[ale] HOW2 choose an organizer/phone ?

[Jerald Sheets]

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A lot of your criteria can be somewhat subjective...  I'll post my  
answers, just know that YMMV

Warning:  I am a completely sold iPhone user.
The following may not apply to you if you are a 100% Linux user.  If  
you have a Win VM or a Mac, you can do all the following since you can  
run iTunes.


On Apr 20, 2009, at 1:51 AM, Courtney Thomas wrote:

> I'm interested in getting some kind of organizer/phone device that  
> will be
>

I recommend the iPhone and am very positive on what I already know  
regarding June's iPhone OS 3.0 release and the new hardware  
expectations (32G iPhone + Apple Tablet)


> 1-a good buy

$299 w/ 2 year contract.  My Blackberry was much more, a Kindle is  
only a little more.  I had a coworker that really liked his Nokia  
tablet which is Linux based, but no on-board radio other than WiFi.

> 2-will allow wireless downloads from the net and not require more  
> than a DSL
> connection [no special provider]

What sort of downloads?  System apps?  Done.  In 3G areas, it's really  
fast.  in Edge areas, it's along about an old ISDN speed.  Since you  
said "phone device" I have to question the "no special provider" thing  
here.  ANY phone device is going to require some sort of contract with  
a phone company.

> 3-will have enough storage to download books

16G now, new unit in june expected to have 32G
I get Kindle Books and upload PDF docs I already have as well as use a  
couple apps that have all of Gutenberg project as source material.

> 4-will interconnect with a computer to permit moving stuff back&forth

iTunes.  I can also control my Apple TV and Boxee from the phone as a  
remote.
I can copy things on and off with a few free apps you can download  
from Apple.

> 5-a big enough & bright enough screen to permit reading w/o spending  
> time
> scrolling each page

One of the biggest phone screens out there.  Really close to the Nokia  
tablet I saw, just not as big.

> 6-a moderately usable keyboard

Keyboard is on-screen.

NOTE:  MANY people don't like the on-screen kb.  I hated it my first  
few weeks or so.  Once I used it for about 3 or 4 weeks, I started to  
get used to it.  A year later, I'm completely into the iPhone KB.   
THere *is* an acclimatization period, and not everyone likes it.

> 7-rechargable

I get about 12 hours/charge with moderate use.  I keep both WiFi and  
Bluetooth cranked up because a) my car is Bluetooth and b) I get WiFi  
most everywhere I usually am.

> 8-audio capable w/headset

Good internal speakers for listening, earbuds, and in 3.0 (again, in  
June) Bluetooth headsets.

> 9-maximally flexible [not Kindle]

It's not Kindle, but has the Kindle app.  i.e., I can buy Kindle books  
on Amazon and sync them into the device and read them at my leisure.

> 10-will have enough RAM to function adequately

Since everything is flash on here, all memory is all memory.  There  
are a few minor issues with memory fragmentation, for which there are  
apps that can manage that for you.

> 11-Linux driven OK but not necessary

OSX Leopard for iPhone, more "BSD-ish" than anything, but the shell  
isn't available to users at this time.


> 12-used  OK

Check E-Bay

>
> Is there anything on the horizon better & worth waiting for that's not
> exorbitant  ?
>

I'm really excited regarding the rumor mill for the new Apple Tablet.   
There was an extremely large purchase of both NAND and 10-inch screens  
by Apple.  It will be quite interesting to see what they come up with  
at that larger form factor.  I predict about 399-450 for that device.


> Any caveats regarding particular products, as well as necessary or  
> highly
> desirable features not covered here  ?
>

The music thing and the Audiobook thing, I don't think I could live  
without.  With an hour+ commute, I make my way through roughly 11-12  
hours programming per week.  That's my lifestyle, not yours, so YMMV.

SMS, IM, connectivity that keeps me in touch with my kids in a small  
form-factor that also doubles as a phone.


Gotchas:  Apple tie-in, any pre-purchased DRM'ed music you may already  
have.  No shell on-device, although I have an SSH app.



Hope that helps, and good luck in your search!

- --j



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