Palm or Windows CE?
Oct 09 '01
The Bottom Line When it comes to deciding on the right type of handheld device, you should consider the following things, Price, Purpose or Use, Software, and Ease of use.
When it comes to deciding on the right type of handheld device, you should consider the following things, Price, Purpose or Use, Software, and Ease of use.
How much are you willing to pay for the device?
In this case price will directly affect the functionality and other options that are offered by the handheld. If you only want to consider functionality and ignore price, I suggest you skip this section and move to the next question bellow.
Two things to keep in mind with the price of the handheld is the Operating System and if it has a color screen. Any of the handhelds using the Palm Operating System have a less expensive price. While any of the handhelds using the Microsoft Windows CE Operating system have a more expensive price. (This is solely based upon the complexity of the handheld unit and the amount of hardware that is required to run each operating system.) If the unit has a color screen, it will generally run approximately $100 more than a comparable unit in grey scale. In most cases you can wait until the color unit goes on promotion or gets a mail-in rebate and only pay approximately $50 more for the color screen. (Compaq, HP and Palm often have deals or mail-in rebates periodically throughout the year)
What will you use the handheld for?
You must first determine what you will use the handheld for and how likely your needs are to grow. Most handheld users only utilize their handhelds to access e-mail, calendars, contacts and notes. Other handheld users utilize their handhelds for the same reasons above, but they also want to use their handheld as a tool in their job, or an entertainment device. At the present time Palm had not yet made a unit that can play MP3 music files or windows video files. Most of the Windows CEs do both of these things and have an output jack for headphones.
What Software is available for my handheld?
Software is also a concern when choosing a handheld device. There are uncountable numbers of free and purchasable software that runs on the Palm operating system. The Windows CE operating system has roughly 1/3 of the software that Palm does, but is growing at a much faster rate.
As a general rule, the software on the Palm is much more home user based. They have programs that range from games to software that determines how much of tip you should leave in a restaurant. The Windows CE software is generally more business related and has everything from spreadsheets to computer network traffic analyzers. (This is not to say that you cannot run games on Windows CE or business software on the Palm OS. This is a general rule of thumb because businesses commonly buy the Windows CE units for business purposes and individuals buy the Palm units for personal use.)
How easy is it to use?
Ease of use is also another aspect to consider when purchasing a handheld. The Palm OS is easiest to use, but has a limited nature because of this. If your needs or requirements on your handheld are likely to increase this may not be the best option for you. The Windows CE is more difficult to use, but is less limiting in its’ capabilities. If your needs are not likely to grow the Windows CE may not be the best option for you.
Make a list of what is important to you and prioritize it. Then add it up each side and be sure to give your self some room to grow. This will be the easiest way to determine the best unit for you.
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