Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 236

Cnet

Browsing through Cnet I decided to stop in on the Neo review and see what kind of comments readers had posted now that it has been on the market a good while. While browsing through I was surprised to see that it had actually received a whopping 88% approval rating from Cnet's readers, something even Sony's new NR70 failed to receive (It only got 70%). I think even though Cnet only gave it a 6 out of 10 and nobody really gave it any awards, it is actually a wonderful PDA that just went unrealized.
Alex.

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

What does this show you? People in the real world (yes, it is there outside geekville) that do not follow every breaking announcement in the PDA World (ask 10 people on the street and see if they know who Donna Dubinsky is and what announcement she made in January...) and what device is simply a mockup of a previous one...


The real world only sees/cares about what is on the shelve, and the Neo is on the shelf with great pricing (free w/ AT&T cell phone, $140, etc...) and people only see what they use it for...oh my gosh, you can't view great images (who uses that anyway...?)

Not everyone is like us nerds that use huge memory cards to store files and games, as there are a LOT of people who get games/programs only from other people or the store, who don't know what AvantGo is, who doesn't know that the Springboard is dead, etc...

People in the store don't care if the springboard is dead, because on the shelf in front of them is a MP3 player, a Camera, a GPS, a backup card, a memory card adaptor, etc. widely available IN STORES. - BTW, what else do you want out of the Springboard, other than making these smaller or the legendary 6-pack combination?

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Friends don't let Friends vote Democrat
Victory 2002 - Republicans Win Control of the Senate
Now onto Victory 2004 - FOUR MORE YEARS

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 236

I personally use a Neo and find it incredably useful (it's the blue one under my name to the left <--). Sure it doesn't have the most memory or the fastest CPU or the smallest form factor, but it gets the job done. As a Grade 12 student I find it really useful with my 4.0 Student and various allotment of games, I also haev the parafone module so when I go home it turns into a phone for my room. As for the Pocket PC vs. Palm debate, my dad owns the new iPaq 3850 so I can steal that whenever I want, but aside from the color screen and multimedia capabilities, there isn't much more to it, except for the price.
Alex.

P.S. What kind of springboards would I like to see? Well that diabetic blood-glucose monitor one would be wonderful if it came to the market, especially considering my mom is mildly diabetic and would love something like that too monitor her blood sugar levels. I also wouldn't mind the much promised next-generation parafone that allows up to four handsets to be hooked up to one base (meh, unless you have a multi-visor family) and also you can hook it into your broadband internet connection and wirelessly surf the internet from your visor. Speaking of Wireless and combo Wireless network/Bluetooth card would be nice, though I don't use either of those...but still with wireless networks catching on in public places it could have alot of potential. I would also like to see the visorphone and GPS Modules work in Canada..sometimes I hate being Canadian. A Biometrics module would be nice, though not very secure considering you could just pull it out. Maybe one that could turn your visor into a pager would be neat...or maybe one that could be used primarily for SMS messaging..I know people that just use that and in Europe they have cell plans that are just for SMS messaging..has big potential. The FM radio sounds neat, but would be more effective if combined with a next generation mp3 player...and maybe an mp3 player that took compactflash would be nice...or how about a jukebox mp3 player, you know the ones with a 10-20Gb hard drive. Speaking of Mp3 players, it would be nice if Good Technology sold off its soundsgood technology so some other company could re-release so we don't have to go digging through ebay to find used ones at outragious prices. I also think the springboard would survive if companies got out of the "it has to be innovative and ground-breaking to sell" that just drives the price up and makes people really question the useablilty...who would ever use the power-napping module or the Skygolf modules? I think the practical modules also need to be combined...why not put the graphing calculator together with the dictionary and call it a student special, maybe throw in 4.0 Student, a thesarus, a study aid program and 8megs of flash. Sell it for maybe $100 and you would have an instant hit. I think I got a little long winded on my reply..oops.

P.S.S Why does it say your graduating on May 25 and it says Schools out? It's only the 19th. Also are you graduating from Grade 12? If so, go Grad 2002!

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

Yes, I graduate on May 25!!!! And I am a Grade 12 (senior)

My last day of school though was the 16th, as Seniors at my school get to skip finals week. The Ceremony is not until this Saturday, though.

Before it said SCHOOL'S OUT! I counted down the number of school days left...

So, I am out of school, but waiting for the Graduation to be done with... after graduation, I will probably post a logo from my college (Washburn Univ., Topeka, KS) and maybe ask to have my name changed (like dietrichbohn -> septimus) to Ichabod (the stupid mascot at my school...)

What college are you going to? Is it in the states? Then you could get the GPS/Phone/etc...

GO CLASS OF 2002!

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Friends don't let Friends vote Democrat
Victory 2002 - Republicans Win Control of the Senate
Now onto Victory 2004 - FOUR MORE YEARS

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 236

No, I didn't take my SATs so I won't be going to an American University this year at least. I have applied (and received conditional acceptance for) UBC our local University (Which has no less than 3 Nobel Prize winners for professers). So yeah, unfortunately my last day of school isn't until June 17th...our ceremony is before the end of school so we actually graduate before we finish school (Ironic isn't it). But up in Canada we have to take something called provincials which are essentially HUGE tests worth 40% of your final mark that you write on the last few days of school...they cover the entire course and promote "Thinking outside the box"...Ie. taking all you weren't paying attention to in class and expecting you to re-work it and spit out a new answer...grrr....oh well. After that comes university, an iPaq of my own, and real fun.
Alex.

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

3 Nobel Prizes? Makes my university and its 1 (in science, completely unrelated to politics...) luke puny.

For me, this summer brings a job at Burger King (US$6.80 an hour), sleep, a new palm (color and hi-res, maybe a closeout special for the T-615?), sleep, and anxiety to find out how hard college is going to be...

__________________

Friends don't let Friends vote Democrat
Victory 2002 - Republicans Win Control of the Senate
Now onto Victory 2004 - FOUR MORE YEARS

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 236

Politics eh?

So your going into politics eh? Going to be the next Bush? I hope not...I wanted to go into Politics but Canadian politics is really screwed up, moreso than American. So I am going into Law instead. I would love to have a job for the UN in international Law, maybe someday I will write one of those articles "A day-in-the-life" talking about me flying everywhere using my whatever they will be using in 10 or so years.
Alex.

Registered: Feb 2002
Location: Washburn University in Topeka, KS
Posts: 450

Wow, there is a system screwed up more than ours? Hard to believe! Atleast you could elect a President the first time around, on paper ballots!

Going into law is a good idea-- I will probably go to law school if I feel up to three years of torture. However, don't work for the UN. Work for a nice international law firm that has offices in NY/Chicago/Toronto/London/Paris/etc... that would be MUCH better than the stinkin' UN!

__________________

Friends don't let Friends vote Democrat
Victory 2002 - Republicans Win Control of the Senate
Now onto Victory 2004 - FOUR MORE YEARS

Registered: Sep 2001
Location: Vancouver, BC, Canada
Posts: 236

I guess your right about the UN thing...and a nice international law firm does sound cozy....mmmm money..though that isn't my primary reason...I just love to travel so I want a job that won't keep me grounded...I thought the UN would be nice because their Lawyers and Diplomats all get international passports, you can stay in any one member country for as long as you want without restrictions.
Alex.