T3 advice... please help!

P

punkyluvr

New member
Hi everyone,

My first PDA was a Vx, which i loved to using, however, i was lured to the PPC camp with its ability to play multimedia files and its color screen, so, i got a ipaq 3850 after that.

Its been a long time, and now that i'm going to start on my new job soon, i thought its time for me to get a new PDA. Currently, i'm leaning towards the T3, but i need some advice before plunging in.

The biggest reason why i want to switch back to palm is because of the lousy battery life of my 3850. I simply cannot leave it uncharge for just one day. On my second day, by the time i can charge it in the night, chances are the battery has gone flat and my data's gone or it'll be a close shave before it happens. I'm not a terribly heavy user. Just some PIM, mp3 playback... that's it. Even if i do not use it at all, at the end of the second day, the battery will still be low. Due to my lifestyle, i sometimes have no access to my PC for 1 whole day, and i cant tell you how many times my data's gone because of that. My Vx never gave me that problem.

And the PPC system is so unforgiving when a hard reset occurs. The only way to get the PDA back to what it was is only if you did a backup, and due to the fact that the backup is such a troublesome and lengthy process, i do it at most once a fortnight. that means that if i were to recover my data, it could be as bad as 2 weeks old. When i'm using my Vx, i never worry, as even if i did a hard reset, one sync and i'm back, no worries at all.

SO... i had a look at the T3, and from reviews, it seems that the T3 is having battery life problems too, and is not even as good as some PPC. Tell me guys, what should i do!! I

've been out of the scene for a long time, and i have no ideas how the developments are. Have PPC battery life been improved dramatically and i shouldnt even begin to use my experience with the 3850 as a guide? Or is the T3 really bad? Is the T3 much better than the 3850 such that even if its not as good as some PPC models its still very useable? i need it to be able to run for 2 days without a need to charge it.

Something else.. i wanted to go back to palm because the apps and the PIM is so much better that the PPC, and it responds to me much faster. For the PPC, my click on the screen will result in an effect only like 2 seconds later. I miss the instantaneous response i get from my Vx. So' i'll definitely want a plam, just want to know if the Palm is losing in the Battery life department. Is there any site which gives detailed comparison of battery life across all PDA models, old or new?

Last thing, is the hotsync as good as it was in the past? Even if i lost my data due to battery drain, just one sync and i'll get back all my data and apps as at my last sync? The ppc sync allows me to get back some files, but all my apps are gone, and the stupid PDA naming process refuses to let me use back my previous name before the hard reset, so i have to keep giving my PPC new names and i cant backup data from my older profiles..


Thanks to all who bothered to read through all this, and an even bigger thanks to all who reply!
 
Get a new ipaq.

As I see it, your reasons are as follows.

1) You want good Battery Life My ipaq 4150's battery FAR exceeds that of the T3. Sorry :( Futhermore, you can swap the battery on the ipaq (backup battery built in to prevent data loss). And there is a big optional battery. When I say the ipaq lasts longer than the T3, I'm talking a lot longer (1.5 to 2 times) and that is using the basic battery the ipaq comes with. The T3's bettery cannot be changed.

If battery life is a priority, forget the T3.

2) Mulitmedia You'll have to fork out for decent multimedia apps on the Palm really. The best Movie Player on PPC (Betaplayer) and a really great audio player (GSPlayer) are both completely free.

3) Backup Backup is a plus for the Palm really, but it's not all that bad on the PPC camp. I have my ActiveSync configured to auto-backup when the PPC's in the cradle. It also came with free backup software for the PDA (backup to SD card), which can be set to run automatically at set times, or low battery etc. You can do this with Palm too, of course, but I don't think backup on Palm is *that* much better.
As far as hard resets go, I've never had a hard reset on my PPC- it's never crashed that bad! And trust me, I use it a lot and load everything onto it! I've had many more hard-resets with the T3.
Probably more soft resets with the PPC tho, as running too many apps causes it to sloooooow.....

4) PIM I like the PIM on my ipaq. I preferred the Palm for it's simplicity, but to be honest it's probably falling behind PPC. Speed is only an issue on the Pocket PC if you load too much and have too many apps open. I leave a good amount of memory for the system, and keep closing apps, and I don't have any problems with speed in PPC PIM. My ipaq is 400Mhz. Granted the T3 is instantaneous, but the PPC is fast enough for me. I don't have to wait long- it's a fraction of a second difference really.


Sorry to throw a spanner in the works, but that is my honest opinion. Palm may work better for you, but your reasons for wanting Palm are not necessarily valid any longer..
If you do get PPC, be sure to get at least Windows Mobile 2003 though.
Good Luck
iiicRuled
 
Considering your "handle/name" on here (and considering mine too!) there seems to be to say the least a "tide change" going on. If several of us (kimh, you, me and now possibly MooseMan) are all at least "looking at PPC," it seems there is definitely

"cold desert winds a blowin'."

