A device that can browse the internet, play games on, and maybe take pictures...

  • Thread starter Delirious
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Delirious

Delirious

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Metroider17
I am looking for a device/PDA that does all those 3, take pictures (video a plus but not necessary) browsing the internet (Wi-Fi, not paying to browse!) and for games (homebrew-free and/or for purchase)

I don't really wanna fork over the money for an iPhone with their rates/prices. Their stance on making jailbreaking illegal is kind of a downer for me personally, plus I am happy with Verizon and only require a cheap phone for just calling. Period.

So does such a device exist? If my only options then are that 2 of the 3 above are available on such said device then that could work as well. Music/phone/text capabilities are not important to me in such said device.

Any help appreciated :)
 
Probably not what you are looking for but the PSP does this with its camera attatchment. I imagine there are many more though.
 
Browse internet? I don't know.. the blackberry touch screen or Ipod?
games.. Deff a PSP or DS.. Cellphone games are over rated and really for hardcore casual gamers..

Pictures? get a real cam? heh..

I don't know..
 
I think you'll have to forget the camera part and go with an iPod touch or pay for somebody's used iPhone and use it as an iPod. I can't think of anything else that would have a camera.
 
Realizing that you don't really want to upgrade your phone...
An advanced phone seems to be your best bet for all those things in one affordable package.

IF you switch to T-mobile the G1 will do all that stuff.
Since you are on Verizon:
If you go to their website:
click on the Wireless Tab at top of page.
Then Click on Phones and Accessories Tab.

I just did this (took all of 30 seconds).
There are 5 different PDA's/Smartphones and a myriad of Blackberry devices (two of which are free with a 2 year contract) that should meet your needs.
 
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A co-worker has a Samsung Omnia that is pretty sick.

  • Display: 3.2″ WQVGA TFT LCD 240×400
  • 5MP Camera (CMOS) with auto focus, image stabilizer, geo-tagging, auto-panorama shot, wide dynamic range, face detection, smile detection
  • Video: DivX, XviD, H.263, H.264, WMV, MP4
  • Connectivity: BlueTooth 2.0, USB 2.0, Wi-Fi
  • Memory: 8GB / 16GB Flash + External Micro SDHC slot
  • A bunch of other stuff, too
 
Update on research, that you could have done yourself:
Verizon also has 4 different regular phones that have all the features you want and a QWERTY keyboard to make data entry that much easier.
For my needs one of the three Nokia's (they are built like anvils) or one of the myriad LG phones like the enV or the Chocolate would be my choice if I was on Verizon.

If I was gonna spend over $150 or more, I might move to one of the smartphones or Blackberry's
 
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Eric.
I think you'll have to forget the camera part and go with an iPod touch or pay for somebody's used iPhone and use it as an iPod. I can't think of anything else that would have a camera.
Click to expand...

What he said ^

Unless you feel like upgrading to something like a G1, iPhone, Omina etc, you won't get a camera. That or get a PSP with a camera, which covers all bases but isn't exactly compact.

Or you could go for a 'standard' cell phone like a Sony Ericsson C902, which covers the camera and games but not wifi.

Something's gotta give, I'm afraid :)


Personally, I'd go for an iPod touch. Which is why I did. Think of it as an iPhone without the phone, camera, GPS and huge cost.


EDIT

Or...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/nintendo-dsi-to-launch-on-april-5th/
 
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Jondot
What he said ^

Unless you feel like upgrading to something like a G1, iPhone, Omina etc, you won't get a camera. That or get a PSP with a camera, which covers all bases but isn't exactly compact.

Or you could go for a 'standard' cell phone like a Sony Ericsson C902, which covers the camera and games but not wifi.

Something's gotta give, I'm afraid :)


Personally, I'd go for an iPod touch. Which is why I did. Think of it as an iPhone without the phone, camera, GPS and huge cost.


EDIT

Or...

http://www.engadget.com/2009/02/18/nintendo-dsi-to-launch-on-april-5th/
Click to expand...

Second generation iPod touches have GPS and an internal speaker now. I don't see a typical cell phone providing much entertainment in the gaming sector. The iPhone/Touch have a decent selection if you don't mind paying a few bucks.
 
My Windows Mobile phone will do all that, has wi-fi, camera (which sucks, though) and will run apps (including games) for Windows Mobile. I've got Google Maps Mobile and DeLorme Street Atlas on it, with built-in GPS. I have a poker game, several card games, and those keep me "busy" when I'm bored, and it has wi-fi if you're at a hot spot somewhere, so I don't need a data plan (although I have one that work pays for - it's technically their phone, after all.)

Camera in phones generally suck. Even with high megapixels, the pics can just plain be awful. Have a look at this pic. 2 megapix, 1600x1200, high resolution, right? Broad daylight, no reason for any weirdness. But look at the pattern in the sky. Then zoom in to the trees and look at the noise in the leaves.



Most phone camera sensors are CMOS (for low power consumption) and CMOS just generally sucks. No dynamic range is the biggest problem.

Here's another one, indoors so there's no "light overload" but even so, it's still not what you'd expect from 2 megapixels.



Look at the edge noise by the chair legs. That's what CMOS does for you in imaging.

And forget zooming in to the subject. Yeah, it has a zoom button, but that's a digital zoom, so all you're doing is throwing away pixels and blowing up the noise. It's the same effect as taking the regular picture and cropping it.

If you really want to use one of these as a camera, take your own memory card around and take pictures in the store, so you can take the frames home and look at them subjectively. Find out how bad they are before you drop coinage.
 
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I use my Palm Centro for much of what you are asking for. (Posting from it now.)

It is a PDA, can play games, has a touch screen & full keyboard, can surf the web and doesn't cost to much. Its not the fanciest thing out there. But it works well.
 
My HP iPAQ 3715 can do all that you need. It can browse the internet using my wireless network, or via my phone using bluetooth. There are loads of free games and utilities available for it, and loads you can pay for too. The camera is only 1.2megapixels though, with no flash, but it is a few years old and no doubt there will be more up to date models.
 
Eric.
Second generation iPod touches have GPS
Click to expand...

As a 2nd gen iPod touch owner, I can assure you that they do not :P It has a 'location service', where it tries to work out where you are based on the WiFi hotspots near you (which doesn't work very well in my experience), but no GPS unfortunately. Nor does it have Bluetooth, I've just remembered.
 
Jondot
As a 2nd gen iPod touch owner, I can assure you that they do not :P It has a 'location service', where it tries to work out where you are based on the WiFi hotspots near you (which doesn't work very well in my experience), but no GPS unfortunately. Nor does it have Bluetooth, I've just remembered.
Click to expand...

Oh...Guess I saw that phrase used and assumed it was GPS like the iPhone...Thanks for the correction, anyway. :lol:
 

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