Alistair and all,
I have used a PDA for about four years. A major point for me: I am
prepared to carry around only one thing. So it has to be a phone as well.
I have had two types, first an O2, currently an Imate. Both have been
totally reliable, and I can't really fault anything. Although the screen
size and characters seem to be getting smaller and smaller as time goes by!!
The main use of a PDA is "diary", "to do list", and "contacts", (and
"phone"). The Imate also runs all windows programs, incl excel so will do
any farm thing. It's also a camera, MP3 player, dictaphone (the latter is
more useful than you might think at first) , and has bluetooth. It can
hook onto the Internet, get email, etc, but I rarely use that because it
costs a lot and is very slow. I wish it was also a radio. I use a number
of normal dairyfarm spreadsheets (rations, grazing, ferts, etc) on it. They
simply convert from my computer to it. All programs sync automatically
with my computer when I hook them together. It's is a bit bulky, I am
thinking of buying the smaller version now available (about $1,100). Does
anyone want a 18 month old Imate/phone for $250 (cost $1,200 new)?
I have got bits and pieces of useful software for it off the net. Like a
chinese phrasebook and a program that keeps all your pin numbers handy but
safely encrypted ( that's another thing with age: I get to the ATM, and
I've suddenly got confused or forgotten my pin number. Well, I reckon I've
got at least fifty pins or passwords.)
I apparently could attach a GPS to it but never have.
Alastair, and all, I would be very interested in a discussion on GPS. Can
you get a handheld GPS, to measure paddocks and not get lost when walking
around, say, Sydney, or the bush, that also works as a car
navigator????
Regards
Frank Tyndall
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