Garmin Palm Device With GPS 175
Moritz writes "Garmin is introducing a PalmOS5 handheld with GPS, MP3 and 32MB of memory. That's very nice, but why is there no bluetooth? Why can't somebody just get the spec right? Other than that this seems to be a nice addition to the PalmOS lineup."
Why not, why not... (Score:5, Insightful)
HEY FOLKS A QUICK REALITY CHECK.
Having EVERYTHING costs money, these devices are aimed at sectors that want "just enough" at a reasonable price rather than "every damn thing under the sun" just so you can impress your mates.
If it had everything and was $1000 you'd bitch about the price.
In summary: The Slashdot crowd wants
A Tablet PC with a flexible paper thin screen that can be folded from the size of a credit card to A0, which has GPS, Bluetooth, Firewire 400 & 800, USB 1 and 2, every wireless connection method under the Sun, IRDA, Biometric authentication, works via a keyboard or a "keyboard glove", has a 15Ghz Transmeta processor, 1TB of RAM, 1PB of Storage, runs off a single AA battery for 3 year, runs Linux and responds to scribbles or the spoken word.
And costs under $100. Only then will people on Slashdot not moan about the features... except to complain how X they bought a year ago is now out of date and uncool.
Re:Bluetooth is important!! (Score:2, Insightful)
Re:Why no hard drive-based PDAs? (Score:4, Insightful)
That's why you only want the calendar/contacts type of tasks on it. GPS sounds like a more logical inclusion than MP3, frankly. Unless it could record MP3 (ie; take 'memo to selfs' on the go)
Do you want to lose your list of business contacts and scheduled appointments because the HDD full of 20 giggzorz of Britney Spears tunes crashed?
When devices start being designed to do 'everything', I find they do nothing well. You're probably better off to keep the iPod for it's task and the PDA for another.
Re:Bluetooth is important!! (Score:2, Insightful)
Think about it. If you need GPS, do you think you would be mostly using the thing while you're sitting in your office next to your little bluetooth enabled gizmo?
What's bluetooth going to do for you while you're driving around downtown trying to find some client? When it only takes on the order of 2 seconds to plug in a USB/serial/whatever cable, I
So if this isn't a device you want - go get one with bluetooth and no GPS.
small problem--the screen (Score:2, Insightful)
PDAs are getting bigger, better screens ...
GPSs are getting bigger, better screens ... (for mapping)
These devices can no longer always be small. Having a single screen for several devices helps offset this fact.
Re:Call me a Luddite but.., (Score:1, Insightful)
I mean, if you've never actually had to make it to a client's office on short notice in a town you've never visited before, and you don't have time to scour a four year old paper map for the street name of the office park, then plan a route, I can understand why you might think GPS units are toys for wannabee mountain men. As someone who rarely feels like unfolding a 4'x4' paper map while I'm driving, just to double-check that I'm on the right path, a GPS unit is invaluable. As someone who's never been great with directions, having a GPS unit to orient myself while traveling is also invaluable. I'm not forging into the wilderness or some stupid shit like that -- it's just useful.
But then, I forgot. You're "normal" people.
--the verb
Comment removed (Score:3, Insightful)
Nearly a Geocacher's dream (Score:3, Insightful)
The price isn't all that bad, considering that you're getting most of the features of a PocketPC, and a GPS, in addition to Palm stability.
Only thing is, I wonder what the battery life is like with the color screen. I understand people liking color for the "cool" factor. But greyscale is almost as functional and has much better batter life.