mivox - 6:40 pm on Mar 20, 2002 (gmt 0)

Sounds like you could go with virtually any Palm OS machine, even a "cheapo" 8MB model like mine (now selling for $199, I think...), and find all the software you needed either built-in, for free, or in the sub-$20 range for the fancy stuff. That's pretty much what I was looking for too.

The email is the only part I haven't done yet, but Palm OS comes with a built-in Mail program, and you can get a wide variety of modems (wireless and plug-in) for Handspring and Palm PDAs. Then there's the new Palm i705 (I think?), which has wireless internet connectivity built-in, and was designed as an email monster... But that's well out of the "cheapo" price range.

PC compatibility/translation software usually isn't free, in my experience... except for the included Palm Desktop software, which isn't exactly user friendly, but can export most files from the Palm format to something you can open with standard software. Also, some software like ThinkDB (WELL worth buying!) will export data files into MemoPad files, which you can then export out of your Palm Desktop software... ThinkDB also has a variety of "add-on" software available in bundles, enabling it to interact even more directly with your desktop machine.

I kept the most recent BarConference registrants' names, nicks and other info in a custom ThinkDB database on my Visor Edge, and then exported the data through MemoPad and put together the nametags in AppleWorks. Worked like a charm. :)