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Palm pilots for writing?

Started by GrinReaper, May 26, 2005, 07:20:45 AM

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GrinReaper

Does anyone use a Palm Pilot (or similar product) and stylus for writing anything other than notes or shopping lists? My gut feeling is that it wouldn't be very practical, but maybe I'm wrong.

The reason I ask is that now that I'm a dad I'm finding it harder to write at the computer so I've reverted to writing longhand then, when I get a block of time, I transcribe onto my PC. I was thinking that if I had a Palm Pilot I might be able to just download straight into a word file, and save myself a bit of time?

JoyceCarter

My son often has to measure up people's windows and make notes of details in order to have the fittings they need manufactured.  He bought himself a palm pilot thinking that he would be able to save himself the transcribing, but in practice it hasn't worked out.  (He still likes the palm pilot, being still partly the gadget-boy he was half his life ago!  I like the look of the palm pilot, being at heart a gadget girl though I've never indulged it as much as I'd like.)

Walker

It would never work for me, I can't read my own handwriting.   :/
"Lord, here comes the flood, we will say goodbye to flesh and blood. If, again, the seas are silent in any still alive, it'll be those who gave their island to survive. Drink up, dreamers, you're running dry."
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GrinReaper

I think you train it to understand your handwriting.

Ed

It's about time they got that voice recognition software perfected :afro:  Then you could carry a dictaphone and set it playing in front of your comp when you came home and let the thing type it up itself.

I take it carrying a laptop's out of the question?  That would be the best bet, but they're pretty conspicuous compared to a palm pilot :/
Planning is an unnatural process - it is much more fun to do something.  The nicest thing about not planning is that failure comes as a complete surprise, rather than being preceded by a period of worry and depression. [Sir John Harvey-Jones]

JoyceCarter

Or is the Dad's lap already occupied?

SharonBell

I have been using a Palm Pilot for about 5 + years for my schedule, address book, note, etc. I found that it's great for jotting down those ideas you get while waiting in line a the checkout on a busy day, or when day dreaming in a faculty meeting, etc. I started many a short story on my Palm Pilot and even chapters. The nice thing is you can drag the file into Word and keep writing on top of that nugget you started.
"Be good and you'll be lonesome." Mark Twain

www.sharonbuchbinder.com

GrinReaper

Sharon - do you find it keeps up with the speed you like writing at? Or do you have to write slower? And did it take long to train it to recognise your writing?

SharonBell

Mine has a keyboard, which I prefer to using the graffiti (stylus writing). I've gotten pretty fast with it. The graffiti is pretty easy to learn, like a modified short-hand.
"Be good and you'll be lonesome." Mark Twain

www.sharonbuchbinder.com

Lord_of_the_Dense

#9
This may provide a solution. Seemed interesting. Dunno if I could go without a keyboard though.

QuoteDasher is an information-efficient text-entry interface, driven by natural continuous pointing gestures. Dasher is a competitive text-entry system wherever a full-size keyboard cannot be used - for example,

  • on a palmtop computer;
  • on a wearable computer;
  • when operating a computer one-handed, by joystick, touchscreen, trackball, or mouse;
  • when operating a computer with zero hands (i.e., by head-mouse or by eyetracker).

http://www.inference.phy.cam.ac.uk/dasher/DasherSummary.html
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GrinReaper

thanks for the feedback everyone. i think i'll just stick to the notepad at the moment. i don't think the palmpilot is justifiable at the moment. maybe when i win the lotto! :)