Time for a Smart Phone?

[mikekn]

My current PDA (a Sony Clie NX80) came out in 2003 and is showing its age. Actually this is the second one of this model I've owned. The first one still works except for HotSyncing. The second one works except for the camera. Anyway...

The main thing lacking from it is access to the Internet (technically it has wifi, but it is very old and difficult to use), so time to look into something new.

Features I want but don't currently have:
- Internet access - wireless preferred, but I'd go with wifi only to save money if I can get all the other features I want
- Camera - the camera on my cell phone sucks and I rarely have our digital camera with me when I want to take a picture.

Features I have and need to keep (can be through additional apps)
- Calendar, Address book, Note pad - all synced with desktop application.
- MP3 player - especially for audio books and music on road trips.
- Read and write Word and Excel files (or OpenOffice files)
- Read PDF files.
- Load (and sync) files.
- Database program (mostly just able to load my data exported from LibraryThing and BoardGameGeek) Currently using SmartListToGo
- Ability to store web pages off line (unless I have full wireless access, in which case I don't need them off-line) Currently using Plucker.

I've lived with 2 GB of storage for a while now, but would prefer a lot more (2 for audio books, 2 for data and docs, lots and lots for music)

I've got Verizon right now for my cell phone service, which none of the big three smart phones use (iPhone, Palm Pre, G1). I'm not opposed to getting a smart phone with the lowest voice plan and unlimited data and just use it for data (looks like both the iPhone and Palm Pre can do this for $70/month) Tonight I'm paying bills which will serve to remind me that I don't have much money to spend on a new monthly bill.

Anyone out there with more experience then I care to comment or suggest?

Comments

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

I just deleted my own need list. AT&T gave us similar
cost-per-month to our prior verizon bill,
but for that money we now have unlimited
data and text, which were "goodies" rather than
dealbreakers.
I love the ease of use and very shallow learning curve
on the iPhone, it really sold itself.
If you are still in contract with verizon,
perhaps a Gphone or similar unlocked sim
phone will do all the "other" stuff until
you are free to move over?
you can jump ship?

[metageek.livejournal.com]

No, because Verizon doesn't use GSM.

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

I meant to use it simply as a PDA non-phone for the time being.
baavgai used his on wifi for some time, and still got quite a lot of utility just treating it like a pretty PDA.

[metageek.livejournal.com]

Got it. Sounds like an expensive solution, though; the extra cost of an unlocked phone is usually more than the early termination fee. I think.

[mikekn]

I'll probably end up doing something like that if I get a smart phone and not some sort of non-phone net device. We've not only got a contract with Verizon (not sure when it ends), but also 3 lines and combo deals for our FIOS net, phone and TV.

[loosecanon.livejournal.com]

for reference, we had 4 phones on a family plan, no data, no text, 700 minutes.
We now have 4 phones, unlimited text on all 4 ( extra 30 bucks a month ) and unlimited data on only 2, the smart phones.
Bundled, it's within 20 bucks of our old Verizon bill.
We have no other Verizon interactions, which may or may not affect things.
After less than a week with this thing I feel very lucky to live in such a time. Text is a miracle of science.