just started looking for a pilot need help

[chrisweir]

i have a few questions about palm pilots that internet sites just arent answering, i thought perhaps you might be able to help

1) does anyone know of a pp that can take a keyboard input? i need this so i can dispense with the bulky laptop, which i only use for ms word.

2) is it realy all that helpful to have a colour screen, and are there any programs that require a colour screen?

3) if i was able to get an awsome deal on a pp without a cradle (it comes with a serial connect and i want usb) , can i buy a usb cradle, and is it worth my while to do so, or will it just end up being too pricy?

4) does the word processor that comes with most pilots work with ms word ( i know that the answer must be yes but i still had to ask)


5) are there any models available that have removable disks or such accaesories. if so are they necessary, and do they help and what are the cost of the disks

thank you to everyone who responds and have a nice day

[genoahous]

1. Almost all PP can take keyboards. There are thumb boards, folding keyboards, full keyboards, and rollup keyboards. Some connect via the hotsync cradle connector, others use IR. The folding keyboard I use is the Palm marked version of the http://www.thinkoutside.com .

Note when using the keyboard, you CANNOT use the IR port to talk to a modem (i.e. no keyboard surfing when using external modem or moble phone). :(

2. Cannot help you on color. But on grey scale PP maps are really hard to read. For me not having color is minor, and my battery thanks me (lasts longer). :D

3. Your choice. USB will hotsync faster than serial, but to me is not too important as I use Dial-up when syncing AvantGo & Vindigo which means the slow link is my Dial-up line, not my Hotsync connection.

Note that if the device has a serial hotsync port, then getting a USB cradle will not speed up the Hotsync. It will only convert from the serial Hotsync port to the USB protocol.

4. I hated documents to go. Never got it to work correctly, and their support stinks. IMO stick with QuickOffice or WordSmith. All three work with word.

5. Most models these days have a slot for SD/MMC Flash memory cards (Sony models use MS). You can think of these as "disks". My Handera 330 has two slots CF and SD/MMC.

SD - Secure Digital (size of postage stamp)
MMC - MultiMedia Card (size of postage stamp, thinner than SD)
MS - Memory Stick (Size of a stick of gum)
CF - Compact Flash (size of a small post-it(R) cheapest flash memory)

The cost of these devices varies depending on size. If you assume a 128MByte device, then SD/MMC would cost $50-80, MS $65-90, and CF $40-50. This are my guesses from my shopping experiences over the last couple of months for all three types of devices for my HE330, MP3 player, and Sony Dig Camera.

Also some CF and some SD slots can take I/O devices like wireless Lan adaptors.

[genoahous]

Ignore this post.

I hit quote instead of edit.

[genoahous]

Also there's unique palm devices like the Dana.

http://store.palm.com/product/index.jsp?productId=1209839

[JohnKes]

Is someone offering you "an awesome deal" on a PalmOS PDA? Tell us which one. It may be a bit old. The newer models have more accessories, etc.

[chrisweir]

thanks alot for all your help sorry it took so long for me to reply, im going to end up buying a new one, ill make sure to post the one im thinking about prior to purchising it so you can give me advice about it

thanks again