altec Lansing InMotion speakers were the coolest Apple
IPod accessory?
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722331/0/
Think again.
Apple and BMW recently announced a new interface that enables BMW cars
made since 2002 to integrate an IPod into the sound system. The
interface includes a cable that resides in the glove box, plugs into
the dock connector of IPods and IPod Minis, and charges the IPod's
battery. The driver can also use the cable to control music
selections, playlists, and volume from the dashboard sound system
controls and from controls on the steering wheel. The kit will cost
$149 plus installation. Details:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722332/0/
News: A BMW Accessory for Your MP3s
The BMW logo adorns the new Laks Memory Music MP3 watch ($275). The
water-resistant watch can hold up to 60 MP3 files or up to 256MB of
data (on flash memory) from your PC or Mac. The battery is charged via
an integrated USB cable, which is also used to transfer files to the
watch. There's a headphone jack, and you can also record voice memos.
Check it out at BMWonline:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722333/0/
News: An OPod for Your IPod
My IPod goes just about everywhere I go--which sometimes makes me
nervous, as I've been known to drop things. Enter the OPod ($50), a
"dustproof, dirtproof, sandproof, drop-proof" IPod case, claims its
maker, OtterBox Products. The case comes in five colors (including
white) and provides access to all IPod controls, except the Hold
switch. Details:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/722334/0/
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* Suggestion Box *
Is there a particularly cool mobile computing product or service I've
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* See James Martin's previous Mobile Computing Features at:
http://pcwnl.pcworld.com/t/197572/21421680/237304/0/
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* PalmOne Unveils Wi-Fi SD Card
Tiny 802.11b adapter will work with Zire 72, Tungsten T3 handhelds.
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