Smartphones = Cheap PDAs

For the last month or two I've been thinking of buying a smartphone to use as a pda. Something smaller than a J720. And while I've looked and looked at the Android phones...I just couldn't do it. I couldn't bring myself to buy an Android phone, even though I loved using my brother-in-law's Galaxy SII.

I was going to use a CE device if it killed me. It's got to be a psychological thing...my addiction to CE. Maybe pills and counseling would work.

Anyways, I picked one up for $19. It looks like brand new. Runs Windows Mobile 6. Has microSD slot, wifi, bluetooth, USB, and has a little itty bitty keyboard...or do you call those thumbboards?

You can see all the specs here: http://pdadb.net/index.php?m=specs&id=771&c=sprint_mogul_ppc-6800_htc_titan_100

Anyways, less than $20 is hard to beat. Pictures of it below (bottom one is canned)

BTW, I have no intention of getting cellular service...I'm only going to use it like a pda. Wonder if I can put Skype on it though...hmm, anyone got any experience doing that?







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I just rooted a Droid Eris a friend sent me last night, and sent it back to him. He intends to use it as a PDA. It seems almost perfect for that: wifi, onscreen keyboard, pretty good color screen and excellent battery life. I forgot to check if it has a GPS chip.My Webpage

I almost went with an LG Optimus. They have pretty decent specs, built in wifi and such...and maybe I will in the future. But for now I'll stick to a CE device. Anyways, I got the phone, cradle, power supply and it all is mint condition really cheap...just the screen is a tad tiny...but I'll see if I can live with it.

Built in GPS is really a nice extra feature that I hadn't thought of...

Anyways, one really has to wonder if pocketpcs or Palm pdas are really worth the expense, except for the cool vintage and history of the things...when you can get so much more for the same price, if not cheaper...

Rich, that looks like my old phone (altho it was WM5 on a 200mhz)...

Anyways, when you say "use it like a pda" I guess it depends on what you think a pda is. In the old days it's just PIM (contacts, emails, and calendar), maybe plus notes. In terms of email, it used to be emails up to the time you last sync'd it with your PC.

But ever since I got cellular data almost 2 years ago, I cannot live without push email, so now data is a must for me. You also do not have to sync anymore as all your PIM data is centralized on cloud service (Windows Live, Gmail, etc).

Then you have "new" PDA functions. Web browsing, social networks (Facebook!), instant messaging, document sharing - they all require a data connection, and unless you are still living on campus, chances are you don't always have a reliable (and somewhat secure) wifi connection at all times.

My point is, whether you are using a PDA for its traditional uses, or for much more today's technology can do, an always-on data connection is invaluable. Wifi for mobile devices is like dial-up for PC; it's just way too limiting.

That said, enjoy your new PDA! There's still a lot you can do with WM6 these days.

. . . and most of it you can do in CE 6 as well (with a DLL or two).

That was a really good deal, where did you get it? I'd like a similar device. I see absolutely no reason why skype wouldn't work (assuming it's available for the OS) without cell service, it should work fine over Wifi or any other way you connect it to the internet, it just needs an internet connection.

I was gonna say don't get a Windows Phone 7.5 as a pda, for pda use I FAR prefer CE 6.x and lower. The lack of hardware shortcut keys, stylus and handwriting recognition make Windows Phones 7.5 less convenient for pda type use, so much so that it's my purchase of my Windows Phone 7.5 that made me start buying these old PSPCs and HPCs to get that computer/pda feel that's lacking on the Windows Phone. I also really don't like the way you launch apps on Windows Phone 7.5, the way it's designed can only fit a maximum of 8 program shortcuts on the screen at a time, you also can't organize them into folders, you just have one long list. For this reason I use voice recognition to start any program that aren't the 8 that appear on the first screen (for example "start internet explorer" and it answers "Starting Internet Explorer" ), unless I'm in a noisy environment where I can't do that. The voice recognition on WP 7.5 is awesome though, I can say things like:

Me: Call John Doe, Mobile, On speaker phone
WP: Calling John Doe, Mobile, on speaker)

(notice below that it's the phone that starts the "conversation" )
WP: Message from John Doe, you can say read it or ignore
Me: Read it
WP: I'll meet you at your place, you can say reply, call, or I'm done
Me: Reply
WP: Texting John Doe, say your message
Me: I'm going to be there at 8
WP: I'm going to be there at 8, you can say send, or try again
Me: Send

Though sometimes with background noise things like this happen:
Me: Start settings
WP: Searching for "fencing"...

