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The Oregon Scientific PDAs

These inexpensive Oregon Scientific organizers offer some interesting alternatives to Casio, Sharp, and Palm. They are manufactured for Oregon Scientific by IDT.

The OS Pro Elite is a clone of the Palm PDA which sells for less than $100.

The Echo is a tiny credit-card size PDA (like the Rexx), about $70.

The PDA256 is a slightly larger pocket-size PDA which includes a nice multi-language dictionary, about $60.

IMSL Software developed the PC backup software for all 3 of these units, and has therefore had plenty of chance to work with them and compare them to similar Casio, Sharp, and Palm units.

You can buy these units online through Oregon Scientific resellers like www.pdabuzz.com.

OS Pro Elite

Manufacturer's Description:

"The OS Pro Elite comes with 2MB of RAM to handle the most demanding tasks for work and travel. It’s clamshell design provides ergonomic comfort and fits easily into a pocket or briefcase. Its included docking station enables data synchronization with your Windows 95/98 PC, and its 160x200 grey-scale LCD screen is larger than competitive models and thus easier on your eyes.

It’s touch screen helps you access and organize your contacts, appointments, to-do lists and memos. Use its preloaded fax/email software and a modem (sold separately) to get your email. Let OS Pro remind you about holidays, birthdays and anniversaries; Track expenses when you’re on the road. Includes: phone directory, calendar, anniversary reminder, alarms, to do lists, expense manager, appointment scheduler, memo pad, calculator, world clock, IrDA Infrared port, and FineART™ handwriting recognition for easy data input. Only 5 1/4" length x 3 1/4" width x 3/4" depth."

In other words, it really is very similar to the Palm PDA, and includes even more built-in functionality than the Palm.

Price is under $100.

Main differences from Palm:

It's a little bit larger than a Palm III, but the extra size goes into a bit bigger screen.
Although it's based on the same processor as the Palm, it doesn't use the proprietary Palm O/S. Therefore it can't run any Palm software.
A development kit has been promised for some time, but it doesn't look like it will ever be done. Maybe the user group will end up producing a development kit on their own.
It uses its own handwriting recognition, not the Palm Graffiti character set. It works about as well, but those already accustomed to Graffiti probably won't like it.

If you like the organizer functionality of the Palm PDA, and it's not important to you to be able to use 3rd-party Palm application software, the OS Pro Elite is a bargain. But don't expect to be able to use any Palm software.

Echo

Manufacturer's Description:

"The "Echo" personal digital assistant (PDA) with 512K memory synchronizes with your personal computer to "echo" your desktop information wherever you go!

The Echo includes the following:

Touch screen for easy data entry with stylus
Phone directory
Appointment scheduler
Calendar
Password protection
Internet directory for you favorite website addresses
Anniversary remainder with automatic annual carry-overs
Clock with world time and daily alarm
10-digit calculator
Currency converter
Metric converter
Electronic notepad
Power off function
Includes 2 CR2025 batteries
PC Docking station requires a 9-pin serial communication port

The package includes Companionlink Software(TM) synchronization software for Microsoft Outlook(TM), Act!(TM), Goldmine(TM), Lotus Organizer(TM), Schedule +(TM) and a PC Docking station for synchronization with your computer!"

Pice is about $70. The package includes a soft protective cover for the unit.

As you can see from the photo, this is a very compact credit-card size organizer. Not that you would ever put it in a wallet - it's too thick, and it would break if you tried to flex it. But it fits very conveniently in a pocket or purse.

If you are familiar with the Rex PDA, the Echo is similar in form to the Rex unit, but with the following differences:

It has a touch screen and comes with a stylus to allow data entry and editing on the unit, unlike the Rexx which relies on the PC for data entry and editing
It plugs into its own compact docking station with a serial interface to the PC - it is not designed to slide into a PCMCIA slot like the Rex.

The screen contrast is not quite as good as the Rex, or most other pocket organizers for that matter. There is no backlight.

No graphics capability - text only.

If you are looking for a very compact pocket organizer, you can't beat the size of the Echo. It has all the functionality and memory capacity of other pocket organizers, and the pen data input and editing is no less convenient than any of the other pen-based units in spite of the compact size. It can synch with a PC database or organizer program, and the communications hardware and software is included. The only real drawback is the poor screen contrast.

PDA256

The PDA256 has the same features as the Echo above (they are more-or-less the same unit internally). It sells for about $60.

Differences from the Echo:

The PDA256 is about twice the size of the Echo, but it is still a very compact organizer which slips easily into a pocket.
The screen is correspondingly larger than the Echo, but the contrast is no better.
The PDA256 has 256 Kbytes of memory, half the memory of the Echo, but quite adequate for most people
The PDA256 comes with a serial cable which plugs into the unit, rather than using the docking station of the Echo

The extra feature of the PDA256 is a very nice multi-lingual dictionary. "Translates over 45,000 words in seven different languages - English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Portuguese, and Dutch." It's better than a paper dictionary.

The PDA256 wouldn't be a bad choice to take on a European trip, although same caveat as all the other compact pocket organizers: the batteries can be expensive and difficult to find on a foreign trip, so make sure they are good before you leave!.