How do I describe this dilemma without seeming choicy and ungrateful?
Here goes. Friday, I received a new PDA. My Palm m500 series personal digital assistant is two years old, so it is a good time to move on up. But, what should I move on up to? The new device is a Palm Zire 71. It is one of the crop of PDAs-plus. Plus? The PDA-Ps offer tiny digital cameras, voice recorders, Bluetooth connectivity, MP3 players, WiFi, built-in keyboards or phones — and there may be a wee kitchen sink in research and development.
This particular model, the Palm Zire 71, intended for the non-enterprise market, has a digital camera and an MP3 player. The problem is I would have chosen different pluses if I had been the buyer. I already have a good digital camera, the Pentax Optio 330, that I don't use often enough. My MP3 player, the deservedly famous iPod, can't be bested. If I had been the person making the decision, I would have known what plus features to select. Most likely, I would have shopped for WiFi, so I could use the PDA with my Tmobile account and the free 802.11 networks in Portland and Seattle. Second choice would have been a voice recorder for memos and short interviews. If I could find a PDA with a cell phone that did not tie me to an undesirable service provider, I would consider that, too.
I don't know how I will resolve the dilemma. I haven't broken the seal on the box of the Zire 71. It is sitting on my desk and I glance at it in perturbation as I write this. There is nothing wrong with this PDA. Indeed, it would be an excellent choice — for someone else. Furthermore, the device, priced at $299, was free. I am tempted to try to exchange the Zire 71 for a Tungsten C or T, but that is tricky since I am not the purchaser and don't have a receipt. I would love to have the 802.11 capability of the Tungsten C, but may settle for a redundant MP3 player instead.
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