PDA's
Posted by: daveshoe <daveshoe@...>
(and great fear I'd loose the calendar!), I broke down and purchased a
PDA. I did a lot of research before making the decision. The choices were
something from Palm Pilot or something from Handspring. The research was
interesting. It seems that though Handspring is a brand new company, it
was founded by the folks that founded Palm Pilot. They decided to go it
alone (though rumor has it that it wasn't their decision!).
I have had my Handspring Vision Deluxe now for a month, and find it to be a
most VALUABLE tool for running my business. I can easily carry -- in my
pants pocket -- my entire calendar, to-do list, and most important, my
contact list. Honestly, I don't know how someone in a service industry can
function without one of these.
The Palm and Handspring both run the same operating system Palm
OS. Handspring has tweaked it a little (not much), so the OS wasn't in the
decision chain. What I do like about the Handspring is the feel. It just
fits in my hand better. Even the stylus is easier to use. They are also
available in iMac-like colors, so I selected a blue and white. ERROR! The
one thing I do NOT like is that the screen cover is removable. It's a
frosted white, and easily blends in with other junk on a desk. I've lost
it twice already (and found it later). (Kinda tells you what my desk looks
like...)
Here's the real thing that made me decide: It has a compartment and port
to add peripherals. Yes, you can buy Tiger Woods Golf Game, but what sold
me was that, with the addition of a component, it will replace my pager --
one less thing to carry. Unfortunately, it's not available quite yet. I
certainly hope I didn't purchase vapor ware. It also connects USB instead
of serial, which is nice.
My fear of loosing the calendar book I used to carry went away with
purchasing a PDA. If a horrible thing happens and the Visor quits or gets
lost for good, I have a complete backup of all the information on my
computer. No lost numbers or appointments!
I used to think these things were just gadgets. Not any more! Anyway, if
you're in the market, check out http://www.handspring.com . (They aren't
available in many stores yet, though locally, Staples carries them.)
Dave Shoemaker
List Servant, CCMag Mailing List
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