[ale] HOW2 choose an organizer/phone ?

[Jim Kinney]

On Mon, Apr 20, 2009 at 1:51 AM, Courtney Thomas
<courtneycthomas at bellsouth.net> wrote:
> I'm interested in getting some kind of organizer/phone device that will be
>
> 1-a good buy
> 2-will allow wireless downloads from the net and not require more than a DSL
> connection [no special provider]
> 3-will have enough storage to download books
> 4-will interconnect with a computer to permit moving stuff back&forth
> 5-a big enough & bright enough screen to permit reading w/o spending time
> scrolling each page
> 6-a moderately usable keyboard
> 7-rechargable
> 8-audio capable w/headset
> 9-maximally flexible [not Kindle]
> 10-will have enough RAM to function adequately
> 11-Linux driven OK but not necessary
> 12-used  OK
>
> Is there anything on the horizon better & worth waiting for that's not
> exorbitant  ?
>
> Any caveats regarding particular products, as well as necessary or highly
> desirable features not covered here  ?
>
> As always, thanks for sharing your experience and knowledge,
>
> Courtney
>

Nearly 4 years ago I got a palm treo 650. It would sync with my
evolution mail, calendar and contact list. I could do web stuff on it
and even shell into remote machines with pssh.

My particular device had signal power problems and the
customer-service oriented folks at Verizon would not provide a loaner
_phone_ (not a treo 650 - just a _PHONE_) while it went to the shop
for a MONTH for repairs nor would they stop billing me for the same
time period I would be with out hardware. Contract ends in december
and verizon is a goner at that point.

The tiny qwerty keyboard is nice and the screen is clear. The
additional SD cards are quite nice. I have enjoyed (for the most part)
my Treo but look forward to a serious upgrade (the iphone is NOT an
option).

So this is not a recommendation for a Treo (palm is flailing badly
right now and is unlikely to survive much longer) yet the Treo (other
than my personal unit) really set the standard for what a phone/PDE
could be.

The iPhone is currently the "darling" on the dance floor. Apple does
not play well with freedom in my book. In fact, if it weren't for
Gates and Co., Jobs would certainly be our supreme overlord and master
in an even bigger sense than Bill & Co.

The android is tied to google and google already has enough access to
all data on everyone and everything on the planet as it is. Maybe I'm
just getting paranoid but then maybe I'm not.

My next phone will likely be the most basic phone I can find. I want
it to dial and ring every time. That's the goal of a phone. I normally
carry a small flip pad for notes and number anyway. I do like the
camera but I want to get the picture off without sending it by email.


-- 
-- 
James P. Kinney III
Actively in pursuit of Life, Liberty and Happiness