Dave’s Ipaq –

05-05-2005, 08:40 PM   #1

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Join Date: Aug 2004

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Looking for a new PDA

I have been doing some research on PDAs which I will need soon for my medical school work. I would like a VGA screen, wireless, a fast graphics processor. attachable thumb keyboard, and possibly a 3G capable phone integrated. I like the HX4705, but it lacks some of those items. Other than the 6500 and 6700 coming out in the next few weeks, are there any rumors as a to replacement for the HX4705 that may include the Intel 2700G or better graphics chip? Dell will be releasing a handhald this fall with a hard drive, is HP going to follow suit? Is there a thumb board available for the HX4705 yet? I would like some comments. Here is the research I have done so far so please comment away:

1) Ipaq HX4705 + current EDGE capable cell-phone via bluetooth for internet I don’t know if HP has a 4705 replacement in the works which includes the Intel graphics processor or hard drive capabilities. Pros: HP’s software package and support, VGA screen, dual-slot CF & SD, high quality screen, wifi, bluetooth Cons: no intel graphics chip 2) Dell x50v 624Mhz + current EDGE capable cell-phone via bluetooth for internet Pros: Cheap, VGA screen, dual-slot CF & SD, fast video chip, wifi, bluetooth Cons: Dell support, quality issues Both the above choices kinda suck in my opinion. 3) a) iPaq hw6515 Pocket PC Smartphone b) XCPUScale for overclocking c) SanDisk SDIO Wifi + 256 Meg card Pros: Integrated device, GPS and mapping (although my car has this already), quad-band phone, EDGE capable, mini-sd slot & sdio slot Cons: no VGA screen, no CF slot, no wifi (must be added via SDIO slot), EDGE will be “old” once UTMS catches on which it doesn’t support 4) a) Dell’s new hard drive equipped hand held (rumored) b) keep current AT&T edge phone (good enough for bluetooth pass-thru email, IM, web browsing via handheld) Pros: can replace phone with UTMS phone later on or buy a EV-DO (super fast cellular data), hard drive built-in for super storage + all the advantages for option #2 above

Cons: no GPS, Dell support, quality issues, no integrated phone (must carry two devices

Last edited by hrana98 : 05-05-2005 at 08:45 PM.

 
05-06-2005, 02:05 AM   #2

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Join Date: Nov 2004

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Sounds like you have done all the research already. You don’t have to sign a three year lease for a PPC so just go out and get what fits best today. Tomorrow you may see something else (sthe the old and buy the new) but that’s what makes this all so interesting. If you wait for the perfect configuration, new technologies will develop driving you to hold out even longer for the next best thing.

 
05-06-2005, 11:15 AM   #3

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Did not consider getting a CF GSM/GPRS card and fitting it in the PDA. Then no need for seperate phone. With this you could get the hx4705 or x50v.

__________________ Reidan Moderator, Dave’s iPAQ Dave’s iPAQ is not affiliated with HP

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05-06-2005, 11:17 AM   #4

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Reidan …do you mean ‘Do’ instead of ‘Do not’ ????

__________________ Laura Moderator, Dave’s iPAQ Dave’s iPAQ is not affiliated with HP

Members Only FAQ Section . Have news? Submit it . Want to contact me? Use the contact form to send me an email. Want to support the site? Shop in our iPAQ store.

NEW Dont forget our Podcast hotline telephone number in the US: 1-425-738-9506 available 24 hours a day 7 days a week or leave us a SKYPE Voicemail by clicking here . Also dont forget to add our podcast in iTunes by clicking here.

 
05-06-2005, 11:27 AM   #5

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It is a little confusing. I meant to type “You did not consider………….”

So, how about changing it to “Have you considered getting a ……………”

__________________ Reidan Moderator, Dave’s iPAQ Dave’s iPAQ is not affiliated with HP

Members Only FAQ Section . Have news? Submit it . Want to contact me? Use the contact form to send me an email. Want to support the site? Shop in our iPAQ store.

NEW Dont forget our Podcast hotline telephone number in the US: 1-425-738-9506 available 24 hours a day 7 days a week or leave us a SKYPE Voicemail by clicking here . Also dont forget to add our podcast in iTunes by clicking here.

 
05-06-2005, 12:28 PM   #6

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Hrana98, There is a thumbboard available for the 4705. I’ve got it, and while I don’t use it enough to be “Blackberry fast”, it is adequate for some needs. I’ve definitely been able to keep two simultaneous IM conversations going with it. As a touch typist, though, I prefer the foldable bluetooth keyboard I’ve also got for my iPaq. The only issue with the thumbboard is that the tactile response isn’t very good. There are times when I feel the mechanical “click” response from some of the keys, only to discover that the electrical contact wasn’t made and the keypress wasn’t registered. From what I’ve read, this is a common problem with this model of HP thumbboard, and not isolated to my unit in particular. If you’re going to be using a PDA/PocketPC for medical school work, chances are that the form factor of a PDA with a decent screen, such as the 4705, will be a little unwieldy for use as a phone. Since you mentioned a VGA display as one of your first requirements, this pretty much rules out any current all-in-one device. You won’t get nearly the screen size or resolution on a display with an integrated phone/PDA unit. For connectivity, I usually use WiFi, but when I’m not near a hotspot, I use bluetooth to connect my 4705 to a GPRS / EDGE phone on AT&T (I know…Cingular) Wireless. I only use this on rare occassion, when I need an email or a connection in an airport or other remote location. But, it’s nice to leave the phone on my belt (or wherever), and not have to balance a wired connection to the cellphone. I also prefer (for now) a separate phone and PDA, so I can choose the best devices that suit their particular task, instead of finding an “all-in-one” that might require me to compromise in some areas. You list some pros and cons in your OP. Personally, I’d give a large consideration to the fact that, as technology (and your wireless plans) change, you can just swap out the phone, without having to replace an entire PDA, just to change wireless connectivity. You also missed two “cons” WRT the 6515: 1) it’s not available yet, and we don’t know exactly when it will be; and 2) when it is released, we don’t know what issues it may or may not have…a la the 6315. Anyway, to sum up my (longer than intended) post, your initial requirements seem to be fulfilled with a 4705 (screen, thumbboard, wireless, etc). I don’t know if the x50v has a thumbboard available; it might. Since you mentioned the integrated phone as a secondary wish, I think you’d do very well with one of these two PDAs, and either a tethered cellphone for non-WiFi connectivity, or (as Reidan mentioned), a GPRS/EDGE Compact Flash card. You can also use these cards, by the way, as a voice GSM phone with a wired earpiece. Just something else to think about. Just my $0.02 worth; YYMV. Happy iPaq-ing,

Schmencke

Last edited by Schmencke : 05-06-2005 at 12:41 PM.

 
05-06-2005, 01:09 PM   #7

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Join Date: May 2005

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there is a VGA PPC Phone designed by HTC coming out soon. U mightv want to wait ang get that

 
05-18-2005, 08:18 PM   #8

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Join Date: Aug 2004

Posts: 4

The HTC universal is exactly what I want however they don’t have a North American version in the works yet. It is perfect though in every other way. What I want to know is when HP will release a new flagship PDA with a faster graphics processor?

 
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