A New PDA

[Levi Pearson]

On May 3, 2006, at 10:39 PM, Ross Werner wrote:

> So I'm thinking about getting a new PDA, and I'm wondering what you  
> folks would recommend. I've made up a little list of things that  
> are important to me, roughly in order of importance (most important  
> things listed first):
>
> 1) the ability to watch videos (preferably XviD) and listen to mp3s
> 2) excellent battery life
> 3) small form factor (current PDA is 2.9" x .6" x 4.4" ... don't  
> want anything much bigger than that)
> 4) plays nicely with Linux (or at least with OS X) ... I don't need  
> calendar/pim syncing capabilities--just the ability to transfer files
> on and off the thing.
> 5) wireless internet access would be nice, especially if it could  
> run opera mobile.
> 6) nice library of time-wasty games available
> 7) stands up to a reasonable amount of abuse (like being in my  
> pocket all day)
> 8) the ability to write my own programs for it would be nice,  
> particularly if java was available on it, and especially if there's  
> an emulator or dev environment for it that works on Linux/OS X

Sounds like you want a palmtop PC, not a PDA!  Anyway, my wife has a  
Dell Axim that works pretty well for her.  If money were no object,  
I'd look to the latest Japanese Zaurus from dynamism.com or another  
importer.  It's a little bigger than your specs, but it's a way cool  
device, though it would require a CF card for WiFi.  Not sure what  
the battery life is like on them, either.

		--Levi