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New Smartphone

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mtnbkr:
Since my Verizon "new every two" promotion was coming up, I decided to lighten my load (and my wallet) by getting a Smartphone.  Previously, I carried a tiny flipphone and a PDA (when necessary).  I replaced the two with a PalmOne Treo 600.  The device is large for a phone, but small for a PDA.  It has a built in keyboard that's quite usable.  It has an SDIO slot that is technically going to allow me to use expansion devices, but none are available yet.  Apparently, there are power issues.  Bummer cause I want an SDIO WiFi card so I can surf while at places like Panera Bread (free wifi).  I can use SD/MMC memory cards though.  A 256meg card (from my digital camera) is riding there now.  I bought the model without a camera since I work in "secured" facilities.  Did I get a pricebreak for losing that piece of hardware?  Nooooo.

The PDA functions as well as any Palm device.  I started out on Palm, went PocketPC and am back to Palm with the Treo.  It syncs well with MS Outlook and doesn't require a bunch of fiddling like the old Palm/Outlook combos used to require.  I've since added Adobe Acrobat, AvantGo, and a freeware Solitare package.  I'm evaluating a program that will backup to an SD card.  It'll also restore from the card if you have to perform a hard reset.  Installing the program puts a copy on the SD card just for that  purpose.  During a hard reset, you'd lose the one on the pda.  I just tested that function for fun and it worked flawlessly.  I'll be buying that one since it's only $10.  I don't currently have the "internet access" account yet.  It's $50/month and I'm not sure I need it.  However, if I get it, I'm definately installing a freeware SSH client I found.  I could manage my server anywhere I have cell access from a handheld.  That rocks!

As for the phone, it works well too.  I can dial either through the keyboard or through the touchscreen.  It has a decent speakerphone.  The touchscreen makes using the secondary phone functions easier than my old phone.  So far, RF reception has been better than my previous phones.  

Overall, I really like it.  It does everything I want a phone and a pda to do.  

Chris

Sindawe:
I hear ya, I've been lusting after one of those for several years.  I just about had the discretionary funds saved up for one when the cat converter on my daily driver plugged up last weekend.  *SIGH*

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