okay PPC users....

[SamuraiCatJB]

here is your chance....

PROVE to me that software exists on the PPC platform (NOW, not a year from now), to replace my TH55 organizer software and I will upgrade.

It has to be as easy to use as writing in a dayplanner organizer. The TH55 is my 3rd Palm, I had a windows CE 1.0 unit before any palms. And always it was too slow to use the datebook programs that come with the organizers. And even buying iambic's datebook extensions didn't help enough... I always ended up buying a franklin dayplanner again.

I live life on fast forward, the TH55 organizer is the first software that allowed me to throw away my paper dayplanner. I am stuck on Sony palm until this exists elsewhere....

so there is your chance....

I know there exists todo lists, database apps and wifi stuff to replace the other tools I use. But the dayplanner like organizer is still my most-used application.

[SamuraiCatJB]

My applications in order of use on the TH55:
Organizer
Todo
Word to Go
Excel to Go
ThinkDB
Adobe reader
offline web browser
Online Wifi browser
MS Money
Camera
Fuel Log
Shopping List/Camping List/Any List
verbal memo recording

[froesei]

Pocket Informant has a excellent alarm note component to it. Handwrite your note, set your date and alarm, and even tie it to a task, appointment, or contact. I presume that's the function you're looking for? At any rate, it's a very useful piece of software. Perhpas others could comment more on this.

[SamuraiCatJB]

I'm going to try to leave work early today. Primarily it's nice just to pull up the calendar and write "Wayne" because I don't know when today he is coming over, it is just "today". He isn't here yet, so I guess it is afternoon. There are somethings that have no set time, they aren't time organized, so I can't really setup an alarm, and they are usually set up rapidly, so I don't have a lot of time to start a long setup for an event. Simple is good.

as with a dayplanner, I just write it on the page, diagnal-wise, I do the exact same thing with the TH55 now. It is a 100% identical use of the dayplanner. Stickies can be handwritten, or even pictures. I would sometimes snap a picture of the white board from a meeting, and sticky it to the page with the meeting, along with notepad notes and handwritten sticky, whatever I need.

[RD100]

Instead of asking this question here, you might want to ask it in a dedicated PPC forum, like www.aximsite.com (http://www.aximsite.com/) or www.brighthand.com (http://www.brighthand.com/) or www.pocketpcthoughts.com (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/) or www.pdacorps.com (http://www.pdacorps.com/) ?

You will get a much better response rate for PPC questions.

And I am certain that all of the apps you mentioned above are available for PPC.

PocketInformant is the best PIM/Calendar for PPC. AgendaFusion is second best.

Offline Webbrowser - I use freeware Plucker and Vade-Mecum.

Photo browsing - XnView (free) and SplashPhoto ($) are excellent.

Adobe Acrobat is available for PPC as freeware. I also use uBook for reading documents.

WiFi - Many PPCs have it. Plenty of browsers available including Pocket IE which comes as part of Windows Mobile 2003.

Camera - some PPCs have it built in cameras.

MS Money - is free for PPC. Go to MS website.

Fuel Log - I use freeware called GasUpLogger. Works great.

Word/Excel - come standard with Windows Mobile.

Verbal Memos - I use freeware NoteM, which records in MP3 format, so the recordings are compressed.

For quick handwritten memos, I use ApMemo. It is similar to Palm's DiddleBug.

HandyShopper is now available for Windows Mobile 2003 and is freeware

ThinkDB - you might try Handmark's MobileDB for PPC.

[SamuraiCatJB]

yeah... one of the issues with posting it elsewhere is instead of helping me find the software to move me over to PPC, they will simply make fun of me using a TH55 now, and putting such importance on the organizer over multi-tasking or mp3 playing, or game playing or some other feature I won't use. :)

The few PPC folks are always saying how much better the PPC is... this is their chance to prove it. :)

[RD100]

I completely disagree. I participate on all of the above mentioned forums, and the members of these forums are always glad to provide information about PPCs to current Palm owners. I have seen many many threads on this subject. There are even forums on a few of these PPC websites which are dedicated to former Palm owners.

At 1src, there are too few PPC owners to get a useful response. 1src is primarily a Palm website, so you are not giving yourself a fair chance at getting the information you want.

Why not just prove it to yourself by purchasing a PPC, and loading it up with demo software ? Then return it before the return period expires, if you are not convinced.

Asking other people to prove to you a PPC is great, is not the same as a "hands on" experience.

