A PDA, finally...

By Skip
Created: Friday, January 09, 2004, 15:40:15 MST

---

PDAs have been around for what? seven, maybe 10 years now?  Well, I finally have one and I'm loving it.

You see, I'm cheap.  Not only am I cheap, I'm really, really cheap.  I won't spend money unless I have too, and then only on bargains.  So, when PDAs came out, I finally went and bought myself an inexpensive planner, a Day Runner, for those interested.  Up till that point, I hadn't felt the need for one or the urge to get one.  I considered them a luxury.

Then, I started missing assignments and losing track of information.  I also needed somewhere to keep addresses and other things.  The tiny pieces of paper that had served me through highschool no longer cut the mustard.  I had also recently returned from a mission to Costa Rica.  As a missionary, I got very used to having a daily planner, kept on sheets, each sheet representing a week.  This was 1995.  So my aunt, a formidable business woman with good sense, took me to Office (Max|Depot) and guided me as I chose a planner.  I opted for the Day Runner since it was less expensive and simpler.

It's now Jan. 2004 and I still have that planner.  It has been used and at times not used, over the past 9 years.  When in use, it has served me well.  I keep a ton of information in it.  Recently, however, it has seemed very bulky (it's the 8"x7" variety), very thick, and somewhat unwieldly.  Luckily for me, during this past 2 week Christmas break, my brother, Jason, mentioned that he had a PDA that he wasn't using.  Ureka!

A PDA, freely offered, of the old and simple variety.  I accepted his (and his wife's) gratious offer and am now using a Palm III for whatever I can.  I'm so excited about it I can barely leave it alone.  The only time it isn't with me is when I'm asleep.  The rest of the time it's in my pocket, my hand, or beside me on the desk.

Already, I have a million contacts, several long memos (including a list of Palm software to download and an exercise log), a dozen or so expenses, a handful of calendar items, and two dozen or so To Do items stored on it.  I can feel myself slipping into some similar habits of use that I had with the planner, both good and bad.  Like all computer gadgets, I'm looking for accessories too.

I 'need' a sync cable or cradle for work.  That way I can sync and more easily enter data and programs while at work.  I am also looking for some software: password storage programs, Book of Mormon reader, large clock, exercise log, dictionary and scientific calendar.

I'm also trying to sync with Linux at home.  I don't want to use Windows anymore, but Linux doesn't have a good interface to sync to my Palm.  I'll have to check around some more, though, as I've only tried KPilot, Evolution, and GPilot.

Well, so far so good.  I'm really enjoying using it.  I'm a bit paranoid about losing it or breaking it and losing the data on there.  But, when I can regularly sync it that fear should diminish.

Now I'm in search for a better Linux distribution also, and I've been encouraged by some things I've read recently.

Home