PDA or PAD ??

[thetankw/ahat]

pda for me but then again i'm a techno geek and have a phone thats a camera and an mp3 player as well as doing everything else. and actually if need be i can use it for a planner. you just need a nicer cell.

 

[EdinLA44]

I have a PDA to keep all my names, addresses and phone numbers in, but I also use a non-lined index card for my daily list of things to go. It fits nicely in my shirt pocket with my fountain pen.

 

[matei]

I was an early-adopter of the PDAs, and to this date the best I ever used was my old Palm IIIxe. I moved on to Windows CE, then Windows Mobile - even tried Linux-based PDAs - and it seemed that the more complicated the units became, the less they suited my lifestyle.

Notice that I said "my" lifestyle. There are people out there for whom the current crop of PDAs work wonderfully.

I now use a leather pad & pencil or pen (whichever is handy). I even posted here about it some time back. It isn't perfect, but I can whip out the aul notepad in a sec and jot something down before I forget it.

Plus, it seems to reinforce that Private Eye vibe...

Now that Apple is coming out with the iPhone I am tempted to dive back in the pool...

 

[Travis]

A few years ago I had an HP PDA I got for going to school. At first I loved it, but soon found that I rarely used it because I was always just writing instead. Besides, paper never runs out of battery or decides to lose all your data. Since than I've pretty much phased out most of my technology. I went from having 8 computers, 2 cell phones, a PDA, and a ton of other little techie gadgets to having one laptop (which actually needs to be replaced badly) and a simple cell phone. Other than that, I'm pretty low-tech these days, and I couldn't be happier.

 

[Rosie]

I didn't vote because I use both. I write all of my events, meetings, to dos on a paper book calendar that I carry around but, I set reminders on my phone/pda so that I won't forget to do the things I have to do.

 

[ScionPI2005]

I used a Palm Pilot for several years; but stopped within the last two. I still have the PDA, but it seems I never have it on me when I need to enter a date into it, and then I forget when I get home. Then the battery dies and I have to reconnect it to the computer and load everything up again.

Lately, I've just placed my class schedule, apprenticeship meetings, and other appointments in Microsoft Outlook and leave it running in the background during the day. Since I'm back to my dorm/office throughout the day, it reminds me. This system seems to work fairly well for now.

 

[Archie Goodwin]

I learned to use a Palm for taking notes when I was in graduate school the first time. I don't know that it was any better or worse than taking notes by hand. However, my current Palm lets me surf the web and can run Excel, which no pad of paper can do.

 

[BakingInPearls]

Pen and paper works best for me. None of that silly nosense with battery charging, not connecting, and with how graceful I am with technology getting utterly confused by just looking at it.

 

[ScionPI2005]

I learned to use a Palm for taking notes when I was in graduate school the first time. I don't know that it was any better or worse than taking notes by hand. However, my current Palm lets me surf the web and can run Excel, which no pad of paper can do.

I used mine for notes my last year or two of high school, and my first two years of college. I had one of those folding keyboards. Primarily, my handwriting is awful, yet I am a pretty fast typer. Now I just print my notes (no longer use cursive except to sign my name) and try to take my time.

 

[Chanfan]

While I'm a tech head, and voted PDA, I do think it's true that for simplicity and reliability, it's hard to beat a pen and paper for a quick note.

That said, I tend to not stick to one pad, so it quickly gets confusing to me. I also tend to not keep the pads themselves organized, or rip pages out and then lose them.

If I was more organized, it might work, but then again, so would a PDA.

As it is, I do own a PDA (Palm Tungsten E2). It's the third Palm I've owned. I find that when I do use it, it keeps things nicely organized for me. Again, my main problem is my own level of organization - that is to say, remembering to put stuff in it, and take it with me when I need to.

As far as PDAs go, I'd be happy to have a good one in my phone, etc. I prefer the Palm OS to, say, Win CE pretty much for some similar reasons that folks here like Pen and Paper to any PDA - the Palm OS does what it sets out to do well, doesn't try and do too much, and keeps it (relatively speaking) simple. I also just like the look and feel of the Palm OS.

So far, one of my favorite apps that I've used is Tube2 - it allowed me, when visiting London, to select the local tube station, the desired destination, and would show me the route and tell me how to do all the required transfers. It was a comfort thing for me - like having a local along who was familiar with the routes.

Admittedly, one of my co-travelers, who far prefers pen and paper to a PDA, also mocked even this technology - preferring a tube map. My local friend used Tube2 on his cell phone, so I didn't feel too bad about it.

Interesting reading, and of course, there's no right answer. It's all a question of tools, what you prefer and are comfortable with, and if things help or hinder you.

 

[Diamondback]

Charlie, PDA=Personal Digital Assistant. PalmPilot-type gadget.

Personally, I believe each has a time, a place and a function. Call me "lots of both".

 

[MrNewportCustom]

Organize? What's that?

Pen and paper for me. Less to carry in the pocket or briefcase, less lost if I lose a plume - which I haven't in years.


Lee

 

[Martinis at 8]

I use a Franklin-Covey paper day-planner, compact size. It has a nice leather binder. I use it for just about everything, and I archive the planner at the end of every year. My cell phone has international roaming and my laptop is generally nearby. I'm a global traveler and find that this meets most of my business needs for my 1-man company.

Cheers,

M8

 

[Smithy]

I can't stand those PDAs, awful things.

Give me a pen and paper notebook or diary any day.