[SamuraiCatJB]

I completely disagree. I participate on all of the above mentioned forums, and the members of these forums are always glad to provide information about PPCs to current Palm owners. I have seen many many threads on this subject. There are even forums on a few of these PPC websites which are dedicated to former Palm owners.

At 1src, there are too few PPC owners to get a useful response. 1src is primarily a Palm website, so you are not giving yourself a fair chance at getting the information you want.

Why not just prove it to yourself by purchasing a PPC, and loading it up with demo software ? Then return it before the return period expires, if you are not convinced.

Asking other people to prove to you a PPC is great, is not the same as a "hands on" experience.


maybe... a few people are nice... but I still see the occasional post with irrelevant answers.... I don't want to get into an argument over VGA that I don't need or processor speeds. And I don't want to be yelled at as a troll.

I am highly dependant upon the TH55 organizer, the rest I knew I could replace, but the #1 reason I have a TH55 is still, a year later, irreplacable and unavailable.

I looked at the ones mentioned, not enough for what I need. To me PDA is to make my life easier to run, not more entertaining. To me, entertaining is watching DVDs. Now that I have an iPod, the PDA is strictly business/finance/writing no entertainment value, nor would I with a PPC.

Even browsing over there, I think I am stuck on TH55 for a while, maybe by next generation someone will make things better for me. Or then I will be desperate enough to give up the advantages I have.

and I have used my brother's PPC, and my boss's, and others.... still mine is easier for me.

[RD100]

If it were me, I would try a PPC loaded with demos of all the PPC apps which are similar to my Palm apps. Then I would have a fair comparison to use.

Personally, I think you should stick with your TH55, since it already does everything you want, and you already own it, plus the software.

[SamuraiCatJB]

that is what I am coming to.... one more generation wait won't hurt me. :)

[jfer_rs]

i've had my ppc for a long time now, and i can tell you... it's nos as useful as my clie was.

it's really slow, can't trust on it... never, i'll never know when it's gonna hang up, or how much will it last to open the app i want it to.

stay with your clie as much time as you can.

[Tam Hanna]

Hi jfer,
why did you swap? I personally hate the PPC for its tendency to bloat! Use it for a few minutes, and it will start to get slower!

[jfer_rs]

well, i had my extended warranty on bestbuy, and my clie nx80 stopped working,

and after 2 months of them trying to fix it, they told me that i could take any palm i wanted, but in the store i went they didnt have anything "good",

and to chose between a zire72 and ipaq rx3115, the ipaq looks better, wifi, bluetooth, more memory... so, i taken the ppc....

[applejosh]

There is a forum on pocketpcthoughts.com specifically dedicated to the Palm-->PPC convert. That might be a good place to ask questions regarding a potential switch. Generally, the folks over there are just as good as they are here. A few bad apples (such is life), but overall, pretty helpful.

[SamuraiCatJB]

generally, what I find in both PPC and Palm forums when referring to switch to/from PPC is that as long as you are switching to their platform they will help you. Tell them you cannot switch without xxxx product that doesn't exist on thier platform and they will tell you how stupid you are and that you need to give it up. Because the object (PDA) is more important than the functionality. To me functionality is more important than the PDA.

What I saw in the PPC as far as datebook, would have me back on a paper organizer in a week, and that was the best PPC has to offer. So I am stuck on the TH55 for another year. :) it's not too bad, if it breaks, there is always ebay to get more.

[applejosh]

Well, I would probably approach the subject with a less combative tone and not come right out and say if it doesn't have "X" I'm not switching. I'd just ask for some ideas for replacements and see what pops up. If nothing appears, then I'd let the thread fade away.

I will be the first to acknowledge that the datebook offerings aren't up to PalmOS standards. (However, I'm a DateBk5 user rather than a TH55 and its datebook app type user. It works for me.) That's the reason I still hold on to PalmOS. My current iPAQ (rx3715) is a great machine, but even with PI, it still doesn't mesh with my needs as nicely as DateBk does. Couple with that the seemingly random ActiveSync issues, and Palm still wins. (I lost an appointment that I wrote while at a clients which contained detailed notes, etc. just by connecting to my desktop. It sucked.) I just wish that Palm would put out something akin to the rx3715 in terms of hardware (integrated wifi AND bluetooth being the top two things in my book). Right now I'm bouncing back and forth between my NX80 and my T3, with my iPAQ being used as a toy (wifi in coffee shops, etc.). I wish Sony would get back into the game to spawn some innovation.

