Assistant assistance required

[journeyman Mick]

I need assistance to choose a new assistant. Initially I wanted an assistant that was young, nubile and smart. Able to take messages, screen calls and remind me about appointments as well as tail out when ripping and thicknessing, sand, sweep and feed board through the edgebander. A cross between an apprentice and a receptionist, something like one of the Makita chicks . But due to budgetary constraints and to avoid the ire of SWMBO I've decided that one of those PDAs (personal digital assistants) , you know little electronic organiser doodads would be safer and cheaper. So, never having owned one I don't know what features I need to look for, plus I'm also guessing there's a few sites/forums out there that test/discuss them.

Here's what I want it to do for me:
remind me about appointments/bills/events
keep all my contacts - phone numbers/addresses, who and what people are.
notepad
record voice messages/memos.

I'm sure they can do a lot more than this, so please tell me about what you find really useful about yours.

Features that I want:
Good battery life
Batteries rechargeable in car
batteries readily available? (ie Nicad penlites or alkalines?)
water, dust and shockproof I know this is a big ask and probably not available, but I had to ask.
Easily connected to PC (USB port?)
Easy to use, intuitive interface.
Commonly available memory system (USB memory stick thingies?)

Now I guess I'm a lot like people that come here wanting to know what tablesaw to buy. I'm not after a buy brand and model XXX type answer though, what I'm after is what I should be looking for in a PDA. What do you find useful or frustrating, what features you couldn't do without, what features you wish yours had now that you've owned and used it for a while, and what do you use yours for?

Any and all help, advice and smart comments gratefully accepted.

Mick the technological cavemen

[Termite]

Well you got the young nubile and smart bit right, but I don't know anything at all about the other usefull features.
One thing I do know is that they are becoming like mobile phones, they will do just about everything short of making your coffee.....and I think they are working on that.
You have done the right thing in asking for advice, not that I can help much, because from my limited knowledge you can end up paying a lot of money for features that you will not use.
For example, I recently went to purchase a personal (as opposed to business) mobile phone. Out came the $795.00 do everything, I said I just wanted to be able to send and recieve phone calls and text, so out came the $85.00 model.

[AlexS]

Judging by the number of people I know who have lost them by leaving them sitting somewhere, I suggest you get one that has a string to hang it around your neck.

[Daddles]

One of the mothers in my lad's soccer club has one of these that has the mobile phone as well (probably cooks pancakes, brews beer and can coach your offspinner as well). It's rather fat though.

Wouldn't you be better off just taking SWMBO with you? (we need an 'evil' smilie)

Richard

[Termite]

It's rather fat though.

What? The organiser or the mother? :eek:

[Groggy]

Mick, I travel a fair bit for work and manage an aircraft purchase and modification project. This requires lots of reminders, schedules and phone #s plus contacts. I use a laptop mainly, but it synchronises with a PDA over a cradle, internet or bluetooth. The PDA is wireless and allows me to link into the internet via the wireless network at home.

The laptop is also a home theatre, TV and stereo when I am in my other "home". Having all three synchronising was very important to me, and this combination is the first time I have got exactly what I needed.

The phone is also bluetooth and CDMA. This gives me broad coverage and it synchs itself whenever in range of the laptop, PDA or both. The phone will use the laptop for conference calling ie it links to the laptop speakers and microphone if I need to type and talk. Finally, the phone links via bluetooth to the car handsfree, allowing me to push a button for 1 sec then say "phone home" and it will, without touching the phone whatsoever. The phone is with me like a third leg, so it also has a radio (used when walking) and camera (which I find useful about twice a week for work - and w'work too)

The PDA was a great thing before I had the phone, but now I find the phone and laptop are probably all that I need. The laptop is a Dell Inspiron 9200, PDA is a HP IPAQ and phone is a Nokia 6255.

(looks up - oops, ya got me, I'm a geek)

[Termite]

Groggy, are any of them fat?

[Groggy]

Groggy, are any of them fat?

I'm being thick I guess - fat?


[edit] Oh I get it, sorry, not very witty today.

[Auld Bassoon]

I use an HP IPAQ at work, and sometimes, at home too. Synch to pC via bluetooth or cradle or USB.

The only downside is that it always reminds me of meetings that I don't want to go to...

Cheers!

PS mine came with a 'free' camera - which is crappy enough to warrant being free...

Cheers!

[Termite]

I'm being thick I guess - fat?

Just my usual self. Read Daddles then my reply.

[RufflyRustic]

Darn it all Mick!! I thought I might have actually had a chance there for a second, then realised why I was out of luck -hmpphh! Could have done with a new job.

Good luck finding the PDA.

cheers
RufflyRustic

[barnsey]

I have an I-Mate Smartphone 2 mobile phone - bought it through Grays Online $250 ORP $999.

