[tddowney]

One other thing:

I used Power Point to make some pathophysiology flashcards on my desktop. You can view PP slides on the PDA. Handy for studying when sitting at stoplights, waiting for an oil change, etc.

[luv2shopp85]

Just bought an axim x51v off of ebay. Question for everyone..... what is the best nursing diagnosis program? Where you can type in a disease, and it will give you possible nursing diagnosis and then interventions that you can do for that particular diagnosis?

[gradcare]

Originally Posted by kitty25

jeeeeeeezzzz!!! ~ i want a pda, and i'm researching like crazy- but with every product info / customer review section i become more and more confused! the big debate: palm os or pocket pc???
~ i have my eyes on the sony clie, palm lifedrive, or palm t/x.
from what i've read recently, owners of the palm products are satisfied. the only possible downside is the absence of a built-in keyboard. is this a problem for anybody?
~ the sony's multitude of functionality is mighty appealing - but there are so many complaints about battery life.
~ i'm also a little confused about the compatibility of my windows programs with the palm os devices. if they are not compatible should i consider a pocket pc instead? the only bad rap i've read about the pocket pc is the lack of software - true or false?

IF YOU HAVE ANY ADVICE, INFO, COMMENTS, PLEASE HELP!!!
btw~ i am a junior nursing student, and soooo excited to stumble upon this site!

We are divided at work several perople use PALM and several use Pocket PC, Palm seems to have slightly better batterylife (though I have a usb cable that charges as well as exchanges data so no prob for me there). Pocket PC software is catching up but last time I looked PALM had better software.

as for keyboards, you can get a IR linked keyboard for PALM. I have noticed that many of the systems with built in keboards they keyboards are small and difficult to use.

I don't bother about keyboards I have a HP 2210 (pocket pc) and Type up on my pc transfer to to my PDA and i'm finished. I like the 2210 'cause of the SD and CF slots so i'm running 256 CF and 512 Sd as memory. 256 for work and 512 for fun (also works as a MP3 player)

What ever opperating system you choose adobe reader is available and a great application as is MOBI pocket.

[Cherry Ames, RN]

I have a Dell Axim X51v. I really love it! I don't know how to do blue tooth or the email stuff or internet or anything else but I have a laptop and that is fine for me at this point.

I purchased my PDA because it was suggested by my nursing program. It is not a requirement yet only recommended but I took them up on the program because of all the positive things that I have been reading in articles.

I use my PDA as a calendar and phone contact list. I use Skyscape products and am learning how to use those.

Has any one else purchased this device? How do you like it?

Thanks, Aradien

[WhichOldWitch?]

Originally Posted by Nemhain

Hi Lori! Epocrates and Skyscape's Nursing Constellation are two different systems and you really don't need both... Actually, does anyone need either? (Just for the record I have had Epocrates and now I have the Skyscape)

There are 4 programs I think are the absolute best, but they're from different companies: Davis' Drug Guide (I believe this is the best Drug guide out there for nurses!!! ...this is available in the Nursing Constellation, but is also available on it's own), Taber's Medical Encyclopedia, The Epocrates Dx (this is much more comprehensive than the "Add On" Diseases and Disorders from Skyscape that doesn't come in the Constellation), and the Nurse's Manual of Laboratory and Diagnostic Tests. Remember these can all be bought separately (I wish I had done that) and the full versions of Epocrates and Skyscape's Nursing Constellation both have their short comings.

You can down load them on the card, but if you lose the card then you're up poo creek with no paddle! The Tungsten E2 has 32MB of memory and the Nursing Constellation only takes up 8.5 MB and Epocrates takes up 7.6 MB. I highly recommend getting a medical dictionary such as Taber's and that takes up 15MB without pictures and 44MB with pics, so that may be one that you should put on your card.

I hope that covers it! If you need anymore clarification let me know!!!

Im leaning toward the Palm TX. Im first semester and PDA illiterate. I've read through the posts and checked out the reviews on cnet and pricegrabber. Talked to the guy at best buy and circuit city.

Im not quite sure I understand how you get the software onto the PDA. It appears that you just download it from a website. But do you do it to your desktop and then to your PDA or do you download it directly to your PDA? The programs mentioned above are what I would like to start out with.

I know it's not rocket science, but I'm just not real confident that I will be able to actually perform these steps all by myself......

Thanks.

[nursemike]

Originally Posted by WhichOldWitch?

Im not quite sure I understand how you get the software onto the PDA. It appears that you just download it from a website. But do you do it to your desktop and then to your PDA or do you download it directly to your PDA? The programs mentioned above are what I would like to start out with.

I know it's not rocket science, but I'm just not real confident that I will be able to actually perform these steps all by myself......

Thanks.

Yes, you can download programs from a website to your desktop, then when you "sync" with your desktop (connect the PDA via its cradle or usb cable), it downloads from the PC to the PDA. You can also buy programs already installed on expansion cards and just pop them into the PDA, but downloading is simpler, faster, and--I think--cheaper. No shipping/handling on a download, and one SD card will hold a number of programs.

No, it isn't rocket science, and the instructions that came with both of my Palm PDAs were pretty clear, but it isn't exactly dirt simple, either, and from what I've heard Windows Mobile isn't that much like Windows. Palm OS is definitely not the same as Windows, although it isn't really hard to navigate.

I bought my PDA software mostly from Skyscape, and it was easy to re-download when I changed machines. Keep a hardcopy of your orders--serial number and unlock key, and you won't lose everything if you get a new PDA, or a new desktop. A friend of mine even switched from Windows to Palm OS and they let him reload in the new format without having to pay twice.

[oldcop]

Hey Aradien, did you have problems downloading the programs from Skyscape to your PDA? Did you download directly to the PDA or onto a memory card? I am having a heck of a time downloading onto the memory card and then to the PDA. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Cherry Ames, RN]

Originally Posted by oldcop

Hey Aradien, did you have problems downloading the programs from Skyscape to your PDA? Did you download directly to the PDA or onto a memory card? I am having a heck of a time downloading onto the memory card and then to the PDA. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

Hello Oldcop,

My DH (a computer programmer/systems analyst) and I did this together. Here is what he remembers:

"First we downloaded two files from Skyscape for each program that we bought (the laptop/desktop version and then the PDA version). We ran the desktop version first to install to the desktop. I think we then ran the PDA version from the laptop to prep it for the PDA. At some point we connected the PDA to the laptop and synched it up. Then from MicroSoft ActiveSync, Tools...Add/Remove Programs and the list of programs was there. Ran each one, answering questions from both the laptop and the PDA to get it installed to the SD Card."

[geminigal]

did u download all those programs for free?

[Cherry Ames, RN]

Originally Posted by geminigal

did u download all those programs for free?

Hi geminigal,

No we had to buy them online first and then we were able to download from the site.

Hope this helps.

Aradien