Comments on: iPod Touch as a PDA and Entertainer http://www.keenerliving.com/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer life management + learning + technology Fri, 19 Mar 2010 23:09:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: Bruce Keener http://www.keenerliving.com/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer#comment-37460 Bruce Keener Sat, 06 Mar 2010 14:32:23 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2008/03/06/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer/#comment-37460 Hi Jeff, I haven't found the need to edit documents on my Touch or iPhone, and so have not tried out any of the office app packages. However, I know that the O'Reilly "Best iPhone Apps" book recommends Quickoffice Mobile Office Suite for editing documents. I used Quickoffice on the Palm a few years ago and liked it, but I also liked Documents To Go, and they now have an iPhone/Touch version, too. I still get the sense from other reviews that I've seen that Quickoffice might still be the preferred app, though. I have no recommendations at all for handwriting recognition software. Sorry. Just haven't tried any out. Perhaps someone else can chime in with their experience with such software. Thanks much. Take care Bruce Hi Jeff,
I haven’t found the need to edit documents on my Touch or iPhone, and so have not tried out any of the office app packages. However, I know that the O’Reilly “Best iPhone Apps” book recommends Quickoffice Mobile Office Suite for editing documents. I used Quickoffice on the Palm a few years ago and liked it, but I also liked Documents To Go, and they now have an iPhone/Touch version, too. I still get the sense from other reviews that I’ve seen that Quickoffice might still be the preferred app, though.

I have no recommendations at all for handwriting recognition software. Sorry. Just haven’t tried any out. Perhaps someone else can chime in with their experience with such software.

Thanks much. Take care
Bruce

]]> By: Jeff Santerre http://www.keenerliving.com/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer#comment-37459 Jeff Santerre Sat, 06 Mar 2010 12:45:18 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2008/03/06/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer/#comment-37459 Bruce, This is a great article. I found it by accident after buying my first touch 8gb. I immediatley fell in love with this as a highly functional pocket PC. I have ordered a 32gb to replace the 8gb as I found out that it adds voice command capability and faster processor among other goodies. What have you found to be the best office type software for the touch? (if you answered this above I apologize as I missed it). I want to be able to not only read but create and edit/save docs on my touch. Also, any apps you might recommend for handwriting recognition that then turns it into regular text (like the original Palm Pilot used to do)? Thanks in advance for your help and a great article that is still relevant and helpful. Bruce, This is a great article. I found it by accident after buying my first touch 8gb. I immediatley fell in love with this as a highly functional pocket PC. I have ordered a 32gb to replace the 8gb as I found out that it adds voice command capability and faster processor among other goodies. What have you found to be the best office type software for the touch? (if you answered this above I apologize as I missed it). I want to be able to not only read but create and edit/save docs on my touch. Also, any apps you might recommend for handwriting recognition that then turns it into regular text (like the original Palm Pilot used to do)? Thanks in advance for your help and a great article that is still relevant and helpful.

]]> By: Daniel K http://www.keenerliving.com/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer#comment-37382 Daniel K Mon, 25 Jan 2010 07:19:44 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2008/03/06/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer/#comment-37382 Mark - I recently got an iPod Touch, which is very much like an iPhone, but without the hefty phone charges, or the added connectivity you get with that. IMO, if you want a PDA, the iPhone or iPod Touch isn't a great choice. I still haven't stopped using my Palm Vx because syncing with Outlook via iTunes is a poor experience. The software poorly converts the Calendar, seems to always duplicate my Notes, and cannot even sync Tasks. Furthermore, if you want to sync at work, and at home via your PDA, iTunes just won't cooperate. I haven't been impressed at all with iTunes - it is quite infuriating software. The iPhone and iPod Touch are nice devices for various reasons, but so far I haven't had much success in retiring my Palm. You might find 3rd Party software that does it better, but I've yet to. Perhaps in time. Mark – I recently got an iPod Touch, which is very much like an iPhone, but without the hefty phone charges, or the added connectivity you get with that.

IMO, if you want a PDA, the iPhone or iPod Touch isn’t a great choice.

I still haven’t stopped using my Palm Vx because syncing with Outlook via iTunes is a poor experience. The software poorly converts the Calendar, seems to always duplicate my Notes, and cannot even sync Tasks. Furthermore, if you want to sync at work, and at home via your PDA, iTunes just won’t cooperate. I haven’t been impressed at all with iTunes – it is quite infuriating software.

The iPhone and iPod Touch are nice devices for various reasons, but so far I haven’t had much success in retiring my Palm. You might find 3rd Party software that does it better, but I’ve yet to. Perhaps in time.

]]> By: Bruce Keener http://www.keenerliving.com/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer#comment-37381 Bruce Keener Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:47:02 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2008/03/06/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer/#comment-37381 That's a great question, Mark. I don't have a way of testing it out, but I would think you might be able to get a URL from IT folks that you can type into the settings panel on the iPhone (in its Exchange setup). That URL would probably strongly resemble the one you use in making the web interface to Outlook. But, that is just speculation on my part. Wish I had a way of testing it out to see if it works, but I don't have an Exchange profile to tinker with. I suggest you contact your IT folks and mention to them what you'd like to do, and hopefully they can get you set up. Let me know if it doesn't work out, so my words of encouragement don't mislead anyone else. Good luck on it. (Hopefully someone who has had experience with this will chime in to answer your question.) That’s a great question, Mark.
I don’t have a way of testing it out, but I would think you might be able to get a URL from IT folks that you can type into the settings panel on the iPhone (in its Exchange setup). That URL would probably strongly resemble the one you use in making the web interface to Outlook.

But, that is just speculation on my part. Wish I had a way of testing it out to see if it works, but I don’t have an Exchange profile to tinker with.

I suggest you contact your IT folks and mention to them what you’d like to do, and hopefully they can get you set up.

Let me know if it doesn’t work out, so my words of encouragement don’t mislead anyone else.

Good luck on it. (Hopefully someone who has had experience with this will chime in to answer your question.)

]]> By: Mark http://www.keenerliving.com/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer#comment-37380 Mark Mon, 25 Jan 2010 03:23:19 +0000 http://www.keenerliving.com/2008/03/06/ipod-touch-as-a-pda-and-entertainer/#comment-37380 Great discussions Bruce. I don't have a PDA yet and am considering the I Phone. My major concern is the link to my Outlook calendar at work. I may not be able to install I tunes on my computer at work but can access my calendar using Microsoft Exchange at home or on the road. Do you know if this will pose a problem with synching? Great discussions Bruce.
I don’t have a PDA yet and am considering the I Phone. My major concern is the link to my Outlook calendar at work. I may not be able to install I tunes on my computer at work but can access my calendar using Microsoft Exchange at home or on the road. Do you know if this will pose a problem with synching?

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