Comes with MS synch software and shares info with Outlook including addresses, photo, video and more bells and whistles that I'm still learning. I'm retired now but would have loved a device like this when I was working. Now I'm just forgetful and it's a saviour at times

FWIW

Jamie

[ian]

Here's what I want it to do for me:
remind me about appointments/bills/events
keep all my contacts - phone numbers/addresses, who and what people are.
notepad
record voice messages/memos.

I'm sure they can do a lot more than this, so please tell me about what you find really useful about yours.

Features that I want:
Good battery life
Batteries rechargeable in car

I think you'll be searching long and hard to find one that isn't.

batteries readily available? (ie Nicad penlites or alkalines?)

this is almost certainly not an option. AFAIK they mostly use lithium ion batteries and dedicated charges

water, dust and shockproof I know this is a big ask and probably not available, but I had to ask.

you can get a hard case for some models, saw one (case that is) this morning

Easily connected to PC (USB port?)

all that I know of do USB

Easy to use, intuitive interface.

your choice for operating system is Palm, Blackberry or Windows. I think all three operating systems come as PDAs (contacts, notes, Calander with reminders, etc) or PDA + phone. I've used the Sony version of the Palm Op system, works OK, I found it very intuitative and the hand writing recognition easy to learn. However, my wife struggled with the handwriting recognition and eventually bought a micro keyboard.

Commonly available memory system (USB memory stick thingies?)

tick

One thing, some PDAs loose everything when the battery goes flat or is disconnected. You have to religiously synchronise with your PC nearly every day to ensure that you have a back-up

hope thsi helps

ian

[bitingmidge]

Mick,
Ignore all those flippant responses above. I don't know how this board functions when everyone seems intent on making jokes about serious subjects. :eek: I think I'll just type a really long post to spite them all!

FWIW, my long-felt and well researched feelings are below
Think about this PDA thing... it's just one more bit of electronic stuff that'll be out of date the second you buy it, and needs software updates and all that sort of stuff. My diary does the same thing, and I've been using the same style for 15 years. Whenever my contact database needs updating I use a rubber, and pencil in the changes.

Having said that, it also serves as the backup for my electronic one.

For about 50% of my time I work at a desk, so have all contacts and my diary duplicated on my machine. 390 names, addresses and email addresses, and my life on a screen that can be printed by day, week or month, which can be surprisingly handy. (A photocopy of my diary page would do the same).

In the office, everything is linked, email, word processing etc, so printing envelopes or writing emails is a one-touch scenario.

I use Apple's standard Address Book, and ICal, but the dreaded MS Outlook (no Express) does work just as well for both functions.

Now the fun bit: VERY VERY FEW people with PDA's use them beyond the first 6-12 months, once the novelty of writing on a touch pad wears off, and of those that do, I have met ONE that backs up all the data.

I could lose my diary, but I have a copy of most of the stuff (all but the weekly jottings in the sidebar, but I update that each week anyway), if I lose my diary, I lose a week at best, and $25.00.

However, EVERYONE I know also has a mobile phone.

I have a blue-tooth phone (Nokia 3230) which I synchronise with this stuff first thing every day, even if I don't think there are any changes. It forces me to review the electronic diary in particular.

All diary stuff is there, and can be added to if one can be bothered with the dicky little letter keys, all contacts there including addresses, which is surprisingly useful, a voice-note capability, and even more surprising to me, the 1.2mp camera works for note-taking very well. I really thought the camera was a gimmick I didn't need, but find it surprisingly useful on site as a recording device for all manner of things.

Finally, it's got a feature which I never thought I'd use, but have found myself plugging in a couple of times while waiting at airports: An FM radio and MP3 player!

So for me: Diary first, Computer Second, Mobile phone with the gadgets at a lot less than the price of a PDA.

Cheers,

P

[shaunburgess]

Mick,

Being in the business, there are two i would recommend

1. I-mate PDA2k it is a CDMA phone which runs windows 2003, has word, excel, powerpoint outlook etc.. very easy to use as well as gives you excellent coverage. It runs lithium batteries, most units will need charging everynight. Suggest you also buy a car charger, metal case etc..

2. If email is your go and you would be suprised how much work you actually get when you reply to people in 10 - 15 minutes after recieving an email. Get a blackberry, has the features of outlook, but as i say is Managing Director proof, you can't delete the settings and once it is setup it will work for ever with battery life being about a week. Again get a car charger or for both get a proper carkit and don't be dangerous on the road.

The dell,hp,palm etc.. are great as simple PDA's but are you going to carry a PDA and A phone on a jobsite? How long to you through your PDA in the toolbox because it's to cumbersome?