Off Topic: Need info about Pocket PCs and similar handheld devices

  • Thread starter Thread starter Dos-Man
  • Start date Start date
D

Dos-Man

Hi, I've scrapped my PC, monitor, and printer. I'm looking for
some type of alternative computing machine.

A small laptop is certainly an option, but I'm hoping to get
away Microsoft once and for all.

Does anyone in here have experience with handheld devices. I have
some questions that hopefully you can answer.
* How long does it take for these machines to boot. Hopefully, it will
not take 5 minutes like it does for the PC with its worthless,
prehistoric architecture.
* Can these devices be used to create word processing documents(rtf)?
* Do they have USB ports?
* What about the ability to connect to a printer and print documents?
* How long do you have to wait to shut down?
* Are there software installs?

These are all goofball issues that will never go away until
PC users make PCs themselves go away. I'm ready whenever the
rest of you are!

dos-man
 
Dos-Man said:
Hi, I've scrapped my PC, monitor, and printer. I'm looking for
Click to expand...

All answer relate to my Sony Cleo.
* How long does it take for these machines to boot.
Click to expand...
Instantaneous. Press a button, you're there.
* Can these devices be used to create word processing documents(rtf)?
Click to expand...
If you have the software. No freeware stuff that I know can do it, but some
commercial stuff can.
* Do they have USB ports?
Click to expand...
They have USB connections to transfer info to / from PC.
* What about the ability to connect to a printer and print documents?
Click to expand...
Not directly AFAIK. I've seem some proggies that will let you connect to a
printer via a PC though.
* How long do you have to wait to shut down? Instantaneous.

* Are there software installs?
Click to expand...
You do need a PC to install files and software to a PDA (via the USB
connection, or a serial connection for older devices.) You can beam some
programs from one to another but that's not very practical as a longterm
soluction.
 
You can have a computer without having M$. I have a 2-3 year old Toshiba
Portege running Slackware Linux and love it. (Although I wouldn't recommend
Slackware for a first time Linux user.) It's not much bigger than a sheet of
paper and you can slide out the CD-RW/DVD player and slide in a second
battery. It also has built-in wireless. IMHO those little hand held computer
aren't quite ready to replace a PC. Not the fastest machine (1Ghz) nor does
it have the biggest screen (12.1") but it does everything I need it to. Try
it, you might like it.
Louis
 
"Dos-Man" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de (e-mail address removed)...

I just bought a HP 200LX, on ebay :) a "cult "item, discontinued in 1999.
boot in 10 s, resum in 3, but only 3 printer (scanjet, canon...) supported.
No usb, and probably never will, but serial port, obsolete IR port...
also the best windows you can get is 3.0, the dos 5 can be enhanced,
and ... i just like it :). I have it since 1 week, but i'm prety sure you
can write rtf ; with antiword you can read doc. a browser is avalaible,
internet sharing with your PC is possible, POP3 seems to be there...
Viewing pictures, play chess, Qbasic, also video is there in eva format,
it's a fine machine. And CF cards are supported.

lh
 
Laurent said:
"Dos-Man" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de (e-mail address removed)...

I just bought a HP 200LX, on ebay :) a "cult "item, discontinued in 1999.
boot in 10 s, resum in 3, but only 3 printer (scanjet, canon...) supported.
No usb, and probably never will, but serial port, obsolete IR port...
also the best windows you can get is 3.0, the dos 5 can be enhanced,
and ... i just like it :). I have it since 1 week, but i'm prety sure you
can write rtf ; with antiword you can read doc. a browser is avalaible,
internet sharing with your PC is possible, POP3 seems to be there...
Viewing pictures, play chess, Qbasic, also video is there in eva format,
it's a fine machine. And CF cards are supported.

lh
Click to expand...

Sounds cool, but windows 3.1 was horrendous. I'm more productive
from a command prompt :(

dos-man
 
"Dos-Man" <[email protected]> a écrit dans le message de (e-mail address removed)...

Sounds cool, but windows 3.1 was horrendous. I'm more productive
from a command prompt :(

dos-man

I didn't mean "the best" windows, only the *latest*. (3.0).But
it's not there by default (althought it would enable a mouse :)
The most limitating is the DOS 5 if you are a power-user,
and it can be enhanced with a shareware to be much better
and compliant with the latest DOS...So you have a command
promt like C:> but monochrom CGA screen, outdated hardware,
outdated IR port... You can see :

http://www.daniel-hertrich.de/200lx/


lh
 
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