SONY TG50 vs Garmin IQUE3600

[Omar]

I was dissapointed to find no virtual graffiti. I didn't want to do it but I may move on to an IQUE3600 from Garmin. It has everything I wanted in a sony minus the GPS. I would have preferred a FM tuner instead. The IQUE specs are impressive...

Palm OS 5
GPS, MP3 player, voice recorder
New Motorola DragonBall MXL ARM 9
32 MB DRAM
Secure digital slot
Turn-by-Turn Voice Guidance for GPS
HiRes+

CHeck it out at www.garmin.com

What do you think?

[Eric S]

Seriously tempted. If Sony doesn't put out a non-clamshell HiRes+ PDA by June 1st, I'm probably jumping ship. I've got a few concerns with the iQue, but unless there's something botched about it that isn't obvious in the specs, it's damned near my perfect PDA. The only thing that I suspect is wrong with it so far is the thumbwheel (it looks like the one-dimensional joysticks the HandEra had, rather than an actual thumbwheel), and I'll live with that.

I'm not saying Sony's PDA department is going down the drain or anything, just that the iQue looks like it meets my needs better than the NX-60 I've got now.

The June deadline is rather arbitrary. That's when my birthday is, so it's the next timeslot for a major purchase.

[[Jett]-Mallize]

me too... i'm looking at the iQue

[T1000X]

The iQue does look like an awesome device, and I'm seriously looking at as well. I'd have to agree with Eric S that if sony doesn't have a non-clamshell or T series OS5 device by June or around that time I'd like to get the iQue. My question is, how much is it going to cost?

[Omega00]

approximately $600. Not that much for such a good piece of equipment...

[Omar]

It will be available in the second quarter 2003 for $589 US dollars.

[Jun]

This is a Canadian site.

http://www.prairie.mb.ca/ique3600.htm

That's the cheapest prize I have seen for iQUE device. :D

OR this:

Selling for $549 from a Florida Yahoo store: :cool:

http://shop.store.yahoo.com/satphonestore/garminique3600.html

[T1000X]

$600 for that?!? *^%! Garmin is going definitely for the Sony market with that device. Unless Sony picks up their feet and come out with a comparable OS5 device or an OS5 T series model with Virtual Graffiti, I could see the Garmin being extremely successful. That is a very reasonable for a device with those stats. For $600 (NX model) you get a Sony model with 11MB of user accessible memory. Things are going to get very interesting this year.

[ikkoku]

I can't wait to see all you guys/gals go to the IQUE and be back at the Clie camp soon after.

Things will be interesting this year.

[Eric S]

Originally posted by ikkoku
I can't wait to see all you guys/gals go to the IQUE and be back at the Clie camp soon after.

Things will be interesting this year.

The first is possible (but not soon), is the second is definite. I change PDAs at an average of once a year. I usually try to stick with something that is hardware compatible, but I don't let that tie me down.

I started out with a P1000 back in 1996, went through three hardware upgrades to it before switching to a PIII. Went through all the PIII variations (except the IIIc) before getting a TRGPro, and then a HandEra. The HandEra got me spoiled, and I don't think I'll ever go back to a square display again. (For the record, Sony's NR beat the HandEra 330 to retailers by about a month, but the builtin apps on the HandEra 330 could take advantage of the extra space that you got when you minimized the graffiti area).

My wife and girlfriend both needed new PDAs last year. The wife didn't care about color, so she got an SJ-20. My girlfriend did, so she got a T-615. (Which reminds me, I haven't received the rebates on either of those yet). For the first time in a year and a half, I no longer felt like my HandEra was the king of the PDA hill in our house. Then the NX came out. It wasn't my ideal PDA, but it was color, higher resolution than my HandEra, and still had the minimizable graffiti area, so I visited BestBuy twice a week for a month to look at it before finally deciding that it was worth it. I also made sure that I could return it during the 30 days in case I didn't like it. I didn't make up my mind until about day 20. So as you might guess, Sony doesn't have a strong hook in me. In my household, yes, but I'm also the only person in the house not running Windows, so I don't mind being odd person out.

I went with the first 320x480 PalmOS5 PDA that came out. The fact that it was Sony had nothing to do with it.. In fact, if I do get an iQue, the NX-60 will have been the second-shortest lifespan PDA I've ever had, second only to my original P1000 which got upgraded to 1MB less than a month after I bought it. The longest? The HandEra 330.

Personally, I'd be happiest if Sony came out with something that competes with the iQue (doesn't need the GPS, though, but a louder speaker would be very nice). I'd rather put up with MemoryStick than go back to an inferior thumbwheel, but the iQue has the form factor I want. I also suspect that more software will support the Sony jogwheel and VG than the iQue equivelents. And some day, I hope Sony will either include the standard Sound Streaming Feature Set or document the one they used.

[jiserrab]

How come the up/down buttons on the Garmin look a lot like the buttons on the new SJ33 that was just released. Coincidence.....hhmmmm

[byte2be]

Originally posted by Eric S

My wife and girlfriend both needed new PDAs last year. The wife didn't care about color, so she got an SJ-20. My girlfriend did, so she got a T-615.

Hmmm...ex-wife current girl friend? Both current?...interesting!

Anywho, I too am waiting for a Clie similar to the iQue 3600 (minus the GPS, although it's a nice to have). However, the Clies have the best looking screens on the market right now, IMO. The TT screen doesn't look as nice as the NR/NX screen, and I'm not too sure the iQue will either. With the rash of new models being announced from Sony, I'm confident that they will have something in a T-series with similar specs to the iQue. Look at the new TG50. They just need to add the VG, take out the keyboard, and add some RAM. I think they're just whetting our appetites with this.

