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PDAs vs. Smart PhonesIs it time to dump your PDA for a cell phone/ PDA combo device?James A. Martin
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Feature: The Great PDA-Smart Phone Smackdown
Have you dumped, or are you planning to dump, your PDA in favor of a cell phone/PDA combo device? If so, why? If not, why not?
Those are the questions I posed to readers in a July column. My queries were prompted by Sony's announcement that it had no plans to introduce new Clie PDAs in the U.S., concentrating instead on smart phones (another term, essentially, for combo or hybrid devices).
The response from readers to my questions was overwhelming. More than 40 people e-mailed me their opinions, experiences, heartaches, and ecstasies concerning the PDA vs. smart phone issue. Sentiment was equally divided, more or less, between those who'd rather have a cell phone and a separate PDA and those who prefer the all-in-one approach.
But when I took a close look at the explanations behind the sentiments, an interesting pattern emerged. I found that readers who favored a PDA and a cell phone supported their case with multiple reasons, while those in the smart phone camp pretty much harped on the all-in-one convenience issue. So what follows is a summary, of sorts, with six arguments in favor of two devices and three in favor of the combo units.
Whichever side you're on, or if you're still undecided, I think you'll learn a few things. I certainly did.
Why a PDA and a Cell Phone Are Better Than a Smart Phone
1. If you switch carriers, you might end up with a PDA. You know how you can take your phone number with you when switching wireless carriers, but frequently, you can't take your cell phone? Well, that's often true with smart phones, too, writes Jason Stringer of Hollis, New Hampshire. My research corroborates his theory, with a few exceptions.
Suppose you buy a PalmOne Treo 600 from AT&T Wireless and sign a one-year contract for a voice/data plan. Then, after your contract expires, you want to switch to Sprint. Well, guess what? Sprint supports a different Treo 600 model than AT&T Wireless. So the $350-...