The Problem With PDAs

Thinking of taking a PDA instead of a notebook on your next trip? Read on.

James A. Martin

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Feature: When PDAs Aren't Good Notebook Alternatives

It's true-confession time.

If you've been a longtime reader, you may remember my stories espousing the benefits of traveling with a well-equipped PDA instead of a notebook. A PDA is much lighter to carry and easier to get through airport security than a notebook. The batteries typically last longer. You can still get e-mail and work on Office documents, albeit on a smaller screen. You know, that sort of thing.

I still believe all that's true. But on a recent weeklong trip, I experienced the dark side of my PDA-only policy. As a result, it's highly likely that I will once again be among the notebook-toting masses--at least on trips lasting more than a few days. Here's why.

Extra Prep Time Required

Right before taking a business trip, I always have a million things to do. In order to travel with my Dell Axim X30 Pocket PC (with Wi-Fi and Bluetooth connectivity) for a week instead of my notebook, I had to spend time anticipating all the files I might need. Then I copied the files onto a Secure Digital card.

Sure enough, I discovered while away that I had forgotten several critical files. If I'd had my notebook, I would have every file at my disposal.

Little Things Mean a Lot

Having never traveled with the Axim before (I normally travel with a Palm Tungsten T3), I assumed I could simply plug the PDA cradle's power cord directly into the Pocket PC for recharging. Wrong.

As the PDA's battery juice began to drain, I realized there was a small cable--which I'd left at home--required to connect the Axim's power adapter to the PDA itself. My spouse sent the cable to me via overnight delivery, but until I received it, I could no longer use the PDA. By comparison, I keep a notebook bag fully stocked with AC adapter, modem cords, and such, precisely to avoid this kind of problem.

No EFaxes

Among the e-mails I received on the Axim was an EFax message from a client. EFax provides free- and fee-based services that route incoming faxes to your inbox as attachments. When I first set up my account years ago, I elected to have faxes sent in the proprietary EFax file format, which can be opened on a PC or notebook using the EFax application. There is no EFax equivalent for PDA operating systems, however, so I couldn't open the fax attachment.

Had I known to expect an EFax during my trip, I could have changed my fax options in advance at EFax's Web site and converted all incoming faxes into either TIFF or PDF files. Still, I would also have had to download and install third-party applications to open and view those file formats, as none of the applications included in the Dell Axim support either file format. (For TIFF files, I would need the $15 SPB Imageer; for PDF files, the free Adobe Reader.)

If I'd had my notebook, this wouldn't have been an issue.

Powerless to Open PowerPoint

While I was away, a client sent a PowerPoint presentation for my feedback. But irritatingly enough, Microsoft doesn't include PowerPoint among the standard Pocket Office applications on a Pocket PC. Again, there are third-party programs you can download that will let you open, view, and sometimes even edit PowerPoint files on PDAs--but I didn't have such a program installed on the Axim. (CNetX's $20 Pocket SlideShow 1.30 is popular for viewing and projecting PowerPoint presentations.)

Okay, now sing along with me: "If I'd only had my notebook."

A Little Too Password-Protected

At one point, I went to a Borders bookstore to use its T-Mobile Wi-Fi service. I subscribe to T-Mobile's wireless service, so I figured I'd have no problems signing on. Wrong again.

I couldn't remember my user password, but I had remembered to copy onto the Axim my master Passwords document, a Word file in which I keep all my user names and passwords. But could I open that file? Nooooo. Silly me: This is the one and only file on my computer that is password-protected; and Pocket Word, the Pocket PC version of Word, informed me it couldn't open password-protected files.

So, after unsuccessfully trying various password/user name combinations to sign on to T-Mobile, I gave up. If only...

The Moral of the Story

I could regale you with other inconveniences I endured, but you get the picture.

Bottom line: When I'll be away for no more than two business days, I'll probably still travel with a Wi-Fi-enabled PDA in lieu of my notebook. (I'll also bring along an external keyboard and a dial-up modem, for those times when I'm not near a hotspot.) Or I may simply take a PDA/combo phone capable of checking e-mail.

But for longer trips, my notebook is coming with me. The hassles of not having my notebook, I've learned, can be greater than the hassles of having to carry the thing.

Notebooks & Accessories

Reviews: Specialized Notebooks, From Tiny to Tremendous

PC World recently reviewed six specialized notebooks, including desktop replacements equipped with huge screens, Tablet PCs, and gaming portables, ranging from $1598 to over $4000. The Sharp Actius MM20 ($1598) and Toshiba Satellite P25-S670 ($2599) earned top scores in the roundup, with 3.5 out of 5 stars. So if you're looking for a notebook that fits a special need, check out "Extreme Computing."

News: HP's First Linux Notebook for U.S.

Hewlett-Packard is shipping its first Linux-based notebook for the U.S. market. The Compaq Nx5000 ($1140 and up) includes either an Intel Celeron or Pentium processor, a 15-inch screen, up to 60GB of storage, and the OpenOffice.org productivity suite. If you're not ready to take the Linux step, the notebook can also be purchased with Windows XP.

Consumer Advice: Are Inexpensive Notebooks Worthy?

It's not too difficult these days to find portables from Dell, HP, IBM, and the like for $500 to $800--especially if a rebate is available. But are they worth the money? Probably not, if you require a speedy, lightweight model with a decent amount of memory and hard drive storage, reports Lincoln Spector.

What should you insist on having in a low-cost notebook? Get a portable with at least 256MB of RAM, a 30GB hard drive, a CD-R/RW/DVD-ROM drive, and wireless networking. For more tips, read "Notebooks Tempt as Prices Drop."

Gadgets & Services

News: Danger Updates Its Triple-Threat Sidekick

Danger's updated PDA/cell phone, the Sidekick II ($299), will be available this fall from T-Mobile. The new Sidekick includes a brighter screen, a built-in VGA camera with flash, and new software. It's also about 25 percent thinner than its predecessor, at 5.1 by 2.6 by 0.9 inches. PC World's Richard Baguley saw a preproduction model and felt the device's keyboard is still too cumbersome to use for anything but brief e-mails and notes.

Blog Report: Using Skype's New VoIP Service Overseas

PC World's Richard Baguley gets around (see above item). Recently, Richard tested Voice-over-IP provider Skype's new SkypeOut service during an international trip. Unlike Skype's previous offerings, SkypeOut lets you call a traditional phone line from your PC at a low per-minute fee. So how good is it? There's such a noticeable delay that SkypeOut calls, particularly those made overseas, sound more like a push-to-talk cell phone or a two-way radio, says Richard.

You can read Richard's PC World Techlog posting for his experience and reader responses. For more info on SkypeOut, read "Skype Reaches Beyond the PC."

News: A Virus for Pocket PCs

We knew it would happen eventually, and now it has.

Both Symantec and Kaspersky Labs announced recently that they discovered a backdoor Trojan horse program, called the Brador virus, that gives an attacker complete control over Pocket PCs running Windows CE or Windows Mobile. Unfortunately, the antivirus companies don't have a quick fix for PDA viruses. But if your Pocket PC gets infected, Symantec recommends that you delete the Windows/StartUp/svchost.exe file and completely reinstall the OS and applications.

Suggestion Box

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