TH55 vs iPod Touch 4th Gen

[enderenya]

Now that the iPod Touch 4th generation has a camera (actually 2 cameras), I am now finally able to assume that it finally trumps the TH55/E1 for capability!

I haven't used my TH55 for a long time, but I've always missed the built-in microphone and camera.

After the iPt4 has a jailbreak, I can't think of a single thing off-hand that it won't be able to do that my TH55/E1 can do.

Any thoughts from the TH55 scene or zealots? I'm sure someone can find something...

[wreckage]

Don't get the iPhone. Android has far more freedom, and you can actually copy music FROM an Android to your computer. iTunes won't let you do that. If you're happy with Steve Jobs telling you what you can and can't do with your own phone, then get the Apple by all means.. ;-)

Cheers.

[enderenya]

1) I don't remember mentioning anything about a phone. If you know of a comparably-sized device that is NOT a phone and uses Android, please feel free to mention it.

2) There are plenty of options to copy your music from your iDevice without iTunes.

3) Jailbreaking means a lot more freedom from Apple's tight grip, yet still having some of the best devices available.

4) Any comments from TH55 current/past users?

[dbrich]

I still regularly use my TH55 around the house and town. I have to agree with you the 4th generation touch seems to have bettered the 6yr old Clie. The changes in technology have left the TH55 behind in compatibility but continue to offer support to the iPod culture. Sony, in their latest home theater systems, provide USB support to the latest batch of iPods but not the CLIE.
I have not seen a 4th generation touch but would like to get my hands on one to test drive for a week. I really like their ability to video call between the touch and the iphone. Reminds of the type of programs you could get when the TH55 first appeared.

[Cyker]

Two words: Data Entry.

There is not a single touch-screen phone or device out there yet which can beat a Palm unit for data entry.

Graffiti really was a work of genius.

I was trying to enter an SSID, WEP key and proxy server on an iPhone and it was bloody torture! :(
Unless you have *no* fingernails, it's awkward as hell to enter text anywhere near as rapidly or comfortably as a Palm unit. AND you have to look at the screen while doing it; Because I've been graffti'ing so long, I can just turn on Graffiti Anywhere and write without even looking at the screen and with only minimal errors!

With two strokes, I can enter symbols that Android and iPhones don't even have access too! :D

The only thing that could budge me from my TH55 is a resistive touch screen device (Seriously, I hatehateHATE capacitive touch screens!) with full-screen Graffiti capabilities and WiFi-N support!

[dbrich]

I still agree with Cyker. I too love the data entry with graffiti and my favorite program is Clie Organizer with on the screen notes of the calender.
The iPod hardware is caught up, but face it, who wants to be yoked with the terrible DRM from Apple. I have so many hacks on my CLIE to optimize it to my needs.
I bought my PDAs for a monthly planner replacement that I could pocket. The best part now is why pay hundreds for a iPod touch when I can get a good CLIE for less than a hundred on ebay. I just bought a UX-50 for $70. Next, I 'm heading over to JAmerican Junction to download some of those clever programs for free.

[glaganie]

I used to carry a Palm device with me all the time since the first Palms came out (they were called Pilot and were made by US Robotics). By the end, I had a TH55 that I cherished and praised for a couple of years.

Then I switched to an iPhone (phone not activated, using it as a PDA or pocket computer), and transferred all my data from the Palm.

I will probably switch back to a TH55 because searching information on the Apple device is such a mess... It does not look into all fields in contacts, and it does not search past events in calendar. I ended up having to use third party apps, like Informant and Evernote. They work fine, but search is painfully slow, compared to a TH55.
Agreed, web surfing, camera and GPS functions are better on the iPhone, but search function AND data entry are so much better on Palm devices. I may end up carrying both.

My two cents...

[DanT]

TH55 screen is 20% bigger than iPt4 ;)

[philpalm]

My TH-55 is so scuffed that I don't like to publically use it (now I have a newer shiny one for public usage. The camera resolution is so bad that I'd rather use my sony Ericsson phone camera instead.

No more avantgo but I use Mobipocket e-news from CNN, USA Today and BBC which takes about five minutes to upload and another five minutes to hotsync to read on my TH-55 in full screen mode.

Most games would scratch up my screen (or screen protector). I suppose staying on a PSP or ITouch would be the way to play games in my spare time. I haven't got a Kindle or IPad for ebook reading but I would consider that route, maybe.....

[jj2me]

No more avantgo but I use Mobipocket e-news from CNN, USA Today and BBC which takes about five minutes to upload and another five minutes to hotsync to read on my TH-55 in full screen mode.

Hey, thanks for that tip. Mobipocket enews works great. Nice to be pumping more life into the old TH55.

