<<Disclaimer: Verify this information before applying it to your situation.>>

Hi All--
   
  I asked the list, of those who owned PDAs or Pocket PCs, which do people feel are best for keeping GF lists, ease of use, downloading, etc. Thanks to everyone who replied...I received some really helpful information. Thanks especially to Joe and Jim for spending so much time giving such specific details - the details are worth a million bucks to those who haven't "played" with PDAs much. Here's the skinny on what's best, according to the experts, of course! Any comments I added are in brackets [ ]. Thanks, again.... ~~Ayn in Alabama
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  I can't speak to the specific uses with the commercial gf data products, but can speak more generally. The first question is, how comfortable are you with Windows? If you use Windows anyway and really like it, you might want to go with the one of the Pocket PC machines. They're basically mini-Windows, with all its pluses and minuses. Big minus--lots of functions are buried several layers deep in menus. Small plus--it looks like Windows. Personally, I prefer the Palm interface. It's cleaner, and almost everything is right on the surface. It links well with either a Mac or Windows (I think it also works with Linux) desktop machine, so it doesn't matter what you've got on your desk. Updating is easy--when you download new software, the installer automatically puts the program in a queue to be installed on the Palm device next time you synchronize it with the computer. These days they all use the USB port for synchonization. Just connect the Palm device to the computer, hit
 the hot-synch button on the cable, and everything will synchronize, download, etc. I use a Treo 300 (with the Palm interface) that my partner got for $10 on ebay. One in slightly better condition will likely go on ebay for around $30 to $50. I've no idea of the prices
of new Palm or Pocket PC devices other than the Treo (current Palm model is the 650, current Pocket PC model is the 700w), which includes phone functions, and costs $300 to $400.
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  [I'm not totally certain, but think that this should be Palm Zaire 22 - I couldn't find a "72" model. If I'm wrong, someone please correct me].  
   
  Hi, I noticed your post on the celiac lisverv. About a year ago, I purchased a Palm Zaire 72 PDA to have a GF food list easily available for food shopping. It has met my needs by displaying GF food lists both in Microsoft Word fromat and by a Palm software GF list program. The Word list came from a Delphi CeliacDisease On-Line Support Group forum ( www.delphiforum.com ). This GF List was last updated in April 2005 and I do not know if or when it will be updated.
   
  The GF food list software program is from Clan Thompson ( www.clanthompson.com ). It is available in both Palm and PC formats. When I bought it, they combined both for , I think $79.95. They also sell a GF Drug/ Medication List program. You can or at least last year you could download a demo of the program to check it out, but you need a Palm to checkout that version.
   
  I looked into the choice of a Palm PDA or a Pocket PC before my purchase. I wanted a PDA which accepted Microsoft Word documents since that is the common word processing format. I also wanted it to be reliable and not to breakdown in a year. Pocket PC's all come with Microsoft Word installed but I didn't know anyone who owned one, didn't know their reliability and noticed that their prices were higher than Palm PDA's.
   
  I knew someone who owned a Palm Zaire 72 that was reliable and I was able to check it out. Palm PDA's can be used for Microsoft Word documents but they need a separate program called "Document To Go" to convert the Word document to the Palm format. You can buy a Palm PDA for $99 or so but it will not have Docements To Go installed on it and I do not know the reliability of lower priced Palm's. Before you get a Palm that does not have Documents to Go installed, go to ( www.dataviz.com/products/documentstogo ) and make sure you get the right version for your Palm.
   
  I purchased the Zaire 72 because I know of its reliabilityand it had Documents to Go already installed. It was a little expensive ( $299 ) but I thought it was worth it. I also comes with other features such as an MP3 player, digital camera, photo viewer and a Secure Data memory card slot for additional memory use. If you buy the Palm directly from them online, there may be no shipping charge or sales tax and may include something  extra.
   
  I find using my Palm much easier than carrying a big loose leaf binder GF food listing that is avalable from the Celiac Sprue Association. Also the online or GF program lists have more entries that the loose leaf binder. Using the Palm in a store to browse for a food isn't 'easy'. The screen is small and the size of the print can be small on a document. You can increase the print size but then you have fewer word on each screen.
   
  I must say that after using it for a year, I find that I do not bring it to the store very much. I am glad that I purchased the Palm. It gives me some confidence in purchasing food that is Gluten Free especially when you cannot trust the ingredient listings of all companies. I find I use the MEMO program on the Palm often to keep notes on any subject from Celiac to Shopping to Medical as a personal memory supplement. I am sure there would be a similar program on a Pocket PC. I also found a free database program for the Palm that I use to keep a record of local restaurants and whether they have a GF menu and what entrees or sides I can eat there.
   
  The only negatives to the Palm Zaire 72 is that its batteries are not replacable, it must be recharged every week or so and it does not have a recharging cradle.
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    Mine right now is the Palm Pilot Tungsten E.  I have had 2 others in the past, older models of the Palm Pilot.  I went from my first with a green background to a color background one and liked it better, but after a couple of years or more, the battery went out completely and wouldn't take a recharge.   Not even a new one helped, so onward and upward.  I didn't look for specific capabilities or extra bells and whistles because I didn't need them or want them....like doing email, etc.   Just wanted to make sure it had an address book (contacts) and a memo section (which is where i download everything).   I barely use the calculator, I do not store pictures in it, nor do I play games on it.   It is strictly for names and addresses (particularly those in my group) and the GF products and drugs that I find on the internet to download.   
   
  I would think that anything that could do that would be sufficient, whether it is a palm pilot or some of those other kinds (not including pocket PC's which are more expensive).   All I can think of now is one that was called Handspring or something.   
   
  If you are not sure, start out with a cheaper one and fool with it for a year or so.  It will do the same thing as the more expensive, but not have as much memory space, but I never filled up the space anyway, so that should be much of a problem.
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      i use pocket pc because its ms compatable
   
  i wrote and sent this e-mail on it from culvers
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