WOT - Thinking of getting a PDA, Anyone have good info on them? Options

[MoveQik]

Since I am out of my office more than I am in it on some days, I have been entertaining the idea of getting a Blackberry. My cell phone is with Verizon and their network has been by far superior to others so I would like to stay with them. My main goal of this is to be able to check email while out on the road. Since I have Cox as my ISP, I figure as long as I have web access I can log on to Cox and access my email. However, after reading some info on the Blackberry it sounds like I can have email forwarded directly to the PDA from my computer. I am not a computer guru so this sounds too good to be true. Any thought/experience with these things?

The geeks at the Verizon store were pretty much useless. You guys seem to know a little bit about everything so help a brotha out.

[Sparky]

Well, I guess what you really need to ask yourself is how accessible do you want to be? Is it imperative that you be able to check your mail every 10 or 15 minutes or can it wait until once a day and be checked via laptop? Most Starbucks have WiFi hotspots and you can sit down have a cup of coffee and check your mail. Also consider what other functions you want it to peform. I carried a Palm Pilot for years because I had all my contacts on it, could sync it up while grabbing a bite to eat at the hotel and check email real quick. I also did my expenses on it and had them emailed right over to accounting so all I had to do was drop off my receipts when I got back in the office. We use the Blackberry now in the office but only for email, we also carry Nextels. My position requires that I be accessible 24/7/365.

Damn it you got my geek going!! There are a lot of options, if your looking to just replace your cell phone with a newer gadget and don't really need to be accessible 24/7 get a Razr or a Treo with the built in Palm fucntionality and use a laptop to check your email once in awhile well taking breaks. Maybe a Sidekick would be the ticket for you. I loved mine but hated T-Mobile. I spent the last 4 years as a road warrior (75% travel) and have run to both extemes.

Sorry this was so long... I feel that most of these purchases are made as impulse buys and most people dont really spend the time thinking about how they will relaly use the product. Think that through and the decision should be really easy to make.

My best,
Mike D. (IMG:http://www.914world.com/bbs2/html/emoticons/beerchug.gif)