VG vs. KB

[LanMan]

Okay, I would really love to see a T-series with VG. However, I will soon be in the market to upgrade my T415 and I'm considering the TG50. How do you feel about the TG50 built-in keyboard vs. a T-series with VG?

[Eric S]

After a HandEra 330 and an NX-60, I could never go back to a square display. I spend most of my time looking up information, reading, or playing games, and only a small amount of time inputting data in my PDA. So a keyboard or a fixed graffiti area is a waste of real estate most of the time.

[EdFrmBrighthand]

I have to tell you, I'm really torn on this issue. I prefer the 320 by 480 screen but I also prefer the keyboard to Graffiti. I guess I'm just a prime candidate for an NX series.

[rldunn]

I agree with both Eric and Ed. Though, if I had to choose, I could never give up having the full-screen available in some apps. I do prefer the keyboard for entry, but I don't do enough of it to make it a true must-have.

[wiseleo]

Well, I can reach level 14 of Giraffe (graffiti space invaders type game) without too much trouble, so I think I know my Graffiti well enough. :-)

VG would be awesome, but at the moment the TG50 is exceptionally appealing. Larger screen = more battery drain. I need to enter data frequently on prospects and I need wireless Internet to answer questions on the spot.

The TG50 seems to be ideal for my needs. Very professional design, bluetooth, color, decent battery life (hopefully).

I'll probably consider selling the TG50 when a next VG device is released in a similar form factor. I suspect the VG will be reserved for the N-series devices. Because Bluetooth requires FCC filings and we haven't seen any leaks thus far, I think it's safe to say that there is no upcoming VG BT device in the very near future.

In short - I am OK with KB enough to pre-order one, VG would be preferred but I will derive several thousands of dollars worth of benefits from the current unit as well, so it would be an excellent investment. I know that I've lost several prospects by not having some information at my fingertips, and this device will pay for itself fast. :-)

Leonid

[Unregistered]

Originally posted by wiseleo
Well, I can reach level 14 of Giraffe (graffiti space invaders type game) without too much trouble, so I think I know my Graffiti well enough. :-)

VG would be awesome, but at the moment the TG50 is exceptionally appealing. Larger screen = more battery drain. I need to enter data frequently on prospects and I need wireless Internet to answer questions on the spot.

The TG50 seems to be ideal for my needs. Very professional design, bluetooth, color, decent battery life (hopefully).

I'll probably consider selling the TG50 when a next VG device is released in a similar form factor. I suspect the VG will be reserved for the N-series devices. Because Bluetooth requires FCC filings and we haven't seen any leaks thus far, I think it's safe to say that there is no upcoming VG BT device in the very near future.

In short - I am OK with KB enough to pre-order one, VG would be preferred but I will derive several thousands of dollars worth of benefits from the current unit as well, so it would be an excellent investment. I know that I've lost several prospects by not having some information at my fingertips, and this device will pay for itself fast. :-)

Leonid

Umm, no VG Bluetooth devices? Sorry, but the Black Brick, the NZ90 has Bluetooth.

[LanMan]

Is the thumbboard good enough to completely replace graffiti? How about you NR/NX/NZ users weigh-in on this topic? If so, then what does VG bring to the table that the thumbboard doesn't provide?

[Eric S]

Originally posted by wiseleo
Because Bluetooth requires FCC filings and we haven't seen any leaks thus far, I think it's safe to say that there is no upcoming VG BT device in the very near future.

Not everything that goes through the FCC gets leaked. The NZ-90 would have had to have gone through the FCC process because it is BT as well, but everyone was shocked when it was announced (unlike most of their announcements).

[Eric S]

Originally posted by LanMan
Is the thumbboard good enough to completely replace graffiti? How about you NR/NX/NZ users weigh-in on this topic? If so, then what does VG bring to the table that the thumbboard doesn't provide?

If the keyboard had a seperate row for numbers, then I might find it good enough to replace graffiti, but it doesn't, so it isn't.

As for what VG brings to the table that no keyboard, no matter how nice can bring, is the same thing that a fixed graffiti area can't bring to the board, and that is more usable screen space. I'm used to being able to see more data than you get with a square screen, be it in my address book (I NEED to see the notes section easily on some of my address entries), with Natara Bonsai, MemoPad, etc. Any time I'm looking up data instead of entering it, in fact.

[Tixx]

Originally posted by rldunn
I agree with both Eric and Ed. Though, if I had to choose, I could never give up having the full-screen available in some apps. I do prefer the keyboard for entry, but I don't do enough of it to make it a true must-have.

I agree with this too:)

[Tixx]

Originally posted by LanMan
Is the thumbboard good enough to completely replace graffiti? How about you NR/NX/NZ users weigh-in on this topic? If so, then what does VG bring to the table that the thumbboard doesn't provide?

I don't know what brings what to what table, but I use my VG 99.5% of the time and the keypad the rest. I like that it is there and an option, but it is rarely used.

[mashoutposse]

The TG50 is supposed to be more oriented towards wireless (trust me, once you take your PDA wireless, that's ALL that you'll be doing on it ;)) -- try sending emails or writing messageboard posts with Graffiti. It's just not meant for volume data input.

I'm just glad that, as an NX owner, I don't have to worry about such a compromise :D

[robrecht]

I want more screen real estate without the acreage of the NR, NX, NZ. I hate thumboards. I want a smaller, full-size keyboard like Palm's XT when I do have to enter longer texts. I'll look at the Garmin (too big?) and I'll wait and see what Palm announces at CeBit in mid-March.

If the dream device does not materialize, and a dream device never does, I'll probably get a T/T on the cheap.

[JMS]

Well, while a keypad in itself isn't all that necessary on a pda, a keypad on a a pda with bluetooth is quite logical and useful for, say, e-mail or SMS. Yes, the screen is smaller, but, as has been mentioned, this means better battery life. Also, using a keypad for imput means less wear on the touch screen.

JMS

[EdFrmBrighthand]

Originally posted by Eric S
Not everything that goes through the FCC gets leaked. The NZ-90 would have had to have gone through the FCC process because it is BT as well, but everyone was shocked when it was announced (unlike most of their announcements).
Turns out Sony announced the NZ90 before it had FCC approval. The approval showed up on the FCC site a week or so later. It wasn't news because everyone already knew everything about the device at that point.

I don't know if this is breaking the rules or if they just took a risk by announcing a product that they might not be able to offer.

[nevarDeath]

Here's advice from a 6-month NR user:
Grafitti sucks for e-mail, SMS, and especially Messenger programs
Thumbboards suck after about 15-30 minutes
folding keyboards are the best if you have a place to set them down.

If you're just retrieving information on your device, the 320x480 is invaluable, you can see more, and you can get freeware program to write anywhere on the screen, so you don't even have to worry about the VG being up.

But if you're going wireless, go for a thumbboard at the minimum, invest in a folding keyboard if you will have a place to set it.

[Baker1369]

http://www.palminfocenter.com/view_story.asp?ID=4750

I didn't know if anyone had seen this yet...but I thought it was pretty cool...I wish there was one of these in the US!