The 'I Want a New Pda' Thread

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by sUnShInE

The new unit has arrived, as has my SD. I haven't really had time to play with it, but I'm going to jet home from work (where I'm currently just surfing the net anyway!) and mess around with it.

I know someone who is really happy now

[Bob Russell]

There's just nothing like the great times when you get a nice new toy like that! Enjoy!

BTW, when you get a chance would you share how the web connection through your cell phone works relative to your phone plan charges? Who's your carrier, and is the data time expensive? Thks!

[sUnShInE]

I will reply in more detail over the weekend re the phone pairing Bob, but suffice to say, I'm having trouble with it. I think I can find a cure though (fingers crossed).

But regarding the carrier, I have T-Mo with unlimited GPRS for $4.99/mo. More later.

[Bob Russell]

Thks Sunshine. These data plans and compatibility are not real clear to me.
But now that you got me curious, I did find some articles about T-Mobile you might be interested in. It's about some customers on the $5 unlimited data plan that are being cut off for everything but WAP access. Hopefully you have the unlimited data version.

http://www.mikekrisher.com/2004/12/t...ts-for-non.php
(The link in the article didn't work for me, but is probably supposed to point to http://www.postneo.com/2004/12/29/mobile-data-conundrum )

I really hope it works out well... I may end up signing my next phone plan with T-Mobile myself.

[sUnShInE]

Without even reading these I know where you're going. There has been much debate and squawking about the different levels of T-Zones. I will say that for the $4.99 plan they cut port 80 in October, which limited streaming audio/video. Otherwise, everything else works. I believe they cut port 80 for the $9.99 plan too (but that plan is really a $5 hoax anyway...)

Now, that being said, there's always been fear and speculation about when most things would be cut off or altered.... alot of which was based on the fact that many users only started paying for the $5 plan around September. Prior to that we got free WAP. Strike that: free GPRS.

Yes, you read that right.

The HowardForums are a great resource once you mire through the basic pricing schemes and offerings. For your $5 you get a pretty full entree: WAP, net browsing, IM, and a couple of other cool things I fergit -- and this is key -- with appropriate sw and the right phone.

The bottom line though is that T-Mo, gawd bless 'em, isn't going to switch up to 3G for another two years and if they don't maintain the $4.99 plan, they're going to lose quite a few customers.

[sUnShInE]

Originally Posted by Alexander

I know someone who is really happy now

That would be me!


As promised, I plan to write up some of my thoughts and experiences about my new toy and I think Iwhat 'm going to do is post it on my blog later today/tomorrow, since it's bound to be very lengthy (I've alot to say!)... and quite frankly I've been so busy lately that I haven't written much there. I'll post a link later. Stay tuned...!

[hank]

I can't find the original for
> the 1200 mhs battery swap you referred to
> and it sounds as if it's hardcore surgery and
> will increase the size of the casing

But I'd sure go for this with my Clie SJ30 if there is a way. I did learn that by doing a soft reset _while_charging_ the power manager for the PDA gets reset, and that DID make a significant difference in the battery life, for a few weeks -- but now it's fading out again in three hours or so even with greatest care dimming down.

I do have one of those 6-AA external cases for it and that's ok, but I'd love to have a better battery than what I can find online.

(Online - either direct replacements for the original, or what might be slightly better or just overrated -- I think the original was 550 ma and the replacement I bought claimed 800 ma, but it didn't seem to last any longer.

At least the battery IS replaceable. If I can just find one.

[sUnShInE]

I know I promised a review of my new T3 and my happiness with it a few weeks ago. I have just been totally and completely pre-occupied with other stuff. Here's some general thoughts on how I'm liking my new toy.

Surprise: I'm liking it!

Check out my thoughts here. I posted this on my blog because the entry is kind of long. Please note that my comments are disabled due to spam throttling and my laziness. Feel free to comment back in this thread.

Thanks

[hacker]

Originally Posted by sUnShInE

Here's some general thoughts on how I'm liking my new toy.

I was sent/given a Tungsten T3 new, shipped from Amazon a few months back, and at first, I was impressed with it.. and then, the problems started.

The slider is completely flawed. After about the first week of moderate use, the slider would just "drop out" when I picked it up. I had to open the T3 and make some "modifications" inside just so it would click open and click shut tightly. Anywhere in-between those two points, its just a loose wiggling gadget of metal. Poor design.

My Tungsten T2, on the other hand, is ROCK SOLID in the slider. Not a single millimeter of play, and it takes a GOOD tug to open it and slide it all the way open. With my T3, I can open it slightly, and it will just "drop" all the way open.

