PDAs forum: Which PDA for Voice Recording, Office Suite, and Multimedia?

The battery life is less than a day when such is in use.

-> Here's what I suggest. Consider what others have used in the past on such expeditions. You are not the first to make this journey. Use the knowledge and experience from those that went before you.

Look at their equipment and learn.

Bob

The battery contacts are frail in most PDAs. Add to that there isn't a charger for most if not all PDA batteries and you are not solving problems but making new ones.

I'd chuck the PDA and review how your fellow travelers did this.

Bob

Has all the features you want but they are no longer made.

You can find good used ones on ebay for about $150.

Spare batteries are fairly inexpensive and supposedly they run for 8 hrs...I think that is the specification.

Hello,
I added feature statements following each of you device desire-ments. If you want to be able to capture audio (personal dictation and interviews), can you use the voice recorder feature? If you want to scribble notes and compose documents regarding information you find about the different regions you visit (in Word and Excel both) can you use the Native Westtek Excel and Word applications bundled vice the usual Pocket word /Excel with Pocket PC? If you want to compile the notes and audio clips into Powerpoint presentations, can you use the native WestTek PowerPoint bundle? If you want to be entertained (mp3s, movie files, and emulation is probably the name of the game here) during the travel between areas can you use the HP upgrade to WMP 10 that is included in the ROM update to the hx2755, and then add PocketTV and the Pocket DVD Studio to rip your DVDs onto the device SD card? Dragon Naturally Speaking 7 Preferred and beyond has voice dictation on the Pocket PC, but a PC is required to complete the function.

If long battery life would be a plus, and you want to see how long you can go without electricity in some areas, you can try a spare battery for the unit and adjust Power management to conserve power. If a QWERTY keyboard (part of the PDA or as a wireless addition) for travel to remote areas with a video camera is desired, then see if the add on Micro keyboard from HP or blue tooth keyboard is suitable. If the research requires a calculator application that will mimic a TI-83 for statistical calculations, try one of the Pocket PC TI calculator emulators from PocketGear to see if the graphing function or other options you seek meet your needs-you can use a Pocket PC emulator (free download) to try them out before you buy- but don't forget that excel may provide some graphics when using the Westtek bundle. If a 2nd camera can be used for picture addition to Powerpoint presentations, then try saving images from your camera to an SD card-producing the same result. The standard Wi-Fi and Bluetooth functionality of this device is first rate-so you have that in spades.