So: It needs a screen that can display a lot of text at a time. It needs good battery life. Needs word processing and an easy way to get the text into Word on my desktop. Would also be nice if it had the ability to hook a mic up and record dictation while I'm driving.

Do any of you use a PDA this way already? What do you use, and what do you like/hate about it?
 

There is a subtle difference. A PDA is an organizational tool. A handheld computer is exactly that.

I use a Palm Zire 71 handheld with a portable wireless keyboard from Belkin. The PDA you choose will depend on what you want it to do. The more the PDA does, the more it costs, but you can get a PDA now that has everything but the kitchen sink (if you're willing to pay for it, that is). For just writing, a simple $100.00 one would probably work just fine. I suggest any Palm for battery life, as they are the best for that.

Some of the functionality, like voice memos, may only be found on more expensive models, but they are out there. You might want to consider getting a cell phone that offers that functionality or buying a small digital recorder. I don't use one of these recorders, but they run less than $50 and you can download to your computer and save the files on most of them. They are relatively small (some as small as the size of your thumb), and might be a good alternative rather than paying big bucks for a PDA with this function in it.

The Belkin keyboard runs about $60, works with any PDA with an infrared port, and you can get it at most any office supply store that sells PDA's. The keyboard is powered with a single AAA battery that can last as long as 360 hours with continuous use, and has an on-off switch. The most important thing about this keyboard is that it is fairly close to a laptop's size and feel, which is hard to find with portable PDA keyboards.

For working with word documents, you will need a PDA program that works with Word. The one I use is from Dataviz (www.dataviz.com). They sell all types of PDA software for working with Microsoft office products, including Excell and Word. The program I use is called 'Documents To Go', and costs $30 through their website. They also offer a trial version if you want to check it out before you buy it.

[This message has been edited by luapc (edited January 03, 2006).]
 

I have been known to write chapters in graffiti too.
 

The recorder would be more compact for capturing quick story notes and ideas, then can be dl'ed directly to your computer and with a decent Voice to Text program you can convert it to rough text. To quickly enter text to a PDA you need one of the portable keyboard they make for them and breaking it out and getting things setup, kind of defeats the point of needing something for quick notes.

For this reason, I'm not really interested in fold-out keyboards, either. Once I'm in that mode, I need to set up shop on a tabletop or something. If I'm gonna do that, I might as well just use the laptop.

Is handwriting recognition fast/good enough to consider using it? That's how I work right now, anyway: whip out the old, reliable steno pad and mechanical pencil; I'm not losing any productivity by having to write "by hand." Unless, of course, handwriting recognition is more trouble than it's worth.

It'd also be nice if the document itself was on the handheld, so I could make edits and notes in place, instead of having to shuffle things between the "handheld/notes" document and the "real" document.

Graffiti is useful for quick notes, but anything longer, and it becomes a major pain. At least on my little PDA.
 

Using the docking station it syncs with the MS Exchange server here at work, so I can carry my calendar and address book. It also syncs with my TomTom GPS using bluetooth so I never get lost.

The Grafitti works okay, but I don't like it very much. I like the keyboard on the screen better, and my little collapsable keyboard even better. Unfortunately the software that lets the Tungsten listen to the collapsable keyboard is unreliable. I have lost a weekend's worth of writing twice due to software crashes.

They don't make that keyboard anymore. I hope the new model doesn't have the same software problems. When it works, the Tungsten with collapsable keyboard is a great solution for writing on the road.
 

Well I only have 512mb of ram in my head and can't afford to upgrade, so if I don't jot down notes my buffer gets full :-)
 

Usually I'll write down scenes or snappy dialog that I think up on long trips or during lunch at work (where I can not keep a laptop). After I sync it at home, I just copy and paste the text into AbiWord and then I store it on my lovely new Swiss Army knife w/512 USB drive.

Then, I can take USB card to laptop (that runs linux) and load it up on AbiWord there (no wifi on laptop) and then sit outside and add to the work.

Also the Zire 72s has voice recorder which I have used for many things, including recording a group yell of "Happy Birthday" for a friend.
 

I'm a near neo-Luddite who uses technology when it's forced on me. I still use my manual and electric typewriters. (Remember them, guys?) However I am adapting slowly. I moved from VHS to DVD to DVD recorder in the course of two years. I have a cell phone---I keep it in my car glove compartment for emergency use, and only rarely carry it around.

And there's this computer, without which I wouldn't be able to communicate with the rest of you in this way...