Palm Vs Pocket Pc

[+Haffy]

I am undecided as to what direction I want to go in. Palm or Pocket PC for paperless caching? Sorry if this topic has been discussed before but doing a search I couldn't find another topic that discussed this specifically. Thanks

[+wolves shepherd]

Palm is a better-supported platform in general.

 

And it's not part of the Microsoft evil empire, FWIW.

 

I'm very happy with my Palm Tungsten with a few, very minor exceptions.

[+tnfishdaddy]

I have an older Palm 515 and a friend has a pocket pc. He will even tell you that he wishes he had gotten a Palm. Just seems easier to use. Very friendly.

[+one4zorro]

After being a long term Palm user (4 years), I have recently bought a Pocket PC.

 

Here are some observations:

Both platforms will get the job done.

Palm is IMHO more user friendly - trying to get to grips with Outlook after using Palm desktop is a challenge to say the least!

Pocket PC is more powerful for Multi-Media applications (I am a photographer and this is why I have gone over to the evil empire )

 

For caching there are programs on both platforms that are excellent.

For CF mounted GPSr's The choice of hardware/mapping software, at least here in the UK is better supported on the Pocket PC platform.

 

Hope this helps - I know it not a definite 'which-way-to go' but both platforms have their plus and minuses. Maybe if you could give us more details on what you want to achieve we could offer more help.

 

You will have fun whatever you choose.

 

Martin

[+geobc]

The pros and cons of these two OS's have been discussed ad nauseum. The only reason you need to pick one over the other is due to very specific requirements/preferences, in which case, you need to state them.

 

Your question is so vague that, truly, EITHER unit is good enough.

 

But if you want the latest and greatest hardware features, then go with a PPC. I think the latest HP is the hot item right now. If you want the cheapest, get a Palm that supports add-in storage cards (SD or CF). For everything else, it probably doesn't matter which one you get.

 

GeoBC

[+Volwrath]

I use a Dell Axim X50V Pocket PC. it works incredibly well, and I guarantee that it works as well or better than any Palm solution. having said that I spent so much d@mn money on it, it does not venture out in the woods with me!!

[+Wadcutter]

I've used PPC for work for a few yrs. I then got a Palm for caching. Tried the Palm a bit for work after hearing everyone talk about how much better Palms are. I'll stick with my PPC for work and the Palm is now my beat around, caching PDA. I like PPC better. Not that the Palm is bad nor that I don't like it, it's just I prefer the PPC over Palm.

[+Learned Gerbil]

I own both - the Palm is by far the better PDA in my opinion. Everything on the PPC seems to take too many unnecessary steps. The Palm is designed ot be simple to use and to program for - there is a mountain of free and very cheap software for it that puts the PPC to shame.

 

The PPC I got as part of a SatNav kit - the display of maps and voice navigation with POIs is far superior to anything available on the Palm. Not for any particular reason other than a lot of money seems ot have gone into making the PPC do these things well, where people like TomTom have not really bothered so much with the Palm.

 

The result is I now end up using Cachmate on the Palm, and Fugawi and TomTom on the PPC when I go out caching!

[+eremite]

I've got a PPC and have loved it. But two big problems with it:

 

1) It's not compatible with Mac w/o shelling out for special software (for the PPC)

 

2) As will all Microsoft products (that I've owned) it goes nuts sometimes: shutting down on its own for no discernable reason; the alarms don't work about half the time; other various and sundry bugs. All in all, par for the course for the Evil Empire (which is why i've gone Mac).

 

But, aside from the Mac incompatability, I'm overall satisfied with it, despite the little bugs. Nonetheless, I'd get Palm - and if I ever have disposable income again, I will.

[+Greymane]

I have used both (and still own both). As a military man, I found it kinda silly that we used Palm PDAs by default when we used Outlook (and all MS software) as the standard. I, personally, like the PPCs better, but they both do the job very well. It really comes down to what is easiest for you. Price used to be a big consideration, but PPCs have come down quite a bit (and tend to have a few more bells and whistles).

 

As far as the nay-sayers who tell you don't take them in the woods, there are a lot of options to protect these things. I use an Aquapac bag. Keeps the dirt out, totally waterproof and I can use the screen through the bag (so I don't have to take the PDA out). For about $25, it is a good investment. There are other cases out there for more rugged usage (check out Otterbox).

