[Gllug] Mobile (?) with E-mail & Calendar

[general_email at technicalbloke.com]

Mick Farmer wrote:
> Dear GLLUGers,
>
> I'm certain this group knows a lot more about portable
> devices than I do, so I'm looking for some advice.
>
> My wife's current mobile phone allows her to sync with her
> e-mail system at work.  Fine.
>
> She now wants a device that will sync with her calendar at
> work.  It doesn't need to be a phone (but is there any
> alternative?), but it should be small.  She wants it to work
> on the train into London, so does it need to be a phone?
>
> Please send me your thoughts on what she needs for this.
> Many thanks.
>
> Regards,
>
> Mick               /"\                      
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>   


My G/f is meeting with some success using Nitrodesk's "touchdown" on her
HTC Hero (android). Apparently there's some built in sync but it was a
bit of a faff to get going with her workplace's outlook setup so she
just bought an app to handle it. It's a nice phone too, big clear screen
and quite fast. Having said that I've heard the "google handset" (made
by HTC also I think) has a far beefier processor so I'd be tempted to
hold back as it'll probably become available over here before too long.

The N900 is notable in that it's OS (maemo) is more of a traditional GNU
Linux distro with the standard toolchain so, in theory at least, you
could compile any standard console or GTK app for it. Contrast this with
android that only has a small custom linux kernel under a largely custom
Java userland. The future of the maemo line is looking a little shaky
right now though. The N900 is the only thing of note using it so it's
app-store equivalent (if there even is one) is bound to be a bit barren
in comparison to the iPhones or Androids - but then again you couldn't
install exim and Thunderbird on either of the others!

Roger.

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