I'm another that wants a device with the easiest data entry. I'm the type that doesn't understand the use of an on-the-go device if you can't easily use it as your digital brain, to offload the reference tidbits of life as they pop up. Since I use Graffiti 1 on an old SJ20, I feared that I might confuse myself by also using Graffiti 2. Instead, I use MessageEase, though it requires looking at the screen. iPod Touch's and iPhones have a crippled version of MessageEase. From the MessageEase developer:

"Apple has gone out of its way to make it impossible for the developers of third-party-keyboards to provide anything other than an app. This is perhaps their way of defending their poor choice of QWERTY as the sole method of text entry"

[philpalm]

I was sadden to read that Tombraider news no longer is updated. I am not too good to use Plucker, but most likely some of the news links are still good or need new labels and addresses to work.

I believe that Splash news may be around but haven't tested that either because the TH-55 wifi is so finicky compared to my TX.

[McSam]

OK, if not iPod, then how about other Palm or Clie runner-ups to TH55?
I'm a long-time TH55 user but am getting tired of the freezes and lockups and resets and not being able to reset.

[jj2me]

I'm a long-time TH55 user but am getting tired of the freezes and lockups and resets and not being able to reset.

Have you tried seeing if it's a bad database? This requires buying the $13 app dbfixit (http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/dbfixit.htm).

My TH55s only punt occasionally on one 3rd-party app. I assume your freezing is not noticeably occurring only when in a particular app or two.

[McSam]

Have you tried seeing if it's a bad database? This requires buying the $13 app dbfixit (http://www.pimlicosoftware.com/dbfixit.htm).

My TH55s only punt occasionally on one 3rd-party app. I assume your freezing is not noticeably occurring only when in a particular app or two.

I have the trial version of dbfixit, which reports no problems to fix. My current problem on one unit is a complete and total Reset Loop which does not allow a Reset, even with a disconnected battery for 2 days, even while attached to the cradle. I can't imagine "doing anything" to it that would change anything, other than stepping on it. The freezing is not related to a 3rd-party app, since I have another identically configured TH55 which doesn't freeze. But this "working one" suddenly developed a different problem, which I posted yesterday under "desktop not overwriting handheld" (which summarizes the problem!)

[olderTechnology]

Nobody mentioned Graffiti for Android. Has anybody tried that, and does it solve the input problem for us Palm old-timers?

It is Graffiti 1 by the way, not Graffiti 2.

http://www.access-company.com/cgi/nflife.cgi?a=app&aname=graffiti

[Rossi01]

To everything already posted I add:

1) the Dektop app os hands down much better than iTunes for data management.

2) backups - besides creating different restore points we do not need a PC to restore

3) security - we can segregate and hide data via password

4) you can install and app from the memory stick

5) removable memory stick allows for flexibility and security

6) data management is way better in the Clie than in Apple's device (I own an iPhone)

Those just come on top of my mind.
The Clie was the best PDA ever created. It's showing its age but still a very strong contender.

[laolita]

My son just got an iPod Touch 4G. It is a beautiful and slim device... but he seems to be forever charging it.

[jj2me]

My son just got an iPod Touch 4G. It is a beautiful and slim device... but he seems to be forever charging it.

I don't have an iPod Touch, but I ran across these battery-preserving suggestions on Amazon (http://www.amazon.com/review/R20KA3H0XZ4RGJ/ref=cm_cr_pr_cmt?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B001FA1O1S&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=#wasThisHelpful).

[laolita]

Thanks - passing those tips on.

[ankh]

This looks promising:
http://cruzsupport.velocitymicro.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=5758

hat tip to this ebookreader blogger I just noticed:
http://www.the-digital-reader.com/2010/11/20/httpwww-the-digital-reader-com20101120first-look-at-the-cruz-novel-android-tablet/comment-page-1/#comment-12490

In fact -- wow: open platform, apparently:
http://cruzsupport.velocitymicro.com/ics/support/default.asp?deptID=5758

[Clie Patra]

Nobody mentioned Graffiti for Android. Has anybody tried that, and does it solve the input problem for us Palm old-timers?

It is Graffiti 1 by the way, not Graffiti 2.

http://www.access-company.com/cgi/nflife.cgi?a=app&aname=graffiti
I have it on my HTC Wildfire (Android 2.1). Works very well and it's free.

[ankh]

I was real hopeful about the iPod myself -- the only thing I've never gotten happy with on my TH55 is Graffiti2. I started with an original Palm Pilot with Graffiti 1. So many thanks for the tip above pointing to Graffiti 1 for Android.

Still not ready to give up on my TH55, I'd buy another one if I stumbled across one locally, but I'm sure getting intrigued by the Android tablets showing up that are open platform and affordable.

[Cyker]

How are you guys finding graffiti on the android?

