Latest PDA Phones Make Even Better Choices

It seems like every week there's a new phone on TV being touted for it's high-tech features. However, obtaining most of these phones at the advertised prices requires a two-year commitment with a specific carrier, so choosing the right phone is an important choice.

PDA Phones offering the convenience of a PDA/Mini-Computer continue to expand choices and features. There are a bewildering variety out there, but a few phones stand out from the pack.

Apple's iPhone has come down in price from its original hyped launch to a more palatable $400 for the 8GB model. While it isn't as advanced as Apple's super-slick advertising leads most to believe, it does what it does better than most phones. Web browsing, picture taking and music and video playback are better than on any other phone out there.

The iPhone's biggest drawback continues to be its sole availability through data-slow AT&T EDGE network, and its pricey phone plans. An announcement of an improvement to full 3G connectivity for the iPhone is rumored to be happening shortly. While the iPhone takes some of, if not the best pictures of any cell phone, it doesn't take movies. Instant Messaging is another missing feature from the iPhone some will find lacking.

Windows Mobile 6 is now in full release, and there are a number of excellent devices out there that use the improved Microsoft mobile operating system to good advantage.

One of the best is the new HTC Mogul from Sprint, sold as the XV6800 by Verizon. This phone is the successor to the very popular PPC-6700, which was the clear leader in Windows Mobile 5 PDA phones.

The Mogul/XV6800 uses the fastest EV-DO data netorks, Wi-Fi and Bluetooth for the strongest connection options of any device on the U.S. market. It features a large slide-down keyboard, a blessing for those seeking a larger keypad to type large amounts of instant messages or text.

The Mogul/XV6800 can also be used as a high-speed modem to connect to a laptop, a handy feature for road warriors, especially in areas where free Wi-Fi can be difficult to come by.

It also records decent video and pictures, and can be used for video playback much like a video iPod. Sprint continues to lead the way in having the most reasonably priced data/voice combination plans in most cases.

AT&T's best bet in Windows Mobile 6 phones is the Tilt, which features a leading edge 3 Megapixel camera, multiple Bluetooth pairings including stereo, Wi-Fi, slide-down keyboard and a tilting screen that makes it the easiest to use for working on Microsoft Office documents or video watching. The Tilt is probably the most capable Windows Mobile 6 phone on the market, save for its lack of EV-DO data capability.

T-Mobile's best choices include the Sidekick LX, Blackberry 8800 with GPS navigation, and the Wing, which resembles the Mogul/XV6800 in having a slide-down keyboard, large display screen, Windows Mobile 6 and Bluetooth/Wi-Fi connectivity.

Palm's future has again become uncertain, and while its Treo line of phones remains the most popular and useful to true PDA Phone junkies, its lack of genuine improvements in the past year is beginning to show. The Palm Centro, the latest offering, offers a slicker looking device that has few real improvements over the 700-series phones that set the standard for PDA phones in recent years.

Tom Meek is a computer and media consultant working with businesses and individuals on high-tech needs. Another Day In Cyberville is published weekly in print and online via The Gainesville Voice, a weekly publication of The New York Times Regional Newspaper Group. You can reach Tom Meek at adayincyberville@gmail.com.