Q.: Judie,

Hope this note finds you well. I need some gadget advice, if you have the time.  I have a birthday coming up in two weeks, and my wife wants a suggestion from me for a present. I am thinking about a new phone.  I have a Samsung Blackjack for work which runs Mobile 5.0 and I like it a lot.  Works very well with our Outlook Exchange server.  I also have a Motorola RAZR2 for weekends, which I also like, but I’d like a weekend phone that has a little more functionality.

I have looked at the N95, but if I am going to put that kind of dent in my wallet, I wanted to see if you have a favorite fun phone that you like and would recommend for a GSM system (I am AT&T).  Anything that really makes you smile?

Thanks for your time!!

Bill

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Q. Hi Judie,
I’m looking for an expert opinion on smartphones. I’m a Verizon customer, so I am due for my new every 2 free $100 in August.

I have a Palm TX, which I lovingly refer to as my electronic brain, and my cell phone LG8600.  The problem is that my brain often forgets the electronic brain, which is really bad for remembering meetings.  :(  So, I want to get an all in one device.

I’ve been reading reviews and checking out all kinds of info, but I’m so confused between Treos, Blackberries, etc.  What I need is a phone, calendar, to do list (mainly some organization software), contacts, camera, and the occasional internet use.  I don’t need to check my e-mail.  Work has not given me a phone to make me constantly check my e-mail, and until they do, I don’t want them to think I’m going to spend all my free time working. 

With that said, I thought maybe a blackberry would be overkill.  I don’t need the super-duper data package for my phone.  Plus, like most people, I’m all about the speed (RAM needed???), and reception.

I’ve thought about taping my phone to my Palm, but that’s just not the fashion statement I want to make.  Plus, the doublesided tape doesn’t hold very well.

Thanks,
Heather

P.S.

I had another question kind of related to the cell phone question: why is it that GSM seems to get the more advanced phones before CDMA.  I’m not talking about just the iPhone, but it seems that way for most new phones.  I thought it had more to do with the fact that more people use the GSM ‘network’, but is there something different about the tech that makes it more difficult to make CDMA phones.  I’m happy with my Verizon service, but I guess I’m a bit frustrated.

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Q. Hi Judie

I hope you’re well. Knowing that you’re the expert for bags of all shapes and sizes, I thought I’d submit a Dear Gear Diary question to see if you can help me.

I’m going on vacation in a few weeks and security regulations in the UK only allow for one piece of hand luggage. The maximum dimensions allowed are 22” x 17.5” x 9.85”.

Within this one piece of hand luggage I need to accommodate passport and tickets, wallet, ipod and headphones, cellphone etc, plus my 13” Macbook and my Canon DSLR with battery grip and 2 lenses (one of which is quite large). I’d like a bag with compartments to protect all of my gadgets, but obviously I want to keep the size down as the measurements are pretty restricted. On top of all of this, I’d really like a bag that looks nice too, but that’s a secondary thought.

Does anyone have a good recommendation for me? My current laptop bag is very nice, but doesn’t fit my camera. All suggestions gratefully received!

Cheers!
Alison

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Q. On my MAC I want to run a XP Pro VM. Which is better VMWare Fusion or Nova Development’s Parallels? Both seem to offer the same features. All my Apple geek friends recommend Parallels but VMWare Inc. Is very well established in the VM Market. And until August I can get VMWare Fusion for only $39.99 compared to Parallels $79.00.

Just looking for a opinion. Thanks for your time.
Kyle

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Dear Gear Diary Readers:

As many of you know, Judie typically uses this space to answer questions from readers about problems they may be having with their technological gadgets. Well, we thought it was high time we turn the tides on all of you and ask you for a little help.

Here is the situation. I am a Verizon Wireless subscriber. About a year ago, I bought a RAZR phone with a 2-year service plan (man I hate those lock in plans). Anyway, a friend just offered to give me his Verizon Motorola Q Smartphone.

