Anyone Surf TBN on a PDA?

[Henro]

I am about ready to upgrade my PDA. I now have a Handspring...and when I wake up in the middle of the night sometimes...all I seem to do is play cards on it.

So I am wondering how useful a PDA is for viewing web sites. We have an always-on wireless network in the house. I could get a PDA with wireless connectivity...but I wonder if they are really useful for browsing.

Would be nice to wake up at 3AM and check in here and read the latest...

Anyone have any experience viewing web sites, especially TBN, with a PDA?

IF so, feedback would be GREATLY appreciated. Could help me avoid disappointment... /forums/images/graemlins/shocked.gif

Doesn't seem like any of the local vendors have the capability to connect to the web with their demo PDAs... /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[MicroPilot]

It depends on the display resolution. Most PocketPC display are 240 x 320 resolution. A site like TBN on one of those would require scrolling back and forth a lot, or scaling it down to fit the display which would prolly make it unreadable.

HP does have a PDA (HP iPAQ hx4700) that has a VGA display (480x640) with a native portrait/landscape mode. For web browing this would be the way to go.

Palm screen resolutions are 320x320 with one model (Tungsten T3) with a 320x480 screen. Again you would be doing a lot of scrolling left and right to read a web page on these devices.

If money wasn't a concern I'd get the hx4700 at around $700, compared to this the Palm device is a bargain at only $399!


I miss my Handspring PDA...wish it still worked.

 

[MossRoad]

I have an older Palm and use it for weather updates that I download from the Internet, but that is about it. I use to download CNN, but after a while, it becomes clear that it is just too small to read comfortably for long periods of time. It is, however, a superb date book and contact manager. It is also great for taking quick notes, writing down part numbers before going to the supply house, and things like that. I have the local train schedule on it, too. I'm in the IT field. We have several applications for keeping track of our network. They sync with the Palm, as does our list of phone number extensions and their blocks in all the communications closets around the plant and out offices. It is a very valuable tool with those applications on it.

My wife has a newr SONY unit. It is full color and very bright. You can read it in any light. It will play music, videos, pictures, etc. Web sites look much better on it, too.

On mine, I have my PC download the web sites, then when I sync the Palm to it, they are loaded. TBN is kind of goofy on the Palm. You have to make some very specific settings in order to get all the threads that you want. I find it easier to read on my home PC in the morning before work and in the evening before bed because I can make replies as I read. On the Palm, unless you have wireless service, I don't see how you could log in to TBN, then make a reply, then send it in a timely fashion. It just isn't very functional without always-on wireless service.

But I would recommend a Palm to anyone that needs a scheduler and contact list. My next plan is to get an LCD monitor in the kitchen with a wireless keyboard and mouse. I'll mount the monitor on the wall in a picture frame. It will run slide shows of family photos when sleeping. When we come home from work, we can sync our PDAs right there, check and update the scheduler for all the kids' sports and meetings, and have the evening news in a window in the corner while we make dinner. That will be nice. /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

 

[dmartin88]

I've used my Blackberry on cellular service to browse TBN when I was interested in a reply to a paticular message or killing time waiting at the barbershop. Not the easiest way to browse but kind of like my BX22-- compared to a shovel, it's great! Compared to no access, browsing that way is a bit slow and cumbersome but a lot better than nothing. On a home wireless network, the speed would be less of an issue I'd think. Don't know if I would upgrade just to get access but if there are other reasons to upgrade your PDA, can't hurt.

 

[MessickFarmEqu]

I've tried it, it takes less time to go and boot up a computer than it does to mess with a PDA.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

I used to use a Palm VII which is a wireless PDA that had limited internet capabilities, it was great for reading email on the road, but the web capabilities were very marginal. I've tried web surfing on a 16 color Samsung SPH I-300 pda/phone and found it to be LESS than a great experience. I currently use a Treo 600 and have surfed a couple times just to see, just like the I-300 it is marginal. I used to travel with a color Handspring PDA and a snap in modem that fit into the card slot. On a business trip it was better than nothing, but not a lot better. Just my opinion, but they are good for reading emails, but with technology like "frames" and "flash" on so many websites now, the little screens just don't provide a great experience.

My view of the PDAs is that they are really great little tools if you use them, and the ones that offer either WiFi, or better yet, cellular conectivity, are fantastic for travelers like myself. But they are best used as supliments to a compact, lightweight laptop computer for travelers.

Inside a home enviornment, I much prefer a 802.11g equipped laptop. We always have at least one of those at home all the time and never bother to turn it off, just open it up and it is connected, close it and the connection is shut down to the computer; the best part is that there is no waisted time while you are booting up because I only reboot the computer about once or twice a month.

I find that with the laptops, I can post to TBN from pretty much anywhere, and so many of the hotel rooms are WiFi equpped now that life is pretty easy for business travellers. I've posted to TBN from a couple different countries and too many cities to remember, but I've never posted using my PDA eventhough I have greater connectivity options with the PDA than I do with the laptop.

By the way, I think Handspring makes some of the best PDAs for the money. Good choice! To bad none of their current models has built in WiFi or Bluetooth.

 

[Bob_Skurka]

Moss, have you tried an old 3Comm Audrey? They use the PalmOS and sync with Palm PDAs. I love those things and they make excellent add on units for inside a house. You can still find new in the box old stock for sale if you hunt long enough on the internet. And there are sites that show you how to hack the Audrey to update all sorts of things. The keyboards are wireless too. You can even get add ons for them to connect them to an ethernet or add a WiFi adapter.

 

[kokopelli2]

love it
i have an hp ipaq. there is no scrolling left and right on most bulliten boards. the threads are just really long, with only 7 or 8 words per line. it works for me when my girlfriend is doing homework on the main cpu.

 

[Gary_in_Indiana]

<font color="blue"> "I currently use a Treo 600 " </font>

I have the same phone and just love it. Even with the large (relative to other phones) screen I'd think it would be a pain to use for Internet access.

 

[Henro]

Thanks everyone for the feedback.

Looking at my original post I see I forgot to say that we have a WI-FI home network with four desktops and two laptops normally connected whenever we turn them on.

The interest I have in a new PDA relates to when I wake up in the middle of the night like daedong and want to do something other than just lay their waiting to go back to sleep...

My old handspring does come to the rescue but playing solitaire gets old. Would be much better reading TBN... /forums/images/graemlins/smile.gif

I take it that using something like the Palm Tungsten T3 might be a workable solution...

I don't expect this to be a substitue for a lap top...it us just that a lap top gets pretty heavy when you lay on your back and hold it up in front of your face... /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

My little Handspring has been a wonderful tool. With folding keyboard and plug in modem, it has offered great connectivity when travelling, as far as email and journal keeping goes...

Sure wish I could find a local seller that had the PDA I am interested in AND an internet connection that I could browse TBN on for a few minutes...