It appears that the bank I'll start with on August 1 uses Outlook, but does not use the calendar feature - people carry paper calendars / dayrunners. So after reviewing Andy's ABA Bank Compliance article and doing a little research, I think I want the Palm Tungsten T.

Does anyone out there use this, or could you recommend a better alternative?

Have you looked at the Dell? http://osdn.pricegrabber.com/search_getprod.php/masterid=669483/ut=cc41243e60065b69

Good answer - I'll check it out. Thanks!

(Are you currently using that one?)

The Dell is getting some good press. I haven't used the current Palm OS, but I know I am much happier with a Pocket PC than a Palm OS device as it relates to Word and Excel use. They are not as powerful as on a desktop, but copying a document over to read or refer to is so much easier than the Palm "make it work" software. Nothing against Palm, but Microsoft is going to help itself first.

Why don't they use Outlook, and will they perhaps in the future? There are other good calendar programs to include one on the Palm. I'd take it over paper.

Look at them in the stores if possible. Make sure you like the display and get plenty of memory. Either way you go, I'll bet you'll like it.

I understand that they use Outlook, but not the system-wide calendar feature. Something about not wanting everyone to see the contents of each others' calendars (but you can block that access!) Anyway, they might reconsider - I'm just trying to cope with anticipated Outlook Calendar withdrawal, and I know I'll never get my DayTimer back from my wife...

I've been thinking about PDAs for a long time, but have only started to research them lately so I feel kind of out of my depth. I recognize the advantages, and the new bank's position (for better or worse) is forcing me to act. I appreciate the support -

We use Outlook, but generally do not use the calendars across users. I keep mine on my PC and sync it to my laptop and desktop at home, as well as on my PDA. My PDA goes with me so when I have to go meeting to meeting, it is easier. And sync'g Contacts, wow. My first PDA predated sync programs. Everything for calendars and contacts was noted on paper, my PC and my PDA. Redundant effort overflow!

So us the calendar yourself. You get an e-mail, the message is dragged to the Calendar and set up as you want it, or a meeting notice accepted by you goes automatically on your Calendar. It is so kewl.

And when you know you are going to meet with that long-winded person who isn't discussing pertinent topics, you set a temporary alarm to "remind you of that next meeting", "Oh, gotta run". It beats using your cell to call your pager.

Andy, what pocket pc do you use?

Re outlook calendar...it doesn't show WHAT you will be doing just shows your time as busy. So it is not "snoopy".

I use an iPAQ with an additional battery, a 128MB compact flash card and a 128MB SD card.

Bartman, I was going through my computer magazines this weekend and I have several with reviews, software, etc. articles. I'll put them in recycling or send them to you if you want to read up on your proposed purchase. It is excellent for research prior to shelling out a few hundred dollars.

Thanks, Andy - I appreciate the offer. Address details coming via PM.

I can't speak specifically to the model of Palm you mentioned, but I can heartily recommend the PALM feature/functionality for both contacts and calendering. I can only imagine that the newer models are even better.

Good luck!

More and more of our folks are using Outlook calendar functions now, and we are able to use the meeting scheduling aspect of that much better now. No one else can see into your calendar, unless you (or your system administrator) grants those rights. The global meeting feature just allows you to see whether another user has a conflicting appointment at the time you have proposed for your meeting, but doesn't tell you what the conflicting appointment is.

I, too, like Andy, started on the Palm platform and have now moved to the Pocket PC platform. I like the Pocket PC platform much better now that I'm used to it.

In both the Palm and Pocket PC worlds, I've used an add-on product to better emulate complete Outlook functionality because neither platform does a good job with the built in applications. On the Palm platform, I used a product called DateBk (now up to version 5) from Pimlico Software. On the Pocket PC, I use a program called Agenda Fusion from Developer One. Both give me the ability to control views and view multiple features on the same screen (like simultaneously viewing appointments and tasks). I use Outlook and Agenda Fusion extensively for Calendar, Tasks, and Contacts. I use Outlook also for e-mail, but haven't been able to make myself use e-mail much on the Pocket PC.

On the hardware side, on the Palm platform I used a Palm V and a Palm m505. On the Pocket PC side, I now use a Compaq iPaq 3855 with 2 64mb SD cards (yeah, Andy, I know I could get a 128mb card, but I got a good rebate deal on these).

I knew that Andy had gone over to the dark side, but I didn't know that you had jumped ship too Jim. I'm still using my Handera 330, waiting for it to die so I can get something else but I don't know what yet.

A kewl feature on my iPAQ is the ability (with a $5 program) to click on an address in my Contacts and pop up a map of that address. When I was using a Palm OS, that wasn't available. It may be now.

I used to think it was the dark side, too. But from my vantage point over here, I can see just how "in the dark" I was before making the switch.