Chockerblockablog
Technojunk

Ever since Verizon disabled standards-based bluetooth dialup networking on my e815, I've been trying to work out a way to fix it. I ended up getting a Palm 700p. The phone is working great:

• Dialup networking works as expected (you must add $15 tether plan on top of pda data plan)
• This palm will run the UTA schedules application
• There's a chance it will run Softick's A2DP Gateway ("SAG")
• The phone does not crash often (the i730, my last PDA phone, crashed regularly)
• Bluetooth data rates are *much* better than under PocketPC
• Dialup networking is *much* more reliable than under PocketPC
  (connection does not randomly drop)
• The general feeling when using it is that it is a smartphone, not a pda with phone functions tacked on (again, a ppc problem)

Once I've replicated the apps I use on my x51, the Dell will be headed to ebay.

Of course there are downsides and I should mention them to be fair:

• The data rates seem to be slower than when using my old e815 (typically 350kbps, not the 500kbps the e815 delivered)
• The battery life on the 700p is not great
• PalmOS is weaker as an app platform; its GPS offerings look anemic compared to the PPC apps for example