LAMPWords - Handheld Buying Tips

NOTE: None of the handhelds listed below are no longer available unless you are searching the used market. New devices from Palm may not be compatible.

Since the initial release of LAMPWords, I have often been asked by prospective new users what kind of handheld they should buy in order to use LAMPWords. I finally decided to throw together a web page on the subject. This page is a compendium of all of the advice I have given people, but of course it's been refined and organized to provide a nicer presentation.

Anti-Disclaimer: The unbiasedness is gone. Palm betrayed us by disowning its own operating system. Please do not buy new Palm devices. In fact I recommend you stick to used devices period. If you are going to buy new, I ask you please at least buy new devices from companies still actively supporting Palm OS. That being said, all material on this page is strictly my own opinion.

Handheld Compatibility

If you are buying a handheld to use LAMPWords, make sure it is a Palm OS-compatible device!!! There are two other types of handhelds on the market: Pocket PC and Linux. Linux handhelds are not common so you probably won't even see one in the stores, however Pocket PC devices are readily available and are usually sold right along side Palm OS devices. To further add to the confusion, Palm itself is now marketing devices that are more like Pocket PC devices. These do not run Palm OS.

A Palm OS-compatible device runs an operating system called Palm OS. LAMPWords runs only on Palm OS!!! You cannot use LAMPWords -- or any other Palm OS software for that matter -- on a Pocket PC device, and vice-versa. So be absolutely sure you get a Palm OS-compatible device. The most common manufacturers of such devices before 2004 were Palm, Handspring (now owned by Palm), and Sony, but these are not the only ones. On the other hand, common Pocket PC device manufactures are Compaq, HP, and Dell. These are the ones to avoid if you wish to use LAMPWords. However, see the next section to help you decide whether or not a Pocket PC device will be more suitable for your other needs.

About the Author's Handheld

If you're wondering how I personally use my Palm and LAMPWords, here's some info: I have a 2MB Palm m100. I have LAMPWords installed with the full SOWPODS dictionary. I have a free program called Plucker which I use to download web pages and read them offline. For example, I have the page with the official Scrabble® tournament rules on my Palm for easy reference. I have a few small games (solitaire, Yahtzee, etc.) as well for when I need to pass the time and don't feel like studying from LAMPWords. Lastly, I use the built in address book, to do list, and appointment calendar to organize my daily activities. All this, and I still have anywhere from 200KB to 800KB free on my Palm, depending on what pages I have stored in Plucker at any time. As you can see, I get quite a lot out of my little handheld!

Why Do I Need a Handheld?

This is the most important question to ask yourself when beginning your search for the right handheld. If you answer it incorrectly you can either end up with a device that is not sophisticated enough for your needs, or you might end up spending too much money for features you'll never use.

The most common categories of answers are as follows:

I only want to use LAMPWords.

Lots of people who email me fall into this category. (I know for a fact that LAMPWords has been directly responsible for the sale of at least a few dozen handhelds for Palm and the other manufacturers. Maybe I should ask them for a share of the revenue!) Usually they've seen another club members using LAMPWords, and with old Franklins costing just as much or even more and new Franklins being buggy they want a cheap and effective alternative.

If you fall into this category, you'll generally want the cheapest handheld you can find. However, avoid devices with less than 2MB of memory, and nowadays you can find used devices with 8MB or more quite cheaply so go for one of those if you can. You can run LAMPWords with 1MB, but it will be cramped and you may not get to have all the words you want. Also, avoid the original Palm "Pilot" line of devices, as these cannot run LAMPWords. The version of Palm OS on these devices is too old.

You'll need to find a used device for this category, either on eBay or at a local used electronics store. Look for devices such as the Palm III, Palm m100, or Palm Zire. A used device of this type will cost probably about $40US/$50CDN.

Incidentally, even the simplest Palm OS devices contain built in organizer functionality (address book, planner, memo pad, etc.), and with 2MB you will have more than enough room to fit some phone numbers, appointments, etc. even after LAMPWords is installed. You don't have to use them of course, but you might want to at least try them. Unlike PCs, Palm OS handhelds are very easy and straightforward to use. Once you learn to use LAMPWords you can use any Palm OS program.

