holy grail...palm as a laptop replacement

[gadgetboy]

hiya...i'm new here and wondered if anyone has had thoughts or done anything towards this theory for accessorising my palm m515 to the point where it can do most of the stuff i reply on my laptop for (without too much grief or expense)...

(bear with me...i've been stewing on these ideas for 2 weeks already...try not to fall asleep before the end)

1. palm ultraslim keyboard connected to the universal serial connector for those necessary word crunching activities (email and dataviz docs to go etc.)

2. bluetooth sd card in the expansion slot talking to my ericsson t39 for sending email and (possibly) synching avantgo channels (maybe even yahoo! messenger if i can ever get it to work).

3. palm modem for when those larger email attachments simply have to be sent (shame the keyboard can't be attached at the same time...is there a single keyboard that allows a choice of connections?).

4. upgrade mail software to versamail. i hear it can attach files held on memory cards (eg pictures straight from a digital camera) via the expansion slot...issue of available space on the palm aside, does anyone know whether you get to choose to save as draft having attached the file from the card (thereby allowing me to reconnect to my mobile phone using the aforementioned bluetooth setup) or do you have to attach and send simultaneously?

5. yahoo! messenger always gives me a fatal error just as my friends list is loading...does anyone else have this problem or a fix for it?

6. i have an 802.11b network at home. has anyone got any experience with bridging a bluetooth access point onto an 802.11b access point? (there seems to be ways and means but they're all very expensive so far)...having my palm popping up email messages would be nice (assuming versamail can use the bluetooth gateway AND check the server periodically).

ok...that's all for now...i'm glad i got that off my chest.

oops...i just previewed my post and realised it's an epic...i hope i didn't bore anyone...more importantly i hope someone actually read it.

cheers,

gadgetboy.

(...in search of a spaghetti-free connected gadget-ed up existence)

[DrMud]

There is a Universal KeyBoard (CompUSA, etc) that uses IR. I found the keys too small.
No bridge from BlueTooth to WiFi.
Best mail app is Snapper Mail. http://snappermail.com/palm/email/
Doc

[tuffguy]

Regarding your title, I don't know that a Palm could replace a laptop. Don't get me wrong, I love my pda, but working on large documents (writing and editing text, spreadsheets, presentations) is very difficult due to the small screen size. Yes, I believe that a pda in one form or another can do everything a laptop (or desktop for that matter) can do, but the screen size is very limiting.

I was thinking about upgrading my m130 to a ppc, but as of lately I am thinking that might not be the answer I'm looking for. The Palm will always have its place in my arsenal of business tools, but my next big purchase will probably be a new laptop.

Just my thoughts!

tuff

[JohnKes]

You can add this and that to a small PDA until it gets big and complicated or just get a mini laptop with everything built in.

True, there ought to be a way to pull JPGs off an SD card and e-mail it from a Palm. The other stuff you want is not too hard - there is even a WiFi sled that just came out:
http://www.infosync.no/show.php?id=456

I like my Prism because everything I need is at the push of a button, seconds away. I can enter a day's worth of checking transactions into PocketQuicken within 60 seconds - my PC doesn't even finish booting in 60 seconds. I can show family pictures with 3 taps of a stylus (my SplashPhoto is not mapped to a hardware button).

The name of the game is tradeoffs.

[Scott777]

I'd have to echo JohnKes's remarks. By the time you add all these extras like a keyboard, Palm modem, etc., why not just carry around a mini laptop? I think HP or Sony makes one that is about two Palms wide.

Plus, although you can browse certain websites on a Palm, any sites that require Java, Flash, etc. will be useless. In addition, any files you make like spreadsheats and Word docs and want to send as an attachment, won't the recipient need the appropriate converters?

[DrMud]

I don't think we should try to turn this Knight of the Round Table from his quest. I suspect he could fit most of his armory into one of the e-vests (like the safari/photograher vests) and the e-Dockers pants. I expect that once fully armed and charged he will be very attractive to one of thoses all-in-one, copier, fax, scanner, home office machines. Could it be love at first sign?
Doc;)

[gadgetboy]

thanks for the encouragement DrMud.

i was gonna post a reply to the useful comments made but i think i'll see if the thread continues on a humorous tangent first.

ps. i already put some stuff on my christmas list...if it works out i'll let ya know ;)

[DrMud]

Keep up the good work! QUEST FIRST, all else later.
Doc

PS: As a compulsive "I can make this work better" nut case I have sought the Grail many times. It beats wild women and booze!

[tuffguy]

I beg to differ Doc. As a brother compulsive, I read PDASTREET at work. I chase women and booze at night. I sleep during my lunch breaks. This is the life. What could be better?

[JohnKes]

I'm a lumberjack and I'm ok
I sleep all night and I work all day ...

http://www.stone-dead.asn.au/albums-cds/lyrics/lumberjack-song.html

[DrMud]

I see a lot of unusual stuff in a day's work but John I have never seen (or in any other way percieved) a "Flatulent Elm." I hope they are not common in your part of the woods.
Doc

[tuffguy]

Nor would I appreciate a lumberjack dressing up in women's undergarments.

[Scott777]

Actually, I have the answer you seek. But first you must answer three questions...
http://www.mwscomp.com/movies/grail/inlines/23_brkpr.jpg

1. What is your name?
2. What are the last four digits of your Social Security Number?
3. And what is your mother's maiden name?