PocketPC with Psion Keyboard Quality

[treddy]

Looking for some recommendations to substitute for my inability to physically sample any PocketPCdevices while living in Cambodia...

HISTORY:
Have a Psion Series 5 whose screen has died again. This time, don't want to get it fixed or buy a 5mx as had planned - something wrong about buying a discontinued line for me. The Nokia 9210 should have been the product for me (goods apps, integrated comms, EPOC, calendar sync etc.) but they messed up with that awful keyboard. Can't type on that!

So time to take the plunge for a PocketPC machine. Will miss EPOC and the Psion apps - especially the amount of work I could get done in Psion apps with the great Psion keyboard.

Question is, amongst the keyboard based (i.e., not Palm-shaped/stylus stuff) PocketPC machines, which ones are really 'usable' in terms of typing into an Excel or Word equivalent file? Something like HP Jornada sounds reasonable.

Does anyone use a PocketPC machine for writing reports (on a good keyboard), doing 'Excel", synching calendars and contacts with Outlook and/or Lotus Notes and connecting to Internet (preferable via IR or Bluetooth)?

Appreciate any recommendations or alternatives I've not thought of. :)
Cheers,
Trent

[GadgetFreak]

Hopefully someone will comment on the Jornada 720 with a built in keyboard. I switched from a 5MX to an IPAQ with a thumb keyboard for tight spaces (I found myself using the writing instead) and a Think Outside full size folding keyboard for heavy typing. I have edited professional articles in word (Im a professor), correspondence and various reports. I couldnt be happier to have switched. I can synch remotely with my desktop from a cellphone. I found as far as linking to a computer to synch with Outlook for mail, calendar, tasks, etc the IPAQ is vastly more robust than the Psion. Plus I sort mail into dozens of subfolders in Outlook and I can sort into them on the IPAQ as well, then when I synch all is in order. I dont miss the keyboard as much as I thought I would, and if I have to type a lot the folding full size keyboard is a lot nicer than the keyboard on the 5MX. My 2 cents worth. Good luck

[Primaz]

Does anyone use a PocketPC machine for writing reports (on a good keyboard), doing 'Excel", synching calendars and contacts with Outlook and/or Lotus Notes and connecting to Internet (preferable via IR or Bluetooth)?

The 720/ or new 728 HP Jornada is exactly what you are describing. It has 32megs for the 720 and 64 megs for the 728. Both have word, excel, outlook, web brouser 4.01 not a pocket version but a full brouser, has irda, and can accpet blue tooth pcmia cards along with CF cards and has 56 k built in modem. There is also Textbridge from softmaker which is an enhanced word processor that provide tables, charts, footers, headers, ability to insert pictures and save as rtf. which anyone can open. I mention this as this is a great addition for poeple using a 720/728 for research reports etc. that want more than the pocket word. They 720/728 has a full keyboard very similar to Psion as I used to own a Psion. This is your ideal Psion replacement.

[treddy]

Thanks Primaz. This (HP JOrnada 728) does seem to be the closest thing (barring the price!) to replace my sadly departed Psion. Pricey, though!

As long as you promise the keyboard is as good as the Psion...

Next question would be, Bluetooth to Nokia 6310i? Heard that the Nokia is troublesomse with a non-standard Bluetooth imlpementation.

Does anyone know a definitive "it works" solution for connecting these two with Bluetooth?

Cheers

[Primaz]

I can type about 40 wpm on the 728 vs 45-50 on my desktop computer; it took me about two weeks to get used to the feel but now it has become my primary computer. I am typing this via my 728.

I have read others whom have used blue tooth cf cards on the 720/728 with success. Also others have used 802.11 wireless like D-link products with the 720/728. I just used the built in irda to wirelessly connect to my Nokia 8890 cell phone to send/recieve e-mails.