I was telling a couple of friends that I felt like I was a widower. I had bought a pretty, young ‘wife’ that was desired by many, had the time of my life for 3 weeks, and suddenly she was taken away from me, right under my nose.
After 2 days of mourning I reunited with an old flame and decided to acquire her instead. That old flame in question is actually a friend’s Dopod 818 Pro. His wife won it in a lucky draw but as both of them are not geeks, they preferred to sell it to someone else.
I contemplated the Dopod but decided on the HP due to the better brand and support service. However now that my HP is gone, I did not want to pay the full price for a brand new PDA phone. The new Dopod was sold to me at less than half its retail price and so far I’m not complaining.
I’ve re-installed Laridian Pocket Bible and Newsbreak feedreader software. I’m also trying out SPC Pocket Plus, a popular enhancement for Windows Mobile.
The Dopod is wider but I think it’s thinner than the iPaq 6828.
Plus points:
- Handwriting detection has been less problematic so far (but that may be because my iPaq had a protective screen cover. When I get one for my Dopod I can make a fairer comparison).
- Hardware buttons are more intuitive. Also, easier to press. There is a Windows Start button and an OK button tastefully incorporated right below the ‘Call begin’ and ‘Call end’ buttons. This means you can control your Dopod’s basic functions with one hand, without needing a stylus.
- Stylus is easier to remove (but that’s because the iPaq had an extra protective cover on top of it)
- Wireless speed is faster – 802.11g instead of 802.11b. I can feel the difference. Data gets downloaded faster on my home 802.11g wireless network.
- The Dopod feels better in your hand as the casing is smoother and one consistent colour. However you can get a skin for your iPaq.
Minus points:
- Dopod software isn’t as good as HP’s. HP’s extra software e.g. photo management is better … and free.
- The iPaq comes with extra charger adapters (for US sockets) and more stylus pens.
- The Dopod’s brightness levels are rudimentary whereas for the iPaq it can be fine-tuned.
- Dopod seems to run a bit slower. It hung last night and this morning already. Had to reboot it. Wonder if all my extra software and trials are screwing it up.
- Dopod keeps rebooting. I discover that it’s a ROM problem and to upgrade my ROM I will lose all my existing data. Oh, great.
- Lousy-looking Dopodasia.com website with bare support. It’s so crap, if you type in http://dopodasia.com withouth the ‘www’, the site doesn’t work!!! [Update: They gave a free Mozart wallpaper and ringtone theme which is so cheesy they shouldn’t have offered it in the first place. ]