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Talk to the Hand: Combo Devices

We've all been waiting for the perfect tool that combines a PDA and a cell phone in one ultraportable, easy-to-use device. Perfection may not be here yet, but new PDA-and-cell-phone hybrid devices do a reasonable job of merging our favorite electronic devices (and more are on the way).

We looked at five devices--from Audiovox, Handspring, Motorola, Nokia, and Samsung--that let you make phone calls, keep track of appointments, send e-mail messages, browse the Web, and much more, as long as you are in range of a cellular phone tower. Some even come with keyboards for typing notes or e-mail.

But these devices are far from flawless. Most of them are larger, more confusing to set up, and more expensive than a stand-alone PDA. Perhaps their biggest drawback: clunky overall designs. Some are structured to work better as a PDA (for managing and organizing information), while others work better as a cell phone (for constant voice communication). In our opinion, none of the models here provides an ideal combination, since they all involve numerous, seemingly unavoidable trade-offs: Having a decent-size keyboard, for instance, means making the device bigger than a conventional cell phone, whereas making them the size of a normal phone means making the keyboard smaller and more difficult to use.

Coming Soon to a Hand Near You

An all-in-one gadget that's smaller and sleeker than most current cell phones just isn't here yet, though new products are coming thick and fast, and a number of interesting devices will be launched later this year, such as the Danger Hiptop.

Soon we'll see models based on Microsoft's Windows-powered Smartphone 2002 platform--previously code-named Stinger--that Microsoft claims will deliver mobile phone, personal information manager functions, e-mail, and Web browsing in one unit. Several companies (including Samsung, Mitsubishi, and Sendo) are working on these devices; when joined with the forthcoming faster 3G and GPRS cellular networks, they should be something to watch for.

Audiovox Maestro PDA1032C and CDM9100

The Audiovox Maestro almost has it all: e-mail, Pocket Microsoft Word and Excel, Web browser, PIM, media player, expandability with Secure Digital and CompactFlash slots, and a cell phone. What it can't do is fit in one pocket, because it consists of two separate devices--a Maestro PDA (a rebadged Toshiba E570 running Pocket PC 2002) and a CDM9100 cell phone--that work together across an included cable. (You can buy such cables for many PDAs and cell phones.) Consequently, you can use each device independently: If you're going somewhere and don't need the PDA, you can take the phone by itself. But if you want the full combo experience, you'll find the Audiovox duo far more awkward than an all-in-one device.

Handspring Treo 180

The Treo 180 combines a PDA and a cell phone into a package smaller than the Handspring Neo; it works better as a PDA than as a cell phone. It has the major functions you'd expect from a Palm handheld, such as scheduling, note taking, and so forth. Best of all, it sports a teeny-tiny QWERTY keyboard for writing e-mail, and it lets you browse Web sites, albeit slowly--a fraction of a page at a time on a very small screen. At 1.9 by 1.9 inches, only the Palm M125's screen is smaller.

Unfortunately, the Treo 180 falls short as a phone because of the receiver's design: Unlike with most cell phones, you must flip up a screen guard to place a call; this protects the screen when it's not in use, but it looks rather clunky. The battery lasted for a couple of days of light use, but you can't swap in a spare one, so for anything more than a short trip you'll need to take along the charger. A speakerphone and headset are also included.

Motorola Accompli 009

The Accompli 009 looks like a miniature laptop suitable for a leprechaun. It sports a tiny QWERTY keyboard and a small color screen that, although reasonably easy to read, is a little dim. The unit is a capable organizer that can be used to store contacts and write memos, but that small keyboard limits it to hunt-and-peck typing.

It can also browse the Web, send text messages to other cell phones, and manage e-mail through built-in programs and Motorola's Wisdom Operating System. Though all of the included applications do a reasonable job, very little other software is available for it. The Accompli supports the three major digital phone standards, but you can't use it as a normal phone simply by holding it to your ear. Instead, you must use the plug-in speakerphone or hands-free headset, which makes it rather more awkward to use as a phone than as a PDA.

Nokia 9290 Communicator

The 9290 Communicator is as pricey as the Accompli 009, yet packs several features--e-mail, Web browsing, Short Message Service messaging, and a PIM--into a medium-size device. Bulkier than the others here at about 6 inches long, 1.8 inches wide, and just under 1 inch deep, it looks like a cell phone from the 1980s when closed up. It opens to reveal a bright, wide-format color screen, a keyboard, and a speakerphone. The built-in apps worked well, and the keyboard is the biggest we've seen on a device of this type.

Samsung SPH-I300

The SPH-I300 does a slightly better job of integrating a PDA with a cell phone than the competition. You get the Palm OS, a color screen, an adequate Web browser and e-mail program, and a reasonably comfortable mobile phone--all in a package about the size of a typical Pocket PC. The battery lasted a couple of days in light use, but you can remove it and swap it with the included spare battery. One minor annoyance: during calls on the SPH-I300 the screen can rub against your cheek and leave make-up or oily marks on the LCD.

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