PDA purchase?

[beavereater]

I would like to get myself a PDA. Here are some of the reasons I NEED it:

1. To have my schedule ready to update (Private teacher, so I need this and paper always gets lost).
2. I want to have my contacts, not just the ones in my cell phone, but also on my PC, and I'd like them readily available.
3. Alarm clock. I'd like to be able to set the alarm so that it goes off at different times each day to remind me of different appointments.
4. Have internet access for times I need to use something on the internet for class or to do a quick search on something I may need at that moment.
5. PDF reader so I can read while I'm on the train going to work.
6. While I don't know if it's possible, I'd like to have access to my PC from my PDA so that if I do forget to email something from my PC, I can get onto it through my PDA and mail whatever it is I forgot to mail etc.
7. Has to have a nice screen.

Things I'd like, but not necessary.

1. The keypad for typing. I don't know that I will be typing much, and if I do I think the stylus pen would be enough. Though, a keypad is always nice. I don't care much if it's heavy. My bag is heavy...an extra pound won't do much harm.

2. A camera. This is just a nice added feature, but not something I NEED. Everything I own has some kind of built-in camera, so I don't really care but it would be nice.

3. The ability to read Japanese fonts. I'm guessing third-party software will be needed for this. I plan on ordering my online as in Japan only 2 brands of PDA's are sold in stores. One by Sharp, and another by Sony I believe. Not popular items I suppose.

4. A memory card slot big enough to hold more than a few files.


I don't know what else to expect from a PDA. I don't know what's good really. I do know that I'd like to pay under 400 USD for one. And that, if possible, a very pretty Japanese lady dropping it off in her bikini for me to test out the camera function would be great.

EDIT - I am using Windows XP on my PC. I don't know that that will help in deciding anything, but I thought I should mention it.

So far I like this:

Palm TX


The Dell Axim X51v


HP iPaq hx2790


HP iPaq rx3715


Palm LiveDrive

[beavereater]

BUMP...nobody?

[ZAPPER]

No help to offer, but I am kind of in the off again on again search for the perfect model myself.

I want to be able to do it all and pay no more than $600 very tops! And no more than $60 a month for all of the service features.

Run Excell (Fully for filling various company forms)
Open and manipulate pfds (for veiwing blu prints and other image type information)
Veiw all file types that I might get in an e-mail (including but not limited to pps and dwg's)
Run Word (fully)
link to and search home/office computers
Bluetooth to printers
GPS Streets and Topo to a very high degree of function and accuracy
Still cam
Vid cam
MP3 player
Phone
E-Fax
Slice
Dice
and
Julian Fries!
Expansion Slot
Media card
and anything else that one should be able to do


I have read and heard that PC platforms are more versital but Palms tend to actually do what they claim easier.

I hear rumors that at work we will be going back to BlackBerries after a failed attemt last year and I would love to have something better in hand to demo to the boss before he commits . A good salesman could sell about 20 units to our company if they could actually demo a killer PDA and associated software that filled our need for Timekeeping, document sharing, schedualing, GPS spying (For the boss) and general voice communications. The boss is in love with his BlackBerry of a couple of years and it is gonna be hard to sway him away from it, but it can't or we don't know how to make it work in all of the ways that we want.

[bigmicka]

how about something like an I-mate K-Jam



http://www.clubimate.com/t-DETAILS_KJAM.aspx

Phone, PDA, push mail for synching with Exchange, slide out keyboard.

i think it will meet all your expectations.

mic