Help choosing

[Esq.]

I am considering buying my first PDA. I was hoping to find a PDA with a telephone and GPS. After a long search I am more confused than ever about which one to buy. I was looking at the Garmin iQue M5. I know there is no phone here and am willing to sacrifice that if the M5 is a good PDA and GPS. I am a lawyer and need the abilities of a PDA and also need a good GPS system. I have an office management program that says it will interface with a Palm OS system but I notice that the M5 is a Windows Mobile operating system, anyone know if these two are compatible or if there is some software that can bridge the 2? Any ideas or thoughts would be much appreciated thanks!

[reinbeau]

(sneaking in from the other forum) Why not go for the iQue 3600? If you're looking for Palm OS, that is.

[Egmont]

My first PDA was the iQue3600. I bought it a little over a year ago primarily for the nifty GPS feature. I took it all over the states and Europe. A great unit and I highly recommend it.

Well, then a funny thing happened, I discovered the PDA part of the unit. It works quite well and there many application available, but I outgrew them soon.

So, like you, I went looking and found the HP iPAQ4705 and the Dell v50x. Both are top of the line PDA's and basically equal in spec's.

I decided on the 4705 primarily for the brighter screen since much of my uses are outdoors in sunlight.

Yesterday I received the 4705 and the Garmin G10. Boy, did I ever make the right decision. The screen is fantastic and very visible in sunlight with just minor shading. I now can preview pictures I took with my digi cam on the spot.

The G10 works just like the iQue with an outside antenna. Now I can put the antenna in shirt or backpack pocked and the unit somewhere safe when walking around. The only down side was the software display, it does not the screen justice

I still have much to learn, but so far, I'm in heaven.

[Curious Cat]

If you are going to skip the phone and prefer a Palm based system because of your work environment then Ann is 100% correct, the iQue 3600 would be the better choice or the 3600a if you are also a pilot. Since you are a lawyer I will be billing you $200 for this advice......:)

[stairman]

Does the 4700 include a phone?

[Egmont]

No, it is strictly a superb PDA

[jhutchcr]

Well I got my new X50v and GPS 10 all in sync.

Kefer was correct; it’s not a day in the park, mainly due to Garmin's Tec writers inability to publish a linear thought.

They have three sets of instructions. One for the PC another for the PPC and the third for the GPS 10. The instructions when installing have you refer to the other instructions to complete the current operation. It was somewhat of a puzzle.

Well, it’s all up and running, the GPS 10 is paired with the PPC and all is well.

For the most part it operates identical to the iQue 3600, however it does not seem to take advantage of the VGA screen. Not a show buster, but the maps do look a little cleaner on the 3600.

As for the PDA side of thing, well let’s say apples and oranges when compared to a Palm. I must say, for my purposes I like the PPC far better. I'm accustomed to a windows environment and the PPC has the same feel, thus for me it’s very intuitive.

Don’t get me wrong, the Palm based iQue is a very nice machine, just falls short of my needs and desires.

I will say that when querying a large set of data, for example showing all points of interest, the PPC outperform the iQue solidly in speed of displaying the data output. As soon as you hit OK, Bam, the results are there.

I will post more in the days to come as my car mount will arrive Monday, thus giving me a better opportunity to play.

I will note though, the construction of the X50v is by far superior to that of the iQue. If I twist the iQue it gets a creaking noise, where as the X50v is like a piece of iron.

Love both units; however it will be nice to get rid of all those wires hanging in my truck. With the BT and a hard wired Seidio mount on a ProClip it will make for on clean install.

If I had any money left I'd buy a digital camera and take some pics. I guess I use my film camera and have some digital images made from them?

