PDA and wifi.

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Jayce

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I'm planning on getting a pocket pc. But the question is, how can I connect to the internet? The one I'm considering has built in wifi, which I'm told is 802.11B. I was just at Staples and the employee said I would not be able to connect to my own wireless network at home without subscribing to a certain service. My instructor however, does this, but I don't know if he's working off of a regular wireless router like I am or if he's got some other gadgets too.

So in a nutshell, are pocket PC's with integrated wifi able to fully connect to a home wireless network and get online?

Also - Which one would you folks suggest? So far the only requirements I have are I want a Windows OS on it. The palm's don't appear to be that pleasing to me. Also, I'd like built in wifi of course, and I assume integrated bluetooth would be nice but I'm not completely sure what I'd use it for. And I already have a cell phone and a cell phone plan so I don't need or necessarily want a cellular device built in. They only seem to cost more money...

So far the only lead I have is the Dell Axim X51 416mhz version. It's the lowest, entry level version they had, but seems to be exactly what I want. And with a price tag of 225 dollars, I can't seem to find anything with as bright of a screen and easy to navigate that's cheaper. Any other ideas?
 
it depends on what kind of PDA you buy. My friend has an iPaq and he connects to any network he wants and surfs the web and checks email, etc. I was also considering getting an iPaq, but found a great deal on a laptop for the same price.
 
As for subscribing to a service, that only applies to propritary hotspots. As long as your Wifi AP is 802.11b and your PDA is 802.11b, you will be fine.

If there is any question, get a Palm T|X - They are awesome, can do alot of the same things as a pocket PC for a fraction of the price. I love my palm
 
Dont buy a PDA based on Windows Mobile 5.0 with a Samsung Processor or anything slower than 300 mhz.
I bought the newest HP one and took it back the next day because it was constantly crashing with basic apps like the calendar function, and it took FOREVER to launch basic apps like Word, Excell, and Internet.
Ended up getting a Palm TX instead, very snappy and just the basics that I needed, plus good WiFi.
 
was just at Staples and the employee said

Your first mistake was listening to a wannbe techie at Staples.

If it has wifi capability, it only needs a source. You may have to tweak it to get it perfect, but it will work.
 
It's works almost just like a laptop, the kid you talked to at Staples probably didn't know what he was talking about.
Just as long as you're in range of a network you're cool.
 
If it says "Wifi" on the box (802.11b) then it will work with any wireless internet designed for computers.
However, you can sync it with a bluetooth cell phone for wireless internet anywhere (assuming it has bluetooth).
Or there may be some way to get a wireless high speed internet adapter designed for handhelds, although I dont know if they exist for Pocket PCs.

By the way, I've used the wireless internet on both Pocket PCs and the latest Palms, and its not that impressive. Not good for very much at all really, I just used it for email, check a few things on my school website, and keep up with latest news, its not good for any graphics intensive sites or anything too "busy".
And instant messaging is a pain without a keyboard.
 
By the way, I've used the wireless internet on both Pocket PCs and the latest Palms, and its not that impressive. Not good for very much at all really, I just used it for email, check a few things on my school website, and keep up with latest news, its not good for any graphics intensive sites or anything too "busy".
And instant messaging is a pain without a keyboard.

Ditto. Platform is a matter of preference. I myself like PalmOS because of its simple interface. Other than email or univ. news, i leave web-viewing to my Ubuntu box. IMs and note-taking are what I find myself doing on my Dell Axim. Too bad they don't have wider desks though. It seems like its fallen off my desk once or twice while taking notes.
 
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