One thing I hate about smartphones is they all use capacitive touch screens so you can't use a stylus, you have to use the big fat pad of your finger and I can't imagine being able to graffti accurately on a TH55-sized screen with my fat fingers :S

I must admit I covet the wifi connectivity of the android phones, but there's so much stuff on my TH55 that would be a nightmare to port across (All the encrypted stuff and huge databases especially!)

[Clie Patra]

How are you guys finding graffiti on the android?

I gave it 5/5 stars on the Android market (and I have XXL gloves too:-))

[ankh]

Does the ipad, or any Android device

-- easily take files in any format? I use PorDiBle and Calibre often, to make text from various sources readable on my Clies

-- dim as low as the TH55 with the screen dimming app, or the SJ30?
(Why? see the thread on dimming for dark use: http://www.1src.com/forums/showthread.php?t=125426 )

-- run Mobipocket Reader, or any other text reader that allows setting the font color and background color?

-- have a decent one-handed operation (the Clie SJ30 jog dial or the TH55 whatsis on the back both work Ok for holding one-handed and advancing through text)

-- attachment for a lanyard, string, wrist loop, or similar butterfingers protection

I mostly use my Clies for reading late at night, very dim, black background and yellow font, so not to ruin my night vision.

And if I can find anything -- iPad or Android -- offering the same facility that will accept plain text, or files I can convert with

[ankh]

Just happened on this: how to get the TH55 and Apple's iSync together:
http://blogs.sun.com/openomics/entry/isync_support_for_sony_cli%C3%A9


and some Android readers for Palm ebooks:
http://www.dancingdroid.com/?p=24

[ankh]

omighsh, there may be hope yet.

Look at their Palm OS5 (Garnet) PDA here. It's build-to-suit, and while their shopping cart will let you get to the point of paying for it, it's not clear after my first visit whether it's shipping, nor whether it's really going to be up to matching what the TH55 can do.

But it's the only current hope I've come across.

http://www.aceeca.com/home/product_comparison.php

hat tip to: http://www.palminfocenter.com/

[enderenya]

Two words: Data Entry.

There is not a single touch-screen phone or device out there yet which can beat a Palm unit for data entry.

Graffiti really was a work of genius.

I was trying to enter an SSID, WEP key and proxy server on an iPhone and it was bloody torture! :(
Unless you have *no* fingernails, it's awkward as hell to enter text anywhere near as rapidly or comfortably as a Palm unit. AND you have to look at the screen while doing it; Because I've been graffti'ing so long, I can just turn on Graffiti Anywhere and write without even looking at the screen and with only minimal errors!

With two strokes, I can enter symbols that Android and iPhones don't even have access too! :D

The only thing that could budge me from my TH55 is a resistive touch screen device (Seriously, I hatehateHATE capacitive touch screens!) with full-screen Graffiti capabilities and WiFi-N support!The first thing I noticed about your response was that you didn't include a WPA2 passphrase (or WPA for that matter) in your list of items you were trying to enter.
Now don't get me wrong, I love the TH55, but the biggest initial reason I switched to an iPod Touch 2g back in 2008 was because the TH55 doesn't support WPA or WPA2 for connecting to wireless networks. When most companies use the higher encryption methods, what is one to do? Did I miss the solution for this?

[Cyker]

Alas no :(

As I said in #23, that is one of the reasons I'm even considering looking at Android devices :D

TBH, my TH55 battery as gotten to the point that even turning on the WiFi results in a 25% drop (Turning it off again makes it go back up tho'?!) and even NetFront can't cope with a lot of the overkill JS/CSS that lots of websites use these days so the WFi has been doubly useless :(

I think last time I used it I was hiijacking someone's totally open house WiFi to use PalmOS GoogleMaps because I was lost :D (My god that was so slow! Yet another thing to tempt me to an Android!! :D)

[olderTechnology]

Count me in as a happy Android convert. (Guess I need to change my picture :) ). But I find that I don't use the Graffiti for Android like I thought I would. Need more time, but Samsung Galaxy S has this think called "Swype" that is really good -- you basically draw the word instead of drawing the letters.

Android suffers pretty badly in the PIM area compared to the old "zen of Palm", but my happiness with Palm was mostly because of the excellence of Chapura PocketMirror. There is a product called CompanionLink that may fill that void for me. I want to go back to doing what I used to do--- sync my phone to both my home computer and work computer, using a cable.

I think the reason Graffiti stopped being as important to me is that I went through my Palm Centro stage after the TH55. It was hard to use Graffiti on that device, even with GA installed.

[laolita]

My current PDA is white and I write on it with a stylus (made by PaperMate). It folds up really small and I never have to charge the batteries. However, I miss the functionality of my TH55 - which I have yet to repair.

Just discovered StyleTap... does anyone have any experience of using it? I wonder how well it works on the iPod/iPhone and how many of my Palm apps will run under it.