Smartphone with the most T/X functionality

[ussdfiant]

Hi Guys,

I am considering switching from my trusty T/X and Razr to a smartphone of some sort. I'm a doctor and use my T/X, at work, for Epocrates, the Merck Manual, and Up to Date, for the most part. For play I use Pocket tunes, MM player for videos, and that's about it (I would love to broaden my PDA horizons to the level of most of the posters here). Any suggestions on a Verizon phone that would suit my PDA needs?

Thanks

[cms]

^ ^ Hi!

I was thinking about doing the same thing, (my TX is slowly wearing out), There are a few things you can look at:

Treo755p which just came out for verizon
Waiting a couple months for palm to come out with new treo formfactors
Waiting a year for PALM II OS (linux based) to come out.

3rd party cracked Iphone (google for the instructions), personaly would wait till febuary for apple to officialy release an SDK:

there are some other things out there too :D

[ftwitty]

I've gone in the opposite direction. My last Treo being a 680. It's a terrible phone in my estimation as is Verizon. But, Verizon may be better elsewhere and a Treo form factor my suit others better. I had the 680 thru AT&T. Anyway, the nice thing about the 680 (and perhaps other late model Treos is that it (they) support SDHC cards....... :D BIG ones. 4 gig SDHC cards work great in a 680.

[cms]

Google is supposed to join the cellphone/smartphone buisness with their linux based Android OS, and they are supposed to buyout the special channels that the FCC is putting up for auction.

Expect great things from Google, try "googling" Android OS, its a pritty robus system :D

[phreakonaleash]

3rd party cracked Iphone (google for the instructions), personaly would wait till febuary for apple to officialy release an SDK:
GSM phone's, in general, don't like CDMA carriers... ;)

[palmTE]

The next WM Treo is out sometime in 1st Q this year, look up "Treo 800w".

If you don't mind WM, then the HTC Mogul and Touch are worth a look.

[Ptosis]

Try the iphone. You can access epocrates and buy skyscape access. And I haven't tried this yet but you should be able to access the Merck manual on Merckmedicus.com. The music and video part is already there. But at work it helps if you can use the wifi b/c edge is way too slow. And the data plan is only $20/mo with AT&T. Also native apps will hopefully come this year.

The iphone hasn't replaced my TX yet but it definitely replaced my RAZR.

[Dick Tracy]

If you intend to stay with Verizon, the 755p.

[Ohappydaye]

Hi Guys,

I am considering switching from my trusty T/X and Razr to a smartphone of some sort. I'm a doctor and use my T/X, at work, for Epocrates, the Merck Manual, and Up to Date, for the most part. For play I use Pocket tunes, MM player for videos, and that's about it (I would love to broaden my PDA horizons to the level of most of the posters here). Any suggestions on a Verizon phone that would suit my PDA needs?

Thanks

You and I are in the same boat. I have been using my TX and Razr together and now believe I am in need of a converged device. When I entered the Palm world two + years ago I didn't think I'd ever feel this way...but here I am.

I believe I have settled on the 755p, with Alltel though. I've considered changing operating systems, but right now I don't want to deal with the learning curve nor am I quite ready to abandon all of the Palm apps I've invested in just yet. The time will come when doing so is no longer an option, but for now I'm sticking with Palm.

I wish you the best of luck in your decision making. Let us know what you decide. :)

[kennyd]

The 650 is maybe a bit thick, but the 650 is stable and the ROM can be totally customized to your liking. I have a TH55, TX, Zod2, Zire 72, and Treo 650. These are all keepers, but I use the 650 the most.

[technical1]

Same boat w/me as well. I have TX that I love, & LG VX9900 enV that I love as well, but putting the 2 together is good for a couple of reasons, one device to charge, one device to carry, one set of accessories, one to bring them back & in the ..... ooops, there I go off on a JRR Tolkein fantasy digression; but w/your screenname of ussdfiant, maybe it should be Star Trek....

I'm strongly looking at 755p & although kennyd has a stable experience w/650, there are OS updates & more stability on 755p, as seen in a number of Treo forums, but your experience may vary..., saying that I've done homework on some of my fave apps & 755 seems solid on stuff I was concerned about...

Of course there will be a learning curve, & you'll want to look into getting Treo related apps to manage your device. For example, as a doc I'd imagine there'd be times you'd want your phone off, or maybe want alarms to play, although you can always go to vibrate w/755p.

There are apps like Butler for alarms & more & Lightway for ringtones management (assigning a tone to a given caller can be helpful when you are on call...) You'll also want to look into Power Hero to handle features that eat battery power (keybd lites, sound, mail retrieval), tho I always have a backup battery, & you may want an email client- SnapperMail looks very good, & the author is responsive. There is an app, Butler or Phone Technician, which allows you to send sms msgs in response to calls you can't / don't want to answer.

