PDA Recommendations Please

Have specific uses I need to ensure will work

[JohnnyDrako]

I need to use a PDA for the first time and, before I spend countless hours researching equipment, would sure appreciate recommendations. Here is what I would like to use it for:

1) Read PGP encrypted e-mail
2) Use the handheld as an intermediary to sync Outlook Contacts, Tasks, and Calendar items between two PC's. I use an IMAP system for mail, so the two PC's are already in sync in this regard.

Thanks in advance!

[JohnnyDrako]

One more thing: I would prefer a thumb keyboard.

[bakedjake]

Hi, JohnnyDrako, welcome to WebmasterWorld!

Are you familiar with the platforms at all? Do you have a preference between palm and Windows Mobile?

[JohnnyDrako]

I have no personal experience with the platforms, but Windows seems to be my preference, if only because I assume it would work better my existing PC apps.

So, again, my big question is, does Outlook for Pocket PC handle IMAP and PGP?

[bakedjake]

I haven't found a decent mail client for the PPC (Pocket PC/Windows Mobile) yet.

IMAP is supported ok by the built-in client, and fairly well by WebIS Mail (the only other PPC mail app I know of).

PGP Corporation sells a "PGP Mobile" application for PPC and Palm. I've never used it.

[JohnnyDrako]

Thanks, jake. When you say "built-in client," I sounds like you are NOT referring to Outlook for PPC. Is this correct?

[bakedjake]

There's no such thing as "Outlook for PPC", Johnny. At least its not branded that way by Microsoft.

Basically, when you get a PPC, you get a build in PIM (calendar, task list, etc.). The built in mail client is seperate from all of that - it's not integrated like Outlook for the PC is.

Most people replace their PIM with something more powerful than the built in solution. The two big PIM players in the PPC market are Agenda Fusion and Pocket Informant.

As far as mail goes, I haven't found anything I'm really happy with. I'm using webmail. ;-)

[Brett_Tabke]

It is "outlook" only in name. It is a very very lame send and receive client (no filters...nothing). It is next to useless.

Best bet is some form of webmail client. Then get NetFront browser for pocketpc (twice as fast as pocket ie).

syncing contacts and such can be tricker than it sounds. While Palm will allow you to combine items, pocket pc only allows you to overwrite item or ignore items. You have to decide which to give priority too. Which means both your pc's will have to have differenct settings. That can lead to some difficults, dropped contacts, and general confusion.

[JohnnyDrako]

OMG, this is getting really complicated! No surprise, I suppose.

Maybe I could take another tack: my main goal is to sync my Outlook Contacts, Tasks and Calendar items between two PCs that, due to ISP issues, cannot be networked. (Synchronizing mail is not an issue since these two PCs are running on IMAP).

So, is anyone aware of another way I might synchronize my Outlook other than walking a PDA between these two machines?

[bakedjake]

A USB thumbdrive with an installation of Outlook on it?

[JohnnyDrako]

>>A USB thumbdrive with an installation of Outlook on it?

Titilating, Baked! Please post details about this ... I do own a portable USB drive but don't understand how this could work.

Aha! Unless you are suggesting that I point the Outlooks on both PCs to one (and only one) PST, which just happens to reside on my portable hard drive. Makes sense, I think. This would imply that I couldn't use either Outlook without the USB drive plugged in, but I suppose this wouldn't be so bad.

Yes?

[bakedjake]

That was my thought, Johnny. Should work, just make sure the thumbdrive is always mapped to the same drive letter.

That's the best thing I can think of without networking the PCs together or using an Exchange server.

[JohnnyDrako]

Thank you!