Until next time
:cool:

[jhutchcr]

Common Ann, have a bite of the PPC apple!;)

[AnswerDude]

The soon to be released (~april) iPAQ hw6500 will have GSM/GPRS cell phone, built-in NMEA standard GPS receiver, bluetooth, 1 sd, 1 mini sd slot.
http://www.brighthand.com/article/iPAQ_hw6500_Coming_in_April?site=PPC

[AnswerDude]

Originally posted by stairman
Does the 4700 include a phone?
As mentioned, no it does not, but there is GSM/GPRS cf card that will add cellular phone and data function to Pocketpc.
http://www.convergentech.com/detail.aspx?ID=2

[Curious Cat]

BTW, in case someone reads this thread too fast; I just wanted to point out that neither Ann nor I are trying to convert PPC users to the Palm platform. It's just that this thread is about a person who was looking for a Palm solution. Both Ann and I think that it is in bad taste to tout one platform while you are in another's forum and furthermore I personally wouldn't say one platform is necessarily better then the other (note, I didn't include Ann on this one :) ).

[jhutchcr]

Originally posted by Curious Cat
BTW, in case someone reads this thread too fast; I just wanted to point out that neither Ann nor I are trying to convert PPC users to the Palm platform. It's just that this thread is about a person who was looking for a Palm solution. Both Ann and I think that it is in bad taste to tout one platform while you are in another's forum and furthermore I personally wouldn't say one platform is necessarily better then the other (note, I didn't include Ann on this one :) ).

Common Cat, never said one was better than the other. I did say one meets my needs better than the other.

I think I can say that as I've owned the iQue 3600 for a year now!

With regard to Ann, just having a little fun!;)

[Curious Cat]

Originally posted by jhutchcr
Common Cat, never said one was better than the other. I did say one meets my needs better than the other.

I think I can say that as I've owned the iQue 3600 for a year now!

With regard to Ann, just having a little fun!;)

You must have felt guilty. My comments had nothing to do with your posts. This is a PPC forum and I would expect posts favoring that platform, I'd be surprised if it wasn't that way. I was just wanting to clarify my position since I hate when people come to the Palm side of the iQue forum and tell us that Palm stuff sucks. I don't condone that and I wouldn't want to be a participant in such an action. Again, this was a general comment, nothing towards you in particular. Sorry about the confusion. :)

[jhutchcr]

Cat, I know we have separate forums for PPC and Palm, but given we are mainly talking about Garmin I don't see how the two can be separate.

Both the iQue 3600 and GPS 10 are equally impressive. I think it is nice to be able to place my PDA anywhere within the car without a wire connected to an antenna.

I have always loved the simplicity of Palm platform; however I find it just as easy these days to use PPC.

If the iQue 3600 was BT enabled and could utilize a GPS 10 I would probably have not moved to the "dark side"

I am now glad I moved over, as I was pleasantly surprised how easy PPC is to use. I guess I fell into all the Palm hype that indicated that the use of a PPC required more intellect than I could muster.

Needless to say, I love them both, but one won out over the other due to desired features.

[Egmont]

.Needless to say, I love them both, but one won out over the other due to desired features.

Well said and I wholeheartedly agree, don't let this become a pi$$ing match.

I speak from experience, being a member of a digital photography forum and I don't mean "point & shoot" cameras, but pro and semipro equipment.

The bickering is endless, especially when a new camera is introduced, what a waist of time and bandwidth. One is compared to the other, "trolls" come in from the other forums posting insulting or just inflammatory messages and idiots respond to them.

PLEASE, DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN HERE!

I now own both and like them for different reasons.

[reinbeau]

Originally posted by jhutchcr
Common Ann, have a bite of the PPC apple!;) Only when the Palm OS is totally dead, which unfortunately I see coming over the horizon....unless Linux comes to the rescue..........;)

[Bokkie]

Originally posted by reinbeau
Only when the Palm OS is totally dead, which unfortunately I see coming over the horizon....unless Linux comes to the rescue..........;)

Ann, join us now before the horizon comes into close-up view. It would be good if Linux did come to the rescue but in the meantime, switch off the iQue and join us. We need all the members we can get!:D

[Curious Cat]

Originally posted by Egmont
.

Well said and I wholeheartedly agree, don't let this become a pi$$ing match.

