Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Posts: 170

Suggestions for Modest VDx Upgrade?

Yep, still using a VDx -- I first bought mine in 2000, and I've been very happy with it, but I just dropped and shattered one for the second time in a year, and I'm considering using the opportunity to upgrade. Still I don't need anything really current and don't want to spend much money. I've been happy with the size and memory (8MB + 8MB card). The only thing I really want to improve on is the display. I don't care about not having color, but the VDx's backlight is terrible in low light.

Any recommendations of post-VDx models with a good backlight that are outdated enough that I can find bargains? Needs to be compatible with the Palm desktop software for my VDx so I can transfer my old data. Thanks.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 60

Leo,

What's your definition of bargain? Prism's seem to sell on eBay for around 50-60 USD for a stock setup, more w/accessories. I didn't care about color, either, until I got the Prism. Mine's great for low light/nighttime, but at the expense of seeing it out in the daylight. It's fine for fairly brightly-lit rooms (ie, the office), though.

I keep looking at the new T|X, but just can't bring myself to let go of my Visor yet - still keep my VDx for a backup unit, too. The T|X really won't do anything that I can't already do, except for BlueTooth (never picked up that springboard!).

Also, the Z22 is < $100 new at Amazon or Buy.com. Pretty basic, but still more memory & a color screen.

HTH,
Dwayne

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Posts: 170

Thanks for the response -- I actually ended up spending more than I'd planned and got the Tungsten E2. I was coveting the TX -- I prefer the finish and quadruple the memory of the E2 for an extra $100 is tempting -- but since I was already spending money I hadn't planned to spend I resisted.

If I can find a way justify it, though, I just may end up doing a exchange at Staples within the return period. If I can get a good five years out of it as I did with my VDx, it would be worth it.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 60

Check out dealnews.com - they list a couple of places where you can order the TX for about $255 (one uses a coupon that expires today (12/31, but it's come around a couple of times now) - don't know about the other one). Tempting! I need to get to a store and see one up close, though. I've yet to try out any Palm device with an ARM processor in it. I'm afraid I'll think I can't live without it.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Posts: 170

Circuit City's got the T|X on sale for $269.99 now. Very tempting. Though that's just the unit. Whereas Staples has it bundled with the hard case and extra screen protectors for $299.99, which is probably the same difference. I'm gonna end up wanting the hard case anyway.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 60

Agreed, now that I look at the deals. I got to try out a TX at Staples today - verrrry nice! Man, it was hard to walk away without it in my grubby little hands...

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Posts: 170

'Tis a beautiful thing, but I'm gonna walk away, just to exercise some fiscal restraint. I could rationalize the extra cost, but the reality is, just two weeks ago I was getting along just fine with the 16MB on my VDx. The untimely demise of my Handspring made the E2 an unplanned expense to begin with, so I'm not gonna push it. After all, an upgrade here, a hard case there -- pretty soon you're talking about real money.

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Posts: 170

*sigh* I'm weak! I went back to staples and exchanged for the TX. It's soooooo sweet. That's one good reason to shop at Staples -- no hassle on the return, even though the E2 was open and used. Would have been no prob to return (within 14 days) even if I wasn't exchanging. In fact I did the purchase and return at separate locations on differnt days). I was going to get the TX alone at circuitcity.com for $269.00, but found out they'd charge a 15% re-stock fee if I returned it opened. As it turns out, I was better off getting the Staples version bundled with the hard case anyway.

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 60

Must be something in the air! My TX is just now getting it's initial charge. I ended up getting it at CompUSA - today they started a deal for the TX and a PNY 512MB SD card for $270 + tax after a $30 rebate. I probably could've held out a bit longer, but my Prism got into some state Friday that required a hard reset and I'm still trying to get everything back in order - I'd gotten lazy/complacent and my backup module was way out of date. Restoring from the Memplug had some issues, too, but I think I'm down to having just one memo hosed up. I took that as a sign that it was time - didn't prevent my wife from rolling her eyes at me getting a new toy, though!

First things first - off to take a look at what's now available in the way of backup programs. Any recommendations?

Congrats on the TX!

- Dwayne

Registered: Jul 2000
Location: Jersey City, NJ
Posts: 170

Hah, that's funny that we both surrendered. Enjoy! Maybe I'll see you over at PDAstreet.com's TX forum!

I don't know anything about backup programs. In fact, right now I feel like I'm trying to deal with the effects of TOO much backup. I downloaded trial versions of Datebook 3 and Datebook 4 because I missed having the Week View and Filtered Event View of that I had with DateBook+ on my VDx. But somewhere in the process of deleting and undeleting from the E2 and synching the new TX I created a ton of duplicate calendar entries.

Do you know of any good programs that will identify duplicate entries and delete one?

Registered: Aug 2000
Location:
Posts: 60

I haven't imported my datebook yet - still keeping things separate (or trying to). I found on the new desktop software that you can select Tools->Addins->Delete Duplicates. Maybe that'll do it - I haven't tried it, myself.

I'll check out pdastreet.com - haven't yet had much of a chance to look around for TX forums. Still in the process of seeing what compatibility issues there may be on some of the software I have. My initial hotsync tried to reinstall every single thing I had on my Prism, so I hard reset the TX and started off again with a new user name. Thanks for the info, though!