Upgrading this month

[volcanopele]

Welp, I just secured financial aid funding for another year so that means it's upgrade time

That's right, more than likely I will not be using my NR70V by the end of this month. Here is what the issue is: to get an NX80V or get an UX50 or get a Tapwave Zodiac. All have their advantages and disadvantages.

First, here is why I want to upgrade/what I am looking for in an new PDA:
1. More RAM
2. The latest Palm OS
3. The faster the processor, the better.
4. Support from my apps (and I have tons)
5. an improved camera

wifi is prefered over Bluetooth (no bluetooth devices but wifi available at Student Union, office, main library, some buildings, near some dorms, etc.) If I want to go that route then I am down to the NX80V or the UX50.

The Zodiac I like because it is relatively cheap, has tons of RAM, has at least a comprable screen to my current NR70v (plus with landscape and portrait orientations), has great graphics, etc.

any thoughts?

[SiliGoose]

I'm an NR70 owner wanting to upgrade too. While all the devices you mention (along with the TT3) are very sexy I don't feel any are enough of an upgrade to warrant the cost. I want to hold out for the first round of OS 6 devices before making my move.

[yOyOYoo]

I find it very funny that you are using your financial aid to help you upgrade your pda, when there are people out there who are not fortunate enough to even have books or a proper education.

But that's getting off topic. Out of the 3 palms you have suggested, I would choose the NX80.

While the Zodiac has a possible 128mb ram, I don't really like the way it looks, it doesn't have that "Sony Style" to it. It doesn't have metal casing, which both the UX and the NX have.

My only gripe against the UX is that it is sony's first introduction of the series, and is bound to have many flaws. Also its missing many features such as portrait mode or a set of hardkey buttons in both tablet and clamshell mode. How can you play games on this thing?!? AHhhh! Also I think that the next version will be the one that will be the ultimate clie.

Look at the NR70->NX80 transformation... that's what i'm talkin about. Its sad that for the NR70, only ONE built in application supports hi-res+.

lastly, WHy not consider the PALM T3, coming out in October? It has hi-res+ screen, I htink it's 32 or 64mb RAM and built in bluetooth. You can always add the wifi SD card later on.

[pusfarm]

Originally posted by yOyOYoo
I find it very funny that you are using your financial aid to help you upgrade your pda, when there are people out there who are not fortunate enough to even have books or a proper education. There are also people who are not fortunate enough to have hot meals everyday.  What's your point?

Why the judgment on volcanopele's choices for the financial aid funds?  Financial aid is to help defray school expenses.  I would bet that he/she uses the Clie, at least part of the time, for school purposes.  If I were still in school and had a great tool like a Clie available, I would certainly take advantage of it.  Has nobody ever purchased a graphing calculator or computer with financial aid funds?  And maybe used that same computer to play MP3s as well as do homework?

The only difference I can see between it and typewriters, spiral notebooks, protractors, etc., is that it happens to cost ALOT more.  On the other hand, it also does alot more that can be useful in a school setting and can take the place of things like typewriters, notebooks, etc.

Playing Devil's Advocate, you then have to ask what's wrong with the NR70 and why couldn't it do the school things.  Why an upgrade?  Maybe the voice recorder for lectures and higher res camera for field trips. ;) Overall, though, I don't begrudge anyone the tools to be organized/productive.

[Atomic Chicken]

volcanopele,

Unless you are planning on spending most of your handheld time doing web browsing, email, etc. I would personally choose the NX80. Bigger screen, exceptional battery life, CF slot, and tons of built in RAM make it an excellent choice for school. You can also get the best calculator emulator ever written (Power48) for it - not to mention CF WiFi access with a WL100 or WL110 card.

Good luck on your decision,
Bawko

[kp*]

I would also recommend the NX80, for the same reason yOyOYoo said about the UX, it's too new and incomplete. I'm also anti-keyboard and anti-landscape (at least not to the exclusion of portrait), so I'm biased. But the NX80 is a more mature development along the product line of the NR, and a worthwhile upgrade, IMO. However, the small RAM is a bit of a limitation. A large MS Pro can help a little, if most of your big apps can be run off a card.

I believe the OS6 PDAs will be a big improvement, but if you're about to start school, you might have to wait most of the year before those are available, and it may benefit you more to get the use out of the NX80 now.

[n2ifp]

Sigh, maybe someday Sony will come out with a Zodiac Palm version...

[n2ifp]

Great news, JackFlash now supports the NX73/80!!!

I got 15+MB of Flash ROM to use now!:D

JackFlash v3.0b10 www.brayder.com

Between RAM and Flash ROM, I now have over 31MB for storage without a CF or MS card.

[vansouza]

What Clie do you have that has that much memory?

[vansouza]

What Clie do you have that has that much memory?

[n2ifp]

Originally posted by vansouza
What Clie do you have that has that much memory?

The NX80 gives me 31+ MB of usable memory now.

The NX73 gives 26+ MB now if you use JackFlash.

This only applies to the USA models, others YMMV!

New version of JackFlash came out last night and supports the NX73/80 Clies.

v3.0b10 at www.brayder.com

 

[volcanopele]

On financial aid: You can use the funds to help pay for technological upgrades that you use for school. For some people, a PDA may not be essential, but for me, I use it to take notes, create graphs for my Calc class, use it as a dictionary (both English and English-Russian-English), use it for having online notes always on me, etc. It runs on the same vein why laptops are allowable.

Based on what I am hearing, the NX80 with a WiFi card might be a better bet.

[volcanopele]

I am upgrading mostly because of the need for more ram (though having the ability to use larger memory cards, increased flash space, and increased heap space would still make the NX80 a viable choice) and WIFI.

Voice recording would also be great so I can focus more on what the teacher is doing rather than trying to get down everything she is saying.

[kp*]

Originally posted by volcanopele
Voice recording would also be great so I can focus more on what the teacher is doing rather than trying to get down everything she is saying.
I can't speak for the other PDAs, but the voice recorder on the NX80 is amazing, I can't believe how much it picks up, and it doesn't take up that much memory either. I didn't think I'd use it when I bought the Clie, but I've found it to be much more useful than I thought.

[xyeta]

Originally posted by volcanopele
On financial aid: You can use the funds to help pay for technological upgrades that you use for school. For some people, a PDA may not be essential, but for me, I use it to take notes, create graphs for my Calc class, use it as a dictionary (both English and English-Russian-English), use it for having online notes always on me, etc. It runs on the same vein why laptops are allowable.

Based on what I am hearing, the NX80 with a WiFi card might be a better bet.


I agree 100%

I also studied Russian in College...hard language. For a while I carried E:R dictionary, just so I could refesh my memory when I thought to myself: "What's the word for...?" Foreign languages fade after years of non-use.

Also, my fellow Russian student, you should look into Indiana University's Summer Workshop in Slavic and E. European Languages (SWSEEL). It's world renown and an excellent program to enhance your study. Of course, my opinion on the subject is biased, as I am both an IU grad and two time 'survivor' of SWSEEL ;) Plus, Bloomington, IN is a beautiful place to spend your summer, on a beautiful campus. My wife and I were married outside on campus, and our hearts still yearn for our days there.

Ah, college nostalgia!