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July 21, 2004
To Sync or Not to Sync
For cripes sake, gadgetry abounds.
Last year I abandoned my Palm. My work schedule was not hectic enough to demand a portable calendar and the availability of our web system brought easy access to it when I did. More importantly, the number of gadgets that I was toting around had reached hernia-inducing proportions (if I could actually develop a hernia, which I don’t think women can).
On any given work day, I carry a PDA, a cell phone, iPod, and camera, not to mention various pieces of work reading and usually a book. No, it’s actually not heavy, but it’s still a lot to lug around, particularly when half of them are only used when required, which can sometimes be only a few days a week. Leaving one at home, however, generally predestines me to needing it during the day, so usually each item is shoved into my bag and given a little inter-borough trip.
In the past three months, my job has become far more demanding, and with it, my time. My head is generally stuffed to the brim with relevant and irrelevant ponderings, leaving little room for its antiquated system to track things such as tasks, due dates, and addresses. Basically, I need my PDA and it really sucks (not the Palm, but the fact that I need it).
What sucks even more is that it will not, under any circumstances, big or small, sync with my work computer. We’ve just completed a migration to Microsoft Exchange (don’t give me shit about this—I know all of the cons and had no responsibility in the decision). In that process my computer, which has for the past five years remained an exception in the office admin vs. peon worker who doesn’t know how to install things correctly login scheme. I’ve had free reign to install, uninstall, and save things wherever I’ve wanted. No more. This is an equal opportunity workplace. I respect that.
As a result of the migration, my Palm no longer recognizes the sync (we moved from Intellisync to Pocket Mirror and something is funky). I need the conduit reinstalled and I can’t find my Palm installation disk. For some reason, palm.com doesn’t offer the conduit anymore. So, for the past few weeks I’ve gone calendar and taskless.
This technological nudity has gotten me thinking about the possibility of a new handheld, and I’m quite confused. I hate being tethered by technology. I rarely answer my cell phone (if I’m not home and haven’t called you, chances are I don’t want to talk to you) and, despite the great impulse to check my email constantly, I try not to—at least on my work account.
Still, I can’t help but think that my concept of a handheld has become quite antiquated and am considering a hybrid—either a web enabled PDA or smartphone. Or the whole shebang. Possibly on a PC platform. But I don’t know. This is all kind of scary to me. Should I take the plunge? Does having it all in one handheld make it easier? Or will it break, like those awful TV/VCRs, and I will wind up with nothing? Do I get a Blueberry or Blackberry? I’ve always wanted one, but I think it’s just because of their name.
Decisions, decisions.
Posted by callalillie at July 21, 2004 4:34 AM | Geek
There's a rumor that Apple's ordering up 60 GB hard drives for some new media machine, not necessarily for the iPod ... color? video? games? all three?
They should just add a phone and/or blackberry, and eliminate the rest of the market.
Posted by: mp at July 21, 2004 9:24 AM
Just what I need-- another Apple product whose version will be extinct three months after I purchase it and proceed to break two weeks after that. But it would probably look pretty.
Posted by: corie at July 21, 2004 9:30 AM
you can't get the pocket pc, for getting that is like switching to microsoft exchange.
i've now resorted to leaving my clie at work, thus rendering it pretty much useless (damn sony not supporting macs) and there are really times when i wished i carried it with me. i should try to sync it with my new computer.
Posted by: tien at July 21, 2004 9:54 AM
I hold Sony up there with Apple as being a pain in the ass. Their incompatibility issues are incredibly annoying.
Posted by: corie at July 21, 2004 10:04 AM
Posted by: Scoxx at July 21, 2004 10:16 AM
well as for the handspring treo, i would take a pass. it is ok, but the web is marginal, and as a phone can be awkward. you had told me once that these combo devices make you crazy, now...hmmmm the hernia, the lugging, the age. wow how things change.
as for the answering of the phone, where should i call??
Posted by: skutchie at July 21, 2004 10:22 AM
After much research and extended techlust, I found the Treo 600 smartphone addresses most of these issues fairly well. Excellent phone, solid PDA, internet access, good battery life and the sound quality is better-than-passable.
This last point (and the 512meg upgrade) will allow me to (occasionally) do without the ipod. Maybe.
Posted by: Scoxx at July 21, 2004 10:25 AM
Web access on a Treo is "best of class" considering the size and limitations of the device...
Posted by: scoxx at July 21, 2004 10:27 AM
Actually, web access in terms of browsing is lower than bedrock on my list. I only care about getting my email-- and I'd rather not get it through webmail. The phone piece is intriguing. Skutch, you know better than anyone that you should call my house. I can't stand having a real conversation on a cell phone. My conversations are my business and should be conducted privately...not to mention the fact that I want to pay attention when I'm talking to someone and not be concerned with crossing a street or selecting the right fabric softener :)
Posted by: corie at July 21, 2004 10:55 AM
I LOVE my Treo 600 and wouldn't trade it for a conventional phone or phone/blackberry combo.
I think the formfactor is perfectly fine (and I have HUGE butt-ugly thumbs and I can still type my novel into the thing).
It did crash ONCE but BECAUSE it's Palm-based, and because I synch regularly (and because, now, at least, I backup my laptop harddrive) I didn't lose a bit of data.
Posted by: Jerry at July 21, 2004 2:09 PM
I smell a trip to Circuit City to play with different models...
Posted by: corie at July 21, 2004 5:01 PM
the blackberries are kinda nice as a pda, but i still prefer the palms over them as they are a bit more clunky. phone-wise, they work, but again... just a bit too big for me, and sometimes it's just not worth putting your ear-piece in for a 30 second call (or you can walk around with one in your ear 24/7 and pretend your secret service). i'd still break them up... just in case one goes down, EVERYTHING won't go down.
Posted by: jason at July 21, 2004 6:53 PM
[and my teaching-support site is .../online. citigraphics.net is the consulting & design & writing biz.]
Look: Cut to less stuff. Sony presently sells phones that do 1.3mp (enough for snapshots); 2mp and 3mp are in the pipeline. Nokia phones have free software (at least, my antique does) that will store a month's appointments and my contact list handily unless I am very busy. A jotter (one of those mini-deskpad things that hold a 3x5 card on top with a few extras in a pocket) is a great place for the daily to-do list and the odd note or two.
Of course, you can't read e-books on these....
Posted by: Don Jenner at July 23, 2004 12:24 PM
