I have been thinking about buying a mobile computer to do my notes mainly in school.

So the requirements are as follows:
- Real keyboard
- Notepad program (of course)
- Program to draw something simple (like in Windows there is MS Paint)
- Calender program
- Enough battery life
- Price should be around 500 euros (ok, for a good product I will be able to raise it a little).

I have been thinking a few options...

- -

Nokia 770
+ Bluetooth keyboard available (maybe even a USB keyboard?)
+ I have seen pictures about notepad programs on 770, so I guess there are some notepad software
+ I think I have heard GIMP is going to be ported to 770 someday, so drawing program, yes
+ Price will be around 500 (device itself 370e, BT-keyboard 100e, additional battery 50e, memory card 30e)
+ It sounds like Nokia supports very much OpenSource, so there will probably be lots of free programs available soon/someday
+ Bluetooth + WLAN capabilities
+ Horizontal screen, good for writing / reading

~ Battery life only 3 hours (but then again batteries cost only around 50 euros, not too much)
~ I havent heard of calender yet, but no doubt there will be soon

- A new system. There is no guarantee it will be a success (tho I believe it will) and there may be bugs

PDA (not anything specific)
There will be errors because I dont know much about those, so please correct me.
+ Fits well in hand
+ Old products, many bugs have been solved
+ I would imagine the battery life is fairly good, maybe 6-10 hours? (please correct me)
+ BT/WLAN capabilities

- Vertical screen. Doesnt sound so good for writing?

? No idea about possibility of additional keyboard? I havent seen anywhere that
? It sounds like many of the programs would be shareware/commercial, so the additional programs will cost money
? It isnt too clear if those support memory cards, but I think that may be possible?

Cheap laptop
+ Keyboard included
+ Most powerful of these

- Bad battery, batteries expensive
- Heavy, not as mobile as one would imagine
- No real need. I have a powerful PC already
- Cheap laptops dont usually have build-in BT or WLAN
- Booting time is looong

Sony PSP
+ Possibly the best mobile enterntainment system
+ Reasonable price

- I think it isnt made for my use (as a notebook)
- No drawing capabilities (touch screen or mouse)

? No idea about battery

- -

Ok, so as you can see, Im very much interested in N770.

But Id like to know more about options, so please suggest something you think might be better for my needs (or about as good).

And do comment my list. Id like to know where my believes are not true

Oh, and another thing Id like to know. Can I format (or reset the device to factory settings) PDAs or N770, or can it only be done at some repair shop?

l don't know what you mean by ''do my notes '' but if you mean note taking l'd go for a notepad and pencil or a laptop. l don't think either the 770 and certainly not a PDA are really optimal.

on the PDA front

there are plenty of keyboards available : real connection, IR or BT (Palm or PPC)
lots af freeware programms exist (check www.palmopensource.com or freewarepalm)
almost all support at least 1 memory card (often SD) (ppc sometimes 2 : CF)

But you're right the 770 is the best !

Yes, well I mean that thing when the teacher writes something on the blackboard and students copy it down to their papers. But I just hate writing manually + my papers dont stay in order after a few weeks

And yes, I agree that PDA/770 might not be the optimal one, but as far as I know, the battery life of cheap (under 1000 euros) laptops is really poor. I dont know anyone with that kind of laptop who wouldnt need constant power from the wall (like usual PCs).

Ok, thanks. Then I have to think about those again

Have you looked at the Euro price of 12' iBook? I have one, about three years old but with a new battery, and get on the order of 5 hours life out of it on single charge - with low screen brightness and wireless turned off.

On the French Apple store, the current price is 1049 euros.

1128.90 euros here.

That really sounds like an option

edit: I read an article of PDAs from a computer magazine, and now Im pretty sure I will choose 770 over a PDA.

But then that iBook, I have to consider about it too. Ill be telling my decision in few days I think

Comparing a laptop, Pda, Nokia 770 is like a comparing a Car, bicycle and Segway.
You use it for different things and they have different prices.
I both own a Nokia 770 and Powerbook 12", Mini Mac from my daughter. Have been using Palms in the past.

My advice is if you want to maximum portability, best money for performance, (almost)free Webbased programs, no investment in memory and taking notes with a Nokia 770 you have to do it over the internet by using one of the online applications using AJAX such as Basecamphq.com or Backpackit.com.
Then you can use all the features like milestones, to do's, notes and even different pages or project by lesson.
When you come home (or from where ever) you view your work on a big screen on the WebApp and don't need to transfer data. If you loose it, the data is still on the Internet.
Using a keyboard together with the Nokia and bluetooth is possible but you need to install a little program that is available on the net.


Nokia 770 without Internet connection doesn't make any sense and is useless it is called an INTERNETTABLET.


There are very little programs for it and I don't think they will come since the concept is with WebApp. However there is a small notes and sketching program with it. Those onces you can then upload between your notes in Backpackit. (you can't do that with the trackpad on a Laptop as fast and good !!)

The advantage for a student is: there is less chance that your laptop disappears or that you have to guard it all the time. The Nokia770 you put in your pocket. The keyboard in your bag.

The great thing is also that if you combine it with a good Nokia phone 3230 (300 euro), you can take great pictures (1.2 Megapix), view them on the tablet and upload to Flickr. Or record with the phone and do the same. Or film...
The Nokia also comes with a 32Mb wich makes your total capacity 96Mb. The Memory on the phone you can browse from the tablet as a disk. When it is full you send the file to your 2GB free account from Gmail. (You start getting it.... ;-)
Basically you have a endless potential (take 100 Gmail accounts.....)

I haven't figured out yet how you can synchronize your agenda on the phone with the tablet (no software for that). I use compatible Ical format, webbased.
I have a desktop Mac. I use the free Airset.com, that one is subscribed with Mac Ical desktop which I then Isync with the Nokia phone. But you can forexample subscribe your project in Basecamp to your Airset.com calendars in Ical format. I still have to fine tune this.

So apart form the notes program there is standard an internet radio, a Movie player supports many formats (also Quicktime)
This is better then a Video Ipod since the screen is larger. There should be a way to configure a Flash memory stick as a disk and view access true the USB mini port (haven't tried yet). So you can watch a full movie.
There is an audio program. A newsreader RSS.
Battery life is three hours and a week on standby.

Conclusion:
If you don't have a computer at home the Nokia 770 can't cover all your needs.
The laptop is heavy and more expensive.
PDA forget it, it is history, so is Blueberry.
PSP that is for fun.

You see, if you have Wifi in school it is the best way to go and most affordable.
Now you still have to find one since they are sold out worldwide....
Ask Saint A Claus ;-)
Good Luck !

Go to find out more about Web2.0 http://del.icio.us/tag/web2.0

Hehe, I have also been thinking about that (ok, not the segway. Illegal in my country) lately (just got my driving license ) But I guess that would be a little off topic :P

Thanks. I have been wondering if there are some services which would help in that or do I need to make those by myself. You saved me from the search

- -

But thanks for everyone answering for this thread. Im going to buy a N770

I might suggest a Tablet,if your gonna get a device for school... or if your gonna get a device for both entertainement and school then i absolutly suggest the Nokis 770

Yours truly,
Lil_Ndn

and ton there is a usb keyboard that you can purchase. btw a tablet pc is your best choice,it has every requirement that you provided...