[Sussex] PDAs

[Tony Austin]

Matthew

I bought myself a Psion Revo three years ago, after I had forgotten an
appointment for the third time with the same person!  The problem was
having a work calendar, which I used all the time, but sometimes my social
engagements didn't made it into my work calendar.  The solution was the
PDA and synchronisation with the work calendar.

My Psion now holds all my personal and work contact details - and doesn't
need that tedious task of weeding out the people I have fallen out with
every New Year as I copy them into the new diary.  The work contacts
include a wealth of technical data about my customers, without which I
would be completely sunk nearly every time that I go on site.

In addition, I have a dictionary, the swimming pool times, my mileage
record for expenses, three private address books and a couple of other
personal things, as well as the calendar that gives me audible alarms of
appointments that might otherwise be forgotten.  There are also
spreasheets, word processors and a calculator that I use and lots of other
things that I don't use.

Actually, I'm a Luddite and it was with great reluctance that I entered
the digital world of the PDA.  But, depending on what work they do, a lot
of my customers use them - in fact they totally rely on them; it depends
on your life and work styles.

I had to replace my Revo last Summer after having the original stolen - I
don't know where you would get one now as they are not available where I
got mine any more (sold out), but it was damn good value at about 150GBP.

Ialso have a Sharp Zaurus, upon which I am currently writiing this email
in bed, courtesy of an Opera web browser and a WLAN card.  It's a real
computer and runs Linux but for me it's a project (aka a toy).  I keep on
re-flashing it and experimenting in search of the perfect setup and, if I
ever find it, I will try to persuade all my customers to change over to a
Linux PDA world.

Matthew, depending on your needs a PDA could be the most valuable bit of
kit you ever get or a complete white elephant.  Good luck with your
choices and your new job.

Tony

> For 2004, I've gone back to a paper diary for appointments, and phone
numbers programmed in the phone.
>
> I have two iPaqs... I find them a nice toy, and better than the
PalmPilot
> I
> had before that, but ultimately not worth the money that my former
employer
> paid for them.
>
> Frankly, if you've got budget for a PDA, get a diary and an iPod -
you'll
> actually use them !
>
> Regards,
>
> Mark
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Matthew Macdonald-Wallace" <matthew at truthisfreedom.org.uk> To:
"LUG email list for the Sussex Counties" <sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk> Sent:
Friday, January 16, 2004 4:39 PM
> Subject: [Sussex] PDAs
>
>
>> All,
>> I'm thinking about buying a PDA to keep me organised during my nursing
course, any recommendations?
>> Obviously I'd prefer Linux powered, but I'm happy to go with whatever.
TIA,
>> Matt
>> --
>> +----------------------------------+
>> |Matthew Macdonald-Wallace         |
>> |The Truth Will Set you Free       |
>> |http://www.truthisfreedom.org.uk/ |
>> +----------------------------------+
>> Where is Bart, anyway?  His dinner's getting all cold and eaten. --
Homer Simpson
>>    Bart After Dark
>> _______________________________________________
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>> Sussex at mailman.lug.org.uk
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>
>
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Regards.

Tony Austin
Gigaday Computing Limited
http://www.gigaday.com
tony at gigaday.com


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