Is OS 5 even worth the switch?

[jakevv]

I’ve been reading this forum since the intro of the TJ35. I try to upgrade my CLIE every year just for the sake of not falling too far behind with technology. I use my Clie for games, WORD, EXCEL, banking, reference databases, etc. Pretty much 45min – 1 hour daily. But I’m really conflicted (seemingly not alone) about this TJ35. I also have the T665C and is very happy with it: My question to you:

If you disregard everything compared (in this forum) between the T665C and the TJ35, is it worth upgrading just for OS 5? Except for playing games, is there any other huge benefit to upgrading to OS 5 that’ll make the switch from 665C to TJ35 worth it?

[Unregistered]

I don't have a TJ35 yet...i have ordered it from Sony. I'm upgrading from a T415. and I can't to receive it!!!

But anyway, here are my reasons for switching to the new Palm 5.

My main reason for switching is the huge difference of speed, 33mhz vs 200 mhz (in my case), in your case it's 66 mhz to 200 mhz. I think that will make a big difference in a lot of things. I use my clie to view blueprints at work. And it takes forever to open a JPG. So the speed difference is a big plus for me. I don't know how slow or fast your t665 is, but i'm really wanting those extra mhz.

Palm OS 5 is supposedly optimized for these faster processors.

Anyway, my other main reason to switch is the extra memory. 32 mb (23 mb available) is 3 times more than my Clie (only 7 available) and twice as much as the T665 you have. I can finally keep most of my software inside the clie than on a memory stick. Speaking of those....

I don't know if the processor speed or the I/O controller on the T415 for memory stick has anything to do with this, but it takes like 15-20 seconds to open my 64MB MemoryStick to see the programs i have in there. Personally, that's annoying as hell. Anyone one out there also have similar issues?

I have other reasons to switch like mp3, and color screen, which don't really apply to your question, but i'm mainly switching for the faster processor and the larger RAM. Sure, I'll be sad to loose the remote control function, but what the hell, it's a small compromise considering that if you want that same feature on a Pocket PC you have to pay $350 or more.

FYI, i did read somewhere on the net (don't remember the site name) that Palm 5, is merely Palm 4 changed to work with faster processors so software wise it ain't much different. I'm mostly changing for hardware reasons.

J.A.C.M.

[OcellNuri]

When I switched from my OS4 66mhz NR70V to my OS5 200mhz NX70V, I was amazed by the speed difference. I load my unit up pretty heavily, and the NR was getting to where it couldn't keep up with my demands anymore. The NX exceeds the demands I put on it. MS access was one of the biggest improvments I noticed.

[Unregistered]

Oops! I meant "I can't wait to get get my TJ35"

I forgot to add....

I seem to have the same use for my pda, gaming and working with Office programs. I personally use the excel a lot when i'm doing field work. Picsel Viewer doesn't really cut it but since I got Documents to Go from my previous clie I can reinstall it on the new TJ35, and problem solved.

If the hardware were the same, i probably wouldn't change, but there's a lot of difference between the T415 I own and the TJ35.

J.A.C.M.

P.S.- I thought i should add, i never upgraded to the T665 because it costed too much! But the TJ35 has an excellent price

[hherbzilla]

Originally posted by jakevv
is it worth upgrading just for OS 5? No... that would be the last reason I would upgrade. The hardware (processor, memory, design, etc.) would be reasons to consider upgrading now.

[ZPWeeks]

I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the factor that OS 6 plays by now...

I would say that it's not worth the upgrade quite yet. OS 6 will be on Clies at the start of 2004. OS5 is not all that different from OS4, except for the support for the faster hardware. OS6 will be a huge update. Therefore, I'd wait another 3 months for an OS6 clie... It's almost completely certain that Sony will not offer an upgrade.

[hherbzilla]

Originally posted by ZPWeeks
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the factor that OS 6 plays by now...Good point. I'm certainly not entertaining any upgrade to my NX70V until OS6 devices are out.

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by ZPWeeks
I'm surprised that no one has mentioned the factor that OS 6 plays by now...

I would say that it's not worth the upgrade quite yet. OS 6 will be on Clies at the start of 2004. OS5 is not all that different from OS4, except for the support for the faster hardware. OS6 will be a huge update. Therefore, I'd wait another 3 months for an OS6 clie... It's almost completely certain that Sony will not offer an upgrade.

Good point, but in my case, I have 2 good reasons to buy now.

1) I don't know when will be the next i'll be travelling to the states. If I purchase mine at my home country i'm paying at least twice as much. (For $480 I can get the NX73v in the states) Damn south american tax duties! >:O

2) If I say "I'll wait till the next upgrade", when OS6 comes out, i'll say... "I'll wait till the right spec clie comes out", and when it does... i'll probably end up saying "I'll wait till OS7 since it'll be better". It happens all the time when you buy technology.

In the end, it seems like Sony will keep 2 OS's in the market at the same time. I.E. Palm 4.1 and Palm 5. In the next year OS5 and OS6. If you are a budget shopper like me, you don't always have $700 to spend on the latest and greatest. (Damn south american lower incomes!) >:O

I doubt Sony will kill all OS5 clies out there. If it did, no point on introducing the UX series.

[riversen]

Originally posted by Unregistered


2) If I say "I'll wait till the next upgrade", when OS6 comes out, i'll say... "I'll wait till the right spec clie comes out", and when it does... i'll probably end up saying "I'll wait till OS7 since it'll be better". It happens all the time when you buy technology.

I doubt Sony will kill all OS5 clies out there. If it did, no point on introducing the UX series.

I agree with your point about waiting till the next... whatever. I will upgrade now and probably in another year to to OS6. For me, it might be well worth the wait, since I shouldn't have to deal with all of the bugs and issues that will likely come when OS6 is released. I am absolutely sure that it will be sweet, but I like to migrate when it has been proved and tested a bit.

Secondly, OS5 will be supported, especially since there will be a big push from Palm to integrate this platform into the new smartphones. This I am especially excited about, since I want to merge my cell phone and PDA some day to one nice and neat little device.

[kjbad]

My issue is strictlly based on hardware specs, not OS5. Personally, I'm waiting to see if the UX50 is an anomaly or the beginning of a new trend at Sony. If Sony is serious about making a "laptop replacement device", then I'm licking my chops at what is to come. If they just created the UX-series as a gimmick, then I'll probably get a UX because it fits what I need now. The TJ-series is a step back from what I was expecting, and it's hard to read what Sony will probably create next, so it's a crap shoot for me.