.........
PLEASE, DON'T LET THIS HAPPEN HERE!

I now own both and like them for different reasons.

Just to clarify again; I love Garmin, I have nothing against the PPC products and it's very likely I may own one in the future. I think the GPS 10 is a great product and the M5 is probably a very good device also. I have bought and own many Dell products with Windows and I love them too. I'm a stockholder of both Dell and Microsoft (Garmin too). That said the original post in this thread stated, and I quote, "I have an office management program that says it will interface with a Palm OS system but I notice that the M5 is a Windows Mobile operating system..." That is the only reason I'm involved in this thread. The M5 is almost the same device as the iQue 3600 and it seemed his only complaint was that it would not interface with the system they use at work. At no point have I even hinted that the Palm platform is superior to the PPC platform. There is no pissing going on here and certainly no trolling. Sheesh...



jhutchcr

Cat, I know we have separate forums for PPC and Palm, but given we are mainly talking about Garmin I don't see how the two can be separate.

Remember when we had a poll in the iQue forum. I was the one that was all for allowing everyone to discuss whatever they wanted, Garmin related. I totally agree with your statement.

[Bokkie]

Originally posted by jhutchcr
[B...For the most part it operates identical to the iQue 3600, however it does not seem to take advantage of the VGA screen. Not a show buster, but the maps do look a little cleaner on the 3600...[/B]

Admittedly it is not a show stopper but I'd like to think that one day Garmin will embrace the different screen resolutions and take advantage of it. The maps are the same of course, but they definitely look very 'chunky' on the HX4700.

[Egmont]

Mr.Cat,

Why do you take this personally? For that matter, anybody contributing to this thread right now?

I have read enough posts by you, Ann, Bokkie and others to value the info and help that makes it easier for as newbies to enjoy the equipment sooner, rather then trying to learn through a manual.

If you and others feel the post was inappropriate, I apologize. I am still gun shy when I opening a NG and know what is going on in that and other forums.

[reinbeau]

Originally posted by Bokkie
Ann, join us now before the horizon comes into close-up view. It would be good if Linux did come to the rescue but in the meantime, switch off the iQue and join us. We need all the members we can get!:D No way, Bokkie. I need Datebk5, ShadowPlan (HandyShopper's been ported to PPC) and too many other programs to be switching now. I am interested in watching you guys learn, but that's it.

[reinbeau]

Originally posted by Egmont
Mr.Cat,

Why do you take this personally? For that matter, anybody contributing to this thread right now?

I think you're reading something into CC's post that isn't there. He isn't taking it personally. Neither am I. CC stated the exact reason why I entered the thread, because the OP mentioned the office program interfaced with the Palm OS. Simple as that.

The totally good-natured repartee between Bokkie, myself and others is a longstanding thing. No one is upset here.

[Bokkie]

Well said Ann. I enjoyed my time at the iQue forum immensely and I go there seldom now as my iQue is now in my drawer and unless I can actively contribute something the iPaq and this forum are the new Bokkie hang-outs. For sure it's not as busy as The Other Side but I'm enjoying my 'retirement' as it were!:D

If I could all just pesuade you to buy a PPC then we'd all be one mega-party!

Slainte!

[jhutchcr]

Originally posted by Bokkie
[
If I could all just pesuade you to buy a PPC then we'd all be one mega-party!

Slainte! [/B]

Ann, don’t look into Bokkie's eyes if you desire to continue with the Palm platform.:D

[reinbeau]

Originally posted by jhutchcr
Ann, don’t look into Bokkie's eyes if you desire to continue with the Palm platform.:D Not a problem, jhutchcr! :D

[JMckie]

If I didn't already own the iQue 3600 and had to make a buying decision today, I would probably go for the Dell X50V and GPS 10.

But I don't have a need for another GPS system, and my wi-fi needs are already fulfilled by my other PDA. In the meantime, I can patiently wait for the converged solution I truly want: Treo 650 + Garmin BlueTrex, which I think will come eventually.