I own a computer. However, I am not always near it. Thus, I would like to be able to read books, and brows web-pages on the road. I could easily do so with a palm-pilot with a keyboard, but such things cost money. So, I was looking for a keyboard-less palm pilot or PDA I can buy cheaply, such as from a University students classified ad, Craig’s List, and other such diverse sources, that would still fit my specifications.
Basically, I would love to be able to EITHER use dumb terminals to download ebooks, TXT and/or HTML files onto a USB memory card writer, and then upload the contents unto my PDA, then convert the files into a e-book format so as to be able to read them on the go, OR download files directly to my PDA using a PDA equipped with two slots, one for a wifi card, and the other for a removable memory card, so as not to be limited to onboard memory. In any case, I am looking to being able to skip the step of having to convert things to “e-book” format using my home-base computer.
Thus, I was wondering which Palm-Pilot (or PDA) that WAS cutting edge a few years back that would fill the bill.
To review. One or two memory slots, or ability to work as a USB harddvrive with out a docking bay. It doesn’t matter if the screen has colors or not, just as long as it is readable. Available on the market, used Does not need FULL access to a Win32 machine, since hotels might allow USB thumbdrives, but do not allow for installing conversion software.
So, and combination of PDAs and PDA native software that would allow me to do that? Or can Palms already read TXT files and I missed that detail in these pastthreads?
YOUR (the reader’s) definition of cheap. If one person points to a PDA costing $150 dollars used, and another points to a device that costs $50 dollars, I shant complain. However, thus far in my googling, it seems that plenty of expansion slot PDAs are available, but that file conversion software is in love with the idea of Hotsyncing and being native to PCs and Macs, not PDAs, and not with memcards.
Go to ebay. Search for PDAs, you should be able to get good deals there. Every Palm should have the ability to read TXT files, though you may have to convert it to a different format, which shouldn’t be hard at all. If you really want Wifi, it’s going to bump up the price range another $200-300 or so.
Ah. But do you need a PC or Mac to do the conversion? It appears you do not need to do so on a PSion, but I am having problems finding out for sure.
Only with a built in one, as I understand it. While it would be nice to have Wifi, the point is to be semi-free of PCs. Also, as I understand it, while they cripple battery life, some PDAs made within the past five years include expansion slots which can be used with external wifi cards
You might also consider the MS based Pocket PC PDAs. The reading software for them is much better (IMO) and the selection of ebooks in the .lit format is larger than with Palms, though either unit can read txt files. As an ebook/etext reader the Pocket PC units are much better than Palms at this task, and I say this as an everday Palm user.
You can find tens of thousands of available ebooks in the usenet ebook groups in .txt .lit .pdf and .doc and .pdb(palm) etc. formats.
Ah ha! This would do it! Well, except for the part about it being $400+ Maybe I should just save up. This looks good.. ANyone try it? Which model is best for my limited use?
Yep. It looks like I will go with a PPC. I like the Palm Pilot OS a lot more, but it looks like expandabilit, and future proofing is far better on the PPCs.
It also looks like far more CF modems work for PPCs. Now, I am looking over pictures, and so many of them have odd looking 4-directonal controls. They look so uncomfortable! Could someone (who uses ebooks) tell me what models they use, and what means they use to scroll down long files?
Maybe I should just save up.