[SamuraiCatJB]

I don't consider that combatitive, it is the truth. I cannot switch without the equivalent functionality. The fact that no palm or PPC platform has it, means I am stuck. It's no insult to either, since no one has had it since, it just means I can't do anything.

[RD100]

I find it hard to believe that a PocketPC datebook (and all-purpose PIM) program like Pocket Informant (http://www.pocketinformant.com/p_pocketinformant.php) or Agenda Fusion (http://www.pocketgear.com/software_detail.asp?id=10115) wouldn't be acceptable. They are both excellent programs !!! I've tried both, and I've chosen Pocket Informant since I like it better.

http://trials.pocketgear.com/Product_images/8/81/af_680anim_1_128.gif http://trials.pocketgear.com/Product_images/1/122/pocketInformant.gif

And as for ActiveSync issues, I rarely ever have any. My Pocket Calendar always syncs up perfectly with Microsoft Outlook, and I've been using my PPC for more than a year.

The only reason I say that Samcat should stick with Palm, is because he is currently happy with his TH55. So what is the point of switching ? He has nothing to gain since Palm and PPC both perform the same tasks. And he will have to spend a lot of money to switch to PPC, where he doesn't have to spend any money to stick with his TH55.

[SamuraiCatJB]

and next year I won't buy a big camera, so I will have more money....

the choice was camera or PPC.... I chose camera in the end. :) I think it worked out well.

[SamuraiCatJB]

I find it hard to believe that a PocketPC datebook (and all-purpose PIM) program like


they came the closest, even closer than palm datebook managers. but all in all they are still caught in the addevent, type, date, etc. entry managers for all events. Sure I can attach a handwritten note, but I can't just "write" as the first action.

it's the time factor, I don't have time to go through the whole detail to add one event, especially since some are floating events, they don't ahve a time, or they have a time range. it's easier to just write it on the page and wtih the day page open at work, I knwo what is there... just like paper.

[foghead]

And this is why there are smany different choices about apps and platforms - and none of them are wrong.

When I was using a TH55, the first thing I replaced was the organizer app because it added absolutely nothing that I was interested in, was much more cumbersome (for me) to use, and didn't solve any of the shortcomings that I cared about in the standard Palm OS PIM apps.

It's very cool to see someone with the exact opposite view. :)

[SamuraiCatJB]

You can make a career classifying how people think. by any chance are you very scientific in thought processes? :)

I am on the highly disorganized artist side. :)

[NJL!2016]

I have a weird issue with ActiveSync. If I am on my computer with my PPC out of the cradle, then I put it in the cradle, it won't connect. I have to reboot my PC and reset my HiPAQ and then it will sync properly

[Hari Seldon]

Instead of asking this question here, you might want to ask it in a dedicated PPC forum, like www.aximsite.com (http://www.aximsite.com/) or www.brighthand.com (http://www.brighthand.com/) or www.pocketpcthoughts.com (http://www.pocketpcthoughts.com/) or www.pdacorps.com (http://www.pdacorps.com/) ?

Thanks a lot RD100 for posting these links!

I just purchased a Dell Axim x50v (it left the warehouse Friday and I can't wait to recieve it) and was going to ask in one of the OT forums what are some good PPC websites similar to 1src. You have saved me the trouble.

Sorry, I don't have any new opinions on the topic at hand. SamuraiCat, if the one feature you truly require in a PDA is something only the TH-55 does right, there is no reason to switch. If there is something lacking in it however, buy another device that makes up for those shortcomings and use it in conjunction with your TH-55. There is nothing wrong with having two PDAs simultaneously.

[applejosh]

I have a weird issue with ActiveSync. If I am on my computer with my PPC out of the cradle, then I put it in the cradle, it won't connect. I have to reboot my PC and reset my HiPAQ and then it will sync properly

Well, ActiveSync appears to be the Achilles heel of the PocketPC world. I really hate it, personally. You might try looking at ReSync, which will restart ActiveSync on your desktop. Might save you the problem of having to reboot your PC some of the time.

http://www.cewindows.net/applications/resync.htm

Cheers,

[RD100]

Thanks a lot RD100 for posting these links!

I just purchased a Dell Axim x50v (it left the warehouse Friday and I can't wait to recieve it) and was going to ask in one of the OT forums what are some good PPC websites similar to 1src. You have saved me the trouble.

Anytime !!! :)

Also check my webpage (http://www.geocities.com/rd100_online/PocketPC_Freeware.html), and the link I provided in my signature below. They have lots of links for PPC freeware. I also make recommendations for some of my favorite freeware programs on my webpage.