How close are we to the next generation of hand-helds?

[Saurstalk]

The i-phone is interesting. So is the Nokia N95.

But what I want I haven't found just yet:

1. Cell phone
2. Camera/Video
3. MP3 player
4. Hand-held computer with ability to connect (via USB) to other systems

In the end, I envision something like the i-phone, but with the added plusses that you can use it in as a "mini-Windows" system with Word, download capability, Adobe, and the ability to connect to other systems for easy transfer. Also - decent GB storage.

Any idea how close we are? Or more so, if we are already out there, what's out there?

[renegade600]

I am pretty sure we will have it within the next 10 years. :D Sounds more like you need a pda. There are several models that does everything you want.

[oracle128]

Most PDAs these days have triband/quadband phone functionality. Eg. all the Blackberry systems.

[Saurstalk]

Do PDAs commonly have USB ports for thumb drives (or a means to connect to a laptop)?

Also, since I'm asking - is there a way to use a PDA's phone, when connected to a laptop, to allow the laptop phone access? (I'm often in an environment w/o wi-fi, but with a cell phone signal.)

[giradman]

Well, a bluetooth wireless connection on a PDA will permit you to communicate w/ a computer or a phone (if these are also bluetooth enabled) - I've not done any recent research of the 'newer PDAs or smart phones (have an older Palm Tungsten E), but these devices are much more versatile than the older models! :happy:

[oracle128]

Most PDAs, Smartphones, and even regular mobile phones have Bluetooth, which is effectively wireless USB, and can connect to most laptops, or any PC with a Bluetooth dongle. Most phones/smartphones have infrared, which can connect to some laptops, or any PC with an IrDA dongle. And, many phones/smartphones/all PDAs can connect to PC via USB cable. These are the 3 methods used to connect a portable device to a PC.

Every mobile phone I know of can be used as a 2G/3G modem when connected to a PC. Don't know about PDAs, but I imagine most any PDA that has phone capabilities, can act as a 2G/3G modem for a PC in the same way as a mobile phone can. It's pretty much the same setup as those "wireless internet" setups companies advertise, but without the need for a 3G PCMCIA card or standalone 3G modem. It uses the data transfer on your phone plan, but you have to be weary of your usage as this can get fairly expensive (often charged at rates like 50c-$1 per MB, which quickly adds up). You don't want to do much more with it than grab emails, browse text-centric websites, and IM.

No PDA or smartphone I know of has a regular USB A port (the type found on PCs), let alone one that can be used to connect to USB flash drives. They typically use a mini USB port for PC communication only, and some will accept some form of flash card (SD, miniSD, microSD, CompactFlash, MMC or Memory Stick) for extra storage (particularly PDAs and smartphones with media playing capabilities).

[renegade600]

the ipaq pda I have has a cable that will plug into a regular usb port and its about four years old.