My problem is NOT with OS5 and the T3 - I'd find it very hard to "switch." But I maintain, like the car dealer in Chevy Chase's "Vacation" when he describes the car as "if you think you hate it now, wait til you drive it" PPC seems to be zipping along and not screwing people on new "mythical OS's" every 5 minutes, WHEN THEY CAN'T EVEN GET THE CURRENT MODEL (T5) OUT!!!

I got an email today. It's a very special email. I can't disclose the contents here and now.

However . . . there is a MAJOR new application coming which is available at this time for T3 ONLY -- and I'll tell you what . . . it will change RADICALLY the capability of the T3 (and soon) that of the T1 and T2.

Don't mean to "tease," but it's a confidentiality issue right now . . I'd imagine in 2-3 weeks there'll be some sort of release. For that reason if anyone's "on the fence," I'd STILL RECOMMEND the Palm T3.

However, when OS6 hits and I've got to "change radically anyway," I am certainly LEANING TOWARD PPC. I have a couple of issues:

1. Launcher. Need something akin to TealLaunch and not hit the damn "home" button to launch and close apps.

2. EDITABLE spreadsheets on the PPC synched with Excel on the desktop, a la Docs2Go. I don't need them to be necessarily NATIVE FORMAT, but something I can CREATE AND EDIT on the handheld with the PC as a "backup" OR crate on the desktop and edit on the handheld.

3. I believe Agendus is available for PPC, so that solves the calendar thing.

4. I assume MobileDB also works well on PPC but if it didn't, I'm sure that Access and PPC have some sort of "link-app."

The graffiti thing is a pain because TealScript won't let me have my "magic doodles," but I could live with it.

I'm excited about what's going to come round the bend before January, and if PPC's come out with YET ANOTHER great model or two around the time of "Tungsten 9Million/OS6." Now that should be a battle royale.

It's either a spare T3 or PPC by next June, so far as I can see. I've got an awful lot vested in Palm software but I've also gotten the use out of it . . . if I'm going to "move forward," it has to be a STABLE PLATFORM. So far this year, PalmOne hasn't provided that and I see NO INDICATIONS that they will "follow through" with much of ANYTHING. They can't even get their "Monday News Release Item" shipped for heaven's sake.

Bottom line? You don't see Dell and Ipaq "suspending" unit distribution.
 
thanks for the replies!!

Looked at the 4150 after the reply, must say that i'm impressed. damn, its getting harder and harder.. looks like its between 4150 and T3 now, since they are in the same price range, unless someone begs to differ

Heard that DocsToGo is better than the PPC pocket office, and thats very impt to me as i will be using alot of office doucuments. iiic, what do you think of the ofiice support? You're sort of a devil's advocate in the Palm Tungsten forum, as you seem to support PPC, so your input would be very much appreciated.

I need more input, so thanks to anyone who could help!!
 
Hehe. Yes, I'm seem to be supporting the PPC rather, don't I! I think it's partly because most people around here are/were Palm through and through, and I tried to stick up for "the other side" to make it slightly fairer! I'm still a Palm guy, I will support them. But PPC's are just too darn good these days.

Documents To Go on T3 beats the Pocket Word/Excel on the PPC. With 4150 vs T3, you have to remember the T3 has twice as many pixels which is an advantage especially for spreadsheets. But you get proper fonts on PPC, which I like.
I have both.. My PPC gets the most use currently, but for Office stuff, it has to be the Palm:- PPC is not bad for Office stuff, just not as good as the Palm.
But then my Palm was useless when the digitiser went :( It's currently being fixed under warranty.
Remember, you'll have to fork out if you want the latest and greatest Documents To Go. The one with the T3 isn't the latest major release. That'll come with the T5.

Also the 4150 has WiFi. I said I wouldn't use it before I got it, but now I have it I do, and it's great. So that's a plus for the PPC.

In the end you'll have to weigh it up. As I see it, do you want the PPC, with great Battery, WiFi, better mulitmedia, better software (except office), and more up-to date/widely supported. Or do you go for the better Screen and Office capabilities of the T3?

iiicRuled


P.S. PTL- Post in the Ipaq forum on PocketPCCity with you're questions, they'll be the best guys to help. I'm still relatively new to the PPC world! (PocketPcCity is a member of PDAStreet, so you can post there with your PalmBlvd username.)
 
So, to sum it up;

Battery life: 4150 wins(Hands down?)

PIM: need more comments as to which PIM apps are better, PPC or Palm?

Office Documents: Palm is better, but only slightly.

Speed: Palm wins, but by a slight margin too.


Actually, what i need is just a PDA which i do not have to worry too much about data and apps being wiped out, and is stable and minimal usage frustration. I think that slow response from the PDA is MAJOR frustration, but that's just me.. In short, i just want a functional and hassle free PDA, thats why i thought initially that palm is better, but...


Well, anyone else have any input to make my decision less difficult? Thanks!!
 
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