Thanks Robespierre! This information is very much appreciated.

Dear Robespierre: The information on this particular thread is invaluable. Thank you so very much for providing such excellent resources.

I may yet start another thread with the following two questions, but I thought I would ask while you were "here": was there a specific reason that you chose an iPAQ? Is there another PDA you would recommend?

Looking forward to your advice,

Charles

The things to look for in a pocket computer are:

Battery life (hot-swappable is best)
Provision for BIG expansion memory (SD)
Ability to plug in peripherals (CF)

Main memory size isn't so important if you manage your plug-in memory intelligently.

The slowest processor is fast enough. Remember, we're traveling to Europe, not Mars, and faster CPUs use up power.

I can't make a recommendation because I haven't surveyed the market lately. When I want to do something my 2215 can't, I'll revisit the question.

I was finally getting comfortable with the idea of using my Dell Axim for our 1 month trip to Europe and not bringing as much paper. We took it on a week-end away and it died ! Thought we had a dead battery or just done something stupid, so called Dell when we got home. Nope, it was dead all right ! They replaced it with a new PDA but that set my comfort level WAY back. I'll still take it on the trip for GPS use, but I'll have paper to back up my travel info. Darn....

Hi travel52
What a bummer - it can happen but I think that a total failure is pretty unusual. I recall doing complete resets at first but usually it was when I was downloading programs into my Dell and they weren't working correctly(usually my fault).
I should point out that this is one of the reasons Robespierre (and I) save all our files on SD cards. This not only keeps them organized (a card for music, a card for reservations, one with books, another with Word files, etc) but leaves internal memory uncluttered for faster access. Perhaps most important, if you ever have a total meltdown you can easily take tha cards into any internet cafe and access or download your material. I have never heard of these cards failing.
Good luck.

SD cards can and do fail, and have a large but finite number of times that they can be written to, by the nature of the design. That said, it is very rare for them to fail, besides by stupid/careless people sitting on them and breaking them, and if you have several of them, if one happens to fail, you're only out whatever info was on that one (and hopefully it'll be the books or music, rather than information necessary for the trip, but I'd email a copy of everything to myself just in case, and/or carry a CD with a backup, and/or paper). You can never be too careful.

I also have the Ipaq 2215 and I would appreciate some help with a few questions. If I let it sit and the battery goes flat, I lose all my data and have to reload all the programs. Is this normal? Is there a way to do this that is not so painful?
Will Windows Mobile 5 work on this unit? If so, where can I get it?

There are about three answers to your dilemma.

First, the built-in (not field-swappable) battery will preserve volatile storage (RAM) across battery depletion. You can remove the battery altogether for a few days and, even though you can't run programs until a charged one is installed, nothing will be lost. I always have a spare battery in the charging stand anyway.

Second, if you keep your programs and data in non-volatile storage, it won't <i>ever</i> be lost. Back up your calendar and contacts to the iPAQ File Store, and load new programs and data to SD or CF memory cards. Keep a second copy of stuff that you can't navigate without.

Finally (and perhaps most important): synchronize your iPAQ with a desktop or laptop computer regularly, after configuring ActiveSync to back up files to it.

One way of keeping documents available is to attach scans of them to emails sent to a webmail account.

Robespierre
You are a treasure. What about the new version of Windows Mobile? Will it work on our 2215? Where do I get it?
BTW If you are going to be in Paris between to 20th and 25th of April I would love to buy you a drink!

quot;&gt;

Too bad, WM5 is only for these models: http://tinyurl.com/lruty

Thank you for the kind offer. I wish I could be in town then. Have a 1664 for me. <i>Salut!</i>

Avec plasir!

Can anyone recommend a good program to crunch movies?

Microsoft Movie Maker 2

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/u...ptember15.mspx

http://www.microsoft.com/windowsxp/d...viemaker2.mspx

Thanks Robespierre, but what do you use to copy a DVD to an SD card etc. I am so #@*&amp; lost when it comes to this stuff. May I email you directly?

Hi, I am checking out some PDAs, am new at this. Are the ones mentioned here, ipaq, 2215, etc. compatible with MacIntosh?

The only ones I saw at stores are the Palms,Tungsten E2, Palm TX. I am confused about bluetooth wireless vs Wi-Fi wireless.

Thanks.

Palms, Pocket PCs, Macs and Wintel computers are all different (although there are some Windows Macs now).

The PPC has a Windows look about it, but the programs of one won't run on the other. Which one do you need? I'll tell you what I have told clients: decide what you want to do with the machine, and pick one with the appropriate specs.

Bluetooth is a short-range wireless that connects devices together, such as a headset with a cell phone.

WiFi is a way of connecting a computer to the internet through a nearby &quot;base station&quot; - the kind of thing that Starbuck's and McDonalds offer in their stores.

bookmark

Thanks, Robespierre.

I would like one that is compatible with Mac, has Wi-Fi wireless, and long life battery,easy to recharge. I guess it is possible to use voltage converter and plug in wall outlet overseas.

any recommendations?

What do you mean by &quot;compatible with Mac?&quot; As I said above, they're all different and not interoperable.

I have a iMac. so I think that the PDA should be able to use the MAC OSX, in order to transfer files, etc.