Haven't Pocket PC's come a long way.

[Deviant]

I've only had my iPaq 3870 for 4 days, and I've overclocked it, expanded the memory, hacked the registry and downloaded heaps of software for it.

They are full computers now, not just assistants. I am running Quake (yes the 3d full motion game), Word, Excel, and even benchmarking it when I overclock it. I even downloaded a version of Windows XP for it. Quake II is out for PDA's as well.

They do voice recognition, handwriting recognition, and can even be used as a programable remote controller for your TV and video etc. They surf the web, check email, have digital camera and cellphone accessories as well as much more.

I could not see myself without one now.

I have discovered heaps of useful apps for it.

If there are plenty of people in the forums who have one, or people who just wan't to know more, we may be able to convince the mods to open up a new thread topic for PDA's.

These devices are only going to get more and more popular as time goes on.

[I.R]

G33K :p

When are you gonna w/c it? What's the OC on it too?

[Deviant]

Water cooling as soo as I can devise a setup the size of a cigarette lighter so it can also fit in my pocket, but seriously, some vent holes to the CPU may go a long way.

My Ipaq has the standard Intel StrongARM 206 MHz CPU, which some say is still better than the new Intel X-Scale 400 MHz CPUs on the new PDA's. I've had it clocked up to 236MHz, but thats as far as the software would take it so time to look for some more software.

[Secern]

hi devient nice work! sounds so cool.

I was wondering (since you know abit about pda's) what would be the best price vs. preformance pda I should get, I'veing being reading and reading but a newer seemingly better one comes out the next day :P

anyhelp is a big help! :D

[Method]

abit make motherboards. A bit is a totally different word and is the word you were looking for.

Sounds good deviant, does it get hot though?

Cant imagine it being too good for it, i guess it would have speed step like stuff that will reduce its clock speed when not in use.

Next step, set up seti on it :p

[I.R]

What type of connectivity does it have? Can you do multiplayer Quake?

[mightybob]

you can also get simcity 2000 and age of empies for pocket pc. :)

[Deviant]

I like the Compaq (now HP) iPaq's best. They now come with the 400MHz X-Scale CPU, which people claim to be slower than the previous 206MHz StrongARM CPU's. The X-Scale aparently overclocks to 500 MHz (20% increase), while the StrongARM clock to 300 MHz (50% increase).

I just bought an iPaq 3870 with bluetooh for $220 through Trademe which is good value for money. Any of the 38xx or 39xx series are the best buy in my opnion cause they have the better CPU, and people are upgrading to the 54xx and 55xx series and selling their old ones.

iPaq's seem to be the most compatable with sll software, a lot more so than Palm, but maybe that cause I'm specifically looking for Pocket PC software.

So there's this new software that clocks up to 300MHz, automatically when required, and reduces it when high speed is not required saving the battery. You can also set the CPU to slowest/slow/norm/fast/fastest for each individual application if you want. It's costs $19.95 US which I havent bought yet, and only tried it.

Yes Quake is multiplayer, and you can connect to your PC through the usb, serial, IR, bluetooth or WiFi. Good all round options.

[Gremlin]

You can pick brand new 221x's up for around $600 notes they're the best buy imo, after using my 2210 for a few months my 3950 feels like a brick in my hands. The 2210's definately much faster too

[mattnz]

You can pick brand new 221x's up for around $600 notes they're the best buy imo

If you haven't already seen the 4150's yet you chould check those out before buying a 221x series ipaq. They have bluetooth and WIFI and are damn tiny to boot, way thinner than the 22's.

The trade off is that you don't get a compact flash slot, just an SD one. But all i would use the CF slot for anyway would be a wifi card, and that's already built in.

All in all damn fine - a bit pricey tho, you are right about the 221x being amazing in the price vs features stakes.

I might hold out for the 6000 series ipaqs 'tho. those things look to have everything that i want in a mobile device. Phone, PDA, teenie tiny computer, the lot.

Oh: the other problem with the 4150's is that only have comunications grade infrared rather thgan consumer grade so you can't use those cool tv/stero remote control programs with it. the 221 serise has full power IR for uber remote control lurve.

[Gremlin]

Yeah your right about the 4150's they are very sweet with 802 and BT built in, I like the ability to use my microdrives though and CF is still probably the cheapest storage medium around, I'd personally rather they drop the SD card and leave CF but everyone has their own preferences/uses I guess.

[Anarchy]

Slightly OT here:
Does anyone know of a palmtop like the ipaq that has a hard drive in it? Or some form of mass storage that is cheap and fast?
I know the Archos somethingarather has it, but its not really a palmtop.
As soon as they start to come with hard drives, chances are I will get one.

[Gremlin]

Yeah it's called an iPod :) I have a GB CF Microdrive in my iPAQ, does the job ok.

[sparkles]

ok, now i've looked at and played with a number of pda's over the years. they've always had a "wow, this thing is kinda cool" appeal to me, but i've never really thought that i'd use one on a regular basis.

i already have a cellphone, i already have a computer. what applications are you actually finding for these devices? i certainly don't doubt your sincerity when you say that you couldn't live without one deviant, but, well, what would you say is the "killer app" that means you need to have one?

[dustyslapper]

I'd hold everything for the next week ata least ;)

Word is, is that Steve Jobs is going to announce the new mini Ipod range on the 6th - just a few days away now. They are smaller in size and much cheaper. 2gig and 4gig models starting at $99USD.

I'm not sure if they will be solid state or HD machines - best bet I've read are the smaller micro drives.

Do the maths - assuming that we'd see them at comparable prices here as we do the current ipods (not much more than us prices) you could have a 2gig machine for $200-230 (USA price converted + gst = about $189 NZD)

Can I have a "Hell Yeah!"


Off original topic of thread sorry (which is excellent - post some screenees Deviant), but in response to last few posts.

[sIg]

its on Slashdot (http://apple.slashdot.org/article.pl?sid=03/12/30/1622209&mode=thread&tid=176&tid=188) it must be true :D

[Tiggerz]

Well, I had an IPaq for a while.. But ended up not using other than for email while at work.

I've thought about getting another one, but it would have to be a convergent model with a mobile phone built in. Not going to get one of those phone jackets.

Then while I was thinking about it, for my usage model, I'm thinking a tablet PC may be the better option. And I might just leave the phone as a phone.

[Deviant]

Originally posted by sparkles
i already have a cellphone, i already have a computer. what applications are you actually finding for these devices? i certainly don't doubt your sincerity when you say that you couldn't live without one deviant, but, well, what would you say is the "killer app" that means you need to have one?

I always thought they would be a cool toy, but wouldn't actually use one much the same as you, but my new job in Australia is what it's for. I'm a design Engineer for the Australian Naval Seasprite hellicopters, and I work in an office on the otherside of the airfield away from the choppers. So a 6-7km drive to the hangar to take measurements or jusk take a look, and I'm always taking notes, sketches, using excel, and word. Now I can do it all on the pda, and instantly have the information in my computer back at the office when I get back.

So I guess it's MS word, excel, notebook and paint for me, and save time and hasstle entering in information back at the office.

No one killer app, just convienance.

[archangel]

Im about to get myself a 4150 at cost. Looking forward to walking around uni and using 802.11b to check my emails and download the w00p w00p.