A spectre is haunting Palm -- the spectre of Pocket PC.

Mike:
Far be it from me to rush to the defense of Microsoft, but there's no two ways about it: Pocket PC is superior to the Palm. Anything you can do on a Palm, I can do with a Pocket PC, and do it faster, and prettier, too. Furthermore, there are several things my Pocket PC can do that your pathetic little Palm couldn't even approach on its best day. In fact, my Pocket PC can do almost everything your *desktop* can do.

Want to edit images? Or chat with buddies from Yahoo, MSN, and AOL. Why not play some MP3s? Enjoy some videos? Windows Media Player Technology Preview lets you get streaming media: That's a taste of even better things to come. Still not satisfied? How about a Web server? While you're at it, have a Trivial FTP server and an FTP client. Here's a ZIP utility.

And games? Don't even get me started. There is no comparison between a game like Turjah and anything for the Palm. Or, if you're a fan of the classics, try one of these DOOM versions on Pocket PC. Sorry, Dave, but the Palm just can't handle games like this. But maybe you're content playing monochrome tic-tac-toe.

Face it, Dave; the superior technology is going to prevail. And that means Pocket PC. Palm users better enjoy their heyday while it lasts, because the Palm is headed the way of the horse and buggy.

Connected and Organised with Palm

Dave
Yessirree, Mike: While PocketPC goes after those half dozen road warriors and gizmo geeks who update their Web sites, play DOOM and groove to MP3s as they board the shuttle to New York, Palm will have to content itself with satisfying the zillion busy folks who need to stay organised and connected -- and prefer doing it with a simple, elegant device that meets their needs.

Fact is, I don't need to do all those things on my PDA. And I definitely don't want to pay a premium for hardware, software and batteries just in case the urge strikes me once a year to edit images while I'm stuck in traffic.

Nine times out of 10, when powering on my Palm, I launch one of four built-in apps: Address Book, Datebook, To-Do and Memo Pad. And here at ZDNet's Palm Downloads, I've found cool ways to enhance these basics. Address+ is loaded with contact management options essential for any business user. ZipCode+ 1.4 is a timesaving companion tool. (For Palm OS 3.5, try Address Book Plus.)

For Datebook: DateMate organises recurring events and PopUpFreeTime lets you create and check appointments without quitting your current app. MemoPlus adds drawings, alarms and templates to MemoPad. ToDo PLUS does much the same for To-Do List.

Then I've made my organiser even greater than the sum of these productivity parts -- with Actioneer or Action Names. These two meta-tools make all my information accessible in the most flexible and intuitive ways.

Three more gems I'll never remove from my digital companion: DiddleBug (scribble sticky notes with alarms), TealGlance (see everything at a glance) and Desktop to Go (synchronise with Outlook).

Bored by these pathetic basics, Mike?

I agree: Staying connected is more fun than staying organised. For Palm VII and other wireless-equipped handhelds, Palm Query Applications (PQAs) are the ticket to most anything online: Anywhere, anytime, I can: place a bid, go shopping, call a cab, book a flight, check a fact, even find the nearest public restroom.

And with or without a wireless connection, any Palm user can select from hundreds of information sources, updated daily, with AvantGo. Or enjoy all the bells and whistles of One-Touch Mail. Send and receive AOL mail. Print to any printer. Browse the Web. Chat with ICQ and Yahoo buddies.

And here's a terrific reason to go wireless: A PQA e-mail client called ThinAir handles POP and IMAP protocols, hooks into ICQ, Hotmail and Yahoo mail services, and even reads newsgroups.

By now, I bet you're itching to show me more bizarre applications for the Pocket PC: Turn your Pocket PC into a cash register! Tune up to concert pitch!

Pocket PC envy?

Mike
Great, just what I need: Another ISP bill. With my Pocket PC I can go online wireless or wired, using my existing ISP, or via cellular, or via wireless service, or via wireless or wired LAN. I'm not bound to some proprietary "snippet" service that charges by the kilobyte.

And browsing the Web on a Palm? You're joking right? Pocket PC comes with a full-featured Web Browser, Pocket IE, and with the SSL download you can access secure sites, shop, bank, etc. Of course, you could always choose another browser, too. Whack Force, for example, lets you browse offline. Of course, the Internet is also a great place for news. AvantGo is embedded in Pocket IE (although an update is available), and you can try Yodlee2Go for personalised information. Or read newsgroups with Ink Spot.

And, yes, Dave, Pocket PC can do all of the PIM functions of the Palm: Contacts, Tasks, Calendar, etc. You can find your contacts by voice with Voice LookUp. Plus, it includes sync-able Pocket versions of Word, Excel, and Money. Sync with your desktop only, or directly to Exchange and Domino servers with XTND-Connect. Connect to a variety of hosts with software like pkHpc and Telnet Force. I can even put command-line power in my hand with XT-CE and CEDOS.

And the cherry on top of this PDA chocolate sundae: I can customise my Pocket PC's interface with great downloads like GigaBar and Dashboard. With Copilot, I can even emulate a Palm on my device, although I can't imagine why I would want to.

PDAs are PIMs afterall

Dave:
Chocolate sundae, indeed. For most of us, traveling with a Pocket PC is like ordering a seven-course meal to go when all we need is a snack.

Besides, on my Palm, I can do all this:

• View and edit Word and Excel files
• Link to Money or Quicken
• Send messages to pagers and digital phones
• Heck, send voice messages to any telephone
• Play .WAV sounds
• Save and view photographs
• Create animations and morphs
• Watch videos and Webcams
• Track my position with GPS
• Control my TV, VCR and more
• Play the piano
• Make my Palm look like a PC (yikes!)
• And yes, Mike, browse the Web

I can, but I usually don't. And I suspect that most folks -- like me -- won't be doing most of these things most of their time on the run. Still, it's nice to have the enabling software a click away and free to try. It's also nice to know that I can expand my modest digital companion with a host of cool hardware accessories: keyboards, MP3 players, digital cameras, modems, phones, GPS receivers and more.

But play DOOM on a PocketPC? Do you also kick back and watch Titanic on your handheld television? Thanks, but no thanks. For the Palm, I can recommend a solid selection of games that were actually designed for the small screen, terrific diversions and amusements when you're stuck in the mall return line or trapped in an endless meeting.

Hey, Mike -- PDAs make great PIMs. For everything else: Get a laptop. Get a Gameboy. Get a life.

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