Registered: Sep 1999
Location:
Posts: 46

I've noted on these boards on several occasions my dissatisfaction with the contacts / address book program of the PalmOS. It lacks the fields to sync completely with any of the major desktop PIMs. Currently, no application is available to either enhance or replace the contacts AND be able to sync the additional info to a desktop PIM such as Lotus Organizer.

From the MS Windows CE newsgroups:

[Pocket Outlook's] Contact fields include:

* 3 Addresses - work (including company name, dept, title, office location),
home, other
* several phone fields - work, work fax, home, home fax, home2, work2,
mobile, pager, assistant (name & telephone), radio
* 3 email and 1 web address
* spouse, children, anniversary, birthday
* multiple category choices for each contact (not just 1 as in the Palm)
* Notes area that allows formatted text (fonts, bullets, paragraph
alignment) & drawing & handwritten digital ink.

All of which are syncable. I chose the Visor when I upgraded from my old Franklin Bookman Sidekick organizer for two main reasons. First, battery life... the WinCE option looked dismal in this regard. Second, was my perception that Palm was more universally supported for synching with desktop apps.

I'm thinking that with the introduction of the PocketPC Standard (b/w) platform perhaps the battery issue will be less of a problem. And although more apps provide built in sync support for Palm, WinCE can sync with the apps I'm using.

Any thoughts on what I would lose in this trade?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Metro Station, Hollywood and Highland
Posts: 1018

I can't comment with any authority on the Pocket PC's b/w battery life, but the few times I've tried any iteration of WinCE, I couldn't stand it. It typically takes 3 times as many taps to retrieve the same information. Then again, I got a PDA primarily to get rid of my desktop PIM (booting up a desktop app to get a phone number -- ugh!).

You may wish to try CompanionLink, which synchs to Outlook, ACT!, Organizer and Goldmine. It's not cheap ($74.95) but highly regarded. PalmGear HQ has a detailed description, including user reviews at: http://www.palmgear.com/software/sh...amp;prodID=1995
I hope this helps.

[This message has been edited by Gameboy70 (edited 03-23-2000).]

Registered: Jan 2000
Location:
Posts: 17

My Win/Ce unit went through batteries like it owned stock in Everready

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oh well, nothing ever changes, does it?

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

I was fortunate enough to see an early preview of the new HP unit (can't comment because of NDA), and I can honestly say that once you see the new Pocket PC devices...you won't want to use anything else! The Visor can't touch these new units, even with Springboards! These little guy's are better than any Palm OS device on the market. The new WinCE OS is Faster and more stable than the Palm OS by far! And it looks better too.

I hate to say it, but this is the beginning of the end of Palms dominance in the PDA market.

Registered: Nov 1999
Location: Montreal, Canada
Posts: 31

Give me a break. Just because they made some changes to Windows CE doesn't change that fact it's Windows CE. I've owned both and frankly, they can't do enough to Windows CE to make it as much a pleasure to use as the Palm OS.

Let them still to desktops.

Adam B

Registered: Sep 1999
Location: at work...
Posts: 736

quote:

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Originally posted by foo fighter:
The new WinCE OS is Faster and more stable than the Palm OS by far! And it looks better too.

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Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Bear DE USA
Posts: 5

So we should all wait for vapor hardware and a vapor os? This sounds like the Microsquish marketing monster swinging into action. MS must be getting worried about the plam community!

Of course I am still sitting here waiting for vapor springboards so I guess I shouldn't talk.

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Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Rob,
As I said I've seen it in action...side by side with my Visor. I'm telling you it matched my Visor step for step and in some cases beat it to the punch!

Put that in your pipe and smoke it.


[This message has been edited by foo fighter (edited 03-24-2000).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

Rob

The unit(s) I saw are the new upcoming HP devices. My friend who works for Agilent (a division of HP) showed it to me. Obviously they have been using them for some time. His department has tested them for over two weeks and the OS is rock solid. Maybe I got a little over-excided by saying it is "far" more stable than the Palm OS, but it is at least as stable. That's how I can vouch for the stability. As for speed, as I said, I've seen it myself. Keep in mind the underlying hardware on the HP unit far more powerfull than the Palms hardware, so I'm sure this gives the Pocket PC an unfair advantage.

I've always laughed at CE devices for being big, clunky, slow, and generally unstable, but after seeing these things I wasn't laughing anymore. In fact I'm more than a little jealous!

[This message has been edited by foo fighter (edited 03-24-2000).]

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: Baltimore MD, USA
Posts: 717

I dunno. Check out this ominous news item from CNet Central: http://news.cnet.com/news/0-1006-20...=st.cn.1.lthdne
entitled Departure of key executives clouds Pocket PC debut

"But analysts question whether the turnover, especially of relatively high-level executives, signals unrest or chaos within the Windows CE group and within Microsoft about the future of the handheld operating system. "

Registered: Mar 2000
Location: Richmond, VA, USA
Posts: 151

Of course, how many ominous stories were there on the web a few months ago when Handspring was struggling? Every tech news site I went to for a while had the "Handspring has crappy customer support" story. If the Pocket PC is stable and fast, it will be popular. Microsoft knows how to make money.

Registered: Oct 1999
Location: I'm not sure, but I see lots of lights everywhere.
Posts: 1287

I've read the article to but I think CNET is over exagerating the situation a little. Look at the turnover Palm has had over the past few months...are they dying? Hardly,

The artilce also goes on to state that Ben Waldman is now on the CE team and he worked for Apple on the Macintosh project. It goes on to say..."Ben Waldman is a really smart player at Microsoft," said Gartenberg, asserting that Waldman's experience molding the Windows operating system for Mac users will serve him well in his new position.

So the situation isn't that bad!