Wed, 04 Jun 2008
Mobile Devices
Today part of the display of my Palm Tungsten T5 stopped working. The time for a new mobile device (and a new phone to replace my Nokia 6310i) has come. I would like the new device (or devices) to have the following properties:
Must have:
- bluetooth
- SIM toolkit
- PIM with synchronization with Linux (JPilot was extremely good)
- good Linux compatibility (backing up data like phonebook, etc.)
- audio player with OGG/Vorbis support
- at least 2 GB of storage
- application for car expenses (like AutoBase for PalmOS - at least calculate average fuel consumption and repair/maintainance costs)
- web browser with UTF-8 support (including Japanese fonts) and JavaScript
- Japanese dictionary (PAdict was excellent; searching words by an English equivalent, by pronnouncation and by Kanji required, Kanji info and stroke order optional)
- application for securely storing passwords (like gnukeyring) with a desktop conduit
- SSH client
- camera (any will do)
- WiFi
Prefered, but optional:
- GPS (with Linux-compatible software for uploading maps; voice navigation not necessary)
- keyboard
- open source operating system
- 3.5mm headphone jack
- camera software with QR-code and Semacode recognition
- EDGE
I expect to have the above features split within two devices (but it would be nice to have a single one). So far I am considering the following devices:
- Nokia E90
- A single device. Linux support is apparently poor, Japanese dictionary is only as a non-free software.
- Nokia n810 + some not so smart phone
- The phone: probably Nokia 6300, or something other with EDGE, bluetooth and camera. As for n810 - the problem is that it is not officially sold in the Czech republic. The OS support is not excellent: I used to have a n770, but it quickly got outdated with applications being released for the newest OS version only, and the newest OS was not available for 770. I am afraid the same will happen to n810 when the newer version is released.
- OpenMoko FreeRunner
- It does not have a camera, and apparently does not support SIM toolkit(?). It is not oficially sold in .cz. But it is a single device, and have other cool features like accelerometers and both open software and hardware.
Any other types? Maybe Nokia E51? What would you buy, my dear lazyweb?
7 replies for this story:
Honza wrote: IPhone?
Which of those requirements IPhone fails? Or which will IPhone 2.0 (due on June 9th) fail? :-)
Yenya wrote: Re: iphone
About iphone: well, iphone is, erm, from Apple. Which says everything: poor Linux compatibility, poor configurability, almost no third-party apps, you name it. And not sold oficially in .cz.
Vasek Stodulka wrote:
What about Treo? With external GPS module it fits the most of your requrements plus it is extremely cheep now - I found a bundle with GPS device and software (TomTom) under 10 000 CZK (without VAT).
Vasek Stodulka wrote:
...or if you want, my old Zire 71 is for sale now - at the price around 2500.
Martin wrote: HTC
HTC is going to create PDA with build-in android, so I think this would be device for you. But I think it would take time till it gets to Czech Republic. (Q4 or later). I'm certainly waiting for it, cause my old PDA is doing whatever it wants. :( Another option would be Motorola Z6 (build-in linux) + Palm T|X. According to some forums the sync. between Z6 and linux is quite good. Keep us informed about your decision.
Martin wrote: HTC
HTC is going to create PDA with build-in android, so I think this would be device for you. But I think it would take time till it gets to Czech Republic. (Q4 or later). I'm certainly waiting for it, cause my old PDA is doing whatever it wants. :( Another option would be Motorola Z6 (build-in linux) + Palm T|X. According to some forums the sync. between Z6 and linux is quite good. Keep us informed about your decision.
cunik wrote: n810
I dont think (hope) nokia is going to do the with n810. having n810 involves lot of fun for low price.. :) http://www.internettablettalk.com/wiki/index.php?title=Debian http://www.internettablettalk.com/2008/05/29/access-releases-garnet-vm-beta-2/ http://maemo.org/news/planet-maemo/category/feed:54017ab66150cef9d3ace1f74e5c0fa3/