PDA WI-FI question

[+wandering4cache]

I have a general question for anyone who has ever had a Sony Clie PDA. First of all, I've never owned a PDA at all, but hubby has had several brands all supplied thru work.

 

I'm thinking of buying a used Clie. I only need it for geocaching really since we want to go paperless. (Hubby currently has a blackberry thru work, but he doesn't want to put ANY geocaching stuff on it. He works for military.) Wi-fi WON'T be absolutely needed since he always has blackberry with him and can look up a web page if really needed, but thought it would be nice for me to have on the rear occasions I cache alone.

 

Some of the models I'm interested in have built-in wi-fi. Some have wi-fi capability if I purchase a Sony wi-fi card (if that's the right term). If it helps: models UX50, NZ90, NX70, NR70. Mainly looking for QWERTY keypad, camera, large color screen. Wifi just a nice extra.

 

Here's the silly PDA wi-fi questions. Do I have to pay a monthly fee to someone to use the wi-fi feature on a PDA if using it away from home? If so, to who ---its not a phone, so no phone service.

 

And, I can't get wi-fi out in the woods, lol, right? Need to be CLOSE to places like businesses?

 

See, I'm really clueless. Since this PDA is for me, and its my first, I want to keep the whole process SIMPLE.

 

BTW, we have 2 Garmin GPS60cs, so not looking for anything with GPS in it. I have a older cell phone I use mainly for emergencies...no web access. Not looking to get into a newer phone with a higher priced plan. My $20 monthly plan is just fine.

[+PlaidPirate]

Wi-Fi has a very limited range, max of 300 feet, under ideal conditions outside, and much shorter than that indoors. So no, you won't be using it out in the woods. Away from home you would need to be near a WiFi access point, usually located in a place of business. Each business is different, some have free access (for customers), some make you pay. Who do you pay, that can vary too depending on the business. Some are paid directly to the business, some business use a 3rd party service that might be located if lots of locations, like McDonalds.

Edited January 4, 2007 by PlaidPirate

[+wandering4cache]

So, IF I need to pay, I would be paying on a case by case basis right then & there? Not a monthly subscription fee that I would owe even if I don't use it?

 

Sounds limiting?

[+PlaidPirate]

Again, depends on the business. Some are on a case by case basis, basically pay for access for a limited time, like 24 hours. Some have a monthly subscription.

 

Personally, I wouldn't pay for any WiFi access because if its a business like a coffee shop, my patronage should be paying for it, the WiFi is a way of lureing in more customers. If I want to pay a monthly plan, I would use a cell phone broadband coverage plan (and I do, actually work pays for it).

Edited January 4, 2007 by PlaidPirate

[+wandering4cache]

Thanks. Sounds like I'll skip any type of wi-fi function in being a deciding factor in which one I pick.

 

In 4 yrs of caching, on the few instances that we absolutely needed web access NOW while out caching, we just popped into a local library & used free access while we were out. I can still do that.

 

And if DH is with me, he'll have his military blackberry with him that we can use.

[+Renegade Knight]

Sony is just goofy. They make great products but always have some goofy angle. The clie is a great PDA but make sure the OS is palm based. If you want to use this for geocaching it's far easier to get PALM (or pocket PC but Sony doesn't do Pocket PC) software.

 

Wifi is nice in that there are normally free access points about town in most towns. You can stop for coffee and check your caches. It's not a requirement but it is nice. As has been pointed out you can find pay sites as well but it would be case by case.

[+wandering4cache]

The models I mentioned are Palm OS5. So, I'm ok there.

 

I should mention that we already use GSAK, so I thought the easiest thing for me would be to use CacheMate too.

 

My main criteria for a PDA are:

large color screen since i don't have the best eye sight (the models I mentioned are 320x480)

 

built-in camera - enough to take any necessary pics to log a cache so I can elimate carrying around our more expensive slr-type camera

 

QWERTY keypad built-in since I don't want to learn graffiti since I don't think I'll be using the PDA alot. I think I might forget graffiti in between uses. and I don't like using stylus on the screeen for graffiti since I think it marks it up. Also, using stylus with a on-screen keypad means I loose some screen real estate, making my cache info smaller & harder for me to read.

 

Able to use GSAK & cachemate.

 

So with all that, any PDA's anyone wants to recommend? Maybe I should move this to a seperate thread.

Edited January 4, 2007 by wandering4cache

[+NightPilot]

The Palm Tungsten C has the keyboard, but I'm not sure they still market it.

 

GSAK is a Windows program, not for a PDA. Cachemate has versions for both Palm and PPC, so there should be no problem there. RK is right, Sony is goofy, and lots of things won't work on them. I have no recommendation in that area. Graffiti really isn't that hard, and you shouldn't forget. It's actually pretty intuitive, especially Graffiti 2, which is on all newer Palms. But if you absolutely have to go with a keyboard, that's your choice. You might be happier with a smartphone, like a Treo. It's a Palm, with a telephone, and has a keyboard. You can get some of them pretty cheap with a plan. They don't do wifi, but then most PDAs don't. You can get a wifi card for ~$70, and there are lots of free wifi spots. All Panera Bread locations offer it, as do many coffee shops. Starbucks charges, so I don't buy coffee from Starbucks. That plus the fact that their coffee isn't very good.

 

A quick Google search shows Palm still sells the Tungsten C, and it has built-in wifi. It's not cheap, but it has everything you want.

Edited January 4, 2007 by NightPilot

[+wandering4cache]

Thanks, i'll check those out too. Looking for used on ebay mostly.

 

And just to make sure I have this right, GSAK would be on our Windows XP PC like I have been using it. Cachemate would be on the Palm OS PDA?

 

And I use the same .gpx file in GSAK & Cachemate? Or do I need to do something to the .gpx file to get it into Cachemate or PDA (well besides loading it into the PDA)?

Edited January 4, 2007 by wandering4cache

[+NightPilot]

There are FAQs on this, but quickly, you click on the Cachemate icon on the GSAK toolbar, and it will export the caches in the current filter to Cachemate, and put the file in the Quick Install tool for hotsyncing to the Palm. Palms cannot accept PC files, just as Macs can't, and the Palm OS is even more different than the Mac's.

Edited January 5, 2007 by NightPilot