 

My software of choice is Memory-Map. I think it is better than anything else out there and continues to get better every day. I get all updates for free and you pretty much get everything in one package (don't need to buy an add-on for this and an add-on for that).

 

Well, I hope that helps you out. NOW GET OUT THERE AND HAVE FUN!!

[+Jeeters]

The thing I like about PocketPCs (I have an iPAQ 4150) is they're ability to *fully* multi-task applications. I can have GpxSonar running which lets me view&manage the caches in my .gpx pocketquery. From it, I can launch off multiple browser windows with each browser containing the cache page of different cache. I can toggle back and forth from browser to browser comparing them. And at the same time I can have Mapopolis up and running letting me scroll and zoom around on a map of the area I'm in along with where the caches are on the map. While all this is running, I can do things like bring up the calculator to help out with a puzzle cache, or bring up a saved email to check a note somebody sent me, etc. Can toggle back forth through all the applications and the pocketpc won't miss a beat.

[+IVxIV]

Well I don't know if this Palm-vs-PPC issue is being beaten to death worse than the Magellan-vs-Garmin debate (by the way I'm a Lowrance fan lol)

 

IMHO, bottom line..

 

If you're purchasing a PDA, "STRICTLY FOR GEOCACHING" and nothing else, then Palm O/S units are the best way to go.. They're cheaper, lighter, and better on batteries than a comparable PPC's. PPC's may be great for other tasks but, again, used "strictly for GeoCaching", buying a PPC is overkill.

[+Alan2]

... From it, I can launch off multiple browser windows with each browser containing the cache page of different cache. I can toggle back and forth from browser to browser comparing them. ...

How do you bring up multiple windows of sonar?

[+Jeeters]

How do you bring up multiple windows of sonar?

The ability isn't actually a feature built into GpxSonar. I use "PIEPlus" which is an add on to PIE (Pocket Internet Explorer). With PIEPlus, I can open up multiple browsers. So, if I'm currenly viewing a cache page, I can tell PIEPlus to give me a new brower window (*exactly* like Ctrl-N in regular Windows IE). Once the second window comes up, if I tell GpxSonar to let me see a different cache, it will display the page in the second browser window and leave the first browser window alone. You can have an infinite number of cache pages up simultaneously; but, in reality, due to memory limitations, etc., I can usually only get no more than 5 or 6 pages up at one time.

[+Alan2]

Ah yes memory. I have so many caches loaded I had to divy them up into 3 files or I couldn't open sonar. So your method would sure not work for me. But thanks for the info.

[+Renegade Knight]

Palms are more stable and easier to use in general. They have more software available and tend to cost less. A used Palm will get you into paperless caching for less money than any other method.

 

Pockate PC's are more compabitle with your windows programs. They have free caching software, and are more capable units all around at the high end. Palms just don't offer the sheer number of features that Pocket PC's do. The number of programs is rapidly catching up to Palms. Pocket PC's have more flexible and varied ways to input text.

 

For general use they are close but Palm has a slight edge.

 

What swayed me was that when it came to topo mapping software I could find it for the Pocket PC but not for the Palms. That may have changed since then.

 

If I could find a Palm that offered the advantages of a Pocket PC including the VGA 4" screens, Wifi Bluetooth CF and SD slots and membory... I'd consider tryinog one out. But this device doesn't exist.

[+Learned Gerbil]

There seems to be much more choice for mapping in terms of PPC. That is why I have ended up with two PDAs. One that is so simple and eligant at doing most things, the Palm, and just for mapping and in car navigation, the PPC. Fortunatly, these things are so small and light these days.

[+Scout Master]

Ok I’m getting frustrated I just put out $400.00 + dollars for an HP iPAQ 3100 Pocket PC I got it for Geocaching and I can’t seem to get Plucker to work on it. I tried Mobly pocket reader but I could not navigate around in it as I have seen others do with Plucker. It Has a MS Windows OS, NOT Palm OS. Any one else have this type of hand held with MS windows? What reader do you use? Do you like it? How does it work?

Thanks

Scout Master

[+Alan2]

Use gpxsonar in your PPC. Gpxsonar reads the gpx files. YOu don;t need Mobi plucker or anything else.

[+IVxIV]

For Geocaching, Palms rock