Today's question comes from Mike:

It seems that the Pocket PC based PDAs are superior to most Palm based PDAs in screen size, RAM, and processor speeds, and have other functions like voice recording and are at similar prices. Are they the obvious choice right now for purchase, or am I missing something?

This is a very subjective question and one that often raises the ire of people dedicated to one platform or the other. That's not to say that there isn't an answer to your question. There is. In a nutshell, no, Pocket PC based devices are not the obvious choice. Then again, neiher are Palm devices. The nasty fact is that it boils down to exactly what you need, how much you are willing to invest, how open you are to buying a new device to upgrade, what features they have, and what software and accessories are available. I'll look at these each one at a time.

The primary entry point to purchasing a PDA is cost. Palm OS based devices range from $100 USD and $600 USD [ED: Corrected]. Pocket PC devices range from $350 USD to $650 USD. Most Palm models are monochromatic, while there are no longer any non-color Pocket PC devices available (the Casio EG-80 was discontinued). A lot of people consider paying $500 or more for a handheld way too much, yet the PPC market is thriving. Most, however, are happy to pay sub-$350 prices for Palm devices. This, however, is likely to change as all things are.

The investment requires an examination of exactly what you will use it for. If you will make use of all of the devices features on a regular basis, then its likely a good choice to spend the money for a more expensive device. If, however, you plan on spending most of your time playing games on a $600 Pocket PC, then you should probably save the money and buy a Nintendo Game Boy Advance and a number of cartridges. You don't need to spend more than $350 on a Pocket PC just to get voice recording capabilities. The HandEra 330 offers voice recording and can be found for as little as $266. The AudioVox Maestro, which offers standard Pocket PC features, can be had for as low as $329.

Of course, not all of the newer devices can be upgraded or will soon be found outside any possible upgrade path. Both Palm and Microsoft are moving to an XScale (Intel) based architecture and older systems will not be upgradeable to the latest version of their respective operating systems. Of primary concern to enterprise customers is that devices remain at a constant for some time. This is the same reason why a large number of corporations have retained their old Windows NT 4.0 installations. They are known quantities and do not offer surprises. If you feel the same way about your needs, you might consider buying an older device. The Compaq iPaq 3765 can be had for as little as $329.

Getting an older device may not be as poor a choice as one might think. The initial crop of XScale based Pocket PC devices have exactly the same capabilities as the older ARM SA-1110 based devices and really only offer a speed bump, though a number of them are incorporating telephony capabilities. In other words, the $329 iPaq mentioned above can record voice just as well as a $1000 AudioVox Thera. If you are leaning towards a Palm device, check out my earlier Ask... answer for some solutions for voice recording (SEE: Taking Voice Notes).

Next, take a look at what the 3rd party software and accessories market offers the devices you are looking closely at. Sony makes beautiful PDAs, but since they keep changing their hardware so often, there are few accessories for the individual models. The ancient Palm III series, however, has a truckload of compatible hardware add-ons. Pocket PC makers have generally avoided making their systems compatible, but there are often a number of solutions available. Spend a few days researching what is available for the devices that are catching your eye.

For vertical markets, like medical practices and hospitals, Palm has been at this for a long time. They have cache with a lot of companies and industries that require special solutons. Microsoft is able to deliver, but only to a degree. Microsoft has a tendency to change things rather significantly, making it more difficult for software developers to keep up. First generation Pocket PC, and the Palm-sized PC devices before them, also came in three processor flavors, which meant that developers also had to create three versions of the same software, and there were differences to be accounted for.

Palm, to the contrary, has remained relatively solid, keeping developer relations on an even keel. This fact alone has allowed Palm to acrue several thousand more software titles than the competition. The aforementioned medical community has benefited greatly from this, as there are a significant number of titles available for Palm OS based handhelds.

So, all I've really said in answer to your question is that the choice is up to you. Just take your time and examine what's out there. Then take a look at what's coming next. Pocket PC devices will be stable througout the transition to XScale processors because the change is not that significant. Palm, on the other hand, has already told developers that certain things they counted on before will be gone in Palm OS 5.0 because of the hardware switch. Palm has stated clearly, though, that applications written as per Palm's specifications will work perfectly on the new devices. That's good news for the medical community!

Mike, I hope this answered your question. If anyone else would like to ask their own question, please drop the HandyMan a line.

(Editor's Note: All price quotes are sourced from C|Net's Price Comparison system and are subject to change at any time. Click here for that same list.)