Newbie needs PDA to record gravestone inscriptions

[Pertinax]

We have a pilot project going on to record gravestone inscriptions on to PDAs.

We intend to walk round the graveyard and type the inscriptions in as we read them.

On average we need to type 400 characters for each stone, is there enough space for 100 stones without an expansion card before we need to upload to a PC ?

2) We're intending to type into an Excel spreadsheet - if we have the Excel spreadsheet loaded on the PDA, how much space will there be for the data left in the PDA ?

3) Do we need an expansion card to use a wireless keyboard ?
4) If so, what kind (SDIO, SD, or MMC) ?

We absolutely don't need to send emails, nor use it as a phone, nor watch videos nor listen to music.

I'm not sure what PDA we need, my current ideas are the Zire 31, Tungsten E2, Z22 - are all of these suitable ?

Is the screen on the E2 larger than the others ?



Alternatively, what might be useful would be the ability to take photos and / or record speech ? What models can do this ?

We have a rather limited budget,

Thanks for your help.


Pertinax

[mike142sl]

It would be a lot quicker and easier just to photo the gravestone and take that back to base where you can input the info onto a normal PC. Is there another reason why you need PDA? It would also mean you are out in the cold and wet less. Rain and PDAs don't mix well either.

[Pertinax]

Mike,
That's true when the inscriptions are new and easily readable. Unfortunately most of the stones we look at are old, weathered, and sometimes with lichen - they don't photograph well, certainly not well enough to read from a photograph.
We usually visit in dry warm weather, quite apart from not wanting to spend hors in the rain, we often have to lift stones, or kneel on the ground, which would be dangerous or disagreeable in wet weather.

A camera is generally used only to take photos of the general layout or interesting shapes and designs on stones.

Pertinax

[Martin Laverty]

If its justs spreadsheet for the info you should be able to get 100 headstones on the internal memory of two of these PDA's even then a 128 MB sd card would help you cover everything you need and they are not too expensive to add.
The tungsten E2 we sell has bluetooth so it would be possible to use a wireless keyboard.
http://www.totalpda.co.uk/Palm-Tungsten-TE.aspx

The Z22 has a much smaller screen and i dont think it would have the storage space you need plus there is no memory slot on it too upgrade. We dont sell the Zire model

Originally Posted by Pertinax

We have a pilot project going on to record gravestone inscriptions on to PDAs.

We intend to walk round the graveyard and type the inscriptions in as we read them.

On average we need to type 400 characters for each stone, is there enough space for 100 stones without an expansion card before we need to upload to a PC ?

2) We're intending to type into an Excel spreadsheet - if we have the Excel spreadsheet loaded on the PDA, how much space will there be for the data left in the PDA ?

3) Do we need an expansion card to use a wireless keyboard ?
4) If so, what kind (SDIO, SD, or MMC) ?

We absolutely don't need to send emails, nor use it as a phone, nor watch videos nor listen to music.

I'm not sure what PDA we need, my current ideas are the Zire 31, Tungsten E2, Z22 - are all of these suitable ?

Is the screen on the E2 larger than the others ?



Alternatively, what might be useful would be the ability to take photos and / or record speech ? What models can do this ?

We have a rather limited budget,

Thanks for your help.


Pertinax

[mike142sl]

My Pref is for iPAQs and would go for the hx4700 which has integrated WiFi and Bluetooth plus expansion slots for SD and CF cards. Just add a 512 upwards SD card and you will be able to store all you need.