Is the iPod Touch a PDA or not?
I like my iPod Touch, I think it is a great platform for music apps, but is it a PDA? I use as a diary, but it doesn't feel like a real PDA. I guess one of the other things that is missing is the ability to use and edit documents, and do a variety of other things. So, I'm interested to know if you think of your iPod Touch as a PDA (or your iPhone for that matter), and if there are any specific apps that are that make it work as a PDA for you?
Subscribe to:
Post Comments (Atom)
8 comments:
It is my main PDA now. My day is very structured so I use the calendar extensively. Likewise for email - the email client is much slicker than pocket outlook and hapily talks to MS Exchange. I can view Office documents in the iPod but can't edit them. It's not a big problem for me 'cos I work on a laptop most of the time, and editing office docs on my WM6 phone was never fun anyway. I also use the timer on the clock a lot too, and the calculator. Of course, Safari, despite its many flaws, is also just about the best mobile web browsing experience around.
So unsurprisingly my "home" screen consists of Calendar, Contacts, Notes, Clock, Calculator, Weather, my fave flashlight app,AppSniper, Settings, Safari, Mail and App store.
So the WM6 phone (a "traditional" PDA, and my main device before the iPod arrived) is mostly relegated to phone duties, GPS (iPhone needs "proper" GPS apps) and obviously WM specific music apps (Griff, Stompbox, Meteor). Occasionally I use painting/drawing apps on the WM6 phone because drawing with a stylus is infinitely better than using my fingers on the iPod.
I use my touch as a PDA. I used various types of Palm before moving to the Touch. Contacts and the calendar are fine for my needs, and work well syncing with my Mac (Palm sync was good on the PC, but crap on the mac). For memos I use SyncBook, which allows me to sync a folder of text documents with the Mac, so I use this for daily notes, and various reference material I like to have with me. For todos, I'm using OmniFocus on the mac, so I bought their version for the touch as well. Not cheap, but works a treat. Then there's PW Wallet for passwords and airsharing for a local filestore that can view lots of different formats. I've also got CSV Touch for small list/databases.
I'm missing copy/paste, the ability to use an external keyboard. I really don't like the way apps are siloed on the touch, and there's no common filesystem for different apps to access.
I'm loving watching video podcasts on the bus to work, as well as all the cool music apps. And it's such a beautiful device.
The only PDA that I have owned before was a Handspring Visor. My Touch does more than I ever used it for. I don't consider editing Microsoft documents to be required PDA behavior. I can take notes and email them to myself and that is enough for me.
I would not be surprised, however, if one of these days Apple creates an iWork for the iPhone.
Random semi-related thought:
I want a Touch with a screen twice as long and wide.
Here we go.
Mariner Calc brings Excel editing to the iPhone
http://www.macworld.com/article/139231/2009/03/marinercalc.html?lsrc=rss_main
I don't know. I use my iPod Touch as a PDA, but it doesn't feel like a PDA somehow, and I just don't know why? Maybe as Robman says it is the lack of a stylus that doesn't feel right.
I keep looking out for other productivity style apps that would make it work properly for me, but nothing has really come about as yet.
My boyfriend used to have a PDA,a Dell X51V, but he lost it in a very sad story. Now I want to give him a surprise present and I was looking for for something good and beautiful. I just want to ask u that allready had PDAs and the touch, if the touch can be use to read pdfs, install books or articles just like PDAs or its just worth it for music or videos or the calendar. I ask cos' he has a lot of digital books and stuff like that. I read that robman84 can view office documents on it, and its the first time that I read that.
Thanks and its a very good blog.
I was planning to buy an ipod touch for my boyfriend, who just lost his Dell X51V in a very sad story. I want to ask u who allready had both PDAs and the touch if the ipod can be use to read pdfs, and other office documments, cos' he really used his PDA for that to store books and articles. I read that robman 84can read office documents and this is the fisrt time that I read that.
Thanks a lot, and its a great blogg.
The iPod Touch and iPhone can be used to read PDFs and other office type docs. In fact there are more and more apps coming out to do this sort of thing now.
Post a Comment