Recommend a PDA

[100I]

It's all too hard so please help me.
I'm after something for mapping, plus city navigation, phone, etc. so I think a modern PDA might be what I need rather than stuffing around with laptops, carputers etc, and I don't really want too many gadgets cluttering the cab anyway, a D1 isn't very big.
I know this particular one isn't a name brand but what about one like this that covers most bases?
3.5" GPS windows mobile phone Pocket PC PDA Aussie MAP - eBay, PDAs, Computers. (end time 28-Jun-08 09:59:29 AEST) (http://cgi.ebay.com.au/3-5-GPS-windows-mobile-phone-Pocket-PC-PDA-Aussie-MAP_W0QQitemZ120277292332QQihZ002QQcategoryZ3729QQ ssPageNameZWDVWQQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem)

Things to watch for?

[B92 8NW]

I was going to buy a Mio A702, but the "covering all bases" aspect is rather flawed which put me off.

It's incredibly hard to find a decent GPS/PDA/Phone. The best compromise would be to get a good Smartphone/PDA like an o2 and then incorporate GPS by using a bluetooth GPS antenna. Or even just a PDA and keep the phone a seperate entity altogether.

Things to watch for - basically the compromises made to give the device an all in one form. The phone part isn't 3G, the PDA lacks WiFi, and the GPS may be dubious but there is no specifications to compare it to anything. Lesser points, the unconventional keypad would be a pain (look at the picture and imagine typing a known/frequently dialled number. Annoying!). Why doesn't it have WM6?

[EchiDna]

simply the more stuff it has, the shorter the battery life... my now 5 year old Dell x50v with VGA screen can still manage about 8 hours of use or three days of standby. As soon as you turn on the bluetooth or wifi, you can cut that by 50% for each device, so about 2 hours "use" with both running... (I use an external bluetooth GPS).

Dell doesn't make PDA's anymore but if I was in the market now I'd probably wait a bit until WM6.1 devices become more common - e.g the glofiish DX900

[solmanic]

HTC P3600i (previously Dopod D810). Has everything, GPS, Wi-fi, 3.5G, SD card, bluetooth, kitchen sink. Uses Windows Mobile 6 smoothly. I have been using mine for just over 12 months without a problem, decent battery life.

I did A LOT of research before buying this phone and I still haven't found anything that matches it. Only the new iPhone V2 beats it, but it is also a bit bigger.

[ladas]

I would be tempted to wait until the Apple iPhone comes out next month (13th or 14th +/-)

From what I have read and seen - you get a great package for about $199.00

[EchiDna]

I would be tempted to wait until the Apple iPhone comes out next month (13th or 14th +/-)

From what I have read and seen - you get a great package for about $199.00

at that price Ladas, it's gonna be one heck of a contract you will be signing...

Having already played with an iphone months ago, they are very good at the multimedia bit, average to poor at the phone part and if you want GPS software, it might be a bit more difficult/choice limiting than a WM device. Also a tad fragile when dropped - it's gonna happen, just depends how long it takes after purchase!

[ladas]

at that price Ladas, it's gonna be one heck of a contract you will be signing...

Having already played with an iphone months ago, they are very good at the multimedia bit, average to poor at the phone part and if you want GPS software, it might be a bit more difficult/choice limiting than a WM device. Also a tad fragile when dropped - it's gonna happen, just depends how long it takes after purchase!

This is the new iPhone - which isn't released to the public until july - and the contract - if you take one is quite basic

[solmanic]

I have it from a client who runs a phone distribution company, that the iPhone is out on Optus & Vodafone on 11th July (global release date), and Telstra on 27th July.

[WhiteD3]

I'd be lost without my PDA but have yet to be tempted to move to a combo PDA/phone. I've got an Asus 620bt and Nokia 6500c, nice and small.

A mate has the newer Asus with a GPS receiver.

Mind you, the new HTC Diamond (?) looks the goods.