Check out treo apps on mytreo.net & be ready to search for reviews in the s/w section, & do keyword searches in the forum section... They even have a Store w/member discounts on s/w & accessories that can take some of the sting out treo s/w & accessories you'll be buying... they have really good deals on some stuff.

Good luck.

The other thing is what Ohappydaye said, you'll keep your investment & familiarity w/all of your Palm apps if you go w/755.... If you go w/VZW, be sure to get a Data plan to give you virtually unlimited data usage, or a lot of your medical earnings will quickly go into your Data usage bill.. they have the best network, but can be expensive... but you do get good value... 755's phone radio is supposed to give really good connections...

Good luck & let everyone know.

[Mark29]

I'm in almost the same boat, though I currently use a Sony TH55 and Razr. To me a Treo isn't even a consideration until Palm releases a rectangular screen. Doesn't look like this is ever going to happen. I do a bit of e-book reading, so the square screen isn't very useful. Until the iPhone doesn't have to be 'cracked' to make apps work, that's not something I'd consider either. I think it will be some time before the number of apps for the iPhone comes close to what's available for Palm OS.

Mark

[jstrubberg]

I am going in the ooposite direction.

After a year with a Treo 680, I am moving back to my TX and a razr. I've found that convergence isn't always a good thing.

Problems with using the 680 as a TX replacement;

1. The screen size is pitiful. Reading email is painful, forget about an ebook.
2. Battery life sucks. I'm lucky to get an eight hour day out of the 680, even with a battery upgrade.
3. The 680 won't multitask. Forget looking something up for someone while you have them on the phone.
4. No WIFI. Pauing close to $100 a month for cell phone service sucks.
5. Data service is crawling slow.


I could go to another smart phone, but there isn't anything on the market that will give the the flexibility and screen real estate of a TX, so why bother?

[ussdfiant]

Thanks for all of the informative responses. I still have some thinking to do!

[ftwitty]

I am going in the ooposite direction.

After a year with a Treo 680, I am moving back to my TX and a razr. I've found that convergence isn't always a good thing.

Problems with using the 680 as a TX replacement;

1. The screen size is pitiful. Reading email is painful, forget about an ebook.
2. Battery life sucks. I'm lucky to get an eight hour day out of the 680, even with a battery upgrade.
3. The 680 won't multitask. Forget looking something up for someone while you have them on the phone.
4. No WIFI. Pauing close to $100 a month for cell phone service sucks.
5. Data service is crawling slow.


I could go to another smart phone, but there isn't anything on the market that will give the the flexibility and screen real estate of a TX, so why bother?

Ditto. Plus the Treo is very ackward to use as a phone.

[scottl]

Plus the Treo is very ackward to use as a phone.How so? Just the brick shape? I've been considering one for a while, but it hasn't won me over. I ask a lot of people I see with a treo what they think of it and most are happy.

[ftwitty]

How so? Just the brick shape? I've been considering one for a while, but it hasn't won me over. I ask a lot of people I see with a treo what they think of it and most are happy.
On the road, dialing was not very easy. For that matter, nothing was very easy on the road. The display was not readable in daylight. The keyboard key are too small. It was also too big to be carried in my shirt pocket.

[scottl]

Ah, thanks. I do find the KB ridiculous, though I have seen some pros really spitting out text faster than I can graffiti (unless I could go back to Graffiti 1!). I don't have monster hands, but these things look like they're made for a toddler. I've been told that you don't have to be so careful when typing, just aim for the key you want with your thumb and the right letter magically appears. It does work better than I expected during my few short tests, but I don't like it.

[ftwitty]

Ah, thanks. I do find the KB ridiculous, though I have seen some pros really spitting out text faster than I can graffiti (unless I could go back to Graffiti 1!). I don't have monster hands, but these things look like they're made for a toddler. I've been told that you don't have to be so careful when typing, just aim for the key you want with your thumb and the right letter magically appears. It does work better than I expected during my few short tests, but I don't like it.
I first tried the Treo form with a 650 thru Verizon. That was an ugly thing. Dumped both and went to Cingular (now AT&T) with a 680. The service is much better, but the Treo form factor still bothered me. The screen is "cute", but the Tx is better as in bigger as in actual width. The Treo memory capacity was too small for what I had in my Tx. There for a while I had both a Tx and a 680 with me, which of course was stupid. I had given my wife a Motorola RAZR 3. Then I started noticing that it was a better phone than a Treo. The signal seems better in a RAZR 3. The form factor I find a lot better. Easier to see and dial. I have had and tried many cell phones and never have I liked one as much as the RAZR 3, especially since it fits my pocket so easily. Hardly know it's there until the Chimpanze ring tone sounds...... :eek: :D

[jstrubberg]

I agree on the razr. Battery lasts for days, sound quality and reception are much better than the Treo.

Now if I could tether the TX to the razr.....