[Chatbox]

"My wife and girlfriend both needed new PDAs last year. The wife didn't care about color, so she got an SJ-20. My girlfriend did, so she got a T-615. "

Dude, you have to teach me some new tricks. How on earth can you do that? Wife AND girlfriend?!? You probably have a few million in the bank account.

Back to the IQUE, damn, it's a very nice unit, OS5, HiRes+, GPS built-in, MP3 player, not sure how many MHz the CPU is...but it surely is a nice unit. It looks good too, the actual physical appearance.

I would definitely but it if I have the money...one problem is though, I'll have to buy SD cards, and then what do I do with my MSs?

[___]

HP iPAQ 1910

[mashoutposse]

An iQue is much bigger than a T-series... It's almost the size of an NX.

[Eric S]

Both current, see www.polyamory.org for an idea of how it works. Wife's boyfriend is still using his HandEra 330 that he bought at the same time I bought mine because it's the only PalmOS PDA we've found that's loud enough to wake him up. I mention him because we're currently a 4 person family living in both halves of a duplex.. No, I'm not rich, just well paid (programmer in real life as well as here), with more credit than is good for me, and electronics are my only expensive hobby.

Now, back to topic. Nope, not the iPaq 1910. Maybe the 1915, however. My mind isn't totally closed. I haven't checked out PocketPC 2002, but the WinCE line just missed the target too far for me, for most of the reasons detailed in "The Zen of Palm."

I don't mind the size of the iQue. It's still smaller than an NX when you unfold the thing, which is the only way you get to the keyboard, app buttons, and scrolling buttons. But then either the PDA is seriously out of balance, or you're not holding it anywhere near the jogdial. I like my NX for most things, but the ergonomics just don't work.
What am I going to do with my MS? I've only got one, and it will go to however I give my NX-60 to. (Yes, I said give. Probably give it to my girlfriend, since she likes it, give the T615 to the wife, and the SJ-20 to my best friend from High School who ran over his Vx with his car, but can't spend willy-nilly like I can, because I'm a commited non-breeder).

[Eric S]

There's a question for the PPC supporters that keep turning up. Serious question, not trying to one-up anyone. What OS can PPC sync to? FreeBSD by any chance? Not being able to sync there would be yet another strike against it, but not a strikeout, as that still leaves the other two computers in my livingroom as sync locations.

[T1000X]

Originally posted by Eric S
Both current, see www.polyamory.org for an idea of how it works. Wife's boyfriend is still using his HandEra 330 that he bought at the same time I bought mine because it's the only PalmOS PDA we've found that's loud enough to wake him up. I mention him because we're currently a 4 person family living in both halves of a duplex.. No, I'm not rich, just well paid (programmer in real life as well as here), with more credit than is good for me, and electronics are my only expensive hobby.

Now, back to topic. Nope, not the iPaq 1910. Maybe the 1915, however. My mind isn't totally closed. I haven't checked out PocketPC 2002, but the WinCE line just missed the target too far for me, for most of the reasons detailed in "The Zen of Palm."

I don't mind the size of the iQue. It's still smaller than an NX when you unfold the thing, which is the only way you get to the keyboard, app buttons, and scrolling buttons. But then either the PDA is seriously out of balance, or you're not holding it anywhere near the jogdial. I like my NX for most things, but the ergonomics just don't work.
What am I going to do with my MS? I've only got one, and it will go to however I give my NX-60 to. (Yes, I said give. Probably give it to my girlfriend, since she likes it, give the T615 to the wife, and the SJ-20 to my best friend from High School who ran over his Vx with his car, but can't spend willy-nilly like I can, because I'm a commited non-breeder).

Strange. I thought all polygamists were located in Utah...

I'm considering switching to the iQue because for what it has, it's the right size and has the right features.

[Eric S]

Originally posted by T1000X


Strange. I thought all polygamists were located in Utah...

I'm considering switching to the iQue because for what it has, it's the right size and has the right features.

Polygamy isn't quite the same as polyamory. If anything, polygamy is a subset of polyamory, and one with negative connotations amongst much of the rest of the polyamory community. The free-sex communes of the 60's were another subset of polyamory. Arguably, swinging can even be considered a form of polyamory, but polyamory is generally considered about the love, not the sex.

End of totally off topic post (at least you had something to say that was on topic, I'd just be repeating myself :))

[T1000X]

Originally posted by Eric S


Polygamy isn't quite the same as polyamory. If anything, polygamy is a subset of polyamory, and one with negative connotations amongst much of the rest of the polyamory community. The free-sex communes of the 60's were another subset of polyamory. Arguably, swinging can even be considered a form of polyamory, but polyamory is generally considered about the love, not the sex.

End of totally off topic post (at least you had something to say that was on topic, I'd just be repeating myself :))

Okay, I thought all polamorists or people who practice polyamory still were located in Utah... ;)

Back on topic...

For what the iQue has, it is a very tempting device. Plus, I've seen on other sites that is has the Palm Universal Connector so right off the bat it could possibly have a keybaord that works. The new Palm Thin Keyboard might even work with it!

[rob_squared]

I really must pay attention to page numbers.

[timewaster77]

I would buy the iQue3600 if it didn't have GPS, but since it is made by Garmin that won't happen. So Palm please come out and make a PDA like this without GPS.

[Eric S]

Originally posted by timewaster77
I would buy the iQue3600 if it didn't have GPS, but since it is made by Garmin that won't happen. So Palm please come out and make a PDA like this without GPS.

I won't rule it out just because I don't need/want GPS, but it's not like I use every feature on my NX-60. The question will be whether or not the GPS adds too much bulk and/or cost to the iQue. Since it isn't thicker than an NX-60 if you include the CF hump, and someone posted a place that was taking preorders for it in the sub-$500 price range, I don't think either of these will be an issue.