Where's my new PDA?

[kpreid]

My Palm TX is noticeably wearing out (power button dead and worked around, cover hinge fraying, direction pad starting to go) and doesn't have a decent modern web browser. I might have gotten a Palm Pre by now if it weren't for the lack of full-size external (Bluetooth) keyboard support (notetaking is one of the major use cases) — though I hear there might be an SDK coming out which would let third parties build one. (Lesser issues are the cost of a phone contract (though Internet-anywhere makes that have a good bit of value) and the battery life.) I get the impression that I should be looking at the Nokia N900 or one of its relatives, but I haven't gotten around to investigating that.

My additional requirements for a New PDA are that it sync calendars/todos with iCal, sync the abovementioned notes to my Mac (I don't care what software), fit in my shirt pocket, and have mostly-not-locked-down-and-expensive software development/installation (so that customized/open-source/the-obscure-niche-I-happen-to-need software can happen).

(Apple mobile products fail on the openness criterion and either Bluetooth keyboard (iPhone/iPod touch) or fitting in the shirt pocket (iPad).)

Comments

[atheorist.livejournal.com]

I have a N800, and it's been pretty good.
Cons:

1. It might be a bit heavy for a shirt pocket - pants pocket, yes.
2. Getting the SDK set up and writing my own apps isn't completely trivial - but doable.
3. It didn't come with ssh or remote desktop installed.
4. Negotiating wireless access at wireless spots is a pain. Always-on access to the net (for example, the G1) is much, much more useful.

Of course, the N900 may have fixed many of those.

Mini5?

[bitjuggler.livejournal.com]

The upcoming Dell Mini5 might meet your needs... it's a bit larger than a standard cellphone (more 'MID' sized) but should still fit in a shirt pocket. I can't imagine it not having BT keyboard support, but I suppose it's possible.

[msylvestre.livejournal.com]

If you don't mind using Google for your calendering needs (it syncs to a Mac's iCal just fine) then how about an Android device? The Nexus One is unlocked, even if you buy it subsidized from T-mobile; it lets you use a Bluetooth keyboard, and for note taking, Astrid syncs to RememberTheMilk.com, which also has desktop clients.

[kpreid.livejournal.com]

I'm uncomfortable with having my notes and calendar synced with a third-party web site, for privacy reasons.

[kpreid.livejournal.com]

Other reasons: the service might go away; unavailable on my laptop when there's no local wifi.

[msylvestre.livejournal.com]

Well, on Android, both Calendar and Astrid operate from local caches, so it works just fine without wifi or data connectivity. The privacy aspect is a problem, though.

So you have the iPhone/iPod touch, which are not open, Android, which is open but problematic from cloud-computing aspects, and the Nokia N900, which has... traditionally lackadaisical support from Nokia, esp. for PDA apps. And Maemo is being merged with Intel's Moblin so the near future might be a bit turbulent.

Not sure which compromise you'd like better (or dislike less).