Since this affects 100% of the T3 devices out there, yours will soon follow. I haven't yet read of a testimonial or report where the slider did NOT get loose and act this way.

Battery life on the T3 is absolutely disgusting also. It gets about 20% of the battery life my T2 gets, under the same usage and same charge rates. Pitiful. Don't plan on being away from your charging cradle for more than a day, if you use your Palm a lot. I don't even have a single game installed on any of my PDAs, its all business use and reading/writing technical documents.

The other thing you mentioned was your desire to get a Wi-Fi card for it. I highly recommend this. I was sent a Wi-Fi card from a community member to help test pilot-link with (and complete the wireless HOWTO I was writing), and I have to say, I like it. I can sync, check mail, and surf some quick websites without having to be near my laptop or desktop machines or a cradle. I can also sync to Plucker live over wireless, which works great.

Now the problems with it: I can only use it on my T3 device. It doesn't work, and drivers are not available, on my Tungsten T2 device, where I'd really prefer it to be.

Also, if you're using your Wi-Fi card on a T3 (assuming the palmOne Wi-Fi card here, which is why I keep spelling "Wi-Fi" this way), make sure your T3 is charged to 100% before you use the card. I found out the hard way, when I was at about 70% charge on my T3, and did a sync + backup to my OSX machine, using MissingSync and SyncBuddy (both of which use pilot-link under the hood). My T3's battery died before it completed the first sync.

It will take your T3 from 100% to 0% in about 10-15 minutes of use, even more if you're doing ACTIVE use, like a backup or sync. Since I have Vindigo and Plucker content delivered to me over the "wire" when I sync, it takes a little time at each full sync.

The wireless drivers are VERY buggy also. When you go to Prefs->Wifi, it will drop your connection, then try to re-associate with the default router you have configured, just by entering the form. You can't just view the prefs for wireless, without having it drop your connection and reassociate. VERY annoying.

I have 3 WAP devices here, in a nested config (internal, external, and external + guest/public), and every time I want to go into Prefs->Wifi to check the network status, I have to reconnect, and get a new IP assigned. Its very blockheaded and brainded on their part to do this.

Overall, I like the device. I like the screen, but I absolutely hate the slider (and all of its flaws) and I hate the battery life. Its paltry and disgusting, for such an expensive "flagship" device.

That being said, I now use my T3 as my "daily" device, with my T2 as a backup. The only issue I have with my T2 is the "screaming" LCD that seems to affect all T2 devices. Whenever it is powered (i.e. when the LCD is being used), it "screams" at me, all the time, like a dog-whistle. Its teeth-grindingly-annoying, but its the only flaw, so I tolerate it.

[Liqiud]

Wow,
you tiped that much for one post

[Bob Russell]

Originally Posted by Liqiud

Wow,
you tiped that much for one post

I say good for him!... he has a lot of thoughtful observations that are of interest to most of our readers. Hacker has a history of interesting and well-thought out posts, and I for one am very glad to hear all of what he has to say.

[Francesco]

Sunshine: nice review, I like your blog very much, actually.

I have another tip for you:
I hard-resetted my T3 a couple of days ago. After that, I wasn't able to _perfectly_ calibrate EVERY part of the screen (the calibration problem was on the bottom of the screen when it was totally open). Today I found this:
http://www.freewarepalm.com/utilities/digie.shtml
If you ever have problems calibrating all the screen:
Install it, run it with the slider open, and delete it (or digie will keep turning your machine on!).

[Alexander Turcic]

Originally Posted by sUnShInE

I posted this on my blog because the entry is kind of long.

Sunshine, I wouldn't mind if you repost your review here as well Don't worry, it wouldn't crack our size limit here

[brahamt]

Sunshine,

Seems like you are happy with the T3. I had one and the only comment I have is be careful with any data that you store on the SD card. I lost 2 cards to some sort of incompatibility.

Make sure you backup frequently.

I actually liked my T3, and with the exception of the data loss on the card and battery issues, I really liked it. I had to switch to PPC due to the office using Outlook.

[Francesco]

Originally Posted by brahamt

Sunshine,

Seems like you are happy with the T3. I had one and the only comment I have is be careful with any data that you store on the SD card. I lost 2 cards to some sort of incompatibility.

Make sure you backup frequently.

I actually liked my T3, and with the exception of the data loss on the card and battery issues, I really liked it. I had to switch to PPC due to the office using Outlook.

Oh, yes! I forgot about this one. You must install all of the updates from PalmOne! After I did this, all the SD card issues disappeared. But backup your data before upgrading.