Pocket PC, PDA, or What Else?

Posted on February 11th, 2007 by Gary Petersen

I’m in the market for a pocket PC or other small PDA-type device. I’ve been wondering how to carry a copy of Noah Webster’s 1828 version of the All American Dictionary of the English Language with me, particularly to church. I’ve found this to be a great resource when studying the King James Bible.

I’d also like to have a Bible commentary or two with me. I think a PDA is the answer. What I most want it to do is as follows:

  • The device must be able to be loaded with the dictionary mentioned above so that I can access it to look up words.
  • Ideally, the device should let me load PDF, RTF, or TXT files to be read and searched. Or, it should have a conversion utility to read them into a format it can deal with.
  • I’d like it to work with a stylus, rather than a separate keyboard so I can use it while sitting in a church pew.
  • If it has sound, the sound must be able to be turned off so I can use it without disturbing others.
  • It must have onboard GPS and be able to accept travel mapping software, so I can use it when driving for directions (something along these lines).
  • It should connect to my wireless network at home to transfer files to and from my PC.

Does such a device exist? If so, what do you recommend? Let me know in the comments, please. Thanks, Gary

12-Feb Update: The Dell Axim X51v PDA seems to be a decent device. It runs Windows Mobile and can run the mobile version of e-Sword, which would let me bring in the commentaries and dictionaries I want. Dell also sells a Bluetooth GPS add-on for the Axim which includes navigation software. Any thoughts on that option?

13-Feb Update: So I learned today that Microsoft just released version 6 of the Windows Mobile operating system.  The Dell Axim I like runs version 5.  I wonder how long it will be for version 6 to show up on the Axim?  I used the online sales chat at Dell’s website to ask, but the support guy couldn’t answer.

Filed under: General

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4 Responses to “Pocket PC, PDA, or What Else?”

  1. Bob, on February 12th, 2007 at 12:47 am Said:

    While I can not say much about the Dictionary, I can say that by mixing a few things you can have a collection of Bibles on the storage card of most any Pocket PC by loading Pocket e-sword. Email me if you need the link, but Googling e-sword should help you. My wife just got a type of system that you just talked about, with the added benefit of a cell phone built in. I recommend looking at the HP iPAQ brand at their web site. Hers was about $500 and came with cell phone, bluetooth, wifi, cell phone used for data transfer (did not enable it), GPS (which if you have the data transfer on will let you load maps on the fly).
    Software (free) can be downloaded from Adobe (and I think it comes with the CD for it), that can read PDF files. Works better with ones that have not be just scanned with each page as a image.

    Downside, unless you can find the Dictionary as software that will work on the machine, or as a text file that could be used to convert it to a file that could be read in Microsoft Reader, you are out of luck there.
    Also, most Pocket PCs will not let you peer to peer on a network. But synchronizing it will be easily done and all files will be transfered quite easily and quickly. It also comes with Pocket Word, Pocket Excel and Pocket Power Point (viewing only if I remember). These files can be read in their big cousins on the desktop.

    The e-sword program saves its files as RTF files, has many dictionaries and other tools.
    The Pocket Word uses a different extension but it saves as RTF files.

    Hope that gives you some thought, email me if you have any questions.

  2. Gary Petersen, on February 12th, 2007 at 8:07 am Said:

    Thanks, Bob. I’m very familiar with e-Sword, though just the desktop based version. Loading it would give me access to the dictionary, as it is a module for e-Sword (which I currently use). I’ll look through your recommendation at home tonight.

  3. Bob, on February 13th, 2007 at 1:22 am Said:

    I have a pocket PC that I use with an older version of the iPAQ unit (about 3 years ago). The e-sword program loads into the pocket PC memory and they recommend for more than one or two Bibles, etc. that you put them on the removable card for your unit. I have mine on a 2 Gig card and it has room for notes that I type (built in keyboard).

    Glad I could help.

  4. salguod, on February 14th, 2007 at 2:28 pm Said:

    I’ve personally been a long time Palm OS fan. The Palm Treo smart phones have long been more highly recommended than Windows Mobile Phones. Not sure if that’s true of PDA’s. I’ve got an older Treo and I’m a bit out of touch with the latest Palm OS devices. They do have a lot of software available. Two of my favorites are available on Windows as as well, Automobil car expense tracking and HandyShopper shopping lists.

    As far as the Axim, you might check out Dell’s blog. There’s a contacts page there too that might be of help.

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