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Q.�Hi Judie,

My name’s Andy, and I’m a sound engineer for theatre/concerts in NYC/on tour, and have been reading your reviews for a long time on The Gadgeteer and, now that I’ve discovered it, at Gear Diary. I’ve been a long time Palm devotee, as well as a PC/Windows user, but lately have been worn down and plan, within the next month or so, to make the jump into Mac Book Pro land (with Boot Camp to XP, just in case, of course!).

At that point, something clicked and made me start questioning my avoidance of Win Mobile, and since I’m nearing the time when I’ll have to replace my Treo 650, I’m starting to consider going to a 700wx or 750 (should it ever come to Verizon) as opposed to a 700p (provided Palm’s promised patch fixes at least some of the lag issues, since the lag on my 650 is bad enough!) or a 680 (again, should it come to Verizon).

Anyway…I saw in your 700-series reviews that after trying the 700p vs the 700wx, you ended up with the Windows version. You noted that you would save the why for another time, which I’m not sure if I’m either just missing in the archive, or if you haven’t actually expounded on that further yet. If so, would you mind sharing at least the condensed version, LOL? I’ve avoided Win Mob for years under the whole, “I love my Palm programs, and _everything_ is so many more steps on Wind Mob” mantra, but I’ve realized I’m nay-saying without actually trying, so…

From left to right: the Treo 700wx and the Treo 700p

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Q. Hi Judie,

Fantastic review of the Dopod 838 Pro. I’m quite thrilled with mine, since acquiring it in October 2006. I have one big challenge - and a couple smaller ones as well…

When composing text messages, the system dutifully / pedantically stores all word entries that you make (intentionally or otherwise) i.e. , if you type ‘Mary had a little lambbbb’ , and inadvertently hit the space bar as you’re blazing along on the keyboard before correcting the spelling of lamb, the system assumes that you intended to write ‘lambbbb’, and stores that “new” word, seemingly forever.

I have not been able to find out If the internal ‘dictionary” / word suggestion list can be edited by the user. I’d love to be able to refine the list with my own lexicon.

Is there software available that allows this?

Thanks for your time.

Konrad

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Q. Judie,

This is Roland. I’m�not sure if you remember me or not, but you helped me decide to buy my HTC which I have been enjoying so much.

I have gotten a fabulous new Gateway notebook computer - my first notebook - and I was looking into accessories to use with my new toy, I mean necessary technology.

I have already purchased a mini wireless optical mouse and was looking at this chill mat. Are they worth it? Do you think they add to the life of your computer or are they just a unnecessary thing to spend money on?

I value your opinion greatly.

Sincerely,

Roland

photo courtesy of the Best Buy site

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Q. Hi Judie,

I’m writing to you because I’ve read on geardiary that someone asked you for advice on buying a PDA; I have a couple of doubts in buying my first PDA and I was wondering if you could help me…

The first and basic use I would give to this PDA is internet surfing, emailing (both by WiFi), and reading books (in .pdf mostly). But this is not the only reason why I want a PDA: I’m looking for a powerful PDA were I could listen to music, see movies, use 3rd party software, transfer files wirelessly with my notebook, and the possibility to upgrade it with a GPS compact flash card.

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Q. Hi Judie,

I hope that this e-mail will reach you personally. Since you left the Gadgeteer end of September I didn’t have a valid e-mail address anymore. Fortunately you sent me the LinkedIn invitation and then a follow-up�with your amended profile. So I found your website and contact address.

The reason I am contacting you is that I am at a cross road� and I would need some advise and/or help. A year ago I was�in a similar situation. Business�just started about 12 months earlier and the result was discouraging, while I was trying different avenues, such as the Internet, Watch Retail Trade,�specific and special approaches like Hospitals, Retirement Centers, etc. I also did some consumer advertising in Life Style magazines and in AARP. Nothing worked, except there was some potential hope for the Internet.

So I decided to ditch practically everything and to concentrate only on the Internet. I redesigned�my website and hired a company to do some SEO. That helped for a while but when I requested to put the bars higher I had the feeling that was it for this company. So I found another one who helped and�I started to do some advertising and the result improved quite a lot. Then I had the lucky strike with you guys at the Gadgeteer. In fact I still get a lot of leads and sales from this review.

Now I feel again that I need additional help if I want to reach my goal for the year.

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