Simpad Sl4 For... Options

[bnb]

Actually, looking almost everywhere, I found out that to buy everything I needed(the simpad, the wifi card and some accessories), I could spend around $ 350....

Simpads are pretty much keeping their value and I'm surprised to learn that they cost more on ebay today than they were when I got one a few years ago. Perhaps if you don't like it you'll be able to sell it on without any depreciation...

I needed the smallest, yet comfortable enough, device possible for quick browsing and a bit of e-banking without prepairing and powering up my other pcs...

Well I see them as 2 completely separate tasks - quick browsing can be done without a secure connection. Banking is something I would prefer to do on a fixed PC, and is not casual at all. The simpad is pretty good for browsing but lacks flash and java, and gpe-mini-browser doesn't even show opensimpad.org (I think opie konqueror is better). If you want the simpad to just do simple browsing then it's pretty good.

But it is really starting to be a bit too expensive... especially with the Origami-based devices showing up...

Do you mean like Q1? I intend to get a sony ux180 (or an oqo) to replace my desktop but they will not beat the simpad on speed of suspend/resume... to check mail I switch it on, open sylpheed, get an SSL IMAP connection and that's it. seconds. The same goes for a website; turn it on, read, turn it off before a PC has finished it's memory check...

The main disadvantage of the simpad is it's too bulky to carry around - a pocket size one would be better for settling arguments at the pub, and if that's what you want I'd get the nokia. If it's indoor browsing as a coffee table accessory then the largeish screen of the simpad beats just about everything else.

HTH

[Pota]

Interesting post, really!

Quick and casual email and browsing is one thing I wanted to do with the SIMpad... so I understand that it is ok.

For "e-banking" I actually meant controlling stocks... but this fact still needs security... moreover I wanted to be able to do a quick online booking of train and airplanes tickets.... this last thing involves credit card data to be transmitted...

I always prefer to book for trains or airplanes in the late evening, so I needed a way to be quickly online, just browse a little for informations, weather forecasts, little email and finally online booking... all of this without powering up a desktop PC or deploying the notebook I always close and store inside a carrying bag because either I need to leave the room clean and I don't want to leave it around or I simply have to move away and travel early the next morning...

From this point of view I "fear" that the Nokia 770 could be a more secure mean (I remember having read some reviews of people who actually managed to do e-banking and/or booking online without worries with it).... I just have to wait a bit for prices to "stabilize"....

Uhm... it seems descouraging a bit... at least it seems to keep me away from the SIMpad area... sob...

[bnb]

I wanted to be able to do a quick online booking of train and airplanes tickets.... this last thing involves credit card data to  be transmitted...

I don't want to say this is difficult - I don't know... Opie's konqueror is really quite good but I prefer to stick to the deficiencies of GPE, and can try out a website or 2 if you want.

all of this without powering up a desktop PC or deploying the notebook I always close and store inside a carrying bag because either I need to leave the room clean

Then the simpad is ideal - I hope I've conveyed that it takes seconds to get online and you can browse for hours with the thing no more cumbersome than a book.

From this point of view I "fear" that the Nokia 770 could be a more secure

Possibly, but, for instance, wouldn't it quite largely depend upon the browser?

My opinion would be to get one (as cheap as possible) whilst you wait for a nokia. Then, next year when they're cheap, get a nokia and come back to the forum and do a comparison - and sell the one you don't want, probably for as much as you paid...