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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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 PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 05:26
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Hi all,
I'm looking to upgrade to a new phone and figured I should probably get a PDA that can make phone calls too. That way, I only have to carry one thing around.
Anyone know much about these? Or know of any good sites with info?
I know of a few names like Blackberry and O2, but not sure if they work in Australia?
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Melbourne Australia
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 06:12
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Blackberry's are available in aust, they're available at Telstra. Only thing i'm not sure is if they are offered to the general public.
At work we recently rolled out about 10 blackberry's all synchronised to its own server. they're quite good in that they will keep u updated with all your emails, etc. we had our blackberrys synchronised to the users account. However i'm not sure this may be a viable choice for you considering the costs etc.
The other option i may suggest is the latest Sony Ericsson PDA/Phone. our boss uses this instead of a black berry and its seems to do the job just fine. instead of real time synchronisiation like a blackberry, you have to dialup to your email server, or synchronise manually with your computer via usb.
i think the model is P900.
personally i would choose the p900 over the black berrys as they cost more to run, arent that user friendly, screen can get scratched easily, no camera and a few other niggly things. the p900 on the other hand had all the functions that i needed. The black berry is best when you need to be kept updated while on the run.
Cheers
Huy
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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 06:53
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Kewlies! Thanks dude.
I've just been doing some research and Vodafone just recently rolled out Blackberry also. They have the Corporate plan (which you described), but they also have a web email plan...
It seems the Blackberries don't really suit my needs though. No touch screen, crap res on the screens, difficult interface... They just seem like glorified mobile phones... I'm after a PDA that can make phone calls...
I'm just currently reading up reviews of some iPaqs that also act as phones... h6300 series...
In Microsoft terminology, I think I'm after a Pocket PC Phone rather than a Smartphone...
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Location:
Brisbane
Registered:
February 2003
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 08:24
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Les,
i'm after the same kind of thing but a linuxOS would be great for the geekfactor.
i was briefly tempted by one of these:
<http://www.linuxdevices.com/news/NS5920529122.html>
motorola's but it does the networking via protocols/methods i dont want to use.
i really after the ability to sync via bluetooth to my mac for email/calendar etc...
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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 10:08
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If you want Linux, some people have installed Linux on some iPaqs...
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Location:
Brisbane, QLD
Registered:
February 2003
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 10:14
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a bit off topic
but i found a web article on how to install linux onto an ipod :/
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I supported Toymods
Toymods Club Secretary
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 10:31
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Blackberrys(ies?) rock  Can't beat having it synched up to the company mail server for real time email wherever you are. Don't know how worthwhile this would be for an individual, however you DO have that mail server at home.. 
From what I've used at work they kinda suck as a phone though.. Max - Are you sure there are no Blackberry models that have a touch screen? And some of the newer ones also have colour screens btw
As a phone/PDA I would probably have to choose the Ericson P900 though. Slightly thicker than the Blackberry, but not as wide. Nice screen and a few decent features (from what I've seen on the ones I've played with)..
Oh, and slightly OT - You missed a good day today dude. Shame you guys couldn't make it up..
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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 12:18
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Real-time email would rock! But I don't think I could justify the cost!
The current winners are:
Palm Treo 600
iPAQ h6365
The Palm is cheap, but the iPAQ has wireless which means that it can be online anywhere in my apartment... *geek factor*
I've heard many good things about the P900, but it's a bit pricey compared to those two I mentioned.
Oh, and yeah, would've been a good day! Perfect weather!
More OT: Gonna pick up the car on Tuesday, so if you knock off early from work, give me a call!
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I supported Toymods
Toymods Club Secretary
Location:
Sydney
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Sun, 31 October 2004 21:10
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SWEET! Will do 
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I supported Toymods
Location:
Melbourne Australia
Registered:
November 2003
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Mon, 01 November 2004 11:04
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the newer Blackberrys (model cant remember but search the telstra site i know its there somewhere) have colour screen (but its not that much colour, more like a feint likeness to colour, but they are touch screen i think. hmm are they? cant remember but unless you can justify the costs of the Blackberry in real time, get the P900. even though it may cost a bit more, its truly worth it.
The palm has a mini qwerty keyboard on it, but imo, i've found these a nuisance. keys are too small if you have non petite japanese woman fingers. i've seen my boss use his black berry for sms'ing and hes got large fingers  Understandably the palm is more PDA then phone so if your moreso after a PDA then sure it probably could do what you need.
iPaq, not bad in terms of PDA's but i have a thing against wide phones. i've used ipaq's as pda's and as that they are fine, but as a phone, i'm a bit :?-ish ...
so once again the P900 prevails its great as a PDA, good size for a phone/pda device...has a normal keypad, entering data is simple (keyboard, that weird recognition style, or character recognition) comes with 64mb Memory Stick Duo iirc, great resolution, good camera, syncs with outlook email/calendar/tasks/contacts easily, and a host of other features.
What will you mainly be using the pda/phone for ?
Cheers
Huy
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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Mon, 01 November 2004 11:54
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Keyboard doesn't bother me, I've used PDA's for years now so I'm proficient with writing in the Palm alphabet.
One thing I don't like about the P900 is the reliance on the Memory Stick. I'd rather stick with an open standard.
My current iPAQ uses SD/MMC cards...
Size doesn't matter to me either 'coz I've been carrying around a PDA and a big business phone for years now... Combining them into one is a bonus, no matter what the size.
The replacement will have to be able to do everything my current iPAQ can do, that's why I am looking at PDAs with phone capabilities instead of the other way around...
A phone just dials... A PDA does a multitude of tasks as well as containing useful programs.
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Location:
Canberra, ACT
Registered:
September 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Mon, 01 November 2004 12:17
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xdaII? a mate's dad showed me one... they're awesome. They don't run PalmOS though, which IMHO is a bit of a downer. I like PalmOS.
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Location:
Cabramatta, NSW
Registered:
May 2002
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Re: PDA & mobile phone?
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Mon, 01 November 2004 12:34
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The XDAII is on my list to check out.
It sounds like it's got the goods though from what I've heard about it.
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