Help with handheld/laptop TSA question?

[inthegoo]

Hey all,

I wanna buy a handheld, like the Dell Axim, I don't think I want a laptop because I dont want to remove the thing everyday for the TSA and that hassle, so I believe a handheld is my best bet, I mainly want to cruise the internet on the road, am I correct that I can cruise the net pretty well on a handheld pocket PC like the AXIM? or other pocket PC's? is the OS pretty much the same as regular windows? what are the cruising limits, can you view most sites? does the free wireless internet i see at most of the hotels we stay at apply to this type of devise? what do i need to make sure i buy with the thing? (wireless card)? Thanks for the help in advance, I dont know much about these handhelds.

Also I want to put the airlines timetables on the thing like on my PALM, I imagine it can do that with ease?

-Goo

 

[jetalc]

I have a Dell Axim - the X3i, after truly enjoying the X5. Love it - end of story.


Yes, you can surf the net in the wireless locations (lots of airports, too), although the browser that comes on a Pocket PC (the standard one, anyway) can limit the amount of surfing you do. Our company's scheduling program, for example, is one of the sites that won't display (something about Java or something - I don't know), but I can get to probably 90% of the sites out there on it. I also have Earthlink for email, and as long as you configure Outlook correctly, you can receive AND send email from it. I used to carry a laptop, but this has been a great replacement. I use it for contacts, my schedule, some games, an MP3 player (actually sounds GREAT), mapping for when I'm on an overnight and I want to know where I am and where the stuff is around me (hooks up to a GPS), as well as a logbook (downloaded a bunch of Pocket PC logbooks - http://www.tsedigital.com has the best one I've found, and I also have Logbook Pro as well as FlightLevel 2003 (wasn't happy with those - too many quirks and not exactly money well spent I thought), and I recently downloaded a program that puts an entire DVD movie onto a 128 MB SD card - very slick. Dell has been fairly good with tech support, so I think you'll be happy with the Axim.

Don't know about the airline schedules - it's not a Palm OS, it's Pocket PC 2003. I'm sure the schedules are available out there, but www.handango.com is a great place to poke around and see what software is out there. Good luck!

 

[350DRIVER]

Make sure you demo or atleast "try" a friend's handheld pocket PC prior to making the purchase. I was not pleased at all with the capability of being able to surf the net with one, ultimately I stuck with the Sony Vaio laptop. It is like comparing night and day in my opinion. Sometimes a little bit of a hassle is worth it considering your limitations that you will be faced with if you decide to go with a pocket pc.

I couldn't justify the expense of a pocket pc, handheld, palm, etc, since I wanted to use the net and I did not want to be limited with what I was able to do.

It is good with certain applications but based on what you are looking for I surely would go with a laptop.

good luck,

3 5 0

 

[apdsm]

I find that carrying a laptop is really not that big of a hassle. Yes, I have to take it out going through security. I put the laptop at the top of my suitcase. At security, I just unzip the suitcase at the top and slide the laptop out into the bin. At the other end, just slide it back in the suitcase and zip it again. I fold my jeans in half with the fold towards the bottom of the suitcase, and slide the computer in there. That protects the computer and the fold keeps it from sliding to the bottom. It probably takes me an extra 15 seconds at security.