vB Easy Archive - newbie wants to learn about WM smartphone

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newbie wants to learn about WM smartphone
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Posted by: magicbbird

Hello all,
I have used both Treo and PPC phones before. Currently I am using Eten M500 (I also have used a Jam). But lately I start lurking around here and want to learn something about this smartphone thingy. Please just point me to the right directions so that I try to pick up things myself without boring you guys to death:

(1) Any good online resources for learning the inside-out of M$ smartphone operation?

(2) I browse and see what kinds of software available to smartphone, and see Battery Pack Pro. This leads me to think: when you exit from a program, does it "close" it, or like PPC, it just minimizes it (but still occupies memory)?

(3) Will current smartphones (SMT5600, MPX220, etc.) get WM5 upgrade (any official announcement yet)? This would tell me should I wait or should I pick one up now.

(4) Coming from PPC/Palm background, how easy/difficult to move from using a touch screen to button-based operation?

Although my Eten has been working great for me, the smaller size of smartphone still interests me, as I use it mainly a phone first, PDA second.

Thanks in advance for your advise.

Posted by: another_punk

Quote:

Originally Posted by magicbbird

Hello all,
I have used both Treo and PPC phones before. Currently I am using Eten M500 (I also have used a Jam). But lately I start lurking around here and want to learn something about this smartphone thingy. Please just point me to the right directions so that I try to pick up things myself without boring you guys to death:

(1) Any good online resources for learning the inside-out of M$ smartphone operation?

Well, your manual will provide most, if not all, of the functionality descriptions.

Quote:

(2) I browse and see what kinds of software available to smartphone, and see Battery Pack Pro. This leads me to think: when you exit from a program, does it "close" it, or like PPC, it just minimizes it (but still occupies memory)?

Yes, it's just like the PPCs! It will not close the programs. There are few utils out there that you can use.

Quote:

(3) Will current smartphones (SMT5600, MPX220, etc.) get WM5 upgrade (any official announcement yet)? This would tell me should I wait or should I pick one up now.

Nope! Only God and Bill Gates know!

Quote:

(4) Coming from PPC/Palm background, how easy/difficult to move from using a touch screen to button-based operation?

It's somewhat difficult. I myself made that move. Losing the stylus is like losing an arm, but, you'll get used to the new setup.

Quote:

Although my Eten has been working great for me, the smaller size of smartphone still interests me, as I use it mainly a phone first, PDA second.

Thanks in advance for your advise.

Posted by: thielsa

I switched from an Eten M500 to the Motorola MPX220. The main reason that I made the change was that I needed a quadband for my work travel, and other than the Eten I could not find a good PocketPC phone. Due to reception issues with the Eten I needed to switch to a different quadband device, and took a chance on the MPX220. All of my phone issues went away. However, the MPX220 is not anywhere near as powerful from a PDA perspective as the Eten. It will take some adjustment. However, with the addition of Papyrus + Facade from SBSH it brings Smartphone closer to a PocketPC. Right now I have not been able to find anything better. But I do carefully watch the PocketPC board for new Quadband offerings. Good luck with your decision.

Posted by: magicbbird

Thanks for the advise and experience shared. Certainly it is important to know "closing" is not reall closing in a sense.

I will search for a manual to read thru it.

I also figure it will be quite a jump from using a touch screen to buttons. But the overall size of a smartphone (much smaller than PPC phone) maybe enough reason to try it out.