SPOTLIGHT: PDA PHONES

SPOTLIGHT: PDA PHONES - The next ,"your not ballin, unless you have one", item


The Handspring Treo 180 PDA/phone

By: Clarissa Grayson

It’s a 2 in 1!! PDA/phones are the new convenient palm pilot and cell phone combined. With makers such as Nokia, Samsung, Handspring, Ericsson, and work done by Motorola, and Sprint, you know that quality on these phones are top of the line.

However, the thing to consider, before you turn in your two-way, is if these PDA/phones are really fit for your lifestyle.

Each PDA/phone comes with regular palm/cell phone features such as: planner, do list, memo pad, phone book, address book, keypad, or graffiti writing, speaker phone, speed dial, 3 way, call history, text messages, 16MB of memory, and emails. But what makes these phones attractive is there wireless internet access capabilities. The Handspring Treo 180 PDA/phone uses its “award winning browser” called “Blazer” which does support html, and is said to be able to support any website. While the more advanced Nokia 9210 PDA/phone uses WAP and supports java, and html, The Nokia also has spread sheet, presentation viewer, emails digital pictures, video clips, and sound waves; all from a full color screen that displays 4096 colors. This Nokia also comes with , two screens, and new Nokia games installed.

I would say that inside these phones is everything a businessman/women would need. Now while the internet

Kyocera QCP-6035

access features of these phones could prove to be useful to anyone; I’m not sure the average cell phone/two-way user would find the palm pilot features as extremely important. Especially at the prices that these babies run.

The cheapest version of a PDA/Phone I ran across was the Handspring Treo 180, at a price found at www.nextage.com , for $498.00 from PCMALL, (PC Connection was also selling it for $599.00!!). However, the Handspring Treo 180 only comes with a 4 bit (16 levels of gray) screen. Which means no downloading pictures to a full color screen like the Nokia 9210, that run for $599.00! Last I heard the version by Samsung (1300 sprint pcs) is due out at the end of summer, but you can bet that won’t be cheap either! The unique features of this model will be it’s ability to record short memos, feather-light weight, compared to its competitor’s weight and bulk.

Nokia 9290

If you really need a PDA/phone but don’t want to pay these prices, and who would, there is the option of buying a Smartphone by Kyocera. The Kyocera QCP-6035 can be found on www.compusa.com for $149.99. This smart phone can do all the basic functions of the more expensive, and slightly more elaborate, PDA/Phones. The Kyocera QCP-6035 has the graffiti writing area, do list, memo pad, address book, 3 way calling, Infrared (IR ability), and Website access. It also has a multiple accessories available to make it more convenient. If you can live without the full color screen, and downloading pictures, and the overweight of the high models, than this smartphone might be a brighter idea for you.

If your still unclear if you need or want to make the switch over to a PDA/phone, take some time to check out the sites listed below. There you can find reviews, and comments of particular phones, forums about new upcoming models, and price comparisons. (nextag.com) Take your time because there are many new models already released, and others soon to be relaeased, in Europe, and are slowly coming to the US. There is even talk of a toothphone design, and I don’t know what could beat that!!

www.wapsight.com

www.kyocera-wireless.com