Even my CE 2.0 PSPCs make FAR better pocket computers than my Windows Phone for things that don't need a powerful computer, of course for web browsing or HD video the Windows Phone is the best of all my portable devices with its 1 Ghz CPU and 600 MB RAM and 16 GB storage.

Edited by aab 2012-10-15 9:02 AM

I got it where I get everything...eBay: http://www.ebay.com/itm/150903961329?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1497.l2649

Here's another: http://www.ebay.com/itm/200829237815?ssPageName=STRK:MEWAX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1423.l2649

Rich, this is the ppc version of skype that I once had working on my HTC Touch Pro2. If I'm not mistaken, it wouldn't let you set up a new acct, only sign into an existing one.

Also, it took forever to log you in, I mean, minutes. Also, MS has control of skype now and they have tinkered with things in a bad way for old software. But I just tried it and it worked.

Furthermore, I hope I can successfully upload this file to HPC:Factor

Sorry for all the caveats

Jake

EDIT: Okay, the file upload did not work, too big. It's 6+ megabytes, so PM me maybe and I'll see if I can email it to you.

Also, the installation from cab will probably say it failed. Pay that no mind. In /Programs/Skype, you should be able to find the *.exe and start it up.

Edited by Jake 2012-10-15 1:32 PM

Thanks Jake, but I already have version 2.1 and 2.2 for ppc. Got it from the Skype website. Just need to set up an account with them and see what happens...also downloaded Skype for Windows Mobile which supports CE5 shell. And another version that I need to check out, Skype 3.02 or something like that. Will post more info when I get it running...

Okay, good luck. Don't worry if the cabs say they failed to install, and don't worry about the lengthy log-in time.

When I was setting up WinMo, I found it best to try the tricky apps first, get them running (and discard the ones that failed), then do a hard reset and fresh install of working apps.

Jake

Well, I installed Skype, it went quickly and flawlessly. First time I tried to run it I got an alert saying there wasn't enough memory. I had IE, Opera, and about a half other dozen programs running in the background. So I closed them up and tried again. It loaded right up. I then logged in. The login only took about 4-5 seconds after I input my name and password...pretty quick. Then I tried to make a phone call. It worked very quickly, and the sound was great...no distortion, no problems. Seemed a little funny holding the smartphone to one ear and a normal housephone to the other ear. When I would speak, there was about a half second delay between the two...overall I'm very impressed and pleased with this phone and Skype.





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Well, that's certainly easier compared to my Skype times with WinMo 6.53. I had a custom ROM, so maybe that was the culprit. I use Skype on Android 2.2 without problem.

Did you access "test call" on the menu? W/ its voice recording, that'll check both sides of the audio.

Jake

Yeah, #echo123. It was a good thing I did too, because the phone has dual volume controls. One volume control is for the built in phone itself through the Sprint network. The other volume control is for the pocketpc itself, which is like any other CE device volume control.

Well since Skype is a software application, the volume up/down control for the phone doesn't work with the software...you have to use the CE volume control to adjust it to where you like it. Which I did...and recorded my own voice and could hear it clearly.

I realize however that I will need to do something if I want to keep the phone conversation strictly personal as everyone in the room could hear the PPC volume out. I have serveral bluetooth earpieces I could use I guess...but I probably won't do anything as I probably won't use the phone much if at all...it is just a nice feature to have available...making a phone call that is.

I suppose you could just use earphones and talk into the phone as though it were the speaking part of a headset. I must admit, when I Skype, and I Skype alot, I use my main computer plus a headset. I suppose I should give the Android phone a run, but I've always felt an actual computer made for better connections.

Jake

I've been wanting to get a Windows Mobile mobile phone. I only have the 50$usd LG Quantum Windows Phone I got.
I really have been liking Windows Phone 7...I know..taboo, right? But it's cool that I can sync it with my SkyDrive and Office. I still am grandfathered in with my free 25gb..

I have been wanting the HTC Imagio for Windows Mobile. I think it's awesome it has a kickstand just like my HTC Thunderbolt

Edited by torch 2012-10-30 5:28 PM