I mainly want to use LAMPWords, but I'd also like to use my handheld as an organizer, for games, or to read documents.

This is the category which I personally fall into. Like me, you probably have seen handhelds in use before and thought one might be nice to have for yourself -- particularly with LAMPWords on it. You may also have seen one or two other pieces of handheld software which you might want to use.

In theory, any of the devices mentioned in the previous category (especially with 8MB or more) will likely be fine for users in this category too. Even 2MB may not sound like much space but you can do a surprising amount with it, even with LAMPWords taking up almost half. However, since nowadays 8MB devices are quite inexpensive, go for the extra memory gives you that much more breathing room unless you absolutely can't.

The Palm m105 is a good bet in this category. It is discontinued, so it can only be found used. For this category, any lower-end model used device will also fit the bill. Furthermore, you will likely find ways to use any extra features you may happen to get with the device.

I want to reorganize my life around a handheld, which will of course include LAMPWords.

The best advice I can give to users in this category is to go around and look at all of the various devices and their features, and buy the cheapest one that has all of the features you want.

I suggest this because what you need really depends on what your definition of "reorganize my life" is. If this mainly means using your handheld as a personal organizer (appointments, phone numbers, notes, etc.) then you could very well get away with one of the 2MB devices mentioned earlier. On the other hand, if you will be doing things like reading lots of electronic books or listening to music or running some specialized software, you will probably need a higher-end device. The Handspring Visor line, the Palm m125, 505, as well as the Sony Clie lines are all popular high-end devices, each with their own features. I believe all are now out of production but many are available used.

My point here is that don't make LAMPWords a concern when buying a device. It will run on whatever device you buy, so the important thing is to find one that you are comfortable with for day-to-day use.

I want a cell phone and/or wireless Internet access on a handheld that will run LAMPWords.

I don't know too much about these devices, other than only a few of them exist. The Handspring Treo was my own personal drool magnet (that is, I would have bought one when it came out if I had the money). It is actually a cell phone which integrates a Palm OS handheld.

The newer Tungsten line of devices from Palm also provides wireless access.

Check with your retailer before purchasing such a device. As before, LAMPWords will run on any of them so long as they are Palm OS compatible, so your other considerations should be in the forefront. A reminder here that Palm has itself abandonded Palm OS so

I want a handheld with LAMPWords that will seamlessly integrate with my PC.

I want to play fancy games on a handheld with LAMPWords.

You're mainly out of luck here. While programs exist to integrate a Palm OS handheld with a PC (so that you can, for example, work on a Word or Excel document on your Palm and then move it to your PC to continue working, and vice-versa) and while the Palm does have some good games for it, the quality of both types of programs does not compare to that of programs available on Pocket PC devices. Do not despair, though. There is a program called Pocket LeXpert for Pocket PC devices which will do more-or-less what LAMPWords does.

Note that this does not make Pocket PC devices better than Palm OS devices, or vice versa. The devices are designed with different philosophies. Pocket PC devices are, as their name suggests, designed to be a PC in your pocket. You get lots of computing power and familiar software, but you also pay for it too. In addition, this complexity makes these devices somewhat trickier to use. Meanwhile, Palm OS devices started out as personal organizers, and their design reflects this. They're easy to use, not very powerful (how much power do you need to manage a list of phone numbers?), and cheap. Thanks to Palm OS's open development model, though, programs like LAMPWords have emerged and in fact run quite well. However, Palm OS devices aren't powerhouses, although the newest devices are trying to change that image.

Final Words

The bottom line is to find a device you are comfortable with. If at all possible, try out the device in the store. A lot of stores have Palm OS displays with several devices out in the open so you can try them right there. You won't be able to try LAMPWords, of course, but at least you can see how a Palm works. You may be surprised at just how different using a Palm is versus using a PC!